Alex Roarty: "The Status Quo Sucks Right Now"

The Gist

Peach Fish Productions

Daily News, News

4.5 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 20 February 2026

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

NOTUS political reporter Alex Roarty joins Mike to survey the 2026 midterm landscape. They discuss the evolving definition of a "quality candidate" for Democrats, breaking down the generational and ideological clashes in the Maine and Texas Senate primaries, plus the MAGA-fueled challenge to Kentucky's Thomas Massie. Plus, the attention economy isn't just a currency; it's the new gatekeeper. Plus: the Heritage foundation hires a new fellow who's a real jack of all trades. Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠ For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/ Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pescagist/ X https://x.com/pescami TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠ad-sales@libsyn.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist

Transcript

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0:00.0	It's Friday, February 20th, 20th, 206 from Peach Fish Productions. It's the gist I'm Mike Peska.
0:09.5	Breaking, as reported by Will Somer of the bulwark. He does a good job.
0:13.1	Formerly of the Washington Post, but they hired him before the Post was, you know, decided to jettison the third of its staff.
0:18.8	But here's Will's report after months of turmoil and staff resignation.
0:23.3	The Conservative Heritage Foundation is hiring a former gay porn actor known for his work in such
0:29.9	films as Jerk Off Race.
0:32.1	And what work it was?
0:34.2	Corey DeAngelis is now a research fellow in the Center for Education. He has talked about
0:40.2	and addressed his mistaken past following gay porn allegations, allegations, which turned out to be
0:46.3	true unless jerk off race was something about Jamaican chicken. I don't know, you know,
0:51.7	jerk off race really does raise a few questions.
0:54.9	Like, who really can be said to win a jerk off race? No, I'm not saying it's like war games.
1:02.1	Nobody's a winner. I'm saying, does the race go to the swift and the contest to the strong?
1:09.2	And I, of course, raise the biblical quotes because maybe
1:12.9	Corey DeAngelis, who has become a Christian and realize the error of his ways, maybe he was
1:18.9	thinking of Matthew, 2016. So the last shall be first and the first last. Yes, yes, that could
1:26.6	characterize a jerk off phrase. But so,, that could characterize a jerk-off race.
1:28.5	But so, too, could the cross-examination by Senator Chris Murphy of appointee or nominee Jeremy
1:36.8	Carl who believed in the supremacy of the whites?
1:40.3	Maybe that's what they were getting at.
1:42.3	Maybe the idea of the whites, just a jerk off race.
1:46.0	That's really all they are, no such thing, just an agglomeration of the different. And let's not
	...

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