12/15/25: A dark weekend as reality collides with denial

— On the Show

— A weekend of mass violence spans a Brown University shooting, an antisemitic terror attack in Sydney, and the killing of Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner

— Sloppy circulation of misleading Jeffrey Epstein related images weakens real accountability by allowing Donald Trump and allies to dismiss verified evidence

— The Federal Reserve unanimously reappoints regional bank presidents early to protect institutional independence and blunt Donald Trump’s influence over interest rates

— New NBC News polling shows Republican identification with MAGA slipping as economic frustration drives quiet disengagement ahead of the 2026 midterms

— Kevin Hassett reveals Donald Trump is shielded from bad economic data, leaving him detached from voter reality and worsening Republican electoral losses

— Donald Trump delivers a rambling Christmas event speech filled with delusions, distractions, and broken promises that leaves the audience visibly uncomfortable

— Donald Trump repeatedly falling asleep during official meetings raises unavoidable questions about stamina and fitness for future office

— Erika Kirk refuses to condemn Donald Trump’s violent rhetoric during a heavily promoted town hall that collapses into incoherence and low viewership

— On the Bonus Show: Australia moves to strengthen gun laws after the Bondi Beach shooting, The Washington Post launches an AI-personalized podcast, a JetBlue flight narrowly avoids a collision with a US military aircraft near Venezuela, and much more…

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(00:00) Start (02:02) Weekend of mass violence (09:03) Misleading Epstein images circulate (17:56) Fed protects independence (23:28) GOP support slipping (29:56) Trump shielded from economic reality (37:21) Trump’s rambling Christmas speech (46:40) Trump falling asleep in meetings (52:27) Erika Kirk avoids condemning rhetoric

This post was originally published on The David Pakman Show.