Shows / Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
I chose the name Foggy Bottom Line years ago while working on a doctorate at George Washington University. I studied international relations and security there and it’s in Foggy Bottom in DC, so it made sense at the time.
The Foggy Bottom Line brand focuses on the idea that the bottom line answer to most questions is rarely completely clear. A bit of fog always clouds the truth, and I don’t deal in absolutes.
Background may or may not give credibility, and we have no desire to argue from…
Episodes
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone2026 Midterms: Attack on Midterm Legitimacy
An accurate vote count and public acceptance of an election are two different problems. The defining political struggle of this moment may not be over votes…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneCan We Protect the Midterms? How it Works and What Could Go Wrong
What actually has to happen to run an election—and what preparations protect the process when pressure comes from Washington? Scott and I walk through voter…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneHegseth's New Military: Nor Lethal? Or More Grifting?
Last week we talked about Pete Hegseth's State of the Force speech with a focus on aesthetics and message...pretty much a peacock strutting around a stage…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers on the State of the Force
On September 30, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a "State of the Force" address to members of the US military. Scott and I watched it, and we have…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTrump to Iran: Deal or Die
Trump spoke at the UN General Assembly on the Iran war and US foreign policy with a clear message to the Iranian government: Make a deal or "I'll annihilate…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers: The War in Iran is a No Win Scenario
We've seen a lot of developments in the Iran War over the last few weeks. Iran fired a ballistic missile at the USS George Washington, a Ford class aircraft…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Get Optimistic: Boring Governance is Good!
Even while the entire US is pretty much on fire we still see the occasional good governance...and this is a good sign. This week we try to find examples of…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTragic Farce: How Clown Politics Breaks the Republic
This week we take a look at the Trump clown show presidency and how this farce could turn tragic pretty quickly. All the silliness we see from the Trump…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers: Trump Acts and Dares Congress to Stop Him
Today we’re digging into a question that’s been building for years: Is Donald Trump’s governing strategy — the “fait accompli” strategy — finally approaching a…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone: Is the DSA the Tea Party of the Left?
Sixteen years ago, anger and frustration with the Republican response to the election of Barack Obama, the government response to the financial crisis of 2007…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Analyze Trump's Need to Brand Everything
For his entire life, Donald Trump has put his name on everything he could. Buildings. Steaks. Casinos. Wine. A fake university. Now he wants to add it to…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers: Iran War Situation Report - Are We There Yet, Daddy Trump?
Five months into the war against Iran, the US has achieved nothing but a stalemate. After spending close to $40T in taxpayer money and launching something like…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers talk Data Centers, ft Amanda Doughty
As billionaires and corporations push artificial intelligence (AI), developers push construction of larger and larger data centers - enormous facilities full…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTrump Fires Election Commission Members, Looks to Sow Midterm Election Chaos
Trump has fired the three sitting members of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and will give a speech on Thursday July 16 to release newly declassified…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneRight Wing Nativists Freak Out Over Birthright Citizenship Ruling: Racism, Religion, or Just Power?
Last week, the most conservative Supreme Court we've seen in my lifetime finally got one right and ruled that the 14th Amendment protects birthright…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Talk SCOTUS Mail Ballot Ruling and What Trump Plans to Do About It
This week the US Supreme Court ruled that States may count mailed ballots that were postmarked on time but did not arrive until after the formal Election Day…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Get Some GenZ Insight, featuring Hurley Lucchese
Scott and I meet with Hurley Lucchese, rising high school senior and local community activist, is part of an age cohort just now starting to think about…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Sit Down with Elizabeth Dempsey-Beggs, Candidate for Congress, VACD01
In this episode of the Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers podcast, Scott and I sit down with Elizabeth Dempsey-Beggs, former Armor officer, foster parent, and…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Sit Down with Tim Cywinski, candidate for Congress in Virginia's CD01
In this episode of the Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers podcast, Scott and I sit down with Tim Cywinski, community activist, and candidate for Congress in…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Sit Down with Ericka Kopp, Candidate for Congress in Virginia's CD01
In this episode of the Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers podcast, Scott and I sit down with Ericka Kopp, attorney, activist, and candidate for Congress in…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Sit Down with Salaam Bhatti, Candidate for Congress in VA CD01
In this episode of the Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers podcast, Scott and I sit down with Salaam Bhatti, attorney, activist, and candidate for Congress in…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone Talk America's 250th Birthday
In this episode of Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone, Scott and I discuss America's 250th birthday, some of the celebrations planned, and how…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Sit Down with Jason Knapp, Virginia CD01 Congressional Candidate
Now that the redistricting question is settled (for now at least), Congressional candidates are ramping up for the last two months before the Democratic…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers: Loyalty Tests, Closed Primaries, and Structural One-Party Rule
Donald Trump has had a good week. He wanted Massie gone from Congress for pushing the Epstein Files release. He wanted Cassidy gone from the Senate for voting…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Connect the Iran War and China Trip Dots
Right in the middle of the Iran war Trump started but can't figure out how to finish, he heads off to China with an entourage of family members and billionaire…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Washington Post Reports Extensive Damage to US Persian Gulf Bases - Why No Casualty Reports?
Earlier this week we reported an interesting lack of Iran War news coverage and discussed the structural reasons for these media choices and some reasons the…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Two Crusty Old Soldiers Ask: Why the Corporate Media Radio Silence on Iran? Trump got your Tongue?
Scott Konopasek and I get together for a discussion of the US media, and why we don't see more reporting on the most important thing happening in the world…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Connect the Political Dots
In this Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone episode, Scott and I break down a chaotic week in American politics—from a major Supreme Court of the…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Interview Mel Tull, Candidate for Congress in Virginia's 5th District
In this special Foggy Bottom Line Media bonus episode, hosts Stan Scott and Scott K. sit down with Virginia 5th Congressional District candidate Mel Tull—Army…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneCan Iran with the War?
Iran Crisis: What happens next? In this episode of Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone, military veterans and political analysts Stan Scott and…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Will the War on Iran Bring the Rapture?
In this conversation, Stan Scott and Scott Konopasek discuss the implications of religious beliefs within the military, particularly in light of the Military…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
US Attacks Iran: What Happens Next? Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers Break it Down
In this conversation, Stan Scott and Scott Konopasek discuss the recent military actions against Iran, exploring the motivations behind these decisions, the…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone: Are US Elections Secure?
Trump and his team complained so loudly about a stolen 2020 election, hundreds of his followers stormed the Capitol to stop the Electoral Vote count, causing a…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneTwo Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone: Can Trump Steal the Midterms?
After he left the Army, Scott K served as an election official in 4 states, including Virginia. In this episode, the first in a series on how American…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneEpstein File Dump: Put Them All Under the Jail!
Last Friday, the Department of Justice dumped more than three million pieces of information about Jeffrey Epstein, his crimes, and his group of pals. Emails…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneFoggy Bottom Line Breakdown with R. Stanton Scott and Scott Konopasek: ICE is Out of Control
Last week, an ICE agent in Minneapolis shot and killed a woman after she tried to flee when they attempted to pull her from her vehicle. Trump officials and…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophonePostwar International Order and Trump Foreign Policy (Recorded Live Show)
After the Second World War, the US and its victorious allies created a set of international institutions and legal regimes designed to protect and spread…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneICE Agents are Unprofessional Thugs
Federal ICE agents have occupied American cities, and they think they have a right to assault you, arrest you, and even shoot you if you don't follow their…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneLive Spot Report: ICE agent shoots mother of two Renee Good three times for no reason in Minneapolis
Yesterday, a woman named Renee Good attempted to flee from ICE agents in a Minneapolis neighborhood when they attempted to pull her from her vehicle. She was…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneDonald Trump is Looting the State! Foggy Bottom Line Breakdown with Stan and Scott
From crypto scams to pardon deals to simply taking gifts from billionaires (not to mention foreign governments!), Donald Trump is making the Presidency very…
- Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a Microphone
Monday Morning Live with R. Stanton Scott (January 5, 2026)
I'm live on Monday mornings at 10AM Eastern time to discuss the issues of the day and get started on the week. This is a recording of today's live event…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneYikes! Trump Goes Nuts on Murder of Beloved Filmmaker!
Lots of violence this week, with Rob Reiner and his wife Michele murdered and mass shootings in Rhode Island and Australia, Trump goes nuts on Truth Social and…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneFoggy Bottom Line Episode 18: Immigration Intimidation, and a take on the state of college football
This week the Trump Administration sent Federal agents into a citizenship ceremony and pulled people who were about to take the oath out of the line because of…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneFoggy Bottom Line Bonus Episode: Politics in Rural Virginia FT Mike McGirr
Mike McGirr is a community activist living in Bristol, Virginia. He grew up on a regenerative farm in Massachusetts where he learned the fundamentals of…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneFoggy Bottom Line Episode 16: Hegseth and War Crimes
Last week The Washington Post published a story describing the orders giving prior to the first US military attack on alleged drug runner boats off the coast…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneFoggy Bottom Line Episode 15: The Seditious Six and Unlawful Orders
Two US Senators and four US Representatives made a video this week reminding troops and intelligence officers of their duty to disobey unlawful orders - those…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneFoggy Bottom Line Podcast Episode 5: Education
Scott and I discuss public education, its role in creating community, and a bit about policy in Virginia.
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneEpisode 14: Campaign Finance and the Montana Plan
We host our first guest on the podcast, Montanan Jeff Mangan. Jeff runs a grassroots effort to change the way Montana - and other states - treat corporations…
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Episode 4: The Big Billionaire Bill
In Episode 4, Scott and I discuss the "Big Beautiful Bill" and its implications for people who depend on social services, including business owners and health…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneFoggy Bottom Line Episode 3: Wages and Productivity
In Episode 3, Scott and I discuss the disconnect between productivity growth and wage growth since 1972 - that is, why haven't wages increased with worker…
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneFoggy Bottom Line Episode 2: Authoritarianism
In Episode 2 of the Foggy Bottom Line Podcast, Scott and I discuss rising authoritarianism in the US and a bit about how we can resist.
Two Crusty Old Combat Soldiers with a MicrophoneFoggy Bottom Line Episode 1: Political Cheating
In Episode 1 of the Foggy Bottom Line podcast, R. Stanton Scott and Scott Konopasek talk about cheating in politics and the rhyme or reason behind the FBL…