The Day I Called Trump "My President"

Summary

Summary of "Free Thinking Through the Fourth Turning with Sasha Stone"
Episode: "The Day I Called Trump 'My President'"
Release Date: July 13, 2025

In this poignant episode, Sacha Stone delves into the seismic political and cultural shifts that have transpired one year after the tragic Butler, Pennsylvania rally where an assassination attempt on Donald Trump occurred. Through a blend of firsthand accounts, expert commentary, and personal reflections, Stone explores the enduring impact of the event on both the MAGA movement and the broader American sociopolitical landscape.

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1. The Butler Rally and Assassination Attempt

Stone opens the episode by recounting the events of the Butler rally, a significant moment in MAGA history. The rally was notably marked by a shooting incident that nearly claimed Trump's life and resulted in the death of a bystander, Corey Comperatore.

• Tucker Carlson's Perspective (00:55)
  Carlson provides a detailed backdrop of Butler, Pennsylvania, highlighting its decline and the disconnect between the town's residents and the professional class in major cities. He emphasizes the resilience and loyalty of Butler's citizens to Trump despite widespread negative perceptions:

  "Millions of Americans sincerely love Donald Trump. They love him in spite of everything they've heard... Donald Trump is and has always been a living indictment of the people who run this country."
  (00:55)

• Detailed Account of the Shooting (05:22 - 07:07)
  The episode meticulously describes the chaotic moments during the rally when Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old armed with an AR15, opened fire. Despite the immediate danger, Trump's quick reflexes and the rapid response of the Secret Service ensured his safety, albeit at the cost of Comperatore's life and injuries to others.

  "Donald Trump reaches up with his hand. The first bullet pierces the upper part of his right ear... Secret Service agents swarm the former president and shield him with their bodies."
  (05:22 - 06:56)

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2. Community Aftermath and Corey's Legacy

One year post-Butler, Stone reflects on the community's efforts to honor Corey Comperatore, who became a symbol of sacrifice during the tragic event.

• Tribute to Corey Comperatore (10:15 - 12:20)
  COREy's family organizes "Corey's Cruise," a motorcycle ride celebrating his life and contributions as a volunteer firefighter and community member. His daughters, Allison and Kaylee, express deep gratitude for the recognition and the collective memory of his heroism.

  "He was so involved in the community... He would be in support of this. 110%."
  (10:37)

• Selina Zito's Account (12:20 - 14:44)
  Author Selina Zito provides an in-depth narrative of Butler's significance and Trump's unique connection to the town. Her insights emphasize the cultural and historical importance of Butler in understanding Trump's appeal.

  "He'd cry at the end of the night when nobody was looking... One year after Butler, it has been promises made and promises kept for people like me."
  (12:20 - 14:44)

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3. Political Climate and Inner Conflicts Within MAGA

Stone examines the internal dynamics and challenges facing the MAGA movement a year after the Butler incident, highlighting skepticism, shifting loyalties, and emerging fractures.

• Changing Allegiances (22:20 - 24:06)
  The episode features accounts of MAGA supporters like Andrew Schultz, who express disillusionment with Trump's administration, citing unmet promises and policy reversals.

  "I voted for none of this. He's doing the exact opposite of everything I voted for."
  (23:46)

• Epstein Files and Conspiracy Theories (17:27 - 23:59)
  The discussion delves into the contentious issues surrounding the Epstein files, with figures like Selena Zito criticizing the handling and suppression of information. The conversation touches on broader themes of political corruption and media manipulation.

  "Why didn't these radical left lunatics release the Epstein files?"
  (21:27)

• Tucker Carlson's Critique (20:21 - 22:20)
  Carlson laments the diversion of focus from pressing domestic issues to controversial social policies, particularly targeting transgender participation in sports.

  "I want to see a country I recognize. I don't want to see people sleeping on the sidewalk... Good. I'm so glad."
  (20:21)

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4. Social Issues: Transgender Policies and Healthcare

Stone addresses the contentious debates surrounding transgender rights and healthcare, underscoring the polarized viewpoints and legislative battles.

• Trans Youth's Testimony (14:44 - 16:10)
  An unnamed transgender youth shares a harrowing account of medical transition, highlighting the physical and psychological repercussions that were glossed over by professionals and institutions.

  "He didn't tell me that taking cross sex hormones and undergoing major surgery at 14 years old could leave me with pelvic floor dysfunction."
  (14:44)

• Legal Battles Over Transgender Sports (16:10 - 17:27)
  The episode covers the Trump administration's lawsuit against California's Department of Education for allowing transgender girls to compete in girls' sports, framing it as a violation of federal law and a demeaning policy.

  "They are forcing recognition of boys as girls... redefining speaking self-evident truth as an act of punishable heresy."
  (22:20)

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5. Reflections and Personal Journey

In the concluding segments, Stone shares her personal transformation from a former Democrat and Leftist into a critic seeking to understand the opposing side, ultimately supporting Trump.

• Humanizing the Opposite Side (29:02 - 32:12)
  Stone narrates her journey of attending Trump's rallies, initially viewing him skeptically, but gradually recognizing the shared humanity and genuine support behind his persona. The assassination attempt catalyzed her deeper reflection on political divides and the necessity of understanding one's adversaries.

  "If I'd never left the doomsday bunker and found my way to watching a MAGA rally, I'd have never humanized Trump either."
  (32:12)

• Final Thoughts on Political Unity and Future Outlook (32:12 - 38:21)
  Stone emphasizes the importance of solidarity within political movements and the challenges posed by internal conflicts and external opposition. She underscores the resilience of the MAGA base despite attempts to fragment the movement through high-profile scandals and legal battles.

  "One year after Butler, I know I made the right choice when I voted for Trump. I'll be forever grateful to him for rescuing this country."
  (32:12)

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6. Musical Interlude and Closing Remarks

The episode transitions into a musical segment featuring an original song that echoes the tumultuous emotions surrounding the Butler event and the ongoing political strife. The lyrics convey themes of loss, love, and lingering tensions.

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Key Takeaways

• Enduring Loyalty to Trump: Despite widespread negative portrayals, significant segments of the American population remain steadfastly loyal to Donald Trump, viewing him as a bulwark against perceived societal decay.

• Community Resilience: The Butler community's tribute to Corey Comperatore underscores the profound personal losses wrought by political violence and the collective efforts to maintain solidarity and remembrance.

• Internal MAGA Divisions: The episode highlights growing dissent within the MAGA movement, with supporters reevaluating their allegiance based on unmet expectations and evolving political stances.

• Contentious Social Policies: Debates over transgender rights and healthcare reflect deeper societal rifts, with legislative actions serving as flashpoints for broader ideological battles.

• Personal Transformation: Sacha Stone's journey from leftist critique to a nuanced understanding of MAGA supporters exemplifies the complexities of political realignment and the human capacity for empathy across ideological divides.

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Notable Quotes:

• "Millions of Americans sincerely love Donald Trump. They love him in spite of everything they've heard." — Tucker Carlson (00:55)

• "He would be in support of this. 110%." — Allison Comperatore (10:55)

• "I voted for none of this. He's doing the exact opposite of everything I voted for." — Andrew Schultz (23:46)

• "If I'd never left the doomsday bunker and found my way to watching a MAGA rally, I'd have never humanized Trump either." — Sacha Stone (32:12)

This comprehensive exploration offers listeners a deep dive into the complexities of post-Butler political dynamics, personal transformations, and the enduring tensions shaping America's cultural and political fabric.

Transcript

[Sacha Stone]

Hi, this is Free Thinking through the Fourth Turning. My name is Sacha Stone. The day I called Trump my president, one year after Butler. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Some say Trump won a second term one year ago today when his head was almost blown off on live television. Maybe that's true, maybe it isn't. Luck was most definitely on his side. That bright, beautiful day in Butler, Pennsylvania. I've been looking forward to the rally because he was returning to a place made almost famous in MAGA lore by Tucker Carlson, who explained Trump's appeal better than anyone else ever had.

[Tucker Carlson]

The picture is from a town called Butler, Pennsylvania. It's 35 miles north of Pittsburgh. The President held a rally there over the weekend. Butler's like a lot of places you'll find in this country once you head inland from the coasts. It's a former industrial town. They made Pullman rail cars there for many years, but it's been losing population for decades. There's still a lot of nice people in Butler. For 60 grand, you can buy a decent house. There's. It's a place you might be happy in. But our professional class is not impressed by Butler. They don't consider Butler, Pennsylvania, or places like it the future. To them, places like Butler are embarrassing relics of a past best forgotten. The men of Butler may have built this country, and they did, but they mean nothing to our leaders. Now, you can be certain of that, because when large numbers of people in Butler started killing themselves with narcotics, no one in Washington or New York or Los Angeles said a word about it. And so it continued. There have now been so many opioid deaths in Butler that a few years ago, residents built an overdose memorial in the middle of town. MSNBC didn't cover that. So given all of that, it was interesting how the people around Butler feel about Donald Trump. Here are the pictures of the President's rally there on Saturday night. Tens of thousands of people came. So many people that the crowd obscured the horizon. It looked like a visit from the Pope. When was the last time a political speech drew that many people? Well, the media didn't ask. Instead, they attacked the rally as a super spreader event. Trump endangers thousands in Pennsylvania. Okay, we'll leave the epidemiology to cnn. But the question still hung in the air. Why did all those people come? Why? They must have known that Donald Trump is the most evil man who's ever lived. They've heard that every day for five years. They know that people who support Donald Trump are also evil. They're Bigots, they're morons. They're racist cult members. They know that Americans have been fired from their jobs for supporting Donald Trump, not to mention kicked off social media, belittled by their kids, teachers, shunned by decent society. Only losers and freaks support Donald Trump. People in Butler knew all of that. But on Saturday, they went to the Donald Trump rally anyway. Why exactly did they do that? We should be pondering that question deeply as we watch tomorrow's returns and as we live through the aftermath of them. Millions of Americans sincerely love Donald Trump. They love him in spite of everything they've heard. They love him often in spite of himself. They're not deluded. They know exactly who Trump is. They love him anyway. They love Donald Trump because no one else loves them. The country they built, the country their ancestors fought for over hundreds of years, has left them to die in their unfashionable little towns, mocked and despised by the sneering half wits with finance degrees but no actual skills, who seem to run everything all of a sudden. Whatever Donald Trump's faults, he is better than the rest of the people in charge. At least he doesn't hate them for their weakness. Donald Trump, in other words, is and has always been a living indictment of the people who run this country. That was true four years ago when Trump came out of nowhere to win the presidency, and it's every bit as true right now.

[Sacha Stone]

So when Trump was almost assassinated, the first question I had was, why Butler? Even one year later, it seemed odd it happened there, especially since US Intelligence already knew Trump's life was threatened. And outside in Butler, there were many rooftops and many ways to climb on top of them. It wasn't secure, but then again, MAGA rally seemed like the last place anyone would get away with shooting Trump. Here is a video of the shooting. Hello, Butler. And hello to Pennsylvania. I'm thrilled to be back.

[Unnamed Reporter]

Trump begins with his speech. Things seem normal. He turns to the right and points at a chart showing statistics on border crossings. At the same time, several people in the crowd notice a man with a gun on the roof of a building close by. It's too late.

[Tucker Carlson]

Take a look at what happened.

[Unnamed Reporter]

All of a sudden, bullets start flying. One even gets captured on camera. Another building about 400ft or 120 meters north of the stage. The shots are coming from here on the roof. The gunman is 20 year old Thomas Matthew Crooks. He is armed with an AR15 semiautomatic rifle. The gun was legally purchased by his father. First, he apparently fires a Round of three shots.

[Tucker Carlson]

Take a look at what happened.

[Unnamed Reporter]

Trump reaches up with his hand. The first bullet pierces the upper part of his right ear. He will later say that turning over to the right at that exact moment prevented the bullet from hitting him right in the head. He ducks down behind the podium and within three to four seconds after the first shot, Secret Service agents swarm the former president and shield him with their bodies. Crooks opens fire again immediately with five more shots. Right before the first shot by Crooks, one of one of the snipers on the left roof behind Trump seems to detect the gunman and prepares to return fire.

[Sacha Stone]

Take a look at what happened.

[Unnamed Reporter]

Some outlets report that these snipers killed Crooks, while the Secret Service confirmed its personnel neutralized the shooter. We could not corroborate that it was in fact these specific agents. The gunman also hit spectators on the bleachers. One man died, 50 year old Corey comprador. Two others were critically injured. With Trump's microphone still on, we can hear the tense exchanges among the agents.

[Tucker Carlson]

When you're ready. On you ready.

[Secret Service Agent]

Move, move.

[Sacha Stone]

Go.

[Unnamed Reporter]

About 42 seconds after crooks opened fire, they confirmed the shooter is down.

[Sacha Stone]

Are we good?

[Tucker Carlson]

Shooter's down. Are we good to move?

[Unnamed Reporter]

They prepare to escort him to an armored vehicle.

[Sacha Stone]

Let me get my shoes on. Got you, sir. I got you, sir.

[Tucker Carlson]

Let me get my shoes, sir.

[Sacha Stone]

Hold that in your head.

[Tucker Carlson]

It's bloody, sir.

[Sacha Stone]

We gotta move to the closer. Move to the bus.

[Tucker Carlson]

Let me get my shoes. Okay, watch your shoes.

[Sacha Stone]

Watch out. Wait, wait, wait, wait.

[Unnamed Reporter]

In about 75 seconds after ducking to the ground, Trump raises his fist. He's mouthing the words fight, fight, fight. The resulting photos immediately travel around the entire world.

[Sacha Stone]

In September, another assassin would give it a shot. A burned out Gen X surfer dude who wanted to save democracy.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

Details this morning on the Florida man arrested for an assassination attempt against President Trump. Federal prosecutors releasing new evidence they claim shows Ryan Routh's apparent obsession with the assassination plot. Before he allegedly stalked Trump on his West Palm beach golf course. Prosecutors say Ruth, a fear supporter of Ukraine, reached out to an associate there and requested a pocket, a rocket propelled grenade and other weapons. State authorities also say he waited for 12 hours in a sniper's nest just off the golf course. A Secret Service agent positioned one hole ahead of the president, spotted the barrel of an assault rifle in the bushes and engaged him.

[Sacha Stone]

But one year after Butler, it's as though the tragedy never happened at all. The left never fully absorbed it and is awash in assassination porn. Every day and the right, well, let's just say there are many forces at work to break up the grassroots movement otherwise known as maga. Here is a look back at the good, the bad and the ugly of this past year. The good One year after Butler, Trump's presidency has been a smashing success. When you look at everything he's accomplished, from the historic bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities to the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, to passing one big beautiful bill and several key Supreme Court decisions in his favor. The tariffs seem to have worked out and the economy is humming. One year after Butler, the Secret Service has been overhauled. They will continue to reform the agency, they say, to prevent something that catastrophic from happening again. One year after Butler, Cory Comperatore is remembered as a hero. He protected his family from gunfire. But to those left behind, they don't feel like there has been enough closure on the case. How could they have left them unprotected? Here is Corey Comperatore's widow. Why Butler? Why Butler? Why was that such a failure? I want to sit down and talk to them. I have the right to. They need to listen to me. But on Saturday, the community came together to honor Corey with a motorcycle ride called Corey's Cruise.

[Kaylee Comperatore]

Allison and Kaylee Comperator are preparing to honor their dad one year after he was killed at that Butler rally. Tonight, his daughter's taking a moment to reflect on this past year without him.

[Allison Comperatore]

The fact that the whole world knows my dad's name and they care so much about him and the sacrifice he made for our family, our country and everything he did, it means the world.

[Kaylee Comperatore]

Kaylee and Allison Comparator nearing one year since their father, 50 year old Corey Comperator was killed when a gunman opened fire at President Trump's rally in Butler. Their father shielding them and their mother when he was killed. Tomorrow his life and service to the community will be celebrated.

[Allison Comperatore]

He was so involved in the community. He was a volunteer fireman. He was very involved in the church. He spent 30 plus years giving back to the community and being able to continue his legacy and do something that I know he would be just over the moon for. He would be in support of this. 110% kickstands up.

[Kaylee Comperatore]

At 11am tomorrow, Corey's Cruise will take off from Freeport High school. The nearly 50 mile motorcycle ride will be led by Allison, Kaylee and their mother Helen. Hundreds of people then expected here at no off season sports complex in Russelton for a day of live music and celebration. The day will end with a special performance of Until We Meet Again by Gary Burke iii, Local country artist that song written about Cory Comparator shortly after he was killed one year ago.

[Allison Comperatore]

He would be so surprised if there's so many people who care about him and want to come celebrate him and he would be so proud of us for donating the money to causes that were so special to him. So I think, I think he'd be in total awe and then he would cry at the end of the night when nobody was looking.

[Kaylee Comperatore]

The proceeds from tomorrow's event will be put back into the community through local first responders, churches and a Doberman rescue that we're told was very important to Corey covering Allegheny county in Russelton. Kaylee Gunderson, Pittsburgh.

[Sacha Stone]

Corey's cruise that's the MAGA spirit paying tribute to one of their own. One year after Butler journalist Selina Zito published the definitive account of that day. A Pennsylvania native, Zito captures Butler and cares enough about the place and its people to tell the story of its history and why it mattered that Trump came to Butler at all. He's the only sitting president ever to do so, she says. Podcast listeners of Book cover Butler by Selena Zito Zito has seen Trump in a way no other mainstream journalist ever has and even tops Tucker Carlson, I think, in explaining Trump and his appeal. Maybe because she knows the time and place of which she writes. Maybe it's something else, an ability to see what other people can't. Here is an interview with Selena Zito and Andrew Walworth from RealClear Politics. Interestingly enough, he called me the morning after the shooting and before I could even say hello, he asked if I was okay and my daughter and son in law were okay because they were with me and they were literally under me when the gunshots went, when the, when the, when his campaign press guy took us all down because none of us sat down, we just kept working.

[Tucker Carlson]

Yeah, he you know if you're listening on this to this on the radio.

[Sacha Stone]

You should go to our YouTube channel.

[Selina Zito]

To see Zelina because one of the.

[Sacha Stone]

Things he says is you have some of the the greatest hair in America and if anyone is watching this on YouTube, you they will attest to the validity of that observation. One year after Butler it has been promises made and promises kept for people like me. I voted for Trump for two reasons. To protest the unprecedented authoritarian lawfare by Joe Biden and the Democrats and to put an end to the gender madness that was destroying the minds and bodies of children. It is still hard for me to believe this is going on in America with no guardians on the left to protect kids. And when I see videos like this, I am reminded why I voted for Trump and why I would vote for him a thousand times over.

[Unnamed Trans Youth]

I hadn't even learned algebra in high school yet, but I was old enough to choose to have healthy parts of my body electively amputated. I was sold a product, Medical Transition, by professionals and institutions who told me that it would fix my distress and save my life. I was told that if I didn't do this, I would probably end up dead. But here's what they didn't tell me. They didn't tell me that taking cross sex hormones and undergoing major surgery at 14 years old could leave me with pelvic floor dysfunction and urinary incontinence problems I have to manage now as a young adult. I'm only 20 years old. They didn't tell me that these complications are common enough to be known risks. And yet they were hidden from me at an age where I didn't even understand what these terms meant, let alone the impact they would have on my daily life. And it doesn't stop there. When I tried to warn others by leaving honest reviews on my surgeons websites describing my regret, the complications, the lack of real informed consent, my reviews were deleted. Think about that. A surgeon permanently altered my healthy body when I was a middle school student and then erased my negative feedback to protect his reputation. If that doesn't sound like fraud, I don't know what does.

[Sacha Stone]

For podcast listeners, a video from ABC Tonight the Trump administration is suing the California Department of Education for allowing transgender girls to compete on girls sports teams, alleging the policy violates federal law. The lawsuit filed by the Justice Department says California's transgender athlete policies violate Title 9, the federal law that bans discrimination in education based on sex. The department says California's rules, quote, are not only illegal and unfair, but also demeaning, signaling to girls that their opportunities and achievements are secondary to accommodating boys. We reached out to the California Department of Education about the lawsuit. They said they cannot comment on pending litigation. And a headline from Guardian trans Youth Fight for Care as California Clinics Cave to Trump. How can this happen here? And the caption Eli left with his mother, Emily. Eli is one of nearly 3,000 patients who learned in June that they would be abruptly losing their health care. 3,000 patients one year after Butler the Trump administration is going after John Brennan and James Comey for Russiagate. Here is Victor Davis Hansen.

[Selina Zito]

The piece of resistance for John Brennan was in October 2020, on the eve of the second and critical presidential debate, Joe Biden was in trouble. People were furious about this laptop. There was pornography on it, there was drug use. There was references to Joe Biden as Mr. Big Guy, 10% that he'd been giving money he was crooked. People were wanted to hear he had no excuse. So what happened? Anthony Blinken, his future Secretary of State campaign aide, called Michael Morale, interim FBI direct CIA director, at one point said, Round them up. So 51, quote unquote. Intelligence authorities swore that the laptop had all the hallmarks of Russian information. Notice the words, all the hallmarks, escape clause of Russian information, not disinformation. But that's what they meant. So what happened in the debate? Trump went right after Biden and said, that laptop is real. It shows that you're a crook. It shows you your son is a miscreant. And Joe Biden's, how dare you. 51 intelligence authorities swear that it's a product of Russian espionage. Only you and Rudy Giuliani believe that. And it was effective. Later, a poll showed, the Technometrica poll showed that if people had known that it had been authenticated, and by the way, that laptop was sitting in the hands of the FBI and adjudicated to be authentic and not released to the public at a time when James Comey's f, excuse me, Christopher Wray's FBI was partnering with Twitter and Facebook to suppress any news story that was accurately reporting that the laptop was authentic.

[Sacha Stone]

Matt Taibbi has been on the story for years and goes into it at great length on America this Week. The bad one year after Butler Elon Musk, who said he became a Trump supporter that day, is now a Trump hater, someone so filled with rage and resentment that he started his own political party just to hurt Trump and said on Twitter that Trump is in the Epstein files, which put the whole ugly scandal into motion. The truth? Musk was likely burned after Trump shut him out of the inner circle. The richest man in the world might be among the most fragile. And hell hath no fury like an Elon scorn. Tucker Carlson is party ways with the Trump administration because of Iran and Israel. Now proclaiming Israel is the one behind the Epstein cover up. He's also saying in his recent speech for Turning Point that it's no big deal to kick biological men out of women's sports.

[Tucker Carlson]

Who cares if you deny people what they actually want long enough and instead substitute things that you claim they should want, like bombing Iran? You know, I mean, I'm not whatever I'M not for Iran. Or you spend all day telling me that it's so important that you know boys not playing girls soccer teams. Whatever. I agree. I hate the tranny stuff. Passionately. I think you should keep the boys off girls soccer teams. But I don't know, it kind of feels like you're feeding me appetizers. At some point. I want to look around and see a better country. I want to see a country I recognize. I don't want to see people sleeping on the sidewalk. I don't see people oding on drugs. I want to know where are those drugs coming from? Why can't you stop it? You've got the US military. Don't you have SEAL Team 6? Like, what are they doing today? Don't you have Delta Force? You could give me another segment about how impressive the US military is. I believe you. Why aren't they employed to make my country better? Why are my cities disgusting? I don't want to go there. It smells like weed and halal food. And you're lecturing me about how it's a great moral victory that I kicked the boys off the girls soccer team. Good. I'm so glad. But let's do the real stuff, like making New York livable and create an economy where my kids can have kids. How about this? How about we just make the measure really super simple. Can my children have the. Without the benefit of like the great luck I have had? Can they have a rucks roughly approximately life that I had? Or how about just a middle class life? Can they like get married young as I did and like have four kids and you know, take a couple jobs, work hard and all that stuff, but in the end it's like, fine. Can they do that? Or is that like so remote a possibility that you need to tell me that Iran is the real threat? Take my mind off the fact that you stole all the money and screwed up my country beyond recognition.

[Sacha Stone]

A tweet from Wesley Yang. Boys are not out of girls sports. California is willing to risk billions in federal funding to keep inflicting boys onto girls sports and will keep fighting this contest at any cost. The exercise of state power to force recognition of boys as girls is not a minor peccadillo. It reaches down to the most intimate space of your elementary school age daughter's changing room and demands obeisance to absurdities and complicity in cruelties as part of a nationwide humiliation ritual that redefines speaking self evident truth as an act of punishable heresy. The issue is the instrument through which the woke regime claims authority over empirical reality itself to do with as it pleases. Failing to obtain total victory on this matter would be submission to a new dark age. End quote. One year after Butler Fair Weather MAGA like Andrew Schultz, Theo Vaughn and Joe Rogan aren't ride or die Trump supporters anymore. They chose him at the time as the better option. But if Trump doesn't give them exactly what they want, not fund Ukraine, wash their hands of Israel, or reduce the government deficit, whatever it is, they're free agents now, right? Ripe for the picking. Here is Andrew Schultz.

[Tucker Carlson]

I voted for none of this. He's doing the exact opposite of everything I voted for.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

I want him to stop the wars, he's funding them. I want him to shrink spending, reduce the but he's increasing it.

[Sacha Stone]

It's like everything that he said he's.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

Going to do except sending immigrants back.

[Sacha Stone]

And now he's even flip flopped on.

[Tucker Carlson]

That, which I kind of like One.

[Sacha Stone]

Year after Butler a war has broken out between the head of the FBI, Dan Bongino and Attorney General Pam Bondi over the promised release of the Epstein files. MAGA wants Bondi to be fired or to step down because of it. She made it seem like there was a client list and they would be naming names, but then abruptly announced that no, there isn't one and case closed. So Trump has had to take to Truth Social to defend her and try to steady the ship. But more and more people are reading this like a cover up. In other words, MAGA is creating its own Watergate like situation to take down its own leader. For podcast listeners, a Truth Social post by Donald J. Trump quote, what's going on with my boys and in some cases gals. They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi who is doing a fantastic job. We're on one team maga and I don't like what's happening. We have a perfect administration, the talk of the world, and selfish people are trying to hurt it all over a guy who never dies. Jeffrey Epstein. For years it's Epstein over and over again. Why are we giving publicity to files written by Obama, crooked Hillary, Comey Brennan and the losers and criminals of the Biden administration who conned the world with Russia, Russia, Russia, hoax, 51 intelligence agencies, the laptop from hell, and more. They created the Epstein files just like they created the fake Hillary Clinton Christopher Steele dossier that they used on me. And now my so called friends are playing right into their hands. Why didn't these radical left lunatics release the Epstein files? If there was anything in there that could have hurt the MAGA movement. Why didn't they use it? They haven't even given up on the John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King Jr. Files. No matter how much success we have had securing the border, deporting criminals, fixing the economy, energy dominance, a safer world where Iran will not have nuclear weapons, it's never enough for some people. We are about to achieve more in six months than any other administration has achieved in over a hundred years and we have so much more to do. We are saying we are saving this country and making America great again, which will continue to be our complete priority. The left is imploding. Kash Patel and the FBI must be focused on investigating voter fraud, political corruption, ActBlue, the rigged and stolen election of 2020 and arresting thugs and criminals instead of spending month after month looking at nothing except the same old radical left inspired documents on Jeffrey Epstein. Let Pam Bondi do her job. She's great. The 2020 election was rigged and stolen and they tried to do the same thing in 2024. That's what she is looking into as AG and much more. One year ago our country was dead. Now it's the hottest country anywhere in the world. Let's keep it that way and not waste time and energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody nobody cares about. Thank you for your attention in this matter. Pam Bonney is a major problem and Donald Trump is about to lose his entire base over it. Both the left and the Never Trumpers are using the Epstein case in hopes of dividing and conquering maga and from the looks of it, they're winning. It reminds me of that song from U2 so cruel. I gave you everything you ever wanted. It wasn't what you wanted. Even though the Democrats had the files all through Biden's presidency, they are counting on people being stupid enough to believe them when they pretend to care for podcast listeners. A tweet from Eric Swalwell. You were promised the truth about Epstein. Trump buried it. House Republicans refused to take out the shovels to unearth it. That's okay. House Democrats will get to the truth. The Ugly One year after Butler Almost no one cares about the shooter Thomas Crooks. He is a ghost.

[Secret Service Agent]

We have millions and millions.

[Tucker Carlson]

Officer Thomas crooks was just 20 years old with no history of political radicalization or violence. Thomas Crooks, an engineering student who impressed his teachers with big plans for his future, according to his former professor, Patricia Thompson. I thought he was a star student.

[Sacha Stone]

He had his head on straight and he was on a path for success.

[Tucker Carlson]

But when Crooks path changed right here.

[Secret Service Agent]

Right on the ribs.

[Sacha Stone]

He's going down.

[Tucker Carlson]

Shooting and wounding President Trump. Killing volunteer firefighter Corey Comparatore and injuring two more at a campaign rally near Pittsburgh. Crooks was killed by a Secret Service sniper. Did you think it can't be him?

[Sacha Stone]

If Thomas Crooks had succeeded, would he have been made a hero like Luigi Mangione? Is that what he was seeking? That kind of adulation and respect? He was not only a nobody, a loner, but like so many others spent his formative years on lockdown online. Who knows who got to him? One year later, the lesson was not learned because the tragedy was never fully absorbed. All they knew was that they were angry the shooter missed. We have to assume that yes, Crooks would have been remembered well if he hadn't. Instead he was shot and killed in the blazing sun on a rooftop at just 20 years old. One year after Butler. Comments like this are not just accepted but encouraged podcast listeners. A tweet from Mark Russo Brothers were based AF for blowing this MF to smithereens in Civil War and a picture of the Trump meme with Trump as Superman. Nothing has changed for the Democrats and the left. Their propaganda press and their so called resistance have not done a single thing differently. After their defeat. They didn't absorb what happened on their side. The debate, the cognitive decline, the George Clooney op ed and Kamala Harris terrible campaign. If anything, they've become even more emboldened to amplify their hate against Trump. As if they didn't just suffer the greatest political humiliation in American history. But they did. We were there, we saw the former President Trump will win the state of Indiana. Trump will also carry nearby Kentucky. Trump will win West Virginia, winning tonight.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

Tennessee, 11 electoral votes there and Trump.

[Sacha Stone]

Will win the state of South Carolina.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

Missouri. Donald Trump picks up 10 more electoral votes. Donald Trump wins the state of Alabama, nine electoral votes from Alabama in Oklahoma. Oklahoma tonight, one of the most Republican states in the country. Donald Trump picks up another seven electoral votes.

[Tucker Carlson]

The former President Trump will win Texas.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

Donald Trump will win the state of Florida, his home state.

[Tucker Carlson]

Former President Trump will win Louisiana.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

He also wins North Dakota.

[Sacha Stone]

Former President Trump will win Arkansas.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

South Dakota. Donald Trump wins three electoral votes.

[Sacha Stone]

Former president will win Idaho's four electoral.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

Votes, three more electoral votes from Wyoming.

[Sacha Stone]

Trump will win the state of Utah. Utah, adding another six votes electoral votes to his column. Former President Donald Trump will win the state of North Carolina.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

Donald Trump picks up six electoral votes in Mississippi. He also wins Ohio.

[Sacha Stone]

State of Georgia will go to Former President Donald Trump. Donald J. Trump will win the state of Pennsylvania. We have breaking news where Trump is now the projected winner in Michigan.

[Tucker Carlson]

It is now official. CNN projects that Donald Trump has been elected president, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris.

[Unnamed News Anchor]

And making a political comeback unlike any.

[Tucker Carlson]

In modern American politics.

[Sacha Stone]

All it's meant to them, one year after Butler is that they have to wish harder for Trump's demise. They have to get louder and meaner one year after Butler. And the left still has no power except for one democratic socialist on the rise who was leading them to even further fanaticism. The day I called Trump my president, if I'd never left the doomsday bunker and found my way to watching a MAGA rally, I'd have never humanized Trump either. I too might have said about both of these attempted assassinations. Too bad he missed. But I did escape. I had to leave. When the hatred I was engaging in made me feel sick. I knew I had to do something to understand better why we were on one side and they were on the other, and why we felt it was okay to treat half the country like human garbage. At first, the Magarellis were like homework. I was looking for that smoking gun. Was Trump really Hitler? Was he a bigot and a racist? No. He was just someone who didn't follow our strict rules of language, which had become so rigid that we didn't even know what basic words meant anymore, like man and woman. Over time, the rallies became, for me, the one bright spot amid a long, miserable, dark winter. There were celebrations with happy people, and none of them judged each other. All of them were part of an America that people like me had abandoned long ago. Finding my humanity in 2020 would change the course of my life, something I could never have predicted would hit me in middle age. All I knew was that I had to do what I thought was the right thing. And humanizing my enemies was it. So, of course, I was watching Trump's rally in Butler. I wouldn't miss it. And when I saw Trump was shot, I said, please, God, not my President. My President. I didn't vote for him in 2020, so how could he be my president? And besides, he hadn't even won yet. I can't really explain it, except to say that by then I knew the forces that had been marshaled to remove Trump from power by any means necessary. And there were only a few months left before it was too late for them. Would they really go this far? Could they? Would it have been like shooting fish in a barrel to find vulnerable people who might want to make something of their miserable lives by becoming famous for taking out public enemy number one. I guess as Rupert Pupkin says in King of Comedy, better king for a day than schmuck for a lifetime. One year after Butler will never know the answer to that. If there ever was any evidence, it's long gone by now. It could just be that lockdowns caused real harm to the minds of the young, especially young men, and no one has bothered to look into it. One year after Butler I know I made the right choice when I voted for Trump. I'll be forever grateful to him for rescuing this country and its children from the clutches of fanaticism. And you can't watch as many rallies as I have and come away not liking the guy. Those who are missing this moment might find decades from now that they missed out on one of the most spectacular moments in American history when this country elected one of its brightest lights. Thank you for listening to my podcast, sashastone.substack.com Please leave a review if you care to on itunes or Spotify. And if you consider becoming a paid subscriber, I would greatly appreciate it because it helps to keep me running this site and recording podcasts. And thank you very much for being great readers and great listeners and kind supporters. And remember to thine own self be true.

[Secret Service Agent]

This is a song we haven't played before. On this tour we cross the line we pushed you over and doesn't matter to you it matters to me.

[Sacha Stone]

What.

[Secret Service Agent]

Could adrift still floating I'm only hanging on to watch you go down my.

[Sacha Stone]

Love.

[Secret Service Agent]

I disappeared in you you disappeared from I give you everything I ever wanted wasn't what you wanted the men who love you y' all hate the most they pass right through you like a ghost they look for you but your spirit is in the air.

[Tucker Carlson]

B.

[Secret Service Agent]

You'Re nowhere you see in love there are no rules sweetheart you're so cool desperation is a tender trap gets you every time you put your lips to her lips to stop the lights.

[Sacha Stone]

You.

[Secret Service Agent]

Don'T know if it's fear or desire danger the drug that takes you higher head of heaven fingers in the mire and you know it's you that's the lion you say in love there are no rules oh sweetheart, sweetheart your son Ra.