It’s Casual Friday! Emma hosts Ryan Cooper, managing editor at The American Prospect, to round up the week in news. Emma first discusses Sinema’s role at the front and center of Biden’s agenda, finally agreeing to the Manchin-Schumer “Inflation Reduction Act” provided they eliminate their carried interest tweaks, before also covering the booming employment rate, charges being brought against the officers involved in the coverup of Breonna Taylor’s murder, and China’s initiation of sanctions against Pelosi. Then, Ryan Cooper joins as he and Emma dive deep into an extended conversation on Sinema’s role in the IRA-2022, covering the beautiful bate and switch by Chuck Schumer (almost like he’s been a senator as long as I’ve been alive!) and Joe Manchin, getting the CHIPS act passed along the way, and forcing the GOP into digging their own grave by trying to put a stop to veteran victims of burn pits getting healthcare. Expanding on this, Cooper explores McConnell’s behind-the-scenes freak-out regarding the legislative rug that was once under his feet but is no longer, before turning to the role of figures like John Stewart in putting the burn pit story front and center, and getting even organizations like Newsmax to put the GOP on the spot, particularly as the fight for abortion already had their feet held up to the fire. This brings them to the topic of the midterms, as they cover the importance of candidates like Fetterman especially as the GOP, even in the most purple of states, continues to advance their fascistic agenda of minoritarian and theocratic rule, before they wrap up the interview by tackling the tensions behind Pelosi’s visit to China, and the future of American liberals’ imperialist war hawkery.

And in the Fun Half: Emma and the crew cover Crowder’s coping with conservative cognitive dissonance (the only solution being, of course, to retreat to your prior convictions), Tucker’s embarrassing attempt at taking on Jon Stewart, and Stewart’s lovely response that reflects the intimacy of their relationship. They also discuss Dick Cheney passing the baton of “greatest threat to the American republic” to Donald Trump, Fox’s continued infatuation with AOC, and Victor Orbán, notorious covid authoritarian, appears at CPAC to call for fewer drag queens and more Chuck Norrises.

Check out Ryan’s work here: https://prospect.org/topics/ryan-cooper/