Gov. Josh Shapiro | Oh Fudge

Summary

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Gov. Josh Shapiro | Oh Fudge
Release Date: July 25, 2025

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1. Stephen Colbert’s Opening Monologue

a. Climate Change and Chocolate Prices Stephen Colbert opened the episode addressing the impact of climate change on everyday products. He humorously lamented the rising prices of chocolate due to climate-induced challenges in cocoa-producing countries.

“Thanks to climate change in countries that grow cocoa, chocolate makers are hiking prices.”
[01:15] Stephen Colbert

b. Epstein Scandal and Donald Trump’s Alleged Connections Colbert delved into the resurfacing Jeffrey Epstein scandal, focusing on allegations linking former President Donald Trump to Epstein. He highlighted the controversy surrounding Trump’s interactions with Epstein, including a 2010 deposition where Trump was questioned about socializing with minors.

“We've never even met before. I've wanted to talk to you for a little while.”
[22:54] Stephen Colbert

c. QAnon Shaman and Political Fallout The discussion shifted to the fallout from the Epstein scandal, mentioning the loss of support from figures like the QAnon Shaman and the broader implications for Trump’s alliances.

“The latest to jump ship is the QAnon Shaman. This has deep repercussions…”
[06:58] Stephen Colbert

d. Ghislaine Maxwell and AI Executive Orders Colbert touched upon Ghislaine Maxwell’s conviction and her visits from Trump’s Justice Department officials. He also mocked Trump’s executive orders related to Artificial Intelligence, highlighting their ambiguous and confusing nature.

“Donald flew on Jeff's plane a number of times. I don't know if they ever checked, but I know Jeff flew on Donald's plane.”
[05:41] Stephen Colbert

e. Trump’s Remarks on AI and Woke Culture Stephen humorously critiqued Trump’s speeches on AI and “woke” culture, pointing out the former president’s flubbed language and contradictory actions.

“What a group of smart ones we have in front of me today. That’s about as good as the cums up here.”
[10:06] Donald Trump
“On day one, I very proudly terminated Joe Biden's order on woke A.I. now, it's actually very uncool, as somebody told me the other day, it's so uncool to be woke.”
[10:34] Donald Trump

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2. Interview with Governor Josh Shapiro

a. Introduction and Personal Background Stephen Colbert introduced Governor Josh Shapiro, highlighting his political journey from Pennsylvania State Representative to Governor. Shapiro shared a personal anecdote about his initial foray into politics during high school, emphasizing resilience after an early electoral defeat.

“I ran. I won. And I fell in love with serving others that way.”
[21:17] Josh Shapiro

b. Arson Attack on the Governor’s Mansion Colbert brought up the harrowing incident from April when an arson attack targeted Shapiro’s residence during a community seder. Shapiro recounted the event, highlighting the unity and support from the Pennsylvania community and the powerful role of interfaith prayers in his family's healing process.

“It was a deliberate act of arson. Someone had scaled the wall, broke into the house with a metal hammer, threw a bunch of Molotov cocktails around…”
[14:27] Josh Shapiro

“I actually could feel their prayer, actually felt strengthened by their prayers.”
[14:42] Josh Shapiro

c. Community Engagement and Problem-Solving Shapiro emphasized his commitment to engaging with communities, especially in rural areas where Democrats often have minimal presence. He contrasted his proactive approach with that of former President Trump, illustrating how he addresses tangible issues like repairing a leaking gas pump, thereby reinforcing trust and reliance on government action.

“If you understand the needs they have and fix them and. And it's a tangible way government can actually make their lives better.”
[27:37] Josh Shapiro

d. Political Strategy and Swing Voters Discussing Pennsylvania as a pivotal swing state, Shapiro articulated his strategy to connect with voters beyond party lines by addressing their immediate concerns and demonstrating genuine care.

“I show up. I speak to them honestly about that. I show up in communities where Democrats often don't go, especially in our rural areas. And I not only listen to them, I learn from them. I go back to those communities and I deliver for them.”
[25:05] Josh Shapiro

e. Comparison with Donald Trump’s Governance Shapiro drew a clear distinction between his governance style and Trump’s, highlighting his efforts to support law enforcement and reduce crime, contrasting with Trump’s policy decisions that Shapiro argued adversely affected communities that initially supported him.

“When I ran for office and he ran for office, we both ran with the support of local police. What have I done? I've hired more police, we've gotten them more training, we've brought crime down 38% in Pennsylvania.”
[25:11] Josh Shapiro

“Donald Trump has done with the power is turned his back on those communities that voted for him.”
[25:11] Josh Shapiro

f. Conclusion and Future Outlook The interview concluded with Colbert thanking Shapiro for his insights, noting the governor’s commitment to continuance in public service and improving lives in Pennsylvania.

“Governor, thank you so much for being here. We gotta go, unfortunately. Lovely to talk to you. Thank you. Please come again.”
[28:55] Stephen Colbert

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3. Closing Remarks

Stephen Colbert wrapped up the episode by promoting further content and thanking listeners, while also mentioning upcoming topics and shows, ensuring a smooth transition from the interview segment.

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Key Takeaways

• Community and Resilience: Governor Shapiro’s experience with the arson attack underscores the strength and solidarity of the Pennsylvania community, highlighting the universal power of prayer and collective healing.

• Political Engagement: Shapiro’s approach to governance focuses on direct community engagement, addressing tangible issues, and fostering trust, contrasting with the perceived divisiveness and unfulfilled promises of former President Trump.

• Bipartisan Appeal: The episode emphasizes the importance of reaching out beyond traditional party lines to solve common problems, reflecting the dynamics of a swing state like Pennsylvania.

• Personal Journey: Shapiro’s recounting of his early political loss in high school serves as an inspirational narrative of perseverance and dedication to public service.

Notable Quotes

• “I actually could feel their prayer, actually felt strengthened by their prayers.”
  [14:42] Josh Shapiro

• “My focus every day is on making their lives better.”
  [25:11] Josh Shapiro

• “If you understand the needs they have and fix them and. And it's a tangible way government can actually make their lives better.”
  [27:37] Josh Shapiro

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This episode of "The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert" offers a blend of satirical commentary on current political scandals and a heartfelt, in-depth conversation with Governor Josh Shapiro, providing listeners with both entertainment and insightful perspectives on governance and community resilience.

Transcript

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[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome one and all in here. Out there. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Late Show. I'm your host, Stephen Colbert. You know, the feeling is mutual. The feeling, my friend, is mutual. Here's to you. You know, in anxious times like these, we could all use a little treat to help us feel better. Which is why I am hesitant to let you know that thanks to climate change in countries that grow cocoa, chocolate makers are hiking prices. Oh, but Stephen, you can still buy white chocolate. Sure. Or I could just pour Splenda over a box of crayons and eat that. Cause there's no difference. This is gonna hit Americans right in the goody bag because even the cheap stuff is gonna be going up. Hershey will be raising prices by double digits. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm afraid on this summer's camping trip, forget the s', mores. You'll be having Smoless show uncanceled. Really?

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[Stephen Colbert]

What? We're still canceled? Was this necessary?

[Advertiser]

How.

[Stephen Colbert]

How much does this graphic cost? $40 million. Dammit. Knew it. That's where it went. Unlike your ability to sleep at night, the Epstein scandal will not go away. The President denied that Attorney General Pam Bondi informed him that his name was in the Epstein file. So naturally, last night, the Wall Street Journal reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi informed the President that his name was was in the Epstein files. I for one, was shocked. What are you going to tell me next? That the Pope is in the Catholic files? That a bear is on the COVID of this month's? Modern woods pooper. So we don't know. Please make me earn it. So. So we don't know if he was doing the creepy crime. And. But we do have a cover up. And just like the COVID up on his face, it is patchy and there's something really ugly under there. The incriminating details just keep coming out. For instance, this resurfaced 2010 Jeffrey Epstein deposition. Have you ever socialized with Donald Trump in the presence of females under the age of 18? Okay, that's a slam dunk. Just say no. Okay, take it away, Jeffrey.

[Josh Shapiro]

Though I'd like to answer that question at least today. I'm going to have to assert my 5th, 6th and 14th amendment rights here.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. Not a great sign when the pedophile is being asked if you're doing a pervert ride along. And their response is, I'd like to invoke the entire Constitution, the Magna Carta, the Napoleonic Code. And just to cover my bases, let's throw in the entire Cheesecake Factory menu. Just whatever. The latest development in this story is that soon we may be able to see Trump's name in those files for ourselves. Because last night, in defiance of the President, with a Republican majority, the House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena all documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case in a vote of 8:2. As in, that's big. Yeah, 8:2. As in, boy, I would 8:2 be Trump right now. The President. The president made a big deal about how he broke off the relationship with Jeffrey Epstein a long time ago. But according to Epstein's brother, Mark Epstein, Jeffrey said he stopped hanging out with Trump when he realized Trump was a crook. Wow, that's extraordinary. Jeffrey Epstein breaking it off with you because you're a crook is like walking into an intervention organized by Rudy Giuliani. Mark Epstein, the brother also sat down with CNN and explained just how close his brother and Trump were.

[Donald Trump]

They were good friends. It's documented that Donald flew on Jeff's plane a number of times. I don't know if they ever checked, but I know Jeff flew on Donald's plane.

[Stephen Colbert]

Right. I keep forgetting in all of this, Trump had his own plane. If you have your own plane, why would you ever hitch a ride with a sex creep? Okay, kids, road trip. Should we take the station wagon or should we hop into that unmarked van that's been idling outside the water park? I mean, the spray paint on the side says it's got candy. Epstein's brother had a couple of details about just what a dirtbag Trump was Including this one.

[Donald Trump]

I was talking to Jeffrey and he told me that he was talking to Donald and he asked Donald, how can you sleep with so many married women? And Donald's answer was, because it's so wrong.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly. No, no. Those are exactly the ethics you want in a president. I mean, who could forget when Ronald Reagan said this? Mr. Gorbachev, I banged your wife. I like. I love the little flag. I love the crowd with little flags at the end.

[Advertiser]

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[Stephen Colbert]

This scandal is costing Trump a lot of allies. The latest to jump ship is the QAnon Shaman. This has deep repercussions because when you lose the Q Shaman, you inevitably lose Fred, Barney and the entire Loyal Order of the Water Buffalo. They're gone. In response. In response to a photo of Trump on social media, the shaman wrote this stupid piece of. What a fraud. Now, listen, I don't agree what this man has said and done in the past, but now that he has posted this, I just want to say. Mr. Shaman. Mr. Shaman, a toast to you. A toast to you. Let's see what else he wrote about this administration. Special presidential envoy Richard Grenell possesses the ability to bite people and inject them with venom. That allows subjected to the venom to become under a hypnotic spell. Just get that back in there. Just get that back in there. Very careful with that. Take your time and then move to rest.

[Josh Shapiro]

There you go. That's a good stuff.

[Stephen Colbert]

There we go. That was a waiter. Save that for later, maybe. The one person who might know the truth about Trump's relationship with Epstein is former Epstein girlfriend and member of Sergeant Pepper's lonely sex traffickers band, Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell was convicted of. Too late. Maxwell was convicted of grooming victims on behalf of Epstein back in 2022 and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. And she's suddenly a very popular lady. Earlier today, Maxwell was visited in prison by. By Todd Blanche, the second highest ranking official in Trump's Justice Department. You might remember Todd Blanche as Trump's defense attorney at the Stormy Daniels trial, making Todd Blanche the only lawyer whose parents lie about what their son does. Oh. Oh, Todd. He is a dj. And we're very proud. We're very proud of the scritchy scritch. And as he tries to outrun the vengeful ghost of Jeffrey Epstein. Trump's got a packed presidential schedule. Yesterday he signed three executive orders related to AI, one of which says the federal government should be hesitant to regulate AI models in the private marketplace. And I completely agree with him on this one, because if the government interfered with private AI innovators at south park wouldn't be able to make important videos like this one. It is a message of hope. That is an important message of hope for our times. And you can check it out right here. There you go. Check it out. Go to that QR code. Trump gave a whole dumb speech about it yesterday. Here's how he greeted the leaders in the AI industry.

[Donald Trump]

What a group of smart ones we have in front of me today. That's about as good as the cums up here. The brain power. The greatest power of them all. The brain power. Well, I'm thrilled to be here with so many tech leaders and luminarieses.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, oh, luminarieses. Somebody's brain power is in low battery mode. Then Trump went on to make these sounds around the globe.

[Donald Trump]

Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence. I find that too artificial. I can't stand it. I don't even like the name. You know, I don't like anything that's artificial.

[Stephen Colbert]

Nothing. No, it's true. No, folks, it's true. No, listen up. It's true. Nothing artificial for me. They harvest my dinner straight from the nugget bush. And then. And then they milk the Diet Coke cow, okay? Gotta milk it every day or else they explode from the carbonation, okay? Brain power. Then he went after. Then he went after the Woke.

[Donald Trump]

On day one, I very proudly terminated Joe Biden's order on woke A.I. now, it's actually very uncool, as somebody told me the other day, it's so uncool to be woke.

[Stephen Colbert]

Actually, the thing that's uncool right now is to not know what a labubu is. Of course, I totally know what a labubu is. That's why I will not be explaining it right now. I say it all the time. Then, like an AI chatbot, Trump began to generate random words.

[Donald Trump]

We're gonna make this industry absolutely the top, because right now it's a beautiful baby that's born. We have to grow that baby and let that baby thrive. We can't stop it. We can't stop it.

[Stephen Colbert]

Totally, totally normal way to talk about baby. That's why. That's why they sell those balloons that say it's a boy and you can't stop it. You can't stop. We got a great show for you tonight coming up. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

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[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome back, everybody. My guest tonight is the current governor and former Attorney General of the state of Pennsylvania. Please welcome to the Late Show, Governor Josh Shapiro. Wow, Governor, good to see you. Thanks for being here. We've never even met before. I've wanted to talk to you for a little while.

[Josh Shapiro]

I feel like I know you. I watch you every night.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Really? What is it?

[Josh Shapiro]

You know, that sounded creepy. I didn't know.

[Stephen Colbert]

A little bit. Yeah, exactly. Well, speaking of creepy. And we'll get past this, but I really am curious. So many of us were alarmed by what happened to you and your family. It was in April of this year. There was an arson attack at. At. At. At. At the Governor's mansion where you live and everybody. Okay.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah. Thank God. Thank you.

[Stephen Colbert]

In retrospect, without having to relive the entire thing, can you tell us what happened?

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, I mean, look, it was. It was first night Passover, and my wife Laura and I hosted a community seder. We've been hosting seders for a lot of years. But it's kind of amazing to do it as governor at the governor's residence in the greatest country on the face of the earth, where you can celebrate your faith openly and freely and free of persecution. And like every other, it's true. We cherish that. We cherish that. And you know, we had finished our seder at Rand late. Kids were all hanging out. And I remember it was around midnight. I'm looking at these little kids, I'm like, y' all need to go to sleep, right? It's time we went upstairs and you know, we had kind of just drifted off to sleep around 1 in the morning, when Pennsylvania state trooper came running upstairs, banging on the door. Governor, first aid, we've got to get out of the house now. And honestly, Steve, my. My thought immediately turned to like, okay, it's an accident. There must be something in the kitchen or whatever. We just got to make sure we got all the kids and the dogs out of the house. And we did. We found out, you know, a few hours later it was not an accident. It was a deliberate act of arson. Someone had scaled the wall, broke into the house with a metal hammer, threw a bunch of Molotov cocktails around to destroy part of the home. And with that hammer, he was trying to make his way through the house to find me and beat me to death. And I got to say, for as dark as that moment was, and I found a whole lot of light in the days after from the people of Pennsylvania. You know, I am a. Yeah, I'm a prayerful person. I know you are, too. Faith is important to you. And I pray every day, but I've never had people praying for me like that. People from all different faiths, all different backgrounds. And Steve, I know this sounds crazy, but I actually could feel their prayer, actually felt strengthened by their prayers. And that helped me and Loria and our four children heal. And I'll just share one quick story with you. The kids and I really wanted to do something for these firefighters who literally ran into the governor's residence to save our lives as we were running out. These firefighters are heroes. Not just the ones who were there in Harrisburg that day, but firefighters all across this great country. They're heroes, and they are. And the kids said, hey, we should, like, make a meal for them. And I thought, not a good way to reward these firefighters by poisoning them to death. So instead we got together with Robert Irvine, who's a wonderful celebrity chef who looks out for first responders, firefighters. Every day, we cook them a meal. A couple days later, at the local firehouse in Harrisburg, we made a point to meet every one of them, thank every one of them. And then an 83 year old firefighter, a chaplain from the North Penn Township Volunteer Fire Department, he comes over to me and he says, you know, we don't share the same faith, but every single member of our fire department wrote you this letter, signed it, and I wrote my personal favorite prayer on the back for you. That prayer he wrote, Stephen, on the back in his handwriting, this 82 year old fire chaplain is a prayer that I know is the priestly blessing, a prayer that I make over my children each night from the Old Testament. He used that prayer because it was important to him. A person of Christian faith giving it to a person of Jewish faith to help us heal. And what I learned from that experience is prayer is not only powerful, but it can be universal and it can lift people up regardless of how they worship. There's a universality to it and it was a beautiful thing.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's really lovely. Yeah, that's really lovely. We have to take a quick break. We'll be right back with Morgue.

[Josh Shapiro]

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[Josh Shapiro]

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[Stephen Colbert]

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[Donald Trump]

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[Josh Shapiro]

We're on the same team.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm right here with you no matter what.

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[Josh Shapiro]

Snack wrap is back. You brought it back. Ranch snack wrap. Spicy snack wrap. You broke the Internet for a snack? Snack wrap is back. Ba da ba ba ba.

[Stephen Colbert]

For 20 years now, you've been in politics. You've won every election. Yeah, you've done okay. So you've Pennsylvania state rep, county commissioner, Pennsylvania attorney general, and in 2022, you became governor of the Keystone State. Have you ever lost an election?

[Josh Shapiro]

Ha. Yeah, I sure did. So in the 11th grade. True story.

[Stephen Colbert]

Were you involved in school politics?

[Josh Shapiro]

I was not. But I was involved in trying to impress a girl and I thought, wait.

[Stephen Colbert]

You'Re going to impress a girl by running for all students?

[Josh Shapiro]

It sounds dorky, doesn't it? It really does. But I was trying to impress this girl and so I thought maybe I'd run for student council and I'd impress her because I'd win. You know, I promised to put new soda in the vending machine or whatever the hell I promised and I ran and I got whooped. I mean, there were three Three candidates. I finished dead last in Far Down. Did not impress the girl with that. I will say that I did later. Get the girl. We've been married 28 years. She's your wife?

[Stephen Colbert]

That is. This.

[Josh Shapiro]

She's. She's the first lady of Pennsylvania. Oh, boy. That's her. There you go.

[Stephen Colbert]

There we go. So was she impressed with your resilience after getting smoked like that while.

[Josh Shapiro]

I think maybe. Yeah, it sort of got, you know, dusted myself off. I got back up and been on a winning streak ever since.

[Stephen Colbert]

And then were you, like, immediately interested in politics after that?

[Josh Shapiro]

No, not even close. Not even close.

[Stephen Colbert]

What turned the turn.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah. Actually made me less interested.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure. Of course.

[Josh Shapiro]

So, you know, I grew up in a home where, like, mom was a schoolteacher, dad a physician, and, like, super involved in the community. And I think faith and family drew me to serving others. And I thought maybe the best way I could serve others was to be a doctor like my dad. I watched the community just sort of take to my dad. Cause he took care of all their kids, and I thought, I want to do that. I was also pretty good at basketball at the time. Now. Yes. This. Five, nine. You don't have to laugh. That wasn't a joke.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, I'm not laughing at that. I'm just thinking. So you were torn between physician and NBA players?

[Josh Shapiro]

No, no, I thought I could do both. I thought I could do both.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. Dr. Dunk.

[Josh Shapiro]

Dr. Dunk. I thought I was more of a point guard, but, yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

But anyway, can you dunk?

[Josh Shapiro]

I go, definitely not, because we have a basket.

[Stephen Colbert]

We can roll back out.

[Josh Shapiro]

I did see that. I did see that.

[Stephen Colbert]

Anyway, go ahead. Sorry.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, no, it's all right. So I go to college, and freshman year, I'm studying to be a doctor. I'm on the basketball team. And one day my professor calls me down to class, and he hands me back my exam. It was out of 165 points. And he handed it to me. I got a four. Like, four total points. And he goes, I know you're trying, but I don't think this is for you. And being the overly dramatic, you know, freshman, I'm like, okay, well, not gonna be a doctor, but at least I'm gonna still be in the NBA. Go to basketball practice, have what I thought was a great basketball practice. Coach near calls me in his office afterwards and says, hey, you know, I know you're trying, but we don't have room for you on the team. And I thought, holy. Like I am, you know, this is not A good day, right?

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes.

[Josh Shapiro]

Later that night, I'm calling my pop. I'm like, pop, I'm not gonna be a doctor like you. I'm not gonna play basketball. He goes, you be whatever you want. Someone knocks on my dorm room door and says, hey, would you like to run for student government? And I thought, I've done this before. I'm not doing that. And he says, look, you got nothing else going on in your life. You should run. And you know what? I ran. I won. And I fell in love with serving others that way. And looking back on it, I gotta tell you, the way my folks raised me, the way my faith taught me, it was about service to others. I didn't appreciate it at the time, but I think I'm still continuing on that path that was set for me just in a different way.

[Stephen Colbert]

We have to take another break. We'll be right back with more Governor Josh Shapiro, everybody. Hey, everybody. We're back with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. I want to ask you about the Keystone State. I want to ask you about Pennsylvania. It's a very swingy swing state. You know, I'm sure you.

[Josh Shapiro]

Swingy swing.

[Stephen Colbert]

56% of the state voted for you in 2022.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yep.

[Stephen Colbert]

But then in 2024, 50.4% of the state also voted for Trump. So there's likely some overlap between those voters who. Have you talked to those people and said, what's the commonality between what you think I'm gonna give you and what you think he's gonna give you?

[Josh Shapiro]

I talk to them every day.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay.

[Josh Shapiro]

I show up in their communities every day. These are folks. These are good folks. And they're folks that, frankly, they've gotten frustrated over time because they saw governments just not solving problems for them. They saw too many people getting a raw deal. They saw too many people getting an unfair advantage. And I show up in their communities. I speak to them honestly about that. I show up in communities where Democrats often don't go, especially in our rural areas. And I not only listen to them, I learn from them. I go back to those communities and I deliver for them. So now the difference.

[Stephen Colbert]

What do they say? I'm just curious. Like, what do they say they saw in you that they also saw in the president?

[Josh Shapiro]

You know, I think what they saw is someone who gives a damn about them, who treats them with respect, whether they go to college, they go to the military, they go to a union apprenticeship program. They saw in me someone that could actually cut through it and solve their problems. Now, the difference between me and the president is, he shows up in those areas, he talks a good game, and then when he gets to govern, he does the exact opposite. I was showing up in rural areas where Donald Trump was showing up, and he was pledging to not cut people off of Medicaid. And then what's the first big thing he does? He goes and he cuts 310,000 Pennsylvanians off of Medicaid with this bill they just passed, including 154,000 in communities that voted for him. When I ran for office and he ran for office, we both ran with the support of local police. What have I done? I've hired more police, we've gotten them more training, we've brought crime down 38% in Pennsylvania. What did Donald Trump do? Literally, his first official action was to pardon people who assaulted cops on January 6 and sent some of those cops to their death. So what Donald Trump has done with the power is turned his back on those communities that voted for him. He's abandoned them, and he has made their lives worse. My focus every day is on making their lives better.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, what do you do? I mean, there's some. To me, there's something hopeful in the fact that there's overlap between your voter bases there. So how do you, how do you, how can you, like, use that to actually find an answer in there? Because clearly something is terribly broken in our politics, and it can't just be everybody go to their corners. Well, what do you do to really show those communities that it doesn't have to be my team versus your team all the time?

[Josh Shapiro]

I actually think when I show up in these areas, most folks aren't thinking, my team versus yours, red versus blue, left versus right. They just want you to solve their problems.

[Stephen Colbert]

Like what?

[Josh Shapiro]

So I show up. So look, I was in rural Potter county the other day. This is on the northern tier of Pennsylvania, right along the New York state border.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's where It's Wonderful Life is filmed, right?

[Josh Shapiro]

No, a little different place, but it's called God's Country.

[Stephen Colbert]

I was joking. It's Wonderful Life. It's not a real movie, it's fictional. Mr. Potter. Okay, never. Nevermind. Okay, we'll edit this part out later.

[Josh Shapiro]

Yeah, there you go.

[Stephen Colbert]

Okay. So anyway, go ahead.

[Josh Shapiro]

I'll tell you why I was there. Because I had read in the newspaper about a month earlier that a gas pump in this community that is the stop along a 600 mile stretch of people who are ATVers and snowmobilers that's attached to a general store that's been in this community in Germania for over 100 years that that underground tank that stores the fuel had cracked and the fuel was leaking. It wasn't operational. Read about it in the paper. Called my great chief of staff said, we gotta fix this. And within a few weeks, we got funding to be able to fix that gas tank. Now, to a lot of folks, that's just a gas tank. It didn't really mean a lot. But you see, understand that that gas tank is a lifeline for that community. It shows respect to that community. If you understand the needs they have and fix them and. And it's a tangible way government can actually make their lives better. Not just for the atvers and the snowmobilers who are now going to have a place to fill up. But it means that general store that's been around for a century is sustained. It means that the people in that community are treated with respect. And it shows that government can get things done. You know, my motto as governor of Pennsylvania is gsd get done. That's what we do every day. And that's an example of it. That's a real life examp.

[Stephen Colbert]

Governor, thank you so much for being here. We gotta go, unfortunately. Lovely to talk to you. Thank you. Please come again.

[Josh Shapiro]

I will.

[Stephen Colbert]

You got 10 months. Governor Josh Shapiro, everybody. Thank you for listening to the late show pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.

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