4.4 • 3.6K Ratings
🗓️ 2 September 2025
⏱️ 38 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Trump health rumors, media scrutiny, and what counts as news kick off the show before a wide-ranging interview with Miles Taylor—former DHS Chief of Staff and author of Blowback—about the April 2025 White House memo labeling him “treasonous,” the threats that followed, alleged blacklisting, and how executive power can be bent to punish speech. We discuss investigations vs. “fishing expeditions,” loyalty scorecards for companies, and why institutions cave—or don’t. In the spiel, Mike reframes the immigration fight: policy trade-offs, public opinion, and what data actually say about enforcement. Plus, a critique of a viral CNN segment on a deportation case and how storytelling choices shape perceptions. Keywords: Miles Taylor, DHS, Trump memo, treason label, blacklists, executive power, media coverage, polling, immigration policy, CNN report.
*Please Note that Mike is on assingment, which is why his audio is not ideal*
Come See Mike Pesca at Open Debate
Produced by Corey Wara
Production Coordinator Ashley Khan
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| 0:00.0 | There's an exciting live event, a debate that I'm taking part of. It's part of the open to debate series. |
| 0:06.7 | And the question, to be debated is, is masculinity a prison? I think that's a little bit of a term of |
| 0:13.8 | art, but I'm not going to give away too much of my side of the debate, which is nah, come on, |
| 0:19.2 | masculinity is not a prison. I'm actually going to bring more |
| 0:22.3 | to the debate than just tone of voice. But if it's just on tone of voice, come on, masculinity |
| 0:27.1 | of prison? Things like that will be said. Details of the debate. Wednesday, September 10th, |
| 0:33.7 | doors open at 5.30, the debate starts at six at the comedy cellar village underground in Greenwich Village. |
| 0:41.5 | I will be debating Lux Altram. She is arguing yes. Masculinity is a prison. The moderator is Naima Raza. |
| 0:52.4 | And I think you're going to like it. I've been thinking a lot about, |
| 0:54.7 | is masculinity a prison? |
| 0:57.0 | And I think I will be able to convince you |
| 0:58.6 | if you're not already convinced. |
| 1:00.2 | Nah, it's not. |
| 1:01.8 | September 10th, New York City. |
| 1:03.6 | Details for tickets in the show notes. |
| 1:06.9 | Or go to open to debate.org |
| 1:09.9 | for tickets and more details about the programs they put on. |
| 1:17.6 | It's Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025 from Peachfish Productions. It's the G.S. Stein, Mike Pesco. |
| 1:24.0 | Donald Trump has not been himself. You mean he's been self-effacing? He's been rigorous in his |
| 1:29.3 | demand for empirical evidence. No, it would seem he's kind of lethargic. He's wearing loose-collared |
| 1:35.2 | shirts. He's walking slowly. There are pictures of him with his mouth agape. What did this mean? |
| 1:42.0 | Could be anything? Could be a cold. Could be the beginning of the end. |
... |
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