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Stephen Colbert
Hey, everybody. Stephen Colbert here about to read the copy for our sponsor. This is from our friends at Wonderful Pistachios. And I was the wonderful pistachio spokesman for years. Yeah, I have a real close association with nut meat. Okay. You know what they say when they reach for a snack? Don't hold back. And that's exactly the approach with Wonderful Pistachios. The don't hold back snack. These little wonders are so tasty, it feels like getting away with something. But surprise. Each serving has 6 grams of protein and 0 grams of regret. That's right. No guilt. Just glory, glory in our nuts. Whether it's a satisfying crack of in shell pistachios, and that's capitalized in shell, or the smooth, instant gratification of no shells. No judgment. That's just it. Just eat. No judgment. I take issue with one thing. It's instant gratification. It's super tasty smooth.
Unknown
It's a hard nut smooth.
Stephen Colbert
Exactly. I mean, even out of the shell, it's still a nut.
Unknown
We can't disparage the nuts.
Alyssa Slotkin
You.
Stephen Colbert
I'm not disparaging the nut. I'm describing the nut. Don't disparage any flavors. I'm not. I am celebrating the pistachio right now. I'm on board. I love pistachios.
Alyssa Slotkin
I love.
Stephen Colbert
I love crushed pistachio. Like a pistachio crusted trout. Oh, unbelievable. Instead of a trout amandine, a trout pistachio. Fantastic. Enough butter? Who cares?
Alyssa Slotkin
Very good.
Stephen Colbert
And I love pistachio ice cream.
Alyssa Slotkin
Have you had the sea salt and vinegar? Wonderful pistachio.
Unknown
It's delicious.
Alyssa Slotkin
I get them.
Stephen Colbert
I didn't even know I get them.
Alyssa Slotkin
Before the softball games.
Stephen Colbert
But that's. You see, it's been a while since I've been the spokesman for wonderful pistachios. I didn't realize we'd achieved new pistachio technology.
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah. Yeah.
Stephen Colbert
Wow. Wonderful pistachios has every snack style covered. Right now. There's an obsession with jalapeno lime. There is an obsession session. It's almost a disorder. It's spicy, it's zesty. It's basically a flavor roller coaster in a nut. Snacking on the go. Grab a bag of no shells. Feeling contemplative and want to work for it a little. So earning it, they're saying if you want to earn your nut, crack open those in shell beauties. Either way, it's snacking like a champ. So the next time hunger strikes, don't hold back. Unless it's a hunger strike. And then it's important that you do. Because whatever you're doing that for, I'm sure it's a worthwhile cause. Snack like you mean it with wonderful pistachios. Visit wonderfulpistachios.com to learn more. That was a wonderful I wonder what more there is to learn. We just told them so much. We just told them so much about pistachios. But evidently there's a whole other world. There's an unexplored vista.
Alyssa Slotkin
They got a bunch of flavors. They got dill pickle, jalapeno lime, as we learned, smoky barbecue. There's a lot of different flavors.
Stephen Colbert
Wow. And I would not disparage any of them.
Alyssa Slotkin
No, no, no.
Stephen Colbert
Bring it on.
Alyssa Slotkin
Nothing bad to say.
Stephen Colbert
Nut me, nut, nut me with nut meat.
Alyssa Slotkin
We're nut.
Stephen Colbert
No, we got nothing but nut. Nutty, nutty, nutty, nutty. Talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about nutty.
Unknown
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Stephen Colbert
My next guest is a former Michigan congresswoman who served three tours in Iraq as a CIA analyst and was recently elected to the United States Senate. Please welcome Senator Alyssa Slotkin. Nice to meet you.
Alyssa Slotkin
Nice to meet you, sir.
Stephen Colbert
Lots to talk about. But before we get into it, I learned something interesting that your family's farm was responsible for the ballpark. Frank's recipe. Ballpark Franks. They plump when you cook them.
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah.
Stephen Colbert
Dung, dung, dung dung. Ballpar franks.
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah yeah. Yes.
Stephen Colbert
Were you allowed to eat any other franks?
Alyssa Slotkin
Yes, we were allowed to eat other hot dogs. Cause we helped start Nathan's Hot Dogs. So a different type of hot dog. New York audience, usually.
Stephen Colbert
So this is a hot dog empire you get from just hot dogs or all cased meats?
Alyssa Slotkin
Other cased meats and other products and other things. No, not brats. Not brats.
Stephen Colbert
That's Wisconsin.
Alyssa Slotkin
But, yeah. My great grandfather emigrated here through Ellis island and started a small meat company and became a big meat company. We're very proud.
Stephen Colbert
You also. You even hosted a Senate hot dog party for National Hot Dog Day.
Alyssa Slotkin
I did.
Stephen Colbert
Which is what day?
Alyssa Slotkin
It's like the third Wednesday of July.
Stephen Colbert
Of course. Obviously. And so I have to ask you, you're an expert. Is a hot dog a sandwich?
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah. I've prepared for this conversation because you have a really weird view of this, which is not a weird view.
Stephen Colbert
My view is. I'm asking the question.
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah, it's definitively not a sandwich. I mean, it's not.
Stephen Colbert
Wait.
Alyssa Slotkin
Thank you, Band. Thank you. It's like, why?
Stephen Colbert
Because the bread is hinged?
Alyssa Slotkin
No, it's its own cultural category. It is something else entirely. The bread is hinged. The bread is hinged. But it's also, like. I have heard this debate between others, but you don't cut it in half and give, like, half a kid a half a hot dog and the other half. Thank you. Band is with me, man.
Stephen Colbert
Right.
Alyssa Slotkin
Thank you.
Stephen Colbert
Wow.
Alyssa Slotkin
It is not a damn sandwich. And you know what? Just to be sure, I went into the ChatGPT and to Grok Grok. Both of them. I checked them both, and AI is with me. It's not a damn sandwich.
Stephen Colbert
All right, all right, all right. You started your government career as a CIA analyst and did three tours of duty in Iraq. Everyone knows what a spy does. They, you know, they sneak around and they drink a lot. What does an analyst do? Yeah, Jack Ryan is an analyst.
Alyssa Slotkin
Right. I mean, the movies are not the greatest example, but it is. And I'm a field analyst. Right, you said. Yeah, I go into the field. And so my job was to understand the terrorist groups and the militias that were shooting at U.S. forces and plotting against the U.S. homeland. So who are their leaders? How do they move money? How do they communicate? What's the hierarchy so that we can make sure they don't attack us. Right.
Stephen Colbert
Did you wear a disguise?
Alyssa Slotkin
I did not. I carried a weapon. But I actually, in my first tour in Iraq, bunked with a woman who was in charge of disguises and Kind of kidding out different outfits so that a woman in full cover could have like a place for her weapon. It was just, she was like a CIA seamstress and it was a really, very cool job.
Stephen Colbert
When you were doing this kind of work, when you were over there in country, did senators and congress people come over and you would have to like tour them around and stuff, Actually including.
Alyssa Slotkin
Some of them that are still there that I served with. Wow.
Stephen Colbert
So you were the person saying I.
Alyssa Slotkin
Was like the baby analyst.
Stephen Colbert
You'd meet them at the airport and bring them like, wow.
Alyssa Slotkin
And give them the field update on what was going on.
Stephen Colbert
So what did they do that you will never do? Because now that you're a senator, I mean there's a.
Alyssa Slotkin
We all know this, that when you're in office for a long time, you sort of get insulated and they just stop seeing the little people sometimes.
Stephen Colbert
Sure. And you were a little person when.
Alyssa Slotkin
You were a little person. And by the way, they're usually coming like when they have off so Thanksgiving, you know, we'd have like half a Thanksgiving off and then you'd get the update. Well, the senators are coming and they want to be with the troops and they want to celebrate. And you're like, I just wanted to sit home in my trailer, you know, so they forgot to say hello to the little people sometimes. So it really affects how I run my life as a senator.
Stephen Colbert
Okay, yeah, yeah, keep that in mind. Keep that in mind.
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah.
Stephen Colbert
Republicans, a lot of the people are sort of conspiracy minded. People out there like to think that some of the trouble the United States has is because of what they call the deep state. Right, okay. And as a former spy, is there, is there a deep state? What do they mean by deep state?
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah, I just, I wish people could understand that. A lot of the guys that I serve with, guys and gals at the CIA or at the Pentagon where I served, first of all, a lot of them are former military. So if you can't be like pro military and then anti intelligence community and deep state. But a lot of the guys are also wearing mom jeans and white sneakers on the weekends. These are good corn fed people who just want to help their country.
Stephen Colbert
Eatin ballpark friends.
Alyssa Slotkin
Well, eating their hot dogs or doing whatever. And this idea that there's some network of people that are running the world, it doesn't really match reality. And these people in the dead of night are doing things to protect, protect this country and make sure things don't blow up here. And for me, you know, the way that Trump is going after them is just. It's particularly. First of all, it's nasty. Second of all, it's completely counter to our interests to be demoralizing the people that are protecting us.
Stephen Colbert
You also, as somebody who's in, you know, somebody who was in the intelligence community, what do you make of the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and her characterization of our intelligence capabilities?
Alyssa Slotkin
I serve with Tulsi. I think that what we all are concerned about is that we politicize intelligence. Right. That's a word that people throw around. But what that means is when some hard news comes in about a threat coming from abroad that you're going to hit some political person, you're going to take that note to them and say, hey, boss, this is happening. And they're going to say, you know what? That doesn't really comport with what Donald Trump wants to have happening right now. So I'm going to squash it. That is as dangerous as anything that he's doing. So to me, we just had an incident last week, right. To me, it could not have been more clear. The same day that the President's name appears in the Epstein files, right, Is the same exact day that Tulsi Gabbard is doing a big press conference talking about Obama, talking about something that happened, you know, 15 years ago. To me, that is a perfect example of politicizing intelligence, using it for political goals, not for the goals of protecting the country. And it is dangerous. Bull. It is dangerous.
Stephen Colbert
So we're almost out of time here. We're almost out of time here. Hey, Tom, I'd just like to keep going here. Can we just put the whole thing up online? Just like a. Great. So I don't like to. I don't like to edit politicians because then the network gets sued. Okay. In November, one in four Democratic senators. In November, you were one of four Democratic senators to win states that also voted for Trump. And you say the Democrats out there have to get what you call Alpha Energy. What do you mean by Alpha energy? Do you mean like macho or. Just because people who have Alpha Energy, I like. Like Bernie's got Alpha Energy and AOC's got Alpha Energy. I think you've got some Alpha Energy, but I mean, I don't know. We'll see how you answer this question. Mom, Donnie has Alpha Energy. I think that's mostly that they're just being honest about what they think and what they feel. And how can you inculcate more of that in the Democratic Party?
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah, I think it's about leadership. And I think, you know, I'm a Midwesterner, I'm a Michigander. So for us, the alpha energy, I mean, sports is like our religion in Michigan, right? And it's that coach energy. How are we gonna get from the dark place we're in through the tunnel to the light. And we all know we're in a dark place. So we want people who have a gut, who are bold, who are gonna put out an opinion and not try to mealy mouth it, and who are gonna push when someone does something wrong, but who are gonna hug you when you do something good. That to me, I mean, coach of the Lions, Dan Campbell is like the perfect example of it. Thank you. We're gonna win the super bowl, the whole thing, but I think it's not necessarily male or female, but I see it in a lot of our sports stars, right? I think the Kelce brothers have a lot. I think, you know, I think, I think like Elona Mar, right, from Rugby Player, like she is bringing it on in terms of like bringing people to our sport. And we need to bring some of that gut, bold leadership. And so it's not progressive, moderate, it's not old, young. It is just we are in a dark place. We all know it. We don't need to hide about that. We. So how are we, and I would say for, certainly for Democrats, going to chart a path not just to play defense but to play offense, to show people who we are and deserve to pull them back into the fold?
Stephen Colbert
Well, it sounds like what you're responding to here, and correct me if I'm wrong here, sounds like what you might be responding to here, is that you're not hearing that vibe from your fellow Democrats as you're planning on how to push back on some of the President's agenda. What worries you about sort of the attitude that you're hearing behind closed doors?
Alyssa Slotkin
What worries me is that we're not in normal times. Right. What worries me is that, you know, we're all very nice to each other. We all like consensus. We all are sort of polite. But, you know, again, because of my background, like, you can't win if you're just polite to each other and dance around it. You gotta have a plan, you gotta bring people to that plan and then you gotta execute. And I think that's the energy that over the last 30 years is not just this year, we have lost. And I am hell bent on bringing some of that back.
Stephen Colbert
Well, today, I think it was just today. Today, Texas unveiled an Aggressively redrawn congressional map that would, through gerrymandering, increase the number of GOP seats in the House. What should the Democrats response be?
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah, so look, gerrymandering is literally redrawing lines so that you can pick your voters. I mean, it is ridiculous. I once had a gerrymandered seat in Michigan when I ran the first time. And to give you an example of how insane gerrymandering is, I had Oakland University in my district. But not the dorms. They drew around the dorms because the dorms might have more Democrats in them. Right. So it was a Republican seat drawn to be Republican. So Michigan was so disgusted with this political way of drawing lines that we passed a constitutional amendment. We now have an independent state citizens commission that draws the lines every 10 years so that they're fair and competitive, and that's great. And in a normal world, we would have that in every state. You wouldn't be able to politically draw. So what the President has done is commanded the Texas government to redraw these lines instead of every 10 years, every five, to give him, lo and behold, the five seats that he wants to keep the House in November. And look, I can't stand that he's doing that. But I'm not gonna be the one again bringing a knife to a gunfight. If he's gonna go nuclear, so am I. And Democratic states are gonna do the same thing. No one wants it.
Stephen Colbert
Not Michigan, but, like, California or New Jersey, something like that.
Alyssa Slotkin
And so I just think, you know, we know what should be happening. But in this world right now, we're not choosing, you know, the other. What the other side is doing. So if they're going to bring fire, I'm going to bring fire, too.
Stephen Colbert
Well, after. After your work in the Middle east, your knowledge of war zones, your work for the Defense Department, what is your outlook on what the United States attitude should be toward preserving human rights in a time of conflict? And very specifically, let's talk about the crisis that's going on in Gaza right now. The United States is an ally of Israel. Yes, the attacks of October 7th were absolutely horrific. But there are children starving in Gaza right now. What should the United States responsibility and response be here?
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah. So for me, again, we're all prisoners to our experience. And I served these three tours in Iraq alongside the military in a war zone. Right. I, you know, was working in Ramadi right outside Fallujah when American citizens were terribly, terribly killed, pulled behind vehicles, strung up, terrible things. But we still had a responsibility as the occupying power. To get humanitarian aid into that area. And that, to me, is the fundamental conversation here with what's going on in Gaza. No one questions that. It's a longstanding, painful war that people have been losing for years. Right. But to me, the responsibility to get humanitarian aid in is not an open question. We know what that answer is. And just this, literally today we put out like, you know, Michigan is a state that has the largest Arab and Muslim American population in the country, a very large Jewish population. A ton of people feel this at a very visceral, personal, family level. And for the first time in the past week, I had a rabbi and a Muslim leader come to me and say, we want to do something together. We desperately, we will pay for all of it. We'll buy all the formula, baby formula and all the clean water. Please, can we just greenlight that aid? Always getting in, no matter what's going on with negotiations, no matter what's happening. We put that, put that out, pushed it with Rubio today, Secretary Rubio. But that to me is like people of many different faiths understand that humanitarian aid getting into children is an American value, a Jewish value and a Muslim value. So that, to me is. So it's a requirement ultimately.
Stephen Colbert
Even for American citizens who are staunch allies of Israel. What do you imagine is the end game for Israel here? Because certainly the international community sees the tens of thousands of deaths of the Gazans, of the Palestinians as being at this point a horrific crime, not commensurate with the horror, albeit the horror of October 7th. Do you think that Israel might be harming itself because you've got countries ready to call this a genocide?
Alyssa Slotkin
Yeah, I.
Stephen Colbert
How does that help the future of Israel?
Alyssa Slotkin
I think that this is the point that many of us who feel very strongly and have long said, you know, Israel has the right to exist, it has the right to be safe, it has the right to live its own life. The conversations that we have with Israeli counterparts is like, this is not helping your long term cause. Right. We understand that you have to. Any country in the world responds to an attack like October 7th, that we would too. Right? But the way that this is being carried out now, particularly some of the very right wing, very open statements by people of the Netanyahu government, to me, is harming the long term interests of the state of Israel. And that to me is an important value that we also have to push.
Stephen Colbert
Well, Senator, thank you so much for being here. Senator Alyssa Slotkin, 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. You say you'll never join the Navy, that you'd never track storms brewing in the Atlantic, and skydiving could never be part of your commute. You'd never climb Mount Fuji on a port visit, or fly so fast you break the sound barrier. Joining the Navy sounds crazy. Saying never actually is. Start your journey@navy.com America's Navy Forged by the Sea September 4th on Paramount + someone is trying to frame us until our names are cleared.
Alyssa Slotkin
More fugitives from Interpol like Bonnie and.
Stephen Colbert
Clyde with better snacks. NCIS Tony and Ziva streaming September 4th on Paramount Plus.
Podcast Summary: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert featuring Senator Alyssa Slotkin
Episode: Sen. Elissa Slotkin (Extended)
Release Date: August 2, 2025
Podcast: The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert
Host: Stephen Colbert
Guest: Senator Alyssa Slotkin
[04:35] Stephen Colbert opens the conversation by introducing Senator Alyssa Slotkin, highlighting her diverse background as a former Michigan congresswoman, a CIA analyst with three tours in Iraq, and her recent election to the United States Senate.
[04:54] Alyssa Slotkin: "Nice to meet you, sir."
Colbert delves into Senator Slotkin’s family heritage, uncovering a fascinating connection to the American food industry.
[05:11] Stephen Colbert: "I learned something interesting that your family's farm was responsible for the ballpark franks."
[05:35] Alyssa Slotkin: "My great grandfather emigrated here through Ellis Island and started a small meat company and became a big meat company. We're very proud."
She elaborates on her family's legacy, emphasizing their contributions beyond just hot dogs.
[05:24] Stephen Colbert: "Is this a hot dog empire or all cased meats?"
[05:35] Alyssa Slotkin: "Other cased meats and other products and other things."
The discussion transitions to Senator Slotkin’s career in intelligence, where she clarifies misconceptions about the role of an analyst.
[06:10] Alyssa Slotkin: "It is definitively not a sandwich. I mean, it's not."
[07:19] Stephen Colbert: "What does an analyst do?"
[07:30] Alyssa Slotkin: "My job was to understand the terrorist groups and the militias that were shooting at U.S. forces and plotting against the U.S. homeland."
She explains her responsibilities, focusing on intelligence gathering and threat assessment.
[07:43] Alyssa Slotkin: "I carried a weapon. But I actually, in my first tour in Iraq, bunked with a woman who was in charge of disguises..."
Senator Slotkin shares anecdotes from her time in the field, illustrating the blend of analytical and on-the-ground operations.
Colbert brings up the prevalent conspiracy theories surrounding the "deep state."
[09:06] Stephen Colbert: "As a former spy, is there a deep state? What do they mean by deep state?"
[09:26] Alyssa Slotkin: "This idea that there's some network of people that are running the world, it doesn't really match reality. These people are doing things to protect this country."
She debunks the notion of a deep state, emphasizing the dedication of intelligence and military personnel to national security.
[09:51] Stephen Colbert: "Eating ballpark franks."
[09:52] Alyssa Slotkin: "Well, eating their hot dogs or doing whatever."
She humanizes the intelligence community, portraying them as everyday Americans committed to safeguarding the nation.
The conversation shifts to the political climate and strategies within the Democratic Party.
[12:44] Stephen Colbert: "You say the Democrats out there have to get what you call Alpha Energy. What do you mean by Alpha energy?"
[12:50] Alyssa Slotkin: "It's about leadership... people who have a gut, who are bold, who are gonna put out an opinion and not try to mealy mouth it."
She describes "Alpha Energy" as a form of dynamic leadership, drawing parallels with sports culture in Michigan.
[13:30] Alyssa Slotkin: "Coach energy... How are we gonna get from the dark place we're in through the tunnel to the light."
Senator Slotkin advocates for proactive and assertive leadership to navigate the Democratic Party through challenging times.
Colbert addresses the recent gerrymandering efforts in Texas aimed at increasing GOP seats.
[15:13] Alyssa Slotkin: "Gerrymandering is literally redrawing lines so that you can pick your voters. It is ridiculous."
She shares her personal experience with gerrymandering during her initial campaign in Michigan.
[15:30] Alyssa Slotkin: "Michigan was so disgusted with this political way of drawing lines that we passed a constitutional amendment. We now have an independent state citizens commission that draws the lines every 10 years so that they're fair and competitive."
Senator Slotkin criticizes Texas Governor Greg Abbott's aggressive redrawing of congressional districts, equating it to bringing a knife to a gunfight and emphasizing the need for Democrats to respond in kind to protect fair representation.
[16:27] Alyssa Slotkin: "If he's gonna go nuclear, so am I."
The discussion moves to the United States' role in international conflicts, particularly focusing on the Gaza crisis.
[17:15] Stephen Colbert: "What should the United States responsibility and response be here?"
[17:20] Alyssa Slotkin: "The responsibility to get humanitarian aid in is not an open question. We know what that answer is."
She draws parallels between her experiences in Iraq and the current situation in Gaza, advocating for unwavering humanitarian assistance regardless of political tensions.
[18:15] Alyssa Slotkin: "A rabbi and a Muslim leader come to me and say, we want to do something together. We desperately, we will pay for all of it. We'll buy all the formula, baby formula and all the clean water. Please, can we just greenlight that aid?"
Senator Slotkin emphasizes the bipartisan and interfaith support for humanitarian efforts, underscoring it as an American, Jewish, and Muslim value.
Colbert probes into the ramifications of Israel's actions in Gaza and their perception globally.
[19:38] Stephen Colbert: "Do you think that Israel might be harming itself because you've got countries ready to call this a genocide?"
[19:40] Alyssa Slotkin: "The way that this is being carried out now, particularly some of the very right-wing, very open statements by people of the Netanyahu government, to me, is harming the long-term interests of the state of Israel."
She argues that Israel’s current strategies may be detrimental to its long-term goals, as international perceptions turn increasingly negative.
[20:24] Alyssa Slotkin: "We understand that you have to respond to an attack like October 7th, but the way that this is being carried out is not helping your long-term cause."
Senator Slotkin calls for balanced responses that protect national security while maintaining Israel’s positive standing in the international community.
As the conversation wraps up, Colbert thanks Senator Slotkin for her insights, reinforcing the depth and breadth of her expertise in both national security and political strategy.
[20:24] Stephen Colbert: "Well, Senator, thank you so much for being here."
[21:20] Alyssa Slotkin: "[...]"
The episode concludes with Colbert promoting The Late Show's various platforms and upcoming content.
Notable Quotes:
Alyssa Slotkin on 'Alpha Energy':
"It's about leadership... people who have a gut, who are bold, who are gonna put out an opinion and not try to mealy mouth it."
[12:50]
On Gerrymandering:
"Gerrymandering is literally redrawing lines so that you can pick your voters. It is ridiculous."
[15:13]
On Humanitarian Aid in Gaza:
"The responsibility to get humanitarian aid in is not an open question. We know what that answer is."
[17:20]
On Israel's Long-term Interests:
"The way that this is being carried out now... is harming the long-term interests of the state of Israel."
[19:40]
Conclusion
In this extended episode, Senator Alyssa Slotkin provides an in-depth look into her multifaceted career, from intelligence work to legislative responsibilities. She addresses pressing political issues such as gerrymandering, the need for dynamic leadership within the Democratic Party, and the United States' role in international humanitarian efforts. Senator Slotkin's insights offer listeners a comprehensive understanding of her perspectives on national security, political strategy, and foreign policy, making this episode a valuable listen for those interested in contemporary political discourse.