It’s Election Day, with big implications for abortion, democracy, and much more in Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky, and Mississippi. It's also one year out from the 2024 presidential election, and a new set of battleground polls in the New York Times shows Donald Trump ahead of Joe Biden just about everywhere. Meanwhile, Trump takes the stand in his civil fraud case while his advisors draw up plans to use the military against protesters if he wins the election. Then, Barack Obama sits down with Jon, Tommy, Dan and Alyssa Mastromonaco for an expansive conversation on democracy, violence in the middle east, and his memories of winning the presidency fifteen years ago.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email [email protected] and include the name of the podcast.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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Welcome deposit america, I'm John forever. I'm Tommy's accountability, partner, John of it because some people, so that's my worst nightmare. Today's we're weird I have
I'm feeling
I'm sorry coastguard wields, we'll get to that later on today, show donald trump takes a stand in his civil fraud case. His advisers draw up plans to use the military against protesters if he wins the election
new set of battleground poles in the new york times show trump ahead of Joe Biden just about everywhere. Speaker MIKE Johnson, you,
an apt to monitor his sons, porn intake and later our interview
Barack obama on the fifteenth anniversary of his two thousand and eight election. How about that for a description of the couple, a couple of accountability partners getting together in Chicago? You would have done this if we told him what was his lead in, probably not, but first it's election day where,
or ohio will vote on a ballot measure that would protect abortion? Access Virginia will decide whether to give republican governor glenn young can the republican legislature he needs to ban abortion. Kentucky will decide what polls are now showing is a very close race between democratic governor, Andy, beshear and republican anti abortion, extremists, Daniel Cameron and mississippi decides whether to elect a democratic governor for the first time in twenty years. If you live in the states or other places with the
elections on tuesday go vote, pennsylvania supreme court. Thank you tommy. They beg elections from new york city elections as well local elections. There there's elections, people if you need more info. If you want to know whether there's an election near you or how you can help head to vote, save america dot com as always, and we'll be breaking down all the results later this week,
Alright, let's get to the rest of the news we're a year out from election day. Twenty twenty four in the new york times is kicking off the party. With a new poll of more than thirty six hundred registered voters, it's big sample across the six most competitive, battleground states that show donald trump leading Joe Biden by an average of forty eight to forty four percent. So they did six,
under its voters per state trumpets up. Fifty two, forty one in nevada rule forty nine forty,
three in georgia, forty nine forty four
in arizona, forty, eight forty three in michigan and forty eight forty four in pennsylvania, with Joe Biden, leading only in wisconsin by forty seven to forty five percent. The results don't seem to reflect either trump's strengths or the democratic party's weaknesses. Trump is slightly more unpopular with voters in this poll than he was in twenty twenty and voters would choose in this poll an unnamed generic democrat over trump by eight points, and at least in this poll. Even vice president kamala Harris performs two points better than Biden against trump. What is mostly bothering voters, at least in this poll, is what we've seen in nearly every single poll for the last several years, Biden's age, his handling of the economy and his ability to do the job I'll stop there. So you two can get in on the fun.
And maybe we can start with your takes on the reaction from the Biden folks and some democratic strategist, which I'd summarize as it's one poll obama, was in a similar spot back in two thousand and eleven. The election is a fully
you're are away. The campaign hasn't started yet the economy is improving and trump might be a convicted felon by the time people start voting. What do you guys think you mean the the the
that were a year out. An election is absolutely right. Lots of time events will change their time too.
pain, the company has really even started. There'll, be lots of paid media billions of dollars, debate media to try to sell Joe Biden message to america. That's all right. The response that
grandma gears a little bit is the everyone stop start bad weddings like. We can't tell people that you know the future of american democracy itself is at stake, but also like chat.
max. You know, like I think, everyone's allowed to feel alive
Eighty and so you know, I think that what you do with anxiety,
it is up to you and in those of us who want to channel it into action
volunteering and donating and getting involved, I think, that's a path for dear, but in terms of what we learn from this Paul, I mean it's clear that job
and personally has real challenges at the moment with younger voters, especially voters under thirty. Ah, he went from being up considerably and, alas,
to basically tired. I use real challenges with voters of color, both african american and latino voters, and there is real questions about his age and you know that
The challenge going forward is whether
fine can convince the
these voters of color and young voters that he's actually working for them in that its policies are improving their lives, because a lot of people are saying these pulls they're, not feeling that improvement and then separately. I think, there's this age question of whether,
He can convince voters who have been convinced by autonoe. Maybe
misleadingly edited social me
the videos on tiktok or whatever that he's not fit for the job that, in fact he is, but you know what a lot of different tracks here for problems he needs to solve. Yeah, I mean it's also, by the way like you don't need to see misleadingly edited footage of Joe Biden.
worry about Joe binds age turbines ages, its biggest liability. He is very old. It makes a lot of people, including us nervous, and I think, like you, look at what the responses benny say: right brok obama went through a new cycle like this. You can look at previous comments. George w Bush
They like these are all people that saw poles at around this time that showed them down and they were managed to clear their way back that the uncertainty in all this.
Is a reason for a lot of grave concern is the ever you can make in the ways that you would in any race to to close some of these guys.
pops around making sure people understand your accomplishments, making sure people understand the threat that trumpet
I one number that I think she is really bad.
in this poll, but is actually in a in a strange way. I like more a glimmer of hope. As it says, only forty six percent of voters say. Mr Biden has the proper temperament to be president barely higher than the forty three percent, who said the same of mister trump like you, can look at that and say whole hold on a second bats out, look out
only Biden has lost his edge, but then you say will hold on is that you read, but then you say right
introduce people to donald trump, they know and hate and almost
You'll see those numbers come down, but what we don't know is: ok, you ve done that you you ve, made a case for
Biden and his and his accomplishments. His legacy is president. You ve made a case against donald trump. Does the age factor
continued a matter in a way that you can't control forth in a way that you can't change? Is it a liability that is
is it an unwinnable assignment to overcome the age question. That is, I think, the fear
I a separate our analysis from our advocacy here, like obviously we wanted to everything humanly possible to make sure donald trump doesn't become become president again, and that includes doing everything humanly possible to re elect Joe Biden. If he's the nominee, but as all
ways? We want to give you like the most honest analysis, and that means no sugar coding, and it also me
no like unnecessary doom arisen,
Neither neither do so with that said, like here's, where I think the Biden folks have a point. It is just one poll, even excellent polls, which I think the new york times Siena poll is
only tell you about how voters are feeling at that given moment in this house
to be a moment where the? U s and the world are in turmoil and Barack Obama did have approval ratings that were almost as bad as Biden's one year out from the two thousand and twelve election. But here's where I disagree with some of the rosier analysis. The polling averages. All show trump slightly ahead right now, not just this poll, and you can look but beware. The susquehanna polish last week had Biden up so yeah it did, but when you average all the polls trump is slightly ahead. Unlike Barack obama, Joe Biden's approval rating has been stuck in the low forties for two years now, two years that was not the case with Barack obama went up and down up and down for Joe Biden. It was in the low forties when other Democrats not named Joe Biden over performed in the midterms midterms, where the new york times poll basically nailed the results of the most competitive senate races and where most of the polls that weren't done by partisan republican firms were also pretty accurate polls did not predict
red wave in twenty twenty two, the political coverage suggested a red, a red wave. The nonpartisan polls were actually really good and when Nate silver wrote his trolling, she is obama toast piece in the new york times that everyone, citing from two thousand and eleven. This is what the polls in the months of november and December said about an obama romney race when Nate had that headline obama, plus six obama, plus six obama, plus four obama, plus one. There were thirteen polls in those months only two had romney ahead. The rest all had brock obama ahead. Ah so, unlike the other ear, the other challenge, the age challenge. Obviously, inflation has come down. Prices have not
so the problem is, like you know: you're pissed, about a fifty dollar cheeseburger that fifteen other cheeseburgers no longer the prices and going up anymore, but its stuck at fiscal sovereignty.
Well, yeah, they aren't going to be twelve, that's the issue, and that is a source of real frustration for people. People say: oh, it's just one poll she. Yes, it is a snapshot and polls catch,
we're a moment in time. When I find to your point this pole,
reflection of a lot of other pulls his pole is not an outlier about solidarity and is in central asia. The thing so it's like. Yes, you,
you? This is a snapshot in time, but you
and say: oh dont worry about one pole, because this pole is capturing. A mood is capturing a feeling in capturing a result that we ve seen across
yeah in any interests. Have not sugar cutting at the sort biggest things are worried. Me are
economy, a majority vote or say binds policies have personally heard them, but they think trumps policies, helped them
So that means that fifty nine percent said they trusted trump over Biden on the economy was fifty nine percent to thirty five percent. That's that's a pretty large deficit on the economy.
And then, when it comes to the age question, seventy one percent of voters think Biden is too old to be ineffective. President, three years ago only thirty percent of voters said he was too old to be present. And now the vine vocal push back and said.
In that same poll, thirty nine percent of voters say trump, is too old and that's right and that's fair, but I think that speaks to ah probably a large subset of people in the country who feel like they're, both too old and are looking for some sort of alternative, which might mean they lead
the green party they are good, are of key junior, etc, and so I think when it comes to
question is not guaranteed that you can change people's mind about whether someone is too old to do
right that there might be a view that gets hardened the other lasting that they were
me is half of the respondents. Think the Joe Biden profited from hunter Biden's business dealings,
all available. Evidence suggests that that is not true at all
there's no evidence to back them up, but it again speaks to how powerful the right wing disinformation ecosystem has been and how much you know, efforts on the hill did his throat should at the wall and see what steps it
actually been effective, I want at zero in on the voters. That Biden is losing here, as tommy pointed out young,
others, especially young, non white voters, and also non white voters in general, and I think when you hear that, maybe when a lot of
the listening in our audience here that they think. Oh maybe this there's think that Joe Biden has not progressive enough. That is not the
is the young voters and the voters of color who have left Joe Biden in this pole, are more disengage from politics. They are more moderate. They do not necessarily think the Joe Biden isn't progressive enough. They also don't think he's too liberal. Most of them say that ideologically he's just fine, they are upset about the age.
And they said about the economy, and they are abortion. Democracy and the social issues are not their top issue. Their top issue is the economy.
that is the number one issue for a lot of these young voters. They are extremely disaffected and in
general. They did not show up in the mid term, so you must be thinking yourself like ok, why
but all the young voters. I know that are very progressive and voters of cholera progressive. They showed up in the mid terms and they voted for Democrats and they have supported your bite in the past. So that those voters or are with us the voters who did not trouble, if, if you just correct Joe Biden, problems with the voters who didn't show up in the mid terms, he would be a
right now, at the end, if you just if you just take the young voters who were open to kamel up and not to binding your race
of the gatt and by the way, it's not like comma harris is beating donald trump. A generic dinner Democrat is beating down from Kamel harris is doing better
Joe Biden is doing, but she still carry some of them that the effects of incumbency, fifty nine percent,
the voters under thirty rated economies, poor zero respondents under
thirty in arizona, nevada, wisconsin, said the economy was excellent. The other thing about this, too, is the message: that's driving the midterms right now, trying to turn people out against right wing extremism and turn people out in favor of abortion, which helped a great deal in the
mid terms. These these voters that we need to bring back aren't the kind of voters who turned out in the mid term. So the question is: are they are they people that are reset
into an argument around abortion and democracy, but it hasn't reached them. Yet. Forty per cent of voters who picked trump in this poll said that abortion should always or mostly be legal, and they pick trump anyway, and so what is it that we need to do to
those voters with a message around abortion, or is it that questions run this we ve talked about before. Like you know, we have this belief that this argument for democracy is really affect
it is for a certain segment of voters directly engaged people and also by
for a lot of like moderate, older voters that are the kind of people that have come to Joe Biden, but for for younger d,
fact, voters were making an argument for tomorrow.
see in a democracy, they dont feel is working for them. So what is it you need to do to make back?
these are on abortion or democracy and around basic economic issues to bring those people.
and in a way that were currently not doing, because clearly there is, there is a there. Is something really missing here: real nevada
Well, seventeen percent of nevada Democrats said about frederick, also the most diverse state in its very odd how for the first time, in a long time
racial. Polarization has gone the other way and this pole, so someone like people are rightly questioning
Well, then, why is by leading by tumors consummate wisconsin? Was a tight state sponsored the widest and one of the older states and he's doing next
next to best dates for him or michigan in pennsylvania and those are all
free weights, but except for
the areas around philadelphia in Detroit. Where he's not doing that well and their subsequent survey data that came there was.
After this near times, bull that suggest that bind us some real problems with airbus, Eric
muslim, american young voters in Michigan that I think it's just something to keep an accurate. The other interesting thing is when you,
Biden is doing better in this poll with likely voters than register voters and if you just go by likely voters and he actually catches up to trump in michigan and that he does better in some other ones, and that's part of this
is, and and and nate Cohn goes into this and in the polling analysis, which is like some of these younger voters. When you asked him the first time, do you pick both Biden or trump? They said neither, and then it was only when you push them. They said are made
trump, but they don't really love trompe they're they're not like sold on trump, and the question is to these voters just stay home and twenty four, and so we also could be headed for a very bizarre situation.
Where a lower turn her election helps Joe Biden, which is again. Why democrats, one of the reasons why Democrats did so well in the mid terms, because the type of voters who show up in the mid terms, college, educated in cities suburbs, like those or now more democratic motor, is also having look young people are not
only discovering that their open to donald trump in a strange way, this pole to me, is a little bit of a bizarre version of what we started to see and twenty. Sixteen, and you know I didn't really accepted what was happening, which is this idea of trumpets. Just like this
giant middle finger. You can pull like a lever like are you for Joe Biden refer verdant from unfair
either. While we ve had to beg fine, then fuck you up, although for down trot yes there, there could be a little. There could be that or could be serious or it or not. We don't know I'm the one thing. I was a look of adding we ve done and it we ve done
are our penance.
pessimism, dance. I think we ve we pay our respects. The fire is burning,
I know I've I've just real, and I know I know I know I'm not not that I'm I'm agree. I am glad to have this conversation. There was one one piece of this is I think I like theirs
Little note of a little note of hope. Little in
I have a couple, the advocate of the goods out, I will just the one one that I was interesting is that that is, if, if trump is convicted of a crime, six
percent of voters across arizona. Georgian michigan about a pennsylvania was constant said it would switch their votes to Biden I like, which would change this entire paul. It's not airily meet gets.
Forty nine percent button. Forty know that meets so it goes from trump forty, eight by forty four to Biden, forty, nine trump, thirty, nine and that's it in its debates, images, it's even a majority of the countries other than lilies react. No, I was, I know, six percent sounded small, but then, when I look at what you actually look at what happens in each state binds winning by double digits in every area, it's the per it's the forty nine from people, people switch from from providing also people trump voters who go to third parties
but but what I was going to say about that is. Ok. People are very bad. I think some time
at imagining how a changing circumstances change, how they feel you'll see it
one number, that I think is quite abysmal- that I don't take very seriously where people say they would never do this or never do that. There's several of our present
have been. People who had had paused said more than the majority would never support them. But the fact that even just
imagining it. There are six per cent of people who switch. Tells you that, like the impact of what happens with donald trump is convicted, could have like a massive shift in in in in polling. I read it is the the biggest source of optimism in this poll, but if Donald trump is convicted at an int, but it also sp
to all, we say it a million times, but like all of us who pay such close attention to politics and are like news junkies like most voters,
just enormous. They don't pay that close attention to politics, and so you know what that, because we're all like. How could they see that donald trump did this and said this, and how could they still vote for me like they're, not paying that close attention? They forget pretty easily and you know what they really care about the economy, but there are also people who, if they see a candidate for president, get convicted of a crime.
They're gonna be like! Oh! No. I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want. I don't wanna vote for that person. I'm pretty unhappy with your binary think he's a little too old, but this guy's a criminal like it. It does make sense that, like when you we, whenever you're confused about the electorate, just think like what a normal people who don't
it close attention to politics? Thinking right now I will say I had I had that thought and then I gave myself another anxiety, thought which is okay, there's a there's, a huge concern among young people that Joe Biden is too old, and that is especially pronounced among people who are disaffected and don't pay close attention over the next year if they do start paying closer attention. If the coverage starts shifting to head to head race between
Donald trump and Joe Biden is Joe Biden on on the on the campaign for the next
eleven months and twenty nine days is acting to leave people
he assured around his age or that gonna put bring more attention.
Given the way it's edited and shared on social media, more more fodder for people's deep concern. It's up to him in the campaign and the other. A sign of optimism has looked like the voters that are giving trump. The lead in this poll are voters that have typically supported democrats and just supported Biden, in fact, by large margins right. Young voter
black voters, hispanic voters. So in theory these are easier voters to win back for job. I write like this. The idea that that Donald trump to get twenty percent of the blackfoot, something that has not happened with forget about donald trump, any republican president in the post civil rights act era like
That would be, you know, made counts as this in the internet, so that would be like eight earthquake american politics, and it is probably unlikely right now.
brown drunken still win without twenty percent ye can he got eight percent last time you could get nine ten eleven and probably when that way, but it does speak to the idea that once you like tommy's, head
throw a billion dollars into a campaign start polar out. You know that
pain that reminds people what they care about, what donald trump is all about. What democrats are about? What
stake for them in their lives, like the numbers could start shifting. That's the other than any other built. Look an unnamed generic democrat led trump by this pole by three
in twenty nineteen. Now the unnamed are generic democrat leads trump by eight right, and that just goes to show that, like trump has become less popular between two thousand and nineteen, and now the problem is Biden led trump by
in two thousand and nineteen in this poll at this time analysis by five. So it is a it is a Biden issue yeah and I just the other. The other piece of this, too is people do not again. This is not a poll that shows donald from strength. It shows his weaknesses, people that are cheese,
in between two options. Their extremely unhappy with are not making a fuss.
And solid choice there.
This is not a like of. This is not up to us this, this regime,
It may mirror a lot of polls in the past, but it's not it's not stable, because this AP, because people's decision is from it, is stable, because people are really unhappy with their choices and they continue to have that feeling. Sore pal David Axelrod caused quite a stir when he said that Joe Biden needs to decide whether it's in his best interest for the country's best interests to keep running,
what you guys think of axes twitter fred. There I mean, let's just over the fact that David Axelrod is a good point.
New, genuinely cares about the future of the country and is not doing this to be a deck or because you want to hurt Joe Biden or you know any of their nefarious reason. You just worried, like everybody else, I think
What is so hard about this
situation we're all in his nobody wants to make. The mistakes are twenty. Sixteen again, nobody wants to
you know convince themselves that other no way democratic, loose pennsylvania.
No way that Hillary Clinton can't win to someone is terrible as a human being is donald trump terminology.
ass. The hard questions in kind of speech truthfully about these poles but
You also don't want to contribute to Joe Biden political problems by helping generate unhelpful narratives about his kinsey right. So that's the the deficient little the hard
place we're all stuck it, but at the end of the day, unless your dean, philip supporter,
or you excited by marian williamson you there's no one,
the democratic primary for you to vote for so- and I see no evidence that Joe eurobonds
sitting dropping out. So as much as I respect, acts rides opinion like. I dont think that job
and he's gonna listen to David acts, ride on this question, I don't think he's and listen to us either having this policy area
a group of friends and family and advisers there
in may or may not talk to you about a question like this, and so you know I get where access
from, but I also get why the white house is frustrated that he tweeted it you know, and so at your totally extremely small group of people, it probably smaller group of people than than most others right, like Biden has a very close circle and Joe Biden is going to make the decision and the only people he's going to listen to probably Jill Biden and valerie. His sister and probably not even brock obama right like not like it's a very small group of people, and so, if you focus on the things you can control and not the things you can't control, we cannot control we're not going to get like a a hashtag trending on twitter to get judge to put him to step aside like we cannot control this rate and an axe can't controller. No one can control it. So it's gotta be something that he decides now. If he did decide at some point to step aside, then you have camel hair.
who's still in this poll losing to trump by a little by just almost the same as Biden stood slightly better and then you've got Gavin newsom, Josh, shapiro, gretchen, whitmer, J b pritzker may be Raphael warnock, none of whom have been tested on the national stage or even in the polls. Yet
they'd have to get on the ballot in most primary states this month. Then, when are the debates
when and how do they all raise money? Has everyone has to choose between them by?
and you re familiar march when these primaries our non, nothing, that's all impossible. It like it, they can happen, but the alternative scenario where Joe Biden stepped down tomorrow brings a bunch of challenge
on its own that I think we should just beware of before ruins. Like all that's the that's, that would be the saving grace if he just stepped down like it.
There's a lot of challenges to that at this point? Does
It was very late. I also by the way, one reason there is a very small circle of people that Joe Biden would listen to. This question is Joe Biden. One reason Joe Biden is president is because he didn't listen to the people
who told him go that italy was? I had all the time goes through his steps had all the time and again and its right and, like you know not now,
You know wrong claims that this never underestimate how much people under underestimate Joe Biden. I think that's true. I think about that. I think that, in my own reaction is because you know I have this- we all have. These were all in
precision. Differences in the show is talking to people about their concerns about this and their concerns, and that that
much as they are worried about Joe Biden agent liabilities, if it that you don't feel certain that,
we want to live in a world tomorrow door, but Joe Biden, Seti, wasn't running and all of a sudden, not the fantasy of a perfect alternative, but the reality of a messy and very quick and very contentious process to choose an alternative is suddenly what we
dealing with I dont know what that's like. Neither do you now. It is anybody and so
I dont know like no. Our Democrats. We get along, we don't fight, sure sure primary that lasted a month or two. I think it would go
By this I mean I'm if Joe Biden did decide to drop it.
Tomorrow and I'm not saying I'm calling for him. I want him to or anything like that, but if he did, I'm actually fine with a messy primary. I think messy primaries are good. It gets
of attention only I'm an orderly fine it just it wouldn't be simple, no, my dear, if you jumped in tomorrow, you already wouldn't be on the back.
In about a new hampshire and you have to get
the debates in alabama Michigan in south carolina by the
this week in California,
or by the end of the month, so didn't credibly, complicated
business and that's why I think people finding phillips a fucking annoying because
even if people were like hungary for some time.
Philips in their lives? He should have done this a year ago. Not a week or two ago
I just and start playing out there. All gonna want to differentiate themselves from each other on issues. The progressive base activists are so
it'll be there demanding certain positions, just as an example, everyone gets in Joe Biden gets out and suddenly it's like who is going to call for a ceasefire right and which of you to cultivate, which renew who's going to say. No more aid to israel
and then you're gonna start dividing up the end, like things are going to get, and I just one issue: don't throw me with a guitar. I know your highness, but that's it. I just want to shoot right like there's, there's a whole bunch of other issues that are contentious and suddenly we're like after wages. I agree tommy that, like it, I do not fear primers. I never house, but it's it's a scenario. That's that's not without challenges. It is forty four years to the day since TED Kennedy,
side of he was gonna challenge Jimmy carter. I think that looms over a lot of this people are worried that they would jump in lose and leave behind a weakened Joe Biden, but underneath that is also, I think,
the reality that and look even Axelrod when he was asked about this by the times. If you have it, he did an interview after and he said, give me Joe Biden's record chop off ten to fifteen years. I'd be really confident right!
dean, philips closer me tat. We all dean probes goes on television is, as I'm not running against Joe Biden, I'm running for the future. Ok, what why what's different
why are you better? Why an end at the disdainful obscures kind approves the point of father
My alternated scenario is not automatically easiest. Neither yet brok obama can challenge Hillary Clinton and you can use a generational frame, but that's as part of an avatar for deeper cultural, political, ideological
differences which he laid out of what we can within the key one being supported for the iraq. Of course,
envelops, is out there having voted with Joe Biden, one hundred per cent of the time saying I'm better than him. Why I just like we are in one year in length, oh right in one year or four boxes
one of them is Joe Biden wins. One of them is Joe Biden loses. One of them is somebody else winds, and one of them is. Somebody else loses if, if Joe Biden stays in the race, we can't we will look. People will look back at this moment and say I told you so
it Joe Biden gets out and a Democrat loses. People will look back at this moment and say I told you so I dont care about. I told you, so I just think collectively collectively we had to be
honest about our own uncertainty and anxiety, that it is legitimate that it is real, but that nobody,
as an easy or simple answer: yeah yeah and you know what- and I actually don't worry about the conversation
and having discovered failed, and I don't really worry about access to it, because we just talked about the voters who are worried about here then
are not paying attention to this. Now they have now.
you were having this congress, it it's just the freaks right now, but just as us free area, you know, unlike if it Joe Biden goes through and he's is running at the nominee. Raul gonna just do every fuckin thing possible to get him elected, because donald trump in a second term is fucking, ten,
if I had a very smart, very thoughtful reporter today asked me if bronco bomber, commenting on the situation in Gaza, created political problems for Joe Biden and I very very carefully
They said. No,
Situation in Gaza creates political problems for Joe Biden right, because that is the core thinking
we all is our. I know it's the deceased or from additional it so
is what it is, but it's like yes in terms of the things that actual
move. People devoted actually paying attention to. It's not gonna, be this debate.
I'll have partly america is broadly by policy genius
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so the candidate who somehow leading the race for the presidency
took the stand and the new york civil fraud trial that could cost him his business empire donald trump for hours,
testimony included multiple rats.
Was yelling at the Laetitia James, the attorney general as yelling at the judge, or the judge at one point asked trump's lawyer to control his client. One point told trump: this isn't a political rally and then of course, trump.
couldn't help but talk to the cameras as he left the courtroom. Let's listen
What
here,
I think it's a very sad day for him seems like he's really
press the guy who's going to decide how much money he has to pay. That that's why I don't even want to act that I keep coming back to that. There is no good.
Now, george, there's no jury is televised, is not playing for the cameras the person
antagonizing is one hundred percent in charge and by the way, not his guilt or innocence. This guy already call them guilty,
a month ago. This is purely about assessing how much this guy wants to punish donald trump and he walks in every day, and just like put the thumb in his eye. Every fucking,
comes up with a new way to make. This judge actually fucking hate him, and I love it, and he does these little press avails from behind
couple layers of bike rack they mix him. Look like you
currently in prison by the way in which your point about them like doing worrying but other on things,
don junior and Eric testified. Last week of vodka testifies unwell,
they don junior and Eric. I believe-
blame there accountants or suggest they didn't look at financial statements, but then-
don junior, went on social media and basically spent three days whining that sam bagman freed got like a weirdly hot courtrooms
catch and they dont juniors made him look. Ugliness, hey man, maybe focus on the fact that s bf
it's gonna go to jail for a very long time and you don't want to do that either coreham sketch, though that was why oil as we heard effect, that they did not look like hell yeah in mountainous anyway, that's just an aside. I just I don't like. I know that. Sometimes we assign strategy to trump
and even if it's not like a well thought out strategy. It's like he's, got like a good instinct or is getting anything first
for being a showman or media whatever, but like there is. This is not instinct pissing off the judge. That's going to decide how much you owe this is him being an undisciplined fuck like yeah, it's like the guy he hit when you cause and he walked into the courtroom and they asked him.
And he did the like. He pretended to exhibit up his mouth raises under a gag our order. So
I knew that he shouldn't do this and then he just can't help himself. This is why we gotta get him out on the campaign. Trail again could get him out. There cover him all the time. The guy can't help himself. He always falls back into the undisciplined donald trump that screws himself
would like it's very it's very much like I'm an inner monologue that then pops out who is on the stand, and he said about the judge. He said he called me: a fraud
and he didn't know anything about me trump said referencing. The judge. The
the Jews in the room. First of all, rude to talk about somebody in the third person when they're sitting there. As then the judge retorts read my opinion. Perhaps
first time, does could on that.
There are times that live blog pointed out that he even embarked on an impassioned ode to his scottish golf course calling it the greatest golf course ever built again. Who is that helping to? I know so?
in case voters are put off by electing a convicted phelan who tried to overturn the last election. Perhaps frumps plans for a second term will give people pause the washington post reports. The trump intends to use the
justice department to not only investigate democratic opponents like Joe Biden in his family, but also former allies, have turned against him like bill bar and John Kelly. He's got the whole list of the who
plus- and this is even more alarming, because the the bill- barr John Kelly thing- I kind of left with roots, really alarming trump's goons- are reportedly drawing up plans to invoke the insert
an act as early as inauguration day to deploy the military against any antitrust protest. It has an aim. This
it is a group of outside people, as the name is called project. Twenty twenty five yeah, I houses the heritage foundation with happening over there
for the first time. Nothing good acceleration is now, but usually they're. Just talking about supply side economics. Now that they're now they're using the military against the american people like. Can we get enough people to care about that or or would voters rather a president who threatens them at gun?
wait. Then Joe Biden has little to old, yeah yeah put us in a fucking. Add put this and add people
I am not convinced, as one can work. Look at this. I care a lot about this in deploying the military against demonstrators, very bad,
he's told advisers who wants a permanent justice to investigate
his allies, apparently John Kelly's former chief of staff, said that in the first term trumpet tell his white ass council to have you,
b, I be investigated enemies and they were gonna pocket veto. Those kind of crazy demands
the second term, you're not going to have thoughtful reasonable people in any of these jobs. It's going to be the lunatics chosen by this heritage foundation. Group of
whoever it is yeah even miller. I I I do not think and sadly that people will give a shit that donald trump goes after bill, Barr and John Kelly or even Democrats, and I hate that, but I I I worry about what the polls would say about that. I do think military against
the american people is something that would get people going. I could be wrong, but I love you. Ve got to convince them. It's like real real story. I not just like hyper biden, reporting from yannick rats or whatever that's how I like. I dont, there's this we're in this vice grip again, which is that when trump is off the front pages, people forget how terrible he is and how monstrous yes. And then, when he's back on the front pages, that the tears of his horrors kind of meld together
and it ends up being a kind of like fire alarm. That's always going off about the ways hobbes, the justice department, his threat to to abortion rights, his his chaos, the fact
and you know that the military said they wouldn't launch nuclear weapons if he wanted to launch them the the unleashing the the the the cops into lafayette park. It's just like the crime in the
corruption and the scandal, and I don't I don't have an answer to it, but I do think that, like it does end up becoming either silence or noise,
and I don't I don't know I really gets its. We don't know if it's nothing right
no one's doing it and I think, like even on that one. I would we up. There's the images of the
across lafayette pardon when he tried to do it there, there's him saying he wished. He did it. He wished. He invoked the direction that we have, that
We have the washing posters a great like it just a story
headline around that you're gonna. I know it's there's challenges, but you can tell a story.
square. The circle bill bar john
general milly top military,
political aids outcrop. Maybe this
in them to sit down on camera and tell the stories that they tell to the atlantic on background or when they go to the aspen institute for a minute.
Drunk with you know the editors of some fancy magazine like sit down record these on camera. Tell us what you heard tells the worst stories, and maybe you can provide
this outcome, then includes you getting prosecute and we have. Some of em are doing that in turn the january six hearings and which I think hadn't
Fact in the outer did that the money is going to add, as trump has now taken to referring to the january six insurrectionists you been convicted as hostages. You see this and I think that the images of the capital and images of what these people dead and of the people who died in the chaos and you put a video of down trump.
Calling them hostages that he's basically saying or sometimes explicitly sometimes implicitly, that he will pardon and release. I think that's a pretty fucking dimming, because again one of his lois moments is when people
saw january sex, they really internalized just how dangerous he was to put that back in people's montoya. I do it's fun.
Turning the military against the american people is going to be it's chilling to pl, and I think that, like we had a really I mean you gotta figure out a way to make the case, because it's the truth, it's not just like a political attack. It's it's. What he's going to do with what he
to do before and like if for no other reason than that, you like we have to make that case, as it does also think. This think this ties back to the conversation we had about points. I do think that, like we're, where you know, where
Might our minds go right to write? What do you do how to react? What does it mean, but you step back from this and it's like, I think, a lot of people see a poll like that and like to your point or like I don't understand, I don't understand and you're like in the appointment.
is right, like people don't know they're not seeing it, these are the disaffected people. These are the people that aren't paying as close of attention. That's a big part of it, but another part of it, too, is like the fact that Joe Biden came in in the wake of a of a a pandemic facing a recalcitrant republican opposition and managed to get as much done as he did get done, and that he's not getting any
ready for it. That is obviously something the Joe Biden campaign has to deal with, something that we as people that want to make sure
a cracked winds has to deal with. But it is, I think, ok to point out like we are. We start with a hand,
cap of a media environment in which it is very hard for people to get informed
understand what's going on in the world and like that sucks that is really
straining that makes politics are slog, it makes it feel impossible and like
as an even that. Isn't yes, the job on campaigns
do without reality, but that's not on that's not on Democrats, that's not
on us as individuals who care about this, like that, is the reality of dealing with this broken system that made someone like trump eligible to be president. The first place metal. Let's not forget that if a if trump wins, it's very likely that the mikey Johnson remains speaker of the house and the more we learn about this guy
where he gets. Here's a clip from all the way back in that twenty twenty two I I first saw this proposal goes this for someone put unearthing this from the
early, two thousand and twenty twenty two we're johnson talks about using an app
that allows he and his son to monitor each other's potential porn intake
eyes is the software that I we ve been using a long time and our household it's a subscription based.
Make any money on this. I'm tellin you up, we use it. Ok, they're not endorsing,
I'm a user. It it scans, you, you obviously opt into it, but it's scans, every all the activity on your phone or
devices, your laptop haven't would have you we do all of it and then-
since a report to your accountability partner. So my colleague county boulevard arenas jack, my son right
and so he seventeen. So he and I get a report of all the things that are on our phone
er, oliver devices once a week. If anything, objectionable comes up. Your accountability, partner gets an immediate notice. I'm proud to tell you my son: is he's, got a clean slate arena, so who's
who's who's going to be a kind of youtuber going to be accountability partner. I got Dan yeah. First of all, I just it's hard enough being.
teenager these days without big brother, stopping you from masturbating. You know, like my I'm so proud. My son's devices are cleans like ok,
I guess he's using his imagination, the very that's fucking
in age boy, I don't care out of their health or how many bibles renounce there is enough
spoken understand the fact that amendment one,
in signs. That.
You know that I know that you know what it's like to be a teenage boy, and you are you know that I know, but we're not going to talk about that, we're not going to send any transparency reports we're not going to
don't get any slight being wiped clean, wiped clean white fats are like
This is fucking madness and I've seen a bunch of people on twitter be like oh, you know. I grew up in the evangelical church there apps like this. You know like this that that's the furthest thing from my upbringing so called chalk. Might that the cultural blindspot? For me, I guess, but
if having your accountability or you know at the spot, so blind having accountability partner, be your sunshine that is as amid having your accountability partner, be your son is so fucking, weird it that is so weird I also like someday he's going to snapped and just to get back at his dad he's going to go house on that phone in my junk is going to get quite a report someday.
Yeah. I know there's sort of it. There's a there's, so speaker, Johnson desired, bring us up, but
it sounds like, but for covenant eyes, you'd be whacking it off constantly or what? What are we talking about here? How badly do you need this as really sus that can keep you from looking at porn something deeper there? This is from this is from the promotional materials for covenant as the sensor app on all of your devices to form a network of
action? The victory app is where it all comes together: lucan racist,
exclusive content to help? You grow the whole point,
This is that exclusive content,
you grow. What are you
it's not going to stop. That is another thing
the enemy of these business, but isn't that what gods trying to stop us from doing by the way? Isn't god the covenant eyes?
why do you need an app to stop you if, god is seeing it all now we're getting into the the real rest of ignorant? Just saying you know why I just I really want to hear answer a question about MIKE Johnson in this app just for just for fun cause. You know it's going to be a
response is outright yeah, that you are here at ted: five: diet, junior
I want to hear from donald trump on the covenant cause that ruins in a while donald trump. He won't say anything bad, but have this smile on his face. Like he's like cause, we all know pennzoil the freak, because Donald trump does not want to be tied to the guy who's. This fucking freaky, like he was,
he's, not like that. I also what I wanted to be a debate question this week with pets.
I want to hear. I want hear a tim Scott talk about. It only run RON de uploaded talk,
here in the media and in pulling their like democratic
liberal and there were pushing this cultural agenda that some people, dont lichens foreign to them.
This is so much weirder than anything that item
party talks about this is batch. Hit me with that. We thought it was cool. To do. Visa
the car on the roof, romany and twelve campaign. That was, I did. I would I would be taken up
This thing, I will say I am sure to I- will do to not to make I don't wanna go it. I, like there are plenty of people like just to
internet porn. Like I am sure the next round of this story is gonna, be what we want china to your head, and then I had actually got a giant articulated article eight only for this vehicle. It janet
it is that I am eating
next round of this story is gonna, be conservative, saying that liberals, oh you think kid. You think you think kids
porn is good, and you want someone who I was and am glad that, like an and look like the the the creeping us of this aside, like
I'm sure there's gonna be around at all. I was getting at is going to be around a story about like internet porn is bad for a lot of teens and it is actually
I think really harmful for a lot of kids and it. It is like on a list of things that we want. One thing I thought when I saw this is like in the same way that light
Food is really unhealthy and their sugar in everything, so you need to either be more discipline than you than than you could ever
to achieve or internalized body positively. Despite that, the whole culture telling you that you should feel ugly that there's so
watch porn everywhere and you need to be disciplined and stop looking at it. We've got a real Clinton staffer here. Well, I do just that for I'm not running for anything, I've already read them or I'm running to get home. I got some cool continuity to watch, Lucy,
all I know is MIKE Johnson is given me a priest, a confession who wants to hear a little too much about your masturbation vibes, and I don't like. I don't like it at all. What are you now? What are you picturing? Nothing and what are they wearing in the in and they are wearing? What robes look? I o multiple. I just think it's unfair families to figure out.
those in no way I'd why they did not. I think they have taken these bodies are making us download covenant eyes now, not a second term national history. If you'd miltoners hustled recent history has no, I haven't
cute the way you guys did that together now now,
got some weird and how do you get you can use it to find out? We can import down like a redone anyway lives introduce our interview with Barack Obama wayward about before we get to our interview with brok obama few quickly
Keeping notes join us tonight, knock knock, knock. Housekeeper comes in. You forgot to pay me. Oh there's nothing. I can do what
Oh god join us tonight, tuesday night from four to nine p m pacific for our election night support group on the friends of the pod discord that'll, be fun, then, on Wednesday november, eighth, we'll be back on discord for our group thread that will cover the third republican primary debate. That should be fun. If you haven't joined friends of the pie,
yet you're missing out on lots of fun discord, lots of fun, you get great content. Terminally online we got more shows coming up, can be really fun head over to crikey dot com, slash friends and join also check out what a day in hysteria they're going to have their own breakdowns of tuesday's election results and what it all means so check all that out. Alright. Last thursday and friday we have the privilege of gathering in chicago with a couple of thousand of our closest friends, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of obama, winning the two thousand and eight election as part of the festivities that were hosts
the obama foundation tommy Dan Alyssa, and I got to sit down on stage with the man himself. We talked about how obama thinks about the election now, the future of democracy, the war in Gaza and what all of us can do to help save democracy and also, if you liked the two thousand and eight obama nostalgia, we have some great subscription exclusive content on this very topic, coming your way so again sign up or crooked dot com, slash friends to be
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Inter code crooked up what up I was wearing a jacket and then
there. Was you this whole fo
One thing I've been this way my whole life, but then Alyssa did remind me. You know that the whole shirt sleeve yeah roll up the sleeves thing that is
your very kind of the brand was yet for this crew. So
good to see everybody you to allow this year, but ok, so first questions for me. Ok,
some fifteen years ago a lot of people in this room were in grand park on. Arguably
The nicest night that Chicago ever could have given us whether wise, unbelievable and I know that all of us have talked over the years about
what do you remember this, and do you remember that, unlike our memories, have iterated, and so I just wanted to ask you: can you tell us what you think about that night when you look back on
I'll, be honest with you and so
you have heard me say this.
I felt pretty sober that night, because
I was fairly optimistic at that point that
we're going to win- and I had said
everybody on the cap.
pain trail to staff. That the point of view
was not the celebration standing up. The point of ridding was them to do the work, and I I have to say that.
By the time the official announcement was made, I was,
is spending a lot of time, thinking about the work and so
Then there was a satisfaction. The thing
Only that I remembered the most was
sitting in the hotel waiting for the final call and their bid
there's a took a picture of this. Somebody may have seen it. Michel was off, but the girls do somethin
in another corner of the room and I'm sitting there with michelle's mom and
we're just watching the television and she's just quiet and she's just sitting there, and I remember
Thinking to myself, what is what does this mean for her picture
born and raised in inglewood
on the south side had moved
then, to south shore married raised a family during her per childhood, even her going or being taken too
marshall fields or one of the department stores downtown. If she could go in, she would have been welcomed. She had family people, smart,
scale, tradesmen, some educators who
could never aspire to do more than do work in a factory or work as
clerk and so she sitting there? She is.
Witnessing that daughters about to be the first lady
in the united states, and- and I remember her just she was very quiet and then she just and she's, not a demonstrative person and she just reached out and held my hand, and I think I I that that's something that stayed with me. I was thinking about how much the world has changed over the last fifteen years and
obviously you dealt with your fair share of crises in the white house. We all remember that, but
We were never living in fear that if we lost the next election that we might lose our democracy and obviously that is a fear that is very much
with us right now, and I know you ve talked a lot about what it will take to protect democracy, and you know, that's involves policies that improve people's lives and structural reform,
strengthening institutions and winning elections, but you win.
I have talked a lot over the years about the power of a really good story.
And I wonder if you were running for president today
in this political environment-
this media environment, what
Or would you tell about why democracy is a better choice than what the demagogues and authoritarian or selling? So I think the starting point is to talk about the things that are uppermost on people's on people's minds, give your permission, structure to get to democracy red one, the things I
we learned about twenty. Sixteen is, if you are simply running against and fear.
And you don't have a positive story to tell about the concrete challenges that people face. Folks.
May not get to that higher level story about the meaning of the country, and so so I remember during the mid terms when I was asserted. Helpin folks out
one of the things that I really insisted on as well? We, we would need to talk about inflation and we need to talk about crime and we need to talk about immigration. We need to talk about the things that.
Are our uppermost in people's minds, are being fed to people and and and speak about those squarely and that's the gateway to then get to where we want to be so? Is so that's point number one like it. If you think back to what we did and in a way
twelve, ideally one when we were on our game during the course of the presidency that
The story really didn't change about america and
The story was, you have a bunch of peace,
will show up on the shores. Many of them outcasts, many of them escaping tyranny. Escaping
crushing poverty escaping discrimination as escaping cast and trying to make other lives. What,
they, they could and even more importantly, trying to make sure that their kids had something different and
It was always a from the very beginning.
a an experiment in overcoming the gap between ideals in reality and democracy, was never exactly as promised, and then we had a bunch of people who worked.
Together to realise that promise and I think the argument you we we can tap into right now. It is, is,
remembering reminding people of the fact that we ve been through stuff like this. Before.
But we ve been through areas in which not that long ago, in which by people were second class citizens in which gay people were in the closet out incessantly, because otherwise they might not be able to be employed or worse. We ve been in situations in which,
women were subordinate, and the good news is that, because we had this system of being able to persuade each other.
About the better angels of our nature in fits and starts, we got better, we are kinder, we got more tolerant and it was it's never been perfect and it's never been. It's always been missed.
but but there was that there was a pathway for us to express our best cells and, and- and that was true not just for democrats- it was true for republicans too, and so
I I think that's the starting point for them to be able to say, and then- and some of you have heard me say this- I know it's not as if the entire history of this country Democrats were on the right side of this thing.
Democrats for most of modern history up until the civil rights legislation, they were anti democratic and terrorized people and killed them for trying to exercise their democracy. So what we don't have clean hands- and I think
Acknowledging that isn't again an entryway, what I'm always trying to look for is a way to get to the point where
somebody who
otherwise one lesson and is fearful
and his angry and suspicious can stop.
because they feel as if I saw him for a second and I understood their lives, and in that moment maybe then I can persuade them that
This precious thing we have, which is our build,
the sort things out and exercise forbearance towards each other and understanding and just getting along and listening there. If I can get to that moment, then I think will be ok and an that's really be instinct, that people have look
Let's face it, we did well known in this last mid term, not because all the trend lines were in our favour. It was because the majority of people
believe in that story and I
Recognizes in their own lives and so to speak,
to them on those terms, is what's vital.
which is why I think, the last time we were together it all. I said that kind of forbearance,
We have to exercise, we have two model and exercise as well and
losing strategy for us, I think, is when we are so insistent on our purity
When we're so self righteous about our positions that we can't see those books
We're talking down to them, or we are our general attitude, is you know that we're going to convince you,
about how wrong you are
I have not seen that work yet and now look at the last point on it and I I I think about this a lot cause. I've been writing about it and.
there is there are times are moments. There is room for a prophetic voice, just radical truth, teller.
And not only is that sometimes satisfying by our
it's sometimes nice to hear that right, but you have to pick and choose your spots and you always have to even when you're in that mode, you've got to give people an opening to to you have to give them an invitation to to there's gotta be room for them. In that truth,
speak up. I'm telling you somethin, maybe that you don't want to hear, but you know what you are better
You can understand it and be a part of us addressing that truth. Speaking to us,
conversations. Last week you wrote this thoughtful
nuanced statement on the situation in Israel.
In Gaza.
Unfortunately, the the debate
online, especially on social media is not that it's
be very strident in dog in and a lot of people fighting and talking past each other,
Imagine is love people in this room where people listening at home, who see
what's happening, care deeply want to be educated, one who participate in the conversation,
but they're scared of saying the wrong thing. Hurting someone's feelings are necessarily or just kind of not knowing enough to participate and therefore that gonna tap out. What's your advice to people?
who want to participate in these debates that can feel so fraught about what the path is. Look
I always say,
probably would have been elected even to the senate. Certainly not presidency had
we're not been this weird convergence with the internet and early social media. I I I was an outsider and I didn't have the backing of institutions and organizations and.
There was so much power in seeing all these young boys is being able to gather together from every walk of life, but
Hey I'm dating myself. Now it was mostly myspace and meet up
and I always
I've been working a lot on
for media issues and misinformation. And now I I always point up, you know the thing about meet up. Was you had to meet up
because it's a pretty crude flintstone tool right here.
and we're gonna be in the church basement born on Saturday meet up.
pretty much the extent of the technology a court board and but but
reason? I tell that story is bad.
The power of meeting up is some
That all of you will remember whenever we walk into a campaign office, whatever
your idea of what an obama supporter was when you got into
the campaign office. Just as was true, if you went to a meet up meeting, is you ve got.
a young black woman with a nose ring and you ve got some middle aged white in flannel shirt and a buzz cut whose army veteran and you ve got
the spanish gay engineer and and
the reason that was powerful was because
You imagine at the first meet up mating. Ok, I've got it
something about what an obama supporters. But then, when I sit there, it turns out that that's that persons not actually completely like me and if they're talking, that means that they got some
Were ideas and- and I promise you all know- we had some corky volunteers and and had some who had some unexpected used that did not correspond to the litmus test of progressive ism.
Right the reason I'm telling that story is because what that allowed was for for all of us to see each other in their complexity and then
Still decide our and must work together and then maybe all go out not endorse
and make people were even more corky. So
going back to obviously a serious question. But there is always there's no way to avoid in this particular moment and on this particular issue. After so much blood has been spilled against the back.
of this history. It doesn't matter whether its online or in person there is going to be rage and anger, and and and not just generational, traumas renovated it that this is a century old stuff. That's coming to the fore, and you are be any witness that the kind of worst cruelty and and tragedy that can befall people with involving children and.
Spouses and grandparents and passions are going to be high. But what I will say is that if there is any chance of us being able to act constructively to do something, it will require an admission of complexity and maintaining
What went on the surface may seem contradictory ideas, but that what Hamas did was horrific and there is no justification for it, and what is also true is that the occupation and what's happening to palestine
Is is unbearable, and what is also true is that there is a history of the jewish people that
be dismissed unless your grandparents or your great pick grandparents or your uncle or your
Tell you stories about the madness of anti
what is, and what is true is that there are people right now who are dying, who have nothing to do.
What what Hamas been and what is true right,
We can go on for a while, and the problem,
what the social media and try and tiktok activism and try to debate this on that? Is you can't speak the truth you can protest.
To speak the truth. You can speak one side of the truth
and in some cases you can try to maintain your.
moral innocence by virtue of just
grabbing that slice of the truth.
But that will solve the problem.
And so, if you want to solve the problem, then you have to take in the whole truth.
And you then have to admit, nobody's hands are clean, that all of us are complicit too.
I'm degree I look at this and I think that what could I have done during
my presidency to move this forward. As
Hard, as I tried, I've got the scars to prove it, but there's a part of me that still saying well was there's something else. I could have done
that's the conversation. We should be Heaven not just looking backwards, but looking forward, and that can happen if.
We are confining ourselves to our outrage and even what I just said, which sounds very persuasive.
does knots does still doesn't answer the fact of our. How do we prevent kids from being killed today? So
which is why, in conversations that I've had with some of the young activists, I come with some humility and I say: look I get why you might not want to look at history and context and that's your primary concern, but the problem is: is that if you are dug in on that, the other side is dug in remembering the videos that Hamas took or what they did on seventh and they're dug into and which means we will not stop those kids from dying
So my advice to young people who want to get involved. I guess you it's not possible any mortal download made up whatever it is, but
approximate that I would rather see you in out there talking to people, including people whom you disagree with it. If you
Genuinely want to change this.
you ve got to figure out how to speak to somebody on the other side and list
to them, and us.
stand what they are taught
About a knot and not dismiss it because you can't say that child and without their help not in this situation,
We want all the time. That's that's zeros bare arm what come on. You guys know me. I don't know,
bake me with a question like that, and then that is why I could never when these two
it's, it's actually being last question, that's right
one on outside, sir, you
You sat down with us on your left
it's full day in the white house, which is unsure how you planned to celebrate the end of your presidency. Did you did
and it in an interview. You talked about how you saw you legacy
you said that you wanted you legacy to be not necessarily the policies you passed, but with the people who got involved in politics through your campaigns, your administration we're still doing years,
waiter to effect change. So here we are on the fifteenth anniversary of your election thanks.
of alumni are here and as one of its close
out here to get your reaction to what you see from what the people in this room are doing and how it makes you feel.
I mean I am beaming with pride. I am
Listening to jesse and and Lauren
I've had a chance your yesterday, obviously I stopped by your drunken.
Bought em all
I had a chance just now to speak, to some of our more senior team and an
Many some of you have already heard this, but I'm gonna repeated cause. I just did bears repeating.
I actually generally m not nostalgic as I am writing
about the presidency, as I think about the presences. As I look at current issues,
I tend to remember them
stakes I made an end.
the doubts and questions I have and that the things I didn't get done an end. I am, and I dont look
Things through rose, colored glasses. I remember our hard every step of the way was, but, as I bet I just mentioned, the team, the people, the family, but culture that we construct.
That feels as true
as anything in my life it and it was reflected
On the campaign and was reflected the white house, there was, as Michel said, reflected in people in high profile positions in the west wing Andy's doing it was,
elected in people who are working out of the limelight and agencies and embassies. It was reflected by a bunch of kids, dropped off in the middle of farms and have arab communities.
They had never imagine themselves being in
and yet somehow a bunch of twenty five
some younger, would persuade these communities that we had a chance to be better and and listen to each other and treat each other with respect.
And and the fact that somehow bat sustained itself across this many people.
There's just a fraction of the people who were involved in the bed now is carried forward, whether it's somewhere,
Like Lauren in congress or a helen, there suddenly goes to get out
or its.
somebody like jesse. You also,
The folks. You saw the video who are in there
on communities, transforming the culture of those communities and modeling that kindness and hard work than responsibility in consideration and openness to other people. That gets me,
Choked up that makes me proud, that's, and that is something that
I think, part of what sometimes all of us who were part of this struggle with is. We know that's out there in the country
Right, we can feel it, and we know that that when people have.
chance to feel bad.
In themselves and in burma.
communities and in their neighbors they feel better than they do
wonder angry and hateful and close off and lonely and anne and feeling victimized. We
We know that then, and so there's a part of us. I think sometimes we just saw so often
what we're trying to figure out us is how? How can we remind people that not any particular campaign, but the fact that
honest. Human response is available to us
and will ultimately save us. That's that's why I'm so proud of all of you, but that's the thing that doesn't get old and
stay with me and keeps meagre president obama. Thank you so much for doing this, making for bringing us all together and thank you for giving every single person in this room and in countless others the chance to to go on this journey.
I appreciate you guys, love the pod. Save America is a crooked media production or producers or olivia martinez and David Toledo. Our associate producer is fairest, safari writing support from halle kiefer reach. Ireland is our executive producer. The show is mixed in
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madeline herrings is our head of news and programming met to growth? Is our head of production? Andy Taft is our executive assistant thanks to our digital tv,
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Transcript generated on 2023-11-09.