1 00:00:15,396 --> 00:00:34,036 Speaker 1: Pushkin Pushkin from Pushkin Industries. This is Deep Background, the 2 00:00:34,116 --> 00:00:37,356 Speaker 1: show where we explored the stories behind the stories in 3 00:00:37,396 --> 00:00:41,076 Speaker 1: the news. The biggest stories in this part of twenty 4 00:00:41,196 --> 00:00:45,476 Speaker 1: twenty one are really stories of politics. There were the 5 00:00:45,556 --> 00:00:50,436 Speaker 1: offseason gubernatorial elections in which the Democratic governor of Virginia was, 6 00:00:50,476 --> 00:00:54,156 Speaker 1: surprisingly to everybody, defeated, and the Democratic governor of New 7 00:00:54,236 --> 00:00:58,476 Speaker 1: Jersey barely scraped by, despite the fact that in New Jersey, 8 00:00:58,516 --> 00:01:02,916 Speaker 1: as indeed in Virginia, Joe Biden had defeated Donald Trump handily. 9 00:01:03,716 --> 00:01:06,956 Speaker 1: These issues themselves playing to the question of what Joe 10 00:01:06,956 --> 00:01:09,556 Speaker 1: Biden's national accomplishments are and whether any and he knows 11 00:01:09,596 --> 00:01:12,876 Speaker 1: about them. And then the deeper and more sustained political 12 00:01:12,876 --> 00:01:16,076 Speaker 1: issues about the depth of polarization in our politics, the 13 00:01:16,236 --> 00:01:20,876 Speaker 1: rise of violence, and the long term future of politics 14 00:01:21,076 --> 00:01:24,156 Speaker 1: in the United States. What kind of a guest, you 15 00:01:24,196 --> 00:01:26,916 Speaker 1: may be wondering, would be eager to talk and share 16 00:01:27,196 --> 00:01:31,676 Speaker 1: views about every single element of these if a most unrestrained, 17 00:01:31,996 --> 00:01:36,636 Speaker 1: direct and colorful way possible, Who, indeed but James Carville, 18 00:01:37,076 --> 00:01:38,916 Speaker 1: the man who became known is one of the great 19 00:01:38,916 --> 00:01:43,036 Speaker 1: political strategists of the modern era. After crafting Bill Clinton's 20 00:01:43,076 --> 00:01:47,636 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety two presidential victory. James started working in politics 21 00:01:47,636 --> 00:01:51,316 Speaker 1: long before that, and he continued working in politics long after. 22 00:01:51,836 --> 00:01:56,436 Speaker 1: He's a sought after commentator, an analyst, a political adviser, and, 23 00:01:56,876 --> 00:02:00,516 Speaker 1: in the deepest and most positive sense, a character. He 24 00:02:00,556 --> 00:02:03,476 Speaker 1: says what's on his mind without fear or favor, and 25 00:02:03,556 --> 00:02:07,356 Speaker 1: that makes him about the most entertaining podcast guest you 26 00:02:07,396 --> 00:02:10,916 Speaker 1: could begin to imagine, in addition to having things to 27 00:02:10,956 --> 00:02:15,756 Speaker 1: say that are potentially deeply significant and insightful for where 28 00:02:15,796 --> 00:02:21,316 Speaker 1: we are and where we're going. James, thank you so 29 00:02:21,396 --> 00:02:23,796 Speaker 1: much for being here. I want to get into the 30 00:02:23,876 --> 00:02:27,436 Speaker 1: deep trends that are facing changing political life and in 31 00:02:27,476 --> 00:02:29,556 Speaker 1: our country today, but I want to start off with 32 00:02:29,596 --> 00:02:34,076 Speaker 1: something more local, which is the gubernatorial races, both in 33 00:02:34,156 --> 00:02:38,196 Speaker 1: New Jersey where Democrat Film Murphy barely survived and then 34 00:02:38,436 --> 00:02:41,996 Speaker 1: Virginia where Terry mccaugh the Democrat, went down. And I 35 00:02:42,036 --> 00:02:47,156 Speaker 1: want to ask you what your interpretation is of those results. Well, 36 00:02:47,796 --> 00:02:53,476 Speaker 1: I think it speaks to a large issue for reasons 37 00:02:53,756 --> 00:02:56,596 Speaker 1: that are complex, and I don't quite understand, people have 38 00:02:56,676 --> 00:03:03,156 Speaker 1: become willing to believe anything about Democrats. We are immunocompromise 39 00:03:03,516 --> 00:03:08,436 Speaker 1: where people are willing to believe the most outlanderous things 40 00:03:08,476 --> 00:03:14,156 Speaker 1: because a small segment of people who associated to Democratic 41 00:03:14,196 --> 00:03:20,196 Speaker 1: Party come up with these crazy ass ideas that gained currency, 42 00:03:20,516 --> 00:03:23,516 Speaker 1: and we dive into that because I have two part 43 00:03:23,516 --> 00:03:26,916 Speaker 1: answer to that. The first is Donald Trump. He taught 44 00:03:26,956 --> 00:03:30,156 Speaker 1: everybody that you can assert anything and people who want 45 00:03:30,156 --> 00:03:32,476 Speaker 1: to be on your side will listen to you. But 46 00:03:32,516 --> 00:03:34,196 Speaker 1: that's not going to be enough here because a lot 47 00:03:34,196 --> 00:03:36,596 Speaker 1: of those voters in the places you just mentioned who 48 00:03:36,596 --> 00:03:43,116 Speaker 1: went Republican themselves were anti Trump, So that's not quite enough. 49 00:03:44,036 --> 00:03:45,596 Speaker 1: The other element has got to have something to do 50 00:03:45,596 --> 00:03:50,196 Speaker 1: with the internal politics of at least the publicly facing discussion, 51 00:03:50,996 --> 00:03:54,556 Speaker 1: where I do think that what's happened is that super prominent, 52 00:03:54,676 --> 00:03:57,476 Speaker 1: especially younger voices on the left side of the party, 53 00:03:58,036 --> 00:04:02,596 Speaker 1: have tremendous sway in the public conversation, as more moderate 54 00:04:02,636 --> 00:04:06,436 Speaker 1: voices just say okay, I hear you, but don't stand 55 00:04:06,476 --> 00:04:08,916 Speaker 1: up and argue against that side of the party because 56 00:04:08,916 --> 00:04:11,436 Speaker 1: they think, well, we have the votes anyway, we have 57 00:04:11,516 --> 00:04:13,356 Speaker 1: the power in the party anyway, there's no point in 58 00:04:13,396 --> 00:04:17,436 Speaker 1: wasting our energy in fighting with you publicly. And what's more, 59 00:04:17,436 --> 00:04:19,116 Speaker 1: you'll bring us down. So we're just not going to 60 00:04:19,196 --> 00:04:21,836 Speaker 1: do that. And then when a Republican goes out and 61 00:04:21,876 --> 00:04:23,756 Speaker 1: says you have to believe this about the Democrats, the 62 00:04:23,796 --> 00:04:26,556 Speaker 1: public says, Okay, I guess we do believe because you 63 00:04:26,596 --> 00:04:28,916 Speaker 1: haven't been we don't visibly see you fighting with the 64 00:04:28,996 --> 00:04:32,836 Speaker 1: left wing of your party. So, by the way, I'm 65 00:04:32,836 --> 00:04:35,356 Speaker 1: not a modern Democrat. I'm allible Democrat. And I take 66 00:04:35,396 --> 00:04:38,596 Speaker 1: all of these little exams online, you know, Yeah, there's 67 00:04:38,636 --> 00:04:40,676 Speaker 1: a thousand of them. Then I always come out like 68 00:04:40,716 --> 00:04:43,076 Speaker 1: an eight point two or something. All right, But what 69 00:04:43,156 --> 00:04:46,316 Speaker 1: I'm not is a leftist. But you got to understand it. 70 00:04:46,396 --> 00:04:51,156 Speaker 1: That is part of the Democratic coalition. It's not a 71 00:04:51,156 --> 00:04:54,836 Speaker 1: big part at all, all right, not at all. I 72 00:04:54,876 --> 00:04:58,836 Speaker 1: could fight you election after the election in Manhattan, in 73 00:04:58,996 --> 00:05:02,276 Speaker 1: New York City, in Cleveland and New Orleans and anywhere 74 00:05:02,276 --> 00:05:05,356 Speaker 1: you want to look, and they are in my view, 75 00:05:05,436 --> 00:05:07,756 Speaker 1: and you have a lot of it in academia. To me, 76 00:05:07,796 --> 00:05:12,116 Speaker 1: they're kind of silly, all right. They're not evil. They're 77 00:05:12,156 --> 00:05:16,596 Speaker 1: just I think, silly and try to change the language, 78 00:05:16,596 --> 00:05:19,156 Speaker 1: and people just resist and don't want to talk about 79 00:05:19,716 --> 00:05:23,756 Speaker 1: the significant part of their party is out now evil 80 00:05:24,596 --> 00:05:26,356 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean, I mean, none of it in 81 00:05:26,436 --> 00:05:32,076 Speaker 1: a fruitcake. Yeah, yes, yes, yeah. Supposed you have a 82 00:05:32,116 --> 00:05:34,716 Speaker 1: grandchild of a niece, a nephew and they come to 83 00:05:34,756 --> 00:05:37,756 Speaker 1: you and they say, I'm gonna I'm gonna work in 84 00:05:37,796 --> 00:05:41,036 Speaker 1: the LC's office. It will be the deputy communications person. 85 00:05:41,116 --> 00:05:43,716 Speaker 1: You would your reaction would be, well, that's fine, you're 86 00:05:43,756 --> 00:05:45,916 Speaker 1: gonna meet some interesting people or probably some of the 87 00:05:45,956 --> 00:05:48,236 Speaker 1: things that you have Kate and I can't go along with, 88 00:05:48,396 --> 00:05:50,436 Speaker 1: but there'll be a hell of an experience. Please do it. 89 00:05:51,036 --> 00:05:53,196 Speaker 1: If your niece, your grandchild comes you and says I'm 90 00:05:53,236 --> 00:05:56,036 Speaker 1: going to work from Martrey Taylor Green, you jump off 91 00:05:56,036 --> 00:05:59,796 Speaker 1: the bridge. Your life is open. It's not a comparable event. 92 00:06:00,236 --> 00:06:04,236 Speaker 1: They're not comparable people. But the thing is it gives 93 00:06:04,276 --> 00:06:08,436 Speaker 1: a it gives the equivalence caucus. Well, yeah, you got them, 94 00:06:08,636 --> 00:06:10,836 Speaker 1: but we've got that. Yeah, you got some silly people, 95 00:06:10,916 --> 00:06:14,916 Speaker 1: we got some criminals. Okay, that's a difference between all 96 00:06:14,996 --> 00:06:20,516 Speaker 1: right having a silly idea and Sam in the goddamn capital. Okay, 97 00:06:20,516 --> 00:06:22,956 Speaker 1: it's too different. I could not agree with you more 98 00:06:22,996 --> 00:06:25,756 Speaker 1: that we're talking about radically different things. One thing it 99 00:06:25,756 --> 00:06:27,716 Speaker 1: really strikes me is that, you know, when I was 100 00:06:27,756 --> 00:06:30,836 Speaker 1: first learning about politics, the Republican Party was self presenting 101 00:06:30,836 --> 00:06:33,876 Speaker 1: itself as moral. They called themselves moral. They had a 102 00:06:33,916 --> 00:06:36,836 Speaker 1: group called the Moral Majority, and Democrats were the party 103 00:06:36,876 --> 00:06:38,876 Speaker 1: of liberalism, which was a party of tolerance, where we 104 00:06:38,876 --> 00:06:40,676 Speaker 1: didn't preach that we were moral. On the other side 105 00:06:40,716 --> 00:06:43,596 Speaker 1: was not moral, that said. A lot of the most 106 00:06:43,636 --> 00:06:46,716 Speaker 1: deeply committed activists on the left of the Democratic Party, 107 00:06:46,796 --> 00:06:50,516 Speaker 1: or some of them called themselves democratic socialists, are highly 108 00:06:50,556 --> 00:06:53,636 Speaker 1: focused on a politics of morality. They think that supporters 109 00:06:53,676 --> 00:06:55,916 Speaker 1: on the other side are not just wrong, but are bad, 110 00:06:56,356 --> 00:07:00,516 Speaker 1: and that worldviews that they disagree with are not just wrong, 111 00:07:00,556 --> 00:07:05,076 Speaker 1: but our evil, our racist or grounded in racism, or 112 00:07:05,796 --> 00:07:08,556 Speaker 1: our capitalist in a way that's not excusable. And that 113 00:07:08,636 --> 00:07:11,676 Speaker 1: seems to me to drive a lot of the debate 114 00:07:11,716 --> 00:07:15,036 Speaker 1: in which liberal Democrats or moderate Democrats don't want to 115 00:07:15,076 --> 00:07:17,276 Speaker 1: get into it. They don't want to fight over these questions. 116 00:07:17,676 --> 00:07:21,836 Speaker 1: But I understand that. Okay, it's a small part of 117 00:07:21,876 --> 00:07:26,396 Speaker 1: the Democratic Party. Agreed. Agreed, They're a big part of 118 00:07:26,436 --> 00:07:30,876 Speaker 1: the culture, and they're given a much bigger megaphone than 119 00:07:31,276 --> 00:07:34,556 Speaker 1: their votes deserve. They lose every freaking election. The only 120 00:07:34,596 --> 00:07:38,476 Speaker 1: election that can never win is primary in some poor 121 00:07:38,556 --> 00:07:43,476 Speaker 1: old Democrat in a plus Cook plus PBI forty district. 122 00:07:43,556 --> 00:07:45,996 Speaker 1: They don't run against Republicans. All they run is in Mouth, 123 00:07:46,796 --> 00:07:51,556 Speaker 1: all right, that's what they experts at and in people 124 00:07:51,756 --> 00:07:54,916 Speaker 1: don't want to live like that. So when people live 125 00:07:54,956 --> 00:08:00,276 Speaker 1: in fear, they just don't do it. And I was 126 00:08:00,276 --> 00:08:02,756 Speaker 1: steaching two lane, and I said, look, the only reason 127 00:08:03,556 --> 00:08:05,956 Speaker 1: that I'm not inviting David Duke to speak to this 128 00:08:05,996 --> 00:08:08,596 Speaker 1: class because I just don't want the president university crap 129 00:08:08,596 --> 00:08:12,156 Speaker 1: of pineapp apple. And you know i'd call it, but philosophically, 130 00:08:12,636 --> 00:08:15,956 Speaker 1: I'm an old liberal, like even Bernie Sanders. As much 131 00:08:15,996 --> 00:08:18,916 Speaker 1: as I tussle with Bernie, he's the same way. And 132 00:08:19,076 --> 00:08:23,436 Speaker 1: a lot of old line a clu Ada Democrats that are. 133 00:08:24,076 --> 00:08:25,996 Speaker 1: And I'm bored to come bore out of the Southern 134 00:08:26,076 --> 00:08:29,436 Speaker 1: Democratic tradition. But this shit makes me uncomfortable at some level. 135 00:08:30,076 --> 00:08:32,996 Speaker 1: But I'm not uncomfortable enough to challenge it because it'll 136 00:08:33,076 --> 00:08:37,916 Speaker 1: just scream it out. I haven't gotten any significant pushback 137 00:08:37,956 --> 00:08:42,516 Speaker 1: from a democratic strategist, opportunites, consultant, whatever you want to 138 00:08:42,516 --> 00:08:47,156 Speaker 1: call them, saying your misdiagnosis, James. No, yep, they're just that. 139 00:08:47,396 --> 00:08:51,236 Speaker 1: No one, no one believes that. But I'm gonna draw 140 00:08:51,316 --> 00:08:54,036 Speaker 1: back a little bit because I'm tired of fighting with 141 00:08:54,156 --> 00:08:57,036 Speaker 1: other Democrats because I think the country's on the go 142 00:08:57,116 --> 00:08:58,956 Speaker 1: the wrong fucking way here. All right, this is not 143 00:09:00,076 --> 00:09:02,756 Speaker 1: that was gonna be. That was gonna be my next question, Um, 144 00:09:03,116 --> 00:09:06,596 Speaker 1: what is your assessment of the odds of genuine disaster 145 00:09:06,716 --> 00:09:11,076 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty two and twenty twenty four to Yeah, 146 00:09:11,196 --> 00:09:13,356 Speaker 1: if you go in and you're having a medical test, 147 00:09:14,116 --> 00:09:16,996 Speaker 1: all right, and what's the odd that you say, fuck this, 148 00:09:17,116 --> 00:09:20,316 Speaker 1: I don't want it. It's way hard that Okay, if 149 00:09:20,396 --> 00:09:23,316 Speaker 1: that's going in and doing a heart cast or something 150 00:09:23,436 --> 00:09:25,596 Speaker 1: in the dodge that I was gonna die, age highs 151 00:09:25,596 --> 00:09:29,116 Speaker 1: that we have a genuine catastrophe in I say, I 152 00:09:29,196 --> 00:09:31,036 Speaker 1: should I just die of a heart attack? Man to 153 00:09:31,116 --> 00:09:34,276 Speaker 1: stay away from me. Yeah, I can't put a number 154 00:09:34,316 --> 00:09:37,516 Speaker 1: on it, but it's unbelievably for the fear that people 155 00:09:37,556 --> 00:09:39,316 Speaker 1: like me have, We're not We're not. It's not crazy 156 00:09:39,316 --> 00:09:44,236 Speaker 1: to be that a fred And it's not crazy for 157 00:09:45,516 --> 00:09:49,196 Speaker 1: people to say at some point we're such a danger. 158 00:09:49,676 --> 00:09:52,196 Speaker 1: We just got to stop fighting with each other, all right. 159 00:09:52,196 --> 00:09:55,916 Speaker 1: And I'll be the first. I've always been willing to criticize, 160 00:09:56,036 --> 00:09:59,076 Speaker 1: and I think justifiably, don't get me wrong, but sometimes 161 00:09:59,076 --> 00:10:01,196 Speaker 1: you got to subjugate, which you really think for the 162 00:10:01,276 --> 00:10:03,476 Speaker 1: greater good of the country. And I think we're entering 163 00:10:03,516 --> 00:10:06,076 Speaker 1: a period like that. I really do. Well, let me 164 00:10:06,076 --> 00:10:08,276 Speaker 1: ask you about that, because I like to say that too. 165 00:10:08,316 --> 00:10:10,036 Speaker 1: I always say, you know, and things get bad enough, 166 00:10:10,076 --> 00:10:12,316 Speaker 1: we reach and recognize that we have enough in common 167 00:10:12,316 --> 00:10:15,476 Speaker 1: that we have to pull together. But you know, pandemic, 168 00:10:15,956 --> 00:10:20,356 Speaker 1: national shutdown, economy through the floor, that all just happened, 169 00:10:20,756 --> 00:10:22,756 Speaker 1: and it did not pull us together. It did not 170 00:10:22,836 --> 00:10:26,716 Speaker 1: produce any kind of unification. And what's more, in some way, 171 00:10:26,916 --> 00:10:28,436 Speaker 1: we got through it. I mean, I'm not saying we're 172 00:10:28,436 --> 00:10:30,076 Speaker 1: all the way through it. We're not. I'm not saying 173 00:10:30,076 --> 00:10:33,116 Speaker 1: we're not through it without consequences. There are consequences. But 174 00:10:33,476 --> 00:10:34,956 Speaker 1: we did get through it. And so that sort of 175 00:10:34,996 --> 00:10:37,356 Speaker 1: makes me wonder what did it take. What would it 176 00:10:37,396 --> 00:10:39,836 Speaker 1: take for us to actually say we got to pull together. 177 00:10:40,516 --> 00:10:44,196 Speaker 1: I don't think we saw it all right. I mean, 178 00:10:44,556 --> 00:10:48,956 Speaker 1: we exist, and you know, the Kenya treasury is still 179 00:10:49,036 --> 00:10:52,436 Speaker 1: with the benchmark of the world. But I'm not sure 180 00:10:52,516 --> 00:10:55,876 Speaker 1: that we food yesh. I mean, we had a insurrection, 181 00:10:55,916 --> 00:10:59,876 Speaker 1: which is one of the great criminal acts, political criminal acts, 182 00:10:59,876 --> 00:11:06,796 Speaker 1: and since what's something and we're still dealing with it. 183 00:11:07,356 --> 00:11:09,716 Speaker 1: I don't think we threw it at all. In the 184 00:11:09,796 --> 00:11:14,036 Speaker 1: aftermath of that insurrection. We've had a total breakdown in 185 00:11:14,076 --> 00:11:17,436 Speaker 1: the capacity of our institutions to blame anybody for it. 186 00:11:18,156 --> 00:11:22,596 Speaker 1: And you know, we've got centure that has no effect 187 00:11:22,636 --> 00:11:26,236 Speaker 1: on members of the House who are centured money off 188 00:11:26,276 --> 00:11:28,076 Speaker 1: of it. Yeah, exactly, they turn around and raise money 189 00:11:28,116 --> 00:11:30,956 Speaker 1: off it the next day. Forty three percent of this 190 00:11:31,156 --> 00:11:34,556 Speaker 1: country doesn't want it to get better, and I'm afraid 191 00:11:34,636 --> 00:11:39,516 Speaker 1: another eight percent have just checked out. Yeah. So if 192 00:11:39,556 --> 00:11:41,996 Speaker 1: that's the case, I'm not clear on what it takes 193 00:11:42,036 --> 00:11:45,236 Speaker 1: to so that the kind of the grand talk that 194 00:11:45,316 --> 00:11:48,356 Speaker 1: I believe in of being able to find our way 195 00:11:48,356 --> 00:11:50,596 Speaker 1: back to the middle. I'm I worry that I'm wrong. 196 00:11:51,636 --> 00:11:55,796 Speaker 1: I'll do too. I'm worried at you all wrong. Yeah, Okay, Yeah, 197 00:11:56,036 --> 00:12:01,436 Speaker 1: I mean I'm really worried. I'm not saying that is 198 00:12:01,476 --> 00:12:03,636 Speaker 1: going to end poorly, but I'm saying the odds of 199 00:12:03,636 --> 00:12:06,996 Speaker 1: that happening are way too high. One thing that made 200 00:12:07,076 --> 00:12:10,116 Speaker 1: me optimistic is too strong, but made me makes me 201 00:12:10,156 --> 00:12:13,716 Speaker 1: feel positive is looking at Stacey Abrams and what she 202 00:12:13,756 --> 00:12:18,316 Speaker 1: accomplished in Georgia using turnout in twenty twenty, and I 203 00:12:18,356 --> 00:12:21,156 Speaker 1: was really curious to hear your view about that. I mean, 204 00:12:21,196 --> 00:12:23,836 Speaker 1: she in her case, it's a multi year strategy with 205 00:12:23,916 --> 00:12:26,716 Speaker 1: a theory, an operation to try to bring it about 206 00:12:26,876 --> 00:12:30,756 Speaker 1: and at least under those election conditions, really impressive results 207 00:12:31,276 --> 00:12:34,636 Speaker 1: on presidential election and then both Senate seats. I worry 208 00:12:34,636 --> 00:12:36,756 Speaker 1: a little bit we're too dependent on those Senate seats. 209 00:12:37,076 --> 00:12:39,156 Speaker 1: But but I want to hear what you think about that, 210 00:12:39,596 --> 00:12:42,156 Speaker 1: the Stacey Abrams strategy and how it's been executed. So 211 00:12:42,316 --> 00:12:44,476 Speaker 1: I have a lot of thoughts about that. First of all, 212 00:12:44,276 --> 00:12:48,156 Speaker 1: we p to Peacia academic research, the lead research. I 213 00:12:48,236 --> 00:12:51,596 Speaker 1: want to say to Stoppel, who's at hard news data 214 00:12:51,716 --> 00:12:57,476 Speaker 1: from the ninth and it basically compared Stacy in Georgia. Shoot, 215 00:12:57,516 --> 00:13:00,836 Speaker 1: I think it was Reverend Barba North Carolina. Wait, in, 216 00:13:00,956 --> 00:13:03,916 Speaker 1: this is my real issue with these left issues. They 217 00:13:03,956 --> 00:13:05,996 Speaker 1: don't want to engage in politics. They think it's like 218 00:13:06,116 --> 00:13:10,916 Speaker 1: a dirty business. If you're not willing to engage in politics, 219 00:13:10,996 --> 00:13:14,836 Speaker 1: you're just full of shit, all right. Reverend Barbara North Carolina, 220 00:13:14,996 --> 00:13:19,716 Speaker 1: he organized around idealism and Stacy organized around politics, and 221 00:13:19,916 --> 00:13:25,116 Speaker 1: like went out campaign for like like Democrats brought up bills, etcetera, etcetera. 222 00:13:26,236 --> 00:13:30,116 Speaker 1: Georgia's voted blue in twenty twenty and North Carolina didn't. 223 00:13:30,236 --> 00:13:34,116 Speaker 1: And it's it's a very compelling piece of research, and 224 00:13:34,196 --> 00:13:36,676 Speaker 1: it's a compelling piece of political science. I recommend it 225 00:13:36,716 --> 00:13:39,436 Speaker 1: to everybody. You have to get your hands dirty, and 226 00:13:39,596 --> 00:13:41,876 Speaker 1: you've got to compromise, and you gotta push, and you 227 00:13:41,956 --> 00:13:45,276 Speaker 1: gotta do this. And once you start thinking that you 228 00:13:45,396 --> 00:13:48,476 Speaker 1: have to wear a condom anytime you're around politics, you've 229 00:13:48,556 --> 00:13:52,276 Speaker 1: lost the game. And I think that is in her 230 00:13:52,396 --> 00:13:57,236 Speaker 1: cohorts research showed that very demonstravely. I have a very 231 00:13:57,316 --> 00:14:02,356 Speaker 1: high opinion of politics. But I do think the problem 232 00:14:02,596 --> 00:14:05,596 Speaker 1: is one side, I go back to my central thesis, 233 00:14:05,836 --> 00:14:11,556 Speaker 1: is out of their goddamn minds, literally accepted of criminality, 234 00:14:13,196 --> 00:14:16,556 Speaker 1: and the other side is caught up in what I 235 00:14:16,596 --> 00:14:22,476 Speaker 1: would say is not particularly productive, almost theological view of 236 00:14:22,556 --> 00:14:27,436 Speaker 1: the world, a zealous thing that they called the dictatorship 237 00:14:27,476 --> 00:14:31,556 Speaker 1: of the politarium. This is the dictatorship of overwhelmingly over 238 00:14:31,796 --> 00:14:35,316 Speaker 1: educated whites trying to dictate to the rest of the 239 00:14:35,396 --> 00:14:40,436 Speaker 1: country's something that they're not interested in buying. When you 240 00:14:40,676 --> 00:14:43,396 Speaker 1: investigate this to few people, and they're very good. They did, 241 00:14:43,436 --> 00:14:48,236 Speaker 1: like a four thousand sample divide America into nine different 242 00:14:48,316 --> 00:14:54,476 Speaker 1: subgroups for Democratic, for Republican, one independently. In the Democratic Party, 243 00:14:54,956 --> 00:14:59,636 Speaker 1: the extreme left was like eleven percent of the party. 244 00:14:59,996 --> 00:15:03,116 Speaker 1: It was the only majority white part of our coalition. 245 00:15:03,876 --> 00:15:06,316 Speaker 1: That'll tell you something. Somebody's got a call this for 246 00:15:06,436 --> 00:15:10,076 Speaker 1: what it is, right, Yeah, and that is I mean 247 00:15:10,116 --> 00:15:12,116 Speaker 1: that also fits into the stay Abrams approach. I mean 248 00:15:12,196 --> 00:15:14,836 Speaker 1: she won over and got turned out from black voters, 249 00:15:14,996 --> 00:15:17,476 Speaker 1: not by running to the left of the of the party, 250 00:15:17,556 --> 00:15:20,796 Speaker 1: but running things back towards the center right. And she 251 00:15:20,916 --> 00:15:23,636 Speaker 1: did also a little better around the state with the whites, 252 00:15:24,396 --> 00:15:28,076 Speaker 1: you know, particularly in like northern you know, some of 253 00:15:28,196 --> 00:15:31,116 Speaker 1: these areas not not great. You know, we had a 254 00:15:31,196 --> 00:15:34,716 Speaker 1: theory in twenty twenty. We've spent ninety million dollars and 255 00:15:34,836 --> 00:15:40,676 Speaker 1: seventy seven counties in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and we 256 00:15:40,716 --> 00:15:45,276 Speaker 1: actually changed the boat those counties by somewhere between three 257 00:15:45,356 --> 00:15:49,436 Speaker 1: and six. That changes sea level. Yep, that changes sea level. 258 00:15:50,436 --> 00:15:54,876 Speaker 1: Once they have this sort of urban strategy that we're 259 00:15:54,916 --> 00:15:57,716 Speaker 1: gonna have educated whites and by park it's at the 260 00:15:57,756 --> 00:16:02,636 Speaker 1: ADI just not enough because they're not enough. They're not 261 00:16:02,876 --> 00:16:05,316 Speaker 1: enough white people. They're not enough white people of that 262 00:16:06,236 --> 00:16:10,036 Speaker 1: very strategic and located. And by the way, the black 263 00:16:10,116 --> 00:16:14,916 Speaker 1: indigenous people of color becoming, if anything, slightly less democratic. 264 00:16:15,796 --> 00:16:18,236 Speaker 1: In eighteen percent of the people in this country elect 265 00:16:18,316 --> 00:16:21,716 Speaker 1: fifty two senators. Right, So unless you're willing to just 266 00:16:21,836 --> 00:16:26,236 Speaker 1: throw the unless the Senate doesn't count, your strategy is stupid. 267 00:16:27,236 --> 00:16:29,996 Speaker 1: It's not gonna happen. Yeah, what about those proposals that 268 00:16:30,076 --> 00:16:33,876 Speaker 1: I think of frankly is crazy to break up big 269 00:16:34,276 --> 00:16:37,636 Speaker 1: democratic states and create more states, which obviously the Republicans 270 00:16:37,676 --> 00:16:40,876 Speaker 1: could retaliate with Texas at least. But when you hear 271 00:16:40,916 --> 00:16:42,996 Speaker 1: that kind of thing, when I hear it, I just 272 00:16:43,076 --> 00:16:45,876 Speaker 1: think crazy talk. Don't waste my time. It should I 273 00:16:45,956 --> 00:16:49,036 Speaker 1: be more realistic about that. Yeah, you should be more. 274 00:16:49,116 --> 00:16:53,556 Speaker 1: You should be worried. In Batterygees where I grew up, 275 00:16:54,156 --> 00:16:56,276 Speaker 1: Corville was twenty miles south of bat Rage. I went 276 00:16:56,316 --> 00:16:58,556 Speaker 1: to college, and they just have this thing where it's 277 00:16:58,596 --> 00:17:02,836 Speaker 1: just kind of white part of South batter Rouge wants 278 00:17:02,836 --> 00:17:05,156 Speaker 1: to break off from the parish because they don't want 279 00:17:05,196 --> 00:17:08,396 Speaker 1: to support schools in non white districts. I mean, it's 280 00:17:08,396 --> 00:17:12,276 Speaker 1: a pretty clear what the motivation is. It's very popular, 281 00:17:12,796 --> 00:17:15,116 Speaker 1: and you can just see as you see these polls 282 00:17:15,196 --> 00:17:19,036 Speaker 1: and you're started to dimiss them, like thirty eight percent succession, 283 00:17:20,516 --> 00:17:24,316 Speaker 1: really succession? You can wait a minute. You know, urban areas. 284 00:17:25,116 --> 00:17:27,436 Speaker 1: You know, I grew up in Louisiana, though all in 285 00:17:27,556 --> 00:17:29,236 Speaker 1: versus the rest of the state. I cut my teeth 286 00:17:29,236 --> 00:17:33,196 Speaker 1: in Pennsylvania politics, it's always Philadelphia versus the rest of 287 00:17:33,236 --> 00:17:38,156 Speaker 1: the state. And boy, if you look at Texas ship 288 00:17:38,516 --> 00:17:41,636 Speaker 1: eighty percent of the growth in Texas is all in quote, 289 00:17:41,756 --> 00:17:46,396 Speaker 1: democratic rural counties unquote. I mean, it's all in Harris 290 00:17:46,476 --> 00:17:51,556 Speaker 1: and Dallas and Tarrant and Travis and Bayer and there's 291 00:17:51,596 --> 00:17:56,556 Speaker 1: everything else. And so that this is a it's a dangerous, 292 00:17:56,996 --> 00:17:59,436 Speaker 1: dangerous idea that's taken more hold than I would like. 293 00:18:01,436 --> 00:18:12,916 Speaker 1: We'll be right back, James. Another topic I wanted to 294 00:18:12,956 --> 00:18:15,756 Speaker 1: ask you about, which is only obliquely related to this, 295 00:18:16,036 --> 00:18:20,796 Speaker 1: is executive privilege. So you've got Steve Bannon, who's you know, 296 00:18:20,916 --> 00:18:24,236 Speaker 1: about as unpleasant a person as you can imagine, just 297 00:18:24,396 --> 00:18:28,036 Speaker 1: been federally charged for contempt of Congress for asserting that 298 00:18:28,196 --> 00:18:32,836 Speaker 1: executive privilege would protect him from having to testify with 299 00:18:32,956 --> 00:18:35,636 Speaker 1: Donald Trump telling him so, and you know, as a 300 00:18:35,716 --> 00:18:40,196 Speaker 1: matter of existing law, he is wrong, and presumably if 301 00:18:40,236 --> 00:18:43,116 Speaker 1: it gets to a jury, he'll be convicted. But it 302 00:18:43,236 --> 00:18:46,596 Speaker 1: does raise an underlying question, which is, and you've had 303 00:18:46,636 --> 00:18:49,476 Speaker 1: this experience yourself of being a close advisor of presidents. 304 00:18:49,676 --> 00:18:54,596 Speaker 1: So how much should communications between the president and senior 305 00:18:54,636 --> 00:18:58,396 Speaker 1: advisors continue to be protected even when the next president 306 00:18:58,476 --> 00:19:01,676 Speaker 1: says I waive the privilege. I'm happy for the information 307 00:19:01,796 --> 00:19:06,156 Speaker 1: to come out. Well, I mean it should be protected 308 00:19:06,476 --> 00:19:12,316 Speaker 1: pretty vigorously. Okay, Now if he should not be protected, right, Okay, 309 00:19:12,676 --> 00:19:15,756 Speaker 1: that's the bright line. That's that's the bright line. You know, 310 00:19:15,796 --> 00:19:18,756 Speaker 1: if you say, look, if we negotiate this, or you know, 311 00:19:18,916 --> 00:19:22,356 Speaker 1: this guy wants a postmaster and Shoeboygan, and so we 312 00:19:22,436 --> 00:19:24,756 Speaker 1: can give him a postmaster ship and Seboygan and we 313 00:19:24,796 --> 00:19:27,596 Speaker 1: can get his vote on that, that that obviously should 314 00:19:27,636 --> 00:19:32,796 Speaker 1: be protected. To the Instagram. Yeah, I think executive privilege 315 00:19:32,916 --> 00:19:37,516 Speaker 1: does have a pretty solid place in the law. But 316 00:19:37,956 --> 00:19:39,916 Speaker 1: by the way, I think if any if he goes 317 00:19:39,996 --> 00:19:42,636 Speaker 1: to jail to be his cellmate, you could make a 318 00:19:42,716 --> 00:19:45,756 Speaker 1: good Eighth Amendment Cruel and unusual punishment. Can you mand 319 00:19:45,836 --> 00:19:48,076 Speaker 1: what he smells? Like, oh my God, you had to 320 00:19:48,116 --> 00:19:52,716 Speaker 1: said his name. Sell that Jesus, he'd have people looking 321 00:19:52,876 --> 00:19:56,436 Speaker 1: looking for the gas chamber. I'm not I'm ever going 322 00:19:56,516 --> 00:19:59,036 Speaker 1: to touch that one, although I'd be very surprised if 323 00:19:59,036 --> 00:20:01,836 Speaker 1: he sees the inside of a prison, very very surprised, 324 00:20:01,876 --> 00:20:04,036 Speaker 1: but not impossible. Do you think, by the way, speaking 325 00:20:04,076 --> 00:20:06,396 Speaker 1: of Bennon, do you think that as a kind of 326 00:20:06,636 --> 00:20:09,036 Speaker 1: intellectual father of Trump is um because you know, tru 327 00:20:09,316 --> 00:20:11,316 Speaker 1: himself did not invent Trump. Isn't that much as clear 328 00:20:11,396 --> 00:20:14,196 Speaker 1: And although success as a thousand fathers, it's clear that 329 00:20:14,276 --> 00:20:19,076 Speaker 1: Bennon is one of them. Is he someone whose political insights, 330 00:20:19,196 --> 00:20:22,756 Speaker 1: in your view, were powerful? I mean they're bad. I 331 00:20:22,796 --> 00:20:24,996 Speaker 1: don't think there's any question about that. They're very bad. 332 00:20:25,556 --> 00:20:28,556 Speaker 1: But what is he someone you put in the kind 333 00:20:28,596 --> 00:20:32,276 Speaker 1: of short list of people who, like you, have the 334 00:20:32,356 --> 00:20:34,596 Speaker 1: kind of political clarity and vision to see what's coming 335 00:20:34,636 --> 00:20:37,076 Speaker 1: down the road? I mean Karl Rove, whose politics I 336 00:20:37,156 --> 00:20:39,716 Speaker 1: don't particularly care for, and neither do you. I think 337 00:20:39,756 --> 00:20:43,116 Speaker 1: he clearly does fall into that category. But does Steve 338 00:20:43,196 --> 00:20:47,876 Speaker 1: Bannon fit in that category? I think Bannon's genius was 339 00:20:47,996 --> 00:20:53,916 Speaker 1: he saw a dormant narrating that people would just really 340 00:20:54,156 --> 00:20:58,356 Speaker 1: ready to respond to. And I hate to say it. 341 00:20:59,516 --> 00:21:04,516 Speaker 1: I hope that Bennonism's crushed, But again, I don't know. 342 00:21:04,676 --> 00:21:06,516 Speaker 1: He could. He could be one of the more relevant 343 00:21:06,556 --> 00:21:12,116 Speaker 1: people in next not American consulting. Yeah, I hate giving 344 00:21:12,156 --> 00:21:17,796 Speaker 1: a guy. Clearly, you have this kind of Thanksgiving Day table, 345 00:21:18,036 --> 00:21:21,836 Speaker 1: you know, Uncle Joe spouting shit off. It was a 346 00:21:21,916 --> 00:21:27,036 Speaker 1: lot more popular than you didn't We would have liked. Yeah, yeah, 347 00:21:27,476 --> 00:21:29,796 Speaker 1: what do you think explains it having been dormant for 348 00:21:29,876 --> 00:21:31,756 Speaker 1: as long as it was, Because that's one thing that's 349 00:21:31,756 --> 00:21:34,436 Speaker 1: fascinating about it. Like you said, it's not really that 350 00:21:34,676 --> 00:21:37,356 Speaker 1: new and narrative in its essence. That's why you call 351 00:21:37,396 --> 00:21:40,876 Speaker 1: it dormant. It was there all along. We just people 352 00:21:40,956 --> 00:21:43,396 Speaker 1: like like us thought to ourselves, Yeah, there's Uncle Joe, 353 00:21:43,876 --> 00:21:45,876 Speaker 1: but that's not how you win elections in the United States. 354 00:21:45,916 --> 00:21:47,756 Speaker 1: There's certain things that you can't say, even if you're 355 00:21:47,756 --> 00:21:49,996 Speaker 1: the Republican candidate running for president. You can have a 356 00:21:50,036 --> 00:21:53,196 Speaker 1: whistle dog whistle to racism, but you can't overtly be 357 00:21:53,276 --> 00:21:55,916 Speaker 1: a racist. Turns out not true, right, You can say 358 00:21:55,916 --> 00:21:58,716 Speaker 1: a lot of things openly that we thought you couldn't say, 359 00:21:58,716 --> 00:22:00,636 Speaker 1: and not just we, but everyone in the political game 360 00:22:00,996 --> 00:22:03,956 Speaker 1: thought you couldn't say it openly, So why why was that? 361 00:22:04,156 --> 00:22:06,236 Speaker 1: Why don't we get as long a period in which 362 00:22:06,316 --> 00:22:08,956 Speaker 1: these things were inappropriate to say or believed to mean 363 00:22:08,996 --> 00:22:11,676 Speaker 1: a rope to say politically as we actually got said. 364 00:22:11,916 --> 00:22:14,116 Speaker 1: It kind of started the obligation kind of started with 365 00:22:14,236 --> 00:22:15,996 Speaker 1: Lee at Water. He said, you know, you used to 366 00:22:16,036 --> 00:22:17,916 Speaker 1: be able to stand up and say blah blah blah, 367 00:22:18,036 --> 00:22:22,436 Speaker 1: but now you got to say busting of urban you 368 00:22:22,556 --> 00:22:27,076 Speaker 1: from And what the balance of the world said is no, 369 00:22:27,356 --> 00:22:31,596 Speaker 1: you don't. You just go you go right for the jugular. 370 00:22:32,476 --> 00:22:37,436 Speaker 1: And you know, the Republican Party for a long time 371 00:22:37,676 --> 00:22:42,436 Speaker 1: was sort of more interested in service and capitalism's needs. 372 00:22:42,876 --> 00:22:47,076 Speaker 1: But again, yeah, I think that we we don't speak 373 00:22:47,116 --> 00:22:50,476 Speaker 1: in coded languages so much anymore. And I actually kind 374 00:22:50,476 --> 00:22:54,516 Speaker 1: of like coded languages. That's the kind of language is dangerous. 375 00:22:55,876 --> 00:22:58,956 Speaker 1: It is really dangerous because dangerous people hear it and 376 00:22:59,036 --> 00:23:02,916 Speaker 1: believe it. That's a danger and that something does And look, 377 00:23:03,916 --> 00:23:07,356 Speaker 1: you could go a long way in America feeling to 378 00:23:07,436 --> 00:23:12,596 Speaker 1: people's prejudices and fears, and it's really a if you 379 00:23:12,636 --> 00:23:15,956 Speaker 1: stop and you think about it, product, there have an 380 00:23:16,076 --> 00:23:19,556 Speaker 1: idea that they and I hear this all the time. 381 00:23:19,756 --> 00:23:22,076 Speaker 1: I hear from family members, I hear from people I 382 00:23:22,196 --> 00:23:23,836 Speaker 1: grew up with. You know, James, this is not the 383 00:23:23,876 --> 00:23:26,236 Speaker 1: same country we grew up in. I said, of course 384 00:23:26,276 --> 00:23:29,876 Speaker 1: it's not. It's not going to be just named country. 385 00:23:30,716 --> 00:23:36,196 Speaker 1: And there's some idea that there's some restoration. And you're right, 386 00:23:36,276 --> 00:23:41,116 Speaker 1: if you're a white male, your status in American society 387 00:23:41,236 --> 00:23:45,276 Speaker 1: has been severely disminished. Yeah, people like you and I 388 00:23:45,996 --> 00:23:49,036 Speaker 1: are not particularly distressed about the changes that are coming 389 00:23:49,036 --> 00:23:50,556 Speaker 1: to the country. We think we bring a lot of 390 00:23:50,596 --> 00:23:52,596 Speaker 1: people to the table that wouldn't be there before, and 391 00:23:52,676 --> 00:23:56,316 Speaker 1: as opposed to relying on a talent pool of just 392 00:23:56,996 --> 00:23:59,876 Speaker 1: college educated white males, we have this drawing on this 393 00:24:00,276 --> 00:24:05,836 Speaker 1: enormously vast and increased talent book. Right, But you gotta 394 00:24:05,916 --> 00:24:10,356 Speaker 1: understand that people are very fearful of that, sure, and 395 00:24:10,516 --> 00:24:13,596 Speaker 1: they think there's a way that we can go back 396 00:24:14,316 --> 00:24:16,636 Speaker 1: to the old ways. That's that's what's really at work 397 00:24:16,756 --> 00:24:20,796 Speaker 1: at American politics is that people like us are kind 398 00:24:20,836 --> 00:24:24,076 Speaker 1: of enthusiastic about the kind of demographic changes that are 399 00:24:24,116 --> 00:24:26,716 Speaker 1: happening in the United States. But there are a lot 400 00:24:26,796 --> 00:24:29,036 Speaker 1: of people that are very fearful of these changes, and 401 00:24:29,716 --> 00:24:32,836 Speaker 1: they are abstracting a price at to voting boom is 402 00:24:32,916 --> 00:24:35,156 Speaker 1: that this is my last sort of big picture question, 403 00:24:35,956 --> 00:24:38,596 Speaker 1: is that what's behind the polarization that we see at 404 00:24:38,636 --> 00:24:41,196 Speaker 1: the deepest level, you know, is the polarization a story 405 00:24:41,276 --> 00:24:45,276 Speaker 1: of the gradual rise of recognition by white men and 406 00:24:45,316 --> 00:24:47,516 Speaker 1: a lot of white men that they're losing and things 407 00:24:47,556 --> 00:24:50,836 Speaker 1: have changed, in which case this polarization is not going 408 00:24:50,916 --> 00:24:53,076 Speaker 1: to go away for a long time, or are there 409 00:24:53,196 --> 00:24:57,836 Speaker 1: some other factors going into the partisan polarization that might 410 00:24:57,956 --> 00:25:01,836 Speaker 1: be reversible without a kind of Dottle royale where white 411 00:25:01,876 --> 00:25:06,956 Speaker 1: men finally accept that things have changed, you know, configured Vane, 412 00:25:07,116 --> 00:25:11,476 Speaker 1: Max close are the best theoretical fit. Physics is not 413 00:25:11,716 --> 00:25:18,156 Speaker 1: named Einstein. Yeah, Max. He said, science does not triumph 414 00:25:18,236 --> 00:25:22,876 Speaker 1: because it convinces its opponents. Science triumphs because its opponents 415 00:25:22,956 --> 00:25:27,436 Speaker 1: eventually die. Science advances one funeral at the time, Okay, 416 00:25:28,596 --> 00:25:32,876 Speaker 1: which I think is a pretty Yeah. That's a depressing 417 00:25:32,956 --> 00:25:39,196 Speaker 1: thing for a guy seventy seven, not, I hear. But 418 00:25:39,396 --> 00:25:42,636 Speaker 1: the truth of the matter is, if you are a 419 00:25:42,716 --> 00:25:45,516 Speaker 1: white male, particularly an old white male, you're such a 420 00:25:45,596 --> 00:25:49,436 Speaker 1: loss is real. And by the way, it's not just 421 00:25:49,796 --> 00:25:52,276 Speaker 1: economic class, it's cultural lass. There used to be TV 422 00:25:52,356 --> 00:25:54,596 Speaker 1: shows made about you. There used to be movies made 423 00:25:54,596 --> 00:25:58,236 Speaker 1: about you. You're contund being told that you mattered. Yeah, right, 424 00:25:58,396 --> 00:26:00,836 Speaker 1: and it's a dangerous problem. But you know, we're a 425 00:26:00,916 --> 00:26:05,116 Speaker 1: race with the actually er tables right now. Do you 426 00:26:05,156 --> 00:26:08,156 Speaker 1: think that if the Court, as it seems very plausibly 427 00:26:08,236 --> 00:26:11,916 Speaker 1: likely to do, overturns rov. Wade, that that's going to 428 00:26:12,036 --> 00:26:16,676 Speaker 1: generate meaningful organizational support for Democratic candidates in a way 429 00:26:16,716 --> 00:26:20,076 Speaker 1: that has any meaningful long term success, Because they're obviously 430 00:26:20,156 --> 00:26:23,716 Speaker 1: the justices are thinking about that, and it's part of 431 00:26:23,756 --> 00:26:26,756 Speaker 1: their strategic calculus. You know, if they think that they're 432 00:26:26,876 --> 00:26:28,916 Speaker 1: gonna that there's going to be court packing after they 433 00:26:29,036 --> 00:26:31,156 Speaker 1: do that, that's going to give them pause. But if 434 00:26:31,196 --> 00:26:33,436 Speaker 1: they think that the Democrats won't get the kind of 435 00:26:33,476 --> 00:26:35,796 Speaker 1: bump out of that, then they're going to vote their conscience, 436 00:26:35,876 --> 00:26:38,956 Speaker 1: and in the case of more than five justices, their 437 00:26:38,996 --> 00:26:42,556 Speaker 1: conscience is that Roe v. Wade should be overturned. So 438 00:26:44,156 --> 00:26:47,596 Speaker 1: I think this, and I've thought it for some time, 439 00:26:47,636 --> 00:26:50,916 Speaker 1: and I've become more convinced. The most significant moment and 440 00:26:51,076 --> 00:26:54,716 Speaker 1: my American history was Bush Gore and the region it 441 00:26:54,796 --> 00:26:56,516 Speaker 1: was they told them they could fucking get away with 442 00:26:56,556 --> 00:26:59,636 Speaker 1: anything you wanted to do. All right, they're just went 443 00:26:59,876 --> 00:27:02,636 Speaker 1: end and just stole an election right in front of you. 444 00:27:03,476 --> 00:27:06,676 Speaker 1: And they did it. But like an opinion and Scottish 445 00:27:06,836 --> 00:27:10,316 Speaker 1: and blah blah blah and put in the Democrats. What 446 00:27:10,396 --> 00:27:13,916 Speaker 1: did the country Doah? Well, you can see the times 447 00:27:13,956 --> 00:27:16,796 Speaker 1: in the post and everybody. Well, the justices have spoken, 448 00:27:16,876 --> 00:27:22,156 Speaker 1: and ye Gore to be applauded for recognizing the official 449 00:27:22,236 --> 00:27:24,316 Speaker 1: transfer of power, although there have been a lot of 450 00:27:24,876 --> 00:27:27,356 Speaker 1: recounts of those votes that suggested that actually it was 451 00:27:27,396 --> 00:27:30,476 Speaker 1: going to be really close that in the counties that 452 00:27:30,756 --> 00:27:34,116 Speaker 1: that that Gore asked for, but the Florida Supreme Court 453 00:27:34,276 --> 00:27:37,316 Speaker 1: was getting ready to have a statewide recount which would 454 00:27:37,316 --> 00:27:40,596 Speaker 1: have not been close. And they knew it. Yeah. No, 455 00:27:40,676 --> 00:27:42,556 Speaker 1: Look I was there. I was a baby lawyer working 456 00:27:42,556 --> 00:27:44,516 Speaker 1: for the Gore campaign. We felt we were we had 457 00:27:44,556 --> 00:27:47,436 Speaker 1: it stolen from us, no question. Well, you did the 458 00:27:47,596 --> 00:27:53,316 Speaker 1: logic cases they suffered no political consequence. You're right, No, 459 00:27:53,436 --> 00:27:56,876 Speaker 1: they didn't and they and they said they. But you 460 00:27:56,876 --> 00:27:59,036 Speaker 1: don't think that there is a counter argument that the 461 00:27:59,236 --> 00:28:02,676 Speaker 1: right to choose is so much more visceral, immediate, and 462 00:28:02,836 --> 00:28:06,716 Speaker 1: powerful than a presidential campidated al Gore, whom, let's be blunt, 463 00:28:06,796 --> 00:28:08,956 Speaker 1: not too many people were super enthusiastic about to be 464 00:28:09,156 --> 00:28:12,076 Speaker 1: in with George. George W. Bush was not the George W. 465 00:28:12,236 --> 00:28:14,276 Speaker 1: Bush that he came to be seen by later. Then 466 00:28:14,356 --> 00:28:17,516 Speaker 1: he was the compassionate conservative. You know, it didn't seem 467 00:28:17,636 --> 00:28:19,356 Speaker 1: like the end of the world to a lot of people, 468 00:28:19,836 --> 00:28:21,756 Speaker 1: and this I think would seem like the end of 469 00:28:21,796 --> 00:28:24,236 Speaker 1: the world to a lot of young people. It did 470 00:28:24,316 --> 00:28:25,836 Speaker 1: not seem like the end of the world. But it 471 00:28:25,956 --> 00:28:30,476 Speaker 1: kind of was. I hear you, Okay, events happened in 472 00:28:30,636 --> 00:28:34,996 Speaker 1: history that are not recognizing it was. It was. But 473 00:28:35,156 --> 00:28:39,836 Speaker 1: but what they would say is they never the allis 474 00:28:39,956 --> 00:28:44,596 Speaker 1: bluster and talk we've done nothing to when they're getting 475 00:28:44,636 --> 00:28:46,796 Speaker 1: and they're getting and decide if fuck these guys ain't 476 00:28:46,796 --> 00:28:48,756 Speaker 1: gonna do anything about I did just kind of screaming, yeah, 477 00:28:48,876 --> 00:28:51,356 Speaker 1: when you know, we're just going and we'll enforce our 478 00:28:51,516 --> 00:28:57,316 Speaker 1: view of corporatocracy in America and you know, whatever it 479 00:28:57,476 --> 00:29:01,596 Speaker 1: is they do, and it's not an unreasonable view for 480 00:29:01,676 --> 00:29:04,196 Speaker 1: them to have. And when people, when people do, when 481 00:29:04,196 --> 00:29:06,236 Speaker 1: the Democrats do go out there, if and when this 482 00:29:06,356 --> 00:29:09,636 Speaker 1: happens and try to motivate the base by saying and women, 483 00:29:09,756 --> 00:29:13,116 Speaker 1: especially by saying we have to win back the Congress 484 00:29:13,276 --> 00:29:15,836 Speaker 1: because we got out and the presidency because we got 485 00:29:15,916 --> 00:29:18,036 Speaker 1: to pack the court, which is where we're headed. They're 486 00:29:18,036 --> 00:29:20,836 Speaker 1: going to have to argue for that. Do you think 487 00:29:20,916 --> 00:29:22,916 Speaker 1: it has any legs or does it have doesn't have 488 00:29:22,956 --> 00:29:27,356 Speaker 1: any legs where it takes an election to do that. No, 489 00:29:27,516 --> 00:29:29,236 Speaker 1: that's what I'm saying. I think if this happens, it 490 00:29:29,236 --> 00:29:32,876 Speaker 1: will happen next summer, and so it's four elections, but 491 00:29:32,956 --> 00:29:34,876 Speaker 1: you have you have to win the election in which 492 00:29:34,876 --> 00:29:37,356 Speaker 1: you have to run on. Is people's views on a 493 00:29:37,436 --> 00:29:41,196 Speaker 1: Washington conflict, you know where they're not conflicted? Or Row? Yeah, 494 00:29:41,436 --> 00:29:44,516 Speaker 1: all right, Row is a seventy three percent deal. So 495 00:29:44,636 --> 00:29:47,636 Speaker 1: if they overturn Row, which there's a real probability that 496 00:29:47,716 --> 00:29:52,316 Speaker 1: they will this summer, then it depends on the strength 497 00:29:52,356 --> 00:29:56,876 Speaker 1: of organizing and people what kind of appeals are going 498 00:29:56,916 --> 00:29:59,476 Speaker 1: to make. But I do think if you if if 499 00:29:59,556 --> 00:30:04,036 Speaker 1: a court imposes a solution, it has twenty five percent 500 00:30:04,196 --> 00:30:07,316 Speaker 1: support in the country. The question is the depth of 501 00:30:07,436 --> 00:30:10,756 Speaker 1: how much people are willing to support rope. Is it 502 00:30:10,916 --> 00:30:13,836 Speaker 1: one of these things about rich people can get around it? 503 00:30:13,956 --> 00:30:16,396 Speaker 1: And I don't know the answer to that. But they've 504 00:30:16,516 --> 00:30:20,476 Speaker 1: gotten away with a lot, and the response from people 505 00:30:20,556 --> 00:30:23,996 Speaker 1: like us has been feeble, all right, it just has. 506 00:30:24,916 --> 00:30:30,596 Speaker 1: And I think that I actually think that twenty twenty 507 00:30:30,676 --> 00:30:34,276 Speaker 1: one is one of the most significant years in American history. 508 00:30:35,196 --> 00:30:37,356 Speaker 1: I think people have a viewed that, well, it's just 509 00:30:37,476 --> 00:30:41,716 Speaker 1: I'll ball down in partisanship and ship nothing happens. Man's 510 00:30:41,716 --> 00:30:44,236 Speaker 1: a lot of shit happened in twenty twenty one, and 511 00:30:44,716 --> 00:30:47,996 Speaker 1: no one has done a very good job, myself included, 512 00:30:49,036 --> 00:30:52,236 Speaker 1: because I can go get a headline attacking these goofy leftists, 513 00:30:52,836 --> 00:30:56,596 Speaker 1: all right, and everybody wants to have that conversation. But 514 00:30:56,996 --> 00:31:00,076 Speaker 1: the country really doesn't know. This has been a pretty transformation. 515 00:31:00,596 --> 00:31:03,796 Speaker 1: You know. People that noticed shit tell me this that 516 00:31:03,956 --> 00:31:07,276 Speaker 1: this corporate minimum tax. I had never thought anything like 517 00:31:07,356 --> 00:31:10,676 Speaker 1: that could have happened in this substantial it's substanti substantio. 518 00:31:11,876 --> 00:31:14,716 Speaker 1: It comes in so far are very meaningful accomplishments. The 519 00:31:14,836 --> 00:31:18,116 Speaker 1: question is is anybody hearing that or is anybody noticing that? 520 00:31:19,876 --> 00:31:23,636 Speaker 1: The larger question is anybody telling people that no one 521 00:31:23,756 --> 00:31:26,076 Speaker 1: wants to be in sales, all right, everybody wants to 522 00:31:26,116 --> 00:31:29,956 Speaker 1: be in policy. Everybody wants to be a theoretician. No 523 00:31:30,076 --> 00:31:32,156 Speaker 1: one wants to go door to door with the pots 524 00:31:32,236 --> 00:31:35,276 Speaker 1: and pants. Okay, give me a door to door a 525 00:31:35,356 --> 00:31:38,556 Speaker 1: knife salesman from nineteen No One, But Stacy Abrams she's 526 00:31:38,596 --> 00:31:42,156 Speaker 1: willing to go toter door again. I'll go back to data. 527 00:31:42,676 --> 00:31:46,236 Speaker 1: You show she went out and organized, She traveled to 528 00:31:46,396 --> 00:31:50,716 Speaker 1: all of these places, and she she got her hands dirty. 529 00:31:51,596 --> 00:31:54,196 Speaker 1: And you know, we got cabinet members that are so 530 00:31:54,316 --> 00:31:57,276 Speaker 1: good as stunning. Try miss Andrew. Miss Andrew is the 531 00:31:57,316 --> 00:31:59,996 Speaker 1: best communicator I've seen my wife not named Bill Clinton. 532 00:32:00,036 --> 00:32:01,996 Speaker 1: I'll promise you I'm not just saying that because I 533 00:32:03,796 --> 00:32:08,676 Speaker 1: try Gena romalto to the commerce is incredible. She is amazing. 534 00:32:09,316 --> 00:32:12,876 Speaker 1: Jennifer Grennell, take every person in that cabinet that is 535 00:32:12,916 --> 00:32:15,556 Speaker 1: evil runs the statewide office. I'm saying, I want your 536 00:32:15,636 --> 00:32:19,276 Speaker 1: ass out there on television. We'll get some bureaucrat to 537 00:32:19,476 --> 00:32:22,996 Speaker 1: run the details. Get out there himself. He's got really, 538 00:32:23,396 --> 00:32:26,516 Speaker 1: he's got cabinet people and people in his administration that 539 00:32:26,676 --> 00:32:32,116 Speaker 1: have world class skills. Get them out there. Yeah, I 540 00:32:32,116 --> 00:32:33,916 Speaker 1: don't I don't know. They're not using because they're worried 541 00:32:33,916 --> 00:32:36,356 Speaker 1: about what if Biden can't run In twenty twenty four 542 00:32:36,396 --> 00:32:40,156 Speaker 1: and Kala Harrison has sees them as competition cares. We 543 00:32:40,156 --> 00:32:42,196 Speaker 1: don't know, we're gonna be here in twenty twenty four. 544 00:32:42,436 --> 00:32:45,596 Speaker 1: Fair and fair, I mean, just get get out there 545 00:32:46,276 --> 00:32:50,796 Speaker 1: and sell. Yeah. You know, my mother she sawd World 546 00:32:50,836 --> 00:32:53,636 Speaker 1: book Encyclopedias, but she never called him Encyclopedias. She called 547 00:32:53,676 --> 00:32:56,596 Speaker 1: him education and materials. And so she would put me 548 00:32:56,636 --> 00:32:58,716 Speaker 1: out that'd be like thirteen years old, and we'd ride 549 00:32:58,756 --> 00:33:00,756 Speaker 1: around south of young and she says, ball, we're gonna 550 00:33:00,756 --> 00:33:03,156 Speaker 1: look for two things, a bass boat and a bicycle, 551 00:33:03,756 --> 00:33:06,556 Speaker 1: because that tells us two things. This house has disposable 552 00:33:06,636 --> 00:33:10,116 Speaker 1: income and they have a child. Yep, said knock on 553 00:33:10,236 --> 00:33:13,436 Speaker 1: the door. This is late nineteen fifties, Louisianelade, come in, 554 00:33:13,516 --> 00:33:16,236 Speaker 1: miss Carhood. Are you doing. She started talking about these 555 00:33:16,356 --> 00:33:18,156 Speaker 1: educators and said, James, this is a capital of Vermada, 556 00:33:18,196 --> 00:33:20,556 Speaker 1: say mont Pillion, Oh god, And she gonna, what's the 557 00:33:20,556 --> 00:33:22,356 Speaker 1: capital of art and said, oh shit, is a genius. 558 00:33:22,396 --> 00:33:25,236 Speaker 1: But how did he ever notice? But he bought these 559 00:33:26,356 --> 00:33:30,756 Speaker 1: educational materials. Said then they would inevitably bring the man 560 00:33:30,836 --> 00:33:32,956 Speaker 1: of the house in because that was the way it was. 561 00:33:33,076 --> 00:33:35,596 Speaker 1: And you know that she made up pitch and the 562 00:33:35,636 --> 00:33:38,556 Speaker 1: guy would say, well, almost card. It seemed like it's 563 00:33:38,636 --> 00:33:40,116 Speaker 1: very good, but you know we've got school voting, and 564 00:33:40,196 --> 00:33:42,116 Speaker 1: don't you come back? And four months and she said, 565 00:33:42,156 --> 00:33:44,476 Speaker 1: you know, sir, I find it interesting that you can 566 00:33:44,636 --> 00:33:48,356 Speaker 1: afford a basketboat for yourself, which can't afford educational materials 567 00:33:48,396 --> 00:33:50,636 Speaker 1: for your children. That was just like a pile of 568 00:33:50,716 --> 00:33:56,516 Speaker 1: fucking soul. Okay, he was signing anything eighty one years. 569 00:33:57,396 --> 00:33:59,436 Speaker 1: He just wanted to get out of there because he'd 570 00:33:59,476 --> 00:34:03,156 Speaker 1: been so humiliated in that kind of pitch. You know 571 00:34:03,236 --> 00:34:06,596 Speaker 1: that that kind of pitch always stuck with me. Yeah, 572 00:34:07,316 --> 00:34:09,796 Speaker 1: all right, I thought there was. By the way, if 573 00:34:09,836 --> 00:34:12,356 Speaker 1: thought World Book was a good product, I know it is. 574 00:34:12,476 --> 00:34:14,156 Speaker 1: She was doing good. She was selling a good product, 575 00:34:14,836 --> 00:34:16,556 Speaker 1: good to people if they and if they opened it, 576 00:34:16,636 --> 00:34:21,996 Speaker 1: they learned. Yes, and there's nothing wrong being a pitch man. 577 00:34:22,916 --> 00:34:25,516 Speaker 1: Thank you very much for pitching for all these years, 578 00:34:25,556 --> 00:34:27,876 Speaker 1: for analyzing, for pitching, for calling it like it is, 579 00:34:28,116 --> 00:34:30,916 Speaker 1: and for sharing your inimitable perspective. Thank you so much. 580 00:34:30,996 --> 00:34:33,156 Speaker 1: All Right, we'll proud for good. Look to you. Thank you, Jordan. 581 00:34:34,516 --> 00:34:46,796 Speaker 1: We'll be right back when you talk to James Carville. 582 00:34:47,276 --> 00:34:50,556 Speaker 1: You can't possibly agree with everything the man says, But 583 00:34:50,716 --> 00:34:52,836 Speaker 1: you do realize that you have to take everything he 584 00:34:52,916 --> 00:34:57,076 Speaker 1: says seriously, even and in fact, especially when you may 585 00:34:57,156 --> 00:35:01,836 Speaker 1: not exactly agree with it. James Carville's assessment of where 586 00:35:01,916 --> 00:35:04,756 Speaker 1: we are right now in American politics is in a 587 00:35:04,876 --> 00:35:08,756 Speaker 1: sense a story of contradictions. On the one hand, he believes, 588 00:35:08,796 --> 00:35:11,796 Speaker 1: I think with good reason the Joe Biden's accomplishments in 589 00:35:11,876 --> 00:35:15,996 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one have been meaningful, significant, and potentially long 590 00:35:16,156 --> 00:35:19,236 Speaker 1: lasting in terms of their policy effects. At the same time, 591 00:35:19,316 --> 00:35:22,036 Speaker 1: he believes that the Democratic Party, the party he loves 592 00:35:22,076 --> 00:35:25,756 Speaker 1: and supports, the Party of Coalition, is doing a terrible 593 00:35:25,876 --> 00:35:30,476 Speaker 1: job of going out and selling its ideas. He holds 594 00:35:30,476 --> 00:35:33,596 Speaker 1: out Stacey Abrams, whom regular listeners of the podcasts know, 595 00:35:33,756 --> 00:35:35,516 Speaker 1: has been with us as a guest on the podcast, 596 00:35:35,876 --> 00:35:40,036 Speaker 1: as the model of what good, real political engagement looks like. 597 00:35:40,356 --> 00:35:42,396 Speaker 1: If we do more of what Stacy is doing, he 598 00:35:42,516 --> 00:35:46,916 Speaker 1: thinks Democrats can have future successes. Yet, the threats to 599 00:35:46,996 --> 00:35:51,476 Speaker 1: the fundamental structure of democracy he considers to be real 600 00:35:51,636 --> 00:35:57,556 Speaker 1: ones Trumpism, beyond just Donald Trump, he sees as a genuine, serious, 601 00:35:57,796 --> 00:36:01,316 Speaker 1: fundamental threat to the capacity of the American political system 602 00:36:01,356 --> 00:36:04,396 Speaker 1: to operate he sees it as growing out of white 603 00:36:04,476 --> 00:36:08,756 Speaker 1: male frustration at decline in social status, in power, and 604 00:36:09,196 --> 00:36:12,876 Speaker 1: the share of economic life. And he says that the 605 00:36:12,956 --> 00:36:16,996 Speaker 1: combination of partisan gerrymandering the structure of the Senate where 606 00:36:17,036 --> 00:36:19,436 Speaker 1: fifty two seats can be chosen by eighteen percent of 607 00:36:19,476 --> 00:36:22,916 Speaker 1: the party plus the electoral college, means we do face 608 00:36:22,996 --> 00:36:27,236 Speaker 1: the genuine possibility that a relatively small number of Americans 609 00:36:27,476 --> 00:36:31,676 Speaker 1: with Trump's political sympathies can hijack the political process and 610 00:36:31,916 --> 00:36:34,876 Speaker 1: block the access to a fair share of political power 611 00:36:35,196 --> 00:36:40,316 Speaker 1: deserved by everybody else. Last, but very much not least, 612 00:36:40,476 --> 00:36:43,276 Speaker 1: James has been an outspoken critic of the left wing 613 00:36:43,356 --> 00:36:46,876 Speaker 1: of the Democratic Party for the specifics of its cultural politics, 614 00:36:47,196 --> 00:36:51,476 Speaker 1: which he believes lose the party votes nationally. That's of 615 00:36:51,556 --> 00:36:55,876 Speaker 1: a piece with his preference for pragmatism, coalition, and compromise, 616 00:36:56,596 --> 00:37:00,436 Speaker 1: all of which inevitably mean giving up on a more 617 00:37:00,556 --> 00:37:05,116 Speaker 1: moralized narrative of doing the right thing in American politics. 618 00:37:06,356 --> 00:37:09,596 Speaker 1: In this sphere, we know the Democratic part is just 619 00:37:09,796 --> 00:37:13,956 Speaker 1: beginning to enter a period of deep introspection. What comes 620 00:37:13,996 --> 00:37:16,556 Speaker 1: out of that introspection is going to have a major 621 00:37:16,636 --> 00:37:19,676 Speaker 1: impact on the politics of the national election in twenty 622 00:37:19,716 --> 00:37:24,436 Speaker 1: two and in the presidential election of twenty twenty four. Beyond, 623 00:37:25,516 --> 00:37:28,316 Speaker 1: James Carville wants to be a profit of pragmatic possibility, 624 00:37:28,676 --> 00:37:31,076 Speaker 1: not a profit of doom. But there were moments in 625 00:37:31,116 --> 00:37:34,676 Speaker 1: this conversation where it's sometimes sounded like he felt we 626 00:37:34,756 --> 00:37:39,236 Speaker 1: should be honest about recognizing that things could go terribly 627 00:37:39,316 --> 00:37:42,836 Speaker 1: wrong in the years ahead. Until the next time I 628 00:37:42,916 --> 00:37:47,236 Speaker 1: speak to you, Breathe deep, think, deep thoughts, and if 629 00:37:47,276 --> 00:37:51,836 Speaker 1: you have any hope left, have a little fun. If 630 00:37:51,876 --> 00:37:54,916 Speaker 1: you're a regular listener, you know I love communicating with 631 00:37:55,036 --> 00:37:58,156 Speaker 1: you here on Deep Background. I also really want that 632 00:37:58,236 --> 00:38:01,196 Speaker 1: communication to run both ways. I want to know what 633 00:38:01,396 --> 00:38:03,956 Speaker 1: you think are the most important stories of the moment, 634 00:38:04,356 --> 00:38:06,156 Speaker 1: and what kinds of guests you think you would be 635 00:38:06,236 --> 00:38:09,396 Speaker 1: useful to hear from. More So, I'm opening a new 636 00:38:09,476 --> 00:38:12,876 Speaker 1: channel of communication. To access it, just go to my 637 00:38:12,956 --> 00:38:16,556 Speaker 1: website Noahdashfeldman dot com. You can sign up from my 638 00:38:16,636 --> 00:38:20,316 Speaker 1: newsletter and you can tell me exactly what's on your mind, 639 00:38:21,036 --> 00:38:24,036 Speaker 1: something that would be really valuable to me and I 640 00:38:24,196 --> 00:38:28,036 Speaker 1: hope to you too. Deep Background is brought to you 641 00:38:28,196 --> 00:38:32,396 Speaker 1: by Pushkin Industries. Our producer is Mo Labor. Our engineer 642 00:38:32,516 --> 00:38:35,796 Speaker 1: is Ben Taliday and our showrunner is Sophie Crane mckibbon. 643 00:38:36,516 --> 00:38:40,676 Speaker 1: Editorial support from noahm Osband. Theme music by Luis Guerra 644 00:38:41,356 --> 00:38:45,476 Speaker 1: at Pushkin. Thanks to Mia Lobell, Julia Barton, Lydia, Jane Coott, 645 00:38:45,756 --> 00:38:50,716 Speaker 1: Heather Faine, Carlie mcgliori, Maggie Taylor, Eric Sandler, and Jacob Weisberg. 646 00:38:51,316 --> 00:38:53,636 Speaker 1: You can find me on Twitter at Noah R. Felder. 647 00:38:54,196 --> 00:38:56,476 Speaker 1: I also write a column for Bloomberg Opinion, which you 648 00:38:56,556 --> 00:39:00,356 Speaker 1: can find at Bloomberg dot com slash Feldmer. To discover 649 00:39:00,476 --> 00:39:04,116 Speaker 1: Bloomberg's original slate of podcasts, go to Bloomberg dot com 650 00:39:04,596 --> 00:39:07,876 Speaker 1: slash podcasts, and if you liked what you heard today, 651 00:39:08,276 --> 00:39:10,756 Speaker 1: please write a review you or tell a friend. This 652 00:39:11,316 --> 00:39:23,596 Speaker 1: is deep background h