Shownotes Transcript
Hey, pull up a chair. It's Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and Mike Murphy. They're giving us a free jet. I could say, no, no, no, don't give us... I want to pay you a billion or 400 million or whatever it is. Or I could say, thank you very much. You know, there was an old golfer named Sam Snead. Did you ever hear of him? He won 82 tournaments. He was a great golfer. And he had a motto, when they give you a putt,
You say thank you very much, you pick up your ball and you walk to the next hole. A lot of people are stupid. They say no, no, I insist on putting it. Then they put it, they miss it.
And their partner gets angry at him. You know what? Remember that Sam Snead, when they give you a putt, you pick it up and you walk to the next hole and you say, thank you very much. Okay. There you go. A little wisdom from Sam Snead. His biographer, by the way, said today that Sam Snead never said that. But, you know, I don't know. Are you guys golfers?
No. No. Yeah. So we're three putters, not putters here. That actually, that setup was a swing and a miss, but keep going. Yeah.
Yeah, it won't go down in the anthology of Mark Twainism. All right. Okay. Come on, guys. I'm just getting warmed up here. It's going to be a long hour, X. We're warning you. Just getting warmed up here. That voice you heard, I'm sure you recognize it. The one, the only Rahm Emanuel, former congressman, chair of the DCCC, White House chief of staff, two-term mayor of Chicago.
ambassador to Japan. He asked me, by the way, to say he started at 15, for those who are wondering if he's as old as he sounds. But good to see you there, man. Good to see you. So let's talk about this plane thing, you know, because it's part of a larger story. But the thing that's really striking about what Trump said is, like,
This is not a free plane. There's no such thing as a free $400 million gift. You know, guys, Ram, you were on this trip. Do you remember our trip to Saudi Arabia? Yeah, I was going to tell a story from that trip. I know it all too well. I mean, the first night,
We're in the King's ranch. King at Dulles Horse Farm, yeah. His ranch. And you walk into your room. There's an ostrich briefcase on the table. You open it up. At least this is for the chief of staff. I don't know what the senior advisor got. But there's literally emerald and diamond necklace, bracelet, rings, earrings.
earrings, the whole nine yards. And I took a photo of it. I sent it to Amy. I said, not happening. And you had to walk in next door to the State Department and hand it back. So that's what was Saudi Arabia. And not only hand it back, but they had to take the whole, they took their own picture, but they had a document in it, et cetera. This is incredible that a corporal in the U.S. Armed Forces has higher ethics standards than the executive branch and the president.
You couldn't do that. It's unbelievable. But there's reasons for it too. First of all, we don't know exactly what was up with those briefcases. We don't know what was up with, I mean, there's security implications as well as bribery implications. And, uh, just to name two. Yes. Uh,
And, you know, Murphy, this this is a whole new orientation for Trump. It used to be that he thought that the Qataris were funders of terrorism. Let's listen to what he had to say back in the first iteration of Trump. The nation of Qatar, unfortunately, has historically been a funder of terrorism.
at a very high level. Yeah, well, there you go. You know, I can only applaud the president for his ability to refocus on the wider picture. By the way, the island of Micronesia just sent me a used checkered cab, so this is a new trend. I, you know, and the crypto scam is kind of right there with it. It is, you know, normally we have like
Things decline three or 4% every time. This is like a thousand percent. It's like a galactic leap, which is the stunning part about it really. So the Qatari sends you a $400 million 747 and you tell rambling stories about Sam Snead about it. I, I,
I'm not speechless often, as you know, but this is just so gross and so vulgar and so corrupt. And it's proof that Trump not only has moral cataracts, he he doesn't even understand the problem, I think, which is just incredible. As you know, to one other story, but this White House will be known for its cash and carry kind of quality and culture.
You know, when you're an ambassador... Good alliteration there. Well, I'm also from Chicago, and I have a high standard of shame association. I've never seen anything like this. But when your ambassador on Thursdays, they would deliver, you know, here are the gifts you got, and you had to sign anything above $25. And I usually get six or seven of these, and one day I get...
like 75 of these the day after we had done this reception. I said, what is this? They said, oh, these are your ethics forms. You have to fill out for all the gifts. I said, well, I won't sign these. They said, oh, you have to. I eventually did. But I said, look, man, I'm from Chicago. We have a number. It has to start with seven zeros before we get serious about this. You think I'm selling America out for
cookies. This is not Croatian sparkling wine or something like that. Give me a break. The scary, scary thought I'm having right now is Ron with a samurai sword. Yeah, well, I have that, uh, that I would not get back. I mean, here's the, this, but remember the first, there's two parts to this.
Ivanka had a business that China got, you know, fast-tracked in when she was selling stuff in the first. What about Jared? Well, that was the old way they did it, which was, you know, the sun would fly over and take the grease. And now we're eliminating the middleman. It's all going direct. This is just a summary, okay?
His family has six pending deals with a majority Saudi-owned real estate firm. Qatar is backing another Trump project, and the United Arab Emirates is getting in on the Trump family's cryptocurrency ventures. His two oldest sons are currently hopscotching the globe, striking deals that directly benefit their father.
To these three countries, by the way, just recently, he's also now selling access to himself to top buyers of the digital coin. His family is marketing. Even the first lady is pushing crypto these days. Yeah, he's having a he's having a reception for people who buy his meme coins at high levels, most of whom are from overseas at one of his clubs.
clubs and the top seller, they get dinner with him and there's a tour of the White House. I mean, yeah, just sell the furniture. Why not get out the hacksaw and start cutting off, you know, chair legs? I'm not a member. If I was a congressman today, this is what I would do. You got that bill that has bipartisan support about trading as a member of Congress. I would take that.
add a component that includes the Supreme Court and justices. And I would have one for the executive branch. And we're going to have one standard for everybody in public service across the board. And I would just sit there and say to the Republicans in Congress who are basically doing the three monkey routine, see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
and put it on the table, on everything. Nothing moves without that amendment on the House and the Senate constantly to put them on, because we all three know this. This is today. This thing is only going to get worse as we get closer to the election, and this corrupt crony capitalism is going to get worse, and I would have a bill today, not because it's going to pass, but it's going to build a crescendo, and I would touch the judiciary, legislative, executive, and do a clean sweep and dare them.
right now. There is a different way of looking at this, which is that Trump said that he was going to make American families more prosperous, and he just decided to start with his own. I mean, couldn't you interpret it that way? Here all week, ladies and gentlemen. Speaking about interpretations...
This kid kills me, this White House press secretary, because she so cheerfully says things that are so ridiculous. So here's her reaction to the questions about Qatar. Do you worry that if they give us something like this, they want something in return?
Absolutely not, because they know President Trump, and they know he only works with the interests of the American public in mind. Yeah, sure, they know him. Right now they're having an argument. You know, we might have gotten away with a smaller plane. That greedy bastard folded like a chair. You know, I mean, it's just...
It's unbelievable. It's tragic. This is a hacks on tap question. There is no question. And it is inarguable that we've never seen any, as Trump used to say, likes to say, we've never seen anything like this, this kind of wholesale we're open for business thing.
You know, feed my family and you'll get access kind of thing. We didn't mention the Trump down junior opening up a club with in Washington with five hundred thousand dollar membership fees so that people can interact in a private setting with members of the administration.
I mean, it's just like it's unbelievable. But the question is, do people care? Is this something I'm sure that people will the majority of people say they don't like it or they don't. But does it move people or is this one of those? Is this is this a rabbit down a hole in terms of moving voters? I think it's a climate of things.
I don't know if it's one thing, but it doesn't have to be one thing. This is so big and so gross. And people understand, oh, wait a minute. The sheet gave me a 747 and my gas prices are going up.
So, yeah, they're not right that we should make that point. Well, they will be. I predict it. We just did a focus group for something here in California and L.A. of Republicans. Number one screaming thing after immigration was gas prices. Now, that's here because we tax. Yeah. Like, you know, many of our prices. But but no, I think this thing will happen.
Be part of all of it. I'm a product, obviously, we all are of our own experience. I remember when we unveiled in 06 or 05 the house that Tom DeLay built. It was the first kind of website. You could follow Bob Ney. You could follow Cunningham, Duke Cunningham, all these things, all these members. Scandals. All the scandals. And when we did it, everybody thought it was funny. It's not corruption, blah, blah, blah.
And then you had Iraq going on, the corruption there. It builds to a crescendo. The idea that it's going to pop in one day, no, but it's the thing that you come back as a narrative. And when the economy gets worse, the care about corruption grows exponentially. So I think it will pay political dividends. He's about him, not about you. It's just another big brick in that wall. I'm all.
Well, I'm old enough to remember them, all the clamor about the Biden crime family, because, I mean, Hunter looks like a scofflaw.
compared to what these guys are doing. He looks like Gandhi. I mean, literally, he's like a class three misdemeanor compared to, we literally have pretty boy Floyd in the White House here. Congratulations, Hunter Biden. No one has ever compared you to Gandhi before. This day, this is your day, brother. No, he has moved the ruler. And I have to say, by the way, it warms my heart to see two Chicago guys worked up about corruption, but I got to agree. And I give credit to Leo XIV. We have a Chicago Pope.
And he was already having his mysterious effect on you. So I just wanted to slide in because I'm always making fun of Chicago. I will say. Two Jewish kids who are very proud of their Pope. We are proud. Absolutely. Because he's a baseball fan, man. For the Murphys. My cousin was Pope Benedict's chief of staff. So I keep up with the
Vatican line and 133 bishops voted. Leo got 172 votes. So he is a Chicago man, but I'm happy to see him there. And he's already having a good effect on you too. Murph, he's perfectly positioned. His mother's a Cub fan and he's a Sox fan. This thing is nailed, man. This guy knows how to walk the house there. Can a Pope be a mayor too? I think it might be an interesting experiment. Yeah.
I'm looking forward to him coming back to town and throwing out the first pitch. I think that wouldn't that be something? Yeah. If the ball stops in midair and comes back, you guys all have to convert, by the way. Listen, if anybody at Sox Park throws the ball from the mound and gets it over the plate, that would be a miracle. That would be a miracle, right. Yep. Okay, let's take a break right here for a word from our sponsor, and we'll be right back.
As I've mentioned in another context, I enjoy an occasional drink, glass of wine. Sometimes I celebrate. But I got to tell you, Murphy, I don't bounce back the next day like I used to. I'm not a kid like you. So I have to make a choice. I can either have a great night or a great next day. But that is until I found Pursuit.
Pre-alcohol. Z-Biotics pre-alcohol probiotic drink is the world's first genetically engineered probiotic. It was invented by PhD scientists to tackle rough mornings after drinking. And Mike Murphy, tell them how it works. You know, it's amazing. And as everybody knows, we're a couple of real science nerds here. We have a huge audience of PhD scientists. So we like to unwind by talking complicated. Not a mixed gin and tonic? Yes.
Exactly. We like to mix alcohol and rage here in politics. But anyway, here's how the Z-Biotics pre-alcohol probiotic drink works. It's all about the buildup of a byproduct, not dehydration. Because when you drink, alcohol gets converted into a toxic byproduct in the gut. Although people talk about dehydration, it's really that byproduct.
in your gut that's to blame, responsible for rough days after drinking. So pre-alcohol produces an enzyme to break this byproduct down. So just remember to make pre-alcohol your first drink of the night, then, and this is super important, drink responsibly, and you will feel your best tomorrow.
Yeah, take it from a couple of guys with big guts. Spring is here, which means more opportunities to celebrate warmer weather before drinks on the patio, that tropical vacation, or your best friend's wedding. Don't forget your Z-Biotics pre-alcohol. Drink one before drinking and wake up feeling great the next day.
So go to zbiotics.com slash hacks to learn more and get 15% off your first order when you use hacks at checkout. Zbiotics is backed with a 100% money back guarantee. So if you're unsatisfied for any reason, they will refund your money. No questions asked. Remember to head to zbiotics.com slash hacks and use the code hacks at checkout for 15% off. ♪
The main thing is still the main thing, which is how are people feeling in their own lives? And do they see their prospects improving or not improving? I mean, there's a fresh polling out that suggests that they think they're doing less well than better. Trump's numbers on inflation are still mired in the 30s on the economy, you know, low 40s. These were his wheelhouse issues.
Now we have this tariff, you know, the China tariff deal as such as it is this week. The ASCO. And it seems like...
They're trying to create a pole to slide down here because they recognize the carnage that was coming, and especially its effect on inflation. New inflation numbers today, they were surprising in terms of their moderation. Do you think—you guys aren't economists, but let me just posit a hypothetical. Yeah, that won't stop us. What if they move quickly? I know. That won't—will—
If inflation doesn't reach the heights that people predicted when this tariff stuff began, does he get a boost out of that?
Well, he's trying. First of all, the thing about the tariffs on the consumer side is there's a time lag. Like in the auto world where the hit, it could be very, I mean, who knows next week with Trump. But there's about 50 days, depending on brand, a car sitting here, non-tariff that are being sold through. And auto sales are way up. People figured this out. But come the July 4th celebration at Z Frank Chevy down in Joliet, they're
there's going to be massive sticker shock unless they back off this thing really quick. Massive. You know, so the pain is on the way unless he totally retreats. Two things I'd say on this tariff thing is the bigger number isn't what this number is. It's the fact that if you look at the data, the consumer expectation of inflation is at a 10-year high.
They think it's going, they don't only think it's high now, they also think it's going up. And that's the number that the Federal Reserve also looks at, and it's scary to them. And so I also think you're going to start seeing when you have a standard 10% or 15%, or in China's case, 35%, it's going to have an inflation kicker. It doesn't matter. I mean, it does matter what the actual number is, but all these numbers are inflationary, full stop. And
And people's expectation, if they, one last thing on the consumer side, people's expectation of consumer on inflation is so much like crime. You can yell at them. The numbers are going down.
But their perception is going to be altered. And that's going to be what matters from a people concern basis. And he's still not focused on it. And that's where the plane thing affects. Remember, Biden got in trouble because all the inflation and economic pain. And they also thought he was too old and out of it to do anything about it. So Trump's double cocktail is going to be
you know, economic pain, inflation, interest going up. Why does a truck cost 92 grand? Plus he's into ripping off the world, not to fixing this for me.
It's another double header. Yeah, well, that's why I said, I mean, I joked earlier, but I actually think it's something that becomes more pointed over time. He's taking care of his family, not yours. Right. At a time when you're in more trouble. So basically, you guys won't deal with a hypothetical that maybe he does retreat quickly. No, no, I will, because I think you're onto something there.
there. I mean, if they can retreat quick enough and they can cut off some of the pipeline pain and smooth it out, you know, he's going to say, oh, it was all a mastermind plan. There are never going to be long-term tariffs. I just suckered those Chinese idiots into a surrender. Now, of course, China's like winning this trade war, unfortunately, but, uh,
Yeah, that's what he's going to try to do. It was all a big clever ruse by the mastermind. But, you know, people go through that cash register every week and they feel it. And it's hard to undo that, I think. But I do think
He might be veering in front of the iceberg to not get smashed as much as it looked like he was 10 days ago. There's a tell now he's trying to ameliorate damage. Maybe it'll work. You're going to have also, and this is on the other side of the screen, there is not a single manufacturing job coming because of this terror strategy. And this whole renaissance of manufacturing is all a house of cards. And on the budget side, when they start pulling the plug on all the support for alternative energy, you're going to have
that were groundbroken are going to actually be put on hold and it's actually going to cost. And I think that story also. So this one is we're focused slightly on inflation. The ruse on manufacturing is also going to come home to affect him. Totally agree. Totally agree. Yeah. You know, I was looking at some polling numbers on this and people, you know, for
For all the beating that voters take, they are paying attention and they're very split on this. You know, is this actually going to help manufacturing? There's a lot of skepticism about that. And he has his cadre of true believers and whatever he says they believe will happen. But there are a lot of folks who aren't, by the way, on these poll numbers, like he's still mired in.
In the low to mid 40s. And his numbers among independent voters are terrible, terrible, which is no, he's turning into Biden on the economy. You know, he's drinking the same poison. Those are those independent numbers in a midterm when one party holds the House. Those are wave numbers.
There may not be enough seats for a wave, but those are wave numbers. Which means even the senators are going to get some scary polling. Well, I think the Senate thing is really interesting because you look at North Carolina and Maine and you just need one other place. Lucky Georgia. Yes. Yes. Because Kemp got out of the race. So. So listen, before we leave this subject, I was kind of you know, I was watching, you know, Trump.
will spin anything, as you point out, as a victory. And this was really a case on these Chinese tariffs of, you know, an arsonist claiming credit for dousing the fire. But
But Jake Oshincloss, who's a young congressman from Massachusetts, who I think is one of the bright lights in the party, was being interviewed on this. And I thought his answer was was was right on target. What is your reaction to this agreement?
You got to give credit to Trump as a marketer. He creates uncertainty and havoc by raising tariffs and then claims victory when he lowers the tariffs that he himself put in place, right? All this does is extend uncertainty for another 90 days. I've been talking to big businesses and global investors. I've been talking to small businesses, including in the biggest city in my district that voted for Donald Trump. I talked to labor unions. They're all saying the same thing, which is uncertainty is toxic for business. It's for hiring decisions, for investing decisions.
And he's just kicking the can down the road for more uncertainty. Yeah. I mean, I thought he's right on target. No, and that's what all the big industrial people will tell you. We're on a four or five year planning cycle and we can't run along with a lunatic. He'll bankrupt us. All right. So seven years to build a new auto plant for $8 billion. Three months from now, it's no longer economic because he changes again. Let me cap this with one stat.
This election, there are 28 red districts with over 150,000 manufacturing jobs that are now on the block. They're all making EV cars.
Those are 28 red districts. That's the bulk of the money. And, you know, they whacked it in the first draft of the Ways and Means Bill. When the Germans did it, 30% declared. Good segue and good opportunity to plug the great and holy cause of American EV manufacturing because I don't speak Chinese. You are Mr. EV. Yes, yes, I am. So, Rob, you've watched these markup releases before.
on taxes and on the budget in the last few days. They've been pretty interesting. They're trying to thread a needle here. They want to get their big tax package through. They've got to have offsets. They don't. And, and Trump has hemmed them in because there are some overt cuts that they want to make. They can't make.
They've got their budget guys, their budget hawks, deficit hawks on the one end, and they've got moderates who are in these swing districts on the other. And SALT, the huge SALT iceberg. Yeah, right. SALT, which is the, you know, raising the cap so that in high tax states like Mike's,
Well, just call them democratic states. You get the idea. High state income. Yeah. You can move to Texas, brother. You do anyway. Oh, yeah. I got plans. Yeah. I'm sure they'd be welcoming you down there. So anyway, Rob, run through Texas.
what your initial reaction was to this budget, these budget releases, and where do you think this thing is going? Depending on what the Democrats do, I know what I would do as a former member of the Waste and Means Committee. I would introduce right now
a tax exactly what Trump wanted on anybody earning more than $2.5 million. I eliminate the carried interest. Right. Which he wanted to, he said he wanted it to. And I would restore all the Medicaid cuts and put the Republicans right in their, see the key strategy of anything you do legislatively, what unites us divides the other side. They will get in a flummox over eliminating the Medicaid and
cuts, and they'll get in a flummox because of the other part of the wing is outlined by Josh Hawley the other day in an op-ed piece of the New York Times on a more populist element of the tax thing, and put that hand grenade in the room and close the door and say, this is our amendment, and watch them vote on it. And then do it on the floor and then do it in the Senate. Because if you raise taxes on the wealthy, just like Trump wants,
It goes to the more popular swing of the Republican Party. And you also eliminate all the cuts in Medicaid. That is going to be what literally singes them. And they're not going to be able to handle that. The second thing, which we'll get back to at some point I want to talk about, the basic understory here of how health care has become a Republican sand trap.
both the Children's Health Initiative and Medicaid. It tells you a story about politics around health care, and the Republicans can no longer actually do the type of things. Now, what they've done on Medicaid is bad, but they could have done a lot worse. And what Obamacare and Clinton's Children's Health Insurance, it's created a sand trap for them, and they can't touch those programs.
In any significant way. Right. And Trump put them in an impossible box because they, you know, Trump is writing checks they can't cover without massive political pain. But I do think in the end of the day, I'd go after that. I would go to two million. Between the populist and the Wall Street wing. Exactly. Yeah. That was such an interesting piece that Holly wrote in the Times because it just really laid out the big divide in the Republican Party.
between the populists and... The donors. Yeah, and the donors. Well, I'll say the traditional conservatives. I mean, there are economic arguments for all that tax stuff, but the populists don't care. There were Hollias.
That and the Democrats should not have a bad case of the for reals like you're passing legislation. The whole idea is to create some votes here that put these Republicans in a real tight spot and a headlock. And that is we're going to raise taxes on people making two million bucks. We're going to eliminate the cap, the carried interest, and we're going to restore all the cuts to health care.
I've had advice. Yeah. And the Congressional Budget Office also took a look at their markup. And I think they said nine million people would lose health care under under their plan. So not to do a fact check on you. I think it was seven point six million. But I don't want to do a fact check on your ex.
Yeah. Well, now I'm going to have to go do a fact check on your fact check. Well, meanwhile, dear listener, I'll move this thing along while the Chicago boys have their sloppy fight here. On the Medicaid thing, we ought to listen to Speaker Johnson and how he describes what they're going to do to Medicaid.
No one has talked about cutting one benefit in Medicaid to anyone who's duly owed. What we've talked about is returning work requirements. So, for example, you don't have able-bodied young men on a program that's designed for single mothers and the elderly and disabled. They're draining resources from people who actually do that. So if you clean that up, insure it up, you save a lot of money, and you return the dignity of work to young men who need to be out working instead of playing video games all day. There are some words in there that are worth listening to.
duly entitled that we're not going to take you know touch health care to anybody who's duly entitled to it that gives them a lot of latitude uh here but this is you you can see on the top on the 20,000 foot level that the you know this is a poll tested sort of thing you know we want to take it away from people who are ripping off the system no totally but what's gonna kill the trump guys is the
The laws of gravity of politics. You can win the macro stuff. Oh, we're going to get rid of waste, fraud, and the bris. You know, all the hobbita, hobbita, hobbita. But they got to make some kind of number add up now. And when you look into this first draft out of Ways and Means, you know, not only the manufacturing jobs I talked about, not only the huge...
ship-sinking iceberg of Medicaid. They've got other things, like they're strewing the Koch brothers on the private family foundations. They're putting a big tax increase on the entitlements. Everybody from Gates to Koch.
And that's a constituency that members are going to hear from, man. And so this thing is they're literally trying to juggle a live porcupine with this budget. They don't have the dough and they're going to pay for that with massive political pain. And there's no easy way out other than start breaking Trump tax cut promises. And we know how the orange menace is going to react to that. So it's going to be fun to watch.
They did, by the way, slip in, you know, they quadrupled the tax on elite university endowments. So that was...
you know, they got another punch in on that and they probably figured they got popular support for that. One other thing, one of the things that I wanted to raise is on the tax, on the tax bill, there are some popular elements of the tax. They increased by $500, not enough, but the child tax credit and a number of other, you know, tips, tax on tips, tax on overtime. Faster depreciation of capital expenditure, factory stuff. In order to make the numbers work,
They they all expire in twenty twenty eight. Right. After twenty twenty eight. So when Trump leaves, all this stuff is going to go away. But the tax cuts for everyone, including the wealthy, will continue. I would add one thing that Ron Brownstein had a very interesting story today about Medicaid away from the tax bill.
that it's not an accident that you've all of a sudden had a drop in opiate use and opiate overdose because of the Medicaid expansion into red states, not red states alone, but in that area. And another venue of attack on these Medicaid cuts is what's this going to do to the battle and the fight against opiate overdose, not only overdose deaths, but opiate addiction. And it's the correlation between expanding Medicaid
And the drop in opiate deaths, opiate-driven deaths, is going to be a very, very important area. And again, another place to score political points against Republicans is put them in a tough spot, because a lot of these states have seen actually real significant drops in their death rates. Get your head out of your attack mode here for a second and think about if you were the Republicans. Not possible, but go ahead. I want to test them and see what his range is. But if you were on their side...
Uh, what would you do? And by the way, you know, it's not impossible that they have to come back to the raising the top rate. And I don't know if they can pass the bill like that through their caucus, but, uh, you know, that is a winner politically for the Republicans. If Trump does that, I mean, or if he can succeed in doing that.
Somebody is going to figure out right now that the way this is set up, it's got massive political electoral problems and the way out is to do the things that they don't want to do. And I'm hoping the Democrats get there first, which is to raise the taxes on the wealthy like Trump wanted and to eliminate the carried interest.
And if they did that, I think you got to I think you got a political winner. And I think the Republicans are going to figure out even the one even though they're, quote, unquote, minor cuts in Medicaid, the pain on that is going to is going to be a lot more severe than raising taxes on the wealthy, which is a political winner. They're willing to they're ignoring a political winner for the political pain of Medicaid cuts. And I think they're going to get I think that will Democrats get there first?
No. I think so. I can't guarantee it. Well, they listen to that. I mean, if they're listening to Hacks on Tap. No, they're going to start a fight on DEI. They're not done. I don't know about that, Mike. The president's giving you a Google map to how to do this. He's actually giving you the. No, he's given the hint. You can argue the president would like you to do this. And he can say, hey, hey, House, I'm jammed. They're right. Hacks two and a half million. Two blocks later.
eliminate carried interest. I mean, it's like he's giving you a roadmap to what to do, and the Republicans didn't take it. The Democrats should. All right, let's take a minute to hear from one of our esteemed sponsors.
David, you're a cat guy. Yeah, and as a cat guy, I'm big on Smalls, and not just because this podcast is sponsored by Smalls. If you're a listener of this show, you know my cats, Twizzler and Augie, cannot live without Smalls. To get 35% off plus an additional 50% off your first order, head to Smalls.com and use our promo code HACKS for a limited time only. Smalls cat food is protein-packed recipes made with preservative-free ingredients,
you'll find in your fridge, and it's delivered right to your door. That's why Cats.com names Smalls their best overall cat food.
So, David, as a cat guy, how can you tell your cat really prefers Smalls way more than that other Brand X cat food you used to shovel down their throat? You did a taste test. What happened? Two bowls? Gave me a pause up after the, hey, still not a believer in Smalls. Forbes ranked Smalls the best overall cat food, while BuzzFeed said my cats went completely ballistic for this stuff. Yeah, my cats get excited by it, too.
Smalls also has a bunch of amazing treats and snacks you can add to your order so that might enhance the ballistic reaction. Well, all I know is after switching to Smalls, 88% of cat owners reported overall health improvement, and that's a really big deal. And the team at Smalls is so confident your cat will love their product that you can try it risk-free. That means they'll refund your money if your cat won't eat their food.
What are you waiting for? Give your cat the food they deserve for a limited time only because you are a Hacks on Tap listener. You've won life's lottery here. You can get 35% off Smalls plus an additional 50% off. God, they're giving this stuff away. 50% off your first order by using our cat delighting code Hacks. That's an additional 50% off when you head to Smalls.com and use promo code HACK.
Again, that's promo code HACKS for an additional 50% off your first order, plus free shipping at Smalls.com. Meow. The other thing that's kind of Greek to most Americans, but is a real deal in the house, is this SALT deal. Because you got about 10 Republicans from those high-tax states that are saying, we will not vote for the budget unless they bring back SALT, which lets you deduct your high local taxes.
and they threw him a bone. They took it from the $10,000 deduction up to $30,000. They won twice then. The ringleader said, this is an insult. We're not even going to look at it publicly. I mean, these salt guys are ready to fight.
And everybody in Congress talks a good game till midnight before the vote and the players come out. But boy, they are dug in. There are also three guys who say if Trump keeps screwing with supporting the Ukraine and cuts off the arms stuff, we're going to sink the budget.
And, you know, three members. I've heard it from one of them right to my ears. Well, listen, they've got maximum leverage now. Yeah, because it's such a thin deal. Trump has helped Johnson pass some stuff that nobody thought he'd be able to pass by, you know, buttonholing these guys. The question is, does fear on the SALT thing, for example, for these New York members in swing districts, does the SALT issue scare them more than
I think increasingly Trump's scare factor, well, still high as less. They've seen the numbers. They're pulling in their districts now. They're not ahead. Not among, yeah, but you know, his numbers, though they've diminished a little, his numbers among Republicans are still strong, Mike. Now, these people may not fear primaries, you know, because they may not feel like, you
And they may say better death by fire than death by hanging. Here, let me give you an example. A lightning bolt hits, you're now a Republican consultant, so welcome to the elite. I feel more prosperous already. You've got a member who's in a tough re-elect district. You're plus two R. And it's in a high-tax state.
And would you rather risk your ass on a primary or get something to save your reelect? You got to pick. You're the consultant. My advice would be go for the general. Yes, absolutely. Well, that's what they're starting to hear. The thing is, for the Democrats, is not only different wings of the Republican Party, the Wall Street wing or the donor class versus the populist wing, but also is to put these Republican members between their constituents and Trump and
And they got to pick because they're concerned with Trump is about the primary. They're concerned with their constituents is about the general election. Because remember, you're dealing with 28 to 35 seats. You're not dealing with 435 seats. And that's where they got to put these members. And some are on the Ways and Means and some are on the Energy and Commerce Committee, but some they're on the floor.
And that also is you're looking for the one other Senate seat when you got two states in your in your target zone. That is how you pick these things off, because this vote is going to be a vote that's going to matter in the November election. And you got to put these guys between Trump and the constituents. Rob, just switching topics here for a second. Oh, did we? That's the quickest Ways and Means Committee hearing I ever had.
Did you hear the gavel? Joe Biden resurfaced last week. He went on The View. He was there with the former first lady, and she intervened in places to buttress him about this question of, you know, was he—
a liability to Democrats and was he, you know, was there cover up and all of that stuff? Jake Tapper's book comes out and Alex Thompson, I guess today. And there's a lot of reporting on what went on in the White House. First of all, it seems to me that the only person who's more excited about Joe Biden than Joe Biden about being out in public again is probably Donald Trump.
Yeah, by engaging on this, Biden is making the problem so much worse. I think people are ready not to care other than insiders, but he's pushing it out to the middle again. Now we're debating wheelchairs. Yeah, that was the story today that they were talking about employing a wheelchair after the election. Look, I grew up under Bill Clinton's in 1992, don't stop thinking about tomorrow.
There's a lot of tomorrows we have to—this is a lot of yesterday. And I also think, you know, nothing— I love that you reached back to 1992 to say, don't stop thinking about tomorrow, but go ahead. Well, that's been my North Star politically. I think Bill Clinton was right in 1992, and he's still right in 2024, which is, it's about tomorrow, not about the past. It's actually 2025. Yeah, well, I wanted to test you if you knew that. The thing that they—Democrats got to look—I mean, for Joe Biden—
You're the history is going to take care of you. Positive, negative, up and down. That's true about every president. You're playing into Donald Trump's paradigm. He still wants to run against you.
This is if you want to help the Democratic Party, this you got to exit state. He talks about Joe Biden every single day. That's my point, which is he wants to he wants to show, which is why all you have all these executive orders. I'm I'm literally Red Bull versus Coke Zero over here. And the president, President Biden, has got to not play into this. And I get the desire to defend himself. But this is crazy. And I just think that he's got to accept it.
The history, you know, I've met with historians way too many times for my comfort level. You got to accept history will write the script on your presidency, on your tenure in the Senate. And that will be that. And going out here at this moment, this time is exactly what Donald Trump wants you to do. And that's a mistake. Hey, Murphy, will the House Republicans now pick up on this book?
and start holding hearings on whether there was a cover-up and whether the nation was in peril. Probably. You know, anything that's not the economy, they want to change the channel. Biden should just attack Kamala Harris and then give us a real show to watch. He kind of did because he said he would have won. Yeah. No, no. I think he wants to go there. So this could be the gift that gives good junkie food, but it sure doesn't move the ball forward for anybody but Trump. And that's the other thing is, look, man, the Democrats...
They don't have a gavel and they don't have a microphone. They don't, you know, they don't have a bucket to spit in and a window to throw it out of. And the idea that you have this going on only makes the job or the degree of difficulty of climbing all that much harder. And I say this as a guy, I started when I did work for President Clinton, dealing with Senator Joe Biden, passing the Assault Weapon Ban, the Violence Against Women Act. My office was next to him when I was chief of staff. This is not good.
It's not good for him, and it's not good for the Democratic Party. No, no, it's not good for anybody. No, it isn't. Okay, gentlemen, we will be back in a minute, but we have to pay a few bills.
So, David, as you know, I'm fighting for the North American auto industry, particularly electric vehicles. And we had a problem. Yeah, you mentioned that about a hundred thousand times. I've mentioned it a few times. I'm trying to save the working people, David. So we had a problem a couple of weeks ago. We're launching American EV Jobs Alliance to fight for those jobs. And we needed a logo.
And people said, call Axelrod. And I said, I'm not going to pay high democratic prices for a logo. I'm going to go on Upwork. This is a true story. So I've used Upwork before. I got a freelancer. We had a fantastic logo at an amazing price in about 48 hours. A really, really gifted graphic designer. And it was one-tenth.
of what I would have had to pay a graphic artist to do it. And you check out evpolitics.com. You can see the logos. They're all from Upwork. They did a great job for me. These guys have two decades of experience with simple and ambitious goal to pioneer a better way of working. So companies, big, small at every stage, turn to Upwork to get things done and find more flexibility in the way they staff their key projects and initiatives.
you access a global marketplace filled with top talent in IT, web development, design, AI, admin support, marketing, and more. And I can tell you, multiple projects with Upwork, I've been very happy. Posting a job on Upwork is easy with no cost to join. You can register, browse freelancer profiles, get help drafting a job post, or even book a consultation. And from there, you connect with freelancers that get you.
and can easily hire them to take your business to the next level. Upwork makes the entire process easier, simpler, and more affordable as it was for Mike Murphy with industry low fees. Host a job today and hire tomorrow with Upwork.
Visit Upwork.com right now and post your job for free. That is Upwork.com to post your job for free and connect with top talent ready to help you and your business grow. That's U-P-W-O-R-K.com, Upwork.com.
Now, the Democrats, I'm going to do a transition here, do have a front runner in the early, early, you guys are going to love this, presidential race to succeed Donald Trump. Kamala Harris crushing in the polls 33%. Next, Buttigieg at 10. And then a lot of worthy potential candidates in margin of error territory. What do we think? The word in California here is she really noticed that data. And all of a sudden, all the running for governor talk is kind of drying up a little.
Well, if she's counting on that data, she's really making a foolish mistake. I mean, the history is replete with, you know, three-year-out frontrunners who were left in the dustbin of history and by the side of the road. I'm putting you down as undecided then. No, no. I mean, look, I think it's a...
You know, that's a meaningless thing. But we would be remiss if we didn't talk to a potential 2028 contender here.
We got Whitmer on line two? I thought she blew herself up in the oval. I want to just stipulate for Ron that he's not talking about 2028, that he's only focused on 2026, and there'll be plenty of time for that. So now that we've dispensed with that bullshit, Ron... Well, no, I kind of like the way I say my bullshit the way better than the way you say it. I know you do. I know you do. That has been true for 40 years of our relationship. 42, but who's counting? But, Ron...
what are Democrats, what should Democrats be thinking right now as a party? Because I think there's a lot of debate about
between folks who want, you know, who really are focused on the fight over all of the provocations of Trump and all of the things he's doing. And there's another group that's focused on the thing that people, things that people care about and touch their lives and,
I'm throwing you such a fat pitch here, and I just want to see how far you can hit. Literally, we're going to – this is an in-kind contribution. We're skirting the legal limit, so –
Well, good. Thank you. Thank God you're not Qatar or the UAE. This would be illegal. You'll get the plane, depending on how you answer this question. We're going to get you a skateboard and a map to New Hampshire. From you guys, it will be that single engine Cessna. So let me, I actually, I do want to, I refute with you, David, because President Obama's presidency would be different if we didn't win the House back in 06.
And I think that's going to be relevant in 20. Oh, I think it's vital. OK, but I also think not just vital for the White House. It's actually protesting different things, different part of the districts, et cetera. And that's why I don't agree with everybody say, oh, do nothing. Democrats. This is about a Republican rubber stamp. Congress see no evil here. No evil speak. No evil. And I the country is begging for somebody to be a checkmate on an uncontrolled president.
Going forward, and that's 2026 is all about Trump and all about a rubber stamp. 2026, the hour that election is over to 2028 is about one thing, and it's about the American dream. It has become unaffordable. The moment it became unaffordable, our politics has become unstable. And the Democrats should not overthink this.
Everybody on this right podcast, we own multiple homes. A lot of people can't get a starter home. You need a health care around here? The second opinion used to be a doctor. Today, it's an insurance bureaucrat telling you what you can and can't have. And from saving for your college to your 401ks was supposed to be about your retirement. Now it's a cover up for your paycheck that doesn't make it. I think it's all about one thing and one thing only.
you want a shot at the American dream and you got the shaft and both parties are responsible for having done that. And Washington, that's where I think the democratic party needs. I normally you have to go to Concord, New Hampshire to get this stuff. This is a plus material, man. I, not that Concord's a bad place to go. It's a wonderful place. I think, but the party's going to go through it. And I think this, they're going to go through their Washington DC checklist and
of every constituent, make sure they hit all the yes buttons and all the yes boxes, and forget about it. It's one thing. It is a fact that our, that, and this has happened over 30 years, the dream has come down to about 10% of Americans can afford it, get access. Nobody believes it. No, well, they have a good reason not to. That's not true. Actually, David, I actually think they still believe in it. I still believe in it, but they know the fact is,
The system is rigged for us and our children. It's rigged against their kids. So it's both the corrupt system and the dream. But how authentically and how bluntly can people, can candidates, because I think it's absolutely essential, talk about the fact...
That why is it rigged and how do you create? So Donald Trump's doing a teardown. What are you going to build in its place? And how is that going to be more resistant to the corruption of big money, the corruption of special interest influence, the corruption of identity politics? I can't believe that Murph and I are here to give you a tutorial on politics, but all of this. But this is enjoyable.
I'm enjoying this. It's, you know, what you deal with on the corruption piece, what you deal with taxing people that make two and a half million dollars on this new reconciliation tax bill. All of it is brick by brick that build a build a story of who you're fighting for and what you're fighting against.
The Democratic Party is— Murph Gator Ward in Edgewise. This is like a 40-year argument. I've got my jaws of life to pry in a minute here, but go ahead, David. Don't get in between two Jews here. Yeah, I know. Between a member of the Orthodox synagogue versus a reform wing. We have talked about this. Globalization.
in the 90s and the financial crisis, the pandemic. Both parties have dirty hands on this. So it's not just about Republicans and Democrats. It's about who's going to step forward and say, we're going to take the whole damn system on. Okay, Trotsky, let me get a word in edgewise here. Uh-huh.
You know, it was last week, Heidi Heidenkamp was on with Heilman and I was listening to it. I was on assignment and I was yelling at my radio because they're having a three-way argument and they're still all wrong. The biggest message next year is fire these guys. They've ruined the economy. Yeah. And the second biggest message is always, what do you get from us? We're going to make your life better. Why? Because we're on your side. What are we going to do? Bing, bang and bing.
Simple, simple, simple, because you're probably going to win anyway. So the question is, how do you use the window frame going forward to not be the Democrats now that people don't like, don't trust for all the cultural reasons? Right now, we're seen as weak and woke, and the Republican Party is seen as bait and switch and stab in the back. Yes, exactly right. And we can fix our problem a hell of a lot easier than you guys can start to fix yours. I like to say it's not just better talking points.
because like the stuff David's pitching, I agree a thousand percent with, but the Dems, the problem is that I'm waiting for a democratic candidate for president who can look to the country and say, it is a fact that we run the biggest cities in America and we run them poorly. And we got to face up and own that. Mayor, you want to respond? You want to respond to that? Former mayor. I'm going to let him off the hook. No, no. I think, look,
I think a lot of cities, there's a lot of promise in those cities, but we have to acknowledge one thing. And I do think this is what you see across cities right now. The last 10 years, last five years of permissiveness is out and a country and in our cities want pragmatism.
That's why Donald Trump also, unfortunately, in 2024, did better in certain urban areas, because you walk by homeless encampments, you walk by, in fact, schools that are not doing well, areas of the city from a public safety standpoint. Educationally, they're not delivering what they could have done and did pre-pandemic. And the fact is,
is in and permissiveness as a culture is out. Now, Murph, I'm putting you on the spot. Do you agree or disagree about the message about the American dream and the resilience it has politically scoring? Wow, that's a brutal question. I can't believe you did that to me. I think people are dying for hope. They just don't trust anybody in the Democratic side to do it. Right.
Or the Republican side. They don't think the system works. We got that, David, but the question is can the Democrats both provide a message and a messenger that's credible to give that argument?
Being an authentic national Democrat means calling out the Democrats on the failures that currently define them. Let me pivot very quick because we got to get to the mailbag and all our stuff here. We've been negligent. But, Rahm, I'm going to give you yet another million dollar idea. You know, if this room in the midterms.
announce your own 10 monkeys that got to go, pick 10 Republican members, raise $10 million and make it a thing. Go to those districts, pound the hell out of them, show the way, get in front of the parade. And by the way, of course, load it, get five that are probably going to lose anyway. There's a platform there for somebody to do that in the short term. Yeah, I do think the Republican identifying kind of
whether it's a dirty dozen or whatever, whatever term you want to use that are the target that will make the majority and be the principle is a great political point. And great minds think alike, Murph. OK, then let's take a break right here and we'll be right back.
Mike, as you know, I enjoy a good glass of wine or two or whatever from time to time, often before this show. I need it after.
But what's made it even better is Naked Wines because it's changed the game for learning about wine and getting wines at a price you can afford that are really, really good. And so luckily, this podcast is sponsored by Naked Wines. It's 2025. Do you still shop for a wine like it's
2005. I love naked wines and they're a great sponsor. I have a theory. They decided to sponsor us after getting a little snookered on the product, but you know, we're happy to have them here and you do love wine. I like wine too. And we should point out just to remind you, Mike, that naked wines doesn't mean you drink their wine and get naked. Okay. Nobody wants that. I've heard rumors. That's your favorite way, but I,
Agreed. Nobody needs that from either of us. Look, Naked Wines, friends, here's the deal. It is a service that directly connects you to the world's finest independent winemakers. So you can get award-winning wine delivered straight to your door. All you got to do is use our code HACKS.
for the code and password. So Hacks and Hacks, use it both times, password and code at, and here's where you got to go, nakedwines.com. And you can get their incredible deal. Get this, David, six bottles for just $39.99. Yeah, man, it's great. You know, I love...
particularly rosé, which I'm not ashamed to admit a lot of guys wouldn't, and a lot of people won't be surprised, I guess. But I love cracking up a bottle of wine from Naked Wines, putting away
this technology and just being present in the moment with family and friends and boy, that big glass of wine. And you know how they do it? Naked Wines connects winemakers and wine drinkers directly, allowing for vineyard to your door delivery at up to, listen to this, Mike, 60% off what you would pay in store by cutting out the traditional retail middleman costs and markups. Winemakers can pass those savings on to you without skimping on quality.
And this is no fly-by-night output selling David the cheap rosé. It's quality stuff. And we know that because Naked Wines has been around for over 15 years. And they fund over 90 independent winemakers around the world with no commitments or membership fees. None of that. It's just you.
The wines and nakedwine.com. What a perfect pairing. And don't forget, you can pause or cancel at any time. So just because you've got a trip coming up doesn't mean you can't enjoy Naked Wines before or after that much-needed vacation. And now is the time to join the Naked Wines community. Head to nakedwines.com slash hacks.
Click enter voucher and put in our code HACKS for both the code and password for six bottles of wine for just $39.99 with shipping included. That's $100 off your first six bottles at nakedwines.com slash HACKS and use the code and password HACKS for again six bottles of wine for just $39.99. Listener Mail!
Okay, you got a question, email it to us. Come on, you're not a rock and cider simple. Just email. I'm doing the Chicago version now.
Hacks on Tap at gmail.com. You can do a voicemail on your phone and email it to us. Keep it short. Use your name. We love those. Or you can go to our Rahm Emanuel Off-Track Betting and Voter Registration Center in Chicago and leave a voice message right here. 773-389-4471. I'll repeat it because who can remember that? 773-389-4471.
So, Rob, we have a question for you. Go ahead, Mike. All right. We thought we'd give you a softball here. This is from Steven. Mr. Emanuel, do
Do you think it's time for Chuck Schumer to step down as minority leader of the Senate? He is old, 74, not a good communicator, and the impression of a coastal elite with a strong New York accent, reading glasses, and always, always carrying a Starbucks cup. Can't the Democrats pick a new leader that is younger from the center of the country and finally deliver an on-topic message? Great read. Great read. That's from Chuck in Queens.
Steve, the only thing I will say that and the reason I I remember when everybody was saying, oh, Nancy Pelosi should go. I remember when we were struggling to get the votes so she could be speaker and she turned out to be exactly what we needed at the right time. So I have I come at this slightly with, oh, we want to get rid of him because, et cetera, et cetera. I actually I.
Democrats in the caucus will buy that. I don't see that as the biggest problem. And Chuck has an opportunity to, I think, shore up his with Senator Durbin stepping aside, shore up his team and allow other people to become both grow and promote and become a fuller picture of what the Democrats have to offer.
That's what I think. So you think the big news out of that is you think Schumer is the equal of Nancy Pelosi. It's interesting. I kind of think of her as a different category of leader. You know, I know, I know you do, but David, but David, I'm going to say one thing. A lot of people in the past were saying, oh, Nancy is yesterday. We got to get rid of her. I remember the votes for this. That was all there. I know. I remember it. I know. I remember it as well, but listen, here's my, here's my answer to that question. It, it,
At a minimum, there should be a no-fly zone for Chuck Schumer on media.
to this caller's point, because he's a terrible communicator and he's communicating the wrong message. I mean, we've talked about this before, but he went on, you know, shortly after he got jammed up for doing the right thing in entirely the wrong way and not shutting down the government. He goes on and he's asked what he thinks the problem with the Democratic Party is. And he said, well, you know, we've always we've always cared about the working people.
But they just didn't know the great things we've done for them. So now he said, we didn't know about this thing called social media. And Cory Booker's teaching us how to use. I mean, God, please go away. He's on the interweb. Well, the answer, boys, is dump them. It's war. All right. Do we have the next question? We want to take one from voicemail. And it's Brian who has one for Mike Murphy.
Hey Hacks, this is Brian from Lexington, Kentucky. I have a very popular governor here in a red state. There's other very popular Democratic governors, Shapiro, Whitmer, Moore, and Moore. But what I want to know is why is there such a disconnect between the governors on the ground in states with high approval ratings and Washington Democrats with low approval ratings? And how do they fix it? Thanks guys, love the show.
Well, thank you, Brian. So governors tend to be, not always, but tend to be higher level political animals because they got a real job connected to the state. Governors generally are not seen as ideological as Washington, where it's my side, your side, war, war, war. The other problem is the Washington Democrats have been defined with more of the loony left stuff.
governors can be the pragmatists. They can deliver results. They can cut a red ribbon. There's no surprise that governorships tend to be presidential breeding grounds because that's the kind of experience people like in presidents and governors and mayors, I might add, not that I know any, know how to communicate because they've actually run something.
So it is a different kind of animal in a different kind of place. And keep an eye on the governors as the party starts to figure out where it's going. All right, finally, batting cleanup. Brian wants to know, I was listening to your podcast last week and my blood reached the temperature of hot soup.
During the discussion of Trump saying, see a doctor, man. Exactly. We know a specialist with Trump saying, I don't know if I need to comply with the Constitution. I agree, Brian. Why can the Republicans create an issue out of furries and litter boxes in schools while the Democrats can't hammer, drill, pound, grind, beat and steamroll this issue right into the public consciousness?
So, Brian, first of all, I'm sorry for your discomfort. We're here only to please. And leave furries out of it. But, you know, one thing we said, I want to make this point here. One thing we should have mentioned earlier that, you know, is so obvious that maybe it
It didn't need stating. But what Trump is doing in accepting this plane is a violation of a very explicit clause in the Constitution called the emoluments clause that was written. If you read what Alexander Hamilton wrote about it in the Federalist Papers, out of fear that foreign leaders would try and bribe American presidents in
And so he is explicitly violating the Constitution there. I expect that
This will be litigated as many, many other things will be eliminated. I mean, and I do think it's important for the problem with Donald Trump. And I've said it many times is he does not believe in rules or laws or norms or institutions. Democracies rely on those. The world order relies on those. And he does whatever the damn, whatever the hell he damn pleases. And a lot of this is going to go to the courts, but,
These are the issue is the issue. The issue is what is the quality of people's lives? Are they being improved and helped by what he's doing or hurt? Are their personal incomes expanding? Are there costs going down? And I just think that it's incumbent on Democrats not to lose the threat of that story.
So you do the other things for sure. And he should be called out on all of this stuff. This this sort of the corruption at this level that we've never seen before needs to be taken on, but not at the expense of the main point, which is while he's taking care of himself, he's not taking care of you. Well said. Well said. And I'd like to finish with a heartfelt pickup. And I'd like to finish with a heartfelt word to our friends in Qatar.
If you happen to have another plane lying around, let's talk. We need one for the show. We want a hats on tap plane. Let's balance it out a little. Then it would take the sting away. It would be good for Qatar. Your own personal net chat program. Yeah, we'd take a smaller one. Let me add something before we sign off because I meant to. Rob, you've been talking a lot about national service, and you've got an initiative going with the
uh former uh chief of the navy yeah uh chief of staff of the navy who was dispatched by trump apparently for the uh crime of being a woman but yeah but talk talk for a minute about that i believe i was two things one is i was going to give a speech at west point that got canceled and it was all about calling for universal national service second why was it canceled i think it's an interesting story
Well, I can't. By legal, here's why it was canceled. Not only was the speech to the class of the cadets canceled, but he actually, I was not allowed to also go speak to Frank Luntz's class, both of those. And Mike... Well, you're ahead on that one. I was going to get to that. Flynn, former National Security Advisor, Flynn...
was appointed to the West Point board for guest speakers. We had all this email back forth. We knew exactly we had the whole schedule figured out. And then three days later after he's appointed, my speech is indefinitely postponed. They won't give me a date for rescheduling, et cetera. So that's a pretty good, solid guess of why it was canceled.
And then fast forward is I always said Amy and I set up the scholarship for a dozen kids, junior ROTC, go to school in Illinois, and we'll give you $10,000 as long as you not only go to Illinois, but you continue with your ROTC training. And yeah.
Lisa Franchetti, the former CNO of the Navy, went to college on a ROTC scholarship. And so I called her. We worked together very, very closely when I was ambassador. So I called her up and I said, I want to name this scholarship after you, Lisa. You're an example for all these kids. You're an example. One decision. And it's 40 years of your life to service. You ran a strike group. You ran a Navy aircraft carrier. You ran an incredible record of and I saw her firsthand the passion she brought.
for the young members of the Navy crew of any battleship. And I wanted to name it after her. And also...
I think personally, these kids on our college campuses who have picked the responsibility of service over kind of what rights do they have can be infectious to our college campus and other kids will get the disease of service to country and community. And so Amy and I named it after Lisa. Good for you. And we should point out you two of your kids are
In the Navy.
could be in uniform, could be do a conservation corps, could be a lot of different things, but give something back. You're going to learn a lot about yourself. And I think we got to level set this country whose motto was out of many one, and we focused too much on the many and we lost focus on the one. All right. Well, we, we, uh, this is our, uh, this is old man's form of service here. Hacks on. We're Patriots in the front lines.
talk. This is the Medicare version of public service. Right. Right. Exactly. We, uh, our, the show's motto is turn up your hearing aid. It's going to get hot. Um, all right. Rom, always a pleasure. X. Great to see you onward. Thanks guys. Into the darkness. All right, boys. Talk to you next time. See ya.