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Andrew
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Krystal
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Krystal
What's up everybody? Welcome to Breaking Points, but this time it is being filmed in the Flagrant 2 studio here with the entire crew. Thank you guys so much for actually letting me use your studio after we recorded just a great episode. And it's really good to be with all of you.
Andrew
Absolutely. My man.
Krystal
All right, so we wanted. I wanted to do this. Both Crystal and I have been wanting to talk to you guys for a while. Kind of a reflection of podcast bro and the election. Andrew, you specifically have come under a lot of fire recently as the podcast bro. The guy who like, led the way way for Trump, but now is apparently having some regrets.
Graham
You don't know that Trump had no support until Andrew said he was gonna lose. He was like, gonna lose.
Krystal
Okay. But, well, let's put it this way, I wouldn't say it swung the election, but I also wouldn't say that it wasn't unimportant to have Trump on all of these. Right. And this is just part of like kind of that segment of the audience. And so my question is that in retrospect, do you wish that you would handle the Trump interview differently? No, not at all so go into that a little bit.
Andrew
No, no, I don't regret a single thing about it. I don't know why that, like, I don't even know where the question comes from.
Krystal
Well, the question comes from an idea that was a lot of criticism from the quote, independent or not non independent media. And they were like, well, Trump is going on these podcasts to kind of whitewash his reputation and basically to not face like, quote, tough journalistic questions.
Andrew
Yeah, it just depends what your expectation of journalism is. And I think that like, I mean, you could speak to this a lot, but I was speaking to David Marchese at the New York Times about this.
Krystal
Yeah, so I read your interview.
Andrew
Yeah, yeah. So it's like, and you know, there was some mom where he was like asking me some questions and I was like, ah, this is where things feel a little bit gotcha. Because he was assuming that I talked to Bernie about one thing that I didn't talk to Trump about. And I'm like, but when did I talk to Bernie about it? And he's like, well, I can't exactly say it. I'm like, well, that's kind of where Phil's gotcha, because you're coming in with a specific intention.
Krystal
Yeah, that's right.
Andrew
So like, and I actually think that he was like, really fair and that was a great interview, but like an example of like my least favorite type of journalism. Just the most low hanging fruit is like the, the girl that interviewed Tim Dillon. It's not really an interview, it's like an indictment. It's like, I think this thing of you and I seek to prove that to my audience. I'm not coming here with any curiosity. So like, we don't see ourselves as like, I can't speak for the guys, but like, as, as journalists so much to say. It's just like people that are having conversations that we're curious with. Now, I understand that when you get a lot of people listening, like, yeah, you, you should like, if you're a responsible person, like, think about like what, what you owe, I guess, to the audience and have that discussion that's fair and don't get me wrong, but like, I don't subscribe to this idea that like, you have to ask these hard questions that you're not curious about or people that watch will criticize you. It's like, you don't have to watch.
Krystal
Sure.
Andrew
If you're in front of me, I'm going to ask you the things that I'm curious about. People are like, why don't you ask him about Epstein, I'm like, oh, so he can give the same fucking answer he's given for the last two decades? It's like, he's not going to immediately sit down with me. And then after three questions like, you know, we used to fuck them kids. That's not how these things work. So for me, I think one of the reasons for the rise in podcasting opposed to normal or traditional media is that you have people asking questions that they're authentically interested in instead of asking questions that they think that their boss wants them to ask or they're worried their base wants to ask. Because now you're not even curious in the questions you're asking. You're asking them out of fear of retribution from your audience. And now you're captured by your audience instead of your own curiosity.
Graham
I would also say, yeah, absolutely.
Krystal
There are.
Graham
At that point in the polls, they were actually neck and neck, and Trump always overperforms in polls. So I don't know what impact we actually had, but there were two candidates left for President of the United States. I don't want to talk to both of them. I want to talk to both of them. And second of all, there's things we all talked about that we wanted to ask Trump. But I could do the thing that feels really good where I ask a gotcha question and I dunk on you, and then he gets up and he walks off and he says, go fuck yourself. I know. I've seen enough interviews with this guy to know I have to relate to him on a human level. And then when he feels safe, maybe he'll answer the questions I want to ask. Are you going to run for a third term? Are you willing to tone down the rhetoric? I got to ask those questions. But you had to get to the point where he's willing to answer those questions. So I could have done the thing that feels good and dunked on him, but we would have gotten absolutely nowhere.
Andrew
Who does it feel good?
Krystal
And that's a tactical thing. No, it's important.
Andrew
You just have to have the things that you want to ask and ask him. And I had three things I wanted to ask him about. I asked him about those three things.
Krystal
Okay.
Andrew
And that was it.
Krystal
Right? Yeah.
Crystal
I will say, my only wish is that Kamala came on.
Krystal
Yeah.
Andrew
Yeah.
Krystal
I mean, well, that's really.
Crystal
To me, it seems like a Nixon Humphries thing where, like, you know, they have the laughing moment and Nixon does it, and it turns out great and that it was a strategic blunder. From their side to not go on to these, you know, non traditional platforms.
Krystal
Alex, anything same ditto.
Alex
What marks it?
Krystal
Well, I think the question then is.
Andrew
If we have Kamala on, you really can't say anything because we're going to ask Kamal the same questions, we're going to have the same curiosity, we're going.
Graham
To laugh with her.
Andrew
Yeah.
Graham
We're going to make her look like a human.
Andrew
Exactly. And the authentic curiosity is going to shine through. And if she bombs interviewed, that's on her. If she does great, that's on her. Just like with Trump. But we're going to ask the things that we're curious about and I think that like the numbers show that if you look anything from Rogan, you look anything to like Alex Cooper. It's not just this right wing thing. There's a left wing when people are asking the questions that they're curious about the interviews or indulge far more when they're doing puff piece things like when Alex Cooper had come on, nobody gives a fuck about it. And I think that tells you everything you want.
Krystal
Yeah, I don't disagree at all. But if we were to flip it around, if we're Trump were to come back today, which we hope he will. Right. Like I hope you guys, they put a statement out about you guys. Would it be different tonally this time around now that you've actually had him in office and would you feel, what, like, how would you feel as somebody then who had been critical of him or walking into that, like tonally, would it be different in terms of the, the tenor that you might take and asking a follow up question.
Andrew
Here's the thing, like we said this before, like, I'm not in one of your fucking cults, right. I'm not in the right. We call it the left wing called I'm a free American and I'll ask whatever fucking questions I want to ask, okay? So like for me, when somebody's in power, that's not. When you relax, especially if it's a person that you voted for, that's where you hold them to their promises. So like Trump comes back on, which he's absolutely invited to come back on the leader of the free world. I want to know what's up with the Epstein shit. Like, you campaigned hard, your boys campaigned hard, your girls campaigned hard on it. I want to know why we're not seeing it and I want to know why you were so flippant about it. So I want to know that, I want to know what's going on with the foreign wars and specifically, is diplomacy harder than you thought? And what are the restrictions to your power when it comes to diplomacy? And you've been president already, you must know that diplomacy is difficult. Why do you think it would be easier this time around? And what are you doing? The hiccups. So like, I want to know these things, but it's not about like a different tenor or anything like that. When you're running for president, it's hope. What will you do? You're selling me dreams.
Krystal
Sure.
Andrew
Right. And when you are president, it's delivery. And delivery is way harder than hope. You know what I mean? Like, I mean, I loved Obama. I voted for him. I was so excited about Obama. I know that you're not a big fan, but to me, yes. And it's like, he sold us hope. So. Well, some people will be like, ah, he under delivered on that hope. Some people will be like, he over delivered. It was amazing to see what he got accomplished. You know, if you ask anybody who had preexisting conditions, I think that they're pretty fucking happy, Republican or Democrat, what he was able to put through. So to me, that's what it's all about. It's just like. And if you're not willing to like, hold the person that you voted for to the standards that they expected, then you're not a real person that cares about like what's happening in America.
Krystal
Right? Yeah.
Andrew
Like, if you were one of these people that refused to acknowledge that Biden was senile for four years, like, and now you're lecturing me about holding Trump accountable. I think that you need to take like a long look in the mirror about what you're willing to do for the people that you voted for.
Krystal
That is a very, very fair question. Do you guys have anything you want.
Graham
To add on that, to add to that? The questions would be tougher because we are disappointed in what we're seeing.
Krystal
Sure.
Graham
But the tenor of the question still has to be asked in a way that I feel confident you will answer.
Krystal
Okay.
Graham
If it's, hey, man, the fuck are you doing this bullshit ass thing. This sucks. Do you think he's going to answer that question?
Krystal
I don't disagree with it.
Andrew
Yeah.
Graham
That's more at the people who.
Krystal
Yeah, yeah. Well, I just, I. What I'm doing is I'm like imbibing. There isn't even independent media. So the left independent media that I have been able to interact with, they have a theory that the podcast guys were basically taken for a ride. They're Looking at it as, look, Trump knew that he wasn't gonna get asked anything that he might get on NBC News or anywhere else. He basically wanted to use the audience to convince them that he was a normal dude and get them to vote for him. And that, in retrospect, isn't that what every politician does? Well, so I agree. I'm just getting to that. It's like, to the extent that you think that that happened, like, it's not a complicity question. It's really more about a question of how do you balance that in the art of politics. I think you guys are more forgivable, if that makes sense, in that critique, because you actually have had on a lot of people. But I'm saying, speaking generally, like, to the Theo Vaughn and Joe Rogan and what Nelk boys and all of the podcast, the bus in, you know, podcast and all, busing with the boys and all that, like, he obviously used that to some political adv. And now many of those people are upset, and they're not necessarily as willing as you to kind of speak out against that or to invite the other.
Andrew
Side who is upset.
Krystal
Well, I'm saying. So some of the people who privately have had on these people may be upset at the thing.
Graham
Another podcaster might be upset with Trump.
Krystal
But they're not as willing right now to be able to say, or they have to couch their criticisms, maybe less so than you have. So how do you look at it generally?
Alex
For me personally, I'm curious. I've heard so much things about Trump from the media. Oh, he's this, he's that.
Krystal
But.
Alex
But seeing him in person, in long form, he has less of an opportunity to bullshit us. Like, once you're talking for a good amount of time, you can start to gauge. And I wanted to really know who he was, and I got a sense he was much sharper than I thought he was. Like, he's incredibly sharp. He's aware of everything going on.
Andrew
He's a media creature. Yeah. So it's like that.
Krystal
It's actually amazing to watch.
Alex
To me, anybody who wouldn't want to speak to somebody who's former president and potentially the next person.
Andrew
You're not a serious person. Yeah, like, doesn't mean we're not talking about plat.
Krystal
This isn't a platforming argument.
Alex
No, but they're saying that they might have used us.
Krystal
This is about you, like, to the extent of, like, for. To convince voters and to use people. Because, look, I'm telling you guys, this did happen. Like, I had multiple Trump interview requests in, and they're basically like, no. And I heard it off the record. It's like, bro, you're going to ask him too hard questions like this. It was quite literally told to me right now, I think. I mean, there's a reason he's going on Theo von and all, you know, and other places, because they didn't think that that was going to happen. So, I mean, like, that's what I'm asking for.
Andrew
I had three things I wanted to ask him about, and the entire interview was in. In my mind, I think, like, designed to get him to a place of comfort where he could honestly speak at length on those things.
Krystal
Yeah.
Andrew
I wanted him to acknowledge he was going to protect ivf. It's obviously important to me. It's how my wife and I were able to conceive. And Roe vs. Wade.
Graham
We were abortion. We wanted to ask him about that. We did.
Andrew
Oh, yeah, we asked him about the abortion. But it was. Yeah, there was like, a little interest that for sure. But for me, it was empathy for the illegals.
Krystal
Yeah.
Andrew
Which doesn't seem that he's doing, you know, and.
Graham
And to his credit, man, Andrew said to Trump, you have had people working in your establishment who were here illegally.
Krystal
Yeah, you did say that.
Andrew
I remember that. So it's like. And then there was one more.
Krystal
You asked him to be nicer, I think. No, not nicer, but. But it's like more.
Graham
Turn down the red.
Andrew
Like, what are we doing here? And then there was obviously the end of the foreign wars.
Graham
Al said, your ear looks fine if you listen. We said some. We said some shit.
Andrew
This is the revisionist history. That's so funny. And I think it's very important because I think what happens a lot of time is people are looking to skirt. So anybody that's critical of these interviews would like to put all the success of Trump's campaign on these interviews, instead of putting some accountability on the fact that they ran a dead guy and then a woman that couldn't speak. You need to, at the end of the day, take some accountability for not really having another offering that was successful to the majority of people.
Krystal
Totally.
Andrew
So I think it's easier to just place that blame. So I think there's a little bit of that going on.
Alex
And we called him out for evading the question, and then he was clever enough to come up with a term.
Krystal
That'S good at it.
Andrew
The weave situation. But no, the revisionist history I'm talking about is, if you remember, and there are plenty of articles that would support this. The second that interview came out, the conversation was not, look at this puff piece. The conversation was on all left wing media was. Podcast host laughs in Trump's face about claiming that he's a kind of truthful person. Day held.
Krystal
That was a breaking point.
Crystal
Actually.
Krystal
It was good. It was a good headline.
Andrew
It was every headline I was watching in real time. The Kamala campaign was clipping the interview. Yeah, I remember Kamala HQ clipped it. They clipped it nonstop. So if you actually look at this, the left wing media was using this as fuel for their fire. They weren't going, look at this, puff bees. They asked the nice questions. When everybody watched initially, the left was very happy about. They're like, finally a podcast bro. Whatever holds him to the fire. Finally there's all this stuff. So this revisionist history where like after the election results, we look back and be like, oh, they just fluffed them. It's like, well, what was it fair? Was it the best interview with Trump, which you guys said the left wing is saying, or was it the reason he got elected?
Krystal
Yeah, I like, no, it's a very fair.
Andrew
That's why I feel like this stuff is like disingenuous.
Alex
Well, if he lost, it would have been, oh, Trump ruined his election by going on all these.
Graham
No question.
Krystal
And people did say that, right? Remember, like, oh, Tony Hinchcliffe is going to cost Trump the election. Puerto Rican vote went up.
Graham
Also taken for a ride. This is a ride that was open to Kamala.
Krystal
Yes.
Graham
She didn't want to come on.
Krystal
Right.
Graham
So, like, it was open for Waltz.
Andrew
He didn't want to come on. It was open for everybody. We literally asked everybody.
Krystal
But then after the election, now a lot of them are coming on, which I think is good. And I think it's a great thing. And I think that's the interesting part, you know, to watch Buttigieg kind of come on here and his clips went massively.
Andrew
So did Bernie and he was Bernie's as well. And I think what a lot of people are realizing that don't just watch headlines. The people who eventually wouldn't really watch us and had a perception of us, and then they go watch like the full Buttigieg interview. They watch the full. Is that like this idea that like we're this like MAGA pod is. Is really just kind of like placed on us in reality where four guys who live in New York City, born and raised. I mean, Alex and I, born, raised in New York City, like lifelong Democrats, right. Who felt this.
Alex
I voted for them.
Andrew
All. Yeah, yeah, we've forgiven the. But, like. But, like, so. So this idea of us, I think you obviously know us, so it's, like, not really true. And then I think people are trying to grapple with when they watch the Buttigieg interview, like, what they thought we were and then what we actually are. And that's what happens when you only read and watch headlines. Now, what I always say is, like, we're accountable for that. When we put content out on the Internet, you know, it can be cut and sliced in all these different ways. So, like, that's not their fault. That's. That's our. I don't want to call fault, but we're accountable. That's totally fine.
Krystal
Right.
Andrew
That's the game we play. Of course. And eventually, we hope that enough different voices come on the podcast, as we'd all endeavored to do, where people get a better sense of a sense of us. But, like, you're gonna go through criticism on the way, and if the first time you get criticism, you fold. You never really were about it in the first place.
Krystal
Yeah. All right, let's switch to immigration, because this is where I find the most interesting divide. So I don't know if it's true, and I didn't ask Joe if it was true. There was a report about dinner. Joe Rogan had dinner with Trump, and he was like, hey, I want you to go lighten up on mass deportation. You have been very open about it. I wish that he wasn't doing this. That's the one thing where I'm like, you really didn't know what you were voting for? Like, there was a sign that said mass deportation at the rnc. Right. Like, it literally said it. He said, I'm going to declare the Alien Enemies act, and I'm going to deport them immediately on day one. Like, it was always open season. There was no distinction, criminal or not. Maybe sometimes, but, like, it was pretty open. It's like, if you're illegal, you're going home.
Andrew
Yeah.
Krystal
So, I mean, look, I understand realpolitik, and, like, you know, you have to balance certain things, but that's where I've seen some of the. Like, come on, guys. Like, what are you talking about? Yeah, like, in your pushback. That's reasonable. Like, you voted for. You quite literally voted for this.
Andrew
Yeah, that's reasonable. But I wouldn't. I didn't bring up immigration when I said these weren't the things I'm voting for.
Krystal
Okay, fair enough.
Andrew
That's right. That's where it's disingenuous. Like, I was specifically talking about Epstein, foreign wars and the budget.
Krystal
Sure.
Andrew
And then they go, look at all this stuff with immigration. That's not what you voted for. It's like, I'm not bringing that up. If I brought that up, then that would have been the context, obviously. I think the bummer is that, like, it's a bipartisan supported issue to get every criminal, illegal alien out of here. I think when you start to get the divide is when you have people that have been working for your family for years. You see these hardworking people that are doing these businesses, yes, they're here illegally, yes, they came illegally. And they knew if they got caught, they'd be thrown back. That is the game. I get that. But it pulls at your heartstrings when you see, like, a family being torn apart or you see them running into a fucking Home Depot and these guys scattered. As a human being, you have an emotional reaction to that.
Krystal
Okay.
Andrew
So I have a lot of empathy for that. And that's what I spoke to Trump about. I was like, guys, maybe there's a better way. I don't know how you go about doing it. I don't know how Holman does it, but if you at least bare minimum, just started with anybody who had committed a crime, I think you would get a lot more support, which is what.
Graham
He told us he would do.
Krystal
Well, I mean, look again, though, I want to be fair to them. Alien Enemies act was out there. Like, they were like, this is what we're doing. Like Seacock and El Salvador. It was honest.
Andrew
No, I don't think that they. I don't think they were dishonest. But I also don't think that, like, you have to agree with every single policy that a president has.
Krystal
Total. I totally agree.
Andrew
And I don't think that you are accountable for every single point. You could say. You could say, yes, you supported it because if you voted for that person, you did 100%. But it doesn't mean you agree with it.
Krystal
Right.
Andrew
You know what I mean? Like, I'm sure there's a lot of people that voted for Obama that might not agree with drone striking a wedding. Are they responsible for those deaths? Is that the thing that they voted for? Like, did I kill those people? No, I wouldn't want that to happen. Right. So I think there's a lot of things that governments do. I think the people that voted for, you know, different politicians in Flint, Michigan, they don't feel responsible for all those kids were poisoned by the Lead pipes. But technically they did vote for those politicians that allowed that to happen. So this is one of those things where it's just like, people are hurt, they're angry. And I think that they're trying to, like, place that blame for that pain and that anger they feel. And I get that that's a human reaction. You're totally allowed to do it. But I'm just going to explain, like, my perspective on that.
Graham
To Your point, in 2008, didn't Obama say he was against gay marriage? So if he voted for Obama, is it your fault it didn't get. Are you a homophobe?
Andrew
You must be a homophobe if you voted for.
Krystal
The irony is he won more votes and that's how he was able to become president, by doing that.
Andrew
I'm just joking. Barry, we love you.
Crystal
Yeah.
Krystal
All right, so the final one, which I think is a very interesting question, is around Vibes. And so the biggest critique I have seen, and I'll be honest, I even fell victim to some of this, was you guys were voting on Vibes, not on policy, not you specifically, but this contributed to the vibe based election where you encouraged people or got people. Everyone was in a headspace where the vibe was that Kamala and Biden were awful and that Trump was awesome. So to the extent here that there is regret, was any of it quote, vibes based in retrospect?
Andrew
If you remove vibes? Yeah, because I think Vibes is a little bit.
Krystal
It's. It's ambitious. It's hard.
Andrew
No, no, no, no, no, no.
Alex
No excitement.
Andrew
It's.
Krystal
I think it was in the ether, I would say.
Andrew
I would say culture.
Krystal
Yeah.
Andrew
Like, there's a specific. Like they invited me to go to the inauguration and I didn't go to the inauguration.
Krystal
Good move in retrospect.
Andrew
But. Yeah, but in my, in my opinion was like, if I go to the inauguration, I'm endorsing everything about you, right? I'm. I'm going there and celebrating this moment. It's like, no, no. You have some ideas that I would like to see implemented. And the second you don't implement those ideas, I'm on that ass. And if you do implement them, I'm going to praise you for implementing the ideas that I believe are good. But. But I think when you start going to the events and you start dancing and that kind of shit, then it makes it very difficult for you to hold that person to the fire.
Graham
Yeah, you look like.
Krystal
Which is what we're watching right now. There's a lot of podcast Guys who went to the inauguration, and now it's all very tepid, right? It's like, oh, well, yeah, I wish. You know, it's up to them. That's terrible. And they have bad advisors. And I'm like, well, you know, it's not just the advisor.
Andrew
There's hold the candle to that ass. What was the question you were asking real quick?
Krystal
It was about vibes, and it was just a reflection on a vibes basis.
Andrew
What I would say is that, like, I think a lot of people were voting on culture, and there might not be policy tied to culture, but, for example, like, one cultural issue I think was the identity politics stuff. I think that there was, like, an exhaustion by it. And it looked like the culture that Trump was ushering through is like, yo, we're not going to be obsessed with the word police and the identity politics, and everything is 40 different genders, and you got to put the genders, your pronouns on your bi. Like, that cultural shift, I think, was very supportive.
Krystal
Totally.
Andrew
Especially by, like, the guys in the manosphere, let's say. And I think that that captured people, and that is not necessarily a policy thing. But you have seen a massive shift when you see all these politicians start taking their pronouns out of their Twitter bio. Right. You start to see. So I don't know what policy that is, but it does feel like it's a move in a direction for a culture shift that people want to get on board.
Krystal
I totally agree.
Alex
Piggybacking on the culture, I would say. I would call that just excitement, because we've seen with Obama the way that he got excited. We have a low voter turnout in general, but he got people who never voted before excited to vote for the first time this last election. Trump got people excited to vote. So. And then you've seen Mandani. Mandani got people excited to vote in a primary. We never vote in primaries. Nobody gives a fuck about primaries, especially New York City. So that's what I'm saying.
Krystal
You won the most votes in what primary history? In history with ranked choice voting. But still, I mean, it's a lot of votes.
Andrew
So that's what I'm saying.
Alex
It's more about excitement.
Graham
It's not vibes, depending on how you describe vibes. Define vibes. Most elections probably come down to vibes.
Andrew
Bill Clinton, vibes.
Graham
JFK was fucking vibes. Bill Clinton. Was this the first time Republicans had vibes? And y' all can't handle it.
Andrew
Well, Reagan.
Graham
But that's because y'.
Andrew
All.
Graham
Oh, Reagan had vibes.
Krystal
Yeah.
Graham
It's the first time in our lifetimes that they had vibes. And y'.
Andrew
All.
Graham
Y' all ran some with no vibes.
Krystal
Yeah.
Graham
Who's the dude that's on you?
Krystal
Yeah.
Crystal
And then just lost everything.
Graham
Howard Dean.
Krystal
Howard Dean.
Alex
Yeah.
Krystal
I mean, that's like, they. Him on that.
Crystal
Of course, he did get.
Krystal
Because he was the. Against the Iraq war that. That was used against him.
Crystal
I'll stand up for Howard, but it's quintessentially vibes.
Krystal
I totally agree.
Crystal
Like, it gets. It gets run everywhere.
Andrew
Everywhere.
Krystal
Howard didn't do anything wrong. I'll say it.
Crystal
But I mean.
Graham
But the vibe, to Mark's point and.
Crystal
Kyle and her campaign, I think, were also trying to run an equal encounter vibe energy, where they were like, we are joy, and we are the party of joy, and those guys are weird, and we're joy.
Andrew
They were trying to manufacture vibes.
Krystal
Right. Okay. So then finally, that's the way I was.
Andrew
If there was a moment where it felt like they were going to break through.
Krystal
Yeah. It was summer 2020.
Andrew
It was like this. Yeah. Where, like, it seemed like they were having a big turnout at their live events, and they were trying. They were looking at Trump. They're like, yo, nobody's showing up to his body. And then the first debate, like, yo. It was. It was. There was a moment where it seemed like there was a lot of positive energy. And I've spoken to a lot of my friends that, like, were really staunch Kamala supporters and, like, worked in Democratic campaigns. And what they said to me, which is really interesting in retrospect, they're like, I thought Kamala was going to blow him away. I thought it was going to be an absolute blowout. And what this showed me is that I was kind of existing in a little bit of a bubble. And I think that that's really helpful. Like, I think it's good that people start to learn that if you're existing in an echo chamber, that's not only rewarded by, like, your friends and community, but also your algorithm. You don't get a real sense of what's happening in the world. And I think being able to pull themselves out of that, they start going, oh, maybe not every person that voted for Trump is maga. Maybe a lot of people that voted were just rejecting this Democratic institution that seemed to, like, strip its constituents of the democratic process. And I think now they're starting realize that. And when you ever. You see, like, Pete or Bernie or any of these guys talk about it, they're quite critical of what happened in these last elections. And that's refreshing.
Krystal
Well, I want to hear more from Pete in particular.
Andrew
Well, he's also part of that.
Krystal
Yeah, he's part of the machine. But.
Andrew
But even as part of the machine, when he came on here, like, he didn't balk at it at all. We asked him.
Krystal
Yeah, but, yeah, no, you guys did a good job on that, actually. And, and to be honest, he will have to still pay for his role, like, in. In all of that, because, I mean, he worked for the guy and he didn't say anything. Right. You know, at the end of the day. Yeah, I want to end on the Mamdani point, which is talking about. And you've quite a bit of news mag is very pissed off at you. They're like, how is a Muslim socialist pissed to me?
Andrew
Be pissed at me.
Krystal
But the question, as long as both.
Andrew
Extremes are pissed of me, I am in the perfect space.
Krystal
All right, so then. But let's talk about the New York first comment, because. Okay, then to the extent you're a guy in our culture, Matt Damon's in, Jason Bourne's in your promo video. Shut up, man. That's pretty big. All right, so the question then on that front is as somebody who voted for Trump and then can look at a guy like Mamdani, who, if you were to watch fo news, everyone's like, this guy's a Muslim socialist. He's gonna destroy New York. And you look at this person, you say, this person is New York first. What in the culture leads you to that conclusion? And then also to like, surmise his victory here in the Democratic primary in New York.
Andrew
I mean, New York first to me means he's trying to address issues that New Yorkers have instead of gaslighting New Yorkers into thinking they don't have issues. So, like, the specific moment happened, obviously, when they're all on that, like, yeah, little, like, public access debate stage. It was embarrassing. Embarrassing that the greatest city in the history of the world, they got like, three disposable cameras that they're videotaping is.
Krystal
Like, we're in nice studio right now.
Andrew
What the fuck is going on? We should have lent them the studio. Right? So, so. And then they all ask them where their first foreign trip is going to be, which is not important to New Yorkers. If I can't pay rent. Where you go for your first foreign trip is not important. Okay? And then he goes, I'm not leaving. I'm going stay right here and work for New Yorkers immediately. That's a New York York first mentality. Right. Him doing the halal shit feels like New York first. Him saying rent freezes now. Keep in mind, I disagree with a lot of his policies, and I am really curious to see how he will enact them. One, I think they'll be quite difficult given, like, the structure of our democracy. Like, you're going to have to deal with Albany to raise taxes.
Krystal
I've talked about this as well. It's a procedural point which non New Yorkers actually have no idea about. The way this place is run is insane.
Andrew
It's very difficult. Right.
Krystal
So.
Andrew
So I do think that he'll have difficulty in executing these things. But when you want to talk about vibes, you want to talk about culture. What he is bringing forward is an idea that he is fighting to get people in New York the things that they need. And what they need is savings. What they need is. Do I get it?
Krystal
Yeah, I think you got it.
Crystal
Oh, you got.
Krystal
Oh, no.
Andrew
They need is. We're going to quit screens on our windows. But, like. Yeah, so, like, when I say he's New York first, it' seems like he's actually trying to serve the people of New York, the things that they desperately need. And do I agree with his solutions? No. Can he convince me when he comes onto the podcast? Sure. I would love to learn why this works from the people that I've spoken to. Like, I can see some downstream effects, especially with, like, the rent freezes and stuff that might hurt, but, like, let's hear it. I want to hear it out. And I feel like they're. They're appealing to what New Yorkers need. I don't know what the fuck Cuomo wants to do. Has Cuomo told you how he's going to help you? Like, he's just going.
Krystal
He's going to visit Israel, though.
Andrew
Yeah, that's important.
Krystal
That's great.
Andrew
Yeah.
Graham
You put old people in homes, you let them die, you don't report it. That's New Yorker.
Alex
And if you haven't heard anything, that means it's gonna be status quo.
Andrew
Exactly. So if they're not saying anything, then you assume it's gonna be the same. And I think that an important thing that people need to realize. And I think Trump benefited from this. I think Obama benefited from this. We have much more leeway for an outsider's ideas than we do an insider.
Krystal
Interesting. Okay. Why? And how would you explain that to a Democrat who wants to win? Not just flagrant vote, but let's say the audience who's Well, I think an.
Andrew
Insider, the expectation is it's going to be status quo. It's going to be the same thing that we've existed, and that's not working for us, right? So if you're an insider and you don't have any crazy rebellious idea, and you don't, because you've been politics for 20, 30 years, I'm going to assume that the exact same life that I'm living now is going to happen. When you're in office, an outsider has all these cockamamie ideas that they might not be able to be implemented, but at least they have hope that they could be right. And that is seductive. When you're struggling, hope is the most amazing thing. It's the antidote for everything. So let's see if they're able to implement it. Let's see if Trump is able to do these things that he promised us he would do. And then if they don't, let's hold them to the fire. Let's say old Mamdani does get elected and then he's not able to do these things. Hold that ass to the fire.
Alex
And there's hope for insiders too, because you could be a Bernie. He's been in the system forever and.
Andrew
He'S still going to consistent, right? That's very.
Graham
He seems like, like, he's like outcast.
Alex
But I think you can change from inside.
Graham
When you look at the Trump election, I look back on that Kamala's for they them ad and I'm like, holy fuck. That had a massive impact equally with Mamdani. I think you watch that clip from that debate that you talked about, there is no question one of them seems like an outsider because the insiders are saying, I'm gonna go to Israel, I'm gonna go to. And if you're watching that, you're like, what the fuck does this have to do with anything? What's going on with you guys? And then the fact that anybody could take. It's obviously my brother, I'm gonna defend him always. But like, to take exception to him saying, Mamdani comes across in New York first when every other person made it about another country. And then he says, I'm taking care of New York first. He literally says he's New York first. How are we supposed to interpret that any different?
Andrew
And then Portnoy is like, he's a socialist thing. I wanted to get a communist. He's doing all these things like Portnoy just say you're upset about the Israel shit, right? Stop Acting like you don't live in New York. Stop acting like you care.
Krystal
You live in Miami. Exactly.
Andrew
Stop acting like you care if like a socialist communist runs New York. You're upset because he said, globalize the intifada. Just make it about that. You're allowed to make it about that. Sure, but don't.
Krystal
And they tried already, actually.
Andrew
Yeah, it doesn't work.
Graham
But like, you spend enough days, just enough days here to not pay New York taxes and then you go back. I don't blame you for.
Andrew
I do it too.
Graham
But like, let's be honest.
Andrew
Stop it. Yeah, exactly. That's what I'm saying. And you're allowed to be upset about that. You should saying fucking globalizing intifada and then not backing it off, knowing what it means to people. It's like, that's fucked up and you should be able to be held accountable for. And he can be fucked up. But don't give me this I'm afraid of Congress, communism and socialism and try to attribute this thing Jamie Dimon said to me.
Graham
Oh, Jamie Dimon knows what New Yorkers are going through. He knows a real New Yorkers are going through.
Krystal
Also, he lives in Connecticut. But anyway, yeah, I'm pretty sure you don't fact check me. I'm sure he owns a fan.
Andrew
I don't care what nobody says about Mandani. If you're not spending more than 51% of the year in this city, if you're not spending more than 51%, you're not pot committed. So just shut the fuck up about it. Like we're the one that got to deal with it.
Krystal
I like it. I mean, I think that's the final kind of thing I wanted to end on was to just look at whether. Again, you don't have to put personalize it if you don't want to, but do you think that the podcast bro audience is up for grabs for the Democrats the next.
Andrew
Absolutely.
Krystal
Yeah. Why do you say that I'm up for grabs? It's not just for you, but I'm talking about the whole ecosystem and you know them better than.
Andrew
Let me tell you why.
Krystal
Theo Joe Rogan.
Andrew
Let me tell you why.
Krystal
Tim Dillon, everybody.
Andrew
Let me tell you why. Look at the. This bug is going to get killed.
Krystal
Yeah.
Andrew
Oh, did you get it? No.
Krystal
No, he didn't.
Andrew
Come on. All right.
Graham
So as soon as I slapped, I knew that shit was ugly.
Andrew
So the.
Graham
I regretted moving the loose ass rinse.
Andrew
I'll tell you why it's up for grabs because we're Allegedly this big mag of podcast and Pete Buttigieg comes on and has the biggest interview of his career. Not our biggest interview of our career. His biggest interview.
Graham
That was Trump. No, I'm kidding.
Andrew
It's actually Rogue and mrbeast, you know, but like. So the biggest interview of his career is our listeners.
Krystal
Sure.
Andrew
Right. Bernie comes on, has a massive episode with R. So what it says to me is that what you think is our listenership is not. Now, we know this because I've been doing standup around the world, and I have the most diverse audience in all of standup. So all these white people complaining about all this bullshit who have no friends that are minorities at all. We laugh at them when we go to a show and we see what it is and it looks like the fucking UN So what I think is it's very simple.
Alex
Simple.
Andrew
Whoever has the ideas that meet the needs of the people and can actively convince us that they can execute those ideas is going to win our vote. It's going to win my vote. Facts 100%.
Graham
Yeah.
Andrew
Trump had better ideas, to me, okay. Than what I saw from the institution, the Democratic institution, which had a guy who was dead as president and then inserted another person that none of us voted for even in the primary in the first place. To me, that subverts democracy, and I don't like that. I'm going to make American. Yeah.
Crystal
Not to mention the class issue. I think inflation and then a lot of foreign wars is an issue that can be won by either side.
Krystal
Yeah.
Andrew
Like.
Crystal
And if.
Andrew
Go on that.
Crystal
If Democrats decide that they're going to really focus on that in the next election, then I think people, regardless of which, you know, political aisle they fall into, will, I think, you know, be responsive to it.
Andrew
Can I. Can I bring up to that? You're the one I see right here. We can stretch a little bit. The. This is like a very important thing, I think, for Democrats to know. When the Republican Party wins union support, it is something that you've got to pay very close attention to. If the Democratic Party does not stand for union workers, what does it stand for? What does it stand for?
Krystal
I agree.
Andrew
Identity politics. I don't know.
Krystal
I mean, I think that's what happened. Yeah, I'm with you.
Andrew
The Democratic Party should. Should hold down union support. And when they decide to either not endorse anybody or some of them endorse Trump, you have to realize that there's something else going on here. Right. Like, and you know, that that's. That's what I would say like, how does Trump appealing with Republican policies to union workers?
Krystal
Right.
Andrew
Where the fuck do those cross? So what I think it is is they just felt like the Democrats weren't answering any of their concerns.
Krystal
To me, it seems like really what you're saying is everything has to be outsider, which is a really interesting problem for the Democr because it's a party that venerates insiders and punishes outsiders. Guys like Ro Khanna, who I know you guys recently absolutely had on, and that'll be the interesting war for them. And maybe they will pick a buttigieg who's able to speak to you. And also, you know, Mr. MSNBC.
Andrew
I think it's insiders, all right. I think they'll get it.
Krystal
I hope that you're right for the sake of the country. I'm still personally skeptical.
Graham
I think people are just disillusioned. A lot of the people, if they listen to this podcast and vote for Trump, they're just disillusioned with how things was. Yeah, he seemed like things would be different. Now they're not. I guarantee you a lot of people listen to this podcast are disillusioned with him right now.
Krystal
Now.
Graham
So bring us somebody that feels different, that will do differently, and then they'll vote for that person.
Krystal
Okay. Okay, vibe check question from all of you. J.D. vance, if he runs in 2028, I think, what's your vibe check on him?
Andrew
I think JD Vance is going to have to grapple with one of the most difficult things in the history of this country. And that is like, how AI will fundamentally change the workforce. And I think that he is uniquely situated in that. He comes from a place in America, America that was absolutely devastated by outsourcing. He comes from Appalachia. He, you know, comes from like a drugged up household, unfortunately. And he saw what outsourcing does to a community. And once you could call thriving community, at least there was some economic impact there. And now, you know, it's like, I think there's an Appalachia scholarship that they offer anybody who basically passes high school. You get free college knowledge in the state of Ohio. I mean, they treat white people. They're like Native American. It's like, it's unbelievable, right? So, like, for me, I would ask J.D. it's like, how are you going to make sure the rest of America doesn't turn into the exact place that you grew up in? And what are you going to do right now? Like, I don't think you should be waiting. I think you should be doing it right. What policies are you implementing right now? You have an ear to the president. What are you telling we need to do to protect that from happening? Happening?
Graham
And how are you going to grapple with that when Peter Thiel is funding your campaign?
Krystal
Well, I. So this is what I was.
Graham
Really.
Krystal
That's a fantastic question, by the way. I meant more about, like, vibe check as an insider or outsider.
Andrew
He got to work on his jog. That jog was suspect.
Graham
Vibe check. He seems insider to me in that he just seems like a politician.
Alex
I think he, I think he's a brilliant chamele. Chameleon.
Krystal
I'm sorry.
Alex
And he will mold to whatever he needs to be. Because the fact that he called Trump Hitler and he's now his vice president. How the fuck does that happen?
Krystal
Keeping my personal feelings out of this, because I, I, I genuinely want to know. Like, I'm like, how do, how does, how do you guys feel?
Andrew
I think we, I think we don't really know what I think.
Krystal
Like, she mentioned the teal thing. I know Theo was upset about that.
Andrew
Yeah, I'm very. Because they've invested in him for, for a long time now. They put a lot of money in, so they're eventually going to ask for something for that. And I don't know, maybe Trump doesn't get all that big tech investment if JD is not there. Who knows? But they didn't.
Krystal
I think.
Andrew
So they didn't sign on until JD was announced.
Krystal
Fair. Yeah.
Andrew
So that's the name of the game. And I'm sure JD's aware of that. So the thing about JD is that there's. Without a question, he's been doing defense for Trump. Right. So he is obviously very intelligent. If you treat him like some country bumpkin, you're a fucking idiot. He's gonna walk all over you. He's ready for every fucking interview. And the emotional intelligence is through the roof. The guy broke his shit growing up, ends up going to Yale, offers nothing to the nepo babies and oligarchs kids at Yale. He offers nothing and somehow manages to navigate that social strata, which is very difficult, even if you're a nepo baby. I agree.
Krystal
I've known JD since 2015, so I agree with you.
Andrew
What I think a lot of times, Dem, is they're not really treating him with maybe the respect that they and fear that they should.
Krystal
Okay.
Andrew
Once he's unleashed, we're going to see what happens. But he's not allowed to be unleashed yet. He's in defense mode for Trump. Trump fucks up, JD goes and explains it in a way that everybody goes, oh, that is kind of a good point. You know, he's like, she's like a think tank for when Trump does something that's unpopular. I want to know what he got to do.
Crystal
But yeah, he's going to have a massive issue depending on how Trump's second term actually finishes because he'll ultimately have to answer for a lot of the domestic as well as the foreign policy decisions. And if there's some type of like foreign invasion in Iran, then he will either have to distance himself internally, which, as we know Trump like is adamant about loyalism. And so he's here now criticizing Zelensky, the White House. And then we'll have to somehow backtrack on that if he's trying to get elected, or he'll have to try to justify an Iran invasion in the event that that happens. Hopefully not. And I think that it'll be consequential if he tries to run.
Graham
I think if Trump ends his term really poorly, I don't think he wins a primary. And if it ends really well, I think Trump is going to run for a third term. What's he going to do?
Krystal
I like it.
Andrew
Guys.
Krystal
Andrew, you got to get out of here. Thank you guys so much for having me, letting me use the studio.
Andrew
Anytime, bro. We love you.
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Andrew
This is an iHeart podcast.
Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar
Episode Title: Saagar Asks Andrew Schulz "Do You Regret Voting For Trump", JD Vance Vibe Check
Release Date: July 19, 2025
Host: Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti
Produced by: iHeartPodcasts
The episode begins with a brief introduction featuring motivational snippets and advertisements for PayPal and Homes.com. These segments are quickly skipped as the hosts transition into the main discussion.
Notable Quote:
"I've never felt like more things are possible than right now." – Krystal Ball (00:24)
Krystal initiates the conversation by addressing the recent backlash Andrew Schulz faced for his podcast interview with former President Donald Trump. The central question revolves around whether Andrew regrets having supported Trump during his election campaign.
Key Points:
Andrew's Stance: Andrew firmly states that he does not regret interviewing Trump, emphasizing that the interview was conducted with genuine curiosity rather than as a "gotcha" session. He criticizes traditional media for often asking predetermined, hostile questions that don't stem from genuine interest.
Media Expectations vs. Podcast Authenticity: Andrew contrasts podcasting with traditional journalism, highlighting that podcasts allow for authentic conversations driven by the host's curiosity. He believes that traditional media interviews are often tainted by agendas that don't truly seek answers.
Notable Quotes:
"I don't regret a single thing about it." – Andrew Schulz (02:32)
"I want to be an astronaut, an artist, an actress... I'll find a way to do anything I set my mind to." – Andrew Schulz (00:10)
"People are like, why don't you ask him about Epstein... it's not how these things work." – Andrew Schulz (04:15)
The discussion delves into how interviews on podcasts like Andrew's may have influenced voter perceptions and the overall election dynamics. Krystal and the team explore whether such interviews swayed public opinion or merely provided platforms for politicians to refine their messages.
Key Points:
Revisionist History Argument: Andrew challenges the notion that his interview with Trump was a "puff piece," asserting that left-wing media often portrayed it as such to downplay its significance.
Audience Perception vs. Reality: Krystal highlights how segments of the audience might misconstrue the podcast's intentions based on edited clips or headlines, emphasizing the importance of consuming full-length interviews for accurate understanding.
Notable Quotes:
"The left was very happy initially... Now, in retrospect, it's being reinterpreted." – Krystal Ball (15:09)
"We laugh at them when we go to a show and we see what it is and it looks like the UN." – Andrew Schulz (16:12)
Krystal shifts the conversation to the concept of "vibes" in elections, questioning whether voters are swayed more by cultural narratives and emotional appeals than concrete policy positions.
Key Points:
Cultural Shifts vs. Policy:
Andrew's Perspective: Emphasizes that cultural issues like identity politics and reactions against certain societal shifts played a significant role in the election. He highlights how cultural fatigue with topics like identity politics resonated with voters seeking change.
Krystal's Analysis: Agrees that cultural dynamics, rather than specific policies, often drive voter behavior. She references historical examples like Reagan and Howard Dean to illustrate how "vibes" have long influenced political landscapes.
Hope vs. Delivery: Drawing parallels to Barack Obama's campaign, Andrew discusses the power of hope in motivating voters. He contrasts it with the challenges of policy delivery once in office, stressing the importance of holding elected officials accountable.
Notable Quotes:
"Vibes is about culture... identity politics stuff... that's very supportive." – Andrew Schulz (21:19)
"Most elections probably come down to vibes." – Graham (23:53)
"When you're running for president, it's hope. When you're president, it's delivery." – Andrew Schulz (08:31)
The conversation transitions to immigration, exploring how voters reconcile their support for a candidate with disagreeable policies like mass deportations.
Key Points:
Holding Voters Accountable: Andrew argues that while voters may support candidates for specific reasons, they shouldn't be absolved of responsibility for all policy outcomes. He draws parallels to voters who supported Obama despite disagreeing with certain actions.
Emotional Reactions vs. Policy Support: Krystal points out the emotional turmoil voters face when witnessing the human impact of harsh immigration policies, questioning whether their support was truly informed.
Notable Quotes:
"If you voted for Obama, did you kill those people?" – Andrew Schulz (19:36)
"You have the emotional reaction to that." – Andrew Schulz (18:48)
Focusing on local politics, Krystal discusses the "New York First" approach, particularly in the context of candidate Mandani, and how it resonates with voters' needs.
Key Points:
Mandani's Approach: Andrew appreciates Mandani's focus on addressing local issues over broader foreign policies, labeling it as "New York First." He acknowledges the challenges Mandani might face in implementing his policies due to democratic structures.
Critique of Opponents: The hosts critique current New York leaders like Cuomo, arguing that their lack of actionable solutions leaves voters disenchanted.
Notable Quotes:
"What are you doing here? And then he goes, I'm not leaving." – Andrew Schulz (27:38)
"If you're not spending more than 51% of the year in this city, you're not fully committed." – Andrew Schulz (32:19)
In the latter part of the episode, the hosts conduct a "vibe check" on JD Vance, assessing his potential candidacy and the challenges he may face.
Key Points:
JD Vance's Challenges: Andrew highlights Vance's background from Appalachia and his firsthand experience with economic devastation caused by outsourcing. He questions how Vance plans to address emerging issues like AI's impact on the workforce.
Perception as an Insider or Outsider: The team debates whether Vance is perceived as an insider within the political establishment or an outsider capable of enacting significant change.
Notable Quotes:
"He comes from a place in America that was absolutely devastated by outsourcing." – Andrew Schulz (37:06)
"He is going to have to grapple with how AI will fundamentally change the workforce." – Andrew Schulz (37:06)
"JD Vance is going to have to answer for a lot of the domestic and foreign policy decisions." – Crystal (40:35)
The episode wraps up with final thoughts on the evolving political landscape, the role of media, and the importance of accountability in leadership.
Key Points:
Democrats and the Podcast Audience: Krystal emphasizes the potential for Democrats to engage and win over the podcast audience by addressing their concerns authentically.
The Importance of Diverse Voices: Andrew advocates for inviting a wide range of guests to the podcast to provide listeners with varied perspectives and foster informed decision-making.
Notable Quotes:
"Whoever has the ideas that meet the needs of the people and can actively convince us that they can execute those ideas is going to win our vote." – Andrew Schulz (34:43)
"Moments of positive energy can significantly shift voter perceptions and turnout." – Alex (23:40)
In this episode of Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar, the hosts engage in a robust discussion with Andrew Schulz, dissecting the nuances of political podcasting, voter motivations, and the intricate balance between culture and policy. They critically assess the impact of authentic conversations versus traditional media narratives, emphasizing the need for accountability and genuine engagement in the political discourse. The conversation also delves into local politics, immigration policies, and offers a comprehensive "vibe check" on emerging political figures like JD Vance, underscoring the evolving strategies required to resonate with and mobilize the electorate effectively.