Political cartoonists Ted Rall (from the Left) and Scott Stantis (from the Right) preview the year ahead in politics and culture.

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The DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis.

Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrall

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Editorial cartoonists Ted Rall (from the Left) and Scott Stantis (from the Right) are joined by Alice Giordano to handicap next year's midterm elections.

Alice Giordano is a reporter for Newsmax Magazine. She's a former political and news correspondent for The Epoch Times, The Boston Globe, and Associated Press and currently writes a monthly political column for The Boston Broadside and has been a contributor to The Federalist and American Thinker.

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The DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis.

Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrall

Web: Rall.com

Hosts Ted Rall and Scott Stantis chat with and showcase the work of liberal editorial cartoonist Pat Bagley of the Salt Lake City Tribune, who decided to leave the United States in part because of the presidency of Donald Trump.

Pat Bagley, born in 1956 in Salt Lake City, Utah, is an award-winning editorial cartoonist renowned for his sharp wit and incisive commentary. Since 1979, he has been the staff cartoonist for The Salt Lake Tribune, where his bold, often provocative illustrations tackle politics, religion, and social issues with a distinctive liberal slant. A Mormon by upbringing, Bagley frequently critiques the intersection of faith and conservatism, earning both praise and controversy in his conservative home state.

His work has appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time, and Newsweek. Bagley has authored over 20 books, including children's titles like I Spy a Nephite and satirical collections such as Clueless George Goes to War. He has won the Herblock Prize (2009), multiple National Headliner Awards, and recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists. A graduate of Brigham Young University, Bagley remains a pivotal voice in American political cartooning.

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The DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis.

Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrall

Web: Rall.com

Hosts Ted Rall and Scott Stantis chat with and showcase the work of conservative editorial cartoonist Chip Bok.

Chip Bok draws editorial cartoons for Creators Syndicate, syndicating his work to over 150 newspapers worldwide. A Copley News Service alum since 1985, he crafts biting commentary on politics, society, and pop culture from his Akron Beacon Journal perch. Bok's style blends sharp wit with intricate detail, earning him accolades like the 2017 Clifford K. & James T. Berryman Award for Editorial Cartooning. He authored The Book of Bok: The Illustrated Guide to the American Presidency and exhibits globally. Beyond ink, Bok lectures on visual journalism and mentors young artists, pushing boundaries in a digital age. His cartoons fearlessly skewer both sides, blending humor with hard truths to spark debate.

Support the show

The DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis.

Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrall

Web: Rall.com

Tune in to the “DMZ America Podcast” as nationally-syndicated editorial cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis interview Pulitzer Prize-winning political cartoonist Matt Wuerker of “The Politico.” They’ll discuss their own cartoons about the news and issues of the week, as well as those of their peers. Don’t be surprised if the state of the media and cartooning come up as well.

Matt Wuerker, born in 1956, is renowned for his incisive, visually rich commentary on the absurdities of power. A graduate of Lewis & Clark College with a BA in 1979, he honed his craft as chief editorial cartoonist for the student newspaper, The Pioneer Log, blending satire with masterful draftsmanship inspired by Saul Steinberg and 19th-century masters like A.B. Frost.

Since 2006, Wuerker has been Politico's founding staff cartoonist, his watercolors, cross-hatching, and animated works appearing on front pages and gracing outlets like The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Nation. A 2009 and 2010 Pulitzer finalist, he clinched the prize in 2012 for cartoons that "persuade rather than rant," alongside the 2010 Herblock Award for courageous editorial art. Based in D.C. near the National Zoo, Wuerker delights in the "political circus," wielding humor to illuminate truth with minimal supervision.

Transcript

Support the show

The DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis.

Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrall

Web: Rall.com

Tune in to the “DMZ America Podcast” as nationally-syndicated editorial cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis handicap the first phase of President Trump's Gaza Peace Plan, kicking off a possible end to the brutal two-year Israel-Hamas war. Israeli forces pull back from ravaged zones, and now Hamas is expected to release all 20 living hostages—plus remains of the deceased—within 24 hours in exchange for 250 Palestinian life inmates and 1,700 Palestinian hostages.

Ted and Scott will also show and discuss their latest cartoons about the conflict, as well as those by some of their colleagues.

Daily aid trucks are rolling in, easing famine's grip after 45,000+ Palestinian deaths and proving that Israel had been keeping out food and water. Both Israelis and Palestinians are celebrating.

But shadows loom: Will next phases—demilitarizing Hamas, deploying international stabilizers, and rebuilding the Strip—actually occur?

Who will rule Gaza after Hamas abolished all domestic opposition? Ted predicts a Hamas rebrand, as in Ireland after the Troubles. Will Netanyahu’s government survive? Genocide accusations from rights groups will be amplified as mass graves and other evidence of Israeli war crimes surface; can Israel’s reputation in the US rebound? Polls show young Americans souring fast, splitting the Jewish vote and pressuring Biden-era holdovers.

Ted and Scott have vehemently disagreed about the war for two years, while managing to remain respectful throughout. Now it’s time to consider what comes next.

Support the show

The DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis.

Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrall

Web: Rall.com

Editorial cartoonists Ted Rall (left-leaning firebrand) and Scott Stantis (right-wing straight shooter) ask why over half of Americans say democracy is on the ropes, unpack Zohran Mamdani's jaw-dropping poll surge in the NYC mayor's race, probe if social democratic vibes—like beefed-up welfare and worker protections—can actually work in the USA's cutthroat system. Plus, they dissect the bizarre Dallas ICE HQ shooting where the official story just doesn't add up, and break down chaos at Area 51 with shots popping off amid wild conspiracy buzz. Serious stakes, real talk, and that signature left-right sparring keeps it electric.

• Democracy in Distress: A Quinnipiac poll reveals 53% of Americans believe U.S. democracy isn't working, up sharply from earlier surveys, with 74% of Democrats echoing the gloom versus just 22% of Republicans. Amid rising political violence fears—71% call it a "very serious problem"—top voter worry is preserving democracy at 32%. Controversies swirl over partisan rifts and recent events like the Charlie Kirk assassination fueling national pessimism.

• Mamdani's Poll Surge: Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani leads NYC mayoral polls by 20 points over Andrew Cuomo in a Suffolk University survey, with 45% support in Quinnipiac's four-way race. His edge stems from affordability (21% voter priority) and crime concerns, but critics slam his anti-Israel stance, NYPD critiques, and bold plans like free buses and rent freezes as too radical for the city.

• Social Democracy's U.S. Fit?: Experts debate if Nordic-style policies—universal healthcare, paid leave, active labor markets—can thrive in America's polarized landscape. Proponents argue flexicurity boosts work and equity; skeptics cite racial divides, weak unions, and GOP resistance as barriers. Recent pushes like Medicare for All highlight feasibility but face extremism and funding hurdles in a capitalist powerhouse.

• Dallas ICE Shooting Spin: A sniper fired on Dallas ICE HQ from a rooftop, killing two detainees and critically wounding one in a van; the gunman, Joshua Jahn, died by suicide, supposedly leaving "ANTI-ICE" ammo casings. DHS calls it targeted hate, but narrative gaps—like indiscriminate shots and Jahn's sparse politics—spark skepticism.

• Area 51 Shots Fired: Guards at Nevada's secretive Area 51 base fired on a gunman blasting the gate in a brazen breach attempt, echoing 2019's viral "raid" memes. No injuries reported, but the incident reignites UFO conspiracies and security debates over the site's classified ops, from drone tests to alien lore, in a year of escalating U.S. mass shootings.

Support the show

The DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis.

Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrall

Web: Rall.com

It’s time for the DMZ America Podcast, where Left-leaning cartoonist Ted Rall and Right-wing firebrand Scott Stantis tackle the political firestorm that won’t go away no matter how much Democrats would like it to!

The main event: Kamala Harris admits she knew about President Biden’s dementia, a revelation that’s shaking Washington to its core. This bombshell raises serious questions about transparency, leadership, and who’s really been calling the shots in the White House. Should Harris be punished for her complicity in hiding Biden’s condition? Why did it take so long for the truth to surface in a “democracy”? The controversy is sparking heated debates about trust in government and accountability at the highest levels. Ted and Scott dive into the facts, unpacking the timeline, the fallout, and what this means for the 2028 election.

Plus:

• Trump’s bold plan to deploy troops in Chicago to curb violence—genius move or overreach?

• Is America’s global dominance fading fast in a multipolar world?

Support the show

The DMZ America Podcast is recorded weekly by political cartoonists Ted Rall and Scott Stantis.

Twitter/X: @scottstantis and @tedrall

Web: Rall.com