1 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: Hey guys, we are back on normally the show with 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: normal wish takes, but when the news gets weird, my 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: co host Carol Mark Woodz is out on the vacation 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: and we're letting her enjoy it. So joining me again 5 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: is Matt Whitlock, my buddy, formerly of the National Republican 6 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,600 Speaker 1: Senatorial Committee, worked on various campaigns and the various Senate offices, 7 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: and now runs his own consulting company. And is it 8 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:26,360 Speaker 1: You're sorry? Should I should check the facts on that. 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 2: I work for a very smart people in a consulting company. 10 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 2: I don't want them to think that I'm telling people 11 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 2: I read the show, but very smart people. 12 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: Yes, and now is a consultant and runs his own 13 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: podcasts called The Excellent Minute Drill. Welcome Mat Whitlock to 14 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: the show. A lot going on in the news as usual. 15 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 1: I could play seventeen more Hunter Biden clips and arguably 16 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: that would be the thing to. 17 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 2: Do and people wouldn't tune out because it's an entertaining content. 18 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 2: Hunter gave us a lot to I mean, it was 19 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 2: a three hour interview and then he's done. 20 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: More so, No, it's it's going to be my new 21 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: gym soundtrack. I'm just going to put the Hunter Biden 22 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: interview on and go with the gym and be motivated. 23 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 2: Guy f that guy, I got run up the hill 24 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:09,479 Speaker 2: to that. 25 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: There's one answer I heard today, and this is just 26 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: an aside. We're going to get into the real news, 27 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: but there was one answer today I heard that I 28 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 1: hadn't heard earlier. That was, like, to be sure, I 29 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: don't want to instruct anybody on how to make crack cocaine. Oh, 30 00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:26,000 Speaker 1: these ingredients and also when you're making crack cocaine, people 31 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: act like it's dirty, but it's actually healthier for you. 32 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. He goes through the health benefits of certain 33 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 2: kinds of crack cocaine, and that segment on crack cocaine 34 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 2: is like probably five minutes. You know. The highlight was 35 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 2: I'm not going to tell people how to make crack cocaine, 36 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 2: but he talks pretty specifically about how to get into it. 37 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, he's he's something else. As comfortably smug said, I 38 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: think the left has found its Joe Rogan. 39 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 2: Yes, I didn't hear say that. 40 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: That's a good smug take. That's a good one, all right, 41 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: But let's get some more slightly more serious stuff. I'm 42 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: sure Hunter will have tons to say on all the 43 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: issues of the day, and we can quote him in 44 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: the future. The US Olympic team is stating that they 45 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: are going to comply with Trump's keeping men out of 46 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: women's sports executive Order. They have changed some of their 47 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: official language. This is the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee 48 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: updating its policies with specific reference to the executive Order. 49 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: And I think this is like obviously a win for 50 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: women's sports and for sanity. This is a thing that honestly, 51 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: I wish I had been louder about at times, because 52 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: it did kind of sneak up on you and then 53 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: you're like, wait, what's happening? And here we are where 54 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: I think the tide is finally turned. It was really 55 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: hard to talk about for a long time. The female 56 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 1: athletes who did talk about it deserves so much credit. 57 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 1: I attended several rallies in the past, getting heckled all 58 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: the while with some of these very brave women like 59 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: Riley Gaines and others, And here we are seeing the 60 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: payoff from that. MIDS. 61 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 2: This has been a crazy, crazy sort of progression over 62 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 2: I want to say, probably like ten twelve years when 63 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 2: you go back to like the initial bathroom bills that 64 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 2: dealt with trans issues in North Carolina places like that, 65 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 2: where I believe was the NBA moved a All Star 66 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 2: Game or something out of the state because the state 67 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,399 Speaker 2: had done bathroom specific bills. But what happened over time, 68 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 2: and if you watch the polling on this year over year, 69 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 2: the more people saw this in action, the more people 70 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:32,959 Speaker 2: saw female athletes get crushed by male athletes in sports, 71 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 2: the more it became very real. And that hit a 72 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 2: fever pitch the last three or four years to where 73 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 2: this jumped to the very clear seventy five to twenty 74 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 2: five eighty twenty issue that it is now. But it 75 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 2: took people seeing this in action to play out. And 76 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 2: I've talked to so many, you know, friends who have 77 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 2: young daughters who have had to compete against biological boys 78 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 2: in things like you know, rec league soccer, and it 79 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 2: is just unfair. But also parents watch this and are 80 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 2: just flabbergasted. But that's how this shifted. People saw it 81 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 2: in real life. And what happened with this Olympic level 82 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 2: decision is the fact that you know, it seemed like 83 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 2: Olympic committee and some of the you know, NCAA, those 84 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 2: types of organizations were the last holdouts on this, trying 85 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: to sort of continue to be the virtue signalers on 86 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 2: letting men compete against women's sports because of freedom or 87 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 2: whatever absurd justification they had for it. This is yeah, 88 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 2: kind of equity and you know, welcoming and belonging and 89 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,359 Speaker 2: all that. But this is a win for the culture 90 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 2: shift that those athletes, Riley gained, so many others started 91 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,919 Speaker 2: that President Trump capitalized on, like we talked about, you know, 92 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 2: on Tuesday, seeing these eighty twenty issues and saying, hey, 93 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,960 Speaker 2: wait a second, the people are actually like all aligned. 94 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 2: They're not aligned on a lot of things. This is 95 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 2: one where they're on the same page and it is 96 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,920 Speaker 2: a win, and it's really important for the sanctity of sports, 97 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 2: the opportunities for women to compete. You know, it's shouldn't 98 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 2: have taken this, but I'm glad that it got there. 99 00:04:57,279 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: Yeah. I think another thing that it took. In addition 100 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: to people seeing action, I think Leah Thomas was a 101 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 1: turning point. There were just really see this. I think 102 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 1: part of it also was follow people following the lead 103 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 1: of people like Jennifer Say, Riley Gaines, who were really 104 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:17,359 Speaker 1: in trouble for speaking out. There's a wonderful young sprinter 105 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 1: in I believe, Connecticut who was one of the early 106 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: folks who wrote a USA Today column very bravely, and 107 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:27,280 Speaker 1: they were just dog piled in. Like transactivists are some 108 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: of the most vocal you're going to find, and it 109 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: takes brave people to help other people be brave. Jk 110 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: Rowling another great example. You can't cancel her, you can't 111 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: cancel Dave Chappelle. Right, So when people saw people being 112 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 1: brave on behalf of this very common sense thing. But 113 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: unfortunately we lost our minds so much between twenty twenty 114 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: and twenty four that you couldn't say common sense things 115 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:55,479 Speaker 1: that they then felt empowered to say. Yet no, I'm 116 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 1: on the side of the women as well. USA Fencing 117 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,680 Speaker 1: is another organization that immediately followed suit. As soon as 118 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: the Olympics said we got to change this, they said, okay, 119 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: we're on board too. And this is important because, as 120 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: Fox reports, USA Fencing has been under a national microscope 121 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: for its gender eligibility policies since April, when footage of 122 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 1: women's fencer Stephanie Turner kneeling to protest a trans opponent 123 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: at a competition in Maryland went viral. Turner was disqualified 124 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 1: and given a black card for her refusal to face 125 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: the trans opponent, prompting mass backlash against USA Fencing. Again, 126 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: this is a person who put her own reputation and 127 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 1: career such that it can be on the line to 128 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: say this is not right, and we're seeing results. 129 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 2: When when you think about, you know, fencing, similar to swimming, 130 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 2: some of these very specialized sports that people dedicate their 131 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 2: entire lives to, you know, like I like swimming as 132 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 2: an example, because the competitive swimmers that I've known their 133 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 2: entire lives had to wake up at five am for 134 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,040 Speaker 2: swim practice and go directly after school to three hours 135 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 2: of swim practice. Swimming as a technical I mean, fencing 136 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 2: similarly has such a technical, high level, you know, requirement 137 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 2: for being competitive. They get this far and then have 138 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 2: to compete against men. 139 00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: I just think, you know, you know what happens in 140 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: fencing when your your arm and your extremities are three 141 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: times longer than your opponent. Oh my gosh, it's crazy. 142 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: It's actually crazy. It is even have to have this discussion, 143 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 1: and that lefties are like, well, I don't know, there's 144 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: not a lot of studies. We don't need studies, guys. No, 145 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: just like you don't need studies, We didn't need studies. 146 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: And it's similar whether it was going to hurt toddlers 147 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: to cover their faces for two years like we k exactly. 148 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 2: And volleyball was another one like this where people could 149 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 2: just say, wait a second, you watch a biological male 150 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 2: spike a ball in the face of a female and 151 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 2: there were legitimate injuries. The San Jose State volleyball team 152 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 2: had a male athlete competing on their team who caused 153 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 2: several injuries and led to a flood of other teams 154 00:07:50,920 --> 00:07:53,400 Speaker 2: dropping out of playoff competition even though they work their 155 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 2: entire lives to get there, because they were afraid for 156 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 2: their lives. And that's exactly what has sort of, you know, 157 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 2: added kindling to this fire of eventually being able to say, Okay, 158 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 2: you know we're being inclose to we love everybody, but 159 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 2: also this is just unfair. And to your point about JK. 160 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 2: Rowling and Dave Chappelle, you needed people like that with 161 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 2: that kind of platform who were essentially uncancellable to create 162 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 2: the permission structure where we could say this is absurd, 163 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 2: you know, and like Dave Chappelle did it in a 164 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 2: very different way that I think, you know, was helpful 165 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:22,119 Speaker 2: in adding a comedy shine to abs sad it was. JK. 166 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 2: Rowling is an example of the crazy bedfellows this brought together. 167 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 2: Jennifer Say is another one. I believe she was a 168 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 2: Democrat most of her life, but have these issues thrown 169 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 2: in her face in such an absurd way that she's like, 170 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:35,840 Speaker 2: wait a second, my side's lost the plot completely. And 171 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 2: so we have a lot a debt to these guys 172 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: for breaking that glass and making it okay to raise 173 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 2: questions that eventually led to this. 174 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, and as I say, as a former and current 175 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: mediocre female athlete myself, I do feel like we are 176 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 1: the demographic that is most at risk here because often, 177 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: and the Olympics are showing this, but often, and I 178 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: want everyone to be protected, but often elite female athletes 179 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 1: don't have to face the same issues because they're like, oh, 180 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,960 Speaker 1: we'll just be kind and accepting. At lower levels, we 181 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: don't do any testing for high school, we don't do 182 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: any testing for middle school volleyball. Right, if you're in 183 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: that space, you don't have protections until this executive order 184 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 1: comes along. If your community is like, oh, anything goes, 185 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 1: there's no testing, there's no questions asked, there's no anything. 186 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: And so I do think one of the losses over 187 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 1: the past couple of years that we are hopefully going 188 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: to reverse is probably women thinking about getting into sports 189 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:35,439 Speaker 1: and going that seems like I should do something else. Yeah, 190 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: it's not like it. There's a lot of glory to 191 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: begin with. 192 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 2: No, No, the sacrifice is so real and if you're 193 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 2: going to sacrifice that far, So hopefully this course corrects 194 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 2: and does make you know, competing in women's sports again 195 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 2: the great thing that it was. You know, for such 196 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 2: a long time. 197 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: I wish everybody the best I do. It was so 198 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,199 Speaker 1: valuable to me growing up that I don't want erosion 199 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: and I want women to really be able to enjoy 200 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 1: these moments and competing against it, dude, makes it real 201 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,200 Speaker 1: hard for you to do that. I want to also 202 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: note this is a big one. This is a New 203 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: York Times reporting on the gender subject. Hospitals are limiting 204 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 1: gender treatment for trans miners even in blue states. Two 205 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: prominent medical centers in California recently announced they would stop treatments, 206 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 1: citing pressure from the Trump administration. I do think Look, 207 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: the Trump administration obviously deserves credit, and part of that 208 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 1: is causal. I also think some of these organizations are like, 209 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 1: h should we take this chance to stop doing this 210 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: crazy stuff. 211 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 2: That's the thing, like the vulnerability they have of the 212 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 2: permanent damage they do to people with these surgeries with 213 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 2: such little medical evidence. And I know in another part 214 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:47,839 Speaker 2: of this show we're going to talk about people selling 215 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 2: out their expertise for political expediency, but I think this 216 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 2: is one where it's incredibly prominent when you look at 217 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 2: the medical groups who have said this is, you know, 218 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 2: critically important to mental health for young people, but there's 219 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 2: nothing to back it up. It's all purely anecdotal. And 220 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 2: you also have to give a lot of credit. There 221 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 2: are groups who have been hyper engaged in highlighting this, 222 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 2: creating resources for the Trump administration and others to look at. 223 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 2: For example, Do No Harm is a group that has 224 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 2: mapped this out and found exactly how much different hospitals 225 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 2: in different states have put into creating these facilities that 226 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 2: are performing these dangerous treatments on youth under the age 227 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 2: of eighteen. And it's radical and horrific. But when you 228 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 2: look at the volume and how much money these medical 229 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 2: facilities have made off of these procedures. It's egregious and 230 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 2: it makes a lot of sense that they're, you know, 231 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 2: cutting their risks by stopping this, but it is crazy 232 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 2: that it took so much to get to this point. Again, 233 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:41,160 Speaker 2: because this is another issue where if you look at 234 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 2: the polling, like Washington Post is a very progressive polster, 235 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 2: they're polling showed that about seventy five eighty percent of 236 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 2: all people think that these should be banned for anyone 237 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 2: under the age of eighteen. And that is all of 238 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 2: the different sex change interventions. It is the surgeries, but 239 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 2: it's also the hormone treatments. It's also the different irreversible 240 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 2: medical interventions that can start that process that affects youth, 241 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 2: and it shouldn't be done before someone is eighteen where 242 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 2: they can make that permanent decision. 243 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:12,679 Speaker 1: And by the way, one of the reasons that the 244 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: medical information or lack thereof on this is more mainstream 245 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: now is because the ACLU's lawyer should not have but 246 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: brought this to the Supreme Court and argued in front 247 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: of the Supreme Court, at which point and a lot 248 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: of these documents put before the Supreme Court, and in 249 00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,559 Speaker 1: a lot of the questioning before the Supreme Court, it 250 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 1: was revealed that the data is not there. So I 251 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,200 Speaker 1: think people now feel comfortable going with their gut on this. Again, 252 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: another thing where everyone kind of knew this was wrong 253 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: from the beginning, but it felt it's been a strange 254 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 1: five years. Everyone was like, uh, should I be saying 255 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,360 Speaker 1: that this is wrong? Or am I mean to say 256 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 1: this is wrong? And in fact, it's really mean to 257 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:56,079 Speaker 1: deny the truth and to tell children that they can 258 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,560 Speaker 1: change their sex. That is, that's actually the wrong thing. 259 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:01,959 Speaker 1: And we're coming to that conclusion. By the way, this 260 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:06,560 Speaker 1: New York Times story mostly focuses on like that people 261 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:11,080 Speaker 1: are worried about whether youth can consent to this type 262 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: of decision. They don't get into the actual harms that 263 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 1: like bone density and brain development and sexual function are 264 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: all affected by permanently, permanently by these interventions, and that 265 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: that matters too. And I would note that the New 266 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:31,000 Speaker 1: York Times comment section, which has a lot of upright lit, 267 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: Yeah it's lit, And also a lot of the up 268 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:37,199 Speaker 1: voting has happened for people saying, look, I'm no fan 269 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: of Trump, when he's right about this. 270 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,200 Speaker 2: Yep, that's the thing. It's these bedfellows. But to your 271 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 2: point before about the ACLU lawyer, I thought that was 272 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 2: really interesting after the Scrimeti decision, just what a month 273 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 2: ago from the Supreme Court, how many liberal groups are like, 274 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,080 Speaker 2: wait a sec this was strategically a disaster opening the 275 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 2: door to all these other issues, arguing it poorly taking 276 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 2: this particular case, and I mean the Scrimetti team in 277 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 2: Tennessee that push this and argued that Jonathan Skermetti, the 278 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 2: Attorney General, there is a rock star to watch for 279 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 2: a very very long time to come. He's got a 280 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 2: number of different, very important sort of conservative movement cases 281 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 2: that are actually the common sense cases for parental rights 282 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 2: for things like this, that I think will be really 283 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 2: interesting to track. But again, this is brought together such 284 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 2: a unique coalition. I call it the coalition of the Normies. 285 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,120 Speaker 2: It's people who are just like, hey, like, what if 286 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 2: we don't transkids before they have a you know, opportunity 287 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 2: to make decisions about their lives. 288 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: Things like that, Like. 289 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 2: What if you know, we let girls just compete against 290 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 2: other girls? What if we didn't have you know, thirty 291 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 2: five year old dudes in locker rooms and bathrooms with 292 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 2: little girls like what if we didn't do that? You know? 293 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:40,360 Speaker 1: Yep, And that's who we hope is listening to this 294 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: podcast called Norms. 295 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 2: That's the dream. 296 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: That's our constituency. Okay, from this culture shift to another 297 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: a little bit more wonky policy issue. Announcements today that 298 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: Trump is coming to a massive trade deal with Japan, 299 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: setting tariffs at fifteen percent. There. There's also reports that 300 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 1: you are getting some sort of income from the tariffs 301 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:08,200 Speaker 1: that have been set thus far. I don't know where 302 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: you are on this. I have been look. Trump advertised 303 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: he was going to do this. I kind of hoped 304 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 1: he wouldn't do it too aggressively. I think trying to 305 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 1: do one hundred and sixty five ish trade deals at 306 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 1: one time, even though you have the energy of Donald Trump, 307 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: is not the best strategic plan. And yet the economy 308 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 1: has not responded as negatively as I would have thought 309 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: it might, and I'm very glad about that, very glad. 310 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 1: I also think there are unfair practices, but I don't 311 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: know how much we're gaining in this. What is your 312 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: take on whether this has economic or political advantages or 313 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:47,160 Speaker 1: disadvantages for him. 314 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:49,560 Speaker 2: I think I'm generally in the same place as you. 315 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 2: Liberation Day when they announced the new tariff rates on 316 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 2: every country and the markets went into absolute shock was terrifying. 317 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 2: But since that time things have generally evened out, and 318 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 2: I think to point we've seen a lot of the 319 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 2: doomsday predictions were not you know, they didn't quite come 320 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 2: to fruition. There are still some warning signs about inflation, 321 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 2: you know, rising cost prices going up for goods. Certain 322 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 2: companies are dealing with, you know, the tariff issue in 323 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 2: different ways, but I think that it is generally coming 324 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 2: closer to an equilibrium. I think to your point about 325 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 2: you know, unfair practices, we're talking about the EU right now. 326 00:16:25,840 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 2: The EU, because they have not had any innovation, they 327 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 2: have very few successful companies. They are trying to find 328 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 2: new ways to generate income from American companies, so they 329 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 2: have things like their digital services tax, which I think 330 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 2: is one of the most absurd things in the world. 331 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 2: But I have a lot of like little beef with 332 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 2: EU on different things now that I've like gotten understand 333 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 2: a little bit more about our policy relationship with that 334 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 2: very opens Yeah, yeah. 335 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: I mean the Europeans. 336 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 2: I just like I like Europe, I like to visit 337 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 2: different places, but so many things they're doing, whether it's 338 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 2: you know, like trying to force ESG on American companies 339 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 2: while they're buying Russian gas that's used, you know, to 340 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 2: fund the war, and you cant all that. We could 341 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 2: go on for a long time about beef with the EU, 342 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:07,919 Speaker 2: but hopefully with you know, the tariff deal and everything 343 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,640 Speaker 2: that Now the tariff deal with EU seems like more 344 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 2: of a stepping stone towards a larger suite of issues 345 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,400 Speaker 2: they want to resolve with EU. But if they can 346 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 2: get into a conversation about things like these non trade 347 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 2: barriers in addition to the tariffs, that would be super valuable. 348 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,160 Speaker 2: And I also think Japan is a big deal because 349 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,440 Speaker 2: a lot of the trade conversations up to this point, 350 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 2: the places that we've seen progress with have been some 351 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 2: of the smaller Asian countries who have important import conversations 352 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 2: import export conversations with the United States. But Japan is 353 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 2: a very different scale, you know, And it's it's funny 354 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 2: we talked a lot about part of my beef with 355 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 2: tariffs is the way that you know, Peter Navarro and 356 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:48,760 Speaker 2: some of the Trump trade. You know, experts talk about this, 357 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:51,679 Speaker 2: you know, why aren't your why isn't Japan buying more 358 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 2: American cars? I lived in Japan for a few years 359 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 2: as a missionar, and I drove on those roads that 360 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 2: feel like you're in a video game. And if you 361 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:01,200 Speaker 2: drove an F one to fifty on the road and 362 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 2: am in a small town in Japan. 363 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:03,400 Speaker 1: It's not gonna work. 364 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 2: They're gonna be knocking buildings out of the way into 365 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 2: rice patties and it's gonna be a problem. So I 366 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:09,679 Speaker 2: think that there was a disconnect there. But I know 367 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 2: autos were a big part of this Japanese deal, and 368 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:14,080 Speaker 2: they'll find a way to sort of make it work 369 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:17,119 Speaker 2: that's profitable for both sides. To your point before, I 370 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 2: think trying to do this many deals at once is 371 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,400 Speaker 2: a little bit scary, and I think there are pressures 372 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 2: that come with that. There's a lot of coverage about 373 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 2: how you know, our posture on this has maybe pushed 374 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 2: more countries towards openness to China, and you know, despite 375 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:32,920 Speaker 2: how terrible they are, I don't I don't love that, 376 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:35,159 Speaker 2: but I think that they're trying to navigate around that 377 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 2: and I think that, you know, Scott Bessant is somebody 378 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:40,120 Speaker 2: who has been valuable to watch because he's been very 379 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 2: even handed while still being you know, very pro the 380 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 2: trade agenda, pro what President Trump's trying to do, but 381 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 2: contextualizing it in a way for people who might go 382 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 2: in with more concern to feel like, Okay, we're in 383 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 2: good hands. The north star here is how do we 384 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,159 Speaker 2: lower costs for Americans? And how do we get to 385 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 2: that point? And I think, you know, that's what they're 386 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,200 Speaker 2: working really hard to do. So we'll see where I'm saying. 387 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know. And it's like I always say about 388 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 1: Trump that first of all, he does have endless energy, 389 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 1: so he doesn't mind putting one hundred and sixty five 390 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: deals in his plate. And he also likes tariffs and 391 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 1: likes steal making, so either sure it works. He's like, 392 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,120 Speaker 1: these are the things he likes to do. He's given 393 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: himself the opportunity to do plenty of them. I do 394 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:21,640 Speaker 1: fear that sometimes we end up in a slightly less 395 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:24,399 Speaker 1: advantageous or the same place we were before before we 396 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: had this big back and forth with these economies that 397 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: we were doing business with that we did have access 398 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: to although there are places we need more access to. 399 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: I totally think that's true, totally besn't I love having 400 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: my guy around on the case, whether it's talking to 401 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: Trump about Jerome Powell or the so. I feel like 402 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: he's a steady hand, he's trying to make the best 403 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: of this and keeping between so a calming voice, a 404 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:56,240 Speaker 1: calming voice, white hair, treasury second voice. Yeah. So that's 405 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:57,719 Speaker 1: where I am on that, and we will keep our 406 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 1: eye on it. But yeah, I think Trump can take 407 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: a half a victory lap, at least on the fact 408 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 1: that the doom saying was not what came to pass. 409 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 1: I do think there are smaller harms that you don't 410 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 1: hear about as much. Probably for smaller businesses that get 411 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: things from some of these smaller Asian economies, that can 412 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 1: be an issue. And I don't want to dismiss that, bute. 413 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 1: The large picture has not been terrible. 414 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 2: So agreed very much. 415 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 1: Alrighty, going on, we have a segment on this show 416 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: called still Mad Bro. We're Still Mad Bro, And one 417 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 1: of the things I'm still mad about, and I think 418 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: you share this with me. We're going to do actually 419 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 1: two quick conspiracy theories that have come true. The first 420 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: is you remember that DOJ letter about parents talking at 421 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: school board meetings and objecting to coronavirus mandates, critical race theory, 422 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 1: transgender policies, mandated vaccinations, that kind of thing. The DOJ 423 00:20:57,119 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: under Biden sent out this letter basically saying, we should 424 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: find ways to creatively go after these people as domestic terrorists. 425 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:08,919 Speaker 1: They're very dangerous, they're threatening people. It turns out that 426 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 1: that was very much done in concert with the National 427 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 1: school Board Association. Yes, plus Biden, do OJ plus the 428 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:23,479 Speaker 1: White House all brainstorming ways over a weekend, by the way, 429 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:26,800 Speaker 1: which shows how important it was to them, brainstorming ways 430 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:31,680 Speaker 1: to get parents in trouble, to get them under federal law, 431 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 1: to get them under investigation for objecting about these things. 432 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:38,120 Speaker 1: This is from newly obtained documents from the America First 433 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 1: from America First Legal, who has gone through all the 434 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: emails related to this memo. 435 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 2: It's so egregious when you read they're looking for a 436 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 2: hook to use to go after these parents. And one 437 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:53,680 Speaker 2: thing that I think you have to start out with 438 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 2: huge credit to our mutual friend NICKI Neely defending education. 439 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 2: She single handedly kept this the news and kept digging 440 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 2: and digging and digging and sending those foyas, which eventually 441 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 2: led to the National School Board Association being completely dissolved 442 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 2: because of this scandal. But way before that, to your point, 443 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 2: just for everyone's background, this began with the parents speaking out. 444 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 2: Miguel Cardona, former Secretary of Education, soliciting a letter from 445 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 2: somebody to say, which was a part of this hook, 446 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 2: how do we create the need for know FBI law 447 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 2: enforcement to use these counter terrorism tools against parents and 448 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 2: say they're a threat to us? Honestly, to me this 449 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 2: I am a little bit disappointed that there aren't people 450 00:22:36,359 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 2: in jail over this because they ruined lives. Some of 451 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:42,400 Speaker 2: the parents that they pinpointed that they targeted and treated 452 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 2: like terrorists, like changed their lives forever, and so it's 453 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:48,639 Speaker 2: horrific to keep hearing about. But like I am so 454 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 2: grateful that there were people digging into this at the 455 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 2: time to make sure that we were able to expose 456 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 2: and find out these forces that were trying to silence parents, 457 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 2: because this was a part of the parental rights movement 458 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 2: has had a in these last three or four years. 459 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 2: COVID was a huge part of it. Parents tuning in 460 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 2: to what their kids were hearing on zoom classes. Then 461 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 2: there was you know, the mask man, It's the vax man. 462 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 2: It's all the different things that parents had decision making 463 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 2: power taken away from them on. This played a huge 464 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:19,159 Speaker 2: role in lighting the fire that got parents engaged, that 465 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 2: became a really strong political movement. Had a lot to 466 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:24,120 Speaker 2: do with Governor Youngkin getting elected in Virginia. 467 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: The timing is important because it was October twenty twenty 468 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: one and things were sort of hitting a fever pitch. 469 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: They were playing into Governor Youngkin's pitch. Two parents in Virginia. 470 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 1: Louden County, Virginia, of course showing itself to be among 471 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: the most egregious in the country, and everyone here, particularly 472 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:48,560 Speaker 1: in northern Virginia, was so contemptuous of parents during COVID. 473 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 1: Here's some of the language from these emails. As you 474 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:55,440 Speaker 1: noted the hook, We're aware, so is the deputy Associate 475 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:57,679 Speaker 1: Deputy Attorney General. We're aware of the challenge here is 476 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: finding a federal hook. But White House has been in 477 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: touch about whether we can assist in some form or fashion. 478 00:24:03,240 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: So they're trying to gin up ways to go after 479 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 1: these parents. And then some actual career folks are like, 480 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: I don't know if we can do this, guys, it says. 481 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 1: It seems we are ramping up an awful lot of 482 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 1: federal manpower for what is currently non federal conduct. It 483 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 1: appears to me that the vast, vast majority of the 484 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,400 Speaker 1: behavior cited cannot be reached by federal law. I only 485 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 1: saw three stories that involved what sounded like a possible 486 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:28,960 Speaker 1: true threat quote, and one of those did not appear 487 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:31,679 Speaker 1: to be related to masks, etc. Almost all of the 488 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 1: language being used is protected by the First Amendment. The 489 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: main issue seems to be disruption and obstruction of school 490 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: board meetings. So the idea that they were over a 491 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:46,439 Speaker 1: weekend all getting together to brainstorm ways to arrest and 492 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: investigate parents at school board meetings, and this is what 493 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 1: we all said at the time. We said they're colluding 494 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,200 Speaker 1: to do this, and we also said, none of these 495 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 1: threats are what they're talking about. They're raising speech into threats, 496 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:00,160 Speaker 1: and that's what they were doing well. 497 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 2: And they wanted to make an example of people, to 498 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 2: send a message to parents around the country that they 499 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:06,439 Speaker 2: needed to get in line, they needed to do what 500 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 2: they're told and have their children go through this. But 501 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:10,919 Speaker 2: one of the mistakes they made through this process. Was 502 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 2: one of the fathers they identified as a threat to 503 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,919 Speaker 2: make an example of wasn't there because of masks. He 504 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:18,399 Speaker 2: was there because his daughter had been sexually assaulted in 505 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,880 Speaker 2: a bathroom and the school board covered it up. And 506 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 2: while they were covering that up, the same person who 507 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 2: carried out that sexual assault did it a second time 508 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:30,600 Speaker 2: at a new school. And so when people started finding 509 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 2: this out again loud and county, as you're talking about, 510 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:36,600 Speaker 2: this was a major national story that went all the 511 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,159 Speaker 2: way to near the top of the Biden administration, and 512 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 2: they had wanted to do it to silence people, but 513 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 2: they picked every wrong element of this. And honestly, Miguel 514 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 2: Cardona's entire service as Education Secretary was like error after 515 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,160 Speaker 2: like it was a comedy of errors, but like, this 516 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:54,679 Speaker 2: was so egregious. And again again, I maybe this sounds crazy. 517 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 2: I wish someone was in jail for this. 518 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, no, I'm I'm with you on this. There was 519 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: a a special kind of psychosis during COVID, and I 520 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 1: think COVID gave people who are inclined to do this 521 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: kind of thing license to say, like, well, we're complaining 522 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:14,719 Speaker 1: about masks. That's a public threat, and it's a public threat, dude. 523 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:17,920 Speaker 1: One of the stories about Louden County, as you note 524 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 1: this father who was speaking out at meetings because his 525 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: daughter was actually assaulted and they had hidden it. That's 526 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:25,920 Speaker 1: all proven. We've seen all the emails back and forth 527 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: about that. The person arrested at that meeting was the 528 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 1: father protesting about his daughter, I mean, and the entire 529 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 1: national media framed it as this guy's just a big 530 00:26:38,200 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: jerk who was threatening school board members. I mean, it's crazy, 531 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: just g regious conduct. 532 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 2: His daughter was assaulted, and they tried to make him 533 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:50,200 Speaker 2: into this like lunatic guy who's like a mask conspiracy 534 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 2: theorist and his daughter been assaulted. Like when you think 535 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 2: about what recourse do you parents have when the government 536 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 2: just does insane things. That story made people feel more 537 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:01,719 Speaker 2: radicalized about what government was from them. Everything that the 538 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 2: covid era sort of microwaved. And yeah, that was an 539 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,680 Speaker 2: explosive story that was just crazy and definitely shifted the 540 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:08,720 Speaker 2: Virginia governor's race. 541 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,360 Speaker 1: I fact checked that about him being arrested every time 542 00:27:11,359 --> 00:27:13,520 Speaker 1: I mention it because it sounds so insane. I'm like, 543 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:14,680 Speaker 1: is that true? 544 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 2: It sounds like a conservative fever dream type of thing, 545 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 2: but that really happened. 546 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,880 Speaker 1: Okay, one last conservative fever dream before we're done, Because 547 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:24,400 Speaker 1: this conspiracy theory is true as well, and we've had 548 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:27,080 Speaker 1: it confirmed before by the Durham Report and other things. 549 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 1: But D and I Telsea Gabbart is releasing a bunch 550 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:36,919 Speaker 1: of declassified stuff this week rolling on the Russia Gate story. 551 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: Now I'm actually still a little up in the air 552 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:44,719 Speaker 1: on how much new information there is here, but it 553 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 1: does at least solidify the Durham Report conclusions and the 554 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:54,919 Speaker 1: fact that this wasn't real. I mean, it's just Russia 555 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 1: Gate was not real. And the thing that I always 556 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 1: said at CNN when I was there and this came 557 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: to be was I feel like you are all deciding 558 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:10,960 Speaker 1: on a conclusion yep, before we have the investigation, whether 559 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,879 Speaker 1: you're a reporter or the intelligence community. And what Gabbart 560 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:17,879 Speaker 1: has released this week about a December ninth, twenty sixteen 561 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: meeting suggests that in fact, the intelligence community and Obama's 562 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,280 Speaker 1: officials and Obama himself were like at his behest, he 563 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 1: was like, we need a different conclusion than the one 564 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 1: you have given me, which is more benign about Russia's 565 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 1: involvement in this election, which basically says, I don't think 566 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: they actually wanted to help Donald Trump, but they were 567 00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: definitely interfering. They weren't interfering by hacking actual machines or votes, 568 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 1: but there was an element here. It's just not the 569 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 1: thing that it became. And Obama and crew were like, 570 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 1: let's do a reassessment because they didn't like that assessment. 571 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 2: Yep. And you have to track the moving goalposts of 572 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 2: what Democrats have claimed from the beginning of this, because 573 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 2: you'll remember after President Trump was elected, even around that time, Democrats, 574 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 2: media talking heads, Rachel Mattow, everybody was super comfortable coming 575 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:12,240 Speaker 2: right out and saying Russia got Donald Trump elected. Russia 576 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 2: did this, and they wanted people to believe that they 577 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 2: had manipulated votes, they had hacked into machines, they had 578 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 2: made this happen. When you look at what President Obama 579 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 2: said this week to try and push back on the 580 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 2: d and I report and what Tolsy Gabbard put out, 581 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 2: he said Russia worked to influence the twenty sixteen election, 582 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 2: but did not successfully manipulate any votes. That vague language 583 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,760 Speaker 2: of working to influence has been so amorphoused what that 584 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 2: could mean to work to influence could be as simple 585 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 2: as like some Russian bought you know, posted I hate Hillary, 586 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 2: or a meme or things like that. But they want 587 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 2: you to believe that it's so much more than it was, 588 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:50,240 Speaker 2: because in twenty sixteen that was politically helpful. And when 589 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 2: you look at the intelligence community over the years, everything 590 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:56,440 Speaker 2: from Hunter's laptop when you had all the you know, 591 00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:00,120 Speaker 2: intelligence experts signed letters of this was Russian disinformation. Everything 592 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:04,800 Speaker 2: they sold out their expertise, and unfortunately, with that, the 593 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 2: credibility of the industry, the credibility of that entire institution 594 00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 2: to get you know, in twenty sixteen, try and get 595 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 2: Hillary elected. In twenty twenty, try to get Joe Biden elected. 596 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,720 Speaker 2: And it's so crazy to think back at just how 597 00:30:17,800 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 2: quickly the holes were poked in those things where people said, okay, 598 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 2: I mean, like, if they're willing to make this up, 599 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:24,760 Speaker 2: what else are they willing to make up? And now 600 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:27,200 Speaker 2: the conspiracy theories are everywhere. We're finding out more and 601 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:30,120 Speaker 2: more of them are real. But skepticism in the institutions 602 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 2: that we need to trust is sky high, and I 603 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 2: don't know how they ever get that trust back. 604 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 1: I know well, and that's one of the reasons that 605 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:39,240 Speaker 1: I think it is important that a Brennan or a Clapper, 606 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 1: who were involved in misusing all this stuff, both on 607 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 1: the Hunter Biden laptop and on Russia Gate, should face 608 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: some sort of punishment. They've also lied to Congress in 609 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:52,960 Speaker 1: the past under oath both there's no penalty for it, 610 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 1: which exactly important. I always noted that when I was 611 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:58,440 Speaker 1: on CNN, and they didn't enjoy it at all that 612 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 1: those guys had lied under oath. But I do want 613 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 1: to know Eli Lake, who I trust very much on 614 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,760 Speaker 1: this subject and has been an early skeptic as I 615 00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 1: was on Russia Gate, although I wish I had gone 616 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:10,400 Speaker 1: further back in the day because I didn't imagine just 617 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 1: how conspiratorial it was totally, he says. One area where 618 00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:16,640 Speaker 1: Gabbert does bring new information to light is the revelation 619 00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:19,680 Speaker 1: of a whistleblower inside the intelligence community who did not 620 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 1: believe that the intelligence supported the conclusion in the January 621 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen ICA Intelligence Community assessment that the Russian government 622 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:32,240 Speaker 1: developed a clear preference for President elect Trump. The release 623 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:35,440 Speaker 1: from Friday includes this tantalizing quote from the whistleblower. As 624 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:38,360 Speaker 1: for the twenty seventeen ICA's judgment of a decisive Russian 625 00:31:38,760 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 1: preference for then candidate Donald Trump, I could not concur 626 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:45,200 Speaker 1: in good conscience based on information available and my professional 627 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 1: analytic judgment. There were a lot of people who make 628 00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:51,560 Speaker 1: this argument that Russia was interfering, but not for the 629 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:55,440 Speaker 1: reason that became Russia Gate, and that so much nonsense 630 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 1: was predicated on their preference for Trump, when in fact, 631 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:01,800 Speaker 1: if you think through at LAE, logically everyone thought Hillary 632 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 1: was going to win. Yep, they are. The things they 633 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 1: were doing were meant to handicap her to the extent 634 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:13,280 Speaker 1: that they could, and to shape a playing field when 635 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 1: Hillary was present that would make her more helpful to them. 636 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:18,160 Speaker 1: That was it, one hundred percent. 637 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 2: And I think that this highlight on the motive part 638 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 2: is important because it undoes everything we've been told for 639 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 2: those years with everyone saying they wanted Trump to win. 640 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 2: They wanted Trump to win. I think that matters, and 641 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 2: I think that's a really important part of this. And 642 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:32,160 Speaker 2: that whistleblower who got ignored. I mean, how often are 643 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 2: we hearing in these stories that there was a voice 644 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 2: in the darkness who was trying to push them in 645 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 2: the right direction that they conveniently ignored, just like you 646 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:41,520 Speaker 2: know in the emails we were talking about before about 647 00:32:41,720 --> 00:32:44,000 Speaker 2: law enforcement in the Bide administration saying Hey, I don't 648 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 2: know if these parents that were trying to pin all 649 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 2: this on, you know, are guilty of what we're charging them, 650 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 2: and yet it disappears. The problem is if you use 651 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 2: a government email and try and do a conspiracy, someday 652 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 2: someone's gonna find it. 653 00:32:56,920 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 1: It's going to come out. Well, we're all still little 654 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:04,480 Speaker 1: mad bro here on Normally Always, Matt Whitlock, thank you 655 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 1: so much for being with me. You can listen to 656 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:09,400 Speaker 1: his podcast ten Minute Drilling. You should. It'll give you 657 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: a briefing on politics for the week when you're feeling 658 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:14,160 Speaker 1: a little overwhelmed and keep it short. Thanks for joining 659 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:17,880 Speaker 1: us on Normally Normal. Yeah. Normally airs Tuesdays and Thursdays, 660 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 1: and you can subscribe anywhere you get your podcasts. Get 661 00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:22,560 Speaker 1: in touch with us at normally thepod at gmail dot com. 662 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and when things get weird, act Normally