Kash Patel, Drunk with Power

Summary

Lovett or Leave It – “Kash Patel, Drunk with Power”

Date: April 25, 2026
Host: Jon Lovett
Notable Guests: Senator Chris Murphy, Simone Sanders Townsend (co-anchor of Ms. Now), Eugene Daniels (senior Washington reporter, co-anchor of Ms. Now)

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Episode Overview

This live episode, taped at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, D.C. on the eve of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, delivers a comedic but sharp rundown of current U.S. political chaos, with particular focus on the Trump administration’s culture of cronyism and scandal. Key topics include Kash Patel’s embarrassing tenure as FBI Director, political sycophancy, prediction markets as a sign of “spiritual disintegration,” military vaccine policy, the ongoing war and Middle East policy, issues of Democratic messaging, and a recurring theme: the dangers and absurdities of Trump-era governance.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Kash Patel Scandal and Trump’s Loyalty Culture

[02:00–17:00]

• Lovett lampoons former Trump appointee and current FBI Director Kash Patel for reportedly repeated public drunkenness, absenteeism, and embarrassing behavior, citing a blockbuster Atlantic article.
  • “At times, Patel’s security detail reportedly had trouble waking him because he was plastered… On one occasion, last year, Patel’s security detail made a request for SWAT-style breaching equipment because he was unresponsive in a locked room.” – Jon Lovett [04:30]
• Lovett skewers the cycle of blind loyalty to Trump, contrasting it with total lack of merit: “To get a top job in the administration, these people must be willing to completely embarrass themselves for Trump.”
• The segment underlines the danger of sacrificing competency for loyalty, particularly in sensitive security and counterterrorism roles.

Notable Quotes:

• “We’re the modern day Marie Curie. And by that, I mean this experiment will kill us.” – Jon Lovett [02:35]
• “He’s not prepared for another 9/11. When those are the directions his eyes point.” – Jon Lovett [07:46]

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2. Military Health Policy & Anti-Vaccine Rhetoric

[09:00–12:00]

• Lampoons the reversal of longstanding flu vaccine mandates, analogizing this to myopic anti-science, pro-“choice” rhetoric among military leaders like Pete Hegseth.
• Lovett reminds listeners of the historical impact of flu on the military effort in WWI, mocking the present for abandoning lessons hard-won by previous generations:
  • “This is the military. You don’t even get to choose your own haircut. This guy gave a whole speech about beards being woke. Now you can’t have a mustache, but you can choose walking pneumonia.” – Jon Lovett [11:38]

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3. RFK Jr., Anti-Vax Politics, and Trump Era Incompetence

[12:00–14:00]

• Includes a segment on RFK Jr.’s congressional testimony and vaccine skepticism, poking fun at his “crank beliefs” and inability to commit to CDC guidance.
• Lovett notes that, for all their bluster, the one thing Trump administration cronies won’t do is ever publicly contradict Trump.

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4. Trump Administration’s Diminishing Talent Pool

[14:36–15:52]

• The shrinking pool of competent public servants: “It’s gotten so bad, they’re running out of fuck ups. U.S. Attorneys offices, once considered among the most prestigious… have started recruiting lawyers straight out of law school.”
• A recurring theme: the erosion of basic standards and the farcical result.

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5. Interview with Senator Chris Murphy

[22:50–45:59]

Kash Patel and the FBI Crisis

• Murphy and Lovett discuss whether Patel’s drunken antics are the real scandal or a symptom.
  • Murphy: “You can’t take a day off, an hour off as the director of the FBI and especially in the middle of a war. This guy has fired everyone competent in counterterrorism.” [23:35]

Senate Funding Fights and U.S.-Israel Policy

• Murphy provides insight into logjams over DHS and ICE funding, as well as growing Senate opposition to offensive arms sales to Israel.
• On Israel: “If you show up every day caring about Israel’s security, you should oppose the way in which they are enacting a humanitarian catastrophe inside Gaza…” [26:40]
• Murphy discusses the importance of using U.S. leverage to push Israel toward international law compliance.

Social Media Controversy & The Strait of Hormuz Tweet

• Lovett and Murphy joke about right-wing outrage over Murphy’s “awesome” tweet regarding Iranian ships.
  • Murphy: “These guys are so desperate… that they are going to create fictions… just so that for one day they don’t have to talk about the fact that they are destroying American security…” [28:58]

The Problem of Prediction Markets in Politics

• Murphy decries online prediction markets (like PolyMarket and Kalshi) allowing bets on government action or war, as inherently corrupt and corrosive to democratic morality:
  • “You suck the moral component out of these deeply moral issues when they just become an opportunity for somebody to make money.” [31:50]
  • “Part of that spiritual rot… is a retreat from people actually deciding they’re going to spend their life trying to fix democracy. Instead, they can just stay connected… on Kalshi and PolyMarkets.” [35:11]

Election Security and 2026 Midterms

• Murphy offers guarded optimism—crediting Democratic vigilance on norm-breaking Republican tactics and gerrymandering.
• His current anxieties: unchecked AI and crypto money in politics; warns that efforts to appease the tech industry are misguided, as they will invariably back Republicans.
  • “If we’re going to beat AI, if we’re going to beat crypto in this election, it’s because we’re going to take them on and promise to the American people that if you put us in power, we’re going to actually protect American families from the poison...” [41:02]

Cult of Trump: Lightning Round Sycophancy

• Lovett quizzes Murphy on real vs. fake proposals for Trump-worship legislation (Trump on the $250 bill, Mount Rushmore additions, federal holidays). Most are real.
  • Murphy: “I mean, Dulles is a terrible airport. So it can have his name.” [42:51]

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6. Simone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels Join

[48:25–74:22]

White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Press Solidarity, and Trump Coverage

• The panel discusses journalists’ petition for the WHCA to directly confront Trump in the room.
• Daniels: “What you do in the room is what matters–how you respond to Donald Trump. And if he goes off… we need to be prepared to respond.” [51:04]
• Sanders Townsend comments that Trump only respects those who fight back—a challenge for the press: “If you put up a fight, Donald Trump… respects the fight and he likes the tussle.” [52:27]

Democratic Strategy, The 25th Amendment, and Messaging

• Panel humorously debates whether Democrats could still “fuck this up,” even with plummeting Trump approval numbers.
• Daniels affirms Democratic focus and base energy, highlighting the 25th Amendment posturing as a smart way to show responsiveness—even if the outcome is foregone. [56:33]
• Lovett notes, “You can just say [Trump has] crimes against the Constitution… you can just say that’s what they are because it’s what they are.” [57:43]

Rapid-Fire Democratic Party Questions (from Daniels, a journalist, to Lovett & Sanders Townsend)

• Should Democrats broaden their coalition to the right? Mixed responses; Lovett argues “pro-democracy” addition, not subtraction, is necessary, but warns not to neglect core base outreach. [61:34]
• Who is the best and worst Democratic messenger right now?
  • Consensus that no clear, singular figure stands out at the moment as the best; Democratic governors are strong.
  • Chuck Schumer named (with caveats) as the worst, particularly as a public communicator. [65:20]

Why Hide the 2024 Postmortem/Autopsy?

• Daniels shares that party leaders think releasing it would be an “unforced error,” though all agree this is shortsighted.

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7. Rant Wheel: Unfiltered Closing Thoughts

[69:34–72:26]

• Simone Sanders Townsend: Congress must address sexual harassment in its ranks—calls out abuse of young staffers. [69:41]
• Daniels: It’s time to stop “sanewashing” Trump: “There is something wrong with Donald Trump, and I just feel like we should all just start saying it.” [71:23]
• Lovett: A lighter rant on the iPhone’s annoying (and mysterious) camera button. [73:02]

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Notable Quotes

• “These people have no idea what they’re doing. How are they going to open the Strait of Hormuz? They can’t even clear a path for a fucking portrait.” – Jon Lovett [15:46]
• “I say this as somebody who supports a Jewish state in the Middle East… they are making it much harder on themselves in the long run if they don’t do the things necessary to preserve a future Palestinian state living next door.” – Sen. Chris Murphy [27:12]
• “You suck the moral component out of these deeply moral issues when they just become an opportunity for somebody to make money.” – Sen. Chris Murphy [31:50]
• “Part of that spiritual rot… is a retreat from people actually deciding they’re going to spend their life trying to fix democracy.” – Sen. Chris Murphy [35:11]
• “The Democratic tent is large … but there are many people in the tent that are not voting for you right now.” – Eugene Daniels [61:02]
• “You can just say [Trump has committed] crimes against the Constitution… because it’s what they are.” – Jon Lovett [57:43]
• “If you put up a fight, Donald Trump… respects the fight and he likes the tussle.” – Simone Sanders Townsend [52:27]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:00–17:00: Kash Patel, FBI, and Trump admin incompetence
• 22:50–45:59: Chris Murphy interview: Israel, war, prediction markets, election security, tech money in politics
• 48:25–74:22: Sanders Townsend & Daniels: Press and Trump, Democratic Party tactics, lightning round, rant wheel
• 69:41: Sexual harassment in Congress (Rant wheel)
• 71:23: Trump’s mental state (Rant wheel)
• 73:02: iPhone button complaint (Rant wheel)

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Memorable Moments

• Murphy calling out the “spiritual rot” prediction markets represent and tying it to lack of faith in democracy.
• The real/fake Trump-worship bill quiz, with Murphy quipping about Dulles: “Dulles is a terrible airport. So it can have his name.” [42:51]
• Unscripted riff between Simone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels, blending pointed political observation with hilarious rapport and gentle roasting.
• Lovett’s wrap-up: “As Democrats, we avoid momentary pain, even if that would get you to a better place…” [68:13]

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Takeaways

• The Trump administration’s prioritization of loyalty over merit breeds not only corruption but dangerous incompetence, especially in law enforcement and defense.
• Democrats are increasingly—if belatedly—willing to challenge both the right and themselves, but issues of messaging, coalition-building, and risk-aversion persist.
• The role of prediction markets as both a symbol and tool of democratic decay is newly urgent.
• Despite the jokes, the risks to American democracy are real and intense—capped by a call to action and a reminder that everyone, regardless of partisan depth, needs to engage this November.

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[Note: The summary omits sponsorships, intros, credits, and other non-content sections. Timestamps are actual to the transcript.]

Transcript

[John Lovett]

Hey, you're listening to Love it or Leave it live in D.C. sponsored by Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Washington is famous for a lot of things. Cherry blossoms, great Ethiopian food. Terrible, terrible. People in Congress block people from using their Medicaid at Planned Parenthood health centers because it wasn't hard enough to get health care before. When the Trump administration defunded Planned Parenthood, it put more than a million people at risk of losing access to affordable health care. Defunding Planned Parenthood means cancers go undetected, STIs go untreated, and people struggle to get basic health care. Congress can stop this. That's why Planned Parenthood Action Fund is fighting like hell to make sure patients can get the care they need. This fight needs you. Go to plannedparenthoodaction.org love it. To donate today and help protect care for millions. That's Planned Parenthoodaction.org lovet I'm Kiana and

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I leveled up my business with Shopify.

[Eugene Daniels]

Once I figured out that Shopify was

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

a thing, I never turned back.

[Eugene Daniels]

I can create a site with my eyes closed. Shopify thinks ahead of us, you know,

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

and it thinks about the customer more than anything. Every day I'm thinking about some other

[Eugene Daniels]

new business, but Shopify is doing it

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

to me because it's so easy to use. It's like, I can't stop. I'm addicted.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

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[Eugene Daniels]

Honestly, I just booked my VRBO because

[John Lovett]

there was a sweet wine fridge.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Hey, we all have our reasons. Don't walk into a surprise if you know you VRBO terms apply. See vrbo.com trust for details.

[John Lovett]

Washington, D.C. it is great to be back at the Lincoln Theater. We have got a great show for you tonight. Senator Chris Murphy is here. Simone Sanders Townsend and Eugene Daniels are here. We are here on the eve of the White House Correspondent's Dinner. I can't wait for that mentalist to read Trump's mind and then run into traffic. Just comes screaming out of that Hilton ballroom. But until then, let's get into it. What a week. We're all living through a fascinating experiment. What happens when the President builds an administration around loyalty to him and. And not loyalty to the country. We're the modern day Marie Curie. And by that, I mean this experiment will kill us. Plus, babe, we're glowing. To get a top job in the administration, these people must be willing to completely embarrass themselves for Trump. But the only people willing to do that would never qualify for these jobs on the merits. You sold your soul to the devil and yet you still suck at baseball. It's like, I can have funny writers or writers who tell me that all my jokes are funny, but not both. Take FBI Director Cash Patel, please. Last Friday, the Atlantic reported that Patel was regularly getting drunk at private lounges in Washington and Las Vegas. It was unreachable during unexplained absences. Trash Patel over here. According to the Atlantic's two dozen sources, Patel was known to drink to excess at the private club ned's here in D.C. and the poodle Room in the Fontainebleau Hotel in Las Vegas where he hangs out on the weekend. And the Poodle Room is a very exclusive place. Okay. This is directly from the website. Access to the Poodle Room is granted exclusively to active members, guests staying in Fleur de Lis suites, and select American Express cardholders. Yeah, they don't let anybody in there unless they have $500, which you get back. Which you basically get back. Get it back. Get it back. At Lululemon, it's like, no. Now, I'd make fun of Kash Patel, but he does belong at the Poodle Club. He's high strung, neurotic, prone to separation anxiety, quite vocal and reactive, easily matted, nervous around strangers. And I think it is with him fair to worry about hip dysplasia. At times. Patel's security detail reportedly had trouble waking him because he was plastered. When reached for comments, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses said, that is so unprofessional. If you're going to drink that much, do a little bump. You fucking pussy. On one occasion. Grow up. On one occasion last year, Patel's security detail made a request for SWAT style breaching equipment because he was unresponsive in a locked room. According to this report, multiple officials said they worried that Patel's behavior constituted a threat to public safety and that the FBI would be unprepared for a terrorist attack. Ironic. He's not prepared for another 9, 11. When those are the directions his eyes point. I'm loving. Woke, too. Patel is also paranoid. Earlier this month, he reportedly found himself locked out of a computer system and freaked out that he had been fired. It is so cool that he's paranoid and totally unprepared for the actual worst case scenarios of his job. He's like a hypochondriac who loves the taste of doorknobs. But Patel isn't in this job because he's qualified or capable. He's in this job because he's committed to targeting Trump's political enemies. Almost as committed as he is to getting the Poodle Room to add the cash to its cocktail menu, which it refuses to do because a bottle of Bud Light that you have to drink real fast is not a cocktail. The New York Times reported this week that the FBI began investigating one of the paper's reporters last month following an article about Patel enlisting SWAT teams to provide with full time security, which is obviously unethical. That man should not have a girlfriend. And this is neither here nor there, but cash, my man. How many piping hot dudes do you want around your girlfriend 24 hours a day? Making her feel safe. They don't make endless movies and TV shows about bodyguards because people don't want to fuck their bodyguards. Whitney Houston doesn't sing I will always love off screen boyfriend. Playing with fire, buddy. On Monday, Patel sued the Atlantic and the story's author, Sarah Fitzpatrick for defamation, accusing them of, quote, publishing an article replete with false and obviously fabricated allegations designed to destroy Director Patel's reputation and drive him from office. Patel would have driven himself from office, but he failed the Breathalyzer. A day later, the FBI director addressed this story publicly. I'm on the job. I'm the first one in. I'm the last one out. I'm like an everyday American who loves his country, loves the sport of hockey, and champions my friends when they raise a gold medal and invite me in to celebrate. I've never been intoxicated on the job. And that is why we filed a $250 million defamation lawsuit. But the DOJ ethics handbook actually says that an employee is prohibited from habitually using alcohol or other intoxicants to excess, on or off duty. This isn't one of those jobs where you can knock off work and go get blasted like podcaster or defense secretary. And speaking of the devil, on Tuesday, Secretary of Defensiveness Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon will stop requiring service members from getting annual flu vaccines. Yes, at long last, we're addressing our greatest military weakness. Troops too healthy. Let's take a look. Under the disastrous Biden administration, this Pentagon waged an unrelenting war on our warriors on Many fronts. You know what I'm talking about. What happened? COVID 19. And the vaccine? No more. We're seizing this moment to discard any absurd overreaching mandates that only weaken our war fighting capabilities. In this case, this includes the universal flu vaccine and the mandate behind it. One problem. Yes, Biden is old, but not that old. We've had a flu vaccine mandate since 1945. We were pretty excited about the flu vaccine back then because the flu killed 45,000 soldiers during World War I. In 1918, doctors for the American Expeditionary Force in Europe sent 340,000 soldiers to the hospital for the flu. That is more than were hospitalized for injuries sustained in combat. The Army Surgeon General wanted to stop sending soldiers to France until the epidemic subsided. But the Germans were in retreat, the war was almost over, and Pershing needed reinforcements. They tried to get me to cut this.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

No,

[John Lovett]

No, no. We're going to talk about what happened in World War I. And so in 1918, as Woodrow Wilson continued sending troops on pack ships to the front, by one estimate, 12,000 servicemember died on the journey, many buried at sea. If you passed by a ship, you could watch that ship throw bodies overboard, sometimes a dozen at a time because the flu was ravaging the American soldiers. You absolute fucking dipshit. The strain of Hormuz isn't the salad bar at Sizzler. You can't seize control by coughing all over it. Hegseth noted that the flu vaccine will still be available for soldiers who believe it's in their best interest. But we will not force you because your body, your faith and your convictions are not negotiable. It's interesting, isn't it? Your body, your choice. This is the military. You don't even get to choose your own haircut. This guy gave a whole speech about beards being woke. Now you can't have a mustache, but you can choose walking pneumonia. Anyway, speaking of people who sound like they have walking pneumonia, RFK junior Test. Why not Testified before Congress this week. Hey, let's take a listen.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

You have done among the many that you described in your testimony. In that context, in your testimony, you identified nutrition as a bedrock of health.

[John Lovett]

Sorry, that was the wrong clip. That was the recording of someone who snuck an English bulldog on an airplane. Is a good reminder. Fill your CPAP machine with distilled water only. No roadkill viscera. RFK also refused to commit to following the vaccine recommendations of Trump's nominee to lead the CDC, Eric Schwartz. If Dr. Swartz is confirmed, will you commit on the record today to implement whatever vaccine guidance she issues without interference. I'm not going to make that kind of commitment. Because you probably won't. You'll probably fire her. Sort of rude to ask a question you know the answer to, said RFK Jr. There are only two kinds of women, consummate professionals with whom I have a terrible working relationship and crazy bitches who are into this. Let me see where we're at in a few days. And don't worry, they did bring up the roadkill. I really wish you'd spend more time on.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

More time thinking about the American people.

[John Lovett]

Less time talking about whale heads, bear

[Senator Chris Murphy]

heads and raccoon parts. Talking about what's important to the American

[John Lovett]

people and how they can.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I don't talk about any of those things. Okay, time is up,

[John Lovett]

boys. Boys, there's plenty of raccoon cock to go around. Kennedy's right, though. He doesn't bring it up. This stuff is just like a dead bear by the side of the road. Irresistible. But what these stooges, Patel, Hegseth, RFK Jr. Understand is that for all their bumbling incompetence and crank beliefs, the one line they can't cross is disagreeing publicly with Trump. Here's Kennedy inventing new kinds of math to avoid suggesting Trump might be mistaken.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

But I would say this, Senator, do

[John Lovett]

you know what it's a. President Trump has a different way of calculating.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

If there's two ways of calculating percentage. If you have a $600 drug and you reduce it to 10, that's a 600% reduction.

[John Lovett]

You know, I only have five minutes. Do you know what the drug costs at Costco?

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I do not.

[John Lovett]

Only two ways to calculate percentages. There are infinite ways to calculate percentages if you're brave enough to be wrong. Math is all about putting your own spin on it, finding the numbers that feel right to you. And speaking of numbers that just feel right, Trump's approval rating continues to fall. It's now in the 30s. The country is turning against these fuck ups. It's gotten so bad, they're running out of fuck ups. US Attorneys offices, once considered among the most prestigious and coveted places to work in the legal profession, have started recruiting lawyers straight out of law school. What they do is they set up a box propped up on a stick tied to a string outside the Cooley Law School campus in Tampa, Florida. And if anyone tries to grab the Zinn they've got under there, boom. You pull the string, you've got yourself a brand new U.S. attorney. And as Kash Patel fires or drives out seasoned FBI officials. The Justice Department has been lowering its standards to try to rebuild its workforce. Want to become an FBI agent? Not so fast. First, let's see if you can get both arms through the sleeves of this FBI jacket. We're low on women's medium for some reason. All of this is obviously dangerous, but it's also absurd. These people have no idea what they're doing. Look at this photo from the White House that they posted to celebrate a championship women's tennis team from Georgia in which you cannot see the women's team. I for one, love to see Republicans celebrating men for competing in women's sports. How are these people going to open the Strait of Hormuz? They can't even clear a path for a fucking portrait. But congrats to the women's tennis team from Georgia and those ladies standing behind them. With that, we have got a great show for you tonight. We'll be right back with Senator Chris Murphy.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Hey, don't go anywhere. There's more of Love it or Leave it coming up.

[John Lovett]

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Made with natural fibers, low impact dyes and certified fair trade, Koiuchi looks great, feels amazing and is good for your health and the planet. If you want healthy, organic luxury bedding that lasts a lifetime, you need Koiuchi. Get 15% off your first order when you visit koyuchi.com love it. That's koyuchi.com love it to get 15% off. C o y u c h I.com/love it love it or Leave it is brought to you by Chime. Chime is changing the way people bank. They offer the most rewarding fee free banking built for you, not the 1%. They're not like traditional old banks that charge you overdraft and monthly fees. They have thousands of fee free ATMs because why pay to get your own money? Chime members can benefit from up to $1,150 in annual rewards fee free. Get 5% back on Chime Card in a category of choice like gas or groceries you get savings that grows faster with a 3.75% APY that's nine times higher than the national average. Pl you get premium travel perks like airport lounge access and 24. 7 travel concierge included with your Chime card. They also have Spot Me which lets you overdraft up to $200 fee free. Chime is rated 5 stars by USA Today for customer service. Real Humans 24.7Chime is not just smarter banking. It's the most rewarding way to bank. Join the millions who are already banking fee free today. Head to chime.com love it that is chime.com love it. It only takes a few minutes to sign up. Chime is a fintech, not a bank. Banking services for MyPay and Chime card provided by Chime's bank partners. Optional products and services may have fee or charges, state, percentage yield and cash back for Chime prime only. No minimum balance required. Checking account ranked based on J.D. power survey published October 20, 2025. For more information on APY rates, my pay Spot Me and Travel perks go to chime.com disclosures. Not going to do. He's got to really freeze this up because I think that's what it is. I think that's why the breathing is so intense because this is just fucking rock solid. I don't know what kind of workouts he's doing, but it's not the kind of workouts where you're thinking about how you're using your breath that you're dying for. I mean, I don't totally understand the condition that he has, but it has a lot to me basically from the experience of practicing this today. I think it has a lot to do with not really being connected to your body. I'm not saying he doesn't have the spasm thing. Like I know that's real and not to be made fun of, but still. But there's more to it than that because I think. I think the breathing thing comes from deep in here and fucked up. Okay, and we're back. An announcement. Crooked Con is back. It's bigger. And yes, we're saying it 600% better. November 5th through 7th here in D.C. right after the midterms, we'll either have a lot to celebrate or a lot of fingers to point. Bigger stages, more panels and speakers as we head into a presidential election cycle in which the stakes could not be higher. Plus, we will be doing a live taping of Love it or Leave It. We'll be doing a live pod, Save America and a live strict scrutiny. So, please. Last year it was such a success. We were really blown away. And it really, like it made clear that we needed a space where everybody can come together, see each other in person, maybe argue in person, but also be with each other as part of this big pro democracy movement. And we're gonna have even more people be a part of it. More speakers, more candidates. And so we hope everybody will come be a part of it too. Go to crookedcon.com sign up for updates, including when we'll be releasing tickets, the lineup and more. Also, love it or leave it. Back in la next week, we are making some changes to this show. We are going to be at a new studio with a new set. We will continue bringing you the 100% solid jokes that we bring you every week. We are also be doing two episodes a week. The idea here is that we love doing this show. We love talking about this news. There's too much news to cover every week and so we want to have a space where we can have a live audience but also get these shows out quicker and make more of them. So if you're in la, come check out the new studio and for everybody else, do me a favor, subscribe on our YouTube. Subscribe wherever you listen and help us make this show, you know, if it's even possible, more successful. We are giving away some free tickets for the first couple tapings. So please go to crooked.com/events. All right, Please welcome to the stage. He just got in from the Senate and boys is voting and tired, it's Connecticut's own Senator Chris Murphy. All right, thanks for being here.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Fucking poodle room.

[John Lovett]

The poodle room. The poodle room.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

You know, these guys are in charge of the country.

[John Lovett]

No, I know that. I know.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

You know, right?

[John Lovett]

I know that they are. I don't think Kash Patel is, but I know there are others who are in charge of the country. I don't think he has that much to run. I don't know how many people really feel like. I mean, it's. Let's talk about Cash Patel for a second on the one. You know, I feel a little bit about Cash Patel, how I feel about ICE at the airports. I'd rather Cash Patel in the poodle Room. Like, I don't think there's a lot of meetings Cash Patel is at that he's making better for the country. The problem is that Kash Patel shouldn't be the head of the FBI. I don't really care that much about how drunk he gets on Saturdays.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Yeah. I mean, the problem is you can't take a day off, an hour off as the director of the FBI and especially in the middle of a war. Right. This guy has fired everybody that's competent in counterterrorism. There's no doubt that we have more threats to the country than ever before and part of what's going on in the Middle East. And so, yeah, I don't think you can actually assume that there are a whole bunch of other competent people that are running counterterrorism when Cash Patel is off at the Poodle Room. Tulsi Gabbard is in charge. And so there's a shortage of competent people at the FBI and the White House these days.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, it's a bummer. So. So it is. Stone cold bummer.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

No, it is. It is.

[John Lovett]

So you've just been through a overnight set of votes in the Senate. This is Republicans still trying to figure out how to pass funding for dhs, with Democrats refusing to go along with any funding for ice, which as of right now, is not done. Right. The Votorama has concluded.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Yeah, no. So not done. I mean, they've got to pass this through the Senate. They haven't done that yet. The House, they got to get it signed by the President. So, yes, technically, the DHS continues to be shut down.

[John Lovett]

And at the same time, there's been a series of votes, resolutions of disapproval around certain arms sales to Israel that have been coming up over the last couple of weeks, led by Bernie Sanders. You know, I went back and looked, and it wasn't that long ago that these were getting 5, 10, 15 votes. Now they're getting 40 votes. You've been voting with Senator Sanders to halt a lot of these arms sales for a long time.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

From the start. From the start.

[John Lovett]

And I'm curious, obviously, the. There's an immediate goal of preventing these offensive arms sales from going through to Israel. But it also does seem to tilt at the kind of policy a country like the United States could have towards Israel, which is one in which we use our leverage to force it into acting without committing ethnic cleansing and atrocities in Gaza and the west bank and beyond. And. And in part because I think the Biden administration was so solicitous of Israel, and obviously Trump has been as well, it almost feels unrealistic to even suggest that such a policy could exist or be effective. But I guess beyond just the immediate goal of trying to prevent the worst from being done to Palestinians in the short term, what is the hope in the long term for America's posture towards Israel?

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Well, I mean, listen, if you show up every day caring about Israel's security, you should oppose the way in which they are enacting a humanitarian catastrophe inside Gaza and inside Lebanon. This is bad for Israel's security in the long run. They're going to create more terrorists than they kill. And it is clearly staining the reputation of the United States all around the world to not use our leverage. Right. Like, why are you a superpower?

[John Lovett]

Right.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Why do you spend this amount of money that we spend on the military if you aren't willing to speak truth to both enemies and friends? The fact of the matter is, what they did in Gaza cannot be explained or excused. It has made them weaker. It has made the United States weaker. And we should not continue to fund an Israeli government that is not committed to upholding the rules of war and humanitarian law. And so, listen, I say this. I say this as somebody who supports a Jewish state in the Middle East. I just think they are making it much harder on themselves in the long run if they don't do the things necessary to make sure that they are actually quelling the influences that lead people to join terrorist groups, and they are doing the things necessary to preserve a future Palestinian state living next door to an Israeli state.

[John Lovett]

So you got in trouble this past week for reposting news of 26 Iranian vessels making it through the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz with the comment, awesome. Very. People are very upset. They're very upset. Are you ready to apologize?

[Senator Chris Murphy]

What would you like to know about that child? Are you ready to.

[John Lovett]

Are you ready.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

What's your. What's. What's your. What's your question?

[John Lovett]

Sorry, Senator Murphy, are you ready to say you're fucking sorry? Why are you rooting for Iran?

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Like, the idea. The idea that, like, I have a bumper sticker on my car rooting for the Iranian ghost fleets, Right?

[Eugene Daniels]

Yeah.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I mean, listen, I take it as a compliment, right? These guys are so desperate, so desperate to not be held account for a war that is killing Americans, that is destroying American lives as well as the American economy, that is making Iran stronger, that they are going to create fictions, that they are going to conjure just such transparent, false indignation about sarcasm just so that for one day they don't have to talk about the fact that they are destroying American security and American credibility by a war that is making America less safe every single hour and every single day. So listen, I understand why they got off for one day on having to argue the merits of their decision to back up this president by focusing on my sarcastic tweet, but it is a sign of how off the rails this war has gone.

[John Lovett]

Hate to think of how they get off on the other days.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

And by the way, and by the way, everything Trump says, according to Republicans, is a joke, right? Is a sarcasm. Is sarcasm. They explain everything he does as a comedic routine. So sarcasm in comedy is only available for Donald Trump.

[John Lovett]

We should just try to be as funny as he is. Now, you recently posted on Substack that prediction markets are the latest sign of our spiritual disintegration. How should we be dealing with the poly market and Kalshi and these other prediction markets?

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Well, I mean, listen, I just think this is pretty simple. You should not allow for there to be bets on these prediction marketplaces on government action, on war and peace, on military strikes. I mean, we obviously know that there are loads of people around the Trump administration that are making a ton of money based upon their inside information. We learned today that there was actually right someone involved in the actual Venezuela operation on the ground who had made a big bet ahead of time. And of course, that's what's gonna happen in this White House. This is the most corrupt White House in the history of the country from the top down. And so if you're working for Donald Trump, you are basically told that you should get your piece however you can through whatever methods. And one of the new methods is through Polly Marke and Kalshi. But I guess what I mean when I say that it's a sign of our deeper spiritual crisis. I mean, I do worry that everything in this country is being gamified, right. And that we have turned these deeply moral questions like war or peace, like whether people are going to die in the Middle east tomorrow because Iran strikes a particular country into an opportunity for money making. And you suck the moral component out of these deeply moral issues when they just become an opportunity for somebody to make money. If something bad happens, somebody makes money. And if something Good happens, somebody makes money. And so to me, this is about fighting corruption, but it's also about making sure that there are some elements of our national conversation that aren't opportunities for money making. I think that's kind of essential to preserve what's left of the American soul.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, I saw, I looked at what you had. You'd put forward this, this proposal bill to ban bets on certain kinds of government actions. Things in which the government is primarily responsible. But at a certain point, even if it doesn't involve the government, the contours of people knowing the outcome, being able to bet on it, the fact that it's basically very difficult to regulate that. The notion of insider trading is hard to define, even though they claim that they've done it at a certain point, should it? And by the way, we have a gambling crisis in which removing the friction and putting it on people's phones has led to skyrocketing bankruptcy. Bankruptcy. So many people are kind of immiserating themselves through these. I love gambling. I can't have it. I do. Genuinely, I love it. I can't have it on my phone. These kind of betting markets are unsafe at any speed. Like how? Shouldn't these just be banned outright? Like, no, as a society, we don't bet on random events that happen between people on our fucking phones for money. Because it's just. It leads to an entire economy in which these companies are the rake that get a profit and the rest of us are slowly depleting ourselves through these ridiculous kinds of bets.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Yeah, no, listen, I mean, do you think that should include sports betting too?

[John Lovett]

I wonder about the sports betting on the phones. These companies reached out to us about advertising. And because I support the idea that gambling in some form should be legal, I thought, well, I like gambling. I think people should have freedom to gamble. Why don't do these ads? But then we stopped in part because you see all these reports about how being on the phone is so specifically dangerous.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Yeah, yeah. So that's why polymarket and Cal she are so, so dangerous. In particular because the traditional sports betting sites, whether you like them or not, actually are state regulated. Right. So there are some protections built in, for instance, to make sure that minors aren't betting on DraftKings, for instance. There are none of those protections for these prediction markets. And so they're being accessed by folks that shouldn't be on the phones and shouldn't be on the markets. And so my legislation, it doesn't touch the sports betting. But what it says is that any event in which there is a knowable outcome. Right. Where somebody has inside information about whether a war is going to start or what joke you're going to make in your monologue tonight.

[John Lovett]

That would be a great way to make money.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Yeah, I mean, there. I mean, I check there may be a prediction market on what you were going to say tonight. I mean, that's why you shouldn't have the app on your phone, maybe.

[John Lovett]

Wait a second. This interview is over.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Here's the other piece of this. Especially when it comes to these questions of public policy, I think these prediction markets give you an illusion of being connected to a big event that has an impact on your life. And I think people are more attracted to these prediction markets because it's the only way that they feel that they actually can be connected. Democracy is supposed to be the way that you're connected to big events. That's how you're supposed to actually influence whether war happens or not. But people feel. And maybe this is a stretch, John, but I think people feel that our government and our democracy is so captured by billionaires and corporations that that's not the way that they are going to have an impact or connection to a big event like war or peace. And so prediction markets become the way that you have a stake. And so part of that spiritual rot that I think these prediction markets expedite is a retreat from people actually deciding that they're going to spend their life trying to fix democracy. Instead, they can just stay connected to the big events that dictate their life on kalshi and poly markets. So that's why I think this is so important. This isn't just about fighting corruption. This is also about centering our conversations in a moral conversation and also making sure that we provide incentives for people to actually spend time fixing the true vehicle by which you influence things like war and peace, which is American democracy.

[John Lovett]

So let's talk about that for a moment. Midterms are coming. Look busy right now from your vantage point, what are the places where you think. Where are you most nervous about us not doing what it. What it takes in the next few months? Like, where are the places where you think, oh, we need to button this up. We're not ready here. We're not focused on the right things, whether it's running, whether how we're campaigning, or protecting against electoral malfeasance.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Well, I mean, I guess a year ago, I was worried that we were gonna sit around protecting norms, especially when it came to elections, while they shattered every single one of them. And as much of a critic, as I occasionally am, that we don't fight as hard as we should. I give a lot of credit to Hakeem Jeffries and the folks in the House who have gone on the offense to make sure that we have a map that actually allows us to win on a district by district basis if we win the national popular vote. So what happened in California, what happened in Virginia, I think are really important. Really important. And listen, they are starting to run out of ways to try to steal the election. They thought that they were going to be able to change the House districts. That looks like it's going to be a wash or an advantage for us. They thought they were going to be able to deploy troops into the cities for the time being. The Supreme Court seems to have drawn a line on that tactic. They tried to pass the SAVE act, right, to try to create a pretext to argue that the elections have been stolen. That has been pulled from the Senate floor. So we do have to remain vigilant because they are not going to give up. But we spend a lot of times beating ourselves up for not being good enough. I will say thus far, we have done a pretty good job, better than maybe I had expected a year ago, in foreclosing all of their plans to try to steal the 2026 election. And we should take credit collectively for that.

[John Lovett]

Cool.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I mean, there is some good news.

[John Lovett]

No, I'm just sitting in it.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Yeah. Now here's the. Okay. So you asked me what I worry about, though.

[John Lovett]

Yeah. Let's get sad, too.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

So I worry about the AI investment and the crypto investment. Right. And I worry that we will take the wrong approach. So there is a school of thought that if you just kind of be nice to the AI companies and you be nice to the crypto companies and you kind of do what they want or you don't criticize them publicly, maybe they won't spend money against Democrats. I think that'd be a huge mistake. They're going to spend a little bit of money on one Democrat here or there. But let's be clear. The AI companies and the crypto companies know that they've got Donald Trump and Republicans in their pocket. They are going to spend 90% of their cash on Republicans. And the only answer for us really is to make their spending and their intervention in these elections a campaign issue. Right. To talk about how much money they are spending, to talk about the cost to the public if our government becomes wholly, completely captured by crypto, and more importantly, probably for regular people, by AI. So I worry that that money is going to be dispositive, but that we're going to make a mistake by thinking that we can just kind of look the other way and hope they don't spend it or spend it somewhere else. If we're going to beat AI, if we're going to beat crypto in this election, it's because we're going to take them on and promise to the American people that if you put us in power, we're going to actually protect American families from the poison that is being stuck in our pockets.

[John Lovett]

Now, before we let you go, we did want to touch on one final topic. While some Republicans are occasionally willing to stand up to Trump, most seem inclined to kneel and their knees are not up for it. Which is why it's time to take a look at the party's most jaw dropping sycophantic moves in a lightning round we're calling Cult of Personality Disorder. Here's how it works. I'll describe a proposal put forth by a Republican legislator to honor their leader, Trump. You tell us if it's real or fake. Are you ready? A bill to declare Trump's birthday a federal holiday. Don't help him.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I mean, that sounds true.

[John Lovett]

It is, yeah. Proposed the Trump Birthday and Flag Day Holiday Establishment act would turn Trump's birthday, June 14, into a federal holiday and combine it with Flag Day, which currently falls on the second Sunday in June. Next up, renaming JFK Airport in New York, Trump International Airport.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I don't think that that's true.

[John Lovett]

You're right, it's fake. Palm Beach International is going to be renamed President Donald J. Trump International to go into effect July 1. Another proposal by a member of Congress was submitted to rename Dulles Airport also after Trump, an idea Trump has recently latched onto. Again, said that member of Congress, he took a bullet for us. I don't think we can have two airports named Trump. That'll be confusing for people. Just practically speaking, you can't do it. Which, what? All of a sudden you arrive at Palm beach, you think you're in Dulles, you're fucked.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I mean, Dulles is a terrible airport. So it can have his name. You can call it Trump. That was the biggest. That was the biggest surprise line I got all night.

[John Lovett]

Yes, they did love that. They loved that. It was the two things that are on people's minds are stopping arms sales to Israel and those fucking people movers. Look, we don't have time for this, but it's a beautiful building. They fucked it up with Those people movers. Next up, putting Trump's face on the $100 bill.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

That's true.

[John Lovett]

That is true. What about putting Trump's face on the $250 bill?

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Trick questions.

[John Lovett]

Nope. It's also true there was a proposal to put his face on a $250 bill by Representative Joe Wilson. Next up, carving Trump's face on the side of a mountain on a remote island. I mean, true, that's technically false because that's Dr. Evil's lair in Austin Powers, the Spy who Shagged Me. But carving Trump's face onto Mount Rushmore, that's real.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Is it real?

[John Lovett]

Yes. In January 2025, Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna introduced legislation to have Trump's face added to Mount Rushmore.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I love the open collar.

[John Lovett]

Now, the Parks Department does say that there's not a lot of good carvable rock left on the mountain for another face. That doesn't mean they won't try. Do you know they were originally supposed to put their whole bodies on there? They were supposed to go all the way down to the legs, but they gave up. They gave up. Which I think was right. Can we. Can we have an honest conversation about how Rushmore is kind of stupid? Oh. Oh, you like it? You have to say it's good.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I mean, it's a little weird that, like, Roosevelt's on there, right?

[John Lovett]

Like he sort of snuck in there between some of the titans. Honestly, I would have put Jefferson there. Sorry, sorry.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I didn't know. Like, I didn't know.

[John Lovett]

Oh, were Jefferson heads here? Were Jefferson here? Who do you think made the nails in his nailery? They were children. I brought a weird energy to it at the end.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I know, I know. I'm just gonna, like. No, I'm just gonna, like, stay pro Mount Rushmore.

[John Lovett]

No, no, I get it.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

You should.

[John Lovett]

This is not the fight. I think a lot of fights.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I'm not gonna rethink that position tonight.

[John Lovett]

And finally. That's good. See, I don't know. I mean, just see, you know where he stands and stuff, but he's still thinking about politics, you know, that's what you need. Directing the National Institute of Health to study the psychological and sociological factors behind a mysterious ailment known as Trump Derangement Syndrome.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

100% true.

[John Lovett]

That is real. A congressman proposed the Trump Derangement Syndrome Research act of 2025. Well, you know what? If they're gonna study cases of it, I think we got. Both of us have it pretty bad.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

We do.

[John Lovett]

Senator Chris Murphy, thank you so much for being here. Thank you.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Appreciate it.

[John Lovett]

So good to see you. Thank you. Senator Chris Murphy, everybody.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

That was.

[John Lovett]

Thank you. We'll be right back with Simone and Eugene.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Hey, don't go anywhere. There's more of Love it or Leave it coming up.

[John Lovett]

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[Eugene Daniels]

Hi. Hi. Greeting.

[John Lovett]

Love having you both.

[Eugene Daniels]

This is so great. Oh, this stage is a mess.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, it's a mess.

[Eugene Daniels]

I love them.

[John Lovett]

Wow. They love you.

[Eugene Daniels]

Oh, I heard it for our boss.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Yeah. Where's Madeleine Hendrix?

[Eugene Daniels]

Here's Madeleine Hendrix.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Shout out to Madeline. There she go.

[Eugene Daniels]

Yes, Madeline is how we got a podcast, y'. All. Give it up for Madeline. Okay. I know where my bread is. Butter.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Correct.

[Eugene Daniels]

We like you. We're happy to be here. You know, we are missing the nice party at the Irish embassy.

[John Lovett]

It's true. For this.

[Eugene Daniels]

And you know those people know how

[John Lovett]

to throw a party.

[Eugene Daniels]

John McCarthy is not pleased. But we're like, we seen a video. We're like, we're with Lovett. So we're not gonna be there.

[John Lovett]

The luck of the Jewish.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

We're not touching that.

[Eugene Daniels]

He's such a comedian.

[John Lovett]

So it's White House Correspondent's Dinner weekend here in D.C. over 250 journalists sign a petition demanding that White House Correspondents association formally demonstrate opposition to Trump on Saturday. Forcefully demonstrate opposition. You can't formally do it. I don't know. I guess you could formally and forcefully do it. What does that involve? What do they. What do they want other than a pocket square? There's a pocket square involved.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

There's pocket squares.

[John Lovett]

And I hope that helps.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

There are pins.

[John Lovett]

Pins.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I'm not sure. I think the letter wasn't specific. I think, like, it wasn't really specific. It was like, very long.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

And they.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

But I think what they're hoping for, and I think this will happen, is at least an implicit defense, an explicit defense of the First Amendment, a defense of the whca, the correspondence that are there, and some implicit digs maybe at people who do not support those things.

[Eugene Daniels]

See, here's the thing.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

She's my anger translator.

[Eugene Daniels]

I thought the letter did give some specific.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

No, it did not.

[Eugene Daniels]

The letter said it suggested some things that they could do. They said forcefully speak to the importance of the First Amendment directly in front of the face of the person, which they always do. Do they?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I did last year.

[Eugene Daniels]

You did. But then the president wasn't there, they're saying, when Donald Trump is sitting there in the room, what the journalists are requesting, they're like, look, he's there now. So when he's sitting there, be very clear with him. And I think that that's a very specific request, and I hope they do that. I won't be Kiki kiing. I'll be there because I'll be at work. Correct. These people are like, are you going? You better not go. Do you pay my mortgage? This is how I contribute to my household. I'm going to work and work on Saturday. Is that dinner and the Ms. Now after party?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Exact.

[Eugene Daniels]

What you do in the room is what matters how you respond to Donald Trump. And if he goes off on the tangent for 45 minutes and he's saying all kinds of crazy shit and pointing fingers at the press and da, da, da, da, da. We need to be prepared to respond,

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

it's a guarantee that he is gonna say all kinds of crazy shit. I will. So it is. What are people gonna do? I will say people in the audience. I've talked to other reporters who are within the whca, kind of like, figuring out what people are planning, like, what are they thinking about doing? And people are struggling.

[Eugene Daniels]

They're like, what are they doing? Anybody gonna walk out?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Well, I ain't saying no names, but there was someone yesterday that was telling me and my husband they walking out as soon as he get up. I don't know who that's gonna be. And y' all can watch C Span to see who.

[Eugene Daniels]

Well, they'll probably be in the back.

[John Lovett]

So they'll be in the back.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

He's not gonna see it, but, like, people are trying to figure out, what does it look like to get up and leave? Do you wait until he says something? Do you do it when he comes in? It's unclear.

[John Lovett]

You know, I'm realizing as we discuss this that. That a lot of what dealing with Trump has been over the last decade is a bunch of people who see a bear, and they're like, is this the kind of bear where you lie down, or is this the kind of bear where you make yourself real big? And it's like, some people are like, get down and hide. Like, no, it's not that kind of bear. You gotta make yourself real big. And it's like, we kind of go back and forth.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Well, he respects people that fight back. Like, the thing is, when you.

[Eugene Daniels]

Yes, he was.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

When you watch how he operates.

[Eugene Daniels]

Clock it, Eugene.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

He was. When you watch how he operates, and this is for people who capitulated from the very beginning is that if you put up a fight, Donald Trump, in his like, queen, heart of hearts, he respects the fight and he likes the tussle. And when you talk to reporters who have written about him and then they go and see him a couple days later, after he tweets about them and calls them all types of names, everything but a child of God. He says to them, you know what, you real tough. I like you. And that's like, for him, it's all a game. It's not a game to many of you in here, I assume, maybe all of you, but for him, a lot of the back and forth is a game, I think.

[John Lovett]

Look, the fact that they're giving an award to the Wall Street Journal for reporting about the Epstein files that night and that Trump is gonna have to leave before the award, I get, I mean, they should just surprise him by. I get why he wants to leave before it's giving out, but maybe just change the schedule and get it out there before my other pitch.

[Eugene Daniels]

I mean. Yeah, what you gonna do once he's in there? They don't know. Once he's sitting down, it's gonna be like, actually, we're gonna start with the awards.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Yeah, Josh Dawson, come up here, Epstein.

[Eugene Daniels]

That's actually what they should do. They should switch it up on his ass.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Gotta make some calls tonight.

[John Lovett]

That's my pitch. That's my pitch. I like that idea. My other idea is that the Mentalist. Here's what the Mentalist is like. Wait a second, I'm seeing a peninsula. No, no, no, it's an island. You know what I'm saying? Uh huh.

[Eugene Daniels]

He's like, the Mentalist was on Morning Joe and the Mentalist is good. I'm scared. I'm actually glad I'm not sitting where the Mentalist can see because I don't want the Mentalist reading my thoughts.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Stay away from me.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

My husband was like, close your eyes when he walks by.

[Eugene Daniels]

I hope he doesn't go deep into the crowd.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Absolutely not. Mind my business.

[Eugene Daniels]

Maybe he'll read Nicki Minaj's mind.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

That's a dangerous place to be.

[John Lovett]

That sounds fun.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

She's sitting with Fox.

[Eugene Daniels]

Apparently she's at the dinner. Nicki Minaj is going. Oh, she is. Here's the thing. How did Nicki Minaj get in to dinner but Nellie is just the dancing horse?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Well, cause Nelly apologized, that was why.

[Eugene Daniels]

Oh yeah, Nelly is getting paid and he is performing, in case you didn't know. Nelly. Yes. St. Louis finest.

[John Lovett]

Where's Nellie performing?

[Eugene Daniels]

Nellie is performing at a party, a private party that's hosted at the Little Trump Club.

[John Lovett]

Oh, one of those Trump Clubs.

[Eugene Daniels]

E, I, E, I, uh. Oh, what's poppin tonight? Popping tonight. Why are we like this?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Love is like I made a mistake.

[John Lovett]

No. New polls from Reuters, Among others, have Trump's approval rating plummeting to 35%. The GOP held Congress has an 86% disapproval rating. That's cool.

[Eugene Daniels]

Low.

[John Lovett]

Simone, how Democrats are you thinking to fuck this up?

[Eugene Daniels]

Well, you know, there's a myriad of ways that it could go down, but I actually have confidence in my Democratic friends. What?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I say that again, more believable.

[Eugene Daniels]

I have confidence in the Democrats because what I have been hearing from them is they are all laser focused on November. I mean, even the. They wouldn't call it a ploy, but I'mma call it a ploy. Even the ploy by House Democrats to bring that legislation or that bill or that resolution about the 25th Amendment and to start that Democratic ranking committee, that is not because they think the 25th amendment is going to go anywhere in Congress. People need the civics lesson. Congress actually does not have a role in the 25th Amendment unless the Cabinet invokes it and the president then says, I'm not going. Then it goes to Congress and Congress kicks out the president, installs the vice president and picks a new vice president.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Now, see what y' all don't know about Simone Sanders Holmes trust, she's a nerd. And I hope y' all clocked that just now. Cause Miss Girl stays with the history lessons. Okay?

[Eugene Daniels]

Yes. That is the history. So. But they did that because the base and Democratic voters out there are asking. Cause they're seeing in that same Reuters poll, the people were also asked in the poll about Trump's erraticness. And basically, is he okay? And the people in the poll are like, no. They're lacking confidence even in the Reuters poll. And so folks out there, like the folks listening to this podcast and the people here in the room, they see what we see, they hear what we hear. And they're like, can somebody get this man out of here? We are at war. So the Democrats are being responsive to what the base voters want in that sense. So they're fighting for real on the ground that they can. But they're also looking like they're fighting on the things that the base cares about. And I think that that's good politics. And so I think even if it goes nowhere, even if it goes nowhere, I think it's important. Now I'm somebody that says y' all should impeach his ass when you get back in there. Because I do. And they're like, well, for what? And I'm like, do an investigation and I'm sure we will find a high crime and or misdemeanor.

[John Lovett]

For what? For the crimes he's been doing. I think there's the sort of, you know, federal statute style kind of quotidian, old school kind of normal crimes. And they're the crimes against the Constitution and those. You can just say that that's what they are because it's what they are. You know, the closing of misdemeanors or

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

whatever Congress at the time says they are.

[Eugene Daniels]

Okay, but see, we have allowed. See, the bar is in hell, actually. And somebody on Threads the other day, I'm a threadser, by the way. Is that what we call him?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I know, I'm a thrend.

[John Lovett]

Uh huh.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Feels like a slur.

[Eugene Daniels]

Somebody on Threads, he is always using slurs against me, by the way, on

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

our podcast, I called her an auntie.

[Eugene Daniels]

He called an auntie. It's a slur when he says it.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

She looks like an auntie sometimes.

[Eugene Daniels]

Tonight guys, the slur is. We were up in the room, it was cold up there too, by the way. And I'm sitting there on the couch like this, eating my popcorn. And he's like, you look like a first lady. That's a slur. You are coming for me. That's number three.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Does she not look like a first?

[John Lovett]

Is that another compliment?

[Eugene Daniels]

He is being derogatory towards you.

[John Lovett]

What does that mean?

[Eugene Daniels]

First Lady Queen.

[John Lovett]

What did you mean? Why don't you just tell us what you meant? Just say what you meant. Just say what you fucking meant. What do you mean? You're just repeating it. What does it mean, Eugene?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Like she's about to go out and pick some.

[John Lovett]

What? No.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Pick some.

[John Lovett]

Pick some. What?

[Eugene Daniels]

They heard it.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Vegetables with the children.

[Eugene Daniels]

They heard it.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Pick some vegetables with the children.

[John Lovett]

Read them a book.

[Eugene Daniels]

He's about to say, I'm about to pick cotton. It be your own people. We are now, Madeline, please tell me. I don't even remember what the question was.

[John Lovett]

We had one first lady pick that she. It's like one time. The rest of them. I don't know what they say.

[Eugene Daniels]

All the black first ladies look alike.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

No, they like vegetables. I'm leaving. I don't have to put up with this. I'm going to the crowd. I'm sitting next to Tugly now, before

[John Lovett]

we end the show. I'm enjoying myself. I'm enjoying the dynamic. I like being an observer, but I do so much talking on this show and the fact that for the last few minutes was I here. It doesn't matter.

[Eugene Daniels]

Whose podcast is it?

[John Lovett]

Yeah, this is now a Clockett podcast.

[Eugene Daniels]

It's now Clocketer collaboration link on YouTube.

[John Lovett]

I'll have my people do that. So now Simone and I are partisans. Partisans. But Eugene, you're a journalist, and I was hoping that you could put Simone and me on the spot with what you think are the toughest questions for Democrats right now. If there are any on your mind. Oh, and he's got a card.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I may have rent some now.

[John Lovett]

And I should preface this that I can just cut this if it doesn't go well for us.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

That's true.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

It might not go well for you.

[John Lovett]

Eat shit, David Ellison. I own this microphone.

[Eugene Daniels]

Well, did you use a Trump Sharpie to do that?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I did. That's the best. He's right about some things. And the Sharpie is very.

[John Lovett]

It's a great pen for sure. They make a great product over there at Sharpie. All right, let's see. What are our questions? I'm excited about that.

[Eugene Daniels]

I know it's good.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Should the Democrats expand the tent to the right, bring in the Liz Cheney's of the world? I feel like we have some answers out here. Or should they double down on folks like this?

[John Lovett]

That's a good. That's a good question. That's a good question.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Look, I'm very good at this.

[Eugene Daniels]

Okay, here's the thing. I think that the Democratic tent is large. That is a part of being a Democrat. Like there are many factions. I don't think that Democrats should overexert themselves though, to gain support of Republicans. I think that they should do a little outreach. But the tent is large. And there are many people in the tent that are not voting for you right now.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Was it a mistake when Kamala did it in 2024?

[Eugene Daniels]

I think the mistake was doing town halls in the suburbs with Liz Cheney and white people and not doing one at the barbershop in Philly.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

There we go with the blacks, Mr. Levitt.

[Eugene Daniels]

Latinos.

[John Lovett]

My sincere answer is I'll answer directly. No, it was not a mistake. The problem is not that Kamala Harris did an event with Liz Cheney. The problem is Kamala Harris doing an event with Liz Cheney and people not having a deeper sense of what Kamala Harris stands for led people to question whether or not she was for them. And yes, you can address that by doing events and speaking to people. But there was a deeper problem in that campaign, partially honestly because of some of her challenges as a politician, but also mostly because she had 107 days to explain both for Joe Biden and for kind of the future she was trying to promise. So I do not think the problem was doing events with Liz Cheney. Like it is a cliche. But I do think especially in a moment like this, like building a pro democracy movement is about addition, not subtraction. And I want to be part of a big movement that runs all the way from anti Trump, pro democracy Republicans to as far left as you want to go. And that will create friction and challenges. But, but we ought to be unabashed and competent in that.

[Eugene Daniels]

I think it's important. But again, the optics of only doing the town halls where you are taking questions from voters in the suburbs with people who are identified as Republicans that are looking to vote for a Democrat and not doing that for members of the base of your party who also have questions, who also need persuasion is the current problem that the Democratic Party apparatus has. So you must do both.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

You have to do both. Best messenger in the Democratic Party right now. Love it. You first.

[John Lovett]

That's a good question. That's a good question. So just shouting your own answers. I heard a, I heard a Gavin.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

This is a group conversation.

[John Lovett]

I heard a Gavin from the back. So my, there's Pete. Pete does great. Like I think right now we're seeing people strengthen their, like what their strengths are as. Pick one. I'm not, I don't, I. But I genuinely, I'm not. But I sincerely, I'm not avoiding your question. I don't think there is one right now. There. My honest answer would be there is right now. No one person that to me rises to the top and I say, oh, that is so clearly the person who speaks for the Democratic Party in part because Joe Biden was the caretaker candidate running against Trump the first time and we didn't have a primary the second time. We haven't had that big fractious debate. I think the messenger emerges from that process. I do. And I want somebody that can go on Fox News, go on a stream with a lefty, go on ms, go on a two hour podcast with a finance influencer. I want the kind of person who's comfortable everywhere and they gotta get the

[Eugene Daniels]

reps. Yeah, I think, look, there is no one clear leader of the Democratic Party. But I think the best messengers right now are the Democratic governors. Yes, the Democratic governors are the best Messengers also. I always forget. Every time I come with my pot save cousins, I forget this is a place where we do the Joe Biden slander. It's always a good reminder. I'm like, oh, here we go.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Who's the.

[John Lovett]

It's a homily for us. It is. It's like, open up your. Open up your prayer books. We begin by talking about how Joe Biden's the one that caused all this.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Worst, worst messenger in the Democratic Party right now.

[John Lovett]

That's.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

You say Joe Biden?

[John Lovett]

Well, there's a. The Razzies. I. I mean, it's sort of a tough fucking category. Look, I. I would say that, like, if you're going to say who is the most prominent, worst messenger is Chuck Schumer, and he may be. That's just. There's a lot of people that are terrible messengers. But you say who is the most. Who has the most attention? Who I think does the least to be the right person to communicate on our behalf? It's him. That's. That's the answer, ma'. Am.

[Eugene Daniels]

I mean, who's the worst messenger?

[John Lovett]

I'm just answering. I'm just answering.

[Eugene Daniels]

I see this. I see this.

[John Lovett]

I don't know what's gonna happen.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

See, he lives in Los Angeles.

[John Lovett]

Be here with these people in D.C. what's gonna happen? I'm gonna. I'm gonna go back to my hotel and all of a sudden a bagel is gonna come.

[Eugene Daniels]

Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. I guess messengers. I would. Okay, fine. I think at this point, the most prominent words. Messenger. He's right. Is Chuck Schumer. But if he were saying publicly all the things that he's saying privately, it'd be different. He would be the best messenger. So I don't know why it's not the same.

[John Lovett]

Well, that's interesting. He should try that. It's opposite day.

[Eugene Daniels]

Yeah, it is. What he say the things Chuck Schumer is doing privately and saying privately that he's not broadcasting. Those are the things.

[John Lovett]

And I'll just add one thing, which

[Eugene Daniels]

is I'm happy he's trying to win the Senate. And I think he got a good strategy. They giving money to a candidate in Mississippi.

[John Lovett]

And there are moments and just the other side of this, because I do think. I want to be fair. I do not think he's a great communicator. I also think a lot of problems are laid at Chuck Schumer's feet that are not Chuck Schumer's problem, but are either structural or the decisions of other members. And so there are moments where I'm very frustrated by him as the face of the party. But there are also moments where he has to be a little bit like Batman at the end of Dark Knight. It's like we have to. Because he's the one we have to chase. He's the villain that we need. And so we all get to say, ah, we'd be doing so great if it wasn't for that fucking Chuck Schumer. It's like, I guess. I guess.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Why not? Do you want it out? Because we all. I assume you all want the 2024 autopsy out from the Democratic Party. I assume that everybody want. Why do you think.

[Eugene Daniels]

Applause was kind of tepid, though.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

It was. They don't care about the autopsy.

[Eugene Daniels]

That's fine.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Why do you think they're keeping the autopsy secret?

[Eugene Daniels]

I know why. Because they don't want it to be a distraction. This was told to me by people familiar with the matter. Three people familiar. I got more than two sources.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Yeah. So she can say it.

[Eugene Daniels]

Exactly. But they don't want it to be a distraction. They feel like it'll be an unforced error, especially this close. And one could argue they could have released this thing last December and nobody would care about it right now.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

January.

[Eugene Daniels]

So I'm not advising the Democratic Party. So I would have told them that's crazy. But they think it's an unforced era. So we will not see it prior to the election. We might see it this December, though.

[John Lovett]

There's.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

It will leak.

[John Lovett]

There's that paradox about how you can move closer to your office, but it'll take longer to get there because you'll switch from a bike to walking on foot because you're in this in between space where you think you may. You know what I'm saying? Because if you were.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

You've been doing some meditation.

[John Lovett]

So.

[Eugene Daniels]

Well, because it's elevated. You went to therapy this week.

[John Lovett]

I love this.

[Eugene Daniels]

See, I'm not seeing my therapist till next week.

[John Lovett]

That is so sweet of you to say. And I love that that's the energy I'm giving off.

[Eugene Daniels]

It is.

[John Lovett]

It has been years. But

[Eugene Daniels]

in this climate, we all need a therapist.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Yes.

[John Lovett]

But I think sometimes it is easy to avoid the. For sure. And there's a sponsor you can call. But. And if they're here, thank you for all that you do. But I think sometimes we avoid. As Democrats, we avoid momentary pain, even if that would get you to a better place on the other side of it. And I think that's just short term thinking, like, oh, we'll have a big fractious debate. We're gonna do that anyway. Get it out there. I mean. Cause we were talking about this was January, and it's like, I'm sorry, but if these midterms are determined by a debate over a fucking 2024 autopsy in January 2026, that's going to decide November. We got bigger problems. So I think you're right. I think they should. I don't. I think it was just short term thinking. All right? I think we ought to leave it there. Before we go, I'd like to offer us an opportunity to rant about something that's in our hearts. Which is why it's time for round of the rant wheel. Here's how it works. We'll put a minute on the timer. You let loose on whatever person, place, or thing you want to rant about. And honestly, if it's also about the news, sure, why not? Go for it. But it can be about anything you'd like. Let's spin the wheel.

[Eugene Daniels]

Oh, this is so cute.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I knew that was gonna happen.

[John Lovett]

Eugene, you have one minute. What would you like to rant about?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I don't even need a minute. What I want is for these members of Congress to stop sexually harassing their staffs. These people, Men, women, and otherwise. These folks, young people, come to this city in order to try to find a job because they care about this country. They care about policy. They care about how politics impacts people's lives. And then they have to deal with their boss's boss's boss rubbing their ass, telling them to come to the dinner, calling them inappropriate times, kissing on them when they don't want it. It's a problem and it needs to stop.

[Eugene Daniels]

Wow, that was good. I kind of wish I would have went first. Now he's right. He's right. It's an easy.

[John Lovett]

I disagree. Yeah. Yeah. He's got their number. Wasn't it Lauren Boebert who was walking out, being like, why is everybody so horny here?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

And I'm like, ma', am, it's like theater.

[John Lovett]

You jerk somebody off at Beetlejuice. Physician, heal thyself.

[Eugene Daniels]

Pot, meat, kettle, child, you are not the best.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

It take one and no one. Right. Game recognized.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Game.

[John Lovett]

Okay, but that was just consensual at a fun concert. No power dynamics at Beetlejuice, other than, as far as I'm aware, I don't think it was just sort of two people having a blast.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

They seemed like they were both into it.

[John Lovett]

That's a family event. All right, let's spin it again. Simone, what would you like to rant about? You have 60 seconds.

[Eugene Daniels]

Okay, so I just think we keep talking about how like, oh, the president is erratic, his strategy seems confused. The president is not okay. There's something wrong with Donald Trump. And I just feel like we should all just start saying it. It's not controversial to say it. I want the people to stop sane washing him. There is no strategy. There is no there there. It doesn't make sense because he's not all right. The man goes off on tangents about seals and dolphins and milk and whatever he sees in the fucking street. Like it doesn't make sense. And he has been this way for a very long time. But people have excused his erraticness. I don't know what's going on with the President, but something is going on with him. He is not okay. Suzy Wiles, tap in. Help us save grandpa. I want to know what's going on with Donald Trump. Is he in charge? Is he making the decisions? Did somebody else take us to war? And I'm not talking about Prime Minister Netanyahu, who in the White House is making the decisions?

[John Lovett]

Let's spin it again.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Is that an old picture?

[John Lovett]

You know what, Eugene? You know what, Eugene? You know what, Eugene? I was even handed. I had your back. I fucking defended you. Must, must be nice. We're here building coalitions. What do you do? Look, I have a serious. I have a serious topic, obviously on par with what Simone and Eugenia talk about. There's a button on the side of the iPhone that simply should not be there. It seems to be very sensitive and it's designed to open the camera whenever. If you press it again, it may take a picture, it may not. It's very sensitive and delicate, except when you're trying to take a picture, at which point it does not do anything. Tim Cook announced he's stepping down. He was at the Melania premiere and I hold him responsible. Eugene Daniels, Simone Sanders Townsend, thank you so much for being here. You can check out Simone as the CO anchor of Ms. Now's the weeknight airing weeknights at 7. And Eugene is senior Washington reporter and co anchor of MSNOW's the Weekend, airing Saturdays and Sundays from 7 to 10am Eugene and Simone, thank you so much.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Thank you.

[John Lovett]

And we'll be right back. Check out their podcast clock it and watch them on Ms. Now.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Hey, don't go anywhere. There's more of Love it or Leave it coming up.

[John Lovett]

Love it or leave it Is brought to you by Helix Sleep. Ah, boy, so important. Love sleep. A good night's rest can set you up for a great day. I have lots of sleep issues. I have trouble falling asleep. Sometimes I wake up dog's moaning because it's got, you know, dog's got sleep issues. Now we all got sleep issues. I have a way of trying to fall asleep, which is I saw on the Internet and it actually works, which is you say words and you use the last letter of the word to figure out the next, the first letter of the next word. And it gets your brain in a random pattern the way it helps, you know, sleep. Kind of as you're falling asleep, your brain goes a little wild and it's a trick so you'd be like apple, elephant, triceratops, and now you're off to the races, kind of making your brain but, but, but counting backwards.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

Right.

[John Lovett]

Sort of like a little different.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

Like kind of makes your brain do things it's not supposed. No, it does. When you fall asleep. I like it. I like it. But you know what else really helps? Having a Helix mattress. Helix makes buying a mattress easy. Take the Helix sleep quiz and it will match you with the perfect mattress based on your personal preferences and sleep needs. Get free shipping and seamless delivery. Helix delivers your mattress right to your door with free shipping in the US The Happy with Helix guarantee offers a risk free customer first experience designed to ensure you're completely satisfied with your new mattress so you can rest easy with seamless returns and exchanges. Plus, helix offers a 120 night sleep trial and limited lifetime warranty. I love my Helix mattress. So comfortable. It's a huge upgrade off my previous mattress. I have a dawn luxe because that's what I got from the quiz and I recommend it. Go to helixleep.com love it. For 20% off site wide. That's helixsleep.com love it. For 20 percent off site wide. Make sure you enter our show name after checkout so they know we sent you. Helixsleep.com love it. And we're back. We typically end the show with a segment we call second thoughts. And we love it. I second guess what I've done in this very show. But tonight I want to open the floor to your second thoughts. These can be second thoughts about this very program or second thoughts about your own lives. Whatever you'd like. If you have a good second thought, please raise your hand. I'm going to come out there. Let's bring up the lights. Who has a second thought? Oh, you have a second thought? I do. I was just going to say I

[Senator Chris Murphy]

think you can change what that button does in your phone settings.

[John Lovett]

Who has a second thought?

[Eugene Daniels]

Hi. The first time I came here to see you three years ago, I insulted you and you cut me off. Are these people really Democrats or are they just fun time Democrats?

[John Lovett]

Oh, like everyone here. You think you gotta be. Gotta be Democrat all the time, win or lose. Especially when we lose. No, when we lose, I think we should point fingers, cast them out, and find new Democrats. I'm a Democrat the whole time, always. I think some people are and some people not. We need them all. I don't care if they're Democrats or not. I want them to vote for Democrats. I don't need them to be Democrats. I just want to make sure they vote at the time is right. You know what I'm saying? Oh, you have a second thought. After 2015, I re registered from a Democrat to an Independent because of how they treated Bernie Sanders.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Sorry, but I'm a progressive.

[John Lovett]

Should I re register as a Democrat to vote in the D.C. primary? Sure. Absolutely. Absolutely. Let's do it. Okay. What's your second thought?

[Eugene Daniels]

So I'm curious about four people you

[John Lovett]

would put on Mount Rushmore. Oh, boy. I'll think about that. I'll think about that. I know you love a good land acknowledgement, but, you know, Mount Rushmore was originally designed to destroy the sacred Black Hills for the Sioux tribe. So I feel that that's important to acknowledge. I'm glad you brought that up. And I knew that that was in there, but I didn't have the facts about it, but it was part of my resentment towards the mountain. Hi. What's your second thought?

[Eugene Daniels]

Hell yes for the yes vote. And also, I think we could have

[John Lovett]

hated Thomas Jefferson a little bit more. Okay. Okay. I think we hated Chuck Schumer the right amount. So you have a second thought.

[Eugene Daniels]

How much should the left blame Joe Rogan for all of their problems?

[John Lovett]

Ooh, I think. I don't think we can blame Joe Rogan for all of our problems. I don't think we can blame anyone for all of our problems except our mothers. I'm having second thoughts that I have more hope that it's gonna go well in the midterms from someone from Australia. We're watching and we're loving what's happening here. So thank you. Okay, Australia. Let me go over there. I'm coming around to that side and then we'll call it. I'm coming around. Who has second thoughts over here? Does anybody have a second thought over here? Okay. I'm a middle school science teacher and I'm trying to teach science right now to children.

[Eugene Daniels]

And I'm having second thoughts about that

[John Lovett]

because I have had a thing I've

[Eugene Daniels]

taught for 15 years about what pseudoscience is and that included aliens, but now

[John Lovett]

apparently those are real. I think you should just gotta set stuff on fire and then use that time when they're paying attention to get all the information that you gotta just set stuff on fire. Yeah, that's the coolest part about science teaching, I think. Anybody have a second thought over here? Okay, let's do a couple more. I think we have a second thought about the term kitchen table issues. If you are trans, if you're gay, if you work for usaid, you're having a pretty sparse kitchen table right now. And the fact that people differentiating silo one issue from the other is really problematic. Well, I, presumably, I mean, interesting. I would just say trans people have kitchen tables and the kitchen table issues are their issues too. Trans people gotta eat. I'm always saying this. Oh, hi.

[Eugene Daniels]

I have second thoughts about being a wellness girlie because I feel like that's very right wing coded these days. And I think.

[Senator Chris Murphy]

I think we really need to take

[John Lovett]

back the wellness culture. I would say right wing coded is as right wing coded does. I don't think eating fruits and vegetables is sort of conservative on any level. And for a while, eating bacon was right wing coded and I think it still basically is. So I wouldn't worry too much about that because honestly, just live your life and be healthy and then that becomes as coded as whatever you are. That's what I think about that. All right, thank you all for joining us tonight. But before we go, there is one second thought I don't want us to have, which is that we get really, really, really close to winning the House and Senate. But it just doesn't break our way in the end. Applaud if you are from or know someone from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio, Arizona, we have competitive races that will decide control not only of the House, but of the Senate. Talk to your people. It is the time. Now is the time. Remind your friends, families and neighbors about the stakes and remind them that their vote will make a difference. Sharing information, donating to places that actually put your money to good use. These things can decide the outcome of the election. And so tonight I'm asking everybody here, when you walk your beautiful asses into the lobby, talk to our incredible volunteers at the Vote Save America table. They will get you signed up if you haven't signed up yet to be a part of this community. We can win. But it will be about all of us showing up and creating a genuine groundswell in which everybody from political freaks like us to less engaged and partisan voters to see November as a chance to hold Trump accountable and register anger at the corruption, chaos and failure to address the actual problems we face as a country. So sign up and I will see you all out there. That is our show. Thank you to Senator Chris Murphy, Eugene Daniels and Simone Sanders Townsend. We will see you next week back in LA. There are 191 days until the midterms. Have a great night and have a great weekend. Thank you and thank you to the Lincoln Theater and thank you dc. If you're already scrolling endlessly, which we know you are, don't forget to follow us at Crooked media on Instagram, TikTok and all the other ones for original content, community events and more. You can also find Love it or leave it on YouTube for videos of your favorite segments and other YouTube exclusive content. And if you want to type our praises or rip us a new one, consider dropping us a review. Finally, you can join Crooked's Friends of the Pod subscription community for ad free Love it or Leave it and POD Save America episodes, subscriber exclusive pods and more. Sign up@crook crooked.com friends love it or Leave it is a Crooked Media production. It's written and produced by me, John Lovett. Kendra James is our executive producer, Bill McGrath is our producer, Hallie Heper is our head writer, Sarah Lazarus is our senior staff writer and Jocelyn Kaufman, Peter Miller, Alan Pierre and Subba Agwal are our writers. Jordan Kanter is our editor. Charlotte Landis provide audio support. Stephen Colon is our audio engineer. Our theme song is written and performed by Shur Shure. Thanks to our designer, Sammy Cadorna Reeves for creating and running all of our visuals with which you can't see because this is a podcast. And to our digital producers, David Toles, Claudia Shang, Mia Kelman, Delon Villanueva, Jay Banks, Milo Kim and Rachel Gajewski for filming and editing video each week so that you can Love it or Leave it is produced by Lee Eisenberg and our head of Production is Matt de Groot and our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.

[Eugene Daniels]

It.