PivotWhere Is Mitch McConnell? Kara Swisher (Still) Wants Answers | Pivot
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 1:58
Scott-free August finale: Jacob Soboroff joins from MSNBC’s LA bureau
Kara opens the episode noting Scott Galloway’s absence and welcomes Jacob Soboroff as the final guest co-host of the month. They trade quick jokes, set the tone, and situate the conversation in New York/LA media worlds.
- •Kara frames it as the last day of “Scott-free August” and teases Scott’s return
- •Jacob Soboroff introduced as MSNBC national/political reporter and host of “Connect”
- •Light banter about “Scott things” and on-camera habits
- •Broadcast location: MSNBC’s LA bureau/newsroom
- 1:58 – 3:31
What “Connect” is trying to do: a people-first political show
Jacob explains the concept behind his weekend show, emphasizing reporting centered on everyday people rather than pundit panels. He describes his career as a field reporter and why he values long-form conversations and human stories.
- •Show launched June 13; Jacob’s 11-year arc at MSNBC as a field reporter
- •No “political panels”; focus on voices viewers don’t usually hear
- •Politics is present, but the emphasis is lived experience and community concerns
- •Weekend format and scope: extended time to go deep, not recap the news cycle
- 3:31 – 6:19
Why LA matters right now: resilience after fires and ICE raids
Kara and Jacob discuss Los Angeles as a microcosm of broader national pressures. Jacob recounts the bruising year of wildfires and ICE raids, and how public solidarity and street-level action gave him hope.
- •Jacob’s personal connection to the Palisades fires and the scale of destruction
- •ICE raids as a civic stress test; spontaneous protests and mutual support
- •Kara pushes back on simplistic “California decline” narratives
- •Shared view: California’s problems are real, but the caricature is political
- 6:19 – 11:17
Remembering Gloria Steinem: legacy, journalism, and the power of protest
They reflect on Gloria Steinem’s death and her role as an “entrepreneur of social change.” Jacob ties her legacy to the 2017 Women’s March and what it meant to witness mass mobilization in person.
- •Steinem’s impact through activism, journalism, and Ms. Magazine’s reader-driven model
- •Kara recalls Steinem’s reporting (including the Playboy Bunny investigative piece)
- •Jacob’s vivid memory of the Women’s March and its scale compared to Trump’s inauguration crowd
- •Discussion of how protest can build community and political momentum
- 11:17 – 13:24
Misogyny and online cruelty as governance: Ted Cruz and Hegseth’s body-shaming
The conversation shifts from feminist legacy to current political culture. Kara and Jacob criticize political figures using misogyny and petty “shitposting” as distraction and as a reflection of power without seriousness.
- •Kara cites Ted Cruz’s “white liberal women” comment as politically corrosive
- •Jacob condemns Pete Hegseth’s post body-shaming Canadian cadets
- •Theme: leaders acting like online trolls while real crises escalate
- •Steinem’s passing heightens contrast between past movement-building and current discourse
- 13:24 – 20:44
Apple (and Google) rename ‘Lake America’: tech companies ‘bowing down’ to Trump
Kara critiques Apple Maps following Google’s lead in adopting Trump-friendly renaming, framing it as corporate capitulation. They discuss consumer choices, symbolic resistance, and how tech leaders try to stay on the right side of political power.
- •Apple Maps changes Lake Ontario to “Lake America” for U.S. users; Trump claims it’s ‘binding’
- •Kara notes the change coincides with John Ternus’ first day as Apple CEO
- •They interpret tech compliance as favor-currying and risk management
- •Consumer responses: switching tools (MapQuest, DuckDuckGo, Vivaldi) and reporting map issues
- 20:44 – 25:42
Mail-in voting crackdown: DHS ‘Unlawful Voter Initiative’ and USPS ballot risks
They dig into Trump administration efforts to search for non-citizens on voter rolls and to constrain mail-in voting. Jacob explains the strategy as chaos-making and intimidation, with downstream risks for election legitimacy and administration.
- •DHS agents tasked with hunting non-citizens on voter rolls; framed as a tiny problem inflated for politics
- •Whistleblower warns new USPS ballot screening system is rushed and fragile
- •Clip: NY AG Letitia James argues mail voting is secure and states control election rules
- •Jacob: the aim is intimidation now and a pretext to challenge results later
- 25:42 – 36:00
On-the-ground election manipulation: poll worker intimidation and polling-place cuts
Jacob and Kara explore how federal observers, policing, and reduced polling locations can suppress turnout and frighten election workers. They cite examples in Michigan, Minnesota, LA, and Tarrant County, Texas, and discuss the broader democratic impact.
- •Fear of clashes if local police counter federal intimidation at polling sites
- •Jacob praises election administrators as civic-minded nonpartisan public servants
- •Example: Tarrant County reduces polling places by over 100 amid demographic change
- •Kara: the pattern is ‘if you can’t win, you cheat’—and enablers normalize it
- 36:00 – 40:10
Bond market warning lights: rising yields, deficits, and affordability squeeze
After the ad break, they cover the global sell-off in government bonds and why higher yields matter for everyone’s cost of living. Kara emphasizes that you don’t ‘fight the bond market,’ and Jacob connects macro signals to everyday precarity and inequality.
- •10-year Treasury yield hits ~4.8%; borrowing costs rise economy-wide
- •Clip with Bill Cohen: bond market ‘flashing yellow/red’ amid debt, deficits, and geopolitical strain
- •Kara: bond market can force policy shifts; markets are emotionless but decisive
- •Jacob: people already live the downturn via unaffordability, multiple jobs, and hollowed-out main streets
- 40:10 – 45:43
California as preview: inequality, rebuilding after fires, and Newsom’s challenge
They use LA’s post-fire rebuilding struggles to illustrate how higher costs and weakened institutions compound inequality. Jacob argues California showcases both leadership and the dangers of extreme affordability gaps—politically relevant for Newsom’s national ambitions.
- •Post-fire rebuilding: few rebuild, insurance market damaged, material costs up, many underwater
- •Kara: debt service and borrowing costs can spiral quickly
- •Jacob: billionaire political spending will intensify inequality and policy capture
- •Newsom’s potential campaign vulnerability: presiding over an unaffordable, unequal state
- 45:43 – 47:51
Kalshi bans George Santos: betting markets, manipulation, and election integrity
They discuss Kalshi’s lifetime ban of George Santos for profiting from misleading posts tied to his attendance bet. The larger concern: prediction markets may incentivize manipulation and distort democratic behavior as entertainment and profit motive merge.
- •Santos allegedly earns ~$17K; fined and banned by Kalshi; others suspended for betting on their races
- •Kara: these markets resemble gambling and should be regulated accordingly
- •Jacob: danger that people bet and then vote to protect bets—creating perverse incentives
- •Examples of insider advantage: Trump teleprompter operator betting on speech wording
- 47:51 – 49:50
How to measure ‘sentiment’ without getting fooled: polls, bets, and street reporting
Kara and Jacob debate the limits of polling and prediction markets versus firsthand reporting. Jacob defends repeated, unguarded conversations with people ‘touching grass’ as a corrective to online, incentive-driven narratives.
- •‘Polls aren’t people; betting markets aren’t people’—incentives distort both
- •Anecdotal interviews aren’t definitive, but repeated street reporting reveals real concerns
- •Kara notes young men use betting markets as entertainment media
- •Jacob emphasizes the value of unfiltered public reactions and showing viewers themselves on TV
- 49:50 – 53:23
Local news as public safety infrastructure: fires, ICE raids, and newsroom revival
They praise local outlets and independent journalists for lifesaving, granular reporting during crises. Jacob argues philanthropy should prioritize local journalism, while Kara echoes the strategic importance of rebuilding community-level information systems.
- •Shout-outs: LA Taco, KABC’s Peabody-winning fire coverage, Block Club Chicago
- •Local reporters provide real-time, street-by-street utility national outlets can’t match
- •Kara: newsrooms are emptier now, but crisis reporting still ‘swings into action’
- •Jacob: billionaires should fund local newsrooms aggressively as civic infrastructure
- 53:23 – 1:02:00
Predictions and closing: midterm turnout surge, ‘missing’ Mitch McConnell, and Paramount merger drama
In predictions, Kara spotlights the Steve Ballmer/NBA punishment story and defends Pablo Torre’s reporting. Jacob predicts unusually high midterm participation; Kara closes with worries about Mitch McConnell’s prolonged absence and a Hollywood proxy fight over the Paramount merger.
- •Kara: NBA punishes Ballmer/Clippers; Pablo Torre vindicated amid media backlash
- •Jacob prediction: a larger-than-expected flood of voters in the midterms
- •Kara: Mitch McConnell hasn’t been seen publicly for ~80 days; calls it unacceptable if incapacitated
- •Kara prediction: Paramount merger outlook and celebrity positioning (Clooney vs Cruise)
