ThePoliticsBar

Second Round - How Democrats Govern

Americans Want Affordability

Democrats Deliver Progress

The War Over Democracy

Third Round - Elsewhere In Federal Government

Cluster On Capitol Hill

War In The Courts

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

Polls & Politics

Other Foreign Affairs

Miscellaneous But Important

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Media Matters

TV, Music, & More

Sports Entertainment

Tonight’s Bar Regular:

John Fugelsang, our friend, broadcaster, podcaster, Substacker, comedian, author of the bestselling book “Separation of Church and Hate” , & host of his own show on SiriusXM is back in evenings tonight, to hang out with us! We’ll talk about Trump’s speech you didn’t need to see, Republicans’ love for war, if Democrats can unite to win, and more Join us tonight!

Join us today, on any of our radio affiliates, or subscribe and listen ad-free anytime!

DOTD For Thursday, July 23, 2026

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 17:15:10 GMT

Today’s DOTD - Drink Of The Day - is a Gimlet Cocktail inspired by the birthday of legendary American novelist, screenwriter, and celebrated master of “hard-boiled” crime fiction, Raymond Chandler. The Gimlet was his drink - or at least the drink of Philip Marlowe, the iconic hardboiled, hard-drinking detective he brought to life in many novels, including The Long Goodbye:

“We sat in a corner of the bar at Victor’s and drank gimlets. ‘They don’t know how to make ‘em here,’ he said. ‘What they call a gimlet is just some lime or lemon juice and gin with a dash of sugar and bitters. A real gimlet is half gin and half Rose’s Lime Juice and nothing else. It beats martinis hollow.’”

Raymond Chandler was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 23, 1888, the only child of an Irish-born mother and a Pennsylvanian father. He spent many of his early years in Nebraska, but after his father, who had always struggled with alcoholism, left the family, Chandler and his mother moved to Ireland in 1895, then on to England. After receiving an education at Dulwich College, Chandler took civil service exams, placing first in classics and third overall. His reward, a clerkship in the British Admiralty, did not agree with him and he left it to freelance as a journalist.

In 1912, Chandler returned alone to the United States, eventually settling in southern California. His mother would soon join him there and he would care for her for years to come. It was in this period, during a string of dull, poorly paid odd jobs, that Chandler met his future wife, Cissy, who was at the time married to West Indian pianist Julian Pascal. She would eventually leave her husband for Chandler, but they would not marry for over a decade.

With World War I underway, the 29-year-old Chandler journeyed north to enlist in the Canadian army in 1917. Wrote Chandler’s biographer Frank MacShane, “Only the 20th century could produce the scenario of an American-born Anglo-Irishman traveling to Canada in order to join a Scottish regiment to fight Germans in France.” Chandler saw dramatic action in France, where a German artillery barrage killed everyone in his unit except Chandler, who received only a concussion.

Discharged in 1919, Chandler returned to Los Angeles and unsuccessfully tried his hand at poetry. He eventually took work as an accountant for Dabney Oil Syndicate. His interest in the now-divorced Cissy Pascal was rekindled, but they did not marry until after his mother’s death in 1924. Perhaps unbeknownst to Chandler, Cissy was nearly 18 years his senior. Rising quickly at Dabney Oil, Chandler soon became an oil executive, earning about $1,000 a month (about $19,600 a month in 2026 dollars). He even was allowed use of two company cars, despite widespread economic hardships during the Depression. Initially quite respected for his work at Dabney, Chandler began neglecting his work, womanizing and drinking excessively, and was fired in 1932 at the age of 44.

The shock of being fired forced Chandler to consider his behavior and find a new means of earning a living. With his marriage on the mend, Chandler gave up drinking and turned his attention once again to writing. Perhaps taking into account the potential to earn money writing for popular pulp fiction magazines (yes, kids - those were real things), and admiring the work of author Dashiell Hammett who had started publishing stories in Black Mask magazine in 1920, Chandler now tried his hand at crime stories. His first story, “Blackmailers Don’t Shoot,” published by Black Mask in December 1933, earned him $180, or about $4600 in 2026 dollars.

Chandler continued to perfect his craft and with each story, he added depth to his central hero, a private detective character variously named Mallory, Dalmas, Carmad, or Gage, among other names. Having become a struggling and unprolific writer from his previous perch as an oil corporation executive, Chandler found that he was no longer immune to the economic difficulties of the Depression. In 1938 his work earned him a mere $1,275 - roughly $30k for the whole year. Chandler and Cissy moved frequently during this time (they moved roughly 35 times during their 30-year marriage) and as Chandler’s income grew smaller so did their rental homes. Things would soon change, however, when Chandler turned his focus to his first novel, The Big Sleep, published by Alfred A. Knopf Publishing in February 1939. The novel sold 10,000 copies in the United States, one sign that paperback novels were rising in popularity. During this rise, Chandler’s character of Philip Marlowe continued to haunt the streets of a gritty Los Angeles in his novels Farewell, My Lovely (1940), The High Window (1942) and The Lady in the Lake (1943).

It was at this time, during World War II, that Hollywood looked more at the hardboiled detective genre for material for films. In 1943, Paramount hired Chandler to work on scripts. His first was a collaboration with Billy Wilder on the adaptation of fellow novelist James Cain’s Double Indemnity. He received an Oscar nomination for the screenplay and continued successful work in the film industry for the next four years, including his screenplay for The Blue Dahlia (1946).

Once his work in films faded, he and Cissy retreated even further into their very private life together. Chandler was a shy, lonely man, and had difficulty fitting in with his chosen California environment, in particular with Hollywood. The one abiding relationship Chandler had was with his wife, to whom he was, in his own fashion, strongly devoted. In 1946 the Chandlers moved to La Jolla, outside San Diego. There he dedicated himself to caring for Cissy, who had grown quite ill from fibrosis of the lungs. Despite medical problems of his own, including shingles and an eczema so severe that he had to wear gloves to type, Chandler continued to write, and published another Marlowe novel, The Little Sister (1949).

In 1950 and 1951 Chandler worked on a new book, but the old Philip Marlowe bored him. When his own agents rejected the manuscript, Chandler broke his relationship with them, intent on adding depth to his hero. The Long Goodbye (1953) was a landmark. It introduced a flawed Marlowe, lonely and weakened by time, and brought social commentary to the hardboiled detective genre.

Sadly, Chandler’s story ended like one of the many dark tales he’d written over the years. After Cissy died in 1954, Chandler grew depressed, resumed drinking, and began traveling restlessly between England and L.A. In 1955 he made a feeble attempt at suicide and in 1958 he published his last novel, Playback, which is still shrugged off by Chandler readers as better off forgotten. He died in La Jolla on March 26, 1959 of pneumonia.

Raymond Chandler, widely accepted as a master stylist who transformed 20th century detective fiction, is our inspiration for today’s Drink Of The Day, Gimlet Cocktail.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’re going to need for this drink:

You & Your Friends

ThePoliticsBar — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 23:30:53 GMT

Today’s “News On Tap” tastes of halfascism & loneliness - because clearly Trump & his minions don’t have any real friends. From Trump's quagmire with Iran, to their failing war against democracy, everywhere they are, it’s failure. Thankfully, our friend Bob Cesca stops by the bar tonight to talk about all of it. Grab a drink & join us!

News On Tap For Wednesday, July 22, 2026

ThePoliticsBar — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:57:16 GMT

Today’s “News On Tap” tastes of halfascism & failed wars, unfortunately. From Trump’s quagmire with Iran, to The Real Costs Of War, to Trump & Republicans’ war against Democracy, we’ve got news on all those wars. There’s also a pile of updates from the Administration From Hell, their Immigration Wars, and the continuing Cluster on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, we’ve got Election Returns & Political News, Media Matters, Movie & TV news, & Sports news too. Plus, Bob Cesca is stopping by tonight to talk about all that & more with us. Read up, get informed, & we’ll see you here tonight!

First Round - Trump's Middle East Mess

The Quagmire With Iran

The Real Costs Of War

Trump’s Other Middle East Problems

Other Foreign Affairs

Second Round - The War Over Good Government

Administration From Hell

The War Over Democracy

Immigration Wars

Third Round - Elsewhere In Federal Government

Cluster On Capitol Hill

War In The Courts

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

Election Returns & Political News

Miscellaneous But Important

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Media Matters & More

Movie & TV News

Sports Entertainment

Your Bar Regular Tonight

Bob Cesca, podcaster, broadcaster, journalist, artist, & host of The Bob Cesca Show, as well as co-host of the award-winning Trek Politics is back at the bar tonight. We’ll talk about Bob’s latest piece for The Banter, Don’t Let Donald’s Corruption Get Flushed Down the Memory Hole. We’ll also talk with Bob about Pete Kegbreath’s appearance on Capitol Hill, Trump’s war on democracy, and we’ll grab a few more rounds from the News On Tap. Plus, we’ll ask Bob about his latest episode of Trek Politics too. Join us tonight!

Join us today, on any of our radio affiliates, or subscribe and listen ad-free anytime!

DOTD For Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:15:51 GMT

Today’s DOTD - Drink Of The Day - is a Brain Hemorrhage Shot inspired by World Brain Day! World Brain Day unites people globally every July 22 to spotlight the importance of brain health. This annual observance, championed by the World Federation of Neurology, aims to raise awareness about neurological diseases and promote prevention strategies. Join the movement by educating yourself, supporting research, and advocating for better brain care. (Better brain care, means you don’t get an ACTUAL brain hemorrhage.)

History of World Brain Day

The World Federation of Neurology was the first to establish World Brain Day as a worldwide commemoration day in 2014, to coincide with the anniversary of their founding in 1957. The holiday’s date, July 22, honors not only the World Federation of Neurology’s foundation in 1957 but also the crafting of the organization’s first constitution. The World Federation of Neurology established World Brain Day to address the rising global burden of neurological diseases, which are currently recognized as the leading cause of disability worldwide.

Every year, the campaign highlights a specific theme to drive international collaboration among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public to reduce stigma, improve access to care, and promote early intervention. This year, the theme is “Brain Health: Access for All,” to highlight the urgent need to reduce global disparities in neurological care, and bring critical brain health services and resources to under-served communities everywhere around the world.

Today, the World Federation of Neurology is one of the strongest professional associations in the world, with an ever-increasing outreach. It includes more than 100 member organizations, as well as several specialized groups within the organization. It has effectively fostered training, education, and neurology research, and it is one of the most important aspects of making neurology more accessible to the general public. The group has taken on numerous initiatives to raise awareness of brain health, including the establishment of this annual international day of awareness.

World Brain Day FAQs

How many people are affected by neurological disorders?

Globally, neurological disorders affect an estimated one billion people, encompassing conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, stroke, epilepsy, and migraine. These conditions are a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide.

What is brain health?

Brain health refers to the ability to perform all mental processes of cognition, including learning, memory, judgment, and emotional regulation. It encompasses not just the absence of disease but also the optimization of brain function throughout life.

How to Observe World Brain Day

Get A Brain Check-up

Visit any clinic or, better yet, a neurologist’s practice with a neurology specialist. Patients who are prepared to go above and beyond to help prevent problems from occurring are always welcomed by neurologists.

Read About Neurology

Understanding basic brain health and safety could be lifesaving information someday. Most hospitals and clinics will gladly give you some brochures and reading guides. These can prove helpful and give you information to point you to other resources so that you can keep learning.

Appreciate Neurology

Reading about neurology and the history of neurosciences may be both enjoyable and educational, as well as providing you with a deeper understanding of the field. Learning about it could also potentially help you identify your own neurological disorders, so that you can handle them better.

Do Something Good For Your Brain

Humor is highly beneficial for brain health. It triggers the release of feel-good chemicals like dopamine and endorphins, while lowering the stress hormone cortisol. Processing jokes also acts as a mental workout that enhances cognitive flexibility, encourages emotional resilience, and improves blood flow to the brain. So enjoy a brain-related clip from the 1974 classic “Young Frankenstein!”

Five Intriguing Facts About The Brain

Four Inputs Do Most Of The Work

The human brain contains roughly 86 billion neurons. More than half of these - about 50 to 60 billion - are a specific type of neuron called granule cells. While many complex neurons in the brain, like pyramidal cells in the cortex, receive thousands of incoming signals, granule cells are highly streamlined. They feature only four short dendrites - effectively, antennas - through which all the signals in our brains travel. Despite their simplicity—having only four dendrites apiece—these granule cells play a massive role in motor control, balance, and fine-tuning movement. Because there are tens of billions of them acting as a massive processing filter, they allow the brain to process highly complex sensory and motor information with extreme precision..

Neurons Can Repair Themselves

Historically, scientists did not think damaged neurons could grow back. For decades, the established dogma was that the adult central nervous system had no capacity for regeneration.

However, modern neuroscience has entirely overturned this idea. Biologists now understand that damaged central nervous system (CNS) cells can be stimulated to regrow under the right conditions.

Born This Way

According to many studies, the neurons that a person is born with are most likely the same ones they will keep throughout their lives.

The Animal With The Largest Brain

The sperm whale has the largest brain of all animals on Earth, weighing 20 pounds.

Humans Have Been Performing Brain Surgery For Millenia

The earliest successful brain surgeries can be traced back to the Stone Age, when they used an ancient surgical practice known as trepanation, which involves scraping or drilling a hole directly into a living person’s skull. Archaeologists have uncovered over 1,500 trepanned prehistoric skulls globally, spanning Europe, Asia, and the Americas. We know these primitive operations were successful because many of the skulls show clear signs of advanced bone regrowth and healing around the edges of the holes. Because bone can only regenerate while a patient is alive, this physical evidence proves that a remarkable number of individuals survived the harrowing procedures and lived for years afterward.

With all of that brain info in mind, we give you today’s Drink Of The Day, a Brain Hemorrhage Shot!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’re going to need for this drink:

The Politics Bar After Hours - Using The Right Tools

ThePoliticsBar — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:02:15 GMT

Tonight’s After Hours, with may inform you and might even change your mind on a couple topics. We talk a bit about the economy, and what most Americans really want. We also talk about energy & oil. And Hal talks about whipping out his tool to level the floor. …We’ll let you figure out what that means - or just grab another round & listen in!

Truths About War

ThePoliticsBar — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 23:30:45 GMT

As you can see, today’s “News On Tap” is a bit messy - Trump's losing war with Iran keeps dragging on, the economy keeps getting worse thanks to Trump & Republicans, & the mainstream news media keeps failing. Still, there are reasons for hope - including our friend Hal Sparks, who will be here tonight. Grab a drink & join us!

News On Tap For Tuesday, July 21, 2026

ThePoliticsBar — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:59:54 GMT

Today’s “News On Tap” is like America today - a bit of a mess, but with reasons for hope. Today is Election Day in Arizona, as election season is ramping up around the U.S. We’ve also got a news update on Trump’s Iran War quagmire, and the very real costs of that war.. Meanwhile, Trump & Republican economics is failing Americans, as Trump’s cruel & bumbling halfascist administration just makes things worse, There’s some ugly Media news today, but some good news in Movies & Music, and we’ve got Sports news too. Plus, Hal Sparks is back in the bar tonight to help us laugh at all of this insanity. Read up, get informed, & we’ll see you here tonight!

First Round - Trump’s Failing Foreign Affairs

Trump’s Iran War Rolls On

The Costs Of War

Other Foreign Affairs

Second Round - Election Land

Third Round - Republicans' Fail At Governing

Trumponomics Is Failing

The Maladministration Of Trump

The Right’s Cruel Immigration Wars

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

War In The Courts

Miscellaneous But Important

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Media Matters

Movies & Music

Sports Entertainment

Tonight’s Special Guest

One of our favorite friends Hal Sparks is back at the bar tonight! Hal - an original member of the Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour - is the host of the Hal Sparks Megaworldwide show, streaming weekdays on his Infotainment Wars YouTube Channel, and on Saturday’s on WCPT radio! He’s also been the star of multiple TV shows, including Talk Soup, Queer as Folk, Dude Where’s My Car, and Lab Rats. Today, we’ll talk about all the news of the day - and we may even hit on a few issues from the past month. Come on by & join us tonight!

Join us today, on any of our radio affiliates, or subscribe and listen ad-free anytime!

DOTD For Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:15:07 GMT

Today’s DOTD - Drink Of The Day - is a Green Isaac’s Special Cocktail - and surprisingly, a mocktail - inspired by the birth of Ernest Hemingway, one of the most famous authors - & drinkers - in Western literature, who was born on this date, July 21, 1899, in Oak Park, Illinois.

The Green Isaac’s Special is a tart, hydrating gin cocktail created by the legendary author himself, one of many cocktails Hemingway created. Named after Great Isaac Cay in the Bahamas, it first appeared in his novel Islands in the Stream. It’s essentially a tropical, sugar-free twist on a Tom Collins.

1899–1961

Ernest Hemingway’s Early Life

Ernest Miller Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899, in Cicero (now Oak Park), Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He was the eldest son, and second child, of Clarence and Grace Hemingway’s six children. The family spent a great deal of time in northern Michigan, where they had a cabin. It was there the future sportsman learned to hunt, fish, and appreciate the outdoors.

In high school, Hemingway worked on his school newspaper, The Trapeze, writing primarily about sports. Immediately after graduation, instead of going to college as his parents wished, nor heading oversees to war as he wanted, Hemingway went to work for the Kansas City Star, gaining experience that would later influence his distinctively stripped-down fiction and nonfiction writing style.

He once said, “On the Star you were forced to learn to write a simple declarative sentence. This is useful to anyone. Newspaper work will not harm a young writer and could help him if he gets out of it in time.”

Hemingway worked at the Kansas City Star, as World War I raged abroad. He was only there for only about six months before he attempted to enlist in the Army. But his initial plan was thwarted when the Army rejected him due to his poor eyesight. His next step was to sign on with the Red Cross to be an ambulance driver in Italy. In June of 1918 he arrived at the Italian Front, and by July 8 he was already seriously injured by mortar fire. That’s a lot to pack in while you’re still 18 years old. It took him six months to recover, and he then returned to the U.S. in January 1919.

Hemingway On Writing - Lloyd Arnold/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Hemingway’s Complicated & Interesting Life

Late in 1919, Hemingway started work as a freelancer for the Toronto Star Weekly. By September 1921, they hired him as a foreign correspondent and he set sail for Paris, the first of many adventures he’d have in his life.

On top of being a legendary writer, Hemingway was an avid sportsman and traveled widely, living in a wide variety of places, including Madrid, Paris, Idaho, Key West, and Cuba. Readers then & now often admired his exciting, complicated life, despite its convoluted and intense mixture of violence and cruelty, along with love affairs and heroism. “There were so many sides to him, that he defied geometry,” his first wife, Hadley Richardson, once said.

Hemingway continued to take part in, and write about, violent conflicts for decades, including the Spanish Civil War and World War II, where he witnessed both D-Day and the liberation of Paris. He was even awarded the Bronze Star for his World War II service.

Despite his willingness to risk his life, as well as his physical and mental health, Hemingway hated war. In fact, it was precisely because of his wartime experiences he wrote, “Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime.”

Hemingway’s Wives, Children, & Grandchildren

From the beginning of his adult life, Hemingway had complicated romantic and family dynamics. He always had the next woman in his life before he let go of the first one, and often married his next wife less than a few weeks after divorcing the previous woman.

He was married four times. First to Hadley Richardson in 1921. The couple’s divorce was finalized in April 1927, and he married Pauline Pfeiffer in May 1927. The couple divorced in November of 1940 and he married Martha Gellhorn, considered one of the greatest war correspondents of all time, just 17 days later—but they divorced in 1945. He married Mary Welsh in 1946, and she remained his wife until his death, although that marriage was often unhappy and violent.

He also fathered three children, John “Jack” Hadley Nicanor Hemingway, Patrick “Mouse” Miller Hemingway, and Gloria Hancock Hemingway. Gloria, born Gregory Hancock Hemingway, was the author’s youngest child. She lived publicly as a man for most of her life, struggling with severe gender dysphoria. In her sixties, she finally underwent gender-affirmation surgery.

Hemingway’s granddaughters, children of his eldest son, Jack, may be more familar to some. Joan “Muffet” Hemingway his eldest granddaughter, was a writer and jewelry designer, born in 1950. his second granddaughter, Margaux Hemingway, was a highly celebrated supermodel in the 1970s who later transitioned to acting. She struggled with severe depression and died by suicide in 1996 at age 42. Hemmingway’s youngest granddaughter, Mariel Hemingway, became an acclaimed actress in the 1970s and 80s, and later became a mental health advocate and author of the memoir Out Came the Sun.

Famous Hemingway Quotes

Never confuse movement with action.
There is no friend as loyal as a book.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
Always do sober what you said you’d do drunk. It will teach you to keep your mouth shut.
An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with fools.
The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.
Write drunk, edit sober.
It’s good to have an end to journey to; but in the end it’s the journey that matters.

Hemingway’s Legacy

Ernest Hemingway, is lauded as one of the great American 20-Century novelists & authors, renowned for works including The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953. Hemingway also won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954, one of only 13 Americans to win the honor.

Hemingway was famous for his direct and terse writing style, which grew directly out of his journalism work. Even in his fiction writing, he rarely used adjectives and adverbs, and relied on repetition and clarity to create atmosphere and mood. He describing his writing as the “Iceberg Theory,” believing that the omitted part of a story, i.e., the bottom of the iceberg, was the strongest part and that readers would understand the intention without having to be directly told what a story meant or its overarching theme. Because of this stripped down style, many of his greatest works are novellas.

Hemingway was also renowned for being a very serious drinker, and by some tellings, not a bad bartender. Hemingway’s drinking prowess hardly needs an introduction to most of those familiar with his legend.

Origin of The Green Isaac’s Special

During the last half of his life, Hemingway also legendarily bought a boat, named it Pilar, and began sailing the Caribbean. He liked going out and fishing around Bimini, a chain of islands about 50 miles due east of Miami. Prone to using autobiographical details as framing devices for his stories, this period of his life provided fodder for Islands in the Stream, a collection of three stories: Bimini, Cuba, and At Sea. It was the first of his works published posthumously from largely finished manuscripts discovered by his fourth wife.

Somewhere out near Bimini is where Hemingway presumably invented today’s Drink of the Day, the Green Isaac’s Special. In Bimini the protagonist Thomas Hudson, a clear stand-in for Hemmingway, asked the first mate Eddy for a drink:

“‘Do you want a drink with coconut water? I got some water coconuts.”
‘Very good.’
‘Want a Green Isaac Special?’
‘Fine. Make it a Special.’
Eddy came aft with the tall cold drink made of gin, green coconut water, and chipped ice with just enough Angostura bitter to give a rusty, rose color, he held the drink in the shade so the ice would not melt while he looked out over the sea.”

Now, while Ernest Hemingway was a legendary drinker, if he’d had the option to have had mocktails back in the day, he might have taken advantage of them, especially when he had editing to do. (See his quotes, above)

So with that in mind, we’ve got recipes for both the Green Isaac’s Special Cocktail AND Mocktail, below. Read up - and drink up!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’re going to need for this drink:

The Politics Bar After Hours - Weekend At Mitch's

ThePoliticsBar — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 23:39:09 GMT

Tonight, it’s another great After Hours episode with BrooklynDad_Defiant! We start by playing the new bar game ‘Dead or Alive, Mitch McConnell edition.’ We also talk about something Gov. Andy Beshear could do that would make Republicans explode. Plus more on the ICE monstera & their boss, Mumbles. Grab one more drink & stay with us!

Putting Their Heads Together

ThePoliticsBar — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 23:30:19 GMT

Today’s “News On Tap” is all about the fighting - and how stupid most of it is. From Grampy Trump at the World Cup, to Trump's stupid Iran War, to Dems uncivil intra-party war in Michigan, we’ll cover all that & more. Plus, Brooklyn Dad Defiant will join us with a quiz & more. Grab a drink & you join us too!

News On Tap For Monday, July 20, 2026

ThePoliticsBar — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 18:39:55 GMT

Today’s “News On Tap” is all about the fighting - and how stupid most of it is. From Trump stupidly restarting the war in Iran, to the Democratic potential for great mistakes in the Great Lakes, there’s a lot of stupid fighting out there. There is some good news, as Democrats are making progress elsewhere, even as Republicans are campaigning for failure. That’s not surprising, given Republicans’ economic failures, their cruel & violent Immigration Wars, and their crappy - literally - administration. There’s also news in the War Over Democracy, & some Justice news as well, Plus, news in Media, Movies, TV, & More, and a Wrap Up of the World Cup too. Plus, Brooklyn Dad Defiant will join us to recap it all, & talk about what movies he saw this weekend. Read up, get informed, and we’ll see you here at the bar tonight!

First Round - Trump's Many Foreign Failures

Trump’s Iran War Rolls On

Other Foreign Affairs

Second Round - Politics & Elections

Democrats Making Progress

Dems’ Circular Firing Squad

Republicans’ Campaign For Failure

Third Round - Republicans Suck At Governing

Republican Economic Failures

Immigration Wars

A Very Crappy Administration

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

The War Over Democracy

Justice & Injustice

Miscellaneous But Important

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Media, Movies, TV, & More

The World Cup Wraps Up

Other Sports Entertainment

Your Bar Regular For Tonight

Brooklyn Dad Defiant, AKA Majid Padellan, is an author, activist, blogger, as sell as host/co-host of TWO online shows – ‘The Defiant Weekly’ on Wednesdays, and ‘The JoJo & BDD Show’ with Jo Carducci on Thursdays. Tonight, we’ll recap the weekend - Trump’s Iran war restart, the Missing Mitch, Dems in the Great Lakes potentially making great mistakes, & more. Plus, we’ll get his take on the World Cup, & Grampy Trump trying to bogart the glory. We’ll also draw a few more rounds from the News On Tap. Grab a drink & join us tonight!

Join us today, on any of our radio affiliates, or subscribe and listen ad-free anytime!

DOTD For Monday, July 20, 2026

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 17:16:30 GMT

Today’s DOTD - Drink Of The Day - is a Moonwalk Cocktail inspired by not who you may think… Nope, it’s not Michael - well not that one. Today’s drink inspiration is… National Moon Day!

Every July 20, National Moon Day commemorates the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing. This day honors the courage, ingenuity, and teamwork that allowed humanity the chance to step onto another celestial body.

This iconic image features astronaut Buzz Aldrin walking on the Moon during NASA’s historic Apollo 11 mission in July 1969. The photograph was taken by Neil Armstrong, whose reflection is visible in Aldrin’s gold-plated visor.

History of National Moon Day

American astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin became the first humans in history to land on the Moon on July 20, 1969, while Michael Collins remained in the Columbia command module in lunar orbit. The Apollo 11 mission took place eight years after the major national goal announcement by President John F. Kennedy to send a man to the moon by the end of the 1960s.

The effort for the mission to send astronauts to the moon started when President Kennedy appealed to a special joint session of Congress in 1961, stating “I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon, and returning him safely to Earth.”

At the time of Kennedy’s proposal, the United States was still head-to-head with the Soviet Union in advancements in space exploration and, since it was during the time of the Cold War, the proposal was welcomed. The first unmanned Apollo mission was initiated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, after five years of effort and hard work by their international team of engineers and scientists. The first mission served as a testing phase for the structural resilience of the launch spacecraft vehicle.

At 9:32 AM Eastern time on July 16, 1969, the whole world witnessed Apollo 11 take off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida with three astronauts on board. Neil Armstrong was the commander of the mission. The spacecraft entered the lunar orbit after three days, on July 19. The lunar module, Eagle, disengaged from the main command module Columbia the next day, manned by Armstrong and Aldrin. When Eagle touched the lunar surface, Armstrong radioed his historical message to Mission Control in Houston, Texas: “The Eagle has landed.”

At 10:39 PM Eastern, Armstrong exited the lunar module and made his way down its ladder. His progress was being recorded by a television camera attached to the module, transmitting signals back to Earth, where the world was watching with bated breath.

At 10:56 PM, Armstrong stepped on the moon’s powdery surface, and spoke his iconic words: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Moon Interaction Timeline

1961: A Manned Lunar Landing Announced

In a historic speech on May 25, President John F. Kennedy signals the start of NASA’s Apollo space program as well as his plan to see an American on the Moon by the end of the decade.

1964: First Images of the Moon’s Surface

For the first time, American TV viewers get to view the Moon’s cratered surface from images transmitted by NASA’s unmanned probe, Ranger 7.

1968: 10 Times Around the Moon

NASA’s Apollo 8 orbits the Moon 10 times as the first manned flight while Americans watch on television.

1969: Apollo 11 Lands on the Moon

The world breathlessly watches as Apollo 11’s three-man team becomes the first humans to step onto the Moon’s surface.

1972: The Apollo Program Comes to an End

NASA shuts down its Apollo program with a final manned landing — Apollo 17, which landed on the moon on December 11, 1972.

2022: The Artemis Program Returns Humans To The Moon

After 50 years, NASA finally began returning to the Moon with the Artemis program. The first Artemis mission sent the Orio module to the Moon, unmanned, as a test flight of the systems.

Then, in April of this year (2026), four astronauts flew the Orion capsule successfully on a 10-day lunar flyby mission, marking the first crewed deep-space mission in over 50 years. The crew, which included NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, alongside Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, traveled further into space than any human in history. At least three more missions are scheduled between now and late 2028.

National Moon Day Traditions

No matter how many years pass, we will always be in awe of the first moon landing in 1969. Landing on the moon was a huge step for humankind and our understanding of the universe we exist in. Traditions for National Moon Day include watching documentaries about space, reading books on the Apollo 11 mission, and moon watching while marveling at its glorious luminescence at night.

On this holiday, space enthusiasts often bring out their telescopes to gaze at the moon as they read up on NASA’s upcoming projects and missions. National Moon Day is also prominently celebrated in schools, with the moon being the main topic in classes to educate children on the historical event.

National Moon Day is also especially important for those interested in astrology and astronomy. The positioning of the moon, its effect on Earth, and the planetary moons are greatly discussed and delved into today.

1969: Jody, Jody’s mom, and her sister, Carrie as the astronauts landed on the moon.
Joe Hamilton took this picture. He was a great photographer.

National Moon Day, By The Numbers

5th – the ranking of our Moon’s size compared to other moons in our solar system.

14.6 million – the number of square miles of the surface area of the Moon.

30 – the number of Earth-sized planets that could fit between the distance of the Earth and the Moon.

2300 mph – the traveling speed of the Moon orbiting the Earth.

1 inch – the distance the Moon drifts farther from Earth every year.

16.5% – the percentage decrease in a human’s weight on the Moon.

12 – the number of humans who have walked on the Moon.

1950s – the period when the U.S. proposed detonating a nuclear bomb on the Moon.

30 seconds – the amount of time in terms of fuel that was left when Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon.

73,476,730,924,573,500,000,000 kg – the mass of the Moon.

Four More Facts About The First Lunar Landing

Three African-American women got us there

Mathematician Katherine Johnson, along with two other black women, were instrumental in calculating NASA’s routes to the moon for its first lunar landing. Director Theodore Melfi and writer Allison Schroeder finally told their story in the 2016 film Hidden Figures.

The Wright Brothers were along for the ride

Armstrong felt it was important to show how aviation had progressed which is why he carried a small piece of wood from one of the Wright Brothers’ planes.

High ratings

Over 600 million people around the world watched the live lunar landing, eclipsing all previous TV ratings records.

Washington DC prepared for the worst

President Nixon had an alternate speech ready in case the mission failed.

One More Thing… It Wasn’t Faked!

While some folks still believe it - hell, some folks still think Donald Trump is smart - the claim that humans didn’t land on the moon is widely considered a debunked conspiracy theory.

Over 400,000 scientists, engineers, and technicians collaborated across six successful Apollo lunar missions, leaving behind tangible physical evidence you can see from Earth, using standard telescopes. We’ve also brought back nearly 842 pounds of lunar rocks, and left reflectors on the Moon, which are used to bounce lasers from Earth but for those who still don’t believe? Here’s the Mythbusters team, in the video above, breaking it down.

So we made it to the moon - and we’re doing it again. That’s definitely worth a salute, with today’s Drink Of The Day, a Moonwalk Cocktail!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’re going to need for this drink:

The Politics Bar After Hours - Bust A Nut Fart

ThePoliticsBar — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 00:02:05 GMT

It’s another After Hours with Karen & Anita from Tru Blu Politics podcast (and on Patreon too)! Tonight, we’re talking about inflation & the terrible Trump/Republican economy, the Epstein survivors & their meeting with Blanche, & we talk about ice cream a bit - like a Peanut Buster Parfait (See an anagram of that above). Grab one more drink & hang out with us a bit more!

Truth Sandwich

ThePoliticsBar — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 23:30:15 GMT

As the News On Tap for today & this week has shown, it’s been a busy week. From Lindsay Graham's death, to the hearings on The Hill, to Trump’s lie-filled election disinfo speech, there’s been a lot. We'll talk about all of it & more tonight with Karen & Anita from Tru Blu Politics podcast (and on Patreon too). Grab a drink & join us!

News On Tap For Friday, July 17, 2026

ThePoliticsBar — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 18:59:53 GMT

Today’s “News On Tap” is filled with facts, unlike Trump’s election disinformation speech last night. We’ve got a look at the addled old man’s election lies, and his failing war with Iran too. There’s also news on Trump’s failing economy, his Immigration Wars, & his crappy misadministration too. There’s some good news in Polls & Politics, some new Epstein Files news, & we have Climate News too. Plus, important Media Matters, Movie & TV News, & Sports news too. And we’ve got Karen & Anita of the Tru Blu Politics podcast joining us tonight to do a full recap of the week’s news too. Read up, get informed, & we’ll see ya here tonight!

First Round - An Addled Old Man's Election Lies

Second Round - Fumbling Thru Foreign Affairs

Trump’s Failing Iran War

Other Foreign Affairs

Third Round - Republican Failures In Govt.

A Failing Economy

Immigration Wars

A Crappy & Dangerous Misadministration

Chaos On Capital Hill

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

Polls & Politics

Epstein Files

Climate Crisis

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Rest In Peace

Brenda Fricker, Home Alone 2’s Pigeon Lady and My Left Foot star, dies at 81

Media Matters

Movies, TV, & More

Sports Entertainment

Your Bar Regulars Tonight

Our friends Karen from Chicago, & Anita From San Antonio, co-hosts of Tru Blu Politics (and on Patreon too) are back - and there’s a lot to talk about! From the end of Lindsay Graham, to the ridiculous confirmation hearings this week, to Trump’s stupid lie-filled election disinfo speech last night, it’s been a busy week. We’ll recap all of this week’s political news, & talk about The Tru Blu Politics daily podcast at Resistance Journal too. Grab a drink & join us tonight!

Join us today, on any of our radio affiliates, or subscribe and listen ad-free anytime!

DOTD For Friday, July 17, 2026

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:15:11 GMT

Today’s DOTD - Drink Of The Day - is a Dole Whip, in Hard (alcoholic) or Soft (non-alcoholic) versions, with both inspired by the day the original Disneyland in California opened, July 17, 1955! This is a drink that even Chris Lavoie, producer for Stephanie Miller, approves of.

The Grand Opening of Disneyland

After one full year of rigorous construction demands and a total investment of $17 million, the gates of Disneyland opened for its first guests on Sunday, July 17, 1955, 14h EDT. A special ‘International Press Preview’ event was held, which was only open to invited guests.

Six thousand invitations to the Grand Opening had been mailed to studio workers, construction workers, the press and officials of company sponsors.

The highly anticipated Opening Day festivities, including the dedication and a parade, were covered by ABC with a 90 minute live special, ‘Dateline Disneyland’, broadcasted between 7:30PM and 9PM EDT and were hosted by television personalities Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, and Bob Cummings.

At the time, it was one of the largest and most complex live broadcasts ever. Ninety million viewers watched the coverage of the unveiling of the world’s most fabulous kingdom.

On day one, the Disneyland Park offered five themed ‘lands’ with a total of 20 attractions.

Adventureland & Frontierland.

Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Main Street USA.

But as the gates opened, all was not quite ready. Workmen were still planting trees and in some areas paint was wet to the touch. The asphalt on Main Street USA that had been poured just that morning was so soft that the spiked heels on woman’s shoes sank in.

The event did not go smoothly. The park was overcrowded as the by-invitation-only affair was plagued with counterfeit tickets. Only 11,000 people were expected to show up, but by mid-afternoon, over 28,000 ticket holders were heading for the Disneyland, causing unprecedented traffic jams.

Southern California was suffering from a record heat wave that summer, with temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. A plumbers’ strike left many of the park’s drinking fountains dry. Rides broke down shortly after opening and restaurants and refreshment stands ran out of food and drink. A gas leak in Fantasyland caused Adventureland, Frontierland, and Fantasyland to close for the afternoon.

During the event, Walt Disney didn’t know about all the things that were going wrong. His attention was consumed by the ‘Dateline Disneyland’ live broadcast. It wasn’t until the following day that he became aware via press accounts of what had happened.

Walt and his staff immediately took the necessary measures to deal with the problems of low ride capacity, congested walkways, traffic jams, and slow food service. The press was invited back for a private “second day” to experience what Walt called ‘the true Disneyland.’

Disneyland Park opened to the public on Monday, July 18, 1955 at 10 a.m. By 2 o’clock in the morning, people were already lining up outside the park’s gates. The first person to buy a ticket and enter the park was David MacPherson. He got admission ticket number two, as Roy O. Disney arranged to pre-purchase ticket number one.

Walt Disney had an official photo taken with two children, Christine Vess Watkins and Michael Schwartner.

Today, more than 55 years later, Disneyland has become a cultural phenomenon. Even though Walt Disney left us tome time ago, his legacy still lives on in the magical world he created. Disneyland truly proved to be a source of joy and inspiration to you, me and all of us!

So remember Walt, next time you walk into his footsteps towards that castle courtyard.

It’s hot outside too - perfect for today’s Drink Of The Day ,a Dole Whip, in Hard (alcoholic) or Soft (non-alcoholic) versions!

Ingredients

Here’s what you’re going to need for this drink:

Trumparrhea

ThePoliticsBar — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:33:32 GMT

With Trump’s open declaration of war on democracy tonight, while his war in Iran drags on, America is definitely on edge, as you can clearly see it in today’s News On Tap. Which is why we’re thrilled to have both Carolyn Fiddler & John Fugelsang at the bar tonight Grab a drink & join us!

News On Tap For Thursday, July 16, 2026

ThePoliticsBar — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 19:08:08 GMT

Today’s “News On Tap” has us a bit on edge. From Trump’s dangerous declaration of war on democracy, to the ongoing War with Iran, there’s plenty of news to keep any good person on edge. We also have news updates on the growing costs of that war, and the failure of Republican economics. Meanwhile, the Immigration Wars roll on, & Trump’s Dangerous & Stupid Administration keeps doing terminally stupid things too. There is some good news in Polls & Politics today, along with some good TV & Music news, and some great Sports news too. Plus, Carolyn Fiddler AND John Fugelsang will both be in the bar tonight. Read up, get informed, & join us tonight!

First Round - A Dangerous Lie Revisited

Second Round - Fumbling Thru Foreign Affairs

Trump’s War with Iran Drags On

The Growing Costs Of War

Other Foreign Affairs

Third Round - Republican Government Sucks

Republican Economics Fails Again

Immigration Wars Roll On

Trump’s Dangerous & Stupid Admin.

On Capitol Hill

Fourth Round - More News To Drink About

Corruption Land

Polls & Politics

Miscellaneous But Important

Fifth Round - Media, Entertainment, & More

Rest In Peace

Media Matters

TV & Music News

Sports Entertainment