Topic: Weekly Address

The hosts complain about the removal of RSS feeds from the redesigned White House website, making it difficult to track official updates. They discover that Donald Trump appears to have stopped recording the traditional weekly presidential address in early 2017. They speculate that he prefers Twitter because the media used his recorded addresses against him.

President Obama's weekly address emphasized the middle class as his "top priority" and "guiding North Star." This rhetoric is criticized for diverging from the presidential oath of office, which mandates the protection and defense of the Constitution. The shift in language suggests a move toward economic populism over constitutional adherence.

In his weekly address, President Obama warns that a lowered credit rating would act as a "tax increase" on citizens through higher interest rates on mortgages and car loans. This framing is criticized as a linguistic manipulation of the definition of a tax. The "triple A political system" comment from the administration is also noted.

The hosts play clips from President Obama's weekly radio address, focusing on his attacks on the "status quo" and insurance companies. They interpret his language as a "bait and switch" designed to consolidate power over the insurance industry rather than improving medical care. The segment concludes with a critique of the "national purpose" rhetoric used to push the legislation through Congress.