1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: What a time to be alive. Every day as I 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: watched the news cycles and all of this unfold, this 3 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 1: presidential election cycle, It's like, is this real life? Is 4 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: this the Truman Show or something? How can this be real? 5 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: We're having a debate in this country. If the President 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: of the United States, the commander in chief, might have dementia, 7 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: is clearly incognitive decline. And we saw that even when 8 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: he was walking to the debate stage. We sure saw 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: it during the debate. I mean really, within the first 10 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: five minutes his interview with George Stephanopoulos to me, seemed 11 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 1: like a child telling his parent that he needs to 12 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: take the keys away and doing so on behalf of 13 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: the Democrat Party telling an elderly parent, I need to 14 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 1: take the keys away from you. 15 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 2: So what does this all mean? This election cycle? 16 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: And now that we have these mounting calls for Joe 17 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 1: Biden to step aside. We saw most recently with sedator 18 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: Michael Bennett of Colorado raising concerns about Joe Biden, raising 19 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: concerns that he thinks that Donald Trump would win in 20 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: a landslide at the rate that we are going in. 21 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 1: You've got George Clooney calling for Joe Biden to step down. 22 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: So at what point do those calls become inescapable? Do 23 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: they if it's Kamala Harris, what does that race look like? 24 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:17,360 Speaker 1: How does that reshape the twenty twenty four presidential election? 25 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 1: And then in looking at all of this, particularly on 26 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: the heels of the media telling us that any video 27 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: that surfaced or that was put out of Joe Biden 28 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: looking elderly, Joe Biden looking like he's incognitive decline, after 29 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: calling those videos cheap fakes and then now admitting, oh no, okay, 30 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: something is going on with Joe Biden. 31 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 2: Sorry we lied before. What did Democrats do? 32 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: What do the media do if Joe Biden decides to 33 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 1: stay in this race? 34 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 2: Aren't they kind of boxed in? 35 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 1: So we are in a crazy election environment, a crazy 36 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 1: political environment, so many questions, all of it shifting. Who 37 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 1: better to go to than my colleague Ari Fleischer. I'm 38 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 1: not out numbered with him very frequently. I'm always interested 39 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: in hearing what he has to say. I think it 40 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: does such a good job of sort of being unemotional 41 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: in the way he observes things, of just really taking 42 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: a sober viewpoint, a sober analysis to where we are 43 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: politically and just speaking in very common sense terms obviously 44 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: as someone who has spent who's worked in the top 45 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: top top of political communications and in politics as a 46 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 1: White House preseecretary for George W. Bush, particularly during nine 47 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: to eleven, you know, such a consequential point in history, 48 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 1: such an important point in history, such a chaotic point 49 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: in history. He just has so much experience and can 50 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: speak from that. And then now of course he runs 51 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: his own communications company where he's worked with you know, huge, 52 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: huge names Ari Fleischer Communications. I am just looking forward 53 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,519 Speaker 1: to having this conversation with him, asking of all these questions, 54 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: asking about how the media has changed since his time 55 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: as Press secretary, and how does he see this election 56 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: cycle unfold, So so many questions for such a smart man. 57 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: My colleague and friend, Ari Fleischer, stay tuned well, Ari, 58 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: it's awesome to have you on the show. I always 59 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 1: get so excited when we're going to be on out 60 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: Numbered together because I'm just always interested in what you 61 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 1: have to say. So I'm so excited about having on 62 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 1: the podcast, and I just really appreciate you making the time. 63 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 3: Well, it's mutual. 64 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 4: You are a hard working, know your fact woman, and 65 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 4: you make a great showmate. 66 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: Well, that is an honor coming from you, and especially 67 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: just where we are today in this political environment, also 68 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: in the media. So I'm just really looking forward to 69 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: picking your brain on this. You know, are we continue 70 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: to see the calls for. 71 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 2: Joe Biden to step down. The pressure is mounting. 72 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: You've got Senator Michael Bennett, the first Democrat to come 73 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: out against Joe Biden in the Senate. George Clooney, now 74 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 1: a big Democrat donor as well. Well. 75 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 4: Joe Biden stepped down. If you listen to Joe Biden, 76 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 4: the answer is no. I think if you listen to 77 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 4: the rest of the Democrat Party, the hope, the answer 78 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 4: becomes yes. But it's stuck to Joe Biden, and he's 79 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 4: a stubborn man. He likes to say I beat Trump 80 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 4: before I beat him again. If I had to bet, 81 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 4: stubbornness will prevail. 82 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: So what point do you think, because now Democrats have 83 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 1: kind of boxed themselves in, right, because you've had the 84 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: media come out and you know, admit what we've always 85 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: known to be true, that Joe Biden the mental qut 86 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,280 Speaker 1: is not there like it used to be. You've now 87 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: how Democrats come out and admit that as well. 88 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 2: So if Joe Biden doesn't. 89 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 1: Step out of this race, like, how do they how 90 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: do they turn this around? 91 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 2: You know, what does that look like for Democrats? 92 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 4: Well, the salvation for the Democrats is what it's always been. 93 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 4: It's Donald Trump. Democrats are based their entire campaign on hiding. 94 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 3: Joe Biden in the basement because they know he's. 95 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 4: Frail, and even without the debate, they were going to 96 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 4: hide him in the basement and hope that the focus 97 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 4: will be exclusively on Donald Trump and that Donald Trump 98 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 4: will blow up Donald Trump. That has always been their 99 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 4: strategy and now it's a less likely. 100 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 3: Strategy to succeed, but that is their hope. 101 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 1: In observing Donald Trump this election cycle, it does seem 102 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: like he has learned some lessons from the past. I mean, 103 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: you know, even somewhat sitting out what's happening right now. 104 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 1: You know, we haven't necessarily seen that from him, you know, 105 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: just like a little bit more discipline. 106 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 2: Have you observed that? You know, does it appear to 107 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 2: you that. 108 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 1: You know, maybe he sort of learned some lessons from 109 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: the past election cycles? 110 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 4: One hundred percent, and I hope that it persists for 111 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 4: the next four months and frankly for the next four years. 112 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 4: I was thinking this morning, contrasts President Trump's behavior during 113 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 4: the COVID crisis, where he held those hour long, hour 114 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 4: and a half long news conferences every day that just 115 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 4: turned into sessions of ranker and going back and forth 116 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 4: with the press corps. That didn't accomplish anything good, and 117 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 4: it kind of drained the public's patients because as they 118 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 4: saw the president too much. Contrast how President Trump put 119 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 4: himself front and for then without, how he handled Joe 120 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 4: Biden's meltdown, and how he let all the focus be 121 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 4: on Biden instead. 122 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 3: Of all the focus beyond Trump. 123 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 4: It's night and day, Lisa. Will he continue to do 124 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 4: that going forward? I'm not willing to bet that two 125 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 4: weeks of modified behavior will undo Donald Trump's instinct to 126 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 4: put himself in the middle of everything. But I sure 127 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 4: like it. It was smart, it was disciplined, it was sensible. 128 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:37,600 Speaker 4: And if that's how Donald Trump is going to be, 129 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:40,839 Speaker 4: he can really have a great presidency in front of him. 130 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: Do you think the fact that you obviously Joe Biden 131 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: not mentally being there. We all saw that on the 132 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,720 Speaker 1: debate stage, and then the fact that Democrats put forward 133 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 1: Joe Biden as their nominee. Does this impact the Democrat 134 00:06:57,279 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: Party in the way that voters observe it in terms of, 135 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 1: you know, just trust, or in terms of lending their 136 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 1: vote to them this election cycle. 137 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 4: By every traditional metric, yes, because in a presidential election year, 138 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 4: it's often the down ballot, down ballot candidates who suffer 139 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 4: the president does poorly. This is what leads to waive elections. 140 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 4: But I'm going to give you an instant caveat. A 141 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 4: lot of us thought something similar in the first midterm 142 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 4: of Joe Biden, that Republicans should have gained a lot 143 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 4: more seats in the House, they should have picked up 144 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:35,239 Speaker 4: the Senate. None of that, which by historical standards always happened, 145 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:40,119 Speaker 4: took place. So what is there something else in the air? 146 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 4: Is there something else in the mix that makes traditional 147 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 4: political patterns dissolve in twenty twenty four? I don't think so, 148 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 4: But a lot of us, include myself, for wrong about 149 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 4: twenty twenty two. So as we gauge twenty twenty four, 150 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 4: a look back at two years ago history is worth 151 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 4: taking two No, I. 152 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: Agree with that, you know, I mean, look, I got 153 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 1: the min terms wrong. I've admitted that on this show 154 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: because basically, you know, I think a lot of us 155 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 1: were looking at historical references to to gauge what would 156 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: happen in the twenty twenty two midterm elections, and it 157 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: seems like past history no longer applies. And I wonder 158 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 1: how much of that has to do with just the 159 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 1: manner in which we vote has changed, right, you know, 160 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 1: you look at the twenty twenty election in Pennsylvania, Biden 161 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: got something like seventy five percent of the mail in ballots, 162 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 1: and so now that we rely more heavily on mail 163 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: in voting and early voting, and just the dynamics have changed, 164 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 1: you know, how much of that do you think sort 165 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: of reshapes? You know, how we look at these election 166 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 1: cycles moving forward? 167 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 4: I think the voting behavior changes it very little, and 168 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 4: on the margins, because Republicans do so much better on 169 00:08:55,960 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 4: day of the election voting. It benefits the Democrats to 170 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 4: the greater degree, however, because all it takes is one 171 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 4: big rainstorm or some kind of traffic problem. And if 172 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 4: your only day to vote is the election day, well, 173 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 4: if something goes wrong, you don't get there, you don't 174 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 4: get there. So Democrats get there. They have two three 175 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:18,559 Speaker 4: four week period to get there, so it has benefited 176 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 4: them on the margins. I think that's going to change 177 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:22,959 Speaker 4: a little bit in this cycle of Republicans. Hopefully we'll 178 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 4: vote more absentee. I think the biggest issue in twenty 179 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 4: twenty two and why it defied history, was for the 180 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:32,679 Speaker 4: first time ever you essentially had two incumbents on the ballot. 181 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 4: Typically of midterm is a referendum on the new president, 182 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 4: in that case Joe Biden his first midterm. But because 183 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 4: President Trump stuck around, President Trump was such an active 184 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,960 Speaker 4: part of the twenty twenty two campaign, it gave Democrats 185 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 4: a reason to say Trump is still on the ballot, 186 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 4: and it helped the Democrats to surge and turn out 187 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:54,680 Speaker 4: as opposed to sit on their hands because they weren't 188 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 4: happy with Biden. I think that was the difference. Now 189 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 4: in a presidential year, with trum up on the ballot 190 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 4: and with Biden doing as poorly as he's doing, that 191 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 4: would certainly seem to suggest, at least by today's polls, 192 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 4: a landslide election for Donald Trump, which has huge implications 193 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 4: down ballot. The problem is the elections not for another 194 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 4: almost four months. A little under four months. So what 195 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 4: will happen between now and then? 196 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 3: Who knows? 197 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 4: Will President Trump stay disciplined? Will President Trump say something 198 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 4: or do something that all of a sudden shifts all 199 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 4: the media attention off of Biden. 200 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 3: And back onto Trump. 201 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 4: The press would love to turn the worm against Donald Trump. 202 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 4: Or will Biden continue to think and Trump continue to 203 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 4: hold steady. That's what we're going to find out. No, 204 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 4: I mean, it's certainly. 205 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just you know, wild times we're in politically, 206 00:10:50,280 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: and as you mentioned, there's just so many variables where 207 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 1: you know, we're obviously gauging where the race is today, 208 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: but you know, and he's also a waiting sentencing in 209 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: the book keeping case in New York, and you know 210 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: what happens with that. So I mean, there's just so much, uh, 211 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 1: you know, to be the termine in the race. 212 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:05,440 Speaker 4: You know. 213 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 2: What was interesting is there was this American Bridge. 214 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:10,439 Speaker 1: Call and one of the donors on the call said 215 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: that Kamala Harris is more threatening to swing voters than 216 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:19,080 Speaker 1: a dead Joe Biden or a comatost Joe Biden. I 217 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: don't know how they like, which is you know, probably 218 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: true actually, but like I don't know how they could 219 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:30,319 Speaker 1: bypass Kamala as the VP if Joe Biden were to 220 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,840 Speaker 1: step down, do you see a world where they could 221 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 1: bypass her? And then if it is Kamala, you know, 222 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:39,559 Speaker 1: how do you think that reshapes this election? 223 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 3: Well, one, I do. 224 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 4: Think a new candidate would do better than Joe Biden 225 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 4: and alive and kicking, even if it's just barely Joe Biden. 226 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 3: I think that the Democrats will go through civil war. 227 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 4: It's going to be brutal, but at the end of it, 228 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 4: they're going to unify because they want to defeat Donald Trump. 229 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 4: So whoever they nominate is now going to be younger 230 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:01,559 Speaker 4: than Donald Trump. There's going to be a kick in 231 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:03,959 Speaker 4: their step of vigor in the party because they've got 232 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 4: somebody new, and they'll make up the money. All those 233 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 4: normal factors will surge to help the Democrats. So I 234 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 4: fear almost anybody as a new candidate, because Joe Biden 235 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 4: is their weakest candidate. If Biden's out, then I do 236 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 4: think it's going to go to Harris. I just think 237 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:27,080 Speaker 4: for a Democratic party in its modern form, which places 238 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 4: no higher virtue than on your identity, politics, the chromosomes 239 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 4: and the color of your skin of which you were born. 240 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:37,040 Speaker 4: That is more important to the Democrats than ideology than 241 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 4: anything else. How can they pass Kamala Harris up. I 242 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:44,079 Speaker 4: just don't think they'll do it. And I think all 243 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 4: the stories, everything that we know about Kamala Harris, they're 244 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 4: just going to ignore. They're going to pretend she's popular 245 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 4: and rally behind her, and then it really becomes the 246 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 4: job of the Trump campaign and President Trump start to 247 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 4: shift to this last night a little bit rhetorically to 248 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 4: also remind people about what they don't like abou Kamala Harris. 249 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 4: How she's just a California Liberal who've got nothing done 250 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 4: as a California Attorney general, who's been a hapless vice president, 251 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 4: who made the border worse, and who can't even speak 252 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 4: English very well. So there's so much to work with Harris. 253 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 4: But I do think it would likely highly likely be her, 254 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:23,199 Speaker 4: and that she'd be stronger than Joe Biden. 255 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,439 Speaker 1: And the media will you know, proper up probably in 256 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 1: ways we actually have. 257 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 2: It Morworth Ari. 258 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 1: But first, since the start of the Swords of Iron 259 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: War in Israel in October seventh, we have seen death 260 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:38,959 Speaker 1: and destruction in the Holy Land for more than forty years, 261 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 1: the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has been on 262 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 1: the ground in Israel and with hours of the war starting, 263 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,200 Speaker 1: and every day since, they've been feeding the hungary and 264 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 1: protecting the vulnerable. The attacks continue in the north and 265 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: in the south in Israel, but there are resilient survivors 266 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:56,839 Speaker 1: who bravely share their stories. In a series the Fellowship 267 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: calls Faces of Iron survivors like Danny, who beloved daughter 268 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:04,440 Speaker 1: and her husband were burned alive on October seventh by 269 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 1: Hamas Terris. Danny is a commander of the volunteer fire 270 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 1: and rescue in his community. Despite fire equipment nearby, Danny 271 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: could do nothing as his daughter's house burned and his 272 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 1: daughter and her husband lost their lives. Christians like you 273 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: support Israel through the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, 274 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: and it's the support that helps the survivors remain staidfast 275 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: and strong. Do you hear more stories like this one 276 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:33,240 Speaker 1: and show your support for Israel Visit SUPPORTIFCJ dot org. 277 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,160 Speaker 2: You know I want to ask you this. 278 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 1: You know, obviously you're working with people constantly and improving 279 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: the way they communicate, and you know you've done this 280 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: for a living for a very long time and are. 281 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 2: Incredibly good at it. 282 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: The media has been trying to reboot Kamala Harris since 283 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one. Why do you think she has so 284 00:14:55,160 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: much trouble connecting with voters for all the reasons. 285 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 3: We watch on TV? 286 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's just not that intellectually bright. The things she says, 287 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 4: her loopy lexicon, her difficult way of putting two smart 288 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 4: thoughts together in the same paragraph. 289 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:17,480 Speaker 3: We see her and. 290 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 4: People in California who know what she's like are among 291 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 4: her biggest critics. Elected leaders, party officials in California who 292 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 4: just know that she got appointed to everything and she's 293 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 4: really never been a solid, strong worker. Look at the 294 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:36,200 Speaker 4: primary that she ran. It was a horrible primary. She 295 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 4: had to drop out before the first vote was cast. 296 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 4: But one thing she did that was memorable was tell 297 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 4: a story about how Joe Biden was a racist in 298 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 4: debate against Joe Biden. So what I like about politics, Lisa, 299 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 4: particularly on the presidential level, is voter see people for 300 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 4: who they really are. There's so much TV exposure that 301 00:15:57,600 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 4: you have to come across live. You come across samporaneous 302 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 4: unless you're Joe Biden, who just reads from a teleprompter 303 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 4: that people read you, they feel you, they know who 304 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 4: you are, and you can't pull one off over the voters. 305 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 4: That's going to be Harris's biggest problem. 306 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: You know, we've seen obviously Donald Trump. You know there's 307 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: a strong reaction on both sides to him. But why 308 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: do you think he's able to connect with the people 309 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: who support him in a way that we don't typically 310 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: see politicians be able to connect with their supporters in 311 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: that way? 312 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:33,280 Speaker 2: Like what kind of like makes his style unique? 313 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 4: I think he's got two things. One is style and 314 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 4: the second is substance on style. It's the man is 315 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 4: so politically incorrect. The man is such a bull in 316 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 4: the china shop that for most people who can't stand politicians, 317 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 4: Donald Trump is their answer. He is finally someone who 318 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 4: comes along and just says it the way it's said, 319 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 4: it should be said, who isn't afraid to take on big, 320 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:02,720 Speaker 4: complicated issues or groups, and it's refreshing. It's real America 321 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 4: as opposed to the gobblety cook that comes from Washington. 322 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 4: The second issue is substantive. People do remember how good 323 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 4: things were under Donald Trump, how there was peace, how 324 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 4: Russia didn't invade Ukraine, how Masten's attack Israel, they were scared, 325 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 4: and they were scared of Trump. How the border was 326 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 4: more secure, how strong the economy was, and particularly for 327 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 4: lower income Americans. So there are a lot of good 328 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 4: memories left over. And it's not a statistics game, Lisa. 329 00:17:32,080 --> 00:17:34,520 Speaker 4: This is where Biden's making the mistake of using this 330 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 4: data point and that data point to show how COVID 331 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 4: knocked it all out. But that's a reflection on Trump 332 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 4: and how Trump governed. No, people remember the way things 333 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,480 Speaker 4: were prior to COVID, and they recognized COVID. 334 00:17:46,240 --> 00:17:48,360 Speaker 3: Just washed through our society, washed through the. 335 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:51,160 Speaker 4: World, and it was unfair to blame it on Trump 336 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 4: or anybody else. That helps Trump immeasurably. So I think 337 00:17:56,280 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 4: it's that combination of style, refreshing style, and substance. Now 338 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 4: I want to point out what Trump's done that's been brilliant, 339 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 4: is he has gained votes for Republicans in places Republicans 340 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:13,880 Speaker 4: traditionally did not get votes. People making less than thirty 341 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 4: thousand dollars a year have swung toward Donald Trump. Romney 342 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 4: lost that group by twenty eight points. Trump lost them 343 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 4: by only eight points. Low income Americans. He'll do even 344 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 4: better in twenty twenty four. I predict he did way 345 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 4: better with Hispanic voters and with African American voters. McCain 346 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 4: got four percent of the African American vote, Romney got six. Trump, 347 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:38,399 Speaker 4: the guy that Democrats call the races, got twelve. He 348 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 4: tripled McCain, doubled Romney, and again he'll do even better 349 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 4: in twenty twenty four. So he's grown the party in 350 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,280 Speaker 4: a direction that the party needed to grow. But what 351 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 4: he's lost, and this is why if he's more disciplined 352 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 4: and smarter this cycle, we can get it back, is 353 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 4: the college educated suburban voter, particularly women. This has been 354 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,439 Speaker 4: a group that's hemorrhaged for Republicans. These used to be 355 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:05,479 Speaker 4: solid Republicans who are now independents who are voting for Biden. 356 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:10,119 Speaker 4: And this is where if Trump doesn't gain enough with 357 00:19:10,320 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 4: low income Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Black Americans to offset 358 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:17,880 Speaker 4: the losses in the suburbs, Biden could win. 359 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:20,800 Speaker 3: So this is part. 360 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 4: Of the changing nature of politics too, and Republicans are gaining, 361 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 4: but we can't lose the suburbs the way we've been 362 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 4: losing the suburbs, you. 363 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:32,800 Speaker 1: Know, and what's interesting and laying that all out is, 364 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: you know, like Joe Biden's whole mission statement essentially in 365 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: twenty twenty was I'm not Donald Trump, the other guy's worse, 366 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:42,359 Speaker 1: you know. And now it's, as you pointed out, like 367 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: Americans are having Trump nostalgia and looking back at his administration, 368 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: you know, in a very positive way, especially compared to 369 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 1: how they're viewing their current situation with Joe Biden. 370 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:57,160 Speaker 2: And we're saying, you know, and even just. 371 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: The discussion around Joe Biden and they feel drop out, 372 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: you know. With Democrats, it's the well, it's a threat 373 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:06,920 Speaker 1: to democracy, like Trump is such a threat to democracy 374 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: that you know, we need the strongest candidate. Do you 375 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:13,679 Speaker 1: think that the threats to democracy narrative does that land 376 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 1: with voters? 377 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 2: How effective do you think that is? 378 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:20,160 Speaker 3: It's a great rallying cry for the Democrats. 379 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:24,680 Speaker 4: For anybody who thinks January seventh was is the biggest 380 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:28,120 Speaker 4: issue and that Trump would do it again, it's a help. 381 00:20:28,480 --> 00:20:31,399 Speaker 4: That's a really strong rallying cry for that block. 382 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 3: I think for a. 383 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 4: Lot of independents who are still open minded, it's not 384 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 4: you know, when I hear threat to democracy, my first 385 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 4: thought is Colorado, Illinois, and Maine trying to throw Donald 386 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:44,919 Speaker 4: Trump off the ballot because they tried to call him 387 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,440 Speaker 4: an insurrectionist, something none of the trespactors and the rioters 388 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:52,159 Speaker 4: on January seventh were accused of. None of them were 389 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,240 Speaker 4: accused of insurrection, but that's enough for them to throw 390 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 4: Donald Trump off the ballot. There are a lot of 391 00:20:58,119 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 4: other threats to democracy, like Joe Biden and ignorance Supreme 392 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 4: Court rulings and trying to get people to have no 393 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:08,720 Speaker 4: college debt to pay to make blue collar workers pay 394 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 4: for college educated voters so they. 395 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:11,440 Speaker 3: Don't have any debts. 396 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,440 Speaker 4: Biden's defying the courts and bragging about it. So if 397 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:19,720 Speaker 4: you want to run threats to democracy, Democrats have some 398 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 4: planet to do. 399 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 3: But it's a rallying cry. I don't think it goes 400 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 3: beyond that for the Democrats. 401 00:21:27,240 --> 00:21:29,199 Speaker 1: They were even you know, trying to throw them in 402 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: jail and bankrupt them as they have with you know, 403 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 1: which is pretty remarkable that we're here as a country, 404 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 1: you know, and looking back to your time as White 405 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 1: House prospectory and then sort of observing the media now, 406 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:48,360 Speaker 1: how I mean, how much has changed. I'm sure that's 407 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,120 Speaker 1: probably a pretty loaded question. But you know, I imagine 408 00:21:52,160 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: that that's got to be pretty crazy for you to 409 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: like think back about your time and then now look 410 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: at the current environment, like, how has it changed. Why 411 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: do you think it's changed. I'd love to just kind 412 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: of get your insight on that. 413 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 3: Well, everything has changed. 414 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 4: The biggest change is when I was Press secretary, if 415 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:12,880 Speaker 4: there was something on. 416 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,120 Speaker 3: The front page of the New York Times, you had 417 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 3: to deal with it. 418 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 4: It was going to affect voters. It was going to 419 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 4: affect Republicans. It certainly affected all the press core. 420 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 3: It was big. 421 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 4: Now Republicans can ignore whatever is in the New York 422 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 4: Times and most of the mainstream media. We have just 423 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 4: so cratered in terms of reading and viewing habits. The 424 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:39,439 Speaker 4: major media has lost so many subscribers and viewers, and 425 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:44,160 Speaker 4: those people are overwhelmingly Republicans and independents. The New York 426 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 4: Times is now a memo written by essentially college educated 427 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 4: Democratic voters for fellow college educated Democratic voters. 428 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 3: It's just these talking to d's. 429 00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 4: It's talking points for producers and executive producers and bookers 430 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 4: TV shows. 431 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 3: Because they read the New York Times, they. 432 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 4: Just drive around the same narrow, ideological cul de sac 433 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 4: talking to each other. That's what's changed to Lisa. There 434 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,719 Speaker 4: was no Politico, there was no Axios, there was no 435 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:20,679 Speaker 4: social media. There was no Facebook, no Twitter, no YouTube. 436 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 4: When I was Press secretary. Now Canada's running for office, 437 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 4: can and should build their own You need to build 438 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 4: your own list of followers. You need to build your 439 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:32,640 Speaker 4: own list of viewers. You need to put together your 440 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:36,120 Speaker 4: own videos. That would have been called government propaganda when 441 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:39,000 Speaker 4: I was Press secretary. Now you build your own videos, 442 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 4: get it out on your own networks and communicate that way. 443 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 3: The world is different. 444 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:46,879 Speaker 2: Has the media ever been objective? 445 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:54,080 Speaker 4: Yes, and I say it hesitantly because they've always been liberal. 446 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:59,640 Speaker 4: But they were trained, even the liberals, to say are 447 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 4: a job is to report straight down the middle and 448 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 4: tell the news fairly to both sides. And I think 449 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:11,120 Speaker 4: that they largely tried to do that in the eighties, nineties, 450 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 4: early two thousand's, really prior to the polarization of the 451 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 4: Internet and social media. But the stories they covered because 452 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 4: they were liberal, were liberal stories. Their points of view 453 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 4: were still liberal points of view. You had so few 454 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 4: conservatives in the media. Ed pages used to be much 455 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 4: more balanced and fair. That is really gone. TV shows, 456 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 4: you know Fox News, It used to be Hannity and Combs, 457 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:42,160 Speaker 4: if you remember Sean Hannity along with a very liberal 458 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:46,639 Speaker 4: co anchor. Now, of course it's just Hannity. The media 459 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 4: is gone in that direction. But I do think there 460 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,200 Speaker 4: used to be a time when at least they tried 461 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 4: to be more balanced. And as a press secretary who 462 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 4: started on Capitol Hill in the eighties and worked in 463 00:24:57,800 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 4: the House to send it and then the White House 464 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 4: from the early eighties to the early two thousands, I 465 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 4: did get a fair hearing. I could pound the table 466 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 4: and make my case. I had to work harder than 467 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:12,160 Speaker 4: any Democrat did because of the liberal nature of the press, 468 00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:16,919 Speaker 4: but it was achievable. Now you don't even try. You 469 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,439 Speaker 4: don't need to, you know. 470 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,160 Speaker 1: It also seems that, I mean, the whole world has 471 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:26,959 Speaker 1: changed since you Trump went down the Golden escalator, and 472 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,879 Speaker 1: the media has obviously changed a lot as well. It 473 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: seems like he's broken much of the media. Why do 474 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:36,359 Speaker 1: you think they hate him so much? 475 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 4: They did this to themselves. First of all, they did 476 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:44,119 Speaker 4: it to themselves because number one, newsrooms are so overwhelmingly 477 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:47,360 Speaker 4: liberal and they're alient to conservative thought. Look at how 478 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:50,880 Speaker 4: many stories it's just about the few conservatives who try 479 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:54,639 Speaker 4: to go into a newsroom and they got drummed out 480 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:57,920 Speaker 4: of the newsroom. Remember when Ben Shapiro got hired by 481 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,399 Speaker 4: Politico for one day just to be kind of a 482 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 4: guest editor, and it led to an uproar in the newsroom. 483 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:07,439 Speaker 4: We can't have a known conservative be here, but they 484 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:10,880 Speaker 4: can have known liberals. So they've done it to themselves 485 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:14,920 Speaker 4: by being who they are, and they're comfortable being who 486 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,639 Speaker 4: they are. They don't want a farg an injection of 487 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 4: conservatism or even neutrality to infect them. 488 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:26,400 Speaker 3: Two, they've become activists. 489 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 4: So if you're a liberal and you keep your mouth shut, okay, 490 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 4: you occupy the newsroom and your story selection is liberal, 491 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 4: but at least you're not an activist. Well that's over now. 492 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 4: They're activists for liberal and progressive causes. And that's what 493 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 4: turned them against Trump. Trump came along bull in the 494 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 4: China Shop, and the press can't stand him. It was reflexive. 495 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 3: It was they. 496 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 4: Abandoned neutrality, They abandoned half the country. And they wonder 497 00:26:56,560 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 4: why they lost viewers and readers. It's because they don't 498 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 4: reflect America. They don't look like America, they don't sound 499 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:08,159 Speaker 4: like America. I think the media is dramatically out of 500 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 4: touch ideologically. And there's a pewpole that I'm familiar with 501 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 4: came out about three years ago that ask the American people, 502 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:21,919 Speaker 4: do you feel the media understands people like you? So 503 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 4: what goes beyond bias? It goes to beyond ideology. Do 504 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 4: they understand people like you, your way of life, who 505 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 4: you are. There was only one group of Americans who 506 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 4: said the press understands people like me, and it was 507 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:40,480 Speaker 4: college educated Democrats. If you were a college graduate, I'm sorry. 508 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:42,720 Speaker 4: If you were a Democrat with a high school diploma, 509 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 4: you didn't think the press understood people like you. Independence, 510 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 4: college or high school press doesn't understand me. 511 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:50,360 Speaker 3: And of course. 512 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 4: Republicans and Lisa, the group that is understood the least 513 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:56,960 Speaker 4: by the press and they don't care are people who hunt, 514 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:02,160 Speaker 4: people who fish, people collect guns, people who pray every day. 515 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 4: These are the people that the media really has a 516 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:10,200 Speaker 4: hard time identifying with. They can parachute into those communities, 517 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 4: do a story and leave, but they're not from that group. 518 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 4: They're not of those people. It's the alien lifestyle. Yees 519 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 4: for the majority of Americans, it is their lifestyle. But 520 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,520 Speaker 4: the press is out of touch, and that's why people 521 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 4: tell polsters the press don't understand people like me. 522 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 1: I've got a quick commercial break more with Ari Fleischer 523 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:35,879 Speaker 1: on the other side, even just look at, you know, 524 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 1: the way the media pushed the you know, Russia Gates 525 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 1: story back in twenty sixteen, and then you had the 526 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 1: fifty one intelligence officers and the media telling us, oh, 527 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: this is most likely Russian disinformation, or just how unquestioning 528 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: they were during COVID, just you know, pushing those narratives 529 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:57,240 Speaker 1: and then also going after anyone who had a counter 530 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:00,440 Speaker 1: narrative or you know, who were a contrarian during that 531 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 1: period of time. And then you know, even just more 532 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 1: recently telling us that these videos of Joe Biden just 533 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 1: showing him doing you know, normal things but obviously appearing 534 00:29:10,480 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: to be of old age and you know, having trouble cognitively, 535 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: that those were cheap fakes, you know, and then we 536 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:18,440 Speaker 1: find out with these radio hosts are just taking the 537 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: questions from the White House is there does the media 538 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 1: ever regain trust or do you think the media landscape 539 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:33,520 Speaker 1: is just going to look a lot different moving forward? 540 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 4: They won't regain trust for decades. They won't regain trust 541 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:44,800 Speaker 4: until journalism schools recognize how lopsided, one sided virtually all 542 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 4: of them are. And until let's start welcoming people who hunt, fish, 543 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 4: have guns, pray all that to pray every day. Until 544 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,240 Speaker 4: they have a newsroom that looks like America, they're not 545 00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 4: going to represent America and they don't want it to 546 00:29:58,560 --> 00:29:59,480 Speaker 4: make that change. 547 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 3: I've come to. 548 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 4: The Columbia Journalism School twice now and did lectures for 549 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 4: aspiring journalists, and at the end of each time, I 550 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 4: asked him the previous presidential election, who'd you vote for? 551 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 4: Hands up if you voted for Hillary or if you 552 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 4: voted for Trump. Every hand up for Hillary. I did 553 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 4: it twenty years ago, thirty years ago when it was 554 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:24,480 Speaker 4: the Bob Dole election against Bill Clinton, and I roomed 555 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 4: twelve Columbia journalists and I said, how many of you 556 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 4: voted for Bill Clinton? Eleven hands went up. So I 557 00:30:32,520 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 4: said to the twelfth guy, so you one person voted 558 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 4: for Bob Dole And he looked at me, said no, 559 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:43,200 Speaker 4: I voted for Ralph Nader. I mean this is indicative 560 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 4: of the future of journalism, and it's unchanged, it's unbowed. 561 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:49,160 Speaker 3: It is activist. 562 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,400 Speaker 4: And just watch, especially if Trump wins, you're going to 563 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 4: have hostile media coming after Trump with guns blazing. I 564 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 4: can remember one day of the press going after Biden 565 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 4: with guns blazing, and it was this week when they 566 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:05,800 Speaker 4: went after Curn Jean Pierre for not being able to 567 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:09,800 Speaker 4: answer the questions about neurologists who came to the White House. 568 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 3: That was it. 569 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 4: That was basically every day for me for my briefings. 570 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:17,960 Speaker 4: That was every day for Trump's people for their briefings. 571 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,160 Speaker 4: But they're not like that. One of the Democrats in 572 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 4: the White House. They weren't like that when Obama was 573 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,760 Speaker 4: in the White House. Shoot, more than two dozen of them, 574 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 4: active working journalists, not columnists, not opinion writers went to 575 00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 4: the White House or the Obama administration to become officials. No, 576 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 4: that's not going to change for decades. And this is 577 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:41,800 Speaker 4: why I made the point at least about how things 578 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:46,440 Speaker 4: have changed. It used to matter. It doesn't matter anymore. 579 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 4: Republicans can win without the New York Times, the Washington Post, 580 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 4: NBCCBS or ABC, and Trump's. 581 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 3: About to prove it. 582 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: Anything else that we've missed in this conversation any observations 583 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 1: you'd like to leave us with, or anything you'd like 584 00:31:58,480 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 1: to leave us with before we go. 585 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:03,400 Speaker 4: Well, one big caveat, and as good as things are 586 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 4: right now, I continue to think this is going to 587 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:10,080 Speaker 4: be a finger biting close election where we're going to 588 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 4: be up late on election night or into the next day. 589 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:15,760 Speaker 4: It's been a great couple of months for President Trump, 590 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 4: but Republicans should realize tide comes in, the tide goes out, 591 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:23,880 Speaker 4: and it's been a favorable tide, but it does not 592 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 4: last forever. And Republicans better run the best campaigns, the 593 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:32,080 Speaker 4: most disciplined campaigns if they want to win in November. 594 00:32:32,200 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 4: This thing is by no means over or close to 595 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:35,480 Speaker 4: being over. 596 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:37,479 Speaker 2: I agree, Ari, a pleasure. 597 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 1: It's always an honor to talk with you, and it's 598 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:41,120 Speaker 1: an honor to have you on the show. 599 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:42,280 Speaker 2: I just really appreciate your time. 600 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:43,440 Speaker 3: You're the best pleason. 601 00:32:43,560 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 1: Great to tell it was Ari Flaischer. I always love 602 00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 1: being on out Numbered with him. Really appreciate him making 603 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: the time to come on the show. Appreciate you guys 604 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 1: at home for listening every Monday and Thursday, but you 605 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 1: can listen throughout the week. I want to thank John Cassio, 606 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:58,320 Speaker 1: my producer, for putting the show together Until next time.