Podcast Summary: Tangle – PREVIEW: The Sunday Podcast

Episode: PREVIEW - The Sunday Podcast: Isaac, Ari, And Kmele talk about Kmele's appearance on CNN, Trump's tariffs, and Elon's departure
Host/Author: Isaac Saul
Release Date: June 1, 2025

1. Introduction

In this preview episode of Tangle's Sunday Podcast, host Isaac Saul engages in a dynamic discussion with Managing Editor Ari Weitzman and Editor at Large Camille Foster. The trio delves into recent political developments, focusing primarily on Camille's contentious appearance on CNN, the ongoing saga of Trump's tariff policies, and speculations surrounding Elon Musk's departure from his ventures.

2. Camille Foster's CNN Appearance

Camille Foster recently participated in an intense panel discussion on CNN's Abby Phillips Show, where she found herself in a heated debate with Kevin O’Leary, famously known as Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank. The conversation primarily revolved around the effectiveness and repercussions of the Trump administration's tariff policies.

Notable Quote:

“The economy is on fire. The economy is doing.”
— Camille Foster [05:58]

Camille recounted how the debate quickly escalated into a confrontational exchange, highlighting the challenges of maintaining substantive dialogue in a highly polarized media environment. She emphasized her role as a more nuanced voice on the panel, contrasting with other participants who held firm partisan stances.

Camille's Insights:

“I will say that I was perhaps the only person on the panel who wasn't a kind of dyed in the wool partisan. And there's a sense in which the takes you're going to get from me on various topics are going to be a little bit more nuanced...”
— Camille Foster [08:30]

3. Trump's Tariff Policies and Judicial Rulings

The discussion shifted to the recent legal challenges facing Trump's tariff initiatives. A pivotal moment was the U.S. Appeals Court's decision to pause a ruling that struck down Trump's tariffs, effectively putting a temporary halt on their implementation.

Isaac Saul provided a detailed breakdown of the court's decision, noting the composition of the three-judge panel and their diverse appointments spanning Reagan, Obama, and Trump administrations. The ruling deemed that Trump lacked the authority to impose sweeping tariffs under existing emergency legislation from the 1970s.

Notable Quote:

“The legal problem with President Donald Trump's tariffs is that the United States has a constitution. And the Constitution says that Congress has the power to impose tariffs and the President doesn't.”
— Isaac Saul [25:19]

Camille Foster elaborated on the economic indicators, suggesting that unemployment rates are lagging and may not yet reflect the negative impacts of the tariffs. She also criticized the incomplete implementation of the tariffs and their dubious benefits, arguing that mutual losses from obstructed trade negate any potential gains.

Camille's Analysis:

“The reality is that unemployment is in fact a lagging indicator for the economy. And when the tariffs are announced, the stock market plummets immediately... we have a really weird situation where we went through weeks and weeks of uncomfortable uncertainty and we're still there.”
— Camille Foster [09:25]

4. Economic Impact and Public Perception

The team discussed the tangible effects of the tariffs on small businesses and the broader economy. Isaac Saul highlighted social media as a platform where small business owners shared firsthand accounts of layoffs and economic struggles directly attributed to the tariff policies.

Isaac's Observations:

“People are doing this sort of performative thing where they're like, 'oh, look, we're in trouble. Buy my product,' just like literally announcing that their business was shutting down because of the implementation of these tariffs.”
— Isaac Saul [12:03]

These anecdotes underscore the real-world consequences of the administration's trade decisions, painting a picture of economic instability and loss of trust in institutional policies.

5. Future Trajectory of Tariff Policies

The conversation then turned to potential next steps for the Trump administration in light of the court rulings. Ari Weitzman speculated on Trump's possible maneuvers, including appealing to the Supreme Court or seeking congressional approval to legitimize the tariffs. He expressed skepticism about both options, citing the unlikelihood of gaining Supreme Court support and the improbability of securing bipartisan backing in Congress.

Ari's Perspective:

“Another one of them that I'm reading about is this section 301 of the Trade Act, which allows the President to start an investigation into procedural groundwork to apply tariffs in countries that are taking advantage of the United States in some way.”
— Ari Weitzman [30:54]

Isaac Saul concurred, drawing parallels to past administrative strategies and expressing doubt about the administration's ability to navigate the legal and political hurdles ahead.

Isaac's Take:

“It just... the plain letter of the law question here looks so straightforward to me that I don't really understand how that could be the outcome.”
— Isaac Saul [32:36]

6. Elon Musk's Departure and San Francisco School Board Proposal

While the primary focus was on tariffs and Camille's CNN stint, brief mentions were made regarding Elon Musk's exit from his current ventures and a controversial proposal from the San Francisco school board. Although detailed discussions on these topics were not extensively covered in this preview, they set the stage for deeper exploration in the full episode.

7. Conclusion and Grievances

The preview concluded with the hosts expressing their frustrations with the current state of political discourse and media representation. They underscored the challenges of fostering meaningful conversations amid increasing polarization and sensationalism.

Camille Foster shared anecdotes about past media appearances, highlighting the performative nature of cable news debates and the ensuing personal grievances resulting from such encounters.

Camille's Reflection:

“Working in cable news and seeing how the sausage gets made, nothing will make you more cynical about the state of the media business than that.”
— Camille Foster [18:34]

The trio emphasized their commitment to providing balanced and nuanced perspectives on political issues, aiming to bridge gaps across the political spectrum.

8. Final Notes

While this preview offers a glimpse into the upcoming full episode, listeners can anticipate an in-depth analysis of the discussed topics, including exclusive insights from Kmele's CNN appearance and the latest developments in political and economic arenas.

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