A totally genius analysis of the week’s political news from two certified brains. Ready to resist, progressive AF. Podcast posted weekly since 2012.
Episodes
Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
Tuesday Jun 17, 2025
In Which We Discuss:
1. Crowd math is not math, it’s a vibe.
2. There’s no such thing as pointless activism.
3. Maybe Democrats never do the WORST version of the thing, but why are they so complicit in the thing?
4. Can Democrats not put us in the position of having to agree with Tucker Carlson?
5. Are you in NYC? Vote for Mamdani! Elect fun people with ideas!
6. Speaking of ideas, you can have them too!
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of chirping birds, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!
Sunday Apr 20, 2025
Sunday Apr 20, 2025
In Which We Discuss:
1. It’s our yearly Easter special! This year we learn the story of Jesus’s resurrection from leading biblical expert and improvisational essayist Marjorie Taylor Green!
2. Pete Hegseth: Still drunk texting war plans to his friends.
3. Chris Van Hollen is the one Democrat to try a stunt this week. Next week let’s aim for two!
4. Our hot take on private space travel.
5. An important general PSA: Have fun out there, guys!
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of chirping birds, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
In Which We Discuss:
1. The April 5th protests: A great place to be mad about…literally anything.
2. We famously love a filibuster stunt, but save your money. Cory Booker’s presidential campaign will be funded by the “good billionaires,” not your $5.
3. Did you ever wonder if there’s a reason you don’t understand what’s going on with these tariffs? Do you wish somebody credible would explain them to you? Us too.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!
Friday Aug 23, 2024
Friday Aug 23, 2024
YOU MADE IT TO OUR 500TH EPISODE! We're so happy you're here and hope that in honor of this milestone we hope you'll subscribe and share this special episode featuring Grant Sloss!
This Week We Discuss:
1. Our favorite guest and secret research consultant Grant Sloss is here to celebrate this milestone!
2. Kamala Harris makes her DNC debut in “coconut brown.”
3. There was no Beyonce performance at the DNC…but we did get Lil’ Jon at the Roll Call?
4. The Tim Walz candidacy is apparently going to be 90% football references Lila doesn’t understand.
5. RFK is dropping out in the exact way the brain worms told him to.
6. JD Vance’s advance team is clearly out to get him.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!
Wednesday Aug 07, 2024
Wednesday Aug 07, 2024
In Which We Discuss:
1. We have a VP candidate! We like him!
2. Democrats are making a slew of good decisions and nobody has any experience with this so we don’t know how to act.
3. What if we all just tried to enact the Democratic party platform? Is that a thing?
4. Trump’s interview with the National Association of Black Journalists somehow went even worse than you’d imagine.
5. If you thought New Gingrich getting bitten by a penguin was crazy, we’ve got a story for you!
6. The Olympics. Still a joy to behold.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!
Sunday Jul 21, 2024
Sunday Jul 21, 2024
It's a Presidential chaos spectacular!
Listen, we’d write a rundown, but it’s not worth it. Just listen.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
This week on a special edition of the podcast, it’s a GOP debate and Georgia mugshot spectacular!
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!
Monday Aug 07, 2023
Monday Aug 07, 2023
So much legal news, so little time! Our resident legal expert, Ben Softness, is back again with everything you need to know about the latest in this year's slew of Trump indictments. You won't want to miss our conversation about the Jack Smith, Trump's co-consipirators, his likely defense, Mike Pence's big opportunity, and more!
Follow Ben on Threads at @imsoftness!
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
Wednesday Jul 05, 2023
Our resident legal expert, Ben Softness, is back with everything you need to know about the last months' controversial SCOTUS decisions! You won't want to miss our conversation about affirmative action, gay wedding websites, student debt, gerrymandering, and the personal tensions at the court.
Follow Ben on Twitter at @imsoftness!
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
Tuesday Jun 13, 2023
In Which We Discuss:
1. After success at the state level, Trump working to destigmatize federal indictments for ex-presidents.
2. Candidate you’ve never heard of announces a one-point policy plan you don’t care about in the 2024 GOP primary.
3. Lots of evil people are dead, but nope, not Henry Kissinger.
4. Lindsey Graham is very much hoping you’ll let him repeat his irrelevant GOP talking points in peace.
5. In the Trump Indictment frenzy, stop worrying about the details! Worry about the story arc.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of falling phones, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!