← What A Day
What A Day
What A Week!
00:24:49
This week has been… a lot. On Thursday, Israel’s cabinet approved the first phase of a peace agreement between Hamas and Israel, which would end the fighting in Gaza and return all Israeli hostages, living and dead. But the news didn’t stop there – with President Donald Trump threatening National Guard deployments in both Chicago and Portland, and both cities responding by heading to court. And don’t forget, we’re in the second week of a government shutdown with no end in sight. To unpack it all, we spoke to Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor. And in headlines, a federal judge temporarily blocks the President’s National Guard deployment in Chicago, the CDC quietly updates its COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for pregnant women, and trick-or-treaters this year might find their bags less full of chocolate and more full of gum.
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- [00:03]
A
It's Friday, October 10th. I'm Jane Coston and this is what a day. The show congratulating Kendrick Lamar on defeating Drake again, this time in a federal court. On Thursday, a judge dismissed Drake's defamation lawsuit against his own record label for publishing and promoting Kendrick Lamar's anti Drake diss track. Not like us. The judge found that, quote, the average listener is not under the impression that a diss track is the product of a thoughtful or disinterested investigation conveying to the public fact checked, verifiable content. Or as Lamar himself once said, the audience not dumb. Shape the stories how you want. Hey, Drake, they're not slow. On today's show, a federal judge temporarily blocks President Donald Trump's National Guard deployment in Chicago. And trick or treaters this year might find their bags less full of chocolate and more full of gum. But let's start with. Well, actually, it's hard to know where to start because this week has been a lot. First, there's the Trump administration brokered ceasefire and the war in Gaza. On Thursday, Israel's cabinet approved the first phase of an agreement between Hamas and Israel. This phase would center on an end to the fighting in Gaza and the return of all Israeli hostages, living and dead. And the reaction in both central Israel and in Gaza appeared to be one of jubilance and relief. Here's the town of Khan Yunis in Gaza. But this is just the first step in a long process, one with plenty of potential roadblocks. The news didn't stop there, with Trump threatening National Guard deployments in both Chicago and Portland and both cities responding by heading to court. And don't forget, we're in the second week of a government shutdown with no end in sight. So much has happened, in fact, that you may have missed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Announcing a brand new batshit theory to explain the rise in autism diagnoses on Thursday. There's two studies that show children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism. It's highly likely because they're given Tylenol. Oh, you know, none of this is positive, but all of it is stuff that we should be paying attention to. What? So to get to Israel, Portland, the shutdown, but sadly not RFK Jr. S fascinating circumcision opinions. I spoke to Pod Save America co host Tommy Vitor. Tommy, welcome back to what a day.
- [02:37]
B
Good to see you.
- [02:38]
A
On Thursday, the Israeli cabinet approved the first phase of this peace plan. President Trump also said Thursday that the Israeli hostages will be released this coming Monday or Tuesday. But at the time of this recording, there are no details on a ceasefire timeline. So let's say this all happens like it's supposed to. We complete the first phase. What happens next?
- [03:00]
B
Right. Well, this is what's so hard about this because, like, I'm of two minds of this. First of all, credit where credit is due. President Trump got a ceasefire deal done that had not happened before. Joe Biden didn't get it done before. Hopefully that is a permanent end to the war and that's a good thing.
- [03:15]
A
And apparently all you have to do is just swear at Netanyahu.
- [03:18]
B
Well, and this is what makes me insane. All he needed to do was apply real pressure to Netanyahu finally, and that's what it took to get him to end the war. Joe Biden, I think, could have done this. I think Trump could have gotten this deal done six months ago, eight months ago. It took until now, and that's horrible because of the death toll.
- [03:36]
A
But here we are.
- [03:37]
B
Now, the challenge is Trump's supporters are saying he solved the Middle east peace problem, and that is just not the case. Like Trump's original 20 point plan, like steps 19 and 20 alluded to beginning a process that might lead to the creation of a Palestinian state. What he's gotten them to agree to so far is just a ceasefire and the IDF is still occupying the Gaza Strip. The reconstruction process is going to take generations in Gaza and it's going to take a lot of money and a lot of focus and a lot of time. There's always concern that Netanyahu could backslide and continue airstrikes or other combat operations in Gaza kind of upend the deal. So we don't know. And even as you and I are talking here, like the hostages aren't home yet.
- [04:20]
A
Right.
- [04:21]
B
Nothing's done. They're spiking the football a little early, but I'm choosing to be hopeful.
- [04:25]
A
Right. Meanwhile, here in the United States, we are a week and a half into the government shutdown, and it doesn't really look like Democrats and Republicans are any closer to any kind of deal. What are they doing? And, and I think a better question is, what do you think is the tipping point for both parties in the shutdown? And who do you think is going to come out looking better, if anyone.
- [04:51]
B
Does in the end? I think most voters just don't want the government to shut down and they find it annoying and they're annoyed that people are fighting, and that's kind of their takeaway. I think on Balance, you're right. Like the conversation Democrats want to have about health care subsidies going up if we don't fix it is breaking through. And that's really good and positive. And I think Democrats probably had some wind in their sails when they heard Donald Trump start talking about the need to deal with healthcare and fix these extended or enhanced ACA subsidies to ensure that people's premiums don't go up, like 75%, you know, astronomical numbers. That said previous shutdowns ended because there was like a gang of 14. Right. Or some like ad hoc gathering.
- [05:34]
A
This is. Wow. This is all deeply triggering for anyone who was alive in like 2013 or 2018.
- [05:40]
B
And if you aren't as lame as us, like these so called gangs were like ad hoc groups of relatively moderate senators often who would forge a consensus and figure out a deal and a path out of a shutdown. There's just no evidence that that is happening.
- [05:53]
A
Right.
- [05:53]
B
And so I think Democrats are very dug in that they want to solve this problem and prevent the price of health care from going up. Republicans are very dug in that they don't want to give Democrats a win. I think maybe the Democratic path is you can sort of sense that Trump wants to fix the aca, the prices issue and maybe they can work with him directly, but it's not happening yet.
- [06:14]
A
I mean, I also think Democrats are under incredible amounts of pressure to not look, and I say this, not look like bitches. But for a lot of Americans, government shutdowns are the kind of thing you notice slowly over time, people are starting to notice, like, flights getting canceled and we might see members of the armed services not getting paychecks. When do you think a majority of Americans are gonna start really feeling the effects of the shutdown? And do you think that's going to be what forces a deal?
- [06:44]
B
I'm with you in that. I think shutdowns kind of are a slow burn. You notice them over time. It's like a certain kind of hot wing. Right. You take that first bite, you find and then 10 minutes later you're like on the floor.
- [06:55]
A
Yeah, yeah. You need yogurt immediately.
- [06:57]
B
Yeah. You're like, I'm never gonna breathe again. For me, that happened this week. I have a flight tomorrow out of an airport that on Monday had no air traffic controllers. That got my wife's attention.
- [07:07]
A
She's.
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B
She's not hooked up to a news iv. She was like, what is this thing? Why is that happening?
- [07:11]
A
Yeah.
- [07:12]
B
So that kind of aha moment will continue to happen for people. I do think this October 15th deadline of ensuring that members of the US military don't just not get a paycheck that's 1.3 million people, like, that's going to be a big deal and a big pressure point. But I don't know. That's. It's more of a headline thing. It's like a political pressure headline than like the whole country feeling it.
- [07:34]
A
So President Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Portland and Chicago has also been a major news story this week. Yeah, there have been multiple legal challenges and a lot of news coverage. And I've been also interested in how the news coverage is contributing to these deployments. Yeah, like Fox News keeps pretending that Portland is 2020 and it's not. So where are we on this right now?
- [07:54]
B
It's funny you say this. I talked to Ben Smith from Semaphore earlier this week who has a piece out about Trump's information bubble and how it's evolved into even more right wing.
- [08:04]
A
Kind of like, is he even more online than he was like before?
- [08:07]
B
Well, remember back in the day he used to like, hate watch Morning Jam?
- [08:10]
A
Yes.
- [08:10]
B
So in addition to being mad and.
- [08:12]
A
Then complain about that. Yeah.
- [08:13]
B
He would at least get, like, accurate information. Now he's just living in, like, oan world, which I think is why he believes that Portland is being torn apart by thousands of black bloc antifa warriors, when in reality it like 22 people, mostly seniors, outside of an ICE facility, some of them wearing Halloween costumes.
- [08:32]
A
Right.
- [08:32]
B
So you're right. I think the media coverage is absolutely, like, contributing to these deployments, but it's like his weird, fringy right wing crap.
- [08:40]
A
And I was also interested. You know, the president has been sending National Guard troops from other states, namely Texas, to Portland and Chicago. And the Democratic governors of both California and Illinois have threatened to leave the National Governors association unless their peers speak out against what Illinois Governor J.B. pritzker called, quote, federal and interstate overreach. I was interested to see that On Thursday, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, who's Republican, came out and was like, if Joe Biden had sent troops, like federal troops to Oklahoma to enforce something, we'd all be furious.
- [09:14]
B
Yeah, I'm glad you brought this up, because in February of 2024, so a lifetime ago, then, Governor Kristi Noem said, if Biden sent National Guard troops into her state, they would have war on our hands. If Biden is willing to do that and take away my authority as governor as commander in chief of those National Guard troops. Boy, we do have war on our hands. She called it a direct attack on states rights. I believe Leah Litman from Strict Scrutiny said, basically it was a presidentially directed civil war to send one state's National Guard to another without that governor's will. I think it's an obvious point. I'm wondering where all the states rights, limited government people, you know, went.
- [09:56]
A
Some of them are very mad. And then some of them, I think, have decided that what they meant was their right to do stuff.
- [10:02]
B
Right.
- [10:02]
A
Other people's right to do stuff is just less important.
- [10:05]
B
That's like a lot of the free speech advocates, right? Yeah, you have the right to do my speech.
- [10:10]
A
My speech is so cool.
- [10:11]
B
I do think when you watch some of the videos coming out of Chicago or Portland right now, when you have like ice guys shooting pastors in the head with pepper balls.
- [10:23]
A
Yeah.
- [10:23]
B
Hopefully when people see that, they realize, okay, this is not okay, this is bad.
- [10:27]
A
Right. Especially they are not responding to a natural disaster. They are not responding to an effort to block African Americans from attending school. They are responding to a thing that the federal government is also doing. That is also, to me, bad, where you're just, you know, you're having American citizens tackled and having their licenses taken away and being told, you either come with us or you get the dog. This is a literal story that happened in Portland to a man who was trying to explain that he's from California. Like, it's bonkers. Now, before we go, is there an actual chance that President Trump will actually win the Nobel Peace Prize today?
- [11:09]
B
There is some reporting that suggests the committee had already chosen before this Gaza ceasefire deal. So I'm guessing no, but who knows? I do think there's genuine concern among committee members that they may be targeted with sanctions and or drone strikes if they do not choose him. So we'll find out.
- [11:29]
A
Tommy, as always, thank you so much for joining me.
- [11:31]
B
Thanks for having me.
- [11:33]
A
That was my conversation with Pod Save America co host Tommy Vitorin. We'll get to more of the news in a moment, but if you like the show, make sure to subscribe. Leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads. What a day is brought to you by Magic Spoon. Magic Spoon makes high protein, zero sugar cereal and treats reinvented from your childhood. Every serving of Magic Spoon high protein cereal has 13 grams of protein, 0 grams of sugar and 4 grams of net carbs. And they come in nostalgic flavors like fruity cocoa and Frosted. And Magic Spoon's high protein treats are crispy, crunchy, airy and an easy way to get 12 grams of protein on the go. They come in mouth watering flavors like marshmallow chocolate, peanut butter and dark chocolate. Both are great on the go pre or post workout or as a midnight snack. Get $5 off your next order at magicspoon.com day or look for Magic Spoon on Amazon or in your nearest grocery store. That's magicspoon.comday for $5 off. Hi, this is Kirsten Gillibrand, your DSCC chair. Donald Trump and his MAGA agenda are tearing this country apart. But while Trump attacks our rights and our values, Americans are uniting. We're making our voices heard and in every single state we are taking a stand. If you're ready to fight with us, sign my petition today to stand up against Donald Trump. Add your name@dscc.org fight paid for by.
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B
DSC dscc.org, not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee.
- [13:12]
A
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- [13:48]
B
Meanwhile, we have to we have to rely upon the courts to protect us from a president just saying things and then doing it, even though it's unconstitutional, illegal.
- [14:00]
A
That was Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. pritzker speaking to Pod Save America Thursday afternoon before a federal judge temporarily blocked Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to the Chicago area for at least two weeks. Looks like relying on the courts has worked for now. A Justice Department lawyer said that the Guard's mission would be protecting federal properties and government law enforcers in the field. In making her decision, US District Judge April Perry said allowing troops into the state would, quote, only add fuel to the fire. According to cnn. Perry also noted that she had not seen critical evidence, quote, that there is a danger of rebellion in the state of Illinois. Of course, this is the Trump administration, so an appeal is likely on its way. And Governor Pritzker had some thoughts on Trump's approach.
- [14:47]
B
So why are they sending troops and Donald Trump is telling them to, and they're coming up with any argument that will work.
- [14:53]
A
The fight to keep National Guard troops out of Chicago resembles a similar fight in Portland, Oregon, where two dozen Democrat led states have joined a legal challenge to deployment there. I couldn't be more pleased to announce that as of today, the COVID vaccine for healthy children and healthy pregnant women has been removed from the CDC recommended immunization schedule. That's Secretary Kennedy back in May making a controversial change to the government's guidance on COVID 19 vaccinations. Except now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention seems to have changed its policy again. The adult immunization schedule says online that the COVID vaccine is recommended based on shared clinical decision making with healthcare providers for all adults, including pregnant women. This means the vaccine will be much easier for expectant mothers to get. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted on the recommendation back in September, but according to Politico, it's unclear if the panel members were aware it would undo RFK Jr. S decision. An advisory committee workgroup will also be, quote, assessing the safety and effectiveness of the Childhood and Adolescent schedule, according to a document posted on the CDC website this week. This all comes at the same time as a KFF poll published Thursday that found that 59% of Americans don't approve of RFK Jr. S performance as Health and Human Services secretary and 62% disapprove of how he's handled vaccine policy. No surprises here. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson went on C span Thursday morning as a government shutdown entered its ninth day, taking calls from people across the country, which no one should ever do. One caller from Virginia, whose husband is serving in the military, demanded that Johnson end the shutdown before troops missed their paychecks next week, saying they have bills to pay. Medical bills. As a Republican, I'm very disappointed in my party and I'm very disappointed in you because you do have the power to call the House back. You did that or you refused to do that just for a show. I am begging you to pass this legislation. My kids could die. Johnson could stop this. He could push his colleagues in the Senate to negotiate with Democrats to end the shutdown. He could also call the House back to pass separate legislation to get troops paid on October 15th. But oh no, not Johnson. He instead responded with, I want you.
- [17:20]
B
To hear something very clearly. The Republicans are the ones delivering for you. We had a vote to pay the troops. It was the continuing resolution. Three weeks ago, every single Republican but two voted to keep the government open so that your paycheck can flow. Every Democrat in the House, except for one, voted to close it. The Democrats are the ones that are preventing you from getting a check.
- [17:40]
A
Blaming Democrats to a scared military spouse who is uncertain if their family will receive a paycheck. Great work, Mr. Speaker. Bravo. The short term resolution Johnson referred to here would open the government up at the same funding levels as before the shutdown, but it wouldn't address the Affordable Care act subsidies Democrats are fighting for, which expire at the end of this year. Johnson also blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, saying sending a bill to the Senate would be pointless because Schumer would hold it up. A spokesperson for Schumer's office told NBC News, we have no idea what Speaker Johnson is talking about. Chocolate lovers, brace yourselves. Cocoa prices have more than doubled since early 2024, sending candy costs to record highs just in time for Halloween. Cocoa futures topped $12,500 per metric ton earlier this year, the highest in decades. The cause? A disastrous harvest in West Africa, where Cote d' Ivoire and Ghana together produce about 60% of the world's cocoa. Heavy rains in late 2023 triggered a surge in, quote, black pod disease and crop rot, which sound like things RFK Jr might contract from getting down with roadkill. Subsequent El Nino induced droughts in 2024 compounded the issue. And voila. A trip to the candy aisle now costs about 8% more than last year. Shoppers can expect smaller bars, higher prices and fewer chocolatey options overall. Experts warn that some chocolate makers might substitute other ingredients, adding more nuts or other fillers like cookie wafers. You can also expect candy bowls to be filled with cheaper alternatives this year, like chewing gum or suckers. And speaking of suckers, Trump's recently imposed tariff on cocoa products didn't help either. Luckily, a National Confectioners association survey found 94% of consumers plan to share chocolate and candy for Halloween. Because in America, we annually pump our children full of sugar no matter what. And that's the news. One more thing. Let's talk about Argentina. Specifically, Argentina's President, Javier Milei. He's a libertarian economist and a self described anarcho capitalist who once said, quote, the state is not the solution, the state is the problem. You might remember him as the guy who gave a very normal Elon Musk a chainsaw at the Conservative Political Action Conference this year.
- [20:17]
B
President Milei has a gift for me. Javier Milei from Argentina. You guys know who that is, right? This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy Chainsaw.
- [20:37]
A
The chainsaw was supposed to represent Milei's commitment to cutting red tape, slashing government spending, and reducing the size and scope of government. After taking office in 2023, Milei fired 36,000 public workers, cut spending on universities, and closed government ministries focused on the needs of women and minorities. Sound familiar? Now, to be fair, Argentina was in a tough economic position when Milei took power. Like, really tough. The country's inflation was nearing 200%, and in early 2024, it looked like Milei's, quote, economic shock therapy was working, inflation was down, and deregulation did bring down prices. It's no wonder then that Milei got a ton of praise for his policies from Donald Trump, Musk, and a host of American libertarians who've been waiting for decades for someone to prove that they were right the whole time about pretty much. Here's libertarian pundit John Stossel back in January.
- [21:31]
B
Milei has showed that cuts are possible, and as Milei cut government, he actually gained popularity. Freedom can work, if only our politicians will learn from Javier Milei.
- [21:45]
A
Actually, I'd rather they didn't, because things have not exactly worked out in Argentina. As the Wall Street Journal reported, The country has 200,000 fewer jobs than when Milei took office. Unemployment has risen to nearly 8%, and there's also a massive corruption scandal involving Milei's sister. Voters have noticed Milei's political party lost badly in a September election in Buenos Aires. Times are tough for our anarcho capitalist friend, but don't worry, he's getting a lifeline from you. On Thursday, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant announced that the US would be sending Argentina a $20 billion bailout in order to prevent a financial crisis that wouldn't just imperil Argentina, but also a bunch of wealthy investors who bet on Argentina's economy when Milei was waving a chainsaw around. So, in the middle of a government shutdown centered on the GOP's refusal to help everyday Americans afford healthcare. And as farmers face potential financial ruin because of Trump's tariffs, the US Government is rescuing Argentina so that Javier Milei can hold more book launch turned rock concerts broadcast on state television. Fantastic. Before we go, the newest episode of Polar Coaster with Dan Pfeiffer just dropped. Dan breaks down Trump's federal interventions in cities like Portland and Chicago. And what the latest CNN polls reveal. 75% of people say the Trump administration is not focused enough on lowering prices. And I can say I do agree with that. To hear the full episode and get even more insights Become a friend of the pod. Today you can get 20% off a full year subscription. You will also get ad free episodes of your favorite crooked shows plus bonus content like Polarcoaster. It is the best way to support our work and keep us fighting for democracy. That 20% discount is only available this month. Head to Cricut.com friends to learn more and subscribe. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, Leave a review, mourn the closing of a hair museum and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just about how Layla's Hair Museum in Independence, Missouri, which had a massive collection of intricately braided wreaths, watch bands and other trinkets all made from human hair, best closed following the passing of the museum's founder. Like me, what a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and subscribe@cricut.com subscribe I'm Jane Coastin. And don't worry, many of the more than 3,000 pieces at the Hair Museum will be heading to other institutions across the country. Maybe one right near you, so that you too will be close to, for example, a hair wreath made from the locks of every member of the League of Women Voters from Vermont in 1865. Fun. What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producers are Emily Foer and Chris Allport. Our video editor is Joseph Dutra. Our video producer is Johanna Case. We had production help today from Greg Walters, Matt Berg, Sean Ali, Gina Pollack, and Caitlin Plummer. Our senior producer is Erika Morrison, and our senior vice president of news and politics is Adrienne Hill. We had help today from the Associated Press. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America. East Foreign did you know 39% of teen drivers admit to texting while driving. Even scarier, those who text are more likely to speed and run red lights. Shockingly, 94% know it's dangerous, but do it anyway. As a parent, you can't always be in the car, but you can stay connected to their safety with Greenlight. Infinity's driving reports. Monitor their driving habits, see if they using their phone, speeding and more. These reports provide real data for meaningful conversations about safety. Plus, with weekly updates, you can track their progress over time. Help keep your teens safe. Sign up for Greenlight Infinity@Greenlight.com podcast Imagine relying on a dozen different software programs to run your business. None of which are connected, and each one more expensive and more complicated than the last. It can be pretty stressful. Now imagine Odoo. Odoo has all the programs you'll ever need and are all connected on one platform. Doesn't Odoo sound amazing? Let Odoo harmonize your business with simple, efficient software that can handle everything for a fraction of the price. Sign up today at odoo. Com. That's Odoo. Com.