1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: I am a weird duck in that I really am 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:07,320 a reformed maga gangbanger. I mean, it's like I left 3 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:11,279 my family, so I really do feel obligated to try 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:15,480 to help them, knowing that I don't succeed with most, 5 00:00:15,839 --> 00:00:19,000 but I feel like it's my responsibility to try to help. 6 00:00:19,039 --> 00:00:19,760 Speaker 2: But it's tough. 7 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:23,679 Speaker 3: I like the way you just put that maga gangbanger 8 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:26,800 because Trump is a thug right now, Yeah, acting like 9 00:00:26,839 --> 00:00:29,280 a thug. I haven't talked to a number of my 10 00:00:29,399 --> 00:00:33,039 friends and they're like, dude, he's coming hard with the 11 00:00:33,119 --> 00:00:36,640 thug life. I mean, it's just this boy's just like, 12 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,119 I don't give a shit. Y'all can't stop me. 13 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 4: You know. 14 00:00:40,079 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: It is he's untouchable, Michael. He thinks he's untouchable. 15 00:00:43,119 --> 00:00:46,719 Speaker 3: Right now, and so that for me is probably the 16 00:00:46,759 --> 00:00:51,479 most frustrating part of this, because there are a lot 17 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:55,679 of ways to touch him, yeah, and no one seems 18 00:00:55,679 --> 00:00:59,320 to want to do that. And I don't understand why 19 00:00:59,399 --> 00:01:03,520 we don't do more, uh in that in that space. 20 00:01:03,759 --> 00:01:08,439 Speaker 1: Well, his all his nominees got through, and Michael, and 21 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:10,560 I think you said this to me in December. 22 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 2: Hell, they probably would have approved Matt Gates. 23 00:01:13,799 --> 00:01:16,079 Speaker 4: Yes, they would have. Yeah, I know. 24 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 3: I don't even understand what that. 25 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:21,319 Speaker 2: Allees got through. 26 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: I've heard from Freedom Caucus guys that they will fight 27 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:29,480 Trump in March on budget and debt ceiling stuff, but 28 00:01:29,599 --> 00:01:30,640 I don't know how that will. 29 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 4: No, they won't. I don't think they will. 30 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 3: I think what they're going to offshore that fight to 31 00:01:34,519 --> 00:01:36,719 the Democrats. And this is where the Democrats go. You 32 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:41,799 know what I've got. I had your appointment, y'all. Let 33 00:01:41,799 --> 00:01:44,599 me know when y'all work that out, because y'all got 34 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,280 the majority, unitary government. 35 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:49,439 Speaker 4: This is my link. 36 00:01:49,519 --> 00:01:53,239 Speaker 3: This morning, the new numbers come out for inflation, and 37 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:57,040 Donald Trump is like Joe Biden, inflation is I'm. 38 00:01:56,879 --> 00:01:59,879 Speaker 4: Like, no, baby, this is on your watch. This is 39 00:02:00,079 --> 00:02:00,319 on you. 40 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:05,079 Speaker 3: Boom stop it. This is you trust me, because if 41 00:02:05,079 --> 00:02:07,879 the afflation, if the numbers were good, he'd be out 42 00:02:07,879 --> 00:02:10,439 of go and see I got elected and the world 43 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:13,879 is ah, and It's like, no, that's not that's not 44 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:16,479 how it is. So this is on you, Donald Trump. 45 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,560 This is your inflation as of January twenty. 46 00:02:19,599 --> 00:02:23,439 Speaker 4: You own all this shit. It's all you. Period. 47 00:02:24,599 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 1: And Michael, we've always had a failure of imagination with Trump. 48 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 2: Like twenty years ago, you and I never would have thought. 49 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 1: A presidential candidate loses an election and then doesn't concede 50 00:02:36,199 --> 00:02:39,400 that happened, and then tries to overthrow an election that happened. 51 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:41,599 Speaker 2: We've never imagined the worst about Trump. 52 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: And I don't want to sound like a goof, but 53 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:49,159 I'm not convinced. I'm not convinced he won't try to 54 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,639 run again. And Michael, if he doesn't, I know he 55 00:02:53,759 --> 00:02:55,919 will wait until the very last second. 56 00:02:56,199 --> 00:02:59,719 Speaker 2: So everybody better buckle up and imagine the worst. 57 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 3: There's already I forget who the asshole in the House is, 58 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:07,759 but there's always already a member who's proposed an amendment 59 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,960 to the Constitution to allow him to run. 60 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 4: I'm like, no, what are you doing? What? 61 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 2: How? 62 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 3: How the hell does this party embrace such such putinesque leadership. 63 00:03:23,039 --> 00:03:25,319 I don't under we are the party we were the 64 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,000 party of Reagan. I do not understand. Ronald Reagan called 65 00:03:28,039 --> 00:03:34,120 out the evil Empire, he defeated communism and Soviet regimes, 66 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:40,680 he tore down the wall, he and Bush together, What okay? 67 00:03:40,719 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 2: Now this party. 68 00:03:41,639 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 3: Comes to this point where they look at that, they 69 00:03:44,039 --> 00:03:46,560 look at Victor Orban and say yeah, we want to 70 00:03:46,599 --> 00:03:49,120 do that. Ship here they look at Putin go more 71 00:03:49,159 --> 00:03:52,560 of that. We we hate NATO, now we don't. We 72 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:57,120 don't align with with the free world. We we want 73 00:03:57,159 --> 00:04:00,639 to hang out with basically folks who are the. 74 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: Taliban because they because these elected Republicans now line up 75 00:04:06,599 --> 00:04:08,639 with their base, and as you and I talked about, 76 00:04:08,879 --> 00:04:13,560 the base embraces authoritarianism. They want a strong man. Especially 77 00:04:13,599 --> 00:04:16,800 in my old place of the House. These House Republicans 78 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,199 reflect the base. Michael, disagree with me. But even ten 79 00:04:20,319 --> 00:04:24,600 fifteen years ago, I'll bet you eighty percent, eighty five 80 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,000 percent of the Republican caucus was anti Russia. 81 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 2: But I'll bet you now it's fifty to fifty. I 82 00:04:31,959 --> 00:04:33,160 mean what percentage of them. 83 00:04:33,639 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 3: I would think, No, I would think right now, I 84 00:04:35,959 --> 00:04:40,120 would think this prop this caucus is probably seventy thirty. 85 00:04:40,519 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 2: Pro pro Russia. 86 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:42,759 Speaker 4: Pro Russia. 87 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, not pro Ukraine. Oh yeah, No, I think I 88 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:51,560 think for Voladimir Zelenski. Dude, you on your own, you 89 00:04:52,079 --> 00:04:55,879 gonna you're gonna have. That's why in the number of 90 00:04:55,879 --> 00:04:57,600 international forms that I've been to. 91 00:04:57,639 --> 00:04:58,519 Speaker 4: In the last year. 92 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,319 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'd look at the the audience, I go, Okay, 93 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,519 is there any someone here in Europe. Which country is 94 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:09,079 prepared to leave NATO? Which country is prepared to stand 95 00:05:09,319 --> 00:05:13,639 for or be a part of the resistance to the 96 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:18,120 expansion of authoritarianism. Y'all can't afford to bow down and 97 00:05:18,199 --> 00:05:21,040 let this shit run over you. The way is happening 98 00:05:21,079 --> 00:05:24,399 here in the United States. You cannot allow more Victor 99 00:05:24,519 --> 00:05:27,720 or Bond's on your continent. You just can't, because Eastern 100 00:05:27,759 --> 00:05:31,439 Europe will be the first to fall. Poland is next. 101 00:05:31,959 --> 00:05:35,879 You don't believe me, Trust me, it's happening. China is 102 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:40,319 posed to move on Taiwan. They are ready to do that. 103 00:05:40,879 --> 00:05:46,959 You don't believe me. Why because the goldposts have been 104 00:05:47,079 --> 00:05:50,839 put in place for them to cross. They've been put 105 00:05:50,879 --> 00:05:57,079 in place by Republicans who have turned a blind eye, adopted. 106 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,519 Speaker 4: I don't give a shit attitude. 107 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 3: These things connected to global freedom, global marketplaces. We're down 108 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:10,199 the party, Joe that's advocating not just a terif for 109 00:06:10,319 --> 00:06:13,360 one country, but on every country imaginable. 110 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: Michael, when you helped send me to Congress, it was 111 00:06:17,759 --> 00:06:20,319 an overwhelmingly free trade party. 112 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 2: Yes, it's completely flipped. 113 00:06:23,199 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 4: Completely in literally fifteen years. 114 00:06:28,639 --> 00:06:32,079 Speaker 3: We've gone from the election in twenty ten to the 115 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:36,720 elections that just took place in twenty four we've watched 116 00:06:36,959 --> 00:06:40,399 a one hundred and eighty degree shift in what it 117 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,040 means to be a. 118 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 4: Free trade Republican. 119 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,079 Speaker 3: That person doesn't exist in the House anymore, and to 120 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:53,480 the extent that they do, they don't have the reinforcement 121 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,439 of other members to help them in that space. So 122 00:06:59,519 --> 00:07:03,639 you've got the dismantling of programs like USAAD. You've got 123 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,879 dismantling of institutions like the FBI, Justice Department, Department of 124 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:12,199 Healthy looks like they will actually, finally, after forty plus 125 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:13,399 years of making. 126 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:17,399 Speaker 4: The case, get rid of the Department of Education. So, Joe, 127 00:07:17,759 --> 00:07:23,480 here's my question that these motherfuckers in Congress seemingly don't 128 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,680 have an answer for what happens next. 129 00:07:30,079 --> 00:07:33,519 Speaker 3: Where the Department of Education no longer exists. 130 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:38,519 Speaker 4: Is it just block grants? Now? How do we. 131 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,439 Speaker 3: Educate what happens to public school education in this country 132 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,160 when the poorest states in the Union, who are used 133 00:07:45,199 --> 00:07:48,360 to getting money from states like California and New York 134 00:07:48,399 --> 00:07:52,879 that they like to shit on, right, but are ignorant 135 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:57,639 to the fact, Sarah Huckabee, that you don't contribute to 136 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:00,120 the account to the educational. 137 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 4: You are a recipient of the largesse of states like 138 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:11,480 Maryland and New York, in California and Washington who contribute 139 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:16,920 far more to educating your children than you do. So 140 00:08:17,519 --> 00:08:20,759 what do you do when our check no longer comes? 141 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:23,519 Speaker 3: What happens when the state of California go, oh, we 142 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:25,879 don't have to contribute to the federal to the federal 143 00:08:25,959 --> 00:08:29,439 Department of Education. Were keeping that shit here in California. 144 00:08:29,879 --> 00:08:32,360 We're to make money into the federal bucket. 145 00:08:32,759 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 2: And Michael, let's be clear about something. 146 00:08:34,399 --> 00:08:36,519 Speaker 1: None of this has anything to do with the debt, 147 00:08:36,759 --> 00:08:41,039 because we're talking peanuts in the federal budget. 148 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 2: Peanuts. 149 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,399 Speaker 1: A second point I'd make is he cannot get rid 150 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,159 of the Department of Education on his own period. That 151 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:52,480 was created by a law Congress, Congress Creer, So he 152 00:08:52,519 --> 00:08:54,559 can't get rid of it. But Michael, what they'll do 153 00:08:54,759 --> 00:08:58,200 is they'll do what they're doing with USAID again, which 154 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:02,120 is less than way, less than one percent of the budget. 155 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:06,159 They'll just try to kill it and decimate it. Michael, 156 00:09:06,279 --> 00:09:09,399 he wants to get rid of FEMA. So natural disaster 157 00:09:09,519 --> 00:09:14,399 in Mississippi. Mississippi, you pay for it. Alabama tornadoes, you 158 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:15,200 pay for it. 159 00:09:16,639 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 4: Fuck you, fuck you. 160 00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:23,679 Speaker 2: You pay for it, Idaho, you pay for it. Hey, Michael, you. 161 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:27,159 Speaker 1: Know the beautiful thing about him is, here's the beautiful 162 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:28,080 thing about Trump. 163 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,480 Speaker 2: He's forcing us, like now. 164 00:09:32,519 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, to fucking decide what kind of country we want to. 165 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:36,039 Speaker 4: Be amen. 166 00:09:38,039 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 2: A national laws or not? Man, you decide decide? 167 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:42,639 Speaker 4: There it is, there it is. 168 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 2: That's good. 169 00:09:44,159 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 4: No, I do I do. 170 00:09:47,879 --> 00:09:49,879 Speaker 2: For the record, Steele and I are not drinking. 171 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 4: This is a short drinking folks. I have to be honest. 172 00:09:53,159 --> 00:09:55,679 Speaker 3: I you know, I joke about drinking because my dad 173 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:56,519 was an alcoholic. 174 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 4: So I get it. So don't you know a lot 175 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:02,279 of people go, oh, you you shouldn't look. Trust me. 176 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:03,440 I grew up with it. 177 00:10:03,559 --> 00:10:07,080 Speaker 3: I understand, and so that's how I internalize it and 178 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:07,480 deal with it. 179 00:10:07,519 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 4: And I like a good drink every now and then. 180 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:13,120 But no, I'm not literally drinking. Am There are days? 181 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 3: There are days when my wife looks at me, why 182 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:17,399 is the barlight on? 183 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 4: I'm like it just started that way today, Michael, Michael, 184 00:10:23,279 --> 00:10:26,799 you put your finger Joe on a very important piece. 185 00:10:26,919 --> 00:10:30,840 Speaker 3: And I really appreciate that because when I go back 186 00:10:30,879 --> 00:10:33,480 and I look at the places I visited in twenty 187 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:37,080 twenty four the states I spent time in and the 188 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,600 conversations we would have, that's what it really kind of 189 00:10:40,639 --> 00:10:43,480 boiled down to. I would say to the audience, and 190 00:10:43,759 --> 00:10:46,080 folks who listen to my podcasts have heard me say this. 191 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:50,360 We are right now where we are because this is 192 00:10:50,399 --> 00:10:51,440 where you want us to be. 193 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 4: Yes, this is where you want us to be. Boo, 194 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:55,720 I'm sorry. 195 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,759 Speaker 3: You know, a majority, I don't care if it's a 196 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:08,000 of a percent or you know, ninety voted for this. Y'all. 197 00:11:08,159 --> 00:11:11,559 Y'all pretend it was about the price of gas and 198 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:16,639 eggs and what was happening in Gaza in Michigan, for example. 199 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:19,159 Y'all just put your head in the sand and said, oh, no, 200 00:11:19,639 --> 00:11:23,480 we're with Trump. I'm like, but you know he's with Yahoo, 201 00:11:23,759 --> 00:11:25,919 who wants to exterminate. 202 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:31,159 Speaker 4: The Palestinians. So okay, so what are you telling me? Y'all? 203 00:11:31,159 --> 00:11:32,919 Can't pretend this bullshit away. 204 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 3: You can't sit here now and act like, oh, you 205 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:39,720 didn't know, you didn't know. You knew exactly what you wanted, 206 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,360 and that's why we're here where we are. So I 207 00:11:42,879 --> 00:11:46,240 appreciate very much what you're saying, Joe, because this is 208 00:11:46,279 --> 00:11:48,840 a moment where we have to confront ourselves. 209 00:11:49,039 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: It's like, Michael, it's like again, it's the beauty of 210 00:11:51,919 --> 00:11:57,440 Trump because he's so bad and so dishonest and so 211 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:02,799 corrupt and so lawless. He's going to force us real 212 00:12:02,879 --> 00:12:07,120 quickly to decide what we want to be. And I 213 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,080 think that because we've been building to this for a while. 214 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,919 All politicians lie, all fudge, many are corrupt, blah blah blah. 215 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:18,039 But Trump's just all of that on steroids. So we 216 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:21,559 can't avoid it. Democracy. Do we want to keep it right? 217 00:12:21,759 --> 00:12:24,919 Separation of powers? Do we want to keep it? We 218 00:12:24,919 --> 00:12:25,600 We're going to have. 219 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:27,759 Speaker 4: To decide we are. 220 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,279 Speaker 3: And and to the point that we were making a 221 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:36,519 little bit earlier, we have a group of friends that 222 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:38,320 are trying to. 223 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 4: Help Crystal crystallize that decision. 224 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:47,279 Speaker 3: And then we're going to be gathering next next weekend 225 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:52,480 here in Washington, d C. Principles first talk a little 226 00:12:52,519 --> 00:12:54,879 bit about that. What what does that? What does that 227 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:55,360 look like? 228 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,919 Speaker 1: It's, uh, we alluded to it before, Michael. It's it's 229 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:04,000 people like you and me. It's people who feel like 230 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:09,120 they still feel republican right because the Party of Lincoln, Eisenhower, Reagan, 231 00:13:09,159 --> 00:13:12,919 they still feel Republican. Many of them are still many 232 00:13:12,919 --> 00:13:16,000 of them have left, many of them are conservative independent, 233 00:13:17,039 --> 00:13:20,120 and they feel in exile right now because this party. 234 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,399 There ain't no home for them in this party. They 235 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:27,799 don't identify as Democrats, so they're like, they're all huddle 236 00:13:27,879 --> 00:13:30,159 up over here in this apartment building I'm looking at 237 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,559 outside the window, and they're trying to figure out how, 238 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:38,200 in exile we can go at what this thing is 239 00:13:38,279 --> 00:13:43,440 because it's the antithesis, MAGA of everything we believe in, freedom, democracy, 240 00:13:43,519 --> 00:13:47,039 free trade, America that's shining city on the hill. 241 00:13:47,279 --> 00:13:49,080 Speaker 2: Damn it. We still believe in these things. 242 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: So how can we from that little apartment building throw 243 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,960 rocks at what MAGA is and maybe maybe Michael one 244 00:13:57,039 --> 00:14:00,519 day down the road help get people out of that 245 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,519 apartment building who once believed in those things elected again. 246 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:09,120 It's kind of that notion that we're in exile and 247 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:13,960 we're trying to help Democrats, but go after MAGA because 248 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,279 they're the antithesis of what people like you and me believe. 249 00:14:17,759 --> 00:14:21,039 Speaker 3: Our buddy Heath Mayo is the driving force, or has 250 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:24,639 been the driving force behind this, along with some others 251 00:14:24,759 --> 00:14:28,279 and putting this together. I remember this started a few 252 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:30,960 years ago and they were in their first planning and 253 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,600 they were hoping to get two hundred and fifty people 254 00:14:34,639 --> 00:14:38,399 to show up. About seven and fifty showed up that 255 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:42,759 first year. This year is looking to be a larger contingent. 256 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:46,080 So that tells me that there is an energy in 257 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:52,039 this space for center right, center left, Democrats, Republicans, independent 258 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:56,200 voters who were just fed up with this bullshit, who, 259 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:03,600 to your point a little a moment ago, are confronting 260 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:09,080 the moment we're in and are making an affirmative to 261 00:15:09,159 --> 00:15:13,919 this decision to stand with the country. However that may 262 00:15:14,039 --> 00:15:18,639 manifest itself, whether it is fighting purely in the democracy space, 263 00:15:19,879 --> 00:15:22,720 trying to move and shake in the political space, either 264 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:26,840 as a candidate or as an organizer, or someone who's 265 00:15:26,919 --> 00:15:29,519 just trying to, you know, like you do, have the 266 00:15:29,559 --> 00:15:34,120 conversation in their community with their family members to help 267 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:34,879 put a. 268 00:15:34,879 --> 00:15:38,480 Speaker 5: Light bulb, turn a light bulb on. So these things 269 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:47,320 are happening, folks, and it's refreshing, it is exciting, but 270 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:52,000 it is also sometimes met with frustration because what we're 271 00:15:52,039 --> 00:15:56,759 talking is incremental movement. It's not Maga's moving like this. 272 00:15:57,559 --> 00:16:01,919 Speaker 4: It's just and we're in a space, Joe. 273 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:06,159 Speaker 6: You and I were like, okay, we've. 274 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,519 Speaker 3: Moved from here to there. You know, it's frustrating, but 275 00:16:08,559 --> 00:16:10,720 that's how it probably was in eighteen fifty four. 276 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:11,279 Speaker 4: Yeah. 277 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: And you know what, Michael, one other point I'll make, 278 00:16:13,559 --> 00:16:16,240 and you and I were probably raised the same. I 279 00:16:16,279 --> 00:16:19,559 don't talk about myself. You don't talk about yourself. We 280 00:16:19,679 --> 00:16:23,200 laugh about it and joke about it. This hasn't been 281 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:25,480 easy for guys like you and I. No, I mean 282 00:16:25,519 --> 00:16:28,679 we were part of that party for our whole life, 283 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:33,919 and we were on the outs. This isn't easy. This 284 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,679 is difficult. You and I put up with shit and 285 00:16:36,799 --> 00:16:41,639 threats and hate. We've lost friends and followers. We are 286 00:16:41,679 --> 00:16:45,039 able to laugh at times, but this, Michael, this isn't 287 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:46,480 easy for people like not easy. 288 00:16:46,759 --> 00:16:53,679 Speaker 4: Look, Joe, next year, next November, I will celebrate fifty 289 00:16:53,759 --> 00:16:54,919 years as a Republican. 290 00:16:55,159 --> 00:16:59,799 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, Michael, still. 291 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:08,160 Speaker 7: Years in this party and do the shit I've seen, 292 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:13,720 Oh my god, and had to go through the resistance to. 293 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,599 Speaker 4: My leadership, the resistance to me as a black man. 294 00:17:19,039 --> 00:17:22,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, and yet for me, a lot of people go, well, 295 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,559 you know, why did you stay? Why would you? You know, 296 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,160 these guys are racist or this and another thing. And 297 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:33,720 it really for me was what my mama said to 298 00:17:33,759 --> 00:17:39,359 me in the summer of twenty of nineteen seventy six, Jeez, 299 00:17:41,079 --> 00:17:44,720 don't be a Democrat because I'm a Democrat. Go out 300 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:50,799 and figure out for yourself where you belong, Yeah, what 301 00:17:50,799 --> 00:17:52,000 what you believe in? 302 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:57,119 Speaker 4: And I did. I took her to heart and made 303 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:57,920 that journey. 304 00:17:58,599 --> 00:18:03,640 Speaker 3: Research learned about the history of each party, recognizing that 305 00:18:03,759 --> 00:18:08,559 this party was where African Americans began their political journey 306 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,640 in this country, where we would find political residents and voice, 307 00:18:13,039 --> 00:18:16,680 where we would be elected for the first time as 308 00:18:16,759 --> 00:18:21,200 members of Congress, as governors, as senators, because we were 309 00:18:22,039 --> 00:18:26,640 you know, the first black members of Congress were Republicans, 310 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:30,839 the first black Senator was Republican, and so we had 311 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:31,559 that space. 312 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:32,880 Speaker 4: But even in. 313 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 3: Those moments, they had to deal with the resistance to reconstruction. 314 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:44,240 They had to deal with a party capitulating and allowing 315 00:18:44,559 --> 00:18:49,720 the segregationists to reclaim the South and to reclaim in 316 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:56,319 some measure a part of their freedom right. When we 317 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,119 watched when they sat in the House of Congress and 318 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:06,480 watched the blind eyed a political approach to the South 319 00:19:06,599 --> 00:19:14,599 re emerging and the then president, becoming Johnson, having become 320 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:20,240 president on the assassination, upon the assassination of Lincoln, began 321 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:23,000 to roll back some of those gains and to soft 322 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:24,279 pedal them. 323 00:19:25,279 --> 00:19:29,640 Speaker 6: And so I could identify, as weird as it is, 324 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:35,519 I could identify with those brothers, and they did not 325 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:36,400 give up. 326 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:41,519 Speaker 3: On this idea of the Republican Party being the party 327 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:48,160 where their freedom would ultimately rest and would be saved 328 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:49,640 for them and. 329 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 4: For future generations. 330 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 3: And that if you just take those moments, Joe, and 331 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:59,000 you leapfrog them to the nineteen fifties and the nineteen sixties, 332 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:03,880 where it was Republicans who help hold together the pieces 333 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:08,400 that Johnson needed to sign legislation. 334 00:20:08,039 --> 00:20:14,079 Speaker 5: Right right, leveling up civil rights for black men and women. 335 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 3: So that's you know, I look at that fifty years 336 00:20:19,279 --> 00:20:24,400 and I go, shit, it's been a bit. 337 00:20:25,359 --> 00:20:30,319 Speaker 4: But principally underneath it, I align. 338 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,880 Speaker 3: With a guy from Illinois who's running for Congress, who 339 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:36,759 believes the Constitution means something, and he calls the RNC 340 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:38,839 said hey, dude, i'm running, I need some help. 341 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:41,319 Speaker 4: I need some help. 342 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 3: And I'm like, yes, I'm let's do that, because we 343 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:49,440 need those voices that appreciate the value of this constitution 344 00:20:49,559 --> 00:20:51,240 and why it's so damn important. 345 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 4: Now you know why Joe Walsh Folks was important in 346 00:20:55,519 --> 00:20:56,319 twenty ten. 347 00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: And now you know why Michael Steele was important because 348 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:04,319 he's some brought the establishment Republicans and the Tea Party Republicans. 349 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:04,799 Speaker 4: Together. 350 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:08,200 Speaker 2: Yeah it was. 351 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:11,279 Speaker 4: Not, it was not. It was it was a mama 352 00:21:11,279 --> 00:21:15,160 and a daddy who really wanted to divorce. And you're like, 353 00:21:15,519 --> 00:21:18,720 but but no, you can't. 354 00:21:19,519 --> 00:21:22,880 Speaker 3: But yeah, man, I mean that's what this moment has 355 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:26,319 come down to for me, which is why you know 356 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,799 when I see an Adam kinsinger List Cheney, God bless her, 357 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:33,759 you know you and so many others who do break 358 00:21:33,799 --> 00:21:39,119 away and go no, because this Constitution means something. These 359 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,599 principles that we aligned ourselves with politically under the umbrella 360 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:47,720 of this party still mean something. The party may be 361 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:52,759 for shit, yeah right, but the principles that once articulated 362 00:21:54,680 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 4: Still do mean something.