1 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: This is the Rogue Recap with Linda McLaughlin. She's unfiltered, unforgiving, 2 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,159 Speaker 1: and understandably annoyed by everyone. Make sure you like and 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: subscribe to her a podcast and follow her on x 4 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 1: at the Rogue Recap. 5 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 2: Hey, everybody, it's Lenda McLachlin of The Rogue Recap. Super 6 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,240 Speaker 2: stoked tonight to be here with my dear friend and colleague, 7 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 2: Selena Zito. Today is the release day of her book, Butler. 8 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 2: We have all been waiting for it. I've been waiting 9 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 2: for it because I knew she was writing it back 10 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: in December when she let me in on a little 11 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:35,639 Speaker 2: secret and I was like, I have to wait how 12 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,480 Speaker 2: much longer for this? So we're super excited. The full 13 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 2: title just I don't want to you know, jip anybody. 14 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 2: It's the untold story of the near assassination of Donald 15 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 2: Trump and the fight for America's heartland. So Selena, so 16 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 2: excited to have you here. I mean, what a day 17 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 2: for you, right, I guess you've been NonStop. 18 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 3: I'm so excited to be here with you because there's 19 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 3: nothing better than be able to do good storytelling with 20 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 3: someone that you're super comfortable with, that you know and 21 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 3: you can be chill with and I suspect your audience 22 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 3: is the same way. And so this is an honor 23 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 3: for me. 24 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 2: So I think the one thing that I would ask you, 25 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 2: I mean, obviously you know I've been I know your 26 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 2: story of the day of Butler and just being so 27 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: close to the president and the proximity. And I know 28 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 2: your daughters. Also, you know a photojournalist, she's in our business. 29 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:27,080 Speaker 2: Like you guys get it. And I think when when 30 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 2: you become a part of news and you are the 31 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 2: news that you're typically just reporting on, it's a very 32 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 2: different thing. 33 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, please, yeah, absolutely, So I should backtrack a little 34 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:42,960 Speaker 3: bit when when I became a reporter, nobody knew who 35 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 3: a local reporter was, right nobody. I love that anonymity, right, 36 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 3: that I could be just their report of story. Go 37 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 3: do my job and file my story and do my job. 38 00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 3: I do not get in the business really like with this, 39 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 3: with this expectation of attention, right, But that's what the 40 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 3: business morphed into. And for people to see and read 41 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 3: and feel your stories, you have to be able to 42 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 3: talk about them in a meaningful and authentic way. And 43 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 3: so when you are a reporter and you find yourself 44 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 3: in the middle, like you always want to not be 45 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 3: in the store. I make sure I'm not even in 46 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 3: the photo, you know, if there's people taking photos, I'll 47 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 3: just I'll be just like Homer Simpson, like like, don't 48 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 3: get me in the photo. I'm not the story. And 49 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 3: so that day started off, you know, like a typical day. 50 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 3: When you're a reporter, you have no level of expectation 51 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 3: that anything's going to go as planned. Nonetheless, you have 52 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 3: to have a plan, and so my plan was to 53 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 3: interview the president. Chris Losovito, a campaign had told me, 54 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 3: you've got five minutes with the president before the rally. Now, 55 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 3: I hadn't interviewed President Trump since Latroe, Pennsylvania in twenty twenty. 56 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 2: Oh my god. 57 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 3: Between that time, he got into mad at me for 58 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 3: interviewing Ron DeSantis, and Ron de Santis didn't tell me 59 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 3: he was running for president. In the story and nothing 60 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 3: was said bad about the president, but nonetheless I didn't think. 61 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 3: I definitely know he didn't like it, and it was 62 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 3: a truth social post. So you know, that's part of 63 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 3: the business, right it is, Well, you have to have 64 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 3: a thick skin if you went into journalism for people 65 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 3: to like you you definitely went into the wrong business. 66 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 2: Yes, you did. 67 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 3: And I also understood at that moment in February of 68 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 3: twenty twenty three that you know, he had a lot 69 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 3: of stuff piling up on him, and so I didn't 70 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 3: taken it personal because some Italian it's not a bit personal, right, 71 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 3: And I just let it roll off my back. And also, 72 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 3: there really wasn't people that chimed in on it, because 73 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 3: people have followed me for so long and knew I 74 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 3: had been very good at covering people in the Midwest, 75 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 3: the Appalachia and the Great Lakes Midwest, so you know, 76 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 3: there wasn't any sort of blowback towards me. So I'm 77 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 3: there to cover him to be our first interview in 78 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 3: four years, and I'm supposed to interview him for five minutes. 79 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 3: That changes to you're gonna only interview him, You're gonna 80 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 3: interview him for five minutes after the event. Then that 81 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 3: changes to Susie Wilds calls me and says, so what 82 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 3: do you think about flying to Bedminster and. 83 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 2: The five hours? 84 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 3: I was like, I didn't have that on my Bengo car. 85 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 3: But I'm in Watter, got a babysitter, which by the way. 86 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 3: You have four children, you know that getting a babysitter 87 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 3: for four children is literally an act of God needs 88 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 3: to rise up and put his hand on your shoulder 89 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 3: for that to happen. I got you, So, okay, we're 90 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 3: gonna interview him. And then all of a sudden, the 91 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 3: Trump had landed. He was behind the stage. He was 92 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 3: doing what's called the Click line where he meets and 93 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 3: greets people that are, you know, first responders and do 94 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 3: gooders in the community, and he spends some time talking 95 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 3: with them and they get the picture taken to hence 96 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 3: the word click. And so they rushed me back and 97 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 3: I said, oh, okay, I guess we're doing the interview now, right. 98 00:05:49,360 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 3: They rushed Shannon and Michael and I back, and there's 99 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 3: a curtain and I said to the handler, his name 100 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 3: is Michelle Picard the third, where am I doing this interview? 101 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 3: And he looks at me like, I actually don't. 102 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 2: Know where you can I don't know. 103 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,480 Speaker 3: But he didn't know where to put me, right, and 104 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:13,599 Speaker 3: so he goes, excuse me, and he goes around the 105 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 3: curtain to talk to President Trump like basically say. 106 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 2: Where do I put What are we doing? Yeah? 107 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:23,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, And then he comes back very sheepishly. He goes, 108 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 3: she just wants to say hi to you. You're still 109 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:30,840 Speaker 3: going to Bedminster. This isn't the interview. I'm like, okay, 110 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 3: So I go around this curtain and I hear Salina 111 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 3: like the way he Alwa says it, and then he 112 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 3: makes a big deal about doesn't she like And this 113 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 3: is where I just want to crawl in a hole. 114 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 3: He says, look at her hair. Everyone doesn't she have 115 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 3: the most beautiful hair? And there's like thirty State troopers. 116 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 3: They're all staring at my hair. And by the way, 117 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 3: I had been in one hundred and one. 118 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 2: Degrees very hot that day. 119 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 3: Literally Monica from friends when she's and but then he 120 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 3: gives me a hug. He asked about my grandchildren. We 121 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 3: talk about it because you you know, I'm really am 122 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 3: interested in this interview about pets particular. And then you know, 123 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 3: I go to leave, but I hear the beginnings of 124 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 3: Lee Greenwood. I'm like, that's when he comes out and 125 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 3: I look at Michelle Piccard and he said, we can't 126 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 3: get you back to the riser. You go in the buffer, 127 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,080 Speaker 3: follow the president out. You can take pictures, take video, 128 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 3: do whatever you want. Just end up, you know, towards 129 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 3: the end on the other side. And that's exactly what 130 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 3: I did, and that's how we ended up with the 131 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 3: cover that we have. Shannon took that photo that day 132 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 3: and then then that photo on the cover really has 133 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:51,239 Speaker 3: has some very depths and meaning and explain that later. 134 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 3: And so we go out, we take pictures, and then 135 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 3: we work our way over to the side, you know, 136 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 3: the point. There's no reason to be standing in front 137 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 3: of him. Sure, and he does two things he never does. 138 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 3: He puts a chart down. And I remember when he 139 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 3: put the chart down. I turned to my daughter and said, 140 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 3: what is he? Ross Parrot? Because it's candidate that always 141 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 3: had a chart, right, had a chart. He had no personality, 142 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 3: but he had great charts. And then he also turns 143 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 3: his head. Now you would think so President Trump does 144 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 3: never turn his head away from a rally goer and 145 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 3: people in a rally. There's a reason for that. There's 146 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 3: a very transactional relationship. He feeds off of them, they 147 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 3: feed off of him. He doesn't. He doesn't. He's very 148 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:51,680 Speaker 3: respectful of them, feeling as though he is present with them. 149 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 3: And in the moment that he turns his head, I 150 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 3: hear the first four shots. Now I knew what it 151 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,079 Speaker 3: was immediately. I knew it was gunfire. I'm a gun owner, right, 152 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:07,520 Speaker 3: I grew up in western Pennsylvania. 153 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 2: So it's like a bers yeah. 154 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 3: And I watch him and everything goes in very slow motion. 155 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 3: It's true when they say about that, At least it 156 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 3: was for me. It was sort of like layers of time. 157 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 3: And I watched him grab his ear, I watched the 158 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 3: blood streak across his cheek. I see him take himself down. 159 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 3: That was my first understanding that he might be okay. 160 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 3: But he takes himself down behind the podium, and I 161 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 3: remember like praying and saying, Dear God, please that someone's 162 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 3: protect him. That shooter, that that gunshot came over my 163 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 3: head right, that didn't come from the front where the 164 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 3: prodium would protect him. And then I kept thinking, well, 165 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,320 Speaker 3: I hope everybody else is okay in the stands. And 166 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 3: then came the next four shots. In between those two rounds, 167 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 3: there was like a sea of secret service that surrounded him, 168 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:18,559 Speaker 3: navy blue suits that were just a protective stance. You 169 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 3: could barely see him. If there was more bullets coming 170 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 3: his way, they were going to take them and I 171 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 3: can see his head, his face, he's holding his ear, 172 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 3: his hat is off, and then the Michelle Picard takes 173 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 3: me down. 174 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 2: He knocks me down. 175 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 3: And because I'm I in that moment, I have purpose. 176 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 3: My purpose is I'm a reporter. God give me this talent. 177 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 3: I need to chronicle what's happening, because this is being 178 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:52,679 Speaker 3: This is what it is when you are a witness 179 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 3: to history and you have a depth of understanding. I've 180 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 3: always been graced with with sort of a great little recall. 181 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 3: I can remember things, I can remember smells, you know. 182 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 3: I can see dimensionally, so not just what's in front 183 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,720 Speaker 3: of me, but I can see what's, you know, beyond, 184 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 3: in the background. And so, and I have my recorder on. 185 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 3: I always have my recorder on. And people say, well, 186 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 3: why would you record a speech. You can just get 187 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 3: the transcript. Well, what's important in reporting and often missed 188 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:32,080 Speaker 3: is conversations are not a transcript, and speeches are not 189 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 3: a transcript because there's nuance in conversations, right, People's voices change. 190 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 3: You want to be able to capture that when you're 191 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 3: telling a story, because saying something one way, just writing 192 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 3: it flatly is very different than framing it with the 193 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 3: emotion that it's said, which is why I always record things, 194 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 3: so my recorders on, I kind of forget that. And 195 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 3: I watch him fight with the Secret Service to get 196 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:07,559 Speaker 3: his shoes on, and there's a reason for that, and 197 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 3: the crowd starts chanting USA, and I can see him 198 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 3: mouth it. I can't hear him, but I can see 199 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 3: him say USA along with them at least twice. And 200 00:12:19,440 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 3: they get him up and they're want to take him away, 201 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 3: and he goes no, no, no, no no, or wait 202 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 3: wait wait. I think he said wait, wait, wait, and 203 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 3: he turns around and that's when he says fight White Fight. 204 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:37,199 Speaker 3: And that moment, that decision is so pivotal to whatever 205 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 3: happens from that moment on through the rest of the campaign, 206 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 3: but also since January. That moment is so profound, and 207 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 3: why he says it. People don't understand why he said it, 208 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 3: but why he says it is even more profound. 209 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 2: So listening to you, I mean, obviously, I think you're terrific, 210 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 2: and I read all your column and have for a 211 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 2: gajillion years, and proud to call you a fellow Pennsylvania 212 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 2: native and all the things. But I think the thing 213 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,719 Speaker 2: that I really want people to pull away when they 214 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 2: listen to you. Is you're so embedded in the messaging, 215 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 2: right even down to the point of recording the voice 216 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 2: and getting the nuance because it's lost in a transcript. 217 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 2: It's so true and you think to yourself, oh, remember that, 218 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 2: but you won't. You won't remember that because there is 219 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 2: first of all, my god, you're on the Trump detail, 220 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 2: You're in the buffer. There's so much going on. To 221 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 2: even attempt to remember everything, all the things that are 222 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 2: happening around you, it's difficult, right, And you may even 223 00:13:39,679 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 2: give yourself a little note remember to talk about you know, 224 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 2: white shirt, red shorts, great USA had or whatever you're 225 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 2: going to add as an anecdote, right, because they give 226 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 2: color to those people who couldn't make it. To Butler, 227 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 2: I mean, to be perfectly frank, nobody heard of Butler 228 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 2: before this incident, you know what I mean. They're like, 229 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 2: where the heck is Butler Pennsylvania. And the fact that 230 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 2: he went back, I mean, the audacity and the whole 231 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 2: to me, it was like he was reclaiming it. I 232 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 2: know we're both very good friends with Sarah Carter, and 233 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,079 Speaker 2: I was on the phone the day that Sarah Carter 234 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 2: showed up to cover it, right, and she's saying to me, 235 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 2: I can't even I can't even tell you how many 236 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 2: people are here. It's she goes, it's eight o'clock in 237 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 2: the morning, and it was like mombed, you know, and 238 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 2: it just shows, you know, And I wasn't there. It 239 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 2: was one of those things. I was like, man, you know, 240 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 2: and I had an obligation for one of the kids, 241 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 2: and it was like, you make those choices, right. But 242 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:38,080 Speaker 2: it's crazy to think how all of that sort of 243 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:41,800 Speaker 2: culminated into this one moment, because I mean, I don't 244 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 2: know how you feel about Matthew Crooks, but my god, 245 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 2: I know I read some of your book and it's 246 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 2: like it was just strange, right. The calls they came 247 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 2: after the five hour call later with the FBI and 248 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 2: the dad. You know, you really delineated a lot of 249 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 2: that really well. And I again, guys, if you're listening, 250 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 2: this is Selena Zito. She wrote the book Butler. It's 251 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 2: out today. I urge you buy the audiobook, buy the 252 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 2: print book by it to day. It's on sale, by 253 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 2: the way, right, it's on sale today and tomorrow. 254 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 3: It is on sale today and tomorrow on Amazon. And 255 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 3: it's true witness to history, not just what happened in Butler. 256 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 3: Why does he go to Butler? You know? And it's 257 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 3: a really deal detailed explanation about why there's only ever 258 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 3: been two US presidents that have campaigned for president in 259 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 3: Butler and the other one was JFK. 260 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 2: So it's so funny. I was going to go to 261 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 2: that point and just talk about that whole idea. While 262 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 2: they were on opposite sides politically, they're both disruptors. They 263 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 2: both were men of the people, if you will, And 264 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 2: so I wanted to go back for a minute and 265 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 2: just ask you, how did your relationship with President Trump 266 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 2: come to be? 267 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 3: Like? 268 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 2: Where did this? I need to know the origins, you 269 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 2: know a little bit of where this all came from. 270 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 3: Well, you know, if people have not read me before 271 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 3: or heard me before, I'm based in from Pennsylvania. The 272 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 3: region that I cover tends to be Appalachia, but also 273 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 3: the Great Lakes, Midwest Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin. And 274 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 3: I've always zigged where everyone zagged. I understood for a 275 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 3: while that this conservative populist coalition was forming, and so 276 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 3: I understood and my writing showed that, and so you 277 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 3: would see that in my coverage of Wisconsin, of Scott Walker, 278 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 3: right of Ohio, just how these states were changing. It 279 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 3: was very granular beginning in two thousand and six, but 280 00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 3: something definitely was happening. And so his Pennsylvania guy, David Urban, 281 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 3: I had known forever, and so David is the one 282 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 3: that kept giving him my stories and trying to convince 283 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 3: him to sedu a sit down. Now, at the time 284 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 3: I did my first sit down with him, I was 285 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 3: a local reporter for the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Well, I 286 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 3: was supposed to do it as that, but the day, 287 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 3: the day that they asked me to do the interview 288 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 3: was also my last day on the job. They had 289 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:24,159 Speaker 3: urged people to take the buy out. It became clear 290 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:26,639 Speaker 3: that if I didn't take the buy out and get 291 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 3: the you know, the money that you get when you 292 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 3: do a buy out there, I really would be fired. 293 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:37,160 Speaker 3: After the buyer out was over, right, there was there 294 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 3: was that hint that boy, you should, you should really 295 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 3: take that. And so I was walking out of the 296 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:50,200 Speaker 3: newsroom crying. And you know, newsrooms are like, especially old 297 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:53,400 Speaker 3: school newsrooms are like the land of the misfit toys. 298 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,359 Speaker 2: I mean one right now, it's just totally. 299 00:17:56,560 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 3: You all are doing wildly different things. You somehow come 300 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:04,080 Speaker 3: together to produce a newspaper or produce a show, right. 301 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 3: And so I'm walking out and I get a call 302 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,239 Speaker 3: from David Irban. He goes, hey, Selena, you have an 303 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 3: interview with Donald Trump in two days. And I was like, oh, 304 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 3: that's awesome. And I'm like, I don't have a job. 305 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,639 Speaker 2: I have no outlet. It's a princess in the. 306 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,400 Speaker 3: New York Times. And they're like, now, we're not interested. 307 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 3: And I called listen Daily Beast I think it was 308 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 3: a Daily Beast and maybe Political or Washington Post, I 309 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 3: can't remember. At this point, I caught a whole bunch 310 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 3: of them. Finally, I like exhausted, you know, And I 311 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 3: didn't even know these beats, like a cold call. It 312 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 3: like Glengarry Glenn Ross the word, and it was The 313 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 3: Atlantic that took. 314 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 2: The story of all places. 315 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:53,919 Speaker 3: All places. I think I got paid two hundred dollars 316 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:57,399 Speaker 3: for that job. It was two things happened in that 317 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 3: interview that I think started our mutual respect for each other. 318 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 3: I saw for it was at a Marcella shale coalition 319 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:13,040 Speaker 3: convention in Pittsburgh, and he was not that interested in 320 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 3: the suits that were attending. He was very interested in 321 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,960 Speaker 3: the people that put the event together. So after we 322 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,679 Speaker 3: do the interview, and it was in that interview that 323 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 3: I said to him, you know, voters take you seriously, 324 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 3: but they don't take everything that you say literally, whereas 325 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:34,360 Speaker 3: the press takes you everything that you say is literal, 326 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 3: and they don't take you very seriously. But what happened 327 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 3: in that moment is he's like, come on, take a 328 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 3: walk with me after the interview. I'm like, okay. So 329 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,199 Speaker 3: we take a walk and he stops and talks to 330 00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 3: the janitor. He talks to the guy that's pushing the 331 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:56,679 Speaker 3: big carts of water. He's talking to the caterers that 332 00:19:56,720 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 3: are going to be serving all these c suite suits 333 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:03,080 Speaker 3: that are out there waiting to hear Trump speak. And 334 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 3: his connective tissue with those people told me that you 335 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 3: know what, what what blaite people like him because he's 336 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 3: from the outer borough. He's not Manhattan, right, He's the 337 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,919 Speaker 3: guy who had to punch his way up. And if 338 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 3: anybody's ever seen the movie Age of Innocence, that sort 339 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,159 Speaker 3: of tear system in New York. If you're not old money, 340 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 3: you don't belong with the crowd. He and he had 341 00:20:31,359 --> 00:20:35,199 Speaker 3: that grit that is possessed by the working class people. 342 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 3: That's what they saw in him. That also c sweet 343 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 3: guys saw them in two because a lot of them 344 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 3: had to punch their way up to get there. So 345 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 3: that's sort of how that coalition. So that that is 346 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 3: where that that moment I said that to him, I'm like, 347 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 3: you're a really curious. 348 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 2: Guy, a big collar billionaire. 349 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, you're asking all these questions of people that that 350 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 3: people don't expect you to be connected to. I think 351 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 3: began our respect for each other. Two weeks later, the 352 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 3: New York Post hired me to drive across the country 353 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 3: to do a story on again. I'm freelancing, right, I'm like, 354 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 3: barely making ends meet. I just want to finish this 355 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 3: election because I knew what was going to happen. And 356 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 3: why I knew what was going to happen was I 357 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 3: understood my state was changing our state, Pennsylvania. Right. Bill 358 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 3: Clinton had won our state by winning twenty eight of 359 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:41,920 Speaker 3: our sixty seven counties and eroded every four years byzero 360 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 3: point one percent. If you're a nerd, you know this stuff. 361 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 3: By twenty twelve, Barack Obama had only won thirteen of 362 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 3: our counties. 363 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:52,199 Speaker 2: Yeah, it got very purple. 364 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, And that was telling me that the possibility was 365 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 3: going to happen. And there was ten counties that I 366 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 3: high identified that if Trump won just two thousand more 367 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 3: votes in those counties, he would win the election. Didn't 368 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 3: matter what happened in Pennsylvania or Pittsburgh and Philly. If 369 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 3: he won those ten more rural counties, he would win 370 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:18,159 Speaker 3: the state. I drove across the country for the New 371 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 3: York Post on Route thirty and came back and wrote, 372 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:28,200 Speaker 3: the selection's over. You all just don't know it yet. 373 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 3: I think he thought that was a pretty bowl like 374 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 3: rush Limbaugh at the time was whoa. I think Sean 375 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 3: did too, Sean in rush Limbaugh. And then that's when 376 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 3: the president started to really follow the work that I do. 377 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 3: And you know, it is not easy to be me 378 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 3: this person right there. Not because I'm a like a 379 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:59,199 Speaker 3: cheerleader for the president. I just understand people, and I 380 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 3: could see the and change in people. Yeah, and and 381 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:08,159 Speaker 3: so that's that's sort of where that mutual respect began. 382 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:13,119 Speaker 3: And again he did get mad at me once but 383 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:16,479 Speaker 3: you know, less than a year later, he made a 384 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 3: phone call to me. I was watching my four grandchildren, 385 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 3: who at the time were six, four, two and an infant, 386 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 3: and and he calls and I'm like trying to navigate 387 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:39,720 Speaker 3: four children. He is laughing his head off, and that 388 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 3: was that was it. Everything was good. 389 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 2: It just humanized it all. I mean, honestly, kids are 390 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:48,159 Speaker 2: the best thing ever. So it really does. You know, 391 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 2: he was wonderful with children. I mean, you know, he 392 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:55,199 Speaker 2: met my son. We went h we did it. We 393 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 2: were at one of his rallies and he did this 394 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 2: sit down with Sean Hannity and and we were in 395 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 2: the front row and Sean was, you know, pointing me 396 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 2: out and he goes and that's her son, Liam. And 397 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 2: he came over and shook Liam's hand, and Liam was like, 398 00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 2: I don't I don't understand what's happening right now, like totally. 399 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,679 Speaker 2: My older kids were there too, but it was like 400 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 2: and he had a picture from my niece which he 401 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 2: gave to the President and the President took it very graciously, 402 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:23,640 Speaker 2: and I just was like, this is surreal. I hadn't 403 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 2: even met him yet. Yeah, which was pretty funny, you know. 404 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 2: So it was like a moment for me. But back 405 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,679 Speaker 2: to back to Butler and your book out today. You know, 406 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 2: I think obviously people want to read this account because 407 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:39,919 Speaker 2: it's firsthand. You're there, you you saw it, you smelt it, 408 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 2: you felt it, you saw all the other people and 409 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 2: what they went through. And obviously we lost some really 410 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 2: wonderful people that day who the President has honored, you 411 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 2: know since then so many times, which is amazing. But 412 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 2: I think if I was going to ask you one 413 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 2: question about the book, what would you think? What do 414 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:59,280 Speaker 2: you want people to come away with just their own interpretation. 415 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 2: Is there some thing about the book that you're like, 416 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 2: I really hope they get. 417 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 3: This, and I hope they get and understand that America 418 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 3: changed in that moment, And and reading my reporting every 419 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:19,360 Speaker 3: day on the road, right, I don't fly, I don't 420 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:22,920 Speaker 3: even go in interstates. I only take back roads, seeing 421 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 3: how this election unfolded, seeing how bad I was also 422 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 3: covering Harris, seeing how bad she was doing in the 423 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 3: decisions that she made that has not been prosecuted in 424 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:42,160 Speaker 3: the in the in the blogosphere, whatever whatever we want 425 00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 3: to call it, in a way that it should be, 426 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 3: because there were some believable terrible mistakes made in the 427 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 3: most important state in the country, the ones that you 428 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:56,639 Speaker 3: should never ever make. And I and I think that 429 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 3: that there was also a joy that they will find 430 00:26:00,119 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 3: in this book, because there were moments that were joyful 431 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:07,200 Speaker 3: like McDonald's. 432 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:12,359 Speaker 2: And also there was five minutes from my house by 433 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,719 Speaker 2: the way I did that. I was like, this is wild. 434 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 2: I'm like, this is so great. 435 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:22,719 Speaker 3: That was great. I was there. But also I remember 436 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:27,200 Speaker 3: the Madison Square garden thing, right, and the garbage thing, 437 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:32,159 Speaker 3: and every reporter, every single reporter I knew, said this 438 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:35,040 Speaker 3: is it. It's over, it's done. He's lost them. And 439 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:39,120 Speaker 3: I go out to eastern PA in the most populist 440 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 3: city in the state of people that are from Puerto Rico, 441 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:48,040 Speaker 3: and you know, there's supposed to be this big protest 442 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 3: because he's coming to do a rally, big protests. They've 443 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 3: left him. And there were six people at the protest, 444 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 3: and so find one voter that left him, No, not one. 445 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:05,920 Speaker 2: Let me tell you something. You know what I learned 446 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 2: from the garbage truck moment, aside from the fact that 447 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 2: it happened around Halloween and every child I knew wanted 448 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:12,680 Speaker 2: to be a garbage truck man, I mean, do you 449 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:17,159 Speaker 2: remember that grown men dressing up as garbage truck men? 450 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 3: My whole neighborhood, the whole neighborhoods. Yes. 451 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 2: I was like, okay, you know he did the exact opposite. 452 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 2: It said to me two things. One, nothing is beneath 453 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 2: this man. Nothing And two, whoever he got to turn 454 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 2: that truck around that fast? Oh my god, they must 455 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 2: have started working on it the second it happened. I know, 456 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:39,440 Speaker 2: not incredible. 457 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:42,399 Speaker 3: And a couple of days later this was, this was 458 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 3: a powerful moment. He has this event in Pittsburgh. He has, 459 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 3: uh it's the night before the election. So it's a 460 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 3: couple of days later after after garbage and and the 461 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:02,200 Speaker 3: place he has has a peep arena and it is 462 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:08,120 Speaker 3: packed and I see people lined up for a half 463 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,760 Speaker 3: a mile in each direction to get in. And I'm 464 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 3: looking and this is a phenomenon I kept writing about. 465 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 3: But guys, there's a lot of young people here. Oh 466 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 3: by the way, guys, these crowds are really diverse. How 467 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:24,199 Speaker 3: how are you not writing about this? Where is your 468 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:30,080 Speaker 3: intellectual curiosity? And I remember the next night was election night. Yeah, 469 00:28:30,119 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 3: and I had a reporter, a local reporter come up 470 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:35,119 Speaker 3: to me and say, I'm just going to have to 471 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 3: disagree with your story about the diversity and the young people. 472 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:43,440 Speaker 2: And I'm like, I, you know, I don't make a 473 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 2: selfie together and get the background. 474 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,000 Speaker 3: I mean, you know, I was there too, and I said, 475 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:51,440 Speaker 3: well then your eyes weren't wide open. But at that 476 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 3: event sat Roberto Clemente Junior. He's born in Puerto Rico. 477 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:03,000 Speaker 3: He is a pillar of the community, the Clemente family. 478 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 3: People don't know who ROBERTA Clemente is. He was the 479 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 3: best bag baseball player that ever was from Puerto Rico 480 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 3: and his children were born there too, and he's a 481 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 3: pillar of the community. He runs the Clemente Foundation, and 482 00:29:16,680 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 3: he is boldly sitting right there to to to welcome 483 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 3: President Trump, and and then Megan Kelly is there, and 484 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 3: then the announcement comes through that Joe Rogan has endorsed him. Right, 485 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:37,960 Speaker 3: you have like all this diversity of thought, experience, ethnic background, 486 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 3: and nobody wrote it but me, and it frustrated the 487 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 3: heck out of me. So I think that people will 488 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 3: see and be able to feel the real truth that 489 00:29:49,120 --> 00:29:52,360 Speaker 3: was going on in this in this election. But also 490 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 3: you know, the reckoning with my with my profession. 491 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 2: I think it's amazing you. You really did do something 492 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 2: that is very difficult, which was you stood alone. Yeah, 493 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,719 Speaker 2: and to standalone is very difficult when everyone in your 494 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 2: industry is staring at you, oh. 495 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, and or you at all throwing tweets at me 496 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 3: that aren't doing nice. 497 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:17,960 Speaker 2: Well, that's I mean to your point. I mean, you 498 00:30:18,040 --> 00:30:20,000 Speaker 2: started the interview by saying I didn't get in this 499 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 2: business because I didn't have a thick skin. I'm Italian, right, 500 00:30:23,160 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 2: you're right because as many people that love you, and 501 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:28,080 Speaker 2: I always say this. You know, my mother told me 502 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 2: this growing up and it's very very true, as are 503 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:32,120 Speaker 2: many things she has told me in my life, which 504 00:30:32,280 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 2: is you will always hear more negative than positive because 505 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:38,480 Speaker 2: positive people are not wishing you ill. They're saying, oh 506 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:40,280 Speaker 2: my god, she's amazing, and then they move on with 507 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:40,720 Speaker 2: their day. 508 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:41,480 Speaker 1: Right. 509 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 2: But the people that are saying negative, like oh I 510 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 2: don't like doing this, there are and they like just 511 00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:48,720 Speaker 2: dwell in it and it just projects it. It's like, 512 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 2: oh god, could you please, you know, get a hobby. 513 00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 2: But it's like you just persevered. You're like, no, I 514 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 2: was there, this is real. I was there with my daughter. 515 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 2: We experience this. I'm gonna run a book about it. 516 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:02,400 Speaker 2: You guys are going to read it, and it is 517 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:04,640 Speaker 2: the truth and nobody can take it away. 518 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 3: I didn't go to an Ivy league school. I went 519 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:11,480 Speaker 3: to community college a waitress. I have worked in a 520 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 3: sewer treatment plant. I have been the cafeteria lady. I 521 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 3: have been a shampoo girl. 522 00:31:17,800 --> 00:31:18,720 Speaker 2: So I. 523 00:31:20,720 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 3: I understand the people that I cover, and I respect them, 524 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:28,280 Speaker 3: and I thank them so much for letting me into 525 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 3: their homes and their businesses and soccer fields and bulling 526 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:34,800 Speaker 3: alleys and diners and letting me be able to tell 527 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 3: their story in an incredibly meaningful way. 528 00:31:38,360 --> 00:31:40,520 Speaker 2: Well, I think you have done that in spades. I 529 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 2: think you are by far one of the most talented writers. 530 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:47,480 Speaker 2: I loved reading what you wrote before I ever knew you, 531 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:49,000 Speaker 2: and then I was like, I have to be friends 532 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 2: with her. How do I do that? Okay, I'll just 533 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 2: keep emailing her and telling her that I like her 534 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 2: and I want her to come on every show that 535 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:56,320 Speaker 2: I work on, and that's what we did. But I 536 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:58,600 Speaker 2: have to say every time I would say to somebody, 537 00:31:58,640 --> 00:32:01,240 Speaker 2: oh did you read that piece by Selene Azito, Because 538 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:04,080 Speaker 2: first of all, your website's great. And wherever you you know, 539 00:32:04,120 --> 00:32:07,520 Speaker 2: I always what is it? Nowhere is the no somewhere 540 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,760 Speaker 2: right everything in the middle of somewhere. And I was like, man, 541 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:16,520 Speaker 2: that isn't that the truth? It's no, it's my god. Butler, Like. 542 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:21,959 Speaker 3: My family was one of the founding families of Butler. 543 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:26,840 Speaker 3: No kidding the seventeen fifties. Wow, they served in the 544 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 3: American Revolution, they served in the French and India War. 545 00:32:30,360 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 3: My family, my family was one of the founding families 546 00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:38,480 Speaker 3: of Butler. So I'm very rooted. And also, place is 547 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 3: really important. It's a nuance in American politics that posters 548 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 3: and strategists don't understand and a set how much place 549 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:53,640 Speaker 3: means to someone when they're guiding their vote, and that 550 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:57,000 Speaker 3: is that is a theme throughout the book that I 551 00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 3: hope that people start to really reflect and think about. 552 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,360 Speaker 2: Well, I'll tell you what, ladies and gentlemen. Selena Zito, 553 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:07,720 Speaker 2: She's fantastic. Her new book, Butler, is out today. Please 554 00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 2: get it. You can get it on Amazon. Continue to 555 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 2: read our article. Selena Zito, thank you so much for 556 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 2: being on the Roague Recap. 557 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 3: Thank you, my friend. 558 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 2: We'll see you next time.