1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: Hello there, Happy Thursday. This is Chuck Todd and welcome 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: to another episode of the Chuck Podcast. As I promised you, 3 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 1: we're doing our fourth drop of the week. This one 4 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: is not a documentary interview. This one is actually an 5 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,079 Speaker 1: interview with Barbara Comstock. She's a former Republican member of 6 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: Congress from Northern Virginia, the neighboring. 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 2: District where I live. 8 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,479 Speaker 1: In case you're wondering, she has been a pretty vocal 9 00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: you know, she came to Congress in the teens, somebody 10 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: that I think would be have considered what I would 11 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 1: have called a conventional conservative. And I don't mean that 12 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: as any sort of positive or negative in that she 13 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: was sort of a mainstream conservative Republican, the type of 14 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: conservative Republicans that you know, were moderate on certain issues 15 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,919 Speaker 1: that mattered to suburban America. But she figured out how 16 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:56,440 Speaker 1: to get elected. And let's just say she's never she's 17 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: never been comfortable in the Trump in the Republican Party. 18 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: She's pretty outspoken anti Trumper. What's interesting is she's working 19 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 1: with an organization that is not there's sort of two 20 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: types of sort of ex Republicans or Republicans in exile. 21 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: There are the Republicans, most of them at Bulwark, who 22 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: believe the party is irredeemable. And so these are sort 23 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 1: of conservatives who are lost, who are hoping the Democratic 24 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 1: Party will move to the center. But I definitely feel 25 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: as if they're in no man's land. I think Barbara 26 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: Compsack is, you know. I think she's vacillating between the 27 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: party is irredeemable and the party might be reformed from 28 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,679 Speaker 1: the inside, but she's working with a group of Republicans 29 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: who are not ready to give up on the party. 30 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: I think there are some Republicans who say, well, you know, 31 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: the Republican Party has always had. 32 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 2: Two wings to it. 33 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: Right. One is a sort of Chamber of commerce internationalist wing, 34 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: the pro free trade side of things, the small government, 35 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: prophy trade. You know, think Paul Ryan, George W. Bush, 36 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: met Romney. That was the ascendant party frankly since Eisenhower. 37 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: But there's always been a nationalist wing and isolationist wing 38 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: of the party. It existed pre FDR, it existed really 39 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:22,119 Speaker 1: during much of the run up to World War Two, 40 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: and that's basically where Donald Trump's wing of the party 41 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: most closely resembles. And if you look at the party 42 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: through that prism. Then this is a means that you 43 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: believe your wing of the party is simply an exile 44 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:43,920 Speaker 1: and that your day will come again, sort of how 45 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 1: progressives felt during the Bill Clinton era, or maybe how 46 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 1: centrist Democrats felt during during parts of the Joe Biden era, 47 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: which I think a lot of centrist Democrats didn't think 48 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 1: that was going to be the case. But Biden governed 49 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: much more further to the left than anybody expected, and 50 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: certainly not like uh not like he you know, much 51 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 1: further the left than Barack Obama. And so you'll hear 52 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: the conversation, and I think she's vacillating between the two. 53 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: But she's you know, there's there's she's working with Republicans 54 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,079 Speaker 1: like and they're all formers, including a former Missouri Senator 55 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 1: Jack dan Forth among others who you know, this is 56 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: the wing of the party that also thinks characters should 57 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: still matter, uh, and that character is destiny. And I 58 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: think that's pretty clear Donald Trump uh and many in 59 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: mega think characters overrated. Uh And that politics ain't beanbag 60 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: and that this is a zero sum game and and 61 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: that the ends justifies the means. So it's uh, I 62 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 1: it's a I think it's a great conversation. I think 63 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: if you're trying to figure out the future of the 64 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: two parties, uh, and as you know, I'm obsessed with 65 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: where what's happening here. I think both parties are are 66 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: our zombie parties at this point. And if we didn't 67 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: have a duopoly over ballid access, I think both parties 68 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: will have already been replaced by now by a new 69 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 1: left of center party and a new right of center party. 70 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 1: But instead of a new Republican Party, Donald Trump basically 71 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: just eviscerated the sort of Bush Romney wing and anybody 72 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: that was associated with that wings out right in the 73 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: leadership and the folks that run the party now are 74 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: all people that other than a person here or there 75 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 1: that had no role whatsoever in the Republican Party before 76 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: Donald Trump descended down that escalator. But before I get 77 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: to there, I do want to address what is going 78 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 1: to be the event of the weekend. And it's an 79 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: event that I think is gonna it's one of those 80 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: that it's this military birthday parade that Donald Trump is orchestrated. 81 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: He's hiding behind the Army's two hundred and fiftieth birthday, 82 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: which happens to coincide with his seventy ninth birthday, and 83 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: so he is essentially greenlit or encouraged the army to 84 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:08,039 Speaker 1: throw itself a very expensive birthday party so that he 85 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:12,279 Speaker 1: can bask in the glory of the army. There's a 86 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:15,279 Speaker 1: bit of irony there. If you've followed Donald Trump's career. 87 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: This is a man who went out of his way 88 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: to get as many deferments as he could during the 89 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: Vietnam War. He wasn't alone. But this idea that he 90 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: presents himself as this tough guy that wouldn't be afraid 91 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 1: of everything. That was not the way he behaved when 92 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,039 Speaker 1: he was in his teens and twenties, when he was 93 00:05:33,080 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 1: doing whatever it took to get out. 94 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 2: Of the war. 95 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 1: And I will tell you I've always been a bit 96 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 1: skeptical of his story because he can never tell you 97 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: a truthful reason for his deferment, which foot it is, 98 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:47,040 Speaker 1: or whatever it was that he did. And I think 99 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: I've shared with you before. After my father died, I 100 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 1: found an entire file folder with everything that was related 101 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: to his deferments that he got at first and then 102 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 1: his lottery number that happened to be high enough that 103 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 1: he was able to avoid having to go, and he 104 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: was somebody like many Americans that didn't want to have 105 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: to go, didn't fully believe in the mission, and understandable 106 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:16,919 Speaker 1: on that he wasn't alone. But the dishonesty about about 107 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: whether you were trying to get out or not has 108 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: always been to me a litmus test, right, It's a 109 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 1: character test. And you know, I don't any politician that 110 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: says that they don't remember, I can just tell you 111 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: they're full of SS, right, I just I don't believe them. 112 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,479 Speaker 1: I think if you were that concerned, you knew every 113 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 1: little detail, like my father knew every little detail of 114 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: what were the particulars there. And yet here he is 115 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: hiding behind a military that he refused to serve in, 116 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: hiding behind and somehow he equates military school with somehow 117 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:55,719 Speaker 1: with military service. And while I think military schools have 118 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: their place and certainly have done a great job developing 119 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: plenty of young men and women over the years, mostly men, 120 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:08,280 Speaker 1: military schools have been mostly on that young boys. I 121 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: don't think anybody would mistake in it for West Point. 122 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: But what's really I think long term damaging about this event? 123 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: And look, I want to get to the potential short 124 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 1: term problems with this event in a minute. But the 125 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: long term damage is the politicizing of the military. You know, 126 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 1: one of the hallmarks of the American military is how 127 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: we've done a pretty good job trying to keep There's 128 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: plenty of politics, Don't get me wrong. That takes place 129 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: to become a you know, I've always said one star 130 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: generals earn it every other stars politics. So yes, there's 131 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: politics involved sometimes when it comes to certain things of 132 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: the army. But basically the military is a political and 133 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: we've done a pretty good job over decades, no matter 134 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 1: how polarized we are, to try to do our best 135 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 1: to keep it that way because it is the most 136 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: egalitarian institution we have left in America. Where you have 137 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: kid from urban America and a kid from rural America. 138 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: Both may have grown up poor, both one may have 139 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: grown up rich, one may have grown up poor. They're 140 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 1: in the same foxhole, they're doing the same they're they're 141 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: in the same boot camp, they're dealing with the same drills, 142 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: and you get the same housing allowances, and you get 143 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: the same access and things like that. It is, you know, 144 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: it was more egalitarian than American society as a whole. 145 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: So here's this institution that we've done such a good 146 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: job with to to keep politics out of it, and 147 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: Donald Trump continues to try to politicize the military. I 148 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: mean this goes just go back to his commencement address 149 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:45,079 Speaker 1: to West Point, where he I think defaced the military 150 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: by wearing a MAGA hat. You're the commander in chief, 151 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: behave like the commander in chief, not like a political hack. 152 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: And in that moment he was a political hack. He 153 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:57,440 Speaker 1: did it again the other day when he went to 154 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 1: now the renamed base that is back to Fort Bragg. 155 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: And by the way, this whole you know, we're we're 156 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: we're going down this road right where where the right 157 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: was really upset. They felt like the left was was 158 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 1: playing the culture police and it was getting overly woke, 159 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: and they went too far and renaming these bases away 160 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 1: from Confederate generals, which I've never understood this obsession with 161 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,839 Speaker 1: celebrating a losing army, Right, why would anybody want to 162 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 1: celebrate the losing side. But what did the what did 163 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: the Trump administration do? They didn't change the names back 164 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: technically to what they were. What they did was is 165 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 1: that they found soldiers with the last name of Brag 166 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: that served in World War One or World War Two 167 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: or Korea, maybe served with hopefully served with distinction, and 168 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 1: they claimed that the bases were being renamed for them, 169 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 1: so they got all their old Confederate names back. But 170 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:55,959 Speaker 1: the the the Pentagon can claim that these bases are 171 00:09:55,960 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: technically being named for this soldier named Bragg who served 172 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: in World War two versus who what it really is 173 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: supposed to what they really are hoping to denote. But 174 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: when he went there, they had some strict instructions to 175 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: make sure that if there was any soldiers who politically 176 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 1: were uncomfortable appearing with Donald Trump, that they be dismissed, 177 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,719 Speaker 1: essentially not allowed to be the soldiers among them behind them. 178 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: So the White House orchestrated a group of soldiers to 179 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:33,079 Speaker 1: look like sycophants behind them, which is look I understand 180 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: why a commander went ahead and did that. You don't 181 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: want to create an awkward situation with the commander in chief. 182 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 1: But the fact that the commander in chief put his 183 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: put that base in that situation where they had to 184 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: somehow try to weed out those that may have disagreed 185 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 1: been uncomfortable serving you know, sitting there as he demeaned 186 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:59,199 Speaker 1: and politicized the military, and then so it became self selecting. 187 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: And so then he gets folks that happen to be 188 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: supportive of him to laugh and boo with him and 189 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:05,559 Speaker 1: all of that stuff, and it was just it's a 190 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: terrible look. And you know, here we have the one 191 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: last institution in America that is seen favorably on both 192 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:16,160 Speaker 1: sides of the aisle, seen favorably by the American public 193 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 1: in general. And why any politician would want to erode 194 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: that away is beyond me. But you know, Donald Trump 195 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,440 Speaker 1: makes a lot of decisions that are never in the 196 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: best interest of the country and only in the best 197 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 1: interest of his ego, and this is one of them 198 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: all for his seventy ninth birthday birthday party. 199 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 2: Let's go through a few facts here. 200 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:45,439 Speaker 1: By the way, the Army the price tag for this, 201 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 1: for this military parade, it's approximately twenty five to forty 202 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: five million dollars. It's probably going to be more, but 203 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: let's take the forty five million dollar figure. That forty 204 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 1: five million dollars also includes already includes budgeted sixteen million 205 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,680 Speaker 1: dollars to repair the streets of Washington d c after 206 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: these tanks roll through. Now, remember first of all, why 207 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: the army is showcasing tanks. You know, I just heard 208 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: an alarming stat that the average life span of a 209 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: tank in warfare between the Russians and the Ukrainians is 210 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: something like three and. 211 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 2: A half days. 212 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: It is a complete waste of money to use tanks. 213 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: Tank warfare is sort of is something that is pretty 214 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:28,560 Speaker 1: much obsolete. But because there's so many military contractors that 215 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: want to make money still making tanks, we somehow have 216 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,679 Speaker 1: tucked ourselves into having them, and they look cool and 217 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 1: you want to have you know, if you want to 218 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 1: have your toys, you get to have them. But now 219 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 1: we're going to have these tanks that we really don't 220 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 1: need in in conventional warfare anymore, since that's not really 221 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: how we would ever fight a conventional war these days, 222 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: because warfare is going to be more and more unconventional. 223 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: Just look what the Ukrainians just recently did to the Russians. 224 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,200 Speaker 1: You know, we need to be preparing for asymmetrical warfare, 225 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: not World War two. But instead those tanks are going 226 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 1: to be rolling through the streets of DC a terrible look. 227 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: We're going to make Washington, DC look like the Red Square. 228 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: I mean, this is what they do at the Kremlin. 229 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 1: This isn't what you do and what we This is 230 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: not how a collection of presidents thought the American people 231 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:24,679 Speaker 1: ought to be American military ought to behave. But by 232 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 1: the way, forty five million for this parade is a 233 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,079 Speaker 1: conservative estimate. There were some estimates when Donald Trump in 234 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: his first term was demanding this that it could cost 235 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: upwards of one hundred million dollars. But I'm going to 236 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,480 Speaker 1: take the forty five million dollar figure, and I just 237 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 1: want to share with you what forty five million dollars 238 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: in the government what it could buy. 239 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 2: According to hut and the US. 240 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: Department of Agriculture, that same amount of money could feed 241 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: every homeless veteran in America, all thirty two thousand of them, 242 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: for five months. It could provide Section eight housing vouchers 243 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: for over forty five hundred families for an entire year. 244 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 1: That money could cover Medicaid healthcare for nearly six thousand 245 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:02,839 Speaker 1: adults fifteen thousand kids. That amount of money could pay 246 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 1: for fourteen million school lunches ready for this one. That 247 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:10,319 Speaker 1: amount of money would fully fund DC's tuition Assistance Grant program. 248 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: The very one the Trump administration wants to eliminate, so 249 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: we can go to infrastructure. Forty five million dollars is 250 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: what Nevada just received to upgrade thirty aging bridges. How 251 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: about that dozens. You could fix dozens of structurally deficient 252 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 1: bridges nationwide or repave hundreds of miles of local roads 253 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: for the cost of Donald Trump's birthday party. But instead, 254 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: it's a one day spectacle that's going to shut down 255 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: National Airport for hours inconvenience hundreds of thousands of travelers. Washington, 256 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: d C's and National Airport is. 257 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 2: A bit of a hub. 258 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: Now. It's not Atlanta, but it is where if you 259 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 1: travel from the Northeast to the south, you're likely if 260 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: you have to change planes, you're actually likely to change 261 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 1: planes if you're flying American in DC before you change 262 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 1: planes in Charlotte or in Atlanta, if you're flying Delta, 263 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 1: and if you're flying from a smaller southern city to 264 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 1: somewhere in the New Northeast, you're probably more likely changing 265 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 1: planes in d C than you are Charlotte. So, but 266 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: they're going to shut down the airport, They're going to 267 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: shut down the city inconvenience. The city and in a 268 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: whole bunch of ways. And it is not for patriotism. 269 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: This is not what a patriot would do. A patriot 270 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: would wouldn't behave this way. It's all for one man's eco. 271 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: It's and it's at a time when the last thing 272 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: we ought to be doing is finding other ways to 273 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: polarize Americans. And you know the long term damage, you know, 274 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:40,240 Speaker 1: if we start eroding, we start hard. If we start 275 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 1: feeding the notion that the military is more red than blue, 276 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: or more blue than red, whichever side of the aisle 277 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 1: you're on, that's the beginning of the end of the republic. 278 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: We've seen that when when, when the when the military 279 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: is believed to be on one side of the political 280 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 1: isle over the other, we don't call that country a democracy. 281 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 2: At all. 282 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 1: And so that's the type of damage that he's doing. 283 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:11,760 Speaker 1: And then there's the short term damage that could come 284 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 1: along with this, the unpredictability. You know already he's used, 285 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: you know, with with his decision to introduce the military 286 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 1: into the situation in Los Angeles, he's only escalated the 287 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: tensions in LA rather than de escalating the tensions. He's 288 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: put the military in a terrible place again. Where they're 289 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 1: getting inserted into domestic politics, which was you know, we 290 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: worked really hard as a country to not have our 291 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 1: military do that, and yet that's what he's doing here. 292 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: He made this terrible threat when he said, if I 293 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: have there's any protesters during you know, this parade, they're 294 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: going to be met with brute you know, some sort 295 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: of retaliation. Well, you know what that's going to do. 296 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: More people are going to want to protest him now, 297 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 1: not last, and who knows how he's going to react 298 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 1: to that. But you know what, it's not going to 299 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: be doing. It's not going to be celebrating the army. 300 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 1: There's not going to be a you know, a joint 301 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 1: moment where you know, we're putting the country over politics 302 00:17:13,119 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 1: or the country over personality. Uh, you know, it's just 303 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:18,439 Speaker 1: and I know you can sit here and say I'm 304 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 1: pearl class and you know we do this right, Donald 305 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:22,680 Speaker 1: Trump will break a norm and we'll go, oh my god, 306 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:24,119 Speaker 1: you know, we're never going to get that back, and 307 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:26,920 Speaker 1: we probably won't. And then the next day the sun 308 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,399 Speaker 1: comes out and the next day there's another controversy and 309 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 1: we move on with our merry way. But that's the thing, 310 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: you know, you don't get your you know, you don't 311 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: get your virginity back. I hate to put it in 312 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:44,400 Speaker 1: those terms, but we're essentially if we if the if 313 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 1: the military loses its political virginity, we're we're gonna we're 314 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 1: gonna regret that moment and the more politicized and already 315 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: you know what Pete Hagseth is doing. You know, he's 316 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 1: having trouble leading the Pentagon simply because so many people 317 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,679 Speaker 1: are uncomfortable with the politicism, with how much he and 318 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 1: Trump are trying to politicize it. So I do think 319 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:08,639 Speaker 1: the resistance inside the Pentagon is real because there are 320 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,199 Speaker 1: a lot of a lot of professional members of the 321 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: military who just don't who don't think it should this 322 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: is the way it should be. I mean, we have 323 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: our volunteer military is the envy of the world, and 324 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 1: if we treat it like political prop like this, it's 325 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 1: only going to make it harder to recruit. It's only 326 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 1: going to lower the perception of the military in a 327 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 1: way that that does real damage to us when we 328 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:41,920 Speaker 1: may need the military to protect us. You know, we're 329 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 1: living in an unstable world, a world that we're sometimes 330 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: our own dysfunctional politics is making a more unstable and 331 00:18:51,840 --> 00:18:54,760 Speaker 1: you know we're going to regret weakening ourselves like this, 332 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:59,160 Speaker 1: But make no mistake this parade and what Donald Trump 333 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 1: has been doing with the military over the last two weeks, 334 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: it's making America week or not stronger. And that ought 335 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 1: to be the way folks look at this. This is 336 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: you know, some of you may dismiss this criticism of 337 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: mine as some sort of partisan hit. This is just 338 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:17,000 Speaker 1: as wrong if a Democrat were doing this, just as 339 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: wrong if any American president were doing this. It's wrong, 340 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 1: pure and simple. It's wrong, and it's un American, and 341 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 1: it's on patriotic. 342 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 2: With that, I'll sneak in a break after the interview. 343 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: I'm going to take a couple more questions, including a 344 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:48,440 Speaker 1: fascinating one about a missed opportunity by Donald Trump. And 345 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: joining me now from this organization called Our Republican Legacy 346 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:57,840 Speaker 1: is Barbara Comstock, former Republican member of Congress from suburban Virginia. 347 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:01,679 Speaker 1: She had the tenth congressional strict It's for those of 348 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 1: you who care about Washington, DC area geography. It was 349 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 1: McClain and it actually reached into the Shenandoah Valley. It 350 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,639 Speaker 1: was always traditionally more Republican, and over time had like 351 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 1: many of the suburban Republican seats of the of the 352 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:20,639 Speaker 1: late nineties early aughts, have now trended towards blue. Barbara 353 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: Compstock goold to talk to you, good. 354 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:23,640 Speaker 3: To see you, right to be with you. 355 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 1: So our Republican legacy. I mean, look, I've been having 356 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: a lot of these conversations, frankly about both parties, right, 357 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: and there's definitely this feeling that both parties are as 358 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: I've said, they're both kind of dead carcasses that allowed 359 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: other entities to reanimate them is like zombie versions of themselves. 360 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: So I've had this conversation about the zombie donkeys, you know, 361 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 1: now we're talking about I guess the zombie elephant here 362 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: that Donald Trump reanimated. What I'm finding curious here because 363 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: there's a lot of what I would call recovering Republicans 364 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 1: that have decided, well, maybe I got to go independent, right, 365 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: or maybe I got to try a third party. This 366 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:08,399 Speaker 1: seems to be a last gasp attempt at trying to 367 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:12,160 Speaker 1: reform the Republican Party from within. Is that a fair 368 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 1: way to describe it? 369 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,239 Speaker 3: Yes, And it's you know, it's it's a group of 370 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 3: people who've all who are still Republicans. It's not people 371 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:22,199 Speaker 3: for the most part, whoever are going to run for 372 00:21:22,359 --> 00:21:24,840 Speaker 3: office again. So it's more sort of a team of 373 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 3: coaches and people who've been out there speaking out. Many 374 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 3: of us, like myself, Charlie Dent, you know, Senator dan Forth, 375 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 3: have supported people other than you know, Donald Trumper or 376 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 3: Republicans these days because they don't represent our free market, 377 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 3: free enterprise principles sort of you know, supporting our allies abroad, 378 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 3: sort of the Reagan you know principles also, you know, 379 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:58,639 Speaker 3: just you know, the rule of law, the constitution. You know, 380 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:02,120 Speaker 3: we have a president who went asked, you know, well 381 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:05,159 Speaker 3: do you support you know, the Constitution. It's like, I 382 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 3: don't know. Yeah. So, you know, this is a problem 383 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 3: for those of us who you know, grew up you know, 384 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:14,800 Speaker 3: I mean, I grew up up with the federalist society, 385 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 3: you know, respecting the rule of law. I'm part of 386 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 3: a group also called the rule of law society where 387 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:25,199 Speaker 3: we do think those things are very important. I worked 388 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:30,720 Speaker 3: on the confirmation of you know, Chief Justice John Roberts, 389 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 3: so you know, when I was at the Justice Department 390 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 3: under John Ashcroft, So you know, I worked with people 391 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 3: like Ted Olson, so these kind of things are important 392 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 3: to me, important to a lot of the people part 393 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 3: of this group. But we'd like to find sort of 394 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 3: a new generation of leaders because you know, a lot 395 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 3: of people, particularly a lot of young women, often ask me, 396 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 3: you know what, you know, what do I do? Now? 397 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 3: It's such a mess out there, and a lot of 398 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:01,440 Speaker 3: it is you can and you know, grassroots. You can 399 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 3: run in the States often because it's less polarized, not 400 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 3: as much infected by trump Ism, sometimes at the state level, 401 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 3: and you can really be more yourself and your own 402 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 3: brand and get back to a lot of these principles 403 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:20,399 Speaker 3: when you do run on the state level. And I 404 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:24,679 Speaker 3: think that's where Republicans might have a shot of getting 405 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:25,680 Speaker 3: back to some of that. 406 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: I hear you, Except there's amazing how many local elections. 407 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 1: I spent a lot of time in the Panhandle of 408 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:34,399 Speaker 1: Florida and Pensacola in particular, so I'm very familiar with 409 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: the local politics there, and what you describe is mostly true. Like, 410 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: for instance, they just had a big fight in Pensacola 411 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: and there was sort of the Maga wing of the 412 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: party was trying to take control of the local university's board, 413 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: and the local leaders fought back, and they're all Republicans, right, 414 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: and it's you know, this isn't you know, it's just 415 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: a different sort of brand of Republicans really more more 416 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: like what you're describing. And they had some success, but 417 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,040 Speaker 1: in the elections, you just play the Maga label, you 418 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:04,959 Speaker 1: play the Trump label, and those folks can't win primaries, 419 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 1: even on the local level. I mean, it does feel 420 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: as if what you're describing I would have agreed with 421 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 1: more five years ago than than I think today. 422 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:16,960 Speaker 3: No, No, it definitely is. You have to work a 423 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 3: lot harder. You have to find like a money base 424 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,320 Speaker 3: and find you know, a lot of support, find the 425 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 3: right districts, you know, where you can do that. And 426 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 3: and then if you know, I think particularly in these 427 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 3: swing districts, if if they aren't going to play and 428 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 3: be helpful, you know, I think that's where Republicans like myself, 429 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 3: it's like, you know, we're going to withhold our votes 430 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:45,359 Speaker 3: from Republicans who aren't respecting those principles. You know, I 431 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 3: did endorse my you know, in my old district, the 432 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:54,400 Speaker 3: Democrat last time, because you know, I was seeing Republicans 433 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:57,159 Speaker 3: who were not supporting the rule of you know, they 434 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 3: just fall in line and support things that I know. Well, 435 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 3: I mean they literally say to me, you know, I 436 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 3: agree with you. I know that's not true, but I 437 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 3: have to say the election was rigged. I basically have 438 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 3: to lie to my voters because if I don't, I 439 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 3: won't get the nomination. And I think when you treat 440 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 3: voters like idiots and when you lie to them all 441 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:23,639 Speaker 3: the time, then it's your fault, not their fault. I mean, 442 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 3: it's become you know, you know when people say, oh, well, 443 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 3: you don't understand they all believe this, And they say, well, 444 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 3: they all believe it because it's not just Donald Trump 445 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:35,880 Speaker 3: lying to them, it's everybody else lying to them. And 446 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 3: you know, usually you know, I mean when you know, 447 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 3: in Virginia, when you have candidates who win or lose 448 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 3: elections in Virginia, you know, they concede elections. The Republicans 449 00:25:52,800 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 3: who lost for Senate or Congress in twenty twenty two, 450 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 3: they lost the conceded elections. They didn't go out and 451 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:05,479 Speaker 3: say it's rigged. It's rigged. Our party people came together 452 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:09,160 Speaker 3: and said the elections were fair. But then when Trump's 453 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:11,920 Speaker 3: on the battle, you know, everything's rigged if he doesn't win. 454 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:14,919 Speaker 3: So it is silly and it's difficult. I mean a 455 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,199 Speaker 3: lot of times I just tell people, hey, maybe you 456 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,919 Speaker 3: want to sit it out until he's gone. But I 457 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:22,919 Speaker 3: do think it's important that for people who want to 458 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 3: be active, maybe you get active on that lowest level 459 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 3: and build a record of working to fix things, you know, 460 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 3: with your schools or with your you know, at a 461 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:40,479 Speaker 3: delegate or state rep level, because those levels things are 462 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:44,600 Speaker 3: a little less partisan and you can you have to 463 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,640 Speaker 3: work harder, but you might be able to break through. 464 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:51,239 Speaker 1: You know. It's interesting what I've here. Here's something that 465 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:56,399 Speaker 1: isn't clear to me in in how our Republican legacy 466 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 1: is late things to that, which is is this mostly 467 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:02,440 Speaker 1: an issue of character or is this mostly an issue 468 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:04,639 Speaker 1: of ideology? Do you see where I'm going here? Because 469 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,680 Speaker 1: you make an ideological case and it's like, I don't 470 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 1: know what the you know, I think the bigger issues character. 471 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 1: But I'm not a I'm not a member of the 472 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:15,879 Speaker 1: of the Republican Party. Where are you in there? 473 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 3: Oh? I definitely think it's a character. Look, I mean 474 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 3: we are here, you know, on June six, on D Day. 475 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 3: And you look at Donald Trump yesterday when he's saying. 476 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 1: Who thought somehow the Germany Chancellor would be upsettl let's 477 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: not bring up D Day? 478 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, like not day for you. It's like, yeah, I know, 479 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:34,400 Speaker 3: you don't. 480 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:36,639 Speaker 1: Well, I have to tell you though, that is a 481 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:39,879 Speaker 1: reminder of how Trump thinks. This is the problem with 482 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 1: Trump's style of thinking everything is a winner or loss period. Well, 483 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 1: and it's like he. 484 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:48,960 Speaker 3: Puts any understanding of history and just that too. And 485 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 3: you know, I think I think it was sitting in 486 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:54,640 Speaker 3: you know, Palace of Versailles one time and just saying, hey, 487 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:58,439 Speaker 3: this is the cool place. Did anything happen here? So, 488 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 3: you know, just as ignorance is always monumental and embarrassment 489 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:03,879 Speaker 3: on the world stage. 490 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 1: But the reason I ask about character versus ideology is 491 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:10,880 Speaker 1: because you know, I'm watching John Cornyn down in Texas 492 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 1: and he said, you know, this is going to be 493 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 1: a test of whether character still matters, and I was 494 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 1: just like, oh, right, job, no, I mean no, right, 495 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:19,679 Speaker 1: I don't. He's going to run a character race and 496 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:20,880 Speaker 1: he's going to lose that primary. 497 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:24,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think he will. And I think this is 498 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 3: when you could the people who have capitulated to Trump 499 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 3: all find out it doesn't you know, you've capitulated your character, 500 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 3: and so you've already given that up, and so you 501 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:40,480 Speaker 3: look time after time, what do you get for it? 502 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 3: It doesn't matter. And so that's the problem. They have 503 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 3: given up on that. So you know it's going to 504 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:50,320 Speaker 3: take people standing up to him, and you know they haven't. 505 00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:53,720 Speaker 3: They they've signed up and they've given it over to him. 506 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 3: But the good news is he's never won a majority 507 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 3: of the people. It's bill, even in the Swing States, 508 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 3: was narrow. As Elon Musk pointed out, you couldn't have 509 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,640 Speaker 3: won without my money. Because Trump doesn't like to use 510 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:11,959 Speaker 3: his money, and all this money that he's amassing, I 511 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 3: don't think you're going to see him doling it out 512 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 3: next year. I think he is really going to keep 513 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 3: that for himself and for whatever future things he wants 514 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 3: to do, because when he was amassing it over the 515 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 3: past four years, he didn't use it in twenty twenty two, 516 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 3: so I think his you know, he ran for office 517 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 3: so he wouldn't end up in jail, and so that 518 00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 3: he could amass a lot of money. The meme coins, 519 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 3: all these deal I mean, look, he's doing this. You know, Hey, 520 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 3: everybody else has to bring their business back here. But 521 00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 3: I'm building hotels all over the world, so he can 522 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:51,280 Speaker 3: do business overseas, but you can't. So I think there 523 00:29:51,360 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 3: has to be, you know, somebody, people of character who 524 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 3: stand up and say there is a different way. I'm 525 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 3: going to show you a different way. They can do 526 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 3: it in a state they can, you know. 527 00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:06,640 Speaker 1: Look, but I guess the question is do you do 528 00:30:06,680 --> 00:30:08,959 Speaker 1: it inside the party or outside the party? For instance? Well, 529 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:12,520 Speaker 1: I think Lisa Markowski. I think Lisa Murkowski has to 530 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 1: me shown the way to do it, which is I think. 531 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 3: Right, you're doing it here with this group. I think 532 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 3: people can try different things. I mean, I would vote 533 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:23,640 Speaker 3: for if I had somebody who's an independent in my 534 00:30:23,720 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 3: state who did it. Listen, I'm going to vote for 535 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 3: Abigail Spamberger this year in Virginia. So I'm not we 536 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:33,600 Speaker 3: don't have a Republican who's doing something where they're standing 537 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 3: up and showing care. 538 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 1: Is there anything she could do the lieutenant governor win 539 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 1: some seers to say to you that would convince you. No, 540 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 1: she's not going to go down the Trump road. 541 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:47,000 Speaker 3: No, because she's already. First she said she wasn't going 542 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:49,480 Speaker 3: to and then she has gotten all in line. 543 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 1: You know she is, you know, she wants a nomination. 544 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:55,640 Speaker 1: She didn't want to have. She didn't want to lose 545 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: the nomination. 546 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 3: Yeah no, And it all came down to they all 547 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 3: could pitch late to Trump and they're not their own person. 548 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 3: And when you're not authentic, and when you just become 549 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,960 Speaker 3: a mag of mouthpiece because that's what you think your 550 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 3: base is the only way you can do this, then 551 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 3: you aren't of much use to the body politic at large. 552 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 3: And you're seeing they don't get anything done because of that, 553 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 3: and you're not effective. And looking in Virginia, we are getting, 554 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 3: you know, we got the Trump musk, you know, chainsaw 555 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 3: massacre to our you know, not just to our federal employees, 556 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 3: to our contractors. And now you saw in the Washington 557 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 3: Post today they have this whole story of oh, whoops, 558 00:31:39,520 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 3: we fired too many employees. We need you to come back, 559 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:44,840 Speaker 3: and they're like, you know, we aren't able to do 560 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:47,240 Speaker 3: a lot of these things that government actually needs to do, 561 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 3: like the weather and hurricanes are coming and you know, 562 00:31:51,880 --> 00:31:54,640 Speaker 3: nih and disease and all these things, and they're like, 563 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:57,200 Speaker 3: why would I want to go back? You treat everyone 564 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:02,240 Speaker 3: horribly and it's it's going to be a problem. So no, 565 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 3: but I but I do think it's a question of character. 566 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:09,240 Speaker 3: And I think that's why we just need a few examples, 567 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 3: you know, we just need to find a few examples 568 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,880 Speaker 3: of character. And that's what we're trying to do. 569 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:17,479 Speaker 1: And so do you think that do you think? I mean, 570 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 1: let me, let me now ask the question from another perspective, 571 00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: that is, is Trump's sort of quasi And I hesitate 572 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 1: to say he's got an ideology, right, we kind of 573 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 1: know he does. It doesn't, but there is an ideology 574 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:37,680 Speaker 1: that has developed sort of around him, right, it's isolationism, 575 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:41,280 Speaker 1: it's a little bit of you know, there's pieces of it, right, 576 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: So there's there's certainly echoes of the nineteen twenties and 577 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:47,680 Speaker 1: thirties Republican Party, right when it comes to immigration, when 578 00:32:47,680 --> 00:32:49,680 Speaker 1: it comes to trade, and a few of these things. 579 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 1: And I guess the question I have is do you 580 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 1: think the rejection of sort of your wing of the 581 00:32:56,080 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 1: party by these voters was dis fite character? Like, yeah, 582 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:03,480 Speaker 1: we think Mett Romney's a man of high character, but 583 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: we just don't agree with these policies, and we'd rather 584 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:11,160 Speaker 1: have a rogue, a rogue sort of sort of smash 585 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 1: things up and let's and let's start over. And I 586 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,680 Speaker 1: say this because I watch the Democratic part they're trying 587 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:19,960 Speaker 1: to figure this out right there, and the reactionaries of 588 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 1: a reactionary right. The Republican Party is a reactionary party 589 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:26,000 Speaker 1: right now. It's simply more about what they've they're organizing. 590 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,680 Speaker 1: The Trump organizing principle is in rejection of rather than 591 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 1: in sort of putting out there it is, would you 592 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 1: be in favor of recruiting people of high character that 593 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: shared his isolationist views? 594 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:47,560 Speaker 3: Well, no, no, I mean obviously nobody wants to get 595 00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 3: into unnecessary wars. I mean, as Ronald Reagan said, you know, 596 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:55,080 Speaker 3: the more we have a stronger military and do more 597 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 3: of these things, the more peaceful we are going to be. 598 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 3: I mean, we need in the world we have today, 599 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 3: we need to have these strong alliances and having and 600 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 3: trade as part of those strong alliances. You know, as 601 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 3: we I'm also president of the former members of Congress, 602 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:14,080 Speaker 3: and as we go around the world, and you know, 603 00:34:14,120 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 3: when you have these strong trade alliances, you know with 604 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:23,800 Speaker 3: our allies that makes them more prosperous, makes us more prosperous. 605 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:28,239 Speaker 3: It makes for a more peaceful world. As we're exiting 606 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 3: these countries and not having trade, we are letting bad actors, 607 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 3: whether it's China or Russia, enter that space and make 608 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:40,120 Speaker 3: things more volatile and more dangerous. So that's the danger 609 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:44,040 Speaker 3: that Trump is creating because he doesn't have a real, 610 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:49,319 Speaker 3: you know, a bigger geopolitical understanding of the world and 611 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:52,399 Speaker 3: doesn't understand, you know, World War One or World War two, 612 00:34:52,920 --> 00:34:57,520 Speaker 3: what people fought for and how people fought for that peace. 613 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:01,839 Speaker 3: But I think we also need as Republicans, and this 614 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:05,280 Speaker 3: is where I think state government is very effective, find 615 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:09,320 Speaker 3: a way to make things work. That whole abundance agenda 616 00:35:09,520 --> 00:35:12,640 Speaker 3: that has become you know, people are talking about how 617 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:16,359 Speaker 3: can we cut government down to the size where it 618 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:19,960 Speaker 3: works as more effective. People want to see government working 619 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:22,840 Speaker 3: at the state and local level. 620 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,279 Speaker 1: Well, see, this to me is the real divide, right, 621 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 1: which is and I do think that's a real divide, 622 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:28,719 Speaker 1: which is do you want government to work or not? 623 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 1: And there are people in this version of the Republican 624 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:34,279 Speaker 1: Party is like no, no, no, no, I don't care if 625 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:36,680 Speaker 1: it doesn't work. In fact, the more it doesn't work, 626 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:38,359 Speaker 1: the easier it will be for us to be able 627 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:39,920 Speaker 1: to convince the public to get rid of it. 628 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 3: Well, and that's where I mean they've But when they 629 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:46,279 Speaker 3: came in and this whole chainsaw massacre they did, the 630 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:50,160 Speaker 3: first thing they did was fire the inspectors general, who 631 00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:53,960 Speaker 3: are the people who knew where to cut things smartly. 632 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:57,799 Speaker 3: And so because they had no understanding of government, they 633 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:01,400 Speaker 3: didn't go in and say, sure, these guys were waiting 634 00:36:01,560 --> 00:36:04,080 Speaker 3: that we have our list, we know where the waste is. 635 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:08,040 Speaker 3: We'll help you. We'll cut things, make things work better, 636 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:11,280 Speaker 3: send some of the things back to the states. Those 637 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:13,799 Speaker 3: things are always more difficult. You know, you have to 638 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:16,320 Speaker 3: understand government to be able to go in and cut 639 00:36:16,360 --> 00:36:19,200 Speaker 3: it and then find things that you don't want to 640 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:22,719 Speaker 3: do instead of just this you know, heritage version of 641 00:36:22,920 --> 00:36:25,319 Speaker 3: just starve everything and throw it down. I mean you're 642 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:28,120 Speaker 3: seeing this now with the weathermen saying, well, if you 643 00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:31,279 Speaker 3: don't have all those satellite balloons up, I can't tell 644 00:36:31,280 --> 00:36:34,080 Speaker 3: you the weather. Oh we didn't think about that. Then 645 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 3: they run back out and say come back, we want 646 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:38,719 Speaker 3: you to work. You know, they just don't even like 647 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:41,880 Speaker 3: you sit down and you understand what do we need 648 00:36:41,920 --> 00:36:45,560 Speaker 3: to get the basics done? So that's where I think 649 00:36:45,719 --> 00:36:49,600 Speaker 3: Republicans can do some smart work on the state level, 650 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 3: on the federal level. And the problem is what Trump 651 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:57,719 Speaker 3: has made the bottom line of doing work for is 652 00:36:57,880 --> 00:36:59,880 Speaker 3: are you loyal to me? So he put a tw 653 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:03,319 Speaker 3: twenty two year old kid in charge of counter terrorism 654 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 3: at Homeland who knows nothing about counter terrorism. That is frightening. 655 00:37:09,120 --> 00:37:13,280 Speaker 3: They are emptying out counter terrorism at the FBI. Listen, 656 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:18,400 Speaker 3: Christy Nome was on the Ways and Means Committee and 657 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:21,719 Speaker 3: knows nothing about Homeland. So it's very frightening to me 658 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:24,759 Speaker 3: that she's doing her little coastplay. And even you know, 659 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:27,080 Speaker 3: Megan Kelly's. 660 00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:29,520 Speaker 1: You served with her, and I know others that have 661 00:37:29,640 --> 00:37:32,840 Speaker 1: served with her and are just shocked at her turn. 662 00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 3: And you know what every member says whenever they talk 663 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:39,120 Speaker 3: to each other, what has happened to Christy? No? Yeah, 664 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:41,600 Speaker 3: I've heard that we were much better friends with her 665 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:44,560 Speaker 3: than I say, what has happened to her? 666 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:47,000 Speaker 1: I mean, she was part of the South Dakota Republican 667 00:37:47,080 --> 00:37:49,200 Speaker 1: legacy of your Mike rounds. You're John Thune and sort 668 00:37:49,239 --> 00:37:52,000 Speaker 1: of one and that same You know, these are I mean, 669 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:54,520 Speaker 1: you think about it, Thune and Rounds are frankly and 670 00:37:54,560 --> 00:37:56,640 Speaker 1: my guess is who you would be holding up as 671 00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:59,279 Speaker 1: sort of this is who the party should be. You know, 672 00:38:01,400 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 1: any of her. 673 00:38:01,920 --> 00:38:05,840 Speaker 3: Colleagues still in office roll their eyes at her because 674 00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:08,680 Speaker 3: they well, listen, the White House makes fun of you know, 675 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:11,120 Speaker 3: report it. I mean that's been reported. They do roll 676 00:38:11,160 --> 00:38:13,840 Speaker 3: their eyes and do not understand why she's running around 677 00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:15,640 Speaker 3: with Corey Lewandowski doing. 678 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:18,120 Speaker 1: Oh we know why she's got some vision of running 679 00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:21,239 Speaker 1: for president from Homeland Security. Good luck with that, yeah, 680 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: which is ridiculous. 681 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:25,840 Speaker 3: So, but we need smart people in there, we need 682 00:38:26,239 --> 00:38:30,880 Speaker 3: qualified and this is the most incompetent administration because merit 683 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:33,640 Speaker 3: has nothing to do with why people are in there. 684 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:38,280 Speaker 3: So Republicans should be talking about merit, should be talking 685 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:42,040 Speaker 3: about qualified people, and then should be talking about right 686 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:45,279 Speaker 3: size and government giving things. I mean, when I was 687 00:38:45,320 --> 00:38:48,480 Speaker 3: a state legislator, we went in there and Bob McDonald 688 00:38:48,560 --> 00:38:52,080 Speaker 3: was my first governor, and he was great on cutting 689 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:54,919 Speaker 3: things down to size. And what he did was say 690 00:38:55,600 --> 00:38:57,719 Speaker 3: he didn't come in with an axe. He just he 691 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:00,600 Speaker 3: went to the agencies and said, I'm going to give 692 00:39:00,640 --> 00:39:06,560 Speaker 3: you incentives to cut your departments down. He didn't terrorize 693 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 3: the departments. He said, as people leave, we're not going 694 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:15,759 Speaker 3: to replace people, so we're going to do attrition, but 695 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:18,879 Speaker 3: we also want to give you incentives people in there 696 00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:22,000 Speaker 3: for finding where we can cut and then giving you 697 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:26,920 Speaker 3: bonuses for finding those cuts and how we can make 698 00:39:26,960 --> 00:39:30,239 Speaker 3: this all work and do more with less. So we 699 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:34,840 Speaker 3: weren't terrorizing the people who were already there and giving 700 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:37,920 Speaker 3: bonuses for people for finding for making things work. 701 00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:40,319 Speaker 1: You know, you're making a case. You're making a case 702 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 1: for something that I thought that you could that that 703 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:46,680 Speaker 1: I'm waiting for some smart Republican to do with with Trump, 704 00:39:46,719 --> 00:39:49,800 Speaker 1: which is say, hey, Trump, Scott's Trump has good ideas, 705 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:54,640 Speaker 1: He's a moron and trying to actually look doge in theory. 706 00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:57,560 Speaker 1: If you is a good you can be a good 707 00:39:57,560 --> 00:40:00,640 Speaker 1: idea to executed it with a time. 708 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:03,360 Speaker 3: What they had no theory, They had no plan. 709 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:05,600 Speaker 1: But they but there was a way to if you 710 00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:07,520 Speaker 1: really wanted to do this, there was a way you 711 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:10,120 Speaker 1: could have worked with Congress. Congress would have given real authority. 712 00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:12,879 Speaker 1: Democrats would have There are plenty of Democrats who would 713 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:16,960 Speaker 1: have been gotten involved in this, especially right after that election, 714 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:19,120 Speaker 1: because there was a whole bunch of Democrats wanting to 715 00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:22,440 Speaker 1: show that they, hey, we're not you know, just tagged 716 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:24,719 Speaker 1: in with the big government wing of the party, right, 717 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:28,640 Speaker 1: and they chose so there is an incompetency to him 718 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:32,080 Speaker 1: just on execution. Like you can say, well, they're not 719 00:40:32,120 --> 00:40:33,759 Speaker 1: good at it, right, they don't. They're just not good 720 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:34,040 Speaker 1: at this. 721 00:40:34,520 --> 00:40:37,840 Speaker 3: They have such contempt for the government that they don't 722 00:40:37,840 --> 00:40:39,719 Speaker 3: come in and do it. And now you're going to 723 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:43,799 Speaker 3: have this backlash where you don't want to to, you know, 724 00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:46,440 Speaker 3: as a Republican who wants to right size things, you 725 00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:48,640 Speaker 3: don't want to have the backlash to say, oh. 726 00:40:48,520 --> 00:40:50,000 Speaker 1: We can't touch it again, right. 727 00:40:50,160 --> 00:40:54,400 Speaker 3: And they're doing the same thing with cutting Medicaid and 728 00:40:54,800 --> 00:40:58,400 Speaker 3: pretending that you can cut it and it won't hurt anybody, 729 00:40:58,719 --> 00:41:01,840 Speaker 3: and saying if we oh, we're just going to make people. 730 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:03,879 Speaker 3: If you go back to work, you're going to have 731 00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:08,200 Speaker 3: health care. Well, no, you're not going to necessarily have 732 00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:10,640 Speaker 3: health care if you go back to work, because not 733 00:41:10,719 --> 00:41:14,600 Speaker 3: all employers provide health care. So if you go back 734 00:41:14,600 --> 00:41:19,120 Speaker 3: to work and your employer doesn't provide health care, what 735 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:21,839 Speaker 3: are we going to do if we want to give 736 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:26,880 Speaker 3: work incentives and now your employer doesn't provide it, what 737 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:28,680 Speaker 3: are we going to do as the government, because we 738 00:41:28,719 --> 00:41:32,759 Speaker 3: want you to work. Yay, now you're employed. But what 739 00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:36,799 Speaker 3: you know, we have Obamacare, which Republicans didn't get rid of. 740 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:39,320 Speaker 3: So since we didn't get rid of it, and lots 741 00:41:39,320 --> 00:41:44,000 Speaker 3: of Republican states expanded Medicaid, we now have to come 742 00:41:44,120 --> 00:41:48,520 Speaker 3: up with something smart that gives those people health care 743 00:41:49,040 --> 00:41:52,799 Speaker 3: and not lie and pretend that they're going to have 744 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 3: health care when something like forty percent. 745 00:41:56,200 --> 00:41:58,680 Speaker 1: Of well and by the way, business. 746 00:41:58,400 --> 00:42:00,479 Speaker 3: Or other businesses don't provide health care. 747 00:42:00,719 --> 00:42:04,640 Speaker 1: The system, whether this and this was an intentional outcome, 748 00:42:05,280 --> 00:42:08,160 Speaker 1: the system was designed with the idea that hey, more 749 00:42:08,160 --> 00:42:10,719 Speaker 1: businesses aren't going to be providing healthcare, and since they're not, 750 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:13,640 Speaker 1: you've got to provide more options for people to get 751 00:42:13,680 --> 00:42:16,080 Speaker 1: healthcare on their own. And this is the system. 752 00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:18,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, last night I saw you know, Scott 753 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:20,800 Speaker 3: Jennings who likes to you know, with his new little 754 00:42:20,840 --> 00:42:24,760 Speaker 3: stick is to do the sneering and performed attack everybody 755 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:26,920 Speaker 3: because this is his you know, he's now maga and 756 00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:30,239 Speaker 3: pretending to be maga and saying, oh, you want to 757 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:34,520 Speaker 3: give healthcare to illegals? Well, guess what, that's the law. 758 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:39,280 Speaker 3: That's a Supreme Court decision. If a you know, somebody 759 00:42:39,400 --> 00:42:43,640 Speaker 3: walks into your emergency room and is dying, the doctor 760 00:42:43,680 --> 00:42:45,000 Speaker 3: doesn't get to say. 761 00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:48,560 Speaker 1: Oh, who's show me your papers? Shotgun person, show me 762 00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:49,960 Speaker 1: your papers before I decide. 763 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:52,640 Speaker 3: They have to operate on you. You know, this has 764 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:54,920 Speaker 3: been you know, going. 765 00:42:54,640 --> 00:42:58,560 Speaker 1: On for Barbara Forget whether it's the law or not. 766 00:42:58,680 --> 00:42:59,560 Speaker 1: It's called. 767 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:04,640 Speaker 3: And if you're a Christian, Jesus said, yeah, you take 768 00:43:04,680 --> 00:43:08,600 Speaker 3: care of the Samaritan too, not just your neighbor, you know, 769 00:43:08,680 --> 00:43:11,920 Speaker 3: So all these Christians who now want to kick the 770 00:43:11,960 --> 00:43:17,040 Speaker 3: Samaritan to the curb, you know, Republican Jesus apparently, you know, 771 00:43:17,200 --> 00:43:19,880 Speaker 3: is going to cut out the Samaritans. So you know, 772 00:43:20,440 --> 00:43:26,600 Speaker 3: there's a lot of you know, revisionist history with maga 773 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:32,000 Speaker 3: Jesus here and maga Republicans that does not at all 774 00:43:32,040 --> 00:43:35,920 Speaker 3: go along with what they've been doing just five ten 775 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:38,240 Speaker 3: years ago and what the states have been doing because 776 00:43:38,280 --> 00:43:42,960 Speaker 3: so many of these states Indiana Mike Pence signed you know, 777 00:43:43,080 --> 00:43:47,200 Speaker 3: medicaid into law, most of the states have. So you 778 00:43:47,360 --> 00:43:50,359 Speaker 3: have to as Congress not lie to them and say, oh, 779 00:43:50,360 --> 00:43:52,319 Speaker 3: you're going to get it when you get kicked off. 780 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:55,319 Speaker 3: And if you know or your kids aren't going to 781 00:43:55,400 --> 00:43:57,680 Speaker 3: they're all going to end up in your hospitals. And 782 00:43:57,800 --> 00:44:01,840 Speaker 3: when you cut all this off in the high hospitals closed, well, 783 00:44:02,560 --> 00:44:06,719 Speaker 3: the hospitals in the rural hospitals, when they close, it's 784 00:44:06,760 --> 00:44:09,480 Speaker 3: not just going to close for the people on Medicaid. 785 00:44:09,719 --> 00:44:13,160 Speaker 3: They're going to close for your farmers and all your people, 786 00:44:13,719 --> 00:44:17,160 Speaker 3: whether they're wealthy or poor, they're going to close. So 787 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:19,839 Speaker 3: what do you do when those hospitals close, because they're 788 00:44:19,880 --> 00:44:23,839 Speaker 3: depending on that Medicaid money too. Nobody understands that. And 789 00:44:23,880 --> 00:44:28,520 Speaker 3: you know, some of the biggest Medicaid populations are in 790 00:44:28,560 --> 00:44:33,560 Speaker 3: the districts of the speaker, Steve Scalie, because Louisiana. 791 00:44:33,160 --> 00:44:35,239 Speaker 1: Well, you know who gets this. Josh Holly gets this. 792 00:44:36,080 --> 00:44:38,160 Speaker 1: He knows who his good stituents are. He knows who 793 00:44:38,200 --> 00:44:41,000 Speaker 1: the new Republican base is in Missouri, and a lot 794 00:44:41,000 --> 00:44:44,279 Speaker 1: of people and Medicaid isn't you know. You and I 795 00:44:44,320 --> 00:44:46,839 Speaker 1: grew up at a time when Medicaid was considered a 796 00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:49,480 Speaker 1: piece of welfare and then had that sort of but 797 00:44:49,600 --> 00:44:52,800 Speaker 1: that is not the brand of Medicaid in the twenty 798 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:57,439 Speaker 1: first I mean, we correct Medicaid is now catastrophic health 799 00:44:57,480 --> 00:45:02,239 Speaker 1: care if you don't get insurance, either through your work 800 00:45:02,320 --> 00:45:06,359 Speaker 1: or some other way. But it is America's catastrophic health 801 00:45:06,400 --> 00:45:09,040 Speaker 1: care policy. And guess what. It keeps a lot of 802 00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:11,399 Speaker 1: people out of poverty. It really does. 803 00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:12,880 Speaker 3: And it's nursing homes. 804 00:45:12,880 --> 00:45:16,560 Speaker 1: And so there be no nursing homes without Medicaid? Were 805 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:17,239 Speaker 1: there no? 806 00:45:17,360 --> 00:45:20,399 Speaker 3: And people don't you know? And if you I wish 807 00:45:20,480 --> 00:45:23,680 Speaker 3: the press would do this, go through all those Republicans 808 00:45:23,680 --> 00:45:27,160 Speaker 3: and ask them, how many have Grandma in a nursing home? 809 00:45:27,520 --> 00:45:30,279 Speaker 3: And how many of you were paying full freight? And 810 00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:32,279 Speaker 3: how many have Nana. 811 00:45:32,440 --> 00:45:36,359 Speaker 1: My grandmother, God bless her. She's ninety eight. She ran 812 00:45:36,400 --> 00:45:40,440 Speaker 1: out of money. And it's Medicaid. And if it weren't Medicaid, 813 00:45:40,719 --> 00:45:44,000 Speaker 1: there'd be, you know, there'd be a lot of people 814 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:46,919 Speaker 1: in my family struggling to figure out. Not everybody could 815 00:45:46,920 --> 00:45:49,120 Speaker 1: figure out how it was going to happen, or who 816 00:45:49,160 --> 00:45:51,040 Speaker 1: does she live with? Or can you get the home 817 00:45:51,080 --> 00:45:53,239 Speaker 1: health care this way? Can you do this? I mean 818 00:45:53,440 --> 00:45:55,279 Speaker 1: the amount of money? And we can talk about how 819 00:45:55,360 --> 00:45:57,600 Speaker 1: nursing homes charge because they kind of know that the 820 00:45:57,680 --> 00:45:59,239 Speaker 1: government's going to pay for it. So it might be 821 00:45:59,320 --> 00:46:02,759 Speaker 1: that it's not the freest market, you know, when when 822 00:46:02,840 --> 00:46:06,200 Speaker 1: it works, but medicaid is a lifeline to a lot 823 00:46:06,239 --> 00:46:08,760 Speaker 1: of a lot of people who have kids in college 824 00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:10,480 Speaker 1: and aging parents. 825 00:46:10,800 --> 00:46:13,279 Speaker 3: Yeah no, and you know, people are living longer, so 826 00:46:13,320 --> 00:46:16,200 Speaker 3: we know that, and so their needs and those discussions 827 00:46:16,239 --> 00:46:19,160 Speaker 3: just haven't been had. They've just gone in with the chainsaw. 828 00:46:19,280 --> 00:46:23,359 Speaker 3: So so these these are discussions that you know, obviously 829 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:28,280 Speaker 3: have not been had when the chainsaw went out there, 830 00:46:28,520 --> 00:46:32,680 Speaker 3: and you know, the Democrats haven't necessarily had them in 831 00:46:32,719 --> 00:46:36,760 Speaker 3: constructive ways. Republicans haven't. But you know, I think these 832 00:46:36,760 --> 00:46:40,200 Speaker 3: were the kind we used to have as Republicans, and 833 00:46:40,239 --> 00:46:46,000 Speaker 3: these were difficult discussions and you know, this needs. This 834 00:46:46,120 --> 00:46:50,399 Speaker 3: is what because Trump doesn't understand this, He doesn't care 835 00:46:50,480 --> 00:46:53,840 Speaker 3: about these kind of things, all sound bites, and now 836 00:46:54,600 --> 00:46:57,319 Speaker 3: you have a party that isn't even governing. This whole 837 00:46:57,400 --> 00:47:01,480 Speaker 3: dozed operation went on with one man who had no 838 00:47:01,560 --> 00:47:05,360 Speaker 3: understanding of government, Elon Musk, going in with these kids, 839 00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:10,920 Speaker 3: and then Congress just relinquishing its responsibility, you know, and 840 00:47:11,000 --> 00:47:13,439 Speaker 3: the law and unfortunately the one place because I've been 841 00:47:13,640 --> 00:47:18,440 Speaker 3: involved in with different groups that have done all these lawsuits, 842 00:47:18,440 --> 00:47:21,080 Speaker 3: and that's where a lot of these things have been stopped. 843 00:47:21,520 --> 00:47:24,480 Speaker 3: So thank goodness, and I say, thank goodness, the law 844 00:47:24,560 --> 00:47:26,400 Speaker 3: is held up. And a lot of the lawyers and 845 00:47:26,440 --> 00:47:29,640 Speaker 3: this is where right Republicans got attacked for a lot 846 00:47:29,640 --> 00:47:32,640 Speaker 3: of these conservative lawyers that got put on the bench. 847 00:47:32,680 --> 00:47:35,960 Speaker 3: And in many cases it's these Reagan, Bush and Trump 848 00:47:36,040 --> 00:47:39,319 Speaker 3: lawyers who are stopping the Trump agenda. God. 849 00:47:39,560 --> 00:47:41,960 Speaker 1: Well, the fact that Trump is now turning on Leonard Leo, 850 00:47:42,080 --> 00:47:44,120 Speaker 1: who of course is a polarizing figure on the left, 851 00:47:44,200 --> 00:47:47,600 Speaker 1: it tells you, you know, again, Trump does not believe 852 00:47:47,800 --> 00:47:50,319 Speaker 1: in any ideology he believes if I appointed you look 853 00:47:50,320 --> 00:47:53,399 Speaker 1: at his complain about Amy Coney Barrett. His complaint isn't 854 00:47:53,400 --> 00:47:55,880 Speaker 1: that she's been a proper conservative. His complaint is she 855 00:47:55,920 --> 00:47:57,200 Speaker 1: doesn't rule in favor of me. 856 00:47:57,320 --> 00:47:57,560 Speaker 2: Enough. 857 00:47:58,160 --> 00:48:00,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, and he doesn't. Well, I mean, look, you know, 858 00:48:00,760 --> 00:48:03,439 Speaker 3: when you've got going back to Christy no I saying, 859 00:48:03,480 --> 00:48:06,000 Speaker 3: you know, habeas corpus means the president can take somebody 860 00:48:06,080 --> 00:48:09,160 Speaker 3: in the country if he wants to beware Elon. 861 00:48:08,920 --> 00:48:11,840 Speaker 1: Musk, you know she might because well that is the 862 00:48:11,880 --> 00:48:13,920 Speaker 1: Steve Bannon plan for Musk, right, which is. 863 00:48:13,960 --> 00:48:17,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, yes, exactly, So so you know, you know this 864 00:48:17,400 --> 00:48:21,200 Speaker 3: is all basic things, you know, and I think, you know, 865 00:48:21,719 --> 00:48:25,239 Speaker 3: people like our Republican legacy there. You know, listen, it's 866 00:48:25,280 --> 00:48:27,640 Speaker 3: a group we know. It's not realistic. 867 00:48:27,840 --> 00:48:31,400 Speaker 1: I mean, it's you seem more skeptical. It's interesting because 868 00:48:31,400 --> 00:48:33,520 Speaker 1: I'm sitting here going I'm skeptical, and you're like, yeah, 869 00:48:33,560 --> 00:48:36,960 Speaker 1: me too, Like you don't seem convinced that you'd be 870 00:48:37,080 --> 00:48:40,240 Speaker 1: able to reform the party from within right away. 871 00:48:40,400 --> 00:48:44,319 Speaker 3: I think it takes one person to go out and 872 00:48:44,400 --> 00:48:47,560 Speaker 3: be an object lesson and succeed. So it takes one 873 00:48:47,600 --> 00:48:50,239 Speaker 3: person of character to be able to go out there 874 00:48:50,760 --> 00:48:54,840 Speaker 3: and then put these principles into action in a state. 875 00:48:55,400 --> 00:48:57,520 Speaker 3: You know, so many of them have capitulated. Listen. 876 00:48:57,719 --> 00:49:00,319 Speaker 1: You know people thought, well, I would argue Spencer has 877 00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:02,319 Speaker 1: done this, I mean Spencer Cox to me. 878 00:49:02,440 --> 00:49:06,200 Speaker 3: And they had to capitulate to Trump. Then they go 879 00:49:06,280 --> 00:49:09,439 Speaker 3: to Trump. You know, so this DeSantis did the same thing. 880 00:49:09,880 --> 00:49:13,560 Speaker 3: So now that Trump is going to you know, well, 881 00:49:13,800 --> 00:49:16,040 Speaker 3: he can't run again. Hopefully, he just wants to get 882 00:49:16,040 --> 00:49:20,080 Speaker 3: his millions and billions and go away. But the others 883 00:49:20,120 --> 00:49:23,120 Speaker 3: don't have the same power that he does. And while 884 00:49:23,400 --> 00:49:25,440 Speaker 3: they're all going to be they think he's setting up 885 00:49:25,520 --> 00:49:30,720 Speaker 3: a fight between Rubio and Vance and maybe Trump Junior 886 00:49:31,080 --> 00:49:33,440 Speaker 3: and while they're all going to fight, and maybe Elon 887 00:49:33,560 --> 00:49:35,960 Speaker 3: will join in and fight. It was interesting. 888 00:49:35,960 --> 00:49:37,400 Speaker 1: I think I forget Tucker Carlson. 889 00:49:37,719 --> 00:49:41,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, Tucker. Well, and did you realize Tucker Carlson and 890 00:49:41,040 --> 00:49:43,359 Speaker 3: Mike Levin are in a little mean girl spot too? 891 00:49:44,239 --> 00:49:47,480 Speaker 1: Yeah? All over Israel. Yeah, no, it's that. That's ah. 892 00:49:48,760 --> 00:49:49,600 Speaker 1: It does feel as. 893 00:49:51,200 --> 00:49:53,359 Speaker 3: Fight. So there's going to be a lot of you know, 894 00:49:53,440 --> 00:49:55,520 Speaker 3: the fight club is going to start because they may 895 00:49:55,560 --> 00:49:56,799 Speaker 3: be afraid of fighting Trump. 896 00:49:57,000 --> 00:49:59,400 Speaker 1: Is this Where is this where you see opportunity for 897 00:49:59,440 --> 00:50:00,120 Speaker 1: the same way. 898 00:50:00,520 --> 00:50:06,080 Speaker 3: And that's where, particularly in the States, somebody's saying can 899 00:50:06,160 --> 00:50:09,439 Speaker 3: come up and you know do that. I mean, look, 900 00:50:09,640 --> 00:50:12,920 Speaker 3: you have somebody like Andy Basheer, I mean he's a Democrat, 901 00:50:13,160 --> 00:50:16,319 Speaker 3: But where's the Republican Andy Basheer who I mean? Look, 902 00:50:16,600 --> 00:50:20,920 Speaker 3: he's run twice and run you know in Kentucky. He's 903 00:50:21,000 --> 00:50:24,719 Speaker 3: his own brand, he's his own man. Where's that Republican 904 00:50:24,760 --> 00:50:25,600 Speaker 3: who can do that? 905 00:50:26,480 --> 00:50:29,439 Speaker 1: Now there's the Vermont governor who who somehow survives under 906 00:50:29,440 --> 00:50:29,880 Speaker 1: the radar. 907 00:50:30,040 --> 00:50:32,600 Speaker 3: Well, you need a bigger state, you know, you need something, 908 00:50:32,960 --> 00:50:35,919 Speaker 3: you know, you need a Republican in a Midwest state, 909 00:50:35,960 --> 00:50:38,040 Speaker 3: in a swing state. You need to have a Republican 910 00:50:38,040 --> 00:50:40,799 Speaker 3: who will do this in a swing state in a 911 00:50:40,800 --> 00:50:43,880 Speaker 3: big enough state to get noticed and then get it 912 00:50:43,920 --> 00:50:47,960 Speaker 3: out there with some of these problems. Solving you know. 913 00:50:48,160 --> 00:50:50,760 Speaker 1: Well isn't the problem though, the primary. 914 00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:54,279 Speaker 3: Shapiro, He's like, make stuff work right. Make you know 915 00:50:54,320 --> 00:50:58,160 Speaker 3: when you fix I ninety five, when it collaps collapses 916 00:50:58,200 --> 00:51:01,279 Speaker 3: in thirty days. People know when you go in and 917 00:51:01,680 --> 00:51:05,439 Speaker 3: kind of broke or deals between Democrats and Republicans, when 918 00:51:05,480 --> 00:51:09,440 Speaker 3: you attract business from new places and just get stuff 919 00:51:09,560 --> 00:51:14,680 Speaker 3: done and and just don't pay attention to Washington. I 920 00:51:14,840 --> 00:51:19,120 Speaker 3: think a governor like that who then just goes to 921 00:51:19,239 --> 00:51:22,440 Speaker 3: business and says, come on in and work with me 922 00:51:22,560 --> 00:51:26,080 Speaker 3: and do things. I think that type of person. People 923 00:51:26,080 --> 00:51:30,800 Speaker 3: are dying for that. And just that's where a Republican 924 00:51:31,640 --> 00:51:34,879 Speaker 3: who and then and then go overseas and start saying, hey, 925 00:51:35,440 --> 00:51:37,319 Speaker 3: I want to work with you, I want I want 926 00:51:37,360 --> 00:51:39,760 Speaker 3: you to come in. Let's have some sister city things 927 00:51:39,800 --> 00:51:45,759 Speaker 3: going on. That person could you know, really start a 928 00:51:45,760 --> 00:51:48,160 Speaker 3: whole new thing. And it just takes one or two. 929 00:51:48,000 --> 00:51:51,080 Speaker 1: Of those before we before we got started, you were 930 00:51:51,160 --> 00:51:53,360 Speaker 1: you were saying you had just cut return from London 931 00:51:53,600 --> 00:51:58,160 Speaker 1: and the UK fascinates me right now because essentially the 932 00:51:58,239 --> 00:52:02,759 Speaker 1: Tories are collapsing, and they're and the right is essentially 933 00:52:02,800 --> 00:52:06,480 Speaker 1: being replaced by Nigel Farage and they and a new 934 00:52:06,560 --> 00:52:06,879 Speaker 1: right wing. 935 00:52:07,120 --> 00:52:09,799 Speaker 3: That's why they're collapsing, because it's it's a dying and 936 00:52:09,840 --> 00:52:11,600 Speaker 3: I think Trump it's the same way, it's a. 937 00:52:11,640 --> 00:52:14,879 Speaker 1: Last gasp of So so how do you? I mean, 938 00:52:15,560 --> 00:52:17,839 Speaker 1: in some ways though, are you? Are you? Is our 939 00:52:17,880 --> 00:52:22,399 Speaker 1: Republican legacy? The Tories and and or I know, I. 940 00:52:22,360 --> 00:52:25,919 Speaker 3: Think Trump, I mean I think, I mean, I think 941 00:52:25,960 --> 00:52:30,240 Speaker 3: the reason the republic you know, they've kind of collapsed 942 00:52:30,280 --> 00:52:32,239 Speaker 3: is because they got taken over by sort of the 943 00:52:32,280 --> 00:52:34,840 Speaker 3: Trump I mean the Brexit stuff and all the crazy 944 00:52:34,840 --> 00:52:36,359 Speaker 3: stuff and isolating, but. 945 00:52:36,320 --> 00:52:38,520 Speaker 1: Their voters left the Tories. Their voters are now with 946 00:52:38,800 --> 00:52:40,120 Speaker 1: the breaks of tears, right. 947 00:52:40,040 --> 00:52:41,839 Speaker 3: Yeah, And so that I mean, I think that all 948 00:52:41,920 --> 00:52:44,040 Speaker 3: hurt them. And then they had you know, they they 949 00:52:44,040 --> 00:52:47,279 Speaker 3: went with all the crazy people and and then you know, 950 00:52:47,320 --> 00:52:50,359 Speaker 3: they had corruption and they had so they're they're having 951 00:52:50,400 --> 00:52:53,080 Speaker 3: to totally rebuild. And Nigel Farage is not going to 952 00:52:53,080 --> 00:52:55,839 Speaker 3: be the way to rebuild. He can't lead you know, 953 00:52:55,880 --> 00:52:58,480 Speaker 3: a two car parade. So that's not going to be 954 00:52:58,520 --> 00:53:00,960 Speaker 3: their answer. They're going to they need to do what 955 00:53:01,000 --> 00:53:03,319 Speaker 3: we need to do. They've got to totally rebuild. He's 956 00:53:03,360 --> 00:53:06,160 Speaker 3: not the answer. So you know, they have the same 957 00:53:06,239 --> 00:53:10,439 Speaker 3: problem we have. So I do think, you know, but 958 00:53:10,440 --> 00:53:13,040 Speaker 3: but the one good thing when you look at the 959 00:53:13,200 --> 00:53:16,840 Speaker 3: EU and Europe, they've come together because of the weakening 960 00:53:17,400 --> 00:53:20,759 Speaker 3: of the US. So I think there's and look, I 961 00:53:20,800 --> 00:53:23,480 Speaker 3: mean listen, I think the best leader out there on 962 00:53:23,560 --> 00:53:27,319 Speaker 3: the world front is Zelensky. I mean, God bless you know. 963 00:53:27,360 --> 00:53:30,080 Speaker 3: And look what he did on Sunday and how they 964 00:53:30,760 --> 00:53:36,719 Speaker 3: and and my friend Denver Riggleman was over there over 965 00:53:36,760 --> 00:53:39,319 Speaker 3: the weekend when all of that was going down, and 966 00:53:39,360 --> 00:53:45,000 Speaker 3: so you know, these people are the scrappiest and care 967 00:53:45,040 --> 00:53:47,759 Speaker 3: about freedom and they are not giving their freedom up. 968 00:53:47,760 --> 00:53:51,040 Speaker 3: And when you have freedom fighters who are fighting on 969 00:53:51,120 --> 00:53:54,600 Speaker 3: the right side of things for the right reasons and 970 00:53:54,680 --> 00:53:58,360 Speaker 3: for their cause, you know they and they are getting 971 00:53:58,560 --> 00:54:03,480 Speaker 3: the EU and in the UK behind them, and you 972 00:54:03,480 --> 00:54:05,120 Speaker 3: know that's you know yesterday. 973 00:54:04,760 --> 00:54:06,880 Speaker 1: Well, this is the folly of Putin. Even if Putin 974 00:54:06,920 --> 00:54:08,680 Speaker 1: gets a thinks he gets a win out of this, 975 00:54:09,360 --> 00:54:13,640 Speaker 1: there's going to be a Ukrainian insurgency that becomes that 976 00:54:13,800 --> 00:54:19,319 Speaker 1: probably eventually topples Putin if he tried, if he's I mean, 977 00:54:20,000 --> 00:54:22,560 Speaker 1: you can you know, you don't when somebody's fighting for 978 00:54:22,600 --> 00:54:26,120 Speaker 1: their land, they never stop. You know, ask ask America 979 00:54:26,160 --> 00:54:29,080 Speaker 1: and the North Vietnamese like you're coulda when you're fighting 980 00:54:29,080 --> 00:54:30,400 Speaker 1: for your land? Yeah? 981 00:54:30,760 --> 00:54:33,160 Speaker 3: And and the Speaker and Lindsey Grant like they have 982 00:54:33,280 --> 00:54:35,480 Speaker 3: the you know, the sanctions bill. I mean, you know, 983 00:54:35,880 --> 00:54:37,719 Speaker 3: Trump says, no, they're not going to do anything. I 984 00:54:37,719 --> 00:54:41,920 Speaker 3: don't like they've got a you know, veto proof majority 985 00:54:41,960 --> 00:54:45,239 Speaker 3: in the Senate for that sanctions bill. The House, maybe 986 00:54:45,280 --> 00:54:48,040 Speaker 3: it's gonna be hard, but you know they can get that. 987 00:54:49,000 --> 00:54:52,000 Speaker 3: They should push that bill now after that great victory, 988 00:54:52,600 --> 00:54:56,879 Speaker 3: and I hope they do. But there, you know, that's 989 00:54:56,920 --> 00:54:58,880 Speaker 3: where we need to see a little courage on that 990 00:54:59,000 --> 00:55:02,120 Speaker 3: front too, because you know, they should appeal. 991 00:55:01,840 --> 00:55:04,080 Speaker 1: To Well, it's amazing how some of the leading voice from. 992 00:55:04,200 --> 00:55:06,520 Speaker 3: Vanity that you like a winner, why don't you why 993 00:55:06,520 --> 00:55:07,799 Speaker 3: don't you go with the winner here? 994 00:55:08,040 --> 00:55:10,560 Speaker 1: Well, but what's amazing is that the Tucker Carlson wing 995 00:55:10,640 --> 00:55:15,680 Speaker 1: of this mega movement has somehow convinced Trump that Ukraine 996 00:55:15,719 --> 00:55:20,120 Speaker 1: is going to cause Putin to use to use nuclear weapons. 997 00:55:20,120 --> 00:55:23,680 Speaker 1: I mean, the fact that Tucker Carlson is able to 998 00:55:23,760 --> 00:55:27,160 Speaker 1: saber rattle on behalf of Putin. I just can't believe 999 00:55:27,200 --> 00:55:31,480 Speaker 1: an American journalist is saber rattling on behalf of Putin. 1000 00:55:32,239 --> 00:55:35,040 Speaker 3: Sin has woken up to that one and is, you know, 1001 00:55:35,160 --> 00:55:38,200 Speaker 3: writing him off as a kook. And Mark still has 1002 00:55:38,440 --> 00:55:42,320 Speaker 3: some sway with Trump, so he's gone after him full throttle. 1003 00:55:42,400 --> 00:55:44,520 Speaker 3: Now on on Iran. 1004 00:55:44,400 --> 00:55:48,000 Speaker 1: We'll say, I feel like it's amazing how often you 1005 00:55:48,040 --> 00:55:51,640 Speaker 1: see you think Tucker's been marginalized and he somehow reaps 1006 00:55:51,640 --> 00:55:51,920 Speaker 1: back in. 1007 00:55:52,320 --> 00:55:55,080 Speaker 3: I think the party that goes with the crackpot like 1008 00:55:55,320 --> 00:55:57,560 Speaker 3: Tucker will really die. 1009 00:55:57,360 --> 00:56:01,680 Speaker 1: Out because it's so like I said, let's realistically then, 1010 00:56:01,920 --> 00:56:04,120 Speaker 1: what you're it sounds like what this group hopes for 1011 00:56:04,280 --> 00:56:08,040 Speaker 1: is that there is a movement and you know that 1012 00:56:08,080 --> 00:56:12,080 Speaker 1: there's some candidates that run on this agenda in a 1013 00:56:12,120 --> 00:56:16,759 Speaker 1: primary in twenty eight and that Republican primary voters might 1014 00:56:16,840 --> 00:56:21,480 Speaker 1: find it appealing. That's where I'm struggling. That's where I'm skeptical. 1015 00:56:21,600 --> 00:56:24,600 Speaker 3: Well, no, well, it's it's also you're trying to find 1016 00:56:24,600 --> 00:56:27,879 Speaker 3: candidates on the state and local level, in governors. It's 1017 00:56:27,880 --> 00:56:30,840 Speaker 3: not just as a presidential candidate, but at all levels 1018 00:56:31,520 --> 00:56:33,960 Speaker 3: doing that hard work to find people that want to 1019 00:56:34,000 --> 00:56:37,080 Speaker 3: get out there. I mean, you don't know how the 1020 00:56:37,080 --> 00:56:39,520 Speaker 3: circumstances are going to change and where. 1021 00:56:39,440 --> 00:56:42,240 Speaker 1: But somebody's got to be able to win almost against 1022 00:56:42,280 --> 00:56:45,320 Speaker 1: Trump for this, for people to believe that there's enough 1023 00:56:46,280 --> 00:56:49,560 Speaker 1: of a movement inside the Republican tent, right, Like, somebody's 1024 00:56:49,600 --> 00:56:52,720 Speaker 1: got to almost win despite the best efforts of Trump 1025 00:56:52,760 --> 00:56:53,279 Speaker 1: to stop them. 1026 00:56:53,440 --> 00:56:56,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, yeah, I mean it's got I mean, listen, 1027 00:56:56,160 --> 00:56:59,359 Speaker 3: I'm in the position of whatever stops Trump, whether it's 1028 00:56:59,400 --> 00:57:02,800 Speaker 3: a Democrat, an independent, or somebody from within the party. 1029 00:57:03,280 --> 00:57:06,680 Speaker 3: But we've got to start now to some way to 1030 00:57:06,760 --> 00:57:10,600 Speaker 3: rebuild this party at every level. So rebuilding the party 1031 00:57:10,719 --> 00:57:15,239 Speaker 3: means having a structure, having people who are saying, who 1032 00:57:15,280 --> 00:57:18,600 Speaker 3: were speaking out and saying you can have these principles. 1033 00:57:18,600 --> 00:57:22,200 Speaker 3: We need people of characters step out, giving a permission 1034 00:57:22,280 --> 00:57:26,640 Speaker 3: structure that you can say these things and still survive 1035 00:57:26,840 --> 00:57:31,120 Speaker 3: and hopefully, you know, stand up and do this. You know, 1036 00:57:31,240 --> 00:57:35,160 Speaker 3: give them that, you know, the hope that you can 1037 00:57:35,400 --> 00:57:40,960 Speaker 3: be a person of character and run again. And you know, 1038 00:57:41,320 --> 00:57:45,400 Speaker 3: have somebody like Senator Dan Forth who you know, certainly 1039 00:57:45,440 --> 00:57:48,520 Speaker 3: had a long and distinguished career. Don't be afraid to 1040 00:57:48,600 --> 00:57:52,000 Speaker 3: speak out. So many people. The worst thing right now 1041 00:57:52,120 --> 00:57:56,120 Speaker 3: is the silence so many people who say, oh, yeah, 1042 00:57:56,120 --> 00:57:59,160 Speaker 3: it's great that you're saying something, but I'm working behind 1043 00:57:59,200 --> 00:57:59,720 Speaker 3: the scenes. 1044 00:57:59,760 --> 00:58:02,280 Speaker 1: I got it, Or how about the well if I 1045 00:58:02,360 --> 00:58:05,480 Speaker 1: say if I you know, if I leave, then somebody 1046 00:58:05,520 --> 00:58:06,480 Speaker 1: worse will replace me. 1047 00:58:06,600 --> 00:58:10,160 Speaker 3: Well, that is true, and I do have sympathy for 1048 00:58:10,360 --> 00:58:13,400 Speaker 3: people who are in there knowing that that is true. 1049 00:58:13,840 --> 00:58:17,760 Speaker 3: But there are so many of those, particularly those who 1050 00:58:17,880 --> 00:58:20,040 Speaker 3: like are in the Senate who have a six year 1051 00:58:20,080 --> 00:58:22,000 Speaker 3: window like let me, I'll give you credit. The other 1052 00:58:22,120 --> 00:58:26,560 Speaker 3: day Senator Kennedy of all people, because a lot of 1053 00:58:26,600 --> 00:58:29,560 Speaker 3: times he's just saying, you know, just does his folksy stuff. 1054 00:58:29,800 --> 00:58:33,080 Speaker 3: But he went out Howard Lutnick on his insanity on 1055 00:58:33,200 --> 00:58:36,400 Speaker 3: tariffs and just called him out on not knowing what 1056 00:58:36,600 --> 00:58:37,360 Speaker 3: he was talking about. 1057 00:58:37,520 --> 00:58:41,560 Speaker 1: Why Lutnik is he's been like between what Kennedy did 1058 00:58:41,600 --> 00:58:43,840 Speaker 1: to him. So you're saying, if a country came in 1059 00:58:44,160 --> 00:58:47,440 Speaker 1: with an offer of reciprocal you know, zero tariffs, you know, 1060 00:58:47,840 --> 00:58:50,880 Speaker 1: you're just and there was like crickets and then what 1061 00:58:50,960 --> 00:58:52,840 Speaker 1: was it? Lutnik was in the House and Madelin Dean 1062 00:58:52,960 --> 00:58:55,560 Speaker 1: hit him with the bananas. Well, you know, we got 1063 00:58:55,560 --> 00:58:58,680 Speaker 1: to manufacture bananas here, yeah, where are we built? Where 1064 00:58:58,680 --> 00:59:01,280 Speaker 1: are we where are we planning our or. 1065 00:59:01,280 --> 00:59:03,480 Speaker 3: The patients of a saint not to throw the banana 1066 00:59:03,520 --> 00:59:06,080 Speaker 3: at him. I mean it was And then the same 1067 00:59:06,120 --> 00:59:09,160 Speaker 3: thing on education, when you know, one of the members 1068 00:59:09,280 --> 00:59:17,560 Speaker 3: was asking the secretary, wwe there, Yeah, you know, would 1069 00:59:17,560 --> 00:59:21,240 Speaker 3: it be DEEI if we you know, talked about the 1070 00:59:22,120 --> 00:59:25,840 Speaker 3: Oklahoma race riots, and it was clear that she didn't 1071 00:59:25,880 --> 00:59:30,440 Speaker 3: know what the Oklahoma race rights. And again she had 1072 00:59:30,440 --> 00:59:33,400 Speaker 3: the patients not to say, wait a minute, do you 1073 00:59:33,560 --> 00:59:38,120 Speaker 3: know about the Oklahoma race riots? Do you know? And 1074 00:59:38,160 --> 00:59:39,800 Speaker 3: she said, well, I'll have to get back to you 1075 00:59:40,280 --> 00:59:42,000 Speaker 3: on that one. It's like, no, you don't have to 1076 00:59:42,040 --> 00:59:45,320 Speaker 3: get back to me. Those can be taught. And then 1077 00:59:45,360 --> 00:59:47,440 Speaker 3: she said, well, do you know what about Ruby Bridges? 1078 00:59:47,480 --> 00:59:50,520 Speaker 3: Can we teach Ruby Bridges? And again she's saying, I'll 1079 00:59:50,560 --> 00:59:52,200 Speaker 3: have to get back to you. She didn't know who 1080 00:59:52,240 --> 00:59:57,320 Speaker 3: Ruby Bridges was in this, as I said, totally incompetent, 1081 00:59:58,400 --> 01:00:02,760 Speaker 3: non merit based people and these positions, which is the 1082 01:00:02,880 --> 01:00:06,200 Speaker 3: worst thing we had as Republicans. We should be ashamed of. 1083 01:00:06,440 --> 01:00:08,360 Speaker 1: No I mean, you know, I was. I always say 1084 01:00:08,360 --> 01:00:11,560 Speaker 1: I was. I grew up with a with a in 1085 01:00:11,600 --> 01:00:15,400 Speaker 1: a mixed political marriage, and but my father was always 1086 01:00:15,440 --> 01:00:18,960 Speaker 1: one of those who said, well, Democrats have some interesting ideas, 1087 01:00:18,960 --> 01:00:21,480 Speaker 1: but I want Republicans to implement them. They're better managers. 1088 01:00:21,960 --> 01:00:24,520 Speaker 1: You can't say that today the Republicans are not the better. 1089 01:00:24,960 --> 01:00:27,720 Speaker 3: So I became a Republican when I started. I mean, 1090 01:00:27,760 --> 01:00:30,920 Speaker 3: I grew up in a Democratic family, and I remember 1091 01:00:31,280 --> 01:00:34,800 Speaker 3: reading like National Review and oh so intellectual. Remember meeting 1092 01:00:34,840 --> 01:00:35,880 Speaker 3: Bill Buckley. 1093 01:00:35,480 --> 01:00:38,720 Speaker 1: And be so Bill Buckley would not be allowed into 1094 01:00:38,760 --> 01:00:39,360 Speaker 1: this party. 1095 01:00:39,640 --> 01:00:44,480 Speaker 3: And you know, this week Vance was being interviewed by 1096 01:00:44,520 --> 01:00:46,360 Speaker 3: somebody and they said, oh, you used to write for 1097 01:00:46,720 --> 01:00:48,600 Speaker 3: You're kind of an intellectual. You used to write for 1098 01:00:48,720 --> 01:00:53,640 Speaker 3: National Review. And he said, oh, you're such an a 1099 01:00:54,680 --> 01:01:00,800 Speaker 3: whole for reminding me of that. And I thought, you 1100 01:01:00,880 --> 01:01:04,880 Speaker 3: know what for saying that. You know, I'm thinking, oh, 1101 01:01:05,160 --> 01:01:07,680 Speaker 3: Bill Buckley, could hear that that we have? I mean, 1102 01:01:08,560 --> 01:01:12,040 Speaker 3: you know, the future of the Republican Party cannot be 1103 01:01:12,560 --> 01:01:14,120 Speaker 3: this horrible. JD. 1104 01:01:14,320 --> 01:01:16,000 Speaker 1: Van I don't know what to make of it. 1105 01:01:16,280 --> 01:01:22,439 Speaker 3: The Vatican slapping two popes on the shoulder like Adam boy, 1106 01:01:23,720 --> 01:01:27,240 Speaker 3: you don't slap the pope on the shoulder when you 1107 01:01:27,280 --> 01:01:31,600 Speaker 3: meet him, particularly a very elderly six book. But this 1108 01:01:31,760 --> 01:01:35,600 Speaker 3: is what this knitwi who can't ever button his jacket? 1109 01:01:35,800 --> 01:01:40,160 Speaker 1: So what do you make? You know? It's funny as vance? 1110 01:01:40,440 --> 01:01:44,320 Speaker 1: Do we think charlatan saw that? Right? Do we think 1111 01:01:44,520 --> 01:01:46,479 Speaker 1: he's always been a charlatan or do we think he's 1112 01:01:46,560 --> 01:01:50,400 Speaker 1: just I've always thought he's just immature still and he's 1113 01:01:50,400 --> 01:01:51,880 Speaker 1: still trying to figure out who he is. 1114 01:01:52,480 --> 01:01:55,800 Speaker 3: Both. I think he's always been a charlatan and he 1115 01:01:55,960 --> 01:01:59,120 Speaker 3: is not. I think maybe the wife is the brains 1116 01:01:59,120 --> 01:02:01,920 Speaker 3: and the family and maybe was carrying him along. But 1117 01:02:02,000 --> 01:02:04,480 Speaker 3: I think he's always been a charlatan, and he is 1118 01:02:04,520 --> 01:02:07,439 Speaker 3: not as people have said, he's smart, but he says 1119 01:02:07,520 --> 01:02:09,520 Speaker 3: a lot of dumb things. You know, the things he 1120 01:02:09,520 --> 01:02:12,800 Speaker 3: said about the space program this week. He's just not 1121 01:02:12,960 --> 01:02:15,400 Speaker 3: as smart as he thinks he is. And he is 1122 01:02:15,440 --> 01:02:20,760 Speaker 3: a totally charmless person. Having met both him well and 1123 01:02:20,800 --> 01:02:21,960 Speaker 3: Bill Buckley. 1124 01:02:21,840 --> 01:02:24,919 Speaker 1: He was not going to win that primary. I mean 1125 01:02:25,000 --> 01:02:29,160 Speaker 1: it was because he was not very charismatic at all. Yeah, 1126 01:02:29,240 --> 01:02:31,280 Speaker 1: and you know he just got willed to it by 1127 01:02:31,280 --> 01:02:32,840 Speaker 1: the last minute endorsement attack. 1128 01:02:32,840 --> 01:02:35,479 Speaker 3: And right and right after he won that primary because 1129 01:02:35,480 --> 01:02:38,160 Speaker 3: I still was going to Republican events at that time. 1130 01:02:38,520 --> 01:02:42,280 Speaker 3: Remember he came to a Republican event out in Middelburg 1131 01:02:42,760 --> 01:02:45,680 Speaker 3: where all the Republican folks were there, and he spent 1132 01:02:45,920 --> 01:02:51,520 Speaker 3: the event complaining that Carl Rove didn't want him to 1133 01:02:51,520 --> 01:02:54,440 Speaker 3: be the nominee and all these people didn't want him 1134 01:02:54,480 --> 01:02:58,439 Speaker 3: to be the nominee. But now on the nominee, it's like, yeah, okay, 1135 01:02:58,480 --> 01:03:00,680 Speaker 3: you got Peter Tieal to buy you the nomination, and 1136 01:03:00,720 --> 01:03:03,880 Speaker 3: you got Junior to you know, get so you bought 1137 01:03:03,920 --> 01:03:09,560 Speaker 3: your nomination. Like he is such a you know, you know, 1138 01:03:09,600 --> 01:03:12,600 Speaker 3: he didn't earn anything he got. You know, that's what's 1139 01:03:12,640 --> 01:03:16,880 Speaker 3: so ridiculous. He didn't earn it. He's a membo. And 1140 01:03:16,880 --> 01:03:20,880 Speaker 3: and so he's complaining. And then apparently that year when 1141 01:03:21,640 --> 01:03:24,040 Speaker 3: you know, did you ever say thank you? You know, 1142 01:03:24,120 --> 01:03:27,520 Speaker 3: he Mitch McConnell gives him all the money and he 1143 01:03:27,640 --> 01:03:31,960 Speaker 3: never said thank you, And then he's horrible to Mitch McConnell. 1144 01:03:32,440 --> 01:03:34,400 Speaker 3: And then I think I don't even think he voted. 1145 01:03:34,440 --> 01:03:37,120 Speaker 3: He voted for Rick Scott, probably for a majority leader, 1146 01:03:37,880 --> 01:03:38,200 Speaker 3: and it. 1147 01:03:38,320 --> 01:03:40,320 Speaker 1: Wasn't wasn't exactly grateful to me. 1148 01:03:40,640 --> 01:03:44,480 Speaker 3: And so he is so graceless and just such a 1149 01:03:44,600 --> 01:03:48,160 Speaker 3: you know, charmless person. So that can't be the future 1150 01:03:48,200 --> 01:03:54,400 Speaker 3: of the party because and he didn't go back home 1151 01:03:54,480 --> 01:03:57,280 Speaker 3: and help his people. You know, he went off to 1152 01:03:57,560 --> 01:04:01,520 Speaker 3: San Francisco and was composting and doing everything there and 1153 01:04:01,560 --> 01:04:06,160 Speaker 3: getting rich and only came home when he could use 1154 01:04:06,320 --> 01:04:09,880 Speaker 3: people to then buy his way in. And then he 1155 01:04:09,960 --> 01:04:12,840 Speaker 3: never passed any bills. You never passed any bills. I 1156 01:04:12,920 --> 01:04:16,840 Speaker 3: passed more bills than JD. Vance. So so let me 1157 01:04:16,880 --> 01:04:17,480 Speaker 3: ask you this. 1158 01:04:17,560 --> 01:04:20,160 Speaker 1: So in twenty eight you know when when I when 1159 01:04:20,160 --> 01:04:23,240 Speaker 1: I'm asked who's the potential you know, the most likely nominees, 1160 01:04:23,240 --> 01:04:24,920 Speaker 1: And you know, you go through the MAGA world and 1161 01:04:25,240 --> 01:04:28,000 Speaker 1: you identified the three potential mag of people, right, Ruby 1162 01:04:28,160 --> 01:04:31,720 Speaker 1: Vance Junior. And then I always throw in Glenn Youngkin 1163 01:04:32,920 --> 01:04:36,440 Speaker 1: because he's got money, uh and because you know he 1164 01:04:36,560 --> 01:04:39,440 Speaker 1: might you know, you think to yourself that strategically, who's 1165 01:04:39,440 --> 01:04:42,200 Speaker 1: somebody that could straddle the two wings of the party. 1166 01:04:42,280 --> 01:04:45,800 Speaker 1: Maybe he could. You obviously, being a Virginian, what do 1167 01:04:45,840 --> 01:04:48,320 Speaker 1: you and what you said about Spencer Cox, I'm gonna 1168 01:04:48,320 --> 01:04:51,080 Speaker 1: guess that you wish Youngkin hadn't capitulated as much to 1169 01:04:51,120 --> 01:04:54,880 Speaker 1: Trump as he has on various things, but is he 1170 01:04:55,720 --> 01:04:57,720 Speaker 1: let me ask you this, is he redeemable in your eyes? 1171 01:04:59,600 --> 01:05:02,320 Speaker 3: I think for twenty eight in the Republican Party at 1172 01:05:02,320 --> 01:05:04,520 Speaker 3: this point. That's why I think for this group it's 1173 01:05:04,520 --> 01:05:08,120 Speaker 3: a longer term. And you know, because I think, you know, 1174 01:05:08,160 --> 01:05:13,000 Speaker 3: Trump will be around anointing people doing whatever. I think 1175 01:05:13,200 --> 01:05:17,360 Speaker 3: it'll either be somebody totally new who's not tainted by 1176 01:05:17,640 --> 01:05:22,680 Speaker 3: Trump at all, who rises from whatever, or it'll be 1177 01:05:23,040 --> 01:05:29,680 Speaker 3: a Democrat, you know, who will you know, go after 1178 01:05:30,080 --> 01:05:33,000 Speaker 3: this Republican Party. So I do think it'll be one 1179 01:05:33,040 --> 01:05:37,480 Speaker 3: of those three probably most likely, unless you know, they 1180 01:05:37,560 --> 01:05:41,040 Speaker 3: totally flame out in or no. 1181 01:05:41,080 --> 01:05:44,080 Speaker 1: I mean, if you had a look a scenario where 1182 01:05:44,200 --> 01:05:47,520 Speaker 1: Democrats won the Senate and the House in twenty six, right, 1183 01:05:48,480 --> 01:05:51,440 Speaker 1: stuff was so bad, then it's a whole reckoning, then. 1184 01:05:51,400 --> 01:05:53,680 Speaker 3: It can be a total flame out. Then you could 1185 01:05:53,680 --> 01:05:56,080 Speaker 3: have somebody be you know. But I think the problem 1186 01:05:56,200 --> 01:06:00,560 Speaker 3: is MAGA won't accept the half pretend maga. They don't 1187 01:06:00,560 --> 01:06:00,800 Speaker 3: do that. 1188 01:06:00,920 --> 01:06:03,880 Speaker 1: So Youngkin's not maga enough. He's he's too maga for 1189 01:06:03,960 --> 01:06:06,040 Speaker 1: some Republicans, not maga enough for the other. 1190 01:06:06,320 --> 01:06:10,120 Speaker 3: I mean, listen, they wouldn't even accept DeSantis. He wasn't 1191 01:06:10,200 --> 01:06:12,440 Speaker 3: a Maga, you know, it was like two you know, 1192 01:06:13,240 --> 01:06:16,280 Speaker 3: I wasn't a DeSantis fan, but he he ended up 1193 01:06:16,440 --> 01:06:19,360 Speaker 3: you know kind of you know, cross hairs on. You know, 1194 01:06:19,400 --> 01:06:20,560 Speaker 3: if you don't get the blessing. 1195 01:06:20,640 --> 01:06:23,960 Speaker 1: Speaking of charmless, I mean that's also something. I mean 1196 01:06:24,000 --> 01:06:26,240 Speaker 1: it just look and I say this, you know, you 1197 01:06:26,360 --> 01:06:29,560 Speaker 1: gotta have somebody that can sell dog fit. You gotta 1198 01:06:29,560 --> 01:06:31,360 Speaker 1: help that people want to eat it. But that somebody 1199 01:06:31,400 --> 01:06:32,280 Speaker 1: can sell when is. 1200 01:06:32,280 --> 01:06:35,560 Speaker 3: That farming smart person? And he at least charming and 1201 01:06:35,600 --> 01:06:38,720 Speaker 3: he but the problem and I wish Virginia had. You know, 1202 01:06:39,040 --> 01:06:41,080 Speaker 3: if you have two term governors, you can get a 1203 01:06:41,080 --> 01:06:43,320 Speaker 3: lot more done it because it makes it very difficult 1204 01:06:43,360 --> 01:06:46,680 Speaker 3: with one term to really be able to That's a 1205 01:06:46,720 --> 01:06:49,400 Speaker 3: problem with Virginia governors as you kind of get in 1206 01:06:49,440 --> 01:06:51,160 Speaker 3: there and you get stymied and you can't. 1207 01:06:51,160 --> 01:06:53,520 Speaker 1: Have Basically it takes them a year to get to 1208 01:06:53,560 --> 01:06:56,120 Speaker 1: know how to do things. They get a year to 1209 01:06:56,160 --> 01:06:58,480 Speaker 1: try to figure it out, and then then you get 1210 01:06:58,480 --> 01:06:59,919 Speaker 1: your big terms and you're over. 1211 01:07:00,120 --> 01:07:03,479 Speaker 3: You know, I think Trump's going to, you know, want 1212 01:07:03,560 --> 01:07:07,840 Speaker 3: to anoint somebody, and He's going to annoint somebody who 1213 01:07:08,480 --> 01:07:11,760 Speaker 3: you know, begs for his right pleasure. So unless they 1214 01:07:11,760 --> 01:07:15,680 Speaker 3: get totally wiped out how Sam sent it, and then 1215 01:07:16,160 --> 01:07:18,120 Speaker 3: then it is a free for all, then there is 1216 01:07:18,200 --> 01:07:22,600 Speaker 3: some hope for somebody who's totally in a different mode. 1217 01:07:22,960 --> 01:07:25,120 Speaker 3: But I think it's going to have to be I 1218 01:07:25,160 --> 01:07:27,400 Speaker 3: think for this group and what we're trying to do, 1219 01:07:27,480 --> 01:07:30,640 Speaker 3: I think it's more a longer term cycle. 1220 01:07:30,840 --> 01:07:33,160 Speaker 1: All right, let me get you out of here on this, Nami, 1221 01:07:33,520 --> 01:07:35,520 Speaker 1: because you're a group. This group has a lot of 1222 01:07:35,600 --> 01:07:39,400 Speaker 1: formers and as you noted, no currents. So give me 1223 01:07:39,480 --> 01:07:42,320 Speaker 1: some current Republicans who you have not given up on 1224 01:07:42,960 --> 01:07:45,520 Speaker 1: that you think could you know, if they if they 1225 01:07:45,720 --> 01:07:48,640 Speaker 1: if they stiffen their spine, they could be the sort 1226 01:07:48,680 --> 01:07:51,280 Speaker 1: of be at the tip of the spear here in 1227 01:07:51,360 --> 01:07:55,720 Speaker 1: this movement to reclaim the Republican Party for the Eisenhower 1228 01:07:55,840 --> 01:07:56,520 Speaker 1: or Romney era. 1229 01:07:56,600 --> 01:07:58,680 Speaker 3: I have to be careful because I don't want them 1230 01:07:58,680 --> 01:07:59,440 Speaker 3: to get target I. 1231 01:07:59,400 --> 01:08:01,240 Speaker 1: Know, if you say their name, you might it might 1232 01:08:01,320 --> 01:08:04,160 Speaker 1: hurt them, right you, Yeah, no, don Bacon, you know. 1233 01:08:04,880 --> 01:08:07,920 Speaker 3: Because I think they're most likely I will say people 1234 01:08:08,000 --> 01:08:11,640 Speaker 3: in the states who are keeping a lower profile and 1235 01:08:11,680 --> 01:08:15,360 Speaker 3: probably like your state reps and your state senators who 1236 01:08:15,440 --> 01:08:19,120 Speaker 3: are out there and deciding like when will they run 1237 01:08:19,280 --> 01:08:22,639 Speaker 3: statewide or will they run for state Senate? And then 1238 01:08:22,680 --> 01:08:26,400 Speaker 3: they have a longer shelf life and they can work 1239 01:08:26,439 --> 01:08:27,080 Speaker 3: into those. 1240 01:08:28,640 --> 01:08:31,679 Speaker 1: But you say that, you know, I'm a half Floridy 1241 01:08:31,680 --> 01:08:35,519 Speaker 1: and half Virginian. And you know Adam Putnam, who somebody 1242 01:08:35,560 --> 01:08:37,519 Speaker 1: you served with, I believe for a period of time, 1243 01:08:37,960 --> 01:08:40,360 Speaker 1: he did it the right way and he got maggoed 1244 01:08:40,360 --> 01:08:41,400 Speaker 1: out right. 1245 01:08:42,600 --> 01:08:46,040 Speaker 3: Well, that's why I think I think, you know, I 1246 01:08:46,160 --> 01:08:49,320 Speaker 3: like this here for the you know, this is here 1247 01:08:49,479 --> 01:08:51,320 Speaker 3: kind of for the I think, really for the lower 1248 01:08:51,360 --> 01:08:55,599 Speaker 3: tier people. And then you got to get this top 1249 01:08:55,720 --> 01:08:59,679 Speaker 3: tier gone first, because because this is who Trump pays 1250 01:08:59,680 --> 01:09:02,400 Speaker 3: at tention to, he doesn't get involved. You know, it 1251 01:09:02,439 --> 01:09:06,160 Speaker 3: doesn't you can really as a house candidate, he doesn't 1252 01:09:06,200 --> 01:09:09,479 Speaker 3: pay attention to those. I remember when who is the 1253 01:09:09,800 --> 01:09:13,160 Speaker 3: kid in North Carolina in the wheelchair that lost. 1254 01:09:12,960 --> 01:09:14,479 Speaker 1: His Madison Madison? 1255 01:09:15,160 --> 01:09:19,400 Speaker 3: When Tom Tillis went after him and replaced him. Although 1256 01:09:19,439 --> 01:09:22,240 Speaker 3: the guy him isn't so hot, but when they did 1257 01:09:22,280 --> 01:09:27,240 Speaker 3: replace him, you know afterwards, you know, when they said, hey, 1258 01:09:27,560 --> 01:09:29,559 Speaker 3: you know he wasn't so great. We had to get 1259 01:09:29,640 --> 01:09:32,599 Speaker 3: rid of him. Trump was like, oh, who was that kid? 1260 01:09:32,600 --> 01:09:35,519 Speaker 3: What was his name? Trump doesn't really notice the House 1261 01:09:35,600 --> 01:09:38,599 Speaker 3: races that much. It's really the Senate and the bigger ones, 1262 01:09:39,000 --> 01:09:42,240 Speaker 3: so you can that's why you can sort of do 1263 01:09:42,360 --> 01:09:45,800 Speaker 3: the House races and then the state in below. So 1264 01:09:45,920 --> 01:09:46,960 Speaker 3: that's where people. 1265 01:09:46,800 --> 01:09:48,960 Speaker 1: You're not naming names, so you don't have a lot 1266 01:09:49,000 --> 01:09:49,719 Speaker 1: of names. Huh. 1267 01:09:49,960 --> 01:09:54,280 Speaker 3: I honestly don't want to hurt it would if I 1268 01:09:54,439 --> 01:09:55,240 Speaker 3: named them. 1269 01:09:55,600 --> 01:09:59,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, let me let me throw us you know 1270 01:09:59,439 --> 01:10:02,880 Speaker 1: right right, well, let me throw you a scenario if 1271 01:10:02,960 --> 01:10:10,519 Speaker 1: John Curtis and Lisa Murkowski joined Angus King and No, 1272 01:10:10,680 --> 01:10:12,800 Speaker 1: I do think Mark Kelly to say, you know what, 1273 01:10:12,800 --> 01:10:14,360 Speaker 1: we're going to be independence, We're not going to be 1274 01:10:14,360 --> 01:10:15,880 Speaker 1: members of the Republican h No. 1275 01:10:16,000 --> 01:10:19,240 Speaker 3: I think it needs to be a new governor, like 1276 01:10:19,280 --> 01:10:24,240 Speaker 3: a new person who gets out there, new blood, new face, 1277 01:10:24,680 --> 01:10:27,960 Speaker 3: like a new Glen Youngkin, like a new person that 1278 01:10:28,080 --> 01:10:29,360 Speaker 3: comes out of somewhere and. 1279 01:10:29,400 --> 01:10:32,880 Speaker 1: Just without Trump baggage at all, and maybe without any 1280 01:10:33,520 --> 01:10:34,439 Speaker 1: old party baggage. 1281 01:10:34,520 --> 01:10:38,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, like a Glenn Youngkin in Pennsylvania that after Like 1282 01:10:38,680 --> 01:10:42,120 Speaker 3: so after Shapiro runs and wins a second term, some 1283 01:10:42,360 --> 01:10:46,840 Speaker 3: Glen Youngkin in Pennsylvania comes out Republican with some gat 1284 01:10:46,920 --> 01:10:47,160 Speaker 3: you know. 1285 01:10:47,120 --> 01:10:50,120 Speaker 1: Who's well, you're describing the DLC of the Republican Party. 1286 01:10:50,120 --> 01:10:52,120 Speaker 1: It's almost like you're looking for your Bill Clinton. What 1287 01:10:52,160 --> 01:10:54,519 Speaker 1: Bill Clinton? Did? You know? Bill Clinton was sort of 1288 01:10:54,560 --> 01:10:57,840 Speaker 1: a what you're describing, right, Bill Clinton was a was 1289 01:10:57,880 --> 01:11:01,160 Speaker 1: an outsider, and then they took over the Democratic Party. 1290 01:11:01,320 --> 01:11:03,160 Speaker 3: And then no, yeah, because you don't you need a 1291 01:11:03,200 --> 01:11:08,960 Speaker 3: person not so much. And then and somebody you know, 1292 01:11:09,160 --> 01:11:13,240 Speaker 3: or somebody in Pennsylvania, somebody in you know, Michigan, or 1293 01:11:14,400 --> 01:11:19,639 Speaker 3: somebody you know just who comes in and just makes 1294 01:11:19,680 --> 01:11:22,280 Speaker 3: it click, you know, because when when Glenn did that, 1295 01:11:22,560 --> 01:11:25,720 Speaker 3: you know, he you know, he did put together a 1296 01:11:25,760 --> 01:11:29,960 Speaker 3: great coalition and he didn't run with Trump. And if 1297 01:11:30,000 --> 01:11:34,200 Speaker 3: Trump hadn't made the comeback, if Trump had been wiped. 1298 01:11:33,880 --> 01:11:35,800 Speaker 1: Down, dunk and might be you're right, and might be 1299 01:11:35,840 --> 01:11:37,960 Speaker 1: the face of this new republic kind. 1300 01:11:37,760 --> 01:11:43,400 Speaker 3: Of profile would have been a very could have been 1301 01:11:43,520 --> 01:11:46,439 Speaker 3: very successful. So I think that is a model for 1302 01:11:46,560 --> 01:11:49,280 Speaker 3: somebody who could do that, because. 1303 01:11:48,960 --> 01:11:50,960 Speaker 1: So finding an outsider you'd love to see, you know, 1304 01:11:51,000 --> 01:11:54,960 Speaker 1: whether it's a retired military leader, a successful business person, 1305 01:11:55,560 --> 01:11:58,760 Speaker 1: somebody maybe who's had success outside of politics. 1306 01:11:58,880 --> 01:12:01,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, but no, but because it could like it 1307 01:12:01,040 --> 01:12:02,720 Speaker 3: could have been a Glenn Youngkin who was a state 1308 01:12:02,880 --> 01:12:07,240 Speaker 3: legislator too. So it doesn't have to be somebody who 1309 01:12:07,320 --> 01:12:10,920 Speaker 3: necessarily comes from totally outside. It could be somebody who 1310 01:12:11,040 --> 01:12:14,920 Speaker 3: just makes that move and does it, you know, and 1311 01:12:15,240 --> 01:12:19,639 Speaker 3: and just decides to not latch themselves. But you probably 1312 01:12:19,680 --> 01:12:23,160 Speaker 3: need to have a little wherewithal enough money to be independent. 1313 01:12:23,640 --> 01:12:26,200 Speaker 3: You know, he had. I mean he raised half half 1314 01:12:26,240 --> 01:12:28,439 Speaker 3: of the money he ran on with his own money. 1315 01:12:28,720 --> 01:12:30,880 Speaker 1: So no, I mean it gave him. It gave him 1316 01:12:30,920 --> 01:12:32,880 Speaker 1: really we know this right having that. 1317 01:12:33,040 --> 01:12:36,800 Speaker 3: And people but he also people didn't realize he he 1318 01:12:36,840 --> 01:12:41,320 Speaker 3: had been active and had a lot of social capital, 1319 01:12:41,840 --> 01:12:43,240 Speaker 3: you know, in the business world. 1320 01:12:43,080 --> 01:12:46,720 Speaker 1: In Virginia, particularly Northern Virginia, which was an important place for. 1321 01:12:48,520 --> 01:12:50,559 Speaker 3: So you know, he did have a lot of social capital. 1322 01:12:50,600 --> 01:12:53,280 Speaker 3: He been active, his wife had been active, and so 1323 01:12:53,600 --> 01:12:55,160 Speaker 3: they had done a lot of things. He just didn't 1324 01:12:55,160 --> 01:12:57,599 Speaker 3: come out of nowhere and just run because he had money. 1325 01:12:57,600 --> 01:13:00,760 Speaker 3: He had done a lot of things and ben and 1326 01:13:00,800 --> 01:13:05,320 Speaker 3: there was a real positive response and because Trump had lost, 1327 01:13:05,680 --> 01:13:09,200 Speaker 3: people were willing to take a chance. And he was 1328 01:13:09,280 --> 01:13:13,520 Speaker 3: conservative and he was genuinely conservative but had some good ideas, 1329 01:13:13,960 --> 01:13:15,040 Speaker 3: but he wasn't. 1330 01:13:15,280 --> 01:13:18,360 Speaker 1: Far right, wasn't a dogma. It wasn't all dogma. 1331 01:13:18,520 --> 01:13:22,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I think that kind of model would work 1332 01:13:22,680 --> 01:13:28,000 Speaker 3: for for somebody else. And it wasn't attacked, it wasn't 1333 01:13:28,000 --> 01:13:29,719 Speaker 3: attached to to Trump. 1334 01:13:29,880 --> 01:13:34,160 Speaker 1: And well, Barbara Comstock, you haven't given up yet another 1335 01:13:34,240 --> 01:13:37,160 Speaker 1: Republican party. That's basically the way we should interpret it. 1336 01:13:37,240 --> 01:13:38,559 Speaker 1: You're not ready to give up, you know. 1337 01:13:38,680 --> 01:13:41,320 Speaker 3: And I think I think Glenn did get independence and 1338 01:13:41,439 --> 01:13:45,439 Speaker 3: some Democrats because you know, when he was running against 1339 01:13:45,479 --> 01:13:46,760 Speaker 3: somebody who you know. 1340 01:13:46,960 --> 01:13:50,640 Speaker 1: Was sort of polarizing in from another. But also, you know, 1341 01:13:50,840 --> 01:13:52,880 Speaker 1: we're not going to be kind of incumbents right now, 1342 01:13:53,320 --> 01:13:55,719 Speaker 1: you know, whether you're a current incumbent or you formally 1343 01:13:55,760 --> 01:13:58,280 Speaker 1: held office, Like I do think that all of that 1344 01:13:58,439 --> 01:14:00,640 Speaker 1: is baggage, whether you're a deer or r you have 1345 01:14:00,680 --> 01:14:02,760 Speaker 1: the eye, or you are former. I do think like 1346 01:14:02,920 --> 01:14:04,880 Speaker 1: because there's a lot of people say, hey, the system 1347 01:14:04,880 --> 01:14:06,160 Speaker 1: hasn't worked for a while, so why are we going 1348 01:14:06,200 --> 01:14:07,960 Speaker 1: to turn back to people that have been there? They 1349 01:14:08,000 --> 01:14:10,559 Speaker 1: want new. I do think they want new, whether it's 1350 01:14:10,560 --> 01:14:12,080 Speaker 1: new left or new right, they want new. 1351 01:14:12,439 --> 01:14:14,599 Speaker 3: But then you end up having a short shelf life 1352 01:14:14,680 --> 01:14:17,000 Speaker 3: on You got to come in and make things work, 1353 01:14:17,040 --> 01:14:19,240 Speaker 3: and that's that is the problem. They don't give you 1354 01:14:19,320 --> 01:14:21,640 Speaker 3: much time to make it work, so you have to 1355 01:14:21,680 --> 01:14:24,080 Speaker 3: really have a plan, and that's going to be I 1356 01:14:24,080 --> 01:14:28,160 Speaker 3: think Trump's problem is they really they've blown it in 1357 01:14:28,200 --> 01:14:30,280 Speaker 3: these first six months. 1358 01:14:30,880 --> 01:14:32,400 Speaker 1: Oh no, I think this is his version of the 1359 01:14:32,439 --> 01:14:35,760 Speaker 1: Afghanistan withdrawal. Like, you know, he had one He had 1360 01:14:35,800 --> 01:14:38,960 Speaker 1: one job as far as the country was concerned, get 1361 01:14:38,960 --> 01:14:41,840 Speaker 1: the economy back on track. And on the one thing 1362 01:14:42,600 --> 01:14:45,320 Speaker 1: that he was tasked with doing. Everything else was gravy 1363 01:14:45,640 --> 01:14:48,920 Speaker 1: one thing, and he blew it. And now he blew it. 1364 01:14:48,960 --> 01:14:52,040 Speaker 1: He has made it worse, and I think that's why 1365 01:14:52,080 --> 01:14:53,760 Speaker 1: he'll never get over forty five percent. 1366 01:14:53,960 --> 01:14:55,720 Speaker 3: And then look at look at where the markets are 1367 01:14:55,800 --> 01:14:58,559 Speaker 3: right now. Today we're sitting here six months in and 1368 01:14:59,400 --> 01:15:02,519 Speaker 3: we aren't eve and back to where it was on 1369 01:15:02,840 --> 01:15:06,600 Speaker 3: Sleepy Joe January twentieth. When you look at the markets, 1370 01:15:06,600 --> 01:15:09,719 Speaker 3: like all through the fall, I'm saying, you know, these markets, 1371 01:15:09,760 --> 01:15:12,280 Speaker 3: I could live with Sleepy Joe markets. They are pretty 1372 01:15:12,320 --> 01:15:12,760 Speaker 3: darn good. 1373 01:15:12,800 --> 01:15:15,439 Speaker 1: No, it turns out that the country does just find 1374 01:15:15,439 --> 01:15:17,880 Speaker 1: when sometimes our president is quiet, and. 1375 01:15:17,840 --> 01:15:21,040 Speaker 3: Because he crashed the markets and now they're getting back 1376 01:15:21,240 --> 01:15:23,960 Speaker 3: on you know, okay, there if we're lucky, we might 1377 01:15:24,000 --> 01:15:27,280 Speaker 3: get back to them, but the tariffs have slowed everything 1378 01:15:27,360 --> 01:15:30,519 Speaker 3: down to where we were supposed to have two and 1379 01:15:30,520 --> 01:15:33,040 Speaker 3: a half, you know, percent growth, and we're not going 1380 01:15:33,080 --> 01:15:34,439 Speaker 3: to get the growth we were supposed to have. 1381 01:15:34,600 --> 01:15:36,400 Speaker 1: Look, I'm gonna ask you a simple question. Would you 1382 01:15:36,439 --> 01:15:40,400 Speaker 1: sell a house right now in Northern Virginia? Right? 1383 01:15:40,560 --> 01:15:43,360 Speaker 3: No, No, I'm not playing. And actually my daughter's moving 1384 01:15:43,400 --> 01:15:46,200 Speaker 3: back here. So they've been overseas and she's moving in 1385 01:15:46,240 --> 01:15:48,559 Speaker 3: with us because of the high interest rates, because she 1386 01:15:48,600 --> 01:15:51,200 Speaker 3: can't buy a house right now, and so she's going 1387 01:15:51,280 --> 01:15:52,080 Speaker 3: to move in with us. 1388 01:15:52,520 --> 01:15:55,439 Speaker 1: And that's physic that's the Trump economy. That's yeah, this 1389 01:15:55,560 --> 01:15:56,559 Speaker 1: is not Trump's economy. 1390 01:15:56,720 --> 01:16:02,559 Speaker 3: And uh and yeah, Robert Comstack, it's always a pleasure 1391 01:16:02,600 --> 01:16:03,040 Speaker 3: talking with you. 1392 01:16:04,600 --> 01:16:08,880 Speaker 1: We're neighboring congressional districts in Northern Virginia, so it's always 1393 01:16:08,880 --> 01:16:11,080 Speaker 1: a p And my guess is we probably do shop 1394 01:16:11,120 --> 01:16:12,120 Speaker 1: at the same grocery store. 1395 01:16:12,439 --> 01:16:15,280 Speaker 3: But I am still optimistic about this country. Things will 1396 01:16:15,320 --> 01:16:18,599 Speaker 3: survive Trump because our economy people still get out there 1397 01:16:18,640 --> 01:16:22,160 Speaker 3: and work hard, and our foreign policy, our allies will 1398 01:16:22,240 --> 01:16:24,400 Speaker 3: rally even if the US isn't doing what we're going 1399 01:16:24,479 --> 01:16:27,880 Speaker 3: to do, and hopefully the Senate and people will still 1400 01:16:28,160 --> 01:16:29,400 Speaker 3: stay with Ukraine. 1401 01:16:29,880 --> 01:16:32,519 Speaker 1: I appreciate the optimism because that's what I tried to be, 1402 01:16:32,680 --> 01:16:35,720 Speaker 1: long term optimistic, not going to pretend it's not going 1403 01:16:35,760 --> 01:16:38,880 Speaker 1: to be short term tumultuous. But but you know, just 1404 01:16:39,120 --> 01:16:42,679 Speaker 1: put the hurricane shutters on. All right, Thank you so much. 1405 01:16:43,120 --> 01:16:43,599 Speaker 3: Thank you. 1406 01:16:51,520 --> 01:16:54,200 Speaker 1: All right, So I got a couple of questions for you. 1407 01:16:54,360 --> 01:17:03,000 Speaker 1: Question one, I love this. The timing is perfect this question. 1408 01:17:03,080 --> 01:17:06,439 Speaker 1: I actually don't have the name of the person. Ah, 1409 01:17:06,479 --> 01:17:09,840 Speaker 1: it's John from Fairfield, California, And as he notes, it's 1410 01:17:09,840 --> 01:17:12,160 Speaker 1: the county seat of what he considers the most conservative 1411 01:17:12,200 --> 01:17:15,240 Speaker 1: county in the San Francisco Bay area, and it's home 1412 01:17:15,280 --> 01:17:19,559 Speaker 1: to Travis Air Force Base. And here's his question. Hey, Chuck, 1413 01:17:19,680 --> 01:17:22,240 Speaker 1: some shameless admiration before my question. I'm a big fan. 1414 01:17:22,280 --> 01:17:24,320 Speaker 1: I think you do amazing reporting. I love your podcast, 1415 01:17:24,640 --> 01:17:27,040 Speaker 1: love the deep dives into what ifs, and I hope 1416 01:17:27,080 --> 01:17:29,719 Speaker 1: you can find a way to make fantasy election season 1417 01:17:29,800 --> 01:17:33,680 Speaker 1: happen again now that you are running solo. Oh, it 1418 01:17:33,800 --> 01:17:38,200 Speaker 1: is so tempting. We will do this as we get closer, 1419 01:17:38,240 --> 01:17:43,320 Speaker 1: We'll create fantasy Senate drafts and maybe a Goobernatorial draft. 1420 01:17:43,320 --> 01:17:45,599 Speaker 1: Here or there. But here's his question, Well, a lot 1421 01:17:45,600 --> 01:17:47,920 Speaker 1: of other things have happened since the big breakup. I 1422 01:17:47,960 --> 01:17:51,280 Speaker 1: think a lot of damning information was shared during the 1423 01:17:51,280 --> 01:17:53,960 Speaker 1: big breakup. It seems Donald may have sent the National 1424 01:17:53,960 --> 01:17:56,439 Speaker 1: Guard into California to help move the news along after 1425 01:17:56,439 --> 01:17:58,519 Speaker 1: the breakup. I think he's referring now I'm trying to 1426 01:17:58,520 --> 01:18:01,920 Speaker 1: figure out here the breakup meaning must Trump. My question 1427 01:18:02,000 --> 01:18:04,920 Speaker 1: is should Democrats get back to the information shared during 1428 01:18:05,080 --> 01:18:08,040 Speaker 1: the breakup and would any of that help Democrats in 1429 01:18:08,080 --> 01:18:09,000 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six? 1430 01:18:09,880 --> 01:18:10,240 Speaker 2: Thank you. 1431 01:18:11,800 --> 01:18:14,960 Speaker 1: I assume you're referring to some of the criticisms that 1432 01:18:15,080 --> 01:18:18,840 Speaker 1: Musk made, including I'm going to guess the Epstein allegation, 1433 01:18:19,080 --> 01:18:22,519 Speaker 1: and I will tell you this, I'm a I'm a 1434 01:18:22,720 --> 01:18:25,439 Speaker 1: skeptic when it comes to the Epstein files that somehow, 1435 01:18:25,520 --> 01:18:28,400 Speaker 1: you know, there's there's always been this magical fantasy on 1436 01:18:28,439 --> 01:18:32,160 Speaker 1: the left that Donald Trump is involved with the Epstein file, 1437 01:18:32,240 --> 01:18:34,720 Speaker 1: in the Epstein files in some ways that are that 1438 01:18:34,800 --> 01:18:38,240 Speaker 1: are uncomfortable. I don't, I'll be honest with you. Donald 1439 01:18:38,240 --> 01:18:43,160 Speaker 1: Trump's been accused of of rape. Donald Trump's been accused 1440 01:18:43,280 --> 01:18:46,439 Speaker 1: of a lot of things, and none of that seems 1441 01:18:46,439 --> 01:18:46,960 Speaker 1: to I don't. 1442 01:18:47,280 --> 01:18:47,880 Speaker 2: I don't know. 1443 01:18:48,800 --> 01:18:51,560 Speaker 1: You know, if if he ended up on Jeffrey Epstein's 1444 01:18:51,560 --> 01:18:53,720 Speaker 1: Island with you know, and it was love and it 1445 01:18:53,760 --> 01:18:55,720 Speaker 1: was an episode of Love Island and he was at 1446 01:18:55,760 --> 01:18:58,120 Speaker 1: the center of it, I still don't. I think that's 1447 01:18:58,120 --> 01:18:59,800 Speaker 1: a I think he's right. I think he were at 1448 01:18:59,800 --> 01:19:02,679 Speaker 1: the Fifth Avenue. He could shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue. 1449 01:19:03,200 --> 01:19:06,120 Speaker 1: Point of it. And on the right, the fantasy is 1450 01:19:06,160 --> 01:19:10,479 Speaker 1: that somehow the Epstein files, you know, somehow put the 1451 01:19:10,560 --> 01:19:14,000 Speaker 1: Clintons in a precarious way, and there's always a conspiracy 1452 01:19:14,040 --> 01:19:18,439 Speaker 1: theory involving the Clintons on the right, because it is 1453 01:19:18,520 --> 01:19:21,479 Speaker 1: they're so conditioned to have a conspiracy theory about the 1454 01:19:21,479 --> 01:19:22,960 Speaker 1: Clintons that I don't know if they know how to 1455 01:19:23,000 --> 01:19:25,320 Speaker 1: talk about the Clintons any other way. The point is, 1456 01:19:26,040 --> 01:19:28,880 Speaker 1: I think, you know, I'm one of those folks who 1457 01:19:28,880 --> 01:19:31,240 Speaker 1: believes the government is not very good at keeping secrets, 1458 01:19:31,280 --> 01:19:36,080 Speaker 1: and if there's sensitive information that is damning against an 1459 01:19:36,120 --> 01:19:38,960 Speaker 1: individual politically, it's going to come out sooner, not later. 1460 01:19:39,479 --> 01:19:42,200 Speaker 1: This is why I think that we have it. There 1461 01:19:42,280 --> 01:19:45,360 Speaker 1: is no there is no file left that will come 1462 01:19:45,360 --> 01:19:47,760 Speaker 1: out in the JFK files that will definitively tell us 1463 01:19:47,800 --> 01:19:52,439 Speaker 1: anything that there's no more there, right, and the lack 1464 01:19:52,479 --> 01:19:55,439 Speaker 1: of it is only going to keep some conspiracy theorists 1465 01:19:55,439 --> 01:19:58,800 Speaker 1: believing that it's there. And I think the Epstein situation 1466 01:19:59,120 --> 01:20:05,280 Speaker 1: is the same thing, right, where people have so fantasized 1467 01:20:05,280 --> 01:20:07,599 Speaker 1: in their head about what it might be and all 1468 01:20:07,640 --> 01:20:12,360 Speaker 1: of these things that no amount of no amount of information. 1469 01:20:12,439 --> 01:20:14,280 Speaker 1: I mean, look, you know, even when you have a 1470 01:20:14,360 --> 01:20:17,559 Speaker 1: lead conspiracy theorist like Dan Bongino and Cash Patel who 1471 01:20:17,600 --> 01:20:20,880 Speaker 1: have been dining out and manuf and sort of riding 1472 01:20:20,960 --> 01:20:25,120 Speaker 1: the wave of these manufactured conspiracy theories for years, including 1473 01:20:25,240 --> 01:20:27,680 Speaker 1: Bongino who made a bunch of money off of it. 1474 01:20:28,160 --> 01:20:33,000 Speaker 1: When he actually got into office realized, oh this was 1475 01:20:33,040 --> 01:20:36,719 Speaker 1: a bunch of horse hockey. This was manufactured, made up crap. 1476 01:20:37,520 --> 01:20:37,640 Speaker 2: Uh. 1477 01:20:37,960 --> 01:20:41,439 Speaker 1: And nobody wants to believe them, right, even the people 1478 01:20:41,439 --> 01:20:43,880 Speaker 1: that used to believe them. Ahow oh, the deep state 1479 01:20:43,960 --> 01:20:47,439 Speaker 1: got to them. The deep state is code for the truth. 1480 01:20:49,040 --> 01:20:54,760 Speaker 1: And so I just I'm not there, but I take 1481 01:20:54,800 --> 01:20:55,240 Speaker 1: your point. 1482 01:20:55,320 --> 01:20:56,760 Speaker 2: I think they're real. 1483 01:20:57,120 --> 01:21:00,240 Speaker 1: You know, the thing that I would be wondering about 1484 01:21:00,320 --> 01:21:03,720 Speaker 1: in the Musk breakup, and I thought where you were 1485 01:21:03,720 --> 01:21:06,439 Speaker 1: going to go with your question is whether it is 1486 01:21:06,600 --> 01:21:12,280 Speaker 1: worth Democrats courting Musk again or not? And I think, 1487 01:21:12,320 --> 01:21:16,840 Speaker 1: my I just look, I think the issue with Elon 1488 01:21:16,920 --> 01:21:20,000 Speaker 1: Musk is, is it turns out. You know, I don't 1489 01:21:20,000 --> 01:21:22,120 Speaker 1: think Thomas Edison would have made a good president. I 1490 01:21:22,160 --> 01:21:24,200 Speaker 1: know Alexander Graham Bell wouldn't have made a good president. 1491 01:21:24,280 --> 01:21:27,600 Speaker 1: These were the inventors. You know, Steve Jobs wouldn't have 1492 01:21:27,600 --> 01:21:30,519 Speaker 1: made a good president or a good politician. And Elon 1493 01:21:30,600 --> 01:21:34,040 Speaker 1: Musk is a terrible politician. You know, inventors are geniuses, 1494 01:21:34,439 --> 01:21:37,599 Speaker 1: and they're also got one track minds, and they're also 1495 01:21:37,680 --> 01:21:41,320 Speaker 1: sort of obsessive, compulsive type of folks, and that is 1496 01:21:41,360 --> 01:21:44,840 Speaker 1: not the temperament you want in a politician. And I 1497 01:21:44,920 --> 01:21:48,240 Speaker 1: just think that, I think it's erratic behavior. I think 1498 01:21:48,400 --> 01:21:51,680 Speaker 1: Musk is to be respected, to be courted, and to 1499 01:21:51,800 --> 01:21:57,360 Speaker 1: be you know, treated just professionally. But I think we've 1500 01:21:57,360 --> 01:22:03,080 Speaker 1: got to be careful concentrating too much power into wealthy hands, 1501 01:22:03,160 --> 01:22:10,439 Speaker 1: especially someone who may have the ability to control most 1502 01:22:10,439 --> 01:22:13,439 Speaker 1: of the satellites that we need to operate our day 1503 01:22:13,479 --> 01:22:16,640 Speaker 1: to day lives. And I think that's a dangerous to 1504 01:22:16,640 --> 01:22:19,200 Speaker 1: concentrate that much power. Look, I go back to something 1505 01:22:19,240 --> 01:22:21,320 Speaker 1: I said the other day the concentration of power in 1506 01:22:21,320 --> 01:22:24,880 Speaker 1: any one person or one entity is something that we 1507 01:22:24,960 --> 01:22:28,519 Speaker 1: should as a country always be skeptical of. So anyway, 1508 01:22:28,520 --> 01:22:29,840 Speaker 1: I thought you were going to go down that road. 1509 01:22:30,520 --> 01:22:33,240 Speaker 1: The second question I got this comes from actually a 1510 01:22:33,280 --> 01:22:37,720 Speaker 1: live human being that stopped me earlier today, and the 1511 01:22:37,840 --> 01:22:43,320 Speaker 1: question was, what if Donald Trump did convince the Republican 1512 01:22:43,360 --> 01:22:49,880 Speaker 1: Party to raise taxes on billionaires in his big beautiful bill? 1513 01:22:50,000 --> 01:22:50,880 Speaker 2: What would that do? 1514 01:22:51,000 --> 01:22:54,400 Speaker 1: How would the Democrats deal with that? And I'll tell you, 1515 01:22:54,680 --> 01:22:59,120 Speaker 1: I think it was an interesting question because you know, 1516 01:23:00,600 --> 01:23:03,719 Speaker 1: you want to talk about paralyzing the Democratic Party on messaging. 1517 01:23:04,680 --> 01:23:09,320 Speaker 1: Imagine if Donald Trump's Republican Party was able to pass 1518 01:23:10,080 --> 01:23:13,879 Speaker 1: a big beautiful bill that gave no taxes on tips 1519 01:23:15,680 --> 01:23:21,000 Speaker 1: in exchange for raising taxes on anybody that earns five 1520 01:23:21,040 --> 01:23:24,559 Speaker 1: million dollars or more, and essentially it was that was 1521 01:23:24,600 --> 01:23:28,320 Speaker 1: how they paid for it. You would take one of 1522 01:23:28,360 --> 01:23:32,880 Speaker 1: the strongest Democratic, populous talking points that they've had for 1523 01:23:33,560 --> 01:23:37,240 Speaker 1: my entire life, taxing the rich, and you would take 1524 01:23:37,320 --> 01:23:41,360 Speaker 1: that away and put the Party in an awkward position. Now, 1525 01:23:41,400 --> 01:23:44,040 Speaker 1: the fact that Trump chickened out right, the fact that 1526 01:23:44,080 --> 01:23:47,839 Speaker 1: he tacoed that this is a Steve Bannon he's obsessed 1527 01:23:47,880 --> 01:23:50,400 Speaker 1: with this idea, and it look it would be I 1528 01:23:50,439 --> 01:23:56,759 Speaker 1: think it would be amazing, fascinating realignment politics. The fact 1529 01:23:56,800 --> 01:23:59,439 Speaker 1: that Trump chickened out, I think was just simply a 1530 01:23:59,520 --> 01:24:03,160 Speaker 1: vote count. Right. The reason he can't do it is 1531 01:24:03,200 --> 01:24:06,559 Speaker 1: he can't. You can't pass a bill on partisan lines 1532 01:24:06,640 --> 01:24:09,559 Speaker 1: with this version of the Republican Party because too many 1533 01:24:09,600 --> 01:24:13,360 Speaker 1: members of the Republican Party in Congress came from the 1534 01:24:13,360 --> 01:24:15,280 Speaker 1: There is no such thing as a good tax hike. 1535 01:24:15,960 --> 01:24:18,320 Speaker 1: Not you know, as my friend Brad Todd, who's a 1536 01:24:18,320 --> 01:24:22,160 Speaker 1: longtime Republican consultant pretty much has I think a third 1537 01:24:22,160 --> 01:24:24,320 Speaker 1: of the US Senate on his client list, has said, 1538 01:24:24,320 --> 01:24:27,439 Speaker 1: he said Republicans were put on. 1539 01:24:27,360 --> 01:24:28,479 Speaker 2: Earth to cut taxes. 1540 01:24:28,600 --> 01:24:31,840 Speaker 1: Right. That's the philosophy he was raised with, and that's 1541 01:24:31,880 --> 01:24:35,639 Speaker 1: the philosophy that he preaches certainly to his clients, and. 1542 01:24:35,600 --> 01:24:37,240 Speaker 2: He never would recommend any other way. 1543 01:24:38,240 --> 01:24:41,320 Speaker 1: There's a lot of Republicans who that's just something they 1544 01:24:41,360 --> 01:24:46,240 Speaker 1: believe through and through. So the only way that Donald 1545 01:24:46,280 --> 01:24:48,360 Speaker 1: Trump could get something like that pass is he'd have 1546 01:24:48,400 --> 01:24:51,200 Speaker 1: to work with Democrats, and since they chose not to 1547 01:24:51,240 --> 01:24:53,400 Speaker 1: work with Democrats, Democrats aren't going to work with him 1548 01:24:53,439 --> 01:24:57,240 Speaker 1: on this so it's why he can't do it, But 1549 01:24:57,800 --> 01:25:01,320 Speaker 1: the politics of him doing it if he tried, and 1550 01:25:01,400 --> 01:25:03,800 Speaker 1: even if he tried and failed and Republicans were the 1551 01:25:03,800 --> 01:25:07,120 Speaker 1: ones that stopped him, Boy, would that insulate Trump in 1552 01:25:07,120 --> 01:25:11,160 Speaker 1: a way that I don't think we fully appreciate. You know, 1553 01:25:11,240 --> 01:25:14,559 Speaker 1: this gets it to sort of the basically my one 1554 01:25:14,600 --> 01:25:17,280 Speaker 1: of You know, if you if you took all of 1555 01:25:17,280 --> 01:25:19,719 Speaker 1: the critiques I've had of Donald Trump over the last 1556 01:25:19,720 --> 01:25:23,480 Speaker 1: two months on this podcast, it has one common denominator. 1557 01:25:25,320 --> 01:25:30,080 Speaker 1: I've never critiqued his instinct on what he thinks, what 1558 01:25:30,240 --> 01:25:32,720 Speaker 1: issues to bring up, and how to try to deal 1559 01:25:32,800 --> 01:25:35,479 Speaker 1: with them, right, whether it's immigration or taxes, et cetera. 1560 01:25:37,000 --> 01:25:39,920 Speaker 1: What he's terrible at is the execution, right He's never 1561 01:25:40,240 --> 01:25:42,759 Speaker 1: I mean this is you know, a casino in Atlantic 1562 01:25:42,800 --> 01:25:45,920 Speaker 1: City was a good idea. Three casinos were no competition. 1563 01:25:46,160 --> 01:25:47,920 Speaker 1: Trying to own them all was a bad idea. Right. 1564 01:25:48,400 --> 01:25:51,760 Speaker 1: He is not a good executor of ideas. He may 1565 01:25:52,520 --> 01:25:55,720 Speaker 1: he may stumble upon a good message, or he may 1566 01:25:56,240 --> 01:26:01,200 Speaker 1: instinctively know how to talk to a a room full 1567 01:26:01,240 --> 01:26:06,840 Speaker 1: of union guys, but his inability to implement anything with 1568 01:26:06,960 --> 01:26:10,640 Speaker 1: any sort of sophistication, you know, even look at what 1569 01:26:10,800 --> 01:26:13,720 Speaker 1: he's doing on the border, right, you know, one of 1570 01:26:13,760 --> 01:26:16,600 Speaker 1: the reasons why they look. On one hand, they successfully 1571 01:26:16,600 --> 01:26:18,679 Speaker 1: were able to sort of clamp down on the border 1572 01:26:18,720 --> 01:26:21,240 Speaker 1: because Biden did a bunch of the dirty work for 1573 01:26:21,320 --> 01:26:24,160 Speaker 1: him in the last six months. But now they don't 1574 01:26:24,240 --> 01:26:26,280 Speaker 1: like that they don't have the numbers they want. They 1575 01:26:26,280 --> 01:26:28,920 Speaker 1: want to hit a certain amount of deportations every day 1576 01:26:29,640 --> 01:26:33,120 Speaker 1: for some sort of scoreboard reasons. So they've done a 1577 01:26:33,160 --> 01:26:36,160 Speaker 1: few things, right, So that's why they're they're aggressively trying 1578 01:26:36,200 --> 01:26:41,160 Speaker 1: these ice raids to get folks who are undocumented but 1579 01:26:41,920 --> 01:26:43,680 Speaker 1: don't have a criminal record, but they want to get 1580 01:26:43,720 --> 01:26:47,000 Speaker 1: them out. They've taken away temporary protected status from certain 1581 01:26:47,000 --> 01:26:52,880 Speaker 1: groups like Venezuelan's and Nicaraguans and Afghani's simply so that 1582 01:26:52,920 --> 01:26:57,000 Speaker 1: they have a larger pool of people to deport. And 1583 01:26:57,080 --> 01:27:01,400 Speaker 1: so it is sort of pretty I know it sounds 1584 01:27:01,439 --> 01:27:03,559 Speaker 1: cynical of me saying that's what they're doing, but that's 1585 01:27:03,600 --> 01:27:06,000 Speaker 1: what they're doing. So I think the cynic here is 1586 01:27:06,439 --> 01:27:11,960 Speaker 1: inside the Oval office, and it is it is. Again, 1587 01:27:12,479 --> 01:27:15,680 Speaker 1: they're doing a poor job of implementing an idea that 1588 01:27:15,720 --> 01:27:19,760 Speaker 1: the public generally approves of deporting those who aren't here 1589 01:27:19,800 --> 01:27:22,720 Speaker 1: that public generally approves of. But how they've done it. 1590 01:27:22,760 --> 01:27:26,200 Speaker 1: The public doesn't like right, they do like due process, 1591 01:27:26,280 --> 01:27:29,559 Speaker 1: they don't like snatching people off the street with masked men. 1592 01:27:30,320 --> 01:27:34,760 Speaker 1: So how he implements these things, bringing manufacturing back to 1593 01:27:34,800 --> 01:27:37,759 Speaker 1: America and using tariffs as a tool to do it, sure, 1594 01:27:38,360 --> 01:27:40,599 Speaker 1: doing it as willy nilly as he's done it. He's 1595 01:27:40,640 --> 01:27:43,960 Speaker 1: allowed China to eat our lunch. I mean, my goodness, 1596 01:27:44,880 --> 01:27:49,000 Speaker 1: how China has outmaneuvered Trump every step of the way 1597 01:27:49,080 --> 01:27:53,640 Speaker 1: on this trade deal. It is. It should be humiliating, 1598 01:27:55,200 --> 01:27:57,719 Speaker 1: and you know, but but Donald Trump. One thing Donald 1599 01:27:57,760 --> 01:28:00,320 Speaker 1: Trump does pretty well is never admit a mistake and 1600 01:28:00,360 --> 01:28:03,719 Speaker 1: never admit he's losing. But my goodness, if the Chinese 1601 01:28:03,920 --> 01:28:08,759 Speaker 1: really just eaten our lunch on this deal. Every whatever 1602 01:28:08,880 --> 01:28:14,160 Speaker 1: leverage Trump had, he's handed gotten rid of left and right, 1603 01:28:14,240 --> 01:28:19,599 Speaker 1: but particularly with the Chinese. So here he is with 1604 01:28:19,640 --> 01:28:24,000 Speaker 1: a with a fascinating idea, probably borrowed from Bannon, to 1605 01:28:24,160 --> 01:28:26,719 Speaker 1: raise taxes on the uber rich in order to pay 1606 01:28:26,800 --> 01:28:30,320 Speaker 1: for uh. No taxes on tips or no taxes on 1607 01:28:30,320 --> 01:28:33,639 Speaker 1: social security, So essentially tax the rich who aren't voting 1608 01:28:33,680 --> 01:28:37,720 Speaker 1: for him these days, and give the benefits to his 1609 01:28:37,760 --> 01:28:42,040 Speaker 1: working class supporters. You know, that's chicken in every pot. 1610 01:28:42,160 --> 01:28:47,240 Speaker 1: That's populist politics. That's how you practice populism. He preaches 1611 01:28:47,280 --> 01:28:53,360 Speaker 1: populism really well, he practices populism really poorly. All right 1612 01:28:53,960 --> 01:28:57,960 Speaker 1: with that, I'm really I'm leaving you here on a Thursday, 1613 01:28:59,760 --> 01:29:03,920 Speaker 1: a little nervous about these protests this weekend and how 1614 01:29:04,240 --> 01:29:06,920 Speaker 1: this administration is going to react to him. He has 1615 01:29:07,040 --> 01:29:10,080 Speaker 1: been sort of like waving a red flag in front 1616 01:29:10,120 --> 01:29:12,840 Speaker 1: of a bull by threatening protesters if they come and 1617 01:29:12,880 --> 01:29:16,880 Speaker 1: protest his birthday party, celebration or anything like that, and 1618 01:29:16,960 --> 01:29:19,400 Speaker 1: I think he is I think it's waving a red 1619 01:29:19,400 --> 01:29:22,120 Speaker 1: flag in front of a bull. I hope I'm wrong, 1620 01:29:22,600 --> 01:29:26,040 Speaker 1: because I don't think you know, we don't need the 1621 01:29:26,040 --> 01:29:34,600 Speaker 1: country falling into civil unrest. But I am concerned that 1622 01:29:34,640 --> 01:29:38,559 Speaker 1: this president has created the conditions where that is. That 1623 01:29:38,640 --> 01:29:41,840 Speaker 1: possibility is much higher today than it was. 1624 01:29:41,840 --> 01:29:42,400 Speaker 2: A week ago. 1625 01:29:43,040 --> 01:29:46,599 Speaker 1: So with that, I hope you have a happy Father's Day, 1626 01:29:48,439 --> 01:29:52,880 Speaker 1: and I hope you still have time. Don't forget, and 1627 01:29:52,920 --> 01:29:57,719 Speaker 1: the best Father's Day gifts are not ties or anything 1628 01:29:57,800 --> 01:30:05,160 Speaker 1: like that. It's time, especially you young adult children with 1629 01:30:05,720 --> 01:30:10,519 Speaker 1: middle aged and older fathers, just having some time that 1630 01:30:10,520 --> 01:30:13,960 Speaker 1: that's the best gift of all. So with that, I 1631 01:30:14,040 --> 01:30:19,160 Speaker 1: will talk to you hopefully on Monday, if not before then, 1632 01:30:19,560 --> 01:30:21,559 Speaker 1: and until then until we upload again. 1633 01:30:22,040 --> 01:30:26,120 Speaker 3: M M.