WEBVTT - Squads, Weasels and Frauds.  Lanhee Chen talks to Armstrong & Getty

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<v Speaker 1>When you're ready to ride Metro, we want you to

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<v Speaker 1>know we're ready for you. Here are just a few

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<v Speaker 1>of the people at Metro to tell you how we're

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<v Speaker 1>doing our part to keep riders safe. We're cleaning like

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<v Speaker 1>never before, half build greatly. You've found hal sanitizing, no mask,

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<v Speaker 1>no Metro need one. We have a few extras at Metro.

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<v Speaker 1>We're doing our part to keep the DC area moving.

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<v Speaker 1>Find out more at well mata dot com slash doing

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<v Speaker 1>our part. You know, I suppose it's just human nature

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<v Speaker 1>that we tend to elevate the issues that matter the

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<v Speaker 1>most to us. Uh, you're calling for abandoning the designated

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<v Speaker 1>hitter weed. We certainly elevate them in our own mind,

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<v Speaker 1>and then we kind of see the world of politics

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<v Speaker 1>through those issues. And you know, some people, you're your

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<v Speaker 1>your main issue is abortion or gun rights, or how

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<v Speaker 1>about something from the other side of free college For

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<v Speaker 1>issues have two sides, so free healthcare for everybody, So

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<v Speaker 1>you're constantly thinking about that. Maybe I've been elevating this

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<v Speaker 1>one a lot longer and a lot more than I

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<v Speaker 1>should have, because it's so important to me. If I

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<v Speaker 1>was going to define my political needs and philosophy at

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<v Speaker 1>the in the very first sentence would be fiscal conservative.

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<v Speaker 1>But I'm not thinking many other people care about it.

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<v Speaker 1>This is getting a lot of attention. Yesterday a caller

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<v Speaker 1>to the Rush Limbaugh Show said there's gonna be a

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<v Speaker 1>one trillion dollar deficit next year. Rush Trump doesn't really

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<v Speaker 1>care about that. He's not really a fiscal conservative, to

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<v Speaker 1>which Rush Limbaugh replied, nobody is a fiscal conservative anymore.

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<v Speaker 1>All this talk about concern for the deficit and the

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<v Speaker 1>budget has been bogus for as long as it's been around. Well, well, exactly,

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<v Speaker 1>well that okay, Well then I guess um, please welcome

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<v Speaker 1>Alan each and David and Diane Staff, your research fellow

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<v Speaker 1>with whoever institution director Domestic Policy Studies lecturer at Stanford

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<v Speaker 1>and the director in high placed aid of Presidential Canada.

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<v Speaker 1>It's in the past, long he How are you, sir,

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<v Speaker 1>great to be with you to take that one step

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<v Speaker 1>further before you comment on that. So Trump didn't mention

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<v Speaker 1>the deficit at all in this State of the Union address,

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<v Speaker 1>which we mentioned. I think we mentioned it with you

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<v Speaker 1>the day afterwards. And uh, A report came out that

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<v Speaker 1>Mick Mulvaney is acting Chief of Staff was was was

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<v Speaker 1>asked no mention of the deficit in the state of Union.

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<v Speaker 1>He said, nobody cares. Was his response to it. Russia's response.

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<v Speaker 1>Mulveney's response, Trump's attitude is that where we are with

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<v Speaker 1>politics in America, do you think nobody cares. I don't

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<v Speaker 1>think it's true that nobody cares. I think it's true

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<v Speaker 1>that here people care than was the case two years ago,

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<v Speaker 1>and few people care them probably should. Uh. This is

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<v Speaker 1>a serious challenge. I mean, arguably it's our biggest challenge.

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<v Speaker 1>I think back to when during the Obama administration, I

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<v Speaker 1>forgot exactly which national security official was, but a very

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<v Speaker 1>high ranking national security official, I think it was the

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<v Speaker 1>Chamber of the Joint Chief of Staffs at the time.

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<v Speaker 1>The biggest threat we face to our national secure is

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<v Speaker 1>actually our deck clearly because because because it because it

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<v Speaker 1>imperils our ability to fund our military in the future.

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<v Speaker 1>Right if you think about the increasing burden that we're

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<v Speaker 1>placing on coming generations, and somebody's got to pay that

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<v Speaker 1>bill at some point. I'm not just talking about military

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<v Speaker 1>spending here. We're thinking about the big programs that are

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<v Speaker 1>driving all of this spending increase. Make sure I couldn't

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<v Speaker 1>agree with you more. And Joe agrees, and you agree,

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<v Speaker 1>and it matters to us. But you've run political campaigns,

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<v Speaker 1>if you're out there trying to win an election. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>getting a sense, based on what Rush Limbaugh said, that

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<v Speaker 1>that's not the issue you highlight. No, it's not. And

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<v Speaker 1>I think you saw that in the Steen cycle. I

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<v Speaker 1>think you saw it even in twelve, which is the

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<v Speaker 1>cycle I worked closely and with with Mitt Romney. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>it was an issue that we wanted to highlight, and

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<v Speaker 1>it just was not picking up the level of traction.

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<v Speaker 1>I give up them. So you and Joe talk. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>no longer talking about politics. It's pointless. I'm gonna sit

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<v Speaker 1>down there. Well, yeah, I was gonna waste any everybody's

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<v Speaker 1>time by putting out that all of this fiscal impending

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<v Speaker 1>disaster exists at a time of historically low interest rates,

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<v Speaker 1>and if the rate goes up one percent, that difference

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<v Speaker 1>in the budget will be more than we spend on

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<v Speaker 1>all of our men and women in uniform. We've got

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<v Speaker 1>the best economy we've ever had, almost everybody's employed, and

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<v Speaker 1>we're going to run a trillion dollar dead anyway, nobody

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<v Speaker 1>in deficit, nobody cares, nobody cares who. So you got

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<v Speaker 1>the squad long here as I refer to him, the

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<v Speaker 1>freshman cheerleader squad, because that's what they remind me of,

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<v Speaker 1>UM exerting outsized influence and and got the giant social

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<v Speaker 1>media accounts, and Nancy Pelosi is having a react to

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<v Speaker 1>them and the rest of it. And it's been going

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<v Speaker 1>on for a little while. Can that outsized influence last?

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<v Speaker 1>Or are these four gals going to be a flash

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<v Speaker 1>in the pan? Well? I don't think they're flash in

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<v Speaker 1>the pan, only because they are the ones driving the conversation.

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<v Speaker 1>And it's not just the conversation right now. I mean

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<v Speaker 1>you think about AOC as an example, who I guess

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<v Speaker 1>is a member of this so called squad. She has

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<v Speaker 1>been at the forefront of driving the message on Democratic

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<v Speaker 1>Party politics, certainly for the entirety of this year. And

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<v Speaker 1>the reality is that where they are on policy, which

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<v Speaker 1>is on the far end of the progressive spectrum, that

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<v Speaker 1>encapsulates a decent number of voters who are going to

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<v Speaker 1>vote in the Democratic Party presidential primaries when we get

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<v Speaker 1>to early next year. So I tend to think that

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<v Speaker 1>they are in a better position, and frankly, with their

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<v Speaker 1>use of social media in the way that they're able

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<v Speaker 1>to manipulate the media generally, I think they're in a

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<v Speaker 1>great position to influence the conversation well beyond just this

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<v Speaker 1>period of time we're in. So that brings me to

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<v Speaker 1>my next question. Is there any limit to the extent

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<v Speaker 1>to which a candidate can go way left or right

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<v Speaker 1>for that matter, in the primary and then say, wait, an,

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't mean that stuff and come back to the

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<v Speaker 1>middle in the in the general election, or can you

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<v Speaker 1>just say anything? Can you raise your hand and say, yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I think illegal should have free healthcare in the walk

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<v Speaker 1>that back if you want the nomination. Is that possible? Well,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, it's tough in this era of of you know,

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<v Speaker 1>politics that we're in. It is a very different era

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<v Speaker 1>than even just a few years ago. So I'm tempted

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<v Speaker 1>to say that there are fewer repercussions for making crazy

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<v Speaker 1>promises like the one that we're hearing. I mean, my

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<v Speaker 1>think is, my instinct is, look, no one should be

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<v Speaker 1>able to get away with saying that. You know, as

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<v Speaker 1>Kamala Harris said in an interview, I think it was

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<v Speaker 1>yesterday on CNN She basically said, well, I'm for medicare

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<v Speaker 1>for all, but I don't want tax increases on anyone

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<v Speaker 1>in the middle class. If she thinks that's ever gonna happen,

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<v Speaker 1>I got a unicorn to offer her. I mean, it's

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<v Speaker 1>it's it's not. It is simply unrealistic to make those

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<v Speaker 1>kinds of promises. But they're making them under the assumption.

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<v Speaker 1>To the point you guys are making you can just

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<v Speaker 1>turned around in the general and say I didn't really

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<v Speaker 1>mean that. Actually, here's what I meant. So we'll see

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<v Speaker 1>if people are willing to hold them accountable. But I'm

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<v Speaker 1>not convinced in this era that it matters as much

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<v Speaker 1>what people say. Wow, I don't know what are politics now?

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<v Speaker 1>Then what what? What is the conversation? It's a Twitter poll?

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<v Speaker 1>And and and if what you said is true, well

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<v Speaker 1>then yeah, you should raise your hand for free healthcare

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<v Speaker 1>for illegal Yes, why not? Yeah? Yeah, lan he Chan

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<v Speaker 1>is on theline, Hey, lan he I've noticed lately the

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<v Speaker 1>popularity of certain weasel phrases in politics. One of my

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<v Speaker 1>favorites is they're talking about speaking of absurdities, the idea

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<v Speaker 1>of slave reparations, and the thing that like Corey Booker,

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<v Speaker 1>and all the reasonable people say is, yes, I'm I'm

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<v Speaker 1>in favor of of starting a commission to study this.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm gonna study this, and I'd imagine when we get

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<v Speaker 1>to the general they say, well, we really should study

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<v Speaker 1>medicare for illegals because they're humans too. We're going to

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<v Speaker 1>study it. What are some of your favorite weasel words

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<v Speaker 1>and phrases in politics? Yeah, we'll study it. Boy, that's

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<v Speaker 1>something i'd like to consider. I hear that one. A lie,

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<v Speaker 1>let's consider that. And it's like, well, yes, let's actually

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<v Speaker 1>let's do it right now. And then tell me what

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<v Speaker 1>do you think. Why don't we Why don't we do

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<v Speaker 1>out now? Why do we do that today? Yeah, I'll

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<v Speaker 1>consider it. We'll think about it. You know, this is

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<v Speaker 1>an idea that's worth worth discussing. And and they do

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<v Speaker 1>that because they want to signal hey, you know, actually

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<v Speaker 1>I'm with you. But the reality is they're never going

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<v Speaker 1>to do anything about the particular thing they're talking about.

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<v Speaker 1>And to get back to our competition earlier about the

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<v Speaker 1>general election versus the primary. This is exactly how some

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<v Speaker 1>of these politicians get away with it. In the primary.

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<v Speaker 1>They make it sound like they're for something, and then

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<v Speaker 1>when they get to the general they said, we don't know.

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<v Speaker 1>I never said it before it I just said I

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<v Speaker 1>was going to consider it and study it carefully, and

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<v Speaker 1>and we can still study it. So yeah, this is

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<v Speaker 1>a big problem. You know. If I'm a single guy

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<v Speaker 1>asked the really cute girl at work out and she

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<v Speaker 1>says that is something we should really consider, I'm gonna

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<v Speaker 1>walk away with a different feeling than if she said

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<v Speaker 1>hell no, never ting to happen. Hey, I was watching

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<v Speaker 1>the Trump probably last night and thinking he would be unbeatable.

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<v Speaker 1>This would be fantastic for him if we're July next

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<v Speaker 1>year or October next year? Is he peeking too soon?

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<v Speaker 1>And is there anything you can do about that? The

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<v Speaker 1>wind is just at his back right now? Yeah, No,

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<v Speaker 1>I think it's I think it's interesting because the confluence

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<v Speaker 1>of different factors is really setting up well for him.

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<v Speaker 1>But you're right, it's setting up well about a year

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<v Speaker 1>too early. Um. I don't think there's a whole lot

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<v Speaker 1>he can do about it. On the economy. The economy

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<v Speaker 1>is what it is. For example, there are some things

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<v Speaker 1>on the margins that will affect it. I think the

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<v Speaker 1>FED will play a role here, which is why you

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<v Speaker 1>continue to hear him trying to influence what the FED does,

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<v Speaker 1>but ultimately that a lot of that policy lags a

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<v Speaker 1>few months anyway, and then you've got other factors like

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<v Speaker 1>the Democrats basically blowing themselves up. There's no indication by

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<v Speaker 1>the way that the Democrats are gonna stop blowing themselves up.

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<v Speaker 1>So maybe it's the case that it's not going to

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<v Speaker 1>matter whether it happens now or next year, but it

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<v Speaker 1>is certainly the case that he's experiencing I think, a

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<v Speaker 1>very very good trend a little bit early in the cycle.

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<v Speaker 1>So we'll see what happens. To keep an eye on

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<v Speaker 1>it as we get to the fall. If I'm Trump's advisors,

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<v Speaker 1>I suggest he declares war on Canada next July and

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<v Speaker 1>brings the word to a quick and victorious conclusion before

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<v Speaker 1>the election and just rides that way. That's my idea.

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<v Speaker 1>Lana Chen, I'm afraid we're out of time, But Lania Chan,

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<v Speaker 1>director of Domestic Policy Studies at Stanford University, also a

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<v Speaker 1>research fellow with the Hoover Institution, host of the podcast

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<v Speaker 1>Crossing Lines with Lana Chen. Lani, it's always enlightening. Thanks

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<v Speaker 1>a Milian. Looking forward to the next time. Great to

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<v Speaker 1>be with you guys, Thank you, thanks, fiscal conservative and

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<v Speaker 1>doesn't matter and you can say anything you want that

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<v Speaker 1>doesn't matter. That's the takeaway from that conversation. Well then yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>no kidding, huh. When you're ready to ride Metro, we

0:10:35.640 --> 0:10:38.120
<v Speaker 1>want you to know we're ready for you. Here are

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<v Speaker 1>just a few of the people at Metro to tell

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<v Speaker 1>you how we're doing our part to keep riders safe.

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<v Speaker 1>We're cleaning like nevill before. You've found halfs out of

0:10:49.920 --> 0:10:53.240
<v Speaker 1>no mask, No Metro need one. We have a few

0:10:53.280 --> 0:10:56.040
<v Speaker 1>extras at Metro. We're doing our part to keep the

0:10:56.160 --> 0:10:58.880
<v Speaker 1>DC area moving. Find out more at well Matta dot

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<v Speaker 1>com slash doing our apart