155.) The Case Against Aaron Rodgers (8/4/26)

Summary

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The Ebro, Laura, Rosenberg Show

Episode 155: The Case Against Aaron Rodgers (8/4/26)

Episode Overview

In this lively episode, Ebro, Laura Stylez, and Peter Rosenberg dissect Aaron Rodgers’s recent incendiary comments about Dr. Anthony Fauci, COVID-19, and the media, using them as a launching pad to critique American cultural and political discourse. The crew also dives into news on progressive political races, media manipulation, dog ownership debates, and mental health in pop culture, all delivered with their signature blend of empathy, humor, and sharply unfiltered debate.

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Key Discussions & Insights

1. Good News Gets Buried (02:18–04:10)

• Kendrick Lamar's Outreach:
  • Kendrick called and supported a young boy who lost his arms in a dog attack, but Ebro laments that stories like this — genuine positivity — don’t trend in hip-hop or media.
  • Ebro: “You know what we don't do, really do good news in hip hop like that.” (02:50)
• Algorithmic Negativity:
  • The hosts reflect on how social media and corporate algorithms amplify negative content because that’s what people engage with, arguing that individual choices are complicit in perpetuating the cycle.

2. Dog Ownership & Responsibility (04:42–08:10)

• Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Accountability:
  • Rosenberg voices concerns about large breed dog attacks, blaming irresponsible owners rather than breeds themselves.
  • Rosenberg: “It’s always been owners who create an atmosphere for their dog to be like that.” (05:47)
  • Laura & Ebro agree, emphasizing animal training, community awareness, and adopting with care.

3. Viral Drama: The White House & Song Placements (09:31–10:27)

• Discussion on the White House allegedly using hip-hop tracks without proper credits; artists are ambivalent, sometimes embarrassed about connections, and wary of confronting government institutions openly.

4. Main Theme: Aaron Rodgers' Attack on Fauci & COVID Culture Wars (10:27–40:57)

Rodgers Calls Fauci a "Coward" (10:27–23:07)

• Rodgers, on the McAfee Show (aired on ESPN), attacks Dr. Fauci for pleading the Fifth before Congress, suggesting cowardice and government overreach.
• Notable Rodgers Quote: “Absolute coward, Tony… you got a pardon and you pleaded over a hundred times at the White House. What are you scared of, Tony? I thought you were the science.” (11:08–11:21)
• Hosts express incredulity, noting that ESPN did not give equal coverage to Fauci as to Rodgers’s own vaccine controversy.

The Panel's Response & Breakdown

• False Equivalences:
  • Rosenberg and Ebro critique Rodgers for conflating personal sports coverage with broader public health issues—reminding listeners Rodgers lied about his own COVID status.
  • Rosenberg: “You're a football player who's scared to share a picture with your wife, and you're calling him a coward.” (14:15–14:25)
• Public Pain & Scapegoating:
  • The group explores why public anger fixates on Fauci, despite the broader systemic failures at play.
  • Ebro: “Why is Anthony Fauci, who was hired to do a job… mad at?” (15:37)
  • They stress the role of federal government (esp. the Trump administration) in bungling the response.
• Conspiracies & Misdirected Blame:
  • The hosts reject the idea that Fauci created COVID or the vaccine, debunking “lab leak” and “plandemic” conspiracies.
  • Laura: “They don't believe in science. So what do you expect?” (24:56)
• Societal Costs, Mandates & Empathy:
  • The hosts validate feelings of loss and isolation due to pandemic policies, but re-assert the greater communal good.
  • Caller TNT Dynamite (32:53): “I have little to no remorse for people who take it personally… this affected everybody and just not you personally.”
  • Ebro: “We were asked to help people who needed help because their immune system couldn't handle Covid. Couldn't handle potentially even the, the vaccine.” (33:49–34:12)

Rodgers Versus ESPN & Media Fairness (29:29–31:35)

• Rodgers accuses ESPN of biased reporting, but Rosenberg notes Rogers's own grievances are rooted in hurt pride and flawed logic.
  • Rosenberg: “You're doing false equivalencies that don't make sense.” (29:43)

Rogers' Grievances, Privilege & Performance (38:38–40:57)

• Rodgers claims he won’t “be out there doing a podcast, chasing down weird ass parties in the east coast and wearing white," an obvious dig at Tom Brady and Michael Rubin.
• Rosenberg: “Is he talking right now? Did he get on there if he wanted to be a real rebel and talk about Gaza, talk about Iran, talk about the American people who are not soldiers... Did you do anything actually brave? You're attacking Anthony Fauci and going after ESPN because why are they gutless?” (39:23–40:41)

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5. Progressive Politics & The Struggle Within the Democratic Party (41:09–82:17)

Bernie Sanders’ Call to Action (41:09–45:07)

• Bernie Sanders (clip): Speaks to the high stakes of the Michigan election, the billionaire-class’s resistance to progressives, and the anti-establishment momentum in American politics.
• Panel praises the persistence of Bernie’s message and the new wave of progressive candidates.
  • Ebro: “He knows he can't really go farther… and you're still going. Yep, I believe. Because you believe.” (43:57–44:16)

Context: Michigan Election & Democratic Rifts (67:26–76:51)

• Ebony McMorris (White House correspondent) breaks down the high-stakes Michigan Senate primary:
  • Dr. Abdul El-Sayed (progressive, not “Democratic socialist”) vs. Haley Stevens (establishment moderate).
  • AIPAC pouring tens of millions into Stevens’s campaign, especially targeting Black voters in Detroit/Flint.
  • McMorris: “This is a real referendum on where the Democratic Party is headed, how you fight Trump, how you talk about Israel, and what does it mean to be electable.” (68:03–68:31)
  • El-Sayed gaining in the polls, but concerns remain about electability in a general election.

Fighting the Influence of Big Money & Labels

• Ebro and Laura express preference for candidates with clear, people-focused platforms over moderate platitudes or “boogeyman” labels.
  • Ebro: “I think arguing over these terms is a waste of energy. Who's talking about the stuff that people want, want?” (75:13)
• McMorris: Emphasizes growing voter fatigue with establishment and rhetoric — people want real fighters for healthcare, affordability, and education.

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6. The America First Shift & Racial Politics (52:21–59:32)

• The crew discusses a new “America First” political re-alignment among ex-Trump loyalists like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tucker Carlson, and Thomas Massie opposing foreign wars (specifically Israel), and how these moves conceal racist underpinnings and ignore economic inequality.
  • Ebro: “The issue was always inclusion of Black and Brown people… they’re not talking about how many Black women lost jobs… the lack of funding… extremely [important].” (55:52–56:21)
• Rosenberg: “You know, just know that it’s only white. That’s what it’s for.” (56:43)

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7. Pop Culture & Mental Health in Music (59:40–63:30)

• Ariana Grande Criticism & Stepping Back:
  • Fans speculate on her health due to her appearance in recent music videos; the panel debates whether body commentary is necessary or fair.
  • Laura: “A lot of fans are just, they're scared for her well being.” (61:17)
• Tour Announcements:
  • Schoolboy Q (Blank Face LP) & Chance the Rapper (Coloring Book) anniversary shows; mild humor about Q’s golf obsession.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Rosenberg on Rodgers’ logic:
  • "You're a football player who's scared to share a picture with your wife, and you're calling him [Fauci] a coward." (14:15–14:25)
• Caller TNT Dynamite on COVID public health:
  • "We need to keep people alive, man." (33:45)
• Ebro on the root of the ‘America First’ shift:
  • “The root of it is racism. And that's kind of the convo that you can't, you can't. Don't lose sight of.” (55:40–55:51)
• McMorris on the stakes:
  • "Congress does what controls the purse. So this is about affordability and about Michigan, but it is also about where your vote will lie in Congress. And how we... fund Israel is a big conversation." (72:12–72:42)
• Rosenberg on establishment resistance:
  • “He’s not being actually brave. He’s not standing up on issues that are about people. This is a personal vendetta.” (39:44–39:55)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Good News Buried/Algorithm Critique: 02:18–04:10
• Pit Bull & Dog Ownership: 04:42–08:10
• Saucy Santana/White House Song Usage: 09:31–10:27
• Aaron Rodgers vs. Fauci & Media Fallacies: 10:27–31:35; 38:38–40:57
• Caller TNT Dynamite/Community Responsibility: 32:53–34:12
• Bernie Sanders Progressive Clip: 41:09–45:07
• America First & Racial Discussion: 52:21–59:32
• Ariana Grande, Music Rundown: 59:40–63:30
• Michigan Political Breakdown with Ebony McMorris: 67:26–82:17

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Episode Tone & Style

• Conversational, unfiltered, deeply human, and deliberately provocative.
• Humor and sarcasm are frequently deployed, especially when debunking misinformation or lampooning conservative figures.
• The hosts use personal anecdotes and invoke their own emotions freely (e.g., Ebro’s empathy for affected kids; Rosenberg’s simmering frustration with Rodgers).
• They foster engagement through listener calls and address real-time chat questions.

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For Listeners Who Missed It:

This episode is a masterclass in dissecting media narratives. With Aaron Rodgers as an avatar for the culture-warrior-athlete and his claims about Fauci and COVID, Ebro, Laura, and Rosenberg break down why American pain and anger are easily hijacked by misinformation, shifting blame, and corporate media cycles. The show then pivots to tangible politics: the rising tide of left-wing progressivism, the enduring power of big money, and the ever-present dangers of racism and scapegoating. Between wry asides about Ariana Grande, hip-hop tours, and the “America First” rebranding, this episode delivers both heat and insight: a call for clarity, unity, and action, with an open invitation to challenge the agenda of the moment.

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Transcript

[A]

Just don't call it a podcast. Hey, y', all, there's people in the chat like why were we seeing jewelry? And Rahsaan was showing you guys an early preview of a new advertiser on the program gld, you know what I mean? That's right. G L D get your jewelry from gld, you know what I mean? We'll be showing you a little bit more of that later on in the, in the, in the program for short though. But if you go to gld.com 40 off.

[B]

Whoa.

[C]

Wow, that's good.

[A]

The ELR code.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

Gld.com they got, you know, rope chains and you know what else they got up there? Let me see what else they got up there. Oh, the Cuban link. Oh, the cross, little diamond cross, you know what I'm saying? Ice rope cross. GLD.com okay. All right, tennis court.

[D]

King Louie's about to be on there right now getting himself a new Cuban.

[A]

No, I might have to for the

[D]

next, the next trip to PR, you

[B]

know what I mean?

[A]

Nah, 40 off is crazy though. GLD.com make sure you go do that. You know what I mean? Now you got it on ELR show the Ebro, Laura and Rosenberg program where today, let's see what we got sitting. Rosenberg wants to watch Donald Trump play golf.

[D]

Well, it's a quick clip.

[B]

It's just hilarious.

[A]

Aaron Rodgers, now that, that's what I'm focusing on. Shook the building yesterday.

[D]

It did something.

[A]

He did something. I mean people was talking about it. You know, I got hype off some new black movies coming out. So you know, I like a good movie trailer watch together, you know what I mean? Mahershala Ali movie coming out. Let's see what else we got up there. Laura Styles that you want to cover today?

[C]

Well, in the rundown, you know, we're having a couple of throwback concerts that are coming back and people are very excited about. So I'll tell you about two artists that we do love and projects that we absolutely love that are hitting the road so and definitely coming to New York City. And then there's some Ariana Grande controversy that may make. Makes me sad.

[A]

Did you guys see the Kendrick Lamar story by any chance about him surprising the little boy who lost both his arms?

[E]

No.

[A]

Yo, you know what was crazy about that story? I sent it over and I was like, wow. And it was a few days old. I think it's sometime last week. Louie, can you get. It was just Friday. Just Friday. And so Kendrick lamar surprised a 7 year old Detroit boy named Romel Frazier Jr. With a video call just months after the boy lost both his arms in a dog attack.

[B]

Damn.

[C]

Horrible.

[A]

He returned home from the hospital and so this was his birthday wish to hear from Kendrick Lamar. So Kendrick called him. Kendrick invited him out to LA so they can meet in person, you know, and just gave him positive words, you know what I mean? Dope story. And I was like, wow, this. I figured like this would be more places. But you know what we don't do, really do good news in hip hop like that.

[C]

It doesn't do quote unquote. And I'm talking about kids like my. My friends that are writers. It doesn't do well. People like the car crash, the doom and bleeds.

[A]

It leads.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

Well, and I put that out there for all of us. Yesterday on the program, we were talking about how we're just being played with by the algorithm. We're being played by all of these corporations that play with our emotions all day. And I, and I left the show feeling like. But some of this is our fault.

[D]

Well, of course.

[A]

Right. Like, yes, they. These corporations are going to give us what we're buying. They're going to give us what we're engaging with. Oh, you're. Oh, you love this. We're going to give you more of this. We're going to eat more of this for sure. So.

[D]

But we're also. But we're also programmed to like the things that we then.

[A]

Right. It's like a vicious cycle.

[D]

Correct. Because yeah, we're taught this is dope. Don't you like this? Doesn't this feel good? Ooh, that does feel good. Or it's stuff that. It's almost like visceral. You're not even choosing to like it

[A]

you like, but it's shocking that you do.

[D]

I like fights.

[E]

Right?

[D]

Not really. They sometimes really alarms me and I'm like, sad.

[A]

I'm like. But you didn't. But you didn't swipe away fast.

[D]

Swipe away fast enough. It's a bit morbidly curious.

[A]

It's a fight and it's a fight. You gotta see it. I wanna see who won.

[D]

And by the way, that I didn't know that Kendrick story. Goodbye, Kendrick. And also another story of that means there was some owner who's an A hole, right? Some owner's an A hole. I don't know whose dog it was, but someone's an A hole.

[A]

I just heard there was an attack in. I think it was in Long island or maybe it was Queens over the weekend. I heard on 1010 wins and the owner's dog attacked a kid and, and then the owner just ran and grabbed the dog and nobody could find the owner.

[D]

I'm really becoming more and more just like when people. And I don't, honestly, I don't give a damn if people get offended that they think, like, I don't like their breed. I'm sorry, I don't care if your dog doesn't know or care if I'm a fan of their breed. It's not about that. It's irrelevant. Whenever now I see people walking down the street with a big ass pit bull or rottweiler in an area that is like crowded with other people, I'm just like, what are you doing? Like, what are you doing? What is the. Like, if you live off on a farm, you really have your own space. Knock yourself out. But like, when you're in a shared communal place with a dog that has the capability of maiming someone, unless you are doing extreme work to make sure your dog is on point, I'm really just not good with it.

[A]

Well, I think it's the, I think in my experience it's always been owners who create an atmosphere for their dog to be like that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because those dogs aren't naturally. Like, in the dog. I've had a pit. I've never had a rot. I've definitely, I've had, you know, wolf, terrier, Alaskan malamute. Like these dogs who can definitely harm people. And that's not their energy. Unless, like, because people teach their dogs to be aggressive.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Like they're not naturally.

[D]

But also, what were you living, were you were, you were living in a house.

[A]

Oh, was living in a house. It wasn't a building.

[F]

Yeah.

[A]

And it had a.

[E]

And.

[A]

But you still had to like, spend time with your animal.

[C]

Of course.

[E]

Of course.

[F]

Of course.

[D]

But are you walking down tight hallways, though?

[C]

When it comes to pits, it's always like, just for show. I, I always say that. I told you, I used to live in East Harlem. I used to go to the ASPCA and the dog shelter and people would volunteer their time to walk dogs there. All of them were abandoned pits. All of them. You would go in there, you would see like 10. Because people get them for show. Because, look, it looks good. He looks mean. And then afterwards, when things really hit, you know, when they get, things get crazy, they're like, yeah, we can't handle this. And then there's this poor pit, abandoned.

[D]

They're all there. That's it. That's all and then they get. And then a lot of people adopt animals that were given up on.

[C]

That's right.

[D]

Because they were. They filled the adoption places. The people might have given them, given up on them because they took bad care of them already.

[A]

That's right.

[D]

So now you're telling me we could just be clear. We can't deal with humans with mental problems. Okay. We can't as a society. You're telling me that the kind of people who are just grabbing these dogs are capable to deal with the mental trauma of a pit bull? Okay. I just stay. And now I just walk the other direction. I just. I'm not playing games with my little. My little demure dog. And because also, if you're in tight spaces, sometimes dogs feel threatened by nothing.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Just because, like, you accidentally walked by each other.

[F]

Yeah.

[C]

I was in the elevator the other day and somebody had like a beautiful golden retriever that I've seen many times, but I guess it was like his father, who was a lot older, was walking the dog. You know, the dog, like, lunged at me and like, I know it's a friendly animal, but enough to almost knock me out.

[D]

Right. And had you not been you and known. And that's.

[C]

You know what I mean? I was like, yo, sir. I was like, you have to really hold on to him because you never know. He's like, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

[B]

But I'm like.

[C]

And I'm looking at him like, you can't. You can't go.

[D]

Remember the, The. The husky that was living next door to me in the apartment that shall. Shall not be named?

[E]

Yeah.

[D]

That thing was lunging every beautiful dog. They had no control over it.

[A]

Well, but you have to spend time and you have to train your animals guys well.

[D]

And you don't. And also, how strong are you?

[C]

Yes.

[A]

Well, that's.

[B]

They have.

[A]

You have 100 pound dog, 120 pound

[D]

dog, and you're a 100 pound person. Like, what are we doing?

[A]

That's right. That's right. There's a lot of interesting news I'm seeing today. I don't know if you guys saw this. I don't know if we have this clip, but it says, saucy Santana dragged after celebrating song placement in White House Ice video.

[D]

I. I don't know. I don't know.

[C]

You know how the White House just snatches people's songs and uses them for.

[A]

Santana got hype, probably.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And then he took the video down, started coming for.

[C]

And after, people started coming for Saucy.

[D]

But was he was he mocking and sort of having fun with it.

[A]

I didn't see the vid. I didn't know if you guys had saw that. I don't know that.

[C]

I don't know.

[A]

Not quite sure.

[C]

But I've seen, you know, I've seen people get a lot of heat because I think BIA went through something like that too. Some people reposted and they, they don't care. They just see it like, oh, it's a White House repost, you know.

[A]

Well, and there's some. And there's also, look, I think I saw last week or the week before that they took a Kendrick song. And I don't know if these are really coming from the White House or people are just making them and throwing them on the Internet because when I went and looked, I didn't see it on any White House site, but nonetheless it was out there. And I wonder if artists, instead of making a big stink on social media about getting it snatched down or whatever, they just have their people call and it's kind of a behind the scenes thing. It was like, hey, you don't have the right to use this instead of making a big stink about it. Because as you know, right now most people are running afraid of this White House and standing up to it. They don't want the smoke at all. I mean, hell, if you have major broadcast networks, if you're signed to a record label, whatever, most people are running from this White House.

[D]

Yeah. If you were, if you were the person who was in charge of disease control and health, you might be shook. You might not want to mess around with them.

[A]

You might plead the fifth.

[D]

You might plead the Fifth over and over again because you cannot risk any giving them any information so they can have you literally, you know, I don't know, hung in town square.

[G]

Right.

[A]

Well, I think what you're bringing up and transitioning to is Aaron Rodgers yesterday on ESPN, sitting with.

[D]

Well, he was on the McAfee Show. On the McAfee show, which is on ESPN. It's on ESPN.

[A]

Oh, okay. Okay. I didn't know if there was like a. I thought it was on espn. I didn't know. Maybe he did a separate thing also.

[D]

No, I'm just pointing out, like when it comes to Rogers, it's not like he was on Sports Center. He was on.

[A]

He wouldn't do that is what you're saying.

[D]

He would probably, I don't know, he would probably claim that he would. He might, he might. But McAfee is the show. He's always Done.

[H]

Okay.

[A]

Okay. Let's have a look.

[D]

Maybe the years will pass.

[B]

I'm gonna plead the fifth.

[I]

Okay.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Like that. Absolute coward, Tony.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

Are you Kidding me? Yeah.

[D]

111.

[B]

You got a pardon. And you're. And you pleaded over a hundred times at the White House. What are you scared of, Tony? I thought you were the science.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

I thought you were. I am science. And you get up there and you can't answer a question.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

What are we doing? And how much time did the network spend on that? How much time did they spend on my responses every week on my vaccination status on Taylor and Travis?

[D]

Okay, a couple things.

[E]

Okay.

[H]

All right.

[D]

I'll work backwards. How much time did the network spend on that? How much time did ESPN spend on Tony Fauci, Anthony Fauci's time in front of Congress last week? I'm gonna go with zero.

[E]

Okay.

[D]

I'm gonna go with zero.

[C]

Because I was like, how much?

[D]

I'm gonna go with. The sports network did not cover in 2026 what Anthony Fauci was saying to Congress. That's what I'm going with.

[E]

Okay.

[D]

Because why would they cover it at all? So you just said, how much time did they spend talking about me? Related to Covid. An NFL quarterback who lied about his status because he's a coward, lied as the team leader about his status and what he was doing. How much time was spent on the sports network during COVID talking about the quarterback who lied versus Anthony Fauci in 20? They spent no time on it, sir, because Anthony Fauci has nothing to do with sports anymore in any way whatsoever. You did as the quarterback who wasn't completely upfront about what you were doing with your Covid status and how you were treating yourself, and the idea that a man who is paid to play a game, a kid's game, for a living, a man who is so gutless, we don't know if his wife is real. No one's seen the wife. Have you seen the wife?

[A]

No, but Manta. Teo, this is where we're going.

[D]

What do you mean that. Oh, that he's Manta Tayo. I don't know. He. Aaron Rodgers claims he's married.

[A]

Yeah, but wait, but.

[D]

No, no. No one's seen your wife.

[A]

Yeah, but how do we get.

[D]

Because you're calling other people coward.

[E]

Oh, God.

[B]

Okay.

[D]

You can't even. You can't even send out a picture to say that you married.

[A]

Maybe he wants her to be private or something.

[H]

Cool.

[D]

No problem. Don't call the man who has to fear for his life in front of a deranged government. Right now. He's been. You don't have to like Anthony Fauci. I don't really care. I don't spend all my time at this point thinking about Anthony Fauci. But I know that if I were him and I had done my job in completely right, like, I'm just trying my best. Let's just assume he did it completely right. Trying my best to keep Americans healthy. This is what I think we should do. I don't know if you remember me saying this on the show. The second Biden was on his way out of office, I would have moved out of the country. So I want to talk. Coward. You would have never seen me again.

[H]

Gone.

[D]

He lives in Washington. They're taking pictures of him at his front door.

[C]

That's right.

[D]

He has a family. He could die any day, God forbid. And you're a football player who's scared to share a picture with your wife. Of your wife, and you're calling him a coward.

[A]

It's a great point. I mean, look, I don't. I see where Aaron Rodgers, in his chaos of how he thinks would be upset because of the scrutiny that he got. Even though, to your point, right, He. He lied and want. Didn't want to be forthright during the thing. And look, I recall that time people were. Listen, if you're afraid of taking something as foreign and you are being forced to take. I get the fear, right? Like these athletes not being into the vaccine, not being into the vaccine, being afraid. Hey, man, I spent a lot of money on my body. I don't know what this is. Whatever's going on, I get it. As we sit here today, I see Aaron Rodgers as someone who clearly is still pained by whatever he went through at the time. That's what I see is someone who's trying to get his lick back.

[D]

But the lick. The lick back would be more appropriate if he had manned up, said everything you said and said. As a result, I can't play.

[A]

Well, I guess we're on your principle.

[D]

Well, I'm not taking your vaccine. Well, don't say you're doing it on your own. He basically scratched.

[A]

But here's where I'm going today, though, right? Is what Aaron Rodgers went through, Anthony Fauci's fault. Why is. Why is Anthony Fauci, who had. Who is hired to do a job, right, which was figure out a way to keep most people alive. Right. We talked at the time during COVID about The fact that any new drug that comes out, if you do any research on it, hundreds of thousands of people die. Right. When. When pharmaceuticals and governments. I mean, it was a global pandemic.

[E]

Christ's sake.

[D]

Millions of people died.

[A]

Millions of people died. One that could have been avoided. But the current administration, which is now still there, the leader, Trump is still the president, now got the job back. He didn't have people in position to deal with the potential of this pandemic. Like, this is all facts. It's not like. It's not like anything. This is. There was someone who was responsible. So now you say, hey, who is our disease infectious disease specialist that deals with this sort of thing? Oh, his name's Anthony Falcon.

[D]

He's been here for multiple administrations.

[A]

Not a political job. It's just, this is what he does here. Figure this out, solve this problem. Did he make mistakes? Absolutely. Is science and ever evolving thing where they come up with new things or find things that work better than the thing they thought last month? Absolutely. But I mean, for specifically Aaron Rodgers. Did Aaron Rodgers and Fauci have some sort of exchange? Did Fauci go directly at Aaron Rodgers? So why is Aaron Rodgers mad at Fauci? Is my question.

[D]

Because when he's being asked questions about this subject that Aaron Rodgers sees himself as being attacked over, okay, as the man in power who's already been pardoned, he was unwilling to say anything else. So he's saying, like how gutless you are, that you made all these decisions. I, I paid, I paid this price. And now you're in a position in theory, where you can talk. And again, this is why.

[A]

But once again. But why are you mad at Fauci? We're on the other side of the thing. So. Yeah, but are we mad at Fauci? Are we reasonable person, Right, but are we mad at Foushee that, that it got figured out like, yes, people lost their lives. We all had family members. My brother. My brother almost died because of COVID Not because of the vaccine, because of COVID The COVID part could have been prevented. We reacted late. Like it's documented. The President of the United States, who was Donald Trump at the time, responded slow, didn't take it serious, didn't do

[H]

a bunch of stuff.

[D]

They got so mad at Fauci, though, because of the origin story of COVID and believe that he's involved in the origin story of it being at a lab in China and lying about that as well.

[A]

There's diseases in labs. All don't know that there's no diseases in labs all over the world right now.

[D]

They think that's Fauci. They think Fauci is the guy who's off doing these different things. And then he's like, foushee dropped the bottle and Covid spread. And then he was like, oh, perfect, I'll make up a vaccine to kill people. And also, that's what I assume they must think.

[C]

Mad at the mandates, though. How dare you strip me of my personal rights. I had to wear a mask. I'm traumatized that I had to wear a mask.

[D]

Well, no. And they'll also. And they'll also say this stuff about. And this is probably where it gets a little more serious. And I'd give more credence people's sadness about it. I wasn't allowed to be in a room when someone died.

[A]

Okay.

[D]

I wasn't allowed to be in a room when someone was born. What were people supposed to do? Not have restrictions in hospitals around sick people? I get it. It's sad that you didn't get to

[A]

be terrible, by the way.

[E]

It's terrible.

[D]

Terrible. It's terrible. What are they going to do?

[C]

People seem to forget the hundreds of people that were in fridges outside.

[A]

Hundreds? Yeah, thousands.

[C]

They.

[I]

For I.

[C]

And I'm just talking about New York City, bro. RFK Jr. It was just on TV talking about the. That. That emergency rooms were empty during COVID They are.

[A]

And by the way you talk. We remember we were taking phone calls from EMS workers and people who were, like, driving these trucks and picking up dead bodies from people's homes and going into homes, finding dead bodies who were just older people who nobody could go check. Like this was really happening in New York City. So I hear you. And I was equally frustrated looking at Aaron Rodgers, who.

[D]

I'm just trying to understand you, bro.

[A]

But I'm like, who are we actually mad. I guess that's the whole Fauci thing. I know people want to blame someone. Right. I just don't feel like Fauci's the blame because completely.

[D]

Because adults. These are adults who you would think are having some sort of reasonable thought and look at themselves and look at the.

[A]

When I. When I also look at, like, you know, doctors, when, you know, infectious disease specialists, I can't imagine what the job is. We have an emergency. Fix it. It's like, okay, here's what we know how to do. Here's the information we have.

[D]

And by the way, they overall did pretty good. Like, we act as if the vaccine. Why did we concede that the Vaccine was a failure. It saved millions and millions. You weren't proved right, Aaron Rodgers. The vaccine saved millions of lives. It still is.

[C]

Yes. Right now, no vaccine is one size fits all. Yes. People are gonna have side effects. People are allergic to different things. Some people can't take it. And I just do not understand, like, yo, the pandemic ended, right? We're gonna say it ended because of vaccines.

[D]

But he's here. He is.

[A]

He says one thing in there too. He goes, actually, did you pause it?

[F]

You could start.

[D]

Yeah, we keep going. There's more

[B]

wedding. Yeah. Did they do. Did they do even a minute? Did they do even a minute on Tony Fauci?

[D]

No, I didn't. I don't think I've heard.

[B]

I bet they didn't.

[D]

But on that.

[B]

And there was another scandalous off season too, involving a voter for MVP for coach of the year. How much time do you. Did your network spend? Where's your camp? Did your network spend on that network? Go back to the Coward, Tony Fauci. That's science. Who's spending the entire time writing in his diary about how fun it is to be famous. You got to be kidding me.

[A]

Okay, so on that note, what are

[B]

you going to say about me now?

[A]

What are you going to say about me now?

[I]

I got.

[D]

How about you?

[B]

Seriously, what are they going to say about me now? Now. Now that you can't talk about the COVID stuff because obviously it was. It was made, you know, in a lab in China. That's like, not even questionable. Tony Fauci is an absolute criminal.

[D]

He's a criminal.

[B]

I'm on. I'm on good terms with my family. I'm on good terms with my family. What are you going to say now?

[D]

It's been a fun ride for you.

[B]

I. It's been a great, great life and a great career, and it's nice to be sitting on this side now. Especially after that Coward played the fifth over 100 times. I thought you had a part in there, Tony. Why couldn't you answer one question the entire time? Gotta give. I gotta give flowers to Stephen A. Smith, my old friend Stephen A. Because he was man enough to actually admit and apologize to Kyrie Irving. So I gotta give a shout out to my guy. Stephen A. You are not a coward. I appreciate you.

[A]

The. The. The. So during. I remember during COVID people were, you know, we were talking about it being manufactured in a lab and it was a science experiment. And I remember even back in the day, during aids, like, I remember my dad and people Talking about AIDS being something manufactured to attack.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

The LGBTQ community in the black community, like it was manufacturing lab. Ain't no way.

[F]

Sure.

[C]

You know, I remember those conversations.

[A]

Yeah, right. And I believe it was my uncle at the time was like, yeah, but people are actually dying, so we gotta figure this out. Like, let's say the government did create it. Okay, what you gonna do? How you gonna stop it? What's your solution? Well, it's here now.

[D]

So you're blaming Fouchy for everything. So Fauci, are they saying he made the disease?

[A]

Wait, he sounds like you're saying. Well, no, but I just wanted to address that because a lot of times I don't know what Aaron Rodgers intent by saying, we found out it was made in the lab. Does that mean people didn't die? No, it means people did die. So let's say governments conspired to do a mass global pandemic and kill millions of people. Let's assume that's the case. What were you going to do to stop it?

[D]

And do you think that the guy that they were talking to last week was the mastermind of the entire operation? He's the one. You, you think the guy, Anthony Fauci, planned the whole thing? Is that what you think?

[A]

Okay, and let's say you do think that. What are you gonna do? Did you person that needed a vaccine take the vaccine so that they couldn't get sick?

[F]

Yeah, but.

[D]

No, but here's why it doesn't work. Because if you actually are dumb enough to believe Anthony Fauci is the one who created it, well, that gives you obviously now the right to be angry at him and not believe his vaccine at all, because he was actually able to.

[A]

But it wasn't even. It's not his vaccine.

[D]

But they're saying it's his Covid and his vaccine.

[A]

But that's just not how science works. It's not his.

[C]

They don't believe in science. So what do you expect?

[A]

Well, I mean, if you don't believe,

[D]

he's just sitting here.

[A]

So anyway, I just wanted to look, I, I, to everyone's point, sitting at this table, I'm sure people calling right now, well, you could be mad at whoever you want to be mad at, okay? You could be mad at Trump, you could be mad at Fauci, you could be mad at Biden, you could be mad at the Wuhan China, you could be mad. Be mad at the pangolins that people were eating. You could be mad.

[B]

Whatever.

[A]

The thing is that you're mad about Right. You could be mad at all once people start dying. I'm just the kind of person that's like, hey, we got to figure out a solution that works for most people so that more people don't die. Right. And at the time, that solution wasn't do nothing. Yeah, no, the solution wasn't do nothing and wait and wait for. For you to get comfortable.

[D]

I'll never forget the fight.

[A]

Like, you know, I guess, and I'm oversimplifying it, but that's what the. You had options on the table. Figure out a vaccine, do nothing, Wear a mask to protect yourself so it doesn't spread. Like, these were the options on the table.

[D]

Forget the conversation I had with a friend of mine who I've been friends with for years. Actually, I was about to visit her. She lives in England. I was about to visit her right before the pandemic and had to cancel my ticket. Very disappointing for a variety of reasons. However, we got into a conversation shortly thereafter about masks. This is before it was a huge controversy. And I was like, yo, you have a mask. She's like, I gotta go out with my kid and do blah, blah, blah. She was like, ah, they're not sure about the mask thing. I'm not. I went, no, no, no. But I'm just saying, person to person, if you're gonna go be around people right now, you should wear a mask. And there was like this back and forth fight, and I was like, why are there people who would think that if there's an airborne thing, their gut doesn't tell them I'm covering my mouth and nose. I don't understand what's wrong with you. Like, who are your parents? Where'd you go to school? Why do you not think there's an airborne thing? Yo, I was using a frigging Macho Man, Randy Savage handkerchief, but I'm covering my nose and mouth.

[A]

Well, I also used to explain to people, too, like, I don't want to wear a mask either. Like, I don't want. I don't want this. This is not what I want. But long before this outbreak, you know, what people wore in, like, surgical rooms. Or like, when you go to other countries.

[D]

Yeah, sure.

[A]

And you get on public transport, you know, they wear masks. Like, this is something that's been happening. Matter of fact, I remember us talking about this on the morning show Asia. Well, yeah, about Asia and their level of discipline in managing spreads of disease versus what America would be able to manage. I didn't know at the time how right we would be about us liter literally unraveling over helping each other not spread a disease.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, I was like, yo, there ain't no way America's gonna struggle with this. I remember the conference.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

I was like, nah, we gonna struggle, bro. When people wearing masks. People in America don't even really wash their hands good.

[D]

Right. And we're not gonna line up and do something uniform to protect everyone. We're not doing that.

[A]

Yes, King Lou. No, I was gonna say, but that's the thing. People go, well, you. We were forced to do abc. But Pete's point is the point. We're not. If you just left it to everybody, no one's going to do the things that they needed to do to protect. Well, that's why they do mandates, and that's why they force people to do

[C]

things, and that's why we're on the other side. Like, I just do not understand. We are on the other side. I remember the first time I got Covid during the pandemic. I thought I was going to die.

[D]

Yeah, yours was bad.

[C]

I thought Ricardo was going to die.

[D]

Y' all were down bad.

[C]

It was the worst. I have never been that sick in my entire life. I've gotten Covid, what, three times afterwards, after I got a vaccine, nowhere as close, like, 20% back.

[A]

Well, and that. And that's why, like, I think, you know, there's people who don't get the flu shot. I've never been a big flu shot getter. I have gotten it, but I don't do it annually.

[C]

You're also not immune compromised, though?

[A]

No, I'm not at all. But just like the flu shot, the idea is they give you. They inoculate you.

[F]

Right.

[A]

Like, they give you a little piece of the thing. Yeah. And then your body gets to learn the thing, the math on the thing. And then that way, when your body's confronted with the thing, your body is like, oh, we know what this is already. We just.

[D]

Boom, boom.

[A]

We dealt with this. We already, you know what I'm saying, charged up on this. And that. That was. That's the idea of a vaccine now, you know, could vaccines be causing complications in people's bodies? Absolutely. 1,000%.

[D]

Last. Last thing to respond to Rogers on 2, he said, and how much time did your network spend talking about Travis and Taylor's wedding? I'm gonna be honest, not very much. ESPN was not the source of coverage on the way.

[A]

And he said, but it's just not even. It's not a comp.

[D]

It's not. But this Is my point about people who act like they're smart because they have a mic and you do something, you're make. You're doing false equivalencies that don't make sense. How much time do they spend talking about Diana Rossini? How much time do they do talking about a TMZ story about someone who no longer works there? By the way, she has been gone for the entire decade.

[A]

Well, there might be some legal ramifications for them to cover it too much.

[D]

Also, they just don't want to look like the Petty network probably who's been. It's not their place to cover it. Now, if it had had some direct sports link like they said, oh, when she did blank X thing was compromised. That has not come out yet. There is no thing about that. So they would have just been jumping on a TMZ like story. Why would they do that?

[A]

Well, I think there's another piece of it too. Like even right now with like the. What's it, the Kawhi Leonard story, right? These major corporations are in business with these leagues. They have contractoral contracts, contracts to cover games, okay? And those things bring in really great revenue and ratings. And so I got news for y'. All. If you think a major network is going to cover things that may jeopardize a relationship with a major league, I got a button for you.

[I]

Relations.

[A]

You played yourself, you know what I'm saying? Like, if you're expecting ESPN to do a whole expose on how the NBA and teams in the NBA conspired around this Kawhi Leonard, you know, money. And whatever's happening with this trade, it's not going to happen on the network that has the deal with the league.

[D]

What's the first letter in ESPN entertainment. And when do you get to news? By the third, the fourth, the way in. It's the last thing. So you're just. You're just showing that you're here as a grown man now. You're over 40 years old and you sound like a teenager who watches YouTube, who thinks you know stuff. You're not even.

[A]

You thought they were just one. Also too. It's. He's hurt, man. He's hurt, bro. He's hurt. That's what that is. Aaron Rodgers was hurt by the coverage that he got. He was hurt. People are all hurt because of COVID Like, it's a lot of pain, man. Like, it's tough for me to just look, I think he sounds ridiculous. And when I saw it, it was aggravating because I'm like, why Is it so.

[D]

No, but it's nice that you're. You're.

[A]

You're thinking, what is his deal like, cuz you're going so hard. You know what I'm saying? Like. And yeah, he's retiring, so he doesn't give a anymore. Like all. There's all of that. Griff, you got somebody on the line. What you got? This man wants to go go by TNT Dynamite. Oh man, it's got to be great. TNT Dynamite. Kaboom. Let me hit the bomb. What's going on, man?

[E]

He bro. Laura Rosenberg.

[D]

Tnt. What's poppin?

[A]

What's poppin, baby?

[E]

I. I can barely hear y'. All. But I'm just gonna say is that first off, I. I only been rocking with you guys since you. You started the new program. Never really listened to you on the radio. But I have to say is that you do a wonderful job.

[A]

Thank you, man.

[E]

And, and I. And I love the content.

[A]

Thank you so much. Tnt. Let me hit another kaboom.

[E]

Oh yeah, you really hard to hear, but I just want to speak on the. On the Anthony Fauci thing.

[D]

All right, go ahead.

[E]

I have. All right. But I have little to no remorse for the people who take it personally. The instances that happen with COVID this was something that we all had to experience as a group. We all had to cope with. I lost loved ones and many other people lost loved ones too. And we got to take into account is that this affected everybody and just not you personally.

[A]

It's well put.

[E]

I also hasten those people that if they feel a certain type of way, get rid of your car insurance, get rid of your health insurance, get rid of your house insurance. Because this was insurance that certain people who were immunocompromised, those people who were elderly, would be kept safe. That should take paramount over your own selfish needs and desires and wants. And you want to go out and party. But we need to keep people alive, man.

[A]

Yo, listen, man.

[D]

Seems pretty straightforward, bro.

[A]

Thank you, tnt.

[D]

Thanks, tnt.

[A]

Let's do an engineer review on our phone lines. I don't know if that was his line, our line, but let's get our guy in here and see if there's a phone. Because we've had multiple people say that once we go live with him, it sounds. Doesn't sound good, but I think that's a. I'm glad he said that. We forget that during COVID Okay. The ask was for us to help people who needed help because their immune system couldn't handle Covid. Couldn't handle Potentially even the, the vaccine. So we were all being asked, hey, wear a mask and take the vaccine so we can stop the spread of this. Because there's individuals who could die because we can't help them. I forgot, I forgot that that was also a part of the ask because it got clouded in everybody's selfish, you know, and fears. And I get, yo, listen, man, taking a vaccine, scary. People dying outside is scary. You know, being told you got to walk around with a mask on is annoying. I get it. We all went through it. But I think some of what we still see, the, the whole Fauci thing, I think that's a. By the way, the fact that we're still talking about it a week later and we're on the other side of the pandemic and we're, we're like, you know, still spending this much time on it is evidence that the, the spin cycle worked because we're not talking about Iran and we're not talking about what Israel's doing in Lebanon, and we're not talking about, you know,

[F]

this.

[A]

Well, we're going to get to a capital one, close Trump Organization accounts because of possible money laundering. That's not being data centers. Data like there's. So that today's an election day. We're going to have Ebony McMorris on the line. A big election going on. Matter of fact, did we get the Bernie Sanders post in the system? Rahsaan that I sent over this morning, you said you hadn't got him in. I don't know if you spent some time on that. I said a Bernie Sanders. But anyway, we're talking about so many other things that are pertinent to the right now, and we're still arguing about the guy who was, whose job it was to figure out how to stop a global pandemic from killing people in the United States. And effectively that happened.

[D]

Lil Deontel says in our super chat, somebody asked Aaron if Trump is a coward for pleading the fifth 440 times during the Eugene Carroll case.

[A]

Thought about that.

[D]

People forget about that. Shouts to Dayton. Joey, who wrote FDT, BNA established 1988, says Roger's been real quiet about his friend RFK.

[A]

Oh, yeah, they were like, buddy, buddy, Right. And didn't RFK just come out last week and say, yo, take the measles vaccination?

[D]

Oh, did he?

[G]

Did he?

[A]

I saw a post about that after

[C]

crazy, crazy spreads all over and people

[A]

are dying and, you know, we just had our first two cyclospora deaths.

[D]

Yeah, well, CEL X23 says measles outbreak, Food is poisoned, veggies are poisoned. Let's distract the people, throw fauci at them.

[I]

Yep.

[C]

Correct.

[D]

Eric Motion says, wow, I just realized for the first time in my life I can actively root against the Steelers. So yeah, shout to everyone in the super chat. BNA established 1980. It also says Rogers and co never mention operation warp speed, but act like Foushee plus insert minority are the reason behind the pandemic. But still beyond 45 hard.

[A]

Well, that was another thing up there. Like anytime the COVID thing comes up, I personally, I always go, well, who'd you vote for? 2016, 2020, who'd you vote for? Right, because you get what you voted for. So, you know, and people, a lot of your faces say they didn't vote for Trump, but somebody did.

[D]

Well, listen, now we have a 13th ultimatum in the Iran war.

[A]

No war has ever been finished so many times. It's the record for the most wars that have been finished.

[D]

You've never seen one war finished this many times. Lucky Sunshine in our chat says Henny Hegseth has wasted our stockpile trying to get us all killed. Facts. Henny Hegseth is fire. And we are out of weapons, apparently so.

[A]

Well, that's just more reason for them to perfect to get, take more taxpayer dollars. Give it to the, you know, the military weapons makers, Lockheed Martin get them. All right, so look, if you're going to buy some stock, you know, those stocks are going up. You know what I mean? Thank you for calling too, tnt. Appreciate that. Rahsaan. Since we're on Aaron Rodgers, he apparently dissed Tom Brady. Clip 16.

[D]

Yeah, that's a shot.

[B]

I'm not gonna be, I'm not gonna be, you know, out there doing a podcast, chasing.

[D]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We might come on every now and

[B]

then chasing down weird ass parties in the east coast and wearing white. I'm not going to be doing any. I'm not going to be doing anything. Yes. You know, I'm going to be. You're not going to be a goofball fest. I'm going to be out of the light, so I might as well get a couple. And I don't get to do this show as much as I would like to do, I think from time to time. So especially when I get a chance to, to get after that gutless organization. You have to be connected with the government. I just don't care anymore, okay?

[D]

What a rebel, man. He's so brave. You know what I mean? Like it's tough in America to be a. A white man sitting on like $350 million and be the quarterback in the NFL. Even when you're barely good anymore, you still get to be the face of a franchise. It's so. He's so brave, bro. He's so brave.

[A]

You really dislike him because he used

[D]

to be my favorite quarterback to watch of all time. And to watch you go out as like this fake rebel pretending like you're about. These are all selfishly motivated, these topics. He's not being actually brave. He's not standing up on issues that are about people. This is a personal vendetta. To your point, his feelings are hurt, so he's going on a lash out fest at ESPN and all these different places. None of this is about talking about. Is he talking right now? Did he get on there if he wanted to be a real rebel and talk about Gaza, talk about Iran, Talk about the American people who are not soldiers, who. Soldiers, People who have terrible benefits aren't being taken care of. Did you do anything actually brave? You're attacking Anthony Fauci and going after ESPN because why are they gutless? Or by the way, and even in your bravery, he couldn't even call Michael Rubin by name. You're so brave, you couldn't even say Michael Rubin's name.

[A]

So you wanted to smoke or Tom Brady.

[D]

You wouldn't say either of their names, east coast parties and weird podcasts or whatever. So you're clearly. You're saying Tom Brady and Michael Rubin, but you won't say it. But you're being so brave.

[H]

Lame.

[A]

No, I hear you. I hear you. Today's a big election day around the country. Do you have the Bernie Sanders of it all? Let's check it out. Bernie, this Bernie posted yesterday.

[H]

What I wanted to put into context is not only how important this race is for the future of our country, but how important it is for democracy and the progressive movement. There is a reason why the billionaires and their super PACs are spending an unbelievable, unbelievable amount of money, something like $60 million against Abdul. There is a reason for that. These guys are not dumb. And what they understand, what the billionaire class understands, is they're looking around the country and they saw last year in New York City, Mandani won. We won in New Jersey. We won in Colorado, we won in Pennsylvania, Ohio with Montana. We won in Arizona, California. We are taking on the establishment all over this country. All over the country. Ordinary people, unionists, young people, people of color, getting involved in the political process. And they're saying, wait a minute, maybe the Democratic Party should belong to us and not just wealthy campaign contributors. And then in the midst of this comes Dr. Abdul El Sayed and talking about the agenda that working people believe in. He is saying that maybe it's a bit insane that in the richest country in the history of the world, we remain the only major country not to guarantee health care to all people. And Abdul is saying, well, you know what? Maybe we should not maintain a corruption campaign finance system which allows billionaires to buy elections. We should not be spending money on endless wars like this terrible war in Iran. And maybe we should not be giving another nickel to the Netanyahu government in Israel which has done such horrible genocidal things. That's what Abdul is talking about. And people say, yeah, that makes sense.

[A]

It's pretty good. That Bernie guy.

[D]

He is, yeah, man, it's cool that Bernie, without being able to become president, is still now like shaping potentially what the future of the Democratic Party hopefully looks like.

[A]

Well, so that's why I believe Bernie and I always have is because of what you just said. He knows he can't really go farther. Right. And I even saw what's the guy, what's the Democratic strategist's name that's always yapping from Louisiana, Carville. He was like, Bernie's never won anything. He's run for president twice. Why are these Democratic? You know, the Democratic socialists. Scare, scare, scare, scare, scare. And I'm kinda like. But that makes me like somebody even more.

[D]

Yeah, he just.

[A]

Well, you mean I like you even more because you didn't win and you're still going. Yep, I believe. Because you believe. I believe in what you're saying. Cause you can't really go farther now, which means you were really doing this for the right reasons.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. I mean, he's never stopped. Bernie's been in politics since he was a young man.

[F]

Yeah.

[D]

His whole life.

[F]

Yeah.

[C]

Wasn't he part of the sit ins?

[D]

I think so. I think he goes all the way back to the 60s.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. Like he, this is his. He's on brand. That's what I'm gonna say. He never changed.

[D]

Yo, if you think Mom Donnie scares people though. Abdul El Sayed. Nah, the name and the look, yo, he's jacked up, bro. That is for. For a certain sect of Americans. He is literally like. Well, they've been taught that's like the bad guy in a movie. They've been taught that's like the terrorist up against Bruce Willis. You're fighting not only is he fighting for things that the establishment doesn't want you to get, he's also fighting against some of the deepest racial stereotypes in this country.

[C]

And I believe that's why Bernie also goes hard. You know what I mean?

[D]

Yeah. You know, he gets it, he understands. But also these people are all really disciples of Bernie's.

[A]

They are.

[D]

This is his. He was the mainstreaming of these ideals. And remember at first when he was running in 2016, a lot of people did not believe, and I'm saying a lot of people because I don't even remember where I felt about it, even though I always loved Bernie, didn't feel he had a chance and that he could win, thought he was too much of a risk, like, ah, he won't actually win.

[A]

Well, but I think that's the piece, right, because you, you will get to a national election, there will be a primary and you will be asked to vote, you know, in a primary to figure out who will represent the Democratic Party. Whether we like it or not, we have a two party system. That's what we're going to be dealing with.

[F]

Right.

[A]

In 2028.

[E]

Right.

[A]

And you will be, you will have to have that convo, like, can we put somebody forth who can actually win even with what's going on in Michigan? That's part of the convo. Right. If Abdul EL Sayed gets the nomination today in November, he will go up against whoever the Republican candidate is for the Senate seat in Michigan, which the Republican candidate is a super Trumper. And so it will be a mom, Donnie, like individual versus a Trumper. So it will kind of set the stage for. Oh yeah, what voters in a blue collar state, a working class state like Michigan are willing, I hate to say it, but to look past, like they have to look past something.

[D]

Right?

[A]

Right to your point of being afraid of a Muslim name and you know, someone's physical stature and you know, the ideals that they put forward. But I honestly believe there are many people who still, I mean, look, we live here, so. And the system we have is one where we vote. Okay, this is what we got guys. And so you're gonna, if you're, if you're a voting person like myself, and I encourage you all to be. So the option to make sure that you get someone to represent your interest is voting, whether on a local or federal level when you go to do said thing. I believe that people want to believe individuals who speak like Bernie or Abdul Said or Mamdani or AOC or any of these names that we're seeing. What was the. What's the mayor's name? I'll ask Ebony McMorris. Because they have a democratic socialist mayor down there in D.C. right, who's saying the right things, and people are like, hey, let's see what you got. Because guess what? If they drop the ball, you know what you got to do again? Vote for someone else. You got to hire someone else to do the job.

[C]

Yes. Yes.

[A]

That's the way this thing works.

[D]

That's. That's the only. That's the only way it can work.

[A]

Well, that's what. That's what we got right now. If you put somebody in charge, you say, hey, I want to hire you for the job you watch over several years, you get to see if they're doing the job. If they're not doing the job, you get to hire someone else. And hopefully they do the job also.

[D]

I want to be clear. I do recognize. I was looking the chat that In Die Hard 1, the bad guys are definitely like, German, but you know what I meant. You understood what I was saying.

[A]

I wasn't listening close enough. I was actually. I went. When you started to talk, you know what? It reminded me.

[D]

It was a euphemism. It wasn't the actual Die Hard, but.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But I went to look for a Tucker Carlson clip that I saw this this morning.

[E]

Right.

[D]

Oh, the one of them. The party.

[A]

No, we're gonna. This was gonna be my bridge to talk about the new party, but you brought up something about this certain sect of America. Did I get that? Did you get it in. Watch this.

[F]

People bought the lies about 9. There were many lies about 9, 11. But the net result was to convince Americans that they were under siege from global Islam, that there were a billion people trying to kill them. I felt this way myself. And many times I said on television, the problem is Islam. The problem is Muslims. Like, they all want to kill us. They're all crazy. They're all in this lunatic suicide cult created by Muhammad in the seventh century. And I believe that. I was hysterical. I believed that. Now, that's not true. Nothing about that is true. But I believed it. So it's a little harder for me to judge Israelis when they're like every Arab. Christian or Muslim, it doesn't matter. Arabs are by definition committed to the extermination of Jews, and we must kill them before they kill us. Like, they believe that. I think people are capable. I know because I have felt it myself, are capable of believing things like that, but they're deranged. And when you do believe something like that, what you need is a clear thinking adult to correct you, just as your children need it when they go crazy, which they do. And your job as the parents, be like, no, that's actually not real. Settle down. There are universal standards that apply to everybody. Some people are bad, some people are good. That's true of all people, including you. So settle down. I've had this talk with my own children. I'm sure you have, too, and we share that talk with Israel, but we haven't because of blackmail and threats and weakness. There are a lot of reasons why Israel has been able to control the United States for decades, but it almost doesn't matter what they are. It's ending. And I hope that we can restore. I mean, I hope that the people responsible for the genocide in the US And Israel are punished. They will be. I'm confident of that. After that, I think, I hope that we can have a normal relationship with Israel.

[D]

But why didn't. Cool, bro. But I remember you on TV saying that those were the crossfire days.

[F]

That's right.

[D]

If I recall, I. I remember you were an adult then.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

And you were screaming about Islam then. I remember it. You were few.

[A]

And Israel is run by seemingly adults now. I think that's his point, is, like, we were hysterical.

[C]

You were the deranged one.

[A]

Listen, you, by the way, you, like me, are hearing that and saying, cool, bro. I appreciate you. Thanks for.

[D]

Thanks for coming around.

[A]

Whatever. I don't trust you, though.

[D]

I was waiting for the next part for him to be like, there was a time when I believed that Islam was evil and Islam was. They wanted to kill us. And I know now I had it wrong. It was the Jews. Because that's what I think he really does sort of want to get to eventually.

[A]

Well, I still haven't heard him apologize to Barack and Michelle Obama until I

[D]

hear that the fact that you pick these random things as your goalposts that are never getting hit, no matter what happens.

[A]

Well, I think it's a good, safe

[D]

place to be, though.

[A]

No, that's what I mean. So. But if it does, it'll be like,

[D]

wow, no, now he really checked. Wow.

[A]

Wow.

[D]

But I agree. Listen, I'm not saying I didn't agree with everything he said in the clip. I did. And I have literally talked to Israeli people who were like, they just fundamentally are like, no, but they want to kill us. And I'm like, no, but they don't. Like some. No, A few people do. For sure. For sure. But Just like a lot of your people want to kill them. But by and large, no, that's not true. I just. It's hard for me to not remember. It wasn't that long ago that you

[A]

were the one doing it. Well, and you also know that it's a set. You also know that it's a setup. They're setting up, setting up. Shot Clip 17 never signed.

[I]

If the Democrats don't tune in to what's next after Maggot, we're going to get our asses beat again. Pop this up. Marjorie Taylor Greene posts a photograph of herself, Tucker and Thomas Massie. She says, we said no more foreign wars and we meant it and supported Donald Trump because he made that promise. But he's betrayed us all. Our commitment is America first for all Americans, right, left and center. The movement has begun. You guys, I have been saying this forever. They are going to do an America first platform. It's going to hit hard. And flyover states, it's going to hit hard when they say, no more money for Israel because we need to afford hospitals and schools here. The Democrats should be leading on this. We should have an absolute 100% black and white. Complete different shades of politics.

[A]

Shout out to the I've had It podcast. They do great work over there, but you guys see how it's shaping up.

[D]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

[A]

Because now everybody wants to turn tail on. And to Rosenberg's point, you were adults in 2016. We saw you. Now we're going to be called a holes, elitists, condescending because we're not being nice and making space for people who made mistakes. That's what will happen, right? Because we'll be like, I saw you. You're an adult. I. I was telling you it was a bad idea. I was telling you you were being hateful. We were telling you that this was going to be bad. We were screaming, we were doing whatever, and you did not listen because you don't listen to black people.

[C]

Well, racism first.

[A]

Racism first. Right. Because that's the nuance in what you're seeing up there. Because when you see Mom, Donnie and El Sayed, Jamal Bowman, Bernie Sanders, aoc, they are talking about inclusivity in America. That includes black people in the convo, right. Of equity and diversity and inclusion. That's bringing Di back. Right? When you see Tucker and Marjorie and Thomas Massie, the Republicans who are now like, hey, you know, we got things we gotta fix in America first. Those things that you're fixing in America first, does it include poor people of color? Also and black people, because, remember, the reason we don't have universal health care in America goes back to them not wanting black people to have it. Yeah, no, that's what it was based on. Like in the 50s and 60s, that's like the thing. They didn't want to give it to poor black people.

[D]

It's not just that they don't want to give it to poor people, period. They don't want to pay for poor people, period, Period.

[A]

Well, they can convince poor white people that it's the black people's fault.

[D]

Right. Well, that's the, that's the brilliance of the plan. I just, I don't know.

[A]

I'm telling you, they would give it to poor white people. They're not giving it to black people.

[D]

Right, right.

[A]

And they're definitely not giving it to brown immigrants and first generation people.

[F]

For sure.

[A]

Definitely not.

[C]

Of course not.

[A]

But that's the root of it. The root of it is racism. And that's kind of the convo that you can't, you can't. Don't lose sight of. That is all I want to say.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

As, as we start, because you'll hear the Tuckers and the Marjorie's talking about foreign policy and you'll hear them talking about these things that you're like, yes, I agree with that. But remember, the issue was always inclusion of black and brown people. You know, how many black women. They're not talking about how many black women lost jobs in this last 10 years cycle. They're not talking about the lack of funding, but I'm just making sure you pay attention to certain things that are extremely.

[D]

I'm trying to understand what you're talking about, but I realize now that you're saying people are stupid and would actually look at this and think they could be talking to them.

[A]

Yes, I didn't.

[C]

It's going to happen, though. It's going to happen.

[D]

I didn't think it was possible.

[C]

Listen to what they said. Left center or right, you're all welcome into this America first party. People are going to be like, oh my God, finally. I don't have to play both sides. This is where I can be.

[D]

You know, just know that it's only white. That's what it's for.

[C]

You forget.

[D]

Oh, I just thought that the racism

[G]

and Marjorie Taylor Greene, that's the thing,

[D]

because I know who they are. I forgot that. That's obvious.

[A]

Well, the other part of it is to remember, even in what Tucker was saying, he's not saying anything against the corporate entities that have Abused. They're not speaking out against that.

[D]

No, of course not. What they're for, they're going to be for them, they're still going to be all corporate all the time.

[A]

That's what I'm saying.

[F]

They're going to be.

[D]

No, we'll be the party of corporate still, but will be anti funding wars, particularly this Israel one, because. Especially this one because all of a sudden they care about brown people. That's why. They mention any other wars?

[A]

No.

[D]

Do they mention any other places where brown people are affected?

[E]

No.

[D]

Got it. So I'm just interested in that because y' all always used to hate Jews and now you hate Israel and you're like, oh my God, they all, everyone hates Israel. Perfect. Will run this play. But they're not talking about anything else but that. But yeah, they're just gonna be the same.

[A]

But you gotta get in the weeds on it. You gotta get in the weeds on it and make sure.

[D]

Because people will watch the clips and go, ooh, they came around. They're not gonna be. No, that, that'll be interesting. Now you all starting about actual progressive ideas about black people. They won't ever. People of color, immigrant. They're not going there.

[A]

It's gonna be America first.

[D]

Right.

[A]

They're not talking, by the way, and they're not talking about education, they're not talking about history system, not talking about teaching history. They're not talking about reparations, they're not talking about these things that are really hot topics for, you know, marginalized communities, specifically the black communities. That's what you just got to pay attention.

[D]

You know what it is? Matter of fact, the only delineation that separates them from Trump is if you listen, they were down with Trump, they loved it all. Except he's down with the Jews.

[E]

That's right.

[D]

That's, that's, that is the line they're drawing in the sand. And by the way, he's not really down with the Jews. He's down with right wing Israel supporters. But that is how they see it. We were down with him, but he's owned by Israel and the Jews.

[A]

But also remember, remember that Jewish contingent of elites controls a lot of the banking system. And that's just the elites who happen to be Jewish.

[D]

Right.

[A]

So it still comes back to the money. It's always going to come back to the money. And whether or not you're going to get money to working class Americans and specifically make sure that the most marginalized communities, which are black and brown, are getting more than what is Equal. That's where you get to equitable, where you start to uplift these communities that have been marginalized.

[D]

You lost a lot of people there.

[A]

Exactly. Let's get to the rundown. Laura got the rundown.

[D]

Turn that up.

[A]

Screens on Glow when she pulls up. Headlines heavy, but we still caught up. Life still flashing.

[D]

We don't slow up.

[C]

All right, well, this story makes me sad, man. So Ariana Grande's team announced that she'll be stepping out of the Space Spotlight following her Eternal Sunshine tour due to public criticism. Now, fans have been, you know, very open, voicing concern about Ariane, her look.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And then she has a new music video pedal. I saw it. Whoa. I'll be honest with you. I, I, I, I'm trying not to body shame, but she looks very, very thin. And a lot of people are, you know, comparing her to 2023. She came out and said, look, that was a very unhealthy period in my, in my time trying to defend the way she looks. But you guys, it's, it's pretty sad to see the whole thing unfold.

[A]

I mean, Ariana Grande has been through a lot publicly. Remember a lot of this public trauma that she goes through also goes back. Remember the bombing at her concert?

[C]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

[A]

Like, so, you know, it's a lot, man.

[D]

She's been through a lot of stuff.

[H]

Yeah, man.

[D]

Also, there's a starting point, though. Like, we have to remember at Ariana Grande's most healthy, as anyone was aware of, from a physical standpoint, if you were to go all the way back to when we had her on the show years ago, she's always been a tiny human being.

[C]

Yes.

[D]

So I'm not saying anything, I'm just saying, listen, we can't help ourselves. So people are going to have to talk about other people's bodies. That's what they're going to do with public people.

[C]

Yeah. But I think a lot of fans are just, they're scared for her well being.

[A]

Well, and she's, I mean, she's healthy, Right. She's saying, I'm healthy, this is my body type and that's what it is.

[H]

Right?

[A]

Or no, we don't know.

[D]

I don't, I don't know. She's just saying I need to step away because this isn't mentally healthy for me to even be here.

[A]

Got it. Okay.

[C]

Yeah. In other news, Schoolboy Q is going on tour to support Blank Face lp.

[A]

Come on, Q.

[C]

And so is Chance the rapper.

[A]

For the coloring book, two of my favorite people yeah.

[D]

So anniversary. 10 year anniversary. Yep.

[C]

Which is crazy. Now for Schoolboy Q, the tour is set to begin in October, October 1st, in Atlanta. And it's gonna be 10 shows coming to NYC October 3rd.

[A]

Now, you're gonna make sure that Schoolboy Q has a place to play golf at each one of these tours.

[D]

He's gonna need to stop, so whatever

[A]

town he's coming through, if you're a golfer, Schoolboy Q needs the best 18 to play.

[C]

There you go. And for Chance, the Coloring Book tour is gonna kick off in Cleveland on August 11, and then it's gonna be more than a couple dozen North American cities. But he's coming to New York on August 18th for Summer Stage.

[A]

There you go.

[D]

I just went through the whole Ariana Grande pedal video. She looks the same as Ariana Grande to me.

[C]

I don't think so.

[D]

She's covered in blood.

[C]

Look at Luis face. Cause I. Maybe you just saw the beginning, but I've seen other scenes and I'm just like.

[D]

She went through literally the whole video. I mean, she's mad skinny, but, like, that's just what I think of our Anagranda.

[A]

She's always been very small.

[C]

Not like that, though.

[D]

I'm telling you. I just. I. I was expecting worse. I. I've seen like, over this whole run over the last few years. I'm. I just watched the whole thing.

[F]

Okay.

[D]

I mean, that's. Everyone can think what they.

[A]

Everybody's an Ariana Grande body specialist.

[D]

All I'm saying is I. I just wouldn't. It wouldn't.

[A]

Maybe this is why she's stepping away.

[D]

That's the thing.

[C]

I mean. Yes, yes. That's why she can't. She can't take.

[D]

I just don't know why people need to post it. Would it be enough for me to go. I need to go post about this? I'd be like, huh? Ariana Grande is very thin.

[C]

I mean, she also has insane fans. She's very popular.

[D]

Well, everyone who's at a certain level of popular these days, it's only insane.

[A]

Well, we have insane fans. And we're. I mean, how popular are we? I mean, if not as popular as.

[C]

Not even a fraction Ariana's popularity. Anyway, that's the rundown.

[A]

There it is. Intro, outro. Run down.

[D]

Turn that up.

[A]

You guys want to see a fire movie trailer?

[C]

Sure.

[D]

Show it, bro.

[H]

Go.

[A]

Clip 13. Mahershala Ali's new thing. I see her everywhere. You take her from me

[I]

and you

[A]

expect me to bow down to you? I thought I was your sword. Now I have to feel her shoes. I'm breaking. I'm here for the breast milk. My wife passed away and Aziza's breastfed and she's allergic to formula.

[G]

I'm sorry, but I need a prescription. What are we doing?

[D]

Mean, don't get ZZ F. That's what we doing.

[A]

Latif, we have a problem.

[B]

You know what I need you to do?

[A]

Did you seek a weapon? No, I just said some perfume. Don't underestimate Latif. It's time to put down the gun. Who's a gun? I want my uncle. Let's see your pay.

[G]

You won't tell me what's really going on?

[A]

I keep a roof over your head, food on the table, on the walls, from the door. You have any idea what it takes to raise three kids in this world alone? You see all this?

[D]

They were here for you.

[A]

You only need to be one thing.

[B]

One thing.

[A]

You want the.

[D]

Really, really good dope trailer, too?

[A]

Maybe. I'm. I'm. I'm super emotional about, you know, dad. You know, a dad story, a single dad story. Oh, man.

[D]

Showing up needing a prescription for breast milk and then took on full kung fu master.

[A]

I feel it.

[D]

Yeah, it looks really good.

[A]

Yo, I want to shout out to GLD also, we're gonna check in with Ebony McMorris next. You know, our White House correspondent. But one more time for GLD. The code is ELR you can get 40% off right now. GLD. Look at that. Look at that rope. Gold Cuban link. The cross, the diamond cross. Tennis bracelet. 40% off gld.com right now.

[D]

You got it. You got it. Because sometimes you got to make, like, if you wanted, like, have just the T shirt look like you see Ebro doing here under the thing. It's just having a little bit of gold to make the T shirt look pop off. Right? You know what I mean? Give it a little something. Just a little something, something.

[A]

Well, and it's great for gifts, too. So if you got, you know, somebody you trying to get a birthday gift for, you know, or even like King Lou, who, you know, is out here buying jewelry for himself. Got that link. Look at that link. Pow. GLD.com about to make.

[D]

About to make Louie the model for gld.

[A]

Yo, every time we. Instead of going to a GLD photo, go to King L. There you go. Got the Cuban link. Look bad.

[D]

So new customers, you get. You get 40% off with the code. [e-mail].

[A]

there you go. Go check it now. Yesterday we sat down. Laura and I caught up with Ebony McMorris, our White House correspondent. Today's a big election day. All right, ladies and gentlemen, our White house correspondent, Ebony McMorris. Happy belated birthday.

[C]

Yes, Ebony.

[G]

Thank you, my dear.

[A]

Yeah. Joining the program from D.C. busy week this week in D.C. we'll get back. We'll get to the Iran of it all. But let's start domestically with the Michigan elections. Ebony, what's happening? This is big.

[C]

Big voting on.

[G]

It's big. It is like just period. Today's a big day. You've got voters in Virginia, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas and Washington. They're headed to the polls. But I am like most zeroing in on Michigan because they're the one that everyone needs to really be watching as well. This is the seat vacated by Senator Gary Peters. It's a must win for Democrats. Right. So if they want a shot of flipping the Senate, Democrats need to hold their seat and flip at least four Republican held ones. So Michigan is just one race. But it's a preview of this whole fight. And you've got Dr. Abu El Said, a progressive, running against Haley Stevens. Let me just say he does not call himself a Democratic socialist. He says he's a scientist, not a socialist. Nonetheless, progressive, right. And she though Haley Stevens is the established moderate. This is a real referendum on where the Democratic Party Party is headed, how you fight Trump, how you talk about Israel and what it does it mean to be electable. And so when it comes to the black vote in this case, it's everything in this race. The Congressional Black Caucus is kind of split on the candidates, though younger, more progressive CBC members are with El Said, older, the older guard. Congressman Jim Clyburn, established black leaders across Michigan or with Stevens and aipac, because I know you talk about AIPAC a lot, has poured more than, I'll just say 60 million into this, I think the largest 60 million into the race, period. 30 million into boosting Stevens with ads leaning hard on her ties to President Barack Obama. He has not endorsed her and the auto rescue. And so it's a direct play for black voters because Steven's whole path to winning runs through turnout in Detroit and Flint, Michigan. Meanwhile, with El Said, he's running on a more anti Israeli platform. Israel platform, abolishing ice, taxing the rich, Medicare for all, a sharp contrast. Both are also keeping affordability, that word in their mouths. So when we look at recent polling, it shows that Elsa pulling ahead. It's really tight, though. And he's increasingly seen as a favorite going into Tonight. But we know how polls can go, right? We've seen that before. But whoever wins will face Republican Mike Rogers, right, who's a Trumper former congressman who already lost a Senate bid two years ago. So Democrats believe when it comes to the polling, who will beat him. I've seen some saying while Saeed may beat Stevens, the question is, can he beat Rogers in this? What gives them the better shot is what people are going to be looking at as we head to the November elections.

[A]

Well, I find this very interesting because I'm, I'm partial to Saeed's platform. I feel like, you know, I'm partial to anyone who is openly speaking out, first against the government of Israel, second, talking about specifics when it comes to health care and affordability. A lot of people just in the Democratic side, they throw out this word, Laura, affordability. But they don't really talk about what that means or how they're going to achieve it and where the money's going to come from. And so when I see someone also unafraid to talk about taxing the most wealthy people in society to get the money to make things more affordable and to help social services and social media safety net, I'm a fan of that because it's specific, it's not generic. And I feel like a lot of moderate Democrats are just speaking generically all the time.

[C]

I mean, I feel like, yeah, most just kind of regurgitate the same talking points. But what's the plan?

[B]

Right.

[A]

Well, and also why would someone who's, you know, the, the apac of it all, the American Israel political whatever, why do they care so much about what's going on with this race? And they care about a lot of races. And, and I know why it's a rhetorical question, but that makes me suspicious of the individual, especially when you're talking about $30 million.

[G]

Of course. Absolutely. And here's the thing. Congress does what controls the purse. So this is about affordability and about Michigan, but it is also about where your vote will lie in Congress. And how we this nation is funding Israel is a big conversation. It was in the last election. But we are seeing how that is even splitting within the Democratic Party. I think the Democratic Party really is in this turn to figure out how progressive they're really going to lean because we are seeing many, we're seeing the rise of Democratic socialists, we're seeing the rise of many more progressive of voices. So what does that look like at the end of the day and how can it impact Congress? That's Why this Michigan race, everyone's kind of focused on that because I think after people are going to be like, whatever the decision is, we got to really, really rethink some of these other races and other candidates. And then I think, look, money has been ruling and even more so in this election, these races. And so he is one that has been talking about getting this, getting money

[A]

out, getting corporate dollars out.

[G]

Yeah, absolutely. It's drowning out other voices who may be stronger in the community but cannot afford to go up against these dollars. We see the hole that even the Democrats are in, that DNC is in. It's ridiculous. But I mean, there's a fight. We Republicans had that fight too as well. It's interesting how it'll turn out.

[A]

Well, you said Democratic, The boogeyman, the boogie people. And El Sayed said he's not a Democratic socialist, he's a scientist, but progressive, blah, blah, blah, blah.

[G]

I have, what do you think about that?

[A]

I don't care.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

I don't, I don't care because I feel ca, I feel like categorically right. We're just throwing around words, right? May or may not mean anything to the voter. Right. And so they're being made afraid of socialists. Right. And like, okay, but who's gonna get them affordable healthcare and better paying jobs? Like that's all because when we go back to why Trump. Many people voted for Trump, it was because they felt like they could believe him. And he obviously played in their face. Those, those that believe them. You got played. Congratulations. You played yourself. But you know, that was their story, which was he promised this, he said he was going to drain the swamp, but you didn't know that he was the swamp monster.

[D]

Congratulations.

[A]

Like, you played, you didn't. I mean, I knew we told you, you didn't want to listen to us and the many other individuals that told you not to trust these races. But now we here. And so I, I don't, I think arguing over these terms is a waste of energy. Who's talking about the stuff that people want, want?

[C]

I do think he probably agrees with you. That's why he's probably staying away from the labeling.

[A]

Right?

[C]

You know what I mean?

[G]

There's a strategy.

[C]

I think you're right in the drama and the, you know, the big boogeyman that everybody's scared about. So he's like, you know what? I must, I, I align with policies, you know what I mean? But I'm just gonna, you know, stay away from that label, which I don't care as long as the policies align.

[G]

I think you're like a lot of Americans, right? At the end of the day, who's gonna fight big money corporations? At the end of day, who's going to talk about affordability? At the end of the day, who's gonna, who's going to be in my best interest when it comes to education, when it comes to child care, who's going to help me in my fight? Just voting rights is a big issue as well. So I'm actually like you who don't fight for justice. At the end of the day, you can call yourself what you want to call yourself, but at the end of the day, if you're not working for my best interest to be able to survive because I'm tired of scratching and surviving, you know what I mean? Who's going to help work in my best interest so that I can be the best that I can be and also have my tax dollars, my tax dollars work for me in this country? And so you're right, the president came in, he was talking all this stuff, he was talking affordability, an issue that he has pulled back from, right? But who is really going to fight for me? And we do many times get caught up in a lot of these titles. And so I understand in my mind he really aligns with it, but he's pushing back and that is a strategy and I get it. And he steers away and he gets straight to, straight to the topic. I, I think Americans are just, they're tired, like, of the rhetoric and the talk.

[A]

The other piece for me, ebony, is I look around and I listen. And when you hear mass amounts of individuals or you see data that supports that individuals are hurting and gas prices and grocery prices and looking for jobs and looking for quality education for their children, like, I want a politician that's not just getting the memo off of the email, printing it out and going to the podium, right? I want somebody who's, and, and then, you know, go ahead and, and stumping for whoever their corporate donors are, right? I want to see more politicians that are like, hey, I'm listening, I'm willing to listen. This is the community that I serve and this is the work that I'm. And, and look, we live in New York City, so we're getting a good example of what that can look like. Is it short term? Is it early? Absolutely. Do we know what the, the, the four year program for Mom Donnie is going to be when we get to the next election cycle? We don't, but right now, but right now it looks Damn good and even. And now, Ebony, you live down dc, Right? Or outside of DC I'm in DC Yeah. How a democratic socialist was just elected mayor of D.C. janice.

[G]

I mean, look, I think that voters here in D.C. are just like the voters in New York. I just like the voters everywhere. People are looking for not just a change, because sometimes. But they are looking for a voice that is strong, that will stand up, that is not scared. Right, right. Willing to fight. That is not always just so establishment.

[B]

Right.

[G]

But it doesn't mean you have to go off the rails either. But this is, this is an administration that you really have to fight back. And there is not like a safe space for you. And what we don't want to see is any more Fettermans, Right? Where you come in is one thing, and then you're a turn code on the other hand. But yeah, when we saw in this race with Janice in Washington, D.C. to become the next mayor shook a lot of people. It really did, because she really shook the establishment here. And so it remains to be seen, just like you're saying with Madani, great start. We're like, okay, what impact is that going to have across cities and states? What I'm looking at, will it empower those who didn't think that they had a voice to run, to actually begin to do, to do that work?

[A]

And that's the fear, right? So the biggest fear, I don't think, Look, I don't think the fight is actually about Trump, okay? Trump is just a figurehead, okay? Part of the system for corporatization. This is really a fight of the people versus corporate America. That's the battleground, the battleground for corporations who prop up politicians, get policy done in their favor to get their margins up, to ultimately remove money from the middle class, remove opportunity from the middle class, right? Like, that's the whole game. So that they can get more for their margin, so they can get more for their shareholders. That's the game, and that's what we're fighting against. So the fight is always. We're seeing right now there is no check imbalance. Right. Like right now. And there's no, there's no enforcement arm for Congress. Like, they can't arrest anybody. They, they can't get laws passed. They can't. They doing nothing. They literally.

[G]

They're weakening the power that they have. They're giving their power up, bro, all the time.

[A]

And so we need individuals who are willing, like you said, to fight, but specifically to fight Corporals America, because Trump is there because of Corporate America, the division that we see in the country is because of corporate America. They empower, they're the ones that finance and empower the white supremacists and the fascists and the Nazis and the, and the chaos. They want that because when people are afraid, people stay home, they stay away from things and they go spend money on other, other than getting out with each other and celebrating joy and life and being able to hold corporations accountable. We see it right now. People are still out here spending money even though things are unaffordable. Because guess what? When people are unhappy, what do they do? They eat, they drink, they stay home, they watch movies, they buy products, they stay in their communities. They don't, they don't gather with individuals.

[C]

Right, Right.

[A]

And I wish more corporations would. There's the other side to it because corporations could make a lot of money because guess what? When people are happy, what do they do? They eat, they drink, they gather with friends. But the problem is, is there's power with the people when the people are unified. And they don't want to see us unified.

[G]

So there, there is and there is a great, I believe it came out last week, some numbers that came out from Voters Hub and what it did, it looked at with all of the gerrymandering that we were seeing, they specifically looked at black Americans and places where the maps were being gerrymandered. And on that note, I do just want to say, even though we're talking about Michigan, Missouri is also important because they're voting under a brand new gerrymandered map. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver fighting off six primary challengers in a district Republican specifically redrew to come after him. But that those numbers from Vote Hub showed that surprisingly more people, because these maps are being gerrymandered, they're seeing more black folk come out to many of these primaries to vote because they're like, look, reading the writing on the wall, what you thought was going to do to keep us down, we're actually going to push back even harder. And we'll see how much of a fact that happens. We go, we have more primaries that are going to happen and we have a midterm and like 91 days. We need those 90 million to sit on the couch before, not to sit on the couch now because there is power if we vote in our numbers. But on that note, ERO Thursday, I want people to remember Thursday, August 6th, it's the 61st anniversary of the Voting Rights act, right? And so we have been under attack and continuously under attack. But I Do want to remind people that this administration has also failed in many attempts to suppress the vote? Yes, it's getting harder. Yes, we're getting tired of it. But these attacks are happening in real time from ice, showing up at some of the poll sites in Syracuse, New York, showing up at a library polling, claiming that it was about a poll worker's social media. But local. You have local police and poll workers and organizations coming together to, to intervene in that case, to get them to leave. And so I want to be clear to those who are watching, number one, it is illegal for any armed government official to show up at your polling site. Okay? It's illegal. However, this administration understands it has failed. They have lost 19, I believe of Friday, 19 cases when they are tried to come in and take over the voting roles of various states. The DOJ has sued over 30 states and trying to seize their voter registration data. So we don't always see the wins. We don't. And we know that this is an administration that even when they lose a case, they will still go around and circumvent and try to do something else. But people are fighting back. And so I want people to be villager and while they have this conversation, please vote check to make sure that your name is on the voting list, that your name has not been challenged by someone in your community because you literally have the Republican Party going hard to remove names off of voter rolls. So push back, vote, get involved and do the work.

[A]

Ebony before we wrap today, the meeting between Trump and Iran to find a solution and get the world out of this pickle that, that we've been in. What now, Lou? Six months before?

[E]

Yeah.

[A]

Has it been four?

[G]

No, it's been over four. It's almost six.

[A]

It's almost six months. You know, I hear these headlines, oh, Trump said he's not going to bomb them now because they're meeting today. I'm like, all right, buddy, what are we doing? So what's going to happen this week?

[G]

So he announced on Sunday that he's in talks with Iran. Those would would have begun Monday afternoon, saying he called off the plan strikes, right. What is described as like the biggest attack since World War II. To give the plan diplomacy a chance. Honestly, it's head spinning because every day that I get up and I'm at the White House and I'm reading, okay, it's on, it's off. Or him threatening to blow up the whole country. And to a people that he said called to rise up and he would take care of them and do all this other stuff, honestly, it's just rhetoric. And I do know that his administration is kind of spinning to keep his, to keep his language kind of contained. It is not working. And so they're always trying to mansplain him every time he says something. He framed it as new talks to wind down this ongoing US Israeli war with Iran. But Trump. But the question in that is, what about Israel?

[B]

Right.

[G]

Israel was ready to go and has been ready to go. And so these two countries, US And Israel, are not on the same path as well. Right. And so he said the negotiation, negotiations, he didn't give any, let me just say this, he didn't give any details on that or what's going to be happening. We're not even quite sure who he's always talking to. But we know the negotiations have been failed and it's been this on again, off again. And the question is, well, not even the question, but the US Is not going to go as hard in the paint as Iran is. And we know that. And this is a country who will call you out on your bluff each and every time. And so it's dizzying for Americans who

[A]

are being affected did that's why administrations of the past were smart enough to stay out of a predicament like this. And we elected somebody who was stupid enough to get us into a predicament like this.

[G]

And while Iran is also denying that they're going to have discussions. That's the thing. The, the we have an administration to say, oh, we have talks. And Iran said, no, we're not. And then we get a video on in the end of it. So who really knows what is really happening? Here's what we do know. Gas prices. All right. Straight of her muse is closed. Americans are suffering. We have a president who is not being honest and it is taking American lives at the same time. And he is denying that we're going to be able to, that he's going to have to put soldiers on the ground. And we cannot trust what is happening. But we do know it is affecting your pockets every single day.

[A]

Ebony McMorris, the White House correspondent for the ELR show, thank you for your time today.

[C]

Thank you, Ebony.

[E]

Thank you.

[G]

Have a good week. All right.

[A]

Well, thank you. Just don't call it a podcast.