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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Where to Start
Friday, November 7th, 2025 - Pelosi to retire; SNAP update; Heritage Foundation chaos; FIFA’s “Peace Prize”; Elon’s $1T payday
Today’s Headlines: House Democrats want no-longer-Prince Andrew to testify about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi announced her retirement, with California Sen. Scott Wiener emerging as the establishment pick — though AOC’s ex–campaign manager Saikat Chakrabarti plans to run too. A federal judge ruled again that Trump must fully fund SNAP benefits by today, but the DOJ is appealing. Trump also struck a deal with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to cap Ozempic-style drugs at $50 for Medicare and Medicaid patients next year. In smaller but iconic justice news, the D.C. “sandwich guy” who threw a sub at an ICE agent was found not guilty of assault. The Heritage Foundation is in “open revolt” after its president defended Tucker Carlson for hosting white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Staffers, including members of its antisemitism task force, have quit. Meanwhile, FIFA announced a mysterious new “peace prize” ahead of the World Cup draw in D.C., which insiders say Trump demanded after missing out on a Nobel. And Tesla’s board is set to hand Elon Musk a $1 trillion compensation deal.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:
Politico: House Oversight Democrats call on embattled royal Andrew Windsor to testify - Live Updates
Politico: California’s attorney general endorses Scott Wiener to succeed Pelosi
NYT: Judge Orders Trump Administration to Fully Fund SNAP Benefits This Month
WaPo: Trump, long fixated on ‘fat drug,’ announces deal to lower its price
WaPo: Jury finds D.C. ‘sandwich guy’ not guilty of assaulting officer
WaPo: Heritage staff in open revolt over leader’s defense of Tucker Carlson
Axios: Trump teased as possible first FIFA Peace Prize winner
CNBC: Elon Musk expected to prevail in Tesla shareholder vote over CEO's $1 trillion pay plan
Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson
Thursday, November 6th, 2025 - Dems keep momentum; Shutdown breaks record; SCOTUS hears tariff arguments; UPS crash probe
Today’s Headlines: More election results are in, and Democrats are mostly keeping their momentum from Tuesday. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was re-elected, fending off a challenge from democratic socialist Ahmed Fatah. In Maine, voters approved a new red flag gun law and Colorado passed a statewide measure to fund free school lunches for all kids—because Colorado stays ahead of the curve. Meanwhile, California Republicans have already filed a federal lawsuit to block the new congressional map voters approved under Prop 50, claiming it violates the 14th and 15th Amendments. And in Maine, Democratic Rep. Jared Golden—one of the few Dems who could win a red district—announced he won’t seek reelection, citing threats made against his family. The government shutdown officially hit day 37, breaking Trump’s own previous record. The Transportation Department says it’ll start cutting air traffic by 10% if the standoff doesn’t end by Friday. Trump’s still calling for Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end it, but a bipartisan group is reportedly working on a short-term fix that would reopen the government and roll in some of the annual funding bills. Translation: they could’ve solved this if they wanted to. At the Supreme Court, justices heard three hours of arguments over whether Trump can unilaterally impose tariffs. Judging by their questions, they’re not exactly buying it. And finally, investigators say the UPS cargo plane crash in Louisville that killed nine people began when the left wing caught fire and an engine fell off just after takeoff—sending debris and explosions half a mile downrange.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:
AP News: California Republicans sue over new US House map approved by voters
Bangor Daily News: Jared Golden: I won’t seek reelection. Here’s why.
WSJ: Lawmakers See Hope for Ending Record-Setting Shutdown
WSJ: Supreme Court Appears Skeptical of Trump’s Tariffs
AP News: 12 dead after engine fell off UPS plane that crashed and exploded in Kentucky
Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson
Tuesday, November 5th, 2025 - Democrats sweep elections; Trump won’t pay SNAP; Air space shutdown; Dick Cheney dies at 84 & more
Today’s Headlines: Democrats had a massive Election Day sweep nationwide — flipping or holding major seats at every level. At the Supreme Court, justices are hearing Trump’s unprecedented tariff case — deciding whether he can impose tariffs on his own under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC that the administration has “lots of other options” if they lose… but, of course, they won’t. Meanwhile, Trump announced there will be no SNAP payments until the government reopens, despite multiple court orders requiring partial payouts. The shutdown is dragging on, and the Transportation Secretary warned that the FAA may have to shut down airspace next week due to thousands of unpaid, overworked air traffic controllers. In global security news, European officials say Russia tried to smuggle explosives onto cargo planes in Germany and the UK this summer — part of a wider sabotage campaign targeting Western aviation. Four people have been arrested so far. Stateside, a UPS plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, killing three and injuring at least 11. The FBI also arrested two people in connection with an intentional explosion at a Harvard University medical building over the weekend. And finally, former Vice President Dick Cheney — architect of the Iraq War and self-proclaimed “defender of democracy,” depending on who you ask — died yesterday at 84.
Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:
CNBC: Bessent says U.S. has 'lots' of options to use on tariffs if it loses Supreme Court case
Axios: Trump says SNAP will only get paid after shutdown, defying multiple court orders
ABC News: Department of Transportation might be forced to shut down some airspace next week: Duffy
WSJ: Russia Suspected of Plotting to Send Incendiary Devices on U.S.-Bound Planes
NBC News: Three dead, at least 11 injured in UPS plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky
NBC News: 2 men arrested in explosion at Harvard University and accused of setting off firework in medical building, FBI says
Axios: Former Vice President Cheney, architect of Iraq War, dies at 84
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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