A five-time Emmy winning SNL comedy writer/producer, joins a four-time #1 NYT bestselling author, a three-time highest-rated national progressive radio host, a two-time Grammy winning artist, and a former US Senator. So, it gets a little crowded in the booth when Al talks public policy and sometimes political comedy with notable guests. Think “The Daily” without the resources of the NYTimes.
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We are now streaming The Al Franken Podcast more widely via: iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-al-franken-podcast/id1462195742 TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Al-Franken-Podcast-p1222540/ Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Isjalzc3vvowfgfdeiyygoah64y Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3XXJVdtaZfAIMKCctfLbRg?si=_NAotX6GT6q1IN4QDVx5UA
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1
YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen on his new book Shameless
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Content creator Brian Tyler Cohen joins the podcast for the first time to talk about his new book Shameless: Republicans’ Deliberate Dysfunction and the Battle to Preserve Democracy. In the book, he discusses the many ways that the Republican Party uses confusion, artificial slogans and, of course, flat out lies to remain in power. We also discuss …
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Scott Galloway - Professor, Podcast Host, Author
37:45
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Professor Scott Galloway joins the podcast for the first time! He has thoughts on the current political climate and how extreme most of the Republican agenda is these days. He also speaks about how modern politics and policies have left our young people disaffected and feeling left out of the political process. From minimum wage to college admissio…
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1
Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Anne Applebaum on Autocracies and Comedian Trae Crowder on JD Vance
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Our friend Anne Applebaum has written a new book called Autocracy Inc. She chronicles the rise of authoritarianism around the world and how those autocracies work together to keep themselves in power. With Donald Trump running for President of the United States, could we be heading for a similar fate? We've seen other countries thwart autocracies i…
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The Atlantic's Frank Foer and Elaina Plott Calabro on Harris and Biden
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This past week, we saw President Joe Biden drop out of the Presidential race and VP Kamala Harris emerge as the new nominee for the Democratic Party. The Atlantic's Frank Foer wrote the book "The Last Politician" about Joe Biden's consequential first term and Elaina Plott Calabro, also from The Atlantic, has interviewed Kamala Harris multiple times…
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Molly Jong-Fast and Mark Leibovich on the RNC
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The Republican National Convention concluded last week. We heard from Trump's VP nominee, JD Vance, and we heard from Donald Trump for the first time since the assassination attempt. Trump pushed lie after lie during his speech. No surprise. The real question is whether or not Joe Biden can beat him. Mark Leibovich from The Atlantic and Molly Jong …
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The Supreme Court term has ended after a series of punishing decisions that break years of precedent. While there were many horrible decisions made in this term, two stand out: The cases on Presidential Immunity and the Chevron Doctrine. Why are these so important? We're joined by our Supreme Court expert and host of the Amicus podcast, Dahlia Lith…
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Best Of: Heather Cox Richardson on Our Democracy
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One of my favorite episodes from this year (so far). The historian on her bestseller "Democracy Awakening" and how America's democracy is on a knife's edge. Perfect for July 4th weekend! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.…
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1
4th of July Special: Thomas Jefferson on the Declaration of Independence
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Jefferson reflects on the glaring error he made 248 years ago. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Donald Trump lied over and over again at the debate. But it's been overshadowed by President Biden's terrible performance. Political scientist and an emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute Norm Ornstein joins us to recap Thursday evening's debacle. Is there a plan forward for the Democratic Party if Biden drops out? How can Biden pro…
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Never-Trumpers Sarah Longwell and Tim Miller on the Presidential Debate
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Bulwark Founder Sarah Longwell and former Republican operative and host of the Bulwark podcast Tim Miller are worried about a dangerous potential second term of Donald Trump. The first step for Joe Biden defeating Trump? Have a good showing in this week's coming debate. Tim has prepped Presidential candidates to face Trump and shares his insight. A…
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One of the biggest issues in the coming election will be the economy. So how has President Biden done on that front? We talk to Catherine Rampell about Bidenomics and how the President should tout his economic record. His opponent, Donald Trump could be a disaster for the economy if his previous term is any indication. Catherine discusses what a se…
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My friend Howard Fineman died this week. He had a long career as one of Washington's most respected political reporters and began his career at the Louisville Courier Journal. There, he was able to witness the rise of Mitch McConnell and learn what kind of politician he was. In this episode from 2019, we discuss what makes McConnell tick and Howard…
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Frank Foer of The Atlantic and David Rothkopf of The Daily Beast
51:44
51:44
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The war in the Middle East continues, but is a ceasefire in sight? The Biden administration has an outline of a plan. Two of our leading foreign policy experts join us to discuss. Plus, now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, what could that mean for this election? And how does the Biden administration sell the undeniable success of the economy…
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Dan Balz - Washington Post Chief Correspondent and Former US Attorney Harry Litman
53:01
53:01
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Donald Trump has been convicted on all 34 charges in his NYC hush money trial. What does that mean for his future? We get the latest from our legal expert Harry Litman. Plus, longtime political reporter Dan Balz from the Washington Post joins for a wide ranging political discussion! Will these convictions help or hurt Trump? We also discuss the sta…
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My friend, basketball legend Bill Walton died this week after a private battle with cancer, I wanted to share our interview with Bill from March of 2022, You will hear the unbounded life force of his generous spirit. RIP Bill. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-i…
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Former U.S. Attorney and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman joins to discuss the Trump hush money trial. Both sides have rested. Harry has been in the courtroom watching the trial. With closing arguments coming next week, we break down what has transpired and all the possible outcomes Trump could expect as his verdict looms. Harry has b…
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1
Comedian Trae Crowder – The Liberal Redneck
42:47
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Trae Crowder, the viral Tennessean comedian joins to discuss his upbringing in a red state, why rednecks are Trumpies and what happens to a community when the jobs leave. Learn why he understands Trump's appeal to rednecks, and how and why they transitioned from not liking Trump to supporting his every move. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/…
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1
Judd Legum on How Elon Musk is Helping Trump
41:20
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In the two years since Elon Musk bought Twitter, he's turned irt into a leading source of right wing propaganda. He spreads hateful rhetoric, platforms white nationalists and engages with unfounded conspiracy theories. He lies about President Biden, promotes racist ideology and pushes his own commentary onto X users whether they follow him or not. …
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Molly Jong Fast, Host of the Fast Politics Podcast
45:51
45:51
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Molly Jong-Fast, special correspondent for Vanity Fair and host of the Fast Politics podcast joins us for a wide ranging conversation covering Congress, abortion, the protests happening around the country and the Presidential election. She also discusses the ongoing Trump hush money scandal happening in NYC. She says the trial is "over-delivering,"…
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Ari Berman on His New Book, Minority Rule
53:33
53:33
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The GOP is undermining democracy all over the country. The will of the people is being subverted for a loud and active minority. In his new book, guest Ari Berman explains how and where this is happening in America. And, more importantly, what we can do to fight back. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at …
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2301
Melissa Murray & Andrew Weissmann on the “Hush Money Trial”
44:02
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The first criminal trial for Donald Trump is underway. The hush money trial over Stormy Daniels might be the first, but it won't be the last. But will we see the other trials before the election? And what are the consequences if Trump is found guilty? We talk to The Bestselling Authors on The Trump Indictments Andrew Weissmann and Melissa Murray! S…
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Battleground States: Wisconsin: Ben Wikler – Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair
36:01
36:01
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The Republican Party has spent years undoing the will of the people in the state of Wisconsin. With gerrymandered voting maps, they've been able to lose the popular vote and still have a huge majority in the state legislature. But things are changing thanks to Ben Wikler and the Wisconsin Democratic Party! In our first Battleground State episode, B…
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Democratic Strategists Rachel Bitecofer and Justin Barasky on Democratic Messaging
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48:30
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The 2024 election is less than 8 months away. How do Democrats defeat Trump? How do they retain the Senate? Our guests say that it all comes down to messaging. It's important to remind voters that on issues like abortion and the economy, the Democratic Party represents their interests. Al is on tour! Come see his NEW standup https://www.alfranken.c…
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Pulitzer Prize Winning Historian Anne Applebaum of The Atlantic
42:43
42:43
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We begin our wide-ranging conversation by discussing the attack on a Moscow concert hall last week. What are the implications of that violence? And who is behind it? Then delve into the US's failure to fund the Ukrainian effort and the resulting loss of life. Will we help them? Or will Republicans continue to enable Putin? Anne also lays out the da…
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NPR's Senior Political Correspondent Domenico Montanaro
51:26
51:26
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Domenico Mantanaro joins us to cover the political landscape! Trump trials, the general election, the Robert Hur report, and Congress. Plus, is Donald Trump taking over the RNC to help bail him out of his financial problems? And as a reporter, how does Domenico maintain objectivity vs neutrality? See all of Domenico's reporting here! https://www.np…
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Tim Miller – New Host of The Bulwark Podcast
45:55
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Former Republican operative Tim Miller joins the podcast to discuss a wide range of topics! We cover Biden's re-election strategy and react to his State of the Union speech. (Plus the GOP response from Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), With Congress as dysfunctional as it is, is there any chance of funding the effort in Ukraine? And does Tim still find comm…
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Frank Foer – The End of the Golden Age of American Jews
56:34
56:34
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While anti-Semitism has run rampant among the far right, it has been growing among the political left. In Frank Foer's recent piece for The Atlantic, he explains how we got to this point. How have college campuses and schools become the center for anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic speech? How did college presidents mishandle the hate speech on their ca…
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Mini Timmaraju, President & CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All
47:19
47:19
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Reproductive rights are under attack all over the country and will be one of the most important issues in the election this November. Abortion bans and limits on reproductive help are extremely unpopular and could be bad news for the Republicans enacting them. This is a must listen for reproductive rights! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pr…
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Tim Alberta on Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism
57:55
57:55
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The author of the profoundly disturbing book "The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory" explains how evangelicals have been turned into a political tool for the Republican Party. Alberta grew up in the evangelical wing of the Presbyterian Church and watched as they turned their back on him after he criticized Donald Trump. How did the evangelical chur…
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3401
The Atlantic’s David Frum on GOP Dysfunction
39:56
39:56
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David Frum from The Atlantic Monthly discusses the chaos that Donald Trump would bring if he were elected to a second term. From the border to foreign aid to Trump's attempt to pardon his crimes... Can we withstand another Trump term? Read more from David in The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/david-frum/ Al is going on tour! See if he…
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3551
Olivia Nuzzi - Washington Correspondent for New York Magazine
38:10
38:10
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38:10
Tales from the Campaign Trail See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Will the Jan. 6th Trial happen in time? Or will it just be the Stormy Daniels Case? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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On MAGA See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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3901
Saturday Night Live Writer & Producer Jim Downey
1:09:37
1:09:37
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Al & Jim On How They Tried to Reward the Audience for Knowing Stuff but Not Punish Them for Not See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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4001
Adam Serwer of The Atlantic on What Trump Would Do the The Courts in a Second Term
40:38
40:38
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40:38
The Federalist Society’s Got the Worst Ones All Lined Up See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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4151
Heather Cox Richardson on Her Book Democracy Awakening
57:45
57:45
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Heather says that Trumpers have bought into an alternative reality and that we are, at this moment, on a knife’s edge. She’s an historian and not a clairvoyant. But she’s also an activist, doing all she can to spread the word through historical analysis. Beat that, Trump! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice…
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Really great! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Jim talks about comedy and his decision to come out against Trump. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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4451
Year in Review: Molly Jong-Fast & Mark Leibovich Look Back at the Year in Politics
45:33
45:33
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A Tour of the Big Political Events of 2023 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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4551
Year in Review: Anne Applebaum & Frank Foer on Foreign Affairs
47:21
47:21
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A tour of Ukraine, Russia, China, Israel, and Gaza See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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4601
In Remembrance of My Friend Norman Lear
46:24
46:24
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My friend Norman Lear passed on this week at 101. A great man, who created legendary TV See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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4651
Year in Review: Joyce Vance and Barbara McQuade Review ALL the Cases Against Trump
44:50
44:50
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Where they’ve been and where they’re going See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Ian Bassin On The Steps Trump Would Take to Unravel Our Democracy
46:59
46:59
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Protect Democracy's Executive Director on Our Nightmare See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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4901
David Fahrenthold on The Trump Organization’s Long History of Corruption
27:52
27:52
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The New York Times Reporter Puts the Current Trial Into Perspective See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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On the 2024 Election! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Israel’s No-Win Situation See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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5251
WaPo Columnist Dana Milbank on the Super-MAGA House
31:20
31:20
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How A Far-Right Zealot Got to be 2 nd in Line for POTUS See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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5351
Aaron David Miller on the Israel-Hamas War
41:43
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An Analysis from the Middle East Scholar See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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5451
BEST OF! QAnon – Weirder Than You Know!!! Author Will Sommer
52:47
52:47
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And 15% of Americans Believe this Stuff! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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5551
Climatologist Michael Mann on How to Talk to Climate Deniers
49:39
49:39
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The Climate Has Always Changed – Just Not This Fast!!! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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