1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,560 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Molly John Fast and this is Fast Politics. Well, 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: we discussed the top political headlines with some of today's 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: best minds, and the January six Committee just subpoena Donald Trump. 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: What an excellent show we have today. First, we're gonna 5 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: be joined by Congressman Richie Torres, who represents New York's 6 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:20,640 Speaker 1: fifteenth congressional district, and he's going to talk to us 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: about aid to Puerto Rico and a host of other issues. 8 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: Then we have the pleasure of having on the second 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: Lady of Pennsylvania, just Elboreto Fetterman, whose husband is of 10 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: course running for Senate against Dr Oz in Pennsylvania, and 11 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: she's gonna talk to us all about her husband's race. 12 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: But first we have Tim Miller, who's of course a 13 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: writer at The Bulwark, co host of The Next Level podcast, 14 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 1: host of Not My Party on Snapchat and MSNBC analyst 15 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: and the author of Why We Did It. Welcome, and 16 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: it's the first time, but certainly not the last time. 17 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,480 Speaker 1: I'm so happy to have you. Welcome to Fast Politics. 18 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: Tim Miller Pod Molly, I'm so excited to be here. 19 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: And we're a long time mutual admiration society. So it's 20 00:00:57,880 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: gonna be good. Let's do it. Certainly true. I want 21 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: to say, we'll really have the Bullwork connection, which is 22 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: a strong connection. It's been so nice since the pandemic. 23 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: Jesse'll probably cut this, but that's okay. Since the pandemic, 24 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 1: we've been doing Bulwork events in public, and I have 25 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 1: to tell you it's like crazy people people come out 26 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,560 Speaker 1: from the woodwork. It feels like such a nice community 27 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: of folks. I've loved like seeing people up in the flesh. 28 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: It's been so fun. Yeah, no, it's so fun. So 29 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: we are doing an emergency session here to talk about 30 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 1: the last January six committee hearing, which started with a 31 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 1: bang and ended with the subpoena. Is that fair? It 32 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: is fair. Finally, on the subpoena, I think that the 33 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,199 Speaker 1: committee has been doing so well and have almost nothing 34 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: but overwhelming praise for them, So please think this is 35 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: the smallest caveat. It was February one when I wrote 36 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: for the Bullwork that they should subpoena Donald Trump and 37 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 1: dare him to testify. This was before this committee even existed. 38 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: It was when they're still negotiating a broader committee. That 39 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:56,000 Speaker 1: was very clear that whatever came out of it, they 40 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: should subpoena him, and I also still unclear. It's unclear 41 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: to me why they haven't subpoened Mike Pence. And I 42 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: think that both cases are win win. I understand some 43 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: of the concerns about whatever given him a platform to 44 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: spread his lies, but I think on balance their win win. 45 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: I'm so happy they did it today. Who knows. It's 46 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: hard for me to get inside the lizard brain down 47 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 1: there on the pool deck at Cougar Beach and mar Lago. 48 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: But I don't know exactly what he'll do, but I 49 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: think it's a lose lose for him. Right, it's either 50 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: you're a coward and a whimp and scared for not 51 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: doing it, or you do it and obviously that you 52 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: are under oath, which is uniquely challenging for Donald Trump. No. 53 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: I mean, the thing that I'm so struck by is like, 54 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 1: we're in this situation where no one is going to 55 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: hold these people accountable if the January six Committee doesn't, 56 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 1: I know, And that's depressingly true. I mean, eventually the 57 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: d o J but like voters will not. Yeah, that's 58 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: where I was going to. That is depressingly true. So 59 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: I was in Arizona last week. I was one of 60 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 1: the guest hosts for the circus, so I went around 61 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: and to a bunch of different events. I got to 62 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: yell at Ted Cruz, which was pretty fun that I'm 63 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:04,119 Speaker 1: gonna watch. We had a spirited exchange actually rather than young, 64 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: does Ted Cruz know who you are? He figured it 65 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: out afterwards. It was kind of funny. Walks up to 66 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: the gaggle and looks at me, and I think I 67 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: was in a different context. I had met him five 68 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 1: years ago. I was quasi supporting Ted Crutiz and he's 69 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: the only guy who had stopped Donald Trump, and so 70 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: he just sees me in this different context. He looks 71 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:20,359 Speaker 1: at me first and kind of I think it has 72 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: this thought in his brain that maybe I'm friendly, and 73 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: I was not friendly and asked him very directly, over 74 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: and over again if Joe Biden actually won Arizona, and 75 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: we had a spirited exchange back and forth. He did 76 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 1: not answer. You'll be shocked to find out though. He 77 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 1: was the one that challenged the Arizona account. So that 78 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: was fun and it was scary to see carry Lake 79 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: and then all close. But the most distressing part about 80 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: it all is that this stuff just isn't landing for 81 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: the important voters, the voters that matter. Right. It is 82 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: important to democratic loyalists, right, and I'm sure people listen 83 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:51,480 Speaker 1: to this podcast, people read the bullwork. This is very 84 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: important those of us who care about democracy. It's really 85 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: important to the maga freaks who I still think that 86 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: Donald Trump won and should be exalted leader forever. But 87 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: it like not that important to the voters that matter. 88 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: If you look at the polls as far as swing 89 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: voters or marginal voters, whether or not they turn out, 90 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: that is distressing. So really it is up to to 91 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: Liz Cheney and Benny Thompson and crew. Yeah, so talk 92 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: to me about I do want like one second. On Arizona, 93 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: you saw Carry Lake do you a rally? Yeah? It 94 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: was a Cruise had a rally, his packet rally with 95 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: Lake and Masters. So I watched all three of them. Boy, 96 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: Patrick Bateman. Masters couldn't be more low energy. Oh yeah, 97 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: Masters is a disaster. I mean, also my favorite thing 98 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: about him is he looks like he's nine years old. Yeah, 99 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,520 Speaker 1: I mean, he looks creepy poured. Jeb By comparison was 100 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: like the speedy Gonzalez up there. Math like Masters has 101 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 1: no energy. He looks like a serial killer. And then 102 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: Carry Lake and Ted Cruz come on and you get 103 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: out shown by Ted Cruz. That shows you how weak 104 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 1: you are. So Masters are not great. Carry Lake, though, man, 105 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: she is. She's really good. You know, she is unapologetic 106 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: and both mass there's in Lake on this election fraud 107 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 1: stuff and the January six material. They're not doing this 108 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: game where only the media wants to talk about this 109 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: and we're not going to talk about it. And I'm 110 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,039 Speaker 1: focused on playing that like a little two steps. We're 111 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: sure I wanted to coup, but you know now that 112 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: we're in general actually don't want to talk about it anymore. 113 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: That's not Lake. I like, Lake keeps talking about this 114 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 1: stuff and and does so in a way that you know, 115 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: I mean, to any sane observer is like, you're a lunatic. 116 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 1: But but you can understand how a low info voter, 117 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: you know, somebody wasn't following this stuff day to day. 118 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: And she's a good job of having the you know, 119 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: TV anchors me in of making it seem reasonable, right, 120 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: And so I'm deeply concerned about that about the Arizona government, people. 121 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: I mean people think she's I mean not the people 122 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 1: who listen to this podcast, but the MAGA people really 123 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:52,080 Speaker 1: like her. And she's and her entire um, her entire 124 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: raison dtra. If we're going to go throw in pretentious 125 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 1: French phrases, which I am happy to do because I 126 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: grew up in Manhattan, Uh is is election fraud? I 127 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 1: mean that's it, you know, election fraud and being an 128 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: anchor who is able to make really good eye contact, 129 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: really good eye contact. Yeah, it's it's it's really something. No, 130 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: that is and I mean she she does this bit 131 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: where she's like even Trump says to her that she 132 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 1: cares about it more than anybody talks to you know what. 133 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: Trump's like, Hey, how's the weather today, And Carry's like, oh, 134 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 1: it's a little hot, you know, Arizona, but not as 135 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: hot as that election fraud rumor that I just heard was. 136 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: And she brings everything back to it. All right, Jesse 137 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 1: is telling us we have to get back to January six. 138 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:40,359 Speaker 1: She's very bossy, Um tell me top lines in your mind. 139 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 1: So some of this we knew, right, but I think 140 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: just seeing the super cut of all of the people 141 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 1: between December when the Electoral College certified the election in 142 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: January six. Who said that they knew the election was over? 143 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: Who told Trump the election was over? Who said that 144 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: that they heard Trump kind of acknowledged that he lost 145 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: in varying degrees. Um, you know, that includes Bill Barr, 146 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: and includes Mike Pompeo, Hudges, Hutcheson, Sarah Matthews, Um, you know, 147 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: random mid level calm staffers, the lawyers. Like it was 148 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: just over and over and over again. It was people saying, 149 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: you know, we knew it was over. We told him 150 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: it was over. Now. There are a lot of implications 151 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: to that, which is like, why didn't you guys do 152 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: more to stop the carnage? But but I think that 153 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: it was just very compelling. And then it showed that 154 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: one of the interesting facts also that to sort of 155 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: prove this point, which was that Trump at some level 156 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: knew it was over, was that he had signed this 157 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: order to pull out of Afghanistan and Somalia, pull the 158 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: troops out of Afghanistan and Somalia, um three days I 159 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: believe it was after the election. And so that was again, 160 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: you know, that's not the type of thing that you 161 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: do if you think that you're gonna have four years 162 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: more to to do it at your own pace, right. 163 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: So I just think that that evidence and um in 164 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: the pump stuff. Susan Glasser to retweet, I mean, you 165 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: know said this was in my book too, but you 166 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: know it's like, okay, seeing it on video though the 167 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,200 Speaker 1: Secretary of State, like I knew it was over December 168 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: December fourteen and and told Trump as much. That speaks 169 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: to this premeditation element of it, that they that they 170 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: knew what the truth was and they tried to they 171 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: tried to game it anyway. The other one I think 172 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: is this the violent element of it and the Roger 173 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: Stone And you know, some of this had leaked out 174 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: in the the last couple of weeks, but the videos of 175 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 1: Roger Stone with the Proud Boys, the Secret Service, how 176 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 1: they knew about the threats that were incoming, you know. 177 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: And there are these two kind of strains here. One 178 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: is the Roger Stone strain, where you know, we don't 179 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: know exactly he is communicating with Trump, but it's very 180 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: clear that Roger Stone knew that that violence was on 181 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: the offing, um and that there were there were gonna 182 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,319 Speaker 1: be you know, people don't try to you know, physically 183 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: and and and forcefully disrupt the result. And then there 184 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: was you know, the threats that came into Secret Service, 185 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: and Secret Service was briefed about this. I think that 186 00:08:58,240 --> 00:08:59,959 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways that tearing, say, raised more 187 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: questions about why Secret Service wasn't doing more and it 188 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 1: was Trump holding them back, you know. And one of 189 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: the examples of this was like Jason Miller, that chinless, 190 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 1: gutless piece of trash like sent a tex like weird, 191 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: facial really weird. He sent this text in to like 192 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: Meadows and others, you know, saying, hey, look at how 193 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: how de bait, how happy the base is with us, 194 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:22,559 Speaker 1: And it was like a link to the Donald dot 195 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: Win and in this link where all these threats of 196 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:27,839 Speaker 1: violence and you know, all of these we're bringing guns 197 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: to the capital, etcetera. And so it's like that is 198 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: the other element that that not only did they know 199 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: that he had lost, but they knew that violence was 200 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: possible that day. Uh and and and yet you know 201 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: not only did nothing but but egged it on. Yeah, 202 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: oh no, I mean that is for true. And I 203 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: think I also wonder, like Jason Miller does have facial 204 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:48,959 Speaker 1: hair because he thinks it makes him look like he 205 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 1: has cheek bones, right. I think he's trying to create 206 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 1: some kind of facial structure. Yeah. I don't exactly know. 207 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: It's not working whatever it is, but that's an important 208 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: thing to clare. He does have one of the weakest 209 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: chance I've ever encountered. Yea, well, that's not the only 210 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: weak thing about him, but yes, the thing I always 211 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 1: am struck by with these hearings is like I was 212 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,599 Speaker 1: at a dinner last night talking to a bunch of 213 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 1: political people. They were saying, like, you know, is anything 214 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 1: going to happen? Is anyone going to be held accountable? Yeah? Yeah, 215 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,439 Speaker 1: you know that anxiety that a lot of us have, 216 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,559 Speaker 1: like is American democracy gonna slide of a cliff? And 217 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 1: then when you sit down and you hear these hearings, 218 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: it's like, holy sh it. I do think they moved 219 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: the needle. Yeah. I think that it's always good to 220 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:36,679 Speaker 1: just raise the salience of this and like refresh people's memory. Right. 221 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 1: I just people have a lot of things happening in 222 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: their lives, right, and it's like, despite the fact that 223 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: how dramatic and how unprecedented it was, you move on right, right, 224 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:48,280 Speaker 1: like you have other concerns. You have more prudential concerns, 225 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: and so I think that at minimum it is good 226 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: to have this to just even me and nobody's in 227 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: this as deep as I am, right, like watching all 228 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: the details, reading all the articles, and even sometimes like 229 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 1: those show some thing like they showed this picture of 230 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: the meeting that Trump had of the staff on January 231 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 1: five in the evening, when where the doors of the 232 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,080 Speaker 1: Oval office were open and you could hear the pro 233 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 1: the protests were already gathering at this point, and you know, 234 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 1: they talked about how you can hear them outside, and 235 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: how Trump is talking to staff about how they're angry 236 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 1: and they should be angry. Just that even remind that 237 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: kind of gets my blood pressure boiling again, right, like 238 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: to remember that these guys were there and that they 239 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 1: knew what was happening. They could hear these you know, 240 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: soon to be domestic terrorists outside, they knew the results, 241 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: and yet they still went out the next day and 242 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:38,079 Speaker 1: spurred on the violence. You know, to me like that 243 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 1: kind of stuff, you know, getting people just more engaged 244 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: and reminded about what is happening for those who them 245 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: followed it as closely, I do think it's important to 246 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: the political side of this. I also have to tell 247 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 1: did you see that were you watching the Pelosi clip? Yes? Yes, 248 00:11:51,160 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 1: I mean that was just nothing else. It's hard to 249 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: make a little harder to demonize Nancy Pelosi, doesn't it. 250 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,839 Speaker 1: I mean, she is just a cool cucumber talking about 251 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: the poop pooh that's being smeared on all over the 252 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: building and then having to call Mike Pence and called 253 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: the d O D and called the head of d 254 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: O J and you know, asked for help. As I 255 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:14,320 Speaker 1: just I thought that that was really powerful behind the 256 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: scenes video that that sort of showed who the who 257 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: the responsible actors were. Yeah. I also think that what 258 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,000 Speaker 1: you're really seeing is like how much Trump did not 259 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: you know, and he's sitting there watching TV, playing with 260 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 1: his balls, you know, and like he's literally doing nothing. Yeah. 261 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: The other thing that this refreshed for me is just 262 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:35,719 Speaker 1: when closes on with the acting in a lot of 263 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 1: these cases, cabinet members exactly because Dad and even put 264 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: in real cabinet members the abdication duty of Trump. Yeah, 265 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: and at least some of these guys we're trying to 266 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 1: help plos were at least engaging that they couldn't do 267 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,319 Speaker 1: anything because it was that you know that you need 268 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: the commander in chief to order, you know, some of 269 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: these assets to come into play to protect the capital, 270 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: and he wouldn't do it. So Pence ends up doing it, 271 00:12:57,360 --> 00:12:59,599 Speaker 1: and goes back to this question of like who was 272 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: even the president for a little while during these hours, 273 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:03,839 Speaker 1: who was issuing these orders? The one thing I was 274 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: hoping from the committee and I think might still be 275 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: it to come based on folks I talked to you 276 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 1: over there, is like this twenty five amendment question right, 277 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 1: like shouldn't from that moment all the cabinet been gathering 278 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 1: and saying, okay, we need Pence, like like we need 279 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: to move on from this guy. Like he is like 280 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 1: the capital is under attack, under siege, and the Speaker 281 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: of the House and the VP are having to call 282 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: for help in the White House. They're not answering, you know, 283 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,079 Speaker 1: they had to go around him. The thing that I'm 284 00:13:28,080 --> 00:13:32,319 Speaker 1: struck by two is like we remember when those Black 285 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: Lives Matter protests in d C. And you saw all 286 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: the guys, all the guards wearing like black face masks, 287 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 1: holding batons being do you you know what I'm talking? 288 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 1: And then you see this where the Secret Service new 289 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 1: ten days before anyone on the internet new, and there's nothing. Yeah, 290 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: and you know, obviously there's a racial element to some 291 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: of this, but there's also just a direct element of 292 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: the Trump didn't want there to be anything, right, and 293 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,440 Speaker 1: that I thought the most I'm forgetting whether it was 294 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 1: Sarah Matthews or Cassy Hutcheson now, but one of them 295 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,719 Speaker 1: had testified right that this really jarring quote from the 296 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: President where he said kind of let them in with 297 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 1: the weapons. They shouldn't be stopping people who want who 298 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 1: want to bring weapons, you know at the mag's at 299 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: the magnometers right right. That was like, yeah, I remember that, 300 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: and and that is ca Yeah, and that is so 301 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: telling because it's like Trump knew that he wasn't in danger, right, 302 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 1: like these people weren't coming for him, and he even 303 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: said they're not here herd. So so sure, we can 304 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: send out all the jack bododed thugs we can find 305 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: for the Black Lives Matter protest, and you know, we 306 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: can shoot, you know, tear gas grenades into a peaceful 307 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: crowd at Lafayette Parks that he can walk through and 308 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: like hold down an upside down Bible like, uh, you know, 309 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: we can do it, but but for this, we don't 310 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 1: need any of that, right because we being Trump at 311 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: this point, Pence was a part of we are not 312 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: in threat. The contrast is extremely, extremely alarming, And I 313 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: think that the Secret Service text today are certainly the 314 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 1: if not the headline, you know, one of the top 315 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: two or three headlines on that front. Oh yeah, And 316 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: I mean the other thing is the burner phones. I 317 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 1: guess from what I've understand, they couldn't track down all 318 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: the burner phones, but there certainly were burner phones. Yeah, 319 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: And I do think that the convos like that the 320 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: thing that is missing going back to the Roger Stone point, right, 321 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:31,000 Speaker 1: is all right, so we've tied Roger Stone directly to 322 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 1: the Proud Boys, and we've now tied the Proud Boys 323 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,280 Speaker 1: directly to this premeditated violence, right that this was It 324 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: wasn't just you know, they just all decided to get 325 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: rowdy because they got caught up in the moment, right 326 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 1: Like there was on the Proud Boys websites and the 327 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: texts like they were planning bounce. And we know that, 328 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 1: you know, Trump and Stone talk occasionally. I do think 329 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: that like that the Burner phones speak to again like 330 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: one of the very few left missing threads, which is 331 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 1: we're there direct you know communications was Trump talk in 332 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: the Stone? That was was meadows right? Where where other 333 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: kind of people that were, you know, in the actual 334 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 1: government talking to them? You know that that's something that 335 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: I would love to have found out. But then you know, 336 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: they showed the Roger Stone testimony today with the big 337 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: tough guy talking about fighting and you know, talking about 338 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: war in the lead up to the election. You know, 339 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 1: it was a little mouse just played in the Fifth Amendment. 340 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 1: Every question right, Well, these guys are all like Tom 341 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: Cotton right with that in that hearing where Tom Cotton 342 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: is making the fist to the protesters and then he's 343 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:36,160 Speaker 1: running Judge Hollie, Judge Holly, sorry that they are. They 344 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: are mixed up able. So where do you think this goes? Now? Well, 345 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 1: and I think obviously the big question now is Trump right, 346 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: So it's well, how does he react to being subpoena 347 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: at I'm just it's hard for me to predict that. 348 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: I think that hopefully this gives a minimum Liz Cheney 349 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 1: and and the rest kind of a platform and a 350 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 1: cudgel with which to continue to pressure him and eat 351 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: them over the head and do interviews and continue to 352 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 1: talk about this and the coming weeks as interested. They 353 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 1: showed some Pompeo video today. Yeah, something about that makes 354 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 1: me think that maybe that there's some more there on 355 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 1: the twenty fifth Amendment side of things, in particular. You know, 356 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 1: we hadn't seen correct me if I'm wrong, Jesse, but 357 00:17:17,960 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: I don't. We hadn't seen the Pompeo testimony video before today. 358 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: I don't. I don't believe so either. Yeah. So it 359 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: was only like two clips today, you know, and they 360 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 1: were just so, do we think they're gonna keep going? 361 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 1: And they did. They certainly didn't make it seem like 362 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: they were stopping today when by doing another subpoena. So 363 00:17:34,200 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 1: my sense is, and I got to actually got to 364 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,320 Speaker 1: see I didn't ask you this question directly. I got 365 00:17:38,359 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 1: to see Concion in Cheney in Arizona, just by coincidence. 366 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:43,160 Speaker 1: She was there giving a speech to the McCain Institute 367 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 1: while we were, um, we're taping the circus, and um, 368 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: the strong impression I got was that they're going to 369 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 1: run out the clock on this, you know, in this 370 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: this committee. Now you know self self destructs. Uh if 371 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 1: if the Republicans take over, so they are down to 372 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 1: what is that, you know, two and a half months basically, 373 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: and so you know, I do think that they will 374 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,440 Speaker 1: continue to be pushing through for that period of time, 375 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 1: you know, public hearings, you know, I think all that 376 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 1: is TVD that. I think that's right. Tim Miller please 377 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 1: come back and JF anytime Fast Politics. I like it. 378 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 1: We keep it fast here and none of this bloviating 379 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,439 Speaker 1: on some of these other podcasts, like we get to 380 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: the point. I like that. Congressman Richie Torres represents New 381 00:18:31,160 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 1: York's fifteenth congressional district. Welcome to Fast Politics, Richie Torres. 382 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 1: It's an honor to have you my friend. And I 383 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: always feel like anyone who's my friend feels like they're 384 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:45,119 Speaker 1: a fill in. And I want to point out that 385 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,479 Speaker 1: we schedule this way in advance. Even if I were 386 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: a filling it would be are that's very diplomatic of you. 387 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 1: So I want to talk to you first about Puerto Rico. 388 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,320 Speaker 1: Can you explain to us what's happening there and what 389 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,360 Speaker 1: you're working on, and you know what you've been doing there. 390 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,560 Speaker 1: So I went to Puerto Rico in immediate aftermath of Fiona. 391 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 1: I think first it's important to just consider the magnitude 392 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 1: of suffering that has taken hold of the island and 393 00:19:10,720 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 1: the people or Puerto Rico have lived through a seven 394 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: tulli dollar deck crisis, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria which led 395 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: to the longest blackout in US history, a six point 396 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: five magnitude earthquake, and now Hurricane Fiona. You know, during 397 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,119 Speaker 1: the worst of times, the people Puerto Rico have no 398 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: electricity and even during the best of times, have no 399 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 1: reliable or affordable electricity despite paying the highest electricity across 400 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 1: in the country. So Puerto Ricans have seen not one, 401 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 1: not to but seven electricity rate increases in the span 402 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: of a year, which is unsustainable. So the island has 403 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 1: been relegated to the status of a colony. And and 404 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: that means the hart of the issues that Puerto Rico 405 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 1: is neither a state nor an independent country. It's essentially 406 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 1: a colony of the United States and has and to 407 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 1: second class status. Why is Puerto Rico is electricity so expensive? 408 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: Can you explain that to our listeners? Part of the 409 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: problem is the Jones Act. It's no accident that the 410 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 1: two places most affected by the Jones Act, Hawaii and 411 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:19,120 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico, have the highest electricity cost in the country. 412 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 1: The Jones Act arguably restricts the supply of energy and 413 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:25,320 Speaker 1: raises the cost of living on the island. So the 414 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: Jones Act requires that all cargo all goods shipped between 415 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: US ports be shipped by a US vessel. But what 416 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 1: happens when US vessels are no longer available? The Jones 417 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: Act was passed when it's an early twentieth century relic 418 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,360 Speaker 1: of the past, and the issue is that it prevents 419 00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: the shipment of critically needed fuel to Puerto Rico join 420 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: an emergency. That's the problem that we saw in the 421 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: wake of both media and how can Congress get rid 422 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: of the Jones Act. Well, the President has granted Puerto 423 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 1: Rico a short term waiver, but is a real need 424 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 1: for a long term way and that would have to 425 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 1: happen by statute um. But the politics are are complicated. 426 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:10,640 Speaker 1: There are strong constituencies for the Jones Act. Why the 427 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:14,920 Speaker 1: employees of the U s vessels are the teamsters and 428 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:19,680 Speaker 1: check to repealing the Jones Act. But I feel there's 429 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 1: room for compromise that we can grant an emergency exemption 430 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: for Porto equal in particular, or we can grant an 431 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 1: exemption for energy, or we can grant an exemption during emergencies. 432 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: You know, there there is room for compromise, but the 433 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 1: status quo is no longer bearable for the island. Jesus, 434 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:39,080 Speaker 1: the first thing that needs to happen for Puerto Rico 435 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:42,199 Speaker 1: is this repeal of the Jones Act. The worst of 436 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:45,360 Speaker 1: it is the lack of equity and federal funding. Imagine 437 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 1: here in New York State, the federal government were to 438 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 1: announce that New York would no longer receive SNAP benefits 439 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: food stamps, it would no longer receive Social Security DESIGN, 440 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,960 Speaker 1: and it would receive only a fraction of the Medicare 441 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: funding it presently receives. If that were to happened, even 442 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: in a state as wealthy as New York, it would 443 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:06,880 Speaker 1: be a catastrophe. It would bankrupts. Described as the reality 444 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: in Puerto Rico has no access to SNAP, no access 445 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:14,359 Speaker 1: to Social Security ss I, it receives only by statute 446 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: one seventh of the Medicare funding that it eats, and 447 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,439 Speaker 1: it has no access to reliable and affordable electricity. So 448 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 1: the island has been set up to fail because of 449 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: discrimination on the part of the federal goverment. Are the 450 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,480 Speaker 1: other territories treated the same way that Puerto Rico is? 451 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 1: And really Puerto Rico is the biggest and most consequential territory. 452 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:36,199 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico has more than three million Americans citizens, So 453 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 1: it's by far, I mean Puerto Rico as a territory 454 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: is larger than a number of states. Puerto Rico it 455 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 1: would have four or five members of compress. It's bigger 456 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:50,400 Speaker 1: than the Dakotas by a large margin, Rhode Island, Wyoming 457 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,439 Speaker 1: name it. Yeah. So what are you working on right 458 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: now with US? I have too concerns. One is we 459 00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 1: have to expedite the rebuilding of the grid and structure, 460 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: Like there's a dire need not only to repair our 461 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 1: infrastructure in the same form, but to rebuild the grid, 462 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: to rebuild the infrastructure with an eye toward resiliency and 463 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:12,920 Speaker 1: renewable energy. A second parity of mine is something knows 464 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,680 Speaker 1: the Medicare cliff. So Puerto Rico is in danger of 465 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 1: facing the Medicare cliff, which is going to be effect 466 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:24,400 Speaker 1: on December two, in which Puerto Rico's funding for Medicare 467 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:29,200 Speaker 1: will go from about three billion to two so more 468 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:33,399 Speaker 1: than the Medicare funding, which would be catastrophically so Puerto 469 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:36,439 Speaker 1: Ricans won't have Medicare, will have a fraction of the 470 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 1: Medicaid funding it presently received. How how how is this possible? 471 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: It seems insane. The situation is much worse than people think. 472 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 1: Um like federal law actively discriminates against the people of 473 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 1: the island. And for me, the second class standard of 474 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: living and the second class grid of Puerto Rico is 475 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: symptomatic of a deeper problem, which is the island's second 476 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:03,439 Speaker 1: class status goes neither state nor colony nor an independent country. 477 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: It's essentially a colony. Right, if you're an American citizen 478 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:08,719 Speaker 1: who lives on the island of Puerto Rico, you cannot 479 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: vote for the commander in chief who can send you 480 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 1: to not so you can die for your country, but 481 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:17,359 Speaker 1: you cannot vote but not vote for it. Where is 482 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:21,800 Speaker 1: Puerto wec and wanting its own country or state status? 483 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: I mean, it seems like not clear to me what 484 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: the will of the people there is. There have been 485 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 1: several referenda in which a majority of the Puerto Rican 486 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: electorate has consistently voted for our statehood. So a majority 487 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 1: of the island favor statehood. So they want statehood based 488 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: on the referenda that have been held, Yes, but they 489 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:48,680 Speaker 1: can't get it because Republicans don't want another state that 490 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: they worry might be democratic or is there something more 491 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 1: complicated there, No, it's more complicated. So with DC statehood, 492 00:24:56,000 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 1: the opposition comes exclusively from Republicans. Puerto Rican statehood the 493 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:04,359 Speaker 1: opposition comes not only from Republicans but also from Democrats. 494 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: There are Democrats who prefer independence, who are independent the stats, 495 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 1: or who prefer an alternative to statehood, like free association, 496 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:16,439 Speaker 1: which is a which is a form of independence. So 497 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: that's that's part of the problem is that there's opposition 498 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 1: to Querto Rican statehood within the within the Democratic court. 499 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: What could Biden do if you had a magic bond 500 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: right now to help them? Look, I think most of 501 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:30,840 Speaker 1: the inequalities can only be addressed by changes in federal law, 502 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:34,360 Speaker 1: by changes statute. What is in the control of the 503 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: Biden administration is the need to rebuild the infrastructure. So 504 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:43,040 Speaker 1: here's why the recovery is struggling. Most of the funding 505 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:46,159 Speaker 1: that we've appropriated for the island flows through FEMA and 506 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:49,159 Speaker 1: FEMA funding partically takes the form of a reimbursement, but 507 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 1: in order for reimbursement to work, a recipient like Puerto 508 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: Rico needs to have the ability to pay the cost upfront, 509 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 1: needs to have access to capital. Puerto Rico is essentially 510 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 1: in a state of bankers ruggling to recover from a 511 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:04,639 Speaker 1: seventy two billion dollar debt crisis. It faces barriers to 512 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 1: accessing capital, and that lack lack of access to capital 513 00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 1: has led to a delay in the recovery of the island. 514 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:15,480 Speaker 1: So Puerto Rico needs debt forgiveness, It needs advanced payments. 515 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:19,880 Speaker 1: These programs, these funding programs have to be restructured and 516 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:21,800 Speaker 1: may and may work for the island of is there 517 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: a precedent for that. There are pilot programs that have 518 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 1: offered advanced payments, but those programs have been poorly strong. 519 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: So that's what needs to happen. That's where the Biden 520 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,520 Speaker 1: administration we have the greatest impact in improving life on 521 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:35,199 Speaker 1: the app. Talk to me a little bit about the 522 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: mid terms right now. A few months ago, it felt 523 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 1: like a near certainty that we would face a blood 524 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:43,920 Speaker 1: bath in November, and there have been a few seismic 525 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 1: events that have given us a fighting chance of holding 526 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:50,119 Speaker 1: onto our majority. I think the Doob's decision of repersonal 527 00:26:50,359 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: versus Way January six hearings. The central issue remains the economy, 528 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 1: but when it comes to secondary tertiary issues, there's been 529 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: a shift in the priorities of the electorate from issues 530 00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:04,160 Speaker 1: like education and immigration and COVID, which were arguably winning 531 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,400 Speaker 1: issues for the Republicans two issues like democracy, guns and abortion, 532 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: which are winning issues for the Democrats. And we have 533 00:27:12,320 --> 00:27:14,879 Speaker 1: been much more united in our messaging on abortion, like 534 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 1: we are united as a party in favor of codifying 535 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: the right to choose in federal law, whereas the Republicans 536 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: messaging on abortion has been modeled and incoherent and lacking 537 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:29,800 Speaker 1: in self confidence. And when Lindsey Graham introduced a national 538 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 1: ban and abortion, he made a mockery of his own party. 539 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:36,400 Speaker 1: That was amazing. That was really just an incredible unforced 540 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: error on the part of Lindsay Graham. I thought, he's 541 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 1: the gift that keeps on giving. Congratulations Democrats. I want 542 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 1: to talk to you about marijuana because it seems again 543 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 1: like an easy win for this administration. Is it No 544 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: question about it. What the President did on marijuana represents 545 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:58,400 Speaker 1: a historic strike toward reversing the legacy of mass incarceration. 546 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: You know, when you've had contact with the criminal justice system, 547 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: even from minor crime, you know it produces collateral consequences 548 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: that haunts you for the rest of your life, that 549 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:12,880 Speaker 1: limits your access to employment, housing, public accommodations, and higher education. 550 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:15,920 Speaker 1: I'll tell a quick story, and it's not related to marijuana, 551 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:17,760 Speaker 1: but I think it tells us the larger story about 552 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: the need for criminal justice reform. When I was fourteen, 553 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 1: I visited my two half brothers in prison, and I 554 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 1: remember asking one of them, what are you gonna do 555 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 1: when you're no longer in prison? And he said to 556 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 1: me that if I can't find a job where I 557 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: can't go to school, that I'm simply going to go 558 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 1: back to the same life that I had before, the 559 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 1: only life I've ever known. And so record to me that, 560 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 1: you know, we have a system that sets up the 561 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 1: formally incarcerated for failure, that we allow people to be 562 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:47,880 Speaker 1: haunted by their criminal records, and I feel like we 563 00:28:47,960 --> 00:28:51,200 Speaker 1: have to create a much more redemptive society. Yeah, I 564 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 1: think that's right. Do you prescription drugs. We've seen Republicans 565 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:01,000 Speaker 1: vote against this thirty five dollar insulin cap. It seems 566 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:05,120 Speaker 1: like this would be a winner for Democrats. There is 567 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: no policy that is more popular that empowerment government to 568 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:13,160 Speaker 1: negotiate more affordable drect first. It is by far the 569 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 1: most popular policy of the Democratic Party. It's the great 570 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 1: achievement of the Inflation Reduction Act. I'm excited that we 571 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: pass legislation that caps the price of inculin at thirty 572 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 1: five hours a month. We have among the highest insulin 573 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 1: costs in the country. It's been reported that as bunch 574 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: of twenty seven percent of Americans who cannot afford insulin 575 00:29:33,200 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 1: often skip doses or ration insulin in their lives at risk. 576 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: There been stories of Americans we have to travel to 577 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: Canada to obtain affordable insulin, and they're about a hundred 578 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: million Americans who are either diabetic or pre diabetic, but 579 00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 1: whom insulin is either a necessity in the present or 580 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: could be a necessity in the future. And capping the 581 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:56,360 Speaker 1: cost of inculent at thirty five a month for senior 582 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:00,200 Speaker 1: citizens those on Medicare is a profound game changer and 583 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 1: likes it. I have one last question for you, which is, so, 584 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 1: what are you going to be in the Democratic leadership 585 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 1: after the mid terms. I'm retiring from kidding. I had 586 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: to ask. I thought I would trick you, and just 587 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 1: telling me that you were running for the leadership, I 588 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: thought that was good, right. I'm looking forward to a 589 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:21,200 Speaker 1: new generationally like for a long time, Congress has been 590 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 1: a generatocracy. We should create space for a new generation 591 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: of leaders. To Richie Torres, thank you so much for 592 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:31,280 Speaker 1: joining us. It's always a pleasure. Gazelle Boretto Fetterman is 593 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: the second Lady of Pennsylvania. Welcome to Fast Politics. Gesu Fetterman, 594 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:38,880 Speaker 1: thank you for having me. I'm so thrilled to have you, 595 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 1: and I wanted to talk to you. I always want 596 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:42,959 Speaker 1: to talk to you because you're my friend, but I 597 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,240 Speaker 1: also want to talk to you because you guys are 598 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 1: in the race of a lifetime in Pennsylvania. I mean, 599 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: what is happening? You know, you follow these races and 600 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:57,080 Speaker 1: I followed, of course mid terms. I've always been engaged, 601 00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:01,240 Speaker 1: and then to be it is a whole different experience. 602 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 1: I mean, just unbelievable. We had John on the podcast 603 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: two weeks ago. He's had a stroke, he has closed caption. 604 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:13,640 Speaker 1: He's been very upfront about the close caption. He seems 605 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: in my mind to be able, completely able once he 606 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: has a closed caption. Is that right? Is that your 607 00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: take on it? Yeah? He I mean, first, he's like 608 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 1: the bravest, most amazing man. I mean, like just incredible. 609 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 1: Absolutely a very simple accommodation one that I love. I mean, 610 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: I learned English reading close captioning, So a very tiny 611 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 1: accommodation helps make the huge difference while he's still healing. 612 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,800 Speaker 1: You know, it is temporary, it's not a long storm thing, 613 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: but right now it is the tool that helps him 614 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 1: in so many Americans, you know, twenty six million of us, 615 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 1: including myself with a h D. I need a small 616 00:31:53,560 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 1: accommodation here and there. It's not that serious. So let's 617 00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 1: talk about what's happened now with It feels to me 618 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:06,640 Speaker 1: like this Republican campaign has they've sort of gone into overdrive. Yeah, 619 00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:09,440 Speaker 1: and I think, you know, I think desperation makes you 620 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 1: do things. But also, you know, you have a candidate 621 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 1: who is not a nice person, right and they're doing 622 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:18,120 Speaker 1: what they They're showing you who they are by doing this. 623 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 1: And you know, a doctor of all people who I 624 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 1: think should be, you know, in in his oath to 625 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 1: do no harm, to be rooting for people, I think 626 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:30,880 Speaker 1: he's showing us exactly who we get. Kara Swisher interviewed 627 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,480 Speaker 1: him too, and Kara had a stroke as Wow, the 628 00:32:33,560 --> 00:32:36,479 Speaker 1: recovery process, how has it seemed to you? I mean 629 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 1: I never experienced something like this, so you know, I 630 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:42,959 Speaker 1: had to go through what millions of other Americans aren't 631 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 1: going through. You know, every four seconds someone has a stroke, 632 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:47,560 Speaker 1: So this is a reality for a lot of people. 633 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 1: It became our reality too. And I'd say with John 634 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 1: it's like a like a locomotive, right, Like every day 635 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 1: I see him better every day, he's getting closer to 636 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 1: a hundred. But it is a process, and you know 637 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 1: he's had to heal with the world watching like it's 638 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 1: really difficult. But he's incredible, and I think it makes 639 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: him that much more qualified to be a center that 640 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:15,800 Speaker 1: he has overcome so much, that he is extra empathetic 641 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: on top of what he already was and has first 642 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 1: hand experience. He does a lot of these rallies, I 643 00:33:22,120 --> 00:33:26,160 Speaker 1: see humongous crowds. It feels like he's been very good 644 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 1: at connecting with these rural, purple state voters that Democrats 645 00:33:31,240 --> 00:33:33,560 Speaker 1: have had trouble connecting with. What do you think the 646 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 1: sort of secret there is, Well, yeah, I mean the 647 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 1: rallies are huge no matter where we go, whether it's 648 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 1: you know, blue Montgomery County or read parts of the states. 649 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 1: I think it's that one John is authentic and I 650 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,120 Speaker 1: think people can see that, right, It's very easy to 651 00:33:48,160 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: see this is a real person. It's the person who 652 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: really cares. But also he shows up like he doesn't 653 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 1: write people off. And I think that's something the Democratic 654 00:33:55,320 --> 00:33:59,280 Speaker 1: Party has done for far too long, is like, oh, 655 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:01,400 Speaker 1: those folks are not going to vote for us, so 656 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:04,720 Speaker 1: we're not even gonna try. And we try. I mean 657 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:08,400 Speaker 1: we we meet them where they are, We have difficult conversations, 658 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:11,319 Speaker 1: we engage, and I think that's what's been missing for 659 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:14,920 Speaker 1: a very long time. So he's doing rallies now, is 660 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 1: he back on a full schedule and what does that 661 00:34:17,239 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 1: schedule look like? He's been back on a full schedule 662 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:21,880 Speaker 1: for a while now, I mean as as long as 663 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:24,000 Speaker 1: he's been doing rallies. I mean if I'm with him 664 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:27,920 Speaker 1: on the road, I see him otherwise, you know, doing 665 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:29,800 Speaker 1: a lot of things that I'm doing my own things. 666 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:33,680 Speaker 1: So yeah, definitely a full, full schedule every day. He 667 00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 1: had one evening off in all of October and November 668 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 1: leading to you know, election night, which was last night, 669 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 1: and we went to the pumpkin patch with the kids. 670 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:48,880 Speaker 1: Were the kids happy to see you guys? They were? 671 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:51,919 Speaker 1: They were, and they've been troopers, you know, they're they're 672 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:54,560 Speaker 1: really great kids. They know what's happening. They get it. 673 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:58,120 Speaker 1: They see the commercials. And my youngest even said, Mom, 674 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 1: don't worry the pumpkin patcheck Fusco is fine this year. 675 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 1: And I said, no, no, we're gonna do the real thing. 676 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:07,120 Speaker 1: Do you are the kids? I mean, do you guys 677 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:10,200 Speaker 1: feel like you're in danger? I mean, are you guys 678 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 1: in physical danger or now physical Benjo? No, I think 679 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 1: our country is in danger. Democracies in danger danger. No, 680 00:35:17,880 --> 00:35:21,600 Speaker 1: we've had scary moments throughout, but I don't think so. 681 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,560 Speaker 1: But you know, I don't know. Yeah, again, exactly that's 682 00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: how I feel too. So let's talk about marijuana, because 683 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: Pedoman had actually a win with marijuana, and the Biden 684 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:37,200 Speaker 1: administration explained that to us. Yeah, so we've been very 685 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:41,800 Speaker 1: vocal on legalization decrimination for a really long time. I 686 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:46,040 Speaker 1: myself am a medical marijuana cardholder, have always been very 687 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:49,319 Speaker 1: open about it. And we met with the President when 688 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:52,080 Speaker 1: he was in Pittsburgh ahead of his visit. We did 689 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: call on him to to move towards these steps, and 690 00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: during that meeting he assured John that it was going 691 00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:01,600 Speaker 1: that way and that he would reach out before and 692 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,439 Speaker 1: then we had a really big win this past week. 693 00:36:04,600 --> 00:36:06,520 Speaker 1: Can you explain to our listeners a little bit about 694 00:36:06,560 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 1: what this big win is. Sure, it included pardoning folks 695 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:14,160 Speaker 1: with existing non violent marijuana charges, but also moving towards 696 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:19,800 Speaker 1: um re labeling marijuana and a different schedule. So actual 697 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: efforts towards that, and I think we're none of us 698 00:36:23,000 --> 00:36:25,640 Speaker 1: are used to seeing government work, you know, for us 699 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,680 Speaker 1: that it was so exciting and and just you know, 700 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:31,440 Speaker 1: we can do these big things like we can do them. 701 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:33,759 Speaker 1: We can do the hard things. You have to have 702 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:38,279 Speaker 1: folks working together to do that. We're in these last 703 00:36:38,520 --> 00:36:42,600 Speaker 1: twenties two days or twenty one days or whatever it 704 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 1: feels like, twenty million days to the mid terms. I mean, 705 00:36:46,280 --> 00:36:49,200 Speaker 1: what is this sort of game plan for Team fatter Man. 706 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:52,640 Speaker 1: It's you know, very busy. Our schedule at this point it's, 707 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:55,359 Speaker 1: you know, seventy two hours in advance, because it's just 708 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:58,760 Speaker 1: it's kind of NonStop. We're gonna keep doing what we've done. 709 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:01,319 Speaker 1: We're gonna keep visit in all the places, talking to 710 00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:03,840 Speaker 1: all the people, doing as much as we can. Leading 711 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:09,920 Speaker 1: to to November eight. Would that interview yesterday when the 712 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:14,560 Speaker 1: journalists sort of took some liberties with her sort of 713 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:19,319 Speaker 1: supposition of his house, how did you feel? I don't 714 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:21,719 Speaker 1: like saying rage, because I think that's a really unhealthy 715 00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:24,600 Speaker 1: feeling and when you feel those things, that only harms yourself. 716 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:26,880 Speaker 1: But I just, you know, what of the service that 717 00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:31,160 Speaker 1: she did, not only my husband, but to anyone facing 718 00:37:31,160 --> 00:37:34,440 Speaker 1: a disability and working through it. And I don't know 719 00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:37,640 Speaker 1: how they were not consequences, right, I mean, there are 720 00:37:37,640 --> 00:37:40,840 Speaker 1: consequences for folks in these positions who are any of 721 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:43,360 Speaker 1: the isms. I mean, she was ablest and that's what 722 00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:46,160 Speaker 1: she was in her interview. It was appalling to the 723 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:50,479 Speaker 1: entire disability community and I think to journalism. So I 724 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:54,759 Speaker 1: was shocked. I'm still really upset about it, and I 725 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:56,920 Speaker 1: think the positive is it's that it's brought a lot 726 00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:01,759 Speaker 1: of conversations around accommodations, around eights around able is um right? 727 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,160 Speaker 1: I mean able is M was trending on Twitter. It 728 00:38:04,239 --> 00:38:07,319 Speaker 1: just shows there's so much work to do, but these 729 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:13,279 Speaker 1: networks have to take accountability, right, like where is your training? Uh? 730 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:15,720 Speaker 1: It was appalling to see and you see that in schools, 731 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:18,520 Speaker 1: You see that with young children. You don't expect to 732 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:20,719 Speaker 1: see it at this level. And you know, I haven't 733 00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:24,239 Speaker 1: heard an apology. It hasn't come. I am hopeful that 734 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:26,879 Speaker 1: you know, there will reflect and see that they did 735 00:38:26,880 --> 00:38:31,400 Speaker 1: an incredible disservice to all Americans. What John's take, You know, 736 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,200 Speaker 1: I don't know that he watched it. You know, I 737 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:37,120 Speaker 1: don't think it's healthy to have to yell that. Obviously 738 00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:39,520 Speaker 1: he knows that it happened, and to him, you know, 739 00:38:39,600 --> 00:38:42,200 Speaker 1: it shows just what a challenge it is for for 740 00:38:42,239 --> 00:38:45,600 Speaker 1: folks with disability to to want to pursue careers and 741 00:38:46,000 --> 00:38:47,920 Speaker 1: you know, and and just the challenges that come with that. 742 00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:50,800 Speaker 1: Our family is newer to the disability world. I was 743 00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:54,120 Speaker 1: diagnosed a d h D as an adult and he's 744 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 1: going through this now. So there are families that have 745 00:38:57,160 --> 00:38:59,400 Speaker 1: been going through this their entire lives were newer to 746 00:38:59,480 --> 00:39:02,680 Speaker 1: the space. But you know, it's very easy to see 747 00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:06,239 Speaker 1: first hand the discrimination that still very actively exists. So 748 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:10,360 Speaker 1: Oz is not talking to the editorial boards, he's not 749 00:39:10,640 --> 00:39:15,800 Speaker 1: participating in some of these you know, more traditional candidate things. 750 00:39:16,120 --> 00:39:18,319 Speaker 1: What do you think of that? I don't know. I 751 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:22,080 Speaker 1: think he is, you know, hiding. I think he he's 752 00:39:22,120 --> 00:39:25,360 Speaker 1: hiding from his record or the things he's called saying. 753 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:27,920 Speaker 1: And you know, he talks about this debate, debate, debate. 754 00:39:27,960 --> 00:39:30,200 Speaker 1: He has an opportunity to to talk to these folks 755 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:32,000 Speaker 1: and he refuses to. So I don't know what the 756 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:35,160 Speaker 1: thinking is in this campaign. But these are also folks 757 00:39:35,239 --> 00:39:38,680 Speaker 1: who are you know, extremely disparaging towards someone who had 758 00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:41,600 Speaker 1: a stroke, who make fun of it. There is no 759 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:44,359 Speaker 1: there is no soul in that campaign. So I really 760 00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,359 Speaker 1: can't imagine, you know, what they're thinking is because it's 761 00:39:47,400 --> 00:39:50,120 Speaker 1: just so foreign from from the way I see the 762 00:39:50,120 --> 00:39:53,399 Speaker 1: world and see things. What do you guys need right 763 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:56,960 Speaker 1: now in your campaign? Volunteers? Of course, always you know, 764 00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:59,880 Speaker 1: text banking, we're doing all the things connecting with the 765 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:02,719 Speaker 1: many folks as possible. Of course, we're continuing to raise 766 00:40:02,800 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 1: money to compete with the millions of dollars that ODDS 767 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:09,200 Speaker 1: continues to pull from his own bank account as well 768 00:40:09,239 --> 00:40:14,719 Speaker 1: as dark money venues to attack John. So it's continuing 769 00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:18,879 Speaker 1: fighting back and and doing it with the decency right 770 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:24,640 Speaker 1: like against someone who has none. So you know, we'll 771 00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:27,479 Speaker 1: always stay on the right side and we'll continue that, 772 00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:30,880 Speaker 1: but it is difficult. Thank you so much for joining us. 773 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:33,440 Speaker 1: I'm really glad that we just got to catch up 774 00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:36,720 Speaker 1: on this. I really appreciate you coming on too short notice. 775 00:40:37,040 --> 00:40:46,360 Speaker 1: Absolutely always got to talk to you, Molly, John Fast, 776 00:40:46,600 --> 00:40:51,719 Speaker 1: Jessie Cannon. You know, we hate the Supreme Court, but 777 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:54,960 Speaker 1: then some days I don't think we hate them. We 778 00:40:55,040 --> 00:40:58,359 Speaker 1: just consider six of them to be partisan hacks. Yeah, yeah, 779 00:40:58,400 --> 00:41:00,759 Speaker 1: well that's that's better assessment that I Yeah, I'll take it. 780 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:02,920 Speaker 1: That's why they pay you the big bucks. Three of 781 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:09,200 Speaker 1: them to be profoundly partisan. Yes, continue, what happened. What 782 00:41:09,280 --> 00:41:12,359 Speaker 1: happened today is the thing about this Supreme Court is 783 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:16,640 Speaker 1: if they don't do something for Donald Trump, it's newsworthy. Right. 784 00:41:17,000 --> 00:41:22,760 Speaker 1: So today you'll remember Justice Clarence Thomas did not save 785 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:25,840 Speaker 1: Donald Trump from the documents case that the d J 786 00:41:26,120 --> 00:41:29,280 Speaker 1: has that is ultimately very likely the sort of most 787 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:32,000 Speaker 1: ace in the whole case against Trump. He went to 788 00:41:32,160 --> 00:41:34,440 Speaker 1: his buddies at the Supreme Court, three of whom he 789 00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:38,320 Speaker 1: put he stole the seats for, and they were like, sorry, buddy, 790 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:41,880 Speaker 1: you have to like face the music on the documents. 791 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:46,239 Speaker 1: So it turns out that the Supreme Court is slightly 792 00:41:46,360 --> 00:41:51,520 Speaker 1: less corrupt than Judge Cannon of Palm Beach. Congratulations, guys. 793 00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:53,960 Speaker 1: Well here's my thing though, Like this is like his 794 00:41:54,040 --> 00:41:57,400 Speaker 1: lapdog rebuked Clarence Thomas, Like, how would you feel if 795 00:41:57,719 --> 00:42:00,279 Speaker 1: Leonidas did this to you? Leonidas would never or do 796 00:42:00,320 --> 00:42:04,520 Speaker 1: this to me. You have a real relationship. No, it's true. 797 00:42:04,719 --> 00:42:09,080 Speaker 1: He really loves you. Yeah, exactly. That's it for this 798 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:12,840 Speaker 1: episode of Fast Politics. Tune in every Monday, Wednesday, and 799 00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:15,919 Speaker 1: Friday to your the best minds and politics makes sense 800 00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:19,000 Speaker 1: of all this chaos. If you enjoyed what you've heard, 801 00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:22,280 Speaker 1: please send it to a friend and keep the conversation going. 802 00:42:22,719 --> 00:42:24,400 Speaker 1: And again, thanks for listening.