1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:04,200 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Mollie John Fast, and this is Fast Politics, 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: where we discussed the top political headlines with some of 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:12,560 Speaker 1: today's best minds. And RFK has finally admitted that he 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: has brighten worms. We always knew it to be true. 5 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: We have such a great show for you today. State 6 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 1: Senator Tony Vargas stops by to talk about running for 7 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: Congress against Congressman Don Bacon in Nebraska. 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 2: Then we'll talk to the New York Times. 9 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 1: Frank Bruney about his new book, The Age of Grievance. 10 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: But first we have the host of the Bulwark Daily podcast, 11 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: The Bullworks, Tim Miller. 12 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 2: Welcome back to Fast Politics. Tim Miller, it's good to 13 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 2: be back. 14 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 3: Mollie John Fast. 15 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 1: It's good to have you. So tell me if you 16 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 1: think this is crazy. This is the thing I've been 17 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: thinking a lot about. Is like there's such vibe based 18 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: feeling every day in this fucking run up to the 19 00:00:58,360 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: forever election. 20 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 2: But you know, you check in with people and they're like, 21 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 2: oh my god. 22 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,400 Speaker 1: You know I have a friend who is like ambassadors 23 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: are trying to find trumpy ambassadors so that when Trump 24 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 1: comes back into power these countries and you know he's 25 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: not going to win, and my friend went to Alabama 26 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: and da da da, like I feel like and then 27 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: the next day everyone's like, wow, this is working. He 28 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: went to Wisconsin. This new poll out of Wisconsin tros 29 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: he's up six points. Like don't you feel like there's 30 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: sort of a vibe based group think that is hard 31 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: to not engage with. 32 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 3: I do think that. I think that it is for 33 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 3: a couple of reasons. One, it's just our social media existence. 34 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 3: You know, there just wasn't like a need for having 35 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 3: constant opinions about elections that you know, in nineteen ninety six, 36 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 3: maybe you checked in the morning paper, maybe mention it 37 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 3: to one guy at work at the lunch room or gal, 38 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 3: but that was about it. So I think social media 39 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 3: creates it. And I also think that just fear of 40 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 3: Trump creates it. Right, I mean right, people are so 41 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 3: scared about it and so anxious that you know, they're 42 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 3: looking for a salve, right, They're looking for a fact 43 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 3: or somebody to give him hope. I'm looking for Simon 44 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 3: Rosenberg to give him a little hopeum one day and 45 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 3: then God loves Simon, that's not a criticism. And then 46 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 3: they're looking like they're trying to come up with, Okay, 47 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 3: what's my plan, what's my prepper plan for if he 48 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 3: does if he does win? You know, and like this 49 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 3: is just and so I think that yields vibe based 50 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 3: kind of flailing about and the other thing. As you said, 51 00:02:22,919 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 3: it's just been a very long election. I mean, like 52 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 3: we really, in a normal year, the general election would 53 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 3: just be coming into form. I mean, I'm going for 54 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 3: memory now, but pretty sure May night, like the Hillary 55 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 3: Obama race was still going May ninth, I mean it 56 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 3: was like pretty clear it was Obama at this point, 57 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 3: but Hillary, I think, was still going. We'll get love 58 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 3: to fact check that, but you know, I mean some 59 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 3: of these primaries have been still going at this point 60 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 3: in the cycle. 61 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: Jesse says that that election was going until June fourth, 62 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: So you were right. 63 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 3: Yeah, Jesse's doing it. I just pulled it up to 64 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,799 Speaker 3: Hillary conceded June seventh. It looks like like it was 65 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 3: officially over June fourth, and she gave her that glass 66 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 3: ceiling speech June seventh, So that's another month, right, So 67 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 3: think about that. I mean, like this probably Mary has 68 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 3: been over. 69 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: It feels like forever, right, and like the eighteen months 70 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: ago a week after Republicans underperformed in that twenty twenty election, 71 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: Trump was like, I got to get in there right, 72 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 1: largely because he was hoping that if he announced, he 73 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: would avoid criminal prosecution. 74 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, he'd avoid going to prosecution, maybe scare some people 75 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:22,839 Speaker 3: out of running. That didn't work with for DeSantis. Turned 76 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 3: out he didn't need to worry about scaring tiny d. 77 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,799 Speaker 3: But yeah, I mean it's been going from before Thanksgiving 78 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:31,959 Speaker 3: twenty twenty two and all the way to now and 79 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 3: we still six months, so you know, you need something 80 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 3: to fill that void when you have this anxiety. There's 81 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 3: when there's this interest, and there's some people have checked out, 82 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 3: but we have this interest. The funny thing about it 83 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 3: is are made. The depressing thing about it is all 84 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 3: of us who are like super informed, are making, you know, 85 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 3: our moods are swinging based on the news cycle unbelievably. Yeah, 86 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 3: and the people who are going to decide the election, 87 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 3: not all of them, but a big percentage of people 88 00:03:57,720 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 3: that are going to decide the election are like what's 89 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 3: row you know, like literally that there's a small handful 90 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 3: of swing voters who are highly engaged, but most of 91 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:10,280 Speaker 3: the swing voters are not that engaged, and so all 92 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 3: the rest of us are like getting our you know, 93 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,359 Speaker 3: on our anxiety meds over something that the people that 94 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:18,920 Speaker 3: are actually going to potentially swing the election don't even 95 00:04:18,960 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 3: know is happening. So yeah, that's not healthy. 96 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 2: I think it's a really good point. 97 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,559 Speaker 1: And the thing that people do now, and I wonder 98 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: if this happens to you because you live in a 99 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 1: totally different state, but in a blue city but in 100 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 1: a red state. The thing that happens to me now 101 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 1: is people come over to me and they're like lovely, 102 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: and I'm honored and likes as someone who is the 103 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: child and grandchild of people who weren't famous and then 104 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: weren't famous, I know what a privilege it is and 105 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 1: how fleeting it is. But people come over to me 106 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 1: and say, you know, you know whatever, and then they'll say, 107 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: is it going to be okay? 108 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 2: I mean, do people ask you that? 109 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 4: Yeah? 110 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I get that a lot. I mean I 111 00:04:58,320 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 3: get that a lot. I get it from friends who 112 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 3: are as much in tautics, but also strangers, you know, 113 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 3: which is also nice. I also like here for people, 114 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 3: it's wonderful. It's all, it's so lovely because it's usually 115 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 3: it's not people that are yelling at me because I 116 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 3: don't want Fox anymore. Right Like back in the old days, 117 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 3: some people yell at me at the airport back when 118 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 3: I go on Fox, but the Fox didn't have me anymore. 119 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 3: So it's always people that are like, thank you, I 120 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 3: appreciate and so I love that and I'm hopeful that 121 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 3: I can give people some kind of comfort or you know, 122 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 3: make them feel good to be like, oh, that's the 123 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 3: guy that used to be a Republican that isn't insane, 124 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 3: you know, Like I get that from people. But yeah, 125 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 3: they asked me it's going to be okay, They like 126 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 3: they want me to tell them it is, and I'm like, man, 127 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 3: I'm raincloud, Like I'm not the right person to ask 128 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 3: for this, Like I'm happy to be a hug if 129 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 3: we're going to do deep psychological stuff on the podcast today, 130 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 3: I have to tell you I mentally was not allowing 131 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 3: myself to consider the possibility that Trump could win up 132 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 3: through about a month or two ago. And I've been 133 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 3: starting over the last month to like do the thing 134 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 3: in my head, which is like, okay, it'll be okay. 135 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 3: You know, I live in a blue city, like I 136 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 3: will keep fighting. I'm not going to Portugal like these 137 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 3: you know, like these tuck and run franchists. I'm not 138 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 3: doing it. I'm going to fight it and we can 139 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 3: survive it, and it's going to be bad. But anyway, 140 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 3: but that's not a great sign that But that just 141 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 3: shows like if I'm going through that psychological thing, obviously 142 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:10,840 Speaker 3: other folks are. But I'm not in a panic. I 143 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 3: don't want to make it to seem to listeners like 144 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 3: I'm in a panic. I still think that Biden probably 145 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 3: guts this out in the electoral college, but it's just 146 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 3: it's just way too close for comfort. 147 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: Right And I think, look, it's easier to keep an 148 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: incumbency than it is. Incumbency has huge advantages being the 149 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: actual president and versus the guy sitting in the criminal 150 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 1: one hundred center Street listening to an adult film star 151 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: talk about their sexual encounter, which is what Trump is 152 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: doing right now. But I think what's hard for me 153 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 1: psychologically since this has turned into Molly and Tim Dooth therapy, 154 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 1: is that I come from a world where, like yesterday 155 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,119 Speaker 1: RFK said he had a big dead worm in his brain. 156 00:06:54,520 --> 00:07:00,040 Speaker 1: I would think that would be disqualifying to a presidential candidate. 157 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 3: You're able to know. 158 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 2: I'm just saying. 159 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 1: If I had a big dead worm in my brain, 160 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: I would be like, perhaps I shouldn't be president. 161 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 3: It is like a perfect veep situation. I mean, you 162 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 3: can just imagine the scene and beep where they like, 163 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 3: you know, man of vice president, he's got brain worms 164 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 3: and she's like, obviously he's got brain words, and he's like, no, literally, 165 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 3: he has a dead worm that was eating his brain. 166 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 3: Everything that he said that demonstrates that he has figured 167 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 3: if brain worms is what has been disqualifying, the RFK 168 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 3: mojo definitely seems to be slackening a little bit. I 169 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 3: don't think it's just the brain worm that's good. I've 170 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 3: always said that the lower you get him, the better 171 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 3: because his core base is kind of trumpy, you know, 172 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:46,800 Speaker 3: And so what you don't want is RFK getting up 173 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 3: into the teens or the double digits, Like that's going 174 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 3: to be bad news for Biden. If you can keep 175 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 3: him down at three or four, that's going to be 176 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 3: maybe probably help Biden on that. 177 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: I thought that Ari Malburn did a really good interview 178 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 1: of RFK Junior yesterday, and like there's this big argument 179 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: in the liberal space of like whether or not you 180 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: should have people like that on an interview, And I 181 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: actually thought it was brilliant. Because of our siloed media environment, 182 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: he hasn't received a ton of like real smart pushback. 183 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: And one of the things that I was struck by 184 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: watching Ari was that he really did. RFK Junior just 185 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: fell apart. Like Ari was like, well what about this? 186 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: And he could, you know, will you pardon the januaries? 187 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: You know, the problem with RFK two is he knows 188 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: Trumpers like him, so he doesn't want to alienate them, 189 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: so that he's like, would you pardon these January sixth? 190 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: I mean, these are like violent people who are in jail. 191 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 1: This is an easy one, right. The answer is oh, 192 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:46,079 Speaker 1: And he's like and he's like. 193 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:47,599 Speaker 2: I'm a lawyer at it. 194 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: You know. He just will not answer the question and 195 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: then he just got furious with Ari. 196 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 2: And I thought it was a. 197 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: Really good example of how if you push these people, 198 00:08:57,679 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: they kind of just fall apart. 199 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 3: I think you have to break these bubbles somehow. And 200 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 3: I understand the platform and complaint. I think a lot 201 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 3: of it is based on just this total legitimate frustration 202 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 3: with how the media treated Trump in twenty sixteen. 203 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 2: Exactly. 204 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 3: It was just such a fuck up and such an 205 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 3: obvious fuck up. But like, not every situation is Trump 206 00:09:16,080 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 3: in twenty sixteen, right, Like you have to be nimbleough 207 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 3: to understand, Like, yeah, sure, there are certain people like 208 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 3: non famous people. Also, we shouldn't platform Like that is 209 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:26,880 Speaker 3: a habit that I've switched, you know, I don't quote 210 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 3: tweet non famous you know, people that are obviously doing 211 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 3: rage bait, racist stuff because they're trying to go viral, 212 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 3: and I don't you know what I mean, Like that 213 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 3: makes sense. But people who are in presidential politics, who 214 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:39,319 Speaker 3: are in politics, who are influential, who never have to 215 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 3: answer hard questions because they're in their little either contrarian 216 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 3: bubble in RF case case or maga bubble in the 217 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 3: case of some of these other folks, they do need 218 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 3: to get pushed back on, and they struggle with these 219 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 3: questions because they're you know a lot of them are 220 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 3: advancing obvious lies, like whether it be about vaccines or 221 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,959 Speaker 3: the twenty twenty elexent or January sixth. Like, these people 222 00:09:57,960 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 3: don't want to have to answer questions on these, So 223 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 3: you do them a favor by not platforming them. You 224 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,560 Speaker 3: know they they're they're happy to just go on Fox 225 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,120 Speaker 3: and Sean Hannity, and so already it's great at this 226 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 3: already did that. I had a great exchange with car 227 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 3: Rove earlier this year too that I thought was very 228 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 3: you know, useful to kind of poke at the soft 229 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 3: underbelly of some of these arguments that are coming from 230 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 3: like Trump apologists. 231 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,079 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think it's really important and I think you 232 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 1: got to do it. And it's totally different than having 233 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:30,719 Speaker 1: a town hall where Trump just runs rough shaw over you. 234 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 3: And you have a crowd with cheering for him. 235 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 2: That was so bad. 236 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:38,280 Speaker 1: And you know what's amazing about that town hall that's 237 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: an in town hall is that the moment they did it, 238 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: their numbers never came back. But it's just sort of 239 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: fascinating like they did this and viewers were like, no. 240 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 3: Sounds crazy. I've always felt the same a scene. Then, 241 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 3: I think Scenn could do well if they just stuck 242 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 3: in on hard news, and obviously that town hall is 243 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 3: a big mistake. Seen then has this fundamental problem that 244 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,319 Speaker 3: a lot of people in media do that I see clearly. 245 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:04,440 Speaker 3: I think given my perspective at the Bulwark, which is 246 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,640 Speaker 3: to represent the Republican side, we're going to have on 247 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 3: people that will defend Donald Trump but aren't really MAGA 248 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 3: and aren't insurrectionists, and they're kind of conservative, and we're 249 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 3: going to pander to this group, you know, in order 250 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:20,839 Speaker 3: to show some kind of faux balance, when in reality, 251 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 3: like that group of people is like eight percent of America, 252 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 3: so it's like they might be important eight percent actually 253 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 3: as a swing vote and group in elections. So if 254 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 3: you're telling me you're going to advertise targeting those groups, 255 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 3: if your Joe Biden, I said, that's smart. But if 256 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 3: you're CNN, it's like, why are you doing this? Like 257 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 3: why why are you? You know, either make the decision 258 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 3: to have mega people on and hold them accountable because 259 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 3: they actually represent the Republican Party, or do an MSBC 260 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 3: does and just say, hey, we're not going to we're 261 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 3: not going to platform liars, Like either of those are 262 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 3: defensible positions. This like, oh, we're gonna kind of whitewash 263 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,679 Speaker 3: the Republican Party and only put on the you know, 264 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 3: the few, you know, blue blazered faces of it, you know, 265 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 3: who have no actual power within the party I get 266 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 3: to doesn't make any sense, and so I just think 267 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 3: CNN is really stuck in kind of a sour spot 268 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 3: on that. 269 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that's right. 270 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 1: I mean, I sort of get it because it's like 271 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: there's no precedent for one party pretty much giving up 272 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:12,400 Speaker 1: on democracy. 273 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 3: Right, It's hard, These are hard choices. This is all 274 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 3: I kind of hate, like the broad brush media criticism. 275 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 3: I'm totally on board with case by case picking it. 276 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 3: But like what the New York Times editored did the 277 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:25,079 Speaker 3: Ben Smith interview this week, This is just it was 278 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 3: a horrible interview this guy gave where he's like, Oh, 279 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 3: the people care about immigration, so we should write more 280 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:31,959 Speaker 3: about immigration. It's like that, what do you talk like? 281 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 3: That's not you don't pull to decide what you should 282 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 3: write about. 283 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 1: But it's also impossible to know what I mean, the 284 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:40,559 Speaker 1: big problem that all of us are having right now 285 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: is that the polls have been notoriously wrong. We really 286 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: don't know what what are this huge country and we 287 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: have no idea what anyone's thinking. 288 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, and so you should just write about what's important, 289 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:52,560 Speaker 3: what the news is right, and so this is the 290 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 3: tough part. So I'm totally on board with everybody should 291 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 3: write more about the stakes and the Times how it's 292 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 3: actually done a good amount of reporting on the Project 293 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 3: twenty twenty five stuff. But on the scandal side, I 294 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 3: totally get the Dan Pfeiffer, the Democratic complaint. That's like 295 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:09,520 Speaker 3: they've written twelve stories about Biden's age and zero stories 296 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 3: about Trump's age, and that's unfair. It's kind of like, yeah, 297 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 3: that's unfair. But also, what are you supposed to do 298 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 3: if you're the New York Times when you have one 299 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 3: candidate from one party that is just a habitual liar 300 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 3: that has ninety some odd felony counts, you know, that 301 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 3: is trying to end the democracy that is staffed by 302 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 3: like white nationalist freaks. Like the fact that Donald Trump 303 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 3: is old is like the eighty fourth most troubling thing 304 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 3: about him. And so it's like, okay, so how where 305 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 3: do you fit it in? And so I understand you've 306 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:41,200 Speaker 3: got to be conscious of fairness and all that, but 307 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 3: I think that that Donald Trump has presented this just 308 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 3: unprecedented challenge for the media in how to deal with 309 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 3: somebody that is constantly lying, constantly advancing conspiracies, constantly criming. 310 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:54,200 Speaker 5: You know, It's like. 311 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: It's also a mechanics problem, like the you know, the 312 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: opinion page. I mean a lot of those pieces we're 313 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:02,959 Speaker 1: in the opinion side. I mean, you don't get to tell. 314 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:05,440 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess you probably do, but you know, 315 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: the opinion columnists have a lot of power, and that's 316 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 1: what they wanted to write about. I mean, that's not 317 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 1: necessarily a larger editorial decision, and it's not necessarily organized, 318 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: you know. Like that's the other thing which I think 319 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: is we all have to be really careful about. I 320 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 1: feel like we're not being as fun as usual. But 321 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: like it's not a case exactly. It's okay, it's very fun. 322 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:29,680 Speaker 1: It's very fun. It's often not a conspiracy as much 323 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: as it's just how things turn out, which I think 324 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 1: is a valuable lesson after twenty sixteen. 325 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:36,160 Speaker 5: It is. 326 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 3: And I mean, you know, look, the guy is in court, 327 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 3: we're taking this and Stormy is getting is getting cross examined. 328 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 3: And it's been a while we've had a situation where 329 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 3: a presidential candidate has to sit in court and listen 330 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,359 Speaker 3: to somebody that he did kind of a rape adjacent, 331 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 3: gross sexual encounter with that he then covered up. Okay, 332 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 3: so that's one thing you got to write about. But 333 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 3: then also he has all these scary plans for twenty 334 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 3: twenty five, and then also got these staffers around him 335 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 3: that are corrupt, and he's promising these part and it's 336 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 3: just like, it's an overwhelming amount of stuff that you 337 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 3: could that you could write about it. 338 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I've written about the stormy testimony, and I 339 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: am very struck by it, especially that she talks about 340 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: this idea that it was like not totally consensual, right, 341 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: that she wasn't raped, but she certainly did not feel 342 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: like she had a ton of options. 343 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 2: And this is a woman. 344 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: She was young, she was twenty seven, but she had 345 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: been in situations like this before, right. I mean, I 346 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: think sleazy guys wanting to have sex with her was 347 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: not something that was. 348 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 2: New to her. 349 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,960 Speaker 1: It stood out to her, and I think that is 350 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: meaningful that to me, speaks more to his character than 351 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: many things I've heard about her. 352 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm obsessed about talking about this because I think 353 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 3: it gets shrunk in media discourse too. Trump had sex 354 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 3: with the porn star while his wife was, you know, 355 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 3: still had a very very young baby, and that's matter. Yeah, 356 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 3: you know, that's the kind of the one sentence thing. 357 00:16:01,120 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 3: But it also, like to some guys like to bros 358 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 3: like that makes it seem like badass, Like yeah, Trump 359 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 3: was banging this porn star. But like the real story, 360 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:13,400 Speaker 3: if you just explain it with four more sentences, is 361 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 3: much grosser and much creepier, you know. And that is 362 00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 3: that a disgusting old man went and sat on the 363 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 3: bed in his fucking dirty underwear while Stormy was in 364 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 3: the bathroom while they were planning to go to dinner, 365 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 3: and she gets out of the bathroom and he pressures 366 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 3: her to have sex by promising her some like reality 367 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 3: TV role or some director role while he has a 368 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 3: security guard sitting outside the door, and then he puts 369 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 3: his gross hands on her and darts his little disgusting 370 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 3: tongue in her face and puts his little fingers in 371 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 3: her Like that is a disgusting rape adjacent. It's not 372 00:16:45,480 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 3: rape good on Stormy, Like can Stormy did not make 373 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 3: a false accusation thing. So but it's like that is 374 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 3: a very creepy, very sad, very gross scene. That's not 375 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 3: like badass guy screwing broads, you know what I mean? Yeah, 376 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 3: And I think that's very different and and it's important 377 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 3: to talk about it Avia because Stormy deserves us to 378 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 3: talk about it as it really was. But also maybe 379 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 3: somewhere out there there's going to be some twenty year 380 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 3: old that like listens to it from that perspective and 381 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 3: it's like, wait a minute, this guy sucks. Actually this 382 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 3: isn't cool, right. 383 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 1: And I also think when you read the Olivia Nazzi 384 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:23,360 Speaker 1: piece in your magazine, she says, I thought we were 385 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 1: having this conversation about my future, and then I come 386 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: out of the bathroom and he's in his boxer shorts. 387 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:30,400 Speaker 2: And I realized that. 388 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 1: She actually says in the piece of everything he was 389 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:36,479 Speaker 1: promising me was bullshit, and that betrayal. Even though this 390 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: is a woman who you know from Michael Abinauti, I mean, 391 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 1: this woman has definitely had her share of betrayals, but 392 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:45,199 Speaker 1: it just struck me as such a like heartbreaking moment 393 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: when she realizes, like something right out of a movie, 394 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: you know. 395 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 2: She realizes that he's just been lying this whole time. 396 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, he's sick. 397 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,160 Speaker 3: I hate him so much, Mollie, you have no idea. 398 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:59,920 Speaker 1: I just would like to not spend the next. 399 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 3: Can we re interrst the people that I hate? Now? 400 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 3: Thank you the most, thank you, And that's your show, 401 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:04,360 Speaker 3: so we can do it everyone. We can talk about 402 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 3: Marjorie Taylor Green, we can talk about jazz Fest. We've 403 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 3: got whatever you. 404 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 1: Spring us here, and I bet you are trying to 405 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: look fashionable, So why not pick up some fashionable all 406 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: new Fast Politics merchandise. We just opened a news store 407 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: with all new designs just for you. Get t shirts, hoodies, hats, 408 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 1: and top bags. To grab some head to fastpolitics dot com. 409 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 1: Tony Vargas is a state senator and candidate for Congress 410 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: in Nebraska's second district. Welcome to Fast Politics, Tony. Tell 411 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 1: me where you're running and what you're running for and the. 412 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 2: Whole kaboodle, the whole. 413 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 4: My name is Tony Vargas. I am a state senator 414 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 4: in Nebraska, and I'm running for Congress from Nebraska's second 415 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 4: congressional district. 416 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 2: Amazing, And tell me what does that district look like? 417 00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 4: An incredibly unique independent district. This is where the big 418 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:14,440 Speaker 4: city of Omaha is. This is also a district that's 419 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 4: voted for Trump in twenty sixteen, then voted for Biden 420 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 4: in twenty twenty. It's urban, you know, sort of suburban 421 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 4: sprawl and a little bit of rural. So it's it's 422 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 4: just an incredibly diverse district in terms of all the 423 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 4: geographic locations, and it's where I've served in office for 424 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 4: eight years as a state senator. 425 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:41,120 Speaker 1: And two it's Nebraska's second district. Right, yes, correct, So, 426 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:44,199 Speaker 1: and right now you're running against the Republican who is 427 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:44,680 Speaker 1: in there? 428 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 2: Who is Don Bacon? 429 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 4: Yeah, you got it? 430 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:49,680 Speaker 2: Is he running for reelection? 431 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 4: He is running for reelection. Yeah, he's in the middle 432 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:55,399 Speaker 4: of his own battle right now in a primary right 433 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 4: and against him. 434 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: Yet, Yeah, so Bacon is a he's one of these 435 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 1: embryonic personhood people talk to us about Republicans and their 436 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 1: obsession with banning both abortion and IBF. 437 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 4: I mean, one, I can tell you it's at a 438 00:20:12,560 --> 00:20:17,119 Speaker 4: step with this districts. We continually hear from Nebraskans and 439 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 4: in this district that the overwhelming majority support reproductive freedom 440 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 4: and abortion rights. And you know, sixty one percent of 441 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:28,679 Speaker 4: the district supports it. He is incredibly at a step. 442 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:31,680 Speaker 4: He didn't just co sponsor the Life of Conception Act once, 443 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 4: he co sponts it it three times. This extreme Haga 444 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:40,639 Speaker 4: position on a banning abortion nationwide with no exceptions and 445 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 4: no carve out for IVF is what he really wants 446 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:46,440 Speaker 4: to do. It is what he is pushing for, It's 447 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 4: what he cares about. But I love seeing him try 448 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:52,440 Speaker 4: to pivot on this because co spots through legislation and 449 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:55,919 Speaker 4: Lutley saying he thinks he is smarter than women and 450 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 4: physicians is making people angry at the district and is 451 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:02,040 Speaker 4: at a step up with the Bradskins in the second districts. 452 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 1: So one of the things you are doing is talking 453 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:08,719 Speaker 1: to people who in a district they voted for Trump 454 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: in twenty sixteen but voted for Biden in twenty twenty. 455 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: I live in the Acela Corridor, so I am subjected 456 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 1: to vibes based punditry. And I'm curious since you are 457 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 1: actually in a district that is in some ways about weather, right, 458 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 1: because your people are clearly a little bit sane, right, 459 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 1: because they voted for Trump and then voted for Biden. 460 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:37,880 Speaker 1: So I'm curious what are their concerns and what are 461 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: their anxieties? And are you talking to people who are like, 462 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 1: we can't let this guy get back in office or 463 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 1: are they Trump curious again? 464 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 2: Have they like? 465 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,920 Speaker 1: The big anxiety in the media industrial complex is that 466 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: people have forgotten Trump? 467 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:54,479 Speaker 2: Do you are you seeing that? What are you seeing 468 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 2: when you talk to voters? 469 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,400 Speaker 4: Well, I don't think people have forgotten Trump at all. 470 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 4: You know, Trump isn't actually very very unpopular in the district. 471 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 4: It is very clear where Bacon stands on this. You know, 472 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:06,520 Speaker 4: he didn't just endorse him to time. He was the 473 00:22:06,560 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 4: first member of the federal delegation to endorse Trump the 474 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 4: first two times and just endorsed him a third time. 475 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 4: People were taking notice of that. They know that he's 476 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 4: endorsed somebody that is indicted so many times that we've 477 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 4: lost count and know that somebody that undermines democracy and 478 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:25,399 Speaker 4: that wants to, you know, continue to support, you know, 479 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 4: people that are subverting our government system. And he's just 480 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 4: as extreme. And you know, I think what what we've 481 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 4: seen and heard from people on the ground is they 482 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:38,119 Speaker 4: want an everyday person in Congress. They want a working 483 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 4: class individual that's going to fight for them. And when 484 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 4: we talk to people, I get to share with him. 485 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:44,680 Speaker 4: You know, I'm the son of Peruving immigrants. I am 486 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 4: a first generation college graduate. I was a public school 487 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 4: science teacher. I've served as a school board member, and 488 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:51,840 Speaker 4: I've been a state senator, you know, and I'm a father. 489 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:55,200 Speaker 4: I have two young kids and the wonderful, amazing wife 490 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:57,919 Speaker 4: and that you know, and she's got her own career, working, 491 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 4: you know, in the nonnprofit law sector. And we are 492 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:04,879 Speaker 4: working parents trying to fight for others. And in the legislature, 493 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 4: that's what I've done. I prioritized fighting for the middle class. 494 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 4: You know, this is bringing jobs to this state. You know, 495 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 4: so like worked on the complementary legislation to help the 496 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 4: Chips Act. You know, Bacon's voted against the Chips Act, 497 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 4: and we're trying to make sure we are investing in 498 00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 4: the next generation of American made jobs. You know, Bacon 499 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,159 Speaker 4: voted against the American Rescue Plan Act, you know, to 500 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 4: try to help us bounce back from COVID nineteen, help 501 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 4: our businesses and individuals. And I work to leverage these 502 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,639 Speaker 4: funds with a few other sub senators to secure more 503 00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 4: than two hundred and fifty million dollars for the east 504 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 4: side of the second District. And so they know that 505 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 4: one Bacon is extreme. He is endorsing Trump a third time, 506 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 4: and he's doing absolutely nothing to actually help middle class families. 507 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 4: And we're not letting them forget it. 508 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 1: When you talk to people on the ground, what do 509 00:23:56,680 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: they say. Do they blame Biden for inflation? Are they 510 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,439 Speaker 1: mad about inflation? Are they worried about democracy? What are 511 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:05,399 Speaker 1: voters concerns that you're hearing. 512 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 4: Well, you hit one thing on the head, which is 513 00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 4: they're frustrated. And I get why they're frustrated inflation. You know, 514 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 4: even even when we are investing in jobs and even 515 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:17,120 Speaker 4: when we're doing more to to to give money back 516 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 4: to people, inflation is rising. And it hurts. It hurts 517 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 4: families that are trying to pay childcare, and it's getting 518 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 4: expensive more expensive. It hurts when you're trying to pay 519 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 4: rent or your mortgage. It hurts when you're trying to 520 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 4: pay your gas bill or your grocery spill. It does. 521 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 4: And I think it's stepping up and recognizing that, and 522 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 4: so we hear that, and then I get to tell 523 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 4: people that's the reason why I'm running. You know, in 524 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 4: the legislature, I've I've given I've given money back to 525 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 4: Nebraska and so I've voted for tax relief and in 526 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 4: record numbers. I've also been able to balance our budget. 527 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,360 Speaker 4: I've been able to invest invest in jobs, and then 528 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 4: Bacon voting against lowering prescription drug costs, and voting against 529 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,879 Speaker 4: lowering health insurance premips, and voting against the middle class 530 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 4: tax cut, and you know, and talking about gutting soul 531 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:05,359 Speaker 4: security and medicare. We hear that they want somebody that 532 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 4: it's going to actually listen to their pain and how 533 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 4: they're feeling right now economically and is going to do 534 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 4: something about it, rather than somebody that like Bacon, that's 535 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:17,560 Speaker 4: just talking as if he is going to do something. 536 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 4: But look, after you know, eight years, isn't actually get 537 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 4: anything done to lower the cost of living for every 538 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 4: data Braskets. 539 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: Do you talk to people who get twenty five dollars 540 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: insulin and are they like, oh, this was Biden. 541 00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 2: Do you think they're able to thread the needle? 542 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 4: Well, I think one thing is true. People know that 543 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:39,160 Speaker 4: this administration is responsible for lowering the cost of insulin, 544 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 4: and that Democrats have been leading on lowering the cost 545 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 4: of healthcare. But we also have people like Bacon that 546 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 4: try to lie. You know, he tried to take credit 547 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 4: for it, you know, even though he voted against the 548 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 4: actual legislation that lowered you know, insulin costs for Nebraskas 549 00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:56,680 Speaker 4: and so I think that's what this is. There's a 550 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 4: lot of issues that we're hearing from people, but like 551 00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 4: the top three things we hear from me is cost 552 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:03,240 Speaker 4: of living hurts, Inflation hurts, and we want somebody that's 553 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:05,080 Speaker 4: going to listen and it's going to do something about it. 554 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:07,400 Speaker 4: I have a record of getting into action and being 555 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:11,160 Speaker 4: an actual problem solve on behalf of Nebraskans. People want 556 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:13,840 Speaker 4: somebody that's going to respect their privacy and their freedoms. 557 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 4: And Bacon inserting themselves between a physician and you know, 558 00:26:16,800 --> 00:26:19,400 Speaker 4: and their families and women, you know, is not only 559 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 4: out of step, is incredibly extreme for this country and 560 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:24,920 Speaker 4: extreme for this district. And then lastly, they do want 561 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 4: somebody that's going to stand up to democracy. You know, 562 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 4: Bacon endorsing Trump three times despite everything tells me he 563 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 4: cares more about power, power and politics and the party 564 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 4: and standing by Trump and doesn't have the backbone to 565 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 4: actually represent our country in Congress when we need it 566 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,160 Speaker 4: the most. We need it the most, We need somebody 567 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:44,960 Speaker 4: that's going to stand up to extreme as well. 568 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,439 Speaker 2: Is the mood in Nebraska sour though? Are people in 569 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 2: a bad mood. 570 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 4: We've been listening to Nebraskas, and we've been doing events. 571 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,440 Speaker 4: We've been we've been knocking on tens of thousands of doors, 572 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:58,360 Speaker 4: and my wife and my kids and I when we're 573 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 4: listening to people, we recognize and hear the pain of 574 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,120 Speaker 4: people are also seeing hope. They're seeing hope. We're trying 575 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,439 Speaker 4: to reach out to them. Like there's differences in what 576 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 4: we're seeing on the ground and we're also seeing it 577 00:27:08,320 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 4: are upholling. Like right now we are up in the 578 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:14,040 Speaker 4: polls forty six to forty three, which reminds us that, 579 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 4: like people want something different. They want to know voting 580 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 4: against them, and I told you how extreme Bacon is 581 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,119 Speaker 4: and what they're voting against, but they also want to 582 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 4: know what you stand for. And we've been able to 583 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:25,960 Speaker 4: tell them and communicate and we will over the next 584 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 4: six months reach out to people, meet them where they're at, 585 00:27:28,720 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 4: and also tell them what's at stake. We need somebody 586 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,000 Speaker 4: that's going to protect democracy. We need somebody that will 587 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 4: always fall back and listen to people first, not parties, 588 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:40,080 Speaker 4: you know, not not super wealthy people, but then first. 589 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,880 Speaker 4: And I think that's why, you know, Bacon's incredibly unpopular 590 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:46,320 Speaker 4: in the district. You know, in our you know, he's 591 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 4: he's underwater and negative eleven in terms of his unfavorability 592 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 4: in the district. And that shows us that people are 593 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 4: are fed up with with somebody that's just going to 594 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 4: blindly support you know, extreme magor right, you know, wing 595 00:27:59,359 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 4: to the party, and and they want somebody that's going 596 00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 4: to try to represent everybody. And I've done that for 597 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:07,359 Speaker 4: the last eight years, for the last eleven years, is 598 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 4: acted official. So it matters, you know, it matters that 599 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 4: you know, we've been listening and we've been we've been 600 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 4: actually acting and trying to reach many people's possible. 601 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:19,679 Speaker 1: Yeah, that seems really important and good. So I'm just 602 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:23,960 Speaker 1: curious how you sort of you run Are people able 603 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: to sort of figure out that there is a connection 604 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 1: between the dysfunction in the house and flipping the seat. 605 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 1: And also, I think one of the big anxieties that 606 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,680 Speaker 1: a lot of us have is that there's a sense 607 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 1: in which we wonder how much is getting through to 608 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 1: people because of what's happened with the media so and 609 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 1: the death of local news. So for example, yesterday Marjorie 610 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: Taylor Green did another motion to vacate. So I'm wondering 611 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 1: if you see voters like, are they seeing the dysfunction 612 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: in the House and are they blaming people like Don 613 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 1: Bacon for it. 614 00:29:01,200 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 4: We are hearing from people that they're seeing that, and 615 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:07,480 Speaker 4: most I don't think it's about blaming them. It's the 616 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 4: responsibility that they decided to take on. Don Bacon has 617 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 4: helped enable the far right extreme in this country, like 618 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 4: Marjorie Taylor Green to be able to have the power 619 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 4: that they currently have by not standing up to Trump, 620 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 4: by not standing up to the far right to be 621 00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 4: get in this position. It's their own party. You know, 622 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 4: they wanted to govern, they wanted to be in leadership, 623 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:31,160 Speaker 4: and they have to rely on Democrats to do that. 624 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,800 Speaker 4: And I think the country is seeing real bipartisanship is 625 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:36,480 Speaker 4: happening when when Democrats are stepping up and doing everything 626 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 4: they possibly can to make sure government functions. And it's 627 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 4: you know, my time in the legislature. I've buckt my 628 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 4: own party to make sure that we're balancing budgets to 629 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 4: make sure that we are giving money back to taxpayers 630 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 4: and providing billions of dollars of tax relief. And I've 631 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 4: actually done that. And so people are seeing that while 632 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,800 Speaker 4: people are trying to afford groceries while they're trying to 633 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 4: pay for gas. There's being that Bacon is part of 634 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 4: a Congress and is leading it is out out there 635 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 4: that is the most ineffective Congress that is more focused 636 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:09,840 Speaker 4: on mega issue. 637 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 1: I mean, do voters say that to you when you 638 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 1: talk to them. Do they say, like, you know, I 639 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: know they have passed the least bills of any Congress 640 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:19,520 Speaker 1: ever or has that not permeated. 641 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 4: I think one very big headline has permeated, which is 642 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 4: they're not doing their job and they're likeed to do 643 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,640 Speaker 4: their job and everybody else every day work in Nebraskan's 644 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 4: a nurse, a firefighter, you know, a tea shirt, you know, 645 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 4: a construction worker, you know a union member. Like they 646 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:39,320 Speaker 4: are working every day and Congress isn't getting any work 647 00:30:39,360 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 4: done on their behalf. 648 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 2: The house flipped. 649 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 1: Republicans buy such a small margin and they've had so 650 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 1: much chaos, and the speakership battle has been one of 651 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 1: the big ones. 652 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 2: The voters that you talk to, are they aware of that? 653 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 4: I think voters are aware of that right now. Bacon 654 00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:57,040 Speaker 4: and others you know in the Republican Party. There's been 655 00:30:57,080 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 4: more chaos that has been part of everything that they've 656 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:02,680 Speaker 4: been doing, you know, and right now we need new 657 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 4: members of leadership. I mean in members of Congress that 658 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 4: are focusing on the actual things that matter to Nebraska's 659 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 4: It's why I'm running as a former public school science teacher, 660 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:16,560 Speaker 4: as somebody that is a working parent. I am still 661 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:19,560 Speaker 4: feeling and seeing what people are going through. And so 662 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 4: when people like Bacon are focusing on trying to ban abortionationwide, 663 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 4: and you know, are not getting anything done for working 664 00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 4: families to lower cost of living. I've been working in 665 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,840 Speaker 4: this last couple of years just actually on creating jobs 666 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:36,960 Speaker 4: and actually making it easier for people. And so it's resonating. 667 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 4: It's getting back to people. This Congress is unable to 668 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:43,400 Speaker 4: get anything done. And why would we re elect, you know, 669 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 4: a member of this party, of the majority party, when 670 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:51,200 Speaker 4: they have the ability and the power. I'm the majority. 671 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,480 Speaker 4: They're doing absolutely nothing for the American people. 672 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:56,800 Speaker 1: If you are elected to Congress, what will happen for 673 00:31:56,960 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 1: people in your district? 674 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 4: You know, my parents were both union workers. My dad 675 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:04,600 Speaker 4: was at IBW and I was in UFCW. And I 676 00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 4: want to make sure that we are we're creating jobs. 677 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:10,480 Speaker 4: This is like this is about both supporting businesses that 678 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 4: are job creators then making sure the jobs that we 679 00:32:13,680 --> 00:32:17,120 Speaker 4: we have have great wages and great benefits. Then you 680 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 4: can do both. It's what I've done in the legislature. 681 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:23,440 Speaker 4: This is investing in you know, in the American dream 682 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:26,800 Speaker 4: is about the opportunity that exists and enabling people to 683 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 4: have opportunities to work really hard to be able to 684 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 4: earn things. That's what my parents had. Those opportunities are 685 00:32:32,440 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 4: harder and harder every single year. They're harder when you 686 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 4: have people like Baking that vote against middle class tax 687 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,480 Speaker 4: cuts or won't support you know, things like the Proact, 688 00:32:40,680 --> 00:32:44,320 Speaker 4: when they vote against health insurance and health costs being lowered, 689 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:47,720 Speaker 4: that's not growing the middle class. I actually want to 690 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:52,240 Speaker 4: support both businesses and workers. And that's the difference maker here. 691 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 4: That's what we're hearing, and that's what I think is 692 00:32:54,080 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 4: at stake, and you know, so that's why I think 693 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:57,720 Speaker 4: back to my family a lot. I think back to 694 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:00,240 Speaker 4: what really matters. What will be different is and you 695 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:04,120 Speaker 4: get actually members that are from the middle class and 696 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 4: working families in Congress that represent this country, then it's 697 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 4: not a talking point. It's about actually getting results on 698 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 4: behalf people, you know, and as one of the few 699 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,040 Speaker 4: members right now of some of the most competitive seats, 700 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:19,320 Speaker 4: it's a former union member, one of the few that 701 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 4: has grew up in poverty, one of the few that's 702 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 4: a first generation college graduate. I know what working families 703 00:33:24,760 --> 00:33:26,680 Speaker 4: are going through, and that's why I'm going to fight 704 00:33:26,720 --> 00:33:27,000 Speaker 4: for them. 705 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:31,600 Speaker 1: Senator of Augus State Senator of August soon to be congressman. 706 00:33:31,920 --> 00:33:34,719 Speaker 1: So after we stopped recording, I said, you know, the 707 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:38,200 Speaker 1: mood in the Cella Corridor is very sour, and people 708 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 1: are worried that everyone has forgotten about Trump and how 709 00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:45,920 Speaker 1: unmanageable it was, and that people are mad at Biden 710 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:49,440 Speaker 1: for inflation. And you actually said no, so tell us 711 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 1: what you are seeing. 712 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 4: You know, what we're seeing is people are frustrated, but 713 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 4: the frustration is coming from wanting to see something different, 714 00:33:57,320 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 4: and we're seeing that in how people are investing in 715 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 4: our You know, we have raised a record amount of 716 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:06,760 Speaker 4: funds and donations to our campaign. We raised more than 717 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:08,960 Speaker 4: two point five million dollars so far. This is more 718 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:11,759 Speaker 4: than any Democrat or Republican challenger has ever raised in 719 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:14,840 Speaker 4: this in this race, and it's coming from Republicans and 720 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:20,359 Speaker 4: Democrats and Independence hosting events, volunteering, donating, using their time. 721 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 4: And it's because they're taking that anger, they're taking the frustration, 722 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:25,960 Speaker 4: and they're putting it into action, you know. So the 723 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:27,919 Speaker 4: hope is really high. I don't think it's a bad 724 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 4: thing that people are frustrated, frustration what we're seeing on 725 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 4: the ground in this district and leading people to say, 726 00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:36,040 Speaker 4: I'm not going to stand by and let democracy be 727 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 4: undermined by people like Bacon and let them sell it 728 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,160 Speaker 4: out to Trump. We're going to stand up and we're 729 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 4: going to stand for something different, and in a place 730 00:34:43,160 --> 00:34:45,840 Speaker 4: like Nebraska. It is no more brighter than a place 731 00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:48,600 Speaker 4: like Nebraska. And that's that's why we're up with the pulse. 732 00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:51,520 Speaker 4: That's why we're seeing the ground game, tens of thousands 733 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 4: of doors knocked, that's why we're seeing our holes being 734 00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:56,799 Speaker 4: up by three forty six to forty three. It's what 735 00:34:56,800 --> 00:34:59,880 Speaker 4: we're seeing on our record fundraising. And so there's brightness 736 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:03,719 Speaker 4: every frustration, and we're taking that and we're going to 737 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:05,640 Speaker 4: win this November amazing. 738 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 2: Thank you so much. 739 00:35:07,920 --> 00:35:10,200 Speaker 4: Thank you, thank you very very much for taking the time. 740 00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:16,840 Speaker 1: Frank Bruney is the author of the brune letter at 741 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:20,200 Speaker 1: The New York Times and the new book The Aide 742 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 1: of Grievance. 743 00:35:23,320 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 2: Welcome back to Fast Politics. 744 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:27,759 Speaker 5: Frank, I'm so excited to be here. Thank you. 745 00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 2: I'm very excited to have you. 746 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:32,879 Speaker 1: You've written a ton of books, but this book, it's 747 00:35:32,880 --> 00:35:35,080 Speaker 1: an interesting boocause I think of it as a spiritual 748 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:38,240 Speaker 1: experience with your health a little bit, if that's fair, 749 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:41,239 Speaker 1: with losing some of your vision, and so I feel 750 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:43,840 Speaker 1: like this book is spiritual in a similar way. 751 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:46,480 Speaker 6: It's interesting. I think it is connected to what happened 752 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 6: to me personally in the sense that I had to 753 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:52,680 Speaker 6: learn when I had my medical episode or deal odyssey, 754 00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 6: whatever you want to call it, you know, to learn 755 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:56,960 Speaker 6: certain habits of mind in which I did not fall 756 00:35:57,000 --> 00:35:59,400 Speaker 6: into the traps of self pity. And I tried to 757 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,919 Speaker 6: take the law view. And that's kind of what I'm 758 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:03,160 Speaker 6: asking America to do. 759 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 4: In the book. 760 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:07,000 Speaker 6: So I think that's an accurate read. Molly, thank you anytime. 761 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:09,160 Speaker 1: Well, you know, I got sober when I was nineteen, 762 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:11,600 Speaker 1: and I talk about it all the time because I 763 00:36:11,640 --> 00:36:13,879 Speaker 1: want people to know that they can get sober as 764 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:18,600 Speaker 1: teenagers and stop the familial legacy of alcoholism and not 765 00:36:18,719 --> 00:36:21,120 Speaker 1: that many people do. I think that if they knew 766 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:23,399 Speaker 1: that you could do it, it would help. I am 767 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:27,440 Speaker 1: a person who thinks a lot about what is self pity? 768 00:36:27,520 --> 00:36:27,640 Speaker 6: Mean? 769 00:36:27,760 --> 00:36:28,520 Speaker 2: What is grievance? 770 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:28,640 Speaker 3: Me? 771 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:30,120 Speaker 2: You know, these are the things I think. 772 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:33,440 Speaker 1: But as a sober person who is in alcoholics anonymous, 773 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:35,640 Speaker 1: and everyone knows this about me because I think it's 774 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:38,120 Speaker 1: more helpful for me to say it than not. And 775 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: I've been sober twenty six years. I spend a lot 776 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:44,680 Speaker 1: of time thinking about self pity and grievance and all 777 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:48,279 Speaker 1: of the things that you're talking about, because that you know, 778 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:51,240 Speaker 1: in order to stay sober, I have to address these things. 779 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:54,759 Speaker 2: So this hits me right where I live. 780 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:56,200 Speaker 5: Interesting. Interesting. 781 00:36:56,440 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 6: I'm glad to hear that. I'm also glad to hear 782 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:00,120 Speaker 6: that your journey has been what it is and that 783 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:01,200 Speaker 6: you're in such a healthy place. 784 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:04,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I feel like very lucky, and I 785 00:37:04,520 --> 00:37:07,440 Speaker 1: think that there's some element of spirituality there for sure. 786 00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:10,600 Speaker 1: So explain to us what the sort of central thesis 787 00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: here is. 788 00:37:11,360 --> 00:37:14,680 Speaker 6: This book explores what I believe is a dysfunction in 789 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:17,120 Speaker 6: the country right now, which is that too many Americans, 790 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,719 Speaker 6: I would say an overwhelming majority of them they enter 791 00:37:19,760 --> 00:37:23,279 Speaker 6: the political readA, they enter all political discussions from the 792 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:24,640 Speaker 6: standpoint of. 793 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:27,640 Speaker 5: How have I been wronged? Who has wronged me? How 794 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 5: do I take revenge on the people who've wronged me? 795 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:33,040 Speaker 6: I mean, you see this in the messaging and the 796 00:37:33,040 --> 00:37:36,319 Speaker 6: approaches that political candidates take. You see this in our 797 00:37:36,360 --> 00:37:42,120 Speaker 6: culture war battles. Everyone is so fascinated by and mired 798 00:37:42,239 --> 00:37:46,520 Speaker 6: in their estimation of how they've been wronged in American life. 799 00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:50,080 Speaker 6: And while there are grave, grave wrongs in American life 800 00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:52,760 Speaker 6: that we need to examine and we need to address, 801 00:37:52,760 --> 00:37:55,680 Speaker 6: and we need to improve, we are doing such a 802 00:37:55,719 --> 00:38:00,400 Speaker 6: scary job right now of mingling righteous causes and petty pints, 803 00:38:00,800 --> 00:38:05,640 Speaker 6: of taking everything that happens to defcon one, having discussions 804 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:09,880 Speaker 6: about issues in which each side gets so quickly and 805 00:38:09,920 --> 00:38:14,760 Speaker 6: spectacularly overwrought that there's absolutely no chance for common ground 806 00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:15,960 Speaker 6: or for progress. 807 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 4: That's what the book is about. 808 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:21,960 Speaker 1: Righteous causes and petty defeats us A great line. I 809 00:38:22,040 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 1: think I got it wrong, But first I want you 810 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:26,000 Speaker 1: to talk through like I can see this on the 811 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:29,840 Speaker 1: Trump side for sure, that's easy. Where else are you 812 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:32,480 Speaker 1: seeing this? I mean, I want to be open to 813 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:34,880 Speaker 1: you know, if you're seeing this in other places. 814 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:36,040 Speaker 2: I mean, I certainly can see it. 815 00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:38,920 Speaker 1: There are some lefties I can see, but it does 816 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:39,960 Speaker 1: not strike me as like. 817 00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:41,080 Speaker 2: A Joe Biden problem. 818 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:43,600 Speaker 6: Particularly well, I don't think it's much of a Joe 819 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:46,560 Speaker 6: Biden problem. And I think one of the hopeful details 820 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:49,120 Speaker 6: here is that he was elected in twenty twenty, that 821 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:51,600 Speaker 6: he won the Democratic primary. And I think he won 822 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:54,799 Speaker 6: the Democratic primary in part because he is not someone 823 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:57,560 Speaker 6: who exists in the realm and with the psychology that 824 00:38:57,600 --> 00:38:59,960 Speaker 6: I was just describing. This is really tough to write 825 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:04,360 Speaker 6: and talk about because I think overwrought grievance exists across 826 00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:08,120 Speaker 6: the political spectrum. I think this habit of you know, 827 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 6: let me begin the discussion with telling you how I've 828 00:39:11,040 --> 00:39:13,160 Speaker 6: been wronged and what I'm ow I think. I think 829 00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:16,319 Speaker 6: that is hand partisan, super partisan. I don't know that 830 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:18,279 Speaker 6: we have the right term for it. But this is 831 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:20,560 Speaker 6: difficult to talk and write about because I am not 832 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:24,000 Speaker 6: making a false equivalence. The most dangerous versions of this, 833 00:39:24,480 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 6: the more pervasive. This exists in a much more pervasive 834 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:29,919 Speaker 6: fashion and a much more dangerous fashion on the right. 835 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:32,120 Speaker 6: It is on the far right that we have organized 836 00:39:32,120 --> 00:39:33,000 Speaker 6: political violence. 837 00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:33,879 Speaker 5: It is on the. 838 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:37,600 Speaker 6: Right that we have this broad election denialism. You can't 839 00:39:37,600 --> 00:39:40,520 Speaker 6: have a country if you don't believe in the attack 840 00:39:40,560 --> 00:39:43,080 Speaker 6: and the integrity of the systems and the institutions and 841 00:39:43,120 --> 00:39:43,839 Speaker 6: the democracy. 842 00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:45,760 Speaker 5: So I am not in any. 843 00:39:45,719 --> 00:39:47,960 Speaker 6: Measure saying the left and the right need to look 844 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:50,319 Speaker 6: equally at this, but they both do need to look 845 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:50,680 Speaker 6: at it. 846 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:52,399 Speaker 5: And where do you see it on the left? 847 00:39:52,400 --> 00:39:54,960 Speaker 6: I mean, we could pick any number of news events 848 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:58,080 Speaker 6: or moments when something happens, and if you are a 849 00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:01,560 Speaker 6: social justice warrior whose cause is racism, you see white 850 00:40:01,600 --> 00:40:04,239 Speaker 6: supremacy and racism and what happened, whether it's there or not. 851 00:40:04,520 --> 00:40:06,400 Speaker 6: Sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not. 852 00:40:06,719 --> 00:40:08,640 Speaker 5: But this is your brand, this is your lens. 853 00:40:08,680 --> 00:40:11,440 Speaker 6: This is what you trot out in every situation, and 854 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:15,160 Speaker 6: it is an impediment to healthy constructive conversation. I'll give you, 855 00:40:15,160 --> 00:40:17,799 Speaker 6: like just a random example from what was it two 856 00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:18,239 Speaker 6: years ago? 857 00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:18,919 Speaker 5: Three years ago? 858 00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:22,759 Speaker 6: I mean, remember when horrifyingly Britney Grider was jailed in 859 00:40:22,840 --> 00:40:26,439 Speaker 6: Russia right on trunked up, ridiculous charges. You could see 860 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:29,480 Speaker 6: on Twitter and you could see written in some columns 861 00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:32,359 Speaker 6: the claim that she was rotting in this jail cell 862 00:40:32,440 --> 00:40:35,000 Speaker 6: and she was forgotten and nobody cared, and nobody was 863 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:38,120 Speaker 6: attending to it because she was a woman, because she 864 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:40,680 Speaker 6: was a lesbian, and because she was black. Right, Brittany 865 00:40:40,719 --> 00:40:44,400 Speaker 6: Grider got more attention and from the highest levels of government, 866 00:40:44,440 --> 00:40:48,360 Speaker 6: and rightly so, she got more attention than other political prisoners. 867 00:40:48,480 --> 00:40:50,759 Speaker 6: Then a political prisoner, a man I forget his name 868 00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:52,560 Speaker 6: right now, it's in the book, who've been falsely in 869 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:57,120 Speaker 6: prisoned for years. So that was a ridiculous, grievance driven 870 00:40:57,239 --> 00:41:01,200 Speaker 6: complaint that gives people who don't care as much as 871 00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:04,399 Speaker 6: they should about real examples of racism, of which there 872 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:07,480 Speaker 6: are plenty, real examples of homophobia, of which there are plenty, 873 00:41:07,560 --> 00:41:09,640 Speaker 6: real examples of misogyny, of which. 874 00:41:09,440 --> 00:41:10,000 Speaker 5: They are plenty. 875 00:41:10,239 --> 00:41:13,120 Speaker 6: It gives them a reason to turn away and turn 876 00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:16,360 Speaker 6: the whole thing off, because they can say, you're being ridiculous, 877 00:41:16,440 --> 00:41:18,719 Speaker 6: that's not true. We need to check that kind of 878 00:41:18,760 --> 00:41:22,280 Speaker 6: behavior because it undermines important social progress. 879 00:41:22,520 --> 00:41:25,800 Speaker 1: What I hear from you is that this grievance culture 880 00:41:25,960 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 1: undermines the sort of larger fabric of America. 881 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:29,760 Speaker 2: I think about this a lot. 882 00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:33,560 Speaker 1: Because I have on my desk two things that my 883 00:41:33,840 --> 00:41:36,839 Speaker 1: a sponsor told me to have because they are like 884 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:41,400 Speaker 1: my character defects because I had sort of coping mechanisms 885 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:42,080 Speaker 1: that were. 886 00:41:42,160 --> 00:41:44,800 Speaker 2: Bad and so I have or just not helpful. 887 00:41:44,920 --> 00:41:48,160 Speaker 1: So I have a don't be a brat explanation point, 888 00:41:48,239 --> 00:41:51,480 Speaker 1: and do I think I'm too good for something? Right? 889 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:56,040 Speaker 1: And these are these general ideas of how important humility is. 890 00:41:56,360 --> 00:41:58,880 Speaker 2: Right, that is the sort of solve for all of this. 891 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:01,799 Speaker 6: Right, I agree with you more In fact, as you know, 892 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:04,120 Speaker 6: the last chapter of the book is entirely about humility. 893 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:05,440 Speaker 5: Is the antidoteal grievance. 894 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:07,640 Speaker 6: And what I mean by that and what you mean 895 00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:09,480 Speaker 6: by it with you just said is we're not talking 896 00:42:09,520 --> 00:42:14,120 Speaker 6: about being theatrically or unduly self effacing. But it is 897 00:42:14,160 --> 00:42:16,759 Speaker 6: so important if this country is to survive, if our 898 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:19,400 Speaker 6: communities are going to thrive, it is so important to 899 00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:22,160 Speaker 6: see yourself as a part of a larger goal. It's 900 00:42:22,160 --> 00:42:24,319 Speaker 6: so important to see you. I think you just use 901 00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:27,080 Speaker 6: the word fabric, which is a terrific, terrific word. We 902 00:42:27,160 --> 00:42:29,640 Speaker 6: are all threads in a tapestry, threads in a fabric, 903 00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:34,000 Speaker 6: and when we get unduly obsessed with the contours, had 904 00:42:34,040 --> 00:42:37,480 Speaker 6: every last detail of our own disappointment. When we demand 905 00:42:37,640 --> 00:42:41,560 Speaker 6: that the world inform entirely to our liking. When we 906 00:42:41,719 --> 00:42:46,200 Speaker 6: jumble heady complaints with righteous causes, we're being really unhumble 907 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:50,120 Speaker 6: and we're jeopardizing something that's going to matter more to 908 00:42:50,239 --> 00:42:54,320 Speaker 6: our contentment than any momentary whim, which is the collective good. 909 00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:56,600 Speaker 5: Whatever happened to the collective good? You know? 910 00:42:57,400 --> 00:42:59,799 Speaker 1: Well, that is that you know, what can you do 911 00:43:00,080 --> 00:43:03,360 Speaker 1: for your country? So I want to talk about my 912 00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:06,399 Speaker 1: obsession now, which is the reason why I will never 913 00:43:06,480 --> 00:43:11,280 Speaker 1: be elected president, among other things, and also never running. 914 00:43:11,560 --> 00:43:14,759 Speaker 2: But is that I really truly believe it. And they've 915 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,320 Speaker 2: started this Climate Core. I'm very excited. 916 00:43:17,320 --> 00:43:19,680 Speaker 1: I'm probably the only person who's excited about this, But 917 00:43:20,040 --> 00:43:23,040 Speaker 1: I really want there to be a year of national 918 00:43:23,080 --> 00:43:27,600 Speaker 1: service in America mandatory for everyone. And it can be 919 00:43:27,680 --> 00:43:31,120 Speaker 1: anything from teach for America to cleaning up our national 920 00:43:31,239 --> 00:43:32,800 Speaker 1: parks to climate stuff. 921 00:43:33,160 --> 00:43:35,920 Speaker 2: I just think that it would be. 922 00:43:36,080 --> 00:43:38,520 Speaker 1: The thing that would get you know, if you're rich, 923 00:43:38,560 --> 00:43:40,960 Speaker 1: you're poor, you're black, you're white, you're from the South, 924 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:43,960 Speaker 1: you're from the north, you would have an experience, you 925 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:46,960 Speaker 1: could go anywhere you wanted, you would work with these other, 926 00:43:47,200 --> 00:43:49,439 Speaker 1: you know, eighteen year olds. It would be a sort 927 00:43:49,480 --> 00:43:53,839 Speaker 1: of mandatory year of just work, and you would be 928 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:57,840 Speaker 1: an American like all other Americans, and class and race 929 00:43:58,040 --> 00:44:00,400 Speaker 1: and wealth would have nothing to do with that. 930 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:02,960 Speaker 5: I salute that idea. 931 00:44:03,400 --> 00:44:05,600 Speaker 6: I'd want to push back at the mandatory part, but 932 00:44:05,719 --> 00:44:07,440 Speaker 6: let's come to that in a second. But I promote 933 00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:09,439 Speaker 6: the idea of national service of the book. I mention 934 00:44:10,080 --> 00:44:12,520 Speaker 6: that prominent political candidates have made that a big part 935 00:44:12,560 --> 00:44:15,320 Speaker 6: of their platforms. It was something Pete Footage Edge emphasized 936 00:44:15,320 --> 00:44:17,040 Speaker 6: a lot in his twenty twenty campaign. 937 00:44:17,200 --> 00:44:19,640 Speaker 2: It made all the Libertarians so mad. 938 00:44:19,760 --> 00:44:21,680 Speaker 5: Well, it shouldn't make them mad. 939 00:44:21,719 --> 00:44:24,000 Speaker 6: I mean, you described one of the reasons it's so 940 00:44:24,040 --> 00:44:26,879 Speaker 6: important very well when you talked about diverse backgrounds. There 941 00:44:26,920 --> 00:44:31,600 Speaker 6: are increasingly few avenues of places in American life where 942 00:44:31,640 --> 00:44:35,520 Speaker 6: people of different education levels, people of different class backgrounds, 943 00:44:35,600 --> 00:44:39,120 Speaker 6: people of different races, where there's real. 944 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:40,320 Speaker 5: Real diverse mangling. 945 00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:44,640 Speaker 6: More and more we live on homogeneous communities, We travel 946 00:44:44,719 --> 00:44:48,840 Speaker 6: online in completely tiny clicks. We need to find ways 947 00:44:48,880 --> 00:44:52,799 Speaker 6: to make people who otherwise wouldn't interact interact, because the 948 00:44:52,920 --> 00:44:55,440 Speaker 6: only way that you don't end up seeing your fellow 949 00:44:55,440 --> 00:44:58,680 Speaker 6: Americans in caricature is if you understand them better and 950 00:44:58,719 --> 00:45:00,680 Speaker 6: meet them face to face and SA time with them. 951 00:45:00,800 --> 00:45:03,680 Speaker 6: I don't think we could do national service mandatory. I 952 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:06,200 Speaker 6: think the pushback would be so severe that would never happen. 953 00:45:06,520 --> 00:45:08,560 Speaker 6: But I don't think we need to because I think 954 00:45:08,600 --> 00:45:12,120 Speaker 6: there are ways to build in rewards and incentives that 955 00:45:12,200 --> 00:45:14,960 Speaker 6: we get enough people to do it that it becomes 956 00:45:15,040 --> 00:45:18,239 Speaker 6: a kind of vote, and people are almost ashamed not 957 00:45:18,400 --> 00:45:20,600 Speaker 6: to do it. And I think we could turn it 958 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:24,000 Speaker 6: into something of a custom without making it mandatory. 959 00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:26,359 Speaker 2: I would love that so much, because I just think 960 00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:27,680 Speaker 2: that part of the problem. 961 00:45:27,840 --> 00:45:31,040 Speaker 1: I mean this idea when we talk about grievance, there's 962 00:45:31,080 --> 00:45:34,719 Speaker 1: a feeling that other people and you write about this 963 00:45:34,880 --> 00:45:37,880 Speaker 1: so well with this stuff about Americans, and you know, 964 00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:41,120 Speaker 1: they're fantasy that somehow China everybody has it better, and 965 00:45:41,760 --> 00:45:44,799 Speaker 1: there's this feeling that other people have it better. We 966 00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:47,960 Speaker 1: talk a lot about this idea, and again, like the 967 00:45:48,120 --> 00:45:51,400 Speaker 1: Trump is that Trump sort of ran on this idea 968 00:45:51,440 --> 00:45:56,480 Speaker 1: that he would give white men back what they felt 969 00:45:56,480 --> 00:45:59,360 Speaker 1: had been taken from them by someone else. Now, obviously 970 00:45:59,719 --> 00:46:02,280 Speaker 1: none of that was true, but people were so removed 971 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:03,640 Speaker 1: from each other they couldn't see it. 972 00:46:03,840 --> 00:46:04,640 Speaker 5: That's exactly right. 973 00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:07,520 Speaker 6: They don't have any sense that the people who you know. 974 00:46:07,560 --> 00:46:11,160 Speaker 6: When Trump is demonizing a population, when other Republican candidates 975 00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:13,920 Speaker 6: are demonizing a population, or if Democratic candidates do it 976 00:46:13,960 --> 00:46:16,520 Speaker 6: with a different group, no one knows to say, wait, 977 00:46:16,600 --> 00:46:18,920 Speaker 6: that doesn't ring true because I know someone like that, 978 00:46:19,280 --> 00:46:22,359 Speaker 6: and that's caricature, that's silly. We can't push back at 979 00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:24,880 Speaker 6: it because our lives don't bring us into contact with 980 00:46:24,920 --> 00:46:28,240 Speaker 6: those people. There are too few crossed paths, and social 981 00:46:28,320 --> 00:46:33,120 Speaker 6: media aggravates this so insidiously because so many people are 982 00:46:33,160 --> 00:46:36,759 Speaker 6: projecting these perfect, potentic in lives on social media that 983 00:46:36,920 --> 00:46:39,719 Speaker 6: make everyone else feel like, well, why is everybody else 984 00:46:39,840 --> 00:46:42,680 Speaker 6: always at a wedding with a champagne flute raised to 985 00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:45,759 Speaker 6: the sun's setting. Where's my champagne and my son set 986 00:46:45,760 --> 00:46:48,120 Speaker 6: in my wedding? Well, you're seeing the best day of 987 00:46:48,160 --> 00:46:51,520 Speaker 6: their year. You're not seeing two nights later when they're 988 00:46:51,600 --> 00:46:53,719 Speaker 6: crime because they had a horrible day at work and 989 00:46:53,760 --> 00:46:55,480 Speaker 6: they just had a fight with their lover and they're 990 00:46:55,560 --> 00:46:59,000 Speaker 6: alone in bed. No one's putting that on Instagram. But 991 00:46:59,080 --> 00:47:02,040 Speaker 6: that's life too. I mean, we need to understand that 992 00:47:02,080 --> 00:47:05,839 Speaker 6: whatever frustrations and pains we're experiencing, they're probably much much 993 00:47:05,880 --> 00:47:07,520 Speaker 6: more universal than exception. 994 00:47:07,440 --> 00:47:11,000 Speaker 1: When it comes to social media. I have two large 995 00:47:11,080 --> 00:47:13,520 Speaker 1: thoughts that I want you to sort of talk to 996 00:47:13,560 --> 00:47:17,000 Speaker 1: me about. One is this idea we don't know how 997 00:47:17,040 --> 00:47:20,640 Speaker 1: the algorithms work, and we don't know what algorithms are 998 00:47:20,640 --> 00:47:24,000 Speaker 1: being used, so we don't know how our content is 999 00:47:24,040 --> 00:47:25,560 Speaker 1: being farmed to us. 1000 00:47:26,080 --> 00:47:27,560 Speaker 2: Isn't that part of the problem. 1001 00:47:27,600 --> 00:47:29,439 Speaker 6: I think it is part of the problem, and there 1002 00:47:29,480 --> 00:47:31,840 Speaker 6: have been calls for transparency in that regard. 1003 00:47:31,840 --> 00:47:33,040 Speaker 5: There are people who listen. 1004 00:47:33,080 --> 00:47:36,320 Speaker 6: There's a whole lot of regulation of social media companies 1005 00:47:36,360 --> 00:47:39,600 Speaker 6: that hasn't happened because of the kind of odd wild 1006 00:47:39,640 --> 00:47:42,919 Speaker 6: West spirit in which the Internet was born. And among 1007 00:47:43,000 --> 00:47:46,080 Speaker 6: the calls for regulation in some quarters are calls for 1008 00:47:46,239 --> 00:47:50,799 Speaker 6: transparency of algorithms so that we can understand better how 1009 00:47:50,840 --> 00:47:53,640 Speaker 6: we're being manipulated. I think it might be enough just 1010 00:47:53,680 --> 00:47:56,520 Speaker 6: for us to understand that we're being manipulated to talk 1011 00:47:56,560 --> 00:47:59,399 Speaker 6: more about it. I believe in classrooms from a very 1012 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:02,400 Speaker 6: early age, people need to be made aware of what 1013 00:48:02,640 --> 00:48:05,239 Speaker 6: happens to them in their online lives about how one 1014 00:48:05,280 --> 00:48:08,200 Speaker 6: set of decisions breeds and other set of decisions, because 1015 00:48:08,200 --> 00:48:11,320 Speaker 6: they don't necessarily want that to happen, and awareness is 1016 00:48:11,360 --> 00:48:13,400 Speaker 6: a big part of the problem. Like when I pause 1017 00:48:13,440 --> 00:48:16,480 Speaker 6: with students, I do this no matter the class, every semester, 1018 00:48:16,880 --> 00:48:19,680 Speaker 6: when I say, like, how much intention did you put 1019 00:48:19,680 --> 00:48:23,000 Speaker 6: into the people you follow on whatever your platforms of 1020 00:48:23,120 --> 00:48:26,040 Speaker 6: choice are, How much intention did you put into the 1021 00:48:26,080 --> 00:48:29,000 Speaker 6: things that are bookmarked? How much intention do you put 1022 00:48:29,080 --> 00:48:30,840 Speaker 6: into what you click on when it comes to you? 1023 00:48:30,920 --> 00:48:35,160 Speaker 6: And that is that the kind of information diet, is 1024 00:48:35,200 --> 00:48:38,080 Speaker 6: that the education, the kind of exposure that you meant 1025 00:48:38,080 --> 00:48:41,080 Speaker 6: to have. We could go a long way from you 1026 00:48:41,120 --> 00:48:43,799 Speaker 6: just get everybody to pause to think about how the 1027 00:48:43,880 --> 00:48:48,400 Speaker 6: algorithms have distorted what they're seeing to reconfigure their online 1028 00:48:48,480 --> 00:48:52,120 Speaker 6: lives to something that matches what their real goals are. 1029 00:48:52,320 --> 00:48:55,040 Speaker 6: That's more than a baby's step in the right direction, 1030 00:48:55,480 --> 00:48:57,600 Speaker 6: and that has not been taken, and that I think 1031 00:48:58,000 --> 00:49:00,960 Speaker 6: is in large parts the responsibility for that on educators, 1032 00:49:01,000 --> 00:49:04,000 Speaker 6: public servants having a discussion. 1033 00:49:03,960 --> 00:49:06,520 Speaker 5: That we have not been having with the people around us. 1034 00:49:06,520 --> 00:49:08,680 Speaker 5: With the students in particular, you teach. 1035 00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:10,560 Speaker 2: These amazing duke students. 1036 00:49:10,800 --> 00:49:13,840 Speaker 1: You're sort of in the field with these college students, 1037 00:49:13,880 --> 00:49:15,759 Speaker 1: So what are you seeing from them? 1038 00:49:15,840 --> 00:49:17,080 Speaker 2: And does it make you hopeful? 1039 00:49:17,320 --> 00:49:19,239 Speaker 6: It makes me more hopeful than not. I mean, I 1040 00:49:19,239 --> 00:49:21,440 Speaker 6: see some stuff that encourages me, I see some stuff 1041 00:49:21,440 --> 00:49:24,680 Speaker 6: that discourages me. I'll start with what discourages me really quickly, 1042 00:49:24,680 --> 00:49:27,239 Speaker 6: and then I'll go to what encourages me. What discourages 1043 00:49:27,280 --> 00:49:29,480 Speaker 6: me is I think, and I think this is a 1044 00:49:29,520 --> 00:49:31,920 Speaker 6: sane take on the world. I think they feel that 1045 00:49:32,400 --> 00:49:34,839 Speaker 6: they live at a time and in a country where 1046 00:49:34,880 --> 00:49:38,200 Speaker 6: economically speaking, the margin for error is really slim. They 1047 00:49:38,239 --> 00:49:41,040 Speaker 6: have not been raised and again, this is a sane 1048 00:49:41,480 --> 00:49:43,200 Speaker 6: This is the sane response for them to have in 1049 00:49:43,200 --> 00:49:44,080 Speaker 6: a sane perspective. 1050 00:49:44,520 --> 00:49:45,400 Speaker 5: They have not been. 1051 00:49:45,360 --> 00:49:47,880 Speaker 6: Raised in such a fashion where they see this country 1052 00:49:48,280 --> 00:49:51,839 Speaker 6: as one of guaranteed bounty and better tomorrows. 1053 00:49:52,120 --> 00:49:54,480 Speaker 5: You know, I will outpace my parents. 1054 00:49:54,600 --> 00:49:57,680 Speaker 6: I will live the American dream of continued and further 1055 00:49:57,680 --> 00:50:01,200 Speaker 6: assent up to social ladder. So they feel a sort 1056 00:50:01,239 --> 00:50:04,640 Speaker 6: of anxiety and caution about their futures that I think 1057 00:50:04,800 --> 00:50:07,880 Speaker 6: is discouraging to see, but is an understandable response. 1058 00:50:08,160 --> 00:50:10,319 Speaker 1: Don't you think that's a little bit good, like that 1059 00:50:10,400 --> 00:50:12,799 Speaker 1: they don't have that entitlement, because I think of that 1060 00:50:13,040 --> 00:50:19,560 Speaker 1: entitlement as so bad for working hard and connecting with people. 1061 00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:22,120 Speaker 1: And you know that I feel like that is sort 1062 00:50:22,160 --> 00:50:24,040 Speaker 1: of the worst way you can be. But tell me 1063 00:50:24,120 --> 00:50:26,040 Speaker 1: I'm wrong, or if I am wrong. 1064 00:50:26,239 --> 00:50:28,040 Speaker 6: You're not wrong. But I think it's a little bit 1065 00:50:28,040 --> 00:50:31,040 Speaker 6: more complicated than that. I think it's sad because it 1066 00:50:31,120 --> 00:50:34,440 Speaker 6: tramples on and diminishes the measure of optimism in their lives. 1067 00:50:34,560 --> 00:50:37,560 Speaker 6: I think optimism is so key to making things better, 1068 00:50:37,760 --> 00:50:40,719 Speaker 6: kind of reaching for unattained goals. So I think it's complicated, 1069 00:50:40,719 --> 00:50:43,640 Speaker 6: But I will tell you they're very earnest. 1070 00:50:43,880 --> 00:50:44,879 Speaker 5: Ernest isn't the right work. 1071 00:50:44,920 --> 00:50:47,200 Speaker 6: That sounds like a little bit of a diss that 1072 00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:50,680 Speaker 6: sounds Pollyanna esque, But it's good to be well. They 1073 00:50:50,680 --> 00:50:53,320 Speaker 6: want the world to be a better place. They're sensitive, too, 1074 00:50:53,320 --> 00:50:57,360 Speaker 6: sometimes over sensitive to matters of injustice. They care about 1075 00:50:57,400 --> 00:51:02,120 Speaker 6: those things in a very genuine way. Word inclusion or inclusiveness. 1076 00:51:02,120 --> 00:51:04,759 Speaker 6: It's become a kind of cant or rgo and and 1077 00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:08,319 Speaker 6: I think people just let it wash over them. But inclusion, inclusiveness, 1078 00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:11,200 Speaker 6: these are important things. And I think the students I 1079 00:51:11,280 --> 00:51:15,800 Speaker 6: teach their generation care more genuinely and expansively about that 1080 00:51:15,960 --> 00:51:18,200 Speaker 6: the previous generations did, and I think will be the 1081 00:51:18,200 --> 00:51:19,319 Speaker 6: beneficiarias of that. 1082 00:51:19,680 --> 00:51:23,880 Speaker 1: So interesting, so important. I hope you will come back. 1083 00:51:24,200 --> 00:51:26,280 Speaker 6: I would be delighted too, and I thank you for 1084 00:51:26,320 --> 00:51:33,040 Speaker 6: having me on the show. 1085 00:51:32,040 --> 00:51:37,560 Speaker 2: The moment, do you have a moment of fuckery? 1086 00:51:37,800 --> 00:51:39,759 Speaker 3: I do have a moment of fuckery. And then my 1087 00:51:39,880 --> 00:51:44,400 Speaker 3: moment of fuckery is all of these quasi anti Trump 1088 00:51:44,920 --> 00:51:49,120 Speaker 3: conservative foreign policy hawks that are very pro BB and 1089 00:51:49,200 --> 00:51:52,080 Speaker 3: pro Israel, but that have, to their credit, you know, 1090 00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:55,640 Speaker 3: criticized Trump and said they're anti Trump there at commentary magazine, 1091 00:51:55,719 --> 00:51:58,080 Speaker 3: National Review and at these at these types of places. 1092 00:51:58,080 --> 00:51:59,920 Speaker 3: So some of them are still at Fox and binding 1093 00:52:00,280 --> 00:52:03,319 Speaker 3: out after. Let's just be honest. Biden's been pretty damn 1094 00:52:03,480 --> 00:52:06,400 Speaker 3: stalwart with BB for seven months. 1095 00:52:05,920 --> 00:52:09,279 Speaker 2: Perhaps way too much. Yes, many people are saying. 1096 00:52:09,320 --> 00:52:11,680 Speaker 3: In the face of criticism from his left flank, in 1097 00:52:11,719 --> 00:52:14,960 Speaker 3: the face of criticism from other world leaders and other allies, 1098 00:52:15,200 --> 00:52:18,320 Speaker 3: and he said that Israel is our ally, they were attacked, 1099 00:52:18,560 --> 00:52:20,879 Speaker 3: they're holding our hostages. We need to stick with them. 1100 00:52:21,040 --> 00:52:23,200 Speaker 3: I get that, you know, we can quibble about the details. 1101 00:52:23,280 --> 00:52:26,439 Speaker 3: So then one day, finally seven months into this, when 1102 00:52:26,640 --> 00:52:29,600 Speaker 3: BB is planning an invasion that has no real plan 1103 00:52:29,680 --> 00:52:31,680 Speaker 3: for success. The plan is just basically, we're going to 1104 00:52:31,800 --> 00:52:33,759 Speaker 3: kill a bunch of people and like, we'll see where 1105 00:52:33,760 --> 00:52:36,080 Speaker 3: the chips fall, like that's basically the plan. All Biden 1106 00:52:36,120 --> 00:52:37,680 Speaker 3: says say is, you know, we're not going to give 1107 00:52:37,680 --> 00:52:39,560 Speaker 3: you these big ass bombs to kill as many people 1108 00:52:39,600 --> 00:52:41,319 Speaker 3: as possible. All Right, We're still gonna help you with 1109 00:52:41,440 --> 00:52:44,640 Speaker 3: defensive stuff. We're still helping with intelligence. It's just if 1110 00:52:44,680 --> 00:52:46,440 Speaker 3: you go ahead with this like this is now a 1111 00:52:46,440 --> 00:52:49,319 Speaker 3: step too far, which puts him again as like one 1112 00:52:49,360 --> 00:52:51,400 Speaker 3: of the still one of the closest allies are you 1113 00:52:51,400 --> 00:52:54,359 Speaker 3: compared to what the other European countries are saying about it? 1114 00:52:54,440 --> 00:52:58,000 Speaker 3: And now these assholes are out there. This guy Cliff Assnus, 1115 00:52:58,239 --> 00:53:00,640 Speaker 3: who's a big donor to was a big Nick Galy donor, 1116 00:53:00,680 --> 00:53:05,160 Speaker 3: is tweeting yesterday hashtag Trump twenty twenty four, Biden betrayal, 1117 00:53:05,600 --> 00:53:09,200 Speaker 3: Biden abandoning Israel. It's just like be a grown up, 1118 00:53:09,320 --> 00:53:12,080 Speaker 3: like you guys are just as bad, if not worse 1119 00:53:12,520 --> 00:53:14,759 Speaker 3: than the like eighteen year olds who are like I 1120 00:53:14,800 --> 00:53:17,120 Speaker 3: won't vote for genocide Joe, I'm going to vote for 1121 00:53:17,160 --> 00:53:19,759 Speaker 3: Cornell West. It's like be a grown up. Being a 1122 00:53:19,800 --> 00:53:22,280 Speaker 3: grown up means sometimes you don't get everything you want, 1123 00:53:22,480 --> 00:53:24,520 Speaker 3: and sometimes there are two choices, whether or not you 1124 00:53:24,520 --> 00:53:27,000 Speaker 3: don't find them both perfect. But you've got to decide 1125 00:53:27,040 --> 00:53:29,680 Speaker 3: which one is better and which one is more responsible. 1126 00:53:29,680 --> 00:53:32,280 Speaker 3: That's a grown up thing to do, and in this case, 1127 00:53:32,480 --> 00:53:35,520 Speaker 3: it's obviously Joe Biden that is the right choice. And 1128 00:53:35,600 --> 00:53:37,640 Speaker 3: these guys know it, they know the threat to Trump, 1129 00:53:37,840 --> 00:53:40,160 Speaker 3: but they're babies and they're not getting everything they want 1130 00:53:40,200 --> 00:53:42,719 Speaker 3: on their one issue of Israel, and so now they're 1131 00:53:42,800 --> 00:53:45,280 Speaker 3: lashing out and they're putting on the red maga hat. 1132 00:53:45,320 --> 00:53:46,480 Speaker 3: Fuck you, fuck you. 1133 00:53:46,800 --> 00:53:48,880 Speaker 2: Wow, good for you, Tim Miller. 1134 00:53:49,080 --> 00:53:54,840 Speaker 1: My moment of buckery is Susan necklace slut shamings Stormy Daniels. 1135 00:53:55,000 --> 00:53:56,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, amen to that too. 1136 00:53:56,440 --> 00:53:58,319 Speaker 2: I mean, it's just disgusting. 1137 00:53:58,600 --> 00:54:01,480 Speaker 1: You know, the fact that the men on the defense 1138 00:54:01,640 --> 00:54:06,759 Speaker 1: have used her in this way is disgusting. The fact 1139 00:54:06,840 --> 00:54:10,960 Speaker 1: that she is sledshaming this woman who you know, Stormy 1140 00:54:11,120 --> 00:54:14,239 Speaker 1: has perhaps made some money off of this, but ultimately, 1141 00:54:14,320 --> 00:54:16,560 Speaker 1: I'm sure she would rather not as both of us 1142 00:54:16,600 --> 00:54:19,080 Speaker 1: as recipients of death threats. I'm sure she would rather 1143 00:54:19,280 --> 00:54:22,320 Speaker 1: just be normal. And I just feel like it's a 1144 00:54:23,040 --> 00:54:26,319 Speaker 1: terrible look. And every time things like this happen, as 1145 00:54:26,400 --> 00:54:30,320 Speaker 1: we are both parents of daughters and it's just discussing, 1146 00:54:30,360 --> 00:54:31,680 Speaker 1: and it gets me really upset. 1147 00:54:31,920 --> 00:54:32,480 Speaker 5: It's gross. 1148 00:54:32,520 --> 00:54:35,720 Speaker 3: Thank you. We're totally lyned on that one. Yeah, screw 1149 00:54:35,760 --> 00:54:37,760 Speaker 3: her too, now literally. 1150 00:54:37,960 --> 00:54:39,360 Speaker 2: Take you, Tip Miller. 1151 00:54:40,320 --> 00:54:43,640 Speaker 1: That's it for this episode of Fast Politics. Tune in 1152 00:54:43,680 --> 00:54:46,920 Speaker 1: every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to hear the best minds 1153 00:54:46,920 --> 00:54:50,160 Speaker 1: in politics makes sense of all this chaos. If you 1154 00:54:50,280 --> 00:54:52,960 Speaker 1: enjoyed what you've heard, please send it to a friend 1155 00:54:53,000 --> 00:54:56,560 Speaker 1: and keep the conversation going. And again, thanks for listening.