R&R UnFiltered LIVE! 03.28.26

Rachel just got back from CPAC—and what she saw behind the curtain is not the story you're being told. This month's Rivera & Reeves Unfiltered Live covers it all: low turnout, a boomer-heavy crowd, and a speaker who explicitly told attendees to stop listening to podcasters—while standing in a room full of them. Plus: the grifter class running the right-wing podcast space, why the GOP's "unity" push is really just midterm survival mode, the tin foil hat theory about foreign bots amplifying divisive content creators (that isn't actually a theory), and the Iran truth no one in podcasting wants to say out loud. Unfiltered, direct, and pulling zero punches.Episode Highlights* Rachel attended CPAC and witnessed a speaker directly warn the audience to stop listening to podcasters and social media influencers—the same conference that invited content creators to carry their message* The “conservative unity” push at CPAC was less about principle and more about midterm survival: a scripted talking point delivered by multiple speakers, including Steve Bannon and Jack Posobiec* Tucker, Candace, and Megyn Kelly are playing a game—the hosts break down what that game is, who’s winning, and why their astronomical numbers may have foreign fingerprints* The Iran operation isn’t the betrayal the podcast right claims it is: Trump has talked about Iran as an existential threat for decades, and the hosts make the strategic case that this is America First* The CPAC crowd skewed heavily older—a sharp contrast from last year’s younger energy—and what that demographic collapse signals for the future of the movementGet 35% off an annual Rivera and Reeves Subscription until Monday!Thank you Crystal, Sarah Twilley, Elizabeth, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Technical Glitches02:59 Exploring CPAC Experience06:01 Media Representation and Misrepresentation09:03 The State of the Republican Party12:07 Fractures Within the Coalition14:59 Unity vs. Authenticity in Politics18:00 The Role of Podcasters in Political Discourse20:58 The Influence of Social Media on Politics23:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts27:06 The Quest for Midterm Victory30:06 Media Responsibility and Individual Agency32:10 Understanding Political Processes35:08 The State of the Republican Party39:14 Coalitions and Political Identity44:02 The Impact of Influential Voices52:01 The Focus on Israel and Domestic Issues53:34 Engagement and Audience Dynamics56:06 The Impact of Foreign Influence on Media01:00:15 Political Disillusionment and New Perspectives01:03:31 The Complexity of Military Engagements01:06:12 Cultural Reflections on Technology and Society This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riveraandreeves.substack.com