Topic: Young Turks

The hosts discuss the widespread media narrative that Rittenhouse targeted Black protesters, noting that all three men shot were white. They highlight a rare retraction from Anna Kasparian of The Young Turks, who admitted she was wrong about the facts of the case after watching the trial.

The Young Turks' Cenk Uygur explains that the 2008 financial crisis was caused by banks removing leverage protections and making massive bets on derivatives, not by individual minority homeowners. Bankers incentivized subprime loans to create collateralized debt obligations, earning giant bonuses while ignoring the actual risk of the underlying mortgages.

Comedian Ari Shafir sparked outrage by tweeting that Kobe Bryant died "23 years too late" and mocking the helicopter crash. Shafir's comments targeted what he called "Hollywood liberals" who supported Bryant despite past allegations because they liked the Lakers. The Young Turks later politicized the backlash, using the incident to discuss corporate donations to the NRA and gun violence in America.

Sports commentator Jason Whitlock labeled Kobe Bryant the "most fraudulent superstar" in NBA history, comparing him to a "Chanel knockoff" of Michael Jordan. The Young Turks criticized Whitlock's comments, calling him a "sellout" for attacking black athletes to appeal to a specific audience. The segment notes that while Whitlock's basketball critiques were common, his personal attacks on Bryant's marriage were viewed as crossing a line.

The hosts examine Pete Buttigieg's "Douglas Plan," which aims to tackle racial inequality through economic uplift and social protection. Adam Curry expresses skepticism, labeling Buttigieg a "CIA candidate" and a "spook" due to his background as a Rhodes Scholar and his high-level donor connections. They also note the hostile reception Buttigieg has received from progressive media outlets like The Young Turks.

The "super predator" label used by Hillary Clinton in the 1990s to support the 1994 Crime Bill is revisited as a point of political betrayal. Although progressive media outlets like The Young Turks used this history to support Bernie Sanders in the primaries, they eventually pivoted to supporting Clinton in the general election. This cycle of criticism followed by forced party loyalty is cited as a reason for the current ADOS pushback against the Democratic establishment.