Don’t Poke The Bear (feat. John Fugelsang)

Summary

The Daily Beans: Episode Summary – "Don’t Poke The Bear" (August 15, 2025)

Hosted by MSW Media, Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg delve into pressing political and social issues with their characteristic blend of progressive insight and sharp wit. This episode, featuring special guest John Fugelsang, tackles topics from electoral redistricting battles to alarming staffing shortages in Veterans Affairs hospitals.

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1. Governor Gavin Newsom's Special Election Initiative

The episode kicks off with California Governor Gavin Newsom's announcement of a special election slated for November 4, 2025. Aimed at combating Republican-led gerrymandering efforts, Newsom intends to place new congressional maps on the ballot to ensure fair representation.

Allison Gill [06:10]: "I know they say don't mess with Texas. Well, don't mess with the great Golden State. I wish you would have said don't poke the bear, but that's just me."

Newsom emphasizes the urgency of this move, especially in response to similar redistricting attempts in states like Texas, Missouri, Florida, and Indiana. He highlighted the commitment to maintaining an independent redistricting commission post-2030 census while proactively addressing mid-decade changes.

2. Trump's Controversial Kennedy Center Honors Announcement

Former President Donald Trump has stirred controversy by announcing the Kennedy Center honorees, asserting his intention to include himself among the recipients. This marks the first time he has taken such an active role in the institution since his initial criticism and subsequent takeover efforts earlier in his term.

Allison Gill [10:00]: "I would have taken it. I waited and I waited and I waited and I said, to hell with it. I'll become chairman. I will give myself an honor next year. We'll honor Trump."

Trump's involvement has been met with skepticism, especially regarding the legitimacy of his claims about the selection process and the potential backlash from established honorees like Gloria Gaynor.

3. Department of Veterans Affairs Faces Severe Staffing Shortages

A grim revelation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) highlights a staggering increase in staffing shortages across its hospitals. An Inspector General report disclosed that 94% of VA facilities are grappling with doctor shortages and 79% with nurse shortages, severely impacting the quality of care for 9 million veterans.

Dana Goldberg [12:52]: "It's horrible. I'm so scared for the veterans. Yeah."

The shortage is partly attributed to workforce reductions under the previous administration, with current efforts to mitigate the crisis through attrition and hiring freezes proving insufficient.

4. Kari Lake Under Scrutiny for Voice of America Cuts

Republican Kari Lake faces legal challenges over her aggressive strategy to reduce funding for Voice of America. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has initiated an investigation into potential executive overreach, following warnings from bipartisan congressional staffers about the misuse of appropriated funds.

Allison Gill [16:32]: "Lake said Trump had, and I quote, expressed strong interest in closing usagm, saying she intends to help him do so within the bounds of current and future federal law."

The legal battle is expected to extend to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, with implications for the future governance of the federal broadcasting agency.

5. Fifth Circuit Court Invalidates Louisiana's Racist Legislative Maps

In a landmark decision, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld lower court rulings that Louisiana's state legislative maps violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by diluting the voting power of Black residents through discriminatory "pack and crack" tactics.

Allison Gill [18:00]: "Today's decision sends a powerful message. The Voting Rights Act is still a vital safeguard against racial discrimination in our democracy."

This ruling is celebrated as a significant victory for Black voters and democratic integrity in Louisiana, paving the way for more equitable political representation.

6. D.C. Man Arrested for Throwing a Sandwich at Law Enforcement

A bizarre incident in Washington, D.C., involved Sean Charles Dunn, a Justice Department employee, who was arrested for assault after throwing a foot-long Subway sandwich at a police officer. The altercation occurred outside a metro transit station, where Dunn reportedly called officers "fascists" before the act.

Dana Goldberg [20:04]: "It's hilarious. He threw a torta."

Hosts Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg shared a mix of amusement and concern over the incident, highlighting the absurdity of the situation while condemning the assault.

Guest Segment: John Fugelsang Discusses Political Climate

Joining Allison and Dana was comedian and activist John Fugelsang, who shared his insights on Governor Newsom's actions and former President Trump's maneuvers. Fugelsang praised Newsom's proactive stance against redistricting injustices and critiqued Trump's attempts to control cultural institutions like the Kennedy Center.

John Fugelsang [27:04]: "And here's looking toward 8 hours, 15 minutes, and 26 seconds. Presuming a planet-killing asteroid doesn't strike Earth in the meantime."

The conversation also touched on the diminishing influence of Trump in Republican politics and the shifting dynamics within Fox News and the broader media landscape.

7. Good News Segment: Listener Submissions

The hosts concluded with a heartfelt "Good News" segment, featuring uplifting stories and personal tributes from listeners. Highlights included:

• Ruth (She/Her): Encouraged listeners to support reproductive health services for veterans by submitting comments to regulations.gov.

• Ellen (She/Her): Shared frustration over putty-colored cars and introduced her rescue dog, Pixie.

• Devin (He/Him): Celebrated the progress of local progressive candidates in Seattle and the success of Democracy Vouchers in funding fair campaigns.

• Amber (She/Her): Expressed gratitude for the podcast's support during personal hardships and showcased her renovated garden and beloved dog, Maverick.

Allison Gill [45:51]: "We have a lot of news to get to and we're going to talk to John Fugelsang later. So let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes."

These submissions provided a balance to the episode's heavy political discourse, highlighting resilience and community spirit among the podcast's audience.

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Conclusion

In this episode of The Daily Beans, Allison Gill and Dana Goldberg effectively navigated a complex landscape of political challenges, legal battles, and social issues, all while maintaining an engaging and relatable dialogue with their listeners. The inclusion of John Fugelsang added depth to the discussion, offering fresh perspectives on the evolving political dynamics. The episode's "Good News" segment served as a refreshing reminder of the positive stories and personal connections within the community, ensuring a well-rounded and impactful listening experience for both regular followers and newcomers alike.

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For more insights and updates, tune into The Daily Beans on MSW Media and join the conversation at mswmedia.com.

Transcript

[Allison Gill]

MSW Media. Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Friday, August 15, 2025. Today, Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a special election in California to fight back against Republican gerrymandering. In Texas, a D.C. man who threw a sandwich at law enforcement was a Department of justice employee. An inspector general report finds severe shortages at VA hospitals. Kari Lake is defending her Voice of America cuts as lawmakers warn her that she's overstepped. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has sided with black Louisianans by striking down their racist state legislative map. And Trump announces his Kennedy center honorees and says he might include himself among them. I'm Allison Gill.

[Dana Goldberg]

And I'm Dana Goldberg.

[Allison Gill]

Ah, happy Friday. We made it another week, my friend.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, we sure did. What a fucking loser, you all. He's a loser.

[Allison Gill]

I'm gonna.

[Dana Goldberg]

I'm gonna award myself. I'm gonna give it to myself. I'm hosting the awards, so I'm gonna introduce myself, give it to myself, accept it myself. It's gonna be.

[Allison Gill]

But I might be too busy. But no, I'll accept it from myself.

[Dana Goldberg]

I. I did hear that Tom. Unless it was a rumor, they would. He was trying to order Tom Cruise Honor. Tom Cruise. This was from Charlotte Clymer, and Tom Cruise just said, I have a scheduling conflict.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, yeah, Tom. Good old Tom Cruise. I mean, you know, he must have just been like, the minute I read that from Charlotte, I was. I just like Tom Cruise being like, no, sorry, you're box office poison. And then I imagined Trump dressed like Joan Crawford with an ax in the Rose Garden. Box office poison. Christina, get the axe. You know, just. I like, that's what I pictured in my head. That'd be about it, little mommy dearest. It's Friday here on the Daily Beans, which means it's fugal saying Fridays. It's also the night of Dana Goldberg live at Diversionary theater in Hillcrest, 7pm.

[Dana Goldberg]

9Pm if you're listening to this and you have a ticket, hey, we're going to see you tonight. We are also going to have another. There's going to be a surprise at the show. I'm so excited, y'.

[Allison Gill]

All.

[Dana Goldberg]

If you are a Beans listener, you got tickets to either the 7th or 9pm I just love that you're going to be in the audience. It's why I announced it on this podcast first, because I want my family in that room. So we're going to have some fun.

[Allison Gill]

We are. It's going to be amazing. Also very interesting, I'm apparently having a Twitter fight with Ghislaine Maxwell's attorney.

[Dana Goldberg]

I would say you're winning a Twitter fight. I don't. It feels like a one sided fight because you're armed with intelligence. And he's just, well, he's, he's saying.

[Allison Gill]

There'S no such thing as work release. And so I showed him the Bureau of Prisons policy that says if you have out custody status that you are eligible to work outside the confines on work assignments. And I think probably his argument may be semantics, like, of course, work release and work assignments outside the walls of the prison are different things. Or so I'm not sure. But whatever, I'll answer whatever questions he has if, you know, if his post.

[Dana Goldberg]

Was so gross though, I mean, it was like Ghislaine Maxwell is being. She's in danger in Tennessee. So we moved her and I thought you would want better, you know, prison conditions for our prisoners. And I'm like, you motherfucker.

[Allison Gill]

Right. Everybody should be able to have their lawyer meet with the deputy attorney general to get a sweetheart deal and move to a minimum security.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yep.

[Allison Gill]

Club Fed. Yeah, that's, that's just due process. Right, Just. Anyway, so that's happening. I'm not sure how I feel about that. But you know, like I said, I'm not a lawyer, but if the lawyer has questions, I'm happy to answer them.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. On a funny note, I don't know if you all been following the story. Hunter Biden had made some comments in an interview in comments that he had heard obviously from something else and was probably parroting them, but about, you know, Melania Trump obviously having some Epstein knowledge. You know, Wolf, I think it was Wolf who said they met on the Epstein's jet. It's the first place they had sex was on Epstein's jet. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the more salacious photos of Melania Trump are on and from Epstein's jet. And then Melania Trump threatened to sue Hunter Biden and of course Hunter was like, oh, you want to, you want to go to court? You want there to be. What is it, what is it called when they.

[Allison Gill]

Discovery.

[Dana Goldberg]

Discovery. You want to go through discovery? Let's go through discovery. Because you're going to have to sit down and give a deposition. And of course, I'm sure everyone went, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, we're not gonna, we're not gonna actually.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, he has to give you all of his information. There can be no surprises. It's called disclosure, you dickhead. Yeah, I thought that was pretty, pretty great myself. Honestly.

[Dana Goldberg]

So I'm actually surprised more people aren't talking about Melania Trump's knowledge of everything that happened because she was right next to him the entire time.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. Yes, she was. But, you know, she's just going to definitely not answer any questions. So anyway, we will, we will keep on this story. Thank you to everybody for, you know, supporting our, our reporting [e-mail] and, you know, I'm just, I'm really proud that, you know, my sources aren't like corporate media sources. They're not access sources. They're not high government officials in the Trump administration. Our sources are frontline federal government employees who are fighting back and resisting what's happening to the federal government. So I'm pretty proud of that.

[Dana Goldberg]

I am proud of it, too.

[Allison Gill]

Thank you, everyone. All right. We have a lot of news to get to and we're going to talk to John Feiglsang later. So let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes. All right, first up from abc, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Thursday he is moving forward with putting proposed new congressional maps for the state on the ballot on a November 4th special election this year in an attempt to counter mid decade redistricting pushes by Republicans in Texas. Quote, I know they say don't mess with Texas. Well, don't mess with the great Golden State. I wish you would have said don't poke the bear, but that's just me. Yeah, that's what he said at the press conference. Flanked by Democratic members of Congress, California union leaders, including the SEIU union leader that was detained by ICE recently. Newsom said the state government will affirm its commitment to the state's independent redistricting commission after the 2030 census, quote, but we're asking the voters for their consent to do Midterm redistricting in 2026, 2028 and 2030 for the Congressional maps to respond to what's happening in Texas. And we'll do so in a way that also affirms our desire as a state to level the playing field across all the United States. Now, the California legislature will have to pass legislation to put maps on the ballot, but we do have a super majority here in California. Speaking to reporters after the announcement, Newsom said California won't move forward with its mid decade redistricting plans if Republican run considering redistricting do not move forward with redrawing their own maps. So this is going to be a trigger thing. If they do it, then we'll do it. Quote, this does not go forward. I want to Remind everybody, unless one of these other states moves forward, there's still an exit ramp. Not just Texas, but Missouri, as I mentioned, or Florida, Indiana. These other states that are considering doing the unprecedented rigging their elections with midterm redistricting. So we're hopeful they don't move forward because if that's the case, this effort will not be necessary. But we're not waiting.

[Dana Goldberg]

He said, good. And by the way, I watched the press conference. There was a bunch of people that spoke before Newsom. They have no fucks left to give. I don't know if anyone else watched this live. There was one woman that was like, you have more in common with an undocumented worker than you do with any of those fucking billionaires. Like, she dropped two F bombs during it. Her brother said shit about the bill. The big. The bill of shit. Yeah. They were just on fire. I love to see it.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. And I mean, I thought it was a great press conference. I wish they would go ahead and do this and not wait until Republicans do it.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

But I mean, I'm glad they're at least meeting the moment because, you know, democracy's at risk. And I like the way he framed it. Remember, I was like, don't call it gerrymandering. It's not. We're responding to them and their rigging of elections. So I thought it went well. There were ICE agents, by the way, that raided the or Border Patrol, came outside of where they were when that happened. And he.

[Dana Goldberg]

And you know what bothered me about that? I saw one of these ICE agents say, we're going to protect this city and have order because the politicians aren't. And I'm like, whoa, that's not your fucking job, you partisan hack.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, yeah, it was gross. And Newsom jumped on it during the press conference. He said, because they're scared. They're small people. And, you know, I agree.

[Dana Goldberg]

So, anyway, speaking of small people, this is from Politico. President Trump, the smallest of the people, on Wednesday announced this year's Kennedy center honorees, the first, by the way, since his takeover of the institution, further molding Washington's iconic performing arts center in his image. Trump announced at a press event at the center that he would host this year's annual event because that's ever been heard of, where musician George Strait, not surprising, actor and comedian Michael Crawford, actor Sylvester Solo, not surprising, singer Gloria Gaynor and rock band Kiss will all be awarded now. It was unusually public role for the president, who has focused early in his term on remaking the Kennedy center. Earlier this year, he fired multiple members of the board and art institution and installed himself as a chair. Now, Trump said, what now? I just want to comment on something before I can. A lot of people are like, gloria Gaynor's not going to accept it. A friend of mine did a deep dive on Gloria Gaynor, and even though she made a lot of money off the gay community, she's made a lot of donations to some pretty ugly people.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

And as I know, is it Republican, so.

[Allison Gill]

And they wouldn't have announced her if she didn't agree.

[Dana Goldberg]

Exactly. Don't hold your breath for Gloria Gaynor, Trump, by the way, on Wednesday, he pursed, approved of each nominee. He said, I would say I was about 98% involved. Now. They all went through me. That's what he said. I turned down plenty. I had a couple of wokesters. Okay. Trump, in his first term, had chafed at the Kennedy Center's Honors ceremony, said with bullshit. He skipped the ceremony repeatedly with some artists pledging to boycott if he attended. Now it was White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Trump said on Wednesday, who convinced him to host the honors this year. Bullshit quote. I said, I'm the President of the United States. Are you fools asking me to do that? That's what Trump said from the Kennedy Center. Despite his original criticism of the performing arts center, Trump on Wednesday said he had always wanted to be one of the honorees.

[Allison Gill]

Susan called me with tears in her eyes and said, please, sir, please host. And I said, no, I'm the President. I'm very busy. But then I said, okay. I mean, come on.

[Dana Goldberg]

This is his quote. Since 1978, the Kennedy Center's honors have been among the most prestigious awards in the performing arts. I wanted one, was never able to get one. He said, I would have taken it. I waited and I waited and I waited and I said, to hell with it. I'll become chairman. I will give myself an honor next year. We'll honor Trump. Okay, now listen to that fucking statement. First of all. Second of all, he's admitting that the Kennedy center has been a prestigious place and prestigious awards. There was nothing fucking wrong with it. And he wanted one of the awards that the Kennedy center was giving out by other presidents, Democratic presidents. And now he's like, I'll just give one to. I'm not earning it. I'm just going to give it to myself.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, and presidents don't award the Kennedy Center Honors. The Kennedy Center Board awards the Kennedy Center.

[Dana Goldberg]

Exactly. The President is often in, sometimes in attendance. Yeah, that's about it for real.

[Allison Gill]

Obama went all the time. Yeah, whatever. All right, next up from the Guardian, this story makes me sad. The Department of Veterans affairs is experiencing severe staffing shortages at all its hospitals, with the number of shortages increasing by 50% this fiscal year, according to a new report from the agency's independent watchdog. The report, released Tuesday, came a day after the Guardian revealed the department had lost thousands of healthcare professionals deemed core to the system under Donald Trump, without which the agency said mission critical work cannot be completed. I told you the Inspector General found 94% 94% of VA facilities had a severe shortage of doctors, while 79% faced a severe shortage of nurses. Psychology Psychology was the most frequently reported clinical occupational staffing shortage. Do you think that maybe psychology is important to the Department of Veterans Affairs?

[Dana Goldberg]

I would think so. One of the most important things I.

[Allison Gill]

Had to guess A majority of VA facilities also reported severe shortages of police officers who keep veteran patients and staff safe. The VA operates the largest integrated health system in the United States, serving 9 million veterans annually. The report is required under two laws, one signed by Trump in 2017, which require the agency's inspector general annually to determine the extent of staffing shortages within each medical center. In a statement, Congressman Mark Takano of California, the ranking Democrat on the House Committee of Veterans affairs, said the report confirms our fears that shortages of medical staff were leading to decreased access and choice for veterans. The VA Press secretary, Peter Casp Kasparowitz, told the Guardian the congressionally mandated watchdog report was not reliable, not a reliable indicator of staffing shortages, and that it was completely subjective, not standardized and unreliable. Let me tell you something Peter. I worked at the the VA for 12 years. We were always understaffed and now it's massively severe because of Yalls doge cuts and attrition and all your so you and I'm just going to leave it at that. Guardian goes on to say the report is based on a survey of VA medical centers in April. Since then, a Guardian review of agency staffing records found the VA has continued to lose doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers and other frontline medical professionals. Kasparowitz, who is a fucking idiot, did not dispute the fact that the agency has lost thousands of mission critical health care workers under Trump, including after the watchdog survey period concluded the VA is in the midst of a department wide reduction of 30,000 workers, which the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins, said could be accomplished by September through a combination of attrition, a hiring freeze and deferred resignation programs. I spoke to a doctor recently, Dana, at the va. Yeah. Who is helping veterans women in other states, the states with abortion bans. She's doing telehealth to send them abortion medication because that's still legal under Biden's thing. Right. And she was like, the, the amount of doctors leaving, she's like, I can't leave. A lot of people want to leave, but they're afraid. They know that if they leave because of the hiring freeze and that they're, you know, because of attrition, that the veterans won't get care.

[Dana Goldberg]

That was from one of our good news submitters yesterday. Yeah, that's what they told us. It's horrible.

[Allison Gill]

That's awful. And I hate what's happening to my.

[Dana Goldberg]

Va. And me, too, my friend.

[Allison Gill]

I'm so scared for the veterans. Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

Wish I had a good news story here, but I don't. This is from the Post. Kerry Lake, the Republican installed by President Trump to reduce the Voice of America and his parent agency of what he called a minimum presence, sought Wednesday to justify her hardball approach to a federal judge who has alleged that she is overstepping her statutory authority. Imagine this is true. Her legal challenges have expanded beyond the courtroom, however. The Government Accountability Office launching an investigation into her potential executive overreach at the US Agency for Global Media after congressional staffers from both parties warned that Lake was breaking the law by improperly using appropriated funds. Does this surprise anybody? No. The GAO investigation confirmed by the agency to the Washington Post, will take months to resolve. Lake's immediate legal focus lies with US District Judge Royce Lambert, who has demanded answers about how she's running this once vibrant international broadcasting agency with a shoestring staff while keeping hundreds on paid leave. Lamberth ordered the government on July 30 to justify its actions after earlier issued a preliminary injunction instructing the agency to abide by its statutory authority. A circuit court panel reversed a separate part of the injunction, ordering staffers back to work. Now, in a declaration to the court filed Wednesday, Lake said Trump had, and I quote, expressed strong interest in closing usagm, saying she intends to help him do so within the bounds of current and future federal law. Lake has also received messages from Capitol Hill urging her to follow the law. Congressional appropriations staffers for Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina. Brian Schatz, the Democrat in Hawaii, warned Lake in June that she was breaking the law by improperly using congressionally appropriated funds to fire staffers at the government broadcaster. Now, Paul Grove, the longtime Republican subcommittee clerk working for Graham, followed up with a stern message saying please respond to Karn's suggestion, he wrote, and went on to say you have not followed legal requirements. Grove did not respond to a request when they asked for it. So USGM staffers put what hope they have for getting their jobs back into Lambert's courtroom. The judge is expected to respond to government's filing in the coming week, though the case will likely be appealed to a three judge panel on the federal appeals court.

[Allison Gill]

Carrie Lake, how many times do you have to lose?

[Dana Goldberg]

God, just go away.

[Allison Gill]

I know. She keeps turning up like a bad penny. All right, from the aclu. This is a victory for black voters and democracy in Louisiana. The 5th U.S. circuit Court of Appeals today affirmed in full the district's court rulings that the state legislative maps violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights act of 1965. The court agreed that the maps dilute the voting power of black Louisianans by unfairly dividing communities into state districts with the goal of reducing a group's voting power. It's called pack and crack, right? Denying them an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. The ruling affirms the outcome of a seven day trial in late 2023 where expert witnesses, data analysis and firsthand accounts from black voters across Louisiana exposed the discriminatory effect of the current maps and their impact in places like Shreveport and Baton Rouge. Quote, this is a historic affirmation of the right of the rights of black voters in Louisiana. That's Megan Keenan, ACLU Voting Rights Project staff attorney. She went on to say, today's decision sends a powerful message. The Voting Rights act is still a vital safeguard against racial discrimination in our democracy. The court recognized the reality that many black voters in Louisiana have been denied their full and fair representation. This ruling brings us one step closer to the inclusive political process. Our clients and communities across the state deserve another quote here. A unanimous win is incredible. As the court clearly held, Louisiana must have maps where black voters have a fair opportunity to elect candidates of choice. That was the one of the plaintiffs, Dr. Alice Washington, who went on to say, we are advancing our state to a more perfect place and hopefully will inspire all to want to live here.

[Dana Goldberg]

Beautiful.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. Wonderful.

[Dana Goldberg]

That is some good news. Oh, boy. I hate this person's name. Even coming up on my screen. This is from the Post. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday that a Justice Department employee has been fired after he was arrested for allegedly throwing a sandwich at a federal law enforcement officer Sunday evening. Okay, everyone, listen.

[Allison Gill]

He threw the.

[Dana Goldberg]

He threw the video's magic. In a court document filed Wednesday, police alleged that Sean Charles Dunn approached a law enforcement officer, including Metro Transit Police and US Customs Border Protection officers and began yelling obscenities and calling them fascists, as he did in the video. At about 11:05pm According to the federal court filing, Dunn approached an officer and threw a sandwich at him. Okay. He was charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers and employees of the United States. Dunn was an international affairs specialist in the criminal division of the Justice Department. That's according to a person who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss personal matters. Don's 37, lives in the District. According to the spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office in D.C. after his arrest, Don allegedly told one of the officers, I did it. I threw a sandwich. Now, everyone, when I tell you this sweet man wearing khaki shorts and a pink shirt, possibly pink shorts and a pink shirt, not saying anything about that outran.

[Allison Gill]

Oh, my God.

[Dana Goldberg]

This very slow team of military people on the streets of D.C. i mean, and from what I understand, it was like. It was a foot long. It was a foot long Subway sandwich.

[Allison Gill]

He ran the fuck away. He was like, you're a fascist. And he just threw the sandwich at.

[Dana Goldberg]

The guy, which I'm sure that shocked the guy. It had to have, but it was. The sandwich explodes. And I'm not saying this is okay. I am saying it's hilarious.

[Allison Gill]

It is hilarious. And just so everyone knows, I spoke to Officer Harry Dunn. No relation to Charles Dunn, although he wish he wish he was. Because Harry Dunn says it's perfectly okay to laugh at this.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, I mean.

[Allison Gill]

I mean, he ran.

[Dana Goldberg]

He did. What did you say when this happened? You got assaulted with the sandwich. You said, the hero we've been waiting. The hero we've been waiting for.

[Allison Gill]

Not all heroes wear capes.

[Dana Goldberg]

Assault with a deli weapon.

[Allison Gill]

Assault with a deli weapon.

[Dana Goldberg]

I said, this is definitely the first time any of those officers had seen anything that was foot long. Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

And then I wonder how it's gonna go where they're like, and I guess you can indict a ham sandwich.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, my God. Yeah. I mean, hey, listen, if you're gonna throw something at a cop and you're ready for the consequences, let it be a foot long sandwich from Subway. This reminds me.

[Allison Gill]

Reminds me of an old Drew Carey joke where he said, you know, I was driving in the rain one night, Los Angeles. You know what a California stop is, right? You roll through a stop sign, you don't exactly stop. It's raining. It's pouring rain, and there's a cop behind him and he does a California stop. He rolls through the stop sign. Cop pulls him over, gets out in the pouring rain, and Drew Carey rolls down his window a little bit. And the cop is like, do you know why I pulled you over? And Drew Carey goes, yeah. Do you know why I ran the sign? What's good? What good is your money if you can't spend it on fun stuff?

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, my God.

[Allison Gill]

Anyway, thank you for that. Thank you for that story. I needed that laugh.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, that was good. The video is actually really good, if anyone wants to look it up. I'm telling you this. I he. I think he was in loafers too. This guy outrun. Now, I understand these officers are carrying a lot of weight. They have their vests and their belt and all this other stuff, but this guy wasn't exactly Usain, you know, Usain Bolt. I mean, they could have bought him that.

[Allison Gill]

He ran a block.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. Oh, my God.

[Allison Gill]

Oh, it's fantastic. Just fantastic. That's some good trouble right there.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

And speaking of good trouble, our. Our good trouble segment is going to be our first submission in our good news segment, which we'll get to right after John Fugal saying, which happens after this quick break. So stick around. We'll be right back after these messages. We'll be right back. This episode is brought to you by IQ Bar. The better for you. Plant protein based snacks. I love snacks made with brain boosting nutrients to refuel, nourish, and satisfy your hunger without a sugar crash. And right now, IQ Bar is offering our podcast listeners an exclusive deal. 20% off all IQ Bar products, plus you get free shipping. Just text daily beans, all one word to 64,000. One of the first IQ bar flavors I tried was lemon blueberry and it completely hooked me. I absolutely love these snacks. They're fresh. It was a bright flavor. It was enough to make me want more. But it was the way I felt after eating one that made me a fan for life. Now, IQ Bars plant protein bars are designed to keep you physically and mentally fit with ingredients you can actually recognize. They are totally free from gluten, no dairy, no soy, no GMOs, no artificial sweeteners, no junk. It makes them a natural snack you can feel good about. And they have nine flavors to choose from. Mint chocolate chip is amazing. Chocolate sea salt, banana nut, toasted coconut chip, peanut butter chip. There is something for everyone.

[Dana Goldberg]

Okay?

[Allison Gill]

And IQ Bar has over 20,000 five star reviews, so they're just amazing. It's not just for their snacks either. They also have hydration mixes which are amazing, and mushroom coffees that are designed to boost both body and brain performance. Now, I keep IQ Bars in my desk drawer, my gym bag, and they're perfect for mornings when I skip breakfast or afternoons when I need a pick me up without the crash clean ingredients. Great taste, lasting energy. That's why IQ Bar has become a part of my daily routine. And right now, IQ Bar is offering our special podcast listeners 20% off all IQ bar products. Plus you get free shipping right to your door. So to get your 20 off, just text daily beans to 64,000. Again, text daily beans to 64,000. That's daily beans to 64,000. Message and data rates apply. See terms for details. Hey, everybody. Welcome back. It's Friday on the Daily Beans, which means it's Fugal saying Fridays. We're joined by my good friend, host of Tell me everything on SiriusXM progress channel 127. You can catch that weeknights at 9pm Eastern, 6 Pacific. If you don't have that, you can always listen to the John Fugal show podcast. John Fugal Show.

[C]

I said, yeah.

[Allison Gill]

There's also a substack. There's a book coming out September 9th called Separation of Church and Hate. He's everywhere that you need him to be. Just Google John Fugal saying, welcome, John.

[C]

Fugle saying, oh, thank you. Dr. Gill, what a great pleasure to see you. How are you?

[Allison Gill]

I'm good. Just finished watching the Gavin Newsom press conference, which was not carried on any of the mainstream media outlets.

[C]

Shocking. Shocking.

[Allison Gill]

And he has announced that he has called a special election this November. He's calling it the response to the, you know, rigging election rigging. And the, the message is basically, you know, we all. Nobody likes gerrymandering. This isn't gerrymandering. That. This is not that. This is stepping in to temporarily save democracy for those who don't have any rules and follow no rules. So they say, don't mess with Texas. He says, don't poke the bear. And so he is gonna call that special election. He's saying, we're doing it transparently. We're not doing it in a back room. We're getting the input from the people, which is not what they're doing in Texas. He just made a phone call asking for 11,780 votes. I mean, five seats, and here we are. So I think that that's good. I'm glad to see this. The maps will be out soon and I'm Glad they're moving forward with it.

[C]

I am, too. And I'm also glad to see Gavin Newsom has done the swiftest rebranding of any 2020 presidential candidate we have ever seen.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. He's on the Jamie Lannister arc right now.

[C]

Oh, thank you. Very good. Yeah. Well, let's hope he. Let's hope he goes better than Jamie did in the end. But, yeah, I mean, look, I really enjoyed him giving a loving pedicure to Steve Bannon. I thought that was inspiring. But instead, now he's doing what people want to see. There are so many leaders. They're standing up already. I'm not even talking about the presidential race. There's going to be so many really terrific governors running. I mean, he's going to be going up against Wes Moore and Andy Bashir and Jamie Baby Pritzker. I'm not worried about 2028 right now. It's about the next year and a half. And what he just did was as close to calling checkmate on Greg Abbott as anybody we've seen.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, agreed.

[C]

Go ahead and do it, douchebag. Go ahead. Go ahead and redistrict. Be that corrupt. Put that in the history books. And the history books will record how the other 49 states balanced out your corruption.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. It'll be interesting to see how the voters respond in a special election this fall. So.

[C]

Yeah. And by the way, if Newsom does it for five seats, Kathy Hochul won't do it. Democrats won't get all greedy with this. The Democrats will say, we're stopping. We're just keeping it as it is. You're gonna cheat for five more seats. We'll cheat for five more seats, and we'll stop there. But there's a lot of Democratic governors who would get in on this. Kathy Hochul's reading the tea leaves as well.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. And Pritzker.

[C]

Yeah, Pritzker will do it in a second.

[Allison Gill]

They're fighting back because, as Newsom said in his press conference, JD Vance went to Indiana to see if he can get some seats there. They're talking about doing the same thing in Missouri. So this isn't just relegated to Texas. And so I don't think it should be relegated to California. I don't think they should do five for five. I think we should blow them out of the water. That's just my own personal.

[C]

Well, maybe, but these are all Democrats who have realized that blind obedience to Donald Trump's not going to be as attractive one year from now.

[Allison Gill]

Exactly.

[C]

I mean, the tariff juicing the prices is just beginning. You think things are going to get. Get better with Trump's economy? You think, you think things are going to get cheaper and more affordable? Our allies are going to like us, and foreign investment will somehow start up again and tourists will come here to spend their dollars again. The whole economy's slowing down. They're trying to deport a gigantic chunk of the undocumented workforce these capitalists enjoy propping up their economy with. Things are going to slow down fast. And Donald Trump is not going to be running for office ever again. We've talked about this, Allison, but there's folks, folks who will come down from the mountains to vote when that Mr. Trump from the TV is on the ballot. And these folks will come in from the swamps to vote when that Mr. Trump from the TV. But they didn't come in 2018. They didn't come in 2022. They ain't coming in 2026 when the celebrity name is not on the damn ballot. These Democrats know that. And Republicans are about to be in a very awkward position because Donald Trump can still hurt them. But a year from now, will he be able to help them?

[Dana Goldberg]

Them?

[Allison Gill]

Right. Yeah. I mean, I think. I think he's outlived his usefulness.

[C]

You know how I feel?

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, we've talked about that.

[C]

They're done. They're. They're hitting delete asset like Bond villain.

[Allison Gill]

I mean, deleted.

[C]

It's like, wait a second. We can get the same. We can get the same kind of crypto deals and tax cuts and deregulation from one of the Bush kids or that eyeliner pudgy one. What's his name? Yeah, they don't need this racist clown anymore. He's the gatekeeper. He's not one of them. They golf on his courses. And I mean, the very fact that he turns around and sues Rupert Murdoch for $22 billion, and Murdoch responds by laughing in his face in the Wall Street Journal and running the article that Pam Bondi told him in May that he was in the Epstein files. That's how serious an oligarch like Rupert Murdoch is taking him. And that's why you're not seeing Fox News turn on Trump yet. But, man, Fox News is booking Wes Moore for some great interviews. Fox News is booking all kinds of people Trump doesn't like like. And treating them with civility. Fox News is. I think Rupert's just waiting to unleash this on man baby, if he has to. I don't think he's gonna have to. I think. I don't think he's gonna make it to the election.

[Allison Gill]

Are you planning a party or no?

[C]

I mean, it depends on how he goes, you know, because I don't want him to die. I've told you this many times. I want three ghosts to visit him and make him a good person. I want him to. I want him to linger a very long time prep comfortably in the Hague. I would like him to be. I'd like him to go out like his dad as much as possible and as publicly as possible, just because I'm a traditional guy. But his arteries are going to do whatever the hell his arteries are going to do. And there's a lot of people in the Republican establishment who I think are already looking at Eve Harrington, that bitch J.D. vance, because that's who the tech bros who will someday run the world want as their vassal in the White House.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, agreed. Well, let's talk a little bit about, I think the case for D.C. statehood is about to get a bump because always because of the federalization there. Now, in his first order, Donald Trump said, this is going to happen as long until I say it stops. And then everyone's like, sir, no, it can only go 30 days. And so it goes. Okay, 30 days. I'm going to go to Congress and ask him for more than 30 days. It reminds me of Mean Girls. I will keep you here all night. We can only keep them till four. I will keep you here till four. Like, that is what. That is what first stuck out in my head. But he's now going to go to Congress to see if he can make this go past 30 days.

[C]

Yeah, they get. That's not great. The Congress gets to put their names on this, just like they voted to. You know, they got to put their names on protecting the pedophiles in the Epstein files. All but one Republican in the House voted to protect those names. And now they get to vote on this, on 800 guard members patrolling a city with the lowest crime rate in three decades. And Pam Bondi controlling 3,000 DC cops like it's a Miss Florida pageant gone fascist. And Trump using military power not because of necessity, but because he's still trying to appeal desperately to his own 32% of the electorate base. And this is all, again, to distract from the Epstein revelations that will never go away. I mean, he's acting like he's freeing the city from some kind of oppressive presence when it really is the lowest violent crime rate in 30 years. This is a crime wave that exists only in the parallel Fox News cinematic Universe. But did you hear him say that suddenly DC is worse than Bogota, Mexico City and the worst places on earth? Which means places with. Places with brown people that he thinks sounds scary, right?

[Allison Gill]

Shithole countries. Yeah.

[C]

And then he's taking these, these 800 National Guard men and women away from their families and their jobs and their actual communities to do what? Exactly. Like, like arrest imaginary ATV gangs. I mean, this is all because that one Doge douchebag, Edward Big Balls Corestein. You remember Big Balls figure in American history. Yeah. And he got mugged and the teenager who kicked his ass got arrested the very same day. That's the rampant violence he's calling in the National Guard for. It's like his Reichstag kindling, if not his Reichstag fire. And I know nothing says freedom like sending in troops to occupy a majority black city during a 30 year low in violent crime. It's. Please, Republicans, be on endorse all of this. Put your names in the history books as signing on to this, this guy who just shows white supremacy. Fascism isn't just when you pardon 1600 violent freaking Nazi insurrectionists who tried to beat cops to death. It's also when you do that and then turn around and say, oh, no, the problem is brown people's violence. And that's what this was.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. By the way, I did speak to my friend, former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn, and he has given me permission to laugh at the sandwich guy who threw the sandwich. He said, because it's funny if you don't know what I'm talking about. There was a guy who worked at the doj. He just got fired today. He's been arrested for assault. He threw a Subway sandwich at, at a military guy out on the street in D.C. he threw it at him, he hucked it, and then he ran away. And then he said, I did it. I threw the sandwich.

[C]

I don't endorse that. I mean, there's already a hunger crisis, folks. Make your protest as not stupid as possible. Throw it a shoe at a politician. Don't throw a sandwich at a, at a guy who's in the service doing his job.

[Allison Gill]

Appreciate that. But you know, I think Trump's going to run out of stuff in his arsenal and arrows in his quiver to distract from the Epstein files. Did you know I'm in a. I'm in a Twitter fight with Ghislaine Maxwell's attorney?

[C]

Yes, I do, because you have become a complete rock star. I knew how busy you were, but at this point, I'm going to. I'M just in front of your audience, going to ask you to come on Sirius XM to talk about your reportage on Ghislaine Maxwell because, wow. I mean, it's just so out in the open. And this White House, how, how can they not. How can Susie Wiles think there's any way this, if Susie Wiles is the only intelligent one there, let's just go with that as a premise. How can she think that, that, that changing the rules to move the sex trafficking child rape lady into a really nice prison with Pilates and movie nights and cucumbers in the water. Like, like, how is that going to play? How is that going to help Republicans in the midterms? It's such a. He's revealing his indifference to these Republicans in Congress. And I think a lot of them already are aware of it and they got to play along. But this, I can't wait. I want Ghislaine Maxwell to be the most famous person on Earth a year from now. More than Beyonce.

[Allison Gill]

Gotcha. Now let's talk before I let you go, a little bit about the clerk. Kim Davis is back.

[C]

Oh, isn't that great?

[Allison Gill]

She has petitioned the Supreme Court to overturn Obergefell. She's arguing about the sanctity of marriage, though. She's on her fourth husband.

[C]

Yeah. She's the NASCAR of heterosexual matrimony.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. And to be clear, I am not shaming people who have a divorce. I am twice divorced.

[C]

I have no divorce shame here.

[Allison Gill]

I'm not out there trying to, you know, wreck the marriages of.

[C]

No, I would never, and I would never mock her. I think marriage is sacred. All four of her marriage are sacred. She's. This woman's been married more times than I've renewed Costco memberships, so I have no right to criticize. She has. She is clearly an expert in the sanctity of marriage. But it just shows that sometimes, if this is who God sends. I think when God picks his prophets, he gets really up and uses a dartboard because God works a bit. Like, maybe God should start checking LinkedIn before he hands out his divine assignments. Because she's the perfect spokesperson for this movie movement. And it may be enough. They just want to get it to the court to see if 10 years later they can undo a burger fell. Now, I don't think this Supreme Court is that reckless and stupid. Can you imagine? I mean, how would it undo marriages that have existed in the last 10.

[Allison Gill]

Years if they threw it to the states? Would you be married in California, but not in exactly Right.

[C]

And you know what? Let them try. Let them show history how evil and stupid they are and let them hurt themselves even more. I hate to say it it, but enough people need to. It has to get a little worse for people to realize these people are never going to play by the rules. They're never going to be kind. They're never going to be good people. I don't want to see marriage equality taken away. I want Americans to realize how real the threat is.

[Allison Gill]

Right.

[C]

And again, it's got nothing to do with Jesus. They despise. The homophobia is a rejection of actual Christianity. This Kim Davis is the perfect spokesperson, along with Donald Trump, of this Kentucky Fried train wreck. I mean, it just God, I guess God, when he speaks, he doesn't care about curing cancer or ending war. He just wants to focus on small town clerks with a grudge against guys wearing tuxes together.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. No, yeah. Those the Texas Flood folks? Nah, we don't. No. But definitely we need to tear families apart.

[C]

You know what?

[Allison Gill]

Terrific.

[C]

The Opus DEI Supreme Court might be exactly the audience she needs.

[Allison Gill]

Well, we know. We know Clarence Thomas wants to. Got it.

[C]

We know Toledo as well. Yeah, we'll see.

[Allison Gill]

We'll see if they have the votes. Who knows? Maybe Emil Bovey will be on the court by the time.

[C]

Maybe Scott Baio will have taken Sonia Sotomayor's chair by then, but we'll see.

[Allison Gill]

But, you know, obviously, if Bovey gets there, he'll be replacing Thomas or Alito. I know Alito. I know Martha wants Alito to retire so she can keep doing her flag games.

[C]

You. You really think. Think Bovey would be on this? Allison, the Heritage foundation is not going to pick Bovey.

[Allison Gill]

You don't think. No, Trump. Trump just divorced himself from having any input from anybody on Supreme Court.

[C]

It doesn't matter. The Heritage foundation decides who Republicans put on the Supreme Court, not Donald Trump. Well, and if he goes against them, let him. I would love to see him disobey them and try to stick Judge Janine or one of his winged monkeys on the court on his own song. Love to see.

[Allison Gill]

It would be interesting and an interesting battle.

[C]

Oh, what a maverick he would be. He always chicken. He always chickens out. He always chickens out.

[Allison Gill]

Taco, Taco man. Well, my friend, thank you so much for joining us as always.

[C]

Oh, Dr. Gill, you're the best. And thank you again on behalf of all of us for all your work on Ghislaine. It's just this story is never going to go away, and Donald Trump doesn't realize that and his own base will keep it alive just enough. And the corporate media, that soulless monster, they love this story and thank God for it. The corporate media will keep this story alive forever too.

[Allison Gill]

Thank you. But full credit goes to the brave people on the front lines of the federal workforce resisting from within, who reach out to me with this information. But thank you.

[C]

Thank you.

[Allison Gill]

All right, everybody, we're gonna be right back with the good news. If you ever want to see John Fugelsang again, listen carefully. All you have to do is tune in to Sirius XM progress channel one, 27 weeknights, 9pm Eastern, 6 Pacific for tell Me Everything. You can also check out John Fugal Saying podcast and there's also a substack that you should definitely go and subscribe to.

[C]

You sound like Trump threatening the Smithsonian when you talk that way.

[Allison Gill]

And your book comes out on September 9th and we're going to have you on for a special interview, a special, very special episode of Fugal Sang Fridays where I find a joint in your math book and we talk about your book coming out. Church and State, Church and Hate. Separation of Church and hate comes out September 9th, my friend. Thank you very much. We will see you next time. Like I said, everybody stick around. We'll be right back with the good news. Everybody, welcome back. It's time for the good news. Who likes good news? Everyone?

[C]

Then good news everyone.

[Allison Gill]

Good news. And if you have any good news submissions or good trouble suggestions, if you want to give a shout out to a loved one or yourself or a small business or non profit in your area or somewhere you work, maybe your small business. If you want to share what you're making and creating to pass the time during this terrible administration, we would love to see that too. I know we have some amazing makers and creators that listen to the show. If you have a shout out to a government program, send that into us. If you any tiny wonderful thing that has happened to you. If you're a, if you're a beans listener and you're coming to Dana's show tonight at Diversionary Theater. Tell us about it. Tell us what you thought. Share some of your favorite jokes. We would love to hear from you.

[Dana Goldberg]

Tell us what you thought. As long as you enjoyed this.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah, only if you enjoyed the show.

[Dana Goldberg]

I'm still a delicate flower.

[Allison Gill]

Also let us do. We'll have, we'll have the producers weed out the the bad ones.

[Dana Goldberg]

There you go.

[Allison Gill]

But anything small that's great that's happened to you any really anytime doesn't have to be recent. Some maybe great photos of a rally you've been to. Maybe your favorite signs from no Kings or Hands Off. We would love to see it and we would love to hear from you. So flood us with your good news. All you got to do to get your stuff read on the air is pay your POD pet tariff, which means attach a photo of your pet. We can try to guess the breeds of your puppy. We aren't the very best, but we can try. We love trying to if you don't have a pet, send an adoptable pet in your area. We'll see if we can find him a home with somebody from the Laguminati. If you don't have that, really, just grab any photo off the Internet. It's fine. Any animal photo, family photos, awkward family photos, baby pictures, your garden. Show us what you're growing. Just any photo at all. Send it all to us dailybeanspod.com click on contact first up is our good trouble for today. This comes from Ruth Pronouns she and her I just received an email from the center for Reproductive Rights saying that Trump's GSA cut off the connection that let visitors to their website send comments to regulations.gov the CCR has been asking people to use that link to voice their opposition to the Trump administration's attempt to ban abortion care for veterans and their families, even in cases of rape, incest or medical emergencies. So wouldn't it be great if Bean's listeners made up for the lost comments by sending a thousand today? Go to regulations.gov and search for reproductive health services. Or use the link in the show notes and leave them a personal note about how abortion is essential health care and that veterans deserve better. Thank you, Ruth for that.

[Dana Goldberg]

Indeed. All right, this is from Ellen Pronoun. She and her hi Beans, Queens and Leguminati. I'm writing about a pet peeve that everyone I know thinks is petty. Putty colored cars New car colors have these dull colors that look like putty. They're glossy on the surface, but they have no depth in their sparkle. My friends have heard my rant about this too many times, usually accompanied by my wild gestures to try to get them to understand why these colors are terrible. They look sad, and more importantly, they're harder to see, more so at night, but they also blend into the surroundings more during the day. What do you think? Am I alone in this peeve? Or is this annoying to other people too? So I bought five copies of Cats Against Fascism for gifts, little libraries, and me. There's a Cat in the box for tariff.

[Allison Gill]

Wonderful. Ellen. Yeah. I've noticed these. I don't necessarily. I don't have as much of a peeve as I do about LED headlights.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, yeah, I'm with you on that.

[Allison Gill]

Because I'm, you know, in menopause and I can't see at night very well. And somebody was like, let's fight the LED headlights. We ride, but not at dawn.

[Dana Goldberg]

That's very funny. Can't see a thing. Or dusk.

[Allison Gill]

But I have seen these cars, Alan.

[Dana Goldberg]

I will say, there's been plenty of times that I've looked at a car and said, why would they pick that color?

[Allison Gill]

Mm.

[Dana Goldberg]

So I'm with you there.

[Allison Gill]

Cool. Yeah. Anybody else have that pet peeve, let us know. Send it to us dailybeanspod.com. click on Contact. Next up from Shotokan. Good news. On August 15, 2025 is the first anniversary of a surgical cut for glioblastoma. So far, so good. Here's looking toward 8 hours, 15 minutes and 26 seconds. Presuming a planet killing asteroid doesn't strike Earth in the meantime, which on balance doesn't seem like a bad idea. Anyways, I'm staying in the fight for as long as I can. And we're on the side of the good guys. Happy to be in the fight with you. Thank you for that. And we wish you well.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yes. Keep on fighting.

[Allison Gill]

And here's a little one from Anonymous. I think this is a bee butt. Sometimes we all need naps. Here's a bumblebee napping. And a cucumber flower. Aw.

[Dana Goldberg]

Hi little bumblebee. So sweet.

[Allison Gill]

Thank you for that.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yes. All right. This is from Devin. Pronounce he and him. Hello AG and Dana. I've been a listener since the kitchen table days and I want to thank you for building MSW Media into a consistent, prolific and trustworthy source of news. You've been keeping me informed and preserving my sanity for nearly a decade. Holy shit.

[Allison Gill]

Oh my God. Right?

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. I wanted to share some good news AG mentioned on Unjustified with Andy. I'm a Seattle resident who has been knocking doors for city attorney candidate Erica Evans and a slate of progressive here in Seattle. All of whom outperformed their nimby. N I M B.

[Allison Gill]

Yes. Not in my backyard. Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

Ah, thank you. Real estate funded capitulating contenders. With our federal government in the throes of the falling to fascism, it's comforting to know that locally at least we are in for a progressive new mayor. Katie Wilson, City attorney Erica. Council president Dion Foster and Council Member Alex Mercedes Rink. I also want to shout out to our Democracy Vouchers program, which was approved for continued funding. Each voter can submit up to four $25 vouchers to help fund the campaign of their choice. Given power to the people so they have a fighting chance against the pacs and special interests like Realtors and developers who dump cash into these races. It's amazing what publicly funded elections and easy voting can do for democracy. Hoping this serves as a little helpful inspiration for all the people in cities and towns across the country. We can still fight and win locally right now so that we're best able to deal with the destruction happening Federal Bully for Potpat Tax Tiger is the adorable bundle of joy in this photo. That was my cat's name when I had a cat. Tiger. You had a cat?

[Allison Gill]

Aren't you allergic to cats?

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, a long time ago. Long time ago actually my mom I was a home birth and so did they get the cat? They either got the dog the day I was born or the cat for my brother and sister so that they wouldn't feel like they were being replaced. They got some sort of animal when I was born. Born. My mom thought it was a fair trade off.

[Allison Gill]

Ah well. Hey, there you go. Yeah, that's amazing Tiger. All right, next up from Karen Pronoun she and her shout out to myself for making it through the last year. Sunday, August 17th marks the one year anniversary of the passing of my sweet father. He was a pharmacist in a small town but also a self taught and self made serial entrepreneur. His little pharmacy put both my brother and me through college and graduate school with no student loans. Also his five grandkids. He was kind, generous, funny, philanthropic and had a gift for making everyone he spoke to feel heard, seen and special. He took such good care of my mom. He was the true portrait of the American dream. Even though he was almost 88, his passing was especially hard for me and unexpected. He used to call me on the way to work and we talked and texted all the time. He gave me comfort and I never doubted that he is always there for me.

[Dana Goldberg]

Me.

[Allison Gill]

Whenever we said goodbye, at the end of each visit he said, I don't like to say goodbye. I like to say see ya. I definitely hit the jackpot when God was passing out daughters and gave me to him.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh my heart.

[Allison Gill]

It speaks volumes that after knowing him for 57 years of my life, the only thing I didn't like about him was his politics. He was an old school Republican, he loved Ronald Reagan. And we made a pact long ago not to discuss politics because every time we got into a debate, I just thought, in the words of Reagan, there he goes again. And the day of his funeral, I put a letter inside his jacket pocket, right over his heart, and I told him how very much I loved and appreciated him. And the only good thing about his passing was that he wouldn't be able to vote for Donald Trump for a third time. Oh my God. I love you, Karen. This is so. What a special relationship, you know?

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

And I'm like I'm tearing up because same with my dad, you know.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh honey.

[Allison Gill]

I didn't know how I was going to make it through one week without talking to my dad, let alone a year. But I have done it with many tears shed, but also a lot of laughs. He was a truly wonderful, amazing man and his loss is greatly felt. My mom, brother, my kids, our whole extended family, we all miss him so very much. My pod tacks is a photo of me and my dad at my second wedding in 2018. Can you see the look of love on my face?

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh man.

[Allison Gill]

And also my dad with my children when they were young. They absolutely adored their papa and he adored them right back back. Thank you for helping me to share my dad's story on a left leaning podcast. One that he would never listen to. Lol. But I listen to you every day and I'm grateful to you both.

[Dana Goldberg]

Karen, this is so sweet.

[Allison Gill]

What a wonderful tribute. Yeah, yeah. Look at the love on her face.

[Dana Goldberg]

So much love.

[Allison Gill]

Look at that gorgeous dress too.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh no. Your beautiful bride look beautiful.

[Allison Gill]

Thank you so much for that, Karen.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yes. All right. This is from Amber pronounced she and her hi AG and dg. I'm writing this with tear soaked cheeks after just finishing Thursday's episode. I've been listening since the kitchen table days and rarely does a story bring me to tears. My typical reaction being rage. But the story about the disabled 15 year old being detained at gunpoint outside an LA school broke me. I don't know if it's because my soon to be 15 year old starts school this next week or because my once soft hearted father who once couldn't bring himself to butcher a limbing limping chicken because my sister limping from her disability remains a trumper or if it's just simply because I have a beating heart. So I had to share something beautiful with the beans community because I know there are others who sobbed like me after hearing that story. The sun was drenching my patio where I listened to the Podcast every morning while drinking my coffee and enjoying my garden. So I snapped a few pics to brighten your day. The first is my dog, Matt Maverick, whom you haven't seen in a few years. Any guesses on his breeds? The other photo is my limelight hydrangea that I recently pruned with a gigantic bush into an adorable tree. My mom was so inspired by the reshaping that she trimmed hers up as well. And if any listeners have established large. I'm sorry. I'm trying really hard to keep a straight face reading this, everyone. If any listeners have established large bushes, I hope this gives them the same inspiration. Hug your pod pets, dig in your dirt, and soak up some sunshine. We'll get through this awful point in history together. By the way, Maverick is a Eurasia. Okay, well, here. Which is a blend of Chow Samoyed and Wolf Spitz.

[Allison Gill]

Oh, my gosh. I was gonna say, like Akita and German shepherd.

[Dana Goldberg]

Amber, I do wanna apologize. You were being so vulnerable about how the story affected you, and then you started talking about your hydrangea and your bushes and shaping them. And if anyone else has large bushes, they can shape them. And I lost it a little. So I hope that gave someone else a laugh during that time as well. Thank you for sharing your vulnerability on the story with us.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. What a beautiful garden. Yeah, I want to listen to a podcast in the morning with the beautiful patio and the hydrangeas.

[Dana Goldberg]

I know the dog is gorgeous.

[Allison Gill]

Chow Samoyed, Wolf Spitz. I would have gotten it all wrong. I was going to say German shepherd.

[Dana Goldberg]

And Nikita would have gotten a little chow in there, but that was about it.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah.

[Dana Goldberg]

That face is a chow chow. Little puffy for sure.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. And, Amber, I'm with you. That story was horrific. When I first read it when I was writing the show earlier in the day, I was sobbing about it, too. It's just awful. So terrifying. All right, next up from Ellen Pronoun. She and her look at this dog shout out to my veteran husband, Fernando, who had his last working day at the VA last week. He's pursuing education now. He's the best. After the VA sent me to an office this year in a state many states away from the VA where I work, I'm also happy to shout out our rescue gal, Pixie, a mystery mix. She'll get to have more human time. Door butler, snack distributor. Now, as all pets deserve, we think we know, but all guesses are correct. All right.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, my goodness.

[Allison Gill]

Some kind of healer. And just looks like 100% awesome dog, Ellen.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, I know. It's very cute.

[Allison Gill]

The rainbow is beautiful too.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. All right, we've got more good news for you. This is Jackie the physicist. Jackie the physicist. Should we just let that slide? We're going to let that one slide. I had a minor. My little. My brain short circuited. So we're going to leave it. This is from Jackie the physicist. Pronouns she and her. Hey, Allison and Dana. I'm a teacher in Illinois and I was recommended your pod by a fellow teacher as a physics educator conference this past July. Jen, if you're listening. Hello from the Daily Beans. And I hope your non retirement retirement is going swimmingly. How cute is that?

[Allison Gill]

That's amazing.

[Dana Goldberg]

First, I just want to say that I'm really grateful to have been recommended this show. It has really helped me keep my my head straight in these times and now I listen to it every day. As for my good news, I started school this past Monday, August 11th, and today, August 13th was my first day with the kids. All summer I had been stewing in this chaos happening outside. But since going back to school, I felt immensely uplifted. Being in Illinois, our schools are not facing the same oppression laws as states like Texas. So as I walk around the school, I get to see pride flags, black matter posters and quotes of various civil rights leaders placard up and down the halls. I'm surrounded by so many good people and it feels like my little pocket of the world is sane again. For my first day of class, I had my students write me letters about who they are. And reading them makes me feel so hopeful for the future. I can't wait to get to know these kids better. I am so glad that I get to be part of their lives for a whole year. As exhausted as I feel by the end of the year, I truly believe that. That I am so lucky to be their teacher, if only for a little while. My pot Pet tariff is my beautiful Calico Ash. She goes by many nicknames such as Goo Ashy 10 times and cheeseburger Head, to name a few. She has a lot of other nicknames too, each one making less sense than the one before. But it would take too long to list all of them. She's very loud, she loves whipped cream, and she's very, very most Bess's friend.

[Allison Gill]

Oh my gosh, look at this baby. Did you know knit that hat? Did you crochet that hat?

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh my God. The last picture is obscene.

[Allison Gill]

And do you teach physics? Is it like high school physics?

[Dana Goldberg]

Right.

[Allison Gill]

My high school physics teacher Was rad. I feel that last picture. Oh, my God.

[Dana Goldberg]

It's lewd people. It is lewd behavior.

[Allison Gill]

Kitty doing lewd. Thank you so much for that. I needed that and I needed all this good news. Thank you for sending it in, everybody, really. You can send your good news to us dailybeanspot.com click on Contact. So excited to see some of you tonight at the Diversionary theater with Dana Goldberg. Man, I wish, I wish there were more tickets, but there's not, so.

[Dana Goldberg]

I know.

[Allison Gill]

Anyway, I'm excited. And we've got so many beans, folks, so many Leguminati coming. And I was thinking of maybe making some shirts that people could get, you know, like if you become a patron or whatever, so that people can recognize other Leguminati.

[Dana Goldberg]

Oh, that'd be a good one.

[Allison Gill]

Like, maybe it just says Leguminati on it.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah, I think that would be enough. People would be like, oh, my God.

[Allison Gill]

Yeah. And people either like, yeah or what?

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah. And that's all we need.

[Allison Gill]

Or maybe, you know, just putting a big blue dot on a shirt.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

To be like, I'm a blue dot. You know, like some people are a blue dot in a red sea or whatever.

[Dana Goldberg]

Yeah.

[Allison Gill]

And you can be like, yeah, and maybe put some beans on it. I don't know. I'm thinking about it. Anyway, if you want to become a patron, you can sign [e-mail] Mueller she wrote, really helps us out. We appreciate all of you so very much and we'll see some of you tonight. And thanks to John Fugal saying, do you have any final thoughts before we head out for the weekend?

[Dana Goldberg]

No, not today.

[Allison Gill]

All right, everybody, until Monday, 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 nem's the Beans. The Daily Beans is written in 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 msw media.com msw media.