Ben Kissel Politics

In this episode of Ben Kissel Politics we discuss the longest government shutdown in history coming to an end while Donald Trump gets booed at an NFL regular season game in Landover, Maryland.

In Bangor, Maine, a woman convicted of killing a Canadian tourist in 2002 has just been elected to the city council —leaving locals unsure how to react and raising questions about redemption, accountability and public trust. In Florida, a politician and his activist wife were involved in a three-way that went wrong, and now they’re trending after winning a lawsuit against the police in Sarasota —a...

NYC’s mayoral results shake up the skyline, Rosie O’Donnell revisits 9/11 doubts, Dick Cheney dies at 84, and Gavin Newsom declares he “hates lying politicians.”

The NYC mayoral race heats up, a state senate seat gets tangled in a sextortion scandal, and “evolving priorities” become the corporate code for mass layoffs

Bob Dylan reminds us that truth still matters, Nancy Pelosi says the quiet part out loud about smear tactics, Jared Kushner pitches his master plan for developing Gaza, and Gavin Newsom’s presidential ambitions take a surreal turn.

NYC’s mayoral debate highlights another identity battle for the city, Curtis Sliwa refuses to step aside after pressure from Andrew Cuomo, and we take a hard look at the danger of AI being run by people who don’t have much faith in humanity to begin with.

NYC’s mayoral debate highlights another identity battle for the city, Curtis Sliwa refuses to step aside after pressure from Andrew Cuomo, and we take a hard look at the danger of AI being run by people who don’t have much faith in humanity to begin with.

Congresswoman Grijalva pushes back against Speaker Mike Johnson’s delay in seating her, George Santos may make a comeback from the jailhouse to the White House, and AIPAC’s influence tightens its grip on both parties.

In this episode of Ben Kissel Politics , we tackle a trio of stories that span the domestic and the global. First: former Congressman George Santos, convicted of fraud and identity theft, sees his sentence commuted by Donald Trump—raising questions about loyalty, justice, and the limits of presidential mercy. Next: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issues alarming claims that teenage boys now have far lower s...

Tonight on Ben Kissel Politics , we’re mixing surveillance, rebellion, and a little unintentional comedy. A high school has implemented a digital bathroom security system that allows students only seven bathroom trips a week , proving that the surveillance state now extends all the way to the restroom. Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene is making waves by going against her own party , adding anothe...

On today’s Ben Kissel Politics , we bounce between some of the strangest headlines of the week. Donald Trump wants to prosecute flag burners , pushing the idea of jail time for anyone who lights up Old Glory—because nothing says “freedom” like punishing political expression. Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene continues to weigh in on healthcare , and somehow every sentence sounds like a Facebook co...

Tuesday’s Ben Kissel Politics episode takes us from Moscow bedrooms to American highways. We look at how sexploitation has been a key driver in Vladimir Putin’s political success , blending propaganda, spectacle, and sexualized power plays to shape his image at home and abroad. Meanwhile, Donald Trump claims he knows nothing about Ghislaine Maxwell or her denied appeal but adds that he might “look...

On today’s Ben Kissel Politics , we dig into a mess of headlines that only get stranger when you put them side by side. The Israeli government has reportedly been paying tech companies to push propaganda claiming Palestinians have “never been happier.” Meanwhile, Donald Trump encouraged border agents, law enforcement, and the military to beat protesters if they feel provoked —a policy that sounds...

This Friday on Ben Kissel Politics , we unpack a news cycle that somehow manages to include Pokémon, Theo Von, Donald Trump, and Charlie Kirk. First, Kristi Noem is in hot water for rolling out a Department of Homeland Security ad that featured Theo Von and Pokémon characters —without permission. Turns out, copyright infringement is still a thing, even if you’re in politics. Then we head to New Yo...

Tuesday’s Ben Kissel Politics opens with a 1985 speech from John Denver , reminding us that when information is hidden from the public, curiosity only grows. That idea frames a conversation about what happens when politics and performance take over spaces meant for sincerity. We look at the odd spectacle of Charlie Kirk’s funeral , where many speakers used the podium less to eulogize and more to p...

This weekend on Ben Kissel Politics , we put the spotlight on Pastor James David Manning and what might be the best political ad of our lifetime . We also unpack the continuing fallout from the suspensions and scandals of Jimmy Kimmel now featuring Tucker Carlson , and what their situations say about media, censorship, and the culture wars still raging on our screens. And finally, we close with a...

This Thursday on Ben Kissel Politics , we dive into the growing storm around free speech in America —and how it’s being selectively protected, punished, and paraded around for political gain. We break down Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension from ABC , what it says about corporate skittishness, and how late-night comedy has become the latest battleground in the culture war. Then we explore how a Trump-appoi...

Today on Ben Kissel Politics , we break down the online circus surrounding the death of Charlie Kirk. Within minutes, the news became a Rorschach test for social media: some are grieving, some are cheering, and some are furious that anyone is cheering. The algorithm rewarded outrage like it was a national sport, turning a human death into another round of digital mud wrestling. We dig into the ech...

Today on Ben Kissel Politics , the news cycle reads like a surrealist play. Pete Hegseth decided to announce the mission of the newly rebranded Department of War not with a statement, but with a kind of spoken-word poem—because nothing says military might like snapping fingers in the Pentagon. Meanwhile, Greta Thunberg takes climate activism literally into the fire with her flaming flotilla , prov...

Today on Ben Kissel Politics , we open the floor to a live Q&A and tackle a grab bag of political curveballs. First up, Donald Trump floats the idea of rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War , proving once again that subtlety is not his strong suit. Meanwhile, in a plot twist no one had on their bingo card, the NRA is backing the trans community after a floated proposal...

Today on Ben Kissel Politics , the headlines stretch from the classroom to the doctor’s office to the floor of the United Nations. Media figures are already sparring over the pronouns used for a trans school shooter, turning tragedy into yet another culture war skirmish. Meanwhile, the debate over Donald Trump’s health heats up—raising questions about fitness, transparency, and whether his campaig...

Today on Ben Kissel Politics , we’re tackling the strange mix of fear, free speech, and full-on political backpedaling. 😨 First up: fear of fear itself . How do you confront the anxiety of living in a time where panic feels like the default setting? We dig into what it means to conquer that fear and keep moving forward. 📚 Then we dive into the new pronoun-policing legislation , which caps damage...

Today on Ben Kissel Politics , we cover the news cycle’s perfect trifecta of absurdity. 🎤 Alabama Governor Kay Ivey gave a press conference that went off script—thanks to a rogue burp into the microphone. Call it southern charm, call it indigestion, call it the most relatable thing a politician has done all year. 🇺🇸 Meanwhile, Donald Trump is promising that burning an American flag will mean a ma...

Today on Ben Kissel Politics , we’re paying the real price for progress. 🌍 First, we dive into the climate toll of artificial intelligence —because every chatbot answer and AI-generated cat meme comes with a carbon footprint big enough to stomp a glacier. 🎖️ Meanwhile, in North Korea, Kim Jong Un has actually admitted his soldiers have lost battles. That’s right—the world’s most denial-prone dict...

Today on Ben Kissel Politics , the news cycle serves up a platter that’s equal parts salty and surreal. 🦪 In Maine, oyster farmer Graham Platner trades his shucking knife for a campaign slogan, proving that politics really is about who can open the toughest shells. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton shocked plenty of people by conceding that Donald Trump actually had some good ideas on foreign policy . W...