What a Weekday: Kamala on the Blitz, Elon on the Fritz

Summary

Episode Summary: "What a Weekday: Kamala on the Blitz, Elon on the Fritz"

Lovett or Leave It dives deep into the whirlwind of political and cultural happenings from the past week, offering sharp commentary and insightful analysis. This episode primarily focuses on Vice President Kamala Harris's recent media appearances, former President Donald Trump's ongoing rhetoric, and the intriguing involvement of Elon Musk in political rallies. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the episode's key discussions, notable quotes, and overarching themes.

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1. Kamala Harris's Media Blitz

Media Appearances and Interview Highlights

The episode begins with host Jon Lovett discussing Vice President Kamala Harris's strategic moves in the media landscape. Harris appeared on the popular podcast Call Her Daddy, marking a significant departure from traditional political interviews. During her interview, Harris addressed criticism from Sarah Huckabee Sanders regarding her lack of biological children.

@02:08 Unnamed Speaker: "I don't think she understands that there are a whole lot of women out here who... have a lot of love in their life, family in their life, and children in their life. And I think it's really important for women to lift each other up."

Harris emphasized the importance of embracing diverse family structures and the need for women to support one another, signaling her commitment to inclusive policies.

Policy Announcements

Harris announced a new policy aimed at easing the burden on Americans caring for aging parents, allowing Medicare to cover long-term home healthcare. She also reaffirmed her stance as a gun owner, highlighting her personal connection to Second Amendment rights.

@09:07 Unnamed Speaker: "I have a Glock and I've had it for quite some time."

Media Strategy and Public Perception

Lovett critiques the limited impact of Harris's interviews on traditional media outlets like 60 Minutes, arguing that these institutions no longer hold the same reach due to the fragmentation of news sources.

@07:12 John Lovett: "She just has to go on an anime podcast I've never heard of with 80 million weekly downloads so that people can actually hear about it."

He suggests that Harris needs to diversify her media appearances to platforms with broader or different audiences, such as popular YouTube channels or widely followed podcasts like Hot Ones.

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2. Donald Trump's Continued Influence and Rhetoric

Misinformation and Public Statements

The discussion shifts to former President Donald Trump's latest remarks and actions. Lovett highlights Trump's tendency to spread misinformation, particularly concerning Hurricane Helene and its aftermath.

@14:52 Donald Trump: "They don't have people there. They don't have the people... It's just what's happened there is very bad. They're offering them $750 to people whose homes have been washed away."

Lovett underscores the harmful effects of such misinformation, noting bipartisan concerns and the strain it places on disaster response efforts.

Anti-Semitic Undertones and Rhetoric

Trump's rhetoric regarding Jewish people and Israel is scrutinized, with Lovett pointing out the problematic conflation of Jewish identity with support for Israel.

@13:24 Donald Trump: "They have to get smart about Trump because they don't back me... I did more for Israel than anybody."

Lovett criticizes Trump's language, suggesting it perpetuates harmful stereotypes and fosters division.

Elon Musk's Political Engagement

A notable segment covers Elon Musk's unexpected appearance at a Trump rally in Pennsylvania. Musk's involvement is portrayed as an attempt by the Trump campaign to align with influential tech figures, though Lovett expresses skepticism about Musk's compatibility with the rally's audience.

@26:31 Donald Trump: "Take over, Elon."

Lovett sarcastically remarks on Musk's presence, questioning the effectiveness of blending tech entrepreneurship with political campaigning.

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3. The Role of Billionaire Influence in Politics

Super PAC Spending in Pennsylvania

Lovett brings attention to the unprecedented spending by super PACs in Pennsylvania, primarily funded by billionaires engaged in high-frequency trading. He critiques the outsized influence of wealthy individuals in shaping political outcomes.

@28:22 John Lovett: "There are... billionaires who... make their money via... fast action trading."

He argues that this financial dominance undermines democratic processes and favors transactional politics over substantive policy discussions.

Potential Implications for Future Elections

The conversation delves into the potential consequences of sustained billionaire influence, particularly if figures like Trump and Musk continue to shape political narratives.

@29:33 Donald Trump: "Allowing people to come through an open border, 13,000 of which were murderers... it's in their genes."

Lovett warns of the dangers posed by such rhetoric, emphasizing the need for public officials to counteract misinformation to preserve democratic integrity.

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4. Climate Change and the Upcoming Election

Climate as a Pivotal Issue

Towards the episode's conclusion, Lovett stresses the critical importance of the upcoming election in addressing climate change. He urges listeners to mobilize and advocate for climate-conscious policies to ensure sustainable governance.

@34:25 John Lovett: "This is the most important climate change election in human history... we cannot survive having a climate denialist in the White House."

Voter Information Resources

Lovett promotes voting resources like VoteSave America's ballot tool, encouraging listeners to stay informed and engaged in the electoral process.

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5. Cultural Commentary: Movie Reviews and Public Reception

Critique of Recent Film Releases

In a lighter segment, the hosts discuss recent movie releases, notably Todd Phillips's Joker 2, which has underperformed at the box office. They critique the film's narrative choices and its disappointing reception among audiences.

@31:24 John Lovett: "Its biggest sin, honestly, is that... it's very boring."

The conversation highlights the disconnect between critical expectations and audience satisfaction, using the film as a case study for broader cultural trends.

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6. Technical Glitches and On-Air Diversions

Unexpected Interruptions

The episode experiences minor distractions due to technical issues and off-topic discussions about car horn sounds and bumper stickers. While these segments add a layer of humor, they momentarily divert from the main political discourse.

@17:47 Unnamed Speaker 3: "It's from Super Yaki. It's a really popular movie company."

Despite these brief interruptions, Lovett successfully steers the conversation back to pressing political matters, maintaining the episode's focus and coherence.

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Conclusion and Call to Action

Jon Lovett wraps up the episode by reiterating the high stakes of the current political climate, urging listeners to engage actively in the electoral process to combat misinformation and advocate for effective climate policies. He acknowledges the challenges posed by entrenched political rhetoric and billionaire influence but remains hopeful about the potential for informed and decisive voter action.

@34:25 John Lovett: "Understanding who's on your ballot is more important than ever. So head to votesaveamerica.com, vote to get your personalized voter guide in five easy steps."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• @02:08 Unnamed Speaker: "I don't think she understands that there are a whole lot of women out here who... have a lot of love in their life, family in their life, and children in their life."

• @09:07 Unnamed Speaker: "I have a Glock and I've had it for quite some time."

• @14:52 Donald Trump: "They don't have people there... They're offering them $750 to people whose homes have been washed away."

• @26:31 Donald Trump: "Take over, Elon."

• @29:33 Donald Trump: "Allowing people to come through an open border, 13,000 of which were murderers... it's in their genes."

• @34:25 John Lovett: "This is the most important climate change election in human history... we cannot survive having a climate denialist in the White House."

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Final Thoughts

Lovett or Leave It successfully navigates the complex interplay of politics, media strategy, and cultural shifts, providing listeners with a nuanced understanding of the week's events. By blending humor with critical analysis, Jon Lovett and his co-hosts offer a compelling narrative that both informs and engages, making it a must-listen for those keen on deciphering the ever-evolving political landscape.

Transcript

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[John Lovett]

So I parked at like 10:47. I boarded 11:03. Damn. The door closed at 11:05.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

You cut it so close.

[John Lovett]

I wasn't supposed to be on that line. 11:47. I got to the airport because the flight was 11:20. The flight I was supposed to be on was 11:50. That got delayed to one, which meant I wouldn't be able to get to Pittsburgh that night. So I moved to a 1pm flight that could get me to Pittsburgh on time. But then I said fuck it and I left my house, drove reasonably fast and got on. Yeah, I hadn't eaten either. And they don't really sell food on spirit.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Oh no, what would it be?

[John Lovett]

Even so, it's just like I like.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

Take food away from you.

[John Lovett]

All I ate till I got to Pittsburgh was a bag of peanut M and Ms. And their cheese plate. And you'd be surprised to find that the Spiritaire cheese plate, it's not a particularly fulfilling option.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Cause at least on Ryanair, they sell like they'll sell you food. They'll also sell you a Kylie Jenner lip kit. I learned that's fun. You can beat that.

[John Lovett]

All right, let's get into it. What a weekday. And you know what that sound means. The Kamala Harris media blitz has begun. On Sunday, Kamala appeared on Call Her Daddy, one of the most popular podcasts in the country. After this one. During her interview, Harris addressed Sarah Huckabee Sanders recent snide comment about her lack of biological children.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

I saw the governor of Arkansas said.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

My kids keep me humble. Unfortunately, Kamala Harris doesn't have anything keeping her humble.

[John Lovett]

How did that make you feel?

[Unnamed Speaker 4]

I don't think she understands that there are a whole lot of women out here who, one, are not aspiring to be humble. Two, a whole lot of women out here who have a lot of love in their life, family in their life, and children in their life. And I think it's really important for women to lift each other up.

[John Lovett]

Lift women up. That's the signal she gave us. The signal, said the black ops Exhumation crew hired by the DNC to search Ivana's golf course coffin. Yeah, that was worth it.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

I laughed. It just wasn't that loud.

[John Lovett]

Three takes. Kamala went on to talk about her relationship with her stepchildren, Cole and Ella.

[Unnamed Speaker 4]

They are my children, and I love those kids to death. And family comes in many forms. And I think that increasingly, you know, all of us understand that, you know, this is not the 1950s anymore.

[John Lovett]

Unless the body cams are off, of course. That was a good joke. Nothing. All right. Their conversation about abortion rights included this moment.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Can we try to think of any law that gives the government the power.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

To make a decision?

[Unnamed Speaker 4]

I know what you're going to ask.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

About a man's body.

[Unnamed Speaker 4]

No, no.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Is there any law?

[John Lovett]

But you know what? There should be. We need a federal ban on men getting marvel tattoos, buddy. You're not venomous. You don't have anti hero energy. You're just a medium guy who doesn't change his sheets enough.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Can I just say, like, that question and the way that she asked it, like, she really thought she cooked with that.

[John Lovett]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

And like, that is the reason this is the second episode of Call Her Daddy that I've listened to in full. The first one was Ariana Maddox, and that is the reason I cannot listen to this show. And I know that I'm not the only one out there. And I just want to say that if you want to hear the same style or the same more personality driven discussion with the vice president, but also addressing actual issues. She was on all the Smoke last week, and they talked about a lot of the same things, and it didn't get nearly as much attention.

[John Lovett]

It got. Yes, I agree. But it also, like, that was also a great interview, and it is, like, part of this story of, like, her going to the other places.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

But yeah, I also want to say that the caller daddy set looks like it's like the waiting room where you wait to find out if you got chlamydia. But, like, they tell you through an app. Does that make sense?

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

I just.

[John Lovett]

Is that their actual set, though, or did they redress a place where Kamala Harris was going to be because the.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Call her daddy is off center?

[John Lovett]

Well, because this. This is the. I believe we're getting really into the. Into the.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Well, it just sort of leaps off the screen. You're like, oh, okay.

[John Lovett]

You know, But I don't know what. Because Alex Cooper put out a video that basically they had before the hurricane, before Helene hit, they had set up a hotel room in Las Vegas to film this interview because they're basically just going to where Kamala would be, where she would have the time. So I don't know if this is their actual day to day set or what they set up for her to be able to do this.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

It does look like a hastily assembled 2010 girl. Boss.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

It's the wing. They're in the wing.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

Nice.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

And then on Monday, 60 Minutes aired their sit down with the Vice president, opening their show with this ice cold intro explaining how Donald Trump backed out of the interview, which I think we should play in its entirety.

[Donald Trump]

Ago. Trump backed out. The campaign offered shifting explanations. First, it complained that we would fact check the interview. We fact check every story. Later, Trump said he needed an apology for his interview in 2020. Trump claims correspondent Leslie Stoll said in that interview that Hunter Biden's controversial laptop came from Russia. She never said that.

[John Lovett]

Nice. Great stuff.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

It'd be cool if you just did like a daily recap of the things that Trump said that weren't true.

[John Lovett]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

Trump said Jews cause hurricanes. They do not.

[John Lovett]

There was this media news cycle around what press Kamala Harris is or isn't doing for a while. It was, oh, she's not doing interviews. Then she announces that she's doing the national association of Black Journalists, they announced that she's doing 60 Minutes and Univision and also call her Daddy Stern, the Late show, et cetera. Tim Walls is on Fox News Sunday, and there are still like, political reporters saying, oh, well, she doesn't want to do serious interviews. Even if you put aside the fact that she's doing all of these actually serious interviews, like, it is like refusing to acknowledge that, hey, these institutions don't have the reach they once did. It's really stratified. People go for information to a bunch of different places, and to get in front of actual people, they have to go to all these other news sources. That's like a problem. That's not, like a good thing. It was frustrating that they were so critical of her for doing all these things and ignoring the fact that she is still doing the mainstream serious publications because we, like, the world is a worse place because 60 Minutes is going to reach far fewer people than a bunch of apolitical stuff. And the fact that it used to be that there was no competition when the news was on and the news was on all the channels, that was what was on. There was no competition from Netflix. There's no competition from people's phones. And I don't know, I'm glad that 60 Minutes as an institution as like, sort of like putting a little flag in the sand and saying, like, this is what we do. We're going to keep doing it until they close the doors and lock them and sell the 60 Minutes brand to a YouTube channel to hawk some various products.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

And in the meantime, Kamala Harris must go on Hot Ones.

[John Lovett]

Kamala Harris must go on Hot Ones.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Go on Hot Ones.

[John Lovett]

Go on Hot Ones. I like, I want to see, like, I do think, I do think, like, if we look back on this moment and like we lose, which is very possible. Obviously, Donald Trump going to those places, like going on Theo Vaughn's pod, doing this stuff with sort of big YouTubers. Like that will be pointed to as evidence of how he managed to.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

She should sit down with Theo Von. Absolutely.

[John Lovett]

Yeah. I think she, like, we have to get somebody big on Rogan. Like, oh, he's a bad guy. Okay, someone's got to go on Rogan. Theo Vaughn. We got to go to all those places. Just, we have to. During her interview, Harris announced a new policy designed to ease the burden of Americans taking care of aging parents in addition to their kids. Letting Medicare pay for long term healthcare at home. Incredible. Now she just has to go on an anime podcast I've never heard of with 80 million weekly downloads so that people can actually hear about it. Harris also reiterated that she is, in fact a gun owner.

[Unnamed Speaker 4]

I have a Glock and I've had it for quite some time.

[John Lovett]

Look, does this make me uncomfortable? A little bit. But a campaign ad where Kamala fires that Glock at a shooting range while talking about abortion rights in a voiceover. A bullseye followed by a wink to the camera. Landslide, landslide victory.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

It's over.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Wouldn't hurt.

[John Lovett]

Wouldn't hurt. She should be firing that Glock up in the air like Yosemite Sam wearing a camo.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

Harris walls hat.

[John Lovett]

Sure.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

Forget about it.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

A camo cowboy hat.

[John Lovett]

Sure. Okay, okay. It's getting more. We're moving into the drag. The drag zone.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Well, you gotta look at like, Donald Trump. I feel like Donald Trump has. He's become a mask of himself. I feel like she's gotta get a little, what do they call, like, peacocking? She might have to go with a big hat.

[John Lovett]

Donald Trump is smart enough to not put himself in other kinds of hats. He knows that he can only be in the MAGA hat and he has to wear. And you never. You'll never see Donald Trump put on. I guess maybe you do now once in a while. He will, I think, have his hair done under a hat so that he can remove the hat. But like when you see Donald Trump in a hat, that's a part of.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

His carapace, he's a cartoon character. Like he cannot change. And he is smart.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

He's got hat discipline.

[John Lovett]

Yeah. Harris will also sit for interviews with Howard Stern, Stephen Colbert, and the host of the View. She'll be eating increasingly hot chicken wings during all of them. That's just because she's super stressed.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

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

[John Lovett]

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[Donald Trump]

Your has to do one thing. They have to get smart about Trump because they don't back me. I did more for Israel than anybody. I did more for the Jewish people than anybody. And it's not a reciprocal.

[John Lovett]

As I say two points about this. First of all, just very cool that he's using Israel and Jewish people interchangeably now. Just a convenient shorthand never led to anything horrific before. Also, I can't prove this obviously, but you all know that he's picturing Diamond District has, right? Like he's when he's talking about Jewish people, he's basically saying to Hugh Hewitt like these people are chewing me down on Israel. Like that's what he's getting at. It's not reciprocal. He's like not getting a good deal. That's what he's like. These Jews, they're driving their usual Hard bargain with their hook noses and their fucking this.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

Did you see he went to visit Rabbi Schneerson's grave yesterday and offered to sign a prayer book?

[John Lovett]

Yes, he did. He also did a, he offered to sign a prayer book. 10 out of 10. He also, he had a memorial at his golf course. Like, he didn't, he wouldn't. They did the event at Miami, his course. Like, that's because what, you just, you won't even leave the house.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

That person, I assume, is not buried there.

[John Lovett]

No, he went somewhere.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Oh, ok. Yeah, yeah.

[John Lovett]

No, no, the, the rabbi is not buried. Trump Deral. But he does these things. Yeah. No.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

God knows who's under there.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

I mean, during his campaign rallies over the weekend, Donald Trump leaned hard into spreading misinformation. Here he is in Butler, the rally he put on with Elon Musk because.

[Donald Trump]

They don't have people there. They don't have the people, all of the people in North Carolina, no helicopters, no rescue. It's just what's happened there is very bad. They're offering them $750 to people whose homes have been washed away.

[John Lovett]

Just a flat out lie, easily debunked. It's like he came back to Butler, Pennsylvania to see if he could make God regret saving his life. Officials and lawmakers from both parties have been pleading for the misinformation to stop. Kevin Corbin, a GOP state representative in North Carolina, wrote on Facebook, please help stop this junk. It is just a distraction to people trying to do their job. When Donald Trump made up lies about Mexicans, I did not speak up because I was not a Mexican and was kind of into it. When Donald Trump made up lies about trans people, I did not speak up because that kind of weirds me out. When Donald Trump made up lies about my community in the wake of a devastating natural disaster, I actually didn't reflect on the other shit at all. But also I'm in an emergency. So it's a lot to ask that I also reflect on my broader politics right now. So it's like, in fairness. Meanwhile, coastal areas of Florida that were just battered by Hurricane Helene are soon to be hit by Hurricane Milton, which had reached Category 5 and fall into Category 4 by Tuesday morning. As you're recording this, the storm hasn't hit yet, but depending on how bad the damage is, by tomorrow we should know if the Jews caused it. Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reportedly refused to take a call from Kamala Harris earlier this week, according to NBC News. A DeSantis aide said the Vice president was trying to reach out and we didn't answer because the call seemed political. First of all, how do you know how political a call seems while it's ringing? It would actually be awesome if Paul's vibes could be foretold by the ring. So you could know if a friend was calling because they are bored and driving or because they need someone's help to move, you know, but they don't work that way. Oh, this sounds like it's going to be about boxes. You have no idea what a call is going to be. When your mother calls it, like at not your, your usual time. It's like, is she bored or did somebody die?

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

Yeah, exactly the same way that like cars should have different beeps based on how you feel. A phone should ring differently based on what the call is.

[John Lovett]

It would be really nice to have like, I think like if we get in the car and we are in the just the hackiest of 1980s comedy territory here. But like, let's, let's, let's see for a second that like just practically, like the horn that I feel is the most missing is like. Excuse me. Just like, just, just drawing your attention. You're on your phone.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

It is kind of silly.

[John Lovett]

Short tap. Just like a, like a, just a. Wake up a little. This is not an emergency.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

I blew a tire on the highway the other day and people were honking at me. Honking, which I gen like to let me know that my tire had been gone because my pressure signal hadn't come on yet. And because I also have a bumper sticker on the back of my car that says honk if you love the mummy.

[John Lovett]

I'm sorry. Finish your thought.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Yeah. So I get like, I'll be driving on the highway and people will honk, which is very. Because of the bumper sticker that sounds like hell. And then they'll wave, honk.

[John Lovett]

Honk.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Yes.

[John Lovett]

So I honk, Honk if you love the mummy.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

It says. Yeah, Honk if you think like 1999's the Mummy is like the most perfect movie ever. Lots of people in LA have this bumper sticker.

[John Lovett]

No, they don't.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Yes, they do.

[John Lovett]

No, they don't.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Yes, they do.

[John Lovett]

Never heard of it. Never seen it. We all live in la. Has anyone ever seen the Hong of.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

You like, different versions?

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

It's like similar. I've seen a lot of people have this.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

It's from Super Yaki. It's a really popular movie company.

[John Lovett]

Honk if you like the Mummy.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Yes.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

I'm not, I'm not Alone.

[John Lovett]

Do you know about this?

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Yeah.

[Donald Trump]

When you're on the way to see.

[John Lovett]

Some film in the vista and you're with. No. Have you seen it?

[Unnamed Speaker 4]

Oh, yeah.

[John Lovett]

But often it's like more text than that.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

Right.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

It's a long. I'm misquoting it. It's a long bumper sticker.

[John Lovett]

If you'd rather be watching the 1999 classic cinematic masterpiece the Mummy, starring Brandon Fraser and Rachel.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

There we go. Anyway, it's on the back of my car and so I get honked out a lot on the highway. And usually then people pass and they're like waving because they're acknowledging it. So when I blew my tire out the other day, I did not know that they were honking to warn me of the tire, so I could have used a different honk.

[John Lovett]

Did you feel that there was a problem?

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

It was just at that moment where it was, like, about to go down, so I just hadn't caught onto it yet.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

You see the second sticker? So it's honk if you love the mummy or if my tire is blown out, you'll know.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

It was my first flight. I'd never had a flat tire before, so it was. I was navigating new. A new territory. Where were you on the 134 heading towards the Glendale Galleria to take a walk.

[John Lovett]

Oh, what a sad diversion from a wonderful time. Were you going to Dintai Fun?

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

No, I was probably gonna go to the Cheesecake Factory.

[John Lovett]

Nice. Did that get all get fucked up by the tire?

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Yeah. Though I will say the tow truck came in only 20 minutes. Thank you. Honda Roadside Assistance. It was great.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Shout out to Honda Roadside Assistance.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

Give it up for Honda Roadside Assistance.

[John Lovett]

Yeah, it's not associated with the car company. It's a person named Honda who's very.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Fast and loves the Mummy.

[John Lovett]

Harris was asked about Desantis not taking her call. She said this.

[Unnamed Speaker 4]

It's just utterly irresponsible and it is selfish, and it is about political gamesmanship instead of doing the job that you took an else to do.

[John Lovett]

When asked in a subsequent press conference, Desantis claimed not to know about Kamala's calls. I didn't know she called me. Ron told the press. I was not aware of that. That is just a lie. Just obviously just a person lying. We are no longer in the era where you cannot know that somebody called. We actually don't get to not know anything about anybody, and it's creating a who lot of problems. But in this one case, we can pretty well be sure he knew she called Also, your aide told the press that you purposely didn't take the call. So you're in the middle of an upcoming natural disaster, the second one in as many weeks. You're preparing for that occurrence. The sitting vice president calls your aide, sends it to voicemail. Your aide then tells the press that you send it to voicemail on purpose, because fuck you then. No one told you about this plan. You had no idea this happened? Like what? Like it used to be there was at least some. If you're sitting. Look, members of Congress always been fucking turds and weird. Well, always been liars in politics. But it used to be there was some show to pretend you weren't lying or to have some plausible defense of your lie. There was some effort to ground what you were saying in some kernel of defensible objective reality that you could claim. But this is not that.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

It's interesting. Cause I feel like I would only try to be governor to give the illusion that I had gravitas in power when I knew inside I'm a worm. But he doesn't even care. It's just like you don't even want the thing that you. Why did you do this if you're just gonna humiliate yourself in the news?

[John Lovett]

He still wants to be president.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

I just feel like if the vice president calls any of us, we're going to know.

[John Lovett]

Well, it might say, like, restricted or unknown number. Right. Like that might be the case, but that it can't.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

She's leaving a message.

[John Lovett]

She's absolutely leaving a message. And your aide already told reporters why you didn't take the call.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

This is part of a little plan you had in the middle of a hurricane to kind of. To be like. As. Like it is the. Like, you know, the little stinker political era, too, because, like, he has made a point. DeSantis made a point that the Biden administration is. It's a way for him to behave like a governor the way other Republican governors have. Which is to say that the Biden administration is doing everything they possibly can while doing a little bit to shiv the Democrats to that. That sort of get a little bit of politics in there. Pretty gross. Harris also took Trump to task for his nonstop lies about Hurricane Helene.

[Unnamed Speaker 4]

There's a lot of mis and disinformation being pushed out there by the former president about what is available in. To the survivors of Naline. And first of all, it's extraordinarily irresponsible. It's about him. It's not about you. And the reality is that FEMA has so many resources that are available to folks who desperately need them.

[John Lovett]

I do think it matters that Republican governors, Republican senators like Tom Tillis are out there saying that what Trump is doing is disgusting and not helpful. Or some, some are willing to go far enough to call it disgusting and most are just at least saying it's wrong and not helpful. And it is like a. It's not the most important reason that we have to win this election. But four years from now, the AI little girls invest holding puppies will be more convincing. Our ability to separate fact and fiction will be even more difficult. And it really will depend on people having some kind of hygiene in the Internet, in the way they consume the Internet. But that's a lot to ask. So then it will come down to, like, public officials and like, their willingness to kind of, like, tell the truth or at least call out stuff that is false. And with each passing year, there are fewer and fewer Republicans willing to do that. And until we, like, this does feel like for a variety of reasons, our last chance to defeat this version of Trumpism so that other Republicans view it as a loser, so that they can start to move back not even a more moderate direction, but just in a less fascistic direction. They can keep their right wing terrible policies. They can keep their, they'll keep their heinous abortion policies, whatever. They'll keep their rash of actual political views that we find abhorrent but like, on policy, but like it. But like to move away from this kind of like conspiratorial, paranoid politics to make it. To make clear that that's a loser. Because, like, I'm glad you have media institutions denouncing this stuff. I think local news still matters. But, like, the most effective weapon against Republican misinformation right now has been Republicans, and there are fewer and fewer people willing to say that. So. So just a. It is another. Like, this week has been another reminder of the stakes. Because imagine if this happens, Donald Trump is president. He's only sending aid to Republican states. They're making up lies about what Democratic politicians are doing in their states. It's just like we just. How do you have a society with these people?

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

I don't think like the idea that if you. Because obviously we had that story last week about him equivocating on sending aid to blue states and potentially benefiting red states. But it's like that is only true up until the point that he has a personal grievance with, say, a Republican governor like Brian Kemp. So if any Republicans out here and thinks, well, I'll be on the side. Will he look after me? The second you do, you second you send the wrong email, he will threaten your state. So the idea that they're like some sort of cohesive group, that they're gonna benefit from Trump's presidency is a lie. Because Trump only knows how to have conflict. He will have conflict with you when things get worse and worse. He'll turn on Ron DeSantis. Like, he'll turn on all these Republican governors as soon as it's inconvenient to him.

[John Lovett]

Yeah. The other part of it that's, like, kind of dispiriting, too, is that the reason this kind of paranoid, conspiratorial politics is effective, and it's part of how Trump ran and won in 2016, it's how he could almost win now, is a lot of Americans believe this is how the government always operated. That, like the way Trump describes politics, the way Trump views politics, what he would do if he were to win is how people think it does work. They think it is already about France and when it's actually genuinely in these moments. Not. At least it hasn't been. Obviously, there's exceptions, but, like, people are so cynical about government, they believe it operates in the way Donald Trump would make it operate if he won, which is just this, like, ridiculous. Catch 22 at the heart of all this that I find very frustrating. And then there's Elon Musk. Here he is at the rally in Pennsylvania, physically leaping into the air once he took the stage.

[Donald Trump]

American car company in generations. It is rocket company. Is the only reason we can now send American astronauts into space.

[John Lovett]

Come here.

[Donald Trump]

Take over, Elon.

[John Lovett]

Yes, take over. Richest man in the world. At any given moment, he could be anywhere on the planet doing anything at all. And somehow, at this moment, he is doing the saddest possible thing in the shittiest possible place. Told the crowd this. He's wearing a black MAGA hat. As you can see, I'm not just maga.

[Donald Trump]

I'm dark maga.

[John Lovett]

Very shrewd. The way the Trump campaign brought in Elon Musk so that JD Vance would seem less like a web forum. Poisoned. Incel. Loser. Imagine being Elon Musk and bombing at a mega rally. The most receptive crowd that doesn't work for him that he'll ever be in front of. It's like eating shit at your own bar mitzvah. Unbelievable. Just the like. I hope it's drugs. Honestly, it's the only way I like. We've talked about I don't wanna talk about Elon. I'm sick of that.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

We have to. I'm sorry. He is funding Trump's run. Nobody wants to talk about Elon. He has made himself a pivotal point of our political system. Nobody wants it, but here we are.

[John Lovett]

I know. Well, we were in. We were in Pennsylvania. We did this show in Pittsburgh, obviously, and we did Ponzi America in Philly. Everybody should listen to that show. It's a great show. It's actually one of my favorite live shows that we've done with Ponzi America. And there are. I think in Pennsylvania. This is not. Maybe not exactly right. I think this is right. But basically the most money ever spent by super PACs for one candidate is currently being spent in Pennsylvania. And my understanding is that it's all coming from just a few billionaires. And those are billionaires who. I think some of them make their money via. What's it called, that kind of like fast action trading. The hyper. The companies that do the kind of like thousands of trades per second type trading. What's the name, Nora? That's called.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

No one in.

[John Lovett]

Put it in the comments.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

What is the stock market?

[John Lovett]

Yeah, yeah. Anyway, stocks. So. But like, that's millions and millions of dollars. And I am sure that that is ideologically driven. A lot of these billionaires are ideologically driven. But also I'm sure it's in part insurance for having Donald Trump in the White house, who is 100% transactional. Even on Israel, he's like, they're not being reciprocal. What a down payment. Help make sure that you put Donald Trump in the White House and you'll have an SEC that's favorable to you because they're corrupt. And like Elon is a living embodiment of that kind of corruption. He has billions and billions of dollars of interest from the federal government. It will be very valuable to him to have Donald Trump always take his calls, always do what he asked. You can already see that Donald Trump is adjusting what he says about electric cars because he knows in the back of his mind that he's going to see Elon this week. But of course, that doesn't stop on all the other fucking issues. On Monday, Trump leaned into his race science argument against immigration while talking to Hugh Hewitt.

[Donald Trump]

How about allowing people to come through an open border, 13,000 of which were murderers. Now a murderer, I believe this. It's in their genes. And we got a lot of bad genes in our country right now.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Got the calipers.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

I mean, look, I'd make my. I'll make my prediction again. We are. Phrenology is going to make a comeback in Republican politics. Calipers, sure. All of it. But, you know, Trump does know a thing or two about bad genes being in our country right now. Cuts a photo of Eric and Don. Boom.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Got him.

[John Lovett]

We got him. We got him.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

I mean, it is crazy. It's like we have cycled all the way back to his first. Like, his announcement in 2015. Because that first announcement was the. They sent Mexican rapists, right? So it's like he's. It's not even playing the hits. It's like there's. He can only churn. Like, there's only Cycle. Like there's only the same 12 things over and over again forever. And half the population finds that at least somewhat satisfying. And that's hard.

[John Lovett]

I would say more that there's a base of the Republican Party that eats this up and then there's probably a majority of the country that finds it disgusting. And then there's this group of people. Either they are so cynical about politics or so kind of apolitical that either this doesn't reach them or it all seems like noise, or there are people that just don't care enough. They just aren't. They don't care enough. And like, our job in the next 30 days is to figure out how to make a lot of those people care in one way or another to stop this. And that's been the job for the last decade. And we love what we do, so that's part of it. And finally, Todd Phillips. Philia Deux fucking flopped at the box office this weekend.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

We didn't see Joker in that sentence.

[John Lovett]

Oh, Joker. You know, the sequel, Fuck it earned a meager 40 million in its opening weekend. You know what they say? Joker wants shame on me. Joker wants shame on me. Joker 2. Philia de.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Got him. Fucking got him.

[John Lovett]

All right.

[Unnamed Speaker 2]

Turn Todd Phillips into the Joker.

[John Lovett]

Yep. He's on his way. I'm going to see the Joker sequel. Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

It was a movie.

[John Lovett]

Kendra, you saw it?

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

I saw it. I'd give it. Like, I genuinely. The reviews that I read before going in, like, made me expect truly the worst. Ok. I think its biggest sin, honestly, is that a. It's very boring.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

That's what everyone says. It's boring.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

It's incredibly boring.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

It's too bad.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Also, he very quickly, he references a movie the bandwagon often throughout the movie. You see a movie poster for it at the beginning and then there is a scene where it plays a very Long portion of the movie or a big chunk of the movie that the Joker is watching in another scene.

[John Lovett]

I love being in a movie theater watching a character watch a movie. Yes.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

So the bandwagon is in part about a man who is putting on a musical version of Faust, which does not go well. People leave opening night very depressed. They're like, this is a musical. It's supposed to be bright, happy, sunshiny, blah, blah, blah, surreal, whatever. And he references this movie so many times. And then you see the Joker and you're like, you clearly did not get the point of this movie that you keep referencing.

[John Lovett]

Or maybe he did. It sounds like this is really not what people wanted from it. And it's a boring musical that leaves people depressed.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Well, no, but then at the end of the bandwagon, the whole turn is Fred Astaire.

[John Lovett]

And spoiler for the bandwagon. Yeah, yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Spoiler for this movie that came out in 1953. No. Fred Astaire and his friends make him.

[John Lovett]

Realize that he's gay.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Sure. That he needs to put on the bandwagon, which is like this bright, cheery thing. It becomes a hit, blah, blah, blah. And it's just like. It was just interesting watching this thing and realize there was no joy, no surrealism. Not that all musicals have to be joyful. I mean, if you've seen Cabaret, for instance, it's not a bucket of laughs. But he just. He fundamentally doesn't understand musicals and didn't understand what he had to work with. There were some things in there that I actually kind of liked. They just didn't ever come together.

[John Lovett]

Right, right. Yeah. Seems like a real miss. That's also part of the plot of Merrily Rolling About Somebody that sells out sell. It's funny because it was. It's been remade so many times. Like, originally, it was about someone who sold out and made plays that were too commercial. And now then it became in this. But. Yeah, well, Lady Gaga, Harlequin, the album I loved.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

That's insane.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

That's all the music that I love.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

That's the.

[John Lovett]

Well, okay.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

And that's fair. But I was like. When she released it, I was like, oh, well, this movie's not. This is a Bob. Absolutely a bomb.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

I liked that album because it is very good. But I also knew that she could do it in her sleep. Like, she rolled out of. Rolled out of bed. And, like, every song, one take.

[Unnamed Speaker 4]

Yeah.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

No, I mean, she's like, I'm already scatting. Just start recording it.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

There's no scatting. On that album.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Oh, well, then what's there for anybody then?

[John Lovett]

Okay, well, it's another great week of news here in America. Thanks for everybody for listening. We are recording this between two hurricanes. Just a reminder that this is the most important climate change election in human history. And if there are people in your life that don't see it that way, you should try to convince them and just so beg them that even if they're not totally sure to come along and help. Because we cannot survive having a climate denialist in the White House. I really genuinely believe, like, this is the one. And so if the stakes didn't feel high enough, I feel like this week they feel even higher. Do you see that? There was a weatherman just crying on the air in South Florida. Like, this is where we're at, people. And you can also get ready to vote with votesave America's build your own ballot tool. There's gonna be a lot of stuff on people's ballots. Votes of America has put together a really helpful resource. So if, you know, if you're already feeling like, oh, I have to figure out how I'm gonna vote on all these things, what's my ballot gonna look like? Go to votesave america.com, go check out the ballot tool. It's super helpful. Understanding who's on your ballot is more important than ever. So head to votesaveamerica.com vote to get your personalized voter guide in five easy steps. This message has been paid for by VoteSave America. You can learn more at VoteSave America.com this ad has not been authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. And that's our show. Thank you to Hallie, thank you to Sarah, thank you to Kendra. Taking this dog for a walk. And see you, slut Saturday.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Bye, sluts.

[John Lovett]

Love it, Believe it. It's Love it, Believe it straight. Love it or leave it is a crooked media production. It is written and produced by me, John Lovett and Lee Eisenberg. Kendra James is our executive producer, Chris Lord is our producer, and Kennedy Hill is our associate producer. Halle Kiefer is our head writer, Sarah Lazarus and Jocelyn Kaufman, Peter Miller, Alan Pierre, Will Miles and Mohanad El Shige are our writers. Evan Sutton is our editor. Kyle Seglin and Charlotte Landis provide audio support. Stephen Colon is our audio engineer and Milo Kim is our videographer. Our theme song is written and performed by sure Shure. Thanks to our designer, Bernardo Cerna for creating and running all of our visuals, which you can't see because this is a podcast. And to Our digital producers, David Toles, Claudia Shang, Mia kelman and Matt DeGroote for filming and editing video each week. So you can just love it or leave it. The only, the only like actual meal like food they sell on spirit air is like some kind of cup of noodle that they'll make for you, which I guess they just must use the hot water from the coffee and just pour it into a cup of noodles. Right.

[Unnamed Speaker 1]

Like it's your flying in your college dorm room.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Well, you understand why I say I will not go further than Las Vegas.

[John Lovett]

I still think everybody like, I get why the like, like Stephen and the video team that had to check a bunch of stuff. I think that is risky but for like, like Kennedy flew. Connecting.

[Unnamed Speaker 3]

Yeah.

[John Lovett]

And like, I don't know, like I having done it, I would have, I would do the spirit air again over connecting because I got to, I got to Pittsburgh. We went to a Pittsburgh classic tavern for pierogies, schnitzel, pretzels. It was great. I'd rather do that.

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[John Lovett]

Hey, I'm journalist Sam Sanders. I'm poet Saeed Jones. And I'm producer Zach Stafford. And we are the host of a podcast called Vibe Check. On Vibe Check, we talk about everything. News, culture and entertainment and how it all feels. That's right, we talk about any and everything on our show, from real life issues like grief to music and movie critiques. And that barely scratches the surface. Yes, indeed. And it doesn't stop there. We have got a lot to say, so join our group, chat, come to life, follow and listen to Vibe Check wherever you get your podcast.