The Bitchuation Room

She’s a 26-year old Palestinian-American journalist who’s spent her career reporting on the right. And now she wants to beat their agenda in Congress. She’s Kat Abughazaleh and she’s running for the democratic primary in Illinois’ 9th district on an anti-authoritarian platform of affordability.

Kat joins Francesca to talk about her diverse district, how AIPAC is bolstering one of her rivals, how she was indicted by Kash Patel’s DHS, and why we should not trust the right’s newfound anti-Israel stance. 

Get involved and or donate: https://katforillinois.com/

Early voting is on in Illinois, and election day is March 17th. 

Pitch us a candidate to interview at [email protected].

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The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE in Los Angeles with Emma Vigeland on Sunday March 22nd at Dynasty Typewriter. Tickets here: https://bit.ly/TBR322

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Support the show becoming a patron https://www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom and get exclusive perks. You can also be a member on YouTube, Twitch, or a paid subscriber on substack: franifio.substack.com. 

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Get your union-made podcast merch: www.bitchuationroom.com

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Thanks to Paige Oamek, Andy Vasoyan & Brent Godin

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Follow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPod

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bitchuationroom.bsky.social

Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuation

Google Music: http://bit.ly/GoogleBitchuation

Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation

Spotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation

Find Francesca On: 

Substack: franifio.substack.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio 

YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio 

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Franifio

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stopping climate chaos means stopping the U.S. military. It is the biggest polluter and consumer of fossil fuels.

In her new documentary, "Earth's Greatest Enemy”, Abby Martin unmasks the global military empire's climate impact on humans, animals and nations. Plus, was our only hope against Biden’s genocide a blunt and White Castle? We discuss Kal Penn’s recent admission on Hasan Minhaj’s show.

Also this week, we learned that a 2-month old is being held in the squalid Dilley detention center in Texas. The baby is one of thousands held at this private immigration prison. Francesca and Abby discuss the growing warehouse detention center industry with direct ties to the White House. 

And Hillary Clinton strikes again with the world’s worst take on immigration, offering another stark reminder why Democrats should leave Clintonism behind.

Featuring: Abby Martin, journalist and documentarian (13:21)

hhttps://earthsgreatestenemy.com/

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The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE in Los Angeles with Emma Vigeland on Sunday March 22nd at Dynasty Typewriter. Tickets here: https://bit.ly/TBR322

***

Support the show becoming a patron https://www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom and get exclusive perks. You can also be a member on YouTube, Twitch, or a paid subscriber on Substack: franifio.substack.com. 

***

Get your union-made podcast merch: www.bitchuationroom.com

***

Thanks to Paige Oamek, Andy Vasoyan & Brent Godin

***

Follow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPod

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bitchuationroom.bsky.social

Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuation

Google Music: http://bit.ly/GoogleBitchuation

Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation

Spotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation

Find Francesca On: 

Substack: franifio.substack.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio 

YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio 

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Franifio

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Democrats convince voters they’re serious about stopping ICE ahead of the midterms? And also, will the midterms be fair given the amount of redistricting fuckery?

Francesca and Usamah Andrabi of Justice Democrats discuss Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer's lackluster 10 commandments for ICE and how the so-called opposition party is already making concessions.

Plus, will there be even BE midterm elections? We discuss how Trump is strong-arming Republicans to ensure they do not lose the house. David Daley joins to talk about how Republican gerrymandering has reshaped American politics and how the John Robert’s Supreme Court is on the precipice of delivering a death blow to the Voting Rights Act.

Plus, Francesca reacts to MAGA's spin out about the Bad Bunny's súper Super Bowl show.

Featuring:

Usamah Andrabi, spokesperson and communications director for Justice Democrats (27:56)

https://x.com/usamahandrabi

David Daley, journalist and author (56:06)

https://x.com/davedaley3

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See Francesca LIVE Saturday February 14th at 9:30pm Pasadena for New World Disorder:

https://www.showclix.com/event/new-world-disorder-Valentines-Day-Edition-02-14-26-9-30-pm

The Bitchuation Room will be LIVE in Los Angeles with Emma Vigeland on Sunday March 22nd at Dynasty Typewriter. Tickets here: https://bit.ly/TBR322

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A Virgin Group spokesperson contacted our show re: Richard Branson and says: “Any contact Richard and Joan Branson had with Epstein took place on only a few occasions more than twelve years ago, and was limited to group or business settings, such as a charity tennis event. When Epstein offered a charity donation, the Bransons asked their team to carry out due diligence before accepting the donation, which uncovered serious allegations. As a result of what the due diligence uncovered, Virgin Unite did not take the donation and Richard and Joan decided not to meet or speak with Epstein again. Had they had the full picture and information, there would have been no contact whatsoever – Richard believes that Epstein’s actions were abhorrent and supports the right to justice for his many victims.” 

Anyway, do your own research.

***

Support the show becoming a patron https://www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom and get exclusive perks. You can also be a member on YouTube, Twitch, or a paid subscriber on substack: franifio.substack.com. 

***

Get your union-made podcast merch: www.bitchuationroom.com

***

Thanks to Paige Oamek, Andy Vasoyan & Brent Godin

***

Follow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPod

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bitchuationroom.bsky.social

Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast on:

iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuation

Google Music: http://bit.ly/GoogleBitchuation

Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation

Spotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation

Find Francesca On: 

Substack: franifio.substack.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio 

YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio 

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Franifio

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to bet on the U.S. invading Iran? Sure why not? You can do exactly that with prediction markets, the billionaire-backed platforms that gamble on the future while sucking your wallet dry. Francesca looks at the very recent rise of platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi which are now partnering with everything from awards shows to UFC fights, and even news outlets.

After sports betting was legalized in 2018, the online gambling model that has lured many Americans in is expanding. This time to politics, culture and current events. You can now bet on how many deportations there will be in a year, or if Kristi Noem will keep her job. It’s as dystopian as it sounds but it’s having real-life consequences. People are losing thousands of dollars on these betting schemes, which are dubiously legal. Polymarket already paid out a massive settlement to the Commodities Futures Trading Commission in 2022 and is now facing a class-action lawsuit out of the Southern District of New York. 

But the platforms aren’t slowing down despite the legal hurdles. That’s in part thanks to Trump’s newly minted head of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, who’s a former crypto lawyer, who wants to remove regulations. 

Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour wants to ‘financialize everything’ and hopes prediction markets grow to be a trillion-dollar venture. The problem? They’re rife with corruption. Insider trading is everywhere in sports betting, and now that same cheating streak appears to be rearing its head in political betting as well. 

Beyond that, what does it mean when we stop being actors in the world around us and simply become gamblers? And what lengths could people go to to see their bets pay off? Black Mirror could never.

Thanks to Andy Vasoyan, Brent Godin and Paige Oamek.

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See Francesca LIVE Saturday February 14th at 9:30pm Pasadena for New World Disorder:

https://www.showclix.com/event/new-world-disorder-Valentines-Day-Edition-02-14-26-9-30-pm

***

Support the show becoming a patron https://www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom and get exclusive perks. You can also be a member on YouTube, Twitch, or a paid subscriber on substack: franifio.substack.com. 

***

Get your union-made podcast merch: www.bitchuationroom.com

***

Thanks to Paige Oamek, Andy Vasoyan & Brent Godin

***

Follow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPod

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bitchuationroom.bsky.social

Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast on:

iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuation

Google Music: http://bit.ly/GoogleBitchuation

Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation

Spotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation

Find Francesca On: 

Substack: franifio.substack.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio 

YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/franifio 

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Franifio

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She's a crossfaded cross-wearing conservative who had it made in the shade until she finally crossed Trump. Journalist Jake Lahut joins the show to break down his latest feature "Nancy Mace is Not Okay," which chronicles the congresswoman's booze runs, crash outs, and staff turn over.

Then, the DOJ releases millions of pedo-files and somehow we all have to still file our taxes. Comedian Gareth Reynolds joins Francesca to discuss Epstein's connections to Trump, Ehud Barak, Peter Thiel and yes, cannibalism. Are we the left's QAnon now?

UPDATE: A Virgin Group spokesperson contacted our show re: Richard Branson and says:

“Any contact Richard and Joan Branson had with Epstein took place on only a few occasions more than twelve years ago, and was limited to group or business settings, such as a charity tennis event. When Epstein offered a charity donation, the Bransons asked their team to carry out due diligence before accepting the donation, which uncovered serious allegations. As a result of what the due diligence uncovered, Virgin Unite did not take the donation and Richard and Joan decided not to meet or speak with Epstein again. Had they had the full picture and information, there would have been no contact whatsoever – Richard believes that Epstein’s actions were abhorrent and supports the right to justice for his many victims."

Featuring:

Jake Lahut, reporter (58:56)

https://bsky.app/profile/jakelahut.bsky.social

straightfromthehut.substack.com 

Read Jake's piece here: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/nancy-mace-is-not-okay.html 

Gareth Reynolds, comedian (6:16)

https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsgareth/

https://linktr.ee/garethreynolds

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See Francesca LIVE Saturday February 14th at 9:30pm Pasadena for New World Disorder:

https://www.showclix.com/event/new-world-disorder-Valentines-Day-Edition-02-14-26-9-30-pm

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Head to factormeals.com/bitchuation50off and use code bitchuation50off to get 50% off your first Factor box PLUS free breakfast for 1 year. Offer only valid for new Factor customers with code and qualifying auto-renewing subscription purchase. Make healthier eating easy with Factor.

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Support the show becoming a patron https://www.patreon.com/bitchuationroom and get exclusive perks. You can also be a member on YouTube, Twitch, or a paid subscriber on substack: franifio.substack.com. 

***

Get your union-made podcast merch: www.bitchuationroom.com

***

Thanks to Paige Oamek, Andy Vasoyan & Brent Godin

***

Follow The Bitchuation Room on Twitter @BitchuationPod

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bitchuationroom.bsky.social

Check Out The Bitchuation Room Podcast on:

iTunes: http://bit.ly/iTunesbitchuation

Google Music: http://bit.ly/GoogleBitchuation

Stitcher: http://bit.ly/stitcherbitchuation

Spotify: http://bit.ly/spotifybitchuation

Find Francesca On: 

Substack: franifio.substack.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/franifio 

YouTube: The Bitchuation Room’s channel https://www.youtube.com/franifio 

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/franifio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Franifio

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/franifio/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices