Topic: The Swamp

PBS featured NYU historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat to analyze Donald Trump's rhetoric through the lens of authoritarianism. Ben-Ghiat claimed that Trump's "drain the swamp" slogan was originally used by Mussolini; however, fact-checkers have noted that Mussolini used the phrase literally regarding physical swamps, whereas the political metaphor is considered uniquely American.

A comparison is drawn between Bastille Day and Donald Trump's "drain the swamp" rhetoric. The discussion focuses on Trump's public telegraphing of upcoming ICE raids scheduled for Sunday, questioning whether the lack of surprise indicates a strategic feint or a scam.

The White House Correspondents Dinner is declared a dead event following the 2018 controversy. With Donald Trump refusing to attend and celebrities staying away to avoid political fallout, the dinner has become a gathering of "the swamp" and media blowhards. The prediction is that future dinners will be forced to adopt much safer, less televised formats to avoid further embarrassment.

The hosts thank executive producers Bruce Wilkie, Johnny of the Swamp, and Ron Nooren for their "value for value" donations. They discuss the pronunciation of Puyallup, Washington, and mention upcoming meetups in Washington D.C. for the inauguration. Curry also notes his upcoming appearance on Alex Jones' show.

The media's focus on racism following the election of Donald Trump is analyzed, specifically targeting the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). SPLC editor Ryan Lentz is criticized for linking Trump's "drain the swamp" YouTube announcement to white supremacy. The claim is made that the media is attempting to frame common political slogans as coded racist language.