The Daily Beans – “Refried Beans | Inside The Perfect Phone Call” (1/17/2024)

Hosts: Alison Gill (“AG”), Dana Goldberg
Special Guest: Simon Shuster (author, journalist)
Release Date: January 17, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode features a lively, news-packed rundown of political and social justice stories paired with the hosts’ signature progressive snark. The highlight is a detailed interview with Simon Shuster, author of The Showman: Inside the Invasion that Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky. The discussion offers rare insights into Volodymyr Zelensky’s emergence as an international leader, the pressures of the Russian invasion, and a look inside the infamous “perfect phone call” at the heart of Trump’s first impeachment.

Major News Stories & Quick Hits

Trump’s Legal Defeats and the E. Jean Carroll Defamation Trial

• Trump loses appeals in several ongoing cases, including:
  • Immunity Rejection: Second Circuit denies Trump’s old claims of immunity and defamation dismissal in the E. Jean Carroll case (03:00)
  • Twitter Records: D.C. Circuit rejects Trump’s bid to block Jack Smith’s warrant for his Twitter records
  • Navarro’s New Trial: Pete Navarro denied a new trial for contempt of Congress; claims of jury bias due to proximity to protestors are dismissed
• E. Jean Carroll Trial Begins: Jury selection and opening statements start in New York in Carroll’s second defamation trial against Trump (10:00).
  • Carroll’s attorneys seek $10 million for reputational harm and additional punitive damages.
  • Crowley (Carroll’s attorney): “He had the biggest microphone on the planet and he used it to tear her reputation to shreds.” (12:16)
  • Trump attends jury selection, attempts to intimidate but leaves before opening statements; more legal drama ensues with Trump’s attorney Boris Epshteyn rebuffed by the judge (13:11)
  • Dana: “To say, ‘oh, she should be happy she was raped because now she’s more famous’ is just, like — awful. So fucked up.” (13:11)

January 2024 GOP Iowa Caucus: Trump's Hollow 'Win'

• Low Participation: Trump wins with just 14.4% of registered Republicans showing up statewide—significantly lower than typical turnout (05:00)
  • AG satirically: “I have tweets with more likes. Nobody came out to caucus.” (04:46)
  • A worrying number of MAGA voters say they wouldn’t vote for Trump if convicted of a crime.

Roger Stone Under Investigation

• Assassination Threats: Capitol Police and FBI investigate Roger Stone’s comments about “assassinating” Reps. Swalwell and Nadler, caught on audio tape by Mediaite (07:00)
  • Stone: “It’s time to do it. […] Either Swalwell or Nadler has to die before the election. They need to get the message.” (08:00)
  • Swalwell response: “Stone put a hit out on me. This threat and other threats...must be taken seriously.” (09:00)
  • Stone alleges the tape is fake.

Biden Administration Updates

• Houthis Redesignated as Global Terrorists: The administration plans to newly label Yemen’s Houthis as "specially designated global terrorists" (15:00), with the intent to avoid humanitarian aid impacts caused by Trump-era designation.
• Congressional Leadership Meeting: Biden invites the “Big Four”—Johnson, Schumer, Jeffries, McConnell—to the White House to discuss Ukraine and Israel aid, and border security. House GOP remains reluctant without strict border measures (16:36)
  • Dana: “Mike Johnson literally said the quiet part out loud. ‘We can’t fix border security until Donald Trump is reelected.’” (18:34)

House Republicans Back Down on Hunter Biden Contempt

• No Immediate Contempt: House Republicans halt efforts to hold Hunter Biden in contempt pending negotiations for a closed-door interview (04:14)
  • AG: “They issued that subpoena illegally...You have to have a full vote of the House for impeachment before you can start issuing subpoenas.” (04:46)

FEATURE INTERVIEW: Simon Shuster, Author of The Showman

(20:26 – 38:52)
Topic: Inside Zelensky’s Rise, War Leadership, and Trump’s 'Perfect Call'

What Sparked the Book

• Shuster had profiled Zelensky since 2019 and covered the administration closely as Time’s Ukraine-Russia correspondent.
• He deliberately focused on the inner circle in Kyiv for a unique, high-level war perspective.
• Shuster: “His showmanship turned out to be his superpower.” (23:58)

Zelensky’s Comedic Roots Shaped His Leadership

• AG asks: "He started out as a comedian. What prompted you to write this book?" (21:46)
• Shuster: Zelensky’s background in performance helped him “shape the narrative” and “maintain support of foreign countries,” crucial for Ukraine’s survival.
  • “How do you get the world to pay attention? President Zelenskyy knew that most of the world would be seeing the war ... through their screens. […] That’s what he’s good at.” (25:05)
• AG: “It seems less like people sitting around in a back room...and just being like, this is who I really am.” (25:56)

The 'Perfect Phone Call' — Trump’s Ukraine Shakedown

• Shuster’s unique perspective: he observed the Trump impeachment scandal “from Kyiv,” embedded with Zelensky and his team as they realized U.S. alliances could be transactional and unreliable.
  • Shuster recounts Zelensky’s jaded realization: “‘I don’t trust anybody at all anymore, man. That’s it. Everybody just has their interests.’” (30:48)
• AG: “I feel so terrible that was his first experience with an American president…What must Ukraine think of the United States?” (31:32)

Zelensky’s High Command and the Hidden Fissures

• Book reveals untold stories, especially the evolving relationship with General Zaluzhny.
• Early in the invasion, Zelensky fully deferred to military commanders; later, he grew more confident and began to override them on pivotal operations.
  • Shuster: “President Zelensky developed enough confidence in his own decisions as a military strategist…These don’t align with those of the general … and they begin to have disagreements.” (35:02)
• AG: Asks for examples of disagreements—Shuster describes a major debate about whether to attack Kharkiv or push for Crimea, with Zelensky’s position ultimately leading to a key victory in Kharkiv. (35:42)

Impact and Legacy

• The segment underscores Zelensky’s adaptation, public image, and the complexity of leadership under existential threat.
• AG: “There are so many other amazing things in this book, but I’m just gonna have to tell everybody to get it.” (38:24)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s Iowa Caucus Win:
  AG: “That’s two-thirds of one-half of 14%. That’s like nine guys.” (05:00)

• On Stone’s Threats:
  Dana: “He’s such a schmuck. He's got to go to prison for something, and then he and Nixon can both go together, with his tattoo.” (09:49)

• On Realistic Border Negotiations:
  AG: “I just have no faith that Republicans will ever pass any kind of border security—they need to run on that problem. And if they try to solve it, then they don’t have a problem anymore.” (18:20)

• On Zelensky’s Transformation:
  Shuster: “There’s no graduate program for wartime. Nothing prepares you to be Churchill.” (27:17)

• On Ukraine’s View of U.S. Politics:
  Shuster, quoting Zelensky: “‘I don’t trust anybody at all anymore, man … After six months dealing with Trump, he was like, ‘Man, this place is messed up. I don’t trust anybody.’” (30:48)

Good News Segment (40:02+)

• Listeners write in with stories of student loan forgiveness, rescue pets, and grassroots community actions, sprinkled with heartwarming and witty banter.
  • Student Loan Stories: Multiple listeners share triumphant tales about Biden-era reforms finally wiping out unfair, decades-old loans.
  • Pet Tax: Pictures and tales of rescue dogs and cats provide a feel-good break from heavy news.

Notable moment:

• Chris, on student loans: “I took out a student loan for $8,600. I paid over $17,000 on it, and I still owed $24,000 … if you’re wondering why Gen X hates everybody, this is pretty good news.” (45:14)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:41 — Major headlines rundown (jury selection, Iowa, Roger Stone, Ukraine funding, Houthis)
• 04:14 — Trump legal losses, Hunter Biden contempt fight
• 05:00 — Iowa Caucus analysis
• 07:00 — Roger Stone investigated for assassination comments
• 10:00 — E. Jean Carroll defamation trial details
• 13:11 — Courtroom drama; implications for defamation damages
• 15:00 — Houthis redesignated as global terrorists
• 16:36 — Biden’s Congressional summit, Ukraine and border aid negotiations
• 20:26 — Interview: Simon Shuster on Zelensky and “The Showman”
• 30:48 — Zelensky’s disillusionment post-Trump “perfect call”
• 35:42 — Inside strategic debate with Gen. Zaluzhny
• 40:02 — Good news segment: student loan victories, pet stories

Tone and Style

• The episode combines rigorous reporting with sarcastic wit and progressive activism.
• The hosts blend exasperation (“That’s so fucked up!”) with inspiration, highlighting both serious threats to democracy and community resilience.
• Simon Shuster’s segment is earnest and insightful, balancing the hosts’ snark with rare behind-the-scenes access.

Final Thoughts

This episode is a comprehensive catch-up on mid-January 2024’s political storms and features an illuminating interview on global leadership in times of war. The blend of sharp critique, personal testimony, and hope make it a must-listen for political junkies and world affairs readers alike.

Don’t miss:

• Simon Shuster’s nuanced portrait of Zelensky (20:26–38:52)
• The breakdown of Trump’s ongoing legal woes (03:00–05:00)
• Listeners’ victorious student loan stories (40:02+)

Episode signature:
AG: “Refried beans. I like refried beans.” (52:41)