CSPAN2 — The Michael Smerconish Program
20260825 130400 UTC
3262 transcript segments
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[00:00:01] COMPUTECH ARE REAPING THE BENEFITS. NOW. YOU DON'T HAVE
[00:00:05] TAXES ON OVERTIME. IF YOU WORK A LITTLE BIT HARDER, THE FEDERAL
[00:00:09] GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO KEEP ITS HAND OUT OF YOUR POCKET. AND IT IS THANKS TO THE WORKING >> [APPLAUSE]
[00:00:12] >> FAMILIES TAX CUT
[00:00:14] >> [APPLAUSE]
[00:00:21] >> AND THIS BUSINESS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE WANT
[00:00:23] TO SEE THRIVE. OUR VISION OF
[00:00:26] AMERICA IS THAT WE WANT
[00:00:30] BUSINESSES AND WORKERS INVESTING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES INVESTING
[00:00:31] IN THEIR HOMELANDS, AND THRIVING
[00:00:34] TOGETHER. WHERE PREVIOUS GENERATIONS OF WASHINGTON
[00:00:37] LEADERSHIP WOULD REWARD THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SHIPPING FACTORY
[00:00:41] JOBS OVERSEAS. WE ARE REWARDING
[00:00:45] FACTORIES AND MANUFACTURERS RIGHT HERE IN BREWER, MAINE.
[00:00:49] LIKE COMPUTECH.
[00:00:50] >> [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE]
[00:00:54] >> NOW, NOW, ONE OF THE REASONS I'M SO HAPPY TO BE HERE IS
[00:00:57] BECAUSE I THINK THIS FACTORY HAS
[00:01:00] AN AMAZING STORY, AND IT
[00:01:02] EXEMPLIFIES A LOT OF THE RISE
[00:01:04] AND FALL. AND UNDER PRESIDENT
[00:01:06] TRUMP, THE RISE AGAIN, OF
[00:01:09] AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL MIGHT. IF
[00:01:11] YOU VISITED THIS VERY FACILITY 16 YEARS AGO, YOU'D HAVE SEEN A
[00:01:14] MUCH, MUCH DIFFERENT SIGHT. IN
[00:01:19] 2010, THE PREVIOUS TENANT CLOSED UP SHOP. >> AND WE'LL LEAVE THIS HERE.
[00:01:22] YOU CAN FINISH WATCHING AT
[00:01:24] C-SPAN.ORG AS WE TAKE YOU NOW TO A SIMULCAST OF THE MICHAEL
[00:01:28] SMERCONISH PROGRAM, LIVE FROM
[00:01:30] ARDMORE, PENNSYLVANIA, HERE ON
[00:01:33] C-SPAN. TWO.
[00:01:38] >> IS >> [MUSIC] >> THIS.
[00:01:40] >> IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU.
[00:01:46] >> WELCOME TO THE MICHAEL
[00:01:48] SMERCONISH PROGRAM ON
[00:01:50] SIRIUSXM'S POTUS, CHANNEL 124.
[00:01:54] WE'RE INDEPENDENT MINDS COME TOGETHER. NOW. >> HERE'S MICHAEL SMERCONISH.
[00:01:57] >> I HAD CAMERAS ON THE BRAIN
[00:01:59] YESTERDAY BECAUSE C-SPAN TWO WAS
[00:02:02] SIMULCASTING THE PROGRAM, AS THEY'RE DOING TODAY, AND THAT
[00:02:05] INSPIRED THE POLL QUESTION THAT
[00:02:08] WE HAD YESTERDAY@SMERCONISH.COM. SHOULD CAMERAS BE ALLOWED IN
[00:02:12] EVERY GOVERNMENT PROCEEDING, THE PUBLIC HAS A LEGAL RIGHT TO
[00:02:15] ATTEND. THAT'S MY SMERCONISH,
[00:02:17] SUNSHINE STANDARD. I BELIEVE
[00:02:20] THAT ANYWHERE YOU CAN PULL UP A
[00:02:22] CHAIR AND WATCH THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS BEING CONDUCTED, THERE'S A RIGHT TO HAVE A
[00:02:26] CAMERA THERE. IF SOMEBODY'S WILLING TO TRANSMIT IT, THEN WE
[00:02:29] OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO WATCH IT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE GET
[00:02:32] TO GO EVERYWHERE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO INTO A JURY ROOM,
[00:02:35] BUT YOU ARE GOING TO GO INTO A COURTROOM. BY THAT STANDARD,
[00:02:38] IT'S AN ONGOING THEME OF THIS PROGRAM. BUT I THOUGHT THAT I'D
[00:02:41] AIR IT OUT YESTERDAY IN THE FORM
[00:02:43] OF A POLL. QUESTION, 33,480
[00:02:49] VOTED, 91.93%. AGREEING WITH ME THAT, YEAH, IF YOU COULD WALK IN
[00:02:53] THE DOOR AND WATCH THE ZONING HEARING OR THE COUNTY
[00:02:56] COMMISSIONER MEETING, OR
[00:02:58] CONGRESS, YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE
[00:03:01] OR THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES, THEN YOU OUGHT TO
[00:03:03] BE ABLE TO HAVE A CAMERA IN THAT
[00:03:07] VENUE. TODAY'S POLL QUESTION.
[00:03:09] IN A STATE WHERE ONE PARTY
[00:03:11] CAN'T WIN A SENATE SEAT, SHOULD
[00:03:14] THAT PARTY STEP ASIDE FOR A
[00:03:16] STRONG, INDEPENDENT, GO
[00:03:20] VOTE@SMERCONISH.COM. GO TO THE WEBSITE. THAT'S HOW YOU CAST YOUR BALLOT. YOU CAN'T DO IT BY
[00:03:23] CALLING THE PROGRAM. WHY AM I
[00:03:27] ASKING THAT QUESTION? WELL, SETH BODNAR WAS A GUEST HERE
[00:03:29] YESTERDAY. HE IS REALLY IMPRESSIVE, REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
[00:03:33] AND THE CALLERS TOLD ME SO AFTER
[00:03:34] HIS APPEARANCE. CENTRAL CASTING
[00:03:38] CANDIDATE IS HOW I DESCRIBE SETH BODNER, WEST POINT GRAD, RHODES
[00:03:42] SCHOLAR AT OXFORD, INFANTRY
[00:03:44] OFFICER IN IRAQ, GREEN BERET,
[00:03:48] BUSINESSMAN, MOST RECENTLY FOR EIGHT YEARS, PRESIDENT OF THE
[00:03:52] UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA, MARRIED TO A PEDIATRICIAN, RAISING THREE
[00:03:55] KIDS IN MONTANA, RUNNING FOR THE
[00:03:58] U.S. SENATE AS AN INDEPENDENT.
[00:04:01] BUT HERE'S THE THING. IN IDAHO,
[00:04:04] IN SOUTH DAKOTA, IN NEBRASKA,
[00:04:07] THERE ARE SERIOUS INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES FOR THE U.S. SENATE.
[00:04:10] AND IN EACH OF THOSE
[00:04:12] CIRCUMSTANCES, THE DEMOCRATS LOOKED AT THE MATH AND THEY
[00:04:16] SAID, WE CAN'T WIN HERE. BUT YOU
[00:04:17] KNOW WHAT? THAT INDEPENDENT HAS A SHOT AT WINNING HERE. SO WE'RE
[00:04:21] GOING TO STAND DOWN AND GIVE THE
[00:04:24] INDEPENDENT A BETTER CHANCE TO WIN THE SEAT. THAT DIDN'T
[00:04:28] HAPPEN IN MONTANA, DID NOT
[00:04:32] HAPPEN IN MONTANA. MONTANA IS THE EXCEPTION. THE DEMOCRAT
[00:04:35] THERE IS POLLING. THIRD, WITHOUT A REALISTIC PATH, BUT IT'S STILL
[00:04:39] ON THE BALLOT AND SPLITTING THE VOTES. THE VOTES THAT SETH
[00:04:42] BODNER NEEDS. SO DOES THIS
[00:04:45] STRATEGY WORK? WELL, OSBORNE
[00:04:49] LOST NEBRASKA IN 2024 BY SEVEN POINTS, BUT THAT'S IN A STATE
[00:04:52] THAT DONALD TRUMP CARRIED BY 21. SO YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, GLASS
[00:04:56] HALF EMPTY, GLASS HALF FULL. THE
[00:04:59] CASE AGAINST IS THAT NO INDEPENDENT HAS WON A SENATE
[00:05:03] SEAT THIS WAY. NOT ORMAN IN
[00:05:04] KANSAS, NOT GROSS IN ALASKA, NOT
[00:05:08] MCMULLEN. EVAN MCMULLIN IN UTAH. BUT JUST THINK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL PAYOFF. YOU KNOW, ALL,
[00:05:12] ALL OF THE POWER THAT JOE
[00:05:15] MANCHIN EXERCISED IN HIS LAST TWO YEARS AS AN INDEPENDENT, AS
[00:05:18] THE SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA.
[00:05:20] IF YOU HAD 2 OR 3 MANSIONS, THE
[00:05:23] CONCENTRATION OF POWER IN THE US
[00:05:24] SENATE WOULD BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND TAKEN AWAY FROM
[00:05:29] THE EXTREMES, WHICH IS WHAT I THINK IS SUCH A GOOD THING.
[00:05:33] ANYWAY, THAT'S TODAY'S POLL QUESTION. GO TO SMERCONISH. CAST
[00:05:36] A BALLOT. WHEN YOU'RE THERE VOTING, REGISTER FOR THE FREE
[00:05:40] AND WORTHY DAILY NEWSLETTER. MY LEAD STORY IN THE NEWSLETTER
[00:05:43] TODAY. AND I WENT WITH THE SCOTUSBLOG COVERAGE. I'M OFTEN
[00:05:47] DRAWN TO, TO AMY, HOW IT TALKS
[00:05:53] ABOUT WHAT'S TAKING PLACE WITH REGARD TO THE PRESIDENT'S
[00:05:55] EXECUTIVE ORDER, ABOUT MAIL IN BALLOTS. LET ME SAY IT THIS WAY.
[00:05:58] IF I WERE WRITING THE HEADLINE,
[00:06:01] IF I WERE WRITING THE HEADLINE ON SCOTUSBLOG, OR ANY OF THE
[00:06:05] OTHER PERIODICALS COVERING THIS,
[00:06:07] IT'S A LEAD STORY EVERYWHERE. NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST,
[00:06:10] YOU NAME IT. I WOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING LIKE A SOLUTION IN
[00:06:14] SEARCH OF A BIGGER PROBLEM. THAT
[00:06:15] WOULD HAVE BEEN MY HEADLINE, A,
[00:06:18] A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A BIGGER PROBLEM. AT ISSUE IS THE
[00:06:22] PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER,
[00:06:26] ONE THAT COULD IMPACT THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS. IT'S AN ORDER THAT HE SIGNED IN MARCH. IT
[00:06:28] GIVES THE US POSTAL SERVICE THIS
[00:06:31] UNPRECEDENTED ROLE IN DECIDING WHO CAN VOTE BY MAIL. AND THIS
[00:06:34] IS THE IMPORTANT PART. AND THIS IS WHERE THE BLANK SHOW, I
[00:06:38] THINK, IS ABOUT TO COMMENCE. IT
[00:06:41] CALLS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY TO COMPILE
[00:06:45] LISTS OF PEOPLE THAT IT CONSIDERS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. THERE'S NO SUCH THING. DO YOU
[00:06:48] KNOW THIS? THERE'S NO SUCH
[00:06:51] THING AS THE CITIZENSHIP LIST. AND IT'S FUNNY, BECAUSE THE
[00:06:55] VERY SAME PEOPLE WHO WANT YOU TO
[00:06:56] PRESENT YOUR ID WHEN YOU VOTE,
[00:07:00] AND I'M FINE WITH THAT IN SELECT CIRCUMSTANCES, AS LONG AS
[00:07:02] YOU HAVE AN ID THAT PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY TEND TO HAVE. BUT
[00:07:06] THE PEOPLE WHO WANT YOU TO PRESENT AN ID, THEY DON'T WANT THERE TO BE. THEY DON'T WANT
[00:07:10] THERE TO BE A NATIONAL
[00:07:12] CITIZENSHIP LIST, BECAUSE THAT
[00:07:14] SOUNDS TOO MUCH LIKE BIG BROTHER. THIS CASE FROM THE
[00:07:18] WASHINGTON POST COVERAGE, A
[00:07:20] DIVIDED SUPREME COURT ON MONDAY EASED THE PATH FOR AN EXECUTIVE
[00:07:24] ORDER BY PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP THAT WOULD IMPOSE SWEEPING NEW
[00:07:28] RESTRICTIONS ON MAIL IN BALLOTING FOR NOVEMBER'S MIDTERM
[00:07:32] ELECTIONS. BUT THE COMPLEX AND FAST MOVING LEGAL FIGHT IS NOT
[00:07:36] OVER. THE EXECUTIVE ORDER WOULD
[00:07:37] BAR THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE FROM
[00:07:40] SENDING MAIL IN BALLOTS TO
[00:07:42] VOTERS, NOT ON LISTS OF CITIZENS
[00:07:45] CREATED BY FEDERAL AGENCIES IN
[00:07:48] THE COVERAGE OF THE WASHINGTON POST, IT SAYS TRUMP HAS FALSELY
[00:07:51] CLAIMED THAT NON-CITIZENS ARE
[00:07:53] VOTING IN LARGE NUMBERS. THAT WORD FALSELY IS THEIRS, NOT
[00:07:57] MINE. HE HAS, OF COURSE, LONG
[00:08:00] BLAMED MAIL IN BALLOTING FOR HIS
[00:08:03] 2020 ELECTION LOSS. AND NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE UP AGAINST THE
[00:08:06] CLOCK. LABOR DAY WEEKEND IS NEXT WEEKEND, NOT THIS WEEKEND, BUT
[00:08:08] NEXT WEEKEND. THE UNOFFICIAL START OF THE CAMPAIGN SEASON.
[00:08:11] THERE'S NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THIS CASE HEADS BACK TO THE
[00:08:15] SUPREME COURT, AND WILL DO SO AT
[00:08:19] A TIME, ARGUABLY, WHEN PEOPLE
[00:08:19] ARE ALREADY VOTING. UM, NORTH
[00:08:23] CAROLINA, I BELIEVE, IS THE FIRST. THEY'LL BE PUTTING
[00:08:26] BALLOTS IN THE MAIL ON SEPTEMBER 4th. SO IT THE MIDTERMS, YOU
[00:08:30] KNOW, OH, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
[00:08:31] IN THE 2026 MIDTERM? IT ALWAYS SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS SO FAR OFF.
[00:08:35] NO, IT'S IT'S HERE. AND IT'S
[00:08:39] NOW. THERE WAS NOT AN OPINION
[00:08:42] ISSUED. IT WAS AN UNSIGNED ORDER. BUT WE KNOW HOW THE VOTES
[00:08:46] BROKE BECAUSE THE LIBERAL MEMBERS OF THE COURT, THEY THEY
[00:08:49] DID WRITE OPINIONS IN THIS
[00:08:50] REGARD. IT WAS A 6 TO 3
[00:08:54] IDEOLOGICAL SPLIT. IN THE END,
[00:08:57] UH, THE MAJORITY WRITING, QUOTE,
[00:08:59] THE COURT'S DISPOSITION OF THIS
[00:09:03] APPLICATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT ANY MEASURE TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT THE
[00:09:06] ORDER WILL NECESSARILY BE
[00:09:08] LAWFUL. ON THAT SCORE. TIME WILL TELL. I THINK THEY KNOW THAT
[00:09:11] IT'S COMING BACK. THEY PROBABLY WANT THE LOWER COURTS TO DO
[00:09:14] THEIR, UH, THEIR DIRTY WORK. UM,
[00:09:19] AS TO THE UNDERLYING ISSUE COUNT
[00:09:21] ME AMONG THE CYNICS AS TO THE PRESIDENT'S OBJECTIVE. YOU
[00:09:24] KNOW, HE'S LONG BEEN AN OPPONENT OF MAIL IN VOTING,
[00:09:28] NOTWITHSTANDING THAT, JUST WHAT, A WEEK AGO WAS IT A WEEK AGO
[00:09:31] TODAY THAT FLORIDA VOTE? WHERE, WHERE NIXON WON AS THE
[00:09:34] DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST? I, I, I THINK. RIGHT, THAT WAS JUST A
[00:09:36] WEEK AGO. HE VOTED BY ABSENTEE. HE VOTED BY ABSENTEE. BUT THE
[00:09:41] PRESIDENT JUST CAN'T SEEM TO
[00:09:42] WRAP HIS HEAD AROUND THE IDEA
[00:09:46] THAT THERE IS SUCH A THING AS A RED MIRAGE AND BLUE WAVE, THAT
[00:09:49] WHEN DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO
[00:09:51] PREFER MAIL IN BALLOTS AS COMPARED TO REPUBLICANS, THEN
[00:09:55] WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ON ELECTION NIGHT?
[00:09:57] >> THERE'S GOING TO BE THIS
[00:10:00] FALSE. UH, NEED FOR REPUBLICANS BECAUSE THEY'RE VOTING BY MACHINE, AND YOU OPEN UP THE
[00:10:04] BACK OF THE MACHINE, AND THERE'S THE VOTE TALLY. BUT, OF
[00:10:07] COURSE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PRESIDENT'S MIND, IF YOU
[00:10:09] REMEMBER 2020, IT WAS SATURDAY
[00:10:12] THAT THE ELECTION GOT CALLED AFTER TUESDAY. WHY, ESPECIALLY
[00:10:16] IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC, BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE WERE VOTING BY MAIL, AND IT TAKES
[00:10:20] LONGER TO CAST THOSE BALLOTS.
[00:10:22] BUT HE THINKS THAT THERE ARE SHENANIGANS. HE THINKS THAT
[00:10:25] THERE ARE SHENANIGANS INVOLVED
[00:10:26] IN THAT PROCESS. IS THERE REALLY
[00:10:30] MAIL IN VOTING FRAUD BY NON-CITIZENS? I ASKED THAT
[00:10:34] QUESTION A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. I'M SURE THAT THERE IS, BUT I
[00:10:37] ASK IT THIS WAY. ARE
[00:10:39] NON-CITIZENS VOTING BY MAIL IN
[00:10:42] NUMBERS THAT WOULD JUSTIFY
[00:10:45] REBUILDING THE WAY ROUGHLY 1 IN
[00:10:47] 3 AMERICANS CASTS A BALLOT. AND
[00:10:49] TO THAT QUESTION, I SAY NO. I
[00:10:52] SAY, STUFF HAPPENS IN OUR ELECTIONS. IT'S THE NATURE OF
[00:10:56] OUR ELECTIONS. I MEAN, YOU KNOW,
[00:10:59] WE CREATE THIS APPARATUS FOR OUR
[00:11:01] ELECTIONS THAT IS LARGELY DRIVEN BY VOLUNTEERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE
[00:11:05] BEING PAID A VERY LOW SUM OF
[00:11:07] MONEY. SO WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? STUFF'S GOING TO HAPPEN? THERE
[00:11:10] WAS A THERE WAS A GREAT QUOTE FROM DAVID LITT IN A BOOK THAT HE WROTE WHERE HE SAID, IT'S
[00:11:14] LIKE WE CREATE A, A STARBUCKS EVERY TIME THAT WE HAVE AN
[00:11:18] ELECTION, AND THEN WE DISMANTLE
[00:11:19] THE APPARATUS. AND THEN WE'RE
[00:11:22] SURPRISED WHEN STUFF HAPPENS IN THAT CONTEXT. THINK ABOUT THE
[00:11:25] SCALE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING
[00:11:28] ABOUT HERE IN 2024. ABOUT 29% OF ALL VOTERS VOTED BY MAIL. OUT
[00:11:31] WEST, IT WAS 73%. THAT'S
[00:11:34] ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS BUREAU
[00:11:36] DATA. AND NOW THE FRAUD NUMBERS.
[00:11:39] AND THEY COME FROM THE ADMINISTRATION'S OWN
[00:11:42] ENFORCEMENT. FEWER THAN 150
[00:11:44] NON-CITIZEN VOTERS REFERRED FOR PROSECUTION WERE REFERRED FOR
[00:11:48] PROSECUTION. NATIONWIDE, 41 WERE
[00:11:52] CHARGED 14 CONVICTIONS OR GUILTY
[00:11:55] PLEAS. THAT'S OUT OF 150
[00:11:58] MILLION VOTERS. AND THE STATE
[00:12:02] AUDITS, THE STATE AUDITS LINE UP WITH THAT. THE DATA THAT I'M
[00:12:05] ABOUT TO RATTLE OFF ALL COMES FROM THEIR BOARD OF ELECTIONS,
[00:12:09] OR THEIR STATE SECRETARIES, FOR
[00:12:13] EXAMPLE, MICHIGAN RAN ITS DRIVING RECORDS AGAINST ITS
[00:12:17] VOTER FILE, AND THEY FOUND THAT
[00:12:21] 15 PROBABLE NON-CITIZENS VOTED
[00:12:23] 15 OUT OF 5.7 MILLION BALLOTS.
[00:12:28] HOW ABOUT THIS? NORTH CAROLINA,
[00:12:30] AUDITED IN 2016, 4.8 MILLION
[00:12:32] BALLOTS. THEY FOUND THAT 41,
[00:12:36] ONLY 41. THE BOARD CONCLUDED
[00:12:38] THAT ABOUT 100th OF 1% OF
[00:12:40] BALLOTS WERE INELIGIBLE, FOR ALL
[00:12:44] REASONS COMBINED, AND THAT NO RACE IN THE STATE WOULD HAVE
[00:12:46] COME OUT DIFFERENTLY. LOUISIANA
[00:12:51] FOUND ABOUT 89 CITIZEN BALLOTS
[00:12:54] GOING BACK TO THE 1980s. OKAY.
[00:12:56] OUT OF HOW MANY? AN ESTIMATED 74
[00:13:01] MILLION. 74 MILLION. LOUISIANA SECRETARY OF STATE, A
[00:13:03] REPUBLICAN, SAID THIS. NON-CITIZENS ILLEGALLY
[00:13:07] REGISTERING OR VOTING IS NOT A
[00:13:08] SYSTEMIC PROBLEM IN LOUISIANA.
[00:13:11] HERE'S ONE THAT I FIND PARTICULARLY PERSUASIVE. KRIS
[00:13:15] KOBACH, THE KANSAS SECRETARY OF
[00:13:18] STATE, THE MOST COMMITTED BELIEVER IN THIS THEORY THAT
[00:13:21] THERE'S RAMPANT FRAUD BEING COMMITTED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT
[00:13:23] CITIZENS VIA THE MAIL. TRUMP, YOU'LL RECALL, MADE HIM THE
[00:13:27] VICE CHAIR OF THE 2017 VOTER
[00:13:32] FRAUD COMMISSION. KOBACH GOT SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE WAS
[00:13:35] ABLE TO GET. HE GOT A FULL FEDERAL TRIAL UNDER OATH, UNDER
[00:13:38] CROSS HIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THE
[00:13:41] EVIDENCE ON THE TABLE AND WHAT
[00:13:46] HE PRODUCED WAS 39 NONCITIZENS
[00:13:48] SUCCESSFULLY REGISTERED IN
[00:13:51] KANSAS. WAIT FOR IT. NOW, OUT OF
[00:13:54] 1.8 MILLION VOTERS OVER ROUGHLY
[00:13:58] 19 YEARS, TWO THOUSANDTHS OF 1%.
[00:14:01] AND THE JUDGE FOUND THAT MOST OF
[00:14:03] THOSE WERE EXPLAINED BY ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR AND
[00:14:06] CONFUSION. A LINE FROM HER OPINION STANDS OUT THERE IS NO
[00:14:09] ICEBERG, ONLY AN ICICLE LARGELY
[00:14:14] CREATED BY CONFUSION AND ADMINISTRATIVE ERROR. I MEAN, I COULD GO THROUGH ALL THE
[00:14:18] REPUBLICAN STATES AS WELL AND
[00:14:19] TALK ABOUT THEIR AUDITS AND WHAT
[00:14:23] THEY'VE YIELDED RELATIVE TO HOW OFTEN DO NON-CITIZENS VOTE IN
[00:14:26] OUR ELECTIONS? TEXAS FLAGGED
[00:14:30] ABOUT 95,000 IN 2019. AT LEAST A QUARTER OF THEM WERE NATURALIZED
[00:14:33] CITIZENS. A JUDGE HALTED IT. THE
[00:14:36] STATE SETTLED. THE SECRETARY OF
[00:14:40] STATE RESIGNED. ALABAMA FLAGGED
[00:14:42] 3200 IN 51 AND 51 IN 2020. FOR.
[00:14:46] ABOUT 2000 OF THEM WERE CITIZENS. A FEDERAL JUDGE CITED
[00:14:48] WHAT SHE CALLED AN. OVER 50%
[00:14:52] ERROR RATE. UTAH. UTAH RAN 8836
[00:14:57] NAMES THROUGH THE FEDERAL
[00:14:59] DATABASE. THIS JANUARY. THEY
[00:15:03] CONFIRMED EXACTLY ONE ONE NON-CITIZEN. AND BY THE WAY, HE
[00:15:07] HAD NOT VOTED. I MEAN, I COULD
[00:15:09] GO ON AND ON AND ON. UTAH'S LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, A REPUBLICAN, CALLED THE FEDERAL
[00:15:13] DATABASE THAT THEY USED, QUOTE,
[00:15:15] NOTORIOUSLY INACCURATE,
[00:15:17] NATIONWIDE, NATIONWIDE, IT RAN ROUGHLY 49.5 MILLION VOTER
[00:15:21] REGISTRATIONS. THEY FLAGGED ABOUT 10,000. THAT'S TWO
[00:15:25] HUNDREDTHS OF 1%. I COULD GO ON
[00:15:29] AND ON AND ON AND SAYING THAT ANY TIME WITH DATA THAT ANY TIME
[00:15:32] THAT ANY TIME THAT THERE'S BEEN
[00:15:36] A SERIOUS AUDIT, A SERIOUS LOOK AT VOTER FRAUD, OF, OF NON-CITIZENS, IT HAS NOT BORNE
[00:15:39] FRUIT. IT'S BEEN MINUSCULE, IF AT ALL. DO YOU REMEMBER NEW
[00:15:42] JERSEY LAST MONTH, ABOUT 6600
[00:15:47] NONCITIZENS GOT REGISTERED TO VOTE BY A SOFTWARE ERROR AT THE
[00:15:50] MOTOR VEHICLE COMMISSION. THAT'S OFTEN HOW IT HAPPENS.
[00:15:54] IT'S OFTEN THE DMV OR THE BUREAU OF MOTOR VEHICLES,
[00:15:57] DEPENDING UPON YOUR STATE. PROPUBLICA'S SUMMARY ON THIS
[00:16:00] WHOLE SUBJECT WAS SIMPLE.
[00:16:02] NONCITIZENS OFTEN GET ON VOTER
[00:16:05] ROLLS BY ACCIDENT, OR WHEN
[00:16:08] GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS MAKE ERRORS. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
[00:16:12] SO HERE'S THE ADDED CONSIDERATION THAT I WANT TO
[00:16:14] OFFER TO YOU. THE ADDED CONSIDERATION THAT I THINK IS,
[00:16:17] IS NOT GETTING THE ATTENTION
[00:16:19] THAT IT DESERVES. TODAY. ON THIS
[00:16:21] SUBJECT OF THE PRESIDENT'S
[00:16:23] EXECUTIVE ORDER AND HIM SEEKING TO, I'LL JUST SAY IT IN SIMPLE
[00:16:27] TERMS, MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO VOTE BY MAIL, SOMETHING THAT THE
[00:16:31] SUPREME COURT HAS SIDESTEPPED
[00:16:33] TEMPORARILY. I THINK THAT THE BIGGER ISSUE IS WHAT I'M ABOUT
[00:16:36] TO SAY. THIS IS WHAT THIS IS, WHAT OUGHT TO CONCERN YOU, EVEN
[00:16:40] IF YOU LOVE THE ORDER, EVEN IF PRESIDENT TRUMP WINS EVERY
[00:16:44] LAWSUIT THAT'S ABOUT TO UNFOLD ON THIS ISSUE, EVEN IF THE
[00:16:47] SUPREME COURT BLESSES,
[00:16:49] ULTIMATELY EVERY WORD OF WHAT HE'S SEEKING TO DO, I DON'T
[00:16:53] THINK THE GOVERNMENT CAN DELIVER WHAT IT'S PROMISING. I DON'T
[00:16:57] THINK THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS
[00:16:59] THE CAPABILITY OF EXECUTING WHAT
[00:17:02] PRESIDENT TRUMP IS DEMANDING,
[00:17:04] BECAUSE THE MASTER LIST OF
[00:17:08] AMERICAN CITIZENS, THE MASTER LIST, THAT THE ORDER DEPENDS
[00:17:10] UPON, IT DOESN'T IT HAS NEVER
[00:17:14] EXISTED. YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE
[00:17:18] SITS IN A COUNTY FILING CABINET, NOT IN WASHINGTON. THE FEDERAL
[00:17:22] GOVERNMENT ONLY HAS RECORDS ON
[00:17:25] NATURALIZED CITIZENS, PASSPORT HOLDERS. ABOUT HALF THE COUNTRY,
[00:17:28] AND A SOCIAL SECURITY FILE THAT, BY ITS OWN INSPECTOR GENERAL'S
[00:17:32] ESTIMATE, HAS MISCODED 3.3
[00:17:34] MILLION AMERICAN CITIZENS. AS
[00:17:38] NON-CITIZENS. SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT NOW IS
[00:17:42] ATTEMPTING TO BUILD FROM SCRATCH
[00:17:44] A LIST OF EVERY CITIZEN IN
[00:17:47] AMERICA OUT OF DATABASES THAT
[00:17:49] WERE NEVER DESIGNED TO FIT TOGETHER. AND THEY'RE TRYING TO
[00:17:53] DO SO ON A 60 DAY CLOCK, WITH
[00:17:56] BALLOTS GOING OUT IN THE MAIL IN
[00:17:58] JUST TEN DAYS. AND WE'VE ALREADY
[00:18:01] SEEN THE PREVIEW WHEN THEY RAN 33 MILLION VOTER RECORDS THROUGH
[00:18:05] THE FEDERAL SYSTEM, ROUGHLY A MILLION PEOPLE CAME BACK
[00:18:09] UNVERIFIED. THEY WERE
[00:18:11] OVERWHELMINGLY CITIZENS IN SAINT LOUIS COUNTY. A THIRD OF THE
[00:18:15] PEOPLE FLAGGED WERE NATURALIZED AMERICANS WHO REGISTERED TO VOTE
[00:18:18] AT THEIR OWN NATURALIZATION
[00:18:21] CEREMONY UTAH RAN 9000 NAMES.
[00:18:27] THEY CONFIRMED EXACTLY ONE NON-CITIZEN, UTAH'S REPUBLICAN LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR. I TOLD YOU,
[00:18:31] THE BEST THAT HE COULD SAY IS, WELL, THOSE RECORDS ARE
[00:18:34] NOTORIOUSLY INACCURATE. AND WHO
[00:18:36] GETS LEFT OFF A LIST ULTIMATELY
[00:18:38] BUILT FROM THESE RECORDS? NOT
[00:18:40] THE FRAUDSTERS, BUT USUALLY
[00:18:43] IT'S THE ELDERLY. IT'S THE ELDERLY WHOSE RECORDS PREDATE
[00:18:47] THE GOVERNMENT. EVEN TRACKING
[00:18:50] CITIZENSHIP OR NATURALIZED AMERICANS WHOSE FILES WERE NEVER
[00:18:54] UPDATED. THE ROUGHLY 21 MILLION
[00:18:56] VOTING AGE CITIZENS WHO DON'T HAVE A PASSPORT OR A BIRTH
[00:19:00] CERTIFICATE WITHIN REACH. AND IF YOUR NAME ISN'T ON THE LIST,
[00:19:04] THE POST OFFICE DOESN'T DELIVER YOUR BALLOT. EVEN THOUGH THE POSTAL SERVICE ITSELF SAYS THAT
[00:19:07] IN THEIR OWN RULE, IT WILL PLAY
[00:19:11] NO ROLE IN DETERMINING WHO'S
[00:19:14] ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. SO, SET ASIDE THE CONSTITUTION FOR JUST A MOMENT. SET ASIDE THE LAWSUITS.
[00:19:18] SET ASIDE WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT
[00:19:22] PRESIDENT TRUMP. IN MY OPINION, IT'S A TRAIN WRECK IN SLOW
[00:19:25] MOTION, A NATIONAL CITIZENSHIP REGISTRY THAT AMERICA HAS
[00:19:28] DELIBERATELY REFUSED TO BUILD
[00:19:30] FOR 50 YEARS, NOW, BEING
[00:19:33] IMPROVISED IN WEEKS. AND YOUR BALLOTS WILL BE THE TEST CASE.
[00:19:37] BY THE WAY, WE COULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. WE COULD SOLVE THIS
[00:19:39] PROBLEM IF WE DECIDED AND, AND I
[00:19:43] SHOULD SHOULD SAY AGAIN, I'M FOR
[00:19:46] THE IDEA OF SHOWING A FORM OF IDENTIFICATION. WHEN YOU GO TO
[00:19:49] VOTE, I SHOW IT EVERYWHERE ELSE.
[00:19:53] I'M FINE SHOWING IT THERE TOO, JUST SO LONG AS IT'S THE FORM OF
[00:19:56] AN ID THAT PEOPLE IN A
[00:19:59] PARTICULAR COMMUNITY ARE LIKELY TO HAVE. I MEAN, I KNOW THIS, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A FOREIGN
[00:20:03] CONCEPT TO, TO MANY WHO ARE
[00:20:06] SERIOUS XM SUBSCRIBERS, YOU KNOW, PAYING FOR THAT SUBSCRIPTION AND LISTENING IN YOUR CARS. A LOT OF PEOPLE
[00:20:10] DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE. SO, SO YOU CAN'T GO INTO CERTAIN
[00:20:14] COMMUNITIES AND SAY, WELL, IT'S GOTTA BE X, Y, OR Z. IF X, Y, OR
[00:20:17] Z ARE FORMS OF IDENTIFICATION THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE
[00:20:20] DON'T HAVE, BE REASONABLE, IS
[00:20:22] WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. SURE.
[00:20:25] MAKE PEOPLE SHOW YOU SOMETHING. AS LONG AS IT'S TOLERANT OF THE
[00:20:29] COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE SEEKING TO SERVE. I'M FINE WITH THAT. AND THE WAY THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS A
[00:20:33] LOT SIMPLER IS IF WE DID HAVE A FORM OF NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION,
[00:20:37] AND ONE WITH YOUR PICTURE ON IT.
[00:20:39] BUT, BUT I MAINTAIN THAT THE VERY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO IMPOSE
[00:20:42] THE MOST RIGOROUS STANDARDS FOR
[00:20:46] VOTING WILL BE MOST IN
[00:20:47] OPPOSITION TO THAT IDEA. THAT'S WHAT I THINK. THAT'S WHAT I
[00:20:51] THINK ABOUT THIS STORY. GETTING ALL THIS ATTENTION TODAY ABOUT
[00:20:54] THE ROLE OF THE POSTAL SERVICE
[00:20:58] AND HOMELAND SECURITY RELATIVE TO YOUR BALLOTS. AND DON'T
[00:21:01] FORGET, IN THE END, THIS IS REALLY A STATE FUNCTION AND NOT
[00:21:04] ONE WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OUGHT TO BE INVOLVED. AND I
[00:21:07] DON'T THINK THAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN BUILD IT. DO YOU REMEMBER
[00:21:11] THE ROLLOUT OF OBAMACARE? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I KEEP THINKING. DO
[00:21:15] YOU REMEMBER DOGE AND HOW INEPT
[00:21:17] THAT WHOLE PROCESS WAS? AND YOU'RE YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT
[00:21:21] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITHIN 60 DAYS, IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO
[00:21:23] DISCERN WHO'S A CITIZEN AND
[00:21:25] WHO'S NOT. NO WAY. BLANK SHOW
[00:21:28] WAITING TO HAPPEN. BUT THEN AGAIN, MAYBE THAT'S WHAT HE
[00:21:31] WANTS. MAYBE THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS. YOUR TURN TO RESPOND.
[00:21:34] CALL ME. I'M AT THE USUAL
[00:21:36] NUMBER. THAT MEANS YOU DIAL(
[00:21:40] 855) 486-1776. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS SHOULD FUNCTION? SHOULD YOU HAVE TO SHOW AN IDENTIFICATION
[00:21:44] CARD TO VOTE? WHAT KIND OF AN ID SHOULD IT BE? DO YOU TRUST DHS
[00:21:48] TO NOW PUT TOGETHER WITHIN 60
[00:21:50] DAYS, SOME KIND OF A MASTER LIST OF CITIZENS? YOU KNOW, THERE'LL
[00:21:53] BE PEOPLE WHO'LL BE MISSING FROM IT. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO'LL BE INCLUDED ON
[00:21:57] IT, JUST LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN
[00:22:01] NEW JERSEY, WHEN 6600 PEOPLE NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE BECAUSE OF THE
[00:22:04] DMV GOT PUT, BECAUSE NEW JERSEY, YOU CAN GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE
[00:22:08] IF YOU'RE NOT A CITIZEN. THEY
[00:22:09] GOT ADDED TO THE ROLLS, AND 400
[00:22:12] OF THEM VOTED. BUT BY THE WAY, I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE
[00:22:15] PROSECUTED. I DON'T THINK IT WAS THEIR FAULT. THEY PROBABLY
[00:22:18] THOUGHT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS AUTHORIZING THEM TO CAST A
[00:22:21] BALLOT. I'M AT EIGHT, FIVE,
[00:22:26] 54861776.
[00:22:32] >> [MUSIC]
[00:22:42] [MUSIC] >> THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN 2. WE'RE
[00:22:46] BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM
[00:22:49] ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT 9
[00:22:51] A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOSTS THE MICHAEL SMERCONISH
[00:22:55] PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT
[00:22:58] NOON, PROGRESSIVE COMMENTATOR THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE
[00:23:01] ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL
[00:23:04] STORIES. AND THEN, AT THREE, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE
[00:23:07] CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR SHOW WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS,
[00:23:10] CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[00:23:12] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN.
[00:23:16] TWO C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[00:23:18] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT
[00:23:23] C-SPAN.ORG. ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN
[00:23:28] C-SPAN 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON PROGRAMING,
[00:23:31] HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND
[00:23:35] MEMORABLE MOMENTS COVERED BY C-SPAN IN 2026. TODAY, A
[00:23:38] COLLECTION OF CONGRESSIONAL
[00:23:40] HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES,
[00:23:43] AND CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF THE COUNTRY. WEDNESDAY. A LOOK
[00:23:45] AT THE EXPLORATION, INNOVATION,
[00:23:48] AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE FROM THE HISTORY OF THE
[00:23:51] AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM TO ARTEMIS II. THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR
[00:23:55] SOME OF THIS YEAR'S MOST WATCHED, MOST TALKED ABOUT, AND
[00:23:59] MOST MEMORABLE C-SPAN PROGRAMING THAT CAPTURED PUBLIC ATTENTION.
[00:24:02] AND ON FRIDAY, SUPREME COURT
[00:24:05] JUSTICES DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES, THE CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND
[00:24:08] WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A
[00:24:12] MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[00:24:14] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[00:24:18] C-SPAN, TWO. ON TUESDAY, HOWARD
[00:24:22] UNIVERSITY WILL HOST GHANA'S
[00:24:24] ASHANTI KING, OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU
[00:24:27] II FOR REMARKS ON GOVERNMENT
[00:24:30] LEADERSHIP AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION. THE EVENT IS HOSTED BY THE MILLENNIUM
[00:24:34] EXCELLENCE FOUNDATION, WHICH SUPPORTS CULTURAL EXCHANGE
[00:24:37] BETWEEN GHANA AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA. WATCH LIVE AT 6 P.M.
[00:24:40] EASTERN ON C-SPAN C-SPAN NOW,
[00:24:42] OUR FREE MOBILE APP OR ONLINE AT
[00:24:48] C-SPAN .ORG.
[00:24:54] >> YOU LOOK BACK ON WHAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED IN YOUR LIFE, WHAT MAKES YOU THE HAPPIEST OF WHAT
[00:24:58] YOU'VE ACHIEVED SO FAR? >> THIS INTERVIEW IS THE ABSOLUTE APEX.
[00:25:02] >> LEADERS SEEM TO LIKE TO WEAR WIGS. HOW COME HE DIDN'T HAVE A
[00:25:05] WIG? PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, I MADE A MISTAKE THE FIRST TIME. I
[00:25:09] SHOULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU THE FIRST TIME. >> THAT ISN'T WHAT HE SAID.
[00:25:11] >> YOUR FIRST BOOK WAS CALLED A
[00:25:13] TIME TO KILL. HOW MANY PUBLISHERS TURNED THAT DOWN? >> WELL, ALL OF THEM.
[00:25:17] >> IT'S VERY RARE TO SEE DONALD TRUMP LAUGH. HE DOESN'T LIKE TO
[00:25:20] SMILE. HE HAS WHAT THEY CALL THE STARE. HOW WOULD. >> THE STARE.
[00:25:23] >> WHEN YOU GO TO THE OSCARS THAT EVERYBODY SAY, OH, THERE'S THE AUTHOR. >> OF ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE
[00:25:27] GO THIS WAY, AND THEN THEY HAVE ANOTHER LITTLE PATH IN THE OSCARS, WHERE THE PEOPLE LIKE I GO.
[00:25:31] >> SO YOU WROTE A BOOK ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO LIVED WITH WOLVES. >> WHEN I INTERVIEWED A GUY WHO
[00:25:35] LIVED WITH WOLVES. >> YEAH. AND IS THAT SAFE TO DO THAT? >> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
[00:25:39] >> SO I KNOW YOU WERE NOT
[00:25:40] COMPLAINING DAVID.
[00:25:45] >> [MUSIC]
[00:25:54] >> WATCH AMERICA'S.
[00:25:56] >> BOOK CLUB. C-SPAN'S BOELTER
[00:25:58] ORIGINAL SERIES, SUNDAY WITH OUR GUEST AWARD WINNING GLOBAL NUMBER ONE BEST SELLING AUTHOR,
[00:26:02] DAVID BALDACCI. HIS THRILLERS HAVE SOLD OVER 200 MILLION
[00:26:06] COPIES WORLDWIDE. PUBLISHED IN
[00:26:09] OVER 45 LANGUAGES IN MORE THAN 80 COUNTRIES. DAVID, ALONG WITH
[00:26:12] HIS WIFE MICHELLE, ARE ALSO THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE WISH YOU WELL
[00:26:16] FOUNDATION, A NONPROFIT
[00:26:18] ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING LITERACY PROGRAMS IN
[00:26:21] THE UNITED STATES. HE JOINS OUR HOST, RENOWNED AUTHOR AND CIVIC
[00:26:24] LEADER, DAVID RUBENSTEIN.
[00:26:27] >> SO WHEN YOU ARE WRITING, UM,
[00:26:31] DO YOU EVER SAY TO YOURSELF, UH, DO YOU EVER DAYDREAM? YOU EVER
[00:26:34] LOSE YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT? YOU'RE, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT, OR YOU JUST TUNNEL VISIONED
[00:26:38] ON WHAT YOU'RE WRITING? >> I DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. I
[00:26:40] TUNNEL VISION, AND I LET MY IMAGINATION RUN, YOU KNOW,
[00:26:44] BECAUSE I FOUND THAT WHEN I TRIED TO KEEP MY IMAGINATION IN
[00:26:48] CHECK, I MISS OPPORTUNITIES. AND I DON'T WANT TO MISS OPPORTUNITIES. PEOPLE ASK, WHERE
[00:26:52] DO I GET MY IDEAS FROM? I GET UP EVERY DAY AND I WALK OUT THE
[00:26:54] DOOR AND I SEE WHAT'S IN FRONT
[00:26:56] OF ME. I'M NOT ON MY IPHONE LOOKING AT MY IPHONE. I'M
[00:27:00] LOOKING AT PEOPLE, AND I'VE GOTTEN IDEAS FOR PLOT POINTS JUST BY WALKING DOWN THE STREET
[00:27:03] AND SEEING TWO PEOPLE TALKING. AND I'M WONDERING.
[00:27:07] >> SOUTH DAKOTA AND NEBRASKA, RELATIVE TO THE U.S. SENATE
[00:27:10] ELECTIONS, DEMOCRATS HAVE ALREADY WAVED A WHITE FLAG.
[00:27:13] THEY'VE THEY'VE STOOD DOWN. THEY'VE SAID, HEY, WE CAN'T WIN
[00:27:16] HERE. THE DEMOCRATIC BRAND IS
[00:27:18] TOO DAMAGED. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
[00:27:21] THERE'S A STRONG, INDEPENDENT. AND THAT INDEPENDENT STANDS A
[00:27:24] SHOT OF WINNING THE ELECTION. NOW, THEY DIDN'T STAND DOWN. I
[00:27:28] SAY SHOULD SAY SHE DIDN'T STAND DOWN. THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
[00:27:32] IN MONTANA. BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT WITH TODAY'S POLL QUESTION. THAT'S RO KHANNA
[00:27:35] .COM. I JUST CHECKED DURING THE
[00:27:37] BREAK, 15,507 HAD VOTED AS OF A
[00:27:42] MOMENT AGO, AND IT'S RUNNING
[00:27:49] 84.05 TO 15.95. ON THE QUESTION OF IN A STATE WHERE ONE PARTY
[00:27:53] CAN'T WIN A SENATE SEAT, SHOULD
[00:27:56] THAT PARTY STEP ASIDE FOR A STRONG, INDEPENDENT. IF YOU'RE
[00:28:00] WATCHING ON C-SPAN 2, WE PROBABLY JUST FLASHED YOU THE
[00:28:02] RESULT. BUT FOR EVERYBODY WHO'S LISTENING ON POTUS, YOU KNOW, I
[00:28:05] DON'T LIKE TO TELL YOU WHICH SIDE IS WINNING AT THIS STAGE OF
[00:28:09] THE, UH, THE PROGRAM. UH, LET'S
[00:28:12] GO TO THE PHONES. DON. STANDING
[00:28:13] BY IN MAINE. HELLO?
[00:28:20] >> TAKING MY CALL. >> SURE. >> YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE
[00:28:24] LOOK AT WHAT MR. TRUMP IS TRYING
[00:28:26] TO DO HERE WITH THE ELECTION, IT
[00:28:29] FITS INTO A LARGER PATTERN THAT
[00:28:33] DISRUPTING THE ELECTION ONE WAY
[00:28:34] OR THE OTHER IN NOVEMBER
[00:28:40] DISRUPTING EPSTEIN FILES AND DISTRACTING IN A WAR OF CHOICE
[00:28:43] IN IRAN. AND THE FINAL THING, THE TERM THAT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE
[00:28:47] USING, AT LEAST IN THE GENERAL
[00:28:49] MEDIA, IS THAT NOT ABOUT
[00:28:51] IMMIGRATION. IT IS ABOUT RAISING
[00:28:55] A PRIVATE ARMY THAT DOES OF THE
[00:28:59] PRESIDENT. AND I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT THIS IS A BLOODLESS COUP, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT.
[00:29:03] WHEN YOU THINK OF ALEX PRETTI
[00:29:06] AND, UH, RENEE GOOD. AND FORGIVE
[00:29:09] ME, UH, I'LL BIDDEFORD. AND SO
[00:29:17] I WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT,
[00:29:20] BECAUSE I THINK WHAT HAPPENS BY VIRTUE OF THE WAY YOU ALL DO
[00:29:23] YOUR BUSINESS, IS THAT WE VIEW
[00:29:25] EACH OF THESE THINGS SORT OF AS
[00:29:28] ISOLATED INCIDENTS. BUT I THINK IF YOU GO BACK AND READ PROJECT
[00:29:31] 25, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT ALL KIND
[00:29:32] OF FITS TOGETHER INTO A LARGER
[00:29:35] PICTURE. SO, AND I WISH THAT WE COULD.
[00:29:39] >> SO LET ME, LET ME JUST LET ME JUST SAY, I, I APPRECIATE THE
[00:29:42] PHONE CALL. I, I GAVE YOU THE CONDENSED, THE CLIFFSNOTES
[00:29:45] VERSION OF THE DATA. I HAVE SO MUCH MORE IN FRONT OF ME. VOTER
[00:29:49] FRAUD EXISTS NOT ON A SCALE THAT
[00:29:53] WOULD WARRANT WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS SEEKING TO DO. DC SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THAT DAVID LITT QUOTE.
[00:29:57] I SHOULD HAVE PULLED IT MYSELF
[00:29:58] THAT I, I LOVE TO DAVID LITT WAS
[00:30:01] A, UH, AN OBAMA SPEECHWRITER. AND, AND HE WROTE SOMETHING IN,
[00:30:04] IN A BOOK THAT I, I LIKE TO QUOTE FROM TIME TO TIME, SUCH A
[00:30:08] GREAT SUMMATION. WHEN YOU FIND
[00:30:11] IT, YOU TELL ME AND YOU READ IT
[00:30:13] ALOUD OF, OF HOW WE RUN OUR ELECTIONS IN THIS COUNTRY. AND
[00:30:17] THEN WE'RE SURPRISED WHEN STUFF HAPPENS. OF COURSE, STUFF IS
[00:30:19] GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE HUMAN FACTORS ALWAYS KICK IN. DO YOU HAVE IT? >> I DO HAVE IT. SO. SO HERE IT
[00:30:23] IS. IMAGINE HEARING THE FOLLOWING PITCH ON SHARK TANK SLOWLY. >> I LOVE THIS.
[00:30:28] >> IMAGINE HEARING THE FOLLOWING PITCH ON SHARK TANK, A
[00:30:31] NATIONWIDE MEGA CHAIN WITH NO CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, NO CEO.
[00:30:34] IT'LL OPERATE EIGHT TIMES AS MANY U.S. LOCATIONS AS
[00:30:38] MCDONALD'S, SERVING TWICE AS MANY CUSTOMERS. DESPITE HAVING
[00:30:41] ABOUT HALF AS MANY EMPLOYEES. EACH LOCATION WILL EXPERIENCE
[00:30:44] NEARLY DOUBLE THE DAILY FOOT TRAFFIC OF YOUR AVERAGE STARBUCKS. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT
[00:30:48] EVERY ONE OF THOSE APPROXIMATELY
[00:30:52] 1000 116,000 STORES WILL BE A POP UP, REMAINING OPEN FOR A
[00:30:54] SINGLE DAY, CLOSING FOR GOOD AT NIGHT. OH, AND BY THE WAY, THE
[00:30:58] MORE THAT 900,000 WORKERS WILL
[00:31:01] BE WOEFULLY UNDERPAID, THAT IS ELECTION DAY IN AMERICA.
[00:31:04] >> I'VE NEVER HEARD IT SUMMARIZED BETTER. THAT IS THE WAY IN WHICH WE RUN OUR
[00:31:08] ELECTIONS. AND, LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE CAN RUN A MORE PROFESSIONAL APPARATUS, BUT THEN YOU'RE
[00:31:11] GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, AND PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO WANT TO PAY FOR IT. THE FRAUD THAT
[00:31:15] EXISTS IN THIS COUNTRY, THE ELECTION FRAUD THAT EXISTS IN
[00:31:19] THIS COUNTRY, IS USUALLY BY
[00:31:22] OPERATIVES, BY OPERATIVES, FOR FOR ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER.
[00:31:25] THINK, THINK OF IT THIS WAY. THE
[00:31:27] BIGGEST CASE IN MODERN AMERICAN
[00:31:29] HISTORY OF VOTER FRAUD, NORTH CAROLINA'S NINTH CONGRESSIONAL
[00:31:33] DISTRICT. IN 2018, THE ONLY
[00:31:37] CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION OVERTURNED FOR FRAUD IN MODERN
[00:31:39] TIMES, THERE WAS AN OPERATIVE. IT WAS A REPUBLICAN OPERATIVE.
[00:31:43] THOUGHT HE'D WORKED BOTH SIDES
[00:31:44] OF THE AISLE FOR 20 YEARS, HIRED BY REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES
[00:31:48] CAMPAIGN. THE SCHEME WAS TO COLLECT ABSENTEE BALLOTS FROM
[00:31:50] VOTERS, SOME OF THEM UNSEALED.
[00:31:52] HOLD ON TO THEM, FILL IN THE
[00:31:55] BLANK, FORGE THE WITNESS SIGNATURES. NOT EXACTLY ROCKET
[00:31:59] SCIENTISTS, BECAUSE, IN THIS CASE, REPUBLICANS WON 60% OF THE
[00:32:03] ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN THIS
[00:32:06] PARTICULAR COUNTY. WHEN ONLY 19%
[00:32:08] OF ABSENTEE VOTERS THERE WERE
[00:32:12] REGISTERED REPUBLICANS. SO, AS A
[00:32:14] RESULT, AS AS A RESULT, YOU KNOW, THE THE JIG WAS UP, AS
[00:32:18] THEY SAY. BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF FRAUD THAT WE SEE ROUTINELY.
[00:32:21] NOT, NOT MIGRANTS. AND, AND WHEN
[00:32:24] IT HAPPENS, THAT TYPE OF FRAUD, IT'S BECAUSE OF SOMETHING LIKE
[00:32:26] NEW JERSEY, WHERE THE DMV MADE
[00:32:28] THE MISTAKE. UH, THIS IS, UH,
[00:32:32] ROCHELLE IN UTAH. HI, ROCHELLE.
[00:32:33] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PHONE CALL.
[00:32:37] >> MICHAEL, I APPRECIATE THIS SUBJECT SO MUCH. NEAR AND DEAR
[00:32:40] TO MY HEART. BEING HERE IN UTAH.
[00:32:42] WE HAVE VOTED SUCCESSFULLY BY MAIL FOR DECADES. THERE'S NEVER
[00:32:46] BEEN ISSUES WITH FRAUD. AND I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO
[00:32:48] OUR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, DEIDRE HENDERSON. SHE HAS BEEN THE ONE
[00:32:51] THAT HAS BEEN STANDING UP TO TRUMP WHEN HE KEEPS REQUESTING
[00:32:55] THESE LISTS. SHE'S TELLING, THERE'S NO REASON FOR YOU TO
[00:32:57] HAVE THIS. VOTING IS A STATE
[00:32:59] ISSUE WITH OUR VOTES. AND THIS
[00:33:02] IS A STATE WHERE DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS HAVEN'T REALLY
[00:33:06] EVER HAD A VOICE. SO I'M HOPING FOR THE BLUE WAVE HERE, AND I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO
[00:33:10] VOTE BY MAIL. >> I, I'M NOT HOPING FOR, FOR ANY KIND OF ELECTION OUTCOME.
[00:33:14] I'M ONLY HOPING FOR INCREASED PARTICIPATION BECAUSE I THINK
[00:33:18] THAT'S HOW WE WATER DOWN THE FRINGE AMONG US. AND THAT IS AN
[00:33:20] AGENDA THAT I, I TOTALLY BUY INTO. I'LL ASK YOU AN
[00:33:24] INTERESTING QUESTION, ROCHELLE.
[00:33:26] FAST FORWARD TO 2028, AND AND
[00:33:30] NOW IT'S JD VANCE, OR IT'S MARCO RUBIO, WHO IS THE STANDARD
[00:33:33] BEARER OF THE PARTY. WILL THEY BE AS ANTAGONISTIC TOWARD MAIL
[00:33:37] IN VOTING, OR DOES THIS
[00:33:40] OPPOSITION, FIGURATIVELY
[00:33:43] SPEAKING, DIE WITH WITH TRUMP? AND I THINK THE LATTER. I THINK,
[00:33:47] YEAH, I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S SUCH A MISCALCULATION FOR
[00:33:50] THE GOP NOT TO BUY INTO THE WAY THAT INCREASINGLY, PEOPLE WANT
[00:33:53] TO VOTE. I MEAN, I, I KNOW I
[00:33:56] RELISH THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT BALLOT ON MY KITCHEN TABLE
[00:33:59] AND TO MAKE DELIBERATIVE CHOICES AND, AND MAIL THEM IN THAT.
[00:34:03] THAT'S WHY I APPRECIATE BEING
[00:34:05] ABLE TO VOTE REMOTELY, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO IN AND CAST MY
[00:34:09] BALLOT ON A MACHINE >> 100% WITH YOU THERE, MICHAEL.
[00:34:12] >> THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. I'LL COME BACK AND TAKE MORE OF YOUR TELEPHONE
[00:34:16] CALLS AT EIGHT, FIVE, FIVE,
[00:34:20] FOUR, 861776. RIGHT AFTER THIS.
[00:34:24] >> THE CONVERSATION.
[00:34:29] >> [MUSIC] [MUSIC]
[00:34:40] >> THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN TWO, WE'RE BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK
[00:34:44] RADIO SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT
[00:34:47] 9 A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOSTS THE MICHAEL
[00:34:50] SMERCONISH PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT NOON, PROGRESSIVE
[00:34:54] COMMENTATOR THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH
[00:34:57] HIS TAKE ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL STORIES. AND THEN, AT
[00:35:00] THREE, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR
[00:35:04] SHOW, WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS,
[00:35:06] CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[00:35:09] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN
[00:35:12] TWO, C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[00:35:14] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT
[00:35:17] C-SPAN.ORG ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN
[00:35:25] C-SPAN 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON PROGRAMING,
[00:35:27] HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND
[00:35:31] MEMORABLE MOMENTS COVERED BY C-SPAN IN 2026. TODAY, A
[00:35:33] COLLECTION OF CONGRESSIONAL
[00:35:36] HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES,
[00:35:38] AND CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF
[00:35:40] THE COUNTRY. WEDNESDAY. A LOOK AT THE EXPLORATION, INNOVATION,
[00:35:43] AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S
[00:35:47] POSSIBLE FROM THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM TO ARTEMIS II. THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR
[00:35:51] SOME OF THIS YEAR'S MOST WATCHED, MOST TALKED ABOUT, AND
[00:35:54] MOST MEMORABLE C-SPAN PROGRAMING
[00:35:57] THAT CAPTURED PUBLIC ATTENTION.
[00:35:59] AND ON FRIDAY, SUPREME COURT JUSTICES DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES,
[00:36:03] THE CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE
[00:36:06] NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[00:36:09] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[00:36:13] C-SPAN, TWO.
[00:36:20] >> [MUSIC] >> WATCH AMERICA'S BOOK CLUB
[00:36:22] C-SPAN'S BOLD ORIGINAL SERIES, SUNDAY WITH OUR GUEST AWARD
[00:36:26] WINNING GLOBAL NUMBER ONE BEST
[00:36:26] SELLING AUTHOR, DAVID BALDACCI.
[00:36:30] HIS THRILLERS HAVE SOLD OVER 200 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE.
[00:36:32] PUBLISHED IN OVER 45 LANGUAGES IN MORE THAN 80 COUNTRIES,
[00:36:36] DAVID, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE MICHELLE, ARE ALSO THE
[00:36:39] CO-FOUNDERS OF THE WISH YOU WELL
[00:36:41] FOUNDATION, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO
[00:36:44] SUPPORTING LITERACY PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES. HE JOINS OUR
[00:36:48] HOST, RENOWNED AUTHOR AND CIVIC
[00:36:49] LEADER, DAVID RUBENSTEIN.
[00:36:52] >> SO WHEN YOU ARE WRITING, UM,
[00:36:56] DO YOU EVER SAY TO YOURSELF, UH, YOU EVER DAYDREAM, YOU EVER LOSE
[00:37:00] YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT? YOU'RE, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT, OR YOU JUST TUNNEL VISIONED ON WHAT YOU'RE WRITING?
[00:37:04] >> I DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. I TUNNEL VISION, I LET MY
[00:37:08] IMAGINATION RUN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I FOUND THAT WHEN I
[00:37:11] TRIED TO KEEP MY IMAGINATION IN CHECK, I MISS OPPORTUNITIES. AND I DON'T WANT TO MISS
[00:37:15] OPPORTUNITIES. PEOPLE ASK, WHERE DO I GET MY IDEAS FROM? I GET UP EVERY DAY AND I WALK OUT THE
[00:37:19] DOOR AND I SEE WHAT'S IN FRONT OF ME. I'M NOT ON MY IPHONE
[00:37:23] LOOKING AT MY IPHONE. I'M LOOKING AT PEOPLE, AND I'VE
[00:37:25] GOTTEN IDEAS FOR PLOT POINTS JUST BY WALKING DOWN THE STREET
[00:37:29] AND SEEING TWO PEOPLE TALKING. AND I'M WONDERING, WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT? MAYBE I CAN
[00:37:33] ANSWER THAT MYSELF. OR I SEE A GUY WITH A BOX GET ON A BUS. I WONDER WHAT'S IN THE BOX AND
[00:37:37] WHERE IS THE BUS GOING WITH THE GUY? AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, I
[00:37:41] HAVE A STORY IDEA. FROM THAT. THE IDEAS ARE ALL AROUND YOU ALL
[00:37:44] THE TIME. IT'S JUST THAT YOU'RE NOT RECEPTIVE TO SEIZING
[00:37:48] OPPORTUNITIES. ONCE YOU DO THINK ABOUT SEIZING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, AND ALL OF A
[00:37:51] SUDDEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TOO MANY IDEAS, TOO MANY THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT.
[00:37:55] >> WATCH AMERICA'S BOOK CLUB WITH DAVID BALDACCI SUNDAY AT 6
[00:37:58] P.M. AND 9 P.M. EASTERN AND
[00:38:01] PACIFIC. ONLY ON C-SPAN.
[00:38:04] >> [MUSIC]
[00:38:14] >> THE ROAD TO THE CAPITOL RUNS THROUGH AMERICA'S BATTLEGROUND
[00:38:17] STATES, AND C-SPAN IS THERE. OUR
[00:38:20] CAMERAS ARE ON THE GROUND FOLLOWING THE CAMPAIGNS WHERE THE TOUGHEST RACES WILL DECIDE
[00:38:23] THE BALANCE OF POWER IN CONGRESS. WE'RE THE ONLY
[00:38:26] NATIONAL TELEVISION NETWORK PROVIDING THIS LEVEL OF UNFILTERED ACCESS TO THE
[00:38:30] CANDIDATES, THE VOTERS, AND THE
[00:38:32] ISSUES SHAPING CAMPAIGN 2026. NO
[00:38:35] COMMENTATORS TELLING YOU WHAT TO THINK. NO PARTIZAN SPIN THE ROAD
[00:38:38] TO THE CAPITOL. >> ONLY ON SATURDAY. THAT GOT A LOT OF REACTION. IT'S THE STORY
[00:38:42] OF OF PETE PETERSON. IT'S THE STORY OF THE PETERSON
[00:38:46] FOUNDATION. IT'S THE STORY OF A
[00:38:48] CLASSIC AMERICAN SUCCESS, A GUY
[00:38:51] WHO HAD EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESS, UH, IN BUSINESS, IN GOVERNMENT,
[00:38:54] AND, AND DECIDED THAT HIS LEGACY
[00:38:58] WAS GOING TO BE FUNDING A
[00:39:01] NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN MOVEMENT
[00:39:04] THAT WOULD MONITOR AND EDUCATE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT THE
[00:39:08] SIZE OF OUR DEBT. AND A WEEK AGO
[00:39:11] TODAY, WE PASSED THE $40
[00:39:15] TRILLION THRESHOLD. MICHAEL
[00:39:17] PETERSON, WHO IS THE CEO OF THE
[00:39:19] PETERSON FOUNDATION, WILL BE IN
[00:39:21] STUDIO WITH ME IN THE NEXT HOUR OF THE PROGRAM. WE'RE GOING TO
[00:39:24] FIND OUT WHAT DOES $40 TRILLION
[00:39:26] EVEN LOOK LIKE, AND HOW DOES IT IMPACT ALL OF US? BECAUSE I FIND
[00:39:30] THAT IT'S A SUBJECT VERY DIFFICULT TO WRAP YOUR HEAD
[00:39:32] AROUND. SO WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT THE NATION'S DEBT IN HOUR
[00:39:36] OR TWO OF THIS PROGRAM, AND I HOPE YOU'LL BE TUNED IN FOR IT.
[00:39:39] UH, GRACE IS STANDING BY IN
[00:39:42] GEORGIA WITH A COMMENT ABOUT MAIL IN BALLOTS. HI, GRACE. WHAT
[00:39:44] IS IT
[00:39:47] >> YEAH, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT
[00:39:50] SHE COULD DISREGARD THE MAIL IN BALLOT. BECAUSE YOU HAVE
[00:39:53] DISABLED, YOU HAVE THE SENIORS. >> SURE.
[00:39:56] >> AND, UH, I THINK THEY SHOULD LET THE STATE HANDLE THAT.
[00:39:59] THEY'VE BEEN HANDLING IT. AND
[00:40:01] DON'T MESS BALLOTS. >> WELL, I'M WITH YOU, AND I
[00:40:04] AGREE. I MEAN, I'M, I'M, UH,
[00:40:07] CURRENTLY HEALTHY AND ABLE BODIED, BUT I HAVE SYMPATHY FOR
[00:40:10] PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT. AND IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO GET OUT
[00:40:12] AND TO CAST THOSE, CAST THOSE BALLOTS. THIS IS JOHN. HE'S IN
[00:40:16] NEW YORK. HI, JOHN. YOUR TURN.
[00:40:20] WELCOME.
[00:40:22] >> GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO
[00:40:26] COMMENT. I'M AN INDEPENDENT, SO I'M JUST GOING TO. IN THIS INSTANCE, I HEARD WHAT YOU REFERENCED THE MAIL IN BALLOTING
[00:40:30] A LITTLE WHILE AGO WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND I WAS A BIT SURPRISED. BUT YOU THINK HE'S
[00:40:34] SAYING IT AND HE BELIEVES IT. WHICH PART? MY OPINION.
[00:40:38] >> NOW WHICH PART? >> THE PART WHERE HE SAYS THAT THE MAIL IN BALLOTS AND THE
[00:40:42] FRAUD. I PERSONALLY JUST BELIEVE HE KNOWS EVERYTHING HE'S SAYING
[00:40:45] IS NOT TRUE. BUT IT'S THE OLD ADAGE, IF YOU TELL A LIE ENOUGH
[00:40:48] TIMES, A LARGE PORTION OF THE AUDIENCE WILL BELIEVE IT. YOU
[00:40:51] KNOW, I DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING
[00:40:52] HE SAYS. HE BELIEVES. ALL OF IT.
[00:40:55] HE'S JUST SAYING IT AS NONSENSE TO JUST TRY TO DRUM UP AND, AND
[00:40:59] ACT AS DIVISION, TO DIVIDE PEOPLE. >> SO IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU BRING THIS UP BECAUSE ABOUT A MONTH
[00:41:03] AGO, AS A POLL QUESTION, I DON'T REMEMBER THE WAY THAT I
[00:41:06] WORDED IT, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING
[00:41:08] ALONG THE LINES OF, DOES DONALD
[00:41:10] TRUMP ACTUALLY BELIEVE HE LOST
[00:41:14] THE 2020 ELECTION? AND WHAT I. >> WHAT I TOTALLY BELIEVE HE
[00:41:18] BELIEVES HE LOST, AND HE'S JUST SAYING IT TO DIVIDE PEOPLE, RIGHT? >> YOU JUST, YOU JUST MADE, YOU
[00:41:21] JUST MADE THAT POINT. YOU JUST MADE, YOU JUST MADE THAT POINT.
[00:41:25] SO HERE COMES MY RESPONSE. YEAH.
[00:41:28] MY RESPONSE IS THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN, YOU
[00:41:32] KNOW, CHRONICLED IN THE BOOKS THAT WERE WRITTEN AFTER TRUMP
[00:41:34] WON UH, AIDES WHO SAID THAT HE
[00:41:37] HAD SAID THINGS OFF THE CUFF,
[00:41:40] EVIDENCING CLOSE IN TIME, THAT HE KNEW HE LOST THE ELECTION. I,
[00:41:43] I, I THINK ONE OF THEM WAS
[00:41:47] LOOKING AT BIDEN ON TELEVISION AND SAID, CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS SOB OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? BEAT
[00:41:50] ME IN THE ELECTION. AND THEN I
[00:41:53] RAISED THE QUESTION OF WHETHER, AS YOU MADE REFERENCE TO, IT'S
[00:41:55] ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS IN LIFE
[00:41:59] WHERE NOT JUST SOMETHING GETS REPEATED AND PEOPLE WHO HEAR IT
[00:42:03] END UP BELIEVING A FALSEHOOD, BUT THE TELLER, YOU KNOW, I, I
[00:42:05] FOUND IT, AND THIS WILL SOUND OVERLY GENEROUS, MAYBE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP, BUT I FOUND IN
[00:42:09] MY OWN LIFE, SOMETIMES I GET IN THE GROOVE OF TELLING A STORY.
[00:42:13] AND IF IT'S A GOOD STORY, I REPEAT IT. I REPEAT IT ON RADIO. I REPEAT IT OVER A PERIOD OF
[00:42:17] YEARS, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I, I'M CONFRONTED BY A
[00:42:21] PHOTOGRAPH OR THE ACCOUNT OF SOMEBODY WHO WAS IN THE ROOM AND IT'S LIKE, OH,
[00:42:24] >> WAIT, IT WAS DIFFERENT THAN I IMAGINED. IT WAS SUCH A GOOD STORY.
[00:42:27] >> I KNOW, DON'T SPOIL MY. >> NEVER LET THE TRUTH GET IN.
[00:42:31] >> I STILL THINK IT'S IT. DO YOU THINK THAT TRUMP. >> SO DO YOU THINK. AUGUST 7th.
[00:42:34] >> OKAY, PLEASE TELL ME. >> AUGUST 7th. YOU
[00:42:37] ASKED@SMERCONISH.COM. DOES DONALD TRUMP REALLY BELIEVE THE 2020 ELECTION WAS STOLEN FROM
[00:42:40] HIM? 34,423 VOTES AND 60.89%
[00:42:46] SAID, NO. >> NO, THEY DO NOT BELIEVE. >> THEY DO NOT BELIEVE. 61%
[00:42:50] SAID, NO. I DO NOT THINK THAT HE REALLY BELIEVES IT. >> IT'S A.
[00:42:54] >> YOU KNOW, SORT OF LIKE IF YOU COULD GIVE HIM TRUTH SERUM, AS THEY SAY. >> RIGHT? YEAH, IT'S A GREAT
[00:42:57] POLL QUESTION. IT'S, IT'S, IT'S. >> STILL, NO MATTER WHAT. >> YOU ASK. >> HIM IN A CONVERSATION, OF
[00:43:01] COURSE HE'LL SAY THAT. BUT, AND IF YOU REALLY GOT TO THE DEPTH.
[00:43:04] >> AND I, I FIND IT TO BE SUCH A
[00:43:06] JOKE THAT THESE NOMINEES GO BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE AND
[00:43:10] THEY'RE ASKED, LIKE, WHO WON THE 2020 ELECTION? WELL, WELL,
[00:43:13] AND THEN THEIR, THEIR ANSWER IS ALWAYS, WELL, UH, JOE BIDEN WAS
[00:43:17] RECOGNIZED. THEY HAVE SOMETHING
[00:43:20] CERTIFIED, CERTIFIED, YOU KNOW, JUST SOMETHING LIKE BIDEN WON
[00:43:23] THE ELECTION. OKAY. HELLO, RITA. YOU'RE IN FLORIDA. GREETINGS.
[00:43:26] WHAT DID YOU WANT TO SAY TODAY?
[00:43:29] >> HI, MICHAEL. THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CALL. SURE. UM, I JUST
[00:43:32] WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE WHETHER
[00:43:34] YOU'RE DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN, INDEPENDENT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
[00:43:38] ONCE YOU DO, YOU SEND IN YOUR
[00:43:40] MAIL IN BALLOT. AND THE POST
[00:43:42] OFFICE IS REVIEWING THEM. THEY DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE
[00:43:46] DEMOCRATIC, REPUBLICAN, OR INDEPENDENT. THEY'RE JUST GOING TO PULL WHATEVER THEY WANT.
[00:43:50] WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US? >> WAIT, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
[00:43:53] THEY'RE JUST GOING TO PULL? WHAT? WAIT A MINUTE. WAIT. SEE,
[00:43:56] I, I, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT
[00:43:58] YOU, I DON'T WANT YOU FOSTERING MISINFORMATION. YOUR VOTE IS
[00:44:01] SECURE. AND I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE. THE POSTAL
[00:44:04] SERVICE, THEY DO A HELL OF A
[00:44:06] JOB. THERE WAS A GUY BY THE NAME OF, UH, I HOPE I DON'T MIX THIS
[00:44:09] UP, LOUIS DEJOY. YOU BETTER FACT CHECK ME ON THAT. I THINK IT WAS
[00:44:13] LOUIS DEJOY. HE WAS THE
[00:44:15] POSTMASTER GENERAL. AND. AND HE.
[00:44:19] HE DIDN'T DO MEDIA AVAILABILITIES. >> YOU ARE CORRECT. >> BUT BUT HE HE WAS. >> HE DID. YES. HE WAS.
[00:44:23] >> MY GUEST. >> HE WAS GREAT. >> AND HE WAS A FABULOUS GUEST.
[00:44:27] AND WE WENT THROUGH ALL THE DATA
[00:44:28] AND IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW,
[00:44:31] 98.27% OF THE BALLOTS GET THERE
[00:44:33] WITHIN FOUR DAYS. I CAME AWAY
[00:44:37] FROM THAT PRESENTATION. JUST SO IMPRESSED WITH THE ABILITY OF THE POST OFFICE, WHICH I THINK
[00:44:40] IS, IS SO OFTEN DERIDED IN THIS
[00:44:43] CONTEXT. MORE OF YOUR TELEPHONE
[00:44:45] CALLS
[00:45:06] RIGHT AFTER THIS. >> THIS WEEK, ON C-SPAN 2, WE'RE BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO
[00:45:09] SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT 9
[00:45:12] A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOSTS THE MICHAEL SMERCONISH
[00:45:16] PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT
[00:45:20] NOON, PROGRESSIVE COMMENTATOR THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE
[00:45:23] ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL
[00:45:25] STORIES. AND THEN, AT THREE, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE
[00:45:28] CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR SHOW
[00:45:31] WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS, CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[00:45:34] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN.
[00:45:38] TWO C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[00:45:41] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT C-SPAN.ORG.
[00:45:44] >> [MUSIC]
[00:45:47] >> ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN C-SPAN 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON
[00:45:51] PROGRAMING, HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND MEMORABLE
[00:45:55] MOMENTS COVERED BY C-SPAN IN
[00:45:57] 2026. TODAY, A COLLECTION OF
[00:46:01] CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND CAPTURED
[00:46:05] THE ATTENTION OF THE COUNTRY. WEDNESDAY. A LOOK AT THE
[00:46:08] EXPLORATION, INNOVATION, AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE
[00:46:12] FROM THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM TO ARTEMIS II.
[00:46:16] THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR SOME OF THIS YEAR'S MOST WATCHED, MOST
[00:46:19] TALKED ABOUT, AND MOST MEMORABLE C-SPAN PROGRAMING THAT CAPTURED
[00:46:23] PUBLIC ATTENTION. AND ON FRIDAY, SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
[00:46:27] DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES, THE CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND
[00:46:30] WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A
[00:46:33] MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[00:46:36] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[00:46:39] C-SPAN, TWO.
[00:46:45] >> [MUSIC] >> C-SPAN IS AS UNBIASED AS YOU CAN GET.
[00:46:48] >> YOU ARE SO FAIR. I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY CAN SAY OTHERWISE.
[00:46:52] >> YOU GUYS DO THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK FOR EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY.
[00:46:56] >> I LOVE C-SPAN BECAUSE I GET
[00:46:57] TO HEAR ALL THE VOICES. >> YOU BRING THESE DIVERGENT
[00:47:01] VIEWPOINTS, AND YOU PRESENT BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE, AND YOU ALLOW
[00:47:04] PEOPLE TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE C-SPAN.
[00:47:08] >> I LOVE TO HEAR BOTH SIDES. I'VE WATCHED C-SPAN'S EVERY
[00:47:11] MORNING, AND IT IS UNBIASED. AND
[00:47:13] YOU BRING IN FACTUAL INFORMATION
[00:47:16] FOR THE CALLERS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR COMMENTS.
[00:47:20] >> THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONLY PLACE THAT WE CAN HEAR HONEST
[00:47:23] OPINION OF AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
[00:47:25] >> YOU GUYS AT C-SPAN ARE DOING
[00:47:28] SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB OF ALLOWING
[00:47:30] FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS WITHOUT A LOT OF INTERRUPTIONS.
[00:47:33] >> THANK YOU, C-SPAN, FOR BEING A LIGHT IN THE DARK.
[00:47:37] >> [MUSIC] >> THIS EVENING, FORMER
[00:47:40] SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON WILL SIT DOWN FOR A
[00:47:43] CONVERSATION ON DIPLOMACY, NATIONAL SECURITY, AND DOMESTIC
[00:47:46] POLICY. IT'S HOSTED BY GUILD HALL AND THE COMMON GOOD AS PART
[00:47:49] OF THEIR AMERICA 250 CELEBRATION FROM EAST HAMPTON, NEW YORK.
[00:47:53] WATCH IT LIVE AT 7 P.M. EASTERN
[00:47:54] ON C-SPAN C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE
[00:47:57] MOBILE APP AND ONLINE AT C-SPAN
[00:48:00] .ORG. >> [MUSIC]
[00:48:03] >> BEST IDEAS AND BEST PRACTICES CAN BE FOUND ANYWHERE.
[00:48:06] >> WE HAVE TO LISTEN SO WE CAN GOVERN BETTER.
[00:48:08] >> DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON HEAVY DOSES OF CIVILITY.
[00:48:10] >> YOU CAN FIGHT AND STILL BE FRIENDLY. >> BRIDGING THE DIVIDE IN
[00:48:14] AMERICAN POLITICS. >> YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH THE DEMOCRAT ON EVERYTHING, BUT YOU CAN FIND AREAS WHERE YOU
[00:48:18] AGREE. >> HE'S PRETTY LIKABLE GUY AS WELL. >> CHRIS AND I ARE ACTUALLY
[00:48:21] FRIENDS. HE VOTES WRONG ALL THE TIME, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY FRIENDS.
[00:48:26] >> THE HORRIBLE SECRET THAT SCOTT AND I HAVE IS THAT WE ACTUALLY RESPECT EACH OTHER.
[00:48:28] >> WE ALL DON'T HATE EACH OTHER. >> YOU TWO ACTUALLY KIND OF LIKE
[00:48:31] EACH OTHER. THESE ARE THE KINDS OF SECRETS.
[00:48:33] >> CHANNEL ON SIRIUS XM, CHANNEL
[00:48:35] 124. AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE TAKING A PEEK COURTESY OF OUR
[00:48:39] FRIENDS AT C-SPAN 2. AND BY THE
[00:48:41] WAY, THOSE REGULAR SIRIUS XM LISTENERS, WE'D LOVE YOU TO
[00:48:45] CHECK OUT C-SPAN AND SEE THE BACK OF THE HOUSE. AND, UH, WHAT
[00:48:48] DID WE LEARN YESTERDAY? WATCH THE BREAD. >> OH, YES.
[00:48:52] >> MADE. >> WHO WAS THAT? STELLA, OR WHATEVER HER NAME WAS. SHE WAS FANTASTIC. IT WAS SUCH A GOOD
[00:48:56] IDEA. YOU ALWAYS SAY THE SAUSAGE BEING MADE SOMEHOW. NO.
[00:48:59] >> TRYING NOT. >> TO LIKE. WE'RE KNEADING. IT. SMELLS GOOD.
[00:49:02] >> YEAH. UH, DARRELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PHONE CALL IN
[00:49:05] MASSACHUSETTS. WHAT DID YOU MOST WANT TO SAY?
[00:49:09] >> GOOD MORNING. MICHAEL, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOUR OPPOSITE. I COMPLETELY AGREE
[00:49:13] WITH YOUR OPPOSITION ON LOGISTICAL GROUNDS TO THE
[00:49:16] POTENTIAL NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER RESTRICTIONS ON MAIL IN VOTING,
[00:49:18] BASED ON YOUR ANALYSIS OF THE LACK OF SIGNIFICANT MAIL IN
[00:49:22] BALLOT FRAUD IN OUR COUNTRY. BUT JUST TO BE PROVOCATIVE, I COULD
[00:49:26] NOT HELP OVERSEEING THE IRONY THAT YOU MINGLED PROJECT SOCIAL
[00:49:29] INITIATIVE LEADER, PROMOTE THE
[00:49:32] MAIL-IN VOTING OPTION WHEN IN-PERSON VOTING OFFERS ANOTHER
[00:49:36] VALUABLE COMMUNITY MINGLING OPPORTUNITY. >> IT'S SO TRUE. I MEAN, IT IS,
[00:49:39] IT IS. IT IS A STRONG ARGUMENT.
[00:49:42] UH, AGAINST WHAT I'M ADVOCATING.
[00:49:44] BUT I THINK ON BALANCE, I'D RATHER HAVE GREATER
[00:49:47] PARTICIPATION THAT I BELIEVE COMES FROM MAIL IN VOTING FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO DON'T
[00:49:51] KNOW. AND I, DARRELL, I LOVE THE WAY YOU SAID THAT I, I LOVE THE
[00:49:54] WAY YOU SUMMED UP MY ADVOCACY FOR PEOPLE HAVING COMMON EXPERIENCE.
[00:49:58] >> WHAT WAS THAT AGAIN? THAT WAS GREAT. >> I DON'T KNOW. WELL, LISTEN TO THE TAPE AND WRITE IT DOWN. >> CLEARLY.
[00:50:02] >> BUT I, YOU KNOW, I CAME OF AGE POLITICALLY AS ONE WHO WOULD
[00:50:06] STAND OUTSIDE. IT WAS A GYMNASIUM AT THE MOUNT CARMEL
[00:50:10] SCHOOL, AT THE MOUNT CARMEL CATHOLIC CHURCH, NOT FAR FROM
[00:50:13] WHERE I WAS, YOU KNOW, BORN AND RAISED. AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S
[00:50:17] LIKE TO STAND AT A POLL FROM SEVEN IN THE MORNING UNTIL EIGHT
[00:50:20] AT NIGHT AND HAND OUT SAMPLE
[00:50:22] BALLOTS. AND IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MEET PEOPLE AND
[00:50:25] SAY HELLO TO PEOPLE. AND YES, YOU KNOW, THAT I'M ADVOCATING
[00:50:29] SOMETHING THAT, UH, THAT DIMINISHES THAT. SO YOU ARE
[00:50:32] CORRECT TO, TO, TO NOTE THAT, TO
[00:50:34] NOTE THAT SHORTCOMING. UH, KEN, YOU'RE IN MIAMI. HELLO TO YOU.
[00:50:38] WHAT DID YOU WANT TO SAY
[00:50:41] >> MICHAEL. UM, I HEARD THAT WHEN TRUMP'S GOING TO BE DOING
[00:50:44] THE, UH, THIS, UH, THIS
[00:50:47] SCROLLING, THE, UH, SCRUBBING,
[00:50:49] THE, UH, IN THE, UH, THE STATE,
[00:50:51] UH, BOWLING, UH, VOTING, UH,
[00:50:54] ROLLS, EVEN LAWSUIT, MANY STATES
[00:50:56] AGAINST IT THAT HE'S GOING TO
[00:50:59] USE THE TO CUT DOWN ON THE
[00:51:01] BLACK, UH, VOTE. HE'S GOING TO
[00:51:05] USE, UH, EX-FELONS LAST NAMES AND THEN ACT LIKE.
[00:51:09] >> I HAVE NO IDEA. I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE YOU'RE GETTING THAT FROM. LIKE, YOU, YOU HEARD THAT.
[00:51:13] I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE
[00:51:15] HEARING THAT. THAT'S, THAT'S
[00:51:18] NEWS TO ME. NEWS TO ME. AND IF YOU COULD DOCUMENT IT, THEN I'D ALLOW THE, THE CONVERSATION TO PROCEED. BUT, UH, IS THERE A
[00:51:22] CITATION? YOU WANT TO GIVE ME A REPORT? SOMETHING?
[00:51:26] >> YEAH, YEAH. THE DAVID.
[00:51:29] >> FELDMAN SHOW UH, I DON'T, I DON'T. >> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. I
[00:51:33] DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS EITHER. SO I, I, I CAN'T HELP YOU IN
[00:51:35] THAT REGARD. HI, SUSAN, YOU'RE
[00:51:38] IN MASSACHUSETTS. YOUR THOUGHT IS WHAT
[00:51:42] >> HE DID NOT WIN THE 2020
[00:51:45] ELECTION, BUT JOE BIDEN, HOW DID
[00:51:47] THE GUY DON'T CAMPAIGN? UH, HE STAYS IN THE CELLAR WHILE MY
[00:51:51] PRESIDENT IS WORKING HIS FANNY OFF WITH RALLIES, BUT HE CAN
[00:51:55] JUST SIT THERE. WHERE WAS THE REPUBLICANS? WHERE WAS I? WE
[00:51:59] SHOULD HAVE GOT HIM OUT OF THAT HOUSE. THEY MADE IT SO EASY FOR
[00:52:03] HIM. AND COVID CAME IN. THESE
[00:52:05] STATES COULD DO ANY RULES THEY
[00:52:08] WANTED. RIGGED. RIGGED, RIGGED. AND, YOU. >> KNOW, AND THE, AND THE BEST,
[00:52:11] THE BEST THAT YOU CAN OFFER ME THAT THE 2020 ELECTION WAS
[00:52:14] RIGGED, RIGGED, RIGGED. IS THAT TRUMP OUTWORKED. AND I AGREE
[00:52:18] WITH YOU. OUTWORKED BIDEN. SO, OF COURSE, HE WON THE ELECTION.
[00:52:21] THE LOGIC IS, IF YOU WORK HARD,
[00:52:24] YOU WIN THE RACE. THAT'S NOT
[00:52:28] ALWAYS THE CASE. >> DEMOCRATS SO CORRUPT AND THEY CHEAT.
[00:52:32] >> YEAH. IT'S A GOOD. >> LIKE, COME. >> ON, COME ON. IT'S, IT'S A,
[00:52:34] IT'S A GOOD SOUNDBITE. THAT'S NOT THE WAY I LIKE TO PLAY. I
[00:52:37] LIKE TO DEAL IN SUBSTANCE AND
[00:52:39] SCIENCE AND DATA AND NUMBERS. THIS IS SCOTTIE'S IN
[00:52:43] MASSACHUSETTS. HI, SCOTT. YOUR
[00:52:47] TURN
[00:52:50] >> ARE YOU DOING? UM, FIRST TIME
[00:52:54] CALLING >> RIGHT. >> ANYWAYS, UM, SO REGARDING
[00:52:57] THE, THE, UM, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS VOTING, I ACTUALLY DATED AN
[00:53:01] ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HERE IN NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS. UM, SHE
[00:53:04] WAS ACTUALLY FROM THE DOMINICAN
[00:53:07] REPUBLIC. WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING,
[00:53:10] UM, TO BRING ATTENTION TO US, TO
[00:53:13] ATTENTION. YOU KNOW, SHE WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ILLEGAL AND SHE, SHE WOULD ACTUALLY GET
[00:53:17] UPSET IF I EVEN TALKED ABOUT IT,
[00:53:18] YOU KNOW, UM
[00:53:21] >> SO WHAT IS THE POINT.
[00:53:24] >> THAT, UM, I, I MEAN, I, I,
[00:53:29] THAT THERE ARE, THERE IS QUITE, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THERE ARE
[00:53:32] ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN NEW BEDFORD, ESPECIALLY TO WORK IN
[00:53:34] THE FISH HOUSES. >> THERE ARE, THERE ARE ILLEGAL
[00:53:38] IMMIGRANTS. LISTEN, THERE ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. THERE ARE
[00:53:41] ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO HAVE CAST BALLOTS THAT THEY NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CAST. THERE IS
[00:53:45] NO WIDESPREAD FRAUD. EVERY ONE
[00:53:48] OF THESE STATES HAS DONE THE THE
[00:53:50] CROSS TAB OF THEIR RECORDS, AND THEY CAN'T DOCUMENT IT. IT'S,
[00:53:54] IT'S SO MINUSCULE AND IT
[00:53:57] DOESN'T WARRANT WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS NOW SEEKING TO DO.
[00:54:00] AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT. FROM WHOLE CLOTH, WE ARE GOING TO
[00:54:04] CREATE A NATIONAL CITIZENS LIST. I HAPPEN TO THINK IT WOULD BE A
[00:54:08] GOOD THING IF ONE WERE CREATED, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO GET CREATED IN 60 DAYS, AND
[00:54:11] CERTAINLY NOT BY THIS ADMINISTRATION. IN THIS CONTEXT.
[00:54:15] HI, DAVE, YOU'RE IN PENNSYLVANIA. WHAT DID YOU WANT
[00:54:17] TO SAY
[00:54:20] >> HEY, MICHAEL, THERE'S A CATEGORY OF CALLED FEDERAL
[00:54:23] VOTERS AND FEDERAL AND STATE LAW IN PENNSYLVANIA. AND I'M
[00:54:26] LOOKING AT THE INFORMATION FOR MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS ON
[00:54:30] THE PENNSYLVANIA WEBSITE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE REGISTERED TO
[00:54:33] VOTE. YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE LIVED IN PENNSYLVANIA ONCE, AND
[00:54:36] NOW YOU LIVE OVERSEAS. AND IF YOU FILL OUT THIS FORM, YOU'LL
[00:54:40] GET A BALLOT FOR JUST FEDERAL ELECTIONS. AND I THINK IT'S KIND
[00:54:44] OF HARD TO POLICE CAN BE
[00:54:50] LEGITIMATE VOTERS OVER TIME. AND OH, BY THE WAY, MY REAL DOG IN
[00:54:53] THE FIGHT IS THEY MAKE THE MILITARY FOLKS GO THROUGH THE
[00:54:57] SAME SCREENING PROCESS THAT SOMEBODY THAT MOVED TO IRELAND
[00:55:00] AND HAS BEEN LIVING THERE FOR 20
[00:55:02] YEARS AND WANTS TO JUST VOTE IN
[00:55:05] FEDERAL ELECTIONS, HAS TO GO THROUGH THE FEDERAL FORM, GETS
[00:55:08] SENT TO YOUR COUNTY ELECTION
[00:55:09] OFFICE, AND THE PERSON AT THE
[00:55:12] COUNTY ELECTION OFFICE DECIDES
[00:55:15] IF THIS PERSON THAT'S NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE
[00:55:18] FEDERAL VOTING SENSE GETS ADDED TO THE VOTER ROLLS AND SENT JUST
[00:55:22] A BALLOT THAT ONLY HAS. >> LOOK, THERE'S AN EASIER WAY
[00:55:24] TO DO THIS. I'M RUNNING. I'M
[00:55:26] RUNNING OUT OF TIME THIS HOUR. SO I'M JUST GOING TO CUT THIS
[00:55:29] SHORT WITH, THANK YOU FOR, FOR CALLING ME. UH, HOW MANY OF YOU
[00:55:32] DO YOUR BANKING ON YOUR PHONE?
[00:55:34] HOW MANY OF YOU FILE YOUR TAX
[00:55:37] RETURNS ELECTRONICALLY? I COULD GO THROUGH SO MANY DIFFERENT.
[00:55:40] HOW MANY OF YOU MAKE TRAVEL RESERVATIONS? YOU KNOW, THINGS
[00:55:42] WHERE YOU'RE PUTTING MONEY IN
[00:55:45] PLAY. WHY DON'T WE VOTE THAT WAY? OH, THAT'S A JARRING
[00:55:48] CONCEPT. YOU'RE NOT READY FOR
[00:55:49] THAT ONE YET, RIGHT? LADIES AND
[00:55:56] GENTLEMEN, $285 MILLION. THAT LAST HOUR WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE
[00:56:00] NATIONAL DEBT. I'M BACK IN A MOMENT.
[00:56:02] >> TO THE LEFT OF ME
[00:56:12] >> THIS WEEK, ON C-SPAN 2, WE'RE BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO
[00:56:16] SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT 9
[00:56:19] A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOSTS THE MICHAEL SMERCONISH
[00:56:22] PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT
[00:56:25] NOON, PROGRESSIVE COMMENTATOR THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM
[00:56:28] HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL
[00:56:32] STORIES. AND THEN, AT THREE, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE
[00:56:35] CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR SHOW WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS,
[00:56:37] CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[00:56:42] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN.
[00:56:44] TWO C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[00:56:47] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT
[00:56:49] C-SPAN.ORG ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN
[00:56:55] C-SPAN 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON PROGRAMING,
[00:56:58] HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST
[00:57:02] CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND MEMORABLE MOMENTS COVERED BY
[00:57:06] C-SPAN IN 2026. TODAY, A COLLECTION OF CONGRESSIONAL
[00:57:09] HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY, SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF
[00:57:12] THE COUNTRY. WEDNESDAY. A LOOK AT THE EXPLORATION, INNOVATION,
[00:57:16] AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED
[00:57:17] THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S
[00:57:20] POSSIBLE FROM THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM TO
[00:57:22] ARTEMIS II. THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR
[00:57:27] SOME OF THIS YEAR'S MOST WATCHED, MOST TALKED ABOUT, AND
[00:57:31] MOST MEMORABLE C-SPAN PROGRAMING THAT CAPTURED PUBLIC ATTENTION.
[00:57:33] AND ON FRIDAY, SUPREME COURT
[00:57:36] JUSTICES DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES, THE CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE
[00:57:40] NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[00:57:44] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[00:57:49] C-SPAN, TWO. >> [MUSIC] >> BEST IDEAS AND BEST PRACTICES CAN BE FOUND ANYWHERE. >> WE HAVE TO LISTEN SO WE CAN
[00:57:53] GOVERN BETTER. >> DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON HEAVY DOSES OF CIVILITY.
[00:57:56] >> YOU CAN FIGHT AND STILL BE FRIENDLY.
[00:58:00] >> BRIDGING THE DIVIDE IN AMERICAN POLITICS. >> YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH THE DEMOCRAT ON EVERYTHING,
[00:58:03] BUT YOU CAN FIND AREAS WHERE YOU AGREE. >> HE'S PRETTY LIKABLE GUY AS WELL.
[00:58:07] >> CHRIS AND I ARE FRIENDS. HE VOTES WRONG ALL THE TIME, BUT
[00:58:10] WE'RE ACTUALLY FRIENDS. >> THE HORRIBLE SECRET THAT SCOTT AND I HAVE IS THAT WE
[00:58:13] ACTUALLY RESPECT EACH OTHER. >> WE ALL DON'T HATE EACH OTHER. >> YOU TWO ACTUALLY KIND OF LIKE
[00:58:17] EACH OTHER. THESE ARE THE KINDS OF SECRETS WE LIKE TO EXPOSE. >> IT'S NICE TO BE WITH A
[00:58:21] MEMBER WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> YOU GUYS DID AGREE TO THE
[00:58:24] CIVILITY, ALL RIGHT. >> HE OWES MY SON $10 FROM A BET.
[00:58:28] >> I'VE NEVER. PAID. >> FORK IT OVER. >> THAT'S FIGHTING WORDS.
[00:58:32] >> RIGHT THERE. I'M NOT IN CHARGE OF IT. >> I'M THRILLED TO BE ON THE SHOW.
[00:58:34] >> WITH HIM. THEY'RE NOT SHOWS
[00:58:36] LIKE THIS, RIGHT? INCENTIVIZING THAT RELATIONSHIP.
[00:58:40] >> CEASE FIRE FRIDAY NIGHTS ON
[00:58:45] C-SPAN. >> [MUSIC]
[00:58:48] >> IN A DIVIDED MEDIA WORLD, ONE PLACE BRINGS AMERICANS >> [MUSIC] >> TOGETHER. ACCORDING TO A NEW
[00:58:52] MOGG AND RESEARCH REPORT, NEARLY 90 MILLION AMERICANS TURN TO
[00:58:56] C-SPAN, AND THEY'RE ALMOST PERFECTLY BALANCED. 28%
[00:59:00] CONSERVATIVE, 27% LIBERAL OR
[00:59:02] PROGRESSIVE, 41% MODERATE.
[00:59:05] REPUBLICANS WATCHING DEMOCRATS,
[00:59:07] DEMOCRATS WATCHING REPUBLICANS,
[00:59:09] MODERATES WATCHING ALL SIDES.
[00:59:11] BECAUSE C-SPAN VIEWERS WANT THE
[00:59:14] FACTS STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE.
[00:59:16] NO COMMENTARY, NO AGENDA, JUST
[00:59:19] DEMOCRACY. UNFILTERED. EVERY DAY
[00:59:21] ON THE C-SPAN NETWORKS
[00:59:25] >> SUNDAY ON C-SPAN'S Q AND A THREE TIME PULITZER PRIZE
[00:59:27] WINNING NEW YORK TIMES
[00:59:29] PHOTOGRAPHER DOUG MILLS REFLECTS ON DECADES COVERING AMERICAN
[00:59:33] POLITICS. HE TALKS ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHING MULTIPLE
[00:59:37] PRESIDENTS, INCLUDING THE 1992 CLINTON GORE CAMPAIGN, PRESIDENT
[00:59:40] GEORGE W BUSH ON 9/11, AND
[00:59:42] CAPTURING THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
[00:59:45] IN 2024, WHICH EARNED HIM HIS
[00:59:48] THIRD PULITZER PRIZE. >> I'VE LISTENED TO HIS SPEECH
[00:59:50] ON THE CAMPAIGN HUNDREDS OF
[00:59:53] TIMES, AND I KNEW THAT WHEN HE
[00:59:56] SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A CHART, I THOUGHT, WOW, THE CHART, THE
[00:59:59] CHARTS. TYPICALLY, AT THE END OF THE SPEECH, AND THAT REGISTERED
[01:00:03] RIGHT AWAY WITH ME. AND SO THEN WHEN HE GESTURED OVER TOWARDS THE CHART, THAT'S WHEN THE
[01:00:07] SHOTS RANG OUT. AND WHEN HE WAS GESTURING, I WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT
[01:00:11] AS CLOSE AS WE ARE, BUT MAYBE 4
[01:00:12] OR 5FT BACK. AND I HAD MY LENS ON HIM. I WAS TRYING TO GET
[01:00:16] SOMETHING OF HE AND THE FLAG. AND THEN WHEN HE GESTURED TO THE RIGHT AND THE SHOTS RANG OUT, I
[01:00:20] WAS ACTUALLY TAKING PICTURES. AND THEN I JUST KEPT MY FINGER
[01:00:22] ON THE SHUTTER. AS SOON AS I HEARD THE BULLETS.
[01:00:25] >> THREE TIME PULITZER PRIZE WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER DOUG MILLS.
[01:00:29] SUNDAY NIGHT AT 8 P.M. EASTERN
[01:00:31] ON C-SPAN'S Q&A, YOU CAN LISTEN
[01:00:35] TO Q&A AND ALL OF OUR PODCASTS
[01:00:36] ON OUR FREE C-SPAN NOW APP, OR
[01:00:39] WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS.
[01:00:43] ON TUESDAY, HOWARD UNIVERSITY
[01:00:43] WILL HOST GHANA'S ASHANTI KING,
[01:00:47] OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU. THE SECOND.
[01:00:48] FOR REMARKS ON GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP AND CULTURAL
[01:00:52] PRESERVATION, THE EVENT IS HOSTED BY THE MILLENNIUM
[01:00:55] EXCELLENCE FOUNDATION, WHICH SUPPORTS CULTURAL EXCHANGE
[01:00:58] BETWEEN GHANA AND THE AFRICAN
[01:01:00] DIASPORA. WATCH LIVE AT 6 P.M.
[01:01:03] EASTERN ON C-SPAN C-SPAN NOW,
[01:01:05] OUR FREE MOBILE APP OR ONLINE AT
[01:01:10] C-SPAN .ORG.
[01:01:17] >> BACK ON WHAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED IN YOUR LIFE, WHAT MAKES YOU THE HAPPIEST OF WHAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED SO FAR?
[01:01:21] >> THIS INTERVIEW IS THE ABSOLUTE APEX.
[01:01:23] >> LEADERS SEEM TO LIKE TO WEAR WIGS. HOW COME HE DIDN'T HAVE A WIG? PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, I
[01:01:27] MADE A MISTAKE THE FIRST TIME. I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU THE FIRST TIME.
[01:01:31] >> THAT ISN'T WHAT HE SAID. >> YOUR FIRST BOOK WAS CALLED A
[01:01:35] TIME TO KILL. HOW MANY PUBLISHERS TURNED THAT DOWN? >> WELL, ALL OF THEM.
[01:01:38] >> IT'S VERY RARE TO SEE DONALD TRUMP LAUGH.
[01:01:41] >> HE DOESN'T LIKE TO SMILE. HE HAS WHAT THEY CALL THE STARE. HOW WOULD THE STARE.
[01:01:44] >> WHEN YOU GO TO THE. >> OSCARS, TO THE MICHAEL
[01:01:48] SMERCONISH PROGRAM ON SIRIUS? POTUS, CHANNEL 124, WHERE
[01:01:51] INDEPENDENT MINDS COME TOGETHER.
[01:01:54] NOW. >> HERE'S MICHAEL SMERCONISH.
[01:01:58] >> THE NATION IS 40 TRILLION WITH A T, $40 TRILLION IN DEBT.
[01:02:02] AND MY GUEST WARNED US ABOUT
[01:02:04] THIS. HE'S BEEN WARNING US ABOUT IT. MICHAEL PETERSON IS THE
[01:02:08] CHAIR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE
[01:02:10] OFFICER OF THE PETER G. PETERSON FOUNDATION, AND HE'S IN STUDIO
[01:02:13] WITH ME. NICE TO FINALLY MEET AND SAY HELLO. YOU'VE BEEN A
[01:02:16] GUEST OF MINE IN THE PAST ON ON
[01:02:19] CNN, BUT I'M THRILLED THAT YOU'RE HERE. >> WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. GLAD TO TALK ABOUT THIS
[01:02:23] IMPORTANT SUBJECT. >> SHAME THAT YOU'RE HERE, RIGHT, TO TALK ABOUT THIS SUBJECT. >> YOU HAVE TO BE HERE. YES.
[01:02:27] >> UM, I SO HERE'S THE WAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN, BECAUSE
[01:02:29] LAST SATURDAY ON, ON CNN, I DID MY BEST TO TELL THE STORY. NOW
[01:02:33] YOU, YOU CAN FACT CHECK ME, BUT
[01:02:37] IT'S A REMARKABLE STORY ABOUT
[01:02:38] YOUR DAD. AND IT ALL BEGINS IN
[01:02:41] CARNEY, NEBRASKA. WHAT HAPPENED IN KEARNEY, NEBRASKA? >> WELL, WE CAN GO BACK A LITTLE
[01:02:44] FURTHER. IT BEGINS IN GREECE. SO HIS HIS PARENTS, MY GRANDPARENTS WERE BORN IN GREECE. THEY CAME
[01:02:48] THROUGH ELLIS ISLAND. LIKE MANY
[01:02:52] IMMIGRANTS. UH, AND YOU'RE RIGHT. THEY SETTLED OUT IN KEARNEY, NEBRASKA. THEY CAME AS
[01:02:55] TEENAGERS WITH NO MONEY, NO EDUCATION, NO ENGLISH. AND THEY
[01:02:59] STARTED WHAT MY DAD WOULD AFFECTIONATELY CALL THE
[01:03:02] INEVITABLE GREEK DINER OUT IN
[01:03:04] KEARNEY. AND IT WAS OPEN, AS YOU
[01:03:07] NOTED, 24 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS
[01:03:09] A YEAR, FOR 25 YEARS IN A ROW.
[01:03:12] AND FOR, FOR ME, THAT EXEMPLIFIES THE AMERICAN DREAM. THEY CAME WITH NOTHING. THEY
[01:03:16] WORKED HARD. THEY SAVED FOR THE FUTURE. THEY INVESTED IN THE
[01:03:20] FUTURE OF THEIR FAMILY. THEY PUT
[01:03:20] MY, THEIR SON, MY DAD, THROUGH
[01:03:24] COLLEGE, AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT BUILDING A BETTER LIFE FOR THE
[01:03:28] NEXT GENERATION. AND THAT WAS THE ETHOS OF THE FAMILY AND THE COUNTRY AT THAT TIME.
[01:03:31] >> TRUE THAT DAD, UH, LITERALLY RANG THE REGISTER AS A YOUNG BOY.
[01:03:35] >> YEAH. HE WOULD CHASE PEOPLE DOWN THE STREET FOR, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THEY PAID THEIR
[01:03:39] BILL. AND HE WAS IN RUNNING THE CASH REGISTER. AND, YOU KNOW, MY
[01:03:42] GRANDFATHER WORKED EXTREMELY HARD THERE, YOU KNOW, UH, FOR
[01:03:45] MANY YEARS. >> DID YOUR GRANDPARENTS ON THAT
[01:03:48] SIDE OF THE FAMILY GET TO SEE YOUR FATHER'S SUCCESS? >> THEY DID. THEY DID NOT. ALL
[01:03:52] OF IT, BUT, UH, THEY LIVED TO, INTO THEIR 80s. ISN'T THAT
[01:03:55] GREAT? AND THEY, THEY DID SEE MY
[01:03:58] FATHER APPOINTED TO THE CABINET. UH, THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION. AND HE WAS THE FIRST GREEK
[01:04:02] CABINET OFFICER. AND IT WAS A VERY PROUD MOMENT FOR THE
[01:04:04] FAMILY. >> SO BEFORE HE GOES TO THE
[01:04:08] NIXON ADMINISTRATION, HE IS RUNNING BELL AND HOWELL FOR, FOR
[01:04:11] THE YOUNG AMONG US. WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT WAS BELL AND HOWELL? IT
[01:04:15] MEANS SOMETHING TO ME. >> YES. WELL, THAT WAS A, THAT
[01:04:17] WAS A CAMERA. AND, AND CINEMATOGRAPHY COMPANY. AND, UH,
[01:04:21] HE, HE, UH, GRADUATED FROM NORTHWESTERN, WENT TO THE
[01:04:23] UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BUSINESS SCHOOL AT NIGHT, UH, AND, UH,
[01:04:28] ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS AND, AND VERY QUICKLY BECAME CEO OF A, OF
[01:04:31] A PRETTY LARGE COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES AT A VERY YOUNG AGE. SO THAT'S WHERE HE LAUNCHED HIS CAREER.
[01:04:35] >> NIXON BRINGS HIM IN TO HANDLE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC AFFAIRS,
[01:04:39] AND THEN NEXT MAKES YOUR FATHER, PETE PETERSON, THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE.
[01:04:43] >> RIGHT, RIGHT. UH, YES. HE SPENT A COUPLE OF YEARS IN
[01:04:47] WASHINGTON. UH, UH, ENDED UP LEAVING THERE TO, TO, TO GO TO NEW YORK SOON THEREAFTER.
[01:04:51] >> GOES TO LEHMAN BROTHERS, RUNS IT FOR 11 YEARS AT LEAST. THIS
[01:04:54] IS WHAT I HEARD THE GUY SAY ON
[01:04:56] CNN. UH, AND THEN WITH STEVE
[01:04:59] SCHWARZMAN, HE STARTS BLACKSTONE. FOR THE UNINITIATED,
[01:05:01] WHAT IS BLACKSTONE? >> BLACKSTONE IS A VERY LARGE
[01:05:05] NOW ASSET MANAGER. UH, AND SO
[01:05:07] THEY DO PRIVATE EQUITY AND REAL ESTATE AND ALTERNATIVE ASSET
[01:05:11] MANAGEMENT. AND, AND, UH, HAVE GROWN INTO ONE OF THE MOST
[01:05:14] SUCCESSFUL FINANCIAL COMPANIES IN THE COUNTRY. >> AND AS IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, YOUR FATHER ALSO CHAIRED THE
[01:05:18] FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK. >> YES, HE DID, AND CHAIRED THE
[01:05:22] COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS. HE YOU KNOW THAT, TOO. REMARKABLY,
[01:05:25] HE WAS OBVIOUSLY A BIG SUCCESS
[01:05:27] IN BUSINESS, BUT WAS ALWAYS VERY FOCUSED ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND
[01:05:31] PUBLIC POLICY. AND HE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO EXCEL IN BOTH OF
[01:05:35] THOSE AT THE SAME TIME. >> OKAY. AND MEANWHILE, MOM HAD
[01:05:38] SOME SUCCESS OF HER OWN. WHAT DID SHE DO?
[01:05:40] >> SO, UH, SO MY BIOLOGICAL
[01:05:43] MOTHER WAS A PSYCHOLOGIST, VERY SUCCESSFUL AND, AND HAD A LOT
[01:05:45] OF, UH, VERY IMPORTANT PATIENTS THAT SHE SERVED. BUT I THINK
[01:05:49] YOU'RE REFERRING TO MY
[01:05:49] STEPMOTHER. SO, UH, IN 1980, MY
[01:05:53] DAD MARRIED JOAN GANZ COONEY, WHO WAS A CO-FOUNDER OF SESAME
[01:05:57] STREET. AND SO SHE, UH, CAME UP
[01:05:59] WITH THE IDEA WITH HER PARTNER, LLOYD MORRISETT. AND, AND THEY
[01:06:03] FOUNDED SESAME STREET AND
[01:06:05] DECIDED THAT IT WAS CRITICAL FOR EARLY EDUCATION, PARTICULARLY IN
[01:06:09] POORER COMMUNITIES, THAT KIDS WOULD HAVE A BETTER HEAD START
[01:06:11] ON, ON ENTERING THE EDUCATIONAL WORLD.
[01:06:15] >> HOW MANY HOW MANY PETERSON SIBLINGS ARE THERE? >> THERE ARE FIVE OF US. >> OKAY, SO I'VE INTERVIEWED
[01:06:19] TWO. YOU, YOU AND SISTER HOLLY.
[01:06:21] DO I, DO I NEED TO WORK THROUGH THE RANKS OF THE REST?
[01:06:24] >> I THINK YOU GOT THE BEST ONE RIGHT HERE. SO, YOU KNOW, WHY WOULD YOU? WHY WOULD YOU BOTHER?
[01:06:27] SO, NO, IT'S A GREAT FAMILY.
[01:06:29] >> SO GROWING UP, WAS DAD ALWAYS
[01:06:32] FISCAL PRUDENCE MINDED. >> I GOTTA SAY. YES. YOU KNOW,
[01:06:35] HE HE, UH, HE WAS VERY
[01:06:39] PASSIONATE ABOUT THE DEBT FROM, FROM FOR MANY YEARS, UH, BUT ALSO LIVED HIS LIFE PAYING
[01:06:43] ATTENTION TO COSTS. HE LOVED A GREAT SALE. LIKE I THINK A LOT
[01:06:45] OF THE ROOTS HE HAD IN NEBRASKA
[01:06:47] NEVER LEFT HIM. AND HE, HE WAS ALWAYS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT
[01:06:51] HE GOT WHERE HE WAS. SO HE KIND OF ALWAYS HAD KIND OF THE NEBRASKA PART OF HIM CONTINUED
[01:06:55] ON. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY
[01:06:58] WHAT LED HIM TO BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NATIONAL DEBT AND THE GROWTH RATE OF IT,
[01:07:01] UH, MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE, BECAUSE IT WAS DIFFERENT FROM HOW HE WAS RAISED. AND, AND A
[01:07:05] REAL, UH, AFFRONT TO WHAT HIS. >> HE HAD ENORMOUS FINANCIAL
[01:07:09] SUCCESS. >> HE DID. >> WAS HE, WAS HE FRUGAL?
[01:07:12] >> I MEAN, LISTEN, HE LIVED A
[01:07:14] VERY PRIVILEGED LIFE FOR SURE. UH, BUT YES, HE ALWAYS PAID
[01:07:18] ATTENTION TO, TO, TO WHAT HE WAS DOING WITH HIS RESOURCES. AND,
[01:07:21] AND, UH, YOU KNOW, TOWARD THE END OF HIS LIFE, HE HAD THIS GREAT WINDFALL WHEN BLACKSTONE
[01:07:25] WENT PUBLIC. AND HE MADE A VERY QUICK AND EASY DECISION TO
[01:07:29] DEDICATE THE VAST MAJORITY OF HIS WEALTH TO THIS FOUNDATION, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT HE
[01:07:32] CARED ABOUT. SO HE WAS VERY FOCUSED ON THAT. >> $1 BILLION.
[01:07:35] >> YES.
[01:07:38] >> $1 BILLION? YES. DO YOU SAY
[01:07:40] TO TO YOU SAY TO HIM, DAD, THE DEBTS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT
[01:07:43] THING. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT
[01:07:44] ALL THESE KIDS AND GRANDKIDS AND. >> ALL THIS.
[01:07:48] >> CAN WE SCALE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT? >> THIS WAS A VERY PROUD MOMENT
[01:07:51] FOR HIM AND OUR FAMILY. I THINK, UH, AMERICA WAS A GREAT COUNTRY
[01:07:55] TO MY GRANDPARENTS AND TO MY
[01:07:56] DAD. AND, UH, THE CONCERNS THAT
[01:07:59] WE HAVE ARE A REAL THREAT TO THE NEXT GENERATION. AND PRESERVING
[01:08:02] THAT DREAM IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. SO WE'RE ALL VERY
[01:08:05] PROUD. >> SO HE ENDOWS THE PETER G.
[01:08:09] PETERSON FOUNDATION WITH WHAT OBJECTIVE >> REALLY, TO RAISE THE ALARM
[01:08:12] BELL ON THE NATIONAL DEBT. SO OUR MISSION STATEMENT IS TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND
[01:08:16] ACCELERATE ACTION ON OUR LONG TERM FISCAL CHALLENGES. AND
[01:08:20] WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT THESE ISSUES FOR A LONG TIME. MICHAEL. UH, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT THE BABY BOOM
[01:08:23] GENERATION. WE KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO RETIRE. WASHINGTON DID
[01:08:26] NOT PREPARE FOR THIS MOMENT. THEY'VE ADDED INSULT TO INJURY
[01:08:29] WITH ADDITIONAL FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY. SO THE
[01:08:32] FOUNDATION IS REALLY DEDICATED TO, TO SOUNDING THE ALARM AND
[01:08:36] MAKING SURE AMERICANS, YOUNG AND OLD, UNDERSTAND THE COUNTRY THAT WE'RE LEAVING THE NEXT
[01:08:40] GENERATION, TOO. AND WE THINK IT'S A PROBLEM. >> IT'S NOT THAT IT WAS
[01:08:42] ESTABLISHED LAST TUESDAY, A WEEK
[01:08:44] AGO TODAY, WHEN WE PASSED THE 40
[01:08:47] TRILLION THRESHOLD, WHEN DAD WAS STILL WITH US, WHAT WAS THE SIZE
[01:08:50] OF THE DEBT? >> UH, GOSH, IN TWO. I MEAN, IT
[01:08:53] WAS, UH, UNDER 10 TRILLION, I THINK, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED.
[01:08:56] AND, UH, BUT IT WAS VERY PREDICTABLE. I MEAN, THAT, THAT
[01:09:00] WAS PART OF WHAT CONCERNED HIM IS HE SAW THIS TIDAL WAVE
[01:09:03] COMING. THIS WASN'T, UH, YOU KNOW, A FICTION THAT HE WAS
[01:09:06] THINKING ABOUT. THIS WAS A REALITY THAT WAS IN ALL THE PROJECTIONS. WE ALL KNEW THIS
[01:09:10] WAS COMING. AND SO IT WAS, FRANKLY, EASY TO PREDICT THIS
[01:09:14] CRISIS. >> SO WHAT IS THE APPROACH THAT THE PETER G. PETERSON FOUNDATION
[01:09:17] TAKES? HOW DO YOU ADVOCATE? HOW DO YOU EDUCATE? WHAT WHAT'S
[01:09:21] WHAT'S THE ROLE ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS? >> WE DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS.
[01:09:24] SO, FIRST OF ALL, ONE OF THE FIRST DECISIONS HE MADE, WE MADE
[01:09:26] WAS TO MAKE IT A NONPARTISAN FOUNDATION. AND THAT'S FOR TWO
[01:09:30] REASONS. NUMBER ONE, UH, WE GOT
[01:09:33] HERE AS A RESULT OF THE ACTIONS OF BOTH PARTIES. BOTH PARTIES
[01:09:36] HAD A HAND IN THIS. AND WE THINK
[01:09:39] THE SOLUTIONS NEED TO BE BIPARTISAN TO BE LASTING. SO WE
[01:09:42] DIDN'T WANT TO REPRESENT ANY ONE PARTICULAR IDEOLOGY. SO WE
[01:09:45] WORK WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE
[01:09:48] POLITICAL SPECTRUM. WE WORK WITH A RANGE OF DIFFERENT RESEARCH AND THINK TANK ORGANIZATIONS TO
[01:09:52] COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS. SO WE FOCUS A LOT ON SOLUTIONS. WE CAN
[01:09:55] TALK ABOUT THAT, UH, IN TERMS OF
[01:09:59] RAISING AWARENESS, WE SPEND A LOT OF EFFORT ON YOUNG PEOPLE. I DON'T THINK YOUNG PEOPLE IN
[01:10:02] THIS COUNTRY TRULY UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY SEE A $2 TRILLION
[01:10:06] DEFICIT, MAYBE THEIR EYES GLAZE OVER. THEY DON'T TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS. IT
[01:10:09] FEELS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY. UH, BUT THAT'S REALLY $2 TRILLION
[01:10:12] THAT IS BEING PASSED ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION AS AN
[01:10:16] OBLIGATION, PLUS INTEREST. AND THIS GENERATION THINKS A LOT
[01:10:20] ABOUT JUSTICE, SOCIAL JUSTICE, CLIMATE JUSTICE. BUT THEY DON'T ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THIS AS A
[01:10:24] FORM OF INJUSTICE. AND SO WE WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE ON
[01:10:28] COLLEGE CAMPUSES. WE'RE ON SEVERAL HUNDRED COLLEGE CAMPUSES
[01:10:32] RUNNING LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, FISCAL UNDERSTANDING PROGRAMS,
[01:10:34] UH, AND OTHER AWARENESS BUILDING
[01:10:37] CAMPAIGNS ON CAMPUSES. AND THESE KIDS REALLY GET INVOLVED.
[01:10:40] >> MICHAEL PETERSON IS THE CEO
[01:10:41] OF THE PETERSON FOUNDATION. WHY
[01:10:44] AMONG THE SIBLINGS, DID IT FALL TO YOU THAT YOU WOULD BE THE ONE
[01:10:47] TO, TO CARRY THE MANTLE? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, I, I, UH, I
[01:10:51] STUDIED PUBLIC POLICY AND ECONOMICS IN SCHOOL. I WAS ALWAYS VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN
[01:10:55] THESE ISSUES. I WAS SPENT MOST OF MY CAREER IN THE BUSINESS WORLD BEFORE DOING THIS. AND,
[01:10:58] UH, I WAS THE ONE WHO REALLY HAD THE MOST INTEREST IN THIS. AND
[01:11:01] IT WAS MY DAD'S MISSION. IT WAS HIS DECISION TO, TO FOCUS ON
[01:11:05] THESE AREAS. AND I WAS THE RIGHT ONE AVAILABLE TO, TO CARRY THE MANTLE WITH HIM.
[01:11:09] >> MICHAEL. I THINK IT'S DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO
[01:11:12] UNDERSTAND $40 TRILLION I PULLED FROM THE WEBSITE FOR THE BENEFIT
[01:11:15] OF THOSE WHO WILL WATCH US ON YOUTUBE OR WATCH US LIVE ON
[01:11:18] C-SPAN. TWO, WE'RE GOING TO RUN THROUGH A COUPLE OF THE SLIDES,
[01:11:21] AND I'LL JUST ASK YOU TO
[01:11:24] AMPLIFY 40 TRILLION IS
[01:11:26] APPROXIMATELY THE VALUE OF THE
[01:11:28] ECONOMIES OF CHINA, GERMANY,
[01:11:31] JAPAN, THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND
[01:11:33] INDIA COMBINED.
[01:11:38] >> IT'S A STAGGERING NUMBER. AND AND EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THIS NUMBER WAS COMING AND WE WERE PLANNING FOR THIS DAY, IT'S
[01:11:42] STILL HARD FOR ME TO KIND OF JUST GRASP IT. UH, YOU KNOW, I
[01:11:45] THINK IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A NUMBER THAT I OFTEN DIVIDE BY
[01:11:49] THE POPULATION. SO IT'S ABOUT
[01:11:53] $117,000 A PERSON. MAYBE WE'RE GOING TO COME TO THAT. YEP. >> UH.
[01:11:56] >> $297,000 PER HOUSEHOLD. >> YEAH. SO FOR THE EVERY, YOU
[01:11:59] KNOW, FOR AVERAGE AMERICANS, THAT'S THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S
[01:12:03] NOT YOUR OBLIGATION PER SE. IT'S, IT'S A BIG NUMBER. IT'S
[01:12:06] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT IT
[01:12:09] DOES REPRESENT A BURDEN ON YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR HOUSEHOLD AND
[01:12:11] YOURSELF. THAT NEEDS TO BE THAT CARRIES INTEREST AND NEEDS TO BE
[01:12:15] PAID BACK OVER TIME. SO IT IS A REAL BURDEN OUT THERE, EVEN
[01:12:18] THOUGH THE NUMBERS SORT OF STAGGERINGLY LARGE TO COMPREHEND.
[01:12:20] >> UH, YOU AND I HAVE BEEN
[01:12:23] SPEAKING FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES
[01:12:26] AT THE RATE OF $4.8 MILLION PER MINUTE. THAT'S HOW MUCH WE'VE ADDED TO THE DEBT DURING THE
[01:12:30] COURSE OF THIS CONVERSATION. 285
[01:12:33] MILLION. YOU'LL BE HERE FOR THE HOUR. THAT'S HOW MUCH WE'LL ADD
[01:12:36] TO THE DEBT. 6.8 BILLION PER
[01:12:40] DAY. SPEAK TO THOSE NUMBERS. >> WELL, THAT THAT'S LISTEN, WE
[01:12:43] COULD TALK ABOUT THE 40 TRILLION ALL DAY LONG AND HOW WE GOT HERE. AND I'M HAPPY TO GO
[01:12:47] THROUGH SOME OF THAT. BUT I THINK WHAT AMERICANS NEED TO
[01:12:50] FOCUS ON IS WHERE WE'RE HEADED ALSO. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE
[01:12:53] NOT AT 40 TRILLION PEAKING.
[01:12:56] WE'RE AT 40 TRILLION AND RISING. AND SO THE PATH THAT
[01:12:59] WE'RE ON WILL HAVE US AT 50 TRILLION IN ABOUT SIX YEARS. UH,
[01:13:03] YOU KNOW, AND IT'S GROWING AND GROWING AND GROWING. AND THAT'S
[01:13:05] WHY WE NEED TO GET AT THIS, NOT BECAUSE OF OUR PAST SINS ALONE,
[01:13:09] BUT BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO, UH,
[01:13:11] TO DRIVE UP THE, THE GROWTH AND THE DEFICIT AND THE DEBT.
[01:13:14] >> JUST ONE, ONE MORE TO, TO TRY AND BRING SOME REALIZATION TO
[01:13:19] THIS. $40 TRILLION IS ENOUGH TO COVER A PUBLIC FOUR YEAR DEGREE
[01:13:22] FOR EVERY GRADUATING U.S. HIGH
[01:13:25] SCHOOL STUDENT FOR 119 YEARS
[01:13:29] >> YEAH. I THINK, UH, AGAIN, TO HELP PEOPLE BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DEBT MEANS, YOU CAN
[01:13:33] THINK ABOUT WHAT WE COULD HAVE SPENT THE MONEY ON, RIGHT? AND
[01:13:37] INTEREST ALONE IS ABOUT $1 TRILLION A YEAR RIGHT NOW.
[01:13:40] THAT'S EXCEEDS WHAT WE SPEND ON NATIONAL DEFENSE. SO IMAGINE IF
[01:13:42] WE HAD ANOTHER TRILLION DOLLARS
[01:13:45] OF AVAILABLE SPENDING TO RUN VARIOUS PROGRAMS THROUGH THE
[01:13:49] GOVERNMENT. UH, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY SADDLING OURSELVES WITH
[01:13:52] A BURDEN THAT MAKES IT LESS AFFORDABLE TO DO OTHER THINGS.
[01:13:55] SO, OR RAISE TAXES OR CUT TAXES. I MEAN, WHATEVER YOUR CHOICE
[01:13:59] WOULD BE. >> PARDON MY NAIVETE, EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT THE MARKETS AND
[01:14:01] BUSINESS, I LEARNED FROM WATCHING TRADING PLACES 14
[01:14:05] TIMES. OKAY, SO BREAK IT DOWN
[01:14:06] FOR ME. WHEN WE SAY THAT WE OWE
[01:14:09] $40 TRILLION, TO WHOM? >> WELL, THERE'S A COUPLE
[01:14:13] DIFFERENT COMPONENTS. ABOUT 10 TRILLION OF THAT IS
[01:14:16] INTRAGOVERNMENTAL DEBT. SO, UM, THIS GETS A LITTLE COMPLICATED.
[01:14:20] BUT WHEN THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM WAS STARTED, WE HAD A LOT
[01:14:22] OF INFLOWS. AND THAT CREATED A
[01:14:24] TRUST FUND, QUOTE, UNQUOTE. UH, I USE QUOTES BECAUSE IT ISN'T
[01:14:28] REALLY A TRUST FUND. THE MONEY WAS ALL SPENT AT THE TIME, BUT
[01:14:31] WE DID TRACK HOW MUCH CAME INTO THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM. GIVEN THE WAY SOCIAL SECURITY
[01:14:35] WORKS, WE HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF THAT NUMBER, AND THAT'S AN
[01:14:38] OBLIGATION THAT WE OWE OUT TO BENEFICIARIES. THAT RUNS DRY. BY
[01:14:41] THE WAY, IN ABOUT SIX YEARS. SO WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THAT. SO A
[01:14:44] BIG CHUNK OF THAT IS INTRAGOVERNMENTAL DEBT. ABOUT 30
[01:14:47] TRILLION OF IT IS OWNED BY THE PUBLIC. SO IT'S AMERICANS,
[01:14:51] FOREIGN COUNTRIES, VARIOUS TREASURY, YOU KNOW, TREASURY
[01:14:54] BOND HOLDERS AROUND THE WORLD. >> I OFTEN HEAR THAT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF THE DEBT
[01:14:58] IS, IS CONTROLLED BY OR HELD BY THE CHINESE. TRUE.
[01:15:02] >> YEAH. YEAH. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THESE MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE
[01:15:05] WORLD HOLD OUR DEBT. AND THAT'S
[01:15:08] WHY ADMIRAL MULLEN, UH, MANY YEARS AGO SAID DEBT IS THE SINGLE GREATEST THREAT TO OUR
[01:15:12] NATIONAL SECURITY. BECAUSE WHEN ALL THESE OTHER COUNTRIES HOLD
[01:15:15] OUR DEBT, WE ARE SOMEWHAT BEHOLDEN TO THEM IN A WAY.
[01:15:17] >> COULD THEY CALL IT.? >> THEY COULD SELL IT TOMORROW.
[01:15:21] >> THEY COULD SELL IT. THAT THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE. >> THE THEY COULDN'T CALL IT EARLY. YOU KNOW, IT MATURES WHEN
[01:15:25] IT MATURES, BUT THEY COULD DUMP, DUMP THEM ON THE MARKETS AT ANY AT ANY POINT.
[01:15:28] >> OKAY. I WANT TO TALK WITH YOU IN JUST A MOMENT ABOUT HOW DID
[01:15:31] WE GET INTO THIS MESS? AS WE
[01:15:32] CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THE SUBJECT
[01:15:35] OF $40 TRILLION OF NATIONAL DEBT WITH MICHAEL PETERSON, HE'S THE
[01:15:39] CEO OF THE PETERSON FOUNDATION.
[01:15:42] WE'RE BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS.
[01:15:59] >> THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN 2, WE'RE BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO
[01:16:02] SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT 9
[01:16:06] A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOSTS THE MICHAEL SMERCONISH PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES
[01:16:10] OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT NOON, PROGRESSIVE COMMENTATOR
[01:16:13] THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE
[01:16:15] ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL STORIES. AND THEN, AT THREE,
[01:16:19] CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR SHOW
[01:16:22] WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS,
[01:16:24] CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[01:16:26] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN.
[01:16:31] TWO C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[01:16:32] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT
[01:16:35] C-SPAN.ORG ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN
[01:16:42] C-SPAN 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON PROGRAMING,
[01:16:44] HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST
[01:16:47] CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND MEMORABLE MOMENTS COVERED BY
[01:16:50] C-SPAN IN 2026. TODAY, A COLLECTION OF CONGRESSIONAL
[01:16:53] HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY, SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES,
[01:16:56] AND CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF
[01:16:58] THE COUNTRY WEDNESDAY, A LOOK AT
[01:17:01] THE EXPLORATION, INNOVATION, AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED THE
[01:17:04] BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE FROM THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM TO ARTEMIS II.
[01:17:08] THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR SOME OF THIS YEAR'S MOST WATCHED, MOST
[01:17:11] TALKED ABOUT, AND MOST MEMORABLE
[01:17:14] C-SPAN PROGRAMING THAT CAPTURED PUBLIC ATTENTION. AND ON FRIDAY,
[01:17:17] SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
[01:17:20] DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES, THE CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE
[01:17:23] NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A
[01:17:26] MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[01:17:28] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[01:17:31] C-SPAN, TWO.
[01:17:37] >> [MUSIC] >> WATCH AMERICA'S BOOK CLUB
[01:17:39] C-SPAN'S BOLD ORIGINAL SERIES, SUNDAY WITH OUR GUEST AWARD
[01:17:43] WINNING GLOBAL NUMBER ONE BEST SELLING >> [MUSIC] >> AUTHOR, DAVID BALDACCI. HIS
[01:17:47] THRILLERS HAVE SOLD OVER 200 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE.
[01:17:50] PUBLISHED IN OVER 45 LANGUAGES
[01:17:53] IN MORE THAN 80 COUNTRIES,
[01:17:55] DAVID, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE MICHELLE, ARE ALSO THE
[01:17:58] CO-FOUNDERS OF THE WISH YOU WELL FOUNDATION, A NONPROFIT
[01:18:01] ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING LITERACY PROGRAMS IN
[01:18:04] THE UNITED STATES. HE JOINS OUR HOST, RENOWNED AUTHOR AND CIVIC
[01:18:08] LEADER, DAVID RUBENSTEIN.
[01:18:10] >> SO WHEN YOU ARE WRITING, UM,
[01:18:13] DO YOU EVER SAY TO YOURSELF, UH, YOU EVER DAYDREAM, YOU EVER LOSE
[01:18:17] YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT? YOU'RE, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT, OR YOU JUST TUNNEL VISIONED ON WHAT
[01:18:21] YOU'RE WRITING? >> I DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. I
[01:18:23] TUNNEL VISION, I LET MY IMAGINATION RUN, YOU KNOW,
[01:18:27] BECAUSE I FOUND THAT WHEN I TRIED TO KEEP MY IMAGINATION IN
[01:18:30] CHECK, I MISS OPPORTUNITIES. AND I DON'T WANT TO MISS
[01:18:33] OPPORTUNITIES. PEOPLE ASK, WHERE DO I GET MY IDEAS FROM? I GET UP EVERY DAY AND I WALK OUT THE
[01:18:37] DOOR AND I SEE WHAT'S IN FRONT OF ME. I'M NOT ON MY IPHONE
[01:18:41] LOOKING AT MY IPHONE. I'M LOOKING AT PEOPLE, AND I'VE GOTTEN IDEAS FOR PLOT POINTS
[01:18:45] JUST BY WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND SEEING TWO PEOPLE TALKING.
[01:18:47] AND I'M WONDERING, WHAT ARE THEY
[01:18:50] TALKING ABOUT? MAYBE I CAN ANSWER THAT MYSELF. OR I SEE A
[01:18:54] GUY WITH A BOX GET ON A BUS. I WONDER WHAT'S IN THE BOX AND WHERE IS THE BUS GOING WITH THE
[01:18:57] GUY? AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, I
[01:18:59] HAVE A STORY IDEA FROM THAT. THE IDEAS ARE ALL AROUND YOU ALL THE
[01:19:03] TIME. IT'S JUST THAT YOU'RE NOT RECEPTIVE TO SEIZING
[01:19:06] OPPORTUNITIES. ONCE YOU DO THINK ABOUT SEIZING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, AND ALL OF A
[01:19:09] SUDDEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TOO MANY IDEAS, TOO MANY THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT.
[01:19:13] >> WATCH AMERICA'S BOOK CLUB WITH DAVID BALDACCI SUNDAY AT 6
[01:19:17] P.M. AND 9 P.M. EASTERN AND
[01:19:19] PACIFIC, ONLY ON C-SPAN.
[01:19:22] >> [MUSIC]
[01:19:31] >> THE ROAD TO THE CAPITOL >> [MUSIC] >> RUNS THROUGH AMERICA'S
[01:19:35] BATTLEGROUND STATES, AND C-SPAN
[01:19:36] IS THERE. OUR CAMERAS ARE ON THE GROUND FOLLOWING THE CAMPAIGNS
[01:19:40] WHERE THE TOUGHEST RACES WILL DECIDE THE BALANCE OF POWER IN
[01:19:43] CONGRESS. WE'RE THE ONLY NATIONAL TELEVISION NETWORK
[01:19:46] PROVIDING THIS LEVEL OF UNFILTERED ACCESS TO THE
[01:19:48] CANDIDATES, THE VOTERS, AND THE
[01:19:51] ISSUES SHAPING CAMPAIGN 2026. NO COMMENTATORS TELLING YOU WHAT TO
[01:19:54] THINK. NO. PARTIZAN SPIN THE
[01:19:56] ROAD TO THE CAPITAL, ONLY ON
[01:20:00] C-SPAN.
[01:20:01] >> [MUSIC]
[01:20:05] >> C-SPAN IS AS UNBIASED AS YOU CAN GET. >> YOU ARE SO FAIR. I DON'T
[01:20:08] KNOW HOW ANYBODY CAN SAY OTHERWISE. >> YOU GUYS DO. THE MOST
[01:20:13] IMPORTANT WORK FOR EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY.
[01:20:14] >> I LOVE C-SPAN BECAUSE I GET
[01:20:17] TO HEAR ALL THE VOICES. >> YOU BRING THESE DIVERGENT
[01:20:21] VIEWPOINTS, AND YOU PRESENT BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE, AND YOU ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS.
[01:20:25] >> I ABSOLUTELY LOVE C-SPAN. I LOVE TO HEAR BOTH SIDES. I'VE
[01:20:28] WATCHED THESE FANS EVERY
[01:20:30] MORNING, AND IT IS UNBIASED. AND
[01:20:33] YOU BRING IN FACTUAL INFORMATION FOR THE CALLERS TO UNDERSTAND
[01:20:37] WHERE. >> THEY ARE. WE ARE FOCUSED ON
[01:20:40] $40 TRILLION OF DEBT. I RAN THROUGH THE ILLUSTRATIONS
[01:20:44] PREVIOUSLY, BUT HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS IN OUR DAILY LIVES. LIKE THE NATION'S
[01:20:48] 40 TRILLION IN DEBT. OKAY, WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN TO ME?
[01:20:51] >> MHM. WELL, AS I SAID BEFORE,
[01:20:53] THAT'S $117,000 OF DEBT OBLIGATION TO YOU. OKAY. AND
[01:20:56] THAT CARRIES INTEREST COSTS. SO INTEREST COSTS ARE NOW THE
[01:21:00] FASTEST GROWING PART OF THE BUDGET. WE SPEND MORE ON
[01:21:02] INTEREST THAN NATIONAL DEFENSE. INTEREST WILL DOUBLE IN THE NEXT
[01:21:05] TEN YEARS. WE'LL SPEND 16 TRILLION ON INTEREST ALONE. SO
[01:21:09] IT MEANS RESOURCES ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO EITHER LOWER THE
[01:21:12] REVENUES OR LOWER YOUR TAXES, OR HAVE NEW PROGRAMS AND OTHER
[01:21:16] SPENDING. WE COULD DO UM, IT ALSO AFFECTS OVERALL
[01:21:19] AFFORDABILITY. AND WE'VE BEEN POLLING THIS RECENTLY. UH,
[01:21:22] AFFORDABILITY IS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE ECONOMIC CONCERN IN
[01:21:25] THIS YEAR'S, IN THIS YEAR'S ELECTION CAMPAIGN. AND BORROWING
[01:21:29] TRILLION AFTER TRILLION TAKES US IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. FIRST OF ALL, IT'S INFLATIONARY IN
[01:21:33] ITSELF. WHEN YOU BORROW MONEY AND PUMP IT INTO THE ECONOMY,
[01:21:35] THAT'S INFLATIONARY. BUT ALSO
[01:21:38] THE INCREASING DEBT AND THE IRRESPONSIBILITY AND THE LACK
[01:21:42] OF, UH, POSITIVE FISCAL OUTLOOK RAISES TREASURY RATES. AND THAT
[01:21:46] HAS AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON ALL THE OTHER BORROWING WE DO. SO YOUR MORTGAGE, YOUR CAR LOAN,
[01:21:50] YOUR CREDIT CARDS. SO WHEN TREASURIES GO, GOES UP,
[01:21:53] TREASURIES GO UP, ALL OF THOSE OTHER INTEREST RATES GO UP AND
[01:21:57] YOU'RE STUCK WITH THE NEGATIVE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE 40 TRILLION.
[01:22:01] >> OKAY, SO WHEN I SEE THE HEADLINE A WEEK AGO THAT WE'RE NOW 40 TRILLION IN DEBT, TO ME,
[01:22:05] IT MEANS THAT MY MONTHLY CAR
[01:22:08] PAYMENT, MY CREDIT CARD BILL, MY
[01:22:10] MORTGAGE ON MY HOUSE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE BEING IMPACTED.
[01:22:14] >> YEAH, YEAH. AND IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO CONTINUE TO KEEP GOING UP UNTIL
[01:22:18] WE HAVE A SOLUTION. >> SO SEE, I THINK THIS IS PART OF THE DYNAMIC THAT THAT NEEDS
[01:22:22] TO BE ADDRESSED. AND I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING HARD TO ADDRESS
[01:22:24] IT, BUT PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT CONNECTION BECAUSE I THINK WE HEAR IT AND
[01:22:28] WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT IT REALLY MEANS. >> YEAH. WELL, SEE, THAT'S WHAT
[01:22:32] WE'RE HERE FOR. I THINK, UH, PEOPLE DO UNDERSTAND IT AT A, AT
[01:22:36] A GUT LEVEL, RIGHT? I THINK THEY KNOW BORROWING 40 TRILLION DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT. BORROWING 2
[01:22:40] TRILLION HERE DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT. UH, THERE IS A HIGH LEVEL
[01:22:43] OF CONCERN ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS HARD TO SOMETIMES CONNECT THIS
[01:22:46] BIG NUMBER TO YOUR PERSONAL LIFE. >> WELL, WHEN YOU SAY WE ARE
[01:22:49] SPENDING MORE ANNUALLY ON
[01:22:51] INTEREST THAN WE SPEND ON THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT, THAT BRINGS
[01:22:55] IT HOME. YEAH, THAT'S A HELL OF A LOT OF MONEY.
[01:22:57] >> YEAH. UM, AND, AND, UH, I
[01:23:01] THINK IT'S ALSO JUST AT A HIGH LEVEL, IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT INVESTING
[01:23:04] THE MONEY. OKAY. SO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WITH A, WITH A DEBT ISSUE IS NOT JUST
[01:23:08] THE INTEREST RATE, BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THE PROCEEDS? WHAT IS YOUR, WHAT IS THE REASON
[01:23:11] YOU BORROWED THE MONEY? AND IF WE WERE INVESTING ALL THIS
[01:23:15] CAPITAL, IF IT WAS ALL IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND BRIDGES OR
[01:23:18] EDUCATION, AND THERE WAS A LONG RUN PAYOUT, YOU COULD ARGUE SOME OF THAT IS ACTUALLY SMART OR
[01:23:21] PRUDENT OR WISE, BUT A 95% OF
[01:23:25] THE BUDGET IS ON IMMEDIATE CONSUMPTION. AND THOSE ARE IMPORTANT PROGRAMS THAT ARE
[01:23:28] ESSENTIAL, BUT THEY'RE NOT INVESTMENTS IN THE FUTURE. SO
[01:23:31] THIS IS WHY WE CONTINUE TO IMPERIL THE NEXT GENERATION, BECAUSE WE'RE BORROWING MONEY
[01:23:34] FOR IMMEDIATE CONSUMPTION AND NOT INVESTING IN THINGS THAT WILL BENEFIT THEM IN THE FUTURE.
[01:23:38] >> RANDY, YOU'RE IN STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA. ASK A
[01:23:40] QUESTION QUICKLY FOR MICHAEL
[01:23:44] PETERSON.
[01:23:49] >> BELIEVE THAT THE WAY TO GET
[01:23:51] SOMETHING DONE IS GETTING THE ATTENTION OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SO THEY PUT PRESSURE ON
[01:23:55] CONGRESS. AND THE WAY TO DO THAT
[01:23:58] IS MASS MARKETING. AND I WENT ON YOUR WEBSITE, COULDN'T FIND YOUR
[01:24:02] BUDGET FOR ANYTHING REGARDING
[01:24:04] ADVERTISING, MARKETING, ET CETERA.. UH, I JUST WONDER IF
[01:24:07] YOU COULD ADDRESS WHAT YOU'RE
[01:24:09] DOING, WHAT YOU THINK OF THE
[01:24:13] IDEA THE PEOPLE DON'T, ARE NOT
[01:24:17] DOING ANYTHING TO GET TO THEIR CONGRESSMEN BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN FRONT OF THEM.
[01:24:20] >> RANDY. RANDY, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. I REMEMBER SEEING
[01:24:23] PETERSON FOUNDATION COMMERCIALS. YOU HAVE USED THAT KIND OF
[01:24:26] MARKETING FROM TIME TO TIME. >> WE HAVE LISTEN, UM, WE HAVE A
[01:24:29] LOT OF RESOURCES FOR OUR FOUNDATION. WE HAVE $1 BILLION BASICALLY TO INVEST TOWARDS
[01:24:33] THIS. TO ME, THIS IS A $40 TRILLION PROBLEM, THOUGH. SO I
[01:24:37] WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND WISE WITH OUR EXPENDITURES TO HAVE
[01:24:40] THE MOST IMPACT POSSIBLE. PHILANTHROPY IS NOT THE EASIEST
[01:24:42] THING. I THINK OF IT THE SAME WAY A BUSINESS DOES. WHAT IS OUR
[01:24:46] RETURN? HOW DO HOW MUCH IMPACT ARE WE HAVING? AND, YOU KNOW,
[01:24:49] THERE'S MANY BILLIONS BEING SPENT ANNUALLY ON, ON ELECTION
[01:24:52] CAMPAIGNS, ON OTHER ADVERTISEMENTS. SO WE'RE JUST VERY CAREFUL WITH OUR DOLLARS.
[01:24:56] WE DO HAVE SEVERAL DEBT CLOCKS AROUND THE COUNTRY ON
[01:24:59] BILLBOARDS. WE DO A LOT OF DIGITAL ADVERTISING. UH, WE DO A
[01:25:02] LOT OF OTHER AWARENESS BUILDING. WE WORK WITH THE MEDIA, SUCH AS
[01:25:05] PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELVES TO HELP THE MEDIA UNDERSTAND AND REPORT
[01:25:09] ACCURATELY ON THESE ISSUES. SO WE ARE DEFINITELY OUT THERE IN A MULTITUDE OF WAYS. I MENTIONED
[01:25:12] WHAT WE DO WITH YOUNG PEOPLE. SO WE'RE EXTREMELY ACTIVE. WE
[01:25:15] DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO DUMP HUGE DOLLARS INTO ADVERTISING. UH,
[01:25:19] BUT, YOU KNOW, AT A CERTAIN MOMENT, WE MAY NEED TO DO MORE OF THAT. LIKE IF WE'RE GETTING
[01:25:23] CLOSER TO A DEAL AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME PROGRESS BEING MADE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE
[01:25:27] CERTAINLY WILLING TO CONSIDER THAT.
[01:25:28] >> HOW DID WE GET HERE?
[01:25:32] >> WELL, I THINK IT FALLS FOR ME. IT FALLS INTO TWO BUCKETS. ONE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, WHICH
[01:25:36] IS OUR STRUCTURAL PROBLEM. UH,
[01:25:39] BASICALLY, WE HAVE A BABY BOOM GENERATION THAT HAS BEGUN TO
[01:25:42] RETIRE, UH, 80 MILLION STRONG
[01:25:44] TEN, 000 PEOPLE EVERY DAY. TURN
[01:25:47] 65. WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR
[01:25:48] A LONG TIME. UH, AND SO WE HAVE
[01:25:52] A HUGE $80 MILLION, 80 MILLION POPULATION COMING THROUGH THE
[01:25:55] RETIREMENT SYSTEM, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, THEY'RE ALL LIVING
[01:25:58] MUCH LONGER. SO LONGEVITY HAS GONE UP. WHEN SOCIAL SECURITY
[01:26:02] WAS STARTED, THE RETIREMENT AGE
[01:26:03] WAS 65, LIFE EXPECTANCY WAS 63.
[01:26:06] OKAY, RETIREMENT AGE HAS GONE UP VERY SLIGHTLY SINCE THEN. LONGEVITY HAS GONE UP A LOT. NOT
[01:26:10] FOR EVERYBODY, BUT FOR MOST PEOPLE. SO WE'VE GOT A BIG
[01:26:13] GROUP OF PEOPLE LIVING MUCH LONGER. THE THIRD BIG DRIVER IS
[01:26:16] HEALTH CARE COSTS. HEALTH CARE COSTS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE TWICE
[01:26:20] AS MUCH AS MOST OTHER ADVANCED NATIONS. OBVIOUSLY, THE ELDERLY
[01:26:23] CONSUME A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF HEALTH CARE AS THEY AGE, AS THEY SHOULD. AND SO YOU TAKE A
[01:26:27] BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE LIVING MUCH
[01:26:29] LONGER IN A HEALTH CARE SYSTEM THAT'S VERY HIGH COST. AND THAT
[01:26:33] IS REALLY THE UNDERLYING STRUCTURAL DRIVER OF THE DEFICIT
[01:26:36] PROBLEM. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT, HONESTLY, FOR DECADES. SO IT'S, IT'S MOST
[01:26:40] IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE SOLUTIONS LAY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.
[01:26:43] >> OKAY. CAN I JUMP IN ON THAT? YEAH, SURE. ISN'T, ISN'T THE
[01:26:47] FERTILITY ISSUE SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MEETING THE
[01:26:51] REPLACEMENT RATE. AND SO AS THOSE FOLKS GET OLDER AND WE'VE MADE COMMITMENTS TO THEM, WE
[01:26:55] DON'T HAVE ENOUGH YOUNGER PEOPLE EARNING WAGES TO SUPPORT
[01:26:59] THAT SAFETY NET. >> YEAH. THE, THE WORKERS PER
[01:27:02] RETIREE RATIO HAS GONE DOWN. UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T SAY WE NEED TO GO OUT AND HAVE A BUNCH
[01:27:05] OF KIDS TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE SIMPLER AND QUICKER
[01:27:09] SOLUTIONS TO THAT. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THE, THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF
[01:27:13] THIS IS THE CORE OF THE STRUCTURAL PROBLEM. AND THAT'S,
[01:27:16] THAT'S WHY THAT LEADS TO SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT INVOLVE THE RETIREMENT PROGRAMS.
[01:27:19] >> OKAY. UM, I FEEL LIKE I INTERRUPTED YOU. >> SO THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF
[01:27:23] HOW WE GOT HERE IS THE STRUCTURAL PROBLEM. I WOULD SAY
[01:27:25] THE SECOND PART IS, IS FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY IN WASHINGTON.
[01:27:28] SO, YOU KNOW, IN 1983, WE REFORMED THE SOCIAL SECURITY
[01:27:32] SYSTEM. SINCE THEN, WE REALLY
[01:27:33] HAVEN'T MADE ANY INROADS INTO ADDRESSING THIS LONG RUN
[01:27:37] PROBLEM. AND WE'VE ADDED INSULT TO INJURY, BASICALLY, WITH TAX
[01:27:41] CUTS UNPAID FOR WARS, OTHER PROGRAMS, AND COVID, THE
[01:27:44] FINANCIAL CRISIS. SO A LOT OF THINGS HAVE OCCURRED IN OUR
[01:27:48] BUDGET AND IN WASHINGTON, ON TOP OF THE STRUCTURAL DEFICIT, THAT HAS ONLY MADE IT WORSE AND
[01:27:52] ACCELERATED THE PROBLEM. >> FAIR, FAIR TO SAY THAT WE'RE
[01:27:55] HERE BECAUSE OF BOTH PARTIES. >> ABSOLUTELY. UH, YOU KNOW,
[01:27:58] BOTH PARTIES HAVE JOINED TOGETHER IN, IN KICKING THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD FOR MANY YEARS. WE
[01:28:02] COULD ALL POINT FINGERS AT OUR, OUR PARTY OR THE OTHER PARTY.
[01:28:06] UH, IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC EXAMPLES. BUT I THINK THE RIGHT
[01:28:09] WAY TO LOOK AT IT IS WE'VE GOTTEN HERE TOGETHER IN THE WRONG WAY.
[01:28:12] >> ON CNN ON SATURDAY, THERE'S A FELLOW WHOSE LAST NAME IS PURI, AND HE WROTE A PIECE FOR
[01:28:16] NATIONAL REVIEW THAT CAUGHT MY EYE. AND I BOOKED HIM AS A GUEST
[01:28:19] YOUNG GUY. UH, BUT OBVIOUSLY
[01:28:22] BRILLIANT. AND HE HAD DATA
[01:28:24] SUGGESTING THAT, THAT THOSE
[01:28:27] GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES, THOSE
[01:28:29] EITHER TAX CUTS OR SPENDING BILLS THAT LED TO $40 TRILLION
[01:28:32] IN DEBT, IN PART, UH, WERE BIPARTISAN, THAT, THAT THEY HAVE
[01:28:36] BEEN AMAZINGLY. YOU WATCH THE INTERVIEW. WHAT WERE YOU
[01:28:39] THINKING WHEN. >> YOU SAW, I THINK SOMETIMES IT
[01:28:42] WAS ONE PARTY DOING IT. RIGHT, UH, EXCLUSIVELY. OTHER TIMES IT
[01:28:45] WAS BIPARTISAN. BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIALLY IT SPEAKS TO THE POLITICAL CHALLENGE HERE.
[01:28:49] IT'S MUCH EASIER TO SAY, OH, I'M GOING TO BE HERE AND CUT
[01:28:52] YOUR TAXES, OR I'M GOING TO ADD
[01:28:54] THIS NEW BENEFIT. IT'S MUCH HARDER TO BE HONEST AND DIRECT
[01:28:57] AND SAY, WE GOT TO CONSTRAIN OURSELVES. SO, YES, BOTH PARTIES HAVE DONE IT INDIVIDUALLY AND
[01:29:01] TOGETHER. >> AM I RIGHT IN BELIEVING THAT
[01:29:02] FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS, NOT SINCE
[01:29:06] SIMPSON-BOWLES HAVE WE HAD A SERIOUS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE
[01:29:09] DEBT. >> I THINK AT A NATIONAL LEVEL,
[01:29:12] WE HAVE NOT. UH, BUT I THINK 40 TRILLION IS THE TIME, AND THERE
[01:29:16] ARE SOME BILLS IN CONGRESS TO, TO STIMULATE THAT CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW.
[01:29:19] >> SO I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING. AND GUYS, PUT UP THE,
[01:29:22] THE SLIDE OF THE POLL RESULT THAT WE HAD FROM JUST A COUPLE
[01:29:24] OF DAYS AGO. I, I TRIED TO
[01:29:27] ENCAPSULATE IN A POLL QUESTION, THE SIMPSON-BOWLES SOLUTION. AND
[01:29:31] I, I FOUND THE VOTING ON THIS TO BE JUST ALARMING. PARDON ME
[01:29:35] WHILE I LOOK HERE, IT IS. UH,
[01:29:38] AUGUST 21st. I ASK, WOULD YOU
[01:29:40] ACCEPT BOTH HIGHER TAXES ON
[01:29:43] YOURSELF AND REDUCED SOCIAL
[01:29:46] SECURITY AND MEDICARE BENEFITS IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE $40
[01:29:49] TRILLION NATIONAL DEBT, 35,394
[01:29:53] VOTED. NOT SCIENTIFIC, BUT
[01:29:57] INTERESTING. AND 78.39% SAID NO. YOUR THOUGHTS?
[01:30:01] >> WELL, I THINK LISTEN, IF YOU WALK DOWN THE STREET AND ASK SOMEONE, DO YOU WANT HIGHER
[01:30:05] TAXES OR DO YOU WANT TO CUT YOUR BENEFITS? THEY'RE GOING TO SAY,
[01:30:07] NO, OBVIOUSLY, BUT FROM, FROM
[01:30:10] OUR OWN EXPERIENCE, ONCE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF THE
[01:30:14] PROBLEM, THAT THAT POLL WOULD CHANGE DRAMATICALLY. SO WE JUST DID THIS ACTUALLY, THIS SPRING,
[01:30:17] WE SOCIAL SECURITY, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IS RUNNING
[01:30:21] DRY IN SIX YEARS. WE THINK THAT'S A SERIOUS PROBLEM. WE
[01:30:23] HAVE TO GET AT. WE DID SOME POLLING ON THIS, AND WE ASKED
[01:30:26] THEM FIRST, WHAT PERCENT, YOU
[01:30:29] KNOW, DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD REFORM AND STABILIZE SOCIAL SECURITY? AND ONLY ABOUT 40%
[01:30:32] SAID YES. WE ASKED THEM IF THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS IMPENDING
[01:30:36] CRISIS, AND ONLY ABOUT 30% SAID,
[01:30:38] YES, WE'RE AWARE OF IT. WE THEN
[01:30:40] EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. WE EXPLAINED THAT 6 IN 6 YEARS
[01:30:43] THERE WOULD BE AN ACROSS THE BOARD, IMMEDIATE AUTOMATIC
[01:30:47] BENEFIT CUT OF 22% FOR ALL RETIREES, AND THAT 40% OF OF
[01:30:51] THOSE WHO WANTED TO REFORM THE
[01:30:52] SYSTEM WENT TO 80%. SO I THINK
[01:30:56] WE NEED TO EDUCATE THIS COUNTRY AROUND WHAT THE THREATS ARE,
[01:30:59] WHAT THE SOLUTIONS ARE. AND, AND, LISTEN, I HAVE A LOT OF
[01:31:02] FAITH IN AMERICANS THAT ONCE
[01:31:04] THEY UNDERSTAND THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT SOLUTIONS ARE
[01:31:07] MANAGEABLE. OKAY. WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT YET, BUT SOLUTIONS ARE MANAGEABLE HERE. I
[01:31:11] THINK THE SUPPORT WOULD BE THERE. >> I KNOW YOU JUST RELEASED NEW
[01:31:14] DATA TODAY. I, I HAVE IN MY HAND
[01:31:16] THE RESULT OF YOUR EXPANDED NEW MONTHLY SURVEY. MY TAKEAWAY IS
[01:31:20] THAT THAT PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES
[01:31:22] OF THE AISLE ARE ALARMED. 91% OF
[01:31:24] VOTERS ARE CONCERNED THAT THE NATION'S DEBT AFFECT ON
[01:31:28] INFLATION IS INCREASING. THE COST OF LIVING 89% CONCERNED
[01:31:32] THAT THE NATIONAL DEBT IS CONTRIBUTING TO HIGHER BORROWING
[01:31:34] COSTS. SOMETHING ELSE THAT I HIGHLIGHTED 86%. THIS IS
[01:31:38] INTERESTING TO ME, MICHAEL. 86%
[01:31:41] SAY A CANDIDATE HAVING A PLAN TO
[01:31:44] ADDRESS THE NATIONAL DEBT IS A FACTOR IN DECIDING THEIR SUPPORT
[01:31:47] IN THE 2020 ELECTION. AND JUST
[01:31:50] ONE MORE, UH, 73% SAID THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER SUPPORTING A
[01:31:54] CANDIDATE FROM A POLITICAL PARTY. THEY DO NOT USUALLY
[01:31:57] SUPPORT. IF THAT CANDIDATE HAD A CLEAR PLAN TO ADDRESS THE DEBT.
[01:32:01] YOU MUST BE HEARTENED BY THAT. I'M A LITTLE DISBELIEVING. IF
[01:32:05] IN THE END, IT'S GOING TO CARRY THAT KIND OF SWAY. YOUR THOUGHTS? >> WELL, I THINK WE NEED
[01:32:09] LEADERSHIP HERE, RIGHT? I THINK THIS TELLS ME PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
[01:32:12] THAT IT'S A PROBLEM. OUR OTHER POLL THAT I MENTIONED, WHERE WE
[01:32:16] EXPLAIN THE SITUATION AND THE SUPPORT GOES UP, I THINK, TELLS
[01:32:18] ME THAT AMERICANS ARE CAN HANDLE THE TRUTH, ARE READY AND WILLING
[01:32:22] AND ABLE TO HEAR THE TRUTH.
[01:32:24] THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OVER OUR LONG HISTORY WHERE AMERICANS DID
[01:32:27] THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR FUTURE. UH, ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE
[01:32:31] GREENSPAN COMMISSION 83 THAT
[01:32:32] REFORMED SOCIAL SECURITY WERE REELECTED FOLLOWING THE
[01:32:36] IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL THOSE CHANGES. SO IT MIGHT BE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM. I'M NOT
[01:32:39] GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS. I'M GOING TO AVOID IT. I'M GOING TO KICK THE CAN. THAT MIGHT BE THE
[01:32:42] EASY CHOICE, BUT I THINK THERE'S ALSO A CHOICE TO
[01:32:46] DISPLAY LEADERSHIP TO EXPLAIN AND EDUCATE THE TRUTH AROUND
[01:32:50] THESE ISSUES FOR THE AMERICANS TO UNDERSTAND. AND I THINK I
[01:32:54] THINK THEY WOULD SUPPORT IT. >> OKAY. LET'S USE OUR REMAINING TIME WHEN WE COME BACK
[01:32:57] IN JUST A MOMENT AND TALK ABOUT SOLUTIONS, AND INCLUDE SOME
[01:33:00] CALLER PERSPECTIVE AS WELL. MICHAEL PETERSON IS IN STUDIO
[01:33:04] WITH ME. HE'S THE CEO OF THE
[01:33:07] PETER PETERSON FOUNDATION, AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 40 TRILLION
[01:33:10] IN DEBT.
[01:33:19] >> THIS WEEK, ON C-SPAN 2, WE'RE BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO
[01:33:23] SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT 9
[01:33:26] A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOSTS THE MICHAEL SMERCONISH
[01:33:29] PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT
[01:33:33] NOON, PROGRESSIVE COMMENTATOR THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE
[01:33:36] ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL STORIES. AND THEN, AT THREE,
[01:33:40] CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR SHOW
[01:33:43] WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS,
[01:33:46] CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[01:33:48] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN.
[01:33:51] TWO C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[01:33:53] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT C-SPAN
[01:33:56] .ORG ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN C-SPAN
[01:34:03] 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON PROGRAMING, HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF
[01:34:06] THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND MEMORABLE
[01:34:10] MOMENTS COVERED BY C-SPAN IN
[01:34:11] 2026. TODAY, A COLLECTION OF
[01:34:15] CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND CAPTURED
[01:34:19] THE ATTENTION OF THE COUNTRY. WEDNESDAY, A LOOK AT THE
[01:34:22] EXPLORATION, INNOVATION, AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED THE
[01:34:24] BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE FROM THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN
[01:34:27] SPACE PROGRAM TO ARTEMIS II.
[01:34:29] THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR SOME OF THIS YEAR'S MOST WATCHED, MOST
[01:34:33] TALKED ABOUT, AND MOST MEMORABLE
[01:34:35] C-SPAN PROGRAMING THAT CAPTURED
[01:34:37] PUBLIC ATTENTION. AND ON FRIDAY, SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
[01:34:41] DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES, THE CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE
[01:34:45] NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A
[01:34:47] MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[01:34:49] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[01:34:52] C-SPAN, TWO.
[01:34:56] >> [MUSIC] >> BEST IDEAS AND BEST PRACTICES CAN BE FOUND ANYWHERE.
[01:34:59] >> WE HAVE TO LISTEN SO WE CAN GOVERN BETTER. >> DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON HEAVY
[01:35:03] DOSES OF CIVILITY. >> YOU CAN FIGHT AND STILL BE
[01:35:07] FRIENDLY. >> BRIDGING THE DIVIDE IN AMERICAN POLITICS. >> YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH THE DEMOCRAT ON EVERYTHING,
[01:35:10] BUT YOU CAN FIND AREAS WHERE YOU AGREE. >> HE'S PRETTY LIKABLE GUY AS WELL.
[01:35:14] >> CHRIS AND I ARE ACTUALLY FRIENDS. HE VOTES WRONG ALL THE TIME, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY
[01:35:18] FRIENDS. >> THE HORRIBLE SECRET THAT SCOTT AND I HAVE IS THAT WE
[01:35:21] ACTUALLY RESPECT EACH OTHER. >> WE ALL DON'T HATE EACH OTHER. >> YOU TWO ACTUALLY KIND OF LIKE
[01:35:24] EACH OTHER. THESE ARE THE KINDS OF SECRETS WE'D LIKE TO EXPOSE. >> IT'S NICE TO BE WITH A
[01:35:28] MEMBER WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> YOU GUYS DID AGREE TO THE CIVILITY.
[01:35:32] >> ALL RIGHT. HE OWES MY SON $10 FROM A BET.
[01:35:35] >> HE'S NEVER. >> PAID. FORK IT OVER.
[01:35:38] >> THAT'S FIGHTING WORDS RIGHT THERE. >> I'M NOT IN CHARGE OF IT. >> I'M THRILLED. >> TO BE ON THE.
[01:35:42] >> SHOW WITH HIM. THERE ARE NOT
[01:35:43] SHOWS LIKE THIS, RIGHT?
[01:35:47] INCENTIVIZING THAT RELATIONSHIP.
[01:35:47] >> CEASE FIRE FRIDAY NIGHTS ON
[01:35:52] C-SPAN. >> [MUSIC]
[01:35:56] >> IN A DIVIDED MEDIA WORLD, ONE PLACE BRINGS AMERICANS >> [MUSIC]
[01:35:59] >> TOGETHER. ACCORDING TO A NEW MAG AND RESEARCH REPORT, NEARLY
[01:36:02] 90 MILLION AMERICANS TURN TO
[01:36:03] C-SPAN, AND THEY'RE ALMOST PERFECTLY BALANCED. 28%
[01:36:07] CONSERVATIVE, 27% LIBERAL OR
[01:36:10] PROGRESSIVE, 41% MODERATE.
[01:36:12] REPUBLICANS WATCHING DEMOCRATS,
[01:36:15] DEMOCRATS WATCHING REPUBLICANS, MODERATES WATCHING ALL SIDES.
[01:36:19] BECAUSE C-SPAN VIEWERS WANT THE FACTS STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE.
[01:36:23] NO COMMENTARY, NO AGENDA, JUST
[01:36:25] DEMOCRACY. UNFILTERED. EVERY DAY
[01:36:28] ON C-SPAN NETWORKS.
[01:36:31] >> SUNDAY ON C-SPAN'S Q&A THREE TIME PULITZER PRIZE WINNING NEW
[01:36:35] YORK TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER DOUG
[01:36:37] MILLS REFLECTS ON DECADES COVERING AMERICAN POLITICS. HE
[01:36:41] TALKS ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHING MULTIPLE PRESIDENTS, INCLUDING
[01:36:44] THE 1992 CLINTON GORE CAMPAIGN,
[01:36:46] PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH ON 9/11,
[01:36:50] AND CAPTURING THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
[01:36:53] IN 2024, WHICH EARNED HIM HIS THIRD PULITZER PRIZE.
[01:36:56] >> I'VE LISTENED TO HIS SPEECH ON THE CAMPAIGN HUNDREDS OF
[01:37:00] TIMES, AND I KNEW THAT WHEN HE
[01:37:03] SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A CHART, I THOUGHT, WOW, THE CHART, THE
[01:37:06] CHARTS. TYPICALLY, AT THE END OF THE SPEECH. AND THAT REGISTERED
[01:37:09] RIGHT AWAY WITH ME. AND SO THEN WHEN HE GESTURED OVER TOWARDS
[01:37:13] THE CHART, THAT'S WHEN THE SHOTS RANG OUT. AND WHEN HE WAS
[01:37:15] GESTURING, I WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT AS CLOSE AS WE ARE, BUT MAYBE 4
[01:37:19] OR 5FT BACK. AND I HAD MY LENS
[01:37:22] ON HIM. I WAS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OF HE AND THE FLAG.
[01:37:25] AND THEN WHEN HE GESTURED TO THE RIGHT AND THE SHOTS RANG OUT, I WAS ACTUALLY TAKING PICTURES. AND THEN I.
[01:37:29] >> JUST. THIS IS CHRIS IN TEXAS
[01:37:30] WITH A QUICK COMMENT. GO AHEAD,
[01:37:34] CHRIS. >> BE THE CYNICAL ONE HERE. I
[01:37:37] JUST, I, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE INHERENTLY SELFISH.
[01:37:41] AND, AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THE AVERAGE VOTER MAY NOT ENGAGE IN
[01:37:45] THIS. I GUESS IN MY MIND, THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. IN
[01:37:49] MY MIND, THE, THE WAY TO FIX THIS, OR THE WAY TO EVEN HAVE A
[01:37:53] CHANCE AT IT IS TERM LIMITS. YOU GOT TO HAVE LEGISLATORS THAT ARE
[01:37:56] WILLING TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS, NOT BASED ON THE NEXT
[01:37:59] ELECTION, BUT BASED ON WHAT'S CORRECT. >> I, I HAPPEN. >> TO HANG.
[01:38:03] >> UP AND THANK YOU, SIR. >> I HAVE. >> TO SAY, I HAPPEN TO AGREE WITH THEM THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING
[01:38:06] TO TOUCH THE THIRD RAILS NECESSARY. RESPOND TO THAT, AND
[01:38:08] THEN TELL ME, HOW DO WE FIX THIS? >> WELL, I THINK I THINK IT'S UP
[01:38:12] TO AMERICANS TO MAKE IT SAFE TO DO SO. SO IT'S EASY TO BLAME
[01:38:15] THEM AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
[01:38:16] BEING SELFISH. AND I THINK HIS
[01:38:21] CHARACTERIZATION IS SOMEWHAT ACCURATE. BUT THIS IS HOW DEMOCRACY WORKS. WE HAVE TO MAKE IT SAFE OURSELVES FOR THEM TO
[01:38:25] MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION, AND ELECT PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO
[01:38:27] BE LEADERS. AND, YOU KNOW, 90 PLUS PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE ARE
[01:38:30] WORRIED ABOUT THIS. WE NEED TO ACTUALLY DRIVE THAT THROUGH WASHINGTON AND THE POLITICAL
[01:38:34] SYSTEM. >> WHAT'S THE SOLUTION? >> WELL, THAT'S THE GOOD PART
[01:38:38] ABOUT ALL THIS. OKAY. SO 40 TRILLION IS A SCARY NUMBER. WE
[01:38:40] HAVE MANY YEARS OF IRRESPONSIBILITY. IT'S VERY
[01:38:43] DEPRESSING IN MANY WAYS. BUT,
[01:38:45] UH, THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS CHALLENGE IS IT'S SOLVABLE.
[01:38:49] NUMBER ONE, WE'RE IN CONTROL OF THIS. THERE'S MANY PROBLEMS
[01:38:51] AROUND THE WORLD. IRAN, UKRAINE, OUR CLIMATE ISSUES, WHERE WE
[01:38:55] CAN'T SOLVE THIS ON OUR OWN. THIS IS OUR BUDGET. WE ARE
[01:38:58] ENTIRELY IN CONTROL OF THIS. SO, NUMBER ONE, WE CAN DO THIS. WE
[01:39:02] HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT. NUMBER TWO, THE SOLUTIONS ARE RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF US. AND
[01:39:06] WE KNOW HOW TO DO THIS. AND I
[01:39:07] WOULD ARGUE THEY'RE NOT THAT DIFFICULT OR DRACONIAN IN REAL
[01:39:11] LIFE. IN POLITICAL TERMS, IT IS THE THIRD RAIL. NO ONE WANTS TO
[01:39:14] TOUCH IT. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL REFORMS AND
[01:39:17] UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WOULD MEAN, I THINK THEY'RE QUITE
[01:39:20] MANAGEABLE, TOLERABLE, AND YOU CAN DO THEM OVER A PERIOD OF TIME IN A COMPASSIONATE WAY.
[01:39:24] >> OKAY, I'VE GOT MY SHARPIE OUT TO TAKE NOTES. LET'S HEAR
[01:39:28] IT. WHAT ARE WE DOING?
[01:39:30] >> SO, UM, UH, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY FIRST, BECAUSE
[01:39:33] THAT'S THE ONE THAT'S LOOMING.
[01:39:34] UM, MOST OF THE, OF THE
[01:39:38] BIPARTISAN SOLUTIONS HAVE SOLUTIONS THAT INCREASE REVENUE
[01:39:41] AND OTHERS THAT REDUCE THE RATE
[01:39:43] OF GROWTH OF SPENDING. SO RIGHT
[01:39:45] NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, YOU DON'T
[01:39:48] PAY SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES ABOVE $184,000 A YEAR. WHY IS THAT?
[01:39:52] SHOULD THAT NUMBER GO UP? UH,
[01:39:56] ANOTHER ONE IS THE RETIREMENT AGE. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE RETIREMENT, THE LONGEVITY HAS
[01:40:00] GONE UP FOR MOST PEOPLE. FOR THOSE WHO DO HAVE INCREASES IN
[01:40:04] LONGEVITY, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO WORK LONGER? AND AGAIN, WHEN
[01:40:06] YOU LOOK AT THE SPECIFICS OF
[01:40:10] THAT, THEY TYPICALLY, UH, THEY EXEMPT ALL CURRENT RETIREES. AND
[01:40:13] THEY ALSO EXEMPT PROBABLY ABOUT TEN YEARS OF FOLKS WHO ARE NEAR
[01:40:17] RETIREMENT. SO IT DOESN'T TOUCH ANYONE WHO IS ABOUT TO RETIRE OR
[01:40:20] IS ALREADY RETIRED. AND THEN IT SAYS SOMETHING LIKE, OKAY,
[01:40:24] LET'S INCREASE THE RETIREMENT AGE BY TWO YEARS, OVER 20 YEARS.
[01:40:27] SO IF YOU'RE 47 YEARS OLD, WE
[01:40:30] MIGHT ASK YOU TO WORK SIX MORE MONTHS. >> YOU'RE GETTING, YOU'RE
[01:40:33] GETTING PLENTY OF NOTICE. >> LIKE THE, THE, BUT. RIGHT. YEAH, YOU'RE GETTING PLENTY OF
[01:40:36] NOTICE. AND, AND IT'S NOT IMMEDIATE AND IT'S NOT
[01:40:40] DRACONIAN. NOW, IF YOU ASK MOST 40 YEAR OLDS, THEY PROBABLY DON'T EVEN THINK SOCIAL SECURITY IS GOING TO EXIST. SO
[01:40:43] IF I ASKED ONLY THAT GROUP,
[01:40:44] WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO WORK SIX MORE MONTHS TO STABILIZE THE
[01:40:48] PROGRAM? MY GUESS IS THE SUPPORT WOULD BE THERE. SO AGAIN, THESE
[01:40:51] CHANGES ARE IMPORTANT. THEY ADD UP, UH, BUT THEY'RE RELATIVELY
[01:40:55] SMALL CHANGES THAT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AND SO WE KNOW HOW TO DO THIS AT A HIGH LEVEL. OUR
[01:40:59] DEFICIT NOW IS 6% OF GDP. WE
[01:41:02] DON'T HAVE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET TOMORROW. THAT WOULD BE GREAT IN MANY RESPECTS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE
[01:41:06] TO DO IT THAT QUICKLY. IF WE TOOK OUR DEBT, OUR DEFICIT, AS A
[01:41:10] SHARE OF GDP DOWN TO 3%, THAT
[01:41:12] WOULD GO A LONG WAY TO STABILIZING THIS PROBLEM. SO AT
[01:41:15] A HIGH LEVEL, WE NEED 3% OF OUR
[01:41:17] ECONOMY TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. IT'S 3%. IT'S JUST NOT IT'S
[01:41:21] JUST NOT OVERWHELMING. IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE. >> WHERE ARE WE GETTING IT BEYOND SOCIAL SECURITY?
[01:41:25] >> WELL, YOU'VE GOT TO LOOK AT, AT THE ACROSS THE BUDGET. SO,
[01:41:28] UH, IF YOU LOOK OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS ON OUR CURRENT PATH,
[01:41:32] WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IN ABOUT 70 TRILLION, AND WE'RE GOING TO
[01:41:35] SPEND 90 TRILLION. SO THAT'S GOING TO ADD 20 TRILLION TO THE
[01:41:37] DEBT. SO THERE'S 160 TRILLION THERE OF BOTH. IF YOU ADD THE
[01:41:41] REVENUES AND THE SPENDING, WE NEED ABOUT 6% OF THAT. AND THAT
[01:41:44] CAN EITHER MEAN A 6% INCREASE IN
[01:41:46] REVENUES AND A 6% DECREASE IN
[01:41:49] SPENDING, OR SOME COMBINATION
[01:41:51] THEREAFTER. NOW, 6% IS NOT A SMALL NUMBER IN WASHINGTON TERMS. FOR SURE. IN POLITICAL
[01:41:55] TERMS, FOR SURE. BUT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN ALL THIS COUNTRY HAS BEEN
[01:41:58] BEEN THROUGH OVER THE LAST 250
[01:42:00] YEARS, I THINK WE CAN HANDLE A 6% CHANGE IN OUR BUDGET. I
[01:42:04] REALLY DO. >> SO SO MUCH OF THOSE EXPENDITURES ARE BAKED IN,
[01:42:08] RIGHT? WE'RE COMMITTED. >> THERE'S A LOT OF IT'S ON AUTOPILOT, RIGHT? >> I MEAN, ONE OF THE REACTIONS
[01:42:12] THAT I HAD WHEN, WHEN MUSK, UH, PURSUED DOGE, WAS TO SAY THAT
[01:42:15] THEY WERE JUST ON THE MARGINS
[01:42:18] BECAUSE THAT, WHICH REALLY NEEDS TO CHANGE IS WHERE MOST OF THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT. I'M NOT
[01:42:22] SAYING IT CLEARLY. HOPEFULLY, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M
[01:42:25] TRYING TO SAY. >> YEAH. >> UH, THE ENTITLEMENT COMMITMENT.
[01:42:28] >> ABOUT 70% OF THE BUDGET IS ON AUTOPILOT OR ENTITLEMENTS. IT'S
[01:42:32] LAW. IT'S NOT ACTUALLY AN ANNUAL BUDGET. IT'S LAW. RIGHT. AND IT'S MANDATORY, AS THE
[01:42:35] OTHER WORD OFTEN USED. AND THEN INTEREST IS ON TOP OF THAT, WHICH IS REQUIRED. SO ONLY ABOUT
[01:42:39] 30%. >> DEFENSE IS ON TOP OF THAT.
[01:42:41] >> YES. RIGHT. SO THE OTHER 30%
[01:42:44] IS BASICALLY 50% DEFENSE AND 50%
[01:42:47] NON-DISCRETIONARY NON-DEFENSE DISCRETIONARY SPENDING. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALWAYS FIGHTING ABOUT. AND THAT PART ISN'T
[01:42:51] GROWING. THAT PART IS RELATIVELY SMALL. AS A SHARE OF GDP. IN
[01:42:55] HISTORICAL TERMS, THERE'S PLENTY THERE TO, TO, TO LOOK
[01:42:58] INTO, LOOK AT IN TERMS OF SAVINGS. BUT THAT'S NOT THE BIG
[01:43:01] DRIVERS. >> STEPHEN MOORE IS AN
[01:43:04] ECONOMIST, AND HE POSTED SOMETHING THAT GOT A LOT OF
[01:43:07] TRAFFIC WHERE HE SAID, IS THE
[01:43:09] USA GOING BANKRUPT? THANK GOD,
[01:43:12] NO, THE APOCALYPTICS ARE
[01:43:14] SHOUTING ABOUT OUR 40 TRILLION IN DEBT, WHICH IS ENORMOUS FOR
[01:43:17] SURE, AND MUCH LARGER THAN IS
[01:43:23] HEALTHY. BUT 7.7 TRILLION IS INTERGOVERNMENTAL DEBT THAT THE GOVERNMENT OWES TO ITSELF. FEDERAL DEBT HELD BY THE PUBLIC
[01:43:27] IS ABOUT 32 TRILLION. THAT'S
[01:43:29] STILL A BIG NUMBER, BUT OUR
[01:43:31] NATIONAL WEALTH IS ROUGHLY 180
[01:43:34] TRILLION. SO OUR DEBT TO ASSET
[01:43:37] RATIO, WHICH HAS BEEN RISING, IS STILL LESS THAN 25% AND MUCH
[01:43:41] LOWER THAN AT THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO. AND THERE'S A GRAPH
[01:43:45] THAT WE'LL POST FOR YOUTUBE AND
[01:43:49] C-SPAN THAT HE ACCOMPANIED TO THE POST. U.S. DEBT LOOKS
[01:43:52] ALARMING AGAINST GDP, BUT FAR LESS SO AGAINST WEALTH. YOUR
[01:43:56] THOUGHTS? >> UH, LISTEN, THERE'S THERE'S,
[01:44:00] UH, A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE LOOKING FOR REASONS TO NOT DEAL
[01:44:03] WITH THIS, UH, AND BASED ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING TODAY,
[01:44:06] THIS IS AN URGENT PRIORITY BECAUSE EVERY 2 TRILLION, WE'RE,
[01:44:10] WE'RE BORROWING, WE'RE NOT INVESTING IN THE FUTURE. WE'RE TAKING IT FROM THE FUTURE. SO
[01:44:14] PUTTING ASIDE WHAT LEVEL WE'RE AT AND WHAT WOULD BE A
[01:44:17] APOCALYPTIC OR NOT, THIS IS NOT RIGHT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
[01:44:21] WE ARE NOT DOING THEM A SERVICE.
[01:44:26] AND $40 TRILLION IS GENERATING $1 TRILLION A YEAR OF INTEREST.
[01:44:29] UH, YOU KNOW, OFTEN YOU HEAR WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE CAN MAKE
[01:44:32] IT GO AWAY. THE ECONOMY IS GOING TO GROW. IT WILL GROW OUR WAY
[01:44:35] OUT OF IT. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ALL MYTHS THAT I THINK, UH, ARE
[01:44:39] JUST NOT HELPFUL TO BRING IN THE
[01:44:41] COUNTRY TO THE RIGHT PLACE. HE MENTIONED WORLD WAR TWO. YES.
[01:44:44] WORLD WAR TWO, THE DEBT WAS SOMEWHAT HIGHER AT THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO. WE'RE ALMOST AT
[01:44:48] THAT POINT. BUT THE DEBT
[01:44:52] SKYROCKETED DOWNWARD AFTER THAT POINT. WE DID NOT HAVE A DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGE. WE DID
[01:44:55] NOT HAVE THESE HIGH HEALTH CARE COSTS. THE ECONOMY GREW AT A RATE AT WHICH IT IS NOT ABLE TO
[01:44:59] GROW AT THIS POINT. SO THAT IS NOT A JUST BECAUSE THE DEBT WAS A LITTLE HIGHER AS A SHARE OF
[01:45:03] GDP IN WORLD WAR TWO, DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE FINE RIGHT NOW, AND
[01:45:06] WE CAN IGNORE THIS. >> OKAY. HE SAYS THAT THE BEST
[01:45:09] DEBT MITIGATION STRATEGY WOULDN'T BE ADDRESSING SOCIAL SECURITY AND THE PROGRAMS THAT
[01:45:13] THAT YOU IDENTIFIED, BUT RATHER GROWTH, PROSPERITY, AND A RISE
[01:45:17] IN ASSET VALUES. CAN WE I GUESS MY SIMPLE QUESTION FOR, FOR YOU,
[01:45:21] MICHAEL PETERSON, IS, CAN WE GROW OURSELVES OUT OF THIS?
[01:45:25] >> NO, UH, GROWTH IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT FOR SURE. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE GROW OUR
[01:45:29] ECONOMY, BECAUSE THAT GROWS THE DENOMINATOR OF GDP. BUT THERE'S
[01:45:32] NOT A PIECE OF LEGISLATION WE CAN PASS TOMORROW THAT WILL
[01:45:35] DICTATE WHAT ECONOMIC GROWTH IS. ECONOMIC GROWTH WILL COME
[01:45:38] PRIMARILY FROM THE LABOR FORCE AND PRODUCTIVITY. AND THERE'S
[01:45:42] LOTS OF IMPORTANT THINGS GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO STIMULATE THAT BETTER THAN OTHER POLICIES
[01:45:45] THAT WOULD, UH, SLOW DOWN THE GROWTH OF OUR ECONOMY. SO
[01:45:48] ECONOMIC POLICY IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, BUT WE CAN'T JUST
[01:45:52] RELY ON SOME NOTION OF FUTURE ECONOMIC GROWTH TO SOLVE THIS
[01:45:56] PROBLEM. AND THE BEST WAY TO ACTUALLY STIMULATE GROWTH WOULD
[01:45:58] BE TO MAKE SOME INROADS TO IT, BECAUSE I THINK THE MARKETS ARE
[01:46:02] WATCHING. COST OF CAPITAL IS HIGHER. THE GOVERNMENT IS IS CROWDING OUT OTHER INVESTMENT
[01:46:05] THAT WOULD HELP THE ECONOMY. SO ACTUALLY, ECONOMIC GROWTH, IF WE
[01:46:08] LAID OUT A PLAN, WOULD ACTUALLY
[01:46:11] PROBABLY GO UP AS A POSITIVE SIGNAL TO, TO INVESTORS.
[01:46:14] >> IS YOUR OPINION SOLICITED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THEIR
[01:46:17] CHIEFS OF STAFF? LIKE I'M
[01:46:19] IMPRESSED WITH, OBVIOUSLY, YOUR COMMAND OF THE SUBJECT AND YOUR
[01:46:23] CONCERN OVER THE DEBT AND YOUR
[01:46:26] FATHER'S CONCERN OVER THE. I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT YOU'RE ROUTINELY FIELDING PHONE CALLS FROM MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THE
[01:46:30] SENATE WHO SAY, YOU KNOW, GIVE ME ADVICE.
[01:46:33] >> WELL, I IT'S EASY TO POINT
[01:46:36] TO CONGRESS AND SAY THEY MESSED THIS WHOLE THING UP. BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
[01:46:39] WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT THIS, WHO UNDERSTAND IT. AS I MENTIONED
[01:46:42] BEFORE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF BILLS. UH, BILL HUIZENGA, UH,
[01:46:46] AND SCOTT PETERS HAVE A BILL
[01:46:48] BOTH TO ESTABLISH A FISCAL COMMISSION. THEY ALSO HAVE A
[01:46:52] BILL TO, TO FORCE A FOCUS ON
[01:46:53] DEBT DEFICIT AS A SHARE OF GDP OF 3%. SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF
[01:46:57] LEADERS IN WASHINGTON WHO ARE READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO TACKLE THIS. I THINK WE NEED
[01:47:01] LEADERSHIP. WE NEED LEADERSHIP AT THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL, AT THE CONGRESSIONAL LEVEL, UH, TO
[01:47:05] DRIVE THIS CONVERSATION FORWARD.
[01:47:08] >> BACK WITH OUR REMAINING
[01:47:10] MOMENTS WITH MICHAEL PETERSON
[01:47:13] RIGHT AFTER THIS.
[01:47:18] >> THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN 2, WE'RE
[01:47:22] BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM
[01:47:26] ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT 9 A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOSTS THE MICHAEL SMERCONISH
[01:47:30] PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT
[01:47:33] NOON, PROGRESSIVE COMMENTATOR
[01:47:35] THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE
[01:47:38] ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL STORIES. AND THEN, AT THREE, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE
[01:47:42] CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR SHOW WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS,
[01:47:46] CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[01:47:48] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN.
[01:47:52] TWO C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[01:47:54] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT
[01:47:57] C-SPAN.ORG ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN
[01:48:04] C-SPAN 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON PROGRAMING, HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST
[01:48:08] CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND MEMORABLE MOMENTS COVERED BY
[01:48:11] C-SPAN IN 2026. TODAY, A COLLECTION OF CONGRESSIONAL
[01:48:15] HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY, SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES,
[01:48:18] AND CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF THE COUNTRY. WEDNESDAY, A LOOK
[01:48:22] AT THE EXPLORATION, INNOVATION, AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED
[01:48:25] THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE FROM THE HISTORY OF THE
[01:48:28] AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM TO ARTEMIS II. THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR
[01:48:31] SOME OF THIS YEAR'S MOST WATCHED, MOST TALKED ABOUT, AND
[01:48:34] MOST MEMORABLE C-SPAN PROGRAMING
[01:48:37] THAT CAPTURED PUBLIC ATTENTION. AND ON FRIDAY, SUPREME COURT
[01:48:40] JUSTICES DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES, THE CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND
[01:48:43] WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE
[01:48:45] NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A
[01:48:48] MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[01:48:49] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[01:48:53] C-SPAN. TWO. THIS EVENING,
[01:48:59] HOWARD UNIVERSITY WILL HOST GHANA'S ASHANTI KING, OTUMFUO
[01:49:03] OSEI TUTU II FOR REMARKS ON GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP AND
[01:49:06] CULTURAL PRESERVATION. THE EVENT IS HOSTED BY THE MILLENNIUM
[01:49:10] EXCELLENCE FOUNDATION, WHICH SUPPORTS CULTURAL EXCHANGE
[01:49:13] BETWEEN GHANA AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA. WATCH LIVE AT 6 P.M.
[01:49:16] EASTERN ON C-SPAN C-SPAN NOW,
[01:49:18] OUR FREE MOBILE APP OR ONLINE AT
[01:49:25] C-SPAN .ORG.
[01:49:30] >> [MUSIC] >> WE LOOK BACK ON WHAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED IN YOUR LIFE, WHAT
[01:49:33] MAKES YOU THE HAPPIEST OF WHAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED SO FAR? >> THIS INTERVIEW IS THE
[01:49:37] ABSOLUTE APEX. >> LEADERS SEEM TO LIKE TO WEAR WIGS. HOW COME HE DIDN'T HAVE A
[01:49:40] WIG? PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, I MADE A MISTAKE THE FIRST TIME. I
[01:49:44] SHOULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU THE FIRST TIME.
[01:49:46] >> THAT ISN'T WHAT HE SAID. >> YOUR FIRST BOOK WAS CALLED A
[01:49:49] TIME TO KILL. HOW MANY PUBLISHERS TURNED THAT DOWN? >> WELL, ALL OF THEM.
[01:49:53] >> IT'S VERY RARE TO SEE DONALD TRUMP LAUGH. >> HE DOESN'T LIKE TO SMILE. HE HAS WHAT THEY CALL THE STARE.
[01:49:57] HOW WOULD THE STARE. >> WHEN YOU GO TO THE OSCARS THAT EVERYBODY SAY, OH, THERE'S
[01:50:01] THE AUTHOR. >> OF ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE GO THIS WAY. AND THEN THEY HAVE
[01:50:04] ANOTHER LITTLE PATH IN THE OSCARS WHERE THE PEOPLE LIKE I GO. >> SO YOU WROTE A BOOK ABOUT
[01:50:08] SOMEBODY WHO LIVED WITH WOLVES. >> I INTERVIEWED A GUY WHO LIVED WITH WOLVES.
[01:50:11] >> YEAH. AND IS THAT SAFE TO DO THAT? >> ABSOLUTELY NOT. >> SO I KNOW YOU WERE NOT
[01:50:15] COMPLAINING. YOU WHICH IS WHY WE
[01:50:18] LOVE YOU, DAVID.
[01:50:21] >> [MUSIC]
[01:50:30] >> WATCH AMERICA'S BOOK CLUB.
[01:50:33] C-SPAN'S BOLD ORIGINAL SERIES, SUNDAY WITH OUR GUEST AWARD
[01:50:37] WINNING GLOBAL NUMBER ONE BEST
[01:50:38] SELLING AUTHOR, DAVID BALDACCI.
[01:50:41] HIS THRILLERS HAVE SOLD OVER 200 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE.
[01:50:44] PUBLISHED IN OVER 45 LANGUAGES IN MORE THAN 80 COUNTRIES.
[01:50:48] DAVID, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE., >> HASSAN FOUNDATION. SAM, YOU'RE IN MICHIGAN. QUICKLY,
[01:50:52] PLEASE. FOR MY GUEST
[01:50:58] >> THEY CAN'T DISCIPLINE THEMSELVES. AND IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO
[01:51:01] DELEGATE TO THE FEDERAL RESERVE
[01:51:02] BANK. UH, IN ADDITION TO
[01:51:06] MONETARY POLICY, ESTABLISHING THE DEBT CEILING THAT THE CONGRESS HAS TO ABIDE BY. I WAS
[01:51:10] CURIOUS IF THE IF YOUR GUEST. >> MICHAEL, ANY, ANY REACTION TO
[01:51:14] THAT IDEA? >> I THINK THERE ARE SOME
[01:51:17] MECHANISMS. I MEAN, IT'S HARD TO CHANGE THE WAY THE CONSTITUTION WORKS, CERTAINLY. AND THE
[01:51:20] CONGRESS IS IN CHARGE OF OUR BUDGET, SO WE CAN'T AVOID IT
[01:51:23] ENTIRELY. BUT ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER IS
[01:51:27] ESTABLISHING A BIPARTISAN COMMISSION, AND THAT TAKES THE PROCESS SORT OF OUT OF THE DAY
[01:51:30] TO DAY. YOU WOULD FILL IT WITH A
[01:51:34] BIPARTISAN RANGE OF EXPERTS. THEY WOULD COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS. AND, UH,
[01:51:38] SIMPSON-BOWLES WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THE VERY END, BUT THEY WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN MANY WAYS IN BRINGING SOME
[01:51:42] CONSENSUS AROUND IT. >> DO THEIR CONCLUSIONS AGE WELL? COULD WE JUST DUST OFF WHAT THEY HAVE IN MIND?
[01:51:46] >> A LOT OF THEM DO. I MEAN, SADLY, WE'D HAVE TO DIAL IT UP
[01:51:49] A LITTLE BIT IN TERMS OF THE INTENSITY OF, BUT, UH, BUT YEAH,
[01:51:53] A LOT OF THOSE SOLUTIONS WOULD STILL WORK TODAY.
[01:51:57] >> CHARLES. MEDIA QUICKLY FOR MY GUEST. GO AHEAD.
[01:52:00] >> UH, SOCIAL SECURITY IS
[01:52:03] CURRENTLY SELF-FUNDED. CORRECT.
[01:52:06] IT'S BEEN A LENDER, AND THEY HOLD U.S. DEBT SECURITIES AS
[01:52:10] IOUS, SO THEY'RE NOT A CURRENT
[01:52:15] DRIVER OF THE $40 TRILLION. CORRECT.
[01:52:18] >> WELL, THEY, THEY THAT REPRESENTS A LONG TERM OBLIGATION THAT WE NEED TO DEAL
[01:52:21] WITH. UH, I DON'T THINK IT MAKES SENSE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY TO
[01:52:24] HAVE A 22% CUT IN SIX YEARS ACROSS THE BOARD IMMEDIATELY TO
[01:52:28] ALL BENEFICIARIES. SO, UH, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT HAS BEEN
[01:52:32] LENDING IN A WAY TO THE, TO THE
[01:52:33] BUDGET THROUGH THE, UH, TO THE
[01:52:36] INFLOWS. BUT, UH, IT REPRESENTS A LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY QUESTION THAT WE THINK IS CRITICAL.
[01:52:40] >> KEN, WISCONSIN, QUICKLY FOR
[01:52:43] MY GUEST. >> WHEN INDIVIDUALS AND
[01:52:47] BUSINESSES GET IN OVER THEIR HEAD FINANCIALLY, THEY CAN DECLARE BANKRUPTCY. WHAT WOULD
[01:52:51] HAPPEN IF WE WOULD DEFAULT ON, UH, ALL OF THE NOTES THAT THE
[01:52:54] CHINESE AND THE JAPANESE AND
[01:52:57] OTHERS HAVE, UH, US.
[01:53:00] >> UH, NOTHING GOOD. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, ALL OF THE
[01:53:03] INTEREST RATES THAT WE ALL PAY IN MORTGAGES, CAR LOANS, CREDIT
[01:53:06] CARD LOANS, ET CETERA., ARE BASED ON THE U.S. TREASURY. IF
[01:53:09] WE WERE TO DEFAULT, THE RATE ON TREASURIES WOULD GO UP
[01:53:13] SIGNIFICANTLY, AND THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE DOWNSTREAM EFFECTS ON THE COST OF BORROWING
[01:53:16] ACROSS THE ECONOMY. SO THAT'S THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION. >> OUR CREDIT RATING HAS
[01:53:20] SUFFERED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. TRUE. >> YEAH. >> ALL THREE. >> RATING AGENCIES HAVE
[01:53:24] DOWNGRADED US. I THINK. >> WHAT DOES WHAT DOES THAT MEAN BY THE WAY.
[01:53:26] >> WELL BOND BOND RATING AGENCIES, UH, PUT RATINGS ON
[01:53:30] VARIOUS BONDS. AND THE US GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN AT THE VERY,
[01:53:32] VERY HIGHEST LEVEL, AAA, AND
[01:53:35] THEY LOOKED AT OUR FISCAL SITUATION. THEY LOOKED AT THE
[01:53:38] OUTLOOK FOR THE FISCAL SITUATION. THEY LOOKED AT THE
[01:53:42] EFFECTIVENESS OF CONGRESS IN TACKLING THIS. AND I THINK THEY
[01:53:45] GOT CONCERNED THAT THE LONG RUN OUTLOOK WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF
[01:53:48] THAT RATING. SO ALL THREE OF THEM IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE DOWNGRADED IT ONE NOTCH.
[01:53:52] >> BRIAN, YOU'RE IN DETROIT FOR
[01:53:53] MICHAEL PETERSON. GO AHEAD.
[01:53:57] >> BY MY RESEARCH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS IN A SIMILAR
[01:54:00] POSITION TO GREECE, ARGENTINA,
[01:54:02] VENEZUELA, CYPRUS, OR THE WEIMAR
[01:54:05] REPUBLIC. IN GERMANY IN THE 1920s. CAN YOU TELL US WHY A
[01:54:09] FINANCIAL COLLAPSE IS NOT IMMINENT? >> WELL, OBVIOUSLY, I'M
[01:54:13] CONCERNED ABOUT IT, AND I THINK WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE UNITED
[01:54:16] STATES IS IN A STRONGER POSITION THAN MOST OF THOSE COUNTRIES
[01:54:20] WERE. WE HAVE OUR OWN CURRENCY. WE HAVE A FEDERAL RESERVE. UH,
[01:54:23] WE HAVE A FAST, A SIGNIFICANTLY
[01:54:26] LARGE AND GROWING ECONOMY. SO PEOPLE STILL WANT TO INVEST IN
[01:54:29] THE UNITED STATES, BUT WE CAN'T PUSH THAT. AND, UH, IT WILL LEAD
[01:54:33] TO OUR DEMISE IF WE DON'T DEAL
[01:54:35] WITH THIS SITUATION. SO I'M LOOKING TO AVOID SUCH A CRISIS.
[01:54:38] BUT, UH, THAT'S WHY WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE TO DATE.
[01:54:40] >> BRIAN. THANK YOU. THIS IS SAM
[01:54:42] IN ATLANTA. SAM, QUICKLY. GO
[01:54:46] AHEAD. >> WHEN I WHEN I LOOKED INTO IT,
[01:54:49] THE BIGGEST HOLE OF OUR DEBT WAS THE FEDERAL RESERVE. I DON'T
[01:54:52] UNDERSTAND THAT DYNAMIC. UH, IF
[01:54:57] WE OWN OURSELVES, IT GETS TO BE LESS OF A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE
[01:55:00] CONTROL MOST OF THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? >> WELL, THERE'S, THERE'S A
[01:55:04] CHUNK OF THE 40 TRILLION THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT IS INTRAGOVERNMENTAL. UH, AND
[01:55:08] YOU'RE RIGHT, WE OWE THAT TO OURSELVES. IT COUNTS AS AN OBLIGATION BECAUSE THE SOCIAL
[01:55:12] SECURITY SYSTEM IS OBLIGATED TO PAY THAT OVER TIME. UH, THE LARGEST SHARE OF THAT IS IN THE
[01:55:16] SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM. SO YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT IS NOT A
[01:55:19] THIRD PARTY IN A WAY, BUT WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 32 TRILLION OF
[01:55:22] OTHER DEBT, THAT IS, TO THIRD PARTIES. AND THE TRILLIONS THAT
[01:55:26] WE HAVE AS INTERGOVERNMENTAL DEBT REPRESENT FUTURE
[01:55:30] OBLIGATIONS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN CONSIDERATION.
[01:55:33] >> PG&E DOT ORG. IF YOU SIMPLY
[01:55:37] PUT INTO A SEARCH ENGINE THE
[01:55:39] PETER PETERSON FOUNDATION, IT'S
[01:55:41] EASILY FOUND. IT'S WELL
[01:55:44] PRESENTED, AND IT'S A GOOD STOP. THANK YOU. CAN'T THANK YOU
[01:55:48] ENOUGH FOR BEING HERE IN STUDIO TO ADDRESS THIS, TO TAKE CALLS
[01:55:51] AND SHINE A LIGHT ON OUR $40 TRILLION OF DEBT. MICHAEL
[01:55:55] PETERSON IS THE CEO OF THE PETER
[01:55:56] G. PETERSON FOUNDATION. I'M BACK
[01:56:02] IN JUST A MOMENT.
[01:56:02] >> HOW
[01:56:08] >> THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN 2, WE'RE BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO
[01:56:12] SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT 9
[01:56:15] A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOSTS THE MICHAEL SMERCONISH
[01:56:18] PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT
[01:56:22] NOON, PROGRESSIVE COMMENTATOR THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE
[01:56:25] ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL
[01:56:27] STORIES. AND THEN, AT THREE, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE
[01:56:30] CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR SHOW, WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS,
[01:56:34] CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[01:56:37] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN.
[01:56:40] TWO C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[01:56:42] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT
[01:56:48] C-SPAN.ORG. >> [MUSIC]
[01:56:53] >> ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN C-SPAN 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON PROGRAMING, HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF
[01:56:56] THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND MEMORABLE
[01:56:59] MOMENTS COVERED BY C-SPAN IN 2026. TODAY, A COLLECTION OF
[01:57:03] CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND CAPTURED
[01:57:07] THE ATTENTION OF THE COUNTRY. WEDNESDAY, A LOOK AT THE
[01:57:10] EXPLORATION, INNOVATION, AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE
[01:57:14] FROM THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM TO ARTEMIS II.
[01:57:18] THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR SOME OF THIS YEAR'S MOST WATCHED, MOST
[01:57:21] TALKED ABOUT, AND MOST MEMORABLE
[01:57:25] C-SPAN PROGRAMING THAT CAPTURED PUBLIC ATTENTION. AND ON FRIDAY,
[01:57:28] SUPREME COURT JUSTICES DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES, THE CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND
[01:57:32] WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A
[01:57:36] MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[01:57:38] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[01:57:41] C-SPAN, TWO.
[01:57:48] >> [MUSIC] >> WATCH AMERICA'S BOOK CLUB
[01:57:50] C-SPAN'S BOLD ORIGINAL SERIES, SUNDAY WITH OUR GUEST AWARD WINNING GLOBAL NUMBER
[01:57:54] >> [MUSIC] >> ONE BEST SELLING AUTHOR,
[01:57:56] DAVID BALDACCI. HIS THRILLERS HAVE SOLD OVER 200 MILLION
[01:58:00] COPIES WORLDWIDE. PUBLISHED IN
[01:58:02] OVER 45 LANGUAGES IN MORE THAN 80 COUNTRIES, DAVID, ALONG WITH
[01:58:06] HIS WIFE MICHELLE, ARE ALSO THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE WISH YOU WELL
[01:58:09] FOUNDATION, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO
[01:58:12] SUPPORTING LITERACY PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES. HE JOINS OUR
[01:58:16] HOST, RENOWNED AUTHOR AND CIVIC
[01:58:17] LEADER, DAVID RUBENSTEIN.
[01:58:20] >> SO WHEN YOU ARE WRITING, UM,
[01:58:23] DO YOU EVER SAY TO YOURSELF, UH, YOU EVER DAYDREAM, YOU EVER LOSE
[01:58:27] YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT? YOU'RE, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT, OR YOU JUST TUNNEL VISIONED ON WHAT
[01:58:30] YOU'RE WRITING? >> I DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. I
[01:58:33] TUNNEL VISION, I LET MY
[01:58:35] IMAGINATION RUN, YOU KNOW,
[01:58:38] BECAUSE I FOUND THAT WHEN I TRIED TO KEEP MY IMAGINATION IN
[01:58:41] CHECK, I MISS OPPORTUNITIES. AND I DON'T WANT TO MISS OPPORTUNITIES. PEOPLE ASK, WHERE DO I GET MY IDEAS FROM? I GET UP
[01:58:45] EVERY DAY AND I WALK OUT THE DOOR AND I SEE WHAT'S IN FRONT
[01:58:49] OF ME. I'M NOT ON MY IPHONE. LOOKING AT MY IPHONE. I'M
[01:58:52] LOOKING AT PEOPLE, AND I'VE GOTTEN IDEAS FOR PLOT POINTS
[01:58:56] JUST BY WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND SEEING TWO PEOPLE TALKING.
[01:58:57] AND I'M WONDERING, WHAT ARE THEY
[01:59:00] TALKING ABOUT? MAYBE I CAN ANSWER THAT MYSELF. OR I SEE A
[01:59:03] GUY WITH A BOX GET ON A BUS. I WONDER WHAT'S IN THE BOX AND WHERE IS THE BUS GOING WITH THE
[01:59:07] GUY? AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAVE A STORY IDEA FROM THAT. THE
[01:59:11] IDEAS ARE ALL AROUND YOU ALL THE TIME. IT'S JUST THAT YOU'RE NOT
[01:59:14] RECEPTIVE TO SEIZING
[01:59:16] OPPORTUNITIES. ONCE YOU DO THINK ABOUT SEIZING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TOO
[01:59:20] MANY IDEAS, TOO MANY THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT. >> WATCH AMERICA'S BOOK CLUB
[01:59:24] WITH DAVID BALDACCI SUNDAY AT 6
[01:59:26] P.M. AND 9 P.M. EASTERN AND
[01:59:29] PACIFIC ONLY ON C-SPAN.
[01:59:32] >> [MUSIC]
[01:59:41] >> THE ROAD TO THE CAPITOL RUNS
[01:59:42] THROUGH AMERICA'S BATTLEGROUND
[01:59:45] STATES, AND C-SPAN IS THERE. OUR
[01:59:47] CAMERAS ARE ON THE GROUND FOLLOWING THE CAMPAIGNS WHERE
[01:59:50] THE TOUGHEST RACES WILL DECIDE THE BALANCE OF POWER IN
[01:59:54] CONGRESS. WE'RE THE ONLY NATIONAL TELEVISION NETWORK PROVIDING THIS LEVEL OF
[01:59:57] UNFILTERED ACCESS TO THE CANDIDATES, THE VOTERS, AND THE
[02:00:01] ISSUES SHAPING CAMPAIGN 2026. NO COMMENTATORS TELLING YOU WHAT TO
[02:00:04] THINK. NO PARTIZAN SPIN THE ROAD
[02:00:06] TO THE CAPITOL. ONLY ON C-SPAN.
[02:00:11] >> [MUSIC]
[02:00:14] >> C-SPAN IS AS UNBIASED AS YOU CAN GET. >> YOU ARE SO FAIR. I DON'T
[02:00:18] KNOW HOW ANYBODY CAN SAY OTHERWISE.
[02:00:20] >> YOU GUYS DO. THE MOST
[02:00:25] IMPORTANT WORK FOR EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY. >> I LOVE C-SPAN BECAUSE I GET TO HEAR ALL THE VOICES.
[02:00:28] >> YOU BRING THESE DIVERGENT
[02:00:29] VIEWPOINTS, AND YOU PRESENT BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE, AND YOU ALLOW
[02:00:33] PEOPLE TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS.
[02:00:36] >> I ABSOLUTELY LOVE C-SPAN. I LOVE TO HEAR BOTH SIDES. I'VE WATCHED THESE FANS EVERY
[02:00:40] MORNING, AND IT IS UNBIASED. AND
[02:00:42] YOU BRING IN FACTUAL INFORMATION
[02:00:45] FOR THE CALLERS TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR
[02:00:48] COMMENTS. >> THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONLY PLACE THAT WE CAN HEAR HONEST
[02:00:51] OPINION OF AMERICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
[02:00:53] >> YOU GUYS AT C-SPAN ARE DOING
[02:00:55] SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB OF ALLOWING
[02:00:59] FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS WITHOUT A LOT OF INTERRUPTIONS. >> THANK YOU, C-SPAN, FOR BEING
[02:01:03] A LIGHT IN THE DARK
[02:01:05] >> [MUSIC]
[02:01:09] >> BEST IDEAS AND BEST PRACTICES CAN BE FOUND ANYWHERE. >> WE HAVE TO LISTEN SO WE CAN
[02:01:12] GOVERN BETTER. >> DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON HEAVY
[02:01:16] DOSES OF CIVILITY. >> YOU CAN FIGHT AND STILL BE FRIENDLY.
[02:01:19] >> BRIDGING THE DIVIDE IN AMERICAN POLITICS. >> YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH THE DEMOCRAT ON EVERYTHING,
[02:01:22] BUT YOU CAN FIND AREAS WHERE YOU AGREE. >> HE'S PRETTY LIKABLE GUY AS WELL.
[02:01:26] >> CHRIS AND I ARE ACTUALLY FRIENDS. HE VOTES WRONG ALL THE TIME, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY
[02:01:30] FRIENDS. >> THE HORRIBLE SECRET THAT SCOTT AND I HAVE IS THAT WE ACTUALLY RESPECT EACH OTHER.
[02:01:34] >> WE ALL DON'T HATE EACH OTHER. >> YOU TWO ACTUALLY KIND OF LIKE EACH OTHER. THESE ARE THE KINDS
[02:01:37] OF SECRETS WE LIKE TO EXPOSE. >> IT'S NICE TO BE WITH A MEMBER
[02:01:40] WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> YOU GUYS DID AGREE TO THE
[02:01:43] CIVILITY, ALL RIGHT. >> HE OWES MY SON $10 FROM A
[02:01:46] BET. >> I'VE NEVER. >> PAID. FORK IT OVER.
[02:01:50] >> THAT'S FIGHTING WORDS RIGHT THERE. >> BUT I'M NOT IN CHARGE OF IT. >> I'M THRILLED TO BE ON THIS SHOW.
[02:01:54] >> WITH HIM. THEY'RE NOT SHOWS
[02:01:55] LIKE THIS, RIGHT? INCENTIVIZING
[02:01:59] THAT RELATIONSHIP. >> BECAUSE I CHOOSE NOT TO SEE
[02:02:02] MY GUEST INITIALLY. >> I CAN ATTEST TO THAT. YOU HAVE NOT LOOKED AT YOUR MONITOR. >> AND THE REASON, THE REASON
[02:02:06] THAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE MY GUEST IS BECAUSE I'VE HEARD HIS
[02:02:11] VOICE SO MANY TIMES. >> SO MANY TIMES.
[02:02:14] >> THAT I HAVE A VISION IN MY HEAD. I IMAGINE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO'VE LISTENED TO MY PROGRAM
[02:02:18] ON AN ONGOING BASIS, AND MAYBE NEVER HAVE WATCHED MY CNN
[02:02:22] PROGRAM, HAVE A VISION IN THEIR HEAD OF WHAT I LOOK LIKE.
[02:02:25] >> I ONCE MET SOMEONE WHO SAID, OH MY GOSH, I THOUGHT YOU WOULD
[02:02:29] BE BLOND AND BLOUSY. AND I'VE
[02:02:32] NEVER UNDERSEA BLOUSY. WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? >> ONE CAN HOPE. ONE CAN HOPE.
[02:02:36] >> I'M NEITHER. >> SO I, I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT HIM YET UNTIL I,
[02:02:40] UNTIL I TELL YOU. >> OKAY. >> TELL US THE DESCRIPTION IN MY
[02:02:43] HEAD OF MY GUEST. BUT BEFORE I
[02:02:46] DO THAT, HOW DID WE GET HERE?
[02:02:48] REMIND ME BECAUSE I, I SOMEHOW I
[02:02:51] REFERENCED HIS NAME. HIS NAME IS
[02:02:54] CHUCK MCDOWELL, AS IN CHUCK MCDOWELL.
[02:02:58] >> CHUCK MCDOWELL. >> CHUCK MCDOWELL, AND HIS
[02:03:00] FRIEND KENNETH IN BLACK RIVER FALLS, WISCONSIN. WELL, QUESTIONS ABOUT HIM, TOO.
[02:03:04] >> THAT'S HOW WE CAME TO IT, BECAUSE WE HAD A CALLER CALL
[02:03:08] INTO THE PROGRAM ABOUT REMIND
[02:03:10] ME. AND THE CALLER SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A LAWYER, BUT A
[02:03:14] NICE LAWYER. >> OH, AND I SAID, YOU REMIND ME OF CHUCK MCDOWELL. >> EXACTLY.
[02:03:18] >> BECAUSE CHUCK MCDOWELL IS NOT A LAWYER. AND HE HOPES LAWYERS
[02:03:20] DON'T TAKE OFFENSE. DON'T GO SUING HIM FOR THIS. >> AND THEN YOU AND I BOTH
[02:03:24] STARTED QUOTING HIS COMMERCIALS VERBATIM, HAVING NEVER DISCUSSED
[02:03:28] THIS BEFORE, BUT WE BOTH KNEW THAT VERBATIM.
[02:03:30] >> I THINK MY RADIO SHOW IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE COUNTRY. HE
[02:03:33] DOESN'T ADVERTISE ON. I'M NOT SURE. I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T, I'M GOING TO LOOK INTO IT.
[02:03:37] AFTER YOU LOOK INTO IT. I DON'T WANT TO GET JAMMED UP ON THAT. SO.
[02:03:40] >> BUT NO. SO YOU AND I ARE BOTH LITERALLY QUOTING HIS
[02:03:44] COMMERCIALS VERBATIM, AND THEN STARTED TALKING ABOUT TIMESHARES. >> I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT HIS
[02:03:47] BUSINESS MODEL. CORRECT. BECAUSE THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE ABOUT
[02:03:51] HIS BUSINESS MODEL IS, HOW CAN
[02:03:53] THERE BE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO WANT
[02:03:55] TO GET OUT OF A TIMESHARE SO AS
[02:04:00] TO SUSTAIN HIS ADVERTISING BUDGET? >> WE'RE GOING. >> TO FIND OUT, BECAUSE THE MAN SPENDS A BOATLOAD ON
[02:04:04] ADVERTISING. A SIMILAR QUESTION I HAVE ASKED ABOUT THE PILLOW
[02:04:08] GUY, BECAUSE I HAVE SAID BY NOW,
[02:04:10] HASN'T EVERYONE WHO'S GOING TO
[02:04:13] BUY A MIKE LINDELL PILLOW ALREADY BOUGHT ONE?
[02:04:17] >> YOU ALWAYS CAN. PILLOWS. YOU ALWAYS NEED TO GET OUT OF TIMESHARES. COME ON NOW.
[02:04:20] >> CAN WE WELCOME MR. CHUCK
[02:04:23] MCDOWELL FROM WESLEY FINANCIAL? HEY, CHUCK, THANK YOU FOR BEING
[02:04:26] HERE. I STILL HAVEN'T LOOKED AT
[02:04:28] YOU, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK.
[02:04:31] >> BROTHER, I APPRECIATE YOU. I'VE WATCHED YOU FOR YEARS, SO
[02:04:33] IT IS AN HONOR TO BE ON YOUR
[02:04:36] SHOW. IT WAS HILARIOUS LAST WEEK WHEN I GOT A PHONE CALL THAT, UH, THAT Y'ALL WERE TALKING
[02:04:40] ABOUT ME, AND GLAD I COULD SEE
[02:04:43] YOU FACE TO FACE. AND, UH. WELL, YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ME FACE TO FACE. >> WELL, HERE'S. OKAY, HERE'S
[02:04:47] THE DEAL. SO WE'RE ALSO LIVE ON
[02:04:49] C-SPAN 2 THIS WEEK, AND THEIR MONITOR IS OFF TO MY SIDE. I'M
[02:04:53] NOT LOOKING THERE EITHER. SO I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU, HERE'S HOW I HAVE YOU PEGGED.
[02:04:56] YOU READY? AND I KNOW PART OF
[02:04:58] THIS BECAUSE I, I HEARD, OKAY, SO I FIGURE YOU'RE LIKE A 60
[02:05:01] YEAR OLD GUY. HOW AM I DOING?
[02:05:05] >> YOU'RE CLOSE. YEAH. >> OKAY. AND I, I'VE GOT YOU.
[02:05:07] AND I SAY THIS IN A GOOD WAY. I,
[02:05:10] I'VE GOT YOU PEGGED FOR, LIKE, A FIREPLUG GUY, LIKE A, LIKE A
[02:05:13] GUY WHO, WHO PHYSICALLY. LOOK,
[02:05:15] YOU'RE NOT A HUGE GUY, BUT YOU'RE LIKE A FIT GUY FOR A 60
[02:05:19] YEAR OLD. SO FAR, SO GOOD. YEAH.
[02:05:22] >> YEAH, THAT'S, UH. YEAH, THAT'S CORRECT. >> ALL RIGHT, NOW I'M REALLY,
[02:05:25] NOW I'M REALLY GOING OUT ON A
[02:05:27] LIMB. I'VE GOT YOU AS A GUY WHO
[02:05:31] HAS A MUSTACHE. YAY OR NAY ON THE MUSTACHE
[02:05:34] >> NO, NO, KNICKS NAY ON THE MUSTACHE.
[02:05:36] >> ALL RIGHT, WELL THEN PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS NOT A SHTICK. LIKE,
[02:05:40] THIS IS REALLY HOW I ENVISION YOU. I GOT YOU WITH A MUSTACHE. MAYBE YOU'LL DECIDE TO GROW ONE
[02:05:44] AS A RESULT OF THIS. AND NOW?
[02:05:46] NOW, THE BIGGEST RISK OF ALL I
[02:05:48] HAVE. MR. CHUCK MCDOWELL, AS A
[02:05:52] REDHEAD. YAY! OR NAY?
[02:05:55] >> UH, NO. MY HAIR WAS BROWN UNTIL I. DAMN. >> ALL RIGHT, LET ME LOOK AT.
[02:05:59] LET ME LOOK AT YOU. YOU'RE
[02:06:02] HANDSOME GUY, HUH? >> I APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH. MY
[02:06:05] WIFE THINKS SO. >> CHUCK, WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH
[02:06:09] THESE TIMESHARES? AND AND ARE THERE, LIKE, IS EVERYBODY DYING
[02:06:12] TO GET OUT OF THEIR TIMESHARE?
[02:06:15] >> WELL, I WILL SAY THAT ONE THING I'VE LEARNED SINCE I'VE
[02:06:18] BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR 15
[02:06:20] YEARS. UM, WOW, 15 YEARS. BUT I WOULD SAY HALF OF THE PEOPLE
[02:06:24] THAT OWN A TIMESHARE USE IT,
[02:06:27] LOVE IT. UH, EVEN IF THEY'VE REALIZED THAT THEY WERE HUSTLED WHEN THEY BOUGHT IT, THAT, BUT
[02:06:31] THEY USE IT. AND, AND, AND THEN
[02:06:33] IN THE HALF ARE CAN'T SLEEP AT
[02:06:36] NIGHT AND CAN'T BELIEVE THEY DID IT. AND WHAT DO I DO TO GET
[02:06:38] OUT OF IT? AND, UM, YEAH, THAT'S THEIR PRODUCT STARTED
[02:06:42] OFF AS A REALLY GOOD PRODUCT AND IT'S TURNED INTO SOMETHING
[02:06:45] THAT'S NOT A GOOD PRODUCT. AND
[02:06:47] HOW THEY SELL IT IS NOT HOW
[02:06:49] ANYTHING SHOULD BE SOLD. UH, AND
[02:06:52] I DIDN'T THINK THIS WOULD BE A
[02:06:54] BUSINESS. UH, I THOUGHT I'D DO THIS FOR SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR
[02:06:57] AND HELP A FEW PEOPLE. AND THEN IT'S JUST SLOWLY JUST KEPT CRANKING. AND YOU SAID WE SPENT
[02:07:01] A LOT OF MONEY IN THE LAST ONE. NUMBER ONE, WE NEED TO START
[02:07:04] ADVERTISING ON YOUR SHOW. UH,
[02:07:06] AND WE SPENT $135 MILLION IN THE
[02:07:09] LAST FIVE YEARS JUST ON MARKETING. >> WHAT.
[02:07:13] >> 135 MILLION JUST ON MARKETING. SO THERE'S GOTTA BE A
[02:07:17] LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING TO GET THAT TIMESHARE TO SUSTAIN.
[02:07:20] THAT'S GOTTA BE MORE THAN THE PILLOW GUY.
[02:07:23] >> UH, I HOPE SO. UM, UH, I THINK WE DO SOMETHING A LITTLE
[02:07:27] BIT MORE IMPORTANT THAN PILLOWS, BUT, HEY, WE ALL NEED GOOD PILLOWS, AND I'VE NEVER. YOU
[02:07:31] KNOW WHAT I HAVE ABOUT THE PILLOW, I THINK. HAVE YOU ON THE PLANET?
[02:07:34] >> IS.
[02:07:35] >> YEAH, A BUYER. >> OKAY. SO, SO I, I'M A
[02:07:39] STUDENT. I'M A STUDENT OF
[02:07:41] MARKETING. WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO
[02:07:43] BOTTLE YOU? RIGHT. LIKE HE'S GOT CHUCK MCDOWELL'S GOT THIS REALLY
[02:07:48] UNIQUE VOICE. AND LET'S JUST LET HIM TELL IT. WHOSE IDEA WAS
[02:07:51] THAT? >> WELL, UH, IT WAS A FRIEND OF MINE HERE IN NASHVILLE,
[02:07:55] TENNESSEE, AND I HIRED HIM TO DO MY MARKETING IN THE VERY
[02:07:58] BEGINNING. AND I WANTED TO HAVE
[02:08:01] CHARLIE DANIELS, UH, BE THE FRONT MAN, BECAUSE CHARLIE
[02:08:04] DANIELS, WHEN CHARLIE DANIELS WOULD OPEN A SHOW, HE WOULD SAY, WE'RE THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND
[02:08:08] FROM MOUNT JULIET, TENNESSEE. I GREW UP IN MOUNT JULIET,
[02:08:11] TENNESSEE, PROUD. AND, UH, OF
[02:08:14] THAT. AND I THOUGHT HE WOULD BE A GREAT SPOKESPERSON. AND, AND,
[02:08:18] UM, MY, MY FRIEND KEPT SAYING, CHUCK, IT'S GOTTA BE YOU. IT
[02:08:22] NEEDS TO BE YOUR, YOU HAVE A
[02:08:24] VOICE AND YOU HAVE, UH, YOU HAVE THE PERSONALITY. YOU WOULD BE
[02:08:28] PERFECT AT THIS. SO YEAH, THAT'S WHERE IT STARTED.
[02:08:31] >> THAT IS, THAT IS AMAZING. SO
[02:08:33] I GOTTA BELIEVE IN YOUR DAY TO
[02:08:36] DAY LIFE BEFORE YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF, THAT PEOPLE HEAR THAT
[02:08:40] VOICE AND THEY SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, ARE YOU THAT GUY?
[02:08:44] >> UH, I MEAN, UH, YEAH, WE TOUCHED ON A LITTLE BIT BEFORE
[02:08:47] WE CAME ON THE AIR, BUT I WAS LAST WEEK IN MONTEREY,
[02:08:50] CALIFORNIA, AND I'M ON THE
[02:08:52] TRAIN TALKING. AND I HAD A, I HAD A HAT THAT SAID, I NORMALLY
[02:08:55] WEAR A HAT THAT SAYS TIMESHARE SUCKS. SO THAT'S A WHOLE 'NOTHER
[02:08:58] STORY. BUT, AND, AND, AND SO I
[02:09:03] PLAYED WITH THE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FROM WEST VIRGINIA AND ATTORNEY GENERAL FROM FLORIDA.
[02:09:06] AND WE'RE PLAYING GOLF. WE'RE TEXTING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING
[02:09:10] TO WEAR BECAUSE IT'S, YOU CAN ONLY WEAR CERTAIN COLORS, SHOES. YOU HAD TO. YOU CAN'T TAKE, YOU
[02:09:14] GOTTA TAKE YOUR HAT OFF WHEN YOU WALK IN. AND YOU GOTTA OBVIOUSLY
[02:09:18] WEAR SLACKS, NO SHORTS. AND I SAID, THIS PLACE MAY BE JUST A
[02:09:22] TOUCH TOO STUFFY FOR. AND WE WERE ALL THREE GOING TO WEAR IT,
[02:09:24] WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN HILARIOUS.
[02:09:26] AND, AND THEN WE GOT THERE. WE
[02:09:28] MET PEOPLE. AND THEN THE MAN SITTING BESIDE ME ON THE RANGE, I SAID SOMETHING TO HIM. I
[02:09:32] DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS. AND
[02:09:35] EVERYBODY STOPPED. AND IT WAS LIKE EVERYBODY THERE, THEY WENT
[02:09:38] LIKE, EVERYBODY THERE KNEW MY VOICE STOPPED. AND ARE YOU THAT
[02:09:42] TIMESHARE GUY? SO, UH, AND THEN THEY WERE ON THE OTHER END OF
[02:09:46] THE RANGE, AND THAT NOBODY KNEW THAT THEY WERE ATTORNEY
[02:09:49] GENERALS, AND THEY WERE LAUGHING AND SAYING, UH, THERE WAS PEOPLE
[02:09:52] DOWN THERE. AND ONE GUY SAID, UH, I WANT TO GO DOWN AND GET MY
[02:09:56] >> PICTURE MY WORDS. AND YOU THINK IT WOULD BOTHER HIM? AND ANOTHER GUY SAID, WELL, I'VE GOT
[02:10:00] AN ISSUE WITH A TIMESHARE I NEED TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT, BUT I
[02:10:02] DON'T WANT TO GO. SO THEN WE WISH WE'D ALL WORE OUR HATS,
[02:10:06] BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT FUNNIER. BUT I WAS IN
[02:10:10] A THE CRAZIEST PLACE. I WAS IN A LITTLE MARKET WITH MY WIFE IN
[02:10:13] AFRICA. I THINK IT'S RWANDA.
[02:10:16] AND, UM, AND THERE WAS THREE COUPLES, SIX HUMANS IN THERE BESIDES THE LADY THAT WORKED
[02:10:20] THERE. AND I'M TALKING TO MY WIFE, THIS GUY FROM SAN FRANCISCO COME AROUND THE
[02:10:24] CORNER, AND HE KNEW MY COMMERCIAL WORD FOR WORD. HE SAID, I HEAR IT EVERY MORNING.
[02:10:28] AND SO LITERALLY. YEAH. SO WE'RE
[02:10:31] JUST IN ABOUT TWO MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO BE HITTING TV JUST AS MUCH AS RADIO.
[02:10:35] >> ARE YOU GOING TO BE WAIT A MINUTE, ARE YOU GOING TO BE THE FACE OF THAT?
[02:10:39] >> WELL, I CAN'T CHARLIE DANIELS
[02:10:41] IS NOT HERE ANYMORE.
[02:10:45] >> ALL RIGHT, I GOT ANOTHER QUESTION. TELL ME ABOUT KENNETH
[02:10:48] IN BLACK RIVER FALLS, WISCONSIN.
[02:10:50] OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW THE SCRIPT BY
[02:10:53] BY HEART TO >> YEAH, THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST
[02:10:56] STORIES EVER. SO, UH, I RAN A
[02:10:59] COMMERCIAL WITHOUT KENNETH. SO THE TIMESHARE INDUSTRY AT THAT
[02:11:03] PARTICULAR MOMENT WAS IN FRONT OF A FEDERAL JUDGE. I'VE BEEN
[02:11:07] SUED, I THINK, 11 TIMES IN 2024,
[02:11:10] I HAD FOUR LAWSUITS, UH, SPENT $11 MILLION THAT YEAR JUST ON
[02:11:13] LEGAL FEES. TO GIVE YOU A HINT OF, UH, THE HELL THAT I'VE BEEN
[02:11:17] THROUGH. WE RAN A COMMERCIAL
[02:11:20] ABOUT. I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY. THEY'RE TRYING TO SAY THAT I'M
[02:11:24] BREAKING THE LAW PRACTICE LAW, THAT I ACT LIKE AN ATTORNEY. AND
[02:11:28] I DON'T KNOW WHAT ACTING LIKE OR LOOKING LIKE AN ATTORNEY
[02:11:31] MEANS, BUT SO I SAID, WELL, LET'S DO A COMMERCIAL AND LET
[02:11:34] THE JUDGE, MAYBE THE JUDGE, WILL HEAR IT. I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN
[02:11:37] ATTORNEY TO CANCEL TIMESHARE. WELL, I GET A LETTER AND I GET
[02:11:41] LETTERS ALL THE TIME. SOME GOOD, SOME BAD. AND I OPEN THE LETTER
[02:11:45] SITTING HERE, RIGHT HERE AT MY DESK AND READ IT. AND IT WAS FROM KENNETH. I NEVER TALKED TO
[02:11:49] KENNETH. KENNETH WENT ON AND ON AND ON ABOUT HIM AND HIS
[02:11:52] BUDDIES. THEY MEET EVERY MORNING
[02:11:53] IN BLACK RIVER FALLS, AND THEY
[02:11:56] HAVE COFFEE, AND THEY TALK ABOUT
[02:11:58] EVERYTHING. UH, A BUNCH OF THEM ARE ATTORNEYS. THEY, THIS MAN,
[02:12:02] KENNETH, THAT SAID THAT HE'D
[02:12:03] SENT ME 10 TO 15 CLIENTS. AND WE
[02:12:07] DID A GREAT JOB. WE'RE VERY PROFESSIONAL. WE GOT THEM ALL
[02:12:09] OUT OF THEIR TIMESHARE. AND HE
[02:12:12] LOVES ME FOR THAT. BUT HE SAID, I'M AN ATTORNEY. AND YOUR
[02:12:16] COMMERCIAL IS IT MAKES ME VERY UNHAPPY IF I IF I DIDN'T LIKE
[02:12:20] YOU, I WOULD BE ON YOU LIKE WHITE ON RICE. AND I THOUGHT
[02:12:23] THAT WAS JUST A THING I DIDN'T KNOW. IN WISCONSIN, THEY SAY
[02:12:26] THAT THEY GET LIKE MY TEAM. I
[02:12:30] WENT, I'VE GOT A GREAT IDEA.
[02:12:33] LET'S DO ANOTHER COMMERCIAL. LET'S SAY ATTORNEYS. THIS WAS
[02:12:36] SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY. PLEASE DON'T SUE ME. ESPECIALLY MY
[02:12:39] BUDDY KENNETH IN BLACK RIVER FALLS, WISCONSIN. SO I WAITED
[02:12:42] THREE WEEKS. I DIDN'T TELL HIM I
[02:12:43] WAS GOING TO PUT LAST NAME, BUT,
[02:12:48] UM, AND THREE WEEKS LATER, I'M SITTING RIGHT HERE AT MY DESK,
[02:12:51] PHONE RING. IT'S HIM. I DIDN'T KNOW HIS NUMBER. I JUST ANSWERED
[02:12:55] THE PHONE, AND HE JUST. HE LOVED IT. I THOUGHT HE WAS. I THOUGHT
[02:12:58] HE WAS GONNA GET MAD AND SUE ME.
[02:13:01] AND, UH, HE, HE CALLS ME AT
[02:13:03] LEAST ONCE A MONTH AND THANKS ME FOR HELPING PEOPLE. AND HE
[02:13:07] REALLY WANTS TO BE IN ONE OF MY COMMERCIALS BADLY, SO I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO BRING HIM DOWN
[02:13:11] AND PUT HIM IN A COMMERCIAL AT SOME POINT.
[02:13:13] >> I GOT A BUDDY OF MINE THAT I,
[02:13:15] I WOULD LOVE TO INTRODUCE TO CHUCK MCDOWELL. HIS NAME IS
[02:13:18] STEPHEN SINGER, AND HE'S A JEWELER, AND HE'S A WONDERFUL
[02:13:21] GUY. AND, AND HE, HE SPENDS A LOT ON ADVERTISING. HE'S BEEN
[02:13:25] WITH ME 30 YEARS. UM, AND HIS
[02:13:28] WHOLE TAG, IF YOU WERE IN THE NORTHEASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, YOU WOULD SEE
[02:13:32] BILLBOARDS FOR HIM THAT SAY, I
[02:13:34] HATE STEPHEN SINGER. AND THERE'S A WHOLE BACKSTORY. AND
[02:13:38] THE PREMISE, THE PREMISE IS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HATE HIM ARE LIKE
[02:13:40] THE GUYS BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT NO OUT, BECAUSE THE WOMEN WANT A
[02:13:44] DIAMOND. THEY WANT IT FROM STEPHEN SINGER. BUT, BUT HE'S,
[02:13:46] HE'S, HE'S A MARKETING GENIUS.
[02:13:49] AND HE STARTED WITH HOWARD STERN AT A TIME WHEN STEPHEN WOULD TELL YOU HE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF
[02:13:53] MONEY, THAT, YOU KNOW, HE BEGGED, BORROWED, AND STOLE JUST
[02:13:55] SO HE COULD GO ON. HOWARD'S
[02:13:57] SHOW WENT HEAVY ON RADIO WITH HIS WHOLE I HATE STEPHEN SINGER
[02:14:01] BRAND. AND. AND IT JUST TOOK
[02:14:03] OFF. AND ULTIMATELY, I WAS A BENEFICIARY AS A HOST WHO GOT TO
[02:14:07] READ HIS STUFF. BUT LIKE THE TWO OF YOU SEE AROUND CORNERS, YOU
[02:14:10] KNOW WHAT I MEAN >> MY. THAT'S WEIRD. SO MY
[02:14:14] MENTOR, A GUY NAMED JAY ABRAHAM, UM, HE TELLS ME THAT A LOT.
[02:14:18] CHUCK, HE SAID, YOU'RE ONE OF THE FEW CEOS THAT I KNOW THAT
[02:14:20] CAN SEE AROUND A CORNER. AND, UH, SO I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING
[02:14:24] THAT BECAUSE MY BUDDY JAY ABRAHAM SAYS THAT, BUT I WOULD
[02:14:27] LOVE TO MEET HIM. ANYBODY RIGHT NOW, I'M ON, UH, I REALLY WANT
[02:14:30] TO SIT DOWN WITH JOHN MORGAN, AND, UH, AND.
[02:14:34] >> HE'S GOT IT GOING ON. HE, I, I AGREE, I MEAN, THE GUY HAS IT
[02:14:37] GOING ON. HE'S, HE'S IN PHILLY, HE'S EVERYWHERE. HE'S,
[02:14:40] HE'S EVERYWHERE. >> YEAH. YEAH. I'M, I THOUGHT ABOUT SLIPPING AND FALLING JUST
[02:14:44] SO I CAN CALL. >> HIM.
[02:14:48] >> UH, LET ME TELL YOU, IT'S A PLEASURE TO MEET CHUCK. HEY,
[02:14:51] CHUCK. CHUCK, WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE
[02:14:53] BEING SIMULCAST ON C-SPAN 2, WHERE IT'S ALL POLITICS. AND,
[02:14:57] LIKE, RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE WONDERING, WHAT THE HELL IS
[02:14:59] THIS? WE TOOK THIS RO KHANNA SHOW. WE FIGURED HE'D BE
[02:15:03] TALKING NOT ONLY ABOUT THE NATIONAL DEBT, BUT IRAN AND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE
[02:15:06] MIDTERMS. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE'S HOBNOBBING WITH CHUCK
[02:15:10] MCDOWELL. SO I'M SURE IT'S CAUSING A LOT OF HUMOR AND
[02:15:13] ANGST, BUT IT'S A PRIVILEGE. >> TO MEET YOU, TO TALK POLITICS
[02:15:17] TALK POLITICS AT SOME POINT ALSO. >> YEAH. >> WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE SHORT
[02:15:21] VERSION OF HOW YOU SEE THE WORLD?
[02:15:24] >> UH WELL, I THINK IT'S, UH, IT'S A MESS, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
[02:15:27] UH, IT'S ALWAYS A MESS. UM, AND
[02:15:30] I REMEMBER MY GRANDMOTHER AND GRANDFATHER TALKING ABOUT, OH,
[02:15:33] YOU KNOW, HOW THE WHOLE WORLD IS
[02:15:36] GOING DOWN THE TUBES AND, UM,
[02:15:40] UH, I'VE ALWAYS, I'VE BEEN A REPUBLICAN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I'VE
[02:15:43] JUST NOT SOMEBODY THAT IS A FAN OF A MAN THAT DOESN'T PAY HIS BILLS AND CAN'T TELL THE TRUTH.
[02:15:47] UH, AND THAT, THAT, THAT'S, THAT SCARES ME. UM, BUT I'LL SAY, AND
[02:15:51] I'LL SAY, THIS IS, UH, BE
[02:15:53] CAREFUL, MAGA FANS, BECAUSE AS
[02:15:56] FAR AS IT SWINGS, RIGHT, IT ALWAYS SWINGS BACK LEFT.
[02:16:00] >> AND I WANT TO KEEP IT AT THE CENTER. >> I WANT TO KEEP IT AT THE CENTER. CHUCK. THAT'S WHERE I'M
[02:16:04] COMING FROM. >> YEAH, YEAH. >> NORMALLY GOES TO LITTLE ROCK, LITTLE LEFT, LITTLE ROCK, LITTLE
[02:16:08] LEFT. AND THAT'S OKAY. WE KEEP DOING THAT. UH, BUT WHEN WE GO
[02:16:11] SO FAR, RIGHT, IT'S GOING TO GO
[02:16:13] SO FAR LEFT THAT IT'S THAT PART SCARES ME.
[02:16:16] >> ME, TOO. HEY. >> ME, TOO. >> HEY, YOU KNOW, WHEN I. >> SAY SCARES ME, POLITICS ARE
[02:16:20] SCARED US FOR MANY YEARS. >> HEY, BY THE WAY, ONE LAST
[02:16:23] THING, AND I'LL LET YOU GO. I
[02:16:26] SAID 60, BUILT LIKE A FIREPLUG
[02:16:29] RED HAIR, MUSTACHE, BOURBON.
[02:16:34] THAT WAS ON MY LIST AS WELL. BOURBON. >> YEAH. LET'S JUST STICK WITH
[02:16:38] GOOD OLD TENNESSEE.
[02:16:40] >> WHISKEY. DANIEL.
[02:16:42] >> GOOD OLD TENNESSEE >> THANK YOU. CHUCK. I, I HOPE,
[02:16:46] I HOPE WE MEET IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU.
[02:16:49] >> HONORED TO BE ON YOUR SHOW. >> HONORED, HONORED TO HAVE YOU.
[02:16:52] THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THERE YOU GO. TK CHUCK MCDOWELL. >> I JUST LOVE PUTTING A NAME TO
[02:16:55] A FACE. IT'S SO FUNNY. AND I, I DO THINK. >> YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T CHEAT.
[02:16:59] >> YOU DEFINITELY DID NOT CHEAT. NO, YOU DEFINITELY DID NOT CHEAT. BUT IT JUST. I'VE BEEN
[02:17:03] WITH YOU SO MANY TIMES. WHEN PEOPLE MEET YOU IN PERSON AND
[02:17:06] THEY'RE SO EXCITED AND SO DISAPPOINTED. NO, NO, SO
[02:17:09] DISAPPOINTED. WHEN WE MEET SOMEONE THAT WHOSE VOICE WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH, SO OFTEN, I JUST.
[02:17:13] >> WONDER WHAT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? >> I'M. BUT BY THE WAY, IF YOU
[02:17:15] WANT TO GET OUT OF A TIMESHARE, OBVIOUSLY IT'S BIG BUSINESS. >> I'M NOT GETTING IN A
[02:17:19] TIMESHARE. OKAY. >> I KNOW, PEOPLE ARE IN TIMESHARES. THAT'S THE. THAT IS MY TAKE HOME MESSAGE THAT A LOT
[02:17:23] OF PEOPLE. >> I WAS THINKING SOMETHING ELSE. >> WHAT WERE. >> YOU THINKING? WHICH IS, I'M
[02:17:26] GLAD WE. WE INVITED HIM NOW.
[02:17:30] WHY? BECAUSE HE MADE NEWS. HE'S ABOUT TO GO TELEVISION. >> AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?
[02:17:33] >> AND THEN EVERYBODY WOULD SEE HIM. RIGHT. AND THEN, AND I WOULD IT WOULD RUIN THE VISION.
[02:17:37] >> IT WAS SPECIAL TODAY. >> IT WOULD RUIN THE VISION.
[02:17:40] YES. UH, WE WILL COME BACK AND
[02:17:42] RETURN TO POLITICAL FAIR RIGHT
[02:17:46] AFTER THIS.
[02:17:50] >> THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN 2, WE'RE BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO
[02:17:52] SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM
[02:17:54] ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT 9 A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH
[02:17:58] HOSTS THE MICHAEL SMERCONISH PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES
[02:18:01] OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT NOON, PROGRESSIVE COMMENTATOR
[02:18:05] THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL
[02:18:09] STORIES. AND THEN, AT THREE, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE
[02:18:12] CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR SHOW WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS,
[02:18:15] CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[02:18:19] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN. TWO C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[02:18:23] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT
[02:18:26] C-SPAN.ORG ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN
[02:18:33] C-SPAN 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON PROGRAMING,
[02:18:36] HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND
[02:18:38] MEMORABLE MOMENTS COVERED BY
[02:18:41] C-SPAN IN 2026. TODAY, A
[02:18:43] COLLECTION OF CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY
[02:18:47] SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF
[02:18:51] THE COUNTRY WEDNESDAY. A LOOK AT THE EXPLORATION, INNOVATION, AND
[02:18:53] ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE
[02:18:56] FROM THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN
[02:18:58] SPACE PROGRAM TO ARTEMIS II. THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR SOME OF
[02:19:02] THIS YEAR'S MOST WATCHED, MOST TALKED ABOUT, AND MOST MEMORABLE
[02:19:06] C-SPAN PROGRAMING THAT CAPTURED PUBLIC ATTENTION. AND ON FRIDAY,
[02:19:09] SUPREME COURT JUSTICES DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES, THE
[02:19:13] CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE
[02:19:15] NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[02:19:19] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[02:19:23] C-SPAN, TWO. THIS EVENING,
[02:19:28] HOWARD UNIVERSITY WILL HOST
[02:19:29] GHANA'S ASHANTI KING, OTUMFUO
[02:19:32] OSEI TUTU II FOR REMARKS ON
[02:19:36] GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION. THE EVENT IS HOSTED BY THE MILLENNIUM
[02:19:39] EXCELLENCE FOUNDATION, WHICH SUPPORTS CULTURAL EXCHANGE
[02:19:42] BETWEEN GHANA AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA. WATCH LIVE AT 6 P.M.
[02:19:45] EASTERN ON C-SPAN C-SPAN NOW,
[02:19:50] OUR FREE MOBILE APP OR ONLINE AT
[02:19:54] C-SPAN.ORG. SUNDAY ON C-SPAN'S Q
[02:20:00] AND A THREE TIME PULITZER PRIZE WINNING NEW YORK TIMES
[02:20:04] PHOTOGRAPHER DOUG MILLS REFLECTS
[02:20:06] ON DECADES COVERING AMERICAN POLITICS. HE TALKS ABOUT
[02:20:10] PHOTOGRAPHING MULTIPLE PRESIDENTS, INCLUDING THE 1992
[02:20:14] CLINTON GORE CAMPAIGN, PRESIDENT GEORGE W BUSH ON 9/11, AND
[02:20:18] CAPTURING THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
[02:20:21] IN 2024, WHICH EARNED HIM HIS THIRD PULITZER PRIZE.
[02:20:24] >> I'VE LISTENED TO HIS SPEECH ON THE CAMPAIGN HUNDREDS OF
[02:20:27] TIMES, AND I KNEW THAT WHEN HE
[02:20:31] SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A CHART, I THOUGHT, WOW, THE CHART, THE
[02:20:34] CHARTS. TYPICALLY AT THE END OF THE SPEECH. AND THAT REGISTERED
[02:20:37] RIGHT AWAY WITH ME. AND SO THEN
[02:20:38] WHEN HE GESTURED OVER TOWARDS
[02:20:41] THE CHART, THAT'S WHEN THE SHOTS RANG OUT. AND WHEN HE WAS GESTURING, I WAS, YOU KNOW, NOT
[02:20:45] AS CLOSE AS WE ARE, BUT MAYBE 4
[02:20:47] OR 5FT BACK. AND I HAD MY LENS ON HIM. I WAS TRYING TO GET
[02:20:51] SOMETHING OF HE AND THE FLAG. AND THEN WHEN HE GESTURED TO THE
[02:20:53] RIGHT AND THE SHOTS RANG OUT, I WAS ACTUALLY TAKING PICTURES.
[02:20:56] AND THEN I JUST KEPT MY FINGER ON THE SHUTTER. AS SOON AS I HEARD THE BULLETS.
[02:21:00] >> THREE TIME PULITZER PRIZE
[02:21:01] WINNING PHOTOGRAPHER DOUG MILLS.
[02:21:04] SUNDAY NIGHT AT 8 P.M. EASTERN ON C-SPAN'S Q&A. YOU CAN LISTEN
[02:21:08] TO Q&A AND ALL OF OUR PODCASTS
[02:21:10] ON OUR FREE C-SPAN NOW APP, OR
[02:21:14] WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS.
[02:21:16] >> [MUSIC]
[02:21:19] >> BACK ON WHAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED IN YOUR LIFE, WHAT MAKES YOU THE
[02:21:22] HAPPIEST OF WHAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED SO FAR? >> THIS INTERVIEW IS THE
[02:21:26] ABSOLUTE APEX. >> LEADERS SEEM TO LIKE TO WEAR WIGS. HOW COME HE DIDN'T HAVE A
[02:21:29] WIG? PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, I MADE A MISTAKE THE FIRST TIME. I
[02:21:33] SHOULD HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU THE FIRST TIME. >> THAT ISN'T WHAT HE SAID.
[02:21:37] >> YOUR FIRST BOOK WAS CALLED A TIME TO KILL. HOW MANY PUBLISHERS TURNED THAT DOWN?
[02:21:41] >> WELL, ALL OF THEM. >> IT'S VERY RARE TO SEE DONALD TRUMP LAUGH.
[02:21:44] >> HE DOESN'T LIKE TO SMILE. HE HAS WHAT THEY CALL THE STARE. HOW WOULD THE STARE.
[02:21:48] >> WHEN YOU GO TO THE OSCARS THAT EVERYBODY SAY, OH, THERE'S THE AUTHOR. >> ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE GO
[02:21:51] THIS WAY. AND THEN THEY HAVE ANOTHER LITTLE PATH IN THE OSCARS, WHERE THE PEOPLE LIKE I GO.
[02:21:55] >> SO YOU WROTE A BOOK ABOUT SOMEBODY WHO LIVED WITH WOLVES.
[02:21:58] >> I INTERVIEWED A GUY WHO LIVED WITH WOLVES.
[02:22:00] >> YEAH. AND IS THAT SAFE TO DO THAT? >> ABSOLUTELY NOT.
[02:22:04] >> SO I KNOW YOU WHICH IS WHY WE
[02:22:07] LOVE YOU, DAVID.
[02:22:10] >> [MUSIC]
[02:22:17] >> THE ROAD TO THE CAPITOL RUNS >> [MUSIC] >> THROUGH AMERICA'S
[02:22:21] BATTLEGROUND STATES, AND C-SPAN IS THERE. OUR CAMERAS ARE ON THE
[02:22:23] GROUND FOLLOWING THE CAMPAIGNS WHERE THE TOUGHEST RACES WILL
[02:22:27] DECIDE THE BALANCE OF POWER IN CONGRESS. WE'RE THE ONLY
[02:22:30] NATIONAL TELEVISION NETWORK PROVIDING THIS LEVEL OF UNFILTERED ACCESS TO THE
[02:22:34] CANDIDATES, THE VOTERS, AND THE
[02:22:36] ISSUES SHAPING CAMPAIGN 2026. NO COMMENTATORS TELLING YOU WHAT TO
[02:22:40] THINK. NO PARTIZAN SPIN. THE
[02:22:42] ROAD TO THE CAPITOL. ONLY ON C-SPAN.
[02:22:45] >> OF THE PETERSON FOUNDATION AND MR. CHUCK MCDOWELL.
[02:22:48] >> I MEAN, COME ON NOW, IS THAT
[02:22:51] NOT CRAZY? >> IS THAT NOT A FUN BARROOM CONVERSATION?
[02:22:54] >> A FUN BARROOM CONVERSATION? NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. WHAT A WEEK.
[02:22:58] >> AND I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE. I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE, BECAUSE I MENTIONED MIKE
[02:23:01] LINDELL, AND I MENTIONED HIM
[02:23:03] ONLY INSOFAR AS THESE ARE TWO ENTREPRENEURS. YES. SPENDING
[02:23:07] LIKE STEPHEN SINGER. >> YES. >> WHO ARE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY AND LIKE JOHN MORGAN.
[02:23:11] >> AND THEY, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THEIR OWN COMPANY. THAT'S NOT A HIRED GUN, YOU KNOW.
[02:23:14] >> NO, BUT I, I WANTED TO SAY THIS, OBVIOUSLY, WE LOVE STEPHEN
[02:23:18] AND STEVE. STEPHEN IS STEPHEN IS OUR FRIEND. I MEAN, HE'S NOT
[02:23:20] OUR SPONSOR. HE'S OUR HE'S OUR FRIEND.
[02:23:22] >> I SAY THAT OFTEN. >> BUT MIKE LINDELL AND I KNOW
[02:23:26] PEOPLE ARE. OH, YOU KNOW, THE TRUMP DENIAL. BUT HE WAS A GREAT
[02:23:29] RADIO GUEST BECAUSE HE WAS HERE WHEN HE WROTE A MEMOIR. >> MHM.
[02:23:33] >> AND HE TOLD HIS STORY. AND HIS STORY WAS ONE OF ADDICTION
[02:23:37] AND OVERCOMING STRUGGLE. >> RIGHT. >> AND I REALLY APPRECIATED HAVING.
[02:23:40] >> HIM, FOR SURE. >> SO I'M JUST, I'M DRAWN TO. >> CHARACTERS.
[02:23:44] >> CHARACTERS, AND CHARACTER IS A, IS A GOOD THING. LIKE PHILLIES, A CITY WITH A LOT OF
[02:23:47] CHARACTERS. IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE A CHARACTER, IT'S, IT'S A TERM
[02:23:51] OF ENDEARMENT. OKAY. UM, I'VE BEEN WANTING TO DO THIS. AND IF
[02:23:54] I DON'T DO IT TODAY AND I DON'T DO IT LIKE NOW, THEN I'M
[02:23:57] NOT GOING TO DO IT AT ALL. BUT THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC
[02:24:00] THAT I WANT TO ASK OF THE POTUS
[02:24:02] AUDIENCE TODAY IS ELECTION DAY
[02:24:06] IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND THE LATE
[02:24:09] LINDSEY GRAHAM'S SISTER, NOW
[02:24:12] SENATOR DARLINE GRAHAM, IS RUNNING AND RUNNING AGAINST, UH,
[02:24:15] RALPH NORMAN, WHO IS A VERY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN. AND THE
[02:24:19] TWO OF THEM, YOU KNOW, DUKING IT
[02:24:20] OUT IN THIS IN THIS PRIMARY,
[02:24:23] PRESIDENT TRUMP HAVING REALLY PUT IT ON THE LINE FOR SENATOR
[02:24:27] LINDSEY GRAHAM'S SISTER,
[02:24:29] DARLINE GRAHAM. AND I ASSUME
[02:24:33] THAT YOU SOPHISTICATED POTUS LISTENERS, ARE ALREADY AWARE OF
[02:24:37] THE FLUB THAT SHE MADE. WAS IT A
[02:24:38] FLUB IN THE DEBATE? AND I HAVE A
[02:24:42] VERY SPECIFIC QUESTION FOR YOU.
[02:24:43] AND IT'S THIS WOULD IT BE A
[02:24:48] DEAL BREAKER FOR YOU IF YOU WERE VOTING? AND I HOPE A LOT OF
[02:24:51] FOLKS IN THE LOW COUNTRY AND OTHER PARTS OF SOUTH CAROLINA
[02:24:54] WILL CALL ME IN A MOMENT AFTER I FRAME THIS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
[02:24:57] BUT IS IT A DEAL BREAKER THAT A
[02:25:02] POLITICAL NEOPHYTE GETS ASKED A
[02:25:03] QUESTION ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY?
[02:25:06] IT WAS THE STRATEGIC AMBIGUITY QUESTION THAT SHE WAS BEING ASKED ABOUT TAIWAN AND CHINA.
[02:25:09] AND, AND HER ANSWER IS TO SAY, LOOK, I MEAN, FOREIGN POLICY IS,
[02:25:13] IS REALLY NOT MY STRONG SUIT,
[02:25:15] WHICH IS QUITE A CONTRAST FROM LINDSEY GRAHAM, BECAUSE THAT'S
[02:25:19] HOW HE SOUGHT TO DISTINGUISH
[02:25:21] HIMSELF. BUT I'VE BEEN GOING ROUND AND ROUND AS TO WHETHER,
[02:25:24] IN MY OWN MIND, AS TO WHETHER THIS THIS IS A LIABILITY,
[02:25:28] BECAUSE, HEY, COME ON, YOU WANT TO BE IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, YOU BETTER KNOW
[02:25:32] SOMETHING ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY.
[02:25:33] OR IS THERE SOME VIRTUE IN HER
[02:25:39] HONESTY? BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT ANY NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE
[02:25:42] MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND THE
[02:25:44] HOUSE, IF ASKED A QUESTION ON
[02:25:46] THIS ISSUE, COULD GIVE YOU. IN
[02:25:49] FACT, I COULD PROBABLY. IF FOR
[02:25:50] ALL THE TIME THAT I SPEND READING AND DISCUSSING AFFAIRS,
[02:25:54] IF. IF SOMEONE CALLED ME COLD AND ASKED ME A QUESTION ABOUT
[02:25:58] CHINA AND TAIWAN, I WOULD RATTLE
[02:26:00] OFF A COUPLE OF SENTENCES ABOUT
[02:26:04] STRATEGIC AMBIGUITY. WHAT DOES THAT REALLY MEAN? IT MEANS THAT
[02:26:06] WE'RE NEVER FULLY COMMITTED
[02:26:08] PUBLICLY TO SAYING THAT WE WOULD DEFEND TAIWAN, SHOULD WE DEFEND
[02:26:12] TAIWAN? DO WE REALLY WANT TO
[02:26:14] TAKE ON ANOTHER RESPONSIBILITY IN A FOREIGN POLICY REALM? IF
[02:26:18] CHINA SHOULD EVER ACT AGAINST TAIWAN, WHAT ARE THE STAKES FOR JAPAN? I MEAN, A LOT OF
[02:26:22] DIFFERENT THINGS. WOULD I I'D
[02:26:23] HAVE A GOOD SOUNDBITE. HOW MUCH
[02:26:27] SUBSTANCE WOULD I REALLY BE ABLE
[02:26:29] TO OFFER? LIMITED. LIMITED.
[02:26:32] COULD I SPEAK TO THE HISTORY? I COULD GIVE YOU A SOUND BITE OR
[02:26:35] TWO, BUT THAT'S IT. SO WHO AM I
[02:26:38] TO SAY THAT SHE IS PRECLUDED FROM SERVING IN THE SENATE
[02:26:41] BECAUSE OF THAT? THAT ANSWER. THEN AGAIN, I'M NOT RUNNING FOR
[02:26:44] THE SENATE. AND SHE IS. HERE'S
[02:26:47] WHAT WENT DOWN. I'M GOING TO DO TWO THINGS. ONE, I'M GOING TO
[02:26:50] PLAY FOR YOU. THE QUESTION THAT WAS PUT TO DARLINE GRAHAM, IT
[02:26:53] WAS BY GRETA VAN SUSTEREN. AND
[02:26:54] THEN I'LL COME BACK AND THEN
[02:26:57] I'M GOING TO ALSO PLAY WHAT GRETA VAN SUSTEREN SAID
[02:27:01] THEREAFTER. FIRST, HERE'S THE DEBATE EXCHANGE. ROLL IT.
[02:27:04] >> SENATOR, OUR TAIWAN AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. NATIONAL
[02:27:08] SECURITY ISSUES FOR THE UNITED
[02:27:09] STATES. IF SO, WHY? I'M SORRY,
[02:27:13] COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? IF OUR TAIWAN AND THE SOUTH
[02:27:16] CHINA SEA. NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES FOR THE UNITED STATES,
[02:27:20] AND IF SO, WHY OR HOW? I'M JUST
[02:27:23] GOING TO BE HONEST HERE. I'M NOT
[02:27:25] ON NATIONAL SECURITY, THAT I'M
[02:27:27] NOT THAT INFORMED ON NATIONAL
[02:27:32] SECURITY. SO. >> OKAY. A COUPLE OF BOOS, YOU
[02:27:34] KNOW, IN, IN, IN THE AUDIENCE. YOU THINK THAT SHE WOULD HAVE AT
[02:27:37] LEAST BEEN ABLE TO SAY SOMETHING? WELL, I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU WHAT I THINK SHE SHOULD
[02:27:41] HAVE SAID. NOW, GRETA VAN SUSTEREN FOLLOWS UP ON HER OWN
[02:27:45] PROGRAM AND, AND SAYS, HEY, I'M SURPRISED BY ACTUALLY, I WATCHED
[02:27:49] HER WHOLE COMMENTARY. I'M NOT GOING TO PLAY ALL OF IT. BUT TO
[02:27:52] SUM IT UP FAIRLY WOULD BE TO SAY THAT SHE CRITICIZED THE MEDIA
[02:27:55] FOR GLOMMING ON TO, YOU KNOW,
[02:27:59] 2.5% OF THE ENTIRE DEBATE. LIKE, WHY IS THE MEDIA MAKING A HUGE
[02:28:02] DEAL OUT OF THIS? AND THEN SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF REGRET
[02:28:06] HAVING ASKED THE QUESTION. ROLL IT.
[02:28:09] >> SO IN HINDSIGHT, WHILE THE SOUTH CHINA SEA IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR OUR NATION, I WISH I
[02:28:12] HADN'T ASKED THAT QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WAS FAIR TO
[02:28:16] ASK, WHEN OUR OWN GOVERNMENT, GOING BACK 47 YEARS, CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT, SO HOW COULD I
[02:28:19] EXPECT SENATOR DARLINE GRAHAM OR CONGRESSMAN NORMAN TO ANSWER IT
[02:28:23] AND ANSWER IN ONE MINUTE?
[02:28:26] >> OKAY, THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID.
[02:28:27] SO I PUT IT TO YOU. IF YOU'RE
[02:28:31] VOTING TODAY OR HAVE ALREADY VOTED TODAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA,
[02:28:33] HOW BIG OF A DEAL? AND FOR
[02:28:36] EVERYBODY ELSE, IS THAT A DEAL
[02:28:38] BREAKER? IS THAT A DEAL BREAKER? THAT A QUESTION CATCHES A CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR THE
[02:28:42] SENATE? BIG JOB, ONLY 100 OF
[02:28:44] THEM JUST CATCHES THEM COLD? OR DO YOU FIND IT ENDEARING ON SOME
[02:28:48] LEVEL THAT SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE ANSWER? I MEAN, MAYBE IT
[02:28:51] ACTUALLY, MAYBE IT ACTUALLY
[02:28:54] BOOMERANGS AGAINST HER OPPONENT, RALPH NORMAN, BECAUSE I WAS
[02:28:58] THINKING THIS AS WELL. I FRANKLY, HAVE THOUGHT MUCH TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS ONE DEBATE
[02:29:02] QUESTION. BUT ONE OTHER OBSERVATION THAT I HAD IS LIKE,
[02:29:04] MAYBE IT UNDERSCORES, OH, YEAH,
[02:29:09] SHE'S THE OUTSIDER. SHE, YOU KNOW, SHE'S THE ROOKIE IN A GOOD WAY. AND LIKE HIM, HE'S BEEN
[02:29:12] THERE FOR A HUNDRED YEARS. I DON'T KNOW, JUST WONDERING.
[02:29:15] CALL ME, BUT DO IT IMMEDIATELY.
[02:29:20] I'M AT EIGHT 554861776. AND
[02:29:22] ANSWER THAT QUESTION OF WHAT SIGNIFICANCE WAS DARLINE
[02:29:25] GRAHAM'S INITIAL RESPONSE TO
[02:29:27] THE DEBATE QUESTION? I'M BACK
[02:29:29] AFTER THIS.
[02:29:37] >> [MUSIC] [MUSIC]
[02:29:51] >> THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN 2, WE'RE BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO
[02:29:55] SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT 9
[02:29:58] A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOSTS THE MICHAEL SMERCONISH
[02:30:01] PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT
[02:30:04] NOON, PROGRESSIVE COMMENTATOR THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE
[02:30:08] ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL STORIES. AND THEN, AT THREE,
[02:30:12] CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR SHOW,
[02:30:14] WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS,
[02:30:17] CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[02:30:19] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN.
[02:30:22] TWO C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[02:30:24] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT
[02:30:27] C-SPAN.ORG ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN
[02:30:34] C-SPAN 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON PROGRAMING, HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST
[02:30:38] CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND
[02:30:40] MEMORABLE MOMENTS COVERED BY C-SPAN IN 2026. TODAY, A
[02:30:43] COLLECTION OF CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY,
[02:30:48] SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES, AND CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF
[02:30:51] THE COUNTRY. WEDNESDAY, A LOOK AT THE EXPLORATION, INNOVATION,
[02:30:54] AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S
[02:30:56] POSSIBLE FROM THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM TO
[02:31:00] ARTEMIS II. THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR SOME OF THIS YEAR'S MOST
[02:31:03] WATCHED, MOST TALKED ABOUT, AND
[02:31:06] MOST MEMORABLE C-SPAN PROGRAMING THAT CAPTURED PUBLIC ATTENTION.
[02:31:08] AND ON FRIDAY, SUPREME COURT
[02:31:12] JUSTICES DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES, THE CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND
[02:31:14] WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A
[02:31:18] MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[02:31:20] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[02:31:22] C-SPAN, TWO.
[02:31:28] >> WATCH AMERICA'S BOOK CLUB
[02:31:31] C-SPAN'S BOLD ORIGINAL SERIES, SUNDAY WITH OUR GUEST AWARD
[02:31:35] WINNING GLOBAL NUMBER ONE BEST SELLING >> [MUSIC] >> AUTHOR, DAVID BALDACCI. HIS
[02:31:39] THRILLERS HAVE SOLD OVER 200 MILLION COPIES WORLDWIDE.
[02:31:43] PUBLISHED IN OVER 45 LANGUAGES IN MORE THAN 80 COUNTRIES,
[02:31:46] DAVID, ALONG WITH HIS WIFE MICHELLE, ARE ALSO THE
[02:31:49] CO-FOUNDERS OF THE WISH YOU WELL FOUNDATION, A NONPROFIT
[02:31:53] ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING LITERACY PROGRAMS IN
[02:31:56] THE UNITED STATES. HE JOINS OUR
[02:31:58] HOST, RENOWNED AUTHOR AND CIVIC LEADER, DAVID RUBENSTEIN.
[02:32:02] >> SO WHEN YOU ARE WRITING, UM,
[02:32:05] DO YOU EVER SAY TO YOURSELF, UH, YOU EVER DAYDREAM, YOU EVER LOSE
[02:32:09] YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT? YOU'RE, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT, OR YOU JUST TUNNEL VISIONED ON WHAT
[02:32:13] YOU'RE WRITING? >> I DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. I TUNNEL VISION, AND I LET MY
[02:32:17] IMAGINATION RUN, YOU KNOW,
[02:32:20] BECAUSE I FOUND THAT WHEN I TRIED TO KEEP MY IMAGINATION IN
[02:32:23] CHECK, I MISS OPPORTUNITIES. AND I DON'T WANT TO MISS OPPORTUNITIES. PEOPLE ASK, WHERE
[02:32:27] DO I GET MY IDEAS FROM? I GET UP EVERY DAY, AND I WALK OUT THE DOOR AND I SEE WHAT'S IN FRONT
[02:32:31] OF ME. I'M NOT ON MY IPHONE LOOKING AT MY IPHONE. I'M
[02:32:35] LOOKING AT PEOPLE, AND I'VE GOTTEN IDEAS FOR PLOT POINTS JUST BY WALKING DOWN THE STREET
[02:32:38] AND SEEING TWO PEOPLE TALKING. AND I'M WONDERING, WHAT ARE
[02:32:42] THEY TALKING ABOUT? MAYBE I CAN ANSWER THAT MYSELF. OR I SEE A
[02:32:45] GUY WITH A BOX GET ON A BUS. I WONDER WHAT'S IN THE BOX AND
[02:32:48] WHERE'S THE BUS GOING WITH THE GUY? AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, I
[02:32:51] HAVE A STORY IDEA. FROM THAT. THE IDEAS ARE ALL AROUND YOU ALL
[02:32:55] THE TIME. IT'S JUST THAT YOU'RE NOT RECEPTIVE TO SEIZING
[02:32:58] OPPORTUNITIES. ONCE YOU DO THINK ABOUT SEIZING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, AND ALL OF A
[02:33:02] SUDDEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TOO MANY IDEAS, TOO MANY THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT.
[02:33:05] >> WATCH AMERICA'S BOOK CLUB WITH DAVID BALDACCI SUNDAY AT 6
[02:33:09] P.M. AND 9 P.M. EASTERN AND
[02:33:11] PACIFIC. ONLY ON C-SPAN.
[02:33:15] >> [MUSIC]
[02:33:27] >> C-SPAN IS AS UNBIASED AS YOU CAN GET. >> YOU ARE SO FAIR. I DON'T KNOW
[02:33:30] HOW ANYBODY CAN SAY OTHERWISE.
[02:33:32] >> YOU GUYS DO THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK FOR EVERYONE IN
[02:33:36] THIS COUNTRY. >> I LOVE C-SPAN BECAUSE I GET TO HEAR ALL THE VOICES.
[02:33:39] >> YOU BRING THESE DIVERGENT VIEWPOINTS, AND YOU PRESENT BOTH
[02:33:43] SIDES OF AN ISSUE, AND YOU ALLOW PEOPLE TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS.
[02:33:47] >> I ABSOLUTELY LOVE C-SPAN. I'D LOVE TO HEAR BOTH SIDES.
[02:33:51] I'VE WATCHED THESE FANS EVERY MORNING, AND IT IS UNBIASED. AND
[02:33:54] YOU BRING IN FACTUAL. >> PRIVILEGE HERE AND GO OUT OF
[02:33:58] THE NORMAL ORDER AND TRAVEL TO COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA,
[02:34:01] BECAUSE, BOB, YOU'VE GOT A STAKE IN THIS OUTCOME. SO HAVE
[02:34:05] YOU ALREADY VOTED? AND TELL ME, HOW DID YOU INTERPRET DARLINE
[02:34:08] GRAHAM'S ANSWER TO THAT DEBATE?
[02:34:12] QUESTION? >> I VOTED ABOUT AN HOUR AGO.
[02:34:15] AND AND I VOTED FOR RALPH
[02:34:17] NORMAN. AND, UH, I SAW THE
[02:34:20] DEBATE AND, AND I THOUGHT HER, HER RESPONSE OR LACK THEREOF
[02:34:24] WAS, WAS VERY IMPORTANT. I
[02:34:26] ACTUALLY WAS, WAS AGHAST. I
[02:34:30] WATCHED IT AND I WAS, I WAS
[02:34:31] THINKING THIS IS SHE, A COLLEGE
[02:34:35] SENIOR TRYING TO GET A, GET A
[02:34:37] GRADE. IS IT IT LOOKED IT, IT
[02:34:41] DIDN'T LOOK LIKE. >> THERE WAS OKAY. THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOTHING IN DEER. THERE
[02:34:45] WAS NOTHING ENDEARING, BUT RATHER IT WAS SOMEONE
[02:34:49] UNINFORMED. THAT'S THE WAY YOU READ IT.
[02:34:53] >> WELL, ENDEARING WAS, WAS
[02:34:54] APPOINTING HER TO THIS ROLE.
[02:34:58] YEAH. UNTIL THE ELECTION. RIGHT. HER TAKING IT THE NEXT SIX
[02:35:01] YEARS. NO, THAT'S NOT ENDEARING.
[02:35:05] SOMEBODY NEEDS TO DESERVE THAT. >> I, I AGREE, I AGREE LIKE I HAVE, I HAVE. >> TO.
[02:35:09] >> I HAVE TO SAY AS, AS SORT OF
[02:35:12] AN HONORIFIC TO THE LATE LINDSEY GRAHAM, THE IDEA THAT HIS SISTER
[02:35:15] WOULD BE A CARETAKER FOR A
[02:35:18] PERIOD OF MONTHS. I'M FINE WITH THAT. I'M FINE WITH THAT.
[02:35:21] >> I AM. >> TOO. UM, ABSOLUTELY. BUT YOU. >> AND THAT'S GOOD, RIGHT?
[02:35:25] >> IT'S BUT, BUT YOU GOTTA KNOW YOUR LIMITS. >> YOU GOTTA BE A SENATOR.
[02:35:29] QUALITY. >> YEAH. >> OKAY. AND I DON'T THINK SHE IS.
[02:35:32] >> OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT PHONE CALL. HAPPY THAT YOU VOTED. APPRECIATE YOU WEIGHING
[02:35:35] IN. PAM. YOU'RE IN. I BELIEVE, THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. I THINK
[02:35:39] WITH A DIFFERENT TAKE. HOW DID YOU READ THE WHOLE DARLINE
[02:35:42] GRAHAM SITUATION? >> WELL, SHE DEFINITELY COULD HAVE ANSWERED THAT QUESTION
[02:35:46] BETTER BY EITHER JUST SAYING, I
[02:35:48] NEED TO BE, UM, I NEED MORE INFORMATION. I NEED TO STUDY UP
[02:35:52] ON THAT. BUT SHE SOUNDED JUST IGNORANT. BUT MY PROBLEM WAS.
[02:35:56] LATER, I SAW AN INTERVIEW WITH TRUMP SAYING HOW GREAT SHE WAS,
[02:35:58] AND SHE'LL DO WHATEVER I SAY,
[02:36:02] RIGHT? SO HE A PUPPET AND, AND SHE'S LOOKING TO HIM FOR
[02:36:05] ANSWERS. AND THAT WOULD THAT'S REALLY DISTURBING TO ME.
[02:36:09] >> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S
[02:36:12] DISTURBING. IT'S PROBABLY ALSO
[02:36:14] ACCURATE AND MAYBE NOT JUST FOR HER. SO MANY OF THEM, I THINK,
[02:36:17] ARE JUST GOING TO VOTE, WHATEVER
[02:36:19] THAT PARTY LINE MIGHT BE FOR OR
[02:36:22] AGAINST TRUMP. YOU KNOW, I THINK PUPPETRY EXTENDS TO PUPPETRY.
[02:36:26] PUPPETRY IS I'M GOING TO SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT TRUMP
[02:36:28] WANTS. PUPPETRY IS ALSO, I'M
[02:36:31] GOING TO OPPOSE ANYTHING HE'S
[02:36:33] FOR
[02:36:36] >> THAT'S TRUE. YEAH. BUT IT WAS JUST BLATANT. SHE'S DEFINITELY NOT. SHE'S PROBABLY
[02:36:39] A LOVELY LADY, BUT SHE'S JUST NOT, UH, EQUIPPED RIGHT NOW TO
[02:36:43] BECOME A, YOU KNOW, A UNITED STATES SENATOR.
[02:36:47] >> WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PHONE CALL. I APPRECIATE IT VERY
[02:36:48] MUCH. LARRY, YOU'RE IN FORT LAUDERDALE. GOOD FOR YOU. WHAT
[02:36:52] DID YOU MOST WANT TO SAY, MICHAEL?
[02:36:56] >> IT'S VERY SIMPLE. THE LADY SAID SOME REALLY. HONEST THINGS.
[02:36:59] BUT AS A RESULT OF WHAT SHE SAID, I WOULD NEVER VOTE FOR
[02:37:03] HER. I NEED 100 OF THE FINEST
[02:37:06] CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF
[02:37:09] AMERICA TO BE IN MY SENATE, WORRYING NOT ONLY ABOUT MY
[02:37:13] AFFORDABILITY, BUT ABOUT THE
[02:37:15] FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY,
[02:37:17] INTERNATIONALLY, AND REGARDING
[02:37:20] GRETA, GRETA, SAYING THAT THE MEDIA IS PICKING ON HER. WELL,
[02:37:23] GRETA PICKS ON EVERYBODY SHE
[02:37:25] WANTS TO PICK ON WHEN SHE HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION.
[02:37:29] >> HER TAKE, ACTUALLY, WAS THAT THE MEDIA. LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT, THAT THE MEDIA WHO ARE
[02:37:33] PICKING ON HER THEMSELVES HAVE MADE PLENTY OF MISTAKES FOR
[02:37:37] WHICH THEY DESERVE TO BE PICKED
[02:37:38] ON. THAT IS A VERY LOOSE
[02:37:41] PARAPHRASING BY YOURS TRULY. THIS IS HAROLD IN KANSAS.
[02:37:45] GREETINGS TO YOU. IT'S YOUR
[02:37:49] TURN. >> FANTASTIC TO BE ON YOUR SHOW. I DON'T WATCH MUCH CNN, BUT I
[02:37:52] DO TURN IN SATURDAYS TO SEE YOU.
[02:37:54] THANK IT. I DO CONCRETE WORK. MY
[02:37:59] SISTER IS A BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD EXECUTIVE. I KNOW I
[02:38:02] CAN'T DO HER JOB JUST BECAUSE
[02:38:05] I'M HER SISTER OR BROTHER. DOESN'T MAKE ME QUALIFIED TO DO
[02:38:09] IT. AND I'M A REPUBLICAN AND A
[02:38:11] LINDSEY GRAHAM FAN. SO I JUST
[02:38:14] DON'T REALLY THINK SHE'S QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION.
[02:38:17] >> I WILL NOT BE SURPRISED. DESPITE PICKING UP THE PRESIDENT'S ENDORSEMENT IN A
[02:38:21] VERY RED STATE, I WON'T BE SURPRISED IF IF NORMAN DEFEATS
[02:38:24] HER TONIGHT, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHICH WHICH WAY IT GOES. HAROLD, THANK YOU
[02:38:28] FOR TUNING IN TO ME ON CNN. I HAVE TO TELL A FUNNY STORY.
[02:38:30] YESTERDAY, CHARLES BARKLEY WAS HERE IN THE THIRD HOUR OF THE
[02:38:33] PROGRAM, AND HE WAS A FABULOUS GUEST. AS A MATTER OF FACT,
[02:38:37] THERE'S A CARPOOL. GIVE ME, GIVE ME MICHAEL PETERSON.
[02:38:40] >> OH, YEAH. >> CHUCK MCDOWELL. AND CHARLES BARKLEY.
[02:38:44] >> IN THE SAME A LOT OF COMMON SENSE, RIGHT FROM DIFFERENT
[02:38:47] AREAS, YOU KNOW.
[02:38:48] >> SO, SO CHUCK, IN THE CONVERSATION YESTERDAY.
[02:38:52] >> CHUCK OR CHUCK NOW CHARLES, CHARLES BARKLEY. CHUCK. SO
[02:38:55] PEOPLE DO.
[02:38:57] >> SIR CHARLES, SIR CHARLES
[02:38:59] YESTERDAY MAKES A COMMENT ABOUT CNN. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE COMBATIVE NATURE.
[02:39:04] >> WHY? YES, HE DID.
[02:39:05] >> AND SO. HE WAS HERE. HE WAS
[02:39:08] HERE FOR 45 MINUTES. FOR 45. >> MINUTES TO. >> SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT
[02:39:11] OF CONTENT GENERATED. I THOUGHT FOR SURE THAT HE WAS MAKING NEWS
[02:39:15] WITH WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE WNBA. >> OF COURSE.
[02:39:18] >> BUT LO AND BEHOLD, THE ONE NUGGET THAT THEN GETS CIRCULATED
[02:39:21] AND VIRAL IS HIM CRITICIZING CNN
[02:39:25] TO THE CNN HOST. THAT WAS WHY THAT WOULD BE ME. CORRECT. UM,
[02:39:28] BUT I WASN'T GOING TO OBJECT TO WHAT HE SAID, BECAUSE SOME OF
[02:39:31] THE, THE COMBATIVENESS THAT HE WAS ADDRESSING. I FEEL THE SAME
[02:39:34] WAY. I KNOW YOU DO YOU RUN YOUR SHOW A DIFFERENT WAY. BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE, I DIDN'T EVEN IT'S
[02:39:38] NOT LIKE HE EVEN ASKED A QUESTION. I, I DIDN'T PITCH ANYTHING. HE JUST, HE JUST LIKE
[02:39:41] SAW ME AND WANTED TO DELIVER THAT MESSAGE. >> HE HAD A LOT TO SAY. HE HAD A
[02:39:44] LOT TO SAY. HE HAD A LOT TO SAY ABOUT WEIGHT. HE HAD A LOT TO
[02:39:47] SAY ABOUT AGE AND GOLF AND WNBA
[02:39:50] LOT TO SAY. >> YEAH, BOBBY, HELLO TO YOU IN MISSOURI. APPRECIATE YOUR PHONE
[02:39:54] CALL. YOUR TURN.
[02:39:57] >> HEY, MICHAEL. THANKS. >> SURE.
[02:40:00] >> I THINK I THINK THE MEDIA IS
[02:40:03] MISSING THE POINT OF WHAT TOOK
[02:40:05] PLACE. AND. YES. UM, SHE'S
[02:40:07] UNINFORMED. THE REALITY IS WHAT
[02:40:10] SHE SAID TO HANNITY ABOUT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ISSUES. SHE NAMED
[02:40:14] FIVE DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT CAROLINIANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT.
[02:40:17] THE SAY THAT, UH, AFFORDABILITY,
[02:40:20] THE PRICE OF FOOD, THE PRICE OF
[02:40:22] GAS, AND NO ONE PICKED UP ON
[02:40:25] HERE'S A SENATOR THAT'S SAYING WHAT NONE OF THE OTHER SENATORS ARE SAYING. AND THAT'S
[02:40:29] IMPORTANT. >> YOU KNOW, IN OTHER WORDS, SHE MAKES UP FOR IT BY DISCUSSING
[02:40:32] THAT, WHICH REALLY IS IMPORTANT.
[02:40:36] >> EXACTLY, EXACTLY. BUT AND
[02:40:38] NONE OF THE OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE TALKING ABOUT IT ON THE AIR.
[02:40:42] AND HANNITY SAID NOTHING. IT'S VERY INTERESTING. >> YEAH.
[02:40:46] >> THANKS FOR TAKING. >> MY CALL. YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO. I, I LOVED, UH, DIVERSE
[02:40:49] VIEWPOINTS. I WANT TO HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING. LARRY,
[02:40:51] YOU'RE IN TORONTO. HI
[02:40:55] >> YOU MIGHT FEEL IT'S KIND OF STRANGE FOR A CANADIAN TO BE CALLING IN ON THIS SUBJECT, BUT.
[02:40:59] >> NO, NOT
[02:41:02] >> THAT THE, UH, THE FIRST CALLER, UM, REALLY, I APPRECIATE
[02:41:06] WHAT HE SAID. UM, BECAUSE IT
[02:41:08] KIND OF THREW A LOOP INTO WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. AND THAT IS THAT I THINK A LOT OF THE
[02:41:12] SOUTHERN STATES, A LOT OF THE RED STATES, LIKE SOUTH CAROLINA
[02:41:15] OR, OR KENTUCKY, OR THOSE KIND
[02:41:18] OF STATES, THEY DON'T REALLY
[02:41:19] KNOW THEMSELVES WHAT'S GOING ON
[02:41:23] INTERNATIONALLY. THEY'RE NOT AS EDUCATED AS, AS SOME OF THE BLUE STATES. AND SO I'M GENERALIZING HERE.
[02:41:27] >> YOU SURE. >> ARE. THEY WOULD HOLD AGAINST HER. >> WOW. YOU SURE ARE.
[02:41:30] >> I'M, UH. >> WELL, WE WILL WE WILL FIND, WE WILL FIND OUT TONIGHT. WE
[02:41:33] WILL, WE WILL FIND OUT TONIGHT. BUT I, I CAN'T, I MEAN, I CAN'T JUST PUT IT IN THE
[02:41:36] CATEGORY OF. WELL, THEY'RE FROM THE SOUTH, AND NONE OF THEM KNOW
[02:41:40] ANYTHING ABOUT TAIWAN. I ASSURE YOU THAT IF I WERE TO QUIZ MY
[02:41:43] NEIGHBORS ABOUT OUR STRATEGIC
[02:41:48] AMBIGUITY POLICY RELATIVE TO TAIWAN AND CHINA, THEY THEY'D SAY THE SAME THING. >> BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE SENATORS. COME ON.
[02:41:51] >> NO, BUT HIS POINT WAS THAT THE VOTERS ARE NOT GOING TO HOLD HER ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE
[02:41:55] IN THE SAME BOAT. OH, LOOK, THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION
[02:41:56] OF WHETHER THIS WAS WHETHER THIS
[02:41:59] WAS ENDEARING AT AT SOME POINT,
[02:42:00] UH, LARRY IS IN TORONTO, AND IT
[02:42:04] REMINDS ME TO SAY THAT THIS
[02:42:06] SUBJECT ABOUT THE TARIFF WAR
[02:42:09] WITH CANADA, THAT WE INITIATED
[02:42:11] IS GOING TO GET GREAT TREATMENT
[02:42:15] ON THIS PROGRAM. THURSDAY. THURSDAY, IN THE SECOND HOUR OF
[02:42:18] THE PROGRAM, IN STUDIO WITH ME
[02:42:21] IS THE FORMER UNITED STATES
[02:42:23] AMBASSADOR TO CANADA, ONE DAVID L. COHEN.
[02:42:26] >> HEY, BRILLIANT. HAVE HIM JOIN THE CARPOOL.
[02:42:28] >> SO WE GOT COHEN, AND WE'VE
[02:42:31] GOT SIR CHARLES, AND WE'VE GOT MICHAEL PETERSON AND CHUCK
[02:42:34] MCDOWELL. YEAH. AND I CAN I HAVE A FEW MORE SURPRISES FOR
[02:42:38] TOMORROW, BUT I, I, I BEST NOT GET AHEAD OF MYSELF. WE'LL COME
[02:42:40] BACK WITH OUR REMAINING MOMENTS OF THE PROGRAM AND YOUR PHONE
[02:42:44] CALLS RIGHT AFTER THIS.
[02:42:51] >> THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN 2, WE'RE BRINGING YOU LIVE TALK RADIO
[02:42:55] SIMULCAST FEATURING VOICES FROM ACROSS AMERICAN POLITICS AT 9
[02:42:58] A.M. EASTERN. MICHAEL SMERCONISH HOSTS THE MICHAEL SMERCONISH
[02:43:01] PROGRAM, CHALLENGING BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM. AT
[02:43:04] NOON, PROGRESSIVE COMMENTATOR THOM HARTMANN HOSTS THE THOM
[02:43:07] HARTMANN PROGRAM WITH HIS TAKE ON THE DAY'S BIGGEST POLITICAL
[02:43:11] STORIES. AND THEN, AT THREE, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST HOWIE
[02:43:14] CARR HOSTS THE HOWIE CARR SHOW, WITH HIS TAKE ON POLITICS,
[02:43:17] CULTURE AND THE NEWS OF THE DAY.
[02:43:20] WATCH LIVE THIS WEEK ON C-SPAN.
[02:43:23] TWO C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE
[02:43:25] VIDEO APP, OR ONLINE AT
[02:43:29] C-SPAN.ORG. ALL THIS WEEK, JOIN
[02:43:35] C-SPAN 2 AT 6 P.M. EASTERN FOR MARATHON PROGRAMING,
[02:43:37] HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE MOST
[02:43:39] CONSEQUENTIAL, COMPELLING, AND MEMORABLE MOMENTS COVERED BY
[02:43:43] C-SPAN IN 2026. TODAY, A COLLECTION OF CONGRESSIONAL
[02:43:46] HEARINGS THAT SHAPED POLICY, SCRUTINIZED IMPORTANT ISSUES,
[02:43:49] AND CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF
[02:43:51] THE COUNTRY WEDNESDAY, A LOOK AT
[02:43:54] THE EXPLORATION, INNOVATION, AND ACHIEVEMENT THAT HAVE PUSHED THE BOUNDARIES OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE
[02:43:57] FROM THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN
[02:44:00] SPACE PROGRAM TO ARTEMIS II. THURSDAY, WE'LL AIR SOME OF THIS
[02:44:03] YEAR'S MOST WATCHED, MOST
[02:44:05] TALKED ABOUT, AND MOST MEMORABLE C-SPAN PROGRAMING THAT CAPTURED
[02:44:09] PUBLIC ATTENTION. AND ON FRIDAY, SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
[02:44:12] DISCUSSING THEIR LIVES, THE CONSTITUTION, THE COURT, AND
[02:44:16] WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE ON THE NATION'S HIGHEST COURT. WATCH A
[02:44:19] MARATHON OF COMPELLING
[02:44:21] PROGRAMING. ALL THIS WEEK ON
[02:44:24] C-SPAN, TWO. >> [MUSIC]
[02:44:28] >> BEST IDEAS AND BEST PRACTICES CAN BE FOUND ANYWHERE.
[02:44:31] >> WE HAVE TO LISTEN SO WE CAN GOVERN BETTER.
[02:44:33] >> DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON HEAVY DOSES OF CIVILITY.
[02:44:36] >> YOU CAN FIGHT AND STILL BE FRIENDLY. >> BRIDGING THE DIVIDE IN
[02:44:40] AMERICAN POLITICS. >> YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH THE DEMOCRAT ON EVERYTHING,
[02:44:42] BUT YOU CAN FIND AREAS WHERE YOU AGREE. >> HE'S PRETTY LIKABLE GUY AS WELL.
[02:44:46] >> CHRIS AND I ARE ACTUALLY FRIENDS. HE VOTES WRONG ALL THE
[02:44:48] TIME, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY FRIENDS. >> THE HORRIBLE SECRET THAT SCOTT AND I HAVE IS THAT WE
[02:44:52] ACTUALLY RESPECT EACH OTHER. >> WE ALL DON'T HATE EACH OTHER.
[02:44:56] >> YOU TWO ACTUALLY KIND OF LIKE EACH OTHER. THESE ARE THE KINDS OF SECRETS WE LIKE TO EXPOSE.
[02:45:00] >> IT'S NICE TO BE WITH A MEMBER WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> YOU GUYS DID AGREE TO THE
[02:45:04] CIVILITY. >> ALL RIGHT. HE OWES MY SON $10
[02:45:06] FROM A BET. I NEVER PAID. FORK IT OVER.
[02:45:10] >> THAT'S FIGHTING WORDS RIGHT THERE. >> I'M NOT IN CHARGE OF IT. >> I'M THRILLED TO BE ON THE.
[02:45:14] >> SHOW WITH HIM. THEY'RE NOT
[02:45:16] SHOWS LIKE THIS, RIGHT? INCENTIVIZING THAT RELATIONSHIP.
[02:45:19] >> CEASE FIRE FRIDAY NIGHTS ON
[02:45:24] C-SPAN. >> [MUSIC]
[02:45:28] >> IN A DIVIDED MEDIA WORLD, ONE PLACE BRINGS AMERICANS TOGETHER >> [MUSIC].
[02:45:31] >> ACCORDING TO A NEW MOGG AND RESEARCH REPORT, NEARLY 90
[02:45:34] MILLION AMERICANS TURN TO C-SPAN.
[02:45:38] >> WELL
[02:45:41] >> CAROLINA, OUR NEIGHBOR. YEAH. AND THAT'S REALLY A TOUGH ONE.
[02:45:43] YOU KNOW, I HAD MY MIND MADE UP
[02:45:47] LISTENING TO SOME OF YOUR
[02:45:49] CALLERS. AND IN ON, ON HER, BUT
[02:45:55] I THINK SHE'S QUALIFIED. AND
[02:46:04] I'M AFRAID THAT SHE IS GOING TO
[02:46:07] FOLLOW HER TO DO. AND I THINK WE HAVE. THAT'S PART OF THE
[02:46:11] PROBLEM WE HAVE IN >> WELL. LET'S ON THAT. LET'S
[02:46:15] LET'S SEE HOW IT. LET'S SEE HOW IT RESOLVES TONIGHT. I GOTTA KEEP MOVING, MARK, ONLY BECAUSE
[02:46:19] I'M TRYING TO SQUEEZE LOTS OF PEOPLE IN. IN OUR REMAINING
[02:46:21] MOMENTS. RICHARD, YOU'RE IN
[02:46:23] PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA. HI
[02:46:30] >> THE GUESTS LATELY, JUST TEN OUT OF TEN.
[02:46:32] >> THANK >> UM, I'M A I'M A TRUCKER,
[02:46:35] ACCOUNTANT, A SALESMAN, AND
[02:46:43] >> WAIT, YOU MEAN CHARLES BARKLEY OR CHUCK MCDOWELL? >> WELL, BOTH. CHUCK'S, IF YOU
[02:46:47] DON'T GO VIRAL FOR BOTH OF THOSE, YOU SHOULD JUST FIRE YOUR
[02:46:50] SOCIAL MEDIA PERSON. YOU SHOULD BE VIRAL WITH THOSE TWO INTERVIEWS. MICHAEL.
[02:46:54] >> YEAH, I, I'M, I GUESS WHAT
[02:46:56] I, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE, UH, THE
[02:46:58] WORD I'M LOOKING FOR, NOT VIRALITY. NO, I'M, I'M NOT,
[02:47:01] I'M TONGUE TIED IS ACTUALLY, I'M, I, I JUST ENJOYED THE
[02:47:05] CONVERSATIONS. YEAH. NO, I, I.
[02:47:08] >> HAD MICHAEL, I OWN A MYPILLOW
[02:47:14] BROTHER.
[02:47:14] >> ARE THEY
[02:47:18] >> ACTUALLY WASH AND DRY. >> IT
[02:47:19] >> I MY KING LIKE 50% OFF. BUT.
[02:47:25] >> UH, I WONDER, I WONDER HOW MANY, I WONDER HOW MANY PILLOWS
[02:47:30] GET SOLD IN BLUE STATES FROM
[02:47:34] MIKE LINDELL
[02:47:40] >> BOUGHT WHEN I WAS IN TENNESSEE. >> HERE'S WHAT WOULD, HERE'S WHAT WOULD DETERMINE WHETHER I
[02:47:44] WOULD BUY A MYPILLOW, WHETHER IT'S A GOOD PILLOW THAT WOULD.
[02:47:48] THAT WOULD BE MY, THAT WOULD BE MY, MY DETERMINING FACTOR. THANK YOU, RICHARD, FOR THE
[02:47:51] COMPLIMENT. I APPRECIATE IT VERY
[02:47:54] MUCH. TODD IS, I BELIEVE IN
[02:47:56] CALIFORNIA. HI
[02:48:00] >> YEAH. HI, MICHAEL. I'M CALLING BACK WEEK. DO YOU
[02:48:04] REMEMBER?
[02:48:08] >> YOU'RE THE HOMELESS GUY?
[02:48:09] >> I BOUGHT AN RV, AND I TALKED
[02:48:13] TO RO KHANNA. YOU KNOW RO
[02:48:15] KHANNA? YEP. YOU KNOW WHO HE IS?
[02:48:17] >> SURE. SACRAMENTO. THE
[02:48:21] NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CONGRESSMAN >> AND TOM PIKE. SAID WE CAN'T
[02:48:25] HELP YOUR WIFE. WE'RE FEDERAL. >> OKAY, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW
[02:48:29] WHO TOM PIKE IS. AND PLEASE LEAVE NAMES OUT OF THE THE
[02:48:33] STORY, BUT JUST GIVE ME THE GIST
[02:48:34] OF MY, MY RECORD. MY RECOLLECTION IS.
[02:48:38] >> HE'S HE'S RO KHANNA OFFICE MANAGER.
[02:48:42] >> I KNOW, BUT I, I, I KNOW, BUT I'M JUST OKAY, OKAY. FINE.
[02:48:45] DIMENSION. RO KHANNA. >> PAHLAVI IN FRONT OF MR.. I, I
[02:48:49] WAS PARKING MY RV IN FRONT OF
[02:48:52] MR.. CONNOR'S PLACE, HIS OFFICE. SO HE'LL HELP MY WIFE.
[02:48:55] >> I UNDERSTAND. OKAY, YOU ARE HOMELESS, AND NOW YOU'RE IN AN
[02:48:58] RV. AND, AND WHERE ARE YOU AS WE
[02:49:00] SPEAK
[02:49:05] >> OF THE EXTENDED STAY. AMERICA, WHERE I WAS PAYING
[02:49:08] $48,000 A YEAR. THE RV WAS ONLY 37.
[02:49:12] >> GOT IT. I HOPE YOU LAND ON YOUR FEET, AND YOU'LL KEEP US
[02:49:15] ABREAST OF. OF HOW? NO. >> NO, NO, THERE'S ONE MORE
[02:49:19] THING. GO AHEAD. >> OKAY. >> UM, WE'RE BUILDING FOR
[02:49:22] PROFIT PRISONS. WHY CAN'T WE BUILD A FOR PROFIT HOME FOR
[02:49:26] HOMELESS
[02:49:28] >> I BELIEVE IN THAT. I'M ALL FOR THAT. THANK YOU. I WISH, TODD, THAT I HAD MORE TIME, AND
[02:49:32] I. I HOPE THAT THINGS TURN. THINGS TURN AROUND FOR YOU.
[02:49:35] BRENT IN VIRGINIA. HI. BRENT.
[02:49:39] >> YOU DOING, MICHAEL? THANKS FOR TAKING MY CALL. >> SURE.
[02:49:42] >> UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY ON
[02:49:44] THE, ON THE DARLINE GRAHAM, UH, QUESTION THAT YOU POSED. I MEAN,
[02:49:48] TO ME, THAT'S A SHINING EXAMPLE
[02:49:51] OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE REPUBLICANS DEFINITION OF
[02:49:54] MERITOCRACY. SHE HAS NO BUSINESS, OBVIOUSLY, BEING A
[02:49:56] SENATOR IF SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW
[02:49:58] HOW TO ANSWER A SIMPLE QUESTION
[02:50:00] ABOUT, UH, PRETTY WIDELY KNOWN FOREIGN AFFAIRS, UH, ISSUE, EVEN
[02:50:04] IF WE DON'T KNOW THE PARTICULARS AND, YOU KNOW,
[02:50:08] CALLING IT GENTEEL OR HONEST TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE, SHE HAS
[02:50:12] NO INFORMATION OR NO OPINION ON
[02:50:17] THAT, JUST REALLY DISQUALIFIES HER AS A, AS A, FOR A LEADERSHIP POSITION, PARTICULARLY IN THE
[02:50:20] SENATE. >> IF SHE HAD THE GIG AS A
[02:50:24] CARETAKER AND DECIDED NOT TO RUN, I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD HAVE HAD A PROBLEM. RIGHT. IT
[02:50:28] WOULD HAVE HAD A MUCH DIFFERENT ENDING. AND I, I SUSPECT IT
[02:50:30] MIGHT NOT END WELL FOR HER,
[02:50:33] POLITICALLY SPEAKING, TONIGHT, UH, WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE THEN SHE'LL BE DEALING WITH THE
[02:50:37] PASSING OF THE PASSING OF HER BROTHER, AND ALSO THE LOSS OF AN
[02:50:40] ELECTION THAT A FEW WEEKS AGO, SHE NEVER THOUGHT SHE'D BE
[02:50:44] COMPETING IN. GLORIA. HI. YOU'RE
[02:50:45] IN CALIFORNIA. WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?
[02:50:48] >> HI, MICHAEL. CAN I JUST SAY I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING. I FIRST
[02:50:51] SAW YOU ON CHRIS MATTHEWS SHOW. UM, RIGHT BEFORE THE 2008
[02:50:55] ELECTION. WOW. I THINK YOU WERE STILL ON THE RADIO, AND I THINK
[02:50:58] YOU WERE STILL A REPUBLICAN. I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING YOU SINCE. SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW. THANK
[02:51:01] YOU. A LONG. >> TIME IN OH EIGHT, FOR WHAT
[02:51:04] IT'S WORTH, IN, IN OH EIGHT, I
[02:51:06] WAS STILL A REPUBLICAN. I WAS A REPUBLICAN FROM 1980 UNTIL 2010.
[02:51:10] AND FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW,
[02:51:13] FOR FIVE YEARS, I GUEST HOSTED,
[02:51:15] UH, CHRIS MATTHEWS HARDBALL WHENEVER HE WOULD BE ON VACATION. AND THE FUNNY PART OF
[02:51:19] THE STORY IS THAT IN THAT, IN
[02:51:23] THAT SAME FIVE YEARS, I ALSO GUEST HOSTED BILL O'REILLY'S
[02:51:26] RADIO SHOW AND WOULD WALK FROM THE FOX NEWS BUILDING ON THE
[02:51:29] AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS TO 30
[02:51:32] ROCK, WHICH IS WHERE MATTHEWS PROGRAM WAS LOCATED. AND, AND
[02:51:35] TRY TO, YOU KNOW, TRAVERSE THOSE
[02:51:37] TWO WORLDS, UH, WHICH WAS NOT ALWAYS EASY. I'M SORRY THAT,
[02:51:40] UH, YOU KNOW, I INTERRUPTED YOUR
[02:51:42] TIME. GO AHEAD.
[02:51:45] >> OF TODAY THAT YOU. I KNOW NEVER HAPPEN. I KNOW, I WANT TO
[02:51:47] SAY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY, SHE'S VERY SWEET, BUT SHE'S WAY
[02:51:51] OUT OF HER LEAGUE AND IT'S JUST
[02:51:55] UNACCEPTABLE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY. IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY. IT TIES INTO
[02:51:59] IT, BUT UNACCEPTABLE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. BUT I'M IN CALIFORNIA. >> YOU KNOW WHAT'S FUNNY,
[02:52:03] GLORIA, IS, IS YOU THROW MSNBC
[02:52:05] INTO MY INTO MY MEMORY WHILE TALKING ABOUT DARLINE GRAHAM.
[02:52:09] SIT BACK AND LISTEN TO THIS. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PHONE
[02:52:12] CALL. IT REMINDS ME OF SHOOTING
[02:52:16] A PILOT, SHOOTING A PILOT AT
[02:52:19] MSNBC, LONG TIME AGO, BEFORE
[02:52:22] MSNBC MOVED TO 30 ROCK. I THINK THEY'VE MOVED OUT, BUT I DON'T
[02:52:24] EVEN KNOW. BUT THIS WAS WHEN
[02:52:29] MSNBC WAS WAS IN SECAUCUS. THIS
[02:52:31] WAS THE IMUS ERA. THIS WAS IMUS
[02:52:33] IN THE MORNING. AND ONE DAY I
[02:52:37] WAS INVITED TO DO A PILOT WITH
[02:52:41] TUCKER CARLSON, WHO WAS STILL IN
[02:52:45] HIS BOW TIE PHASE. AND A WOMAN WHOSE NAME I AM NOT PLACING. DAMN. BUT IN THE COURSE OF THE
[02:52:49] PILOT. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE GAME CONDITIONS WHEN YOU'RE
[02:52:51] SHOOTING A PILOT, THERE'S A SET, THERE'S A DIRECTOR, THE LIGHTS, THE CAMERA, THE ACTION,
[02:52:55] EVERYTHING, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET A LOOK AT CAN. THIS CONCEPT
[02:52:59] WORK? AND WHEN THE QUESTION CAME TO THE THIRD PANELIST, THE
[02:53:03] FEMALE, HIS HER NAME WILL OCCUR TO ME. IT'LL OCCUR TO ME IN
[02:53:07] SEVEN MINUTES WHEN I'M NO LONGER BEHIND A LIVE MIC, AND
[02:53:09] I'LL REGRET IT. BUT WHEN IT
[02:53:12] CAME TO HER, SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT
[02:53:15] QUESTION IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A ROBUST,
[02:53:19] YOU KNOW, THING. CROSSFIRE,
[02:53:21] POLITICAL CON. AND I REALLY APPRECIATED IT. I LIKE, YOU
[02:53:25] KNOW, I'LL HAVE WHAT SHE'S HAVING. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WAS AN OPTION. I DIDN'T KNOW. AND
[02:53:29] I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT BECAUSE,
[02:53:32] YOU KNOW, DARLINE GRAHAM IS SEEKING ELECTIVE OFFICE. THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN A MEDIA
[02:53:36] PERSONALITY. BUT TAKE IT FROM ME, MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT
[02:53:40] YOU'RE WATCHING ON THESE PROGRAMS, THEY WISH THEY COULD
[02:53:44] EXERCISE THE DARLINE GRAHAM
[02:53:45] BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW A THING
[02:53:48] ABOUT THE QUESTION THAT HAS JUST BEEN PUT TO THEM. IN MANY INSTANCES. AND ALL THEY'RE DOING
[02:53:52] IS GIVING YOU A WIND UP
[02:53:56] SOUNDBITE. THINK ABOUT THAT JOHN
[02:53:59] IS IN, UH, MASSACHUSETTS. HI, JOHN. YOUR TURN. WHAT DID YOU
[02:54:02] MOST WANT TO SAY
[02:54:05] >> WANT TO SAY, WHEN MARK KELLY TOOK OVER FOR GABBY GIFFORDS, WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS
[02:54:09] DOING TO BEGIN WITH, HE HAD NO
[02:54:11] QUALIFICATIONS FOR ANY OF OUR DOMESTIC POLICIES, AND NOBODY WAS WORRIED ABOUT THAT.
[02:54:15] EVERYBODY LET HIM GO ON. AND THEN HE HE CONTINUED ON. HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT OUR
[02:54:19] AGRICULTURE. HE A PERFECTLY
[02:54:25] QUALIFIED PERSON. I MEAN, THESE
[02:54:34] THIS CRYING ABOUT THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH REPUBLICANS. THAT'S HOW THEY GO. >> YEAH, I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T
[02:54:38] HEARD ANYBODY PUT IT IN, IN PARTIZAN TERMS. BUT BUT LOOK, I,
[02:54:41] I THINK YOUR POINT IS WELL MADE THAT THERE HAVE THERE HAVE BEEN
[02:54:44] PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH MARK KELLY IS A SMART GUY. UH, I NOT SURE WHY
[02:54:48] YOU SAID WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT GABBY GIFFORDS, BUT MARK KELLY IS A SMART GUY. AND I THINK A
[02:54:52] VERY, UH, VERY QUICK LEARNER.
[02:54:54] CHRIS, YOU'RE IN CONNECTICUT.
[02:54:56] QUICKLY, TELL ME ONE THING >> REAL QUICK.
[02:54:59] >> AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. >> DEBBIE. UH
[02:55:03] >> HER NAME? DARLENE. GRAHAM.
[02:55:05] >> GRAHAM. >> I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION
[02:55:09] RIGHT NOW. HOWEVER, IF A BILL
[02:55:11] COMES UP, I PROMISE YOU I WILL
[02:55:13] READ IT, AND I WILL VOTE
[02:55:15] ACCORDINGLY. THAT'S MANCHIN DID WHEN HARRY REID ASKED HIM TO
[02:55:19] VOTE IN A PARTY LINE VOTE. AND GUESS WHAT? HE READ THE BILL AND
[02:55:22] SAID, NO, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS
[02:55:26] >> LIKE IT. LET'S ALL SEE WHAT HAPPENS TONIGHT IN THAT
[02:55:29] ELECTION. AND, UH, PERHAPS WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT TOMORROW. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IF YOU'VE NOT
[02:55:32] ALREADY VOTED, GO TO
[02:55:35] SMERCONISH.COM RIGHT NOW. AND ANSWER TODAY'S POLL QUESTION.
[02:55:38] IN A STATE WHERE ONE PARTY
[02:55:40] CAN'T WIN A SENATE SEAT, SHOULD
[02:55:42] THAT PARTY STEP ASIDE FOR A
[02:55:46] STRONG, INDEPENDENT, NEARING
[02:55:48] 25000 VOTES, IT'S RUNNING 8515
[02:55:51] ROUND NUMBERS, 85% SAYING YES,
[02:55:56] YES, THE PARTY SHOULD STAND DOWN
[02:55:58] AND GIVE THE INDEPENDENT A SHOT.
[02:56:00] AND I'M ALL FOR THAT. SEE YOU >> [MUSIC]
[02:56:04] >> BOUNCE WITH YOU. YES, I'M
[02:56:22] >> AND MORE SIMULCAST TALK RADIO COVERAGE. NOW, AS WE TAKE YOU
[02:56:24] LIVE TO PORTLAND, OREGON, FOR THE THOM HARTMANN PROGRAM TO
[02:56:28] HEAR HIS TAKE ON THE DAY'S
[02:56:30] BIGGEST POLITICAL STORIES, THIS
[02:56:33] IS LIVE COVERAGE.
[02:56:52] >> AND SPECIAL GREETINGS TO OUR C-SPAN AUDIENCE. UH, WE.
[02:56:55] >> WILL BE HERE ALL WEEK.