The MeidasTouch Podcast: "GOP Leaders SUFFER Major BACKLASH in New Year"
Release Date: January 2, 2025
Host: MeidasTouch Network (Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas)

Episode Overview

In the January 2, 2025 episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, the Meiselas brothers delve into the significant backlash faced by GOP leaders following a devastating domestic terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana. The discussion centers on the responses of prominent Republican figures, particularly Governor Jeff Landry, and critiques the broader MAGA Republican strategy in addressing national tragedies. The episode highlights concerns over leadership effectiveness, political blame-shifting, and the manipulation of national incidents for partisan gains.

Key Discussions and Insights

1. Response to the New Orleans Terrorist Attack

The episode opens with a detailed analysis of the recent terrorist attack in New Orleans, which resulted in 14 confirmed deaths and 30 injuries. Speaker B critically examines Governor Jeff Landry’s response to the tragedy, highlighting his social media activity immediately following the incident.

• Governor Landry’s Actions:
  "Posting a photo outside Bonton's Prime Rib, a fancy steakhouse with a bunch of his friends... a lack of leadership, zero leadership." ([00:41])

  Speaker B condemns Landry’s choice to showcase a social outing rather than addressing the victims and the community directly, depicting it as a failure of leadership during a crisis.

• Official Statement Critique:
  "You're trying to act like it was an act of bravery that you went to Bonton's Prime Rib Fancy Steakhouse before going to a football game." ([03:15])

  The critique emphasizes that genuine leadership would prioritize transparent communication and support for affected individuals over personal image management.

2. MAGA Republicans and Blame-Shifting

A substantial portion of the discussion focuses on how MAGA Republicans, including figures like Mike Johnson and Randy Weber, are responding to the attack by diverting blame towards immigration and border policies.

• Blaming Open Borders:
  "Speaker Mike Johnson was on Fox and Friends... suggesting that it's Biden's wide open border that played a role in the New Orleans attack." ([10:11])

  Speaker B argues that this narrative is unfounded, pointing out that the attacker was a U.S.-born citizen and military veteran, thereby discrediting the claim that open borders contributed to the incident.

• Political Exploitation of Tragedy:
  "They're using the pain and suffering of we the people to achieve a political end... holding hearings... confirm everybody right away." ([10:11])

  This segment criticizes GOP leaders for leveraging national tragedies to push their political agendas, particularly in hastening the confirmation of cabinet nominees without adequate scrutiny.

3. Critique of GOP Leadership and Policies

The episode further critiques the GOP's overall approach to leadership and policy-making, especially in the context of national security and border control.

• Bipartisan Border Deal Failure:
  "President Biden wanted a bipartisan border deal passed... MAGA killed the bill because Trump said he wanted chaos." ([05:45])

  Speaker B laments the obstruction of bipartisan efforts aimed at strengthening border security, attributing the failure to MAGA Republicans prioritizing political advantage over effective policy.

• Economic Manipulation and Division:
  "The Mar-a-Lago billionaires entrench their wealth when we the people are pit against each other... picking our pockets and looting us while making billions." ([07:30])

  This critique suggests that the GOP's divisive tactics are financially motivated, aiming to consolidate wealth by creating societal fractures that benefit their economic interests.

4. FBI Findings and Media Misrepresentation

Addressing the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) findings, Speaker B underscores the lack of evidence supporting conspiracy theories about the attack, countering the misinformation spread by certain media outlets and GOP figures.

• FBI Report Clarification:
  "The FBI now says that there is no evidence that the New Orleans attacker was anything but a lone wolf." ([04:50])

  This statement reinforces the narrative that the attack was an isolated incident, debunking claims of coordinated conspiracies involving multiple actors.

5. Call for Unity and Responsible Leadership

Concluding the episode, Speaker B urges for unity and responsible leadership, emphasizing the need to focus on facts and collaborative problem-solving rather than partisan blame.

• Emphasis on Truth and Unity:
  "We just need to stick with the truth, people." ([12:45])

  This appeal calls listeners to prioritize factual information and collective action to address terrorism and other national challenges effectively.

Notable Quotes

• "You don't play host idiot messages and photos of himself... a lack of leadership, zero leadership."
  — Speaker B ([00:41])

• "When we knew what the data was yesterday, all we said, it's a 42-year-old... stationed in Texas."
  — Speaker B ([04:20])

• "MAGA killed the bill because Trump said he wanted chaos because it was a winning issue for him."
  — Speaker B ([05:45])

• "If we open our eyes and we see what they're doing picking our pockets and looting us while making billions."
  — Speaker B ([07:30])

• "We need to stick with the truth, people."
  — Speaker B ([12:45])

Conclusions and Takeaways

The episode underscores a critical examination of GOP leaders’ responses to national tragedies, highlighting perceived failures in leadership, the propensity for political blame-shifting, and the strategic exploitation of fear to further partisan agendas. The Meiselas brothers advocate for a return to truthful, unified, and effective leadership that prioritizes national security and community healing over political gain. They call for accountability and a focus on bipartisan solutions to strengthen America’s resilience against terrorism and other societal challenges.

Listeners are encouraged to critically assess the motives behind political narratives and to support leaders who demonstrate genuine commitment to democracy and national well-being.

For those interested in more in-depth discussions on political leadership and national security, subscribe to The MeidasTouch Podcast and join the MeidasMighty community.