1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: The Steve Bannon interview. I've been getting emails all day 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: from people who want my take on this, so I'm 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: gonna go ahead and get into this now. I gotta 4 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: tell you again up front, I don't know the guy 5 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: I've I've I haven't even. He's been in a room 6 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: twice when I have been with the President, but I've 7 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 1: never been formally introduced even and I've never spoken directly 8 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: to him. So none of this is to me based 9 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: on any personal knowledge I have of Bannon or the 10 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 1: arrangement that Trump and bannont have. All I can do 11 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: is speculate here, which I'll be happy to do. Now. 12 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 1: The reason, uh that Washington's in a tissy day is 13 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: because Bannon called Robert Kuttner at the American Prospect. This 14 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: is for exclusive interview. This would be like Reagan calling Pravda. 15 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: I mean, there's unreal of all the people Bannon could call. 16 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:02,880 Speaker 1: He calls Kuttner at the American Prospect. He calls somebody 17 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: that hates Trump as much as anybody hates Trump. And 18 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: it was not off the record. He wanted whatever is 19 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: in his interview. Bannon wants out there, and it's out there. 20 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: I watched Karl Rove react to it today and he 21 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 1: was beside himself. He just could not believe any of this. 22 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: He couldn't believe any any aspect of it. I thought 23 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: it was the craziest, strangest, oddest, dumbest thing he's ever 24 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: seen from any administration. I'm not going to share me 25 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:37,320 Speaker 1: the whole thing I have. I've paired this down to 26 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: its their essence. Bannon was in high spirits when he 27 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: phoned me Tuesday afternoon. This is Kuttner, this is the leftist, 28 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: anti trumpist. Bannon was in high spirits when he found 29 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: me Tuesday afternoon to talk politics about taking a harder 30 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: line with China. Me. He means no words. Describing his 31 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: efforts to neutralize his rivals at the Department of Defense, 32 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: Department of State, and Treasury, Bannon said, we are at 33 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: economic war with China. It's an all their literature. They're 34 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: not shy about saying what they're doing. One of us 35 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: is going to be a Hedgeman in twenty five or 36 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 1: thirty years, and it's going to be them if we 37 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: go down this path on Korea. They're just tapping us along. 38 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 1: It's just a side show. Hedgemin dominant Hegamin means the 39 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: big winner in this context. So Bannon is saying everything 40 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: going on out there that you see with Korea, it's 41 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: a side show. It's not really what's important. What's important 42 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 1: is our economic war with China, and if we're not careful, 43 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: we're gonna lose it. This is a slap at Trump, 44 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: and it's being seen as a slap at Trump because 45 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: of additional comments that Mannon made on North Korea. Kuttner 46 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: wrote the following Bannon said he might consider a deal 47 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: in which China got North Korea to freeze its nuclear 48 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: build up with verifiable inspections and the United States removed 49 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:23,920 Speaker 1: its troops from the peninsula south of the DMZ. But 50 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: such a deal seemed remote, given that China is not 51 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: likely to do much more on North Korea than the 52 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: over they are, and that the logic of mutually assured 53 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: destruction was its own source of restraint. Bannon saw no 54 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: reason not to proceed with tough trade sanctions against China. 55 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: What struck me about this is the way Kutner wrote this. 56 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 1: Bannon said he might He's not talking about Trump, talking 57 00:03:54,200 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 1: about himself. Bannon said, I might consider a deal which 58 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 1: China got North Korea to freeze its nuclear build up, 59 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: and then he went further on North Korea. You know, 60 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: Trump has been out there promising fire and fury, and 61 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: Trump has been really launching at Kim Jong un, and 62 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: he's been making it clear that if Kim Jong un 63 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: launches at Guam or does anything, that there's going to 64 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: be hell fire to pay. And Bannon undercut all of 65 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: that in this interview. Contrary to Trump's threat of fire 66 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,799 Speaker 1: and fury, Bannon said, there's no military solution in North Korea. 67 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: Forget it until somebody solves the part of the equation 68 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 1: that shows me that ten million people in Soul do 69 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,799 Speaker 1: not die in the first thirty minutes from conventional weapons. 70 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 1: I don't know what you're talking about. There's no military 71 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: solution here. They got it, okay. So once again Bannon 72 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:58,799 Speaker 1: portrays himself as the architect of thinking and policy on Korea, 73 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:03,159 Speaker 1: not Trump. Just as Bannon said he might consider a 74 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: deal in which China gan. So Bannon is conveying here 75 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:11,160 Speaker 1: that he is the decision maker and strategist on these 76 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: foreign policy subjects are questions, and that Trump is just 77 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: along for the ride. I think there's a reason for this. 78 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 1: You want to take in a minute here, but uh, 79 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: this is a there's no question Bannon here in this 80 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: interview just through Trump's North Korea policy under the bus, 81 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 1: because what Trump has been talking in terms of tough 82 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,280 Speaker 1: talk with Kim Jong un is in fact a military 83 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: response by US if Kim Jong un starts something, if 84 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: he launches it hits Guam or any other American target. 85 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: Trump has made it clear that it might be the 86 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:55,479 Speaker 1: last thing Kim Jong un never does. And Bannon just 87 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: threw that under the bus, na, na, na. He said, 88 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: there's no military solution. Forget it. I don't know what 89 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 1: you're talking about. No military solution at all here. They 90 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: got us on that meaning we're paralyzed, we can't we 91 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: can't stop the North Koreans. And Bannon then goes on 92 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,039 Speaker 1: to say they're not even the problem. North Korea is 93 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: not what it's about. Mannon that. To me, the economic 94 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: war with China is everything, and we have to be 95 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: maniacally focused on that. If we continue to lose it, 96 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 1: and we're five years away, ten years of the most 97 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 1: of hitting an inflection point from which we will never 98 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: be able to recover. Bannon's plan of attack includes a 99 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 1: complaint under section three oh one of the nineteen seventy 100 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 1: four Trade Act against Chinese coercion of technology transfers from 101 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 1: American corporations doing business there, and follow up complaints against 102 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: steel and aluminum dumping. We're gonna run the tables on 103 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: these guys. We've come to the conclusion that they are 104 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: in an economic war and they're crushing us, and we 105 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: have to stop it. Now. Try Ump has alluded throughout 106 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 1: the campaign and even in his days as president, he 107 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: has alluded to the nefarious tactics and activities of the 108 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: Shi cons So on this, Bannon seems consistent with Trump. Now, 109 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 1: this complaint undersection three oh one of the nineteen seventy 110 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: four Trade Act against Chinese coercion of technology transfers from 111 00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: American corporation doing visits. What that means Apple assembles iPhones 112 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: and iPads and home pods and any number of gadgets 113 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:50,320 Speaker 1: in China, and therefore Chinese manufacturing companies are aware they 114 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: are exposed to Apple technology, they are exposed to Apple secrets, 115 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: and the nineties sevento Trade Act prevents a host nation 116 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: like China from coercing tech secrets trade secrets from say 117 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: a company like Apple in order for Apple to continue 118 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: to be allowed to do business there, and ban is 119 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: talking about filing a complaint that the chi coms are 120 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: violating this, that they're actually engaged in theft of intellectual 121 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 1: and technological property, and saying that this can't stand in 122 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 1: and they're way ahead of us on this, and if 123 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 1: we don't get our acting gear in ten years tops 124 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: the chi coms are gonna beat as that it's over 125 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: in North Korea's a side show. It doesn't matter, it's irrelevant. 126 00:08:51,360 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: And then he was asked, what about all the people 127 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: who don't like you, Steve, State Department, Defense Department. Oh, 128 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 1: they're wedding themselves. Bannon said, they're peeing in their pants. 129 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:11,120 Speaker 1: I'm changing out people at East Asian Defense. I'm getting 130 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: Hawks in there. I'm getting Susan Thornton out at State 131 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 1: not Trump. Bannon is supposedly clearing out all the Obama 132 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: in beds in there. He's getting rid of Susan Thornton, 133 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: She's the acting head of East Asian and Pacific Affairs 134 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 1: in the State Department. I'm getting rid of these people 135 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: that are thwarting their thwarting our agenda. They're wedding themselves. 136 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: I don't care. Cutner says, can Bannon really win that 137 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:48,199 Speaker 1: internal fight? Bannon said, that's a fight I fight here 138 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: every day, and we're still fighting. There's Treasury, the National 139 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 1: Economic Council chair Gary Cohn, Goldman Sax lobbying. I'm fighting 140 00:09:56,080 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: against these people every day. Now. I find it interesting 141 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,200 Speaker 1: that the lead headline at Drudge right now, this is 142 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:09,439 Speaker 1: hours after this interview was published, and this is key 143 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: with Bannon saying here, yeah, I fight these guys inside 144 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: this administration every day. Treasury, the Economic Council chairman Gary Khne, 145 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: he's Goldman Sachs lobbyists. I'm fighting him every day. The 146 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 1: lead story at Drudge right now, Gary khne resignation would 147 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 1: crash markets, stocks fall. Okay, so somebody is responding to 148 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 1: Bannon's claim here that he's doing everything he can to 149 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,319 Speaker 1: get rid of Gary Khne, and that would mean get 150 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: rid of Dina Powell, and that would mean get rid 151 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: of the influence of Jared and Ivanka. He's doing everything 152 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: he can to get rid of that in order to 153 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 1: save this administration of people trying to sabotage it. Well, 154 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 1: those people have responded because this is let me click 155 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: on the link. Let me see what it is. Yea, 156 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 1: CNBC has got the story. A Gary Cohen resignation would 157 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:11,840 Speaker 1: crash the markets, would sink the stock market. Now Rode 158 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: was saying, I can't believe this. I can't believe that 159 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 1: Trump has anybody on his staff that would do this. 160 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: I can't believe that Trump doesn't get rid of this 161 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: guy yesterday. I can't believe that Trump would be afraid 162 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 1: to get rid of this guy. What kind of a 163 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: functioning White House staff is there if the president is 164 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: afraid of an aide and the reason for the fear 165 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 1: I'll explain here in just a moment. Final point, Kuttner says, 166 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:44,240 Speaker 1: I I asked Bannon about the connection between his program 167 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 1: of economic nationalism and the ugly white nationalism epitomized by 168 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: the racist violence in Charlottesville and Trump's reluctance to condemn it. Bannon, 169 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:00,440 Speaker 1: after all, it was the architect of the strategicy of 170 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: using bright Bart News to heat up white nationalism and 171 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: then rely on the radical right as Trump's base. That 172 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: is b s and that is exactly the point I 173 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: made in the previous hour, trying to characterize what you 174 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,439 Speaker 1: saw in Charlotte as the Trump base, and it's not 175 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 1: big enough to be the Trump basis, not even close. 176 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 1: They're trying to portray you in this audience who voted 177 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: for Trump as no different from those lunatics that you 178 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 1: saw protesting the white supremacist of the Nazis and the 179 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: Clan in Charlottesville, and Kuttner is doing it here in 180 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: this question to Bannon. Bannon's answer to this was to 181 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: dismiss the far right as irrelevant. He sidestepped his own 182 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: role in cultivating it. He said, f known nationalism, it's losers, 183 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: It's a fringe element. I think the media plays it 184 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 1: up too much. We gotta help crush it and help 185 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: crush it more. These guys are a collection of clowns, 186 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:01,679 Speaker 1: is what he has said about the clan and the 187 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: Nazis and the white supremacist collection of clowns and rove 188 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 1: is up. The collection of clowns. Is that the best 189 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:12,080 Speaker 1: you can do there? Worse than a collection of clowns. 190 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: People laugh at clowns. What do you mean that a 191 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: collection of clowns? That's horrible, that's rotten. Is that the 192 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: worst you can say about them? People are having that 193 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: kind of reaction. But then Bannon said this, and this 194 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 1: is one of the top three things in this interview 195 00:13:25,880 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 1: that's got Washington going. The Democrats, Bannon said, the longer 196 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 1: they talk about identity politics, I got them. I want 197 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 1: them talking about race every day. If the left is 198 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 1: focused on race and identity and we go with economic nationalism, 199 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: we will crush the Democrats. We'll wipe the floor with him. 200 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 1: The Bannon's claiming he loves the media focus on this stuff. 201 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 1: He loves the Democrats running around acting offended and outraged. 202 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,560 Speaker 1: Identity politics, race, that's the greatest distraction we could have 203 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 1: foisted on them. Ever, let him keep talking about that, 204 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: and we are gonna steam roller them with massive economic improvements. 205 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: Once again, The overall flavor of the interview is that 206 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 1: Trump is not president Bannon is that Mannon is doing 207 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 1: all these things. Trump's taking advice and doing it. I 208 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: want this, I'm doing this. You give me that and 209 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: I'll take that. Yes, I'm glad the media is doing that. Hell, yes, 210 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: I don't care North Korea. That's a side show. China, 211 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 1: that's the real enemy. That's what I'm focused on. I'm 212 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 1: doing everything i can to get rid of Gary Khane 213 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: and the Golden Sacks Nash. So why do this? Why 214 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: do it? And that's that's what all the intrigue in 215 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: Washington is really all about. And I will weigh in 216 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: on that myself. There's some possibilities here, but to understand 217 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,080 Speaker 1: the possibilities you have to have been privy to some 218 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,000 Speaker 1: of the scuttle But let's go around which, of course, 219 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:05,359 Speaker 1: as a powerful influential member of the media, I am 220 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: aware of the scuttle butt, which makes my analysis informed. Okay, 221 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: one of the possibilities with Bannon and doing it. By 222 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: the way, Bannon has now spoken again to the UK 223 00:15:17,040 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: Daily Mail saying, hey, this was good today, this interview 224 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: with Kutner because it took all the focus off Trump 225 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: today and to put the focus on me. It took 226 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: the focus away from Trump, and that was good. I 227 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: did a service, and to the extent that it took 228 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: focus off Trump, it did. But it's by no means 229 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 1: going to change anything in that regard. The media is 230 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: not going to forget about Trump, is the point. So 231 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: the scuttle butt is, folks, for the past month that 232 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: Bannon has been on the outs and that he was 233 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: just a NAT's eyelash away from being fired. But Trump 234 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: is reluctant to fire him because of what Bannon knows 235 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: and would rather keep Bannon inside the tent and maybe 236 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 1: isolate him rather than fire him and have Bannon go 237 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: out there and start launching on Trump because there's a 238 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: there's a fear. I think this is misguided, that there's 239 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 1: a fear that Bannon could talk Trump's voters out of 240 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: supporting it. Let me ask you, if Bannon leaves the 241 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: White Disease, resigns here, is fired and then starts this 242 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: goes back to bright Barterard goes on TV and radio 243 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: every night, starts down talking Trump. Is he gonna convince 244 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: you to abandon Trump? As we won't. But apparently there's 245 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: people inside the White House who think that Bannon has 246 00:16:42,120 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: that power that nobody else only Trump and Bannon could 247 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: actually destroy the Trump connection with his basse. The other 248 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:55,080 Speaker 1: possibility here is related to the first, that that Bannon 249 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 1: goes out and does this because he's heard and knows 250 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: that Kelly doesn't like it. Man Trump's mad at him 251 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: and wants him gone, And so this could could be 252 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: almost an example, Okay, you fire me, look at what 253 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:10,479 Speaker 1: you're in for this is just a taste of what 254 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do to you. There's all kinds of intrigue 255 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 1: going on here, uh with this, and this is what 256 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:21,120 Speaker 1: Karl Rove was. Carl Roves, it cannot believe that there's 257 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: a presidential administration where an AID has this kind of 258 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: the of power, the ability to be such a damn distraction. 259 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:33,120 Speaker 1: Now there's another theory about man. I guess the third one, 260 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: and that is that Bannon doesn't want to resign, he 261 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:43,639 Speaker 1: wants to get fired. Uh. And this theory again requires 262 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: a belief that Trump's base actually loves Bannon more than Trump, 263 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:54,119 Speaker 1: and that Trump's base likes Bannon, likes Trump because of Bannon. 264 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 1: That folks would I tell you, there's no doubt me. 265 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: There are people, there are people all over Washington, d C. 266 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:03,640 Speaker 1: Who think that Steve Bannon made Trump, that Trump didn't 267 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: having to do with it, and they think that Trump 268 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 1: uh has words put in his mouth by Bannon. This 269 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: this is why when when Trump had his press conference 270 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 1: yesterday or whatever it was, and start answering questions about 271 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: mannon He's he reminds people that Bannon didn't come on 272 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: until after he'd won the nomination for all intents and purposes, 273 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: Trump makes it. He tries to make it clear that 274 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: Bannon had nothing to do with him winning the nomination, 275 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 1: that he hired Bannon to be CEO of the presidential campaign. Uh, 276 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,440 Speaker 1: and he goes to great pains. Look, I've known Bannon 277 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 1: a while, but he didn't come on board here. He 278 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: wasn't here at the beginning. He did anything you do, 279 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 1: it is the beginning. So there there's something going on 280 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: internally here. Now there have there has been a book 281 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: that came out a couple of months after Trump's inauguration. 282 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,919 Speaker 1: The subject of the book was how Bannon was the 283 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:03,160 Speaker 1: architect of Trump's presidency and supposedly Trump steamed over that, 284 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: which I totally understand by the way, I completely I 285 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 1: would understand if if that's true. I also have been 286 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,440 Speaker 1: told long before Trump even ran for president, and if 287 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:20,760 Speaker 1: you work for Trump, you sign a non disparagement agreement 288 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:24,960 Speaker 1: kind of like an n d A, a non disclosure 289 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: and you promise that you will not disparage Trump after 290 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 1: you leave his employee. And you sign that and there's 291 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 1: a you're agreeing. It's like a ten million dollar penalty, 292 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:43,360 Speaker 1: potential lawsuit. I don't know if if those things survived 293 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:47,640 Speaker 1: with White House staff basically having them. Uh, they don't 294 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:53,120 Speaker 1: stop people from talking in most cases, but they can 295 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: they can be helpful in DA's non disparagement agreements. But 296 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,760 Speaker 1: the important thing about about all of these theories is 297 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: that they are all predicated on the fact that Bannon 298 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: can destroy Trump, because, in the media's eyes, Bannon made 299 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:12,360 Speaker 1: Trump the Trump is too dumb to have made himself. 300 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: Trump is is too rough around the edges. Trump is 301 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,960 Speaker 1: not a deep enough thinker, and he's not nearly a 302 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 1: brilliant strategist. Trump couldn't have gotten himself elected. That's what 303 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 1: they all think. Bannon did that, and so they are. 304 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,760 Speaker 1: They are the people inside the belt where you're captivated 305 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 1: by this. They really believe that Trump will not fire 306 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: Bannon because Trump knows that Bannon can destroy him, because 307 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,879 Speaker 1: they think that all it has to happen is for 308 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 1: Bannon to go on TV and tell Trump's voters that 309 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:59,240 Speaker 1: Trump's a phony and Trump's this, and that Trump's voters 310 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: will a band of him. Inside the belt Way analysts 311 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:09,720 Speaker 1: actually believe that Trump's voters are more loyal and more 312 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: devoted and more appreciative of Bannon than they are Trump. 313 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 1: Do not doubt me on this. If you don't understand that, 314 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 1: you won't understand these theories as you read them. That 315 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 1: Bannon is the creator of populism, for example, that Bannon 316 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: is the creator of trump nationalism, That Bannon is the 317 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:32,160 Speaker 1: guy who created the alt right, who is the Trump's 318 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 1: is Trump's base? All of that is just total b s. 319 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 1: It was mainstream Americans that signed up and voted for 320 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: Donald Trump, mainstream Americans all over the country. There aren't 321 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,160 Speaker 1: enough of these rag tag wackos to elect anybody president. 322 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: The alt right, which nobody ever heard of, by the way, 323 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:55,640 Speaker 1: until Trump came along. I never heard of you ever 324 00:21:55,680 --> 00:22:00,040 Speaker 1: heard of the alt right? Sturdily last year? Let's what 325 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:01,439 Speaker 1: I mean. Do you hear five years ago you ever 326 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,520 Speaker 1: heard of the alt right? I'll tell you what I heard. 327 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 1: That there was, there's there's always been on the internet, 328 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:13,639 Speaker 1: the alt discussion groups. I forget that, uh total the 329 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:18,200 Speaker 1: name of them, the the alt It's been a whack 330 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 1: of fringe of the Internet, and somehow alt right ends 331 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: up being created and they credit Mannon with that. So 332 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:32,600 Speaker 1: inside the belt Way, the Washington establishment, Trump is he 333 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:35,400 Speaker 1: really is a buffoon, folks, and that's why they can't 334 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 1: believe in one. And they really think that Bannon could 335 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: destroy him, and they think that Trump knows it, and 336 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 1: so that's why they will tell you that Trump is 337 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 1: very reluctant to let him go because Trump knows that 338 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:50,440 Speaker 1: Bannon could blow up his his coalition. And I think 339 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 1: it's so much bs I can't tell you, but this 340 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,919 Speaker 1: is what they think. And I'm just sharing this with 341 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 1: you because you're gonna be hearing and reading about all this, 342 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: and you're gonna hear all these theories about what Bannon 343 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 1: is doing and why is doing it, why Trump doesn't 344 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:08,720 Speaker 1: fire him, or why Trump will fire him, or why 345 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 1: Bannon won't just quit. I'm telling you to understand the theories, 346 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:15,200 Speaker 1: you have to you have to understand that the people 347 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: talking about it, I think that bannons the Sengali and 348 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 1: that Trump is an empty vessel wandering around every day 349 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 1: doing what Bannon said. And that's how I got elected. 350 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:31,679 Speaker 1: Neither crypts of confusion, I was not saying it. An 351 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: n d A is a non disparagement agreement. I was 352 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: talking non disparaged in agreement, and an n d A. 353 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,959 Speaker 1: Trump does both. He has non disparagement agreements with some 354 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 1: of his employees under penalty of ten million dollar fine. 355 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: You are not allowed to disparage Trump while or after 356 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: you work for him. Non disclosure agreements a totally different thing. 357 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:55,879 Speaker 1: You're not allowed to discuss or disclose anything you saw 358 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,200 Speaker 1: or witnessed or heard when you work for somebody or 359 00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 1: when you're in their employee. I'm telling I've heard that 360 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,400 Speaker 1: Trump has non disparagement agreements in his in his private business. 361 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: I don't know that it's carried over to the White 362 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:10,400 Speaker 1: House STAFFAA that they have, and I'll bet Bannon has one, 363 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:13,680 Speaker 1: and I've bet a lot of people in there, dudes. 364 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 1: And uh, look, I need to say this this one 365 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:20,879 Speaker 1: more time, because every time that I explained it to 366 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,560 Speaker 1: the staff here, they can't believe. I am telling you, folks, 367 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: there are what you would consider to be mainstream conservative 368 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: blogs and websites who literally believe that Steve Bannon is 369 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:42,280 Speaker 1: what got Trump elected and that Steve Bannon, if fired, 370 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 1: could destroy Trump. There are people who think that Trump's 371 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 1: base was created by Bannon. They are all right right 372 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 1: nationalists and so forth, and that if Bannon ever turned 373 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: on Trump, that every abody that voted for Trump would 374 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 1: abandoned Trump, if bannoned, if bannoned leaves, and I think 375 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:09,719 Speaker 1: that's just so much b s. I can't tell you, 376 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: and so did the staff in here who voted for Trump. 377 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:14,879 Speaker 1: But I'm telling you that people inside the Bellway and 378 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:18,920 Speaker 1: what you would think her mainstream publication literally believe that, 379 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:23,840 Speaker 1: just like many of them literally believed that Russia colluded 380 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: with Trump, no matter the evidence that they think it happened. 381 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:33,439 Speaker 1: There is so much visceral hatred, dislike, disappointment in Trump 382 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 1: being president that these views are far more widespread than 383 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:42,400 Speaker 1: you would believe. I would venture to say that most 384 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: Trump voters had never heard of Steve Bannon even when 385 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:50,400 Speaker 1: he was named chief strategist. But that's not what they think.