Episode summary
Jessica Tarlov hosts Raging Moderates with guest Sam Stein, managing editor of The Bulwark, in place of Scott Galloway. The episode centers on Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner's campaign collapse following a detailed rape allegation published in Politico by former partner Jenny Rassacott. Stein calls the account deeply disturbing and part of an undeniable pattern, with CalShi odds at 58% that Platner drops out by the July 13th deadline that would allow Maine Democrats to appoint a replacement. The hosts discuss focus group findings showing some Democratic voters frustrated with holding their candidates to higher standards than Republicans, though both ultimately agree maintaining character distinctions matters to party identity. The conversation explores broader lessons about vetting candidates and accommodating the progressive versus establishment wings of the Democratic tent. The episode also addresses Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's three-week hospitalization with no official communication, leaving Kentucky effectively with one senator amid unconfirmed rumors about his condition. Tarlov and Stein analyze Ambassador Rahm Emanuel's upcoming speech in Israel that signals a significant shift toward supporting aid cuts and criticizing Netanyahu, which they view as helping establish new boundaries for liberal Jewish Democrats on Israel policy. They discuss the Michigan Senate primary between Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed as a microcosm of establishment versus progressive tensions, with El-Sayed appearing to have momentum despite general election concerns. The episode concludes with discussion of President Trump's World Cup intervention appearing to backfire, with Belgium's 4-0 rout of the U.S. including a mocking Trump dance celebration, and broader questions about prohibitively expensive youth sports culture in America.
