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75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Gist

Peach Fish Productions

For thirty minutes each day, Pesca challenges himself and his audience, in a responsibly provocative style, and gets beyond the rigidity and dogma. The Gist is surprising, reasonable, and willing to critique the left, the right, either party, or any idea.

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All Episodes

39:35

Realign for Palestine

The Gist ·

2025/05/22

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, founder of Realign for Palestine and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, joins to discuss his effort to reframe Palestinian advocacy around coexistence and accountability. He critiques both Hamas and Israel, pushes for reform within the diaspora, and draws a sharp ideological comparison between Hamas and ISIS. Plus, a defense of the “beneficent billionaires,” spotlighting Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg for their under appreciated life-saving philanthropy—including

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71:17

Not Even Mad: Eli Lake, Michael Cohen on Biden's...

The Gist ·

2025/05/21

Eli Lake and Michael A. Cohen take stock of the Biden health debate—diagnosis, exaggeration, and whether it’s actually affected his presidency. Michael pushes back on what he calls the “decline industrial complex,” while Eli says its denial to think Biden was up to the job. Then they turn to Donald Trump’s proudly post-moral foreign policy, where human rights don’t even make the brochure and alliances are strictly optional. Realpolitik or just real reckless? Either way, they’re not even

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39:13

Inside the Movement to Dismantle Democracy in God’s Name

The Gist ·

2025/05/20

Katherine Stewart, author of Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy, explains how America’s Christian nationalist forces are exporting extremism abroad while cloaking domestic corruption in the guise of faith. Plus a suicide bombing outside a Palm Springs fertility clinic introduces the public to the dark ideology of “efilism”. Plus, Then, another look at the Yale professors fleeing to Toronto: their self-congratulatory tone is punctured by Sarah Longwell and Ben

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42:32

Katherine Stewart on Christian Nationalism's...

The Gist ·

2025/05/19

Katherine Stewart, author of Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy, joins to discuss Christian nationalism’s influence on modern conservatism. Also, the distinction between sincere and performative beliefs in the Trump administration, especially economic fictions like tariffs not being taxes. Plus, in the context of assessing Biden’s mental acuity, the new reporting and audio show Robert Hur as a rare source of unvarnished insight, unshaped by partisan

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28:49

Alexa, What's with the Pope's Brother?

The Gist ·

2025/05/17

Today on The Gist we revisit an interview from 2017 with Lena Kahn and play a segment from this week where Mike talked abouts the new popes MAGA brother.Produced by Corey WaraEmail us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@advertisecast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Gist Youtube

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43:55

Henry Abbott on the Logistics of Ballistics

The Gist ·

2025/05/16

Henry Abbott joins to discuss Ballistic: The New Science of Injury-Free Athletic Performance, spotlighting insights from Dr. Marcus Elliott—not just about elite training, but how something as basic as learning to land can change careers and prevent lifelong injury. Plus, the three Yale professors so steeped in the study of fascism they fled to Toronto, prompting a reflection on American resilience versus alarmism. And FEMA’s new director storms in unprepared but aggressive, replacing a Trump-era

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48:37

Jocelyn Benson on Being a Purposeful / Purple State...

The Gist ·

2025/05/15

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson joins to discuss her new book The Purposeful Warrior: Standing Up for What's Right When the Stakes Are High. Benson, frontrunner to become Michigan's next governor discusses the tactics she and other secretaries of state used to combat 2020 election denialism, but also her restraint during efforts to keep Trump off the 2024 ballot. Plus, RFK Jr. testifies before Congress and defends hiring a man fined for practicing medicine without a license.Produced

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41:20

David Graham on The Project and the Plan to Remake...

The Gist ·

2025/05/14

David Graham author of The Project: How Project 2025 is Changing America, explains how Project 2025 seeks not smaller government, but a more obedient one—politicizing civil service, gutting regulation, and embedding a Trump-aligned worldview across federal agencies. He discusses how its authors blend sincere constitutional theory with radical institutional overhaul. Plus, does the Pope's MAGA-leaning brother demystify the Papacy?Produced by Corey WaraEmail us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠To

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36:34

Character Under Fire: Gen. Stanley McChrystal on the...

The Gist ·

2025/05/13

Retired General Gen. Stanley McChrystal joins to discuss his book On Character: Choices that Define a Life, and how real character transcends grit or discipline to include values that hold under fire. Plus, Trump touches the economic stove, recoils, and suddenly recession odds drop along with tariffs rates. And from The Hague, Rodrigo Duterte wins re-election as mayor of Davao in a landslide.Produced by Corey WaraEmail us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠To advertise on the show,

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35:43

Altman Almighty

The Gist ·

2025/05/12

Sam Altman’s outsize ambition and messianic optimism take center stage in a conversation with Keach Hagey, author of The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future. From failed flip-phone apps to billion-dollar AI bets, Altman emerges as one of Silicon Valley’s most effective—and unsettling—dream merchants. Plus: Trump’s flying palace may be more than a bribe; it’s a perfect symbol of soft corruption via cushy luxury. And of all the cease-fires for Trump to broker, he chooses

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30:26

BLT: Bacon, Lettuce, and Todd

The Gist ·

2025/05/10

Today on The Gist we play back a section for our Chuck Todd interview that didn't make it on air and revisit a 2020 interview with Don Bacon.Produced by Corey WaraEmail us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@advertisecast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Gist Youtube Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to

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43:03

Jim Lampley on the Blows That Made Broadcasting History

The Gist ·

2025/05/09

Jim Lampley joins to discuss It Happened!: A Uniquely Lucky Life in Sports Television, his memoir of sports, broadcasting, the randomness of a lucky break, and crying along with Mike Tyson. Plus: Trump’s Surgeon General pick, Casey Means, pitches metabolic woo—we break down several of her claims from appearances with Joe Rogan and Tucker Carlson. And: Teens with water guns are triggering 911 calls nationwide—senior assassination season is underway.Produced by Corey WaraEmail us

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64:27

Not Even Mad: Eric Zorn and Austin Berg

The Gist ·

2025/05/08

Austin Berg and Eric Zorn are Not Even Mad as we discuss mayoral overcrowding and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, the supposed new MAGA slayer. Plus: a few thoughts on our new American spiritual leader—not the pope, but the Surgeon General.Produced by Corey WaraEmail us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@advertisecast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to

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46:24

Max Expression, Merz Confusion

The Gist ·

2025/05/07

Arkells frontman Max Kerman joins to discuss his book Try Hard: Creative Work in Progress, unpacking the craft behind stage banter, songwriting rule-breaking, and joyful collaboration. He explains why athletes lean on superstition while creatives benefit from breaking routine and planting show tickets around Red Deer with a retired farmer. Plus: Germany elects Merz, but to some of us, Fred Mertz is now Chancellor—and the BBC’s schnitzel puns aren't helping.Produced by Corey WaraEmail us

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32:30

Holy Vehicles and Hollow Coverage

The Gist ·

2025/05/06

Pope Francis posthumously sends a Popemobile to Gaza — a gesture more symbolic than logistical. Chuck Todd returns to discuss media complicity, Biden’s bubble-wrap presidency, and the audience-capture logic warping modern newsrooms. In the Spiel, Bernie Sanders’ love of the word “oligarchs” versus Elissa Slotkin’s preference for “kings” is perhaps explained by a family history that makes Slotkin a descendant of America’s hot dog royalty.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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44:08

Chuck Todd Presses On

The Gist ·

2025/05/06

Former Meet the Press host Chuck Todd joins to talk about his new podcast, The Chuck Toddcast. He discusses why being a non-pushover and being non-partisan are complimentary, and what too many ex-network stars get wrong about "liberation." Also how Priebus, Pence, and Kushner acted as guardrails whereas Trump 2.0 feels more like a solo demolition derby. Plus: Kristen Welker’s Trump interview somehow included dolls, gas prices under $2, and not ruling out war with Canada. And in The Spiel: if

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71:01

Mike Stops by House of Strauss and The Dispatch

The Gist ·

2025/05/03

Today on The Gist. Mike was recently on the podcast House of Strauss and The Dispatch Roundtable. We are going to share a portion, but if you want to listen to the rest of them, use the links below!⁠⁠HoS: Mike Pesca - by Ethan Strauss - House of Strauss⁠⁠⁠⁠The Dispatch ⁠ ⁠Podcast - Breaking News Commentary & Analysis⁠⁠ Produced by Corey Wara Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@advertisecast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or

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57:17

Funny You Should Mention: Michelle Buteau

The Gist ·

2025/05/02

Michelle Buteau stops by to talk about getting high in the reptile house and why she caught flak for doing spon-con souptroversy. We also get into her Dutch husband, the spirituality she doesn’t buy into, and whether her socialism can coexist with her ambition to get paid. Plus, we ask: can a Buteau-pian society have luxe throw pillows?Produced by Corey WaraEmail us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@advertisecast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or

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43:11

Rust Director Joel Souza on Tragedy, Survival, and...

The Gist ·

2025/05/01

Rust director Joel Souza joins for an interview about finishing a film that nearly killed him—and did kill talented cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Souza speaks candidly about grief, safety failures, and his estrangement from Alec Baldwin, as well as why completing Rust became a moral obligation rather than a commercial one.Plus National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is out, possibly taking the fall for Trump ally Pete Hegseth. Waltz, with four Bronze Stars and some bipartisan appeal, may have been

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38:09

What is Gen-Z Doing with Mewing?

The Gist ·

2025/04/30

Sadie Dingfelder returns to investigate the cult of “mewing” — the viral tongue-posture technique that promises to chisel your jaw and change your life, or IS THAT BS? Then we turn to the rarest development of all: Trump, on Day 100 of his second term, strikes a deal with Zelensky but not the big one. Plus, we salute a scrappy little government agency that thrived on efficiency… until Trump and Musk disbanded it anyway.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join The Gist Team⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Produced by Corey Wara Email us

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