1 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: All right, welcome everybody to the bonus episode of Politics, 2 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: which I'll drop periodically throughout this inaugural season. Now, these 3 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 1: episodes won't be like your typical Spolitics episodes. Sometimes it'll 4 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: be just me as it is today, and sometimes I 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: may have a guess it's just me sort of reacting 6 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: to things as they say in real time. First, I 7 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: want to start on the thoughts or my thoughts rather 8 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: on this election. I've been really careful about sharing my 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: thoughts on this election. I mostly haven't shared it in 10 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: a public space, just because, you know, I really needed 11 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: to process and sort of really think about what I 12 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 1: wanted to say, and not that what I have to 13 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 1: say is so revolutionary compared to what other people have 14 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: been saying. But I think it's pretty clear and it's 15 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: pretty evident what happened. 16 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 2: And as for me, this was. 17 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: Not something that was surprising in the lightest that Kamala 18 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: Harris would lose to Donald Trump, because I like this 19 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: was a direction that we were sort of headed in, 20 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: you know, and this hasn't just been in the making 21 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: when Kamala Harris became the head of the Democratic presidential 22 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: nominee in terms of the ticket, this was something I 23 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 1: think that has been going for much longer than that 24 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: heading towards this particular moment, and mostly because I know 25 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 1: this as a journalist and seeing all the information that's 26 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,399 Speaker 1: out there on social media, is that journalists, or very 27 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 1: specifically I should say the Democratic Party, but it's also 28 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: tied to journalism overall. They've lost the information war, and 29 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: this is a defeat that was quite clear in to how, 30 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: you know, some of the various campaign ads, which I'll 31 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: get into in a moment, but also the way that 32 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: people were processing the information. And you know, when you 33 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: looked at any social media site, it was just flooded 34 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,600 Speaker 1: with misinformation. And I think we're at a point now 35 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: in society where in our classroom, on campuses, and just 36 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: in our daily lives that a lot of people need 37 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: to be able to decipher between misinformation, disinformation and truth. 38 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: And a lot of the feelings that are evoked in 39 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,959 Speaker 1: this election, often a lot of it was led by misinformation. 40 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: So I was not surprised, and I'm not saying that's 41 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: the only reason that people didn't elect Kamala Harris. I 42 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 1: think there were other factors that were at play, but 43 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: I wasn't surprised. And here's proof that I wasn't surprised, 44 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: because about a month ago, I was asked at an 45 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: event that was put on by the Atlantic, where I 46 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 1: also know, right I'm a contributing writer for The Atlantic, 47 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: as many of you know, where I cover the intersection 48 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: between race, sports, politics, gender and culture. I was doing 49 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: an event on Michigan State's campus and I was asked 50 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: who I thought would win this election. 51 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,399 Speaker 2: And here's what I said, quickly before we go. 52 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 3: If the election were held today, who's going to win? 53 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 3: Donald Trump? If the election were held today, who's going 54 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 3: to win? Kamala Harris? 55 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 2: I think Trump will win. 56 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 3: But there's three weeks left. There's a lot of game left, 57 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 3: as they. 58 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: Say, so clearly I did see this coming, but I 59 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: still don't think that makes it any more difficult to accept. 60 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:24,119 Speaker 1: As many of you all know, I've had my own 61 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: personal history with Donald Trump. Back in back in twenty seventeen, 62 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: I tweeted that the president is a white supremacist. These 63 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: are words I still stand on, words I think that 64 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: have been proven ever since then and were proven before 65 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: I said it. And that tweet, of course, changed my 66 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 1: career in many ways. It changed how people perceive me. 67 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: It changed a lot of things. And the president in response, 68 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: he said I should be fired. He blamed me for 69 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: ESPN's ratings being not healthy, apparently, and the then Press 70 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: Secretary Sarah Helckabe Sanders, who is now the govern of Arkansas, 71 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: also said that I should be fired. So yes, I 72 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: take the reelection of Donald Trump quite personally because of 73 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: the person themselves. 74 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 2: But also as a black woman. And that is. 75 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 1: Because I think for a lot of black women we 76 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: can relate to Kamala Harris just in the sense of 77 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: some of us have been in that position before where 78 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 1: we felt qualified, if not overqualified in many respects, and 79 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 1: for a lot of Black women, even though we should 80 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: not internalize it this way, it felt like a particular 81 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: rejection of some of the things that we've been fighting for, 82 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: or it felt like a particular rejection of sort of 83 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: our place and how we're seen in this society. And 84 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:48,240 Speaker 1: I don't think it's by any accident that both of 85 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: Trump's presidential victories have been against women Hillary Rodham Clinton 86 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: of course in twenty sixteen, and now in Kamala Harris, 87 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: because some of those same tropes have come up in 88 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: both elections and so it does make you wonder at 89 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,039 Speaker 1: what point I hate to use the word ready, but 90 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: at what point will America be ready for a woman 91 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: to be in that role. I think it's a question 92 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: we have to ask ourselves, is like, what is it 93 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 1: going to take? Because I see all this, you know, 94 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: all these post election autopsies trying to box around what 95 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: I think was pretty obvious about how racism and misogyny 96 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: we're driving a lot of the coverage, the opinions, and 97 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: even how the electorates saw Kamala Harris, and so if 98 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: y'all want to fight about it, let's fight about it. 99 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 2: But I think it was particularly evident. 100 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: But now it's time to turn the page, and I 101 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 1: think it's important as we think about what another Trump 102 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: presidency could mean. I think it's important that we think 103 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: about what this might mean in terms of the world 104 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: of sports, because I think how a Trump presidency will 105 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: impact the world of sports this time around will be 106 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: a lot different than it was the first time around. 107 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 2: Now, if you all remember from. 108 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: That time when Trump was first in office, he was 109 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 1: able to use certain sports issues as a political football 110 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:21,679 Speaker 1: that helped more endear himself to his base that maybe 111 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:24,840 Speaker 1: in some respects, you could say, grew his base, and 112 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: one of those ways was his attacks on NFL players 113 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: and Colin Kaepernick in particular, who in twenty sixteen, before 114 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 1: he became president, Colin of course, decided to take a 115 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:43,520 Speaker 1: knee to protest against social injustice. This became arguably the 116 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: biggest story in sports, certainly a very important story, and 117 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: so that gave us a window as to what to 118 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,039 Speaker 1: expect from a Trump presidency. 119 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 2: Now, even though we don't have. 120 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: A Colin Kaepernick in this moment, I think one of 121 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 1: the biggest things we have to look at is how 122 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 1: Trump's plans for the US Department of Education, how that 123 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 1: may factor into how athletes are treated this go around. 124 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: So I want you to pay attention to something he 125 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 1: said about the Department of Education. Here's that sound right now. 126 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 2: We're going to end education coming out of Washington, d C. 127 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: We're going to close it up, all those buildings all 128 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: over the place, and you have people that in many 129 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:22,679 Speaker 1: cases hate our children. 130 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 3: We're going to send it all back to the States. Now. 131 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: Of course, a lot of people are applauding this, which 132 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:29,960 Speaker 1: is kind of crazy to me, but I get it 133 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: because a lot of us don't really fully understand the 134 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: difference between how the Department of Education operates and how the. 135 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 2: State Board of Education operates. 136 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: I think there is certainly a degree of satisfaction that 137 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 1: people feel by the idea of disbanding a government department 138 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: over an issue that a lot of people in this 139 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: country aren't happy with, and that is education, even though 140 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: by certain metrics it shows America is still one of 141 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: the top places to be educated. Now, this isn't me 142 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: trying to cape for our educational system, because when you 143 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: do a dive to where American students rank in math 144 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:06,239 Speaker 1: and science, that tells a much different story. The United 145 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: States ranks thirty fourth in math, sixteenth in science. 146 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 2: And as someone who went to. 147 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: Public school in Detroit, I know that a lot of 148 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: inner city schools face a lot. 149 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 2: Of educational challenges. 150 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: But let's take a look at the Department of Education 151 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: and how that correlates to sports. One of the most 152 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: important elements of the Department of Education is enforcing Title nine. Now, 153 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: I don't need to tell you the importance of Title nine, 154 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: but in case you need to remember, it's the single 155 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: most important piece of legislation in the history of women's sports. 156 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: Title nine was enacted by Congress in nineteen seventy two. 157 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: Title nine prohibits sex discrimination in education. When Title nine 158 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: was formed, it wasn't intended to be the bridge that 159 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: necessarily opened the access point for women in collegiate sports, 160 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:53,079 Speaker 1: but that's essentially what happened. The Department of Education enforces 161 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: and investigates Title nine violations. These violations range from investigating 162 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 1: inequities between men's and women'sport worts inside of the athletic departments, 163 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: and this part is really important to also including investigating 164 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: sexual assaults that happen on campus. Now, we have some 165 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 1: indication of how Trump's administration will handle Title nine enforcement 166 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,199 Speaker 1: based off what his administration did the first time around, 167 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:17,959 Speaker 1: and based off the plans laid out in Project twenty 168 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: twenty five, you know, the playbook for his second term 169 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 1: that Trump claims to not know anything about. That's what 170 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: I'm talking about when I refer to Project twenty twenty five. Now, 171 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: in his first term, Trump appointed Betsy Devas as the 172 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,480 Speaker 1: Education Secretary, and when the first thing she did was 173 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: take some teeth out of Title nine protections. Now, among 174 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: the many new policies that Betsy DeVos instituted to Title 175 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: nine the most egregious was accused rapists were allowed to 176 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:48,520 Speaker 1: cross examine their alleged victims in a live trial. Please 177 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: don't tell me, I have to explain to you why 178 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: that is really fucked up. Based on what's proposed for 179 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 1: Title nine to Project twenty twenty five, the goal is 180 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 1: to make the process of filing a complaint for any 181 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: discrimination that fall under Title nine painful and lengthy, and 182 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: it would basically require those who come forward with Title 183 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:10,079 Speaker 1: nine complaints to have a legal team. It does everything 184 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: possible to discourage people from coming forward for highlighting abuses 185 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:17,439 Speaker 1: that are happening in the system, and that doesn't just 186 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: apply to sexual assault, but virtually any violation of Title nine. 187 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: Now as it is, there are some eighty percent of 188 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 1: athletic departments that are not fully compliant with Title nine. 189 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: Although to various degrees, if Title nine is put under 190 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 1: the Department of Justice or it's under the supervision of 191 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: the state, Title nine it may as well not exist. 192 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: The Department of Justice isn't going to have much incentive 193 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 1: to investigate anything, and the states may not have the 194 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,959 Speaker 1: resources to take it on either. Now there's a lot 195 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 1: of people saying that again this is a good idea 196 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 1: to get rid of the Department of Education. But I'll 197 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 1: go back to something I said previously. I need you 198 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: all to understand how the Department of Education actually works. 199 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,160 Speaker 1: So in nineteen seventy nine, former President Jimmy Carter he 200 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:02,559 Speaker 1: split off the Education from the Department of Health, Education, 201 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:05,719 Speaker 1: and Welfare. Now, what the Department of Education does is 202 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 1: supplement state resources to fund a variety of programs. 203 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: So here's one thing I want y'all to understand. Said 204 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 2: this earlier. 205 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: Now I'm going to get a little more specific. There 206 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 1: is a difference between the State Board of Education and 207 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 1: the Department of Education. The state Board of Education, and 208 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: this does vary by state, generally controls the curriculum, instructural materials, 209 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: and handles accountability. They decide the textbooks and the regulations. 210 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 1: So a lot of y'all that have a problem with 211 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 1: the education in your community that is a state and 212 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: local issue, not a federal issue. The Department of Education 213 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: is the enforcer of federal laws. They also oversee the 214 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:51,280 Speaker 1: financial aid programs and conduct educational research. So it's the 215 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 1: Department of Education that oversees peil grants. And if that 216 00:11:55,040 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 1: is abolished, that would disproportionately impact low income students. Now, 217 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: I was a Peil grant recipient and without it, my 218 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:07,440 Speaker 1: student loan debt would have probably been astronomical. So this 219 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: is a very key piece of what the Department of 220 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: Education does. The Department of Education also oversees the funding 221 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:18,280 Speaker 1: for students with disabilities, including special ed and for programs 222 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: such as head Start, which is used by nearly eight 223 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: hundred thousand children from birth to age five. I was 224 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 1: a Headstar kid two. So hopefully we understand the difference 225 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: between these two. 226 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 2: Departments and how they operate. 227 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:36,439 Speaker 1: But beyond Trump's promise to destroy the Department of Education, 228 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: here's another way in which his presidency could potentially impact sports. 229 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: You know who is really happy with not just a 230 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: Trump presidency, but also the re election of Texas Senator 231 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,599 Speaker 1: Ted Cruz, And that would be the NCAA. 232 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:52,320 Speaker 2: Let me hit you to some gang. 233 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: Ted Cruse is going to be the new chair of 234 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: the Senior Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over college sports issues, 235 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: and he has a very strong, very NCAA position. 236 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 4: Current state of affairs is the wild West. When you 237 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 4: combine unlimited nil rights with an unlimited transfer portal, we 238 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 4: are entering an arena where every player goes to the 239 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 4: highest bidder, and the loyalties of players to teams and 240 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:27,320 Speaker 4: the ethos of college sports is a real jeopardy. We're 241 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:31,959 Speaker 4: also at risk of seeing a handful of giant mega 242 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 4: schools with all the money creating super teams and the 243 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 4: rest of schools unable to compete, which I think would 244 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 4: be terrible. To have college athletics succeed, you have to 245 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 4: have some modicum of parody. 246 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: All right, because before NIL existed, things were so equitable, right, 247 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: The top programs weren't the same programs that were usually 248 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:54,959 Speaker 1: at the top every year. But you know what has 249 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: happened as a result of this quote, Wild Wild West 250 00:13:57,520 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 1: that Ted Cruz talks about is a school like India 251 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: whose football program has largely on a historical level, been terrible. 252 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: But they went out, They got a good coach and 253 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: Kurt Signetti. They made a huge financial commitment to him 254 00:14:09,720 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: into bolstering the program. They got thirty one transfers, and 255 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 1: now they are on the cusp of making the College 256 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 1: Football Playoff. Did NIL stop Vanderbilt from upsetting Alabama this season? 257 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 2: It did not. 258 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: So the NCUBA loves to see TAA Cruz coming to 259 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: be chair of this committee because another thing that Senator 260 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 1: Cruz is solidly against is college athletes being classified as employees. 261 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: The reason the NC DOUBLEA is against that is because 262 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 1: it opens them up to future lawsuits, and if athletes 263 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: are employees, they couldn't do anything to restrict player movement. 264 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 1: So maybe instead of some of you college football players 265 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: who were doing the Trump dance when you were celebrating 266 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: an end zone, maybe some of y'all should have been 267 00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 1: studying up on how this election might potentially impact your pocket, 268 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 1: especially if you are a college athlete in the state 269 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:02,359 Speaker 1: of Texas. Because the cat it that Ted Cruz ran against 270 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: is a former Baylor linebacker who played for the Tennessee 271 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: Titans colin already now he has a much different opinion 272 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: than Ted Cruz because he actually played college football and 273 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 1: professional football. 274 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 5: Here it is, Yeah, I wouldn't be where I am 275 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 5: today without the opportunity that college sports gave me. The 276 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,440 Speaker 5: scholarship that I got at Baylor set me on the 277 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 5: path to go into law school, to playing in the NFL, 278 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 5: of course, but then also having a chance to serving Congress, 279 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:34,760 Speaker 5: and so to me, uh, it's incredibly This is an 280 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:38,680 Speaker 5: incredibly important institution on top of being an incredibly profitable one. 281 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 5: And as we've seen this become such a big business now, 282 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 5: it always had to come to this that at some point, 283 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 5: the players who were generating so much revenue for everyone else, 284 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:54,120 Speaker 5: we're going to have to benefit from from that themselves. 285 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 5: As I said in that statement, you know, I really 286 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 5: struggled when I was at Baylor financially and I was 287 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 5: on scholarship, you know, but after I paid my rent 288 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 5: and my bills, there wasn't much leftover. But at the 289 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,320 Speaker 5: same time, I was playing a video game, the NCAA 290 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 5: football game at that time with my player, you know, 291 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 5: number thirty four, middle linebacker for Baylor six two to 292 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 5: two thirty five from Dallas. I wasn't seeing any of 293 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,560 Speaker 5: that revenue, right, And I think that wasn't right either. 294 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: Now, beyond those things I pointed out, of course, another 295 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,560 Speaker 1: really big issue that Trump took on related to sports 296 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:28,480 Speaker 1: was transgender athletes. Not No poll after poll has shown 297 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: that a lot of Americans disagree with trans women playing 298 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: in sports, or trans women playing girls or women's sports. 299 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: And here's the ad that Trump ran to further bolster 300 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: this home. 301 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 2: Kamala support taxpayer funded sex changes for prisonente surgery for prisoners, 302 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 2: for prisoners, every transgender inmate in the prison system would 303 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,040 Speaker 2: have access. Now, no, I don't want my taxpayer dollars 304 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 2: going to that. Kamala support transgender sex changes in jail 305 00:16:57,120 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 2: with our money. 306 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: Kamala even supports letting buy a lot men compete against 307 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 1: our girls in their sports. 308 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 2: Kamala is for day dem President Trump is for you. 309 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,200 Speaker 3: I'm Donald J. Trump, and I approve this message. 310 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 2: But let me ask you something. 311 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:15,359 Speaker 1: Does the level of response to trans athletes meet the problem? 312 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:18,680 Speaker 1: Because for all of you that said inflation in the economy, 313 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 1: where your primary concerns and the reason you voted for Trump, 314 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:24,800 Speaker 1: where do you rank trans girls and women playing women's 315 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: sports on the list of things that are priorities for. 316 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 2: You that actually impact your life? 317 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: I asked that because of this, the trans population makes 318 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,119 Speaker 1: up less than one percent of the total population in 319 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:40,439 Speaker 1: the United States, but since twenty twenty twenty three states 320 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: have passed laws restricting trans athletes to participate in sports 321 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: according to their assigned gender identity. There are five hundred 322 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 1: thousand NCAA college athletes, only forty identify as trans and 323 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 1: that is trans women and men. 324 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 2: Only one trans athlete in history has won. 325 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 1: An Olympic medal, Quinn, who won as a member of 326 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 1: the Canadian women's soccer team at the Tokyo Olympics. So 327 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: even the shortest glimpse of history shows you that this 328 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 1: has not been a prevalent issue throughout. And I need 329 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: to mention this about that ad that ran so successfully 330 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 1: when both candidates were on the campaign trail. The reason 331 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:25,879 Speaker 1: why Kamala Harris said that she supported inmates receiving gender 332 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 1: affirming care is because it's actually the law. 333 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 2: That same law Trump also had to adhere to when 334 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:33,400 Speaker 2: he was president. 335 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,400 Speaker 1: Now, this law is based off a nineteen seventy six 336 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: Supreme Court ruling which said that states are responsible for 337 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:48,439 Speaker 1: providing healthcare to inmates. Now, transgender inmates were able to 338 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 1: expand that rule to include gender affirming care because they 339 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 1: sued or the right to do it. 340 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,120 Speaker 2: So that is the law. 341 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,080 Speaker 1: So it doesn't matter now that he's president. That's not 342 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 1: going away because it's based off a Supreme Court ruling. Now, 343 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: of course it could if it's challenged again in court, 344 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 1: but so far that has not been the case. So 345 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 1: for all those who were upset about the idea of 346 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 1: your tax dollars paying for this. It's a law, that's 347 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:20,439 Speaker 1: why it's being followed. But I'll say this, one of 348 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:24,400 Speaker 1: the things I find so kind of disingenuous about the 349 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: positioning of trans athletes as being the boogeyman and boogie 350 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:33,240 Speaker 1: women is that for years, by any historical measure, what 351 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: has undermined women's sports the most has been lack of investment, 352 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:41,680 Speaker 1: lack of resources, lack of media coverage, and generally being 353 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 1: considered an afterthought. Those are the things that have allowed 354 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:48,439 Speaker 1: women's sports to be vulnerable. So if you want to 355 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 1: protect women's sports, then I would suggest you protect women's 356 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: sports by watching women's sports, by investing financially in women's sports, 357 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: and by making sure that the media covers women's sports 358 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: with the same intensity that they covered some other things, 359 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 1: particularly some men's sports. Those are the things that undercut 360 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 1: women's sports. You know, I'll just say in generally that, 361 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,120 Speaker 1: you know, as we think about, you know, the impact 362 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 1: that Trump could have on the sports world. The other 363 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: thing I think is going to be pretty obvious this 364 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:25,879 Speaker 1: go around is that I think there's going to be 365 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: a different normalization of Trump than what we saw before 366 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: now already if you guys watched the UFC fight recently 367 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: John Jones where he won, the one that was in 368 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,440 Speaker 1: New York City. As you see, Donald Trump was there 369 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:42,439 Speaker 1: with Elon Musk, the Speaker of the House, speaker Mike Johnson, 370 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 1: and John Jones did the Trump dance. You know in 371 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 1: the NFL saw a lot of athletes during the Trump 372 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:49,400 Speaker 1: the Trump Dance. I didn't even know that was a thing, 373 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 1: but all right, saw a lot of college athletes, as 374 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: I mentioned earlier, doing the Trump Dance. And so whereas 375 00:20:56,280 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: before I think there was this sort of toxicity that 376 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:05,160 Speaker 1: was around showing open support of Donald Trump, I don't 377 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: think that will be there anymore. And I'm not sure 378 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:11,360 Speaker 1: if that's good or bad, particularly when you look at 379 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: policy wise, some of the things he could do that 380 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:18,640 Speaker 1: could greatly impact and potentially undermine sports in a lot 381 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 1: of ways, at least for certain communities within sports. And 382 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 1: I'm really curious to see what happens when he's in 383 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,440 Speaker 1: the White House and it's that time where a champion 384 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:33,480 Speaker 1: in any of the major sports, and maybe even the 385 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,679 Speaker 1: NCAA champions, when it's time for them to visit the 386 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:39,400 Speaker 1: White House remember from the first go around, a lot 387 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:42,479 Speaker 1: of athletes said no, most notably the NBA not Nara. 388 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,360 Speaker 1: NBA team was in the White House to commemorate their 389 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:50,680 Speaker 1: championship during the Trump years, and to my recollection, most 390 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:53,880 Speaker 1: of the women's teams that won a championship weren't even 391 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,880 Speaker 1: invited to the White House. I mean some of them went, 392 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,119 Speaker 1: and I think that had a lot to do with 393 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: how how that particular coach felt about Donald Trump. I'm 394 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: thinking about you, Kim Moulky, because Baylor, the women's team, 395 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 1: was I think, frankly maybe the only individual women's team 396 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: that went to the White House during his first presidency. 397 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: But because of how much more normalized Trump has become, 398 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 1: I wonder if that same you know, resistance will be there. 399 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: Another thing I think that has to be considered too, 400 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 1: is we know that Donald Trump loves to retaliate against 401 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: his enemies real or imagine. You know, as I said before, 402 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: he had no problem singling out Colin Kaepernick, no problem 403 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 1: threatening NFL owners. He told them in particular that basically, 404 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 1: you know, they don't want to sign Colin Kaepernick and 405 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:50,160 Speaker 1: make an enemy out of him, because, as he put it, 406 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: him coming out and criticizing Colin Kaepernick was a quote 407 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: winning issue for him, and so I am curious as 408 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 1: to see if criticisms of Trump are a little bit 409 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 1: muted because they know his propensity for retaliation. And certainly 410 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:13,400 Speaker 1: there was a very loud crowd that has always been 411 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: there that claims sports and politics don't mix. But I 412 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:23,360 Speaker 1: see already how those goalposts are moving as it relates 413 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: to sports and politics mixing, because now that there are 414 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,679 Speaker 1: more athletes who are being more vocal about their supporter Trump, 415 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:33,879 Speaker 1: I notice they're not being asked the same questions that 416 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 1: Colin Kaepernick has been asked about his protests, or they're 417 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: not holding it to the same standard as when Lebron 418 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,919 Speaker 1: James said that he was endorsing Kamala Harris, and he 419 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: sat at his locker and answered every question about why 420 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: he was choosing to support her. I'm wondering if that 421 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,479 Speaker 1: same energy is going to be kept with the athletes 422 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: who are now vocally speaking out in support of Trump, 423 00:23:56,840 --> 00:24:00,439 Speaker 1: because frankly, I think that's fair. You know, I've certainly 424 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 1: never been somebody who has ever wanted athletes to just 425 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,840 Speaker 1: shut up and be quiet, even if I don't agree 426 00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 1: with what they're saying. But once you throw it out 427 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 1: there in the critical thought marketplace, people have a right 428 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: to come at it, and certainly, as a journalist, we 429 00:24:15,080 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: have a right to ask you, well, why do you 430 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 1: support this? What do you have to say about supporting 431 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:25,920 Speaker 1: someone who has been credibly found guilty of sexual assault 432 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 1: in a court of law. That is a fair question 433 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 1: to ask an athlete who is vocally supporting Trump. And 434 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 1: so I'm just curious as to how the media begins 435 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 1: to cover this in this moment, because I have to say, 436 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:42,680 Speaker 1: I'm not sure if I have a lot of hopes 437 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 1: because in many ways, the media is responsible for us 438 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:49,360 Speaker 1: being in this moment now, and they've been complicit and 439 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:52,560 Speaker 1: certainly a lot of the misinformation and disinformation. So I 440 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:56,080 Speaker 1: don't know that I should have any real expectation for 441 00:24:56,119 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: the media to properly frame and contextualize this moment clearly, 442 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: But I do know this that stick to sportshit is 443 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,959 Speaker 1: out the window. I'm Jamel Hill, and I approve of 444 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:12,399 Speaker 1: this message. Now that's it for the bonus episode of Politics. 445 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:15,680 Speaker 1: A reminder that a new episode of Politics drops every 446 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 1: Thursday on iHeart, but it's also available wherever you get 447 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 1: your podcasts. Video versions of Politics are also available on 448 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 1: my YouTube page. Make sure you subscribe so you don't 449 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,879 Speaker 1: miss out. And also follows Politics on Instagram the username 450 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:34,399 Speaker 1: is politics pod. And remember here on Politics, Sports and 451 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 1: politics not only mix, they matter