1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Molly john Fast and this is Fast Politics, 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: where we discussed the top political headlines with some of 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: today's best minds. And the Congressional Budget Office says the 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: BBB will add a whopping three point four trillion dollars 5 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: to the national deficit over the next decade. It will 6 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 1: also knock millions of Americans off Medicaid. We have such 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: a great show for you today, talking Points memos own 8 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: Josh Marshall comes to talk to us about how Trump's 9 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: second administration is flailing. Then we will talk to Congressman 10 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:45,960 Speaker 1: Robert Garcia about Congress getting sent home to protect Trump 11 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: from the Epstein files being released. 12 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 2: But first the news, Molly, you know what we got 13 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 2: to not do talk about Epstein because then mister Trump's 14 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 2: could be very mad. So what is he doing in 15 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 2: that case? He's saying lots of crazy shit, posting AI 16 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 2: about resting Obama and the fact is he's doing this 17 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 2: all for destruction because my man is up in those 18 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:10,520 Speaker 2: Epstein files. 19 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: Yeah. So again we don't know what exactly. It just 20 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: seems like Trump is worried about something, so worried that 21 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 1: Mike Johnson has no sent Congress home for six weeks, okay, 22 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: all of August, two weeks in July, because Democrats did 23 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: smartly push his hand, and if Congress stays in DC 24 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: and continues voting on things, eventually Republicans will have to 25 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: vote against releasing the Epstein files, which puts them in 26 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: the intersection of both their conspiracy loving base, right, the 27 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: conspiracy loving base that desperately wants to know the truth 28 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: and Donald Trump, who desperately wants to not somehow release 29 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:01,160 Speaker 1: these Epstein files. I'm not sure why that would be. 30 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: So he sent everybody home, and Trump is now going 31 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: to just do anything he can to distract from this story, 32 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: which continues to add momentum as it goes on. Again. 33 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: You'll remember last week the Wall Street Journal reported on 34 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 1: this salacious birthday note which had a drawing. And again 35 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: this has just been from the Wall Street Journal, but 36 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: we have seen other drawings that Trump has done that 37 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 1: look like this, which you'll note that Trump had actually 38 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: said that he doesn't draw pictures, but in fact, there's 39 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: a bunch of pictures he's drawn. And you'll say, you know, 40 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: Trump will say there's no, yeah, no relationship with Epstein. 41 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: But in two thousand and two he told New York 42 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: Magazine that jeff and him both love beautiful women, though 43 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: jeffree liked them on the younger side. 44 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, and there's tape of Jeffrey Epstein saying they were 45 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 2: best friends for ten years. So I always go back 46 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 2: to it. 47 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: Really, there's tape of that. 48 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 2: I always go back to that. 49 00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: Yes, have you heard that tape? Trump is going on 50 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: the offensive against his political enemies. He's gone from pumping 51 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: conspiracy theories and trying to get his base excited about them, 52 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: to worried about conspiracy theories and trying to get his 53 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: base to forget about them. It's a pretty quick pivot. 54 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 2: So while we're on the subject of people who obey 55 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 2: mister Trump no matter what he says or does, we 56 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: then get to one Lena Habba, who has now been 57 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 2: replaced as top New Jersey prosecutor by judges until she 58 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 2: gets Senate confirmation. 59 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: Elena Habba, you will remember from season one. She was 60 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 1: a fixture at Marlongo. She had a really quite attractive 61 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: wore a lot of very attractive clothing, danced around a 62 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: very attractive way. Became Trump's lawyer. She had Originally she 63 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: was known for her work in traffic Court became Trump's lawyer, 64 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: actually made a lot of mistakes with the cases that 65 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: she handled for Trump. And that's why, by the way, 66 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: it's important to remember when you get despairing about the 67 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: moment that American democracy is in, and Jesse and I 68 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: really do get despairing. And in fact, I think today 69 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: the vibes have been not immaculate. The two of us 70 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: have really been down. It's important to remember that this 71 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: administration filled with parking lawyers. Okay, these are not their best, okay, 72 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 1: And remember even when we've had administrations filled with the 73 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 1: best and the brightest, and looking at you, Brock Obama, 74 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: it's still very hard. Government is very hard, okay, So 75 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: getting things done is hard, Serving people is hard. It's 76 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:40,600 Speaker 1: all hard. So I just want to say, like, as 77 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 1: scary as this is, these people are fucking morons. And 78 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: by the way, I just want to say, the US 79 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: Code stipulates that interim US attorneys are only allowed to 80 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 1: serve for one hundred and twenty days if they're not 81 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 1: confirmed by the Senate or extended by the just re Court. 82 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: So we know the houses out, so let's see what happens. 83 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 2: Yes, so Trump is pulling us out of the UN 84 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 2: organization UNSCO aka the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 85 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 2: Sounds right for a bunch of philistines. Anyway, what do 86 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 2: you see here, Molly. 87 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: So find someone who likes being mean to you the 88 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: way Donald Trump likes being mean to the UN. He 89 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 1: really along with public radio. Donald Trump really hates the UN. 90 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,920 Speaker 1: Interesting that he hates the UN so much, but something 91 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 1: to think about. So Tammy Bruce, you may remember her 92 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: from being on right wing television. She now is a 93 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: spokesman for Trump's I think she's a spokesman for the 94 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 1: State Department, part of the Trump Imperial Organization slash presidency. 95 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: They did a ninety day look at UNESCO. They decided 96 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 1: that they were going to pull out of it. They 97 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:59,119 Speaker 1: had pulled out of it once before in Trump's first term, 98 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: or as I like to think of it, first season. 99 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: They pulled out of it for they said they were 100 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: looking for anti Semitism or you know whatever, excessive wokeness, 101 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:12,279 Speaker 1: whatever the bullshit phrase the use. This time, they pulled 102 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: out because Palestine is in the organization, That's why. And 103 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:22,279 Speaker 1: they felt that that was anti Semitic or anti Israel bias. 104 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 1: It showed an anti Israel bias, okay, and these people. 105 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: Trump also ordered withdraws from international organizations such as the 106 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council. I mean, honestly, 107 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 1: it's hard for me to imagine Trump staying in the 108 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: Human Rights Council. Let's be out here like that. Seems 109 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: like you go together like a horse carriage Trump Rights. 110 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: I mean, if he's going to stay at it, he's 111 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 1: going to stay in it for the iron A and 112 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: the Yungs. 113 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 3: Yeah. 114 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 1: So the guy who built Alligator Alcatraz is probably going 115 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: to leave the UN Human Rights Counsel. 116 00:06:58,120 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 4: Yeah So. 117 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 2: In an interesting new Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, a 118 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,600 Speaker 2: man who, let's just say is nightmare fuel of some 119 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 2: of the things he's been involved with, He's seeking a 120 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 2: meeting with Jeffrey Epstein's associate, just Lenn Maxwell. 121 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: Why is Todd Lanch doing this? Why? Why is Todd 122 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: Flanch wants to meet with Jeffrey Epstein's associate, just Len Maxwell. 123 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 2: Why why is Pam Bondy not doing it? Because everybody's 124 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 2: been making some accusations around there. I mean, I wonder 125 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 2: the bind Reels. 126 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 1: Why why would he want to talk to just Len look, 127 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:38,280 Speaker 1: her lawyer has already said something to the effect of 128 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: like Donald Trump is awesome and he will protect my car. 129 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: You know, he said something like we look forward to 130 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 1: meeting with them. Trump is very involved in pardoning people. 131 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 1: He loves to pardon people, especially wealthy people. Maybe he 132 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: won't pardon her, but certainly does feel like that's what 133 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: she's looking for. We'll say, stay to the death of democracy. 134 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: What will happen next week? We all wait with baited breath. 135 00:08:06,240 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 2: Well, you're talking as if people who are in power 136 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 2: sometimes cozy up to mister Trump and get pardons, another 137 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 2: unfair treatment. 138 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: That both know. That's very silly. That never happens except 139 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: all the time. Josh Marshall is the editor of Talking 140 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:33,200 Speaker 1: Points memo Welcome Back, Too Fast Politics. Josh Marshall, thanks 141 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 1: for having me. It was the best of times, it 142 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 1: was the worst of it, just the worst of times. 143 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 5: I think, yeah, it's not great, it's it's it's not 144 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 5: a great time for America. I think you have to 145 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 5: think you can state that kind of categorically. 146 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 1: I wonder, like, I know when you leave the country. 147 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 1: I haven't left the country in like a year since 148 00:08:55,760 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: this presidency started, but I don't doubt that everyone in 149 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:03,680 Speaker 1: all those other countries is pretty horrified by what's going 150 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,120 Speaker 1: on here. So I want to start with Congress has 151 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: been is being sent home for about a month and 152 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: a half because Mike Johnson cannot figure out another way 153 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:21,319 Speaker 1: to get them not to legislate on releasing the Epstein files. 154 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:24,839 Speaker 5: Yeah, there was this buzz or vibe in the DC 155 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 5: news sheets over the weekend that paradoxically the Journal story 156 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 5: had sort of, you know, flipped the dynamics of this story, 157 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 5: and Trump has his people behind him again and kind 158 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:40,679 Speaker 5: of we're moving on and everything. I was dubious of that, 159 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 5: but I you know, I couldn't be sure. But this 160 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 5: basically shutting down the house and sending everybody home, I 161 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 5: think tells the story. So does the stuff about releasing 162 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,880 Speaker 5: these Martin Luther King files. And now Pam Bond He's 163 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 5: going to meet with Glaine Julane and never I've never 164 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 5: known quite how to pronounce her name. Maxwell tastical or 165 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 5: nature stories. They testify against themselves so endlessly on this, 166 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 5: I mean, they keep coming up with these new things 167 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 5: and new diversions. 168 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, we're like minutes from there are UFOs. I think 169 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: is the net net a bit is eventually the White 170 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 1: House will be like, we want to tell you the 171 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,839 Speaker 1: truth about the UFOs. 172 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 3: Epstein, at Roswell. 173 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: Epstein, at Roswell, the ten people who still do what 174 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 1: we do. By the way, it's like from twenty sixteen 175 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 1: to now, it's like they're literally used to be that, 176 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: Like eleven people would write the opinion piece. Now there's 177 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 1: like one person. 178 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 3: I guess that's right. 179 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 1: We run after these news cycles and it's just like one. 180 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: I mean, it's so so so dark. I mean, it's 181 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:47,160 Speaker 1: such a stocking turn of events to have nobody around. 182 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: But I wonder if you could talk to us about 183 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: why you think like he's definitely throwing everything against the wall, 184 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: all the culture war stuff, everything like that. It seems 185 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: like the grand jury testimony which will not show that much, 186 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: which is why clearly they've decided because it has all redacted, victims, 187 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 1: tams redacted, likely some of the perpetrators or all of 188 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: the perpetrator's names redacted. Like that seems like a very 189 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:17,600 Speaker 1: smart way to give something that's nothing, But we know 190 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: there are hundreds of pages of information there. 191 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 5: It's clever in a way, but you know, I don't 192 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,719 Speaker 5: think it's enough to really change the dynamics. I mean, 193 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:32,160 Speaker 5: no one, there's no one ever been saying release the 194 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 5: grand jury testimony, we need to see the Epstein grand 195 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 5: Like that's never been anything anybody has said. Also, to 196 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 5: the best of my knowledge, it's not something. I don't 197 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 5: think anybody thinks there's anything really even in those And 198 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 5: they've also stipulated that Pambondi will decide what's relevant and 199 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:53,680 Speaker 5: what's not. So the whole thing is stupid, and I 200 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 5: think it'll, like a lot of these things, I think 201 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:58,199 Speaker 5: it'll have a half life of like a day. 202 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: Right to silence the crit But it's interesting, Like so 203 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: when we talk about like the difference between twenty sixteen 204 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: and now, because that's something I spent a lot of 205 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: time THEMA. And in twenty sixteen, you know, Trump would 206 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: fire people, right, He'd say, remember Mattow had this huge 207 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: wall of people he had fired, and be like this 208 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:19,559 Speaker 1: one and that one. You know, to be right, hundreds 209 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: of people in the wall. There is no wall, right, 210 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: he just keeps everyone. I don't know what's happening in 211 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 1: his head, but it certainly seems like the thinking is 212 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: if you fire people, you get more leaking, whereas if 213 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 1: you just move everyone around, they still have skin in 214 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: the game. Do you think that's what it is, or 215 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: do you think there's some even more intrepid reason for 216 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:40,160 Speaker 1: why he's not firing people. 217 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 3: That's a good question. I hadn't thought of that. 218 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:45,679 Speaker 5: I think the biggest reason is that he has pre 219 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 5: selected everybody. He hadn't really thought of being president the 220 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 5: first time, and so he had to kind of pull 221 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 5: it together with people who were around, and most of 222 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 5: those people were themselves pretty slimy, but thought he was 223 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 5: nitty and had other dependencies and everything. So almost all 224 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 5: those people had their own agendas and thought he was 225 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 5: a fool, and some of them were from the sort 226 00:13:09,320 --> 00:13:11,719 Speaker 5: of the Republican old regime, so he had a lot 227 00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,319 Speaker 5: of reason to fire people the first time. So I 228 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 5: think that's the biggest reason. But everybody is pre selected. 229 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 5: I mean everybody, Cash Bettel has been you know, he 230 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:22,319 Speaker 5: had that little like you know, cash with the dollar 231 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 5: sign that. I mean, they've all been in part of 232 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 5: Trump Incorporated for like eight years, so they're all in there. 233 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 5: They're all sort of made men and made women in 234 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:32,319 Speaker 5: the organization. 235 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:33,679 Speaker 3: So that's that's the big reason. 236 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 5: But Also, I think what you say is right, the 237 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,120 Speaker 5: kind of like you know, like with you know, the 238 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 5: congressman from Florida who was head of the NSC for 239 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:43,199 Speaker 5: what like three months or something like that. 240 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: Mike Walls. 241 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 5: Yeah, just give them a little other job and keep 242 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 5: them on the line. 243 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 4: I think. 244 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:49,080 Speaker 3: So. I think it's both. 245 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 5: There are lower level people who've gotten fired, but none 246 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:54,719 Speaker 5: of the people in sort of you know, kind of 247 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 5: really Trump adjacent have been fired. 248 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 3: I think you're right. I hadn't given that a lot 249 00:13:58,640 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 3: of thought, But I think it's both those things. 250 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's pretty wild when I think about where we 251 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,959 Speaker 1: are at this moment in Trump is. In twenty sixteen, 252 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 1: I had fears that were absolutely rational, fears right about 253 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: what would happen to institutions, And what happened instead was 254 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 1: that institutions held and that the Magabase did not get 255 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 1: everything they wanted. But Trump got a lot of stuff, 256 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: but he didn't get everything he wanted. Now twenty twenty four, 257 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: there are no institutions that are holding. Everybody is caving right. 258 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: People are bending over backwards to cave to him right 259 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: from the do not obey an advanced guy who lives 260 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: in Canada now right, like that guy doesn't even live here, 261 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 1: Like the billionaires are just like we got to make deals. 262 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: You know, everybody in the world is caving to Trump. 263 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: So it's interesting and instructive to me. I actually think 264 00:14:55,280 --> 00:14:58,960 Speaker 1: that what took down Trump the last time, the thing 265 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: that was Trump's great sort of foil was ultimately his 266 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: own incompetence, which is sort of the top line of 267 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: the story we're looking at right now. 268 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 3: I think that is true. 269 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 5: I mean, you know, one thing that occurs to me 270 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 5: in what you just said is that, like you talked about, 271 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 5: you know, getting what he wanted. But I have a 272 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 5: slight twist on this, and that is that it took 273 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 5: Trump's whole first term to actually find out what it 274 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 5: was he wanted because basically Trump ran for president with 275 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 5: no idea what he wanted. He thought, you run for president, 276 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 5: If I win, it will be the law that everyone 277 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 5: in the country has to love me. 278 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:40,880 Speaker 3: That was basically the proposition. 279 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: Right, that's right, That's what he thought the president. 280 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 5: And then he gets elected, and over the course of 281 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 5: the interregnum between the presidencies, the transition, suddenly he is 282 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 5: getting it from all sides. He's being accused of things 283 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 5: I mean stuff he did, but still that doesn't change 284 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 5: it from Trump's perspective. So well, Trump's whole arc over 285 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 5: the last eight years is this experience of winning the 286 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 5: legal right to have everybody in the country love him, 287 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 5: but having them renege on that obligation and getting mad 288 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 5: and wanting to use the presidency to get back at 289 00:16:18,080 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 5: the people who did him wrong, who did the Russia investigation, 290 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 5: who made COVID, who made him sad about COVID. So 291 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,480 Speaker 5: it's not just you know, people have the sense, well, 292 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 5: he only kind of learned how to use the levers 293 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 5: by the second term, and that's kind of true, But 294 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 5: it was actually also only that he figured out what 295 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 5: he wanted to do right by the end of the 296 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 5: first term. So both of those things are kind of operative. 297 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 5: I know I skipped your original question. That is the 298 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 5: thing that occurs to me. 299 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 1: It's yeah, at this phase in American democracy, no one 300 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: expects anyone to answer a question. Ever, so as long 301 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,600 Speaker 1: as you just talk for a few minutes, good enough. 302 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:01,360 Speaker 1: I can't remember what I asked you. 303 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 3: I can't remember either. 304 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: It wasn't very obviously was not very good. 305 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 3: It was a subset of my answer was a subset 306 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 3: of it. 307 00:17:08,040 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, middle aged, we are here, and it is a problem. 308 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:15,480 Speaker 1: It takes everything I have to not start spiraling into 309 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: how do we get out of this thing? And also 310 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 1: I am not convinced like and again, my biggest failing 311 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: as a pundit, among other things, the fact that I 312 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: can't pronounce people's names. And there are any number of 313 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: other failings I have, but one of the ones that 314 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,679 Speaker 1: I have is I'm a little bit optimistic. So I 315 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: but I'm a little bit optimistic, even though it's a 316 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: fucking disaster, right, Like, there is no Muller, there is 317 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 1: no figure on the horizon coming in with papers that 318 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:49,679 Speaker 1: need to be explained. There's none of that. But I 319 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 1: still feel like people hate what Trump is doing. It's 320 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: not popular. Trump administration is being held together with scotch tape. Right. 321 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 1: I saw Tom Holman that had Vice today on Morning Joe. 322 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: He would look like he was crying, right, I mean, 323 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,199 Speaker 1: the guy looked like he did not look good, and 324 00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:08,879 Speaker 1: he was like, it's just because you guys are so 325 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: mean to us. That's why we have to wear the masks. 326 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 1: And I'm just not sure that you can end this 327 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 1: experiment of American democracy with the dumbest people on the 328 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: planet discuss well. 329 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 3: I think two things. 330 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,440 Speaker 5: One is I think I wrote a post maybe eight 331 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 5: weeks or so into the administration that I thought he 332 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:30,360 Speaker 5: had already lost his effort. And I still think that. 333 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,520 Speaker 5: And that doesn't mean that things will not get a 334 00:18:32,560 --> 00:18:34,400 Speaker 5: lot worse. I think they will get. 335 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 3: A lot worse. 336 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 1: I think that. 337 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 3: He did things. 338 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 5: Basically, if you want to sort of impose an autocracy, there's. 339 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 3: Basic things you do and don't do. 340 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 5: And one thing is you keep the you know what 341 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 5: they in Russia they call the power ministries, the you know, 342 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 5: the domestic police, the army. You keep all of them 343 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,400 Speaker 5: on side, You keep the pensioners on side. You juice 344 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:02,920 Speaker 5: the economy. He didn't do those things. He actually antagonized 345 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 5: a lot of key segments of the population, and he 346 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 5: scared a lot of people. First, he scared them with 347 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:13,119 Speaker 5: driving the economy into the ditch, or at least scaring 348 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,120 Speaker 5: people that he was in the process of doing that. 349 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 5: He has done that again with this kind of very 350 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:22,160 Speaker 5: performative and also real secret policy stuff. I don't think 351 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 5: you can transform a country like the United States into 352 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 5: an autocracy against sizeable public opposition. Fifty fifty is doable 353 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 5: because if you have the power of the state and 354 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:39,400 Speaker 5: like close to half the people, but he doesn't. He's 355 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:43,080 Speaker 5: really driving huge amounts of opposition. And again I'm not 356 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 5: pollyannish about this. I think this will get much darker, 357 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 5: but I share the basic optimism that what he's doing 358 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 5: is really unpopular and we see that very clearly in 359 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 5: lots of ways, and I think that is fundamentally this 360 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 5: struggle that Trump has imposed on the country is at 361 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 5: the end of the day, fundamentally about public opinion, and 362 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,479 Speaker 5: I think he is losing that battle. 363 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: Correct. Now, I'm going to add something that is going 364 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: to get people upset, but is absolutely right. The base 365 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: is fucking furious with Democrat. They are so angry. I 366 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,359 Speaker 1: know this because I was on this is my this 367 00:20:21,440 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: is my real people talk. I was on a book tour, 368 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 1: and during my book tour, I would have these events 369 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 1: and people come up to me and they'd be like, 370 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 1: fuck this one, fuck that one. We're unhappy with this, 371 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,120 Speaker 1: We're unhappy that. And you know, I'm listening to people 372 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 1: and I'm thinking it's not wrong, Like, it's not wrong. 373 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: And here's my question for you, the BBB, So now 374 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:46,199 Speaker 1: Mike Johnson, who's basically men me. Trump has sent everyone 375 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: home because he doesn't know how they're going to vote. 376 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 1: So here's my question. Obviously, the Epstein stuff puts a 377 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:56,440 Speaker 1: wrinkle in everything, But I just wonder could Democrats have 378 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: somehow engineered a scenario like this before the BBB passed 379 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 1: or do you think that Epstein wrinkle is just such 380 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 1: a seismic change that you could not have done it 381 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:06,760 Speaker 1: any other way. 382 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 5: There is nothing with the power of the Epstein thing, 383 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 5: specifically about Trump, right, And I think that to a 384 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 5: great extent, even a lot of us didn't know he 385 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:19,919 Speaker 5: was so vulnerable to it. 386 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 4: Until he told us, right he started. 387 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:22,919 Speaker 3: Doing all these things. 388 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 5: So I think this Epstein cudgel was not available at 389 00:21:28,280 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 5: the time. 390 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 3: A That's part of it. 391 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 5: The other part of it is that the way that 392 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 5: the budget reconciliation process works is that there are a 393 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 5: lot of privileged resolutions and things like privileged resolutions where 394 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:45,800 Speaker 5: and again I don't know how it exactly lines up 395 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 5: in this case, but there's a lot of things about 396 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:52,400 Speaker 5: the about the reconciliation process, and that's why you can't 397 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 5: filibuster that basically says no, no funny business. You can't 398 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 5: you know, you can't slip in other things that needed 399 00:21:57,960 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 5: to be voted on. You sort of get the rails 400 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 5: for what you're trying to do. So for both of 401 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:06,560 Speaker 5: those reasons, I don't think this was available. Again the 402 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:08,920 Speaker 5: other part, I don't know all the technicalities, but that's 403 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 5: a big feature of the reconciliation process. Having said that, 404 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:15,880 Speaker 5: there is definitely a sense, and I think we've seen 405 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 5: this in various fronts over the last six months, that 406 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:24,679 Speaker 5: most Democrats are still in the mode of, you know, 407 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 5: you don't want to shut the place down, you don't 408 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 5: want to throw the place into chaos, you want to 409 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,719 Speaker 5: get business done, and they're I mean, back in March 410 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 5: the continuing resolution thing was a classic example of that. 411 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 5: And I think elected Democrats are finally starting to shift 412 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:44,120 Speaker 5: a bit from that because what we're hearing now is 413 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 5: at the end of the summer, when they have yet 414 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:47,959 Speaker 5: another one of these, you know they're going to need 415 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 5: another one of these stop gaps. Yeah, yeah, that in 416 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:55,159 Speaker 5: the Senate, they're just going to say no. And I 417 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 5: think that's two reasons. One is that they are also 418 00:22:57,640 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 5: hearing from the people you've heard from on the book tour, 419 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 5: who are furious, furious, furious, furious. And what has also 420 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 5: been a breaking point for some of those people themselves 421 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:12,960 Speaker 5: is they've just passed this budget, which obviously Democrats don't like. 422 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:16,280 Speaker 5: Even if they didn't maybe you know, fight enough, fight 423 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 5: hard enough against it for some people's taste. But now 424 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:21,120 Speaker 5: they're just going back and undoing parts of the budget 425 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 5: that they prompt you know, So the budget, Yeah, the 426 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:26,399 Speaker 5: budget's meetingless because you just say which parts will we 427 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:28,919 Speaker 5: either do a recision or which parts will. 428 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 3: Just break the law? 429 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:30,000 Speaker 2: Right? 430 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:31,199 Speaker 1: Why even have it? 431 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 5: All of those things are kind of happening, And to 432 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 5: a certain extent, I always have I always try to 433 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:38,919 Speaker 5: balance these things and how I talk about them with people. 434 00:23:39,359 --> 00:23:42,400 Speaker 5: To a certain extent, when the other side has a trifecta, 435 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,520 Speaker 5: there's not a lot you can do, especially on budgets 436 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 5: where you have reconciliation and no filibuster. That is hard 437 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 5: for people to accept, right that at the end of 438 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:54,959 Speaker 5: the day, they have the votes. That's it. Having said that, though, 439 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 5: you can make more noise, and I do think you 440 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,200 Speaker 5: got some sense of that in the final days where 441 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 5: the BBB was kind of moving towards passage, where a 442 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 5: bunch of prominent Democrats were all over social media the 443 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:12,359 Speaker 5: fine details about rural hospitals, about medicaid, about all this 444 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 5: kind of stuff. We're at least making as much noise 445 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 5: as they could and sort of providing the public with 446 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 5: information about how, you know, upset they should be, but 447 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 5: you know, so it's a little of both. There is 448 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 5: a sense in which it is hard for people to 449 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:28,880 Speaker 5: accept that when you don't have the votes, you don't 450 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 5: have the votes. But there are lots of times and 451 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:34,720 Speaker 5: what sort of set the tone was what happened in March. 452 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 5: People are right to be upset. People are really right 453 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 5: to be upset about elected democrats not being It's not 454 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 5: just not fighting hard enough. It's not fighting hard enough. 455 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:50,160 Speaker 5: It's not being creative enough in how you fight and 456 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:52,920 Speaker 5: fighting on every battle. I mean, this is the part 457 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 5: about about being out of power. You don't you have 458 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:57,360 Speaker 5: a lot of time on your hands, Like what else 459 00:24:57,400 --> 00:24:59,200 Speaker 5: are you gonna do? Right, You've got to like, Okay, 460 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 5: you're gonna send more letters to your constituents or whatever, 461 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:06,679 Speaker 5: but fighting on every battle. And that's what I hope, 462 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:12,719 Speaker 5: at least is when the president's standing is approaching forty 463 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:16,399 Speaker 5: sixty you know, levels of opposition, the opposition party should 464 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:20,199 Speaker 5: be really willing to kind of let their freak flag fly, right, 465 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 5: because if sixty percent of the public is opposing the president, 466 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,560 Speaker 5: you should be able to as an opposition party, you 467 00:25:27,560 --> 00:25:29,800 Speaker 5: should be able to think, like, fuck, I could do 468 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:32,879 Speaker 5: anything and it'll be okay because everybody hates this guy. 469 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:35,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, Josh Marshall, will you come back? 470 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 3: I will come back. 471 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:44,160 Speaker 1: Congressman Robert Garcia represents California's forty second district and is 472 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: the ranking member of Oversight. Welcome too fast Politics. Congressman 473 00:25:49,960 --> 00:25:54,920 Speaker 1: Robert Garcia, Hello, I so you're about to be sent 474 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:59,200 Speaker 1: home for a very very long recess. 475 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 4: Why I mean, this is just so bizarre. I mean, basically, 476 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 4: Mike Johnson and Republicans have decided that because they don't 477 00:26:07,760 --> 00:26:10,120 Speaker 4: want to talk about Jeffrey Epstein and they don't want 478 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:14,160 Speaker 4: to force their members to take votes against their King, 479 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:16,960 Speaker 4: Donald Trump, that they're going to send everybody home. They 480 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:22,080 Speaker 4: would rather discard working on lowering costs or trying to 481 00:26:22,119 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 4: expand health. They don't care about any of those things. 482 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 4: Now they've they've shifted their attention back to protecting Donald 483 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 4: Trump because he has Now you know, flipped this position 484 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:34,959 Speaker 4: on releasing the Epstion files. So it is it is 485 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:38,879 Speaker 4: like fucking insane. This is an insane week. They just 486 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,119 Speaker 4: they are obsessed now with playing clean up duty for 487 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:42,760 Speaker 4: Donald Trump. 488 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 1: Basically what's happened right now? Explain how to people who 489 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: do not serve in Congress and don't understand the nuances 490 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: of the situation, because Democrats actually did cause this, right, 491 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: they pushed and pushed and pushed on the Ebstein stuff, 492 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 1: which is also wildly popular and all their stituents want, 493 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:03,919 Speaker 1: and that's how we got here. So explain to us 494 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:08,359 Speaker 1: sort of the mechanism, because this is actually a win 495 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:14,680 Speaker 1: for Minority Leader Jeffries right in a convoluted way. So explain. 496 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, So, I mean, take one sit back. So we 497 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 4: know that during the campaign, Donald Trump was obsessed with 498 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:23,280 Speaker 4: releasing the Epstein file. So it became aga rallying cry 499 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 4: talked about all the time, you know the family, I 500 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 4: mean Donald Trump Junior tweeted about a dozens of times. 501 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:32,959 Speaker 4: I mean, this has been center to the to their identity. Then, 502 00:27:33,080 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 4: of course, now he's in office and we get this reversal. 503 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 4: We know that Pambonni FBI DJ in turmoil. They're all 504 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:43,680 Speaker 4: fighting because there's different opinions on what should be released, 505 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:46,119 Speaker 4: what should be attracted. We now know that Donald Trump 506 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 4: is completely flipped of course his position, and so that 507 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:53,439 Speaker 4: sets up essentially a series of votes that Democrats have 508 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:59,159 Speaker 4: started forcing Republicans to take in subcommittees. We are supporting 509 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 4: of of this petition, which will force a large floor 510 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 4: vote of members. And because you know, Mike Johnson wants 511 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:12,600 Speaker 4: to avoid these embarrassing votes, especially in the Rules Committee, 512 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:17,119 Speaker 4: because the Rules Committee was essentially forcing these Republicans to 513 00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 4: take votes Democrats saying release the files, Republicans saying, don't 514 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:24,359 Speaker 4: release them. Mike Johnson decided it was better to then 515 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 4: basically cancel Congress than to have to have his members 516 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 4: continue to take votes on whether or not the Epstein 517 00:28:32,359 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 4: file should be released, whether we should be subpoena in people. 518 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 4: And that's kind of where where they have left it. 519 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:43,520 Speaker 4: And so us I think by doubling down on essentially saying, hey, 520 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,640 Speaker 4: you wanted this, you owe it to the American public. 521 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 4: Let's release these files. We don't did it, we don't 522 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 4: care who it impacts, We just want the truth out there. 523 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 4: Republicans are not running away scared. They can't confront you know, 524 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 4: they can't confront Donald Trump. They want to avoid him 525 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 4: at all costs. And now even they wanted to release 526 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 4: the files. They are now scared of Donald Trump and 527 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:07,160 Speaker 4: are getting a lot of pressure from their base, as 528 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:07,720 Speaker 4: they should be. 529 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: But let's be honest here, Republicans weren't going to pass 530 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:13,960 Speaker 1: any legislation anyway, right. They passed the one piece of 531 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:16,480 Speaker 1: legislation they were going to pass before the midterms, a 532 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: bill that grows the deaficit three and a half trillion 533 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 1: dollars but manages And we got the official CBO score 534 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 1: this week, which was like, it's three and a half 535 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: billion dollars, doesn't matter what you say. And they wanted 536 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 1: to do this weird stuff cut a state tax cut, 537 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: I mean in taxes for very wealthy people. And then also, 538 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: I mean, there was nothing they were ever going to 539 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:44,040 Speaker 1: do except you know, there was a recision package that 540 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:48,160 Speaker 1: basically took money away from public radio. So I wonder 541 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 1: if you could talk about sort of like there is 542 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:56,640 Speaker 1: on the horizon this insane healthcare premium situation which is 543 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 1: about to come up, and can you explain that to 544 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 1: us and talk about where we are with that. 545 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 4: What we do know is, regardless of kind of Republicans' 546 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:08,440 Speaker 4: efforts to try to hide away what was actually this 547 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:12,000 Speaker 4: horrific build and just passed, we have real serious challenges 548 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 4: with the healthcare system, absurance. We have real serious challenges 549 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,440 Speaker 4: with how we have to fund the government. We have 550 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 4: challenges right now where what we're not talking about is 551 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 4: the fact that Republicans can't figure out how to actually 552 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:25,360 Speaker 4: appropriate money to keep the government going. I mean, there 553 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,520 Speaker 4: are real serious challenges that we actually could be dealing 554 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 4: that are noncesarily even in the form of bills, and 555 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 4: we can be talking about those opportunities and challenges this week. 556 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 4: But the House is completely at a standstill and frozen 557 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 4: because of this damn Jeffrey Epstein skin all that Trump 558 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:45,760 Speaker 4: is basically creating and blowing up. 559 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 1: Right, there's the reason why he's plowing it out. 560 00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:52,960 Speaker 4: Look, here's the bottom line. Donald Trump is in the 561 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,240 Speaker 4: Epstein files. We already know that that's publicly been repented. 562 00:30:56,400 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 4: He said, we're you know, we both like be to 563 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 4: for women. Jeffrey on the younger side, they've been and 564 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 4: they said they were best buddies for ten fifteen years. 565 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,680 Speaker 4: I mean, this is both of them have actually said this, 566 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:12,520 Speaker 4: and you know, this last move of trying to get 567 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 4: to Laye Maxwell to actually now you know, to come 568 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 4: testify in subpoena. This is fine, which we support. She 569 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 4: also wants a pardon from Trump and so now he's 570 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:23,320 Speaker 4: trying to work her to get her to say what 571 00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:26,280 Speaker 4: he wants her to say. And so while all of 572 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 4: this is happening, we have real problems. I mean, the 573 00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 4: health insurance market is in real disarray right now. We 574 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:35,680 Speaker 4: people are going to start and we're are already seeing 575 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:40,000 Speaker 4: it having to pay more for health care. We're having 576 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:43,120 Speaker 4: coalitions of folks that are buying these rates for companies 577 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 4: and nonprofits are seeing rates go up and all and 578 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 4: a lot a lot of that has to deal with 579 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 4: the fact that people know these cuts are now going 580 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 4: to be in the pipeline, and so the health care 581 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 4: industry isn't turnboil. There isn't anyone in healthcare, on the 582 00:31:57,040 --> 00:32:00,640 Speaker 4: insurance side, on the hospital side, the provider's side that 583 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 4: doesn't think that the Medicaid cuts and the upcoming kind 584 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 4: of disruption of healthcare isn't going to make health care 585 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:09,960 Speaker 4: worse for everybody else. So if you already have health care. 586 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:12,560 Speaker 4: Your not going to improve, We're gonna actually have less 587 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 4: people covered right fill up and it's a real crisis. 588 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 4: And Trump is not interested in any event except for 589 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 4: giving billionaires big tax breaks. 590 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:24,720 Speaker 1: Well, in Trump's defense, that's why they put him there. 591 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:30,760 Speaker 1: I wonder if you could you have become ranking on oversight. 592 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: This was a harder fought battle of sort of wrestling 593 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 1: power out in the hands of the older generation. This 594 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 1: is the second time this has happened because the first 595 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 1: person they put as the ranking member of oversight died. 596 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: Talk to me about how this went down and how 597 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: you did it, and also just I'm sure was inter 598 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:57,560 Speaker 1: party squabbling is always pretty tough, So talk to us 599 00:32:57,560 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 1: about it. 600 00:32:58,160 --> 00:33:01,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean to take what sit back. Like when 601 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 4: Alex Alexandria uh Costure Cartez when she ran for for Rinker, 602 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 4: I was one of the first ones to come out. 603 00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 4: I supported her. I was actually there's a nomination process 604 00:33:11,480 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 4: where you actually get three nominators to nominate U inifront 605 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 4: of the caucus before the big vote, I was winning 606 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:18,040 Speaker 4: for three nominators. I kind of went all in. They 607 00:33:18,080 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 4: really believed that she was the right person. We needed 608 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:24,840 Speaker 4: a generational change. I thought she had the right message, 609 00:33:24,840 --> 00:33:28,800 Speaker 4: and so when she was unsuccessful, actually didn't win the election, 610 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 4: it was hard for a lot of us and there 611 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:33,920 Speaker 4: a lot of us in the caucus felt when are 612 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:37,400 Speaker 4: we going to actually bring in new voices? They basically 613 00:33:37,520 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 4: shut out from from the process, and so folks like myself, 614 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:43,800 Speaker 4: Jasmine Crockett and Max Frost did a lot of us 615 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:48,040 Speaker 4: really struggled. And so when this other, when this obviously 616 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 4: happened in the in the tragedy with with Jerry, I 617 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:52,200 Speaker 4: think a lot of us would started talking again. We're like, 618 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:54,960 Speaker 4: is this is this going to happen again? Are we 619 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 4: going to maybe at this moment, because when when when 620 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:01,880 Speaker 4: alex Is a election happened and we and you fast 621 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:04,760 Speaker 4: forward to this last one. A lot happened during that time, 622 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 4: and I think the country got even more upset and 623 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:10,040 Speaker 4: people were more energized, and folks want to change even more. 624 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 4: And so that's when I think Jazz and myself in 625 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 4: particular made the decision like, let's get in this fight, 626 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 4: let's bring some change. Let's let's start talking to caucus members. 627 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 4: And I started talking to people across the caucus, and 628 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:25,880 Speaker 4: it was clear to me that folks wanted some not 629 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:30,080 Speaker 4: just generational change, but new voices. And so I, you know, 630 00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 4: work my ass off talked to every person's caucus and Work, 631 00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:35,799 Speaker 4: you know, worked really hard to share like I have, 632 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:40,600 Speaker 4: I have experience that they brought outside of Congress, and 633 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:42,400 Speaker 4: and I'm grateful that the caucus went in this direction. 634 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:45,359 Speaker 4: And I think you know, you know this, It's been 635 00:34:45,360 --> 00:34:48,719 Speaker 4: one hundred years since our caucus has elected a sophomore 636 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:53,319 Speaker 4: to a leadership ranking member position. One hundred years. So 637 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:56,200 Speaker 4: it was time for a change. And I hope that 638 00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:59,920 Speaker 4: we have opened the door and elections in the fut 639 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:01,080 Speaker 4: for this continue to happen. 640 00:35:01,239 --> 00:35:04,879 Speaker 1: Yeah, this is not a great moment for Democrats, right. 641 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:10,080 Speaker 1: People are super mad and they are mad at leadership. 642 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:13,919 Speaker 1: The R and C has like about six times more 643 00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: money than the Dncay, I mean, what do you think 644 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:17,839 Speaker 1: is going on? 645 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:22,279 Speaker 4: One? People are mad. A lot of folks don't trust 646 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:24,760 Speaker 4: people in politics in general. And I think that people 647 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:28,200 Speaker 4: see that we were unable to close the deal and 648 00:35:28,239 --> 00:35:31,279 Speaker 4: winning the presidency of the Senate. We have a lot 649 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:32,640 Speaker 4: of work to do, and I think people need to 650 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:36,880 Speaker 4: understand that people view us as a coalition of folks 651 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:38,920 Speaker 4: that have not stood up and fought for working people, 652 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:41,800 Speaker 4: that we were out of touch, that it's to elite, 653 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:44,520 Speaker 4: and I think all of those things, and there are 654 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 4: important lessons there. I think, look at what's happened in 655 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:49,600 Speaker 4: New York, and I mean, so many people have been 656 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 4: talking about the mayor's race, and there's a lot of 657 00:35:52,600 --> 00:35:57,000 Speaker 4: opinions there, but you cannot argue with the fact that Zoron, 658 00:35:57,520 --> 00:36:01,800 Speaker 4: through simple messaging, a forward looking at and connecting with people, 659 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:05,720 Speaker 4: made a real impact and hell yeah, thing was cleared. 660 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:09,040 Speaker 4: And I think people you know that want to attribute 661 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:11,759 Speaker 4: what happened there to or want to you know, oh, well, 662 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:15,200 Speaker 4: you know, uh, I'm concerned about the fact that he's 663 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:18,400 Speaker 4: the democratic socialist or his position on what's happening in 664 00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:21,160 Speaker 4: the Middle East, like that doesn't matter to the average 665 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:26,120 Speaker 4: voter there. In fact, that here's someone that communicated what 666 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:31,239 Speaker 4: that wanted three buses, universal childcare, wanted to freeze my 667 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 4: rent through and I think we have a lot of 668 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 4: lessons to learn from that campaign and from listening to 669 00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:41,840 Speaker 4: younger people on the ground, and I think that work 670 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:45,520 Speaker 4: is starting. But I do not think that I'm not 671 00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:47,320 Speaker 4: one of those that thinks, oh, we're gonna win the 672 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:48,720 Speaker 4: mid trus and that's a wrap. 673 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:50,720 Speaker 1: Don't want that's. 674 00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:51,920 Speaker 3: Look I mean to do. 675 00:36:52,239 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 1: What I was impressed with with Zorin more than anything 676 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 1: was he got the ones and twos that the low 677 00:36:57,560 --> 00:37:02,880 Speaker 1: frequency voters, which had been Harris. And this is not 678 00:37:02,920 --> 00:37:05,560 Speaker 1: an indictment of Hairshi had one hundred days, but she 679 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:09,880 Speaker 1: could not get even the fours and vibes out for her. Now, 680 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:12,760 Speaker 1: I think there were a number of other mitigating factors 681 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 1: that had nothing to do with her. But really, I 682 00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 1: think that when we see them, when we're looking at this, 683 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:21,319 Speaker 1: really it's really something to think about now. So I 684 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:25,120 Speaker 1: wonder what do you think about Like, we have a 685 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:29,840 Speaker 1: lot of New Ork lawmakers. I'm thinking of a bunch 686 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:36,080 Speaker 1: of people who refuse to endorse Mondani or who are 687 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:39,319 Speaker 1: very negative about him, saying a lot of things that 688 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:43,880 Speaker 1: certainly strike me as somewhat islamophobic. I've been sort of 689 00:37:43,960 --> 00:37:47,839 Speaker 1: shocked by the amount of pressure they have put on 690 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 1: you know, they are harder on Mondani than they are 691 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:54,719 Speaker 1: on Trump. So can you make it make sense to me? 692 00:37:54,840 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 1: Because I'm like earnestly asking you this. 693 00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think the two things. One is, look, people 694 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:02,759 Speaker 4: are going to have their own people have their own 695 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:05,719 Speaker 4: political perspectives and their own relationships New York. I'm not 696 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:08,239 Speaker 4: a New Yorker, so like I get people their grace 697 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:10,880 Speaker 4: to have their opinions my position. I've told this to 698 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:13,800 Speaker 4: my New York friends and others. He is regardless of 699 00:38:13,840 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 4: what you thought about during the campaign, he is our nominee. 700 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:18,440 Speaker 4: I'm a Democrat. 701 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:19,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, a crack. 702 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,759 Speaker 4: He's a nominee and the party he should go all 703 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:25,920 Speaker 4: in to support him. That's that's the second thing. And 704 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:29,160 Speaker 4: I've told folks that maybe don't have a relationship with him. Look, 705 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:31,040 Speaker 4: I want I had to spend time with him last 706 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:36,360 Speaker 4: week here in DC. The guy is couldn't be kinder. 707 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:38,840 Speaker 1: I mean, wait, tell us, can you give us the 708 00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:41,239 Speaker 1: circumstances of how you got to spend time with him? 709 00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:41,920 Speaker 1: Tell us? 710 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:48,360 Speaker 4: So, Alexandria AOC brought him to d C for a 711 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:51,080 Speaker 4: meeting openly, she invited the entire caucus anyone wanted to 712 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:54,319 Speaker 4: come to meet with him, and about maybe about thirty 713 00:38:54,360 --> 00:38:58,120 Speaker 4: thirty five of us attended this gathering, and it was 714 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:02,680 Speaker 4: a breakfast about him talking about how he thought we 715 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:05,920 Speaker 4: should connect with kind of these our voters, and especially 716 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:09,040 Speaker 4: how to reach working class people. That are not proffiliated 717 00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:10,239 Speaker 4: in politics. 718 00:39:10,120 --> 00:39:13,440 Speaker 1: Which should be the lesson from his victory, right, because 719 00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:15,919 Speaker 1: it's not working. Other people aren't winning that way. 720 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:19,040 Speaker 4: I mean, he was a master class in communication, in 721 00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:21,160 Speaker 4: political strategy. And the one thing I walked away with, 722 00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:23,400 Speaker 4: besides the fact that he's brilliant and I'd already been 723 00:39:23,400 --> 00:39:27,359 Speaker 4: communicating with his team and him before, was here's someone 724 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:31,840 Speaker 4: who actually gives you a He he comes off because 725 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:35,440 Speaker 4: he is a kind of person, right, And so the 726 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:37,440 Speaker 4: more you put this person in front of voters are 727 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:39,080 Speaker 4: more than gonna like him because he just looks he 728 00:39:39,120 --> 00:39:41,919 Speaker 4: comes off as really genuine. Yeah, And I think we 729 00:39:42,040 --> 00:39:44,960 Speaker 4: as a party have a lot to learn, not just 730 00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:49,200 Speaker 4: from that race, but why some people want candidates and 731 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:53,040 Speaker 4: that stand on principle. They agree with you on every issue, 732 00:39:53,040 --> 00:39:55,600 Speaker 4: but they want somebody to stand on principle. And it 733 00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:57,759 Speaker 4: actually what you can believe they're actually looking out for 734 00:39:57,840 --> 00:39:59,799 Speaker 4: us when we're out here, is that you know, we 735 00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:02,719 Speaker 4: need be doing and taking on corruption in all four ms. 736 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:04,959 Speaker 4: We need to be banning members of Congress for treating stocks, 737 00:40:05,000 --> 00:40:08,239 Speaker 4: We should be living becoming lobbyists. All these things are 738 00:40:08,280 --> 00:40:12,720 Speaker 4: popular with people. They view the system as has gained 739 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:15,840 Speaker 4: against them and for the super wealthy, and so we 740 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:18,120 Speaker 4: have a lot of work to do in that area. 741 00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:22,040 Speaker 4: And what people see in Zoron is just an average 742 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:24,960 Speaker 4: guy that cares about the issues they care about, that 743 00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:27,920 Speaker 4: wants to help them afford their life a little better. 744 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:30,480 Speaker 4: And I think Democrats, we got to do a better 745 00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:32,520 Speaker 4: job there. And that's a big lesson. I think that 746 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:34,759 Speaker 4: a lot of us are taken in. 747 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:38,200 Speaker 1: Did you see when he came and spoke, did people 748 00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:42,920 Speaker 1: have that, say, war members pushing back on him in 749 00:40:42,960 --> 00:40:46,400 Speaker 1: that same way that we've seen Jill brand you know, 750 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:49,960 Speaker 1: I mean, did you see that kind of like no? 751 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:53,520 Speaker 4: Oh, well, the thirty five folks that ended the breakfast, 752 00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:58,920 Speaker 4: The reception was warm or excited. People were all talking, 753 00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:02,440 Speaker 4: sharing ideas. He was very well received with those that 754 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:03,160 Speaker 4: were in attendance. 755 00:41:03,680 --> 00:41:03,879 Speaker 1: Right. 756 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:08,240 Speaker 4: I don't think it's a progressive conservative thing. It's people 757 00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:10,799 Speaker 4: want fighters who are going to stand up for the 758 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:14,880 Speaker 4: working person and not cozy up to lobbyist billionaires and 759 00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:18,840 Speaker 4: big donors. And I think that that can appeal to anybody. 760 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:22,479 Speaker 1: So let's talk about you are the letter you guys 761 00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:26,520 Speaker 1: sent to Fox? You ranking member of an oversight oversights job, 762 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:30,040 Speaker 1: I mean Congress. The Republicans in Congress aren't allowed to 763 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:32,359 Speaker 1: do it because it would make their boss mad. But 764 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:35,839 Speaker 1: the job is oversight. So tell us about this letter 765 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:37,200 Speaker 1: you guys sent to Fox News. 766 00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:40,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, and look, and the hypocrisy here is 767 00:41:40,440 --> 00:41:42,360 Speaker 4: so opt the charts, right, I mean, that's what I 768 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:45,839 Speaker 4: just came. I can't understand in a nutshell. You know, 769 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:48,880 Speaker 4: Fox and Friends, you know, average every viewership of you know, 770 00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:50,839 Speaker 4: one point seven million tons of people watch it, as 771 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:53,399 Speaker 4: we know that show. They air an interview of which, 772 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:55,319 Speaker 4: by the way, the irony is Pete Hegseth is one 773 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:58,440 Speaker 4: of the interviewers on this interview. But the interview Donald 774 00:41:58,480 --> 00:42:01,040 Speaker 4: Trump and asking about releasing the EPT files, and he 775 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:04,560 Speaker 4: basically responds and says, the first sentence he says is yes, 776 00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:06,839 Speaker 4: you know, we should probably release him. We should release him. 777 00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:10,040 Speaker 4: That one sentence gets clipped and is aired on the 778 00:42:10,080 --> 00:42:12,640 Speaker 4: program and then got it, and then immediately they go 779 00:42:12,719 --> 00:42:16,000 Speaker 4: to another question, another topic, and then that clip then 780 00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:19,560 Speaker 4: the Trump campaign takes and amplifies that one sentence and 781 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:23,800 Speaker 4: it's everywhere release THEE file files. What we later find 782 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:27,760 Speaker 4: out in that you know, the broader interview, he actually 783 00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:30,160 Speaker 4: answers that he goes there about a minute or a 784 00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:34,200 Speaker 4: minute response of where it's a much more nuanced response 785 00:42:34,239 --> 00:42:36,959 Speaker 4: about well, maybe there's some things in there that Easton 786 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:38,920 Speaker 4: near not mine opitu. Well they didn't actually air that. 787 00:42:39,239 --> 00:42:41,719 Speaker 4: It was available later, but didn't air that. Now, in 788 00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:45,239 Speaker 4: a normal world, we know that that happens. Sometimes news 789 00:42:45,560 --> 00:42:48,680 Speaker 4: newscasts clip things and take things out of context. This 790 00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:50,520 Speaker 4: I think was much different. It was deliberate, it was 791 00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:52,560 Speaker 4: clearly we're trying to change the message. But why do 792 00:42:52,600 --> 00:42:57,200 Speaker 4: we highlighted it? Is because Trump just settled for sixteen 793 00:42:57,280 --> 00:43:04,240 Speaker 4: million dollars with CBS and Paramount for essentially accusing them. 794 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:07,120 Speaker 1: Of doing doing the very same thing that Fox News did. 795 00:43:07,320 --> 00:43:11,480 Speaker 4: Right right, and so he gets you know, he gets 796 00:43:11,520 --> 00:43:14,839 Speaker 4: sixteen million bucks out of Paramount for basically the same 797 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:17,359 Speaker 4: exact thing. And so we've been at We've asked pot 798 00:43:17,440 --> 00:43:20,920 Speaker 4: Fox a series of questions about the back and forth 799 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:24,239 Speaker 4: about you know, what they knew and they communicate with 800 00:43:24,239 --> 00:43:26,319 Speaker 4: with the Trump team and where they directed to make 801 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:29,080 Speaker 4: these cuts. And we've asked a series of questions of 802 00:43:29,120 --> 00:43:30,880 Speaker 4: Fox use we hope, we hope we get a response. Mean, 803 00:43:31,040 --> 00:43:34,040 Speaker 4: who knows now that Fox is being sued by Donald Trump. 804 00:43:34,080 --> 00:43:37,920 Speaker 4: Maybe they'll be more receptive to our inquiry. But we 805 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:41,880 Speaker 4: wanted to just highlight the immense hypocrisy of Donald Trump here, 806 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:45,520 Speaker 4: and also we wanted to highlight and we're now reviewing 807 00:43:46,719 --> 00:43:50,200 Speaker 4: where else did Donald Trump actually get his interviews edited 808 00:43:50,239 --> 00:43:54,480 Speaker 4: that we don't know about yet, saying that he should 809 00:43:54,520 --> 00:43:57,680 Speaker 4: be suing everyone. He can sue everybody, get settlements and 810 00:43:57,680 --> 00:44:00,160 Speaker 4: get money, but then do the exact same thing. I mean, 811 00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:03,239 Speaker 4: I so it's the hypocrisy that's insane. So hopefully we're 812 00:44:03,239 --> 00:44:05,239 Speaker 4: gonna get some more information for Fox in the weeks ahead. 813 00:44:05,520 --> 00:44:09,040 Speaker 1: Can you explain to us oversight the job of oversay 814 00:44:09,160 --> 00:44:13,359 Speaker 1: right now? You don't Democrats don't control the House, so 815 00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:17,480 Speaker 1: you don't have the ability to set the schedule. You 816 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:20,120 Speaker 1: still have some I mean, I feel like one of 817 00:44:20,160 --> 00:44:22,480 Speaker 1: the things that people are so angry about is they're like, 818 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:25,799 Speaker 1: why can't Democrats do more? And there's a reason why, right, 819 00:44:26,160 --> 00:44:28,400 Speaker 1: so explain to us a little bit. I feel like 820 00:44:28,440 --> 00:44:30,640 Speaker 1: some of the problems here are that people just don't 821 00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:34,919 Speaker 1: totally understand how Congress works. I mean, almost no one does, 822 00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:37,280 Speaker 1: because we it's pretty much the fault of the media. 823 00:44:37,360 --> 00:44:40,719 Speaker 1: We don't cover it enough, but explain the. 824 00:44:40,680 --> 00:44:44,400 Speaker 4: Big difference is so oversight of the committee is the 825 00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:48,080 Speaker 4: investigative branch of the Congress. Right, so this committee is 826 00:44:48,080 --> 00:44:50,960 Speaker 4: the committee that has the subpeda power that can launch 827 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:54,120 Speaker 4: investigations for the Congress, that can if there's ever an impeachment, 828 00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:57,640 Speaker 4: it goes for this committee all sorts of immense power 829 00:44:58,200 --> 00:45:02,279 Speaker 4: in the investigation and transparency kind of arena, but that 830 00:45:02,320 --> 00:45:05,640 Speaker 4: those powers are in the sense of control of the majority. 831 00:45:05,680 --> 00:45:09,799 Speaker 4: The majority controls who you can subpoena, when you subpoena, 832 00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:14,120 Speaker 4: what investigation officially to launch and can compel, whether it's 833 00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:18,120 Speaker 4: a corporation, the White House, whoever, to release documents and 834 00:45:18,120 --> 00:45:18,560 Speaker 4: for it and for. 835 00:45:19,080 --> 00:45:22,240 Speaker 1: Except the Trump White House, which nobody can compel because 836 00:45:22,280 --> 00:45:23,880 Speaker 1: they have their own special laws. 837 00:45:24,080 --> 00:45:28,839 Speaker 4: That's exactly right. So the in the minority oversight is 838 00:45:28,920 --> 00:45:32,520 Speaker 4: very limited. We can't subpoena, we can't force release of documents, 839 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:35,920 Speaker 4: but we can still launch investigations whether or not we 840 00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:39,160 Speaker 4: get documents back. If more limited and some choose not 841 00:45:39,239 --> 00:45:44,360 Speaker 4: to respond, others others may respond. And for example, companies, 842 00:45:44,600 --> 00:45:46,520 Speaker 4: let's say there are companies that are doing business with 843 00:45:46,560 --> 00:45:48,560 Speaker 4: the White House. Maybe the White House won't respond to us, 844 00:45:48,640 --> 00:45:51,680 Speaker 4: but you know, business X might respond because they're very 845 00:45:51,680 --> 00:45:53,520 Speaker 4: aware that we're going to be in the majority at 846 00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:56,440 Speaker 4: some point and then the tables are turned, and so 847 00:45:56,880 --> 00:45:59,960 Speaker 4: we still will launch investigations. We still need to combat 848 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:02,279 Speaker 4: and take on truth and you know, the lies of 849 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:04,320 Speaker 4: what's actually the truth of these hearies in these committees. 850 00:46:04,719 --> 00:46:07,240 Speaker 4: We need to use the star power of our committee. 851 00:46:07,280 --> 00:46:11,359 Speaker 4: We have so many incredible members to amplify what's going 852 00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:13,600 Speaker 4: on and warn the American Republic and what Republicans are 853 00:46:13,600 --> 00:46:16,400 Speaker 4: trying to do. So all of that is still part 854 00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:19,600 Speaker 4: of our of our tools that we can that we 855 00:46:19,600 --> 00:46:22,640 Speaker 4: can use. But make a mistake. When we win the 856 00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:26,840 Speaker 4: majority back, we're going to go hard at the Trump 857 00:46:26,880 --> 00:46:32,000 Speaker 4: White House, the Kushner's, Stephen Miller, Donald all of Donald 858 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:35,160 Speaker 4: Trump's enablers, those in the government that are actually writing 859 00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:38,560 Speaker 4: these unconstitutional laws and trying to implement them. Christ you know, 860 00:46:38,680 --> 00:46:42,720 Speaker 4: I mean there there's there's an endless amount of investigations, 861 00:46:43,239 --> 00:46:46,799 Speaker 4: subpoenas elon Musk folks that should be in front of 862 00:46:46,800 --> 00:46:50,600 Speaker 4: the Congress answering questions. Uh, And people say, well, you 863 00:46:50,600 --> 00:46:53,160 Speaker 4: know you're gonna you know, why are you so backwards? Looking, 864 00:46:53,160 --> 00:46:56,600 Speaker 4: and we just need to have a ford looking agenda. Now, look, 865 00:46:57,480 --> 00:47:00,000 Speaker 4: if we just sweep all of what this administration is 866 00:47:00,160 --> 00:47:02,960 Speaker 4: doing under the rug, then we are saying that this 867 00:47:03,040 --> 00:47:05,560 Speaker 4: is okay, that this is somehow the new normal, that 868 00:47:05,680 --> 00:47:10,239 Speaker 4: politics has now become, this kind of corrupt, this den 869 00:47:10,320 --> 00:47:17,080 Speaker 4: of corruption, and it is our duty to hold these 870 00:47:17,120 --> 00:47:19,839 Speaker 4: people accountable when we have the ability to do so. 871 00:47:19,880 --> 00:47:22,120 Speaker 4: And if that's we're not able to fully hold them accountable, now, 872 00:47:22,840 --> 00:47:24,920 Speaker 4: then you best believe, and we have the majority, we 873 00:47:25,200 --> 00:47:26,560 Speaker 4: have to do it. We have no choice. 874 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:30,839 Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Representative of Garcia, thank 875 00:47:30,880 --> 00:47:37,040 Speaker 1: you the moment, Jesse. 876 00:47:36,960 --> 00:47:40,480 Speaker 2: Cannon, Molly, we know the theme of this show is 877 00:47:40,840 --> 00:47:43,480 Speaker 2: mister Trump is flooding the Zone with shit that is 878 00:47:43,520 --> 00:47:47,120 Speaker 2: not Epstein. And one of the ways he flooded the 879 00:47:47,160 --> 00:47:50,160 Speaker 2: zone is with two hundred and thirty thousand pages on 880 00:47:50,440 --> 00:47:54,080 Speaker 2: Martin Luther King, and it seems like it's not doing 881 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:56,560 Speaker 2: the job it's supposed to do, as one could could 882 00:47:56,560 --> 00:47:57,160 Speaker 2: probably guess. 883 00:47:57,440 --> 00:48:01,239 Speaker 1: Look, Donald Trump is giving a fuck right about anything 884 00:48:01,360 --> 00:48:04,319 Speaker 1: except trying to distract people. So he released all this 885 00:48:04,520 --> 00:48:08,440 Speaker 1: MLK stuff. It's interesting to me, like they did this 886 00:48:08,520 --> 00:48:12,080 Speaker 1: with the MLK and the RFK stuff, and it seems 887 00:48:12,080 --> 00:48:15,239 Speaker 1: to have not gotten the result they wanted, but they've 888 00:48:15,280 --> 00:48:18,640 Speaker 1: done it now with MLKA were like minutes away from them, 889 00:48:18,920 --> 00:48:23,520 Speaker 1: just being like Area fifty one. It's real aliens. 890 00:48:23,880 --> 00:48:26,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, that seems like the next logical progression. 891 00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:31,640 Speaker 1: That's it for this episode of Fast Politics. Tune in 892 00:48:31,880 --> 00:48:37,320 Speaker 1: every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday to hear the best 893 00:48:37,400 --> 00:48:41,719 Speaker 1: minds and politics make sense of all this chaos. If 894 00:48:41,719 --> 00:48:44,800 Speaker 1: you enjoy this podcast, please send it to a friend 895 00:48:45,239 --> 00:48:48,480 Speaker 1: and keep the conversation going. Thanks for listening.