1 00:00:00,650 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Molly Jongfast, and this is Fast Politics, where 2 00:00:04,620 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 1: we discuss the top political headlines with some of today's 3 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:12,610 Speaker 1: best minds. And a top general was fired after disagreeing 4 00:00:12,930 --> 00:00:18,290 Speaker 1: over a Kid Rock helicopter probe. We have such a 5 00:00:18,329 --> 00:00:22,220 Speaker 1: great show for you today. The Jim Acosta show is 6 00:00:22,420 --> 00:00:28,420 Speaker 1: Jim Acosta stops by to talk about Trump's half-hearted attempts 7 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,420 Speaker 1: to steal the midterms. And we'll talk to Matt Dunlap 8 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:38,290 Speaker 1: about his run for Maine's contentious second district. But first, 9 00:00:38,390 --> 00:00:39,030 Speaker 1: the news. 10 00:00:39,670 --> 00:00:42,370 Speaker 2: Somali, we've done a lot of segments on this podcast 11 00:00:42,870 --> 00:00:46,850 Speaker 2: talking about the effect of social media on kids. There 12 00:00:46,890 --> 00:00:49,620 Speaker 2: is now a landmark settlement where Meta is going to 13 00:00:49,659 --> 00:00:52,200 Speaker 2: be paying out $ 17 billion, and they're going to have 14 00:00:52,220 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 2: to do a ton of reform on how they allow 15 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 2: minors to interact on their various platforms. 16 00:00:57,860 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: Yes, we know that social media is addictive. We know it. 17 00:01:03,650 --> 00:01:07,830 Speaker 1: And Meta is now agreeing to pay $ 17 billion, which 18 00:01:07,930 --> 00:01:10,030 Speaker 1: seems like a lot of money, but for Meta is 19 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,580 Speaker 1: actually not so much money. This is both a big 20 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,860 Speaker 1: deal and not a big deal. Here's why. It is 21 00:01:16,980 --> 00:01:22,670 Speaker 1: very important that we hold tech companies accountable. We regulate them. 22 00:01:22,870 --> 00:01:26,130 Speaker 1: We make sure that they do not take advantage of 23 00:01:26,230 --> 00:01:29,420 Speaker 1: our kids, which they already have done quite a lot. Remember, 24 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:33,179 Speaker 1: there is almost no tech regulation that has been put 25 00:01:33,220 --> 00:01:38,030 Speaker 1: through I mean, literally almost none. It's just a very 26 00:01:38,190 --> 00:01:42,770 Speaker 1: stupid time to be alive. Meta, they haven't done anything 27 00:01:42,810 --> 00:01:46,530 Speaker 1: like they haven't made the platform less addictive. At every point, 28 00:01:46,580 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: they have not done what was the bare minimum. And 29 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:57,780 Speaker 1: so we have a situation that's like this. It's incredibly dispiriting. 30 00:01:57,830 --> 00:02:00,030 Speaker 1: They're paying a lot of money. They will pay more 31 00:02:00,130 --> 00:02:05,250 Speaker 1: money if these other tech companies are held accountable too. 32 00:02:05,270 --> 00:02:10,209 Speaker 1: So what Meta wants is to also see a punishment 33 00:02:10,770 --> 00:02:16,020 Speaker 1: of Discord, Roadblock, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. Not because they 34 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: give a shit about your children, but because they really 35 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: want all other tech companies to be punished because they 36 00:02:23,900 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: don't want Discord to get to do all the addictive 37 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:29,500 Speaker 1: stuff they're not allowed to do because they're worried it 38 00:02:29,540 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: will drain their market share. 39 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:35,270 Speaker 2: Granted, Discord doesn't really have as predatory practices in place. 40 00:02:35,410 --> 00:02:35,630 Speaker 1: Yeah. 41 00:02:35,690 --> 00:02:37,270 Speaker 2: But Roblox, a different story. 42 00:02:37,490 --> 00:02:41,470 Speaker 1: Right. The point here is that they want to make 43 00:02:41,690 --> 00:02:44,590 Speaker 1: it so that this is where we are. 44 00:02:44,750 --> 00:02:47,070 Speaker 2: I think we should applaud, though, that this is more 45 00:02:47,310 --> 00:02:51,290 Speaker 2: teeth than nearly every punishment these companies have ever gotten. 46 00:02:51,310 --> 00:02:51,390 Speaker 1: Yeah. 47 00:02:51,730 --> 00:02:54,799 Speaker 2: These attorney generals should be applauded for not watering this down. 48 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:59,780 Speaker 1: Democratic attorney generals, Rob Bonta, who is also working on 49 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:03,850 Speaker 1: this crazy paramount deal, doing a really good job here. 50 00:03:04,330 --> 00:03:06,490 Speaker 1: It's important to remember, I'm just going to read this 51 00:03:06,550 --> 00:03:15,140 Speaker 1: because I think this is really important. Chuck Schumer's daughters 52 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:19,619 Speaker 1: both work at tech companies. Allison Schumer works for Meta. 53 00:03:20,180 --> 00:03:25,870 Speaker 1: Jessica Schumer is a registered lobbyist for Amazon. So just remember, 54 00:03:25,970 --> 00:03:30,010 Speaker 1: when you ask why there are no tech regulations, certainly 55 00:03:30,050 --> 00:03:35,090 Speaker 1: the right is super duper corrupt. But the left has 56 00:03:35,170 --> 00:03:39,530 Speaker 1: its own problems when it comes to regulation. Yeah, couldn't 57 00:03:39,590 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 1: agree more. 58 00:03:40,420 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: So the appeals court has threatened the GOP's cash advantage. 59 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 2: I think this is an interesting development that wasn't on 60 00:03:46,540 --> 00:03:48,140 Speaker 2: my radar. Molly, what do you see in here? 61 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:53,780 Speaker 1: So a federal appeals court rules Tuesday. this could erase 62 00:03:53,900 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: the midterm advantage for Republicans. So a two-to-one ruling would 63 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:04,290 Speaker 1: block Republicans from using these cash-rich committees to buy political 64 00:04:04,530 --> 00:04:08,029 Speaker 1: ads at discount rates. They're going to appeal it. It's 65 00:04:08,070 --> 00:04:11,390 Speaker 1: going to go up the chain. You know, like a 66 00:04:11,450 --> 00:04:14,940 Speaker 1: lot of this stuff, it is going to keep getting litigated. 67 00:04:15,030 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 1: But the rates paid by super PACs and other outside 68 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: groups are often several times higher than than the candidate rates. 69 00:04:24,220 --> 00:04:26,180 Speaker 1: And this is a case that was brought by four 70 00:04:26,420 --> 00:04:32,310 Speaker 1: Democratic candidates running the cycle, Ossoff, Sherrod Brown, Cooper, and 71 00:04:32,330 --> 00:04:36,410 Speaker 1: a representative in Michigan. So this was a response to 72 00:04:36,529 --> 00:04:39,630 Speaker 1: the U.S. Supreme Court striking down limits on how much 73 00:04:39,690 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: committees can spend in coordination with candidates. 74 00:04:45,339 --> 00:04:48,039 Speaker 2: In the Atlantic, the Qataris aren't having the best time 75 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,730 Speaker 2: after doing all this backscratching for Mr. 76 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:51,010 Speaker 3: Trump. 77 00:04:51,350 --> 00:04:53,990 Speaker 1: FYI, they had been trying to sell the plane for 78 00:04:54,029 --> 00:04:57,090 Speaker 1: five years. So the Qataris gave Trump a plane and 79 00:04:57,130 --> 00:04:59,950 Speaker 1: they thought it would help them. But what happened is 80 00:05:00,010 --> 00:05:04,130 Speaker 1: that Donald Trump still went into Iran and now the 81 00:05:04,190 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: Iranians are pretty much bombing everyone of their neighbors. This 82 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,220 Speaker 1: is like the worst case scenario for the Qataris, for 83 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: the Emiratis, for the You know, for any country in 84 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,730 Speaker 1: the Middle East that's trying to like have tourism and 85 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:24,930 Speaker 1: be fancy, this is a disaster for them because it's 86 00:05:25,029 --> 00:05:28,790 Speaker 1: killing their tourism. It's killing all of the things that 87 00:05:28,830 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: they desperately, you know, rely on. Remember, like this, it's 88 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: a totally different period than it was during 9-11. It's 89 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: now a time when the Middle East is like a 90 00:05:41,190 --> 00:05:45,930 Speaker 1: big tourist destination and Donald Trump is fucking it up 91 00:05:46,110 --> 00:05:48,330 Speaker 1: by going to war with the Iranians. 92 00:05:48,450 --> 00:05:50,630 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'd say crazy, but it feels par for the 93 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:51,540 Speaker 2: course at this point. 94 00:05:51,779 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 4: So. 95 00:05:52,540 --> 00:05:56,620 Speaker 2: Alex Pretty's family is calling for accountability and for there 96 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 2: to actually be some progress and investigation into his murder. 97 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,810 Speaker 2: So it's insane to me that we're dealing with this. 98 00:06:05,110 --> 00:06:08,350 Speaker 2: Everything Keith Ellison is dealing with, with dealing with what 99 00:06:08,529 --> 00:06:12,669 Speaker 2: ICE did to Minnesota just feels like madness right now. 100 00:06:12,990 --> 00:06:17,770 Speaker 1: The federal government and ICE... has really tried to cover 101 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:22,270 Speaker 1: for the murder of Alex Freddie. And they've done it, 102 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,219 Speaker 1: and now the family is coming forward. And, you know, 103 00:06:25,420 --> 00:06:28,180 Speaker 1: they're doing it because they don't think there's any other 104 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:32,130 Speaker 1: way to get justice. And they're probably right. It's been 105 00:06:32,230 --> 00:06:36,730 Speaker 1: seven months. The county medical examiner ruled it a homicide. 106 00:06:37,470 --> 00:06:41,630 Speaker 1: And there were two agents who shot him, and they 107 00:06:41,670 --> 00:06:44,750 Speaker 1: both have not been charged for the killing. Kristi Noem 108 00:06:44,890 --> 00:06:49,710 Speaker 1: accused Alex Preddy of being involved in an act of 109 00:06:49,790 --> 00:06:55,300 Speaker 1: domestic terrorism, which is insane. He was the second person, right, 110 00:06:55,310 --> 00:06:58,730 Speaker 1: because Renee Good was the first to be murdered by ICE. 111 00:07:00,050 --> 00:07:04,570 Speaker 1: And Stephen Miller called Pretty a domestic terrorist and assassin. 112 00:07:04,730 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: Trump wrote that the ICU nurse was perhaps an insurrectionist. 113 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: None of that bore out. All of that was right 114 00:07:13,060 --> 00:07:17,930 Speaker 1: wing slander. And now the family wants justice. And honestly, 115 00:07:17,940 --> 00:07:25,170 Speaker 1: good for them. Jim Acosta is the author of the substack, 116 00:07:25,210 --> 00:07:27,910 Speaker 1: The Jim Acosta Show, and the author of the New 117 00:07:27,990 --> 00:07:30,710 Speaker 1: York Times bestseller, The Enemy of the People, A Dangerous 118 00:07:30,740 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 1: Time to Tell the Truth in America. Welcome, welcome, Jim Acosta. 119 00:07:35,020 --> 00:07:36,990 Speaker 3: Hi, Molly. Good to see you. 120 00:07:37,500 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: Good to see you. So Donald Trump is expressing his 121 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:46,540 Speaker 1: anxiety about the midterms the only way he knows how. 122 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: Trying to steal them. Yeah. 123 00:07:48,540 --> 00:07:48,700 Speaker 4: Yeah. 124 00:07:49,890 --> 00:07:52,970 Speaker 3: Yeah. Stop the steal. Should we start a stop the 125 00:07:52,990 --> 00:07:53,770 Speaker 3: steal thing, Molly? 126 00:07:54,450 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 1: Is anyone surprised? Is anyone surprised, though, that Donald Trump 127 00:07:59,500 --> 00:08:01,340 Speaker 1: doesn't want to have free and fair midterms? 128 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 3: I mean, it is kind of a you know, there's 129 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:07,110 Speaker 3: that there's the whole Jared meeting with Hakeem. You know, 130 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,730 Speaker 3: it's not exactly projecting strength. You know, this is what 131 00:08:09,750 --> 00:08:12,590 Speaker 3: he you know, he thinks of himself as the strong 132 00:08:12,630 --> 00:08:16,090 Speaker 3: man from some banana republic. And he could not look 133 00:08:16,110 --> 00:08:19,970 Speaker 3: more weak right now. Every day there's another headline. And 134 00:08:20,150 --> 00:08:23,310 Speaker 3: it's almost like a fire hose of election fraud that, 135 00:08:23,430 --> 00:08:26,730 Speaker 3: you know, he's plotting. And, you know, if it's not ICE, 136 00:08:27,230 --> 00:08:31,489 Speaker 3: it's the post office. You know, what's next? The Pony Express. 137 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 3: You know, they're coming up with new and creative ways 138 00:08:35,050 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 3: every day to thwart the will of the voters. He 139 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:41,320 Speaker 3: can barely get his own candidates elected in these primaries. 140 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 3: And so, what, 47 out of 50 states and the 141 00:08:44,700 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 3: District of Columbia, he's underwater. Of course, he's, you know, 142 00:08:48,100 --> 00:08:51,990 Speaker 3: he's plotting. Left and right. And, you know, I've been 143 00:08:52,090 --> 00:08:54,470 Speaker 3: describing it this way. I mean, I think, you know, 144 00:08:54,530 --> 00:08:56,189 Speaker 3: all kidding aside, I think people need to have a 145 00:08:56,230 --> 00:08:59,270 Speaker 3: plan to vote this fall. They need to make it 146 00:08:59,309 --> 00:09:02,740 Speaker 3: their job to vote this fall. And just like, you know, 147 00:09:02,770 --> 00:09:04,580 Speaker 3: like we used to do back, I don't know, maybe 148 00:09:04,860 --> 00:09:05,980 Speaker 3: because you grew up in New York, it was a 149 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,599 Speaker 3: different thing. But, you know, growing up, you know, in 150 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 3: the suburbs, everybody had a plan. Like if the house 151 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:14,300 Speaker 3: is on fire, this is the window we go out of. Johnny, 152 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 3: you're going to go out the little ladder that we're 153 00:09:15,980 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 3: going to drop. Those are the little public service announcements 154 00:09:18,140 --> 00:09:20,540 Speaker 3: that we had growing up. To me, people should approach 155 00:09:20,620 --> 00:09:22,500 Speaker 3: this as sort of the same thing. You need to 156 00:09:22,540 --> 00:09:24,729 Speaker 3: know which window to go out of to go vote 157 00:09:25,670 --> 00:09:29,569 Speaker 3: in November because they're going to try everything possible. If 158 00:09:29,590 --> 00:09:30,970 Speaker 3: you live in a state where they're going to monkey 159 00:09:31,010 --> 00:09:33,870 Speaker 3: around with the mail-in ballots, you need to understand that 160 00:09:34,090 --> 00:09:36,090 Speaker 3: and maybe make a plan to early vote or go 161 00:09:36,150 --> 00:09:39,689 Speaker 3: on election day and maybe miss a little work. I 162 00:09:39,730 --> 00:09:42,660 Speaker 3: think it's going to be that serious. And of course, 163 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:44,740 Speaker 3: he's going to try to steal this thing. This is 164 00:09:44,780 --> 00:09:46,020 Speaker 3: what he does with elections. 165 00:09:46,630 --> 00:09:51,460 Speaker 1: It's so crazy, though. Like, remember when there was this 166 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:56,450 Speaker 1: anonymous Republican quoted and saying, like, he's don't, you know, 167 00:09:56,530 --> 00:09:59,670 Speaker 1: let him talk about how it was rigged. He's going 168 00:09:59,690 --> 00:10:02,219 Speaker 1: to play. a little golf. He's not going to. 169 00:10:02,220 --> 00:10:04,070 Speaker 3: Wasn't it Mick Mulvaney or something like that? 170 00:10:04,370 --> 00:10:07,110 Speaker 1: I never knew who it was, maybe Mick Mulvaney, but 171 00:10:07,429 --> 00:10:10,870 Speaker 1: it was one, this anonymous Republican official. It's not like 172 00:10:10,910 --> 00:10:14,500 Speaker 1: he's going to overturn the election. And then he... in 173 00:10:14,580 --> 00:10:18,300 Speaker 1: typical Trump fashion, immediately does. He will never take the 174 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,559 Speaker 1: high road. And I think the thing I'm so struck 175 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: by is that Donald Trump is going to the Supreme 176 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:29,069 Speaker 1: Court like a fucking ATM. Like he's saying, let's just 177 00:10:29,170 --> 00:10:33,470 Speaker 1: end mail-in ballots. Let's end this stay. So the Supreme 178 00:10:33,510 --> 00:10:37,100 Speaker 1: Court decision, right, just kicks it back to more courts. 179 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: It doesn't do any deciding. But You know, Donald Trump 180 00:10:40,660 --> 00:10:43,439 Speaker 1: will take the lie and run with it. You know, 181 00:10:43,500 --> 00:10:46,140 Speaker 1: he'll tell people that the Supreme Court sided with him. 182 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 1: He'll tell people, you know, he's not there is not 183 00:10:49,540 --> 00:10:53,140 Speaker 1: the if you you should never expect him to do 184 00:10:53,179 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 1: the right thing. 185 00:10:54,420 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 3: No. And, you know, for all the talk that Trump 186 00:10:57,300 --> 00:10:59,620 Speaker 3: is daddy, you know, you hear Tucker and, you know, 187 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,140 Speaker 3: people on the right talk about Trump as daddy. The 188 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 3: real daddy is Chief Justice John Roberts and Donald Trump's world, 189 00:11:05,260 --> 00:11:08,630 Speaker 3: because that's where he goes for everything now. Daddy, can 190 00:11:08,730 --> 00:11:11,290 Speaker 3: I can I borrow the car? Daddy, can I borrow 191 00:11:11,330 --> 00:11:14,349 Speaker 3: the car keys? Daddy, can you help me steal an election? 192 00:11:14,830 --> 00:11:15,110 Speaker 4: Right. 193 00:11:15,130 --> 00:11:17,870 Speaker 3: John Roberts has been his daddy throughout all of this. 194 00:11:18,090 --> 00:11:20,860 Speaker 3: And it is it's absolutely disgusting and disgraceful. And I 195 00:11:20,900 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 3: don't understand why the Supreme Court does this. You know, like, oh, 196 00:11:25,020 --> 00:11:28,100 Speaker 3: it's OK to screw around with the Kennedy Center. Oh, 197 00:11:28,140 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 3: it's OK to screw around with the post office. We'll 198 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 3: decide on this later here. You know, we'll give you 199 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:35,679 Speaker 3: a stay or we'll give you an initial decision that 200 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,500 Speaker 3: gives you the green light to this stuff. And I just– 201 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 3: to me, one of the real villains at the end 202 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:44,960 Speaker 3: of all of this, if and when we can look 203 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,510 Speaker 3: back and read these history books, if they haven't been 204 00:11:47,530 --> 00:11:52,370 Speaker 3: destroyed by Donald Trump bringing autocracy to America. You know, 205 00:11:52,420 --> 00:11:53,690 Speaker 3: one of the real villains in all of this is 206 00:11:53,710 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 3: going to be the Supreme Court. I hate to say it. 207 00:11:56,090 --> 00:12:00,210 Speaker 3: And the chief justice, the way he has completely emboldened 208 00:12:00,270 --> 00:12:03,170 Speaker 3: Donald Trump through this era has been nothing but disgraceful. 209 00:12:03,630 --> 00:12:06,390 Speaker 1: Yeah. Oh, for sure. For sure. And the way that 210 00:12:06,429 --> 00:12:09,210 Speaker 1: Donald Trump just goes them with everything. I mean, the 211 00:12:09,250 --> 00:12:11,410 Speaker 1: fact that he keeps going in them with the e-gene 212 00:12:11,470 --> 00:12:12,630 Speaker 1: thing is just insane. 213 00:12:12,650 --> 00:12:12,730 Speaker 4: Yeah. 214 00:12:14,030 --> 00:12:15,980 Speaker 1: You know, like, I really don't want to bear those 215 00:12:16,010 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 1: five million dollars. I mean, come on, man. No one 216 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,940 Speaker 1: has enriched themselves with the presidency more than you, sir. Like, 217 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 1: you can afford it. Yeah. 218 00:12:23,700 --> 00:12:25,740 Speaker 3: Didn't he make that much money, like trading on Dell 219 00:12:25,780 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 3: computers or something like that? 220 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:32,690 Speaker 1: Yeah. A rounding error. So but it is interesting to me, like. 221 00:12:33,610 --> 00:12:37,270 Speaker 1: So he's doing that. He's but he's also like trying 222 00:12:37,330 --> 00:12:39,350 Speaker 1: to tear down the Kennedy Center. 223 00:12:39,630 --> 00:12:40,350 Speaker 3: Yeah. 224 00:12:40,429 --> 00:12:43,570 Speaker 1: You know, lying about the reflecting pool. I mean, do 225 00:12:43,610 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 1: you think like he's so unfocused on anything that voters want? 226 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:54,580 Speaker 1: Do you think that's like even. in 2020, he was 227 00:12:54,640 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: still trying to make a case for himself. I feel 228 00:12:56,900 --> 00:12:58,740 Speaker 1: like now he doesn't anymore. 229 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 3: Now he doesn't really care. I mean, I think at 230 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:03,600 Speaker 3: the end of the day, he probably gets some sort 231 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:06,870 Speaker 3: of sick pleasure thinking about how Mike Johnson is going 232 00:13:06,890 --> 00:13:09,329 Speaker 3: to be out of a job and how potentially John 233 00:13:09,390 --> 00:13:11,250 Speaker 3: Thune might be out of a job. I think there's 234 00:13:11,270 --> 00:13:14,189 Speaker 3: a part of him that maybe delights in this idea 235 00:13:14,230 --> 00:13:17,189 Speaker 3: that he is going to screw them over. And that 236 00:13:17,270 --> 00:13:19,559 Speaker 3: Republicans don't have the guts to stand up to him 237 00:13:19,780 --> 00:13:22,100 Speaker 3: as he's in the process of doing that. I just 238 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:25,439 Speaker 3: wonder in his twisted mind if that thought has occurred 239 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,380 Speaker 3: to him and like blown a little wind up his 240 00:13:28,420 --> 00:13:31,489 Speaker 3: pants in that regard. And, you know, you're absolutely right. 241 00:13:31,530 --> 00:13:31,710 Speaker 1: I mean. 242 00:13:32,150 --> 00:13:34,550 Speaker 3: Whether it's the Kennedy Center, whether it's the Reflecting Pool, 243 00:13:34,670 --> 00:13:38,710 Speaker 3: he's interested in everything but affordability in this country. He 244 00:13:38,750 --> 00:13:41,219 Speaker 3: would not be starting a trade war with Canada less 245 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:43,180 Speaker 3: than three months before the election if he was concerned 246 00:13:43,220 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 3: about affordability. He would not be continuing this war with 247 00:13:45,660 --> 00:13:49,190 Speaker 3: Iran if he was worried about gas prices. Yeah, go ahead. 248 00:13:49,290 --> 00:13:52,790 Speaker 1: I just want to add Canada has... Canada's in a 249 00:13:52,950 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 1: trade war with us. The Senate, their gubernatorial and Senate 250 00:13:57,420 --> 00:14:02,829 Speaker 1: seats in Michigan, Maine, Alaska, Iowa, all states that will 251 00:14:02,870 --> 00:14:03,969 Speaker 1: be hurt by these tariffs. 252 00:14:04,450 --> 00:14:04,690 Speaker 4: Right. 253 00:14:04,730 --> 00:14:06,510 Speaker 3: It's almost as though this has been drawn up in 254 00:14:06,570 --> 00:14:10,340 Speaker 3: a lab. how Donald Trump each and every day can 255 00:14:10,410 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 3: screw the Republicans in these midterms. And it's like, well, 256 00:14:14,380 --> 00:14:17,420 Speaker 3: where are all the Senate seats up for grabs? Oh, yeah, 257 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 3: they're almost near the border with Canada. So let's screw 258 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:23,700 Speaker 3: all of those states while there are candidates that they 259 00:14:23,740 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 3: want to get elected, Michigan and Maine. I mean, the 260 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:29,740 Speaker 3: Democrats would have a hard time capturing the Senate if 261 00:14:29,820 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 3: they don't pick up Michigan. And yet Donald Trump may 262 00:14:33,140 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 3: give them Michigan. 263 00:14:34,620 --> 00:14:35,330 Speaker 1: Yeah. 264 00:14:35,530 --> 00:14:37,210 Speaker 3: You know, even though that's that's going to be an 265 00:14:37,250 --> 00:14:40,390 Speaker 3: extremely tight race, he might give the Michigan because of 266 00:14:40,410 --> 00:14:42,350 Speaker 3: this trade war with Canada. And so, I mean, it 267 00:14:42,390 --> 00:14:45,010 Speaker 3: just never stops. And, you know, he's I've said this 268 00:14:45,030 --> 00:14:47,340 Speaker 3: a million times since I covered him the first time around. 269 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 3: He's his own worst enemy. 270 00:14:49,220 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 1: He's his worst, though, doesn't he? 271 00:14:51,260 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 3: Oh, God. Oh, Trump 2.0. This is this is I mean, 272 00:14:55,660 --> 00:14:58,350 Speaker 3: it's not even the same movie. It's this is like. 273 00:14:59,060 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 3: way worse. And I've been asking on my show, and 274 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 3: I challenge anybody who wants to be diplomatic and say, oh, 275 00:15:04,580 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 3: you know, he did one good thing. Find me one 276 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:11,180 Speaker 3: thing that he's done since coming back to office, other 277 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 3: than get pro-democracy forces. I guess that's the one good 278 00:15:13,950 --> 00:15:17,390 Speaker 3: thing that he's done. He's galvanized and mobilized pro-democracy. We 279 00:15:17,430 --> 00:15:20,170 Speaker 3: really like democracy now because of Donald Trump. He happened 280 00:15:20,190 --> 00:15:23,989 Speaker 3: to be the president during the 250th anniversary. But this administration, 281 00:15:24,470 --> 00:15:27,940 Speaker 3: the second time around, has been a spectacular failure. It 282 00:15:27,980 --> 00:15:32,180 Speaker 3: has been like an implosion of the Death Star failure. And, 283 00:15:32,380 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 3: you know, there's just no way to sell this crap. 284 00:15:35,210 --> 00:15:37,730 Speaker 1: I mean, I would say one thing that he's done 285 00:15:37,750 --> 00:15:41,590 Speaker 1: that was good is that he has he's about to 286 00:15:41,650 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: spend like four hundred million dollars on ads that connect 287 00:15:46,500 --> 00:15:51,530 Speaker 1: Republican candidates to him. His number is he's under 40. 288 00:15:51,530 --> 00:15:56,900 Speaker 1: He's pulling under 40 percent. He is so historically unpopular. 289 00:15:56,980 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: And now he's going to go in and spend all 290 00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: this money to remind people that the Republicans are his. 291 00:16:02,610 --> 00:16:02,850 Speaker 2: Right. 292 00:16:02,910 --> 00:16:04,930 Speaker 3: He has been saying, put me on the ballot. I 293 00:16:04,970 --> 00:16:07,870 Speaker 3: want to be on the ballot. And Democrats are saying, yes, 294 00:16:07,950 --> 00:16:09,870 Speaker 3: that sounds that's can we where can we put you 295 00:16:09,950 --> 00:16:10,410 Speaker 3: on the ballot? 296 00:16:10,470 --> 00:16:11,050 Speaker 1: Do it. Yeah. 297 00:16:11,070 --> 00:16:13,470 Speaker 3: Every possible ballot for dog catcher. Can we just have 298 00:16:13,490 --> 00:16:15,690 Speaker 3: a little face? I did one of those. I did that. 299 00:16:15,750 --> 00:16:18,110 Speaker 3: Stickers could be on the ballot. It would be perfect 300 00:16:18,150 --> 00:16:20,410 Speaker 3: for the Democrats. Maybe that's what he was talking to 301 00:16:20,750 --> 00:16:21,630 Speaker 3: Jared Kushner about. 302 00:16:21,650 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 4: Yes. 303 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 3: Let's put your father's father-in-law's picture. 304 00:16:24,540 --> 00:16:30,290 Speaker 1: Right. Yeah. It is it's just like I just I'm 305 00:16:30,370 --> 00:16:35,110 Speaker 1: sort of I'm very impressed at how how nutty this is, 306 00:16:35,210 --> 00:16:38,970 Speaker 1: how like just it just sort of Trump has sort 307 00:16:39,010 --> 00:16:42,500 Speaker 1: of set himself up. So, yeah. We'll see a lot 308 00:16:42,540 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 1: more— it sounds like we'll see a lot more Trump advertising. 309 00:16:45,540 --> 00:16:49,750 Speaker 1: If you were a normal Republican or a normal Democrat, 310 00:16:49,780 --> 00:16:51,990 Speaker 1: what you would want in order to keep the midterms 311 00:16:52,110 --> 00:16:55,950 Speaker 1: is to give people permission to run away from you 312 00:16:56,170 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 1: and then give them money and say, like— Here's, you know, 313 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: here's $ 100 million for the midterms and you have permission 314 00:17:03,380 --> 00:17:07,050 Speaker 1: to say you don't love Trump anymore. But you can't 315 00:17:07,170 --> 00:17:11,070 Speaker 1: do that in this environment because the one tenant of 316 00:17:11,150 --> 00:17:13,210 Speaker 1: MAGA is loving Trump, right? 317 00:17:13,730 --> 00:17:15,930 Speaker 3: Right. And this is becoming kind of like a Freddy 318 00:17:15,970 --> 00:17:20,290 Speaker 3: Krueger election. Like you cannot escape Donald Trump in this election. 319 00:17:20,330 --> 00:17:22,680 Speaker 3: If you're a Republican, he keeps coming back for more. 320 00:17:22,700 --> 00:17:25,820 Speaker 3: I mean, you like you can't even drive to vote 321 00:17:26,580 --> 00:17:29,140 Speaker 3: without maybe stopping at the grocery store. Oh, I can't 322 00:17:29,180 --> 00:17:31,060 Speaker 3: buy salad because I don't know. Can I eat a 323 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:33,649 Speaker 3: salad or wait a minute? Do I trust the beef? 324 00:17:33,810 --> 00:17:36,419 Speaker 3: Can I eat the beef? Or wait, how much is 325 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:38,379 Speaker 3: how much is gas if I have to stop at 326 00:17:38,420 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 3: the gas station? It's like every almost every aspect of 327 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 3: your daily life. I send my kids to school. They 328 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:47,940 Speaker 3: might get measles. Almost every aspect of your daily life 329 00:17:48,300 --> 00:17:52,070 Speaker 3: has now been fucked by Donald Trump. And that's that's 330 00:17:52,210 --> 00:17:53,670 Speaker 3: just not good news for the Republicans. 331 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:58,220 Speaker 1: You know, when they were talking about Project 2025, when 332 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:00,810 Speaker 1: I read it, one of the things I was struck 333 00:18:00,850 --> 00:18:03,070 Speaker 1: by was like this idea that they really wanted to 334 00:18:03,210 --> 00:18:06,470 Speaker 1: kill the federal government to make it not work for 335 00:18:06,510 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 1: people in order to make a case that you don't 336 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:13,659 Speaker 1: need it. And what they've done is sort of the opposite, right? 337 00:18:13,740 --> 00:18:18,920 Speaker 1: Like they cut food safety, many fewer food regulators, much 338 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:23,330 Speaker 1: fewer government infrastructure when it comes to the food safety, 339 00:18:23,390 --> 00:18:27,430 Speaker 1: when it comes to public health stuff, when it comes to, 340 00:18:27,450 --> 00:18:30,230 Speaker 1: I mean, You know, the thing that's about to bite 341 00:18:30,290 --> 00:18:33,650 Speaker 1: us in the ass is this oil reserves. You know, 342 00:18:33,730 --> 00:18:36,050 Speaker 1: he's draining the reserves to keep the oil prices down. 343 00:18:36,070 --> 00:18:39,630 Speaker 1: But whatever. Like a lot of the federal government infrastructure 344 00:18:39,670 --> 00:18:42,190 Speaker 1: has been fucked up by Doge, the richest man in 345 00:18:42,230 --> 00:18:47,629 Speaker 1: the world who made his money on government subsidies, ironically. But, 346 00:18:47,670 --> 00:18:50,100 Speaker 1: you know, it's been fucked up by Doge. And now 347 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,020 Speaker 1: we are living with this federal government that's like kind 348 00:18:54,060 --> 00:18:55,220 Speaker 1: of a shell of itself. 349 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:55,340 Speaker 3: Right. 350 00:18:55,700 --> 00:18:55,920 Speaker 4: Right. 351 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 3: This is what happens when you have Elon Musk and 352 00:18:58,980 --> 00:19:01,260 Speaker 3: Doge rip apart the federal government, and then you put 353 00:19:01,340 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 3: each of those individual departments in the hands of supremely 354 00:19:04,660 --> 00:19:07,970 Speaker 3: incompetent people, people like Pete Hegseth over at the Pentagon. 355 00:19:08,490 --> 00:19:12,109 Speaker 3: Brooke Rollins, as the agriculture secretary, she does not get 356 00:19:12,150 --> 00:19:14,550 Speaker 3: enough attention for how incompetent she is. 357 00:19:14,570 --> 00:19:16,270 Speaker 1: She's really incompetent. 358 00:19:16,290 --> 00:19:18,450 Speaker 3: She's really bad. And when she does interviews, it sounds 359 00:19:18,470 --> 00:19:23,290 Speaker 3: like she doesn't know anything. No, she doesn't know anything. And, 360 00:19:23,330 --> 00:19:25,180 Speaker 3: you know, when you talk about fuel, I was talking 361 00:19:25,220 --> 00:19:27,330 Speaker 3: to the gas buddy guy, Patrick DeHaan. I did an 362 00:19:27,369 --> 00:19:29,810 Speaker 3: interview with him and he was talking about how the 363 00:19:29,850 --> 00:19:31,970 Speaker 3: price of diesel is going to keep going up because 364 00:19:31,990 --> 00:19:35,470 Speaker 3: we're heading into home heating oil season and people start 365 00:19:35,550 --> 00:19:39,070 Speaker 3: using home heating oil for their homes. That's essentially what 366 00:19:39,150 --> 00:19:42,310 Speaker 3: diesel gas, diesel fuel is. And that's going to drive 367 00:19:42,369 --> 00:19:45,450 Speaker 3: up the cost of diesel. And if that drives up 368 00:19:45,470 --> 00:19:48,690 Speaker 3: the cost of diesel, then, bringing stuff to the grocery 369 00:19:48,730 --> 00:19:51,460 Speaker 3: store ain't going to be cheap. And so they just 370 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,580 Speaker 3: figured it's almost like they did it on purpose. They've 371 00:19:54,619 --> 00:19:58,060 Speaker 3: completely screwed themselves, which is why he wants to steal 372 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,719 Speaker 3: the midterms. That's the only thing that they can hang 373 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 3: their hat on right now is election thievery. 374 00:20:04,510 --> 00:20:09,970 Speaker 1: I interviewed this congressional candidate for Maine's second district, which 375 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:15,180 Speaker 1: is the rural, poor part of Maine, not Portland and 376 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,420 Speaker 1: not the coast, you know, the part of Maine that's 377 00:20:17,460 --> 00:20:20,889 Speaker 1: really poor. And he was saying that people are really 378 00:20:20,950 --> 00:20:24,740 Speaker 1: upset about that. heating oil and that they can't afford 379 00:20:24,780 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 1: to heat their houses, which is diesel, right? Which is 380 00:20:28,420 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 1: that same, or it's not diesel, but it's a similar. 381 00:20:31,060 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 3: It's a similar fuel. 382 00:20:32,700 --> 00:20:33,010 Speaker 1: Right. 383 00:20:33,270 --> 00:20:33,879 Speaker 3: Exactly. 384 00:20:33,900 --> 00:20:38,890 Speaker 1: So if you think about Maine and Alaska and Michigan, 385 00:20:39,150 --> 00:20:42,410 Speaker 1: all states where you're going to need more heating oil. 386 00:20:42,630 --> 00:20:43,070 Speaker 3: It's cold. 387 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. 388 00:20:44,460 --> 00:20:47,139 Speaker 3: And by November, it gets cold. And maybe on November 3rd, 389 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:49,740 Speaker 3: it'll be really cold. And you're afraid to turn your 390 00:20:49,820 --> 00:20:53,629 Speaker 3: thermostat above 63 degrees because it's costing a shit ton 391 00:20:54,130 --> 00:20:56,230 Speaker 3: to heat your house. I mean, these are the real 392 00:20:56,250 --> 00:20:58,890 Speaker 3: world implications of what he's done. Farmers in the Midwest. 393 00:20:58,950 --> 00:21:02,649 Speaker 3: I mean, that's the Josh Turek candidacy in Iowa is 394 00:21:02,810 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 3: only getting lots of help via Donald Trump and the 395 00:21:05,619 --> 00:21:08,660 Speaker 3: trade war and Iran and everything else. 396 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:12,830 Speaker 1: And cutting USAID was the first thing because the food 397 00:21:12,850 --> 00:21:17,730 Speaker 1: that went to USAID was grown by Iowa farmers, a 398 00:21:17,750 --> 00:21:21,230 Speaker 1: lot of that grain. Elon Musk didn't like it because 399 00:21:21,310 --> 00:21:24,750 Speaker 1: he doesn't like foreign aid to poor children. So he 400 00:21:24,890 --> 00:21:28,130 Speaker 1: cut it to save money. By the way, Doge never 401 00:21:28,190 --> 00:21:31,730 Speaker 1: saved any money. And it actually cost us money because 402 00:21:31,750 --> 00:21:33,230 Speaker 1: they had to rehire all those people. 403 00:21:33,650 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 3: And did we ever find out what happened with all 404 00:21:35,130 --> 00:21:38,060 Speaker 3: of our data that they scooped up? in the middle 405 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 3: of all that. 406 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:39,060 Speaker 1: It's fine. 407 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 3: Probably fine. 408 00:21:39,820 --> 00:21:45,660 Speaker 1: Some thumb drive. Yeah. Big Balls has it somewhere. You'll 409 00:21:45,700 --> 00:21:46,859 Speaker 1: remember Big Balls. Oh, yeah. 410 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:48,180 Speaker 3: Whatever happened to Big Balls? 411 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:50,979 Speaker 1: I think he's still working in our federal government. He 412 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: got carjacked, which is why we had the National Guard 413 00:21:55,540 --> 00:21:55,889 Speaker 1: go into D.C. 414 00:21:55,940 --> 00:21:59,100 Speaker 3: In my city of Washington, D.C., that's right. Which, as 415 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:01,340 Speaker 3: it turns out, if you look at what's been reported by, 416 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:05,460 Speaker 3: I think, the Associated Press and others, colossal failure. I mean, 417 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 3: we love our folks in uniform. We honor their service 418 00:22:08,660 --> 00:22:10,460 Speaker 3: and so on. They did not need to become police 419 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:12,790 Speaker 3: officers in Washington, D.C. It didn't help. 420 00:22:13,450 --> 00:22:16,990 Speaker 1: And waste a lot of money. I mean, the thing, 421 00:22:17,070 --> 00:22:19,250 Speaker 1: you know, I don't know if you saw this recent poll, 422 00:22:19,270 --> 00:22:24,210 Speaker 1: but like Donald Trump is underwater six points on border security. Unreal. 423 00:22:24,630 --> 00:22:28,380 Speaker 3: And in 47 states and the District of Columbia, he's 424 00:22:28,490 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 3: underwater in all of those places. 425 00:22:30,859 --> 00:22:35,369 Speaker 1: But border security, like the one thing, like even I, 426 00:22:35,580 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 1: like he's been only talking about border security and he's 427 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:44,000 Speaker 1: underwater on that. And that's because... I think people don't 428 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:46,830 Speaker 1: like ICE killing people. 429 00:22:47,270 --> 00:22:47,510 Speaker 4: No. 430 00:22:47,530 --> 00:22:49,090 Speaker 1: I don't think that's a good optic. 431 00:22:49,530 --> 00:22:52,530 Speaker 3: No, that was... Somebody asked me this the other day, like, 432 00:22:52,690 --> 00:22:57,010 Speaker 3: you know, what has defined the second administration? And, you know, 433 00:22:57,030 --> 00:22:59,020 Speaker 3: you and I like to towel snap these folks and 434 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 3: have fun and make fun of them. But to be 435 00:23:01,180 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 3: totally serious for a moment, I think that the killings 436 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:08,140 Speaker 3: of Renee Goode and Alex Preddy, I mean... Yeah. I... That, 437 00:23:08,180 --> 00:23:10,700 Speaker 3: more than anything else, has defined the second administration. What 438 00:23:10,740 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 3: a disaster. What a total, absolute disaster. And they won't 439 00:23:14,020 --> 00:23:16,750 Speaker 3: investigate it. They've been trying to cover it up. Can 440 00:23:16,770 --> 00:23:19,909 Speaker 3: you imagine being their families? It's totally awful. And each 441 00:23:19,950 --> 00:23:22,570 Speaker 3: and every day, there's another ridiculous story. There was a 442 00:23:22,570 --> 00:23:25,230 Speaker 3: story about a sailor from the U.S., Abraham Lincoln, comes 443 00:23:25,270 --> 00:23:28,010 Speaker 3: home from, what, nine months at sea, finds out his 444 00:23:28,050 --> 00:23:30,859 Speaker 3: father's been picked up by ICE. You know, and it 445 00:23:30,900 --> 00:23:35,180 Speaker 3: goes on and on and on. I think people have said, yeah, 446 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:36,810 Speaker 3: of course we want border security. Of course we don't 447 00:23:36,850 --> 00:23:40,649 Speaker 3: want to have people just coming across the border, yada, yada, yada. 448 00:23:41,369 --> 00:23:45,490 Speaker 3: But they don't want ICE just killing people and scooping 449 00:23:45,510 --> 00:23:48,470 Speaker 3: them up and putting them in these ridiculous detention centers. 450 00:23:48,670 --> 00:23:51,030 Speaker 3: I mean, it's it's I think Joaquin Castro said the 451 00:23:51,050 --> 00:23:53,570 Speaker 3: other day that he visited a detention center in Texas 452 00:23:53,990 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 3: and it was something like 100 men per cell. Mm hmm. 453 00:23:58,330 --> 00:23:59,470 Speaker 3: That's happening in America? 454 00:23:59,490 --> 00:24:02,890 Speaker 1: I mean, we're seeing this. People are dying in these 455 00:24:02,930 --> 00:24:06,330 Speaker 1: detention centers. Delaney Hall is right near New York City 456 00:24:06,390 --> 00:24:07,889 Speaker 1: and there are protests every night. 457 00:24:07,910 --> 00:24:09,460 Speaker 3: Horrible. 458 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just, this is an insane way to live. And, 459 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,199 Speaker 1: you know, they're fixing problems that don't exist and causing 460 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:20,300 Speaker 1: problems we've never had. I mean, it's just like, and 461 00:24:20,340 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: it's all totally, it was something we saw coming a 462 00:24:25,380 --> 00:24:26,420 Speaker 1: million miles away. 463 00:24:26,900 --> 00:24:29,179 Speaker 3: I think there was this book called Project 2025. I 464 00:24:29,340 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 3: think it was all right there. And I covered it. 465 00:24:33,190 --> 00:24:36,330 Speaker 3: I know when I was still in the so-called legacy media, 466 00:24:36,350 --> 00:24:38,670 Speaker 3: when I did that, I talked about it every day. 467 00:24:39,190 --> 00:24:42,169 Speaker 3: We talked about it all the time. I've called it, 468 00:24:42,650 --> 00:24:45,390 Speaker 3: to me, 2024 is the ostrich election. People had their 469 00:24:45,430 --> 00:24:47,140 Speaker 3: heads in the sand. They did not want to deal 470 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:49,399 Speaker 3: with Donald Trump running for office again. And then he 471 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 3: just gets in there and people, they got to pull 472 00:24:52,260 --> 00:24:54,680 Speaker 3: their heads out of the sand or wherever they've been 473 00:24:54,700 --> 00:24:57,500 Speaker 3: coming up in November. You got to make a plan 474 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:01,740 Speaker 3: to vote. It's got to be like a really serious plan, 475 00:25:01,900 --> 00:25:04,310 Speaker 3: not only for yourself, but your loved ones and your friends. Like, 476 00:25:04,330 --> 00:25:06,429 Speaker 3: get together and talk. Like, how are you going to vote? Oh, 477 00:25:06,430 --> 00:25:08,090 Speaker 3: I'm going to vote this way. Make it your job. 478 00:25:08,430 --> 00:25:10,790 Speaker 3: That's been my message. Make it your damn job. 479 00:25:11,350 --> 00:25:14,150 Speaker 1: And I think that people don't need to worry. Like, 480 00:25:14,170 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 1: they'll be able to go and vote and their vote 481 00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: will count and they just need to go and do it. 482 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 1: And part of the... What Trump is doing is he's 483 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,419 Speaker 1: trying to suppress the vote by making people scared of it, 484 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 1: by saying it's not going to be safe or it's 485 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 1: not going to happen. It's going to happen. 486 00:25:28,580 --> 00:25:30,200 Speaker 3: Especially for Latino people, I think. 487 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:30,639 Speaker 1: Yeah. 488 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 3: Most especially, yeah. 489 00:25:32,340 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: And especially because, like, you know, I talked to Mike 490 00:25:35,100 --> 00:25:37,220 Speaker 1: Madrid on this podcast and he was talking about being 491 00:25:37,270 --> 00:25:43,130 Speaker 1: in Texas. And there's a huge, like, Latino voters, Trump 492 00:25:43,170 --> 00:25:47,230 Speaker 1: has lost that. Yes. And they have, and there are 493 00:25:47,250 --> 00:25:49,470 Speaker 1: a lot of candidates in Texas that they like. 494 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 3: That's right. 495 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,699 Speaker 1: And there's a real world where those voters vote for Democrats, 496 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 1: but they have to go out and do it. 497 00:25:55,619 --> 00:25:59,870 Speaker 3: Right. It's the Texas. It's those border districts that were 498 00:25:59,910 --> 00:26:01,770 Speaker 3: very Democratic for years and years and years. 499 00:26:01,790 --> 00:26:02,330 Speaker 1: Yeah. 500 00:26:02,350 --> 00:26:05,270 Speaker 3: Under Trump sort of got more Trumpy. And the last 501 00:26:05,290 --> 00:26:09,649 Speaker 3: go around got very Trumpy. And that he's completely he 502 00:26:09,690 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 3: and Stephen Miller have completely obliterated that advantage. in Texas, 503 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:16,820 Speaker 3: which is why they are left with voter suppression. I mean, 504 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:20,180 Speaker 3: I'm concerned about the Trump administration doing it, but people 505 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:22,369 Speaker 3: like their allies like Greg Abbott and so on, what 506 00:26:22,410 --> 00:26:24,670 Speaker 3: are they going to do on the state level? Really 507 00:26:24,730 --> 00:26:26,629 Speaker 3: try to select, you know, voting. That is going to 508 00:26:26,670 --> 00:26:29,910 Speaker 3: be a huge issue. And yes, people may be able 509 00:26:29,930 --> 00:26:31,550 Speaker 3: to vote and their vote will be counted. And I 510 00:26:31,590 --> 00:26:34,139 Speaker 3: think that's all well and good. And let's fingers crossed, 511 00:26:34,180 --> 00:26:36,660 Speaker 3: lucky rabbit's foot and so on. But what does Trump 512 00:26:36,700 --> 00:26:40,290 Speaker 3: do after the votes are tabulated and the results come in? 513 00:26:40,950 --> 00:26:42,990 Speaker 3: What kind of court challenges does he go back to 514 00:26:43,030 --> 00:26:45,860 Speaker 3: Daddy John Roberts for the car keys and the credit 515 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 3: card one last time? 516 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:50,619 Speaker 1: And what does John Roberts do? That's the other question. 517 00:26:50,740 --> 00:26:51,340 Speaker 1: That's right. Yeah. 518 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:51,900 Speaker 3: That's right. 519 00:26:51,980 --> 00:26:55,220 Speaker 1: And that's a really scary, scary, scary stuff. Kind of 520 00:26:55,300 --> 00:26:58,139 Speaker 1: a big question. Jim Acosta. 521 00:26:58,580 --> 00:27:00,869 Speaker 3: On that note, love you, Molly. Great to see you. 522 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:01,460 Speaker 1: You're the best. 523 00:27:01,580 --> 00:27:01,899 Speaker 4: Thank you. 524 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,119 Speaker 3: One of these days, talk about fun stuff and nice. 525 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:10,010 Speaker 1: Things and puppies and things like that. Matt Dunlap is 526 00:27:10,130 --> 00:27:14,250 Speaker 1: the Maine State Auditor and the Democratic nominee for Maine's 527 00:27:14,369 --> 00:27:17,550 Speaker 1: 2nd District. Welcome. Welcome, Matthew. 528 00:27:18,090 --> 00:27:19,850 Speaker 4: Well, thank you for having me. 529 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:23,119 Speaker 1: Delighted to have you. So talk us through. You are 530 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:27,260 Speaker 1: running for Congress in a seat that Democrats would like 531 00:27:27,300 --> 00:27:33,390 Speaker 1: to defend. It is the Jared Golden seat. It is 532 00:27:33,550 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 1: a very rural, very red Maine seat, correct? 533 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:42,700 Speaker 5: Well, that's the reputation it has, but it has been 534 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:45,820 Speaker 5: described as purple. In fact, Maine is purple. And when 535 00:27:45,859 --> 00:27:49,199 Speaker 5: I was in the legislature, Angus King was our independent governor. 536 00:27:49,660 --> 00:27:53,310 Speaker 5: We had two Republican senators and two Democratic members of Congress. 537 00:27:53,570 --> 00:27:56,030 Speaker 5: And you can't get much more split than that. You know, 538 00:27:56,050 --> 00:27:57,950 Speaker 5: the district has gone back and forth over the years. 539 00:27:57,990 --> 00:28:00,750 Speaker 5: I mean, Olympia Snow represented this district as a Republican 540 00:28:00,790 --> 00:28:03,430 Speaker 5: from 1978 to 1994. 541 00:28:03,430 --> 00:28:05,669 Speaker 4: John Baldacci, a Democrat, had it for eight years. 542 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:09,020 Speaker 5: And then Mike Mischu, a Democrat, had it for 12 years. 543 00:28:09,100 --> 00:28:11,180 Speaker 4: Bruce Poliquin, a Republican, had it for four years. 544 00:28:11,220 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 5: And now Jared's had that position for the last eight years. 545 00:28:14,140 --> 00:28:17,090 Speaker 5: So it's It's really about how you connect with the district, 546 00:28:17,150 --> 00:28:19,030 Speaker 5: really what your party affiliation is. 547 00:28:19,550 --> 00:28:23,050 Speaker 1: So talk us through this district. It's very rural, though. 548 00:28:23,730 --> 00:28:27,580 Speaker 1: And I have some experience with being friends with Jared 549 00:28:27,619 --> 00:28:32,100 Speaker 1: and hearing him complain and complain and complain about how 550 00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:37,570 Speaker 1: hard he felt. And again, I don't want to sum 551 00:28:37,609 --> 00:28:39,810 Speaker 1: it up, but I think he had a lot of 552 00:28:41,070 --> 00:28:44,290 Speaker 1: It was a tough seat for him, I think. So 553 00:28:44,510 --> 00:28:48,820 Speaker 1: talk us through, you served in the Maine legislature, right? 554 00:28:48,860 --> 00:28:53,320 Speaker 1: So you have an experience with winning statewide office. It is, though, 555 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 1: a state that a district is very rural, right? Yeah. 556 00:28:56,860 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 4: Oh, yes. Well, it's 26,000 square miles. 557 00:28:59,580 --> 00:29:03,540 Speaker 5: It's the largest district by geography east of the Mississippi River. 558 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:06,910 Speaker 4: It's huge. So, you know, much of New England would 559 00:29:06,950 --> 00:29:09,450 Speaker 4: fit into the second district. That gives you an idea. 560 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:10,650 Speaker 4: of how big it is. 561 00:29:10,660 --> 00:29:15,990 Speaker 5: So a lot of this farmland, working forest, small towns, 562 00:29:16,830 --> 00:29:21,430 Speaker 5: and the natural resources and the rural economy are very, 563 00:29:21,470 --> 00:29:24,090 Speaker 5: very important in the second district. And that's something that 564 00:29:24,130 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 5: I've always felt very attracted to. I feel like these 565 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:28,860 Speaker 5: people are my neighbors and my friends. So I don't 566 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 5: feel like it's a hostile territory at all, politically, certainly. 567 00:29:33,590 --> 00:29:37,780 Speaker 1: Right. So you've always lived here. So basically, Maine is 568 00:29:38,100 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 1: how many congressional districts? 569 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:41,470 Speaker 4: Just two. Just two. 570 00:29:41,660 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 5: The first district is far southern Maine, up the mid-coast 571 00:29:44,900 --> 00:29:47,300 Speaker 5: a bit. Shelley Pingree is the representative there. She's been 572 00:29:47,340 --> 00:29:52,300 Speaker 5: in Congress since 2008. The second district is, as you noted, 573 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:55,620 Speaker 5: much more rural. The biggest city in the district is Lewiston. 574 00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 5: And cities in Maine are kind of like neighborhoods in 575 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:03,090 Speaker 5: many cities across the country. I think Portland, greater Portland 576 00:30:03,110 --> 00:30:05,550 Speaker 5: is like maybe 85,000 people. And that's the biggest city 577 00:30:05,570 --> 00:30:08,570 Speaker 5: in Maine. Bangor, which is right near me, is probably 578 00:30:08,710 --> 00:30:11,870 Speaker 5: about 25,000. And Lewiston is the second largest, probably around 60,000. 579 00:30:11,850 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 4: So. 580 00:30:14,580 --> 00:30:18,500 Speaker 1: I want you to talk us through, you do have 581 00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: a huge advantage in a certain way, which is the 582 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:27,310 Speaker 1: Senate candidate for Maine, the man who I like to say, 583 00:30:27,330 --> 00:30:30,230 Speaker 1: and again, this is a little catty of me, but 584 00:30:30,270 --> 00:30:33,340 Speaker 1: that's how I roll. I like to say he's the 585 00:30:33,440 --> 00:30:39,660 Speaker 1: guy that Graham Platner pretended to be. But your candidate 586 00:30:39,820 --> 00:30:43,680 Speaker 1: is actually from Maine, too, right? So talk us through, 587 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:48,010 Speaker 1: does Troy Jackson help you in Maine's 2nd District? 588 00:30:48,590 --> 00:30:49,930 Speaker 4: Well, I think it certainly doesn't hurt. 589 00:30:49,990 --> 00:30:52,190 Speaker 5: Troy is a native of Allagash, which is way up 590 00:30:52,230 --> 00:30:55,750 Speaker 5: on the Canadian border in northern Maine. He's a fifth-generation logger. 591 00:30:55,810 --> 00:30:58,510 Speaker 5: So like me, he comes from rural Maine. I mean, 592 00:30:58,530 --> 00:31:00,750 Speaker 5: I grew up on a farm near the coast. you know, 593 00:31:00,910 --> 00:31:05,590 Speaker 5: my folks had, they farmed strawberries, milk goats, sheep for wool. 594 00:31:05,390 --> 00:31:07,970 Speaker 4: And that sort of thing. That's what I did as 595 00:31:07,990 --> 00:31:08,310 Speaker 4: a kid. 596 00:31:08,550 --> 00:31:11,810 Speaker 5: So it certainly doesn't hurt to have that type of 597 00:31:11,850 --> 00:31:15,090 Speaker 5: a background running in the Senate, along with my background 598 00:31:15,130 --> 00:31:15,950 Speaker 5: running for the Congress. 599 00:31:16,020 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 4: So Troy is, he is what you see. I mean, 600 00:31:19,900 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 4: he's a hardworking guy. He's relentless. He's tenacious. 601 00:31:23,580 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 5: I served in the House with him back in the 602 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:26,960 Speaker 5: day because I worked with him and he was Senate 603 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,320 Speaker 5: president and I was secretary of state and auditor. So 604 00:31:30,010 --> 00:31:32,450 Speaker 5: Like I say, he doesn't give up on an idea 605 00:31:32,490 --> 00:31:34,510 Speaker 5: very easily, and I think he'll be a good fighter 606 00:31:34,550 --> 00:31:35,330 Speaker 5: for the people of Maine. 607 00:31:35,730 --> 00:31:39,840 Speaker 1: So are you campaigning with him? What does your campaigning 608 00:31:39,860 --> 00:31:40,340 Speaker 1: look like? 609 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,640 Speaker 5: Well, our campaigns are very similar in that we're trying 610 00:31:43,660 --> 00:31:45,220 Speaker 5: to get out, meet people where they are with a 611 00:31:45,220 --> 00:31:48,020 Speaker 5: lot of town halls, house parties, that sort of thing. 612 00:31:48,060 --> 00:31:50,160 Speaker 5: I mean, people ask me, what's the winning formula? And 613 00:31:50,180 --> 00:31:51,620 Speaker 5: I think when they ask me that, they're saying, what's 614 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:53,820 Speaker 5: the magic mail piece? What's the TV ad that's going 615 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:56,090 Speaker 5: to put you over the top? And the reality is 616 00:31:56,250 --> 00:31:58,150 Speaker 5: that's just not how it works in a state like Maine. 617 00:31:58,170 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 5: You've got to go meet people where they are. You've 618 00:31:59,820 --> 00:32:02,760 Speaker 5: got to go out to these communities. And every time 619 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:04,960 Speaker 5: we do that, we meet new people and we get 620 00:32:05,460 --> 00:32:07,620 Speaker 5: a fresh wave of support because that's what you've got 621 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:09,620 Speaker 5: to do. You've got to listen to them and then 622 00:32:10,220 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 5: talk back to them and have that conversation, that give 623 00:32:13,700 --> 00:32:15,580 Speaker 5: and take that turns into a policy idea. 624 00:32:16,310 --> 00:32:17,950 Speaker 4: And that's what I said after the. 625 00:32:17,870 --> 00:32:20,690 Speaker 5: General election in 24 when Democrats didn't do very well, 626 00:32:20,750 --> 00:32:21,350 Speaker 5: if you remember. 627 00:32:21,510 --> 00:32:21,790 Speaker 3: Right. 628 00:32:21,830 --> 00:32:23,250 Speaker 5: I said, one of the things that we have to 629 00:32:23,290 --> 00:32:24,990 Speaker 5: do a lot less of is talk and a lot 630 00:32:25,010 --> 00:32:28,380 Speaker 5: more of is listen. And that's how we predicated this campaign. 631 00:32:28,410 --> 00:32:30,680 Speaker 5: And that's how we were able to build our platform 632 00:32:30,720 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 5: around things like Medicare for all, child care access, the 633 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:37,540 Speaker 5: economic issues that people face every day when they get 634 00:32:37,620 --> 00:32:38,800 Speaker 5: up and try to get out into the world. 635 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:44,030 Speaker 1: So what is it like in Maine, too, right now? Right. 636 00:32:44,780 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: I always ask candidates this because what I think is 637 00:32:48,460 --> 00:32:53,330 Speaker 1: interesting is you are talking to main voters. So tell 638 00:32:53,370 --> 00:32:54,610 Speaker 1: me what they care about. 639 00:32:55,050 --> 00:32:57,830 Speaker 4: They really care about being heard. People feel left behind. 640 00:32:58,350 --> 00:32:59,610 Speaker 5: You know, that was one of the things that was 641 00:32:59,650 --> 00:33:01,990 Speaker 5: brought to my feet when I was before I was 642 00:33:02,050 --> 00:33:05,150 Speaker 5: even thinking about running. And there was, you know, there's 643 00:33:05,190 --> 00:33:08,810 Speaker 5: a lot of frustration with what was happening in Washington. 644 00:33:08,830 --> 00:33:10,610 Speaker 5: And there was a group of people that asked me 645 00:33:10,650 --> 00:33:12,350 Speaker 5: to come speak to them when I put it out 646 00:33:12,370 --> 00:33:13,930 Speaker 5: there that I was just going to explore the idea 647 00:33:13,950 --> 00:33:17,510 Speaker 5: of Iran. and down in the mid-coast region, down in Belmont. 648 00:33:18,090 --> 00:33:20,730 Speaker 5: I met with about 15 people in a barn for 649 00:33:20,750 --> 00:33:22,970 Speaker 5: about three hours. And I was ready for the tough 650 00:33:22,990 --> 00:33:26,510 Speaker 5: questions on social issues, on foreign policy. And all they 651 00:33:26,530 --> 00:33:27,930 Speaker 5: really wanted to talk about was how they felt like 652 00:33:27,970 --> 00:33:30,990 Speaker 5: nobody heard them. And that's something that is very important 653 00:33:31,010 --> 00:33:32,970 Speaker 5: to people. They want to know that somebody listens to 654 00:33:33,010 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 5: them and that we're going to take those concerns and 655 00:33:37,940 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 5: make it part of the policy debate in Washington. I 656 00:33:42,180 --> 00:33:44,530 Speaker 5: talked with a couple of Former senior members of the 657 00:33:44,570 --> 00:33:46,090 Speaker 5: legislature are now long retired. 658 00:33:46,870 --> 00:33:48,730 Speaker 4: And they were frustrated. They said, when do we stop 659 00:33:48,780 --> 00:33:49,950 Speaker 4: fighting for working families? 660 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:51,700 Speaker 1: What's all this other stuff? 661 00:33:52,500 --> 00:33:56,280 Speaker 5: And that's really where the heartwood of this whole thing is, 662 00:33:56,300 --> 00:34:00,040 Speaker 5: is what hardworking people are facing and how the playing 663 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,080 Speaker 5: field has been gradually tilted against them over the last 664 00:34:03,140 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 5: few decades, where we've cut the top nominal tax rate 665 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:07,420 Speaker 5: 50 percent from 78 percent to 39 percent. 666 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:11,089 Speaker 4: The minimum wage hasn't been raised at the federal level 667 00:34:11,130 --> 00:34:11,509 Speaker 4: since two. 668 00:34:11,850 --> 00:34:13,450 Speaker 5: And what you hear is a lot of rhetoric like 669 00:34:13,469 --> 00:34:16,489 Speaker 5: you're hearing from Paula Page, which is all about, you know, 670 00:34:16,550 --> 00:34:20,549 Speaker 5: the identity issues that people find so divisive. And it's 671 00:34:20,590 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 5: a handy distraction from the fact that, you know, thousands 672 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:25,820 Speaker 5: of people in Maine lost their health care on January 673 00:34:26,100 --> 00:34:29,200 Speaker 5: 1st when the ACA tax subsidies expired. You know, a 674 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:31,859 Speaker 5: friend of mine, I've told this story many times. You know, 675 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:33,760 Speaker 5: he used to be the president of the paper workers 676 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:36,750 Speaker 5: union here while the mill was still operational and went 677 00:34:36,810 --> 00:34:39,650 Speaker 5: out as an independent consultant afterwards. And he said his 678 00:34:39,710 --> 00:34:43,260 Speaker 5: health insurance went from $ 500 a month to $ 2, 700 a month. 679 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:44,880 Speaker 5: He said, I've got to have it. I've got a 680 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:47,719 Speaker 5: heart condition. I can't be without health insurance. And I 681 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:49,600 Speaker 5: hear those stories every single day. 682 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:51,080 Speaker 4: And I think if. 683 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:55,609 Speaker 5: We can find a vector, a pathway to providing like 684 00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:57,450 Speaker 5: a Medicare for all system, which is going to take 685 00:34:57,489 --> 00:35:00,430 Speaker 5: some time, it'll probably happen in several steps. But if 686 00:35:00,469 --> 00:35:02,590 Speaker 5: we can do that, we can take a huge burden 687 00:35:02,650 --> 00:35:05,370 Speaker 5: off the shoulders of working people, not just in Maine, 688 00:35:05,390 --> 00:35:06,190 Speaker 5: but across the country. 689 00:35:06,690 --> 00:35:12,710 Speaker 1: Okay, so let's talk about the other, the very main 690 00:35:12,770 --> 00:35:18,509 Speaker 1: specific things. Iowa has polluted ground causing people to get cancer. 691 00:35:18,989 --> 00:35:25,700 Speaker 1: Texas has trade war, beef farmers, etc. Talk us through 692 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:29,420 Speaker 1: what are the issues in, you know, Arizona has data 693 00:35:29,460 --> 00:35:33,680 Speaker 1: centers and drought. What are your specific main issues? 694 00:35:34,180 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 4: Well, it's the economy. It's the economy. I mean, wages 695 00:35:37,460 --> 00:35:38,060 Speaker 4: have lagged. 696 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:41,620 Speaker 5: Everything has gotten everything's gone up except pay. You know, 697 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:43,939 Speaker 5: Maine's a big heating oil state. It gets pretty cold 698 00:35:43,980 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 5: up here in the wintertime. And with the war in Iran, 699 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:48,900 Speaker 5: the price of heating oil could double this winter. 700 00:35:49,100 --> 00:35:51,940 Speaker 1: And as it is, it's crazy. Like that's the because 701 00:35:51,980 --> 00:35:55,540 Speaker 1: they are that's diesel. Right. I mean, that's the crazy 702 00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:58,180 Speaker 1: or it's not quite diesel, but it's similar. Yeah. 703 00:35:58,600 --> 00:35:58,799 Speaker 3: Yeah. 704 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:01,160 Speaker 5: I mean, it's it's it's a fossil fuel, you know, 705 00:36:01,620 --> 00:36:04,270 Speaker 5: and in New England, it's it's really the majority of 706 00:36:04,310 --> 00:36:07,820 Speaker 5: how people heat their homes. So right now we're in 707 00:36:07,880 --> 00:36:11,899 Speaker 5: contract season. People are signing contracts for the winter. They're prepaying. 708 00:36:12,620 --> 00:36:16,720 Speaker 5: And I'm here in Old Town, Maine, Old Town Canoe. 709 00:36:17,540 --> 00:36:20,230 Speaker 5: And in fact, the house I'm in was built by 710 00:36:20,250 --> 00:36:21,870 Speaker 5: the founder of Old Town Canoe, for those of you 711 00:36:21,910 --> 00:36:26,210 Speaker 5: who are interested in such trivia. But here in Old Town, 712 00:36:26,230 --> 00:36:28,390 Speaker 5: there are people that, as it is in the wintertime, 713 00:36:28,430 --> 00:36:30,250 Speaker 5: sit under blankets all day long because they can't afford 714 00:36:30,270 --> 00:36:31,140 Speaker 5: to heat their homes all day. 715 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:35,510 Speaker 4: And that's when heating oil was $ 2. 50 a gallon. 716 00:36:35,670 --> 00:36:38,799 Speaker 5: And now we're looking at maybe $ 4, $ 5, $ 6 a gallon. 717 00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:42,620 Speaker 5: For people who are retired on fixed incomes like Social Security. 718 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:45,380 Speaker 1: For anyone, it's double the price. Yeah. 719 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:48,160 Speaker 4: And as it is right now, people can't afford groceries. 720 00:36:48,940 --> 00:36:50,799 Speaker 5: We have a little food pantry in town that was 721 00:36:50,820 --> 00:36:52,509 Speaker 5: started by a couple of our friends at Rotary. 722 00:36:53,070 --> 00:36:54,310 Speaker 4: It's open a couple of days a week. 723 00:36:54,350 --> 00:36:56,190 Speaker 5: And when it's open, there's 50 or 60 people in 724 00:36:56,230 --> 00:36:58,450 Speaker 5: line because people just don't have enough to eat. And 725 00:36:58,489 --> 00:37:00,770 Speaker 5: you compound that with the price of gasoline. I mean, 726 00:37:00,790 --> 00:37:03,230 Speaker 5: Maine's a big state. If you have a medical appointment, 727 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:06,560 Speaker 5: in Portland, which is over two hours away, and you 728 00:37:06,580 --> 00:37:12,380 Speaker 5: have to put what was $ 25. 729 00:37:09,500 --> 00:37:12,280 Speaker 4: Worth of gas, now $ 50. 730 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:13,489 Speaker 5: Worth of gas into your car, take half a day, 731 00:37:13,530 --> 00:37:14,710 Speaker 5: go to your medical appointment. 732 00:37:15,150 --> 00:37:17,190 Speaker 4: It's just a huge hardship for people. 733 00:37:17,730 --> 00:37:19,190 Speaker 5: And that's what we were talking about. 734 00:37:19,230 --> 00:37:22,029 Speaker 4: That's the big issue in Maine, I think, is affordability. 735 00:37:22,650 --> 00:37:26,040 Speaker 5: And housing, the price of real estate has spiraled since 736 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:26,700 Speaker 5: the pandemic. 737 00:37:27,219 --> 00:37:27,500 Speaker 4: Sometimes. 738 00:37:28,390 --> 00:37:31,450 Speaker 1: Aren't you going to get killed with the Canada tariffs too? 739 00:37:31,489 --> 00:37:34,469 Speaker 1: Because Canada just put a few percent tariff on all 740 00:37:34,510 --> 00:37:38,170 Speaker 1: goods from us. And if you want to buy potash 741 00:37:38,910 --> 00:37:42,529 Speaker 1: from Canada for your crops, I mean, won't you get 742 00:37:42,710 --> 00:37:44,590 Speaker 1: totally chaffed? 743 00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:47,440 Speaker 4: Well, that brings up the operative question as to who 744 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:48,200 Speaker 4: pays tariffs. 745 00:37:48,620 --> 00:37:52,540 Speaker 5: We pay the tariffs. It's not some importer pays the tariffs. 746 00:37:52,700 --> 00:37:54,320 Speaker 5: The consumer pays the tariffs. 747 00:37:54,340 --> 00:37:54,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. 748 00:37:54,900 --> 00:37:57,020 Speaker 5: You know, I mean, tariffs have a place in public 749 00:37:57,060 --> 00:37:59,190 Speaker 5: policy and that's to protect an industry that may have 750 00:37:59,610 --> 00:38:02,689 Speaker 5: seen some unfair dumping competition from abroad. That's what tariffs 751 00:38:02,710 --> 00:38:05,330 Speaker 5: were always, were, had, became meant for. I mean, it 752 00:38:05,390 --> 00:38:07,529 Speaker 5: used to be the prime source of revenue for the 753 00:38:07,570 --> 00:38:09,850 Speaker 5: federal government before we had the income tax. We're going 754 00:38:09,890 --> 00:38:13,649 Speaker 5: back over 130 years ago now. But, you know, you 755 00:38:13,810 --> 00:38:18,279 Speaker 5: use tariffs to protect an industry. Blanket tariffs just hurt everybody. And, 756 00:38:18,300 --> 00:38:20,160 Speaker 5: you know, there's a fellow I know who has a 757 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:22,830 Speaker 5: business here in Maine that uses a lot of aluminum 758 00:38:22,969 --> 00:38:26,270 Speaker 5: and his cost before this latest round of tariffs had 759 00:38:26,290 --> 00:38:27,609 Speaker 5: gone up 50%. 760 00:38:27,610 --> 00:38:28,470 Speaker 4: And that affects everything. 761 00:38:28,489 --> 00:38:30,169 Speaker 5: It affects your ability to grow a business or even 762 00:38:30,210 --> 00:38:32,610 Speaker 5: start a business or to keep a business going. 763 00:38:33,290 --> 00:38:34,370 Speaker 4: Those are huge issues too. 764 00:38:34,890 --> 00:38:38,930 Speaker 1: So tell me, how are you going to get voter turnout? 765 00:38:38,950 --> 00:38:40,170 Speaker 1: How are you going to get people out? 766 00:38:40,690 --> 00:38:44,330 Speaker 5: Well, again, I think people are motivated this year. And 767 00:38:44,489 --> 00:38:46,009 Speaker 5: that's a little bit lighter lift for us than it 768 00:38:46,030 --> 00:38:49,480 Speaker 5: was probably in previous election cycles. In our primary, we 769 00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:51,840 Speaker 5: had almost twice as many Democrats turn out for the 770 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:54,640 Speaker 5: primary as Republicans. And this was the first year that 771 00:38:54,700 --> 00:38:58,360 Speaker 5: independent voters could vote in our primaries. And four times 772 00:38:58,420 --> 00:39:02,920 Speaker 5: as many independents requested Democratic ballots as requested Republican ballots. 773 00:39:03,469 --> 00:39:05,529 Speaker 5: That doesn't mean necessarily the wins that are back, but 774 00:39:05,550 --> 00:39:07,469 Speaker 5: it does give us a pretty good weather vein that 775 00:39:07,930 --> 00:39:11,170 Speaker 5: If we were able to continue to do outreach on 776 00:39:11,210 --> 00:39:15,759 Speaker 5: a face-to-face level, coupled with a digital program, a mail program, 777 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:18,960 Speaker 5: I think we can get people's attention and get that 778 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,400 Speaker 5: message across that what we want to stand for is 779 00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:23,239 Speaker 5: what they're looking for. 780 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:32,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, good point. Very, very important stuff. Annual campaign... you'll 781 00:39:32,219 --> 00:39:33,630 Speaker 1: campaign with the candidates? 782 00:39:33,850 --> 00:39:36,990 Speaker 5: Oh, yeah, Hannah Pingree and Troy Jackson. 783 00:39:37,030 --> 00:39:39,350 Speaker 4: I mean, I served in the legislature with both of them. 784 00:39:39,610 --> 00:39:40,589 Speaker 4: They're both friends of mine. 785 00:39:40,650 --> 00:39:42,970 Speaker 5: So we work pretty well together already. 786 00:39:43,050 --> 00:39:45,529 Speaker 4: So that's not a tough transition to work with them. 787 00:39:46,010 --> 00:39:50,390 Speaker 1: Yeah. Interesting. Were you able to consolidate? Because I know 788 00:39:50,430 --> 00:39:51,730 Speaker 1: it was a tough primary. 789 00:39:51,750 --> 00:39:53,450 Speaker 4: Oh, yeah. 790 00:39:53,570 --> 00:39:56,250 Speaker 5: The day after the primary, Jordan Wood, who is one 791 00:39:56,270 --> 00:39:58,489 Speaker 5: of our one of the other candidates, sent me a 792 00:39:58,590 --> 00:40:00,560 Speaker 5: picture of his house with my sign on the front lawn. 793 00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:02,719 Speaker 5: He said, look, I've already maxed out to you. I'll 794 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:05,200 Speaker 5: have a house party for you. Joe Baldacci endorsed me 795 00:40:05,219 --> 00:40:08,520 Speaker 5: the day after the primary. He's actually co-sponsoring that house 796 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:11,680 Speaker 5: party with Jordan Wood. and also Paige Loud endorsed as well. 797 00:40:12,120 --> 00:40:16,480 Speaker 5: So yeah, there's been no acrimony at all post-primary. I 798 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:19,670 Speaker 5: think we tried to keep it fairly civil and it 799 00:40:19,969 --> 00:40:20,670 Speaker 5: paid off in the end. 800 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:26,219 Speaker 1: Um, that's very, that's very, that's very Maine, very genteel, 801 00:40:26,340 --> 00:40:32,120 Speaker 1: very Maine, uh, appreciate getting to talk to you, Matthew. And, uh, 802 00:40:32,300 --> 00:40:35,279 Speaker 1: really what, what about what, if you're listening to this 803 00:40:35,300 --> 00:40:39,850 Speaker 1: podcast and you want to flip the house and you, uh, 804 00:40:39,950 --> 00:40:42,290 Speaker 1: what should, what should listeners do? 805 00:40:42,770 --> 00:40:45,009 Speaker 5: Well, they should, they should sign up. They should help 806 00:40:45,090 --> 00:40:50,130 Speaker 5: us out with our campaign. We have a website, uh, www.mattdunlapforuscongress.com. 807 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:53,960 Speaker 5: And just to motivate people a little bit more, Paul LePage, 808 00:40:53,980 --> 00:40:57,000 Speaker 5: who's my opponent, was governor of Maine, and he vetoed 809 00:40:57,040 --> 00:41:02,840 Speaker 5: Medicaid expansion six times. He actually withheld voter-approved Medicaid expansion funds. 810 00:41:03,100 --> 00:41:06,560 Speaker 5: He said that Social Security and Medicare were welfare, plain 811 00:41:06,600 --> 00:41:08,860 Speaker 5: and simple. And he said he was all about the tariffs. 812 00:41:09,360 --> 00:41:12,000 Speaker 5: So I think Donald Trump is looking forward to having 813 00:41:12,040 --> 00:41:14,740 Speaker 5: Paul LePage as another one of his supporters in Congress, 814 00:41:15,320 --> 00:41:16,620 Speaker 5: and he won't be there for the people. 815 00:41:16,880 --> 00:41:19,100 Speaker 4: That's why I'm running. So I'm the alternative to that. 816 00:41:19,630 --> 00:41:21,610 Speaker 1: Thank you. Thank you, Matthew. 817 00:41:21,910 --> 00:41:22,359 Speaker 3: Thank you. 818 00:41:22,380 --> 00:41:28,620 Speaker 1: And now your moment of suffering. Jesse Cannon. 819 00:41:28,960 --> 00:41:33,350 Speaker 2: Smajong Fast, we have another in the disturbing, disturbing thing 820 00:41:33,570 --> 00:41:37,910 Speaker 2: of Trump declaring different groups, terrorist groups. Now the latest 821 00:41:38,050 --> 00:41:39,250 Speaker 2: is Palestine Action. 822 00:41:39,570 --> 00:41:44,380 Speaker 1: Donald Trump is targeting Palestine action because it's going after 823 00:41:44,550 --> 00:41:50,840 Speaker 1: leftist movements globally. They've declared a British pro-Palestine organization a 824 00:41:50,900 --> 00:41:55,440 Speaker 1: terrorist group. We had Treasury Secretary Scott Bassett announce that 825 00:41:55,500 --> 00:42:00,529 Speaker 1: on Wednesday. U.S. is sanctioning Palestine action, accusing the organization 826 00:42:00,590 --> 00:42:05,989 Speaker 1: of having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or 827 00:42:06,050 --> 00:42:12,270 Speaker 1: technical support. or goods or services for terrorism. This is nuts, 828 00:42:12,790 --> 00:42:18,580 Speaker 1: not true, and nuts. They're trying to hurt left-wing causes, 829 00:42:18,680 --> 00:42:20,880 Speaker 1: make it so it's very tough for these places to 830 00:42:20,940 --> 00:42:25,280 Speaker 1: raise money, make it so that everybody has a hard time. 831 00:42:25,380 --> 00:42:28,620 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just so nuts. Like, this is why 832 00:42:28,860 --> 00:42:33,080 Speaker 1: Trumpism is so dark, is like, it's just about making 833 00:42:33,140 --> 00:42:36,140 Speaker 1: it so people can't speak, fighting against... freedom of speech. 834 00:42:36,219 --> 00:42:39,950 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just such an incredibly stupid time to 835 00:42:39,989 --> 00:42:44,690 Speaker 1: be alive. That's it for this episode of Fast Politics. 836 00:42:45,150 --> 00:42:51,070 Speaker 1: Tune in every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday to hear 837 00:42:51,170 --> 00:42:55,430 Speaker 1: the best minds in politics make sense of all this chaos. 838 00:42:55,910 --> 00:42:58,640 Speaker 1: If you enjoy this podcast, please send it to a 839 00:42:58,719 --> 00:43:02,720 Speaker 1: friend and keep the conversation going. Thanks for listening.