Topic: Unification

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated in Nara by a gunman using a handmade firearm. The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, reportedly targeted Abe due to the politician's family links to the Unification Church (the "Moonies"), which the suspect blamed for his mother's financial ruin.

A clip is played where Kamala Harris accidentally credits Donald Trump with "unifying our country around our common values and principles." The hosts marvel that this gaffe was not picked up by the Trump campaign or the media. They also discuss the unpopularity of "packing" the Supreme Court and the historical precedent of having fewer than nine justices.

Cult expert Steven Hassan appeared on CNN with Brian Stelter to promote his book, "The Cult of Trump," drawing on his past experience in the Unification Church. Hassan defines Trump's following as a "destructive cult" utilizing mind control and propaganda. The hosts dismiss the interview as psychological projection and criticize the media for pathologizing political support.

A host recounts a conversation with a South Korean immigrant who expressed concern that unification would be an economic burden on the South, similar to the experience of East and West Germany. The discussion explores the potential for North Korea's rare earth minerals to complement South Korea's high-tech manufacturing powerhouses like Samsung and LG.

North Korea denied involvement in the Sony hack, calling the U.S. investigation "childish" and proposing a joint investigation to find the real culprits. Meanwhile, South Korean President Park Geun-hye made statements regarding the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula during the ASEAN-Korea summit. Analysts suggest the timing of the Sony scandal may be intended to disrupt potential diplomatic progress between the two nations.