The Daily Beans – “Here, Now” (feat. Simon Rosenberg) MSW Media | September 29, 2025
Hosts: Allison Gill (AG), Dana Goldberg (DG)
Special Guest: Simon Rosenberg (Hopium Chronicles)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into pressing political developments—including Trump’s escalation of federal interventions, GOP stalling tactics, attacks on the trans community, and the media’s role in shaping perceptions. The second half is dedicated to an in-depth interview with Simon Rosenberg, who discusses information warfare, right-wing propaganda tactics, and how positive messaging is a tool for progressives. The trademark Daily Beans mix of detailed political analysis, sharp snark, and encouragement for civic engagement runs throughout.

Key Discussion Points & Segments

1. Lightning Round: Major News Stories

(03:21–10:52)

• Swearing-In Delay and Epstein Files

  • House Speaker Mike Johnson is delaying the swearing-in of Arizona’s Adelita Grijalva, hoping to stall the release of unsealed Epstein files.
  • Only 6 of 8,500 new Epstein documents released; early leaks mention high-profile names including Peter Thiel, Steve Bannon, Elon Musk, and Prince Andrew.
    • “Anyone that is guilty of hurting young girls in any way, shape or form... Lock them up. Or covering up for it.” – Dana (05:11)

• Trump’s J6 Conspiracy Claim

  • Trump claims, without evidence, that the FBI placed “274 agents” at the January 6 insurrection to “foment violence.”
    • “Those 274 FBI agents were there to stop people from murdering cops.” – AG (06:34)

• FBI & DOJ Firings

  • The FBI fired agents photographed kneeling during BLM protests—about 20 people, per Associated Press.
  • US Attorney Michelle Beckwith dismissed after warning Trump-aligned immigration enforcer Gregory Bovino.
  • Both cases are lambasted as First Amendment violations and as purges of officials not loyal to Trump.

• Fani Willis in DOJ Sights

  • DOJ subpoenas DA Fani Willis’ travel records; she prosecuted Trump for election interference.
  • Lisa Monaco, former DHS deputy, is also reportedly being targeted.

• Rudy Giuliani News

  • Giuliani settles Dominion’s defamation lawsuit and is ordered to pay his attorney $1.6M. His conduct in court recounted with signature derision.

2. “Hot Notes”: Deep Dives

(11:54–30:31)

• Trump Orders Military into Portland

  • Trump instructs the “Department of War” to send troops to “war-torn” Portland, OR, citing threats to ICE facilities from “antifa and domestic terrorists.”
  • Portland’s mayor and Oregon’s governor assert there is no threat and call the move unlawful and political.
    • “Our nation has a long memory of acts of oppression, and the president will not find lawlessness or violence here unless he plans to perpetrate it himself.” – Portland Mayor, quoted by AG (12:38)
  • Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth convenes a mandatory meeting of generals at Quantico; speculation Trump wants to “crash” the meeting despite not being informed.

• ICE Detains School Superintendent

  • Des Moines Public Schools superintendent Dr. Ian Roberts arrested by ICE. DHS claims he fled, had a loaded handgun and $3 million in cash; skeptical take from hosts, who note ICE’s history of misinformation.

• Heritage Foundation’s Anti-Trans Misinformation

  • Heritage Foundation lobbies for a new “trans terrorism” terrorism classification, citing bogus statistics that are quickly debunked.
    • “Experts estimate 50% of all major non-gang related school shootings since 2015 have involved or likely involved transgender ideology.” – Heritage Foundation claim, debunked by AG (20:01)
    • “There have been 74 total active shooter incidents since 2015... Of those, three of the perpetrators have identified as transgender... That’s less than .087%.” – AG (25:45)
    • AG & Dana emphasize that actual data shows trans people are overwhelmingly victims, not perpetrators.

• Social Media & Censorship

  • YouTube again bans Alex Jones and Nick Fuentes shortly after their attempted returns; Jim Jordan misleads about a reinstatement program.
    • “It’s still against our rules for previously terminated users to start new channels.” – YouTube Statement (28:07)
  • AG points out misunderstanding of free speech: “When YouTube, a private company, says nah bro, you can't be a Nazi... that is their free speech.” (27:53)

3. Simon Rosenberg Interview: Hope as Praxis

(30:44–50:49 – Part 1; remainder airs tomorrow)

Who is Simon Rosenberg?

Hopium Chronicles author and longtime Democratic strategist. Champion of countering right-wing “doom propaganda” with positive, reality-based messaging.

Messaging, Propaganda, and “Hopium”

• On the Power of Positive Messaging

  • “One of [Trumpism’s] central strategies was to pump negative sentiment into our discourse... and that we needed…to respond by putting positive sentiment into the world.” – Simon Rosenberg (33:03)
  • Rosenberg points to the deliberate deployment of defeatism by the MAGA movement as a precursor to anti-democratic action.

• The Polling Industrial Complex & the Right-Wing “Noise Machine”

  • Manipulation of polling averages by inundating the ecosystem with GOP-funded polls, skewing public perception.
  • “Throwing 50 right-wing polls into the polling averages is like... miniature golf compared to what Trump had done in 2021.” – Simon Rosenberg (39:34)
  • Progressives need to be proactive in contesting information space.

• Decline in Trump’s Standing

  • Data shows Trump’s popularity has sharply deteriorated: “He’s now more unpopular than he was eight years ago... He’s fallen by huge double digits among young people, Hispanics, moderates, and independents.” – Simon Rosenberg (46:15)
  • Trump’s attempts to regain control (military interventions, legal actions) are seen as desperate efforts to prove his power amid personal decline.

• Emerging Focus: Threats to Democracy

  • Public concern about democracy and authoritarianism has jumped since the Charlie Kirk incident and related right-wing violence.

  • Simon credits this with emboldening Congressional Democrats to more directly confront Trump.

  • “His administration is in opposition to the American people and the American way of life.” – Simon Rosenberg (48:10)

Notable Quotes

• “I have what someone once called an army of flying hope monkeys that I send out into the Internet.” – AG (31:44)
• “Trump in my view... has this one prism that he sees politics which is that he’s strong, we’re weak, he’s winning, we’re losing... And so part of what we have to do is we have to flip that on him.” – Simon (42:14)
• “When Trump talks down America, we need to talk it up. This is…one of the essential tactics I think we have to deploy to beat him.” – Simon (33:37)
• “[The right] bullied their way into this red wave narrative which was false and everybody fell for it.” – Simon (42:56)

Notable, Engaging or Funny Moments

• Dana’s quips on conspiracies and the need for “tinfoil hats” (55:36)
• Banter about CEO yes-men: “No, you’re just really rich. Everyone’s afraid to tell you your jokes suck.” – AG via a friend’s anecdote (15:11)
• Several shout-outs to pets and “good trouble” submissions—a hallmark of Daily Beans community (51:49+)

Good News & Listener Submissions

(51:49–end)

• Community members share creative ways to combat disinformation and burnout, including leaving Onion newspapers in the break room for subtle education (54:00).
• Multiple adorable cat and dog photos, jokes about conspiracy theories, and suggestions for uplifting acts in tough times.
• A listener in Portland is lauded for a photography book supporting an immigrant/refugee center after an arson attack (57:23).

Episode Tone

Conversational, incisive, snarky but sincere. The hosts balance deep anger at institutional injustice with humor and warmth, and Rosenberg brings analytical optimism.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:21] – Lightning round: Grijalva’s swearing-in, Epstein Files, FBI/DOJ firings
• [11:54] – Trump deploys troops to Portland; ICE detains school superintendent
• [20:01] – Heritage Foundation’s anti-trans “terrorism” campaign exposed as disinfo
• [27:53] – YouTube re-bans Alex Jones & Fuentes; discussion on free speech
• [30:44] – Start of Simon Rosenberg interview: “Hopium” and fighting right-wing propaganda
• [46:15] – Trump’s polling collapse and desperate maneuvers
• [51:49] – Good News: Community submissions, tinfoil hats, pet photos, and hope

Conclusion

Essential Takeaways:

• The right’s negative messaging is both strategic and effective, but it’s not invincible.
• Reality-based hope is not delusion (“Hopium”): It is a necessary, tactical response to authoritarian information warfare.
• The battle for democracy is intensifying, and proactive engagement—through voting, advocacy, and positive storytelling—is paramount.

Quote of the Episode:

“When Trump talks down America, we need to talk it up... not just to feel better, but as strategy.”
– Simon Rosenberg ([33:37])

Listen for Part 2 of the Rosenberg interview in tomorrow’s episode.