Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: A Cry For Help
Date: December 10, 2025
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

This episode of Armstrong & Getty centers on the state of American politics and culture, economics, and some uniquely “Armstrong & Getty” lighter moments. Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty dissect recent political developments, the 2024 campaign landscape, economic anxieties (especially inflation), cultural phenomena, a quirky discussion on America's favorite dogs, and, with classic irreverence, touch on government inefficiency and bureaucracy.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Trump’s 2024 Rally Tour and the State of the Economy

• Trump’s Self-Evaluation: Trump is making the rounds with campaign rallies, giving himself an “A plus plus plus plus” on his economic record.
  • “That’s Trump’s grade of how well they’ve done on the economy so far this year in an interview. A plus plus, plus. Typical Trump salesmanship.” — Jack Armstrong (01:39)
• Disconnect Between DC and Public Perception: Hosts argue most Americans don’t share Trump’s rosy view, noting persistent economic malaise.
  • “The reason he’s doing that is because most Americans perception of the economy is definitely not a plus plus plus.” — Joe Getty (02:09)

2. Midterm Projections and Political Patterns

• Cyclical Power Swings: Discussion about the near inevitability of the president’s party losing the House during midterms, referencing historic trends since the 1990s.
  • “President wins and then the other party wins. Okay, so big deal. It doesn’t mean freaking anything.” — Jack Armstrong (03:40)
• Potential Aftermath: If the Democrats win the House, expectation is renewed impeachment attempts and increased gridlock.
• Realism Versus Media Narratives: Joe and Jack push back against hyped significance assigned to this cycle.

3. The ‘Democratic Tea Party’ Phenomenon

• Analysis of a piece by Gabe Fleischer arguing the Democratic Party is experiencing its own grassroots, anti-establishment transformation, comparable to the rise of the Tea Party in the GOP (circa 2010).
• Warning About Ideological Purity: Concern that ultra-passionate factions may nominate candidates who are unelectable in general elections.
  • “You try to say, wait, they have no chops. They say wacky stuff. They’re busted for shoplifting like two weeks ago, whatever. But because they’re the purest distillation of your movement, your movement says that's for us.” — Joe Getty (06:02)

4. Trump, ‘Affordability’, and Inflation

• Trump’s strategy of lampooning the Democrats' focus on “affordability” as the issue of the election.
  • “Going around mocking the word affordability is a terrible idea.” — Jack Armstrong (08:32)
• Hosts argue affordability is a “real problem” for voters that Trump would be ill-advised to minimize.
• The Federal Reserve is expected to lower interest rates, with the risk of reigniting inflation remaining a key concern.
• Political Stakes: Inflation’s resurgence could dictate the 2024 election.

5. Elon Musk’s Disillusionment and Government Waste

• Recap of a recent Musk interview about his failed attempts to cut government waste via the Department Of Government Efficiency (Doge).
• Musk admits shutting down even a fraction of waste led to strong political blowback and personal regret.
  • “If you stop money going to political corruption, they will lash out big time. They really want to keep the money flowing, he said ... I kind of wish I hadn’t gotten involved.” — Paraphrased from Jack Armstrong (17:10)
• Reflection on entrenched bureaucracy and “zombie programs” in federal spending.
• The futility of reform: “Profoundly discouraging, too.” — Joe Getty (20:23)

6. Lighter Segment: America’s Dog Obsession

• Presentation of the most popular dog breeds and names in America (report by Steve Kornacki).
  • French Bulldog is now #1, dethroning the long-dominant Labrador Retriever.
  • Top names by state include Luna, Bella, Cooper, Spot, and Daisy.
• Lively conversation on purebred vs. mixed breed dogs, the unpredictability of dog temperament, and the “in dog” phenomena.
  • “The purebred dog world talks about itself constantly ... the mutt world is like, yeah, I don’t have time for that. I just like dogs.” — Joe Getty (26:30)

7. Candace Owens, Turning Point USA & Online Conspiracies

• Quick, sardonic mention of accusations by Candace Owens claiming “the Jews have taken over Turning Point USA,” leading to hosts lampooning the hyperbole and absurdity of internet discourse.
  • “Oh, for God’s sake.” — Joe Getty (34:57)

8. Trump’s Rally & Energy Policy

• Trump’s closing message from his Pennsylvania rally: border secure, spirit restored, inflation stopped, prices down, America respected again.
  • Clip: “Our border is secure, our spirit is restored, inflation is stopped, wages are up, prices are down, our nation is strong, America is respected again, and the United States is back.” — Donald Trump (36:05)
• Announcement: The Department of Energy will finance up to 10 new nuclear power plants to support the coming “AI energy boom.”
  • Debate over America’s historic resistance to nuclear power, and embrace nuclear as “very, very green.”
  • “You green people–yeah, go with nuclear power. That’s the answer, man.” — Jack Armstrong (38:32)
  • “The progressives of the 70s and 80s lectured us over and over again how we must stick with fossil fuels and don’t go with nuclear power, the only form of energy that contains its waste. Don’t do that. Yeah, it’s unbelievable.” — Joe Getty (38:43)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-------|---------| | 01:39 | “That’s Trump’s grade ... A plus plus plus. Typical Trump sort of salesmanship.” | Jack Armstrong | | 02:09 | “Most Americans perception of the economy is definitely not a plus plus plus.” | Joe Getty | | 05:56 | “Because they’re the purest distillation of your movement, your movement says that’s the [candidate] for us.” | Joe Getty | | 07:54 | Trump mocking “affordability”: “But they use the word affordability and that’s their only word. They say affordability, and everyone says, oh, that must mean Trump has high prices. No, our prices are coming down tremendously now.” | Donald Trump | | 08:32 | “Donald Trump is a master at the rallies ... but going around mocking the word affordability is a terrible idea.” | Jack Armstrong | | 20:23 | "It's profoundly discouraging, too." | Joe Getty | | 26:30 | “The purebred dog world talks about itself constantly ... the mutt world is like, yeah, I don’t have time for that. I just like dogs.” | Joe Getty | | 36:05 | “After just 10 months, our border is secure, our spirit is restored, inflation is stopped, wages are up, prices are down, our nation is strong, America is respected again, and the United States is back.” | Donald Trump (clip) | | 38:43 | "The progressives of the 70s and 80s lectured us over and over again ... don't go with nuclear power, the only form of energy that contains its waste. Don't do that. Yeah, it's unbelievable." | Joe Getty |

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Trump’s Economic Self-Grade – 01:34–02:20
• Midterm Patterns & Expected Gridlock – 02:20–04:25
• Democratic ‘Tea Party’ and Candidate Quality – 04:35–07:29
• Trump Mocks ‘Affordability’/Inflation Talk – 07:54–09:07
• Fed and Inflation Worries – 09:45–11:31
• Musk on Government Waste and Disillusionment – 16:05–21:04
• Purebred Dogs vs. Mutts – 26:30–27:02
• Trump’s Rally Clips/Energy Policy – 36:05–39:21

Tone and Style

• Conversational, irreverent, and unfiltered: The hosts frequently leap between critique, sarcasm, and wordplay, but always keep a deep skepticism of political spin and institutional dysfunction.
• Cultural commentary with a side of farce: Particularly in pet discussions and hogging on viral moments.
• Balanced cynicism: Moments of “cry for help” (despair over DC dysfunction) offset with playful banter and a constant search for pragmatic solutions.

Summary Takeaways

If you missed this episode, you missed a lively rundown of how the nation’s economic mood, political churn, and even our pet preferences reflect deeper frustrations and oddities in America today. Armstrong & Getty remain at their best when musing—sometimes with exasperation, sometimes with humor—on what’s broken, why it stays broken, and the comically small places (like dog breeds and names) where we still manage to connect as Americans. Their “cry for help” is for sensibility, competence, and a little less tribal rage—though a dog or two wouldn’t hurt.

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