PODCAST

Ben Kissel Politics

Ben Kissel

Join Ben Kissel as he discusses the political news of the week.

news politics

All Episodes

00:56:09

Episode 45: Evolving Priorities

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/10/31

The NYC mayoral race heats up, a state senate seat gets tangled in a sextortion scandal, and “evolving priorities” become the corporate code for mass layoffs

00:42:06

Episode 44: Nancy Pelosi's Smear Strategy

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/10/30

Bob Dylan reminds us that truth still matters, Nancy Pelosi says the quiet part out loud about smear tactics, Jared Kushner pitches his master plan for developing Gaza, and Gavin Newsom’s presidential ambitions take a surreal turn.

00:58:02

Episode 43: Debate Night in the City

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/10/30

NYC’s mayoral debate highlights another identity battle for the city, Curtis Sliwa refuses to step aside after pressure from Andrew Cuomo, and we take a hard look at the danger of AI being run by people who don’t have much faith in humanity to begin with.

01:00:36

Episode 43: Debate Night in the City

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/10/25

00:51:56

Episode 42: Power, Pardons and Payouts

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/10/22

Congresswoman Grijalva pushes back against Speaker Mike Johnson’s delay in seating her, George Santos may make a comeback from the jailhouse to the White House, and AIPAC’s influence tightens its grip on both parties.

00:30:27

Episode 41: Sperm Counts and Super Secret Wars

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/10/19

In this episode of Ben Kissel Politics, we tackle a trio of stories that span the domestic and the global. First: former Congressman George Santos, convicted of fraud and identity theft, sees his sentence commuted by Donald Trump—raising questions about loyalty, justice, and the limits of presidential mercy.Next: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issues alarming claims that teenage boys now have far lower sperm counts and testosterone levels, sounding the alarm on fertility and urging government-driven

00:42:36

Episode 40: From the Class Room to the Bathroom

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/10/15

Tonight on Ben Kissel Politics, we’re mixing surveillance, rebellion, and a little unintentional comedy.A high school has implemented a digital bathroom security system that allows students only seven bathroom trips a week, proving that the surveillance state now extends all the way to the restroom.Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene is making waves by going against her own party, adding another twist to her already chaotic political persona.And across the globe, Donald Trump took the stage in Israel

00:58:06

Episode 39: Something is Rotten in Denmark

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/10/11

On today’s Ben Kissel Politics, we bounce between some of the strangest headlines of the week.Donald Trump wants to prosecute flag burners, pushing the idea of jail time for anyone who lights up Old Glory—because nothing says “freedom” like punishing political expression.Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene continues to weigh in on healthcare, and somehow every sentence sounds like a Facebook comment thread that got out of hand.And then there’s RFK Jr., who claimed that circumcisions increase the

00:39:55

Episode 38: Putin Plays, Trump Hedges, America Honks

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/10/08

Tuesday’s Ben Kissel Politics episode takes us from Moscow bedrooms to American highways.We look at how sexploitation has been a key driver in Vladimir Putin’s political success, blending propaganda, spectacle, and sexualized power plays to shape his image at home and abroad.Meanwhile, Donald Trump claims he knows nothing about Ghislaine Maxwell or her denied appeal but adds that he might “look into” possibly pardoning her—or not. Classic Trump: hedging every direction at once.And back here in the

00:47:58

Episode 37: Blood Money is Cleaner Than Pete...

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/10/03

On today’s Ben Kissel Politics, we dig into a mess of headlines that only get stranger when you put them side by side.The Israeli government has reportedly been paying tech companies to push propaganda claiming Palestinians have “never been happier.” Meanwhile, Donald Trump encouraged border agents, law enforcement, and the military to beat protesters if they feel provoked—a policy that sounds more like fight club than democracy.And then there’s Pete Hegseth, proudly admitting he hasn’t washed his

01:10:12

Episode 36: Gotta Catch 'Em All (Homeland Edition)

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/09/26

This Friday on Ben Kissel Politics, we unpack a news cycle that somehow manages to include Pokémon, Theo Von, Donald Trump, and Charlie Kirk.First, Kristi Noem is in hot water for rolling out a Department of Homeland Security ad that featured Theo Von and Pokémon characters—without permission. Turns out, copyright infringement is still a thing, even if you’re in politics. Then we head to New York, where Donald Trump had a rough go at the United Nations, stumbling through a meeting where world

00:51:46

Episode 35: Mourning or Marketing at Charlie Kirk's...

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/09/23

Tuesday’s Ben Kissel Politics opens with a 1985 speech from John Denver, reminding us that when information is hidden from the public, curiosity only grows. That idea frames a conversation about what happens when politics and performance take over spaces meant for sincerity. We look at the odd spectacle of Charlie Kirk’s funeral, where many speakers used the podium less to eulogize and more to push their own political messages or promote their brands. What should have been a farewell often felt

00:31:05

Episode 34: Words Are Words, Violence is Violence

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/09/20

This weekend on Ben Kissel Politics, we put the spotlight on Pastor James David Manning and what might be the best political ad of our lifetime.We also unpack the continuing fallout from the suspensions and scandals of Jimmy Kimmel now featuring Tucker Carlson, and what their situations say about media, censorship, and the culture wars still raging on our screens. And finally, we close with a simple but crucial point: words are not violence. Words are words, and violence is violence. Conflating

00:46:53

Episode 33: Free Speech, for a Price

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/09/18

This Thursday on Ben Kissel Politics, we dive into the growing storm around free speech in America—and how it’s being selectively protected, punished, and paraded around for political gain. We break down Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension from ABC, what it says about corporate skittishness, and how late-night comedy has become the latest battleground in the culture war. Then we explore how a Trump-appointed FCC has been weaponizing speech regulations, using them less to defend free expression and more to

00:47:04

Episode 32: The Social Media Hunger Games

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/09/12

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, we break down the online circus surrounding the death of Charlie Kirk.Within minutes, the news became a Rorschach test for social media: some are grieving, some are cheering, and some are furious that anyone is cheering. The algorithm rewarded outrage like it was a national sport, turning a human death into another round of digital mud wrestling. We dig into the echo chambers that shape these reactions, the conspiracy theories already blooming in the comment

00:40:32

Episode 31:The AI Ate My Homework (And My Reputation)

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/09/09

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, the news cycle reads like a surrealist play. Pete Hegseth decided to announce the mission of the newly rebranded Department of War not with a statement, but with a kind of spoken-word poem—because nothing says military might like snapping fingers in the Pentagon. Meanwhile, Greta Thunberg takes climate activism literally into the fire with her flaming flotilla, proving that protest at sea doesn’t always stay afloat quietly. On the campaign trail, Donald Trump insists

00:36:20

Episode 30: Informant-in-Chief?

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/09/08

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, we open the floor to a live Q&A and tackle a grab bag of political curveballs. First up, Donald Trump floats the idea of rebranding the Department of Defense as the Department of War, proving once again that subtlety is not his strong suit. Meanwhile, in a plot twist no one had on their bingo card, the NRA is backing the trans community after a floated proposal to ban gun sales to trans people. And finally, we dig into the eyebrow-raising claim that Trump has

00:55:58

Episode 29: Pronouns, Presidents and Palestine

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/09/02

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, the headlines stretch from the classroom to the doctor’s office to the floor of the United Nations. Media figures are already sparring over the pronouns used for a trans school shooter, turning tragedy into yet another culture war skirmish. Meanwhile, the debate over Donald Trump’s health heats up—raising questions about fitness, transparency, and whether his campaign trail doctors moonlight as hype men. And on the world stage, Israel lashes out at Belgium after the

00:53:01

Episode 28: FDR Said Don’t Fear, Newsom Said Don’t...

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/08/29

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, we’re tackling the strange mix of fear, free speech, and full-on political backpedaling.😨 First up: fear of fear itself. How do you confront the anxiety of living in a time where panic feels like the default setting? We dig into what it means to conquer that fear and keep moving forward. 📚 Then we dive into the new pronoun-policing legislation, which caps damages at $50,000 for people offended by speech. Because nothing says protecting freedom like slapping a price

00:57:43

Episode 27: Burping Governors & Burning Flags

Ben Kissel Politics ·

2025/08/26

Today on Ben Kissel Politics, we cover the news cycle’s perfect trifecta of absurdity. 🎤 Alabama Governor Kay Ivey gave a press conference that went off script—thanks to a rogue burp into the microphone. Call it southern charm, call it indigestion, call it the most relatable thing a politician has done all year. 🇺🇸 Meanwhile, Donald Trump is promising that burning an American flag will mean a mandatory one-year prison sentence. Because nothing says freedom quite like locking someone up for

47 results

Ben Kissel Politics

All Episodes

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

PBS News Hour - Full Show

PBS NewsHour

CD Voice

China Daily

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

Noa Levi

Jeffrey Epstein: The Coverup Chronicles

Bobby Capucci