It keeps Getting Worse for Democrats + Bret Baier Joins the Progrum

Summary

Ruthless Podcast: "It Keeps Getting Worse for Democrats + Bret Baier Joins the Progrum"

Date: October 24, 2025
Hosts: Josh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan, John Ashbrook
Special Guest: Bret Baier (Fox News)

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Episode Overview

This episode brings the signature Ruthless blend of sharp conservative analysis and biting humor to the ongoing political turbulence surrounding Democrats—particularly the government shutdown and messaging flubs. The fellas are joined by renowned Fox News anchor and author Bret Baier, who discusses the state of journalism, lessons from presidential history (with insights from his new Teddy Roosevelt book), and the intersection of news, politics, and personality. Classic Ruthless games, inside jokes, and fan commentary round out a lively, extended episode.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Government Shutdown & Democrat Messaging Woes

[01:42–17:53]

• Catherine Clark’s “Leverage” Gaffe:
  The hosts discuss recent remarks by House Democrat Whip Catherine Clark, who admitted the shutdown creates “leverage” for Democrats—even if it causes American families to suffer. The clip is played and mocked extensively.

  • Quote – Catherine Clark (Clip played):
    “It is one of the few leveraged times we have.” [03:20]
  • Hosts lambast the optics, noting Clark was seated “in front of a well appointed fireplace… in a thousand dollar suit,” while saying, essentially, “We know you’ll suffer, but it’s a sacrifice we're willing to make.” [04:24] — John Ashbrook

• GOP Response:
  Speaker of the House Johnson’s staff respond by installing a TV near the Speaker’s office that plays Clark’s “leverage” clip on loop, trolling Democrats who previously used the location for their own viral videos.

  • “Outstanding work by the Speaker’s team… everyone should see it. It’s like the IRL version of pinning a tweet.” — Josh Holmes & John Ashbrook [05:39-06:09]

• Media Double Standard:
  They highlight the lack of critical media coverage when Democrats are responsible for shutdowns, comparing it to “moon landing” levels of coverage when Republicans are.

  • “They cover government shutdowns like it’s a moon landing when Republicans… And when Democrats… it’s like, ‘what’s going on?’” — Michael Duncan [08:09]

• Polling & CNN’s Harry Enten:
  They play a clip of analyst Harry Enten, who notes the current shutdown isn’t hurting Trump’s approval or the GOP nearly as much as past ones.

  • “This shutdown is not hurting Trump, it’s benefiting Trump. The public understands this is a Schumer Democrat shutdown.” — Josh Holmes [09:44]

• CNN’s Business & Enten’s Role:
  Smug theorizes Enten is angling to stand out as the network’s resident truth-teller as CNN is shopped for sale:

  • “He’s peacocking a bit—he’s sodium pentothal for liberal media.” — John Ashbrook [11:02]

• Dem Coalition Fraying:
  Hosts note Senate Dems are splintering under shutdown pressure, and Democratic leaders are ironically begging Trump to insert himself to unify their side.

  • “Please, please, please, save us from ourselves.” — John Ashbrook [11:53]

2. Virginia Politics & Spanberger’s Entitlement

[12:45–17:53]

• Abigail Spanberger’s Complaints:
  The hosts lampoon Spanberger’s interview where she complains about having to answer for a controversial Democrat’s violent rhetoric:

  • “That should be so offensive to any voter anywhere… just, why won’t you just let me be the governor? Why are you asking me any questions?” — Josh Holmes [14:06]
  • “Big time Hillary Clinton energy, dude.” — John Ashbrook [14:23]

• Failure of Accountability:
  Spanberger refuses to disavow the rhetoric, seen as “harnessing the murderous energy” rather than demonstrating leadership.

  • “I’m going to disavow it—because that would require leadership.” — Josh Holmes [17:53]

3. Bret Baier Interview: Journalism, History, and the Presidency

[18:51–47:58]

A. Baier’s Career & Integrity in Journalism

[19:04–23:36]

• Baier’s Origin Story:
  Joins Fox from the beginning; learned from Brit Hume; values fair, tough interviews; maintains ratings dominance through integrity.

  • “[I try to] listen to the answer and be able to follow up. That’s literally what I try to do every time.” — Bret Baier [21:52]
  • “Sometimes I’m sad there aren’t more straight news programs. For the good of the nation, it would be better.” [22:27]

• Media Landscape:
  Baier notes the shift of his audience away from traditional broadcast, now regularly beating legacy networks in ratings.

  • “That’s just a year, maybe a year and a half, started happening. Beat CBS, NBC, ABC in big markets.” — Baier [22:56]

B. Panel Dynamics & Historical Writing

[23:59–33:44]

• Show Production & Panelists:
  Baier shares stories on his technique—timing signals to Krauthammer and Williams, leading to lively debates.

  • “Krauthammer was always my first baseman... I’d put my hand out for 30 seconds... blood leaving my fingers for 15.” — Baier [24:29]

• Authoring Presidential History:
  Baier details his research process, deep dives on Eisenhower, Reagan, FDR, Grant, Washington, and now Teddy Roosevelt. He aims to draw modern lessons from presidential crises.

  • “I’m not a historian. I’m a reporter of history. But I love that it’s page turning and ideally a young person can read this… we’re missing history in our classroom.” — Baier [33:16]

C. Teddy Roosevelt and Modern Parallels

[28:25–32:21]

• Roosevelt vs. Trump:
  Discusses similarities between Roosevelt and Trump—mastery of media, strongman persona, not easily boxed-in ideologically, both controversial in their era.

  • “Both understand the power of the press. Both have a problem with the press.” — Baier [29:37]
  • “Capitalism has to work for everybody; you couldn’t easily put him in a box on ideology.” [30:28]

• Roosevelt’s Enduring Influence:
  “This guy sort of invented [the powerful presidency].”

  • Key enduring legacy: “You can't be on the sidelines, just throwing grenades and being a critic. You have to be a doer.”* — Baier [31:30]

• Book Praise & Approach:
  Hosts note Baier’s books are lauded by top historians and feel relevant (“not just a history book”).

  • “When you write them, the historians say nice things—it’s like Jordan saying he can shoot a basketball.” — Josh Holmes [32:43]

D. Audience Interaction & Future of Conservatism

[34:53–39:17]

• Listener Questions:
  Baier flips the script, asking the hosts what issues aren’t getting enough media attention.

  • “You’re knocking it out of the park every night at six... But there’s so much going on in our country, so much of an uprising with regular people.” — Wolf [35:16]

• GOP’s Post-Trump Tensions:
  The team speculates on the challenge of reconciling the tech/innovation “new right” with the pro-labor populist coalition Trump built.

  • “There’s inevitable going to be a tension… how does that automation impact... the forgotten man and woman that brought Trump to power?” — John Ashbrook [37:00]
  • “Trump can keep this coalition together by sheer force of will… Can anybody else next?” — Josh Holmes [38:21]

E. The Classic Ruthless Endgame: Three Questions for Bret Baier

[40:00–47:44]

• Last Meal:
  “Every type of pizza and really just gorge myself. I’m a cheese pizza guy… It’s a problem.” — Baier [40:11]

• Alternate Career:
  “I’d want to be a golf pro… It could have happened. I chose a different path.” — Baier [41:45]

• Thrill of Victory vs. Agony of Defeat:
  “At the beginning, 100% agony of defeat… But over time… it has been the thrill of victory, the debate that goes off in front of 20 million people that you land, you know, it’s a dismount… Agony at the beginning, thrill now.” — Baier [43:25]

• Inside Fox News Production:
  Baier and the hosts discuss the chaos, flexibility, and adrenaline behind producing a top cable news hour, with real-time revisions and last-minute overhauls.

  • “They rip up the rundown and do stuff live all the time… you’ve got to be on TV a long time to have the confidence to even attempt it.” — Michael Duncan [45:05]

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4. Ruthless Variety: Listener Comments, Satirical Segments, and "Dem or Journo"

[49:46–73:13]

• Fan Segment – Tattoo for a Progressive:
  Minions submit jokes about what tattoo best represents a leftist politico: a seahorse (“the males have babies”), AOC in her “Tax the Rich” dress in tattoo form, and a QR code with a hammer & sickle that links to donor info. [54:05]

• Classic Ruthless Skit – “Chuck and the Fat Man”
  The team airs a faux promo inspired by 1980s CBS cop shows, lampooning Chuck Schumer and J.B. Pritzker as a mismatched detective duo. [56:36–58:05]

• Game: Dem or Journo (2010 Obama White House Renovation Edition)
  In this recurring game, the panel guesses which quote is from a Democrat flack and which are from journalists, all covering the $300M White House renovations under Obama versus Trump.

  • Lamenting the evident journo bias (“took pains to ensure American made,” “inevitable howls”), they note the media’s running cover for Obama, contrasted with apoplectic coverage of Trump’s renovations. [59:21–73:13]
  • Key Takeaway:
    “When you’re a Democrat, they let you write the headline.” — John Ashbrook [73:06]

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5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We know you'll suffer, but it's a sacrifice we're willing to make.”
  — John Ashbrook, satirizing Catherine Clark's 'leverage' logic [04:30]

• “Harry Enten is the sodium pentothal for liberal media.”
  — John Ashbrook [11:03]

• “Big time Hillary Clinton energy, dude.”
  — John Ashbrook on Spanberger’s sense of entitlement [14:23]

• “Both [Teddy Roosevelt and Trump] understand the power of the press. Both have a problem with the press.”
  — Bret Baier [29:37]

• “I’m not a historian. I’m a reporter of history.”
  — Bret Baier [33:16]

• “When you’re a Democrat, they let you write the headline.”
  — John Ashbrook [73:06]

• “He’s like the last of the Mohicans, isn’t he?”
  — Michael Duncan on Bret Baier’s newsman integrity [47:23]

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Timestamps of Important Segments

• Intro & Setup: 01:05 – 01:42
• Clark’s Shutdown Comments & GOP Response: 03:20 – 06:09
• Media Coverage Double Standards: 08:08 – 09:44
• Harry Enten/CNN Segment: 08:49 – 11:02
• Democratic Coalition Fraying: 11:03 – 12:45
• Spanberger’s Response & Discussion: 12:45 – 17:53
• Bret Baier Interview Begins: 18:51
• Baier on Journalism & Show Structure: 19:04 – 23:36
• On Writing History Books: 26:29 – 33:44
• Parallels: Roosevelt and Trump: 28:25 – 32:21
• Baier Asks the Hosts — “What are we missing?” 34:53
• "Thrill of Victory/Agony of Defeat” Question: 42:15 – 43:44
• Listener Tattoos Segment: 54:04 – 54:49
• Dem or Journo Game: 58:05 – 73:13

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Episode Tone, Humor, and Style

The episode is classic Ruthless: sarcastic, irreverent, sharp, and quick-witted, with an undercurrent of gallows humor about contemporary politics and media. The hosts' camaraderie, running gags, and improvisational banter keep the show lively, even as they dig into serious issues of media bias, failed Democratic messaging, and the transformation of the Republican coalition.

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Conclusion

In a packed, high-energy episode, the Ruthless crew deep-dive into the Democratic Party’s mounting political struggles, highlight MSM double standards with biting satire, and expertly blend news, history, and dark comedy. Bret Baier’s guest spot offers rare insight into journalistic best practices and presidential history, while the rest of the episode features fan interaction, inside jokes, and classic Ruthless games—making it a “banger” episode for both regulars and new listeners alike.

Transcript

[Josh Holmes]

That should be so offensive to any voter anywhere of someone running for office and being like, I've worked really hard.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah.

[Josh Holmes]

Just. Why won't you just let me be the governor? Why are you asking me any questions?

[John Ashbrook]

They know you'll suffer, but it's a sacrifice we're willing to make.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[Josh Holmes]

Because that is it, dude. It is insane.

[Bret Baier]

Welcome to Washington. I'm Bret Baer. Tonight, I attempt to give 4 idiots a history lesson. This is definitely not special report.

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[Michael Duncan]

Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please.

[Josh Holmes]

Keep the faith, hold the line and own the lids.

[Michael Duncan]

It's time for our main event, Fun Time Friday. Welcome back to the Ruthless Variety Program. It is going to be a fun time indeed. My name is Josh Holmes, along with comfortably smug Michael Duncan and John Ashbrook. Left, right across your radio D, we got a big show for you. The venerable Brett Bear is with us today.

[John Ashbrook]

A real newsman.

[Michael Duncan]

A newsman. An actual newsman.

[John Ashbrook]

Can you believe he's slumming it with us?

[Michael Duncan]

We tricked him into showing up immediately. Every Fox exec is like, now will we do a nice conversation about a whole range of topics. He's just a whale of a guy and he's. He's got a great new book on Teddy Roosevelt. We're gonna talk to him about all of that. But we also have this just continuing trend that you've heard us talk about all week in terms of where Democrats are at a government shutdown, the party as a whole. This tracks throughout. And so we're gonna give you some hot fire up top on all of that. And then we're gonna play a game. It's been a while since we played demerjorno.

[John Ashbrook]

Yeah. Crowd favorite OGs will recognize this as one of the preeminent games of the Ruthless Variety program.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah. And if you're new to the variety program, it's where you read a series of statements by either a Democrat or journos and you try to decipher the difference.

[Josh Holmes]

Boy, is that tough.

[Michael Duncan]

Nobody knows.

[Josh Holmes]

It's a good one.

[Michael Duncan]

It's a tough game. It's a tough game. So we do all that within one episode and send you into the weekend with a smile on your face. Let's start where we left off yesterday. And that was the whip, the minority whip. Yeah. Of the Democrats in the House, Catherine Clark. Now, she stepped in shit because she said the quiet part out loud where she said basically that they're more than willing to put the American people through turmoil in one form or fashion because it provides leverage.

[Bret Baier]

Leverage.

[Michael Duncan]

That's more like it.

[John Ashbrook]

Leverage.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah. Sheldon. White Club. White Club gives us lie Fritsch. Which is of course the effete New England way of pronouncing what she was attempting to say.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

So Liev Rich, there it is. It's nice, but one of the great trolls that we've seen in a long, long time happened on Capitol Hill amidst a government shutdown. Big hat tip to the speaker of the House and his staff for doing all this. First of all, we'll remind you of what it is that she had to say with this clip in clip one. I mean, shutdowns are terrible. And of course there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leveraged times we have.

[Josh Holmes]

It's insane to say that.

[John Ashbrook]

It's such a funny thing to say while you're having an interview with the media in front of a well appointed fireplace.

[Michael Duncan]

Yes.

[John Ashbrook]

You know, with like, there's like a mirror there with gold leafed trim.

[Josh Holmes]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

Thousand dollar suit.

[John Ashbrook]

Yeah. We know you'll suffer, but it's a sacrifice we're willing to make.

[Josh Holmes]

That is it. Dude, it is insane.

[Michael Duncan]

You don't understand the price of our ideology. That is tough. That's tough.

[John Ashbrook]

Fucking optics.

[Michael Duncan]

It's tough. It's real tough. So Speaker Johnson and his staff obviously saw the same thing that we did when this thing broke yesterday. And so they had done something I think pretty innovative. I haven't seen this in a while. Can we put up what they had going on? There is a television set mounted at the entrance of the Speaker's office. Now recall, this is the same Speaker's office where all these idiots tried to storm and like kayfabe as though they were concerned about. I think at the time it was like, oh, why don't you seat this person? That has nothing to do with this debate whatsoever. But they were all filming themselves and trying to barge in there. And so in that. Can you put that up one more time? So in that doorway they just mounted a television that plays on loop the clip that you just saw.

[Josh Holmes]

Incredible. That's it. That is brilliant.

[John Ashbrook]

Wait, wait, where are the Democrats now? With their iPhones.

[Josh Holmes]

Exactly.

[John Ashbrook]

They don't want to go to the Speaker's office anymore.

[Michael Duncan]

Oh, I thought we heard. What's the backdrop? You can't do the backdrop thing anymore.

[Josh Holmes]

I mean, what a mess for them. And outstanding work by the Speaker's team and the speaker to put that out there because everyone should see it.

[John Ashbrook]

What I love about it is it's like the in real life version of pinning a tweet. Yeah, it's like, totally, dude.

[Wolf]

That's awesome.

[John Ashbrook]

Here's the whole message. You did it.

[Michael Duncan]

Well, because all of them at some point had made a regular pilgrimage to the Speaker's office to post their own viral video. Like basically Democrat TikTok situation, where because.

[Josh Holmes]

They'Re trying to lie and be like, this is not about Senate Democrats causing the shutdown. Like, the House can magically do something. No, the House already passed it.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah, they're like, we're just gonna do the TikTok thing where we just tell you what it is that we stand for and the dance and whatnot. And never mind the fact that the House is out of place. It's just a Senate question. And like, it's just Chuck Schumer's political career that is holding up the paychecks of military veterans and, you know, people on the front lines and all those kind of things. They're. They're trying to pretend that it is. So he puts the television up.

[Josh Holmes]

Brilliant. Just.

[Michael Duncan]

No, this is what it's about.

[John Ashbrook]

Shout out to the AV department of the US Capitol for getting that done. I have to imagine required a lot of extension courts. You know, that's a tough thing to execute.

[Michael Duncan]

Several unions were involved. I'm sure told. What was it that she was trying to extort again? Leverage. That's right. Leverage, Leverage. I just can't get enough of that.

[John Ashbrook]

And the feet lateral lisp.

[Michael Duncan]

It's just so good. If you've tuned in lately, you are going to get the humor on that and a whole lot more. One thing that I think is missing from the corporate media coverage of this. And remember, we did a whole show where we talked about the fact that it wasn't going as planned for Democrats because they had no exit strategy for it. It was just like, show fight, show fight. And then like, once it became obvious there was no exit strategy, it was like, what else is there to talk about? Like, we can't actually. They cover government shutdowns like it's a moon landing. When Republicans are the ones that have a little skin in the game. And then when Democrats are the ones that are doing it, it's like, what's going on? What, what?

[Wolf]

It's so true.

[Michael Duncan]

So you really haven't had on the front page of newspapers and anything other than sort of Brett Baier's show a good indication on how things are going and what the American people think about all of this because they're not trying to inundate because it's a, it's a damaging story at some level to their party of choice. Once again, your guy smug and I think. What did you say a couple episodes ago? It's like this guy just completely flattens.

[Josh Holmes]

So what the work Harry Anton is doing is mind blowing. I have a new theory. I'll give my theory after the clip.

[Michael Duncan]

Okay, let's play the clip first. Clip 2.

[Harry Enten]

Turns out shutdowns are different the second time around when it comes to Donald Trump. Take a look here. You know, we speak about Donald Trump shutdowns net approval rate and we're talking 20 days into it, in 2018, 2019, Donald Trump's net approval rating was already falling. The shutdown was eating in and it was popular sport. It was down three points already at this particular point and would fall considerably more. It was very much on the decline. You come over to this side of the screen, this shutdown hasn't eaten in the Donald Trump support at all.

[Michael Duncan]

His net approval rating is actually up.

[Harry Enten]

A point in, in terms of, in terms of his popular support. So the bottom line is this. The first shutdown during Trump's first term, 2018, 2019 was hurting Donald Trump. This one is not hurting him at all. There's no real reason Donald Trump might say, at least when it comes to popular support, I want to get out of the shutdown.

[Michael Duncan]

And you know, every CNN executive is like, oh, biscuits. Yeah.

[Josh Holmes]

And so like he keeps doing this. So like Harry Enton has been, he's great on the numbers and it's just the facts. He shows you the proof, it's right there, that this shutdown is not hurting Trump, it's benefiting Trump. And the public understands this is a Schumer Democrat shutdown.

[Wolf]

Right?

[Josh Holmes]

So now here's my theory. The bigger picture. CNN is owned by Warner Brothers Discovery and they just announced. So there has been whispers about if Ellison and Skydance want to come in and buy them. About 48, 72 hours ago, the parent company just announced we're on the block for sale. Stock rallied. Netflix is circling like they're interested. Harry Entten is a Smart guy. And he's an asset to cnn. He's surrounded by these idiots who ran that once legendary network into the ground. This was the channel that had Wolf Blitzer reporting with the mic while Scuds are flying over his head, literally doing.

[Michael Duncan]

Like a Brent Musburger play by play of the Gulf War.

[Josh Holmes]

Yeah. And now they fall into essentially the brain damage network that's shown at some airports. And Harry Entin is the only person who's like, I'm here to report the news. Here's the facts, Just the facts. Shockingly enough, my guess is he knows, listen, this place is a mess. Someone's gonna buy it. And when they buy it, hey, I'm the smart guy.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[John Ashbrook]

He's peacocking a little bit.

[Michael Duncan]

Bingo.

[John Ashbrook]

I think previously when we showed him on the show, I said he was the sodium pentothal for liberal media.

[Michael Duncan]

That's what it was.

[John Ashbrook]

But I think there's another thing at play here. And you see this a little bit in some of the Democrats and their media appearances recently where they're begging Donald Trump to get involved in this shutdown. Hakeem Jeffries was on television a few days ago being like, it's time for Donald Trump to step in and negotiate this.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah.

[John Ashbrook]

And the reason why, and it sort of gives away the game for the Democrats here is they know this is hurting them. And the only way that they can reconsolidate their fraying coalition amongst the Senate Democrats who are starting to peel off on some. We saw this recently in some of these one off votes that they had in the Senate.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah.

[John Ashbrook]

On funding, troop pay and things like that. They know their coalition is falling apart on this shutdown fight. The only way to reconstitute that thing is to make it a shirts and skins exercise again.

[Wolf]

Exactly.

[John Ashbrook]

You get Donald Trump in the middle of it and you can get some of those Democrats back on board for shutdown. Yeah, right. Please, please, please save us from ourselves.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

Please, for the love of God.

[Bret Baier]

Yeah, yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

But they have no access track whatsoever. And that disparate coalition that you just described is not only under the dome for all to see, but as we covered all week long, it's out in the states in an election that is just a couple of weeks away in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Next week we're gonna have Youngkin in and we're gonna talk to him in great detail about all of that. So you can look forward to that on Tuesday. But as of right now, Abigail Spanberger. This is the Democrat that is trying to ignore all of the J. Jones like, hey, I'd like to murder my political opponents, kids and shit like that.

[Josh Holmes]

She's like, I have no comment on having a crazy lunatic on the ticket with me. No comment on that.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah, no comment at all. But what she says in a recent interview, again, goes to this larger narrative that we've been talking about all week long, about how they just, they don't want to speak to this corrosive, increasingly violent Democratic base whatsoever. They just want to ignore that, try to quote, unquote, harness the energy. Like, never mind the fact that it's murderous. You know what I mean? Like, harness the murderous energy and not try to dissolve tensions in a real way. No leadership applicable. Clip three, please.

[Abigail Spanberger]

If I'm being very honest, we are three weeks away from an election in Virginia. I have worked tirelessly for two years running for this office. I announced in November 2023. The fact that I. And I say this with all due respect because, you know, I think it's a fair thing for you to ask that the fact that I have to spend even a moment's time talking about somebody else's text messages from years ago rather than what I want to do as governor, is something that I am deeply unhappy about.

[Josh Holmes]

Can I say real quick, that should be so offensive to any voter anywhere of someone running for office and being like, I've worked really hard.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah.

[Josh Holmes]

Just. Why won't you just let me be the governor? Why are you asking me any questions?

[John Ashbrook]

Big time.

[Josh Holmes]

I've been on this project for two years.

[John Ashbrook]

Big time. Hillary Clinton energy, dude.

[Wolf]

That is it.

[John Ashbrook]

It's my.

[Wolf]

My turn, buddy. You know the similarity. It's that. That was a consultant written message. I have been working so hard memorizing this sentence.

[John Ashbrook]

Yeah, exactly.

[Wolf]

My consultant wrote for me. How are you? How dare you ask me this question? Because I will not give you anything other than what I memorized. I had to memorize it. I wasn't calling my donors, like, get out of here. This is the most inauthentic thing on the planet.

[John Ashbrook]

Do you know how long I've been running and planning this thing?

[Wolf]

Right.

[John Ashbrook]

Just give it to me.

[Wolf]

Let me refer you to the first three sentences of my Wikipedia page. It's like, come on, lady.

[Michael Duncan]

The sense of entitlement.

[John Ashbrook]

That's it.

[Josh Holmes]

So offensive.

[Michael Duncan]

That is. At some point, she's asking the people of Virginia to cut her some slack because of how hard she's worked to run for governor. Like it, it denotes several things. One is, you don't know how hard I work in the context of this campaign to try to make it successful and some other guy doing some other thing is not particularly relevant because he's made it more difficult to get what I want. Which is like something you would talk. It would counsel a toddler.

[John Ashbrook]

Yeah.

[Wolf]

Through.

[Michael Duncan]

Right. But the second piece of it is a unspoken reality, which is, I don't intend to work that hard once I get the fucking thing.

[Bret Baier]

Yeah.

[Harry Enten]

You know what I mean?

[Michael Duncan]

It's like, you don't know how hard I worked to get this. You don't know how hard I've done this. But what is unspoken to a voter is you look at that and you're like, so the hard work was just getting elected to it. I thought the whole point was to do the great point.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

Right.

[John Ashbrook]

The real victim of these text messages where someone else on the Democratic ticket was calling for the murder of a political opponent and their children. The real victim of that was Abigail Spamberger.

[Josh Holmes]

Right.

[John Ashbrook]

It was just really inconvenient for her. And I think that's just what we need to remember out of all of this.

[Michael Duncan]

She should be thought of in times like this.

[Josh Holmes]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

Right. And remembering your thoughts and prayers, it's just crazy. It's so wild to me because of what she's getting at ultimately is that she's really annoyed that she has to keep dealing with Jay Jones. Right. She had this thing in the bag right up until the point where he was like, yeah, I'd like to kill my political opponents and I'd like to see their children suffer, too. And everybody's like, what? Hey, Abigail. That definitely feels not good. In this current. We're a month removed from a Charlie Kirk assassination. Like, please, in your own party, can you at least speak to that? And she's like, no, I can't. I won't do it. That's the reason she's being asked about it.

[Wolf]

Right.

[Michael Duncan]

That was on a Katie Couric podcast.

[Wolf]

Oh, boy.

[Michael Duncan]

Do you think Katie Couric gives a shit about, like, the ins and outs of Virginia? I mean, I don't know why she's on there, but, you know, it is what it is.

[John Ashbrook]

I'm shocked to learn she has a podcast.

[Michael Duncan]

I kinda am, too. Although I will say I was at an event at one point in the last few weeks where I was with Katie Couric. I, like, I saw her. Looks pretty good. Oh, she's held up.

[John Ashbrook]

Good for her.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah, she's held up.

[John Ashbrook]

I wish her all the success.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah. But the point, I guess my point is she's asking because that's the only thing that matters is, like, why in the world would you not just take the five iron and hit it down the middle of a fairway and say, that has no place in politics?

[Josh Holmes]

I'm going to disavow it, because that would require leadership. And that's something she.

[Michael Duncan]

Bingo. Bingo. That is exactly right. When we come back, you're gonna get Bret Baier in his fullest. This guy, I just love him to absolute death. He is the preeminent newsman of our generation. And he's gonna get to a whole range of things in his new book right after this.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

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[Bret Baier]

Welcome to Washington. I'm Brett Baer. Tonight I attempt to give 4 idiots a history lesson. This is definitely not Special Report. Is that good? Is that what we wanted?

[John Ashbrook]

That's what we wanted.

[Michael Duncan]

What a kid.

[Wolf]

That's it.

[Bret Baier]

Oh, man.

[Michael Duncan]

Listen, as someone who's been on the other side of all this with you for, like, 10 years, you know, a very serious show. It's the number one news show, not surprisingly. I mean, you're definitely the most successful cable news anchor of our era, but you're also a funny guy, normal guy. He's a stick, by the way. The guy can golf like nobody's business.

[Bret Baier]

I'm a walking wallet now. I'm handing out money to my buddies. My handicap's too low.

[Wolf]

Forget it.

[Bret Baier]

Yeah, I'm just a walking wallet, but keep going.

[Michael Duncan]

I love it. But listen, you got into serious news, young age, and obviously his Fox News Channel started to become what it became. And Brett Hume, obviously a staple as a part of that. And all of a sudden, it becomes your job. Could you ever imagine at this stage in your career that you'd be what this has all become?

[Bret Baier]

It's pretty wild. You know, I started with Fox, and Fox started 27 years ago. The Atlanta bureau started in my apartment with a fax machine and a. And, you know, I bounced around South America and Southeast US And I was always trying to report for Special Report and my mentor and friend, Brit Hume, and so I take over for him. January 2009. And I can't believe it has become what it's become. It really is. You know, we take pride in that hour being, you know, news around the US and around the world. And then you watch it and think it's fair. Tough but fair. Interviews and analysis from people like you and others to get a sense of what happened during the day.

[Josh Holmes]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

I mean, what's so amazing to me. So we have an awful lot of friends in this political. Larger political area. And so everybody asks, like, well, what should we do? Should we do this interview? Should we do that interview? And often everybody is like, well, Brett wants to do an interview. Like, should we do that? And they're like, they have this conception of. Of Fox News, and this is gonna be a friendly thing. And I'm like.

[Bret Baier]

No.

[Michael Duncan]

Brett is going to ask you every question that the audience demands an answer to, whether you like it or not. And I just. I find it so refreshing that as the world has changed and you watch what's happened, and I'm not asking you to comment on it, but from our perspective, what's happened to the networks and broadcast, and there basically is one guy left who asks that question and is looking directly at a subject on a question, you know, they don't want to answer. But you follow up, you listen. I mean, I just. It's been refreshing in this era.

[Bret Baier]

You know, a good friend of mine, the late Tim Russert, I used to travel back and forth to D.C. and New York, and I always said, tim, I love your style. And he said, you know what it's about. It's not the question. It's listening to the answer and being able to follow up. And that's literally what I try to do every time. But I agree with you. Sometimes I'm sad that there's not more straight news programs. And like, from a business perspective, it's like, fine, bring it, you know, But I think for the good of the nation, it would be better to have more news programs.

[Josh Holmes]

Well, I mean, I think it's a healthy indicator, because right now, everyone can feel so down about the state of media, but your ratings are always at the top. And I attribute a lot of that to the integrity like we were just talking about. You will ask the tough questions when you. When anyone shows up on your show, they're going to get asked what the audience wants to know. And the audience has moved that way, and your show's now beating broadcast news. Did you ever think something like that would happen?

[Bret Baier]

That's just a year, maybe a Year and a half started happening. Beat cbs, then NBC and ABC in big markets around the country.

[Michael Duncan]

When somebody first tells you that, you're like, what?

[Bret Baier]

What? You know, we're not even in the households that they're in. And thank you for saying that. I thought it was the five, as the lead in Greg Gutfeld was. Was really what did it all.

[Michael Duncan]

But he does give you a trampoline.

[Bret Baier]

But it is. It is good. It is good. But he. But the viewers have come accustomed to seeing big interviews. World leaders are coming to special reports. You know, we're always asking for them, but sometimes they just come. And I think over time, that's a great thing.

[Michael Duncan]

Well, it's so funny. I tell these guys all the time, I mean, we've done a fair amount of TV in the last 10 years, but there's like, you know, some of it becomes autopilot because you deal with it all day or whatever. But every time I'm on with this guy, I'm like, dude, he's gonna be like, well, there's a conflict, conflict in Uganda today. Josh, what's the ticket? I don't even know where Uganda is.

[Bret Baier]

Let me tell you what's happen happening on Capitol Hill.

[John Ashbrook]

It's very funny.

[Michael Duncan]

So you gotta come prepared as an analyst for what it is that you do. I imagine a whole bunch of that was watching the way that that Brit set up a panel and talked about things that were super interesting. But then your relationship with Crowdhammer and all of the development of that particular.

[Bret Baier]

Panel, I mean, big time Crowdhammer was. He could talk through, you know, cut through the noise.

[Michael Duncan]

Anything.

[Bret Baier]

Anything. Yeah. I'll tell you a really funny story really quick. So Krauthammer was always my first baseman. Yeah, right here. And usually it was Juan Williams and Steve Hayes. And so, I mean, we mixed around, but Krauthammer was always there. And so he would be really good at holding the ball. And my. My timing thing was 30 seconds to commercial break. I would put my hand on the corner of the table, and that's 30 seconds. And then when blood is leaving my fingers, it's 15 seconds. And when my eyes are popping out, I really have to go. So Crowdh would say, you know, he's coming to the end. And I put this out, and I'd squeeze the fingers, and he'd say, and Juan Williams could not be more wrong on this particular issue. And I'd say, thank you, everybody got to go to commercial break. And ju's like, oh. So we, you know, weeks later, I'm in Iowa. I put the hand out, Juan is talking, and suddenly he starts going really slow, and then the fingers are squeezed and he's like. And I love Dr. Krauthammer, but he is dead wrong in this issue. I've never heard him more wrong than this. I say, panel, thank you so much. We go to commercial break, and Krauthammer goes, you've learned from the mess.

[Michael Duncan]

So good. And Panel plus was born.

[Bret Baier]

Yeah, exactly.

[Michael Duncan]

Exactly where they carry. Well, listen, in addition to all of that, you're an author, and honestly, I really appreciate your books. This is the new one. It's a Teddy Roosevelt overview. But what I love about the way that you write these books is David McCullough writes a bunch of good stuff, too.

[Bret Baier]

Great stuff.

[Michael Duncan]

But the stuff that you are writing makes it eminently relevant to today. And I don't even know if you know you do this, but there's, like, lessons for Common Day based upon the research that you've done and how you sort of formulate what ultimately becomes books like this.

[Bret Baier]

This is a process that I just fell in love with. The first one was Eisenhower. This is Teddy Roosevelt to rescue the American spirit. But the first one I did, I went to the Eisenhower cabin in Augusta, the biggest of golf invites. And I was poor.

[John Ashbrook]

I will brag.

[Bret Baier]

Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. So did you write the book so.

[John Ashbrook]

You could get that invite?

[Josh Holmes]

No.

[John Ashbrook]

This is critical research.

[Bret Baier]

This is critical research. And I poured myself a glass of wine or two and went around the Eisenhower cabin and said, holy cow. I knew him as General. I don't know him as President. And literally that trip after that, I went to Abilene, Kansas, to the presidential library, and I said, how can I write a book about this president? And a lot has been written about him. And they said the last three days, his farewell address, that was misunderstood, about the military industrial complex. There was a lot more in there. And the hand over to Kennedy. That is a fascinating time. So I start this process. I get this researcher who's fascinating and awesome. She's the former mayor of Salina, Kansas, next door, and she's great, gets all these nuggets. And I start this process. It takes three and a half years because I have no clue what the heck I'm doing. But the first book is a success. And that formula of looking at a soda straw is what started this history, love. So then I do Reagan and Gorbachev. Three days in Moscow. Then I do fdr, Churchill and Stalin, Three days at the brink. The Tehran summit where they plan World War II. Then I go backwards to Grant, to rescue the Republic, his presidency, and the saving of preventing the country from going into Second World War, Second Civil War, and then to rescue the Constitution. About the Constitutional Convention with George Washington, how we almost don't have a country if he doesn't post. I mean, basically, he gets us across the starting line. And then there came this. And Teddy Roosevelt is such a character, he jumps off the page.

[Josh Holmes]

It's almost unbelievable.

[Bret Baier]

It's unbelievable. And this particular one is how he wanted his legacy to be, about America becoming a great power at the turn of the century. And he solves the Russian Japanese territorial dispute. That's going to be a big war. He gets them to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he negotiates, he sets up the treaty, he gets the Nobel Peace Prize, and it puts America on the map. And he does a number of things that make America a world power, thanks to this guy. 26 president, which is amazing.

[Wolf]

Yeah, it is amazing. And I love history and I love that you have dedicated so much time to telling these stories. And I've always been a huge Teddy Roosevelt fan. Larger than life figure. You know, the boxing, everything that goes into it. There's a lot of similarities, in my view, a lot of similarities between Teddy Roosevelt and our current president, Donald Trump. Both have a very keen understanding of publicity, which I'm sure that you got through in your book and everything, but I wonder if you could just talk a little. They both made renovations to the White House. I wonder if there's some similarities, one.

[Michael Duncan]

More publicly accepted than the other.

[Wolf]

I wonder if there's some similarities there. You could talk.

[Bret Baier]

There are. You know, I talk a little bit about that in the intro and the epilogue. You know, larger than life figure. You're, you're right. Both understand the power of the press. Both have a problem with the press. He calls them ruck makers and he. And Trump calls them everything else and. But understands that, you know, the President Trump is picking up the phone and working reporters. You don't know how many reporters he's actually calling and talking to off the record, but he is. Roosevelt did something similar when he goes down to the Spanish American War with the Rough Riders. He sees that the New York Times and a couple of papers don't have a boat. And he takes them on his boat and they become embedded with the Rough Riders in Cuba as they're fighting on San Juan Hill. So you wonder how these stories are so, you know, very accurate and detailed. That's because he had all the reporters with him and he knew that. And so there's other similarities. I think that the push for America power, the negotiating stuff, it's happening now with President Trump. I think his love for the little guy and fighting big pro business, big pro capitalism, but capitalism has to work for everybody, so you couldn't put him in a box sometimes. On ideology, he was definitely conservative and Republican, but he was progressive at Times. He filed 40 antitrust lawsuits.

[Michael Duncan]

Big environmentalist.

[Bret Baier]

Yeah. Conservationist. He signs 1300 executive orders. If you think about from George Washington to McKinley25. President, 1200.

[Michael Duncan]

Wow.

[Bret Baier]

He signs 1300. So you talk about building up the executive power of the White House.

[John Ashbrook]

What's.

[Bret Baier]

This guy sort of invented it.

[John Ashbrook]

What do you think is the most sustaining thing from Roosevelt's legacy that we still live with today as it relates to the presidency?

[Bret Baier]

Yeah. First of all, I think that some of his words, you know, speak softly and carry a big stick on foreign policy. That's not a similarity. There's not a lot of speaking softly with President Trump. But, you know, the Iran effort and what happened in Iran is definitely carrying a big stick and showing force. I think his speech about citizenship that he delivers in Paris after he leaves the presidency, the man in the arena, which is essentially, you gotta be in the game. You can't be on the sidelines just throwing grenades and being a critic. You have to be a doer. And that's a legacy of him. He's a doer. He gets stuff done. Panama Canal is from him. Arguably the biggest pro business move any president could make.

[Michael Duncan]

Totally. As far as trade recently revisited.

[Bret Baier]

Yes. And still ongoing.

[Wolf]

Right.

[Michael Duncan]

What I find so fascinating is, you know, a lot of folks on tv, they write books, they sell books. When you write them, the historians of our time say nice things.

[Josh Holmes]

That's the thing. I mean, the recommendations are insane.

[Bret Baier]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

It's like Doris Kearns Goodwin, Walter Isaacson. I mean, that's what I. You spend so much time, like.

[Josh Holmes]

It's like Jordan saying he can shoot a basketball.

[Michael Duncan]

It's like these people dedicated their lives to this exact thing, and they turn around and read your work, and they're like, yeah, that's it. You captured.

[Bret Baier]

I was really humbling because every book I've tried to get Doris Kearns Goodwin, and it was kind of like the white whale. I was like, and I love everything she writes. And I was like, come on. And I sent her this book and she came back with a blurb. And I think I took all my buddies out. This is it, dude.

[Wolf]

Ag.

[Michael Duncan]

The first couple, she's like, you know, I write books too.

[Bret Baier]

She's lovely. And this, this BB is great, but it's humbling. I'm not a historian. I'm kind of a reporter of history. I'm one reporter of history. But I love that it's page turning and ideally a young person can read this because I am worried that we're missing history in our classroom. If I can plug a little bit back in there somehow be a good thing.

[Michael Duncan]

Well, I think that's the thing that we sort of opened this with is because of your day job and because of covering day to day figures and events and all these other things. When you do the history and you lay it out, there is an unmissable connection for a reader that I think, look, it's different. What you're doing is different. This book is an absolute must read. I assume you can get it absolutely anywhere.

[Bret Baier]

Anywhere.

[Josh Holmes]

Yeah.

[Bret Baier]

As of Tuesday. And so Amazon, BrettBear.com you can do whatever. But we also have a Fox Nation hour that, you know, if you're not a reader, you can, you can look at that. And we're proud of it. We did it up at Sagamore Hill, which by the way, it's worth visiting. It's caught exactly as when Teddy dies. It's. They haven't changed the thing.

[Michael Duncan]

Wow.

[Bret Baier]

And his great grandson said, who I interviewed for it said that it's, it's almost like he was running around yesterday in that same house.

[Michael Duncan]

That'd be good. The Fox Nation would be good for you.

[Josh Holmes]

They're thinking, I'm actually gonna read this one. I mean, truly is an unbelievable figure. Is there a book on tape?

[Bret Baier]

All right, I'm asking a question. What's the thing?

[Michael Duncan]

This is tough.

[Bret Baier]

That we are not covering that we need to be covering either. From a political standpoint, from a worldwide. What are we not covering that we should be covering?

[Wolf]

I got to be careful about how I answer this question because I do have a lot of ideas. Always have a lot of, a lot of big ideas. Some of them more appropriate than the other.

[Bret Baier]

And that open was appropriate. I was in.

[Wolf]

But I think here's the thing, man. You, you're, you're knocking out of the park every night at six. Fair bounce and unafraid every night at six. You know, we coined that term here at the Ruthless Brian program.

[Michael Duncan]

Steals all the Fox thugs and you.

[Wolf]

Took it for yourself. But there is so much going on in our country, not just in Washington, so much going on in our country. Such a, just like an uprising of regular people. And some of that I Think a lot of that is probably due to this president giving voice to people who have been overlooked for years and always would drive us nuts that the broadcast networks would never cover regular people in places like Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Aisha Hosny is from. You know, like, places like stuff. Cincinnati, Ohio.

[John Ashbrook]

Okay, he mentioned Ohio.

[Bret Baier]

Is this Ohio? This is it. All run up to Ohio.

[Josh Holmes]

That's exactly what you had us going and then you brought up Ohio.

[Michael Duncan]

I just suckered you into it.

[Wolf]

It's all a run up to say that I think you should do a national tour, small towns all around the country.

[Bret Baier]

That's a good idea because you do.

[Michael Duncan]

The outside, the beltway thing, which is unique to you, but I think that's a good suggestion.

[Bret Baier]

But some of our best stuff is when we're covering elections and we bounce around to swing states and we go to the diner, we go to the, the worker. I've, I've done this thing where I've gone ahead of presidential elections to the same three people in New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina just to follow up presidential election after presidential election. And it's kind of cool because we have all the tape from four elections.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[Bret Baier]

You know, now she has three kids. Now he owns a bigger business. Now the restaurant is closed down because they couldn't pay the taxes. You know, and it's like a story that people can identify with. We need to do more of that.

[John Ashbrook]

I've got one for you, Brett, because, you know, right now, you know, Trump, you know, returns to the White House and I feel like on the right, the whole coalition, various factions, everything is still sort of in this honeymoon period. And I don't think enough people are asking the question of what comes next. And I think about, you know, we're in this new innovation revolution with everything like AI and automation and things like that. And there's a new sort of like tech. Right. That's coming out of Silicon Valley. That's part of that coalition, I think, in a major way. And I think there's inevitable going to be a tension between that and the populist faction that Donald Trump has brought in that's more pro labor. And I'm curious, you know, with whoever comes after Donald Trump, how do they reconcile those two things? Yeah, because inevitably you're going to be in a situation where you want progress and innovation and AI and data centers and all of these sorts of things. And how does that automation impact the working class, forgotten man and woman of America, that, that brought Donald Trump to power.

[Bret Baier]

That's so good. Yeah. I mean, that tension is already starting to be seen. Amazon dropping 75,000. I mean, that's a big, big number of workers. And first of all, explaining it like how you're going to make the transition, how those people are going to do something else, but still have a job, I think it's a great thing.

[Josh Holmes]

And Trump can keep this coalition together by sheer force of will.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah.

[Josh Holmes]

Can anybody else next?

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah, the question is, can anybody else? No, I think that's right. I mean, there's an awful lot of politics that, you know, that is difficult to translate to television in a finite amount of time. But it's the coalition building component, and that is all why people make the decisions that they make. I think you guys do a much better job of explaining sort of what all these disparate factions of an economy and of a constituency are. But I agree with you. I think at some level, it would behoove the American consumer at some point to know, like, what is the makeup of the Democratic and Republican Party, because you can forecast out why Chuck Schumer shuts the government down.

[John Ashbrook]

Right.

[Michael Duncan]

I mean, it's almost a predictability model in what seems like an irrational set of decision making.

[Wolf]

Right.

[Bret Baier]

So the poll position obviously is to JD Vance, but when Trump talks about it, he always adds Marco Rubio.

[Michael Duncan]

Always.

[Bret Baier]

It's like in the same sentence. It's really fascinating to me.

[Michael Duncan]

I always, I always say JD Or Marco.

[Bret Baier]

JD Or Marco. I don't get to do that on the show that much.

[Michael Duncan]

I always say that the only person in America. There's only one person in America that is less interested in what comes after Donald Trump than Donald Trump. He is the guy. He. He is going to do what he's going to do. But I think you've covered this administration incredibly admirably. We've got three questions that we ask any newcomer.

[Bret Baier]

Okay.

[Michael Duncan]

That we give you no preview.

[Bret Baier]

All right.

[Michael Duncan]

But these are the real ones that everyone listens to. All right. So if you could plan your last meal on Earth Bread Bear, what would it be?

[Bret Baier]

Such a good question. When I look at pizza, I gain weight. So I would have every type of pizza and really just gorge myself. I'm a cheese pizza guy.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[Bret Baier]

But it's a problem.

[Josh Holmes]

In New York. What's your pizza place? I'll ask a follow up on that one.

[Bret Baier]

So, like, I don't have a go to. I mean, I go to the Rays and get the thin crust with the cheese, and it's very good. And it's right down from the bureau. I used to growing up. I grew up in New Jersey before I moved to Atlanta, and there was a little place called Briotis Pizza down the street. And that's where I think I got the pizza fetish. The pizza fetish. It's obviously an allergy, because I gained weight right away. Clearly.

[Michael Duncan]

I love that. All right, so second question. Listen, you've been top of your game for an awful long time, but we always ask successful people with the benefit of hindsight, the full life experience, if there's something else that you could see yourself doing that you could just have a full blank canvas, knowing what you know about life and media and the success that you've had to do something entirely different.

[Bret Baier]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

What do you think that would be?

[Josh Holmes]

It can be completely fantastical. Ted Cruz said basketball player, and we know he's not.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah, he said a power forward, which is completely ridiculous.

[Bret Baier]

Remember that? Basketball.

[Michael Duncan]

No.

[Bret Baier]

I mean, obviously, I would want to be a golf pro tour on the VGA tour. It's not fantasy. It could have happened. I chose a different path. No, I mean, I. I look at those guys, and I'm like, I know you guys are hoofing it, but it's really cool.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah, it's so cool.

[Bret Baier]

It's really cool.

[Michael Duncan]

I always find it amazing that he can keep his handicap where it is, given the day job. I mean, I can't flick on the television without seeing him staring back at me.

[Bret Baier]

Hit a lot of balls.

[Michael Duncan]

All right, so the final question, and this is a little esoteric, so bear with me. Our view is that almost everybody successful is motivated in some part by one of two things. The thrill of victory or the agony of defeat. And it is not that anybody enjoys losing or anybody doesn't like winning. It's what motivates you to get better, right? Take that next step in your career and the ultimate agony of defeat Guy is Michael Jordan, right? Where he invented slights in order to take his game to a next level. We think of Phil Mickelson as sort of the thrill of victory Guy because, like, he can stand 290 out over water and know that he just has to lay up and make par to win. And he's like, yeah, but I hit that shot before, right? And he pulls the four iron, and he's like, no, I'm gonna actually try to do it. And you're like, please don't do that, Phil. But that's the thrill of victory Guy. Both equally successful. And it's funny how it splits almost on a 50. 50. I mean, we've had 400 guests on this show and it really is almost a half and half type thing. If you think about your own motivation in your career, where do you think you find yourself on that compendium?

[Bret Baier]

That's a great question. I think I started in small market TV with the agony of def. Because it was so heinous. Some of the live shots that I did, I mean it was just so.

[Michael Duncan]

Just in the worst places.

[Bret Baier]

Well, you just, you get into a verbal cul de sac and you can't get out and you're just like back, back to you. You know, you have nothing.

[Josh Holmes]

Are any of these on YouTube?

[Bret Baier]

We've purposely scrubbed them. But I will say that over time after experience, it has been the thrill of victory and the debate that goes off in front of 20 million people that, that you land. You know, it's a dismount that is really good or the interview that is really consequential at a consequential moment. So I think it's more that over.

[Michael Duncan]

Time you can do some providing information that nobody else is doing in a way that nobody else is doing it. Yeah, I can see that. I can definitely see that.

[Bret Baier]

But at the beginning, 100% full agony. Like the guy going down the hill and he takes a full digger as he's skiing. That was me. I mean, Hilton Head, South Carolina, loggerhead, sea turtle nesting. Big stories like that. Now they're going back to the ocean.

[Michael Duncan]

15 seconds of B roll, watching a turtle walk.

[Bret Baier]

I love it.

[Michael Duncan]

I mean, what people don't understand that see you every single night is what goes into this show. I tell these guys all the time. One of the most fascinating parts in getting to know you and that show in particular over the last 10 years is watching the real time production of it. You and your producers.

[Bret Baier]

I have a great staff. First of all, they amazing. And the best thing, they rip up the rundown and we do stuff live all the time.

[Wolf]

That's what he always tells us.

[Michael Duncan]

I always say, like I'll be sitting there during a commercial break and they're literally just redoing the next segment live based on something that just happened six minutes ago. And like that, that's the thing. I mean you gotta be on TV a long time to have the confidence to even attempt it.

[John Ashbrook]

But you're.

[Bret Baier]

Maybe there'd be a little agony of defeat in there. Scurry like walking the tightrope. But we do it a lot. I mean a lot. A lot of live stuff changes like.

[Michael Duncan]

Within minutes at 5:59, the show that's On a piece of paper is not the show you get every night.

[Bret Baier]

We rip it up a lot of times right before.

[Michael Duncan]

It's incredible. It really is amazing. It's been a pleasure to be able to work with you. I can't wait to read this book.

[Bret Baier]

Thank you.

[Michael Duncan]

Because you do a terrific job. Brett Bear, everybody.

[Bret Baier]

I'm really glad that they let me on.

[Michael Duncan]

It's a real question about whether that you don't want to sacrifice the credibility of this guy.

[Bret Baier]

You guys are now approved. That's pretty good.

[Wolf]

How about that?

[Bret Baier]

Thank you for having me.

[Michael Duncan]

Thank you.

[John Ashbrook]

Thanks so much.

[Michael Duncan]

Smash.

[Wolf]

I mean, how can you not like him? How in the world can you not like Bret Baer? How can you not be excited to tune in every day at 6pm and then the idea that Roger Staubach comes on our show and asks us advice on how to tighten the spiral. Get out of town. You know what I mean?

[Michael Duncan]

It's true.

[Wolf]

It's one of one.

[Michael Duncan]

It's remarkable. And I consider it such a privilege to get to know him over the last few years because he's a consummate professional. I mean, the fact that he asked the question, right, what are we getting wrong? What are we. What. What should we start doing? That's the way his brain works, and that's the way his show works, where it's always about the audience, the viewer, the consumer. How much information can I provide that is value added and without regard to, you know, where it comes from or how it is spun or whatever. He, like, tries to just get you the story. And I feel like. Like it's just a lost generation of newsmen like, that. He's like the last of the Mohicans, isn't he?

[Josh Holmes]

And I just want to also add that. I mean, I'm incredibly grateful he came in. He's huge. He came in, he did the show. But also, dude, I would love to hang out.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah.

[Bret Baier]

Period.

[Josh Holmes]

Brit bear, open invite. Come hang out.

[Wolf]

Let's play golf.

[Josh Holmes]

Play around.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

I mean, it's hard not to. You sit with him for five minutes.

[Josh Holmes]

You'Re like, he's just actually incredibly cool and fun, too.

[Michael Duncan]

That could be fun with. Could be fun.

[Josh Holmes]

Which is amazing because, like, a very serious newsman, but also the dude you want to hang out with. Open invite, Brett.

[Michael Duncan]

Totally. And I do want to highlight. First of all, it was very nice of him to do the cold intro of his own thing, which he just did.

[John Ashbrook]

Yeah, yeah. He also. He also rewrote it a little.

[Bret Baier]

Yeah.

[Harry Enten]

He.

[Josh Holmes]

On the fly as he does artist Dude.

[Michael Duncan]

And which tied into the end of the show where we talked about the fact that like, if you're sitting in studio and watching him do his show, whatever it was that was written is not what comes out. Like, he's just trying consistently. He's the only person I have ever sat on set with who can rearrange and rewrite a show while you're watching the show.

[Josh Holmes]

Impressive.

[Michael Duncan]

It's truly, it's a remarkable gift. He's very, very good. Kind of a one of one in today's. In today's world. Go up and buy that book. I mean it when I say the stuff that he writes is very relevant. There are lessons for today. It doesn't feel like you're reading a history book is my point. Right. It feels like it's very relevant to what you're doing. So listen, it brought us to a question of the day, which we try to make relevant to what it is that we deal with on the front end of the show. But he asked the best question.

[Josh Holmes]

That's it.

[Michael Duncan]

He did. Which was, what do you think should get more coverage?

[Josh Holmes]

Great question.

[Michael Duncan]

What do you think should get more coverage? You all are spread out throughout the country and you deal with things on a day to day basis. We know kind of like what pieces of that resonate with us. But you guys have infinitely better thought when you like and subscribe, and I urge you to do that immediately. On the YouTube channel, we read every single one of your comments. We get back to the very next episode with a compilation of what we think is some of the best and most representative comments of the moment. And we read it back to you. All that being said, fellas, I wouldn't mind taking a moment for our best friend, Zbiotics.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[Josh Holmes]

Speaking of good times.

[Michael Duncan]

So let me preface this by saying I've had dozens. And I mean this sincerely. This is actual. This is not like hyperbole. Dozens of friends text me over the last few weeks as we've been doing zebiotics reads. To be like, you know, I was really skeptical of this, but you guys seem super sold on this. So I took it and they're like, holy shit, it works.

[Josh Holmes]

It does.

[Michael Duncan]

It's incredible. So if you're the first time hearing about Zbiotics, this is a pre alcohol drink and it's formulated by a bunch of PhD scientists to tackle rough mornings after drinking. And part of it is the science behind it. You guys talk about that from time to time.

[Bret Baier]

Yeah.

[John Ashbrook]

I mean, people think when you had a big night and you wake up the next day, you don't feel so good. It's just you're dehydrated, right? You didn't drink enough water before bed or whatever. But the reality is that when alcohol is broken down in your gut, it becomes a toxic byproduct. And Zebiotics knocks that right out. I have to say one other thing. In addition to, like, your friends reaching out and being like, I was skeptical. I tried the thing, and it works. I gotta give a hat tip to our friend. You're comfortably smug.

[Michael Duncan]

Oh, I do too.

[John Ashbrook]

Who is. We had a recent event we had to do for work, and Smug came packed to the hilt with Zbiotics in his pockets. In his pockets. And he was handing them out like candy. He was the Willy Loman of Zbiotics. And I just. You know, if Zbiotics, if you're ever listening to this read, just. Just know, like, we're going above and beyond on this thing. We're going door to door.

[Josh Holmes]

That's the thing is, like, there's nothing I enjoy more than being right. And so when I tell someone about Zbotics, I'll give them one. And they're like, you were right, dude. I feel amazing this morning. And I'm like, that's why. And it was. It was funny. When we were at the event, this guy was like, where do I get some? And then I was like, well, you go to zbiotics.com ruthless.

[John Ashbrook]

Remember, use the code.

[Josh Holmes]

If you use the code, Ruthless. That's right at checkout, save yourself 15%.

[Michael Duncan]

It's so true. And you showed up the next morning and every single person that you gave it to was like, hey, man, it works. That actually works.

[Josh Holmes]

It 100% works.

[Michael Duncan]

And it is so true. It was true right from the very beginning. There's an enzyme that's a byproduct that this thing is, like, designed to do. And I'm just telling you, it works. So you got to go to zbiotics.com ruthless to learn more and get 15%.

[Bret Baier]

Off your first order.

[Michael Duncan]

When you use Ruthless at the checkout, Zebiotics is backed by the 100% money back guarantee. So if you're unsatisfied for any reason at all, they're gonna refund their money. No questions asked. Zbiotics.com Ruthless and use Ruthless at the checkout for 15% off. Let's get into your comments from last episode. Very, very good question. Recall, we were talking about this Plant Plantner guy from Maine. If you missed yesterday's episode, go back.

[Wolf]

It's It's.

[Josh Holmes]

It's something else.

[Michael Duncan]

That segment that we did on this is as hard as I've laughed in a very long time. The idea that we were dealing with United States Senate candidates who are like, oh, this Nazi tattoo.

[Josh Holmes]

Right?

[Michael Duncan]

Do we want me to change it?

[John Ashbrook]

Change it, change it.

[Michael Duncan]

And he's like, okay, well, they're gonna know about this. So here was. And now here it is, and it's. What do you call it?

[Josh Holmes]

Fenrir. Another from Norse mythology.

[John Ashbrook]

It's not Nazi. It's just sort of Nazi adjacent.

[Michael Duncan]

It's amazing. Yeah. He doesn't get the answer.

[John Ashbrook]

And, like, Bernie was so mad.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

He's like, oh, yumu.

[John Ashbrook]

Who amongst us hasn't had. Had some sort of Nazi tattoo?

[Josh Holmes]

Right.

[Michael Duncan]

You know, that was basically what they would lead. Dude.

[Josh Holmes]

That's what the Pod bros are trying.

[Michael Duncan]

To save them with. Oh, if we start rejecting people with Nazi tattoos, imagine where we'd be like, as if any of us have ever met anyone who has a Nazi tattoo.

[Josh Holmes]

It's incredible that they're running with it.

[Michael Duncan]

It's just. It's absolutely incredible. So we asked the question, if a progressive leftist got a tattoo for their political career, what would it be? You guys had some great stuff to do.

[Josh Holmes]

Folks came to play with these.

[Michael Duncan]

We always start with a voice first.

[Wolf]

One from Nick Wardog 85. Nick writes, the progressive left symbol that would make a great tattoo is a seahorse. Flashy animal. They come in herds. They actually don't gallop, and the males have babies.

[Josh Holmes]

Holy cow.

[Michael Duncan]

I wasn't expecting that.

[Wolf]

Kiss.

[Josh Holmes]

That is good.

[Wolf]

War Dog 85.

[John Ashbrook]

That's creative.

[Michael Duncan]

Funny voice, thoughtful entry. All right, comment two, harunks.

[John Ashbrook]

This is from John Button. John writes, should be a sleeve tattoo of AOC in her Met gala Tax the Rich dress with the same tattoo on AOC's shoulder.

[Josh Holmes]

Oh, that's tattooception.

[John Ashbrook]

Yeah, I like that.

[Michael Duncan]

I like that a lot. That's pretty good. Smug.

[Josh Holmes]

Comment three is from Ray Ray Reddington. Ray Ray Red writes tattoo for a Dem. A QR code with a hammer and sickle embedded in it that can be scanned and tells who paid them and how much they paid. That would actually be extremely useful.

[John Ashbrook]

Sick.

[Josh Holmes]

That would be good. I love that.

[Michael Duncan]

I will say. And this is where Wolf, you know, we've got a Marine as a producer who is like, he's a family man, right? And he likes to keep things between the forties here on the. The Variety program. But I did read through all the comments as I promised the people. There was a lot of Racy stuff on there. And there are some things that I really wish were in those comments.

[John Ashbrook]

You're saying we're being suppressed?

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah. I feel like he is editing. He's trying to tone us down.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

And I won't have it.

[Josh Holmes]

He was like, guys, Brett bears on this episode.

[Michael Duncan]

It's like, you can't humiliate him like that. Please.

[John Ashbrook]

The show can't be that horny.

[Wolf]

If you're listening right now, you really should do yourself a favor and go to yesterday's comments and scroll through just to have a couple of outstanding.

[Michael Duncan]

I mean, the amount of stuff on there that made me belly laugh.

[Wolf]

Oh, man.

[Michael Duncan]

And like, stopped my day because I had tears rolling down my face is. You guys are the best. You do it every time when you like and subscribe. We read every single one of them. I'm telling you individually, we actually do do that. Which is why we know what you're capable of when we come back. Dem or journo. Folks, you're not gonna wanna miss this. This is one of the most fun games we play right after this.

[Wolf]

Tonight on an all new Jock and the Fat Man. A younger woman threatens the worst.

[Michael Duncan]

You're not helping people and you're not not helping them.

[Wolf]

Is she their savior or a devil in disguise?

[Michael Duncan]

We're fighting on the same side.

[Wolf]

And can an old partnership hang on?

[Michael Duncan]

If you come for my people, you come through me.

[Bret Baier]

So come and get me.

[Josh Holmes]

Find out.

[Wolf]

Tonight on Chuck and the Fat Man.

[Josh Holmes]

That is amazing. That is incredible work. So they told me they cooked something up. First off, Ashbrook, the voice, Best voice in the business. But then making like Jake and the Fat Man. But Chuck Schumer and the fat man, J.B. pritzke.

[Michael Duncan]

This is brilliant.

[John Ashbrook]

Ash Brook, you gotta explain this for our younger audience who's maybe unfamiliar with this certain strain of Gen X commercial.

[Wolf]

Okay. If you grew up in the 80s and 90s and you watched NFL on Sunday, every single game on CBS had promos for shows just like Jake and the Fat Man. And every single one was formulated kind of exactly the same way.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah.

[Wolf]

And it's iconic. It's just. But it's one of those things that you don't hear anymore. But as soon as you hear it, you're like. It just takes you right back to Sunday afternoon before you heard the tick tocking of CBS 60 Minutes and ruined your day. It was the promos and then there was just. There was just so much good stuff. And I think we're gonna have a lot more fun with these dude I.

[Michael Duncan]

Love the Ruthless ads in the ad breaks. I mean, that is completely hilarious. Also, Pritzker being the fat man.

[Josh Holmes]

Outstanding.

[Michael Duncan]

Oh, God. Just a chef's kiss. The voiceover is so good. The cadence.

[John Ashbrook]

Yeah. And the graphics.

[Michael Duncan]

And a fat man.

[Wolf]

Great.

[John Ashbrook]

Great work by Wolf and the team on the graphics.

[Michael Duncan]

Just so good.

[John Ashbrook]

I felt like I was transported back in time to a simpler time.

[Michael Duncan]

To a simpler time when we all just enjoyed America and wanted it to be the best she could be.

[Wolf]

Fellas, I want to transport you back to another time in American history. That time is 2010.

[Michael Duncan]

Okay?

[Wolf]

Okay. Usually when we play Demer Journo and you tease right before the break, that's what we're headed to now. Usually when we play demo, we read one Democrat quote and three journo quotes that are current. However, in this instance, we are reading three quotes from 2010. Why are we reading three quotes from 2010? Because they are about how the media covered Barack Obama's $300 million renovation of the White House. And just to set the tone here, just to set the tone, I would like to play for you a clip from CNN just to take you back.

[Michael Duncan]

Okay?

[Wolf]

Okay.

[Michael Duncan]

All right.

[Wolf]

So can we hit clip 5? Sounds like you're building another wing to the White House, but we appreciate you keeping your foot.

[Michael Duncan]

Imagine tj it's going to happen for.

[Narrator/Ad Voice]

The next two years. All of the banging, the jackhammering, the dust, the confusion, the noise of all places to do construction is happening right here. The front lawn of the White house. It's a four year renovation project. Estimated cost, $376 million.

[Josh Holmes]

So that's.

[Wolf]

That's how CNN.

[Josh Holmes]

Wow.

[Wolf]

That's how CNN covered the Obama renovation.

[John Ashbrook]

They cover it like a local news segment on a ribbon cutting.

[Michael Duncan]

Oh, God.

[John Ashbrook]

You know, she's wearing the hard hat and everything. Everyone's all smiles. Nobody's freaking out about how terrible this thing is. And this is what I love about this game. And for the the new people, not the OGs who have probably never, never heard us play this game before, it is four statements, three of which are made by actual journalists and one by a Democrat. By a Democrat.

[Michael Duncan]

And you gotta choose the Democrat.

[John Ashbrook]

You gotta choose the Democrat. We also have some fantastic game music. Let's find out if it's a Dem or journo.

[Michael Duncan]

Dem or journo. Dem or journo.

[John Ashbrook]

This is so good.

[Michael Duncan]

Or journo. No. Dam or Journal. Dam or Journal.

[Bret Baier]

Dam or Journal.

[Wolf]

Nobody knows.

[Michael Duncan]

There's been an ongoing argument for five years about whether it's a Stanza too long.

[Josh Holmes]

It is.

[John Ashbrook]

Might be.

[Josh Holmes]

Should be trim, but it's okay.

[John Ashbrook]

It's authentic. Smug.

[Michael Duncan]

It really is.

[Wolf]

Let's get those statements. Lee, can we put up statement number one, please? In making changes, the White House took pains to ensure that new additions were American made.

[Josh Holmes]

Oh, my God.

[Wolf]

This is. Once again, this is from 2010 about the Obama renovations.

[Bret Baier]

Wait.

[Michael Duncan]

Taking pains. Taking pains.

[Josh Holmes]

It's so difficult to have to use American made things, but this administration is doing it.

[John Ashbrook]

It's just. It's only the sort of thing that like a press shop of a Democratic administration can get shoehorned into an article.

[Wolf]

It's insane, you know?

[Michael Duncan]

Well, they're taking. There's pains involved. Incredible pains, and they're unwilling to take those pains.

[John Ashbrook]

Don't you know how hard they're working?

[Michael Duncan]

They're Abigail Spamberger, so you know how hard I work.

[Wolf]

Okay, Statement number two. Each president puts his stamp on the office. None of the modest changes that were done inside the Oval Office were done at any taxpayer expense.

[Josh Holmes]

Like, the level of running cover is just insane.

[John Ashbrook]

Think about how generous Barack Obama is.

[Michael Duncan]

Yes, well, because they're going to give you the price tag of what's going on behind, but they want to assure people that's not coming out of your wallet.

[Wolf]

Well, that's exactly right. Statement number three. Though no taxpayer money was spent, there is a fund fed by private donations for White House decor. There were the inevitable howls of protest on the timing and the taste.

[Josh Holmes]

They are like, even attacking anyone's any criticism.

[John Ashbrook]

Oh, my God, dude, think about that. In contrast to today, if that's a.

[Josh Holmes]

Journo, I'm like, so disgusted.

[Michael Duncan]

Inevitable.

[Josh Holmes]

Hows animals, dude?

[John Ashbrook]

Inevitable howls. Like the idea that the media would run cover so much they would preemptively talk down criticism of the thing.

[Michael Duncan]

God, dude. What?

[John Ashbrook]

Like rarefied air the Obama administration was able to walk.

[Josh Holmes]

Unreal, dude.

[Michael Duncan]

You know, well, sent shivers down their leg. He found out on election day and every day afterwards.

[Wolf]

Statement number four. Whether metaphor or mere coincidence, Obama's decision to redecorate as he contemplates a change in Bush's war policy is rooted in presidential tradition.

[Michael Duncan]

No, no, no, no, no.

[John Ashbrook]

I love this game so much.

[Wolf]

While you guys are going over your notes and thinking about this, I just want to remind our audience of how Trump's renovations are being covered. Let me read you a headline from the Daily Beast. How Trump used his goons to ignore White House tear down laws. That's how the media is covering President Trump's renovation. But we Just heard how they covered Barack Obama.

[Michael Duncan]

Well, there's a bunch of things, because my understanding is the funding mechanism is the same in that there is a nonprofit that's dedicated to White House improvement, where people can raise money for it and pay for what is upgrades to a White House periodically. And the way we. At least this covered. And maybe it was a Dem, but it was basically like, well, this is not a taxpayer thing, so don't worry about it. The way it's being covered under the Trump administration is like, big influence going on. There's another. Yet another way to pay for access. I mean, that is.

[Wolf]

That's exactly what they're doing.

[Michael Duncan]

Splashed all over the newspaper in the last several days. And like all of their advocates out on social media are saying, like, ooh, this is a big pay to play operation. Like, meanwhile, he's upgrading a house that belongs to the American people.

[John Ashbrook]

Right.

[Michael Duncan]

Like, there's no benefit for him. He has to live through the construction, by the way.

[Wolf]

Right.

[Michael Duncan]

And at the end of it, which is basically when he moves out, I just.

[John Ashbrook]

I can't wait.

[Michael Duncan]

Somebody else's deal.

[John Ashbrook]

I cannot wait for a Democratic president to be able to enjoy this luxurious ballroom. I can't wait for that day.

[Michael Duncan]

I hope they call whatever comes of it the Trump Ballroom, because I will call it that no matter what.

[Josh Holmes]

Everyone should. Yeah.

[Michael Duncan]

You know, it just. It's only right and just.

[John Ashbrook]

It's only right and just. Especially if they're gonna oppose it to the hilt. Okay.

[Michael Duncan]

All right. Should we break this down?

[Wolf]

Yeah. You heard the four statements. I'm happy to read any of them over again.

[Josh Holmes]

I made my decision.

[Michael Duncan]

Well, I just wanna break this down for a little bit because I think the taking pains.

[Wolf]

Statement number one.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah. In statement number one, taking pains, it took pains to ensure that new additions were American made. If you recall the time period, there was a very real concern about the fact the American economy crashed and Americans were out of work and there wasn't a whole lot of American goods moving around. So this seems like a journo wedge phrase to me to ensure great support.

[Josh Holmes]

It's like, listen, guys, this is a shovel ready job.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah, shovel ready was another one of those phrases. And then I look at number two and I'm less sold on which way that that thing goes because. Puts a stamp on the office. There's a. As a communicator. You look at that and you're like, well, I like to draw back on history to make sure that there's not a new precedent being involved. We're not doing anything out of the ordinary. This is just something like. As a communicator. That is the kind of formulation that I would put together if I was in that. So I'm gonna reserve that for three. On me. The inevitable howls. That is a code word to me. There were inevitable howls of protest on the timing and the tape. The timing, of course, is the fact we were in a fucking recession at the time, and he's putting $350 million into his house, which is objectively way worse than any sort of backdrop that this Trump administration is dealing with. But it is the kind of thing that a journal would use to try to disqualify objections. Mm.

[John Ashbrook]

It's.

[Bret Baier]

It's.

[John Ashbrook]

In my view, it's more galling than most Democratic communicators would. Would aim for.

[Michael Duncan]

Do you think?

[John Ashbrook]

Which means it could only be reserved for a journalist.

[Josh Holmes]

So here's my take on three. I'm gonna. For me, I made it my guess as the Dem.

[Michael Duncan]

Okay.

[Josh Holmes]

And this is. So give me.

[Michael Duncan]

Give me your thought.

[Josh Holmes]

So this is specifically kind of like a meta game. My thinking is, if it's a journo, I will officially black pill. I'll lose all faith in all journos. They should all be jailed on the ground that you have. If this is a journo trying to silence criticism, they're hopeless. They gotta go.

[Michael Duncan]

Gotta go.

[John Ashbrook]

Can we get one more look at four real quick?

[Wolf]

Yeah, just.

[Michael Duncan]

Let's take another look. And so this is the tradition. A metaphor or mere coincidence?

[John Ashbrook]

It's a change in Bush's war policy is rooted in presidential tradition.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah. So what they're doing is bringing in a preeminent topic of the era and highlighting the fact that there is a war policy change now. Never mind the fact there wasn't like. Never mind the fact that there wasn't like. Obama didn't like. He campaigned on ending the war. He did not. I mean, he pretended like he did, and they made a bunch of announcements, whatever. But in that era, it was like taking an issue that was front of mind and trying to marry it up with something you're seeing and trying to disqualify the juxtaposition of a gilded home with a very real tragedy playing out overseas. And it seems to me that that amazing pirouette that could only be done by attorney.

[John Ashbrook]

That's what I think, and that's why I am choosing number two.

[Michael Duncan]

I'm a two guy.

[John Ashbrook]

I think number two is.

[Wolf]

Number two is your Democrat.

[John Ashbrook]

Is my Democrat.

[Michael Duncan]

Me too.

[John Ashbrook]

I think number two Is the quote that the Dem fights for in the story to make sure everyone knows it wasn't done at taxpayer expense. That's what I think. I think all the other ones that are galling and terrifying are all terrible journalists.

[Michael Duncan]

Okay.

[Wolf]

Would you care for the reveal?

[John Ashbrook]

You're smart, right?

[Wolf]

You're number three.

[Josh Holmes]

At least two or two.

[Wolf]

He's saying three. Okay, let's do the reveal. Number one. That was the LA Times.

[John Ashbrook]

Yes.

[Wolf]

Took pains to ensure the new additions were American made.

[Michael Duncan]

Oh, they took pains.

[Wolf]

Number four is McClatchy, whether metaphor, mere coincidence, and then invokes Bush's war policy to drive the contrast.

[John Ashbrook]

Yeah.

[Josh Holmes]

Are they still in business? Is McClatchy still around?

[Michael Duncan]

I don't know.

[Wolf]

Maybe some.

[Michael Duncan]

Yeah, there's a handful of papers. But the best part about that is that they were the ones who, like, fashioned themselves as close to the ground. Right. Like, they're the ones that are reporting the local news up rather than the national news down. And, well, they've taken great pains.

[Bret Baier]

Right.

[Wolf]

Well. And of course, that headline on that article in McClatchy is following tradition, Obama redecorates Oval Office.

[Michael Duncan]

Following tradition.

[Wolf]

Following tradition.

[Michael Duncan]

Which actually provides a little insight into where the final thing is.

[Wolf]

Okay, that's exactly right. Okay. Number three. Smug is the New York Times.

[Michael Duncan]

Oh, my God.

[Josh Holmes]

That is.

[John Ashbrook]

That is just really pathetic.

[Michael Duncan]

It's an inevitable howls.

[Wolf]

Inevitable howls in a New York Times article entitled the Audacity of Taupe.

[Josh Holmes]

Oh, my God. Really?

[John Ashbrook]

Audacity of Taupe.

[Wolf]

Yeah.

[John Ashbrook]

These people. Dude, I just want everybody.

[Josh Holmes]

I know. Marco Rubio is busy. I know he's got a lot on his plate. Designate the New York Times a terror organization. Enough is enough. Unreal. That is pathetic.

[John Ashbrook]

You look at this era of the Trump era of politics, and the complaints from the media just know, not for a second should you feel sorry for these people. They dug their own grave. You don't hate them enough. And they did it during Barack Obama's administration. They carried his water through all of his scandals and failures. We are where we are because of what they did when he was president.

[Josh Holmes]

And they've done it deliberately.

[John Ashbrook]

Done it deliberately, Brett.

[Michael Duncan]

So who is.

[Wolf]

Congratulations. Yeah, congratulations. Josh and Michael. Robert Gibbs.

[Michael Duncan]

Oh, yes.

[Wolf]

Robert Gibbs said, number two, we can amaze.

[Michael Duncan]

But here is the most important part. From my standpoint, each president puts his stamp on the office. Can you reread the title that you. Of the article?

[Bret Baier]

One of those.

[Michael Duncan]

Was it the New York Times? Not the Audacity of Tope, which is New York Times.

[Wolf]

So this Gibbs was Not from. This is different from the McClatchy article, but he said that separately. However, the McClatchy headline was following tradition.

[Michael Duncan]

There it is. So if you want to know the secret and the reason we play this game is because we're trying to give you a little insight into how news is made, how corruptly news is made. His statement, Robert Gibbs, a White House spokesperson at the time, led with the fact that each president allows for this kind of thing. This isn't something that we are doing on our own. Of course, we wouldn't be so immodest as to improve the White House with $300 million of people's money just because we want a nicer place to stay. It's what every president does. And then you see the headline. That is not a quote. That is the framing of it that leads you to believe that indeed every.

[John Ashbrook]

President does this to shorthanded, I would say, when you're a Democrat, they let you write the headline.

[Michael Duncan]

They let you do it.

[Wolf]

Get away with it.

[Michael Duncan]

They get away with. And they do it deliberately, in secret. Remember, all new tonight, Chuck and the Fat Man. A younger woman threatens the worst. An old partnership. Can it Hang on. Find out tonight, Chuck and the Fat Man. That's a good bit. I love it. I love that so much. Fellas, we have done incredible work this week, but in summation, it's only getting better. And like, you gotta tune. It's appointment viewing at this point, because the amount of content that they're getting, we're only seeing so good. There's only so much of a top hat and cane that you can do on a show like this. But when they give you the stuff that they give you, you got it. Tune in. I mean, this is just incredible stuff. High comedy.

[John Ashbrook]

Yes.

[Michael Duncan]

Every day.

[John Ashbrook]

Share it with your family and friends.

[Michael Duncan]

Share it with your family and friends. Like, and subscribe. Send it along. Tell everybody about it. Because there's nobody that's having a better time than we are. I can promise you that. A big thanks to Brett Bear for coming in today. Fantastic interview. Very fun to hang out for a little bit. You got to go to ZBiotics.com Ruthless and use Ruthless at the checkout code as your checkout code for 15% off. Trust me on that. Trust me on that. With that, fellas, I think we did it.

[Josh Holmes]

I think so. So, banger of an episode. Thanks again to Brett Baer and thank you to the Minions. Remember, if you have not yet, go to the YouTube hit that. Subscribe, subscribe because it's more fun in video. So until next time at Minions, keep the faith, hold the line and own the libs. We'll see you Tuesday. Stay ruthless.