Excuse Me, I've Been Drinking.

Summary

Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand Episode: Excuse Me, I've Been Drinking
Release Date: March 4, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts

---

Introduction

In the latest episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand, hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty delve into the pressing political and economic issues shaping the United States and the broader global landscape. The discussion predominantly centers around the implications of the Trump administration's recent tariff policies, the evolving situation in Ukraine, and the role of European allies in international affairs.

Key Discussions

1. Trump Administration’s Tariff Policies

[03:08] Senor: "Tariffs are our general manager. And you got to say it like that. Tariffs."

The hosts begin by analyzing President Trump's aggressive tariff strategy, which includes a 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada and additional 10% tariffs on China. Senor expresses skepticism about the longevity and effectiveness of these measures, questioning whether any president should unilaterally impose such significant tariffs without broader consensus.

[04:38] Senor: "Tariffs are an exciting topic, you know."
[04:42] Michael: "The tariff moves will be the undoing of the Trump administration."
[04:53] Senor: "So you wanted Kamala to win. That's interesting."

The discussion highlights concerns that these tariffs may backfire economically, potentially leading to increased inflation and negative impacts on the working class. Michael forecasts that these policies might not last beyond Trump's tenure, leading to instability for manufacturers hesitant to invest under uncertain trade conditions.

2. Impact on American Manufacturing

[06:10] Senor: "That's right. Why he keeps mentioning Fentanyl from China and Mexico... it's the drug thing, which is an emergency."

Senor touches upon the rationale behind the tariffs, citing the fentanyl crisis as a national emergency that justifies the administration's actions. However, he questions the alignment between this emergency and the economic measures being taken.

[08:31] Senor: "Some Republican congressman just introduced the Golden Age act, which would put President Donald Trump on the $100 bill."
[08:41] Michael: "Very reasonable for a sitting president. Yes."

The conversation shifts to political maneuvers supporting Trump, such as the proposal to feature him on currency, underscoring the polarized political environment.

3. Shift in U.S. Support for Ukraine

[12:10] Senor: "We stopped all aid to Ukraine yesterday. Trump announced. That's done with that."
[13:00] Senor: "Hear about the anti-dojorts..."

The hosts discuss the abrupt halt in U.S. military aid to Ukraine, questioning the long-term consequences of such a decision. Michael points out that this move could severely weaken Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression, potentially altering the balance of power in the region.

4. European Allies and Global Leadership

[29:08] Ian Bremmer: "Are the Europeans willing to stand up for themselves, for their principles, for their values, and for fellow Europeans? And I fear the answer is no."
[30:14] Senor: "How about that? You can cut off there. That was a pretty Trumpy thing to say."

Referencing geopolitical analyst Ian Bremmer, the discussion critiques Europe's reliance on U.S. support and questions whether European nations are prepared to independently shoulder the responsibility of defending their interests. Senor echoes Bremmer's pessimism, suggesting that Europe's reluctance to act decisively could have dire consequences for global stability.

[34:02] Senor: "Yeah, that's the arc of socialism. You get paradise for a while, but it doesn't last."
[37:12] Senor: "But just to fill out this conversation... times are changing, and Ian talks about it here, which I thought was really interesting."

The hosts delve into ideological differences, particularly critiquing European socialist policies and their sustainability. They posit that without America's leadership, Europe's economic and military systems may falter, leading to broader geopolitical instability.

5. Public Perception and Economic Concerns

[16:24] Senor: "I'm more concerned about a lot of the foreign policy stuff than inflation currently, personally..."
[17:06] Michael: "People are still by far mostly concerned about the economy and inflation..."

The conversation also touches on public sentiment, highlighting that while the hosts prioritize foreign policy issues like tariffs and Ukraine, polls indicate that the average American remains primarily concerned with domestic economic challenges, such as inflation and job security.

Notable Quotes

• Senor on Tariffs:
  "[03:08] Tariffs are our general manager. And you got to say it like that. Tariffs."

• Michael on Trump’s Tariffs:
  "[04:42] The tariff moves will be the undoing of the Trump administration."

• Ian Bremmer on European Leadership:
  "[29:08] Are the Europeans willing to stand up for themselves, for their principles, for their values, and for fellow Europeans? And I fear the answer is no."

• Senor on Socialism:
  "[34:02] Yeah, that's the arc of socialism. You get paradise for a while, but it doesn't last."

Insights and Conclusions

The episode presents a critical view of the Trump administration's tariff policies, suggesting that while intended to protect American industries and address national emergencies, these measures may lead to unintended economic hardships and destabilize international relations. The hosts express skepticism about the sustainability of such policies and the willingness of European allies to independently manage their defense and economic strategies without U.S. support.

Furthermore, the discussion underscores a potential disconnect between political elites prioritizing foreign policy maneuvers and the general populace's focus on immediate economic concerns. This divergence could have significant implications for political stability and policy effectiveness in the United States.

---

Note: This summary excludes all advertisements, promotional segments, and non-content sections as per the podcast's transcript guidelines.

Transcript

[Jack Armstrong]

Stop hitting snooze on new tech. Upgrade the whole [e-mail] Unlock AI experiences with the ThinkPad X1 carbon powered by Intel Core Ultra processors so you can work, create and boost productivity all on one device. Win the tech search for business PCs at Lenovo.com Lenovo Lenovo.

[Joe Getty]

Did you know that parents rank financial literacy as the number one most difficult life skill to teach? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app for families. With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores, automate allowance, and keep an eye on what your kids are spending. With real time notifications, kids learn to earn, save, and spend wisely. And parents can rest easy knowing their kids are learning about money. With guardrails in place, try Greenlight Risk free [e-mail] iheart the new year's here.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive from toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso, and Toms of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products get $5 spend $30 get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need. Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards available. While supplies last. Limit Supply US Only 1125 through 33125 for full terms and conditions, visit CPR.

[Katie Green]

How to have fun anytime, anywhere Step 1 Go to chumbacasino.com chumbacasino.com Got it. Step 2 Collect your welcome bonus.

[Michael]

Come to papa.

[Senor]

Welcome bonus.

[Katie Green]

Step 3 Play hundreds of casino style games for free.

[Senor]

That's a lot of games all for free.

[Katie Green]

Step 4 Unleash your excitement. Woo hoo.

[Jack Armstrong]

Chumba Casino has been delivering thrills for over a decade. So claim your free welcome bonus now and live the chumba life. Visit chumbacasino.com no purchase necessary.

[Michael]

VGW Group Void where prohibited by law 21/ terms and conditions apply.

[Joe Getty]

Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio Studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.

[Michael]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Senor]

And now here's Armstrong and Getty.

[Michael]

Live from Studio C. Senor.

[Senor]

It's a dimly lit room, deeper than the bowels of the Armstrong and Giddy communications compound. And today, on Tuesday, we're under the general manager, Tariffs.

[Michael]

Tariffs are our general manager. And you got to say it like that. Tariffs.

[Senor]

Tariffs are an exciting topic, you know.

[Michael]

Oh, boy, they are.

[Senor]

That was. That was dripping with sarcasm. I was just thinking how in the olden days, what happened in the last dozen hours would be just such giant news. The United States laid 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, our closest trading partners, and then a 10% tariff on China, an additional 10% tariff on China, and halted all funding to Ukraine, who we've been supporting for three years. Both of those stories are just enormous. But we're so used to giant ebbs and flows and everything like that, it just doesn't feel like it would have felt 10 years ago.

[Michael]

Right, right. The pace and significance of the news generated by the new administration is just crazy, hard to take in, hard to comprehend, never mind to form a response or an attack against it, as the Democrats would love to do. Michael, do you have our theme music that we play for? Welcome to Joe's provocative statement of the day.

[Senor]

Joe's provocative statement of the day.

[Michael]

The tariff moves will be the undoing of the Trump administration. Wow. This is the landmine they have laid that they are going to step upon, economically speaking.

[Senor]

So you wanted Kamala to win. That's interesting.

[Michael]

Well played. You got me. Checkmate. No, I wish with every fiber of me. I hope I'm wrong. I think what this is going to do to the economy, the stock market, inflation, working class people's lives ain't gonna be good. And again, I hope I'm wrong. I'm having a lot of trouble finding anybody of any, you know, significant heft intelligence who disagrees.

[Senor]

Well, the idea, right, is that it's. It doesn't last very long, that countries realize, wow, they're serious. So he's serious, really. And it's an interesting argument around whether or not, and it seems like, not to me, that any president should have the power to do this sort of thing on his own. Just an individual move. I mean, it's really tax. It's a heck of a thing. But anyway, according to the law, there.

[Michael]

Has to be a national emergency. But as we've seen throughout Covid, painfully Executives at various levels apparently have the right to declare their own emergencies, sometimes on a fairly skinny pretext.

[Senor]

That's right. Why he keeps mentioning Fentanyl from China and Mexico and all and coming across the Canadian border and that sort of thing is because that's the emergency. It's the drug thing, which is an emergency. I just don't know if it fits in with this. But anyway, that aside, this is what's happening. And the hope is that these countries, particularly Mexico and Canada, China is a different situation, as they are our enemy, say, wow, he's serious, he's actually going to do this. And then there I heard this morning, it's either talk of, or it's already decided that Honda's gonna stop making the Civic in Mexico and start making it in Indiana, for instance. That sort of thing will start happening. And enough of that will happen that, okay, we can take the tariffs off now or lower them or however that works in the negotiation, that it's not, you know, permanent going forward.

[Michael]

Yeah, that would please me. That would be great. My concern is that, and this is a little complicated because there, as Jack indicated, you got our allies and friends and neighbors, then you got China. Just, you gotta put China over there. We'll tear up the crap out of them. We shouldn't do anything to help China. And if we have to, you know, suffer a little bit at the cash register, again, not popular politically, but I get that completely. The problem I see with the like Canada and Mexico thing is there are a few that can make that move fairly quickly. It will be temporary until the moment somebody else comes into power. And so those that can make the move fairly quickly and fairly efficiently, like a big automaker, that'll go pretty well. But the idea that the tariffs are gonna revive American manufacturing, if I'm a manufacturer, would be manufacturer. I'm thinking Trump's got three and a half years left in office. These policies are unprecedented and not popular among, you know, pro business people. Congresspeople, senators, the rest of it. They're all shutting their mouths out of loyalty and, or fear Trump right now. But it's, the odds are very, very good it doesn't last more than three and a half years. So I'm not going to spend three and a quarter years building a plant and investing millions or even more, tens of millions of dollars if then the, you know, the realities of trade, including tariffs, change completely at the end of that. So I just don't know how effective this could be in on shoring American manufacturing. I'd love for it to be in a long term way. I'm just skeptical.

[Senor]

Some Republican congressman just introduced the Golden Age act, which would put President Donald Trump on the $100 bill. And he wanted to announce that.

[Michael]

Very reasonable for a sitting president. Yes. Not at all the sort of act that normally takes place behind closed doors.

[Senor]

And he wanted.

[Michael]

Trump's an old guy. He doesn't need you to do that to him.

[Senor]

Oh, geez. He wanted to announce that on the day. Because Trump addresses both houses of Congress tonight, it will look like a State of the Union address. More or less is. And the State of the Union addresses aren't State of the Union addresses, so quit telling me. It's not actually a State of the Union address. Neither are the State of the Union addresses.

[Michael]

What does that even mean? Exactly. So.

[Senor]

So he's going to address both houses of Congress and Congress people are, in theory Democrats going to bring out of work government workers who doge has ruined their lives. And they're going to be scattered throughout the. The, the chamber. Yes.

[Michael]

Michael, do you think they'll be wearing.

[Senor]

Like, old clothes and look really poor? Right. You know what I mean?

[Michael]

Or just like. Yeah.

[Senor]

Rags, barrels, unshaven little stub of a.

[Michael]

Cigar maybe munching hungrily on a crust of bread.

[Senor]

Put their shoes up on the chair so you can see that the bottoms have holes in them.

[Michael]

So. Not to jump in if you had a comment on that, but it's funny. One of our beloved listeners just sent us a link to a sketch from 2010 from Saturday Night Live, the government Employee. The annual government employee awards for 2010.

[Senor]

I remember that.

[Michael]

And we're gonna work on editing it and bring it.

[Senor]

It was very funny.

[Michael]

Yeah. And pretty long. But anyway. But the point of it obviously is, you know, they're surly, they don't have to do anything, they're lazy. And that's of course not true of all government workers, but that is the popular perception. So trying to, like, build a narrative of national woe and disgust that the federal force was cut back. Good luck building that narrative.

[Senor]

Right, right. Yeah. With your point being that if it was, it was fertile ground for Saturday Night Live's audience. It certainly is fertile ground for the rest of the country.

[Michael]

Right? Yeah.

[Senor]

Mock the government worker. We should start. Speaking of that, we should start the show officially before we get into trouble. I'm Jack Armstrong, he's Joe Getty on this. It is Tuesday, March 4, the year 2025, where Armstrong. You get in. We approve of this program.

[Michael]

Okay, let's begin then. Officially According to FCC rules and regulations. Here we go.

[Senor]

That I have. The world didn't give it to me. This joy that I have. The world didn't give it to me. The world didn't give it.

[Jenny Garth]

The world can take it away.

[Michael]

More lefties singing anthems to something or other to change minds or. Or something.

[Senor]

Well, what was that group? What are they protesting or mad about her?

[Michael]

They're anti dojusts.

[Senor]

Okay. This joy I have. The world didn't give it to me. What's that got to do with Doge? I'm just not following here.

[Michael]

No. Well, what is. What's the follow? I don't. They're just. It's not as good as some of the other protest songs like that. Which side are you on? That was a good one. Which side are you on? Which side are you on? Which itself. We couldn't hold a candle to Hole in the sky where the tree once was. But it's, you know, protest singing. It's part of the great tradition. Jack. Pete Seeger. What do you got? Three. Some other people. You know the story.

[Senor]

You know the story. We got Katie's headlines on the way. Some mailbag. Yeah. And we stopped all aid to Ukraine yesterday. Trump announced. That's that done with that.

[Michael]

So I was watching the. I'm sorry. More on that to come. But I was watching the tedious news last night feeling my. My joy. Speaking of joy being sucked out of me moment by moment by watching that. And one of the newses had some lefties chanting about something or other they were angry about. I don't recall what I was sitting there thinking. When was the last time anybody was convinced of anything by a group of people chanting, walking by and thinking, wow. They're all repeating the same thing in unison. I need to think seriously about that hole in the sky where the tree once was. Somebody's making money.

[Senor]

On your feet.

[Michael]

There's a hole in the sky where the tree once was. Somebody's making money.

[Senor]

All right. That's a good point, though. When was somebody convinced by a chant? Mom, mom, away.

[Michael]

Fools.

[Senor]

What? They're arguing for rhymes so they make a good point. We've got Katie's headlines next.

[Michael]

Stay here.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Joe Getty]

Hi. Hi. This is Jenny Garth from I do Part two. Who do you know on Ozempic or Semaglutide right now? Everyone. Right. These game changing. Weight loss meds are everywhere. And futurehealth makes it easy to get started. Find out if weight loss meds are right for you in just three minutes at tryfh.com tryfh.com FutureHealth is not a healthcare services provider. Meds are prescribed at providers discretion. Results may vary.

[Jenny Garth]

Sponsored by FutureHealth during tax season, your sensitive info does a lot of traveling to places you can't control, stopping off at payroll, your accountant or tax preparer, and countless other data centers on its way to the irs. Any of them can expose you to identity theft because they all have the info on your W2. Just the ticket for criminals to steal your identity. No wonder the IRS reported tax fraud due to identity theft went up 20% last year. You need Lifelock. They monitor millions of data points per second and alert you to threats you could miss if your identity is stolen. LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it, backed by the million dollar protection package and restoration is guaranteed or your money back. Don't let identity thieves take you for a ride. Get Lifelock protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40 terms.

[Jack Armstrong]

Apply the New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso, and Tom's of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products get $5 spend $30 get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt, and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need. Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palm Olive Follow rewards available while supplies last. Limits apply US only 1125 through 33125 for full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com.

[Senor]

Step into the world of power, loyalty and luck. I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse with family.

[Michael]

Cannolis and spins mean everything.

[Senor]

Now you want to get mixed up in the family business.

[Michael]

Introducing the [e-mail] test your luck in the shadowy world of the Godfather slots.

[Senor]

Someday I will call upon you to do a service for me.

[Michael]

Play the Godfather [e-mail] Welcome to the family. No purchase necessary. VGW Group void. We're prohibited by law. 21 plus terms and conditions apply.

[Senor]

I'm more concerned about a lot of the foreign policy stuff than inflation currently, personally, but that's not what the polls show. We didn't talk about this yesterday. CVS had some polling out over the weekend. People are still by far mostly concerned about the economy and inflation, but feel that the Trump administration, that is not their focus, which, you know, you're predicting various things that could be trouble for Trump. I think that one's going to be a problem for Trump. If people's perception is the main thing in my life is inflation and your main thing is Ukraine border, tariffs, various things that just that political divide will be a problem.

[Michael]

Yeah, I left that out of my analysis. And wouldn't I call it my shocking statement of the day. Whatever was that. That's incredibly important to people. And I've come across some accounts in conservative media of parts of the country that are heavily Trump but are really, really struggling with inflation and economic issues. And they also, you know, part of it's that they perceive the main goals right now are the border and foreign policy and that sort of thing, but part of it's just no matter what they perceive, they are still struggling financially and haven't seen anything done for them. And that's why I think if the tariff thing doesn't work, like just right the way you're describing it, it could be a huge negative right in the pocketbook for Trump's base. And again, I'm not rooting for this, that just, I see it coming down the line and I wonder if it's going to happen.

[Senor]

Well, that'll be fun.

[Michael]

Let's figure out who's reporting what it's lead story with Katie Green.

[Katie]

Katie, thank you, guys. Starting with the free Beacon Honda to move production to United States ahead of Trump's Mexican terror.

[Senor]

Yeah, there you go. That was a move they definitely wanted to have in the headlines, coinciding with the announcement and tonight's speech.

[Michael]

Yeah, we'll have to see. It's interesting. I read a big giant piece, I almost brought it to the show about when Apple announced, What was it, $500 billion in new investments in America. A lot of that stuff was pre planned. They just repackage it and kind of Move the parentheses over here in the timeline over there. It happens every administration to curry favor. So some of that stuff, including this, might be a little overstated. Don't know, have to wait and see.

[Katie]

From the independent again.

[Senor]

So you wanted Kamala to win. Wow.

[Michael]

Exactly. Her genius would have saved the union. That's my point.

[Senor]

Wow. Okay.

[Katie]

From the Independent. Trump military aid cut will hit Ukraine's frontline fight against Putin's forces within days.

[Senor]

Yeah, this is a heck of a thing. I mean, it went, went from. And, and it was ridiculous for Biden to keep saying, we're with you to the end. To the end. Okay, that's, that's fantastic. But what do you actually mean? We'll be with you till the end. Now we're cutting off all support. How's this going to turn out? Well, Ian Bremmer put up a video last night on his website with some real politic about Europe that I thought was damned interesting. We need to get to maybe this hour.

[Michael]

Yeah, I think Zelinsky's diplomatic F up will be seen as one of the most historic ones of those ever. And those blaming Zelensky for the blow up in the Oval Office, they've got a hell of a good case. I think what's underrated is that meeting with Democrats right before he went to the White House, which was put out in on social media by the Democrats saying, we've advised Zelensky to give Trump the finger. He showed up in his not a suit and gave Trump the finger, more or less. And Trump was ready for it and already pissed off.

[Katie]

From ABC News, families of North Korean troops captured in Russia will be executed. They're saying that the soldiers that are fighting for Russia from North Korea will kill themselves before they get captured. Because if there's any thought that they might have given information to Russia, their family's gonna get it back in North Korea.

[Senor]

What a horrible, horrible country.

[Michael]

Well, and some of the guys were literally. They were unable to move or run or grab their gun, they were so badly injured. But nonetheless, as a message to the other North Korean troops, Kim Jong Un is going to execute their entire family just to make the point. It's a very North Korean thing to do.

[Senor]

Unbelievable that that can exist on the planet.

[Katie]

From Reuters. Car plows into German city killing. Car plows into crowd. Excuse me. In German city killing two.

[Senor]

And was this on purpose or anything?

[Katie]

Do we know they're investigating if it was an attack?

[Senor]

Okay.

[Michael]

It's almost certainly yet another. I think this is the third in the space of what A month Jihadi.

[Katie]

Attack in Germany from Breitbart.com real time AI voice tech will make Indian call center workers sound American.

[Senor]

I love that.

[Michael]

If I can understand them.

[Senor]

If it makes me. It makes it easier to understand. Did you hear? This is a bit of a controversy. We'll talk about it more later. Adrien Brody wins best actor partially for his unbelievable Hungarian accent that he does in the movie apparently. And they used AI to make his accent better throughout the film. And so that's become a big controversy.

[Michael]

Very controversial. Leading up to the Oscars, Jack from.

[Katie]

The Guard from the Guardian. More than half of adults worldwide will be overweight or obese by 2050.

[Senor]

Hey USA. USA. We've spread it around the world so half the world will be obese.

[Katie]

And finally from the Babylon Bee Trump hangs up sign in White House that says you must be this tall to receive foreign aid.

[Senor]

I saw that.

[Michael]

Oh, you know what the the weekly World News headline or, or the sun would be with this much obesity, scientists are concerned that the the earth's orbit will slow leading to 25 hour days.

[Katie]

We're weighing it down.

[Senor]

Oh my God.

[Michael]

My God.

[Senor]

We can't drag our ass around the sun anymore.

[Michael]

Right. The earth has gotten too heavy.

[Katie]

Mobility scooter.

[Senor]

Yeah.

[Michael]

Years will be 371 days.

[Senor]

More news on the way.

[Michael]

Stay here.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Joe Getty]

Hi, this is Jennie Garth from I do part two. Who do you know on Ozempic or Semaglutide right now? Everyone right? These game changing weight loss meds are everywhere and FutureHealth makes it easy to get started. Find out if weight loss meds are right for you in just three minutes at tryfh.com tryfh.com FutureHealth is not a healthcare services provider. Meds are prescribed at providers discretion. Results may vary. Sponsored by FutureHealth.

[Jack Armstrong]

The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap. Chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso and Tom's of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products, get $5. Spend $30, get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands. Snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need. Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive Rewards available while supplies last. Limits apply us only 1125 through 331 25. For full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com.

[Michael]

Ch Ch Chumba Looking for excitement? Chumba Casino is here. Play anytime.

[Senor]

Play anywhere.

[Michael]

Play on the train.

[Senor]

Play at the store. Play at home. Play when you're bored.

[Michael]

Play today for your chance and get.

[Senor]

Daily bonuses when you log in. So what are you waiting for?

[Michael]

Don't delay. Chumba Casino is free to play.

[Jack Armstrong]

Experience social gameplay like never before. Go to Chumba Casino right now to play hundreds of games, including online slots, Bingo, Slingo and more. Live the chumba [e-mail] no purchase necessary.

[Michael]

VGW Group void we're prohibited by law.

[Senor]

21/ Terms and conditions apply at Ameca Insurance we know it's more than just a car. It's the two door coupe that was there for your first drive, the hatchback that took you cross country and back, and the minivan that tackles the weekly carpool for the cars you couldn't live without. Trust Amica Auto Insurance Amica Empathy is our best policy.

[Michael]

Ukrainian President Vlad Zelensky was criticized for what he wore to the White House meeting on Friday. But in his defense, most suits his size come with a sailor hat and a giant lollipop.

[Senor]

I believe Gutfeld's a man of smaller stature himself. Is he not making a short joke? Okay.

[Michael]

I just find the he's a shorter fellow shots to be a little dumb.

[Senor]

Well, I. I'd rather not base our foreign policy on height or whether or not you wore your suit, but I understand. I understand some of the issues around that. Yes, Katie.

[Katie]

Not that it matters. He's five.

[Senor]

Five. Okay.

[Michael]

A little guy. Is that right? It's fairly small.

[Senor]

Okay.

[Michael]

I don't know how he got into the heights of very Absolutely no significance.

[Senor]

No.

[Michael]

At all.

[Senor]

No, it absolutely is not.

[Michael]

Any way.

[Senor]

So just to fill out this conversation a little bit, what led to Trump cutting off all aid to Ukraine yesterday, which I know some of you are happy about. I'm not. Not. Zelensky in Europe asked about the war ending soon and a peace deal said it's the war is going to go on for a long, long time. Trump did not like that, responded to that yesterday in a press conference. President Zelensky supposedly made a statement today in ap. I'm not a big fan of ap, so maybe it was an incorrect statement, but he said he thinks the war's going to go on for a long time and he better not be right about that. That's all I'm saying. Yeah. So Trump goes on to say, basically, he'd better not be right about that because we're not going to aid him anymore. And if the war goes on for a long time, you know, like he said Friday in the Oval Office, you don't have any cards. Russia's, you know, going to overwhelm you. I hope this doesn't end up with Russia taking Kyiv and owning the whole country.

[Michael]

But the more I see, the more I think Zelensky messed up on multiple levels and was responsible for the ugly tone of the meeting. Pretty convinced of that. Interesting. On the other hand, I'm told by Trump world that soon he'll be super tough on Putin. And because right now, given especially the cutoff of arms, Putin is gonna. The idea that this is gonna end the war is hilarious. Putin's gonna think, yes, we're gonna keep going, we're gonna keep grinding, we're gonna keep taking land until they run out of ammunition, then we're gonna take the entire country. The idea that this will end the war again, to me is just silly.

[Senor]

Yeah. They got into a bit of a debate on Fox and Friends. Several of the people on the couch were talking about Elon should cut off the Starlink if Zelinsky is going to be like this, so they can't communicate. And Brian Kilmeader is like, what? Russia will take Keev in two days if that happens. Is that what you want? And so, yeah, it's, ah. This whole conversation is making my brain hurt. But just to wrap this up a little bit, Ian Brown Bremer, who we've had on the show a lot, is way more of a globalist than I am and worries more about making sure Europe's happy than I do. But he had this to say. This is around the idea, and I think this is part of what Trump's trying to force. This gets to the column from Ross do thought of the New York Times that we read yesterday where Ross in the New York Times basically saying, Trump's getting rid of old pretenses that have been gone for a long time. The United States can't run the world like it used to. The world has changed too much. Europe is not as powerful as they think they are, and they need to either step up or something. But, you know, times are changing, and Ian talks about it here, which I thought was really interesting.

[Ian Bremmer]

What the Europeans have to now figure out is are they prepared to be courageous? Are they prepared to step up even though they're not in the most powerful position? Are they willing to do after three years, after, frankly, 11 years, since the Russians invaded Ukraine, the first time they've stood back, they've stood by. They haven't stood up for their fellow Europeans. They've allowed the Americans to do the heavy lifting, and now they have a president that is not willing to do that and frankly, doesn't agree with them anymore, doesn't agree with their values, doesn't care about shared values, only cares about power. And so this is not a question for the Ukrainians. We know where the Ukrainians stand. They stand up. This is not a question for the Americans. We know where the Americans stand. They stand for themselves. This is a question for the Europeans. Are the Europeans willing to stand up for themselves, for their principles, for their values, and for fellow Europeans? And I fear the answer is no.

[Senor]

How about that? You can cut off there. How about that? I thought that was surprising to me from Ian Bremmer to say. I mean, that was a pretty Trumpy thing to say. Since 2014, the Europeans have stood by and watched and let America do the work when it's their freaking continent.

[Michael]

Sure.

[Senor]

And his prediction is they're not going to rise to the occasion if we step aside. What does that mean?

[Michael]

Well, if you take a serious look at European domestic politics, I think he's right. It's just, I mean, they try the slightest reform of their bloated socialist systems and their people go nuts. And we're talking about now a major rearrangement of national priorities for all the biggies in Europe, there's no way it goes through. Just one more quick thought. I was about to say I agree with everything you and Ian Bremmer said. The only quibble I have is where he said Trump doesn't care about principles. All he cares about is power. I might halfway agree, but I would say to Ian, well, Trump also looks at the emperor's new clozy nature of NATO, where those paper tigers in Europe, while they've donated a lot to Ukraine, for instance, they don't have that much in the way of arms. They have no arms in reserve. Their armies are weak. And so the idea that we had this bold and strong alliance, that we're abandoning no, what Trump's saying is, no, we didn't. All we have is the, the expense of it being the sugar daddy for all of these countries. And that's gotta change. Now what it changes into, Donald J. And I might disagree on, but he's right.

[Senor]

Well, that gets to the whole pretenses thing. So what Ian meant by all the United States cares about is power might always have been true. It's just, I mean, you can say flowery things, but, but trying to put a democracy in Afghanistan because we want to spread democracy, didn't work. Trying to spread, you know, a Jeffersonian democracy in Iraq, trying to force that on, it hasn't worked. And so maybe you just do what you can, what you have the power to do, and that's all you can do. I mean, you can say all kinds of nice things, but if you're not capable of doing it, I don't know, do you get credit for saying the nice things? It's like the climate change argument, man.

[Michael]

Well, yeah, and I was just thinking, I think it's true that we would much prefer democracies. They tend to be friendly to other democracies and it's just, it's better for human beings. But there's, there's a, you know, there's a point at which that's no longer your highest priority. If the democracy of a, you know, Central South American country, for instance, and this was true throughout the 20th century, if their quote unquote democracy is going to lead them to communism and totalitarianism, then we have stepped in many times and said, nah, we're not going to let you go that way. And often it's funny, for a while when liberal schools really controlled the discussion of history, we would be taught that every single right wing incursion into say a Nicaragua was awful and bloody and we shouldn't have done it and we should have let them chart their own future. Well, they ended up with horrific dictators. You know, Ortega and just the Sandinistas were scumbag communists, like all scumbag communists. And their countries are falling apart. They're wracked with violence and gangs in poverty, and now they're exporting all their violent, poverty stricken gangs to the U.S. so yes, we do have an interest in our own neighborhood and then sometimes we got to flex our muscles.

[Senor]

But before we get to mailbag. So if, if Ian is right that the Europeans aren't going to stand up, up, and if we cut off aid and say, hey Zielinski, non wear suit wearing, we ain't giving you any more. And so Russia takes Keef, takes Ukraine and Europe does it lets it happen. And, and, and it's, you know, if Europe, I have been saying since the beginning, if Europe doesn't care, I don't know why we shouldn't necessarily care more than Europe does. I still think the US World, world order being led by us has been, you know, a great benefit to us and continues to be a great benefit. And when it's gone, everybody's gonna really miss it. Our economic growth will go way down. When China and controls a third or half of the world's shipping lanes and all that sort of stuff, all that stuff goes out the window. But anyway, do you think that that could happen? Europe can't or won't stand up. We're not aiding them anymore. Russia takes Kiev. Ukraine's theirs has its sight set on, you know, Estonia or one of those other tiny little countries. And then why wouldn't Putin take that? Because you. Europe just announced we're not gonna fight you, senato schmado.

[Michael]

Wow. And we need a brief answer to that question. Yes, I can absolutely picture that happening. I don't think it necessarily is going to be militarily because after Russia makes a certain amount of progress, the quote, unquote, negotiations are going to include the removal of the current regime and electoral structure in Ukraine and the installation of a puppet regime of Moscow, like Poroshenko's puppet regime back in the 2010s, and effectively he will own Ukraine at that point. Now, what happens to the Baltic state states if Putin decides to make moves there? What they'll look like. My gosh, that's a tough one. It's not out of the question, though. But back to Ian Bremmer's main point. I'm seriously. Because I try to, you know, imagine every scenario fairly and not just leap to conclusions, which makes me bad on Twitter. But I am struggling to even picture how Europe would get from its current, like, fat old former warrior who thinks he's still goddess paper tigerhood to like, being actually lean and mean enough to be a significant military force. I can't even picture that. What that would look like. Well, I can. There would be revolution in the streets that would have to be put down by governments, popular governments. Wow. Strong enough to engage in seriously draconian measures to reform their economies, their entire social fabric, because they are socialist states, and then make military, you know, military might a priority again. I mean, that would be like me declaring exactly how I'm going to get to Olympic Pole vaulter status. You can describe how that would happen.

[Senor]

But please, yeah, it would take a complete restructuring of society. And a lot of us who lean right have been saying for a very, very long time, you know, Europe gets to be, you know, the socialist paradise as they are, where you get 12 weeks of vacation and retire at 50 and all this sort of stuff because we pay for the protection. You don't have to worry about your military. We do it for you. Well, if those days are over, holy crap, there's going to be a major restructuring of everything.

[Michael]

Yeah, well, I agree with, while I agree with you completely, I can't stop myself from pointing out that they were socialist paradises for a while. They are turning into socialist crap heaps because their economic engines always happens. Oh yeah, exactly. Their economic engines have stalled, as they always do. And as Margaret Thatcher taught us, they're running out of other people's money to spend.

[Senor]

Yeah, that's the arc of socialism. You get paradise for a while, but it doesn't last. We got Mailbag on the way. Bunch of other stuff. I'd love to hear what you think about this. Text line 415295 KFTC Armstrong and Gettysburg.

[Joe Getty]

Hi, this is Jenny Garth from I do part two. Who do you know on Ozempic or Semaglutide right now? Everyone right? These game changing weight loss meds are everywhere and FutureHealth makes it easy to get started. Find out if weight loss meds are right for you in just three minutes at tryfh.com tryfh.com FutureHealth is not a healthcare services provider. Meds are prescribed at providers. Discretionary results may vary. Sponsored by Future Health.

[Jack Armstrong]

The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso, and Tom's of Maine. And right now you can get up to a ten $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it spend $20 on their products. Get $5, spend $30, get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com. so grab what you need or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping, shipping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards available while supplies last. Limit Supply US only 1125 through 331.25 for full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com.

[Michael]

It is Ryan here and I have a question for you. What do you do when you win? Like, are you a fist pumper? A woohooer, A hand clapper, a high fiver? If you want to hone in on those winning moves, check out Chumba Casino. Choose from hundreds of social casino style games. Games for your chance to redeem serious cash prizes. There are new game releases weekly plus free daily bonuses.

[Senor]

So don't wait.

[Michael]

Start having the most Fun [e-mail] no purchase necessary. VGW Group void we're prohibited by law. 21/ terms and conditions apply.

[Senor]

Every day our world gets a little more connected, but a little further apart. But then there are moments. Moments that remind us to be more human.

[Jack Armstrong]

Thank you for calling Amica Insurance.

[Senor]

Hey, I was just in an accident.

[Jack Armstrong]

Don't worry, we'll get you taken care of.

[Senor]

At Ameca, we understand that looking out for each other isn't new or groundbreaking. It's human. Amica. Empathy is our best policy. The AI scandal in the Oscars. We'll have to talk about that later. Not that I care about the Oscars, but I am kind of interested in AI in the world of art and what that all means and if we should be worried or not.

[Michael]

Yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah. I mean, definitely. And there's some really interesting AI stuff. I. My lack of enthusiasm is just because, you know, I saw that quote unquote scandal a while back and thought, do whatever you want.

[Senor]

Well, they made it. They made it all about people losing jobs, whatever that, you know, that that's not my interest. That's going to happen. I mean, it sucks, but it's going to happen.

[Michael]

Right? Right?

[Senor]

Yeah.

[Michael]

Okay. And there was another utterly idiotic quote unquote controversy I want to talk about. So. All right, here's your freed loving quote of the day. Continuing on with our series from Theodore Roosevelt, we'll go with a couple today. Believe you can. And you're halfway there. It was a very positive thinker, a real guru. If he'd been not been president, he would have been like a Mark Twain type character.

[Senor]

Yeah. So if I remember correctly, his dad died young and. Or he was diagnosed with something where he thought he was going to die young. That had a big influence on his view of life. He didn't think he had very long, starting at a young age.

[Michael]

He was stricken with one of your serious childhood diseases of that era and was very weak and worked like a fiend to build himself up to the strength he attained. And became a great believer in overcoming your obstacles and becoming what you dream of being another one. No man is above the law and no man is below it. Nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it. Well, we could have used that during the George Floyd riots. Anyway, Mailbag, you can drop us a note anytime. Mailbagarmstrong.com Again, that's armstrongandgetty.com Excuse me, I've been drinking. I've been torn trying to get Mailbag together. I thought let's move on from Ukraine, but dozens and dozens and dozens of emails about Ukraine. So I'm just going to sprinkle in a couple. Let's see. Brian writes, guys, I'm a nearly 40 year old millennial who works in the taxes. I hate fine china, silverware, dressing up, fancy dinners, restaurants, bed skirts. All those industries and traditions that millennials have killed. Let's oh, restaurants. He mentions as well. You've talked about how in the past you use those things to relay to people that this is important to me. And then he says he gets now where his parents were coming from in that way, showing up looking professional is important. When the leader of the free world says he has a dress code, that's important.

[Senor]

Important.

[Michael]

Obliging the leader of the host nation that has given you military aid is important. Zelensky was a moron. To show up dressed like that shows a lack of respect and professionalism. It's a youngster, a millennial, who rejects all of the niceties of the old world.

[Senor]

Yeah, man, I can't believe this is part of the conversation, but I think you're closer to right than wrong.

[Michael]

Yeah, gosh. I really. I want to talk more about this because there's another angle, but it's Mailbag and I'll, I'll be disciplined about it. Let's see, what is it? I want to get to very important.

[Senor]

Text we should hit just since we're in a lot of mocking of the height of Zielinski. How tall are you guys? How tall are you?

[Michael]

I am now 5 10. I was 511 until my back started collapsing.

[Senor]

That's interesting because I was six one my whole life. I'm now six foot and one quarter inch as I've shrunk three quarters of an inch.

[Michael]

Yeah, it happens. It's the discs in your spine get compressed.

[Senor]

No, life wears you down to a nub. If you live to be 120, you'll just be a tiny little thing with shoes running around, around.

[Michael]

Let's see, what do we want to go with here? You know what? I'm so tired of this, and it's so complicated. Oh, I'm. I tell you what, Anybody who's written an email and said, guys, it's simple. No, it's not. Here's a. Here's a hint, Mr. Always Often Wrong. Never in doubt. No, it ain't the Armstrong and Getty. One more thing podcast yesterday about a super expensive brand of mattress. Hostin or Hasting Donna Ross. I don't get that mattress. We have this mattress and I hate it. But I'm stuck with it for the rest of my life because we spent too much money to get rid of it.

[Senor]

Wow. They actually bought one. We did a podcast about this $56,000 mattress. The new York Times was raving about how comfortable it is.

[Michael]

And then here's a really funny note from Al non of us whose son is applying to the University of California system to get in. And they noticed that he was cleaning and cooking a lot more than normal. And he explained to them that he has declared himself transgender for the college application process because that will certainly help him in the University of California.

[Senor]

Wow, that's a good one. I got to tell my kids that.

[Michael]

Yeah, that is pretty funny. And he's also looking into playing some college volleyball for the UC system. And as he is 6, 3, 2, 20 and a football player, that will be an awesome presence on the court for whatever University of California school accepts her application.

[Senor]

Go, banana slugs. That's what I say.

[Michael]

Yes. Spike that ball down the real girl's throat. Show them.

[Senor]

I want to hear some of those emails about the whole Ukraine situation. A lot more news in hour two. If you missed a segment, get the podcast. Armstrong and Getty on demand.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Katie Green]

The battlefield is set. The stakes are high. The only thing standing between you and Victor Nothing. Ascend to the pinnacle of gaming greatness with Lenovo, Legion laptops, towers and the new award winning Legion Go, the world's first officially licensed handheld. Powered by SteamOS, Legion relentlessly pushes gaming technology forward with towers built for raw, untamed power. Laptops with best in class AI tuning that sharpen your reflexes. And the Legion Go, a handheld for serious gaming. On the go. Stay ahead with lightning fast responsiveness on a stunning 16 inch PureSight display. Keep your cool with Cold Front Thermal technology engineered for marathon sessions and with all day battery life. The game never stops until you say so. So check out lenovo.com legion Lenovo Lenovo empowering creators Everywhere.

[Jenny Garth]

During tax season, your sensitive info does a lot of traveling to places you can't control, stopping off at payroll, your accountant or tax preparer and countless other data centers on its way to the irs. Any of them can expose you to identity theft because they all have the info on your W2. Just the ticket for criminals to steal your identity. No wonder the IRS reported tax fraud due to identity theft went up 20% last year. Here you need Lifelock. They monitor millions of data points per second and alert you to threats you could miss. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it, backed by the million dollar protection package and restoration is guaranteed or your money back. Don't let identity thieves take you for a ride. Get Lifelock protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40 off terms.

[Jack Armstrong]

Apply the New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso and Tom's of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it works. Spend $20 on their products, get $5, spend $30, get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Paul Olive Rewards available while supplies last. Limit supply us only 1125 through 33125 for full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com at.

[Katie Green]

David's Bridal Love is in every stitch from the initial sketch to the final details. Each style is designed with exquisite craftsmanship. Every wedding gown, bridesmaid look, prom dress and special occasion style in between features handcrafted details filled with love. Come see the magic in promotion person. Book an appointment and sign up for diamond loyalty to save 15% on your first purchase. Earn points towards special rewards and more@david bridal.com.