1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,279 Speaker 1: Welcome. It is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson 2 00:00:04,320 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: with you and Senator this is the last podcast we 3 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: are going to do in twenty twenty four. It has 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: been a year that has been filled with in insane stories, 5 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: an unbelievable election, and also today we found out about 6 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 1: the passing of a former president of the United States 7 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:22,239 Speaker 1: of America, Jimmy Carter. 8 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 2: Well, that's right, and so we're going to reflect today 9 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 2: on the passing of Jimmy Carter. We're also going to 10 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 2: talk about at just an extraordinary article in the Washington 11 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 2: Post that was an attempt to whitewash all four years 12 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,560 Speaker 2: of Joe Biden's presidency. It may be the single most 13 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 2: dishonest journalistic piece I've seen, and also the most screamingly 14 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 2: funny pretense at journalism I've seen in years. We're gonna 15 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 2: talk about that in depth. All that coming up. 16 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, it truly is amazing to see what the media 17 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: will cover now that there's no consequences to doing the 18 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: stories on Joe Biden the way they should have long 19 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: before now. But let's move back to what we mentioned 20 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: a moment ago, and that is the life and legacy 21 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: of Jimmy Carter. He was a thirty ninth president of 22 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 1: the United States of America. He made it to the 23 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:16,039 Speaker 1: incredible age of one hundred. That is how old he 24 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: is the day he passed. And I tell you, Jimmy Carter, 25 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: it's an interesting legacy because he was one of the 26 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 1: most unpopular presidents when he left office and certainly in 27 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,959 Speaker 1: modern political history. But his legacy that he left behind 28 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: is actually incredible. It's extraordinary what he did after leaving 29 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: the White House. 30 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 3: Well. 31 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 2: James Earl Carter Junior was born on October first, nineteen 32 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 2: twenty four. He was born in Plains, Georgia, and he 33 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: lived one hundred years. He died on December twenty ninth, 34 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 2: twenty twenty four. He was age one hundred. He was 35 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 2: the oldest former president to have ever lived. No president 36 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 2: lived to one hundred other than him. And he also 37 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 2: has an interesting statistic and Rosalind Carter where the president 38 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 2: and first lady who were married the longest. They got 39 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 2: married in the year nineteen forty six and she died 40 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty three. She died last year, so they 41 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 2: were married seventy seven years. That's the longest any president, 42 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 2: first lady, I've ever been married. And you know, I 43 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: got to say, in talking about Jimmy Carter, there's a 44 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 2: lot that I certainly want to honor. I want to 45 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 2: honor his military service. He is a graduate of the 46 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 2: United States Naval Academy. He was in the Navy. He 47 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 2: was active duty from nineteen forty six to nineteen fifty three. 48 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 2: He was in the reserves from nineteen fifty three to 49 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 2: nineteen sixty one. He was a sub mariner. He was 50 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 2: one of the very first sub mariners, and he had 51 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 2: honorable service. And then he returned to Georgia and became 52 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 2: a peanut farmer, joined the family's family farm, and ended 53 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 2: up going into politics and running for state Senate, running 54 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 2: for governor, and then running a a scrappy grassroots campaign 55 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 2: and really shocking the world as an unknown Southern governor, 56 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:11,240 Speaker 2: getting the Democrat nomination for president in nineteen seventy six 57 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 2: and being elected president. And you know, I will say, 58 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 2: look at it, it is no secret that I have 59 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 2: strong disagreements with Jimmy Carter's policy decisions and so but 60 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 2: and I've detailed those at length before. I'm not going 61 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,079 Speaker 2: to choose the moment of his passing to go into that, 62 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 2: I'm simply going to honor his life. He had honorable 63 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 2: service defending our nation. He had honorable service in public office. 64 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 2: And you know, I will say, look, I never met 65 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: Jimmy Carter. I did not know him personally, but he 66 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 2: always struck me as an honest, honorable man. Was he 67 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 2: was very open about his faith. He was a Southern Baptist. 68 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 2: He in nineteen seventy six. It was a bit of 69 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 2: a shocking thing nationally that he described himself as a 70 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 2: born again Christian, and that was a a a new 71 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: thing in politics. 72 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 3: And and he was. 73 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 2: He taught Sunday school right up almost to the moment 74 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 2: of his death, until his health finally prevented him from 75 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 2: doing so. You're right that that that his legacy after 76 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 2: the White House was remarkable, and he did a lot 77 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 2: of things, I think most notably with Habitat for Humanity. 78 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 2: He put enormous for decades. He was very focused on 79 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 2: building homes for those in need. 80 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 3: Uh. 81 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 2: And I will say he also did not as a 82 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 2: former president. He didn't go out and and and seek 83 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:41,359 Speaker 2: the limelight excessively. He wasn't a vocal critic of his 84 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 2: successors and and I think all of that, all of 85 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 2: that is is to be commended, even if even if 86 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,040 Speaker 2: the policy decisions he made are different than than than 87 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 2: those you and I might have chosen to make. I'll 88 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 2: tell you two interesting things. Number One, do you know 89 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: who else was worn on the very same day Jimmy 90 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 2: Carter was born on October first, nineteen twenty four. 91 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: Who I have no idea? 92 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 2: Well, we've talked about this before. I you know, I 93 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 2: give friends grief. Sometimes I'm like, don't you bother to 94 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 2: listen to the podcast? And I'm gonna ask you, ben, 95 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 2: don't you bother to listen or to our podcast? 96 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 3: And we've talked about that. 97 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: On the set up And this is the moment if 98 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: anyone's listening right now, if you want to know what 99 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: is set up from Center Cruz sounds like I get 100 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,839 Speaker 1: the experiences more than almost anyone else in the world. 101 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 1: This is a setup and this is how it always 102 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: plays out. So you've all been warned. This is that moment. 103 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 1: If you're a dinner with him, you know it's coming, 104 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: So go ahead. I cannot wait to hear this answer. 105 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 2: So Jimmy Carter was born on the very same day 106 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 2: that William Hubbs Renquist, the sixteenth Chief Justice of the 107 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 2: United States, was born. And as you know, Chief Justice 108 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 2: Renquist was was my former boss, and I knew him well. 109 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:59,160 Speaker 2: And he passed a long time ago, so I mean, 110 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 2: he did not live to a hundred And I wrote 111 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 2: a couple of different obituaries for Chief Justice Renquist when 112 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 2: he passed, and noted in one of the obituaries that 113 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 2: I wrote that he and Jimmy Carter were born on 114 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 2: the exact same day. And so that gives a sense 115 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:19,840 Speaker 2: of the length of time and service that Jimmy Carter served. 116 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 2: But I'll tell you secondly, so Jimmy Carter, interestingly is 117 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,679 Speaker 2: intimately connected to my very first political memory in life. 118 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 2: Really how so, so my first political memory, and in 119 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 2: nineteen seventy six is my mother voted for Jimmy Carter. 120 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 2: And my mother was a Republican, but she just thought 121 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:47,919 Speaker 2: Gerald Ford was an idiot. She did not like Ford. 122 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 2: She just thought he was not all that bright, and 123 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 2: she thought Carter seemed like a very nice man, and 124 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 2: so she voted for Carter. And what I remember, so 125 00:06:56,839 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 2: at the time, my dad, who you know, as you know, 126 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:01,479 Speaker 2: is from Cuba. He was a Canadian citizen at the time. 127 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 2: They'd moved to Canada and started a business in Canada, 128 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:06,280 Speaker 2: and so he was not a US citizen at the time. 129 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: And I remember my dad and my mom having an 130 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 2: argument in the living room because my father was horrified 131 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 2: that she had voted for Jimmy Carter, and and because 132 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 2: she was an American citizen and he was not at 133 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 2: the time. He is now, but he wasn't then. He 134 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 2: felt like she had the family vote, and so he 135 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 2: was really I just remember them fighting back and forth. 136 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 2: My mother came to regret that particular vote, But my 137 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 2: first awareness that politics existed was wondering why my father 138 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 2: was so upset that that that my mother had voted 139 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 2: for Jimmy Carter. 140 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 1: That's really interesting. My first interaction with Jimmy Jimmy Carter 141 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: was actually, of all things, you laugh because if you 142 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 1: if you've ever met my sister, she's not exactly the 143 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: most political person. She's interested the school teacher, and she 144 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: kind of laughs at how different our lives are. But 145 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: she met a president of the units It's America before 146 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: I ever did, and it was Jimmy Carter at the 147 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: Memphis College of Art, where I think one of his 148 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 1: children or grandchildren, was at school. He had come down 149 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: for an event. She happened to be there and got 150 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: his autograph when she was like, I think seven or 151 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: eight years old. And so. 152 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 2: He was a nice man. 153 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: Oh set, he was so nice. He talked to her 154 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,640 Speaker 1: for a minute and chatted and they talked about Memphis 155 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: and asked what she was studying and was she doing art, 156 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: And so to this day she's always like, you know, 157 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: you may have met a lot of political people, but 158 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: I just went to remind you I met a president 159 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: long before you ever did, which is true because I 160 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: didn't meet a president for another I don't know, fifteen years. 161 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 2: Well, and look that that's consistent with it with everything 162 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,439 Speaker 2: I've ever heard, I've never heard of him being unpleasant 163 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 2: to anyone. 164 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 3: You know. 165 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 2: One of the things I saw on Twitter today was 166 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:55,599 Speaker 2: videos of him coming on to a commercial flight on 167 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 2: Delta and just stopping and shaking hands with everyone in 168 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 2: the seats going through, which seems very consistent with everything 169 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 2: about his character that I knew about. You know, Donald 170 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:12,839 Speaker 2: Trump sent out a tweet that I thought was was 171 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 2: very well done. Here's what Trump wrote, quote, I just 172 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 2: heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. 173 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 2: Those of us who have been fortunate to have served 174 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 2: as president understand that this is a very exclusive club, 175 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 2: and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of 176 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 2: leading the greatest nation in history. The challenges Jimmy faced 177 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 2: as president came at a pivotal time for our country, 178 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 2: and he did everything in his power to improve the 179 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 2: lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him 180 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 2: a debt of gratitude. Milanie and I are thinking warmly 181 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 2: of the Carter family and their loved ones during this 182 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 2: difficult time. We urge everyone to keep them in their 183 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,679 Speaker 2: hearts and prayers. And I got to say what I 184 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 2: like about that statement, in particular, is the second paragraph. 185 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 2: The challenges Jimmy faced as president came at a pivotal 186 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:05,439 Speaker 2: time for our country, unquestionably true. And he did everything 187 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 2: in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. 188 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,840 Speaker 2: And I think that's a very nice way to compliment him, 189 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:13,960 Speaker 2: because I think he did believe he was improving the 190 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 2: lives of all Americans. Now, Trump did not say his 191 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 2: policy succeeded in that, but he was earnest in his 192 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 2: desire and effort, And I thought that was a nice 193 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 2: way for Trump to compliment it. 194 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, it really is, and I will say is divided 195 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: as politics has been. It is cool to see a 196 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 1: former president put politics aside in many ways later in 197 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: his career and his legacy and work with building homes 198 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: and bringing people together in that way. I know several 199 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:45,559 Speaker 1: people that had the opportunity to help build a home 200 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: with him, Habitat for Humanity many different places around the country, 201 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 1: and it really is cool to see that legacy. So 202 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 1: our thoughts and our prayers are with the family, obviously 203 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: of Jimmy Carter. And any time you have a president 204 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 1: of the United States of America passed way, it's always important. 205 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 1: I think we just take a moment pause and say, 206 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: job well done. I mean, to live one hundred years 207 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,680 Speaker 1: is incredible. To be a president of the United States 208 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: of America, the thirty ninth president, incredible, and to do 209 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,319 Speaker 1: what he did after he left the White House really remaking. 210 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: I think how people would remember him, because they don't 211 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: really remember the political stuff in the seventies and what 212 00:11:22,000 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: brought us Ron Reagan. They remember I think that he 213 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: built a lot of To be. 214 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 2: Clear, Skippy, you weren't alive then so so you definitely 215 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:30,520 Speaker 2: don't remember it eighty one. 216 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 1: I'm mean eighty one, but my, oh my, did I 217 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 1: hear the stories? I heard the stories. All right, let's get. 218 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 2: Well, well, the Reagan Revolution doesn't doesn't make sense without 219 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,680 Speaker 2: the car to predicate. But but that's that's another story 220 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 2: for another day. So let's move to the Washington Post. 221 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 2: And I'm going to do something unusual on this podcast. 222 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,719 Speaker 2: So I read this article and my head exploded, and 223 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 2: I texted you and said, this is the most absurd 224 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 2: self set arising article I've ever seen. So I just 225 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 2: want to go through it literally, line by line. This 226 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 2: is a major story in the Washington Post banner headline 227 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 2: on Drudge and it is entitled We're just going to 228 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 2: go through sentence by sentence. It's entitled how Biden leads 229 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 2: Joe Biden's lonely battle to sell his vision of American democracy. 230 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 2: In his presidency's final chapter, Biden has mused about whether 231 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 2: he should have handled some decisions differently. And the guy 232 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 2: who wrote this is a guy named Tyler Pager. We're 233 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 2: going to come back to him later. So let's start earlier. 234 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 2: This year, Representative James E. Clyburn met President Joe Biden 235 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 2: at the White House to deliver a stern message Biden 236 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 2: had to find a way to revitalize his flagging campaign. 237 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 2: Clyburn who had been pivotal to Biden's twenty twenty victory, 238 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 2: also made a confession about his own long standing belief 239 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 2: that substance is more important than style and politics. 240 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 3: Quote. 241 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 2: I've come to the conclusion in recent days that I'm 242 00:12:55,760 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 2: wrong about that, the South Carolina Democrat eighty four remembers, 243 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 2: telling Biden the new environment that we currently live in, 244 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 2: style seems to carry the day more than substance. Your style, 245 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 2: he told the President, does not lend itself well to 246 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:13,839 Speaker 2: the environment we're currently in. Clyburne's conclusion, which was shared 247 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 2: by anxious Democrats in the months before the president ended 248 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:21,199 Speaker 2: his reelection bid, undermined brought Biden's theory of presidential leadership. 249 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 2: After Donald Trump's assent, Biden believed that he just needed 250 00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 2: to show Americans that traditional democracy still worked by listening, 251 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 2: but two experts working with Republicans passing popular policies, and 252 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:40,280 Speaker 2: voters would rally around him. Right, let's stop there. Okay, 253 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 2: so so far every word of this article, if this 254 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 2: was written by the Biden Press office, it would not 255 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,720 Speaker 2: be any different. And this entire article is hagiography. This 256 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 2: entire article is not journalism. It is not only trying 257 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:59,080 Speaker 2: to praise breathlessly as we're going to go through Joe 258 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 2: Biden and cas tim as a mighty titan, but it 259 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 2: is profoundly dishonest. So it starts with the frame that 260 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 2: Biden's great success is on substance, not style. And the 261 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 2: obvious implication of which we're going to get more is 262 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 2: that all Trump has his style. There's no substance. That's 263 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 2: the obvious implication. Let's take this last sentence after Donald 264 00:14:21,640 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 2: Trump's assent, Biden believed he just needed to show Americans 265 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 2: that traditional democracy still worked. 266 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 3: We're going to get more into democracy a second. 267 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 2: By listening to experts, working with Republicans and passing popular policies. 268 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 2: All right, what experts did he listen to? He did 269 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 2: not work with Republicans. Every damned thing he passed he 270 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 2: rammed through on a vicious party line vote. He used 271 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 2: budget reconciliation over and over again with no Republicans and 272 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 2: passing popular policies. Nobody helped Donald Trump get elected more 273 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 2: than Joseph Robinette Biden Junior, because his policies were so 274 00:14:58,560 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 2: incredibly unpopular. 275 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 3: All right, let's keep going back to the article. 276 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 2: Quote he succeeded in phase one of his plan? Did 277 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 2: he now enacting legislation, much of it bipartisan, to reshape 278 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 2: the nation's infrastructure, revive the semiconductor industry, and fight climate change. 279 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 2: Let's be clear the climate change. The Inflation Reduction Act 280 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 2: was a straight party line vote rammed through in reconciliation. 281 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 2: But phase two never happened. The truth of Biden's presidency 282 00:15:29,560 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 2: is that he has failed in what, by his own count, 283 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 2: his most important mission, making Trump's presidency seem like an aberration. 284 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 2: Quote he governed through traditional processes and institutions, said Julians E. Zellezer, 285 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 2: a moron presidential historian at Princeton University. It doesn't say moron, 286 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 2: but you're going to see that everything this guy says. 287 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 2: I know he's sadly a professor at my alma mater. 288 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 2: He's a complete moron. Let's start with the traditional processes 289 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 2: and institutions. There's nothing traditional about weaponizing the federal government 290 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:08,479 Speaker 2: to go after your opponents. There's nothing traditional about prosecuting 291 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:12,000 Speaker 2: and indicting the former president over and over and over again. 292 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 2: There's nothing traditional and using the institutions about opening the 293 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 2: border and having an invasion of our country. But here 294 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 2: the good Princeton professor quote, it didn't change the picture 295 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 2: where he started this anger in the electorate towards institution. 296 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 2: This support for a pretty radical conservative vision that Trump embodied, 297 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 2: it didn't do anything to end the very intense polarization 298 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 2: that exists in this country. 299 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 3: Now. 300 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 2: The idea that Trump is a radical conservative is a 301 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 2: bizarre idea. Trump ran on securing the border, bringing down inflation, 302 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 2: standing with our friends, and defeating our enemies. That is 303 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 2: that is very hard to characterize as a quote radical 304 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 2: conservative vision. But hey, the Princeton professor says it, and 305 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 2: the Washington Post breathlessly sports it. We're gonna go on, 306 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 2: but give me your thoughts so far, then we'll go 307 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 2: back to the article. 308 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: I'm not surprised that this is how they want to 309 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 1: just rewrite history part of this and just be be 310 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: so delusional. I am a little bit. 311 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 3: It gets worse. 312 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: I'm a little bit shocked though. If they like you 313 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:22,439 Speaker 1: know how you're supposed to like proofread before you print. 314 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 1: If you're reading what you just wrote. That you just read. 315 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: I would think there would be a moment where you 316 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 1: might be like, I don't know if this needs to 317 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 1: see the light of day. Yet here it is. They 318 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:34,359 Speaker 1: put it out there. 319 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:37,679 Speaker 2: All right, Let's keep going because it gets much much worse. 320 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 2: Previous articles in this series examine the pillars. Oh, they're 321 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 2: so strong. The pillars, the pillars of Biden's leadership, how 322 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 2: he absorbs information, how he makes decisions, how he communicates 323 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 2: with Americans. 324 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 3: They showed that Biden. 325 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 2: Even at the peak of his glorious magnificent power, doesn't 326 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 2: say glorious magnificent, but it's just implied, struggled mightily to 327 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 2: communicated his decisions and vision. This article, based on interviews 328 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:06,200 Speaker 2: with more than two thousand people close to Biden, reveals 329 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 2: the ways in which his theory of how to succeed 330 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 2: in an era of American politics dominated by Trump fell 331 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,000 Speaker 2: apart in the final phase of his presidency, and how 332 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 2: he's been publicly and privately rethinking whether he should have 333 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 2: handled some decisions differently even some of his closest advisers 334 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 2: without faulting. Biden conceded recently that his style of governing 335 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 2: did not always mesh with today's politics. Quote, the president 336 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:35,199 Speaker 2: has been operating on a time horizon measured in decades, 337 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 2: while the political cycle is measured in four years. Jake Sullivan, 338 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 2: Biden's national security advisor, said, with his lips planted firmly 339 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 2: on Biden's rear end. That last piece was my com Like, 340 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 2: I want to go back in and listen to that 341 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 2: sentence again. The president has been operating on a time 342 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 2: horizon measured in decades, while the political cycle is made 343 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 2: in four years. 344 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 3: Now. 345 00:19:02,840 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 2: Look, kudos to the Biden White House for just having 346 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 2: the hutzpah to say, oh, Biden's presidency would be hysteric, 347 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 2: and you know, you really have to measure decades. Twelve 348 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,120 Speaker 2: million people invading this country. Four years is too short 349 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 2: to measure it. We're going to screw up this country 350 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 2: for decades, you know, undermining our allies, causing two wars, 351 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 2: a war in Ukraine and a war in Gaza. Like, 352 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 2: you're right, the the harm from Biden will last decades. 353 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 2: But that's their entire spin. Well, yes, everything Biden did 354 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 2: was profoundly unpopular because all of his policies failed, but 355 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 2: he's really playing the long game. You foolish people don't 356 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 2: understand this. This this misery. 357 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 3: Is good for you. All right, Let's let's keep going. 358 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:56,440 Speaker 2: Sullivan added that Biden's accomplishments, by their nature, will take 359 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,840 Speaker 2: a long time to bear fruit. Quote how to govern 360 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:02,720 Speaker 2: it this moment to set the US up for long 361 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:05,520 Speaker 2: term success has one answer, and how to deal with 362 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 2: midterm and presidential elections in the very short term might 363 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 2: have a different answer. He said, the president went with 364 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 2: doing things that really put America in a strong position. Ben, 365 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 2: what the hell have they done to put America in 366 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 2: a strong position in every. 367 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 3: Part of the world. 368 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 2: America is weaker today than when Joe Biden entered the 369 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 2: White House. Like, this is absurd. And I got to say, 370 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 2: the absurd thing We're gonna go back to this in 371 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 2: a minute, is the Washington Post just publishes this drivel 372 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 2: like its news. That there's not a moment of reflection, 373 00:20:42,840 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 2: there's not a moment of facts, that there's not a 374 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 2: moment of reality, And it's I mean, how do you 375 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:57,440 Speaker 2: react to that that, oh, he's playing the long game. 376 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:02,199 Speaker 1: Yeah. I think there's two things here. One, there's a 377 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 1: part of me that's like I can't believe it, And 378 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,199 Speaker 1: then there's another part of me it's like good, because 379 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:10,960 Speaker 1: if you don't learn from your losses, then you're going 380 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: to repeat the same mistakes that you just made. And 381 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:17,119 Speaker 1: I think the Democratic Party learned nothing from November. Nothing 382 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:20,119 Speaker 1: from losing the popular vote, nothing from the resurrection of 383 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 1: Donald Trump, from from two thy to twenty twenty four, 384 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 1: nothing from weaponizing the government, nothing from overspinning and no accountability, 385 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: and honestly nothing, They've learned nothing from having a president 386 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,920 Speaker 1: that quickly was incapacitated. So part of me is like good, Yeah, 387 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 1: keep writing these types of articles because it's gonna help 388 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,440 Speaker 1: conservatives like you and I be able to be way 389 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: more successful in getting this country back on track. 390 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 2: Well, the Ben the Post just reported that he absorbed 391 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:53,200 Speaker 2: information like you know, some some sort of nobel you know, scientists, 392 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 2: Like just all right, let's let's go back. As his 393 00:21:57,119 --> 00:22:01,160 Speaker 2: presidency and his fifty year political career down far faster 394 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 2: than he wanted, Biden's taken to acknowledging some strategic mistakes, 395 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 2: both big and small. Many of those missteps resulted from 396 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:11,199 Speaker 2: his determination to restore the age old rules of the 397 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:15,639 Speaker 2: American presidency after Trump's term, a determination that many of 398 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 2: his supporters in retrospect consider a politically fatal error. All right, 399 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 2: so what are the age old rules of the American 400 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 2: presidency that he returned to earlier this month in a 401 00:22:26,400 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 2: speech on his economic legacy, Biden admitted he was stupid 402 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 2: for not putting his own name on the pandemic relief 403 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 2: checks his administration sent out in twenty twenty one. Yeah, 404 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:40,480 Speaker 2: that really was the problem. He just didn't sign the checks. Clearly, 405 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 2: Kamala would have won if Biden had just signed those checks. 406 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 2: That that was the pivotal issue. 407 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 3: Damn it. 408 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,640 Speaker 2: I didn't see Joe Biden's name on those checks, so 409 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:53,360 Speaker 2: forget it. But hey, Trump, by contrast, made a point 410 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:55,439 Speaker 2: of signing his own relief checks in twenty twenty, and 411 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,440 Speaker 2: Biden suggested that Trump got more credit for the economic 412 00:22:58,480 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 2: recovery because of it. 413 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 3: Balderdawn. 414 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:04,199 Speaker 2: Biden acknowledged that he had quote screwed up. It is 415 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 2: June twenty seventh debate against Trump. You think as he 416 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 2: struggled to put together sentences and defend his policies as 417 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:14,639 Speaker 2: his rivals held forth with a series of falsehoods. Evil 418 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 2: liar who I hate named Donald Trump. That is not 419 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 2: there it's just implied and called him a criminal. He 420 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 2: does not regret participating in the debate Justice performance that night. 421 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:28,679 Speaker 2: Now at this point, there's a breakout quote, and you 422 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 2: know what the breakout quote is. It's Jake Sullivan saying 423 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 2: the president is operating on a time horizon measured in decades, 424 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 2: while the political cycle is measured in four years. So 425 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 2: if you missed the central political spin from the White House, 426 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:43,360 Speaker 2: then well that's your problem. 427 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:44,720 Speaker 3: Let's keep going. 428 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 2: He is also mused on changes in the media, arguing 429 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 2: that he did not get enough credit for his accomplishments, 430 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 2: especially on the economy, but inciting examples like Richard M. 431 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:57,679 Speaker 2: Nixon's nineteen sixty debate against John F. Kennedy, Biden has 432 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,359 Speaker 2: suggested that, like Nixon, he has struggled to a to 433 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,360 Speaker 2: a new media landscape. We pick what news we want 434 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 2: to hear. It's a totally different deal, Biden said in 435 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 2: a podcast interview this month. 436 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 3: We've got to figure out how we deal with. 437 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 2: This significant technological change. If Nixon was more accustomed to television, 438 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 2: he wouldn't have perspired so much, and he would be president. 439 00:24:16,240 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 3: When he beat Kennedy. 440 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:19,439 Speaker 2: I know that sounds silly, but think of the changes 441 00:24:19,480 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 2: taking place. Where do you go what is true? We 442 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 2: have no evidence anymore. I'm not sure how that gets resolved. 443 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 2: The President and his aides have acknowledged that they struggled 444 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 2: to communicate. See, that's the whole problem. The record was phenomenal. 445 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:34,880 Speaker 2: They just failed to communicate it. Struggle to communicate about 446 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:38,119 Speaker 2: the administration's efforts to lift the country out of the pandemic. 447 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 2: Frustrated that even as the United States fared better than 448 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:45,680 Speaker 2: other countries, Americans did not feel the impact psychologically. You idiots, 449 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,119 Speaker 2: you're doing great. Why are you so dumb that you 450 00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:48,959 Speaker 2: don't realize it? 451 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,120 Speaker 3: And now here's all right? Now? 452 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,439 Speaker 2: Remember so so far, there's two main themes that the 453 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 2: Post has laid out. Number one, genius Biden is playing 454 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 2: for the history books for the decades rather than the 455 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 2: short term political cycles, so don't blame him for the 456 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 2: disasters of his policies. But number two, that he wanted 457 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 2: to restore the norms of the presidency and the norms 458 00:25:13,320 --> 00:25:15,160 Speaker 2: of democracy. 459 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 3: So this next paragraph is going to blow your mind. 460 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:23,680 Speaker 2: In private, Biden has also said he should have picked 461 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 2: someone other than Merrick Garland as Attorney General. Well, no, 462 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,400 Speaker 2: kidding he was the most partisan and political attorney general 463 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 2: in history, and to disgrace the Department of Justice. But no, no, no, no, no, 464 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 2: that's not Biden's complaint. Biden quote complaining about the Justice 465 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 2: Department's slowness under Garland in prosecuting Trump and its aggressiveness 466 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 2: in prosecuting Biden's son Hunter, according to people familiar with 467 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 2: his comments, so understand this great titan restoring the norms 468 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 2: of the White House. His DOJ is the first Department 469 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 2: of Justice to indict and prosecute a former president and 470 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 2: a leading candidate for president who later got elected president 471 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 2: in the history of our country. It's never been done. 472 00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:16,480 Speaker 2: Under Biden, they did it twice. They absolutely weaponized the 473 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:19,199 Speaker 2: DOJ to go after his opponents over and over and 474 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 2: over again. They weaponized the FBI. And his complaint is, 475 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:24,880 Speaker 2: damn it, they didn't do enough. They should have been 476 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,399 Speaker 2: more vigorous. They should have indicted him more. They should 477 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,439 Speaker 2: have indicted him faster. We should have we should have 478 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 2: attacked him from day one. I mean it is. And 479 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 2: by the way, everything I'm saying, there's not a word 480 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:40,720 Speaker 2: of that in this article that they don't acknowledge. No 481 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 2: other d DOJ has indicted a president. They just report 482 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:50,879 Speaker 2: like a blinking doe eyed four year old. Well, his 483 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 2: complaint was Biden didn't move fast enough. On the other thing, 484 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:58,959 Speaker 2: he was too aggressive in prosecuting Biden's son. Now, mind you, 485 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 2: the Biden doo jay went to a court and tried 486 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 2: to enter a sweetheart deal that Biden got a slap 487 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:08,159 Speaker 2: on the wrist in no jail time, and it was 488 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,880 Speaker 2: so egregious that the judge threw it out only after 489 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 2: public scrutiny, including this podcast, which shined a great deal 490 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 2: of light on it. But he still says that's too 491 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:21,000 Speaker 2: much to hold Hunter accountable. And by the way, the 492 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 2: DOJ also bent over backwards to protect Joe Biden. It 493 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:31,199 Speaker 2: that paragraph may be the most astonishing paragraph of this 494 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 2: entire article. 495 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 1: You look at this article and I think there's three 496 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:40,320 Speaker 1: different points that I want to dive into with you. One, 497 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 1: what was the real purpose of writing it? I'm still trying. 498 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: I mean, I get the whole rewriting of history, but 499 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:49,440 Speaker 1: it's so extreme that I don't even think that many 500 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:51,680 Speaker 1: on the left could take this seriously or am I wrong? 501 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:52,600 Speaker 1: So let's start with that. 502 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:58,359 Speaker 2: Well, I think they have the audacity to believe that 503 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:03,439 Speaker 2: they can, that they are, that the newspaper, the Washington Post, 504 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:07,399 Speaker 2: is the first draft of history. And as said that 505 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:12,400 Speaker 2: this is not journalism, that this is hagiography. The article continues, 506 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:14,200 Speaker 2: We've only done about the first third of it. I'm 507 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 2: not going to continue reading the. 508 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:16,320 Speaker 3: Rest of it. 509 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,520 Speaker 2: It goes on to say how Biden modeled himself after 510 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:22,879 Speaker 2: FDR and I am just going to skip skip to 511 00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 2: the end because the end is every bit as absurd 512 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 2: as the earlier parts we read. So here's the end 513 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 2: of the article. To show that he respects the peaceful 514 00:28:31,080 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 2: transfer of power. Biden is welcoming Trump, who openly challenged 515 00:28:36,640 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 2: that transition. Biden has repeatedly directed his aides to do 516 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 2: all they can to help Trump assume the presidency after 517 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 2: years of calling Trump unfit for high office. Now, mind you, 518 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 2: every day in the White House, Biden is doing everything 519 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 2: he can to frustrate Trump coming in. 520 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 3: So what is he doing? Number one? He pardoned Hunter. 521 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 2: Biden, which we predicted on this Post podcast, because he 522 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 2: does not want any accountability for the rampant lawlessness of 523 00:29:04,960 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 2: his son and the corruption of selling access to himself 524 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 2: Joe Biden. Number two he pardoned every single federal death 525 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:18,719 Speaker 2: row inmate except for the three most notorious. So of 526 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 2: the forty, he parted thirty seven of them. Again, we 527 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 2: predicted that it was absolutely brazen. Why because he knew 528 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:27,760 Speaker 2: Trump was going to actually carry out the law, and 529 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:28,480 Speaker 2: so he's trying. 530 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:28,880 Speaker 3: To frustrate that. 531 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:32,440 Speaker 2: Number three, he's selling off the border wall for five 532 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:35,720 Speaker 2: dollars a parcel because he doesn't want Trump to build 533 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:41,040 Speaker 2: the wall. Number four, he's grant considering granting wholesale pardons. 534 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 2: He is actively trying to do by the way. Number five, 535 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 2: Trump is that he wants federal workers to go back 536 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:52,320 Speaker 2: to work. So Biden is signing contracts collective bargaining contracts 537 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 2: to make sure the federal workers can stay home because 538 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 2: he wants to tie up the next administration on litigation. 539 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 2: So but here, here's what the Post said. Biden has 540 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 2: repeatedly directed his aides to do all they can to 541 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 2: help Trump assume the presidency. Like what utter and complete garbage. 542 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 2: And let me say something, Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post. 543 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 2: Jeff Bezos should be ashamed of this garbage. If Jeff 544 00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 2: Bezos cared at all about the integrity of the Washington Post. 545 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 2: This guy, Tyler Patron, I have no idea who this 546 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 2: numbskull is. He should be fired. He is not a 547 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 2: journalist anyone who writes this garbage that contains no facts, 548 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 2: It contains no counterbalancing, countervailing side. It is simply if 549 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 2: Madison Avenue were hired to come in and let's rewrite 550 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 2: the Biden presidency to be exactly what we wanted it, 551 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 2: they couldn't write it more ridiculous than this. And by 552 00:30:53,640 --> 00:30:56,240 Speaker 2: the way, the editor who signed off on this should 553 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 2: be fired as well. This is you want to know 554 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 2: why nobody trust the media, It's because they publish garbage 555 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 2: like this without even a tiny nod to facts or 556 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:18,640 Speaker 2: the simple reality that we just saw a overwhelming election 557 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,840 Speaker 2: where Trump won the popular vote of the seven battleground states, 558 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 2: who won all seven, Like someone at the Post should say, gosh, 559 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 2: maybe these incredibly popular policies that were so good for America, 560 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 2: Maybe people really didn't like it. Maybe waging a war 561 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:38,280 Speaker 2: on oil and gas and driving up energy prices was 562 00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 2: a really bad idea and hurt a lot of Americans. 563 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 2: Maybe undermining our allies, maybe giving Vladimir Putin a gift 564 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 2: of waiving sanctions on Nordstring two and causing the biggest 565 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 2: war in Europe since World War Two. Maybe that wasn't 566 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 2: a great idea. Maybe sending one hundred million dollars to 567 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 2: I Ran, who sends it to Hamas and Hansibala, who 568 00:31:57,720 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 2: uses it to fund a war on Israel, the worst 569 00:31:59,720 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 2: war on Middle East in fifty years. Maybe that wasn't 570 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:05,280 Speaker 2: a good idea. Maybe turning a blind eye and refusing 571 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 2: to prosecute anti Semitic terrorists all across their protesters terrorists 572 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 2: is too strong. But antisemitic protesters who threatened violence, Maybe 573 00:32:14,120 --> 00:32:19,400 Speaker 2: that is a profoundly bad idea. Maybe watching the integrity 574 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 2: half of America believes the FBI and the Department of 575 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:26,760 Speaker 2: Justice are completely unprincipled, because well they've been completely unprincipled. 576 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:33,600 Speaker 2: None of that that there isn't even the tiniest acknowledgment 577 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 2: of facts. This is the Washington Post behaving in a 578 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:42,120 Speaker 2: way that I think everyone connected with this article ought 579 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 2: to be thoroughly, thoroughly embarrassed. When your principle points are 580 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 2: we're aiming for fifty years, not four. So as bad 581 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:54,479 Speaker 2: as our policies are in fifty years, will claim they 582 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 2: were great, and Merrick Garland's problem was he wasn't political 583 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 2: enough and he should have indicted Trump even more, and 584 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:07,800 Speaker 2: he should have covered up Biden's wrongdoings even more. And 585 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 2: you don't acknowledge any like this is a load of 586 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 2: crap that ain't journalism. 587 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:19,280 Speaker 1: Final question on this, because there's two articles now in 588 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:23,920 Speaker 1: about what an eight day span. One of them was 589 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:26,040 Speaker 1: an article that was written a couple of days ago 590 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 1: encouraging Congress to stop Donald Trump and we mentioned on 591 00:33:29,200 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 1: the show from becoming president, and then now you have 592 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:39,000 Speaker 1: this one. Is there a chance that the media has 593 00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 1: just gotten so radical and is so far gone now 594 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 1: that they're actually just going to lose their influence over 595 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 1: the American people because this is no longer even looking 596 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,840 Speaker 1: like journalism, and this is just two examples of just 597 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: how insanely biased they are. Is that the blessing in 598 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:57,360 Speaker 1: disguise here? 599 00:33:58,560 --> 00:33:58,760 Speaker 3: Yeah? 600 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 2: I think there's no doubt that the reputation of journalism 601 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:05,480 Speaker 2: has gone down incredibly. You know, you see these these 602 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:10,160 Speaker 2: corporate journalists screaming about, you know, the American people are 603 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:13,680 Speaker 2: not journalists now. The fact Twitter or x has completely 604 00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 2: transformed it, where when they lie the facts come out immediately, 605 00:34:17,719 --> 00:34:21,759 Speaker 2: and and and it drives these these liars crazy. Look, 606 00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:26,239 Speaker 2: we've talked before about how Trump broke the media. This 607 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 2: is this is an incredible example. And and by the way, 608 00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:34,759 Speaker 2: look today in most corporate media outlets, there's going to 609 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:37,840 Speaker 2: be some ha giography of Jimmy Carter. You know what, 610 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:41,319 Speaker 2: I'm okay with that he lived till one hundred. It's 611 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:44,480 Speaker 2: the time of his pathing. I think you can be 612 00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 2: respectful to people when they pass Now, mind you, the 613 00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:53,000 Speaker 2: media never is to Republicans, but set that aside. It's 614 00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 2: one thing to do it when someone passes away. It's 615 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 2: another thing to do it when you they're just ignoring 616 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:08,279 Speaker 2: reality that the American people rejected the obvious and incredible 617 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:12,520 Speaker 2: failures of the Biden policies. And it's not even that 618 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:14,560 Speaker 2: they don't include it. Much of what they say in 619 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 2: the article is exactly the opposite of reality. So when 620 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:22,919 Speaker 2: you hold Joe Biden up as a paragon of returning 621 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:28,000 Speaker 2: to norms, look look on our open borders. No president 622 00:35:28,239 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 2: in the history of this nation, none has had a 623 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:37,560 Speaker 2: lawless policy of simply defying federal immigration law and releasing 624 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:41,880 Speaker 2: the people they apprehend That was a massive issue in 625 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:44,799 Speaker 2: this election. They don't acknowledge it at all. Instead, they 626 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:47,719 Speaker 2: say he's a champion for democracy. This is at the 627 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 2: same time they're arguing to hell with democracy, block Trump 628 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:55,479 Speaker 2: from becoming president. They went to court repeatedly, they tried 629 00:35:55,480 --> 00:35:59,359 Speaker 2: to throw them in jail. They you know, we saw 630 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:02,720 Speaker 2: multiple Democrat officials across the country try to throw Trump 631 00:36:02,800 --> 00:36:06,560 Speaker 2: off the ballot. Thankfully, the Supreme Court unanimously reverse that 632 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:10,080 Speaker 2: because you know, nothing says defending democracy like trying to 633 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:13,080 Speaker 2: stop damn pesky voters voting for your opponents. 634 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:16,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, it really You're right, It's incredible and I do 635 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:19,640 Speaker 1: think Trump, as you said, breaking the media is going 636 00:36:19,719 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 1: to have an incredible impact on future elections. Not having 637 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:27,799 Speaker 1: to basically go up against a machine that has been 638 00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 1: as effective as the media has been. They have been 639 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 1: basically being able to give billions of dollars in kind 640 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:36,000 Speaker 1: donations Democratic candidates, and they seem to be losing that influence. 641 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:38,120 Speaker 1: Let's hope it keeps going that way. Don't forget We 642 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:41,440 Speaker 1: do this show Monday, Wednesday and Friday's. Hit that subscriber 643 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:45,239 Speaker 1: auto download button and make sure you write us a 644 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:47,239 Speaker 1: five story review if you would. Wherever you listen to 645 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:50,040 Speaker 1: this podcast and Tho's in between days, grab my podcast, 646 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:52,040 Speaker 1: the Ben Ferguson Podcasts. I'll keep you up to data 647 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:55,239 Speaker 1: to date on the latest breaking news as well and 648 00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:59,080 Speaker 1: the Senate and I will see you in twenty twenty five. 649 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:01,160 Speaker 1: Be safe out there on New Year's Eve and we'll 650 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 1: see then