Topic: Paul Ryan

The hosts analyze a clip of Megyn Kelly claiming that Donald Trump was "almost killed a third time." They debate whether she is referring to the Ryan Routh incident in Florida or a separate, unreported event. The discussion also touches on the attack on Paul Pelosi and Kelly's assertion that the suspect in that case was a "nutcase" with conflicting political affiliations.

Former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan appeared on CNBC to advocate for any Republican candidate "not named Trump" to lead the 2024 ticket. Ryan, who now sits on the board of Fox Corporation, argued that Trump is unfit for office and cannot win a general election against Joe Biden. The hosts find Ryan's refusal to name a specific alternative, such as Ron DeSantis, to be a bizarre political strategy.

NBC News reported on a potential "intervention" by top Republicans to get Donald Trump's campaign back on track following his refusal to endorse Paul Ryan. The report featured snippets from Newt Gingrich and mentioned anxiety regarding Trump's access to nuclear codes. Critics argue the network used selective editing and unnamed sources to portray the campaign as being in "crazy town."

Judge Katonji Brown Jackson is highlighted as a frontrunner for the Supreme Court vacancy, having previously clerked for Justice Breyer. Her background includes serving as a federal trial judge, a public defender, and vice chairman of the U.S. Sentencing Commission, where she worked to reduce crack cocaine penalties. Personal details noted include her marriage to surgeon Patrick Jackson and her family connection to former House Speaker Paul Ryan.

The 2016 House of Representatives sit-in led by Congressman John Lewis regarding gun control serves as a historical parallel to current Democratic walkouts. Senator Chuck Schumer's strategy to block the current Supreme Court nominee is characterized as a premeditated attempt to prevent a vote by removing the quorum, though Lindsey Graham appears prepared to circumvent the tactic.

The Border Adjustment Tax (BAT), originally proposed by economist Alan Auerbach and supported by Paul Ryan, would tax imported goods while exempting exports. Steve Bannon praised the concept as an elegant solution to trade imbalances, but noted it was killed by the Koch brothers and other libertarian interests. The tax functions similarly to a Value Added Tax (VAT) but specifically targets the point of consumption for imported products.

Fox News anchor Chris Wallace publicly distinguished between "news people" and "opinion people" at the network while discussing William Barr's March 27th letter. This internal friction is linked to the appointment of Paul Ryan to the Fox board and the "Disneyfication" of the brand. The segment notes that high ratings for opinion hosts like Tucker Carlson may not translate to advertising revenue due to brand safety concerns.

The hosts analyze a perceived shift at Fox News toward a more centrist or "lefty" stance, citing the hiring of Donna Brazile and Paul Ryan's board membership. They speculate on internal power struggles under Lachlan Murdoch and predict that a major host, possibly Sean Hannity or Laura Ingraham, may soon be sacrificed to appease advertisers or corporate interests.

Actor Seth Rogen recounted an encounter with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan at an Alzheimer's charity event. Rogen claimed he refused a photo with Ryan in front of his children and told the politician he hated what he was doing to the country, an anecdote characterized by the hosts as extreme virtue signaling.

Outgoing Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is interviewed by Gail King regarding the lack of diversity in the Republican Party. Ryan mentions his mentorship of Mia Love, but the hosts criticize his defensive and awkward response to King's statement about feeling "excluded" by the party's demographics.

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel delivered an emotional monologue blaming President Trump and Republican leaders for the Parkland shooting. Kimmel urged Trump to ignore NRA lobbyists and pass "real laws" to ban assault rifles. The hosts criticize Kimmel for using his platform to push partisan talking points and for failing to acknowledge that Trump was not in office during previous tragedies like Sandy Hook.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan made a Freudian slip by saying "preventing" instead of "presenting" the President. While Trump's teleprompter-heavy delivery was criticized as less engaging than his rally style, snap polls from CNN and CBS showed over 70% of viewers approved of the speech.

Representative Barbara Lee of California is leading a push to censure President Trump following his comments on Haiti and Africa. Censure serves as a public reprimand with no legal effect on the presidency, unlike impeachment. Lee previously attempted a similar resolution after the Charlottesville violence; the current effort seeks to force Republicans like Speaker Paul Ryan to go on the record against the President's language.

President Trump caused confusion on Capitol Hill by tweeting skepticism about the FISA reauthorization, seemingly echoing a segment on Fox & Friends. After a phone call with Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump issued a follow-up tweet supporting the bill, which targets "foreign bad guys on foreign land." The hosts discuss the "kangaroo court" nature of the FISA system and its origins in the post-9/11 Patriot Act era.

Representative John Conyers faces allegations of sexual misconduct, including claims that he propositioned staffers and used government funds for settlements. The House of Representatives voted to require anti-harassment training for members in response to the scandal. The hosts discuss the "twofer" of political and entertainment figures being outed and speculate on the possibility of future career comebacks for those involved.

President Trump and Congressional Republicans celebrated the passage of a $1.5 trillion tax cut package, the largest overhaul of the tax code in 31 years. The bill significantly reduces the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and repeals the Obamacare individual mandate. Democrats criticized the bill, claiming it favors corporations over the middle class.

The hosts discuss the fact that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) does not apply to Congress or the federal courts. Tom Fitton advocates for more transparency in how the House of Representatives handles administration and resources. The segment also briefly mentions Paul Ryan's stand-up routine at the Al Smith dinner.

High-profile Republicans, including Marco Rubio, Paul Ryan, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, issued swift condemnations of President Trump's remarks regarding the Charlottesville violence. NBA star LeBron James also criticized the President on Twitter, stating that Trump had made hate "fashionable" again. The segment highlights the internal rift within the GOP following the President's refusal to solely blame white supremacists.

The Washington Post reported on a leaked audio recording from 2016 in which House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy suggested Vladimir Putin was paying Donald Trump. McCarthy later characterized the comment as a failed attempt at humor. The discussion focuses on the implications of private conversations being recorded in Washington D.C. and the media's handling of the "tape" versus an electronic recording.

House Speaker Paul Ryan told CBS's Nora O'Donnell that the U.S. has a responsibility to help allies guard against Russian meddling. Ryan claimed that leadership knew about Russian attempts to "guard data" before the 2016 election. The hosts critique Ryan for agreeing with the media narrative and failing to challenge the premise of the investigation.