2WAY Morning Meeting – September 5, 2025

Host: 2WAY (Mark Halperin, Sean Spicer, Dan Turrentine)
Episode Theme: Political and Economic Turmoil – Reports on Zohran Mamdani’s Fundraising, Eric Adams’s Potential Move to Saudi Arabia, Economic Issues, and Political Personalities

Overview

This episode brings the fast-paced, frank, and humorous team of Mark Halperin, Sean Spicer, and Dan Turrentine together to dissect the current U.S. political and economic landscape. They use the news division "morning meeting" format to cover breaking economic numbers, political maneuvering in New York City, controversy around RFK Jr.'s testimony, bold Biden/Trump administration moves abroad—and, as always, spirited listener participation.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. The U.S. Economy: Alarming Jobs Report

• (06:46) New Jobs Numbers Released:

  • Only 22,000 jobs added in August (vs. 75,000 expected).
  • Unemployment rate ticks up to 4.3%.

• (09:45) Halperin & Turrentine's Analysis:

  • Dan: “The numbers are not good at all… Fundamentals now appear to be not good.”
  • Decline in job market openings, consumer spending, manufacturing; wages trailing inflation.

• (12:30) Spicer's Defense:

  • Sees strong fundamentals: “Look at the stock market. It continues to be strong. Investment. Bringing back all of this manufacturing and investment into the United States is going to pay long term dividends.”

• (41:12) Listener Nicole from Tennessee:

  • Offers frustration at Fed rate policies and their effect on homeownership: “I'm having such a problem with people being able to afford the home. Like the last person got like a 7.2% mortgage.”
  • Sean: “Great observation, Nicole. I absolutely agree… I hope the Fed goes to full 50 basis points.”
  • Dan: Points out that low supply—not just rates—drives unaffordability.

2. New York City Political Drama:

• (10:54) Breaking News – Eric Adams Eyeing Saudi Ambassadorship:

  • Mark shares NYT alert: Mayor Adams may be up for U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
  • (11:39) “We said he wouldn't be, they wouldn't do anything where he'd have to be Senate confirmed… his qualifications to be ambassador to Saudi Arabia only are dwarfed by my sons. But it's hilarious.” – Mark

• (54:23) Greg Kelly’s Rumor Mill – Zohran Mamdani’s Fundraising Woes:

  • Greg: “There is a rumor, a pretty well sourced rumor, that Mamdani is in trouble regarding his fundraising and something dramatic could happen in the next 10 days.”
  • Suggests possibility of campaign finance violations or foreign money involvement that could upend the mayoral race.

• (55:14) NYC Mayoral Race Outlook:

  • Discussion about Mamdani vs. Cuomo.
  • Greg: “If turnout can get above 50%, there's no way Mamdani can win… Mayoral turnout tends to be about 25%.”

3. Controversy: RFK Jr.’s Congressional Testimony

• (14:27) Trump Stands by RFK Jr.:

  • “He's a very good person… he's got some little different ideas. I guarantee a lot of the people at this table like RFK Jr… I like the fact that he's different.” – Trump (14:46)

• (15:47–21:44) Panel’s Heated Debate:

  • Sean: “I think Kennedy crushed it… I thought he did a fantastic job.”
  • Mark: “I don't know how you can say he crushed it when he lied repeatedly and he was attacked repeatedly by Republicans… To have a Cabinet secretary lie repeatedly at a hearing… [is bad]… this guy lied repeatedly.”
  • Dan: “I would personally pay for RFK to keep opening his mouth. The vast… majority of Republicans believe in vaccines.”
  • Sean: Defends “asking questions” about schedules, challenges the notion of “settled science.”

• (49:03) Turner (Listener, Tenn.):

  • “I worked in the ICU during COVID… We had patients that were coming for heart attacks that would test incidentally for Covid… real issue with the data about whether it's accurate.”
  • Emphasizes nuanced, medically guided vaccine discussions, especially on Hep B policies for newborns.
  • Sean: “When we're told you can't ask a question or the science is settled… that's a problem.”

4. White House Moves: Aggressive New Global Policy

• (23:00) Presidential Strike against Foreign Drug Dealers
  • President orders targeted killing of alleged drug traffickers in international waters, bypassing Congress.
  • Mark: Raises specter of “new phase in how we protect and defend the U.S.”
  • Dan: “I worry about what other countries may do now. If another country says there was a boat off its coast and it's a boat of Americans and they blow it up… they just say this is what we thought.”
  • Sean: “Things like that don't just happen… This was very thought out, very well executed.”

5. Gavin Newsom’s Ascent

• (26:23) Polls Show Newsom Front-Runner for Dems:

  • Dan: “He's proving me wrong… Every time an event happens, he's jumping in and commenting, just like Donald Trump.”

• (27:50) Republican Worry:

  • Sean: “If I were a Democrat, this is the guy that I would say he can take this fight to the next generation…”

• (29:29–31:12) Base Solidifying:

  • Mark/Sean/Dan agree Newsom’s omnipresence and adaptability are making him a formidable force.
  • Dan: “This has got the base in his corner because he's actually picking up some success. And so they're looking past their worries.”
  • Mark: “We're not saying he's going to be the nominee, but we're telling you something that's important…”

• (57:00–59:36) Greg Kelly’s Critique:

  • Criticizes Newsom having a podcast (“scandal”), claims it helps him rebrand, and warns right-wing influencers not to get co-opted.

• (58:15) Sean’s Response:

  • “[That’s] how we grow the movement, how we grow the party… If you don't take him seriously, I think that would be the stupid thing.”

6. Marquee Segments, Winners & Losers (32:34)

Winners of the Week:

• Dan: Big Tech – “They are getting basically everything that they want.”
• Sean: Trump’s Rose Garden symbolism – “He is able to have thought about this over four years… a symbolic way in which he is putting his imprint on the presidency.”
• Mark: Billionaires – “They got to be shown once again that they're cozy in the White House.”

Losers of the Week:

• Sean: America – No more Hall & Oates reunion.
• Dan: Congressional Republicans – “The economy is slowing… Trump sitting around with a bunch of billionaires while the job market is slowing… he's focused on them, he is not focused on you.”
• Mark: Sleep (and football, due to late games and delays).

7. Audience Q&A Highlights

(45:53) Nathan in Western Wisconsin asks: Is it possible AI could develop intelligence/consciousness recognized politically or legally?

• Dan: AI dominates every sector’s discussions; legal world is being reshaped but the “impact is unclear.”
• Sean: Cites impacts on education and military training, warns “if we don’t remember our core fundamentals going forward, that’s going to be a problem.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Mark (re: Adams as ambassador):
  “His qualifications to be ambassador to Saudi Arabia only are dwarfed by my son’s.” (11:41)

• Dan (on the economy):
  “The fundamentals now appear to be not good…this is just data. So the problem is you can’t keep saying it’s the golden era and everything is great and at the same time have all these numbers…” (09:45)

• Sean (defending RFK Jr.):
  “I thought he did a fantastic job… you can’t ask any questions, that’s a problem.” (18:22, 51:01)

• Turner (nurse, on COVID data):
  “There is some real issue with the statistics because we had patients that were coming for heart attacks that would test incidentally for Covid…” (49:15)

• Mark (about Gavin Newsom):
  “The press is treating him like he’s the de facto opposition leader.” (30:17)

• Greg Kelly (on podcasting and political media):
  “There is a long-term danger when you guys go on these mainstream media shows that you will become like the mainstream media and cultivate approval. Their opinion.” (61:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 06:46 – August jobs report breakdown
• 09:45 – Economic fundamentals and panel debate
• 10:54 – Eric Adams possible Saudi ambassadorship
• 14:27 – Trump stands by RFK Jr.
• 15:47 – RFK Jr. Congressional testimony controversy
• 23:00 – President’s order to kill foreign drug dealers
• 26:23 – Newsom polling, panel’s shifting opinion
• 32:34 – Winner/Loser of the week segment
• 41:12 – Listener Nicole on housing & economy
• 45:53 – Nathan’s AI question
• 49:03 – Turner, nurse from Tennessee, on COVID/vaccines
• 54:23 – Greg Kelly on NYC mayoral shakeup/Mamdani
• 57:00 – Greg Kelly’s critique on Newsom’s podcast
• 58:15 – Sean Spicer responds to Greg’s critique

Tone & Language

The conversation remains lively, direct, and occasionally combative—with hosts frequently challenging each other, employing sarcasm, quick wit, and humor. Audience participation is encouraged and warmly received, with a policy of “peace, love, understanding, presumption of grace to all.”

Bottom Line

This episode tackles the bad economic news and its political fallout, New York City political intrigue, vaccine and data debates, and the emergence of Gavin Newsom as a possible Democratic frontrunner—all with humor, candor, and sharp disagreement. Audience voices provide grounded, insightful local perspectives, while the core trio keeps the banter brisk and pointed. If you missed the show, this summary captures all the big stories and memorable arguments, with highlights from both the hosts and the audience.