James Carville vs. the DSA, with Elizabeth Spiers — Dingus of the Week #46

<html><p>Imagine for a second: you’re one of the most-booked men in Democratic politics. The midterms are just two weeks away. Your party is polling its way towards a wave election. And so how do you make the most out of this one little life?</p><p>Point to interesting candidates in harder districts? No. Put the spotlight on cause that's getting no traction? No. You go on a podcast to say you’d rather Republicans keep the House than see Democrats win it narrowly. </p><p>That’s what James Carville told Bill Kristol on <em>Bulwark on Sunday</em> that <a href="thebulwark.com/p/james-carvilles-midterm-predi…; target="_blank">he’d “rather the Republicans keep the House by five than the Democrats win by five” </a>because a slim Democratic majority would be “hostage to the DSA.”</p><p>Writer Elizabeth Spiers has a theory, and it’s less about Carville than about the people who keep booking him. <a href="elizabethspiers.com/james-carville-please-go-a…; target="_blank">In a column for The Nation,</a> she argues that cable producers, podcast hosts and Democratic campaigns keep handing a megaphone to a strategist still running a 1992 playbook. And there's just no changing this man. </p><p>On this episode of <strong>DINGUS OF THE WEEK,</strong> hosts <strong>LYZ LENZ</strong> and <strong>ZACHARY OREN SMITH</strong> are joined by <strong>ELIZABETH SPIERS</strong> to ask why Carville is everywhere, whether his “hostage” argument holds up, and who the media should be booking instead.</p><p><strong>DINGUS OF THE WEEK</strong> is a weekly comedy news podcast where writers Lyz and Zach light a fire under the American rogue's gallery to see who comes spilling out. If you're tired of doom-scrolling but know ignoring the problem doesn't get us anywhere, this is your new weekend listen. New episodes every Saturday morning.</p><h3><strong>SUPPORT THE SHOW by </strong><u><strong><a href="patreon.com/cw/LyzLenz"; target="_blank">subscribing on Patreon</a></strong></u><strong>.</strong></h3><p><strong>👑 $5/month</strong> - <u><a href="patreon.com/checkout/LyzLenz?rid=26928874"; target="_blank">Not a Dingus tier</a></u> (3 weekly newsletters, 1 podcast, and our entire archive)</p><p><strong>👑👑 $10/month</strong> - <u><a href="patreon.com/checkout/LyzLenz?rid=26928880"; target="_blank">Definitely Not a Dingus tier</a></u> (all the above + polls and topic submissions, a chat community, weekly discussions, comment access, and our love)</p><p><strong>SEND US YOUR DINGUS.</strong> <u><a href="memo.fm/dingus"; target="_blank">Record a voice memo</a></u> and tell us who your dingus of the week is. Make it good and you'll hear your voice on the show. You can also email those to <u><a href="mailto:menyellatme@gmail.com" target="_blank">menyellatme@gmail.com</a></u>. </p><p><strong>FOLLOW DINGUS OF THE WEEK</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="youtube.com/@DingusoftheWeek"; target="_blank">Youtube</a></p></li><li><p><a href="instagram.com/dingusoftheweek/"; target="_blank">Instagram</a></p></li></ul><p><strong>LYZ LENZ</strong> is the HBIC of MYAM Media. </p><p><strong>ZACHARY OREN SMITH</strong> <u><a href="instagram.com/zachosmith/#"; target="_blank">writes about politics</a></u> for Iowa Starting Line. Follow his work on Instagram (<a href="instagram.com/zacharyorensmith)" target="_blank">instagram.com/zacharyorensmith)</a> and TikTok (<a href="tiktok.com/@zacharyorensmith)." target="_blank">tiktok.com/@zacharyorensmith).</a></p><p><u><strong><a href="laurabenitezandtheheartache.com/index.html"; target="_blank">LAURA BENITEZ</a></strong></u><u><a href="laurabenitezandtheheartache.com/index.html"; target="_blank"> wrote the theme song.</a></u></p><p><strong>SHOW RUNDOWN:</strong></p><p>0:00 - Intro</p><p>2:30 - How good is Jon Husted’s ass? </p><p>6:17 - James Carville’s hostage theory of the House</p><p>16:10 - Identity politics, wages and welfare reform</p><p>20:30 - The booking problem: the dinner party fishbowl</p><p>22:40 - The Ragin’ Cajun is a costume</p><p>33:00 - Midterm hope, Mamdani and potholes</p><p>38:30 - Voicemail: the ballot guy, Stephen Miller and the cake kid</p><p>48:10 - Joy: data centers, Holmes doc, passive soup-maxing</p><p>55:09 - Outro</p></html>