The Journalism of Everything Podcast

Why do millions of Americans not vote—and does your vote actually matter? Despite calling ourselves one of the world’s great democracies, the United States consistently struggles with voter turnout. But the reasons Americans stay home are much more complicated than simple apathy. In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , I examine some of the most common arguments Americans give for not vo...

James Talarico has outraised Ken Paxton by nearly $60 million. On paper, this Texas Senate race shouldn't even be close. But there's another mountain of money sitting outside the candidates' campaigns. In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , I follow the money behind the Talarico–Paxton race and explain how Super PACs, billionaire donors and dark money are pouring millions into Texas pol...

Think your vote doesn't matter? In 2008, nearly 2.9 million votes were cast in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race. The difference between Al Franken and Norm Coleman came down to just 312 votes!  Those 312 votes helped put Franken in the Senate at a critical moment in the battle over healthcare reform. Months later, Democrats would need exactly 60 votes to overcome a Senate filibuster as legislation tha...

Is America really the greatest country in the world? For years, I believed many of the things Americans are taught from childhood: that we are uniquely free, that our government represents its people, that America fights for freedom, and that despite its flaws, this country and its ideals were worth defending. I believed those things strongly enough to serve seven years as an officer in the United...

Part 2: Government Contracts, Defense Stocks, and the Ethics Question In Part 2 of this investigative series, independent journalist Darisse Smith continues following the timeline behind President Donald Trump's investments in major defense contractors and the policy decisions that affected the defense industry during his presidency. This episode examines RTX, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, a...

In Part 1 of this two-part investigative series, journalist Darisse Smith examines one of the most overlooked sections of President Donald Trump's 2026 financial disclosures: his investments in some of America's largest defense contractors. After discovering holdings in Lockheed Martin, RTX, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, and L3Harris Technologies, Darisse follows the timeline to understand h...

In 2025, President Donald Trump disclosed purchasing stock in GEO Group—one of the nation's largest private detention contractors. At the same time, his administration was implementing sweeping immigration policies, expanding ICE enforcement, reopening detention facilities, and securing billions of dollars for immigration detention. Was this simply an ordinary investment, or does the timeline rais...

In one of the most talked-about moments from the recent NATO summit, President Donald Trump referred to the "Islamic Republic of Japan." It wasn't the only verbal mistake. During the same series of appearances, he appeared to confuse Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Vladimir Putin, called TikTok "Tic Tac," and stumbled over the name of the Iran nuclear agreement. Are these simply ordinary verbal slips fro...

For years, Lindsey Graham was known as John McCain's closest friend, a constitutional conservative, and one of the Senate's strongest voices on national security. He famously condemned Donald Trump after Trump mocked Senator John McCain's military service, calling him a "jackass" and warning Republicans about his candidacy. So what changed? In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , we trac...

Trump cryptocurrency explained: Donald Trump once called Bitcoin a "scam" and dismissed cryptocurrencies as "based on thin air." Today, his latest financial disclosure reports more than $1.4 billion in crypto-related income , making cryptocurrency one of the most significant sources of his reported business earnings. So what changed? In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , I trace Donald...

What did Hunter Biden's laptop actually prove? For years, "Hunter Biden's laptop" has been one of the most repeated phrases in American politics. Some have argued it exposed widespread corruption within the Biden family. Others dismissed it as political disinformation. But after years of investigations, media reporting, congressional inquiries, and criminal prosecutions, what evidence actually eme...

Did Hunter Biden profit from his famous last name? Almost certainly. But did President Joe Biden use the power of the vice presidency to protect his son's business interests at Burisma? The evidence isn't as clear.  In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , independent journalist Darisse Smith walks through one of the most debated political controversies of the last decade—from Ukraine's 2...

A photograph. Three words. One meme coin. And a private dinner with the President of the United States. In July 2024, a failed assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania produced one of the most recognizable images of Donald Trump's political career: a raised fist and the words, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" Less than a year later, those same words became the name of a company. That company launched t...

In May 2025, President Donald Trump traveled to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, announcing major agreements involving artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, data centers, and cryptocurrency. But beneath the headlines lies a larger question: who truly benefited from these deals? In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , independent journalist Darisse Smith...

What happens when a president sues his own government… then creates a $1.7 billion fund controlled by his administration? In this episode, independent journalist Darisse Smith breaks down Trump’s controversial Anti-Weaponization Fund, the legal precedent behind it, and why critics warn it could reshape presidential power for years to come. Is this justice for political targeting — or a dangerous n...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s comments about SSRIs at the MAHA Summit on Mental Health and Overmedicalization sparked a national debate over antidepressants, anxiety treatment, psychiatric medication, and the future of mental health care in America. But how effective are SSRIs really? Are they overprescribed — or are they life-saving medications for millions of people? In this episode of The Journalism...

In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , independent journalist Darisse Smith dives into the bizarre and rapidly growing world of viral LEGO-style propaganda videos coming out of Iran. At first glance, the videos seem funny, creative, and surprisingly relatable to Western audiences. But underneath the catchy music, AI-generated animation, and anti-establishment humor lies something much b...

In Part 2 of my conversation with musician and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner Brandon Delgado, we continue a deep—and at times controversial—discussion about the war in Iran, the role of religion in global conflict, and the unseen forces that may be shaping world events. Brandon shares his perspective on how Christianity, Zionism, and political power may intersect in ways most people never quest...

Two opposing perspectives. One honest conversation. This episode explores Christianity, Zionism, and the war in Iran—through a discussion that challenges assumptions and invites deeper thinking What happens when you sit down with someone you fundamentally disagree with—and actually have a real conversation? In this episode of The Journalism of Everything Podcast , I sit down with my friend Brandon...

Nixon Resigned for This… So Why Didn’t Trump? In 1974, a sitting president faced overwhelming evidence of obstruction of justice—and resigned before he could be removed from office. But fast forward to today, and the question is unavoidable: would the same outcome happen now? In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , Darisse Smith breaks down the Watergate scandal, the impeachment process,...

Why the 25th Amendment Won’t Remove Trump (Explained) — What does it actually take to remove a sitting president using Section 4 of the 25th Amendment? Despite constant calls on social media and in politics, the reality is far more complicated—and far less likely—than most people think. In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , independent journalist Darisse Smith breaks down how the 25th...

Before Benjamin Netanyahu ever ran for office, he had already lived through war, terrorism, and personal tragedy. This episode explores the early life that shaped his beliefs—about strength, security, and survival—and how those ideas would later define his leadership on the world stage. Netanyahu was raised as a Revisionist Zionist, and the ideas of aggressive prevention of terrorism and claiming...

On November 4, 1979, what began as a normal workday at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran turned into a 444-day international crisis. In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , Darisse Smith breaks down the Iranian Hostage Crisis—one of the most defining moments in modern U.S.–Iran relations, and a turning point that still echoes in today’s geopolitical conflicts. When Iranian student militants sto...

In 1979, millions of Iranians flooded the streets, a king fled his country, and a revolution reshaped the Middle East—and the world. But this didn’t happen overnight. In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , Darisse Smith breaks down the Iranian Revolution of 1979—how years of economic collapse, political repression, foreign interference, and religious mobilization converged into one of t...

Who was Ruhollah Khomeini before he became the face of the Iranian Revolution—and how did a quiet religious scholar transform into one of the most powerful political figures of the 20th century? In this episode of The Journalism of Everything , Darisse Smith traces Khomeini’s early life, from his deeply religious upbringing in Iran to the personal losses and intellectual influences that shaped his...