This week, Andy sits down with two guests bringing very different energy to the same fight. Comedian and political creator Suzanne Lambert, the voice behind "Mean but True" joins to talk about Southern women fighting back, the best french fries, and how the right has learned to weaponize Democrats being too nice. It's a candid, funny, and sharp conversation about why playing nice isn't working.

Then Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, joins to break down this week's confirmation hearings for Todd Blanche, Trump's pick for Attorney General, the growing wave of attacks on nonprofits across the country, and the unprecedented indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Plus, Andy gets into affordable housing, the Colorado governor's race results, mental health, the latest on Iran, and a much-awaited update on Senator Mitch McConnell.

A lot of ground covered this week, let's get into it.

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This episode is an exhale. This week, Andy welcomes Philly's own Alex Pearlman, the comedian and internet personality better known to over a million followers as @pearlmania500. Alex has spent 20 years as a stand-up comedian and built a massive online following with his loud, unfiltered takes on everything from local news to national politics, even landing a seat in the press corps after one of his videos on the I-95 collapse went viral. Now he's bringing that same energy into the studio to talk Trump, online reactions and speaking up (yelling!) when you can. Plus, our interns take the wheel for a special rapid fire edition of Gen Z Lingo. No cap.

It's a lighter episode with a lot of laughs, a couple cringes, and a genuine generational exchange about how young people communicate – and why it matters for anyone trying to actually reach them.

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This July marks 250 years since America declared its independence – and on this special America250 episode, Andy takes a step back to celebrate not just the country's birthday, but the people stepping up to serve it. All year long, the Primed for 2026 series has crisscrossed the country, sitting down with the candidates and leaders shaping this critical midterm year. Now, with primary season largely behind us and the road to November coming into focus, it's time for a recap.

Looking to get caught up on all the top gov races happening in November? Look no further. 50 minutes, 36 governor's races, it's time for a rapid-fire round. We're revisiting the competitive governor primary in Maine, Georgia and the Colorado race that happened just this week. Plus, the open-seat battle for Michigan's governorship, Dr. Amy Acton's fight for Ohio, Gov. Katie Hobbs's reelection bid in Arizona, Rob Sand's big moves in Iowa, and a look ahead at the critical 2026 midterms.

Many of these candidates have now won their primaries and are gearing up for the general election. This will be a big fight. As we mark a quarter-millennium of American self-government, this episode is a reminder of what the founders actually built: not a finished product, but an ongoing argument about who gets to lead, and how. Here's to 250 years, and to the people still showing up to do the work. Let's get into it.

Looking for more deep-dives ahead of the 2026 election? Check out the full episodes:

Maine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YneO24fTVpo&t=4s

Colorado: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shv7GfI-0SU

Georgia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj0g7vDSs7Y&t=1360s

Texas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lVvqr2RSUE

Ohio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsBX-r8McIA&t=1s

Michigan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeNpMikYCNA&t=9s

Iowa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cky6Lc6E5g&t=2754s

New Mexico: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=munw-ad1LBU&t=13s

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