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by The Dangerous Ones
Pro-Democracy Podcast from activists and award-winning creators, Jim & Tiffany Drastic and Nick Knudsen. The podcast where resistance lives.
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- Today14 min
Trump's Midterm Wipeout, Mike Johnson's Exit, and Sweet Revenge
Well, well, well. Look who's suddenly not so loud anymore. After a stunning midterm election that handed Democrats control of Congress, Jim, Tiffany, and Nick are taking one gloriously inappropriate victory lap. Mike Johnson is giving up his leadership ambitions, Ken Paxton lost in Texas, and Elon Musk's political investments have become comedy material. Oh, and the MAGA crowd? Remarkably quiet. We're celebrating the absurdity of the election aftermath with brutal jokes, F-bombs, and plenty of righteous laughter. From Republican gerrymandering efforts blowing up in their faces to Pete Hegseth, the Iran war, and what promises to be an incredibly awkward Thanksgiving dinner with MAGA relatives, this is the kind of political catharsis we desperately needed. And we've got a Dangerous Call of the Day to send us home laughing. 👉🏼Get the Dangerous Daily Meme Letter for FREE! We're bringing curated memes, calls, behind-the-scenes updates and fun trouble directly to your inbox. Subscribe now for FREE: https://thedangerousones.com 🚨 Join our FACEBOOK group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/847099808048849/ ☎️ CALL US: 503-212-4600 Call anytime, 24/7, and leave us a message. You can remain anonymous. CHAPTERS 00:00 Victory Meme Wars After the Midterms 01:14 Mike Johnson and the House Flip 02:49 Elon Musk and Ken Paxton's Texas Defeat 04:32 Trump, Putin, and Texas Election Jokes 06:18 MAGA's Post-Election Silence 06:56 Pete Hegseth and the Iran War 08:28 Gerrymandering Backfires on Republicans 09:02 Lindsey Graham and Florida Election Jokes 10:41 Trump's Legacy and the Gulf of Mexico 11:33 Thanksgiving Dinner With MAGA Relatives 12:47 Trump, Russia, and Mitch McConnell 14:03 Dangerous Call of the Day
- Today10 min
Help Me Understand: Who Stayed Home
Help Me Understand with Dr. Rod Berger, solo episode. In a year Democrats won across the country, Tennessee Republicans kept the governor's office, kept their supermajority in the state House and took a congressional seat that used to be safely blue. Each of those wins came by a margin a red state never used to need. A caller to The People's Hotline admits she used to skip the midterms. Dr. Rod Berger follows that admission through the redrawn Ninth Congressional District, three Republican losses in Rutherford County and a governor's race decided by about two and a half points, and asks how much of an election is people changing their minds, and how much is people changing whether they come. In this episode 0:00 A caller to The People's Hotline 0:49 The new Ninth District, on NewsChannel 5 1:17 Two admissions, and who showed up 2:05 Here's what happened, in order 3:07 The strongest case that nothing changed 3:31 She owned hers 5:19 Rutherford County, on FOX 17 6:02 Arrival or absence 6:58 How close the governor's race came, on FOX 17 7:21 What's gone is the cushion 8:01 Put the three side by side 8:36 The part that lands on Rod 9:26 Questions to sit with Questions this episode answers How did Tennessee's Ninth Congressional District change? Earlier this year, the legislature redrew it. It used to be Memphis. Now it runs about two hundred miles east, into the suburbs south of Nashville, including part of Williamson County. Who won the Ninth District? Republican Brent Taylor, by about 2,500 votes. In the part of Williamson County inside the district, about six in ten voters chose him, a margin of about 10,000 votes. Did Democrats gain ground in Tennessee in 2026? Yes. They flipped six seats in the state House, though Republicans still hold 68 of 99, a supermajority. Marsha Blackburn won the governor's race by about two and a half points, in a state Donald Trump carried by almost 30 points in 2024. In the Fourth District, Victoria Broderick led Scott DesJarlais by about 280 votes, and the Associated Press had not called the race when the episode was recorded. Why did three Republicans lose in Rutherford County? The parties tell it two ways. Democrat Rachel Campbell points to new voters. Republican Steve Gill says his own voters stayed home. The episode argues both can be true, and that the precinct-level data to settle it isn't out yet. What does turnout have to do with it? In Williamson County, about 54 percent of registered voters cast a ballot, by the county's unofficial count. The episode's case is that Tennessee's cushion was the people who used to show up without thinking about it. Sources NewsChannel 5 (WTVF), Nashville, November 3, 2026 FOX 17 (WZTV), Nashville, November 4, 2026 The Commercial Appeal, November 4, 2026 Tennessee Lookout, November 4, 2026 WPLN, November 4, 2026 WSMV, November 4, 2026 Williamson County Election Commission, unofficial summary, November 3, 2026 Tennessee Secretary of State, 2024 presidential results About the host Dr. Rod Berger has conducted more than 4,000 interviews across five continents. He is Editor-at-Large at Fair Observer and the author of The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets the Moment (Wiley). Some episodes of Help Me Understand feature his friend Marshall Herskovitz, the Emmy-winning writer, director and producer. Visit drrodberger.com · Get The Narrative Edge in hardcover Help Me Understand is part of The Dangerous Ones Network. Have something you're trying to understand? Call The People's Hotline and leave a message: 503-212-4600.
- Yesterday10 min
Help Me Understand: The Weeks In Between
Help Me Understand with Dr. Rod Berger, solo episode. From election night to January 3 is sixty-one days. For those weeks, the outgoing Congress, including the members voters just removed, still holds every vote it held on November 2. The government runs out of money on December 11. The Senate wants to confirm about two dozen judicial nominees before the majority changes hands. And Thomas Massie, a Republican who isn't coming back, has promised to force a vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Dr. Rod Berger hears a caller to The People's Hotline who is happy about the results and scared of the wait, then goes back to the winters when these weeks mattered most: 1860, 1933 and 1998. The weeks are short. They've never been empty. In this episode 0:00 What Congress still has to do, on ABC News Live 0:34 "Must-do items" 0:56 A caller to The People's Hotline 1:43 When the gap was four months, and the headline that said lame ducks die 2:43 What sits inside these weeks now 3:15 The caller, and the cost of waiting 5:20 Judges for life, on NBC News Now 6:40 Thomas Massie's lame-duck vote, on NewsNation 7:48 Forty-four days in 1860, and an impeachment in 1998 8:51 The part that lands on Rod 9:36 Questions to sit with Questions this episode answers What is a lame-duck session of Congress? The stretch between a November election and January 3, when the new Congress is sworn in. Members who lost or retired keep their full votes until then. This year it runs sixty-one days from election night. What does Congress have to do before January? Fund the government before the current stopgap runs out on December 11 and pass the annual defense bill. Senate Republicans also want to confirm about two dozen judicial nominees before Democrats take the majority. Why did the lame duck used to be longer? Before 1933, a Congress elected in November didn't take office until March, and it usually didn't meet until the December after that. The Twentieth Amendment, ratified in January 1933, moved the new Congress to January 3 and the inauguration to January 20. The Chattanooga Daily Times put it on the front page: "Lame Ducks Die." Have these weeks mattered before? Yes. South Carolina left the Union on December 20, 1860, forty-four days after Abraham Lincoln's election, and six more states followed before he took the oath. In 1998, forty-six days after a midterm, the outgoing House impeached President Clinton. Is this one party's habit? No. Democrats confirmed a run of judges in December 2014 after losing the Senate, and Republicans confirmed judges after the 2020 election. The episode asks which of these moves you would defend if your own side were the one leaving. Sources ABC News Live, November 5, 2026 NBC News Now, November 5, 2026 NewsNation, November 5, 2026 Reuters, on the stopgap funding the government through December 11 Chattanooga Daily Times, January 24, 1933, page 1, via Newspapers.com Daily Nashville Patriot, December 21, 1860, page 2, via Newspapers.com The Leaf-Chronicle, Clarksville, December 20, 1998, page 1, via Newspapers.com U.S. Constitution, Amendment XX About the host Dr. Rod Berger has conducted more than 4,000 interviews across five continents. He is Editor-at-Large at Fair Observer and the author of The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets the Moment (Wiley). Some episodes of Help Me Understand feature his friend Marshall Herskovitz, the Emmy-winning writer, director and producer. Visit drrodberger.com · Get The Narrative Edge in hardcover Help Me Understand is part of The Dangerous Ones Network. Have something you're trying to understand? Call The People's Hotline and leave a message: 503-212-4600.
- 2 days ago23 min
WE WON! And It Feels So Damn Good
Texas turned blue. Democrats took back Congress. And after years of political exhaustion, Jim, Tiffany, and Nick finally get to wake up celebrating instead of wondering what fresh bullshit Donald Trump has unleashed on America. In this special post-election celebration, The Dangerous Ones breaks down the historic Democratic victories of 2026, including James Talarico's Texas Senate win, Gina Hinojosa's defeat of Greg Abbott, and the wave of political firsts across America. We also examine Elon Musk's spectacularly expensive election failure, JD Vance's surprising explanation for the Republican defeat, and the increasingly desperate reactions coming from MAGA. And then there's the Danger Corps. One deeply emotional caller from Texas reminds us what this victory means to people who have spent years feeling politically isolated. It's a heartfelt, hilarious reminder that showing up matters, hope is contagious, and sometimes democracy delivers a wonderfully satisfying kick in the ass. 👉🏼Get the Dangerous Daily Meme Letter for FREE! We're bringing curated memes, calls, behind-the-scenes updates and fun trouble directly to your inbox. Subscribe now for FREE: https://thedangerousones.com 🚨 Join our FACEBOOK group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/847099808048849/ ☎️ CALL US: 503-212-4600 Call anytime, 24/7, and leave us a message. You can remain anonymous. CHAPTERS 00:00 Texas Erupts in Celebration 00:50 We Won! A Morning of Hope 03:15 Historic Firsts Across America 06:26 Affordability and Accountability 08:18 Elon Musk's Election Gamble 09:28 An Emotional Call From Texas 12:19 JD Vance Explains the Defeat 15:39 MAGA Election Night Reactions 18:17 The Woke 3.0 Celebration 19:27 America's Newly Blue States 21:21 Dangerous Call of the Day
- 2 days ago49 min
Help Me Understand: The Three-Point Plan, with Marshall Herskovitz
Seventy percent of Americans agree on almost everything, Marshall Herskovitz says. So why does the country feel this close to coming apart? Help Me Understand with Dr. Rod Berger, the first conversation. Emmy-winning writer, director and producer Marshall Herskovitz tells the story of the day a group of Hollywood storytellers briefed Democratic senators over lunch in 2017, and what it taught him about a party that couldn't get its message out. He lays out a plan he built from years of polling: leadership with the strength to match the moment, an economy that puts working Americans ahead of profit at any cost, and a return to common values. Along the way, he and Rod talk about who teaches civics, why Marshall points to Mississippi on teaching kids to read, the 15 months it took to plan D-Day, social media built to keep us hooked, and why it's okay to feel despair as long as you stand up anyway. In this episode 0:00 Welcome to Help Me Understand 1:51 Why politics, for a Hollywood storyteller 2:21 The Senate lunch 3:31 A good message no one could hear 5:35 What years of polling show 6:11 "70% of Americans agree on almost everything" 7:52 Help me understand: who teaches civics? 10:03 Mississippi and teaching kids to read 12:29 What it means to think big 13:08 D-Day in 15 months 15:52 Three principles 17:38 Emotions, not policy 19:54 Leadership comes first 22:44 Strong and empathetic 23:42 Kennedy and the moon 25:33 Neoliberalism and the common good 27:42 Social media and the tobacco playbook 31:18 Principle one: the economy 33:25 The golden age of American capitalism 38:24 Principle two: common values 41:25 What 9/11 showed about us 43:23 When they go low, call them out 45:05 November 3 and January 3 47:35 The hero's journey 48:24 It's okay to feel despair Help Me Understand is part of The Dangerous Ones Network. Have something you're trying to understand? Call The People's Hotline and leave a message: 503-212-4600. Dr. Rod Berger has conducted more than 4,000 interviews across five continents. He is Editor-at-Large at Fair Observer and the author of The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets the Moment (Wiley). Some episodes of Help Me Understand feature his friend Marshall Herskovitz, the Emmy-winning writer, director and producer. Visit drrodberger.com · Get The Narrative Edge in hardcover
- 3 days ago11 min
Midterm Jitters, Trump's Butt Talk, and a MAGA Roast
The midterms have arrived. Our nerves are fried. And Donald Trump is still talking about Jon Husted's ass like it's a closing argument for America. Jim, Tiffany, and Nick turn election-week dread into an increasingly unfiltered political roast, from the GOP's ridiculous pitch to the two Dan Sullivans on Alaska's ballot. Then comes Haley Stevens' political U-turn, a hilarious takedown of evangelical Halloween hypocrisy, and the million-dollar question: Can this timeline please sober up for just ONE day? It's three friends, a mountain of F-bombs, and a desperately needed laugh, with a Dangerous Call of the Day to finish. 👉🏼Get the Dangerous Daily Meme Letter for FREE! We're bringing curated memes, calls, behind-the-scenes updates and fun trouble directly to your inbox. Subscribe now for FREE: https://thedangerousones.com 🚨 Join our FACEBOOK group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/847099808048849/ ☎️ CALL US: 503-212-4600 Call anytime, 24/7, and leave us a message. You can remain anonymous. CHAPTERS 00:00 Election Day Nerves and Political Comedy 00:48 Trump's Closing Pitch and Jon Husted 02:09 The Alaska Ballot Controversy and Haley Stevens 03:46 Republican Campaign Promises and Election Night 05:12 Halloween Costumes and Evangelical Hypocrisy 06:14 Political Halloween Humor and Trick-or-Treating 07:45 Russia and More Trump Roasts 08:42 Election Anxiety, Profanity, and Hope 09:30 Barack Obama and the Last Laughs 10:30 Dangerous Call of the Day
- 3 days ago55 min
Help Me Understand: Persuasion Over Division, with Marshall Herskovitz
Fighting isn't the only way to win, Marshall Herskovitz says. The country was built on persuasion and debate, and persuading people is still a very powerful thing to do. Help Me Understand with Dr. Rod Berger. Emmy-winning writer, director and producer Marshall Herskovitz lays out the three pillars he drew from years of polling: an economy that brings power back to working Americans, a return to common decency and honesty, and leaders with the moral conviction to carry both. He argues the answer to 40 years of neoliberalism is regulated capitalism, not socialism, and he and Rod push on where the industry of rage lives, from Fox to MSNOW to CNN, and they don't always agree. They talk about the years when news was a loss leader, a generation that wants to be influencers, what the grandparent generation owes the ones coming up, and why Social Security has to be part of that conversation. Marshall closes with a list of anti-corruption groups and a case for sitting down with the people you disagree with. In this episode 0:00 Flooding the zone 1:39 Three pillars, from years of polling 2:32 Americans do big things 4:00 "92% of Americans agree America is now corrupt" 5:53 Pillar one: the economy after neoliberalism 9:01 Regulated capitalism, not socialism 13:46 Pillar two: common decency and honesty 14:18 The industry of rage 17:32 When news was a loss leader 20:54 Whose American values? 23:44 The First Amendment and ICE 25:49 Kennedy and the long twilight struggle 27:41 A generation that wants to be influencers 32:12 Pillar three: leadership 34:02 Quiet strength and the American GI 36:08 Help me understand the grandparent generation 41:23 Closer to our kids than our parents were 44:10 The 70% and the other 30% 48:44 Where to get involved 50:05 Connection is the way back 51:29 The Southern Poverty Law Center 53:06 Reaching the people who believe it 54:36 Persuasion over division Watch the full conversation on Substack: bit.ly/3WlcmbW Help Me Understand is part of The Dangerous Ones Network. Have something you're trying to understand? Call The People's Hotline and leave a message: 503-212-4600. Dr. Rod Berger has conducted more than 4,000 interviews across five continents. He is Editor-at-Large at Fair Observer and the author of The Narrative Edge: Authentic Storytelling That Meets the Moment (Wiley). Some episodes of Help Me Understand feature his friend Marshall Herskovitz, the Emmy-winning writer, director and producer. Visit drrodberger.com · Get The Narrative Edge in hardcover
- 4 days ago12 min
Trump's FINAL Rally Goes Completely OFF THE RAILS
Donald Trump's final midterm rallies in Iowa and Kansas delivered one bizarre moment after another. From discussing whether he'd date his own sister to proposing that New Mexico become New America, Trump left Jim, Tiffany, and Nick with plenty to unpack. The Dangerous Ones break down Trump's most outrageous moments, including his plan to rename the Strait of Hormuz, his advice to cattle ranchers, and his claim that he could have won the Vietnam War in a week. Plus, a fiery Dangerous Call of the Day and one final message before the November 3 midterm elections. The People's Hotline: 503-212-4600 Email: shout@thedangerousones.com
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About The Dangerous Ones
Pro-Democracy Podcast from activists and award-winning creators, Jim & Tiffany Drastic and Nick Knudsen. The podcast where resistance lives.
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