Some regions. Welcome to the commentary magazine, podcast or Thursday January twenty third, twenty twenty John POD words the editor of commentary with me, as always senior editor, a green waldheim. I jump associate nor Rossman High now John and in Washington, senior writer Christie, Rosen High, Christine Hygiene, so

We are now a couple of hours before the third day of the impeachment trial, the first day being taken up with these all these Democratic House manager, Senate motions to do various things that were rejected. I think eleven times by Republicans on a party line vote, followed yesterday by the first day of eight hour that the case being made by the house manager

led by Adam chef why trumps should be removed from office. So for my sins, I watched most of yesterday's proceedings. I say from my sins because the great problem here is, if you follow this closely and the only people who probably will watch with this kind of detail are the people who have already followed closely what you have was a very in all these cases, in the case of Schiff and Hakim Jeffreys and Jason, Crow and Val Deming, and does so he laughed and what you had in their presentations was very what were very well crafted narratives of the worst possible interpret

nations of trumps behaviour in various guises on these two counts. But of course nothing that you didn't know already. If you had watched the house hearings as they were going on in all that, and so as it's weird quality, which is that the people who don't know anything might actually be kind of stunned by the accretion of evidence are the creation of the argument that was presented, but none of them is going to be watching it and and the only people are going to be watching it already know. I'm I guess, is no the chapter earth already, and so it simply becomes a ruling, as to the performance right and the performance, in my view, know how much you guys really want

The performance was surprisingly good. In particular, Adam shifts performance, Adam Schiff was not the atom shift that we have come to know and mixed and extremely like he was measured. His rhetoric was not incendiary. He he didn't sneer, he didn't roll his eyes, he didn't purses lips. It was a very, very strong. Foremans very well written. I really would like to know who worked with him on it, because it was really an extremely well written brief, our speech or whatever you want to call it two and a half hour, long speech. And so, if you would come at this for the first time you might go to tease, but you know it's funny has in your saying that a true We now it's it's literally theatre, you're, saying the acting was good, the Getting was good people. This I was performances, dazzling, geography

cholera dazzling, I, for the praise, for it was this kind of you know right, but of course I mean to be fair courtrooms ARC theatre. And if you consider this a version of a courtroom, then calling in theater shouldn't necessarily be dismissive. All I mean they you're presenting a case and present. You have presented the compelling fashion in order not to you know, love make people. Stop paying attention or brief digression bill and then back to the theatre so that the whole new avenues, new witnesses, votes thing That you reference in the beginning, so that's a come just at a ploy. The rules as were sent Republicans establish them said. You know that we have these opening arguments and then we will vote on witnesses and Democrats attempted to get

all these Republicans on the record, backing opposing voting against winds at the outset in their essentially siding with the rules as everybody great M as they were greeted by a majority, and so, if your one of them me health to be a flag for politicians, you're, just allowing yourself to be played like a fiddle if you're saying, ah, you know, they're, not letting witnesses testify. That's the wrong time to have that argument. There will be a time to have that have that argument. There will be a time to have that argument. Republicans can and should be held to the fire, but it's late let's not now that was a very I have to. I have to say, I found I thought that that was assuming that any of this matters in the sense that it's not everything, isn't a totally foregone conclusion. I mean, I think we are all in agreement Christine right that it's a foregone conclusion. That Trump is going to be acquitted, so psychologists

stipulate. Yes, but if you assume that the process by which he is finally acquitted could were down the better to the benefit of Democrats as opposed to Republicans or whatever that, that the decision to spend eleven hours making all of these motions in order to create this sense that Republicans are trying to block the truth from coming out and trying to prevent a fair trial.

That, while they may have had evidence in the form of focus groups or whatever that this was a winning argument because they kept, as I said on the last pike ass, they kept saying fair trial, fair trial, fair trial, which is a weird formulation for the prosecutors to be making. I still think it was a kind of a mistake because you just had so they previewed they had this pretty good day yesterday, but they kind of blue the plot line, because they had to make some of these arguments on the first day why they needed witnesses. So they kind of

You know they didn't open up with Schiff kind of you know, blowing the room away with his amazing presentation because they just spent like six or seven our saying a lot of the same things they set on Wednesday. So I dont know that this was as a strategy well advised for the dramaturgy of who was going to like win the day, in the week or something like that, it was more like. Ok, we watched eleven million people watch the first day and then that, probably as many as you're gonna get watch it so that as the subsequent he's got. The audience is: gonna shrink, the number people we're gonna be paying attention is gonna shrank and if your king

is getting stronger as you go. You shouldn't have wasted that first day on all of that right. Why? I think that's right, and I think it's the same thing that we saw with without the mother testimony in the hearings on the Mulder report. People do not have the attention span to watch the whole thing unless they are required to for worker, because their political junkies. I was intrigued, though, since since we do team. Do believe it is a foregone conclusion. There is a recent new pupil that came out that now finds a narrow margin of the public once trunks removal to happen, but various areas, fifty one percent, but what was most interesting to me in further in that poll, was that partisans on both sides don't expect anyone to really be fair and reasonable. So, whether your demo, parties in a republican partisan. Both sides

our have entrenched views about whether either side is actually running. These so called fair trial. Responding to a well- and I do think, I agree with the editorial the national view recently posted set talking about them. Publicans. Here the problems in the Senate, who actually could try to make, argument about trumps conduct. Miss behaviour in office in and sort of, acknowledge what I think the public certainly come round to believing about his behaviour and what the Democrats are clearly trying to prove in this in this impeachment trial, without then still removing him. But what they're doing instead is responding to trumps kind of completely irrational Claim that an end his some of his lawyers claim that it has to be a criminal offence to remove him, which is completely ridiculous and not at all with the constitution implies in its founders, evidently were discussing. So I think that this that I was right the interested to see the public's movement on this, but it's not going to affect the outcome, but the Democrats did there is theirs,

and all fatigue among the public, and they need to be careful about how much they are getting bogged. In process and how much they want the narrative of whether they want they from second remove. Are they trying to sally all all the Republicans in the Senate and Trump or just trump? I think they kind of go back and forth. At a rate on the second later today, but to judge from the president's attorneys performance in some of the more outspoken trump in the Senate. You might expect that the republican electorate wants their representatives to treat this whole process with just abject contempt but it's not entirely clear from the appalling that more than I mean I'm. Sizeable majority of Republican certainly agree with them, but a sizeable minority, don't when it comes to just witten, isn't introducing a testimony. Five thirty eight, an Ipsos, pulled and found that. Well, it's down a couple of points from November December. I thank still forty. One percent of Republicans want to see new wit

This new evidence, Yahoo NEWS and you go down the same thing in the same period. Forty three percent of Republicans and the number of Republicans who think the press and did something wrong while amino may rise to the level of impeachment, is pretty concern then in November, with thirty two percent of Republicans for maybe see Washington Post in December it wouldn't NBC, was the wall. Street journal is thirty five percent and then the pupil you reference just came out last twenty four hours. Thirty two percent of Republicans really counts over the last three months, which flies in the face of what the true to the President defence of himself is is that he did nothing wrong and its echoed by people like Sounder Brown. Who said you know, this did not happen that there was no effort to compel Ukraine to do anything politically advantageous on the presence may have I wanna caution, though, that if thirty two percent say he did something wrong, sixty eight percent say he didn't. Even if you are a politician,

go with two thirds over the one. That's not unanimous Nan, I didn't say it was unanimous in a sizeable majority of Republicans, but also flattered, but what I want to what extent that third cares I mean they couldn't. You know being asked the question directly is one thing, but I suspect a large majority of them treated as yeah did something wrong, yeah. Well, I mean, I think, you're probably right but always lies out a face of the media and narratives for both leaning Lee Media narrative, which is that the president calls the tune and Republicans dance. It's just not evident in the polling. Well, I mean republican politicians may dance and, if he's at you now number seems to be around. Eighty eight percent of trumpets. Support from eighty eight percent of Republicans and so trumps lie.

Is it was a perfect phone call? He did nothing wrong. They're line is that he is perfectly legitimate for him to ask questions about. Option and all that I am an end, so they can lean on that to the extent that they they wish to. It is question about whether they would be better off or worse off allowing the witnesses words like, let's put it this way, witches Are they the fear among politicians politically from Trump? Was the trump would turn on them? The way turned on Jeff Flake and Bob Corker and kind of you know put a spike in their careers and if he, if they do the wrong thing and he gets mad at them

Then he encourages a primary challenger, blah blah blah. All of that and wonder about that in this case, because I think that Mitch Mcconnell, who is clearly you now carrying trumps water here, whether heap in does so out of deep conviction or whether he does so because this is what he deems to be his partisan role. I think Mcconnell would not allow to the extent of its possible from to the EU would not allow Trump too take revenge against the Senate carcass at a time when there is not

plausible that Republicans will lose their majority in November. I mean it's it's a hard, it's a hard slog for Democrats to win, but there is a pass for Democrats to win and introducing uncertainty in the form of insurgent candidacies that knockoff. You know, rhino senators, who don't do you know Carrie Trump's water in this hearing would introduce a new note of uncertainty about the outcome in November cuz. God knows who would be the primary challenger who would win and how you know crazy. They might be or something like that and what happened in the course of these two two and a half three months is that fifty percent of the public in what appears to be the aggregate of polling wants him removed from office. Now it's not sixty six percent, which case he would be removed from office. That's a pretty

frightening number for him to be going into a re election with because what is an election since he is gonna, be acquitted, but upon ability to remove from office, if half the country thanks you should be removed from office, it will be very did now. Granted most democratic voters are in these cities, and so they they can rack up all these numbers that won't have effect on the electoral college but I think real damage has been done to Trump and that there is a little bit of wishful thinking on the part of Republicans and conservatives that this is really gonna. Hurt Democrat they are this whole process, even though, as I said, I think what they ve done, how they ve managed. It has been stupid.

You know they shouldn't- have rushed the impeachment. If anything, they could have heard a more if they actually let the impeachment process go on in the house and waited for witnesses and rulings by courts and all that. But it's done him damage and Mcconnell. I think understands that, which is why he wants to hurry this, even though that was a button and the Democrats and in some ways by the hat, when This is her red and his as we suspect, acquitted, but the poles are showing that half the country so ones and remove. Then there's a ready made message for Democrats to take up against Trump in the election, which is to say look. We did everything constitutionally within our power. It's up to you now the people have to get him. Here we tried we did everything we could but Mcconnell in the terrible Republicans, thwarted us, etc, etc, etc. That that gap, organizing message, especially for a democratic party that sir,

What kind of in shambles in terms of who it wants to represent itself and put up against trotted right now, independent numbers are right and fifty six, fifty seven percent of independence want him removed from office going that met the whole point, Persuade ability during an election is to get the people who might go one way or the other to go, and if they can remind them that they thought that he should be removed from office. And they're in the right places they're in those three states and that there are enough of them in those three states in the right places they will give. They will make the Trump pass to re election extraordinaire Ali difficult than I think people on the right need to face this fact, because there is a triumphal that I keep hearing about how oh it's so terrible and everybody knows Adam Schiff is awful and did this is us? it had no one's paying attention. That is not what the what things

subject like that, is not what the political reality as we go into the democratic primary season suggests. I'm sorry Are you just it? Just doesn't there's a fair bit of that also kind of Galaxy brain thinking. I think in the proposed tat, grooves maneuver, which is both for binding and get. You will give you John Bolton to testify whose probably not gonna implicate the president, particularly as we all know that that's why they don't know, though they beheld the hilt, he'll tell the truth. If he's sworn to tell the truth I have nobleness is there that is, is there's these not gonna, be in possession of any sort of smoking gun. It won't be great for the White House, but it's not going to change anybody's opinion on the floor and then You get Hunter Biden whose materially relevant, somehow someway and that'll advance republican interests. This seems really fraud.

Me with a whole lot more potential for downside than upside. I don't see how big the pulling is right and it suggests that tub the public wants Republicans to take this seriously. I don't see how adopting for its of the Republican Party adopting for itself, the central allegation against the president, which is the effort to leverage Jahangir buttons relationships in order to tar Joe Biden, would read down positive two republican efforts, illness and and furthermore, because there's been independent investigation, has turned up anything other than sorted nepotism here. If that's all, they come up with our Republicans gonna litigate that issue. How Republicans gonna make the case that the powerful people chilled adult children of with of politicians being placed in positions of power is writ insufferable, corruption. I totally agree with you, but if you, can get a little kind of like a wave of

yes m- by serve putting it out there, having Democrats rejected and then saying see what are they afraid of everyone's protecting Biden? You know, I guess I think that so I said that email trumpeted this to himself and they really hurt him while the other things happened, is that there is now a corruption issue- Jim we floating around in the minds of Americans, about Joe by his son, that that, as also will hurt Joe Biden Joe Biden as the nominee. Well, that's also, but then you can also count on the compelling logic of negative partisanship. Right now, Democrats are litigating. This issue when Democrats are no longer litigating? This issue in the envisage envisaged future in which show by Miss presumptive nominee then, It will be a rally round, rarely the Reagan's around Joe Biden right, except that you know that a weird way when they do that immediate terms or in political terms, and that

necessarily really help them. Sometimes it can really back the the inability to accept the idea that the swift boat attack on John Kerry, as something real and serious, and that the arguing was real and serious that carry had not you know, behaved with the heroism that we have been told. He had behaved with on the swift boat because there were these with both veterans, who said that he hadn't done it and that that mainstream baby is idea of how to handle this was to ignore it or to go or to say I we are not in a day in this with a response, because Carrie had no real. Response to some of this because he wouldn't release his his war records. You know when you try to stone wall. That's bat like that

he ate the counter narrative the Trump wants, which is their doing it again. There could I covered for Clinton they covered for Hilary now there covering for Biden. Why do they have to do this? Why would they are covering in their country? me. You know I mean you know you may like me, you may hate me may think I'm the scalp whatever, but you know I'm right there, I'm right there in front of you, you know, and and and they ve got one. If I had to high officials to say so I dont know that that'll work, what what you're, what you're proposing, which is that there will be a circling. The wagons among the Democrats and liberals and media remember that at the time story yet done about Hunter Biden in Britain was done in the new Yorker. That is the source material of of a lot of this, and it's a good story. It's a fair story. What it makes very

The clear is that the notion that you know Joe Biden, God they corrupt prosecutor, fired because this guy wasn't corrupt and he was actually looking into hundred Biden is preposterous. That's part of what's preposterous here is the is the attack on Joe Biden, the attack on Hunter Biden. This totally fair, but Firstly, as you say like a man who, as is his daughter as one of his then his son in law as two of his leading aids and actual positions of actual authority in the government of the United States, while kind of managing private interests simultaneously, as is

you know- I mean, but but we're not talking about an unnecessary waste, not about fairness, tall that what sticks and what doesn't stick and the public will honour binds a mess. I mean he's just a dab. Salute me. Guess he's of anatomy out I'd be morally on Joe Biden or way engender sympathy in May. I know now that he is about to go into court. He Hunter Biden for job. I know Joe Biden has to deal with. The fact that he is getting his son is Yeah now, do you blame Joe Biden, four hundred buttons misconduct? No, but it's not good, like you, wouldn't want that. If more run for president, you blame Joe Biden, four hundred binds misconduct. No, but it's not good, like you wouldn't want that. This moment, for president to have that over it and invited case of particular the sympathy pity border. I think it's very blurry and I don't think any of that's good.

For but also of its good for bad. I'm sorry, like the dealing the grief stricken yeah I've. I hate to put it this way, as it sounds so callous, but the grief stricken Father is is a winning do for leaving William leave my surviving son alone. Yeah is said the surviving sunlight which he finally deployed there. I mean that's, but I mean rushed back that you're going deal with its good, but but I think the accretion of illicit use. The sort of hapless put upon these disk, Compilation of problems that he, Sir seems to be dealing with, I think, makes him look. It could weak for some I mean that's, as I say it's not good like so, and so in that way tankers I told him any. The damage already done, like the damage to Biden. By them. Is the nominees already done. You can't do any more damage to whom Hunter Biden provided a thing for

applicants, to say during the impeachment hearing right to do. The look hey squirrel when Ireland engage with this, because there was Hunter Biden and like that was An answer to the question of you now trying to make the case there was a legitimate for for trying to win. All the aid simply together, transmit made that there would be an investigation? Not did he cared the investigation apparently didn't care about the investigation, and then we have these clowns partisan. Roman who were wandering around under Rudy Julie's tutelage. You know, I don't what whatever their doing ever cock and bull stories, they are feeding and trying to push just. So Let us make a lot of money in consultancies and be close to the president. My point is: if the damage has already done in our Trump fifty percent of people think trumps should be impeached. That numbers not gonna grow. I don't

don't think everything's gonna happen here. Unless you know, unless Bolton testify eyes and says you know he said to me I, don't care, you know, unless there is some you know like thing that happened, I do think that the here's another into here's another question so the argument, the Democrats makers, let's have witnesses right and republican say, will you could have had witnesses like you didn't? Have you didn't have them? You could away it could awaited, forbid the subpoenas to be authorized by the courts and you didn't waiting, you didn't wait for the documents and so we're trying the case you thus Nan and then and then there and there equal, why? Wouldn't you want more evidence of witnesses. If there is new evidence of witnesses to be had Don't you want to have a full and complete it? hunting of this case. You know, I think the Democrats,

get the better of that. That's why the public says why not have witnesses and and and documents? I mean there's a simple fact matter like where does it say they should witnesses and documents, because the Clinton here Clinton hearing did have witnesses and documents they just warrant like sitting there like during the Watergate hearings. You know, Am I right at me ass, I absolutely sure yeah. It's but does it matter if they get the better of the argument has. Maybe this is just a naked power play like they're trying to get trump out a legitimately, and this then it is trying to end this as quickly as possible, and it's just a power play an eminent and theirs cartoon free on both sides. You know Schumann this is the very future of our democracy is at stake, blah blah, blame and and in o J secular is saying you know this is the end of fairness,

in America may, if they can come afterward Trump, they can come after you, which is interesting. Yes, oh if I ever try to suborn trying to ever blackmailer ukrainian president into you know, into amounting investigation, I am, or you know, even someone's, to accuse me of it, I'm in deep trouble. I mean, as they could come after me, for that so leading him talk about the republican numbers in those Paul's about people wanting witnesses. Evidence, but the overall numbers are overwhelming irresistibly percent. Yes, I mean the Republicans, do have an interest in appearing, not MR being but appearing to be open to all evidence and being fair and impartial and that's not a difficult tightrope walk. I don't think that's it. It would be difficult. I think if they were to repeat the Democrats, mistakes with calling witnesses

who will make their lives more difficult. You know why we forget that the impeachment hearings in house opened up with Corey Lewandowski and it was an absolute mess, a disgrace that looked Terrible for everybody involved didn't reflect well and Democrats, give him anything. No idea, it's how it's, how Adam shift and becoming the main impeach manager, because Nancy Pelosi took one look at that here, one by Jerry Mather and said Jerry. Mather cannot manage this, who is also admonish yesterday. Yeah by either by the Supreme Court Chief Justice but also maybe, but by a note that was passed to and yet some soup network so here, because that that kind of rhetoric that he used at one o clock in the morning about how you know you're was he say he said a liars real life. So it's like that's that's standard issue, rhetoric on the floor of the Houston that by now, like you can say, almost anything and at the Senate

as that email bizarre over them, the world's greatest deliberate body blow, but you also like him out. This is a very solemn gathering in your knots must have like default to Europe in a precinct captain. You know, go Bartle as the one I have vision us as if sip alone he is doing the cross. I am, I think, of the cross of a Hunter Biden, Coralie and asking scenario he is come out with all full fire and brimstone. Very J, secular wish in that initial day talk about calling witnesses in new evidence, and testimony appear appealing only to an audience of one knowing fully that they, you have to convince anybody in the chamber of anything. I don't think that's gonna make their arguments better. So then the question is Christine: does it matter, I mean seriously if we basically have

a partisanship as though is the is the watchword of the day here, of temper more popular among Democrats actually down Craig voters and all that the impeachment would not have happened. You know if the country were less. You know geographically district by district of jet gerrymandered led divided in that way

there would have been no impeachment. Conversely, by the way, if the country were made up more the way it was in the 70s, where you actually have, like republicans representing democratic states, Democrats as Senators Senate Democrats in states that were largely republican. All of that there was the outcome of the hearing of the of the trial would not be so clear because those senators had much broader constituencies and their role was much more complex. They weren't in states that went you know six thousand and forty seven Tco sixty slash forty or more for the one presidential candidate or the other. You know they were much more mixed. I think that's true, and I think it's also why we have continued to see this even among you know the atom share of the world. This continued narrative of alive,

meddling voter suppression. I think that the Democrats, or are being pretty strategic to keep in the public, mind the idea that, even if Trump is equipped there are still all these other dangers to the republic if he, if he's reelected, one of which is that the Russians will meddle in the election and I think we're there- there's been a long, slow role to the next elections which being set up. As a story of one of its Trump wins reelection its, the legitimate election I mean. I think it really will be a kind of crisis point that we saw little glimpses of when he one in twenty sixteen but the. But the kind of Stacy Abrams Approach to elections, which is, if I lose the election, was unfair. I will can refuse to concede- and we do not want to see that impulse go national, but I think, on the democratic sideways I mean, I've heard from lots of candidates is distorted. The rhetoric of voters suppression coming back up again, the rhetoric of of

election interference coming up again- and these are serious concerns to raise- and I'm not saying that these things don't happen. We obviously we ve had foreign interference in elections, but I wonder if that the kind of failsafe once they get once work, a month away from which acquittal of Trump and trumpets you know going around in these campaign, rallies declaring victory and declaring that look. You know they had. No case I was acquitted, I'm I'm great reelect me we're gonna need, especially if they have a weak or divided democratic party candidate. There need a new story to tell and it can just be trumps, an existential risk because they were enabled if you they would have removed it right. That would be the argument that an independent voter, my think, so, what's the new risk, what's the new rested requires them to vote Trump out I'm not sure who's gonna tell that story, but if it's Bernie Sanders a lot of them,

independent voters are only going to be hearing a word socialist for the next several months and that's a scary wearing, ok owners. This is the interesting thing about the shift presentation so charge the charge on the abuse. The abuse of power is largely. We have to move on from office because other why's, he will cheat in this election, and we will never know if the election was fair. What shift cannot do is use the predicate that makes this argument strong in his own ears and in the ears of other Democrats, which you say he will cheat again, which he did did slip out of his mouth at a press conference after the impeachment, after they successfully finish therapy hearing that he will cheat again because in twenty sixteen Trump cheated with the Russians. Now we just

two and a half years, Mahler that seventy Since committee, the House, at all these bodies look into this matter and Trump and did not collude with Russia to alter the twenty sixteen election Russia May have you no sown chaos and truck maven if it wanted to collude with them if he could have, but the it didn't happen and the weak thing is that when shift makes this line, which is we have to remove them otherwise, he'll cheat depends on the idea that we know he'll cheek ass. He cheated before, because you can use that line about anybody. You know it's like classic. Pre crime thinking regulates, you know does Joe Biden could shoot? You know I mean anybody, can you Joe Biden could change the result. Guenaud voting machines one can do anything in theory. Before something happens, you can accuse them of any thing, that's not the

the arts and about the way charging people with offences works. Didn't shift imply yesterday without saying directly that serve the Trump felt emboldened to to do this, a with Ukraine, because he felt tat he got away with vigour. Godfrey regarding Russia, I wasn't there, suddenly get yet because it occurred within. I think it right, gambling days, if not a day of the release of the more I mean it shouldn't serve, keep at the idea in the public gallery. That is the argument for removing him from office. You don't have to find a compelling, but it's the only argument for moving from from office is that he has attempted now to subvert the election and he could do it again The democratic argument is also that the only reason why this didn't happen is because he got caught, which I tend to agree

I don't think this is exculpatory by any means, but it sort of subverts, democratic argument, because if he got caught, it's kind of reassuring that he might get caught again, that the op, the workings of his own government, prevented him from executing this effort to subvert in the eyes of Democrats in the election. I mean, I don't think it's a good argument, because it depends on the idea that he, that Trump is it. She is an election, cheaper, What interests me my work Christine was talking about before, is that the notion that you would deal legitimize an election result on the grounds that the election was rigged. Trump invented that that was trumps line. Rule twenty. Sixteen. This is a rigged process. I knew he was asked in a debate whether or not he would respect the results. Of the twenty sixteen election, and he said you know

He'd, let you know when it all happened. It was clearly set himself up for the idea that when he lost, because he thought he was going to lose her he would say they rigged it. It was all rigged lost because it was rigged, and then you know whatever his out to get a plan the post election plan, but that he would somehow leverage that to continue to make you now still or you want to call it as an outside political player, and There was all this haughty you. Possibly. This is terrible ito say it's a rigged, America How dare you by and then, of course, he would immediately. All Democrats think that he rigged elections and you Susan rises. The mask people and thereby setting up Michael Flynn unfounded

they're doing all this stuff in order, in order to make the argue that they love the argument once they could make it, they thought it was just talking of em irresponsible. When you know when the charge was made against made against them although in the New York Times, do endorsement one of the arguments they made they made the case, for you know a moderate and for us or a radical one of the cases for ratify. Was at this in our institutions need to be overturned because our elections are no longer free and fair in the way that they work, but that goes to the Stacey Aber. That's also essentially Abrams things. You know she loses by fifty thousand vote.

Somehow mysteriously there should have been two hundred thousand more voters who would have gone for her by a margin of of three hundred and twenty one and less and less. She would have simply won the election going going away all right so with that to one side and we're talking about the Bernie Sanders and pulling this week suggests that Sanders is, I mean, there's one pole that needs another pole to justify that's the CNN pulled. It showed Sanders ahead, the twenty seven twenty four, something that's the first pull that show Sanders a hash, also that the national it's the first pull that in which Biden has not led literally ever one point Warren tied by, or was thirty one thirty or something

like that, but Biden has literally never been behind Nepal. If this is happening, it's obviously happening at the best possible time for burning Sanderson surging, when he should surgeon that I dont believe I think it's a wire and the pole is hanky him. They're all cancers. Also, the New Hampshire pull the lady. You are, which they sixteen fifteen, I believe now. Oh Bernie Sanders is a double digit, led the clever Joe Biden. That's a morning. Oh, I didn't see that yeah, that's another one were it's like a slowdown kind of moment, because his favour abilities jumped by almost twenty points, burn us in the course of a month is one of those ones where it's like plug it into the average and just kind of don't hyper and right over it, but there is movement in his direction as anonymous. Ok, so here's with interesting so Bernie Sanders by the way, by the way, this all occurs after Elizabeth warns attempt to kill him right, which has only

like the poorly on her and reality, Bernie Sanders when it knows that hard not to enjoy. Yes, that was also you. You said that we should take a victory lap. I I think that Simpson Sanderson New Hampshire. Now he one New Hampshire, like with sixty percent and twenty sixteen, he one sixty percent about if he is when there's a he could be by by getting you know, twenty five, twenty six and very divided feel a favorite son race for him to it's weird. You now means that well over half the people who voted form in twenty six sooner, not gonna vote arm again now, maybe or seeing here is born. Down there. That's not what the pole number suggest exactly rikers, it's not like she's collapsing in its not that hurt. Her numbers already collapsed. You know half of where they were before

cases, but but in these poles you're, seeing like him go up three four points, except maybe this one that I have seen be war and and and Biden also also by the way went up to there was a there. The last Paul before this be had are Paul. Had them sixteen fifteen or something like that with an enormous, undecided. Yes, oh he's! So so there is some consolidation of the Non Biden left going on in Sanders favour, as the public begins to grasp that war is not a viable candidate,

How he's a viable hope, but you know it is interesting to see them the press being dragged by the nose into reporting opposition research on Bernie Sanders now, as has become a viable Kazi survival candidate. We got let late last night coming out of some campaign probably binds. I thank on a shorter bottom shirts by his talking about social security and talking about it just means to Social security, which is a euphemism in the eyes of progressive for cuts to entitlements, and this being reported pretty thoroughly in the media of some other story. The reflex poorly on Bernie Sanders story about how Vermont. Like armors somebody like a Vermont, some some people in Vermont whose existence was akin to being a black slave

Yes, yes, vote is forty zero million which which will circulate through the super Tuesday states like you, know him Chinese flew. Oh, I know what's wrong with the bite with the thing that was interesting about the pull that had sanders on top nationally and Christine was particularly struck car by this is that Tom STAR was at fifteen percent and that Paul Fifth, ten percent. Third, now I get maybe that's happening. I I I don't know, but I think it's because styles been filmed sidling up beside Bernie. To make nice pseudo. Somebody had the best the best description that someone had visited. We he's like the Toby, I'm the office always trying to get close to muddle outside. I wouldn't have to like learning lieutenants tyres. Targeting the Airways and they're pulling a really strong there as opposed to,

when we don't. We don't really know because no one's no one's pulling their yeah, I'm in the things that we ve seen whereas suggests the search one at back. I briefly Milburgh better be pulling ok somewhere because he is literally spent in six weeks. A hundred and ninety million dollars on advertising can can we just that is car that is introduced, of new car model level. Spending like win, When you announced a new Buick, you know Buick spend two hundred million dollars in the month of September to announce New Buick or something like that like this, has ever happened in american politics before ever and it'll be interesting. Has it doesn't work boy? Will these citizens United was the decision of history

disprove because it will prove that money doesn't by anything, he's getting some endorsements us candour yet, and I do not want you want to know where I would like to be a fly on the wall in the room. Were Bloomberg arranges the endorsement, because I would like to know what quid pro quo he offered to get those anyway, that back briefly to the burning vetting process and in the woods humorous about it is that they have to reach back an agent, three to find these little nuggets that might resonate with Democrats when the guy has surrounded himself with walking disasters who should be disquiet buying if you were to every and among Democrats them, and they have problems with Democrats. These people are persona non grata among Democrats, but remember line, but he wants a really big too deeply into that will, because Biden doesn't want to go negative like he real wonders

the press, it we're talking about. Well, ok, so the prayer, the press has to be spoon, FED opposition research and Bernie Sanders now clear. I why why would the press have to be spoonfuls? Opposition research, like the press, isn't always who said opposition research, and then they praise themselves were having found wonderful, interesting details. That is how politics have political reporting works. As somebody feeds you, you know something. Then it's like why I was great shoe leather reporting, They really dug, went back and dug into those archives. You know: doesn't slot de cynical dig up a couple of key quotes from Lindisfarne Sore and Rashid, leave vanilla, Omar and shot king. Oh yeah cause people really want people, a mainstreaming. We really want to attack when the sorcerer end were shoe to leave they get. Lot attraction when they do Ass the day. Don't act was area where women's March got a lot of trouble,

most by whom New York Times was tat I labs well, but then it was. There was another mainstream tablet. It was that reprinted it yeah Why not visible I've once one it was out it was out, but they you think they weren't rankings. Remember doing it? What's tablet got that link up well, the amount they have they haven't. They haven't a couple of inversely report You now spent six months on it. They paid for their mother was a fantastic thing. They did a huge public service and they were able to do it because the task, because that's right, it's not that I don't care it's that they are actively involved in covering up for the squad and for they ve got there. You know they ve got there

cultural revolutionaries in in their own newsrooms, who scared them crap less and they are not going to be the originators of negative pieces about progressives if they can help it and bite and does not want to go negative. On Sanders. He has a longer term strategy than that, and that was why. You saw the scene where he got really angry he had at O Keefe of C B. Ask as O Keefe was badgering him in Iowa, saying. Why aren't you can respond to what he said about? Aren't you going to respond to what he said and then why why aren't you respond and then by went? Why why? Why why why why why businesslike shut up leave me alone? Can you I'm not going to respond? I don't have to talk to you. I am not here to be your You know to make a story for you. This was all this is weird and binds part. No. This is his strength.

Strategy is to not. You now have to deliver the body blow now he may that may not be. You know that may not be workable if Sanders is rising and if he threatened them, but of course, there still going after widely different constituencies. It's not like abiding hit sanders that would hurt Sanders among the p hold it centres wants to wants to rally toward him. Although there are people who say things like honour, I I I liked I like Bernie but He can't really. When I type ass may be. I gotta go if by. Let me we're so it so it's those people that Biden doesn't want to distance aptly or he does not want. He wants to be the candidate of a United Democratic Party, because even though Sanders endorsed Hilary and even though Sanders said he wanted Hilary to win and all that there would be

There is a belief that Sanders voters, particularly in Michigan, where Sanders one beat Hilary in a shocking resolved that Sanders voters stayed home and that Sanders voter staying home thing is how Trump one Michigan. Now he didn't when the presidency solely by winning Michigan. Obviously there was a secular trim cause Michigan like Wisconsin, just like Pennsylvania, and so you can. But that is their ideas. If Biden Can- and this is also you know- I've said this from the outset. That Biden is running the best race. That Biden can run if he loses he will lose, because this is not the way you win is now doing what he is doing, but he can't do Anything else and he's done it about as well as he's done as well as he can do it and he can't be the other type, so it

their workers or wont work. And, if Bernie surging now, because the because the progressive are being forty, seven percent of the party that calls itself, Or leftist or whatever consolidates find him then yeah he may he may well may well when all of this could go all the way to the California, the convention, because or calve, whereas now early cider met with a cut price, it produced it. I don't even know what then What late latest later? Is there song out there? Because you know I mean it's not like he's going to get out, I mean unless he just collapses. You know that he's not going to walk into the nomination either. So you know this could be a this could be a bloody. You know really bloody battle and

I still think there's a view now. Thirty three percent China Third chance that there will be a that there will be a contested convention which would be nice guys, I'm going, and it would be nice if there were something interesting to pick it up. Particularly since you now, I'm probably gonna, be in a hotel two hours from two hours from the venue and have to take a bus for two hours to get there. Aren't you don't you feel sorry for me now I do less democratic eventuality Denver and it wasn't fun.

Republican convention in twenty sixteen which was in Cleveland. So I was there for the New York Post and NEWS Corp and you would think cuz. I was there with your post, a new score which is theoretically eight. You know relatively friendly organization to the Republican Party that we would have gotten. You know good lodging, so we were at a. We were at eight motel six. In Kentucky not Kentucky whereby tell sex like fifteen twenty miles away from the from the venue that was so disgusting that they have had to cover the carpeting in the hotel room with per go fake wood floors. You never been in a hotel room that didn't have a rug by the way, so it was particularly weird that you walked on it and the floor was squishy cuz. It was pergo as it wasn't nailed down to anything.

Yeah and, like I try out line in the body and their need for, is raised up on the so that no so they could clean under it or something like that, and it was really where you go like if you're getting too like when you leave because you're leaving your family together divorce the place you stay near by like three nights until you can find some horrible disgusting basement, studio to listen. While you check the events to save Josh, Berlin left him back yeah that was already at nice or hope that was a nicer hotel. That was in the way they walk up the stairs and everything that was that was kind of pretty. There is mail pass out. This is

reference that no country for old men, the current brothers Cormac Mccarthy anyway, do we have anything else to talk about anything else, all of the judge I know now we're we're all gonna die patently so we're all dead by Monday, we won't be having a pike ass, but let let us assume that the snake flu is not going to get us all. It is amazing what its othello tearing country can do. They have now stay, have now quarantine, they city of eleven million people, three cities now I think right three cities, but what but one of them has its another. One is things where you never heard of the city before and eleven million people live there sat in the house. This actually works, because if you like good I've, never been there. Obviously, but if you google Earth, yet a city will yeah yeah, So it's all waterways is just a tunnel lakes and rivers. Now I don't know how you, if you really want to get out, live gunboats a people got out a Berlin with

Then there is a river or you can do it. Ok. Well, you know what we should. We should send this into war on it wishes the spy glass and knew how to give people give people ideas upon Currently, no one has ever sought to close off access to a city of eleven million people before so it will be interesting to see what happens and, of course, we could also have the same spreading of the disease in the city. If it's that, if it's the play, you know- or it's just that you now. We need a terrible health scare, every like three or four years to scare us all to death, and there is another

great movie, if you want to see it, contagion made by Stephen Solberg, which is about literally about the spread of a worldwide a virus that comes out of China, a brilliantly structured movie. That shows you how it happened at the very end. You learn how the disease was created or be to have a disease spread to humans, and it's really are brilliant he told us very left wing scientists do want more people than to very left wing. Is that the one we're goin S? Paltrow was patient zero? She is patient zero. I know what I mean. I know what I mean they establishing early on that you're not supposed to sympathize with her. No now and now, she's likeness anti vaccine have Europe candles well, like layer is a virus or anyway I strongly recommended contagion and no country for old men. Also, we weren't actually know we were going further

Barb- and I will now set you haven't seen- one thousand nine hundred and seventeen go see one thousand nine hundred and seventeen. It's a pretty extraordinary piece of work, though marriage stories still think it's the best movie of the year, but I think one thousand nine hundred and seventeen is going to win you're. So if you want to see the movie the hole in the Oscar, you should go see one thousand nine hundred and seventeen, which is a stunning visual feast and very handsome thrilling of anyway, so with that cultural recommendation, we will reconvene in on Monday and so we're not all dead. So. Abe, Christina jump on towards keeping.