1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: What's going on? Thank you so much for listening to 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,640 this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon 3 00:00:09,679 --> 00:00:12,519 to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,719 want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,239 my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,600 go to dpeteclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,160 subscribe button. Get every episode for free, write to your 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,719 smartphone or tablet, and again, thank you so much for 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,600 your support. It's Monday, Monday at two o'clock. That means 10 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:34,159 we talk with Ap Dylan. She is a reporter for 11 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:36,159 the North State Journal. You can read her work at 12 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,759 nsjonline dot com, and you can also subscribe to her newsletter. 13 00:00:40,799 --> 00:00:43,920 It's called More to the Story. AP Welcome, How are you? 14 00:00:45,200 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 2: I'm great, Pete? How are you doing? 15 00:00:46,439 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: Are you great? Because Tom tellis announced hes not running 16 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:51,119 for reelection. 17 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,759 Speaker 2: Honestly, I was out running Aaron when that piece of 18 00:00:54,799 --> 00:00:57,320 news dropped and I wont wait what Yeah, when I'm 19 00:00:57,359 --> 00:00:59,840 away from my computer that things happen, which. 20 00:00:59,679 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: Is real annoying to me. I always tell people at 21 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:03,240 the end of my show, I close up by saying, 22 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,400 don't break anything while I'm gone. And nobody listens to me, 23 00:01:07,879 --> 00:01:09,799 so all right. So yeah, so we've been talking about 24 00:01:09,799 --> 00:01:13,640 this for the whole show today because this is sort 25 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:18,319 of a major bombshell. Although now I'm hearing lots of 26 00:01:18,359 --> 00:01:22,519 reports that Tillis was telling people that he probably wasn't 27 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:25,719 going to run again for a while. This has apparently 28 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,239 been known to a lot of people. But I talked 29 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,920 with Doug High earlier in the program, and he said 30 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:35,120 that Paul Schumaker, his campaign guy, and a lot of 31 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,560 his staffers were caught unaware that he was going to 32 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,719 make this announcement. So I guess it sounds like you 33 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:43,480 were surprised. 34 00:01:44,439 --> 00:01:47,439 Speaker 2: I was surprised. This was not something that I had expected, 35 00:01:47,719 --> 00:01:53,799 at least not now, But given the back and forth 36 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,640 between President Trump and he and social media in the 37 00:01:56,719 --> 00:02:00,000 last forty eight hours, I can't say that it was 38 00:02:00,079 --> 00:02:04,239 It didn't totally shock me. I was, you know, a 39 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,599 little bit flat footed, just like his staff obviously was. 40 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:09,319 I had heard that he had actually fleshed out, you know, 41 00:02:09,719 --> 00:02:13,360 campaign staff for the next coming cycle, but I hadn't 42 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,520 heard anything concrete. So this was news. 43 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: So the first the first I guess social media posts 44 00:02:22,319 --> 00:02:27,240 that most people became aware of was Donald Trump attacking 45 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,960 Tom Tillis right saying, Oh, people are talking to me 46 00:02:31,479 --> 00:02:34,960 about primary ing him and all of that. The Hill. 47 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,599 I just got sent this by John Republican Party guy 48 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,520 locally here, and John says, and this is a cut 49 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,439 and pace job from the Hill, and it says Senator 50 00:02:45,479 --> 00:02:50,599 Tillis told Trump to start looking for his replacement prior 51 00:02:50,719 --> 00:02:54,599 to the president's missive, saying that he would start interviewing 52 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:58,280 candidates to primary him. According to a text message shared 53 00:02:58,319 --> 00:03:02,960 with The Hill between Trump and Tillis, Tillis told Trump 54 00:03:03,719 --> 00:03:08,319 at nine fifty four pm on Saturday, seven minutes before 55 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:13,199 Trump's truth social post, he said, quote, act, mister President, 56 00:03:13,599 --> 00:03:19,800 start thinking about my replacement? Does that change that? 57 00:03:20,039 --> 00:03:24,759 Speaker 2: Interesting? Yeah? Because Trump's posts came at ten oh one 58 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,439 pm that he had numerous people coming forward wanting to 59 00:03:27,479 --> 00:03:33,639 primary Tom Tillis, and his prior prior social media post 60 00:03:33,759 --> 00:03:36,879 was the day before, No, sorry, the same day, but 61 00:03:37,039 --> 00:03:41,479 at ninety eight pm where he talked about Donald Trump 62 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,840 went off on pill us over the one big Beautiful bill, 63 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:47,719 and that was on June twenty eight. That was, yeah, 64 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,000 ninety eight pm. And then the next one came out 65 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:55,039 at June twenty ten o one pm, talking about you 66 00:03:55,039 --> 00:03:57,360 know how he wanted someone to primary Am. Then on 67 00:03:57,439 --> 00:04:03,719 Sunday around five fifteen No. Five nineteen pm. On Sunday, 68 00:04:04,039 --> 00:04:07,159 Trump put on Truth, Social and Great News. Senator Tom 69 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:11,520 tells will not be seeking reelection. That was followed by 70 00:04:11,599 --> 00:04:16,000 a post later that evening at around seven to twenty pm. 71 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:22,480 It looks like where Tillis thanked him for the retirement wishes, 72 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,319 and he's looking forward to working with you for a 73 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,040 successful twenty twenty six word to the wise, let's avoid minifolder, 74 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:33,399 which is a reference to former Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson's 75 00:04:33,399 --> 00:04:37,040 email handle that he used apparently on adult website. 76 00:04:36,759 --> 00:04:40,879 Speaker 1: Yes, on the on the pornographic websites Nude Africa. 77 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, what you're saying is true. In between there somewhere 78 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,240 till Has told him that he wasn't going. 79 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 1: To run, right, And then it sounds like Trump then 80 00:04:47,959 --> 00:04:51,439 used that to make it look like I'm forcing him 81 00:04:51,439 --> 00:04:56,839 out not, I mean either without Tillis's message, I have 82 00:04:56,879 --> 00:05:00,240 no doubt Trump would have would have done this anyway. Yes, 83 00:05:00,439 --> 00:05:02,120 but yeah, it does make it a lot more of 84 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,040 a slam dunk. If you know you get this text 85 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:09,079 message from Tillis, And I don't know what Trump said 86 00:05:09,079 --> 00:05:11,839 to Tillis first. If he did say something to Tillis 87 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,120 first in that text exchange, maybe he did. Maybe they're 88 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:16,360 going back and forth about all of this stuff, because 89 00:05:16,399 --> 00:05:20,240 in the floor speech, Tillis made it seem like, oh, 90 00:05:20,319 --> 00:05:24,160 you're being misled by your advisors. They're not telling you 91 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:26,279 the real impacts and all of this. Like he still 92 00:05:26,319 --> 00:05:29,560 seemed like he was leaving this this pathway for Trump 93 00:05:30,399 --> 00:05:35,079 to to this off ramp basically, and then of course 94 00:05:35,319 --> 00:05:37,879 he's like, you know what, I'm done, start thinking about 95 00:05:37,879 --> 00:05:42,040 my replacement. I did find this hilarious that the tweet 96 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:46,040 or the post, the truth whatever that Trump put out 97 00:05:46,079 --> 00:05:48,680 about Oh, I got lots of people I'm interviewing, you know, 98 00:05:48,759 --> 00:05:53,360 to primary him and Mark Robinson, former lieutenant governor of 99 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:57,920 North Carolina. Mark Robinson reposted that on Twitter with a 100 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,360 couple of like the big you know eyeball. 101 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 2: Like the Google eyeball. Yeah, I see that, Yeah, like. 102 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,879 Speaker 1: Ooh look at this, I'm looking. I saw somebody respond 103 00:06:06,399 --> 00:06:10,360 not you, Mark, No, not jo I don't. 104 00:06:10,399 --> 00:06:11,920 Speaker 2: I don't think there's an appetite for that. 105 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,439 Speaker 1: No, And that's what Tillis was referencing in the comment 106 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,120 that you just made, or you referenced, you know, word 107 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:22,199 to the wise. Let's avoid Mark Robinson because Mark Robinson 108 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:23,199 was endorsed by Trump. 109 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:26,639 Speaker 2: Well was he endorsed by him? 110 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:29,399 Speaker 1: Yoh yeah. At the very beginning he said, this is 111 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:31,319 the next Martin Luther King Jr. 112 00:06:31,959 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, he applauded him, but he didn't endorse him 113 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:35,759 at that. He said he was going to endorsement in 114 00:06:35,759 --> 00:06:37,560 a later date and it was going to come weeks later, 115 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,439 and then it never did because this thing blew up 116 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:42,560 and blew up. So I mean, he patted him on 117 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,160 the back and called him, you know, it reminded him 118 00:06:45,199 --> 00:06:48,160 of Martin Luther King Junior, with you know, with his 119 00:06:48,199 --> 00:06:50,519 speeches and that sort of thing. But you know, one 120 00:06:50,519 --> 00:06:52,519 could look at that as endorsement, but he didn't actually 121 00:06:52,519 --> 00:06:53,519 formally endorse him. 122 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 1: So I'd have to go back. Did you go back 123 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:56,600 in check? I'd have to go back and check to 124 00:06:56,639 --> 00:06:57,720 make sure because I don't remember. 125 00:06:57,920 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 2: But no, he didn't. 126 00:06:58,959 --> 00:07:01,759 Speaker 1: Oh okay, so, well did he scrub it? Maybe he 127 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:04,519 scrubbed it after Yeah, I don't know. 128 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:07,439 Speaker 2: I don't think so. Because that that one happened early 129 00:07:07,519 --> 00:07:10,240 on before the I think that was in May or 130 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,439 June is when that happened. And then that CNN story 131 00:07:14,519 --> 00:07:16,839 dropped closer to September, I want to write late August, 132 00:07:16,839 --> 00:07:21,079 early September. And he hadn't endorsed, like done a formal 133 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:22,199 endorsement of him yet. 134 00:07:22,279 --> 00:07:24,319 Speaker 1: Well if he but yeah, but did he endorse that 135 00:07:24,399 --> 00:07:26,519 may would have been the primary, like an endorsement for 136 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:31,399 the primary over the other candidates for lieutenant governor. You know, yeah, 137 00:07:31,399 --> 00:07:32,920 that would be what Yeah, because I don't think he 138 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:34,839 would have done. I think the endorsement would have carried 139 00:07:34,879 --> 00:07:37,000 over I guess in his mind. But yeah, I mean, 140 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,639 like that's you know, that's the problem when you make 141 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:42,319 these types of endorsements. And look, Dan Bishop got caught 142 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,839 up in that too, just because he endorsed Mark Robinson 143 00:07:44,839 --> 00:07:48,040 before anybody knew anything about all of that, all of 144 00:07:48,079 --> 00:07:50,600 the more prurient stuff. Yeah. 145 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,199 Speaker 2: So now checked a lot of endorsements in twenty twenty six. 146 00:07:53,319 --> 00:07:54,600 Well yeah right, yeah. 147 00:07:55,519 --> 00:07:58,959 Speaker 1: So all right, so I don't think anybody has Robinson 148 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,879 on their on their dance card for this, but we 149 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:05,040 do have some names that are obviously being floated already. Right, 150 00:08:05,079 --> 00:08:09,720 We've got I've seen Michael Wattley, Larra Trump, and as 151 00:08:09,759 --> 00:08:13,079 Doug Heye said, she's probably got the right of first refusal, 152 00:08:13,279 --> 00:08:15,399 right like if she if she says she's going to 153 00:08:15,439 --> 00:08:16,639 do it, nobody else is going to run. 154 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 2: Probably Yeah. I mean she's with Fox News right now 155 00:08:20,519 --> 00:08:22,920 doing commentary and stuff with them, So I mean she's clearly, 156 00:08:23,399 --> 00:08:25,360 you know, got the space to move with it and 157 00:08:25,399 --> 00:08:29,439 to do it. I honestly, you know, Michael Wattley, former 158 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,600 NCGEOP chair and r n C chair, I don't know. 159 00:08:32,759 --> 00:08:34,720 I don't know that he would make that shift going 160 00:08:34,759 --> 00:08:36,519 into twenty twenty six. He's going to be needed in 161 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:38,559 the position that he's in. So I mean, that's it's 162 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:40,600 a nice it's a nice call out. It's a nice 163 00:08:40,879 --> 00:08:44,519 piece to be mentioned in. But you know, there's also 164 00:08:44,639 --> 00:08:51,519 mentioning of newly newly minted Congressman Pat Harrigan, very charismatic 165 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:54,519 young guy. You know, he and he and Bud would 166 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:57,519 would probably make a good pair. But you know, you've 167 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:01,799 already got three people who fired and filed paperwork on 168 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,720 the Republican side for this. You've got Andy Nilson, he's 169 00:09:05,279 --> 00:09:09,679 you know, a triad businessman, former Jack officer and attorney 170 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:12,159 Don Brown and then you've got a guy named Brooks 171 00:09:12,159 --> 00:09:16,519 Agnew who I knew nothing about until recently. He's an 172 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:20,519 author and a former manufacturing engineer. And all three of 173 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,919 them have issued you know, statements and things on Twitter 174 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:26,879 or x saying that, you know, hey, with till Us 175 00:09:26,879 --> 00:09:30,440 out of the race, you know, I'm I'm your man, right, But. 176 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: Are they Are they the right guy to take on 177 00:09:32,519 --> 00:09:35,519 Roy Cooper because Cooper also has probably got right of 178 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:37,600 first refusal on the Democrat side. 179 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I think Roy Cooper does. I think 180 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,000 I think it's more likely though, that we're going to 181 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:47,759 see heading into the fall. I think that we're going 182 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,639 to see an announcement calld of Jeff Jackson's office. My 183 00:09:51,759 --> 00:09:53,840 instinct is just telling me that that's where it's going 184 00:09:53,919 --> 00:09:57,600 to go. This this past year, in the last few months, 185 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:01,159 we saw Wait County District Attorney Lauren Agreeman say that 186 00:10:01,159 --> 00:10:03,799 she's not going to run for reelection next year, and 187 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,639 she didn't really give a reason why, but she has 188 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:09,759 always coveted the age spot and she eventually, I think, 189 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:13,399 has our eyes on set on governor. So if maybe 190 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:15,480 she knew something ahead of time that the rest of 191 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:17,279 us didn't know that maybe Jackson's going to make a 192 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,039 jump and Stein would then end up appointing her as 193 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:23,039 ag as you know, So we'll see how that plays out. 194 00:10:23,039 --> 00:10:24,399 But I mean, the mass is there. 195 00:10:25,159 --> 00:10:27,639 Speaker 1: Well, but if you end up with the primary, if 196 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:31,039 Cooper gets in, Jackson gets in, you got Wiley Nichol already, 197 00:10:31,159 --> 00:10:35,159 and that opens up a pretty big pathway for a 198 00:10:35,159 --> 00:10:38,879 more radical leftist and or a person of color in 199 00:10:38,919 --> 00:10:42,759 the Democrat primary that would be able to split some 200 00:10:42,799 --> 00:10:44,639 of that other sort of you know. 201 00:10:44,639 --> 00:10:47,600 Speaker 2: Well, the moment Nicol left Congress, he filed for this race, 202 00:10:47,639 --> 00:10:49,080 he wanted to be first, He wanted to be in 203 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:53,480 there and everything, and honestly, no, yeah, I just I 204 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,240 don't see the Democrat Party forming up behind him. If 205 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,679 there are other options, maybe he could again, Ory Cooper 206 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:01,399 would be wanted to turn it down, and I think 207 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:04,559 that that's how it's going to play out. His offices 208 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:06,320 basically says they're not going to make an announcement for 209 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:08,000 another couple of weeks whether they're going to do it. 210 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:10,840 You know, if with Tilli's getting out of the race, 211 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,039 if they didn't know with him getting out of the 212 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,840 race at that point, then you know they're gonna mullet. Yeah, sure, 213 00:11:16,879 --> 00:11:19,240 there are no I don't see him getting in. I 214 00:11:19,519 --> 00:11:21,159 think that it's going to end up being Jeff Jackson. 215 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:22,200 That's just my good instinct. 216 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:24,559 Speaker 1: Interesting, well, that's what Doug High said. He said, if 217 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:26,679 he were advising Cooper, he would say, don't do it, 218 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:29,840 don't get in, because he hasn't never really faced a 219 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:34,399 real tough election ever. So and this would be you 220 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,960 know what, probably a billion dollar race or half a 221 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,600 billion dollar race or something just ridiculous amounts of money. 222 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,039 Speaker 2: It's going to have some serious scrutiny, and they're going 223 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:46,399 to look at his track record as ag They're going 224 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:48,600 to look at his track record going back to the legislature, 225 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:51,039 and then of course as governor, you know, I mean, 226 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,519 he was the most prolific vetower of any governor in 227 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:58,759 the state. His lockdowns, some of his policies were ultrastrnent 228 00:11:58,879 --> 00:12:02,399 and you know, caused issues trying to get schools opened up. 229 00:12:02,399 --> 00:12:05,639 They had to file legislation, you know, threatened filing legislation, 230 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,320 began to reopen the schools. There were the riots in Raleigh, 231 00:12:09,399 --> 00:12:11,440 you know, and then he's caught, you know, wandering around 232 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:15,200 the mansion. You know, marching with those protesters with his 233 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:17,960 mask half off of the space. Yeah, I mean you 234 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,759 can pick any one of those things. And forgot the 235 00:12:20,759 --> 00:12:23,879 Atlantic Coast pipeline either the flush fund that had ken 236 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:25,480 Uty disappear afterwards. 237 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 1: So yeah, that's a good one. I had forgotten about that. 238 00:12:27,799 --> 00:12:31,080 And you also got the hurricane response that he completely 239 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:34,679 bricked for his entire term, yes, yeah, which is still ongoing. 240 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 2: I mean, it's so bad that current Governor Josh Stein, 241 00:12:37,759 --> 00:12:41,440 you know, refused to use the apparatus that Roy Cooper 242 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,639 had set into place with the ENCORE, the North Carolina 243 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:47,679 Recovery Office of Recovery Resilience. He basically said, yeah, not 244 00:12:47,799 --> 00:12:49,919 touching that, and he built his own one called grow ENZI. 245 00:12:50,399 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. So, as far as Wiley Nichol is concerned, I 246 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,840 would recommend for him maybe do another announcement that he's 247 00:12:57,879 --> 00:13:02,840 running for office. That would be I think he's up 248 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:04,120 to like half a dozen or something. 249 00:13:04,159 --> 00:13:08,039 Speaker 2: I don't know, but uhh yeah, exactly. 250 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,559 Speaker 1: All right, Hey, ap Dylan, I appreciate your time. As always. 251 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:13,960 You could read her work North State Journal NSJ online, 252 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:16,399 or you can get her or and you can get 253 00:13:16,399 --> 00:13:19,159 her newsletter. Add more to the story, it's at substack. 254 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,360 Thanks AP, Thank you, Pete. All right, take care. That's 255 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:24,759 AP Dylan. All right. If you're listening to this show, 256 00:13:24,799 --> 00:13:26,320 you know I try to keep up with all sorts 257 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:28,399 of current events, and I know you do too, And 258 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,879 you've probably heard me say get your news from multiple sources. 259 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:35,639 Why well, because it's how you detect media bias, which 260 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,600 is why I've been so impressed with ground News. It's 261 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:42,120 an app, and it's a website, and it combines news 262 00:13:42,159 --> 00:13:44,120 from around the world in one place so you can 263 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:47,480 compare coverage and verify information. You can check it out 264 00:13:47,519 --> 00:13:52,120 at check dot ground, dot news slash Pete. I put 265 00:13:52,159 --> 00:13:55,039 the link in the podcast description too. I started using 266 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,039 ground News a few months ago and more recently chose 267 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:00,159 to work with them as an affiliate because let's me 268 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:04,000 see clearly how stories get covered and by whom. The 269 00:14:04,039 --> 00:14:07,039 blind spot feature shows you which stories get ignored by 270 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:10,919 the left and the right. See for yourself. Check dot ground, 271 00:14:11,159 --> 00:14:14,799 dot news slash Pete. Subscribe through that link and you'll 272 00:14:14,799 --> 00:14:18,000 get fifteen percent off any subscription. I use the Vantage 273 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:21,480 plan to get unlimited access to every feature. Your subscription 274 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,279 then not only helps my podcast, but it also supports 275 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:27,559 ground news as they make the media landscape more transparent. 276 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,879 Alan sent me a message via the Twitter machine. It's 277 00:14:31,879 --> 00:14:35,919 a Pete tweet. Alan says, Senator Tillis can't be gone 278 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,960 soon enough. I expect leftists to sell us out, not 279 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,720 those that depend on votes like mine. My take hasn't 280 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,200 changed because of Trump. Nobody cares if you work across 281 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,399 the aisle if the product is detrimental to the goal 282 00:14:53,639 --> 00:14:58,320 to do. And then he says. Alan follows up with 283 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:01,159 that and says, ye, we aren't supposed to be worried 284 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:05,840 about the Medicaid is North Carolina. There, Tom, we voted 285 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:10,080 Republican to avoid the expansion, and see Republicans that voted 286 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,519 this in need to be shown accountability for their betrayal, 287 00:15:12,559 --> 00:15:15,960 bait and switch. Much still mad about that? As am 288 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:20,480 I as am. I let me see here I got another. 289 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:27,120 This is a message here. I assume I can read this. 290 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:33,039 This is from let's just say a Raleigh insider. Okay. 291 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,639 One of my friends does constituent work for Tillis in 292 00:15:39,679 --> 00:15:46,799 the Raleigh office, and he told me, prior to Tillis 293 00:15:46,919 --> 00:15:49,519 running for his second term, that Tom was telling his 294 00:15:49,559 --> 00:15:51,679 staff that he would likely not run for a third 295 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,360 term because he wanted to be young enough to go 296 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:59,960 back to the private sector and make real money. Well, 297 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,600 tell me, Tillis would only run if he would be 298 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,000 the only candidate with enough money to beat Cooper, not 299 00:16:06,159 --> 00:16:09,200 wanting to hand that race to a Mark Robinson or 300 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:15,120 either of the Dans. Who's the second Dan, Dan Forrest? 301 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:18,799 I know Dan Bishop, Who's the other Dan? All that 302 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:23,519 was relayed to me a year ago. In my opinion, 303 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,240 Another indicator that Tom was likely to not run is 304 00:16:26,279 --> 00:16:29,080 that he announced it early enough for the party to prepare. 305 00:16:29,639 --> 00:16:32,519 If he wanted to screw over MAGA with this announcement, 306 00:16:32,799 --> 00:16:36,159 he would have privately shifted money to a handpicked successor 307 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:39,279 and then jumped out at the last minute. He was 308 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,279 going to get primaried, but the NCGP would not have 309 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:44,799 helped in the primaries and likely would not help many 310 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:48,080 of the candidates that I've been hearing want to run. 311 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,960 He did have a very good staff Charlotte office. In particular, 312 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,320 he ran his constituent service organization as if it were 313 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,759 a top notch customer service center. And I hope the 314 00:17:00,759 --> 00:17:03,279 next person keeps the staff well. And this is one 315 00:17:03,279 --> 00:17:10,559 of those things that is often overlooked in these congressional races. 316 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,279 You know, people often wondered like, how could North Carolina 317 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:21,319 keep electing Jesse Helms and strom Thurman. Right, Well, their 318 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:27,039 constituent services were amazing. You had any kind of an issue, 319 00:17:27,519 --> 00:17:31,759 and those offices would fix it for you fast. And 320 00:17:31,799 --> 00:17:38,039 that's the kind of thing that generates loyalty in your constituents. 321 00:17:38,079 --> 00:17:40,799 And the longer you're there and the more people you 322 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:45,799 help get their passports for their overseas trip next week. 323 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,279 You know, the more people you help like that, the 324 00:17:48,319 --> 00:17:51,720 more they remember. And over time it compounds, right, it 325 00:17:51,839 --> 00:17:54,400 stacks because people then see your name on the ballot 326 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:55,920 and like, oh, yeah, that's the guy that helped me 327 00:17:55,920 --> 00:18:01,440 get my passport. That kind of stuff Rubenses at Spectrum News, 328 00:18:02,079 --> 00:18:05,599 he says. A source close to Senator Tillis shared some context. 329 00:18:06,559 --> 00:18:09,400 He had been leaning against running since the start of 330 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:13,079 this congress. Despite having announced a run. He was looking 331 00:18:13,079 --> 00:18:16,319 to make a final decision in August slash September. He 332 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:20,559 was looking for more clarity from Trump and Senate leadership 333 00:18:20,839 --> 00:18:23,559 on whether he would decide to run or not. From 334 00:18:23,599 --> 00:18:26,079 Trump and the White House, he wanted to know if 335 00:18:26,079 --> 00:18:28,160 they were going to give him flexibility to be an 336 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:32,880 independent thinker in the Senate and from the Senate leadership side, 337 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,680 would he have their full backing to protect him in 338 00:18:36,759 --> 00:18:41,880 a tough election. Reconciliation was a test to get that clarity. 339 00:18:42,279 --> 00:18:44,440 Tillis would have supported the House version of the Big 340 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:46,559 Beautiful Bill. He had spent a lot of time looking 341 00:18:46,599 --> 00:18:51,519 at the impact of the bill on medicaid in our state, 342 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,599 and he warned Senate leadership it would be a policy 343 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:59,319 disaster and they did not have his back. Trump's posts 344 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,000 criticized him this weekend. Where what Tillis was looking for 345 00:19:03,200 --> 00:19:06,119 because they provided clarity showing he would not have the 346 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,839 flexibility to be an independent thinker. So he moved up 347 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,880 his timeline for not running and he is at total 348 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,440 peace with the decision not to run. That was from 349 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:19,119 Reuben Jones as Spectrum News. 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Here's a Pete mail from Seth Pete. I 369 00:20:24,039 --> 00:20:27,079 wonder how much of his book deal. I'm sure it's 370 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:30,200 in the works that Tillis is doing. We'll go towards 371 00:20:30,279 --> 00:20:33,960 helping medicaid in those rural hospitals. I'm guessing zero. Okay, 372 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:37,279 I don't think he's got a book deal. I'm not 373 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:41,680 aware of that, Jay says, I hope Tillis did not 374 00:20:41,759 --> 00:20:44,200 sprain his elbow patting himself on the back in that 375 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:51,519 speech of his This from Tim Tillis voted correctly on 376 00:20:51,599 --> 00:20:55,319 this bill for the wrong reason. The correct reason was 377 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,440 as Rand Paul stated, I don't know what happens to 378 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:05,079 North Carolina politicians who were previously truly conservative who become 379 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:07,880 a federal senator. Richard Burr and Tillis come to mind. 380 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:11,000 I think they are one of the following bribed off, blackmailed, 381 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:13,559 or have a frontal lobotomy one night while they sleep. 382 00:21:14,559 --> 00:21:18,039 I'm unaware of any kind of clandestinops that do that. 383 00:21:21,559 --> 00:21:25,039 And then Kirk says, one more reason to repeal the 384 00:21:25,039 --> 00:21:28,440 seventeenth Amendment. Senators aren't meant to represent the people, but 385 00:21:28,599 --> 00:21:31,480 rather the state. And that's true. And that's why I 386 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:38,079 said when we played the audio of Tillis's speech from 387 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:41,400 the floor of the Senate chamber yesterday, I believe it 388 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:45,720 was he was arguing and advocating on behalf of the 389 00:21:45,799 --> 00:21:50,400 state of North Carolina, the state legislature, trying to protect 390 00:21:50,839 --> 00:21:56,880 the medicaid funding for our state. Now that the legislature 391 00:21:57,319 --> 00:22:02,000 expanded medicaid, after you know, almost fifteen years of refusing 392 00:22:02,039 --> 00:22:05,559 to do so, they finally did it, and they did 393 00:22:05,559 --> 00:22:08,400 it because they said, well, we think now the funding 394 00:22:08,519 --> 00:22:10,839 streams are secure, and we thought it wouldn't you know, 395 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:12,920 we thought the FEDS would go back on their ninety 396 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:16,799 percent match commitments. But it's been on long enough that 397 00:22:16,880 --> 00:22:19,119 we think like, yeah, this is permanent, and then as 398 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:20,759 soon as of course they pass it now it's not, 399 00:22:22,559 --> 00:22:26,559 which is exactly as I predicted, because it's always that way. 400 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,400 It will always be that way. And I broke down 401 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:34,559 the Medicaid arguments in the second hour, so I highly 402 00:22:34,559 --> 00:22:36,680 recommend you go back and listen to the second hour 403 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:39,440 of the podcast to learn about what I had learned 404 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:42,519 about from the National Review writer about how the states 405 00:22:42,559 --> 00:22:48,720 are abusing the Medicaid system with the funding, with the 406 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:52,240 shuffling of the money between the providers and the state, 407 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:57,480 and it's all coming from the FEDS. So there's that component. 408 00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:02,599 If I had to put money down, I think Tillis 409 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:07,920 goes to work for a healthcare industry lobbying firm. I 410 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:11,880 think that's where he goes. I have no information to 411 00:23:12,039 --> 00:23:16,000 support this, just based on his speech last night. That's 412 00:23:16,079 --> 00:23:18,279 kind of where I'm thinking he may end up, but 413 00:23:18,319 --> 00:23:21,039 he might not. I don't know, and I'm not disparaging 414 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:23,279 him if he does. I just think like the speech 415 00:23:23,319 --> 00:23:25,839 that he gave and talking about the intricacies of the 416 00:23:25,839 --> 00:23:30,359 Medicaid reimbursement stuff, I think like that would be a 417 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:32,480 place for him to go. And he has cultivated this, 418 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:40,000 if not image, but in you know fact, this brand 419 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:42,240 is a guy who can work with people across the aisle. 420 00:23:42,279 --> 00:23:44,079 And he mentioned that too. He talked about he didn't 421 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,160 name them, but he talked about working with people like 422 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:51,119 Joe Manchin and Kirsten Cinema, right, two Democrats that he 423 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:54,559 had made common cause with on various pieces of legislation. 424 00:23:54,759 --> 00:23:58,079 So I think that makes him an attractive hire if 425 00:23:58,079 --> 00:24:01,839 you're trying to lobbyoth sides of the aisle basically or 426 00:24:01,920 --> 00:24:04,480 you know, enough members of the Senate in order to 427 00:24:04,519 --> 00:24:08,440 try to move legislation through. So what does this do 428 00:24:08,599 --> 00:24:15,079 now for North Carolina in this upcoming primary, which like 429 00:24:15,519 --> 00:24:17,440 this is the beginning of the season. That's what you know. 430 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,960 Tell Us made this announcement. He's not kneecapping the GOP 431 00:24:21,759 --> 00:24:23,920 to find a replacement for him, So he's giving a 432 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:28,319 long runway for the Republican Party and for candidates and stuff. 433 00:24:28,359 --> 00:24:30,640 So that's all I think admirable for him to have done. 434 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:33,200 He didn't try to screw over a bunch of people 435 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:36,319 and the party and try to you know, shoehorn in 436 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:43,279 a preferred candidate like Mark Meadows did right which backfired 437 00:24:43,319 --> 00:24:49,240 on him. But anyway, the who is this the Senate 438 00:24:49,319 --> 00:24:53,519 Majority Pack, that's a Democrat pack. Political Action Committee Senate 439 00:24:53,559 --> 00:24:59,119 Majority Pack spokesperson Lauren French. She says Democrats were poised 440 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:01,720 to win in North ca Carolina, whether Tom Tillis's name 441 00:25:01,799 --> 00:25:03,960 was on the ballot in November in twenty twenty six 442 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:07,240 or not. But his early retirement proves there's no space 443 00:25:07,279 --> 00:25:10,799 within the Republican Party to dissent over taking healthcare away 444 00:25:10,799 --> 00:25:13,359 from eleven point eight million people by destroying Medicaid and 445 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:17,000 raising costs. Ok, it's not going to destroy medicaid. Okay, 446 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:21,839 once again, here are the Democrats with their hyperbolic catastrophism, like, 447 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:26,839 this is not going to destroy Medicaid. It will limit 448 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:29,279 some of the funding and yes, people will be removed 449 00:25:29,279 --> 00:25:32,599 from the roles or Republicans argue that these people should 450 00:25:32,599 --> 00:25:34,599 not be getting it in the first place because the 451 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,720 expansion of the program goes far beyond what it was 452 00:25:37,759 --> 00:25:44,240 originally intended to do this from the Democratic Socialist Oh 453 00:25:44,279 --> 00:25:49,480 sorry no, Senatorial Campaign Committee the DSCC. In response to 454 00:25:49,519 --> 00:25:56,519 Senator Tillis's announcement, the spokesperson May Coil issued the following statement, quote, 455 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,640 Tom Tillis's decision not to run for reelection is another 456 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,680 blow oh to Republicans' chances as they face a mid 457 00:26:02,839 --> 00:26:08,480 term backlash that puts their majority at risk. Yeah, not really, 458 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,839 but it will be more difficult. Obviously, they were they 459 00:26:13,200 --> 00:26:15,119 everybody knew this was going to be a tough fight 460 00:26:15,279 --> 00:26:20,000 no matter what. North Carolina is a tough fight in 461 00:26:20,079 --> 00:26:24,640 every Senate election season, so that was a given. But 462 00:26:25,279 --> 00:26:27,799 losing control of the US Senate this time around is 463 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:31,920 not likely. Even Tillis admits. She says that the GOP 464 00:26:32,039 --> 00:26:34,799 plan to slash Medicaid and spike costs for families is 465 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:37,920 toxic and at twenty twenty six Democrats will flip North 466 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:42,880 Carolina's senatec Now, I note that they they ignore the 467 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:45,000 fact that when Tillis was making the comments about it 468 00:26:45,039 --> 00:26:48,440 being toxic, he didn't say toxic. But that's what I think. 469 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:52,759 It's a fair representation of this criticism. The example that 470 00:26:52,839 --> 00:26:57,880 he gave was Obamacare, but they don't mention that the 471 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,160 Democrats do not mention that he was talking about Obamacare 472 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:03,160 and the lie that if you like your doctor, you 473 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:07,359 can keep your doctor. Eric says, it's a pete tweet. 474 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,440 Eric says worked for a super pack that helped put 475 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,559 Tillis into office when he was first elected to the Senate. 476 00:27:14,039 --> 00:27:16,759 He had worn out his welcome before the last election. 477 00:27:17,079 --> 00:27:22,319 I am glad he is retiring. So what can we 478 00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:27,559 expect as voters? A lot of ads. People get ready, 479 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:33,960 brace yourselves for a metric butt load of ads. That's 480 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:38,880 what's coming our way. Yay, here's a great idea. How 481 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:42,000 about making an escape to a really special and secluded 482 00:27:42,039 --> 00:27:44,839 getaway in western North Carolina. Just a quick drive up 483 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:48,039 the mountain and Cabins of Asheville is your connection. Whether 484 00:27:48,039 --> 00:27:50,960 you're celebrating an anniversary, a honeymoon, maybe you want to 485 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,799 plan a memorable proposal, or get family and friends together 486 00:27:53,839 --> 00:27:56,559 for a big old reunion. Cabins of Asheville has the 487 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:59,440 ideal spot for you where you can reconnect with your 488 00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,680 loved one and the things that truly matter, nestled within 489 00:28:02,759 --> 00:28:06,319 the breath. 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Call or text eight two 500 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:46,039 eight three six seven seventy sixty eight or check out 501 00:28:46,039 --> 00:28:48,839 all there is to offer at Cabins offashville dot com 502 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:52,119 and make memories that'll last a lifetime. Let me get 503 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,480 to some messages, John said, just a reminder to the Democrats. 504 00:28:55,839 --> 00:28:58,440 Republicans have won the last five races in North Carolina. 505 00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:00,839 They may be close, but we have Bill won them. 506 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,519 That is true. Doug High made that point as well, 507 00:29:04,519 --> 00:29:07,039 that there hasn't there there hadn't been a double digit 508 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:11,759 wipeout in North Carolina. US Senate history going back to 509 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:16,000 nineteen seventy four, so it's always close, but they haven't 510 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,400 won a seat a US Senate seat since their wave 511 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:24,079 election in eight. Right with k Hagen, Republicans hold right 512 00:29:24,079 --> 00:29:28,519 now fifty three seats in the US Senate, meaning Democrats 513 00:29:28,519 --> 00:29:31,519 need to flip at least four to gain control of 514 00:29:31,599 --> 00:29:34,440 the chamber for the final two years of Trump's term 515 00:29:34,519 --> 00:29:37,079 so they can impeach him. I added that last bit, 516 00:29:37,119 --> 00:29:41,759 and this is from WRAL. The decision to drop out 517 00:29:41,799 --> 00:29:44,400 of the race could make Tillis a legislative wild card 518 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,680 in a party where few lawmakers are willing to risk 519 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:51,640 Trump's wrath by opposing his agenda or his actions. That's 520 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:55,759 from the WRAL. Then I've got this. I got a 521 00:29:55,759 --> 00:30:00,960 lot of stuff. I got this from Politico talking about 522 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:04,359 Roy Cooper planning to make a decision this summer on 523 00:30:04,400 --> 00:30:08,720 whether he'll mount a bid for this race. North Carolina, 524 00:30:08,799 --> 00:30:12,119 perennial battleground since Obama turned at blue in eight has 525 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:16,240 largely eluded Democrats ever since, making the state even more tantalizing. 526 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:21,200 Democrats have generally won the governor's races. Cooper has obviously 527 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:23,759 won those as well. He's won every attorney general race. 528 00:30:23,799 --> 00:30:26,480 He's won every race he's ever run in. Actually, the 529 00:30:26,519 --> 00:30:29,440 Democrats haven't won a Senate seat here in nearly two decades, 530 00:30:29,759 --> 00:30:33,599 and Tillis ousted that Democrat, kay Hagen, taking it back 531 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:39,480 in two thousand and fourteen. And then there we go again. 532 00:30:39,559 --> 00:30:43,160 This is still politico. North Carolina could become a rare 533 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,680 bright spot for Democrats on what is otherwise a very 534 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:51,000 difficult Senate map. They're defending a trio of competitive open seats. Okay, 535 00:30:51,039 --> 00:30:53,960 so remember they need to flip. They got their down 536 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:57,559 fifty three to forty seven, so they need four seats 537 00:30:57,599 --> 00:31:01,279 to change hands. But they have to also defend some 538 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:06,079 and they're defending three seats that are competitive and are open, 539 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:12,319 so there's no incumbent. So they were their only offensive opportunities. 540 00:31:12,799 --> 00:31:15,559 So the other direction, which would be competitive seats that 541 00:31:15,599 --> 00:31:17,920 they might be able to win, the only seats they 542 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:21,920 were looking at were Tillis and Susan Collins of Maine. 543 00:31:22,039 --> 00:31:24,200 Those are the only two options they had for likely 544 00:31:24,279 --> 00:31:27,599 pickups or potential pickups. I should say all eyes are 545 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:31,839 on Cooper. They're going to say. The move comes less 546 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:35,200 than forty eight hours after reports emerged that Centrist Representative 547 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:39,200 Don Bacon intends to announce his retirement Monday, which, by 548 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,200 the way, if you're going to be a congressman, I 549 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:43,920 think last name Bacon is perfect, just to you know, 550 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,359 for the guy who brings it home. That's awesome. Names 551 00:31:47,519 --> 00:31:51,960 very Dickensian. Even if the party flips North Carolina seat, 552 00:31:52,599 --> 00:31:56,680 they would have to then take control of redder territory, 553 00:31:56,799 --> 00:31:59,759 So they would have to flip seats that are not 554 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:08,000 seen as likely in Iowa or Ohio or Collins in 555 00:32:08,079 --> 00:32:11,680 Maine to even have a shot at a majority. And 556 00:32:12,319 --> 00:32:16,240 they're going to probably be facing expensive competitive races to 557 00:32:16,319 --> 00:32:19,759 defend Senate seats up in Michigan. They got one in 558 00:32:19,799 --> 00:32:22,960 Georgia and both and Trump carried both of those states 559 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:26,359 in twenty four. They also have to protect open seats 560 00:32:26,759 --> 00:32:31,160 in Minnesota and New Hampshire. So that's what the map 561 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:37,920 looks like for them. One GOP strategist granted anonymity to 562 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:41,079 describe private conversations, said Republicans were breathing a sigh of 563 00:32:41,119 --> 00:32:45,319 relief that Tillis is retiring, believing that a fresh candidate 564 00:32:45,559 --> 00:32:48,920 would better appeal to the voters as the incumbent butted 565 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:53,000 heads with the president and showed a sagging favorability rating 566 00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:57,680 in the polls. Democrats argue that Republicans support for medicaid 567 00:32:57,759 --> 00:33:02,759 cuts give Cooper and opening. This is what Democrats believe. 568 00:33:02,799 --> 00:33:05,759 And Democrats, you got to remember, Democrats believe that the 569 00:33:05,839 --> 00:33:09,680 message of healthcare is a dead bang winner for them 570 00:33:09,759 --> 00:33:12,559 every time. So that's why they dress everything up as 571 00:33:12,559 --> 00:33:15,680 healthcare related. This is why Roy Cooper would tie every 572 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:21,680 single issue to medicaid expansion. Oh, there's an increase in 573 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:24,559 gun deaths, you know, it was solved that medicaid. Like, 574 00:33:24,599 --> 00:33:27,960 he'd always work Medicaid expansion into everything, every issue that 575 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,480 he was ever talking about, because they think that this 576 00:33:30,559 --> 00:33:33,240 is a winning issue because they track better in the 577 00:33:33,279 --> 00:33:39,960 polling among voters on healthcare related issues. So Doug Wilson, 578 00:33:40,000 --> 00:33:43,759 a Democrat strategist who was an advisor on Kamala Harris's 579 00:33:43,799 --> 00:33:46,599 campaign in North Carolina. So a guy who knows how 580 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:51,200 to bring home a win, right, Okay, Doug Wilson says, 581 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:55,920 quote Cooper was obviously instrumental in getting medicaid expansion here, 582 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:59,319 that's not actually the case. I mean, he spiked the 583 00:33:59,359 --> 00:34:03,640 football and and claimed credit. But the North Carolina legislature 584 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:07,000 did that. He did not. He did not. He was 585 00:34:07,039 --> 00:34:10,360 a stamp of approval literally, like he just signed the bill. 586 00:34:10,679 --> 00:34:13,159 But the Republicans were the ones that caved on that, 587 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:17,400 and they did so to take the issue away from him, 588 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:27,000 or so the political calculation rumor mill said. So they think, like, hey, 589 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:32,320 we can make this election. You got Cooper the Medicaid expander. 590 00:34:33,079 --> 00:34:35,320 He gets to come in there and talk about how 591 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:38,360 awesome Medicaid expansion is and how Republicans with the one 592 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:42,199 big beautiful bill are gutting Medicaid and killing everybody and 593 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:44,719 throwing Grandma off the cliff. And by the way, for 594 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:47,599 you youngins that are not aware of what that is 595 00:34:47,599 --> 00:34:51,320 in reference to throwing Grandma off a cliff, that was 596 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:56,320 literally a campaign ad that Democrats ran. The Obama camp 597 00:34:56,440 --> 00:35:02,360 ran against Mitt Romney. Romney and Paul Ryan the Republican ticket, 598 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:08,199 two guys that were like these basic, like right out 599 00:35:08,199 --> 00:35:12,719 of Central Casting, decent Republican guys, and they accused them 600 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:15,639 of all sorts of terrible things. And that's one of 601 00:35:15,639 --> 00:35:18,840 the reasons why you got Donald Trump is because when 602 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:21,239 you accuse guys like Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in 603 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:28,760 a campaign ad showing a fake Paul Ryan wheeling a 604 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:32,599 grandma and a wheelchair and throwing her off of a cliff. 605 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:36,519 That's what they did to Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney, 606 00:35:38,119 --> 00:35:40,000 so they always think they've got the upper hand on 607 00:35:40,079 --> 00:35:43,599 health issues. He says, this gives him a lane to 608 00:35:43,719 --> 00:35:46,440 run on. Not only did he help implement it, it was 609 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:49,719 something he has pushed for since his first term. Great, 610 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:51,840 so we're gonna get lots of ads and they're all 611 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:55,519 going to be about Roy Cooper and his syrupy molass's 612 00:35:55,559 --> 00:35:59,719 mouth defense of medicaid. Gosh, is this election over yet? 613 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:02,800 All right? That'll do it for this episode. Thank you 614 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:04,880 so much for listening. I could not do the show 615 00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:07,400 without your support and the support of the businesses that 616 00:36:07,519 --> 00:36:10,559 advertise on the podcast, so if you'd like, please support 617 00:36:10,599 --> 00:36:12,280 them too and tell them you heard it here. You 618 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:14,920 can also become a patron at my Patreon page or 619 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:18,639 go to dpetecleanershow dot com. Again, thank you so much 620 00:36:18,639 --> 00:36:21,880 for listening, and don't break anything while I'm gone.