As the nation focuses on the Democratic effort to impeach President Trump, Democratic House leadership devotes its focus to… prescription drug pricing? The COMMENTARY podcast wonders what Democrats are thinking as they make a muddled case against Trump. Also, Bernie Sanders' health worries, Elizabeth Warren’s ascension, Joe Biden’s stagnation, and the spectacularly bad decision in favor of racial discrimination at Harvard.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
some guy.
what's the commentary magazine podcast today is Wednesday October. Second, two thousand and nineteen. I hope everyone who celebrates Rosh Hashanah have a sweet new year,
John ports. The other commentary with me, as always senior editor a green. While I aim I jump socio ever nor Rossman high. Now I just and in Washington senior writer Christine rose and high Christine hygiene. So,
The
story is that the on rushed toward the potential impeachment continues with her
polling data suggesting a big move toward a support for impeachment in the american populace, and
more stories coming out about that have nothing to do with impeachment, but they raised the specter of the president being a bonkers right. So we have. We have the tweeting this weekend. I think you sent out
under tweets this weekend and then this story from Michael shears new book, Michael Sharon, Julie, Davis, new book, the New York Times about how he wanted to put a moat on the border with the alligators in it and shoot migrants in the leg,
Youtube set up set lesson and all that so all of which coming out all at the same time and submerges together in this whole general sense and effort to create the general sense that the wheels are coming off whatever Trump wagon there is. I would only say this, which is that it may look like a great thing for people who support impeachment. That has gone from being fifty seven thirty seven.
To forty seven. Forty, seven, even for removal from office requires sixty seven senators. That is two thirds of the Senate, which essentially
a rule that exists in the constitution to ensure that the removal of a president from office is the result of an overwhelming national consensus
dad is not present. It is not present that it's a fifty slash fifty shot for there to be impeachment. Even if the vote of the house can simply be a majority of one to impeach before there is, the Senate is obliged to conduct the trial for the president's removal, and I think
those numbers you can be seduced into thinking that that is a really good sign for you. If you want impeachment, I still think it's a terrible sign. This is like you, you really want to take go to this. You know moment of
stress with an election thirteen months away, where a hundred and forty million people will decide whether or not the presidency to stay or go without
a solid at least a very solid majority of the american people. Support if the
number stays where it is, which I expected. Will the Democrats, I think, are really play
fire way than any in a way that they they're gonna they're gonna deceive themselves into thinking. There
not because they see movement toward them.
The movement towards them, among obviously the Democrats that, but some of the movement from independence is important, but the other movement that that no one wants to mention when they're, when they're crying about
these numbers is that
its hardening we're seeing hardening of support for Trump among Republican. So the Republicans voters are doubling down on him at the same time that the independents or moving more towards approving of impeachment. Although the one interesting thing compared to say the Bill Clinton, impeachment least from this, could it be I pull? Is it more? Americans believed that this charge is legitimate, if proven true versus the charges that were levelled against cling back in the nineties
So we said that mark woollen fall, who ran through the servant leading pollster in pole, analysed peace for five thirty, eight, in which he speculated that. One of the things that happens in these cases is that when there is a controversy involving your candidate, you're thrown onto the defensive that Paul respondents, republican poet, don't answer the question or don't answer the phone or don't wanna talk to pollsters, and that this has to be factored into an understanding of where the public is on impeachment. That people may say may not say tell pollsters that they are opposed to it, because they don't want to talk about it at all, because it makes them sick. But that in fact that you can't then assume that the number is hard and and and that's a servant. Interesting aspect of the of the tabulating frenzy is that it can be mass
getting a greater degree of resistance than people? Then people realize, however, the charge? Yes if if it can be proved- and we should get to this now- because if it can be proved that Trump on the phone call and with the Ukrainians and all that was specifically seeking a quid pro quo, favor
using his political power to to gain an advantage or hit a political opponent
That is very serious. However, there is now, as there was a hint of lass
but there is now more mitigating evidence about this right. Noah,
I just to clarify some
He said there was quid pro quo. He did ask for a favor after the ukrainian President said. I need some lethal aid from you, but do us a favour
well, within the two favors were that does not represent a quid pro quo. It will go ahead. I'm in the clear
before Phil. One of the issue is an inducement, but the question was: can I have some lethal aid? The president said:
I need a favor though, and you should ask for you- should investigate Hillary Clinton, server and Joe Biden. That's pretty well established. No one denies that
anything inducement was this
that wasn't withheld inexplicably, we still don't know why withheld for the purpose of moving you
the policy in the direction that he preferred and we have no ok, we
the slow down here cause you're, ok, so the call
Nick's place on July 25th, okay,
we now know that there was.
Suspension in the delivery of military aid to UK
that started before the phone call right and that
the aid was then that was put back on track on September, eleventh evenings September, eleventh, ok, and that
The whistle blower report was written in MID August in ok, so
the story that you excitedly meant.
To me earlier, which which reflects a sentence that was in the KEN Vogel New York Times story last week, suggest by Christopher Miller, who is the reporter in Ukraine, for
writers Buzzfeed. He also rights for radio free, liberating, ok is that
zelenski and the Ukrainians.
Not know that the aid had been suspended when the phone call took place. They only found out a month later and according to
Miller once they found out a month later, then
started, saying all what can we do to make sure the egg gets going and then they got going anyway on the on the 11th of September, if they did not know that the aid was suspended,.
Then much of the shadow overhanging, the call dissipates, I'm sorry, I mean
absolutely and because it is not,
a matter of trump, clearly
changing american policy,
order to leverage personal favor
isn't doing the that's a pretty little country of got there right be terrible. If something was to happen to it. The mafia of the Mafia, Don theory of Trump speech
viewer is he never? You know says the thing that yes to stay right, you never
this case, he read in Russia and the lens.
Didn't know it. If Selensky didn't know it, then then the threat is just a much more generalized. I'm the american President do a favor for me with
can still be bad, but it is not
you know that I've suspended aid, you
do this favor for me for me to put a back particularly bad, because
this is the body that authorized the aid and it wasn't it's not up to the president to decide that that age should be suspended, except in the cases of extreme human rights abuses or something like that or corruption
Do I have that right? Okay, so let's talk:
So the question is in the midst of all of this. There is now this pretty salient detail, which is the
The landscape didn't know that the aid was suspended. Therefore, the call has
we read in a different light that that was
You I think, said the last podcast that we discuss that would
on our understanding that that was the Ukrainians. Understanding was, as you said, the entire backdrop to the call
turns out it in fact, wasn't so
we now have. Yet again, we could be in a situation which we're going to have this giant impeachment inquiry that is based on a on a faulty
so like the entire Mahler investigation, which, as I said,
play five times over this weekend to various people that you know the
problem with the Mueller investigation. Is that the underlying crime, which was it some kind of conspiracy with the Russians to affect the results
sixteen elections was not found to have happened in the autumn,
that Mahler found was potential obstruction
of his inquiry into the matter, which it was clear. The american political system did not hold to be sufficient to impeach the President
If you now have a whole bunch of behaviors that are going to arise
from this phone call right,
so. We now know because of the phone call, the separate skiff, with the information with a separate phone call, redoubts in a different height, more highly classified thing and bill bar going around the world asking to enquire about Hunter Biden in this and then the other thing. If the whole thing doesn't- and it doesn't emanate from a a can,
what would you call it like up like a form of blackmail? Will we still do not know why the aid was suspended? In the first place, US congressional authorize disbursement was suspended on be officials, didn't know why? And we know why
that's correct and we don't know why it was reinstated. There were some speculation at the time that it had to do with an amendment that was proposed
will be in a cr that would reopen the government, which would have made it illegal to continue to withhold it, but it was not passed and it wasn't going to be passed for several weeks.
So we don't know why it was withheld or released.
Well- and this is where the obstruction issue is somewhat different than even with the Malerba sagacious right in white. Were I mean you are seeing a narrative I heard this morning on the piano and when some was interviewed for peace had written in the Atlantic and her message was over and over again the one that were also you from congressional Democrats, which is the level of obstruction from this industry should, as far above you know any previous administration, there is never any sort of quantification. Of that obstruction, I might add, is just the generals, narrative, that's told, which
fine for them to make, except that, as I think you are correct to point out on that distract from this initial and most important Lee crucial question, which is: was there
an effort, a kind of blackmail of of, and we should add briefly review Reuters that today before we were according the skull before this happens. But there is going to be so
kin to an emergency briefing of congressional committees with regard to the state departments behaviour by this.
Department inspector General and according to Reuters, the? U S State Department inspector General plans to brief congressional
on recent instances of potential political retaliation by agency leadership against career officials over Ukraine
its extremely vague, it could mean.
Anything, but it doesn't sound. Good
The reason that everybody thinks are thought or believes that this specific story about Trump Insulin- Ski
and the aid him Hunter Biden is potentially a you know, is potentially the impeachment subject that they have all been waiting
The reason is that it's narrowly focused. That's what everybody says you can you can understand this trump made a phone call. He asked he said
best for me against my political rival and then I'll.
View stuff, and if you don't, I won't give you stuff and that's understandable. The Mahler thing was to complicated Deb lie. Couldn't understand that this you can understand, so the
Atlantic reporter on NPR and all of this expanded
So now it's going to be about how Trump obstruct a lot, so that
from being narrow, that becomes just the most gigantic thing ever so is it obstructive to
Is there obstruction when you say a witness, cannot testify because of executive privilege
It would be a very, not fighting thing if so
baby. Some things are obstructionists and some things aren't and then again
get to the thing of you're going to you're, going to
trump out of office or say Trump, should we turn it off before doing something that'll
I can set that Obama did before him, with Eric holder being held in contempt of the attorney general to be held in contempt of Congress for Rafi
to turn over documents in the fast and furious gun, buyback scandal, but, but also in this case trumped. It turn over not be turned over the day. They account for the phone call and and ok thee. The whistle blower report right so
Half of the Nancy Pelosi initial charge, which is he is breaking law he is breaking,
I am not giving us the whistle blower poor Willie gave me the whistle blower reports. I guess what point one is is over. I mean you can go back and say it's terrible, but you can't exactly convict somebody for doing
something that he then did. But this is why this is why I think they that Pelosi is going to really struggle but has to keep it focused on this.
Political question and impeachment political process of is it? Is it
truly acceptable for the presence of the United States to either
float the idea of of this kind of behavior with a foreign country with regard to his own political enemies. If she keeps it focused on that, I do think that
and depending on what the pull number show her the next weeks and months. That is
the question that matters and then you can there, there might be instances of obstruction and what not to look into, but she's gonna
keep that narrowly focused. I think she's really going to struggle to do that. She's not doing that
no she's, not not right. Now and some minutes ago, before this recording, where she said she opened up with when DOT can need to work with the president on prescription, drug pricing and trade in
structural berated report,
we're not asking about that, but also ninety seconds later pivoted do as president
extraordinary constitutional threat that needs to be done away with
strikes a people is a little discordant exactly so I think that the issue here is their good. They appear, I think, the
Democrats are in danger of doing it to themselves again. They are taking a week case that they believe a strong, because they believe everything is the worst. You can possibly believe about Trump and they are going to they're going to push this week, weakest weakest case,
by the way, not not that what Trump did with Zalewski, irrespective of the quid pro quo, was different.
Isabel? I still think it was indefensible and that you know they could send to him they.
Do all kinds of things still they could attack him forever
and he should be made the answer Ford when he faces his democratic rival next ball, but but for eight for him to be one of the two out of forty three out of forty five president, who is formally impeached by Congress for saying
Greg things in a telephone call is insane they have to prove they have to have a harder case when, when Congress impeached Bill Clinton,
urgency? He perjured himself. He actually
perjured himself, and the fact is that the
Senate jury nullified, because the point was that he burned himself over something that nobody should be prosecuted for in the first place, which is you know.
An affair with an intern, and so they were not comfortable doing that, but
case Trump may or may not. It's depends on how Zielinski heard it was being translated. All of that and it
you couldn't saves indefensible in its terrible, and I think it's indefensible in terrible, but you, but he for he will never,
removed from office for it in the first place. In the second place they are going to be held to a
a crashing. The american political system for
to nine months while they obsess over this- and I think this is no as big point here, which is
policy wants to talk about health care. No,
well here. We what policy do last week. That means I wanted by healthcare. She said
a formal impeachment inquiry. Who cares
who is going to care about anything else.
Yes, she said I was talking about this over the weekend on TV, Josh, Barrow, wretched
business. Insider admonish me for complaining about this
what are saying your misunderstanding, the strategy here, the strain
she from Nancy Pelosi, beginning this press conference on impeachment. With
is to present themselves as the governing party
What a normal government does. This is how normal government operates.
Guys were the chaos candidates where, where the real,
about. You know middle of the road you can
trust us to manage the affairs of state
saying it just doesn't, doesn't make any sense to me. It doesn't pass the smell test if
They were serious about this, and if in peace,
was not just a messaging effort, but an effort to convince Republicans to remove the president from office, which is what it should be. If you're really going to do it
not just another admonishment like censure, then
would be doing nothing, but making that case and the fact that they're not should give every democrat qualms. You have to be an absolute blind, partisan to think you can walk and chew gum here. At the same time, will you know
I think you know by throwing the kitchen sink at Trump now that they think they're making a stronger case, although not doing that
Pelosi gave all of her committee's the bite at the
pineapple and then pull the rug out from under them and said that this has to be a very
early tailored set of articles. If we put articles on the floor in the first place
So there are so they're not do in the kitchen sink strategy than giving in all
six or seven committees that had drawn up potential articles
opportunity to introduce them
I, by broadening the the sort of accusations against against tromp? As John was
it still well marrow stolen still about Ukraine's, not about right by Molly. The poverty Miller Report but
public is hearing one message and that's the Rashida Tlaib T shirt message of we're going to impeach the mother Effer right. Like that. That's the message I think that's that's trickling down to the average voter right now. Not they might
play something about Ukraine, but I think that's where the discipline has to come in
set the messaging to the public just what's actually going on with congression
associations, because I e
her hearing the glee of people who wanted to impeach him since day. One sort of saying now is our moment and I think that's the danger is that you are you if you ve only got barely half
the country on your side to begin where you have to persuade some more people that this is legitimate and they're not gonna. Do that with receded two leagues tee shirts. Well, did you see of Alexandria cause
Cortez had a tweet out, something like this was like for the weekend
Saginaw we have to. We have to note that
to leave and Maxine Waters in Africa, who you know that
they knew it all along that that that he should be impeached. They were right all along as if
we're having wanted to impeach the president before
the whole Ukraine issue came up is somehow now smoothly. Has
it leads into this case, and they were somehow retroactively right about this, but that that is what that is. That is the
your tone of all of this, which is and Christine alluded to this- and I was remembering this from the early days-
twenty seventeen people were too.
Talking about throwing trump out of office from the minute that he
warning to the presidency,
and I remember writing something in the
early going in January. Twenty seventeen that was for our blog, called, keep your
how to draw a bad. How, if you go to DEFCON in at one the minute that the guy is President
you're, going to discredit all every effort that you make against him politically you're, going to discredit, because it's just it's just an imp
that is in search of a fact
gathering or service whatever you call that like up a fact list.
The impulses he can't be president, and then it's like. Maybe it's Russia, maybe it's a monument. Maybe it's this!
the Ukraine? Maybe it will be that we once alligators an amount that will
why everyone certain whether twenty fifth amendment he's crazy, maybe they'll, maybe they'll use a twentieth of the memory canst him. That's
The people are already saying this morning because of this New York Times
he's crazy. You want that moat with alligators in it. They've got to take him out by.
Many fifth amendment: will you have the train, for the moment is a very unsatisfying process. If we read about it means majorities-
cabinet has to agree that he needs to be suspended from office for three weeks
do you write a letter is in the course of those three weeks and he's ready to take his office up again, then the Senate has to convene and vote two slash three to have
permanently stay out of office or he rich resumes. The presidency, like.
Getting. The president out is not something that our system believe should be anything, but an
stored, narrowly extreme measure because of an extraordinarily extreme event or series of events that that requires it to happen. I believe the right. So if we move off this- and we then maybe talk a little about the possibly most important political news of the
ear Bolton. The coat comes across this morning that that Bernie Sanders has
spending all campaign activities until further notice, because he had emergent, he had an emergency heart procedure, with two stance being being put in to deal with the blockages. Now I I haven't, spent an enormous amount of time.
Trying to recover my knowledge of what this might
in terms of permanency but
stance are eight, are a temporary solution, torture, a blockage there or that they may
they may last, but you also may need to serve, go on and and and go further and, of course, the
The democratic nomination has foundered for the Liberal Party, the party, because the liberal voted
been divided between Sanderson Warrant right, who basically add up to about where Biden is or a little more
with more in surging having this kind of surge in the polls, if, in fact it looks like Sanders, is Sanders path,
to the nomination is impeded by for health reasons, or this raises health prospect,
are far more serious. Anything people are talking about Joe Biden. This could be it. This could be. This is Sanders. Warren will jump into the lead, and that could be all she wrote. Anyone want to
contest this or come on guys jumping up, but I agree outer I've. If I agree, I'm not sure what you mean Anarchy Salome posed. Let me pose the question again. Is that simple
is it? Is it as simple as one liberal not being in the race that the that the that the liberal wing witch
We are told, is not a majority. The party or the left wing is that moderates make up. Fifty three percent of the party according to these poles
is that it like it's going to be Biden or Warren and Warren the surging and Sanders disappears and Biden Camp holds hold us
against the idleness problem. Sarka sing, you go
No! I was just going to say. I don't think it's necessarily the case that all of the
Bros are going to immediately jump on the Elizabeth Warren TRAIN. That's not, then. We assume that in terms of their views of certain issues, but it's not clear that that will work, there's also still the extra
challenging problem she has with african american voters.
Voters and over the weekend you saw the resurfacing of some of these native American
attacks on her, which hasn't been thoroughly litigated, but the problem is Joe Biden, isn't equipped to litigate them
has proven itself extremely flat footed
navigate and new
moving new cycle cannot get ahead of news. It cannot attack its opponents effectively, doesn't seem inclined to do so. So the question is
Elizabeth Warren's rise can be arrested by Joe Biden. The answer has to be no it. He doesn't seem inclined to do so. Do other candidates arrest people's rises
That's the interesting! Why don't? We ask Tulsi, Gabbard
I mean I mean seriously so
one case that we have in recent. There are two cases in recent memory: right, Obama's surge in two thousand and
seven as successful, and the Mccain surge against a bush in
really two thousand, which was unsuccessful, so the Bush government Mccain believe the Bush campaign is all sorts of dirty under heavy tactics to destroy
didn't South Carolina. I don't think that's really right. I think Mccain bought into a theory of how to run that that did him in
wasn't really his time probably, and he hadn't quite made the sale and then he went off and attack the religious right and- and that really put the put the you know, the last shift he put the last ship in
Obama surges and clearly Hillary Clinton doesn't know what to do with the surge.
You know she he beats her Iowa. She then cries in New Hampshire and that helps her. Then Bill Clinton starts making weird racialist
comments about Obama that throws the Hilary campaign on its heels and he just serve. You know uses the calendar and the fact that he could win the Caucasus much more easily cause. He was a everywhere, be left wing, Tipp outflank, her so now
We have this case in which we have vitamin lead and, and
EL peering vulnerable because of what's happened over the last couple of weeks. Here's one that I disagree with you now, which is about
well how about this. I also think in a weird way
he's taking ill for age. Related reasons will have it.
Matter fact I'm, but I mean bye, bye, association, it it makes age
problematic issue. I mean she's noses, even if everything else she's in seven years, over self I'd be fees, but but the age
issues already surrounds Biden. In a way it doesn't warrant
and these and he's showing it doesn't surround her by the way. What's happened to Sanders could happen to war in order by Europe,
I mean they're all set to a giant orange order. Shrub, who the hell knows right trumpet can happen to trump he's. The healthiest person was everywhere. I forgot about that. No one has ever been is healthy and you, if you say really healthy, you get to be surgeon general further to get common aim to be certain general. So I am so I am fastened, so my
Think where I disagree with no, it is, but I have said this from the beginning or for the last
the binding is running the best campaign. That Biden can run if it doesn't work. It doesn't work, but he doesn't want to attack more and then he
want to attacks. He doesn't want to attack anybody. He his
position is trumps. The bad guy
Hi, I'm going to stand above the fray, I'm the grown up. Democrats need to be united. I'm not going to do anything that is going to lead to to to
unity. I can be somebody that liberals can listen to less Lizzie. Do moderates can listen to
and so I'm not going to be drawn into a puff of a fight with another cat
now. Maybe he that's why
maybe he can't win that way, but he can't win if he goes. The other way
totally destroyed his message. If he turns into an internet seen fighter in the Democratic Party, then
idea that he can know he's doing. Trump's work for him bites
Warren is too left wing and is two is great.
That's implicit in what he says in policy terms when he says you can cut off a hundred and fifty nine million people from their from their healthcare plans. That's that's not reasonable.
But if he actually has to go with her, you know directly that will that will bring down the idea that he's the good guy
isn't like Trump, who isn't going to be a slimy back fighting.
No insult comedian type.
Don't forget, the Warren has a some other challenges with them.
That's herself a mean she's got that you know that the lot of the big democratic donors who work, can you know, bankers hedge fund, guys they don't really like her either. Her message has not exactly been the then directed in indeterminate way towards them in, and you know, a couple is CNBC had a reporter last week you know, having talked to some of these big democratic donors who said in a will, set out our support tromp she, if she's than Olenin like she's, she did her she's just doing nothing but bashing big banks in saying where the problem that's fine than than there goes our support during during an election. So she's got it and I do think if she, if she surges anymore, the native Americans, have will come back. She never truly resolved that. I think to the public's satisfaction.
And even if the media continues to treat her with kid gloves, as it has all along
going to have to take some more sustained hits if she's. If she, if your numbers get closer to buy me, the only real question is: is there an alternative in the pack to buy Dinar? Warren is
alternative will, can someone rise? People say if you look at it, that people to judge who is
no who has no appeal whatsoever to african Americans anomalous. He has kind of start
good numbers in Iowa like he could surprise.
I will what happens if Buddha Judge Winds, Iowa you now or conversely,
is there a place for someone to take binds place if he falters, the obvious, but the obvious to people for that, although I don't think they really fit, the bill are clover char inquiry, Booker Corey, Bucker cause he'll, probably get a second look, as they say, hey at some point, the next four or five weeks, and have a surge in the polls.
Like it can't just be that there are three people you know in the tea teens and twentys, and then everyone else's a to like it doesn't the math doesn't add up from one thing like you have too many people on the sidelines club, which are just doesn't look like she's gonna happen, because she does does there's no spark there. There's. No, you know she cheat on pay
she's, fantastic she's, even pretty good in these debates, but she's got absolutely no star power right. I think she's, like I don't know, she's like a shield
Community theater version of the president is supposed to say the Broadway version of the president. You know community theater performers can be absolutely fantastic, but they just don't have the the mysterious thing that other people have anyway?
It's just an interesting question: whether seven thousand seven hundred and seventy eight year old man who is going into the hospital for being of two stents can actually re enter the race. I mean he can unbelievable,
rolling fur for a young person in great weeping saying for months that it's amazing to watch right. You know it's like there's something amazing about this, and maybe he just you know he pushed himself.
Too far timid, Marian Williamson like send him a healing crystal or something, and then he's gotta hear what about
Maybe she can. She can have a
Fire has now. Apparently Tom Steyer has no spend thirty million dollars.
That we don't know anything about this cuz he's not spending any money where we are right. If he's not spending any money- and you know when the New York and
he's got Spain a little money, I'm cable, but it's all- and you know I am- I think so I don't know about it- then the bottom right so
by the way by some by Anders, went out with like add like this week in Iowa, and they they pulled them today right well, they dont know what's gonna happen, because doktor can literally stadium. After a week, you gotta drop out of this race or you'll be dead two months leg or we are going to have to do open heart surgery on you.
Some point because you're not responding to the stance or something like that. You know this is a really bad, open, question and end. The debate by the way is two weeks from today. I think of the October today is is on the 16th of October. So God only knows: what's you know for seven
God only knows what's going to happen anyway. This has been inclined to attack her directly. The media is not
they're only going to litigate the case of a candidate brings it up and she's benefited so far from everybody. Thinking that she's not an obstacle to their rise. I can't
can see Joe Biden, videos with Joe Biden doing it and, if he's not going to, I mean the Olympian above, the fray thing only works when you're, literally above the fray.
He's pulling in the middle of the pack, which he is close to it,
point was a little of the pack, him Warner leading hot everybody. Everybody else's Lama came out with a bold today sees it. It's only he's almost outside the margin of error with Elizabeth Warrant. On top of twenty five twenty eight, it's getting
way from him, so either he rejoined the race and makes the case or he doesn't, and this hunter by the new cycle suggests that they're, just not capable of
capitalizing on a new cycle,
they're, afraid of the risks, but there are risks involved in every every choice. You make
in a campaign and without risk. There is no reward and Greece
doesn't look like there's much roared for Germany.
People, don't know that people can tell Joe Biden nothing. So
The race that he is running is his race
He can do anything so, for example, I'm struck by the fact that he has not yet come out and said
Donald Trump. You leave my son alone. I mean at some point if he doesn't do that he's implicitly conceding
that Hunter is a bad egg and and that ended
something there and you know he's not only implicitly conceding. It looks like that's that's true, not by the way that he didn't think illegal hunter. It's more that he represents everything. He represents the market to let the leftist merkin to list swamp. That Trump himself has talked about so frequently. You now that this this war,
hold of you know, Sir back scratching rewards and everybody thought or the Democrats a please themselves to think
was simply a species of republican politics, where it's only Republicans like Trainee who go from. You know the Defense Department to Haliburton, to the
Presidency- and you know it's all- seamlessly all join boards- and it's all you know, serve conspiracy of government and big business, and all of that
course there's an entire world of Democrats. The do exactly the same. That's why the idea of the swamp is a potent one, because it's you know it is in everybody's in the swamp in Washington, not your country!
people you dont like, and you know the longer the whole impeachment story, rules on the more
GOP and Trump supporters are going to dig into the bod mangle and
the Hunter story, because trumps ongoing
go to defence and in any situation, is why you you're you're after made? The real villain is over there right, plus
wants to run again to Warren. I'm glad we know that he would like to run against Elizabeth Warren. He said he wants to run again again till it and he's right like the and the thing that most frightens. Democrats, sensible Democrats has this idea that Trump can make this race about him versus a socialist, that's what he wants and if you're done with somebody who was for mandatory you, no single payer health
which, basically she is you that the press, the media, can save for six wasteful Sunday that she's not a socialist and she's a socialist unit, which is also pushing patently unconstitutional things like the wealth, tax and stuff like that in other than that are
Ludacris and nonsensical in the policies, don't add up fiscally and all that stuff that has been
has been hammering on for months, because it drives them crazy that melons fetch King Elizabeth warns patently ludicrous
set of policies that are so wonderful right, she's, so wonderful, cuz. She issues policy papers all the time. The fact that the policies, now it's going to cost eight hundred square,
dollars that we don't have and then we'll never be able to ever actually got through. Congress doesn't doesn't seem to matter
are you saying you just don't find her policies, likable John, because I just I feel it there's another message they're trying to get across. I don't actually have this a lot of people on the right find her innately repugnant, and I don't I mean I find Bernie, you know
reasons I would want to convert out of Judaism or I wouldn't have to be a co religionist of his. But I don't feel that way about Warren.
It in her manner is grown on me, a little more. I don't think she's, maybe gotten a little better kind of God.
I will now I'm with no purely purely in this area-
Well as she started to become a more viable candidate, she has started to in tonal terms, not in
Policy terms
assault. The first amendment by taxing speech- and she just doesn't really care, but jet literally taxing speech but attacks on lobbying, which has constitutional, protected, explicit,
but yeah I mean I don't. I don't sense that she's, I get the sense
he's trying to pare back her appeal towards the farthest of far left of the spectrum
and that she's doing so in a very unconvincing manner, because she's not a very good politician in theatrical terms,
which I guess, makes a little bit more genuine than the average politician. I suppose you could put a gloss on it, but it doesn't work for me,
got up stage by her own dog. Recently like little proportions were covering the dog in terms of its like ability, and- and I do think you know- I mean I have very strong views- that you can call a female candidate unlike a ball and it's not because your sexes and I think there
something she she's deafening toned down a bit recently. But there is something grading and hectoring
her manner that also
me shares with her like that that kind of hectoring lecturing tone that often pops up she that that's not appealing, and it certainly won't be appealing if she's going up. You know against tromp, so I guess that's the only real I've been. I think this is that's. Probably patently ridiculous even mentioned this, but but if, if, if Sanders Campaigners is over as of today- and we therefore have this kind of what appears to be very close to a two person race between Biden and war, in which you have one candidate who appears to have severe weaknesses in Biden and a candidate weaknesses of proof of performance, let's say with Biden and with what
a severe deficiency Zidia logically in terms of appealing to those hundred thousand voters in the three stains who they need to flip back to win the presidency again.
Is there any room for anyone to enter late?
Then you can raise a hundred million dollars in a week now. We know that I mean I don't know who that person would be, except for unanimous, shallow bomber who apparently isn't gonna do it, but but but if, if that's where it is- and you have, we know there, each a thirty five percent or something like that or thirty percent. When, when the dust settles, if if Bernie is, is gone from the race bone, people see, will there be a panic,
Physical therapy should be, but you don't get the sense that there will be cuz. There is a glow around Elizabeth Warren in the political process.
There's an undisguised effort to make Elizabeth Warren a much more palatable candidate, which is been
broadly successful. I mean she's, not she's, not she doesn't. She.
Some credit their herself as well, but the press led efforts to craft and image around this. This candidate has been
very successful, and no one has taken a mat
say again that while I we began this podcast, I was talking about these poles that are insufficient to make a sensible
case for impeachment. These poles are on the left, like all these pills, really bad for Trump. That's the one thing that people listening need to continue to reckon with, which is that, which is that he is not in good shape going into the soil and anyone who feels confident that we will not have a President Warren next year, because she will run against Trump and Trump can make mincemeat out of for being, a socialist has to deal with the fact
he now? The best that he can do now is have forty seven percent of the public say he shouldn't be impeached. That doesn't mean that,
all forty seven of those people
all all for all of them will vote for him. It just means that there's a bunch of people who won't for the still won't vote for him who say he shouldn't be impeached, which means
he's, got a solid. We are in the position where he's got a solid, ever
bingo. Personal voted for Hilary is given vote for. You now may well vote for him and just in terms of mechanics sent, there is burned. Then fourth quarter,
closure period. Third quarter to closure period and from campaign came out with his like on wild amount of money. I think was like a hundred twenty five million, which is almost twice with broke, a bomb
raised in the same period in twenty dollars.
I guess it was, but there are
spending at an absurd rate. The cash on hand is minimum.
Pair to what they've raised. So you got to wonder what the heck they're spending
Facebook
He spoke at Seattle going out at that time. Let me handle belonging to generate more to machinery, more donations that.
The idea, but that's textbook cannibalization,
social media
russian server. I know what I don't know. What delusional fantasy is good, it is gonna, take hold of of,
of liberals, I've been in their turn up right now, I'm saying liberals about.
Brad Parscale, like they're, there are these two views of the of the Trump campaign. One is this kind of general view. Elmo
Parallel to twenty, sixteen, in which you know this is just amateur our nonsense, ridiculous ness and that in our Trump One, in spite of it not because of his team and how he ran and then the other is that they know things magical, mysterious things about how to get people to do things and they have these rallies. And then everyone at the rally register. They get their Emil address it than they can t mail them and they take king, and then they came trick the people into giving them their tracks books.
Through those weird things you sometimes get where, if you click on this, you download your address book to somebody else, and so they have everybody else's email address and blah blah blah blah blah
Alita. Trailer won't be true. We won't know until until November, two thousand and twenty weather Brad Parscale is the greatest political geniuses ever lived or is a fraud? It's she know. Who knows that he is very tall, though he is sick. He is the tallest of all
football of all campaign. Chairman very distressing news yesterday, out of Boston, Judge Rules victim Harvard's
affirmative action policy is not only legitimate but kind of wonderful. As I, as I read as a decision,
trying to make the best most diverse class, they possibly can
it was kind of like reading someone who had been asked to give an endorsement for the most recent Oprah Book Club selection, because you know she kind of quotes, Toni, Morrison and she's like well. Until we can get to the ideal of race, the Toni Morrison is taught us, then we just
but these wonderful programmes in which aspires can assume the best and do the best they can mean. Obviously, everyone who has been following this case knows that the the end game here is the Supreme Court and
the guy who's been helping push. These cases has a couple other ones wanting North Carolina take another one in Texas. This is
get to the Supreme Court, so I think in some
I'd way, the de that now
If, today, that she demonstrate
decision is shocking and in the end might actually help. Opponents of affirmative action makes their case before the highest court. In the land
You can only make the decision with that sort of mindset, because it's it's so
from all the evidence absolutely bar there was. There would be a way to make a very narrow decision here, which is that it is not our business.
It is not already had not our business Harvard is a private institution that can admit human wants to a different
committed to attracting applicant or exceptional across multiple dimensions,
Possibly, but you know it's just just a wonderful
process that Harvard is up to here
It is not a wonderful process. You are. You are literally by like drinking
some bizarre ghetto, Harvard Yard Kool aid. To believe
this process, which we now know was not only not only
What has this, uniquely this
the tory aspect toward Asian Americans who are weighted literally weighted against in the process, but you know that
his legacy numbers that we ve now heard about that. Thirty three to forty percent of every Harvard class has a legacy,
the components to it so so the only justifiable way
to talk about this is to say that this is not a matter for public policy Harvard's, a private institution, and I can
Anybody wants now at that point. You could then have subsequently
All of legislation by you know the departed.
Or somebody like that, saying that, because we believe they discriminate that we are going to withhold grants from Harvard which will which
which, in our opinion, is discriminating against applicants and therefore we cannot get. They cannot be a government contractor right. So
that's the problem for Harvard Sochi. Russia
did that by saying that the process was totally an eminently fair.
Know how that view is going to hold up on a pee.
This, while indecision does not seem to be based in law at all, as we know it's bay, it is based in utopian yearning and that in its actually, if you go back to its intraday, o Connor and in the courts has said about affirmative action, there's always been an expectation that it's for a limited period of time like this is something
we're doing right now to try to correct you know past
wrongs, but it is not something that should can
continue indefinitely, because we understand implicitly that this is a kind of
categorization by race that we shouldn't, except
as as the ideal system what what Bro says in her opinions. Basically, this is wonderful, let's do more of this minute, but that the
goal as there's no end goal right. It's, let's just trust that they're just trying to do the best they can it's it's terrible at one of the many.
Ironing and jokes about this. Is that so that they be policies towards Asians, not only privilege,
other minorities over Asians and applications, but the privilege white applicants over Asia is past. Courts have also play.
That same logic, Christine too, were the Voting rights ACT.
Is the Vra was supposed to have an expiration date on it. Because it's some point, you would reach racial equality that there's
There's a naivete. To that point of view,
also a legal theory that
I prevail when the Vra section four. I believe it was struck down by the Supreme Court, so it is still a
still the prevailing view in the on the Supreme Court and it could carry the day, but it's not a prevailing view in the culture culturally,
but it is
into being friendly towards discriminatory racial sentiment, because you don't acknowledge the extent to which it is pervasive and will never be extirpated. I mean it also needs to be said,
that her findings. Of fact here are belied by the facts. I mean Bros says
There was only a slight unintentional bias effect against Asians,
It is not true like that. The numbers are system against Asians. I mean
you can say that if you're writing an op ed- and you won't owe allied fifteen different fact but heard the script. Her description of the case is belied by things that Harvard
believe that Harvard admitted in the
events or were things that were revealed from internal harbor documents that were revealed that that that go against her findings of fact, here
and therefore not only is an appeal reversible. I mean
on that ground, like you know where you
Servsafe. She simply mischaracterized the case. But
idea that you know that Harvard's policies should be affirmed.
As a model which is sort of what she said. She says it's kind of like a model and by the way, Harvard itself by changing its own admission standards last year,
before has basically admitted that its model was flawed because a changed it basically in worse
constable lawsuit is some kind of weird you know,
closing the barn door after the horses and gotten away. So we
we are. No we're we're nowhere near the end of this and is really, I think, kind of of.
Shameful decision. Like I mean honestly, I could see the the argument that Harvard does not have to that. Harvard should not be held accountable. You know, according to federal law,
for this private admission standards, and then it has the right of us up as a private institution to warm itself as it as it wishes, and that that also evokes speech, rights and
well that that's a very arguable proposition. I mean you know, that's a hard case to make against it and that she didn't go there last night anyway. So with that, we will bring this to a close
commentary magazine, of course, these seventy five year old monthly of intellectual analysis, political probity in cultural criticism from a conservative perspective joints a commentary magazine that come we give you
Three ways. We asked me to subscribe: one thousand nine hundred and ninety five for digital subscription and two thousand nine hundred and ninety five for an all access subscription and cooling off
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Times year. We will not be seen
hearing from Noah Rothman for the next two weeks. He is off on a family jaunt of
You won't have me to kick roundly more commentary by listening, that's correct or Josh. Barrow will be cookie wherever the more you are going, auto, leading lap doing up, delete the app, so you can actually have thinking joining lame wife's family on a tour of the motherland bordering on. You should only be who should only enjoy and we'll be back in its shape. The camel burning.
Transcript generated on 2019-11-24.