No One Paid $85 To See the Umpire

The U.S. Loses 4–1, Democrats Lose Plattner, And Bernie Loses the Plot

The final stretch of the hour rolls into Trump Accounts, with the crew playing CNN’s explanation of the $1,000 accounts for eligible kids and discussing why the program can be a political winner. Nick, Dawn, Sean, Jimmy, and Rooney joke about family deposits, babies born on July 4, and whether Uncle Nick should contribute. The cut sheet closes with Waymo robotaxis in San Francisco running into July 4 chaos, cars stuck in traffic, batteries dying, and a debate over whether self-driving cars, Uber, or SEPTA is the worst option. Today in Music History follows, and Dawn’s Big Three begins at the end of the hour with Trump in Turkey, Erdogan, NATO, Ukraine, Iran, and defense spending.

Trump Accounts, Waymo Gridlock, And The Wet BJ’s Incident

The 9 AM hour starts with Wawa Hoagie Fest, Dawn teasing a major Dawn’s Big Three, and the crew still riffing on sandwiches, the old tuna heist, Bernie Sanders, and whether Bernie will speak on Graham Platner. From there, Nick plays the Seattle crowd singing the national anthem before the U.S.-Belgium match, praises the patriotism in the stadium, and then argues that political dislike of Trump should never make Americans root against the U.S. team. Matt Rooney joins late, and the jokes land on his audio, Chris Christie, the BJ’s roof collapse, and the start of Fight Club. Fight Club centers on a Memphis street brawl with National Guard members and police trying to restore order. Sean argues Memphis has improved with the Guard and local cooperation, even if the footage proves the city is still dangerous. Rooney then sparks the funniest stretch of the hour by saying Sean Farash and Jimmy Kelly should host afternoons together, which leads to a rotating impression debate: Trump vs. Hannity, Bernie vs. Mark Levin, and Alex Jones vs. Rush Limbaugh.

As Maine Goes, So Goes The Meltdown

The cut sheet begins with John Fetterman blasting Platner as a “trash bag,” then keeps going through Democrats who previously praised or defended him. We hear past comments from Ro Khanna, Elizabeth Warren, Chrissy Houlahan, and Bernie Sanders, and the crew argues that Democrat voters keep getting overruled by party bosses after primaries. The hour wraps with broader talk about Bernie Sanders, socialism, term limits, Mitch McConnell’s health and transparency for public servants, Sunny Hostin saying American flags can make her feel unsafe, and Marco Rubio’s warning about democratic socialism. The 8 AM hour continues the cut sheet and the Platner fallout, with Chrissy Houlahan’s comments getting local attention and the crew using her answer to talk about Democrat messaging, party loyalty, and what happens when a nominee becomes a problem. Nick and Sean compare Democrat voters to sports fans who have no say in the roster, arguing that the party keeps demanding loyalty while replacing or controlling candidates after voters make their picks. That leads into Trump-era politics, the difference between Trump’s conduct and Trump’s policy appeal, and how Democrats may struggle to turn Marco Rubio or JD Vance into the same kind of villain. The hour then shifts through Bernie Sanders, socialism, and the Scandinavian comparison, with Sean arguing those countries are not the model American leftists claim because their social programs are not extended to illegal immigrants the way U.S. progressives want. The crew talks about term limits, Mitch McConnell’s hospitalization, Tom Kean Jr.’s health absence, and whether elected officials owe taxpayers more public medical transparency than private citizens. We also hear Sonny Hostin’s American flag comments and Nick’s response that wealthy media figures are selling fear while living very protected lives. At 8:35, the crew returns with the BJ’s roof collapse footage from Ocean Township, jokes about Chris Christie, and a caller from Belmar who wants public servants to act like public servants. The hour turns serious again with the Tyler Robinson preliminary hearing in the Charlie Kirk assassination case, the judge reacting to footage, Erika Kirk in court, and the death penalty discussion. Sean and Nick then take aim at Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson-style “hidden knowledge” claims, Alex Jones predictions, and the way some conservative media voices attack Erika Kirk’s grief without producing receipts.

Pico de Gallo Strike, Soccer Pain, And Plattner’s Political Dumpster Fire

The 7 AM hour starts with pork chops, keto, broccoli, arugula, and the crew’s normal food detours before the tone shifts hard into Graham Platner. Nick lays out the Politico report, the allegation from Jenny Racicot, Platner’s denial, and the wave of Democrats pulling back support. Sean argues the story comes from inside the Democratic machine, not from Republicans, because the timing lines up with Maine’s July 13 deadline to get Platner out and let the party pick a replacement. We hear Racicot’s CNN interview with Jake Tapper and then Platner’s own video response, where he denies non-consensual behavior while saying the campaign is weighing the best path forward. Dawn and Sean break down why they believe the accusation can be true and the timing can still be politically driven. The crew also talks about why Democrats originally saw Platner as the kind of “healthy masculinity” candidate they wanted, only to watch his record, Reddit comments, tattoo controversy, and personal allegations become a major liability.

No One Paid $85 To See the Umpire

We open the show with Nick Kayal, Dawn Stensland, Sean Farash, Phil Almquist, and Jimmy Kelly setting up a packed Tuesday. The crew starts with Team USA’s 4–1 loss to Belgium, fake soccer fandom, Fox and Telemundo coverage, and whether American sports fans really care about soccer once the U.S. is out. The conversation turns into hockey toughness, football toughness, and the jokes around Dawn’s jacket color before Nick sets the table for the Big Take, Graham Platner, Matt Rooney, the cut sheet, and Fight Club. Dawn’s news brings us through the end of the PECO strike, with IBEW Local 614 reaching a tentative deal after a short but historic walkout. We talk about the wage hikes, support for utility workers, and what a real protest looks like when nobody burns anything down. Dawn then moves into the heavy rain and flash flooding that hit Camden County, the BJ’s Wholesale Club roof collapse in Ocean Township, and the criminal charges filed against former Bucknell strength coach Mark Kulbis in the death of freshman football player Calvin “CJ” Dickey Jr. The hour closes with deeply local and national stories. Dawn shares the heartbreaking South Jersey drowning death of three-year-old Elijah Stephen and the family’s choice to donate his organs. We then get into egg price-fixing allegations, New Jersey’s Fair Price Protection Act on personalized grocery pricing, and Phil’s sports report: the Phillies getting crushed by Kansas City, Kyle Schwarber getting tossed, and the U.S. World Cup exit. Nick’s Big Take then hits illegal immigration and housing costs, the Dallas Fed working paper, Scott Jennings on CNN, Patriot Front, the viral Metro photo, and media double standards.