Loading summary
Joe Getty
You're listening to an iHeart podcast.
Jack Armstrong
Since its invention, the TV has been just that, a TV. But what if it could be something.
Christina Quinn
More Meet Samsung Vision AI Whether it's upscaling classic content to look brand new or translating an English broadcast subtitles to.
Jack Armstrong
Spanish in real time, Samsung Vision AI helps you get more from TV than you ever thought possible. Redefine what it means to watch TV.
Christina Quinn
With with Samsung Vision AI. Visit samsung.com to learn more. Vision AI features vary by model. Upscaling utilizes AI based formulas and results may vary based on source content. Translation accuracy not guaranteed.
Katie Green
Busy work weeks and weekends can leave you feeling drained. Prolon's five day nutrition program works at the cellular level to rejuvenate you with boxes labeled by day so you know exactly what to eat. Developed at USC's Longevity Institute, this science backed program makes your cells believe they are fasting to support fat loss, skin appearance and healthy blood sugar levels. Feel the difference and get real results in just five days. Get 15% off today plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to their five day program at prolonlife.com iheart that's prolonlife.com iheart this message comes from Greenlight.
Hannah Jewell
Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely and invest with your gar guardrails in place. 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. Join millions of parents and kids building healthy financial habits together on Greenlight. Get started risk free@greenlight.com iheart@&t has a.
Joe Getty
New guarantee because most things in life are not guaranteed, like getting through self checkout by yourself. Not guaranteed in a world where Nothing is guaranteed. AT&T is bringing something new to the table. AT&T is introducing a guarantee with connectivity you depend on, deals you want and service you deserve or they'll make it right. Learn more@att.com guarantee@&t connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.comguarantee for details.
Christina Quinn
You don't know me yet, but I bet we have something in common. We all wish we were better functioning humans. Maybe figure out how to sleep better, have more meaningful relationships, cook more that search for practical knowledge. It's my job at the Washington Post. I host a podcast called Try this. Every episode is like an audio class and we learn together. I'm Christina Quinn, now You know me. Check out, try this wherever you're listening.
Jack Armstrong
Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln Radio.
Christina Quinn
Studio, the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.
Jack Armstrong
Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Gettys weaponizing.
Joe Getty
With the arrest of a congresswoman.
Jack Armstrong
Democratic congresswoman.
Joe Getty
Oh, give me a break. Did you see her? She was out of control. You know, those days are over.
Jack Armstrong
The days. The days of woke.
Joe Getty
No, I didn't.
Jack Armstrong
The days of woke are over.
Christina Quinn
That woman.
Jack Armstrong
I don't.
Joe Getty
I have no idea who she is.
Jack Armstrong
That woman was out of control.
Joe Getty
She was shoving federal agents.
Jack Armstrong
She was out of control.
Joe Getty
The days of that crap are over in this country.
Jack Armstrong
We're going to have law and order.
Joe Getty
You know, that reminds me, I can't let go of this topic. I will in a second, but we got a text from somebody. How come you guys gloss over Trump's obvious decline? Why aren't you talking about that? You know, that was one of the big pushbacks during the whole Biden thing. Look at Trump's rambling. Or when he gets things wrong, which he does, and he does ramble and very thing. But you just heard him there. They're not even in the same ballpark of mental decline. It's apples and Volkswagens in terms of mental decline. And if you. But if you actually believe that. That's why I wanted to bring this up. If you actually believe that you have the same level of lying to yourself delusion that allowed all this to happen.
Jack Armstrong
Because you're so wrong, because you want it so badly to be true. Yeah. Take a long look at yourself. I don't. I don't know what else to suggest.
Joe Getty
What is it, your thing, you always say about looking in the mirror?
Jack Armstrong
If you don't know what introspection is, take a long, hard look at yourself. That was Trump commenting on the arrest of Democratic New Jersey Congress gal love Monica McIver.
Joe Getty
What a crazy story.
Jack Armstrong
Assaulted cops and ICE officials and stuff like that, then tried to hide behind race and whatever else.
Joe Getty
Lunatic.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, the charges against me are purely political. Yeah, you're. You're a hack. You're a liar. You assaulted a cop. Enjoy the criminal justice process. I hope it's long and arduous in.
Joe Getty
The name of protecting illegal criminals.
Jack Armstrong
What? Yeah, well, keep going. Good luck in that next election. So, on a slightly different topic, but oddly connected, there's a great piece by Will Swaim in the National Review, who's been following California politics and Gavin Newsom's absurdities and the rest of that. He's also the president of the California Policy center and is Californian. And Will does great work. We ought to talk to him someday. I don't think we have, but so he's talking about as so many people have. The California Globe has done a good job on this too. Gavin Newsom's just shameless gaslighting on the homeless crisis or shameless dodge on the homeless crisis, as Will Swaim puts it. And how Gavi boy had the audacity and just, I mean, you almost have to have a sense of humor to try to say the real problem that caused California's homeless crisis as it exists right now is Trump's tariffs. Wow. I mean like wow, wow. The guy's been governor and you know, vice governor or whatever since was it 2013, 2012. It sits in here somewhere. It's quite a while. And Trump's just, I mean I can't even, it's not worth the time to shoot that down. It's patently ridiculous. But I mean he's just trying so hard to come off as a moderate, as he said the other day. I have, I've been always a hard headed pragmatist, he told reporters. The hard headed pragmatist did not mention that he has increased the state's budget by 50% since 2018.
Joe Getty
I didn't know that.
Jack Armstrong
Funding an array of boutique progressive programs, his green energy initiatives have killed the state's oil industry while jacking up the price of gasoline to the highest in the nation. He remains the state's cheerleader for a high speed rail project that five years after it was supposed to be done, hasn't laid a foot of track, but has burned through at least $33 billion and probably more.
Joe Getty
Nothing screams pragmatist like the high speed rail.
Jack Armstrong
And most recently he spent a budget busting $10 billion to extend Medicaid benefits to illegal immigrants. He has also spent, and this brings us to our main topic, $24 billion more than the annual budget of 22 states in a feckless effort to solve California's wor nation homeless crisis. That is where Amy Bublak comes in. Amy is the mayor of Turlock, California, which is not terribly far from the radio Ranch and and we and the crew are very, very well acquainted with with Turlockians and, and spent many fine hours there and have many, many listeners there and, and we greet you and thank you for listening. But she's the mayor of Turlock, which nobody has heard of around the country. But in the hours leading up to his horrific budget performance, which was when he was talking to reporters and said, I'm a hard headed pragmatist. I'm quoting Swaim here. Newsom seems to have had a kind of 19th nervous breakdown. Attempting to explain his high profile failure to eliminate homelessness despite spending billions, he blamed local officials. As a taxpayer, not just governor, I'm not interested in funding failure anymore. I'm not. I won't. Time to do your job. This is so rich. Californians are vomiting even as they listen. People are dying on their watch, dying on their. I don't know. How do these people get reelected? Oh, that's close to home. Wow, look at these encampments. They're a disgrace. They've been there for years and years and years. I've heard that same rhetoric for years. People are dying. Kids are being born.
Joe Getty
They have been there for years and years while you've been governor for years and years.
Jack Armstrong
Right? As Red state reporter pointed out, it's almost if he hadn't been either governor or lieutenant governor since 2012. But here's the crazy part. Newsom decides that he somebody needs a kick in and it's gonna be Amy Booblack of beautiful Turlock, California Central Valley. He reserved his most lethal ammo for Booblack in a letter that his office leaked to reporters. She first learned of the governor's letter from a political reporter 30 or 40 minutes before. I got it in my email. Once she read it, I thought, quote, this is crazy. This man knows nothing about homelessness. He's going to talk to me of all people. Newsom said to Booblack in the letter. It is imperative that the city reconsider its priorities and demonstrate the kind of collaborative, accountable and solution oriented leadership that this crisis demands.
Joe Getty
Enough.
Jack Armstrong
Do your job. Here's what brought that on. The mayor's sin and the action that brought her to Gavi boy's attention. Her refusal to spend the symbolic sum dollar that would have unlocked a county homelessness homelessness grant of $267,000 in state money. Now reporters, of course, dutifully conveyor belted the governor's letter into the state's largest news outlets. And Newsom then promoted their stories on X. Truly a lack of ridiculous lack of local leadership. An absolute moral failure, he declared, throwing the Amy Blue blacks of the state under the bus for his policies. California has invested billions to combat homeless, Sherlock. Their only shelter is at risk over a single dollar. The state has done its part. Local leaders need to step up. So why would this monstrous Woman not spend a dollar. Well, she explained that that $267,000 of California taxpayer money laundered through the county. And then to We Care, a homeless shelter in Turlock would have come with no accountability. People who live in the homes near the center have complained for months about the shelter's residents who are not supposed to be in the facility during the day. They pee and poop and shoot up in the neighborhood. They steal from people's garages and the rest of it. And so the mayor says, quote, turlock City Council requested a simple, reasonable condition that we. We care. Expand access to bathrooms 24 hours a day. Despite multiple discussions Where We Care appeared amenable to this condition, they refused to make the commitment. Instead, they chose to attend two council meetings and publicly attacked the council majority, believing public pressure and threats would override thoughtful decision makings. And we respect their efforts in addressing homelessness. But it's clear that a change in direction was needed. We could not in good conscience support a grant that did not address core community concerns or deliver greater accountability. In other words, no more unaccountable quarters of a million dollars. These people don't listen. They're not accountable. This is obscene, and it's not helping the homeless people, quote, unquote, who actually need help. I'm. I'm blowing the whistle on this.
Joe Getty
Well, as we find out, for that.
Jack Armstrong
Gavin Newsom attacked her.
Joe Getty
As we found out last year, tens and tens and tens of gazillions of dollars have been spent all over the state without anybody paying any attention to whether it did any good or not. There wasn't even a mechanism for it.
Jack Armstrong
That's right. When they tried to figure out whether there had been any results, Gavin Newsom had to admit, no, we don't even have a way to figure that out. Yeah. And Amy said, no, we're not going to continue down the same path that's ruining our town. I'm calling this out. And for that, Gavi, whose naked lust for the Oval Office is just embarrassing, decided to go ahead and punch way down to stomp Amy Booblack to support his presidential aspirations.
Joe Getty
Man, he's in a tough place. Given the state of California over the last several years, I don't. I don't know how he. I don't know how he runs away from it. I don't think he can.
Jack Armstrong
So, no, he's. He's a clever son of a gun for sure, and he will try very hard, but I just think there. There's too much weight. You know, I tweeted a great picture of a bunch of junkies laying in their own filth and garbage everywhere with the California State Capitol in the. In the background. It was taken on Capitol Avenue. Capitol Street.
Joe Getty
Very easy to do.
Jack Armstrong
Oh, yeah, yeah. And, and, and I, I captioned it. I think, you know. Gavin Newsom for president in 2028. All 50 states can live the California dream. There's no way he can run away from his record. He'll try, but he will fail miserably. And it will be bitterly enjoyable to watch. I'm looking forward to it. I hope the good Lord grants me enough years that I witness it personally.
Joe Getty
Why are you trying to 8648.
Jack Armstrong
So did the Secret Service actually go see James Comey?
Joe Getty
I don't know. He did an interview this morning. Was there anything interesting Hansen there? Comey? I. I feel like that really revealed the Comey being even more of a dip s than I thought. Why'd you do that for, you moron? Wow. You have no judgment whatsoever. I always thought his judgment was poor, but it's incredibly poor.
Jack Armstrong
I think if Comey thought he could get away with it, he would go around in a crown and a long purple robe trimmed in, in, in white and black. Ermine.
Joe Getty
I'm gonna read this tweet I came across and if you're. You have to be a certain sort of person. But it's pretty good. Tapper's book is like all the President's Men if it didn't name any of the men and was written by John Ehrlichman. That is pretty good.
Jack Armstrong
If you know, you know, that's really good.
Joe Getty
More on the way. Stay here.
Jack Armstrong
Armstrong and Getty Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer, which means it is the start of grilling season all summer long. What's your favorite thing to grill? Burgers, steaks, dogs. Omaha Steaks has it all within incredible quality.
Joe Getty
And right now during the Memorial Day sale you can get 50 off site wide at Omaha steaks.com plus our listeners get an extra 35 off with the promo code. Armstrong at checkout.
Jack Armstrong
I am a steak quality snob, I admit it. And Omaha Steaks exceeds my expectations every single time we order. Plus I love getting it for my dad, my brother, folks who don't need stuff, they need deliciousness all summer long. Omaha Steaks for them and for you.
Joe Getty
And the fact that my 13 year old notices the difference in and quality with Omaha Steaks.
Jack Armstrong
Bring home the world's best steak experience with Omaha Steaks. Visit Omaha Steaks.com for 50 off site wide during their Memorial Day sale. For an extra 35 bucks off, use the promo code Armstrong at checkout. That's Omaha steaks.comc site for details.
Michael
Not everyone who handles your personal information is going to be as careful as you are. And it only takes one mistake to expose it to hackers and identity theft. Maybe that's why there's a new victim of identity theft every five seconds in the United States. Fortunately, there's Lifelock. Lifelock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats to your identity if your identity is stolen. A LifeLock US based restoration specialist will help solve identity theft issues on your behalf, guaranteed or your money back. Plus, all LifeLock plans are backed by the million dollar protection package, meaning Lifelock will reimburse you up to the limits of your plan if you lose money due to identity theft. You can't control how diligent others are with your personal information. But with Lifelock you can help protect it. Act 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 apply.
Katie Green
Busy work weeks and weekends can leave you feeling drained. Prolon's five day nutrition program works at the cellular level to rejuvenate you with boxes labeled by day so you know exactly what to eat. Developed at USC's Longevity Institute, this science backed program makes your cells believe they are fasting to support fat loss, skin appearance and healthy blood sugar levels. Feel the difference and get real results in just five days. Get 15% off today plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to their five day program at prolonlife.com iheart that's prolonlife.com/iheart.
Joe Getty
Hey, we're Armstrong and Getty and I don't know if you know about Shopify. You do actually. If you've ever used our store like Armstrong and Getty T shirts and stuff like that, that's because of Shopify that we have that website. They're the platform so we can just concentrate on the funny T shirt.
Jack Armstrong
Starting your own business is intimidating, can be lonely because you have to wear so many hats. Shopify is there for you as a business partner to get you started. So helpful.
Joe Getty
Yeah, Shopify is packed with helpful AI tools that write product descriptions, page headlines, they even enhance your product photography.
Jack Armstrong
And Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started.
Joe Getty
Yeah, you can get the word out about your product like you've got a giant marketing team behind you. And it's Shopify.
Jack Armstrong
Turn your big business idea into With Shopify on your side, sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.comarmstrong go to shopify.
Hannah Jewell
There's an efficient way to get caught up on a lot of news. It's called the seven from the Washington Post. It's a newsletter and podcast. Whether you're reading or hit play, you get seven stories you need to know and you can consume it all in just a few minutes. The 7 is out every weekday morning by 7:00am Eastern. I'm Hannah Jewell. I'm one of the writers and I host the show. Find the seven podcast wherever you're listening. The newsletter link is waiting for you.
Jack Armstrong
In the show notes gas prices dropping.
Michael
Heading into the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Jack Armstrong
There'S Some good news.
Joe Getty
AAA reported the national average for gas.
Michael
Now at $3.18 a gallon.
Joe Getty
That's down 42 cents a gallon from last year. Wow. In time for Memorial Day weekend driving season. That's pretty big killing.
Jack Armstrong
I'm gonna drive further and faster because.
Joe Getty
Gas is so cheap.
Jack Armstrong
Exactly. I'm gonna throw a tow a trailer. Nothing in it. Maybe I'll put some bricks in it.
Joe Getty
We have breaking Jordan Hudson news. That's the young hottie chick, Dayton. Bill Belichick, who's 50 years older than her.
Jack Armstrong
Right.
Joe Getty
She has told at least one person they are engaged.
Jack Armstrong
Oh, why here? Wedding bells are ringing.
Joe Getty
Wow. He's gonna marry her.
Jack Armstrong
Bill can't hear the wedding bells. Because he's deaf. Because he's old.
Joe Getty
Yeah.
Jack Armstrong
Wow. I hope he's got a prenup going.
Joe Getty
Or he doesn't care. He's old enough. He doesn't care. Maybe. I don't know.
Jack Armstrong
His kids probably care. Does he have kids?
Joe Getty
I have no idea. If he does, they're older than her by a lot.
Jack Armstrong
Certainly. Yes. Yeah.
Joe Getty
Yeah. Most likely his kids would be what, 50? She's roughly. She's roughly reproducing age at 24. Right. So they'd be. They'd be between 40 and 50, probably.
Jack Armstrong
I'm guessing he didn't have any kids till he was 30, but. Yeah. Well, yeah, they're certainly older than her. Significantly. By a lot. Is he gonna have her have them call her mom?
Joe Getty
His kids are old enough that if they were dating her, you'd think. Really?
Jack Armstrong
You think he'll start a family with Her.
Joe Getty
That's a good question.
Jack Armstrong
If she wants a kid, yes. And if he's unsnipped, I have a.
Joe Getty
Friend probably listening right now who is a fairly large chunk older than his current girlfriend. Not like Bill Belichick, but pretty big chunk who. And she is interested in having kids and he's. He's willing to go along. At his age?
Michael
Yeah.
Joe Getty
Says I'm a good dad, so why not?
Jack Armstrong
Wow.
Joe Getty
Speaking of that sort of thing and time going by, I'm trying to decide. I got to come up with some sort of family vacation idea for me, Sam and Henry this summer where I think could be the last big summer vacation because he's. Sam's going to start working next year. I know when I started working, I didn't go on the family vacations after that. I worked so good. Man, it goes by fast. I know everybody says that, but it, it's, it's. The reason everybody says that is because.
Jack Armstrong
It'S so true and because we were amazed. As amazed as you are now. So go ahead and express your amazement. You should. It's amazing.
Joe Getty
Yeah. It's a weird thing the way the mind works that way, isn't it?
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, I suppose.
Joe Getty
Is there a reason. Is that just. Is there a reason for that? Is there an evolutionary reason for that or is just a factor of time and age?
Jack Armstrong
Well, time flies when you're having fun. Time flies when you're completely engaged.
Joe Getty
Yeah, maybe that's it.
Jack Armstrong
I think that's it. Yeah.
Joe Getty
You think time goes by faster when you're busy. I suppose that's true.
Jack Armstrong
Sure. Oh, yeah. Anybody who's ever, you know, had like a retail job, it's, it's, it's a pain in the ass when it's busy, but it's worse when it's not because the minutes just drag.
Joe Getty
I think it's got something to do with how long the days are when you're raising kids too, because the individual day is so long and so tiring and they still kind of are that the idea of that going by fast just doesn't quite make sense. But. But it does anyway.
Jack Armstrong
Well, and I'm spitballing this, obviously, but there's also not a ton of time at the end of the day to pause and reflect on the no realities of parenting and what it all means in the grand. Hey, the kid's got to be at band practice and at 6:30 tomorrow morning. So can you quit flossing and turn out the light?
Joe Getty
What do you mean you don't know where your shoes are? For your band outfit, that sort of thing.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, exactly.
Joe Getty
Endlessly.
Jack Armstrong
Oh, God.
Joe Getty
My oldest has my ability to keep track of things and you know, whatever genetic. I mean that's something I wish they could have identified in utero and we could have used CRISPR technology to fix. I don't care about eye color or whatever that the can't keep track of things Gene.
Jack Armstrong
Oh boy, oh boy.
Joe Getty
Where's your band shirt? I don't know. What do you mean you don't know? Well, how do you not know? Yeah, I want to bring back up again the whole Chinese spy thing from 60 Minutes at some point. That's such a huge story that I don't feel well. It didn't get much attention because of Biden's cancer and a bunch of other things. But among other things we need to talk about. Hoping to stick around.
Christina Quinn
Armstrong and Getty.
Katie Green
Busy work weeks and weekends can leave you feeling drained. Prolon's five day nutrition program works at the cellular level to rejuvenate you with boxes labeled by day so you know exactly what to eat. Developed at USC's Longevity Institute, this science backed program makes your cells believe they are fasting to support fat loss, skin appearance and healthy blood sugar levels. Feel the difference and get real results in just five days. Get 15% off today plus a $40 bonus gift when you subscribe to their five day program at prolonlife.com iheart that's prolonlife.com iheart not everyone who handles your.
Michael
Personal information is going to be as careful as you are. And it only takes one mistake to expose it to hackers and identity theft. Maybe that's why there's a new victim of identity theft every five seconds in the United States. Fortunately, there's Lifelock. Lifelock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a LifeLock US based restoration specialist will help solve identity theft issues on your behalf, guaranteed or your money back. Plus, all LifeLock plans are backed by the million dollar protection package, meaning Lifelock will reimburse you up to the limits of your plan. If you lose money due to identity theft. You can't control how diligent others are with your personal information. But with Lifelock, you can help protect it. Act 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 apply.
Hannah Jewell
We've all done it. You see a headline but don't have time to read the whole story or there's so much news you're not sure what is worth your time. I'm Colby Ekowitz, co host of Post Reports, the weekday afternoon podcast from the Washington Post. Post Reports brings you what's relevant and revealing breaking stories, politics, wellness, culture. Each episode goes beyond a headline for the context you need. Find Post Reports now wherever you're listening.
Christina Quinn
How to have fun anytime, anywhere. Step 1 Go to chumbacasino.com chumbacasino.com Got it. Step 2 Collect your welco bonus.
Jack Armstrong
Come to papa. Welcome bonus.
Christina Quinn
Step 3 Play hundreds of casino style games for free. That's a lot of games, all for free. Step 4 Unleash your excitement. 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 vgw group.
Jack Armstrong
Void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply for some of.
Christina Quinn
Us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more. Connect with us@thrivent.com Xi Jinping probably remembers.
Jack Armstrong
That a lot of revolutions start outside the home country and he doesn't want that to happen to China. So there's a huge effort to pay attention to the expatriate population.
Joe Getty
I thought that first story on 60 Minutes Sunday night was so good, and I think it would have gotten quite a bit of attention had it not been for the Biden cancer thing breaking like late afternoon and then being the only story the next day.
Jack Armstrong
I wonder just because among the media's many sins is the sin of being terrified of criticizing anything foreign, including Chinese espionage, espionage agents, which we'll get into in a minute.
Joe Getty
Yeah, the long and short of the story is China is spying on us in a way that like practically no country has ever spied on any other country in the history of the world. And the stakes are very, very high. And, and we're kind of like not paying enough attention to the extent to.
Jack Armstrong
Which China is not, not 1/100th of the attention we ought to be paying.
Joe Getty
Not even close. But they featured a couple of different things. They featured one, they talked about that jail jails that China had in our country, in cities around America, including in New York City that should have gotten more attention. We should have. Whoever was president at the time should have gone an ape s over that. That is not something you put up with. A foreign country putting a jail in your country and grabbing people off of your streets and locking them up should not be something that you allow.
Jack Armstrong
And whisking them off to the old country sometimes or just beating them and terrorizing them into capitulation. Yeah.
Joe Getty
And they also had this old guy who was clearly a spy. Joe's going to talk more about spies here in a little bit. But it's a Chinese spy who was here and he was doing it for money mostly.
Jack Armstrong
Is that what he was getting out of recall?
Joe Getty
Anyway, I was going to bring up the point because we got onto the. Joe and I during the commercials talking about the numb nuts maintenance worker at the jail in Louisiana who helped those people escape. And I was. We were wondering why they wouldn't be.
Jack Armstrong
Able to tie it back to him.
Joe Getty
And we were wondering what his motivation was, if he got paid or whatever. And it just reminded me, I thought of that when I was watching the Chinese spy thing on 60 Minutes. I've read a lot about your old timey spies. In particular the great Kim Philby, one of the most famous spies of all time during World War II and after he was a, he was a Brit and was spying for the Soviet Union and ended up escaping to the Soviet Union and lived out the rest of his life there. But all of these, the, there's all kinds of motivations for spies and some of them are just dumb. And it's just kind of a. I'm smarter than you and I'm going to show you how much smarter than you I am. Sometimes it's just flat cash. Sometimes you believe the ideology of the people you're spying for. But that seems to be rare. It seems to be more of a. You're just like angry at the power structure you grew up with. Like your parents. Sometimes it's your parents, sometimes it's your teachers, sometimes it's your company and you just want to strike back at them.
Jack Armstrong
Rebel without a cause.
Joe Getty
Yeah, yeah. It's. It's a weird psychology of people that are willing to do this sort of thing.
Jack Armstrong
And when you, you know, hear about or read about it in retrospect, you think you took that enormous a risk to have scratched that itch. Doesn't make any sense.
Joe Getty
No, no.
Jack Armstrong
I mean, people sell out their country and, and earn themselves the rest of their lives in a cage in supermax in Colorado for a hundred thousand Dollars, Right. Seriously, what are you gonna buy a nice pickup truck in the insurance for three months for it? And that's gonna spend the rest of your life in a cage like you're a beast. Good decision.
Joe Getty
Yeah. And then sometimes, I mean, like with China, you have the situation where they will try to force you to spy. 60 Minutes pointed this out. By the leverage they have over your family back home or you being able to come back.
Jack Armstrong
The Free Press has a great long piece, I think. I mean, we can post the link. You'll probably get paywalled, maybe sign up for their newsletter. You can read it. I don't, I don't remember how it works. I subscribe. We subscribe because it's so great. But the Free Press is writing about specifically Stanford University and how they have. Well, they describe at first how this one gal was almost recruited by the Chinese Ministry of State Security, the mss. Jack, commented earlier today, we should know that better than the kgb. The KGB is a relic of history. The MSS is in your town right now trying to spy on you and yours.
Joe Getty
Well, as the guy in 60 minutes said, it's the biggest that sort of thing, network in the history of the world. Makes the kgb, like look like nothing.
Jack Armstrong
You know what? I think I lied to you off the air, Jack. I think we. We have not yet played 102. Let's play 102, Michael. It's sort of the equivalent of the CIA, but it has much greater powers. One estimate says the MSS might have 600,000 employees and they are committed to going after the United States. We are target number two for them. Who's target number one? Target number one is China's own people. When Xi Jinping wakes up screaming in the middle of the night, he's really worried that the Chinese Communist Party was on the path that the Soviet Communist Party was on. So that's an interesting nugget, but we're target number two. That's honor enough for me that the communist Chinese are that interested. But. So this piece in the Free Press, Let me just read you a little bit of it. For years, concerns about Chinese espionage have quietly persisted at Stanford. Yet until now, no attempt has ever been made to gauge how pervasive it is. The answer we discovered after a year long investigation is very pervasive. After interviewing multiple Stanford professors, students and China experts, virtually all of whom requested anonymity fearing retaliation.
Joe Getty
Wow.
Jack Armstrong
We could pause there and discuss that for a minute. And they don't mean by the communist Chinese necessarily. They mean retaliation by the Woke.
Joe Getty
Oh wow.
Jack Armstrong
Sources of California and of Stanford.
Joe Getty
Yeah, I brought up to the, the idea to a friend of mine, it was quite the progressive who worked in a university setting the idea of Chinese spies. And they're like I was a crazy right wing conspiracy nut to think there are spies in the university setting.
Jack Armstrong
So to finish the sentence, after interviewing multiple Stanford professors, blah blah blah. Requested anonymity fearing retaliation. We found overwhelming evidence that the CCP is orchestrating a widespread spying operation at Stanford. According to Stanford experts on Chinese intelligence gathering experts or efforts efforts rather the CCP has employed a crowdsourced approach to gathering information at Stanford. Dubbed non traditional collection, the MSS uses civilians unaffiliated with the intelligence community to acquire and report sensitive information. The aim of non traditional collectors isn't necessarily to steal classified documents, but rather to quietly extract the know how behind American innovation. And, and if you know anything about the Chinese all of society effort to, to gain supremacy in the world, there's a mirror image of it in their intelligence collection efforts. It is classified documents and top secret weapons systems and clandestine pictures at military bases. It's also industrial espionage, stealing of patents and the latest Nike golf club. Yeah, and, and it's also just knowing everything that's happening in the U.S. compiling it, Cross referencing it because they don't know when they need it. But they might. Which is why the Chinese have a file, I'm told on, on a huge number of, of prominent or influential Americans. I, I flatter myself that maybe there's a file on us. Probably not, but I would be honored.
Christina Quinn
Control your soul's desire for freedom.
Joe Getty
Yeah, for freedom.
Jack Armstrong
I try every day, sweetheart. Stanford, hardly the only university where the CCP is using this approach. Happening across the country, indeed around the world. As Matt Turpin, former U.S. national Security Council Director for China put it recently, and I quote, the Chinese state uses Chinese students inside the United States to violate conflicts of commitment and conflicts of interest to provide the kind of technologies they would otherwise be denied through export control. In many ways the Chinese government chooses to weaponize their citizens to do those sorts of things. And it's a compliment to Stanford's you know, reputation as a center for innovation and technology that it's one of the prime targets. They can learn so much there. AI and robotics intelligence, I mean software research methodologies, lab workflows, collaborative structures, even communications channels. They're getting a lot out of it. But again, as I've said many times, just to summarize, although I could talk about this all day, our universities in particular are absolutely infested with official, unofficial and future Chinese espionage agents.
Joe Getty
Yeah, it's absolutely 100% true. And of course, the problem is that there's a lot of Chinese Americans. People who grew up in China are now Chinese Americans who hate China. I'm thinking of our friend Ying Ma. She went to Stanford, actually, Stanford Law School. She hates the Chinese Communist Party. She grew up in China. There's lots of people like that. And so you end up with that whole, you know, black, bald, Communist witch hunt problem. Sometimes you can't assume everybody who has a Chinese name at your university is a spy because some of them hate China more than you do. And for good reason. But a lot of mars. So then what do you do?
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, absolutely true. Well, but again, I cannot, I'm not going to hesitate to call out the reality of it because I fear somebody's going to go nuts and, you know, have some sort of Chinese witch hunt thingy. I mean, we've, we've got to call out reality.
Joe Getty
Sure. And certainly pretending it's some sort of conspiracy theory that China's spying on us. Watch 60 Minutes from Sunday night.
Jack Armstrong
Well, right. It's absolutely not a conspiracy theory. It's, it's un, it's, it's unmitigated, undeniable fact. It's like gravity at this point. But the reason I threw in future Chinese espionage agents in my descriptions was. And I say this with sympathy, but just reality, because I believe in protecting our homeland. Thank you very much. I'm a Chinese grad student. I got no interest in politics at all. I'm starting to really, really like the United States. In fact, maybe I'm even a Chinese American citizen. I'm an American citizen with Chinese ethnicity. Or I was a. Of Chinese. Yeah, whatever the status is. And then this, you know, this article starts with somebody who is calling himself Charles Chen, who approached several students.
Joe Getty
He's with the mss.
Jack Armstrong
Pardon me?
Joe Getty
This guy was with the MSS or no?
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, yes. Yeah, but so this Charles Chen puts his hand on my shoulder, reaches out to me, slides into my DMs, whatever the, the method of approaches. And he says, hey, yeah, understand you're involved in some really interesting research in robotics and AI and stuff. I'm fascinated by that. Blah, blah. Then he starts making more and more intrusive requests of you that turn into demands to take pictures and, you know, reproduce blueprints and that sort of thing. And, and you say, you know what? I'm not uncomfortable. I'm not comfortable with this. I can't do this anymore. And he says, gosh, you know, your mom and Xinjiang really struggling to. To pay your taxes. And the authorities are about to come down hard on her. I mean, she's gonna lose her house. I could probably look into that. And, and that's, that's like the gentle version of it. And then that young person who, again, I'm not gonna hunt no witches, but that person who had no intention of ever in their life becoming an MSS agent is an MSS agent.
Joe Getty
Do you think China wins? This between us and China?
Jack Armstrong
They're winning, right?
Joe Getty
I think they're winning too.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah.
Joe Getty
Do they win? Ultimately.
Jack Armstrong
No. But that might be the wishes being the father of my thoughts.
Joe Getty
Yeah. Like I said earlier, if it's. No, it's because of their own internal problems, like with the population and their economy and all that sort of stuff. If it weren't for that, I absolutely think they'd win. We're decadent.
Jack Armstrong
Stupid.
Joe Getty
Stupid.
Jack Armstrong
Speaking for myself. Right society in, in the long run, I like our chances. But I will just say this, then I'll shut up. If, if the poo hits the fan, maybe it's Taiwan gets invaded. Maybe, you know, whatever causes China to say now it's. I will not be the least bit surprised if our cell phones go off, our lights go off, our water systems shut down our power grid shut down our computers and our banking systems all stop within an hour of each other. I will be horrified, but I won't be the least bit surprised. And I think if you. If anybody, particularly anybody in charge, would be surprised. They haven't been paying attention and they suck at their job.
Joe Getty
You're right, I would be horrified. But I wouldn't be. I can't believe this happened at all.
Jack Armstrong
No, I would be horrified, disgusted, and. And, and this is a character flaw, but somewhat smugly satisfied that I'd been predicting this for a long time. And now. You dumb mother. Oh, Lord. I almost said something unforgivable. Now you know it's true. God, we are so fat and lazy.
Joe Getty
Yeah, I'd be thinking. I was afraid that would happen. We'll finish strong next.
Jack Armstrong
Don't trust China Armstrong and Getty.
Hannah Jewell
There's an efficient way to get caught up on a lot of news.
Jack Armstrong
News.
Hannah Jewell
It's called the Seven from the Washington Post. It's a newsletter and podcast. Whether you're reading or hit play, you get seven stories you need to know and you can consume it all in just a few minutes. The 7 is out every weekday morning by 7:00am Eastern. I'm Hannah Jewell I'm one of the writers and I host the show Find the seven Podcast wherever you're listening. The newsletter link is waiting for you in the show.
Christina Quinn
Notes for some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrive Thrivent where money means more Connect with us@thrivent.com Millions of people have turned to Claude, the AI assistant from Anthropic because it just feels different. Where other AIs often sound a little robotic, Claude has been designed with special research that informs its character, meaning that Claude just gets it when it comes to empathy and emotional intelligence. That's why Claude has become the if you know, you know choice for dating advice, career coaching, gathering your thoughts for those important life decisions decisions and more. Give Clawd a try for free at clawd.com that's C-L-A-U--E.com and let us know how you feel the difference. Now I'd like to introduce you to Meaningful Beauty, the famed skincare brand created by iconic supermodel Cindy Crawford. It's her secret to absolutely gorgeous skin. Meaningful Beauty makes powerful and effective skin care simple and it's loved by millions of women. It's formulated for all ages and all skin types, tones and types and it's designed to work as a complete skin care system leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth and nourished. I recommend starting with Cindy's full regimen which contains all five of her best selling products including the Amazing Youth Activating Melon Serum. This next generation serum has the power of Melon Leaf Stem cell technology. It's melon leaf stem cells encapsulated for freshness and released onto the skin to support a visible reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. With thousands of glowing five star reviews, why not give it a try? Subscribe today and you can get the amazing Meaningful Beauty system for just $49.95. That includes our introductory five piece system, free gifts, free shipping and a 60 day money back guarantee. All that available@meaningfulbeauty.com Looking for a thoughtful gift or a little something for you? Meet Symbiotica. These pure science backed supplements deliver what your body needs. If you are dealing with low energy, gut and skin issues, Symbiotica can help with options like Liposomal glutathione, magnesium I threonate and vitamin C. If taken with consistency, you will notice a real shift. Better digestion, more energy and clearer skin. Go to symbiotica.com and use code iheart to get 20 off plus free shipping. That's CYM B-I-O-T-I-K-A.com and code iheart for 20% off plus free shipping.
Joe Getty
Today we have breaking news. Michael, Breaking news. Donkey breaking news.
Jack Armstrong
Yo. When news breaks, the donkey brace.
Joe Getty
It's official. Bill Belichick, former coach of the Patriots and that Jordan what's her name are engaged.
Jack Armstrong
Oh, wow. Wow. Okay.
Joe Getty
From his standpoint, why not? You know, he's toward the end of his life, probably in love, happy, what's what sounds like.
Jack Armstrong
Remember Anna Nicole smith and that 88 year old oil guy way back in the day?
Joe Getty
They're almost 50 years apart. If you don't know the story her, you're marrying a guy, you're gonna have a maximum of like 10 years where you can do stuff together. Then you're taking care of him till he dies. Five to ten years after that.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, staff is. Yeah.
Joe Getty
And also I had another question. Oh, I wonder who was pushing it. Was she pushing it? Like, hey, you need to if you're not serious about this, I need to move on. Or was he.
Jack Armstrong
I wonder who would push putting a ring on that thing, huh?
Joe Getty
Right, yeah, somebody was pushing it.
Jack Armstrong
And now final thoughts with Armstrong and Giddy engage.
Joe Getty
Here's your host for final thoughts, Joe Getty.
Jack Armstrong
Low budget, low effort, but it makes me laugh every time. Hey, let's get a final thought from everybody on the crew to wrap things up for the day. There he is, our technical director, Michelangelo Michael. Well, hearing this announcement, I know it my afternoon. I gotta get get the University of North Carolina address and I'm gonna go shopping for an ice cream maker, so. Well, you've already checked out their gift registry. Katie Green or esteemed newswoman has a final thought.
Joe Getty
Katie, can we have Katie's microphone now.
Jack Armstrong
With the mic on?
Christina Quinn
Oh, well, I, you know, I control the mic.
Jack Armstrong
We have an exciting. One more thing was basically what I was saying.
Joe Getty
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. A personal story from Katie. And one more thing, podcast, so check out it it out.
Jack Armstrong
Jack, final thought for us.
Joe Getty
Yes. Trump's going to announce today the golden dome defense system for the United States. This is a huge undertaking. I can't wait to hear the details.
Jack Armstrong
Wow, interesting. My final thought, when Kathy Griffin and Jack Black were both young and not quite famous they hooked up a few times. First time she wakes up at his apartment, asks for a towel so she can take a shower. He says there's one in there. She didn't see one. Only saying I only see the bath mat on the floor by the shower. He said yeah, that's it. He had one towel that he used for drying off and stepping onto when he came out of the shower. She was grossed out but not enough to not sleep with him a few more times. She added something like my mom met him and said my God, he looks like a serial killer. This is Jack Black.
Joe Getty
This is for me watching the Minecraft movie and saying couldn't he wash his face before he does the movie? So greasy and uncanny camp. I could smell him through the screen. Armstrong and Getty wrapping up another grueling four hour workday.
Jack Armstrong
So many people. Thanks a little time. Go to armstrong getty.com for the hot links. Drop us a Note mailbag@armstrongetti.com down.com Pick up some Angie swag for your favorite. A G fan. Maybe it's you.
Joe Getty
Why'd you have to put in my mind picturing those two together?
Jack Armstrong
Ew. Young love.
Joe Getty
See you tomorrow. God bless America Armstrong and get it.
Jack Armstrong
You made it rhyme louder than it's rhyme in a long time.
Michael
But they get to choose.
Jack Armstrong
Choose the team that you did in addition with. But damn it, don't mess with the minimum work unless you want to get the benefit. Mark my words.
Joe Getty
Lady, lady, lady. The days of that crap are over.
Jack Armstrong
And F you if you can't handle the truth.
Joe Getty
One final message.
Jack Armstrong
Get ready Bell End of quote. Repeat the line. Get ready Val. Thank you. Bye bye.
Michael
Armstrong and Getty not everyone who handles your personal information is going to be as careful as you are. And it only takes one mistake to expose it to hackers and identity theft. Maybe that's why there's a new victim of identity theft every five seconds in the United States. Fortunately, there's Lifelock. Lifelock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a LifeLock US based restoration specialist will help solve identity theft issues on your behalf, guaranteed or your money back. Plus, all LifeLock plans are backed by the million dollar protection package, meaning Lifelock will reimburse you up to the limits of your plan. If you lose money due to identity theft, you can't control how diligent others are with your personal information. But with Lifelock you can help protect it. Act 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 apply.
Joe Getty
Hey, we're Armstrong and Getty and I don't know if you know about Shopify. You do, actually. If you've ever used our store, like Armstrong and Yeti T shirts and stuff like that, that's because of Shopify. That we that website. They're the platform so we can just concentrate on the funny T shirt.
Jack Armstrong
Starting your own business is intimidating, can be lonely because you have to wear so many hats. Shopify is there for you as a business partner to get you started. So helpful.
Joe Getty
Yeah, Shopify is packed with helpful AI tools that write product descriptions, page headlines, they even enhance your product photography.
Jack Armstrong
And Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world and 10% of all e commerce in the US from household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started. Started.
Joe Getty
Yeah, you can get the word out about your product like you've got a giant marketing team behind you and it's Shopify.
Jack Armstrong
Turn your big business idea into With Shopify on your side, sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com armstrong go to shopify.com armstrong.
Hannah Jewell
There'S an efficient way to get caught up on a lot of news. It's called the seven from the Washington Post. It's a newsletter and podcast. Whether you're reading or hit play, you get seven stories you need to know and you can consume it all in just a few minutes. The 7 is out every weekday morning by 7:00am Eastern. I'm Hannah Jewell, I'm one of the writers and I host the show. Find the seven podcast wherever you're listening. The newsletter link is waiting for you in the show notes.
Christina Quinn
For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more Connect with us@thrivent.com Millions of people have turned to Claude, the AI assistant from Anthropogenic, because it just feels different. Where other AIs often sound a little robotic, Claude has been designed with special research that informs its character, meaning that Claude just gets it when it comes to empathy and emotional intelligence. That's why Claude has become the if you know you know, choice for dating advice, career coaching, gathering your thoughts for those important life decisions, and more. Give Claude a try for free at Claude.com that's C-L-A-U--E.com and let us know how you feel the difference.
Jack Armstrong
You're listening to an I Heart podcast.
Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand – "That's Apples & Volkswagens"
Release Date: May 20, 2025
Hosts: Jack Armstrong & Joe Getty
In the episode titled "That's Apples & Volkswagens," hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty delve into pressing political and social issues, offering their candid perspectives and sharp critiques. The discussion navigates through high-profile political arrests, the ongoing debate surrounding former President Trump's mental state, California's homelessness crisis under Governor Gavin Newsom, and the alarming rise of Chinese espionage within U.S. universities.
Timestamp: [03:14] – [05:13]
The episode opens with the arrest of a Democratic congresswoman, which becomes a focal point of contention between the hosts.
Jack Armstrong expresses strong disapproval: “The days of woke are over.” ([03:24])
Joe Getty criticizes her actions: “She was shoving federal agents...No, I didn't." ([03:29])
The hosts condemn the congresswoman's behavior, labeling it as unprofessional and indicative of broader systemic issues within political spheres.
Timestamp: [03:38] – [04:50]
A listener's question about the apparent decline in Donald Trump's mental faculties sparks a heated exchange.
Joe Getty asserts: “That's apples and Volkswagens in terms of mental decline.” ([03:38])
Jack Armstrong counters with introspection advice: “Take a long look at yourself... If you don't know what introspection is, take a long, hard look at yourself.” ([04:24])
The discussion highlights the hosts' frustration with media and public figures glossing over Trump's behavior, emphasizing the need for honest self-assessment.
Timestamp: [05:08] – [13:04]
A substantial portion of the episode critiques Governor Gavin Newsom's handling of California's homelessness issue.
Jack Armstrong references a piece by Will Swaim in the National Review, criticizing Newsom’s approaches and budgetary decisions: “His green energy initiatives have killed the state's oil industry while jacking up the price of gasoline to the highest in the nation.” ([07:00])
The hosts spotlight Amy Bublak, mayor of Turlock, California, who defied Newsom by refusing to allocate $267,000 to a homeless shelter without accountability. Joe Getty summarizes the governor's stance: “Californians are vomiting even as they listen. People are dying on their watch.” ([09:00])
Jack Armstrong emphasizes the misuse of funds: “The state has invested billions to combat homeless... Over a single dollar.” ([09:56])
The conversation underscores perceived inefficiencies and mismanagement in state-funded initiatives, advocating for more accountable and effective solutions to homelessness.
Timestamp: [27:16] – [40:07]
The hosts shift focus to national security concerns, specifically the extent of Chinese espionage activities within American academic institutions.
Jack Armstrong introduces alarming findings from The Free Press: “Stanford, hardly the only university where the CCP is using this approach. Happening across the country, indeed around the world.” ([32:10])
Joe Getty elaborates on the methods employed by the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS): “They use Chinese students inside the United States to violate conflicts of commitment and conflicts of interest...” ([35:36])
The episode highlights specific tactics, such as non-traditional collectors and the use of civilians to extract information: “The aim of non-traditional collectors isn't necessarily to steal classified documents, but rather to quietly extract the know-how behind American innovation.” ([35:34])
Jack Armstrong shares a personal anecdote about interactions with a suspected MSS agent, emphasizing the subtle coercion and personal manipulation used to steal information: “He says, 'I could probably look into that,'” ([38:44])
The discussion paints a concerning picture of widespread espionage, urging listeners to recognize and address the vulnerabilities within academic and technological sectors.
Timestamp: [39:48] – [40:07]
Addressing the broader implications of Chinese espionage:
Jack Armstrong speculates on national security threats: “If the poo hits the fan... our cell phones go off, our lights go off...” ([40:07])
Joe Getty echoes the severity: “I would be horrified, but I wouldn't be surprised.” ([41:09])
The hosts discuss the potential for significant disruptions to U.S. infrastructure and societal functions, attributing a sense of inevitability and urgency to the need for robust countermeasures.
Throughout "That's Apples & Volkswagens," Armstrong and Getty provide a critical examination of contemporary political and security challenges. Their unfiltered commentary sheds light on issues such as political accountability, national security threats from foreign espionage, and the efficacy of state-led social programs. The episode serves as a call to action for listeners to remain vigilant and engaged in addressing these multifaceted problems.
Notable Quotes:
“The days of woke are over.” — Jack Armstrong ([03:24])
“That's apples and Volkswagens in terms of mental decline.” — Joe Getty ([03:38])
“His green energy initiatives have killed the state's oil industry while jacking up the price of gasoline to the highest in the nation.” — Jack Armstrong ([07:00])
“Take a long look at yourself... If you don't know what introspection is, take a long, hard look at yourself.” — Jack Armstrong ([04:24])
“Stanford, hardly the only university where the CCP is using this approach. Happening across the country, indeed around the world.” — Jack Armstrong ([32:10])
“They use Chinese students inside the United States to violate conflicts of commitment and conflicts of interest...” — Joe Getty ([35:36])
This comprehensive summary encapsulates the episode's key discussions and insights, providing listeners with a clear understanding of the topics covered without delving into non-content segments such as advertisements or intros.