Topic: Hurricane Maria

A geologist argues that climate has always changed, citing the Medieval Warm Period (1000 AD) as a time of prosperity that was later "erased" by Michael Mann's hockey stick graph. The speaker claims he was denied an NPR interview because he refused to attribute warming to human activity. He asserts that the current "irrational hysteria" in the media ignores 100 previous studies confirming that historical warming was global and natural.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hosted a Green New Deal town hall on MSNBC, comparing the climate crisis to the national response after 9/11. She drew a parallel between the 3,000 deaths in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and the casualties of the 2001 terrorist attacks to justify massive policy shifts.

The dispute over the Hurricane Maria death toll in Puerto Rico is framed by the media as Trump "denying dead bodies." The hosts argue the 3,000 figure is based on a statistical study of "excess deaths" rather than direct casualties. Governor Jerry Brown's comments are interpreted by the hosts as a veiled threat or a call for Trump's removal from office.

Donald Trump's dispute over the revised death toll of 2,975 from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico is analyzed. The hosts examine the discrepancy between the initial 64 confirmed deaths and the George Washington University study commissioned by the Puerto Rican government. They argue the higher number is a statistical estimate of "excess deaths" rather than direct casualties, suggesting the figures are being used politically.

The hosts preview upcoming topics for the Thursday program, including new data on the Hurricane Maria death toll in Puerto Rico and the status of negotiations with North Korea. They also mention a story involving an Uber driver shooting a passenger before signing off with their traditional closing.

The hosts issue corrections for previous knighthoods, officially dubbing Sir Joshua Landon as "Sir Fox Bat the Crypto Knight." They also read a listener report from Italy regarding the situation in Puerto Rico, claiming that local government corruption and pre-existing poverty are the primary causes of the ongoing crisis, rather than a lack of U.S. federal support.

Hurricane Maria's impact on Puerto Rican manufacturing has caused a critical shortage of IV saline and sugar bags in U.S. hospitals. The hosts question why hospitals cannot mix their own basic salt solutions, attributing the reliance on pre-packaged bags to billing codes and liability concerns.

A group of 125 mental health professionals marched in New York demanding Trump's removal via the 25th Amendment, citing "narcissistic personality disorder." Geraldo Rivera countered media narratives about Puerto Rico, stating that 90% of residents were enthusiastic about Trump's visit. Rivera blamed the island's power crisis on a "corrupt" and "dysfunctional" local electric authority.

A producer's report from Puerto Rico describes the post-Hurricane Maria situation as a "logistical nightmare" exacerbated by decaying infrastructure and a weak economy. San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz is criticized as a "showboater" who allegedly prioritized media appearances over aid distribution. The report notes that while many houses are built of concrete to withstand storms, government corruption often leads to unenforced building codes.

CBS News has introduced a segment titled "Misplays of the Week" to criticize President Trump's handling of the NFL controversy and the Hurricane Maria relief efforts in Puerto Rico. Trump defended the federal response, citing the logistical difficulty of an island "sitting in the middle of a very big ocean." A Quinnipiac University poll indicates that 57% of voters disapprove of the President's job performance amidst these crises.