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Jack Armstrong
This is an iHeart podcast.
Joe Getty
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Jacob Goldstein
This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at o d o o.com that's o d o o.com find.
Christiana Amanpour
Home wherever you roam at Sinesta Es and simply Suites. Stretch out and enjoy home like amenities for however long you need. And when you're a Sonesta Travel Pass member, staying at Sonesta Es and simply Suites means earning points to toward free nights, upgrades and more. Go to sonesta.com and book your stay and unlock their best rates with Sonesta Travel Pass. Here today, Rome tomorrow. Join now@sonesta.com terms and conditions apply.
Jamie Rubin
I'm Christiana Manpour and I've been on the front lines and interviewing world leaders for more than 30 years.
Jack Armstrong
And I'm Jamie Rubin, a former advisor to both Presidents Clinton and Biden.
Jamie Rubin
We were married for 20 years and divorced for seven. Now we've joined forces on the X Files to make sense of how we ended up with no world order. Listen to Christian Amanpour presents the X files on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Jack Armstrong
Ah, come on.
Unknown Speaker
Why is this taking so long?
This thing is ancient.
Still using yesterday's tech upgrade to the ThinkPad X1 carbon ultralight. Ultra powerful and built for serious productivity with Intel Core Ultra processors, blazing speed and AI powered performance that keeps up with your not the other way around.
Jack Armstrong
Whoa.
Unknown Speaker
This thing moves.
Stop hitting snooze on new tech. Win the tech search@lenovo.com Lenovo Lenovo 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.
Jack Armstrong
Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln Radio.
Christiana Amanpour
Studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center.
Joe Getty
Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.
Unknown Speaker
Armstrong and Jetty. And now here's Armstrong and Getty.
Jack Armstrong
Live.
Unknown Speaker
From Studio C. See you, senor.
Jack Armstrong
It's a little Friday. We're deep within the bowels of the Armstrong and Getty communications compound. Hey, y'. All. Today we're under the tutelage of our general manager.
Unknown Speaker
Just for the record, did you say Little Friday or Lowell Friday?
Jack Armstrong
L. Friday.
Unknown Speaker
Oh, interesting. Today's general manager. Lies, damned lies. And statistics on yesterday's GDP report being called the weirdest GD report GDP report ever.
Jack Armstrong
Oh, really? I don't know anything about this.
Unknown Speaker
Oh, boy howdy. Completely changes the story. Oh, really?
Jack Armstrong
I want to hear about that. Cool.
Unknown Speaker
Good. That's what I'm shooting for.
Jack Armstrong
I like that sort of thing. I don't know that story at all. I like.
Unknown Speaker
You know what? There are a couple of stories today that are incredibly important, significant that people will not hear elsewhere because they take a minute to explain. And by a minute, I mean like 60 seconds. But so much of our media, whether broadcast or even online to a large extent, is so hit and run. If it takes more than 22 seconds or however long a damn TikTok video is, people don't even pay attention to it. But you, my friends, you will be well informed.
Jack Armstrong
I like the fact that overnight Trump called Jerome Powell stupid. That's my favorite thing. Find that entertaining. Jerome Too Late Powell, that's the guy that runs the Federal Reserve and has a hand in whether interest rates go up or not. And he didn't. He didn't lower interest rates this week like Trump.
Unknown Speaker
It's. They. But yeah, go on.
Jack Armstrong
Jerome Too Late Powell. That's why I said has a hand in. Jerome Too Late Powell has done it again. He is too late and actually too angry. This is all in caps. He's actually too angry, too stupid and too political to have the job of Fed chair. He's costing our country trillions of dollars in addition to being one of the most incompetent, corrupt renovations of A building in the history of construction. Too stupid. You're too stupid to do your job. That's an insult. I've never had that one. I've had bosses yell at me for everything, variety of things, but I've never had anybody say, you know what your problem is? You're too stupid to do your job.
Unknown Speaker
That's a guy with, you know, PhD in economics and a storied career. Yeah, okay.
Jack Armstrong
It's just stupid. What a funny part of the personality of the President of the United States.
Unknown Speaker
I'm glad you find it funny. Well, today you're lucky.
Jack Armstrong
Some days I don't. Today, for whatever reason, I just think.
Unknown Speaker
It'S just so absurd.
Jack Armstrong
It is so absurd. I mean, what do you think? I mean, in any workplace set in any setting whatsoever with adults, what do you think you're accomplishing by saying you're too stupid?
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, I'm glad you're amused. It's disturbing.
Jack Armstrong
What do you think he thinks he's accomplishing?
Unknown Speaker
I have no idea. I think he's an undisciplined child half the time.
Jack Armstrong
I mean, it was one of your middle of the night tweets or truths or whatever, and then he went on to say you're a total loser, or.
Unknown Speaker
He knows that, you know, there's a certain core constituency of his that loves. That loves the brawling and the tough talk and the. The insults and all.
Jack Armstrong
Well, brawling, yes, maybe, but I don't know. Some of the trumpiest people I know at stuff like that, that roll their eyes and say, why?
Unknown Speaker
I would agree. Yeah, that's my experience as well. But you asked, and so I attempted to come up with an answer.
Jack Armstrong
It's just so amazing. I feel like if I ever did that, I would, like the next day, think I need to reevaluate my way I handle things. Sorry. For. Well, Ron, you stupid. In the middle of the night.
Unknown Speaker
Well, and if he weren't famously sober, I think all of us would think, oh, for God's sake, he's got it. Melania's got to take the phone out of his hand after that second drink.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, if. Yeah, if it wasn't that he's, you know, no caffeine, no booze, no nothing ever, his whole life. Yeah. You'd automatically think because this happens in the middle of the night so often, you'd absolutely think he's drunk, because that is such a drunk post. All the. All the capital letters. Too angry, too stupid, and a total loser.
Unknown Speaker
All right, all right, that's good. And he's on nightazines or Kratom, there are not one, but two stories about weird new drugs that are killing people by the hundreds and soon to be the thousands.
Jack Armstrong
Oh, is this like a fentanyl thing? Like, people are getting high on them? I thought you were talking. Yeah, that's gonna mention a sleep drug or weight loss drug or something.
Unknown Speaker
No, no, these are both getting high drugs.
Jack Armstrong
Okay, and what do they do to you? Like, they leave holes in your legs and, like, tranq.
Unknown Speaker
You just don't have any brain activity anymore.
Jack Armstrong
Make you lean over and there must be some upside or you wouldn't take it. Right.
Unknown Speaker
Right. Yeah. In the case of the One, it's the cleverness of Chinese scientists who keep coming up with synthetic opioids to feed to the decadent Americans, and we keep gobbling them up.
Jack Armstrong
Wow.
Unknown Speaker
Innovative fellows, those Chinese.
Jack Armstrong
There were several truth socials overnight announcing some big tariff deals that we can get to a little bit later, as the deadline is tomorrow for a whole bunch of that stuff. Canada hasn't been worked out yet. And Canada announced in the last couple of hours that they are going to also recognize Palestine as a state, breaking with the United States for the first time. So that is starting to crumble. I hope it doesn't end up just being US and Israel completely alone in the un. That would not be good, I don't think, for anybody.
Unknown Speaker
Somebody's got to explain to me what that means exactly, to recognize as a state just a amorphous mass of people, got some land, but nobody's sure what. They don't have a functioning government because the last one was run by a brutal terrorist organization. But we're going to recognize them as a country. You going to send an ambassador? Canada? Where to?
Jack Armstrong
I don't think it means anything concretely, but I think it means a lot directionally, that countries are starting to peel off and it could end up just being the. I mean, because there's always been the United States and a handful of, like, the important countries in the world that stood by us in Israel on all these resolutions and everything in the un and if that all falls away, I mean, you. Excuse me. Did a bug fly in my throat? What happened there?
Unknown Speaker
I don't know. I have to examine the footage, you.
Jack Armstrong
Know, for the crowd that hates Jews and conspiracy theorists and everything like that, when it's just the United States and Israel alone on all this stuff, that's. That's not going to be a good look.
Unknown Speaker
I would agree. Yeah, it is not a good look. One of my favorite writers said Hamas will never surrender. It's time for a plan B for Israel, which I found intriguing. We can touch on that.
Jack Armstrong
What could that possibly be?
Unknown Speaker
Well, the point is that you will never actually defeat them. They will be a brutal guerrilla force for a hundred years. You have to come up with. I don't. I don't know.
Jack Armstrong
You're too stupid.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, you're. I'm gonna try that with my wife. I don't know, friend. If I have a disagreement, whatever. Kids? Sure. Neighbors, please, please. Hey, your gardener is blowing like your leaves onto our lawn. Well, you're too stupid to clean up leaves.
Jack Armstrong
See if it works. One.
Unknown Speaker
What? It's number two. What?
Jack Armstrong
Let's start the show officially. I'm Jack Armstrong. He's Joe Getty on this. It is Thursday, the last day of July 31st, the year 2025. We're Armstrong and getting. We approve of this program.
Unknown Speaker
All right then, let's begin the show officially. Now, according to FCC rules and regulations. Here we go at mark. High Noon is warning its customers that some of its vodka seltzers were accidentally labeled as non alcoholic Celsius energy drinks. The company says the High Noon beach variety packs, which have alcoh, were mislabeled as the Celsius Astro Vibe energy drink. Those packs were shipped recently to six states in the eastern half of the country.
Jack Armstrong
So the net result being if you, if your energy drink causes you to crash your car and or sleep with someone you find unattractive, perhaps you got.
Unknown Speaker
One of those article your boss too stupid to do his job. Perhaps. Hey, I got energy and I can't remember my problem.
Jack Armstrong
I don't know if I feel more energetic, but I feel pretty good.
Unknown Speaker
I felt real energetic for a while and I don't feel energetic at all.
Jack Armstrong
If you hammered down a whole can of vodka, you'd be feeling something, I guarantee you. Oh, wow. Well, we got Katie's headlines on the way. Go we mailbag this hour. We do have to get into some of the actual announcements where it wasn't just calling people stupid for various things that are going around the world. Made some strong statements about Russia. Russia just hammered Keev again last night. So apparently Trump's new 50 days schmifty days. I don't trust you. Vladimir didn't hurt Vladimir's feelings because he went after Keev last night. Number of people killed 300 drones all at the Capitol. And Trump with some strong words about that last night. So we'll see where that's going. All on the way. Here's our text line 415295 KFTC Armstrong.
Joe Getty
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Jacob Goldstein
This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at o d o o.com that's o d o o.com find.
Christiana Amanpour
Home wherever you roam at Sinesta Es and Simply Suites. Stretch out and enjoy home like amenities for however long you need. And when you're a Sinesta TravelPass member, staying at Sinesta Es and Simply Suites means earnings points toward free nights, upgrades and more. Go to sinesta.com and book your stay and unlock their best rates with Sinesta Travel Pass Here today, Rome tomorrow. Join now@sonesta.com terms and conditions apply.
Jamie Rubin
I'm Christiana Manpour and I've been on the front lines and interviewing world leaders for more than 30 years.
Jack Armstrong
And I'm Jamie Rubin, a former advisor to both Presidents Clinton and Biden.
Jamie Rubin
We were married for 20 years and divorced for seven. Now we've joined forces on the X Files to make sense of how we ended up with no world order. Listen to Christian Amanpour Presents the X files on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Jack Armstrong
Ah, come on.
Unknown Speaker
Why is this taking so long?
This thing is ancient.
Still using yesterday's tech upgrade to the ThinkPad X1 carbon ultralight, ultra powerful and built for serious productivity with Intel Core Ultra processors, blazing speed and AI powered performance that keeps up with your business, not the other way around.
Jack Armstrong
Whoa.
Unknown Speaker
This thing moves.
Stop hitting snooze on new tech. Win the tech search@lenovo.com Lenovo Lenovo 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.
Trump truths out I don't care what.
Jack Armstrong
India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together for all I care. We have done very little business with India. Their tariffs are too high, among the highest in the world. Likewise, Russia and the USA do almost no business together. Let's keep it that way and tell Medvedev that the failed former president of Russia who thinks he's still present to watch his words, he's entering very dangerous territory.
Unknown Speaker
Wow. So much for wooing India.
Jack Armstrong
Like take their debt economies down together. I don't care. And it's just interesting that that's the way we're communicating our policy toward to some of the biggest economies in the world.
Unknown Speaker
Right. And it's worth throwing in that a number of things that Trump has done and is doing are yielding very good results. Sure. On the other hand, I can see it in the faces of the world leaders. This is so weird. We just need to get through this. It's a few years of our lives. Then they'll elect somebody else and it'll surely be more normal. That's what they're thinking. You can read it behind their eyes. It's just odd times. All right. A lot to get to this hour, including the fact that the gross domestic product report that got so much attention yesterday is, is probably wildly misleading in.
Jack Armstrong
The right direction or wrong direction, you're.
Unknown Speaker
Not gonna love it. But first, let's figure out who's reporting what. It's lead story with Katie Green. Katie Alrighty.
Katie Green
Starting with msnbc, Trump threatens trade war with Canada over recognition of Palestinian state.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, his, his response to it was, wow, it's going to be very difficult to get a trade deal now that Canada has recognized Palestine.
Katie Green
From cnn, Trump says, quote, fastest way to end humanitarian crisis in Gaza is for Hamas to release remaining hostages immediately.
Jack Armstrong
Left out of every story as Hamas has saying this too. They could stop declaring all Jews need to die and let the hostages loose if they wanted to. And that would change things quite a bit.
Unknown Speaker
If they and the leadership before them and the leadership before them had seriously wanted peace with Israel, they would have had 98% of what they asked for in a homeland today. Ask Bill Clinton, ask Jimmy Carter. Ask, you know, any success of president this It's a jihadist maniac, middle ages organization.
Katie Green
From the Wall Street Journal, New York shooting puts Mandami on the spot over his views on police.
Jack Armstrong
Well, so he backed off his anti police rhetoric yesterday.
Unknown Speaker
He's a clever fella. No doubt he's a, an articulate boy. But yeah, his, his past is haunting him in terms of crime and the police and the rest of it. And it's really, really interesting. I also read a perspective about the percentage of young voters who think it was justified to murder that young father who happened to work for a health care company in cold blood on the streets who think all sorts of violence and horror is justified. This is an odd generation coming up. Well, we let them get miseducated in government schools.
Katie Green
I think kind of along with that from Fox News, Cincinnati city councilwoman victims of mob attack, quote, begged for that beat down.
Jack Armstrong
Well, I still don't, I haven't looked into this story because it sounds so horrible. Is any is anybody gonna pay a price, go to prison?
Unknown Speaker
Anything for this or maybe. Yeah, Fox News is finally reporting that it was all black people beating down two white people people and trying to kill them in the streets. And there is talk of hate crime charges and there absolutely should be if those exist anywhere on in the country. It's appropriate here. Clearly had a racial component.
Katie Green
From the Washington Post, the federal government is paying more than 154,000 people to not work. That's a lot of through early resignation offers and other programs have reduced the workforce but we're paying for it.
Jack Armstrong
How do I get one of those deals?
Katie Green
Seriously, sign me up.
Unknown Speaker
I could, I could kick ass at that job.
Katie Green
From USA Today, Kamala Harris leaves door open for potential 2028 presidential run.
Jack Armstrong
Yes. So she announced yesterday she's not running for governor of California. And my first thought was okay, it's serious. Then she is seriously considering running for president, which is what the hell is going on. I think she could get elected governor of California because we're such a wacky state. She has. I don't think. I think same as last time she ran. She won't make it to Iowa. Running for president.
Unknown Speaker
No, no, it'll be a joke. How is she humiliated?
Jack Armstrong
How is she that deluded?
Unknown Speaker
I don't know cuz she's dumb or.
Jack Armstrong
She'S surrounded by people that because she's too stupid, you're too stupid. She's surrounded by people that get, you know, something out of Tell her you can win.
Katie Green
From ABC Brown University joins the list of colleges reaching million dollar deals with the White House to unfreeze their funding.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, the universities are clearly discriminating by race and and, and religion as well. Just openly or if it's not openly behind the scenes and there's huge paper trails available. We'll talk about that more later too. But yeah, it's shameless. This is one of the things that the Trump administration that is doing that is fantastic.
Katie Green
From the New York Post, Louisiana Medicaid millionaire bought a Lamborghini while claiming government benefits for years.
Jack Armstrong
Yesterday was the 60th anniversary of the signing of Medicare and Medicaid. We should go through some of the numbers over those decades of what has and hasn't been accomplished. Bigger emphasis on what hasn't been accomplished other than spending taxpayer money that has been accomplished to a great, great level.
Katie Green
Study fines and I apologize for this guys. No poop P and perspiration and the deceptive smell of chlorine. How Jeremy really is a swimming pool. Some of the details in this are grim.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, yeah, I would guess.
Katie Green
And finally, the Babylon Bee, which is usually satire, but maybe they're right here. Kamala announces she will step away from politics to spend more time with vodka.
Jack Armstrong
Wow. I'll bet she never even runs for president. When she starts trying to get people behind her to back her and the money people, everything like that, it just ain't gonna happen.
Unknown Speaker
Maybe a little preliminary quiet polling comes back dismally. Yeah, I could see her. Although I'm holding out hope because I would love to see that. It would be hilarious.
Jack Armstrong
I would like it too. She was at the top of the polls in California even though it's very, very early and decided not to run Armstrong and Gettysburg.
Joe Getty
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Jacob Goldstein
This is Jacob Goldstein from what's yous Problem? When you buy business software from lots of vendors, the costs add up and it gets complicated and confusing. Odoo solves this. It's a single company that sells a suite of enterprise apps that handles everything from accounting to inventory to sales. Odoo is all connected on a single platform in a simple and affordable way. You can save money without missing out on the features you need. Check out Odoo at o d o o.com that's o d o o.com Sonesta.
Christiana Amanpour
Travel Pass is the most rewarding way to travel. Sign up@sonesta.com for instant savings, bonus points and perks like early check in and late checkout, room upgrades and free stays. Choose from 1100 hotels across 13 brands and unlock their best rates when you book with Sonesta Travel Pass. Here today, Rome tomorrow. Join now@sinesta.com that's sinesta.com terms and conditions apply.
Jamie Rubin
I'm Christiana Manpour and I've been on the front lines and interviewing world leaders for more than 30 years.
Jack Armstrong
And I'm Jamie Rubin, a former advisor.
Unknown Speaker
To both Presidents Clinton and Biden.
Jamie Rubin
We were married for 20 years and divorced for seven. Now we've joined forces on the X Files to make sense of how we ended up with no world order. Listen to Christiana Manpour presents the X files on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Unknown Speaker
Ugh.
Jack Armstrong
Come on.
Unknown Speaker
Why is this taking so long?
This thing is ancient.
Still using yesterday's tech upgrade to the ThinkPad X1 carbon ultralight. Ultra powerful and built for serious productivity with Intel Core Ultra processors, blazing speed and AI powered performance that keeps up with your business, not the other way around.
Whoa, this thing moves.
Stop hitting snooze on new tech. Win the tech search@lenovo.com Lenovo Lenovo 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.
An earthquake struck off the coast of Russia yesterday that measured an 8.8 magnitude.
On the Richter scale.
It was so powerful that Putin's associates were falling off balconies by accident.
Jack Armstrong
I like that Any joke at the expense of Putin being evil is a good joke. Before Joe inexplicably throws a wet blanket on a good news story from yesterday, I don't know why he wants to bring us down. Apparently he wanted Kamala to win.
Unknown Speaker
But before meanness, malice, before Joe gets.
Jack Armstrong
To that, two things. One, got really interesting news about Kamala Harris I hadn't come across since yesterday's announcement. And two, homework assignment for you, Katie, because I assume Joe hasn't looked into this, the orange thing in the picture of Epstein's cell that got all the attention all day yesterday. Can you fill us in on that story, Katie? Coming.
Katie Green
Well, I mean it's, it's, they're calling it quote in plain sight.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, coming up. I want you to nail that down.
Unknown Speaker
For us because that was related to the green thing seen on the court in the WNBA game.
Jack Armstrong
No, it's not at all. Okay, there is. What is that? An Epstein cell became a story yesterday. So we'll have that on the way too.
Unknown Speaker
Fascinating. So yesterday the news was that the economy grew at a 3 point percent annualized basis, which is pretty good. And various people were saying this makes it clear that A, B and C, including that the tariff thing hasn't hurt the economy.
Jack Armstrong
Well, I don't know if I had to say that it did mean that.
Unknown Speaker
We weren't officially saying that.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, it did mean we are officially weren't officially in a recession, which would have been like I said, thank God I avoided that conversation.
Unknown Speaker
And a lot of Trump fans or conservatives are touting the fact that a wasted Bill Maher said, I thought the tariff thing might cause inflation has screwed up, but you got to give them credit, it hasn't. Well, as I said yesterday and have said for quite a while, many birds have not yet come home to roost.
Jack Armstrong
In defense of the people that said the things you were just saying, a lot of those people were saying they would have happened by now.
Unknown Speaker
Yes, although a lot of that talk was based on the so called liberation day tariffs, which never happened.
Jack Armstrong
So that's a decent pushback.
Unknown Speaker
Nailing down who meant what at what point is, well, tedious, decent and we won't go back. So moving along, this may be the weirdest GDP report ever, according to the fellows of the Wall Street Journal who would know the top line growth number looks good. And the White House touted it, of course, and it reversed a 0.5% decline in the GDP in the first quarter, which was largely explained by a huge surge of imports. As this has tried to Front run the anticipated tariff barrage. Remember the quirk of the GDP accounting that it's essentially domestic production minus imports. Okay. So growth in the first half of the year turned out to be about 1.2% annualized. Most striking are the second quarter reports. Wild internal details. Net exports minus, which is exports minus imports, added a remarkable 5% to GDP as imports fell more than 30%.
Jack Armstrong
That's a big number.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, that's an astonishing number in one quarter. Yes, imports subtract from growth in the national accounts because GDP measures domestic production. Imports are produced overseas. But they point out imports are still crucial to US Economic well being because A, consumers buy them and B, businesses use them as inputs for what they produce, whether for domestic use or for export. Often for export, we import, you know, the simple stuff or, you know, or the raw materials, and we export sophisticated stuff or, you know, there are many, many variations of it. But anyway, the crazy swing in imports shows how much Trump's up and down trade policies have disrupted business decisions and left companies scrambling to adapt. This seems to have had a negative effect on private domestic investment, which fell almost 16% in the second quarter after a surge in the first. So in short, everybody's flailing in business and not sure what the tariffs are going to be. Not sure what. The situation is important export wise. And the birds have not yet come home to roost.
Jack Armstrong
Well, that doesn't make me happy. You didn't need to tell me that.
Unknown Speaker
No.
Jack Armstrong
So you wish Kamala had won, is your labs.
Unknown Speaker
Exactly my point. Yeah. Before we go. And the other giant story which we mentioned later in the show yesterday, is that federal appeals judges are considering the legality of the President's widespread tariffs moves today. God, wouldn't that huge court case, wouldn't.
Jack Armstrong
That be something if the courts decide he can't do that. What. What have we been talking about for five months? Right? Redoing the entire world trade situation. Oh, he can't do that. Okay, nevermind then.
Unknown Speaker
And I don't think he's helped his case either. And I'll explain that in a second. The deliberation day tariffs and all sorts of all the tariff thing has been based on, or they used as a rationale, the Trump administration, a 1970s law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. It lets the president do certain things. And I could get into the verbiage of the law, but it has to be a, quote, unquote, international emergency. And there is a serious disagreement over whether mild trade deficits are an emergency. And the second thing, the reason I say Trump hurt. His case is that he just raised tariffs on Brazil sky high because he doesn't like how the government of Brazil is treating their ex president, his friend Bolsonaro.
Jack Armstrong
Or he just threatened overnight to not do a tariff deal with Canada because they're going to recognize Palestine as a state.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, yeah. So if I were a betting man. Wait a minute. I am a betting man. I don't like his chances in court, but I am far from a legal expert.
Jack Armstrong
Okay. Before we get to the hilarity of Kamala Harris running for president, is there anything to yesterday's Epstein story? I will preface it with this. Mark Halperin, who is in the top handful of most trusted journalists, I believe what he is reporting, thinks the Epstein thing is a giant point of vulnerability. Still for Trump, I don't quite get it. I don't understand how or why, but he still thinks so anyway, so yesterday.
Unknown Speaker
I'm a little mystified by that, too.
Jack Armstrong
I don't get it. Yesterday's story with. And I don't get this because these have been around forever. Some photo of Epstein's jail cell and somebody noticed something in the background. Hey, what is that? And that became a story for the day. Can you tell, can you explain this to me, Katie?
Katie Green
Yeah, so it's, it's actually, it's the video, the surveillance video that they had released.
Jack Armstrong
So somebody paused it and said, what is that? Right?
Katie Green
Well, as frequent in jail and prison, they're, they have orange jumpsuits. And so they're suspecting that it was an inmate walking somewhere near Epstein's cell. And the big speculation is that they said that the staircase was visible by that camera, but that orange figure goes out of screen, which means that the staircase obviously wasn't.
Jack Armstrong
Okay, so that point, this is some of the evidence that somebody was allowed in to kill him or they're speculation.
Katie Green
I mean, they can't really nail anything down. But they're going back and forth as to whether this, this figure was possibly an inmate headed towards Epstein.
Jack Armstrong
Okay.
Unknown Speaker
I don't think it's a stretch to call the Epstein story in industry. Yeah. Because there is a great deal of money made around it and they need a new chapter. They need to keep it juiced up. That sounds like a good wrinkle. It's like watching a soap opera or one of those, you know, long running series.
Jack Armstrong
We'll hit you with series. We'll hit you with some of the details of Kamala's hilarious idea that she's going to be president someday. You need a Will I need a will? Everybody needs a will. It needs a trust and a will. And we've got a great, great way for you to get started on that project if you haven't already done it.
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Jack Armstrong
Been annoyed by the dance of are you going to run for president?
Unknown Speaker
I.
Jack Armstrong
I have no plans currently. He had no plans currently. He didn't rule it out. That whole conversation has made me tired my whole life. I just don't understand it. Apparently we're not going to do that with Kamala though, because the information is out there. She announced yesterday she's not running for governor of California, which the election is next year in 26. The presidential election.
Unknown Speaker
40 million people breathed a sigh of relief.
Jack Armstrong
I think she would have won just because we're a stupid state. But presidency is in 28. She announced she's not running for governor. My first thought was, okay, I guess she is serious about wanting to run for president. New York Times today. Kamala is expected to form an organization shortly that would allow her to raise funds and pay for travel and political activities. Representative of California said yesterday he had spoken with Ms. Harris about traveling to competitive House districts beginning this fall to assist Democratic candidates. She's going to be all across the country for the 2026 midterms. She wants to help us flip the House. What Democrat wants Kamala Harris on stage with her?
Unknown Speaker
You know, I loved the first sentence when I said ding. Can you read that again? She's going to form an organization.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, she's expected to form an organization shortly that would allow her to raise funds and pay for travel and political activities. Exactly.
Unknown Speaker
And Al Sharpton responds, raise funds. We must we much raising funds so we can live high on the hog while pretending to be a politician.
Jack Armstrong
You can pretend to run for office, get donations and just travel around, flying first class or private jet if you're getting enough donations, staying in the best hotels, eating meals, having a car. You can live quite the lifestyle as a pretend candidate.
Unknown Speaker
Bingo. I see Kamala Harris intervening and maybe making a speech at the the toss up 4th district of Hawaii and the very purple Aspen district in Colorado. Then in the wintertime perhaps assist that close, close race in Miami Beach.
Jack Armstrong
Okay, but here's the most important paragraph because we got to take a break so you can get the mail back. This is the most important paragraph. This is what this has gotten me. I'm. I'm just, I'm. I'm moist with excitement.
Unknown Speaker
Oh boy.
Jack Armstrong
Ms. Harris, who is widely criticized last year for doing very few media interviews, is expected to beginning talking with podcast hosts and journalists beginning after Labor Day, according to a person who has spoken to her about her plans. She thinks you're right. It was a mistake. I didn't do enough interviews. I'm gonna do lots of interviews. Bring it on.
Unknown Speaker
Oh, do it. Get ready for radio gold.
Katie Green
You laugh.
Unknown Speaker
I laugh. Finally think about the passage of time. There's so much meaning to the passage of time.
Jack Armstrong
Finally go on the Joe Rogan podcast, which I know she feels like she has to do. I mean, that would be hanging out there as a. She still hasn't done Joe Rogan unless she goes on Joe Rogan.
Unknown Speaker
So much giggling.
Jack Armstrong
Oh, that's gonna be great. We got Mailbag coming up, Armstrong and Getty.
Joe Getty
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Jamie Rubin
I'm Christiana Manpour and I've been on the front lines and interviewing world leaders for more than 30 years.
Jack Armstrong
And I'm Jamie Rubin, a former advisor to both Presidents Clinton and Biden.
Jamie Rubin
We were married for 20 years and divorced for seven. Now we've joined forces on the X Files to make sense of how we ended up with no world order. Listen to Christian Amanpour presents the X files on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Unknown Speaker
Ugh.
Jack Armstrong
Come on.
Unknown Speaker
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Jack Armstrong
Whoa, this thing moves.
Unknown Speaker
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Jack Armstrong
A look back at what Medicare and Medicaid haven't haven't done on this 60th birthday Lyndon Johnson signing them into law 60 years ago this week costs trillions, many trillions of dollars to taxpayers and no indication really that it's accomplished a Single good thing.
Unknown Speaker
Which is why it's being canceled, I assume. I mean, like any private enterprise would do, or any family would do. How odd. Anyway, I'm looking forward to that. Here's your Freed of the Day, continuing our series from Javier Milei, the new fabulous libertarian leader of Argentina, that is, who is reviving that country. Echoing Milton Friedman, by the way. He says, quote, socialism is always and everywhere an impoverishing phenomenon that has failed in all countries where it's been tried out. It's been a failure economically, socially, culturally, and it has also murdered over 100 million human beings.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, Hayek and Milton Friedman are his heroes. It's interesting that he got elected, things got so bad down there that they turned to a guy like him.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, and it's also just fascinating as you look at human beings, that such a miserable failure is so easily sold to people and generation after generation falls for it.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, because if you're a child, it makes sense. Maybe we'll talk about that later.
Unknown Speaker
Indeed. Mailbag. Drop us a Note mailbag@armstrongandgetti.com Keep it, you know, reasonably free.
Jack Armstrong
Brief.
Unknown Speaker
Nice note here from Bill who discovered the show in 2008 after moving to Northern California from Southern California, for what that's worth. And he says some very nice things and got a nasty diagnosis of cancer in May of 24. Things are going well, but the side effects of the treatment were not fun. I'm getting better. Want to thank you for brightening my spirits when I was feeling like crap. And he now is back in Southern California and listens three hours a day on 790K ABC, the legendary KBC. Yeah Bill, thank you for a very very nice note. And. And it's an honor that our drivel would elevate any human being in any way. Is a pleasant that it would make.
Jack Armstrong
Anybody'S day better rather than worse is a is I consider it that it would improve anything. It is pretty sharp. It is shocking, isn't it Michael?
Unknown Speaker
But thank you Bill. That touched me. Let's see. How about this? Oh, then you have Tim, who is our most consistent email hater.
Jack Armstrong
You.
Unknown Speaker
You people are so stupid. A hotter planet directly impacts the jet stream causing global climate patterns to change. Right now the jet stream is currently blocked or broken causing major climate disruptions. So with the oceans a hotter and getting hotter ocean causes the global circulation occurrence to slow down thus causing fluctuation fluctuations in world temps. Get it? Doubt it. Anyway, you're wrong. And that lunatic run the EPA into the ground should hang for a stupid, stupid Stupid deregulation edict.
Jack Armstrong
But what am I stupid about? I'm not doubting that. I'm saying I don't care. That's what I'm saying. I have never looked into it because it doesn't matter to me. Maybe that wants me stupid. That could be.
Unknown Speaker
That's some good punchy writing, though. I mean, it was very readable. It's just. It was super easy to follow. I thought the insults and facts were nicely balanced.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, I would like. Maybe he can respond to this, but what is the whole. Why would we destroy our economy or. Or. Or, you know, or live with the tiny crappy cars or whatever when we can't make a dent because of China and India and everybody else? What's your response to that? I. I honestly would like to hear that.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah, I honestly, I would. I would leave the tiny, crappy cars out of it. Just because you make an argument we don't need bigger cars, and that's a distraction. But why would be with the thousand. The hundred thousand effects of a truly decimated economy for a meaningless gesture. Why would that be a good idea? But anyway, good note, Tim, Andy and Sack. Oh, on the question of earthquake scales, which we discussed on the Armstrong and Getty One More Thing podcast yesterday, Fascinating and amusing. Joe, you poor soul. I don't envy you the emails you'll get about earthquake magnitude basics so you can have AI tell you any details you need to school rude chumps. The Richter scale was logarithmic, but we stopped using it. We now use the more accurate moment magnitude scale. Now when you get those emails, you can say, I know, you absolute douche. That is a term I do not use. I can't imagine why a canoe would be designed to.
Jack Armstrong
Douche canoe.
Unknown Speaker
Yes, douche.
Jack Armstrong
You douche canoe. I'm using that today. What? A douche canoe.
Joe Getty
Don't.
Unknown Speaker
No, stop saying it. Saying it once was terrible, and I apologize. Why is it terrible? It's just. Anyway, my point, as we're about out of time, my point was.
Jack Armstrong
What was my point? What were we talking about? Oh, I'm.
Unknown Speaker
The Richter scale.
Jack Armstrong
I'm pretty sure that when I heard about the earthquake, they kept mentioning everybody. It was a blankety blank on the Richter scale.
Unknown Speaker
In the same way that the media constantly cites the Dow industrial average, which is a horrifically useless thing to cite to gauge the overall health of the stock market.
Jack Armstrong
So you're saying they're using the old scale that people have heard of, even though it's not as accurate. This guy is saying a new scale that people in the know use.
Unknown Speaker
Yes.
Jack Armstrong
Okay. Okay.
Unknown Speaker
Yeah. You know, we've got some more great email. I wish we had time for it. Maybe we'll sprinkle it in next hour.
Jack Armstrong
That's kind of interesting actually. And there was the earthquake. They were going to hang on to.
Unknown Speaker
The dumb old earthquake still happening.
Jack Armstrong
We're experience an earthquake. Please. That's what they were saying in Russian.
Unknown Speaker
Oh, and interestingly. Well, we don't have time for that either. We have time for nothing. So little time.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, life is short goes by.
Unknown Speaker
Don't waste your time or time will waste you. Muse. It's a good song. Listen to it.
Jack Armstrong
Someday we will be big in hour two. Promise you if you miss a segment an hour, get the podcast Armstrong and Getty on Demand.
Christiana Amanpour
Armstrong and Getty.
Jack Armstrong
Wanna.
Unknown Speaker
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Jamie Rubin
I'm Christiana Manpour and I've been on the front lines and interviewing world leaders for more than 30 years.
Jack Armstrong
And I'm Jamie Rubin, a former advisor to both Presidents Clinton and Biden.
Jamie Rubin
We were married for 20 years and.
Jack Armstrong
Divorced for seven now we've joined four.
Jamie Rubin
Courses on the X Files to make sense of how we ended up with no world order. Listen to Christiane Amanpour Presents the X files on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Unknown Speaker
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Armstrong & Getty On Demand
Episode: I'm Moist With Excitement!
Release Date: July 31, 2025
Host: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Producer: iHeartPodcasts
In the July 31, 2025 episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand, hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty delve into a variety of pressing political, economic, and social issues shaping the current landscape. The episode, titled "I'm Moist With Excitement!", offers sharp commentary, insightful analysis, and a touch of humor as the duo navigates through complex topics affecting both the United States and the global community.
The episode opens with a heated discussion about former President Donald Trump's recent derogatory remarks towards Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
Jack Armstrong (04:21):
“Jerome Too Late Powell has done it again. He is too late and actually too angry. This is all in caps. He's actually too angry, too stupid and too political to have the job of Fed chair.”
Joe Getty (06:55):
“I think he's an undisciplined child half the time.”
Armstrong criticizes Trump's unprofessionalism, highlighting the potential economic ramifications of undermining the Federal Reserve's leadership.
The conversation shifts to Canada's historic move to recognize Palestine as a state, marking a significant departure from U.S. foreign policy.
Joe Getty (09:48):
“Canada has been worked out and announced they are going to also recognize Palestine as a state, breaking with the United States for the first time.”
Jack Armstrong (10:49):
“If it's just the United States and Israel alone in the UN, that's not going to be a good look.”
The hosts express concern over the diminishing global support for U.S.-Israel relations and the potential implications for international diplomacy.
Armstrong and Getty dissect the latest GDP report, labeled by the Wall Street Journal as the "weirdest GDP report ever."
Jack Armstrong (28:19):
“The point is that you will never actually defeat them. They will be a brutal guerrilla force for a hundred years.”
Joe Getty (29:07):
“The GDP growth turned out to be about 1.2% annualized. Net exports minus added a remarkable 5% to GDP as imports fell more than 30%.”
The dramatic fluctuation in imports and exports is attributed to President Trump's erratic tariff policies, which have disrupted business operations and investment, leading to uncertainty in the market.
A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to speculating about Vice President Kamala Harris's intentions to run for the presidency.
Jack Armstrong (20:51):
“Kamala Harris leaves the door open for a potential 2028 presidential run.”
Joe Getty (35:29):
“Ms. Harris is expected to begin talking with podcast hosts and journalists after Labor Day. She thinks it was a mistake not to do more interviews.”
The hosts express skepticism about Harris's viability as a presidential candidate, questioning her political strategy and motivations.
The episode briefly touches upon a catastrophic earthquake that struck off the coast of Russia.
Unknown Speaker (27:02):
“An earthquake struck off the coast of Russia yesterday that measured an 8.8 magnitude on the Richter scale.”
Jack Armstrong (27:15):
“Any joke at the expense of Putin being evil is a good joke.”
The discussion underscores the vulnerability of Russia's infrastructure and the ensuing chaos, adding to the geopolitical instability.
Armstrong and Getty explore recent developments in the Jeffrey Epstein case, focusing on surveillance footage from his cell.
Jack Armstrong (34:08):
“Epstein's cell became a story yesterday. Some photo of Epstein's jail cell and somebody noticed something in the background.”
Katie Green (34:23):
“The surveillance video shows an orange figure near Epstein's cell, speculated to be an inmate heading towards him.”
The hosts discuss theories surrounding Epstein's death and the ongoing investigations, highlighting the public's enduring fascination with the case.
A heartfelt message from listener Bill, who shares his battle with cancer and expresses gratitude for the show's uplifting content.
Tim, a regular listener, sends in a passionate email criticizing the show's stance on climate change.
Armstrong and Getty engage with Tim's arguments, balancing personal attacks with attempts to understand his perspective on environmental policies.
Drug Epidemic:
Discussion on new synthetic opioids from China causing widespread fatalities, reflecting on the ongoing drug crisis.
Economic Policies:
Further analysis on how Trump's tariffs are disrupting not just imports but also domestic investments, with potential long-term economic repercussions.
Entertainment and Pop Culture:
Light-hearted banter and humor interspersed throughout the episode provide relief amidst the heavy topics, showcasing the hosts' chemistry and wit.
Armstrong & Getty On Demand delivers a compelling episode packed with timely discussions on political conflicts, economic instability, and social issues. Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty offer their unabashed opinions and critical analysis, encouraging listeners to stay informed and engaged with the ever-evolving global landscape. The inclusion of listener interactions adds a personal touch, making the episode both informative and relatable.
Notable Quotes:
Jack Armstrong (05:05):
“Overnight Trump called Jerome Powell stupid. That's my favorite thing.”
Joe Getty (17:57):
“The birds have not yet come home to roost.”
Jack Armstrong (39:11):
“I'm moist with excitement.”
Listeners are encouraged to tune in for more in-depth discussions and to join the ongoing dialogue surrounding today's most pressing issues.
Note: All timestamps correspond to the provided transcript and are accurate as per the episode's recording.