Episode Overview
Title: Are Russia & Ukraine FINALLY Nearing a Peace Deal?
Date: November 25, 2025
Hosts: Pat and Stu (for Glenn Beck)
Podcast: The Glenn Beck Program
This episode, hosted by Pat and Stu filling in for Glenn Beck, covers a range of current political topics with their trademark sarcastic wit and conservative commentary. Major discussions include recent legal dramas involving James Comey and Letitia James, the congressional probe into Senator Mark Kelly's military video, the state of American healthcare and GOP responses to Obamacare subsidies, plus speculation over an emerging peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. The show also touches on pop culture debates, issues of truth in society, and media hypocrisy, keeping a conversational and humorous tone throughout.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Legal Maneuvers: Comey, Letitia James, and Trump’s DOJ (04:25 – 20:00)
- Process over Substance: The court’s dismissal of charges against ex-FBI Director James Comey and NY Attorney General Letitia James is discussed at length. The ruling was based on procedural grounds: the appointment of the special prosecutor (Lindsey Halligan) was invalid, as temporary appointments were stacked without Senate confirmation.
- Stu: “You can't layer a temporary role on top of a temporary role… What they can't do is put a temporary person in the role, fire them and put another temporary person in the role and just keep cycling through that until they get what they want.” (08:02)
- Trump’s Governing Style: Trump’s approach – “get it done, find a way” – brings both breakthroughs and legal setbacks.
- Pat: “How many injunctions has he had? I think it’s 44, 45 or something in nine months. It’s unbelievable.” (10:23)
- Comey’s Statement & Conservative Reaction: Comey’s "victory for democracy" statement is played and mocked, with Pat and Stu highlighting perceived hypocrisy about DOJ weaponization.
- Comey: “Of course, the President… cannot use the Department of Justice to target his political enemies.” (17:09)
- Pat: "Which is exactly what they did to Trump. They did exactly that... it's just amazing that he can say that with a straight face." (17:22)
- Memorable Moment: Satirical speculation on Trump’s "Top 5 Most Hated" list.
2. Sen. Mark Kelly and the 'Sedition' Video: Military, Congress & Power (25:20 – 38:01)
- Pentagon Investigation: Mark Kelly, a retired military officer and now Senator, is being investigated over a video encouraging troops to defy illegal orders. Only Kelly is potentially in trouble due to his unique retired/military status.
- Political Subtext: The real concern is whether the video is a veiled attempt to preemptively encourage resistance if Trump issues controversial military orders.
- Pat: “What they're trying to do is get the military not to listen to Trump.” (28:15)
- Glenn (Stu): "They're trying to stir up whistleblowers... They would absolutely love a high-profile military member to come out and say, 'We're not allowed to go in these cities and this president is a fascist.'" (32:14)
- Trump’s Response: Trump throws “sedition” and its constitutional penalty into the debate, further inflaming tensions.
3. Healthcare Reform Stagnation & GOP Strategy (46:08 – 61:43)
- Satirizing Obamacare History: Hosts lampoon both initial conservative opposition and how the current “conservative position” is essentially to preserve Obamacare as-is, mocking the failure to repeal or reform meaningfully.
- Pat: “Don’t we have a majority in Congress right now where we don’t have to put up with this?” (52:12)
- Stu: “The hardcore conservative position currently is what if we just keep regular Obamacare? That’s the right-wing position right now.” (51:43)
- Enhanced Subsidies: Discussion on how the "emergency" COVID-era subsidies for Obamacare are being extended, and even "conservatives" now propose subsidies for families earning up to $300,000.
- Stu: “Obamacare says you should get free money for healthcare if you earn less than $172,600. What the enhanced subsidies did… raised that to $302,000 for a family of six.” (59:25)
- Political Cowardice: Both lament GOP avoidance of media blowback and failure to advance bold alternatives.
- Pat: “They're in the majority. Keep in mind... and they're still caving in like this. Unreal.” (60:07)
4. COVID's Lingering Legacy—Housing, Voting, and Policy (63:02 – 67:06)
- Lasting Pandemic Policies: COVID-era measures (dropboxes, expanded mail-in voting) linger, and Republicans show little appetite to reverse them.
- Housing Market Distortions: The average age of first-time homebuyers has spiked post-COVID due to structural market shifts rooted in the pandemic and federal spending.
5. Russia-Ukraine Peace Negotiations: Is a Deal Close? (68:40 – 87:24)
- Essence of an Emergent Deal: Ukraine, the US, and Europe have reportedly agreed to a framework—but Russia has not.
- Deal Elements:
- Russia keeps 20% of Ukrainian land (more than they currently hold).
- Ukraine to reduce its army and forswear NATO.
- Russia’s G7 reintegration.
- Pat: “It’s a complete capitulation to Russia... I don’t know why Russia wouldn’t agree to it other than the fact that Russia wants the entire country.” (72:17)
- Deal Elements:
- Comparing Frameworks: The EU proposal may be even harsher on Ukraine than the Trump plan.
- Geopolitical Realities: Much talk about the impracticality for Ukraine to accept more territorial loss, and skepticism about the sustainability of any peace reached on such terms.
- Glenn (Stu): “As an American, what I care about most is America and these citizens of America... I believe the best thing we can [do] for our country is to make sure this conflict does not end up with nuclear weapons flying all over the globe.” (77:00)
- Humor & Satire: Pat and Stu joke about giving Alaska and Hawaii to Ukraine in “compensation.”
6. Truth Decay in Culture & Sports (90:02 – 104:14)
- WNBA vs. NBA Debate: Using the Paige Bueckers/NBA players spat as an entry point, the hosts critique modern reluctance to acknowledge obvious biological differences for fear of offending. They urge a return to “basic truths.”
- Pat: “There are differences between men and women and you’re not supposed to notice it anymore, or acknowledge it, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s there.” (101:34)
- Societal Dysfunction: The ability of society to negotiate and solve problems is hamstrung if people refuse to agree on simple realities.
7. Media Hypocrisy – Trump, Biden, and Health Narratives (105:30 – 109:12)
- Hostility & Double Standards: Pat and Stu detail press attempts to manufacture a Trump health scare while having ignored Biden's frailty until it became overwhelmingly obvious.
- Glenn (Stu): “It was off limits to go after a president’s health... now we're supposed to totally forget it.” (107:39)
- Pat: “They included the video and he's not dragging his left leg. Looks totally normal.” (105:55)
8. Pop Culture, Public Pressure, and the “Frozen in Time” Phenomenon (110:48 – 122:58)
- Ownership of Celebrities: Fans often resent when celebrities change (e.g. Meghan Trainor losing weight); celebrities are “frozen” in the image or message of their breakout moment, regardless of evolving personal growth.
- Stu: “A speech you make when you’re 19 years old should not be brought up in every single article about you for multiple decades.” (121:51)
- Pat: “Maybe let it go after six months. So what if she made a dumb, cynical point about the world when she was 19?” (121:54)
- Woke Outrage & Cancel Culture: Parallels are drawn between this and the modern tendency to judge public figures eternally on old missteps or jokes.
9. Noteworthy Media Satire: Ridiculous Campaign Donor Name Fiascos (124:47 – 127:54)
- Satirical Segment: Pat and Stu mock campaign finance "scandals" by reading off a list of notorious historical and fictional criminal names (Jeffrey Dahmer, Adolf Hitler, John Wilkes Booth) as Democratic donors, lampooning the tactics used against conservative figures.
Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
- “You can't layer a temporary role on top of a temporary role... What they can't do is put a temporary person in the role, fire them and put another temporary person in the role and just keep cycling through that until they get what they want.” – Stu, [08:02]
- “Which is exactly what they did to Trump. …It’s just amazing that [Comey] can say that with a straight face.” – Pat, [17:22]
- “Obamacare says you should get free money for healthcare if you earn less than $172,600... What the enhanced subsidies did… raised that to $302,000 for a family of six.” – Stu, [59:25]
- “It’s a complete capitulation to Russia... I don’t know why Russia wouldn’t agree to it other than the fact that Russia wants the entire country.” – Pat, [72:17]
- “As an American, what I care about most is America and these citizens of America... I believe the best thing… for our country... is to make sure this conflict does not end up with nuclear weapons flying all over the globe.” – Glenn (Stu), [77:00]
- “There are differences between men and women and you’re not supposed to notice it anymore, or acknowledge it, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s there.” – Pat, [101:34]
- “If you can’t bridge a gap like this… what chance do you have? You can’t have a rational conversation with people who can’t admit this type of stuff.” – Glenn (Stu), [103:07]
- “It was off limits to go after a president’s health... now we're supposed to totally forget it.” – Glenn (Stu), [107:39]
- “A speech you make when you’re 19 years old should not be brought up in every single article about you for multiple decades.” – Stu, [121:51]
Important Segment Timestamps
- 04:25 – 20:00: Legal drama over Comey, Letitia James, Trump DOJ
- 25:20 – 38:01: Sen. Kelly, Pentagon probe, military/political power
- 46:08 – 61:43: Healthcare policy, GOP, Obamacare subsidies
- 68:40 – 87:24: Russia-Ukraine peace deal, international implications
- 90:02 – 104:14: Culture wars, WNBA/NBA debate, "truth decay"
- 105:30 – 109:12: Media/fake Trump health scare, Biden’s frailty
- 110:48 – 122:58: Pop culture, celebrity image, cancel culture
- 124:47 – 127:54: Campaign finance satire—infamous donor names
Tone and Style
- Conversational, sarcastic, and humorous
- Conservative political perspective throughout
- Frequent pop culture references; playful banter between Pat & Stu
- Use of satire to critique media, politics, and woke culture
For Listeners New to the Episode
This episode of The Glenn Beck Program (hosted by Pat and Stu) delivers a rapid-fire, satirical rundown of current events in US politics, international affairs, and cultural controversies. The hosts combine serious policy analysis (particularly regarding the DOJ, healthcare, and the Ukraine war) with biting humor, lampooning both opponent and ally foibles. They explore why policy change is so hard, how the media frames narratives, and what happens when society leaves obvious truths unspoken—or just outright lies about them.
The episode stands out for its blend of substantive analysis and comedic cultural commentary, as well as its focus on hypocrisy, process over substance, and the dangers of a society that can’t agree on basic reality.
