Mika Defends Mar-a-Lago Visit, Musk-Trump Road Trip

Summary

The Daily Beast Podcast: Episode Summary Title: Mika Defends Mar-a-Lago Visit, Musk-Trump Road Trip
Release Date: November 21, 2024
Hosts: Joanna Coles and Samantha Bee

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Introduction

In this episode of The Daily Beast Podcast, co-hosts Joanna Coles and Samantha Bee delve into pressing political and social issues, featuring insightful interviews with notable guests. The primary focus revolves around Mika Brzezinski's controversial visit to Mar-a-Lago for discussions with former President Donald Trump and an in-depth conversation with attorney Joel Leopard regarding allegations against Matt Gaetz.

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Joel Leopard on Matt Gaetz's Allegations

[43:32] Joanna Coles:
"We're joined now by Joel Leopard, the aptly named attorney representing the women who accused Matt Gaetz, Trump's nominee for Attorney General, of paying for sexual favors."

Joel Leopard discusses the sensitive nature of the case involving two young women accusing Matt Gaetz of sexual misconduct. Despite the Department of Justice declining to press charges and the House Ethics Committee withholding its report, Leopard emphasizes the importance of public awareness.

Notable Quotes:

• Joel Leopard:
  "[Our primary motivation] is to advocate for the release by giving the American public a highlight of what's in a fraction of what I'm aware of two out of the 12 witnesses so that the American people can decide for themselves."

• Joanna Coles:
  "If the report does come out, then your clients who are currently anonymous and speaking through you become much more public. How does that help them given that the DOJ has decided not to press charge?"

• Joel Leopard:
  "Our main point is to advocate for the release by giving the American public a highlight... while also remaining anonymous."

Leopard underscores the emotional toll on his clients and the challenges they face, including fears of retaliation and the struggle to maintain anonymity. He also touches upon the broader implications for the criminal justice system and the necessity for transparency.

[49:36] Joel Leopard:
"I would hope to see that the report would be released in some way to the American public, and then they can make their job and talk to their elected officials..."

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Mika Brzezinski on Her Mar-a-Lago Visit

Mika Brzezinski, co-host of Morning Joe, shares her experiences and the rationale behind her visit to Mar-a-Lago to engage in dialogue with Donald Trump amidst their long-standing public feud. She advocates for direct communication as a means to bridge the political divide.

Notable Quotes:

• Mika Brzezinski:
  "In these fraught times, I do think that we are in an environment... where everyone's talking at each other... it's time to start talking face to face, on the record, on background, reconnecting."

• Samantha Bee:
  "Is it possible? Because I do personally seek some just kind of like details about what it was like being there..."

• Mika Brzezinski:
  "I do believe it's time to start talking face to face... it's our job."

Brzezinski discusses the mixed reactions she received post-visit, highlighting support from respected leaders and backlash from certain media circles. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining professionalism and not letting personal grievances interfere with journalistic integrity.

[20:16] Mika Brzezinski:
"No, I would have no illusions about that. I'm glad it happened. The fact that it happened is good."

She further elaborates on the critical issues addressed during the meeting, such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the broader implications for women's rights and healthcare.

[21:33] Samantha Bee:
"I feel like if you could move his opinion like a millimeter in the direction of protecting women, I am all for it."

[22:14] Mika Brzezinski:
"My father was national security adviser to Jimmy Carter... I've been in way more kind of physically challenging situations..."

Brzezinski reflects on her upbringing in a diplomatic family, which instilled in her the skills to engage in difficult conversations and navigate complex political landscapes.

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Power Dynamics and Cabinet Appointments with Hugh Doherty and Elon Musk

The episode also features an update from Hugh Doherty, The Daily Beast’s executive editor, alongside a fictional portrayal of Elon Musk discussing the tumultuous process of Trump’s cabinet appointments. This segment highlights internal conflicts and the chaotic nature of the selection process at Mar-a-Lago.

Notable Quotes:

• Elon Musk:
  "Trump brings in a reverse auctioneer... we're talking about Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard, RFK Jr., and others... it's been a chaotic process."

• Joanna Coles:
  "Hugh, how is the power battle going on with Elon Musk and Donald Trump if Elon didn't get the candidate that he wanted for treasury secretary?"

• Elon Musk:
  "It's a proxy battle... Howard Lutnick has gone to be Commerce Secretary... It’s been a busy week for everybody in the sunshine."

This segment, though interspersed with humor and fictional elements, underscores the intense internal struggles within Trump's circle over key appointments. The discussion touches upon the lack of rigorous background checks and the swift decision-making process that characterizes this administration's approach to cabinet selections.

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Concluding Remarks

Joanna Coles and Samantha Bee wrap up the episode by reflecting on the intense political climate, the importance of meaningful dialogue, and the ongoing challenges within the U.S. government. They emphasize the need to focus on substantive governance issues despite the distractions of internal conflicts and media sensationalism.

[40:10] Joanna Coles:
"All of that gets either swept under the rug or government departments get run by, you know, by people who have no experience and no business running them. That's the most concerning thing."

The podcast concludes with light-hearted banter about their pets and personal anecdotes, maintaining the engaging and conversational tone that The Daily Beast Podcast is known for.

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Key Takeaways

• Encouraging Dialogue: Mika Brzezinski advocates for direct conversations between opposing political figures to bridge divides.

• Accountability and Transparency: Joel Leopard emphasizes the need for the House Ethics Committee to release reports to ensure accountability, despite DOJ's decision not to pursue charges.

• Internal Power Struggles: The portrayal of Elon Musk highlights the chaotic and contested nature of Trump’s cabinet appointments, reflecting broader instability within the administration.

• Focus on Governance: The hosts stress the importance of prioritizing government’s fundamental responsibilities over political infighting and media distractions.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the critical discussions and insights from The Daily Beast Podcast episode, providing listeners with a clear and detailed overview of the topics covered, the perspectives shared by the guests, and the overarching themes addressed by the hosts.

Transcript

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[Mika Brzezinski]

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[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Mika Brzezinski]

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[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Samantha Bee]

Gifting is hard. But here's a hint. Give the gift of connection from US Cellular.

[Joel Leopard]

Not sure what that means. Well, here's a slightly more specific hint.

[Mika Brzezinski]

You can choose four free phones and.

[Joel Leopard]

Get four lines for $90 a month from US Cellular.

[Samantha Bee]

Your family wants new phones, so how do we know? They told us.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Yeah, the good news is that compared.

[Joel Leopard]

To wrapping presents, you're great at getting hints.

[Samantha Bee]

So take the hint and get them. Four free phones and four lines for $90 a month.

[Hugh Doherty]

US Cellular built for us. Deep in the ocean, an orca pod is on the hunt. But these aren't your average Orcas. These guys are organized marketing team.

[Joel Leopard]

Did you get those social media posts.

[Joanna Coles]

Scheduled for the seal migration?

[Hugh Doherty]

Aye, aye, Captain. We even have an automated notification for all pod managers when they go live. They use Monday.com to keep their teamwork sharp, their communication clear, and their goals in sight. Monday.com for whatever you run. Even orcas go to Monday.com to dive deeper.

[Joanna Coles]

Welcome to the Daily Beast podcast. I'm Joanna Coles, Chief Content Officer of the Daily Beast.

[Samantha Bee]

I am Samantha Bee, Chief Content Officer of the cocaine gerbils that are rattling around Nancy Mace's brain. Wow. What an odious person.

[Joanna Coles]

Now, just remind me, Nancy Mace has done so many things. What has she done now?

[Samantha Bee]

Oh, well, today she's racing around the halls of Congress putting up signs indicating that the bathrooms are for biological females only. Yeah, she's the welcome wagon.

[Joanna Coles]

She's the welcome wagon. I'm very glad I don't live in Nancy Mace's district.

[Samantha Bee]

I couldn't be more grateful that I don't as well. What a. What a cruel human being. Good luck to her in the afterlife that she so fervently believes in.

[Joanna Coles]

So on today's show in the download, we're getting an inside scoop from Joel Leopard. Good name for a lawyer who is representing the two young women accusing Matt Goetz of sexual misconduct. He has vehemently denied it. For our beast of the week, we're speaking with Morning Joe co host Mika Brzezinski, fresh out of her highly scrutinized Meeting with Donald Trump at Mar a Lago, a pivotal moment during their heated public seven year feud. Afterwards, it's part two of the Cabinet Cabaret from our Mar a Lago Patio correspondent and Daily Beast executive editor, Hugh Doherty.

[Samantha Bee]

All right, well, let us jump right in, Joanna. Before we do anything, we have to talk about our rented studio space and how, just as we were coming into it, it was revealed that right next door, Dr. Oz and Jordan Peterson were also recording a podcast.

[Joanna Coles]

Do you mean our Adirondack studio in the middle of Times Square? Listen, the man likes crudite. That's all I'm saying.

[Samantha Bee]

He certainly does.

[Joanna Coles]

He's gonna bring crudite to Mar a Lago.

[Samantha Bee]

He certainly does.

[Joanna Coles]

He's gonna bring crudite to the American diet. The odd thing is, I would have put him because he is actually a doctor, unlike RFK Jr. Who looks like a freeze dried version of Donald Trump.

[Samantha Bee]

He really does. And do you know that my friend saw him in the Mount Kisco area getting a stack of pizzas the other day? What? Yes, that's right. Purchasing a stack of pizzas.

[Joanna Coles]

Did they get a photo?

[Samantha Bee]

He did not get a photo.

[Joanna Coles]

I would like to hear from anybody that's seen RFK Jr. In a fast food joint anywhere. Pizza.

[Samantha Bee]

What, just like snarfing a Popeyes chicken sandwich under the COVID of darkness?

[Joanna Coles]

Are they hazing him when they make him eat McDonald's on the plane?

[Samantha Bee]

That's the one and only thing that I have ever liked about him because I do find him to be just reprehensible, is the facial expression that he made when faced with a Big Mac and fries. That's the funniest thing to me that I've seen in a long time.

[Joanna Coles]

I think they were force feeding him fries, but they are very good McDonald's fries.

[Samantha Bee]

Sure, they are. Better than the sad carrot and celery sticks that you like to buy in a cup.

[Joanna Coles]

He doesn't even play a doctor on tv. What is he doing at Health and Human Services?

[Samantha Bee]

Oh, it's. I'm sweating. I don't. Oh, God. I'm just. My sweater is soaked and we're three seconds into the podcast.

[Joanna Coles]

Okay, well, we'll have a change of sweater for you halfway through. I need a co host for the podcast and I can't have you going off to jail in the middle of it because you've tried some valiant attempt at redirecting the course of history.

[Samantha Bee]

Just have him on the podcast and I. Okay, I consent to appearing on it with him and all I will do is make a list of 10 things that I actually think are very important things for him to maintain or improve in his new job. And I'll just keep saying those because there's really no point in trying to talk sense into these people.

[Joanna Coles]

He is less alarming to me than Pete HEGSETH at the 2.9 million people Department of Defense. How he has literally no management experience. Can you.

[Samantha Bee]

Literally none.

[Joanna Coles]

Can you imagine even beginning to think about managing 3 million people?

[Samantha Bee]

And I certainly cannot imagine Pete Hegseth doing it right.

[Joanna Coles]

Although he does have good tats. Let's acknowledge the tattoos.

[Samantha Bee]

You're back from Barcelona. That's good. I'm glad you're back because I don't want you to be gone. I want you to be here.

[Joanna Coles]

Well, I appreciate that.

[Samantha Bee]

What are you doing in the delicious juices of America? Just percolating in the glory. You don't get to go. You have to stay here.

[Mika Brzezinski]

I have to stay.

[Joanna Coles]

I will say that there is much alarm in Europe over the decision by Biden to allow President Zelensky to use long range missiles. It felt so gloomy there. Quite a disconnect coming back to New York actually, where nobody is really talking about that.

[Samantha Bee]

Well, we're busy talking about Black Friday sales now and that's going to be lasting for quite some time. We have something to talk about from now until December 26th. Can I ask one question? Ever enough for people? Is it ever enough? Oh my God.

[Joanna Coles]

You mean the 50% off?

[Samantha Bee]

I'm sweating again. I just sprouted so much more sweat.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joanna Coles]

It's a strange time. It's a very strange time.

[Samantha Bee]

Yes.

[Joanna Coles]

But I did come back with my sword case. I've just never seen a better video than sweet little baron walking around with his sword case to go to school. Oh, you say it so much better. Sultke that thing where you say you have to throw the words into the front of your mouth.

[Samantha Bee]

All in the front. Yeah, I think it's all in the front.

[Joanna Coles]

Impressive.

[Samantha Bee]

All in the front.

[Joanna Coles]

Case, last time I was going, you were supposed to be appearing on have I got news for you. What happened? You were missing in action.

[Samantha Bee]

I was missing in action. I did. I pull. I did pull myself out of it. Which I do apologize to the whole team for leaving them in a bit of a spot. But they had paired me with Tim Burchett who is a member of Congress out of Tennessee. And I just didn't feel like it was the right time for me to be on the show. Like for context. I really like the show, I think it's actually really good. I like and admire everybody who's on it, and I really don't have anything to say to any of them. But my personal boundary is that I really just can't go on, like a fun loving comedy quiz show with someone who just stands so opposite every value that I hold dear.

[Joanna Coles]

But isn't that the point of a comedy show?

[Samantha Bee]

No, I don't think so. I think the point of a comedy show is to, like, enjoy the news and have some laughs and do a fist bump and stuff like that. Or at least, you know, that's what I. That's why I wanted to go on it, because I thought, oh, this will be like a fun lark. And then I thought, when I learned that information, I just went, it's just not for me, not right now. I can't do it. I didn't feel like it was the right forum for me to take a position against his. His worldview is literally like all in on mass deportation, all in on guns. He's transphobic. He wants to dismantle the Department of Education. He wants, literally wants to defund Planned Parenthood. And I personally have spent the last few weeks of my life in a huddle with fellow board members at Planned Parenthood, strategic planning for a very uncertain future. So it's just physically impossible. I feel comfortable.

[Joanna Coles]

You would have been like an arrow shooting at him from the other side of the studio.

[Samantha Bee]

It's not my show. I don't control any aspect of it. I don't. It's a quiz show. We're answering questions about, like, the visuals, like, what do you see in this picture? It's not an argument show. It's not Crossfire. It's a comedy. It's a lighthearted comedy show.

[Joanna Coles]

But, well, I would only take issue with you that it's. The show in Britain is in its 68th season and some of the best episodes have been when they've brought on certainly Boris Johnson, who at the time I think was Prime Minister and was given such a ribbing by the then team captain, Ian and I feel like you would have been. I feel like if you remove yourself from the situation, then there's no representative of what you believe in. And he gets. I mean, I'm sure the other people challenged him. I'm sure Michael Ian Black would have challenged him.

[Samantha Bee]

They would have done a great job.

[Joanna Coles]

Certainly Roy would.

[Samantha Bee]

I can't always be a dancing monkey. I just cannot do it. I just cannot always do it. And I just was not up for It. I just think these questions and these issues that we are facing are literally existential. And I don't have a good sense. And I just was not willing to sit on a comedy show with a grim facial expression thinking, what am I gonna say? What am I gonna do? What is this like, why am I here?

[Joanna Coles]

Okay, well, later we're gonna be talking to Mika Brzezinski, who she and Joe, obviously, as co hosts of Morning Joe, have spent the last few years railing at Donald Trump. And they said they'd gone down to Mar A Lago to talk to him because they realized they were in a new position and they have to have conversations. So we can talk to her about that.

[Samantha Bee]

Yes.

[Joanna Coles]

Slightly different if you're a. And not a comedian.

[Samantha Bee]

Oh, I think it's entirely different. I actually think it's entirely different. And it's also different if it's your show and you're setting the terms.

[Joanna Coles]

So we're joined now by our Beast of the Week. You know her as the co host of Morning Jo on msnbc, where her fresh political takes wake you up faster than that first cup of coffee. Mika Brzezinski. Mika, who is anything but Miek, is a fierce advocate for women's empowerment, a best selling author and the visionary. But behind the Know youw Value initiative, she's also a friend of mine and someone I've known for many years. We worked together at Cosmo when Mika had a very influential column. And Mika, you normally cover the news, but this week you became the news after your trip to Mar A Lago. Tell us about that.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Well, we told our viewers about it. I don't have much to say beyond that, except that in these fraught times, I do think that we are in an environment, no matter how it started, where everyone's talking at each other, at cameras, on their typewriters. That's how old I am. I say typewriter, but you know what I mean. Using their keyboards, talking at each other. And I do believe, and this doesn't just apply to Donald Trump, it applies to anybody in his administration, any Republican, that it's time to start talking face to face, on the record, on background, reconnecting. And it doesn't have to be easy, it doesn't have to be fun. It's not supposed to be. It's our job. So for us, it absolutely felt like the right thing to do because it is our job. And I've actually been really surprised at the reaction. I've heard from a lot of people in my phone, people that I respect a Great deal. Leaders, people I don't usually hear from, who are really powerful, who just wanted to let me know that that was the right thing to do. And then I have seen, you know, just like the very opposite happening online. Some of it is part of the problem I'm talking about right now. I've heard from reporters by reading about myself and none of them ever called me. That's the problem. So in part, it is a way of trying to do things differently. And it is a very serious time. And I take what we did, when we did it, how we did it, why we did it, very seriously.

[Samantha Bee]

Actually, I was really surprised also by the blowback. Is it possible? Because I do personally seek some just kind of like details about what it was like being there. Like, what did you, did you do the outreach? Did he do the outreach? Like, how did it start? Or when did you even begin?

[Mika Brzezinski]

Considering I'd call it a combined effort because a lot of this was on background. I really, I hope that we have more conversations. I hope we do an interview. So I want to, you know, stick to the guidelines that we put in place. Me, myself, for the interview. I talked to a reporter last night. She was very, very upset that I did this meeting. And I said, well, wouldn't you? I mean, you work for a extremely powerful, credible publication. And she said, well, I would only go in there if there were certain guardrails put in place, there were certain agreed upon boundaries. I thought to myself, well, how do you know anything about that? In terms of. I've done my best to be as transparent as possible in light of the fact that I had a meeting on background which this person, as a reporter, would know exactly what that's about. I've been surprised at the backlash. And the way I look at it is people are really scared. It's one of the reasons we went in there is people are really scared about Donald Trump's comments about political adversaries. A lot of people are scared because of what has happened with abortion. These are all issues that are important to me and in some ways personal to me, but definitely personal to the people I really care about because he's.

[Samantha Bee]

Been so personally toxic, he's been so personally insulting to you and to Joe Scarborough. Like, what are the guidelines that you set for yourself?

[Mika Brzezinski]

Well, I mean, it's my job to interview and talk to people I disagree with, feel threatened by or who have hurt my feelings in some way. So there's how I do it. I do my job. I mean, do I really not go in there because he tweeted about me bleeding badly from a facelift at Mar a Lago, I don't know, eight, nine years ago. I mean, we haven't talked in seven years, and I will say that's a problem, too. So I'm worried about myself and how I conduct myself in this media universe that we're in, taking stock of everything that's happened. I don't regret anything I've said during the campaign, and I stand by it. But I'm also looking at how to do things different. And I would never turn down an opportunity to gain insight or information. Never. So how I handle mean tweets or the personal stuff is that. That's just not something I'm supposed to worry about. That's my job. If I let that get in the way of me doing my job, I don't think my viewers would appreciate that.

[Joanna Coles]

Mika, to what extent is so much of this also performative? Because Donald Trump is first and foremost an entertainer. He's a performer. He knows his audience. I've never met him. When you had conversations with him, is he much milder in person? I find it very difficult to know what he's like because people say he's very funny, he's very charming. Clearly, half the country voted for him.

[Mika Brzezinski]

So you've seen him on our show, Joanna. You have seen Joe hang up on him. You have seen big fights and also nice conversations in the very beginning or when he was the host of the Apprentice. And I would say that he's often very much the same off the air as he is on the air, a lot of different things at once. And that doesn't change his policies, the things that he wants to do in this next presidency and what he did in his first presidency. And my biggest issue is the overturning of Roe, of course. And so, you know, of course there was.

[Joanna Coles]

And the coarsening of the language, the coarsening of the political debate, all of which.

[Mika Brzezinski]

All those things. True.

[Joanna Coles]

Tell us, was Elon Musk there when you were there?

[Samantha Bee]

No.

[Mika Brzezinski]

No, it's very private.

[Samantha Bee]

Well, I guess when you say. Because I'm not sure that people. I'm not sure that everybody who's listening to you or watching this interview knows exactly what it means when you say that you were there on background. So does that mean for our listening audience that you cannot talk about just the setting? Like you can't set a scene, or what does that mean?

[Mika Brzezinski]

I mean, I don't. I don't want to make this about me, I guess, is the. When you sort of ask me about the setting and this and that. I can answer, but it's just not about me. It's. It's not about me.

[Joanna Coles]

Is it about Mar? A Lago? Because I've not been there. I'd kill to go. And I would have been. I would have come with my suitcase. Mika, alongside. If you needed a researcher, Joanna wants.

[Samantha Bee]

To know what room you are in.

[Mika Brzezinski]

See, this is what I love. Because talking to Joanna, she runs. First of all, she was a political reporter, so she knows exactly what we were doing and what. And there's no allusions to her. And she would, I think, support any of her reporters going to interview a range of people, whether it be dictators, tyrants, or Republicans or Democrats that we disagree with or the next President of the United States. You would not only support that happening, you would not require that they report to you immediately before you require they do their job and do these meetings. And you require that when something is done on background that you don't then run around talking about it. So I'm sharing as much as I can. I'm also not trying to be dishonest or cagey. Because, Joanna, you understand what reporters do. And every reporter who is watching this, who is then tweeting mean things and writing articles and quoting unnamed sources instead of calling me. That's the part that I will say. I'm not naive, but I am surprised. And I do think I have a reason for this.

[Joanna Coles]

Yeah. No job of journalists is to shed a light on something which is slightly hidden. And what's going on on at Mar A Lago feels slightly hidden. Although Trump is very good communicator in terms of who he's putting in positions and things. I was surprised by the blowback you got, too, actually.

[Mika Brzezinski]

I was trying to think through it, and I just think everyone is so scared. People, whether they're in the media or they are citizens of this great country. I think everybody is feeling scared, disoriented, fearful of the future. And I think I've. I think just for a quick moment, I might be like the punching bag for that, but I'd like to believe we're going to get through this. I have a lot of questions, too, though, and I want the. I want the chance to ask them.

[Samantha Bee]

It's so hard to imagine that it hasn't even begun yet. Like he's not the president yet.

[Mika Brzezinski]

No.

[Samantha Bee]

And this is where we are.

[Joanna Coles]

Did the visit make you feel more hopeful?

[Mika Brzezinski]

No, I would have no illusions about that. I'm glad it happened. The fact that it happened is good. I will leave that there.

[Samantha Bee]

Well, Joe reported that Trump seemed interested in finding common ground with Democrats on some of the most divisive issues. Are you able to say which issues?

[Mika Brzezinski]

Well, you know the one I brought up. So I am deeply, deeply upset and fearful for the women of this country and not just women of childbearing age, but for my daughters, for us, for anybody who might need to go to the hospital and get life saving healthcare that is not available in some states because of the overturning of Roe, because of that, I'm going to be looking for ways to work on this issue. And even within the current horrible situation that we find ourselves in for looking for common ground to try and get in some states these bans at least raised to later term. You know, you have to work with the hand you've been dealt. And in this case it's so interesting. Donald Trump won the election, but in many states abortion rights won. And so within there there's something that can be done. And to your point, I think there is room for movement.

[Samantha Bee]

I'm going to actually take that on board that you just said that you have to play the hand you've been dealt because this was quite a hand that we've been dealt.

[Mika Brzezinski]

This is it. This is where we are.

[Samantha Bee]

I feel like if you could move his opinion like a millimeter in the direction of protecting women, I am all for it. I don't know that that is possible. I don't, I don't know that anything is possible. I really.

[Mika Brzezinski]

But I'm gonna try. I'm gonna try. I go back if I have another, I will take every opportunity.

[Samantha Bee]

Right? Oh boy.

[Joanna Coles]

Well, your father was a diplomat to Mika, so perhaps talking to people is in your DNA.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Yeah, my dad took me. You guys, I've never told this. I don't think when I was 15, so he was just out of the White House. He was national security adviser to Jimmy Carter, right? Yeah. I went on a secret meeting with my dad to Tunisia with Yasser Arafat. And we were taken in a car, no idea where we were going. And during the meeting we were surrounded by, I'm gonna say probably 20 armed with like machine guns, guards. And we had that meeting surrounded by men and guns, with guns. And I was his note taker. I was like, what are you doing? This is some kind of parenting. But my point was that I've been in way more kind of in terms of physically challenging situations. This was not, this was, this was a meeting, a meeting that I knew was gonna be I mean, I knew people were gonna be. We told our viewers on Thursday before the Friday meeting that, you know, the nominations so far, some of them are deeply disturbing and that we look forward to talking to Donald Trump face to face about this. And then we got the opportunities that we.

[Joanna Coles]

Were you able to tell him that you felt the nomination? Some of them were completely.

[Mika Brzezinski]

We talked about a number of key issues that are really important to us. So you can imagine, right, that the nominations, you know, abortion. Yeah. If you watch our show, then you know what we talked to him about. And I think we're going to talk again, and I hope that we do. Some people really disagree with this, and I don't. I regret talking about people and not to them. And I've been making a lot of phone calls over the past few weeks, not just because of this, but in general, just looking at where we are looking at the media universe and looking at how many unnamed sources are put in articles when, you know, that person could have just called that person. Like, we know each other. Joanna and I were talking yesterday and we were talking about some of the coverage in the Daily Beast, some of the coverage elsewhere, and we talk to each other and listen to each other and don't have to agree. I think you are right about my dad. My dad and my mom brought us up to learn to disagree and listen. We. My brother Ian is a Republican, he worked in the Bush administration. And my brother Mark is a Democrat, he's the ambassador to Poland. And I am the person who talks to both sides. And. And our family dinners were all about, what can we disagree on? Like, I went to the Madera School, this school my parents put me in because I was doing really badly in the school that they sent me to, which was a public school. And I was like wearing blue eyeshadow and I had Jordache jeans and comb in my back pocket. And I was acting out and they were like, whoa, this girl. This is unserious.

[Joanna Coles]

Whoa. We're sending you to see Yasser Arafat.

[Samantha Bee]

So.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Yeah, so first you're gonna go see Yasser Arafat, then you're going to an all girls school. And the woman who interviewed was the headmistress at the time of the school, and she ended up getting tried and convicted of murdering her boyfriend. And one of our most heated family discussions was about crime of passion. And like, that's the kind of stuff we talked about at the family dinner table. My point is, my father and mother loved to sort of drop the bombs in the middle of the table and have us go at it. And let me tell you, there was a lot of debate about this and didn't mean. And you held onto exactly what your view was at that table. But the freedom to have the debate and the requirement that it is civil was the key. And so my dad and mom would have often many ambassadors, senators, world leaders. We had Deng Xiaoping, the leader of China, to dinner at our house. During the normalizations of relations with China, my father said, let's not do a state dinner at the White House. Let's do it at our farmhouse in McLean. And let me tell you something, there were so many disasters that night because we were all stressed out, but it went really well, except for the part where I spilled caviar on him and where we didn't close the flue of the fireplace and house got smoked. Like, we were all so nervous. But it was an incredibly memorable historic experience, and it was the greatest example, actually, I guess, of, like, what it means to talk.

[Samantha Bee]

It's interesting because so much of the criticism is kind of swirls around the idea of normalizing Trump, and I just want to shake everybody and go, no, he's normalized. That ship sailed long ago.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Oh, thank you for saying that, Sam, because I've been talking about throughout the campaign what normalization looks like. And when Donald Trump, you know, I tried to. I tried so hard to tell people, you know, when he says this again and again and again, and at first it's shocking, and then it's funny, and these rallies, people are laughing. That's normalization. Yes, but you can interview a world leader who is. You can interview Vladimir Putin as a journalist and not normalize him. You can learn, and you can also take a lot of what he says and put it within the context of what we know about him. So that's why your brain has to operate on. Many things can be true at one time. And as journalists, I think we have to be open to conversation, and we have to be open to learning, and we have to be open to talking face to face and talking about each other. And quite frankly, coming after me and Joe about doing this is exactly what someone with nefarious intentions would want. So congratulations, you're playing right into it.

[Samantha Bee]

Well, may I ask one favor in the future? And that is can you please, please sneak Joanna Coles in in a duffel bag?

[Joanna Coles]

I knew you would.

[Samantha Bee]

I just can't handle much. She wants to go there and just keep things.

[Mika Brzezinski]

I try to make it happen. Okay.

[Joanna Coles]

I'm relying on you to make it happen. All Right.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Okay.

[Joanna Coles]

And also, now we understand. I'm thinking that after growing up in that household, Morning Joe must seem like child's play too.

[Mika Brzezinski]

I'm made for it. I was like this show when the show started. I'm like. I just. My. I literally feel like I'm at my family dinner table. We love each other. We disagree, you know, but no one.

[Joanna Coles]

Is made to get up as early as you must get up to start the show. Please. I'm obsessed by people's morning routines. What time do you get up? And how do you manage to look like you're always, you know, fresh and cheerful to be there?

[Mika Brzezinski]

Well, it hurts. But what does help, honestly, is on the air and off the air, we all really love each other. Our producers, Alex, Daniel, Mike, tj, Our director, our entire staff. We love each other, but it's a family. And so it doesn't feel like I'm walking into work. It feels very blended into my life. And I just can't say enough for the people who work for us who work way worse hours than me.

[Joanna Coles]

What time do you get up?

[Mika Brzezinski]

Like four. I sometimes try and push it and, you know, really, really push it and sleep till five, but that's a mess.

[Samantha Bee]

Can we talk for a sec about organization? Know your Value, which sheds light on Women's success over 50. Does the work feel, I mean, like, a little.

[Joanna Coles]

I wouldn't know anything about that. Why are you projecting into the future? M, this is years.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Exactly. How dare I be so presumptuous?

[Samantha Bee]

We just finished college. Does the work feel different now? After America once again was given an incredibly accomplished and competent woman over 50 and said, no, thank. Thank you, I'll pass.

[Mika Brzezinski]

I've heard from women from all walks of life that it's helped them get a raise. Literally all walks of life. But now it's about getting the things that you need, being able to communicate your value effectively and knowing what it is. And then the 50 over 50 lists. The aspect of that has unbelievably energized the younger portion of Know youw Value. Because for the community, the 50 over 50 lists, which we have a US list and a global list. And we honor 200 women in four categories. US and 200 more globally. Women who are in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, even over 100 who are reaching their highest heights, making their most money, having their greatest impact, finding happiness, starting families well over the age of 50. And what I found when I started the first list is I wasn't shedding light on a few women to be kind of nice and condescending in its own way. Way. No. I was uncovering a groundswell, an earthquake. There are so many women. Our first US list had over 10,000 nominations.

[Joanna Coles]

Wow.

[Mika Brzezinski]

And for the younger women, the message of 50 over 50 in all of these women is that you have a different outlook than Joanna and I had. You look at life after 50 and work after 50, and you see something. You see a long Runway. You see what you're going to be able to do with your life, and you're going to see all the strange turns and pivots and failures and divorces and things that might happen, and they're not going to be the end. They're going to be a new beginning. And you have a long Runway. When I was. I won't speak for Joanna, but when I was 20. And a lot of women on these lists who I've asked this question to, because I interview many of them, they never saw anything over 50. When they were younger, 20, 30, when they looked at life and work after 50, they saw white space. They saw maybe darkness. They never saw anything.

[Samantha Bee]

The golden girls were 52.

[Mika Brzezinski]

That's right. That's right. But my point is, we've changed the outlook for younger women by revealing the success of women. Well, after 50, we have no. You know what's left, right?

[Samantha Bee]

Oh, none over 50. Gone.

[Mika Brzezinski]

And so think how much better we are at what we do, because having. You know what?

[Samantha Bee]

I'll say it. All the fucks are gone. All the fucks are gone.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Got none left. Okay? And that is something that you universally hear from women over the age of 50. They're like, I just don't care.

[Samantha Bee]

Oh, amen.

[Joanna Coles]

So let me just ask you something. Women find it harder to ask for things that's part of your book, and it comes or part of your movement, and it comes out of your own personal story. If you're telling younger women, what are the one or two things that you would say to women to help them negotiate better?

[Mika Brzezinski]

First of all, you got to take all emotion out of it. You've got to practice communicating effectively. And you've got to practice the actual techniques, like eye contact, like practice talking in front of a group. If you don't have a group to talk in front of, invite a whole bunch of friends over, stand on a chair and make a toast and realize how hard that is with everybody looking at you. Have them give you feedback, practice on your phone. I actually, in one of my first Know your Value events back in Hartford 12 years ago, I had the know your value, grow your value bonus competition. And I had people send in videos with 1 minute pitches of why they have value and why they deserve $10,000. And I said, remind yourself how many times you deleted that before you sent it in. It's hard. You got to put it into words. You got to consolidate it and you got to own it. Every part of it, including this part. Presentation. And the competition was amazing. A woman who was fired from Wall street won. She was incredible. And when she was hugging me, it was the end of the day. She had a tube coming out of her arm. And I was like, are you okay? And she goes, oh, my God. Oh my God. Mika. I had heart surgery two days ago. My doctor told me not to come, but I was practicing on the stretcher. I had to be here. I have a wheelchair backstage. And I was like, wow, this was my first, very first event in Hartford in a Marriott Marquis ballroom. And I was like, this is like incredible what we're able to do here. And before it was over, you think that's it. Before it was over, everyone's clapping and this woman grabs my dress and starts pulling on it. And the runner up was a single mom who worked in an office and wanted to go back to college to be the first person in her family to go to college. But she had a child, she wanted to go to night school. She named the college Bay Path College. She was really good. Jennifer Hotchkiss. A woman pulled on my dress and grabbed the microphone. I gave it to her and she goes, I just want to say something. She goes, I'm the CMO of Bay Path College. Jennifer Hotchkiss. Runner up. Come see me on Monday. You were fabulous and we're going to give you a full ride.

[Joanna Coles]

Wow.

[Mika Brzezinski]

And not only did she go and finish in two years, she was her graduation speaker. Her life has been changed for forever. Which made me realize like the message of know your value is not just knowing the number and not just communicating it effectively and practicing, but quite frankly, putting yourself out there.

[Samantha Bee]

Right?

[Mika Brzezinski]

You've got to put yourself out there.

[Joanna Coles]

How do people listening find out more about know your value Grow youw value.

[Mika Brzezinski]

I've got the website, knowyourvalue.com. i've got socials. And so you know, know your value on Instagram. We're building a community. We're doing events. There's the 3050 summit. There's our event in New York. And I'm going to doing some more local events around the country in hotel ballrooms because it is my Favorite thing in the world to do. I love to get in the room with, like, 500 women and watch the light bulb go off in their heads, because it's actually easy stuff. It's tangible. It's not just for the special few who make it. It's for everyone.

[Samantha Bee]

Love it. Thank you so much.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Thank you.

[Joanna Coles]

And Sam and I, when we're over 50, we're going to one day. Yeah. I'm gonna. I'm gonna recommend Sam. Yeah. For when she's open on the list.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Nominate each other. Look who just came in here. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Come here. Say hi to Joanna and Sam. I'm gonna nominate both of you.

[Samantha Bee]

They're not 50 yet, but in 11.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Years, I'm going to nominate you all.

[Joel Leopard]

When you turn 50.

[Samantha Bee]

Thank you.

[Joanna Coles]

Thank you very much.

[Mika Brzezinski]

I think we had a good podcast. We're done now. Oh, is. Are we not recording? No, we're not. Well, they are recording. Everything's recording. They're not recording.

[Joel Leopard]

Okay, so let's tell them the real shit right now.

[Joanna Coles]

Can you please tell us. Can you please tell us what went down tomorrow?

[Mika Brzezinski]

Gotta take my earpieces off.

[Joanna Coles]

Thank you, m. It was great. Thank you. Thank you very much. So interesting.

[Samantha Bee]

Yeah, Very interesting. Very, very interesting.

[Joanna Coles]

And I do think she's right about talking to people, because how do you do it otherwise? Unless you talk to them, and as long as you talk to them in context and you present your point of view and you explain it to people, I'm not sure what else you can do.

[Samantha Bee]

I think, very importantly, I do take it. I really disagree with people who take the position that they are normalizing Trump. As I said in the body of the interview, that that happened long ago. And, you know, when he first hit the scene, I took the position that it was a terrible idea to normalize him. And I was, like, very strong on that idea and that issue. I came out hard against normalizing him, but despite my best efforts, it happened anyway, and he became the most beloved person, a godlike figure in the minds of many people. And so there is no normalizing. What he is, is very normal to people. They love it. They admire it. They gave him control of the House and Senate and the popular vote and the presidency. So that's all. All done. That part is over. I feel like if I'm interpreting what she has said in this conversation, she's saying, like, if I can get him to move, like, one inch to the left on the issues that I care about, I'm going to take every opportunity I can to make that happen. I don't think they're over there like eating French fries and having a blast. I think they're actually working and trying and saying things like, matt Gaetz is a bad choice. Choice. Please do. Yeah, Tulsi Gabbard is a bad choice. Listen to us. Please listen to us. And I think that is actually all you can do now is like, play the hand that you are dealt. And I think that that is what they are doing. So I actually am. I'm not sure that they articulated that enough to people or. I don't know, everyone's just mad and like, this goddamn next four years is a marathon.

[Joanna Coles]

Two years. It's two years to the next elections, right?

[Samantha Bee]

Sure. But it's still going to be four years of ugliness and, and shit. And there's no guarantee of what's going to happen in two years. And, you know, this is what we have. This is what we have. And it hasn't even begun yet and everybody's fighting. So. I don't know, man. I don't know.

[Joanna Coles]

I think a lot of the fighting is already in the Trump camp, though. It's not just fighting between Democrats and Republicans. There's internal fighting that's going on too, as people assert themselves for power.

[Samantha Bee]

Yep. It's just everywhere. It is just Game of Thrones. It's Game of Thrones like within the Trump camp, I assume, but it's also just a circular firing firing squad everywhere else and in the media. It sucks to me. And it's a gigantic distraction from the fact that, I don't know, our social media has, like, literally radicalized the minds of men and boys and women and people and people of all shapes and sizes. Like, we have bigger issues than fighting with each other about who's interviewing whom.

[Joanna Coles]

Well, it distracts from the serious work of government. Right. Which is to run a country and make sure that transport planes don't fall out of the sky, that people get food to eat, that roads work, all the basic, very boring things of government which require serious people to pay attention to them. All of that gets either swept under the rug or government departments get run by, you know, by people who have no experience and no business running them. That's the most concerning thing.

[Hugh Doherty]

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[Ryan Reynolds]

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[Mika Brzezinski]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. With the price of just about everything going up during inflation, we thought we'd bring our prices down.

[Elon Musk]

So to help us, we brought in a reverse auctioneer, which is apparently a.

[Hugh Doherty]

Thing Mint Mobile Unlimited Premium Wireless 3030.

[Mika Brzezinski]

Bid to get 30 just 15 bucks a month. So give it a [e-mail] Switch $45.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Upfront payment equivalent to 15 per month. New customers on first 3 month plan only taxes and fees, extra speed slower above 40 gigabytes. Detail where'd you get those shoes?

[Joanna Coles]

Easy.

[Ryan Reynolds]

They're from DSW. Because DSW has the exact right shoes for whatever you're into right now. You know, like the sneakers that make officers hours feel like happy hour, the boots that turn grocery aisles into runways, and all the styles that show off the many sides of you, from daydreamer to multitasker and everything in between. Because you do it all in really great shoes. Find a shoe for every you at your DSW store or dsw.com.

[Joanna Coles]

We'Re joined now by Joel Leopard, the aptly named attorney representing the women who accused Mac Goetz, Trump's nominee for Attorney General, of paying for sexual favors. These women recently testified before the House Ethics Committee, one of them alleging that she witnessed Getz having sex with her underage friend while he was serving as a congressman. When asked if he's reconsidering Getz's nomination, Trump's response was a single word, no. Getz has long denied these allegations, and the doj, following their investigation, declined to bring charges. Furthermore, the House Ethics Committee has decided not to release its report on the case. So, Joel, thank you for coming in and thank you for joining us.

[Joel Leopard]

Thank you so much for having me.

[Joanna Coles]

Why are you doing this?

[Joel Leopard]

So our primary motivation coming forward at this time is that my clients have been through a lot and they do not wish to go through anything further. Since 2020, they have provided testimony at the behest of the Department of Justice and to the House later on this year. And each time they do it, it reopens new wounds. And it's been frankly a very, very difficult process. And when Representative Gates resigned and prevented the House ethics report from being released, a lot of folks are talking about my clients being forced to testify in open on the floor of the Senate. I get questions all the time. In fact, just this morning I got three or four texts about that from reporters. So our main point is to advocate for the release by giving the American public a highlight of what's in a fraction of what I'm aware of two out of the 12 witnesses so that the American people can decide for themselves one of that they think it's a good idea for the report to be released.

[Samantha Bee]

What drew you to this case in the first place?

[Joel Leopard]

Well, it's an Orlando case, so there are virtually every prominent criminal lawyer in Orlando has represented one of the witnesses.

[Samantha Bee]

Okay, I see. I can't imagine how you're feeling in this moment. Can you describe what your day has been like up to this?

[Joel Leopard]

I'm feeling hungry and tired. I had a little snack and I got some human lawyer macho feel, you know. You know what? I think it's important to be a human. That's something I strive to do with my clients. How I'm feeling right now is I do have a big knot in my stomach.

[Samantha Bee]

What do you think about the decision that was, I mean, literally just made?

[Joel Leopard]

It's frankly not surprising. You know, I think the House was kind of signaling that way that that's the way that they were going. I was hoping to put a lot of pressure on them. But I think for a lot of us out there, we are also hoping that there are a lot of folks with access to information and that that information would, would get public. And that's kind of where I'm at right now. That's what we're all hoping to see in the coming hours or days that perhaps that information could come out and allow our clients testimony to speak for themselves.

[Joanna Coles]

If the report does come out, then your clients who are currently anonymous and speaking through you become much more public. How does that help them given that the Justice Department has decided not to press charge?

[Joel Leopard]

There's a lot in that multi part question, but I would actually disagree. The House, the staff lawyers at the House assured us that our clients would remain anonymous, that they would take great pains in order to make sure that all the details that they shared would not remain public. So no phone numbers, no email addresses, nothing that would that would allow the Public to identify my clients. It's only in that context, that kind of, that we've promoted the House report because we know that would be the most anonymous way for our clients to get what is required of them out to the American public while also remaining anonymous.

[Samantha Bee]

They must have a terrible knot in their stomachs too. They must be. Can you describe their mindset right now? Are they resolute or are they just like, I don't know what to do.

[Joel Leopard]

You know, they are very private individuals and so their main concern. I know it doesn't make for a good podcast, but I can say that we're all anxious right now. I did just get off the phone with them and texting them just before I got on with you. There is a lot of anxiety about being contacted by individuals, most of whom so far have been in the media. But some folks are polite and other folks aren't. So. And most of, most of the time it's, you know, it's, it's, you know, these, they're not used to being in the limelight. They didn't ask for this. So it's, it's scary when they get a phone call, when they get a weird text. You know, they're worried about losing their jobs. It's, it's a real. They've been, I can't tell you how much they've been through. And they're incredibly strong women. The events that took place for us from 2017 to 2019, my clients are now in their mid-20s and they've moved on in their professional careers.

[Joanna Coles]

Okay, so what did they. Can you tell us what they're doing now?

[Joel Leopard]

They asked me to not to release any identifiable information about them, but they're in professional jobs. We do know that one of them was in school and she's moving on with that. So that's something that's out in the public. So they're moving on just like all the rest of us in our mid-20s, figuring our lives out, getting our first jobs, you know, trying to see what the future holds. And this has certainly been a very unique and trying time for them.

[Samantha Bee]

How do you actually address these women's safety and their well being?

[Joel Leopard]

I mean, that's something that we're talking about. Of course they take precautions. We were talking about that today in terms of making sure that they have personal safety devices, limiting their social media. Is it taking quite a toll? You know, we're taking the kind of precautions that we can to make sure they both are safe and feel safe. And in the event that potentially Their identities become made known to the general public.

[Samantha Bee]

With all that has transpired, how do you view Trump's unwavering support for Matt Gaetz? And what message does that send to the American public? And do I even really need to ask that question? But I am asking it.

[Joel Leopard]

That's the whole point about this, is that to the right, where these anti gates, anti Trump, like trying to just out to get him, and to the left were these, you know, anti pedophile, like amazing saviors. That's not really what's happening here at all. My clients have been called to testify, and they've only done so when been required to do so. So they're reluctant witnesses, which certainly I think gives them quite a bit of credibility. And if you had access to their testimony and you saw them testify, you would know that they're absolutely telling the truth.

[Joanna Coles]

Right.

[Joel Leopard]

They have zero motivation to lie.

[Samantha Bee]

Yeah, I mean, I mean, lying brings you nothing. It actually confers no benefit to you to come forward in this way. I do know that. So I guess my question is, what is the outcome that you are hopeful for? Or what do you hope that next steps could include? What would you want that to look like?

[Joel Leopard]

Well, I would hope to see that the report would be released in some way to the American public, and then they can make a. The, you know, they can do their job and talking to their elected officials, and as a republic, we can decide who's the best fit for the nation's top law enforcement official. And then my clients can move on with their lives. That's really what they want. That's their dog in the fight.

[Joanna Coles]

And how disappointing was it to them that the DOJ decided not to press charges?

[Joel Leopard]

I mean, there's certainly a sense of frustration there that everything that they've been put through is for nothing. Unfortunately, that's a realistic part of the criminal justice system that I see all the time. But it doesn't make it any easier for those that are on either side of the more frustrating aspects of our criminal justice system. It has been. It's been tough. And, you know, the. I can't imagine what it'd be like to give the testimony, to just have your cell phone, your most private possession, just immediately taken away from you with no notice. And to have all these strange FBI guys, you know, looking at. And possibly we'll just say they were looking at the. Some very, very sensitive photos, and to have them blown up, nude photos, I mean, that's. It's, it's incredibly embarrassing and incredibly trying. So it's Safe to say they were certainly frustrated that they've been so far in the process and that for seemingly political reasons, nothing has gone anywhere. And it's not like they started this. They were, they were just wrapped up into it.

[Samantha Bee]

The women's identities are being kept private, but there is one person who definitely knows their identities and that is Matt Gaetz. Are they fearful of retaliation and are you fearful of retaliation and what that could look like?

[Joel Leopard]

You know, there's always the threat of something bad happening to anyone who puts themselves in the public eye. Even if you're just a celebrity on the Daily show, you know, I'm sure you've been harassed, as anyone in the public eye is at some point. I wanted to say, hey, Samantha, I've been watching the Daily show since I was a wee lady and then what did the fanboy and say? But, you know, well, I appreciate that. Thank you.

[Samantha Bee]

Well, listen, I'm like, I don't know, I'm just, this is such an intriguing case and I really feel for these women and I just. And I really feel for you. And I think they're really brave. This is really hard. This is really hard. It is really, really, it's punishing and anyway, so I guess I'm fan girling back at you. I think that was my version of.

[Joel Leopard]

What that looks like.

[Joanna Coles]

That's as good as it gets, Joel. That's as good as a fan girl as you're ever going to get from our samb. Okay, well, thank you for joining us and we will stay tuned as to whether or not the report does eventually get released. I can't believe someone hasn't hacked into it by now.

[Samantha Bee]

I really wish you all well. I really do. I really thank you so much. I hope that the women's identities are kept private. I want that for them.

[Joel Leopard]

Thank you so much. Thanks for having me.

[Joanna Coles]

Okay, so now we're welcoming a standout talent in the world of media and my work husband, Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Doherty. Hugh, you're back from last week's analysis on the Mar A Lago patio with your bold, unfiltered style, which you've honed over the years at the Daily Telegraph, the New York Post and the Daily Mail. What is going on at Mar A Lago that.

[Elon Musk]

Well, Sam, Joanna, what have you missed at Mar A Lago? You've missed world leaders, you've missed dancing, you've missed feuding, you've missed poolside speeches and you've missed road trips.

[Joanna Coles]

What?

[Elon Musk]

It's been a full on week for the people of the patio.

[Samantha Bee]

Oh, boy. Because last time we checked in, we had Marco Rubio, we had Christine Noem, and that's about it.

[Joanna Coles]

And which now feels, in the light of the more recent announcements, positively sane.

[Samantha Bee]

Yes.

[Joanna Coles]

It's just gone like hurtling.

[Samantha Bee]

Yes.

[Joanna Coles]

Hurtling south. And then of course, we've got which I love her or his name, Melania or Melonia, which is Elon as first lady.

[Samantha Bee]

Oh, Lord.

[Joanna Coles]

Melania.

[Samantha Bee]

Begin at the beginning. What have we missed? Please catch us up. I'm just desperate for more information.

[Elon Musk]

Well, there's been a tronge of cabinet appointments. These are people that Trump is going to ask the Senate to approve and that's brought with it its own drama. Matt Gates is the Attorney general pick. Telsey Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence and RFK junior for Health and Human Services. There's some of the undercard is getting filled in as well. Dr. Oz, the former television doctor and failed Senate candidate. He is in the running to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, which is a huge and crucial job. And alongside that there is been lots of feuding. And the feuding is around who's going to be treasury secretary. And last week we talked about the battle of the patio and this week that battle has kept going. It's a war of attrition on the patio. Howard Lutnick, who is the chairman or co chairman of Trump's transition team, was when we last spoke, frontrunner for that treasury post. He had the backing of Elon Musk. Elon Musk even tweeted about him or posted on X, I should say, about how Howard Lutnick was the man and Howard Lutnick got a consolation prize. He is the commerce secretary. And while we're when, when I'm speaking to you, there's still no announcement. Instead, the field of candidates has opened back up again and all of them have had to do one thing, which is go to Mar a Lago to be interviewed on on the patio and maybe in the Fake Situation Room. So it's been a busy, busy week for everybody in the sunshine.

[Samantha Bee]

Who was doing the interviewing? Is it Trump and JD Vance? Are there more people? Is Elon also there? I would say they're not the most qualified interviewers in the land. They don't have the best questions or the best background. So who is doing it? Who is part of that process? What does the vetting look like?

[Elon Musk]

Definitely the first buddy. I'm not even going to try to pronounce it. Elon Musk is in many of these Interviews, some of them are more improvised than others. Matt Gaetz was actually a surprise even to Susie Wiles, the chief of staff. He went to see Trump while on the plane to D.C. and Susie Wiles was another cabin, and he went in with Boris Epstein, who's a key Trump adviser, came out as the potential, as the pick for attorney general, and that's how Susie Wiles learned about it. So it's a bit of a chaotic process. It's a bit hard sometimes to work out who's making the decisions. But all, all of them ultimately are made by Trump, and many of them are made very, very quickly indeed, perhaps too quickly for the kind of rigorous background checks that other administrations have been seen as being absolutely crucial.

[Joanna Coles]

So, Huey, how is the power battle going on with Elon Musk and Donald Trump if Elon didn't get the candidate that he wanted for treasury secretary? In fact, Howard Lutnick has gone to be Commerce Secretary.

[Elon Musk]

I describe it as a proxy battle. Earlier this week, our Josh Fiall, who happens to be in Florida, reported how Elon Musk had a blow up with Boris Epstein and it was on the patio. We're not sure if Trump was there or not, but that after that, Howard Lutnick lost out. So what seems to be the case is not that the battles involve Trump, but that they involve different people in his orbit and they are attempting to knife each other. But it does look like Elon, for all that he lost. The Howard Lutnick battle is definitely the closest person to Trump right now. Elon took Trump to Brownsville in Texas to watch the launch of one of his rockets. And Trump also took some people with him. So it gives you some idea of who gets to travel. This time it was Don Jr. Who is, of course, very much part of the inner circle, and perhaps surprisingly, a couple of senators. Ted Cruz was there, although he didn't travel with Trump, and he is the senator for Texas. But also there was Bill Haggerty, and he's one of the people that, as we speak, is in the running to be treasury secretary. So it seems that he was, at the very least, trying to get Elon's favor as well as Trump's.

[Samantha Bee]

There's so many people who I would have loved to have boarded that rocket.

[Elon Musk]

It was actually empty, Sam. So, yes, you could have loaded it up. And it didn't quite go entirely to plan. It looked great. It took off as it was supposed to, and the plan initially had been for it to be caught. But at the landing site, that amazing site that we've seen, which Trump described as chopsticks, where one of Musk's rockets manages to come back to earth. That didn't happen this time. Instead, they crashed it into the Indian Ocean. If you've got any wish fulfillment there.

[Joanna Coles]

Hugh, this appears to be one person missing from all that. And this is J.D. vance. What's happened? Has J.D. been elbowed out of the way by Elon?

[Elon Musk]

It's a very interesting question. And right now there have been sightings of J.D. vance, but 1500 miles away in the capital, he's been taking the nominees around the Capitol to meet other senators before the confirmation heat hearings. The official name is Sherpa because they're supposed to be a guide. Certainly there are people who think that that's a demotion for a vice president. Other people have called him a valet or a butler. And his job as a valet is to park those people in front of senators and get the senators to agree to confirm them. So that's not traditionally a job for vice presidents. And yes, you're right that J.D. vance has largely been absent from Mar. He was seen at a tuxedo clad event and that was the last time, as I speak to you, that he was in public at Mar a Lago back last week.

[Samantha Bee]

It's never really a good thing when someone like a J.D. vance goes quiet. It's like when you have little children and they're in another room and everything goes quiet. That means that something terrible is happening that you are not seeing and everybody's like sticking their fingers into electrical sockets or eating eyeshadow. You don't know what it's going to be. But it's not a good thing.

[Joanna Coles]

It's definitely not a good thing.

[Samantha Bee]

No.

[Joanna Coles]

So, Hugh, my understanding is the three most controversial appointments are Tulsi Gabbard at the Department Intelligence, obviously RFK Jr. And his brainworm at the Health and Human Services, and then, of course, Matt Gaetz as attorney general. Do we have any confidence that the Senate will actually reject some of these appointments?

[Samantha Bee]

No, I'm going to answer that question for you. No, we don't have any confidence of anything ever again. End of story.

[Joanna Coles]

Can you just tell me why you named your cat your cat? Just for regular listeners, they may not know the name of your cat.

[Samantha Bee]

I keep talking about her. My cat's name is Susan. And I'm very certain, the only thing I'm actually certain of in this entire world is that Susan Collins is going to disappoint me in the next few months in some capacity. And I hope that. That doesn't reflect poorly on my cat, who is a beautiful, sassy creature.

[Joanna Coles]

But didn't you call her Susan Collins? Because, Jason, your husband, insisted if you were to get another cat, you could only have one with a name that would always make him look.

[Samantha Bee]

It always makes us laugh. Until it doesn't.

[Joanna Coles]

Right.

[Samantha Bee]

Which may be coming soon.

[Joanna Coles]

How she manages to get a sort of a reputation of someone who's thoughtful and yet she seems to regularly come down on the wrong side of decisions.

[Samantha Bee]

I mean, almost always. I mean, she talks a good game and she's sort of deliberative. Except when she actually casts her vote. I mean, what can I say? Susan Collins, don't do it.

[Joanna Coles]

Huey, thank you very much for this update. We're glad that you're taking the patio duties very seriously. Thank you to Josh Fialho, our excellent correspondent in Florida, who's really covering his bases down there. Any final words? What should we be looking for for the next week?

[Elon Musk]

I would say that the thing to look out for is not just the people on the patio, but their wives and husbands. And we have an excellent guide to the wagas, the MAGA Wives by Amel Adolphus. He's put together who the real queens are in the world of maga, and I think we're going to be seeing a lot more from them, except the biggest one of them all, Melania, who has now not been seen for four or five days at Mar a Lago or in New York York. But there's a lot more drama to come and I'm. Well, I'm off to check out the Endless Shrimp because there's one place in the country that's still got it. It's Mar a Lago.

[Joanna Coles]

Huey, thank you very much. And I can't wait to read our Wives and girlfriends Guide to maga. WAGA Guide to maga. It's fantastic.

[Elon Musk]

It's been a pleasure. Thank you, Sam. Thank you, Joanna.

[Joanna Coles]

Sam, always good to spend time with you, especially in these trouble. Troubling, troubling serious times, as Mika said. Thank you for listening, too. And if you enjoyed the podcast, please, like, subscribe and share this podcast with a friend. We'll be back next Thursday with another episode of the Daily Beast podcast. And remember, if Anyone has seen RFK ordering a McFlurry at 2am, please email us post [e-mail] and you can tell us anything else you feel like. I got reprimanded last week by being over enthusiastic about Elon Musk's involvement, so I take the feedback.

[Samantha Bee]

Okay? And as my once muse said, be best.

[Joanna Coles]

Sam, you know this. It's be beast.

[Samantha Bee]

We really need T shirts.

[Joanna Coles]

We do need T shirts. I mean we need T shirts.

[Samantha Bee]

I want wear one.

[Joanna Coles]

The Daily Beast podcast is produced by Sarah Demonkoft, Svia Baron Reinstein, Jesse Cannon and Seamus Calder. Additional writing by Sascha Seinfeld, editing by Deanna Chapman and engineering by Cameron Shanken.

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