1 00:00:21,879 --> 00:00:25,480 Speaker 1: And hello, Welcome one and all to the Big Podcast 2 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:30,480 on this Wednesday, the fifteenth day of July, Year of 3 00:00:30,519 --> 00:00:35,240 Our Lord, twenty twenty six. My name is Tom Sullivan. Well, 4 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:39,920 I don't know they were working the day on Capitol Hill, 5 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:43,439 I mean were there were. I can just imagine walking 6 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,759 down the hallways and all the doors were closed and 7 00:00:46,799 --> 00:00:49,759 inside there were hearings. Everybody was having a hearing today. 8 00:00:50,759 --> 00:00:54,399 I mean the Vice President was up on Capitol Hill 9 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:00,679 schmoozing try to talk them into various things. Todd blanche 10 00:01:01,679 --> 00:01:04,680 was before the committee on whether he was going to 11 00:01:04,719 --> 00:01:11,000 become the official Attorney General. Jay Clayton, former SEC Director, 12 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,400 current US Attorney for the Southern District of New York 13 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:20,680 he was also on the hot seat today. So we're 14 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:22,439 going to get to all all of that in just 15 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,200 a minute. Let me let me go back around, because 16 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:33,159 the whole business about Iran is I'm puzzled. I I 17 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:39,159 don't know why this isn't a real estate deal. The 18 00:01:39,519 --> 00:01:43,519 President is saying, uh, and I've got a bunch of 19 00:01:43,519 --> 00:01:47,040 clips that I can play for you, saying that yes, 20 00:01:47,439 --> 00:01:49,799 we are going to We're going to hit him harder tonight, 21 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:53,560 and the harder tomorrow night, and if they don't come 22 00:01:53,599 --> 00:01:56,640 to the negotiating table, we're going to get even harder 23 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,319 next week. I mean, and I'm going wait, wait wait 24 00:01:59,359 --> 00:02:02,200 wait wait wait wait, what's this going coming to the 25 00:02:02,239 --> 00:02:08,840 negotiating table? What's that all about? This is not a negotiation, 26 00:02:09,199 --> 00:02:13,439 mister president. No, no, no, these these are not people 27 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:21,879 that are trustworthy. Their word means nothing. So I don't 28 00:02:21,879 --> 00:02:24,520 know about you, but I wouldn't waste my time sitting 29 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,360 down at the table negotiating with somebody that I know 30 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,639 is lying, cheating, and will do the opposite of what 31 00:02:30,759 --> 00:02:35,000 it is that the person says in an agreement. I 32 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:38,479 don't know why, but he's I mean, could you imagine 33 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:44,319 a FDR. Wow, we need to get Adolf Hitler to 34 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:49,879 the negotiating table or Emperor hero Hito. That's what we need. 35 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:53,120 We need to get to the negotiating No, there wasn't that. 36 00:02:53,159 --> 00:02:58,879 The negotiation was I surrender, one hundred percent render. We 37 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:04,280 cannot continue to let Iran have the same regime. The 38 00:03:04,319 --> 00:03:07,919 only reason I say this, and I hear really smart 39 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,280 people saying I don't understand what this is all about. 40 00:03:11,319 --> 00:03:13,599 I don't understand what the war with Iran is all about. 41 00:03:14,319 --> 00:03:18,719 Iran is trying to build their nuclear programs so that 42 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:24,759 they can in fact drop nuclear bombs in Israel but 43 00:03:24,879 --> 00:03:31,479 also here. So it's it's not a problem today, but 44 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:35,199 it's going to be a problem tomorrow. They are they're 45 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,159 already you know where we bombed in all those mountainous locations. 46 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:45,680 We now have satellite photos of them. They're rebuilding great 47 00:03:45,719 --> 00:03:50,840 big concrete walls, if you will, so that they can 48 00:03:50,919 --> 00:03:55,080 drive back into under the mountain and continue on with 49 00:03:55,159 --> 00:03:58,520 their nuclear efforts. That's what they want to do. You 50 00:03:58,719 --> 00:04:01,879 may not have to worry about this, but your children will. 51 00:04:04,159 --> 00:04:09,159 This is this is literally changing the future so that Iran, 52 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:14,759 which is crazy, doesn't attack us. But but President Trump 53 00:04:14,919 --> 00:04:18,839 seems stuck and maybe it's from his real estate days, 54 00:04:18,879 --> 00:04:21,360 but he seems stuck on We got to get him 55 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:26,680 to the negotiating table. Listen, listen to this. This is uh. 56 00:04:27,079 --> 00:04:29,000 He was asked about, are you going to go after 57 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,000 their energy targets? Here's the president. 58 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,199 Speaker 2: Do you anticipate that the strikes were seen this week 59 00:04:35,199 --> 00:04:39,160 against Iran will expand are you considering hitting energy targets 60 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:40,319 or other locations. 61 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 3: I'll save the energy targets for last, but ultimately we'll 62 00:04:45,759 --> 00:04:48,759 hit energy targets. Yeah, but we're gonna hit him very 63 00:04:48,759 --> 00:04:51,600 hard tonight, We're gonna hit him very hard. Tomorrow night, 64 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:55,040 we're gonna hit him very hard the night after. And 65 00:04:55,079 --> 00:04:58,360 then next week it gets really bad for them because 66 00:04:58,759 --> 00:05:03,920 next week comes see power plants, next week comes to bridges. 67 00:05:04,399 --> 00:05:06,360 We're going to knock out all that power plants. We're 68 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,920 going to knock out all that bridges unless they get 69 00:05:08,959 --> 00:05:10,319 to the table and negotiate. 70 00:05:12,399 --> 00:05:14,959 Speaker 1: There, it is, unless they get to the table and negotiate. 71 00:05:15,959 --> 00:05:21,639 You can't negotiate with these people, sir. I just and 72 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:23,519 oh the other thing is people are going, well, you know, 73 00:05:23,759 --> 00:05:27,959 you know that's a war crime to knock out their 74 00:05:28,319 --> 00:05:32,600 power plants and their bridges, And no, it's it's not. 75 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:37,759 If they're using them to facilitate their efforts in a war, 76 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:45,000 we can take out electricity because they use the electricity 77 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:49,199 to make missiles or drones or whatever else it might be. 78 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:55,519 So I mean, it's it's, it's it's let's go on. 79 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,279 Here's one of Also, this is the president yesterday when 80 00:05:58,319 --> 00:06:01,920 he changed his mind about charging twenty percent toll. I'm 81 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,439 wondering if you could explain you're changing thinking on straight 82 00:06:05,519 --> 00:06:07,240 form moves to find a twenty percent. 83 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:11,519 Speaker 4: I was called by different people different countries, kings and 84 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:14,639 emirs and all of the people that we all know 85 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,879 and we all love, and they've been frankically, they've been 86 00:06:17,959 --> 00:06:21,160 very strong partners, and they said, we'd love to do 87 00:06:21,199 --> 00:06:24,079 it a different way. We would like to invest tremendously 88 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,959 in the United States as opposed to charging the feet. 89 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:29,920 And I like that actually, because I don't think anybody 90 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:32,439 should be able to charge your fee for the UH 91 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:33,480 for the straight. 92 00:06:33,879 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: I have to kind of chuggle because yesterday he thought 93 00:06:36,519 --> 00:06:38,519 it was fine to charge a toll for the straight. 94 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,199 Brtt McGirk, who has done a lot of negotiating with 95 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:45,879 the Middle Eastern countries ways in. 96 00:06:46,319 --> 00:06:48,879 Speaker 5: I think Kevin just said casting about. I think that's 97 00:06:48,879 --> 00:06:51,680 a pretty good way to put it, both the United 98 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:54,519 States and Ron. I think you just see casting about 99 00:06:54,639 --> 00:06:58,079 on both sides. I think the problem with that threat 100 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:00,879 is problematic on his face, but also so I'm not 101 00:07:00,879 --> 00:07:03,360 sure the Iranians take it seriously. But if they do 102 00:07:03,399 --> 00:07:07,160 take it seriously, Aaron again, it is the Revolutionary Guard 103 00:07:07,199 --> 00:07:09,800 that is in charge in Tehran, and they will strike 104 00:07:10,519 --> 00:07:12,759 infrastructure in the Golf. I mean that is basically what 105 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,439 they said. I think they've proven the demonstrated willingness and 106 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:18,279 capacity to do that. So then you're in a war 107 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:23,920 targeting each other's civilian infrastructure, and that can really damage 108 00:07:23,959 --> 00:07:28,040 the global economy. That's the problem of one of many 109 00:07:28,079 --> 00:07:28,720 problems here. 110 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: Yes, it's a problem, but at the same time, Iran 111 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:36,560 has no trouble hitting the infrastructure in our allies, whether 112 00:07:36,759 --> 00:07:41,279 UAE or in Bahrain, you name it, go down the 113 00:07:41,319 --> 00:07:48,079 list Kuwait. So this is something that the allies are 114 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:53,759 most concerned about, is the attacks that they're getting. Obviously, well, 115 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:54,600 I'd say two things. 116 00:07:54,639 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 5: I think the one thing that all the golf states, 117 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,959 including like oh Man that works a little closely with Iran, 118 00:08:00,199 --> 00:08:04,279 they are totally opposed to Iran's claim of sovereignty over 119 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,879 the strait and Iran's claim that they will charge a fee. 120 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,040 So the golf is united kind of with us against that. 121 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:11,759 So then for the President of come out and say, actually, 122 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:13,480 we're going to protect it and we'll charge it even 123 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:18,199 higher fee was completely contradictory and kinnter productive to everything 124 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:23,160 we're trying to do. I'd secondly say, Aaron, that kind 125 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:24,519 of that'd be a good problem to have if we 126 00:08:24,519 --> 00:08:27,040 were able to guard the Straight and protect shipping. The 127 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,600 issue here is that Iran is using the kind of 128 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:34,360 ancient advantage of terrain and the modern advantage of drone warfare. 129 00:08:34,399 --> 00:08:36,919 And these drones can be fired from a thousand kilometers 130 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:39,399 way even farther away and hit a slow moving tanker, 131 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:41,879 and that is what they're doing to hold the Straight hostage. 132 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:43,879 It is very hard to stop. I dealt with this 133 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:46,240 in the last White House in the Red Sea when 134 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:48,679 the Huthis and Iranian proxy group was targeting ships in 135 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,720 the Red Sea. We had to naval coalition. It's very 136 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:55,480 difficult to stop. So I'd like to know how we're 137 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:57,159 going to be the guardian of the Strait. I think 138 00:08:57,159 --> 00:08:58,759 that would be great if we could do it, but 139 00:08:58,799 --> 00:09:02,080 it's a very difficult. As General Kimin I think knows 140 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:02,840 extremely well. 141 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 1: Well, let's listen to General Mark Kimmell to see what 142 00:09:06,519 --> 00:09:07,080 he says. 143 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:07,559 Speaker 4: Well. 144 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:09,159 Speaker 6: Well, first of all, I'd just like to make a 145 00:09:09,159 --> 00:09:13,039 comment about bridges and infrastructure. In fact, I think it's 146 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:17,440 important to note that bridges and infrastructure that are primarily 147 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:22,639 being used support military forces are legitimate military targets. I 148 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,720 didn't hear anything about civilian infrastructure. I didn't hear anything 149 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:28,320 about civilian bridges. So let's hope we're going to stay 150 00:09:28,399 --> 00:09:33,120 focused on the military targets. Ground campaign, certainly, I don't 151 00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:36,440 think the President is talking about attacking into taker On, 152 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,320 but at ground campaign could certainly be something like going 153 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:44,320 into Kashi Mood. It could be going into carg Island. 154 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:46,600 I certainly hope we don't do that. I think they're 155 00:09:46,639 --> 00:09:50,080 better alternatives. But it's also important to note that what 156 00:09:50,159 --> 00:09:53,320 the president was doing was not ruling in he was 157 00:09:53,399 --> 00:09:56,919 just not ruling out ground forces to keep his options open. 158 00:09:57,399 --> 00:10:00,879 Speaker 1: Oh yes, let's talk ground forces. General Kimmot, by the way, 159 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:06,919 was under Secretary of State in George W. Bush's administration. 160 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,840 But what did Donald Trump say about using ground troops? 161 00:10:11,159 --> 00:10:14,039 Speaker 5: Are you only not a ground campaign in a limited capacity. 162 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 3: I don't want to say that either, but I would 163 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:19,440 say no if I thought it was appropriate. I'd say, 164 00:10:19,799 --> 00:10:22,039 sometimes you need a ground campaign, but we have other 165 00:10:22,039 --> 00:10:24,759 people that will do the ground campaign for US. 166 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:32,159 Speaker 1: I heard a retired helicopter pilot talking earlier today about 167 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:34,480 oh no, no, you don't need ground troops. I don't 168 00:10:34,519 --> 00:10:36,679 know how you can win a war without ground troops. 169 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:40,000 I've been saying that since day one. You can bomb them, 170 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,240 you can do a lot of damage to their bridges, 171 00:10:42,639 --> 00:10:45,279 their energy sources, you can do a lot of damage 172 00:10:45,279 --> 00:10:48,200 to lots of places. But the way you take over 173 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:53,960 a country is, again, you arrest the leaders IRGC leaders, 174 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,720 just like we did in other wars. You know, one 175 00:10:56,759 --> 00:10:59,559 of the other words. I was thinking about my belief 176 00:10:59,639 --> 00:11:05,960 that negotiations, you don't negotiate. Go to the Vietnam War. 177 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:11,360 What did we do. Henry Kissinger had negotiations in Paris 178 00:11:11,879 --> 00:11:15,720 with the leaders of Vietnam for at least a few years. 179 00:11:16,399 --> 00:11:22,360 Not a thing came out of that. Nothing. So I'm 180 00:11:22,399 --> 00:11:25,840 still looking at this and going, no, you have to 181 00:11:25,879 --> 00:11:29,960 go in and you have to literally arrest and jail 182 00:11:30,919 --> 00:11:34,519 at the very least the leaders of the IRGC. They 183 00:11:34,519 --> 00:11:38,200 are responsible for the deaths of not only tens of 184 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,200 thousands of their own people, but also American troops. They 185 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,200 were the ones that were making the IEDs that blew 186 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:49,200 up on American troops in Iraq and other places. Back 187 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,000 to General kimmid. 188 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,039 Speaker 6: Well, I think both Fred and I are concerned about 189 00:11:55,039 --> 00:11:58,679 that significantly, because again, all we need is one mistake 190 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:03,840 made by an air fence artilleryman who misses a missile 191 00:12:03,879 --> 00:12:06,440 coming in. I mean we saw that in Ala Sad 192 00:12:06,639 --> 00:12:10,480 inside of Irock, where we luckily did not lose a 193 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:11,879 significant number of troops. 194 00:12:11,919 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: But when you have a large. 195 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 6: Concentration of them as we do and kuate out a 196 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,720 data you in Katar and some of the other basonuity 197 00:12:19,879 --> 00:12:23,440 that could certainly happen. Listen, I think it's important to 198 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:26,799 go back to Bretz Common. It is clear that if 199 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:31,799 the United States is the unilateral protector of the Gulf 200 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:34,919 of the straight over movies, that will not work. The 201 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,960 fact is we are belligerate in this conflict and for 202 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,480 us to try to control it is a war situation. 203 00:12:43,159 --> 00:12:45,879 Either they have it or we don't. But as we 204 00:12:45,919 --> 00:12:49,840 did with the counter Piracy Coalition, and we did in 205 00:12:49,879 --> 00:12:53,559 the tanker Wary and nineteen eighty one to nineteen eighty eight, 206 00:12:54,039 --> 00:12:57,799 we used non belligerents in that operation. This is a 207 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:02,559 great opportunity for or the British, the French, the Germans 208 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:06,440 to come in and run a maritime escort operation. Through 209 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,679 the straight horror movies, it tells the Iranians you have 210 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,559 a choice you can either let these people take the 211 00:13:14,159 --> 00:13:17,679 commercial traffic through or you can fire on them. Is 212 00:13:17,759 --> 00:13:22,480 the only you now have a war with Germany, the 213 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,360 United Kingdom in France. Now, I think we all understand 214 00:13:25,519 --> 00:13:28,679 why the allies have not been rushing to our assistance 215 00:13:28,759 --> 00:13:32,440 in this. But there are options other than a unilateral operation. 216 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:37,399 Speaker 1: Well, let's see what what are NATO allies actually do. 217 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:39,600 They've had all kinds of chances. This might be a 218 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,480 perfect example for them to step up. The guy who 219 00:13:43,919 --> 00:13:48,559 was very much involved in negotiating with Iran to create 220 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:54,320 the JCP away. Yeah, I know it was. It was 221 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,120 torn up by President Trump. But here's his name is 222 00:13:58,159 --> 00:14:01,000 Alan Eyer, and this is how he thinks about what's 223 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:01,480 going on. 224 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 7: Quite simply, the US administration is flailing. It is trying 225 00:14:05,639 --> 00:14:10,120 failed policies. Again, incremental attacks on Iran and its coastal 226 00:14:10,159 --> 00:14:13,360 facilities will not get Iran to change its red lines 227 00:14:13,399 --> 00:14:16,639 closer to US red lines. And again, we do not 228 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:21,879 have sufficient military force to keep the straight open if 229 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:27,440 Iran uses threats in the rockets, drones fast attack craft 230 00:14:27,879 --> 00:14:31,919 to threaten maritime traffic in the Strait. Because the maritime 231 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:36,159 insurance industry, ship owners, cargo owners will not risk it. 232 00:14:36,639 --> 00:14:39,519 So I don't know what President Trump is doing. He 233 00:14:39,639 --> 00:14:42,120 might have a plan, or he might just be going 234 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:44,639 back to his greatest hits where he blows things up 235 00:14:44,679 --> 00:14:47,759 and says, we sunk the Navy, we destroyed the air Force. 236 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:48,919 Isn't that wonderful. 237 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 1: Well, there's not much with Allen Eyre that I agree with, 238 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,039 but he did say one thing about the fact that 239 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:59,080 you can bomb them, and that's not going to bring them. 240 00:15:00,159 --> 00:15:02,039 That's not going to work. It's not going to be successful. 241 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:04,159 And again the President wants to wants to bring him 242 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:08,320 to the negotiating table. Alan Eyer isn't even talking about that. 243 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:11,399 He says that won't work with them. Yeah, you know, 244 00:15:11,559 --> 00:15:15,600 peace through strength is an element, but the strength has 245 00:15:15,639 --> 00:15:19,519 to be all the way to where you strangle the leadership. 246 00:15:20,039 --> 00:15:24,559 You can't leave him there. Another one from back in 247 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,919 those days, Dana Strau. She was a deputy Defense secretary. 248 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,559 Speaker 8: I think Iran is already immune to what the President says. 249 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,600 He keeps saying things like this, and he really has 250 00:15:36,679 --> 00:15:41,519 no plan here. So escalating to civilian infrastructure, first of all, 251 00:15:41,879 --> 00:15:44,879 opens up the aperture for Iran to respond in kind. 252 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:50,080 They're already attacking tankers again in the Golf to expand again. 253 00:15:50,159 --> 00:15:53,919 For them to civilian infrastructure across the Golf Jordan and 254 00:15:54,039 --> 00:15:56,960 Israel would be terrible for the region after how much 255 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:58,080 it has suffered this year. 256 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,639 Speaker 1: Well, no, they're going that's what they're going to do. 257 00:16:00,679 --> 00:16:05,399 They're going to attack infrastructure in our allies backyards. However, 258 00:16:05,679 --> 00:16:10,039 she is I think right that they are immune to 259 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:13,480 whatever Donald Trump says. He can threaten them all day 260 00:16:13,519 --> 00:16:15,919 long and it just goes in one ear and out 261 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:21,000 the other. They don't take his threats seriously. They just don't. 262 00:16:22,039 --> 00:16:24,440 So that's what's going on with the war is going 263 00:16:24,519 --> 00:16:27,120 to be continuing on with the presidents that he's going 264 00:16:27,159 --> 00:16:31,679 to do, just keep hammering them meantime, Like I said, 265 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:34,720 there were a lot of people on Capitol Hill today testifying. 266 00:16:35,120 --> 00:16:38,679 One of them was Todd blanche He's the acting Attorney General, 267 00:16:38,879 --> 00:16:43,440 he was the deputy Attorney General. He was the President's 268 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:49,000 personal lawyer. Before that, he worked as a US prosecutor 269 00:16:49,039 --> 00:16:52,480 in the Southern District of New York. He's a highly 270 00:16:52,559 --> 00:16:59,200 regarded guy. Here's Jonathan Turley doesn't usually give adaboys to anybody, 271 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:01,720 but he sure did with Tod Blanche. 272 00:17:02,159 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 9: Well, the votes do appear to be there, but we'll 273 00:17:04,519 --> 00:17:07,720 have to wait to see. Tom Blanch is actually the 274 00:17:07,759 --> 00:17:12,119 most complete package of a nominee that I've seen since 275 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,559 Bill Barr. I mean, the fact is that he is 276 00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:19,480 an accomplished lawyer, with both civil and criminal cases on 277 00:17:19,559 --> 00:17:22,680 his resume that are quite remarkable. He worked at the 278 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:27,319 most prestigious US Attorney's office. Everyone agrees he's an extremely 279 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,039 talented lawyer. He doesn't have that flashy aspect that you 280 00:17:31,079 --> 00:17:35,480 see with some nominees. He's a very serious and competent guy. 281 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:40,279 And so the expectations is that he will be confirmed. Now, 282 00:17:40,319 --> 00:17:42,559 the Senate does have a role here, and there are 283 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:45,359 legitimate questions. They have a right to ask, is he 284 00:17:45,519 --> 00:17:48,839 prepared to confront the president if he feels the president's 285 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:49,640 going too far? 286 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:53,680 Speaker 10: They're right to look at his record. But his resume 287 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,599 is very impressive and I would say is one of 288 00:17:57,599 --> 00:17:59,880 the strongest in the history of that department. 289 00:18:00,079 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 1: Hey, you won't hear that kind of testimony from Jonathan 290 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:09,680 Turtley very often. So, Yeah, Blanche's highly regarded lawyer. He 291 00:18:09,799 --> 00:18:12,960 worked for the government, he did private sector, He's he's 292 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,400 done it all he's done criminal, he's done civil. So 293 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:23,079 the hurt the hearing today was I guess necessary. But 294 00:18:23,759 --> 00:18:29,440 the Judiciary Committee, even though Lindsey Graham was a member 295 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,319 of it, there was a majority of two Republicans. So 296 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:36,240 with Lindsay Graham not on the committee, they still have 297 00:18:36,519 --> 00:18:40,400 a one vote majority. So there might be somebody on 298 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:44,720 the committee. John Cornyn, who obviously got the shaft by 299 00:18:44,839 --> 00:18:50,559 the President, may be willing to attack back at him, 300 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:55,039 but otherwise it looks oh And also Tom Tillis is 301 00:18:55,079 --> 00:18:57,960 on the committee too, and that's another one that he 302 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:01,839 and Trump got sideways on. But it looks like he 303 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:05,000 will have the votes coming out of the Judiciary Committee. 304 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:07,640 But they have to go through all the questions and 305 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,559 a lot of it, a lot of it was about 306 00:19:11,079 --> 00:19:15,319 Epstein and his role as deputy Attorney General. He was 307 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:18,839 supposed to be overseeing that. Why did he do why 308 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:21,680 didn't he do this? Why didn't he do that? There 309 00:19:21,759 --> 00:19:24,920 was a lot of questions all around Epstein. But when 310 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:29,400 all was said and done, it looks like Todd Blanche 311 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,559 will be able to get the full votes and move 312 00:19:32,559 --> 00:19:36,160 on to become the real acting not acting but the 313 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:41,839 real Attorney General. Another person on Capitol Hill today was 314 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:45,720 Jay Clayton. And here's another guy with a great background. 315 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:49,039 He was highly regarded when he was the Securities and 316 00:19:49,079 --> 00:19:53,880 Exchange Commissioned chairman Wall Street. The business community, the banking community, 317 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,319 they all thought that he was a smart guy and 318 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:01,599 used a lot of common sense in regulating the securities industry. 319 00:20:02,279 --> 00:20:05,839 While he went from there to being the head of 320 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:08,039 the US Attorney He is the U S Attorney for 321 00:20:08,079 --> 00:20:11,240 the Southern District of New York, the most prestigious office 322 00:20:11,319 --> 00:20:15,920 by far, and now the President has tapped him to 323 00:20:16,039 --> 00:20:22,839 be the office of Director of National Intelligence ODI and I. 324 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:26,400 This is Tulsea Gabbard's old office. This is the one 325 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:30,000 that Bill Poulty has been occupying for a little over 326 00:20:30,039 --> 00:20:32,920 a week when he's in there firing people, which was 327 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:36,559 supposedly that what he was assigned to do. So Jay 328 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:43,279 Clayton went before the committee today and it's interesting because 329 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:48,319 John Mossoff, who was a Senator from Georgia Democrat, decided 330 00:20:48,440 --> 00:20:53,599 to ask him not about the role of D and I, 331 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:58,440 not about National Intelligence, but he asked him did Donald 332 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:03,519 Trump was the election in twenty twenty. Here's asof did 333 00:21:03,599 --> 00:21:05,440 Joe Biden won the twenty twenty election. 334 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:10,319 Speaker 2: Senator, I'm not an election denier. Joe Joe Biden was 335 00:21:10,359 --> 00:21:13,799 certified as the President of the United States who won 336 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:17,119 the twenty election. I have answered to answer it. What 337 00:21:17,279 --> 00:21:17,880 is your answer? 338 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,200 Speaker 1: Well, he said, I'm not an election denier, but I'm 339 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:26,240 you know, Joe Biden with the president. These are the 340 00:21:26,319 --> 00:21:31,079 games that they play to rattle each other. They're ass off. 341 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:35,759 The Democrat Jay Clayton is a Republican. John Kennedy, the 342 00:21:35,799 --> 00:21:41,039 Senator from Louisiana, was asked about this and why does 343 00:21:41,079 --> 00:21:45,160 it happen? And Kennedy always has a straightforward answer. 344 00:21:45,519 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 11: No, But there's this little game if you followed all 345 00:21:49,519 --> 00:21:52,440 the committees. It happens every time we have a nominee 346 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:55,440 in ju this year or the Democrats try to get 347 00:21:55,599 --> 00:21:59,200 a nominee by the President to say that the president 348 00:22:00,279 --> 00:22:04,079 actually won the election and President Biden didn't, and they 349 00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:08,519 want the nominee to use the magic words that Trump 350 00:22:08,599 --> 00:22:14,200 lost the election, and the nominees, understandably in my opinion, 351 00:22:14,279 --> 00:22:15,519 don't want to play that game. 352 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:17,599 Speaker 9: I haven't, But that was it a game. I mean, 353 00:22:17,599 --> 00:22:18,559 it's just what happened. 354 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,279 Speaker 1: No, it is a game case. If you if you 355 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:22,759 look at. 356 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:27,319 Speaker 11: It's a game of words by my Democratic colleagues, and 357 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:30,839 I have not heard one single nominee by the president 358 00:22:31,519 --> 00:22:36,319 say that Donald Trump won the election and Joe Biden lost. 359 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:40,559 But the Democrats don't like the words they use, so 360 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:42,839 they play these games, and I do think it is 361 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:45,480 it is a game. I'm not I do not know 362 00:22:45,519 --> 00:22:50,160 a single nominee by the President that I personally believe 363 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:53,759 thinks that Joe Biden was not the president. I mean, 364 00:22:53,960 --> 00:22:58,960 Kennedy's right, he understands why. But the Democrats are playing 365 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:02,240 it so they little grade school game if you go 366 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:05,519 to work for somebody and they're paying, they give you 367 00:23:05,559 --> 00:23:08,039 a good job, and they're a good boss and everything else, 368 00:23:08,079 --> 00:23:11,480 and they say, you know, I am absolutely dead set 369 00:23:11,559 --> 00:23:17,559 that the sky is green. I believe the sky is green. 370 00:23:18,799 --> 00:23:22,480 So if somebody asks you in front of your new boss, 371 00:23:23,559 --> 00:23:24,400 what color is. 372 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:27,359 Speaker 1: The sky, Oh, I don't know. It looks kind of 373 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:31,240 green to me. I understand why they're doing it. 374 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 11: Well, look, I'm biased, but I think the Democrats have 375 00:23:35,559 --> 00:23:40,240 made it hard. I don't think there's any doubt about 376 00:23:40,319 --> 00:23:44,119 the fact that Joe Biden was the president. And I 377 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:48,480 haven't heard a single nominee by President Trump. Say Donald 378 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:52,400 Trump won the election. Joe Biden did, but the Democrats 379 00:23:52,519 --> 00:23:56,240 want them to use the magic words so they can 380 00:23:56,319 --> 00:23:59,839 get then go spin the press, most of which will 381 00:24:00,039 --> 00:24:02,960 suck it up like a Hoover Deluxe, that this guy 382 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:07,839 called Donald Trump a liar and he's Donald Trump's nominee, 383 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,200 that it is a game that's being played. I've been 384 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:14,480 in dozens of hearings where the Democrats did that, and 385 00:24:15,039 --> 00:24:18,400 I don't think the American people have any doubt about 386 00:24:19,039 --> 00:24:22,160 who the last president was. It was Joe Biden. 387 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think, I mean, I know there are a 388 00:24:24,759 --> 00:24:28,319 number of people that are absolutely convinced that Donald Trump won. 389 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,119 And one of the people that think that he won 390 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:35,759 in twenty twenty is in fact Donald Trump. 391 00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:37,400 Speaker 9: It is about the Democrats. 392 00:24:37,519 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 11: No, I think the I think persident Trump thinks he 393 00:24:39,799 --> 00:24:43,440 won the election, and I think he was cheated, and 394 00:24:43,519 --> 00:24:47,680 he's entitled to have that belief, and the American people 395 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:51,960 are just are entitled to draw their own conclusions about 396 00:24:52,920 --> 00:24:57,480 the truth or magendacy of what he says. But I 397 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:00,440 just to me, it's all a game of words like 398 00:25:00,519 --> 00:25:03,720 them between the Democrats and Republicans, because I think if 399 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:09,599 you if you go ask the average American who was 400 00:25:09,759 --> 00:25:14,759 last president, they're going to say Joe Biden. And I 401 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:18,240 just think that to me is raality. And all of 402 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:22,200 this other stuff about well you're not using the magic 403 00:25:22,279 --> 00:25:25,440 words that the Democrats want us to use is just 404 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:28,519 a lot of inside Well, who won in twenty twenty four? 405 00:25:29,279 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: And that's the rest of the back and forth regarding 406 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:37,000 twenty twenty election was did Donald Trump win in twenty sixteen? 407 00:25:37,079 --> 00:25:37,279 Speaker 11: Yes? 408 00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,440 Speaker 1: Was he supposed to have Actually the people predicted that 409 00:25:41,519 --> 00:25:46,119 Hillary would have won, but he won. And even before 410 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:48,200 that election, he was saying it's going to be rigged, 411 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:50,599 but w obviously Whenty won, he said it wasn't rigged. 412 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:54,319 Twenty twenty, he said it was rigged. Twenty twenty four, 413 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:59,160 he won again. Republicans have been winning a lot of 414 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:02,640 elections in some how they're not rigged, only certain times, 415 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:08,200 only when Republicans win. But anyway, I gets see how 416 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:13,079 it gets. It gets childish. It just does. I want 417 00:26:13,079 --> 00:26:18,920 to talk about ice, the traffic stops. This is getting 418 00:26:20,079 --> 00:26:25,480 pretty dirty because they have a bunch of complaints now, 419 00:26:25,759 --> 00:26:28,400 especially in Maine. There were two shootings this past week, 420 00:26:28,559 --> 00:26:31,359 one in Houston, one in a little town in Maine, 421 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:36,119 and the people in Maine are saying that the ice 422 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:42,599 officers do not have cameras body warn cameras. And what's 423 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:47,799 interesting to me about that is they do have they're 424 00:26:47,839 --> 00:26:51,720 not wearing masks. All the videos of the shooting in Maine, 425 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:54,480 all the ice officers did not have masks, which I 426 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:58,319 thought that was a big contention, but apparently it's not anymore. 427 00:26:59,319 --> 00:27:01,960 The other thing about it is is that the body 428 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:05,680 worn cameras. I don't know why they're not wearing them. 429 00:27:06,279 --> 00:27:09,599 It worked both ways. It protects the officer, it protects 430 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:15,519 the citizens. It really shows it helps to show what 431 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:18,720 really happened. One of the problems with the shooting in 432 00:27:18,799 --> 00:27:21,640 Maine is that they came out and said that the 433 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:25,640 officer that shot the young man in Maine said that 434 00:27:25,680 --> 00:27:30,839 he feared for the public safety. Well, it's more specific 435 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:33,839 than that that you unless you fear for your own 436 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:38,680 or somebody else's safety, you're not allowed to shoot. So 437 00:27:39,599 --> 00:27:44,359 that was kind of a lawyerly wording about the fact 438 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:49,480 that it was considered about public safety. The problem was 439 00:27:49,519 --> 00:27:53,039 it is there are other videos, There are security videos 440 00:27:53,079 --> 00:27:59,160 on cameras, and the guy wasn't a police officer was 441 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,799 walking next to the guy's car as it went in circles, 442 00:28:03,799 --> 00:28:08,000 So I don't see a chase. I don't see him 443 00:28:08,039 --> 00:28:13,000 trying to run down any officer. But that's only from one, 444 00:28:13,720 --> 00:28:17,640 one or two videos that looks very suspicious and they've 445 00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:20,240 got to come forward. So today the President chimed in 446 00:28:20,279 --> 00:28:25,759 on this, and the President has come out and apparently 447 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:31,119 is unhappy, so shade a press that he's furious over 448 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:37,039 the pause on most vehicle stops conducted by ICE and 449 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:43,519 the blowback from his base. Prominent MAGA voices suggested that 450 00:28:43,599 --> 00:28:50,519 the administration was weakening its immigration enforcement. Well, I don't 451 00:28:50,519 --> 00:28:54,039 know if they're weakening it or not. I don't like quotas. 452 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:58,079 Quotas are apparently this is a self imposed goal of 453 00:28:58,119 --> 00:29:00,880 two thousand arrest today. It was more than that before. 454 00:29:01,279 --> 00:29:05,400 But anytime you put quotas on police officers, that's not good. 455 00:29:05,480 --> 00:29:11,119 You just don't want motivations and incentives for police officers 456 00:29:11,119 --> 00:29:14,599 to find somebody that committed a crime. They'll find they'll 457 00:29:14,599 --> 00:29:19,160 find criminals, just not with a quota police. And the 458 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:24,240 other part about this is is there's something that appears 459 00:29:24,279 --> 00:29:29,559 to be lacking in their training. How many of videos 460 00:29:29,559 --> 00:29:33,279 and recently where there are protesters that are standing there 461 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,680 and the ice officer takes out looks like a bear 462 00:29:36,799 --> 00:29:40,599 spray and two feet from somebody's face just sprays them 463 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:44,599 with the spray. There's no reason for that. They don't. 464 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:47,599 I don't know if they've ever been trained on traffic stops. 465 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:51,559 They look like they are not up to speed with 466 00:29:51,599 --> 00:29:56,119 what most police departments know how to do. So I 467 00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:59,839 know the President's upset about it, but and I'm fine 468 00:29:59,880 --> 00:30:03,559 with them going back to doing traffic stops. But train them, 469 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:08,359 give them, give them the typical four, five, six seven 470 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:12,720 month academy training that most police officers get before they 471 00:30:12,759 --> 00:30:15,599 go out with a gun and a badge. That's all 472 00:30:17,119 --> 00:30:20,440 we talk. Well, no, we've got got some economy numbers today. 473 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:24,960 This is the producer price index. That's the wholesale inflation. 474 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:28,559 Yesterday we got the inflation that had dropped down to 475 00:30:28,640 --> 00:30:31,759 three and a half percent from over four percent. But 476 00:30:31,839 --> 00:30:35,279 that was because of what what prices dropped in the 477 00:30:35,319 --> 00:30:38,640 month of June. That's right, boys and girls, that was 478 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:44,839 gasoline energy prices. Well, so the producer price index, same thing. 479 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:51,559 Producer price index wasn't inflation, it was minus three tenths 480 00:30:51,599 --> 00:30:55,480 of one percent. The court rate was up three tenths 481 00:30:55,519 --> 00:30:57,920 But in other words, inflation was next to nothing in 482 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:01,160 the month of June at the core level and at 483 00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:07,400 the wholesale level. And that is that's not surprising because 484 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:09,079 you take a look at it, and most of the 485 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,680 drop at the wholesale level of inflation was due to 486 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:17,960 gasoline prices. So it's not a big surprise. But I 487 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:21,039 thought we'd throw that in as inflation in the month 488 00:31:21,039 --> 00:31:24,400 of June has taken a big pause. My concern is 489 00:31:24,559 --> 00:31:29,519 we're halfway through July and we're back to shooting in 490 00:31:29,559 --> 00:31:33,440 the Middle East, and oil prices and gasoline prices are 491 00:31:34,039 --> 00:31:37,839 sneaking back up again. So let's take a look at 492 00:31:38,119 --> 00:31:41,279 Wall Street, starting with the Dow. The Dow was up 493 00:31:41,519 --> 00:31:45,200 one hundred and fifty to close at fifty two thousand 494 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:47,680 and six fifty eight. It actually took a dip mid 495 00:31:47,759 --> 00:31:50,960 session into the minus territory, but came back with one 496 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:53,920 hundred and fifty point gain. The S and P up 497 00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,640 twenty eight, the NASDAK up one hundred and sixty two. 498 00:31:57,359 --> 00:32:00,519 Price of gold fell three dollars to four thousand, sixty 499 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:05,440 six and oil up another buck today, a little more 500 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:09,839 than eighty dollars now for one barrel of oil. That's 501 00:32:09,880 --> 00:32:12,480 it for today. Thank you for coming by. We will 502 00:32:12,519 --> 00:32:15,319 be back tomorrow. I hope to see you then.