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Jack Armstrong
This is an iHeart podcast.
Joe Getty
IHeart presents the big three playoffs this Sunday. The remaining four teams battle to make the championship in the most physical, fierce and competitive basketball league in the world. The action starts with the big three monster energy celebrity game. Then Dwight Howard and his LA riot take on Montrez Harrell and Dr. J Chicago triplets. The finale will see popular Miami 305 with stars MVP Michael Beasley and Lance Stevenson take on Nancy Lieberman's Dallas power who will make it to the Big Three championship. The no holds barred action starts Sunday at 3P Eastern, 12 Pacific only on CBS.
Jack Armstrong
Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center.
Katie Green
Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.
Jack Armstrong
Armstrong and Getty enough here. Armstrong, get it. Live from Studio C, senor.
Michael
A dimly lit room deep within the bowels of the Armstrong bowels of the Armstrong and Getty Communications compound. Today, Friday, we are under the tutelage of our general manager Trump and Putin.
Jack Armstrong
But who will generally manage the other? Only history can judge.
Michael
I'm joking.
Jack Armstrong
I know. I'm joking. You're Jake. I'm joking.
Michael
Here's my favorite thing I've heard. Wait for the music to end. Here we go. Putin's leaving Moscow Friday night to get to his meeting in Anchorage, Alaska Friday morning. If he can bend time like that, I don't see how he can possibly compete. Good time travel.
Jack Armstrong
I hadn't even considered it.
Michael
I know. If he can do that, I just. I don't see. I don't see how we have an advantage.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah. Wow. You'd think his troops would have been doing better and had less death anyway. Yeah. Wow. High, high stakes. Unbelievably high. Does Trump know what he's walking into?
Michael
I heard the latest numbers are Ukraine has now lost 100,000 men dead in the three and a half year war. We lost 75 in the Vietnam War in 15 years and it roiled the entire country with a much, much larger population. I mean, it's hard to imagine 100,000 dead in three years. Just stunning number and of course horrific numbers.
Jack Armstrong
Wounded out of commission, terribly damaged.
Michael
Yeah, Russia's got something like a quarter of a million dead and another three quarters of a million off the battlefield. Just the numbers are shocking. And I heard Trump this morning asked about will be some sort of mineral rights deal. He said rare earths. He said, I don't care about rare earths. Now this is about stopping the killing. So if he's going in with that attitude, I like it better.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, I have been. I suspect you have been as well, reading a bunch of analysis from different quarters on the negotiation, how it might go and which each, you know, what each side is bringing. And the fundamental fact that I don't think I distilled down as succinctly as I should have yesterday is that Putin wants Ukraine to disappear as an independent country. He wants either to absorb Ukraine into the, into Russia or have it be a powerless and defenseless client state. That is his goal, some of it. And it's difficult to reconcile that with whatever, you know, Trump slash Zelensky would, would bring to the bargaining table.
Michael
Yeah, some of it goes back to as we've talked about during COVID Trump was, or Putin was so freaked out about COVID he just hid in the Kremlin and he went down in the basement and started reading the archives. He was reading stuff going back hundreds and hundreds of years about Ukraine's role in Russia and all that sort of stuff, and just became all encompassing, fascinated with the idea of Ukraine being back, part of Russia. So it's really important to him. So I wonder, how does Trump handle this? What if they sit down and Putin launches into one of his multi hour screeds about the history of Russia and Ukraine land, like he did with Tucker Carlson. And Tucker just sits there with his mouth open, you know, not wanting to interrupt. I mean, I hope, I hope somebody's mentioned that to Trump so he's not caught off guard. Cause if I'm sitting there as soon as he starts in. Well, actually, in the year 800. No, no, no, we're not doing the history lesson, okay? We all know the history of Russia. We're skipping over that. I mean, you gotta interrupt him right away or it's just gonna go off the rails.
Jack Armstrong
There's nothing but what ifs at this point. But what if Putin were to say to Donald J. Donald, I want Ukraine to. Well, you just repeat what I just said. I, I want it to no longer be an independent country, certainly not a western country. I want it to be a vassal state of the, of Russia. I keep wanting to say the Soviet Union, probably for good reason anyway. And, and Putin says to Trump, and it's so important to me, I will lay on you a deal so ridiculous you're not going to believe it. And he just drops his pants, as they say in the negotiating business, and promises Trump permanent supremacy in the Arctic. Of course, Putin breaks every deal he makes, but, you know, and half a dozen other things, because he wants Ukraine that badly. He's obsessed with it, as you were.
Michael
Describing this is going to Trump do.
Jack Armstrong
Then Donald, what should he do? But what do you think he might do?
Michael
Donald, this will knock the socks off your swollen ankles. I read the news.
Jack Armstrong
I will give Siberia to your beautiful wife. That's obviously rename it Melania.
Michael
That's obviously a possible weak spot since Trump is so into deals, all kinds of complicated negotiations and you know, trying to win that sort of deal that, that might really get his interest. That's why I was excited to hear him say we're not talking about rare earth metals now. This is about stopping the killing. That if he goes in very focused on ceasefire, ending the killing, he won't get sidetracked by this, these more complicated deals.
Jack Armstrong
Right, Right.
Michael
What is one? What do you, what do you think of this? And I just, it annoys me so bad. We've discussed it the last couple of days, but I heard it this morning from high level former person in the government. Putin has already won by allowing him to meet with the President and come to the United States. I think that sort of stuff is just crap. I just think it's crap. I think it's pointy headed academic crap. Look back on all the big negotiations throughout history. Does anybody remember where they were or who called the meeting or. No, it's what comes out of it is what matters.
Jack Armstrong
I tell you what, the consensus among the heavyweights is what you are rejecting. Wouldn't you feel that practically unanimous? And, and either you're missing something.
Michael
Right.
Jack Armstrong
I'm gonna pretend like I don't agree. Either you, sir, are missing something or the conventional wisdom is just dopey and antiquated.
Michael
Well, conventional wisdom is always sometimes dopey. Yeah, but I also heard somebody else say, no, them coming to you is a victory. If Trump got on a plane and went to Moscow, that would be embarrassing. But them coming to your countries. So I don't know, I just don't think any of that matters. I think whatever deal they strike in the conversations they have is matters everything.
Jack Armstrong
But I don't know, of course, obliterate the details. Yes, yes, absolutely true.
Michael
Yeah. I mean if you're a Trump basher, it's just so easy and fun to say he's already given Putin a victory by allowing whatever Putin who had been.
Jack Armstrong
Isolated, now he's come out into the open and blah, blah, blah. On American soil. Not.
Michael
Yeah, I know, the on US soil thing, I'm 100% certain, doesn't matter. I think that's absolute 1000% horse crap, academic horse crap. The on US soil, who cares the meeting with them, possibly. Zelinsky said that yesterday. He said this is the end of the isolation, that Putin gets to stand there with the president, United States. I mean, if there's a picture of Trump and Putin shaking hands and smiling, which are almost guaranteed they're going to be. I think that does help with this whole isolation and certainly domestically.
Jack Armstrong
Right, right. Yeah. Well, it's been played up big in the Russian media, of course, because they have state controlled media that the great leaders of the world will, you know, meet with Vladimir whenever he demands it and that he is going to take care of the whole Nazification of Ukraine problem with the big man himself, Trump. A quick sentence or two from a piece I thought was very good by Michael Kimmage, who writes about Russia and Europe and that sort of thing. A twofold dilemma confronts the White House. Putin's love of obfuscation and delay makes negotiating with him fiendishly difficult. And I'll just end it there. I like that writing, number one. And number two, that is what he does, obfuscate and delay. And he is perhaps the best ever at it. That's a hell of a deal.
Michael
Yeah, I would say it's a hell.
Jack Armstrong
I'm sorry, I was deep in thought about metaphors. It's a hell of a deal to, to wander in, into a negotiation with a guy like that knowing that you will be met with every trick of the trade. And surely somebody is in Trump's ear saying, look, dude has studied you. He's going to flatter you. He is going to, he is going to pull every single lever you can conceive of psychologically to get the better of you.
Michael
Does Trump have those kind of conversations with anyone?
Jack Armstrong
I don't know.
Michael
I don't know either. Putin yesterday lauded Trump as energetic and sincere in his efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Putin appeared optimistic that forthcoming meetings in Anchorage between Moscow and Washington could create long term conditions for peace between our countries.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, the last minute pronouncements have been flattery of Trump.
Michael
The guy has no interest in peace whatsoever unless he gets what he wants. And even then, peace will just be until he rearms enough to take whatever the next thing is he wants. Right? Yeah, I hope Trump knows that. Anyway, we got headlines on the way.
Jack Armstrong
What if Putin shows up with McDonald's, like, you know, again, that's another one of the levers. We were talking about, Michael, and probably a large fry too, who's not going to spare any expense. Although the Russian economy is struggling.
Michael
Who did that recently? Was that Saudi Arabia? Where they had a McDonald's there or something.
Jack Armstrong
They opened up a temporary McDonald's, like a food truck. McDonald's authentic.
Michael
Wow. Be like greeting me with a plate of biscuits and gravy. Here you go.
Jack Armstrong
Oh.
Michael
What do you think?
Jack Armstrong
Like really world class biscuits and gravy. You'd appreciate the gesture, huh?
Michael
Pretty good. We got headlines on the way. We got a lot more news. Today. He's traveled. Trump is traveling 5,000 miles. I don't know how tired he'll be when he gets there. 5,000 miles to get to Anchorage, Alaska for a meeting that. Oh, and this is an interesting little nugget itself. According to the Kremlin, the meeting starts at 12:30 Pacific Time. According to the White House, it starts at noon. Somebody better work that out before somebody is standing there by themselves. A lot on the way. Stay here.
Jack Armstrong
Armstrong and Getty.
Katie Green
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Michael
I was listening to people list off. I guess it was Peter Doocy on Fox. List off. The heavyweights that are going with Trump. Heavyweights are going with Putin too. You know these other meetings where nobody of any, any importance showed up? No, the, the heaviest of heavyweights are showing up with Putin from Russia and their government. And same with Trump. I mean, Marco Rubio and a bunch of other people are going to be there, but no J.D. vance, who's on vacation, no Secretary of Defense Hegseth and no Tulsi Gabbard.
Jack Armstrong
Okay.
Michael
For whatever reason.
Jack Armstrong
So before we get into Katie's headlines, got a guest pitch we probably ought to decide on. I was just scanning the email and this guest pitch is pretty compelling. Is rainwater good for house plants? Must know that's good stuff.
Michael
Yeah.
Jack Armstrong
When it comes to watering our house plants, many of us will simply head straight to the sink to fill up our watering cans. But is rain. No, no, no. Plants have evolved over millions of years to crave yummy, yummy municipal water. And gosh, they hate rainwater. Who the. What the. Hanson says he'll book it.
Michael
Book them now that guest big if true.
Jack Armstrong
Holy cow. Let's figure out who's reporting what. It's the lead story with Katie Green.
Unnamed News Anchor
Katie, from ABC News, as Trump departs for D.C. russia attacks Ukraine overnight.
Michael
Good point. How big of an attack was.
Unnamed News Anchor
Was minor, but still it happened.
Michael
But it was an attack, right?
Jack Armstrong
I'm sure human beings lost their lives.
Michael
Right.
Unnamed News Anchor
From the Washington Post. Crime hotspots targeted encampments cleared as feds expand the DC Crime push, boy, and.
Jack Armstrong
The anti push is just deliciously hilarious to watch. People still screeching about dictatorship. And even the Wall Street Journal, many of whom whose reporters are just lefty Columbia Journal grads, saying this all comes in spite of the fact that crime dropped 35% in Washington D.C. last year. Excuse me, crime never drops by 35% anywhere. Secondly, there are multiple lawsuits being covered rather lavishly everywhere. But your publication about the fact that D.C. has been faking their crime statistics. How are you not aware of that? You suck at your job is how you suck. I'm sorry to be so frank. Go water your plants with toilet water, you idiot. Idiots.
Unnamed News Anchor
From the New York Times. Tariffs are high, but so is the stock market.
Michael
Yeah, yeah, there's.
Jack Armstrong
There's a lot there, a lot to untangle, including many birds that have not yet come home to roost.
Unnamed News Anchor
From the Wall Street Journal, Gavin Newsom lays out California redistricting plan to counter Texas Republicans.
Michael
Yeah, he's counting on the fact that the media and Republicans are not doing a good job of explaining how California's already gerrymandered. So is Illinois. So lots of Democratic states. This has been going on forever. This is nothing new. But most people don't know that. And well.
Jack Armstrong
And gabby boy's calling for a special referendum to overturn the referendum that ca that came up with a nonpartisan redistricting commission.
Michael
If he gets horrific, if he gets his signatures and people vote for that, then, yeah, I gotta leave. I gotta move.
Jack Armstrong
Everybody's got to leave. Everybody leaves California. That'd show them the tax base is now a hundred doll. We have $100 in tax revenue.
Unnamed News Anchor
And because I know you guys can't resist a catchy name from USA Today, Florida to open Second immigration detention facility known as Deportation Depot.
Michael
There you go. Yes.
Jack Armstrong
Right up the road from Alligator Alley or Alligator Alcatraz. That's right.
Michael
That's what it is. Yeah. It's in the Constitution that all prisons have to have a name where the first word and the second word have the same same letter. It's part of our Constitution law.
Jack Armstrong
Right, Right.
Unnamed News Anchor
From the New York Post.
Jack Armstrong
Names. Yep.
Unnamed News Anchor
Meta's twisted rules for AI chatbots allowed them to engage in, quote, romantic or sensual chats with children.
Jack Armstrong
Oh, Lord.
Unnamed News Anchor
Gotta get this under control.
Michael
I need to know more about that.
Jack Armstrong
Handle this. We're giving handguns to chimpanzees. That's what AI Is. This will not end well.
Michael
That's gotta be your quote.
Jack Armstrong
From Wired. That's where AI is.
Michael
We're giving handguns to chimpanzees.
Jack Armstrong
It's just like that. Michael, my eye on it.
Unnamed News Anchor
From wired.com World's first humanoid robot games begin in China.
Michael
Like a competition.
Unnamed News Anchor
It's like the Olympics, but with robots. They're playing soccer, table tennis.
Michael
Wow.
Unnamed News Anchor
You name it.
Jack Armstrong
You gotta watch that.
Unnamed News Anchor
It's actually kind of funny.
Jack Armstrong
How amazing would that be?
Unnamed News Anchor
And when the soccer players fall, the guys come out with little gurneys and carry them off.
Jack Armstrong
Do the robots lay on the turf for a while? Ah. Even though they're not actually injured.
Unnamed News Anchor
From study finds two thirds of Americans lie about financial struggles to their loved ones. In which direction when they're struggling, they minimize. Pretend that they're not. They minimize.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, yeah, I get that.
Unnamed News Anchor
And finally, from the Babylon Bee, Adam Schiff worried legal troubles will make it hard for him to afford his upcoming head reduction surgery.
Michael
He's got a big head comment, a large headshot. What the heck kind of commentary is that? Babylon B, do better.
Jack Armstrong
That's beneath even us.
Michael
We've got more on the way.
Jack Armstrong
Wow. Armstrong and Getty.
Katie Green
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Michael
Trump is in the air right now flying 5,000 miles to Anchorage, Alaska for the big meeting later today. And we've got more details on that coming up later.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, some good analysis too. Man, what a minefield Trump is walking into. But so is Putin in a way, so stay tun if you can. Plus, controversial measure punishing parents for their kids delinquency. It's a very, very good moral political debate and it's got some strange bedfellows too. Conservatives are saying, no way. Wait a minute, I thought we were in favor of law and order and accountability. All right, so we'll talk about that as well. So headline in the Wall Street Journal. Oh, my God. I remembered like 10 minutes ago. You settle down, Katie.
Michael
Myself.
Jack Armstrong
You settled down.
Unnamed News Anchor
Cheering Way to go, Michael.
Jack Armstrong
Listeners at home. Cheering yes. Oh, my God, you lying. And Jack, you piece of crap. We spent the commercial break discussing what we were gonna do.
Michael
What can I do? What can I do?
Unnamed News Anchor
Michael Gomes comes in.
Jack Armstrong
You can have a little respect for your partner of however long we've been doing this.
Unnamed News Anchor
Michael comes in my ears and goes, katie, I have the buzzer ready.
Michael
I would if it wasn't for we get so many texts, the listeners enjoy so much.
Jack Armstrong
So quick question to the listeners. Have you ever been betrayed by everyone close to you?
Michael
Here's our question for the hour. What's it like to be betrayed by everyone close to you?
Jack Armstrong
We'll take your calls. All right, so apparently it's time to take a fond look back at the week that was. It's cow clips of the week.
Michael
Let's punch them doggies. It's cow lips of.
Katie Green
This is my.
Unnamed News Anchor
Brand new album, the life of a showgirl.
Jack Armstrong
TS12. When Charlie said that he was smoking seven gram rocks, he was. He was smoking seven gram rocks. Winning. So now maybe to give you the platform to apologize to the first lady. That's not gonna happen. There is a split in the Democratic Party unless you have the IQ of a meat thermometer. You can see that. Yes, Slaughter me. Take my meat.
Michael
I have no will of my own. Right in front of the home of.
Jack Armstrong
The Los Angeles Lakers, hundreds of people block an intersection as drivers perform dangerous donuts. If you're a driver and you want to.
Michael
That car literally crushed as we impound it. Go ahead and test us.
Unnamed News Anchor
Newly released drone video shows Palestinian militants pretending to be workers from the world's central kitchen.
Michael
We got a lot of thrown at us by Putin for. You want to know the truth?
Jack Armstrong
And the message that they're obviously trying to send to audiences here in Russia is that Vladimir Putin is going into this meeting a winner.
Michael
This is really a feel out meeting.
Jack Armstrong
There's a very real chance President Trump will get up and leave if Putin refuses to consider. You'll have some land swaps, but only after you have security guarantees to Ukraine.
Joe Getty
It is important to see how serious Putin is and the only one who.
Michael
Can do that is President Trump. President Donald Trump saying he wants to.
Jack Armstrong
Make Washington D.C. safer and more beautiful.
Michael
I'm officially invoking Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act. You know what that is?
Unnamed News Anchor
I see too much violent crime being.
Jack Armstrong
Committed by young punks.
Unnamed News Anchor
A police commissioner was just put on leave for allegedly cooking the books on the data saying, you know, saying that.
Jack Armstrong
Crime was down Washington D.C. very dangerous there.
Unnamed News Anchor
And I actually was jumped walking just.
Jack Armstrong
Two blocks down from here. I mean I have, I've had friends.
Katie Green
Who have been shot at.
Jack Armstrong
If people are afraid to come to D.C. go to Disney World, get fat, eat French fries. I don't care. I've lived here 37 years.
Michael
Clips of the week. We got a number of texts saying basically, thank you, Joe Day made.
Jack Armstrong
Wow.
Michael
The joy you brought people is the key. Wow.
Jack Armstrong
Wow. So the abuse has no end, apparently.
Michael
Or you could look at it like you're about bringing joy to others.
Jack Armstrong
Whatever, others can go get their own damn joy. It's not on me.
Michael
All right, what am I, the joy fountain?
Jack Armstrong
You know, I was struck by a number of the clips in, in reference to the Washington D.C. semi sort of takeover by the feds and the, the wing of Democrats who've apparently been tasked with pretending to be angry about it and, and in large measure pretending that there's no crime to worry about. Like that one just utter jackass with his you feel unsafe in DC Go to Disney World and eat fries and get fat. We kind of lost the thread there for a second, sir. Not sure what my eating habits have to do with anything but how pathetic that is. And, and I was protesting earlier that the Wall Street Journal of all places, and they need better editors to ride herd on their lefty 24 year old Columbia Journalism school grads claiming that. Well, I actually read an article today in the Journal where the juro said crime is actually down 35% in Washington, D.C. from 2023 to 2024. Just ridiculous. And not only is a precinct captain suspended for cooking the books on crime, but D.C. as we mentioned yesterday later in the show, settled quietly a lawsuit from a sergeant who accused all sorts of the Metropolitan Police Department leaders of misclassifying offenses to deflate the crime statistics. And, and she goes into specifics, and there are all sorts of. In the discovery, they have all sorts of emails in which these officers describe specifically. Okay, so we're going to. We're going to have everybody not call it theft. We're gonna downgrade the arrest reports to taking property without. Right, right. Yeah. That's the way we're gonna lower the crime statistics. Hey, that'll work. Good idea, Jim. Thanks. I mean, it's just spelled right out there. We need to reduce all these crime statistics. How can we undercharge people to make it look better? It's right there in open court.
Michael
Well, like you said earlier, crime doesn't drop 30% in a year. If you see that stat, your first response should be, all right, what's wrong here? Because that's the way the world works.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, yeah. And there are all sorts of examples where, you know, assault with a. It's called a dangerous weapon in D.C. was downgraded routinely, meanly, to simple assault. Otherwise, as this police sergeant alleged in her suit, you would get chewed out by your superiors for actually filling out your report for the appropriate crime. And people's careers were being threatened. And the city of D.C. settled. The suit said, yeah, you're right. We don't want this to go to trial.
Michael
Wow, I hadn't heard that.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, that is something. This is actually some fantastic reporting by the Washington Free Beacon that has pages and pages of exhibits from the suit, verbatim transcriptions of conversations. Here's. Here's a good one. Let's see. The. The. The cop who sued reported one case in which a female was cut a deep knife wound on the side of her face with an unknown object from her forehead to the bottom of her chin, while the responding officer split her face wide open. Sorry, folks, it's gross and disturbing, and I apologize for being that blunt. But while the responding officer had called in the crime as assault with a dangerous weapon, the captain allegedly classified the offense as sick person to the hospital.
Michael
Wow.
Jack Armstrong
And then there's an email about it that's a little rubbish.
Michael
This is. That's way beyond the dispute over Trump and whether or not he gets to federalize, blah, blah, blah.
Jack Armstrong
Oh, right.
Michael
This is horrific.
Jack Armstrong
Right. So the cop Called the captain who had ordered the officers to use that taking property without right instead of theft to, to lower those statistics. Uh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh. And an on duty watch officer had downgraded an assault like that to a misdemeanor simple assault. Uh, let's see. Then there was an assailant strangling a victim, threw her over the couch. She had scratches on her neck, shirt ripped. He threw a knife at her, Mr. Head, she moved out of the way. And the, the captain downplayed the crime, saying it only tangentially involved the knife because the knife never made contact with the complainant. And, and the cop said yeah, it only missed her because she dodged out of the way. Captain asked, are you gonna classify it? Cuz I don't see any issues with the current classification and I suggest you stick with it. So it's just unbelievable bullying to artificially lower the crime statistics in an absolutely crime rotten city.
Michael
And just, and just one final point.
Jack Armstrong
So what are the Democrats politicians priority priorities? Is it the people of Washington D.C. i mean, because obviously if that were your priority, you would be doing what we're doing, acting with outrage, reacting with outrage to this lawsuit. But no, they're saying it's safe, it's safe. If you don't like it, go to Disneyland.
Michael
Well, that's why it's such an easy political win, I feel like for Trump and why people like, like Joe Scarborough and, and Rahm Emanuel are saying that Democrats are playing into his hands. Just on the face of it, it's a lot easier to believe Trump's just doing this to get crime lowered, not to become Hitler, than it is to believe that other narrative of, you know, well, that he's becoming Hitler, wants to be Hitler and it's not about crime.
Jack Armstrong
Right.
Michael
Which is not. And, but again, even without this, this legal dispute, how awful is it to have your people, you pay their salaries, lying to you about the crime in your own town? God, that is unconscionable.
Jack Armstrong
And what danger you're in. Oh yeah, physical danger. And then one more note on this story. Two left wing nonprofits spearheading protests against Donald Trump's D.C. crime crackdown have received millions of dollars from liberal mega donor George Soros. Soros Community Change and Community Change Action, the two progressive nonprofits that have funded the anti Trump Free DC protest this week received $12.6 million from Soros's Open Society foundations. According to the New York Post, based on analysis by watchdog group Americans for Public Trust, they've also received $5.6 million from Arabella Advisors and $1.9 million from the Tides foundation between 2020 and 2023. So these groups, these protests, these outraged citizens of D.C. who just can't believe that the the Timu Hitler has taken over their perfectly functional city have received. What is the total of that $20 million from activist groups just in the last few years. $20 million. What's the opposite of grassroots? I think they call it Astroturf. That is unbelievable.
Michael
I can't handle this. I want to go back to the discussion about whether it's okay to use rainwater on your plants.
Jack Armstrong
Turns out it's great for them.
Michael
Who knew? Effing.
Jack Armstrong
Everybody. Everybody.
Michael
God, nature, plants. I don't know. Second graders, lots of people. Some details you haven't heard yet about the Putin Trump Summit. How does Hillary Clinton play into this very interesting comment she made today? Maybe we can find that to have the audio, but lots of stuff on the way. It's going to be quite the historic day, I think. I wish it wasn't all happening after we get off the air, but still a lot that is known that is super interesting to discuss. We've got Mailbag coming up next. Stay here.
Jack Armstrong
Armstrong and Getty.
Katie Green
Tired of spills and stains on your sofa? WashablesOfAs.com has your back. Featuring the Annabe Collection, the only designer sofa that's machine washable inside and out. Where designer quality meets budget friendly prices. That's right, sofas start at just $699. Enjoy a no risk experience with pet friendly stain resistant and changeable slipcovers made with performance fabrics. Experience cloud like comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoallergenic and never needs fluffy. The sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can be rearranged anytime. Check out washablesofas.com and get up to 60% off your Anna Bay sofa backed by a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not absolutely in love, send it back for a full refund. No return, shipping or restocking fees. Every penny back. Upgrade now@washablesofas.com Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.
Michael
I guess I should fact check everything I hear. I was watching MSNBC last night the the eleventh hour with Stephanie Rule. I don't know how many times they said well he's traveling 5000 miles. You wouldn't travel 5000 miles and then come back in one day.
Jack Armstrong
Blah blah blah.
Michael
5, 000 miles. Then a texter said it's not 5, 000 miles from Washington D.C. to Anchorage. It's 3, 300 miles. So I looked it up on the right. It's 5, 000 kilometers. So MSNBC discussed the 5,000 mile thing over and over. I repeated it. Look like an idiot, do I? You have to fact check every single thing you come across. Obviously you do with me.
Jack Armstrong
I appreciate you watching those fools just to figure out what they're talking about. I would rankle me. Oh, boy. Here's your freedom loving quote of the day. I love this one. This is so simple, so powerful. From John Adams. Get this tattooed somewhere on your body today, my friends.
Michael
All right, all right, Right.
Jack Armstrong
Liberty once lost is lost forever. True that, John Blankin Adams. If you need them. Mailbag, drop us a note. Mailbag@armstrongandgetti.com about to sneeze.
Michael
Here he comes.
Jack Armstrong
Allergies after me for some reason. Let's see. Oh, I love this note from Sean, guys. Oh, my gosh.
Michael
I'm gonna sneeze again.
Jack Armstrong
It's the worst mailbag ever. Where was I? I. Yes, Sean. Guys, I'm a longtime listener. Literally jumped out of my desk at work. When you started talking about the video of the drunk airline passenger waving a skateboard around. The guy who had to be detained multiple times. The big guy who restrained the guy into the seat like a toddler is my best friend, Ray, Louisiana native. He said it was way crazier than the video even indicates.
Michael
Wow.
Jack Armstrong
First off, Ray had his son next to him who was recording the video. The drunk guy had assaulted a flight attendant, was swinging his skateboard around. They had restrained him. He broke free and was swinging his belt around, and the belt almost hit Rey's son.
Michael
Oh, my God.
Jack Armstrong
That is. That is when Papa Bear took action. Picked the scumbag up like a toddler. My best friend is a national hero. Keep up the good work. You keep up the good work, Ray. God bless you, my friend. That's awesome.
Michael
But I'm surprised there. I mean, I don't know what the makeup of the crowd was in the plane, but there weren't enough, like, younger guys that you can just stand there and let a guy swing a bat basically around and hope he doesn't hit you in the head.
Jack Armstrong
We have such good email and I want to get to it, but there's too much here to pass by. We have been systematically turned into a nation of sheep that have been told, let the authorities take care of it. Don't take the law into your own hands. Don't be a vigilante. These nasty, scary sounding terms which often refer to people just protecting their own safety, which is if there is a God given right, that's it.
Michael
Gotta admit, when I ran this scenario through my head the other day when I was in the shower, when I first heard this story, what would I have done if that happened to me? And my first thought was, how much trouble would I get in if I tried to tackle this guy? My first thought wasn't, what if he clocks me in the head with the skateboard or whatever. It wasn't the, like physical safety. It was the what's gonna happen to me legally if I try to stop this guy.
Jack Armstrong
Right.
Michael
Because like you said, it's been. It's been beaten into us.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah. Anyway, I think I made my point. Moving along. We have practically no time. See, on the topic of protesters and grassroots versus Astroturf, etc. Jen in the People's Republic of Marin writes, guys, you've often said you wondered what it would be like in the head of a crazy person. And she recommends a podcast that includes a discussion with a lady who talks about her activism addiction. She's addicted to yelling and waving signs and feeling like she's changing the world even though she's just yelling and waving signs.
Michael
I know a few people that go to. To every dang protest there is. The whole family goes. It's just part of their lifestyle. I don't know if it's an addiction.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah. All right, we barely have any time, so I'll read this one from Aaron. Hey, to my democratic black and actual gay friends. No teas are drunk girls. Well, yeah, drunk girls who. Who kiss are not counted as gay. Uh, how pleased are you with the overwhelming support from the media and white women? We've been literally overwhelmed by the overwhelming support. But it seems to be having the opposite effect.
Michael
Right? That's a very good point. Gonna talk Putin Trump an hour two. Among other things. Hope you can stick around.
Jack Armstrong
Armstrong and Getty.
Joe Getty
Iheart presents the Big three playoffs this Sunday. The remaining four teams battle to make the championship in the most physical, fierce and competitive basketball league in the world. The action starts with the Big three Monster Energy celebrity game. Then Dwight Howard and his Ellie Riot take on Montrez, Harold and Dr. J. Chicago trip. The finale will see popular Miami 305 with stars MVP Michael Beasley and Lance Stevenson take on Nancy Lieberman's Dallas power who will make it to the Big Three championship. The no holds barred action starts Sunday at 3pm Eastern, 12 Pacific only on CBS.
Jack Armstrong
This is an I Heart podcast.
Release Date: August 15, 2025
Host: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
Description: The official, On-Demand podcast of The Armstrong & Getty Show! Accept no substitutes!
The episode kicks off with Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty diving straight into current global and national issues, setting an engaging tone for the discussions ahead.
Discussion Overview:
Jack Armstrong and Michael (likely Joe Getty) delve into the highly anticipated meeting between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, focusing on its implications for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Key Points:
Putin's Objectives: Putin aims to either absorb Ukraine into Russia or reduce it to a powerless client state. This goal poses significant challenges for any negotiation efforts led by Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Jack Armstrong [03:08]: "Putin wants Ukraine to disappear as an independent country... either to absorb Ukraine into Russia or have it be a powerless and defenseless client state."
Challenges in Negotiation: The hosts speculate on the potential dynamics of the summit, emphasizing Putin's tendency to use historical narratives to sway discussions.
Michael [05:04]: "I'm wondering, how does Trump handle this? What if they sit down and Putin launches into one of his multi-hour screeds about the history of Russia and Ukraine land?"
Trump's Strategy: They discuss Trump's focus on achieving a ceasefire without getting entangled in complex deals, such as those involving rare earth minerals.
Michael [06:10]: "He said rare earths. Now this is about stopping the killing. If he's going in with that attitude, I like it better."
Potential Outcomes: The conversation touches on various hypothetical scenarios, including Putin offering unconventional deals and Trump's possible responses.
Jack Armstrong [05:59]: "And he's going to pull every single lever you can conceive of psychologically to get the better of you."
Notable Quote:
Jack Armstrong [17:40]: "It's like that. Michael, my eye on it. We're giving handguns to chimpanzees. This will not end well."
Discussion Overview:
The hosts pivot to a critical examination of crime statistics in Washington D.C., revealing alleged manipulation and downplaying of actual crime rates.
Key Points:
Alleged Data Falsification: A former police sergeant filed a lawsuit claiming that D.C. law enforcement officials intentionally downgraded crime reports to artificially lower crime statistics.
Jack Armstrong [26:30]: "Here's a good one... the cop who sued reported one case... the captain allegedly classified the offense as sick person to the hospital."
Impact on Public Perception: The hosts argue that such manipulations contribute to misleading the public about the true crime situation in the city.
Jack Armstrong [30:12]: "If people are afraid to come to D.C., go to Disney World, get fat, eat French fries. I don't care. I've lived here 37 years."
Political Ramifications: They discuss how Democrats are responding to these allegations, suggesting that the responses may inadvertently bolster Republican critiques.
Michael [31:03]: "It's easier to believe Trump's just doing this to get crime lowered, not to become Hitler, than it is to believe that other narrative."
Notable Quote:
Jack Armstrong [30:34]: "Everybody leaves California. That'd show them the tax base is now a hundred dollars. We have $100 in tax revenue."
A. AI and Robotics:
AI Engagements: The hosts comment on Wired.com's report about AI chatbots engaging in inappropriate interactions, likening it to "giving handguns to chimpanzees."
Jack Armstrong [17:40]: "It's just like that. Michael, my eye on it. We're giving handguns to chimpanzees. This will not end well."
Humanoid Robot Games in China: They find humor and fascination in China's initiation of robot sports competitions, comparing them to the Olympics.
Jack Armstrong [17:54]: "How amazing would that be?"
B. Social and Economic Issues:
Financial Struggles: A study reveals that two-thirds of Americans lie about financial hardships to their loved ones, primarily to minimize their struggles.
Jack Armstrong [18:32]: "Yeah, yeah, I get that."
Redistricting and Political Strategy: The discussion touches on California’s redistricting plans aimed at countering Texas Republicans, highlighting ongoing gerrymandering issues.
Michael [16:17]: "He's counting on the fact that the media and Republicans are not doing a good job of explaining how California's already gerrymandered."
Notable Quote:
Jack Armstrong [18:55]: "Handle this. We're giving handguns to chimpanzees. That's what AI is. This will not end well."
The hosts engage with listener emails, sharing personal stories and opinions, which adds a relatable and interactive element to the episode.
Featured Stories:
Heroic Passenger on a Flight: A listener named Ray was commended for his brave actions in restraining a drunken, aggressive passenger on a flight, highlighting the importance of individual intervention in crises.
Jack Armstrong [36:11]: "He picked the scumbag up like a toddler. My best friend is a national hero."
Protest Activism: A listener discusses the nature of activism addiction, reflecting on individuals who are perpetually involved in protests without achieving tangible change.
Jen from Marin [37:19]: "She recommends a podcast that includes a discussion with a lady who talks about her activism addiction."
Notable Quote:
Jack Armstrong [36:36]: "That's awesome."
As the episode wraps up, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty reflect on the tumultuous nature of current events, emphasizing the complexity and high stakes of international diplomacy and domestic policy issues.
Final Insights:
Historical Significance: The Trump-Putin summit is portrayed as a potentially historic yet highly unpredictable event with far-reaching consequences.
Call to Action: The hosts encourage listeners to stay informed and engaged, highlighting the importance of vigilance in both international affairs and local governance.
Notable Quote:
Jack Armstrong [35:15]: "Liberty once lost is lost forever. True that, John Adams."
This episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand offers a deep dive into pressing geopolitical tensions, particularly the Trump-Putin summit, while also scrutinizing questionable crime statistics in Washington D.C. The hosts blend serious analysis with sharp commentary, providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of complex issues. Engaging with listener stories further enriches the conversation, making it both informative and personable.
For those seeking insightful discussions on current events delivered with a blend of humor and critical analysis, this episode stands out as a compelling listen.