1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: The Armstrong and Getty show. Well, it's a great strategy 2 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: for him not to talk to the press. The press, 3 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:12,559 Speaker 1: by the way, should be pressuring the former vice president 4 00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 1: to answer questions, because that's part of the responsibility of 5 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,319 Speaker 1: a presidential candidate. Well, I've got advice for Biden and 6 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: Trump today. I want to run by. Lan Chen needs 7 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,319 Speaker 1: to shut up the responsibilities to get clicks. That's the 8 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: only responsibility. I think Howard Kurtz and a lot of 9 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: political strategists start thinking about times going by. I don't think. 10 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: I really don't think Joe Biden does need to answer questions, 11 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: just like Trump didn't need to release his taxes, which 12 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: used to be something you had to do. I don't 13 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: think Biden has to answer questions. Lanie j Chen is 14 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: the David and Diane Stephy Fellow in American Public Policy 15 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: Studies at the Hoover Institution. Among the other worthy endeavors 16 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: in lawn, he joins us, Now, how are you, sir? 17 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: I'm fine that morning. I know how you are. You're 18 00:00:54,880 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: a gloating Dodgers fan. I love it. Great, great start. 19 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: Are you pro the cardboard cutouts behind the batters or anti? 20 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: Let's let me tell you something. I I actually think 21 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,199 Speaker 1: it's kind of endearing in a in a weird dystopian way, 22 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: that that my son and I both have cutouts in 23 00:01:15,120 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: Dodger Stadium. Oh you do, good man? Thou it whimsical? Yeah? No, 24 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: I like it. I'm pro Yeah, the game was not whimsical. 25 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:23,479 Speaker 1: The game was sucky. I thought it was. I thought 26 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: it was definitely less weird than the empty seats. Yeah. 27 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: Um when I was watching uh National's Yankees anyway. So um. 28 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: I know. Traditionally you wouldn't have been able to get 29 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: away with not answering questions, and eventually, eventually even the 30 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:39,120 Speaker 1: liberal media would have beat up on a Democrat for 31 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,479 Speaker 1: not answering questions. But I think times have changed. The 32 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,959 Speaker 1: media is so actively in support of one side or 33 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: the other, and everybody's needles stuck. I don't think Joe 34 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: Biden actually does have to answer questions. What do you think? 35 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: I don't think he has to either. I don't think 36 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: he's going to be held to account for it. Uh 37 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: you know. I think under standably people do have questions 38 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: that they want to have answered, But what the Biden 39 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: campaign has done well so far is essentially to put 40 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: him in very controlled settings, to put Biden in very 41 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: controlled settings where he can answer the questions he wants 42 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 1: to ask. There aren't many spontaneous interactions. And I think 43 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: you're right. The media is not. They're not in a 44 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 1: position to hold Biden to account for much of anything 45 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: because they have a particular point of view about this election, 46 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: and I think they've made that pretty clear. Yeah. Yeah, 47 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: And they're not going to let anything get in the 48 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: way of the prime directive, even antiquated notions of journalistic ethics. 49 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: I mean, I where did go where I read somebody 50 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: who was given credit? Oh uh? Jonathan Swan was talking 51 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: about how Trump did a press conference the same day 52 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: Trump did a press conference, Pence did a press conference 53 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: and then the press secretary took questions also, and how 54 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: Biden had taken none. I don't think. I don't think 55 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: you're going to get any credit for standing out there 56 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: and answering questions. I wish you would, but yeah, although 57 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: I will say this, I mean, I do think if 58 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: Donald Trump were to to avoid questions would be a story, 59 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: no doubt, no doubt. It doesn't work both ways, and 60 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 1: it would be interesting to see kind of how Biden's 61 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: bunker strategy will go if and when, you know, Trump 62 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: starts to get out there a little bit more, and 63 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: he is, you know, Trump is doing a little bit 64 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: more travel, Pence is doing a little bit more travel. 65 00:03:20,240 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: I do think at some point they are going to 66 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: have to take Biden and they're gonna have to put 67 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 1: them out there. But look, for the last several weeks, 68 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: what they've been doing has been absolutely fine. In fact, 69 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: it's probably been a benefit to them to have Biden 70 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 1: the bunker. So a little change in direction here, Lonie. 71 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: I'm not going to spend a lot of time setting 72 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: this up as I did earlier in the show, but 73 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: just very briefly, I believe that we are at a 74 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: point in partisan politics right now where the party out 75 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: of power has gone beyond trying to prevent the party 76 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: in power from getting a victory. Um, They've gone beyond 77 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: in transigence and obstructionist lawmaking into actively trying to damage 78 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: the American pe in this country, make sure we're miserable, 79 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: continue the misery, enhance the misery if they can. Um, 80 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: do you think it's gotten that brutal? Yeah, I do. 81 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: I think it's it's become much worse than standard kind 82 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: of partisan bickering. I do think that fundamentally each side 83 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: wants to so completely discredit the other. They want to 84 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: so completely uh sully the reputation of the other side, 85 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: that that they are willing to go to links they 86 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: probably weren't willing to go to before. And I think 87 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: the rhetoric, I think the way that people talk about things, 88 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: the nature of the kind of subjects that are brought up, 89 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 1: the personal nature. I think also that that struck me 90 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:46,679 Speaker 1: as well. But I'm how personal it is. I'm talking 91 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: less about rhetoric than policy, though I believe the Democrats 92 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 1: are enthusiastic about keeping the schools closed and tighter clamp 93 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 1: downs on business because it will make parents miserable and 94 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 1: hurt the economy, therefore enhance the chances to elect Joe Biden. Yeah, 95 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: I have noticed that there is a little bit of uh, 96 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: a little bit of that edge that's come in. Particularly 97 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 1: you guys are right on school closings. I mean, this 98 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: is an area where I am struck by the degree 99 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: to which the media, a lot of the politicians in 100 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 1: big urban areas UM and a lot of Democrats are 101 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 1: coming together to express a particular point of view about 102 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:29,320 Speaker 1: keeping schools closed. And what worries me is the way 103 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: in which they essentially demagogue those who say we should 104 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: open schools, and they say, hey, look, if you want 105 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: to open schools, you know you're you're against humanity, you're 106 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: basically anti human you're anti science, and all of these accusations. 107 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: I do think that in the back of their minds Now, 108 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: of course I'll never say this. Of course they'll they'll 109 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: deny it until the cows come home. But in the 110 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:51,920 Speaker 1: back of their mind, I do think that there are 111 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: politics here absolutely well, you know, to to bottom line 112 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:57,919 Speaker 1: it for folks who haven't had their second cup of 113 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 1: coffee yet or or whatever. If you are the candidate 114 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: of change and everything's fine, you're never gonna get elected, 115 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: so you want to make things as miserable as you can, 116 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: and having control of the House of Representatives for instance, 117 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: that are in a position to do that. And I 118 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: just think that that they are doing things that no 119 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: party would have um for a very very long time. 120 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: We're talking with lanh Chen. He's a guy who has 121 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:25,599 Speaker 1: worked on major political campaigns and been an advisor. I 122 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:27,719 Speaker 1: told you what my vice would be to Biden, I'd say, 123 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: don't answer questions, um My, I'm thinking Trump needs a 124 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: game changer, and my advice to Trump would be I 125 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:35,480 Speaker 1: don't know if he'd take this up, because it would 126 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: make it not about him. I think if Trump goes 127 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: out there and says, look the way the polls are 128 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 1: right now, not only do I lose, but the Democrats 129 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: take the Senate. Here's what they will do if they 130 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 1: have the presidency, the House, and the Senate. I think 131 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,239 Speaker 1: you could drive turn out like crazy if you focused 132 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: on the fact. Look if I go, the Senate goes, 133 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 1: and this is what's gonna happen. Yeah. I think the 134 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: basic point that that I've come to is Trump has 135 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: got to figure out a way to make this election 136 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: not about him. And I know that is very challenging 137 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: for a guy who who tends to make a lot 138 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: of things about himself, but this is not. If this 139 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: election is about Donald Trump and whether Donald Trump, uh, 140 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: you know, deserves four more years. I do think that 141 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: he's in a challenging position if he makes it about 142 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: two visions of the world, and his vision of the 143 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: world and the alternate vision of the world. Uh, and 144 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: the alternate vision of the world has you know, the 145 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: Green New Deal and medicure for all, and to fund 146 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 1: the police. I mean, I think that's why you're seeing 147 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 1: them take the strategy they're taking, which is this is 148 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: not about Joe Biden either. This is about two different 149 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 1: visions of the world and what's going to happen if 150 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 1: the alternate vision wins. And I think for Trump that's 151 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: probably the only thing he can do at this point 152 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:51,760 Speaker 1: to change the dynamics. So you're suggesting that Donald Trump 153 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: makes it not about him, Well, that could be a 154 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: bit of a challenge. I got another idea. It's a 155 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: little out of the box. Trump divorces Milania, Mary's Pence 156 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 1: gets the gay volan go. Now, I this, but this 157 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 1: isn't even like a stretch hare um scarem hyperbole? Is it? 158 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: If Donald Trump got up there and said, look, if 159 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: I lose and they take the Senate and they change 160 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: the filibuster rules, which they're they're Elizabeth Warren was talking 161 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,239 Speaker 1: about the other day, they're gonna pass all this stuff. 162 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:30,120 Speaker 1: They could change the country overnight. Isn't that actually true? Yeah? 163 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 1: And I think you know, Biden has tried to present 164 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: himself as a moderate, and I actually thinking and of himself, 165 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 1: he probably is but the problem is he's part of 166 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: a progressive movement now that's gotten progressively and farther and 167 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 1: far to the left if you look at the policies 168 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: he's putting out there. Right, So let's take climate change 169 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 1: for example. He gave a speech on climate change I 170 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: don't know about a week ago, week and a half ago, 171 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: and the policy suggested in there are are in my mind, 172 00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 1: they are quite scary. You know, they're very progressive. They 173 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:04,199 Speaker 1: will completely change the nature of how we how we 174 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 1: foster energy in this country. So yeah, it's not that 175 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: far fetched to say. Look, the vision that he's talking 176 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: about is a far left vision that if he had 177 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 1: the Congress as well, that would enable the far left 178 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: to essentially have these victories. Well, do you think they 179 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: would change the filibuster rules graduation at all? Do you 180 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 1: think they would change the filibuster rules. I think there 181 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:25,440 Speaker 1: will be a lot of pressure on them to do it. 182 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 1: I think there are a few who have said, you know, 183 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: they don't want to do a few Democrats like Joe Mansinis, 184 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 1: said they don't want to do it. But you know 185 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: the way these things work, right, once the political pressure 186 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: starts and the waves build, it's very hard to resist 187 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 1: it if you're cowards. Definitely something. It is definitely something 188 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: that is out there. David and Diane Staffy, Fellow in 189 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:48,719 Speaker 1: American Public Policy Studies at the Hoover Institution lan he 190 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: great stuff. Is always good to talk to you. Thank you, 191 00:09:51,679 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: thank you, good weekend. Yeah you too. Trump wanted to 192 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: be about him, That's that's the way he looks at 193 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 1: the world, and he thinks he can win making it 194 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,040 Speaker 1: about him. But God, I would just say, look, this 195 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: is this is what they're saying they want to do. 196 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: They're talking about changing the rules for all they All 197 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:05,680 Speaker 1: they need is a majority fifty votes in the Senate 198 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:08,600 Speaker 1: and they will have that. They can actually pass all 199 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 1: this stuff, Like in the first month, we'll have green 200 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: new Deal, We'll have to fund the police, will have 201 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 1: you know, all the things you want to mention. Yeah, 202 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: and it's so frustrating. If Trump were just a little 203 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: more self aware, he could win running away even in 204 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:26,679 Speaker 1: the midst of the COVID you know, he just he 205 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 1: he can't quite strike the notes that he needs to strike. 206 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: In my mind. Of course, he got elected once, which 207 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: is only one more time that I've got an elected president. 208 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 1: I'll point that out here within the margin exactly Well. 209 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: The crazy part is this isn't just theoretical. There is 210 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: actually going to be an election in November. Yikes. I 211 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 1: don't know if I can take it.