{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Left Hook - The Fauci Diaries","description":"On The Left Hook, hosts Mark Bland and Jason Kull deliver an irreverent, left-leaning roundup of the week\u2019s political news. They focus heavily on Dr. Anthony Fauci\u2019s congressional appearance, arguing that Republican questioning was largely performative and politically motivated, while criticizing efforts to blame Fauci for COVID-era policies. The hosts also connect the hearing to broader concerns about the Epstein files, presidential pardons, and what they describe as Donald Trump\u2019s pattern of self-promotion, legal maneuvering, and misinformation. The discussion expands to Trump\u2019s approval ratings, tariffs, immigration rhetoric, government surveillance technology, and the influence of companies such as Palantir. Bland and Cole warn about expanding license-plate tracking and data collection, criticize what they see as hypocrisy around \u201csocialism\u201d and government involvement in private business, and argue that the administration has failed to deliver on promises to reduce costs. The episode closes with lighter conversation about AI, quietly profitable businesses, books, and a true-crime documentary before the hosts again call for Trump to leave office. ","author_name":"The Left Hook","author_url":"http:\/\/www.markbland.net","html":"