WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:06.120 KBLA Talk fifteen eighty we are talking politics. I'm so 2 00:00:06.360 --> 00:00:09.720 pleased to have my colleague on board with me this morning. 3 00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:13.400 He's a journalist and educator and he is KBLA Talk 4 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:19.199 fifteen eighties chief National Affairs Analyst. He's a podcaster, a 5 00:00:19.239 --> 00:00:23.359 TV guy, and so much more. Doctor Nie Cordelaine Corte 6 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:26.160 can also be heard Monday through Thursday from four to 7 00:00:26.280 --> 00:00:29.039 six pm right here, so that means he's doing a 8 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:32.320 little double duty today. Good morning, doctor Corte. 9 00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:35.560 Good morning dominiquea Prima. 10 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:38.799 Thank you so much for chapping in with me today. 11 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:42.320 There's so much going on it's making my head explode. 12 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:44.759 I don't know how you keep track of all these primaries, 13 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:48.159 and I try, I really do, but it's just a 14 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:49.640 lot to keep in your head right now. 15 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:52.759 It's a lot going on, a lot to keep in 16 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:55.119 the head. But you know, a lot of odds are 17 00:00:55.119 --> 00:00:59.920 going to be on Florida today because they're having their primary. 18 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:05.719 And you know, you got some pretty prominent black folks 19 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:07.920 that are going to be on the ballot. I'm talking 20 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:16.719 about representative GOP Representative Byron Donald's he's running as running 21 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:20.560 for the right. He's running for the Republican nomination for 22 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:26.439 governor of Florida. He has chosen not to debate anybody 23 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:30.480 that is also running for the Republican nomination for governor, 24 00:01:30.519 --> 00:01:33.760 and so all eyes are on that race. Also, all 25 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:39.719 eyes are on the congressional race where State Representative Chevron 26 00:01:39.799 --> 00:01:45.799 Jones is running for congress. This is a seat that 27 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:52.120 is highly coveted. You might remember Chevron Jones. Nador Jones 28 00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:55.480 has been in the news recently because there were some 29 00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:59.239 opponents there that had leaked a false story that he 30 00:01:59.319 --> 00:02:03.959 was HIV pop and was trying to use that as 31 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:08.680 a bludgeon against him in this race. But if the 32 00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:11.800 polls hold and the polls are in his favor, he 33 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:17.840 may very well, uh get the nomination for that congressional 34 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:18.719 seat we want to run. 35 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:22.840 I mean, like as we started out, there's so many 36 00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:27.159 different stories here. You started on Florida where they have 37 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:31.560 Donald's running for governor, but it seems like we could 38 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:34.199 end up with the slew of black governors, I mean 39 00:02:34.199 --> 00:02:37.840 as possible. Right we have we just have won right now, right, 40 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:42.479 which is Wes Moore more. Yeah, but there's a bunch 41 00:02:42.520 --> 00:02:45.599 of people running. You know. Keisha Lance Bottoms made it 42 00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:52.240 to their runoff there in Georgia, and you mentioned Donald's, 43 00:02:52.960 --> 00:02:56.879 but there are several others, so I don't some of 44 00:02:56.919 --> 00:03:00.639 them Republicans. This is one of their new hats tricks, right, 45 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:10.800 running black Republicans for for governor. So we could see several. 46 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:17.960 I guess, uh, Aaron Ford is running in Nevada, Jermaine 47 00:03:18.039 --> 00:03:22.319 Johnson in South Carolina? What how what do you make 48 00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:24.360 of that? Do you think that is that significant? Do 49 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:26.639 you think it's a sea change or you think it's 50 00:03:26.840 --> 00:03:33.400 just a cute strategy rephn Representative John James in Michigan. 51 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:38.639 Yeah, and also and also David Crowley who just won 52 00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:43.599 the Democratic primary in Wescontint. That's right, you mentioned Keisha 53 00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:47.120 Lance Bottoms in Georgia. I mean, you know this is 54 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:48.759 a sea change. I don't. I don't know how to 55 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:52.199 look at it any other way, you know. I recently 56 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:54.719 had an opportunity to to do a wide ranging sit 57 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:59.280 down interview with Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who also happens 58 00:03:59.280 --> 00:04:02.159 to be the chair now of the National Governors Association, 59 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:06.159 the first black governor to be chair of the National 60 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:09.400 Governor's Association in one hundred and eighteen years and so 61 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:14.680 that also is significant. But I remember during that interview 62 00:04:14.759 --> 00:04:18.399 he told me the story of a conversation he had 63 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:23.199 with former Massachusetts Governor Duval Patrick. He was the second 64 00:04:23.319 --> 00:04:26.639 elected black governor in the United States, and there was 65 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:31.040 something that Governor Patrick said to him that really stayed 66 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:33.759 with him. He said, look, you know, his only regret 67 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:37.360 is that he didn't start to think about the third 68 00:04:37.600 --> 00:04:39.839 black governor in the United States until after he was 69 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:44.519 out of office. And so that is a reality that 70 00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:50.720 has motivated Governor Wes Moore to spend some political capitals 71 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:53.279 and to get out on the campaign trail and help 72 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:57.399 elect more black governors across the country. He has been 73 00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:00.639 on the campaign trail supporting Keisha Lan's Bott in Georgia, 74 00:05:00.759 --> 00:05:06.399 Jermaine Johnson South Carolina, Aaron Ford in Nevada, and will 75 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:10.639 likely be on the campaign trail supporting David Crowley in Wisconsin. 76 00:05:11.160 --> 00:05:15.959 He is in high demand. You know, his endorsement matters, 77 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:19.319 and it's good to see not just more black folks 78 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:23.319 running for governor, but being competitive in their run for 79 00:05:23.399 --> 00:05:27.120 governor and being supported by the only sitting black governor 80 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:28.759 in the United States, Governor Wes Moore. 81 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:33.199 Right, And you mentioned deval Patrick there. You know, they're 82 00:05:33.480 --> 00:05:37.759 Douglas Wilder back in the I guess nineties. There have 83 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:40.959 been very very few. I think it's like six or 84 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:44.639 five or six seven in all of US history, going 85 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:48.160 all the way back. And so if we end up 86 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:52.680 with a handful, that would be that would be significant. 87 00:05:52.959 --> 00:05:55.199 And of course Keisha Lance Bonds would be the first 88 00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:57.240 black woman to serve as a governor. 89 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:00.199 Right, that's right, it's right. I'm also part of why 90 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:03.720 this is a significant dominique. As you know, there's so 91 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:06.879 much that's happening on the state and local level as 92 00:06:06.920 --> 00:06:13.519 a check on the Trump administration and Republicans that are 93 00:06:13.560 --> 00:06:17.120 considering federalizing the elections even though the Constitution says you 94 00:06:17.160 --> 00:06:20.480 can't do that. But this president and Republicans are playing 95 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:23.480 foot see with the Save Act, which really is nothing 96 00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:27.560 but a voter suppression bill. But you know, the counterweight 97 00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:32.439 to some of the tactics and antics that we're seeing 98 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:35.839 coming out of this administration is on the state and 99 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:42.040 local level. Governor's matter, mayor's matter, especially when we talk 100 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:46.240 about sanctuary cities, sanctuary states, when we talk about getting 101 00:06:46.279 --> 00:06:52.759 creative about addressing some of these deficits in funding that 102 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:55.759 are directly tied to the so called Big Beautiful Bill, 103 00:06:55.839 --> 00:07:01.160 remember the cuts to Medicaid for example. Absolutely, well, it's governors. 104 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:03.319 It's governors have to figure out how to make those 105 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:07.319 ends meet. And so not only is the consequential that 106 00:07:07.759 --> 00:07:12.319 these folks happen to be highly competitive black folks running 107 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:15.079 for governor, but they're running for governor at a time 108 00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:19.480 where that office has probably never been more important in 109 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:20.160 our lifetime. 110 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:23.600 Yeah, it's a fair point. I mean, especially we think 111 00:07:23.639 --> 00:07:28.199 back a little further when Trump made those in his 112 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:32.199 first term, he made those Medicaid cuts, and then we 113 00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:37.439 had these supplements to Medicaid which Republican governors were refusing. 114 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:41.839 And so it's, you know, it's how do they wrangle 115 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:45.319 the money out of the federal government and how do 116 00:07:45.480 --> 00:07:48.720 they make do when you know, the money drives up 117 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:52.560 so many other issues. That said, although I'm happy to 118 00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:57.600 see so many black folks running for governor, some folks, 119 00:07:58.040 --> 00:08:04.040 you know, some folks the Byron Donald's of the world. Yeah, 120 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:09.399 we don't need a black governor that badly. Uh, doctor, 121 00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:10.639 get me go ahead. 122 00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:14.759 No, I mean, you know, you're you're you're not alone. 123 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:16.000 And that's why a lot of people are gonna be 124 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:19.759 watching this race closely. I mean, he really is taking 125 00:08:19.800 --> 00:08:23.160 so many pages out of the Trump playbook again, refusing 126 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:26.839 to debate even other Republicans in the race. I mean, 127 00:08:26.839 --> 00:08:29.639 we've got to ask ourselves, you know, take take the 128 00:08:29.879 --> 00:08:32.360 party affiliation out of it. Do we really want to 129 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:36.279 be electing people to public office that are unwilling to 130 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:39.399 debate some of the issues that loom large in our 131 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:39.840 every day. 132 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:44.000 Lot, right, and surprise, surprise, I mean some of the 133 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:47.600 stuff he says is absolutely indefensible. So why would yeah, 134 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:50.720 why would he debate? You know, it's the kind of 135 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:53.840 thing you can you can say if you're the resident 136 00:08:53.960 --> 00:08:56.000 of the White House. It's the kind of thing you 137 00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:58.320 can say if you're by yourself on a panel with 138 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:02.960 a bunch of other you know, maga folks. But if 139 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:05.759 you say it with people who are fact based, it's 140 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:08.000 not gonna hold water. So of course he doesn't want 141 00:09:08.039 --> 00:09:13.639 to debate. But does does he? I mean, how is 142 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:16.120 his polling? Is he gonna is? Does he have a 143 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:17.159 strong chance here? 144 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:21.200 He has a very strong chance of not just winning 145 00:09:21.240 --> 00:09:25.840 the Republican nomination, but but winning that seat his uh, 146 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:31.080 you know, Democratic opponent it's like David Jolly, you know, 147 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:35.080 made cruise towards getting the Democratic nomination. Last poll that 148 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:37.360 I saw, I think there was maybe a seven to 149 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:40.519 ten point differential, and so you know, Democrats have some 150 00:09:40.639 --> 00:09:46.399 ground to make up in Florida. But Barra Donald's don't 151 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:48.399 underestimate his momentum. 152 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:48.679 Yeah. 153 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:49.759 Wow, we shall see. 154 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:53.360 When was the last time there was a Democratic governor 155 00:09:53.360 --> 00:09:55.240 in Florida? I'll google it. 156 00:09:55.720 --> 00:09:58.120 Uh so the Charlie I think it was Charlie Cris. 157 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:02.559 Okay, so it's been a minute. Uh. Doctor Nee Cordelai 158 00:10:02.679 --> 00:10:06.799 Corte is with me when we come forward. I want 159 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:10.240 to get your opinion. Why is everyone suddenly piling on 160 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:18.639 the resident's girlfriend? I mean human printer, I mean senior advisor, 161 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:25.240 Doctor Nee Cordelai Corte, Dominique Prima for KBLA Talk fifteen 162 00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:28.879 eighty your News right now with doctor Nee Cordlai Corte. 163 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:33.159 I feel like, doctor Corte, there's been this tradition, if 164 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:36.720 you will, in this country, of giving presidents grace when 165 00:10:36.759 --> 00:10:41.200 it comes to their side chicks, you know, Democrat Republican 166 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:44.600 probably going all the way back to Washington, George Washington. 167 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:46.840 I don't know that I've tracked it that far back, 168 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:52.559 but certainly going back to Kennedy, these are open secrets 169 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:56.919 that the press tends to pass on and fellow politicians 170 00:10:57.440 --> 00:10:59.840 tend to pass on. But now all of a sudden, 171 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:03.000 everyone's talking about Natalie Harp. And I don't know that 172 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:07.000 she's his side piece, alleged side piece, but some call 173 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:12.080 her is Binkie. That she prints out, you know, letters 174 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:16.679 to him, you know, glowing glowing articles about him and 175 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:20.480 reads them to him, That she prints out his truth 176 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:24.519 social posts, that she does the truth social post, that 177 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:28.240 she's written all these love letters to him. And when 178 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:32.080 we saw the who was left on the decoy plane 179 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:36.399 to possibly be blown up by you know, Iran or whoever, 180 00:11:36.919 --> 00:11:39.399 and who got to stay with the president in the 181 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:44.120 sneaky plane. She was in the sneaky plane and Marco 182 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:49.399 Rubio was left to be exploded. Maybe that's why she's 183 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:53.919 come into the spotlight. But I noticed, you know, Senator 184 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:56.720 oss Off talking about her. There was an article in 185 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:03.080 the Huffington Post, several other political types have called it out. 186 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:04.440 What do you make of that? 187 00:12:06.440 --> 00:12:10.840 Well, you know, I can't make much out of it, 188 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:16.960 As you know, I have reported from the White House, 189 00:12:17.320 --> 00:12:20.080 you know, as a White House correspondent for KBLA. I've 190 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:22.360 been in the oval office of questioned. 191 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:24.559 Trump and she's done a great job, by the way. 192 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:29.559 Thank you, thank you. And I don't remember much about 193 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:32.720 Natalie Harp, and so I can't speak to any observations 194 00:12:32.759 --> 00:12:36.840 that I've had in their presence, but I know that she's, 195 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:40.960 you know, a thirty five year old Californian, and she 196 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:45.039 really came to prominence with Trump back in twenty nineteen. 197 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:49.879 And so their relationship, their relationship working with each other, 198 00:12:50.279 --> 00:12:55.080 didn't start with his most recent twenty twenty four presidential campaign, 199 00:12:55.159 --> 00:12:59.080 actually precedes that. And I also learned that she battled 200 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:02.639 stage two own cancer, and she she claimed that both 201 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:07.000 the political and medical establishment had left her behind, but 202 00:13:08.039 --> 00:13:11.480 the good Samaritan Trump helped her. So she's so so 203 00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:15.159 this may even be a co dependent kind of relationship 204 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:19.120 where you know, she she sees Trump, you know, as 205 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:23.879 as somebody who you know, uh, stepped in and helped 206 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:28.600 her in her her darkest moment. And it seems that 207 00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:32.960 she is, you know, she seems to be sort of 208 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:38.679 a security blanket for Trump, a Trump whisperer, if you 209 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:42.639 Will and so you know a lot of folks are wondering, well, 210 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:45.600 you know, why are you on the decoy plane and 211 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:48.120 all the people to pick you didn't pick Caroline Levitt. 212 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:51.440 You didn't take a lot of people. You picked her. Uh, 213 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:53.799 you know, I think it's because of some bond, some 214 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:57.320 trust that they developed, you know, whether it's more than that. 215 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:00.799 It's everybody else's guests. But I just wanted to make 216 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:02.799 sure that the audience has a sense of, you know, 217 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:06.679 the origin story as has been reported about the relationship. 218 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:08.960 I mean, and she was on Fox News and she 219 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:15.320 was on Oam. You know. So he likes to find 220 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:20.360 people friends and people from his administration off of television, 221 00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:25.120 and so she fits that. She's a you know, attractive, 222 00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:32.200 skinny blonde, so she fits that description. So and you know, 223 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:37.120 her own brother says that their relationship is unhealthy, whatever 224 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:40.879 it is, you know, but it's interesting that she could 225 00:14:40.919 --> 00:14:47.799 be so close to the president and have really gone 226 00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:53.559 without a lot of you know, scrutiny, as you point out, 227 00:14:53.559 --> 00:14:56.440 from twenty nineteen to twenty twenty six, and now all 228 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:00.960 of a sudden everyone is talking about her, even you know, 229 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:05.480 rival politicians. So it we'll see. But it seems like 230 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:07.559 is this a new is this a new thing now 231 00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:10.320 where we're gonna start talking about all of the people 232 00:15:10.360 --> 00:15:16.320 in these politicians' orbits and and speaking of that back 233 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:19.919 to the primary, I didn't realize doctor Knee Corday Corte 234 00:15:20.039 --> 00:15:26.240 that they are they're competing to fill Eric Swalwell's seat 235 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:32.000 in northern California that is also on the primary agenda today, 236 00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:35.559 and we have sort of a repeating theme. You've got 237 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:41.879 two Democrats who are you know, one is more progressive 238 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:47.480 and one is back by Apak and and pro Israel 239 00:15:47.559 --> 00:15:54.120 dollars to a very large degree. This same conversation that's 240 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:58.320 been playing out and other in other states is actually 241 00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:05.639 happening in California. For that fourteenth district, State Senator Aishawa 242 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:12.360 Hobb is running against BART board president Melissa or Nandez, 243 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:19.159 and apparently the American Israel Public Affairs Committee super pac 244 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:22.360 has spent more than two million dollars to try to 245 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:23.159 defeat w Hobb. 246 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:27.480 Here, Yeah, I mean, and this is a this is 247 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:30.080 a trend that we're seeing in races across the country 248 00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:33.240 where you know, you got big money, big special interest 249 00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:38.320 money that is very active in these congressional races. We're 250 00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:40.919 talking about a PAC money being one of the biggest 251 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:43.960 pot that's out there, AI money being another big pot 252 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:48.120 of money out there, Crypto being another pot of money 253 00:16:48.120 --> 00:16:50.200 that's out there. And so those seem to be the 254 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:53.759 special interests that are are throwing down the most in 255 00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:58.240 these congressional races. And you know, there are a number 256 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:03.000 of people that are quite concerned about what that means, 257 00:17:03.080 --> 00:17:05.440 what that means to have you know, a packed you know, 258 00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:09.599 looming large yet again. And in another race, you know, 259 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:13.440 we know that they spent millions of dollars on advertisements 260 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:17.839 to think Wahab's candidacy and boost Hernandez in the final 261 00:17:17.880 --> 00:17:20.759 weeks of this race, and and uh and Ai and 262 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:25.359 an A and an a PAX affiliated group, the United 263 00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:30.559 Democracy Project, they spent one point two million dollars on 264 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:34.240 the race in August in support of Fernandez and in 265 00:17:34.359 --> 00:17:38.839 opposition to Wahab. That's according to a Federal Election Commission report. 266 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:43.759 Another group spent one point seven million dollars on the 267 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:48.799 race and so collectively dominate outside groups, they spent over 268 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:50.759 four million dollars on the race. 269 00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:57.319 That's insane. One house seat, that's that's right, that's just 270 00:17:57.759 --> 00:17:59.640 it's hard for me to get my mind around that. 271 00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:02.759 I always think of it as some kind of low 272 00:18:02.839 --> 00:18:07.559 key wealth redistribution on the plus side, but on the 273 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:12.240 minor side. You know, that means that you cannot win 274 00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:15.400 these races without big, big money, or can you. I 275 00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:22.759 don't know. Abdullah say Ed was outspent right in Michigan 276 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:24.119 and still prevailed. 277 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:27.960 Yeah, yeah, I mean, look, the reality is is that 278 00:18:28.359 --> 00:18:32.480 organized people always beat organized money, right. You know, the 279 00:18:32.599 --> 00:18:36.160 organized money is really intended to buy the people power 280 00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:39.200 right to buy the name ID. Right, But if you 281 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:43.160 have organizers on the ground on the job. I mean, 282 00:18:43.240 --> 00:18:45.279 look at not just you know, mister l s a 283 00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:47.720 Ed in Michigan, but you know, let's look at our 284 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:50.960 own backyard. Four years ago, when Karen Bass is running 285 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:53.960 from mayor against Rick Caruso. He spent over one hundred 286 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:57.759 and ten million dollars to defeat her, and he couldn't 287 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:02.720 in part because of the ground game that then candidate 288 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:06.039 Bass you know, had here in LA And so that 289 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:08.680 stuff makes the difference. And so just because you see 290 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:10.880 the big numbers, just because you see a lot of 291 00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:14.480 the money pouring in, it doesn't It's not inevitable that 292 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:18.359 the person with the biggest pocketbook is going to win. 293 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:23.400 I would also note Dominique Wahab, who's an Afghan American 294 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:26.720 who is the first Muslim woman elected to the California 295 00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:31.720 State Senate. She's called out the genocide in Gaza and 296 00:19:32.119 --> 00:19:34.480 legislator from condemning it. And so that's a part of 297 00:19:34.480 --> 00:19:38.799 what is animating the support of special interest in this race. 298 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:43.519 Yeah, but sometimes that can that can backfire because voters are, 299 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:47.279 you know, on alert for being controlled by foreign interest. 300 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:49.640 Eight hundred and nine to fifteen eighty. If you got 301 00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:52.039 a question, we've got news, traffic and sports. Then more 302 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:55.599 Dominique de Friema and doctor Nikr la Quarte. I'm KBLA 303 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:58.039 Talk fifteen eight. You are, and I have the pleasure 304 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:01.960 of talking with my colleague dot or knee Cordelai Corte. 305 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:06.480 Of course you see him, hear him, and sometimes see 306 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:10.319 him Monday through Thursday from four to six here on KBLA. 307 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:14.359 He is our chief national Affairs analyst and host of 308 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:19.000 a More Perfect Union, also television host and an author, 309 00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:24.279 among other things, a journalist. We were talking yesterday, doctor Corte, 310 00:20:24.359 --> 00:20:28.799 about you know, Steven A. Smith saying he's going to 311 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:31.599 war with the National Association of Black Journalists because they 312 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:35.279 gave him the Thumbs Down award. And my question was, 313 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:37.319 when were they not at war with him? I mean, 314 00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:41.440 when was he not at war with the NABJ. What 315 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:46.279 did you think about that sort of threat by Stephen A. 316 00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:47.960 Smith against the NABJ. 317 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:52.839 Well, Dominique, as you know, you know, as a member 318 00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:57.960 of NABJ, I was at the NABJ convention in Atlanta. 319 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:01.839 I just came back Saturday night, and so I missed 320 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:05.000 some of the fireworks at the gallo where they announced 321 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:09.680 the thumbs up and thumbs down. But it's it's interesting 322 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:15.480 NABJ and Steven A. Smith have a pretty long standing relationship. 323 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:18.799 In fact, I learned watching his response on his YouTube 324 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:23.200 channel yesterday afternoon that he got his start at NABJ, 325 00:21:24.039 --> 00:21:28.079 like so many black journalists, he started at the Philadelphia Choir. 326 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:30.559 I think he got that job through a relationship at 327 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:35.240 the NABJ, and has been fairly active over the years, 328 00:21:35.240 --> 00:21:39.359 particularly with the Sports Task Force at the NABJ. And so, 329 00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:43.519 you know, he ran down a timeline of you know, 330 00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:48.039 you know, you know, collaborations with the NABJ. You know, 331 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:50.240 all the ways in which he has supported other members 332 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:55.119 of the NABJ, you know, and to be that, but 333 00:21:55.240 --> 00:21:55.599 be that. 334 00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:58.519 Isn't may doctor quarte. He has also gone in on 335 00:21:58.680 --> 00:22:01.640 lots of members of the na a BJ. Black women 336 00:22:01.720 --> 00:22:04.440 are his favorite targets, and so he can write all 337 00:22:04.480 --> 00:22:07.200 that stuff he wants to, but it doesn't erase the 338 00:22:07.319 --> 00:22:11.960 misogyny and anti blackness of his vituperative commentaries. 339 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:15.279 I think I think that's fair, Dominique. I think there's 340 00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:19.119 there's a lot to hold. And you know, even a 341 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:23.400 broken clock is right twice a day, right, and and 342 00:22:23.400 --> 00:22:25.240 and and and I think that's part of what we're 343 00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:27.759 seeing in the situation. Look, Aaron Haynes, the president in 344 00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:31.519 a BJ, is a friend. We've worked together. We've been 345 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:34.400 on the campaign trail together covering Kamala Harris and other 346 00:22:34.440 --> 00:22:35.640 sort of issues. 347 00:22:36.119 --> 00:22:36.240 Uh. 348 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:41.119 And I know how she leads. She she leads with integrity. 349 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:46.720 Uh and uh you know she. I hope that that 350 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:51.079 that this marks the beginning of you know, a better 351 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:56.519 stephen a right moving forward. That's something that he certainly pledged, 352 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:00.440 or at least appeared to pledge in his video, responds 353 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:03.240 that I had a chance to look at yesterday. Everybody 354 00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:05.119 else can take a look at it on their own 355 00:23:05.160 --> 00:23:08.400 on YouTube and make their own determination. But you know, 356 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:13.759 when we have these these powerful platforms, Dominique, we have 357 00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:16.720 to be responsible in terms of how we use them. 358 00:23:17.079 --> 00:23:18.720 Do you using the punch up or do you using 359 00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:21.920 the punch down? Right? You know? Do you use them 360 00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:26.319 to critique fairly or unfairly? Right? And I think that's 361 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:28.440 a big part of what people are calling out, particularly 362 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:31.079 on the internet streets, is that he does not have 363 00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:35.480 a track record of of acting fairly in his critiques. 364 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:38.839 Right when you have the president of the United States 365 00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:42.920 that says that he's dumb as rocks, you know, and 366 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:47.400 he does not push forward with a response that is 367 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:52.440 as energetic and as full throated as what you might 368 00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:55.119 say about you know, a Joy Read or a Kamala 369 00:23:55.160 --> 00:24:00.440 Harris or you know or someone else. That is where uh, 370 00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:04.359 folks believe that uh uh, he may be doing the 371 00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:08.160 bidden of folks outside of our community, and so uh, 372 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:11.039 you know, I also want to mention in all fairness, Dominique, 373 00:24:11.440 --> 00:24:13.799 that there were other folks that also got a thumbs 374 00:24:13.880 --> 00:24:14.799 down vote. 375 00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:18.920 Yeah, we talked about that. There quite a long list actually, yeah. 376 00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:24.039 Yeah, including SEC chairman Brendan Carr. Uh for the folks 377 00:24:24.079 --> 00:24:27.640 over at CBS, which, as you know, their editorial now 378 00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:30.599 being led by Barry Wiss, has led to the firing 379 00:24:30.680 --> 00:24:33.559 of a lot of black journalists. Right. And so while 380 00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:37.519 Stephen A. Smith and and the tango with the NABJ 381 00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:40.799 seems to be getting the most attention, I want to 382 00:24:40.839 --> 00:24:44.519 remind our audience you know that, uh, the the work 383 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:47.279 of Brendan Carr and what we're seeing happening happening at 384 00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:52.640 CBS is extremely consequential. Uh and is and and imposes 385 00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:57.359 a significant challenge to the black press at a time 386 00:24:57.400 --> 00:25:00.759 where we need a robust black press and a a 387 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:06.440 robust independent press that is clearly filling the squeeze in undertack. 388 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:07.960 I mean to be honest with you, I thought that 389 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:10.640 was pretty bold of them to call out Brandon Carr 390 00:25:10.680 --> 00:25:13.279 like that. Folks. Licenses can be on the line. We 391 00:25:13.319 --> 00:25:18.519 see ABC today suing the FCC because the FCC is 392 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:24.200 threatening its TV licenses, and ABC is claiming that this 393 00:25:24.279 --> 00:25:27.839 is retaliatory, right, that this is coming from Brendan Carr, 394 00:25:27.880 --> 00:25:35.680 who is a Trump acolyte, and is unfair. He says 395 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:38.720 that the FCC is afringing on their First Amendment rights. 396 00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:42.519 It's asking the court to stop them from going after 397 00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:46.559 their licenses that they say can can pose an existential 398 00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:50.720 threat to their operations. And I think, you know, we 399 00:25:50.839 --> 00:25:54.519 know you call out Brandon Carr. He is the head 400 00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:57.480 of the FCC. He is going after not just TV 401 00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:00.799