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The Senate Rejects The War (feat. Johanna Silva Waki)
01:07:00
Wednesday, June 24, 2026 Today, Iran’s foreign ministry has bucked JD Vance saying they haven’t agreed to nuclear inspectors; the ACLU is set to monitor election certification amid Trump’s efforts to interfere; the Senate has voted to adopt a War Powers Resolution to stop the Iran war; the Supreme Court sides with the Trump administration on green card holders; government documents show the Trump administration filled the reflecting pool with city water causing the algae bloom; ABC has launched an on-air campaign urging viewers to back them against the FCC; plus Allison and Dana deliver your Good News.
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- [00:01]
Allison Gill
Hi, I'm Frances Collier.
- [00:03]
Dana Goldberg
And I'm Angela V. Shelton.
- [00:04]
Allison Gill
And we're Frangela. You know what you mean in your life. The Final Word podcast. Yes, you do.
- [00:10]
Dana Goldberg
That's right.
- [00:11]
Allison Gill
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.
- [00:26]
Dana Goldberg
That's right. We think you need to hear it.
- [00:28]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Okay.
- [00:29]
Allison Gill
Yeah. It's what we say.
- [00:30]
Martin Sheen
So.
- [00:30]
Dana Goldberg
That's right.
- [00:31]
Allison Gill
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.
- [00:40]
Dana Goldberg
Okay.
- [00:41]
Allison Gill
All we do is give. MSW Media.
- [00:58]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Daily beans.
- [00:59]
Allison Gill
Daily beans.
- [01:02]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Daily beans.
- [01:04]
Allison Gill
Daily beans. Hello and welcome to the Daily beans for Wednesday, June 24, 2026. Today, Iran's Foreign Ministry has bucked JD Vance, saying they have not agreed to nuclear inspectors. The ACLU is set to monitor election certification amid Trump's efforts to interfere. The Senate has voted to adopt a war powers resolution to stop the Iran war. The Supreme Court has sided with the Trump administration on green card holders. Government documents show the Trump administration filled the reflecting pool with city water, as we thought, causing the algae bloom. And EBC has launched an on air campaign urging viewers to back them against Trump's fcc. I'm Alison Gill.
- [01:46]
Dana Goldberg
And I'm Dana Goldberg. Hello.
- [01:52]
Allison Gill
Happy Wednesday, my friend.
- [01:53]
Dana Goldberg
Happy Wednesday to you too. Got some good news and all this plethora of shit show. That's nice.
- [01:59]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Yeah.
- [01:59]
Allison Gill
And man, New York Times went hard on the reflecting pool. Like they put some serious ass investigative journalists on this thing and got some government documents about. There's no slice down the middle. There's no vandals, there's no like, it's bizarre and what we expected. And we'll talk about that later today. Also, we're going to be talking to the executive director of Run for Something, Johanna Silva Walki. She's incredible. Her organization is amazing. And we're gonna speak to her about how she's feeling about these upcoming midterms. And speaking of midterms, primaries are happening today as we're recording this in New York, Maryland, where our friend Harry Dunn is running for Congress, Utah, and there's a runoff in South Carolina and we're recording this well before any kind of results are gonna start coming out in those states. So we're gonna go over the results tomorrow.
- [02:50]
Dana Goldberg
Wonderful.
- [02:51]
Allison Gill
Yep. And Beans Talk, in case you didn't know our video podcast. First of all, go subscribe. It's free on YouTube, MSW Media's channel. But we're, we're out for a week. But still, you should subscribe.
- [03:03]
Dana Goldberg
You should. Absolutely. It's free. Do it.
- [03:06]
Allison Gill
It is. It's free, like you said. And we have tons of fun on that show. We get to show clips and pictures and all sorts of fun stuff. And yep, I really enjoy it. But we're off for the week because we've got some folks taking well deserved vacations. And once again, thanks for all the money that you're raising. We're smashing it over at the Trevor Project for Pride Month. So if you want to help us donate, as you know, Daily beans podcast donated $10,000 to the Trevor Project for Pride Month. This is in addition to the 10,000 we gave to. It gets better on trans visibility day. And if you want to help us out, even just a dollar, if everybody who listens to this donated a dollar, that would do so much incredible work for the LGBTQ youth. You can do it@trevorproject.org beans. All right, everybody, we have a ton of news to get to today. Let's hit the hot notes. Hot notes, notes. All right, first up from Ms. Now, Iran said on Tuesday that there's been no visit scheduled for inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to see nuclear sites earlier bombed by the United States. Esmail Begay made this comment to journalists at a news conference in Tehran. Begay's remarks appear to cut against those made by US Vice President JV Dance. That's what I like to call him, who said negotiations in Switzerland won an agreement for the IAEA to visit Iranian sites. So another way to say it, it cuts against what he said is that you could say he lied. The IAEA has been in and out of Iran since Israel's 12 day war against Iran in 2025, but has not been granted access to the bombed enrichment sites targeted by the American war operation. Something Hammer. Do you remember that sledgehammer?
- [04:47]
Dana Goldberg
I don't know.
- [04:49]
Allison Gill
Some.
- [04:49]
Dana Goldberg
There's something homoerotic that they Apparition MC Hammer.
- [04:55]
Allison Gill
Operation MC Hammer. Can't touch this.
- [05:01]
Dana Goldberg
I can't touch this.
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Allison Gill
And when you go into inspect, you have to wear those pants.
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Dana Goldberg
That's literally what they should have called the closing of the. Of the straight Hermus MC Hammer. Yeah, what a joke. All right, this is from the Times. They're doing some good work. As we just talked about, the Senate on Tuesday adopted a resolution instructing President Trump to end the war in Iran or seek congressional authorization like you should have in the fucking first place to continue it. Delivering the most significant bipartisan rebuke yet of the conflict. Iowa supporters sort of surprised this passed the Senate. The resolution does not have the force of law that is therefore unlikely to compel an immediate change in policy. But the 50 to 48 vote, in which four Republicans joined Democrats in favor, marked a striking break by the GOP led Congress with a president who has faced little resistance from his party on any topic, particularly matters of war and national security. Tuesday's vote marked the first time since the enactment of the War powers Resolution of 1973 that both chambers of Congress have approved a concurrent resolution directing a president to end a military conflict.
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Allison Gill
Wow. This is the first time ever.
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Dana Goldberg
That's wild. The House passed the measure this month after the Republican leaders who had tried to block it were unable to keep the party unified in opposition. In the Senate on Tuesday, Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the lone Democrat to vote against the resolution. Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins, who's in all kinds of trouble, and Bill Cassidy, which we knew in Louisiana because he is pissed, broke with fellow Republicans and supported the measure. Their backing and absence of two Republicans who have opposed such measures in the past included Senator Mitch McConnell, who We have no idea if he's actually still alive or not. I want to comment on that in a second. He's the Republican from Kentucky who was recently hospitalized, allowing the resolution to prevail. The measure was a concurrent resolution, a vehicle that does not need a presidential signature to take effect, but it also does not become law. In 1983, the Supreme Court ruled that to have legal effect outside of Congress, legislative actions generally must pass both chambers and be presented to the president for signature or veto. But supporters of the resolution say war powers measures are different because the Constitution gives the power to declare war to Congress alone. The issue has never been definitively tested before the Supreme Court, and I like to say before this Supreme Court, because this Supreme Court isn't, and they shouldn't be.
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Allison Gill
The Supreme Court shouldn't be allowed to weigh in either, because the Supreme Court isn't allowed to declare war. So I don't even understand why they even get the chance to think about it yet. Let's talk about Mitch, because he's. He went to the hospital.
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Dana Goldberg
He's now a missing senator. Now they. There's two people that have just been missing. Mitch McConnell and then the other dude that's been gone from his congressional seat for months. Yeah.
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Allison Gill
Like hasn't voted in over a hundred times, like votes that have happened. And who knows if they're still with us?
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Dana Goldberg
I know. I don't think they would tell us if Mitch died. I really don't think they would.
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Allison Gill
I feel like they wouldn't either because they've got Cassidy now, you know, jumping ship early. I mean, he's not leaving the Senate. He's leaves, he's going against the.
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Dana Goldberg
So if that's, if Mitch died, then would they just be down a vote?
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Allison Gill
Yeah.
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Dana Goldberg
Because it's too close to the election to replace him.
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Allison Gill
I think so. Yeah. I don't think Andy Beshear can replace him, although somebody asked. The reason I know that is because somebody asked, can Andy Beshear nominate himself?
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Dana Goldberg
I don't think.
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Allison Gill
I don't think so. And somebody jumped in and said, no, they're going to be having the election anyway. So that I guess according to Kentucky law, I should look that up just to make sure. But it's weird that we haven't heard. I mean, I guess yesterday on Monday, his staff said he's recovering. He won't be voting this week. He's recovering in the hospital. He's still in the hospital.
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Dana Goldberg
Yeah.
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Allison Gill
Over a week in the hospital. That's.
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Dana Goldberg
I know.
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Allison Gill
Doesn't bode well. Nope. For Mitchell. All right. Speaking of the corrupt Supreme Court, though, from the Associated Press, the Supreme Court side with the Trump administration Tuesday in an immigration case dealing with the government's power over green card holders accused of crimes. The 6 to 3 decision centers on an immigration officer's 2012 decision to put lawful permanent resident Muk Choi Lau on immigration parole when he returned from a short trip to China because he'd been accused of counterfeiting. Now, Lau argued that the officer overstepped their authority and the decision wrongly allowed the Department of Homeland Security under then President Barack Obama an easier path to removal after he pled guilty to selling counterfeit clothes in New Jersey. Now, the high court disagreed. Quote, border officers did not have the burden to establish by clear and convincing evidence that Lau had committed a crime involving moral turpitude. That's what Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in his opinion. Which kind of means if you're an immigration officer and somebody with a green card leaves and comes back, you can kind of decide without having to know whether or not they committed a crime, if maybe they just committed a crime involving moral turpitude that you don't like to put them on immigration parole. Now, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, writing that the decision to put Lao on immigration parole effectively sentenced him to immigration limbo before he'd been convicted of any crime. Quote, I worry that the court has now handed the government a massive blank check. That's what she wrote in the dissent, joined by her two liberal colleagues. Like, for example, let's say you are gay or you're, let's say you identify as non binary on social media and you have a green card and you leave to go visit your home country and you come back, are they going to say, sorry, we only allow two genders in this country.
- [10:53]
Dana Goldberg
It's a fair question.
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Allison Gill
And so that's what Ketanji Brown Jackson's worried about. Now the court's also considering cases over Trump's push to end birthright citizenship, which I don't think they will potentially revive a restrictive asylum policy and end temporary legal protections for migrants fleeing war and natural disasters in their homelands. So bad news from the Supreme Court today, but not a surprise. But in a related story and good news in immigration, a federal judge in California has vacated not just blocked, but vacated ICE's policy of conducting arrests at immigration courthouse houses.
- [11:25]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Wow.
- [11:26]
Allison Gill
So we'll see how that ends up. Because, you know, you would think the Supreme Court would never let this happen. But when the Supreme Court last year said courts can't issue nationwide injunctions anymore, you have to file habeas petitions in your jurisdiction and those decisions only cover your jurisdiction, they said there is another way to do this, and that's to vacate something that's unconstitutional. And that's what this judge did today. But whether the Supreme Court will say we didn't mean it like that is up for debate. So we'll see. And, you know, for really good, in depth and very smart and always correct. I feel like sometimes I'm not always correct on these things. You check out Steve Vladek's One First Substack.
- [12:08]
Dana Goldberg
All right, thanks, Alison. This next one's from NBC. The American Civil Liberties Union will spend more than $50 million on the 2026 midterms, with half going toward efforts to ensure smooth administration of elections as Trump seeks to exert more control over the process. In plans shared first with NBC News, ACLU officials said that they will train and deploy more than 100 paid staff members and more than 3,000 volunteers. Those leaders, to encourage people to vote and to ensure voter access while monitoring ballot counting and certification, which they're allowed to do, those people will coordinate thousands of other volunteers. The ACLU said It's already trained 5,000 people on election work and plans to train 5,000 more. Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, all critical battleground states, are expected to receive the bulk of the investment. Some of the efforts are already underway. The ACLU has involved more than 80 lawsuits in two dozen states and Washington, D.C. over voting rights issues, including suits involving redistricting and mail ballot limits. The group has also begun election monitoring efforts. In last month's Georgia primary, local ACLU affiliates put monitors on the ground to watch voting and vote counting in seven counties. God, this makes me so happy. They plan to expand to 30 counties in Georgia in November.
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Allison Gill
Excellent.
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Dana Goldberg
The other half of the national $50 million effort, which the ACLU said is the largest election investment in history, will direct to down ballot races and ballot measure campaigns. Though the U.S. constitution largely gives states and municipalities the authority to run elections, Trump has signed executive orders aimed at intervening in the process. In March, as we know, and we've covered, he signed an executive order to create federal voter lists and require the US Postal Service not to deliver certain people's ballots. Yep. Trump's Justice Department has also sued 30 states and Washington, D.C. so far unsuccessfully, for refusing to turn over voter roll data. Now, the FBI has also seized 2020 election materials or records from Arizona and Georgia, while the Justice Department demanded 2024 ballots from Wayne County, Michigan. The FBI tried to interview a top election official in the Milwaukee county in Wisconsin. And back in February, Trump said that Republicans should federalize elections in some places. And I quote, I know the Republicans should say we want to take over, we should take over the voting in at least many 15 places. The Republicans ought to nationalize the voting. That's what Trump said. And if that sounded like it didn't make sense, that's because it was what Trump said. Litigation has curbed some of its efforts, but some election officials have expressed worries that he could send federal agents to the polls this fall, though it is illegal under federal law to deploy, quote, troops or armed men to polling sites.
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Allison Gill
Yeah, and months ago, when I talked to Secretary of State up in Michigan who's now running for governor, Jocelyn Benson, she said they've been preparing for that. Like, if he comes and sends ice to seize voting machines on Election Day, like, what's the remedy there? It would have to go quickly up to the Supreme Court, who would have to grant extra time at the polls or somehow remedy this. And I don't have a lot of faith in the Supreme Court. Next up from the Times, Trump says the peeling blue coating and algae blooms that mar his $16.4 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool are the fault of vandals working with knives in the dark of night. But government documents obtained by the New York Times show that while National Park Service workers found two slices in sections of foam between the pool's expansion joints, you know, like cracks in the sidewalk, they fill them with foam so that the thing can expand and contract. They found a couple of slices in some of those. Those aren't directly related to the American flag blue coating that is now peeling up off the bottom or the algae that has turned the pool a bright shade of green. Even as the documents show workers were attempting to address deteriorating conditions, Trump administration officials were insisting publicly that the pool was amazing and pristine. The pool had been drained, resealed, and then refilled by June 5th. Four days later, Park Service workers June 9th. What's that? Two weeks ago? Yeah, I think it's two weeks ago. Four days later, Park Service workers discovered holes, cracks, peeling, caulking like caulk just coming up in parts of the pool, along with cuts in section of the foam, according to the documents. So it happened way before the algae, these slices in the foam joints. And that's according to Trump administration government documents. Now, the cause of the cuts is unclear. While a June 9 report by the park police described the cuts as razor blade slashes made along a 20 foot long stretch of the foam, the administration has yet to present evidence supporting that assertion. The documents reviewed by the Times describe them as two 171 foot blade cuts, but did not address how they were made. By June 16, workers had noticed that chunks of blue sealant that covered the pool's bottom were peeling and floating to the surface. The documents show that they knew this a week ago, that it was peeling, the documents say. So the sealant was separate from the foam in the pool's expansion joints, which allows its concrete slabs to expand and contract. The workers had also discovered some devices installed to kill algae weren't working. And enormous algae blooms had turned portions of the pool bright green instead of dark blue. They put this in their documents. Trump also told reporters Monday, without offering evidence, that vandals had poured fertilizer into the pool to feed the algae. But neither the Interior Department nor the White House would provide charging documents, citations, or the names of anyone arrested. They did share the park police incident report, which said any suspect or suspects were unknown. The report also did not mention any damage to the pool's blue sealant, nor did it describe any vandals dumping fertilizer.
- [18:24]
Dana Goldberg
Jesus.
- [18:25]
Allison Gill
The first $14.7 million contract went to Virginia based company Atlantic Industrial Coatings to spread the sealant in the American flag blue shade across the bottom. The second $1.7 million contract went to Ohio based Green Water Services, which is funny to install devices called nanobubblers, which infuse the water with ozone to kill algae and bacteria. But on June 15, over a week ago, workers discovered that one or two of the four temporary nanobubblers, half of them weren't working at any given time because of problems with generators and that the water was turning green. So they connected it to the nanobubblers. The government did. The nanobubblers aren't working. The water's turning green. By the next day, officials had noticed blue coating peeling away as well. Though Mr. Trump claimed vandals dumped fertilizer in the pool, his administration refilled it with D.C. city water, which is treated with phosphate to keep lead from leaching out of old pipes. What did we say?
- [19:25]
Dana Goldberg
Mm.
- [19:26]
Allison Gill
But phosphate also provides nutrients for algae, as do droppings from ducks swimming in the pool. Experts say the algae didn't threaten public health because the water's not intended for swimming or drinking. But they cautioned that if it's left unchecked, the blooms could give rise to cyanobacteria. Does that word sound familiar? Did we talk about that a couple of days ago?
- [19:45]
Dana Goldberg
Yeah.
- [19:46]
Allison Gill
Which could be highly toxic to ducks, dogs or other animals that drink the water. Quote, just because it's green algae this week doesn't mean that it isn't going to be cyanobacteria tomorrow, said Ashley Baer, a senior research developer at EU Salco, a company that makes coagulants and other water treatment chemicals. And on the Beans Talk, when we put up a post on Blue sky from an expert.
- [20:09]
Dana Goldberg
Uh huh.
- [20:10]
Allison Gill
That's her. Ms. Baer, who spoke to the Times from a gathering of water treatment experts in Washington, added that the reflecting pool was the talk of the conference.
- [20:20]
Dana Goldberg
Oh boy. Thanks so much. And thanks New York Times. I can't always thank you since you caused a whole lot of problems elsewhere, but we appreciate this one.
- [20:28]
Allison Gill
We did. We did get the story two days earlier on Beans Talk though.
- [20:32]
Dana Goldberg
We sure did. Someone listens, you know they listen. All right. This is from Reuters. ABC said on Monday it was launching an on air campaign encouraging viewers to show support for the network in its two ongoing battles with the US Government. The Republican led Federal Communications Commission ordered ABC in April to file early license reviews for its eight company owned television stations after President Trump pressured the regulatory agency to take action. The FCC is also investigating ABC daytime talk show the View after declaring it's subject to federal equal time rules for political candidates. Well, I noticed that fucking J.D. vance was on there the other day, so maybe that helped. And this is a quote. The FCC wants to control who is allowed to appear on the show. Says one of the on air spots, encouraging viewers to file public comments with the agency. Viewers, use your voice. A license review is the FCC's formal assessment of whether a station has served the public interest and it can lead to renewal or revocation of its broadcast license. ABC said that the View on air spots will run during a commercial break within the hour of the show. It will also run image ads on abc.com and social media sites. The reviews were ordered in April, a day after Trump urged ABC to fire again late night host Jimmy Kimmel. The FCC says that the reviews, which are not supposed to begin until October of 2028, were prompted by a year long probe on FCC's ban on unlawful discrimination. The stations by the way, are located where? Fresno, California, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Houston and Durham, North Carolina. Uh huh. It says the FCC is questioning our commitment to the community. This is from another ABC spot. And they said, please show your support.
- [22:27]
Allison Gill
Hmm, this is interesting. I'm kind of like, I'm back and forth on this because ABC was one of the first to capitulate to Trump, right, by settling and paying him $15 million when he sued them for editing a Kamala Harris interview, which they would have won. ABC would have won that, but they settled it for 15 million. But then when Trump tried to kick Jimmy Kimmel off the air, Disney and ABC fought back and got him put back on the air, if you will recall. So they've been fighting back against the FCC for a while. I don't know, what do you think?
- [23:05]
Dana Goldberg
You know, listen,
- [23:08]
Allison Gill
I like that they are fighting back now.
- [23:10]
Dana Goldberg
That's exactly it. And I think a lot of people, at the beginning, I think they thought he was gonna continue to have more power than he has. I don't know if they thought the courts were gonna come in and there were people that are actually gonna do something about this. So the fact that, listen, I understand that they're in trouble now and they're like, hey, help us. It's one of those things that if, you know, a Trumper came to me and was like, listen, I'm gonna go all in on the Democratic Party. What can I do to help you all win? And I believe them, I would let them in the circle.
- [23:36]
Allison Gill
Yeah. Or maybe they learned they were the first to capitulate and learned rather quickly that that was you don't do that with a bully. You have to stand up to a bully. I mean, I understand folks who more appreciate someone who's always stood up to the bully. I don't know. I would love to hear everybody's thoughts though, and we can make that part of the good news. So, you know, let us know what you think about this. I right now support ABC and Disney because they brought Kimmel back on and fought back, but against like Sinclair Broadcasting and the fcc. But I also understand people who are like, hey, you shouldn't have capitulated in the first place. Let us know what you think by sending us your thoughts by going to DailyBeansPod.com and clicking on Contact. And we're going to get to more good news. That's also where you submit your good news after we talk to the executive director of Run for Something. So stick around. We'll be right back after these messages.
- [24:31]
Johanna Silva Walkey
We'll be right back.
- [24:34]
Allison Gill
One thing cats do not believe is in pretending everything is all right. If they don't like something, you will know instantly and possibly for many days after and with a lot of attitude. So when I did a real taste test with them and Smalls and got their immediate approval instead of the typical sniffing and judgment filled looks, I knew it was a winner. So this podcast is sponsored by Smalls. Your cat's health and longevity starts with what they eat. Try smalls and get 60% off your cat's first order plus free shipping and free treats for life when you go to smalls.com dailybeans now smalls impressed me quickly because it gave me better food and better results for my cats. Smalls fresh cat food is made with protein packed preservative free 100% human grade ingredients and they love it. It gets delivered straight to your door. And since switching I've noticed more energy, better coats, fewer hairballs, they look healthier. Cats use protein as their main energy source, so it makes sense that more protein gives them better fuel and steady energy throughout the day. Plus it helps with hydration, which cats need to stay healthy, especially in their urinary tract. A Smalls is gently cooked too, and it's made without preservatives so it's easy on their little systems. And that means, like I said, fewer hair balls, less shedding and less litter box stink. And if you're worried that your cat might hate it, don't worry because Smalls let you try it risk free. If your cat won't eat it, they will refund you without a problem. No questions. So stop serving your little carnivore a bowl of processed shortcuts for a limited time. Because you're a Daily Beans listener, you can get 60% off your first order, plus free shipping and free treats for life when you head to smalls.com dailybeans that's 60% off your first order, free shipping and free treats for life when you head to smalls.com dailybeans I'm Brian
- [26:13]
Dana Goldberg
Caram, and I've spent decades covering politics. Now I'm taking you behind the scenes, one interview at a time.
- [26:20]
Allison Gill
Join us as each week Brian confronts the issues that matter, posing the questions you wish you could ask. No filter, no agenda, just the truth.
- [26:29]
Dana Goldberg
We're not here for sound bites. We're here for substance. Join me, Brian Caram, every week as we cut through the noise and get straight to it. This is Just Ask the Question where curiosity will lead us to the facts. Subscribe now on your favorite podcast platform
- [26:47]
Allison Gill
and remember, when you want answers, all you have to do is just ask the question. Hey, everybody. Welcome back. Super excited. Joining me today on the Beans is the former vice president for training and community engagement for Emily's List. She's a political strategist, a leader, an immigrant, and a mom. And now she serves as the executive director of Run for Something. Please welcome Johanna Silva Walkey. Hi, Johanna. How are you?
- [27:19]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Good, Allison, thank you so much for having me.
- [27:21]
Allison Gill
It's great to see you, my friend. And I know that we don't get to talk too much these days because you're so incredibly busy with your organization and all of the amazing work you're doing. Can you just talk for a minute? Remind folks about what Run for Something is and what prompted you to join and to get involved?
- [27:40]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Yeah. So Run for Something was actually founded in 2016 after Trump's first election. A lot of folks were looking to get engaged and put that energy somewhere, but there wasn't a lot of places where young people in particular could go. And so Run for Something was really started for helping young people be the next generation of our leaders in our country. And so since 2017, we were actually launched on the first day of Trump's inauguration. Our mission is really to build the pipeline with the next generation of young leaders. And so that still feels very relevant today and even more so. And so since then, we've built a pipeline of over 250,000 people who've raised their Hands and said, we're interested in running. Tell us what we need to do both at the state and local level. And beyond that, we've endorsed over 4,400 people. We've helped elect 1,600 people. And I know that's a lot of stats, but we're really proud of the impact that we've made to make sure that the voices of young people are being seen centered and that they are being represented at many of the state and local seats that they're being elected to. So a big focus of us of our work is giving these future leaders some tangible, accessible resources that they can have so that they know how to get started. Because that's the big thing. Some folks just don't even know where to start. And we help them through their journey and get them ready to launch. And so for me, this felt very exciting to go and come and lead the organization, especially at this time where we're seeing a real generational shift that's happening, especially since 2024. And so bringing all of my years experience at Emily's List, running state and local campaigns for over 28 years, it just feels like the right moment to continue to build the pipeline and get these folks ready to move on to their journey to elected office.
- [29:37]
Allison Gill
Yeah, and I remember the incredible work that Run for something did in 2022 in preventing what should have been a giant red wave. And it was just a trickle. It was just we barely, barely lost in that election. And it was supposed to be, I think, a lot worse. And so all of the incredible work there. But specifically, I remember going back to 2018 and the incredible candidates that came out of the Run for Something pipeline. And I've met several of them, many of them still in Congress today and still at the local level, doing city council work, doing county supervisor work, doing water board work. Like there's all kinds of different ways to get involved. But what I think is so important is that that massive success for Run for something in 2018. I think 2018 is the closest analog we have to 2026 because it's two years after Trump was elected. And I think we're going to see sort of similar kinds of results in this particular election. You know, I was just talking to a local news station about the California primary, and we had a 42% turnout. That's a record in the past 20 years. On the secretary of state level, it's usually 33%, 25%. I think in 2014 for a primary midterm election, and 2018, that record breaking year, when we netted 40 seats in the U.S. house of Representatives, the turnout in California was 37%. And we're at 4:42. And I know 42 sounds low, but it's a record. It's record breaking. Are you seeing that sort of across the board in this election? And do you think 2018 is kind of the closest comparative thing we have?
- [31:20]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Yeah, I mean, I think one of the things that we've been seeing is that definitely folks are stepping up, especially young people. There's a lot of feeling of hope that young people are having to want to step up and run for office and really take ownership of their leadership. And, you know, last year alone, actually, since last year, we've had 80,000 people who've signed up who said, I want to do something, I want to get involved. And that feels to me like a moment, again, like you said, of 2018, where people are not going to wait around. They're going to take things into their own hand and really step up their leadership. And so that has been something that has been very encouraging to see. The other piece of this is also we have seen folks, and again, I think you mentioned this earlier, which is the reality is that we are putting forward candidates whose lived experience reflects those of their communities. We just have great candidates who are currently running candidates. Like in Texas, we just had an amazing win this past March with Taylor Remitt. He's an Air Force veteran, a union worker. He flipped a seat that hadn't been represented by a Democrat since 1991. This is a seat that folks, you know, gave up and said, we're not going to be able to flip it. But we came in, we endorsed him early. He won by 57% of the vote. This is in Dallas, Fort Worth area, right? This is a district that Trump won by 17 points in 2024. And so, again, right, having the right candidate, the message of affordability is going to be key also, which is something a lot of our candidates are running on. Another amazing candidate in Florida was Emily Gregory, who was able to flip another seat. This includes kind of a fun fact here, is that her district includes Mar? A Lago, and she flipped this seat, right? This is a seat that Trump won by 55%, but she won the seat by 51% against an opponent that Trump had endorsed and campaign for. And so, again, we are having candidates who are not entrenched politicians, who are coming from the community who are talking about issues of affordability and really connecting with voters around how they're going to fix A lot of the problems that we are just compounded with on every day. And one of those things in particular is housing. So, anyway, so, yes, I definitely feel like we are in another moment that we have to capitalize on, and we are doing that with many of our candidates right now. Yeah.
- [33:58]
Allison Gill
And I wanted to ask you about the shift in young people from. Because I think one of the key differences between 2018 and now is that young people, especially in the 18 to 26 demographic, have, for the most of their lives, for the bulk of their lives, been dealing with Donald Trump and Trump Republicanism and MAGA sort of regime authoritarian creep and stuff like that. And I'm wondering with your fingers so much on the pulse of young voters and young candidates, what do you see as the difference between folks who were just starting to run in 2018 in the brand new kind of just starting to understand the weight of what this Trump administration might mean for us for housing, for affordability, for Supreme Court, for our rights and things like that versus now, when the young people who are coming up and coming out now have been dealing with it for so long that it must just seem like this is how it's always been.
- [34:57]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Yeah, I mean, I think that there's a lot for, you know, Gen Z and millennial folks to have to deal with. But I think one of the things that we're seeing is that actually those folks, while they are definitely, you know, looking at the Democratic Party and saying, I don't know if this is, you know, where I'm going to get the help. They are looking for organizations and coming to organizations like run for something and saying, I want to do something. Right. So there's not complete lost in apathy. The reality is that young people are continuing to run because they're seeing that their issues are not at all being represented. And I talked a little bit about housing earlier, but, you know, last year we launched a runner's narrative campaign. And the reason we did that is because Gen Z people in particular, they don't, you know, they're not growing up with, I'm going to buy a house by the time I'm 30. This is not a reality for most young people and millennials in particular. And so we know that housing affordability is still the number one issue that is important to them. And so we have some exciting candidates who are talking about that, who are re energizing the community. Candidates like Aparna raj in Washington, D.C. who actually just won her race for Ward 1. This is a seat that she ousted an incumbent in. And you know, we're very excited about her doing that because one of the things that she talked about was runners rights and that was center for her campaign. And so for us, it is about being able to talk to young people and meeting them where they are. And that means they're dealing with housing issues, they're dealing with student loans, they're dealing with, you know, having to look for jobs that they're not there, but also giving them the resources that they need to say, actually you're the person who should be advocating for this. And there is no representation at the local and state level. And so that's why we need folks to step up. And they are. And so we're excited about that project and that renters project because we've started to see the shift on the issue of affordability in particular. We even have another candidate in Rhode Island, David Morales, who's just 27 years old and was just featured in the New York Times on candidates that were running on affordability. And so he's one of the candidates that we know is, you know, he's running for mayor of Providence, one of the most expensive cities in America. And he's going to be somebody that we're going to be looking at as a potential rising star within the party and talking again on issues that are just top of mind for voters right now. And that's certainly affordability. Yeah.
- [37:37]
Allison Gill
And I'm so glad you're bringing up all these wins for candidates that have been endorsed and trained by Run for Something because, you know, you just mentioned a moment ago about how there was a candidate who flipped a seat that was thought just lost forever because no one had occupied it as a Democrat since 1991. But something amazing that Run for Something is doing and has always been focused on is to make sure that we have a candidate running everywhere. I think that for the first time in history, Texas has a Democrat running in every district, even these seats that we thought we had given up for debt, so to speak. So talk a little bit about Run for Something's initiative to get a candidate in every district and so that we can make sure that we are everywhere.
- [38:18]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Yeah. So last year we launched basically our five year strategic plan called Battle Up. And what this plan focuses on is getting thousands of millennials and Gen Z folks to run in the next three to five years. Because we know that there's regions in our country that are growing, that populations are shifting and we need to get in front of it. We need to build infrastructure, we need to build support and we need to be able to show young people that they need to be leading in their own communities. And a lot of this came from, again, the lessons learned in 2024, where we had 70% of elections go uncontested. Now that number has shrunk a little bit, but not by much. And so we have to be able to run everywhere. But I think for us, more importantly is we can't just depend on the battlegrounds that we currently have. We have to expand the map. And so we have to win in places like Georgia, we have to win in places like Utah, who is going to see a congressional seat. And we have to start making sure that we are contesting every race that is out there. And we're doing that with our candidates. And this is why, you know, this pipeline that we have is so important because we have the candidates in these regions to run and they're ready to go. And so we want to, we're putting an investment through battle up to be able to do that. And we're excited about that. We already have some candidates in places like, you know, Arizona and Georgia. In Arizona we have a 20 year old who's running for school board. It's the first time that he's running and he's talking about issues like, you know, responsible use of AI in the classroom. This is something that the board literally cannot come to a consensus on on the responsible usage of AI. So here we have a Gen Z candidate ready to lead on this very critical issue that Arizona and many of these school boards are going to be dealing with. So these are the type of candidates and this is the type of focus and energy that we want to put in investment to build a long term game. Because the reality is we have to, to rebuild in some of these states and we know that we can do that with our candidates.
- [40:32]
Allison Gill
Yeah, and talk for a second about, because you're in a unique position where you're steeped in these elections, you know so much about them because there's so many candidates that you're working with in so many different places from deep blue to deep red. Can you talk a little bit about what trends that you're noticing in this primary election? Because for me, I'm actually looking forward to election night for the first time in a while, like without like a bunch of fear and anxiety. Like I've been super gun shy since 2016, but I'm really looking forward to this cycle. Including all the incredible candidates you're working with and all the incredible work that you're doing. On the ground, what are you noticing about the trends in this particular primary election that might set it apart even from 2018? Because you're talking about all this enthusiasm, Are you seeing a lot of positivity here?
- [41:28]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Yeah, definitely. I think the two things that I would say feel very present right now is there is definitely a generational shift that's happening. And the second one is the issue of affordability that I talked a little bit and touched upon earlier. But the generational shift is big. Just to give folks a little bit of context, the average congressional candidate is 59 years old, which I think is almost the same age as the average school board member. We only have one Gen z member and 14% of millennial members in Congress, and only less than 5% of legislative members are millennial under the age of 35. And so there is a huge need for state and local candidates to step up and run, and they're doing that. And we're seeing that in places. You mentioned California earlier. We actually have an alumni here in the state of California who's running for Congress, you know, in a seat that has been held by the same member for a generation. And this is before her husband held that seat for over three decades. And so one of the things that we're seeing is that folks are saying it's our turn to lead. We have. And the reason I brought up those statistics is because, as you could tell, we have a lot of members in office who are very much removed from the realities of most Americans. We talked earlier about how Gen Z is dealing with student loans around being, you know, owning a house isn't even a reality for many of them. They're worried about making rent because jobs are continuing to be a big issue. And so if that's the case, we have candidates who are much more in line with the issues that many of Americans are dealing with. And so that's why we have candidates like Mae Van running for Congress up in Sacramento. Marissa Roy, who actually ran for LA City Attorney, just made it through the primary. She was the top vote getter. This is. You know, she ousted an incumbent that was running. Hasn't happened in over a hundred years. Marissa is millennial. You know, even again in la, right. There was another incredible win with Nithya Rahman, who is running for LA mayor. She edged out Spencer Pratt in a very crowded primary, but she was not a stranger to getting folks out of office who've been there for too long. That's what she did when she ran for city and defeated a city council member who was in that seat for almost two decades. And so again, we're seeing young people stepping up because they're talking about issues that are relevant. They are not entrenched politicians. They're coming from the community. These are folks that have done the work in their community, and now they're learned from it and stepping up to run. And so that's part of the exciting thing. But the generational shift is definitely real. And the affordability. The affordability is just, again, something that we saw even last year, right, with races like Madani and even Abigail Stanberger running in Virginia. They all talked about affordability. Now, they talked about it very differently, but they talked about it in a way that, you know, fit their community. And so that's one of the things also that we're seeing, is that we're going to see candidates on all sides of the spectrum, right within the Democratic Party talking about affordability, but it's going to be unique to their community. And that's, I think, one of the things that's more exciting. We're seeing candidates that are homegrown, that are not long. You know, they don't come from necessarily a committee or a party. And that's what folks want, somebody with bold ideas, fresh ideas. And that's what our candidates have to offer is, is that.
- [45:12]
Allison Gill
Yeah. And it has to be that way as a candidate. When you talk to your community, it's a very different need. The constituents have very different needs in, say, a suburban Georgia area than they would in an urban California area. And that's why we have such an expansive spectrum of policy and stuff within the party. But it's so important to do exactly what Mamdani did, maybe with different policies, but go and find out what the people want from you and talk to them, not at them. It's so, so important. And I know you engage in a lot of that activity and information gathering. So one last thing. Tell us what's next. Because, you know, we've focused a lot on past elections and successes that have come from run for something. We're talking a lot now about what you're seeing in the trends. Talk about the future. Because I know, like you said, about the first thing that blew my mind was that you said the average age of this congressional candidate is 59. That's Boome. Some might argue it barely cracks Gen X, but we haven't even wandered into Gen X yet. And we have all these millennials and Gen zers who are now the ones who have to get out on their own, graduate from college Afford things and affordability is such a huge thing and we're so far behind on that, I feel. But also putting candidates, you said that you gave me a percentage about districts that are running uncontested. So I assume that that's also part of what is next and long term goals. So just talk a little bit about that and then I'll ask you how people can find and follow your work.
- [46:44]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Yeah, like I said, I think for us really it's the next three to five years is focusing on expanding our work in states that we know we can flip and that we can start building infrastructure and support because young people are moving into states like Utah, moving into states like Arizona. I mean, these are states that there's a reason why they're estimated to gain a congressional seat. And so, you know, by 2030. But we want to do what we want to do and are doing is going in early, investing in these states, early laying the groundwork. So our, you know, our candidates are the ones that are running and leading in these states. So that continues to be a priority for us is long term building and infrastructure building in some of these states. But I think one of the other exciting things is that, you know, as an organization that works with young people, we also have to be in front of what is new. And the big new thing that everybody's talking about right now is AI. And how does AI play into the role of modernizing Right. To a certain extent campaign.
- [47:52]
Allison Gill
And nobody likes data centers on either side.
- [47:55]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Yeah. No. And this is, you know, and again, this is not for us, that is something that many of our candidates have told us. But for us, it's also about then what tools are available to help candidates run very smart campaigns. And so earlier this month we launched Campsite. And Campsite is an online tool that candidates and organizations and anybody in the pro democracy space can use to better understand how AI chatbots are talking about their campaigns. We know young people are going to these, you know, ChatGPT Gemini and asking who could I run for? Especially on the state and local level, which oftentimes you just don't know who's on the ballot. But you need to know right. Who potentially you could run for. So what this does is put the power on campaigns to inform how these chat boxes are talking about them. And so candidates are going to be using this. Many of our campaigns are going to be using this. And one of the things that it also flags for candidates is dis and misinformation and makes recommendations on what candidates can do very Simply to basically attack that. And so, again, this is about us using an existing tool that we know young people are using, but that we want to make sure that campaigns are stepping up into this modern tool to be able to make sure that whatever's coming up about them is accurate information and that they can make changes to that with little to no cost. So we're making it available to anybody, not just our campaigns and our candidates. Certainly they're the first in line to use it. But we do think that this is going to revolutionize to a certain extent how we are tackling, how we talk about our candidates and dealing with issues of mis and disinformation, but more importantly, just voter information and voter outreach. And this is what we're excited about that we're working on this year.
- [49:59]
Allison Gill
It's going to be amazing. Well, I appreciate all the work that you're doing. Thank you so much for taking the time today. I know you're incredibly busy leading up to this cycle. As we speak right now they're voting in four states. So we're going to be watching those returns tonight very carefully. But can you tell everybody where they can find, follow and support run for Something and if you want to run for something, where to find the information?
- [50:23]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Yes, we are@runforsomething.net you can get any information there around. We have regularly scheduled informational sessions that just tell you if you're even curious about what is running for office? What does that mean? What do I need to do to prepare myself to even think about, think about running for office? I would urge you to attend one of those. We have one coming up later in July. We have a comprehensive local office guide on our website. And that is just what does a city council member do? What does a library commissioner do? Again, informing and demystifying the process is one of the things that we also try to do. But I would also say start in your community. If there is something that you're doing in your community, like a neighborhood cleanup poll worker, go work on a campaign. It's the most important thing that you can do right now is go and help one of our candidates. But even a candidate locally, and it's a great way to understand. Yeah. What's campaigning all about. We actually have a candidate in San Diego who's running for Congress right now. She's going to flip a congressional seat in November, we're hoping. And she was my call time manager in 2017 as a volunteer. This is Marnie Von Wilper.
- [51:37]
Allison Gill
Marnie Von Wilpert.
- [51:38]
Dana Goldberg
Yeah.
- [51:38]
Allison Gill
She's former city council member. Yeah, this is my district.
- [51:41]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Amazing. And so she's one of our alumni, and she was my call time manager on a race in 2017. I'm pretty sure that all the things that she did with helping us raise money for that state legislative candidate have helped her in her subsequent races.
- [51:55]
Allison Gill
I'm sorry to interrupt. Sarah Jacobs is mine. Marnie Von Wilpert is next door in 48.
- [52:00]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Yeah, yeah, both of them. Incredible. But yes, Marnie. Marnie's equally great. And I would again, encourage folks to get out there and support some of these candidates and get involved and volunteer, and this is a great way for folks to start. Now, one of the things I want to clarify is, yes, we do endorse and support people who are under 40. So those are the folks that we endorse. But if you are listening and you're over that age like me, and you sort of feel like you've aged out, don't worry about it. Come to us. We will inform. We will participate. You can attend all of our events. You can sign up. We will get you the resources that you need to run for office at any age. We just endorse candidates who are under 40. Anyone else we'll work with and help.
- [52:47]
Allison Gill
That's amazing. Understood. All right, everybody, please check it out. RunforSomething.net, you can get all the information you can find and follow them on all the socials, probably very easily. I appreciate your time today. Executive director of a Run for Something, Johanna Silva Walkey. It's been great to speak with you.
- [53:05]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Likewise, Allison. Thank you so much for having us.
- [53:07]
Allison Gill
Of course. I can't wait to talk to you again as we get closer to the midterms. All right, everybody, stick around. We'll be right back with the good news.
- [53:14]
Martin Sheen
Hello, Martin Sheen here. And it seems to me that no day of the week is without its endless barrage of bad news. Even on Sunday. For God's sake, let's change that. What do you say? Together, let's make Sunday immune to bad news. Available now every Sunday, season three of the Martin Sheen podcast with yours truly, Martin Sheen has begun. Yeah. 10 brand new episodes are already underway. So join me, Martin sheen, for a 20 minute journey as I share my personal stories, a bit of poetry, and insightful reflections that will encourage you to take a deep breath and enjoy a relaxing moment. Of course, it's important to know and understand what's happening in the world, but I also believe there's nothing wrong with taking a step back to find strength and clarity. And Lord knows we need that now more than ever. A moment of thoughtfulness and calm may be rare these days, but it doesn't have to be. So what do you say? You want to take back your Sundays? So do I. And guess what? I've already done it with the Martin Sheen Podcast, Season three available now. Don't mess with my Sunday and thank you for listening.
- [54:28]
Allison Gill
Everybody. Welcome back. It's time for the good news. Who likes good news?
- [54:31]
Johanna Silva Walkey
Everyone?
- [54:32]
Allison Gill
Then good news everyone. Hey everybody. If you have any good news or good trouble suggestions or a shout out to a loved one or yourself or a small business or a non profit, a funny story you'd like to share. Anything that'll make us smile. We need to microdose in your hope. You can also give shout outs to government programs that have helped you or a loved one. In case I didn't say that. If I'm repeating myself, I'm sorry. But anyway, anything at all, you tell us your favorite street joke. Send in, like I said earlier, your thoughts on ABC and them trying to fight back against the Trump administration. Now. We would love to hear from you@dailybeanspot.com Click on Contact and all you got to do to get your stuff read on the air is submit a picture of really anything. It can be your pet. We can try to guess the breeds in your shelter pup. It can be a random animal on the Internet. An adoptable pet in your area. We can see if we can help find them a home. It can be a sunset. It can be have you gone on vacation recently? We would love to see your photos from your vacation. Do you have family photos? Awkward family photos, Halloween costumes? Have you gone to a Comic Con lately or are you about to? We would love to see that. Photos of pride celebrations. Love those so much. Your favorite no king signs. It can be anything that brings a smile to our faces. Send it to us dailybeanspot.com click on contact. And first up is your Good Trouble. Good Trouble today comes from an anonymous listener pronoun. She and her this is time sensitive and good Trouble. My daughter just finished three years of service in the Peace Corps. Oh amazing. And the entire funding for the program is now in jeopardy. Per the National Peace Corps association yesterday 622 a critical threat to Peace Corps funding is moving through the House of Representatives right now as the House Prepares to consider HR 8595, the fiscal year 27 National Security Department of State and related programs called the NSRP Appropriations bill. Rep. Scott Perry, the guy who helped with the coup has filed Amendment 137, which would eliminate the Peace Corps entire budget. The House Rules Committee is scheduled to review the bill and its amendments Tuesday. If the amendment advances, the full House could debate and vote on it this week. Please contact your representatives today and ask them to oppose any effort to eliminate funding for the Peace Corps. Congress could make a decision on Peace Corps funding within days. So take action now and help us pass 5,000 letters sent by Thursday by clicking on this link and we'll have a link in the show notes. Phone calls to your congressional reps will work too. Please help save this critically important program and thank you. Podpet tax three of the pets that turned my daughter into a pet mama while serving. The dog is Paz. Peace in Spanish. And the kitties are Sol and sun and stars. Oh, I love this.
- [57:32]
Dana Goldberg
Thank you both.
- [57:33]
Allison Gill
And to all the Leguminati, for all you do and for helping keep me sane. Look at these sweet, sweet babies.
- [57:39]
Dana Goldberg
Oh, the babies.
- [57:41]
Allison Gill
Amazing.
- [57:42]
Dana Goldberg
So very sweet. All right, another reminder. For those of you listening who would like to join us in donating to the Trevor Project, we've got that for you. Our own little URL code. What is that, Alison?
- [57:57]
Allison Gill
It is trevorproject.org beans.
- [58:00]
Dana Goldberg
Wonderful. So keep doing that. All of you have already given. So generous. And if you can't, that's okay. You can still support the Trevor project in other ways, even if you just know about it and tell people about it. So we love you for it. This next one's from. Oh, my God. This next one's from Lori Pronoun. She and her. I admire your work. You inform me while keeping me inspired and entertained. Thank you. Photos of our cat, Brisket. Brisket's a hairless and. Oh, my God. This is just works of art here.
- [58:29]
Allison Gill
It's a naked with a sweater. I love the pillow, by the way. And I love the sweater nakes. They get cold, obviously, because they don't have their nakey. So they don't have any fur. I wonder, Lori, if your Nikki likes the bath. I know most of my friends who have these babies. They'll just run into the tub and get in there. And they love it because. Probably because it's warm but amazing. All right, Diana. She her. Hello, beans queens. On the subject of Pollinator Gardens, mine are constantly being expanded, but I was thrilled to see these little guys on my tulip poplars. They are eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillars. Aren't they cute? Keep up the good.
- [59:09]
Dana Goldberg
Trouble. Trouble.
- [59:10]
Allison Gill
They look like cartoon characters. Diana. Look how cute they Are.
- [59:15]
Dana Goldberg
Oh God. They really are cute.
- [59:17]
Allison Gill
Amazing. Thank you for that.
- [59:20]
Dana Goldberg
It was so short. Do you want to take the next one?
- [59:22]
Allison Gill
Sure, I'll take the next one. This is from Dr. Worm who I think we met at our gala this weekend. Pronoun she and her just wanted to share the beans related gala.
- [59:29]
Dana Goldberg
Good news.
- [59:30]
Allison Gill
I had a great time with my bestie who's just starting to resist and radicalize. The ice murders in Minneapolis with a subsequent cover up Live festival was a bridge too far for her. Her awakening is a beautiful thing to watch and be part of. I'm taking at least some credit as an inspiration and model for her. But she's doing all the work. My bestie and I have spent Father's day together since 2022 because our dads died months apart. Her dad was sickly and mine died from COVID I'm so sorry, Dr. Worm. We didn't want to spend that first weekend alone, so we did it together and have been ever since. I bought ticks to the gala without making the connection. It was Father's Day weekend so it was an extra bonus that my bestie would be here. Great event for her to attend as she's getting her resistance feet. Thanks to all we chatted with and connected with at the gala. That's the cool thing, Dana, about our galas and our get togethers is the networking and the community. Totally amazing other gala goodness. Got to meet the beans crew, laughed, got a photo with Andy McCabe so my mom stays. Happy snacks and a very generous open bar. Submitting a pic of my bestie playing the piano in the lobby at the gala. Cuz if there's an unlocked public piano, she's going to tickle the keys for all of us. Thanks bestie Podpet. Is Oinky helping while I work?
- [60:50]
Dana Goldberg
This is awesome.
- [60:51]
Allison Gill
I was wondering who was playing the piano. Dr. Worm, that was your bestie. That's right. And look at this oinky kitty.
- [61:00]
Dana Goldberg
Love it.
- [61:00]
Allison Gill
Adorable. Thank you so much for that. Oh, wonderful. I'm gonna have memories from that night. Just forever.
- [61:06]
Dana Goldberg
I know. I agree. This is up from E. Pronouns she and her hey ag and dg. I wanted to drop a line to say thank you and to give myself a little pat on the back. After 30 years in residential construction, I'm just days away from starting all over. For years I've joked that gentrification paid my bills. Though a small part of me died every time I said it. This August, I'll be starting a master's program in social work. Don't get me wrong, I truly love my career in construction. I love creating homes for people. But every time I finish a site surrounded by dilapidated buildings and so many unhoused people knowing they could never afford the rent in those shiny new apartments, it also ate at me a little bit more. So here I am, just a couple of years from 50, deciding that I want to help those very people instead. This is so cool. E. Wow. With the unwavering support of my husband, my trans stepson and my two fiercely independent teenage gems, I'm semi retiring for a few years to earn my LMSW and eventually my LCSW so I can finally explore my passion for psychology and truly helping people. It's a little scary, I won't lie, but I know I'll do it. My first internship will be with the local long term residential rehab, the only one in the state. They focus on men and women who have ended up on the streets due to addiction and provide a year long program to help them get back on their feet and stay sober. If it weren't for them, my husband might not be alive today. He went through the program eight years ago and we met not long after he completed it. It's truly a miracle worker. As for my pod pet tax, meet our foster dog, Carmi. Short for Carmine. She's almost certainly a foster fail, but for now we're nursing her through a rough bout of worms and kennel cough until she gets all clear for adoption. We have no idea what breed she is, but Claude tells me she's a blank mix. Your guess is as good as AIs. Oh thanks.
- [63:00]
Allison Gill
I think I know.
- [63:02]
Dana Goldberg
Oh my God, the dog is cute. Thank you both for everything you do. I recently started listening to the Martin Sheen Podcast and I'm so grateful for all you brought into the world, AG and dg. I can't count the number of times I've stumbled across one of your IG posts and laughed until I cried. You have both made the world a better place. Best wishes E. Oh wow.
- [63:22]
Allison Gill
E. First of all, congratulations. Starting over is so exciting. And I want to remind you that that even though it's a little scary, you have a community of thousands and thousands of Leguminati that are supporting you and rooting you on. Oh yeah, and secondly, thank you for listening to the Martin Sheen Podcast. I am obsessed with his podcast.
- [63:44]
Dana Goldberg
Dana.
- [63:44]
Allison Gill
It's so amazing. It's like having it's Martin Sheen. It's like having President Bartlett tell me bedtime stories and read me poems. It's just beautiful and fascinating and incredible. And his stories, his knowledge about it's just so, so good. So you definitely want to check that out. That's free. Wherever you get your pods. Full disclosure, it's an MSW media pod. This dog. There's definitely some husky in there.
- [64:11]
Dana Goldberg
I would think so, too.
- [64:13]
Allison Gill
Yeah. And maybe German shepherd.
- [64:15]
Dana Goldberg
And a little pity. Why not?
- [64:16]
Allison Gill
All right, let's see what we got here. Oh, husky greyhound. Oh, I can see that.
- [64:22]
Dana Goldberg
Yeah.
- [64:24]
Allison Gill
Adorable. Congratulations on your foster fail E. All right, next up from Josh, pronouns, he and him. Hello, ladies. My girlfriend and I are blue dots in an otherwise crimson sea that is south central Pennsylvania. This past weekend, we attended a country music concert in our area that historically would have been overwhelmed with Trump flags and red hats. We were surprised to find that out of the 7,000 concertgoers, we didn't see a single Trump shirt, flag, or red hat in attendance. This was shocking to us, and it truly made us feel like the tide is turning. Nice attendees of all ages were present. And while we saw many folks sporting American flag clothing, the absence of Trump branded apparel was noticeable. On a separate note, I'm attaching two photos of my dog, Kiva. Kiva is a rescue brought over from Puerto Rico, and she's approximately one and a half years old. She weighs in at about 32 pounds and loves to play fetch and snuggle. In Puerto Rico, rescue dogs like Kiva are affectionately known as Satos. Rather than being a specific breed, Sato, Puerto Rican slang for mutt, is the local term for the island's free roaming street dogs. If you figure out what mix of dog she is, you're smarter than me. I just know that my kids adore her and she's a wonderful family companion. Thanks for all you do to keep us informed. Oh, this is a beautiful baby. Gorgeous. You know what? I think Sato should be a breed.
- [65:48]
Dana Goldberg
I think so, too.
- [65:49]
Allison Gill
I've decided they're done and done.
- [65:53]
Dana Goldberg
Love it. Thanks, Allison. All right, next up from Shauna Pronoun. She and her jumping right in. Thank you, thank you, thank you for the gala. It was amazing. First, I must say I'm embarrassed because I originally posted on Facebook about the group birdwatching all the way back in May, and then I was fucking late. Oh, I wanted to walk the river and my wedges really slowed me down, but I took this one alone. Please crop me into the group photo. Secondly, my boyfriend and I got to meet Dana and her partner in the elevator Saturday morning, and I fangirled about it for the rest of the day. Thanks for your kindness. And being so down to earth. Dayna, Shana, it was a pleasure to meet you guys, even if I was in my gym clothes. So you're the reason I got to that bird photo in the first place. Lastly, after the gala, my boyfriend and I met some amazing Leguminati. We went to Insomnia cookies and Pequods Pizza. All right. That was recommended to us by our driver on our two hour long Uber ride into the city from o'. Hare. It was long. You're all amazing and obviously we already know that. So thank you again. Pixar, bird watching and me and my boyfriend's fabulous matching outfits for the weekend. Love you all. The outfits were everything. By the way. Shawna, my girlfriend and I are still talking about how cute you guys were. I'm just so impressed. And I sort of want to know if it's your idea or his idea.
- [67:21]
Allison Gill
Yeah, you'll have to call. You'll have right back and call us. Call us and let us know.
- [67:25]
Dana Goldberg
Call us and let us know.
- [67:26]
Allison Gill
Shauna, right back in. Right back into the good news and let us know. But I remember when Dana, when we were doing photos with everybody who walked in.
- [67:35]
Dana Goldberg
Yeah.
- [67:35]
Allison Gill
One at a time or, you know, in their groups that they were in. And Shana came up, she's like, hi. And then she goes, I met Dana in the elevator this morning. I'm like, you're the one. She was talking about how great you guys were and how your outfits were awesome.
- [67:48]
Dana Goldberg
And then Shauna had this beautiful color on and her boyfriend had a matching tie at the gala. Like, they're just adorable.
- [67:56]
Allison Gill
Fantastic. Wonderful. Thank you so much. Please keep sending in your gala stories and photos. I live for these. I really do. They brighten my day, as does all of your good news. Send it to us dailybeanspod.com, click on Contact. Any final thoughts before we get out of here today, my friend?
- [68:11]
Dana Goldberg
Last minute announcement. If you happen to be in New York City this Friday night and you want to go to a wonderful event, I'm going to moderate a q and a with country music star Ty Herndon. He's going to be singing some songs and we're going to be talking about his extraordinary memoir that came out this year. And his story is unbelievable. So if you like country music or you just want to go support an artist in New York, you can get tickets to that on my website. It's danagoldberg.com, hit the tour. And I believe it's the second. It might actually be the first date on there now because it's Friday. And so if any of you need a last minute plan in New York City, come over. It's gonna be a wonderful, wonderful event.
- [68:46]
Allison Gill
That just sounds like something just made for New York City, like a night out in the town and it's at a comedy club.
- [68:53]
Dana Goldberg
We're gonna have some fun.
- [68:55]
Allison Gill
It's going to be amazing. I love the work you do, my friend. Thank you so much for all the joy that you bring people and.
- [69:00]
Dana Goldberg
Oh, it's my pleasure.
- [69:01]
Allison Gill
All of the support you give all these communities who need it. Thank you so much. All right, everybody, we're going to see you 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 I'm sabeans. 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
- [69:44]
Johanna Silva Walkey
History is messy. It's weird, wild and anything but boring.
- [69:48]
Allison Gill
Rainy Day Rabbit Holes is a history podcast about unhinged stories that make you
- [69:53]
Johanna Silva Walkey
stop and ask, wait, is this real life? From crazy disasters and tasty scandals to enlightening and surprising, heartwarming tales, we explore the moments where people behave badly and sometimes beautifully.
- [70:06]
Allison Gill
We've got naughty politicians, cultural chaos, and
- [70:09]
Johanna Silva Walkey
a deep love for the Pacific Northwest, including Bigfoot. It's thoughtful, irreverent, occasional serious, and always entertaining. Let's fall down the rabbit hole.
- [70:19]
Allison Gill
MSW Media.