1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,159 Speaker 1: The magic number is twenty. There are twenty days left, 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: less than three weeks until the American people will turn 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: out by the scores of tens of millions and decide 4 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: who sits in the Oval office behind the resolute desk 5 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: as the most powerful person in the world. This is 6 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: the warning. Ten years ago, in twenty and fifteen, Donald 7 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 1: Trump entered presidential politics, descending his golden escalator in Trump Tower, disparaging, demeaning, 8 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: and dehumanizing Mexicans as rapists and murderers. Since then, he 9 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: has completely taken over the Republican Party, lock stock and barrel, 10 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: and he has built a cult of personality. What is 11 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: a cult of personality? What does that mean? A cult 12 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: of personality always is built around an individual. And what 13 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: happens is human beings, for whatever reason, give of themselves, 14 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: their agency, their lives, their conscience to another person. They 15 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: outsource everything to a cult leader. Here's a famous cult leader, 16 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 1: the Reverend Jim Jones. He convinced his flock to follow 17 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: him to the jungle of Guyana to build the people's paradise. 18 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: We see cults of personalities emerge around political figures. In 19 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: other countries. There is a cult of personality around Stalin, 20 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 1: cult of personality around Lenin, a cult of personality around 21 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: Kim Jong eel In, Kim Jong Soon and now Kim 22 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:45,199 Speaker 1: Jong Ooon. There is a cult of personality around Adolf Hitler, 23 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: and there is a cult of personality around Donald Trump. 24 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: What that means is that no matter what he does, 25 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,639 Speaker 1: he will be venerated by the members of his cult, 26 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 1: who have surrendered to him their agency, their discernment, their 27 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: capacity to distinguish for themselves right and wrong, and to 28 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: make choices for themselves. They have been brainwashed and are 29 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:18,519 Speaker 1: in need of deprogramming. The leader of the cult has 30 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 1: a tremendous hold on the members of the cult. This 31 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: is a feature of any cult. Now, the political question 32 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: in the United States is whether the American people will 33 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 1: allow a cult of personality to hijack from them their country, 34 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 1: their republic, their way of life. There should be no 35 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: higher loyalty, no higher duty for an American citizen than 36 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 1: the nation. This is important because it speaks to a 37 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: conflict of enormous dimensions that has to be sorted out 38 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:04,200 Speaker 1: through this life. The cult of personality places a higher 39 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: premium on allegiance to their leader than the country's leader. 40 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:15,919 Speaker 1: The cult of personality worships the individual, which is incompatible 41 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: with American society because an American society, until very recently, 42 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: we all held that there was no person above the law, 43 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: no person born above another, that this was a place 44 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 1: where all were created equal with inalienable rights, amongst the life, liberty, 45 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 1: and the pursuit of happiness. When our Constitution was written, 46 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: it organized government around the triad of coequal branches and 47 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: guaranteed certain rights to the citizen, the right of conscience, 48 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, all 49 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: things that Donald Trump and his movement have attacked. The 50 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: principles of the country are incompatible with the principles of 51 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: the cult of personality, because the principles of the republic 52 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 1: under the American Constitution mean that no person is above 53 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 1: the country, above the constitution. There is no claim by 54 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: it individual that is superior to the law produced. In 55 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 1: a society that chooses its leaders in a democratic process, 56 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: we don't have a king. We don't have an emperor. 57 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: We don't have a dictator. In America. We don't have 58 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: cults of personalities because cults of personalities are autocratic in nature, 59 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 1: dictatorial in nature, fascistic in nature when they become political. 60 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: And so, how do you explain this? Donald Trump playing 61 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: his playlist in front of a crowd, refusing to take questions, 62 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,720 Speaker 1: some three weeks before presidential elections. How off the wall 63 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: is this? Well, maybe you're not a cult member, because 64 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: nothing is off the wall inside the cult. When whatever 65 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: the leader does is the right thing to do in 66 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: the moment, he does it, no matter how incongruent it 67 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: is with what else is going on. This is increasingly 68 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 1: a feature that is observed in Donald Trump, which is 69 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: that he seems to lack contacts, knowing where he is 70 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,679 Speaker 1: and who he's talking to in any specific moment, which 71 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 1: creates these situations where he appears to be nonsensical. What's 72 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: your plan to help bring common sense back and help 73 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: small businesses that got destroyed by Democrats after COVID and 74 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:50,679 Speaker 1: the Biden administration. 75 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 2: So Gleck, because small businesses are actually bigger than big 76 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 2: businesses when you add them all up. And it's very 77 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 2: important and sounds like yours love your food. I can 78 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 2: tell by looking at that guy, I think I'd like 79 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 2: to go over there. If I am. If I'm over there, 80 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 2: I'm with a submit the fact is that, you know, 81 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 2: they want to get away from gas. And I have 82 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: friends that are into the cooking world. I'm not. I 83 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 2: just like to eat, but they're into the cooking. And 84 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:19,599 Speaker 2: I don't know how you feel. It sounds like you 85 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 2: they feel that you really eat. Gas is much better 86 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 2: than the electric for cooking. Right, And they have this 87 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 2: thing about you know, they want to put gas out 88 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 2: of business, right, no gas. You know the amazing thing. 89 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 2: We don't have electric in this country, but we have 90 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 2: all the gas you can use. We have all the 91 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 2: we have oil and gas. That's what we have. And 92 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 2: even the cars, if you look, they want to go 93 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 2: with all electric cars. California's having blackouts every week, brack brownouts, blackouts. 94 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 2: And then they come up with rules and regulation to 95 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,359 Speaker 2: go to all electric, but they can't even supply what 96 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 2: they have. It's so nuts. 97 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:58,360 Speaker 1: Again, a cult of personality that blinds you to everything 98 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: that you once held as trip, to every value you 99 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: once held as deer. Trump's cult of personality is so powerful. 100 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: It has the ability to erase the bonds of connection 101 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 1: to reality, to family, into your country, to basic common 102 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: human decency, kindness, all of it in the name of Trump. 103 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: Who is the head again, of a cult of personality 104 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: that is taken over a political party, and that is 105 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: supported not by millions at the top, by thousands who 106 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: are part of an organized conspiracy to take power so 107 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: they can take as much as they want from all 108 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: of you, as much money, as much public money, to 109 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: get as much privilege and entitlement as they can accrue, 110 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 1: so they can live apart, so they can live as 111 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: a type of royalty. It's perverse, it's wrong, but it's 112 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: not hidden. It's right out in front of everybody's face. 113 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: But again, if you're in a cult, you can't see. 114 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: So one of the issues is in this moment, Trump's 115 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 1: ability to turn red into blue, down into up. But 116 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: it's an illusory power. When I point out accurately and 117 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: precisely that Trump is a fascist, it's not hate speech, 118 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: and it's certainly not hate speech that's triggering an assassin. 119 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 1: When I say that Donald Trump is the leader of 120 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: a cult to personality, it's not hyperbolic, it's precise, because 121 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: there is no other word to describe this. If you 122 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: are enthralled to this insanity standing there in the moment, 123 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: part of the contagion of the crowd. You are in 124 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:52,000 Speaker 1: a cult? Will they make us conform inside their cult? 125 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: Because the cult leader has been quite clear there's punishment 126 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: for everybody who does. No thanks, But we should be 127 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,839 Speaker 1: clear about what's coming and what that cult believes, and 128 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: the media should be more clear about calling it precisely 129 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 1: what it is, which is a cult. How do I 130 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: know because I watched this on TV and there's no 131 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 1: other word for it, none whatsoever. This is the warning. 132 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 1: I'm Steve Schmidt. This is the warning, and I invite 133 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:25,439 Speaker 1: you to join. Subscribe on our substack on our YouTube channel, 134 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: follow us. Welcome to the community.