Ep. 136 - Geopolitical Chess: Revolts, Plea Deals, RFK, Political Rivals, and the Rise of the Far-Right

Support Us Here! --> https://anchor.fm/politicana/support

Welcome to the Politicana Podcast, your go-to source for the latest updates and analysis on world politics. Join hosts Tyler, Prateek, and Nick as they dive into current events, world affairs, policy debates, elections, gaffes, and everything in between! Tune in every week for new episodes (Typically Monday).

Don't miss out on staying informed – follow us on your preferred podcasting platform to receive notifications whenever we release new episodes. For any comments, questions, or inquiries, reach out to us at [email protected]. Stay engaged and informed with the Politicana Podcast!

-- Topics And Timestamps --

00:20 - Back in the USSR

Vladimir Putin's private mercenary group, the Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, revolted against the Russian Army amid the Ukraine invasion. Prigozhin's forces seized control in Rostov-on-Don, escalating tensions and sparking coup speculations. Although Prigozhin denied the claims and eventually retreated, the incident left Russia in turmoil, gave Ukraine a potential advantage, and resulted in Putin exiling Prigozhin to Belarus.

9:25 - The Hunter Finally Gets The Arrow 

President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, has secured a plea deal with the Justice Department over federal tax misdemeanors, thus avoiding a separate gun charge and prison time. This agreement concludes a comprehensive investigation into his unreported taxes and foreign business dealings.

3. The Second Best the Dems have to Offer

The unexpected surge in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s popularity in early polls, boosted by his appearance on the Joe Rogan show, has highlighted President Biden's potential vulnerabilities among Democrats. Despite Biden's prominent support and troubles among Republican contenders, Kennedy's rise accentuates progressive voters' desire for an alternative. Kennedy, an anti-vaccine candidate, discussed a variety of controversial beliefs on Rogan's show, including potential health risks from vaccines, Wifi and cell phone radiation, and the efficacy of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 treatments.

38:15 - Emerson College Poll Shows Trump and Biden At The Top

48:00 - Gavin Newsome Wants DeSantis Behind Bars 

Gavin Newsom and Sheriff Javier Salazar met to discuss Ron DeSantis transporting migrants to California. Newsom wants accountability and potential charges for what he calls "state-sanctioned kidnapping." He aims to work with the Department of Justice and the Texas D.A. to pursue legal action.

52:00 - Cause Now We Got Bad Blood

In a heated Fox News interview, former President Donald Trump defended his actions on the 2020 election and handling of presidential records. Trump dismissed criminal accusations regarding unreturned documents, attributing their contents to personal items and news articles. The discussion intensified over Chris Christie's criticism of Trump's Ukraine policy. Christie later countered, highlighting Trump's self-obsession and negligence of document preservation. This exchange continues the public quarrels since Christie's entry into the GOP nomination race.

57:30 - Keeping Up With the Dictator

President Joe Biden labels Xi Jing Ping a Dictator

1:00:26 -  Biden and Modi Create the Ultimate Bromance 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Washington underscores a burgeoning US-India partnership, despite reservations about Modi's democratic practices. Seen as a strategic counterweight to China, India's importance grows amid rising China-US tensions. This shift represents a change from Democrats' historical lean towards Pakistan.

1:03:20 -Spartan Party Wins

Greece's far-right Spartans, led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, won a majority in the recent election, securing 40.5% of the vote. The election, focused on economic issues, also saw two other hard-right parties, Greek Solution and Niki Party, collectively gain close to 13% of the vote.

---

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/politicana/support