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.

Plausibly Live: The Dave Bowman Show, part of the On Air Across America Network.

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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

Plausibly Live with Dave Bowman | October 16, 2026

What do a high school cross-country protest, the search forNoah's Ark, and the Los Angeles Dodgers' playoff elimination have in common?They're all raising questions about fairness, tradition, and what we choose tobelieve.

On this episode of Plausibly Live, Dave Bowman beginsin Washington State, where female athletes from Camas and Battle Ground highschools walked off a cross-country course in protest over transgenderparticipation in girls' sports. With Initiative 638 on the November ballot,Dave examines the controversy surrounding biological sex, athletic competition,parental rights, and Superintendent Chris Reykdal's response. Is Washingtonfinally approaching a political reckoning over girls' athletics?

Then, with the weekly Torah portion turning to Noah, Daveconsiders renewed archaeological investigations near Mount Ararat. Researcherscontinue searching for physical evidence of Noah's Ark, but Jewish traditionoffers a different perspective. Drawing on the Torah, Talmud, Midrash,Josephus, and the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov, Dave explores what may havehappened to the Ark and why its spiritual meaning matters more than discoveringits remains.

Finally, the Milwaukee Brewers have eliminated the LosAngeles Dodgers, and much of baseball is celebrating. As a lifelong Dodgersfan, Dave isn't particularly happy about the loss, but he's even less impressedby claims that Milwaukee has somehow saved baseball. From the Yankees'free-spending dynasty to the economics of modern Major League Baseball, heargues that the sport's real problems remain unresolved, with a potential laborconfrontation on the horizon.

Politics, biblical history, Jewish philosophy, baseball, anda little sarcasm. It's another Friday on Plausibly Live.

Listen for independent political commentary, historicalperspective, and conversations about the issues that deserve more than aheadline.

Join the conversation:
Call or text: 209-565-DAVE (3283)
Email: Dave@TheDaveBowmanShow.com

Follow Plausibly Live with Dave Bowman on Spotify fornew episodes exploring American politics, constitutional liberty, history,religion, and the occasional baseball argument.

#PlausiblyLive #DaveBowman #WashingtonPolitics #GirlsSports#TransgenderAthletes #Initiative638 #NoahsArk #JewishTradition #Dodgers#MilwaukeeBrewers #MLB #PoliticalCommentary

Who decides what's best for your children: You or Ron DeSantis? And why does a man who walked on the Moon believe UFOs are actually demons?

On today's Plausibly Live, Dave Bowman examines Florida's controversial social media restrictions for minors and the growing conflict between parental rights, government authority, and personal liberty. Protecting children matters, but shouldn't parents decide when their kids are ready to navigate the digital world? And if social media is so dangerous, why aren't we regulating the harmful practices themselves?

Then, Apollo 16 astronaut Charles Duke claims UFOs are demonic manifestations designed to deceive humanity. Dave is skeptical that extraterrestrial life exists, but does a supernatural explanation make any more sense? From biblical interpretations to scientific evidence, it's a fascinating discussion about faith, skepticism, and what we actually know.

Two very different stories connected by questions about authority, evidence, and the freedom to think for ourselves.

Plausibly Live: The Dave Bowman Show explores history, politics, culture, and liberty with independent thinking and a healthy dose of skepticism.

#PlausiblyLive #DaveBowmanShow #ParentalRights #SocialMedia #FreeSpeech #UFOs

Has the Heisman Trophy Become Meaningless?

What happens when two interceptions become more important than an entire football season?

Following Oklahoma's 27–24 victory over Texas, Dave Bowman takes aim at the media frenzy surrounding Arch Manning and the Heisman Trophy. Has college football's most prestigious individual award become little more than a publicity contest driven by television networks, betting markets, and manufactured expectations?

From NIL deals and the transfer portal to conference realignment and the disappearance of traditional rivalries, Dave examines why it's becoming increasingly difficult to enjoy the college football he grew up loving.

Then the conversation turns to Iran, where reports suggest Tehran is deliberately targeting commercial shipping to drive up oil prices and influence the November elections. Dave questions the credibility of those claims, the dangers of military escalation, and the political hypocrisy surrounding gasoline prices and American energy policy.

Plus, a morning of technical disasters, Windows 11 frustrations, and the challenges of producing a live radio show when absolutely nothing cooperates.

Plausibly Live: The Dave Bowman Show brings history, politics, sports, and common sense together with a healthy dose of skepticism.

#PlausiblyLive #DaveBowmanShow #HeismanTrophy #ArchManning #CollegeFootball #OklahomaSooners #RedRiverRivalry #Iran #ElectionInterference #EnergyPolicy

Two Ships Against an Empire: 251 Years of the United States Navy

On October 13, 1981, Dave Bowman reported to Navy boot camp in San Diego, California, exactly 206 years after the Continental Congress authorized the first vessels of the United States Navy. Forty-five years later, that personal anniversary provides the starting point for a special Navy birthday edition of Dave Does History on The Bill Mick Podcast.

How did thirteen colonies with almost no money, no warships, and no realistic hope of defeating the Royal Navy decide to challenge British power at sea?

Bill and Dave explore the remarkable history of the United States Navy, from Revolutionary War privateers and the first Continental warships through the age of ironclads, battleships, aircraft carriers, and nuclear-powered submarines.

Along the way, they examine why the Navy effectively disappeared after the Revolution, how it was reborn in 1794, and how changing technology transformed American naval power.

It's a journey through 251 years of American history, with a few personal memories from Dave's submarine service and an important lesson learned in boot camp: When the admiral comes to lunch, the food gets better.

Listen to Dave Does History on The Bill Mick Podcast at BillMick.com.

Was Christopher Columbus a hero, a villain, or something farmore complicated? On Columbus Day 2026, Dave Bowman challenges the popularmythology surrounding the voyage of 1492 and asks whether modern culture hasforgotten how to recognize human achievement without ignoring human failure.

Columbus didn't prove the Earth was round. EducatedEuropeans already knew that. His mathematics weren't necessarily as foolish aspopular accounts suggest, and he wasn't the first European to reach theAmericas. Yet his voyage aboard the Niña, Pinta, and SantaMaría helped transform world history.

On this episode of Plausibly Live: The Dave Bowman Show,Dave examines the real history of Christopher Columbus, the nineteenth-centuryorigins of the flat-earth myth, the extraordinary navigational challenges ofcrossing the Atlantic, and the darker legacy of conquest and colonization.

Why has Columbus become such a controversial figure whileconquistadors such as Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro occupy a differentplace in American public memory? Would someone else inevitably have sailedwest? And can we recognize Columbus's courage and seamanship whileacknowledging the suffering associated with his expeditions?

For Dave, a veteran submariner, the experience of going tosea offers a particular appreciation for the determination required to venturebeyond the familiar horizon.

Also in this episode: The Search for Noah's Ark

New reports from eastern Turkey have revived interest in theDurupınar formation near Mount Ararat. Researchers have reported unusualsubsurface patterns, soil chemistry, and other features that some believewarrant further investigation.

But what would actually constitute archaeological proof thatNoah's Ark had been discovered? Could such a discovery be scientificallyestablished? And would finding the Ark change anyone's religious faith?

Dave considers the distinction between archaeologicalevidence, historical interpretation, and religious belief, including his ownconviction that faith does not require the physical discovery of Noah's Ark.

From Christopher Columbus and the Age of Exploration to themountains of Ararat, today's episode explores the human desire to discover whatlies beyond the horizon and the difficult questions that follow.

#ChristopherColumbus #ColumbusDay #History #NoahsArk#PlausiblyLive

00:00 Introduction: Christopher Columbus and HistoricalMemory
02:10 Columbus Day and the Voyage of 1492
03:40 The Myth That Columbus Proved the Earth Was Round
06:20 Columbus's Mathematics and Geographical Mistakes
07:55 The First Voyage and Its Navigational Challenges
11:30 Columbus's Darker Legacy
12:55 Cortés, Pizarro, Magellan, and Selective Historical Memory
17:30 Would Someone Else Have Discovered the Americas?
20:00 Why Columbus Deserves to Be Remembered
22:00 Noah's Ark: New Research in Turkey
26:00 Archaeological Evidence and Scientific Skepticism
27:00 Would Finding Noah's Ark Change Religious Faith?