Episodes

Sunday Aug 09, 2020
BTL #362 - Rabid Bats - 8/10/20
Sunday Aug 09, 2020
Sunday Aug 09, 2020
In Which We Discuss:
1. Progressives are on such a winning streak that you only have to raise $25k to win a statewide primary these days.
2. If the widespread confusion is any guide, Joe Biden REALLY doesn’t want to choose Kamala Harris as a running mate.
3. No matter who you are and where you sit on the political spectrum, you will be pissed off by the Democratic National Convention.
4. Practicing his dictator skills, Trump has started work on an Executive Order bonanza
5. What’s happening with TikTok? Also, what is TikTok. Also, we’re too old to be discussing TikTok and that means Donald Trump is too.
6. Rabid bats...is the subject of a story about the Libertarian party so...that tracks.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, helicopters, 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!

Sunday Jul 05, 2020
BTL #357 - The Frontier Spirit of Las Vegas - 7/6/20
Sunday Jul 05, 2020
Sunday Jul 05, 2020
In Which We Discuss:
1. The next Michele Bachmann has entered our lives!
2. New Jersey wins the prize for the most creative voter suppression method you’ve never heard about
3. Everyone has coronavirus. Stay home.
4. Donald Trump wowed by the indomitable frontier spirit that brought us Las Vegas
5. Joe Biden wishes you’d tear down those statues more peacefully
6. Kanye West isn’t going to let a web of national crises disrupt his long-time plan to run for president in 2020
NEWS: Make sure to check out Lila's appearance on The Guilty Feminist!
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, helicopters, 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!
*There's a slight technical difficulty that starts at minute 42. We know about it, but what could we do, you know? Thanks for your patience!*

Sunday May 03, 2020
BTL #349 - The Joe Biden Experience - 5/4/20
Sunday May 03, 2020
Sunday May 03, 2020
In Which We Discuss:
1. If 2019 was the year of believing women, then 2020 is the year we decided to stop.
2. If we can read anything into the Biden VP selection committee, it’s that Biden likes to stick to a theme.
3. If Kansas is lapping you in primary ideas, you might be New York State.
4. States are re-opening, so looks like we may have to die to save capitalism.
5. He may be the king of ratings, but his polling is the one stat Donald Trump can’t rescue through sheer force of personality.
6. If Kim Jong-Un really is back, then he’s wasted an opportunity to peddle a brilliant rebirth story. Amateur.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, helicopters, 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!

Sunday Apr 26, 2020
BTL #348 - Get Some New Tattoos - 4/27/20
Sunday Apr 26, 2020
Sunday Apr 26, 2020
In Which We Discuss:
1. Trump to blue states and all human beings who aren’t smart enough not to drink bleach: Drop Dead
2. Biden has some...ahem...skeletons. Should we have taken them seriously before?
3. Get rid of Larry Summers. Forever.
4. Congress further rushes to the aid of struggling large corporations. The rest of you can wait your turn.
5. Georgia, Oklahoma, and other states are opening up so a population in crisis can finally get some new tattoos.
6. Kim Jong-Un’s heart surgeon is in a bit of a situation, whether or not he actually operated.

Sunday Apr 05, 2020
BTL #345 - Pearl Harbor Week - 4/6/20
Sunday Apr 05, 2020
Sunday Apr 05, 2020
In Which We Discuss:
1. Get ready for a week in which everything will be constantly compared to Pearl Harbor
2. We smashed the record for unemployment claims. Just slaughtered it.
3. Turns out when 10M people are suddenly unemployed, medicare-for-all sounds like a great plan.
4. The Democratic convention is being pushed, but no stupid deadly virus is going to stop the Wisconsin primary, whether or not they have polling place, poll workers, or voters.
5. The Republican Governors are proving they’re actually as science-challenged as the character they play on TV.
6. California is either doing a bang-up job, or it isn’t. The numbers tell many stories.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of sirens, helicopters, 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!

Sunday Aug 25, 2019
BTL #323 - Buying Greenland - 8/26/19
Sunday Aug 25, 2019
Sunday Aug 25, 2019
In Which We Discuss:
1. There’s cross traffic in the race for president - we’ll tell you who’s in and who’s out.
2. Joe Biden has seemingly thought A LOT about the assasination of Barack Obama.
3. David Koch is dead, survived by Russian authoritarian government and the MET.
4. Trump did not successfully buy Greenland last week. Let’s depose him.
5. The future of oxygen is up in smoke, literally.
6. Pray for RBG because how many cancers is too many?
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in political news. Join the millions of sirens, helicopters, 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!

Sunday Aug 04, 2019
BTL #321 - I Wrote The Bill - 7/5/19
Sunday Aug 04, 2019
Sunday Aug 04, 2019
In Which We Discuss:
1. Domestic terrorism has had a big week
2. After 12 hours of debate, we still can’t pick the generic white moderates out of a Democratic Debate lineup
3. The people of Puerto Rico overthrew their government last week. Now if only we could overthrow ours...
4. Trump, unsurprisingly, can’t find a National Intelligence Director. Or an intelligent person to work for him in general.
5. Trump furious that Elijah Cummings can’t stop Trump’s own family from slumming up Baltimore
6. Go and demand some impeachment, people!
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in political news. Join the millions of sirens, helicopters, 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!

Sunday Mar 31, 2019
BTL #312 - INAPPROPRIATE HAIR-SMELLING - 4/1/19
Sunday Mar 31, 2019
Sunday Mar 31, 2019
In Which We Discuss:
1. Inappropriate Hair-Smelling: The Joe Biden Story You Aren’t Surprised to Hear
2. Brent likes Buttigieg: A Discussion
3. A tale of 1000 Julia Brownleys
4. Trump White House tries a new Obamacare repeal strategy: declaring the ACA never existed in the first place
5. Chuck Schumer needs your help identifying the difference between bigots and lobbyists because he wants to make sure he’s only taking money from one of those
6. Not sure who in the Executive Branch hates disabled people most? We’ve got your rankings!
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in political news. Join the millions of sirens and helicopters who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

Sunday Mar 24, 2019
BTL #311 - WHAT, IF ANYTHING IS OBSTRUCTION - 3/25/19
Sunday Mar 24, 2019
Sunday Mar 24, 2019
In Which We Discuss:
1. So...what does it mean to actually have the Mueller report?
2. Jared Kushner is talking to Saudi criminals on Whatsapp. But, you know, what about her emails?!?!
3. Beto O’Rourke proves yet again that he knows a lot of rich people. (By the way, If anyone knows of any, we are also looking for rich friends.)
4. Joe Biden requires someone other than Joe Biden to make him seem like an attractive candidate.
5. Turns out countries that decide to have gun control can just...have gun control.
6. Safety is now a luxury commodity, just like car elevators.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in political news. Join the millions of sirens and helicopters 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 Mar 04, 2019
BTL #309 - A PEN-PAL ROMANCE - 3/5/19
Monday Mar 04, 2019
Monday Mar 04, 2019
In Which We Discuss:
1. Bernie is really running for president, not just favorite activist hero
2. All the most boring Congressional committees have all the best hearings these days
3. Jerry Nadler is going after every document owned by every person in America. Consider yourself on notice.
4. Trump and Kim Jong-Un’s pen-pal romance has hit a rough patch
5. Donald Trump won the TV arms race by creating the most defining and fascinating two hours of television known to the modern era
6. Our latest national emergency is Luke Perry’s death
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in political news. Join the millions of sirens and helicopters who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!