Trump and Schumer Face Off as Government Shutdown Looms; Trump Says He's Sending Troops to Portland

Summary

Podcast Summary: 2WAY Morning Meeting

Episode: Trump and Schumer Face Off as Government Shutdown Looms; Trump Says He's Sending Troops to Portland
Date: September 29, 2025
Hosts: Mark Halperin, Sean Spicer, Dan Turrentine

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Main Theme

This episode dives deep into a tumultuous news day—focusing on the looming government shutdown as President Trump prepares to meet with Democratic leaders Schumer and Jeffries, the tense situation in Portland as Trump announces deployment of troops, and Netanyahu’s White House visit where a controversial Gaza peace plan is on the table. The show also touches on late-night media drama, Democratic primary rumblings, the New York mayor’s race, and how evolving attitudes are reshaping alliances and political strategies.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Government Shutdown Looming: Trump vs. Schumer & Jeffries

• White House Agenda: President Trump’s day includes an executive order, bilateral with Netanyahu, and a high-stakes meeting with Congressional leaders to avert a government shutdown.
• Meeting Dynamics: The hosts speculate how the meeting will play out, with expectation of a press photo op, followed by closed-door negotiations, and press "stakeouts" (11:54).
  • Advice to Dem Leaders: “Just stick to that simple message.”
    —Dan Turrentine (12:51)
  • Trump’s Approach: Sean notes Trump might either wing it or get “pre-gamed” by staff, but usually leads the discussion to his own advantage (13:39).
• Shutdown Messaging: Trump’s team pushes for a “clean, common-sense” continuing resolution, blaming Democrats if the government closes (10:49).
• Predictions: Both parties may try to inflict selective pain on constituents if a shutdown happens, but Spicer and Turrentine agree Trump likely wins the messaging war unless Dems focus laser-like on health care impacts (50:43–51:32).

2. Netanyahu (Bibi) at the White House & Gaza Peace Plan

• 20-Point Plan: Netanyahu brings a formal proposal under intense domestic and US pressure; Trump administration figures like Jared Kushner and Ambassador Witkoff are deeply involved in negotiations (15:19).
• Power Dynamics: Dan argues Bibi has historically pressured US presidents more than the reverse, and expects him to drive the agenda—possibly using public support for the peace plan while acting unilaterally in Gaza (16:25).
• US-Israel Relations: “The problem is you may in the short term get what you want with Trump … but … you've really started to lose any of the traditional US support on a bipartisan basis that Israel once enjoyed.”
  —Sean Spicer (15:19)
• Kushner's Role: The panel is skeptical about Jared Kushner’s efficacy, rating his involvement from “0” (Dan: conflict of interest) to “6 or 7” (Sean) for effectiveness, but Mark facetiously declares “the correct answer is 9” (17:59).

3. Lawfare & Indictments

• Anticipated Legal Moves: Next indictments could target figures like John Bolton, Brennan, Clapper, or Letitia James. There’s speculation on whether charges will be refashioned to avoid summary dismissal (18:54–19:58).
• Trump’s Legal Strategy: The hosts note Trump's team may “refile the indictment to make it a little bit less dismissible” (19:45).

4. Late Night TV & Media Apologies: Kimmel’s Playbook

• “Non-Apology Model”: Sean observes that Jimmy Kimmel hasn’t apologized for past controversial comments, reflecting the Trumpian “just move forward” strategy (8:56).
  • “Disney has not said what he said was wrong. They just put him in a penalty box and moved on.”
    —Sean Spicer (9:44)
• Ratings Expectation: Kimmel’s guest lineup will likely drive big numbers for a couple of weeks (10:17).

5. Democratic Primary Speculation: Rahm Emanuel’s Prospects

• Rahm’s Candidacy: Rahm Emanuel is testing Iowa; skepticism remains over his viability due to ideological baggage and connections to Clinton/Obama years (21:56–23:45).
  • “He's too much of the past.”
    —Sean Spicer (23:04)
• Strategy to Win the Left: Dan argues Rahm needs to pick a high-profile fight on progressive turf to gain traction, like Newsom did with redistricting (24:02–24:36).

6. New York City Mayor’s Race

• Current Chances: Mandami is the heavy favorite, with hosts saying “80%” (Dan) to “100%” (Sean) odds, but emphasize debates and negative ads could shake up the race (29:26).
  • “This race is over.”
    —Sean Spicer (29:55)
• Business Community's View: Guest Kathy Wilde says mayors don’t ultimately determine NYC’s fate, highlighting resilience (28:07).

7. Portland National Guard Deployment

• Situation Update: Trump is sending troops; hosts recall past unrest and anticipate the situation will escalate (30:13–31:36).
  • “This is personal for him. Going back to 2020. I imagine we're going to hear more about it.”
    —Dan Turrentine (30:45)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You can't sit there and look like you're getting whipped. You just can't.” —Dan Turrentine on how Dems should handle Trump baiting in the shutdown meeting (13:20)
• “Their view is okay, let's just, let's roll on … Is this truly the new model of ‘I don't have to say I'm sorry’?” —Sean Spicer on Kimmel/Disney (8:56)
• “I think Israel is slowly losing the American public.” —Dan Turrentine (58:51)
• “We keep talking about both sides and what it's going to take. And I think that there is a larger issue here that no one wants to discuss, which is a difference in the worldview of how people perceive what is right and wrong and acceptable.” —Sean Spicer (43:35)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Shutdown Daybook & Dem/Trump Showdown: 05:09–14:26
• Late Night TV Apology Model & Kimmel Ratings: 08:56–10:18
• Shut Down Messaging & Caroline Levitt’s Defense: 10:49–12:27
• Schumer/Jeffries Strategy Advise: 12:51–13:29
• Bibi, Gaza Plan & Kushner’s Score: 15:19–18:29
• Lawfare Prognostications: 18:33–19:58
• Rahm Emanuel’s Iowa Pitch: 20:57–25:46
• NYC Mayor's Race Odds & Big Endorsements: 28:07–30:12
• Portland Update: 30:13–31:36
• Listener Q&A: Faith, Lawfare, Shutdown: 33:55–53:06
• Israel, Criticism, and American Public Sentiment: 54:08–59:14

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Listener Questions & Community Comments

• Faith and Political Discourse: A listener asks whether the left can accept Christianity, with Dan and Sean addressing the party’s “big tent” needs and cultural tensions (41:02–44:26).
• Shutdown Specifics: Listeners probe Trump’s shutdown tactics and likely winners; hosts agree Trump may wield the narrative advantage and selectively inflict constituent pain (49:02–52:24).
• Empathy for Gaza Civilians and Israel Criticism: Sam from Dallas reflects on the difficulty of discussing Israel-Gaza issues in good faith, sparking insightful panel responses on purity tests and public opinion (54:08–59:14).

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Tone and Style

The conversation is spirited, irreverent, and direct, often offering an insider’s take with a blend of skepticism and wit. Mark manages the flow, Sean brings partisan insight from the right, and Dan supplies Democratic perspective with candor and humor.

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Conclusion

This Morning Meeting episode connects the dots between looming federal crises, global diplomacy, urban politics, and shifting political norms in both parties. Expect more drama as the shutdown deadline ticks down, the Israel-Gaza picture evolves, and the 2026 campaign season heats up.

Stay tuned: Tomorrow’s episode promises updates on shutdown fallout, the Trump-Bibi summit, and fallout from Portland.

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For those interested in specific segments, see the timestamped breakdown above. This concise, engaging summary should serve as a comprehensive guide—even if you missed the full conversation.

Transcript

[Dan Turrentine]

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[Mark]

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[Sean Spicer]

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[Mark]

Welcome to Monday, everyone. It's the morning meeting. Shondan and I are going to run you through the day in the style of the network news division's morning meetings. And then after we kick things around, will be time for your participation. This is a conversation like no other. We'd love to have you be part of it. So if you're here on the two way platform, want to be in on the conversation, raise them high, proud, loud, but not angry. Always with peace, love and understanding. I keep getting messages from people saying either what is smack in the chat or you guys interrupt each other. That's not peace, love and understanding, folks. We're having a spirited conversation. If you ever listen to a meeting, that's what people do. I don't interrupt Dan and say, dan, you ignorant slut. I just, you know, jump right in. And on air.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yeah, yeah, off air.

[Mark]

Dan jumps right back. So we have a good understanding of what peace, love and understanding is. And you should too. As well as extending the presumption of grace to all. If you're watching on x or on YouTube. Thank you for being here. You can also listen to us as a podcast, but do not under any circumstances put smack in the chat. Thank you very much for your attention to this matter. Sean, how was the weekend?

[Sean Spicer]

Red Sox made the postseason? Patriots won.

[Dan Turrentine]

What could be better? Gentlemen, Gentlemen. We have a Yankees and a Red Sox.

[Mark]

Where is that game? Where is that game? Is that in New York?

[Dan Turrentine]

Actually, it's a series. First off, it's a series Tuesday.

[Sean Spicer]

It's a wild card playoff.

[Mark]

Is it one game? It's two out of three or one.

[Dan Turrentine]

Game out of three. You gotta win two out of three. So I'm not sure.

[Sean Spicer]

I'm gonna guess. It starts in New York, right?

[Dan Turrentine]

It doesn't. It's only one city. That's. That's how they did it to keep the home field advantage for the regular season.

[Mark]

Let's see all three games are in New York.

[Dan Turrentine]

If who's the higher seed, it'll be.

[Sean Spicer]

It'll be the Yankees.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yep. It's at. Yep, they're all.

[Mark]

When's the first game? First. First game tomorrow. Dan, you want to go?

[Dan Turrentine]

Ah, the answer always is yes to a playoff game, period.

[Mark]

All right, you're gonna wager we're some. We're. No. Some kishes and some stone crabs or something. Dan, I can. I'm free tomorrow night, so let's, let's get tickets. Sean, come up if you can.

[Dan Turrentine]

That's.

[Sean Spicer]

That's. Actually, you know, that, that, that may be worth the bus.

[Mark]

Take the Chinatown bus. Will be $12. Well, we'll. We'll get to the. The daybook and all the news in just a moment. We're grateful to you for being part of Two Way. And we're grateful as you are because it helps keep the lights on for our sponsors. Today's program brought to you by Take Lean. Dan, you like Yo Yos, the childhood toy? Yo Yo.

[Dan Turrentine]

Oh, the toy. Yeah. I thought you meant the dessert.

[Mark]

No Yo Yos.

[Dan Turrentine]

I liked a good Yo Yo.

[Mark]

Yo, Yo. Yo. Yo Yos are good, but you don't want a Yo yo diet. You don't want what's called weight cycling. A lot of Americans do it. Your weight goes up and down. It puts you at risk of all sorts of things. Diabetes, liver damage, heart attack and stroke. That's when you lose 10 pounds and gain it back. Sometimes I do that, and over the course of a few days. Just kidding. It puts tremendous strain on your organs. You shouldn't do it. Most people need help to stop weight cycling. Give the products at Take Lean a try. They help you maintain healthy blood sugar, help control appetite and cravings, and help you burn fat by converting it to energy. So if you want to lose weight in the right way, give their products a try. Go to takelean.com, use the promo code Mark, and you can take off 20% of your purchase. Again, go to takelean.com, promo code Mark 20% off your purchase. Thank you for your attention to that matter.

[Sean Spicer]

Hi, I'm Anthony Scaramucci, and I'd like to tell you about my new show, Lost Boys. It's a limited edition series. It's hosted by myself and Professor Scott Galloway. We're having honest conversations about a topic.

[Mark]

No one wants to talk about.

[Sean Spicer]

The crisis that young men are facing nowadays. Our talks discuss why so many young men are struggling to find purpose, connection, and identity in today's world. We dig into what's really going on. Politics, culture, loneliness, even rage. And what we can do to help change the narrative. This is a six part series that will challenge your assumptions and encourage you to continue the conversation from the dinner.

[Mark]

Table to the office.

[Dan Turrentine]

Follow and listen to Lost Boys on.

[Sean Spicer]

YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also go to Lostboys Men and sign up to get the latest episodes and news.

[Mark]

Here's the pool for today. BBC. A bunch of foreigners are in the radio pool. We're clear. Our friends are real clear. Politics, secondary print, new media, Daily wire and the. And the President has quite a schedule. Quite a schedule. First of all, at 10 o', clock, 10:15, he's signing an executive order. We don't know what that is. In theory, that's.

[Sean Spicer]

Can we just go back real quick? I just want to know. The grio is the print. And I only say that because you have a massive, massive day with congressional leaders. Obviously this big bipartisan meeting and then the meeting with Netanyahu and not a major publication. I mean, no offense to the griot, but that's a heavy lift.

[Mark]

Yeah, well, good luck to the griot. Corresponding. Keeping it up. And then the secondary polls. Rich. Clear politics again, not a traditional polling thing. All right, good point. 10:15, the president signs an executive order. Don't know what that is. 11, he greets Bibi. 11:35, they have a bilat in the Oval, which is in theory closed, but sometimes, as you know, they open the bilats up and have a press conference appetizer. And then in theory, at 1:15 they have a press conference. Sean, do you think it's going to be the so called 2 and 22 questions from each side or more of a free for all?

[Sean Spicer]

I'm going to put all of my money on no, it will be a free for all.

[Mark]

Yeah, I think it'll be a free for all. And, and we'll talk about the meeting in just a moment. But it's Bibi's, I think, fourth trip here this term, then three o' clock. In theory, close press, but I'll be curious to see if they open that one up. The President meets first time ever. He's meeting Hakeem Jeffries. I predict he'll pronounce his name Hakim or something like that to offend him and Chuck Schumer and then the Republican leadership, we'll see what comes to that. To try to head off a potential government shutdown, which is, I like to speak in the hyperbole of Cable news hours away. Go ahead and throw the countdown clock up. No, we don't have that. But you know they got to figure this out by tomorrow night. And then he participates in a closed Press event at 5:30 with Old Star families. I don't know where the vice president is today but we suspect he'll be in all the BB meetings.

[Dan Turrentine]

House is out and he'll be in the meeting with Congress. I think.

[Mark]

Oh yeah, he'll be that. He'll be spending the day with the President. He'll chime in. Senate House is out. Senate Recon resumes consideration of the National Defense Authorization act which Sean calls the NDAA. Is that what you call that? Sean 2A N2A Speaker Johnson. Speaker Speaker Johnson's doing a call with his flock. House Democrats are having an in person caucus meeting at 6 and some other things. Tyler Robinson is having a virtual hearing today at noon Eastern for a waiver hearing. Portland mayor is having a press conference with other regional mayors at six to talk about the deployment of the National Guard. The justices of the Supreme Court are meeting privately to consider petitions about whether Ghislaine Maxwell has her conviction overturned. As I read one where the one place they just might announce today her convictions overturned that that's a possibility. I don't know if that's true. Kamala Harris tonight at the Will Turn in Los Angeles. I'm not familiar with that venue. I probably should be. Is having one of her book tour events still number one on Amazon last I looked. And Jimmy Kimmel, we'll talk about this. Put this up. Incredible guests this week. Hollywood entertainment industry flocking around Kimmel to be booked on his show. So it's a good week to be Jimmy Kimmel's booker because look at this all star lineup. Ryan Reynolds, Josh Johnson, Public Enemy tonight, Colbert, you see the list. Emily Blunt and Friday, it's the big one as far as I'm concerned. Communist Tom Hanks and Brooklyn Spike Lee all gathering to show support for Kimmel. And obviously this could goose the ratings. So if the people want to destroy Kimmel are not getting their way. All right, shut down politics. Here we go.

[Sean Spicer]

One comment on because I know we always try to be forward looking. And so I was thinking about that lineup and Dan made a comment last week that I thought was really interesting that I reflected on which is the Trump model is you don't apologize, you go forward. And if you think about what these guys did on abc, they barreled forward. They didn't apologize. Jimmy Kimmel to this day hasn't said a damn thing in terms of saying I was sorry, I was wrong. And I went and I pulled the statement from Disney. And this is really interesting because what Dan said, if you listen to this, this was what Disney said. It was a decision we made because we felt some of the comments were ill timed. In other words, they never. It were. The comments were okay. It was just the timing was off. And I think to Dan's point, their view is okay, let's just, let's, let's roll on. And I think this is, the question is, does this become the new model, which is you go into the penalty box for five minutes and then you, you, you kind of come back and go, but Kimmel to this day has not said what I said was wrong. Disney has not said what he was said was wrong. They just put him in a penalty box and moved on. And the question becomes, is this truly the new model of. I don't have to say I'm sorry.

[Mark]

Yeah. All right. Well, since we jumped out of order, Dan, we're talking about Kimmel now. How do you think Kimmel's ratings will be?

[Sean Spicer]

I'm sorry, I thought that was.

[Mark]

That's okay. Dan, how do you think Kimmel's ratings will be for the week?

[Dan Turrentine]

Very high.

[Mark]

And the month. The month.

[Dan Turrentine]

Like they will. I don't know if they'll sustain for the whole month of October, but I would think the first two weeks they'll be. They'll be very high.

[Mark]

Yeah. All right, Kimmel. All right, so shut down. Caroline Levitt was on Fox and Friends and then she gaggled and I, I don't know what she said in the gaggle. So I'll ask Paul and others if you can see if she said anything significant in the gaggle. But here she is from Fox and Friends talking about the meeting and a potential government shutdown. 115. Please.

[Caller/Guest]

Let me be very clear about the president in the White House's position. All we are asking for is a common sense clean funding resolution, a continuing resolution to keep the government open. This is a bill that keeps the government funded at the exact same levels as today, just adjusted for inflation. So there is zero good reason for the Democrats to vote against this, especially when the Democrats have voted for this 13 previous times as recently as March. And so this is the reasonable and common sense thing to do. The President is giving Democrat leadership one last chance to be reasonable, to come to the White House today to try to talk about this. And now is not the time to try to get political points against Donald Trump, now is the time to do right by the American people and keep the government funded. Our most vulnerable in our society and our country will be impacted by a government shutdown. Everybody knows this. And that's why Republicans and the president want to keep the government open. And we welcome Democrats to join us in that effort.

[Mark]

All right, we're all committed to being forward looking as always. So here we go. First of all, Democrats say the meeting itself is a sign that the White House is panicking and nerve and feeling vulnerable. I don't know about that. Let's just do some quick. Yes. No. Sean, will this be, will the photo, will there be an open press photo op?

[Dan Turrentine]

Yes.

[Mark]

Dan. Yes. Sean, will Schumer and Jefferies go to the stakeout afterwards and speak to the press?

[Sean Spicer]

100%, Dan.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yes.

[Mark]

Okay, so we will see this as you guys believe in two acts. We'll see a photo op and then, then there'll be a meeting that won't be open.

[Dan Turrentine]

Wait, photo op or will they do raw video and Trump's going to.

[Mark]

No, no, no. That's what I mean by photo op. They'll. And yeah, part of the meeting. They'll have part of the meeting in front of us and have a private meeting. Then they'll be stayed at. So Dan, if you were staffing Schumer and Jefferies and they said what's our goal? What do we want to accomplish here? What would you, what's, what would you tell them their goal should be and how to execute that?

[Dan Turrentine]

I would just keep it to one thing or two things. We agreed that we need to have the CR extended, but we have to deal with health care, we have to deal with the Obama aca. Just stick to that simple message. That's it.

[Mark]

And if the president tries to bait them into a Trump Pelosi style smackdown, if he starts insulting them or mispronouncing Jeffrey's name, would you advise them to, to be pugilistic or to rise above.

[Dan Turrentine]

A little of both? I would use humor. I would not get like totally snappy. But you can't sit there and look like you're getting whipped. You just can't.

[Mark]

Sean, how does the president like if, like in the past when he's had these meetings and he's Father Pelosi, is there any pre gaming or this is all just a one man show?

[Sean Spicer]

I've seen it both ways and I think it just depends on his mood. And I mean I've seen them attempt. There's been pre game attempts that have not helped. But Meaning they get him wild up and he goes, I know how to do this. And so we'll see. I got to think that part of the reason that I didn't like the idea of it happening in the first place is that Schumer and Jeffries obviously want to come in and just get him to agree to, you know, Mr. President, can't we just do this and then we're on board and he'll, he would reflexively say sure or something. So I think the question on the pregame is sequencing more than anything else. If I were his team, I'd say the first thing out of your mouth should be, gentlemen, here's what we need to do. Don't let them lead the discussion.

[Mark]

All right, we'll talk more about this on two way tonight. We'll talk about it here on the show tomorrow. But we don't really know what's going to happen. So we'll move on from that. Put up number 104, Bibi at the White House today over the weekend, first leaking and then I believe somewhat formally putting out this 20 point plan, peace plan for the, for the, for Gaza AP headline Netanyahu and Trump are set to meet. His pressure mounts to end war in Gaza. Apparently Jared Kushner and Witkoff, Ambassador Witkoff have been working, Envoy Wyckoff have been working all sides to get this done. I look at Bibi's posture in, in some weekend comments, speaking favorably as the plan, the way the social media companies speak favorably of efforts to regulate them, which is to say he's not really for this plan, but he knows he would look bad if he didn't come out for it. So, Sean, same kind of question as I said before, what's Bibi's goal today?

[Sean Spicer]

I think his goal is to, to lay out a plan that the president says fine, go ahead and move forward. What I would worry about the problem that I think that Israel writ large has is I look at it like trade 15 years ago. You are losing the American people iteratively with each of these things. And the problem is you may in the short term get what you want with Trump, which is the acquiescence to go into Gaza and do certain things. But I think by the end of the Trump administration, you've really started to lose any of the traditional US Support on a bipartisan basis that Israel once enjoyed.

[Mark]

Dan Bibi is pressured by his domestic politics because there are people in his coalition who do not like this plan. I keep seeing these reports that this is make or break. And if Bibi doesn't do what Trump wants, the relationship will be shattered. I think all that's crap. I think Trump and Bibi are going to be aligned no matter what. They'll pressure each other. But is today's meeting more, in your view about finding common cause or about Trump trying to pressure Bibi to really support the plan?

[Dan Turrentine]

So the history of this is that Netanyahu is the one who does the pressuring that. I think he's going to try to pressure Trump to see the light about why he needs to finish the job as he sees it, and why they're never going to allow him to go.

[Mark]

But is that compatible with this 20 point plan?

[Dan Turrentine]

Well, so, I mean, that's the thing, right? I think in the history of Netanyahu with US Presidents, never has Netanyahu gone into a meeting where it's like, yes, sir, no, ma', am type of thing. Okay, I'll agree to what you want. He lectures. He's so headstrong. So I think the goal is to come out where they'll say nice things about the 20 point plan. But every time he's come to meet with Trump, something big has happened within two weeks afterwards. And I think he, So I think he's coming here to say, I'm going in in the next week. Yeah, it's going to be big, it's going to be overwhelming, and you're going to shut your mouth and not say anything.

[Mark]

All right, exit question zero. Meaning.

[Dan Turrentine]

Well, wait, wait. Can I say one other thing?

[Mark]

Yes, sir.

[Dan Turrentine]

The Trump people are beginning to follow the Biden playbook of this. We leak, we're upset, but in private, we greenlight. We leak, we are upset. And I think Netanyahu just laughs at him.

[Mark]

Okay.

[Dan Turrentine]

It laughs at no power.

[Mark]

Okay. Mandatory exit question zero means totally unhelpful. Ten means Nobel priest, peace prize worthy. How would you characterize Jared's involvement in Middle East. Right. Middle east peace, right. Now, 10 is completely counterproductive. And 10 is he's moving this thing to the promised land. Sean.

[Sean Spicer]

I, I would, at this point, I would probably take a pass, but I would, I mean, I don't know how much he's really, but I would say probably 6 or 7.

[Dan Turrentine]

Dan 0. Because 80% of it is rumored alleged that a lot of his of his private equity money comes out of the Middle east. And you can't argue with your bankers.

[Mark]

The correct answer is 9. 9 is the correct answer. Very helpful, very helpful. The history books will show what he did this weekend. Very helpful. Okay.

[Dan Turrentine]

By the way, I Walking around the Upper east side, you could see where they were moving, moving around.

[Mark]

Oh, yeah, yeah. New York's been crazy the last couple of days. I keep thinking every time I go out for a run, I'm almost run over by a motorcade. Okay, we can spend the hour talking about Comey and Lawfare and all the other people who might be indicted. Dan, just give me what to look for this week in warfare. Lawfare. What's. What are you looking for in Lawfare this week?

[Dan Turrentine]

What is the next shoe to drop? Like who, who is the next. There was rumors John Bolton on Friday afternoon, but it didn't happen. I would imagine somebody else will this week. And I just want to say I thought what was crazy was over the weekend, the stuff about January 6th that the Post and everything ran with and then they all backed off. It took Cash Patel coming out to say nothing to see here.

[Mark]

Sean, what are you looking for in Lawfare? What's the one thing you're looking for?

[Sean Spicer]

I agree with Dan. I mean, I'm trying to figure out if this isolated to Comey or the threats against people like Bolton. Yeah, I mean, I think what, what MAGA wants is to see Brennan and Clapper up next. I mean, they don't, they're much more egregious. I mean, Bolton was a, was sort of, you know, a thorn in the side, but Clapper and Brennan are equally culpable.

[Dan Turrentine]

Or Letitia James. Yeah, supposedly that one's another one that.

[Mark]

I'll give, I'll give you another thing to look for. We'll move on to conscious of the clock. They're going to, I think they're going to refile the indictment to make it a little bit less dismissible because I think on its current form it would be summarily dismissed.

[Dan Turrentine]

It'll be more than two pages.

[Mark]

Well, you know, some specifics about what he actually lied about. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right. Rahm Emanuel spent a couple days in Iowa this weekend. Old fashioned, you know, early state trip. Even though no one knows if I was actually going to be an early state for the Democrats. Went to, met with labor officials, did a bunch of stuff, got for his troubles, writes up in Politico. And here's the Wall Street Journal. Rahm Emanuel weighing presidential bid navigates a Democratic party moving left Party long timer takes stage in Iowa to test political waters, leaving behind past criticism of Democrats. As John McCormick experienced Iowa and national political reporter points out, Rahm didn't really hit the theme of our party's gone too crazy left. He Talked more Clinton esque, like, you know, we have to solve the problems and had a bunch of pre canned lines. Here is a soundbite from Mr. Emanuel, Mayor Emanuel, Ambassador Emmanuel, in the greater Des Moines Metroplex on Saturday, 107, please.

[Sean Spicer]

They thought they got, they did everything.

[Mark]

Right, raise their kids to know right.

[Dan Turrentine]

From wrong, gotten birth, settled, squared, looking.

[Mark]

Forward, got a good education, they're making money and they're still in the basement. They're taking money out of the 401k because the paycheck doesn't get them to the 31st of the month.

[Sean Spicer]

I grew up, my dad was a pediatrician.

[Mark]

I'm a son of a pediatrician. I know you thought I was going to say something else, but I'm the son of a pediatrician. When my dad used to call somebody for a second opinion, it was another healthcare professional. It was not some insurance individual on.

[Sean Spicer]

The other side of the phone telling.

[Mark]

Them what they could and couldn't do, what they can and can't prescribe or tell you. That's not covered. Their backs were against the wall.

[Sean Spicer]

They're still against the wall. And we were as a party mia.

[Mark]

Now one thing they know about Democrats is when they need to chips down, their backs are against the wall.

[Sean Spicer]

We show up ready to help and.

[Dan Turrentine]

Roll up our sleeves and get to work.

[Mark]

So this should not come as a surprise to you. The American dream is unaffordable. It's inaccessible. And we as Democrats, that's unacceptable to us. So guys, I know what I think and I know what the, the chattering class thinks of every other potential candidate. But I'm still very confused about Rom. Sometimes people put him in the top tier or second tier. Sometimes people dismiss him out of hand. Besides the question of whether the left hates him too much to be nominated, Sean, what else is giving people doubts about whether Ron will be a strong candidate? Besides that?

[Sean Spicer]

I'm sorry, can we rephrase?

[Mark]

What else besides, besides this one thing? His record is mayor and his and his tweaking of blood means he can't get through the liberal, you know, the liberal base and therefore he can't win enough votes. But besides that question, what else gives people doubts about whether Rahm could be the nominee and could be president? You can, you can, you can say short Jew if you want. That's fine. Don't be shy.

[Sean Spicer]

He's missing a finger.

[Mark]

Yeah, I mean, maybe you say nothing. Maybe you think that's it.

[Sean Spicer]

I mean, I think that like it depends on like the reason I asked you to ask the question is because, like, his connection to the Clintons, like, he's too. He's too much of the past is kind of what I would say.

[Mark]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sean Spicer]

And so I don't know if that is what you were sort of excluding, but I think he's not the future. He's past.

[Mark]

Four years ago, of course. Or not four years ago. Last year, the Democrats were on track to nominate someone even more from the past. So, you know, I know.

[Sean Spicer]

I'm just.

[Dan Turrentine]

I mean, you're talking about a party looking to turn the page, and he is. He's got 40 years of scar tissue, and he's most closely associated with two people, Clinton and Obama, who are not popular in the party right now.

[Mark]

Okay.

[Sean Spicer]

I think, for me, it's not just a timing thing. The problem with Rahm is. I think that I don't know how to say this without, like. I think he's too honest about his beliefs, that he's not willing to contort himself to the far left.

[Dan Turrentine]

Well, but I. Sorry, Mark, go ahead.

[Mark]

No, you go. You go.

[Dan Turrentine]

Well, I think the one thing that with Rahm that I'm really curious about is when does he pick a fight that the left loves and get at the tip of the spear and drive it at Trump? Because Newsom wasn't loved by the left a year ago. They thought he was a chameleon. They weren't. They didn't trust him. But what he's did on redistricting, the left loves him.

[Mark]

It's a brilliant question why he hasn't done it yet.

[Dan Turrentine]

Right. Because I think if he does with his mouth, with his social media, kind of like, I mean, he. He does snark better than anybody.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Dan Turrentine]

The left would go berserk if he could get in Trump's head. And if there's anyone I said could put a point on the board against Trump, if I had to wager for our party, it would be Rahm.

[Mark]

Who's. Who's currently in your first tier? Dan, AOC and Newsom alone in the first year.

[Dan Turrentine]

And I think if Rahm could go that far, I'd put him there. But, yeah, AOC and Newsom, but otherwise.

[Mark]

Rahm's in the second tier.

[Dan Turrentine]

Correct.

[Mark]

Sean, is that same for you?

[Sean Spicer]

I sort of, as I said the other day, I've got, like, a car crash of the sort of the Whitmer, Bashir, Westmore Shapiro. Like, somebody's gonna break out. I just. The problem with Ron, like I said, is I actually think as a politician, he's better than anyone. He's better than, I think he's better than Newsom to some degree. But I just can't see the base of the Democratic Party letting him.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yeah, see, if I were him, like, I'd jump in the healthcare fight now because it's about working class people. You did it in 06, you helped pass it and go the bill inside and out. I would get out there and. Because right now there is no. Is it Schumer? Like, everyone laughs at it. So that's where I would, if I were him, pick the fight.

[Mark]

All right, this Pentagon meeting tomorrow. The president's now going to go speak with Secretary of War Hegseth about to the military brass from all over the world, U.S. officials. I think it's, I think at this point it's much ado about nothing. They're just gonna have a pep rally and tell them what you know, give them marching orders. Washington Post, which has been leading on this story. Trump to attend gathering of top generals upending last minute plans. Hundreds of top military officers and staff have been summoned to Virginia on short notice for a speech by Pete Hegseth. Trump decided this weekend to attend the meeting, adding new security concerns. Guys, am I right? This is much ado about nothing. We can move on. It's just like he's meeting, he's having a meeting.

[Sean Spicer]

But also, can I just say this? Like the idea that it's adding. It's at Quantico and if you know anything about like what happens at Quantico, like just on a normal day, it's a pretty safe place. Yeah, that Sec Def was going there and all these guys like this idea that like they're meeting in like some open field in Iowa during the state fair. It just, the media literally loves to like create problems. Like, and it's on a Tuesday where there'll be a full moon.

[Mark]

Right Then there's no there there. Right. There's just a meeting.

[Dan Turrentine]

No, there's a there there. Which is, it's utterly ridiculous. You're just having a pep rally with the entire.

[Sean Spicer]

Okay, first of all, that's.

[Dan Turrentine]

What's the precedent of calling everybody in.

[Sean Spicer]

To gives a crap what the President.

[Mark]

I don't know. They're having an in person meeting because some bosses like to see people face to face people.

[Dan Turrentine]

So you think there's real substance to it? You think there's real substance?

[Mark]

I don't, I don't. I think, I think meeting with all the commanders to say here's, here's our point of view. Here's, here's the playbook. Here's the, here's the hymnal and doing it face to face. I mean, I'm not sure that's what the meeting is, but if that's what it is, I just think it's just a meeting and they want to do it.

[Dan Turrentine]

Would any, would any for profit industry call in their entire leadership to just say rah?

[Mark]

Yes. Yes. Happens all the time. Happens all the time.

[Dan Turrentine]

Okay, okay.

[Mark]

Yeah, yeah.

[Dan Turrentine]

Pre Covid.

[Mark]

It happened all the time. All right. New York City mayors race. I will try to do this quick. We could spend an hour on this one too. Adams is out bondami celebrating. Here is the woman who heads the big business. Kathy Wilde has the big business partnership for the city. Partnership for city New York. She's like in charge of like the business. It's like the New York version of business Roundtable. Here she is on Squawk Box this morning saying gobbledygook.

[Caller/Guest]

I think the business community is very split all over the map. I don't think who is mayor is ultimately going to determine the fate of New York City. We're going to have to work harder to make sure that that is the case. We're going to have to depend on the support of the governor and others to make sure that is the case. But I think, I don't know what's going to happen in the election, but I don't think that. I think New York City has proven that we're highly resilient, that, that we have survived plenty of less than adequate mayors.

[Mark]

All right, this is all gobbly, gobbled.

[Sean Spicer]

Lots of public policy.

[Mark]

Seems like she thinks, believes the conventional wisdom, that it's quote unquote, too late. Even though Adams is out for Cuomo to still win and the conventional wisdom is wrong on the current trajectory, Madame is a lock. We got two debates coming in a couple weeks. We have negative ads about to come, I believe, and we still don't know. I don't think Sliwa will get out, but his vote may be diminished down. And let's see what 2, 3 way and 2 way polls look like with Adams out of the race. So Dan, where are you on your, your famous mayoral percentages? What are Mandami's chances at this point of winning? Today it's 100 because he's up by double digits. But there's stuff to come. So what is the actual percent chance of winning?

[Dan Turrentine]

Yeah, I think it's about 80%. I agree with you. There's still a chance. I mean, if I were Cuomo, I would Be upset with Cathy Wilde because that's as close as to an endorsement as she would come, which is like.

[Mark]

Mondami of Mandani accepting that he's going to be the mayor.

[Dan Turrentine]

It's a reality. And it was like, I mean, I don't think we showed part of it where she's like, yeah, the mayors aren't really that big of a deal. They need the governor. There's other people that to me was like, yeah, folks, go ahead and vote for him. Like, whatever.

[Mark]

Sean, are you above or below 80%?

[Sean Spicer]

Well above. I said it last week. This race is over.

[Mark]

Wait for the debates. Wait for the debates. I'm telling you, Dan's exactly right. It's 80%. Not today.

[Sean Spicer]

Today, it's today.

[Mark]

It's 100.

[Sean Spicer]

That, that, that was his. That was basically the business community version of a hostage video.

[Mark]

White flag.

[Sean Spicer]

That was. Listen, we are definitely going to be.

[Mark]

One more, one more, one more topic, which is Portland over the weekend. Everybody was all up in arms. I actually saw. I swear to God, I saw this. I didn't dream it. Some CNN correspondent I never heard of, the guy reporting from Portland said the protests in Portland have been mostly peaceful. That's what he said. Mostly peaceful protests. In any event. In any event, they're not. There's no big clashes yet. There are no big protests yet. But, no, it's, you know, it's evolving. Dan, is this story going to pop back up or is it. Is nothing happening?

[Dan Turrentine]

No, it's going to pop back up. I've actually spent time in Portland for work over the years. It's a beautiful city, but it has a huge homelessness problem. It has a drug problem. And if you recall, during the George Floyd stuff, I mean, they were attacking federal officials or agents, like police and stuff back in 2020. I think Trump knows what he's doing. This is personal for him. Going back to 2020. I imagine we're going to hear more about it.

[Sean Spicer]

Sean, Portland is the San Francisco of Oregon. I mean, it's. To Dan's point, it's just not. It's not well run. And I do worry, as I said before with D.C. i, I think that letting these guys, making them come ask versus going in there is probably you. You're risking a lot every time you do that that something goes wrong.

[Mark]

Yeah. All right, in a moment, we're going to get to your questions and comments. If you'd like to get in on this deal, as Bill Clinton would say, this is a rigged deal. It's not a rig deal. It's wide open. Raise your hand if you're here on the two way platform. We'll call on you, you'll unmute, you'll tell us what's on your mind. But first, gentlemen, a reminder. This program also sponsored by our friends at Fairway and Green this weekend. My son, I'll be honest, as he always says, dad, I'm not that invested in two way. And so we were going out that we're going to Boardwalk and I didn't want me to wear one of my Fairway and Green shirts with the logo. So I put on one of my old golf shirts from brand X. Guys. Uncomfortable. I, I almost threw it away. Just uncomfortable. We're talking about premium products here. Classics. And of course now you can get them not only with the two way logo, morning meeting logo, but right on the arm you can get various catchphrases. And right now if you go to 2way TV Fairway and use the promo code 2way20. Sean, tell them what they've won.

[Sean Spicer]

Well, Mark, that's a great question. You can win any of those great products including men's, women's catchphrases, the morning meeting two way or mark anything on the site site wide as it gets cooler outside. Remember those great quarter zips and the, the great sweaters that are available. All of that at 20% off with code twoway20 seems to be true.

[Mark]

And Dan, just to reaffirm for everybody because you are known as the program clothes horse, you've worn comfortable and uncomfortable clothes your whole life. Yes. How comfortable do you find? Because you're a first time wear since our relationship with our friends at Fairway and Green started. How comfortable do you find the clothes, Dan?

[Dan Turrentine]

Incredibly, I've actually fallen asleep on the couch in my shirt and woken up fell fresh. And I will say we had two kids at the Ryder cup. They bought fairway and green Ryder cup attire because they like the fairway and Green now.

[Mark]

All right, again, go to this, go to two way TV Fairway 20% off using the code 2820. Again. It's really comfortable. Beautifully. It's the most beautifully made stuff I own and it'll help out the program and you'll feel even more part of the community than you already do. As if that were possible. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Ladies and gentlemen, kicking off the program community segment is none other than Sally G. Sally G. Welcome in. Thank you. Unmute. Tell folks where you are, what's on your mind and thank you for being part of the two way Experience.

[Caller/Guest]

Hi, thanks for calling on me again. Sorry I stepped away from my screen last week for a phone call. I like Carrie and from a lovely western Chicago suburb. But I moved to Colorado for college, lived there for 25 years and I now live in northeast Florida for the last time.

[Dan Turrentine]

Where in Colorado were you?

[Caller/Guest]

Steamboat, Boulder and about 20 years in Denver.

[Mark]

Beautiful. All three beautiful places.

[Caller/Guest]

Do you have any guesses for the lovely western Chicago suburb?

[Mark]

I'm from Western.

[Caller/Guest]

As lovely last week.

[Mark]

When speaking to Gary from where the Dick Cheney thing happened.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yep.

[Mark]

I can never remember what's the name of that place? I love neighbor. The. The main street. Just gorgeous.

[Caller/Guest]

I don't really recognize it anymore. I haven't heard this in a long time, but it was once the number one place to raise the family.

[Mark]

Yeah, beautiful place. Thank you for coming. Tell us what's on your mind.

[Caller/Guest]

I mean, I have so many different questions I could ask. I love watching you guys because you keep things even balanced because mainstream media makes me crazy. There's no reflection or shame in their game. Sean, I had a question for you. You recently had a guest on Breland. He is being dragged on Twitter or X. Excuse me. I was wondering if you had any recent contact with him and is there any truth to him sort of getting over his skis with TP USA and he seems to have kind of stepped in it a little bit and just wondering.

[Sean Spicer]

Interesting that you say that. The only thing I saw was he was at that Faith and Freedom Coalition in North Carolina this past weekend. And then I know he did another. I saw some. So could you please elaborate a little? I just. I didn't follow that part. I apologize.

[Caller/Guest]

I mean his 10 stop, you know, tour somewhere has been labeled as TP USA sponsored. It sounds like that may not actually be accurate or.

[Sean Spicer]

Well, it's interesting.

[Caller/Guest]

It was just like loud names on X. But then one of the TP USA guys kind of made a comment about him and then. Is it Nick Sotor?

[Sean Spicer]

Yeah.

[Caller/Guest]

An ex had a post that he's, you know, giving him till the end of today to get in contact to sort of like clear his name a little bit.

[Sean Spicer]

Well, tell you what, I will say.

[Caller/Guest]

Most of it seemed pretty just X being X. But now there's some bigger names sort of in the mix.

[Sean Spicer]

So I tell you what, Sally, I will thank you for bringing. I mean this is why I love this because you brought an issue up that I should know about and I don't. I will reach out to him after the show and I'll look into what Nick said and I'll give you an answer tomorrow because I he made to your point. He said it on our show that it was an exclusive announcement that they were partnering with TPSA to do a bunch of these stops. I saw some of the stuff online that he was going. So I will look into this and I'll get you an answer tomorrow.

[Caller/Guest]

Yeah, he was a really great guest. I liked him a lot. The panel that you had for that particular show was one of the best that I really liked. So yeah, I thought maybe you could.

[Sean Spicer]

Get a little more circle back.

[Mark]

Yep. Sally, he's going to take the question and get back to you and circle back. Thank you, Sally. Thank you. All right, guys, some news because the president decided to start making news early. Three truth social posts during our program. 100% tariff on all furniture to bring furniture making back to North Carolina. 100% tariffs on movies made outside the United States. So there's just two big tariff announcements there. And then here's his tweet on Mr. Mondame. Self, self proclaimed New York City communists Zoran Mandami, who's running for mayor will prove to be one of the best things to ever happen to our great Republican Party, blah, blah, blah. His ideology, his ideology has failed always for thousands of years. It will fail again. And that's guaranteed, exclamation point. So there you have it. All right, let's.

[Dan Turrentine]

By the way, Mark Trump seems to be doing a lot of tariff stuff for North Carolina. I'm sure it's a coincidence. It's a big Senate race.

[Mark]

Yeah, I still want to see Mr. Whatley's candidate chops. All right, here we go. Karen Wood, welcome in. Thank you for being part of Two Way. Tell folks after you unmute where you are and what's on your mind for the great Sean Spicer and the legendary Dan Turrentine.

[Caller/Guest]

Well, I'm going to get a little teary. I wanted to raise my hand forever. I found you guys last year.

[Mark]

I.

[Caller/Guest]

Think August and maybe September. I can't remember exactly when, but Two Way has been a grounding space for me. And it's a lifelong Democrat, couldn't vote in 16 for either candidate and then voted for Trump twice. My main question was harking back to a comment that was made last week after the, the memorial for Kirk. And it was around Christianity and kind of the, my mom always makes comments about Christian nationalists and she's very, I don't know, it's just, it's a, it's a tough spot for us as A family. I am a Catholic. And so it's always very challenging for us. So a gentleman got on last week and said that he was really concerned about the just the wave of faith that was being presented at the memorial. And I think most people could look at it and understand that it was a very inspiring and a very peaceful way of representing our faith. So I think my question. I'm not sure what my question is exactly, but I think my question is to Dan. Do you think that the left is ever going to be able to accept Christianity as an acceptable form of faith? Because I think a lot of people who have left the left, it's because of kind of the demonization of people of faith. And then, Sean, do you think that the Turning Point Action and the Turning Point USA and kind of that movement towards accepting Christianity can keep it from getting kind of this negative rapport of Christian nationalism, which I'm still not totally sure I understand, but it's so negative. And I feel that Christianity and faith have so much greater of a role in our lives and it needs to have a greater role. And anyway, that's kind of my question. But thank you for calling on me, Karen.

[Mark]

Thank you for that. Appreciate it. Thank you for coming on. Dan first and then Sean.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yeah, I think the Democratic Party does have strong. Christianity has a strong place in it. Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden go to church every single Sunday or Saturday. I used to live right near Holy Trinity in Georgetown, where Joe Biden would go quietly every either Saturday at five or Sunday morning to church. I think that the challenge is that as Democrats have embraced a lot of very, very progressive policies and kind of the younger, more agitated part of the party has gotten louder and louder. That segment has less acceptance for Christianity and kind of traditional Christian values. And I think that's where the party needs to be, a big tent. Again, to say kind of all are welcome, but there are certainly plenty of leaders. I'm Catholic. I went to a Jesuit high school. That would say the Democratic Party is very welcoming of Christians.

[Caller/Guest]

It just doesn't feel that way.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yeah, no, I hear. Because the loudest voices in our party are not right now.

[Sean Spicer]

So I love your question, Karen, for a couple reasons. One, I rarely recommend anyone watch or listen to anything from like, the New York Times or the Washington Post. And I would put Bill Maher in that category. But his monologue or whatever he calls it this weekend is worth watching and maybe we can play it tomorrow. But like, and I know that's because it actually talks about the future and it, I posted it on my Instagram and if anyone's interested. But basically he just says that if you're. The Democratic Party needs to start realizing that it can't force people to conform to the far left forces of it. And that does include religion. And if you think about what being a Catholic means right now, at least a Catholic in good standing, there are certain things that are not consistent with the current policies of the Democratic Party. And the Democrats view is if you don't support our liberal view of the world, then you're a bad, inherently horrible person. That's a problem. And I think that. But at the same time I've had more to your point about Charlie and stuff, more Catholics in particular and sort of asked me if I feel concerned about the in the last week than I ever have. And it was weird because I didn't see it the way so many other people did and the way that you're expressing it. And I sort of realized there's a lot of people who have express concern about sort of what they view are attacks on the church and the way things are being perceived in a way that I hadn't fully appreciated. And I think it's definitely worth something worth watching because post Charlie, I just, I look and I go. If you look at what happened at Charlie's funeral, right, you had Jews, evangelicals, Catholics, Protestants, all getting up there professing the same sort of message. And yet a lot of people found it as an opportunity to attack, which I thought was nuts. So again, I think there is. We keep talking about both sides and what it's going to take. And I think that there is a larger issue here that no one wants to discuss, which is a difference in the worldview of how people perceive what is right and wrong and acceptable.

[Mark]

Karen, thank you. Grateful to you. Another update. Kimmel is actually in Brooklyn all week. That's partly why he's got the guests he has, including some Brooklyn based talent and Spike Lee.

[Dan Turrentine]

All right, Desmondani appear on Kimmel.

[Mark]

Oh, probably. Okay, probably so tomorrow. So tomorrow I'm looking for two tickets. I'm looking for a Kimmel ticket and I'm looking for a Yankees ticket. Just send it my way. Victor, welcome in.

[Dan Turrentine]

Thank you, Mark. Those are fighting words. The Yankees in Brooklyn, I mean, just.

[Mark]

Saying like, well, I'm a Red Sox fan, so they are fighting. Victor, welcome in. Thank you for being part of Two Way. Tell folks where you are, what's on your mind for Sean and Dan. Good morning everyone. I haven't been on the morning show before because I'm usually working, but I'm currently here in the Bahamas sitting in a tropical storm, so I'm not, I'm not passing time. Yeah, yeah. I had a statement and a quick question, so I'll make the statement first. Back in the O's, James Comey went and did something nasty to somebody who hosted the Apprentice. And of course, I am talking about Martha Stewart. I am convinced that he went after Martha Stewart for their, for her stock trade, not because she harmed the, you know, the American people or anything, but because he wanted to get his name in the paper, which he did. So James Comey's indictment, it's a good thing. The second thing I have is I read over the Gaza peace proposal. I see no way Hamas would accept it. So I would hope that Bibi actually would, because then he could get points for accepting it and then, you know, Hamas won't. So.

[Dan Turrentine]

So what does he lose?

[Mark]

Yeah, well, Victor, I, I thought of the same thing. I wonder, though, what would happen if he accepted it and then they, they swallowed and did. Right. Because it's, it's, it's a pretty good deal for them in some ways. But thank you for the question. Sean, what do you think of Victor's BB Gambit?

[Sean Spicer]

I don't know. I mean, I think there's a lot of speculative. I will say the one thing that I'm glad you brought up, Victor. Excuse me, I'm not glad you brought it up in the sense that you're dealing with it, the weather situation of these storms that are just going through. And I apologize, but when you said it, it triggered it. I wrote it down. There's a government shutdown that's going to occur tomorrow night. And when you have these storms, these two storms now moving through the Bahamas and up, probably hitting the coast off North Carolina, depending on if you're looking at the European model or the American model, you have a big FEMA issue. And I think that this is a total side note, but I'd written it down before and then when you said where you were, I remembered this could be a big, big thing Wednesday, Thursday of this week if we are shut down. But I just, I feel like the whole Israel thing, I've heard every theory about what's potentially going to happen or not, and I just, I'm not going to. I don't know, Dan.

[Dan Turrentine]

I mean, I'll just say, Sean, if given the cuts to FEMA and the cuts to the National Weather Service, like, there'd be great irony in fighting to restore Some of the funding and you completely cut it, Victor. I mean, look, that obviously brings back a lot of memories. The insider trading of Martha Stewart in 2001 during the DOT com bubble. I will just say that ambitious prosecutors since the beginning of the Republic have picked targets that have, you know, a lot of resonance with the public because it draws their, it gets press, it draws attention. I don't think James Comey is unique in that way. Rudy Giuliani would probably wouldn't be mayor if he didn't go after some pretty big targets and publicly walk them through the press. So, you know, James Comey has a lot of issues, but on that one, I, you know, it does sound like she was guilty.

[Mark]

I'm just glad happened. As far as I'm concerned, it's karma.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yeah.

[Mark]

Victor, thank you. Victor, thank you. Welcome always back. Thank you for being here. Susan, welcome and tell folks who don't know where you are what's on your mind.

[Caller/Guest]

Hey, I'm from Washington State. Hence it's dark outside. Thanks for having me. I love talking with you guys and listening to you. I have three quick questions about the shutdown. Trump makes comments seemingly off the cuff. And I can't tell if he's playing 3D chess or if he's just being provocative. He mentioned that if the government shuts down, he's going to take this opportunity to lay off a bunch of federal employees. Do you think he'll do that?

[Mark]

Okay, hold on, hold on. Let's answer that one. Sean.

[Sean Spicer]

I'm with you. I think it's great because you don't know. And that's the beauty of this. I will say I don't think that many because the actual order asked the agencies to prepare a plan for reduction in force. And that didn't sound, that more sounded like an option than a directive the way the order was written. I think it's a tactic at this point. But you may get 100 or they may start to, to throw a few like Tuesday and Wednesday, kind of just to show they're serious.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yeah, I think they'll do a few, but they won't do a lot. There aren't a lot more to cut. And Trump knows it's a problem if he does, given the chaos. We just talked about them in the weather service.

[Sean Spicer]

Not just that, but post doge, I think a lot of these guys were like, yeah, we've already played like we know where the fat is and we've tried to cut it. And so but I do think they.

[Dan Turrentine]

Got it and we've hit bone to.

[Sean Spicer]

Throw a few out.

[Mark]

Susan, Next question. Thank you. Okay.

[Caller/Guest]

During the Obama shutdown, he did some things that seemingly just to make things petty and using the American people to make the Republicans look bad. Such as like boarding up windows on the Old Faithful Lodge so that people couldn't see Old Faithful or boarding up the Washington World War II memorial and putting police there so people couldn't walk through. And I was wondering, do you see Trump doing that? If so, what it would be. And then my last question is which side would win the shutdown?

[Mark]

All right, Dan, you want to take those both and then Sean?

[Dan Turrentine]

Yeah, I don't remember the World War II monument because that was a big deal.

[Mark]

Oh, that was huge.

[Dan Turrentine]

But I think your point being? Sure, I'm sure Trump will do some version of this. He'll, he'll make sure certain things stay open. He's going to make sure military get paid and that kind of stuff. But then you want some things that the public feels a little bit of pain, so they say, gosh darn it, reopen the government, pass the, you know, cr like stop playing politics. So everybody does it. I'm sure it'll continue. Who's going to win? If I had to bet, I think it's Trump because the message is simpler. Clean continued. We've always done this. I think if Democrats can make this about just health care for 5 million people, primarily in red states, they may have a chance. Sean SPICER so I agree.

[Sean Spicer]

I mean, I don't I actually I said this last week. I think they're going to do what they can to minimize the overall effect so that you don't feel the pain because they don't want you to think it matters. What I do think to your point about the petting, you know, if you, if you want to call it pettiness, is they will go into blue states, I think in particular states where you might get a Michigan or something where not a blue but where it would matter and start to target specific things to force that member of Congress or that senator, because that's all you need right now is you're looking at depends on where Rand Paul and a couple other Republicans are. But you're looking at what, eight, nine Dems and you go in and you just inflict pain where they'll feel it specifically. But I don't think you're going to see the national monument kind of stuff. I think quite the opposite. They're going to try to minimize that aspect of it.

[Mark]

Susan, if I may ask, are you a shutdown Hobbyist or do you have some connection to all this?

[Caller/Guest]

I have connection to it, but my loved ones have said I'm not allowed to mention what they do, so.

[Mark]

Okay. Susan, thank you for joining. Please come back regularly. Yeah. Thank be one of our special shutdown correspondents.

[Dan Turrentine]

I hear that from my family. Susan, I'm with you.

[Mark]

Yeah. Sam, welcome back. Third best smile on the platform. Thank you for being. Thank you for being here. Tell folks who don't know where you are and what's on your mind for Sean and Dan. Hey, everyone.

[Caller/Guest]

I'm in Dallas, Texas and just recovering from a. From a bad cold, so my voice.

[Mark]

Is a little off.

[Caller/Guest]

But first of all, Sean, you're. You're Mr. Announcer Commercial Voice.

[Mark]

If I were to wake up at.

[Caller/Guest]

Two in the morning after leaving my TV on in the middle of the night, I would absolutely leave it on and fall asleep to that sultry sound of Sean selling.

[Dan Turrentine]

Wow. Sean, clip it out.

[Sean Spicer]

Thank you, Sam. I appreciate that. Now I know what to do when I grow up.

[Mark]

Sean, tell Sam what he's won.

[Sean Spicer]

Well, Sam, if you're looking for a great fitting shirt, quarter zip, or any other amazing apparel, visit Fairway and greens. That's right. Go to twoway tv fairway. Use code twoway20 for anything site wide. Remember, Sam, holidays are coming up. It's a great gift for, for you or your loved one.

[Mark]

Sam, I won't, I won't. I won't rest until you text us a photo of you in a fairway and green shirt with the two way.

[Caller/Guest]

I actually, I actually placed an order yesterday.

[Mark]

All right, all right, send us, send us the picture.

[Sean Spicer]

What'd you get?

[Mark]

Yeah, I got a polo. Yeah, send. You'll send us the picture. Just not that we need proof, but the writer.

[Caller/Guest]

The Ryder cup over the weekend has inspired me to up my, My golf shirt game.

[Mark]

So. All right, you're. You'll like it. What's on your mind? We're glad to have you back. We'd love to hear what you're thinking.

[Caller/Guest]

First of all, thank you so much for the coverage after, after Charlie's assassination, I didn't realize it would affect me the way it did, just like everyone else. I think the second wave of despair came from watching the response that some people had and people in my own social media circles. And initially I tried to engage and then, I just, you know, I hate to say I gave up, but there's, there's few.

[Mark]

There's.

[Caller/Guest]

There's people that I've given up on and it's just Sad to know that that's. That's where we are as a world to. To see people express those kinds of things, especially at that time, at any time at all, to express joy in. In such a tragic situation. So thank you guys for your coverage. It really helped me sort of process what was happening. But my question is a little bit different. It has to do with Israel and the BB Gambit, as you called it. The first thing is going through the past five years and watching how people were called bigots and racists for just bringing up criticisms of the way the left has operated or how different segments of America could do better. I do see some similarities when it comes to criticism of the way Israel has. The government of Israel has prosecuted this war. I hate when people are called anti Semites for, you know, as a Christian, like, Israel has an important place in my belief system. But to genuinely and in good faith make criticisms of the way this war has been prosecuted. I think most folks that are very pro Israel would stand to gain by just listening to those good faith criticisms. There are many people that want to see Israel do well and live well with their neighbors and are trying to be a positive voice. And you can see just in the polling, I'm under 40, and I can tell you a lot of friends of mine and a lot of people in my circles that are good faith people just have been disillusioned by some of what we've seen online. I'll mention one video in particular that I saw of a lady that she was in her apartment somewhere in Gaza and she was watching the pamphlets come down telling people to leave. And I remember thinking to myself, yes, it is good that they're being warned that some strike is coming, but if someone dropped a pamphlet in my house here in Dallas and told me, leave everything, you know, I don't. I. I don't even know where my mind would go.

[Mark]

Yeah.

[Caller/Guest]

So trying to have empathy for the innocent people who are being led by this terrorist organization, it makes. It makes it much more complicated than.

[Mark]

Yep, Sam, beautifully stated. Thank you. Quick comments from Sean and Dan, because we're up against the clock a little bit.

[Sean Spicer]

Sean, it's a great point you're bringing up, Sam, but we can't. I feel like there's this purity that exists, and I get it, I understand why. But there's a purity on all these issues where my team can do no wrong. And I do think that once in a while, like I said, I support what President Trump is doing, and I like what our party is doing, but There are times when the process is wrong. So I think of Doge and I get why they don't. It doesn't mean also that I, that I don't understand why they did it. You have to move fast, break things. And we've been told forever. And so some degree it's like, hey, everyone's given us lip service for 40 years. Sometimes you got to go fast. But, but I think sometimes you can be critical of the process. And Israel's another example where it's like what happened on October 7 was deplorable. It is reprehension. I mean, just, I, I don't know. As we get ready to mark that anniversary, you know, we can never forget how atrocious that was. But that doesn't mean that Israel gets a free pass in order to prosecute.

[Mark]

The.

[Sean Spicer]

I don't know if you want to call it revenge or whatever the retribution. So I think that's where we are right now, which is if you are, you're on one side and if you make any process question, then you're horrible person, you're anti Semite, you're a misogynist, you're racist and it's like, you know. So I think you're absolutely right. And that's sort of the new norm on both sides now.

[Mark]

Brilliant, John. Thank you, Dan.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yep, well said. I just think Israel is slowly losing the American public.

[Sean Spicer]

That's the.

[Dan Turrentine]

I'm telling you, that's why I said that. He thinks that they know they have a problem, but I'm not sure they realize the depth of it. I bet you in 2028 that this is going to be devil both parties.

[Sean Spicer]

I'm telling you Dan, it will not be locked with. This is exactly what happened to the issue of trade. It was taken for granted and it just attrited.

[Mark]

Yeah. Sam, thank you. Grateful to you. All right, lots to tell you about coming up today on all sorts of places in, in a moment we're gonna end because I gotta go be on Brian Kilmeade's radio show. And then at 12:30 I'll be doing a live stream on the Free Press. Uh, check that out. 12:30, uh, then, uh, uh, also uh, at noon, Megan Citizen McCain, uh, here on the platform, Rachel Bade will be Megan's guest. Rachel, uh, uh, one of the great reporters of covering White House and Congress and she's all over the shutdown prospect. So Rachel and Megan at noon and then six o' clock tonight two way tonight I'll be joined by Aaron Parnas who just interviewed amongst amongst other things, he just interviewed Kamala Harris on our book tour. And we'll have all the day's news including the press conference and the photo op with BB and everything else and the congressional leaders meeting. So we'll have plenty to talk about. Sean, what do you have at six tonight?

[Sean Spicer]

Well, you mentioned President Trump's tariffs on North Carolina furniture, etc. And you wanna know more about Michael Whatley's campaign? I'm gonna ask him tonight. The former RNC chairman.

[Mark]

Awesome. Look forward to that.

[Dan Turrentine]

Yep.

[Mark]

And then finally at 10 o' clock, cuz I don't feel I'm getting enough airtime, I'll be on Megyn Kelly Network on Emily Jasinsky's show After party live at 10 o' clock on the Megyn Kelly network. You can watch on YouTube and they encourage you to drink on the show. But I'll probably have an Arnold.

[Dan Turrentine]

I'll twist your arm, Mark.

[Mark]

I'll probably have an Arl Palmer. And again looking for two Yankee tickets. Thank you. Red Sox tickets. Thank you for watching. Grateful to everybody for being part of the community. We'll be back in 23 hours and we'll have plenty to talk about tomorrow because it's a lot of news this week and Kimball's in Brooklyn. Thank you for watching. We'll see everybody in 23 hours. Have a great day.