WEBVTT - Ruthless Political Operatives.  Lanhee Chen Talks to A&G

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<v Speaker 1>When you're ready to ride Metro, we want you to

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<v Speaker 1>know we're ready for you. Here are just a few

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<v Speaker 1>of the people at Metro to tell you how we're

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<v Speaker 1>doing our part to keep riders safe. We're cleaning like

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<v Speaker 1>nouble before we half build a great clean You've found

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<v Speaker 1>hands down of tows of stations, no mask, no Metro

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<v Speaker 1>need one. We have a few extras at Metro. We're

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<v Speaker 1>doing our part to keep the DC area moving. Find

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<v Speaker 1>out more at we Mada dot com, slash doing our part,

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<v Speaker 1>the Armstrong and Getty Show. And just a preemptive question,

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<v Speaker 1>I know it's gonna come up. Are we seeing any

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<v Speaker 1>widespread fraud? Are we seeing anything that makes us question

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<v Speaker 1>the outcome of the election? We're not see any widespread regularities.

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<v Speaker 1>Are not seeing anything widespread where we are investigating any

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<v Speaker 1>incredible accusation with any real evidence behind it. But let

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<v Speaker 1>me tell you one thing. When you have a narrow margin,

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<v Speaker 1>little small things can make a difference. So everything that

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<v Speaker 1>had to be investigated to protect the integrity of the vote,

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<v Speaker 1>our office intends to do that. And like I said,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, wide margin doesn't matter as much narrow margin

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<v Speaker 1>it does. We're literally looking at a margin of less

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<v Speaker 1>than you know, a large high school. That is, uh,

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<v Speaker 1>what's his title? It's not secret to your state. But

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<v Speaker 1>it's like the head of elections in Georgia, who is

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<v Speaker 1>a Republican? The guy run an accountant. That's that. I

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<v Speaker 1>believe that is his formal titled. Yes, ah so, but

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<v Speaker 1>it's over in terms of who wins. Yes, in terms

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<v Speaker 1>of investigating high jinks, no, which is healthy for everyone,

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<v Speaker 1>and anybody who's not in favor of that is a

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<v Speaker 1>bad American. Try to make elections better election by election.

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<v Speaker 1>But it's over. Joe Biden will be the President of

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<v Speaker 1>United States. It's it's not even a question anymore, not

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<v Speaker 1>a joke. Lon each And David and Diane Stephie fellow

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<v Speaker 1>in American Public Policy Studies at the Whoever Institution joins

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<v Speaker 1>us now. Lon He is also host of the most

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<v Speaker 1>excellent podcast Crossing Lines with laniach and Good morning, sir,

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<v Speaker 1>How are you well? Good morning? It looks like we

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<v Speaker 1>might be closer to a result after all. Oh yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>it's it's it's over. I mean, if if we want

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<v Speaker 1>to pretend it's not, we can, but listen to the

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<v Speaker 1>liberal Jack, it's not the result I want and I

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<v Speaker 1>was wondered, you've you've worked on some high level campaigns

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<v Speaker 1>that didn't win. What does it feel like when you

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<v Speaker 1>realize when it's over, what is it all? What is that?

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<v Speaker 1>What is that feeling? I mean, it's it's it's horrible.

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<v Speaker 1>It's it's a sad, sad feeling. And particularly when you've

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<v Speaker 1>invested a lot of your time and energy and you

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<v Speaker 1>believe in the cause. Look, everybody who was involved in

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<v Speaker 1>this campaign, arm on the Trump side, of the Pivate side,

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<v Speaker 1>who worked on these campaigns, they believed in what they

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<v Speaker 1>were doing, you know, and you don't invest that kind

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<v Speaker 1>of time unless you do. Uh. And I've lost a

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<v Speaker 1>lot in my time in politics. I've lost a lot

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<v Speaker 1>more than I've won. And it's it's tough. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>that moment when you realize I still remember that time

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<v Speaker 1>in twelve when I was working, you know, closely with

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<v Speaker 1>Romney and on election night, you know, when we knew

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<v Speaker 1>we had no pathway. Uh, it's a very difficult thing

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<v Speaker 1>to accept, and it takes a lot of grace, It

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<v Speaker 1>takes a lot of humility to be able to say,

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<v Speaker 1>you know what, it's not gonna happen. Because every instinct

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<v Speaker 1>in your body said you gotta keep fighting, you gotta

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<v Speaker 1>keep going, and and you know at some point you

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<v Speaker 1>just can't. There's no pathway. What does it feel like?

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<v Speaker 1>You know most of us haven't done it. What does

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<v Speaker 1>it feel like? Is it like when you know a

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<v Speaker 1>girl you love dumps you? Or what's a feeling? I mean, um,

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<v Speaker 1>having felt that before too, I could say it's no,

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<v Speaker 1>it's um. You know, it's you sort of sit there

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<v Speaker 1>and you wonder, you know, what could you have done more?

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<v Speaker 1>I think that for me, at least personally, and by

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<v Speaker 1>the way, to this day, I still think about that

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<v Speaker 1>for Romney because you know, I think, um, look, your

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<v Speaker 1>your listeners are going to have different opinions of Romney.

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<v Speaker 1>I get it. Um, I have never met someone who

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<v Speaker 1>is more honorable and who I would have done more

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<v Speaker 1>for than him. And so I feel like at this point,

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<v Speaker 1>even out right eight years later, I still think we're

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<v Speaker 1>their decisions I made and things that I did on

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<v Speaker 1>that campaign that contributed to his laws. He should have

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<v Speaker 1>hired me to give him how to act like a

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<v Speaker 1>regular guy lesson you know, so Trump might spend the

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<v Speaker 1>rest of his life thinking gotta fight it just a

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<v Speaker 1>one more rally in Arizona. You know, one more in

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<v Speaker 1>this county in Pennsylvania had have been president. That's interesting, Hey,

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<v Speaker 1>speaking of that, let me let me let me let

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<v Speaker 1>me be clear. I don't think that Donald Trump will

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<v Speaker 1>think that way. I think he. I think there are

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<v Speaker 1>people on his campaign that will that will question decisions made. That.

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<v Speaker 1>Having been said, I actually think Trump down the stretch

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<v Speaker 1>did exactly what he needed to do to keep this

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<v Speaker 1>race close. I actually think the Trump campaign, Trump's rallies,

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<v Speaker 1>all of that, that's what drove turn out in these states.

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<v Speaker 1>Either you talk about Donald Trump won more vote in

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<v Speaker 1>and I know it's amazing, it's just that the other

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<v Speaker 1>side was was all that more energized, and they were

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<v Speaker 1>all that more voters, and they turned out their people

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<v Speaker 1>as well. So you have to look at this if

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<v Speaker 1>you're the Trump campaign, I don't think there's a whole

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<v Speaker 1>lot more they could have done. I think those guys

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<v Speaker 1>completely easy, knowing that they ran a very tough and

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<v Speaker 1>aggressive campaign down the stretch. Nancy Velosi has stated that

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<v Speaker 1>the election was a mandate for Democrats commend to please.

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<v Speaker 1>The only thing that's a mandate for is her leading

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<v Speaker 1>the Speakership. I mean she was atrocious. Uh And and

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<v Speaker 1>one of the reasons why the Democrats had lost ground

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<v Speaker 1>in the House, which no one expected, by the way,

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<v Speaker 1>is because she completely went off to defend in the

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<v Speaker 1>two weeks at the end of the campaign. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>I have never seen someone getting more unhinged. Then then

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<v Speaker 1>I saw her her get unhinged in those last two

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<v Speaker 1>weeks of the campaign. I mean talking about psychological examinations

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<v Speaker 1>and the twenty fifth Amendment. And I mean she was

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<v Speaker 1>one of the reasons why people looked at the House

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<v Speaker 1>of Representatives in these races and you know what, we

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<v Speaker 1>ought to send a message. And and voters are smarter,

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<v Speaker 1>by the way than a lot of these media analysts

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<v Speaker 1>give them credit for. Voters. You know, they went and

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<v Speaker 1>they said, you know what, I'm going to vote for

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<v Speaker 1>Joe Biden, but I'm also going to vote for a

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<v Speaker 1>Republican for Congress because i want to make sure someone's

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<v Speaker 1>got to check on this guy. I really believe that

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<v Speaker 1>we saw a lot more split ticket voting than at

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<v Speaker 1>any point in recent American history because American voters knew

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<v Speaker 1>what they were doing. And I wish we didn't some

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<v Speaker 1>credit for it. Interesting Yeah, maybe they couldn't explain it

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<v Speaker 1>with fancy political science words, but they knew it in

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<v Speaker 1>their gut. Hey continuing to look forward. Um So, if

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<v Speaker 1>Joe Biden is the winner, and you know, I'd be

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<v Speaker 1>willing to bet a lot of money right now that

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<v Speaker 1>he is. Um. So, Joe Biden Mitch McConnell are really close.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, I knew they served in the Senate, but

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't know they were this close. McConnell was the

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<v Speaker 1>only Senate Republican to attend the funeral for Biden's son

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<v Speaker 1>bo Um. He stayed away from attacks on Biden's other son,

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<v Speaker 1>Hunter And And Biden is interested in the Senate in

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<v Speaker 1>the way that Obama wasn't. He famously like didn't care

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<v Speaker 1>to go talk to senators or trying to do anything

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<v Speaker 1>that done. Biden knows all these people, most of them.

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<v Speaker 1>So what do you think that relationship will be? Like, Um,

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<v Speaker 1>I have a contrarian opinion on this. I actually think

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<v Speaker 1>it's gonna be very productive. It's gonna be very productive.

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<v Speaker 1>I think I know that the common you know, the

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<v Speaker 1>common wisdom out there is out is going to be gridlock.

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<v Speaker 1>I actually don't agree. I think that Biden is a

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<v Speaker 1>creature of the Senate. He understands the Senate better than

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<v Speaker 1>probably any other human being on earth because he spent

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<v Speaker 1>so long there. He knows how the Senate works. He

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<v Speaker 1>understands the norms and the culture of the Senate, and

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<v Speaker 1>he knows Miss McConnell. And at the end of the day,

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<v Speaker 1>what Biden and McConnell are, they're both dealmakers. They are

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<v Speaker 1>ruthless political operatives, and I mean that in the in

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<v Speaker 1>the best positive way. But they also understand the need

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<v Speaker 1>to get deals done, and they're gonna do deals. They're

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<v Speaker 1>going to do a deal on coronavirus relief, They're gonna

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<v Speaker 1>do deals on Biden's nominations. And I think it's going

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<v Speaker 1>to be a productive relationship and eat for the first

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<v Speaker 1>you know years, so then then all bets are off

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<v Speaker 1>because you get into an election state. Right that first year.

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<v Speaker 1>I think it's pretty productive. Well, that's interesting. What it

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<v Speaker 1>reminds me of is reading all the lb J books

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<v Speaker 1>that I've read. When he got the White House, he

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<v Speaker 1>was the knew more about the Senate than anybody in America,

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<v Speaker 1>and he got all those civil rights stuff through because

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<v Speaker 1>he knew how the Senate worked. Do you expect Lon

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<v Speaker 1>He that Um Joe Biden will re reveal his true

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<v Speaker 1>colors as a moderate as president. Now that doesn't have

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<v Speaker 1>to please the AOC wing. We'll see. That's why the

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<v Speaker 1>Republican Senate for him is a beautiful thing, because he

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<v Speaker 1>doesn't have to take the heat from the progressive left.

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<v Speaker 1>He can say, look, I got these Republicans to dial

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<v Speaker 1>it in the Senate, so I gotta focus on getting

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<v Speaker 1>some things done. We're in the middle of a public

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<v Speaker 1>health crisis. YadA, YadA, YadA. So in some ways it

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<v Speaker 1>gives him the defensive mechanisms he needed against all these

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<v Speaker 1>progressive lunatics in his party. He's going to be able

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<v Speaker 1>to basically say, listen, uh, you guys might want to

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<v Speaker 1>do it, but you and I both know it's not

0:08:59.080 --> 0:09:01.360
<v Speaker 1>gonna happen. So let's focus on doing some things we

0:09:01.400 --> 0:09:03.839
<v Speaker 1>can actually do. So I actually think it's going to

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<v Speaker 1>give him the ability to maneuver a lot more than

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<v Speaker 1>if he had a Democratic Senate. If he had a

0:09:08.960 --> 0:09:12.160
<v Speaker 1>Democratic Senate to be talking about court packing and single

0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:15.120
<v Speaker 1>payer and Green New Deal, and he'd actually have to

0:09:15.160 --> 0:09:17.400
<v Speaker 1>give into something that Now he doesn't have to worry

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<v Speaker 1>about that Wow, how interesting. Lan he chened David and

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<v Speaker 1>Diane Stephy, fellow in American Public Policy Studies at the

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<v Speaker 1>Ober Institution. Is podcast Crossing Lines with Lani chen Well

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<v Speaker 1>worth a listening to you get more of the sort

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<v Speaker 1>of things you heard just then. He had great to

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<v Speaker 1>talk to you. Thanks a bunch, all right, not because

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<v Speaker 1>of me, but that was the best conversation I've heard

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<v Speaker 1>on this today. Agreed, that's really interesting. Nobody understands probably

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<v Speaker 1>because your role. Yes, uh, nobody on the notes. You

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<v Speaker 1>don't play Sean, and that's what they say. Nobody in

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<v Speaker 1>the world knows how the Senate works better than Joe Biden,

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<v Speaker 1>he says, Yeah, and he'll be working with his old

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<v Speaker 1>close friend Mick McConnell. I'm trying to actually get things done. Yeah,

0:09:59.000 --> 0:10:01.600
<v Speaker 1>that would be bi partisan. I'd have to be bipartisan obviously.

0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:05.720
<v Speaker 1>You know, if there is a dream in Joe Biden's heart, uh,

0:10:05.760 --> 0:10:11.600
<v Speaker 1>it is a fairly moderate dream by by most standards.

0:10:11.640 --> 0:10:13.600
<v Speaker 1>I mean, there are things that he will do that

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<v Speaker 1>I will hate, no question about it, especially with the massive,

0:10:18.720 --> 0:10:22.520
<v Speaker 1>unjustifiably large administrative state and regulations in the rest of it.

0:10:22.720 --> 0:10:26.520
<v Speaker 1>But haven't said that. I believe he yeah yeah, Green

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<v Speaker 1>new Deal, Yeah yeah, all that stuff here, why not? Okay?

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<v Speaker 1>And then the minute he gets into office, he's going

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<v Speaker 1>to be more like he's always been. That's my hope

0:10:35.080 --> 0:10:39.560
<v Speaker 1>and and and and you know, pray for his health too,

0:10:39.640 --> 0:10:43.800
<v Speaker 1>because you don't want freaking Kamala Harrison. No, no, oh, no,

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<v Speaker 1>lord no, do your exercises, Joe Biden, eat your vegetables,

0:10:49.480 --> 0:10:52.520
<v Speaker 1>get get on the take to take those shots they

0:10:52.559 --> 0:11:00.200
<v Speaker 1>were giving you. When you're ready to ride Metro. We

0:11:00.240 --> 0:11:02.679
<v Speaker 1>want you to know we're ready for you. Here are

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<v Speaker 1>just a few of the people at Metro to tell

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<v Speaker 1>you how we're doing our part to keep righters safe.

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<v Speaker 1>We're cleaning like noble before were half builded greatly. You've

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<v Speaker 1>found hand sanitizing stations Metro no mask, no Metro need one.

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<v Speaker 1>We have a few extras at Metro. We're doing our

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<v Speaker 1>part to keep the DC area moving. Find out more

0:11:22.640 --> 0:11:24.960
<v Speaker 1>at wilmata dot com slash doing our part