The Gist

Political theorist Yascha Mounk returns to assess whether the United States is sliding toward autocracy or demonstrating institutional resilience under pressure. He argues that while the Trump administration's actions have been more extreme than expected, courts, elections, and a decentralized system have so far acted as real constraints rather than hollow rituals, a case he first laid out in The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It. Mounk also warns against exaggeration that fuels anticipatory obedience, even as he concedes the next three years remain an open test of democratic durability. Plus, Britain's Epstein reckoning, where Keir Starmer loses top aides over ties to Jeffrey Epstein, while close associations in Epstein's own country (the USA) don't matter.
Produced by Corey Wara
Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig
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Middle East analyst Aaron Magid joins the show to discuss King Abdullah II and the argument at the heart of his book The Most American King. Magid explains how his political instincts track American priorities more closely than those of many regional leaders. Also, a look at a muddled argument from Rep. Tony Gonzalez about ICE masks, and a WEAVE SPIEL that runs from Lindsey Vonn's helicopter ride to Truth Social conspiracies, Bad Bunny math, and  habit of outsourcing criticism to a handful of angry internet posts.
Produced by Corey Wara
Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig
Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]
For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠
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Mike is joined by Chris Cillizza to break down Donald Trump's rambling proposal to nationalize elections, debating whether it's a master plan or just the former president "saying s**t." They discuss why the scheme is constitutionally impossible but politically potent, how the "counter-mobilization" of voters might backfire on the GOP, and dissect the brutal layoffs at the Washington Post—questioning if Jeff Bezos is a villain or just a billionaire tired of losing $100 million a year.
Produced by Corey Wara
Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig
Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]
For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠
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Comedian Geoffrey Asmus explains how Catholic school, priests chasing laughs, and a Randy Moss analogy shaped his sense of what technically counts as a joke. We talk about layered comedy that lets different audiences hear different things and how losing fans can be a sign the bit is working. Plus: Lutherans, LinkedIn shame, Wikipedia ambition, country capitals, and why spacing is the real superpower.
Produced by Corey Wara
Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig
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For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠
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Jonathan Cohen, author of Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling, makes the case that the only credible reform agenda is friction, slowing bets, delaying deposits, and cutting off the design features that turn even Czech table tennis into a high stakes trap. Also on the show, Conor Patrick Heffernan traces how ideas of strength evolved, from Charles Atlas chests to bodybuilding's takeover of Hollywood, and why the human body mostly just responds to resistance, not trends. Plus a lament for the Washington Post's decline, how the Times out-competed it by poaching talent, and the brutal economics of serious nonfiction journalism in 2026.
Produced by Corey Wara
Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig
Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]
For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠
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For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/
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