Plausibly Live | The Dave Bowman Show | October 21, 2026

France is erupting in violence. North Korea's dictator may be dead. And somehow, the NFL has managed to turn the national anthem into a musical disaster.

It's another perfectly ordinary day on Plausibly Live.

In France, what began as student protests over education funding has escalated into widespread riots, thousands of arrests, and growing questions about immigration, integration, and political Islam. Dave Bowman examines the Islamic phrase Bismillah appearing in protest slogans, challenges the prevailing media narrative, and considers whether France's current unrest reflects a deeper struggle over national identity. With the French Revolution of 1789 as historical context, he explores what a fundamental political transformation could mean for Europe, NATO, Israel, and France's nuclear arsenal.

Meanwhile, is Kim Jong-un dead? Unconfirmed reports of a cerebral hemorrhage have raised questions about North Korea's future. Dave examines the Kim dynasty, the possibility of a succession crisis, China's strategic interests, and the dangers of uncertainty surrounding a nuclear-armed dictatorship. As a former Navy submariner, he also considers the implications for nuclear command and control and submarine warfare.

Finally, what on earth happened to the national anthem on Monday Night Football? Train frontman Pat Monahan and his son delivered a performance that left NFL fans furious. Dave has some thoughts about artistic freedom, musical talent, patriotic traditions, and why the national anthem shouldn't sound like a rock concert gone terribly wrong.

From the streets of Paris to the nuclear submarines of North Korea and the football fields of America, it's history, politics, national security, and cultural absurdity, delivered with Dave Bowman's trademark skepticism, sarcasm, and historical perspective.

Grab your coffee cup, pull up an iPad, and join the conversation.

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Website: https://plausiblylive.com

French riots and student protests • Political Islam and immigration in France • French Revolution of 1789 • Kim Jong-un death rumors • North Korean succession crisis • Chinese influence in North Korea • Nuclear weapons and submarine security • Pat Monahan and Train • Monday Night Football national anthem controversy • Freedom of expression and American traditions

#PlausiblyLive #DaveBowmanShow #FranceProtests #FrenchRiots #PoliticalIslam #KimJongUn #NorthKorea #Geopolitics #NationalSecurity #NFL #MondayNightFootball #NationalAnthem #PoliticalCommentary #History

Thomas Paine's The American Crisis: The Words That Helped Save the American Revolution | Dave Does History

“These are the times that try men's souls.”

In December 1776, the American Revolution was on the verge of collapse. George Washington's Continental Army had been driven from New York, British forces dominated New Jersey, enlistments were expiring, and Americans were beginning to question whether independence had been a terrible mistake.

Then Thomas Paine picked up his pen.

His extraordinary essay, The American Crisis, challenged a discouraged nation to confront the true cost of liberty. But could thirteen unforgettable words help sustain a revolution that appeared all but lost?

In this episode of Dave Does History, historian Dave Bowman joins Bill Mick to explore Thomas Paine's influence on the American Revolution, the remarkable power of political persuasion, and the enduring significance of his writings as America approaches the 250th anniversary of The American Crisis.

How did Paine's words travel through colonial America? Did George Washington really have the essay read to his soldiers before the Battle of Trenton? And what can an eighteenth-century revolutionary teach modern Americans about political communication, patriotism, sacrifice, and the responsibilities of citizenship?

The conversation also turns to a provocative contemporary question: Does America have a Thomas Paine today, or have we forgotten how to communicate the principles of liberty?

Discover the history behind one of the most influential works of the American Revolution and why its message still matters 250 years later.

Listen now to Dave Does History, where the people, decisions, and ideas that shaped America receive the attention they deserve.

#DaveDoesHistory #ThomasPaine #TheAmericanCrisis #AmericanRevolution #AmericanHistory #RevolutionaryWar #GeorgeWashington #HistoryPodcast #USHistory #America250

What happens when one political party has occupied the governor's office for more than four decades, the state keeps demanding more money, and even the Republican party starts telling voters to elect Democrats?

Welcome to Washington State politics.

On this episode of Plausibly Live, Dave Bowman begins with a simple question prompted by a handful of campaign flyers and his morning coffee: After 42 years of Democratic governors, who is actually responsible for Washington's problems?

A local legislative race featuring two Democrats, a proposed ethics reform law, and the controversial millionaire income tax raise uncomfortable questions about government accountability, political spending, and whether Washington's voters are being offered meaningful alternatives.

Then there's the Seattle SuperSonics.

Seattle has a passionate basketball fan base, a modern NBA arena, and decades of unfinished business after losing the Sonics to Oklahoma City. So why is the city's anticipated NBA expansion opportunity suddenly looking less certain? Could Washington's proposed income tax, business taxes, and economic climate influence the NBA's decision? And what happens when Las Vegas and Mexico City enter the conversation?

Dave examines the economic questions surrounding Seattle's NBA ambitions, the Republican Party's failure to field candidates in key races, and the growing disconnect between Washington's political leadership and the people paying the bills.

There's also a French Revolution connection lurking in the background. Sometimes the most interesting political conversations begin with a cup of coffee and an unexpected change of plans.

Forty-two years is a long time to govern. At what point does political leadership become political accountability?

Grab your coffee cup, pull up an iPad, and join Dave Bowman for a decidedly opinionated edition of Plausibly Live.

Topics: Washington State politics, Democratic control of Washington, Washington income tax, Initiative 645, government spending, political accountability, Seattle SuperSonics, NBA expansion, Seattle economics, Republican Party politics.

#PlausiblyLive #DaveBowman #WashingtonPolitics #WashingtonState #SeattleSuperSonics #NBAExpansion #IncomeTax #PoliticalAccountability #ConservativeCommentary #PoliticalPodcast