Iran Says It's "Not Afraid" of Trump, Sends Response After Trump Warns That "The Clock Is Ticking"

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Morning Meeting – May 18, 2026

Main Theme

This episode of "The Morning Meeting" with host Mark Halperin and panelists Larry and Kevin delves into escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran following Iran’s counteroffer and President Trump’s warning that “the clock is ticking.” The team also explores broader U.S. political developments, insights into the campaign infrastructure debate, China relations, and the evolving presidential campaign landscape.

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Table of Contents

1. Iran-US Tensions: Escalation or Diplomacy?
2. The U.S. Political Daybook: Key Events and Personalities
3. China Relations: Tariffs, Taiwan, and Geopolitical Maneuvering
4. Redistricting and Key Senate Races: Maine and South Carolina
5. Democratic Party Infrastructure and Campaign Autopsy
6. The Podcast Wars and Political Messaging
7. Listener Engagement & Memorable Moments
8. Notable Quotes

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1. Iran-US Tensions: Escalation or Diplomacy?

[11:09–19:06]

• Current Situation: Mark outlines that Iran’s latest counteroffer to the U.S. is “way more reasonable than the piece of garbage” previously submitted, though still far from presidential acceptance.
• White House Mood: Trump has been mostly occupied with online posting; schedule is clear aside from a healthcare event.
• Panel Discussion:
  • Kevin: Predicts targeted bombings, noting attacks on UAE infrastructure and significant phone coordination with Israel. “These threats clearly aren’t working… It’s still nowhere near… where it needs to be.” (11:50)
  • Larry: Believes Iran, not the U.S., is seeking a face-saving move. “The Iranians… are begging for it. And I don’t think the Trump negotiators are in the mood to deliver.” (12:45)
  • Diplomatic Vs. Military Responses: Larry suspects a last-ditch diplomatic effort before escalation: “There does always seem to be … an attempt at a diplomatic resolution before the military strike.” (13:20)
  • Potential Iranian Actions: Mark raises concerns about Iranian abilities to attack sensitive infrastructure if the U.S. escalates, such as undersea cables or desalination plants.
  • Public Reaction: Kevin notes Trump is already “massively underwater” in polls; escalation may harm him further, but his base is likely to stay loyal.

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2. The U.S. Political Daybook: Key Events and Personalities

[03:41–07:45; 25:19–31:01]

• This Week:

  • Vice President heads to Kansas City.
  • Secretary of War Pete Hegseth campaigns in Kentucky—an unusual move for a Pentagon chief.
  • Main primaries: Massey in Kentucky, Georgia Senate, and congressional races.
  • President travels to Connecticut for Coast Guard Academy graduation Wednesday.
  • Congress: House out, Senate returns; ongoing debates over housing and reconciliation bills.
  • Notable: Colbert’s final late night show episode this week.

• Breaking Down Key Races:

  • South Carolina Redistricting: Debate centers around whether Congressman Clyburn can retain his seat if districts are redrawn. Larry: “Democrats…are going to try to drum up racial animus…That’s the play.” (23:24)
  • Maine Senate: Collins vs. Graham Platner. Kevin picks Platner; Larry and Mark favor Collins, noting Platner’s potent message: “If Susan Collins has so much influence, why is Maine so screwed up?” (26:00)

• Senate Dynamics: Senator Cassidy (LA) loses re-election after breaking with Trump; panel expects him to oppose the administration more until term’s end.

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3. China Relations: Tariffs, Taiwan, and Geopolitical Maneuvering

[19:06–22:26]

• Trade and Diplomacy: Recent deliverables on agricultural imports; $17B cited as “pocket change” compared to AI company scales.
• Next Big Issues: Larry asserts, “Tariffs are still the dominant issue.” Upcoming summits (G20 at Doral, September DC summit) may force China’s hand on compliance.
• Taiwan: Both sides seem keen to “kick that can down the road.”
• Putin Factor: Putin scheduled to meet in Beijing on the 20th; global alliance dynamics at play.

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4. Redistricting and Key Senate Races: Maine and South Carolina

[22:26–29:34]

• SC Redistricting: Predictions differ on whether Clyburn holds; racial polarization is a campaign focus.
• Maine Senate: Both candidates’ standing and campaign messages dissected; Collins favored for incumbency, Platner’s critiques resonate.
• Louisiana’s Cassidy: Loss attributed directly to lack of Trump endorsement; evidence of Trump’s sway in the GOP.

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5. Democratic Party Infrastructure and Campaign Autopsy

[33:00–41:41]

• Rob Flaherty’s Autopsy Piece: Mark hails it as “one of the best things I’ve ever read by someone from inside a campaign…that tells you how politics really works.” (34:33)
• Key Takeaways:
  • Dems need to invest in foundation infrastructure between cycles (data, podcast, digital).
  • Digital is all-pervasive—campaigns shouldn’t silo it.
  • The left’s internal distrust or ideological resistance to AI puts it at a competitive disadvantage. “There are people in the party who say AI is evil, AI is corporate, AI is dominated by Republicans…they will be smashed in elections…” (37:40)
  • On podcast infrastructure: “Whoever the Democrats nominate for president in 2028 needs a personal, preexisting relationship with Joe Rogan.” (39:06)
• Panel’s Reaction: Larry and Kevin agree the DNC should absorb and address the criticism instead of hiding it.

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6. The Podcast Wars and Political Messaging

[41:41–48:19]

• Audience Q&A: Stephen from Georgia notes the populist appeal of right-leaning podcasts, skeptical Dems can catch up: “All they talk about is whiny baby stuff…until they get real about who they are…we’re out.” (45:41)
• Panel’s Response: Kevin says authenticity is key: “You can’t just stick to the talking points. Tried and true. What’s polling out there.” (45:49)
• Alternative Media: Larry underscores the importance of alternative content; mainstream media isn’t “communicating with regular people...we provided something that…wasn’t doing.”

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7. Listener Engagement & Memorable Moments

• Trivia & Banter: The hosts riff on musicals, campaign traditions, sports, and “Brit Hume” impersonations, keeping the episode lively.
• Local Color: Plugs for places to gather during the NH primary (Castro’s Cigar Bar), lighthearted debate over sports trivia and podcasting history.
• Panel’s Preferences: Candid talk about podcast economics, left/right media appeal, and the need for entertainment: “Donald Trump is incredibly entertaining…That’s the difference…Democrats need to get wise to it.” (47:51)

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8. Notable Quotes

• “These threats clearly aren’t working… It’s still nowhere near… where it needs to be.” — Kevin, on Iranian negotiations (11:50)
• “The Iranians… are begging for it. And I don’t think the Trump negotiators are in the mood to deliver.” — Larry (12:45)
• “If Susan Collins has so much influence, why is Maine so screwed up?” — Mark quoting Platner (26:00)
• “Campaigns should not have a digital department. Everything is digital. …It all is digital.” — Mark summarizing Flaherty (41:32)
• “You gotta at least think about how do you use your social media accounts. Maybe you have separate accounts…” — Mark (41:19)
• “It’s authenticity, right?... You can’t just stick to the talking points.” — Kevin (45:49)
• “Podcast or blogs or right-of-center websites…exploded since Andrew Breitbart…craving an alternative. …We provided something that…mainstream media just wasn’t doing.” — Larry (47:00)
• “The left…has a problem because there are people in the party who say AI is evil, AI is corporate, AI is dominated by Republicans. …They will be smashed in elections because they were not…using the power of AI.” — Mark (37:40)

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Important Timestamps

• [11:09]: Deep dive begins on Iran-US escalation and predictions
• [19:06]: Shifting to China: Overview of trade, tariffs, Taiwan relations
• [22:26]: South Carolina redistricting & Maine Senate race
• [25:19]: In-depth sussing of Collins vs. Platner race in Maine
• [33:00]: Analysis of Rob Flaherty’s campaign essay and DNC infrastructure
• [41:41]: Listener Q&A on podcast culture and Dems' comms challenges
• [47:00]: The shift from “alternative media” to right-wing dominance in podcasting
• [53:16]: NH politics, new polling, Trump’s continued GOP dominance
• [58:42]: Closing segment with Professor Kenny and further audience banter

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Tone & Style

The conversation is fast-paced, filled with inside-the-Beltway jargon, playful banter, and media/political in-jokes. Mark, Larry, and Kevin break down high-stakes geopolitical drama and campaign mechanics with a blend of irreverence and expertise, offering a real-time look into how news executives approach the day’s agenda.

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For Listeners: Key Takeaways

• Iran is at a critical crossroads: The U.S. is weighing immediate military strike options versus engaging with an “almost but not quite” diplomatic counteroffer from Iran. The logic, both strategic and political, cuts both ways.
• The Trump White House is in campaign mode: Even security officials are semi-campaigning; media events are as political as they are administrative.
• China remains a slow-brewing flashpoint: Tariffs are the likely next battle, with Taiwan and Russia lurking in the background.
• Inside politics: The episode serves fresh, candid gossip on redistricting, congressional races, and party strategy.
• The Democratic Party must modernize: Unless the party fully embraces digital, podcast, and AI-powered tactics, they risk repeated defeat at the hands of a media-savvy right.
• Podcasts as battlegrounds: Without authentic voices and diversified messaging, Democrats will lose the “podcast wars” that aim for the hearts of swing voters.
• Listeners, regardless of partisanship, are invited to engage — provided they don’t bring the “smack.”

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Transcript

[Michael]

Foreign.

[Mark]

Welcome everybody. WMAL is a very entertaining radio station. And this is the morning meeting. Welcome in everybody. I used to love when I covered the White House for ABC with Brit Hume. I used to like timing Brit's pause when he would say Brit Hume, ABC News, the White House. I always paused there. So dramatic. Now the correspondents just say Joe Smith, News News at 11. The White House.

[Kevin]

We love a pregnant, pregnant pause.

[Larry]

Do you do a Brit Hume and every single one of my friends who worked at Fox News, they do a Brit Hume impersonation out of, out of

[Mark]

his respect to Brit. I only do it privately. Here, here's, I'll do this thing one more time. Bridum, ABC News, the White House. Good morning everybody. This is the morning meeting based on the network news division's morning meetings where they sit around and tell you what's going on. We'll tell you what's going on. And it's Monday, so we'll tell you the week ahead. And if you're going to need to not know who's on the late night comedy shows, turn down the volume when that time, when that time we're about

[Kevin]

to get one less, one less preview.

[Mark]

Exactly, exactly. That time's going back to the affiliates. I'll run through the day book and then Larry, Kevin and I. Good morning gentlemen. We'll run through the news. Lots to run through. It's as they say in the news business to hype and make sure you stay for the full hour. It's a busy Monday. It is. And then to your questions, your comments. If you're here in the two way platform, we'd like to get it on the conversation. We'd welcome you raising your hand if you've never raised your hand. Come on in the water is Kevin. The water's like the W water in off the coast of Charleston. It's like it was a little chilly,

[Kevin]

put my feet in but it's, it's warming up. So.

[Mark]

Yeah, we get my point. Warm enough? Warm enough. It might be a little chilly. Kevin and Larry might be a little chilly. Warm enough.

[Kevin]

Likable.

[Mark]

Likable enough. Exactly. And if you're watching on X, if you're watching on X or YouTube reference, that's a good one. If you got, if you're watching on X or YouTube, please, no smack in the chat under any circumstances. And, and if you're asking yourself, well, what does Mark consider smack? You know what? I'm just going to enter this into the little box and hit send and we'll, we'll See, guess what, ladies and gentlemen, if you wonder if it's smack, it's smack. No smack in the chat, which is what it says right here on my fairway in green golf shirt. No smack in the chat, please. No smack in the chat. All right, here's the daybook, ladies and gentlemen. Not a ton going on except Iran and the US Various reports out of the Middle east say Iran has come back with a counteroffer which is way more reasonable than the piece of garbage, I'm quoting the President, the Iranian submitted last time. Still 100 miles away from what the President would accept, I believe, based on what he's previously said. And so the question is, will the President allow himself to be played, diddled, let on spoofed, confused, primrose pathed by the Iranians and keep the negotiations going, or will he do something else? We'll talk about that in a minute. Here's the poll at the White House today. Cbs. CBS is the TV news and correspondent. This is cbs. It's another imitation I like to do that's lost on young people.

[Larry]

Brett Burger.

[Mark]

Exactly. You're looking live print pool today, Larry. It says regional reporters. Is that a thing or a bunch of regional reporters? The print. The pool.

[Larry]

Well, since it's capitalized. Well, I know regional.

[Mark]

And remember it's the Trump. Remember it's the Trump White House. They'll capitalize anything anyway, don't know what's going on there. And Daily Wire is the new media. The President's got a limited schedule. He's in executive time now, which means posting on Truth Social and watching the show. And then at 4:30, his only current event of the day participates in a healthcare affordability event at the White House open to pre credentialed media and could end up screwing up the carefully planned lineup for two way tonight because it'll likely be right during our show. The vice president in Kansas City, Missouri. Larry, what kind of things are up to date in Kansas City?

[Larry]

Everything's up to date.

[Mark]

Everything's up to date.

[Larry]

Skyscraper, seven stories tall, about as tall as a building article.

[Mark]

Yeah. Kevin, you have any idea what that's from? Oh my God, Larry. Yeah, it's from the finest musical ever written that didn't involve jets meet me in St. Louis. It's from Larry. It's one of the best 50 musicals ever. Larry.

[Larry]

It's. Oh, sure, yeah. I'm married to Oklahoma Sooner, so I have to say yes to that, by the way, also my. My good friend Chris de Gaulle running for Missouri Sixes is going on In Kansas City as well.

[Mark]

So let's just at. Well, will that be at the event today?

[Larry]

I don't think so.

[Mark]

Okay. I don't know. How about we. And we try not to talk sports too much. It makes Noah crazy. But Oklahoma versus Texas in the Western Conference finals. That's going to be a interstate face off anyway. Vice president's event. Is it. Is it really tonight at 8pm is that when the event is? That's what it says here. 8pm Pete Hegseth loves to break norms, loves to violate history, loves to do things a little bit differently. No one can remember a secretary of War or secretary of Defense or Pentagon chief going out on the campaign trail in the job, but he's doing it. It's not an official campaign event in the sense that it's not sponsored by the campaign, but he will be appearing today sponsored by America First Works, the honorable Pete Hegseth with the guy, the former Navy SEAL who's running against Thomas Massey, Thomas Massie in Kentucky. And ladies and gentlemen, the Pentagon says the vice president's doing this on his personal time. So it's nice to see that an administration often accused of being insensitive to the needs of its workers that the secretary of war can take a day off to go campaign in a contested House race during a war. I mean, I know there's a ceasefire.

[Kevin]

Just a little thing. Just a little thing.

[Mark]

It's going on. House is out till Wednesday. Senate's back today. There's a debate in the D.C. mayoral race tonight. The jury deliberates in California and Musk Altman. Here's your week ahead. Ladies and gentlemen, the center for American Progress led by our friend Neer Tanden is having its ideas conference this week starting tomorrow. Listen to who they booked, Larry. Listen to this list. Kevin already knows it, but listen to this list. Reuben Gallega, Mikey Sherrill, Hakeem Jeffries, Abigail Spanberger, Gavin Newsom, Westmore.

[Larry]

Wow.

[Mark]

All appearing big day of primaries tomorrow. We'll have full coverage. It is full team coverage here on two way. The Massey primary is tomorrow. We'll talk about that in a moment. Georgia is having its primaries. It'd be interesting to see particularly in the Republican Senate primary and the Peach State who will emerge to face off against John Ossoff. The House and Senate are still trying to figure out to do with their housing bill. Still trying to do what to do with their reconciliation bill. That'll be batted around all week. There might be a Votorama later in the week. The president goes to Connecticut on Wednesday giving the keynote address at the Coast Guard Academy graduation. Coasties. That's what I say.

[Kevin]

Fun fact. Fun fact. I was 1 years old when Ron Reagan gave the commencement address for my cousin's class at the coast guard Academy in 1986.

[Mark]

Any memorable lines.

[Kevin]

That was the first, that was the first president I ever saw in person.

[Mark]

Any memorable lines from that speech that you recall?

[Kevin]

Couldn't tell you, but my, my cousin was the president of the class and gave. Had the honor of giving the class ring to the president.

[Larry]

Wow, that's huge.

[Mark]

Is there video of that I'd like to show?

[Kevin]

Yeah, I'm sure we'll pull it. Yeah, let's pull that.

[Mark]

Nvidia releases its first quarter earnings report on Wednesday. And the only thing I'm going to tell you about the late night shows, besides the fact that Colbert last episode airs on Thursday is Jimmy Fallon hosts three of my all time favorites this week. Even if you don't like Jimmy Fallon, ladies and gentlemen, who could be against Sasha Baron Cohen, John Travolta and Nate Bargazzi all on one show, one series this week. You guys like those guys? Larry?

[Larry]

I like one of those three.

[Mark]

Who do you like?

[Kevin]

Nate. Nate, probably right.

[Mark]

Nate.

[Larry]

John. I like John Travolta.

[Mark]

You don't like Nate. Kevin, you agree with me? All three?

[Kevin]

I love Nate. We'll see if Sasha, you know, if he comes out as a character.

[Mark]

Okay, quick, quick trivia question, then we'll get to the topics. What song from Saturday Night Fever has a lyric that includes the New York Times?

[Larry]

Oh, the, the opening song.

[Kevin]

When he's getting ready in the mirror.

[Larry]

By the way I do my walk.

[Mark]

Yeah. Staying alive. Staying alive. A lyric with the.

[Kevin]

If you, if you continued on, we'd have to pay for.

[Mark]

Exactly.

[Kevin]

You cut off right at the right point.

[Mark]

Larry. Stop right there, Larry. All right, quick word from a sponsor and then to your, to your topics and please raise your hand if you want to get in. Ladies and gentlemen, come. Cozy Earth loves us so much. How much they love us. 30% off now. 30% off everything on the site. Go to cozyearth.com and that's new, right?

[Kevin]

That's new.

[Mark]

30%. 30%.

[Larry]

Could I say that just in time for Father's Day and graduation and Memorial Day.

[Mark]

This Memorial Day. Give yourself the kind of comfort that lives with you all day, not just the moment you get home. Cozy Earth. We're still talking about the joggers here, ladies and gentlemen. Bias jogger said for your dad. I'd recommend that I'm Secretly doing it. Don't tell anybody. I like mine so much. Viscous, made from bamboo. Lightweight, breathable, unbelievably soft. You can wear it around the house or outside for afternoon errands or as you're winding down. You can wear it pretty much whenever you want to go. I wouldn't wear it to the Met Gala. Well, you might actually get away with wearing at the Met Gala. They might think, hmm, innovative anyway. And then the lake house clogs. These are the shoes you end up wearing all over the house. Super comfortable and never, you know, you never wear them outside and therefore they're nice and clean. Also, if you want to buy the Sleepwear 100 nights free sleep trial, risk free. A 10 year warranty tells you a lot about how confident they are in the quality. This Memorial Day, as I said, give yourself the comfort that lives with you all day, not just when you get home. Cozyearth.com promo code morning. This goes through May 18th. That's today only. Oh no, sorry. From today to June 1st. Sorry. Don't wait. Morning is the promo [e-mail] 30% off. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

[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 talked 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.

[Mark]

When you get momentum, you step on the gas. That's how you get separation from everybody else.

[Stephen]

I was at Harvard Law School. I was blah blah, blah.

[Mark]

I looked up and 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, never going to disrupt

[Stephen]

physical blue collar trade skill.

[Michael]

And the guy just looked at me and he said it's bloody impossible.

[Mark]

So I asked him this question.

[Michael]

I said, it's impossible.

[Matt Ebert]

Unless that's podcast with me, Matt ebert. Watch on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mark]

All right, gentlemen, here we go. Iran the Axio says the President's going to meet with his national security team in the Sit room tomorrow. There are a lot of neocons and others saying the President has no out except to bomb the heck out of Iran. And there's now talk that Iran is through the Pakistanis given an offer that involves some give on reparations, some give on nuclear, some give on the strait. But as I read it, Kevin, it's still far, far short of what the president would accept. So just Kevin, game at the week. Are we seeing more negotiation, more war, an attempt to open the strait? What do you anticipate this week?

[Kevin]

I think we're going to see some targeted bombings. President also met on Saturday with his team, obviously previewing tomorrow's meeting. He had a phone call with Bibi Netanyahu, probably triangulating on a lot of stuff. And we've also seen in recent days an attack on a UAE nuclear plant from Iranian drones, supposedly Iranian drones allegedly alleged. Yeah, I don't want to get sued by the regime in Tehran. So I think likely a strike is imminent to some degree to move the ball down the field. These threats clearly aren't working. Even though the Iranians, to your point, hedge there offered just a little bit. It's still nowhere near to your point, Mark, where it needs to be.

[Mark]

Larry, some people are saying the Iranians are cleverly giving the president a face saving move and he could just now move to extended negotiations. The markets would love it and he can sort of just get the best deal possible. Where are you on what happens next?

[Larry]

I would love to have an extended conversation with those some people who are saying that. I don't think so. I think it's the Iranians who need the face saving move right now. They're begging for it. And I don't think the Trump negotiators are in the mood to deliver. I still think that they have the upper hand.

[Kevin]

So you think they're begging to reopen negotiations?

[Mark]

Larry, who they?

[Larry]

Iran?

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Kevin]

Iran.

[Larry]

Yeah, Iran. Yeah, I think so. They because, because they read the writing on the wall the way you do, Kevin, which is it's either that or suffer the next round of military strikes.

[Mark]

So Larry, will we see diplomatic advances this week or will we see military strikes or something?

[Larry]

The way things have gone in the past, there does always seem to be sort of a last ditch effort or at least the demonstration of an attempt at a diplomatic resolution before the military strike.

[Kevin]

So if we saw that in Oman right before. Yeah, the first strikes to some degree.

[Larry]

So my suspicion is before we see a military strike, we will see a demonstration of a diplomatic attempt.

[Mark]

And what level of concern do you have, Larry, that that's just the Iranians as I suggested at the top, just stringing the President along, knowing that every day they can string him along is a day closer to the midterms, is a day closer to his poll numbers being horrible.

[Larry]

I don't know if the President doesn't seem to be quite as concerned about that as reporters and certain Republicans in town. So I don't see it giving us

[Kevin]

that golden quote on the South Lawn, you know. Yeah, that will run in every single Democratic gag, unfortunately, you know, get tired of that.

[Larry]

It might not be politically viable, but I kind of appreciate a commander in chief while our men and women are wearing the uniform in harm's way not, you know, licking his finger and seeing which way the polls are going. His focus should be on.

[Mark]

I agree, I agree. So I've asked a version of this question before, but it's still, to me, not getting enough attention. So I'm going to ask it again. The, the, the discussion of whether the war will resume doesn't to me sufficiently take into account the implications. Which, which is the Iran, the Iranians still seem to have a lot of capability and they could cut underseas cables that would allow. Keep the Middle east from engaging in financial transactions. They could bomb desalination plants. They could bomb the Ritz Carlton in Doha.

[Kevin]

They already targeted a nuclear plant.

[Mark]

In a nuclear plant. So, Kevin, how will, how will Americans and Lindsey Graham, he's an American, your fellow South Carolinian, how will people react if that's what plays out, that, that there's just. The Iranians engage in if the President escalates and starts killing leaders again and bombing, kharg, et cetera? And if the Iranians do respond, how will America react? Will they say, oops, we. Will they say we stand behind the commander in chief? How will people feel about that if that's what happens?

[Kevin]

I mean. Yeah, it's a good question. I don't know. You know, we've got new polling out from the New York Times, Sienna, this morning about, you know, the president's actions going into this war. I don't know if the president really can see much more of a dip, especially if he escalates in terms of the polling. He's already massively underwater with independents, Republicans, and his MAGA base will stay with him.

[Mark]

Yeah, but what will I start. But what will the discussion in the United States be like? Will people be scared? Will the markets collapse? Like, how will people react if Iran cuts those cables? If Iran blows up the Ritz Carlton, if Iran blows up a nuclear power plant, what will people say here What?

[Kevin]

Yeah, I think it'll be.

[Mark]

Larry, Larry, Larry, what will you say if that's what happens? What will you say?

[Larry]

I will be surprised if that happens. First of all, because why hasn't Iran done this up until now? Number one, if they, I mean, they've

[Kevin]

had little bit limited strikes targeting, you know, the risk.

[Mark]

Why haven't, why haven't. Larry? I'd say for the same reason we haven't destroyed Kharg.

[Larry]

Because Iran shows restraint. Because they have, they have such a great history of showing restraint. Yes. In. Yeah.

[Mark]

In this case, you, you think they've. I think they've hit every target.

[Larry]

I think their military capabilities right now are overstated. I think you're, you're basing that assumption based on focused and considered leaks that are meant to undermine the effort right now. I do.

[Mark]

So, Larry, you, you think there's a de minimis chance that Iran will have the capability to strike sensitive targets if the United States breaks the ceasefire? You think There's a very limited chance.

[Larry]

Agreed. That's, that's what I believe.

[Mark]

Wow.

[Larry]

Because I believe if the United States breaks the. Well, first of all, I don't accept the terms of the United States is breaking the ceasefire. But if the United States re. Engages in a military action, I think that they will be once again on the defensive and in a debilitated posture where they won't be able to achieve much. That's, that's my understanding of where we are right now.

[Mark]

Kevin.

[Kevin]

Mark, do you think we'll see, we'll see more kinetic activity from the Iranians than we did in previous attacks over the course of the first four to six weeks?

[Mark]

I, this is going to be a last ditch. I'm concerned that that's what would happen and I think there's a pretty good chance that that's what would happen.

[Kevin]

And destroyer.

[Mark]

Yeah, yeah. Yes. And civilian targets in uae. I mean, now that they, I don't know how much they knew before about how active UAE has been in the war, but they seem to be pretty determined to send the message to uae, don't mess with us.

[Larry]

And yeah, they went after UAE at the beginning. They, they went after a hotel at uae. They went a couple of soft targets.

[Mark]

They did, but they could do more.

[Larry]

Okay, based on that is. Based on what information that you have?

[Mark]

It's based on the widespread reporting that Iran has a lot of capability. And also, by the way, what do you think they've done during the ceasefire? What, watch reruns of Friends translated into Farsi? No, they figured out how they're going to counterattack if the president breaks the ceasefire.

[Larry]

Well, that's only assuming they know what the, what do you keep saying? The president breaks the ceasefire to get

[Mark]

under your, to get under your skin. It's a shorthand, but to get under your skin.

[Larry]

I think that the, the United States has also been retooling, strategizing, focusing on exactly where strikes will be. And I have a feeling they'll be pretty.

[Mark]

And the Israelis. And the Israelis. I mean, I, look, I wonder if the, if the US Israel plan and the President talked to Netanyahu yesterday. I wonder if that plan figures out a way to limit the possibility that Iran has the capacity to strike back. Just based on what we've seen since the war started. I wouldn't be surprised if, I mean, how did Iran almost hit a nuclear plant, Larry? They almost had a nuclear plant over the weekend, and they got in the

[Kevin]

inner, the inner border of it.

[Mark]

That.

[Larry]

Okay.

[Mark]

The capability. All right, China, which, by the way,

[Larry]

by the way, if America responded to that attempted attack on a nuclear strike, that would not be the United States breaking the ceasefire. It would be the United States responding to Iran breaking the ceasefire, right?

[Mark]

Yes. Yes, sir. Okay.

[Kevin]

Sure.

[Mark]

Yes. No, I said yes, sir. I agree with you. I agree with you. As I said, I was just trying

[Larry]

to get under your edge.

[Mark]

No, I didn't. I have no edge. Anyway, China, China, China. Over the weekend, they announced some deliverables. If you think the Chinese are going to buy all, all those ag products. And by the way, it wasn't a very big number either.

[Kevin]

17 billion, I think, in addition.

[Mark]

Yeah, that's, that's like pocket change for the AI companies. Here's my question on China. The, the head of Taiwan expressed some alarm, but also knew not to piss off Donald Trump. But what's the next beat? They have three more meetings later this year, but the next one's quite a few quite a bit aways. What's the next meaningful beat, Larry, in the U.S. china drama coming out of the summit. Is it about Taiwan? Is it about sanctions or tariffs? What's. What happens next?

[Larry]

I think it's still terrorists. I think that's still the dominant issue. I think that everyone sort of agreed to, you know, not talk about Taiwan and just keep kicking that can down the road. And I think there's an interest for both sides to do that at this moment, even if the President has to sort of present confusing statements about Taiwan and about America's position there, which I'm sure we can get to. But I think tariffs are the thing that looms large. And I think that's the beauty of the schedule for this year with these other meetings, especially the September summit in Washington. That's where the rubber hits the road and that's where China is going to be held accountable for whatever it is they've just agreed to. If they don't deliver and if they act weasily and squirrely, then, well, we've got, you know, you've got a report card do. You've got, you've got to show up for this final in Washington. And I think that that could be a good thing that looms for them.

[Kevin]

Is the next meeting the G20 at Doral?

[Mark]

I think so.

[Kevin]

Is that. Yeah. So that's on the president's. That's on the president's home turf, too.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Kevin]

Yeah. And it's obviously not a bilat. It's, you know, with a bunch of different folks, clearly, Kevin.

[Mark]

But I'm with Larry on the tariff speech on terrorists.

[Kevin]

Yeah. Because, well, and again, the administration is prepping the tariff stuff, you know, with the courts and the new, you know, different authorizing capabilities of those tariffs for the summer. So I assume that that's likely. And you're seeing also, too, you know, interestingly enough, Jameson Greer has been in the forefront, obviously, as our trade rep, doing most of the Sunday shows, most of the messaging coming out of this. So I think it's going to be couched in that as well.

[Mark]

Yeah, I think, I think the next beat is going to be on Iran, but that's just me.

[Kevin]

Well, and, and let's not forget you got Putin coming on Wednesday, I think, on the 20th. Right.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Kevin]

To Beijing for the day.

[Larry]

Iranian tariffs actually have something in common and that both China and America, I believe, want a similar resolution to it. So you may be right there, Mark,

[Mark]

in that I really don't believe the Chinese want it to end right now. I really don't. I think they'd love, they'd love this redistricting. Henry McMaster district. Again, my imitation of Governor McMaster is meant in homage and love. Kevin, will Mr. Clyburn be a member of Congress next year, yes or no?

[Kevin]

I think so. Yes.

[Mark]

Yes.

[Kevin]

Even if he runs in the new. Even if he runs in the new district. I think what you're seeing out of Shane Massey, who's this, and I'll be brief, the Senate majority leader, the Republican, he's really worried that you're doing this on a compressed timeline. Republic black Republicans in this state are going to be fired up South Carolina is the number one Republicans. Black Democrats are.

[Mark]

Excuse me. Okay. I thought, I thought you had a big, explosive lead for us.

[Kevin]

No, no, no, sorry. Black Democrats are going to be fired up about this.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Kevin]

South Carolina is the number one state for folks moving in. You got a different electorate. And I think he's worried you're going to put three seats in play instead of just the one.

[Mark]

So you're saying they will not, in the end, they will not redistrict?

[Kevin]

I think they're going to redistrict. The original question is this in the

[Mark]

new district, but what I'm saying is you think they're going to hedge and not make the district as pro Republican as the original plan called for, or you think he's going to win in the proposed district?

[Kevin]

Correct? The latter.

[Mark]

Larry, do you think he's going to win?

[Larry]

Well, no, I don't, but this is the Democrats last play, basically, is that they're going to try to drum up racial animus and say that Republicans are racist. They're trying to take your voice away because we got to have Steve Cohen in Congress to properly represent black Americans, which, of course, Steve Cohen doesn't even believe that because he decided he's not going to run for reelection. So I disagree. I. But, but that's the play. The play is you're going to hear race, race, race segregation, Jim Crow, Democrats between now and election Day, hoping that

[Kevin]

the whole, the whole nature of the Voting Rights act is around race.

[Mark]

So what, what percentage of his current district is black voters?

[Larry]

Anybody know Jim Clyburn?

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Kevin]

I mean, it goes all the way from Columbia down to Charleston. So I think. I guess.

[Mark]

I guess, I guess. Right. So it's over. I think that's right. So what's it going to be now?

[Kevin]

I think it's an R R plus in the estimations. It's like all, all R plus 10 in terms of what they're going to try and do.

[Mark]

So my answer is it will really depend on who the Republican is. He could beat the right Republican, but I don't, I don't, I don't think he can.

[Kevin]

I mean, there's indications that. There's indications that, to Larry's point, there's indications that a black Republican, you know, again, our senior senator is a black Republican.

[Mark]

Right.

[Kevin]

Or our junior center, rather, could win and run in that race.

[Larry]

You know, aren't we getting one step ahead of the game? The bigger question is, will Congressman Clyburn actually run again if he says he will?

[Kevin]

Yes, 100%.

[Mark]

He says he will. And I believe him. I believe him.

[Kevin]

Yeah.

[Mark]

This is like this is like this is like John McCain and Meet the Press. Like this is what he lives for. This is whole yeah. So it's keep keeping him happy. Maine a lot of talk over the weekend, big Platner interview in the New York Times and and Susan Collins and reports that they're going to be $60 million in negative ads on behalf of Susan Collins against Graham Platner. So gentlemen, who today do you make the favorite to win that Senate seat, Platner or Collins?

[Larry]

LARRY Collins.

[Kevin]

KEVIN Graham Platter all right, the correct

[Mark]

answer is Susan Collins.

[Larry]

LARRY My if you go back and look at that New York Times interview, let me that's not the end of the conversation at the New York Times about Graham Platner. And to me, a lot a lot of those questions are framed to get an answer that might run contrary to the New York Times reporting that might hit in the next couple of months.

[Mark]

I'll tell you what I read in Punchbowl today. Platner has a line that I think if he wins, will be the key to his victory, which is if Susan Collins has so much influence, why is Maine so screwed up? If so great she's been doing for

[Kevin]

30 years, she's been bringing money back for 30 years.

[Mark]

Why is our body of life exactly. If you're happy with the price of gas and your kids future, etc. Then give credit to Susan Collins and vote for her. That to me is super powerful and it may be more powerful than talk about his past, but I still think she's going to win. Cassidy, Senator Cassidy, good man, finished third after saying as late as the morning of the primary that he was going to win, finished third. He's done two part question. First, will Cassidy now become Thom Tillis and oppose the administration more than he has the rest of the year? KEVIN yes. LARRY yes. Yes. All right.

[Kevin]

Well, that's a problem, especially incented health.

[Mark]

Yeah, it becomes a becomes a numbers becomes a numbers problem for the Republicans because if he'll consistently vote with, you know, Collins and Murkowski and and Rand on some things and I mean, that's a problem. 2nd well, the polling, to be fair,

[Larry]

he's voting with Chuck Schumer on those things.

[Mark]

Sure. Also with Chuck Schumer.

[Kevin]

But he doesn't care.

[Mark]

Yeah, he doesn't care. Okay.

[Larry]

Which tells you everything you know about this good man, Mr. Cassidy, the good Republican, doesn't it that on the way out the door because he's bitter that the voters in his state decided not to send him back. He's going to start voting with Chuck Schumer, which really represents Louisianians.

[Mark]

Yeah, well said, Larry. On the other hand, other hand, we've seen people free from fear. And then a lot of Republicans would vote with Chuck Schumer if against Donald Trump, if they weren't afraid of Donald Trump.

[Larry]

Wait, he's not, I'm sorry.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Larry]

He shouldn't be. He's not afraid of Donald Trump. Donald Trump didn't even vote in this election. He should be afraid of his voters. And by afraid, I mean accountable to his vote.

[Mark]

He only lost. He only lost for one reason and one reason only, Larry.

[Larry]

And what is Donald Trump?

[Mark]

Donald Trump? Trump.

[Larry]

No, no, no, but be specific. What about Donald Trump?

[Mark]

If Trump had voted for an appeal, if Trump hadn't endorsed someone, he got that person in the race.

[Larry]

But hold on.

[Mark]

That's what Natural Divine was elected.

[Larry]

And he was elected in 2020, campaigning with Donald Trump in a state that overwhelmingly voted for Donald Trump. And then two months later, he voted to convict Donald Trump in the impeachment

[Mark]

proceedings, as did Mitt Romney.

[Larry]

Defying the people.

[Matt Ebert]

Yeah.

[Larry]

And where Senator Romney now. Defying the people of his state. This is the first time Louisianans had a chance to actually let Mr. Cassidy know how they felt about that.

[Mark]

You're right, Larry.

[Larry]

No, you're right, Larry.

[Mark]

But if the president hadn't endorsed his opponent and got her in the race, Cassidy would have won reelection. Yes.

[Larry]

If there wasn't a viable opponent. Absolutely. You're right.

[Kevin]

That's needed potentially. Mark, they also changed the rules in Louisiana.

[Larry]

It's about the voters. It's about the people of Louisiana.

[Mark]

Voters would have, the voters would have put them right back into office. We got to move forward and be forward looking. There's very limited polling in the Massey race. It seems to me Massey is dead. That seems to me. Larry, do you think Massey has a chance to win tomorrow?

[Larry]

I think he has a chance. When it's a little district like this, you have a better chance than a whole state, but he has a chance. But I, I, I tend, if I had to put my money on it, I would say he's gonna go okay.

[Kevin]

I mean, he's held on. He's, I mean, this is obviously the most expensive race we've seen so far, but he's held on. You know, he's a, he's a tricky bastard, but I think this might be.

[Mark]

You say that with, you say that with affection. Right? Tricky bastard is a term of, term of praise. In the Walling household, Nick Nixon was a tricky bastard.

[Kevin]

What will.

[Mark]

What will he say, Larry, if he loses, what will he say? Will he blame aipac? Will he blame Donald Trump?

[Larry]

All of the above. The above and the nefarious forces of the establishment. Yeah.

[Mark]

Kevin.

[Larry]

The Epstein class.

[Mark]

That's the. Kevin, is it good or is it good or bad for the Democratic Party in the midterms if Massey loses? Good or bad?

[Kevin]

And why it's bad. Bad for Democrats, I think. Independent voice. Just because you, you know, I mean, in the midterms.

[Mark]

I mean, in the midterms, if it's

[Kevin]

good or bad for Democrats, if Massey loses.

[Mark]

Yeah. If Massey loses, is that good for Democrats, the midterms or bad in terms of mess?

[Kevin]

Well, I don't think we're ever. We're ever going to pick up that seat.

[Mark]

But no, no, I mean messaging. I mean national messaging.

[Kevin]

Yeah.

[Matt Ebert]

Or no.

[Mark]

Or no. No impact.

[Kevin]

Sounds like no impact. Yeah.

[Mark]

Okay. All right, a couple more topics. Raise your hand if you want to get in the conversation. If you never raised your hand, please do. Ton of stuff going on in Congress again. We're not going to go down every rabbit hole here. But, Kevin, of all the issues they're grappling with, which one are you most confident they'll get passed and signed into law? Housing reconciliation 2.

[Kevin]

Reconciliation. Reconciliation, for sure.

[Mark]

Larry, you agree?

[Larry]

Reconciliation 1. But I still think there's a chance for housing. That's in second place, I think.

[Mark]

Yeah. Okay. The president.

[Kevin]

But housing, Larry. Housing. Just passing the Senate bill. No, in terms of what the president

[Larry]

wants, I thought they would by the House bill. I was surprised that the House sent it back. And so now I think that they're going to tweak it a bit. Yeah.

[Mark]

Yeah. You still think. Will they pass along with Democratic votes? They have to get Democratic votes.

[Larry]

I know, I know.

[Mark]

You think they will.

[Larry]

I think it's. It's. I think there's a chance. It's number two on my.

[Mark]

Here's a media curiosity. The Wall Street Journal has a story they label exclusive about how they're going to build a landing pad for helicopters on the South Lawn because the new marine ones are just too heavy, you know, powerful and heavy, and they'll mess up the grass. Catch. The grass will catch on fire. The Wall Street Journal, it labels theirs exclusive. The Washington Post has the same story, doesn't label exclusive and doesn't cite the Journal story. Anybody understand what's going on there? Who broke that story, the Journal or the Post?

[Kevin]

I don't know.

[Mark]

Meredith. Larry, are you pro? Meredith is a great reporter. Larry, are you pro helipad, anti helipad or no opinion?

[Larry]

You know, I'm going to defer to the X ray. It amuses me that this is Trump's helipad because my understanding is it's the military who has said.

[Mark]

And it's been considered for. And it's been considered forever.

[Larry]

Exactly.

[Mark]

Sorry, are you pro what, what whatever

[Larry]

logistically appropriate for the aircraft involved.

[Mark]

Yeah, Kevin, Same. I'm pro. I don't even care what the experts say. There should be a helipad, you know, a helicopter landing on grass.

[Kevin]

And again, the fact that we can't use the most up to date technology, advanced helicopter with security protocols, that's a problem.

[Larry]

You should draw a shuffleboard grid on it.

[Mark]

Of course. Dual use. Dual use. Get some use out of it.

[Kevin]

Maybe we can.

[Mark]

Maybe. What else could you do on there? You could have volleyball. Volleyball.

[Kevin]

We can put in that. If we can put in that bee house, you know, in that White House. Bee house. We can certainly put in a helipad.

[Mark]

I do like the bee house.

[Kevin]

All right.

[Mark]

Lastly, there's an essay in the Dispatch, I think by Peter Flaherty. He's one of the most talented operatives in the Democratic Party. Sorry, Rob. I always say, Peter. Rob flirty. He was the digital director for the Biden campaign and then moved over to the Harris campaign. He was interviewed by the DNC officials doing the autopsy of what about what happened in 2004. And he's got various things to say about why they didn't do it. But then he basically lays out what he told them and he says they interviewed. They didn't interview every Harris campaign official. They should have. He lays out what he told them, but he also talks about what he thinks worked and didn't work in the Harris campaign and talks about what the party needs to do for 2028. Now he's a somewhat controversial figure in this piece. He says he showed a draft of it to some of his colleagues who said, you've got this thing all wrong. So he acknowledges that not everyone's going to agree with him. And I didn't agree with everything in there that I had a view on, but here's why I recommend you all read it. It's one of the best things I've ever read by someone from inside a campaign in either party that tells you how politics really works. It's quite educational. Regarding, again, not how. I'm sorry I said politics, campaigns. We've talked here before. There's a difference between campaigns and politics. And this is about campaigns. And it's really sophisticated. It's very smart. The Democratic Party would be wise, those at the DNC and elsewhere would be wise to read it. And last thing I'll say before turning it over to Larry and Kevin for their views of this piece. Strongly recommend you read it. Is one of the things he says is that the DNC's lack of money is a big problem because there's a bunch of things the DNC needs to do now to hand over to the nominee in 2028, an infrastructure that you cannot do in a presidential campaign. There's not enough time or resources. I go back to something that I, I consider myself one of the world's leading experts on, which is what the DNC under Ron Brown did from 1990 to, from, sorry, from 1990 to 1992, to lay the groundwork of Ron Brown, Paul Tully, so that Bill Clinton had a chance to win, which he would not have had had those folks not done very smart things to prepare. And Flaherty lays out a bunch of stuff that needs to be done, including podcast infrastructure so the Democrat has a chance. So read the piece. Larry, your thoughts on the Flaherty essay.

[Larry]

I think you're right. It is an interesting piece. Also, what's interesting about it is how the DNC and the people in charge of this autopsy process refused to make any of this public. I don't know who they're trying to protect, whether they're protecting themselves or they're trying to protect Kamala Harris or the team of experts that ran that stunning campaign. But you don't get better if you don't look at what's wrong. And you're right about Ron Brown. And I would also say after 2012, you know, Reince Priebus got a lot of heat for doing what he hated, that it was called an autopsy. But he and our friend Sean Spicer did a great job reorienting and refocusing what the RNC was going to focus on. It paid off in 2016 in terms of their focus on data. So this needs to be done if you want to get better. And I don't know, Kevin, it seems like the hierarchy of your party are trying to sort of whistle past the graveyard on this.

[Kevin]

I mean, I, I potentially, I, I think, you know, the chair's concern, Ken Martin's concern was we're winning all these special elections. We're blowing Republicans out of the water. Let's not, to Mark's point, look back, which we don't do on the show but just look forward and this would be a distraction and we're still quobbling over it. So clearly it was not well handled because again we're still talking about it. Had they released it, it would have been a maybe a week story, a week long story and the party would have moved on. But there are some interesting takeaways. Again, we should never run a presidential campaign out of Wilmington, Delaware, despite, you know how nice Wilmington in the riverfront is ever again. And issues on brand Gaza talks about the transit. So you know, lays into a lot of the different controversial elements of that campaign with eyes open. So I agree folks should read it somewhat self serving certainly.

[Larry]

Oh yeah, totally. But one shocking in politics.

[Mark]

Yeah you can spot the self serving stuff a mile away and it's got to filter it out. One of the things he says at the end of the piece is that campaigns should not have a digital department. Everything is digital. And so if you have a digital there's all these turf wars. They say, well this is how field is doing it. Well, what's digital doing? Here's what we're doing on advertising. What's digital doing? Here's what we're doing with donors. What's digital doing? It all is digital. And he just scratches the surface. But again, more than I've heard most people in either party say publicly now it is what about AI? You don't want an AI department. Everything's AI. And he talks about the challenge the Democratic Party has because there's people in the party. There's a little bit in the Bannon school of the Republican part of the party. But the political professionals on the Republican side are unbridled in thinking about how to use AI. The Democratic Party, as Flaherty points out, has a problem because there are people in the party who say AI is evil, AI is corporate, AI is dominated by Republicans. We shouldn't be using AI. And you can imagine a world in which some campaigns say at a principle, we're not going to use AI. We're a human powered campaign and they will be smashed in elections because they were not. They're not using the power of AI. So go ahead there.

[Larry]

Is that why there's resistance from the part of the reason political they. So it's just inhuman because. Well, that's interesting.

[Kevin]

No, they look at it through an economic lens too, in a jobs lens. And I think there's great fears on the, on the left with AI.

[Larry]

Can we go real fast? This whole idea that the DNC needs to invest in a Podcast infrastructure and say, I didn't quite understand it. Does he think that the RNC paid to create the podcast infrastructure on the right?

[Mark]

No, but I never got my check. Yeah, I think, I think that, that implicitly what he saying is, why has there never been great liberal talk radio? Why? Why?

[Kevin]

I mean, we go back to Air America and all that stuff.

[Larry]

Yeah, I mean, you're multi. That's what I thought he meant. Yeah.

[Mark]

Yeah, but it's, it's because the dominant media continues to be, despite their anger at the dominant media, friendly to liberals. They don't need. They don't need their own podcast network. So the market doesn't inspire it as much. But, but what he's saying is you've got to have. Relate like, like, you know, what's his name? Sorry, Joe Rogan. You know, whoever, whoever the Democrats nominate for president in 2028 needs a personal, preexisting relationship with Joe Rogan.

[Larry]

Hasan.

[Mark]

But, but the person at the. But the person at the dnc, whose job it is, needs a personal relationship with Joe Rogan's producers. You cannot just start these things out and try to establish the trust involved in the spring of 2028 and think it's going to happen. So, Larry, you're right that, that, that you'd be better off with this all happening organically. But, but, but, but Flaherty is smart enough to say it's not happening organically, so where can we spend time and money to. To give us a fighting chance and all these things to, to make it possible that we don't get killed again in the podcast wars, which they did.

[Larry]

Fascinating.

[Kevin]

And that's the role of the DNC to create that infrastructure, to your point, Mark.

[Mark]

Because it's handed to the nominee. Exactly. Because if the DNC doesn't do it, no one will. So relationships with the top 50 podcasters is like the equivalent in 1992 of like a voter file. Right. You just campaign.

[Larry]

I get it. That makes sense. It's just funny to me, because if you look at the top 10 podcasts, you know, you've got NPR podcasts, you've got work podcasts, you've got New York Times podcasts. So they've got the podcast.

[Mark]

Right. Well, but those podcasts only. He spends a lot of time talking about the difference between revving up the faithful and appealing to swing voters.

[Larry]

There you go.

[Mark]

And, and so Rogan appeals to swing voters, whereas the NPR podcast, because it's not necessarily.

[Kevin]

It's not necessarily about politics, but when it is.

[Mark]

Exactly.

[Kevin]

The devotees so what you're saying is

[Larry]

both parties should be looking at what we're doing right here, correct? 100% because.

[Mark]

And then, and then lastly, you know, he talks. There's a million things in the article. I'm just so interested. I probably have to read it again. He talks about Kamala, the Kamala Harris HQ social media feeds and how they were drawn towards appealing to the faithful. So they men, some men found them alienating, some moderates found them alienating. And there's a lot of incentive to drive traffic on, on Tick Tock and on, on Instagram and on X by just, you know, hitting the base. Right, because that's the stuff that feels, it feels good.

[Kevin]

It feels good. It gets shared. Yeah, but.

[Mark]

Yeah, exactly, but, but that's a, that he says that's a path to conf. Know problem. And you gotta, you gotta at least think about how do you use your social media accounts. Maybe you have separate accounts, but you

[Larry]

gotta do what I always keep saying when they keep referring to these people who are influencers on the right. Yes, they have. They get engagement, they get downloads, they get traffic. But are they really influencing? That's what you need to measure. And whether they're influencing or not.

[Mark]

Exactly. I feel so strongly that every member of the two way community needs to read this article. You'll need proof that you read it to be able to join tomorrow. So if you want to watch the morning, if you want to watch the morning meeting, you're going to have to text me, text me a copy of yourself reading the article or email me something that only someone who read the article could know. Hold it up like you're in a hostage thing anyway.

[Larry]

Giving the bulwark. I know. Traffic.

[Mark]

I know, I know. But it's a great piece. You should have published it anyway. Word from a sponsor and then to your questions. Here we go. Shopify is amazing. Shopify allows you to get the word out. If you've got a new podcast or you've got some new business, anything you want to sell, ask yourself, what if I build this thing and nobody shows up? Shopify drives 10% of all E commerce in the United States. Millions of people around the world use it. And right now Shopify wants you to try it. So they're going to give you a $1 per month trial offer to start your Shopify account. Go to shopify.com mark and give them a buck and you can start your own Shopify account. It's got everything you need, ready made templates, AI powered tools, inventory, payments, analytics. Marketing, 24 hour customer support. It's all there and they'll let you try it for a buck. Go right now. If you want to turn those what ifs into big dollars with Shopify, go to shopify.com/shopify.com mark to use the global commerce platform that powers so much. And you'll love the 24 hour customer support. It's very helpful. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Here we go. Stephen. Stephen, unmute. Tell people who don't know where you are what's on your hat and what on your mind.

[Stephen]

Oh, that's a fishing hat from Florida.

[Larry]

Nice bass.

[Stephen]

I am back, guys, and I am reporting from Statesboro, Georgia, right outside of Savannah. I moved here 12 days ago. No longer a Texan.

[Mark]

You, you rent. You're renting or buying or bought?

[Stephen]

I'm renting at this point.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Stephen]

We just moved to my wife's family's from here, so we just moved back.

[Larry]

We'll move into a swing state. Very exciting.

[Kevin]

Did you, did you, were you able to register for tomorrow's election? I don't know what the timeline is.

[Mark]

I, I, maybe I could get today.

[Stephen]

I don't know if I can, I don't know what the rules are.

[Kevin]

Just I don't know what the rules are.

[Stephen]

Yeah, I'm missing voting for Ken Paxton though.

[Mark]

I tell you that much.

[Stephen]

John Cornyn's got it. Listen, I, I want to talk about the podcast stuff real quick. So I, I, I've been listening to Rogan since about, I don't know, 2014, 15 on and off. I had a podcast that I started. We shared our first sponsor actually, back in 2010, 2011, back before these things were even things. And the reason why the male dominated bro sphere or whatever is, is, is popular and the Dems will never be able to do it is that for one, all they talk about is whiny baby stuff. And for two, right, Honestly. And for two, you don't have enough stuff out there that's reasonable to talk about. I don't want to talk about the marginalized communities of, you know, South Dallas or whatever. Every day Joe Rogan talks about hunting, fishing, fun stuff, goofy stuff, comedy, aliens, conspiracies. They drop up in costumes and have a goofy time. So I don't listen to every Rogan show, but I listen to two or three a week, right? And I've, I've learned from some of the best people. Dad said, Dr. Peterson, some of these guys have given me incredible insight into learning my life and then found incredible Comedy on there too. You're not going to get that from Maida in a HOSA on the New York Times or NPR podcast learning about the Latinx community that's thriving in south la. Like, get out of town, bro. It's just not going to happen. So until they get real about who they are and how they relate to people, we're out. I was a Democrat my whole life. I was raised by it. My mom and I argue all the time. So I guess the question is for, really for Kevin is when are we going fishing? Same to Larry. That was the thing last time thing. The real question is when are Democrats going to stop being crybaby politicians and learn to relate to people that are done with race based politics. I have a, I have a half black kid. I was married to a black woman. I'm sick of hearing it, bro.

[Mark]

Like, we're done. All right, all right. Thank you for, thank you for that, Sir Kevin. Thank you, Sir Kevin.

[Kevin]

No, no, Stephen, I'm gonna pick up where, where you just left off and, and you hit the nail on the head. It's authenticity, right? These guys and gals don't know who they are a lot of times and it shows in an hour long, hour and a half long conversation. Right? You can't just stick to the talking points. Tried and true. What's polling out there? I think honestly you go back and you watch some of the more recent podcasts with Josh Shapiro, you know, who played, who played basketball, college basketball, normal guy, married to, you know, the love of his life for three or four kids. He can talk authentically about Philly sports, about a whole range of issues that aren't poll tested and things like that. I think he is really successful on those, on those podcasts and I think that is going to what is going to power a lot of his operations in 2028.

[Larry]

Yeah, Larry, good answer and I agree with that. Except for you standing for Shapiro again. It's just getting embarrassing here.

[Kevin]

I love the guy.

[Larry]

I love the guy, but I. Stephen, I think that you absolutely nailed it. I'll just add one other thing and that is, you know, podcast or blogs or right of center websites and news sites that all exploded since Andrew Breitbart sort of brought his vision to the world about 15 years ago. We all used to be called alternative media and it was a good description because the viewers were craving an alternative. We provided something that the very well funded corporate legacy mainstream media just wasn't doing. They were no longer communicating with regular people and they weren't Offering the same facts and the same news from a different perspective in a different context. We can all look at the same facts, but everybody walks away with a different perspective on it. And our perspective was never heard, never really communicated, except for very, very small wedges in the media. And so as long as we are providing that alternative, that's how we're going

[Stephen]

to thrive and viewed as far right for being interested in catching fish or something.

[Mark]

Right? Yeah.

[Larry]

Toxic masculinity. Steven, come on, get out of here.

[Mark]

Stephen, send us. Send us some peaches. Thank you.

[Kevin]

But also to just. Just to Stephen's point at the end, the. These podcasts have to entertain. Number one. And we got it. Donald Trump is incredibly entertaining. Right. And that's how we got to meet voters in this day and age is again, not being bland, but the first goal. And that's why I think this show is successful. Our show is. It's also entertaining in terms of the play by play and playing off one another and poking fun and actually getting through a bunch of topics. That's the difference, I think, in Democrats need to get wise to it.

[Larry]

Well, this guy right here is a podcasting trailblazer. He's what you're talking about. Look who joined.

[Kevin]

That's my airport buddy, Michael.

[Larry]

Yeah,

[Mark]

before Michael Talk radio.

[Michael]

15 years to talk radio. I avoided being entertaining for a single moment. I managed to dodge it the entire time.

[Mark]

I can vouch for that. I've never seen my.

[Michael]

Exactly. Thank you completely.

[Mark]

A few things. The vice president is wheels up for Kansas City. Meredith McGraw, the affirmation. Meredith McGraw is the pooler today. And the president has settled his lawsuit against the IRS for his leaked tax returns for it was a $10 billion suit. We'll see what the terms of that are before Michael talks. Just a new policy here, only calling on people from battleground states. And what is New Hampshire if not a battleground state? Michael, welcome in. Thank you for being told. Oh, my goodness. Welcome in.

[Michael]

I'd say happy to be here.

[Mark]

Well, I'm gonna. I'm gonna dance with you at the John Sununu inaugural.

[Michael]

I will be happy to, but I leave this time. Okay. The last time did not work. I lead.

[Mark]

Point taken. Yeah, I have a bad back. Michael, welcome in. Tell. Tell everybody what's on your mind from the great Granite State. First in the nation.

[Michael]

Well, you know, the big. The big news for me is that an NH journal just released a poll of GOP primary voters. And you know, there's this story out there that New Hampshire is different, that it's got, you know, McCain Republicans. It's more of a green eye shade, old school state. Yeah, crushing. Exactly. I mean, back in the day.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Michael]

Look, if you go back far enough, you get to Daniel Webster. I mean, you can go where you want, but I'm just telling you, New Hampshire is a Republican. The Republican voters, I should say, look like Republicans everywhere. J.D. vance, we asked, you know, who do you want? 20, 28. He crushed it. He got 43% by himself. Second place, Don Jr. At 15%. So Don Jr. And J.D. by themselves are more than half the vote, which shows.

[Mark]

And then, and then, and then Mark. And then Marco.

[Michael]

And Marco down at 10%. The point is Trump's, as you saw in Louisiana, Trump has worked his will on the gop. It is Trump's GOP now. And that, you know, brings up the issue of the U. S. Senate race in New Hampshire where you mentioned Johnny Sununu's running. Former Massachusetts U. S. Senator Scott Brown, great guy, is in the primary. He's losing at 73, 27. And I don't, I mean, the message to Republicans and the primaries out there all over the country is you saw what happened in Louisiana. You guys remember that great classic film, Bambi meets Godzilla?

[Mark]

Have you guys seen that? Yeah, it's a good movie.

[Michael]

That's.

[Mark]

I won't, I won't give away the ending, but it's exactly what you think.

[Kevin]

Is that the president in these, in these primaries.

[Michael]

Exactly. It's, it's Indiana, it's Louisiana, it's Massey, and it's going to be Scott Brown because Johnny Snooze been endorsed by Donald Trump. And I'm just like, I look, I love fighting, I love primaries. When I ran campaigns for a living, my specialty was Republican primaries. But the world is the way it is. You know what I mean? I just don't, don't understand the, the fight. Also interesting, JD Vance was in Maine. Never step foot in New Hampshire. You will not see any 2020. And none of the names on our list at NH Journal will be in the state of New Hampshire, at least until the midterms, if not after.

[Mark]

Are we all supposed to call him Johnny Sununu?

[Michael]

John, you have to call him Johnny because his dad is John H. And

[Larry]

his dad was governor the middle.

[Mark]

I understand, but Chris. Yeah, but, but does Johnny himself accept that? Does he? I mean, but you're not saying Johnny, you're saying John E. Right, John E. I apologize. No, no, it's my, that's my, that's your, your thick New England Accent always throws me off.

[Michael]

Absolutely. And I had a great time at wmal.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Larry]

Yes.

[Michael]

I had a great time at wmel. I was happy to leave the vacancy that Larry eventually filled. And I'm glad it all.

[Mark]

I'm not sure that's how it worked. Yeah, that's. It's a revisionist history, Michael. Thank you, Larry. One of the things I like about Michael's poll is, as you know, I've been a leading advocate for people cooling it on Marco Mentum and recognizing that J.D. vance has enormous advantages. And Michael's poll suggests, for instance, that Republican voters in the New People, Republicans or independents who want to vote in the New Hampshire primary are interested in Vance way more than Marco. Yeah.

[Larry]

Yeah. In fact, it's. If I remember right, and Michael will know this better than I will, I think Marco got about 10 and a half or 11% in the 2016 primary. Ten years later, he hasn't really moved the needle. And also, JD Vance has a huge advantage in that he can actually create a political operation while Secretary of State Marco Rubio cannot do that. He will have to actually leave his position.

[Kevin]

Well, despite what his digital team is putting out those videos and despite Pete

[Mark]

Hankseth campaigning today day.

[Larry]

That's different. Not for himself. It's not for himself.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Michael]

The question for Halperin is how long is this myth of the. The old school modern. I'm telling you, they're out there. The Mike. Mike pence is at 3%. He's about to release a book. No one even cares. There is no party outside of Trump. It's just done. And they. They keep telling. Oh, you don't understand.

[Larry]

There's that secret. You're talking.

[Mark]

You're talking to the wrong guy, dude. I'm with you. Kevin. Where is your party on accepting the New Hampshire primary as first in the nation? Because they'll go first. But it is still as by law.

[Kevin]

By state law. Yeah.

[Mark]

Do you think the DNC will sanction the New Hampshire because it's sanctioned in the negative sense, not in sanction in terms of approved. Will they. Will. Will they punish Democrats who campaign in New Hampshire the way they have in the past or have they given up in New Hampshire? Is going to be first in every respect.

[Kevin]

Two words. Ray Buckley.

[Mark]

Right.

[Kevin]

The longtime chair of the Democrats won't allow any of that happen. Longtime close friend.

[Mark]

He has in the past.

[Kevin]

Well. But longtime friend of Ken Martin and stuff like that. I think, you know, I think we're okay.

[Mark]

All right. Ladies and gentlemen, all I would ask Michael, I Need you to put together an investor group. And we need to reopen the Wayfarer in.

[Michael]

I will do it. I will get started right away.

[Mark]

You can't have a, you can't have a New Hampshire primary without a Wayfair end and the Wayfair in bar, which is where all the reporters and, and politicians used to gather. I only had one cycle with that place mattering, and it's incredible. And, and so I, I'll let you have the primary back if you. It's a shopping mall now, right? Right. Something like that.

[Michael]

It's, it's, it's, it's gone to retail. It's, it's. But look, the new place hang out with people. Castro's in Manchester. I hang out there the three days before the primary. Castro's.

[Mark]

Where is it?

[Michael]

Castro's right. On Elm street in Manchester. And reporters.

[Mark]

We're on Elm Street. We all have Elm street memorized. How far from the, how far from the center of New Hampshire? How far from the center of New Hampshire is it, how many blocks?

[Michael]

It's, if you're at the hotel where everyone hangs out, it's like four blocks down. Castro Cigar Bar, Manchester. People walk in.

[Mark]

Kevin, Kevin, Kevin, Kevin. Can you walk four blocks drunk? Kevin?

[Kevin]

Absolutely, I can. I'm a graduate of Catholic University.

[Mark]

I can walk.

[Kevin]

I, I could walk to New Hampshire from South Carolina drunk.

[Michael]

Exactly.

[Mark]

Okay.

[Kevin]

This is professional.

[Mark]

Michael, is there, you know how to drink? Is there, is there smoking in every room in Castro's?

[Michael]

Yes. It's a cigar bar and they have some great old bars.

[Mark]

The Democratic Party is not going to a cigar bar. Sorry.

[Michael]

But the media goes there and Republicans go.

[Mark]

Right?

[Kevin]

That's the problem.

[Larry]

Why they won't win. So, Michael, are you telling me that this, the Steve Hayes dream ticket of Liz Cheney, John Kasich, is not going to happen in 20?

[Mark]

Not this time.

[Michael]

So close. Right there. It's going to happen.

[Mark]

Not this time, Michael. Thank you. Thank you, Michael. Just to be clear, if I, if I go to Castro's, you're paying for my dry cleaning bill because I can't wear clothes in South Carolina that have smell like cigars.

[Larry]

Just, just wear something that you don't want to keep. That's the beauty.

[Mark]

Just throw it away.

[Larry]

Donate it to the, to the homeless, to the, to the unhoused neighbors in.

[Mark]

Professor Kenny I was there the day they announced Carl Yaskremsky was retiring or not, when they were honoring his retirement. And they sang a song called Yaz's Day sung to the tune of the Beatles yesterday. Single worst song I've ever heard. Yaz's Day. Yada yada yada. Yaz's Day.

[Professor Kenny]

No good. Yeah, it's just like when they do Sweet Caroline. I don't know why. What does Neil diamond hey. Have to do with each other? Canada Diamonds from Brooklyn.

[Mark]

No, he's from. Kenny from Canada.

[Professor Kenny]

No, Neil.

[Kevin]

No. Neil Diamond. No, he's not.

[Larry]

How dare you.

[Professor Kenny]

He grew up and my daughter went to the same school as him. Mark Twain.

[Mark]

Who am I thinking of?

[Kevin]

If I could. If I could walk out of this show, I would.

[Professor Kenny]

Neil diamond, by the way.

[Kevin]

That's, that's not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Professor Kenny]

That's Jim Rice and Fred Lynn. Just let everybody know. Yeah, my favorite player of all time.

[Mark]

What was, what was the year. What was the year where one was a rookie and one was kind of rookie? What year was that?

[Professor Kenny]

75. 1975. Lynn was the first guy to win MVP and Rookie of the year and he had was almost the same stats that year.

[Mark]

He had one game where he hit three home runs and he missed a fourth by inches. And every and every national game the Red Sox played they would say Fred Lynn, he had three home runs in a game and missed a fourth by inches.

[Professor Kenny]

And the fourth one I believe was a triple. And it was against the Detroit Tigers in 1975. And didn't fill with worthless sports information

[Larry]

by the way, did he not? Didn't he end his career with the Tigers? I found no.

[Professor Kenny]

He ended his career with the San Diego Padres.

[Mark]

Padres. All right.

[Larry]

Okay.

[Professor Kenny]

Yeah.

[Mark]

All right, professor, stand by. Ladies and gentlemen, this begins another week here on the morning meeting and on two way. Couldn't be happier to have you here. I'm headed over to Sirius XM where I spend the 10 o' clock Eastern Time hour with another hour of the morning meeting and I'd welcome your participation there. Kevin, what number can they call me at? You have no idea, do you? Kevin, write it down. I got to write it down. Post it, Kevin. 833-334-463-4966.

[Larry]

Look at Kenny, look at Professor Kenny.

[Kevin]

Call me on a post note. It's going to be on the up at the end of the.

[Mark]

Call me up at the end of the 10am hour. Talk me there and I'll see you tonight at five and the three of us will be back tomorrow. Gentlemen, I leave you in the hands of Professor Kenny and I'll see everybody

[Larry]

on serious capable that Donald Trump is violating the ceasefire Just to just.

[Mark]

Sorry.

[Professor Kenny]

Great.

[Larry]

Larry you see what I'm saying, Professor? You see what I'm dealing with? Professor?

[Professor Kenny]

Yes, I, I, I'm with you. I'm coming to help. So I got two things, Kevin. I keep telling my friends on the right that Kamala is going to be the person, she's the leader. And I said she just has to correct that word salad. Oh, my God. I mean, like, you would think these people would learn. It's, it's, it's frightening. And the American public gives billions of dollars to these candidates to run for president, and they just can't get on, get. I don't know what to say about her anymore.

[Mark]

But, yeah, I agree, I agree.

[Kevin]

I mean, she's, she's a, she's a strong candidate for 2028 if she wants it.

[Professor Kenny]

Listen, I'm with you, Kev. I'm, I could support Josh Shapiro, but I just think, you know, he's Jewish and, and we have so much anti Semitism in this country. I think that eliminates. It's such a shame. It's such a shame. Here's my question. I had put it in the chat. All right, who, and this is more for you, Larry. Who is the Malone, AKA Sean Connery in the Trump administration? Who's going to sit Trump's Eliot Ness ass down in the church pew and say, what are you prepared to do when it comes to Iran? That's what I want.

[Larry]

I would never venture into such an venture to predict who that person would be. But I think, I don't know. I could be wrong, but I think one of the toughest voices in the inner circle right now continues to be Susie Wild, the chief of staff. And I think that she has great, great political acumen, but I don't know whether her instincts necessarily focus where the president, where his gut puts him with regard to what needs to be done to win the war. I honestly think the President already has that inside him. I think that he already knows what needs to get done, but he is bending over backwards and, and jumping through every possible hoop to demonstrate that he has tried and tried and tried to make a deal, but he was left with no alternative. That's, that's my instinct of what's going on here. But everything I hear from the President with regard to Iran, he stays right on message. He's just not delivering the action as soon as many people would like him to deliver, because I think he is deferring to the process.

[Professor Kenny]

He's running out of time.

[Larry]

Larry. I, I don't, I don't disagree with you. And, and within the war council, probably Marco is the one who is more readiest to gung ho and get the job done. Yeah.

[Professor Kenny]

Tell everybody come on the post show at 10 and listen to Mark and then at 11 and then tonight Alan show at 6. Just want to throw the plugs in there.

[Larry]

Excellent.

[Kevin]

Perfect. Professor Kenny and the links are in the chat to do that.

[Larry]

I might be able to do the late show if you'll have me today. Not the Late show, the 11 o' clock show. Yep. The after show.

[Professor Kenny]

I'll I need your email, Larry, so I could send it to you.

[Larry]

Larry O.C. townhall.com Larry O.C. @townhall.com because I'm not doing my noon show today so I have a window to be able to do that.

[Professor Kenny]

Okay, great.

[Larry]

Thank you Professor.

[Kevin]

Thanks, Professor Kenny.

[Larry]

Thank you very much, sir.

[Kevin]

Of course we got Megan show Citizen McCain is dark today. We previewed two way tonight live at 5pm probably some breaking news with what the president is going to share in that press conference.

[Larry]

And then we've got Lifelong at seven with Ethan Supley in conversation with health transformation coach Leah Hope. What a great name for a health transportation.

[Kevin]

Leah Hope. How about it? Now you have big shoes to fill because I joined the after show on Friday. So if you're able to join it at 11 today, that should be a lot of fun. So they're your shoes. I hope they grill you just as hard as they grilled me.

[Larry]

Let me be clear. You are referring to your own shoes when you say that you have big shoes. 11. I think that was high school still when I was size 11. All right. Are we missing and we'll be back

[Kevin]

tomorrow morning with everybody.

[Larry]

I think that is it. Yeah. Thanks everybody.

[Mark]

Appreciate it.

[Kevin]

Thanks everybody.

[Larry]

Have a great noon show today. It's because my producer Kevin has the day off and but we'll be back tomorrow with everything that we do. Take care everyone.