Today’s video is sponsored by NordProtect.
Amped Up w/ Cliff Schecter isn’t meant to be a victory lap. It’s more like a working session — three people trying to make sense of a political moment that keeps getting more dangerous, more dishonest, and frankly more exhausting.
That was the spirit of today’s show.
David Shuster and I started where we pretty much have to start right now: with the glaring hypocrisy of a Republican Party that campaigned for years as “anti-war” and “America First,” and now seems perfectly comfortable flirting with escalation abroad as long as it distracts from chaos at home. None of this is subtle anymore. It’s loud, sloppy, and familiar—which almost makes it worse.
Before we dove all the way in, we took a minute to talk about something practical: protecting yourself in a digital world that’s getting messier by the day.
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Your identity is worth protecting—especially now.
—Cliff
From there, David laid out what’s actually happening with Venezuela — and why the administration’s talking points don’t hold up under even minimal scrutiny. This isn’t about drug interdiction. It isn’t about safety. It’s about oil, power, and a president who’s always looking for a pressure release valve when the walls start closing in.
David calmly walked through the reporting, flagged what is real vs spin, and kept the focus on consequences rather than theatrics. It’s a skill I wish more people in media still valued, and I’m grateful to get to do the show with someone who brings that kind of discipline to the conversation.
Then polymath Hal Sparks joined us, and brought a perspective that cut across politics, culture, tech, history, international affairs and probably some subjects we haven’t invented yet—without pretending any of this is normal or acceptable. We discussed how Trump is weakening, from Indiana Republicans to his purple hand-skin.
Hal has a way of making big, unsettling ideas feel accessible without sanding off the danger. We talked about Trump’s increasingly erratic behavior, the impulse to “wag the dog,” and what happens when ego, grievance, and power collide.
The conversation turned heavier when we talked about Rob Reiner—his work, his decency, and the ugliness of seeing tragedy turned into another opportunity for Trumpian cruelty. Hal, David and I all shared personal reflections, as we all had crossed paths with Rob’s at various time. It was important that we talk about and recognize humanity, even when the political climate keeps trying to beat it out of us.
From there, we addressed the Epstein files—because ignoring them simply is not an option. Trump’s reaction alone tells you how serious this is.
When a politician is willing to absorb massive political damage rather than allow transparency, it’s not because the truth is harmless. David explained what Congress will see, what can and can’t be hidden, and why this issue isn’t going away—no matter how hard some people want it buried.
We wrapped by talking about accountability, fatigue, and the uncomfortable reality that change doesn’t usually come from one dramatic moment. It comes from pressure, persistence, and people refusing to go on like all is well, when clearly it isn’t.
I don’t pretend we have all the answers on Amped Up—none of us do. Half the time, I’m just trying to keep up with the news like everyone else. But I do know that real conversations like these—honest, informed, authentic, empathetic, and human—matter.
If you watched our show live, thank you for spending part of your day with us! If you’re watching later, we’re glad you’re checking out what we have to say on these all-important topics. We’ll keep doing our best to cut through the noise and bs—even when it’s uncomfortable, in fact especially then,.
Because even when we’re burnt out, we’d rather be wrong than silent about all that is going wrong in our country and the world.
