1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,840 Speaker 1: Richard Arnold, US correspondens with US Morning Richard, Morning ahead. 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:07,560 Speaker 1: Let me say, first off, Peter Arnett, courageous reporter. He 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 1: would often take it to the Polley's and issues where 4 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: many others would let things slip. So respect Yeah, thank 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: you for that. Now, the inflation data that's come out 6 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 1: must be giving people some heart. Well, it's been a 7 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:22,279 Speaker 1: long time, hasn't it. We've been battling this for a 8 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: long long period. Prices here, though, are continuing to rise, 9 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: despite the Trump assertion in his national address last night 10 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: that they're rapidly falling. The inflation rate has e slightly 11 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,520 Speaker 1: on these numbers just out now to two point seven percent, 12 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: and the White House is hailing that, but the poll 13 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: shaded Americans not feeling it. Trump's approval on handling the 14 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: economy is down to historic loaws around thirty six percent. 15 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,760 Speaker 1: The new inflation number also is a tentative figure because 16 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: of that government shutdown, which meant there was no inflation 17 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: report for last October into early November. As well, the 18 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,319 Speaker 1: unemployment rate is climbing to a four year high at 19 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: four point six percent. Last night, President Trump was blaming 20 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: his predecessor Biden repeatedly saying this, Therefore, it is not 21 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:12,559 Speaker 1: the Republican's fault, it's the Democrat's fault, blaming Biden. Even 22 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: as we are, what more than a year into this 23 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: second Trump term. Well, what the White House is seeing 24 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: are the polls which show that fifty seven percent disapproved 25 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 1: of Trump's handling of the economy, the main issue in 26 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: which he won reelection. Democrats are slightly more favored on 27 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,399 Speaker 1: that subject, although they're also struggling in the polls. Meantime, 28 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: the start of January is going to see the end 29 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: of the healthcare subsidies, the trigger that shutdown of the government. 30 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: Those subsidies are set to expire, putting health care in 31 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: jeopardy for more than twenty million Americans who are going 32 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: to see their health costs spiral by insane amounts. Four 33 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: Republicans now have rebelled against their own party. They're in 34 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: difficult seats. They've agreed to a vote on the Democrats 35 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: plan to renew the subsidies for times as why everybody 36 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: recognizes the fact that there needs to be an extension, 37 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 1: there needs to be reformed. Will play out in early January, 38 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: meaning the political fight will be even more intense at 39 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: the started next year. While back in the White House, 40 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: Donald Trump, real estate Officionado designs specialist, has been redoing 41 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: the hallway that links the White House to the West Wing. 42 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,359 Speaker 1: He has put him a Presidential Walk of Fame, kind 43 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: of like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Folks. This has 44 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 1: portraits of all the past presidents and now Trump has 45 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: added descriptions under gold leaf doodles and frames and babbles, 46 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: the gold stuff that Trump loves so much. It seems 47 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 1: that Trump himself helped to write some of these pliques. 48 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,639 Speaker 1: The one for Biden reads quote sleepy Joe by far 49 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: the worst president in American history. For Obama at reads 50 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: quote one of the most divisive political figures ever. And 51 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:43,839 Speaker 1: for Reagan and suggests that Reagan was a big fan 52 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: of Yes, the young Donald Trump. So if the Nobel 53 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 1: Prize people ignore him, at least he ends the year 54 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: with the Soccer Peace Prize and his own self styled 55 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: account of just how great he is. Listen, what happened 56 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: with this car that drove into the water in Chicago. Well, 57 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: it's the holiday, it's the party, sees for three dudes 58 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: in Chicago was almost the last to Rai the driver 59 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: who's now been charged with being drunk at the wheel 60 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,359 Speaker 1: of his vehicles slammed into a frozen lake near Chicago. 61 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: This was early morning, just after one am. They crashed 62 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 1: into the pond. When rescuers got there, the curage sunk 63 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: it was about ten meters and I'm sure it was 64 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: emerged four meters under the ice. This wasn't looking good, 65 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 1: says responding officer Mark Lomi Bao of the scene. His 66 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: life or death, and we both decided to choose life, 67 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: and we're not gonna let anything happen on our end. Well, 68 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: he's referring to himself and his partner, Dennis the Kura. 69 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: The three passengers really were struggling to get out of 70 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 1: their sunken car, says Dennis. We started to see, you know, 71 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: people's hands in the in the water were reaching out 72 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: for air or for just a stale float. They used 73 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: shovels and whatever else they could find to reach out, 74 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: and as their body cams recorded everything. It wasn't an 75 00:03:53,040 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: easy process, that's for sure. So yeah, these hero rescuers 76 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: got them out with the three party goers treated for 77 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: any minor injuries. So stay safe during the holidays. People, 78 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 1: tell you what Richard, thank you very much and Merry 79 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: Christmas to you. Thank you for all of the hard 80 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: work through the year. That's Richard Arnold, our US correspondent. 81 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: For more from the mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 82 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: news talks it'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 83 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.