The New Abnormal

This week, Bill and Phil break down the historic 2026 midterm elections. What message did voters send to President Trump, and what do the results mean for the future of his presidency and American democracy?

This week, Bill and Phil explore elections around the world, from political upheaval in Serbia and Brazil to an uncertain future in Israel. What do these results tell us about the health of democracy Then, with the U.S. midterms just days away, they turn to the battle for Congress. Who's ahead, who might win, and who gets to decide who qualifies as a "real American"?

This week, Bill and Phil examine Trump’s growing embrace of Putin—asking whether we’re witnessing a fundamental realignment in American foreign policy or simply more transactional diplomacy. Then, they explore what’s driving protests in France, why demonstrations turn violent, and what the unrest could mean for Europe’s upcoming elections. And finally, they turn to the politics of masculinity—asking whether Democrats can win over voters by trying to out-macho Republicans.

This week, Bill and Phil examine the war in Ukraine and the growing divisions over how to confront Putin. Then, they explore what Navi Pillay’s Nobel Peace Prize says about the state of international law and the claims of genocide in Gaza. And finally, they consider Pete Hegseth’s proposal to livestream a firing-squad execution—asking what happens to democracy when punishment becomes political spectacle.

This week, Bill and Phil ask how far America’s ethical lines have moved and whether political behavior that once generated outrage has simply become normalized. Then, they go global: from Germany and Brazil to India, what are elections around the world telling us about the state of democracy? And finally, they debut a new game inspired by a week in which reality once again seemed stranger than fiction: Real or Ridiculous?

This week, Bill and Phil ask whether gunboat diplomacy is back. From the extraordinary story of Venezuelan gold being brought to the United States, to Trump’s escalating pressure on Cuba, has the administration embraced a neocolonial approach to American foreign policy? Then, with the midterm elections just over a month away, we take our first serious look at 2026. What are the polls, battleground races, and prediction markets telling us about the fight for control of Congress?

This week, Bill and Phil unpack Trump's UN speech—from threats to annihilate Iran and claims to the spoils of war in Venezuela, to his attacks on Cuba and the International Criminal Court. What does it all mean for the future of the international order? Then, Trump's latest confrontation with the press. As CNN, MS NOW, and Politico face new restrictions, what does this mean for press freedom and democratic accountability? And finally, we lighten things up with a quick round of What's More Stupid? 

This week, Bill and Phil explore the growing debate over the dangers of AI and whether regulation is the answer. Then, they ask an even bigger question: Is the American era coming to an end? From the war in Iran to a global economy increasingly looking beyond the United States, are we witnessing a fundamental shift away from America?

This week, Bill and Phil reflect on the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks and consider how that day changed American politics and the world. Then, after more than a month away from the lab, they take stock of an American political landscape that somehow seems even stranger than when they left it—asking whether we have become so accustomed to the abnormal that we no longer recognize just how extraordinary it has become. And finally, they turn to the truly important questions of our time with another round of What’s More Stupid?

This week, Bill and Phil unpack the latest developments in the war with Iran, ask whether the world is witnessing the slow collapse of international justice, and explore why admitting you’re wrong has become one of the hardest things to do in modern politics.