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- [00:00]
Armstrong
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Then the space hamster flew his hot air balloon all the way to the bottom of the ocean. Where did that story come from? Book Dream? Nope. It came from a conversation. Meet Meco Mini plus, the AI companion that co creates personalized story adventures with your child in real time. What color was the hamster's cape and what did he pack for lunch? Unlock your child's imagination. Discover Mikomini PL and the magic of AI exclusively at Costco 10 athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.
- [00:55]
Getty
This is where mindset comes in.
- [00:56]
Armstrong
Someone will be eliminated.
- [00:59]
Getty
Pressure is coming down.
- [01:01]
Armstrong
This is trainer Busy work weeks can leave you feeling drained. Prolon's five day Fasting Mimicking Diet works at the cellular level to rejuvenate you from the inside out, providing real results that include fat focused, sustainable weight loss with no injection needed. NextGen builds on the original Prolong with 100% organic soups and teas, a richer taste and ready to eat meals. Developed at USC's Longevity Institute and backed by top medical centers, Prolon supports biological age reduction, metabolic health, skin appearance, fat loss and energy. Get 15% off plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe at prolonlife.com iheart that's prolonlife.com iheart I am Nina Khrushcheva.
- [01:50]
Getty
The great granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev, the.
- [01:52]
Michael
Leader of the Soviet Union in 1962.
- [01:56]
Getty
And I'm Max Kennedy, the nephew of US President John F. Kennedy. We explore what was a terrifying moment in history, the story of the Cuban Missile Crisis, how close the world came to nuclear war, and what they had to do to pull it back from the brink.
- [02:11]
Michael
The Bomb Kennedy and KHRUSHCHEV Listen on.
- [02:14]
Getty
BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [02:19]
Lendio Announcer
Business owners know that getting a loan isn't always easy, but it can be fast if you know where to look. One of the fastest ways to get a business loan is through an online funding marketplace like Lendio. At Lendio, we built a marketplace of over 75 lenders and funding partners and who know what you need and can get it to you quickly. Depending on the type of funding, money could be on its way to your bank account within 24 hours. See what your business can qualify for in just a few minutes@lendio.com that's L E N D I O lendio.com.
- [02:49]
Getty
Broadcasting.
- [02:49]
Michael
Live from the Abraham Lincoln radio studio.
- [02:52]
Getty
At the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack.
- [02:55]
Armstrong
Armstrong and Joe Getty.
- [02:57]
Getty
Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Getty. Chipotle launched a collaboration today with the luggage company base to offer a $48 crossbody bag designed to carry one of their burritos. Because your stomach was not.
- [03:26]
Michael
I knew it was going to be something like that when I saw that luggage. Chipotle is going to go down that road. I was just aware of that. We do need to talk about that. Michigan football coach. Still don't quite understand what's going on there. I very, very uncool. You're married with kids and you're having an affair there at work. And I just saw a thing that said it was a worst kept secret at Michigan. Like lots of people knew it. But how'd you end up arrested? You don't get arrested for that.
- [03:49]
Getty
Yeah, there are plenty of clues. I think I know what went on and it's pretty ugly. But we'll get to that in a little bit. I want to preface this conversation by saying, and I wish I could remember the headline, I was getting ready for the show today, just plowing through all sorts of different stuff and I came across a couple of stories. One of them had to do with reforming college campuses. The other one, as I recall, had something to do with enforcing actual civil rights, ending racism by ending racism, not by promoting more racism. And I thought to myself, only Donald J. Trump and his administration would have the balls to do this. Would take on the media and the entrenched activist class and the Democratic Party and call, you know, call reality what it is. And I thought I'm going to hate losing this. And I hope whoever succeeds Trump in the Republican Party can keep the momentum going anyway, so I, you know, and the borders closed. And I'm just so grateful for a lot of the good things that have happened during the Trump administration. But as I've told Jack, both on the air and off the air, I have a gut feeling honed over many years of watching this stuff that this is a ship that is heading for the rocks. It does not have the feeling of something coming together. It has the feeling of something falling apart.
- [05:11]
Michael
Well, we got three full years left.
- [05:14]
Getty
And the standard lame duckery of the last two years in office, the midterm elections frequently makes it really tough for a president to be productive. And that's not Donald J's fault.
- [05:25]
Michael
It's just the system, right?
- [05:27]
Getty
It's just the way the cookie Tends to crumble. But if you look at both some of the numbers and some of the trends that are unmistakable, Peggy Noonan is absolutely fantast. Writing for the Journal, cites a couple of polls. You know, we've all heard that the approval rating on economic matters for Trump is down substantially. Cuz that was always his bedrock. His approval on immigration numbers are down substantially. And then she points out that, look, a year into the term, every president gets on people's nerves. You disappoint your fans a little because you over promised during the campaign, everybody else, and you're infuriating your foes because, well, they're your foes. So that's to be expected. But then she gets to the Marjorie Taylor Greene thing. Breaking away from Trump on the Epstein files, among other things. And by the way, it's worth throwing in. I think Marjorie Taylor Greene's a nut. I think she's wrong about most things.
- [06:25]
Michael
When she said some crazy ass in her career.
- [06:28]
Getty
Right. So this is not pitching one side or the other is right. We're just watching the football game and analyzing how the players are playing. But then Peggy Noonan points out that once someone makes a jailbreak, though, who defies Trump, comes out right against him. And wait a minute, the world didn't turn on her and attack her. And the entire Republican Party and the MAGA world are not savaging her. In fact, a lot of people are saying, wait, she made the jailbreak. I got my own issues, I'm gonna break out too. This changes the conversation in the prison yard. Guards are eyed differently. The warden's mystique is diminished. And so she writes about that a little bit. And then she talks about when Trump is erratic.
- [07:15]
Michael
Well, do you think they think that's fair to start with? Because they asked that question when I didn't watch the whole MTG interview on 60 Minutes. Man, you want to become rich, be a conservative. That then turns on the Republican Party or the sitting Republican president. Guaranteed wealth because the mainstream media will embrace you and you get to be Joe Scarborough or who's the other chick that's on there Was a speechwriter for Bush and turned against all everything Republican. She's on later, but. But man, that's a guarantee. You just are loved, beloved. And Marjorie Taylor Greene's trying to kind of get in that treatment right now. I don't know how far she's willing to go, but. So Leslie Stahl in 60 Minutes kept trying to portray her as like, Trump won, you had to resign, which is not a bad angle.
- [08:11]
Getty
Yeah, she doesn't see it that way, but she's not wrong. Leslie Stahl is not wrong. Annoying, but not wrong. You know, as long as we're talking mtg, here she is talking to super genius Wolf Blitzer on CNN the other day. You got that, Michael? President Trump posted yesterday that you are, quote, and I'm quoting him now, not.
- [08:31]
Michael
America first or maga, and your, quote.
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Getty
New views are those of a very dumb person. That's the President of the United States speaking about your. Speaking about you.
- [08:40]
Michael
What's your response to these latest attacks?
- [08:43]
Armstrong
Well, actually, Wolf, I feel very sorry for President Trump. I genuinely do. It has to be a hard place for someone that is constantly so hateful and puts so much vitriol, name calling and really tells lies about people in order to try to get his way or win some kind of fight. And I think that's exactly what's wrong in America today. That's what's wrong in this toxic political environment that has ripped our country apart. And I personally think that that's poor leadership from a president.
- [09:24]
Michael
You know, while. So the mainstream media is now treating her the way they're treating her, despite the fact that they used to beat her up for the fact that she thought 911 was an inside job. No plane hit the Pentagon, space lasers funded by the Jews were linked to Democrats and a number of other things that she used to get beaten up with. But soon as she turns on Trump, she's a hero.
- [09:47]
Getty
So Peggy Noonan talks about Trump's hate stoking and his, you know, making really strong accusations and how that's more dangerous because we're in a dark time and Peggy's very much a traditionalist. But when you've got Peggy Noonan and MTG both agreeing that, look, all the vitriol, all the insults all the time, it's just not helpful. And then Peggy moves on to the affordability as a Democratic hoax while he's building the gian. I don't think many people actually care about the ballroom, but it just doesn't have a good feel. But with AI and inflation in the air, people are scared. And the administration doesn't seem like it understands that. It's not acting like it understands that. So I thought that was interesting. And then the. The MTG stuff, it's funny, the Free Press sent one of their reporters to MTG's district and talked to a bunch of the folks in the reddest district in Georgia. And that's like the reddest apple or the reddest fire truck that's friggin red, folks. That's really, really red. And it's interesting. A lot of voters, many, many, all but one she talked to had said, I'm done with Trump. MTG is right. I'm not maga. I'm America first and Trump isn't America first anymore. You know, it's funny about this. And again, this is not rooting for one thing or another. It's just sitting in the box and commenting on the game I'm watching. I disagree with like everybody quoted in this article about what America's foreign policy ought to be. I think they're wrong. I think they have a very oversimplified new to politics angry, why are we wasting money on foreigners? Point of view, that's just not realistic. So it's not like I agree with MTG and her people, but it's undeniably something that's happening. The Hispanic vote, which famously switched over to Trump and the Republicans appears to have gone now, according to a lot of polls. Things are changing.
- [11:53]
Michael
Yeah, I think a lot of that, I think it can all come down to prices and you know, mock the word affordability all you want, but that, that all kinds of punditry was done around why various groups moved toward Trump and he famously grew his vote in every single county in the entire America and the entire country. But like two, I think it was almost like entirely about things are too expensive and it wasn't all these other issues that they tried to make it out.
- [12:27]
Getty
I would throw immigration into that delicious sandwich because that was such an egregious and horrifying problem. But, and you know, it's funny, Trump's greatest gift is that he is disdainful of his critics because a lot of his critics deserved nothing but disdain. His greatest weakness is that he's disdainful of his critics because sometimes his critics are people who agree with him on a lot of stuff and are saying, hey, you're going to set your own house on fire if you're not a little more careful. Like the immigration thing, he's lost a lot of support on the immigration thing and the deportations thing. And as I watch it, I think it's because as usual with Trump, he went 20% too far, too fast, too harsh, too disdainful of the concerns being raised again by people who agree with him. Never mind the stupid. There's, there's no such thing as an illegal human crowd. Those people are idiots and Marxists. And I don't, you know, they're wrong. They're just completely wrong. But the Crowd saying, look, let's keep it narrowly to the criminals and the guy who's been working in the community for 20 years. That's gonna erode support. Let's go gentle on him. Let's figure out what to do about that more carefully. He was disdainful of that, too.
- [13:47]
Michael
Well, these next couple of months, inflation reports are going to be really, really big.
- [13:52]
Armstrong
Oh, really?
- [13:53]
Michael
Yes, really.
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Getty
Because everyone knows it.
- [13:56]
Michael
There's going to be a pretty unhappy populace if inflation continues and everyone knows it. I agree with you, Joe. Joe, you met her, right? Got your picture taken with her.
- [14:06]
Armstrong
Yes, that was quite entertaining.
- [14:10]
Getty
Thank you.
- [14:11]
Michael
Well, you were on the same plane or went on a date or. I don't remember what the story was.
- [14:14]
Getty
Oh, we were on at the same gate in an airport.
- [14:16]
Michael
And you approached her or she approached you.
- [14:19]
Getty
Why would she approach me?
- [14:20]
Michael
Because you're a radio star.
- [14:22]
Getty
Oh, right. No, I just. Yeah, it was. Hey, how are you? Mind if I tell you? Oh, of course. Yeah.
- [14:28]
Michael
Click.
- [14:30]
Getty
I should have engaged her in more conversation, but there are a bunch of people wanting to talk to her and I just. I'm not that guy. I don't, you know, monopolize.
- [14:37]
Michael
How'd she look in person compared to on tv?
- [14:39]
Getty
Smaller.
- [14:41]
Armstrong
Bad built, Bush body.
- [14:43]
Michael
Well, that's why I wonder if I look pretty buff.
- [14:45]
Getty
No, I would not. Oh, she's very fit. Yeah, but she's quite petite.
- [14:48]
Michael
Hmm.
- [14:49]
Getty
She's also better looking in person. The camera's not kind to her. Not that that matters for a congressperson, but, you know, she's a woman. She wears the makeup. She picks clothes to try to look nice. I had to like anybody.
- [15:04]
Michael
I had to do a zoom call the other day with a guy that I've known for four years, and he looked completely different. This is the first time I've ever seen him on camera. I've only seen him in person in his office, and he looked completely different. I thought, wow, you're a way better looking dude on the zoom call than you are in person.
- [15:22]
Getty
How interesting. The camera loves him.
- [15:24]
Michael
Yeah, sometimes it works the other way for people.
- [15:26]
Getty
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- [15:50]
Michael
And this new feature early payouts if your lineup gets off to a hot start now you've got the option to cash out those winnings before the game even finishes. How cool is that?
- [16:00]
Getty
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- [16:24]
Michael
Think there was a more or less on college football coaches arrested after affairs, but we do have one that's gotten quite a bit of attention. If you've been hearing about this Michigan football coach who I didn't know anything about, so it's not a football thing for me. It's just a, you know, human interest story. Got arrested? What happened? More details came out yesterday. We got that among other things on the way.
- [16:46]
Getty
Armstrong and Getty.
- [16:47]
Armstrong
Then the space hamster flew his hot air balloon all the way to the bottom of the ocean. Where did that story come from? Book Dream? Nope. It came from a conversation. Meet Mikomini, the AI companion that co creates personalized story adventures with your child in real time. What color was the hamster's cape and what did he pack for lunch? Unlock your child's imagination. Discover Miko Mini plus and the Magic of AI exclusively at Costco. 10 athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.
- [17:37]
Getty
This is where mindset comes in.
- [17:39]
Armstrong
Someone will be eliminated.
- [17:41]
Getty
Pressure is coming down.
- [17:44]
Armstrong
This is Trainer Games.
- [17:46]
Getty
Watch it on prime video starting January 8th.
- [17:49]
Michael
Want to know how to become the richest person in the world? Start with the latest episode of our.
- [17:54]
Getty
Podcast, Good Bad Billionaire. We're telling the story of how Elon.
- [17:58]
Armstrong
Musk amassed half a trillion dollars from.
- [18:00]
Getty
His troubled childhood in South Africa to.
- [18:02]
Michael
Buying Twitter and launching rockets into space.
- [18:05]
Getty
With all the boardroom dramas along the.
- [18:06]
Lendio Announcer
Way, find out how he did it.
- [18:08]
Michael
On Good Bad billionaire.
- [18:09]
Getty
Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcast.
- [18:18]
Michael
If you've been in business for at least six months and have a decent credit score, you could get business funding in as little as 24 hours. But you don't have to spend a ton of time going from lender to lender to find the best match for your small business. Drive your business forward with Lendio. Just let Lendio do it for you. At Lendio, we've built a marketplace of over 75 lenders and funding partners who know what you need and can get it to you quickly. See what your business can qualify for in just a few minutes@lendio.com that's L E N--I O Lyndio.com running a business.
- [18:50]
Odoo Announcer
Is hard enough, so why make it harder? With a dozen different apps that don't talk to each other. One for sales, another for inventory, a separate one for accounting. Before you know it, you are drowning in software. Instead of growing your business, this is where Odoo comes in. Odoo is the only business software you'll ever need. It's an all in one fully integrated platform that handles everything CRM, accounting, inventory, E commerce, HR and more. No more app overload, no more juggling logins. Just one seamless system that makes work easier. And the best part? Odoo replaces multiple expensive platforms for a fraction of the cost. It's built to grow with your business, whether you are just starting out or already scaling up. Plus, it's easy to use, customizable and designed to streamline every process so you can focus on what really matters running your business. Thousands of businesses have made the switch, so why not you try Odoo for free@odoo.com that's o d o o.com before.
- [19:51]
Getty
Fired head football coach Sharon Moore's arrest, emergency dispatch audio reveals an alleged attack at an address belonging to a Michigan.
- [19:59]
Michael
Football staff member around 4 o' clock Wednesday afternoon, clearing a victim here, he.
- [20:04]
Armstrong
Did put a knife to his throat and ran out.
- [20:07]
Michael
He walked out with several knives.
- [20:08]
Getty
Moore was later detained by police and booked at the Washtenaw County Jail.
- [20:13]
Michael
No charging information has been released yet. So original story was head coach Michigan football, which is like one of the greatest coaching jobs in the entire planet of any sport and pays many many millions of dollars, gets fired because he had an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. And I for some reason in my mind I was picturing because he's like in his late 30s. It was like a 20 year old college girl or something like that.
- [20:36]
Getty
She's a trainer or something.
- [20:37]
Michael
She's 32, so she's not a kid herself. He's having an affair with. Even though he's married with kids and not. Not cool. How's he end up arrested?
- [20:45]
Getty
Well, that's. Yeah, it's super. Not cool, obviously. But also the University of Michigan is super, super woke. So the idea that there's a power imbalance, so there's a privilege there, I'm sure that was strict for boating to have a romantic relationship with an underling of any sort. Okay. So apparently guy goes to after being fired, goes to his paramour's home and threatens her and scares her. She calls the cops. He leaves with several knives for some reason.
- [21:16]
Michael
So he twisted off.
- [21:18]
Getty
So it would seem whether she. I'm sure in his firing interview it was made clear to him how they had an idea, a very, very good idea that he was involved in this relationship. I have a feeling she became unhappy, dissatisfied in some way and informed the university or at least backed up the story and he went to. To her place to chew her out about it or God knows what else.
- [21:44]
Michael
We'll probably get more details on this. I thought you were leaving your wife. Why hasn't this happened yet? That sort of thing.
- [21:50]
Getty
Oh, wow. Yeah. I don't know.
- [21:54]
Michael
Okay, Katie, you brought this up. So yesterday we played the clip of Elon Musk saying if he only could eat one thing, the rest of his life was only allowed to eat one thing where his life he'd choose. Cheeseburgers made me hungry. I wanted a cheeseburger. Late in the day, I finally got a cheeseburger. I tweeted out a picture of it and what is the problem? Oh, so many questions. People want to know if it was a child's burger. Another person said it made them sad. And a lot of people want to know if you paired it with the.
- [22:20]
Getty
Hot cocoa that can be seen on the table.
- [22:22]
Michael
So, yeah, I didn't. I had high hopes for a really great cheeseburger, which I'm going to have tonight. An Omaha Steaks Cheeseburger. But I went to In n Out and which they're okay, but I mean it's still fast food. Burger in and out is fantastic. There's just nothing on that burger. I just go ketchup, mustard, pickles.
- [22:45]
Getty
Okay. Yeah, I just. I have tried. I've given up now. I've given up. I've tried to rule that Jack is not allowed to review food nor beverage. He's hard of tasting.
- [23:00]
Michael
Why do you have to put more on than ketchup, mustard and pickles? That's pretty good.
- [23:05]
Getty
So I see. I didn't think. I. I wasn't going to say anything about this because I don't have a.
- [23:10]
Michael
Whole lot of room. I had one without a bun yesterday because my number one skill is getting fat. So we're really trying to avoid that. My number one skill is getting fat. But I mean Jack.
- [23:22]
Getty
In response, and I apologize because there's a lady present. But you just said, why do you need more than the missionary position with the lights out and as many clothes still on as possible? That's what you just said. Socks, pants, pants and a shirt. A sport coat if you have one. Scarf and is over as quickly as possible. Let's not delay. Let's just get this over with.
- [23:48]
Michael
The hot Coke. The hot cocoa was my son's. I did not pair it with a hot cocoa. I had a cup of water.
- [23:54]
Getty
Anybody could have figured that out. But anyway, you need to redo Cheeseburger.
- [23:58]
Michael
Day because that's not all right with anybody. So what's going on with the peace plan between Russia and Ukraine and Trump and everything?
- [24:07]
Armstrong
Armstrong and Getty? Then the space hamster flew his hot air balloon all the way to the bottom of the ocean. Where did that story come from? Book Dream? Nope. It came from a conversation. Meet Miko Mini plus, the AI companion that co creates personalized story adventures with your child in real time. What color was the hamster's cape and what did he pack for lunch? Unlock your child's imagination. Discover Miko Mini plus and the Magic of AI exclusively at Costco. 10 athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental health breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.
- [25:00]
Getty
This is where mindset comes in.
- [25:01]
Armstrong
Someone will be eliminated.
- [25:04]
Getty
Pressure is coming down.
- [25:06]
Armstrong
This is Trainer Games.
- [25:08]
Getty
Watch it on prime video. Starting January 8th. I am Nina Krushcheva, the great granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the.
- [25:15]
Michael
Soviet Union in 1962.
- [25:18]
Getty
And I'm Max Kennedy, the nephew of US President John F. Kennedy. We explore what was a terrifying moment in history, the story of the Cuban Missile Crisis, how close the world came to nuclear war, and what they had to do to pull it back from the brink.
- [25:33]
Michael
The bomb, Kennedy and KHRUSHCHEV.
- [25:36]
Getty
Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [25:41]
Lendio Announcer
Business owners know that getting a loan isn't always easy, but it can be fast if you know where to look. One of the fastest ways to get a business loan is through an online funding marketplace like Lendio At Lendio, we've built a marketplace of over 75 lenders and funding partners who know what you need and can get it to you quickly. Depending on the type of funding, money could be on its way to your bank account within 24 hours. See what your business can qualify for in just a few minutes@lendio.com that's L E N D I O lendio.com running.
- [26:09]
Odoo Announcer
A business is hard enough, so why make it harder? With a dozen different apps that don't talk to each other, One for sales, another for inventory, a separate one for accounting. Before you know it, you are drowning in software instead of growing your business. This is where Odoo comes in. Odoo is the only business software you'll ever need. It's an all in one, fully integrated platform that handles everything. CRM, accounting, inventory, E commerce, HR and more. No more app overload, no more juggling logins, just one seamless system that makes work easier. And the best part, Odoo replaces multiple expensive platforms for a fraction of the cost. It's built to grow with your business, whether you are just starting out or already scaling up. Plus, it's easy to use, customizable and designed to streamline every process so you can focus on what really matters running your business. Thousands of businesses have made the switch, so why not you try Odoo for free@odoo.com that's o d o o.com the.
- [27:10]
Armstrong
White House says it is tired of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and President Trump wants action. So Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent his proposed plan to the US as his team wrestles with terms on security guarantees and giving up land to Russia. He's set to meet with European leaders tomorrow. President Trump says his team could fly out to Europe as long as there is a, quote, good chance of progress on a deal coming soon.
- [27:37]
Michael
Well, Trump might go to Europe to talk to European leaders. The headline in the Wall Street Journal, Ukraine pitches Trump on vision for peace, but tensions over territory remain. European leaders seek talks this weekend. Sounds like tomorrow with Trump who wants more pressure on Zelensky. Trump's deal is he wants more pressure on Zelensky. I go back and forth on whether I horrified by that or I think he's just the only one living in reality. You sent me the Twitter thread last weekend of Friend of the Armstrong and Getty show historian Neil Ferguson, who is basically like, this is a sucky deal for Ukraine, but they ought to take it because it's only going to get worse. And Putin has no reason to quit unless he's given a lot. I mean, that's just reality.
- [28:28]
Getty
Yeah, yeah. At the same time, though, the deal as it seems to be composed right now, doesn't provide good enough long term security guarantees for Ukraine. So they're like, why are we gonna give up the land when we're just gonna start fighting again in 18 months? This is crazy. I just, this is a unique situation in that the arbitrator is the only one who's really desperate for a deal. I think both sides are only acting like they're trying to negotiate, cuz Trump insists they do, honestly.
- [29:00]
Michael
Well, it's always been this way. You gotta have some leverage on the Ukraine side and there just hasn't been any. And I think it's gotta come from Europe, not the United States. In fact, there's an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal today. Europe is failing Ukraine, but not providing enough support or guarantees as part of this peace deal or whatever. Somebody's got to put skin in the game or. Yeah, why would Putin quit?
- [29:28]
Getty
I agree completely. Yeah, yeah. Europe is just so feckless. They're frustrating. I just, this reminds me of. No, it's even worse than the Hamas, Israel thing in that neither side is interested in a long term deal, but we still have these frantic negotiations taking place and Trump throwing his weight around. I don't see it crystallizing into a deal. Oh, hey, for what it's worth, the Israel thing right now, what's going on in Gaza and with Hamas and some of the other militias, it's super, super interesting. But the media has moved on. It's not as bloody as it used to be. So it's not as interesting as it used to be, but it's, it's, it's, like I say, it's really interesting seeing how power develops out of a vacuum and, and how Israel is still killing the hell out of Hamas guys all the time, every day. Did you know that? Because Hamas guys aren't restricted to where they're supposed to be. They're still hidden in tunnels and still have weapons and the rest of it. So Israel's hunting down and getting them, but because Hamas can't hold the hostages hostage, as it were, day to day, Israel's just more or less doing what they need to do, which makes me happy.
- [30:42]
Michael
Well, that's yesterday's war. Nobody's interested in that anymore. Back to Russia and Ukraine. Trump is traveling to Europe probably this weekend. And again from the Wall Street Journal today, in a call yesterday that both Sides described as tense. God, I would like to be able to listen in on these. Trump told the German, French, and British leaders that they should be pressing Zelensky to accept the terms of a peace plan that we've put on the table, under which Ukraine would accept broad territorial losses, cap the size of its military. That. Isn't that something. You get invaded by a hostile power and all the big, strong people around you that could do something about it, say you should give up your land and have a smaller military.
- [31:25]
Getty
That's a heck of a thing. Well, Trump is saying that. The Europeans aren't, are they?
- [31:30]
Michael
No. Well, no, the Europeans are not saying that, but they're not offering up defense for Ukraine. So, I mean, if Europe doesn't want Trump to be the guy who makes the decision, go ahead, knock yourselves out. It's your continent. You take.
- [31:47]
Getty
No money left because of our generous welfare state, you take the lead.
- [31:51]
Michael
That would be awesome. If we're just, hey, we're way over here. What do we have to do with it? Well, fun NATO, but what. We got nothing to do with it. It's your continent, but that's not the way it works. It's about whether Trump agrees or not.
- [32:03]
Getty
Because y' all are just a bunch of. I was gonna say a bad word. Oh, my.
- [32:12]
Michael
I wonder if Putin has the slightest desire to have this come to an end. I mean, even the slightest. He might not have the slightest desire to come to. For it's possible that he's like, man, this has cost a lot of people and a lot of money and everything like that, and I'm not sure it turned out the way I wanted to. So if I could get, you know, that chunk of Donetsk and blah, blah, blah, all this sort of. But he might not have any interest in stopping, like, zero.
- [32:36]
Getty
That's the question. Is Putin looking for an off ramp, even a good one, or does he have the utter nomination of Ukraine in mind and any agreement he comes to will just be a stepping stone toward that goal? That's the question. I happen to believe it's the latter. The second choice. He needs to dominate all of Ukraine because of his czarist wishes to restore the Russian Republic in one reading. The other reading is the. Russia's long been paranoid about its security, especially coming from that direction, from the west, because they have no natural barriers, blah, blah, blah. And they need a buffer zone. And so, yes, he needs to have a pretty good control of Ukraine. Either way you look at it, I think that's his goal. Unless he gets that he's a megalomaniac who spends human lives like I spend dimes. He doesn't want an off ramp. He doesn't need it.
- [33:32]
Michael
Different article in the Wall Street Journal in which they're quoting Trump behind the scenes as saying Ukraine's losing the war. It's only going to get worse. The Wall Street Journal opinion was Russia, after nearly four years of war, by which time the Soviet Union in World War II had fended off a German invasion and seized Berlin. So that's a long time to do a lot of stuff militarily, is far from taking the eastern Donetsk province a target since its first invasion of Ukraine in 2014. In other words, their main target. After four years of war and expending a million people.
- [34:08]
Getty
They haven't been able.
- [34:09]
Michael
To pull it off. So what do you mean Ukraine's losing?
- [34:12]
Getty
Well, and Ukraine's commanders are saying, no, we're not. They make incremental gains, but then we just take them back again. Or they, you know, take some little town. It makes a lot of news, but it's fine. They can have the town. We're not given ground in the important places. So.
- [34:26]
Michael
And I haven't come across this today. I heard this on NPR this morning. I meant to Google it, that Zelensky made some noises about being willing to put it to a vote. You know, they haven't had any elections in Ukraine during the war because it's really hard to have elections during a war.
- [34:41]
Getty
But he said the Constitution says you're not supposed to.
- [34:43]
Michael
He said he'd be willing to put it to a vote to the people, whether or not they want to accept this peace plan where we give up land and limit the size of our army, etc.
- [34:53]
Getty
Yeah. Yeah. I think he has a pretty good idea of how that vote would come out.
- [34:56]
Michael
How do you think it would be? Overwhelmingly.
- [34:58]
Getty
No, that's my perception, based on what I've heard, but I haven't heard recently. I suspect he has a better idea and it may be a message to Trump because. And Donald J. Likes this. Every single aspect of this goes through the lens of Trump when Britain's talk. Well, with a few exceptions, I guess. But Zelensky is trying to talk to Trump through that poll, I think, or that vote, rather. You know, the Russians are talking through Trump to Zelensky, and it's just, I don't know, it's. You don't have two parties interested in making a deal. And to the extent that they're kind of sort of maybe, you know, theoretically interested, making a Deal. They're major. If this is, there's no way we're making a deal. They all stand on both sides. This is. I don't know.
- [35:53]
Michael
I can't imagine the emotional mental toll this has taken on Zelensky. This four years coming up in February. All the other world leaders are different now than when it started. He's still the same guy dealing with this like right at his doorstep. Literally could lose his life on a daily basis. That. God, that'd be tiring. I can't even imagine happier news.
- [36:18]
Getty
Yes. What year there was. Was there more?
- [36:20]
Michael
I was about to say last segment, a bunch of people were mocking me for the cheeseburger that I ate yesterday. I'm going to do much better tonight with an Omaha Steaks cheeseburger.
- [36:31]
Getty
There you go. That's a good start. Man, are they delicious. And you can either get the bigger, thicker one or the smash burger, which worked out great when we had our giant holiday gathering. But Omaha Steaks is more than just fantastic steaks, although the steaks are fantastic. Juicy burgers, cozy and convenient comfort meals, delicious desserts and more. And what a great gift for that person in your life who doesn't need more stuff.
- [36:54]
Michael
Oma Steaks has been America's original butcher since 1917. Their ability to ship, by the way, all over the country in their packaging and keep everything fresh. And then it's so easy to put in the freezer and it's pretty awesome. Anyway, Sizzle all the way sale. You get 50 off site wide at Omaha steaks.com plus our listeners get an extra 35 off with the promo code Armstrong at checkout.
- [37:15]
Getty
She said that like it was 10 off. 50 off. Great Scott. Visit Omaha Steaks for 50 off site wide during the sizzle all the way sale. Extra 35 off. Use the promo code Armstrong at checkout. Terms ply C site for details. That's Omaha Steaks.com and remember that code Armstrong at checkout.
- [37:33]
Michael
We are going to grill up some Omaha Steak burgers and then probably some hot dogs for my son who doesn't like red meat for some reason, my other son, and then watch a Christmas movie. Last week we watched Home Alone. I mean, it's going to be a movie we've seen before, almost certainly. What's, what's a good go to, Michael? What's your go to? You like elf. Do like elf. Kids feel like they've seen it too many times. That one we did run pretty hard into the ground when they were younger. That's a good one. And it's got Bob Newhart in it. What's not the light? Katie? Big fan of Bad Santa. Bad Santa? That's Billy Bob Thornton. Billy Bob Thornton. Yeah, I like that one too. I don't know if I've seen Bad Santa.
- [38:12]
Getty
Oh, it's so good.
- [38:13]
Michael
Okay, well, that's what we're doing tonight.
- [38:14]
Getty
Is that appropriate for teens, Kate?
- [38:18]
Michael
No, actually. Oh, it's not.
- [38:19]
Getty
There's probably a scene or two that you.
- [38:21]
Michael
I always check the common sense media thing before we watch movies, so. Yeah, but yeah, because we started to watch what's the really bloody one.
- [38:33]
Getty
Oh.
- [38:35]
Michael
Night.
- [38:35]
Getty
Violent night. Good God.
- [38:39]
Michael
I saw that.
- [38:40]
Getty
So. It's so unnecessary. God.
- [38:44]
Michael
So it makes Quentin Tarantino seem like you're watching, you know, the 50s production of Oklahoma.
- [38:51]
Getty
What's the sequel gonna be called? Deck the Halls with the Bowels of Holly. I mean, that's just disgusting.
- [38:56]
Michael
I feel like you weren't really wondering about a sequel. You just wanted to get that play on words in.
- [39:02]
Getty
Oh, speaking of ugly things happening, did you hear the the Nobel prize winning lady from Venezuela, Ms. Machado. Maria Machado, almost died in her escape.
- [39:15]
Michael
No.
- [39:16]
Getty
Oh. The untold story is now the told story.
- [39:18]
Michael
Cool. Deck the bowels? Is that what you said? No, we got all that on the way. Stay here.
- [39:26]
Getty
Armstrong and Getty.
- [39:30]
Michael
Shh.
- [39:31]
Armstrong
You won't believe what my new friend just told me about dinosaurs. Is your child having conversations you never imagined? Are they learning without realizing it? It's not a TAS tablet. It's not a toy. It's Meiko Mini plus, the AI powered companion that turns curiosity into endless learning. Hear the future of playtime. Meet the extraordinary Miko Mini Plus. Only at Costco, 10 athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract for $250,000.
- [40:18]
Getty
This is where mindset comes in.
- [40:20]
Armstrong
Someone will be eliminated.
- [40:22]
Getty
Pressure is coming down.
- [40:25]
Armstrong
This is Trainer Games.
- [40:27]
Getty
Watch it on Prime Video.
- [40:28]
Michael
Starting January 8th, the Infinite Monkey cage returns imminently. I am Robin Ince and I'm sat next to Brian Cox, who has so much to tell you about what's on the new series, primarily eels and what else. It was fascinating, though. The eels. But we're not just doing eels, are we? We're doing a bit with brain computer interfaces, timekeeping, fusion, monkey business, cloud science of the North Pole. And eels. Did I mention the eels? Is this Ever since you bought that timeshare underneath the Sargasso sea listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [40:59]
Lendio Announcer
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Odoo Announcer
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- [42:29]
Michael
China just unveiled their giant, giant transport plane, or we just saw it for the first time, that can transport gazillions of drones anywhere they want to in the world. They could just fly this giant plane over and release all these drones.
- [42:41]
Getty
Wow. Wow. Those, those big, giant cargo planes amaze me. Yeah, I think they probably amaze everybody. And I assume China, I assume China's is extra.
- [42:50]
Michael
It's insanely large. And you know what, if that big weather balloon had had a whole bunch of drones in it that we let fly clear across the country under Biden.
- [43:00]
Getty
Unbelievable. What a moment that was. So, you know, it's funny, I've remarked a number of times that most people are in jobs they'd never heard of as a kid. Very few of us grow up to be cowboys or hockey players or whatever. And also that, you know, There are very, very few kids that would say.
- [43:21]
Michael
When I grow up, I want to be an insurance broker.
- [43:24]
Getty
Though being an insurance broker is a honorable and fine way to make a living and support your family. More kids need to want to grow up to be extraction specialists.
- [43:36]
Michael
What is that?
- [43:37]
Getty
The story of how. It sounds like a dentist, doesn't it? The way they got Maria Machado out of Venezuela and to Europe is a story. It's the sort of thing they make an adventure movie out of, and people like it. Like the I Am the Captain now movie. You know, it's got that feel to it.
- [43:55]
Michael
She's the opposition leader. Nobel Peace Prize winner.
- [43:59]
Getty
Indeed, yes. Who made her way to Norway. So Brian Stern is kind of the star of this story. He's a bearded US Combat veteran. He makes his level, his living doing clandestine extractions from hostile countries and war zones.
- [44:16]
Michael
Well, that would not be a boring job.
- [44:20]
Getty
If we need somebody out of a very, very dangerous place, Brian and his company, they go get him. And he was in charge of linking up with Ms. Machado and her couple of people who are in country who are smuggling her out. And we'd mentioned to you that she and her small crew were going bad, out of hell style across the Caribbean Sea during heavy winds and high seas.
- [44:48]
Michael
I don't know if I'm going out on a boat on the sea off of Venezuela. I just don't know if that's a good idea.
- [44:53]
Getty
Well, they'd called our military. They had, you know, Brian and company were coordinating all this and said, hey, if you see a red boat going real fast, it's your girl, Maria. Please don't be blasting it. But anyway. So evidently, the sea was so violent, their GPS transmitter got bucked overboard. But they had a backup, but the backup didn't work. So can you imagine? So Operation Golden Dynamite, reference to Alfred Nobel, Swedish chemist, invented dynamite, et cetera, et cetera.
- [45:28]
Michael
That's pretty cool.
- [45:29]
Getty
Was looking very, very bad. She failed to come to the liaison point. And Brian Stern, the guy we're talking about, and others were like, oh, boy, here we go. And they had to find her out in the ocean. Now, it's not the Pacific Ocean, but it's a big enough area. And they finally did find her floating around, not sure where they were and where to go, but it took hours.
- [45:56]
Michael
Wow. Glad she didn't die out there.
- [46:00]
Getty
So this is so interesting. Do we have a minute? Yeah. Extracting Machado would entail moving an instantly recognizable person, Venezuela's iconic opposition leader, who was in hiding just when everyone Expects her to be on the move. Everyone knows her face. Stern said. Moving Maria's like moving Hillary Clinton. They planned at least nine possible scenarios, from air or helicopter rescues to taking her out through Guyana or Colombia.
- [46:27]
Michael
I have a front loader.
- [46:31]
Getty
Wow. Was that a shot at Hill? Wow. Anyway, Stern said his team planted false rumors to keep the world looking for her in the wrong places. Some tales put her in Europe, others in a car headed for Colombia. Another that she had sneaked out of the country aboard a US flight that had dropped off Deport Ortiz from Venezuela. So part of this guy's gig is intelligence and counterintelligence to lay the groundwork for what they do inside and outside Venezuela. People who are following closely debated whether the Maduro regime had infiltrated her movement, was letting her leave or not. Bob Stern says, no, we didn't get any help from the Venezuelans whatsoever. So she left her hideout in a wig and a disguise, made her way through 10 military checkpoints and onto the.
- [47:18]
Michael
Sea while she was in a disguise with a wig, went through 10 military checkpoints. That had to be nerve wracking.
- [47:27]
Getty
So you got the guys at the beach. She finally gets there and they said, yeah, good news is we're here with the boat. Bad news is we got some pretty serious mechanical issues. They had chosen intentionally run down fishing boats, so it just didn't look like something anybody would ever use for that sort of thing. Well, for good reason. Fixing the engine problem caused a 12 hour delay. They left as the sun was setting instead of when it was rising. Once at sea, the open boat faced waves up to 10ft that led one of the crew members to vomit overboard for much of the journey. Well, heck, I've been on whale watches where people vomited over the railing most of the journey anyway. So it, it ended up being a hairy, hairy operation. But they finally got her.
- [48:14]
Michael
I am surprised that it was that precarious for her. I just said, God, Maduro would be making such a bad political move if he were to arrest her. Certainly if he was to harm her or kill her. God, the condemnation that would come down on him. I mean, he's already in a bad situation. She would be a navalny like character if she got arrested.
- [48:39]
Getty
Well, you saw what happened with him.
- [48:41]
Michael
He ended up dead.
- [48:42]
Getty
Yeah, and Putin's fine.
- [48:44]
Michael
Putin survives.
- [48:46]
Getty
That's actually an interesting question. What would the calculus be within a totalitarian system like theirs if they did dispatch her somehow? Anyway, she's okay. Made it to Europe.
- [48:59]
Michael
What a life to live to be in the extraction business.
- [49:03]
Getty
Oh my gosh. That would capture your full attention. You're rarely leaning back in your chair looking out the window, saying, another day, same old crap.
- [49:11]
Michael
Could I call him? If I'm at a party and I want to get out of a conversation, does he do stuff at that level?
- [49:15]
Getty
It'll cost you.
- [49:18]
Armstrong
Armstrong and Getty. Then the space hamster flew his hot air balloon all the way to the bottom of the of the ocean. Where did that story come from? Book? Dream? Nope. It came from a conversation. Meet Miko Mini plus, the AI companion that co creates personalized story adventures with your child in real time. What color was the hamster's cape and what did he pack for lunch? Unlock your child's imagination. Discover Miko Mini plus and the Magic of AI exclusively at Costco. 10 athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points. You are the fittest of the fit. Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000.
- [50:12]
Getty
This is where mindset comes in.
- [50:14]
Armstrong
Someone will be eliminated.
- [50:16]
Getty
Pressure is coming down.
- [50:19]
Armstrong
This is Trainer Games.
- [50:21]
Getty
Watch it on Prime Video.
- [50:22]
Michael
Starting January 8th, the Infinite Monkey Cage returns imminently. I am Robert Ince and I'm sat next to Brian Cox, who has so much to tell you about what's on the new series. Primarily Eels and what else? It was fascinating. The Eels. But we're not just doing eels, are we? We're doing a bit with brain computer interfaces, timekeeping, fusion, monkey business, cloud science at the North Pole, and eels. Did I mention the eels? Is this ever since you bought that timeshare underneath the Sargasso sea? Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. If you've been in business for at least six months and have a decent credit score, you could get business funding in as little as 24 hours. But you don't have to spend a ton of time going from lender to lender. Find the best match for your small business. Drive your business forward with Lendio. Just let Lendio do it for you. At Lendio, we've built a marketplace of over 75 lenders and funding partners who know what you need and can get it to you quickly. See what your business can qualify for in just a few minutes@lindio.com that's L E N D I O Lindio.com this.
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Lendio Announcer
Is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem?
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Michael
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Lendio Announcer
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Michael
Any needs your business might have, all at no additional charge.
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Odoo Announcer
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Lendio Announcer
Everything from websites to sales to inventory to accounting.
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Michael
All linked and talking to each other. Check out Odoo at odoo. Com. That's odoo. Com.
- [52:08]
Armstrong
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.