The Atlantic Current
Vincent Martin and Tull McAdoo
Hosted by Irishman Tull McAdoo, author of the Irish Politics Newsletter, and American Vince Martin. Covers politics, current events and lighter topics with perspectives shaped by the shared — and different — experiences of living on either side of the Atlantic.
Episodes
Ep. 72: The Biography Of Donald Trump, Part VI: A Fake Comeback Leads To Reality TV
The sweeping biography of Donald Trump as cultural figure comes to an end. Trump weathers his collapse by audaciously — and hysterically — creating a brilliant but imaginary comeback. Left outside the business world, Trump is rescued by reality television, which rehabilitates his reputation and leads to a new business model of licensing anything he can. But, by the early 2010s, even that career seems to be at an end. An ignominious appearance on cable television in a show for washed-up, scandal-ridden celebrities seems to augur the end of one the most remarkable careers in American entertainment, and a last hurrah for a man who dramatically changed American culture, for better or for worse.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes!
Ep. 71: Trump Calls For A United Ireland, Hopefully Before AI Kills Us All
Donald Trump sends the island of Ireland into an uproar as he calls for a unified Ireland. Is it, as some believe, a coordinated effort to take a shot at a Labour government that won’t cooperate enough overseas? Or, as Vince argues, is it another case of Trump substituting his “common sense” for detailed understanding? Tull and Vince have fun with the visit, while Tull details the promise and peril of what a United Ireland might look like.And with the “actually, AI could kill everyone” risk storming into the news cycle, the two bring their respective expertise — and dark humor — to the complex, fascinating, and terrifying future of the technology.
Ep. 70: September 11, Then And Now
Ahead of the 25th anniversary, Vince and Tull revisit that day. Vince discusses what it was like being in Manhattan as the Twin Towers were hit and fell, while Tull offers his own remembrance from a rural pub in Ireland.The aftermath of the event — particularly when the US veered into Iraq — has colored that day, and Tull asks if Americans have ever fully come to grips with what happened. Vince closes with a heartfelt plea — and a way, to, perhaps to properly honor the victims.
Ep. 69: The Biography Of Donald Trump, Part V: Crashing In AC
The fall of Donald Trump in the late 1980s has been extensively documented, yet not particularly well understood. Despite the narrative from his critics then and now, across the decade Trump’s deal-making prowess remains on display.But it’s his managerial style and, most importantly, strategic ineptitude, that dooms Trump not just in Atlantic City casinos but throughout his empire. The fascinating story of how, and why, Donald Trump blew up.
Ep. 68: Leaving Certs And Six-Figure Colleges
With “leaving certs” done in Ireland, Tull and Vince turn their attention to higher education. Vince is startled by the seemingly unforgiving path to higher education in Ireland. Tull is brought to silence by the costs of college in the U.S. And while young people in both countries have a seemingly easy choice to make, the duo closes with a discussion of why the right move in dollars is so difficult for many eighteen-year-olds to make.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes and more!
Ep. 67: Silly Season
With the political scene mostly quiet, Tull and Vince focus in on some of the wildest, funniest, and outright dumbest stories of the week. A MAGA influencer publicly alleges a ‘deep state’ conspiracy, and outs herself in the process. A tiny left-wing party in Ireland threatens to fracture again, leading to a fond discussion of one of the funniest political scenes ever put on film. A sitting US Senator provides a shocking defense for an anti-government stance, and a race in Alaska leads to a riotous discussion of historical elections where two candidates share the same name.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes and more!
Ep. 66: Dark To Light
Tull and Vince cover the death of five teenagers on an Irish highway, and how it might drive a sea change in attitudes toward policing and criminal justice. The focus then turns to lighter stories in the States: one of the wilder statements ever uttered in a political debate, and the 35-year-old White House aide who found herself at the center of a massive story — in part because her president left Americans with so little else to talk about.Check out show notes, updates, and more at atlanticcurrent.substack.com.
Ep. 65: The Biography of Donald Trump, Part IV: Lies Become Truth
In 1976, Donald Trump gives an interview to the New York Times which is stunning in its brazen falsehoods. Seven years later, Trump Tower opens — and, for a time, shows that Trump has become what he had earlier only pretended to be. A rollicking story of how Trump played the media, used his connections, dealt with the Mob, and set the foundation for his rise to fame in the 1980s.Check out show notes, updates, and more at atlanticcurrent.substack.com.
Ep. 64: Reds And Muslims In Michigan
Tull and Vince focus on two primary elections in the great state of Michigan as test cases for and reflections of a new Red Scare (and Green Scare) in the US. How a man who spent less than $2,000 and suspended his campaign won — and whether a formidable candidate with an impressive resume and a “funny-sounding name” can do the same in November.Check out the show notes at atlanticcurrent.substack.com!
Ep. 63: Mayo For Sam, The New IRA, and Grilled Fauci
Mayo’s win in the All-Ireland Gaelic football final sparks a warm discussion on the joy of sports, curses, and a detour into the insanity of American amateur athletics. But news elsewhere is more grim: renewed terrorist threats in the North, and a complete inability in the US (or anywhere else) to reckon with the damage caused by the global coronavirus pandemic. In both cases, Tull and Vince provide typically brilliant insight - but, in both cases, an easy answer is unfortunately impossible.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes, updates, and more!
Ep. 62: The Biography of Donald Trump, Part III: A Scandal And A Star Are Born
Now clearly the favorite son, Donald Trump returns to New York City aiming to make a name for himself. But a rocky start and an infamous scandal follow. Yet through connections, corruption, and some will of his own, Donald Trump is able to both close his first major deal and begin to catch the eye of a New York media all too willing to enable him.Visit atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes and more!
Ep. 61: Niall Collins And The Aughinish Yawn
Tull sparks another social media controversy for an Irish politician — this time, when TD Niall Collins replies to legitimate concern about the Aughinish Alumina plant with a “yawn” emoji.After covering the story in Ep. 53 - which one listener called the “best podcast I have listened to” on Aughinish and its Russian shipments - Tull and Vince take the chance to update listeners on new developments. Private and public investigations are closing in, yet the apparent strategy from Fianna Fáil and the government is to simply take the middle road — pleasing no one, and accomplishing little.See show notes here: https://atlanticcurrent.substack.com/
Ep. 60: Platner Part II, Lindsey Graham, And The Schism On The Left
Tull and Vince complete the incredible story of Graham Platner, and explore its aftereffects. Platner’s collapse highlights both the ineptitude of national Democrats, and the battle for the party’s soul and direction. The two discuss why Platner’s story has faded — despite the most serious allegation against a major political candidate in over a century — and the lesson provided by the late senator Lindsey Graham.
Ep. 59: Lynn Boylan, Gaeilge, And Sinn Féin Cringe
A clip from Tull showing Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan lamenting the inability to speak Irish in an EU meeting — only to prove her own inability to do so — has gone mega-viral, and sparks the first Atlantic Current emergency podcast.Tull and Vince have some fun with the mix of indignation and ignorance, along with the possibility of literally dying from embarrassment, but also probe the repeated and bizarre missteps Sinn Féin keeps making around Gaeilge.
Ep. 58: The Rise And Fall of Graham Platner, Part I
The stunning rise and collapse of Graham Platner is one of the most fascinating political stories of the decade. In less than a year, Platner went from anonymity to being a front-runner for a United States seat and potential presidential contender to ignominy. And while his personal failings make for great drama (and some dark humor), his story also reflects key themes in politics nationally and worldwide — while also potentially having a ripple effect around the globe.
Ep. 57: The Biography of Donald Trump, Part II: Fred Jr. Clears The Way
At thirteen years old, Donald Trump is sent to military school. At home, his older brother Fred Jr. — handsome, charming, and skilled — is set to join and eventually take over the family business. But battles between father and son, new loves, and the beginnings of an all-too-common disease will change the course of Fred Jr.’s life. It will also open a path for Donald to become the new golden boy of the family — and wind up with the immense wealth and connections of Fred Trump Sr. at his back.
Ep. 56: Live On Tape From Ireland
For the first time, Tull and Vince record in person from an undisclosed location in Ireland. The witty, wide-ranging conversation covers America’s 250th birthday (and why Vince is fine missing it), a potential scandal in Galway, and the collapse in cryptocurrency prices.
Ep. 55: The Biography Of Donald Trump, Part I: Eyes On Manhattan
As a politician, Donald Trump has been analyzed, covered, and discussed more than anyone in modern history. But that discussion has obscured a fascinating pre-political career in which Trump had a huge impact on American culture — and reflected so many of the major trends across the country in the postwar period. In Part I of this multi-episode event, Vince and Tull look at Donald Trump’s childhood, why Manhattan was always the goal, and how the dynamics of the Trump family shaped Donald Trump as an entertainer and, eventually, as a president.
Ep. 54: Irish "Vetocracy", Dark Secrets, And The World Cup
Tull and Vince tour a number of stories that highlight broader problems across the United States and Europe. Manna’s decision to pause operations in Ireland leads to claims that the country has become a “vetocracy” and highlights a rising backlash against tech. In the North, Jeffrey Donaldson faces punishment for his crimes. In the US, Republicans continue to argue — with hysterically poor evidence — that others should as well. But the episode closes on a lighter note, with a look at the success of the World Cup and some timely craic on what it tells us about Europeans and Americans.
Ep. 53: The Shame of Aughinish
Tull details the stunning — and infuriating — history of Aughinish Alumina in County Limerick. While the plant has made international news amid revelations that its output appears to be supporting the Russian war machine, the larger scandal may well center on the health of area citizens and the effect on their environment. It’s a scandal underpinned by four decades of indifference from and neglect by Irish politicians — up to and including the current Taoiseach himself.
Ep. 52: Yes, It Was A Pogrom
Tull and Vince discuss the riots in Belfast which saw 61 families burned out of their homes. Tull forcefully argues that the violence was a pogrom, one that provided a disturbing flashback to the Troubles. Vince highlights why the events in Belfast have captured attention in the US, and how those that excuse the violence are making the same error as so many Americans in recent years. It’s a grim but insightful episode about an issue that both agree is not going anywhere.
Ep. 51: Enhanced Games And Tech Bros With Meredith Oglivie-Thompson
Meredith Oglivie-Thompson returns to the podcast to discuss the Enhanced Games, the oligarch-created, (legal) drug-infused athletic competition recently held in Las Vegas. The event — and the publicly-traded company behind it — says so much about how tech billionaires view mortality, morality, and the rest of us. An occasionally dark, but as always illuminating, look at the new ruling class, where they want all of us to go, and how they plan to get us there.Visit Meredith's Substack "All That I Have Met" at https://meredithogilviethompson.substack.com
Ep. 50: Comedian Butch Bradley On Standup, Vegas, And Trump In Atlantic City
With Tull out, standup comedian Butch Bradley joins the podcast for an uproarious global tour. Vince and Butch catch up on their time on the stage together and why Irish descent provides an edge in the comedy business. Butch also discusses his Durty travels across the world, the impact of Donald Trump on Atlantic City, and why the Irish should have pity on their American cousins.Check out Butch on Laugh After Dark at laughafterdark.tv!
Ep. 49: The Ten Dumbest Things Donald Trump Has Ever Said
On the heels of a bizarre week, Tull and Vince dig into the president’s intellectual capacity. The case is simple: Donald Trump does not know how the world works. The ten dumbest things he has said — aloud and publicly — in his political career prove as much. A dark and riotous episode provides a fresh look at what has become all too normalized.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes, updates, and more, including a heavy dose of source material and added context for this episode.
Ep. 48: Election Millions And Billions
Tull and Vince delve into elections in the two countries. Why election spending in Ireland looks so bizarre to an American — and why US expenditures look so corrupt to a European. Tull’s origin story is revealed, Irish weather confounds, and Vince admits to a felony.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes, updates, and more!
Ep. 47: Meredith Oglivie-Thompson on Africa, Ebola, and DOGE
As another Ebola outbreak threatens Central Africa, Vince and Tull are joined by journalist Meredith Ogilvie-Thompson, who spent years covering stories — and witnessing past outbreaks — across the Continent. They discuss the importance of US aid cuts, the infrastructure and competence of African nations, and the counterproductive destruction by DOGE.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes, updates, and more!And visit Meredith's Substack — one of the best out there — at https://meredithogilviethompson.substack.com
Ep. 46: Byelection Madness
Vince and Tull wrap up the key by-elections in Galway West and Dublin Central. The takeaways in each district, what they mean for two of the major parties (and their leaders), and where Ireland goes from here.
Ep. 45: Is Donald Trump Really Corrupt?
Tull and Vince discuss the wave of stories that seem to highlight corruption within the Trump Administration, led by the president himself. But Vince takes a surprising angle — and provides a defense of Donald Trump, albeit in a perhaps more damning way. One of the darker, and definitely most darkly funny, episodes of the series so far.
Ep. 44: Forecasting The By-Elections With Richard Collumb
The pod gets its first guest: Richard Collumb, described by one minister as “the best director of elections ever”. Collumb provides expert insights into Friday’s by-elections in Galway West and Dublin Central, seeing good news for one government party, trouble for another, and the potential for not one, but two, leadership changes in the near future.
Ep. 43: The Iran Trap And Sinn Féin Conspiracies
Vince and Tull return to the war between the US, Israel and Iran in a bid to understand what, exactly, Donald Trump can do from here. (The answer seems to be: not much.) Then, yet another questionable claim from a Sinn Féin TD sparks a discussion about the party’s willingness to embrace conspiracies, and the role of similar theories in US politics over the years.
Ep. 42: Corruption In A PornHub World
A Cabinet Secretary’s road trip — and his wife’s bizarre rationalization — highlights the space created for corruption in the U.S., though Tull and Vince debate what, precisely, is going on at the top of the Administration. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin makes yet another misstep, while Tull highlights the importance and reach of the rebounding Irish native language.
Ep. 41: Poor Europeans And Bad Journalism
An op-ed in the Wall Street Journal sparks a discussion on the relative wealth between Europe and the United States. Is the Continent really falling further behind? And why can’t everyone be like the United States? Plus why a key Irish civil servant needs to fly more, and how Tull and Vince are contributing to the destruction of the global media.Check out atlanticcurrent.substack.com for show notes, updates and more!
Ep. 40: Previewing The Irish Bye-Elections
Tull previews the upcoming Irish bye-elections. The trends to watch, the candidates who are favored, and the narratives that will emerge later this month. Vince provides some comparisons to the American system — and a few interesting observations from the outside.Check out show notes, updates and more at atlanticcurrent.substack.com.
Ep. 39: $200 Crude, 16% Vote Share, and 86 47
Tensions are rising on both sides of the Atlantic. Irish and American voters express disappointment even as — in some ways — things have never been better. Disinformation, (alleged) gangsters, and threats to the American midterms add to the sense of worry — but a few detours into sandwiches, insects, and the most insane coup ever attempted add some levity to the insights.YouTube link for the history of US oil this century (7 minute clip):https://youtu.be/jTxYhWXkJtg
Ep. 38: 'The United States Is In A State Of Chaos'
Another assassination attempt on Donald Trump further inflames what Tull has long called an ongoing “cold civil war”. The instant explosion in conspiracy theories — now apparently the domain of both sides of the political divide — only adds to a sense that in America reality itself is fracturing. Vince charts an unlikely path for President Trump, while Tull offers a way out for nervous Americans.
Ep. 37: The Two Universes of Donald Trump
Tull and Vince open with coverage of Kash Patel’s alleged exploits and errors as director of the FBI — but focus more closely on an interview Patel gave days later on Fox News. As Trump voters are fed an increasingly coordinated and aggressive narrative promising retribution and arrests of Democratic officials and leaders, the midterm elections loom. While the broader media touts ‘exclusives’ with the president and press conferences focus on negotiations with Iran, a dangerous undercurrent is flowing toward November.
Ep. 36: JD Vance and Sex Scandals
Part II of the news roundup resumes the search for a Trump scapegoat — and lands squarely on the man occupying the most hated job in Washington. After ending so many episodes on a darker note, Vince closes with a joyful retelling of the long, sordid, bizarre, and often-hysterical story of Mark Sanford.Visit atlanticcurrent.substack.com to subscribe to show notes, updates, and more!
Ep. 35: Irish Heaves And Who Leaves?
Nationwide fuel protests are at an end, but pressure on Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin is starting to rise. After twelve years of potential challenges to his leadership, has a real threat emerged?In the US, the executive branch is similarly embattled. But as Trump looks for an exit from Iran, will he need a scapegoat in the process?Check out https://atlanticcurrent.substack.com/ for detailed show notes, updates, and more!
Ep. 34: The Horror, And Horror, Of Social Media
In the wake of massive fuel protests, Tull highlights the importance of social media in domestic politics. On the other side of the Atlantic, Vince uses the longest (and likely most interesting) story about gas stoves ever recorded to highlight the effect of social media on the American right.
Ep. 33: No, We're Not Talking About Iran
Tull and Vince explain why they’re not talking about Iran (Vince’s mental health being one core reason), and instead pivot to large-scale, wild, and logically questionable protests sweeping Ireland at the moment. Tull gives detailed accounts from the ground; as always, Vince provides the American perspective, along with his experiences at a university where protests were so common they inspired their own movie.
Ep. 32: The MAGA Perspective
After a harrowing weekend and ahead of a major deadline, Tull and Vince focus on Donald Trump’s ability to keep prosecuting the war in Iran. That ability rests on his base; Vince highlights how the perception of MAGA supporters is diametrically opposed to that of essentially the entire rest of the world.
Ep. 31: Oh, Sh--, Tull Was Right
This episode wasn’t supposed to be about Tull’s predictions playing out — but there’s no other choice. Whether it’s energy prices, the global economy, turmoil in the White House, or crazy trading in prediction markets, the pessimistic view gained steam this week. With no shortage of (often dark) humor, Tull and Vince discuss how it happened and where the US and world can go from here.
Ep. 30: The Irish View Of American Guns
For the 30th episode, Tull and Vince tackle guns. In Ireland and Europe, they are tools used for hunting and occasional police work; in the US, they carry intense cultural, political, and even emotional weight. Vince tries desperately to explain how and why a nation with 45,000 gun deaths annually seemingly can do so little to solve the problem.
Ep. 29: TACO Trump And Insider Trading
The TACO acronym returns as Donald Trump looks for an off-ramp in Iran — yet none looks viable. At home, the Administration deals with an epidemic of insider trading and an increasingly agitated electorate. Vince fights the conventional wisdom about Congressional corruption, while Tull offers a glorious rant about the staggering sums paid to Irish civil servants.
Ep. 28: Stocks, Crypto, Bubbles, And Crashes
Tull and Vince lean on years of experience to tackle the disparate views of the stock market and investing in the US, Ireland, and Europe. The episode moves on to the history of American-driven financial crashes, cracks in the credit market, the joy and horror of crypto, and the increasingly blurry line between investing and gambling, with some well-timed acronym humor thrown in.
Ep. 27: Martin Nails It, Pearl Harbor, America Gambles, And Gerry Adams Is Not In The IRA
Tull and Vince circle the globe. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin pulls off a high-risk meeting with Trump, while a stunning visit from the Japanese prime minister to DC proves one of Vince’s long-held theories. Soaring energy prices are pressuring Europe and Asia, and show a lack of preparation for the effects of the attacks. Denmark incredibly prepares for war with the U.S., Americans have a gambling problem, and Gerry Adams faces a court.
Ep. 26: Happy (And Dangerous) St. Patrick's Day
Vince and Tull (mostly) depart from global politics for a special episode on St. Patrick’s Day, delivered a day earlier than usual. No better way to prepare for a global holiday than a crackling conversation between an Irishman and an American.On St. Patrick himself, the risk facing Micheál Martin during his traditional visit to the White House, and the most offensive and downright silly Irish-American traditions for the day.
Ep. 25: The Irish Left, Heartbroken Voters, And Tarnished Dubai
Tull and Vince start in Ireland, where both President Catherine Connolly and Sinn Fein are in the news for the wrong reasons. Vince highlights the growing belief on the American right about rigged elections, and predicts trouble ahead in November, while Tull details one of the funnier voter fraud cases of the century, and closes by wondering whether the war in Iran will change the Middle East for good.
Ep. 24: Price Gouging, War Porn, And The Covidversary
The war in Iran spikes energy prices in Europe, and raises questions about the American endgame. Meanwhile, the White House makes war into a meme, and Tull and Vince debate whether anyone wants to listen to anything about COVID.
Ep. 23: Iran Again
After five days of strikes in Iran by the US and Israel, Tull and Vince take stock. Comments from Donald Trump suggest a massive, and permanent, change in America’s relation to the world. Europe walks a tightrope, and the two battle over petrol and gasoline.