Episodes

Sunday Aug 13, 2023
8/14/23 - Sizzling Pork Chops and Eminem Lyrics
Sunday Aug 13, 2023
Sunday Aug 13, 2023
In Which We Discuss:
1. The Ohio GOP taught us a lesson on how to drive turnout in an August election.
2. Sounds of sizzling pork chops and Eminem lyrics fill the Iowa state fair as GOP candidates descended for their food photo ops.
3. Desantis continues to believe that his campaign’s problem is his staff, not his personality.
4. The Arizona senate race is going to be a fashion catastrophe.
5. Does it seem like every new piece of evidence in the Trump indictment is a different person directly admitting to a crime?
6. Biden hasn’t officially declared a climate emergency, but he has in his heart.
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 Jul 24, 2023
7/25/23 - There is a wrong way to hold a hot dog, Mitt Romney
Monday Jul 24, 2023
Monday Jul 24, 2023
In Which We Discuss:
1. Lila went to Netroots and she has stories.
2. Mitt Romney shows us that, unbelievably, there is a wrong way to hold a hot dog.
3. The greatest danger to children is not drag queens, it’s MTG showing us porn on the floor of the House.
4. The only obstacle to Joe Biden’s re-election? Stairs.
5. Unsurprisingly, cheating is now a legal way to qualify for the GOP Debates.
6. No Labels platform reflects the consensus of…crotchety rich old men.
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, now in it's second season: What Can I Do.

Sunday Jun 25, 2023
6/26/23 - Never Go With a Billionaire to a Previously Unexplored Location
Sunday Jun 25, 2023
Sunday Jun 25, 2023
In Which We Discuss:
1. Life Lesson: Never go with a billionaire to a previously unexplored location.
2. Google Maps is now featuring troop movements in preparation for World War III.
3. More of Florida is considering a run for president!
4. George Santos’ dad finally charged with exerting “moral control” over his son.
5. “No Labels” will violate our tax laws to save America from itself.
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, season two of Lila's other podcast, What Can I Do, just premiered! Download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Sunday Apr 23, 2023
4/24/23 - The New Coal Baron in town
Sunday Apr 23, 2023
Sunday Apr 23, 2023
In Which We Discuss:
1. GOP undercard debate shaping up to be just as crazy as we’d hoped.
2. Polls show nobody wants Trump or Biden to run so naturally it’s looking like Trump v. Biden in 2024.
3. Donld Trump admits to living in one of the “worst states.
4. Look out Joe Manchin! There’s a new coal baron in town.
5. Dianne Feinstein Retirement-Watch 2023 continues.
6. GOP’s massive successes are being celebrated…under the cover of darkness?
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!

Sunday Apr 02, 2023
4/3/23 - The People of the State of New York against Donald J. Trump
Sunday Apr 02, 2023
Sunday Apr 02, 2023
In Which We Discuss:
1. You Guys! Where on earth is Mitch McConnell and is he still actually on earth?
2. Trump will have to be brought down by the very people who brought him to us: New Yorkers
3. Chris Christie harkens back to the heady days of his undercard debate glory
4. Joe Manchin and Joe Lieberman: Why didn’t we see the parallels sooner?
5. Ron DeSantis takes on the real government of Florida - Disney - and loses
6. Federal government picks an arbitrary end date to a pandemic that’s still very much ongoing
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!

Sunday Oct 16, 2022
10/17/22 - Just Not That Smart
Sunday Oct 16, 2022
Sunday Oct 16, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. Our prop guide will be in your inbox this week!
2. LA managed to snag the lead story in the New York Times last week which shows just how big a catastrophe the city council was having
3. Catherine Cortez-Masto, the Julia Brownley of 2022
4. In the wise words of Herschel Walker himself, he’s “just not that smart.”
5. Nancy Pelosi governs the same way she tears into a Slim Jim
6. Can somebody explain Elon Musk, Russia, and Twitter to us please? We’re not interested enough to research it.
Other Updates:
Ballots are on their way and our prop guide is coming soon! Drop us a line at braintrustapproved@gmail.com to join out prop guide email list.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, 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!

Sunday Oct 09, 2022
Sunday Oct 09, 2022
Our mystery guest is finally revealed! A couple of weeks ago we had the privilege of interviewing candidate for Congress Maebe A. Girl, a progressive Democrat challenging Rep. Adam Schiff in our very own CD-30. We had a great time chatting about jungle primaries, Maebe's platform, and more!
- Support the campaign: Website
- Follow Maebe: Twitter
- Info on the LWV Candidate Forum on October 12th
Other Updates:
Ballots are on their way and our prop guide is coming soon! Drop us a line at braintrustapproved@gmail.com to join out prop guide email list.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, 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!
(Photo: Emily Eizen)

Sunday Jun 19, 2022
6/20/22 - Diet Pepsi Drunk
Sunday Jun 19, 2022
Sunday Jun 19, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. The June corporate appropriation holiday bonanza continues!
2. Biden will try literally anything to make America think he’s President Bartlett.
3. Rudy Giuliani didn’t knowingly break the law, he was just drunk on Diet Pepsi.
4. Can we please put a news embargo on reporting CA election results until we actually have California election results?
5. When will Democrats learn: Part 435 of our ongoing series.
6. Have you ever wondered if the current inflation was caused by something other than that one time the government sent you a measly check? We have.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, 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

Sunday Nov 14, 2021
11/15/21 - Mayo Pete
Sunday Nov 14, 2021
Sunday Nov 14, 2021
In Which We Discuss:
1. We watched Mayor Pete so you wouldn’t have to!
2. But don’t worry, we still took bets on how many collared shirts Steve Bannon will wear when he turns himself in on Monday.
3. Also, Britney is Free...
4. But your groceries sure aren’t, and they’re only getting more expensive.
Get a vaccine so you too can record a podcast in the same room as your co-host!
Brain Trust Live is (still) Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, 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!

Monday May 24, 2021
5/24/21 - 400th Episode Extravaganza
Monday May 24, 2021
Monday May 24, 2021
In Which We Discuss:
1. Having proved himself a terrible senator, we’re now seeing why Rand Paul didn’t hack it in the medical field either.
2. Joe Biden loves to compromise so much, he’s decided to do it with himself
3. The squad is finally coordinating with each other! Just maybe not in the way you’d hope
4. Turns out one way to end a war is for everybody to declare victory at once and avoid specifics.
5. Abortions: Men and Amy Coney Barrett don’t want you to have them.
6. In further proof that the space/time continuum is busted, it’s time to start talking about elections again!
Congrats to the winners of our anniversary trivia game, The Buttons!
Brain Trust Live is (still) Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, 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!