« Commentary Magazine Podcast

The Uncharted Waters of Impeachment 2

2021-01-13 | 🔗
Today's podcast anticipates the House's vote to impeach Donald Trump a second time and where things go from here—is this the worst possible way to do something our crew does think is vitally necessary? And how badly will the Republican Party fracture over this? Give a listen.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
So for best expect the words some reaching some diapers. The way of knowing these ways going over the best expect. Worst of welcome to the Commentary Magazine Daily podcast today is Wednesday January thirteen TH, two thousand and twenty one, I'm John pop ports, the editor of Commentary magazine with me, as always, executive, editor at Greenwalt, hi, hi, John souci had ever nor Rossman high on our agenda. And senior writer. Christine rose hi Christine Hi Christine, so point today, Donald Trump will be impeached for the second time.
he making him the only president to have been impeached, twice unclear what happens after this Nancy policy. The speaker of the house could, in theory, somehow puts the impeachment in her pocket and not transmitted to the Senate to lead to a trial. This is putting the incoming by demonstration and incoming sent a majority leader checks Homer, who will only become majority leader, I believe, on the twentieth when, when Harris's sworn in as far as the year. Vice President United States to break the Thai so miserable Connell's till then, but the Senate can only meet if four hundred zero as agreed and meet before the nineteenth of January, and so there would have to be.
He's from trial island on the day. Before will one day in peace. Retrial on the day before the inauguration of the new president, so get out with all of this seems like a market. Mass and, as I said yesterday, this is why, when I wrote in favour of impeachment remove removal on the day of the riot on those the January that it needed to be done the following day or Peter Its view on the following day so that there could pay trial the following week, and so now, just like everything else, Washington. However, this is gonna, be done, it's going to be done as badly as possible in a way that introduces that that mucks everything up em
removes whatever clarity might be provided by the impeachment itself. So this is, I think, a very unfortunate. Nonetheless, it still needs to happen for the reasons that we have been outlining. I believe, which is that the reason that the main reason is that tat, age. A precedent needs to be established that term that this up barring door too, sedition, and revolution that Trump has opened at the highest office, in the land needs to be slammed shut, nailed, shot you and, basically sealed with a poxy so that it never happens.
Baby does enemy, as they may have a more open, too optimistic, as there's no reason to say that everything should be To miss. It was able to have a more positive warfare People reading of what is going to happen today tomorrow and the next day I think you're being a little too harsh frankly on how this is unfolded so far the accurately with which we ve gone from the events of the six to impeach proceedings is very on Washington. It's very speedy and it has been circumspect in so far as there are over reaching in the articles on its pretty cut and dried and the impeachment managers that Nancy Policy, elected while many of them are hacks and kind of noxious grand standards that
slim pickings and the democratic caucus you take what you get but selecting Jim Raskin. I believe it's the same as lead impeachment manager is incredibly savvy, not just because of the tragedy that he has recently suffered, but she's generally a respected member and suggests that they're not looking for some sort of a series. A partisan vent, fest, there's there's plenty of time for them to screw it up, but they haven't yet and are plenty plenty of Republicans. Love for them to be provided a friend by democratic overreaching haven't gotten it. So I think frankly, it soon uncharitable assessment of democratic efforts so far, while in the debt another thing delay. Delay has done kind of inadvertently, but actually, I think, for a long term benefit for the look inside is its forces.
Some of these conflicts that we knew to have been simmering in the caucus on the republican side out into the open, namely Liz, Cheney and Kevin Mccarthy's fight, and it is forcing the hands of Republicans as it should just to sort of come out with statements in van of this and to signal its Mcconnell recently did through the press that I stand in the way of impeachment. It has actually given people time to examine their. I hope their conscience and act accordingly, and I think if it in turned right around. In forty eight hours there might have been some hesitation on the part of some republican members who who felt that they didn't. We have a choice because, as being recital minded, we ve seen some of that squabbling out the open, ok, okay to play devil's advocate here the morning
this morning that impeachment is now going to be debated and voted on. Presumably at some point, during the day by the House, CBS News came out with a policy that eighty five percent of Republicans oppose impeachment, not in the house. Eighty five percent of the problems in the United States now we know Poland's bad pullings terrible. But you know when you have numbers like that, even if the poles are relatively unrepresentative, it would seem that the message that republican lawmakers are going to get is that the public does not support impeachment and, if I hate to say- this week as we can. We can get into impeachment the proceedings like this. This is not a recall action in some phenomena, since it does not matter what the public has to say about impeachment.
This is a it's a political question, but it is also a procedural question about the separation of powers, the behavior of the present and all of that and the fact that he has fans in the country and in his party should not matter one whit about you know. I don't want to be naive and say that it doesn't matter cuz I The point I'm trying to make here is that polling data like this. I don't think it is going to help. The cause of a bipartisan effort to say that what happened last week was so beyond the pale that the person who said marched down to the capital- and you now be while them have everything, go crazy. You know that that person, what it'll be more it'll. Be anyway. You simply, you got my getting up, I'm very hesitant to take any pulling his gospel
but nonetheless it is very spiriting to see the the general Republican opposition to peace with two impeaching Trump over this, which are which I think we were. Whether the policy, as you know, is that on the button or just gives a general flavour things, I'm shores is accurate to some extent, because what what we see again and again, is that given just a little time, but the right- and this happens on the left you, but you you're you can warm to any cause that is bubbling up on your side.
You just need a little time to start to, especially when the other side is during that time is attacking. So the two you just need a little time sort of warmth, the cause to decide that you are under attack and while there may have been a point, two to what your opposition is saying at some point. Now it's going too far, now it's a joke. Now it's now it's now there's overreach and this whole thing is a farce. That's up my thinking, but that, but that kind of thinking I'm happens and it happens quite quickly willingly like a reversion to the mean another reversion to equilibrium. Amelia it'll be it'll, be forty eight hours for people to say, look people. You know the public mood. Donald Trump was when they elected him, and you know I mean people should Take them seriously, but not literally, and maybe some people in the gradual literally, but he didn't mean to be taken literally.
And after all, you know you did the platform parlour you. You say nice, you said nice things, black black lives matter. Where were you went black, I was a matter was riding and you didn't say anything literally are emailing us. I've, never really when black lives matter was riding invited. Me certainly had kind of people. In my personal life were like what did you say? Then it was like it was all. I talked about three months like where they are its truly fascinating to see them retreat into this preferred fantasy. What's really interesting here or there are no one's, we should go and then we're going to go into the next separated to the the last twenty four hours of events, which have been rather profound, but there are no institutional
on the right that are lobbying against impeachment, the White House is silent. They do not have anybody on staff. This fox move in this sort of thing. Well, that's where I'm getting to Congress. Both chambers has decided that this is going to be an open vote that they're not whipping it that you can do what you think is best for your constituents. Your political position, your Europe up the ideals of prosperity, posterity. What have you whenever? But it removes you it's a vote of conscience. The only people who are pushing the sort of thing John Ass, he said, are our pushing really for will you guessed it are? The media outlets are the conservative of institutions that are our beholden to an perpetual insurgency and they're going to be pretty effective. I would guess in the shop,
the term, because the Republican Party has spent the last fifteen years seeding its influence to these outlets, but they also do and it, but that's not necessarily a permanent condition, because these outlets derived Their authority from people in power is not the other way around and it may take away. I'm also what's happening, because this is the way things go down there, because everything should have happens at once. There has been a blurring with the case against Trump, with it needs the impeachment case can trump with the social media and corporate crackdowns against Trump supporters and Republican, and that and that's all there. The right is gaining some strength, some survive positional strength from that they are making the case against the corporate crackdowns into a case against impeachment while this is why I think we should we should not. We should be cautious about putting over thinking that CBS pull because
a lot of Republicans in my life, who do we pro trump and a lot of them? The attitude that might be in that poll is like he's about to be Why would you go through all this trouble? What's the big like he's about to be out, whereas I think institutions and people, like List Cheney in particular, have been sitting up and saying. This is a matter of democratic hygiene. Basically, it's not in it doesn't matter if he's out next week, it's as you said, John we're, establishing a precedent, a principle that this is beyond the pale- and we will put a swift end to its so and because, if you look at us, pulling data that shows whether Republican supported what happened last Wednesday on the hill. They don't. So I do think we need to begin Full about in this is a messaging issue for the Republicans, who need to be very consistent about why impeachment is necessary and why they the way they did and in fact a lot of them are doing so under threat of violence from their own. Constituents, as are Democrats, obviously too, but you know, there's a lot of
pressure being brought to bear on some of these members of Congress and day. It really is a vote of conscience and I hope most of them make the right choice. Is, but I dont want over think this idea that we have these parties. And embedded entrenched republican Trump people who are gonna oppose anything that that comes after Trop will look, I mean I don't wanna know what is their terms that we came up with not finding or not, you know, that's thinking, not picking. Okay, so I want to know but you know a newly elected member of Congress, I'm sorry Marge Taylor, green the queue and on candidate from Georgia. Further, I can't remember Georgia. Literally tweeted this last night quote. President Trump will remain in office. This Hale Mary attempt to remove them from the house is an attack on every American who voted for him. Democrats was
held accountable for the political violence inspired by their rhetoric. President Trump will remain in office, says a member of Congress, January twelve, eight days before the inauguration of the new president. Now again, she is a she's, a nut. We understand that she is not But a hundred and some odd Republicans voted last week to object to the to the electors in Pennsylvania, an Arizona Maybe that was symbolic. Maybe they were just brown nosing tramper or you know, we're, throwing a bone to their followers because they owe to transfer powers or to their more extreme elements of their supporters, because they knew that it would fail. But the message is not clear: it is clear
that leading republican lights, I mean, if you have the you, have the number three person in the house was Cheney and, most importantly, we have the most powerful Republican in Washington Mitch, Conall signalling luxury is super, is gonna vote for impeachment matchbox oh, is saying that he will likely or Vienna was indicating. He will likely vote to remove tromp were to convict drop as the best way to put it now Since the vote, a lot will almost certainly take place after the president, but to convict trump. You know that that's that's huge, but if it ends up the ten Republicans out of fifty votes to, picked him in the house and that a vast majority republicans assuming the centre and the vast majority of the allows vote against impeachment, then
as is not clear, and the future of the party is not that's good. It's really great that you know from my perspective that there are voices eloquent voices that are set out are speaking up and having loudly, but the overall effect of this, I think maybe I'm not being fair but, as you know, is, is to say, The crisis in the Republican Party is existential the civil war is real and will be real and that and that dumb and that it will both embolden and empower liberals and Democrats that this division is taking place and it will embolden and empower Donald Trump because unless seventeen Republicans vote to convict him and he will be impeach, so this is the weird thing is: there will be a Senate trial unless some game gets play,
which I think would be very weird, there will be a Senate trial after the impeachment and he cannot be removed from office, but he can be convicted and a remedy can be found like that. He can ever run again right, right, but you unless those seventeen votes are there, the Republican Party is going to end up in a vastly worse position than it was as an as an electoral machine. That was before Well, that has always been the case. That's always whether the establishment as it were institutionalists have never engaged in the hostilities that they were alleged to have engaged in Republican, but he has been always and in a civil war since two thousand eight according to the press, but it was never so because the Institutionalists always either could gold or coerce the insurgents and their myths to moderate their tactics or postpone.
The demands and when they couldn't do that, engage in strategic retreats. As we as I said a couple of outcasts ago, then the establishment tyrians were never combatants in the civil war and it was the case right up until the morning of January sex. When Miss Mc Connell's, Mcconnell, Whisperer, Josh HOMES, former chief of staff, said nobody's declaring war on anything. We're gonna get through this, but war was upon them and Republicans never wanted to absorb the costs associated with internet seen conflict, which would mean lost seats lost. Influence lost political authority and they have engaged in the fight the war. This upon them, and they seemed now to realize that There will be losses in the short term, which is better than losses in perpetuity or fracturing of the party to the point where it ceases to exist. They seem to have engaged in this conflict and let the chips follow, they may we don't know how that's gonna turn out, but they have
urban is engaged in an Inter party fight before a real one at the sort of stuff that the press, the press, use. A civil war is a metaphor. This in the metaphor, well. Ok, so Miss Mcconnell has been crosswise of the more radical elements in his caucus before and his. His strategy has always been, as his book title suggests, play the long game. TED Cruz wanted to shut down the government. He and Mcconnell lower and loads screws loathes him. He let it happen because it was sort of like ok we're gonna we'll do that. Some will see where the skulls and will see how it will see how it would happens for you
that part of his way of dealing with that confrontation is to let the let what he deems to be crazier response was something habits moment, so let it discrediting itself and that's a pretty savvy way to play politics, but at moments of crisis in peril it may not be the one. Play politics, I'm not sure there is a way to play. Politics here is what I'm saying the bad ones are drawn up. The positions are pretty firm. You know me self interest on republican parts, either that the point of diminishing returns and associating with this outfit has been reached
Any indication, George, is any indication what the voters that they lost were trump voters, not republican voters, the republican voters who they can count on turned out in two thousand and twenty. The kind of suburbanite affluent white educated voters who used to make up the backbone of the Republican Party still do to some extent but they will not associate themselves with this moment with this, but the senators Georgia is now a purple state, most republican centres come from red states. They don't have to deal with the possibility that they themselves are going to be at risk from a suburban flight into democratic hands. They win and trumpet winds by ten to twenty points Oh, they are not at risk. They are Lindsey Gram, you know, Raymond up, winning that race in South Carolina by thirteen, because that is really not a purple state
Jim what that's Jim demented the matter Jim, it could have been elected forever. Your individual politicians make decisions based on their individual interests, not not the question of whether in some broad brush their party is in good or bad shape, They want to get reelected, they don't want to be in trouble with their constituents. They don't want to be. You know, thrown out in a primary challenge from somebody more. Stream than I mean, I think that's. The flaw in your analysis is that the individual self interest, is now clearly at odds with the self interest of the party understood broadly, but in those cases the individual self interest is going to win and the parties they can coax general interest is going to lose.
Think I hurt you know, but that that's actually want that. That is why its definition of a war, but it would be- I mean I wonder if some of those extremely self interested centres in particular might play little bit in the management and a lot longer, even think it through, because if he is actually convicted and he's bar, from running again, which I think is actually theme. One of the most crucial things that this impeachment could bring about. You know perhaps they would be a trumpet split away from the republican Party. They start their own tromp party. It's your claim is gonna run one of his kids, but their day in his trunk, voters would follow him, leaving the Republican Party weaker, but then he's gonna get out those voters on his own without any sort of infrastructure in the Republican Party which could then it would have a self purse like he would have removed himself. I don't know if he'll do that, but there's an infrastructure to the Republican Party that Trump has relied on for the past four years,
Years, fundraising in particular in his peace can be facing. Lawsuits is good. If these barred from running for office again, he will be weakened whether his any of his children can step up and take. Our mental, I think, is a really big. If so I do not mean there could be a if you're, if you're, even if your self interested senator you should probably start carrying a little more your party because you're never gonna get any power back, his particular in the Senate, if you doubt, but I think, gum whether the Republican Party could survive a fool, Tromp right party split offered parties, but now I read that is, is a bigger if yeah right there's that and then there is also the question of what what what is trumps. What is the malignant? What are the depths of trumps malignancy
I think we can see maybe hidden argument in his own head, that that it was ok for him to go to war in Georgia and that it would somehow help the Senate candidates and run off. Maybe thought that his head or maybe didn't care, or maybe actually what he really wanted once camp and Rapenburg didn't you His bidding was for Georgia to pay by losing its two republican centers and for the Republican Party pay because it needed to you, know needed to- who was who and what was what in the no matter what happens this week and Joe Biden swearing in an which were com, indicating that he wants a trump are to be removed from office oughta to be convicted of the of the charges and Kevin Mccarthy effectively doing the same, even though this is not about for it will
spend the rest of his life. Attempting to destroy the republican Party- or you know, is that even that, like that see a purely negative, malignant force? That is so who was so near and and and and barbaric and and then consumed with the passing of rage and revenge that that will be the focus. Of his remaining years, or will he have some other complicated idea about winning again? Were putting having Donald Jr Ivanka run for president or something like that I find, the latter very at an event I dont believe that he gives a crap whether or not Donald Junior Vodka becomes president I doubt he gives a I got doubt he cares one whit about them whatsoever. I don't think he cares about any human being on earth.
And I you know, I think, he's a pretty evil person and that even that I even that emotion that emotion, that he would want in his narcissism. He will want his children to follow and so that the family owned it. I see no evidence except for his huddling around them, so that they can't because of family, they can't testify against them. Move would be loyal in that way. Can he could destroy them? in different ways. I just I don't know, and I know this is very dark and very bleak. What I'm saying, but I do I do. I think that I don't know the he's discipline or were or focused enough to actually care that much about destroying Republican Party when he has other stuff that he can do that be more fun. You know, I don't know, that's necessarily fun it's fun to do it a bit here and there and screw around with stuff here and there, but he might one golf you might want to make a hundred you're a couple hundred million dollars off a website. You might want to do stuff like that, but attacks, and this is actually wearing
maybe there's a better messaging strategy for the Republicans here, which is that he turns out Anyone who doesn't do his bedding and we ve gotten a little, but it is certainly the inclusion of the Rapids Burger phone call in the impeachment charge signal that but If you were even if you're loyal to Trump, the message should be to anyone who thinks he's going to return that loyalty. Not only will he not return the loyalty but he'll try to destroy you if you go against him and because he's so mercurial in his decision making anyway and was his president be at any moment. I mean there's that I think long term would be even if he's barred from running for office if he tries to literally go on the offensive against the Republican Party. That's the response like she does course he did because this is who he is and that a lot of our never term friends who have been correct and should get. You know for that, like they were right about that part of his personality and how destructive someone with that on a power without personality can be brought,
So I'm just saying that at the notion that the institutional levers of the Republican Party said Sibley would want would want to get beyond trombones. Do it. You know, as formerly as possible, to rub a process by which he was denied return. Access to the party It might be true in theory, but in practice I don't see how it's going to happen. And among other things you know, the objections by by his followers are not that easily. Visible. You know I I you know, I know we keep talking about how this is why the fourteen member talk him up this week. Relation to what Congress my vote, because the fourteen amendments I'd say modality according to which someone can be denied the right to run for office. Again, it's in the fourteenth amendment that if you are seditious, you can't serve in the caught, but
Donald Trump cannot be. President again has a bill of attainder quality to it. The bill of attainder as the law that is Van Ban by believe the six them but that's it. You can't write a law that is aimed at an individual person. You can't say. Christine Rosen needs to go to jail like you can't do that. It's important the hedge against tyranny and against the more I mean I've been living tender is unconstitutional. That's what I'm having a yeah but you're, describing a provision that is in the constitution other than I am not certain that unfortunate definition we talking about what happens in removal the remedy I dont know that the remedy and removal can be from cancer, can run for president again what hoo hoo hoo enforces that what is the? What is the mecca? some of them? Foresman of that I'm gonna get I'm not at scholar here. I am saying that it was, as it was an interesting, the candy idea to invoke the forty
amendment, because it is the only provision that we know of that says someone is barred from running for office again. I dont know that you can borrow Donald Trump from running for office again here If you can victim the only remedy for impeachment in the removal is removal in the constitution. It doesn't provide other penalties. Can't you know you can take money from him. You know you can't convert right. I mean Congress, could pass some sort of special legislation that was not resorting with bill of attain or territory that that's all. This as we are. This is novel territory, but I mean if we live in a country where we can prevent felons from voting, but can't prevent Donald Trump running for president again, then we really need to get more creative and hardly got thinking right. I mean he's that their their ways There are legal means which would pass muster in the spring court to deal with. Just this, This is new territory. These questions are all the ones we should be talking about, because this has never come up before the first present to be impeach twice
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The republican party is salons are divided them. It seems to me that the people that we would like to think of as the most serious of centres and an house members are either taking very seriously the prospect of voting for it removal or have announced that they are going to do so none more impressively. I think them then is Jamie. Who, of course, is the daughter of form President Cheney. And very, very, very right wing. I mean more right wing them her far more right wing litter. Father, in the way that everybody, every Republican after now serve after the Bush, Cheney, press, see that's somehow in a move themselves further to the right, but she is the third ranking republic in the house.
To the very serious person. Then this is the statement that she made on January sixth, two thousand and twenty one- a violent mob, attacked United States Capitol to obstruct the process for democracy and stop the counting of presidential electoral votes. This insurrection cost injury, death and destruction in the most sacred space in a republic much more will become clear in the coming days and weeks. But what we know now is enough. The president, the United States summit this mob assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack every they followed was his doing. None of this one. Happened without the president. The president couldn't immediately of have immediately and forcefully intervene to stop the violence he did not. There has now I ve been a great of betrayal by oppressing the United States of his office at his own to the constitution, I will vote to impeach. The president
It's interesting to note, though I don't think it really matters. It's a sign of this that Trump attacked Liz Cheney from the podium at the stop. The steel rally an hour before they, start, the capital he said change, you know she does. He or she stinks, are either a camera quite what he said. So You will hear that people are doing this Gaza. You know she's she's ass. She took a personally course everybody should take it personally know you were talking about the details that have emerged over the last twenty four hours. And I think it's important in in the world in which we keep being told by people who want to turn a blind eye to what went on some of
details that we have learned, or some of the things that were set at the press conference yesterday by the by the by the FBI and the US attorney's office by things that we heard leaking out from meetings that these people had with members of Congress and then of course, stories never have come out about the astounding conversations that Trump had. They particularly astounding conversational trump had with. With my pants, a man who surrenders his manhood trump in order to become vice president and then found himself under you not found himself under unique pressure on the morning, rally. When Trump said you can either be a hero or you can be a pussy. I want you to know if I can unpack all that which is part of them.
What we can set. We can we can separate itself. So what are the two most horrible things they came out yesterday from your perspective, say to just pick two. There was a lotta Elvis go off in some thoughts I have on the island. I watch that justice Press conference and I was know what I was expecting but sort of the retrospective. On that event. We're not very valuable because we're talking about ongoing investigations and they're talking. How're proceeding with the most easily notable that incenses before we proceed with more complicated cases that we have to make with open up this case files, yadda yadda yadda the only question arrested, one hundred and hundred and seventy people that's Hundreds more will follow. Retrospective is necessary in the form of by partisan investigation with people who are no longer holding political office in order to establish a timeline of events.
Because there's so much we do not. Now I mean we have members of Congress now saying that members of Congress are implicated in this event. Life already. This new era will hold on Roma because you want to be specific, Mikey Cheryl Congresswoman from New Jersey from you now, basically northern New Jersey summer, New York City said that it was her understanding that she that members of Congress were giving direction to arrive. That a member of Congress members had given had given right had permitted reconnaissance of the capital building by elements of the mob the day before hopefully she's mischaracterizing events, but who knows because an unnamed member which might have been her for only now now told the Huffington Post that they believed that there was a physical threat.
By their fellow members and done that they can have access to the vice President elect the President elect. So we frankly have to take these allegations pretty seriously, because we all suffered a failure of imagination over the last couple of weeks and just necessary to broaden your perspective at the state. What I wanted to hear from the press conference from the Department of Justice, in so far as it is possible to talk about the sort of things without jeopardizing intelligence, what measures they are taking to prevent further acts of insurrection, airy violence, because what were hearing from people in the Pentagon, for example, our very unguarded statements about how Washington is under threat here over the next week or longer, but we can, not necessarily sap the National Garth reserves from the fifty states, because they need them too,
for similar acts of insurrection, violence directed their state legislatures. This was not presented. A sort of a midi sure like I will then could be kind of just a contingency. This was pretty unambiguous. I was about to happen which we talked about before as a possibility, but it now it seems like an inevitable, and we have all the time in the world to get a proper retrospective of events here. In fact, it's possible to move forward without them, but we're in the middle of a crisis and the crisis is ongoing and it's not going to end until January. Twenty th, and probably after that, so a forward looking perspective, is what I hoped to hear. But no reporter was inclined to ask those questions, fortunately well I mean you know. I think we know, at least in Washington, that the city is gonna, be an armed cap to the extent that it
It already is. I mean I drove around yesterday. I was telling you I mean they have no scale fencing so ringing the capital and the White House come with razor wire, they're National Guard troops stationed everywhere. I mean the walk I usually take down to the link of memorial and you can't even get close to the mall and they're going to have extreme restriction, then they already started with those. It's actually. You know many days out versus what they usually do do just kind of up corruption. The security measures a couple days before this is this is now like. The state of emergency has been declared everything. Everything is now in motion, And you know the the who are in secret service and federal police say this is the biggest security event for some of them in their entire careers. People who- you know in secret service and elsewhere for thirty years. What you know That's all right. I have a question that I dont know quite what to think of this. What do we make of the letter by the Joint chiefs to the military? Are you you're the that the letter said
swain what it is sure yeah there was. A memo was issued yesterday by the by the Joint Chiefs establishment. Our military saying that Joe Biden will be the next commander in chief and that all all service members must embody. The values ideals of the nation and denouncing the riot it's kind of an unprecedented document, witness the actions and set a Kapital building that were inconsistent with the rule of law. The rights of freedom of speech and assembly do not give anyone the right resort to violence. Sedition insurrection, it's on present, because the the it's not really the type of thing on which the military would normally comment at all. But isn't it getting the head of any fears organ turns which again or not illegitimate. After what we saw last week that people there could be- you and on Trump insurrection is in
National guard or in any of the security forces. I mean the idea. Any place along the military chain of command or someone who decides to take it upon him or herself to be that rebel, they're getting out ahead of that and saying very clearly that would be a treason as active mean you, then I don't think that's a bad thing, given the current state paranoia it's actually very that's terrifying and it conflicts with the acting secretary of Defense, who said I'm not going to issue any sort of statement like that, because it's an insult or service personnel but apparent. The joint chiefs just don't agree with that right. Well, remember the Joint statement also says that we will, as as we do, we will, we will obey any lawful order. Given us and that's it. Wouldn't think saying they're saying we will obey me lawful order, which of course means that they are, they are not obliged to
obey any unlawful order, and if they are in the hour, if they are of the view that the present United States might conceivably as a hail Mary last effort. Issue some directive to them to do something they will not obey it unless they, unless it is lawful. He ordered them to secure the capital grounds they will not do it. I mean that an end. It is unprecedented for such a thing to be issued a statement. Such a thing to be issued And if you want to want about it and say well, they never did that when you do Bill Clinton have sex with Monica Lewinsky, while the building that was that didn't require, there was not thinkable that the presidents AIDS might who is attempting to overturn it also a free and fair election would maybe use the levers of power at his disposal, since he does not believe in democratic legitimacy
and he does not, and he and he is a worshipper of authoritarian, strong map and thinks that their great and that they do is necessary to maintain their Our is weird because I would never use is gonna rhetoric about him before, like I'm, you know it as everybody. Everybody knows. I am not a fan of I I believe he was unfit to hold office, but most of that, I thought was rhetorical and you know was disgraceful that he would say the Putin was. You know we're killers too. Why are we attacking Putin or whatever say he got wonderful letters from Kim Jong IL? But you know a man who is capable of saying come to Washington on January six, gonna be wild, go March on the capital and then sat the building, and wouldn't you know wooden and wouldn't for three hours, say anything about what was going on and was apparently excited to watch it on tv is a person who is capable of anything. He is a purse
it was capable of anything, and you know I I don't I don't know that I'm happy that the military issued the statement as a result, that's so that goes to what what I think the worst thing about. Yesterday's news was, which was his response. He went down to the Alamo signed his bit of the wall, lied about how it wasn't. The Alamo was called a called rating. I don't know why he didn't go to the Allen. Much better is there for him, but when he made four seasons landscape, it's when he said went out. I apologize to the town of Alamo. I don't think that you're, like the four seasons, landscaping business in Philadelphia, I'm sure you're, a lovely town. So we come with the four season. Landscaping business four people now you can buy, but he said he was asked.
Frankly, what are you you know? Do you have any regrets busily? What do you think of what happened in? He was I I you know. People really thought that I did nothing wrong. In fact, they liked what I said like Absolute Lee, lacking any remorse at all, which So what we were saying early last week wishes that little in contrite video that he had visible hostage, video that his aids made him do was was completely insincere, but that response the cavalier way in which he responded to that should that has put the entire nation on edge for a week. That was the moment for me where I was like. If you a Republican, who gets to actually send a message, About this guy. You better do your job like that is it. This is why these the appeasement process. This is the reason it was created. I mentioned it yesterday yesterday about how it's very puts predicted to say you know what we need in this country is unity and healing and and
That's why I'm united to observe to even think about impeachment. I mean how you now, that's unifying. That's that's! How to heal. You know on the on the part of the on the part of people. Like you, no Mo Brooks and Lui Gomer than people Brooks. Who said we should go down there and kick ass an end is potentially subject to expulsion from the house, and I dont think that you know that that is something that should be dismissed so readily that that that that might have again in part, because it is the other big nature of what happened here. It's not you wanted It doesn't happen again, but also you know the extreme measure of expelling a duly duly elected person from a house. Then a chamber of very extreme measure, and I can only happen under very extreme circumstances, but this that's pretty extreme, go down there and kick ass like that's not yet that's joke in his his response. Yesterday was the issue, a statement saying my
parents raised me to be a good christian boy. Well, they stunk at it. Your parents stank MO, Brooks don't they say. If they are what you said, they were then there than they are that they are facing very very serious judgment wherever they are, and you shouldn't a you're evil on their shoulders. I mean that's the incitement of the crowd. Ass is reprehensible and unforgivable. I'm stems I'm still. I can still be persuaded by the argument that it should merit expulsion, but I'm not persuaded a hundred percent, yet he did see how invoke the the privileges provided along acre, albeit recklessly and stupidly. He objected to the setting of save
Slovenia electors, because Joe Biden has established a league of undocumented voters who voted him illegally into office as part of a quid pro quo for them getting citizenship, what healed on the floor of the Congress, which is crazy, but ultimately it boils down to I'm in teaching. I want him not to be elected president, because we have policy differences, which is something that is fine in a campaign, not fine once the results are certified, so he's reckless and irresponsible, but I'm not sure if in merits that kind of extraordinary remedy. What would is if the allegations that elected representatives were in Lee with providing material support for these insurrection Aries, that's expulsion, worthy and that seems to be on the table of half these allegations,
Hence our hearing our term well, and I think that I do. I wouldn't say one thing about of caution about what was said about that Ireland has. Can there there's been a lot of this proclaiming the democratic side? Understandably, but if, if you get a bit, people get private tours of the capital from there presented as all the time, even under the life lockdown restrictions, where the public tours have been shut down. If, if a representative gave a private tortue, without any for knowledge about that constituents plans for the next day. That is not something that deserves expulsion. That is just you know. They have some crazy constituents and they should denounce them and they should follow through with you. You know about with impeachment, and I and I worry like some of the There'S- the parent It is understandable. This whole city right now is like really weird man whom I can tell you uplifted for twenty five years. I've never seen anything like it, but I really want. I really hope our elected leaders will just calm down a little bit with airing those suspicions particularly taking them to the media, because it's that doesn't
alright now, because it is in no sense an ongoing investigation. We actually need to have faith in our the institutions of justice that are now pursuing these actions and to have faith that they're gonna. Do so without further, Inflaming conspiracy theorists and spreading. Rumours is actually given that you know where inaugurating a present next week. So fine, a final question: so. There was a scene last night in the capital when the capital police, presumably under the direction of Nancy Policy with the speaker of the house, and therefore serve essentially the titular, had of police along with much Mcconnell place, magnetometers. At the entrance to the Senate and House Chambers and House members Republican House members went bananas, a bunch of them and said how dare you and you know this- the socks and you're you're you're, starting something you can't finish and Bob LAW right? Well, ok,
You know this is my workplace. Louis Gomer walked through and said. You can't stop me after half the vote, okay, granted elected representative, have been independent, standing, that's different from from other people, but You know every time I go into a museum. Now I gotta go through magnetometer. Like you know, I don't give a shit whether or not Lily government has to walk through a magnetometer just to make sure that gives them a gun in his belt when one of his caucus member. Lauren Bobert said she was going to be carrying a glock onto the floor of the house. I mean you know These are bad times a bad moment. Bad things are happening. People need to feel secure, so Lui Gomer can't go through a magnetometer. The same way, everything else, the country, s where a mask in their standing on the floor complain that they have to wear masks. You know what these key, these guys are. Did there anti know me in there
air, asserting a kind of privilege that they claim alleviating. Third, all the time to get our relating to behave. Never. Ridiculous, and that's not what I'm talking about what I'm talking about, and yet what does that mean answer? Even with the masking stuff there been several representatives who said I got covert because I was locked up with these Republicans. It wouldn't work number number one: the should have had mass on it's ridiculous, they're being absolutely irresponsible, not wearing them there, is also no evidence that those people got covered from that. The democratic caucus invited a covert positive member to come to Washington and cast a vote on the floor of the dance it blows. It was assured of her speaker who could have been that could have been any. We don't know, but again it there there's an undersea again. Understandably, tensions are very high right now. That's exactly the moment where the people who were in this in these positions of power should not act like toddlers during a tantrum. If, after walk through a metal, and they should wear their math. They also shouldn't spread rumors about their colleagues that are unfounded and have no evidence for them. Absolutely! That's! Absolutely true and
And covered shaming, and all of that is it is it is. It is itself a kind of repulsive impulse in many ways that that's and once again I dont think that there is a comparison between people see I'm not gonna where a mask, and you can't make me where a mask when you can't go into a store without a mask, and maybe they don't think, that's fair that you shouldn't be able to go into a store that a mask republican members being served Mask libertarian that, but too bad people have to go into a storm and to that they need to wear mask on them on their in it there in inside there, inside a building in Spain is where they yell, which is how covered spreads through through spent and they gallon they yelled at each other. They were doing it and on the night of the law on the night of January sex the morning of January,
yelling and screaming at each other, spittle flex out of their mouths. The way it doesn't visibly when people yell or sing. So you know So, like be a civilised person, instead of a repellent goon like the people that we see on tape yoga Finally, you represent them. Fine represent them, be judged morally by people. When you behave that way, and the people in the capital police who are staying there being abused by Louis go mad and these other people screaming and yelling at them. They didn't put the magnetometer up. It's like yelling at saw its hearsay person. They are not responsible for the policies the womb like what is the matter with you people I mean you know it.
It's it's cringing do seem to think that one shares the same country with them. If they're gonna behave like this a week after a riot took over the capital building- and you know, and the ad Capital, policeman, crushed a capital, policemen smashed and they hadn't, killed another one dead by suicide, others, apparently on the verge suicide like they saw things things were going on in that building that you know we don't, we don't have a full reckoning out, which is what knows talking about mean. We don't have a full reckoning of what happened During those two hours, but I we have watched all those videos on Youtube, what the people are doing in saying outside, and they were terrified. And they were no less terrifying than a jihadist, all ululating in front of it. You know in front of a screen in front of a camera somewhere in you know, Yemen I mean
no different, they were psychotic psychopath. People with murder in their eyes and their huh, grids and hundreds of them. That's the that's the thing here that that that makes this qualitatively from the rally. There were twenty five thousand people out problems, but in aid should not be blamed even if they indulging the ideas. That's where the Democrats liberals are gonna overreach if they start targeting, Anybody who won it's a show up and say that they thought the election was stolen. Those people don't deserve to be targeted. They can have bad opinions, you a bad opinions all the time we all have the people like terrible movies them and they get out when they like Alex real Cassio grotesque, their bad opinions, but they shouldn't be gonna play. They shouldn't be help. They should be held economically or friskily or employment terms liable for those those those bad things, but
you know the hundreds of people who went March on the capital and did not stop when they saw offence and kept going and we're talking on. Those very I was not one should every one of them, but you know the question is not just should every one of them you know be be prosecuted and thrown in jail or whatever but we do need to know. How long the fuse whites and where it started and where and where this goes, because you know as as no said, is as As you all indicate, this is not the end of anything of is not the end of aiding Jim Garrulity. Our friend and unnatural view made a very, I thought, a very interesting parallel on their part cast yesterday. He said this can go one of two ways: it can be helpful, homer city or can be by Oklahoma City came after
federal overreach and horrible federal misbehavior right, Waco, Ruby Ridge authorities storming, you know like authorities causing the deaths of of innocent people in a misguided effort to you now established control with some in some cases, false claims of Miss behaviour by the people inside those compounds right. So these look at him have blown up an IRS office late at night, where nobody, we was maybe the militia movement he would have been hailed as a hero by the militia movement. He was a things would have gone on there, but he blew a federal office building. A hundred and fifty eight people died, including twelve children, who are the day care sent, and nobody claimed him, nobody wanted it to do with him, and the militia movement was halted in its tracks by the horror that was displayed, their columbine,
has initiated inaugurated twenty years of school shootings twenty years of school shootings. So is what happened on the sixth of January, going the Oklahoma City. Is it gonna be the moment that everybody rears in horror and says, pull yourself back, pull yourself back from this precipice, or is this an inauguration of twenty years? civil, political violence of a new sort. That's what we don't know! That's the threat we face! That's why trump needs to be impeached and convicted, he will be today. We'll today will see what happens with so for Christine No one jump at words. Keep the camels.
Transcript generated on 2021-05-22.