Episodes

  • The Apprentice: The Roy Cohn Playbook

    The Apprentice: The Roy Cohn Playbook
    Nov 27 2024

    Attack! Attack! Attack! Deny! Deny! Deny! Before Russia and Roger Ailes, Trump rose to power with the help of mega-lawyer and mega-villain Roy Cohn. That playbook is on full display in Trump’s cabinet picks—a confederacy of lawless kleptocrats. Roy Cohn would be beaming with pride.

    Gabriel Sherman, the investigative journalist and screenwriter, joins Gaslit Nation. Sherman is the writer and executive producer of the new true-crime American horror story, The Apprentice, starring Jeremy Strong as Cohn, Sebastian Stan as Trump, and Maria Bakalova as Ivana Trump, directed by Ali Abbasi. When the film was released just before the election, Trump attacked Sherman, inciting a wave of anti-Semitic harassment. Trump’s goon squad of lawyers failed to stop the film's release, despite their best efforts. They did manage to scare away all but the most morally courageous film distributors. The Apprentice chillingly brings to life Cohn’s twisted mentorship of Trump. Our conversation with Sherman took place shortly before the 2024 election and remains an urgent reminder of what we’re up against. The good news is that we can apply the same defiant strategy against Cohn’s devil apprentice.

    We here at Gaslit Nation wish you and yours a restful and peaceful holiday for those who celebrate American Thanksgiving. For our Patreon subscribers at the Democracy Defender ($10/month) level and higher, be sure to get your questions in for our listener Q&A, produced thanks to your questions and comments. To our Patreon community, see you at our Monday 4pm ET political salon over Zoom. Joining us this coming Monday is Susan Greenhalgh, the Senior Advisor on Election Security to Free Speech For People, on their efforts to protect the 2024, including through recounts. If you haven’t joined a committee yet, check out more info on those projects here. Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation—we could not make this show without you!

    Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

    Show Notes:


    The featured song for November 2024 is “2 Red Cups” by Evrette Allen. Check out her work here! Submit your own music to be featured on Gaslit Nation! We’d love to hear from you!: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628

    The Apprentice (Trailer) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvPRxy9kmSg

    The Loudest Voice in the Room: How the Brilliant, Bombastic Roger Ailes Built Fox News--And Divided a Country https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-loudest-voice-in-the-room-how-the-brilliant-bombastic-roger-ailes-built-fox-news-and-divided-a-country-gabriel-sherman/11736897?ean=9780812982732

    Computer Scientists: Breaches of Voting System Software Warrant Recounts to Ensure Election Verification https://freespeechforpeople.org/computer-scientists-breaches-of-voting-system-software-warrant-recounts-to-ensure-election-verification/
    Show more Show less
    36 mins
  • Election Security Experts: Harris Must Call for Recounts

    Election Security Experts: Harris Must Call for Recounts
    Nov 25 2024
    Civil litigation in Georgia revealed that operatives hired by allies of Donald Trump illegally accessed and copied critical election software following the 2020 election. This wasn't just an isolated incident but a multi-state effort that spread to places like Pennsylvania, Colorado, and beyond. The stolen software, which is responsible for recording and counting votes, was shared across states, compromising election systems in key swing states. Despite the severity of these actions, which posed significant threats to the integrity of future elections, federal authorities—specifically the DOJ and FBI—failed to act. Even after being alerted about these breaches for years, both agencies took no meaningful steps to investigate or halt the illicit activity. This inaction mirrors their failure to prevent the events of January 6, 2021, raising serious concerns about their commitment to protecting the electoral process and our very democracy. Election security experts, including Susan Greenhalgh from Free Speech for People, have been sounding the alarm for years, urging the government to take action. They argue that this breach, coupled with the failure of federal authorities to intervene, poses a real threat to the future of U.S. democracy. Without accountability and a thorough investigation into the stolen software, it’s impossible to ensure the integrity of upcoming elections. The lack of response from federal agencies raises questions about their willingness to protect election systems from both internal and external threats. This breach should not be ignored. It’s time for a full investigation and immediate action to safeguard our elections. Greenhalgh joins Gaslit Nation in this urgent interview, before a live-audience of listeners, to discuss a skeptic's guide to why Vice President Kamala Harris must call for a recount in key states in the 2024 election, before it's too late. To amplify this urgent call-to-action: SHARE THIS SOCIAL MEDIA POST: Listen to @gaslitnation’s urgent interview w/Susan Greenhalgh of Free Speech for People. They warned Congress, FBI, DOJ for years about election system breaches by MAGA as part of the Big Lie. Join their call for Harris to demand a recount https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/election-security-experts-harris-must-call-for-recounts CONTACT YOUR REPS IN CONGRESS AND ALSO AOC, BECAUSE SHE IS A FIGHTER: Listen to @gaslitnation’s urgent interview with Susan Greenhalgh of Free Speech for People. They warned members of Congress, the FBI, and the DOJ for years about election system breaches by MAGA as part of their Big Lie efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Given the confirmed facts, many documented in court cases, that they stole and distributed election data used to count our votes, our elections are vulnerable and may easily be compromised by threats foreign and domestic. Join their call for Harris to demand a recount and publicly call for investigations by the FBI and DOJ: https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/election-security-experts-harris-must-call-for-recounts SHARE THIS INTERVIEW ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH JOURNALISTS YOU TRUST: Listen to @gaslitnation’s urgent interview w/Susan Greenhalgh of Free Speech for People. They warned Congress, FBI, DOJ for years about election system breaches by MAGA as part of the Big Lie. Join their call for Harris to demand a recount https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/election-security-experts-harris-must-call-for-recounts Show Notes: The Georgia Voting Machine Theft Poses a Direct Threat to the 2024 Election https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/10/georgia-trump-vote-theft-2024-election.html Computer Scientists: Breaches of Voting System Software Warrant Recounts to Ensure Election Verification https://freespeechforpeople.org/computer-scientists-breaches-of-voting-system-software-warrant-recounts-to-ensure-election-verification/ Merrick Garland Lets MAGA Steal the Election https://sites.libsyn.com/124622/merrick-garland-lets-maga-steal-the-election-teaser MAGA Openly Tries to Steal Georgia https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/brian-kemp-is-a-klansman Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
    Show more Show less
    41 mins
  • Russia Wins the Cold War

    Russia Wins the Cold War
    Nov 20 2024
    46 mins
  • Gaslit Nation Political Salon Today 4pm

    Gaslit Nation Political Salon Today 4pm
    Nov 18 2024

    To our Gaslit Nation community on Patreon, the Zoom link has been posted for today's political salon at 4pm ET. A longtime listener will walk us through security tech strategies to help us stay safe during this time. So bring your questions! Here are the details: https://www.patreon.com/posts/zoom-link-for-et-116250004?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

    For more on what we're up against when it comes to tech fascism, read the two recent pieces by Carole Cadwalladr in The Observer:

    A new era dawns. America’s tech bros now strut their stuff in the corridors of power https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/11/a-new-era-dawns-americas-tech-bros-now-strut-their-stuff-in-the-corridors-of-power

    How to survive the broligarchy: 20 lessons for the post-truth world https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/17/how-to-survive-the-broligarchy-20-lessons-for-the-post-truth-world-donald-trump

    Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Discounted annual subscriptions are available!

    Show more Show less
    2 mins
  • No Episode This Week

    No Episode This Week
    Nov 12 2024

    Andrea is off to London this week to work on film projects and speak at the Ukrainian Institute of London this Friday about In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones, the graphic novel adaptation of Mr. Jones, the film the Kremlin doesn't want you to see, so be sure to watch it. Today, the Gaslit Nation community had a productive salon to organize our fury into action and hope. A clip of that is in this short recording. Our Patreon supporters can hear the first 30 or so minutes of the recorded salon here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/recording-11-115820794?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

    Look out for a new episode of Gaslit Nation next week! Until then, stay strong!

    If you're in London, details for the Ukrainian Institute event this Friday: https://ukrainianinstitute.org.uk/events/explaining-the-holodomor-to-global-audiences/

    Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
    Show more Show less
    6 mins
  • 2024 Election Special

    2024 Election Special
    Nov 8 2024

    Was the election stolen? Yes. Through voter suppression; a criminal lack of institutional support, especially after MAGA stole voting machine data from Georgia; a dominant far-right echochamber across all media platforms; several Russian operations including buying MAGA influencers; oligarch consolidation; mainstream media capitulation; and good old fashioned racism, misogyny, and homophobia and transphobia that has long plagued this country.

    Why did so many Democratic Senators in battleground states win when Kamala Harris didn't? One reputable pollster explained to Andrea that it's likely due to Independents voting for Trump then splitting their ballot by voting for the moderate Senators. Kamala Harris may have ran as a centrist, but she was painted as a communist who will give your kids sex change operations at school and raise your taxes. Plus, she's Black.

    In this election super special, Andrea and Terrell fact check the blame game running rampant right now and help us stay grounded for the horrors ahead. Thank you to all who joined our post election salon over Zoom. We're meeting every Monday at 4pm ET and recording at least the first 30 minutes for those who cannot be there. Andrea shared her guide on how best to use this time across social media platforms, for those who want to amplify these warnings for others, to help our communities brace for impact:

    Twitter: https://x.com/AndreaChalupa/status/1854913386540093776

    Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@AndreaChalupa/113448400577711156

    Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/thread/37796683

    BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/andreachalupa.bsky.social/post/3lahbf2sfro2r

    Threads: https://www.threads.net/@andreachalupa/post/DCHj1PmP5R8
    Show more Show less
    47 mins
  • Post-Election Salon TODAY 4pm ET

    Post-Election Salon TODAY 4pm ET
    Nov 7 2024

    We know what comes next. You're not alone in this. We're having a gathering today at 4pm ET over Zoom which will be recorded and shared for our Patreon community. Here's the info: https://www.patreon.com/posts/post-election-et-115498712?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
  • Women Revolt

    Women Revolt
    Nov 6 2024
    Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman joins Gaslit Nation to break down the Kremlin’s plan for America: stirring up civil war. Russia is hoping to kick our already chaotic political circus into overdrive, but here’s the twist that the Kremlin—along with many white male pundits—completely missed: women across the political spectrum are furious. Whether it’s the GOP’s authoritarian fantasies, including femicide, or the media’s endless obsession ignoring women’s humanity, women in every state across America are punching Nazis in the ballot box, driving out a historic early vote. Later in the week, look out for the Gaslit Nation Election 2024 Super Special, featuring Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack. It will include this week’s bonus show, available to Patreon subscribers at the Truth-teller ($5/month) tier and higher. On Monday at 4pm ET, we’re having another political salon over Zoom to brace for the impact of MAGA trying to steal our election with Russia’s help, either through Mike Johnson, the failed legal architect of Trump’s Big Lie, or the MAGA majority on the Supreme Court, should the electoral college come down to one state. Or else, we’re celebrating with a Gaslit Nation virtual block party! Either way, to our Patreon community that keeps the show going, see you on Monday, for whatever comes next. Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our Victory group chat, invites to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Show Notes: Clip: Anne Selzer on her Iowa polling: https://x.com/PettyLupone/status/1853169502147449005 Clip: Larry Krasner, Philadelphia DA on election terrorism: https://x.com/abughazalehkat/status/1853631034790662312 Clip: John Jackson, American veteran in Ukraine: “My brief message to Americans voting today. From Ukraine, the epicenter of that struggle between good and evil, between democracy and dictatorship. Please lend me 90 seconds of your time:” https://x.com/hissgoescobra/status/1853802605509501029 Narrowing nationwide polls reveal a coin-toss for the House majority https://www.economist.com/interactive/us-2024-election/prediction-model/house Recent safeguards should quash efforts to overturn election results, experts say It would take congressional majorities and most swing-state legislatures to upend the election. https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/11/04/recent-safeguards-should-quash-efforts-to-overturn-election-results-experts-say/ Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Use a Weapon of Mass Destruction and to Destroy an Energy Facility in Nashville https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/man-arrested-and-charged-attempting-use-weapon-mass-destruction-and-destroy-energy-facility Man arrested after federal officials say he sought to destroy Nashville power site https://www.yahoo.com/news/man-arrested-federal-officials-sought-004723571.html Robert Reich on Mastodon: “If Harris wins, will Congress certify the results? There are now 172 election deniers in Congress. But the new Congress gets sworn in before the presidential election is certified. Your down ballot votes could decide whether your presidential vote is respected or discarded.” https://mastodon.social/@rbreich@masto.ai/113429039266528054 The Kingdom of Lyz Lenz’s God Land Is Within You https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/08/in-god-land-lyz-lenz-makes-the-case-for-nuance.html Andrea Chalupa on Twitter: “The Reagan Revolution ignited a culture of “greed is good," alongside the rise of Christian nationalism. Democrats, for their part, embraced this shift, allowing unions to weaken and newsrooms to erode, all in the name of boosting corporate profits. As a result, Trump and Manafort’s brand of corruption thrived in plain sight. Throughout American history, progress for Black people has been met with violent white rage, and Trump’s birtherism was the inevitable response to the first Black president. Meanwhile, Russia's support for Trump wasn’t just about sowing chaos in U.S. politics; it was part of a broader geopolitical strategy to lift sanctions and advance their long-standing imperial ambitions, which have been unfolding since Russia invaded Georgia. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is merely the latest chapter of rising Russian imperialism. All of this is compounded by the deep, structural misogyny and racism in America, a nation built on genocide that persists to this day with the prison industrial complex and the epidemic of violence against Native American women. These forces are not isolated—they are interconnected, fueling each other in a dangerous cycle. The gasoline on that fire is unchecked social media as well as Silicon Valley greed. What's left of newsrooms are populated by white men who aren't sensitive to most of these issues since they're blinded by their own privilege.” https://x.com/...
    Show more Show less
    43 mins