This week’s episode opens with a breaking public‑health scare: a fast‑spreading Cyclospora outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms in Mexico. Dr. Long breaks down the FDA’s traceback investigation, Taco Bell’s voluntary removal of impacted lettuce, and why rinsing produce isn’t enough to eliminate the parasite.

“In Michigan… they usually see around 50 cases annually. There have now been more than 4,000 reported cases in less than a month.”

Dr. Long urges listeners to stay cautious, stay hydrated, and maybe stick to frozen veggies until the chaos settles.

The episode then pivots to major Wisconsin political news: Lieutenant Governor Sarah Rodriguez has officially dropped out of the governor’s race. Dr. Long shares her emotional statement, the financial issues behind her decision, and how her exit reshapes the Democratic primary field.

“This race is too important to let that happen… Wisconsin deserves better than that.”

With Rodriguez out, the remaining contenders — Mandela Barnes, Joel Brennan, Kel Deroy, Francesca Hong, and possibly David Crawley — create a new dynamic that Dr. Long unpacks with clarity and honesty.

Next, Dr. Long tackles ICE’s plummeting favorability, especially among independents, after multiple deaths in ICE custody and rising concerns about excessive force.

“Among independents… ICE’s net favorability was minus three. Now it’s negative forty‑two.”

He highlights the names of those who died, the lack of body cameras, and the growing public frustration with the agency’s actions.

From there, the episode shifts to Pete Hegseth’s push for mandatory testosterone screening for service members over 30 — a proposal Dr. Long calls misguided, medically inaccurate, and suspiciously obsessed with masculinity.

He breaks down actual medical research on testosterone decline, the real causes of deficiency, and why Hegseth’s framing doesn’t match science or military reality.

The local tea continues with Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes‑Conway announcing her run for a third term. Dr. Long reviews her record — BRT expansion, tripling the Affordable Housing Fund, opening the city’s first purpose‑built homeless shelter — while also sharing community reactions and his own early impressions as a newer Madison resident.

He raises questions about priorities, housing affordability, and whether the city needs more youth services and community spaces.

To close the episode, Dr. Long brings the energy back up with a message from Bernie Sanders, emphasizing grassroots power, voter turnout, and the fight against billionaire‑funded political influence.

“The only way we take on that money is through an unprecedented, strong grassroots movement.”

Dr. Long reflects on morality, character, and the importance of voting — especially in Wisconsin’s upcoming elections.

This episode blends public health, state politics, national controversy, local leadership, and a dose of Bernie‑style hope. As always, Dr. Long keeps it real, keeps it sharp, and keeps you informed.

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Listen on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music.

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Special Episode (Season 4; Ep. 5):

Dr. Long opens this episode of Clock the Tea by launching The Conversation, a mini‑series exploring interracial love through both history and lived experience. He grounds the discussion in the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, whose 1967 Supreme Court case dismantled centuries of anti‑miscegenation laws that criminalized interracial relationships. By tracing laws from the 1600s through Jim Crow and early Supreme Court rulings like Pace v. Alabama, he shows how the policing of love shaped American identity, citizenship, and racial hierarchy long before the Lovings ever stepped into a courtroom.

The episode then shifts to the present, connecting historical oppression to modern political and social dynamics. Dr. Long explains how discrimination, voting rights conflicts, and racial resentment still influence how interracial couples navigate civic life and community spaces. He reflects on his own interracial relationship, emphasizing that love is both deeply personal and inevitably shaped by the political environment around us. Research, lived experience, and cultural commentary all come together to illustrate how interracial families continue to face bias, misunderstanding, and outdated narratives — even as acceptance grows.

To round out the conversation, Dr. Long highlights the everyday realities of interracial relationships, from cultural learning curves to family reactions to the occasional ignorance that still surfaces. Clips from public conversations and couples’ stories underscore how love across racial lines requires empathy, exposure, and unlearning — but also brings joy, growth, and connection. With humor and heart, he notes how interracial marriage has risen dramatically since the 1970s, reshaping the country’s emotional IQ around love. He closes by reminding listeners that love isn’t a group project, nor does it require public permission — it’s a human right worth embracing boldly and without apology.

Visit www.drmarklong.com

Listen on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music.

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This episode of Clock the Tea with Dr. Long opens with the chaos surrounding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, where former Olympian David Hearn now faces felony charges for allegedly ripping up part of the newly installed liner. Dr. Long breaks down the contradictions in the administration’s narrative — from claims of “350‑foot gashes” to accusations that Hearn used only his bare hands — and questions why a poorly executed $16 million renovation is being pinned on a single civilian. As Dr. Long puts it, “You don’t need an attorney… to see that these people are lying right to our face.”

The episode then shifts to Pete Buttigieg’s emotional account of a false CPS report that led to his children being interviewed by authorities and temporarily removed from his care. Dr. Long calls the incident what it is — a hateful, politically motivated attack — and highlights Buttigieg’s reminder that families should be off‑limits in political warfare. The transcript captures Buttigieg’s distress: “They didn’t know why they were being brought to a room to have a conversation with somebody they’ve never met.”

From there, Dr. Long dives into the Supreme Court’s ruling affirming birthright citizenship, pushing back against the administration’s attempt to reinterpret the 14th Amendment. Using commentary from Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway, the episode underscores how deeply embedded birthright citizenship is in American history and how dangerous it is when leaders selectively weaponize constitutional language. Dr. Long stresses that immigration policy should not be twisted into a tool for exclusion or fearmongering.

The episode closes with a conversation about democratic socialism, featuring insights from Zoran Mamdani and Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong. Dr. Long explains how democratic socialism centers working‑class power, affordable living, and government accountability — a stark contrast to the current administration’s priorities. Hong’s message is clear: “Everyone deserves to have housing, health care, education, and food.” Dr. Long frames this as a call to action for Wisconsin voters and a reminder that building a more equitable America starts with showing up at the ballot box.

Visit www.drmarklong.com

Listen on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUNgD6OB7Y0Bv2ZJAN7u7dg

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