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 dpeakclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,160 subscribe button. Get every episode for free right 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 --> 00:00:32,520 your support. It's Tuesday. It's twelve o'clock noon, and that 10 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,200 means we talked to Andrew Dunn. He is the publisher 11 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:39,560 of long Leaf Politics. Longleafpol dot com is that website. 12 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,640 He's also a contributing columnist in The Charlotte Observer. Andrew, 13 00:00:43,679 --> 00:00:44,320 how are you, sir? 14 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 2: I'm great. I'm sitting out on my front porch and 15 00:00:48,359 --> 00:00:49,880 this weather is just unreal. 16 00:00:50,079 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: Yeah, yesterday was beautiful, and I don't know, I mean, 17 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,039 maybe it's the change of seasons or something now, because 18 00:00:57,079 --> 00:01:01,119 like I've got something that's like affecting my my chest. 19 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:03,759 So hopefully I can make it through the show today. 20 00:01:04,079 --> 00:01:08,640 I like my chances, but I'm playing injured. So no, 21 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:11,719 that's all right, that's Okay, I'll be fine. So I 22 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:15,799 got to ask you, what the heck is a judicial palooza? 23 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,959 I have never heard of this? This is an event 24 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:20,519 you attended? I think I saw. 25 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:20,879 Speaker 3: Well. 26 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,719 Speaker 1: Is it like a band kind of thing? Like a 27 00:01:23,799 --> 00:01:25,000 jam band kind of a deal? 28 00:01:26,079 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 2: No, much more exciting than that. 29 00:01:27,879 --> 00:01:28,079 Speaker 3: Now. 30 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 2: This was an event held by the Hornets Nests Republican 31 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:36,599 Men's Club, great organization, the largest Republican organization in North Carolina, 32 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,079 I believe, and they hosted a real powerhouse crowd of 33 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,439 Republican judicial candidates to run in twenty twenty six. 34 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: When and so when was that? 35 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 2: It was a week ago, last Monday. 36 00:01:49,519 --> 00:01:53,519 Speaker 1: Okay, and so, so what was the format? You just 37 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,120 hang out and listened to speeches? Or is it like 38 00:01:56,159 --> 00:02:00,159 a Q and a A? Is it a meet and greet? 39 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:00,719 Speaker 4: Little bit of both. 40 00:02:00,799 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: You know, there was time for meet and greet and 41 00:02:02,799 --> 00:02:06,040 then all of the candidates who were running next year 42 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,520 came up and gave their little pitch, and a lot 43 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,120 of it was mostly talking about what are the stakes 44 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,439 in the judicial elections for twenty twenty six. You know, 45 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,439 the Senate race is obviously going to take so much 46 00:02:17,439 --> 00:02:21,439 of the attention, but there actually are some important judicial 47 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:22,879 races coming up next. 48 00:02:22,759 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: Year such as well. 49 00:02:25,319 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 2: The big one is the State Supreme Court seat. You know, 50 00:02:28,759 --> 00:02:31,439 right now Republicans have a five to two majority on 51 00:02:32,199 --> 00:02:35,400 the State Supreme Court. The seat that's actually coming up 52 00:02:35,479 --> 00:02:38,840 in twenty twenty six is Justice Anita Earls. You know, 53 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,240 your listeners may remember she was elected in twenty eighteen. 54 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:45,759 This was the year when all the rules changed, so 55 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,960 there wasn't a primary, so the general election ballot had 56 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,400 two Republicans on it, and then Anita Earls as the Democrat, 57 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,759 and so she squeaked out of victory on there. So 58 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,960 I think it's it's going to be a lot different 59 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:02,520 dynamic in twenty twenty six, that's for sure. 60 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 1: Right because the legislature reimposed the partisan designations for the 61 00:03:07,599 --> 00:03:11,159 judicial races, which then, of course they were accused of 62 00:03:11,199 --> 00:03:18,000 politicizing the judiciary, which is silly. It's not politicization to 63 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,599 simply see the party label next to people's names. I think, 64 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:25,240 in fact, it's a heuristic. It's a shorthand way that 65 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:29,400 people can have an understanding of what somebody's judicial philosophy 66 00:03:29,439 --> 00:03:32,080 would be when they don't know anything else about the candidates. 67 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:35,280 Because like you said, the top of ticket races usually 68 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,639 get way more of the media coverage and stuff, And 69 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:42,199 so she's running against the only one announced I guess 70 00:03:42,199 --> 00:03:44,560 at this point is Representative Sarah Stevens. 71 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's fair to call her the presumptive 72 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,960 Republican nominee. She's a state representative, has been in the 73 00:03:52,039 --> 00:03:55,319 legislature a long time. I think I don't think she'll 74 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,319 have too much trouble getting the Republican nomination there. 75 00:03:58,719 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: So you have a quote in here from Court of 76 00:04:00,599 --> 00:04:05,800 Appeals Judge Michael Stadding, and I've interviewed him a couple 77 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:08,680 of times when he was running, and he's to me, 78 00:04:08,719 --> 00:04:13,240 he's been a very impressive judge and he's on the 79 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:15,319 Court of Appeals now, but he used to be a 80 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,879 local judge here before he made the jump to the 81 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:20,680 Court of Appeals. And so I guess what did he 82 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:25,519 give a He gave a speech where he talked about 83 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,079 if they're honest, judges will say or voters will say, 84 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,160 I want a judge who will follow the law. And 85 00:04:32,199 --> 00:04:37,120 you say that that simple statement is Republican coded. So 86 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:38,759 what does what do you mean by that? 87 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:42,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's exactly right. So you know, Court of appeals 88 00:04:42,959 --> 00:04:48,319 judges has to campaign statewide, as do state Supreme court judges, 89 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,399 and so that means, well, they're not going to raise 90 00:04:51,439 --> 00:04:53,000 a whole bunch of money, So that means a lot 91 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:55,000 of their campaigning is going to be door to door 92 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,120 and talking to voters one on one. And so Judge 93 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:02,519 stating in his speech, he talked about how he doesn't 94 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,519 just go to Republican doors, He's going to unaffiliated voters, 95 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,839 He's going to even some Democrats. And basically how he'll 96 00:05:08,879 --> 00:05:11,000 open up the conversation is you know, what are you 97 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:14,279 looking for in a judge? And you know, ninety nine 98 00:05:14,319 --> 00:05:17,519 times out of one hundred people across the political spectrum, 99 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,319 they're looking for judges who are going to fairly apply 100 00:05:20,439 --> 00:05:26,759 the law. There is a real a movement that you know, 101 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,680 voters don't want their judges to be activists, right, They 102 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,519 don't want judges to approach the bench with their preferred 103 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:38,240 outcomes in mind. And I think what we've seen in 104 00:05:38,319 --> 00:05:41,000 North Carolina and around the country over the past couple 105 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,839 of years as a real movement towards democratic judicial philosophy 106 00:05:44,879 --> 00:05:49,160 being more activist outcome oriented, and you'll see Republican judicial 107 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,519 philosophy be a lot more process oriented, a lot more 108 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:56,600 you know, strict constitutionalist, really trying to follow and apply 109 00:05:56,759 --> 00:05:57,399 the letter. 110 00:05:57,199 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 5: Of the law. 111 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,600 Speaker 1: You also mentioned the local races, the superior and district 112 00:06:01,639 --> 00:06:05,480 court races, which are hugely important. People complaining about crime 113 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,319 and you know, soft on crime and light sentences. This 114 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:10,959 is where you actually have the opportunity to make a difference, 115 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:15,319 although in Mecklamburg County that's pretty difficult, and I feel 116 00:06:15,319 --> 00:06:19,959 like there's a there's a structural disadvantage for any Republican 117 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,680 that's running for these seats, not just because of the districts, 118 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,439 but also because a lot of lawyers are on the left, 119 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,279 a lot of lawyers are Democrats, and a lot of 120 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:32,000 Republicans are not interested in sort of you know, running 121 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,120 for an office and then losing and then having to 122 00:06:35,439 --> 00:06:39,399 sort of still move in the legal circles when you've 123 00:06:39,519 --> 00:06:42,720 challenged a Democrat judge and lost. 124 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's exactly right. I mean, if you're an attorney 125 00:06:46,079 --> 00:06:48,600 with business before any of these judges, it really puts 126 00:06:48,639 --> 00:06:51,439 you at in an awkward spot if you're going to 127 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,560 lose an election and then have to go have business 128 00:06:54,639 --> 00:06:56,759 in front of them, which is unfortunate, but that's just 129 00:06:56,879 --> 00:06:59,920 kind of reality. Yeah, but yeah, so all of the 130 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:04,240 district court judges in Mecklenburg County are Democrats and two 131 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:07,639 years ago was the last time those they were on 132 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:11,399 the ballot, and not a single Republican even ran. But 133 00:07:11,839 --> 00:07:14,800 I think that's unfortunate. You know, I get why it is, 134 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,160 but I think in this environment, when I really feel 135 00:07:18,279 --> 00:07:22,720 that voters, especially unaffiliated voters in larger urban areas, are 136 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,519 getting tired of some of the soft on crime policies 137 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,959 and there might be a path for a Republican judge 138 00:07:28,959 --> 00:07:30,519 to actually break through there. 139 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: Well, we'll see, we can, we can hope, we could hope. Yeah. 140 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:38,439 So you also had another piece the other day. Killing 141 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:41,439 on the light rail should jolt Charlotte awake. This is 142 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:45,800 about the stabbing murder of Arena Zarutska from the Ukraine 143 00:07:46,319 --> 00:07:51,040 and some homeless, mentally deranged guy just murdered her on 144 00:07:51,079 --> 00:07:54,600 the light rail car and the response from the city 145 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:59,000 leaders not great, I don't think, And I think the 146 00:07:59,319 --> 00:08:04,279 statement from the mayor not great. Also, one sentence about 147 00:08:04,319 --> 00:08:06,959 the victim and then five paragraphs about how we failed 148 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,199 somehow the suspect in the case. And now I think 149 00:08:10,199 --> 00:08:12,759 she mayor vy Lyles is looking to do some clean 150 00:08:12,879 --> 00:08:16,079 up with an MTC meeting tomorrow to talk about crime. 151 00:08:16,399 --> 00:08:18,560 This is a problem for them with this campaign for 152 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:19,439 a referendum. 153 00:08:19,439 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 2: No, yeah, it certainly is, and I'm going to write 154 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:28,040 a piece about that. In regards to the referendum. At 155 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,759 some point, I do think that we need to rethink 156 00:08:30,759 --> 00:08:33,559 where the money is going if the transit tax were 157 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,759 to pass, and there needs to be some money carved 158 00:08:35,759 --> 00:08:40,360 out for public safety, because it is just it is 159 00:08:40,399 --> 00:08:44,080 not there. The emphasis on safety has just deteriorated over 160 00:08:44,159 --> 00:08:47,159 the past five, six, seven years. But you know, on 161 00:08:47,399 --> 00:08:50,559 the piece that I wrote, this case just has me 162 00:08:50,639 --> 00:08:53,919 so so sad just seeing you know, this woman left 163 00:08:54,039 --> 00:08:56,639 the Ukraine trying to flee to safety and came to 164 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,440 Charlotte and here she gets stabbed to death and a 165 00:08:59,519 --> 00:09:02,960 completely random, unprovoked attack on the lightrail train and it 166 00:09:03,159 --> 00:09:08,759 just I just very upset about it. But the reason 167 00:09:08,799 --> 00:09:11,159 why I wrote about it was I, in my mind, 168 00:09:11,279 --> 00:09:13,840 this type of case, this type of event, should be 169 00:09:13,919 --> 00:09:16,360 a huge deal for the city of Charlotte, you know, this, 170 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,399 this should be something that the public at large is 171 00:09:19,399 --> 00:09:22,639 outraged about that all of the politicians are feeling like 172 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,679 they have to take some immediate action to fix things, 173 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:28,360 and I just hadn't seen it. You know that you 174 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:31,240 referenced the statement from the mayor, and you know she 175 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,360 basically said, well, you know, the city is by and 176 00:09:34,519 --> 00:09:37,720 large safe, and the light rail is by and large safe. 177 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,759 And you know, you know, tell that to this young 178 00:09:40,799 --> 00:09:43,200 woman's family. You know, that's that's going to be cold 179 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,519 comfort to them. I really think that this sort of event, 180 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:50,679 you know, if Charlotte really wants to keep its soul 181 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:52,799 into the future, this seems to be the sort of 182 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,720 thing that sparks immediate and dramatic change. 183 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 3: Yeah. 184 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,320 Speaker 1: I did not realize that you were at UNC when 185 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:04,440 Carson was murdered. I remember that story. I did not 186 00:10:04,519 --> 00:10:07,320 know you were there at the time, but that death 187 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,639 had a very big impact in Chapel Hill. 188 00:10:12,039 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 2: It certainly did. I mean, that was the sort of 189 00:10:14,399 --> 00:10:17,639 event where you remember twenty years later where you were 190 00:10:17,679 --> 00:10:19,279 when you heard the news, and you know, I was 191 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,679 working on the student newspaper at the time, and that was, oh, 192 00:10:22,919 --> 00:10:27,200 just a horrific, horrific event, and it did spark some 193 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:32,840 change and some better policies, especially aroung people who were 194 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:36,919 on probation and parole, and so to not see that 195 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:41,080 same level of response in Charlotte is disheartening. 196 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, we don't want to be complacent. We don't want 197 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:45,240 to be I mean, I was just looking at the 198 00:10:45,279 --> 00:10:47,799 stats for this weekend in Chicago. They had like fifty 199 00:10:47,879 --> 00:10:52,159 eight shootings, fifty eight victims over the Labor Day weekend. 200 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:56,960 And I don't know what that says about the leadership 201 00:10:57,039 --> 00:10:59,960 and the citizens of a city where that's just accept 202 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:01,919 It's just not a big deal. 203 00:11:02,799 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 2: Right, Yeah, complacency is a good word for it. I mean, 204 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:07,759 I don't think Charlotte wants to be the kind of 205 00:11:07,799 --> 00:11:10,679 city where we just throw up our hands and say, well, 206 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:12,519 you know, this is a city and this sort of 207 00:11:12,519 --> 00:11:14,679 thing just tends to happen now and then. I mean 208 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:19,519 that that would be a huge, huge problem for the 209 00:11:19,559 --> 00:11:22,200 city of Charlotte. Yeah, that's the attitude we adopt. 210 00:11:22,759 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 1: You can read his work at long Leaf Politics longleafpol 211 00:11:25,879 --> 00:11:28,840 dot com. He also puts up a column at The 212 00:11:28,879 --> 00:11:31,639 Charlotte Observer and his name is Andrew Don Andrew, we 213 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:33,080 appreciate your time as always, sir. 214 00:11:33,919 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, thank you. I hope you start feeling better. 215 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, you and me both and everybody listening to the 216 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:42,000 scratchy sound of my voice. All right, thanks sir, all right, 217 00:11:42,039 --> 00:11:46,279 thank you. Take care. That's Andrew Dunn. So when I 218 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,240 was a kid, my grandpa died with Alzheimer's, and before 219 00:11:49,279 --> 00:11:51,320 he died, my mom and my dad took care of 220 00:11:51,399 --> 00:11:53,759 him as he got worse. Forty years ago, there were 221 00:11:53,759 --> 00:11:57,080 no treatments and not much support for caregivers and family. 222 00:11:57,240 --> 00:11:59,480 But things are different today because of the work of 223 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:03,360 so many people, including the Alzheimer's Association of Western Carolina. 224 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,799 It's a great organization with awesome people with huge hearts. 225 00:12:06,919 --> 00:12:09,440 I've been a supporter for twenty five years. This cause 226 00:12:09,519 --> 00:12:13,000 means a lot to me. I participate in the annual 227 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,840 Walk to end Alzheimer's and I'm leading a Charlotte team 228 00:12:15,879 --> 00:12:19,039 again this year, and it's called once again Pete's Pack. 229 00:12:19,279 --> 00:12:21,200 You can sign up and you can join the team 230 00:12:21,279 --> 00:12:24,519 and walk with us. It's on October eighteenth that truest field. 231 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:28,519 Sign up at alz dot org slash walk and then 232 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,320 you can search for my team name Pete's Pack. There's 233 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,360 also a link at thepetepod dot com. There's also a 234 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:37,240 link in the description of this podcast. Also, I'll be 235 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:40,440 am seeing the Gastonia Walk on October eleventh, and so 236 00:12:40,519 --> 00:12:42,440 you can make a team and join that one too, 237 00:12:42,799 --> 00:12:44,720 or make a donation and help me hit my goal 238 00:12:44,799 --> 00:12:47,679 of five thousand dollars. If you do, I really appreciate it. 239 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:50,360 There are a bunch of other walks all over the Carolinas. 240 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,159 You can go to alz dot org slash walk for 241 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,000 all the dates and locations. We're closer than ever to 242 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:58,440 stopping Alzheimer's. Can you help us get there? Will you 243 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,320 walk with me? For a different future, for families, for 244 00:13:01,399 --> 00:13:05,440 more time for treatments. This is why we walk so 245 00:13:06,159 --> 00:13:11,440 Republican Charlotte City councilman Edwin Peacock. He was appointed to 246 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:14,919 fill the unexpired term of Tark Bacari, who took a 247 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:18,480 job up in the Trump administration. He's now running for 248 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:21,759 an at large seat, and he was previously an at 249 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:25,519 large Charlotte City Council member. I want to say, maybe 250 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:30,399 like a decade ago or so, he took a ride 251 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:34,000 on the light rail and he shot a video. I 252 00:13:34,039 --> 00:13:36,600 don't know if it went straight to the TikTok or 253 00:13:36,639 --> 00:13:40,720 to the Insta or to the Graham. I'm not sure. 254 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:44,600 I'm looking at it on Twitter, formerly known as x 255 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,159 It runs just under two minutes, and he's on a 256 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:51,120 train and you can see a group of men back 257 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:53,799 behind him in the back of the train, and he 258 00:13:53,799 --> 00:13:57,480 does make reference to then led with Peacock. 259 00:13:57,960 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 5: Tonight, I'm riding our light rail system. 260 00:13:59,639 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 3: I'm going eighteen stops from South Penn's Newburn station, the 261 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,480 uncc's main campus and back. 262 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 4: Now. 263 00:14:06,279 --> 00:14:09,840 Speaker 3: A week ago our community suffered a really terrible tragedy. 264 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:13,480 Twenty three year old Ernold Zarutko, a refuge from Ukraine, 265 00:14:13,639 --> 00:14:16,120 lost her life on this train in a brutal stabbing. 266 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:21,279 Tonight we are mourning Arnia and standing with her family. Now, 267 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,360 as a city council member, I wanted to see things firsthand. 268 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,919 Tonight I've met the two security officers that I met 269 00:14:27,919 --> 00:14:31,799 at the East West station. Both carried only handcuffs and 270 00:14:31,879 --> 00:14:34,120 some mace, and one told me he was on a 271 00:14:34,159 --> 00:14:35,080 ten hour shift. 272 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 5: Now, it was interesting because neither I had. 273 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:39,159 Speaker 3: One of them asked me for a ticket, and I 274 00:14:39,159 --> 00:14:40,639 didn't see him asking anybody else. 275 00:14:40,799 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 5: But I can tell you that their presence matter. 276 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 4: Now. 277 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,279 Speaker 5: I've been riding with college kids heading home. 278 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 3: I've been with hospital workers, and I've also been with 279 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:50,720 several people in this train, particularly these guys behind me, 280 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,000 where this is clearly a rolling shelter for them. They're 281 00:14:54,039 --> 00:14:57,080 partying and having a good time. So here's the central question. 282 00:14:58,039 --> 00:15:01,519 Is our open gate system keeping us no what consistent, 283 00:15:01,679 --> 00:15:06,320 fair checks or a stronger presence helped to prevent crime disorder? 284 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:08,159 Speaker 5: Yes? And I believe the answer is yes. 285 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 3: So I've asked staff to bring us back three years 286 00:15:11,799 --> 00:15:14,559 of crime data on this system and to tell us 287 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:18,480 whether offenders who were riding without paying in the first place. 288 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,600 And we need to set clearer standards. If you ride 289 00:15:22,639 --> 00:15:24,879 this train, you must pay your fare. 290 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 5: Now. Our lightrail system should be safe, it should be reliable, 291 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:30,519 and it should be welcoming for all. 292 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:34,039 Speaker 3: And that is what our city deserves, this great system 293 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:34,799 that we started. 294 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:38,039 Speaker 1: Thanks for tuning in all right. So that's Edwin Peacock. 295 00:15:38,279 --> 00:15:42,399 He called it a rolling shelter. There's three guys maybe 296 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:45,200 four in the back of the train car and they're 297 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,519 just hooting and hollering. You can hear them. They're like, 298 00:15:47,799 --> 00:15:49,799 I don't know if they're rolling dice or something in 299 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:52,039 the back or whatever. I'm not really clear what they're 300 00:15:52,039 --> 00:15:55,480 doing because they're pretty far away. But Yeah, it's a 301 00:15:55,559 --> 00:15:58,759 rolling shelter, and if you're not going to police the fares, 302 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:02,440 then anybody's going to get on and ride for free, 303 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:04,600 and they will treat it just like these people are 304 00:16:04,639 --> 00:16:08,399 treating it. By the way, WBTV did a look back 305 00:16:09,799 --> 00:16:14,399 for crime on the light rail, and before the deadly 306 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:16,559 stabbing took the life of the twenty three year old 307 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:21,159 immigrant from Ukraine, the Charlotte Area transit system had reported 308 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:25,720 at least five blue line injuries in a report to 309 00:16:25,759 --> 00:16:29,799 the federal government in twenty twenty five. WBTV analysis of 310 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:33,120 reports submitted monthly to the Metropolitan Transit Commission revealed a 311 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:37,200 small uptick in reportable injury since twenty twenty three, two 312 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:40,399 years ago. There were no federally reported injuries or deaths 313 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,080 on the light rail line. This year's numbers only run 314 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:46,840 through May. Game on Week one starts now, and every 315 00:16:46,879 --> 00:16:49,559 touchdown brings you closer to a payout with Draft Kings 316 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,440 sports book and official sports betting partner of the NFL. 317 00:16:52,759 --> 00:16:56,399 This isn't just football, it's first touchdown fireworks. Anytime TD 318 00:16:56,559 --> 00:16:59,759 rushes live bets that ride every momentum shift. 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And Cooper 349 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:51,960 then proceeded to get dragged in the Twitter comments that 350 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:57,200 followed because in case nobody remembers, Roy Cooper was the 351 00:18:57,319 --> 00:19:00,480 governor when Helen hit want to welcome to the program. 352 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,039 Welcome back to the program. Don Brown. He's former US 353 00:19:03,599 --> 00:19:06,119 Navy jag officer served in the Pentagon. He's a former 354 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:09,839 Special Assistant US Attorney and also a national Best selling author. 355 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,640 He is running for the US Senate seat, hopes to 356 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:14,839 be the candidate from the Republican primary to go up 357 00:19:14,839 --> 00:19:18,759 against Roy Cooper. Don, how are you, sir, Seed, I'm great. 358 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:20,920 Speaker 4: Happy Labor Day Week to you. You should be on 359 00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:22,799 vacation this week. You should have brought the B team 360 00:19:22,839 --> 00:19:25,759 in many to hear your voice the appreciation of hard work. 361 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 1: I am the B team. I am the B team, 362 00:19:29,440 --> 00:19:33,279 all right, Sonny? Yeah, So okay, So what struck you 363 00:19:33,519 --> 00:19:37,880 as a particularly noteworthy aside from the obvious that Roy 364 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,559 Cooper was in charge of Helen response before Trump even 365 00:19:41,559 --> 00:19:42,319 took office. 366 00:19:42,839 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 4: Well, I'm somewhat familiar with that tweet, and you know, 367 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:51,279 first off, I have campaigned in the mountains of North Carolina, 368 00:19:51,279 --> 00:19:56,119 and neither Michael R. Roy Cooper are the most popular 369 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:58,920 figures up there. Yes, it's true that President Trump said 370 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:03,279 you're in charge, and really we can't see mce it 371 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:05,519 was done. But let's take a let's talk about Cooper 372 00:20:05,519 --> 00:20:07,720 for a second. Listen, the Democrats were in charge of 373 00:20:07,759 --> 00:20:11,359 the response and Roy Cooper, Roy Cooper's president Joe Biden. 374 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,640 This storm went through on the twenty seventh of November. 375 00:20:14,799 --> 00:20:17,880 Excuse me, twenty seventh September, and there was no federal 376 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,839 response until October the third, you know, in other words, 377 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:25,079 there were no military helicopters coming. There was no military response. 378 00:20:25,079 --> 00:20:27,559 I should say, the Democrats set back and did nothing, 379 00:20:27,559 --> 00:20:30,079 and you've got to act within twenty four hours to 380 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:34,000 save lives. Only was there raising money somewhere. We didn't 381 00:20:34,039 --> 00:20:37,559 have helicopers or black helicopers coming in the following day 382 00:20:37,559 --> 00:20:41,319 delivering generators, delivering waterlve they should have done. We had 383 00:20:41,319 --> 00:20:45,000 the military presidents, both through the federal response from the 384 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:47,000 President and through the North John National Guard to have 385 00:20:47,039 --> 00:20:49,720 gotten in there. And Roy Cooper was asweep at the wheel. 386 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:52,359 And I don't think either one of the two wants 387 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:53,759 to be pointing a finger too much of the old 388 00:20:53,799 --> 00:20:56,559 one about their lack of COVID response. But excuse me, 389 00:20:56,599 --> 00:21:00,160 the lack of Hellen response. I should say, COVID to us, Hey, 390 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:00,599 don't give. 391 00:21:00,519 --> 00:21:02,680 Speaker 1: Him any ideas on another COVID response. 392 00:21:02,759 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 4: Good lord, no, no, please exactly. But it's kind of like, 393 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:08,839 you know, two guys that didn't do too much pointing 394 00:21:08,839 --> 00:21:10,519 to finger at each other. But I guess Cooper started 395 00:21:10,519 --> 00:21:12,000 that we're going to take Roy Cooper down We're going 396 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,960 to remind the entire state. Not only is his failure there, 397 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:17,119 but his failure on multiple fronts as well. He shut 398 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:19,880 the state down, you know how, he basically killed fifty 399 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,880 percent of the restaurants in North Carolina. As I've said before, Pete, 400 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:25,720 the last time I saw my daddy alive was looking 401 00:21:25,759 --> 00:21:29,480 through the outside of a nursing home in Plymouth, North Style, 402 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:33,000 was standing out on a frozen courtyard, looking through a 403 00:21:33,039 --> 00:21:36,599 glass window, waving at him because of Cooper's unconstitutional mandates. 404 00:21:36,799 --> 00:21:40,279 So Cooper, hey, if he'd better hope than Mike Watley 405 00:21:40,319 --> 00:21:43,279 runs against him, not me, because I'm going to remind 406 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:46,799 him of every failure that he has imposed upon this state, 407 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:48,279 and I'm looking forward to doing that. 408 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:52,359 Speaker 1: You mentioned the fact that he was out of town. 409 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,079 In fact, he was up in New York City as 410 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:58,119 a matter of fact, when the hurricane hit. He was 411 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:02,480 up there doing a speech to some donors talking about 412 00:22:02,559 --> 00:22:06,200 climate change. So yeah, so that's what he was doing. 413 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:08,480 And then, of course we would be remiss if we 414 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:12,279 did not mention the response or lack thereof, to two 415 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:19,599 other hurricanes, Matthew and Florence, where people waited a decade 416 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:24,319 to get back into their homes. So yeah, go ahead, right, No, 417 00:22:24,440 --> 00:22:24,799 that's right. 418 00:22:24,839 --> 00:22:28,119 Speaker 4: And I've been down east as well, and it's it's 419 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:30,640 a shame that it seems like the eastern part of 420 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,359 the state and the western mountains kind of get screwed 421 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:35,880 over for what a reason. And it's just a travesty. 422 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:38,880 And you're absolutely correct. And millions of dollars were allocated 423 00:22:39,079 --> 00:22:43,079 for those two hurricanes Matthew hit and Florence as well. 424 00:22:43,319 --> 00:22:47,079 The money set there. You know, Cooper took no action 425 00:22:47,279 --> 00:22:49,000 to make sure the money got where it needed to be, 426 00:22:49,319 --> 00:22:51,920 and unfortunately, you know, the eastern part of the state 427 00:22:52,039 --> 00:22:56,039 was forgotten. And by the grace of God, this last 428 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:59,759 hurricane veered off to the northeast and we avoided another 429 00:22:59,799 --> 00:23:03,039 buttential disaster to couldment a five point zero. But Cooper 430 00:23:03,079 --> 00:23:05,839 has been the most liberal a governor in the state's history, 431 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,200 the most progressive, the most ineffective. And he's going to 432 00:23:09,279 --> 00:23:11,200 go down, he's going to go down to the selection 433 00:23:11,319 --> 00:23:13,920 next year, and he's got to come into him because 434 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:16,319 he's he now is a record that we're going to 435 00:23:16,359 --> 00:23:18,519 run against, and run against hard and expose him at 436 00:23:18,559 --> 00:23:19,680 every nook corner in cranny. 437 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:24,799 Speaker 1: What do you make I've said since he announced that 438 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:27,680 this he he is not going to be I think 439 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:33,559 prepared for the amount of outside money that will now 440 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,359 be directed at him in a way that wasn't before. 441 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,759 And so I have to believe that that sort of 442 00:23:41,319 --> 00:23:44,319 elevating of these types of issues that's got to be 443 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:48,359 helpful for not just you, but also Michael Wattley, but 444 00:23:48,519 --> 00:23:50,880 anybody running against Cooper. I think, does he still have 445 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,839 a Democrat opponent in the primary? I know Wiley Nickel 446 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:54,400 dropped out. 447 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,319 Speaker 4: Wiley Nickel got that I had read that somebody else 448 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:00,880 is is a nominal candidate. They're coming and give you 449 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:04,000 the person's name, but for all practical purposes know but 450 00:24:04,079 --> 00:24:06,359 you're correct, Pete, and he is. He has a he 451 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,000 is he has a target rich environment in terms of 452 00:24:09,039 --> 00:24:13,039 his of his political missteps, his mismanagement of the state. 453 00:24:13,519 --> 00:24:18,400 He separated dying elderly North Carolinians from their families. My 454 00:24:18,519 --> 00:24:20,839 dad died alone because of that, sucker. I will never 455 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:24,799 forgive him for that. And then the entire insistence upon 456 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:27,880 keeping the state closed. When I'll cross down the border 457 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,119 in the South carolin on which borders, of course, Meckenburgen 458 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:34,519 and Union counties. During the COVID years, Henry McMaster was 459 00:24:34,599 --> 00:24:36,839 untightening the screws. You could almost feel the air of 460 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,839 freedom compared to the tyrannical lockdown that we had here 461 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,200 in this state. He's going to pay for every bit 462 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:44,079 of that. He's going to be reminded about and how 463 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,720 he and Mandy cod which stand in the back and 464 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:48,839 they put their masks on the last second, then come 465 00:24:48,839 --> 00:24:50,680 out and give their jibber javish and go back and 466 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:52,759 take the mask off. He's going to be reminded of 467 00:24:52,799 --> 00:24:55,160 every bit of political hypocrisy he's put on this state. 468 00:24:55,319 --> 00:24:57,119 He's gonna remind me how he blew the state up on, 469 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:00,920 you know, with with Medicaid expansion. He's can be reminded 470 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:03,160 of all of it. He says that he saved people 471 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:06,279 money and health costs. Give me a break. Since Obamacare 472 00:25:06,319 --> 00:25:10,279 came in, average people can no longer afford Blue Cross 473 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:12,200 and you got to wait forever to see a doctor. 474 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:14,119 We're going to remind him of all that. We're going 475 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,680 to hang the de mantra of the Democrat Party around 476 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,119 his socialist neck and he's going to wish that he'd 477 00:25:20,119 --> 00:25:20,960 never heard of us before. 478 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:21,480 Speaker 2: This is over. 479 00:25:21,839 --> 00:25:25,079 Speaker 1: He also marched with the Black Lives Matter folks, pulling 480 00:25:25,079 --> 00:25:27,720 the mask down off of his face so he could 481 00:25:27,759 --> 00:25:31,880 do the fist of power and solidarity even though we 482 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,000 were all on lockdown. But I guess you could go 483 00:25:34,039 --> 00:25:36,480 and publicly gather as long as it wasn't for a funeral. 484 00:25:37,559 --> 00:25:38,799 And then remember he got. 485 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:43,559 Speaker 4: And the notion that anybody's job is not essential. It's 486 00:25:43,599 --> 00:25:46,480 a slap in the face of every North Carolina if 487 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:48,640 you're out there trying to support your family, your job 488 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:52,000 is essential, my friend. And the notion that bars may 489 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,680 be essential but churches are not. And that particular group, 490 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:58,559 Black Lives Matter, he was marching with. We now know 491 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:01,720 that the founders of that group were were unabashedly communists. 492 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:04,559 He's going to be reminded of all of that and 493 00:26:04,599 --> 00:26:06,200 knowing certain terms. I didn't mean to cut you off. 494 00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:08,759 Speaker 1: No, No. The only other thing I point out also 495 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:11,400 is that he ran his first run against Pat McCrory 496 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:16,319 was over what the HB two bill right transgender and 497 00:26:16,599 --> 00:26:20,240 transgenders into women's bathrooms and locker rooms and such. And 498 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:22,680 I kind of feel like the country has shifted its 499 00:26:22,799 --> 00:26:24,039 vibe on that issue now. 500 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 4: Cooper has been a champion of grown men going into 501 00:26:27,799 --> 00:26:30,680 little girls locker rooms and bathrooms. And if you say 502 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:33,960 anything about it, oh, you know, he's protected that concept 503 00:26:34,319 --> 00:26:37,000 because you discriminatory. We had that gone right on, going 504 00:26:37,079 --> 00:26:39,440 to be discriminatory against some dude coming into a little 505 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,759 girl's bathroom. And this whole trans thing has gone off 506 00:26:42,839 --> 00:26:45,640 the rockers. He thinks he's not going to be held 507 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:47,279 to the fire for this. He is going to be 508 00:26:47,279 --> 00:26:49,799 health to fire this. North Kilans don't want it. We have, 509 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:54,119 we have drifted to the right conservatively. By the end 510 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:56,880 of this year, there will be more registered Republicans and 511 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,440 Democrats in the state of North Carolina and it's just 512 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:01,960 going to get he And when you talk about his 513 00:27:02,039 --> 00:27:05,960 run against Pat McCrory, you know, you know Pat was 514 00:27:06,079 --> 00:27:08,039 running ahead in that race, and all of a sudden, 515 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:11,480 the vote ferry starts showing up in Durham County and 516 00:27:11,519 --> 00:27:14,559 they start bringing boxes and boxes out, which still not 517 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,559 an account for I hope my friend Dave Bullet, the auditor, 518 00:27:17,599 --> 00:27:20,440 will audit what happened in Durham County in twenty eighteen. 519 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:23,240 We deserve to know. But he was elected initially against 520 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,720 Pat McCrory under questionable circumstances. The pass the gentlemen, you 521 00:27:26,759 --> 00:27:28,960 probably said it was fair, but no, I'm wondering what 522 00:27:29,039 --> 00:27:31,880 happened because whenever the vote ferry shows up with boxes 523 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:34,640 after the fact, how many times has that turned out 524 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:37,000 well for the Republicans? You and I know the answer 525 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:40,519 to that question. So he was elected initially under questionable circumstances. 526 00:27:40,519 --> 00:27:43,640 Its like beaten hard. He's going to be beaten soundly 527 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:44,119 this time. 528 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, it was. I think he won by like one 529 00:27:46,319 --> 00:27:49,119 percent or less than one percent of the vote or something. 530 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:51,559 It was. It was a very very tight race when 531 00:27:51,599 --> 00:27:52,720 he beat Oh, well, they. 532 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:54,799 Speaker 4: Found the vote saying even in Durham County, which is 533 00:27:55,039 --> 00:27:58,240 which has the most corrupt Democrat party in the state 534 00:27:58,279 --> 00:28:01,759 of North Carolina. So the vote fairy shows up, Well, 535 00:28:01,759 --> 00:28:04,279 we found the box, we found the we're to found 536 00:28:04,279 --> 00:28:07,039 the boxes. How do we know that they're verified? How 537 00:28:07,079 --> 00:28:09,440 does this happen? The same thing that happened to Trump 538 00:28:09,599 --> 00:28:12,240 two years later in twenty twenty. The vote fairy shows up. 539 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:14,759 And when the vote fairy shows up, they always go 540 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:17,559 overwhelmingly Democrat. How does that work? 541 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,079 Speaker 1: You should hire a vote ferry for your campaign. 542 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,200 Speaker 4: I don't know ferries don't work for conservatives. 543 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,359 Speaker 3: Oh is that right? Hey? 544 00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:30,319 Speaker 1: If people want more information, brownfour NC dot com is 545 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:32,599 the website Don Brown. Thanks for your time today, sir. 546 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:33,359 We appreciate it. 547 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:35,799 Speaker 4: We appreciate you. Pete goblell. Let's have a great rest 548 00:28:35,799 --> 00:28:36,160 of the week. 549 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: You too, Take care? 550 00:28:37,319 --> 00:28:37,640 Speaker 3: All right? 551 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 1: You hear me talk a lot about incentives, right, well, 552 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:43,440 let's talk about incentive trips, the kind that companies offer 553 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:46,759 employees to fire them up and reward their teams. If 554 00:28:46,759 --> 00:28:48,920 you own a business or you work somewhere that offers 555 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:51,880 these incentive trips, first off, good for you. But also 556 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,559 there is a custom app that's a game changer for 557 00:28:54,599 --> 00:28:58,519 these trips. It's called Incentive trip Kit. Private group messaging, 558 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:02,039 shared photos, you're a tenor R travel details all built 559 00:29:02,079 --> 00:29:05,039 into a single, easy to use app. There's even a 560 00:29:05,079 --> 00:29:08,160 traveler locator so Carl from Accounting doesn't get left behind 561 00:29:08,519 --> 00:29:11,960 the best part about Incentive Tripkit it's totally private, no 562 00:29:12,079 --> 00:29:16,519 email captures, no sign ups, no cringe ads. It's simple, 563 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:19,920 clean and secure, and when the trip is over, Incentive 564 00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:23,839 trip Kit turns those highlights into a professional storytelling video. 565 00:29:24,079 --> 00:29:26,960 So think about it when you launch next year's Incentive 566 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:31,039 Trip campaign. That video becomes your greatest motivator. Talk about 567 00:29:31,039 --> 00:29:34,119 a return on investment, right, you gotta check out Incentive 568 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:38,039 trip Kit for your business. Visit Incentive tripkit dot com 569 00:29:38,079 --> 00:29:42,960 because great trips deserve even better returns. On Thursday, September fourth, 570 00:29:43,079 --> 00:29:46,000 WBT and the One Blood, Big Red Bus is going 571 00:29:46,039 --> 00:29:48,279 to be at the Doghouse in Uptown Charlotte from ten 572 00:29:48,319 --> 00:29:51,799 am until three pm. Will be broadcasting live and encouraging 573 00:29:51,839 --> 00:29:55,240 you to give us your blood. It's a life saving 574 00:29:55,319 --> 00:29:59,200 blood donation. The sixth annual WBT Little Heroes Blood Drive 575 00:29:59,279 --> 00:30:02,960 Thursdays September fourth at the Doghouse. If you want details 576 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:06,839 on the location and also more importantly to register your appointment, 577 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:11,680 go to WBT dot com. All right, so thanks again 578 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:15,000 to Don h for jumping on and chatting about this. 579 00:30:15,079 --> 00:30:18,039 I've got we may have to carry this into the 580 00:30:18,079 --> 00:30:21,759 next hour. I just kind of carried away with Don 581 00:30:21,799 --> 00:30:25,880 and just going back and forth. But this story started 582 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:29,559 with the Smoky Mountain News report by Corey Vallancourt. I've 583 00:30:29,559 --> 00:30:32,799 had Corey on the program before talking about stuff going 584 00:30:32,799 --> 00:30:35,759 on up in the mountains, you know, the the closing 585 00:30:35,799 --> 00:30:41,359 of the mill and Canton obviously Hurricane Helene, the storm 586 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:46,880 and recovery efforts, and so he did this story Helene 587 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:52,880 victims still waiting for Wattley and Roy Cooper went to 588 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:57,920 Chimney Rock and that's where Corey, I guess interviewed him, 589 00:30:58,359 --> 00:31:02,160 got some comments from him, and he says that on 590 00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:06,160 January twenty fourth, four months after Helene carved a swath 591 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:09,599 of destruction through Rutherford, bunkhom and Madison Counties, and four 592 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:12,079 days after Trump was sworn in as the nation's forty 593 00:31:12,119 --> 00:31:15,680 seventh president. Four days after he sworn in, Trump flew 594 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:18,920 into Asheville Regional Airport in Fletcher with a twofold directive. 595 00:31:19,599 --> 00:31:23,160 The first by executive order was to establish the FEMA 596 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:26,440 Review Council, headed up by Department of Homeland Security Secretary 597 00:31:26,519 --> 00:31:30,240 Christy Noman Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Ostensibly, the purpose 598 00:31:30,279 --> 00:31:32,519 of the council was to meet periodically and to issue 599 00:31:32,519 --> 00:31:36,200 a report on options for FEMA reform within one hundred 600 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:40,039 and eighty days of the establishment of that council. The 601 00:31:40,079 --> 00:31:46,440 second directive was to tap Michael Wattley as Western North 602 00:31:46,480 --> 00:31:50,599 Carolina's recovery czar. So I would also point out one 603 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:55,720 other thing it was that he came here to show that. 604 00:31:55,839 --> 00:32:00,359 He gave a flying fig Newton about the people western 605 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:07,599 North Carolina. He knew that it was Trump country and 606 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:10,640 there were already stories about FEMA, people not going to 607 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:14,519 homes with Trump signs and stuff like that. And the 608 00:32:14,559 --> 00:32:19,559 Biden administration failed Western North Carolina. Roy Cooper's administration failed 609 00:32:19,559 --> 00:32:22,279 Western North Carolina. They were on their way out the 610 00:32:22,319 --> 00:32:26,960 door and nobody seemed to care. And Donald Trump four 611 00:32:27,119 --> 00:32:31,599 days after getting inaugurated, makes this his first trip. He 612 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:34,920 did that for a reason. It's a messaging reason. It 613 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:37,480 is to say to the people of western North Carolina, 614 00:32:38,039 --> 00:32:41,160 you are important. I do know what has occurred to you. 615 00:32:41,319 --> 00:32:45,079 I will be trying to help you. I am here. 616 00:32:46,279 --> 00:32:50,279 That was like overtly stated. Remember he got all these 617 00:32:50,359 --> 00:32:53,119 residents around him at the press conference. It was unlike 618 00:32:53,119 --> 00:32:58,200 anything I'd ever seen. So there were other reasons why 619 00:32:58,240 --> 00:33:02,160 Trump came, but Cooper wanted to campaign off it. So 620 00:33:02,839 --> 00:33:04,640 he got some tweets out of it, he got some mileage, 621 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:08,160 but he also got dragged. All right, that'll do it 622 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:10,799 for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. I 623 00:33:10,839 --> 00:33:12,960 could not do the show without your support and the 624 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:16,039 support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast, so 625 00:33:16,119 --> 00:33:18,200 if you'd like, please support them too and tell them 626 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:20,160 you heard it here. You can also become a patron 627 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:24,480 at my Patreon page or go to dpetecallanarshow dot com. Again, 628 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:27,279 thank you so much for listening, and don't break anything 629 00:33:27,279 --> 00:33:31,880 while I'm gone.