The Derek Hunter Podcast

Derek Hunter

A daily look at the news in politics and pop culture. Posted at midnight every weekday.

  1. 1-1/2 Greeks: Iran, Leftists on the March, and Tax Day

    5 DAYS AGO

    1-1/2 Greeks: Iran, Leftists on the March, and Tax Day

    Dean Karayanis, columnist for the New York Sun, welcomes back his half-Greek writing partner from the Rush Limbaugh Show and former producer of The Drudge Report, George “Koko” Prayias for a fun look at the world’s serious issues. The episode debuts “One-and-a-Half Greeks” new theme song. It’s a little bit country, but the show is all Rock and Roll. The discussion covers the left’s embrace of Tax Day and hiking taxes on “the rich,” in the person of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Democrats used to stay quiet on this day because America was built on a tax rebellion, but they’ve changed the electorate and now it’s a holiday — even though Americans will work for the government this year from January 1 to April 26, projected as Tax-Freedom Day. The war in Iran illustrates another break with the past, as Senators Schumer, Gillibrand, and Fetterman all find themselves targeted by the ascendant antisemite, socialist wing of their party. Swalwell is an indication that they will take down anyone who gets in their way, aiming the same anger at old-school Democrats that they once reserved for Republicans. Even Pope Leo, who George — as a life-long Catholic — laments is a “Chicago Machine Pope,” has decided to go all-in on the global effort to halt Trump’s agenda and rein in America. That this puts them on the side of the terrorist regime in Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah doesn’t embarrass them. But at least the fiction that the groups aren’t all one in the same has been exposed by the ayatollahs’ own admission.

    59 min
  2. Trump Blockades Hormuz, Orban Out, and Fetterman is Out-Americans His Party

    13 APR

    Trump Blockades Hormuz, Orban Out, and Fetterman is Out-Americans His Party

    Dean Karayanis breaks down a whirlwind Monday in global politics. From the shifting sands of the Middle East to Vitor Orban’s loss in Hungary, Dean cuts through the "access media" noise to find the truth behind the headlines. The Iran Ultimatum: Dean analyzes President Trump’s bold Sunday declaration of a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. He explores why the media’s World War III predictions keep falling flat and examines the reality of Iran's "extortion tolls" on international shipping. A look at the shocking election results in Hungary. Dean discusses what the end of the 16-year "strongman" rule means for American conservatives who rely on endorsements rather than local campaigning, and expresses mock surprise that a supposed “authoritarian” conceded. The Battle for History: Addressing his latest column in the New York Sun, Dean says Al Sharpton’s call for black Americans to boycott the America 250 celebrations erases the service of thousands of Black patriots like Crispus Attucks — the first man killed in the American Revolution. The "America First" Democrat: Why is Senator John Fetterman the only prominent Democrat willing to root for American interests against Iran? Dean compares Fetterman’s "civilization over chaos" stance with the "deranged" defeatism of New York Times columnist Tom Friedman. Economic Realities: Why are egg prices collapsing, and why isn't the media giving the current administration a shred of credit for market recovery?

    55 min
  3. Media Spin, Military Truths, and the Madness of Modern Politics

    6 APR

    Media Spin, Military Truths, and the Madness of Modern Politics

    Dean Karayanis, New York Sun columnist and former Rush Limbaugh staffer, delivers a fast‑moving, historically grounded, and sharply opinionated monologue that blends humor, cultural memory, and political critique. He opens with a Mel Brooks WWII anecdote — using it as a springboard to contrast Allied sacrifice with the brutality of Iran’s regime and how a Jewish kid from Brooklyn and Nazis could give each other their due but President Trump’s critics cannot. From there, its reflections on the recent U.S. rescue of a downed airman in Iran, arguing that critics refuse to acknowledge success because it disrupts their preferred narrative about President Trump and American military capability. Dean skewers foreign commentators, media outlets, and political figures who frame the rescue as a “failure” or “gamble,” highlighting what he sees as deliberate distortion. He draws on pop‑culture touchstones — Batman Begins, Jaws, Rambo — to illustrate how institutions and pundits often move the goalposts, dismiss victories, or twist facts to maintain a predetermined storyline. Throughout the episode, he contrasts Hollywood cynicism with real‑world heroism, emphasizing the value America places on rescuing its own. The conversation expands into broader reflections on war reporting, historical amnesia, and the persistence of anti‑American sentiment. Karayanis cites military assessments, past conflicts, and media behavior during hurricanes and crises to argue that critics are invested not in accuracy but in undermining the administration. He closes by examining Trump’s version of Nixon’s “Madman Theory” ahead of his warning that Tuesday will be “Power Plant and Bridge Day” when they’re destroyed — framed as strategic psychological pressure — and advises not to let partisan narratives overshadow the reality of American success on the battlefield.

    51 min

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A daily look at the news in politics and pop culture. Posted at midnight every weekday.

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