CSPAN — Washington Journal 08252026
20260825 110000 UTC
2996 transcript segments
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[00:00:36] HOST: GOOD MORNING, TUESDAY,
[00:00:38] AUGUST 25.
[00:00:42] YESTERDAY THE SUPREME COURT REMOVED A KEY HURDLE TO LIMIT
[00:00:45] MAIL-IN VOTING IN THE FALL ELECTION CREATING LISTS OF
[00:00:48] ELIGIBLE VOTERS TO GIVE THE U.S.
[00:00:51] POSTAL SERVICE A GUIDE TO WHETHER TO DELIVER MAIL-IN BALLOTS.
[00:00:55] THIS MORNING, SO ELECTION DAY
[00:00:59] 2026, WE ARE GETTING YOUR REACTION ON PHONE LINE SPLIT AS
[00:01:02] USUAL BY POLITICAL PARTY.
[00:01:06] REPUBLICANS, (202) 748-8001. THE DEMOCRATS, (202) 748-8000.
[00:01:11] INDEPENDENTS, (202) 748-8002.
[00:01:15] YOU CAN SEND US A TEXT, (202) 748-8003. IF YOU DO, INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND
[00:01:19] WHERE YOU ARE FROM. OTHERWISE CAP CATCH UP WITH US
[00:01:23] ON SOCIAL MEDIA ON X. FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK.COM/C-SPAN.
[00:01:28] A VERY GOOD TUESDAY MORNING TO YOU. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND START
[00:01:32] CALLING IN NOW. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE LATEST
[00:01:35] CONCERNING MAIL IN BALLOTS AND ELECTION 2026.
[00:01:41] TELL BREAKDOWN WHAT HAPPENED
[00:01:44] YESTERDAY AT THE COURT WE ARE
[00:01:46] JOINED BY GREG STOHR, SUPREME
[00:01:49] COURT REPORTER.
[00:01:55] EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT COMES NEXT.
[00:01:58] GUEST: THE SUPREME COURT ACTED ON THE LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED BY STATES ONLY A FEW DAYS AFTER THE
[00:02:03] PRESIDENT ISSUED HIS EXECUTIVE
[00:02:07] ORDER MARCH 31. WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE COURT SAID WAS THAT LAWSUIT WAS
[00:02:10] PREMATURE THAT STATES DIDN'T
[00:02:14] HAVE LEGAL STANDING TO SUE BECAUSE IT WAS JUST AN INTERNAL
[00:02:18] DIRECTIVE OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT AND IT
[00:02:22] HADN'T GONE INTO EFFECT AND CAUSE HARM TO THE STATES.
[00:02:25] SO ONE OF THE THINGS, AS YOU
[00:02:28] MENTIONED AT THE TOP, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER DOES IS REQUIRES THE POSTAL SERVICE TO ADOPT
[00:02:32] REGULATIONS THAT WOULD LIMIT THE DISSEMINATION OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS.
[00:02:36] THE POSTAL SERVICE HAS JUST FINALIZED THAT RULE. WHAT IT MEANS IS THE STATES WILL
[00:02:40] NOW BE ABLE TO ARGUE, NOW THAT THAT RULE IS OUT, WE HAVE BEEN
[00:02:44] HARMED. YOU CAN EXPECT A RENEWED
[00:02:46] CHALLENGE TO THIS WHOLE PLAN.
[00:02:50] HOST: PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS ANNOUNCED AT THE END OF MARCH.
[00:02:53] HERE WE ARE TOWARDS THE END OF AUGUST.
[00:02:55] FOR 10 WEEKS TO ELECTION DAY.
[00:02:58] WHAT HAPPENS IN TERMS OF SEEING
[00:03:02] HARM? HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK AND IS THERE ENOUGH TIME FOR THE SUPREME COURT TO GET INVOLVED
[00:03:06] AGAIN IF THEY WANT TO TAKE ANOTHER BITE OF THIS AFTER THE
[00:03:12] STATES SAY THIS IS/ISN'T
[00:03:15] IMPACTING WHAT WE DO? GUEST: THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND I WON'T PRETEND I HAVE ALL
[00:03:19] THE ANSWERS. THERE IS A PROCEEDING STILL
[00:03:22] GOING ON A FEDERAL DISTRICT
[00:03:24] COURT IN BOSTON, A SEPARATE LAWSUIT FILED BY THE LEAGUE OF
[00:03:28] WOMEN VOTERS ALSO CHALLENGING THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
[00:03:32] THAT MAY VERY QUICKLY GIVE US A
[00:03:32] NEW ORDER THAT SAYS, NOW THAT
[00:03:36] WE'VE SEEN THE POSTAL SERVICE
[00:03:38] RULE, THAT GOES BEYOND THE
[00:03:41] EXECUTIVE BRANCH'S AUTHORITY, SO I WILL HOLD THAT RULE.
[00:03:44] IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE RULE AS A FORMAL MATTER IS STILL
[00:03:47] ON HOLD BECAUSE THERE IS ANOTHER
[00:03:48] ORDER FROM THAT SAME JUDGE.
[00:03:52] IT'S NOT IN EFFECT NOW BUT IT MAY QUICKLY GET TEED UP SO THE
[00:03:56] SUPREME COURT CAN DECIDE WHETHER
[00:03:58] THIS RULE, NOW THAT WE'VE SEEN IT FINALIZED, WHETHER THAT
[00:04:01] ACTUALLY DOES GO BEYOND THE
[00:04:05] POSTAL SERVICE'S AND PRESIDENT'S AUTHORITY.
[00:04:09] HOST: WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE STATES?
[00:04:12] WHAT ARE THE LISTS OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS? HOW WOULD THAT WORK?
[00:04:16] GUEST: AGAIN, IT HASN'T GONE
[00:04:18] INTO EFFECT SO WE AREN'T TOTALLY SURE HOW IT WILL WORK.
[00:04:22] THE BIGGEST THING THAT STATES
[00:04:24] WOULD HAVE TO DO, IF THEY WANT THEIR BALLOTS DELIVERED BY MAIL
[00:04:28] -- WHICH, OF COURSE, EVERY STATE
[00:04:32] THAT ENGAGES IN MAIL-IN VOTING
[00:04:34] DOES -- IS PUT TOGETHER A LIST
[00:04:37] OF MAIL IN VOTERS AND PUT BARCODES ON ENVELOPES FOR THE
[00:04:41] BALLOTS THAT ARE SENT OUT TO VOTERS. STATES HAVE BEEN PLANNING FOR
[00:04:44] THE ELECTION FOR MONTHS.
[00:04:47] THE STATES ARE SAYING NOW, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DO THIS.
[00:04:52] IT'S ENTIRELY UNCLEAR WHETHER,
[00:04:57] DEPENDING ON HOW QUICKLY THIS GETS RESOLVED, ULTIMATELY THEY
[00:05:01] WILL HAVE TO SCRAMBLE AND PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING OR WHETHER
[00:05:04] THE COURTS WILL KEEP IT ON HOLD
[00:05:08] SO THEY CAN HOLD OFF AND WE WILL
[00:05:09] HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AGAIN FOR
[00:05:13] THE 2028 ELECTION. HOST: CAN YOU WALK THROUGH THE REACTION?
[00:05:16] THIS WAS SPLIT ALONG IDEOLOGICAL LINES.
[00:05:20] THE REACTION FROM THE THREE LIBERAL JUSTICES YESTERDAY?
[00:05:24] GUEST: THE THREE DEMOCRATIC APPOINTED JUSTICES DISSENTED.
[00:05:27] THEY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT DISTANCE.
[00:05:29] JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR WAS TO SOME
[00:05:32] DEGREE TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT OF THE DECISION BY
[00:05:36] SAYING, HEY, THIS IS, I GUESS,
[00:05:38] WRONG, BUT THIS MERELY POSTPONES
[00:05:41] THE ADJUDICATION OF THESE CHALLENGES.
[00:05:43] JUSTICE JACKSON WROTE A SEPARATE
[00:05:46] DISSENT WHICH WAS MORE FULL THROATED.
[00:05:48] SHE SAID THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF
[00:05:53] THE GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO GAME
[00:05:55] THE SYSTEM AND THE SUPREME COURT IS GOING ALONG AND INJECTING
[00:05:58] CHAOS INTO THE ELECTION AND POTENTIALLY SELLING DOUBT IN THE
[00:06:02] RESULTS OF THE ELECTION BY
[00:06:03] FORCING -- SOWING DOUBT AND THE
[00:06:07] RESULTS OF THE ELECTION BY FORCING YOU, ME, AND EVERYONE
[00:06:10] ELSE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION. HOST: HAS THE SUPREME COURT MADE
[00:06:13] ANY DECISIONS IN THE PAST ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS AND?
[00:06:17] HAVE THEY PUT THEIR STAMP ON HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THAT?
[00:06:20] GUEST: THEY HAVE, BUT NOT THIS ISSUE.
[00:06:22] THE CORE OF THE UNDERLYING ISSUE, PUTTING ASIDE IF THE
[00:06:26] LAWSUIT WAS PREMATURE, IS THE
[00:06:28] CONSTITUTION GIVES THE ROLE OF
[00:06:31] RUNNING ELECTIONS TO THE STATE AND CONGRESS CAN SET SOME GROUND
[00:06:35] RULES, BUT IT DOESN'T GIVE THE PRESIDENT A ROLE.
[00:06:39] WITH THE PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO DO IN THE NAME OF ELECTION
[00:06:43] INTEGRITY IS SOMETHING WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. A PRESIDENT TRYING TO USE THE
[00:06:47] POSTAL SERVICE AND OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES TO DICTATE HOW STATES
[00:06:50] WILL RUN THE ELECTIONS.
[00:06:52] SO OUR KIND OF IN UNCHARTED TERRITORY HERE.
[00:06:57] IT'S HARD TO PREDICT HOW THIS WILL ULTIMATELY COME OUT.
[00:07:00] HOST: GREG STOHR, WILL BE THERE
[00:07:03] WHEN IT DOES COME OUT, THOUGH.
[00:07:06] COVERS THE SUPREME COURT.
[00:07:11] THANK YOU FOR JUMPING ON AND SETTING UP THIS TOPIC AS WE SET
[00:07:13] IT UP WITH OUR VIEWERS. GUEST: MY PLEASURE, JOHN.
[00:07:19] HOST: REPUBLICANS
[00:07:23] (202) 748-8001." DEMOCRATS, (202) 748-8000. INDEPENDENTS, (202) 748-8002.
[00:07:27] WE WANT TO GET YOUR REACTION TO THE LATEST MOVE BY THE SUPREME
[00:07:31] COURT AND THIS ISSUE OF MAIL IN BALLOTING.
[00:07:35] THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT THE CASE STEMMED FROM WAS PRESENTED
[00:07:38] BY THE PRESIDENT ON MARCH 31 OF
[00:07:41] THIS YEAR IN AN OVAL OFFICE
[00:07:46] PRESS CONFERENCE. HERE'S ABOUT ONE MINUTE AND A HALF FROM THAT PRESS CONFERENCE. [VIDEO CLIP]
[00:07:49] >> SO THE FUNDAMENTALS OF OUR
[00:07:53] DEMOCRACY ARE BUILT ON VOTER INTEGRITY. WE ALL NEED IT.
[00:07:57] YOU'VE SAID IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
[00:07:59] IT IS A TOTAL AGREEMENT AMONGST EVERYBODY. HERE'S THE IDEA.
[00:08:03] THESE STATES RUN THESE ELECTIONS. IF YOU WANT TO USE THE U.S.
[00:08:09] MAIL, THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE,
[00:08:11] THEY ARE GOING TO GET A CODE, A BARCODE FROM THE U.S. POSTAL
[00:08:14] SERVICE, THEY ARE GOING TO PUT THAT ON THE ENVELOPE, WE WILL
[00:08:17] HAVE ONE ENVELOPE OR VOTE. NONE OF THIS TIME WHERE WE HAVE
[00:08:22] NO IDEA, THERE ARE NO OBSERVERS, NO ENVELOPES, NO CERTAINTY.
[00:08:26] THAT'S ALL GOING TO GO AWAY. WITH THE PRESIDENT IS DOING
[00:08:30] TODAY IS HE'S GOING TO MAKE SURE
[00:08:31] MAIL-IN BALLOTS ARE SAFE,
[00:08:34] SECURE, AND ACCURATE. WE WILL HAVE A CLEAR DISTINCTION
[00:08:38] IF YOU VOTED BY MAIL YOU WILL HAVE IT ON THE ENVELOPE.
[00:08:42] OBVIOUSLY NOT ON THE BALLOT BUT
[00:08:43] ON THE ENVELOPE SO WE WILL KNOW
[00:08:47] ONE MILLION MAIL-IN BALLOTS, ONE MILLION ENVELOPES, YOU WILL BE
[00:08:50] ABLE TO KNOW EXACTLY, CORRECTLY, THAT CITIZENS VOTED.
[00:08:52] >> AND THIS CAME UP WITH REGULAR
[00:08:57] LINES. WE LOOKED AT THE DOCUMENTS AND EVERYTHING GOING ON BECAUSE THE
[00:09:01] CHEATING ON MAIL-IN VOTING IS LEGENDARY. IT'S HORRIBLE WHAT'S GOING ON.
[00:09:05] IT'S VERY CLEARLY -- THIS WILL
[00:09:12] HELP A LOT WITH ELECTION.
[00:09:13] HOST: PRESIDENT TRUMP EN
[00:09:17] COMMERCE SECRETARY HOWARD LUTNICK ON MARCH 31.
[00:09:20] THIS ISSUE MADE ITS WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT.
[00:09:22] THE SUPREME COURT ISSUING THAT DECISION YESTERDAY, CLEARING THE
[00:09:25] WAY AT LEAST FOR NOW FOR CURBS
[00:09:29] ON MAIL-IN VOTING FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES STORY. REACTION FROM ONE OF THE STATE
[00:09:33] ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SOOTHE IN THE CASE, LETITIA JAMES OF NEW
[00:09:36] YORK, CALLED THE RULING YESTERDAY BY THE SUPREME COURT A
[00:09:40] PAINFUL SETBACK, BUT PREDICTED IT WOULD NOT BE THE FINAL WORD
[00:09:42] FROM THE COURT ON THIS TOPIC. "THE RIGHT TO VOTE IS SACRED IN
[00:09:47] NO ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PUT THAT RIGHT IN
[00:09:50] JEOPARDY BY MAKING IT HARDER FOR ELIGIBLE VOTERS TO CAST THEIR BALLOTS.
[00:09:53] "
[00:09:54] SHE SAID, "THE FIGHT IS FAR FROM
[00:10:00] OVER, WE ARE EXPLORING OUR OPTIONS." WE WANT TO GET YOUR REACTION ON
[00:10:03] PHONE LINE SPLIT BY POLITICAL PARTY.
[00:10:07] DEMOCRATS, (202) 748-8000. REPUBLICANS, (202) 748-8001.
[00:10:11] INDEPENDENTS, (202) 748-8002.
[00:10:14] WE ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR YOUR TEXT MESSAGES SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS.
[00:10:17] HERE IS ONE OF THEM FROM FACEBOOK.
[00:10:21] EVERY OTHER COUNTRY HAS BANNED MAIL-IN VOTING DUE TO MASSIVE FRAUD.
[00:10:24] IT IS OBVIOUSLY USED FOR FRAUD. STATES THAT HAVE TURNED OVER
[00:10:28] THERE VOTER ROLLS HAVE SHOWN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LISTS
[00:10:30] THAT SHOULDN'T BE ON THERE -- NAMES THAT SHOULDN'T BE ON THERE.
[00:10:35] ELECTION INTEGRITY IS IMPORTANT,
[00:10:38] IS CARLY'S COMMENTS. EDWARD IN NEW JERSEY, INDEPENDENT, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
[00:10:42] CALLER: I SUPPORT THE SUPREME
[00:10:46] COURT DECISION WITH A LOT OF FRAUD GOING ON IN MEDICARE AND EVERYWHERE ELSE.
[00:10:50] I SUPPORT THIS DECISION BECAUSE
[00:10:53] IN CALIFORNIA THEY GIVE THEM A DRIVER'S LICENSE, ILLEGAL ALIENS.
[00:10:57] A LOT OF THEM ARE TRUCK DRIVERS.
[00:10:59] ALL THEY DO IS SHOW UP AT THE
[00:11:02] POLLING STATIONS, SHOW THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE, NO PROOF OF
[00:11:06] CITIZENSHIP, AND VOTE. THIS IS REALLY GOING TO MAKE A
[00:11:09] BIG CHANGE, A HUGE CHANGE.
[00:11:15] I KNOW THE GUEST WILL TALK ABOUT
[00:11:19] THE SUPREME COURT DECISION BUT I DISAGREE WITH HIM. I THINK IT WILL BRING ELECTION
[00:11:23] INTEGRITY. THE SAVE ACT NOW MAY EVEN PASS. YOU DON'T KNOW.
[00:11:27] HOST: DAY FROM FACEBOOK, KEEP
[00:11:30] THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OUT OF OUR ELECTIONS, WE ARE FREE COUNTRY AND THE PRESIDENT IS NOT
[00:11:34] ALLOWED TO DICTATE HOW WE RUN
[00:11:38] OUR ELECTIONS. MICHIGAN, DEMOCRAT, WHAT YOU THINK?
[00:11:41] CALLER: GOOD MORNING, JOHN. I WOULD LIKE TO START BY THINKING YOU AND ALL THE MEN AND
[00:11:45] WOMEN IT TAKES TO BRING US THIS GREAT PROGRAM. IF YOU ARE DOING A GREAT SERVICE
[00:11:48] TO THE NATION. I DON'T AGREE WITH THE FEDERAL
[00:11:52] GOVERNMENT. I UNDERSTAND YOU MAY HAVE BEEN
[00:11:55] TOO EARLY FOR THE STATES, BUT THIS IS AN ASSAULT ON OUR BASIC
[00:11:59] DEMOCRACY. COULD THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS
[00:12:02] DONE NOTHING BUT TRY TO DESTROY OUR VOTING RIGHTS.
[00:12:07] WE HAVE TO GET OUT AND VOTE TO STOP THIS.
[00:12:10] NONE OF US WITH THIS BIG NATION,
[00:12:16] WE ALL DISAGREE ON CERTAIN POLICIES, BUT THE VOTING HAS TO
[00:12:20] BE LEFT ALONE. WE TAKE ALL THESE --
[00:12:23] HOST: DO YOU USE MAIL-IN VOTING
[00:12:25] IN MICHIGAN, WHERE YOU ARE?
[00:12:28] CALLER: YES, THERE IS. HOST: HAVE YOU EVER HAD A
[00:12:32] CONCERN ABOUT IT? CALLER: NO.
[00:12:35] GOD NEVER MISSED A CHANCE TO
[00:12:37] VOTE EVER SINCE I TURNED 18, AND
[00:12:41] THIS IS JUST -- I'VE SEEN THE
[00:12:43] PEOPLE THAT WORK INTO IT.
[00:12:45] I DON'T KNOW THEM ALL PERSONALLY BUT I KNOW THERE INTEGRITY.
[00:12:49] THEY ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE WE HAVE THAT RIGHT, TO VOTE
[00:12:54] SAFELY AND TO VOTE WHERE IT COUNTS.
[00:12:57] THEY TRIED TO ATTACK AND
[00:13:01] PROSECUTE ANY FRAUD THAT'S FOUND
[00:13:05] WHEN IF IT'S FOUND. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR VOTING SYSTEM.
[00:13:11] IT CAN BE IMPROVED. MAIL-IN BALLOTS ARE PART OF IT. HOW CAN YOU TRUST ALL THESE
[00:13:15] BALLOTS THAT WE SUPPOSEDLY TAKE FROM OVERSEAS FROM PEOPLE
[00:13:18] OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY? THOSE MAIL-IN BALLOTS ARE SECURED?
[00:13:22] I'M NOT SO SURE ABOUT THAT.
[00:13:26] SO YOU CAN HAVE YOUR DOUBTS, BUT
[00:13:29] WHEN YOU REALLY GO TO YOUR LOCAL VOTING BOOTH AND LISTEN TO WHAT
[00:13:33] THEM PEOPLE DO, AND LEADING TOWN
[00:13:38] HALL MEETINGS WE HAVE, TOWNSHIP
[00:13:40] MEETINGS, HOW WELL THEY PREPARED TO PROTECT OUR VOTING RIGHTS
[00:13:44] SYSTEM IS AMAZING, AND THIS
[00:13:48] ADMINISTRATION HAS JUST BEEN ON
[00:13:52] THE FAST TRACK TO TRY TO DESTROY THAT TRUST. WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.
[00:13:55] WE NEED TO GET OUT AND VOTE IN
[00:13:58] MASSES TO LET THEM KNOW THAT'S THE ONE THING YOU CAN'T MESS
[00:14:02] WITH. HOST: THAT IS RANDY IN MILLINGTON, MICHIGAN.
[00:14:06] HE SAYS HE USES MAIL AND BALLOTING. THERE ARE SEVERAL STATES IN
[00:14:09] WHICH VOTING IS CONDUCTED PRIMARILY BY MAIL.
[00:14:13] ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS RECEIVE A
[00:14:16] BALLOT BY DEFAULT.
[00:14:18] THOUGH STATES BEING CALIFORNIA,
[00:14:21] COLORADO, HAWAII, NEVADA, UTAH, VERMONT, WASHINGTON.
[00:14:25] IF YOU WANT TO SEE ON A MAP FOR OUR VISUAL LEARNERS, THAT IS
[00:14:29] WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE MAP.
[00:14:32] TO BE AUTOMATIC MAIL-IN VOTING STATES IN ORANGE.
[00:14:36] COULD THE AUTOMATIC MAIL-IN BALLOT TO STATES FOR GENERAL
[00:14:39] ELECTIONS ONLY IS VERMONT, THE BLUE ONE.
[00:14:41] WE ARE TAKING YOUR PHONE CALLS AFTER THIS DECISION BY THE
[00:14:44] SUPREME COURT YESTERDAY.
[00:14:46] TONY IN WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, INDEPENDENT.
[00:14:49] WHAT DO YOU THINK? CALLER: GOOD MORNING, JOHN.
[00:14:53] WHAT A DAY. A COUPLE OF ITEMS. I'M IN CONNECTICUT.
[00:14:56] WE HAD IN THE NEWS A WHILE BACK,
[00:14:59] MAYBE A MONTH AGO, HOW THIS
[00:15:01] ELDERLY WOMAN, HER BALLOTS, SHE HAD PEOPLE COME OVER AND TELL
[00:15:05] HER, WE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR BALLOTS. WE WILL HANDLE IT.
[00:15:09] CONNECTICUT HAS BEEN NOTED -- WE
[00:15:12] ARE A BLUE STATE SO IT HAS BEEN
[00:15:16] WHISPERED -- BUT BALLOT HARVESTING.
[00:15:17] THEY GO IN PLACES AND THEY TAKE
[00:15:21] THE BALLOTS AND THEY PUT THEM IN BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOUR BENEFITS.
[00:15:25] THAT'S ONE THING.
[00:15:28] SECOND, JOE CANNON IN
[00:15:30] BRIDGEPORT, IF YOU LOOK THAT UP SERVICE PROBLEMS WITH BALANCE,
[00:15:34] THEY HAD TO TURN THE ELECTION OVER.
[00:15:37] THIRD, THE BIGGEST THING IS, IT
[00:15:42] WAS NOT MENTIONED AT ALL, I COULDN'T FIND IT ON CNN OR
[00:15:46] WHATEVER, 500,000 MAIL-IN BALLOTS WERE SENT -- WERE MAILED
[00:15:51] OUT BY MARYLAND. THEY DISCOVERED THEIR MISTAKE.
[00:15:55] THEY SENT OUT ANOTHER 500,000 BALLOTS.
[00:15:58] CAN YOU LOOK THAT UP AND INFORM
[00:15:59] OUR VIEWERS BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T GET A LOCK.
[00:16:04] HOST: DO YOU TRUST YOUR WAY OF
[00:16:08] VOTING IN WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT?
[00:16:12] CALLER: I GO IN AND GOING IN IN
[00:16:17] PERSON. TO VOTE IN PERSON.
[00:16:18] I PULL THE LEVERS AND I FEEL
[00:16:23] CONFIDENT THEY ARE. I DO NOT FEEL CONFIDENT WITH MAIL-IN BALLOTS.
[00:16:27] WE USED TO DO SOME CHARITABLE WORK.
[00:16:30] CAN THEY USE TO ASK US, ARE YOU OUR COUNSELOR, THIS OR THAT?
[00:16:35] THESE PEOPLE GO TO THE PROJECTS AND THEY SAY, YOU WANT TO LOSE
[00:16:38] YOUR BENEFITS? DON'T YOU DARE VOTE FOR THIS GUY.
[00:16:41] I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOUR BALLOT FOR YOU. BALLOT HARVESTING.
[00:16:45] BALLOT HARVESTING.
[00:16:46] HOST: TONY IN WATER BERRY,
[00:16:50] CONNECTICUT. SUSAN IN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, REPUBLICAN.
[00:16:55] GO AHEAD. CALLER: GOOD MORNING. TWO DIFFERENT POINTS.
[00:16:59] ONE ABOUT MAIL-IN BALLOTS. MY BROTHER LIVES IN OMAHA,
[00:17:03] NEBRASKA. HE HAS -- HIS WIFE IS DISABLED.
[00:17:07] SO, WHAT THEY DO, IS THEY HAVE
[00:17:09] TO MAKE A COPY OF EACH OF
[00:17:14] THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSES TO SEND IN THEIR REQUESTS FOR A MAIL-IN BALLOT.
[00:17:19] THEY GET THAT, THEY DISCUSSED
[00:17:21] WHO IS RUNNING, ISSUES, INITIATIVES. FOR THEM, THEY FEEL VERY
[00:17:26] COMFORTABLE ABOUT THAT. THE OTHER POINT I WOULD LIKE TO
[00:17:29] MAKE IS, WE ARE CELEBRATING NOW THE ANNIVERSARY OF WOMEN GETTING
[00:17:33] THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN AUGUST
[00:17:38] 1920, IT WAS RATIFIED, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST GENERAL ELECTION
[00:17:41] NATIONWIDE WHERE WOMEN WERE ABLE TO VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT.
[00:17:47] IT WAS HARDING, OF COURSE.
[00:17:50] AS A MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, WE DO HAVE PLENTY
[00:17:52] OF TIME TO PUT THIS INTO EFFECT
[00:17:56] WHERE THE SUPREME COURT IS SAYING WE NEED TO LOOK AT BALLOTS PROCESS.
[00:18:02] WHERE DO THEY LIVE, YOUR
[00:18:05] IDENTIFICATION, AN ELECTION
[00:18:10] WORKER. I DO TRUST WHAT WE HAVE BECAUSE
[00:18:12] WE NEED TO VERIFY WHO IS THE
[00:18:14] PERSON, AND WE ASK HERE, ARE YOU
[00:18:21] A U.S. CITIZEN? SO WE HAVE -- WE DO HAVE TRUST.
[00:18:28] WE DO HAVE A CITY AUDITOR. WE ALSO DO MAIL-IN BALLOTS.
[00:18:32] WE HAVE A VERY GOOD SYSTEM.
[00:18:34] I'M SORRY THE GUY IN MICHIGAN THANKS PRESIDENT TRUMP IS
[00:18:39] ASSAULTING THE VOTING PROCESS. THAT'S NOT TRUE. HOST: CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WITH
[00:18:43] THE SUPREME COURT IS SAYING ON THIS. HERE IS A LITTLE FROM THE
[00:18:47] DISSENT YESTERDAY. THE ONE PUT OUT BY JUSTICE JACKSON.
[00:18:51] SHE SAID THIS RULING VIOLATES WELL-ESTABLISHED PRECEDENTS
[00:18:55] CONCERNING THIS COURT'S EQUITABLE DISCRETION AND
[00:18:58] NEEDLESSLY INJECTS CHAOS AND UNCERTAINTY INTO THE UPCOMING MIDTERM ELECTION.
[00:19:02] SHE SAYS, IT ALSO LETS ANOTHER
[00:19:05] SHOE DROP IN THE KAFKA-ESQUE
[00:19:11] NIGHTMARE THAT OUR PRESIDENT HAS BEEN CREATING.
[00:19:14] THE COURT HAS HELD FOR A WHILE THAT EVEN VALID ELECTION-RELATED
[00:19:18] LEGAL CLAIMS CAN COME TOO LATE. TODAY'S REVOLUTION IS SUCH
[00:19:22] CLAIMS CAN ALSO COME TOO EARLY. NEVER MIND THAT AN ELECTION IS
[00:19:25] LOOMING AND RELATED HARMS ARE PRESENTLY OCCURRING.
[00:19:29] NEVER MIND TOO THAT THE GOVERNMENT, WHICH CONTROLS THE
[00:19:32] TIMING OF PROPOSED AND FINAL RULES, CAN EASILY GAME THE SYSTEM.
[00:19:36] ONE OF THE DISSENTS BY ONE OF
[00:19:39] THE THREE JUSTICES APPOINTED BY DEMOCRATS SITTING ON THE CORD.
[00:19:43] IT WAS YESTERDAY THAT THE SUPREME COURT'S CONSERVATIVE
[00:19:47] MAJORITY CLEARED THE WAY, AT LEAST FOR NOW WHEN IT COMES TO
[00:19:50] THESE VOTING CHANGES. AGAIN, PRESIDENT TRUMP PROPOSED
[00:19:54] THESE CHANGES IN AN EXECUTIVE ORDER ON MARCH 31. LET ME SHOW YOU A LITTLE MORE OF
[00:19:58] PRESIDENT TRUMP FROM THE SIGNING CEREMONY FOR THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER. [VIDEO CLIP]
[00:20:01] >> IF YOU DON'T MIND I WILL TAKE
[00:20:05] SOME TIME AND I WILL MAKE THE SIGNATURE ABSOLUTELY PERFECT SO IT LOOKS VERY GOOD.
[00:20:13] SO FAR SO GOOD.
[00:20:22] OK, SO THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
[00:20:27] VERY PROUD OF YOU. I DON'T KNOW HOW IT CAN BE CHALLENGED.
[00:20:33] YOU WILL PROBABLY FIND A ROPE JUDGE, A LOT OF ROGUE JUDGES,
[00:20:37] VERY BAD PEOPLE, VERY BAD JUDGES, BUT THAT'S THE ONLY WAY
[00:20:42] THAT CAN BE CHANGED. WE WILL APPEAL IF IT IS, BUT I
[00:20:45] DON'T SEE HOW ANYONE CAN CHALLENGE IT. I DON'T SEE HOW THEY CAN
[00:20:49] CHALLENGE IT. REMEMBER, IT IS ABOUT VOTER INTEGRITY.
[00:20:52] WE WANT TO HAVE HONEST VOTING IN OUR COUNTRY, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE HONEST VOTING YOU
[00:20:56] CAN'T HAVE REALLY A NATION, IF
[00:20:59] YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH.
[00:21:01] HOST: IT WAS A CHALLENGE. THE COURT SAYING THOSE
[00:21:05] CHALLENGES CAME TOO EARLY. WE ARE SITTING HERE TODAY, 10
[00:21:09] WEEKS FROM ELECTION DAY 2020 SIX. TAKING YOUR PHONE CALLS, ROBIN
[00:21:13] IN CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE, DEMOCRAT.
[00:21:14] CALLER: HEY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY
[00:21:18] MAGA IS TRULY THE WHITE
[00:21:22] IGNORANCE PARTY BECAUSE WE NEVER
[00:21:23] HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VOTING UNTIL DONALD TRUMP BECAME
[00:21:27] PRESIDENT.
[00:21:28] HE ONLY HAS A POSITIVE RATING IN
[00:21:31] THREE STATES AND THE WHOLE NATION. SO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME -- HE
[00:21:36] KNOWS HE IS GOING TO LOSE THE ELECTION. IT'S GOING TO BE A CERTAIN GROUP
[00:21:40] OF REPUBLICANS THAT ARE GOING TO
[00:21:42] GO ALONG WITH HIM TRYING TO STEAL THE ELECTION.
[00:21:45] AND RIGHT AFTER I HANG UP IT
[00:21:47] WILL BE ANOTHER CONSERVATIVE
[00:21:50] EVANGELICAL LYING CHRISTIAN --
[00:21:54] HOST: THAT WAS ROBIN.
[00:21:57] THIS IS JOHN IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, INDEPENDENT.
[00:21:59] CALLER: A JUDEO-CHRISTIAN GUY
[00:22:03] FROM KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN,
[00:22:07] INDEPENDENT. ON ONE OF THE GUYS WHO WON'T BE ALLOWED TO VOTE, BASICALLY.
[00:22:10] I'M AN ORPHAN.
[00:22:14] HOST: HOLD OFF ON THE LANGUAGE.
[00:22:21] SAINT ALBANS, WEST VIRGINIA, GO AHEAD.
[00:22:25] CALLER: A COUPLE OF THINGS.
[00:22:28] WHEN THEY STARTED CHANGING THE
[00:22:31] ELECTIONS, MAKING MAIL IN VOTING
[00:22:36] IN MY OPINION -- [INDISCERNIBLE]
[00:22:42] HOST: IF YOU SPEAK MORE INTO YOUR PHONE IT WOULD BE EASIER TO
[00:22:47] HEAR YOU. WHEN THEY CHANGED THE VOTING RULES, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE CHANGES AROUND COVID?
[00:22:51] CALLER: YES.
[00:22:52] HOST: AND THAT IS WHEN YOU
[00:22:55] STARTED TO HAVE MORE CONCERN ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTIONS?
[00:22:58] CALLER: CAN YOU HEAR ME BETTER NOW? HOST: I CAN.
[00:23:02] CALLER: NO, MY CONCERN, I
[00:23:06] THOUGHT WHEN I HEARD IT, I SAID THE DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO TRY
[00:23:09] TO STEAL THE ELECTION.
[00:23:11] AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED I'M PROVEN RIGHT.
[00:23:14] I'M NOT SAYING IT'S ABSOLUTELY SO, I'M SAYING THAT THERE WERE
[00:23:18] LOADS OF VOTING IRREGULARITIES
[00:23:21] BEING ABLE TO BE REVIEWED BY THE COURTS.
[00:23:24] SINCE THEN THERE HAVE INTERVIEWS IN SEVERAL STATES THAT FOUND THE
[00:23:28] VOTING LAWS WERE BROKEN.
[00:23:30] I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IT HAPPENED.
[00:23:33] QUICKLY, ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING EVENTS IN MY LIFETIME
[00:23:36] HAS BEEN WHEN THEY HAD THEIR FIRST VOTE IN IRAQ.
[00:23:40] COULD THESE PEOPLE RISK THEIR LIVES TO GO TO THE POLLS.
[00:23:45] IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
[00:23:46] HOST: A THUMB PRINT WAS PART OF
[00:23:51] THEIR SIGNATURE ON THE BALLOT -- AS I RECALL.
[00:23:52] CALLER: THERE WAS A LOT OF
[00:23:56] DANGER IN VOTING IN THAT ELECTION. PEOPLE WENT OUT AND DID IT VERY BRAVELY.
[00:24:02] HERE IN THE UNITED STATES ALL OF
[00:24:05] A SUDDEN WE HAVE TO CODDLE THE
[00:24:09] DEMOCRATIC PARTY, CODDLING PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO CODDLE VOTERS
[00:24:12] AND SAY YOU CAN VOTE ANYTIME FOR
[00:24:16] 60 DAYS, 90 DAYS, FOR WHAT USED
[00:24:19] TO BE AN ELECTION AND WE WILL JUST SEND YOU A LETTER AND LET
[00:24:23] OTHER PEOPLE TAKE IT IN FOR YOU
[00:24:27] -- FOR CHEATING.
[00:24:30] I WANT TO GO ON TOO LONG, BUT
[00:24:33] FROM A FEDERALISM POINT OF VIEW
[00:24:38] ABOUT TRUMP, HOW ELECTIONS
[00:24:39] SHOULD BE, I THINK THERE ARE
[00:24:44] VALID CONCERNS AND NOW, OUR
[00:24:48] ELECTIONS ARE NOT IN MY OPINION, TRUSTWORTHY.
[00:24:52] HOST: YOU DON'T THINK WITH THE PRESIDENT'S DOING STEPS ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE THAT
[00:24:56] STATES RUN THEIR OWN ELECTIONS,?
[00:24:58] CALLER: I HAVE -- FRANKLY, I
[00:25:04] JUST HEARD ABOUT IT THIS MORNING. YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN IT ENOUGH THOUGHT.
[00:25:10] FEDERALISM -- I'M NOT SURE THE
[00:25:12] PRESIDENT SHOULD BE INTERFERING
[00:25:16] IN ELECTIONS, BUT -- ALL THIS
[00:25:22] CHANGE AND ALL THIS RAMPING UP OF MAIL-IN VOTING, YOU KNOW,
[00:25:25] THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
[00:25:30] THAT WAS A NATIONAL LOOP BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY --
[00:25:33] HOST: GOT YOUR POINT.
[00:25:38] GRANT IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, DEMOCRAT.
[00:25:41] CALLER: YES, GOOD MORNING. PLEASE, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE
[00:25:44] RUDE OR ANYTHING, BUT HE KNOWS
[00:25:49] HE'S GOING TO LOSE THE ELECTION.
[00:25:51] IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF WHITE GUYS
[00:25:55] CALLING IN HERE AND THEY COMPLAINING. TO WHAT?
[00:25:57] HOST: I DON'T KNOW THE RACE OF
[00:26:00] THE CALLERS WHEN THEY CALL IN UNLESS THEY IDENTIFY THEMSELVES
[00:26:04] ON I'M NOT SURE EVERYONE HAS.
[00:26:05] WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON CHANGING ON
[00:26:08] THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER AND ALSO
[00:26:12] MAIL-IN BALLOTS? CALLER: LISTEN.
[00:26:14] 96 WAS THE FIRST TIME I VOTED. I VOTED FOR CLINTON.
[00:26:18] I NEVER HEARD ANOTHER PRESIDENT TALKING ABOUT MAIL-IN VOTING.
[00:26:22] HE'S NERVOUS. THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
[00:26:25] HE KNOW HE ABOUT TO GET
[00:26:31] INVESTIGATED. QB LOOSES THE HOUSE, THE SENATE, IT'S OVER FOR HIM. COME ON.
[00:26:35] IT IS JUST POLITICS HERE.
[00:26:38] ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S ABOUT MAIL-IN VOTING? I'VE NEVER HEARD THIS IN MY LIFE.
[00:26:42] AT 52 YEARS OLD. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD ABOUT SITUATIONS ABOUT
[00:26:46] MAIL-IN VOTING, WHEN HE BECAME PRESIDENT.
[00:26:49] I FEEL SAD FOR THIS COUNTRY. THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
[00:26:53] AND WE GOING THROUGH STUFF LIKE THIS. BUT THE UNITED STATES OF
[00:26:57] AMERICA, GO MAGA. PEACE.
[00:27:00] HOST: DUKE IN STONINGTON, MAINE,
[00:27:06] INDEPENDENT.
[00:27:06] CALLER: GOOD MORNING, C-SPAN.
[00:27:10] YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON THIS MAIL-IN VOTING THING.
[00:27:13] THE STATE OF MAINE HAS GOT A LOT OF ELDERLY PEOPLE.
[00:27:16] WE ARE KNOWN FOR HAVING A LOT OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN OUR STATE.
[00:27:20] THEY DEPEND ON THE MAIL-IN VOTING AND STUFF.
[00:27:23] NOTHING IS 100% SECURE, BUT I WILL TELL YOU ONE THING.
[00:27:27] I TRUST THE WAY THAT THINGS ARE DONE IN THIS STATE.
[00:27:31] I KNOW IN MY TOWN THEY ARE
[00:27:35] VERY, VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THE VOTING. Q VOTE, YOU DON'T DISCUSS
[00:27:38] NOTHING.
[00:27:39] YOU MIGHT SAY HI, HOW ARE YOU
[00:27:43] DOING, THAT KIND OF THING. BUT THAT'S IT. EVERYTHING IS ON THE UP AND UP.
[00:27:47] I SAY THINGS ARE PRETTY MUCH ON THE UP AND UP IN THE STATE OF
[00:27:51] MAINE ANYWAY. EVERYTHING. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE HAVING SUCH A TIME ABOUT THE MAIL-IN
[00:27:55] VOTING, BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED THAT AND STUFF.
[00:27:58] AND SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID, TRUMP KNOWS HE'S GOING TO LOSE.
[00:28:02] HE'S GOING TO LOSE. HE IS TRYING -- HE'S PULLING OUT
[00:28:06] ALL THE STOPS HE CAN PULL OUT TO
[00:28:07] TRY TO SECURE WHAT HE WANTS, AND
[00:28:11] IT'S ALWAYS WHAT HE WANTS. IT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT.
[00:28:15] LIKE WITH THIS CANADIAN THING IN THE STATE OF MAINE.
[00:28:18] US MAINERS DON'T WANT THIS, BUT
[00:28:21] HE DOES, AND HE'S MAKING IT LOOK BAD FOR ALL OF US, LIKE WE ARE
[00:28:24] GOING TO GO ALONG WITH HIM, AND WE DON'T.
[00:28:27] HOST: HOW DO YOU THINK THOSE NEW
[00:28:30] TARIFFS, 50% TARIFFS ON A LOT OF CANADIAN IMPORTS, HOW WAS THAT
[00:28:34] GOING TO IMPACT YOU PERSONALLY IN MAINE?
[00:28:36] CALLER: WELL, PROBABLY -- WELL,
[00:28:42] THEY SAID IF YOU BUY PRODUCE OR
[00:28:45] FUEL, POWER, THAT COMES IN FROM
[00:28:48] CANADA -- WE GET FUEL FROM CANADA.
[00:28:51] WE HAVE WINTER COMING ON. THE POWER BILLS ARE GOING TO BE
[00:28:55] HIGHER ANYHOW. FUEL BILLS ARE GOING TO BE ASTRONOMICALLY HIGHER.
[00:28:59] I DON'T KNOW HOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PAY FOR IT AS IS.
[00:29:02] THESE TARIFFS ARE JUST GOING TO MAKE IT THAT MUCH ROUGHER FOR PEOPLE.
[00:29:06] IT'S JUST AWFUL. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
[00:29:10] HE'S MAKING US LOOK SO BAD OVER HERE AND WE ARE JUST A LAUGHING
[00:29:14] STOCK IN THE WORLD AND STUFF, AND PEOPLE ARE MAD AT THOSE.
[00:29:18] AND WE LOST ALL OF OUR FRIENDS AND OUR ALLIES AND STUFF. I DON'T KNOW.
[00:29:22] WHOEVER GETS IN, THEY HAVE A JOB TO GET US BACK ON A LEVEL
[00:29:25] PLAYING GROUND, AND, YOU KNOW,
[00:29:29] GET OUR ALLIES AND FRIENDS BACK AGAIN. IT IS A SAD SITUATION AND I FEEL
[00:29:33] SO SAD FOR THIS COUNTRY. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD LIVE TO SEE THIS.
[00:29:36] I'M ALMOST 75 AND HAVE IN MY LI. THANK YOU.
[00:29:39] HOST: DUKE BRINGING UP ONE OF
[00:29:43] THE OTHER BIG STORIES FROM
[00:29:45] YESTERDAY, 50% TARIFFS WITH
[00:29:49] CERTAIN PRODUCTS COMING FROM CANADA WITH THE LATEST TRADE WAR
[00:29:53] WITH OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH.
[00:29:55] THAT'S ONE OF THE TOPICS WE CAN
[00:29:57] TALK ABOUT AN OPEN FORUM.
[00:30:03] ANY TOPIC YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
[00:30:05] , WE CAN TALK ABOUT MAIL-IN VOTING, TARIFFS.
[00:30:09] REPUBLICANS, 202-748-8001.
[00:30:12] DEMOCRATS 202-748-8000. INDEPENDENTS 202-748-8002.
[00:30:18] HERE IS ONE OTHER TOPIC FROM YESTERDAY TREASURY SECRETARY
[00:30:22] SCOTT BESSENT SAYING THE U.S.
[00:30:24] WOULD START A NEW CAMPAIGN OF
[00:30:26] ECONOMIC MEASURES AGAINST IRAN
[00:30:29] -- ANYONE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE IRANIAN REGIME.
[00:30:32] OFFICIAL SEND U.S. STRATEGY,
[00:30:36] THERE'S A PICTURE OF THE TREASURY SECRETARY MAKING THE ANNOUNCEMENT YESTERDAY WITH
[00:30:40] REPORTERS AND HERE IS ABOUT A FEW MINUTES FROM THAT STATEMENT. [VIDEO CLIP]
[00:30:43] >> TODAY WE ARE LAUNCHING
[00:30:48] OPERATION ECONOMIC OUTCAST TO
[00:30:51] PRECLUDE EVERY OTHER OPTION AVAILABLE TO THE IRANIAN REGIME.
[00:30:54] TREASURY HAS MAPPED EVERY NODE,
[00:30:59] EVERY FACILITATOR AND EVERY
[00:31:00] NETWORK IRAN HAS USED TO SMUGGLE
[00:31:04] OIL AND EVADE SANCTIONS. BEGINNING TODAY THE ACTIONS OF
[00:31:07] TREASURY AND OTHER AGENCIES WILL
[00:31:09] TIGHTEN THE NOOSE AND BLOCK
[00:31:12] EVERY POTENTIAL SOURCE OF
[00:31:15] REVENUE THAT FUNDS THE IRGC AND THE PEOPLE OF IRANIAN REGIME.
[00:31:19] WE ARE FORCING A ZERO LEAKAGE APPROACH. THERE'LL WILL BE NO MINIMAL
[00:31:24] BRIEFING -- BREATHING SPACE TO REBUILD ITS CAPACITY AGAINST
[00:31:28] AMERICA AND THE WORLD.
[00:31:31] THE FINAL REFUGE OF THIS REGIME
[00:31:34] IS THE MISTAKEN CONCLUSION OF NATIONS THAT STILL FINANCE THE
[00:31:37] IRANIAN THREAT IN THE HOPES OF EVADING IT.
[00:31:41] IT IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE TO
[00:31:44] OPERATE IN THE GRAY SPACES OF THIS CONFLICT.
[00:31:47] COUNTRIES CANNOT CLAIM THEY ARE
[00:31:50] BLIND TO ENABLING THIS ACTIVITY.
[00:31:53] IRAN'S ENABLERS PURCHASED AND
[00:31:57] TRANSPORTED PETROLEUM AND FACILITATE THE FLOW OF ITS
[00:31:58] FINANCES THROUGH EXCHANGE HOUSES .
[00:32:01] THEY WELCOME IRAN'S AND MAINTAIN
[00:32:05] REGISTRIES ON ITS BEHALF. THEY TURN A BLIND EYE TO
[00:32:09] SUPPORTED FUEL TRANSFERS AND OVERLAND.
[00:32:14] THEY CONDONE ILLICIT USE OF THEIR BANKS ALL THE WHILE
[00:32:17] CONCEALING THE EXTENT OF THEIR COMPLICITY. THE PRESIDENT IS MAKING PHONE
[00:32:21] CALLS TO WORLD LEADERS WITH
[00:32:22] SPECIFIC REQUESTS TO CEASE THEIR
[00:32:26] INTERACTIONS WITH THE REGIME.
[00:32:28] YOU ARE ALREADY SEEING RESULTS. OVER THE WEEKEND COMMENTS FROM
[00:32:31] IRANIAN LEADERSHIP CLEARLY
[00:32:35] ACKNOWLEDGE THE EFFECT OF THIS CAMPAIGN.
[00:32:37] AND NATIONS THAT FACILITATE ANY
[00:32:42] INTERACTIONS WITH THE REGIME TOO QUICKLY -- SHOULD QUICKLY HEED OUR MESSAGE.
[00:32:46] THOSE WHO STAND WITH THE U.S. WILL REAP THE REWARDS OF OUR PARTNERSHIP.
[00:32:51] THOSE WHO TETHER THEMSELVES TO THE IRANIAN REGIME SHOULD EXPECT
[00:32:54] TO SHARE IN THE ISOLATION OF A WITHERING REGIME.
[00:32:57] >> THAT WAS THE TREASURY
[00:33:01] SECRETARY YESTERDAY WHEN HE SPOKE THIS MORNING ON THE
[00:33:06] WASHINGTON JOURNAL. THAT TOPIC OR ANY TOPIC ON PUBLIC POLICY ISSUE YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
[00:33:10] GO AHEAD AND CALL IN IN BALTIMORE.
[00:33:13] DEMOCRAT GO AHEAD. CALLER: GOOD MORNING.
[00:33:16] I'M 80 YEARS OLD AND I'VE BEEN
[00:33:20] VOTING ABSENTEE FOR ABOUT THE
[00:33:21] LAST 20 YEARS BECAUSE MY POLLING
[00:33:25] PLACE WAS NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE.
[00:33:27] I DO NOT AGREE WITH WHAT THE
[00:33:32] PRESIDENT IS ATTEMPTING TO DO NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF MY
[00:33:36] DISABILITY, BUT BECAUSE THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE
[00:33:40] MILITARY WHO VOTE BY ABSENTEE
[00:33:43] AND NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE DUAL
[00:33:47] CITIZENSHIP WHO VOTE ABSENTEE AND I'M LOOKING RIGHT NOW AT
[00:33:50] WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN NEVADA
[00:33:52] WHICH IS GOING TO BE THE SECOND PLACE WHERE THE DEMOCRATS ARE
[00:33:56] GOING TO HAVE THE PRIMARY.
[00:33:59] WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT.
[00:34:03] SO WE HAVE A LOT TO BE CONCERNED .
[00:34:06] WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS,
[00:34:09] AND THERE ARE VERY FEW INCIDENTS OF PEOPLE VOTING ILLEGALLY.
[00:34:15] THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF EVEN VOTED
[00:34:16] BY MAIL SO REALLY WE OUGHT TO
[00:34:20] LOOK AT THIS AND ALLOW THE
[00:34:23] PEOPLE TO CARRY OUT THE RIGHTS THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE.
[00:34:27] HOST: HERE IS WHAT THE PRESIDENT
[00:34:32] WILL VOTE TO. HE MAKES THE ARGUMENT THAT
[00:34:33] MAIL-IN BALLOT AND IS AWAITED
[00:34:37] CLOSE LOOPHOLES TO PREVENT VOTER FRAUD POINTS TO A CENSUS BUREAU
[00:34:40] RELEASING A RECENT PRELIMINARY
[00:34:42] ANALYSIS CLAIMING TO IDENTIFY
[00:34:46] 24,000 NONCITIZENS WHO CAST VOTES IN THE 2020 ELECTION,
[00:34:50] POINTING TO VARIOUS STATES AND
[00:34:53] TOTALS IN THOSE STATES. AND THEN MORE RECENTLY WOULD
[00:34:55] POINT TO THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
[00:34:59] WHO DISCLOSED THAT IT HAD INADVERTENTLY REGISTERED
[00:35:03] THOUSANDS OF NONCITIZENS BECAUSE OF A SOFTWARE ERROR IN ITS COMPUTER SYSTEM INCLUDING 340
[00:35:07] PEOPLE WHO WENT TO CAST BALLOTS
[00:35:11] IN RECENT YEARS. HE WILL SAY THOSE ARE EXAMPLES AND REASONS WHY WE NEED TO
[00:35:15] STRENGTHEN OUR VOTING SYSTEM AND MAKE SURE ONLY THOSE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE TO VOTE.
[00:35:23] CALLER: HELLO?
[00:35:24] HOST: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THAT ALICE.
[00:35:28] CALLER: I WOULD SAY WE DON'T
[00:35:32] NECESSARILY KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE.
[00:35:35] OFTENTIMES WE GET INFORMATION
[00:35:37] THAT IS DISINFORMATION SO HAS THAT ACTUALLY BEEN PROVEN.
[00:35:39] HOST: THAT'S ALICE IN BALTIMORE
[00:35:43] MARYLAND. THIS IS IN COLUMBIA, MISSOURI. REPUBLICAN GO AHEAD.
[00:35:47] CALLER: HI.
[00:35:52] THE MALE VOTES BREAK THE CHAIN
[00:35:55] OF CUSTODY.
[00:35:58] THE BALLOTS CAN BE TAMPERED WITH OR CHANGED IN THE MAIL.
[00:36:05] THEY DON'T PROVE IDENTIFICATION, THEY DON'T PROVE THAT THE VOTER
[00:36:09] IS ALIVE -- ANYBODY COULD FILL
[00:36:13] OUT THE BALLOT.
[00:36:13] HOST: SO ARE YOU AGAINST ALL
[00:36:18] MAIL-IN BALLOT IN? WHAT ABOUT FOLKS WHO SERVE
[00:36:22] OVERSEAS IN THE MILITARY WHO USE MAIL-IN BALLOTS?
[00:36:25] ARE YOU AGAINST ALL FORMS OF MAIL-IN BALLOT AND?
[00:36:28] CALLER: ALL THE MILITARY
[00:36:33] DEPLOYED AND ELDERLY CERTAIN
[00:36:41] HANDICAPS, MOST EVERY VOTING PLACE SHOULD BE HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE.
[00:36:46] WE NEED TO HAVE SMALL PRECINCTS
[00:36:51] WITH NO LINES AND NOT THE HUGE VOTING CENTERS.
[00:36:54] AND ANYBODY COULD BUY VOTES FROM
[00:36:59] MAIL-IN VOTING.
[00:37:01] IT DOESN'T SHOW IDEA OR PERSON
[00:37:04] -- PROOF OF LIFE.
[00:37:09] THEY CAN BE HARVESTED AND
[00:37:12] TAMPERED WITH AND IT IS JUST IT IS NOT A SECRET BALLOT.
[00:37:15] AND OUR BALLOT SHOULD PROVE THAT WE ARE THE ONES MAKING THE CHOICES.
[00:37:20] HOST: HAVE YOU OVER A BOAT -- VOTED BY MAIL?
[00:37:23] CALLER: NO.
[00:37:26] I VOTED ABSENTEE, BUT I WENT TO
[00:37:31] THE COURTHOUSE AND VOTED -- I
[00:37:35] SENT OFF TO THE SIDE AND VOTED.
[00:37:39] YES BECAUSE I WAS GOING ON VACATION.
[00:37:40] SO -- BUT YOU NEED -- THE
[00:37:44] BALLOTS NEED TO STAY IN A SECURE
[00:37:45] PLACE AT ALL TIMES SO THEY CAN BE TAMPERED WITH.
[00:37:49] HOST: THIS IS KAREN IN
[00:37:53] PENNSYLVANIA, A DEMOCRAT. CALLER: GOOD MORNING.
[00:38:00] BLESS C-SPAN AND GOD BLESS BRIAN LAMB.
[00:38:02] I'M A DISABLED PERSON AND THEY
[00:38:05] WANT TO TAKE WHEN MY RIGHT TO VOTE WHICH I DON'T AGREE WITH.
[00:38:08] THE OTHER THING IS POLITICIANS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE THE VOTERS.
[00:38:12] THE VOTERS ARE SUPPOSED TO CHOOSE THE POLITICIANS. AND THE THING I WANT TO ASK
[00:38:16] AMERICA IS WHY IN THE WORLD DO
[00:38:21] WE HAVE THE SO-CALLED BEST AND
[00:38:25] BRIGHTEST PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY AND THEY CAN AGREE ON IT. ON THE MEANING OF A WORD.
[00:38:28] HOST: WHY DO YOU THINK YOU'RE
[00:38:31] RIGHT TO VOTE IS BEING TAKEN AWAY?
[00:38:35] CALLER: I VOTE BY MAIL.
[00:38:37] I'VE BEEN DISABLED I WAS
[00:38:40] DISABLED IN 2020 AND AS OF 2024I WAS UNABLE TO TRAVEL.
[00:38:43] HOST: HAVE YOU EVER WORRIED
[00:38:46] ABOUT TEMP -- TAMPERING OR HARVESTING. ANYTHING THESE PREVIOUS CALLERS HAVE BROUGHT UP.
[00:38:50] >> OUR COUNTY TAKES CARE.
[00:38:55] EVERYTHING IS VERIFIED FIRST.
[00:38:57] THEY SEND YOU A MESSAGE SAYING
[00:39:02] IF YOU WANT A MAIL-IN BALLOT PLEASE FILL OUT THIS APPLICATION
[00:39:06] AND WE WILL SEND IT TO YOU. MY HUSBAND FILLED IT OUT THEY
[00:39:10] SENT US A BALLOT IN TWO WEEKS.
[00:39:14] BUT IT WAS THOROUGHLY DONE. THOROUGHLY CHECKED AND VETTED.
[00:39:16] AND I TRUST BASED ON EVERYTHING
[00:39:20] ELSE THEY DO IN THIS COUNTY I TRUST THAT THEY'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
[00:39:23] >> THIS IS LAVINA IN
[00:39:28] PENNSYLVANIA. INDEPENDENT GO AHEAD.
[00:39:31] >> I AM A POLL WORKER.
[00:39:35] I'M 73 YEARS OLD AND I'M NOW
[00:39:39] I'VE BEEN VOTING ALL MY LIFE.
[00:39:40] AND NOW YOU WANT TO SAY THAT
[00:39:46] MAIL-IN BALLOTS DON'T WORK.
[00:39:47] THEY WORK FOR ANYONE WHO ISN'T
[00:39:50] ABLE TO WALK, IS NOT ABLE TO BE
[00:39:55] PRESENT AND HE IS JUST DOING THIS BECAUSE HE FEELS THAT HE IS GOING TO LOSE.
[00:40:00] IT IS VERY FRIGHTENING TO SEE WHERE OUR COUNTRY IS RIGHT NOW.
[00:40:04] 80'S FRIGHTENING.
[00:40:06] >> HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU
[00:40:10] WORKED AT POLLS AND WHY DID YOU GET STARTED IN THE FIRST PLACE
[00:40:14] AND WHAT'S -- HAVE YOUR VIEWS ON
[00:40:18] VOTING EVOLVED?
[00:40:20] CALLER: I STARTED DOING IT I GUESS THIS IS PROBABLY IN MY
[00:40:24] THIRD YEAR. MY THIRD TIME DOING IT.
[00:40:28] A NEIGHBOR JUST ASKED IF I WANTED TO WORK AT THE POLLS AND I SAID YES.
[00:40:34] HOST: WHAT'S YOUR USUAL JOB WHEN
[00:40:37] YOU GO AND WORK.
[00:40:38] CALLER: I AM A MINORITY PERSON.
[00:40:42] HOST: WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
[00:40:44] CALLER: I VERIFY THE PEOPLE AS
[00:40:48] THEY CHECK IN. AND THEN I HOLD ONTO THAT
[00:40:52] PAPERWORK FOR FIVE YEARS.
[00:40:54] HOST: YOU HOLD ONTO IT OR I
[00:40:58] ASSUME THE COUNTY IN THE ELECTIONS OFFICE HOLD ONTO IT.
[00:41:00] CALLER: EVERYBODY HAS THEIR SEVERAL COPIES.
[00:41:04] . HOST: WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE KNOW
[00:41:08] ABOUT WORKING AT THE POLLS.
[00:41:12] EITHER YOU DON'T THINK THEY GENERALLY KNOW IN YOUR EXPERIENCE.
[00:41:15] CALLER: -- I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT
[00:41:20] THEY WOULD KNOW.
[00:41:22] YOU ARE THERE TO VERIFY THAT THE
[00:41:25] PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU HAS -- IS
[00:41:30] THE CORRECT PERSON WHO REGISTERED.
[00:41:33] AND AT THE END EVERYTHING IS
[00:41:36] CHECKED OFTEN VERIFIED AND EVERY
[00:41:40] DIFFERENT PACKAGE THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT PACKAGES THAT VERIFY THE SAME THING.
[00:41:45] HOST: AND YOU ARE GOING TO WORK AGAIN THIS YEAR.
[00:41:49] CALLER: ABSOLUTELY.
[00:41:51] HOST: THIS IS NEW BEDFORD
[00:41:56] MASSACHUSETTS INDEPENDENT. MARK YOU ARE UP. CALLER: HOW ARE YOU.
[00:42:03] I WANT TO COMMENT ON THE MAIL-IN BALLOTS.
[00:42:04] I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANY
[00:42:08] PROBLEM WITH IT AT ALL. THE PRESIDENT SEEMS TO HAVE NO
[00:42:12] ISSUE WITH HIS MAIL-IN BALLOT
[00:42:15] ORDER ANY RED STATES DON'T SEEM TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR
[00:42:19] MAIL-IN BALLOTS.
[00:42:23] IN AREAS THAT ARE PRIMARILY MINORITY. IN THE INCIDENT THAT ALSO
[00:42:27] HAPPENED IN NEW JERSEY ALSO HAPPENED IN TEXAS THIS YEAR.
[00:42:31] SO IT IS NOT TYPICALLY JUST BLUE
[00:42:34] STATES THAT ISSUE THAT.
[00:42:36] HOST: WITH THAT ISSUE DO YOU THINK THERE IS SOME REASON THERE
[00:42:40] TO TIGHTEN UP VOTER REGISTRATION
[00:42:45] ROLLS THE WAY THEY GIVE OUT
[00:42:46] MAIL-IN BALLOTS, IS THERE SOME INDICATION THAT THERE IS WORK
[00:42:50] THAT COULD BE DONE? REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS THIS
[00:42:55] DECISION, THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER OR SOMETHING ELSE OR IS ANYTHING
[00:42:59] THAT'S DONE MORE LIKELY TO DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
[00:43:04] CALLER: IT IS UP TO INDIVIDUAL
[00:43:09] STATES WHEN IDENTIFY VOTER FRAUD. THERE IS NO VOTER FRAUD ESSENTIALLY NEW JERSEY.
[00:43:14] I DON'T BELIEVE ANYBODY GOT TO VOTE. I THINK IT WAS 10 PEOPLE.
[00:43:19] BUT THAT WAS DONE THROUGH THE REGISTRY NOT THROUGH THE MOTOR
[00:43:23] VEHICLE THROUGH.
[00:43:31] HOST: SO THAT SYSTEM COULD HAVE SOME IMPROVEMENT.
[00:43:35] CALLER: YES ABSOLUTELY.
[00:43:39] >> THIS IS ED IN NORTH CAROLINA.
[00:43:45] ABOUT 10 MINUTES LEFT WE CAN TALK BALLOTS AND FOREIGN POLICY.
[00:43:54] CALLER: THE GUY BEFORE ME
[00:43:56] BROUGHT UP IN 2020, THE DMV LOST
[00:44:07] 30,000 BALLOTS.
[00:44:09] THEY WENT -- TO GEORGIA AND ON
[00:44:15] THE NEWSCAST BACK THEN, THEY WAS
[00:44:19] ONE TIME TALKING ABOUT BUT I'VE
[00:44:23] GOT A FRIEND OF MINE THERE, HE
[00:44:29] -- WHENEVER HIS LICENSE CAME DUE
[00:44:33] IN 2023, HE IS -- HIS
[00:44:37] IDENTIFICATION WAS STOLEN AND HE
[00:44:40] HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL THE FACT
[00:44:43] AND YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
[00:44:45] MAIL-IN BALLOTS -- MY DAD DIED
[00:44:55] IN 16 END IN 2020 GOT A BALLOT.
[00:44:58] A FRIEND OF MINE'S MOTHER HAD
[00:45:00] DIED IN 2018 AND SHE GOT A
[00:45:05] BALLOT AND SUPPOSEDLY IN NORTH
[00:45:07] CAROLINA YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO
[00:45:10] SEND IN TO GET A MAIL-IN BALLOT.
[00:45:17] BUT IN 2020, ME AND MY WIFE WE
[00:45:21] GOT BALLOTS TWO DIFFERENT TIMES.
[00:45:26] WE GOT FOR BALLOTS AND --
[00:45:30] HOST: THESE WERE ACTUAL BALLOTS
[00:45:33] YOU COULD FILL OUT AND DROP INTO THE VOTING BOOTH OR JUST
[00:45:37] REGISTRATION? CALLER: NO -- THEY WAS VOTING
[00:45:41] BALLOTS.
[00:45:44] AND -- AND THE LADY WAS TALKING
[00:45:48] A WHILE AGO ABOUT THESE POLL WORKERS.
[00:45:52] WELL I AM ALSO -- FOR PROBABLY
[00:45:57] THE PAST 14 YEARS.
[00:45:59] I TRUST THE PEOPLE OF THE POLLS
[00:46:04] BECAUSE MOST OF THEM IS HONEST
[00:46:09] AND WE GOING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN.
[00:46:13] BUT WHAT I DON'T TRUST IS THE
[00:46:18] ELECTION BOARDS BECAUSE IT'S
[00:46:23] JUST LIKE NORTH CAROLINA, WE
[00:46:25] HAVE JUST CHANGED THE PRIORITY
[00:46:32] OVER THE ELECTION BOARDS USED TO
[00:46:35] IF A DEMOCRAT WAS GOVERNOR -- A
[00:46:42] DEMOCRAT WAS AHEAD JUDGE AND
[00:46:46] OVER THE ELECTION BOARD.
[00:46:50] NOW, TWO YEARS AGO OR THREE
[00:46:54] YEARS AGO THEY CHANGED THAT.
[00:46:56] NOW TO WHERE ITS OPPOSITE.
[00:47:00] HOST: IF I HEAR YOU YOU TRUST
[00:47:03] LOCAL OFFICIALS MORE THAN STATE OFFICIALS.
[00:47:07] IS THAT AN ARGUMENT THEN TO KEEP
[00:47:10] ELECTIONS IN THE WAY WE CONDUCT
[00:47:12] ELECTIONS AS LOCAL AS POSSIBLE
[00:47:16] THE WAY THE SYSTEM SHOULD WORK AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, SHOULD
[00:47:20] THERE BE FEDERAL EXECUTIVE
[00:47:23] ORDERS ABOUT WHICH WAYS PEOPLE CAN AND CANNOT VOTE?
[00:47:26] YOU MAY AGREE WITH THE PARTY IN POWER RIGHT NOW BUT THAT COULD
[00:47:30] CHANGE DOWN THE ROAD WITH IT -- AND DIFFERENT EXECUTIVE ORDER, L.
[00:47:38] -- AND A DIFFERENT EXECUTIVE ORDER COULD COME OUT.
[00:47:40] CALLER: PEOPLE YOU KNOW THAT
[00:47:45] PEOPLE ARE GUNG HO ABOUT THEIR
[00:47:50] PARTY. MOST OF THE PEOPLE.
[00:47:58] AND JUST LIKE I'M A REPUBLICAN. , MAGA, NO.
[00:48:02] I COULD VOTE EITHER WAY.
[00:48:06] I VOTE ON MY -- UNDERSTANDING OF
[00:48:15] THE POLITICIAN. MOST PEOPLE DON'T.
[00:48:19] MOST PEOPLE -- JESUS CHRIST COULD RUN ON EITHER A DEMOCRAT
[00:48:23] OR REPUBLICAN TICKET AND A LOT
[00:48:28] OF THE OPPOSITE PARTY MEMBERS
[00:48:32] WOULD VOTE AGAINST JESUS CHRIST.
[00:48:33] HOST: GETTING INTO HOW PEOPLE
[00:48:39] VOTE AND NOT THE MECHANICS OF VOTING. THE MECHANICS ARE THE QUESTION.
[00:48:42] CALLER: THE MECHANICS ARE THE
[00:48:45] QUESTION AND -- AND THAT'S
[00:48:49] THAT'S JUST LIKE THE GUY FROM
[00:48:53] MASSACHUSETTS WAS TALKING ABOUT.
[00:48:56] THAT IS A PROBLEM WHEN PEOPLE GO
[00:49:00] AND GET IN LINE AT A DRIVER'S
[00:49:04] LICENSE PLACE BUT ARE NOT CITIZENS.
[00:49:07] HOW DID AN 80-YEAR-OLD MAN THAT
[00:49:11] I DROVE SINCE HE WAS 16 YEARS OLD.
[00:49:16] HOW DID HIS DRIVERS LICENSE, HIS
[00:49:20] IDENTITY, OUT THE DMV IN NORTH
[00:49:23] CAROLINA AND END UP IN GEORGIA.
[00:49:26] HOST: TIME FOR A COUPLE MORE
[00:49:30] CALLS. THIS IS BETTY IN MESQUITE, DEMOCRAT.
[00:49:34] CALLER: YES.
[00:49:38] I'M AN 87-YEAR-OLD POSTAL
[00:49:42] RETIREE.
[00:49:46] AND ANYBODY WHO THINKS THAT
[00:49:47] PEOPLE ARE CHANGING OR DOING
[00:49:51] THINGS WITH MAILING VOTES, MAIL-IN BALLOTS WHEN THEY COME
[00:49:55] INTO THE POST OFFICE THERE IS A -- WHAT DO THEY THINK, THE
[00:49:59] POSTMAN IS OUT THERE CHANGING BALLOTS BEFORE THEY GET TO THE POST OFFICE?
[00:50:05] I DON'T KNOW IF AMERICA HAS JUST GOTTEN STUPID OR WHAT.
[00:50:12] I HAVE ONLY ONE MORE COMMENT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE.
[00:50:16] I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT OUR
[00:50:20] PRESIDENT WATCHES C-SPAN SOMETIMES IN THE MORNING AND I
[00:50:23] PRAY THAT HE IS WATCHING THIS MORNING.
[00:50:26] I WANT HIM TO KNOW WHEN HE GETS
[00:50:29] TO THOSE PEARLY GATES, JD VANCE,
[00:50:34] KASH PATEL IS NOT TO BE STANDING BEHIND HIM.
[00:50:38] HOST: GOT YOUR POINT BETTY.
[00:50:43] BETTY IN TENNESSEE. THIS IS KELLY IN NORTH CAROLINA, REPUBLICAN GO AHEAD.
[00:50:48] CALLER: I JUST WANTED TO LET
[00:50:52] EVERYBODY KNOW THEY ARE
[00:50:54] PANICKING OVER NOTHING AS FAR AS
[00:50:59] BEING IN THE MILITARY OR BEING
[00:51:03] DISABLED, OR ELDERLY AND CANNOT
[00:51:07] WALK.
[00:51:10] OR IF YOU ARE SICK OR TRAVELING.
[00:51:17] OK. THIS IS THE WAY IT GOES.
[00:51:20] YOU WILL STILL RECEIVE YOUR MAIL
[00:51:25] IN BALLOT.
[00:51:28] THEY WILL NOT BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU. AND JOHN YOU SHOULD BE TELLING
[00:51:32] THEM THAT EVERY TIME THEY SAY
[00:51:36] THAT SO THEY DON'T PANIC. YOU STILL GET YOUR MAIL-IN BALLOTS FOR THAT.
[00:51:42] SO PLEASE DON'T BE UPSET BECAUSE
[00:51:45] IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU -- IT'S
[00:51:48] NOT GOOD FOR YOUR BODY OK?
[00:51:50] HOST: ARE YOU -- DO YOU HAVE
[00:51:56] ISSUES WITH STATES WHO VOTE PRIMARILY BY MAIL?
[00:52:00] THAT THAT IS THE MAIN WAY THEY VOTE AND SEND OUT MAIL-IN
[00:52:04] BALLOTS TO ALL OR MOST ALL
[00:52:07] ELIGIBLE VOTERS IN THE STATE, IS THAT SYSTEM NOT WORK FOR YOU?
[00:52:11] SHOULD THAT BE CHANGED? CALLER: THAT SHOULD BE CHANGED YES.
[00:52:14] HOST: IF SOME PEOPLE CAN VOTE BY
[00:52:17] MAIL AND IT WORKS, WHY NOT HAVE
[00:52:21] EVERYBODY VOTE BY MAIL AND HAVE IT WORK.
[00:52:23] CALLER: WELL -- BECAUSE THESE
[00:52:31] PEOPLE, THEY ASKED FOR MAIL-IN BALLOT. IT ISN'T AUTOMATICALLY SENT.
[00:52:34] TO EVERYBODY.
[00:52:37] IT IS SENT TO SPECIAL PEOPLE LIKE I JUST ELICITED.
[00:52:40] HOST: SO YOU HAVE NO PROBLEM FOR
[00:52:44] MAIL-IN BALLOTS AS LONG AS IT'S REQUESTED. CALLER: WELL NOT IN -- NOT THE
[00:52:48] WHOLE STATE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
[00:52:51] IF YOU NOTICED THAT EVER SINCE
[00:52:55] THEY WENT TOTALLY MAILING, THEY
[00:52:58] WENT TOTALLY DEMOCRAT TWO. HOST: WHICH STATED THAT?
[00:53:02] CALLER: THAT WOULD BE
[00:53:05] WASHINGTON, OREGON -- PLACES
[00:53:09] LIKE THAT. HOST: SO YOU THINK MAIL-IN
[00:53:14] VOTING IS MORE LIKELY TO WIN
[00:53:16] SEATS FOR DEMOCRATS, THAN IT IS POLITICAL.
[00:53:20] CALLER: AND THEY ARE CHEATING
[00:53:26] AND IT'S BEEN SHOWN AND BEEN OUT THERE, BUT GUESS WHAT?
[00:53:31] THE NEWS ISN'T SHOWING WHAT
[00:53:34] COMES OUT, THE REGULAR NEWS I
[00:53:38] MEAN LIKE CNN AND MSNBC AND ABC,
[00:53:42] THEY DON'T PUT IT OUT THERE. THEY DON'T -- THEY JUST DON'T REPORT IT.
[00:53:47] IT'S LYING BY OMISSION. AND NOT TELLING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
[00:53:52] AND NOT TELLING THEM THAT THEY ARE STILL GETTING THE PEOPLE WHO
[00:53:55] DESPERATELY NEED IT ARE STILL
[00:53:58] GETTING THE MAIL-IN BALLOTS. BUT IT'S LIKE IT USED TO BE
[00:54:02] BEFORE COVID, EXCEPT FOR THOSE
[00:54:05] STATES THAT WENT COMPLETELY MALE IN A LONG TIME AGO.
[00:54:08] HOST: KELLY IN NORTH CAROLINA.
[00:54:13] THIS IS VINCENT IN TULSA. REPUBLICAN. GO AHEAD.
[00:54:15] CALLER: CAN YOU HEAR ME? HOST: I CAN SIR.
[00:54:21] CALLER: I'M VOTING SAFER
[00:54:24] GOVERNOR, CITY COUNCIL, SENATE,
[00:54:27] CONGRESS, U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
[00:54:29] AND I'M GOING TO USE MY DRIVERS
[00:54:35] LICENSE WHERE I HAVE BEEN USING JUST A PIECE OF PAPER WITH MY NAME ON IT.
[00:54:39] >> YOU BEEN USING A PIECE OF
[00:54:43] PAPER WITH YOUR NAME ON IT. EXPLAIN.
[00:54:44] CALLER: THE ELECTION BOARD SENDS THEM IN THE MAIL.
[00:54:49] IT'S JUST A PIECE OF PAPER WITH MY SIGNATURE ON IT.
[00:54:52] BUT TRUMP IS GETTING RID OF THAT ISN'T HE?
[00:54:54] HOST: WHAT EXACTLY ARE TALKING
[00:54:59] ABOUT IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU USE. ARE YOU SAYING YOU TRUST THE
[00:55:02] SYSTEM THAT'S IN PLACE IN OKLAHOMA?
[00:55:03] CALLER: WELL I'M GOING TO USE MY
[00:55:08] DRIVERS LICENSE TODAY.
[00:55:09] IN OREGON MY UNCLE -- HE WANTS
[00:55:12] TO DO ABSENTEE BALLOT, ABSENTEE
[00:55:15] BALLOT AND I THINK THEY'RE GETTING RID OF THAT AREN'T THEY?
[00:55:18] HOST: IN TERMS OF ALL MAILING
[00:55:23] BALLOTING THAT IS SOMETHING THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T THINK SHOULD
[00:55:25] HAPPEN AS FAR AS HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER.
[00:55:28] BUT ABSENTEE BALLOT IN TERMS OF SAYING I WILL BE OUT OF THE
[00:55:32] COUNTRY AND I'M TRAVELING, THAT SYSTEM IS NOT NECESSARILY THE
[00:55:37] TARGET OF THE ALL MAIL-IN VOTING
[00:55:40] THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO PUT RESTRICTIONS BACK ON TOO MUCH MAIL-IN VOTING.
[00:55:43] CALLER: OK, HAPPY NEW YEAR.
[00:55:47] HOST: VINCENT IN TULSA.
[00:55:51] THE PRIMARY PLACE IN OKLAHOMA.
[00:55:57] THERE WAS ALSO KEY ELECTION HAPPENING IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
[00:56:01] TO DETERMINE WHO WILL BE THE REPUBLICAN ON THE BALLOT IN
[00:56:04] NOVEMBER FOR THE SEAT. THAT WAS HELD BY LINDSEY GRAHAM
[00:56:08] BEFORE HIS DEATH.
[00:56:11] NOW BEING HELD BY DARLINE GRAHAM .
[00:56:14] DARLINE GRAHAM RUNNING IN THE PRIMARY TODAY TO TRY AND WIN
[00:56:16] ANOTHER TERM FOR THAT SEAT.
[00:56:20] BUT SHE FACES A CHALLENGE IN THE
[00:56:23] FORM OF RALPH NORMAN, THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN FROM
[00:56:26] NORTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA. THE SPECIAL PRIMARY RUNOFF AS
[00:56:32] IT'S KNOWN IS TAKING PLACE TODAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
[00:56:35] WE WILL FIND OUT LATER TODAY DEPENDING ON HOW CLOSE IT IS
[00:56:41] WHEN -- WHO WILL BE THE REPUBLICAN ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER.
[00:56:44] ONE OF THE KEY RACES BEING WATCHED TODAY.
[00:56:47] ONE OF THE LATER PRIMARIES IN THIS CAMPAIGN 2026.
[00:56:50] WILL BE WATCHING, A FEW MINUTES
[00:56:54] LEFT IN OPEN FORM TO HEAR FROM YOU ON THE TOPIC YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
[00:56:58] THIS IS WILLY IN NORTH CAROLINA. INDEPENDENT, GO AHEAD.
[00:57:02] CALLER: GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
[00:57:06] FIRST TIME CALLER.
[00:57:12] WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELECTION.
[00:57:15] I THINK A LOT OF IT IS MOSTLY
[00:57:16] CENTERED AROUND BEING ABLE TO
[00:57:20] PURGE VOTERS. I SEE THEY'RE COMING FROM ALL
[00:57:24] DIFFERENT ANGLES.
[00:57:25] SO PURGING VOTERS USING DMV WITH
[00:57:28] THE ELECTION BOARD TO BE ABLE TO
[00:57:32] PURGE PEOPLE'S VOTES HAS BEEN
[00:57:34] GOING ON IN THE LAST THREE
[00:57:39] ELECTIONS. I HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN AND WHAT HE ABOUT IT.
[00:57:40] HOST: WHAT YOU MEAN BY PURGE PEOPLE'S VOTES.
[00:57:45] >> IT'S LIKE IN 1965.
[00:57:51] UNDER THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT.
[00:57:53] NO PERSON SHALL BE PURGED NINE DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION.
[00:57:57] IN THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS. >> REMOVING PEOPLE FROM VOTER ROLLS.
[00:58:01] >> CORRECT.
[00:58:04] THERE WAS ALSO A DOCUMENTARY
[00:58:07] THAT CAME OUT CALLED VIGILANTE
[00:58:11] INC. DETAILING EXACTLY HOW THEY DO IT.
[00:58:14] BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING
[00:58:16] CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE'S VOTING
[00:58:20] AND THEY GET THEIR VOTING RIGHTS PURGED.
[00:58:25] >> THERE'S A LOT MORE CONCERN TO
[00:58:29] HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE NEWS OF VOTER ROLLS BEING WRONG AND
[00:58:32] PEOPLE BEING ON FOR TOO LONG AS
[00:58:34] OPPOSED TO THE OPPOSITE OF THAT
[00:58:41] WILLIE. DO YOU KNOW PEOPLE WITHOUT EXPERIENCE.
[00:58:45] CALLER: WELL NOT PERSONALLY.
[00:58:48] THE VISUALS AND THE
[00:58:51] DOCUMENTARIES AND DIFFERENT
[00:58:53] PODCASTS THERE HAVE BEEN OVER A
[00:58:57] COUPLE ONE MILLION PEOPLE JUST LIKE THE CASE IN VIRGINIA AND NORTH CAROLINA.
[00:59:03] THEY TRIED THAT SUPREME COURT REVERSED IT.
[00:59:05] IT IS FUNNY HOW SOME THINGS THEY
[00:59:08] CAN DO AND REPUBLICAN RAN
[00:59:12] ELECTIONS VERSUS IN DEMOCRATIC RAN ELECTIONS.
[00:59:16] IT'S OPPOSITE NOW.
[00:59:18] BUT I THOUGHT THE SUPREME COURT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BIASED BUT I
[00:59:22] THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR
[00:59:26] MAIN PROBLEM WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ELECTION IN 2024 AND 2026.
[00:59:29] HOST: IT IS THE 2026 ELECTION
[00:59:33] AND WE ARE --
[00:59:36] 10 WEEKS FROM TODAY PEOPLE WILL
[00:59:39] BE FINDING OUT WHO IS GOING TO BE CONTROLLING THE HOUSE AND
[00:59:43] SENATE.
[00:59:44] 80'S JUST ABOUT 8:00 ON THE EAST COAST THIS MORNING ON THE
[00:59:48] WASHINGTON JOURNAL. TIME FOR YOUR PHONE CALLS ON ANY TOPIC.
[00:59:52] 202-748-8000 FOR DEMOCRATS.
[00:59:55] 202-748-8001 FOR REPUBLICANS.
[00:59:59] INDEPENDENTS 202-748-8002. IT'S A BUSY NEWS DAY.
[01:00:06] SO HERE IS ANOTHER TOPIC THAT WE
[01:00:09] TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT IN THE
[01:00:10] LEAD UP TO YESTERDAY'S DECISION
[01:00:15] BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO
[01:00:18] APPLY 50% TARIFFS TO CERTAIN PRODUCTS OUT OF CANADA.
[01:00:21] THIS IS THE LEAD STORY OF THE WALL STREET JOURNAL TODAY.
[01:00:25] FROM ESCALATING THREATS AGAINST CANADA.
[01:00:27] TARIFFS ON AUTO PARTS ARE THE LATEST ONGOING TRADE BATTLE BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.
[01:00:33] FROM MR. MARK CARNEY SPOKE ABOUT
[01:00:36] THE NEGOTIATIONS TRYING TO AVOID
[01:00:40] THIS TARIFF ESCALATION. WHY CANADA DECIDED NOT TO ACCEPT
[01:00:43] THE U.S. TERMS IN NEGOTIATIONS LAST WEEK. HERE'S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. [VIDEO CLIP]
[01:00:48] PM CARNEY: THE GOAL HAS ALWAYS
[01:00:55] BEEN TO GET THE BEST DEAL. FOR CANADIANS.
[01:00:58] NEVER A DEAL AT ANY PRICE OR AT ANY TYPE.
[01:01:03] THE BEST DEAL.
[01:01:07] [SPEAKING FRENCH]
[01:01:12] WE MADE PROGRESS IN RECENT WEEKS. IN THE END THAT MOMENTUM
[01:01:16] REVERSED. AND WE COULD NOT ACCEPT WHAT THE U.S. HAD OFFERED.
[01:01:20] NOR COULD WE GIVE AND BY
[01:01:25] STANDING UP FOR OUR VALUES AND FOCUSING ON WHAT WE CAN CONTROL,
[01:01:27] WE WILL BUILD [SPEAKING FRENCH]
[01:01:34] [APPLAUSE]
[01:01:38] PM CARNEY: THERE'S NOT TO SAY WE
[01:01:43] WON'T BE CHALLENGES AHEAD. WE HAVE ALL WE NEED RIGHT HERE.
[01:01:49] WORKERS, THE ENGINEERS, AND THE
[01:01:52] RIGHT PLAN. THE RIGHT PLAN FOR A STRONGER
[01:01:57] QUEBEC AND A STRONGER CANADA. BUILDING AT HOME AND
[01:02:00] DIVERSIFYING ABROAD THAT IS NOT
[01:02:03] PLAN B. IT'S BEEN OUR PLAN, FROM THE START.
[01:02:06] >> HOST: CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER MARK CARNEY YESTERDAY.
[01:02:11] THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ANSWERING THE QUESTION WHAT
[01:02:14] EXACTLY IS GETTING HIT WITH THESE NEW TARIFFS.
[01:02:17] THE TARIFFS ANNOUNCED IN LATE
[01:02:20] JULY IMPOSE A SURCHARGE OF 50% ON A LONG LIST OF CANADIAN GOODS.
[01:02:24] THE SUBJECT TO HOCKEY STICKS,
[01:02:29] WINE, A CENTRAL OIL AND CANDLES.
[01:02:31] THEY INCLUDE EXOTIC PRODUCTS.
[01:02:35] AT THE TIME SOME SECTORS INCLUDING ENERGY AND FISH WOULD BE EXEMPT.
[01:02:40] UNLIKE PREVIOUS TAXES A NEW ROUND TARIFFS DON'T EXEMPT THOSE
[01:02:42] THAT UP APPLY -- COMPLY WITH THE AGREEMENT.
[01:02:49] ON $20 BILLION OF IMPORTS ONLY A
[01:02:52] SMALL FRACTION OF WHAT THE U.S. PURCHASES FROM ITS NEIGHBOR TO
[01:02:55] THE NORTH. THE U.S. IMPORTED $383 BILLION
[01:02:59] OF GOODS FROM CANADA.
[01:03:05] THAT'S ONE OF THE TOPICS WE CAN TALK ABOUT.
[01:03:07] LET ME KNOW WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND BY CALLING IN ON PHONE LINES FOR
[01:03:10] REPUBLICANS.
[01:03:14] DEMOCRATS, 202 7488 THOUSAND.
[01:03:18] INDEPENDENCE, 202-748-8002. REPUBLICAN, GO AHEAD.
[01:03:23] >> CAN I MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT
[01:03:27] THE MAIL-IN VOTING. HOST: OPEN FOR THEM, WHATEVER IS ON YOUR MIND.
[01:03:30] CALLER: I THINK IT'S NOT A PROBLEM ON THE MAIL-IN VOTING.
[01:03:35] THE REPUBLICANS ARE BEGINNING TO
[01:03:38] START A HARVESTING VOTE BUSINESS AND DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO BE IN TROUBLE ONCE THEY GET THAT THING
[01:03:42] GOING.
[01:03:44] HOST: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
[01:03:48] CALLING IN AS A REPUBLICAN. CALLER: THEY ARE TRAINING PEOPLE
[01:03:50] TO VOTE HARVEST, GOING TO
[01:03:56] HOMELESS. THAT'S A PROBLEM.
[01:04:00] IT'S NOT THE MAILING OF THE BALANCE IS PEOPLE GOING IN THERE AND PICKING UP BALLOTS FOR
[01:04:04] PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THEY ARE OR CARE WHO THEY VOTE FOR.
[01:04:06] HOST: THAT IS BRENT IN LOUISIANA.
[01:04:13] ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. CAFFE, GO AHEAD.
[01:04:17] IF -- IT WORKS BETTER WHEN YOU TURN DOWN YOUR TELEVISION.
[01:04:23] GO AHEAD.
[01:04:27] UNTIL YOU TURN IT DOWN WE WILL
[01:04:29] GO TO RICKY IN MICHIGAN, A DEMOCRAT GO AHEAD.
[01:04:32] CALLER: I WAS CALLING IT ABOVE
[01:04:35] THE TARIFFS AND STUFF.
[01:04:39] DONALD TRUMP ACT LIKE THE BULLY OF THE WORLD SAYING IF YOU DON'T
[01:04:43] BRING YOUR LUNCH MONEY.
[01:04:45] AND HE'S GOING AROUND THE WHOLE WORLD SAYING THAT. YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO DO
[01:04:49] THAT. HE IS REALLY A BULLY.
[01:04:53] SAYING YOU DON'T BRING YOUR LUNCH MONEY TO SCHOOL.
[01:04:56] SO I THINK THE CANADIANS ARE IF
[01:05:02] YOU ARE GOING TO BULLY EVERYBODY
[01:05:05] IF YOU DON'T BRING ME YOUR MONEY I WILL PUT A TARIFF ON YOU.
[01:05:11] THEY WERE -- THEY DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THAT. THAT'S MY COMMENT.
[01:05:15] HOST: MORE FROM CANADIAN
[01:05:19] OFFICIALS ON THE TARIFFS IN THE BREAKDOWN OF TRADE TALKS WITH THE U.S. AND CANADA.
[01:05:24] CANADIAN PREMIER DOUG FORD
[01:05:29] RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS ABOUT TRADE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. [VIDEO CLIP]
[01:05:32] >> YOU SOUND A LITTLE MORE
[01:05:35] SUBDUED THAN YOU DO THIS MORNING
[01:05:36] ON THE RADIO DONALD TRUMP --
[01:05:40] DOES THE PROMISE OR TELL YOU AND ASK YOU TO TONE IT DOWN.
[01:05:43] >> HE WASN'T AGAINST THAT.
[01:05:48] I HAVE A LOT OF REAL ESTATE SO HE HAS A LOT OF ROOM.
[01:05:55] I JUST DO. I'M A BIG DUDE WHAT CAN I SAY.
[01:06:01] >> WE WERE JUST LOOKING AT A
[01:06:05] VERY FRESH POST FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP ON TRUTH SOCIAL TAKING AIM
[01:06:09] AT YOU PERSONALLY TAKING SHOTS
[01:06:11] OF YOU SUGGESTING YOU FALL IN
[01:06:15] LINE. DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THESE
[01:06:19] SHOTS, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE PRESIDENT?
[01:06:22] >> I DON'T RESPOND TO A DICTATOR
[01:06:26] LIKE PRESIDENT TRUMP. HE IS THE TYPE OF GUY IN SCHOOL
[01:06:29] IT WOULD TAKE YOUR LUNCH MONEY
[01:06:30] ONE DAY, AND THEN STEAL YOUR
[01:06:34] RUNNING SHOES. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY ADVICE OFF A GUY THAT'S THE KING
[01:06:38] OF BANKRUPTCY.
[01:06:40] HE IS ACTUALLY TARIFF IN HIS OWN PEOPLE, TAXING HIS OWN PEOPLE.
[01:06:44] I WILL MAKE SURE I COMMUNICATE
[01:06:47] TO THE U.S. MEDIA I WILL BE REACHING OUT TO EVERY SINGLE
[01:06:49] GOVERNOR AND SENATOR, EVERY SINGLE CONGRESSPERSON AND WHEN
[01:06:53] IT COMES TO THE MIDTERMS TO THE
[01:06:57] AMERICANS DON'T VOTE FOR THE PERSON THAT'S GOING TO KILL YOUR JOBS.
[01:07:00] HE RAN ON CREATING MORE JOBS LAST TIME I CHECKED JOBS WENT
[01:07:04] DOWN IN THE U.S. AND ONTARIO GREETED MORE JOBS.
[01:07:08] HE RAN ON REDUCING THE COST OF LIVING.
[01:07:10] LAST TIME I CHECKED, FOOD IS MORE EXPENSIVE DOWN THERE.
[01:07:14] HOMES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE AND THE REASON HOMES ARE MORE EXPENSIVE
[01:07:17] IS HE HAS A TARIFF ON OUR LUMBAR
[01:07:19] WHICH IS 33% OF ALL HOMES BUILT
[01:07:22] IN THE U.S. USE CANADIAN LUMBER. SO I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE LESSONS FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP.
[01:07:28] HE'S THE LAST GUY I WOULD TAKE ANY LESSONS OFF.
[01:07:33] WE WILL SEE HOW THIS GOES.
[01:07:36] HE WANTS TO PUT PAIN ON CANADIANS WE WILL LEVERAGE EVERY
[01:07:38] BIT OF PAIN WE POSSIBLY CAN ON AMERICANS.
[01:07:42] YOU KNOW WHO I FEEL BAD FOR.
[01:07:44] I LOVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND I STAND BY THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE
[01:07:48] THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE CALLING ME SAYING WAY TO GO KEEP GOING.
[01:07:52] YOUR OWN PEOPLE PRESIDENT TRUMP
[01:07:55] DON'T EVEN LIKE YOU AND THEY WILL SPEAK LOUD AND CLEAR WHEN
[01:07:58] IT COMES TO THE MIDTERMS AND IF I WAS ALLOWED TO I WOULD BE OUT THERE DOORKNOCKING.
[01:08:02] HOST: ONTARIO CANADIAN PREMIER
[01:08:07] DOUG FORD TAKING A FEW CALLS THIS MORNING, OPEN FOR MANY
[01:08:11] PUBLIC POLICY OR POLITICAL ISSUE YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT ABOUT 20 MINUTES LEFT TO DO SO.
[01:08:18] DAVENPORT, FLORIDA REPUBLICAN, RON GO AHEAD.
[01:08:21] >> GOOD MORNING.
[01:08:23] I'M 63 YEARS OLD.
[01:08:26] AND IN MY LIFETIME, THE BEST
[01:08:29] PRESIDENT WAS RONALD REAGAN.
[01:08:31] THIS PRESIDENT UNFORTUNATELY I
[01:08:35] VOTED FOR HIM.
[01:08:36] BUT HE HAS TURNED IN TO BE THE
[01:08:41] WORST PRESIDENT IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
[01:08:43] HE IS TAXING OTHER COUNTRIES
[01:08:49] THAT WE BUY SUPPLIES FROM AND
[01:08:51] WHEN WE GET THE SUPPLIES, WHAT
[01:08:56] HAPPENS? OUR GROCERIES GO UP OUR LUMBAR
[01:08:57] GOES UP EVERYTHING GOES UP.
[01:09:01] HE IS PUTTING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SECURITY THE AMERICAN
[01:09:06] PEOPLE AND HE SAYS HE LOVES THE UNITED STATES.
[01:09:10] THAT IS WRONG. HE DOESN'T LOVE THE UNITED
[01:09:14] STATES. HE HATES THE UNITED STATES.
[01:09:15] LOOK AT WHAT HE'S DONE AT HIS --
[01:09:19] AT THE WHITE HOUSE. THAT IS UNCALLED FOR.
[01:09:23] HE DOES NOT NEED TO DO THAT.
[01:09:24] HOST: HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP.
[01:09:29] DID YOU VOTE FROM ALL THREE TIMES HE WAS ON THE BALLOT. CALLER: I DID NOT.
[01:09:34] HOST: I ONLY -- I ONLY VOTED
[01:09:39] ONCE AND IT'S TURNED OUT TO BE A HORRIBLE THING.
[01:09:41] HOST: WAS THAT IN 2016, 2020 OR
[01:09:46] 2024. CALLER: 2024.
[01:09:48] HOST: AFTER NOT VOTING FOR THEM
[01:09:52] TWICE WHAT MADE YOU WANT THEM -- WANT TO VOTE FOR THEM.
[01:09:54] CALLER: I THOUGHT AND I
[01:09:58] RESEARCHED IT ON MY COMPUTER AND
[01:10:02] HE TURNED OUT TO BE A GOOD CANDIDATE. HOST: WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT HIM?
[01:10:06] CALLER: I JUST LIKE HIS POLICIES.
[01:10:10] HOST: WHICH ONES IN PARTICULAR?
[01:10:13] CALLER: I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING
[01:10:16] TO DO GOOD FOR US WITH JOBS.
[01:10:21] I HAVE BEEN UNEMPLOYED FOR TWO AND HALF YEARS TRYING
[01:10:24] DESPERATELY TO GET BACK TO WORK.
[01:10:26] HOST: WHAT LINE OF WORK ARE YOU IN?
[01:10:30] CALLER: HUH?
[01:10:33] HOST: WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO GET BACK IN, WHAT DID YOU DO.
[01:10:37] CALLER: I USED TO BE IN HOSPITALITY.
[01:10:42] RESTAURANTS, THEME PARKS. AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[01:10:47] AND IT JUST -- IT BOTHERS ME
[01:10:51] WHAT THIS COUNTRY IS COMING TO. YOU KNOW I'M 63.
[01:10:57] I WOULD BE A LOT OLDER THAN I AM. I FEEL SORRY FOR THE YOUNG
[01:11:01] PEOPLE, THE YOUNGER GENERATION COMING UP IN THIS WORLD.
[01:11:04] HOST: THIS IS TREY IN THE YELLOW
[01:11:09] HAMMER STATE, INDEPENDENT, GO AHEAD.
[01:11:11] CALLER: GLAD TO BE ON THE SHOW.
[01:11:16] I HAVE TO SAY WITH THESE REPUBLICANS THINKING THE
[01:11:19] ELECTION WAS STOLEN, ARE THEY STEALING ELECTIONS IN RED STATE
[01:11:23] DISTRICT? IF THEY ARE SO HARD-NOSED THAT
[01:11:26] THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING, HOW WAS IT SO BELIEVABLE THAT THEY ARE NOT DOING IT THEMSELVES?
[01:11:31] WHEN IT COMES TO MAIL-IN BALLOTS
[01:11:35] I'M A LEGAL VOTER SO IF I WANT
[01:11:38] TO VOTE MAIL-IN BALLOT AND, IF I
[01:11:39] WANT TO VOTE IN BY MAIL I THINK I SHOULD BE ABLE TO.
[01:11:44] NUMBER THREE, IN ALABAMA YOU CAN
[01:11:49] SEE IF YOUR VOTE WAS COUNTED WHEN YOU MAILING YOUR VOTE.
[01:11:53] WHEN YOU VOTE IN PERSON, THERE IS NO APPARATUS, THERE IS NO
[01:11:57] INTERNET WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN GO
[01:12:00] TO TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR VOTE WAS ACTUALLY COUNTED.
[01:12:03] IT SHOWS YOU ARE REGISTERED BUT IT DOES NOT TELL YOU THAT YOUR
[01:12:07] VOTE WAS COUNTED WHEN YOU VOTE IN PERSON. IT ONLY TELLS YOU WHEN YOU VOTE
[01:12:13] ABSENTEE AND FAMILY AND. BUT OTHER THAN THAT THEY DON'T
[01:12:17] TELL YOU IN PERSON.
[01:12:17] SO MY QUESTION TO REPUBLICANS IS
[01:12:22] ARE YOU GUYS CHEATING IN YOUR
[01:12:24] ELECTIONS TO BUY THIS ELECTION
[01:12:26] FRAUD NONSENSE?
[01:12:29] WHEN WE ALL KNOW THERE HASN'T
[01:12:32] BEEN ENOUGH FRAUD IN ELECTIONS FOR IT TO BE CHANGING THE
[01:12:37] OUTCOME OF THE ELECTIONS. THIS IS SABOTAGE.
[01:12:41] HOST: THAT IS TREY IN ALABAMA.
[01:12:47] SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, REPUBLICAN, GO AHEAD. OPEN FORUM.
[01:12:51] CALLER: I AM NOT A REPUBLICAN I
[01:12:54] CALLED IN ON THE DEMOCRATIC LINE SORRY.
[01:12:57] LET ME BE BIPARTISAN.
[01:13:01] I THINK DONALD TRUMP'S MAIN POLICY IS MIGHT MAKES RIGHT. IF YOU CAN DO IT AND GET AWAY
[01:13:05] WITH IT YOU DO IT.
[01:13:09] CHALLENGE, START CUBANS. DO WHATEVER YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH.
[01:13:17] WHEN I RETIRED FROM THE MILITARY IN 2020 AND BECAME AN ELECTION
[01:13:21] CLERK THEN AN ELECTION JUDGE. I TRIED TO GET ON THE C-SPAN BUS
[01:13:25] TO COME ON DOWN TO MY COUNTY AND
[01:13:28] SEE IF WE HAVE A TRUSTWORTHY SYSTEM AND PEOPLE RUNNING THE
[01:13:31] SYSTEM.
[01:13:32] HOST: WHAT DOES AN ELECTION
[01:13:37] CLERK DO VERSUS AN ELECTION JUDGE?
[01:13:38] CALLER: A CLERK CHECKS IDS AND
[01:13:42] MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE IN THE SYSTEM AND ARE READY TO VOTE AND
[01:13:45] THEN IF THERE ARE ANY PROBLEMS IF SOMEONE HAS A CHANGE OF
[01:13:49] ADDRESS HAVING PROBLEMS FINDING
[01:13:50] SOMEONE'S NAME IN THE SYSTEM,
[01:13:54] THEN THAT'S WHEN THE ELECTION
[01:13:56] JUDGE OR JUDGES GET INVOLVED.
[01:13:58] WE HAVE CO-ELECTION JUDGES, ONE FOR EACH PARTY.
[01:14:02] HOST: SO ARE YOU -- YOU ARE SENT
[01:14:07] AS A DEMOCRATIC ELECTION JUDGE -- A DEMOCRAT TO BE AN ELECTION JUDGE?
[01:14:11] CALLER: THAT IS CORRECT.
[01:14:14] MY CODE JUDGE IS A REPUBLICAN.
[01:14:16] HE IS 84 YEARS OLD, HE'S OWNED A
[01:14:20] BUSINESS AND DONE A LOT OF ACCOUNTING.
[01:14:22] SO I TRUST HIM TO DO THE RIGHT
[01:14:26] THINGS AND TO SEE AN OPPORTUNITY
[01:14:30] FOR POLL WATCHERS TO WATCH THE
[01:14:32] POLL WORKERS AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ARE DOING OUR JOBS RIGHT.
[01:14:36] OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
[01:14:38] TO TAKE A DAY OFF OF SCHOOL WITH
[01:14:42] THEIR PARENTS AND TEACHERS CONSENT AND SEE WHAT ELECTIONEERING IS LIKE AND SO.
[01:14:46] HOST: HOW DOES ONE GET THE JOB OF ELECTION JUDGE?
[01:14:50] IS THAT SOMETHING THE LOCAL PARTY SENT A LIST OF HEROES ARE
[01:14:55] JUDGES, IT IS SOMETHING YOU RUN FOR? HOW DO YOU GET THAT JOB?
[01:14:59] CALLER: SOMEONE IN THE COUNTY'S
[01:15:03] CHARGE OF ELECTIONS AND FOR US
[01:15:04] IN MY COUNTY, SHE IS ELECTED NOT
[01:15:08] APPOINTED I BELIEVE.
[01:15:10] SHE RUNS THE ELECTIONS PROCESS. SHE MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS FAIR
[01:15:14] AND THAT THE POLLING PLACES ARE
[01:15:18] BALANCED.
[01:15:20] WHEN SHE VOLUNTEERED YOU GET
[01:15:24] MATCHED AND VOLUNTEERED TO BE A
[01:15:24] JUDGE OR A CLERK, YOU SAY POLL
[01:15:30] YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK OUT, SOMEWHERE NEAR YOUR HOME.
[01:15:33] AND THEN FROM THERE YOU GO THROUGH THE TRAINING AND
[01:15:36] CERTIFICATION AND THEN THERE IS A QUESTION ON ELECTION DAY THAN
[01:15:40] YOU ARE -- YOU CALL THE HOTLINE AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE OF THE
[01:15:44] COUNTY HEADQUARTERS IN MAKING THE JUDGMENT CALLS.
[01:15:47] YOU HAVE OVERSIGHT. IT'S A VERY TRUSTWORTHY SYSTEM.
[01:15:53] AND GETS OUT AND SEE HOW THIS IS OPERATING.
[01:15:58] THERE'S A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS FAIR AND NOT FAIR.
[01:16:03] MAY C-SPAN CAN HELP BY SHOWING
[01:16:06] PEOPLE WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS AND TRANSPIRES.
[01:16:09] HOST: WHAT YOU GET OUT OF IT,
[01:16:13] AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT?
[01:16:15] CALLER: I'VE BEEN DOING IT SINCE 2020.
[01:16:19] I'M A FULL-TIME VOLUNTEER NOW.
[01:16:21] SO I GET SOME CIVIC PRIDE, I GET
[01:16:25] THE SATISFACTION OF KNOWING IT'S
[01:16:25] DONE RIGHT AND THAT I'M DOING MY COMMUNITY A GOOD SERVICE.
[01:16:32] HOST: THIS IS MATT, FALLS CHURCH
[01:16:37] VIRGINIA, GOOD MORNING GO AHEAD. >> GOOD MORNING.
[01:16:42] I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CURRENT RISE OF SOCIALISM IN AMERICA.
[01:16:48] I AM REALLY SURPRISED AND
[01:16:50] SHOCKED BY HOW REPUBLICANS AND
[01:16:53] MANY DEMOCRATS ARE BY SOCIALIST
[01:16:57] BACKED CANDIDATES WINNING ACROSS THE BOARD.
[01:17:00] CAPITALISM WORKS IN OUR COUNTRY WHEN CAPITAL CARES ABOUT WORKERS.
[01:17:04] RIGHT NOW I THINK MOST CAPITAL
[01:17:06] IN OUR COUNTRY IS GOING TOWARDS CRYPTOCURRENCY AND AI.
[01:17:11] THOSE ARE THINGS THAT DON'T
[01:17:12] REALLY BUILD JOBS OR BUILD
[01:17:16] PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO WORK.
[01:17:19] SO IT IS NO SURPRISE PEOPLE AREN'T HAPPY WITH CAPITAL RIGHT NOW AND ARE LOOKING FOR SOLUTIONS.
[01:17:23] HOST: HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE YOUR POLITICS?
[01:17:28] CALLER: I WOULD SAY AS TIME HAS
[01:17:31] GONE ON I HAVE MOVED MORE INTO A
[01:17:35] DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST VIEW OF THE WORLD. HOST: WHERE WERE YOU BEFORE THAT?
[01:17:38] CALLER: IT'S BEEN A LONG
[01:17:42] JOURNEY. I WOULD SAY IN THE 2000'S MODERATE REPUBLICAN AND THEN
[01:17:47] WITH OBAMA'S ELECTION PROBABLY
[01:17:50] BEING A TIME THAT I TURNED MORE
[01:17:54] LIBERAL DEMOCRAT. THE FAILURES OF OBAMA HAVE
[01:17:56] PUSHED ME WITH TRUMP SELECTION
[01:18:00] DEFINITELY TOWARDS A MORE,
[01:18:03] TOWARDS A VIEW THAT WE NEED
[01:18:06] CAPITALISM IN OUR COUNTRY, BUT
[01:18:10] STATE REGULATED CAPITALISM MORE AND MORE AND CAPITALISM THAT
[01:18:14] ACTUALLY BUILDS COMPETITION AND SUPPORTS WORKERS.
[01:18:16] AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT, THEN
[01:18:19] I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS THE VIEW
[01:18:21] OF AN AMERICAN TO SUPPORT ALL
[01:18:24] THESE BENEFITS FOR CAPITALISTS WHO ARE NOT SUPPORTING US.
[01:18:26] HOST: WHAT'S THE MAIN THING,
[01:18:30] WHAT'S THE BIGGEST CHANGE THAT COULD BE MADE TO MAKE THAT
[01:18:34] SYSTEM A REALITY THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
[01:18:37] CALLER: I DON'T THINK THERE'S
[01:18:40] ONE BIG THING I THINK IT'S SMALL CHANGES ACROSS THE BOARD.
[01:18:43] AND WELL -- I THINK ONE BIG
[01:18:46] THING RIGHT NOW IS GET RID OF
[01:18:51] TAX BREAKS AND ACCENT -- INCENTIVES FOR CAPITAL IN
[01:18:54] GENERAL ONE IS NOT SUPPORTING THE AMERICAN WORKER.
[01:18:57] BECAUSE IN GENERAL WE ARE JUST GIVING A BUNCH OF TAX BREAKS TO
[01:19:00] PEOPLE WHO ARE SPENDING IT ON THINGS THAT ARE TRYING TO GET
[01:19:03] RID OF JOBS AND GET RID OF AMERICAN WORKERS.
[01:19:07] AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S A BENEFIT TO LIKE THE AVERAGE
[01:19:11] AMERICAN VOTER WHO IS NOT VOTING FOR THAT KIND OF STUFF HOPEFULLY.
[01:19:14] >> WHO GETS TO DECIDE IF A
[01:19:19] BUSINESS IS OR IS NOT HELPING THE AMERICAN WORKER.
[01:19:21] >> IT'S NOT ABOUT THE BUSINESS IT'S ABOUT THE MONEY.
[01:19:24] HOST: TAX BREAKS FOR FOLKS FOR
[01:19:28] BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT HELPING.
[01:19:30] >> I THINK OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE
[01:19:35] ON TRYING TO GIVE -- I DON'T
[01:19:40] KNOW IF IT'S EXACT BUT TRYING TO MAKE A SOCIETY WHERE OUR
[01:19:43] POLICIES BENEFIT THE MOST PEOPLE, NOT JUST THE RICHEST PEOPLE.
[01:19:48] >> THAT IS MATT IN FALLS CHURCH,
[01:19:53] VIRGINIA. THIS IS JIM, IDAHO REPUBLICAN. GO AHEAD.
[01:19:56] CALLER: YES, I STARTED WORK BACK
[01:20:03] IN HIGH SCHOOL AND WORKED ALL
[01:20:04] THE WAY UP FOR 50 YEARS IN THE
[01:20:08] WORKFORCE AND WHAT TRUMP IS
[01:20:10] TRYING TO DO IS BRING IT BACK TO
[01:20:16] AMERICA FIRST FOR AMERICA TO BE
[01:20:25] ON THEIR OWN AND NOT HAVE TO
[01:20:28] DEPEND ON FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
[01:20:32] SO --
[01:20:41] YOU KNOW I'VE DONE QUITE WELL.
[01:20:45] I'M A U.S. VETERAN.
[01:20:48] I SIGNED UP FOR THE AIR FORCE TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE DRAFT FOR VIETNAM.
[01:20:54] SO -- THAT'S JUST THE WAY THINGS ARE.
[01:20:58] THANK YOU MUCH.
[01:20:59] HOST: GO AHEAD AND KEEP CALLING
[01:21:03] INBRED LINE FOR DEMOCRATS,
[01:21:05] REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS. CALLING IT ON THE TOPICS YOU
[01:21:10] WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. LET'S FOCUS ON ELECTIONS FOR A
[01:21:13] FEW MOMENTS MORE. SOUTH CAROLINA'S SPECIAL PRIMARY
[01:21:17] RUNOFF TAKING PLACE TODAY IT'S
[01:21:19] THE RACE TO SEE WHO WILL BE THE REPUBLICAN ON THE BALLOT IN
[01:21:23] NOVEMBER.
[01:21:25] FEATURES LATE CENTRE SINGH --
[01:21:29] LINDSEY GRAHAM SISTER AND RALPH NORMAN. THE CONGRESSMAN FROM NORTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA.
[01:21:33] JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT IT IS ALEX HERNANDEZ OF POLITICO.
[01:21:37] THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AHEAD OF WHAT COULD BE A LONG NIGHT.
[01:21:41] TAKE US THROUGH THE RACE FOR
[01:21:42] THIS RUNOFF AND WHAT THE POLLS
[01:21:45] SAY HEADING IN TO THIS VOTING.
[01:21:47] GUEST: THANKS FOR HAVING ME. YOU LAID OUT QUITE NICELY.
[01:21:52] STARTING UNDERWAY LAST MONTH
[01:21:57] AFTER SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM PASSED AWAY UNEXPECTEDLY. THAT KICKED OFF A SERIES OF
[01:22:00] DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT HAVE LED TO THIS MOMENT WHICH BEGAN WITH
[01:22:04] REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER APPOINTING GRAM'S
[01:22:08] YOUNGER SISTER TO FILL OUT THE
[01:22:11] REMAINDER OF HIS TERM WHICH IS SET TO EXPIRE IN JANUARY.
[01:22:16] SOMEWHAT UNEXPECTEDLY A COUPLE
[01:22:17] WEEKS LATER WITH AN EARLY
[01:22:21] ENDORSEMENT FROM THE PRESIDENT SHE DECIDED TO MOUNT HER OWN BED
[01:22:24] FOR A FULL TERM IN THAT SEAT.
[01:22:27] WITHOUT HAVING HELD POLITICAL OFFICE BEFORE AND SO AS YOU
[01:22:31] MENTIONED THE RUNOFF ELECTION TODAY, THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN
[01:22:34] THE FIRST ROUND OF PRIMARY VOTING HERE.
[01:22:37] WE SAW SEVERAL REPUBLICANS JUMP
[01:22:39] INTO THE RACE, RALPH NORMAN, WHO
[01:22:42] IS IN THE RUNOFF A LONGTIME
[01:22:45] MEMBER OF THE FREEDOM CAUCUS, AS
[01:22:48] WELL AS RUSSELL FRY FROM THE MYRTLE BEACH AREA AND FORMER GOVERNOR AND MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
[01:22:52] IT WAS PRETTY FULL CROWD AND WAS
[01:22:58] NARROWED DOWN TO DARLINE GRAHAM AND RALPH NORMAN.
[01:23:00] KICKING OFF THIS EVENING.
[01:23:02] AND WHAT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING ABOUT THIS RACE IS
[01:23:06] THERE'S BEEN VERY LITTLE POLLING
[01:23:09] PARTICULARLY FOR THIS TWO WEEK STRETCH OF THE RUNOFF.
[01:23:13] PUTTING OUT A POLL THAT
[01:23:15] BASICALLY WAS NECK AND NECK WITHIN .2 PERCENTAGE POINTS.
[01:23:21] THAT WOULD BE QUITE THE ANSWER FOR EVERYONE WAITING ON WHO IS
[01:23:25] UP AND WHO'S DOWN. OVERALL IT WILL BE QUITE THE
[01:23:28] TEST FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP DECIDING TO PUT HIS FORCE BEHIND
[01:23:32] DARLINE GRAHAM. HE HAS SPENT MONEY ON HER BEHALF .
[01:23:35] HE TRAVELED DOWN LATE LAST WEEK FOR A RALLY.
[01:23:39] SO HE IS REALLY ALL IN HERE AND THE QUESTION WILL BE WHETHER YOU
[01:23:42] WILL TAKE A POLITICAL NEWCOMER ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
[01:23:46] HOST: THAT MARGIN OF ERROR DIFFERENCE IN THE POLL YOU
[01:23:50] TALKED ABOUT THAT IS CERTAINLY
[01:23:53] CLOSER THAN THE EARLY POLLING THAT CAME OUT BUT HAD DARLINE GRAHAM UP.
[01:23:59] IS THIS THE MOMENT OF THIS RACE OF PEOPLE PROBABLY REMEMBER IS
[01:24:03] THE FOREIGN POLICY AND DEFENSE DEBATE QUESTION THE DARLINE
[01:24:06] GRAHAM GOT DURING THIS LAST
[01:24:12] WEEK. IT WAS RALPH NORMAN WHO WAS AGAIN HARPING ON IT YESTERDAY
[01:24:16] AND IF SHE DOES LOSE THIS RACE,
[01:24:19] DO YOU THINK THAT WILL BE THE MOMENT THAT THIS RACE TURNS?
[01:24:21] GUEST: CERTAINLY A MOMENT THAT
[01:24:23] GOT A LOT OF ATTENTION.
[01:24:25] FROM THE OUTSET SHE WAS TRYING TO REALLY DIFFERENTIATE HERSELF
[01:24:29] FROM HER OLDER BROTHERS MORE
[01:24:32] HAWKISH FOREIGN POLICY LEGACY AFTER SHE ANNOUNCED HER BID WITH
[01:24:35] FOX NEWS SHE TOLD SEAN HANNITY
[01:24:38] MY FOCUS ISN'T ON FOREIGN
[01:24:42] AFFAIRS MY FOCUS IS ON AFFORDABILITY. USUALLY TRY TO FOCUS IN ON
[01:24:46] DOMESTIC ISSUES AND THAT REALLY SORT OF UNFORTUNATELY FOR HER CAME TO THE FOREFRONT IN THAT
[01:24:51] DEBATE WHEN SHE WAS STUMPED ON A
[01:24:54] QUESTION ON TAIWAN AND SAID
[01:24:56] NATIONAL SECURED WASN'T HER THING. THAT REALLY OPENED HER UP TO A
[01:25:00] SERIES OF ATTACKS FROM NOT ONLY
[01:25:03] NORMAN BUT HIS ALLIES TO USE THAT MOMENT THAT THIS IS THE
[01:25:07] MOMENT TO BE SENDING SOMEONE WITH VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE TO THE SENATE.
[01:25:11] WHETHER THAT WILL RESONATE WITH VOTERS IS A DIFFERENT STORY.
[01:25:16] GRAHAM WAS ASKED ABOUT THE TAIWAN MOMENT YET AGAIN AND SET
[01:25:21] UP AND TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE TALKING TO DOZENS AND
[01:25:23] HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND I HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT THAT MOMENT ONCE.
[01:25:27] WHETHER THAT IS IN A MOMENT OF
[01:25:28] SPIN OR SOMETHING SOUTH
[01:25:31] CAROLINIANS AREN'T REALLY THINKING ABOUT IN THE FOREFRONT OF THEIR MINDS LATER TONIGHT.
[01:25:35] HOST: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
[01:25:39] TURNOUT EXPECTATIONS FOR A
[01:25:42] SPECIAL PRIMARY RUNOFF AFTER PRIMARIES ALREADY TOOK PLACE IN
[01:25:46] JUNE IN THE PALMETTO STATE AND THEN AS FOLKS ARE WATCHING THE
[01:25:51] RESULTS, IN RALPH NORMAN'S CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN THAT
[01:25:54] NORTHERN CENTRAL PART OF SOUTH
[01:25:56] CAROLINA FROM THE OUTSKIRTS,
[01:25:58] CHARLOTTE ALONG THE BORDER DOWN TO THE NORTH AND EAST SIDE OF COLUMBIA.
[01:26:04] WHERE IS DARLINE GRAHAM BASED?
[01:26:08] WHERE IS THE EXPECTATION SHE NEEDS TO RUN UP THE TOTAL TO WIN THE SPECIAL PRIMARY.
[01:26:13] GUEST: GRAHAM PERFORMED WELL IN
[01:26:18] THE MIDLANDS REGION OF THE STATE IN AND AROUND COLUMBIA.
[01:26:21] WHAT THE KEY FOR HER IS AN
[01:26:24] ENDORSEMENT FROM RUSSELL FRY REPRESENTING THE AREA OF THE
[01:26:28] STATE AROUND MYRTLE BEACH.
[01:26:30] HE THREW HIS SUPPORT BEHIND HER.
[01:26:32] THE MYRTLE BEACH AREA WERE
[01:26:35] PRESIDENT TRUMP CAME OUT TO DO THAT RALLY.
[01:26:37] THE CAMPAIGN IS FOCUSED ON MORE
[01:26:41] OF CONGRESSMAN FRIES VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME AROUND. PD AND MYRTLE BEACH WILL BE INTERESTING TO WATCH.
[01:26:48] THE UPSTATE WILL LIKELY TURN OUT NORMAN AGAIN.
[01:26:51] REALLY THE LAST ONE OF THE FEW OUTSTANDING PARTS WERE TURNOUT
[01:26:55] COULD MATTER USING THE LOW
[01:27:00] COUNTRY, CHARLESTON DOWN TO
[01:27:02] BEAUFORT, THAT PART OF THE STATE
[01:27:06] VOTED PRETTY STRONGLY FOR FORMER GOVERNOR STANFORD.
[01:27:09] DR. SANFORD WHO WENT ON TO ENDORSE NORMAN.
[01:27:13] WE WILL SEE IF THAT GOES TO NORMAN OR GRAHAM OR SPLITS.
[01:27:16] PRETTY TELLING OF WHERE THE RESULTS END UP BEING.
[01:27:20] AS FAR AS TURNOUT, COMMON
[01:27:24] PRACTICE THIS WEEK PARTICULARLY FOR RUNOFF EXPECTED TO BE MUCH
[01:27:29] LOWER, WE ARE STILL IN THE DOLDRUMS OF SUMMER IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
[01:27:34] IT IS HOT, KIDS ARE ALREADY BACK TO SCHOOL.
[01:27:38] FOLKS ARE BACK TO THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES. GETTING BACK CLOSER TO THE FALL
[01:27:43] SO PEOPLE HAVE PROBABLY TURNED OFF A LITTLE BIT FROM POLLOCK --
[01:27:46] POLITICS BEFORE THE GENERAL ELECTION. SOME NUMBERS HAVE LOOKED PRETTY
[01:27:51] SOLID IN THE UPSTATE BUT WE WILL
[01:27:55] GIVE IT A DAY TO SEE THE TURNOUT.
[01:27:57] HOST: WHAT SHOULD VIEWERS KNOW
[01:28:01] ABOUT THE DEMOCRATS WAITING FOR THE WINNER OF TONIGHT'S SPECIAL
[01:28:04] PRIMARY RUNOFF, THE ONE THEY WILL FACE IN THE GENERAL
[01:28:08] ELECTION, ANNIE ANDREWS.
[01:28:10] GUEST: ANNIE ANDREWS IS THE
[01:28:17] NOMINEE. SHE WON THE NOMINATION OUTRIGHT
[01:28:20] IN THE JUNE PRIMARY. SHE WAS ABLE TO STAVE OFF A RUNOFF.
[01:28:24] SHE HAS BEEN SITTING HERE WAITING FOR GENERAL ELECTION OPPONENT.
[01:28:28] IT WAS PREPARED TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST THEM -- PREPARED TO
[01:28:31] CAMPAIGN AGAINST FORMER SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE
[01:28:35] HOW SHE RE-TOOLS HER CAMPAIGN
[01:28:37] WHOEVER HER OPPONENT MIGHT BE. SHE HAS BEEN BARNSTORMING THE
[01:28:41] STATE, AS THE DNC HAS TURNED --
[01:28:47] THEY PUT THEIR STATE FIRST IN THE NOMINATION PROCESS.
[01:28:52] A PRETTY RED STATE SO IT WOULD TAKE A LOT FOR DEMOCRATS TO WIN
[01:28:56] STATEWIDE WE WILL SEE WHO SHE IS
[01:28:57] MATCHED UP WITH IN THE BALANCE OF POWER FOR WASHINGTON THIS FALL.
[01:29:01] HOST: AS RESULTS COME IN, POLITICO A GREAT PLACE TO CHECK.
[01:29:07] ALEX HERNANDEZ -- ALEC HERNANDEZ
[01:29:10] AND HIS COLLEAGUES, NATIONAL POLITICS REPORTER THANK YOU FOR THE TIME ON THE WASHINGTON JOURNAL.
[01:29:14] GUEST: MY PLEASURE.
[01:29:16] >> MORE CALLS IN OPEN FORUM.
[01:29:21] LARRY IS WAITING IN CHICAGO, INDEPENDENT. LARRY, GO AHEAD.
[01:29:25] CALLER: THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CALL.
[01:29:31] A NICE JOB THROUGH THE WEEKEND FOR THE BOOK FAIR. HOST: WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE
[01:29:35] AUTHORS YOU SAW?
[01:29:36] CALLER: YOU AND MARTIN SCORSESE
[01:29:41] ON, MY LEAST FAVORITE MOVIE DIRECTOR.
[01:29:43] FRANK CAPRA WAS MY MENTOR SO
[01:29:48] FRANK CAPRA WAS SOMEONE I REALLY RESPECTED. BUT IN THE MEANTIME BACK TO REALITY.
[01:29:52] THIS IS NATIONAL SUICIDE AWARENESS MONTH.
[01:29:57] I THINK WE STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DIVIDED COUNTRY AND HERE IS MY SOLUTION.
[01:30:05] WHO HUNG THEMSELVES AND PRAY, I
[01:30:09] WILL HEAR FROM THEM HEAVEN AND HEAL THE LAND.
[01:30:12] WE WANT TO GET BACK TO NORMAL
[01:30:15] AND I THINK WE CAN DO IT WITH
[01:30:19] LAMB LEADING THE WAY WITH C-SPAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[01:30:21] HOST: THIS IS JOE IN INDIANA,
[01:30:28] INDEPENDENT, LAST COLOR IN OPEN FORUM. GO AHEAD.
[01:30:31] CALLER: THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CALL.
[01:30:34] CAN YOU HEAR ME ALL RIGHT? HOST: YES, SIR.
[01:30:37] GOOD CALLER: THANK YOU.
[01:30:40] I CALLED AND JUST AT THE END OF THE LAST SEGMENT.
[01:30:44] THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN CALLER AND IT SOUND LIKE HE WAS PRETTY
[01:30:48] ADVANCED IN AGE AND HE MENTIONED -- SORRY.
[01:30:56] HE MENTIONED TRUMP AND MAKE AMERICA -- HE MUST MAKE AMERICA FIRST.
[01:31:00] NO OFFENSE AND I WISH THE OLDER
[01:31:04] GENERATION THE BEST, BUT I THINK
[01:31:06] SOMETIMES THEY ARE TOO TRUSTING AND REMEMBER POLITICS AND
[01:31:10] GOVERNMENT FROM THE WAY IT USED
[01:31:11] TO BE, AND MAYBE NOT REALIZE
[01:31:14] WHAT PEOPLE ARE FACING TODAY.
[01:31:17] AS FAR AS DARLINE GRAHAM GOES,
[01:31:22] I'M SURPRISED THAT THE PRESIDENT
[01:31:27] ENDORSED HER. IT HE KNOWS MORE ABOUT HER THAN
[01:31:28] WE DO, BUT BEING A TOTAL
[01:31:34] NEWCOMER. HER COMMENT ON NATIONAL DEFENSE,
[01:31:37] THAT SEEMS TO BE A PILLAR OF
[01:31:41] REPUBLICAN POLITICS AND SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
[01:31:46] THAT WAS INTERESTING.
[01:31:49] MY FINAL COMMENT REAL QUICK,
[01:31:50] THAT DARLINE GRAHAM I THINK
[01:31:56] WORKS FOR VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES.
[01:32:02] IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND HAD QUITE A LONG CAREER THERE.
[01:32:06] WITH THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL
[01:32:07] CUTTING AROUND I THINK $2.5
[01:32:13] BILLION FROM SOUTH CAROLINA'S SOCIAL SERVICES, IT WOULD BE
[01:32:16] INTERESTING IF SOMEONE ASKED HER IF SHE SUPPORTS THEM.
[01:32:20] IF SHE THINKS THAT THERE CUTS TO
[01:32:24] -- THEIR CUTS TO VOC REHAB ARE
[01:32:31] GOOD. HOST: ABOUT A HALF-HOUR LEFT.
[01:32:33] YOU TWO GUESSES LATER ON.
[01:32:36] THE ATLANTIC'S TOM NICHOLS WILL DISCUSS FOREIGN POLICY AND DEFENSE ISSUES BUT FIRST IT IS
[01:32:40] THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
[01:32:46] MAGAZINE'S EXECUTIVE EDITOR JAMES ANTLE TALKING ABOUT POLITICS AND NEWS OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE THIS WEEK. WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK.
[01:32:51] ♪
[01:33:05] ♪
[01:33:17] >> C-SPAN WHEREVER YOU ARE WITH C-SPAN NOW, OUR FREE MOBILE VIDEO APP THAT PUTS YOU AT THE
[01:33:21] CENTER OF DEMOCRACY LIVE AND ON-DEMAND.
[01:33:22] KEEP UP WITH THE DAY'S BIGGEST
[01:33:25] EVENTS WITH LIVE STREAMS OF FLOOR PROCEEDINGS AND HEARINGS
[01:33:28] FROM THE U.S. CONGRESS, WHITE HOUSE EVENTS, THE COURTS,
[01:33:32] CAMPAIGNS, AND MORE. FROM THE WORLD OF POLITICS ALL AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.
[01:33:37] CATCH THE LATEST EPISODES OF "WASHINGTON JOURNAL" SCHEDULING
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[01:33:47] AT THE APPLE STORE INTO GOOGLE PLAY. DOWNLOADED FOR FREE TODAY.
[01:33:52] C-SPAN, DEMOCRACY UNFILTERED.
[01:33:55] >> BEST IDEAS AND BEST PRACTICES
[01:34:00] CAN BE FOUND ANYWHERE. >> WE HAVE TO LISTEN SO WE CAN
[01:34:04] GOVERN BETTER. >> DEMOCRACY DEPENDS ON HEAVY
[01:34:07] DOSES OF CIVILITY. >> YOU CAN FIGHT BUT STILL BE FRIENDLY.
[01:34:10] >> BRIDGING THE DIVIDE IN AMERICAN POLITICS. >> YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH A
[01:34:15] DEMOCRAT ON ANYTHING, BUT YOU CAN FIND AREAS WHERE YOU DO AGREE.
[01:34:18] >> WE ARE ACTUALLY FRIENDS APPEAR KEY VOTES WRONG ALL THE
[01:34:20] TIME BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY FRIENDS. >> A HORRIBLE SECRET SCOTT AND I
[01:34:24] HAVE IS WE ACTUALLY RESPECT EACH OTHER. >> WE DON'T HATE EACH OTHER.
[01:34:28] >> YOU THAT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF LIKE EACH OTHER.
[01:34:30] THESE ARE THE SECRETS WE LIKE TO EXPOSE.
[01:34:33] >> YOU DID AGREE TO THIS ABILITY, ALL RIGHT?
[01:34:37] >> HE OWES MY SON $10 FROM A BET. >> FORK IT OVER.
[01:34:41] >> THEM'S FIGHTING WORDS. >> I'M THRILLED TO BE ON THE SHOW WITH HIM.
[01:34:46] >> THAT ARE NOT SHOWS LIKE THIS
[01:34:49] INCENTIVIZING THAT RELATIONSHIP.
[01:34:50] >> \ CEASE-FIRE, FRIDAY
[01:34:54] NIGHTS ON C-SPAN.
[01:35:03] >> "WASHINGTON JOURNAL" CONTINUES. HOST: WITH 10 WEEKS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION DAY 2026 WE ARE JOINED
[01:35:06] BY JAMES ANTLE, EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF WASHINGTON EXAMINER MAGAZINE.
[01:35:09] WHO DO YOU THINK WINS TODAY IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR THE RIGHT TO REPRESENT REPUBLICANS ON THE
[01:35:14] BALLOT IN NOVEMBER FOR LINDSEY GRAHAM'S OLD SEAT?
[01:35:18] GUEST: INTERESTING QUESTION. DARLINE GRAHAM WON THE FIRST
[01:35:21] ROUND OF VOTING, THAT AS WE SAW IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, THE
[01:35:26] PERSON WHO WINS THE FIRST ROUND DOESN'T NECESSARILY WIN IN THE RUNOFF.
[01:35:29] SHE HAS HAD A TOUGH WEEK OR SO,
[01:35:33] PARTICULARLY AFTER HER DEBATE PERFORMANCE.
[01:35:36] THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS TO WHETHER HER LEVEL OF
[01:35:38] EXPERIENCE IS SUITED FOR SERVING
[01:35:42] IN THAT SENATE SEAT. SHE CLEARLY HAS A LOT OF HER
[01:35:46] BROTHER'S STAFF STILL WITH HER,
[01:35:49] BUT IT WILL BE AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC. IT'S ALSO A TEST OF PRESIDENT
[01:35:53] TRUMP'S ENDORSEMENT POWER.
[01:35:55] HE IS SUPPORTING HER. HE ENCOURAGED HER TO RUN FOR THE
[01:36:00] FULL SIX-YEAR TERM RATHER THAN
[01:36:01] JUST BEING A PLACEHOLDER IN
[01:36:06] THAT SENATE SEAT AFTER HER BROTHER'S DEATH.
[01:36:08] SO WHETHER HE CAN GET HER ACROSS
[01:36:13] THE FINISH LINE WILL BE A BIG TEST. SHE'S HAD A TOUGH WEEK.
[01:36:16] HOST: WHY DO YOU THINK HE ENDORSED HER?
[01:36:20] IF RALPH NORMAN WINS TONIGHT WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF A DONALD TRUMP
[01:36:23] ENDORSEMENT AS WE GET THIS FAR INTO HIS SECOND TERM?
[01:36:26] GUEST: I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN HE
[01:36:30] ENDORSES LOYALISTS WHO ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE STRONGEST
[01:36:32] CANDIDATES IS ENDORSEMENT IS
[01:36:34] IMPORTANT BUT NOT NECESSARILY DECISIVE.
[01:36:37] IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW,
[01:36:43] IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY DETERMINE THE FUTURE, BUT AS A REPUBLICAN
[01:36:46] YOU WOULD RATHER HAVE IT THAN NOT.
[01:36:48] I THINK HE SAW IT AS A TRIBUTE
[01:36:53] TO THE LATE SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM WHO WAS A CLOSE ALLY OF THIS WHITE HOUSE.
[01:36:56] I THINK THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS A
[01:37:04] -- YOU KNOW, SORT OF A WAY OF
[01:37:06] PAYING TRIBUTE TO HIM AND HIS LEGACY.
[01:37:09] ALSO, RALPH NORMAN IS A
[01:37:13] PARTICULARLY STRINGENT MEMBER OF THE FREEDOM CAUCUS.
[01:37:16] I THINK THE PRESIDENT PROBABLY DOESN'T WANT TO MANY OF THOSE
[01:37:19] TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THE SENATE. HE WANTS PEOPLE WHO ARE COOPERATIVE.
[01:37:22] HE WANTS PEOPLE WHO WILL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE
[01:37:26] ADMINISTRATION'S AGENDA. HE WANTS PEOPLE WHO WILL VOTE FOR BILLS AND CLOSE CALLS.
[01:37:30] HE MAY BE DOESN'T THINK
[01:37:35] RALPH NORMAN WILL DO THAT. HOST: 10 WEEKS FROM ELECTION DAY
[01:37:39] THE FRONT PAGES ARE TRADE WAR WITH CANADA, A NEW SANCTIONS --
[01:37:43] LATEST ATTEMPT TO CREATE SOME MOVEMENT IN THE ONGOING CONFLICT
[01:37:47] WITH IRAN. LAST WEEK IT WAS CROSSING THE
[01:37:50] $40 TRILLION DEBT THRESHOLD. ARE THESE THE ISSUES IN PLACES
[01:37:54] THAT REPUBLICANS WANT TO BE
[01:37:59] TWO MONTHS AND TWO WEEKS FROM ELECTION DAY? GUEST: NO.
[01:38:03] THE DEFINING ISSUE OF THIS ELECTION IS AFFORDABILITY AS IT
[01:38:07] WAS IN 2024 IN 2025.
[01:38:10] FOR THE FOCUS TO BE ON TARIFFS, HOW BIG THE DEBT IS GETTING, FOR
[01:38:13] THE FOCUS TO BE ON HOW INTEREST RATES ARE GOING TO REMAIN, AND
[01:38:18] FOR IT TO BE ON A FOREIGN WAR --
[01:38:21] NO, I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHERE REPUBLICANS WANT TO BE. BUT IT HAPPENS TO BE WHERE THEY
[01:38:25] ARE SO THEY WILL HAVE TO FIGHT
[01:38:26] ON THAT TERRAIN.
[01:38:30] I THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL TRY TO GET REPUBLICANS TO STAY THE COURSE ON IRAN.
[01:38:36] HE WILL SHIFT THE FOCUS AWAY
[01:38:38] FROM KINETIC MILITARY ACTIONS
[01:38:41] TOWARDS THIS IDEA OF MAXIMIZING
[01:38:45] ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT.
[01:38:49] THAT DOES COME AT SOME COST TO AMERICAN CONSUMERS AS WELL.
[01:38:54] ACCESS TO THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS KEEPING GAS AND OIL PRICES
[01:38:58] HIGHER THAN YOU WOULD IDEALLY
[01:39:03] LIKE IT TO BE IF YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN DEFENDING YOUR NARROW MAJORITIES.
[01:39:07] THERE ARE A LOT OF VOTERS WHO WANT THE PRESIDENT'S FOCUS TO BE
[01:39:10] SOMEWHERE EARTH DUTCH
[01:39:13] SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN WHERE IT IS BUT THIS IS WHERE THINGS ARE AT RIGHT NOW.
[01:39:17] HOST: DOES ANYONE CARE ABOUT THE $40 TRILLION IN DEBT THE UNITED
[01:39:20] STATES IS CURRENTLY IN? AND COUNTING, I SHOULD SAY.
[01:39:25] GUEST: 30 PLUS YEARS AGO THE DEFICIT WAS A MAJOR POLITICAL ISSUE.
[01:39:30] WE DID HAVE A SHORT-LIVED BALANCED BUDGET AT THE END OF
[01:39:33] THE 1990'S AND BEGINNING OF THE 2000'S. IT DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG.
[01:39:39] AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT IT AND IT WAS A
[01:39:42] LOT SMALLER THAN IT IS TODAY.
[01:39:44] $40 TRILLION NATIONAL DEBT. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE QUITE
[01:39:48] THE SAME URGENCY FROM EITHER PARTY.
[01:39:51] BUT A BIG PART OF IT IS IN THE
[01:39:55] EARLIER PART OF THIS CENTURY INTEREST RATES WERE LOW.
[01:39:57] SO THE COST OF SERVICING THE DEBT WAS RELATIVELY LOW.
[01:40:01] NOW IT IS A LOT HIGHER.
[01:40:06] IT IS CROWDING OUT A LOT OF
[01:40:07] OTHER PARTS OF THE
[01:40:10] FEDERAL BUDGET THAT VOTERS WANT. THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS TO HAVE A
[01:40:13] REAL ECONOMIC IMPACT, WHICH HE
[01:40:16] DIDN'T REALLY HAVE EARLIER IN
[01:40:18] YEARS PRIOR, IS MUCH HIGHER.
[01:40:22] SO WE WILL HAVE TO SEE IF THAT
[01:40:24] MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF HOW VARIOUS POLITICAL ACTORS RESPONDED TO IT.
[01:40:29] HOST: JIM ANTAL IS OUR -- JIM
[01:40:33] ANTLE IS OUR GUEST ABOUT 70 DAYS
[01:40:37] FROM ELECTION DAY, GIVE US A
[01:40:42] CALL. PHONE LINES ARE OPEN. REPUBLICANS, (202) 748-8001.
[01:40:47] DEMOCRATS, (202) 748-8000.
[01:40:49] INDEPENDENTS, (202) 748-8002.
[01:40:52] HE WRITES FOR THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER MAGAZINE. WHAT ARE YOU WRITING ABOUT THIS WEEK?
[01:40:57] GUEST: WE WILL REMAIN PRETTY
[01:41:00] HEAVILY FOCUSED ON THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS. WE HAVE THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF
[01:41:04] THE 9/11 TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE UNITED STATES COMING UP.
[01:41:08] QUIT HAS THAT MEANT FOR DOMESTIC
[01:41:11] POLICY -- WHAT HAS THAT MEANT FOR DOMESTIC POLITICS, FOR
[01:41:14] AMERICA'S ROLE IN THE WORLD? IT IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE.
[01:41:21] IT FEELS LIKE QUITE A LONG TIME AGO.
[01:41:26] YOU HAVE -- IN THE DAYS AFTER
[01:41:28] 9/11, HE WOULDN'T HAVE SEEN
[01:41:33] LIKELY AS ZOHRAN MAMDANI WOULD BE THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY,
[01:41:36] BUT HE IS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR NEW YORK
[01:41:39] CITY AND FOR POLITICS NATIONALLY?
[01:41:43] YOU SEE THIS ASCENDANCY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
[01:41:50] -- SOCIALIST WING OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
[01:41:52] HOST: THE SOCIALIST WING OF THE
[01:41:55] DEMOCRATIC PARTY, HOW DO YOU SEE A PERFORMING IN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS?
[01:41:59] A PRIMARY IS DIFFERENT THAN A MIDTERM ELECTION OF THE
[01:42:02] CANDIDATES WHERE WE SAW SURPRISES WHERE DEMOCRATIC
[01:42:06] SOCIALISTS DID WELL THIS PRIMARY SEASON. WHO SHOULD REPUBLICANS BE MOST
[01:42:10] WORRIED ABOUT? GUEST: ALL OF THE SOCIALISTS WHO WON HOUSE PRIMARIES ARE GOING TO
[01:42:14] DO WELL. THEY ARE GOING TO WIN THEIR
[01:42:17] ELECTIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL IN DEEP BLUE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
[01:42:21] THE QUESTION WILL BE HOW SOME OF
[01:42:22] THE SENATE CANDIDATES FARE.
[01:42:28] THE SOCIALIST-ADJACENT CANDIDATES IN MICHIGAN, MAINE,
[01:42:31] AND MINNESOTA, HOW DO THEY DO?
[01:42:37] WISCONSIN, THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, THE GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY.
[01:42:41] THEY HAVE DONE WELL OVERALL AND DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES.
[01:42:47] THEY HAVE BEATEN SOME ENTRENCHED INCUMBENTS IN HOUSE RACES.
[01:42:52] I THINK THIS HAS MADE SOME OF
[01:42:55] THE BLUE STATE SENATE RACES MORE COMPETITIVE THAN THEY OTHERWISE
[01:42:58] WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR SAFER
[01:43:01] DEMOCRATIC NOMINEES, PLACES
[01:43:04] LIKELY TO BE A PRETTY GOOD DEMOCRATIC YEAR.
[01:43:09] THE FACT THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO FIGHT TO WIN A SENATE RACE IN
[01:43:12] MICHIGAN -- SUSAN COLLINS HAS
[01:43:16] BEEN A TOUGH OUT FOR DEMOCRATS WHEN THEY TRIED TO CHALLENGE HER AND SHE HAS GENERALLY PERFORMED
[01:43:20] IN THE POLL NUMBERS, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAVE A PRETTY BIG 20
[01:43:24] IMPLICATION AS WELL -- 2028
[01:43:28] IMPLICATIONS AS WELL. IF THE SOCIALISTS IN THE
[01:43:31] BATTLEGROUND STATES, IF THEY DO WELL, THAT WOULD BE A PRETTY BIG
[01:43:37] BOON FOR SAY ALEXANDRIA
[01:43:38] OCASIO-CORTEZ OR ANY SOCIALIST
[01:43:41] WHO DECIDES TO RUN FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION.
[01:43:45] WHEREAS IF THEY DON'T DO WELL,
[01:43:48] IF THEY LOSE OR IF THERE RACES
[01:43:50] ARE CLOSE, DEMOCRATS WILL
[01:43:58] HAVE CONCERNS IT WILL BECOME A BIG PROBLEM FOR THAT WING OF THE PARTY.
[01:44:01] HOST: AS WE COME TO THE END OF
[01:44:05] THE SUMMER DO YOU THINK DEMOCRATS HAVE IMPROVE THEIR CHANCES OF TAKING THE SENATE
[01:44:08] OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST THREE MONTHS?
[01:44:10] GUEST: I WOULDN'T SAY THEY'VE
[01:44:15] IMPROVED THEM BECAUSE THEY'VE
[01:44:20] NOMINATED SOME CANDIDATES I THINK MAKE SOME OF THESE BLUE
[01:44:22] STATE SENATE RACES LESS CERTAIN
[01:44:25] THAN THEY OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN, BUT THEY ARE STILL IN A PRETTY GOOD POSITION.
[01:44:31] THEY SEEM TO BE WELL POSITIONED EVEN IN SOME OF THE RED STATES
[01:44:34] WHERE YOU HAVE SENATORS.
[01:44:39] THEY MOSTLY GOT THE NOMINEES
[01:44:39] THEY WANTED AND ARE PULLING
[01:44:44] PRETTY WELL IN PLACES LIKE
[01:44:47] ALASKA, IOWA, OHIO, CERTAINLY
[01:44:49] NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA. IN GEORGIA THEY ARE TRYING TO
[01:44:53] HOLD A SEAT. IN NORTH CAROLINA THEY ARE TRYING TO PICK UP ONE.
[01:44:58] THEY ARE IN A PRETTY GOOD PLACE,
[01:45:00] BUT THEY DO HAVE A VERY TOUGH
[01:45:03] SENATE MAP PUREX TO HAVE PLACES LIKE MICHIGAN AND MAINE REALLY
[01:45:07] NOT BE SUREFIRE DEMOCRATIC COLDS
[01:45:10] OR PICKUPS PUTS THEM IN A
[01:45:15] SOMEWHAT TOUGHER SPOT. I WOULD SAY THEY ARE CLEARLY
[01:45:18] FAVORED TO RETAKE THE HOUSE, BUT
[01:45:21] THE SENATE IN MY VIEW REMAINS A TOSSUP.
[01:45:24] HOST: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE STRATEGY OF CLEARING THE ROAD,
[01:45:26] ESSENTIALLY, FOR INDEPENDENTS IN
[01:45:30] PLACES LIKE KANSAS AND NEBRASKA?
[01:45:32] GUEST: IT IS CERTAINLY SOMEONE
[01:45:37] WITH THE DEMOCRATIC LABEL WON'T DO AS WELL. THOSE ARE REPUBLICAN STATES.
[01:45:41] THIS GIVES THEM A BETTER CHANCE.
[01:45:45] OBVIOUSLY IT LOOKS LIKE
[01:45:49] SHENANIGANS, PERHAPS, BECAUSE
[01:45:53] YOU HAVE THE DEMOCRATS NOT RUNNING AS DEMOCRATS.
[01:45:55] THAT'S GOING TO BOTHER A CERTAIN
[01:45:57] NUMBER OF VOTERS, BUT CLEARLY
[01:46:01] THAT IS STRATEGICALLY SOUNDER AND WE WILL HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT
[01:46:04] PANS OUT. I DON'T THINK MANY OF THOSE
[01:46:07] CANDIDATES WILL WIN, BUT IT
[01:46:11] MAKES REPUBLICANS SWEAT IN IT MAKES THEM HAVE TO SPEND MONEY IN STATES WHERE THEY WOULD RATHER NOT.
[01:46:15] HOST: CHATTING WITH JIM ANTLE,
[01:46:18] ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK POLITICS WITH HIM. PHONE LINES ARE AS USUAL.
[01:46:23] DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, INDEPENDENTS.
[01:46:25] THEY ARE OPEN FOR YOU TO CALL IN.
[01:46:29] CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, INDEPENDENT, ED, GO AHEAD.
[01:46:32] CALLER: YES. I'M 91 YEARS OLD.
[01:46:38] THE FIRST TIME I VOTED WAS IN 1956.
[01:46:44] I CHANGED MY POLITICS THE NEXT
[01:46:45] FOUR YEARS AND VOTED FOR MY
[01:46:50] PRESIDENT I DEARLY LOVED, JOHN F. KENNEDY.
[01:46:54] I VOTED UNTIL 1978.
[01:46:57] I QUIT VOTING.
[01:47:00] I NEVER VOTED UNTIL THE LAST ELECTION.
[01:47:02] I VOTED THEN.
[01:47:07] I'M AN INDEPENDENT. I VOTED THEN BECAUSE THE
[01:47:10] DEMOCRATS -- KNOW THAT JOE BIDEN
[01:47:17] BELIEVED OUT THERE IN THE RUN. HOST: ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE IN
[01:47:21] NOVEMBER?
[01:47:23] CALLER: I'M STILL PICKING AROUND
[01:47:28] BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYBODY THAT I LIKE IT.
[01:47:30] I CAN'T VOTE IN THE PRIMARIES ANYWAY. I'M INDEPENDENT.
[01:47:38] NOW I'M OFF MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT BECAUSE I'M 91 YEARS OLD.
[01:47:41] HOST: THANKS FOR CALLING IN.
[01:47:46] THAT ED IN WEST VIRGINIA. ED PAYING ATTENTION TO THE MIDTERMS AFTER NONVOTING FOR A
[01:47:50] LONG TIME. IT SPEAKS TO THE QUESTION OF
[01:47:53] TURNOUT IN A MIDTERM VERSUS THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION THAT ED
[01:47:57] CAME BACK TO VOTE FOR. GUEST: TURNOUT WILL BE LOWER.
[01:48:00] THE TURNOUT IS GENERALLY LOWERED MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
[01:48:04] BUT CERTAINLY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WILL TURN OUT.
[01:48:07] ONE OF THE REASONS WHY -- EXCUSE ME.
[01:48:09] ONE OF THE REASONS MIDTERM
[01:48:11] ELECTIONS GO BADLY FOR THE PARTY THAT CONTROLS THE WHITE HOUSE IS
[01:48:15] THEIR VOTERS TEND TO BE COMPLACENT OR DEMORALIZED BY
[01:48:19] THAT TIME, AND VOTERS FOR THE
[01:48:23] OTHER PARTY ARE ANGRY AND REALLY MOTIVATED TO TURNOUT.
[01:48:24] THAT, EVEN APART FROM ALL THE
[01:48:28] OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO
[01:48:32] OUR NATIONAL CONDITIONS SPECIFIC
[01:48:35] TO A TRUMP, SPECIFIC TO THE POSITIONS OF THE REPUBLICAN
[01:48:38] PARTY, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT IF YOU ARE THE PARTY IN POWER TO
[01:48:41] MOTIVATE YOUR PEOPLE TO TURNOUT.
[01:48:44] WHEREAS THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO VOTE AGAINST YOU ARE VERY PRIMED
[01:48:48] TO SHOW UP IN FOLK. HOST: IN TERMS OF THE MECHANICS
[01:48:52] OF VOTING, WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN
[01:48:55] OUR FIRST SEGMENT, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE PRESIDENT'S
[01:48:58] EXECUTIVE ORDER ON MAIL-IN BALLOT INCOME OF THE SUPREME COURT'S MOVE YESTERDAY TO AT
[01:49:02] LEAST FOR NOW ALLOW THAT ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD?
[01:49:04] IT COULD CAUSE DEMOCRATS ARE
[01:49:09] SEEING A LOT OF CHAOS BEFORE ELECTION DAY. WE ARE 10 WEEKS FROM ELECTION
[01:49:12] THEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING THE WAY MAIL-IN BALLOTS
[01:49:15] ARE SENT OUT AND HOW THE POSTAL SERVICE DEALS WITH THOSE BALLOTS.
[01:49:20] GUEST: YEAH. DEPENDING ON HOW CLOSE SOME OF THESE ELECTIONS ARE, IT COULD
[01:49:24] BECOMING A REAL -- IT COULD BECOME A REAL ISSUE.
[01:49:27] IF THERE ARE ELECTIONS THAT
[01:49:31] HINGE ON THE MAIL-IN BALLOTS, YOU COULD SEE A REAL ISSUE THERE.
[01:49:34] I SUSPECT THAT MOST OF THESE
[01:49:40] SENATE RACES AND HOUSE RACES WILL NOT BE SO CLOSE THAT THAT
[01:49:43] WILL BE THE DIFFERENCE MAKER,
[01:49:44] BUT CLEARLY THAT'S GOING TO BE A
[01:49:49] REAL ISSUE OF ANY OF THESE RACES COME DOWN TO THE WIRE.
[01:49:53] YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE -- WHO
[01:49:57] CONTROLS THE SENATE COULD BE A VERY CLOSE CALL.
[01:50:00] IF YOU HAVE A RACE WHERE THE CALL IS DELAYED BY NUMBER OF
[01:50:05] DAYS, THIS CERTAINLY WON'T HELP THAT.
[01:50:09] HOST: THIS IS ANNE IN MOORESVILLE. GO AHEAD.
[01:50:13] CALLER: I JUST WANTED TO SAY I
[01:50:16] THINK THE ONLY TALKING POINT
[01:50:20] THAT THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES
[01:50:22] FOR HOUSE OR SENATE NEED IS THAT
[01:50:28] WE HAVE THREE COEQUAL BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT.
[01:50:31] THIS CONGRESS HAS COMPLETELY
[01:50:35] SUBJUGATED ITSELF TO THE EXECUTIVE.
[01:50:36] WE NEED VOICES THERE THAT WILL
[01:50:42] STAND UP AND PULL BACK THE RESPONSIBILITIES.
[01:50:44] HOST: JIM ANTLE, YOUR THOUGHTS
[01:50:49] ON THAT AS A CAMPAIGN MESSAGE FOR DEMOCRATS OF THE NEXT 10 WEEKS?
[01:50:51] GUEST: I THINK DEMOCRATS ARE
[01:50:54] GOING TO EMPHASIZE THE OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF CONGRESS.
[01:50:59] YOU SEE IN A LOT OF THE COMPETITIVE RACES THEY ARE
[01:51:01] SAYING REPUBLICANS ARE
[01:51:04] RUBBERSTAMPS FOR DONALD TRUMP.
[01:51:07] COULD THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE THAT. THAT THEY WOULD BE INDEPENDENT
[01:51:10] OF THE WHITE HOUSE. THEY WOULD BE INDEPENDENT OF THE
[01:51:13] TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD
[01:51:16] MESSAGE FOR THEM.
[01:51:18] THIS HAS BEEN A CONGRESS WITH
[01:51:21] VERY NARROW MAJORITIES.
[01:51:25] EVEN AMONG THE REPUBLICAN BASE THERE IS A SENSE THAT THEY HAVEN'T REALLY DONE AS MUCH AS
[01:51:29] THEY COULD.
[01:51:32] SOME OF THE CONTROVERSY AROUND
[01:51:34] THE SAVE ACT, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A
[01:51:38] LOT OF CONSERVATIVES FEEL THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A MAJORITY
[01:51:41] REPUBLICAN CONGRESS NOT REALLY DOING VERY MUCH WITH ITS
[01:51:45] MAJORITY.
[01:51:47] I THINK DEMOCRATS CAN RUN
[01:51:51] AGAINST A DO-NOTHING CONGRESS, A
[01:51:53] CONGRESS THAT HAS BEEN VERY
[01:51:56] RELIANT ON OR BEHOLDING TO THE WHITE HOUSE. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD MESSAGE.
[01:52:02] OBVIOUSLY THE PROCESS IS NOT
[01:52:03] ALWAYS WHAT GETS THE VOTERS'
[01:52:08] JUICES FLOWING, BUT CERTAINLY
[01:52:09] DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO WANT --
[01:52:15] SAY THAT THEY CAN HAVE SOME SAY
[01:52:17] AND CONTROL AND WILLING TO PUSH
[01:52:19] BACK ON THE ADMINISTRATION, WHICH THEY WOULD GAIN IF THEY
[01:52:23] GOT ONE OR BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS.
[01:52:25] HOST: ON MESSAGING, PRESIDENT
[01:52:28] TRUMP WOULD SAY HE IS HIS OWN BEST MESSENGER, BUT IN TERMS OF
[01:52:32] BEING MESSENGER FOR THE PRESIDENT, WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE NEXT WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY?
[01:52:38] GUEST: THAT WILL BE INTERESTING. THERE HAS BEEN TALK ABOUT SCOTT
[01:52:41] JENNINGS WHO HAS BEEN A CNN COMMENTATOR -- LONGTIME
[01:52:44] REPUBLICAN OPERATIVE, TIES TO
[01:52:48] MITCH MCCONNELL. I WOULD BE MILD -- MILDLY
[01:52:53] SURPRISED IF THAT HAPPENS BECAUSE ONE, THE CAREER
[01:52:56] TRAJECTORY TENDS TO RUN IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
[01:52:59] YOU BECOME PRESS SECRETARY AND THAT HELPS YOU BUILD A MEDIA CAREER RATHER THAN THE OTHER WAY
[01:53:04] AROUND.
[01:53:06] THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
[01:53:11] HE WAS A PRETTY IMPORTANT PUNDIT.
[01:53:14] IT DOES HAPPEN.
[01:53:18] ALSO I THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
[01:53:21] MOST SUCCESSFUL PRESS SECRETARIES HAVE BEEN WOMEN NOT
[01:53:24] MEN.
[01:53:28] KAROLINE LEAVITT, WHO IS LEAVING THE POSITION.
[01:53:31] I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE,
[01:53:35] SUPPORTERS OF THE PRESIDENT, WERE HAPPY WITH THE JOB THAT SHE DID.
[01:53:39] SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS IS THE GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS. SO SHE DID PRETTY WELL FOR HERSELF.
[01:53:44] THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE
[01:53:46] ALREADY INSIDE THE TRUMP ORBIT.
[01:53:52] AND KELLY -- OF THE PRESIDENT
[01:53:56] MENTIONED MARGO MORGAN IN THE
[01:54:00] SAME BREATH AS SCOTT JENNINGS. THEY COULD PROMOTE INTERNALLY OR
[01:54:03] THEY COULD GO FOR THE BIG
[01:54:05] OUTSIDE NAME, WHICH I THINK OF
[01:54:08] THOSE THE BIGGEST NAME WOULD BE JENNINGS.
[01:54:09] HOST: WHEN YOU GO THAT ROUTE,
[01:54:13] FROM MEDIA BACK INTO AN ADMINISTRATION, WHAT DOES NOT
[01:54:16] BRING TO THE PODIUM?
[01:54:21] WHAT LESSONS ARE THERE FROM THE TONY SNOW'S OF WHITE HOUSE HISTORY?
[01:54:25] GUEST: THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
[01:54:27] A CERTAIN SKILL SET, YOU KNOW.
[01:54:30] THEY ARE USED TO ARGUING ON TELEVISION.
[01:54:33] THEY ARE USED TO --ONE PROBLEM
[01:54:39] IS THEY ARE USED TO EXPRESSING THEIR OWN VIEWS RATHER THAN
[01:54:41] SPEAKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE, WHICH
[01:54:43] ASKED THE PRESS SECRETARY YOU
[01:54:45] ARE SPEAKING FOR THE PRESIDENT.
[01:54:48] BUT IN A LOT OF THESE CASES THEY
[01:54:50] ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DEFENDED THE PRESIDENT PUREX SO THEY ARE
[01:54:54] PRETTY SKILLED AT THAT. THEY HAVE SOME OF THE
[01:54:57] RELATIONSHIPS, SO IT'S VERY MUCH A RELATIONSHIP-BASED BUSINESS.
[01:55:02] THEY KNOW A LOT OF THESE REPORTERS. THEY WORKED WITH SOME OF THESE REPORTERS.
[01:55:07] THEY BEEN ON TELEVISION WITH THEM. SO THAT IS CERTAINLY HELPFUL.
[01:55:11] YOU BRING, A SORT OF, TO AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE.
[01:55:15] YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO KIND OF KNOWS WHAT ARGUMENTS PLAY.
[01:55:20] MAYBE YOU HAVE A LITTLE BETTER FAMILIARITY WITH THE SENATE AND THE VOTERS.
[01:55:23] HOST: WHY DID PAT BUCHANAN BRING
[01:55:27] TO RONALD REAGAN? GUEST: PAT BUCHANAN AT THAT TIME
[01:55:31] WAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSERVATIVE PUNDITS IN THE COUNTRY.
[01:55:35] IT WAS AT A TIME WHEN THERE WEREN'T AS MANY CONSERVATIVES ON
[01:55:38] TELEVISION AS THERE ARE TODAY.
[01:55:40] HE BROUGHT A CERTAIN MEDIA
[01:55:44] SAVVY.
[01:55:44] HE BROUGHT A CERTAIN AMOUNT
[01:55:49] OF CREDIBILITY FOR CONSERVATIVES AT A TIME WHEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
[01:55:53] FELT LIKE THEY NEEDED REINFORCEMENT ON THAT FRONT FOR THE REAGAN WHITE HOUSE.
[01:55:57] HE ALSO HAD A LOT OF WHITE HOUSE EXPERIENCE.
[01:56:00] HE HAD BEEN A VERY CLOSE AIDE OF RICHARD NIXON.
[01:56:03] HE SERVED BRIEFLY UNDER GERALD FORD.
[01:56:05] SO HE WAS A PERSON WITH A LOT OF POLITICAL EXPERIENCE.
[01:56:08] BUT THAT THAT TIME HE WAS ALSO
[01:56:10] ONE OF THE TOP PEER PUNDITS IN
[01:56:15] THE COUNTRY, FOR HIM TO SERVE AS WHITE HOUSE MEDICATIONS DIRECTOR
[01:56:18] I THINK WAS PRETTY HELPFUL FOR RONALD REAGAN AT THAT TIME.
[01:56:21] HOST: IF IT IS SCOTT JENNINGS,
[01:56:24] HOW ABOUT DONALD TRUMP'S AWKWARDNESS OF HIS CRITICISM OF MITCH MCCONNELL OVER THE YEARS?
[01:56:28] SCOTT JENNINGS ALREADY HAD TO
[01:56:31] NAVIGATE THAT IN CNN, BUT BEING INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE FOR THAT,
[01:56:35] I'M SURE IT'S SOMETHING THE PRESS CORPS WOULD PROBABLY TRY TO REMIND HIM OF WHILE HE'S AT THE PODIUM.
[01:56:40] GUEST: YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GUY AT THE PODIUM UNTIL MITCH
[01:56:44] MCCONNELL RETURNS TO WASHINGTON, D.C., THAT'S A QUESTION THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ASK.
[01:56:48] YOU WANT THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY --
[01:56:52] HOST: MCCONNELL'S SPOKESPERSON
[01:56:57] OR THE WHITE HOUSE
[01:57:01] SPOKESPERSON.
[01:57:02] GUEST: MCCONNELL IS NOT THE
[01:57:06] REPUBLICAN LEADER ANYMORE BUT HE HAS REMAINED AN IMPORTANT SENATOR AND HE HAS BEEN A SWING
[01:57:09] VOTE ON SOME OF THE TRUMP NOMINEES.
[01:57:12] I THINK JENNINGS FOR MCCONNELL
[01:57:17] WOULD AT LEAST BE A LITTLE AWKWARD.
[01:57:20] AS LONG AS THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN HE'S GOING TO COME
[01:57:22] BACK AND VOTE, WHEN HE'S GOING
[01:57:25] TO BE ABLE TO BE IN COMMITTEE HEARINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT,
[01:57:29] DO YOU NECESSARILY WANT TO HAVE THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
[01:57:32] HAVING TO FIELD THOSE QUESTIONS? YOU PROBABLY DON'T.
[01:57:36] YOU'VE GOT ENOUGH PROBLEMS.
[01:57:38] HOST: WASHINGTON, TOM ON THE
[01:57:41] INDEPENDENT LINE. YOU ARE ON WITH JIM ANTLE.
[01:57:44] CALLER: YES.
[01:57:46] I WAS WONDERING, CAN THE STATES
[01:57:51] MAIL THE BALLOTS TO THE VOTERS
[01:57:56] ANYWAY? OTHER THAN USING THE MAIL?
[01:58:00] SEND THEM THROUGH ANOTHER COMPANY?
[01:58:02] GUEST: I MEAN, PROBABLY NOT IN
[01:58:08] AS WIDESPREAD OF A WAY AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO IT.
[01:58:11] I'M TRYING TO THINK.
[01:58:15] CLEARLY, THERE ARE STATE PARTIES
[01:58:17] AND SOME PARTY-AFFILIATED GROUPS
[01:58:24] WHO CERTAINLY TRIED TO MAKE SURE
[01:58:25] THEIR VOTERS GET BALLOTS, BUT I
[01:58:29] THINK THEY LARGELY USE THE MAIL TO DO THAT.
[01:58:32] HOST: IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WOULD BE
[01:58:34] A HECK OF A CONTRACT FOR A
[01:58:36] PRIVATE SHIPPING COMPANY TO GET
[01:58:38] ALL THE MAIL-IN BALLOTS.
[01:58:46] I IMAGINE THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE SOME INVESTIGATIONS OR CONCERNS IF IT WAS ONE PRIVATE COMPANY. GUEST: THAT WOULD BE THE THING.
[01:58:49] YOU GET SOME SCRUTINY OVER THAT COMPANY.
[01:58:52] IF THERE WAS ANYBODY ON THE BOARD, THE CEO --
[01:58:54] HOST: WHO HAS DONATED TO WHAT.
[01:58:57] GUEST: WHO HAS DONATED TO WHICH
[01:59:00] CANDIDATES, WHICH PARTY, THAT WOULD BECOME A MAJOR ISSUE.
[01:59:04] OBVIOUSLY THE PARTIES THEMSELVES HAVE A VERY STRONG, VESTED
[01:59:07] INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THEIR
[01:59:11] BASE GETS THEIR BALLOTS.
[01:59:12] I THINK THE TIMING OF THE
[01:59:17] EXECUTIVE ORDER AND AT THE SUPREME COURT ALLOWING IT TO GO
[01:59:19] FORWARD FOR NOW PROBABLY ISN'T
[01:59:23] SUPER CONDUCIVE TO ALTERNATIVES TO THE POSTAL SERVICE.
[01:59:26] IF IT HAPPENED MAYBE SIX MONTHS AGO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPLORED.
[01:59:29] HOST: STATES ARE ALREADY
[01:59:33] CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING ALTERNATIVES TO A SPECIFICALLY-DESIGNED ENVELOPE
[01:59:37] THAT THE BALLOTS NEED TO GO IN AND IF THERE IS TIME FOR THAT STILL USING THE POSTAL SERVICE.
[01:59:40] GUEST: ABSOLUTELY.
[01:59:44] FOR ANY KIND OF CHANGE DEVOTING
[01:59:49] PROTOCOLS, VOTING PROCEDURES, WE ARE PRETTY LATE IN THE GAME.
[01:59:53] EARLY VOTING IS STARTING NEXT MONTH IN A LOT OF STATES.
[01:59:57] HOST: WHERE ARE YOU ON THE SAVE
[02:00:01] ACT AND PRESIDENT TRUMP CONCERNS
[02:00:03] ABOUT VAST VOTER FRAUD AND
[02:00:07] ILLEGAL BALLOTS?
[02:00:08] GUEST: I SUPPORT THE USE OF
[02:00:11] VOTER
[02:00:14] GUEST: I SUPPORT THE USE OF VOTER I.D. I THINK THAT SHOULD
[02:00:17] BE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
[02:00:20] THE SAVE ACT AS ITS WRITTEN GOES
[02:00:24] A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THAN THAT.
[02:00:26] I DON'T THINK IT IS GOING TO
[02:00:29] PASS, AND EVEN IF IT WERE TO PASS AT THIS POINT, WE'RE PRETTY
[02:00:32] CLOSE TO THE ELECTIONS, SO I
[02:00:34] DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF IMPACT
[02:00:37] IT WOULD REALISTICALLY HAVE.
[02:00:39] IT WOULD NEED TO PASS PROBABLY
[02:00:42] IN JUNE OR SO.
[02:00:47] BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK
[02:00:50] REPUBLICANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
[02:00:51] THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTION.
[02:00:56] I DON'T THINK THAT PASSING OR NOT PASSING THE SAVE ACT IS
[02:00:59] GOING TO DETERMINE WHO CONTROLS
[02:01:02] CONGRESS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
[02:01:06] BUT IT IS A BIG ISSUE FOR A LOT
[02:01:08] OF REPUBLICAN VOTERS, AND I
[02:01:13] THINK IT'S ALSO INDICATIVE OF
[02:01:18] REPUBLICAN VOTERS DON'T FEEL THAT THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITIES
[02:01:22] HAVE DONE VERY MUCH AND MOST OF WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THERE'S
[02:01:26] BEEN UNIFIED REPUBLICAN CONTROL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IT'S
[02:01:30] BEEN THROUGH EXECUTIVE ACTION BY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, NOT
[02:01:33] THROUGH ACTS OF CONGRESS, AND IT
[02:01:35] MAKES THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL AND THAT'S ABOUT IT, AND SOME
[02:01:39] POST OFFICE RENAMINGS, AND A LOT
[02:01:42] OF VOTERS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THAT.
[02:01:44] HOST: DEE IN VIRGINIA SAYS SHE BELIEVES THAT THE CHANGE IN
[02:01:47] MAIL-IN VOTING WILL HURT REPUBLICANS WAY MORE THAN
[02:01:51] DEMOCRATS. WANTS TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS
[02:01:53] THAT, IF IT TAKES PLACE, IF IT BACKFIRES.
[02:01:56] GUEST: IT CERTAINLY DEPENDS ON THE STATE. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STATES
[02:01:59] WHERE A LOT OF REPUBLICANS HAVE HISTORICALLY VOTED BY MAIL, AND
[02:02:03] CERTAINLY A LOT OF MILITARY VOTERS VOTE BY MAIL, AND THAT
[02:02:07] TENDS TO BE A REPUBLICAN
[02:02:09] CONSTITUENCY.
[02:02:13] SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE AREAS WHERE THAT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT,
[02:02:17] NEGATIVE IMPACT ON REPUBLICANS.
[02:02:19] I THINK THE VIEW IS OVERALL THAT
[02:02:24] DEMOCRATS ARE, BECAUSE THIEVEN COURAGED THEIR VOTERS TO VOTE
[02:02:27] THAT WAY, CERTAINLY DURING THE
[02:02:32] PANDEMIC THAT OVERALL MAIL-IN VOTING ADVANTAGES THEM, BUT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS NECESSARILY
[02:02:35] THE CASE, AND CERTAINLY IN 2024,
[02:02:38] THE GAP ON THAT NARROWED QUITE A
[02:02:42] BIT, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GET A
[02:02:43] LOT OF REPUBLICANS TO VOTE BY
[02:02:46] MAIL, WHETHER THEIR STATES
[02:02:48] ALLOWED IT, REALLY EVERYBODY
[02:02:51] WANTS THEIR VOTERS TO UTILIZE
[02:02:54] EVERY LEGAL METHOD OF VOTING TO
[02:02:56] MAXIMIZE THE TURNOUT OF THEIR VOTING BLOC.
[02:02:59] HOST: THIS IS MASON IN DAYTON, OHIO, DEMOCRAT.
[02:03:02] MASON, GO AHEAD.
[02:03:04] CALLER: YEAH, I AM GETTING A
[02:03:07] LITTLE ANNOYED LISTENING TO
[02:03:10] GUESTS LIKE THIS AND PUNDITS
[02:03:12] TALK ABOUT THESE MIDTERMS LIKE THEY'RE AVERAGE MIDTERMS, LIKE
[02:03:15] EVERYTHING IS BUSINESS AS NORMAL.
[02:03:18] AND THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE. WE'VE NEVER SEEN FOOD INSECURITY
[02:03:22] AND FOOD SAFETY AT AN ALL-TIME LOW, LIKE WE HAVE NOW, WITH SO
[02:03:24] MANY RECALLS AND PEOPLE GETTING ILL. ALSO, THE OTHER THING I DIDN'T
[02:03:28] HEAR YOUR GUEST SAY IS ON VOTING
[02:03:32] AND MAIL-IN VOTING, AND YOU
[02:03:36] ASKED WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S BEEN FRAUD PERPETRATED IN OUR VOTING SYSTEMS.
[02:03:39] THE ANSWER SO THAT QUESTION IS NO.
[02:03:42] THERE WAS 60 COURTS THAT LOOKED AT THIS AND FOUND NOTHING.
[02:03:46] WE HAVE A VERY SOLID VOTING POLICY AND VOTING PROCESS WHERE
[02:03:50] WE ARE VERIFYING THE VOTE AND
[02:03:53] THE PERSON IN MULTIPLE STEPS.
[02:03:55] THE ONLY REASON REPUBLICANS HAVE LATCHED ON TO THIS IS BECAUSE
[02:03:59] THEY'RE GOOD AT PERPETRATING
[02:04:02] FEAR, HATE AND JUST BEING SCARED OUT OF THEIR MINDS THAT
[02:04:05] EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE A SOCIALIST. I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO LOOK AT
[02:04:09] THIS ELECTION AND LOOK AT THEIR
[02:04:12] OWN BEST INTERESTS, SEE THE MESS THAN BETS CREATED IN THE PAST
[02:04:16] TWO YEARS, AND VOTE FOR THEMSELVES INSTEAD OF AGAINST THEMSELVES.
[02:04:19] LAST THING I WANT TO SAY, THE
[02:04:22] ONLY TIME WE HAVE REDUCED THE
[02:04:26] DEBT IN THE UNITED STATES IS UNDER CLINTON, WE BALANCED THE BUDGET AND HAD A SURPLUS.
[02:04:30] UNDER OBAMA, WE CUT THE DEBT IN
[02:04:34] HALF. UNDER BIDEN WE DROPPED IT BY HALF.
[02:04:37] SINCE THE 1980'S, ALL REPUBLICANS HAVE ADDED TO THE
[02:04:40] DEBT, NOT DECREASED IT FROM THE
[02:04:44] DEBT. SO IF WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS $40 TRILLION, THE PARTY TO
[02:04:48] DO IT IS DEMOCRATS. HOST: GOT YOUR POINT.
[02:04:52] MASON, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT CUTTING THE DEBT IN HALF. THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED.
[02:04:55] MAYBE SHE'S TALKING DEFICITS.
[02:04:57] GUEST: BUT I MEAN, UNDER MUCH OF
[02:04:59] THE OVERWHELM, THEY WERE RUNNING
[02:05:02] TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
[02:05:06] DEFICITS. SOME HAD TO DO WITH THE RECESSION, AND THEN THE DEFICITS
[02:05:09] INCREASED AGAIN TO HUGE LEVELS
[02:05:12] DURING COVID. THEY'VE NEVER REALLY COME DOWN.
[02:05:16] NOW, IT'S CERTAINLY A VALID CRITICISM OF REPUBLICANS THAT
[02:05:19] THEY HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, UNDER REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATIONS, DEBT
[02:05:22] HAS CERTAINLY GONE UP.
[02:05:25] IN 1992, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD ROSS
[02:05:28] PEROT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT ON
[02:05:30] AN ANTI-DEFICIT, ANTI-DEBT
[02:05:34] PLATFORM, AND AT THAT TIME THE
[02:05:36] NATIONAL DEBT WAS $4 TRILLION.
[02:05:39] THE BUDGET DEFICIT IN 1992 WAS
[02:05:44] $290 BILLION, WHICH THESE WERE RECORDS AT THAT TIME.
[02:05:47] THESE WOULD BE VERY SMALL
[02:05:48] NUMBERS NOW.
[02:05:53] WHEN BILL CLINTON BALANCED THE BUDGET, WE HAD SURPLUSES, THE
[02:05:56] FIRST TIME WE REALLY HAD SINCE
[02:05:58] 1969, SO WE'VE HAD CHRONIC
[02:06:00] DEFICIT SPENDING FOR QUITE A WHILE.
[02:06:04] EVEN BY THAT POINT. YOU KNOW, IT WAS IN CONJUNCTION
[02:06:07] WITH THE REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED
[02:06:11] CONGRESS. CONGRESS DOES DETERMINE SPENDING
[02:06:14] LEVELS AND APPROPRIATIONS AND
[02:06:18] REVENUES. THAT ALL HAS TO START IN THE HOUSE, AND IT'S PRIMARILY ACTS
[02:06:22] OF CONGRESS, AND CERTAINLY
[02:06:23] CLINTON WAS A RELATIVELY CENTRIST DEMOCRAT.
[02:06:27] I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WING OF THE PARTY IS CONTROLLING THE
[02:06:30] DEMOCRATIC PARTY AT THIS POINT.
[02:06:32] BUT YOU KNOW, TO THE CALLER'S
[02:06:35] POINT ABOUT WHETHER THIS IS A NORMAL MIDTERM ELECTION OR NOT,
[02:06:38] THERE ARE ASPECTS OF THIS THAT
[02:06:42] ARE CERTAINLY ANY PARTY IN POWER
[02:06:46] TENDS TO HAVE DIFFICULTY IN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
[02:06:50] IN THE LAST ALMOST 90 YEARS,
[02:06:52] ONLY TWO REAL EXCEPTIONS TO THAT
[02:06:54] WERE 1998, WHERE WE WERE IN THE
[02:06:57] MIDST OF AN UNPOPULAR CLINTON
[02:07:00] IMPEACHMENT, AND 2002 WHEN WE WERE IN THE AFTERMATH OF 9/11.
[02:07:04] BUT IN THOSE CASES, THE PARTY IN
[02:07:07] POWER DID WELL IN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, BUT OVERALL THE PARTY
[02:07:10] IN POWER HAS LOST SEATS. BUT YES, THERE ARE THINGS THAT
[02:07:12] ARE SPECIFIC TO WHAT IS GOING ON
[02:07:15] RIGHT NOW WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
[02:07:16] LOW JOB APPROVAL RATINGS, WITH
[02:07:21] THE GENERAL SENSE THAT 2024 WAS
[02:07:24] AN ELECTION OVER THE ECONOMY, OVER AFFORDABILITY, OVER
[02:07:28] INFLATION. AND THEN WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON
[02:07:31] OTHER THINGS. WE'RE AT WAR IN IRAN, WHICH A
[02:07:34] LOT OF PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR TRUMP THOUGHT WE WERE NOT GOING
[02:07:37] TO DO.
[02:07:40] WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST, SO, YOU
[02:07:42] KNOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE CONDITIONS RIGHT
[02:07:46] NOW IN PEOPLE'S ASSESSMENT OF
[02:07:49] HOW THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THIS CONGRESS HAVE PERFORMED THAT
[02:07:52] CERTAINLY PUT REPUBLICANS IN A
[02:07:53] MUCH TOUGHER POSITION.
[02:07:56] BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, BEING THE PARTY IN POWER DURING A
[02:08:00] MIDTERM ELECTION IS GENERALLY NOT A SUPER FAVORABLE POSITION
[02:08:04] TO BE IN. HOST: LAST TWO MINUTES OR SO HERE, BUT I DID WANT TO TOUCH ON
[02:08:08] AN INTERESTING STORY YOU WROTE
[02:08:10] ABOUT FAKE POLLING IN THE MIDTERM ELECTION AND THE STORY
[02:08:14] OF MEDIAN STRATEGY, I THINK WAS THE NAME OF THE FAKE POLLING
[02:08:17] COMPANY. CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHAT WE
[02:08:19] FOUND OUT AND WHAT THAT COULD
[02:08:22] MEAN AS WE TRY TO GET A SENSE OF WHO'S UP AND WHO'S DOWN GOING
[02:08:26] INTO ELECTION DAY? GUEST: SO LEGITIMATE POLLSTERS
[02:08:29] HAVE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN RECENT YEARS, BECAUSE IT'S
[02:08:32] GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO GET
[02:08:34] PEOPLE TO RESPOND TO POLLS.
[02:08:37] SO IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GET REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLES TO
[02:08:40] RESPOND TO YOUR POLLING, IT
[02:08:43] MAKES IT REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET
[02:08:45] AN ACCURATE SNAPSHOT OF THE
[02:08:49] ELECTORATE.
[02:08:52] WE'VE SEEN SOME TIMES WHEN THE POLLS WERE OFF BY A SIGNIFICANT MARGIN. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS CERTAINLY
[02:08:56] OUTPERFORMED HIS POLL NUMBERS IN ALL THREE OF HIS PRESIDENTIAL
[02:08:59] ELECTIONS TO VARYING DEGREES.
[02:09:02] BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WE
[02:09:05] SAW POLLS THAT WERE NOT EVEN REAL, THAT THIS WAS A COMPANY
[02:09:08] THAT WAS TRYING TO -- THEY SAID THEY WERE DOING A SOCIAL EXPERIMENT.
[02:09:12] THEY SENT OUT SOME POLLS. THEY PUT OUT SOME NUMBERS.
[02:09:15] THESE NUMBERS WERE NOT REAL.
[02:09:17] YOU ALSO HAD ANOTHER COMPANY
[02:09:21] THAT WAS DOING POLLING -- HOST: BUT THESE NUMBERS GOT INCORPORATED INTO THE AVERAGES
[02:09:25] OF POLLS, SO THEREFORE -- GUEST: THEY WERE AVERAGES, AND
[02:09:28] THEY WERE ALSO REPORTED ON IN NEWS STORIES. SO THEY WERE IMPACTING THE
[02:09:31] NARRATIVE AROUND SORT OF THESE RACES, AND YOU HAD A COMPANY IN
[02:09:35] FLORIDA THAT DID A FAIRLY DUBIOUS POLL OF THE GOVERNOR'S
[02:09:39] RACE. ALTHOUGH IN THAT CASE IT WAS PRETTY CLEARLY AN OUTLIER, BUT
[02:09:42] THEY SAID THAT A MARGINAL CANDIDATE WAS MUCH MORE
[02:09:46] COMPETITIVE IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE. AND THEN WHEN THEY WERE ASKED
[02:09:49] ABOUT THEIR METHODOLOGY, THEY
[02:09:51] WERE USING SOME PRETTY DUBIOUS METHODS.
[02:09:55] SO IN A CLIMATE WHERE THE POLLS
[02:09:57] ARE SORT OF STRUGGLING TO HAVE
[02:10:01] ACTUAL FAKE POLLS GOING OUT
[02:10:04] THERE, REALLY FURTHER UNDERMINES CONFIDENCE IN POLLING.
[02:10:08] SO A LOT OF CAMPAIGNS MAKE AN
[02:10:12] IMPORTANT STRATEGIC DECISION BASED ON THE POLLING.
[02:10:15] CERTAINLY A LOT OF VOTERS, THEIR SENSE OF WHO'S UP AND WHO'S
[02:10:18] DOWN, THE GENERAL HORSE RACE IS INFORMED BY THE POLLS.
[02:10:21] A LOT OF NEWS STORIES ARE
[02:10:24] INFLUENCED BY THE POLLS.
[02:10:27] SO IF PEOPLE WANT TO CITE THESE
[02:10:31] ACTUAL FAKE POLLS AS EVIDENCE OF WHAT POLLING IS IN GENERAL, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS
[02:10:35] NECESSARILY FAIR, BUT IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT SOME PEOPLE
[02:10:37] ARE GOING TO DO THAT, IT REALLY
[02:10:41] UNDERMINES CONFIDENCE IN THE WHOLE ENTERPRISE.
[02:10:43] HOST: FOR THAT STORY AND MANY
[02:10:48] MORE, WASHINGTONEXAMINER.COM IS WHERE YOU CAN GO.
[02:10:50] JIM ANTLE IS EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF
[02:10:53] THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER MAGAZINE, AND WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. GUEST: THANK YOU.
[02:10:57] THANKS FOR HAVING ME. HOST: COMING UP IN OUR FINAL 45
[02:10:59] MINUTES THIS MORNING, WE'LL BE
[02:11:01] JOINED BY THE ATLANTIC'S TOM NICHOLS.
[02:11:04] WE'LL DISCUSS THE LATEST ROUND OF SANCTIONS ON IRAN, NATIONAL
[02:11:08] SECURITY ISSUES, YOUR PHONE CALLS AFTER THE BREAK.
[02:11:11] STICK AROUND.
[02:11:23] >> YOU'RE WATCHING C-SPAN,
[02:11:24] DEMOCRACY UNFILTERED.
[02:11:30] >> C-SPAN BRINGS YOU DEMOCRACY UNFILTERED IN REAL-TIME.
[02:11:34] DEMOCRACY DOESN'T TAKE SIDES. NEITHER DOES C-SPAN.
[02:11:36] IN A WORLD FULL OF OPINIONS, C-SPAN GIVES YOU DIRECT ACCESS
[02:11:40] TO THE PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS THAT SHAPE OUR NATION,
[02:11:44] UNFILTERED COVERAGE OF CONGRESS, AS LAWS ARE DEBATED AND DECIDED,
[02:11:47] LIVE PROCEEDINGS FROM THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT,
[02:11:51] PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHES, BRIEFINGS AND HISTORIC MOMENTS AS THEY
[02:11:54] HAPPEN. NO COMMENTARY, NO SPIN, NO
[02:11:58] AGENDA. JUST THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS
[02:12:01] PRESENTED IN FULL WITHOUT INTERRUPTION, SO YOU CAN WATCH
[02:12:05] THE DEBATES, HEAR EVERY WORD, AND MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND.
[02:12:09] >> C-SPAN'S RESPECTED NONPROFIT SERVICE HAS OFFERED AMERICANS
[02:12:13] UNFILTERED GAVEL-TO-GAVEL COVERAGE OF THEIR GOVERNMENT IN
[02:12:16] ACTION. >> C-SPAN BRINGING YOU DEMOCRACY
[02:12:18] UNFILTERED. C-SPAN IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE
[02:12:22] CABLE, SATELLITE, AND STREAMING COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE C-SPAN AS
[02:12:25] A PUBLIC SERVICE.
[02:12:29] >> IN A CONFIDED MEDIA WORLD, ONE PLACE BRINGS AMERICANS TOGETHER.
[02:12:32] ACCORDING TO A NEW MAGID RESEARCH REPORT, NEARLY 90
[02:12:36] MILLION AMERICANS TURN TO C-SPAN, AND THEY'RE ALMOST PERFECTLY BALANCED.
[02:12:39] 28% CONSERVATIVE, 27% LIBERAL OR
[02:12:43] PROGRESSIVE, 41% MODERATE. REPUBLICANS WATCHING DEMOCRATS,
[02:12:47] DEMOCRATS WATCHING REPUBLICANS.
[02:12:50] MODERATES WATCHING ALL SIDES. BECAUSE C-SPAN VIEWERS WANT THE
[02:12:54] FACTS, STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE.
[02:12:56] NO COMMENTARY, NO AGENDA, JUST
[02:12:59] DEMOCRACY UNFILTERED, EVERY DAY
[02:13:00] ON THE C-SPAN NETWORKS.
[02:13:07] >> "WASHINGTON JOURNAL" CONTINUES.
[02:13:09] HOST: OUR GUEST NOW IS TOM
[02:13:12] NICHOLS, STAFF WRITER FOR THE
[02:13:15] ATLANTIC, YOU MAY KNOW HIM FROM HIS MANY BOOKS ON NATIONAL
[02:13:18] SECURITY AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. YOU MAY NOT KNOW THAT HE WAS A
[02:13:22] FIVE-TIME "JEOPARDY!" CHAMPION BACK IN THE MID 1990'S, BUT
[02:13:24] LET'S START AT THE INTERSECTION OF NATIONAL SECURITY AND ECONOMIC POWER.
[02:13:28] WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF OPERATION
[02:13:31] ECONOMIC OUTCAST, THE LATEST ROUND OF ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
[02:13:34] AGAINST IRAN? GUEST: THERE'S NOT MUCH LEFT TO
[02:13:38] SANCTION. AND IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO
[02:13:40] REALLY GO AFTER THE RUSSIANS AND
[02:13:43] THE CHINESE AS THE PRESIDENT
[02:13:45] SEEMS UNWILLING TO DO, NOT SURE WHAT THIS IS OTHER THAN ANOTHER
[02:13:49] SET OF ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE
[02:13:55] PRESIDENT, FROM THE SECRETARY OY
[02:13:58] THIS IS THE ECONOMIC VERSION OF D-DAY.
[02:14:02] BUT IT'S NOT.
[02:14:05] NOW, DEFINITELY SANCTIONS ARE
[02:14:07] BITING IN IRAN, THEY HURT,
[02:14:10] PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY. BUT I DON'T THINK THIS
[02:14:14] PARTICULAR REGIME CARES MUCH ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY IF THEY
[02:14:18] HAVE FRIENDS IN POWERFUL PLACES IN OTHER CAPITALS.
[02:14:22] AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENTS REALLY DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORRYING TOO MUCH ABOUT THE
[02:14:25] SUFFERING OF THEIR PEOPLE.
[02:14:28] BUT I ALSO THINK THAT THIS IS
[02:14:30] KIND OF A LEAFY SET OF
[02:14:34] SANCTIONS, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T INCLUDE SOME OF THE BIGGEST PLAYERS.
[02:14:37] I DON'T THINK THE CHINESE ARE GOING TO ENDANGER THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH IRAN OVER THIS, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY.
[02:14:41] HOST: WHEN YOU SAY THIS IS A LEAKY SET OF SANCTIONS, WHAT
[02:14:44] WOULD IT MEAN? WHAT WOULD THAT ENTAIL GOING
[02:14:47] AFTER THE CHINESE AND RUSSIA?
[02:14:50] WHAT WOULD YOU NEED TO SEE FOR
[02:14:51] THIS TO BE AN ECONOMIC D-DAY?
[02:14:55] GUEST: FIRST OF ALL, YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE THE COOPERATION OF THOSE GOVERNMENTS.
[02:14:59] IF WE'RE GOING TO STAY WITH THE
[02:15:00] D-DAY METAPHOR, THAT WAS AN
[02:15:04] ALLIED OPERATION, NOT ONE THAT RELUCTANTLY DRAGGED IN SOME
[02:15:08] PEOPLE, WHILE OTHER PEOPLE SAT IT OUT SOMEWHERE ELSE ON THE
[02:15:12] BEACH. SO YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD IT TAKE?
[02:15:16] I SUPPOSE IT WOULD TAKE TREATING CHINA THE WAY WE'RE TREATING
[02:15:19] CANADA RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR CLOSEST
[02:15:22] FRIENDS AND ALLIES. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THE
[02:15:26] ADMINISTRATION HAS THE APPETITE
[02:15:27] FOR THAT, BECAUSE OF THE
[02:15:31] ECONOMIC REVERBERATIONS THAT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE UNITED
[02:15:34] STATES.
[02:15:36] CHINA GETS ENERGY FROM IRAN,
[02:15:38] IT'S WORKING WITH THEM ON A LOT OF OTHER DIFFERENT LEVELS.
[02:15:42] I JUST DON'T SEE THE ADMINISTRATION TAKING THAT ON.
[02:15:45] I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS -- I THINK THEY RAN OUT OF MILITARY
[02:15:49] OPTIONS, AND SO THEY REPLACED ALL THE MILITARY LANGUAGE THEY
[02:15:53] WERE USING WITH ECONOMIC TERMS,
[02:15:57] AND THEY'RE HOPING SOMEHOW THAT PRODUCES AN EFFECT, WHICH IT
[02:16:01] MIGHT, BUT THAT LOOKS DOUBTFUL RIGHT NOW.
[02:16:03] HOST: IS IT MORE EFFECT WE HAVE U.S. NAVAL BLOCKADES SITTING OFF
[02:16:06] OF IRANIAN PORTS?
[02:16:07] IS THIS SOMETHING THAT JUST
[02:16:11] TAKES TIME TO SQUEEZE RATHER THAN SOME SORT OF MILITARY
[02:16:14] STRIKE THAT WOULD BE QUICK AND DECISIVE?
[02:16:18] GUEST: ONE THING WE KNOW FROM
[02:16:20] THE HISTORY OF SANCTIONS, WHENEVER THEY'VE BEEN APPLIED,
[02:16:23] WE KNOW TWO THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, SANCTIONS TEND TO
[02:16:26] WORK BEST BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES THAT ACTUALLY TRADE WITH EACH
[02:16:30] OTHER. YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO
[02:16:34] SANCTION THAT CAN HURT THE OTHER
[02:16:38] PARTY AND GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO WANT TO NEGOTIATE ABOUT.
[02:16:41] THE OTHER THING WE KNOW ABOUT SANCTIONS IS THEY TAKE A LONG
[02:16:45] TIME. AS A COROLLARY TO THAT, THEY
[02:16:49] TAKE A LONG TIME, AND EVERYBODY
[02:16:50] HAS TO BE IN ON IT.
[02:16:53] I'M JUST NOT SURE THAT, JUST LIKE WITH THE WAR ITSELF, I'M
[02:16:56] NOT SURE THE ADMINISTRATION HAS REALLY THOUGHT THIS OUT IN TERMS
[02:16:58] OF HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK.
[02:17:02] IF WE'RE GOING TO BLOCKADE IRANIAN PORTS, WHAT ARE YOU
[02:17:06] BLOCKADING? WHICH SHIPS GET IN AND OUT?
[02:17:08] IF YOU'RE GOING TO FIRE ON
[02:17:12] SOMEONE, IF THERE'S A RUN OF THE BLOCKADE, WHO ARE YOU SHOOTING
[02:17:15] AT?
[02:17:19] AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THEY'VE REALLY THOUGHT THIS OUT. THEY KEEP SAYING THINGS AND KIND
[02:17:23] OF HOPING IT PRODUCES A
[02:17:24] STRATEGIC EFFECT, BUT THIS WAS A
[02:17:27] WAR THAT WAS EXPRESSED TO BE
[02:17:30] OVER IN A WEEK -- THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OVER IN A WEEK SIX MONTHS AGO.
[02:17:33] HOST: IN THE PAGES OF TODAY'S
[02:17:34] "USA TODAY," THERE'S AN OPINION
[02:17:39] CONTRIBUTOR WHO SAYS WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE MAJOR OUTCOME OF THE IRANIAN WAR.
[02:17:43] SHE'S TALKING ABOUT THE
[02:17:45] DISRUPTION AND THE DISMANTLING OF THE ARMED PARTNERS TO IRAN,
[02:17:48] STRETCHING FROM LEBANON TO GAZA
[02:17:50] TO SYRIA, IRAQ, AND YEMEN, AND
[02:17:53] THE SO-CALLED AXIS OF RESISTANCE. THAT HE SAYS THAT IRAN IS
[02:17:57] INCREASINGLY FINDING ITSELF DOING SOMETHING IT SPEND DECADES
[02:18:01] TRYING TO AVOID, RELYING ON ITS OWN CAPABILITIES TO SUSTAIN THE
[02:18:05] CONFRONTATION, SAYING THAT DISMANTLING IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE TALKED MORE ABOUT AND
[02:18:09] CELEBRATED. GUEST: IT'S A POSITIVE EFFECT,
[02:18:13] BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE
[02:18:15] PERMANENT UNLESS THERE IS SOME
[02:18:17] KIND OF CHANGE IN THE REGIME,
[02:18:20] EITHER A WHOLESALE COLLAPSE OF
[02:18:21] THE REGIME OR SOME SORT OF
[02:18:26] CHANGE IN THEIR POSITION. AND IN FACT, THE IRANIAN POSITION SEEMS TO BE HARDENING.
[02:18:29] YEAH, IT'S GREAT, BUT SOME OF THESE IRANIAN PROXIES ARE UNDER
[02:18:33] STRESS THAT THEY COULD BE DISARMED.
[02:18:36] THE OVERALL PICTURE WITH IRAN IS
[02:18:39] THAT IT'S MILITARILY WEAKER THAN IT WAS WHEN THE WAR STARTED.
[02:18:43] THE PROBLEM IS IRAN IS IN A STRONGER STRATEGIC POSITION NOW.
[02:18:47] SO FOCUSING ON WHICH PROXIES
[02:18:51] HAVE BEEN WEAKENED OR STRIPPED
[02:18:54] OF CAPABILITY, PERFECTLY REASONABLE THING TO THINK ABOUT, BUT RIGHT NOW, I THINK WHAT
[02:18:57] AMERICANS ARE PROBABLY THINKING ABOUT IS THAT A DEDICATED ENEMY
[02:19:01] OF THE UNITED STATES FUNCTIONALLY CONTROLS THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ, AND A BIG CHUNK OF
[02:19:05] THE WORLD'S GLOBAL ENERGY SUPPLY, AND BY EXTENSION, A BIG
[02:19:09] PIECE OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY.
[02:19:11] HOST: LET ME TURN FROM IRAN TO
[02:19:14] UKRAINE, HEADLINE IN "THE POST" ON EUROPEAN LEADERS MARKING
[02:19:18] UKRAINE'S 35TH INDEPENDENCE DAY
[02:19:22] IN KYIV WITH CEREMONIES THERE.
[02:19:25] WHAT'S YOUR SENSE OF THE STATUS OF THAT CONFLICT?
[02:19:28] THERE'S BEEN SOME REPORTS ABOUT MOVEMENT AND MOMENTUM FOR
[02:19:32] UKRAINIANS. HOW DO YOU READ WHAT'S GOING ON
[02:19:35] THERE RIGHT NOW, IN A REGION
[02:19:36] THAT'S SO HARD TO READ?
[02:19:39] GUEST: YEAH, I WAS ONE OF THE
[02:19:42] FOLKS THAT WAS REALLY WORRIED IN
[02:19:44] THE FIRST MONTH THAT 150,000
[02:19:47] RUSSIAN TROOPS ATTACKING ON
[02:19:51] THREE AXIS WAS ADVANCE WERE NOT GOING TO BE BOGGED DOWN VERY
[02:19:55] LONG IN UKRAINE. I WAS WORRIED ABOUT A RELATIVELY
[02:19:59] RAPID RUSSIAN VICTORY. I THINK FOUR YEARS LATER, MORE
[02:20:02] THAN FOUR YEARS LATER, NOT ONLY
[02:20:08] DID PEOPLE LIKE ME UNDERESTIMATE THE ABILITY OF THE UKRAINIAN
[02:20:11] MILITARY, BUT REALLY OVERESTIMATED THE RUSSIANS, AND
[02:20:13] I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE
[02:20:15] HEADLINES FROM THIS AFTER FOUR
[02:20:18] YEARS, THAT THE IDEA THIS WOULD
[02:20:20] GO THE DISTANCE AND THE UKRAINIANS WOULD BE RECAPTURING
[02:20:23] TERRITORY AND THAT THE RUSSIANS WOULD BE SHUTTING DOWN THEIR
[02:20:26] BORDERS TO PREVENT THEIR YOUNG
[02:20:30] MEN FROM FLEEING MISSEEN
[02:20:33] DISCRIMINATION I THINK IS A VERY
[02:20:34] IMPORTANT THING TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS TIME IN THE 21ST
[02:20:38] CENTURY. WITH THAT SAID, THIS IS JUST
[02:20:42] BRUTAL MUCH I MEAN, THE
[02:20:45] UKRAINIANS ARE JUST BLEEDING
[02:20:47] HERE, AND I THINK IT'S A REAL
[02:20:50] CATASTROPHE THAT THE UNITED STATES, WITH A FRACTION OF THE
[02:20:54] MILITARY ASSETS THAT WE PUT INTO
[02:20:57] IRAN, COULD HAVE HELPED THE UKRAINIANS DEFEAT THE RUSSIANS
[02:21:01] IN THIS LATEST WAR. I MEAN, THIS WAR HAS BEEN
[02:21:04] ONGOING, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE
[02:21:06] SEIZURE OF CRIMEA, IT'S BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER A DECADE, AND
[02:21:10] WE COULD HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE. THE EUROPEANS, I THINK, HAVE STEPPED UP.
[02:21:14] THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY CAN AND WILL PROBABLY DO MORE.
[02:21:18] BUT TO THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH OF
[02:21:21] THE RUSSIAN ARMY HAS BEEN
[02:21:23] DESTROYED WITH SIMPLY A REALLY SMALL INVESTMENT FROM THE UNITED
[02:21:27] STATES IS A PRETTY STUNNING REALIZATION, BUT I THINK TODAY,
[02:21:31] FOUR YEARS LATER, ON UKRAINIAN
[02:21:36] INDEPENDENCE DAY WE HAVE TO LOOK BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE COULD
[02:21:38] HAVE DONE A LOT MORE TO HELP
[02:21:42] THEM WITH JUST A FRACTION OF THE
[02:21:44] FORCES THAT WE'VE BEEN WASTING IN THIS KIND OF TREADMILL WE'RE
[02:21:48] ON WITH THE IRANIANS. HOST: WAS THERE A MOMENT, A
[02:21:51] MISSED MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES WHERE YOU THINK THE
[02:21:54] BALANCE COULD HAVE BEEN TIPPED IN THIS WAR, COULD HAVE ENDED IN
[02:21:58] UKRAINE'S FAVOR? IF SO, WHEN WAS THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FOUR YEARS?
[02:22:02] GUEST: YEAH, THAT'S, I THINK
[02:22:06] THAT'S TOO EASY A GAME TO PLAY WHERE I OR ANY OTHER ANALYST
[02:22:10] COULD SIT BACK AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, IN 2022, ON 3:00 ON
[02:22:14] FEBRUARY 19 OR SOMETHING, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S FAIR
[02:22:17] TO UKRAINIANS. AND I THINK IT'S EASY TO DO THAT
[02:22:21] WITH HINDSIGHT. I THINK WAR IS A CONTINGENT BUSINESS.
[02:22:24] THERE'S A LOT OF ELEMENT OF
[02:22:27] CHANCE AND FORTUNE IN IT, AND I
[02:22:29] THINK THERE WILL BE A LOT FEWER
[02:22:31] DEAD UKRAINIAN CIVILIANS HAD WE
[02:22:35] STEPPED UP, EVEN IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, AND CERTAINLY IF
[02:22:39] WE HAD NOT PULLED BACK IN THE SECOND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
[02:22:43] A MOMENT WHERE IT COULD HAVE
[02:22:44] TURNED TO VICTORY, I DON'T KNOW.
[02:22:48] BUT IT'S NOT OVER YET, AND THERE'S STILL TIME TO DO
[02:22:50] SOMETHING, BUT AGAIN, THIS ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T SEEM VERY INTERESTED IN DOING THAT.
[02:22:54] HOST: ON BOTH THE CONFLICTS, A COLUMN YOU WROTE FROM EARLIER
[02:22:58] THIS SUMMER IN THE ATLANTIC, RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES ARE
[02:23:02] REDISCOVERING THE LIMITS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
[02:23:05] WHAT ARE THE LIMITS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS? GUEST: I THINK IT'S SOMETHING
[02:23:08] PEOPLE NEED TO THINK ABOUT.
[02:23:11] HERE ARE THESE TWO NUCLEAR ARMED
[02:23:14] GIANTS BEING FUNCTIONALLY DEFEATED, OR IN RUSSIA'S CASE,
[02:23:17] HELD AT BAY AND PAYING A
[02:23:20] TERRIBLE PRICE BY NONNUCLEAR
[02:23:22] ARMED, MUCH SMALLER POWERS.
[02:23:26] NUCLEAR WEAPONS JUST AREN'T THAT USEFUL WHEN IT COMES TO A
[02:23:29] CONFLICT LIKE THIS.
[02:23:33] AND I THINK THIS ADMINISTRATION IN PARTICULAR REALLY WANTS TO
[02:23:36] FIND NEW USES FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS. TONIGHT PUT THEM BACK ON SURFACE
[02:23:40] NAVY SHIPS, SOMETHING THAT
[02:23:42] GEORGE H.W. BUSH STOPPED MORE
[02:23:46] THAN 35 YEARS AGO.
[02:23:49] AND THE PRESIDENT SEEMS TO HAVE KIND OF A FASCINATION WITH WHAT
[02:23:52] NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAN DO. BUT I THINK BOTH OF THESE WARS PROVED TO YOU THAT NUCLEAR
[02:23:56] WEAPONS DO ONE THING. THEY PREVENT OTHER PEOPLE WITH
[02:23:59] NUCLEAR WEAPONS FROM ATTACKING YOU.
[02:24:01] THEY PROVIDE NUCLEAR DETERRENTS AGAINST NUCLEAR ATTACK.
[02:24:05] THEY DON'T HELP YOU WIN WARS.
[02:24:08] YOU KNOW, THE UNITED STATES IS THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN THE
[02:24:12] WORLD, AND WE HAVE LOST THE WAR,
[02:24:14] AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE WAR
[02:24:17] AGAINST IRAN GOES RIGHT INTO THE LOSS COLUMN AT THIS POINT.
[02:24:20] WE'VE LOST THE WAR AGAINST A THIRD-RATE POWER AT BEST.
[02:24:24] THE UKRAINIANS HAVE HELD OFF A
[02:24:27] COUNTRY THREE TIMES THEIR SIZE
[02:24:30] WITHOUT NUCLEAR WEAPONS. SO I THINK AMERICANS AND PEOPLE
[02:24:33] IN GENERAL WHO THINK NUCLEAR
[02:24:35] WEAPONS ARE MAGIC OR HAVING THEM
[02:24:38] KIND OF GIVES YOU MORE POWER OR
[02:24:41] LEVERAGE, THEY REALLY DON'T. AND WE PROBABLY DON'T NEED AS
[02:24:45] MUCH OF THEM AS WE HAVE, AND WE OUGHT TO RETHINK WHAT THEY DO
[02:24:49] FOR AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY, BECAUSE WE JUST LEARNED A REALLY
[02:24:53] HARD LESSON BY LOSING IN IRAN.
[02:24:54] HOST: WHAT DO NUCLEAR WEAPONS DO
[02:24:58] FOR NORTH KOREAN SECURITY? WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT A
[02:25:02] NUCLEAR ARMED NORTH KOREA IN 2026?
[02:25:04] GUEST: WELL, THE NORTH KOREANS
[02:25:07] TOOK A GAMBLE THAT IF THEY COULD
[02:25:09] DEVELOP NUCLEAR WEAPONS FAST ENOUGH THAT IT WOULD ENSURE THE
[02:25:13] REGIME'S SURVIVAL. NOW, THEY BELIEVE THAT, BUT
[02:25:17] THEY'VE ALSO, THEY DON'T REALIZE THEY'VE PICKED UP A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.
[02:25:21] YES, IT MAKES PEOPLE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT ATTACKING
[02:25:24] THEM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NUCLEAR
[02:25:27] WEAPONS AND THEY CAN CREATE HELL ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA.
[02:25:31] IT'S ALSO, HOWEVER, MADE THEM
[02:25:33] THE FOCUS OF A MAJOR NUCLEAR
[02:25:36] POWER IN A WAY THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE HAD WITHOUT NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
[02:25:40] AND THIS IS ONE OF THE LESSONS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
[02:25:43] HAVING THEM MAKES YOU A NUCLEAR TARGET.
[02:25:47] YOU MIGHT FEEL SECURE IN HAVING
[02:25:49] THEM, TO SAY WE HAVE NOW ESTABLISHED NUCLEAR DETERRENTS WITH THE UNITED STATES.
[02:25:53] BUT YOU'RE ALSO NOW A NUCLEAR TARGET.
[02:25:57] BEFORE NORTH KOREA HAD NUCLEAR WEAPONS, SUCCESS OF AMERICAN
[02:26:01] ADMINISTRATIONS THOUGHT ABOUT VARIOUS SCENARIOS FOR TOPPLING
[02:26:05] THE NORTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT. RICHARD NIXON EVEN ASKED FOR A
[02:26:09] NUCLEAR SCENARIO, A CASE FOR USING NUCLEAR WEAPONS AGAINST
[02:26:13] NORTH KOREA IN 1969. AND NO ONE EVER WENT FORWARD
[02:26:16] WITH IT BECAUSE OF THE GEOGRAPHY
[02:26:18] OF NORTH KOREA, BECAUSE OF THE
[02:26:22] PROXIMITY OF SEOUL TO THE FRONT LINE OF BATTLE, BECAUSE OF THE
[02:26:25] AMOUNT OF CASUALTIES THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN A SECOND KOREAN
[02:26:29] WAR. SO THE KOREANS HAVE LEARNED
[02:26:31] THAT, YES, THEY MAVEN SURED SOME
[02:26:36] KIND OF PERFECTION AGT
[02:26:41] ATTACK, BUT THEY'VE ALSO GOT A TIGER BY THE TAIL. THEY'RE A NUCLEAR POWER, AND
[02:26:44] THEY'RE IN THE NUCLEAR POWER
[02:26:46] GAME, AND THAT'S A PRETTY SCARY
[02:26:49] PLACE TO BE.
[02:26:51] HOST: TOM NICHOLS, A FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS
[02:26:55] PROFESSOR AT THE U.S. NAVAL WAR COLLEGE, AND WITH US FOR ABOUT
[02:26:59] THE NEXT HALF-HOUR, TILL THE END OF OUR PROGRAM, 10:00 A.M. EASTERN.
[02:27:02] HERE'S HOW YOU CALL IN.
[02:27:05] REPUBLICANS, 202-748-8001.
[02:27:07] DEMOCRATS, 202-748-8000.
[02:27:09] INDEPENDENTS, 202-748-8002.
[02:27:13] VIA TEXT MESSAGE, THIS IS MIKE
[02:27:15] IN NEW JERSEY ASKING YOU, MR. NICHOLS, DO YOU THINK
[02:27:19] STOPPING THE EXPERIENCED IRANIAN SHADOWY TRADE AND THEIR ABILITY
[02:27:23] TO AVOID SANCTIONEDS, CAN THAT BE CONFIDENTLY AND COMPLETELY STOPPED?
[02:27:27] AND HOW COULD WE EVER REALLY KNOW?
[02:27:30] GUEST: THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, ESPECIALLY THE LAST PART ABOUT HOW CAN WE KNOW?
[02:27:34] I THINK AS LONG AS THE RUSSIANS
[02:27:36] AND THE CHINESE AREN'T ON BOARD,
[02:27:38] YOU CAN'T FULLY KNOW, ESPECIALLY
[02:27:41] IN AN ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS
[02:27:43] REALLY GUTTED A LOT OF ITS
[02:27:46] INTELLIGENCE CAPACITY. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REALLY
[02:27:50] SERIOUS, THERE'S BEEN REALLY
[02:27:51] SERIOUS DAMAGE DONE TO THE
[02:27:54] C.I.A., THE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR
[02:27:57] OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, BUT I'LL JUST GO BACK, MIKE, TO THIS
[02:28:00] PROBLEM THAT IF YOU DON'T HAVE
[02:28:02] TWO MAJOR POWERS ON BOARD, BOTH
[02:28:04] OF WHOM SEE THE UNITED STATES AG
[02:28:08] US AS A PEER COMPETITOR, AND
[02:28:10] RUSSIA SEEING US AS AN ENEMY,
[02:28:12] IT'S A PRETTY TOUGH THING TO PUT TOGETHER A SANCTIONS REGIME THAT
[02:28:16] YOU CAN CLAIM IS THE GREATEST SANCTIONS REGIME IN HISTORY.
[02:28:20] GO BACK TO IRAQ, A MUCH SMALLER
[02:28:24] COUNTRY WITH A MUCH BIGGER
[02:28:27] COALITION DEDICATED TO PUTTING
[02:28:29] SANCTIONS ON IT, AND EVEN THOSE
[02:28:31] SANCTIONS WERE STARTING TO LEAK BACK IN THE DAY.
[02:28:35] SO IF OTHER COUNTRIES DON'T WANT
[02:28:38] TO DO IT, MAJOR COUNTRIES DON'T WANT TO DO IT, THEN I DON'T
[02:28:41] THINK WE CAN, AND I DON'T THINK
[02:28:43] WE'LL KNOW TO GO BACK TO THE
[02:28:48] INCISIVE POINT, LAST POINT OF YOUR QUESTION.
[02:28:51] HOST: DAVID FROM MARYLAND WANTS TO KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE
[02:28:54] PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS ABOUT KIM JONG UN, ACTUALLY HAVE THOSE
[02:28:58] COMMENTS ABOUT THE NORTH KOREAN LEADER. THIS IS ABOUT 45 SECONDS, THE
[02:29:02] PRESIDENT FROM LAST WEEK.
[02:29:05] >> ARE YOU EXCHANGING WRITTEN LETTERS WITH KIM JONG UN?
[02:29:09] PRES. TRUMP: YES, DIE THAT. BUT I GET ALONG WITH HIM. AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
[02:29:12] THE FACT THAT I GET ALONG WITH HIM, THAT'S A GOOD THING, NOT A BAD THING.
[02:29:16] HE HAS 57 VERY POWERFUL NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
[02:29:20] SHOULD HAVE NEVER ALLOWED IT TO HAPPEN. THEY SHOULD HAVE NEVER ALLOWED IT.
[02:29:23] IF I WERE PRESIDENT, I WOULDN'T HAVE ALLOWED IT. BUT HE'S GOT THEM.
[02:29:26] I GET ALONG WITH HIM VERY WELL. CAN'T LET IRAN HAVE A NUCLEAR
[02:29:30] WEAPON. AND I KNOW KIM JONG UN VERY WELL, AND HE'S GOING TO BE FINE.
[02:29:34] AS LONG AS WE HAVE A SMART PRESIDENT, HE'S GOING TO BE FINE.
[02:29:38] IF WE HAVE A DUMB PRESIDENT, THEN HE'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE SO FINE.
[02:29:42] >> ARE YOU EXPECTING TO MEET WITH HIM LATER? PRES. TRUMP: YEAH, I WILL BE.
[02:29:46] HOST: TOM NICHOLS, YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE COMMENTS FROM THE PRESIDENT LAST WEEK.
[02:29:49] GUEST: WELL, I WROTE A PIECE ABOUT THIS, WHERE I SAID THE PRESIDENT BASICALLY JUST TOLD
[02:29:53] THE IRANIANS, IF YOU WANT ME TO RESPECT YOU, TREAT YOU WELL, GET
[02:29:56] NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
[02:29:58] I
[02:30:02] THE WORST MESSAGE A PRESIDENT
[02:30:06] COULD SEND.
[02:30:09] I LIKE HIM, HE HAS 57 NUCLEAR
[02:30:13] WEAPONS, HE'S GOING TO BE FINE.
[02:30:17] THAT IS OPPOSITE TO THE MESSAGE
[02:30:22] WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SEND SINCE THE NUCLEAR AGE.
[02:30:25] HOST: BY THE WAY, DID WE KNOW HE
[02:30:28] HAD 57 NUCLEAR WEAPONS?
[02:30:30] GUEST: IT IS SUCH A WEIRD NUMBER
[02:30:34] .
[02:30:38] THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY USED
[02:30:39] TO ESTIMATE A RANGE AND THEY DO
[02:30:44] THAT BY REVERSE ENGINEERING.
[02:30:47] THEY FOLLOW THE SUPPLY CHAINS.
[02:30:50] IS IT POSSIBLE SOME DEFECT OR OR
[02:30:54] SOME SOURCE CAME TO US AND SAID
[02:30:56] I HAVE COUNTED THEM AND THERE ARE 57 HYDROGEN BOMBS? MAYBE.
[02:31:05] I THINK AS ONE ARMS-CONTROL
[02:31:07] ANALYST PUT IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA,
[02:31:09] A VERY SMART ANALYST, THE
[02:31:13] PRESIDENT WAS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING CLASSIFIED BUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT
[02:31:17] IS.
[02:31:20] HE MUST HAVE HEARD SOMETHING LIKE THAT NUMBER IN A BRIEFING
[02:31:23] AND IT TUMBLED OUT OF HIM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER MEANS.
[02:31:29] IT'S PROBABLY IN THE BALLPARK IF YOU COMPARE THAT TO OPEN SOURCE
[02:31:33] ESTIMATES BUT WHO KNOWS BUT THE
[02:31:36] OVERALL MESSAGE WAS REALLY A BAD
[02:31:41] MESSAGE AND NOT A GREAT THING FOR PRESIDENT TO SAY.
[02:31:44] HOST: YOUR PHONE CALLS, THIS IS
[02:31:49] FLOYD IN IOWA. REPUBLICAN.
[02:31:50] CALLER: I WILL TELL YOU WHERE HE
[02:31:54] GOT THAT 57 NUMBER.
[02:31:57] THAT CAME RIGHT OUT OF THE MOVIE "THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE."
[02:32:04] 57 COMMUNISTS, THAT IS WHERE HE GOT THAT NUMBER. [LAUGHTER]
[02:32:10] THEY'VE GOT A SECTION WE NEED TO
[02:32:11] GET TAKEN OUT OF THEIR, THE DEFENSE TECHNOLOGIES COOPERATION INITIATIVE.
[02:32:17] WE SHOULD NOT SHARE OUR INFORMATION WITH ANYBODY.
[02:32:23] THAT'S BAD NEWS TO HAVE ANY NATION, ON TO DEVELOP THESE
[02:32:28] SYSTEMS, LET ALONE TO HAVE
[02:32:31] ACCESS TO OUR INFORMATION.
[02:32:36] IT WAS LINDSEY GRAHAM PUSHING THIS. THEY WANTED ISRAEL.
[02:32:41] ISRAEL HAS A HISTORY OF SPYING ONE OF THE UNITED STATES AND
[02:32:45] SELLING THAT INFORMATION TO THE RUSSIANS. I WANT TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS.
[02:32:48] HOST: TOM.
[02:32:50] GUEST: FLOYD, I HAVE TO BE
[02:32:54] HONEST WITH YOU I USED TO WORK WITH SENATOR JOHN HEINZ AND WHEN
[02:32:58] HE POPPED UP THAT 57 NUMBER, MY
[02:33:00] MIND WENT TO THE SAME PLACE, ALL
[02:33:04] I COULD SEE WAS A BOTTLE OF HEINZ 57 AND I THOUGHT MAYBE IT
[02:33:08] WAS THE STEAK SAUCE THING.
[02:33:12] I WAS RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. LET ME TAKE THE LAST PART ABOUT SPYING.
[02:33:18] YOU ARE RIGHT BUT THE WORLD HAS
[02:33:20] A HISTORY OF EVERYBODY SPYING ON EVERYBODY.
[02:33:25] OUR ALLIES ALL SPY ON EACH OTHER.
[02:33:29] THAT'S A MIXED BAG, IT'S A PROBLEM.
[02:33:34] TO TRY TO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF
[02:33:36] TEXTURE TO THE NOTION OF SHARING
[02:33:39] DEFENSE SECRETS, ONE THING THAT
[02:33:45] LETS YOU DO AND I'M NOT SPEAKING IN FAVOR OR AGAINST THAT PART OF
[02:33:48] THE NDAA, BUT I WORKED ON THESE
[02:33:53] THINGS IN THE YEAR I SPENT IN THE SENATE.
[02:33:56] ONE THING IT LETS YOU DO IS HAVE
[02:33:58] SOME CONTROL OVER WHAT YOUR
[02:34:02] FRIENDS ARE DOING WITH THOSE TECHNOLOGIES.
[02:34:07] BACK IN THE 1950'S AND THIS IS
[02:34:11] SOMETHING SOME PEOPLE DON'T
[02:34:12] REMEMBER IS WE HAD AN EMBARGO ON
[02:34:16] NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY AGAINST GREAT
[02:34:18] BRITAIN, OUR CLOSEST FRIEND, OUR
[02:34:20] ALLY FROM WORLD WAR II, BECAUSE
[02:34:24] WE DIDN'T WANT THIS TYPE OF WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY PROLIFERATING
[02:34:27] AROUND THE WORLD AND TURNING
[02:34:29] NUCLEAR DETERRENCE WITH THE SOVIET UNION INTO A MULTIPLAYER GAME.
[02:34:33] WE CAME TO REALIZE THE BRITISH
[02:34:36] ARE PRETTY SMART PEOPLE, BETTER
[02:34:40] TO HAVE THEIR PROGRAM MASH WITH
[02:34:42] HOURS THAN TO HAVE THE BRITISH
[02:34:46] AND THE FRENCH AND EVENTUALLY
[02:34:47] THE INDIANS AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
[02:34:53] I TOTALLY TAKE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT TAKING AMERICAN DEFENSE
[02:34:58] TECHNOLOGY AND SHARING IT WITH PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT ALWAYS SHARE
[02:35:02] OUR INTERESTS BUT I WILL JUST
[02:35:03] PUT THAT OUT THERE AND SAY GOING
[02:35:07] ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE END OF WORLD WAR II, SHARING DEFENSE
[02:35:11] TECHNOLOGY IS SOME WAY OF
[02:35:14] GETTING CONTROL OVER WHAT PEOPLE
[02:35:16] DO WITH THOSE TECHNOLOGIES AND
[02:35:18] IT GIVES YOU A PEEK INTO THAT SO
[02:35:23] IT IS NOT AS ONE-SIDED AS YOU MAY THINK.
[02:35:28] HOST: PLAN FOR DEMOCRATS, YOU
[02:35:32] ARE ON WITH TOM NICHOLS. CALLER: GOOD MORNING, PLEASURE TO TALK TO YOU.
[02:35:38] I WONDER IF YOU THINK THE TRUMP
[02:35:46] ADMINISTRATION LOST THE
[02:35:49] ADVANTAGE FROM THE MIDDLE
[02:35:54] EASTERN POINT OF VIEW AS TO NOT LOOKING AT KOREA.
[02:35:58] I THINK THEY TOOK ON THE MIDDLE
[02:36:00] EAST AS A BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
[02:36:12] AND I THINK STRATEGICALLY HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF THE PRIZE.
[02:36:17] WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?
[02:36:18] GUEST: THANKS, I THINK THIS
[02:36:22] ADMINISTRATION HAS A FOCUS PROBLEM JUST AS IT DID IN THE
[02:36:26] FIRST TERM BUT IT IS EVEN WORSE
[02:36:28] NOW BECAUSE POLICY IN THIS TERM
[02:36:32] IS WHATEVER THE PRESIDENT HAPPENS TO BE LOOKING AT AT ANY
[02:36:35] GIVEN MOMENT.
[02:36:39] THERE IS A REASON WE HAVE A NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL, THEY ARE THE PEOPLE KEEPING THE
[02:36:42] MULTIPLE THREADS OF FOREIGN AND
[02:36:45] SECURITY POLICY TO USE OLD
[02:36:49] GHOSTBUSTERS TERM, TO KEEP US
[02:36:52] FROM CROSSING THE STREAMS AND
[02:36:54] MAKE SURE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THREADS OF POLICY ARE PROCEEDING
[02:36:58] TOGETHER IN COORDINATION AND WE
[02:37:00] DON'T HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW.
[02:37:04] IN THEORY OF MARCO RUBIO IS THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR BUT THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
[02:37:08] BASICALLY DOESN'T EXIST RIGHT NOW IN ANY FUNCTIONAL WAY.
[02:37:14] I THINK THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS TAKEN ITS EYES OFF THE BALL AND
[02:37:18] A LOT OF PLACES IN PARTICULAR WITH NORTH KOREA.
[02:37:21] THE PRESIDENT HAS BECOME VERY PERSONALLY INVESTED AS HE ALWAYS
[02:37:25] DOES IN THE NOTION THAT HE IS
[02:37:28] FRIENDS WITH THIS GUY, THAT THEY UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER.
[02:37:31] IT IS THE SAME THING HE SAYS
[02:37:33] ABOUT XI IN CHINA AND PUTIN IN
[02:37:40] RUSSIA, WE ARE FRIENDS, WE EXCHANGE LOVE LETTERS.
[02:37:43] THAT IS NOT A WAY TO MAKE POLICY.
[02:37:47] RATHER THAN THINKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT NORTH KOREA HAS
[02:37:49] SEVERAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS, 57 OR
[02:37:52] 60 OR 50, HE DECIDED TO EMBARK
[02:37:56] ON A WAR OF CHOICE IN IRAN.
[02:37:59] THERE WAS NO FORCING FUNCTION IN IRAN.
[02:38:03] THE PRESIDENT AND 1.72 WEEKS THEY WILL HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.
[02:38:07] I DON'T EVEN THINK THE ISRAELIS BELIEVE THAT.
[02:38:12] I DON'T THINK NETANYAHU EVEN BELIEVED THAT.
[02:38:16] THE PRESIDENT WAS ON A RUN, HE WAS ON A ROLL.
[02:38:19] HE HAD GOT THE LEADER IN
[02:38:23] VENEZUELA, HE WAS SURFING THAT
[02:38:25] SUCCESS AND DECIDED TO KEEP GOING WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
[02:38:28] PAYING MORE WHAT IS GOING ON IN
[02:38:36] NORTH KOREA WITH THE NUCLEAR ARSENAL. BUT THAT IS UNFORTUNATELY WATER
[02:38:40] UNDER THE BRIDGE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
[02:38:44] HOST: GHOSTBUSTERS TERMS ARE
[02:38:49] ALWAYS APPRECIATED. I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO GO WITH THE 600 POUND TWINKIE. [LAUGHTER]
[02:38:54] LET'S GO BACK TO IRAN IN TERMS OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS FOCUSED
[02:38:56] ON TODAY, THIS TRUTH SOCIAL POST
[02:39:01] FROM THE PRESIDENT AFTER 7:00 A.M. THIS MORNING BRINGING THE
[02:39:05] FOCUS BACK TO IRAN A DAY AFTER THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
[02:39:09] ANNOUNCEMENT THE FAILING ISLAMIC
[02:39:12] REPUBLIC OF IRAN IS NOT PAYING LARGE SEGMENTS OF THEIR MILITARY
[02:39:16] WELL AT THE SAME TIME KILLING PROTESTERS EVEN WHEN THEY ARE
[02:39:20] NOT PROTESTING AT LEVELS NOT SEEN BEFORE.
[02:39:23] THE PRESIDENT SAYING IT IS A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS OF EPIC
[02:39:27] PROPORTIONS AND MUST BE STOPPED NOW, SIGNING IT PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.
[02:39:33] HOW DO YOU INTERPRET THAT?
[02:39:34] GUEST: UNFORTUNATELY WHEN YOU
[02:39:38] SEE ONE OF THESE MESSAGES ON
[02:39:38] TRUTH SOCIAL, THE FIRST THING
[02:39:42] YOU THINK IS WELL, THE PRESIDENT SAYS A LOT OF THINGS.
[02:39:46] THIS IS ONE OF THEM.
[02:39:50] I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
[02:39:59] THE IRGC IS TIGHTENING ITS GRIP.
[02:40:06] WHICH OF COURSE THEY WERE GOING TO DO.
[02:40:11] THEY ARE TRYING TO START THE
[02:40:15] REGIME, KILL OUR CIVILIANS, THIS IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO THE REPUBLIC.
[02:40:21] NOW YOU KNOW WHY WE WERE
[02:40:25] SHOOTING ALL THESE PROTESTERS. THIS IS A HORRIBLE REGIME THAT DOES GHASTLY THINGS TO ITS
[02:40:29] PEOPLE.
[02:40:31] IT HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR A HUGE AMOUNT OF DEATH AND
[02:40:35] DESTRUCTION AROUND THE WORLD AND NOW THEY ARE CLAIMING TO BE
[02:40:37] VINDICATED AND THEY'RE GOING TO ACT LIKE IT AND I DON'T THINK THERE IS MUCH WE CAN DO.
[02:40:42] THE PROBLEM WAS ALWAYS WE WERE
[02:40:46] NEVER GOING TO PUT TROOPS AND
[02:40:51] PEOPLE THOUGHT VIETNAM OR IRAQ,
[02:40:55] THIS IS A BIG COUNTRY OF 93
[02:40:55] MILLION PEOPLE, SO OTHER THAN
[02:41:01] NAVAL ACTION AND AIR CAMPAIGNS,
[02:41:03] WE CAN'T REALLY STOP THEM.
[02:41:05] THE PRESIDENT'S RIGHT, IT IS A
[02:41:07] HUMANITARIAN DISASTER, BUT WE
[02:41:11] HAVE HELPED BRING THAT ABOUT AND NOW THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
[02:41:20] I JUST DON'T THINK THEY THOUGHT THIS THROUGH.
[02:41:24] I DON'T THINK THEY PLANNED A MILITARY PLAN FOR OPERATIONS.
[02:41:30] I DON'T THINK THE CIVILIANS AT
[02:41:31] THE TOP OF POLICY WERE PLANNED.
[02:41:36] THE PRESIDENT WAS SO CERTAIN THE REGIME WAS GOING TO FALL.
[02:41:41] THE PRESIDENT MADE THE SAME
[02:41:42] MISTAKE ABOUT UKRAINE --
[02:41:47] PRESIDENT TRUMP MADE THE SAME
[02:41:48] MISTAKE THAT PUTIN MADE IN
[02:41:53] UKRAINE. THAT A QUICK, LIGHTNING FAST
[02:41:56] BLOW WOULD BRING DOWN THESE REGIMES.
[02:41:59] WHEN THE IRANIAN REGIME DID NOT COLLAPSE AND THE UKRAINIAN REGIME DID NOT COLLAPSE, NEITHER
[02:42:03] HAD A PLAN B OTHER THAN CONTINUE
[02:42:07] TO DO IT WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
[02:42:08] HOST: THIS IS MARK IN
[02:42:14] SUMMERVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA.
[02:42:18] INDEPENDENT LINE. THANKS FOR WAITING. CALLER: THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
[02:42:25] IT PREVENTS WARS, THAT IS TRUE. THAT IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.
[02:42:31] WITH IRAN BEING A TERRORIST
[02:42:33] NATION, THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN
[02:42:39] DIPLOMACY OR NEGOTIATIONS, THEY LIE.
[02:42:42] IT IS NOT GOING TO WORK STILL.
[02:42:45] HOST: DO YOU THINK THE END GOAL
[02:42:49] OF THIS CONFLICT SHOULD BE MAKING SURE IRAN DOES NOT ACHIEVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON?
[02:42:55] CALLER: WELL NOW WE HAVE TO
[02:42:58] WORRY ABOUT THE OIL.
[02:43:08] [INDISCERNIBLE]
[02:43:13] THEY HAD ALL THESE PEOPLE IN ONE
[02:43:15] AREA WHERE THEY TOOK THEM OUT AT THE SAME TIME.
[02:43:22] MIDNIGHT HAMMER. THEY KNOW THE KNOW-HOW.
[02:43:24] HOST: I THINK WE GOT YOUR POINT.
[02:43:28] TOM NICHOLS ON NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
[02:43:30] GUEST: YEAH, I WILL SAY THAT I
[02:43:35] HAVE BEEN A HAWK ON COUNTER PROLIFERATION FOR MOST OF MY CAREER.
[02:43:42] I THINK IF IRAN HAD BEEN SPRINTING TOWARD A NUCLEAR
[02:43:46] WEAPON I WOULD HAVE BEEN WRITING
[02:43:47] AN ARTICLE BUT SAYING WE DON'T
[02:43:52] HAVE A CHOICE. THE PROBLEM IS THEY WEREN'T AND
[02:43:56] THE IRAN DEAL, OBAMA'S ENRON
[02:43:59] DEAL WHICH I HAVE REAL DOUBTS
[02:44:01] ABOUT, AT THE TIME I THOUGHT
[02:44:08] PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD FRONTLOADED
[02:44:10] TOO MUCH OF THE DEAL, BUT THE
[02:44:14] FACT OF THE MATTER IS IT WAS WORKING.
[02:44:18] IRAN WAS NOT CLOSE TO A NUCLEAR WEAPON.
[02:44:22] THEY HAVE HAD ALL THE PIECES OF A NUCLEAR WEAPON LYING AROUND
[02:44:25] SAYING WE ARE NOT DOING THIS.
[02:44:29] BUT WE ARE SMART AND WE COULD.
[02:44:32] THEY PLAYED THAT GAME TO THEIR ADVANTAGE.
[02:44:35] WHEN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
[02:44:39] DUMPED OUT OF THAT DEAL THEY
[02:44:40] SAID, FINE, WE DON'T HAVE TO
[02:44:51] FOLLOW THESE LIMITS.
[02:45:06] WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
[02:45:07] HAS DONE IS CONVINCE IRAN THAT I NEEDED A NUCLEAR WEAPON.
[02:45:22] AS FOR MIDNIGHT HAMMER, THEY
[02:45:26] HAVE BEEN EXPECTING AN ATTACK ON THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES AND
[02:45:28] THEY HAVE GAMED THIS OUT. THEY PREPARED FOR THIS FOR
[02:45:32] YEARS.
[02:45:35] THEY DIDN'T MAKE THE MISTAKE THE
[02:45:37] IRAQI STATE IN 1981 WHERE THE IRAQI NUCLEAR PROGRAM WAS
[02:45:41] SITTING IN A BIG, FLAT OPEN PLACE WITH A BULL'S-EYE ON TOP OF IT.
[02:45:47] THEY LEARNED FROM THAT.
[02:45:50] OTHER NUCLEAR PROLIFERATORS
[02:45:51] LEARNED FROM THAT EXPERIENCE AND THEY DISPERSED THEIR PROGRAMS,
[02:45:55] BURIED IT, PUT IT INSIDE
[02:45:59] MOUNTAINS AND THERE IS ONLY SO
[02:46:01] MUCH YOU CAN DO WITH BOMBING
[02:46:05] BEFORE THEY CAN RECONSTITUTE THOSE PROGRAMS.
[02:46:13] NOW THAT ACTUALLY HAVE TO GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON.
[02:46:15] HOST: JOHN, YOU ARE ON WITH TOM
[02:46:20] NICHOLS. THANKS FOR WAITING.
[02:46:23] CALLER: GOOD MORNING, TOM.
[02:46:26] GUEST: GOOD MORNING. CALLER: I GUESS I HAD A TWO-PART
[02:46:31] QUESTION THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO EXPAND ON.
[02:46:38] OF COURSE AS YOU WELL KNOW IN
[02:46:44] OUR ARSENAL WE ALSO HAVE
[02:46:45] TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
[02:46:53] DOES TRUMP'S NATIONAL SECURITY
[02:46:55] TEAM AND HIS PENTAGON TEAM, DO
[02:47:03] THEY CONSIDER POSSIBILITIES
[02:47:07] WHERE OUR COUNTRY MIGHT NEED TO
[02:47:09] EMPLOY TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS
[02:47:13] OR DO YOU THINK THAT IS JUST TOO
[02:47:15] SLIPPERY A SLOPE FOR US?
[02:47:20] ARE OUR TACTICAL WEAPONS REALLY
[02:47:22] MORE INTENDED FOR OTHER NUCLEAR
[02:47:26] POWERS LIKE NORTH KOREA, CHINA, AND RUSSIA?
[02:47:29] HOST: LET ME TAKE THE QUESTION, JOHN.
[02:47:33] GUEST: SURE, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
[02:47:37] FIRST, I DON'T THINK TACTICAL
[02:47:42] NUCLEAR WEAPONS ARE PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN ANY OF THE SCENARIOS.
[02:47:45] I WROTE A BOOK ABOUT NUCLEAR
[02:47:48] STRATEGY ABOUT IF YOU ARE GOING
[02:47:53] TO TRY TO TAKE OUT THE IRANIAN
[02:47:54] NUCLEAR PROGRAM WITH TACTICAL
[02:47:58] NUCLEAR WEAPONS, HOW WOULD YOU DO IT?
[02:48:02] THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE YOU WOULD
[02:48:04] DO TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.
[02:48:08] THESE ARE CROWDED NEIGHBORHOODS.
[02:48:12] THE KOREAN PENINSULA SITS ILLINOIS DENSELY POPULATED
[02:48:15] PLACE, IRAN IS IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACES
[02:48:18] IN THE WORLD AND THEY JUST DON'T
[02:48:21] THINK IT BUYS YOU ANYTHING TO THINK ABOUT USING TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
[02:48:27] THE REASON WE DEVELOPED TACTICAL
[02:48:29] NUKES BACK IN THE DAY IS IT IS A COLD WAR HANGOVER AND WE HAVE A
[02:48:33] COUPLE HUNDRED LEFT SCATTERED
[02:48:36] AROUND VARIOUS PLACES BUT I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHY WE HAD
[02:48:39] THEM AT ALL YOU HAD DO
[02:48:43] UNDERSTAND WE WERE TRYING TO
[02:48:44] EXPLAIN TO THE SOVIET UNION WE
[02:48:48] WERE VASTLY OUTNUMBERED IN THOSE
[02:48:50] DAYS AND IF YOU ROLL INTO EUROPE
[02:48:54] THE PRESIDENT HAS MORE OPTIONS
[02:48:57] THAN SIMPLY VAPORIZING MOSCOW. WE ARE GOING TO CREATE THIS
[02:49:01] LATTER OF ESCALATION WHERE WE WILL FIGHT WITH CONVENTIONAL
[02:49:05] WEAPONS AND THE SMALL, TACTICAL
[02:49:08] NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND IF YOU
[02:49:10] RESPOND WE WILL GO TO THE NEXT
[02:49:13] LEVEL AND USE THEATER LEVEL NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND STRIKE
[02:49:17] TARGETS ACROSS THE REAR END HEADQUARTERS UNTIL FINALLY THE
[02:49:20] WHOLE THING GOES ALL THE WAY UP TO A GLOBAL THERMONUCLEAR
[02:49:24] EXCHANGE WHICH IS WHY WE CONSIDER THAT A DETERRENT.
[02:49:29] THAT SITUATION DOESN'T REALLY EXIST ANYMORE.
[02:49:34] I WILL ADMIT TO A BIAS I WAS
[02:49:36] DEBATING SOMEONE.
[02:49:44] IT WAS AN IN ATTRIBUTION DEBATE
[02:49:48] SO I WAS DEBATING WITH SOMEONE WHO DISAGREED WITH ME AND HE HAD
[02:49:50] A GREAT LINE, HE SAID, TOM IS A
[02:49:55] IF YOU USE ONE, YOU WILL USE THEM ALL KIND OF GUY.
[02:50:00] I DON'T THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY
[02:50:02] WITH ONE OR FIVE OR 10 TACTICAL
[02:50:04] NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS AND THEN IT STOPS.
[02:50:09] I THINK THE AMOUNT OF CHAOS AND
[02:50:13] ANXIETY ABOUT MORE STRIKES
[02:50:16] COMING. IT IS SO DANGEROUS.
[02:50:20] IF YOU USE THOSE WEAPONS, YOU
[02:50:23] WILL START USING OTHER WEAPONS AND YOU WILL STUMBLE INTO A
[02:50:28] MAJOR NUCLEAR EXCHANGE.
[02:50:31] ONE THING I WORRY ABOUT WITH
[02:50:33] EVERY ADMINISTRATION IS THINKING THEY HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER
[02:50:37] EVENTS WHEN IT COMES TO NUCLEAR
[02:50:40] WEAPONS, THAT THEY CAN BE VERY PRECISE IN THEIR USE OF NUCLEAR
[02:50:44] WEAPONS AND KIND OF CONTROL OUTCOMES AND I THINK CONSIDERING
[02:50:48] THAT A NUCLEAR WEAPON HAS NOT
[02:50:50] BEEN EXPLODED IN ANGER SINCE
[02:50:52] 1945, WE OUGHT TO HAVE A LITTLE
[02:50:54] MORE HUMILITY ABOUT THAT AND A
[02:50:56] LOT MORE CONCERN ABOUT THE FACT
[02:51:02] THAT EXPLODING A NUCLEAR WEAPON AND KILLING PEOPLE WITH ONE IN
[02:51:05] THE 21ST CENTURY WOULD BE A
[02:51:09] STAGGERINGLY STUPID AND DANGEROUS THING.
[02:51:10] HOST: WAS THE BOOK ON NUCLEAR
[02:51:14] WEAPONS "NO USE"?
[02:51:17] GUEST: THAT'S THE ONE.
[02:51:19] HOST: YOUR MORE RECENT BOOK IS
[02:51:23] "THE DEATH OF EXPERTISE." WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT? GUEST: THAT WAS THE SECOND
[02:51:26] ADDITION OF A BOOK WHERE I WAS
[02:51:30] TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE PHENOMENON OF PEOPLE NOT JUST REJECTING
[02:51:35] EXPERTISE, WHICH IS SOMETHING PEOPLE TEND TO DO, A DOCTOR
[02:51:39] GIVES YOU BAD NEWS, I WANT TO TALK TO ANOTHER DOCTOR.
[02:51:43] A CONTRACTOR GIVES YOU AN ESTIMATE, I WANT TO TALK TO
[02:51:47] ANOTHER CONTRACTOR. THAT'S FINE. I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE
[02:51:51] PHENOMENON IS WHERE PEOPLE WALK IN AND TELL THEIR DOCTORS,
[02:51:55] HERE'S WHAT I HAVEN'T HERE'S WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO.
[02:52:01] THIS PHENOMENON THE PEOPLE THINK THEY KNOW BETTER THAN DOCTORS OR
[02:52:03] LAWYERS OR ENGINEERS, EVEN PEOPLE IN THE TRADES.
[02:52:10] ONE OF THE ELECTRICIAN SAID WE
[02:52:11] GET THIS ALL THE TIME, WHAT YOU PUTTING IN THERE?
[02:52:18] I'M A MASTER ELECTRICIAN COME I'M PUTTING IN WIRING.
[02:52:23] AND PEOPLE JUST NEED TO FEEL EMPOWERED. WHAT I CAME TO CONCLUDE IN THAT
[02:52:27] BOOK IS THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF NARCISSISM ON THE LOOSE IN OUR
[02:52:31] SOCIETY OVER THE PAST 40, 50
[02:52:34] YEARS AND PEOPLE REALLY BELIEVE THEY ARE MORE COMPETENT THAN THEY ARE AND THEY WANT TO FEEL
[02:52:38] MORE EMPOWERED AND VERY COMPLEX
[02:52:43] WORLD SO THEY WALK UP TO DIPLOMATS AND SAY, LET ME TELL
[02:52:47] YOU ABOUT ARMS-CONTROL, WHICH IS
[02:52:49] A WEIRD KIND OF THING TO DO AND
[02:52:53] WHEN SOMEONE FINALLY DECIDED TO LECTURE ME ABOUT RUSSIA WHICH IS
[02:52:55] WHERE I BEGAN MY CAREER, I WAS A
[02:52:57] RUSSIAN SPEAKING, SOVIETOLOGIST
[02:53:02] BACK IN THE DAY. THEY SAID, LET ME EXPLAIN RUSSIA TO YOU.
[02:53:07] I SAID, THIS FEELS STRANGE. I'M GOING TO WRITE SOMETHING.
[02:53:12] UNEXPECTEDLY ON MY HAND IT TURNED INTO A BOOK BECAUSE AN
[02:53:16] EDITOR SET I SHOULD DEVELOP IT.
[02:53:17] HOST: ARE YOU WRITING SOMETHING NOW?
[02:53:20] IS THERE ANOTHER BOOK COMING OUT?
[02:53:21] GUEST: NO, I DID DO A BOOK
[02:53:25] CALLED "OUR OWN WORST ENEMY"
[02:53:27] WHERE I WAS TRYING TO COMPLAIN THE COLLAPSE OF DEMOCRACY,
[02:53:32] GLOBAL DEMOCRACY, FROM WITHIN.
[02:53:34] PARTLY THIS NARCISSISTIC, VERY
[02:53:37] PARTICULAR APPROACH TO POLITICS THAT SAYS, I'M INTERESTED IN
[02:53:42] POLITICS ONLY BECAUSE OF WHAT IS IN IT FOR ME.
[02:53:48] AND PEOPLE LINKING TO THIS SAYING I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND
[02:53:51] THESE ISSUES, BUT I'M GOING TO BE ANGRY ABOUT THEM ANYWAY.
[02:53:58] SO THAT WAS THE LAST BOOK I WROTE.
[02:54:01] THESE DAYS I'M DOING SO MUCH AT THE ATLANTIC, I WISH I HAD TIME
[02:54:05] TO WRITE A BOOK, BUT KEEPING UP TO THE NEWS EVEN THIS MORNING IS A CHALLENGE.
[02:54:09] HOST: WHAT IS YOUR COLUMN GOING TO BE ABOUT THIS WEEK?
[02:54:12] GUEST: I CAN TELL YOU IN ABOUT 24 HOURS.
[02:54:16] [LAUGHTER] NOT QUITE SURE.
[02:54:21] WE WILL SEE WHERE THIS LATEST THREAT AGAINST IRAN GOES.
[02:54:26] BUT IT IS HARD TO SAY BECAUSE THINGS MOVE SO FAST.
[02:54:30] I THINK THAT IS PART OF THE CHALLENGE FOR EVERYBODY IS THERE
[02:54:34] IS NO SUCH THING AS A SLOW NEWS WEEKEND.
[02:54:37] THIS USED TO BE THE TIME WHEN NOTHING HAPPENED.
[02:54:41] AND YET HERE WE ARE BEING FIRE HOSED BY EVENTS.
[02:54:45] HOST: THE ATLANTIC.COM IS WHERE
[02:54:50] WE CAN FIND OUT. ABOUT FOUR MINUTES LEFT OF
[02:54:55] QUESTIONS WITH OUR VIEWERS, THIS
[02:54:57] IS STEPHANIE OUT OF NEW JERSEY.
[02:55:07] CALLER: PEOPLE SEEM TO FORGET
[02:55:12] THAT DONALD TRUMP PRAISED
[02:55:13] VLADIMIR PUTIN AND AS FAR AS
[02:55:21] IRAN IS CONCERNED, WE WILL NEVER
[02:55:30] KNOW HOW CLOSE WE WERE.
[02:55:36] I'M SO SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING
[02:55:40] PEOPLE THEY CAN'T HAVE A NUCLEAR
[02:55:43] WEAPON, WELL HERE WE ARE, THEY
[02:55:50] WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.
[02:55:53] I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
[02:56:03] THE BUNKER.
[02:56:10] IT WAS REPORTED THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA SECRETLY HAVE ONE BUILT.
[02:56:16] NOBODY SEEMED TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
[02:56:20] HOST: WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CONSTRUCTION OF THE WHITE HOUSE?
[02:56:24] GUEST: I WILL SAY THIS.
[02:56:27] I THINK DONALD TRUMP WANTED A BIG BALLROOM.
[02:56:31] HE WANTED IT FOR HIS OWN PURPOSES AND WHEN IT LOOKED LIKE
[02:56:35] CONGRESS AND THE COURTS MIGHT
[02:56:38] STEP IN TO STOP IT HE INVOKED NATIONAL SECURITY.
[02:56:41] I THINK THE IDEA THAT THIS IS
[02:56:42] REBUILDING A BUNKER, AT LEAST FOR HIM WAS AN AFTERTHOUGHT.
[02:56:48] HE WANTED IT DONE BECAUSE HE WANTED IT DONE.
[02:56:52] TO GO BACK TO IRAN, I THINK IT WAS THE SAME THING ABOUT IRAN.
[02:56:57] THIS WAS A WAR FOR GLORY.
[02:57:03] I THINK THAT HE DECIDED JUST TO
[02:57:04] DO IT AND THEN KIND OF BACKFILL
[02:57:07] ALL THE REASONS FOR IT LATER.
[02:57:11] HE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO KNOCK OFF THAT REGIME AND HE COULD
[02:57:15] EXPLAIN ALL THE REASONS HE HAD TO DO IT.
[02:57:20] THE WHITE HOUSE CONSTRUCTION IS THE SAME THING, I WANT TO
[02:57:24] BALLROOM, CONGRESS DOESN'T WANT
[02:57:26] TO PAY FOR IT, COSTS ARE ESCALATING, THE COURTS MIGHT STEP IN.
[02:57:31] ONE THING EVERY PRESIDENT CAN DO TO SHUT OFF CRITICS IS TO SAY NATIONAL SECURITY.
[02:57:38] DONALD TRUMP HAS DONE THAT MANY TIMES.
[02:57:40] I HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT THIS WHERE ANYTIME HE WANTS TO GET A POLICY
[02:57:43] THROUGH HE SAYS, MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY.
[02:57:48] HE HAS DONE IT WITH TARIFFS.
[02:57:52] IT IS A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY. THE COURTS IMMEDIATELY GET A LOT
[02:57:57] OF -- GIVE A LOT OF DEFERENCE TO
[02:58:00] PRESIDENTS WHO CLAIM NATIONAL SECURITY.
[02:58:02] HOST: FOR MUCH MORE FROM TOM
[02:58:04] NICHOLS, IT IS THEATLNATIC --THE
[02:58:11] ATLANTIC.COM. WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. GUEST: THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
[02:58:14] HOST: THAT WILL DO IT FOR US THIS MORNING ON "WASHINGTON
[02:58:17] JOURNAL," IT IS 7:00 A.M.
[02:58:20] EASTERN, 4:00 A.M. PACIFIC, IN THE MEANTIME, HAVE A GREAT TUESDAY. ♪
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