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The Morning Meeting
Blockade Will Be in Force "As Long as It Takes," Says Hegseth: Will Talks Resume This Weekend?
01:04:41
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- [00:00]
Larry O'Connor
Foreign
- [00:04]
Mark Halperin
Washington Hilton, where in just over a day and a half, President Trump will be walking into the belly of the beast, facing off the Washington press corps with whom he's had, let's say, a fractious relationship. I'm in the lobby of the Hilton getting ready for tomorrow night, shining my shoes, buffing my cufflinks and getting ready to hang out with Larry and Kevin. Gentlemen, welcome. Thank you for being here on this White House correspondence weekend.
- [00:27]
Kevin Walling
Good morning. Welcome back to Washington, good sir.
- [00:30]
Larry O'Connor
I dress down on a Friday and you dress up on a Friday.
- [00:32]
Mark Halperin
I got some, I got some stuff to go to. Anyway, as we come on the air this morning and greet the vast worldwide two way community, word is there may be peace negotiations taking place within the next few days. In Pakistan, several Twitter accounts and news organizations reporting that the Iraq, Irani, the Iranians are planning to go. I've not been able to confirm that with the US side, so we'll see what happens there. We're going to talk about Iran, we're going to talk about the Republican Party, some new polling numbers for the president, whether Vladimir Putin is going to be invited to the G8, which seems like an incredible story. And as always, a little rom news. And of course, since it's Friday, our winners and losers of the week and what to look for. And as always, your questions, your comments, your concerns, your ability to enunciate smack in a non, in a smackless fashion, artful way. Artful and smackless. Smack. That smack was. If you're here on the two way platform and want to be on the conversation, please raise your hand. Had a few new people this week, but not as many as I hanker for. So if you've never raised your hand and you don't find Kevin and Larry to be extremely intimidating, please join us. And if you're watching on X or YouTube, no smack in the chat. Peace, love and understanding. Be in the spirit of Larry's shirt, or chemise as I call it. Larry, you couldn't be more welcoming today. Aloha.
- [01:53]
Larry O'Connor
Thank you. This is, this is my homage to all the cocktail parties I've had to endure this week because of the White House correspondence dinner, which I will be very happy are over. I got one more day of cocktail parties and then it's over for good.
- [02:05]
Mark Halperin
Are you having cocktails?
- [02:06]
Kevin Walling
Thank you for your service.
- [02:07]
Mark Halperin
Are you having cocktails or just gin and tonic or ginger ale?
- [02:11]
Larry O'Connor
Well, that is a cocktail, isn't it? Gin and tonic.
- [02:13]
Guest/Caller
Well.
- [02:13]
Mark Halperin
Or ginger ale?
- [02:14]
Larry O'Connor
I mean, no, mostly well. At the Kevin Walling cocktail party. That was a big one. I had vodka soda.
- [02:23]
Kevin Walling
I will say every, every time I went to the bar, Larry was somehow already there. And he. But with handfuls. He's very generous, ladies and gentlemen.
- [02:32]
Larry O'Connor
Back for everyone.
- [02:32]
Kevin Walling
I was giving it to everybody. So he was, he was a combination. Julie, the bar, you know, the cruise director and the bartender from the Love Boat.
- [02:41]
Larry O'Connor
Wednesday night at our cocktail party, I was drinking MAGA martinis. We actually labeled mega martinis and those were great. Last night I just had chardonnay because I needed a bit of a break. And, and tonight I'm going to our friend Megan McCain's two way zone, Megan McCain's party that she's doing in Georgetown.
- [02:59]
Mark Halperin
I'll be there as well. And I'm hosting the show from that party. So come by and be.
- [03:04]
Kevin Walling
We might have to pop in behind you.
- [03:05]
Mark Halperin
No, no, it'll be authorized. I'm going to try to have people just walk on and do it and talk.
- [03:10]
Kevin Walling
That's gonna be. That'll be a lot of fun. That'll be a lot of fun.
- [03:13]
Mark Halperin
Look forward to seeing everybody there. All right, let's go to the day book. The president's schedule for the next three days is super interesting if you think either they're going to be peace talks or you think he might go to war today. The president has executive time right now. Thank you, Mr. President, for watching. Then posse meeting in the Oval. And then he heads down to Palm beach at some point for an RNC spring retreat in Palm Beach. So he's overnighting in Florida. Then tomorrow he wakes up in Florida and he's got a crypto event. Saturday schedule, please. He's got a crypto event at noon in Palm Beach, a crypto conference, closed press. And then he's back to the very hotel in which I currently sit for the White House Correspondence center tomorrow night. Remember that Barack Obama did the. Obama, the. What do you call it? Well, anyway, I'm not going to say, uh.
- [04:07]
Kevin Walling
Are you talking about the, the Obama raid or the Osama raid?
- [04:11]
Mark Halperin
Yeah, yeah.
- [04:12]
Kevin Walling
And then from the.
- [04:14]
Mark Halperin
And then from the dinner and then, and then. I just don't remember the timing exactly. I don't want to get it wrong. Then Sunday, here's the Sunday schedule. President's got. Got Ethol on his schedule on Sunday, executive time at a a.m. so if you think, if you look at this schedule and you just think past is prologue, as I always do, with all the military capability now in the region, you could say, well, hitting on Saturday while he's in Palm beach and then here at the dinner. That'd be a good decoy because the Iranians would say, well, he's not going to strike while he's doing a comedy routine. And then you look at his Sunday schedule, he's in D.C. and doing nothing. That could be a time to attack as well. So we'll see. Don't know, don't know what the vice president's doing today, but he might be packing. He might be saying, honey, do you know where I put my blue tie? Because he may be headed back to Pakistan and I don't know. Do you guys know, is he supposed to be at the dinner? I know the first lady's coming. Is the vice president supposed to be at the dinner tomorrow?
- [05:06]
Kevin Walling
It hasn't been previewed that he's going to be there.
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Mark Halperin
Yeah.
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Kevin Walling
Anyway, very rare. I don't think the VP really attends. I don't think Biden ever did.
- [05:14]
Mark Halperin
I will, I will tell you that the Trump people are so excited about this dinner, many of whom have never been because they've only been associated with Washington via Donald Trump, including some cabinet members. So we'll see. The Pentagon secretary and the chair of the Joint chiefs briefed at 8. No real news. The chair gave details about the three ships. They say they still hold the three ships, Iranian connected ships that they seized. And the war secretary spoke at length about Iran's opportunity to make a deal or the blockade would continue. House and senator out Another EU gathering in Cyprus today to continue to talk is the defense secretary. Pentagon chief said they continue to talk about, talking about maybe doing something here at the, at the Hilton because God has a sense of humor. The meeting that's taking place on its fourth day is the 2026American Society of International Law is having its meeting here. International law scholars and practitioners exploring the theme advancing and defending the rule of law there. You can see if you're watching the YouTube version of the program or on X the agenda for today that I took off the hotel, you know, message board. But I wonder what President Trump's approval rating would be amongst the folks who are American Society of International watching that,
- [06:30]
Kevin Walling
that movie Nuremberg on repeat. Maybe for their social.
- [06:33]
Mark Halperin
Exactly.
- [06:34]
Larry O'Connor
Anyway, after the carnage of USAID being defunded that they're still able to do their event. Good for them.
- [06:41]
Mark Halperin
Yeah, they'll be, they'll be clearing out in time for the dinner, I guess. Iran state media reports confirms that the Iranian foreign minister is headed to Pakistan for talks and said he'd also go to Oman and Russia. Still no confirmation from the US Side. All right, we're going to talk about the war in a moment. Let's do a quick word from a sponsor friends at Cozy Earth, our sponsors again today. 20% off everything on the site. Go to cozyearth.com use the promo code morning. Give mom a good night's sleep. Get her the bedding set, maybe get her some slippers, maybe a bathroom, maybe, maybe get them all. Just if you love your mom and 20% off, maybe get it all. And everything has got a 100 day money back guarantee. So, yeah, it's a little awkward to say to mom, here's your Mother's Day gift. If you don't like it, I'll send it back. But you can do that because the folks at Cozy Earth are supremely confident that mom will love everything you might give her. Again, I recommend the bathroom, the slippers. I also recommend if you know a dog who's a mom. Paul, show us the latest photos. These are our favorite dogs you can see if you're watching on the YouTube or anywhere else with the visuals that pop matches its bubble cuddle blanket almost perfectly. Exalting, exciting, exuberant, exhilarating. The bubble Cuddle blanket for mom and maybe a second one for the pup. Go to cozyearth.com right now. Use the promo code morning for 20% off in the post purchase survey. Please tell them you heard about Cozy Earth here on two way in the morning meeting because home starts with mom.
- [08:12]
Matt Ebert
I started with one shop. No college degree, no big investors. It was just a willingness to work. Over time, that one shop turned into a multibillion dollar business called Crash Champions. All the lessons I learned along the way came from the grind. And that's what my show Pod Crash is all about. We have real conversations with people who've built things the hard way. We talk to founders, athletes and blue collar leaders who kept going when things got tough. You'll hear stories of grit, leadership and growth. Plus real world lessons you can take back to your team and your life tomorrow.
- [08:46]
Mark Halperin
When you get momentum, you step on the gas. That's how you get separation from everybody else.
- [08:52]
Kevin Walling
I was at Harvard Law School.
- [08:53]
Mark Halperin
I was, blah, blah, blah. I looked up, let me tell you something. There's kids in my neighborhood putting in Sheetrock that are smarter than you. AI is going to disrupt a lot of stuff. It is never going to disrupt physical blue collar trade skill.
- [09:04]
Kevin Walling
And the guy just looked at me and he said, it's bloody impossible.
- [09:07]
Mark Halperin
So I asked him this question, said
- [09:09]
Matt Ebert
it's impossible unless that's Podcast with me, Matt ebert. Watch on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts.
- [09:20]
Mark Halperin
All right, guys, let me run through a few elements on Iran and Mark Dubowitz. You guys know Mark Dubowitz. You know him, he's, he's, he's got a tweet up now that, that everybody's talking about and he says, imagine if somebody had told him the following things would have been accomplished by the United States and Iran. I'm going to run through these lickety split. Number 109, please. Just the headlines, he said. Nuclear program set back years. Ballistic missile program tripled. Air defense is devastated. Full economic warfare in terms of sanctions regimes. Next, please. Regime decapitation. The region turning on Tehran. Proxy network shattered. Syrian corridor severed. Assad is gone. Next, Lebanon pivoting west. We see that with the ceasefire and the continued talks between Israel and Lebanon and the heads of government are supposed to come to Washington. Deterrence exposed as a bluff. Economy hollowed out from within. These are all things accomplished by the United States and Israel. And just recently, number 12, please. Scientific and technological brain drain. We've killed a lot of their scientists. Naval power decimated. Again. All of this happening while the regime is forced to play. Forced to play, he says, the Hermes card. He says that's the strategic picture. It's extraordinary. Much more to do. But I can't comprehend how much has been achieved. Now here's his second list. This is his list of things that still need to be done. 113. Battle of Hormuz, Red Sea and the Houthis. Enriched material pickaxe mountain. Internal repression of Iranians. The reconstitution possibility of all their nuclear missile and proxies. American political calendar, including possibly electing a president in 2029. Who gives up on all this. Negotiations leading to fatally flawed deal possibilities. Success leads us to abandon the Iranian people and the US has to replace all the depleted materials. So Kevin, which list is more compelling to you? All that's been accomplished or all that's left to be done?
- [11:29]
Kevin Walling
I can't say both are compelling, but they are right. I mean there's still a lot of questions obviously remaining. No question that the military phase of this has been extraordinary in terms of the 10,000 plus targeted tax. No question. Also too that the geopolitical elements of this. And Mark writes that in the tweet about the fact that Gulf states are turning on them. They don't really have any true allies in the area. China is still holding on, Russia is still holding on to some degree. But the vast Majority of their neighbors have cut ties because they've been targeted and they're still being targeted. We're seeing groups in Iraq backed by the Iranians attacking Kuwait in the middle of the night. So there are still more questions that remain in terms of where this heads, if these negotiations move forward. But certainly that list. And again, it's not also just limited to the last six weeks. Some of this started beforehand in terms of obviously the first attack on the nuclear sites and the decimation and decapitation efforts as well. But again, still more questions remain, I think.
- [12:34]
Mark Halperin
Yeah, Larry, Larry, the President said yesterday he's not in any rush. The Iran, the pressure is all on Iran. What do you think of, of where we are right now?
- [12:42]
Larry O'Connor
Yeah, I found that very interesting that he kept saying, don't rush me, don't rush me. It's only been this long and all that jazz. I do agree that the former list I think is the most compelling in that, provided whatever ends up getting negotiated, if we ended up with a negotiated settlement at the end of this also includes what I believe is a drop dead must do, which is no further enrichment of uranium allowed, not not controlled, not monitored, but stop it completely, forever. No more enrichment of uranium. Then it lays waste. This false and really disingenuous talking point that I've heard employed so much that. Well, then we just ended up with Obama' nuclear plan. This is nowhere near the Obama nuclear plan. First because of the devastation that has been wrought against Iran and what's left of their military, number one. But number two, the Obama plan allowed Iran to continue enriching uranium. That's the bottom line. This one will not, should not, must not. And there's no comparison between the two.
- [13:43]
Kevin Walling
Larry, do you think, do you think we can accept any kind of, you think it has to be through eternity in terms of no, no enrichment, no production, you know, in terms of what we come away from Islamabad with potentially,
- [13:57]
Larry O'Connor
personally, I believe so. But I know that they're holding up some sort of end point as a potential negotiating nugget. So.
- [14:04]
Kevin Walling
Okay, all right.
- [14:06]
Larry O'Connor
Personally, I don't think you should. You can't trust them.
- [14:09]
Kevin Walling
And of course, that's what Hegseth led with in the press conference today too, is nuclear right off the outset.
- [14:16]
Mark Halperin
So in light of what the President said yesterday, in light of Mark's excellent analysis, in light of the announcement that there may be talks, in light of the fact that the three carriers are in the region, in light of the fact that people say Iran's feeling the pressure, I ask you both what we've talked about all week, Kevin, are we headed towards more conflict? Are we headed towards a deal? Where are we headed?
- [14:37]
Kevin Walling
I think we're headed hopefully towards a deal. And again, I think, Mark, you know, your, your excellent reporting that, that the administration has kind of gone quiet, I think also indicates that there are some behind the scenes movement there. You also had this new factor out today. There's reporting about UAE having some issues with their currency and reserves. And I think if you see more pressure from our allies that want to see some resolution here building, I don't know again what the Chinese factor is here with all this, especially on their oil front. But, you know, reports also too, about, you know, just stockpiles of jet fuel and the reserves, they're going down, that that will all put some pressure on the Iranians, hopefully to accept something.
- [15:22]
Mark Halperin
Larry?
- [15:23]
Larry O'Connor
Yeah, I, most of the people I talked to this week are a little more pessimistic and they think that. And maybe they're just saying that because they want me to say it on the radio to sort of lay it out there, but they believe that it's more likely that hostilities resume than not.
- [15:43]
Kevin Walling
And again, you've got, Mark, you just said the third carriers now there in terms of operational strength.
- [15:51]
Mark Halperin
You know, I think you go forward, I've heard all week people talking about they're going to be more conflict. And I just don't really know what the Iranians will do. You know, I don't have any insight into what they'll do, but I think if they don't get serious about opening the strait and going back to negotiations,
- [16:09]
Guest/Caller
then
- [16:12]
Mark Halperin
there will be war, probably more kinetic action. But here's my question to you. The Iranians now are reportedly going before. They said they wouldn't go until the blockade's off. Do we think they'd show without the blockade being off?
- [16:26]
Kevin Walling
Yes. Yeah.
- [16:27]
Mark Halperin
Yes. Well, that'd be a pretty big concession, wouldn't it?
- [16:30]
Kevin Walling
Yep. And they have to get to that table.
- [16:33]
Mark Halperin
I think a pretty big concession.
- [16:34]
Larry O'Connor
The conventional wisdom is time is on their side because they can wait out Trump because Trump has to be concerned about political pressure and polls. They don't, but I don't necessarily think that's true. I think that they've got a time crunch here, too, just in terms of their oil infrastructure.
- [16:49]
Mark Halperin
Right.
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Kevin Walling
And again, look at what the president was saying in the Oval. You know, this isn't Korea, this isn't Vietnam, but I can, you know, I'm not going to end this right now. I'm going to get a more favorable deal. I think, again, you know, what he says and what he does are two different things often.
- [17:05]
Mark Halperin
Right. All right, let's do one more thing on Iran and then we'll move on. But of course, if people have questions or comments on Iran, you want to be on the conversation, raise your hand. This is a polymarket 108. Let's polymarket this question. Will the president announce that the blockade has been lifted by May 31? That's about a month and a week away. About five weeks away. 60% chance, according to polymarket wagers, that the blockade will be lifted by then. That seems a little low to me under the circumstances, but maybe not. Gentlemen, thoughts on that? Well, do you think the President will lift the blockade or that'll be a last act before there's a final deal?
- [17:37]
Kevin Walling
I think that'll be earlier on. I'm surprised I'm with you, Mark, in terms of that. I mean, that's like five weeks away. Yeah, I assume that's going to happen sooner, Larry.
- [17:45]
Larry O'Connor
Maybe. Yeah. No, I don't know. I mean, the fact that you just sort of reiterated what I've been hearing, which is people are leaning toward more hostilities than a negotiated priest. I, I think that's about right, actually. I don't. I'm okay. Again, feeling, feeling a little bearish right now on a peace deal at the moment.
- [18:03]
Mark Halperin
Okay, let's talk about this story, which I'm amazed is not getting more attention. 121. I know there's stuff going on, but Washington Post says this about the G20 summit in Miami. That's in December. I think it's December, right, guys? Am I right? December?
- [18:17]
Kevin Walling
Yeah.
- [18:17]
Mark Halperin
It says the State Department said that President Trump, quote, has been clear that Russia is welcome to attend all G20 meetings as the United States focuses on delivering a successful and productive summit. No formal invitations, but issues. But a senior administration official briefing reporter said Russia is a G20 member and will be invited. The president was asked about it yesterday and was kind of a little non committal and said he didn't think Putin would come. But Larry, how could this even be on the table that Putin would be invited?
- [18:43]
Larry O'Connor
You know, I'm loathe to legitimize a pariah and a monster like Vladimir Putin. So you see that and it does sort of make you wretch a little bit. But at the same time, I think they do draw a distinction between G20 and G7. First off, and I think that this is kind of classic Trump is like, wow, we can talk we can at least everybody get together and talk. What's wrong with talking? That's nothing. So I think maybe this is maybe the carrot alongside a stick that I'm hoping is also looming because he's hopeful and optimistic that we can actually reach some sort of resolution by then.
- [19:19]
Mark Halperin
Kevin, I mean, I understand that part of a deal would involve welcoming Putin to some extent back as a legitimate figure in the community of nations, but could we really host Putin in the United States in December at a meeting where he would be sitting amongst all the American allies?
- [19:34]
Kevin Walling
I also think, and again, Larry makes an important distinction between the G78 and the G20 much larger. I can't imagine a lot of those G20 countries, if we do this, I could see them boycotting coming to Florida for that meeting. So, again, dialogue is important, but I can't imagine our allies would be on board with that. I think, Mark, they were kicked out after Crimea and Georgia. I think obviously not. They've been out of it for a while. Not just because of Ukraine. I think Obama did that in terms of those countries kicking them out of the G8. Yeah. I was in Sea Island, Georgia, not too long ago, and it's funny, they hosted a summit during the George W. Bush administration. And all of the Russian flags have been taken. There's. There's a single flag pole that's empty. All of the flags and the, the rooms that are still there have been removed. All the imagery has kind of been removed of Putin, which is kind of funny.
- [20:30]
Larry O'Connor
It must have been Crimea. Well, Crimea was 13 or 14, I think, right where Georgia was. That was the last month of 2008. And, and remember, we had the reset button and everything for the first term of Obama. Yes. He had to win his next election so he could have more flexibility, you know.
- [20:48]
Kevin Walling
Yeah, yeah, we don't need to talk about that.
- [20:49]
Mark Halperin
But Larry said the midterm, the midterms are not tomorrow, but they're coming soon. And there's a lot of points attention now for the Republican Party. Things can change, but things look dire now. And this is not the liberal media saying that. This is Republicans saying it. Here's some points of tension in this news cycle. Politico has a story. 123, a lot of people complaining about the White House effort on redistricting. And the Politico story makes it clear that the Trump political operation is in part blaming Virginia Republicans saying, where were you? All the exasperation emanating from the West Wing underscores a long simmering frustration that Republicans are too quick to blame every mishap on the president and ignore their own shortcomings. And there's some pretty spicy quotes in there. There's also this from the Cook Political Report highlighted by my friend John Ellis. If you don't get John Ellis's substack news items, you should. It's really one of the most valuable things that anyone who gets it gets and a lot of the most important people in the world read it. John hides this from the Cook Political Report. Republican candidates running in competitive House districts see a flashing red warning light for the fall. And an exclusive poll of districts by the Cook Political Report that are rated toss up lean Republican or lean Democrat. These are districts President Trump won by an average of 2 points. Democrats hold a 6 point advantage in the generic congressional ballot, 50 to 44. If that advantage were to hold since the November, any district carried by Trump carried by 10 points or less could be in significant danger of flipping. That would, that would be back of the envelope, I think over 30 seats the Democrats would win. And a new Fox News poll. And folks, this is not, this is not sometimes the president criticizes Fox Polling unit. This data is consistent with every other public and private poll that I have seen about how voters rank the president on a range of issues. Here's number 1, 16, 1 16. Is your family impacted by the high price, high price of gas? 60% say it's a major problem. And that includes we don't have it up here but that includes a lot of Republicans who say that. Then 119, this is who do you rank better to deal with issues, Republicans or Democrats? You can see a range of issues here. Let me highlight the economy which is about a little over halfway through this. 52% of voters say they trust the Democrats more than the Republicans on the economy. And a lot of blame in here again, not just by Democrats and independents but by Republicans for the problems countries. At some point, at some point, if this all continues, Republicans who are running are going to start to distance themselves from the president. But there is time, Larry, if, if there's a silver lining in here for the White House, for James Blair, what is it besides the fact that the midterms aren't tomorrow?
- [23:30]
Larry O'Connor
That's one. Number two, a candidates matter. And there's a lot of bad candidates out there for the Democrats that seem to be doing well. And by bad I mean pretty extreme. And it's easier to paint a candidate as extreme when they are extreme and not focus on sort of broader issues that those polls show. And the other, the other silver lining is not in there, but it's something you keep hearing from people in D.C. all the time with the Republican infrastructure, which is the money question. They have so much more money than the Democrats do right now, and I think they're still counting on that and their expectation that the economy will rebound well before the midterms.
- [24:07]
Mark Halperin
Kevin, what do you think the RNC thinks when they see that poll?
- [24:11]
Kevin Walling
Yeah, I mean, again, I think they're going to take a play out of the Nancy Pelosi playbook likely, and say, just win, baby. If you need to run potentially against Washington and the Republican establishment, do it in your race, localize it in order to be successful, because those national numbers aren't good, similar to what we had to do as Democrats in a few of these key races. Larry makes a great point. I think it's, you know, at this point, it's a $600 million advantage compared DNC, RNC and the different campaign committees. That economic number that you shared, Mark, is really, I gotta underline that because that's the first time Democrats are leading on the economy with that question in 16 years. Republicans have always had that advantage when it comes to tax policy, economic policy, job policy. We obviously always have had the advantage on climate, on health care, things like that. But that economy number is critical. You saw an 8 point decline from 38% approval for the President on the economy to 30%. So that's now digging. Not just obviously Democrats, independents, but Mark, as you point out, some Republicans too, in terms of that MAGA base are having some problems, I think, with the president's numbers on that. The other thing I'd say too, we talked about the House just now, but that Cook Political Report shifting to the left for Democrats, states like Ohio, Nebraska. My home state is South Carolina. Again, not an easy climb for Democrats, especially in those states. But if Republicans have to spend money in a state like Nebraska or South Carolina defending their nominees, that's going to be problematic for the Republicans. They've got the money for it, certainly, but that's going to be a drain
- [25:48]
Mark Halperin
on resources on the money front. Yesterday we told you that the House Republican super pac, Maine Super PAC, bought an extraordinary amount of TV ads for the general election. The Democrats put their number out yesterday. It's also very large. So while Democrats are likely to be outspent and while there are certain categories of fundraising where Republicans are doing well, Democrats are raising a lot of money in addition. All right, we told you a little while ago, Mayor Mondami made this Video talking about a tax on homes, apartments in Manhattan, in New York City that cost over $5 million for people who don't live there. And he singled out Ken Griffin, the billionaire who now lives in Miami but owns a very expensive apartment, about halfway between Donald Trump's apartment and my own, actually in Central Park South. And he singled out and said, you know, Ken Griffin's a bad guy and you know, we're going to tax him. Didn't say he's a bad guy, but that was the implication. And I thought at the time, of all the gin joints, of all the billionaires to go after, don't mess with Ken Griffin. Ken Griffin is one of the toughest, roughest, I won't say mean, but hardball. He just, Ken Griffin does not f around. And so yesterday, Ken Griffin's operation let it be known in a letter to employees that they actually spend a lot of money in New York. Here's the New York Post story. The Wall Street Journal actually broke it. Ken Griffin Citadel claps back at Monda Ami's viral Penthouse video threatens to scrap $6 billion New York City development. Griffin, whose net worth is estimated at 50 billion, wasn't amused by the Mondami video. The top executive's hedge fund sent a company wide email Thursday afternoon blasting the mayor's comments and hinting at a potential reversal. You know, one of the reasons attacking Griffin is a bad idea is because he is so tough. But the other is he doesn't, if he, the thing doesn't make any sense logically. If he doesn't live in New York, he's not benefiting from New York City. He's just paying some taxes. Mondami wants him to pay more. Larry, do you think Mayor Mondame, to what extent do you think he's regretting going after Ken Griffin? I think he likes it.
- [27:50]
Larry O'Connor
He's got, he's got. This is what, this is his message. It's who he is. And it does fire up what, you know, got him, the people who got him elected. So it's fine. But in real terms, I mean, this is a major deal. I mentioned it when we first talked about. First of all, I find it chilling for an elected official to stand in front of somebody's home and target them personally by name that way and demonize them and anybody, but anybody, but, but Mark, this is not, you know, turn of the 19th century New York where Alexander Hamilton set up Wall street. And that's where you had to go because that's where the banks were. We live in a Post Covid, work from home, virtual society. And everyone knows about Wall Street South. Everybody knows that. Let me list them. Citadel, Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, Elliott, Management, Point72, Virtue Financial, Wells Fargo just moved their wealth management headquarters to Palm Beach County. That's a very real thing. It's happening on purpose. They don't need to be in New York. They like to be in New York. It's a great town to be in. But this is an arrogance, I think, that is going to dare these people to leave the city. And now what does New York do? The only industry that really needs to stay in New York right now that makes New York famous is Broadway, because you can't move those theaters somewhere else. That's something you can't do virtually. Other than that and the hot dogs, you got nothing else.
- [29:14]
Mark Halperin
Yeah, we got the world's greatest, most famous arena. You can't move that. Kevin, Some of Ken Griffin's fellow billionaires on Twitter are cheering him on. And I read one tweet this morning that said demonizing and billionaires and forcing them to move is a feature, not a bug that the liberals like to get the billionaires out of there. Thoughts on if Mayor Mondame called you, Kevin, and said, what should I do now? What would you tell him to do now?
- [29:42]
Kevin Walling
I would tell the mayor the campaign is over. This made him incredibly successful in the Democratic primary, obviously winning that race. But now you've got to govern, and you've got to govern with these people. I saw something about the council already pushing back on some of his tax policies already. Again, take a playbook from a fellow New Yorker in terms of, you know, you campaign in poetry and you govern in pros, and you don't have to antagonize people in order to be successful and to get your policies passed, making enemies. I don't think that's a smart play. I think you got to govern now and take the gloves off when it put the gloves on. Rather, when it comes to actually enacting tax policy in the city and not drive people out. And again, to Larry's point, we're seeing it reflective in where new electoral votes are going to be mostly in red states. I think it's more climate than anything. That's why we're in South Carolina for the most part. But that's a big factor, too, in terms of driving down numbers in New York, California, other places, Illinois. And that's going to be a problem for us.
- [30:46]
Larry O'Connor
Yeah.
- [30:46]
Mark Halperin
Larry, here's Kevin.
- [30:47]
Larry O'Connor
Kevin, the only issue I have with it is the campaign's never over. This is, especially with people like mom, Donnie and I remember Mark after the election, when he won the mayorship, you asked, okay, is he going to continue this relentless social media video campaign? Is this what his, his mayorship is going to be like? And you had insight because this is who he is. This is what he's got. He'll always be campaigning. This is how he's going to function as mayor.
- [31:12]
Kevin Walling
I don't think it's, I agree in terms of the tactics and the platforms and reaching folks and engaging voters, you know, in that, that process going on, I, he's got to change his mentality in terms of what he's saying. I think still go there, get your word out, but don't antagonize people that help fund your city. That's a point I'm trying to make.
- [31:31]
Mark Halperin
Larry, there's two, there's, there's two other things you can't move, Larry. You can't move Central park or the Hospital for Special Surgery. Can't move those.
- [31:38]
Larry O'Connor
All right, all right. But, but who's got, who's going to pay for the upkeep of Central park and, and the Hospital for special Hobos.
- [31:45]
Mark Halperin
Hobos.
- [31:45]
Larry O'Connor
This, this is the arrogance of New Yorkers. It's why they think that the Yankees, you know, are entitled to a World Series every year. You just can't get through to these New Yorkers people.
- [31:55]
Kevin Walling
Look at Marco City, drop dead. Larry o' Connor right here. Larry Ford lives.
- [32:01]
Mark Halperin
All right, we're still waiting to see if the American government confirms the peace talks, but let's move on to topic. We've talked about this before, but every time, every so often, I like to highlight it because I think it's so important. Anybody who knows how to run for the White House and win knows that ideas matter and ideas were underrated in Donald Trump's success in 2016. Bill Clinton had great ideas, original ideas. George Bush did, Barack Obama did to some extent, lesser extent, but he had some. Rahm Emanuel continues to dwarf every other potential candidate with a op ed piece today in the Journal. He writes in the Journal. I said before somebody was getting away with being writing for both the Wall street and Post and the Wall Street Journal. Today he has another piece. Trump's research cuts play into China's hands. It's all about how to compete with China. I'm not saying, ladies and gentlemen, these are, you know, 90 page policy manuals. I'm not saying they're all super original ideas. But he just, he's putting out stuff Both stuff for elites like this stuff, but also stuff on, you know, saying we should copy other countries and have a ban on social media for kids and, and things related to worker training. And, you know, Rom is, Rom's been around a long time. He did all this stuff for Bill Clinton. All these things like school uniforms and midnight basketball. He gets, he gets how all this is played. So he's had a head start. But Kevin, who's number two, who's second to Rom in the ideas primary right now of people who might run for president? It's a trick question. Go ahead.
- [33:32]
Kevin Walling
Yeah, I mean, he, he really is the one out there, because I think he's also, I'll get to who I think is number two. But, you know, what we're also finding is you can't just be anti Trump. JB Pritzker's Lane is just anti Trump. Anti Trump. Anti Trump. But what's the policy alternative? Right. And Pete Buttigieg gave a really good talk in Oklahoma the other day where he said, if we're going to say we got to take back our country and go back to the way it was, that's not going to resonate with voters because they're no longer there. We've got to, we've got to put out a different policy and policy prescription on a whole host of issues in order to be successful, not just campaign against Trump. So I think you're seeing two divergent lanes within the party, too, where it's just the TDS side of my party that wants to focus on the president and the Rahm column. And I would say Pete Judge is part of that. He's posited a bunch of ideas. He's traveling around. But I think what you're, you know, Rahm is also like kind of the Jimmy Carter of this election in terms of, obviously, he's no better known than the former governor of Georgia, but he's everywhere. He was just in South Carolina a few weeks ago, had a lot of great events, was speaking at a community college, talking about the importance of community colleges, kind of being that thought leader out there in a way that a lot of Democrats aren't. Now, he also has the added benefit of not being an elected office right now, so he can travel everywhere, which is what you're seeing with Pete Buttigieg, too. But it is interesting to see where he's going and what he's saying.
- [34:58]
Mark Halperin
Are you, are you saying that Pete Buttigieg is number two, number two in
- [35:03]
Kevin Walling
terms of offering some policy prescriptions out there?
- [35:06]
Mark Halperin
You know, when my son beats me in genius square, I'd say, well, I finished second. I mean, if he's number two, he's a distant second.
- [35:13]
Kevin Walling
Yeah, Again, I don't. Yeah, I don't think anyone's out there actually doing that real work.
- [35:18]
Larry O'Connor
Correct answer to Mark's question is there is no number. Yeah.
- [35:21]
Mark Halperin
Larry, who's got the potential? Who, based on their intelligence, their interests, their theory of the case about how to run, who could start to compete with Rom and have a staff to do it? Who could start to compete with Rahm in the ideas primary? If they said, hey, I watched the morning meeting and Larry, Kevin and Mark said the ideas primary is really important. I want to compete. Who could do it? Could Gavin Newsom? Could Shapiro, I think Shapiro.
- [35:45]
Larry O'Connor
No, no, no, no. I don't, I don't think Shapiro can either. But again, competing with ideas, Shapiro can.
- [35:49]
Kevin Walling
Absolutely.
- [35:51]
Larry O'Connor
But, but the whole point is to win a caucus and a pro primary. And I don't see Rama Manual getting that far. So what's the point?
- [35:58]
Mark Halperin
Well, you can, you can influence the debate. I got a really thoughtful email from someone yesterday who said, longtime veteran of presidential politics who said there's a bunch of candidates like Rahm, who, Gino Ramondo, who could run, probably can't be nominated, but they can make the party better by putting ideas out there that other candidates can adopt.
- [36:17]
Larry O'Connor
But think about it, Mark, you're right. They could make the body better. What they're really doing is they're making the party what it was 30 years ago. That's the problem. These are all great ideas for a party that no longer exists.
- [36:28]
Mark Halperin
Some people think you bring the party back.
- [36:31]
Kevin Walling
But Mark, you, you bring up a good point about Gina Raimondo. I was just at a breakfast with her the other day, and she's really zeroed in on AI, the workforce, where this economy of the future is going. From a jobs perspective, education perspective. She's not the most enticing candidate, certainly, but she could affect some of the conversations out there and she's doing it all right.
- [36:53]
Mark Halperin
I still think Bernie's going to be the nominee. Just kidding. Kinda. Okay, one more topic than winners and losers and what to look for. And then to your questions, please raise your hand if you want to get in. Markets are open, Dow is flat. Nasdaq's up a little bit. S and P is up. Oil is down. So we're back to that nicer place where oil doesn't rise when the markets do. And 10 o' clock we get consumer sentiment expected to remain at record lows, gas is still hovering a little bit average over $4 a gallon. So sorry. White House correspondence dinner. I know some of you don't like the White House correspondence dinner and I'm not asking you to celebrate it, but this is going to be super interesting. The President's expected to give a very long and hard hitting and funny speech. The President is very competitive about other, with other presidents. He's very competitive about being an entertainer. He's since he's our first president since Ronald Reagan, who actually was a professional entertainer and he takes it super seriously. The dinner is expected to be not only sold out, but people are still clamoring to get tickets. People keep asking me for tickets. I just got the one, folks, that I'm not giving mine up. I am a student of the President as a comedian. I think he's as some others do. I think he's funny. And I've got a theory, ladies and gentlemen, of the great influences on Donald Trump as comedian, I present to you the twin fathers of Donald Trump's comedy stylings, Mr. Frank Sinatra, chairman of the board and the great Don Rickles.
- [38:25]
Guest/Caller
What are you staring at? I can't tell you what I'm drinking because I will offend somebody. True. I can tell you it's a bourbon. That's all. It's a bur. Of course. No, I don't know. I'm not going to tell you what it is. I'll tell you what it is. No Spanish fly and ginger ale.
- [38:56]
Mark Halperin
Originally written for the picture.
- [38:57]
Larry O'Connor
It's a very old song that goes
- [38:58]
Mark Halperin
back about 35 years when I had moved.
- [39:01]
Guest/Caller
Born yet.
- [39:06]
Larry O'Connor
You're Chinese, right? Chinese. This girl here, if you're not, get your eyes fixed. Look at the Chinese bro sitting there going, who's Chinese?
- [39:14]
Mark Halperin
Who's Chinese? Good evening, Mr. President. Nice to see you, sir. And your lovely wife Nancy. It's, it's a big treat for me to fly all the way from California to be here for this kind of money.
- [39:29]
Guest/Caller
When they say that Bernie, Bernie's probably the best they have, by the way. He's about seven years older than me. More eight years older. One thing I got to give him credit, he's a lunatic, but he's still pretty sharp. He said, you know, if I didn't debate, I could have gone all the way. He was down 35 points and they decided to replace him. That never, nothing ever happens like what happens to, to me. It never happens to anybody else. All I got from the United nations was an escalator that on the way up stopped right in the middle. If the first lady wasn't in great shape, she would have fallen. And then a teleprompter that didn't work. This is, these are the two things I got from the United Nations. A bad escalator and a bad teleprompter.
- [40:16]
Mark Halperin
All right, that clip courtesy of my own show. Next up, we played it there where I talked at length in the new episode about my theory that Trump's comedy style is very much a descendant of Rickles and Sinatra and his storytelling on stage presence. And that's what I expect to see Sunday or Saturday night, tomorrow night. Larry, what do you think of my theory that he is Rickles plus Sinatra?
- [40:35]
Larry O'Connor
I think it's although even neither of them would dare to do their stand up, the fact that Trump did all of that while standing at the podium at the General assembly of the United nations will, will never be incredible.
- [40:49]
Mark Halperin
Rickles and Sinatra would have done the same thing. That's the thing.
- [40:52]
Larry O'Connor
There's some confidence that goes with doing that. Looking at that though, if I could go back in time and revisit one moment in the 20th century, it would be I would go see a Rat Pack concert at the, at the Desert Inn
- [41:08]
Kevin Walling
at the Sands.
- [41:10]
Larry O'Connor
Was it the Sands. And I'd wear this shirt afterwards, by the way. This would be the shirt.
- [41:13]
Mark Halperin
I saw Sinatra once at the then Kennedy Center. And I totally agree with you, Larry. They're legend. But every time, Kevin, I see or hear a Sinatra storytelling or joke telling, every time I see Rickles, it just, to me it just, it's what Trump is in terms of his comedy style.
- [41:29]
Kevin Walling
He was formed by those guys. I think the president is also can be very self effacing too. I think, you know, he can make fun of himself to some degree. Not in a, you know, he doesn't like to be made fun of, but he can, he can crack jokes at himself. He's very charming, especially in small groups. So I imagine that would be the case. And again, you got to go back to the his Al Smith dinner performances too. He had some great repertoire. You know, both times when he went there, some of it, you know, kind of went a little too far. I think it's a little blue. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But he had some great, yeah. With the cardinal right next to him. But he had some great takes certainly. And of course he had a really good monologue on next up about some of the best performances recently. My question to you, Mark, number one, does it go over an hour, do you think?
- [42:14]
Mark Halperin
I read In Playbook this morning that they, some Caroline Levitt suggesting it might go over an hour maybe, or somebody suggests.
- [42:20]
Kevin Walling
You imagine, you think over an hour.
- [42:23]
Mark Halperin
I'm going. I'd say over an hour. Ad libs. Ad libs plus text.
- [42:27]
Kevin Walling
Go over now you think, do you think the White House team will employ any videos that they've filmed before? Something that w like to do? And Clinton started, I think.
- [42:36]
Mark Halperin
And I think, I think it'll all be Trump.
- [42:40]
Kevin Walling
I think that's no videos.
- [42:42]
Mark Halperin
Do you guys. I've got.
- [42:44]
Larry O'Connor
The other question, though, is Will famously Bush and I think Clinton and they all had comedians sort of ghostwrite some stuff for them. Will somebody, Will someone dare to write stuff?
- [42:54]
Mark Halperin
I think, I think it said again in Playbook. I think I read that there are joke writers involved. But I think he's gonna, I think he's gonna spot people in the crowd like Rickles and say, are you Chinese? You know, it's gonna see. He's gonna see. He's gonna see.
- [43:06]
Kevin Walling
He's gonna do some crowd work. He's gonna do some crowd work.
- [43:08]
Mark Halperin
Do some crowd work. Maybe he'll stroll up the stage. I've gotten three messages, two texts and an email saying the Iranians may go to Pakistan, but not the Americans. It may just be they're going to meet face to face with the Pakistanis to talk about, you know, what next steps. So that would obviously be far short of peace talks. You guys, should we play the. The day Medna clip or, or, or no. What do you think? Want to play it?
- [43:32]
Larry O'Connor
I can. I can never get enough. Dame Edna.
- [43:34]
Mark Halperin
All right. The reason we want to play this
- [43:36]
Larry O'Connor
is the only drag queen I can get behind right now.
- [43:38]
Mark Halperin
The President spends a lot of time with a certain kind of celebrity, like at fights and stuff. But. But this weekend he has the opportunity to rub elbows with Hollywood celebrities who aren't necessarily his supporters because there will be some of those at the dinner. And a great reminder that the President, again, if you don't like him, you might not like to hear this. The President is a super charming host. He's a super charming party attendee. And here's a great reminder of that. This is the President and his late ex wife Ivana with Dame Edna. Roll tape, please.
- [44:16]
Dame Edna
Please welcome, ladies and gentlemen, Donald and Diana Trump. Sorry I called you Diana mainly because the old eyesight's going. Ivana, of course, you're both very welcome.
- [44:34]
Kevin Walling
Thank you.
- [44:34]
Guest/Caller
What competition this is, though, what I've been watching. Yeah, between you and you, that was great competition and I I. It's great being here, Terry.
- [44:41]
Dame Edna
You do a lot of this kind
- [44:42]
Mark Halperin
of stuff in America? Quite a bit.
- [44:44]
Guest/Caller
I've been doing it and now I've taken Ivana because she's so talented and so good. And I put her into the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
- [44:50]
Larry O'Connor
And.
- [44:50]
Guest/Caller
And that's a hotel I know you love.
- [44:52]
Dame Edna
I do.
- [44:52]
Guest/Caller
That's a hotel. You stay in that all the time.
- [44:54]
Dame Edna
I always stay at the Plaza. I love that Oak Room, you know.
- [44:57]
Guest/Caller
Absolutely.
- [44:57]
Dame Edna
And you are the president of the Plaza. How gorgeous. Lovely. Does she pay you a very big salary for being.
- [45:07]
Guest/Caller
Just can't get it.
- [45:08]
Dame Edna
You see, I have to say, darling, you can't be anywhere that the dame hasn't been.
- [45:13]
Guest/Caller
She's world renowned.
- [45:15]
Dame Edna
Yes, of course. A lot of people. Now, I just said that because a lot of people think he lives in Harrodsburg, but he doesn't in the bedding department. And I know. Please take, by the way, is wonderful. It's very entertaining. Yes, it is. And it's got lovely photographs of these adorable young people. And I love the one of you standing there caressing your skyscraper. She's a bit brunchy, as a matter of fact.
- [45:40]
Mark Halperin
I'm just telling you. The man can talk to anyone. He's going to be spending time with the British royalty, but he. He'll. He could talk to reality stars, rally TV stars, talk to anybody. One poly market. I want to show everybody about the dinner. This is the craziest poly market I've ever seen. And I've seen quite a bit of crazy ones. I think we can make more money than a American soldier here. What colored tie will the president wear? Okay, red is a 20% chance. Blue, 2% chance. Yellow, 1.8. Other. 73% chance. Larry, how could that be? I mean, other. I don't think there is one up there.
- [46:15]
Larry O'Connor
Well, isn't it a black tie event?
- [46:17]
Mark Halperin
It is a black tie event. Oh, Jesus. That explains the whole thing. Well, of course, other black tie.
- [46:23]
Larry O'Connor
Unless he goes white. He could go white, but that's also other.
- [46:26]
Mark Halperin
I'm such a. I misunderstood the whole thing. All right, here we go. Let's rip through this.
- [46:31]
Kevin Walling
The state dinner. The state dinner next. Next week is white. White. Yeah, white tie.
- [46:36]
Mark Halperin
Let's rip through it. Kevin.
- [46:38]
Larry O'Connor
Winner of the week with a invitation.
- [46:41]
Kevin Walling
Yeah. My winners of the week are Virginia Democrats. We got by with a squeaker. Larry came in at the last minute. Made it really tight in that election in terms of the referendum on the redistricting seats. Thank God they won because that Would have been a whole. Governor Spanberger would have fallen on her face. But luckily we were able to pull that out despite Larry's best efforts at the end that it made it really tight.
- [47:04]
Mark Halperin
Kevin. I mean, Larry, sorry.
- [47:06]
Larry O'Connor
Winner of the week is hope for Peace. This doesn't get much reporting, but yesterday the President announced that there's a three week extension on the ceasefire so that Israel and Lebanon can work out a deal. They both publicly proclaimed that their common enemy is Hezbollah. The framework seems to be the dismantling and disarming of Hezbollah. If that happens and we actually do in the next three weeks, then everyone's looking at Iran and everyone's looking at Islamabad and that's understandable. But meanwhile, quietly, this is actually gaining momentum. And if we have a peace deal with Israel and Lebanon, it will be truly remarkable and they deserve some, some kudos for that. So I'll make that the winner of the week.
- [47:44]
Kevin Walling
I'm not referencing our conversations last week, but that was my winner. Larry, I don't. I think you're cheating a little bit. Taking mine.
- [47:51]
Larry O'Connor
Take momentum.
- [47:52]
Mark Halperin
My winner of the week is Stella. The adorable 8 year old who was here yesterday and did our countdown for us, but also has had another extraordinary week in another extraordinary way.
- [48:01]
Kevin Walling
Paul.
- [48:04]
Mark Halperin
5, 4, 3, 2, 1. That countdown courtesy of Stella. Stella's here today because it's take your child to work day. And so Stella's at work with mom Melissa who works with us on the program. Stella, thank you for being part of the morning meeting. How's your morning going? Good. Stella, welcome in. First time, long time.
- [48:24]
Kevin Walling
Who is your favorite person that you've interviewed?
- [48:27]
Mark Halperin
Yeah, it's Mr. Mr. Gidley and Mr. Moore would be one and two. All right, but that's not all. The extella. Great week. Look at this, ladies and gentlemen.
- [48:35]
Kevin Walling
Boom boom.
- [48:38]
Mark Halperin
Stella on the diamond.
- [48:41]
Kevin Walling
Striking them out. How about it?
- [48:43]
Mark Halperin
The batter. The batter can't even lift the bat off her shoulder. Stella struck out 19, walked zero.
- [48:50]
Larry O'Connor
I don't know.
- [48:50]
Mark Halperin
She had a great game. Anyway, Stella is the winner of the week.
- [48:53]
Kevin Walling
That's Aaron. Or is that Stella? Look at that.
- [48:55]
Mark Halperin
Exactly.
- [48:56]
Larry O'Connor
Very sweet of you to bring Hogan to work on take your child to work week.
- [48:59]
Mark Halperin
Yeah, yeah, you're right, Kevin. Loser of the week.
- [49:03]
Kevin Walling
My loser of the week is Congresswoman Sheila McCormick, Democrat of Florida. Big fraud situation. The numbers are so tight, we can't afford to lose anybody. Or she resigned. It was the right thing to do. She's the absolute loser of the week. Likely facing some a criminal prosecution too down the road.
- [49:21]
Larry O'Connor
Larry, get ready for a hot take. LOSER of the week Virginia Democrats, KEVIN hey, they barely eked out this victory despite the fact that Abigail spamberger won by 12 plus points and this referendum barely won by about 2 points.
- [49:35]
Kevin Walling
A win is a win.
- [49:37]
Larry O'Connor
They may have just set about $80 million on fire and pissed off everybody in Virginia except for people who live in Fairfax because a judge has already put a hold on this. It's going to the state Supreme Court. There are four elements of it that are unconstitutional and most of the experts I talked to said it has a great chance of actually getting struck down. And by the way, not for nothing, this entire thing ends up being a roadmap, I think, for Republicans nationally to look at how Democrats are spending their money, the deceitful way that they're doing it. And the only defense of these unconstitutional items that the judge has cited, the only thing I'm hearing from Democrats in the last 24 hours was, oh, but the will of the people. The people have spoken. So you can't strike it down. Oh, no, no. Absolutely they can strike it down and they will.
- [50:26]
Kevin Walling
We got to put a time limit on your loser of the week there. That was, that was a lot that you're throwing out there. Mr.
- [50:31]
Larry O'Connor
I know. Well, it wasn't in the rundown.
- [50:33]
Mark Halperin
So I decided, all right, we'll come back to my loser. Kevin, what are you watching for this weekend?
- [50:38]
Kevin Walling
I am not just going to say the correspondence dinner, which I'm watching. I am watching specifically the dinner to see what the interact action is between the Mentalist that's going to be on stage and the president. Does he do something with the president, engage, figure out the nuclear codes, what have you. This the Mentalist. O's is is incredible guy on different he's been on different programs, networks. The man is incredible. So I'm looking for that interaction between him and the President.
- [51:05]
Larry O'Connor
LARRY the IRGC keeps firing on ships in the Strait. Despite the blockade, they still keep violating the ceasefire. And I think now that the George Herbert Walker Bush aircraft carrier is there. I'm looking for the next 48 hours of potentially some resumption of of military conflict in Iran, sadly. But that's what I'm looking for, my
- [51:28]
Mark Halperin
loser of the week. There was this all the coverage of the robot who did really well at running. My loser of the week is this robot, ladies and gentlemen. Watch the video. I'll describe it for those of you listening to the audio version. This robot, this robot, this robot that is not the winner of the week. Look at this thing.
- [51:43]
Kevin Walling
Oh, oh, God.
- [51:45]
Larry O'Connor
That's actually. That looked like me at the end of the Marine Corps marathon.
- [51:49]
Mark Halperin
That's good. That robot got about 4ft and hit a barrier and just collapsed. And now they're carrying him off and
- [51:56]
Kevin Walling
they've got a stretcher. They've got a stretcher for him.
- [51:58]
Mark Halperin
It's like a cartoon robot stretcher. I'm looking to see what the dinner's like again. Not all of you love the dinner, but this could be one of the most epic nights in Donald Trump, not just his relationship to the media, but his whole relationship to the culture of Washington and politics. It may not be, but I really think it has the potential to be. I'm very fortunate to all be in the room because I don't want to miss a minute. All right, to your questions, your comments. Thank you for being here as part of the two way experience. Unmute. Tell folks where you are and what's on your mind. And we start with Chris. Chris, thank you for being here.
- [52:33]
Larry O'Connor
Hey, good morning.
- [52:34]
Mark Halperin
Good morning.
- [52:35]
Chris
When I raised my hand to ask the question, Kevin already kind of briefly touched on it, but I'm not seeing a lot of policies put forth from the Democrats. You know, I'm hearing about this blue wave, but I remember in 22 we were supposed to get a red wave and McConnell refused to put forth in that election GOP platform and he, we didn't take the Senate, McCarthy did take the House when he put forth a platform. And I'm just not seeing like policy. So I'm wondering, do you think. I even watched the governor's debate for California and I heard maybe Becerra put forth one policy, but the other ones put forth nothing. Steve Hilton put forth several. But. So do you think that that's going to really hinder the blue wave that's predicted to come in the fall?
- [53:19]
Mark Halperin
Brilliant, Kevin.
- [53:21]
Kevin Walling
Chris, it's a great, it's a great point, Great question. I watch the debate too. I think it's indicative of where politics is heading in general. In the past, candidates would release huge position papers, campaign on ideas. You saw the RNC just recycle their whole platform from one year to the next. Policy is taking a backstage to theatrics to personalities. And I think that's just the nature of politics in the modern age. We don't see a contract with Newt Gingrich saying this are going to be our policy prescriptions. This is what we're campaigning on. I think you see candidates running kind of more localized races as we talked about on issues that are particular to their state and their districts, less with a kind of grandiose vision for what will happen if Democrats take back one or two of the Houses.
- [54:11]
Mark Halperin
Larry?
- [54:12]
Larry O'Connor
Yeah, it's a good observation. In 2018 they won, what was it, 40 seats. They flipped in 2018 and it was all on Trump hatred. It was all anti Trump. Vote for us, we'll block Trump. So they're trying to replay that playbook, but I think it's a different.
- [54:27]
Kevin Walling
It worked. It worked to some degree, but they
- [54:29]
Larry O'Connor
may win, but it ain't going to be 40 seats. But that's what they're counting on. But that's going to hurt them in the Senate. Actually, Chris, it's a great parallel to what happened for our red wave in 2022. That didn't happen. It was a ripple.
- [54:43]
Kevin Walling
But I think, but I think, you know, I don't know if Speaker Johnson has put out what, you know, necessarily Republicans would do if they keep the House and John Thune, you know, because they can't even get done what they need to do in the short term, actually with government funding and the like.
- [54:58]
Larry O'Connor
Speaker Johnson has passed a ton of things, actually.
- [55:01]
Kevin Walling
Yeah, but what's next? What's next?
- [55:03]
Larry O'Connor
But Thune. But Thune has been in unable to get across the line, mostly because Democrats have shut down the government three times in 12 months, which is kind of unprecedented.
- [55:14]
Mark Halperin
Thank you. Great. Grateful to you, Chris. Okay, sorry here.
- [55:22]
Larry O'Connor
Mark's got a lot going on.
- [55:24]
Kevin Walling
A lot going on.
- [55:24]
Mark Halperin
Brandon, welcome in. Tell everybody where you are. What's on your mind. I'm calling in from Rhode island and actually I had a question for your father, Mark.
- [55:33]
Guest/Caller
I was wondering if he'd be willing
- [55:35]
Mark Halperin
to talk about his experiences with Werner von Braun when he was a lead member in the executive branch under Nixon. Would he be willing to. I'm seeing if he's on today. He comes on. He comes on occasionally. He's not here now. I'll ask him. You know, my dad's working on his memoirs now and they'll be out relatively soon and he covers everything and I can't swear that's in there, but let me check with him and get back to you. But I appreciate the question as well. Thank you. Thank you, sir.
- [56:01]
Kevin Walling
For those two way members who haven't watched the conversations that you've had with your dad, they're extraordinary.
- [56:06]
Larry O'Connor
They really are. Yesterday was the anniversary of President Nixon's passing. By the way.
- [56:11]
Mark Halperin
He'd be on my dad beyond more, but he's hard to book. Greg, welcome in. Tell folks who don't know where you are. What's on your mind?
- [56:18]
Greg
Well, I'm in Iowa and just have a question about the Democrat position on this whole Iran thing. Obviously it hasn't all gone swimmingly in spite of what Trump has said. But I just think of if we didn't bomb Iran and something happen and they got the nuclear bomb, Trump would be criticized for that. When he was negotiating with him, they said, well why are you negotiating? When he attacked, they said well why are you attacking? When he rescued the airmen, he got no credit. They, they're saying you should stop now. But if you stop now, you failed. So I guess it to me it seems like the guy at work who looks over your shoulder and says you're doing it wrong. So I guess I'm just wondering, Kevin, what is the Democrats big picture position on Iran as far as what should have been done or what should be done moving forward?
- [57:13]
Kevin Walling
Yeah, Greg, it's a good question. And again, I think the president is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't on all this. And that's generally the nature of politics. Mitch McConnell came into the first Biden administration said we're going to stop anything. No, no working with them on anything. I think that's really the role of the opposition. I will say though, you know, I do think there is an Article 1, Article 2 issue here in terms of just oversight. I think we're going to have some conversations now as we hit the 60 day mark in terms of where this war is headed and Congress should reassert itself. Not just Democrats but Republicans are also out there saying that, that there needs to be some oversight. We need to hear from our leaders under oath in terms of how the war is actually progressing, what the needs are. Right. There's a lot of reporting in terms of some of the shortages in terms of weapons that we're having come forward. So I think Congress needs to reassert itself on that front too. And it can't be through a partisan lens, although it will be necessarily because that's just where we are right now as a country and as a party.
- [58:15]
Larry O'Connor
Greg, it's a great question and I don't have many notes for you because we agree what you just heard from Kevin is the most reasonable, responsible and deliberative response from any Democrat in Washington, D.C. with regard to what their party position should be on the conflict in Iran. Sadly and embarrassingly, we don't hear that from anyone actually holding elected office. Chuck Schumer has been the most embarrassing one. They are looking at this as they look at everything this year through the lens of winning in November. So they are setting up a scenario where no matter what happens with this, even if they have been in favor of military action against Iran in the past, they are just set up to attack Donald Trump even when he does the right thing. And it's, it's truly a shame for that party that that's where they are right now on this. Sorry.
- [59:04]
Kevin Walling
And I agree with Larry that estimate, we can't just be anti Trump. We gotta be, you know, over oversight, what have you. But also what's next too, and just
- [59:11]
Larry O'Connor
the fact that Chuck Schumer cannot stand up and say, God knows I have my disagreements with Donald Trump, but we are united on this. Let's finish it up and actually get victory here for, for the world. It is absolutely remarkable to me. But that's what politics look like right now in D.C. for the Democrats.
- [59:29]
Mark Halperin
Greg. Greg, thank you. I got to jump over to SiriusXM, roll into the second hour of the morning meeting. I'll see you over there. Larry, Kevin, thank you both and thanks everybody and see you tonight also at five for two Way tonight. Thanks, guys. See ya.
- [59:43]
Larry O'Connor
Will.
- [59:43]
Kevin Walling
Thanks.
- [59:44]
Larry O'Connor
Will the morning meeting or Mark Halperin get a shout out from the podium?
- [59:49]
Kevin Walling
I, I sure hope so. I'll be campaigning for it in that short.
- [59:53]
Larry O'Connor
That's what I'm looking for as well as well, well, I'm excited to see
- [59:58]
Kevin Walling
you again this afternoon. We're gonna, we'll be at the party. Are you going tomorrow to the dinner? Yeah, yeah. If you, if you, we're gonna have live coverage from the red carpet with FOX News. So tune, tune in over there. We did it two years ago and it was a blast for Biden's last time and he was there with. Yeah. So tune in over there. Jimmy Fiala, our good friend who hosts Fox News Saturday night is hosting. He's awesome. There's a whole cast of characters two years ago, you know, we had John Fetterman, we had the my favorite Irish ambassador who you saw the other night at the party, who's lovely, the British ambassador. It was a whole host of characters at that red carpet. So it'll be a lot of fun.
- [60:44]
Larry O'Connor
So two Way tonight will be live from the Renegade women's cocktail party that is co hosted by our very own Megan McCain as well as and our
- [60:54]
Kevin Walling
favorite, Vanessa Santos too, who is a powerhouse. Google that name and read all better. And Variety and other places. She's the best.
- [61:02]
Larry O'Connor
You go way, way back. So we will be there and here's the thing, by the way, I was not invited to this. My wife Meredith was invited to this and I am her plus one. So she just sent me the invitation. It starts at 4 o', clock, which means the way traffic is this week in D.C. i have to leave at 1 to get there. I have never seen traffic like this. Kevin, it's because of all these events.
- [61:24]
Kevin Walling
Yeah, I think so too. It's wild.
- [61:26]
Larry O'Connor
It feels like Inauguration week. Seriously, it's been.
- [61:29]
Kevin Walling
It does. It does. And to put a plug for, for Meredith, if I had her information beforehand, I would have invited her to the party first and you would have been the plus one because she is gorgeous, brilliant and fun.
- [61:41]
Larry O'Connor
We both married well, Mr. Walton.
- [61:44]
Kevin Walling
Exactly right. Exactly right.
- [61:45]
Larry O'Connor
So the point I'm making though is the cocktail party begins at 4 o'. Clock 2A tonight begins at 5 o'. Clock. So we will have an hour's worth of imbibing before that red light goes on. You're going to want to watch the show tonight.
- [61:59]
Kevin Walling
You're going to want to watch it. It's going to be the, it's going to be the best one of the, of the series yet. So that's at 5 o', clock, of course.
- [62:06]
Larry O'Connor
And then I'm live at noon with my town hall show streaming live wherever you're watching us right now. And Kevin, what have you got anything over the weekend other than your, well, your FOX News red carpet coverage?
- [62:16]
Kevin Walling
Yeah, just the coverage from there, which should be a lot of fun. And then of course a new episode of NextUp dropped yesterday that we talked about with Mark's reported monologue on the Correspondence Center. He also has a great interview with Ben Ferguson, a co host of that podcast with Ted Cruz. Been on with Ben a lot across Fox platform. So definitely want to tune into that conversation. And, and it was a fun, fun one to listen to.
- [62:43]
Larry O'Connor
And we'll be back. Well, morning meeting, we'll be back on Monday. I don't know what our lineup's going to be quite yet and who is doing what day as usual. We like to keep you guessing, but
- [62:51]
Mark Halperin
yeah, it's going to be a big
- [62:52]
Larry O'Connor
week for this show next week, I think. So stay tuned, keep watching. It's going to be fun.
- [62:56]
Kevin Walling
Amen everybody. Have a great weekend. Join everyone. Join Mark right now on Sirius. And then again, of course, Friday was always a fun post show with Professor Kenny and the and the team. So that chat is open and that kicks off at 11. And then go watch Larry at noon and have a great weekend, everybody.