TMI Show Ep 102: “Daily Wire’s Epic Collapse Exposed”

Live at 10 am Eastern/9 am Central time, and Streaming 24-7 Thereafter

In this episode of The TMI Show, hosts Ted Rall and Manila Chan team up with guest Peter Coffin to tackle the explosive implosion of The Daily Wire, a titan in conservative media. The Nashville-based outlet, co-founded by Ben Shapiro and Jeremy Boreing in 2015, is reportedly teetering on the edge of collapse amid whispers of financial mismanagement and internal strife. Shapiro, the company’s star pundit and host of The Ben Shapiro Show, has been a driving force behind its rise, leveraging his sharp commentary to build a massive following. Boreing, stepping down as co-CEO just days ago to focus on creative projects, leaves a leadership void as the company faces a rumored staff revolt and near-bankruptcy. Rall, a provocative cartoonist, and Chan, a fearless journalist, join Coffin, a keen cultural observer, to explore how this shake-up is reverberating across the conservative media landscape. They’ll dig into what it means politically as a key right-wing voice falters ahead of a pivotal election cycle.

TMI Show Ep 101: “JFK Assassination Files Released”

Live at 10 am Eastern/9 am Central time, and Streaming 24-7 Thereafter

In this episode of TMI with Ted Rall and Manila Chan, the hosts dive into the National Archives’ recent release of JFK assassination files, spurred by an executive order from President Donald Trump. With over 63,000 pages unredacted, Ted and Manila unpack what’s new—and what’s still missing. They explore tantalizing details, like the CIA’s surveillance of Lee Harvey Oswald in Mexico City and Kennedy’s growing distrust of the agency post-Bay of Pigs, as revealed in a memo by Arthur Schlesinger Jr.

We don’t shy away from the letdown: no “smoking gun” upends the lone gunman narrative, leaving conspiracy theorists hungry for more. With sharp wit and skepticism, they debate whether this transparency push—tied to Trump’s alliance with RFK Jr.—clarifies history or just muddies it further.

We Are the Fourth Branch of Government

In high school, when we studied the separation of powers, I asked my civics teacher: “What happens if the executive branch ignores the judiciary?” He didn’t have much of an answer.

It has happened before. One famous case was President Andrew Jackson’s refusal to enforce a Supreme Court ruling overturning Georgia’s seizure of Cherokee lands. “[Chief Justice] John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it,” a defiant Jackson supposedly said. Georgia expelled the Cherokees in an act of ethnic cleansing known as the Trail of Tears. Lincoln shrugged off a federal judge’s habeas corpus order to release a Confederate sympathizer. The administration of George W. Bush defied the Supreme Court’s ruling in Rasul v. Bush (2004), ordering Guantánamo prisoners be given access to U.S. courts for habeas petitions. Still, presidents usually respect the courts. The Constitution’s checks and balances have mostly held up over 236 years.

But there’s another factor—one that political scientists and teachers like mine rarely mention: we the people. We are the fourth branch of government.

Throughout U.S. history, direct protests have reined in an out-of-control executive branch that disregards the judiciary.  During the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, state governments in the South routinely violated the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause and federal court orders, like Brown v. Board of Education (1954), mandating desegregation. Sustained protest demonstrations like the Montgomery bus boycott and Freedom Rides culminated in the 1963 March on Washington, attended by more than 250,000 people. The March amplified pressure on JFK and Congress, leading to passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, based on an incident that likely never happened, allowed LBJ to send troops to Vietnam. But the expansion of the war under Nixon and especially his “secret bombing” of Cambodia in 1970 marked a seeming usurpation by the president of the constitutional assignment under Article I of the right to declare war to Congress. Massive popular demonstrations erupted across thousands of cities in 1969, including a November rally in Washington that drew over 500,000 people, and then the violence of the Kent State shootings in 1970, forced a debate over war powers that led Congress to pass the 1973 War Powers Act, which reaffirmed the legislative branch’s supremacy over military action.

Now we face new executive overreach. President Donald Trump has ignored a federal court order, and signals that he will keep doing so. This time, however, there probably won’t be enough big protests to slow him down.

On March 16th, the Trump Administration deported 238 alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador. This happened despite an explicit order by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg not to. Airplanes carrying the Venezuelans were ordered to return to the U.S. The administration blew off the federal court order. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele even mocked the federal court’s impotence, saying, “Oopsie…Too late,” while Trump officials thanked him.

There’s a broader pattern here. In February, a Rhode Island federal judge ruled that the administration had defied his order to unfreeze federal grants. If the executive can ignore the courts without consequence, the judiciary is no longer a co-equal branch.

While the courts risk diminishment, the fourth branch of government that might restore balance—we the people, exercising political force via sustained popular protests in the streets—is all but dead, as are the grassroots organizations, Left of the Democrats, that have typically organized them in response to constitutional crises. American Leftists are splintered into a myriad micro-causes, scared off by state surveillance and repression, and sidetracked by digital slacktivism. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), a radical Left group, claimed 100,000 members in 1968. Today, the Communist Party, with a few thousand, endorses Democrats.

The Black Lives Matter marches of 2020 rivaled the sustained, high-attendance scale of the 1960s. But they took place during the unique circumstances of the pandemic lockdown. As one BLM demonstrator told me that summer in New York, “I’d usually be at the Yankees game. There’s nothing else to do!”

Failing another lockdown, Trump will likely keep steamrolling the system.

(Ted Rall, the political cartoonist, columnist and graphic novelist, co-hosts the left-vs-right DMZ America podcast with fellow cartoonist Scott Stantis and The TMI Show with political analyst Manila Chan. Subscribe: tedrall.Substack.com.)

TMI Show Ep 99: “Time to Cut Israel Loose?”

Live at 10 am Eastern/9 am Central time, and Streaming 24-7 Thereafter:

In this episode of The TMI Show, hosts Ted Rall and Manila Chan address the escalating conflicts in the Middle East, starting with Israel’s latest bombing campaign in Gaza. The airstrikes, which began days ago, have killed over 400 people, including many children, shattering a two-month ceasefire. We examine the scale of the destruction, with residential areas reduced to rubble and an ongoing aid blockade exacerbating the crisis for Gaza’s surviving residents.

We also talk about Donald Trump’s recent military actions in Yemen, where airstrikes targeting Houthi rebels have killed at least 31 people since Saturday. Trump has intensified this proxy war, with the U.S. deploying what he called “overwhelming lethal force” to counter Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes, which are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

We also cover the broader rivalry between Israel and Iran, a key undercurrent in both conflicts. They discuss Israel’s strikes as a signal to Iran, which backs Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis—collectively known as the “Axis of Resistance”— as well as recent U.S. warnings to Tehran to cease supporting the Houthis. The show ties these threads together, analyzing these interconnected crises.

Bear

Just dropped another exclusive chapter for paid Substack subscribers.

Remember Wall Street’s 2008 implosion—Bear Stearns crumbling under subprime greed, shaking the world? Now rewind to the ’80s: me, a Columbia dropout, crammed into a $850-a-month walk-up with two slackers, Chris and Dan. Pot smoke, polygraphs, and a $10,000-a-year gig in Bear’s Clearance Order Room—where I juggled stock trades, dodged trash-talking traders, and learned money’s cold lessons. It’s a sweaty, loud, dead-end hustle, spiced with pranks and a middle finger to the suits upstairs, like penny-pinching CEO Ace Greenberg.

This is raw, unpolished, and straight from my desk. Want the full flavor—grit, guts, and a paperclip revolt? Subscribe to my paid Substack to read the whole messy draft as I write it.

tedrall.substack.com

TMI Show Ep 98: “Trump’s Deportation Outrage Unleashed”

Live at 10 am Eastern/9 am Central time, and Streaming 24-7 Thereafter:

In this episode of The TMI Show, hosts Ted Rall and Manila Chan, joined by guest Scott Stantis of The Chicago Tribune, dive into the contentious topic of Donald Trump’s deportation policies. The discussion highlights two major flashpoints.

First, the high-profile deportations of Columbia University students Mahmoud Khalil, Ranjani Srinivasan, and Leqaa Kordia, whose arrests tied to pro-Palestinian protests have ignited debates over immigration and free expression. Khalil, a green card holder, was abducted by unidentified men despite legal status, while Srinivasan self-deported after her visa was revoked, and Kordia was arrested for overstaying her visa.

Second, the deportation of Brown University professor Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese kidney transplant specialist, despite a valid H-1B visa and a judge’s order halting her removal, underscores the White House’s brazen lawlessness.

The episode also addresses the Trump administration’s defiance of a federal court order by deporting alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador. As the administration ignores federal court orders, it could fairly be argued that we’re entering a constitutional crisis, as it challenges the balance of power and rule of law.

DMZ America Podcast Ep 197: “Trump’s Iron Fist: ICE Nabs Khalil, Tourist”

Live at 12 noon Eastern/11 am Central time, and Streaming 24-7 Thereafter:

In this important episode of the DMZ America Podcast, hosts Ted Rall and Scott Stantis dive into the escalating fears of authoritarianism under Trump, spotlighting the chilling ICE arrests of Mahmoud Khalil, a green card-holding Palestinian activist, and a German tourist along with his American girlfriend. Khalil, a Columbia grad targeted for his pro-Palestinian advocacy, and the tourist couple, caught in a murky immigration sweep, highlight a disturbing trend: even legal status offers no shield. Rall, the fiery leftist, argues this signals a deliberate erosion of rights, while Stantis, the libertarian conservative, questions the government’s overreach. They wrestle with the core issue—if a green card isn’t enough, does citizenship truly protect anyone? With sharp debate and dark humor, the duo unpacks the implications for liberty, immigration, and America’s democratic facade in an increasingly authoritarian climate.


TMI Show Ep 97: “Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire: Putin’s Demands”

Live at 10 am Eastern/9 am Central time, and Streaming 24-7 Thereafter:

On The TMI Show, hosts Ted Rall and Manila Chan tackle the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, zeroing in on Vladimir Putin’s stated demands for a ceasefire. The pair dissects Putin’s reaction to a U.S.-proposed 30-day truce, which he conditionally backs but ties to tough stipulations. Putin insists the ceasefire must resolve the conflict’s “root causes,” demanding Ukraine cede Crimea and four southeastern regions, agree not to join NATO, cap its military strength, and ensure rights for Russian speakers. He also calls for elections to oust President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Putin’s leverage stems from recent battlefield successes

They explore Ukraine’s dismissal of these terms as “manipulative” and the U.S.’s delicate balancing act under Trump’s envoy. With their trademark blend of sharp analysis and bold takes, Ted and Manila debate Putin’s demands, offering listeners a front-row seat to the high-stakes geopolitical chess match and its uncertain endgame.

TMI Show Ep 96: “Arrests, Tariffs, and Ceasefires: Lee Camp Unloads on TMI”

Live at 10 am Eastern/9 am Central time, and Streaming 24-7 Thereafter:

In this episode of “The TMI Show,” hosts Ted Rall and Manila Chan welcome guest Lee Camp, a sharp-witted comedian, writer, and political commentator known for his incisive takes on corporate media and government overreach. Lee, formerly the host of RT America’s Redacted Tonight, brings his unfiltered perspective to dissect the week’s biggest stories. The trio dives into the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a case sparking debate over free speech and security, unpacking its implications with their signature skepticism. They also tackle Trump’s escalating trade wars, analyzing how his tariff threats are shaking up global markets and rattling allies. Finally, they explore the latest in Ukraine ceasefire negotiations, questioning the motives behind the talks and what peace might actually mean. Expect Ted’s biting historical insight, Manila’s no-nonsense clarity, and Lee’s darkly humorous edge as they cut through the noise.

TMI Show Ep 95: “Rodrigo Duterte’s Arrest – Political Implications for Philippines & U.S.”

Live at 10 am Eastern/9 am Central time, and Streaming 24-7 Thereafter:

In this episode of “The TMI Show,” hosts Ted Rall and Manila Chan dive into the arrest of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, as he faces an ICC warrant for crimes against humanity tied to his brutal “war on drugs.” Joined by Lucio Blanco Pitlo III, president of the Philippines Association for Chinese Studies and a research fellow at Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress, the discussion unpacks the seismic political implications for the Philippines and the U.S.

Within the Philippines, Duterte’s arrest marks a stunning reversal for a once-dominant figure whose family allied with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to secure power in 2022. The arrest highlights the unraveling Duterte-Marcos pact, as well as Sara Duterte’s recent impeachment as vice president and the escalating feud between the pro-China Dutertes and pro-U.S. Marcoses. This power struggle could destabilize Manila’s political landscape, especially with midterm elections looming, testing Marcos’s grip and exposing fissures in a nation still grappling with Duterte’s legacy of extrajudicial killings.

For the U.S., the episode explores a geopolitical tightrope. Duterte’s downfall shifts Philippine foreign policy away from China-friendly ties toward a U.S.-aligned Marcos administration. With expanded U.S. military access via the EDCA, this arrest could solidify Washington’s influence in the Indo-Pacific, countering Beijing’s regional sway. Yet, it risks inflaming Duterte’s base. Let’s decode a pivotal moment in global politics.

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