Sometimes it feels like american society. If not, the whole world is falling apart. The ocean is on fire people are fighting on airplanes and, worst of all, every movie seems to be a remains of a re, make a marvel at aunt and when you feel that way, it honestly becomes pretty hard to care about the nuts and bolts modern limit. But the more I thought about it. The more have come to believe that the on slot of grim news can just as easily servers drive for arming people the knowledge they need to make things better, even if only a little then I'm brian boiler every week on positively dreadful guests, and I will break down an issue that is contributing to your eggs and tap into the power of understand new episodes of positive, a dreadful premier, each riding with an unhappy plot cast spotify or wherever you get your pipe costs.

The welcome to pod save america of John fabra of dan pfeiffer on today's show Democrats look to finish twenty twenty two on a high note, while republicans look like a train wreck. Paul show run. Dissent is beating three time loser. Donald trump as floored is governed, tries to out crazy the states craziest resident, but that was before them a kings, major announcement today. Aren't we lucky we are we are very lucky today because we have dan in studio, and we talk about trumps me I try as soon as trump truth that he had a major announcement. First wipe it out here had me here for us so well.

but then a little bit and then new york times reporter. Mike Isaac joins to talk about the queue and on its new love affair, with twitters new owner first quit, update on our holiday schedule, you'll be able to hear our annual holidays, mailbag episode next tuesday December twentieth. are what a year special on thursday. The twenty second then were offer a week and then will be on our regular schedule, starting on tuesday january third, over the You should also check out crookedness podcast work, appropriate where author and host in Helen peterson brings on experts to help find answers to all of your workplace questions. New episodes drop every wednesday and finally, we want thank you again for all the ways you volunteered donated tex, banked emailed and knocked on doors for the mid terms are friends of votes of amerika have compiled at all in one place. It votes if america dot com, slash twenty twenty to go.

look at your impact and enjoy a well deserved victory. Lap during your holiday break I'll get to the news after A historically good midterm election democrats are feeling hopeful. Inflation is down gas prices or die. the economy is growing. President binds judges are being confirmed at a record pace. He signed a law, in gay and interracial marriage this week, and both parties have struck a deal on a budget framework that would fund government for a full year and reform. The electoral count act to help prevent a future coup says the times pop, the champagne yet or what you know me.

Always a glass of champagne. Half for I suppose the budget deal could still fall apart over the next week chair because they they agreed on a framework which is not an actual budget, but at the very least it seems like democrats and a good number of senate republicans, including much mcconnell, want to get something done while Nancy. Lucy is still speaker of the house. Why is tat well before either that I would like to know that think, all the things you said are great and that this could have been much much worse. Yet I was, but I am concerned that we have to pass a law detecting interracial marriage, here's one yeah. You know, a great statement about the state of affairs in this country. Well, you know you got clarence thomas on the supreme court suggests just riding in you in dobbs that maybe interracial marriage, maybe gay marriage. Maybe contraception is next

but anyway, let's get back to the budget, deal yeah yeah and we should also say there's a few other things that fell out. That would have been important to include in sort of this lame duck session. There was some hope that the child tax credit we're getting living at home. I don't know Peter forgot who erased Joe mansion from existing us up. There's also, though, It would be a deal that Our independent friend, kirsten cinema and tom tell us we're working out on dreamers on protecting the dreamers. There's gonna be an immigration deal that just fell out so there's a few things that fell out of this package at the end of the year. That sort of it sucks that they fell out, but hopefully we find If the government for a year and the electoral count reform act would be a big deal if we get that done as well net, that would that would that would be superb.

Why are they working so feverish lee to to get this done before miss MC connell's, republican colleague, Kevin Mccarthy or some other republican copied takes over the house? Because if there is one thing, the democrats and republicans on capital hill can agree on? Is it Kevin mccarthy's, an incompetent, looser and so think about this? These republicans are voting for this deal believe in republican principles, but like a more republican friendly budget, deal better for corporations, less good for people who need help or whatever makes up conservative ideology in the back era. and they would certainly have a better chance of doing that with republic. In control of the house rent, but they think Kevin Mccarthy is so dangerously die.

And so weak or whoever replaces him so daintily, dumb and so weak that they probably can't get a real deal done and a government with likely shut up, so they they are basically taken. this decision away from the house republicans because they think they are not up to doing it yet, and it's not just how they feel about Kevin Mccarthy, They say that the whole most of the republican caucus in the house is a bunch of lunatics, but they would be correct right and I think there are a number of lunatics in the Senate republican congress as well, that are going to try to oppose this deal, but I think that Mcconnell probably believes he can get this thing done that he has enough votes to get this name healing it's ten ready. We needs ten. So that's where we are, and Kevin mccarthy by the way is like telling house republicans to be against whatever deal comes out of this. Whatever deal they end up with,

and and so that we're not they're, not gonna, get any republican votes in the house, but Kevin Mccarthy privately is probably hoping that the deal gets done because even he knows he's weak and incompetent yeah yes yeah. I think he would like to hear what he is going to vote no school about. He told her publican cock ass. He is, I quote, hell no on the vote right, but he would. He doesn't want us on his plate. He would much prefer not ever with us. So Mccarthy also still doesn't the votes to be speaker even after the new york times reports that donald trump himself has been calling house republicans on behalf of kevin. Meanwhile be five core members of after Kevin caucus, told axios. They intend to vote as a group So if they vote, no, we got ourselves a fact. Cabin after we got How do you think Mccarthy gets the never kevin votes also by the way there is now the b. I guess you want

the moderates. Whatever you call them the people who back Kevin Mccarthy, they have started to oppose the never kevin caucus they have started and only Kevin caucus with little buttons that you say gear, which is more enthusiasm than anyone has ever had forgiven. Mccarthy. How funny is that it's like the the most fervent back. Kevin Mccarthy. All they can muster is a little button that says. Ok, like was Kevin. Forever so hard. So how does we're going to get this done? What happens if he doesn't the republic in the conservatives, the anti de the never Kevin's I guess never governs as nine okays. The not ok is, They have made a list of demands of Kevin Mccarthy which a summit? she can easily do lag. Various investigations, yes

seventy two hours between when a bill is released and voted upon some things like that. But there is one specific demand they want, which is a they have the ability to have something called a motion to vacate the chair. which means that at any time at any moment, a member of congress can make a motion to basically have another vote on the speaker and to ask them and that is eventually how John vainer got pushed out of congress because mark meadows, who would go on to move to, let us to commit many granitic run all of which will be recorded in tax to various people, but the message bandit, I guess what the fuck is he I made that motion about painter, and so that went away ah that so that is not a that does not currently exist and mccarthy has refused to do it. He has gotten a group of fifty or so modern house mars us up at the mccarthy is going to get this

By giving them almost everything they want, including maybe eventually the motion to vacate the check, as he has no other option. He benefits from the fact, as we sit here, is that there is no other person who seems to want the job who can at more than thirty votes and the thing that probably scares mccarthy, the most is that at some point they will go to Steve's, galicia, while in punch ball went to cease. Gleeson asked if he'd heard from members who would like him to become speaker instead of mccarthy and all We said in response to that was I've. Had a lot of meetings with members and world all talking about the agenda that we care about together, like you just his he's, leaving it open. This is how Paul ryan became speaker, because mccarthy was the heir apparent when banner was forced out by meadows and he then

had you drop out for a whole host of reasons, the one of whom was he as a as part of his bid to show that he should be speaker. He claimed that the Benghazi hearings were effective because they hurt Hillary Clinton. Politically and which seemed to be saying the quiet part out loud yeah. In this day and age, there would probably be clearly appropriate to even use even hearing that from you, even though I I've lived through that have like so quaint you have a two thousand and fifteen was a different era.

we got drummed out and they went to Paul ryan, and so the fear here is that Steve Scully's good pension is like laying in wait for when mccarthy, either can't get the votes before the vote or fails on the first vote, which he is currently on a trajectory to do. There's also some reporting, I think, playbook around, like what mccarthy might be able to give the never caverns, is a compromise on the motion to vacate, because right now, what they want, as any member can, can hold a vote, leaving that maybe you know he offers them a deal like. Okay, thirty to forty percent of the caucus hester has to put forward,

wishing to vacate for it to actually happen. So maybe he could like live with that and has republicans also plan on reinstating a rule that allows congress to zero out the salaries of individual government officials. Now the house can go ahead and do this. It won't pass the senate since democrats have control and Joe Biden has a veto pen, but I think that goes just goes to show. When we look forward to the I the debt limit fight, it's not just that republicans could would hold the economy hostage for spending cuts for getting rid of social security. For getting rid of medicare, whatever they want to do, they could also try to games around aren't. You have special council Jack Psmith, whose investigating donald trump organisers out his salary. And if you don't do that, then we all blocked the global economy of the debts like there's a whole bunch of shit. They can do here. That's very ring us hunter Biden right, bring exactly it.

in basically, Mccarthy is going to have to commit to a bunch of perform it of nonsense and to the with that has durham, Eric implications because of the the debt ceiling. As this one point of leverage that this otherwise powerless body has yet wherein fur I mean we'll see how happens with this vote and if Mccarthy can get in a strike. Some deals before the vote. Butler I know you got one round and here When you go second round is still doesn't when at some point you really could see them say: ok, well, the compromises sculleries Scully's know for sure, for sure I have to say, I'm legitimately looking forward to podcasting about those in january metres high on my list of and I- and I genuinely don't know, what's going to happen like I- could see Mccarthy striking some deal, because none of these people have principles so they're all they're all willing to strike. I could see that happening or I could see it becoming total chaos, so trump might be the only person

politics having a worse end of the year than his kevin until today, until well, so to know is this. We have him losing a they had match up with two santas by double digits and he now has the lowest favour rating among voters, since he first announced for president in twenty fifteen. But of course these poles were all conducted before what try, build as a major announcement that broke just before we started. Recording take a lesson, hello, everyone? This is donald trump. Hopefully your favorite, president of all time, better than lincoln better than washington with important announcement to make I'm doing first official donald Jake trump and have to collect. Right here and right now, they're called trump digital Trading cards each

it comes with an automatic chance to win amazing prizes. Like dinner with me, I dunno, if that's an amazing prize, but it's what we have or golf with you and a group of your friends at one of my beautiful forces and they are beautiful, em all doing. Zoom draws a one on one meeting ordered, having memorabilia and so tomorrow, would you allow my official digital trading guides ninety nine dollars which doesn't sound like very much for what you're getting so as one but her followers said it's. The grief that keeps on drifting linda It's important note. This is not a fund raising tactic for his campaign. These are not enough, tease, memorabilia chance to win dinner with tromp. If you give five dollars or ten hours our argument, this is they going into his own pocket yeah, it's just it's stunning, from a guy who it's like it's hard for him to surprise us.

I was surprised I was shocked. I was absolutely shocked. I didn't think I was not under the illusion that the major announcement, we all that major, because the man just like will do anything to get attention, but just the the the naked transparency of the griffin there's like nothing. This is a dream Hang it up with. Anything else is just like give me my for nothing. I think you're gonna hear from a lotta crypto botz for that, for that is that it is at john fabs there is an entire industry, of which trump has participated and of trump memorabilia. If he ever watch fox, is now recommended the either these commemorative trump gold coins that exist. If you can buy this trip tromp water colours of him. I crossing the delaware, whatever else, but I would, as I like, stockings dovers b

you still have a of weeks, but to get these trumpet digital training herds, you need, according to the fine print of this, a functioning crypto. Why Of course. What do you think the overlap is a people with functional, while I've learned is that those that, when dagger in those days, it was never meet. I mean it was also possibly a money laundering scheme for people who want to give trump money to do it in a way in which no one will ever know they did it. Yeah yeah, that's possible, I mean so obviously, trump's pivot, from dining with nazis to hawking and f t's is impeccably timed, you look at the crypto marking and but you gotta get in. While the things go in that trunk buys the dip. The did buys the dip impeccably timed. Typically shrewd gambit to change the narrative and command the spotlight, but will it work?

My work I mean I just so about. We just renamed this black ass, the situation room. I have. handed to the white house they. Immediately tweeted a treat from president Biden. That said, I've had some major announcements to or inflation. Lower gas prices. Brittany greener comes home, gay marriage. I like it was well done. They made one of the major announced or think unless you think that, where our laughing about this us us lips were all having a good, I'm and- and really this is a move. That's going to excite the base, the dont donald trump space, the maggots the mega diehards here's how its landing here are. The major announcement is landing with the trump fans over it. Newsman. Very breaking news right now here is that announcement. The major announcement by before the president of the united states

he says this is my official donald trump digital trading card collection, is here. Are these limited edition cards featuring art of my life and career? You can collect all your favorite truck digital cards very much like a baseball card, but hopefully much more exciting. It says way. I believe they'll go quickly, so That is his major announcement. Many thought it would be political, many thought it would be about maybe creating a new party. I mean there was so much speculation on this, but it's not that it's a digital trading card. It's ninety nine bucks and he said it would make a great christmas gift. So there's a bunch of interesting timing for that yeah there you go. That's that there's the announcement perfect just what I just love, but it's not that it's a digital trading, interesting timing are now on their way a number of tweets from.

and I diehards a surfaced over the last several hours of some of like trumps biggest fans, just showing real disappointment in this announcement. Is it possible this could do him actual damage among his mega media fan base. Maybe I don't know that we will like look back and be like this is the moment it all fell apart for trump, but he is at his as you did in the in the run. Up to this he is at his weakest point, there. In a long time, he's had a miserable several weeks. He's numbers dropping his primary opponents. Numbers are searching and his response is a patently ridiculous, drift, and that does matter read. It says something about the state of his campaign. The state of his strategy raises questions about whether, where we know how much his corroded black heart is in this rightly just its Eighty artic, it is absolutely idiotic and

when you are beating every one in the polls, and you are the income president with a dedicated base. You can get away with a lot of videos, when you are in the position he's in right now that idiocy can hurt you, I think the vast majority of trump voters may not ever even hear about but he's in a primary now and then committed pundits activists mega world people. They're gonna pay attention and not too many them. We can be happy about this, like adding trumps appeal, has always ban that his enemies or your enemies, and he a con man who can make a rigged system work for you right. That's like the that's, that's the appeal, but now he's openly pitching himself as con man who just want to make money for himself and like avenge his last defeat and that's it, and I dont know that a lot of his fans are gonna wanna,

well along for that ride, because selfishly there's nothing in it for them. You know people are making comparisons about. Oh well, everyone was laughing at him in two thousand and fifteen and earlier and yes that was true, but then he was out there talking about saying horrible things about immigrants, if, like that, like, he was at least aligning himself with the feelings of the mega base. At that point, or at least some segment of the population who loved hearing his a phobic racist tirade right and now like. What's in it for any voter with donald trump, he was just going to make money near his twenty. Sixteen appeal- and I use appeal in the broadest sense of that word- was that he was a giant asshole, but he was gonna, be a giant asshole on your. Now he has a giant asshole now, just who is all about himself about no one else.

Every minute in your morning, routine counts, and I get that my name is Jeff Pierre, host of the seven from the washington post. It's a new I cast where we give you the seven most important and interesting stories of the day and all in just a few minutes, you'll be caught up and ready to drop knowledge without missing a beat. I promise listen to the seven weekday mornings. follow the so now I'll meet you there give you or a loved one is living with a pacemaker, implantable electronic device? There is a risk of developing an infection within three years of implantation. This urgent help better facts one in twenty patients, which has prompted the american heart association to introduce the national cardiac implantable electronic device infection initiative to improve awareness, detection and appropriate treatment of sea. Already infections learn more it hard dot, org ports last see. I e the infection

I folks it's me chris gathered and I host beautiful anonymous. Every week I talked to one anonymous person on the phone for an hour for sometimes it's funny. Sometimes it's inspirational. It's heartbreaking. It gets dark. All of the above. I've talked to somebody found love in a mental hospital to a woman who is about to turn yourself over the federal authorities, a mother waiting on the results of their daughters. Cancer diagnosis, so many more look out for new episode, beautiful anonymous, every tuesday, listen and subscribe to beautiful, anonymous on stitcher apple podcasts, the sirius Xm app or your favorite podcast, app Let's talk about floored as other, because hassle rhonda santa's, he is taking advantage of trumps weakness by trying to out mag of the maghreb king on tuesday, dissent is called for a state grandeur. to investigate, quote crimes and wrong doing related to the covert nineteen vaccines. Even though the scientists has gotten the vaccine himself and called them life

having he's now insinuating, contrary to all scientific evidence that they may be ineffective and dangerous for we get into the politics of. Why he's doing this? Can we talk about why this is just not from a public health perspective because seen save lives. I mean there's no scientific basis to do what he is he's making two absolutely incorrect and deeply the deirdre points. One is, he is taking out of context unproven allegations that backs that individual people suffered from getting axing. We don't know any evidence of that. We obviously know that, while over a hundred and people got vaccinated, and you don't hear these reports, it's it's cherry picking. Anecdotes is part one part two is to say that, because the vaccine it does not give you one hundred per cent protection about getting from getting infection. It serves no purpose.

So if the vaccine could possibly com- These adverse reactions to you an serves no purpose. You shouldn't get it what everyone knows is that it may not one hundred percent keep you from getting the virus, but it does much less likely you get it and it makes it dreamily less like a bit, you could possibly get very second die. They are lifesavers in this is bigger than covert, because what he is trying to do here is he is writing a surge in broad anti back sentiment in this country propelled by covet propelled by the anti back scriptores, who use the pandemic to do that that is affecting ever that you are seeing and somewhat. holidays, maggot, extremist republicans, trying to undo vaccine mandates for things like measles and monson rubella smallpox polio, and when that happens, it means that these diseases could come back.

It also puts at risk. Emu, no compromise children and others who may not be able to get the vaccines is an incredibly dangerous thing to do. He is insinuated many times now that public health officials lied about vaccines, reducing the transmission of covert, like you said, and when they said that vaccines would reduce the transmission of coded. It was before arma cron, which is much more munich aces than the other strains of coven nineteen, and so yes, the vaccines actually still do reduce transmission, but not by nearly as much as they did with the original strain. That is not the fault of public health officials. That's the fact that the virus evolved and, like you said, if you get the vaccine, you're still gonna moat. Most people are still going to be kept out of the hospital and a life. That's

it's also a fact that your chance of an adverse reactions from the vaccine is not zero, but it's pretty close to zero. It's like point: zero, zero, zero, one percent. That is that, as the range we're talking about here, meanwhile, over three billion wives in america alone, have been saved by the vaccine, so the risk of an adverse effect, minuscule envy. The good that the vaccines by keeping out of the hospital and saving lives, has been well documented? Not only in this country but all over the world? It's fucking that he's doing this, no one is greater probabilities in math getting the vaccine is financially safer than ninety nine point: nine percent of things you do every single day in your life totally, if you think that is dangerous. Don't drive a car rental walk on the street. It's so up adviser, told politico this is a shot across the bows we no exact

we what run as up to what is he up to and in how is it a shot? A trump to understand this? You have to go back to two moments in twenty twenty one. both at a rally in mississippi and at an event with bill reilly in Dallas texas. Why really taken us on a journey to bear with me? It will bear fruit. Donald trump told the crowd that he got his booster in both those instances. Leap entirely. Pro trump crowd booed Donald and donald trumps. It says so much about modern republican party by magda base that the only positive thing you could pass the say about donald trump handling the pandemic is the vaccines were developed on his watch. Now I am not saying anything to do with that. I don't think he was in the laboratory and that he was meeting with scientists, but he did not fuck it up

oh, my romantic or when it came to operate and works in so he should be that this would be one of the issues I have a lot of accomplishing. This should be one of them, but the but the one thing he did right is his one major weakness with his base, and so this is a way in which reindeer santas is trying to get to trump's right on something just the most cynical tactic imaginable like as Jonathan last over at the bulwark- and you know he wrote a piece on this today and he pointed out that, like none of this is going anywhere great, like a de santa saying, I'm going to convene a grand jury like there are going to find anything, but this is sort of part and parcel with all of de santas

strategies and and dumb little stunts, that he's done like the courts blocked. His stop woke act for schools, which everyone knew was crazy and the courts were gonna blog it. They blocked his disney punishment. Member he's going to take away their tax breaks, they blocked his fake voter fraud arrests. But does it is fine with all that, because his hold the whole point of this is, as last says, he's it's. The governing version of shit posting. All he wants is the head mine's and he's pretty sure, it's not actually gonna work. Maybe it will maybe he'll get lucky. You'll find some right wing judge that, ah, that that goes with it. But all he wants is the headlines. He he just wants, like the appeal, the trump once had for his enemies to be your enemies and he's going to show you that he fights those enemies he's going to get those headlines and the question is: does this work for him and does getting to trump's right on vaccines? Work might be the

This is if the primary was being run in twenty twenty one, maybe but like next year. We're would be talking about covert response and donald trump card responds back and twenty twenty and vaccines. I don't know. I think it is too diabolical by half yeah If these vaccines were so dangerous, why did Rhonda santa's get them if these values, dangerous. Why did Rhonda Santa's his government distribute them to people all across a set of florida? does he's going to claim that, like oh, he was just, he was fooled. He was lied to that's not going to work really well either it's just it's not. They have not thought through the second separate. It is effective in the government. Doll shit posting view in the sense that we are talking about it today, and that was the because that's what the migrant start! We talked about. This yeah he's very good at getting attention. He may even be better at it in some ways than trump

More disciplined right now, it is, I will say, was for. We offer a couple weeks, you things, get really snifty collection, unbelievable it's so it is. So if I did not expect, Yet I would not what I would have never guessed it, but it is perfect what the chances are that there is going to be a winner who gets to dine with trump I go down with anyone who I think he famously deeds. Several meals with tromp that gave the waiter in the campaign in met with none of those people. I think I may remember that happening or give dance card is filled with nazis, If you think you know what you do not have time to deal with, anyone see should instead, the nick one days was a random draw and had to do it and pages. Ninety I'd bucks there looked sweepstakes rules are sweepstakes rules as we. twenty twenty two, how you feeling don vs run. A serious is the threat posed by dissenters defect.

thing. Is we sit here today? It is very clear that there is a opportunity for a right wing stream is candidate. Who is not donald trump to win this primary? I do I think we know that that person is rhonda santas. As far as I can tell no one, as I said before, it is heard him speak publicly and months. Can you even tell me will run distances? Voice sounds like yeah. He just like goes out. Does a press conference bitches it reporters yells at them about something, and then just goes back in and whatever here. He is an idea. He is a avatar for a smarter This does mean trump without the baggage, and I did whether he really and pull that off whether he, when he gets into an actual fight with trump, can punch back? Can he communicate with humans on a personal level? There's a lot of reason to suspect he can't there are alot. so. I think we should not think of rwanda santa's as this over.

My favorite or this person, but that the rendezvous the success says something about where the republican primary mindset isn't. That means it's someone other than trump could win. That nomination, I would say trump is still the favourite yeah for that, just because of institutional advantageth is a name I d and just connection with the basin and he's a head of everyone else, but he is, as you said weaker than he had ever been and seen and had a poor today as well that just like, even though there is a substantial percentage of republicans who are open to some one else, but its trump and naturally dont want trumped her again. If you then ask them: ok what if trumps the nominee they're, all fine or at least of the van, The majority of them are fine and will back him. So, like you said, there's an opening and I do think trump is. I mean the nfc thing is funny it's it's. Like almost sat, I have never felt

pity not villa gonna like a nice way, but like I have never seen him is such a pitiful human being then watch that announcement today. That is just fucking awful its. It is it is he he looks more like a loser. Now that I think he's ever he's he's. Never looked as big as like as big of a loser as he looks. it sort of like when you see actors who used to be a big deal like doing a infomercial or on cuvier sea or Neither of these testosterone ads Frank, thomas? The baseball hall of fame doing that every time I see it like my heart breaks a little bit and I think that sort of our trump as it is in this sort of desperate twilight of your career pitch man face and he's running for present. At the same time, it's wonderful before we get to the interview, we promised you, we would nerd about the mid terms. When we got data, that's more reliable than exit polls, people, I'm sure we were wholly

it's enough for almost everyday. If it works video, you promised us, the data has been out nerve where's, the noting you know it in that moment is here so the new year, I'm nate cone had a peace this week. That explains how republicans lost the mid terms, despite winning the popular vote by three points that national I was popular vote, was fifty one. Forty eight republicans and I think, if you take out uncontested races, it still like two points. They won by the geo p also performed better than donald trump. Twenty twenty campaign in nearly every state they over performed in districts with large black and hispanic populations, and if the mid terms were a presidential election house, republicans would have one with two hundred and ninety seven electoral votes. So knowing all this wider republicans lose the senate and barely when the house three,

reasons one is canada. Quality republicans nominated, really terrible candidates, particular in the senate, but also in a number of house races. They gave democrats an opportunity they would not otherwise have these kids were so bad that there were voters who, under normal circumstances would have voted for something resembling a generic republican, but they do not get a generic republican. They got unfit, corrupt out of touch with reality, dangerous individuals who are obviously dangerous. Individuals second reason is tops. The dogs decision was a had a clear political event that changed everything in this election and possibly for elections to come, and it made real the extremism of the republicans and they did not seem to simply as an effect at something it would affect everyone's lives. Republicans and double down on that hearing by offering, in the wake of the dobbs ruling, a series of extreme positions on abortion. Same sex, marriage-

contraception banning books all of that is very very on they made a baby. They burst extreme adopts. May the extremism argument so real that it trump the economy, it's why? That half of voters who somewhat disapproved of Biden picked a democrat or republican in both two thousand and fourteen and two thousand and eighteen those voters who somewhat disapprove of the incumbent president voted for the other party by more than two thirds, and so that is the gap in the system. The third reason is this: action, primarily cena, but also the house took place in one of the most favorable maps the Democrats will ever have and it is every or all six of states that had the core senate races Democrats, one five of those ex when states the Joe Biden won cases, one quite narrowly but we did not. We could expand our the majority with out flipping a single state, the donald trump when we have to win a north carolina florida and the house map because of readers

I think this is a rare thing to say, but has actually less republican than it has been in a decade there are actually a majority of seats in the country that Joe Biden one now he won many of them quite narrowly, and we and we lost some of those seats but this was a much better map that sort of served as a a levy against, a red wave and gave us some advantages and it had more seats that we could win that it and we otherwise I would add one more reason you set about cannon, equality in terms of republicans nominating really bad candidates in Democrats also had really good candidates and ran really good campaigns and neat points this out in the peace. If lookit colorado, for example, colorado was the one state where Republicans nominated fer, a senate candidate sort of like an anti trump Republican, who is to be reasonable and more moderate. By and Michael Bennet, still won by a lot more than he probably should of in this

environment were republicans when the national house vote by three, and that happened also in a lot of house districts where the republican candidate was not a typical mag extremists. But just like your standard republican Democrats ran really smart effective. Campaigns. They had good candidates, they had good adds. Good strategies and, like you know, we spent a lot of time criticising telegraphs first up here and there, and especially of like the the online pundit class of Democrats, but the people who are running the campaigns, the candidates, their campaign managers, their strategist, like they did a good job and a lot of these places, which is why Democrats did better in almost all of the battleground districts in states where there were fierce campaigns waged. Then some of the distance, in states where there weren't as competitive campaigns the Joe o day, which I think is the name of yet of bennett's upon it like that was a real thing where a lot of saying that he was gonna, wait or do incredibly well that the idea of you stepped back to you

you think you're going to out reasonable. Ben America's knows a reasonable man. So what Any implications does all this have for twenty twenty four, as we look ahead to both the presidential and then the house in centuries there. I think we have Two, as you just did celebrate successes of this race, give credit to the democratic candidate, the democratic campaign. the terrible c d s, you see, the white house president Biden, everyone for pulling off something. No one thought was possible. The fact that we have fifty one centre votes effective. The house, majority is so narrow that we have a very good shot at getting it back in twenty four is a tremendous success, so we have to do that, while also recognising the fragility victory that, as you point out, underneath all success are some signs that are quite worrying and they speak too.

long term challenges for the party, in the reason why, in port What nasa fragility is we are so close. Every elections can be so classes as we decided on the margins, and I think you were there for this, but in When eleven, the obama senior staff did a off site retreat, ehrlich planning, what the next two years we're going to look like we had a bunch of new people would join the senior staff after the mid charms and people made various presentations about things and David pluff, who had run the two thousand and eight campaign and was now had just come on board as the Senor visor did a presentation where he took the two thousand and eight electoral map a Massive landslide for obama he want, everywhere. He won't easily. It was such a big thing that the moment they could call the election. They called it at the eleven o clock news on these coasts of almost corporatism, and he showed he went

ro adjusting the numbers within the states obama one by just a little bit. What happens if youth turn out goes down two points. What happens of black turn out goes down two points. What happens independence who obama bomber one by huge margins, go back republicans by five points or two points and wood, The smallest changes in election for twenty four that were to happen for during twelve, we would have lost in it. Shows that even in races, where you feel like you and by a lot just a little shift among one demographic group in one part of the state, can change everything and so think about this in terms of twenty twenty four Joe Biden, one a huge father road victory massive one, but he won the electoral college by forty thousand votes spread across the anvil states. He did, I think, about five points better with working class white voters in Hillary Clinton, two thousand sixty that's what got him to that end

victory? What if we lose that by two points, but if we did we just go back, would we split the difference between twenty sixteen and twenty we lose, Chicken pennsylvania wisconsin in that another, what if black turn out or support among bucklers drops by a pointer to we lose georgia michigan any unnecessary we're in line with by the way which is in line with the trend over the last several elections right same thing, with it like I look at the new companies and what not only the republicans over perform in districts with large blackened hispanic populations. The turn out among back in hispanic populations were down in a lot of those districts, so we have lower turn out there. Also, we have talked a lot about how it's great

a lot of independent and republican leaning voters, voters who otherwise would vote for republican candidates cast their balance for democrats. This time having your coalition rest on a bunch of republican leaning, voters who just voted for your party, because the other can it was extreme, is not a that does make you feel that is making sleep easier. Who do you think about future collisions. There is another piece than your times about the suburbs and said the gains the Democrats made in the suburbs in twenty eighteen and twenty twenty weren't completely reversed but we lost a little bit aground and twenty twenty two well that's great, but we can't lose much more ground. Is we're heading into twenty twenty four? So, yes, there are a lot of places. If you look at the wine and twenty three,

You were, there are some real flashing lights underneath and I also think like there needs to be some real research into sort of why working class populations have been of all races, Heaven sort of slipping away from the party, and I think a lot of your explanations tend to be simplistic when you read them in poetry and there obviously much more complicated than that, and I think we would do ourselves a real favor by digging into that over the next couple years. Maybe you can really see a world where that, sir, been coalition, which is means more concerned if more near there are people who have previously pre trump voted for, since their entire lives in the coalition without tromp on the ballot there's a different trump. Even if that person is just as mega as trump could be pro mac or the gap

one that another thing worth remembering. There's a robot this message back last week, but the third way had this report about the dangers of a third party candidacy and the difference between trump's victory and twenty. Sixteen in his loss, in twenty one is not that he lost support. He actually gained support across the board over that for years. The difference was that there is a significant support for third party candidates in two thousand and sixteen that did not. There were no legitimate, the the very handsome twenty twenty. If there is a third party candidate that gets even three percent of the vote and about around state, is gonna, make it much easier for public and to win because some of those never trump republicans or never people who would otherwise our problem, we don't like tromp, have a place to go. That is not Joe Biden or not a democrat. and these tiny little things- and there are republicans- were right now. There's a reason everyone's trying to get Joe Manchin here's the cinema run for president that make it easier for donald trump to win and all these little

Alright, everything is in a in american politics in this age is on the razor's edge. So celebrate these victories study the weak spots and figure out how we can make gains for twenty twenty four cause we're going to have to if we want to win. In my opinion, yeah- and none of this is to tell people to like everyone should be gloomy and freak out. It's that we should be smart and work hard, because We just faced incredibly tough environment in these midterms and bunch Democrats ran We smart campaigns, bunch people volunteered donated turned out, and we did we better than any one expect it. So it can be done it's just it's gonna, take a break, but don't don't just celebrate, as they say worry about everything panic about. Nothing is that that is what they say. That is what they said you should. There should end if t that so then pfeiffer message, box trading, I trading fatal trading. I you may run a company that turn into a stress ball at one point of shit. We do that When we come back, then talks to the new york times is MIKE Isaac about

you on mosque in cuba. every minute in your morning, routine counts, and I get that my name is Jeff Pierre. Host of the seven from the washington post, it's a new I cast where we give you the seven most important and interesting stories of the day and all in just a few minutes, you'll be caught up and ready to drop knowledge without missing a beat. I promise listen to the seven weekday mornings Follow the so now I'll meet you. There give you or a loved one is living with a pacemaker or implantable electronic device. There is a risk of developing an infection within three years of implantation. This urgent help better. Ex one in twenty patience, which has prompted the american heart association to introduce the national cardiac implantable electronic device infection initiative to improve awareness, detection and appropriate treatment of sea. I e infections learning

it hard dot, org ports last see I e the infection, hey gonna brine, the honest we could all use friend. That's why I started entire podcast about it. It's called gonna Brian needs a friend, and I really do each week. I do my best to try to find some real friendships by hanging out with people like Tom hanks, my off Bruce Springsteen jet black and hundreds more, you can listen to my podcast anti cocoa radio on serious exam at home or anywhere. You are no car required, download the serious exam app for over four hundred and twenty five channels of ad free music sports, entertainment and more On Monday twitter owner elon, musk treated a cryptic message saying: follow the white rabbit, which appears to be a not acumen on here help us understand all the crazy shit happening? A twitter is near times tech reporter MIKE Isaac mike welcome back to the pod. Thanks for having me man, it's fair to say that ilan must twitter habits were not superman well before he on the company, but it see

to have gotten a lot worse in recent months, culminating with this essential likely cuban on tweet. What is going on here? Does he believe this stuff? Has he red paled? Is he trolling as or some sort of strategy here? What are people in the tech world telling you about what is happening with iran in his behaviour? Turley, I think what so, if you it's funny, because not super long ago lets a five or six years ago. He was super revered, I think, like you know, with normal people who are not like your man looking at twitter. Still, probably the vibes are leg in old. Smart springer guy or whatever and end a lot of his more recent stuff is just waiting to get out. I think into the larger world of like normal, who are not media connected all the time, but like ie,

it be fairly normal and just kind of lake. Basically what I would call it poster troll right, which is just someone who this round on line and tweets like random stuff. He kind of does dad tweets because he, like checks, read it for life two week old means impose them basically, nothing like creed, is or super harmful that I would say just more lake like reckon morty humor, something which is We is what it is fine, I guess you know, but since he, since he ay since he bought twitter, but even before that started surrounding himself with silicon valley figures who the way he's, not the only one who has more right, leaning, conservative views in silicon valley these days. I think this is he sort of speed more about it than other. Frankly, a billionaires would because of

not wanting to mess with? Whatever politics, their companies, their image and voice more concerns about how he feels that the the corn cold. look mine virus is taking over or that you know, leftism is sort of predominant in. So there's that. But then this most recent slide is like the most extreme is version. I like now he's posting. There was a homophobic sort of attack on the former head of twitters trust in safety that sort of pleasant. This grew more stuff, that super right wing. Folks, her are obsessed with these days the sort of q phenomenon, so lake the thing that I've been really struggling with is that you know how much There's this guy believe any of this stuff does he sort of like actually buy into it is surrounded with so many right, wingers that are more extreme, that this is the the paranoia taking over. I think, on the one hand, he does need to

from back to be on this very expensive, purchased that he made end and sort of bring folks out, and I think everything he's been doing so far leads to that. He practically begging trump to get back on the platform which he has done yet, and then I knew him, I dont think it matters because its actions just speak for themselves like, even if you don't believe any of the stuff, even if your that deeply and that you just want to do it for engagement. Still having real world effects. Yeah. For sure I mean the head of trust and safety he mentioned had to leave his home because of violent threats because of this absolutely false accusation that he was somehow involved in grooming or pedophilia or all of sort of pizza. Gay, insanity. We know you had a story the other day about the fact that twitter has stopped paying rent on its on us as they are not paying bills for private use,

that's they are exploring ways to avoid paying the severance packages promise to the employees laid off after ilan took over, which seems challenging considering according another report. There are no wires working there anymore. It's a and undistorted confused by his ill. I must keep saying twitter is in financial crisis. before elon musk took twitter over. As I understand it, it was a totally fine business. Not a giant growth business like some of the other tech companies a few years ago, but it made money people work there in an age going bankrupt. What is how do we go from a fine business too? We can't pay the rent on our headquarters in a few months. Chert note so saw a few things. One I would say Twitter twitters anomaly in social media add supported companies in that you know like facebook, starting off cash, tik tok we its prey

company. So we don't know the exact finances, but they are doing a lot in revenue for where they their lifecycle, Google is not social media, but there also throwing off cashing dad supported twitter is, I would say, fine is problem. We are good summation, maybe even middling, because for aid of their past ten years they ve been sort of investment mode, meaning there not profitable, but they ve turn a profit a few times and So you inherit that and you could kind of though, along and and maybe break even or whatever, and be ok with that, but the problem per elan is the way he bought. This come be saddled himself with tons of deadly thirteen billion dollars in debt, which means here a billion dollars in interest per year alone. Just paying back those weapons. So it's less, I think about The specific companies immediately

delicious and more evens financial issues and really overpaying a company at the height of the market before everything took a dive right, so he kind of screwed up. That's a whole reason. He tried to do out of this whole thing which didn't work and do so now. The other part of it is. He goes into this cost, cutting mode that you know we did some stories on. Basically, he did this at sexy. Did this tesla. He just sort of like finds everything he can to minimize costs out. There's cost cutting and then there's literally like waged theft and ec, severance pay, not paying people, and I think his philosophy is basically if you want to go to court let's go to, I'm the rich person in the world- and I will tell this up in litigation- is very like dispassionate and pretty brutal version of hardball business in over and that leak that goes from everyone from the top like not paying.

Reference to to the sea sweet which you can cry river for folks, like it, their multimillion dollar exit packages, but he's stiffing them as all the way down to the bottom and folks who basically have left of their own accord or got fired from him. So it's it is his standard playbook, but it's also, I think those measures pretty messed up, because people are counting on that and the job situation in the valley right now is not what it used to be. Basically, I sort of struggle with us because do- has rhine several successful businesses. Try with the lamy bold debate much credit. He gets four tests or anything else, but tesla space acts are very successful. Businesses pay pal, which I know he was removed, from some points, but was also a very successful business. I do not pretend an expert in business, but its very to see what this strategy here is because Yet you like, as you say, as you reference, maybe

you're trying to ascribe some strategic thought behind his crazy tweets is were trot, he's trying to be tromp in the absence of trial we want. Someone whose needs are must see their people that it dry. Conversation every day. That was always a twitter main character. Pumping engagement up by twitters business to date, at least- and I m- will get in a second to what comes next, but has been brand advertise from major companies, and so how do you get coca cola etc to africa. on a platform of the c o is pushing cuban on Israel when a twitter. Anyone around you on and I know they have no communications carbon, any more bizarre. Anyone who tries to explain that there that there is a plan here really I mean I was having a private conversation,

like someone who I would say as anyone supporter the other day and they had felt like he's getting too much he or like. If you take the focus on every moment like give the guy some breath or breathing room and like look at it longer term or whatever and in our maybe maybe he can get there, but right now it's under the spotlight. I hard time, believing that just because I do feel like a lot of his decision so far, been based on emotion and like what he wants. Didn't the company to be like. Take the badge stop the blue checks, out of which, just in short very poorly because he tried to redefine what it meant, and it is now in was totally upheaval in trying to get people to pay aids or now eleven dollars for blue jack throws. Also, identity issues into the mixed, the brow and advertising stuff is crucial because It's so brand advertising is like, like exactly visa code call ones. Come in by, like a Ashton.

or by a little alike emerging here or a campaign that just sort of says go by coke or whatever or like tv shows a break really popular on twitter and people like tweet about the. Why lotus, and so like the ilo, to send a whole campaign and that's a brand thing it's like a google ad, where you go, click something and buy it immediately or instagram ad and took Whole bread and butter is brand advertising. You know it's just awareness and pushing this stuff out. There and showing up in between other tweets in the feed, because people are looking at those, and then they can see this What advertisers dont want advertised famously conservative in the lower case, since where they are scared of any sort of controversy they dont want their didn't want. If the cola appearing next to like a coonan tweet or like a groomer accusation or whatever right like this last thing, and so what you've had as the service has rapidly sort of spun into

you on twenty four seven, and this happened with trump to add on facebook and twitter to is brand advertisers. Being my right forget this, we are pausing momentarily Maybe that means long term, but we're gonna just just wait and see how this goes, because this is crazy and that is existential for twitter is business right now, because their whole business is basically brand advertising with the vast majority and so he's he's working to replace that was subscriptions. Basically, that's twitter, blue right at right and as its goal in he is imply, that's coming out again quite soon. Do you have any sense of how they will avoid not having web interface likely to last time. So it's funny. Last time there were like problems with the badges who gets a badge and what is the badge mean

and now I believe, the rolling out with like. Ok, if you had an organization, you get a gold badge instead of like a blue badge and then anyone who pays for it, I mean his whole- pointed revamping twitter who was basically to try to eliminate botz, which is his obsession, because he you know to be fair, he is follow around by every bought on the service. Twenty four seven all crypto scams beneath him, but lake. You know it just feels like trying to redefine what this blue? badge means after sixteen, odd years of its meaning a different thing, so it comes with. Such a weird identity issues, scamming issues, Eli lily stock tanking because it like a random tweet saying that insulin was free and his idea, just business wise, is offset brand advertising declines with subscription fees by, It's like, he's chasing pennies. Why? throwing dollars out of his pocket. Basically, because, like these tuna these-

Multi million dollar campaigns are no longer being paid for, and instead he's by getting news eleven bucks at a time basically so I've our time see it It also be known as you, as has been reported. The legal department is quite empty. and winner, and is, if I recall correctly the reason that the blue check part even eggs. Ever created by twitter, was because baseball. tony la russa. Sue twitter because there was a tony la russa account going around can base pretending to be shown in russia and in order to avoid being sued by every person, the sun, they created us and so their open themselves up to all kinds of trouble right. I think so. I think he, I think his biggest issue, and I think this follows him around at every company- is: he needs a team of people.

basically to handle him like this is like famous people syndrome or billionaire syndrome. You need a team of people around you. You know how you work, who know how to handle you and who know how to like dear you into decisions that might be good for the company and therefore she would disagree with me bill Look he's revolutionary he's a he has like crazy ideas and that's why we like him or whatever, but I think, he's figuring out why twitter did what it did for so long in real time at by stepping onto rakes beside bob tile over and over. Basically, Oh I don't know at until he builds up that executive staff. With more lawyers. You can be like hey. This is probably not a good idea because x, you know, I just think he's gonna keep running into walls here mean some of the people who gave him the money. by twitter r e line there in the eu on business ray the sum so you see finds they are doing. This is whatever the next thing is. After this, they want to have first shot at it.

There are real people, banks and others who gay him. Money is, or at some point here where they step anderer or have a real this issue with you on about trying to get this thing on stable footing about having a real ceo run, the bit like he can own the company. That does mean yes to also run it today. a serious president or try to fix this before it. it's hard on him because I mean he is according to elon, bankruptcy could be around the corner young. Now I mean it's a great point that it's funny, because the banks who so to your point People who are like yeah, we'll get in on this deal, including some of the banks that are we'll get on this deal because deal flowed down. Like we always sort of this, we consider this an investment. If we had to spend. a billion dollars right now to get in on the lawns next thing: we'll do it, even though that might be flawed, because who knows if the guy's going to do, you know have the golden touch forever or whatever, but the banks now, like the debt

they took on, for instance, they can't even resell that debt for sixty cents on the dollar of what they originally paid for it like it's The number of bad decisions- that he has made not just in the law, oh biased media's eyes, but evaluations by financial experts who are looking at this dispassionately have, have been multiplying everyday, basically end, and I think that I think you're right. I think at some point, Folks are gonna be like how do we? Sometimes, if you can't you new ceo in minor. If he doesn't have one in mind than they might put a new cielo up alongside of em someone who knows how to like really operate, I think right now, he's kind of has he's brought in folks from spacex and tesla, like basically like ranks of some of other companies to kind of do this, because he doesn't have those twitter? He doesn't have people that he trusts twitter. He really doesn't trust

you can see what these like twitter files drops, that he's doing. Doesnt work basically, anyone from the old regime and at his sort of doing these tests to make sure folks are signed, except for like new elon twitter. Basically, but I think it's gonna take time again. If, if he can tell brown and if he can do a good job. I think it will take time and building up a venture folks that he trusts and will actually like rely on their advice, and then they have to be good at what they're doing too. Because of our problems and twitter has tried. To solve some of these problems for a very long time with mixed results. Basically, there has been a sense over many years that, because of tremendous dysfunction at twitter, pre even you want right, seven million ceos totally basically have I oppose running the company half time for many years, yet yep there. And it was you know there was a time when they thought twitter was going to surpass facebook. You know that was the real fear of the facebook folks and so there's always been

If you have this global platform that drives attention the prisoner had states was on it, yet it this middling business, where they never never really got to the sort of advertising that facebook data or user data in that way in It seems now that, as a lot of people see are fleeing twitter maybe twitter is collapsing. Maybe it's gonna end that there's this huge market opportunity for someone to do this in there report, the other day, there'd been a couple. Imports at facebook is looking at a twitter alternative and then they revealed something called instead instagram notes or something anything else you you cover facebook incredibly causing any can tell us about how some either facebook some these other companies are thinking of trying to take advantage of twitters weakness right now, yeah, no, I mean it's cool. Sick facebook to see someone either succeeding or floundering ass. The other stuff you're not going and copy happy, but he doesn't he does it without com.

Jim, and you know you can't you the benefits it the merits of that or whatever, but that's what he does. I think they are Facebook is actually in a pretty rough place right now, and what I have heard is that their there minimizing the number of sort of projects that are outside of their core importance like before When they didn't care- and they were just like printing money every quarter and like it was just like checking a box like yep we're doing great and mark could be like yeah go chase that go. Do this go spin up this whole org? That creates new products which didn't create a single popular product? our time and now, as you seen this downturn, you know like hiring issues in silicon valley lay offs at facebook in mass. There are big companies who are having to really prioritize. What is important to them and fix fix your problem,

bags in Oprah facebook, for example, and apples sort of like crackdown on tracking, so I'm skeptical, and also just frankly, whenever facebook clothes something it doesnt work, You know like people have real have cast aside on how they feel our facebook. You know- don't necessarily flocked to their products. I think there is return lie for start ups that are ooh and don't have overhang on like rep. Station, were you know some things that just can take off if you ve seen a few views, be real that that new act that way too old for that, but I am happy with how it works. Your children use it ass. I have two, I'm the old, these absolute has to use, but it's taken off very quickly and I still think there as you know is dominant is allowed for these companies are, I think, it's there are deep. There is the ability for certain coming

back to grow, really popular really quickly, and they still can, and so we are seeing a few different start ups that are basically twitter issue but I dont think really any of them had nailed. It dismantled on thing, got a lot of attention, but it's just way too difficult for the average per yet know that nothing that were the cause it to its is going to succeed then maybe the service worse exhibiting. There have to rebuild their. I thought it was a when someone is, I got my gratitude on mass, like That is an interesting private. That is an interesting point. You make a bow, be real. Those sorts of things because fruitless have been stock. With these you know small handful of social media platforms for a number of years, because Basically, any time anyone started to grow, they either got bought or got crushed and now, de the institutional players do not have the cash to necessarily do that. Facebook cannot just throw billions of dollars at the next instagram miranda. They just can't do

and they certainly, as you point out- that's interesting or lena, Con will be like no you're not doing dead out after you have acquisition stuff like eyes was fascinating. My heart goes out to you and having to cover these stories on a regular basis. I have elon alerts on my phone and it's straight up. I think it seems wrong that you have had to cover both uber and twitter under a lot, but that's for you to raise with the higher ups of the new york times so MIKE Isaac. Thank you so much for joining us. We will talk to you soon. Thanks man picture him. I think so, as for joining us, everyone have a great holiday and will see and twenty twenty three the holidays. The pod save america is a crooked media production. The executive producer is Michael Martinez. Our senior producer is Gardener Bernstein are produced or hailing use and olivia martinez, its mixed in edited by andrew chat,

Kyle segment and charlotte linda sound, engineered the shop thanks to highly keefer ferrari. Sandy gerard anti taft, and how for production support into our digital team larger cone, Phoebe Bradford, my look him and Amelia monday. Our episodes are up, as videos at youtube: dot such pod, save america. finding the music, you love shouldn't, be hard. That's why panel It makes it easy to explore all your favorite and discover new artisan, John genres. Your love enjoy personalized. Listening experience simply by selecting any song or album and we'll make a station craft Just for you best of all, you can listen for free download pandora on the apple, app store or google play and start hearing the soundtrack to your life.

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