1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: Who you put your trust in matters. Investors have put 2 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: their trust in independent registered investment advisors to the tune 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: of four trillion dollars. Why learn more and find your 4 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: independent advisor dot com. Welcome to the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. 5 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: I'm Tom Keane. Always with Michael McKee. Daily we bring 6 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 1: you insight from the best in economics, finance, investment, and 7 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: international relations. Find Bloomberg Surveillance on iTunes, SoundCloud, Bloomberg dot com, 8 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: and of course on the Bloomberg So it does appear 9 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: that markets are getting nervous about something. Vix certainly above 10 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: where it's been four months, although off a little bit 11 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: from the last couple of days. What are nervous about? 12 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: The nervous about the end of stimulus? Are they nervous 13 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 1: about slowing growth around the world. Lackman Aton is the 14 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:11,399 Speaker 1: co founder and chief operations officer of the Economic Cycle 15 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,199 Speaker 1: Research Institute, and he is here with us this morning. 16 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: Good morning, Lackman, Um, Good morning. When you when you 17 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: do your models and we'll get to your forecast at 18 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: a moment, you're not predicting a recession right away, but uh, 19 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,479 Speaker 1: do you include financial markets in what you do? Because 20 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: the Feds. They criticized because their Furbus model does not 21 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: include financial market feedback effects. Sure. Um, in the big picture, 22 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 1: we don't have models. We're looking at indicators which move 23 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: ahead of turning points and growth or inflation cycles. Small 24 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: end model, yeah, small end model, but you know, theoretic 25 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: you know, I think for the discussion, the answer is, yes, 26 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 1: we do include financial market data. It's an important, very 27 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 1: important area to get heads up on where things are 28 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: likely to go in the future. Um. And so that's 29 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: a little odd in the post GFC environment because a 30 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: lot of the market data is maybe perhaps more influenced 31 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: by central bank activity. We also are getting data from 32 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: government sources. Uh. And we are also getting data from 33 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: private surveys. So there's a number of different inputs, sources 34 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: of inputs, all cross checking one another. And it's when 35 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 1: they move in concert that we get tipped off that 36 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: a cycle turning point maybe underway. How far ahead do 37 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:44,079 Speaker 1: markets move? I'm reminded of the old Paul Samuelson quote 38 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: about the stock market forecasting nine of the last five recessions. 39 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: Sure well, And what he left out there, by the way, 40 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: because that's a great quote, uh, is that the other 41 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: ones that the non recessions were actually uh slowdowns. So 42 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: the market is very sensitive to cycles in economic growth, 43 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: whether or not a recession occurs. So UM markets in 44 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: general are what I would call short leading indicators. Uh. 45 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: They lead by a quarter or two at cycle turning points. 46 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: If you look empirically over long periods of time and 47 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: different markets uh. And there, of course you want to 48 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 1: see if you can lead that a little bit, and 49 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: that's very difficult to do. There are some shorter leading 50 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: in excuse me, longer leading indicators, which might lead by 51 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: three quarters or maybe four quarters. Uh. And that's about 52 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 1: as far as you can get, and the reliability goes 53 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: down when you push it. What's the most important indicator, 54 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: uh that you follow, or the one that tells you 55 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: the most under your system of what's going to happen? 56 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: You know probably well, longest lead is very important, right. 57 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: So a very esoteric leading indicator is our global long 58 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: leading index of industrial growth uh And and this is 59 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: the only truly global economic cycle which explain what that is? Sure, 60 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: it's a long leading indexes, so we we have long 61 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: leading indexes for twenty economies, but of industrial growth? What 62 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: what is it that you're measuring with industrial growth, uh, 63 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: industrial production. So that's pretty hard data. You can get 64 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: that for all the major markets around the world, countries 65 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: and looking at cycles in industrial production growth globally, that's 66 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 1: the true global cycle. Services, Uh not so much. They 67 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: don't sync up. Housing, construction doesn't sync up. But manufacturing, 68 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: we're all it's a global manufacturing floor. We're all responsible 69 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: for different parts of the input. So we that is 70 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:48,000 Speaker 1: a pretty cohesive global cycle. When we look at our 71 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: long leading indicators for all the countries and focus in 72 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: on the diffusion of them as they relate to the 73 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: industrial cycle, we get a very long lead three or 74 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 1: four quarters. And uh, it's something that probably isn't on 75 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 1: anyone's radar screen. Uh. And um, you know there's a 76 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: there's a cycle upturn that's been under way, uh kind 77 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: of in the background from very very weak levels. Uh. 78 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: And that may be supportive of things like commodity prices 79 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: or less negative industrial production growth in some areas. Launch. 80 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: When I didn't get to this on television this morning, 81 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: let me ask it right now on the front of 82 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 1: your research note, is a stunning one percent statistic? Is 83 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 1: your run rate on real g d P like a 84 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: one point zero percent. They're abouts. I mean, we don't 85 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 1: do a point forecast. But when we do the simple 86 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: math and you add up the primary components of growth, 87 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: it's productivity, growth and demographics. That's not that's not Morning 88 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: in America. No, And it's it and and it's this 89 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 1: is the You know, there's a lot of discussion about 90 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 1: what's politically correct to say, and and you all know that, 91 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 1: and this certainly is not politically correct to say that 92 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: the long run trend growth is lower than some of 93 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: the more depressed estimates. And it's not only a US problem. 94 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 1: It's a developed country problem. And as a result of 95 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:22,160 Speaker 1: being a developed country problem, it's also a developing market 96 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: problem because they sell to the developed markets. So until 97 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: we when when you start talking about policy prescriptions, and 98 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: there's a lot of that flying around, I made the 99 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 1: comment that many of them missed the mark because unless 100 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: you can argue, I think, coherently that it's going to 101 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 1: move productivity growth up whatever your policy is, uh, then 102 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 1: you've you're probably gonna fall short. And when I say 103 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: stop digging with respect to monetary policy, I understand the intentions, 104 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:02,679 Speaker 1: But when you have of very very low interest rates, 105 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: what you end up with is a lot of overcapacity 106 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: and a lot of zombie companies that should have been 107 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: shut down that stay alive. And everybody's carrying a lot 108 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: of inventory because it's cheap to carry it. And as 109 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: a result, the investment in the capital investment that has 110 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:23,840 Speaker 1: a chance of increasing, increasing your productivity growth never happened. 111 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 1: Economic Cycle Research Institute. You have a thing which pushes 112 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: against the happy talk. It is g r C, the 113 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: growth rate cycle. This goes to the heart of the 114 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: distinction of Eckery versus what other economists do discuss. Well, 115 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: there's accelerations in decent In our view, there's an inherent 116 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 1: business cycle in a free market economy. The worst kind 117 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: of downturn or growth rate cycle downturn can actually go 118 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: negative and turn into a recession UH. And those that 119 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: don't are sctuations and growth accelerations and decelerations. We've been 120 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: experiencing a deceleration, a growth rate cycle downturn UH since 121 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: early UH. And it's against that that the FED had 122 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: plans to raise rates for something times and they've done 123 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: it once. So that's where this The FED has run 124 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: smack into the economic cycle. If they get their way, 125 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: they'll be able to raise rates once this year. Looking 126 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: at the forward data that anticipates cyclical turns in the 127 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: growth rate cycle, there's a tiny uptick. It's not enough 128 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 1: to make a bottom call in the growth rate cycle, 129 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,640 Speaker 1: but we're watching it and um, it's it's going to 130 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: break one or two ways. Either it's going to develop 131 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 1: into a growth rate cycle upturn or it's going to deteriorate. 132 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: It's going to be a false start. And what a 133 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: corporate profits tell you then, I mean, if you if 134 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: you're a business cycle analysis to corporate profits matter? They matter. 135 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:04,439 Speaker 1: I mean I think there's a question as to how 136 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: they're measured, um, but conceptually they matter. They can help 137 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 1: drive investment, which is critical to productivity growth. But you 138 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: really need profits which are some sort of cash. Uh. 139 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: You need to have your capacity constraint, which it absolutely 140 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,079 Speaker 1: is not, and you need to have some confidence in 141 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:25,839 Speaker 1: the future, which which there's little. So I don't see 142 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:29,439 Speaker 1: a lot of investment coming even if corporate profits are 143 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: less bad. And the reason I brought that question up 144 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: is one of the great miscalls where people thought corporate 145 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: profits were great, and there was that moment in two 146 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: thousand one where we went oops, they weren't. Well, go ahead, yeah, 147 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: I was just gonna say, you know you could. So 148 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: the reported profits are the reported profits, and everybody's a 149 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: pro it kind of analyzing and moving those around. But 150 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: you look at what can you charge for your for 151 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: for what you sell, and how much does it cost 152 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 1: you to make it, so you can kind of back 153 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,960 Speaker 1: into corporate profits that way or por corporate profits growth 154 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: or which way is the wind leaning? And um, certainly 155 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: on tradeable goods, on tangible things, there's zero pricing power. 156 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: We're hearing that all over the place. You might see 157 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:20,560 Speaker 1: that mostly in autos or uh, some apparel and things 158 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: like that. UM. But you see that when you look 159 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: at the global export price inflation, it's non existent. In fact, 160 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: it was deflation. Uh. And this is I'm getting away 161 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: from oil to other stuff. Uh. You have a real 162 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 1: problem in pricing. Where you have some pricing power is 163 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:41,439 Speaker 1: in services and um as we see in rents or healthcare. 164 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:44,839 Speaker 1: And that's a problem for anyone who's a person who 165 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: lives and tries to has to have healthcare and a 166 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: place to live and food and things like that. Fortunately, 167 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 1: most of our listeners are not people, and to any 168 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: place to live well, let's get to um what we 169 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: don't pay you for here, and that is to come 170 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: on and give you a forecast. What do you see. 171 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:04,599 Speaker 1: We've talked about the GDP slowdown, but what do you 172 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: see going forward when you put all the numbers together, 173 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: well all the numbers together. First, you absolutely have a 174 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: growth rate cycle downturn, which is is agonizing the feed. 175 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 1: At the same time, you have an inflation cycle upturn. 176 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: It's a cyclical inflation cycle upturn, so for a few 177 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 1: quarters happening inside of a long term decline in inflation expectation. 178 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:29,959 Speaker 1: So you'll if you look at longer inflation expectations, those 179 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: are going to remain down. Nevertheless, the FED will get 180 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: a little squeezed by that, in particular, as I said, 181 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 1: by services inflation. What remains to be determined. It has 182 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 1: not been determined yet. If this growth rate cycle downturn 183 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: has a chance of ending as we go into next year, 184 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: and I think that will be determined over the next 185 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: several months. Well, I gotta throw this in. Yes, I mean, 186 00:11:56,840 --> 00:12:00,560 Speaker 1: because there is a date out there, the first Tuesday November. 187 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: To what extent does an election play into your forecast? 188 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 1: Because what we have often seen is a lot on 189 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:10,439 Speaker 1: hold and then after the elections over then people feel 190 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: better and get back to what. Well. Look, when you're 191 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: in a growth reycycle downturn, um, you become a little 192 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: bit more vulnerable to shocks. Um it. But it really 193 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: depends on your forward indicators, and those have stabilized a 194 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: little bit. Uh. So, Um, we don't have a high 195 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 1: likelihood of a recession this year. Uh, and that is noteworthy. 196 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:40,680 Speaker 1: That is news. I think. Um, what happens beyond that, 197 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: uh has not been determined yet. It will be a 198 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 1: mix of what goes on in the markets, what goes 199 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: on with private surveys, what goes on with actual data 200 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: and leading indicators. Okay, let's leave, thank you so much. 201 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: Really most interesting views on a tepid US economy something 202 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: like what we heard from Sree T. Well, maybe t 203 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 1: but it's not recession. I mean, Lachman said, that's not recession. Michael, 204 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 1: I don't know, but I can say headlines. But um, 205 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: what port Summer says in about two or three years, 206 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: I don't know. Well, we'll see. I've really been looking 207 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 1: forward to this. Let's get right to it. Uh. Will 208 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: palmerants is essentially definitive on Russian history and does that 209 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: at the esteemed Kennon Institute for Advanced Russian Studies is 210 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,120 Speaker 1: at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Dr Palmer's wonderful to have 211 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 1: you back again. I assume when you were at the 212 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: University of London a few years ago you didn't worry 213 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 1: about Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Please explain from your 214 00:13:54,480 --> 00:14:00,760 Speaker 1: your August academic perch this linkage of this fascination of 215 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 1: Mr Putin of Mr Trump, how does it filter in 216 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: will Permerance's land. Well, what's very interesting is I think 217 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: Putin is essentially using all the skills that he learned 218 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 1: in the KGB and all the skills that he learned 219 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: in terms of handling people in order to kind of 220 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: work his way into Trump's confidence. So the statements that 221 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: from Trump, you know that Prutin likes me, or he 222 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: says nice things about me, and therefore I'll say nice 223 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: things about him. I think that comes from years of 224 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:38,720 Speaker 1: training in many ways from Prutin and his ability to 225 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: to appeal to people on a certain person to person level. Uh. 226 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: In terms of Trump's admiration for Putin, I think it 227 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: comes from his belief of what a leader is, and 228 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 1: I think obviously people have different interpretations of what real 229 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: leadership is. But from Trump's perspective, someone who gets to 230 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 1: do he wants to do all the time is his 231 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 1: ideal of a leader. And therefore that's kind of the 232 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: relationship right now, the framework that each of us has 233 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: on Russia and the Soviet Union and Russia before that. 234 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 1: I'm reading right now a fabulous one volume on the 235 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: mathematician Leonard Oiler of Switzerland, who spent many of years 236 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 1: literally the advent of St. Petersburg, just as one idea. Well, 237 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: I would suggest that most of us have framed our 238 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: belief of Russia around whatever the latest Tom Hanks movie is, 239 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 1: or maybe we remember Darkness at Noon, Arthur Kessler's shocking 240 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 1: novel of a generation ago on on the difficulties the 241 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: challenges of the Soviet Union. What do we get wrong 242 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 1: in our prism about Russia. I think what we've gotten 243 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: wrong in many ways is the belief that somehow Russia. 244 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: There are lots of things that we get wrong, and 245 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:00,880 Speaker 1: there's some things that we get right. But if you 246 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: look at it, I think, especially in the aftermath of 247 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 1: the end of the Cold War, there was this belief 248 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: that somehow Russia was moving towards the West, but Russia, 249 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 1: as a European country was was inevitably going to become 250 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: more like that because there was no real alternatives. But 251 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,720 Speaker 1: in reality there are many alternatives, and they are found 252 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 1: in Russian history. And one of the unique aspects of 253 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: Russian history is this belief that Russia needs to be 254 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: a single power, that it should not necessarily be aligned 255 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: and a part of other broader organizations. And so I 256 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: think the assumption that somehow Russia was moving towards the 257 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: West or could be integrated in the West was wrong. 258 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: Russia has its own defined interests, and it will pursue 259 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: those interests even against what we perceived is going against 260 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:49,440 Speaker 1: its economic interests. And of course I didn't mention the 261 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: load Stone folks. We just had a wonderful conversation with 262 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 1: the Bloomberg News reporter oh two weeks ago or so, 263 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: who literally grew up will where Julie Christie and Almar 264 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 1: Sharif went on that sleigh in Doctor Gavago. So you 265 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:06,399 Speaker 1: you go east from Moscow and you go out, and 266 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: it's where the Tsars went when they're trying to get 267 00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:11,880 Speaker 1: away from Napoleon. I get all that. Our John Michelswait 268 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: just went east to Vlada law Stock. How attached is 269 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 1: Moscow in putains Russia to the Siberia that's way out there, 270 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:26,960 Speaker 1: five thousand miles to the east. Well, he's attached to 271 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:30,120 Speaker 1: it because that's the source of this greatest wealth. Russia's 272 00:17:30,119 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 1: wealth is in its raw materials and its minerals, and 273 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: most of them are located in Siberia. And therefore the 274 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 1: point for Moscow is to make sure that those materials 275 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: were all materials remain a part of Russia and a 276 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 1: part of Russia's wealth. The issue is always to what 277 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: extent Russia is able to assert its will over Siberia. 278 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 1: For these regions. Um. For a long period of time, 279 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 1: the Russian state was in fact quite weak um. And 280 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:59,000 Speaker 1: therefore this is kind of in the Czar's period. Uh, 281 00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: there was a lot of semi autonomy for those types 282 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: of regions, simply because the state didn't reach into those regions. 283 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: I think today it's very different. I think Putin realizes 284 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: that he needs the regions. He needs to keep them 285 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: apart of Russia, because without them, there's no real wealth 286 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,439 Speaker 1: that allows Russia to play on the international stage. If 287 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 1: you're just joining the school Partmerents were thrilled to have 288 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: him on the deputy director Kennon Institute, Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington. 289 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: Truly one of the nation's experts on Russia. Will a 290 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:30,400 Speaker 1: delicate question, and I frame us with great respect for 291 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: the wonderful people from Russia in the United States. I 292 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: see French in the United States and they have a 293 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: linkage to their country. I see Germans in the United States, 294 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: or people from China, people from Taiwan, first and second generation. 295 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 1: Is a general statement, what is the linkage of the 296 00:18:48,040 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 1: Russians in America back to Mr? Putin? Is there a 297 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 1: tight linkage? Do they hate the guy? What is that generalization? 298 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 1: It really depends on what type of Ussian you're talking about, 299 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,719 Speaker 1: because again, one of the interesting things about Russia is, 300 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,359 Speaker 1: up until recently, it really didn't have a diaspora in 301 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 1: the United States. Most of the Soviet citizens who emigrated there, 302 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: either from Lithuania, from Ukraine, they had their own sense 303 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:19,439 Speaker 1: of identity and they didn't necessary transfer it back to 304 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:23,119 Speaker 1: the Soviet Union or specifically to Russia. I think today 305 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:26,720 Speaker 1: you do have a larger diaspora of Russians, and they 306 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:30,159 Speaker 1: have a variety of different opinions and attitudes. For a 307 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,640 Speaker 1: lot of them, I think they left Russia because they 308 00:19:33,680 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 1: realized they can't They needed a different environment in order 309 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: to thrive into to prosper and therefore they have a 310 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:45,360 Speaker 1: very ambivalent attitude towards Russia. For the most part, those 311 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 1: people who leave Russia do so for a desire to 312 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:52,439 Speaker 1: kind of achieve the things that they can achieve right 313 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: now in Russia. That being the case, there's also a 314 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:58,120 Speaker 1: group of Russians who are associated with the elite who 315 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,919 Speaker 1: have now been educated in foreign universities and prep schools 316 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:03,800 Speaker 1: and so forth, and I think they have a much 317 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:08,880 Speaker 1: greater attachment to Russia. Nevertheless, they're not going back. Where 318 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: is mr putin right now? Economically, I've had real mixed 319 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: signals on this. I get articles that Russia's flat on 320 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: its back, etcetera, etcetera. From your filter of politics in 321 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: international relations? Is Russia flat on its back? Economically? Slot 322 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:26,640 Speaker 1: on its back? It's not as things are not as 323 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: bad as the worst six months ago, mainly because the 324 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 1: price of oil is not as low. Uh. It's gone 325 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: from the thirties to the mid forties at times even 326 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 1: fifty and that has given Russia a very small amount 327 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: of breathing room. But nevertheless, the underlying economy is in 328 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: terrible shape. And the central Bank today just uh lord percent, 329 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: but tem percent isn't gonna convince people to go out 330 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: and get a loan, especially in Russia, and there are 331 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 1: other business why can either. Consumer demand is down. One 332 00:20:56,920 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: of the interesting things going on nowadays is that people 333 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,800 Speaker 1: workers are no longer getting paid. This was a symptom 334 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:04,639 Speaker 1: that occurred at the end of the Soviet Union that 335 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,720 Speaker 1: the wagerers and factories and state contracts and so forth 336 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 1: um and the state is desperate for money. They're talking 337 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: about various different types of private nations and they can't 338 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,440 Speaker 1: take place because there's not money. They're not gonna get. 339 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 1: Will Palmerance with its the Kennan Institute, Mike, we had 340 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: a fascinating discussion in our last section, Bigger Broader Themes. Mike, 341 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 1: we got into the conversation Julie Christie, John Michael Twaite 342 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:36,320 Speaker 1: in Vladi Law Stock all in one conversation. Oh well, 343 00:21:36,359 --> 00:21:38,399 Speaker 1: I always thought you were gonna tell me there was 344 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:41,440 Speaker 1: a remake of Dr Javango exactly. And John Michael Tawaite 345 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: is gonna play Omar Sharif I mean John Michael twaite 346 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 1: of course, folks, and Julie Christie and Marie with no 347 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:49,919 Speaker 1: he Holdron is gonna play Julie Christie out of our 348 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,359 Speaker 1: London office anyways, will Palmerance. Let's go narrow here, and 349 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: let's go to the border that Mr. Putin faces with 350 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:00,479 Speaker 1: the Baltic states in Eastern Europe. I'm fastin aided by 351 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:04,680 Speaker 1: the relationship, for example, of Russia in Finland. There's at 352 00:22:04,760 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: length the eastern Finnish border, which is which is stoked 353 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: in history? Isn't it steeped in history? Isn't it? Yes? 354 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: It is? And um Obviously, Finland was actually a part 355 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:19,439 Speaker 1: of the Russian Empire up until nineteen seventeen, and it 356 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: has fought several wars with Russia, both the War of 357 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: Independence and in nineteen forty uh and it is a 358 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:32,680 Speaker 1: question as to what Finland needs to do in order 359 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 1: to defend itself against what is perceived as a resurgent Russia. 360 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:40,199 Speaker 1: Finland has always been militarily neutral, and I think Finland 361 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: is revisiting that issue. The Finnishing example is also very 362 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 1: interesting because the argument is that Ukraine now should adapt 363 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:50,399 Speaker 1: the same type of neutral model that Finland does, and 364 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:53,119 Speaker 1: clearly Finland doesn't want to do Ukraine doesn't want to 365 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 1: do that either. So there's a long history of tension 366 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 1: between Finland and russ show UM, and Finland has to 367 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 1: decide as well to what extent it needs to seek 368 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 1: out potentially NATO membership in order to defend itself with 369 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:12,960 Speaker 1: the resurg in Russia. How are the Russians going as 370 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: we understand it, the U s policy and NATO policies 371 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 1: to put some more troops into the Balkan, into UM, 372 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: the Lithuania Lafia Estonia area. How the Russians going to 373 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 1: take that. They're going to take it very badly, and 374 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: they're going to increase their number of troops UM. It 375 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 1: will be a vicious cycle because the Russians will match 376 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: those types of actions by NATO UM and probably raise 377 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 1: them as well. So there's a real question as to 378 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 1: whether the US NATO are making simply symbolic gestures to 379 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,879 Speaker 1: the Baltic states by sending more troops, or whether we 380 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:57,880 Speaker 1: need to do more a more advanced placement of US 381 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: troops and be more engaged in the Baltics and vibe 382 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: NATO was there a way to ratchet down the tensions. 383 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:05,560 Speaker 1: Are we gonna in a situation like during the Cold 384 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:07,400 Speaker 1: War where we just sort of have to keep responding 385 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: to Russia. I think essentially we will let Russia raise 386 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: the anti as it were, But I don't think NATO 387 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:19,159 Speaker 1: keeps trying to match what Russia tries to do. I 388 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,480 Speaker 1: think the issue really is how long Russia can afford 389 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:25,399 Speaker 1: to continue to raise this anti UH in light of 390 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 1: its current economic difficulties. The argument would be that Russia 391 00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:30,640 Speaker 1: can do this indefinitely because it used it in its 392 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:34,679 Speaker 1: strategic interests um But as we discussed in the in 393 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:40,000 Speaker 1: the earlier segment, Russia faces significant economic headwinds, and in 394 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:43,640 Speaker 1: that sense, it's unclear how long Russia can maintain its 395 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:49,520 Speaker 1: current pace and its current military UH engagement and and 396 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: and so forth. Tom, can I follow up here? A 397 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 1: question just occurred to me because this has come up 398 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 1: in the presidential race. It came up yesterday in Trump's 399 00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,439 Speaker 1: speech where he said our military is in terrible shape. 400 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,040 Speaker 1: How good is the Russian military and how do we compare? 401 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: I think what we've learned over the last two years 402 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 1: is that the Russian military is stronger than we initially anticipated. 403 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 1: In many ways we view the Russian military, or had 404 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: viewed the Russian military as the left over the Soviet military, 405 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 1: which wasn't very good, which really couldn't maintain foreign forth 406 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 1: and couldn't exert power overseas. I think we've clearly now 407 00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:31,640 Speaker 1: reassessed that. I think Russia clearly has made marked improvements 408 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 1: in its ability to engage abroad. How how how strong 409 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 1: is their army overall it's still a conscript army. Um, 410 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:46,360 Speaker 1: it's still poorly prepared and so forth. The question is um, 411 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: in terms of the U strength visa v. Russia, the 412 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,879 Speaker 1: reality is that the US strength, NATO strength, no matter what, 413 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: will not be in a position to challenge Russia in 414 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 1: its own backyard and in countries that are not in NATO. 415 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,480 Speaker 1: And that's the that's the line tension. Well, thank you 416 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: so much for the briefing, very valuable. William Palmer and 417 00:26:04,119 --> 00:26:09,400 Speaker 1: Steputy Director, Institute for Advanced Russian Studies, wood will Wilson, Washington, 418 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:13,719 Speaker 1: d C. Just like just extraordinary discussion. That was just 419 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 1: I learned what I love about surveillance, folks. Is I 420 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 1: actually John Tucker? When I leave the building after my 421 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,160 Speaker 1: three hour day you know, we get in here at 422 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:26,479 Speaker 1: like five fifty five fifty and I'm out of here 423 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:30,639 Speaker 1: by nine am, and and I find it. You know, 424 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 1: I learned something every day. This is good the presidential candidates, 425 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:43,800 Speaker 1: she'd be young every day. Yes, some need to Who 426 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 1: you put your trust in matters. Investors have put their 427 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: trust in independent registered investment advisors to the tune of 428 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:55,879 Speaker 1: four trillion dollars. Why they see their role is to serve, 429 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 1: not sell. That's why Charles Schwab is committed to the 430 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:04,320 Speaker 1: success of over seven thousand independent financial advisors who passionately 431 00:27:04,359 --> 00:27:08,760 Speaker 1: dedicate themselves to helping people achieve their financial goals. Learn 432 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: more and find your independent advisor dot com. Well, Hillary 433 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:20,879 Speaker 1: Clinton is fine, she's back on the campaign trail. Everything 434 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 1: is good. But her illness over the weekend raised some 435 00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: questions in people's minds. I know this was a talking 436 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 1: point for a lot of people, But what would happen 437 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:34,680 Speaker 1: if some presidential candidate someday did get sick enough to 438 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:37,639 Speaker 1: have to drop out once they had already been selected 439 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 1: by uh convention? And Uh, I was asked this by 440 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: a number of people. Tom, and Uh, I didn't know. 441 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: We found somebody who does Richard Pildy's is a New 442 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: York University School of Law professor. Authored the book Romanticizing Democracy, 443 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:57,239 Speaker 1: Political Fragmentation, and the Decline of American Government. He's one 444 00:27:57,240 --> 00:27:59,840 Speaker 1: of the nation's leading scholars of constitutional law. And I 445 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:05,760 Speaker 1: us this is a constitutional issue. What UH, professor, would 446 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:10,879 Speaker 1: happen if hypothetical candidate um Tom Keane slipped out on 447 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:15,600 Speaker 1: olive practice, head open and couldn't continue the campaign. Well, 448 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 1: good to be talking to you, Mike about these issues. 449 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:19,600 Speaker 1: And of course this is such a low probability event 450 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 1: in the current circumstance, But I think a lot of 451 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:24,359 Speaker 1: people are interested in understanding our system and you know, 452 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 1: how it deals with these kinds of issues. They would 453 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: be obviously enormously momentous if they actually happened. So if 454 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 1: a nominee of one of the major parties got sick, 455 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: had to withdraw, even died after the nomination and before 456 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 1: the election, the process would start with the political parties. 457 00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:45,719 Speaker 1: After all, this is, you know, a nominee of the party. 458 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:49,680 Speaker 1: People tend to forget that, UH. And both the Republican 459 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: National Committee, which is the organization that kind of runs 460 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 1: the Republican Convention, or the Democratic National committee would have 461 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: the power to choose a replacement candidate. UM. They could, 462 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 1: in theory, you know, hold another convention. UM. And if 463 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 1: somebody died or withdrew right after the convention, maybe that 464 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: would happen. But much more likely what would happen is 465 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:18,440 Speaker 1: the committee itself would make the choice for the replacement. UM. 466 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 1: So that's a group on the Republican side, it's around 467 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:23,880 Speaker 1: a hundred and fifty people or so. On the Democratic side, 468 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 1: it's a larger group that makes up the Democratic National Committee, 469 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: around maybe four hundred and fifty people or so. UM. 470 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:35,280 Speaker 1: And in the first instance, that committee on either side 471 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:39,120 Speaker 1: would choose the replacement nominee. Then you have various issues 472 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:41,280 Speaker 1: about how you get that nominee on the ballot in 473 00:29:41,360 --> 00:29:45,120 Speaker 1: different states. Uh. You know, is this replacement happening a 474 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:48,600 Speaker 1: month before the election, three months before the election, two 475 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: weeks before the election, and then there are various issues 476 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: about what the electors in the electoral College might do. 477 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: And you know, we can talk through the different layers 478 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: involved here if if you're interested, well, definitely, I mean 479 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 1: want we want to start with the idea of UM. Yeah, 480 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 1: the Republican National Committee or Democratic National Committee got to 481 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:08,720 Speaker 1: get together, but do either one to have rules on 482 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: what they would do in these cases? There there really 483 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: aren't very detailed rules for this, and this is probably 484 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 1: a problem that the parties should consider addressing going forward. Um. 485 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:24,760 Speaker 1: There would be a majority vote of the committee that 486 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: would actually, you know, ultimately make this decision. UM. Who 487 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:32,600 Speaker 1: the committee members are is specified in advance, but various 488 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 1: processes and questions like how does the nominee get put forward? Um? 489 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:41,680 Speaker 1: Can a nominee be put forward by any one person 490 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: on the committee? Uh? Does it require of the committee support? 491 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 1: Can it be somebody? Presumably can be, but somebody who 492 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: hasn't run in the primary. Surely you know that's permissible. Um. 493 00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 1: There's very little rules structure within the parties for this. Uh. 494 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:00,840 Speaker 1: And this is something that's never happened to one of 495 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 1: the two major parties in the modern era, let's say, 496 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:07,160 Speaker 1: in the last fifty years or so, except for the 497 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:11,640 Speaker 1: vice presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, Tom Eagleton, who 498 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:18,000 Speaker 1: did get replaced shortly after the convention. You your academics 499 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 1: is fabulous, And part of it is on polarization. What 500 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 1: is the distinction of the populism now of Mr Sanders 501 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 1: and Mr Trump versus the populism of William Jennings. Bryan, Well, 502 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:36,960 Speaker 1: that's a that's a fascinating question. Um So. I think 503 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:40,120 Speaker 1: that part of what's different today, which we're all sort 504 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 1: of aware of, is the role of social media. I 505 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 1: agree media it's a huge distinction, and uh, you know, 506 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 1: the extent to which rumors circulate almost instantaneously across the 507 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 1: Internet and then get picked up and repeated before there's 508 00:31:56,600 --> 00:32:00,280 Speaker 1: time to correct any mistakes. That's very significant. Um. I 509 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:05,560 Speaker 1: think the ability to unify disaffected people throughout the country 510 00:32:05,760 --> 00:32:08,520 Speaker 1: is much greater now because of the role of social media. 511 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 1: I think the ability to bypass the various traditional date keepers, uh, 512 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 1: so that you know, insurgent candidates like a Donald Trump 513 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: or Bernie Sanders have have more ability, uh to to 514 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:24,560 Speaker 1: get out there to the constituency they're trying to reach. 515 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 1: That's very significant. So obviously you don't have to go 516 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:32,600 Speaker 1: through the major broadcast networks to get attention anymore, uh, 517 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:34,400 Speaker 1: and you don't really need the support of the party 518 00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:37,080 Speaker 1: leaders anymore. So whether this Rick piled Us of New 519 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:41,720 Speaker 1: York University Law School, it is September where children take 520 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: abrupt turns in academics. We had to get pilled us 521 00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: on because he did this, Rick piled us You were 522 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: distinguished in physical chemistry at Princeton. I assume you waited 523 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:58,000 Speaker 1: through Atkins or whatever in physical chemistry. What did you 524 00:32:58,040 --> 00:32:59,920 Speaker 1: do like sit in the kem lab and go I 525 00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:03,320 Speaker 1: want to be in law? How did you shift from? 526 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:06,040 Speaker 1: These are the These are the most surprising questions I've 527 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:08,360 Speaker 1: had in an interview in a long time. Great, I 528 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:11,120 Speaker 1: love it. How did you think anybody would be interested? 529 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: How did you shift from physical chemistry to ending up 530 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 1: with Abner Vikta Mikvah and good Marshal and law? How 531 00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: did that happen? Well, I'll tell you. I spent a 532 00:33:23,840 --> 00:33:26,760 Speaker 1: lot of time with graduate students who are doing work 533 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:29,360 Speaker 1: in chemistry, and I began to get a pretty clear 534 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:31,720 Speaker 1: picture of what the next seven or eight years would 535 00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 1: look like in graduate school. And basically the image was 536 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: working in some basement with no windows, with equipment that 537 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:44,440 Speaker 1: never worked, uh, to get six months of data. Uh. 538 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:47,719 Speaker 1: And that didn't seem very exciting, I have to say. 539 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:51,760 Speaker 1: And I also found myself becoming more you know, socially, 540 00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: politically kind of oriented. I wanted to be more engaged 541 00:33:55,600 --> 00:33:58,280 Speaker 1: with the world with issues. So when I first went 542 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 1: to law school, I actually thought that I would take 543 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 1: advantage of my science background and you know, go into 544 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:07,160 Speaker 1: something like environmental law. Um. But then I turned out 545 00:34:07,520 --> 00:34:09,279 Speaker 1: I did do some work in that area, and it 546 00:34:09,320 --> 00:34:12,000 Speaker 1: turned out I wasn't as interested as I thought. I 547 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:14,640 Speaker 1: wanted to be an academic, and so that okay, half 548 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: I pursued one of the questions on this mike, and 549 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:17,920 Speaker 1: then I know, you want to get back to the 550 00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 1: politics of the moment. Nobody was politically as interesting in 551 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:25,279 Speaker 1: as Abner Mikvah within our law a long time ago. 552 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 1: What was it like clerking from Chicago? Yes, and I'm 553 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:31,920 Speaker 1: actually a Chicago and myself, by the way, So when 554 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:35,040 Speaker 1: I was a teenager, I worked handing out leaflets for 555 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:38,280 Speaker 1: his congressional campaign. So part of what was so unusual 556 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:40,760 Speaker 1: about Abner Mikveh, who you know, just died at ninety 557 00:34:41,239 --> 00:34:43,880 Speaker 1: this summer, uh, is that he worked at the highest 558 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:46,400 Speaker 1: levels of the United States government in all three branches. 559 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 1: I'm not sure there's anybody in the modern era who's 560 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:52,080 Speaker 1: done the same. He was a congressman from Illinois for 561 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:54,560 Speaker 1: many years. Then he was a federal judge on the 562 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:57,040 Speaker 1: United States Court of Appeals to the d C Circuit, 563 00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 1: which is the court you know, kind of right below 564 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:01,120 Speaker 1: the U. S. Supreme Court. And then he was the 565 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:05,640 Speaker 1: White House counsel to President Bill Clinton. He was, uh, 566 00:35:05,680 --> 00:35:09,880 Speaker 1: you know, an early reform politician on the Democratic Party side. 567 00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:15,080 Speaker 1: So he took on the daily machine in Chicago. And uh, 568 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:16,480 Speaker 1: you know, one of the things that he was a 569 00:35:16,520 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 1: wonderful guy, and one of the things that was most 570 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:22,640 Speaker 1: remarkable about him is that for all the years he 571 00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:26,080 Speaker 1: was in politics, uh, he always managed to maintain a 572 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:30,440 Speaker 1: tremendous sense of integrity about his views and about his 573 00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:34,920 Speaker 1: personal life that was just never Everybody across the aisle 574 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:38,080 Speaker 1: just has cues agree. I can't say enough about that, Mike, 575 00:35:38,160 --> 00:35:40,800 Speaker 1: about the battles that he had with the Chicago machine, 576 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:45,160 Speaker 1: and almost seemed like, almost on a daily basis, we're 577 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:50,879 Speaker 1: doing we districted him out of his district his political career. Um, 578 00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:53,560 Speaker 1: he had to move from Hyde Park, where the University 579 00:35:53,560 --> 00:35:55,640 Speaker 1: of Chicago is where he was first elected, up to 580 00:35:55,680 --> 00:35:58,840 Speaker 1: the north shore of Suburbs. But you know, also about 581 00:35:58,840 --> 00:36:02,200 Speaker 1: after mc food, it turned out he became a major 582 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 1: mentor to so many of the most significant figures today 583 00:36:06,080 --> 00:36:09,760 Speaker 1: so he was certainly a major mentor for Elana Kagan, 584 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:13,560 Speaker 1: who is now of course on the U. S Supreme Court. Uh. 585 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:16,759 Speaker 1: He was a significant mentor for Merrick Darland, who has 586 00:36:16,800 --> 00:36:19,160 Speaker 1: been nominated to the US Supreme Court. Was also from 587 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 1: the Chicago area. And of course he was one of 588 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:25,200 Speaker 1: the most significant early political mentors for Barack Obama when 589 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 1: Barack Obama was representing Hyde Park in the Illinois state legislature. 590 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:34,960 Speaker 1: So just a wonderful, wonderful human being who was beloved 591 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:38,520 Speaker 1: across the aisle and great person to work for. Michael, 592 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:42,480 Speaker 1: I want to get back to the issue of presidential 593 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 1: candidates on the ballot, uh and ask what would happen 594 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 1: if the election were over, uh and somebody won and 595 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:55,719 Speaker 1: then died or was incapacitated. Well, this is also one 596 00:36:55,719 --> 00:36:58,440 Speaker 1: of the things about our system that is a little 597 00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:03,120 Speaker 1: bit uh unusual, you know, and people kind of forget this. 598 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 1: But you know, we have the election in November, but 599 00:37:06,280 --> 00:37:09,919 Speaker 1: of course, uh, you know, the president new president doesn't 600 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:13,840 Speaker 1: take office until January, so there's a three month gap there. 601 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:16,880 Speaker 1: And on top of that, because formally the president has 602 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:21,439 Speaker 1: chosen through the electoral college process after the popular vote 603 00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:24,480 Speaker 1: takes place in November. We still formally have to have 604 00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:28,000 Speaker 1: the electoral college meet, which they do in December, and 605 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:31,520 Speaker 1: they have to formally vote and send their votes to Congress, 606 00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:35,799 Speaker 1: which Congress doesn't receive and formally count until January. And 607 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:37,880 Speaker 1: you know, you can imagine all sorts of things going 608 00:37:37,880 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 1: wrong at different points in that three months interval between 609 00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:47,000 Speaker 1: the election and the new government actually taking office. Uh. 610 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:52,120 Speaker 1: And if a person who won the presidential vote on 611 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: election day actually died before being sworn in, Um, the 612 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:01,719 Speaker 1: answer is fairly easy if that takes place after the 613 00:38:01,760 --> 00:38:04,799 Speaker 1: Congress has counted the votes of the electoral college. There 614 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:07,319 Speaker 1: the constitution is very clear that the vice president would 615 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:12,640 Speaker 1: take over. So if the president elect died between early 616 00:38:12,719 --> 00:38:16,959 Speaker 1: January January twenty, that's pretty easy. It does actually get 617 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:20,280 Speaker 1: a bit messier if the person who wins the popular 618 00:38:20,360 --> 00:38:24,600 Speaker 1: vote in November dies before the electoral college formally meets 619 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:29,800 Speaker 1: and votes. UM. I suspect what would happen is that 620 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:33,880 Speaker 1: the electors of that party would go ahead and vote 621 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:37,520 Speaker 1: for the vice presidential nominee from that party. UM, and 622 00:38:37,560 --> 00:38:41,400 Speaker 1: I suspect that's what would stick as the result. But 623 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:45,160 Speaker 1: there is no legal framework you know that actually spells out, 624 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:47,279 Speaker 1: is that what it's supposed to happen. So you can 625 00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:51,520 Speaker 1: just imagine the kind of controversies that would erupt the 626 00:38:51,560 --> 00:38:54,120 Speaker 1: people from both sides running into the courts to try 627 00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:56,440 Speaker 1: to get the courts to resolve this. And you know, 628 00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:58,640 Speaker 1: these are the kind of gaps in our system that 629 00:38:58,680 --> 00:39:01,839 Speaker 1: no one thinks about until something actually happens, and then 630 00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:05,279 Speaker 1: it's too the problem. I have only a minute left, 631 00:39:05,320 --> 00:39:07,279 Speaker 1: so I have to ask you this quickly. Um, and 632 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:09,440 Speaker 1: this isn't about somebody dying, but two people staying on 633 00:39:09,480 --> 00:39:12,880 Speaker 1: the ballot. There are scenarios everybody's war gaming out that 634 00:39:12,960 --> 00:39:15,440 Speaker 1: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump could end up tied in 635 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:18,520 Speaker 1: electoral votes. Uh, and then you know in theory that 636 00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:21,520 Speaker 1: would send it to the House. But are electors required 637 00:39:21,880 --> 00:39:26,200 Speaker 1: to vote for somebody? So the first answer is some 638 00:39:26,280 --> 00:39:28,680 Speaker 1: state laws require them to vote for the person who 639 00:39:28,719 --> 00:39:31,840 Speaker 1: won the popular vote. But the second it's something like 640 00:39:31,880 --> 00:39:35,080 Speaker 1: twenty nine states have laws like that. But there's a 641 00:39:35,120 --> 00:39:39,279 Speaker 1: real debate about whether those laws are actually constitutional and 642 00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:41,920 Speaker 1: whether the way the electoral college is set up in 643 00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:44,960 Speaker 1: the Constitution. At the end of the day, the electors 644 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:48,000 Speaker 1: have to be free to vote for whomever they think 645 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:51,359 Speaker 1: you know is the appropriate person to vote for, so 646 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:54,640 Speaker 1: we we would once again be in the courts to 647 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:57,680 Speaker 1: resolve that. All right, we'll keep our fingers, get out 648 00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:00,440 Speaker 1: and vote everybody so that we don't end up with 649 00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:03,360 Speaker 1: a tie because we don't want to go back to 650 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:06,840 Speaker 1: courts on that. Rick Pelty's from New York University Law School. 651 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:08,680 Speaker 1: I have a feeling we'll be talking to him again 652 00:40:08,719 --> 00:40:15,800 Speaker 1: before janu when the new president is sworn in UM 653 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:19,640 Speaker 1: and he's right. Remember Tom in London after Brexit uh, 654 00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:23,160 Speaker 1: the Cameron resigned, Teresa May took over. Took all of 655 00:40:23,200 --> 00:40:28,680 Speaker 1: twenty four hours. Thanks for listening to the Bloomberg Surveillance podcast. 656 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:34,120 Speaker 1: Subscribe and listen to interviews on iTunes, SoundCloud, or whichever 657 00:40:34,280 --> 00:40:38,200 Speaker 1: podcast platform you prefer. I'm on Twitter at Tom Keane. 658 00:40:38,600 --> 00:40:42,600 Speaker 1: Michael McKee is at Economy. Before the podcast, you can 659 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:53,000 Speaker 1: always catch us worldwide. I'm Bloomberg Radio. Who you put 660 00:40:53,040 --> 00:40:56,960 Speaker 1: your trust in? Matters? Investors have put their trust in 661 00:40:56,960 --> 00:41:00,120 Speaker 1: independent registered investment advisors to the tune of four or 662 00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:05,240 Speaker 1: trillion dollars. Why learn more and find your independent advisor 663 00:41:05,360 --> 00:41:07,680 Speaker 1: dot com m