1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:06,240 Speaker 1: What does reform and renewal for the country mean to you. 2 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 2: I think it means not just acting like none of 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 2: this happened and moving forward. I think one of the 4 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 2: greatest mistakes of the Biden administration was appointing Merrick Garland. 5 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 2: I think we missed an opportunity to actually hold accountable 6 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 2: those who committed crimes, including a violent insurrection that tried 7 00:00:26,079 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 2: to overturn a democratic election. I don't think we can 8 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,080 Speaker 2: afford to forget and move on. I think we have 9 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 2: to contend with what we've gone through here in this 10 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 2: world that you're talking about, Steve. We've survived. We've built 11 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 2: a pro democracy movement that prevented a permanent authoritarian rule 12 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,599 Speaker 2: in this country. That's incredible. We should celebrate what we've 13 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: accomplished as a country, and then we should implement the 14 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:55,480 Speaker 2: kinds of reforms that are necessary to prevent that from 15 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 2: happening again anytime in the near future. We should be 16 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 2: thinking of a policy agenda into our twenty twenty nine 17 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 2: the way we would have thought of one after World 18 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 2: War two or after the Civil War. We've gone through 19 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 2: some shit together, We've survived. How do we build for 20 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 2: the new era, and so what I don't want to 21 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:15,039 Speaker 2: see are warned over policy proposals from twenty sixteen or 22 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 2: twenty twelve and just moving on in that way. But 23 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 2: if I got to be honest, Steve, my head's not 24 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty nine. 25 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: Right now. 26 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 2: I'm trying to live to fight another day. I'm looking 27 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 2: at how do we win this shutdown fight right now? 28 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,920 Speaker 2: How do we win the elections in California and Virginia 29 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 2: and New Jersey and Pennsylvania three weeks from now, and 30 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: then how do we win a primary season in the 31 00:01:37,120 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 2: Democratic Party That should be about what is that party 32 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 2: going to be fighting for when they reteak power in 33 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,759 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six at the end of the year. And 34 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 2: that should be a party that is in the fight 35 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 2: back faction of the party and not the rollover in 36 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 2: play dead faction at the party. 37 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: So again, I can't stress how impooring I think that 38 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: these protests are this weekend. I can't stress how much 39 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: I admired you for the leadership that you've exhibited in 40 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: this moment. I mean it, You're a You're a great 41 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: American patriot, and I have a question for you that 42 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: that I think we got to put on the table 43 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: to talk about because as you, as you lay out 44 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: everything is everything that you have said, I'm I'm a 45 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 1: complete violent agreement agreement on I look ahead and I 46 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: see you, I see a young guy, and I read 47 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: the story in Politico about your analogue, which is which 48 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: is all these young Republicans in the I love Hitler, 49 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: Maggot crowd, and I see this disease. I see this 50 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: cancer right that's forming. Jade Vance is asked to respond 51 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: to all of these Republicans. They're all in the picture 52 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: back in. Any national leader with any moral foundation should 53 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 1: dress that in a very serious way, and of course 54 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: Jadie Vance is not that, so he doesn't. And he 55 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: points a finger at the Democratic nominee for Attorney General 56 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: in Virginia, who is running in a moment when the 57 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: rule of law is under siege and assault. We have 58 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: Banana Republican prosecutions take a place, including from Virginia, and 59 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: the Democratic Party has nominated someone that has put out 60 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: all of these emails, these tags that have come out 61 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: that are basically I want to shoot the Republican speaker 62 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 1: in the head, I want to kill his I want 63 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: to kill his kids, and YadA, YadA, YadA, YadA, And 64 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: to me, that person, this is an easy decision in 65 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 1: the pro democracy fight. Take his ass up, boom, over 66 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:26,479 Speaker 1: the rail into the ocean. I don't want to defend him. 67 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: I have no investment in that person. I think he's 68 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: a whack job that is an agent of a terrible cause. 69 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: In the end, he is a booster rocket for MAGA 70 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: and there should be zero tolerance for him on our side. 71 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: And what I would put to you is you're a 72 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: leader of the American opposition, not a leader in the 73 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:03,160 Speaker 1: Democratic Party, And so how do you process all of 74 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: this as a leader in the American opposition that obviously 75 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 1: in the two party system, the Democrats are guys so 76 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 1: to speak, if we're opposed to this, But at the 77 00:05:15,440 --> 00:05:20,679 Speaker 1: same time, it's also the institution the lost to Donald Trump. 78 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: And I know for my part, you know, as a 79 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: person who's involved in one of that cluster of groups, 80 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: I am completely against signing up for another pickets charge 81 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 1: or led by the saint people who've lost two out 82 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 1: of the last three elections to the Donald Trump. But 83 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: how do you factor all of that into this? As 84 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: every Democratic leader is looking at these protests this weekend 85 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: and saying, right, if they're Chuck Schumer, Oh this is 86 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: for me. No, it's not. It's about something else. And 87 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: so there's a lot of people trying to get on 88 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 1: to the south right. But what are you saying, how 89 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: do you see all that? 90 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 2: Well, I think you're exactly right that this is not 91 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 2: a Democratic Party movement. Indivisible as an organization has never 92 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 2: been an arm of the Democratic Party. And in March, 93 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 2: after Trump, or after Trump successfully bullied Schumer into surrendering 94 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 2: on the previous Republican funding bill, we held an emergency 95 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 2: meeting of thirteen hundred Indivisible leaders from around the country. 96 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 2: Ninety two percent of them voted for US to call 97 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 2: for Chuck Schumer to step down from leadership because he 98 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 2: had frittered away what little leverage he had up until 99 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:50,719 Speaker 2: this point. Now, the six months later, we have a 100 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 2: cee our bill again. I think the reason why you 101 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 2: see Schumer and the other Democrats fighting now is because 102 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 2: in the intervening months since that point, they have been 103 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 2: absolutely demolished by rank and file, THEMS and grassroots members. 104 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 2: This isn't ideological, This isn't the left versus the center, 105 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 2: or the left versus the conservatis. This is normal everyday 106 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 2: Democrats who said, what the hell, why aren't you using 107 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:15,679 Speaker 2: your leverage? And they are being pushed, and they're showing 108 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 2: up on Hands Off in April, and they're showing up 109 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 2: on No Kings in June, and they're showing up in 110 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 2: bigger numbers in No Kings two in a few days, 111 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 2: and Democrats are scared that they're going to be tossed 112 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 2: out unless they respond in some way. I think what 113 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 2: we need to do is be really hard on our 114 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 2: leaders and not allow them to get away with just 115 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 2: performative gestures. And this is something we saw shortly after 116 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 2: the hands off protests and the no Kings protests originally 117 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 2: is a lot of dims who were in the rollover 118 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 2: and play dead category said, oh my gosh, the rank 119 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,559 Speaker 2: and file are really pissed off right now. We should 120 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 2: send some strongly worded letters to show that we're on 121 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 2: the same side. We should give some inspiring speeches. We 122 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 2: should cuss more. There should be more cursing to demonstrate 123 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 2: how pissed off we are. I think there was an 124 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 2: actual memo that went around that commits them to do that, 125 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 2: and I'm not going to lie. I like a good speech. 126 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 2: I like a good rant with some cursing about what 127 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 2: Trump is doing. I think that's a step in the 128 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 2: right direction. That's better than condescending dismissal. But what we're 129 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 2: looking for is a party that fights back and a 130 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 2: party that's serious about standing up for democratic values. So 131 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 2: I think it is easy to call that out. Is 132 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 2: easy for me to sit here and say this Democratic 133 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,679 Speaker 2: leader failed, that Democratic leader failed. I want the party 134 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 2: to do X. Why aren't they doing it? Why are 135 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 2: they disappointing me so much? But the Democratic Party is 136 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 2: what we make of it. It is what we demand. 137 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 2: We get the party that we demand, and I think 138 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 2: we should take advantage of the opportunity in front of 139 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 2: us to demand a party that actually fights back and 140 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 2: represents a serious opposition to authoritarianism in this country. The 141 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 2: most immediate opportunity I see for that is the primary 142 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 2: season that's coming now. We are going to have primaries 143 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 2: for Congress, for the Senate, for state legislatures all over 144 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 2: the country, and we can accept the same old leadership 145 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:12,839 Speaker 2: that we've had, or we can go and withhold our 146 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,839 Speaker 2: money and our votes and our attention from those who 147 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 2: are part of the old field version of this party. 148 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 2: I think I'm happy to talk about that. We're not 149 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 2: involved at the state race in Virginia, the lieutenant governor's race. 150 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 2: I think it's atrocious what he did. I think it's 151 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 2: extremely damaging. And we're also in the general election against 152 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 2: the Fascist Party, so I would like to see some 153 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 2: serious contrition. I would like to see him clean it 154 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,959 Speaker 2: up as much as possible. And also, given limited capacity 155 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 2: that we have, I'm putting a lot more energy into 156 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 2: Proposition fifty in California to fight back against Jerry Mannery, 157 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:48,119 Speaker 2: and put a lot more energy in the three Pennsylvania 158 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 2: Supreme Court races, which could be determinative on whether we 159 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 2: have free and fair elections in twenty six and twenty eight. 160 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 2: And I'm putting more energy in the New Jersey governor's 161 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 2: race in the Virginia's governor's race. 162 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 3: I'm Steve Schmidt. This is the warning. I invite you 163 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 3: to join this community where I promise to be honest, 164 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 3: blunt and direct about what is happening in this country. 165 00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 3: America is in crisis. Follow and subscribe to this channel 166 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 3: and on substack. Thank you