Today’s show is dedicated to Joe Biden’s ponderously long press conference, in which the president made more news in a shorter period than perhaps any of his predecessors, and none of it good.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Welcome to the Commentary Magazine Daily Podcast today, Thursday January, twenty, twenty twenty two and jump a horse, the other commentary with me as always executive,
a green waldheim. John C erratic Christine rose high, Christine
an associate editor nor rough men? I know a hydra and joining us today, Washington commentary columnist a scholar and author of the forthcoming history of the conservative movement in America. The right Matthew, continuity, high Matt hedge on now. We know why they kept him in the basement. If we know
why Joe Biden was kept in the basement during twenty twenty twenty just gave. The most astounding press conference impress conference history. If you didn't watch it, it was an hour in fifteen minutes.
Of jawed, dropping wonder, as as Biden made more news than anybody
has ever made in any press conference in history, and he didn't want to
he did anyway. It was astounding, hot
fighting terrifying. Twenty fifth amendment suggesting incoherence.
Blather, surrender of an entire country, a guy talking about the dictator
Russia, as though you were kind of like a commentator on ESPN talking about what is what put in strategic options would be and what he did, what he would guess. Putin is
probably gonna do or not do not. Let me out. Let me let me go to you first term. Do you have an individual take away or are you? Are you reeling from the fact that he is going to be present for another two years them
But for another three years literally money from I feel like the older DC area, sports broadcaster, George Michael, who always used to say, let's go to the videotape because there are so many individual moments of absurdity and.
Beyond the gas in our a gas is famously when a politician tells the truth, but these are just kind of amazing
the statements coming from the presents mouth that it's hard to find just one. I will start with this towards the end
of the of the almost to our future links press conference,
bite, asked, was asked you know: what's he gonna changes behaviour in in his second Europe,
He said he said. Well, you know I gotta get up, go to the country, more definite goaded country more and
I also have my conversations with outside academics, and
when I heard and historians and his nor is likely to get at the beginning exactly as I mediately thought of the infamous meeting with the Historians
the outside of his presidency that had been organised by his adviser John meets him. The presidential, biographer and kind of self appointed national conscience, where Biden first became convinced that he could be like Fdi, are in
be J in his grand significance of transformation, which led him down to this catastrophic for him politically road and then in the most controversial,
speech of his presidency, which was last week speech in Atlanta, where he likened opponents of the
election take over bills to George Wallace and Jefferson Davis and billions of american history. That speech was also
written by or covered him by meets him, so he, but at the end of the two hour,
that's where he sang yours. I'm gonna change by spreading he's actually going more.
Reach him. Ammo are medium, which is precisely the opposite of what he needs to do to recover politically ahead of midterms, but a man I mean the John meet him. You know Syria, as Thomas Jefferson said one day, solemn it. There was a time when Henry Clay and John Calhoun
happened, walking down to the reflecting so wise blah blah blah blah blah blah. Anyway, it was fantastic that was there
interesting moment, let's go to the policy first
All I dont know if you know this, but he has had a better year than any president
first year than any president, whose done more than than he has whose done more
Well, it's true that he has spent more than any president in their first year because nobody has spent more what what do we have to four trillion? Is it between the infrastructure bill in the cove? It emerges
Will the life cycle to me? It's three trillion. I fabrics.
brilliant, I'm sorry stories.
You know, what's real is a trillion near there, so that's he started out by saying.
had he not only had he not under under delivered he'd over deliver, you didn't under promises. He over deliver
he's the best he's the best, which explains the fifteen point shift
direction of the Republicans over the course of the year that he concluded with this press conference, because he so good
he is driving his own voters away from him. Like you know, I don't know like a mosquito repellent or an actually effective, muscular repellent anyway, so he ever so. Of course, the big
the Big NEWS or the big horror or the thing that really does suggest that it is
not too much to say that he is a a fool? Was his discussion of
the of Russia and Ukraine. Noah, can I just share
do something at this is very vulgar. Ok, I'm about to tell you something very vulgar. I will not source of prominent prominent conservative contact
me to say that, essentially, what Biden was saying to Putin is it's ok,
one is the only go in with the Tipp just did juice put in the tap it's fine, three eggs.
The minor incursion strategy. I will not take your bait, Sir
he at there were other? Well it I've gotta, be that once so. Just please! I don't want a little over that when lie. There were two problem I had my there were to take ways really from this to our press conference. Aside from
What more alternately, hilarious and painful moments watch
Joe Biden navigate something that was in real time, killing him physically and politically,
two of them had to deal with. One of them had to do with Russia. The second has to do with the legitimacy of american elections, but we'll get to that end in both a cat.
Jones, he said something that could have easily been walked back ass. Just having Miss spoken,
but they were so earth shattering when they made. He made these remarks that the press picked up on it circled back on it about thirty minutes later, at which point Joe Biden.
Well, go on this rambling stream of consciousness.
extemporaneous explanation for what he had. Originally said that made everything worse,
comes to the Russia thing. There is real consequences for that. He was asked rather directly what
the United States can do in order to prevent what increasingly looks like a very real plan on the part of Moscow, too
Ray invade Ukraine, and at that point he said what you have just said that he said quote: it's one thing: if it's a minor incursion
and we end up having to fight about what we're gonna do not to, but if they actually do with it
the goal of doing with the forces amassed in the border. It's gonna be a disaster for Russia if they further embayed Ukraine, so anybody who practice estate crapped now its news exactly what he just said. He exposed divisions within the Atlantic Alliance over how to
onto something that doesn't quite reach a false
ill invasion of Ukraine, which all but green light
something akin to a twenty fourteen attack on Ukraine
which was not a full scale invasion that initially he was later asked about,
has to respond to what he said is, as the rapporteur says, are you saying that a minor incursion by russian ukrainian territory would not leave that the sanctions that you have threatened, one rapporteur asked- and he said well- did sunlight that didn't it
suggesting that he knew he screwed up.
Which point he then launches into another disquisition:
on how the Atlantic
I am really doesn't have any kind of unity over how to respond to this sort of thing is very important. He said
keep everyone a NATO on the same page, because there are differences in NATO as to what countries are willing to do depending on what happens. So there is this
Eddie within the hurry he talked about. He talked to the President of Finland and therewith among their with us all the way
you continue. He then, when you contradicting himself on a couple of occasions at one point, the home of Nokia. At one point he says I type my guess is that he will move them. You said of cotton minutes later only to say I don't think he's made up his mind yet of the invasion
He says if he invades, it hasn't happened since world war. Two will. Yes, it has Russia, nineteen for a twenty fourteen invaded in an Ex territory for the first time since nineteen forty five, his command
Subject matter was limited, his ability to project resolve was absent and
in so far as russian needed a permission structure to engage in exactly what the engagement twenty fourteen, which was little green men, paratroopers Para dropping in the Crimea, invading
dumbass and carving out illegitimate republics? He has everything he needs now. There's a lot of effort to walk this back from the White House up to and including statements by the National Security Council spokeswoman,
saying, while he was in talking about cyber incursions of paramilitary operations,
That's the sort of thing you sang a limited stuff, like paramilitary operations, have literally what happened in twenty fourteen, so the twitter flat
here who are all in their hands and knees. Desperate to clean up this mess are only exposed.
The extent to which they are not reliable interlocutors on this issue, I think you have important to say just, but let me just is
it's not your actually being a little nicer to him than I thought where you said. He knew he screwed up, he did screw up, he didn't know. I don't think he knew
that, he screwed up in this sense, which is any kind of cap doubling down
it's like some weird truth. You know it's like he too easy
shut up with sodium Pentothal. Before he came out on stage. He was saying things that there was absolutely no just.
a vacation for saying, even if every single word that he was speaking was true, you know he's not a commentator is then
analyse the pollutants behaviour he is the at. He is the representative of the adversary to Putin's actions and that that these tools are not the same
insanely the opposite, it was grotesque
Lee irresponsible for him, except than he was
speaking his own truth, which is to say that he does not believe
He doesn't. He no longer believes that the NATO alliance means anything. I refer. Side
can I just I just want to add some sorry to bugs well one John to bolster that point about him being served, come tat here. He also said: if Russia does go for a full scale invasion, it will succeed
You said the other Bilbil Russians loose men, but the girl, but but but but they they can succeed,
I'm fine. I just want to make to add two knows: is that lest anyone think the we're being, you know partisan and should have.
Crazy hawkish. Here we have our own prism through, which were looking at at all. This officials in Kiev heard this exactly.
how we did immediately after the press conference CNN,
had someone on the scene in Ukraine who said he had spoken of several officials in Kiev who had said they were quote, shocked and stunned by what binds
and that he had essentially given Putin, quote a green light to invade at his pleasure no practitioner. Statecraft could hear this any other way right. Well, I don't have to reproduce mistake craft. You just have to
person with years. You said yeah, you know. If you go then approached look he shouldn't. Do it blew the sanctions.
He and they're gonna hurt, but then you have people like Julia Office. This morning,
and then saying well there only Joe Biden only said what everybody could discern with their own eyes.
yeah there is divisions in the ranks. Paris has one where they want to do this. Berlin has another. Ankara has another yeah, of course, and put
is well aware of that, but the presently
It states the first among
walls of the Atlantic Alliance, who had previously just said verbatim that he didn't think the
provisions within NATO and then we're just went on to expose them, demonstrated nothing inside
nothing inasmuch as his own confusion when it comes to being able to
to manage this alliance, if back, if you were looking for any sort of you know, if you were my in Moscow and looking for indications that there is
a lack of resolve on the part of the president and the alliance. You have all the evidence, you need you still. No fees, confused,
I think what we saw there was what he thinks. What he thinks is prudence gonna go in we're gonna, do nothing except sanctions on
Those sanctions are gonna, be painful. He's gonna, be sorry that we put sanctions.
but he's gonna win at the end of the day and will see where NATO is after that, because they are, after all, Ukraine's, not a member of NATO, so it doesn't really fallen security, guarantee memorandum, Morneau memorandums that say that were that we will defend its territorial integrity after the maiden revolution. Whatever like he keep, he spoke a truce he's. That is, I mean, I don't think that's
fuse that's the problem here. He was confused about what he was supposed to say. He was not confused about what he thinks he was evidently confused.
when he spoke to say as the he paused several times to say. Well, let me know I'm not gonna say that public. How can I put this into public for not well
they're, not I mean it was a lot of that. I wanted to mention this reviews plain pundit and a one point way late in the press conference when it had gone far too late. He spent two and a half minutes talking about cable news ratings.
And so I would like to agree, I didn't you know this between the conscious knitters Hindi hears that five years from now foxes ratings are really gonna, go down the doing, ok to data and about five years. That's what he
yours and you know, then people watch MSNBC. I mean that was served amazing moment, but was very trump.
you know a lot of them fairly New York Times Christine
You're your impression at well, I put that where we were, we were kind of. You know, of course taxing throughout the whole speech, but I was struck actually by how his the abstractions, in which he traffic, when he talks about specific foreign policy,
the challenges. He did this with Afghanistan up to a point and then and then start getting specifics back back last summer, but in this press conference I think what is so disconcerting beyond his signalling, as as Noah has said that this it's fine of innovation happens, is it. He spoke of put of Putin like like a pre school teacher, is talking to the parents of a kind of unruly childs again
he'll settle down. He will know what will teach them how to behave, and no one trust him on that, because his judgment is not backed up by any
recognition or elucidation of the principle that guides him in thinking that so that's what I was I was looking reaching for principle. Do we care about sovereignty know doesn't seem to mention that principle. Does he care about promoting freedom? No, not not! That. Are we worried about authoritarian
It's kind of expanding their sphere of influence not really cause. You know the sanctions or stop him. There was just it was so ad Lib. It was like a mad live like you could just put in these abstractions over and over again, and that's why he kind of cap trailing often pausing and seeming really in secure actually about what he was supposed to say and that in this
contacts with an imminent conflict and russia. Ukraine is border is very frightening that that justice is creates anxiety. Rather than
calming people down and informing the public about what their planets they don't seem to have a plan always on the back foot, always reactionary, not forward thinking, not leading. We have to remember that Biden of use himself as an expert
on foreign policy, this is where he actually is in command of is of knowledge and of his
and so unlike say, covered or inflation, where it's not clear. Always what information is getting up to him.
On foreign policy. It doesn't matter what information gets up to him, because it's already figured figured out in his head right. He's gonna turn. Eighty years old in November he's been, he was the chairman of the Senate Formulations Committee he mentioned is old, PAL John Mccain. It's all,
you're out in his head he's made up always decisions and say you saw him not move an inch on Afghanistan right and just repeat all of the terrible arguments he may
I made up a new one, actually
the notion that we would have to that's people recommending the fifty thousand troops into Afghanistan Break with anybody
This done a lot of work on this, as we all have knows that that was on the table and know I use. I think you said that before
but what, if I'm not mistaken, he didn't include Afghanistan in his list of supposed successes. Did he know here
He had been, then, when asked about it, he he said that he doesn't regret a single thing he did and he reiterated the whole idea that, where we can't save them
probably get the same thing arguments he made when he was innocent.
In Vietnam. Collapsed right of the guy doesn't change. This is the thing with Joe Biden is. If people talk about cognitive decline
That assumes a standard from which you fall. This is wide. Has a tough
It has not changed in fifty years, Anthony burned. He thinks he thinks he is the smartest person in the room and he continues to at age. Seventy nine amidst collapsing public support collapsing public support. The approval ratings are awful and, of course, what did he say it is so
a b and he said, are the pulse of fake? I don't I don't play the locals, won't believe the pulse fake Paul's, just like the failing Fox news,
just like the elections are illegitimate. Elections not gonna, be real, but then he said and sixty seconds written discussing his per job approval rating versus the average type approval rating of his predecessors. At this point, in their term, does he doesn't pay attention at? The ball is so this? This is got that wrong too.
can we talk about numbers with sung by numbers for a minute he was thrown around a lot of weird numbers. For example, here is my favorite night,
five percent of schools are open. You guys are all talking about schools that ninety five percent of schools, rope Priscilla Unaware
number comes from I read and Christine. Certainly we every single story there is about schools and american clothings. I dont believe that there is a centralized database where you can
Maybe schools are closing. Schools are open, not only that, but later on in the speech he said it was actually closer than ninety eight. Ninety eight go over the more incisive five. You ok, president of schools, open what more can people, what let's talk map, but I did the math cause you
Oh, I don't know if you know this, but I have a Phd in mass. So it's the map. There are a hundred and thirty thousand schools in the United States. Ninety five percent of schools being open means that six sixty five
hundred. Schools are closed. Sixty five hundred schools are clothes. I'm an orbit weird protocols that keep kids thin porn teen so that half the students are, I mean closed. That's! Ok. Six thousand schools being closed. That six thousand. You now say:
average of one thousand five hundred kids of school at. I don't know what the averages of school but populations or something like that. But you know so: that's Eno, five thousand and sixty seventy thousand kids, not in school. That's! Okay! With him! Really we don't report the Good NEWS, which is the ninety five percent of schools or open. A hundred percent
should be open really are we are we at this? This point open others, yet artistic, energetic? It's not what a school open even mean
because the real issue now is the quarantine policy right? The school may be quote, unquote open, but if you have a policy where, if the student has close contact or is the tests positive or some other, you know that
A classmate test. Positive then they're out in some cases for ten days, which you were not there to exclude them, they are not just out their entire class could be
if a great knows there class are the same, might be open, but don't worry it's are experiencing is completely beyond that
But I want to talk about the other number. So then there was another number that he threw out
we'll keep talking about how supermarket shelves are empty. Will you know
I can't remember nine what reset eighty eighty nine percent of the shells are full where it, which is very close to the prepared
status quo, where ninety one percent of inventory,
we're all storks right. First, what where these numbers from number one number two
inventory, was never an issue in the United States until you now two years ago, why
everything that is on a store shelf, that we're talking about here, is on consignment, meaning that its produced by manufacture it sent to a store. The store doesn't pay for the store house.
Is it takes a cut of the sale, sends a cut of the sale to the manufacturer right, so I'm manufacturers make excessive amounts of good send them. They have to be returned in all of that we don't have a short. We have never had a problem in the United States
my lifetime, except when they're panics are runs, runs at like when there was the toilet paper panic at the beginning of the pandemic. Right, we don't have shortages because we produce excess, excess amounts of material, and we imported knowledge that now we have shortages. So let's talk about this number again. If it's true- and I dont know if it's true, because I dont get- I dont understand where what the what the collection,
data point is for all of this and how delayed it is and all that that means that stores are eleven percent empty, not at their eighty nine percent for the full doesn't matter. It's a question of the fact that there are eleven percent empty when it doesn't cost a store, a penny to have any of these goods in the store. That's not that they are not open to having goods.
Shelves at the G8. The goods are not arriving and that tend to eleven percent of the goods that they would normally expect to have on their shelves. That's a lot. That's ten percent! If you're talking about retail sales,
a veto of everyday good. That's that's! Ten, that a short that is a shortage. It's a tenth of what there should be.
I mean am I am I am I taking crazy pills here, while no one would question
what difficulties it ass an empty here I'll, let you know what applies to your expertise and man
as they are your data and say yes by figured gets too that the but the fundamental lesson of this press conference, which is Joe Biden, things nothing is
Joe Biden doesn't understand what you people are complaining about. I mean
nine percent of the shells are full. Ninety eight.
Then other schools are open. We have
These vaccines are going to send you masks. What are you? What? What is the problem here, there's
reason for me to reset I'm happy with my team, I'm my I'm gonna run again.
with Harris. Everything is fine and just a step back and think of that. As a political strategy. To me, it's disasters
the ongoing that's turkey, because when you read it when he needs now is a actual reset, but we got nothing like that. Like yesterday
Enlargement has her, like the other part of that, I think you're, absolutely right man, it's a good way of looking at this entire first year of his term, because the other side that we ve talked about this lot is that when people complain, he turns it back around. Like you, ve disappointed me how why're you complaining and that feeds the public's Juno that the poles he does look at what you should show his the disapproval ratings. That's why? Because we are disappointing him, he couldn't possibly disappoint us cause, he's doing the right thing and then there's the other thing that he did. He admitted or talked about in this kind of weird Pandit way
which is that inflation is gonna get worse here. This whole peroration that added
I asked prices is another statistic: there was there ok good up their sent? Maybe you didn't know, but one third fully one third of the cost increases the cost of living is due to the cost of automobiles. Perhaps you didn't know that
No one knew that no one's ever compiled that statistic, and that was when he said that the price of oil is going to continue to go up, enjoy that America, by the way that contention is psychotic, because you know people already have cars, you don't ever cars
spent. If you dont, then by a new car right or if there is a shortage of used cars, you talkin buy whatever. However, it slices people already have working cars, so there their individual car that they own didn't go up in price. Putting a pudding gas in the tank goes up and price. If you have to replace it, you have a problem because you're replacing something was summoned, it's much more expensive, but that's not what he meant was that used cars.
when up thirty four percent and thus have or were they were, the leading driver of the inflationary spiral, not that a third of the cost.
The individual consumer is in their car. Now, who's been charitable, I'm not being sharing of light was about the person. My mother, I held place of bad because I've
it's the math and you know we don't wee wee wee wee wee, stick resolutely to turn to the facts, and we don't use that kind of language, and not a phd methods is clear. I have about as far from baby is the amount is you can be, which is why my being able to discern the Joe Biden is making stats up is is really if I can figure it out, anybody can figure it out. That's that some that that's what's interesting, so I think so he said, puts get invade Ukraine MIKE
says he's gonna go in your win. Patients gonna go up what else I mean it was a legitimate to see of the election, though we may get us getting out right, but I'm just saying I'm just saying guess what America I've been president for a year. Inflation is out of control and I'm just about to let Vladimir Putin take over another country on the european continent. The eyeballs performed. I'm crazy,
I'm so great well, has anyone created assistant to get shot an arms? Like I have said, button
system was in place when he became president, there was a hidden create that system that deals with Walmart CBS and setting a fax and first of the vaccination sites were set up at the state level, not at the federal level.
For what a number to the deal to do to use our private resources to do that were in place during the trumpet ministration. You why're, you didn't do it. You can't take rabbit, you can take credit for it. Go ahead. Just on the inflation point. We should also address the fact that he has the cure for inflation. He knows what it is its bill back, better
right, which he's on, which is also great and on him, but doesn't exist its
at a chunk site, it's gotta, be bright, might be channel the best, my right and we cannot let you chance you're going out whether junks cook get new coke. It's the last time the word chunks was used. The way that the word trunk is being used here was when the late wife of John F Kennedy, a junior, was said to have a hair
colouring planned that involve buttery chunks. I am thinking of wanes world. I hear chunks did I I
We are all going to hurl gonna, her old man. That's right! That's how I was
that was my response that defines the latter this press conference, what one one other data point to suggest that he really has no idea. What he's doing is he you you're talking about his sense of accomplishment, Walter
one big accomplishment in the middle of the year, and that was the by partisan infrastructure bill and it under
Everything else he was saying about. The Republicans is all strategy clearly is to spend the next nine months, lambasted Republicans for being ponds of Donald Trump, for not standing for anything for being obstructionist a much harder case to make in twenty twenty two. Then it was four, oh by a bomb a ten years earlier in in twenty twelve, but that that seems to be what he wants to do. At the same time, if you actually look at what he was able to get across the finish line and which lived up to his promise of being able to unite America, it was the bipartisan infrastructure package which he barely touched on. Maybe because he understands that if you were to focus on that and to make it the centrepiece of his his second year
this or to build on that for the second year in office. Everything Elsie said would be exposed us just kind of mindless posturing, inelegant abandoning ongoing legislative stuff, but Gimme a second. We need to go to the legislative stuff, but I need to talk to you guys about Bambi are advertiser today, because when running
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oceans where he said that people didn't want him to be. President Senator Senator President. They wanted him to be president, which explains why the president gets in his motorcade and is constantly going down to Capitol Hill and be humiliated when he goes cuz. He doesn't get anything he wants, which is really great for the power. The exalted power of the executive branch that they're not coming to him he's going to damn. It's like that whole sequence, on curb your enthusiasm where the entire season is it
about whether Jason Alexander is going to come to Larry David's Office or Larry. David is going to go to Jason Alexander's office and they still can't figure it out that they don't do the show together. That is exactly what is going on here, not to say that them, you know me is like
the Gentiles stupid Larry David. So you know this this
particularly, I know his eyes, don't open in more than Ebay and noticed that we get anyone can see his eyes like we're. Watching lasting, causing arteries is
surgery or as an age I dunno. What is anyway? Ok, let's talk about the legislative stuff, so the headline of Courses Christie mentioned was some,
yeah. The election. The twinkling is gonna, be a legitimate afar. These bills dump ass. We need it. I wonder I won a spell this out specifically because he was asked about it twice: a moat most pressed by Philip Ragman. He said
it could easily easily could be legitimate. Was the response by the twenty twenty two midterms and any added I'm not going to say it's going to be legit and it's important that everyone listen to that because this morning, clean up on I'll five is happening: Jen, Saki and all the rest of the White House, spokespeople
out there on all the major shows to all the reporters, claiming that's not what he said claiming it. That's not the kind of trompe and sort of rhetoric about the integrity.
Actions. They are lying to the american people this morning about what the president said to the american people yesterday afternoon and he should be held to account for what is,
I didn't get the convoluted efforts to say well what he means is that, if they don't, if they dont pass this federalist nation of election laws, that the Democrats want this highly partisan thing that doesn't have an afloat surpassed.
Then the elections I do happen are not going to be a free and fair, as we would want them. So in that sense the illegitimate, it's all ridiculous, it it's a smokescreen. What he said was it
couldn't say right now that the mid term elections that are upcoming can be legitimate. That undermines people's faith in our election process, and it is not something the present United States should do whether he has a day after his name or an hour after is named it's bad bad for the country. We just talk with you.
We hear about what's goin on the last two elections, because Biden is now calling it.
The potential legitimacy of the TWAIN trying to election. Let's talk about the last two elections under current rules that don't involve the John Louis sainted, John Louis sainted, for the people sainted Voter Protection ACT of twenty twenty blah. Ok Democrats got sixty three,
alien votes in twenty eighteen winning forty seats in the house and one and got eighty three million votes now, the final counted them in twenty twenty winning. The presidency
If nothing changes except some small,
that certain uncertain stay levels in their small. Let's, let's make this clear about what the changes are in georgian taxes on all this there
Small. There is some reason to think that the conspiracy theory, that democratic promulgating, Campi immediately
dismiss that you know these are like down payments, that election changes are down payments on further efforts to restrict voting, but as it is,
like so you can't give water and they're gonna, be fewer drop boxes and all this whatever that all of that was in place in twenty eighteen and they got.
largest single turn out in mid term history and an crushed the right, so these elections taking place without these bills? Where democrats have crushed the last two elections are gonna be a legitimate there,
call into question the legitimacy of their own victories under under that. Under those circumstances, I don't understand the logic of this. Can anyone I mean other words like they did it in spite of republican workout. The truth
they over well, so why can they do it again? I dont you know it's like. Are the they're they're going to depress their own turn out the way Trump depressed Republican turn out by saying you know they fit? They read that they fixed it, don't go.
And vote in georgia- you know don't go vote in the Senate, raises enjoy what's the point. What's the point they rigged the election, this is actually about wants to
twenty twenty two when he needs every single possible democratic voter to drag themselves the poles to spare the Democratic Party from a wipe out. Ok, can anyone take over from here? Why like come now? I understand your frustration, I'm just trying to pass through what, but it might have been thinking when he said when he brought this up, and I think it has to do with the sphere, as you suggested that that these election bills in Texas in Georgia will allow, let
allow partisan officials to override the vote, but neither build does that happened have above all the bills that have been passed through the country. They were either there's something seventeen of them. The Wall Street Journal pointed
at an editorial earlier this week. It is the hazard that hasn't been done. So it's it's a conspiracy based. That's prospective right. That's based on a myth that is driving him to suggest that if we don't pass these bills now, the election will be the illegitimate and it got. It goes to this confusion between so called voter suppression and electoral subversion right. What what? What Donald Trump did after the election of twenty twenty was an attempt to subvert the result of the election he wanted to overturn
a fair election and remain in power. The Democrats want to prevent that from happening and guess what a lot of republicans do and so the best way to approach the issue is not to talk about so called voter suppression, which just makes no sense if you say that rolling back some of the
you know accommodations that were made in twenty twenty due to the pandemic amounts to
act on minority voting rights. That's a non secular. It makes no sense, but if you want to start from a place at Saint, we don't want a repeat of November December and January of twenty twenty twenty twenty one, and so how do we create? How do we do reform the system to make it less likely that Trump could have succeed
That is the basis for a bipartisan majority in the United States Congress and bite and kind of alluded to that in his press conference. But he's really not going to embrace efforts until while the vote failed last night, what wonder recordings, but he wasn't about to do it during the press conference itself ahead of the Senate boat Noah, you were, we need to discuss last night, you after them,
conference Senate, conceives debate and Mitch. Mcconnell delivered this war speech, in which he said we we, we were publicans.
and whoever is whether is it were saving the republic. This is most important dead
the most important vote street. The Senate said where we ve saved the Senate. It's going to fail. Nice, try, the full of it. Then trucks humor got up made some very weird pointless. Damn you know
that weird thing that I would say that that Martin Luther King Jr said about the sacred right about which you wouldn't really expected a preacher past
to say, like total idolatrous, to save the right to a sacred sit out, important, essential central key. He to democracies sacred is some
I'm, a idolatry is more of a you know. It was more of a jewish thing, jewish fear than then then then, a fear of other hate spitting on the list. I don't know
so he said yeah. This is what my blue, the king said now we're gonna vowed and then that's it so so much for the talking filibuster, so much reopening the filibuster so much for the voting rights bill so much for the John Louis Bill, so much for the further deaths so much reverie thing your thoughts, NOME yeah. So on I mean it wasn't just rhetoric what turn mission has said that this is the most important data. Senator assembled senators acted like it. Nonetheless, vote was open. There was no glad ending. There was no collegial handshakes in whispers in the well, never been seated at their desks and treating it very solemnly because it was silent. We talked
about this extremely convoluted hare. Brained scheme that Democrats were going to pursue in order to aspire to get people enjoy. Talking filibuster have a vote so that a simple majority of centres could pass legislation after debated concluded the lungs of his innocence.
One legislative base and alternatives to talk twice blah blah, nobody can follow that nobody cares.
Somehow this gets everybody on the record about voting rights right. Yet you have to really be steeped in your own. Be asked to believe that, but anyway they call this joke. Vegan urban senator humor call this vote and it was a nuclear about he pushed.
The button on the nuclear option and the nuclear exchange lasted about thirty five seconds and the forces that mounted
the tap were rounded rather quickly because it turns out
all evidence that we have suggesting that your mansion and kissed and cinema are not bluffing was true, they're, not bluffing, they killed it. They killed a quickly, but the
firms of engagement have changed. You can't an attack.
An undue nuclear attack, which is what does what it has expanded the rules of engagement in ways that Democrats will come to regret and all for what a show vote over a priority for all of what sixteen percent of the public this voting rights, the federal take over.
actions thing and got to senators on the record against their own party. At the same time,
as the senator as congressional staffers John. You sent us out to us yesterday. Commercials efforts were talking the scene and reporters laying preemptively laying the blame for the democratic parties. Epic defeat, which seems inevitable at the hands of of Joe Biden, thought this is a party that is at war with itself. Republicans are just
but of spectators watching this internet seen blood feud play out in ways that works,
early redound to the benefit of the GNP and the council,
break themselves out of this weird conflict that they have amongst each
and they just trying to draw blood now from each other. For what for talking points, I don't understand it, but they they they can't break out of the cycle destructive. They dig. It was interesting that I think this goes back to something
at one of our raised earlier in the show about how Biden was is gonna, is pitching. The Republicans now is entirely obstructions, like he kept saying over never get went into his patient whisper. What is what what did they stand for? What are they stand for, and I I found it her, both hilarious and hurting,
Mcconnell when asked about this by Rapporteur later said, will tell you what we're back in charge like the idea that that that the problem
right now in the country, is that the people running at who are all on the democratic side of the Isle are bungling things rather than that of their despair being obstructed obstructed. It's all the Republicans fault
the very day that the first time in ten months, the leader of the Democrats, is giving a press conference president of the United States. The Democrats choose this to do a very public spanking of two of their moderate members. These are not radical people, I mean this is mansion, is, is moderate? Democratic party has moved further left and he's kind of sat where he's always bed, and I think it is, it just shows
that they are the ideological purity tests that they're going to continue to demand of their members in order to suit this narrative about democracy in peril is gonna. It's not just the twenty twenty two elections that are gonna they're gonna pay the price for that. I think long term. There they're gonna pay for the present with voters who don't really think this makes sense, who brief points on that level of first? This is not a cost free maneuver, they forced member
who were very coy about the filibuster to get on record Mark Kelly MAC Hassen quarter Master, all
people who are just kind of like there on the bubble, first of all their up next year, and they were a little coy about this or this year
they were coy about citizen and that sentiment majority leader forced them to go on record against probably against their political instincts. Second, Christine your point, and that is very interesting because at one point five nationals, Peter Juicy, asked Joe Biden very pointed question: why are you trying to drive this country to the left? Why did you spend your first year driving this country to the left and in job
objected and said I am a mainstream Democrat at no point did this is
control to his identity. He has always considered himself right at the centre of his own
that's that's where his position himself in that's a status, his identity and it's probably the best answer he could have given to that question, because the meeting Democrat is farther laughed then they used to be and,
farther left. Then, where the country, it's so to say, you are a median Democrat means. Yes, you are going to pull this country to the left was that's where the party is exactly added donor, based in particular much farther dilemma. I went up Peter Duty had dub included some examples with that questions to me
to have made it a little harder for button to refute. I just written on this. This point of the when Biden kept repeating what are the Republicans for, I think it's an easy question, mostly there very vocally for dismantling a good deal of the pandemic restrictions. They ve not been at all shy about that and beyond that, it's it's a sort of acute kind of framing trick to save water. What are the Republicans for when the majority, when there,
party in charge is the one asserting everything you know exactly what the Republicans or foreign your against all of it mansion gave his
speech in opposition to ending the filibuster. Do it whatever talk it? Whatever was during Biden Press Conference and he
stood there with a sign that said, the United States Senate has
ever been able to end debate with a simple majority
he had a surname next to him that he made reference to end its an important point, because if you listen to the law,
go apologists for ending the filibuster. They say the filibusters and unnatural thing. It's it's. Why
on its rule. It was put you know, used to defend segregate, it was used, deserve, defend segregation and it's a terrible thing, and now
ever intended and Alexander Hamilton said that it was toxic. I, whatever other now so, and you know so, you would believe
from this image and of one of the people by peddling. This is Adam gentleman who was Harry, read the former Senate Majority leaders chief aid. This is outrageous. The filibusters bad, though so so obviously was better before right was better before
buster. Well, there are two things, one of which his
As mentioned says, set a procedure has always denied the power of a simple majority. About second, is in this.
Anti Diluvial moment when the said it was a body of extraordinary capacity that reflected the views of the people better than it does now until
Eighteen. Thirteen the Senate was
popularly elected centres were appointed by their governors are state legislatures. They were not popularly elected, they ve been popular
for a hundred and eight or a hundred nine years period. It was
a majority carrying institution. It was as it was intended to be an aristocratic institution that was not
pulled into voters, but was rather beholden at what was said.
Iterative, remove from the voter
that was deemed at some point, the 20th century, to be at an early 20th century century during the reformist movement to be an affront to are, you know, too
our system and the Senate became popular.
acted as a result of a constitutional amendment that that so we're now in a position where Democrats are now hailing in that for on the on the grounds of
the Senate should be a majority during one man, one vote institution, it's not fair. Cars are two centres for every state, no matter what the population is. All this and its really terrible do eat sixty votes on this. There are essentially trying to harking back to a time when senators word Elect,
by popular vote, you know who is a supporter of that idea? Rick Perry, Rick, free governor of Texas, where the whole essentially the book that was like an anti federalist. It was like the revival of the Anti Federalist movement of the late eighteenth century, which he said the greatest problem in the United States. History, fixed AIDS, the popular
election of senators and if we just got rid of that, if we, if we get rid of that amendment, everything would be would be great. So now we have like radical left as Democrats
now essentially endorsing the rector Perry View. As far as I can tell if Rick Perry actually believe that it wasn't just the words of some psychotic, you know, he'll still does Spain a ghost writer
whatever, but not sure, I'm not sure who the Anti Federalist sign back. That's a big tea party thing was repealing the seventeenth amendment, which we needed to have the Senate as a Czech yeah, and so it's funny to see Adam Gentle said embrace of that time when the Senate was not popularly elected at there's. This whole Groundhog day quality to this presidency that we no matter how much Evelyn
there is that they don't have the votes for the election take over bills. They don't have the votes to change the filibuster and they don't have the votes for bill back better. We are going to spend
every single day up to the election. Talking about
the election bills to filibuster and build back better, there's no alternative. It seems, and- and this is why, if I were a democratic strategist, I would be pulling my hair out over the bite at an instruction when you, if you know look it, it just dropped the voting thing. No one. No one cares about it. It's a low priority issue and moral. Moreover,
it's, it's it's it's a self inflicted defeat and I'll go back better. If you really want to bill, you simply go to mention it
cinema and say what what would you vote for it,
once they give you that, maybe they won't give you that, in which case you are you're, gonna have to move on, but once I give you that, then he turned to the other Democrats and say: okay, this is what we're gonna do and the truth is. Democrats now are so desperate to get anything that they would probably agree to whatever at bottom line, mansion or cinema propose. Instead, the weirdly the chunk strategy,
goes against the just bargain with mansion and cinema and see, if anything can happen, because now you're gonna make it piecemeal
and you're gonna set up separate votes, and some
votes on these separate issues I mean will be quite lopsided against the democratic or progressive proposals. If you really want that
I don't know all I know is that we're going to spend the rest of the year talking about bill back better,
I think it even more important, because you- and I talked about this last night- man- is that
under the rules of reconciliation under the rules according to which these bills can be voted on with fifty votes plus the vice president? They only get to
I can't remember how works right they get two or three votes a year. You can't break you can't use reconciliation at will. I mean I've come.
No, how works you'd have to change the rule, and then you get into the changing the rule. Question and mansion could have
to changing the world on the grounds that it is. You know it's about a budget bus,
you're, only doing it, so you can break this stuff up and then vote on bills that will cost a lot of money. At this.
complicated thing in all involves, because these bills have budgetary implications
emendation was made in order that the government could stay open, that you could vote on,
With a simple majority in the Senate, and not the sixty by rule, so as you know, they hope that they could get bill back better or worse
whatever what there were some bill, they hoped they could get chosen to be a budget reconcile
asian bill in the Senate parliamentarian set up or maybe a voting rights. I can remember why, but you know said: there's no budgetary implications. If we can't we can't immigration, p,
see immigration, peace, sorry right, you can't bring it up
do this. There are no budgetary implications, so it's light, it doesn't fit the model we we we gotta go in the annals of american history. Can anybody pull out a single.
moment where presidency did what bided yesterday this was the worst press conference since the Helsinki pressing,
Prince Inga Eighteen, I will ended a dry and the truth is after that disaster. Put it didn't invite.
the country. So in some ways it is even worse, but I think you have to look at either the Charlottesville Press conference in twenty seventeen or the twenty eight teen Helsinki Press conference for precedent, but it did. This was this was up there. This was that this was just atrocious performance by the president, but way it started out. Fine, I mean it was not present, but what
came there to talk about. He didn't really do himself any harm. He didn't even mention Russia or Ukraine in in what he delivered at first. This all came from the question
right away you, he was actually trying to talk through like getting past now the covert stalemate them
emotional covered. Stalemate, right, he's like school should be open. We should get back to work it out. Things are looking brought, you know
a burning through I'm a cop whatever he was actually trying to make a positive case. That was served on the track of we're not mired in this. But this is not whether that the disease
Stir is over, we have a plan to get through it. We're gonna have we have treatments. We have pills
We have vaccines, we have a budget, we have all these things and our tool kit and
and things are looking bright, that was a that was a good thing for him to say, and then, of course, he forgot to keep saying that it was interesting by the way that almost nobody asked a question about Covid
think because no one has anything left to say about carbon, and we don't have anything left to say by government or anything else, gotta go mad canary. Thank you very much. Everybody go to Amazon and ordered his book. The right were born, noble or where we get your fine books
Noah, Christine enable jump at hordes keep the camera.
Transcript generated on 2022-01-20.