Maddow’s KEY to fighting for Democracy in Trump’s ‘Authoritarian’ Era

Maddow’s KEY to fighting for Democracy in Trump’s ‘Authoritarian’ Era

HI, THIS IS JEN PSAKI, AND THIS IS THE BLUEPRINT. SO WE HAD AN EVENT THIS WEEKEND
IN NEW YORK CITY WHERE I JOINED RACHEL
MADDOW AND SIMONE SANDERS
TOWNSEND, ALICIA MENENDEZ, AND LAWRENCE O’DONNELL, AND MANY OTHER MSNBC HOSTS YOU
KNOW WELL. AND AT THAT EVENT, I INTERVIEWED THE CO-HOSTS OF
THE PODCAST I’VE HAD IT. YOU’LL HEAR THAT A LITTLE BIT
LATER. BUT FIRST, I WANT TO SHARE A CONVERSATION I
HAD WITH RACHEL MADDOW AT A DINNER HOSTED
BY LUKE RUSSERT. SO HERE’S THE BLUEPRINT LIVE
FROM MSNBC FANFEST 25. WE STARTED THE CONVERSATION WITH
A QUESTION FROM FRANK PAULA OF
CHICAGO. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU BOTH FOR THE
INCREDIBLE WORK YOU’VE DONE AND
CONTINUE TO DO. YOU PROVIDE SUPPORT AND
ENCOURAGEMENT TO EVERYBODY HERE
AND MILLIONS MORE, AND YOU KNOW THAT. THEY’RE BOTH GONNA CRY NOW. OH, HERE GOES. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE AT LAST
YEAR’S MSNBC CONVENTION DINNER
TO ASK YOU BOTH HOW, GIVEN ALL THE POLITICAL NOISE
THAT WAS GOING ON AT THAT TIME, HOW YOU DETERMINE WHAT ISSUE YOU
WOULD FOCUS ON ON ANY GIVEN NEWS
DAY. WELL, OVER THE LAST 9 MONTHS, THE NOISE HAS CHANGED, IT’S GOTTEN LOUDER AND NEARLY
UNBEARABLE. MY QUESTION TO BOTH OF YOU IS, HOW, IF AT ALL, HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR APPROACH
IN SORTING THROUGH THE SLUDGE OF
A NEWS CYCLE. AND WHAT CONSIDERATIONS YOU TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT NOW TO PRIORITIZE WHAT ISSUES ARE
WORTHY OF POLITICAL COMMENTARY. THAT’S A GREAT QUESTION. IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN. I WOULD SAY FIRST, I’M THE CHILD OF A THERAPIST, SO I AM IN A CONSTANT STATE OF
SELF REFLECTION, UM, AND IT’S A HEALTHY THING TO BE JUST
LIKE IT’S HEALTHY TO CRY, UH, AND I HAVE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT
IT AND I JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF AFTER THE. ELECTION LAST NOVEMBER WHETHER I WAS TALKING ABOUT AND PROVIDING A PLATFORM FOR AND
SHEDDING LIGHT ON THE RIGHT
THINGS AND I THINK THERE WAS TOO MUCH
TIME FOR ME SPENT NAVEL GAZING AT HOW BAD TRUMP
WAS AND TALKING ABOUT HOW BAD TRUMP WAS AND HAVING
PEOPLE ON WHO TALKED ABOUT HOW BAD TRUMP WAS I’M NOT
SAYING THAT’S THEIR FAULT IT JUST BECAME THE
TOTALITY OF THE DISCUSSION. AND WHERE I HAVE REALLY SELF
REFLECTED IS REALLY THINKING
ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE ARENA WHO
ARE REALLY DOING SOMETHING ABOUT
IT. SO WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO FIGHT BACK
ON PEOPLE WHO ARE DISAPPEARING PEOPLE ON THE
STREETS OF OUR NATION’S CITIES, RIGHT? WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THE
FACT THAT YOU FEEL FRUSTRATED THAT THEY’RE NOT EXTENDING
HEALTH CARE SUBSIDIES TO
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AS THEY SHOULD AND SO THE PRISON
FOR ME IS PART. AND I’VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT NOT
ALLOWING EVEN WHEN POLITICIANS
COME ON AND SAY, WELL, TRUMP IS TERRIBLE AND HE’S A
HORROR SHOW IT’S LIKE, OK, WELL YOU HAVE A PLATFORM. WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT? WHAT POWER DO YOU HAVE AND WHAT
LEVERS OF POWER SO YOU CAN USE? THAT’S ONE. THE OTHER PART I’VE REALLY
GOTTEN COMFORTABLE WITH MY NERDY KNOWLEDGE OF HOW
GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS WHICH I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND AND TALK ABOUT RIGHT
NOW, UM, AND WHAT IS NORMAL THANK YOU WE
LOVE ALL THE NERDS IN THIS ROOM. UM, WHAT IS NORMAL, WHAT IS NOT NORMAL, THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE TRYING
TO DO THAT DON’T SEEM IMPORTANT BUT ARE IMPORTANT
LIKE FIRING INSPECTORS GENERAL, LIKE NOT ALLOWING WHISTLEBLOWERS
TO POST THEIR COMPLAINTS THROUGH
WEBSITES, WHICH IS SOMETHING THEY DID THIS
WEEK. SO I’VE GOTTEN REAL COMFORTABLE
IN MY NERDINESS, AND THAT TOOK SOME SELF
REFLECTION, BUT THOSE ARE SOME OF MINE. BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU? I LOVE THE GOVERNANCE PART OF IT
TOO, BECAUSE I DO FEEL LIKE WE HAVE
DEVALUED THE IDEA OF SERVING IN
CONGRESS. WE’VE DEVALUED THE IDEA OF
MAKING. SEEKING LEGISLATION WE’VE
DEVALUED THE IDEA OF UM SERVING IN GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES, PARTICULARLY WASHINGTON-BASED
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES LIKE WE I
THINK AS AMERICANS IT’S NOT JUST BEEN A PROJECT OF
THE RIGHT. I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE ALLOWED
OURSELVES TO LET OUR RESPECT. FOR THE MECHANICS OF OUR DEMOCRACY
ERODE A LITTLE BIT AND THAT’S WRONG BECAUSE OUR
DEMOCRACY ACTUALLY IS UM FOR ALL ITS FAULTS IT’S WHAT
WE’VE GOT AND IT’S THE BEST
SYSTEM IN THE WORLD AND IT’S FRAGILE AND WE HAVE TO
STAND UP FOR IT AND THAT MEANS
EVEN STANDING UP FOR CONGRESS. I KNOW IT’S TERRIBLE, BUT SORT OF RELEARNING
GOVERNANCE I THINK RIGHT NOW AND
WHAT’S NOT PERFECT ABOUT IT BUT WHAT’S WHY IT’S BETTER TO HAVE IT THAN
NOT IS I ONE OF THE THINGS I’VE BEEN
LEARNING FROM YOUR SHOW, UM, AND IT’S I’VE BEEN TRYING TO
THINK IN THOSE LINES AND I AND
ACTUALLY SIMILARLY UM. I’VE BEEN TRYING TO SHIFT MY
GAZE. I KNOW WHAT TRUMP WANTS TO DO, AND I THINK I KNOW A LOT ABOUT
HOW HE WANTS TO DO IT. I DON’T THINK THERE’S MUCH
MYSTERY THERE. YOU JUST, WITH A TRANSLATION APP, YOU CAN JUST WATCH IT HAPPEN IN
ANY OF THE OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE THIS HAS
HAPPENED IN THE LAST 100 YEARS, RIGHT? THE LAST CENTURY HAS BEEN THE STORY OF
DEMOCRACIES TURNING INTO
AUTHORITARIAN, UH, OR, OR FALLING TO AUTHORITARIAN
MOVEMENTS AND LEADERS. WE KNOW WHAT THEY ALL WANT TO
DO. SO THEREFORE IT’S NOT NEWS. WHAT’S NEWS IS WHAT OUR COUNTRY
IS GOING TO DO ABOUT IT. WHAT’S NEWS IS HOW OUR COUNTRY
IS GOING TO RESPOND. WHAT’S NEWS IS HOW OUR COUNTRY
IS GOING TO STAND UP FOR THE DEMOCRACY THAT WE ALL SAY WE
DON’T WANT TO LOSE. AND SO THAT’S THE STORY. TRUMP IS THE BACKGROUND, BUT THE ACTUAL ACTION IS US, AND THAT’S HOW I TRY TO FOCUS
EVERY DAY. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM JACOB LAX FROM RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA. JACOB, ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, UM. SO TO BOTH OF YOU, UH, RACHEL, YOU OFTEN PLACED CURRENT EVENTS
IN A LONGER HISTORICAL ARC, AND JEN, YOUR WORK FOCUSED ON
COMMUNICATING POLICY AS IT
UNFOLDED IN REAL TIME. SO I’M CURIOUS HOW EACH OF YOU
THINKS ABOUT TIME IN YOUR OWN WORK. THE TENSION BETWEEN HELPING PEOPLE REACT TO
WHAT’S GOING ON RIGHT NOW AND HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND
HOW WE GOT HERE. I THINK OF TIME AS BEING A
LITTLE BIT INTERCHANGEABLE WITH
PLACE UM IN THE SENSE THAT, UH, I THINK SOMETIMES IT’S HARD TO
RECOGNIZE THE SITUATION THAT YOU ARE PERSONALLY IN AT
THAT MOMENT. AND SO SOMETIMES THE REASON THAT
I WILL USE A HISTORICAL ANALOGY IS IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE
WEREN’T ALL THERE FOR. SO IF I’M TALKING ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN THE
1800S, OR I’M START TALKING ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED. IN SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS MULTIPLE GENERATIONS, YOU HAVE TO GET OUTSIDE YOURSELF
A LITTLE BIT TO SEE THAT AND THEN THAT CAN SOMETIMES
HELP US RECOGNIZE THE PARALLELS FOR TODAY OR RECOGNIZE THE MODEL OF HEROISM OR THE UH THE THE PARTICULAR THREATS
OR. SOME OTHER ANALOGY THAT I THINK
IS HELPFUL. IT’S ALSO SOMETIMES TRUE THAT IT
COULD BE SOMETHING THAT’S
CONTEMPORANEOUS, BUT IT’S HAPPENING IN POLAND, OR IT’S HAPPENING IN NEW ZEALAND
OR IT’S HAPPENING IN WEST AFRICA
SOMEWHERE. IT’S JUST THE WAY THAT I, MY OWN BRAIN WORKS. I SOMETIMES NEED. UH, TO GET OUTSIDE MYSELF TO SEE IT
FROM THROUGH DIFFERENT EYES AND EITHER TIME OR PLACE OR SOME
OTHER VARIABLE LIKE THAT. UM, HELPS ME DO IT. EVERYBODY’S MIND DOESN’T WORK
THE WAY RACHEL MADDOWS’S MIND
WORKS, BECAUSE EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY KNOW THIS, YOU KNOW, MY MIND DOES NOT WORK IN THE
SAME WAY, AND I OFTEN THINK MUCH MORE ABOUT PRESENT DAY ISH, RIGHT, THE LAST 20 TO 30 YEARS IN
POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT AND WHAT
I’VE LIVED AND EXPERIENCED AND WHAT
MOMENTS TELL US ABOUT WHAT IS
NORMAL, WHAT IS NOT NORMAL SOMETIMES IT. IS I’VE PROBABLY SHOWN MORE
CLIPS OF JOHN BOEHNER BECAUSE THIS IS THE WORLD WE’RE
LIVING IN NOW, UM, AND HOW PEOPLE BEHAVE FROM OTHER
PARTIES OR IN WORKING TOGETHER
TO REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT OR IN RESPONSE TO
A MASS SHOOTING OR THINGS LIKE
THAT THAN I EVER WOULD HAVE PREDICTED AND ALSO I MEAN DOING A SHOW
JUST WEEKLY RATHER THAN DOING A SHOW EVERY NIGHT I HAVE
TO THINK ABOUT TIME IN TERMS OF AM I TALKING TO YOU
ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENED IN THE LAST WEEK OR AM I TALKING TO YOU
ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENED. IN THE LAST DAY, OR AM I TALKING TO YOU ABOUT
WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE
THE LAST SHOW STARTED, YOU KNOW, IT’S, THAT’S SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST
HAVE TO JUGGLE EVERY NIGHT BASED ON THE IMPERATIVES OF THE
MOMENT, I THINK. WE HAVE MADELINE BOLDIN FROM
SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. GOOD EVENING, MS. MADELINE MSAKI. GOOD EVENING. WE CAN BE ON A FIRST NAME BASIS, MADELINE. I HOPE EMPATHY IS BEING ATTACKED IN
TODAY’S SOCIETY. DO YOU THINK EMPATHY CAN SURVIVE
IN JOURNALISM WITHOUT BEING SEEN
AS A WEAKNESS? I LOVE THIS QUESTION. BEFORE I WAS AT MSNBC, I WORKED WITH JOURNALISTS, OF COURSE, IN COMMUNICATIONS AND AND MEDIA
FOR 20 YEARS, AND WHAT I FOUND WERE SOME OF
THE THE BEST JOURNALISTS HAD
TREMENDOUS EMPATHY FOR HUMANS AND PEOPLE AND WHAT
THEY WERE EXPERIENCING AND
EVENTS IN THE WORLD. AND WHEN I, I WAS AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT
FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND THE
REPORTERS AND JOURNALISTS, THEY ARE HARD HITTING TOUGH, REALLY SMART. THEY COVERED THOSE ISSUES
BECAUSE THEY CARED ABOUT GLOBAL MOVEMENTS AND THEY CARED
ABOUT PEACE DEALS AND THEY CARED ABOUT NEGOTIATIONS
AND THEY CARED ABOUT ENDING WARS AND THAT’S WHAT MADE THEM GREAT
JOURNALISTS SO I WOULD SAY I THINK EMPATHY
IS A STRENGTH, EMPATHY IS A SUPERPOWER EMPATHY
ALLOWS YOU TO. CONNECT AND REALLY DIGEST THINGS IN A WAY THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM ROBOTICALLY
REPEATING THINGS ON TELEVISION. THAT’S NOT WHAT ANY OF US DO. SO THAT’S HOW I, I SEE IT. BUT WHAT YOU’RE GONNA SAY
SOMETHING WISER THAN ME AND I’M
HERE FOR IT. LET’S JUST TO UNDERSCORE WHAT
YOU SAID, I THINK THAT YOU CAN’T TELL A
GOOD STORY WITHOUT EMPATHY BECAUSE
OTHERWISE, I MEAN. I, I DON’T, I DON’T HAVE A PARENT WHO’S A
THERAPIST AND SO MAYBE PEOPLE HEARING STORIES ABOUT
THEMSELVES IS A HELPFUL THING IN
THERAPY. I DON’T KNOW, BUT OTHERWISE EVERY STORY BY
DEFINITION IS ASKING YOU TO LEAVE YOUR OWN
MIND AND YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE AND IMAGINE
OR EMBODY SOMEBODY ELSE’S. AND THAT AND STORYTELLING, I, I AGREE WITH KEN BURNS ON THIS, UM, THE GREAT DOCUMENTARIAN STORIES ARE WHAT CHANGES THE
WORLD AND STORIES ARE INDEED
WHAT EXPLAINS THE WORLD AND THERE IS NOT A STORY
AGAIN OUTSIDE OF POTENTIALLY A
THERAPEUTIC CONTEXT THAT DOES THAT ISN’T ABOUT. THAT ISN’T THAT THAT’S ABOUT
YOU. IT’S ALWAYS ABOUT IMAGINING OR
SEEING SOMETHING ELSE AND SO I THINK IT’S THE, IT’S THE CORE OF WHAT IT IS NOT ONLY TO BE HUMAN AND HAVE
LOVE IN YOUR LIFE AND HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, MORAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE
WHO YOU CARE FOR, I THINK IT’S THE ABSOLUTE CORE
OF WHAT WE DO. IN TERMS OF TALKING ABOUT THE
WORLD, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. IT’S BEAUTIFULLY PHRASED TOO AS
WELL. THANK YOU. ALRIGHTY, WE HAVE HERE MARY JEAN WHITE
FROM ASTON, PENNSYLVANIA. I’M MARY JEAN. I’M MARY JEAN DELCO. SO FOR BOTH OF YOU, UH, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN HELPING THE PUBLIC
UNDERSTAND ACCOUNTABILITY AND HOW IT WORKS, HOW OVERSIGHT WORKS, AND HOW IMPORTANT YOUR ROLE IS AND OUR ROLE IS? YOU, YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT UH THE IG WEBSITES GOING DOWN, RIGHT? UM, SO THE FOURTH ESTATE, YOU ALL ARE ALL WE HAVE LEFT. HOW DO YOU TRANSLATE THAT? TO FOLKS TO HAVE THEM UNDERSTAND
HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OVERSIGHT IS AND HOW IT IT
IS IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE IT AND AND HOW WE DON’T HAVE IT NOW HOW
CAN WE MAKE THAT REAL FOR PEOPLE WHEN
THEY’RE SITTING IN THEIR KITCHEN AND TALKING TO EACH OTHER. AFTER THEY TURN OFF YOUR SHOW OR BEFORE THEY GO TO BED. SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT EVERY DAY? I HAVE ONE SMALL POINT, BUT I’M INTERESTED IN YOUR TAKE
ON THIS. I MEAN, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY I THINK THAT WHETHER
OR NOT YOU ARE CONSERVATIVE OR LIBERAL
OR ENGAGED OR APATHETIC, I THINK THE IDEA THAT IT’S
BETTER TO KNOW THAN TO NOT KNOW
IS A PRETTY HUMAN THING. UM, THAT EVEN IF WE ENJOY ESCAPISM, EVEN IF A LOT OF US TURNED OFF
THE NEWS ONCE THE NEWS STARTED GOING IN A
DIRECTION WE DIDN’T LIKE, IN GENERAL I THINK IT’S BETTER
TO KNOW THAN TO NOT KNOW. AND ONE OF THE GREAT ASSISTS
THAT WE’VE GOT FROM THIS
ADMINISTRATION IN PARTICULAR ON CONVINCING PEOPLE THAT IT’S
BETTER TO KNOW THAN TO NOT KNOW
THAT YOU’D BETTER PAY ATTENTION, YOU BETTER HAVE SOME WAY TO FIND
OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING RATHER THAN LEAVING THEM TO
THEIR OWN DEVICES IS THAT THEY KEEP ROBBING ALL OF US
BLIND. DONALD TRUMP MAKING BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN LESS THAN A YEAR SINCE HE’S BEEN BACK
IN OFFICE IS SOMETHING THAT MEANS
SOMETHING TO PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY’RE HAVING
THEIR POCKETS PICKED AND SO IS IT BETTER FOR US TO
KNOW THAT THAT’S HAPPENING OR JUST TO CLOSE OUR
EYES AND PRETEND IT’S NOT? AND I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING
INSTINCTUAL IN NOT JUST THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
BUT IN PEOPLE PEOPLE GENERALLY TO KNOW THAT UM YOU’D RATHER NOT BE BLINDSIDED
AND I THINK PEOPLE KNOW INSTINCTIVELY THAT
THERE IS SOMETHING. UM, THERE’S A LOT GOING ON THAT IS
SELF-DEALING, AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE
REFLEXIVELY REPULSED BY THAT AND WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT. AND SO THAT’S A GOOD WAY TO TALK
ABOUT, WELL, HOW WILL WE KNOW ABOUT IT? THERE’S NO INSPECTORS GENERAL, THE FBI IS INSTEAD CHASING ALL THE PRESIDENT’S
POLITICAL ENEMIES. IT’S THE FREE PRESS, RIGHT? THAT’S HOW WE’RE GONNA KNOW AND THAT’S A PRETTY
STRAIGHTFORWARD ARGUMENT, I THINK, PARTICULARLY IN AN ERA OF REALLY
BLATANT SELF DEALING AND
CORRUPTION. I WILL TELL YOU THE THING THAT
WORRIES ME IS THE THINGS THAT WE
DON’T KNOW, RIGHT? AND THAT IT’S HARD TO KNOW. UM, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL’S IS AN
EXAMPLE BECAUSE IT’S LIKE WHAT WOULD THEY BE
INVESTIGATING RIGHT NOW? UM, WE DON’T KNOW, IT’S KIND OF AN UNKNOWABLE. THE FBI. IT’S NOT JUST CASH PATEL’S
HACKING OF WEIRD GOODS AND AND
DOING WHAT HE’S DOING. IT’S ALSO THE FIRING OF VERY QUALIFIED FBI
OFFICIALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WHAT ARE THEY NOT, WHAT THREATS ARE THEY NOT
LOOKING AFTER, WHAT THREATS ARE THEY NOT
FOLLOWING? AND I WILL SAY LIKE A PERSONAL
ONE THAT I’M CONCERNED ABOUT AND
THEN I WILL GET TO A POSITIVE POINT
BECAUSE I THINK THAT’S THE POINT
HERE, BUT. IS THE PRESS BRIEFING ROOM, WHICH MAY SOUND LIKE A SMALL
THING, IT IS A BIG THING BECAUSE, UM, AND, AND WHAT I WORRY ABOUT IS IT’S
VERY HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT’S
HAPPENING IN THERE UNLESS YOU’VE LIVED IN THAT ROOM
AND BEEN THE PRESS SECRETARY OR
A STAFFER OR UH AND A REPORTER AND THERE ARE
STILL SOME VERY EXCELLENT
REPORTERS HARD. HITTING TOUGH SMART REPORTERS IN
THERE, BUT SLOWLY BUT SURELY THEY’RE
RESHAPING THE PEOPLE WHO GET QUESTIONS AND THE PEOPLE WHO
FILL THAT ROOM INTO PEOPLE WHO ARE SYCOPHANTS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND YOU
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PRESS
BRIEFING, AND I DO MORE THAN MOST PEOPLE
PROBABLY BECAUSE WE DO A LITTLE SHTICK ON OUR SHOW
ABOUT IT. YOU SEE THAT YOU KNOW SOME DAYS IT’S MAYBE A
THIRD OF THE QUESTIONS, SOME DAYS IT’S HALF, SOMETIMES IT’S 15% AND THERE ARE QUESTIONS LIKE, AND THIS IS LITERALLY ONE ONCE PRESIDENT TRUMP LOOKS LIKE HE’S
IN SUCH GOOD SHAPE. I WANNA KNOW WHAT HIS HEALTH
REGIMEN IS, RIGHT? SO, AND, AND YOU KNOW THAT’S FUNNY, BUT THERE’S ALSO SOME THAT ARE
SERIOUS, RIGHT? AND I’M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT
BECAUSE THAT SHAPES THE PUBLIC’S PERCEPTION OF WHAT
THE MEDIA IS. NOBODY KNOW AND MOST PEOPLE
DON’T KNOW HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE BENNY JOHNSON FROM
OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM. OK, SO THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS. WHAT I THINK IS A POWERFUL THING
IS THE MOST POWERFUL TOOL OF INFORMATION IS ALL OF
YOU AND INDIVIDUALS AND PEOPLE. PEOPLE TRUST THEIR NEIGHBORS. THEY TRUST PEOPLE IN THEIR
COMMUNITY. THEY TRUST PEOPLE THEY KNOW. MORE THAN THEY TRUST ANY OF THE
INSTITUTIONS I MEAN GOVERNMENT, MEDIA, ANYONE, SO WHAT I THINK ABOUT A LOT IS HOW
CAN WE PROVIDE A COUPLE OF PIECES OF
INFORMATION THAT ARE DIGESTIBLE AND WARNING
SIGNS SO THAT YOU CAN END THE
SHOW AND BE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT’S WEIRD? THERE’S 8 REPORTERS IN THAT
BRIEFING ROOM WHO GOT QUESTIONS WHO ARE PROPAGANDISTS, RIGHT? THAT’S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD
CONCERN ANYONE. UH, BUT I THINK PART OF IT IS PEOPLE NEEDING TO FEEL EMPOWERED
THEMSELVES TO SHARE THE STORY OF WHAT’S HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW, TAKE THE INFORMATION THEY HAVE, AND PASS IT ALONG, WHICH IS HAPPENING, AND THAT IS A PLUS OF SOCIAL
MEDIA PLATFORMS I WOULD SAY THAT
HAVE MANY NEGATIVES, BUT THAT’S A PLUS OF THEM. ALL RIGHT, LUKE, LUKE, LUKE, LUKE, DO ONE MORE. I KNOW WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE
DONE. CAN WE JUST DO ONE MORE? I’M SORRY. YOU, THEN YOU CAN PICK SOMEONE FROM
THE CROWD, RACHEL. OH. SORRY, THAT WAS ME. HI, THANK YOU SO MUCH UM I’M HERE FROM FLORIDA AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK
YOU FOR SHOWING ALL OF THE FILM
CLIPS YOU HAVE SHOWED FROM ACROSS THE NATION IN TINY LITTLE RED PLACES TO SHOW US THAT WE ARE NOT
ALONE. AND THAT HAS MADE SUCH A
DIFFERENCE AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALL NEED TO
DO RIGHT NOW IS BEING IN COMMUNITY AND THAT IS HELPING SO MUCH SO THANK YOU BARBARA BARBARA, THANK YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH THANK YOU. I WILL, YOU KNOW, LET ME JUST, LET’S JUST FINISH WITH THAT. LET THAT BEING IN COMMUNITY
THING IS FOR REAL. AND WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT
SOCIAL MEDIA AND SHARING THINGS
THAT ARE THINGS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT
YOU THINK OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD
UNDERSTAND, THAT’S FOR REAL. BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT
BEING IN A PHYSICAL PLACE WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHERE YOU CAN LOOK
THEM IN THE EYES, AND THAT’S WHY I SAID MAKE SURE
YOU MEET SOMEBODY HERE TONIGHT WHO YOU DIDN’T KNOW
BEFORE YOU GOT HERE. THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT IN REAL
LIFE COMMUNICATION, EYEBALL TO EYEBALL TALKING WITH
PEOPLE ABOUT HOW YOU ARE FEELING AND WHAT YOU GUYS MIGHT BE ABLE
TO DO TOGETHER, WHAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHARE
THE BURDEN OF IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO
HAPPEN IN THE COUNTRY. AND IF YOU HAVEN’T, I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU JOIN. BUT IF YOU HAVEN’T JOINED
SOMETHING SINCE WE’VE ENTERED INTO AN
AUTHORITARIAN ERA IN AMERICAN
POLITICS, THIS IS A TIME TO JOIN SOMETHING
AND AGAIN IT CAN BE A ZUMBA
CLASS IT’S FINE. IT CAN BE ANYTHING WHERE YOU’RE MEETING IN REAL LIFE OFFLINE WITH OTHER
HUMAN BEINGS WITH WHOM YOU CAN MAKE COMMON CAUSE OR AT
LEAST SHARE YOUR HUMANITY. PART OF THE WAY AN AUTHORITARIAN
WORKS IS THAT THEY STOP US FROM SEEING ONE ANOTHER. IN ANY WAY THAT YIELDS TO
SOLIDARITY THEY KEEP US AFRAID
OF EACH OTHER THEY KEEP US ANGRY AT EACH OTHER THEY
KEEP US ATOMIZED AND DEPRESSED
AND NOT WANTING TO PARTICIPATE IN THINGS IN OUR
CIVIC LIFE BECAUSE CIVIC LIFE
SEEMS ALIEN OR DANGEROUS. ONE OF THE THINGS WE CAN ALL DO
NO MATTER WHAT YOUR INTERESTS
ARE, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR SKILLS ARE
IS JOIN SOMETHING SO THAT YOU ARE SEEING PEOPLE IN
REAL LIFE, AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU
TO FIND THAT COMMUNITY WHERE YOU
CAN UM TAKE TAKE INSPIRATION FROM THE
FACT THAT THEY REALLY DON’T WANT
US TO DO IT. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, RACHEL JEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. HI EVERYONE. OK. ME RIGHT THERE. ALRIGHT, OK, WE’RE SO EXCITED TO BE HERE AND
DOING THIS WITH ALL OF YOU GUYS. HAVE A SEAT. NOW, IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD OF THE
I’VE HAD IT PODCAST, AND I SUSPECT MOST OF YOU HAVE, IT IS A PART OF MY SOUL CONNECTION TO ALL OF
THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR WORLD AND HOW WE NEED TO
RESPOND TO THEM. IT’S A PART OF MY WEEKLY
ROUTINE. I LISTEN TO IT ON THE WAY HOME
FROM WORK. UM, I’M SO THRILLED TO HAVE YOU BOTH
HERE, UH, AND WE’RE GONNA TALK ABOUT ALL
THE THINGS IN A TOTALLY
UNFILTERED WAY, AS EVERYBODY WOULD EXPECT, RIGHT? SO LET’S DO IT. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. OK, UM, OK, SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN’T
FAMILIAR WITH THESE AMAZING
LADIES, I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A LITTLE, WE’LL DO A LITTLE INTRODUCTION
SO YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THEM. SO LET, LET ME JUST START. YOU GUYS HAVE HAD YOUR PODCAST
FOR A WHILE. IT, IT DIDN’T START AS A POLITICAL
PODCAST. WE LOOKED UP WHAT THE TOPIC OF
THE FIRST PODCAST EPISODE WAS. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS? SO THE TOPIC WAS TODDLERS ARE
ASSHOLES. THAT WAS THE TOPIC OF THEIR
FIRST EPISODE. AND I WILL SAY MY KIDS ARE 7 AND
10, SO THEY’RE KIND OF OUT OF THE
TODDLERS ARE ASSHOLES STAGE, ALTHOUGH TODDLERS CAN BE
ASSHOLES, SO I CAN CONFIRM THAT. BUT YOU’VE KIND OF EVOLVED OVER
TIME. IT’S BECOME MORE POLITICAL, IT’S VERY DIRECT. WELL, HOW DID THAT EVOLUTION HAPPEN? WHY DID IT HAPPEN? WELL, I’VE ALWAYS BEEN A DIEHARD
POLITICAL JUNKIE, AND SHE STARTED GETTING MORE AND
MORE POLITICAL DURING TRUMP 1.0, AND I COULDN’T, I CAN’T HELP BUT TALK ABOUT POLITICS, AND I CAN’T HELP BUT SPEAK UP WHEN I SEE
INJUSTICE OR RACISM OR SEXISM OR
HOMOPHOBIA. AND SO, I, IT JUST, AND, YOU KNOW, TRUMP, EVEN WHEN BIDEN WAS PRESIDENT, TRUMP WAS SO OMNIPRESENT YOU
COULDN’T HELP BUT GET IRRITATED, PISSED OFF, AND WANNA JUST, YOU KNOW, TALK *** ABOUT IT. AND SO THAT’S WHAT WE DO BECAUSE
IT’S THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT SOMEBODY AND SAY, AM I CRAZY OR THESE PEOPLE
CRAZY? BECAUSE I NEED TO KNOW WHAT’S
GOING ON HERE. SO WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT IT. AND ORIGINALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE
WERE, IT WAS HEARTBREAK HOTEL, TWO WHITE WOMEN FROM OKLAHOMA
CITY THAT WERE LIBERAL. I MEAN IT WAS, IT’S NOT AN EASY WAY TO LIVE. THESE PEOPLE WERE SO MAD WHEN
THEY FOUND OUT WE WEREN’T
MAGGOT, AND THAT MADE US WANT TO TRIPLE
DOWN, QUADRUPLE DOWN. AND WE SHARED ALL THE MAGA
SUPPORT AND THEN WE GOT THE
PEOPLE WHO REALLY LOVE SOCIAL JUSTICE, EQUALITY, DEMOCRACY, AND WE BUILT A COMMUNITY AND WE
JUST LIKE TO TALK ***. WE LOVE IT. OK, UM, ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING
THING, I MEAN, YOU’RE BOTH FROM OKLAHOMA. ARE YOU BOTH HAVE LIVED IN
OKLAHOMA. YOU JUST MOVED HERE THOUGH. WELCOME TO NEW YORK, RIGHT? I MEAN, THIS IS A GREAT ADDITION TO THE
NEW YORK COMMUNITY. SO ANGIE, YOU COME FROM A RELIGIOUS
BACKGROUND. YOU GREW UP IN A RELIGIOUS
FAMILY. YOU TALK ABOUT THIS A LOT ON THE
SHOW. IT’S INTERESTING BECAUSE I THINK
IT HELPS LISTENERS UNDERSTAND A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND A
DIFFERENT WAY PEOPLE PERCEIVE
THINGS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN
THIS MOMENT. SO HOW HAS THAT SHAPED HOW YOU
TALK ABOUT POLITICS OR HOW YOU SEE EVENTS HAPPENING IN
THE WORLD RIGHT NOW? WELL, I WAS RAISED SUPER EVANGELICAL
CHRISTIAN, AND WHAT I THINK PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE IS
HOW RELIGIOSITY IS BAKED INTO
EVERY SINGLE THING. IN MIDDLE AMERICA, PARTICULARLY RURAL AMERICA, BECAUSE THEY HAVE CHURCH AND THEY HAVE THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND IT’S THE SAME WHITE PEOPLE
THEY’VE SEEN THEIR WHOLE LIVES. SO FOR ME, THERE WAS A, LIKE A TURNING POINT IN MY LIFE
WHERE I WAS LIKE, ALL THE THINGS I’D BEEN SOLD
WITH MY RELIGION, I’M SPECIAL. NOTHING BAD COULD HAPPEN TO ME
BECAUSE I’M DOING EVERYTHING
RIGHT AND I’M BETTER AND I HAVE THIS ENTITLEMENT THAT
MAKES ME ABLE TO JUDGE OTHER
PEOPLE. SO I HAD AN AWAKENING AND KIND OF HAD TO DECONSTRUCT
ALL OF THAT TO REALIZE THAT THE FAITH I WAS BROUGHT UP
IN WAS IN FACT NOT EMPATHETIC. IT WAS NOT WHAT I WAS TAUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, BE NICE TO EVERYBODY. IT WAS VERY JUDGMENTAL AND
ENTITLED. SO I, SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT
AND SAID, WE HAD THAT SAME UPBRINGING, THAT THEIR RELIGION WAS NOT EMPATHETIC. IT WAS MEAN AND HATEFUL AND JUDGMENTAL. AND SO I JUST WANT TO BE A
PERSON THAT WAS INSIDE OF THAT, BUT NOW IS ABLE TO SAY, THAT’S WRONG, AND I KNOW WHY YOU’RE THINKING
THAT, AND IT’S NOT OK. VERY WELL SAID. UM. YOU DO THIS AMAZING THING ON
YOUR SHOW THAT EVERYBODY WHO
LISTENS AND WATCHES KNOWS WHERE YOU TALK
ABOUT WHAT YOU’VE HAD IT WITH, HENCE THE NAME OF THE SHOW. SO I THOUGHT WE COULD DO A
LITTLE ROUND. IT’S YOUR THING, BUT IT’S HELPFUL FOR EVERYBODY. IT’S A FORM OF THERAPY, I WILL SAY, I THINK. UM, SO LET ME START BY SAYING WHAT I’VE
HAD IT WITH. I HAVE HAD IT WITH LITTLE MIKE JOHNSON, WHO I WILL FOREVER CALL HIM. HANDS LESS LITTLE LESS LITTLE JOHN THUNENE, HE’S MUCH TALLER, SO HE’S LESS LITTLE, A LITTLE BIGGER, PRETENDING THEY ARE POWERLESS IN
THIS MOMENT, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THE SPEAKER
OF THE HOUSE, THE SECOND IN LINE TO THE
PRESIDENCY, AND THE REPUBLICAN LEADER OF THE
SENATE, PRETENDING THEY ARE POWERLESS IN
THIS MOMENT TO END THE SHUTDOWN, TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE
HEALTHCARE SUBSIDIES, TO ENSURE. EARLIER THAN TODAY, THE MILITARY WOULD BE PAID AND TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT
THEY HAVE THE POWER TO DO, BUT THEY BEHAVE LIKE THEY’RE
OBSERVERS OF EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN THE
WORLD, EVEN WHEN THEY’VE CREATED IT. WHAT HAVE YOU HAD IT WITH? THERE’S SO MANY THINGS. I AM A LAWYER, BUT I JUST, I DIDN’T DO LIKE SMART PEOPLE
LAW. I DID DIVORCE LAW. SO, UM, BUT I’VE HAD IT WITH THE SUPREME
COURT BECAUSE I REVERE, YEAH. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD IT WITH
THE SUPREME COURT HERE. THERE’S A, THERE’S A CONTINGENT. I DON’T KNOW IF THESE ARE
LAWYERS, BUT THERE’S A STANDING OVATION
TO THIS. I’VE HAD IT HAPPENING IN THE
BACK, WHICH KIND OF TELLS YOU
SOMETHING. THIS IS A GOOD I’VE HAD IT. WELL, IT’S BECAUSE YOU’VE, AS A LAWYER, I LEARNED TO REVERE THEM. THEY WERE ABOVE ETHICS. THEY WERE ABOVE PERSONAL
DECISIONS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND I REALIZED NOW THEY’RE THE
MOST RADICALIZED. SHILLING FOR FASCISM AND EVERYTHING I LEARNED
IN LAW SCHOOL WAS A LIE. SO I FEEL VERY BETRAYED BY THEM, AND I FEEL LIKE THEY’RE COMPLICIT IN WHAT’S GOING ON. YEAH, THAT’S SUCH A GOOD POINT. I, I MEAN, I, I’VE BEEN TALKING TO MY KIDS
ABOUT THINGS LIKE THE THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT AND
THE TRADITIONS OF THEM. I ACTUALLY TAUGHT ONE OF MY
DAUGHTER’S GIRL SCOUT TROOPS FOR
A DEMOCRACY BADGE, AND YOU’RE EXPLAINING THE THREE DIFFERENT PARTS OF GOVERNMENT, AND YOU’RE THINKING THERE’S A
MODERN VERSION OF THIS, BUT I’M NOT GONNA EDUCATE THE
4TH GRADERS ON IT QUITE YET. GIVE ME A FEW YEARS. OK, I KNOW THERE, THERE’S A LOT, I MEAN, PART OF THE THING THAT’S SO
WONDERFUL ABOUT THIS EVENT AND WAS WONDERFUL LAST YEAR IS THAT
IT’S A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE. SOMETIMES YOU’RE MEETING PEOPLE
FOR THE FIRST TIME. SOMETIMES WE SAW THEM LAST YEAR, SOMETIMES YOU’RE MEETING
SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY YOU’RE SITTING WITH. AND THERE IS, THIS IS A SAFE PLACE FOR
STRESSING, GRIPING, WORRYING, TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT
CONCERN YOU. BUT I’M A BELIEVER, WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE KIND OF
MOMENTS OF LIGHT IN THIS MOMENT
AND THINGS THAT INSPIRE US, OR NOT EVEN INSPIRE, AND WE’LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER, BUT THINGS THAT ARE GOOD. SO LET’S CALL OUT SOME GOOD
THINGS. WE WILL GET TO SOME GRIPING
CAUSE GRIPING IS A SAFE AND HAPPY THING TO DO IN
THERAPY SESSIONS. SO I’M GONNA START WITH A THING
THAT I THINK THE DEMOCRATS IN
CONGRESS ARE DOING WELL RIGHT NOW. UM, I THINK THIS FIGHT THAT THEY
HAVE PICKED OVER THE EXTENSION OF HEALTHCARE SUBSIDIES IS THE
BEST FIGHT THAT THEY HAVE DONE AND LED AND RUN THE MOST EFFECTIVELY. SINCE TRUMP WAS ELECTED, AND I SAY THAT AS SOMEONE WHO’S
VERY CRITICAL OF WHAT THEY DID
IN THE SPRING. OK, I KNOW BECAUSE I AM A LISTENER. I KNOW HOW YOU BOTH FEEL ABOUT
THE DEMOCRATIC LEADERS IN THE
HOUSE AND SENATE, AND WE WILL HAVE TIME TO TALK
ABOUT THAT. IS THERE ONE THING THEY’RE DOING
RIGHT NOW THAT YOU THINK IS
GOOD? I HAVE BEEN SO INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED WITH
ROBERT GARCIA. HE HAS DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB IN THE
LEADERSHIP POSITION THAT HE HAS. HE HAS BEEN RELENTLESS ABOUT THE
EPSTEIN FILES, EVEN THOUGH I DON’T, I’M NOT CONVINCED WE’LL EVER
ACTUALLY GET THEM, BUT HE WILL NOT LET IT DIE, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. HE, UH, IN THE MINORITY, HE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB. THIS IS A REALLY GOOD ONE. YEAH, IT’S A VERY GOOD ONE ALSO
BECAUSE FOR A LONG TIME IT WAS THIS THEORY THAT IT DIDN’T
MATTER WHO WERE THE RANKING
MEMBERS ON COMMITTEE. AND IT REALLY MATTERS WHO THE
RANKING MEMBERS ARE IN
COMMITTEES BECAUSE ROBERT GARCIA IS NOT
EVEN THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
COMMITTEE. HE’S THE RANKING MEMBER. HE’S TIRELESS AND HE IS PUSHING
LIKE HECK TO GET THINGS DONE. OK, UM, YOU WANT ME TO SAY SOMETHING
POSITIVE OR EVEN A LITTLE JUST A LITTLE LIKE A
LITTLE FLAVOR OF SOMETHING, SOMETHING POSITIVE. WE HAD CHRIS MURPHY AND I THINK HE’S EXCELLENT, AND WE HAD AN OKLAHOMA CITY
NATIVE, SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN, WHO’S ONE OF MY FAVORITES, AND THEY ARE WHEN YOU’RE SPEAKING TO
POLITICIANS THAT AREN’T BEHOLDEN TO CORPORATIONS, YOU CAN TELL BECAUSE YOU CAN
JUST ASK THEM QUESTIONS AND THEY
ANSWER IT VERY CLEARLY AND BOTH OF THEM
RECENTLY, YOU CAN JUST TELL THEY’RE
SPEAKING OUR LANGUAGE THEY UNDERSTAND THE FIGHT
THEY’RE UP AGAINST, SO I REALLY ENJOY THEM. UH, THOSE ARE VERY GOOD EXAMPLES. UH, I THINK, UM, ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS I HAD, THE OTHER EPISODE OF MY NEW
PODCAST IS WITH GREG KASAR, AND HE IS A VERY IMPRESSIVE YOUNG UP AND COMING RISING STAR. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE
TALKING ABOUT WAS THE FACT THAT THERE’S
SOMETIMES IS AN INACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT
THE DIVIDING LINES ARE. TO ME, AND THIS, YOU REMINDED ME OF THIS, IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE ANTI-CORPORATION, ANTI-CORRUPTION, AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT. AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT AFRAID TO
CALL IT OUT. AND THAT IS, IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE
PROGRESSIVE OR MODERATE, IT CAN BE ALL OF THOSE THINGS. IT’S PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO
DO THAT, AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE WILLING TO DO THAT, AND THEY ARE VERY GOOD EXAMPLES. DEFINITELY. I THINK THAT WHEN WE HAVE LIKE A CORPORATE
STYLE DEMOCRAT ON THE PODCAST, I’M LIKE, WE’RE AT THE STAGE IN THIS
AUTHORITARIAN TAKEOVER. WE’RE NOT AT THE BEGINNING OF
IT, WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. SO IF WE ASK YOU A QUESTION. JUST TO ANSWER IT. I MEAN, LOOK AT ALL THIS *** THAT TRUMP
GETS AWAY WITH ALL DAY EVERY
DAY. QUIT WITH THE CONTROLLED
DEMOCRATIC MESSAGING. LET IT RIP. LET’S JUST GO. I MEAN, BUCKLE UP AND FIGHT THIS THING
AND I JUST, WHEN YOU HAVE THESE VOICES ON
THAT AREN’T BEHOLDEN AND YOU ASK THEM A YES OR NO
QUESTION, YOU JUST GET THAT ANSWER AND
IT’S JUST SO REFRESHING AND IT’S THAT VERY
VACUUM. THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE NOT
FILLED THAT CAUSED TRUMP TO RISE
UP. LET’S TALK ABOUT MALE FRAGILITY
BECAUSE THAT’S FUN TO TALK
ABOUT. UM, FIRST OF ALL, IF ANY, ANY MALE IN HERE IS NOT FRAGILE, UM, BECAUSE YOU’RE HERE, UM, AND YOU’RE SUPPORTING ALL OF THE
IMPORTANT CAUSES AND RIGHTS AND
THINGS THAT YOU ALL STAND FOR IN A
COMMUNITY, UM, MALE. AGILITY IS A FUN THING TO MAKE
FUN OF IN THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE NOTION THAT IF YOU ARE LIBERAL, YOU ARE WEAK, YOU ARE WOKE, WHATEVER THAT ALL MEANS, UM, IT’S NOT TRUE. UM, WE NEED SOME OF THOSE MEN, I THINK, WHO ARE, HAVE FALLEN INTO THAT MALE
FRAGILITY AND ARE MAKING THESE ACCUSATIONS TO COME
BACK AND SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES. HOW DO WE DO THAT? I KEEP THINKING THAT BECAUSE
TRUMP WHINES LIKE HE’S A VICTIM
ALL THE TIME, EVERYBODY’S MEAN TO ME. NOBODY DOES WHAT I SAY, THAT AT SOME POINT THESE ALPHA
MEN WILL BE LIKE, I’M TIRED OF LISTENING TO THIS
GROWN MAN THAT INHERITED A
GAZILLION DOLLARS. THEY’RE GOING TO GET SICK OF IT, BUT I HAVE FAILED TO SEE THAT. BUT WHAT I HAVE SEEN OF LATE, AND I’M SPEAKING VERY LATE, ARE THESE BRO PODCASTERS IN THE
MANOSPHERE. IT IS STARTING TO BREAK BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO SEE HOW THEY TREAT
IMMIGRANTS, THE FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES. SO I’M HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL BE
A, A FISSURE AND AT THE END OF THE
DAY IT’S MONEY. THESE PEOPLE ARE MOTIVATED BY
MONEY. LIKE MEANING, OR TELL ME THIS IS WHAT YOU
MEAN, LIKE THEOBAU OR JOE ROGAN, KIND OF BEING CRITICAL OF SOME
THINGS THAT THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION IS DOING. IT’S NOT STRAIGHT DOWN THE LINE. HE’S A BIG ALPHA MAN AND WE’RE
ALPHA MEN. THEY’RE KIND OF STARTING TO SEE
THE CRACKS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LOVE ABOUT YOUR PODCAST
IS THAT YOU, AS, AS YOU CAN ALL TELL, SAY IT STRAIGHT AND JUST HOLD BACK NOTHING. UM, AND YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR OWN
PERSONAL LIVES AND BACKGROUNDS TO A LOT TO HELP
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. UM, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS
ROOM ARE THINKING AHEAD TO
HOLIDAYS, THANKSGIVING, CHRISTMAS, PERHAPS YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO SIT
AT A TABLE, BE AT A HOLIDAY PARTY WITH PEOPLE WHO MAYBE MA PEOPLE WHO ARE FROM
PLACES LIKE OKLAHOMA. WHAT DO THEY DO? WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE, UH, FOR PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO ARE GONNA GO AND HAVE TO ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE
WHO THEY VISCERALLY DISAGREE
WITH ON LOTS OF ISSUES? WELL, ORIGINALLY IT WAS NEWS WEATHER
SPORTS BECAUSE MY PARENTS, LIKE JESSIE WATERS IS LIKE, HERE’S *** AND HERE’S JESSIE
WATERS, AND IT GROSSES ME OUT SO BAD. AND SO I USED TO JUST NEWS
WEATHER SPORTS WITH THEM, AND NOW I JUST KEEP SAYING TO MY MOTHER SPECIFICALLY, THAT MAKES ME SO SAD FOR YOU. THAT MAKES ME SO SAD YOU CAN’T
HAVE EMPATHY FOR POOR PEOPLE. IT MAKES ME SO SAD YOU DON’T
HAVE EMPATHY FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING RIPPED AWAY FROM
THEIR FAMILIES, AND SHE SPUTTERS AND SHE DOESN’T
RESPOND, BUT SHE CAN’T DEFEND IT. I EVEN ASKED HER WHAT WOULD ***
DO? AND SHE SAID, OH, HE’D BE ALL FOR THIS. AND I’M LIKE, THAT’S A LIE. ALL RIGHT, WELL, THERE YOU GO, EVERYONE. UM, THANK YOU TO THESE FABULOUS
LADIES OF THE YAJADA PODCAST. YOU CAN FIND IT ANYWHERE WHERE
YOU GET PODCASTS. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

In this episode of “The Blueprint” Jen Psaki teamed up with Rachel Maddow to tackle tough and thoughtful questions from a live audience at MSNBC’s fan event in New York City. Maddow and Psaki discuss what people can do to fight back against Trump policies and what levers to pull. Rachel speaks about the importance of community and empathy. Jen also interviewed the cohosts of the wildly popular “I’ve Had It” podcast, Angie “Pumps” Sullivan and Jennifer Welch. Their irreverent hot takes on the current state of our politics often go viral, and they didn’t hold back in their conversation with Jen.

For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our day click here: https://www.msnbc.com/

» Subscribe to MSNBC: https://www.youtube.com/msnbc
» Subscribe to MSNBC on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@msnbc
» Subscribe to MSNBC on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/msnbc
Download our new MSNBC app for the latest breaking news and daily headlines at a glance: https://www.msnbc.com/information/download-msnbc-app-n1241692

Follow MSNBC Show Blogs
MaddowBlog: https://www.msnbc.com/maddowblog

MSNBC delivers breaking news, in-depth analysis of political headlines, commentary and informed perspectives. Find video clips and segments from The Rachel Maddow Show, The Briefing with Jen Psaki, Morning Joe, The Beat, Deadline: White House, The Weeknight, All In, The Last Word, The 11th Hour, and more.

Connect with MSNBC Online
Visit msnbc.com: https://www.msnbc.com/
Subscribe to the MSNBC Daily Newsletter: https://link.msnbc.com/join/5ck/msnbc-daily-signup

#trump #maddow