Trump Takes "Affordability" on the Road. Will it be a Message of Defiance, Deflection or Action?

Summary

The Morning Meeting: Trump Takes "Affordability" on the Road. Will it be a Message of Defiance, Deflection or Action?

Date: December 8, 2025
Host: Mark Halperin (2WAY)
Co-Hosts: Nomiki ‘Nomi’ Konstantinidis (Progressive media strategist), Mark Bednar (Former Congressional/GOP communications advisor)
Episode Theme:
Today’s show dives into Donald Trump’s new economic messaging as he heads to Pennsylvania with a focus on “affordability” and the political battle over economic policy. The panel analyzes whether Trump’s approach marks substance, political theater, or redirection. Other major topics include Ukraine, Republican infighting, New York’s new mayor, Texas Senate race, and vaccine debates.

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Main Theme & Purpose

President Trump is taking his “affordability” messaging on the road amidst rising economic anxieties, ongoing struggles with Republican messaging, and significant legislative uncertainty. The show previews Trump’s speech, examines the GOP's internal challenges, and assesses the political landscape heading into 2026.

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1. Introductions and Set-Up ([02:00]–[06:00])

• Panelists:
  • Nomi Konstantinidis, progressive strategist, former Sanders surrogate, Queens resident.
  • Mark Bednar, ex-GOP comms director, experienced on Trump-Vance transition, not ‘represented by AOC.’
• Light banter on sweater colors and December weather.
• Quick daybook of politics: Biden at a farmer’s roundtable to discuss tariffs and farm aid, health care legislative fights, Zelensky in London for NATO meetings, SCOTUS hearing on presidential powers, and mayoral races in Chicago and Miami.

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2. Republican Messaging Crisis on Affordability ([10:30]–[15:00])

• News Recap:

  • Republicans struggle on messaging and policy proposals related to affordability/cost of living.
  • Trump reportedly frustrated by the lack of a coherent GOP economic message (Politico, The Hill).
  • Competitive headlines emphasize divisions about tariffs, China trade surplus, and food/beef prices.

• Panel Analysis:

  • Nomi: “Chaotic. He’s blaming House Republicans for not being strong on affordability, for mimicking whatever message he’s putting out. But he doesn’t really have a strong message." ([12:43])
  • Trump and GOP “blaming Joe Biden … but no clear Republican plan.”
  • Host: “What would be the ideal headline for Trump after his speech?" ([14:47])
  • Nomi: “President Trump lays out vision for affordability and Republicans fall in line.” ([14:58])
  • Bednar: Advocates for clear articulation. “If the President can say, ‘We’ve been screwed over by China and the EU for all these years, but I’m the one taking a stand,’ that’s the next phase of this tariff conversation.” ([15:13])

Memorable Moment: Nomi lampoons Trump for being “obsessed with pettiness … dwelling on gossipy things that have nothing to do with the actual situation.” ([16:14])

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3. Will GOP Pass Health Care or Any Kind of Alternative? ([17:00]–[20:09])

• Host pushes the panel on whether the House or Senate will present Republican alternatives to Obamacare and health care:
  • Bednar: “We were not able to coalesce around a repeal and replacement of Obamacare.” ([19:09])
  • Nomi: "They’ve had, what, 15 years to come up with a plan." ([18:36])
  • Both skeptical that a unified Republican plan will emerge before Thursday’s key votes.

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4. Russia/Caribbean Strike Video & Narco-Terrorist List ([20:09]–[23:02])

• Debate on whether the administration will release video evidence of a controversial Caribbean strike; skepticism about media claims and whether it matters if targets were on a "narco-terrorist" list.
  • Host: “Even if they're on a list, doesn't mean you can kill them if they're shipwrecked…” ([20:35])
  • Nomi: “There's a fissure here in how the administration is responding… Pete Hegseth is not handling this properly.” ([21:16])
  • Bednar: “This reminds me of the impeachment battles—Democrats would say, ‘It’s really bad,’ then when the transcript is released, Republicans say, ‘It’s not that big of a deal.’” ([22:20])

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5. Russia/Ukraine: Is Trump About to Walk Away? ([23:32]–[28:14])

• Trump claims Putin is fine with the peace deal, but Zelensky isn’t.
  • Host: “What’s being discussed now is more acceptable to Russia but not to Ukraine… Don Jr. signals that if Trump doesn’t like the deal, he’ll walk away." ([24:21])
  • Nomi: “This is extremely problematic for the world order … we’re in a weaker position than I think we’ve ever been.” ([25:30])
  • Bednar: “Where does the President want to land? … Congress is waiting for him to articulate a position.” ([26:20])
• Exit Prediction: Bearish or bullish on a deal by New Year's?
  • Bednar: “Bearish.”
  • Nomi: “Bearish.”
  • Host: “The correct answer is bullish.” ([28:12])

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6. New York’s Mayor-Elect Zoran Mamdani’s ICE Video ([29:02]–[32:03])

• Mamdani releases a “know your rights” video for New Yorkers regarding ICE encounters.
  • Host: “A relatively accommodating and conciliatory message ... rather than confrontational.” ([29:36])
  • Nomi: “This is just the basic law of the land ... sanctuary city ... been the law for 25 years.” ([29:50])
  • Bednar: “Sets up something for when ICE officials do come—he can say, ‘I told you so.’” ([31:19])

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7. Right-Wing Infighting: Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, Charlie Kirk & Laura Loomer ([32:10]–[36:00])

• MAGA figures fight on X (formerly Twitter) about anti-Semitism, influence, and Israel.
  • Bednar: “President Trump decides where this movement goes ... Republicans need more to do right now.” ([34:15])
  • Nomi: “When you prop up influencers to be policy leaders in America … they don’t care about affordability. They care about clicks.” ([35:06])
• Host compares this strife with past Democratic Twitter drama, but says Dems are united now.

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8. Texas Senate: Can Democrats Compete? ([36:00]–[38:33])

• Allred drops out of Senate race; Crockett’s move pending; GOP presumed heavy favorite.
  • Host: “If the attorney general wins the primary, he could lose the general election, but even he probably would win.” ([38:33])
  • Nomi: “Allred was the best shot… I think Crockett is running to raise her name ID.” ([37:49])

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9. Eye on 2028: Gov. Josh Shapiro ([38:40]–[41:30])

• Discussion of Shapiro as a future Democratic presidential contender.
  • Nomi: “He’s in the top tier ... reaching out to progressives in a way most wouldn’t expect.” ([39:44])
  • Bednar: “He might be the most underrated Democratic contender—but also the most untested.” ([40:49])

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10. Q&A Highlights—Key Moments & Quotes

A. Vaccine Policy, Pharma Power & Farming ([42:50]–[48:51])

• Diane (Iowa): Concerned about U.S. childhood vaccine schedule and farm bailouts.
• Bednar: “President Trump picked Bobby Kennedy to be HHS Secretary—they were going to reevaluate things across the board.” ([44:48])
• Nomi: “Take on Monsanto, take on Walmart ... If you want to be pro-farmer, then take them on. But neither party does.” ([46:04])
  “Pharmaceutical companies need to be challenged, but I’m pro-vaccine—I want to listen to qualified scientists.” ([46:31])
• Diane’s advice: “We need to study vaccines as they're given together. The answer is more science.” ([48:44])

B. New York Housing, Mamdani—Trump Relations ([48:59]–[54:41])

• Nicole (Tennessee): Wonders if Mamdani and Trump cut a backdoor deal on housing and immigration.
• Nomi: “Real estate developers control everything in NY ... but Trump isn’t at the center of it.” ([51:36])
• Bednar: “It’s probably not the two camps per se, but the Mamdani camp talking to people Trump has known for decades … something will come to a head.” ([52:48])

C. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Media Comments ([57:39]–[60:47])

• Evan (Long Island): Discusses NY housing policy; asks about MTG’s 60 Minutes confession that GOP members often speak about Trump differently in private.
• Bednar: “He’s more popular in their districts than they are… He calls them after their TV hits… He’s our president.” ([60:02])
• Nomi: “I’m confused by her.” ([60:51])

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Notable Quotes

• "He's blaming House Republicans for not being strong on affordability, for mimicking whatever message he's putting out. But he doesn't really have a strong message."
  — Nomi Konstantinidis ([12:43])

• "If the President can say, 'We've been screwed over by China and the EU for all these years, but I'm the one actually taking a stand here ... that's the next phase of this tariff conversation."
  — Mark Bednar ([15:13])

• "There are long-standing costs that are part of the American way of life ... the President will have to articulate a vision."
  — Mark Bednar ([13:39])

• "This is extremely problematic for the world order...we are in a weaker position than I think we've ever been."
  — Nomi Konstantinidis ([25:30])

• "It just seems like both of these trains are slowly coming to a crash."
  — Mark Bednar, re: prospective ICE confrontations in New York ([31:19])

• "They don’t care about affordability. They care about clicks."
  — Nomi Konstantinidis on Twitter fights among right-wing influencers ([35:06])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:00] - Introductions
• [10:30] - Start of affordability messaging segment
• [12:43] - Nomi’s “Chaotic” analysis
• [15:13] - Tariff messaging solutions discussed
• [19:09] - GOP healthcare alternative skepticism
• [23:44] - Trump on Russia/Ukraine “deal”
• [25:30] - Nomi critique on world order/Ukraine
• [29:02] - Mamdani’s ICE video analyzed
• [32:10] - GOP/MAGA infighting discussion
• [36:00] - Texas Senate race
• [39:44] - Josh Shapiro’s 2028 prospects
• [42:50] - Q&A section begins with Diane

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Conclusion

This episode delivered a forward-looking, candid, and at times irreverent take on the ongoing challenges the Trump GOP faces with economic messaging, especially on “affordability,” as well as the fragility of consensus on health care and Ukraine. Through a true two-way dialogue, Mark and Nomi offered insight from both right and left, weighed the prospects of rising political stars, debated the reality of political deal-making in NYC, and fielded listener questions on vaccines and farm policy—demonstrating where party orthodoxy falls short on policy clarity and where political theater takes center stage.

Closing Reminder: Tomorrow’s Morning Meeting will pick up where today’s left off—tune in at 9 am ET for more analysis from Mark and Nomi.

Transcript

[James Patterson]

I'm James Patterson. I write way too many books. Welcome to Hungry Dogs. The title comes from my maternal grandmother, Isabel Zelvis Morris. Nan used to always say, hungry dogs run faster, James. And I've been running fast ever since. Here's what will be coming your way soon. And this is a really terrific list. I think you'll hear from some incredible people like Stacey Abrams.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yay.

[James Patterson]

BJ Novak.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yay.

[James Patterson]

Kathy Bates. Dolly Parton, Josh Gad. And Pope Leo. Okay, maybe not Pope Leo, but who knows? Maybe he'll show up. Hungry dogs run faster. Thank you, Grandma, for turning me into a hopeless, obsessive, compulsive. Listen to Hungry Dogs with James Patterson. That'd be me on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

This is it.

[Mark Bednar]

The world as you know it is over. Completely done. It's not about to be over. It's over.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Some of the scientists who helped build AI are now sounding the alarm.

[Mark Bednar]

I was selling AI as a great thing for decades and I was wrong. I was wrong.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

There is a longer term existential threat that will arise when we create digital beings that are more intelligent than ourselves. We have no idea whether we can stay in control.

[Unidentified Speaker (Brief Interjections)]

While others say that AI will usher.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

In unfathomable abundance, I've always believed that it's going to be the most important invention that humanity will ever make. This really will be a world of abundance.

[Mark Bednar]

And among these fears and these fantasies, we seek the story of our future.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Listen to the last invention on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Good day, everybody. Welcome to the morning meeting, 9:00am Eastern Time, Monday, December 8th. It's 9:00 in Washington and 6:00 clock in Santa Monica, a fact that will soon become apparent to you why it's so significant. Glad to have you here. Two great co hosts with us today. You'll be familiar. Some of you will be familiar with one, some with both, and some with neither. So let them introduce themselves first. Nomi, welcome in. Tell everybody how to pronounce your last name and what you're doing and what you're doing here.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Good morning. Thank you, Mark. I'm Nomi Ki Khan. It's the hardest name to say in the world, and that's shortened. I am just really grateful to be here. I'm a progressive political social media strategist, media strategist. And I've worked on races like Bernie Sanders as a surrogate kind of spokesperson in 2016 and many others. I live in the Commie The Commie corridor is what they call it here in Astoria, where Zoran Mamdani is my assembly member and AOC is my congressmember. So that's the kind of politics I'm bringing to the table.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah. Nomiki Const.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Yes. Nomiki Const. Exactly.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Nomiki Const. Sometimes we call you Nomi just to shorten it even more. What's it shortened from? What's the full thing?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Oh, you really want to know?

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Nomi ki Daphne constant gribisi. That's the way to say it in Greek.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Okay. Won't be saying it that way, but thank you for sharing. Thank you for being here. Very grateful to you. And Nomi's in the spirit of Two Way, in case you're wondering, very progressive in her points of view, but every Republican I meet who knows Nomi, says, oh, my goodness, would love Nomi. She's great. So you'll love her, too, Mark. You'll also love. Mark, has vast experience in Washington, is not represented by aoc. Mark, introduce yourself to everybody as if you're on the Dating or Newlywed Game.

[Nicole]

Right.

[Mark Bednar]

Well, good morning, everyone. Longtime member of the Two Way community here, Mark Bednar. Not Greek, and that's the full pronunciation and spelling. Former speaker communications Director for Speaker McCarthy and also for Sean Duffy in the House, a part of the Trump Vance transition team, as well as some work in the Senate. So a lot of campaigns, super eager, super happy to be here. Mark, Nomi, wonderful to be with you on Monday.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Great to be here. Great to have you here. And Mark, like Nomi, not a hater. Mark would tell you. Would tell you. No, smack in the chat. Peace, love and understanding. Presumption of grace to all. They care passionately. They both care about politics, campaigns and government, but they also care about America. And they want to be part of the Two Way experience today to show the way it's done. And we're grateful to them for that. The Daybook today, which I'll get to in a minute, sponsored in theory by my friends at Two Way. I mean my friends at Two Way, my friends at Fairway and Green. I'm wearing double fairway and green today because it's freezing cold here in New York. This beautiful sweater, this vest. Anybody want to describe this color? Blue. I couldn't. I tried.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Periwinkle. No, it's periwinkle.

[Nicole]

What do I know?

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

It's periwinkle. It's periwinkle. Ish. Anyway, if you want to get your Fairway and Green stuff for Yourself or for your those on your list before the holidays. Act now. Time's running short. It's December 8th. My goodness. Go to Twoway TV Fairway. You'll get 20% off if you use the promo code 2way20. 2way20. Again, go there and do it.

[James Patterson]

I'm James Patterson. I write way too many books. Welcome to Hungry Dogs. The title comes from my maternal grandmother, Isabel Zelvis Morris. Nan used to always say, hungry dogs run faster, James. And I've been running fast ever since. Here's what will be coming your way soon. And this is a really terrific list. I think you'll hear from some incredible people like Stacey Abrams. Yay. BJ Novak. Yay. Kathy Bates, Dolly Parton, Josh Gad. And Pope Leo. Okay, maybe not Pope Leo, but who knows? Maybe he'll show up. Hungry Dogs run faster. Thank you, grandma, for turning me into a hopeless obsessive compulsive. Listen to Hungry Dogs with James Patterson. That'd be me on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

All right, let's get through the daybook and then we'll get to our guests. If you're here in the two way platform, want to be in on the conversation, please raise your hand high and proud. And we'd love to have you be part of the conversation if you're watching on X or YouTube. As I said before, please, no smack in the chat. The president has one event so far on his schedule. Public event, it's 2 o'. Clock. Phone photo op open to the press pool. Participates in a roundtable. This is, according to Bloomberg, going to be farmers. Scott Bessant will be there and the Agriculture Secretary will be there. And they're talking about giving billions of my tax dollars to farmers for the president's dislocation the president's caused through his tariffs. Seems like a good deal for everybody. Anyway, we'll have full coverage of that on two way tonight. Don't know what the vice President's doing today. The first lady delivering remarks on Toys for Tots charity drive quantico today 1220. As I said, Scott Bessett and Brooke Rollins. Secretary Rollins joining the President. That two o' clock event. House is out. The Senate is in both chambers trying to figure out what to do on health care. The speaker is still promising he's going to have some sort of health care plan to vote on. Skepticism abounds. And the Senate's still trying to figure out if their third the Thursday vote on the Democrat pro. The Democrats were promised to vote on the Obamacare subsidies. I'll get that. Thursday. Senate Republicans are still trying to figure out what to do, whether they want to have consensus around an alternative or not. All week in Indiana, we'll be tracking what's going on today, which is Senate Republicans. State Senate Republicans are meeting to decide if they want to pass the redistricting plan that would make the entire delegation Republican Vladimir Zelensky is in London today meeting with the head of governments of Britain, France and other NATO allies. We'll be watching that closely during this program and throughout the day. Supreme Court's hearing arguments in this case. It's about whether the fired FTC commissioner, who's a former Schumer aide, can be fired by the president. And many expect that the court to use this opportunity to overturn the longstanding precedent that suggested that presidents can't just fire commissioners the way this president has done. There's a mayor's race runoff in Chicago tomorrow. Democrat hasn't been mayor of Miami for quite some time, decades. But there's a strong candidate there. Eileen Higgins, who's received surrogate support from lots of national Democrats, including Buttigieg. Rahm Emanuel is there today.

Jimmy Kimmel's guests this week include Jamie Lee Curtis and David Letterman. And Jimmy Fallon's guests include Kate Hudson and Sam Altman. Sam Altman's going on tonight's show. Wonder what that will lead to. All right. We're going to talk about the economy in just a minute. First, a quick word from our friends at Fairway and Green. Remember now again, holiday shopping extraordinary. 20% off, 40% off. Rather sorry, fairway and Green. Cozy Earth. Sorry, cozy earth. 40% off. Cozy earth. Go to cozyearth.com promo code 2 wmm. 40% off. 40% off what you asked. 40% off the towels, the sheets, the bubble cuddle blanket. 40% off the t shirts and yes, 40% off the best pair of pants you will ever own. Wearing them now. Wear them all the time. You'll buy one for yourself. You'll buy one for every person in your life. They're the best pants you've ever worn. I promise you. And the proofs in the pudding. I hear from people every week. Okay, I finally bought the pants for myself or for my spouse or my son. Oh, my goodness, the pants are so great again. They're all great. Cozy bubble cuddle blanket. You'll snuggle with it on your own. Going sitting right over there. If you were here now, you wouldn't be watching the show. You would just be cuddling with the bubble cuddle blanket. Go to cozyearth.com promo code 2 WMM for 40% off the entire site. Again 40% off. Give the gift of comfort. The last beyond the holidays and carries into a cozy new year. Thank you for your attention to that matter. Here we go. The economy. The present tomorrow goes to a casino in Pennsylvania to talk about the economy. Lots going on on the economy. Let me give you an example of some of the headlines that are getting attention in my world. Here's here's number 108 Politico headline. This sums it up from the Capitol Hill perspective on affordability concerns. Mount Hill Republicans are struggling to act. It talks about all the different divisions about what they could possibly do. Here's headline 109 from the Hill. Trump frustrated with GOP messaging on affordability according to Reince Priebus, former Trump chief of staff. Of course in the first term. Here's another one, number 111 something the President did over the weekend. I'm not sure why they did it over the weekend. He signed an order to create food supply chain task forces to protect competition. This is right out of the page. Ripping a page from the Biden playbook to say we're going to show we care about prices by investigating antitrust violations amongst different companies. Wall Street Journal 112 the President has a task force that's looking to lower the soaring beef prices. Ranchers and slaughterhouse operators offer competing visions on how to address inflation challenge. People talk about lowering beef prices but nobody can really figure out how to do anything about it. As Mark Twain never said. Here's another headline on the economy. 113 this one's ominous. Despite the efforts through all the trade machinations. Here's the headline from the New York Times. China's trade Surplus climbs past 1 trillion for the first time. So after all these efforts to use tariffs to keep China from being the exporting powerhouse it is, China's selling more to places like Europe and cutting what they're buying from the United States. And I'm no genius at math, but that's keeping this from evening out in a way that demonstrates progress. So on the economy. No me. We talk about it here all the time. Republicans keep saying, I'm sorry, I apologize. One more thing I want to show you. Fox and Friends was very big on affordability this morning. They led with it. They talked about it. Here's, here's what they said is 105 please.

And you know the president of the.

[Unidentified Speaker (Brief Interjections)]

United States, people said it's time for him to get out there. I thought it would be after the new year for him to go out on Tuesday in Pennsylvania. And I think what his aides want him to do and what I think he feels he wants to do is talk about affordability. But don't deny that people feel tight. So what he says is affordability is a hoax. In Trump terms, that means you're starting it again. You're actually blaming me for affordability when you handed me this grenade, pulled the pin and, and are saying, oh well, why don't you make things affordable? Can you with Democrats don't do. After they say the President made it unaffordable is what would they do? Well, we saw what they did and it gave us this current situation. Having said all that 10 months in.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

So Brian, Brian's still blaming Joe Biden a little bit at least. So Nomi, how would you describe what your sense of the White House's current strategy on dealing with people's voters concerns about affordability? How would you describe what they're doing?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Chaotic. I think that, you know, he's, he's blaming House Republicans for not being strong on, on affordability, for mimicking whatever message he's putting out. But he doesn't really have a strong message. I mean, he's been pointing at China the entire time. Obviously that didn't work today, which is what economists predicted, especially as they, they moved into places like Brazil, which is a huge market, a huge market. And as you mentioned, Europe as well, expanding there. So, you know, he's not consistent. And Affordable Care act is, is significantly tied. These tax credits are tied to the economy. They're saying that rates could, I mean your, your premiums could double, double if this is not dealt with. So, you know, if he wants to be strong on economy, then he's got to present a plan. And right now the House Republicans don't have a plan. He doesn't have a plan and he's blaming Joe Biden.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Who.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I'm sorry, Joe who? Who's talking about Joe Biden right now?

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Mark, can you put a better or different word on what's going on besides chaos?

[Mark Bednar]

What's really important here? We're kind of coming out of the fact that throughout the summer and leading into the shutdown, the President really hasn't been kind of unleashed to be able to actually talk about this stuff. One big beautiful bill signed around July. Ish. Now companies can actually forecast going forward even parts that Jason Smith threw in there about actually producing things in America again. That legislation. Yes it's annoying to say, but when, when it does take time to implement, going to next year, that's huge. But the fact that, you know, there are long standing costs that, you know, are part of the American way of life that have been for decades, that, you know, the President will have to articulate a vision. And so the fact that he's actually going out there now to actually talk about this, that I think is step one. We just haven't seen that in a while. Like, if you've never been to a Trump rally, it's one of the craziest, most interesting, fun things you'll ever do in politics. It's like a rock show. And so for him to actually go out and articulate his thoughts, that, you know, that's where like the rest of the party and his voters kind of see where things are going too.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

I mean, what would be the ideal headline for the President to get from, from his point of view in Congressional Republicans after his speech tomorrow? Like, what's plausible that he could get as a headline?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

President Trump lays out Vision for Affordability and Republicans Fall in line.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Okay, what's, what's something. Mark, what's Mark. What's something he could talk about tomorrow that would, that you think voters would say? Yeah, that, that seems sensible.

[Mark Bednar]

So something with tariffs that I think has kind of been a lingering issue is that. And I kind of got inspired by this. Remember when Amazon, like intentionally or inadvertently we're going to put like the tariff impact on their prices. You know why when they are initially rolling out with the tariffs, they had that board with, you know, that little scoreboard thing. But beyond that, if you talk to a middle of the road voter or even a Trump voter, you know, in some diner, do they know the tariff rate that China has been imposing on us for years and that that has been contributing to costs? You know, I couldn't tell you. I have no idea. So like they basically found a policy solution without articulating the political problem. And, you know, I think we're still kind of facing that. So if the President can say, look, we've been screwed over by China and the EU for all these, for all these years, but I'm the one who's actually taking a stand here and we're going to get through this together. Like, I think that that is the next phase of this, this tariff conversation that needs to be had.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I think he tried to do that, though. There was a point where he said it's going to take a little bit of time. Well, okay, the time's gone by and, you know, and the jobs report wasn't strong. I mean, the economy is not in a, a stable position right now. And he has to come up with some other solution. And, you know, it's, I just, I find it, I think what you said about going on the road and talking to the voters directly and his base directly is very smart. I would say the same thing, by the way, for Democrats, too. I think that's part of what the oligarchy tour has been with, with AOC and Bernie. That's, I think, the best way to get your message out directly to the people. But he's not doing that. And it seems like he's, he's, I mean, he's Donald Trump. He's obsessed with pettiness and, and in a weird space right now. And you'll see in the Cabinet meetings, whenever he does these Cabinet meetings, he dwells on some sort of gossipy thing that has nothing to do with the actual situation at hand. He's just not on message, I think, I don't think he's focused.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

I mean, it's a fool's errand to predict he'll ever be on message. But there's some people, there are no but there are some people saying that the speech tomorrow is going to be on message. I will see. Maybe. Yeah, I said that on purpose. There's a Politico story that may be the most ominous economic headline today that says a lot of big companies have, have held off. Mark, you alluded to Amazon doing this. They held off raising prices based on tariffs, but that a lot of companies say that after the holiday season they're going to do that and if that happens, and of course, we're still waiting for the Supreme Court decision, which might give the President an excuse to scale back some of the tariffs, although they'll clearly reimpose others on different justifications using, citing different things, health care. Just real quick, right. As I said before, waiting to see what the Senate, what John Thune does, what the speaker does. Mark, will there be a Senate Republican alternative voted on yes or no?

[Mark Bednar]

Dan Sullivan has been pushing for this for a long time and you can tell this is probably something that they, that they're really concerned about because they don't want to be held out there to dry with.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

They don't. But there's six Republican alternatives and none of them can pass the House. So are they going to have a republic, yes or no? Are they going to vote in a Republican alternative or not? On Thursday, they'll have a vote on.

[Mark Bednar]

Something that they can be able to.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Point to which is the leading. Which one it's going to be? It's going to be. Tim. Senator Scott of Florida. Is it going to be. Is it going to be Bill Cassidy's? Which one they going to vote on?

[Mark Bednar]

We'll have to. I have no idea.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

No idea? No. Do you think there'll be a Republican alternative?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I mean, my guess is good as yours, but I think Cassidy's probably presenting the most realistic solution. But again, it's not going to pass the House. And, you know, they've had, what, 15 years to come up with a plan.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

I thought there would be till this morning, but based on conversations I had this morning, they just, they can't decide on any of them. So I'm leaning towards no. What about the Speaker, Mark? Will the speaker actually do what he said he's going to do and come up with an alternative bill?

[Mark Bednar]

You know, I've been talking to a lot of House Republicans who, they view the. These enhanced subsidies to maintain them as, as radioactive.

I don't see a universe where unless something coalesces around. To Nomi's point, even when we had 240 seats, we weren't able and had seven years to prepare, we were not able to coalesce around, you know, a repeal and replacement of Obamacare.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

So will there be a plan from the speaker that will be voted on.

[Mark Bednar]

Or no, there could be a plan that gets released. The Republicans that I'm talking to are very skeptical that anything is going to come together and that these enhanced. That being said, they're willing to. They're saying that the, the political ramifications of this, that it's more toxic to reinforce Obamacare than it is to continue to have all this money going to insurance companies and their. In their viewpoint. So that's where things seem to be going right now.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Nomi. Will the speaker have a plan? Forget if there's a vote. Will he put out a plan?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Probably not.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

I agree. Probably.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I don't even think. I mean, this is the hard part right now is just so much news. I don't even think people are paying attention. It's gonna have a deep impact on their lives.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah, but I agree. I agree.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Drowning out.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

I agree. All right, again, raise your hand if you want in on the conversation. Russia? No. The Caribbean. Strike video. The president said. Sure, release it. Pete Heg says it over the weekend. We're reviewing it. I don't know why this one needs more review than all the other videos of the same mission that they already released. So I'll ask you guys the same question we engaged with last week. Yes or no, Nomi, Will that video be released?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Yes, Mark.

[Mark Bednar]

Yes, absolutely.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Now, last week, our guest hosts all predicted that this story would be dead by today. It isn't. Even though there's a fair amount of news, there's no huge story. It was the lead on Morning Joe. It's in all the papers, kept alive, discussed much over the weekend. One of the things that's keeping it alive is NBC alone, as best I can tell, is reporting that the two gentlemen who were killed, regardless of what the video shows, were on some sort of list of narco terrorists. No one else has matched that reporting. I'm skeptical. And of course, as people have pointed out, even if they're on a list doesn't mean you can kill them if they're shipwrecked just because they're on the list. So, Nomi, is this story going to stay alive all week or it's going to fade away as more stuff comes up this weekend?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I think it'll stay alive standalone. I think this is sort of a beltway and beyond conversation, but it is. There's a fissure here in how the administration's responding and very, I mean, Pete Hexif is not handling this properly, clearly. But even, you know, if it does not give them the right to kill people who are just on a list, but also they were shipwrecked, they were going to die anyways. I'm not not to. It was maybe, maybe, I mean, water was maybe.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

We don't know, Mark. The opera isn't over until Roger Wicker sings. The chairman of the Armed Services Committee has still said nothing as far as I know, as far as I can tell. Here's my question. Do you think Tom Cotton and the White House knows what Roger Wicker thinks and what he's going to do? Or do you think there isn't as in dark as the people of Mississippi and America are the fact that.

[Mark Bednar]

So Cotton, you know, he's also embedded in the Intel Committee as well. He's the conference chair. So he's not going to go out there and say what he said to say, like, we're good here. This is, this is all. Nothing was untoward here.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Unless he knows Wicker is eventually going to be on his side.

[Mark Bednar]

That that's where, that's where I would think that he would be going with this. And like this will stay a story. This, this to me reminds me a lot of kind of the impeachment battles. In 2019, 2020. Whereas where Democrats would say, I can't tell you what happened here, but it's really, really bad. And then the transcript gets released. There's a hearing, there's testimony, and then the American public and Republicans say, well, that's not that big of a deal. Why couldn't I just say that before? So once this video is released, there will be a quick hubbub about just the fact that it's released and then it dies. But until it does, Democrats can continue to say, this is really bad, but I can't talk about it.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah, well, they sort of talked about it. I mean, they've said the video shows the two guys waving to the plane, asking for help. And they've said that there's no justification for what was done. The Republicans have a plausible story right now. It's a plausible story, but I'm still waiting for Wicker. It's really all I think matters. All right, Russia, Ukraine. Don Jr said over the weekend that the president could walk away from Ukraine if he doesn't like the deal. The president last night basically said that.

Putin's for the deal. It wasn't exactly clear which deal he meant, but where's that video? Here's the video of the president, the Kennedy center red carpet weighing in on where things stand.

[Mark Bednar]

What's your next step in Russia? Ukraine talks after last week's negotiations.

[Unidentified Speaker (Brief Interjections)]

So we've been speaking to President Putin and we've been speaking to Ukrainian leaders, including Zelensky. President Zelensky. And I have to say that I'm a little bit disappointed that President. President Zelensky hasn't yet read the proposal. That was as of a few hours ago. His people love it, but he hasn't. Russia's fine with it. Russia's, you know, Russia, I guess, would rather have the whole country when you think of it. But Russia is, I believe, fine with it. But I'm not sure that Zelensky is fine with it.

[Zoran Mamdani]

His people love it, but he hasn't read it.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

All right, so here's what Zelensky told Bloomberg since the. After the president spoke from London, I presume this. 117.

Volinski says US and Ukrainian negotiators remain apart on key issues. He says further discussion is needed on a number of, quote, sensitive issues, including clarity over U.S. security guarantees. He also says they've yet to reach agreement on the Donbass region. Quote, there are visions of the us, Russia and Ukraine, and we don't have a unified view on Donbass. There is one question and all Ukrainians want to get an answer to. If Russia starts again, again starts the war, what will our partners do? It says he was speaking as he traveled to London. So we don't know what exactly was discussed in Florida for three days with the President's son in law, Jared Kushner, and his envoy, Mr. Witkoff. But what the President seems to be saying, and if that's not inconsistent with Zelenskyy, is that what's being discussed now is more acceptable or maybe fully acceptable to Russia, but not to Ukraine. And again, Don Jr. Sending the signal that if the President decides he doesn't like the deal, he'll walk away and not help Ukraine try to win the war. So, Naomi, where do you think we're headed here?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I think this is very problematic. I think that this is probably as tense as you're going to get with, with NATO and the EU and this coalition of the willing that is, you know, trying whatever they can to, to support Zelensky. And I don't know what he means by Zelensky's people. Haven't he hasn't read the report. I mean, Zelensky's got his own issues with his people right now with investigations. But, you know, this is extremely problematic for the world order. And this happening the same day that China's talking about, you know, their economy being stronger. This is, we are in a weaker position than I think we've ever been and we're realigning our interests. And it seems as if it's very clear now that we are no longer in line with the EU whatsoever. Just simple as that.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Mark. Congress continues to talk about various things. The Defense Authorization act, which it's going to be bumpy, will pass. I think they're talking about money for Ukraine. Is Congress concerned that the President might walk away from Ukraine?

[Mark Bednar]

I think that the biggest question that Congress has.

Mostly from Republicans that I'm hearing on kind of the array of the ideological spectrum, is where does the President want to land? And so we see this pendulum kind of on a daily basis of where, where a potential deal is. Like, you can tell the President is frustrated. He's working at it like these are war and peace is not a simple thing. And the President, you know, he's very concerned. He's working for it every day. But that's why you kind of see, you know, on the hawkish wings, potential going around the NDA process with discharge petitions all the way to those on the, the wings that do not want to get involved at all, like the President's clear. You know, with everything we've seen, this Congress, this presidency thus far, where the president stands, he needs to articulate that that position. And the Congress will follow Republicans in Congress like he's the leader of the party. They, they follow him for, you know, they get, if they get criticized for following him, they should get credit for following him, too.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

All right, let's just do the military.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Folks and folks who, the hawkish ones you stand with with NATO. I don't, I feel like they're going to be fissures the way they are right now with the Marjorie Taylor Green Wing. I think they're. He's going to have the same issue with more centrist Republicans, especially those who represent military bases and folks who've work. I just, I don't necessarily buy that. I think that if he is fully on board with Putin, that is a completely different act than what he's been playing for the last, especially given Witkoff's connections with Putin and the oligarchs who buy up his real estate. You know, same thing with Kushner. I think the story is going to grow much bigger.

[Mark Bednar]

He won't do a bad deal, though.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

All right, exit question. Mandatory prediction. Are you bearish or bullish on a deal by New Year's? Bearish or bullish, Mark? Bearish, Nomi.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Bearish.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

The correct answer is bullish.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Why is that?

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

I don't know. I think if Putin, if Putin, if Trump saying Putin's okay with the deal and the and Zelensky statements kind of like, let's work it out. And just everybody I'm talking to around this says they're going to get it done. So we'll see. Maybe wrong. All right, Mr. Mamdani, my mayor elect, Nomi's mayor elect is been relatively low profile since that extraordinary meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office. He did say he was going to no longer break up homeless encampments. That got some attention. But now he's out with a new video instructing his would be constituents about how to behave if they're connected to, swept up into or see an ICE attempt to detain people. Here's some news you can use from the mayor elect.

[Zoran Mamdani]

ICE is legally allowed to lie to you, but you have the right to remain silent if you're being detained. You may always ask, am I free to go? Repeatedly until they answer you. You are legally allowed to film ICE as long as you do not interfere with an arrest. It is important to remain calm during any interaction with ICE or law enforcement. Do not impede their investigations, resist arrest or run. One last thing. New Yorkers have a constitutional right to protest. And when I'm mayor, we will protect that right. New York will always welcome immigrants, and I will fight each and every day to protect, support and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

No, I question the music choice there. I didn't much love the weird game show type music, but I found this message to be relatively accommodating and conciliatory as opposed to confrontational. Is that your read of it in terms of the administration?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Yeah, absolutely. And also, this is the, this is the position that Bloomberg had and de Blasio had and Eric Adams had was a sanctuary city. It's been a sanctuary city. This is just the basic law of the land. And it's a nice reminder. I mean, you can disagree with me all you want, but it's on the record. This is exactly what the law has been for the last 25 years under Giuliani. This was the law.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

But before Mark Jensen, are you not. I'm surprised he wasn't a little bit more like Donald Trump. Don't you dare come to this city. I thought that the news and that to me, because as you said, he's just restating the policy. I thought it was awfully accommodating to the president's policies.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

No, well, I don't know if it was. I mean, there's a difference between a rallying cry and an informative video about know your rights. There's been plenty of know your rights campaigns in New York for other reasons as well. I mean, listen, the NYPD now has a. This is shocking to me. I was at an event, you know, protest of ice, and NYPD was all around in support with a legal support network there.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I mean, it's, it's wild to see the left partnering up with NYPD against ICE right now.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah. Mark, did you. Do you find that, as I do, accommodating? And it's tone and emphasis.

[Mark Bednar]

I think, like, this reminds me a lot of the, the video of the six talking about unlawful orders, like they know what they're doing. This. I think this sets up the, you know, this sets up something up for when, if ICE officials do come to New York.

Can tell his base, look, I told you so. I, I warned everyone what was going to happen here in a nice way. Like, it just seems like the both of these trains are slowly, you know, coming to. Coming to a crash. Like, I think he didn't say, don't come here illegally, you know.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Right.

[Mark Bednar]

Which is.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

But you think this video is a. Is a. Is a foreshadowing, a confrontation? I think just the opposite. I think.

[Mark Bednar]

I think it's. I think it's. You know, I guess, call me a cynical partisan, but to me, I view it as a sleight of hand. It's like, here's what I'm setting up to appear magnanimous and clearly laying out what. Where things are going. But if and when there does become some. An escalation of ICE enforcement in New York, there has been.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

I think that's the problem, but not anything that's provoked big confrontations like we've seen in other cities.

[Mark Bednar]

But once. Once he. Once he takes office, though, I think that that resets the stage. Like, we're no longer just giving nice cities in the Oval Office anymore.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

All right. All right. Three more topics into your questions. Please raise your hand if you want to get in on the conversation. X is not real life, and I don't spend my life on X. But. But when I checked it this weekend, my feed was filled with massive fights within the MAGA movement. First of all, fights between Candace Owen and Turning Point usa and. And attacks on Charlie Kirk and defenses of Charlie Kirk and attacks on those attacking Charlie Kirk. Just an enormous amount by major players in maga. And then similarly, my feed was filled with attacks on Tucker. Fights. Attacks between Laura Loomer and Tucker. And then an establishment person texted me and said, tucker's done. This is it. Tucker's now done going to Qatar and saying what he said. And I'm like, tucker's not done. Tucker's. Maybe Tucker's done with, like, the establishment, but Don Jr. And Tucker, the vice president and Tucker. So mark you first, because this is your tribe. Like, what is going on? Are these serious fights? Are these just people having fun on X? Why is there such intensity about Candace, Owen and Tucker?

[Mark Bednar]

To me, it's like the Spider man meme, almost the confusing one. So, like, Blake Neff, who I've known for a long time, you know, he's worked for Tucker for a long time, and then he was with TP USA going after Candace. So frankly.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

And Tucker and Charlie were good friends, right? And Laura Loomer is close to the president, but the vice president, the president's son, is standing with Tucker. Like, it all seems like a family fight.

[Mark Bednar]

And then even, you know, Breitbart's Matt Boyle, who really brings a lot of these pieces together, he says.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Keep.

[Mark Bednar]

He's like, I love all of you, but stop fighting.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

He's. I have great I saw that Matt Boyle tweet too. So, Mark, I just say, is this a real thing or there's no significance?

[Mark Bednar]

Like we have. We need. Republicans need more to do right now, I guess. I don't know. Like, I, I think it is there. There is. These arguments are real, but like President Trump decides where this movement goes. And so like he needs to, to keep pushing this forward.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

He's not weighing, he's barely weighing in on this. I mean, the one thing he weighed on was whether Tucker should platform Fuentes. And he said, yeah, oh, no problem. Let everybody, let it be a thousand flowers bloom. Nomi. I was trying to think of what the Democratic equivalent of this is. There's really nothing. You guys don't have these major player fights on X like this. Except maybe anytime neritandan tweets like, oh my goodness, what's. What do you think this is a serious. Is this like, meaningful or is this just stuff for my Twitter feedback?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I mean, we had fights like that. I would say the 2016 to 2020.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Very lots of Neera Tannin fights.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

But not now.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

But not now. But not now. I think, I mean, but let's be real. This is about, this is about an anti semitic group of people brushing up against Republican, the other side of the Republican Party, which is obviously very much in line with Israel and I think in Zionism. And you know, we have our differences opinions, but on the left in terms of supporting the state of Israel's policies. But this is like Nick Fuentes is, you know, very anti Semitic, openly so. And I think that the Candace Owens conspiracy theories are aligning with that and it's problematic for the Republican Party. While you should be all, like you said, Mark, doing something maybe about affordability, but what happens when you prop up influencers to be policy leaders in America? Like, there's no substance. They don't care about affordability. They care about clicks. They care about territory. Shocker.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah. All right, Texas Senate race. Look, we don't know both parties have primaries. We don't know who the nominees are going to be, but the Republicans will probably win the seat. Is there some circumstance under which Democrat could win the seat? I don't know if you squint and think maybe, but probably not. But nonetheless, there's a lot of attention being focused on it because this would be expensive race. John Cornyn's the incumbent. He's running for reelection. His top political advisors are the president's top political advisors. I still think they're going to. President's going to Endorse Cornyn. That's my view. I may be wrong, but we've got a three way race there. Congressman Hunt, the Texas attorney general, a man of some controversy and the incumbent three way primary, Democratic side was shaping up to be a three or four way primary while we waited for Congresswoman Crockett who's announcing today whether she's going to run for Senate. But news on a different front on the race this morning. Congressman Allred announced this morning that he's not running.

[Diane]

Right.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Here's a statement I'm calling. All right. I'm deeply moved by the personal stories and trust that so many Texans have placed in me. I don't know if personal story has been placed in him. I'm probably not the best written sentence ever. I'm forever grateful and believe it comes with a heavy responsibility. That's why I made the difficult decision to end my campaign for Senate and run to represent the new Congressional District 33. I'm embarrassed to say he's no longer in the House. Right. Am I right or is he still in the House, Says he's running for the House. I don't know. Do you guys know? He's not currently. Okay, so he's a former congressman who's run statewide. Was going to run statewide again. Now he's going to run for a new congressional district to get back to the House. And Crockett, as far as I know, somebody will tell me if I'm wrong. Still hasn't said, but the mood music is she's going to run for the Senate. So simple question, who will be the elected senator in Texas next November? Mark?

[Mark Bednar]

Senator Corn Nomi.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I think it's just we have to figure out who the Democrat is because if, if it's all red, I mean, well, he's not in it now, but Allred was the best shot for a Democrat. And so I'm, I don't know, I'm, I'm going to say Cornyn probably.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah.

[Mark Bednar]

Do we know, is it a Congresswoman Crockett or the Congresswoman Crockett?

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

What do you mean? Oh, is that. Very funny. Very funny. That's a reference to her, her Jeffrey Epstein thing. Yeah, it's the, it's the. Okay.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Lastly, my theory is, if I can just. My theory is that they had some, you know, the last polling that was done was like two months ago, the, I think the University of Houston polling, if I'm correct. And they were within two points of, I mean he was, he was running very close. But I think that Allred has slipped and there's no Democrats going to win. I think Crockett is running to raise her name ID a little bit.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

If the attorney, if the attorney general wins the primary, he could lose the general election, but even he probably would win the general election.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Right.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

So it's all, it's all a little bit silly, but we'll wait and see what Crockett does. Full coverage on two way tonight. All right. Lastly, Governor Shapiro. I believe he's the most underrated prospective candidate for 2028 for the Democrats. I do underrated. And he's making moves in the last two weeks to show that he almost certainly plans to run. Did a couple of national interviews, including one with the Atlantic I recommended to you last week. He's doing some event in D.C. tomorrow, and according to Axios, he's determined to not only win reelection next year, but to do a lot of stuff in the state win. There are a lot of competitive House, US House races, some state races. And he wants to show that he can be a kingmaker and a field leader in a big battleground, the ultimate battle, grand state next year as a calling card for 2028. And it's clear if you read the Atlantic piece, he wants to kind of refute the arguments made against his candidacy. So, Nomi, where do you rate Josh Shapiro as a candidate? Is he in the top tier, second tier for 28?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Oh, I definitely think he's in the top tier. I don't think he's underrated at all. I think he's very much discussed among Democrats as one of the top tier candidates. And I think you're right, he's been very smart. I was working in a race recently in Philadelphia, and, you know, he's been very smart in reaching out to progressives in a way that I think that most progressives wouldn't traditionally think he would. So internally in the state, he knows he needs to keep that excitement alive to make sure that he performs strong for reelection, but obviously also for his potential run for president, whether it's in the primary or in the general. You know, I think he needs to change his cadence up a little bit, like close your eyes and he sounds like Obama. That doesn't sit well with progressives. I think that doesn't. Well, I think that, like, I mean, I mean, I'm just going to be.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Honest.

In the, in the Atlantic story, he says he doesn't hear that. He doesn't hear.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

He said it very different a few years ago. So maybe you should go back to the old speeches, Mark.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

If we just went in the time machine to the future and he was the nominee, would you say, oh, my goodness, he's formidable, or would you say, we'll beat this guy?

[Mark Bednar]

Well, if he became the nominee with under that assumption, like being from a big purple state like that, you have to take that very seriously. Currently, though, like you might say he's the most underrated Democratic contender. He's also the most untested. So they have a divided state House, House Democrats in the state of Pennsylvania, they're not going to have to give him something that he's going to veto, whereas Republicans, they're not going to give him anything to take a stand on either. So, like, even though he might have his lane of, you know, being a purple state governor, you know, he hasn't really done anything with it yet. And so to carve out a lane there, too, like, that's going to take some time and, you know, we'll have to see.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

All right. Very interesting. All right, we're gonna get to your questions now. So if you're here in the platform, you want to be in the conversation, please raise your hand. If you've never raised your hand before, today would be a good day. One quick word from a sponsor. First of our friends at Poncho Poncho Outdoors right now. $10 off your first order and free shipping if you go to ponchooutdoors.com 2wmm2w m pancho outdoors.com this is the clothes Hogan Gidley likes to wear. It fits just right. It's great. Denim jeans. I'm wearing.

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Thank you very much. And let's start with Diane. Diane, welcome in. Tell folks who don't know where you are. Unmute after you first Unmute. Tell folks where you are, what's on your mind. For Nomi and for Mark.

[Diane]

Hey there. I'm from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and I was just calling to make a comment about on Friday, there was a change made to the Hep B dose for the childhood vaccine schedule. And I think the way that they approached that was really moderate and pragmatic. And I think that throughout history our vaccine schedule has become quite extreme. And it is so when you compare it to other countries as well. Now we really like to see a more moderate approach taken to these pharmaceutical products. And going forward, President Trump announced that he's asking them to evaluate all of the entire schedule. And my priority as a parent who has some concerns about the vaccines would be to look at how they're administered oftentimes usually four or five products at one visit. And none of those products have ever been studied together. So we don't understand any interactions or cumulative effects of those as they're being given to these little kids. So 90 something doses before a child's 18, I think we could all agree there might be a few in there that could be reevaluated. And then I guess a brief comment about the farmers. The tariff situation was more of an insult to injury scenario. The problem is that they have very high input costs and low commodity prices. And so any conversation.

About the bailout to the companies that are selling them fertilizer and chemicals next year, and we don't actually address the root cause, it's just going to be a continued consolidation and bailouts for the farmers. We really need to listen to what they're saying.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Diane, thank you very much. I won't say predictable, but Maha mom from Iowa is going to ask us about vaccines and about tariffs and farmers. Mark, thoughts on those two? Why don't you handle them both and then Naomi will handle them both.

[Mark Bednar]

Well, I mean, it's pretty clear when President Trump picked Bobby Kennedy to be his HHS secretary, they were going to do things different and they were going to reevaluate things across the board. You know, it's not necessarily, it's kind of against the grain sometimes. And this is another example of that, that it's welcome news to some, confusing to others. But, you know, the fact that they're kind of shaking things up, you know, that's stuff that, you know, the president promised on the campaign trail. So this, you know, that's another interesting development in terms of the tariffs within the ag community. Like, you know, I'm from, you know, rural Wisconsin myself, small town farmers have had had trouble working to expand their markets for years. And this is going to be, you know, this is another part of that tale and the President is keenly aware of that. He knows how important, you know, he, he sees the, the farmer vote as something that's critical to his coalition, you know, across, you know, Rust belt states, et cetera. So I think it's going to be really important that he engages these people, these farmers with a, an honest, you know, positive way Domi.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I mean this is why I think anti monopoly.

Anti monopoly policy is so important. I mean, if he really wants to protect small farmers, then take on Monsanto, take on Walmart, take on these big monopolies who've eaten up not only government subsidies for the farmers, but eaten up the farmland. I mean, they've bought out these farmers who can barely afford to pay their bills in more affordable communities in this country. So, you know, if you really want to be so pro farmer, then take them on. But this is something neither Democrats nor Republicans do. So like our, both sides are.

Have been fault faulty for this in terms of vaccination schedule. I mean, I'm not necessarily opposed to shifting the vaccination schedule, but I would like to have, I don't know, RFK not firing scientists, qualified scientists, so we could actually have a thoughtful policy around this. You know, I am somebody who thinks that pharmaceuticals need, companies need to be challenged and there's a lot of room there to grow and they have tremendous power over this country. With that being said, I am pro vaccine, but I also want to listen to qualified scientists not, you know, rfk who supposedly through this big scandal that's come out recently has admittedly said that he does believe in vaccines through the grapevine of reporting.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Diane, if, if Secretary Kennedy called you and asked you for advice about things that are going on now, what would you tell him?

[Diane]

Well, I would say like when I hear a lot of these vaccine policies, people want to act like there's all or nothing or some extreme. There are scientists working on this at the ACIP committee and like we can have thoughtful discussions. The policy that they implemented is extremely thoughtful for the Hep B dose. Anyone who thinks that we need to give every baby a Hep B vaccine for sexually transmitted disease on the first day of their life, that seems extreme to me.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Do you have any, do you have any advice to the secretary though.

Like.

[Diane]

In terms of the vaccine policies?

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Anything he's doing, someone who cares about.

[Diane]

We need to look at, like I said, studying those vaccines that are being administered regularly. They're routinely given together.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah.

[Diane]

Three month visit. My kids, all three of them got four band aids and an oral vaccine. None of those vaccines have been tested together. So we don't understand if there's interactions or cumulative effects. This polypharmacy issue, the medical industry acknowledges is a problem more broadly, but it's difficult to study because there's thousands of medications. Well, there's really on the schedule, only so many and they can be studied together. And we're talking about little kids. So we should be doing more science. The answer is more science.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

More science.

[Diane]

We like it.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

More science.

[Diane]

More randomized controlled placebo, inter placebo trials as well.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Diane, thank you. Grateful to you for being part of two way. Thank you. Nicole, welcome in. Tell folks who don't know where you are what's on your mind for know me and for Mark.

[Nicole]

Good morning. I am from Tennessee. My thoughts today are on the Mamdani video. I think that like we've always known, I think that he's a political animal. He knows how to come on and make a point. I don't think that he.

I thought the comments that you guys made about him not attacking Trump or not making it some like super over the top kind of political game was really smart of him. I look back on the meeting that he had in the Oval Office with Trump and I think about some of the conversations that they had and how the camaraderie was there. They were yucking it up. I mean, seriously, it was shocking to me and I was kind of impressed by, by it. And then I started thinking about the, through lines, all the, all the property that Trump has in New York and all the things that make him feel connected to New York. And.

It'S a draw to him emotionally. Right. And so I started thinking about, like, what are the things that could have been happening behind the scenes that are all of a sudden they're like, they're more on the same terms than I've ever seen. And some of the things that they popped up were the fact that Trump kept mentioning that Mamdani was really focused on getting housing built for New Yorkers. And then the second thing that he kept talking about was that they had a lot of that Mondomini had told Trump that he was going to follow the law in relation to immigration. And I just think that, like, that it was that kind of like, I don't think it was as, as over the top as the Seditious Six video. I think it was fine. I think his video was on point. I think he was stating the law as it is. I think that he was doing it in a way that made it seem like he is like out there fighting the fight. And again, I think that's a really.

Politically smart way to go about kind of putting something like that out. So I guess my question is, do you think that there was a backdoor handshake deal between Mamdani and Trump that said, hey, if you follow the lines to the T on the immigration stuff and you follow these laws and stay within those bounds and don't try and subvert, then I'll talk to so and so developer or there's this plot of land we could work on some low income housing that has been sitting for a while that needs a B and C, you know, being done on it, whatever. Do you think that there was some backroom deal that was made? I think housing probably most likely. But I'm just curious what you think.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Great, great question, Nomi. Is it possible that those two guys reached some secret deals rather than just vagaries?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

I think, I think it's a really smart question. I think it's notable to say that Donald Trump is one of the, not the biggest developers. There's a lot of major developers in the city that Mamdani does have to deal with. That is this. You know, I think there's different cities, like there's different power structures and New York, the real estate developers control everything. They will move their money into progressive organizations to get rezonings. I mean it is a wild situation and there isn't one answer to affordable housing. There are many answers to affordable housing the city, so he has to play with all these elements. But Donald Trump is not at the front and center of any of that. I just think that, that Zoran went in, excuse me, Mayor elect, sorry, I should have more respect for my assembly member that he went in and he played it very smooth and I think he, he was very clear like this is the law, like he come and he's very affable. But if you watch it over again, and I did see him a week, a couple days later after the event and he did a press conference at an event.

I think he prepared for all the scenarios and was very cautious about his words. But in terms of a backroom deal, I don't think there was anything that happened behind the scenes, frankly.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Mark, do politicians make deals like the kind Nicole's speculating a bit?

[Mark Bednar]

Well, what's probably super interesting is it's probably not the two camps per se, but it's the bom Donnie camp Talking to people that Trump has known for decades and almost like they're two different, like, species. Like, how do I, how do I deal with this guy? So whoever that third party is, there's probably, you know, half a dozen of them. Like, that's where those interesting conversations are taking place. Because, like, like, like you said, Nicole, like the, the fact that, like, they have to somehow coexist. I remain skeptical. I think that something will come to a head at some point and we'll go right back to, you know, where. Where the things kind of fell off, you know, before the, before the election. But, yeah, the fact that they, that meeting went so well as well as it did, and shocked, you know, the whole entire world that that doesn't just happen overnight. So super interesting. And, you know, we'll have to see.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Where it goes and just to pivot off that point. I mean, Mamdani has surprised the business community. Kathy Wild is not one of the most easy people to work with and went over and he's been able to go into these business meetings with executives. And, you know, there's some great leaders, more from, like, the Obama world, that are really helping Mamdani build those relationships and at least sustain them and not go in with, you know, in opposition the way that maybe previous administrations had in the past. So it's, you know, I think there's a lot of lessons from previous administrations, too, that are coming into play now because, you know, he's building from previous administrations that the people are, you know, we've learned their lessons. It's a. How do you build more affordable housing in the city? It's very difficult. But what's also good is that we don't have Andrew Cuomo as a governor who was in opposition to literally everything for like, 13 years. So I think Kathy Hochul has also been a good partner in this process, despite the fact that she doesn't agree with everything Donnie says.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Nicole, I think I know the answer, but that's not a real backdrop, right?

[Nicole]

No, it's not. I wish.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah, thought so. I. Some would get a lot of chatter. Nicole, grateful to you. Thank you for being part of Two Way. Daily News just sent out an alert. I don't know that it is news, even though news is the names aliens that says Mondami, who had said during the election he was going to move into Gracie Mansion. The governor's mayor's residence, hadn't really been willing to address it during the transition, said today or yesterday that he is going to move into Gracie Mansion, which is good News for some and less for others. Quick word from a sponsor, then back to your questions. Please raise your hand if you still want to get in. Right now, ladies and gentlemen, 30% off. If you want to cook better, easier for the holidays, you got more holidays coming up to cook for your family, friends, et cetera. Now's a chance to buy the product from Chef iq to put a thermometer in your food. Put the thing on your app. And, ladies and gentlemen, it does the work. It tells you when to take it out, tells you how to turn it, tells you how long to let it sit after you cook. Go to chefiq.com promo code 2WMM for 30% off the Chef IQ Brilliant product. Again, Chef IQ Sense. It's a wireless cooking thermometer. You just put it in and it does the work. Imagine all the technology you've got in your smartphone, all the incredible things you do. Imagine applying that to cooking. Well, you can do that. It tells you every time. Perfectly cooked, you spend more time sipping cocoa, less time hovering over the oven. This season, give yourself or your loved ones an opportunity to cook easier and better. Chefiq.com promo code 2 WMM Kevin Hassett was on Squawk Box this morning and he suggested this was going to be a great week for the president on the economy. Here's the National Economic Council advisor and presumed Fed chair to be, Kevin Hassett.

Oh, I just said I was going to call you, Mr. Director, and then I called you Kevin.

[Kevin Hassett]

But it seems that the president is going to be breaking this week about the economy. You know, we've got a person who actually approached, approached the studio with me, walk with me, who's tracking the openings, the groundbreakings for the new factories that are, you know, in the trillions of dollars of announcements that the president's been making, and we're up to almost 30 of those that actually the groundbreaking have happened. And so there's a lot of positive news that's positive for people's jobs, for people's incomes and for inflation. And President Trump is just going to go out there and remind people of that. But in the end, again, going back to the eye on the horizon, that President Trump's economic policies were profoundly popular just before COVID in his first term because he had $6,500 of income growth after the big tax cuts. And so right now, we're going into next year where the typical person who's got no tax on tips, no tax over time is probably going to see.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

An extra 62019 nostalgia. I'll say. All right, let's go to.

[Mark Bednar]

He's a great surrogate.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

He is. He is a great surrogate. Evan, welcome in Unmute. Tell folks who don't know where you are what's on your mind. For Mark and for Nomi.

[Evan]

Good morning all. I'm in Long island, so just a couple of comments. You know, Nomi, you just talked about the power of the real estate developer in New York and it's no doubt that they have a, A block. But I'd invite you to spend the day in landlord tenant court when people have spoken English their whole lives, all of a sudden need an interpreter and how the judge genuflects at that.

If the, if the, if the people who controlled Long island real estate really had that kind of power, the scaffolding law would have ended years ago.

It's just they don't, they have outsized power. I'll acknowledge that. But if, you know, we have dealt with rent control and you can argue from a philosophical position that that's a requirement. But you know, it's, I would argue it's, it's, it's one sided. And the last thing is where's the land? Where's the land?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Waterside Plaza was built there. I mean we could talk about, we could, there's warehousing in the city that needs to be. Okay, so, so one out of three apartments is being bought in cash by foreign oligarchs right now. That could be ended. That's something that Bloomberg brought in. I mean we could talk about housing all you want. We, the tax breaks.

[Evan]

Okay, so you're going to, you're going to use eminent domain? You're going to use eminent domain to seize warehouses? No, when an eminent domain the government pays, I don't know, half times the value.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm totally interested in this. I'm learning a lot, but we've got, we've got limited time, so. Evan, I love the conversation, but. Yeah, different.

[Evan]

Yeah, completely different.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah.

[Evan]

All your, your consensus of Marjorie Taylor Greene's comments the other night and I'm sorry if you covered this already.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah.

[Evan]

And how it mirrors the comments on the people after the Dominion lawsuit came.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Public with her comments on what particularly from 60 Minutes. Which, which comment are you talking about?

[Evan]

Her comments about how what Republicans say when they're not talking to Trump basically how they, how they, they'll talk about him in private. How differently that is when they're practicing their filthy.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah, I was, I was struck by her saying that, but I think it's the least surprising thing I've ever heard. But. Mark Bednar, But Evan, you're right to highlight it because it was interesting. Mark Bednar, do Republicans on Capitol Hill say different things about Donald Trump in private than they do in public?

[Mark Bednar]

He's more popular in their districts than they are. Like, no. He calls them after their TV hits. He brings them in for bills. He gets along with them and they view him as a friend. To me, what's striking is 60 minutes. Like, they bring in somebody who's about to resign. You know, there's always going to be open arms in kind of legacy media for Republicans who want to like, trash the party. Like, there will always be open arms for that. We see that every day. And they get incentivized to, you know, there's a very strong perverse incentive structure. So, like that's, that's the least surprising thing for her to say. But no, that everything like Trump's, Trump's the guy. He's our president.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Nomi, are you welcoming Marjorie Taylor Greene with open arms?

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

No, I think she's gonna have, I don't know. I'm confused by her.

[Host (Possibly Mark)]

Yeah. Evan, thank you. Thank you. Good topics. Grateful to you. All right, let me tell you about some upcoming two ways. First of all, you think Naomi's name's hard to pronounce. Well, guess who's on with Megan McCain at noon today. Our friend Yemassiwala Eggbowale is on with Megan at noon. Join the two of them and Citizen McCain noon today. Two great guests on Two Way tonight, former Montana Senator John Tester and North Carolina former North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory joined me at Two Way Tonight at Six O', clock, two former elected statewide elected, one from the west, one from the South. We're going to talk about the farmers, we're going to talk about housing. We're going to talk about Evan and Nomi. We're going to talk about all sorts of things. So join me six o' clock tonight for full coverage of everything that happened today. Then at 7, our new show, which if you haven't sampled yet, I recommend to you it's not a political show, but two ways, not just political shows. Ethan Supley's lifelong welcomes transformation specialist Jordan Graham. I do not know what a transformation specialist is, but I'll find out with you at seven o'clock tonight. Again, lifelong our new show. Ethan is an extraordinary talent, talented actor who now dedicates a lot of his life to teaching people how to live a healthy life. In terms of nutrition and exercise and weight loss. Please join Ethan at 7 and then 23 hours from now, believe it or not, we'll be blessed with the return of Nomi and Mark Day one in the books, gentlemen and lady. But tomorrow we'll see at 9am Eastern Time for another episode. Grateful to everybody from the two way community for being here and we will see you at six and then three of us will see at nine tomorrow. Thank you both. Have a great day. We'll see in 23 hours.

[Nomiki 'Nomi' Konstantinidis]

Thank you.

[Mark Bednar]

Go Peco.