From under the desk to in your ears, V. Spehar joins Betches Media in a new podcast dedicated to curing the collective malaise brought on by our chaotic political environment. Every week, Spehar and co-host Sami Saage will tenderly guide you through the biggest moments in politics and pop culture with a healing dose of perspective and humor. Rather than spiral over the latest unprecedented event, the hosts dig for the 2024 political tea you *really* want to hear while offering all the information you need to be an empowered citizen, without the side of despair to keep you up at night.
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Latest Episodes
Where to Start
Friday, February 6th, 2026 - Epstein files fallout; Hillary calls for public hearing; Layoffs surge; Winter Olympics & Superbowl Sunday
Today’s Headlines: The Epstein files continue to ripple outward. Hillary and Bill Clinton are pushing back on House Republicans by agreeing to testify about Epstein only if the hearing is public, after being subpoenaed for a closed-door session. House Oversight Chair James Comer wants the testimony recorded but not publicly aired, while Epstein’s longtime benefactor Les Wexner is expected to give his own deposition later this month. Meanwhile, Brad Karp resigned as chair of powerhouse law firm Paul Weiss after emails revealed his close ties to Epstein, offering yet another reminder of how insulated powerful people stayed for years. Elsewhere, the Trump administration rolled out a new rule making it easier to fire roughly 50,000 senior federal employees, raising alarms about turning the civil service into a political patronage system. Trump also delivered a very on-brand speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, touching on missiles, enemies, and his personal afterlife odds. On the economy front, January layoffs spiked to their highest level since 2009, while hiring hit historic lows, signaling a cooling job market. Investigators are still searching for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, as authorities investigate a possible kidnapping and ransom demands. And finally, in lighter news, the Winter Olympics kick off in Milan tonight — followed by Bad Bunny on Sunday.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:
PBS News: Hillary Clinton calls for public hearing in House Epstein investigation
Threads - Ali Vitali: Les Wexner expected for House Oversight deposition on Feb. 18th
CNN: Chairman of major law firm resigns after Epstein emails become public
Axios: Trump administration makes it easier to fire thousands of federal employees
PBS: WATCH: Trump says he 'probably should make it' to heaven in wide-ranging remarks at National Prayer Breakfast
CNBC: Layoffs in January were the highest to start a year since 2009, Challenger says
AP News: Savannah Guthrie's missing mother is 'still out there,' sheriff says, but no suspects
NBC News: How to watch the Milan Cortina opening ceremony
Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson
Thursday, February 5th, 2026 - Europe vs. Epstein; Trump’s sketchy crypto deal; ICE pulls agents in MN
Today’s Headlines: While U.S. officials continue to shrug at the Epstein files, Europe is once again doing the most. Lithuanian prosecutors announced a human trafficking investigation after reviewing information tied to the Epstein documents, citing connections to Lithuanian models and artists and urging potential victims to come forward. Back stateside, DHS said it will pull 700 federal immigration agents out of Minnesota following weeks of aggressive enforcement, though roughly 2,000 agents will remain after about 3,000 arrests during “Operation Metro Surge.” The Supreme Court also issued an emergency ruling allowing California to use its newly redrawn congressional map, after Democrats responded to Trump’s push for GOP-led states to aggressively gerrymander ahead of the 2026 midterms. Meanwhile, new reporting revealed that days before Trump’s inauguration, his family quietly sold nearly half of their crypto company to an Emirati royal with deep intelligence ties, a deal now under scrutiny by House Democrats over national security concerns tied to advanced U.S. AI chips. Elsewhere, the EEOC announced it is investigating Nike for allegedly discriminating against white employees as part of its DEI programs, marking a first-of-its-kind case. And finally, the Washington Post laid off roughly a third of its staff — gutting entire desks — as Jeff Bezos continues his very normal billionaire media ownership arc.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:
Reuters: Lithuania launches human trafficking probe related to Epstein files
NBC News: Trump administration to withdraw 700 immigration agents from Minnesota
NYT: Supreme Court Clears Way for California Voting Map
WSJ: ‘Spy Sheikh’ Bought Secret Stake in Trump Company
WSJ: Top Democrat Launches Probe Into ‘Spy Sheikh’ Deal With Trump Company
Axios: Nike facing federal probe of alleged discrimination against white employees
NPR: Bezos orders deep job cuts at 'Washington Post'
Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson
Wednesday, February 4th, 2026 - Europe is over Elon; ICE preps for OH; Trump floats election takeover
Today’s Headlines: Europe was unusually productive yesterday. French authorities raided Twitter’s Paris offices as part of a cybercrime investigation, summoned Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino (voluntarily, lol), and announced France is ditching Zoom and Microsoft Teams in favor of its own platform. Spain followed up by unveiling plans to crack down on social media algorithms and hold tech executives personally liable for illegal or hateful content, after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez accused Musk of amplifying disinformation about Spain’s immigration policy. Not to be outdone, Poland’s prime minister said Jeffrey Epstein was likely a Russian intelligence asset — and said his government plans to investigate. Back in the U.S., Trump floated the idea of “nationalizing” elections during a podcast appearance and teased more fallout from last week’s FBI raid in Georgia, despite elections being run by states under the Constitution. Democrats held a public forum on ICE abuses that Republicans skipped entirely, featuring testimony from people shot at, assaulted, or detained without cause — including a disabled woman who says she was dragged from her car and later treated in an ER for assault. Meanwhile, ICE is reportedly preparing a major operation targeting Haitian immigrants in Ohio as TPS protections expire, even as the agency quietly spends hundreds of millions buying warehouses to convert into detention centers.Elsewhere, DC U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro briefly threatened jail time for anyone bringing a gun into the district before walking it back, Trump continued his Kennedy Center renovation saga, and New York Magazine published a deeply unsettling profile of Rep. Nancy Mace detailing erratic behavior and staff misuse.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:
NBC News: Paris prosecutors summon Elon Musk after raid on X's French offices
BBC: Spain announces plans to ban social media for under-16s
The Telegraph: Epstein was probably a Russian spy, says Tusk
WaPo: Trump says he wants to ‘nationalize the voting,’ a power granted to states
The New Republic: Not a Single Republican Shows Up to Hear Renee Good’s Brothers Testify
WaPo: Renée Good’s brothers, others describe assaults, shootings at hearing
MS Now: ICE eyeing Ohio next, where it is expected to target Haitian immigrants
Bloomberg: ICE Begins Buying ‘Mega’ Warehouse Detention Centers Across US
MS Now: Pirro walks back threat to lawful gun owners traveling to D.C.
NBC News: Kennedy Center won't be torn down during $200 million renovation, Trump says
NY Magazine: Nancy Mace Is Not Okay
Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson
The Hosts
Sami Sage
Sami Sage is the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Betches. She’s the host of the @Betches and Morning Announcements podcasts and in her spare time likes to scroll on her phone and stare at her dogs, Bruce Bader Ginsburg and Larry David.
V. Spehar (They/Them)
Vitus “V” Spehar is an accomplished TikToker, political advocate, and host of the newest podcast from Betches Media. Their signature brand, Under The Desk News, started out as a series expanding on news events in a nutshell and quickly became GenZ and Millennials go-to source for news. V’s in-depth citizen journalism led them to collaborate with notable figures like former President Obama, President Biden and more than a dozen members of Congress to inform their massive audience in a sustainable way while pushing for civic participation.
Featured Guests
Katie Couric
Tammy Duckworth
Kirsten Gillibrand
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