← The Megyn Kelly Show
The Megyn Kelly Show
Cuomo's Failed Zohran Strategy, Platner Oppo Dump, and KJP's Only Line, with Mark Halperin, Sean Spicer, and Dan Turrentine | Ep. 1177
01:43:32
Megyn Kelly is joined by Mark Halperin, host of "Next Up with Mark Halperin," and his Morning Meeting co-hosts Sean Spicer and Dan Turrentine, to discuss the state of the important NYC mayoral race, polls showing Zohran Mamdani on track for victory, why the race matters for the Democratic party and America, why Andrew Cuomo is such a terrible Mamdani alternative, Curtis Sliwa’s smart comments on the race, an anti-American terror sympathizer who Mamdani associates with, the state of the Virginia governor and AG race, the Jay Jones texting scandal and its implications, the controversies surrounding Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, his Nazi tattoo and attempts to explain what happened, more oppo research about him coming, Karine Jean-Pierre’s awful PR strategy for her new book, her non-stop focus touting her identity, Hunter Biden admitting the truth about why Kamala Harris was picked as VP, en Psaki and the "I've Had It" podcast ladies attacking Karoline Leavitt, the...
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A
Welcome to the Megyn Kelly show live on Sirius XM channel 111 every weekday at noon East. Hey everyone, I'm Megyn Kelly. Welcome to the Megyn Kelly Show. We've got a lot of big political news today, less than two weeks out from Election Day, where we will start to see what voters are thinking so far in the first year of Trump 2.0. In Virginia, the fallout from Democratic Attorney General candidate Jay Jones shocking texts endorsing murder of Republicans and their children continues to impact the race. That one's getting really interesting. Jones plummeting in the polls, but it's still close, which tells you something. And of course, in New York City, where Democratic socialist Zoran Mamdani retains a commanding lead over former Democrat turned independent candidate Andrew Cuomo. Polymarket now has Mamdani with a 94% chance of winning 94. Cuomo, Momdani and Republican Curtis Lewa, who is holding strong despite massive pressure for him to drop out. And by holding strong, I mean against the pressure, his numbers are not great. They're all back on the debate stage tonight. We're going to get into all of this. Mark Halperin is the host of Next up with Mark halpern on the MK Media Podcast Network. Go and subscribe right now on YouTube at next up Halperin and on all podcast platforms. Mark's also joining me on the Megyn Kelly Live tour this week. He'll be in Fort Worth on Saturday along with Glenn Beck and Link Lauren. Can't wait for that. So go and get your tickets now. Megan Kelly.com Three Texas stops this week let's get it on. It's gonna be fun. Joining Mark on the show today, his co hosts on Two ways, the morning meeting, Sean Spicer and Dan Turrentine. I want to tell you about Daily Look. Their mission is simple. Elevate your style. They work with top brands and emerging designers like Kate Spade, AG Good Girlfriend Collective and more. Sizes range from extra small to 3x and 0 to 24. Here's how it works. Fill out a style quiz with your preferences. Then receive up to 12 hand selected items at home. Keep what you love. Return the rest. Shipping's free. Both ways. Daily look is the highest rated premium personal styling service for women. You get a dedicated stylist, not an algorithm who curates each box based on your body shape, lifestyle and tastes. A great idea. It's the same stylist every time. Try on premium pieces at home and save time. Visit DailyLook.com, use code Megan for 50% off your first box. It's time to get your own personal stylist with Daily Look. Head to DailyLook.com to take your style quiz and use code Megan for 50% off your first order. Once again, that's DailyLook.com for 50% off. And make sure you use my promo Megan when you check out so they know that I sent you and you get your discount. Guys, welcome back. I'm looking forward to this debate tonight. I mean, I'm an expat from New York, so that makes sense to, you know, for, for me to be interested. Do you think the country is, is riveted by the Mamdani Cuomo battle? Like, what's your read on it? Mark, I'll start with you.
- [04:12]
B
I think a political class is riveted because a lot's at stake for defining the Democratic Party. Mondavi, I think if he wins, has the potential to be, as the Republicans would like him to be, the face of the Democratic Party. And it's really going to divide the Democrats. We still haven't seen Chuck Schumer or Hakeem Jeffries endorsed, although I think Jeffries is going to endorse Van Dami. And so most of the party will have bought into the notion that this should be the person who's mayor of New York City. And anyone who cares about the fight to define both parties, but particularly the Democrats, I think is pretty riveted by this.
- [04:47]
A
I mean, I've got my doubts, but I think you're right about that face of the party. Yeah, go ahead, Sean.
- [04:52]
C
Yeah, if you, if you just I found this out earlier today. If you actually watch that debate and then you're ever convicted of a crime, you get time served. Because I think this is a, the biggest waste of time tonight. Mondomi is the next mayor of New York City, unless and until. The only thing that might change that is if Sliwa were to not only endorse Cuomo, but to make a pact where he says, I am going to be part of a Cuomo administration and serve as Mark said the other day, you know, deputy mayor for cats or all species. Barring that Mondami is the mayor, he can go to Gracie Mansion tomorrow, measure the drapes. But this is debate tonight will have zero impact on anything unless Sliwa literally gets up there, rips the beret off, and says, I'm joining a potential Cuomo administration.
- [05:40]
A
Okay, I'm, I'm with you on the numbers as they're coming in. He's crushing it, Mom. Donnie is amazingly. I don't know why the Democrats couldn't do better than sex pest Andrew Cuomo as their next best representative. You know, I mean, why didn't you get a more qualified candidate to run in the primary and, and stop Andrew Cuomo from running? Why? I don't know. I guess they like, mom, dummy.
- [06:06]
C
I mean, because you can't. Right.
- [06:08]
D
I think people thought Cuomo was going to be a runaway train, that they would not want to take him on. I mean, go back to when this first started. Cuomo was at 50%. He had about a 30 point lead. Cuomo's reputation was one of being playing hardball, that if you got in his way, he would destroy you politically. And his record was pretty enviable in terms of head to head against other people. I think if you had said it was gonna be you, you know, candidate A, B, C or D against a socialist who's 33 years old, I think hands would have shot up all over New York City. And that's part of the problem. By the time they realized what had happened, it was too late. And I think, Megan, the big question tonight, I was really curious going into the first debate. I was surprised in the first debate that Sliwa attacked Cuomo more than he intact Mandani. Now tonight, what does he do? Because the more he attacked Cuomo and Mandani sat there smiling. I mean, it was almost like he was doing his dirty work for him and he could float above it.
- [07:12]
A
So I think he's going to keep doing it.
- [07:14]
D
Yeah.
- [07:14]
A
Here's what I think he's going to Keep doing it because he's pissed off at Andrew Cuomo and all of the Andrew Cuomo supporters who are leaning on him to save them all from Mamdani, which is not Curtis Lewis job. Curtis Lewa is running as a Republican. He's running a decent race for a Republican in New York. And he took off the beret. He went out there. He's. He's boned up on policy and he wants to be taken seriously. And he says there are down ballot races that will be hurt if he drops out. You know, Republicans running on the ticket and everyone's looking at him like he's the problem as opposed to yourselves for letting this sex pest, granny killer Andrew Cuomo be your only other hope beside the guy who loves the 911 terrorists, which we'll get to in a second. All right. We are definitely getting into Zoran Momdani and where they should go in this debate. But before we do, the. The level of pressure on Curtis to drop out is, like, intense. It was on the COVID of the New York Post yesterday, and the Post said, we know we're going to take a beating from our audience, which is more right leaning, but Curtis has no chance. And you got to choose the lesser of two evils, and that's Cuomo. Then Curtis went on Sid Rosenberg show, the local New York radio show, very popular. A very popular host and channel. And the owner of it, John Casamides, who started Gristedi's grocery Stores, just said yesterday or the day before that he wants Curtis to drop out. And again, I don't. This is not because he doesn't love Curtis, but. But here's what just happened on Sid's show where Curtis appeared as a guest.
- [08:55]
B
Selfish. Are you out of your mind? Well, that's not me.
- [08:59]
C
I haven't said that.
- [08:59]
B
Well said. You're part of, quote, the family there.
- [09:04]
A
Correct?
- [09:06]
B
Is that correct?
- [09:07]
C
Am I part of that? I'm just asking you.
- [09:09]
B
No, you individually know, but that's why.
- [09:13]
D
You will never see me ever in.
- [09:15]
B
The studios of WABC again.
- [09:19]
D
Never.
- [09:20]
B
No matter how this election turns out.
- [09:24]
A
Wow. And that's saying something because he, he does have his own radio show at that channel, which has been suspended while he's been running. But Mark, your thoughts on it.
- [09:32]
C
The pressure on, on him, on, on Curtis.
- [09:36]
B
I'm kind of an amateur psychologist when it comes to Curtis because I've been studying him for a long time. He's having the time of his life. I know he's expressing anger. There's. But he's, you know, he's on Fox News three times a day now. He's, he's, he's getting a lot of attention from, from people, rich people and supporters of folks. And even the White House is focused on him. So for Curtis, I think he's just, he's having fun regardless of any other motivation he might have to stay in the race. And then, and then the other issue for him is does he really want something? You know, you know, Sean mentioned the job in the Cuomo administration. It's not clear to me from talking to people who've talked to Curtis that he wants, that he wants a job in the Cuomo administration. So they're trying to appeal to his sense of if you, if you, if Cuomo loses and, and the gap, the delta between Cuomo and Mondavi is your vote total, you will go down in history as having elected a socialist. And I think for Curtis, it's like, yeah, whatever. That's not why I'm doing this. I'm going to win.
- [10:34]
A
You know, here's, here's where I stand on it. I can't stand Andrew Cuomo. I literally cannot imagine ever pulling the lever for him. Not only did he help kill 15,000 elderly people with his terrible Covid management problems, and it's not innocent. It's not like Covid. It was a virus. We didn't know. No, we knew that the elderly were the most frail and fragile. And he said, put the positive patients into the New York nursing homes and the nurses who do all the yeoman's work inside of these homes said, are you effing kidding me? No. You're going to kill off a bunch of seniors? And he said, do it. He overruled them. They were on the record as having warned him. He overruled them. And then when all of these elderly New Yorkers died before they had to, he lied. He lied about the number of deaths. He was too busy in his vanity projects like his book, which was also written on taxpayer dimensions. He's a disgusting, dishonest, disreputable person. I could not vote for him. But we have a terror loving candidate who's about to win. So this is an impossible, this is my opinion, impossible situation for New Yorkers. But I also, Sean, object to what's being done to Curtis, who I'm sure he is enjoying the attention, but as far as I can tell is running an honest race. Didn't kill off a bunch of grannies, didn't make a sex pest out of himself, doesn't embrace people who praised 911 and call them pillars of the community like we just found out about Mamdani. And yet you got it from all sides. Coming on, Curtis. And enter Bill Ackman, who tweeted this out today. I spoke to someone who knows Curtis Lewin, and now I understand why he's staying in the race. The City has an 8 to 1 matching program for New York City donors. SLIWA got $5 million of matching funds from the city for his campaign. According to my source, Sliwa's wife, friends and others are on the campaign payroll and he and they are enjoying living off the city taxpayers who are funding his race slash lifestyle. He doesn't want to end his campaign and have to return the funds. Follow the money. When I asked why his. Why he doesn't care about New York City, my source said he doesn't give a shit. Clearly this is hearsay, but my source is extremely credible and a highly respected person and he knows Lee well. Well, Curtis, please correct the record if I got anything wrong. What personal or other related expenses is your campaign paying for? Is your wife and or other family or friends on the campaign payroll or are they receiving any funding? Please clarify the record. I mean, it's getting rather desperate. Sean.
- [13:21]
C
Yeah, look, I agree with you. I'm a Republican. But you are actually the exact test case why I laid out the scenario that I did. In order for someone like me or someone like. It sounds like you to vote for a Democrat of the ilk of Andrew Cuomo. It would take literally someone like Sli was saying, I am dropping out and I'm going to be part of this effort. So you can have a clean conscience that when you're voting for Cuomo, you're actually kind of also voting for me because. Because I have agreed to be part of the administration in some way. And to Mark's point, I don't know that he wants a job. But I think the bigger question is, does he want to stop Mondami more than anything else? And that's the question. Where are those priorities? He has every right to run. He's a Republican.
- [14:03]
A
He.
- [14:03]
C
But. But the math is such that if you look at Donald Trump got 735,000 votes out of men out of the boroughs when he ran for president. Curtis Lewa got 300,000 last time that he ran. Right. He's underperforming even the Republican base. That's a problem for him right now. And, and look, I get it. He has every right to stay in the race. It's not his fault that Democrats nominated A guy like Mondami, it's not his problem to solve. The question is, does he care more about stopping Mondami or continuing this race? And to Bill Ackman's point, I would just say this. There are plenty of creative campaign finance ways that if he really needed the money or wanted to pay off a bunch of people, he could front load a ton of expenses. I mean, there's a way to get around all that creatively, if that were actually the motive. And I don't think that that's the case, because you could find a way to spend a lot of it and back channel it to yourself after the fact. Not that I'm condoning that, but I'm just saying that. That there is plenty of creative ways that I've seen over 30 years in politics to take care of that problem. So.
- [15:06]
A
Well, that's actually what we're like, what, two weeks from election day? It's like, this would be the point at which you'd get off that horse, right?
- [15:14]
C
You just buy yourself a bunch of, like, uber black credits and then you ride the ubers around.
- [15:18]
A
Why doesn't Bill Ackman cut him a check? He's got more money than God. He could send him one check and then put an end to that. If that were really the problem, if.
- [15:24]
C
That were the motive. I don't think that's the motive.
- [15:26]
A
Let me just play this one sound bite and tell me what you guys think of it. Because it went everywhere Sliwa went on the Nate Friedman show. I thought it was very powerful. Here's what he said, okay?
- [15:38]
C
If mom Donnie wins, that you, so to speak, contributed to that. Well, number one, Ackman is a jerk. Has he been right yet? Here's a guy who goes up to Newport, Rhode island, and thinks he's a professional tennis player.
- [15:52]
B
Come on, Ackman, stay in your lane. Does he know anything about politics? No.
- [15:57]
C
Does he live in New York City?
- [15:59]
A
No.
- [15:59]
C
He lives in Tropica, the whitest suburb of America, where even the lawn jockeys are white.
- [16:04]
B
He may know Wall Street. He may know hedge funds. He has been wrong every step of the way with the billionaires. So let's say people come to the conclusion, if somehow I lose and we know Andrew Cuomo's lost, he's already tossed into town. Oh, it's because of you, Curtis. Because really, it's because of the Democrats.
- [16:24]
A
Wait a second. Who created Johan Mondami? Who embraced him?
- [16:29]
C
Who nourished him?
- [16:29]
A
Who supported him?
- [16:31]
C
And how dare you?
- [16:32]
B
People who know nothing about politics. Suggest that everybody who's going to vote for me is suddenly going to be reborn. We love Andrew Cuomo.
- [16:43]
C
He killed all these elderly. He's a sexual harassment. He told conservatives and Republicans in 2014.
- [16:50]
B
If you're a conservative and you believe in right to life and the second Amendment, you have no place in New York.
- [16:57]
C
You need to leave. This is the result of the Democrat self destruction.
- [17:03]
B
So I'm supposed to help them? How come they don't help themselves? I represent a major party line. I have people running under me, council people, judges. They put their heart and soul into it.
- [17:15]
A
They support me.
- [17:16]
C
I have more donations than Andrew Cuomo does matching funds. So you know something? This is called voting. Since when do we not let people vote? Billionaires determine the next mayor. If they don't like it, they can leave. They have options.
- [17:34]
B
Blue collar, working class people don't. Those are the people I'm representing, not Andrew Cuomo.
- [17:39]
A
He's devastating. He's very good. Come on. That's quite amazing, is it not, Dan?
- [17:46]
D
Oh, absolutely. And Megan, I don't know if you watched the debate, but he was very, very good. I mean, if you didn't.
- [17:53]
A
The Apprentice, what do you say? The author and the Apprentice or the Architect and the Apprentice.
- [17:58]
D
Yeah, I mean, it was beautiful. And conversely, to his point, Andrew Cuomo looked old and stilted and rambled on and on. And so I'm sure it is just grating at Sliwa to say he's got energy, he's got more of his party behind him and that Cuomo is kind of in this mushy area where he's just like, he's not Mandani. So we all need to rally to him. So look, I think just like Democrats ran RFK out, if you are gonna get Sliwa out, I think trying to insult him about payroll and family not the way to do it. Open your arms like Trump did to rfk. Embrace him, bring him in, give him, treat him with respect and dignity. That's probably your best bet.
- [18:43]
A
It was very clever of him, Mark, to in that soundbite, not focus necessarily on all the things about Cuomo that we know, but to speak to the things that do bother Republicans about him, like that comment about the Second Amendment and abortion rights. And you don't belong in New York if you disagree with me on that. That's. That's what makes a lot of people on the right say, over my dead body. Am I voting for anyone named Cuomo in particular? This one, he's not exactly Fredo, but He's no Mario.
- [19:14]
B
Yeah. Well, this is, this is why we're seven steps away from the race being competitive. Because it's not just about getting Curtis Levi out. It's about then trying to figure out how do you use Donald Trump, for instance? Last minute robocalls would probably be more effective to Republicans than any public statement. But Eric Trump yesterday. Donald Trump yesterday. They continue to talk about the race. One of the fascinating things about Curtis, I think, is he's speaking the language of the populist. Right. He's talking as a Republican about not letting billionaires decide the race. And what's interesting about the kind of connection between, to me between Sliwa and Mamdani is they're both anti billionaire. Right. They're both anti establishment.
- [19:58]
A
Yeah.
- [19:58]
B
They're both saying don't let the machine, business as usual, carry the day. And that's one reason, even if the country isn't riveted by this, there's a lot to learn here about the mood of the nation. Even though it's New York and New York's different than every place else. It is an experiment to say these two guys are really striking a chord, whereas Cuomo has not. Because they're talking like Donald Trump. Against, against influence of special interests. Against, against the status quo. For change, not business as usual.
- [20:26]
A
Sean Spicer I have to say, for me, it's boiling down to. And I don't get a vote anymore. I left New York, but I was a New York city resident for 17 years recently, so I feel connected to the city and we don't live that far from it. So, you know, we go into New York all the time. But for me, this is boiling down to whether. Forget, forget the fact that Zora Mamdani is a socialist. Okay, that's, that's a big thing to forget. But let's forget that for a second. It's like between this guy Cuomo, who is a terrible man, who hates Republicans, who thinks people like you and me should leave the state because of our good faith held beliefs, who killed off a bunch of grandparents without even acknowledging who lied. The sex pest thing, yes, that's out there too. And choosing someone who I actually believe doesn't give a shit that we were attacked by Muslim terrorists on 9 11. I actually think this big debate unfolded on Piers Morgan between a young conservative woman and a young liberal guy. They're both pundits about this guy's belief that Charlie Kirk was a bigot. Why do you think he was a bigot? She got in his face oh, because he said he should just put on the hood. Well, why did you say he should just put on the hood? Oh, because he said something about Zoram Hamdani and we shouldn't have this, like, Muslim as a. As a ruler, as a governor or a mayor in New York. Charlie was right about that. This guy scares me. And it's not just because he happens to be Muslim. It's because all the facts that have come out about this guy. And I don't think. I don't. I. I'm just going to be honest. Islam is not consistent with our Western lifestyle or values. And I am not in favor of all of these hard Muslim representatives taking over as mayors in our cities. I'm not. It's one thing if you're a Muslim who wants to assimilate, you want to become much more like an American citizen. It's quite another if you have traditional Muslim views which see women as subjugated, which don't believe in free speech, which do believe in merging the state and religion. And by the way, the religion is not a great one. Sorry. And that's Zoram Mamdani. That's what Charlie suspected and that's what the evidence is proving as we now learn, that this guy Mamdani went arm in arm, all smiles with a man who absolutely loved what happened to us in New York on 9 11. His name is Siraj Wahaj. And while he's been described by some. He's an imam at a big mosque in New York. While he's been described as some by. As an unindicted 1993 World Trade center bombing, the one that happened before 911 co conspirator. That's not exactly true. He was never actually about to be indicted, says Andy McCarthy, who actually tried that case against the blind sheikh. But he was all in favor of it. He was totally in favor of it. And not just that, but this guy has gone on. And I'm just going to give the audience a little. A little listen to Imam Suraj Wahaj, who is endorsed Mamdani and who Mamdani is calling a pillar of the community. Sat 17. You don't get into politics because it's the American thing to do, because politics can be a weapon. You do it because politics can be a weapon to use in the cause of Islam.
- [24:02]
B
It is an honor to die in jihad.
- [24:05]
A
Honor to die in jihad.
- [24:06]
D
You want to defend this country.
- [24:08]
A
You know what this country is? It's a garbage can.
- [24:14]
C
It's filthy.
- [24:16]
B
Filthy and sick.
- [24:18]
A
Every day they would go to school.
- [24:21]
D
And they put American flag in front.
- [24:23]
B
Of these little baby Muslim babies.
- [24:26]
A
I pledge allegiance to the flag of.
- [24:28]
B
The United States of America, to the.
- [24:30]
A
Republic for which it stands. You tell me, Sean Spicer, whether we need to be deeply concerned about Zoram Mamdani.
- [24:41]
C
Oh, you do. And you're going to have another. He's going to have a buddy in Minneapolis soon, too, that will be elected Omar Fateh. Here's the thing that I don't get, Megan. Like, this didn't just happen. Like, they didn't get randomly pulled from a jar. Like it was the lottery at night. They went through a process. New York City had a primary where they chose him. But think about the options they were given. The current corrupt mayor, Adams Cuomo with.
- [25:09]
A
But wait, all of the issues. I want to talk about that. But I. I want. Can you address my point on the substance? Yeah, because you went back to the right.
- [25:17]
C
I mean, but this is my point, though. None of this is a surprise. People chose that. His associations, that he doesn't hide it. He's not out there saying, I don't know this guy. He's embracing him. Like, there's a difference. A lot of politicians would say, I don't even know this guy. I only met him once. That was just a photo. Mandami said, yeah, I know the guy. He's great.
- [25:35]
A
He tweeted it out. It's mom dummies. It's office tweeted it.
- [25:40]
B
It's confidence or it's insanity. I just can't imagine that close to early voting beginning him openly doing this. It's bizarre.
- [25:48]
C
That's what I'm saying. This isn't a guy that's hiding the associations or these views. I mean, he's also a guy that said that he has no problem taxing the white people. Right. If this was any other scenario, you'd say that's blatant racism. But people are like, okay, what else does he want? What else does he believe? I cannot believe, with all of the things that this guy has said, all of the people that he's associated with, all of the crazy background, that there's no outrage what is going on, that this is sort of where the greatest city on earth is about to turn to. To lead it going forward.
- [26:24]
A
I don't think people know. I don't think people do know this. I really. I didn't know this. And I've been following this race. I did not know about the terror connection. And it's real. This, uh, here's McCarthy who's been very honest about it. He's the one who came out to say, not an unidented coconspirator, but not a good person. He says the New York Post is fair in describing Wahaj as a terror apologist. That's in quotes. In fact, says Andy, he testified as a defense witness at the criminal trial of the Blind Sheik. He. He showed up to back the guy who tried to bomb the World Trade Center. The. The first time that. Now you've got Mom Donnie out there calling him, literally calling him a pillar of the community. As I point out, Mom Donnie is the one who tweeted out the photo of the. That we're looking at now of the two of them arm in arm. He has, according to the New York Post, in. He's urged jihad on New York City, on the Big Apple. Not mom, dummy, but his BFF here. This big. This Imam Siraj Wahaj Mamdani tweets out today. This is just like a week ago today at Masjid Al Taqwa, I had the pleasure of meeting with Imam Siraj Wahaj, one of the nation's foremost Muslim leaders and a pillar of the Bed Stuy community for nearly half a century.
- [27:50]
C
Then attacked Cuomo for not going to a mosque. Like, somehow that's the new threshold that you have to.
- [27:56]
A
Well, that's another campaign. Cuomo blew that, too.
- [28:00]
C
But my point is, is that he's doubling down on all this stuff. This is not a guy that's walking away from it distancing himself. He's doubling down over and over again on this.
- [28:10]
D
Well, and that's the interesting thing. There was a point this summer when Mandani was quietly meeting with Jewish leaders and business leaders, people that he had had trouble with and kind of gone after a little bit in the primary to kind of try to make amends, to build bridges. But there have been a series of things that have come up where recently and in that debate. And it's another instance where he's not apologizing, he's not backing away. And I think, you know, personally, I don't have a problem with the fact that he is a Muslim. I do have a problem when there are some people within his religion and within the New York City community who have said things that are pretty abhorrent and taken, you know, those positions to not condemn it. I mean, it is troubling. And I do wonder, it is late, if this won't start to percolate around New York City more.
- [28:59]
C
Oh, it's too late.
- [29:00]
A
Here's some More about Wahaj. He heads the Muslim alliance in North America. He in a sermon in the early 2000s. By the way, his real name is Jeffrey Kearse, born and raised in Brooklyn. Okay, Jeffrey. He called for an army of 10,000 men to wage what he insisted was a gun free jihad on New York City. I pray one day Allah will bless us to raise us an army. And I'm serious about this. He said, don't pick up a gun. No, just march. March to the city of New York. 800,000 Muslims in New York City. Can you imagine if 800,000 Muslims decide to march every day? And it goes on and on? Okay, he says this, the LGBTQ community is a disease of this society. And goes on to say, as you know, brothers and sisters, you know what the punishment is if a man is found with another man. The Prophet Muhammad said, the one who does it and the one to whom it is done to kill them both. He discouraged his followers from open violence against LGBTQ community, but instead insisted that they should be invited to join Islam and make them feel uncomfortable. Great. This is great. I hope my progressive leftist friends on the Upper west side and Upper east side are listening to this. This is his plan, his BFFs plan for the LGBTQ community that they they need to be invited to join Islam and be uncomfortable. And here's the last two. Last point. He also made headlines. This is again from the New York Post. Made headlines in 2018 when three of his children were arrested for keeping 11 children in third world conditions in a compound made of garbage in the New Mexico desert. His three kids were there, including his son who has his same name. And his son was training a 13 year old, along with the 13 year old's teen brother to fight against non believers through techniques including rapid reloads and hand to hand combat. Wahaj insisted that he was the one who called the police on his sick son and two daughters, leading to their arrest. How bad were their crimes? They were sentenced to life in prison last year. I'm just going to go out there on a limb and say, if my three children wind up committing themselves to the jihad and weapons training and they're living in a compound made of garbage in the desert, it's kind of on me. Maybe I'm old fashioned. Mark Halperin.
- [31:41]
B
Very old fashioned. I'll tell you, the other dog that is not barking here and it's just such an outrage. The New York Times. You imagine how the New York Times would cover a Republican candidate who's associated with people with those views on LGBTQ. They cover Mondami like he's. He's Barack Obama 2008. Beautiful, smile, inspirational. Using New Gandhi, using new media in creative ways. All true, but they're silent in on all these issues. The New York Post has covered them extensively. But the New York Times coverage of the streets, the media generally, there's been no scrutiny of the guy. On all these things that you're raising here. New Yorkers don't know because they're not being covered.
- [32:21]
A
The. There's one more. Wahaj. This is. This imam is a mentor of Brooklyn based Muslim activist Linda Sarsour. According to this intelligence report that the. The Post got his hands on, Sar Sensor has called Mamdani or. No, no, not Mamdani. Wahaj. My favorite person in the room. She is the same person who, in reference to Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Brigitte Gabriel, both of whom are amazing women, said she's asking for an ass whooping. I wish I could take their vaginas away. They don't deserve to be women. That's. That's who loves the same imam. That's who's probably going to be showing up to the Mamdani swearing in ceremony if in fact you are right that he should measure the drapes because it's his. It's so disturbing. There's one more sound, but it. That I wanted to play. Hold on a second. It is. Do we have it? Oh, it's Mamdami's staffer, Robert Ackley talking to Steven Crowder, operative undercover, about the NYPD and how they feel about cops. SOT19. Let's see what they think.
- [33:43]
C
You're a city employee, tell you, get told what to do.
- [33:46]
A
Shut up. When did you get an opinion? It started with who gives a shit what they think? I'm sorry. I guess these aren't going to be issues like why not? Like, truly, why not? What's happened to the Democrat Party? What's happened to New Yorkers?
- [34:02]
C
Well, look, you got to remember that Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer still haven't endorsed the guy, right? And as I said, he's going to be the next mayor. And it says something when even those guys distance themselves. But to Mark's point, if a Republican had a donor that had said crazy stuff like this, they would be going nuts. Are you giving the money back? How much atonement must you do to prove that you didn't know this? And here we are over and over again with things and people and comments that Mondami has associated with, praised, etc. And nothing, not a peep. No mainstream media, outrage, investigations, etc. The New York Times Magazine this Sunday morning was a glowing multi page profile on how this guy is the coming of the next political Jesus. It was unbelievable. And they just ignore it. Ignore it.
- [34:54]
D
Well, and this is the problem is, you know those comments about policing, his comments about taxes, when the city's having a problem with him going to Florida and other places. Megan, you know this area well. The Democrats, in order to win the House of Representatives back, are trying to pick up those seats out on Long island up the Hudson river that are more kind of swing districts. This stuff is poison in those areas. I mean, forget the Senate race in North Carolina, Ohio, you know, places you wouldn't even begin to talk about socialism as the pillar of your party. It's toxic just a few miles across both rivers in this area. And yet there's no one in the party on a national level pushing back. There's either silence or kind of, you know, holding their nose and saying they're with them.
- [35:38]
B
Sean mentioned the glowing New York Times piece. I have to read you the Washington Post headline. It's my favorite. And again, very reminiscent of the coverage of Obama 2008. Hazaran Mondami is charming. A famously hard nosed city. Nothing. Nothing about, nothing about terrorism in there.
- [35:54]
A
No. Where's the profile of his bff?
- [35:57]
B
Yes, the smiling socialist promise of a more affordable New York City has vaulted him to the top of mayoral polls. Smiling.
- [36:05]
A
I am genuinely scared. I'm genuinely scared for our city. I mean, if Curtis drops out and it's truly just between Cuomo and Mamdani and I'm living in New York, I would vote for Cuomo. I threw up in my mouth. I would. As between these two, I think, I don't know. I prefer somebody who wants somebody who hates me versus someone who likes to associate with people who want to potentially kill me. That's kind of where I am. Thanks a lot.
- [36:36]
B
Doesn't fit in a bumper sticker, but it's pretty good.
- [36:40]
A
I just like, I don't, I can't even. I don't understand this. I don't know my city.
- [36:45]
C
I only saw clips in the first debate and which is why again, if you watch tonight's, you get time served for any crime that you commit in the future. And Cuomo went into that thing like a, like a little lamb. He was just like the assemblyman. I'm like, you elevated him, you treated him with respect.
- [37:01]
A
Ozempic kills your Testosterone, as it turns out.
- [37:05]
C
What's that?
- [37:07]
A
I said Ozempic kills your testosterone. It's just my opinion, but he's awfully thin versus where he was before.
- [37:14]
C
I thought it was pathetic. I actually thought his performance, any attempt to score political points on him, were horribly missing the target. It was.
- [37:24]
A
I think he was totally ineffective.
- [37:25]
C
That's why I'm telling you, it's over. Sorry.
- [37:28]
A
I mean, he. Somebody has to do something tonight that is a game changer. Somebody not named Zoram Mamdani. And this is it. This is their last chance.
- [37:36]
B
Including the moderators.
- [37:38]
A
Yeah.
- [37:38]
D
Who didn't really press Mandani in that. In that first debate. I mean, he contradicted himself on some of those answers about policing and about taxing. But to your point, Cuomo was a mess. If you had said there's three candidates up there, one with a ton of experience, one who's a newcomer, and one who's been around, you know, kind of for a few years, on the periphery, you would have thought Cuomo was the newcomer because he was so rambling and just kind of rigid. And you'd have thought Mandani had been in politics for 30 years. He was confident, cool, calm, had package responses, quick on his feet. It's tough.
- [38:15]
A
That's. That's how they get you to buy the snake oil, that the product is no good. The salesman has to be smooth. You know, it's. And there are guys like that, and he absolutely is one of them. Okay, let's keep going, because the Virginia race is actually very interesting, too, and that one's heating up. Unfortunately, not. Not as much heat at the top level for the actual governor's house, the state House. But that attorney general race was shifted. It was turned pretty massively by those vile texts that came out from Jay Jones, who is the Democratic candidate for Attorney General in Virginia, who would love to see Republicans and their children killed. And though he's really sorry for saying it repeatedly in writing and via phone call many times, but he's sorry. So the race has tightened considerably to the point where I think he's probably going to lose that race. Now, I realize Spanberger could help get him over the top because she's still pulling over winsome Sears. But I want to know what you guys think. The latest numbers are as follows. In the AG race in Virginia, uh, back in July, Jones was up 9. Last month, he was up 6. Then the scandal broke of the texts, and now his GOP opponent, Mierez, leads up three. So, I mean, that's a that's a 12 point swing since July, a nine point swing from September, but it's still within the margin of error. So what do you guys think is going to happen with that Virginia AG race and then we'll talk about the top of the ticket.
- [39:48]
C
Well, I'll jump in as the voter in the Commonwealth of Virginia here. Look, Jason Meares is doing a great job, he's raising enough money. But importantly, you pointed out, right, that the tide is with him and in the final 12 days of a campaign, you want to be swimming with the tide, not against it. Miarez is in great position right now. He has not taken his foot off the gas pedal when it comes to highlighting not just what Jay Jones said about former Speaker Todd Gilbert, but what he would do to Todd's wife and their children. That's where I think you're getting a lot of this really resonating is it's not just I wanted to kill Todd Gilbert and use two bullets to do it. It's I actually wanted Todd's wife to see his dead child lie in her arms. And that's despicable to an all new level that you really can't explain away. And you talk about people in the 5th and 9th district like that's just a nonstarter. Jay Jones is going to have a very tough time to begin with in a lot of the state where he needed to do well, especially in Northern Virginia, and that's just going to take him down. I think Miaris wins that race by about five points. You move to the middle where you've got the lieutenant governor's race. Polling now has that as a dead even race. I believe this is your generic ballot race in Virginia, John Reed versus Gazala Hashmi. And neither one of them have a ton of money. Gazala is now up in D.C. television giving her some, you know, a helpful bump in the Northern Virginia area where she needs to run up the score. But she hasn't denounced J. Jones either. Neither one of them have the ad money to really go toe to toe with each other. So this is where the top of the ticket will probably decide if Winsome Sears can beat Abigail Spanberger. John Reed, the lieutenant governor comes over the top. I think that those races are probably linked together. Winsome, to her credit, has gotten the race within the margin of error. So, you know, some have her down dead even. Some have her down two, some have her down a little bit more. But it's right there. And the question is, can her ground game put her over the top Abigail Spanberger had a really bad debate the other night where she just stood silent.
- [41:50]
A
Oh, worst. Oh.
- [41:51]
C
And I think she really, again, a missed opportunity there. Winsome just has to get the final funding. The RGA, the Republican Governor association, came in with another $3 million. Winsome says that she's doing really well now with fundraising. So the question is, can you get enough in there? Now, one big difference between New York and Virginia, to my dismay, is that in Virginia, we have way too early voting. We had about 355,000 people that voted before the J. Jones scandal broke. And the question is, where were those votes coming from? Still a little unclear where the early vote is ended up, but that's the biggest problem, because in Virginia, we don't vote by registrate, by party registration.
- [42:30]
A
Well, you raised an interesting point there that I hadn't considered. Mark and Dan, you guys can weigh in if you want, which is. I never considered, like, an upward draft, you know, that, like, maybe these Republicans who are like, I'm getting off of the couch. I've never voted in an attorney general race before in my life, but that is my reason for going down to these polls and voting Republican today, to make sure Jay Jones does not get this job. And while I'm here, let me just fill in the circle for Winsome Sears. Is that a thing? Have we seen upward drafts before?
- [43:04]
B
Most political professionals laugh when the notion of reverse coattails are mentioned, but I think this may be a special case. Because the Jones thing has gotten so much coverage and because there's so little money for advertising, the media coverage plays a bigger role, like in a presidential race. And I think that the failure of the Democrats to denounce Jones, to say that he shouldn't be the nominee has really had an impact on. On the news environment. And Republicans have done a very good job of mobilizing off it. So I think if Spanberger wins by more than six, I think. I think she'll save the bottom of the ticket. But if it's close, including AG Yeah. If by six or more, I think probably the Democrats sweep.
- [43:46]
A
But.
- [43:46]
B
But if it's. If it's less than that, then I think. I think Jones will lose the turn. A little secret is Jones has a horrible relationship with most of the Democratic Party in his state. They're all inexplicably standing by him. I still don't quite understand why, but there's not a lot of support for him personally, and I think that's having an impact on the organizers, that the grassroots part of the establishment. So the Democrats are doing their best to hang on that Pete Buttigieg went in, Obama's going in, they're going to try to rally their voters. But as Sean said, the momentum is in one direction and the Jones thing has really stayed resonant in the news coverage.
- [44:21]
A
So is going to be too down winsome. Sears is going to be on this program tomorrow. Just want to let everybody know that. So we'll get to talk to her about some of this ourselves. Go ahead. Yeah, Sean.
- [44:31]
C
And then, Dan, the pollsters that I've talked to are basically have said to me, people who get information from the legacy media, particularly older voters, this has had a tremendous impact. But people at the lower end, where they're cut the cord, they use influencers or get their information from social media, have not been as moved. And that's where the ticket's going to struggle right now. Can they reach out beyond legacy media to get that message out using digital strategies, influencers, etc. That's critical for these guys. For Sears, Winsome. For John Reed and Jason Villares, they've got to really use tactics that probably their consultants don't get paid as much by doing if they go in that direction. But the other thing that's really fascinating, and I know at least it's in the mind of some Virginians here, is back when Governor Ralph Northam was caught either in blackface or a KKK outfit, we can't remember which one. Every one of those people, Senator Tim Kaine, Abigail spand than a member of Congress, all said he should resign as the current incumbent governor in Virginia. And yet when Jay Jones talks about assassinating a political opponent and wishing that his child was dead in his mother's arms, they say that's up to him to decide. So you'll call one guy out, not another? I think there's a couple through lines there that I can explore.
- [45:45]
A
Not for nothing, but it was children, multiple children belonging to the House speaker who he wanted, wanted to see dead in their mother's arms. On that front about Abigail Spamberger, she's just like, it's not my problem. You know, it's like it's the ag. Listen to her on Katie Couric's podcast. You guys may have seen this online yesterday on this whole topic. She doesn't like to be talking about this. So too, if I'm being very honest, we are three weeks away from an election in Virginia. I have worked tirelessly for two years running for this office. I announced in November 2023 the fact that I, and I say this with all due respect because, you know, I think it's a fair thing for you to ask about. The fact that I have to spend even a moment's time talking about somebody else's text messages from years ago rather than what I want to do as governor, is something that I am deeply unhappy about. What we, the collective we would have done, you know, had this information come to light much earlier. I will say this. I would be much, much happier as a candidate if I could just talk about all of the things that I am for. Oh, she doesn't like to be asked about the scandals of her fellow Democrat whom she endorsed. Boo fucking who.
- [47:13]
D
I think that will be in the textbooks of how not to answer a question like that. I mean, she seemed indignant, like, how could you. This is a real nuisance. Instead of taking it as an opportunity to show leadership, to say, and pass the common sense test, which is. It's obviously crazy and disqualifying. Look, the reason she's not gonna say that is the black vote is very important to the Democratic Party. And there's a reason so many Democrats are White House.
- [47:39]
A
I didn't even know Jay Jones was black, by the way. I didn't even know he was. Even when I saw him, he did not look black to me. He has to go the Karine Jean Pierre route and just tell everybody I'm black at the beginning of his debates and his interviews. If he really wants that to get out there. Keep going, Dan.
- [47:54]
D
Well, and so one of the issues for Democrats, and this is true in New Jersey and true in Virginia, there's worries about enthusiasm, I think, all throughout this campaign. The thought of Democrats is because of Doge. We're not gonna have any problem turning out Northern Virginia. We're not gonna have any problem turning out Democrats. Well, you've begun to see some evidence that Democrats are kind of not really motivated. Spanberger has not run a great campaign. Amazing. Just this summer, people around her were talking about her running for president immediately after getting elected. I think that is now, you know, briefly on hold, but I think, yeah, I mean, part of this is now is how much has this. Between the Charlie Kirk assassination between this. Are Republicans going to be fired up and turn out and how can Democrats get over the finish line and not potentially, you know, kind of blow this away?
- [48:50]
C
By the way, can I say one thing that we don't. That's. That's not really come at the forefront of this. Why she reacted the way she did. Obviously, she doesn't want to talk about it. Even though she endorsed the guy. But it's their view of the media, right? Hey, Katie.
- [49:03]
D
Kirk.
- [49:03]
C
How dare you ask me a tough question. This is supposed to be a softball. This is what I expect from you guys, right? That's their view. You're not supposed to ask me a tough question. I'm not supposed to be challenged. I get softball questions. How dare you question me like this?
- [49:18]
B
It was listed as a home game on her schedule.
- [49:21]
A
Yes, exactly right.
- [49:22]
C
Practice.
- [49:23]
A
So then. So here they bring up the other big issue in the race. Kirk does. And they both have the same exact attitude about it. And that is the trans issue with all these so called trans girls, which is a boy going into girls locker rooms and bathrooms, which is a very real issue, especially in Loudoun county, which is a beautiful place to live. When I lived in Virginia, I lived there for a couple of years. Your goal was to live in Loudoun County. It was so pretty and it was sort of bucolic and look kind of country, kind of rural. To think that these people now have to be persuaded that this lunatic shouldn't be elected spanberger because she wants boys in girls rooms. Like, how is that not an immediate deal breaker? That ends it. Meanwhile, instead, they're ground zero on. On this issue. And here's Couric asking Spamberger about it. It's love. It's so three. I have a feeling you might feel the same way, that this is a distraction from your goals as governor. But. But a big topic both in the recent presidential race and now in the gubernatorial race in Virginia has been transgender rights. I'm just curious why you think this has become such an animating issue in this race. And I think the real challenge is there's a lot of people who've never met a trans person, whether they're. And so there's a real effort to engage in some level of fear mongering and talking to my daughters, trying to gauge, you know, their opinions of things. And you know, they, they somewhat. One of them somewhat comically said, like, nobody likes to use the bathroom at school anyway. It's so messy and, you know, everybody's loud, etc. Yeah. And it seems like it really has played an outsized role. Oh my God. Campaigns when. When it really affects very few people. You out of touch millionaire. You know what I was going to say? Fear mongering. Listen to them. Oh, it's just a question about messy bathrooms. A girl was raped in a Loudoun county school bathroom, which then was lied about and her dad was arrested for making a big deal out of it. It was a national scandal. Is that going to to work? Why don't more people care? We got 25 seconds to break. Who wants to take it?
- [51:45]
D
I'll just say as a Democrat, what's really, really depressing about this is that was the same attitude we had about immigration four years ago. It's a made up issue and it's not real. And here we are again trying to just, you know, wash it away instead of confronting the opportunity.
- [52:00]
A
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- [53:20]
D
Many evangelical churches absolutely destroyed.
- [53:23]
B
This is good versus evil. A A Faith Under Siege the explosive new documentary about Russia's war on Christianity.
- [53:31]
C
The soldiers came to church. They stopped worship service.
- [53:35]
A
They arrested me.
- [53:36]
D
They churched my home. They destroyed many many hundred church as.
- [53:41]
B
Seen on Newsmax and cbn A Faith under Siege the true story of an evil beyond comprehension. Russia abducted more than 19,000 Ukrainian children.
- [53:51]
C
You must wear to Putin and Russia empire. If you don't, you will be tortured as a child, torturing and murdering Christians.
- [54:00]
B
Kidnapping and trafficking children. The horrifying true story of Putin's war. A Faith under siege. Stream it now free on YouTube.
- [54:10]
A
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- [55:28]
B
There's a true seismic shift going on right now.
- [55:31]
C
And watching the Democrats, it's amazing that they're so far out of touch.
- [55:34]
B
Glenn Beck it's gonna be a lot of fun. I'm gonna be making a major announcement with her. I'm making a major pivot point in my career.
- [55:41]
C
Jesse Kelly they stand up and they.
- [55:43]
D
Tell people, Hitler's coming, Hitler's coming, Hitler's coming. And you have all these single women on anti anxiety meds freaking out, oh.
- [55:50]
C
My gosh, the world's gonna end.
- [55:52]
D
These people get lied to repeatedly and all they do. Maybe it's a Democrat thing is bend over and say thank you sir. May I have another?
- [56:00]
A
Emily Jasinski, the rapid response choir across Maryland.
- [56:07]
C
I wouldn't let it shine.
- [56:10]
A
I don't want to sound racist, but I sometimes really hate white people.
- [56:13]
B
Megan.
- [56:16]
A
Len Greenwald.
- [56:17]
C
The only time I ever see clips of Michelle Obama is when you force me to see them.
- [56:20]
A
The way you're chewing makes me want to smack you upside down.
- [56:25]
C
I like watch that with my mouth again. This is real contempt and hatred in a marriage.
- [56:29]
A
Mark Halperin I'm hungry.
- [56:31]
B
I could use some salad.
- [56:33]
A
I've got it for you right here. One of the reasons I wrote this book, Rachel, is there are actually a number of reasons.
- [56:44]
B
Please, I would like a light vinaigrette and link. Lauren I will do my Jasmine Crockett impression during the show, I promise.
- [56:52]
A
Yeah, you ain't gotta believe me. Just go Google. You'll find some of it. Sugarland, San Antonio, Fort Worth. It's going to be so much fun. So go get your tickets right now before they sell out Megan Kelly.com I can't wait to see you. Back with me now, the host of the morning meeting on two way, Mark Halperin, Sean Spicer and Dan Turantine. Mark's also the host of the MK Media podcast network show Next up with Mark Halperin, which is a great show. Love Mark's talking points at the front of the show every time. Had a great interview with Scott Jennings of CNN last week and check it out nextup halperin.com to find out all the place places that you can download and subscribe and come see us all on tour. Megan Kelly.com for tickets. Did you want to say something Sean? Now that we are post break on the Katie Couric exchange with what's her name there in Virginia, Spanberger.
- [57:50]
C
My apologies to the team there. All I say is that one of the things Abigail may not want to talk about that but the reality is in Virginia, if she is elected, the what we call the second reading in Virginia will happen and parental rights will be taken away from their kids, whether it's trans or abortions. That's the big dirty secret Democrats don't want to talk about. But they're all advancing to their own base. Parental rights are on the ballot this year, whether it's the trans issue, the ability to have an abortion. And it will be codified in the Constitution that parents don't need to be notified anymore. And this is a very scary thing. I understand why they don't want to talk about it. But this is what's really going on beneath the surface in Virginia.
- [58:29]
A
What do you mean? Like they're going to remove parental notification laws for abortions and what else?
- [58:34]
C
And for trans rights. I mean, they will take the parents. So if you wanted to transition before it was pretty obvious that a parent had to be notified the same way you would if you wanted an aspirin from the school nurse. What the Democrats have conjured is the ability to remove parents from the equation. So you won't need parental notification. The aircraft of abortion, you won't need it. When you talk about transitioning, any of this, they're removing the ability from parents to stand in the middle. And again, this is a big issue that you know on the Republicans are trying to make sure that people are aware of this. Democrats don't want to talk about it. But it's gotten itself through the process where once it gets through the second, right now the Democrats control the House of Delegates. The Senate is controlled by the House of Delegates. If they get the governor back. It then will get resigned and it's over.
- [59:18]
B
Can I make a broader point about what I think's going on here? The Democrats are still addicted to two things. They're addicted to hating Trump and they're addicted to being protected by the legacy media. And so at a time when we're having all these debates in the country brought about by Donald Trump's election, about DEI policies, about academic university policies, et cetera, the Democrats aren't having this debate. The smart people in the party know that the reason Spamberger and Sheryl, the candidate in New Jersey, are being tied in knots over these trans issues is they're still afraid of the base of the party. They know where the electorate is, but they're afraid to go there. And what these elections are proving is that even though there's the lessons of Kamala Harris's defeat a year later, the Democrats still aren't having their intra party debate that the smartest strategies I know say they have to have before the midterms of the presidential or the issues that cost them in 24 will cost.
- [60:13]
D
Them in 26 and 28 or at least come close.
- [60:17]
A
Let's move to New Jersey on this show. No one wants to live there full time. I love it, but full time's a lot. Doug says we only got a summer home in New Jersey, so I could make the jokes about it. Anyway, New Jersey's having a big race and this guy Cittarelli is in it. Like it's, it's, it really could go either way. This one's kind of tight right now, and he almost came in, like he almost did it a couple times before. But New Jersey seems to be morphing a lot more purplish red than it has in recent elections. And you tell me whether Kelsey Grammer can save the day because he grew up in New Jersey and just dropped this ad for the Republican candidate for governor, Jack Cittarelli. Watch this. Hi, Kelsey Grammer here. I grew up in New Jersey. I love this state. When I was a boy, folks would.
- [61:17]
B
Stand up for what's right and not.
- [61:18]
A
Wait for someone else to fix our problems. This last decade or so, it seems we've lost our way.
- [61:23]
B
Taxes keep climbing. Crime's on the rise. Trenton's filled with politicians talking big and doing nothing. It's time.
- [61:30]
A
It's time to lower taxes and let families breathe again. It's time to protect our girls and preserve fairness in women's sports. It's time to make New Jersey safe.
- [61:38]
B
Again and stop over development that's crowding.
- [61:41]
A
Every corner of our suburban communities. It's time to get energy rates under control. Families shouldn't have to choose between heating their homes and feeding themselves.
- [61:49]
B
Finally, it's time to restore integrity, accountability.
- [61:52]
A
And pride in Trenton. Time to believe in again, in honest leadership and restore the promise of this state.
- [61:59]
B
Jack Cittarelli will lead with strength, decency.
- [62:01]
A
And respect for all who love New Jersey and call it home. We've waited long enough. It's time. Oh, Frazier. So that race is within three points now, according to the latest poll. Three points is tight. I do feel a little like Lucy with the football in hoping for right good things out of New Jersey for Republicans. But how do you guys see it?
- [62:28]
D
I think Democrats feel better today than they did two weeks ago in that the Republican has kind of stalled. He was climbing. Momentum was clearly with him. I mean, once again, the Democratic candidate, Nikki Sherrill had a terrible debate. She had some very bad interviews, most famously where she was asked about money she made while she was in Congress. And she kind of said, well, I'm not really sure about that. It was $7 million. To which most people said, I would know if I suddenly had $7 million in my bank account. She just clearly wasn't prepared. She clearly couldn't speak. Here, too, there are real questions about, you know, can Democrats turn out in places like Newark and other areas that used to be reliably Democratic, Are those voters continuing to drift away? Can Republicans turn turn out working class voters of color that Trump made inroads in? Democrats remain very nervous. They have since June, but they feel better today than they did two weeks ago.
- [63:28]
A
No Trump on the ticket. Go ahead, Mark.
- [63:30]
B
Spectacular ad, I have to say. First of all, the narration by Dr. Frazier Crane was outstanding. Just perfect.
- [63:36]
A
It was. And then you want to settle into like a comfy chair with a blankie and your cocoa.
- [63:43]
B
I'm going to go back and listen to that before I record the next episode of Next up because I'm going to steal some of this craft trickster. But the thematic, I think is perfect for what they're trying to do. It's time, right? All the issues he raises, energy costs, traffic congestion, jobs, all these things are problems. Taxes, all these things are problems in New Jersey. So I think that message not just as fits the mood of the state and again is what the same kinds of things that got Chris Christie elected. So even though it's become a very blue state, they haven't elected a Republican senator in forever or voted for a Republican for president. I think since Bush 43 or 41, they did like Chris Christie that long ago on all the same kind of themes. Corruption in Trenton, economics out of whack, et cetera. So I agree with Dan that Cittarelli's momentum is not what it was. But no one I know in either party who works in the state familiar with this race, no one would be surprised if Cittarelli won. No one.
- [64:42]
C
This is an interesting thing. I mean, she's literally getting swift voted. So Mikey Sherrill went to the U.S. naval Academy. There's a massive cheating scandal, and Cittarelli has put her on her heels on this issue, which is kind of fascinating that here she is trying to use that as a strength. She was a Navy helo pilot and she's on her heels about her own service because of this cheating scandal at the academy.
- [65:01]
A
She didn't walk in her graduation. She was accused of doing something, but we're not exactly sure what because she won't release the records.
- [65:07]
C
Right? Well, not only that, but also there's been complete and utter silence from her about what really happened. And that's a shame, because what she thought and what the national Democratics, Democrat leaders thought is that this is going to be a woman who's got an amazing resume, as there was the case with Abigail Spamberger here in Virginia. And it's turned out to be a liability. Look, I agree with Dan and Mark that this is. Right now, he surged at the wrong time a little too early. But I still think this is where the ground game is going to matter tremendously on both sides.
- [65:35]
A
And.
- [65:35]
C
And to Dan's point, the question is, are those traditional coalitions that are so critical to the Democrats, especially the black vote in, like, northern New Jersey, going to turn back out again? Trenton and New Jersey, I mean, like, that's the thing. I don't get the sense that they've got a lot of excitement there to go out and vote, even the way they did for like a Harris and Biden last time. So he may not have surged at the exact right time, but I think Cittarelli can still pull this thing out. It may not be pretty, it may not be by a lot, but I think he's got more of an edge than she does at this time.
- [66:09]
A
We grew up in New York State upstate, and my mom's brother grew up or had his family live and raised them in New Jersey. So we always had family rivalries on which state was better. New York vs. New Jersey. Of course, I was on Team New York, and it Goes on. You could hear it in the way I kicked off the segment, even though again, I own, I own property there. One time we were driving there from New York City. You always have to pass Newark and those awful power plants which just. You can smell that stuff. Yeah, yeah, it smells so bad. Like the pollution comes and gets you on the highway on your way, you know, down to New Jersey. And I actually chose to Google it. Like I saw the name of the one place just to see what the heck this thing actually is. And it sent me down a rabbit hole on the googling around New Jersey. And one of the websites that came up had a Q A about New Jersey. And somebody asked, where do all the terrible things about New Jersey come from? And the first answer was from people who have been there.
- [67:10]
B
There are many, many beautiful parts of New Jersey. And of course, and of course the president's a homeowner in the state too.
- [67:17]
A
Well, and I'll tell you what I do love about New Jersey. The people. The people are amazing. You and I, I always do this like based on the grocery stores. Like you can kind of tell what kind of a community you're in by the grocery stores. In New York. You go to the Whole Foods on the Upper west side, you better bring your brass knuckles cuz you are going to fight a. I mean these women are serious about getting their organics and it's like you get in their way, your shit's going down. Like, I never felt so stressed out as I did on in the Whole Foods in New York City where it was like, you can have it, it's fine. So that was that. Then you go to like Montana, we go out to Montana. Nobody bothers you. People are friendly, but they, you know, they keep their distance. They're not used to being surrounded by tons of people. So like they're, they're friendly, but they're not overly friendly. It's like arm's length friendliness. You go to New Jersey, it's just perfect. Everyone is nice. People will be like, you don't want that avocado honey. No, that's, that's well past its prime. And you're like, oh, thank you very much. I didn't know. But not overly familiar where like sometimes in the south, like they're overly familiar where you're like, I'm from New York, I can't have this much eye contact. So the New Jersey. And the thing, the other thing I love about New Jersey people is they will fight. Like if you cross their kid, they will get on the school bus and hurt you. And I appreciate that. Like they're, they're not so reserved that they won't stand up for what they think is right. And New Jerseyans, I'm telling you what is right is to vote for Jackson Ciattarelli. Do not let this Mikey Sherrill take over. You've had enough torture. Why keep doing this to yourself? Why all the self flagellation with the Newark power plants and now possible Mikey Sheryl, don't do it. You can save yourself. There's my long, long winded pitch for Jack Chitterelli. Let's keep going. I want to go out to up to Maine because this guy Graham Platner, who I'd never heard of until recently, is in the news. Uh, Susan Collins has not said whether she's running for reelection. She's a Republican and the Democrats are excited cause this could be a Dem pickup and they have a bunch of Dems who want this seat. There are eight Dems who have declared and are running in the primary, including the sitting governor, Janet mills, who is 77 years old and would be the oldest person ever elected as a first term U.S. senator. Janet. Dammit Janet, don't do it. Uh, then there's Graham Platner. I mentioned him earlier to the audience this week. Former Marine infantryman who later served as an Army National Guard soldier and private security contractor who is a self described communist, though he says he's moved past that. Okay, but there's all these Reddit chats that he's now had to kind of scrub. He tried to scrub, but the Internet is forever where he said things like all cops are bastards, I'm a communist, and rural white Americans actually are racist and stupid, which is not great.
- [70:09]
C
And blacks don't tip.
- [70:11]
A
Blacks don't tip. That's, that's nice. Okay. Yeah. Okay, so those are just a couple of lowlights from this guy. Oh, he repeatedly used the word retarded. You're not allowed to do that. If we're just going to play by the left rule, the left's rules, he should be penalized. He said he was radicalized. He says I did used to love America, or at least the idea of it. These days I'm pretty disgusted by it all. He says he's gotten past that too. But these, these posts were like three years ago, like 2022 and 2023, so it's tough to believe that he's magically gotten past it all. And now because this is America, there's a Nazi reference. There's always a Nazi reference in the waning days of anyone's campaign. And here is his. He went on with the pod save guys, Tommy Veeder, to try to do advanced damage control on his Nazi tattoo. Okay, here he is talking to Tommy Vitor, SOP 23.
- [71:20]
B
In kind of a non traditional campaign move, your team actually shared some opposition research on you with me. It's a video from, I believe, a decade ago. Let's just watch an excerpt and then we should talk about it.
- [71:36]
A
He's got his shirt off in a bar, going nuts, like just drunk. Oh, now I headbutted something. He's in his underwear.
- [71:49]
B
And the reason that we are showing this video is because at the very end you can see a tattoo on your chest. And I've been told that some of.
- [71:56]
D
Your political opponents are telling reporters that.
- [71:59]
B
That tattoo has a Nazi affiliation. And I would like to know, is that accurate? Are you a secret Nazi?
- [72:05]
A
I am not a secret Nazi.
- [72:07]
C
At no point in this entire experience.
- [72:10]
A
Of my life did anybody ever once say, hey, you're a Nazi.
- [72:16]
C
It never came up until that settles it.
- [72:19]
A
We got wind that in the opposition.
- [72:21]
C
Research somebody was shopping the idea that.
- [72:23]
A
I was a secret Nazi with a hidden Nazi tattoo. And I can honestly say that if I was trying to hide it, I've not been doing a very good job.
- [72:32]
C
For the past 18 years.
- [72:35]
A
No, he hasn't. Because several members who worked on his campaign, like his campaign manager, Genevieve, Genevieve McDonald, she resigned last week over those Reddit posts and disputed his claims of ignorance about the meaning of that tattoo. Graham has an anti Semitic tattoo on his chest, she wrote. She said he is a history buff who knows damn well what that tattoo means. Which I have to say, I do find helpful her interpretation, because when I saw this tattoo, I had no idea what it was. To me, it looks kind of like a skull and crossbones, which is, you know, what they put on little poison bottles, like in It's a Wonderful Life. That's how young George Bailey knew that the pills were poisoned. He shouldn't deliver them to the family. And old Mr. Gower didn't wind up going to jail for life with skull and crossbones. But when presented like this, I guess it is something called a Totenkopf. And it is a well known recognized Nazi symbol. And according to those who know this particular guy, my ignorance of what it means is irrelevant. He knew, according to the campaign manager and one other person who gave an interview saying for sure he knew. So thoughts on what this does to him?
- [73:53]
D
Well, I think he announced he was gonna have the tattoo removed now, which is always a sign that, you know, it may not be good. Look, his.
- [74:01]
A
Sorry to interrupt you, Dan. He just had it covered. He didn't have it removed, but he put another tattoo on top of it.
- [74:07]
D
Okay.
- [74:07]
A
Very ugly. Don't know what it is like. Looks like part dragon, part spider, part clam. And I would beg Graham to just reconsider the topless photos just for the sake of us all. Yes.
- [74:19]
D
Yeah, that's probably start there. Look, Maine is so fascinating because you mentioned you have Janet Mills, who would be the oldest sitting senator, right below Maine in Massachusetts. You have a Democratic House member challenging Ed Markey, the Democratic incumbent senator, on the idea that you're too old. So you're gonna have ads running in Boston into Maine. Planter kind of shot out of nowhere. He was this working class, authentic guy, you know, great on social media, great with a quote. Bernie Sanders endorsed him. Kind of the liberal intelligentsia jumped on him and nobody had really done any research on him. And all of this stuff is coming out. People are standing by him. They're kind of saying, well, he said stuff when he was younger. But of course, when the shoe's on the other foot. Right. We're pretty quick to judge. His campaign is imploding. It's a case study in opposition research. I don't think it's coincidence. This all started when Janet Mills announced she was getting into the race. I think the question is whether he tries to soldier on, which I think he will, and how much he and Janet Mills are going to go at each other to the betterment of Susan Collins.
- [75:31]
B
You know this guy. Sorry, go ahead.
- [75:33]
A
Yeah, go ahead, Mark. You go.
- [75:34]
B
Well, this guy casts himself as like, you know, just like a blue collar guy. You know where he went to college? George Washington University. He also worked for the company that was Blackwater. Like, this is a pretty sophisticated guy who understands intelligence and high, high level Washington intrigue. I wonder. We talked about this the morning meeting. Who's dropping all this stuff on this guy? You know, Dan says it's like a case study in opposition research. It's really a master class. And for this guy who says I'm smart enough to be United States Senator, but not smart enough to handle this stuff before I got in the race, I think that's an issue. It should be for Maine voters, but Politico is reporting there's more coming. So I'm not sure he'll get out of the race, but I think his chances of being the nominee now are de. Minimis.
- [76:19]
A
Well, I think you missed the second half of the question. Who's dropping this research? And why don't they go and help Curtis Lewa, like today? Okay. Go ahead, Sean.
- [76:29]
C
Well, look, this isn't a flash in the pan. Got a guy, right? He's raised $1.5 million. This is in Maine. That's, like, enough to carry you the entire election. Bernie Sanders has endorsed him.
- [76:40]
A
1.
- [76:40]
C
I would say there's a lesson about getting tattoos. Just, you know, I don't want to start a little debate here, but just remember, you get a tattoo, you own this thing. I remember.
- [76:48]
A
If you have a tattoo on this panel.
- [76:52]
C
Yeah, there you go.
- [76:53]
A
No one.
- [76:54]
C
But, but, but I'll just.
- [76:56]
A
I thought you're going to raise your hand. Mark. Mark.
- [76:57]
C
No way. Of the three of us, I think Mark would have been. I don't know. Maybe I could have.
- [77:02]
A
That's. Why do you. Because he's so. He's buttoned up.
- [77:06]
B
Just to clarify, do you count the Yogi Bear that's on my ankle? Does that count? It's a temporary tattoo from my son.
- [77:13]
A
But my mother. My mother got a tattoo.
- [77:17]
C
I just wanted to get kind of little symbol on my wrist so that people would.
- [77:21]
A
My mom, Dan, got a tattoo at age 70 of a rosary on her foot.
- [77:27]
C
Oh, okay. Well, I think.
- [77:28]
B
Oh, my gosh.
- [77:29]
D
All right, point.
- [77:30]
A
My mom just, like, she had pink hair, then it was fire engine red, then it's. It was just. Purple is literally the color of this shirt. That's what it's been for the past year. She said she dyed it back to brown, and she's unhappy because she's not getting enough attention in the grocery stores. So that's. That's her metric on life, too. Go ahead, Sean.
- [77:49]
C
Okay, so. So look, I would just say, look, he's not going anywhere. He's got a, you know, a million and a half reasons to stay in the race. And it's funny to me, after we went through the confirmation process with Secretary Hegseth, where suddenly a Jerusalem cross was unbelievably offensive, and now it's okay to have this Nazi symbol, and no one in the Democratic Party has a problem after they had a big issue with Hegseth having a Jerusalem cross chest, right? But here's the bigger, broader point, Meghan. There's a through line. Jay Jones, Virginia Mondame, New York. And then let's go north to Maine with Platner. What is going on in the Democratic Party where you've got each one of these scandals in each One of these states, and yet not in one instance is anyone saying, that's a bridge too far. It's okay that Mandami's got all these Muslim ties. It's okay that Jay Jones wants to kill his opponent and watch his children die in the mother's arms. And it's okay to excuse all of these things, all of them, because it's not just one of Grant Platner. Because. Well, it's okay. There's. The Democratic Party has a lot to account for right now, but it's not one candidate. There's a through line from the mid Atlantic all the way up to the Northeast.
- [78:59]
A
Meanwhile, can I just say, they're raining down on those young Republicans, and there definitely were some racist comments in there, but they're. They're pulling out the one that said I'll be Hitler. And that's the one. Like, they have nothing on that guy and that he's making a joke. They're like this. This group of young, like, conservatives on campus or something says they're not. They're gonna vote for the person who's most to the right, you know, the furthest to the right. So the one guy jokingly responds, okay, I'll be Hitler. That's obviously a joke. I'm not excusing all the other stuff in there. I'm stuck. I'm not talking about that anymore because I'm. The left continues to celebrate right wing people getting murdered. So I'm done talking about that. But I raise it only to point out they wanted us to look at okay, I'll be Hitler as, like, a serious comment that should be disqualifying for Republicans who have nothing to do with those people in that text chain. But this guy, who's the actual candidate wearing a Nazi tattoo. That's not a deal. That's fine. We can just move right on without talking about it. And I want to give you one other piece of evidence. I talked about the campaign manager, but another person told the Free Beacon he, the candidate, Graham, what's his name, Platner, referred to the ink as, quote, my Totenkopf, referring to the Nazi symbol. So, like, he knew that it was a Nazi symbol and kept it there. Go ahead, Sean.
- [80:16]
C
I was gonna say in that Politico story that you mentioned with the young Republicans, every Republican on earth had to account for those kids and denounce them. Right. Do you agree with that? What do you think? Should they resign? Should they be canceled? I haven't seen one national Democrat being asked what they thought about Grant Platner. When Nancy Pelosi was asked about Jay Jones and she said that's for Virginians to decide, they get away with this because the press sort of goes up. Nothing to see here. Republicans all have to account when little Timmy says something at Jefferson Middle School. But when their guy says something in the national news, it's, hey, guys, it's not our state, it's not our problem, and it wasn't serious.
- [80:54]
B
You're generally right. Although Bernie Sanders was asked about Platner and he.
- [80:58]
C
And he passed. Yeah, he said, yeah, it was. It was a couple of years ago. He clearly doesn't mean it anymore.
- [81:04]
A
Yeah, I don't know if he, if he knew that it was this Nazi symbol, which according to the Free Beacon, he did, but that's a problem. I thought the whole defense was going to be, I didn't know I had a Nazi symbol on. But if he actually did know and he's a history buff and he's running around with a Nazi symbol on his chest, like, who would be okay with that? I mean, that genuinely does raise some concerns. His defense, according to the Free Beacon, was he got it in Croatia while on leave. Quote, we got very inebriated and we did what Marines on liberty do and we decided to go get a tattoo. Okay. I know a lot of Marines. I don't know any with Nazi tattoos. I don't think that is a thing that Marines do. I think most Marines, like, I'm going to go with like 99.99% of them are anti Nazi, given their history in the Marines. But that's just me, you know, I'm not exactly a four star general, so I guess we'll have to leave that one floating in the air. Um, okay, let's shift because I want to keep the political discussion going. Hunter Biden did another podcast. I don't know who the guy was. I'm gonna find out who the guy was. What?
- [82:10]
D
Thank you.
- [82:11]
B
I never heard of. I never heard of him.
- [82:12]
C
I love when he does these.
- [82:14]
A
I know. I love the guy doing the interview is like, he looks kind of disheveled. He's barely looking into the camera. Like, it's kind of entertaining. And the answer that was posted on mediaeye today, which is where I saw it. Rambled on for four and a half minutes. It was very painful. Hunter Biden was very disjoint. It was a very slow, long pauses. It was like, spit it out. So we only are going to run the last minute or so where he got on point. Watch this. This is on Kamala Harris and her book in which, you know, Karine Jean Pierre is out there defending the Biden White House. Kamala Harris is out there dumping on it. This is about the Kamala Harris book. Watch. I love the fact that. That my dad.
- [82:59]
D
My dad made the decision that.
- [83:07]
A
Let me tell you about loyalty.
- [83:09]
D
The reason that he picked Kamala Harris.
- [83:11]
A
Is because of the fact that.
- [83:16]
D
He believes, and I certainly believe the most powerful force within the Democratic Party is and always has been the African American women.
- [83:25]
A
They're the heart and soul and the.
- [83:27]
D
Conscience of the Democratic Party. And that's why he thought it was.
- [83:36]
A
So important to have.
- [83:38]
B
And by the way, and she had.
- [83:40]
D
An incredible resume and is perfectly capable.
- [83:42]
A
Of being president of the United States.
- [83:43]
C
And I would gladly have voted for.
- [83:44]
A
Her, got to say that. But he chose her out of loyalty. And I just don't understand because I don't understand.
- [83:57]
D
Why someone would choose.
- [84:00]
A
Expedient.
- [84:04]
D
Path as it relates to that relationship.
- [84:06]
A
Their own political experience, their own political expediency. Okay, so my team tells me that is Tommy Christopher, who writes for Mediaite and is a far left dude who's literally chewing gum during the interview, which seems kind of passive aggressive, but okay. Yeah. So there he is ripping on Kamala. But what it was interesting was he said it. He said it in sort of a back end way, but he said she was only put in the role because she's a black woman. And for her to now have the gall to turn around and attack us when she was. This is really what he's saying. He had to add, she's qualified. Of course I would have voted for her. But what he's really saying is she was never qualified. She got there for no reason other than her identity. So she should stfu. That's how I read the Hunter Biden commentary. Dan, your thoughts?
- [84:58]
D
Yeah, no, I mean, there's nothing good for the Democratic Party about this. That Hunter Biden keeps popping up with these kind of rolling commentaries is just. Is awful. I mean, look, he's right. That is why Joe Biden picked her. They wanted to try to increase turnout in. In. Down in the Atlanta area and in Philadelphia and Detroit and various places. But you can't make that statement and then turn around and say, how dare she? And you know, the fact that Kamala Harris did not separate herself from Biden during the campaign, but now is doing it. Joe Biden's book is going to be coming out soon, Joe. Jill Biden, I think, is going to have something coming out. They're going to go on the attack. Hunter Biden's going to then come and defend his parents. More like. We have not heard the last of this. It's not helping us move forward. And then you have, as you say, Corinne Jean Pierre saying what? I didn't see anything. Which is just insane.
- [85:53]
A
But something else she's been saying makes even more sense when you are reminded of Democrat Party politics and what they prioritize in picking their top people. I. We put this together since yesterday. This is just on her little book tour. Karine Jean Pierre. This week alone, look at Sat 24A. As a black woman, as a person who's also LGBTQ, as a black woman. As a black woman, I am a black woman. I am a queer woman. I'm an immigrant. Being a black woman, as a black woman myself, that is the thing that I understood as a black woman is that I meant a lot to people because of the communities that I represented and whether it was women of color, black women, queer community, LGBTQ community, immigrant. And as a black woman. And I have my queerness, too. It all makes sense. Not that we didn't know what she was doing before, but this, she recognizes this is the only reason she was chosen. It's opened doors for her repeatedly in the past in Democrat Party politics. And as she markets this book, she is touting the only flag she knows accurately she has. It doesn't work with half the country, but half the other half of the country sits up at attention and says, oh, let me subjugate myself. Oh, my God. You know you're gonna do the sign of the cross because she said the magic words. It's amazing. It every single interview. Truly Mark Halper. Imagine going to promote a book that you had written about politics. That's what her book's about. And beginning every interview with, I am white. I'm a white man. I'm a white straight man. Did I mention I'm white? Who does that?
- [87:46]
B
Well, Tomorrow's episode of NextUp is already booked, but for Tuesday, here. Here are the two people I want. I want the person who's in charge of deciding which podcast Hunter Biden should do, and I want the publicist who prepared her talking points for her book tour, because I'm very curious about those two people. I want to know what kind of career paths they've had.
- [88:04]
A
Make sure you tell them you're black.
- [88:06]
C
I can tell you the person who is writing Corinne Jean Pierre's talking points used to work for Kamala Harris. It's pretty blatantly obvious that that's the case where they ended up. Because it sounds like a redux, by the way. Am I wrong that when Hunter did that interview, he used the word I would have voted for her?
- [88:24]
A
Yes, yes.
- [88:26]
B
Convicted felony Kimber.
- [88:28]
C
Okay, that's true.
- [88:31]
A
He didn't have that wiped away until the end. Till after.
- [88:34]
C
Well, that's even more.
- [88:36]
D
But, you know, part of the problem for Corinne, of course, is there were so many people who didn't want her to have that job from the beginning and who then, when she fumbled and really struggled in the job, wanted her out, but were afraid to move against her because she was a black lesbian, is a black lesbian woman. And they were afraid of offending different parts of the party. The whole time she had that job. The foundation under her was nonexistent because nobody thought she was qualified or that she was good at the job. Within the White House, I'm probably the.
- [89:10]
C
Only person that believes that she didn't ever know what Biden was doing because from what I could tell, she never had access. She may be the only person that can say she didn't see Joe Biden's decline because I don't think she ever had access to him in the first place.
- [89:23]
A
It's a very interesting point.
- [89:25]
B
It's a very uncomfortable truth for people in the Biden White House and for the Democratic Party at large, which is she's unambiguously unqualified, not because she's a black woman, but just because she was. And it did a disservice. The irony is they were trying to elevate the concept of having a black woman press secretary and did it a massive disservice to the many qualified people who could have done the job who happened to be black women. She's just not one.
- [89:49]
A
Queer, please, Mark.
- [89:51]
B
And queer. She's just not one of them. And it really, I mean, you know, ask anyone, Sean's colleagues, anyone who's had that job. She was the worst White House press secretary by a lot.
- [90:01]
A
Yeah. Oh, well, there. There was a debate about this on a left wing podcast that I want to raise with Sean in a minute. But before I move off of Karine Jean Pierre. Yeah, you'll love this. Jen Psaki's got thoughts. Before I move off of this, there is an interesting piece on Karine Jean Pierre and her accusing Anita Dunn of being a racist without naming a name. Yeah. But it's very clearly Anita Dunn. Here's what, here's, here's the report. Let's see. She accuses her of mistreating people of color is Jean Pierre writing about this article. In April 2024, the New York Post printed this story inside the failed White House coup to oust Biden. Press secretary Karine Jean Pierre. She's so excited somebody finally wrote something about her. She's like, this made her book. She's like, I'm in an article. See, people are out to get me done. Was orchestrating a campaign to push me out. The quotes are not around the name done. They're just around orchestrating a campaign to push me out. After the women clash in October 2023 over who should join Biden on a trip to Israel after Hamas's attack, this woman, she said she doesn't name her as done, but we know it's done. Said I shouldn't travel. Quote, it will be very dangerous. You're a mother, you're a woman. Another colleague, she said a man who had experience in war torn regions could go in my place. Let's see. Immediately upon leaving her, I returned to my office and sent an email to the chief of staff and the deputy chief of staff. I CCed her and wrote that I just been told I shouldn't go to Israel. One of the most important trips the president would likely take during his tenure. Minutes after I hit send, Dunn swept into my office, bypassing my assistant and flinging open my door. She proceeded to scream at me, you wanna go on this trip, fine. I don't know why you wanna do this, but it's yours. Go. That's my dramatic reenactment. I wasn't the only woman on the White House staff who had negative experiences with this person. She had spoken dismissively to female colors of the administration, especially those who are also people of color. She doesn't like black women. Black women, Black women. A white woman once said to me that it was uncomfortable being on emails with her and witnessing her tone and the way she addressed women of color. It was that bickering, backbiting and behind the scenes machinations, says Karine Jean Pierre, that led her to question do I really want to be in a party that treats people this way? And then she says, now that I can speak fully from the heart, I have an answer. After being a party insider for 20 years, I now believe I fight harder for my country from outside the Democratic Party than from within it. From here on, I am politically and independent. And then she adds, people felt seen when they saw me at the podium. Woman of color, black woman, queer community, LGBTQ immigrant. They felt seen. And that mattered to me. Oh, we know, we know, Dan. Good, good luck to you guys. I mean, honestly, like how, how do you go forward with these people as representatives who are all identity and no substance?
- [93:06]
D
Well, and it goes to the fact that Mark said this earlier in the show, which is the party, people who want to win elections know we have to change. We have to stop playing these identity politics. But the party doesn't want to do it. And I mean it just, all this is doing is showing that not just was Joe Biden struggling at the end, but the inner workings of the White House were a complete mess. I mean, it's just, there's nothing good that's coming out of this that makes you, as an American or as a Democrat, have confidence. And as we think about going forward, you know, you want candidates to staff their, their campaigns with the most qualified. Not checking all of these boxes and then layering people with other people. It's just not the way to run a campaign or a government.
- [93:48]
A
No. Okay, we will go back to Jen Psaki on our friend Sean Spicer in one minute. Quick break. First, don't go away or with the guys after this. The tax extension deadline may have passed, but for millions of Americans, the real trouble is just beginning. If you missed the October 15th deadline or you owe back taxes, the IRS is ramping up enforcement. Every day you wait only makes things worse. And here is the harsh reality. The IRS can charge a penalty of 5% per month, up to 25% of your total tax bill just for not filing. That's in addition to what you already owe. The good news, there is still time for Tax Network USA to help self employed or a business owner. Even if your books are a mess, they've got you covered. With tools like property seizures, bank levies and wage garnishments. The IRS is applying pressure at many levels. It's not too late to regain control. Your consultation is 100% free. In one short call, the experts at Tax Network USA can determine how much you can save. Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit tnusa.com Megan Let Tax Network USA help. Before the IRS makes the next move, I want to talk to you about Jevoty. In my career, I have learned that information is everything. The same applies to our health. Having the right information makes all the difference. And that's where Jevoty comes in. It is not just another health app. It's a longevity and health optimization platform that uses your health data to build custom care plans for your unique needs. Gevity creates personalized supplement packs based on your specific bloodwork and they provide ongoing guidance to you. No more fragmented health care or wasting money on random supplements. Hoping something works, the platform analyzes essential biomarkers, giving you comprehensive health data, all accessible from home. So go to Jevity.com Megan and get 20% off with code. Megan that's Gojevity. Okay. G-O Jevity G-E-V-I-T-I.com Megan in a world of one size fits all solutions, Jevoty brings clarity, personalization and scientific precision to your wellness. This is not just healthcare, it's healthcare reimagined with you in mind. At Maurices, we're all about great jeans. You know, the ones that fit you just right, the ones that simply make you feel good. Because you don't just wear jeans, you you live in them. Find great jeans starting at $29.90 in stores and at Marisa's.com busy work weeks can leave you feeling drained. Prolon's five day fasting mimicking diet rejuvenates you at the cellular level, lets you enjoy real food and does not require an injection. Developed at USC's Longevity Institute, Prolon supports biological age reduction, metabolism, skin health and fat loss when combined with proper exercise and nutrition. Get 15 off plus a 40 bonus gift when you subscribe@prolonlife.com PandoraProro we are going on the road. Join me live Megyn Kelly Live. 10 stops across the country. Join me for no BS, no agenda and no fear Live. I'll be joined by Tucker Carlson, Ben Shapiro, Glenn Beck, Adam Carolla, Charlie Sheen, Piers Morgan, Donald Trump Jr Jr Eric Trump and Erica Kirk. Send a message that we will not be silenced. It's Megyn Kelly Live, presented by Y refi and Sirius XM. Go to MeganKelly.com to get your tickets now. You can stream the Megyn Kelly show on SiriusXM at home or anywhere you are. No car required. I do it all the time. I love the SiriusXM app. It has ad free music coverage of every every major sport, comedy talk, podcast and more. Subscribe now. Get your first three months for free.
- [97:38]
C
Go to SiriusXM.com MK show to subscribe.
- [97:42]
B
And get three months free. That's SiriusXM.com MKShow and get three months free. Offer details apply.
- [97:55]
A
Back with me now. A bunch of straight white dudes, Mark Halperin, Sean Spicer and Dan Turantine.
- [98:01]
B
Assuming. Assuming. Assuming facts not in evidence. Your honor.
- [98:05]
A
Mark we want people to feel represented. Yeah, okay. Speaking of representing Sean Spicer represented The United States of America at the lectern in the White House press briefing room for a time. It was a time that preceded Jen Psaki's time there. Jen Psaki went on with this lunatic woman named Jennifer Welsh who's getting in the circulation for being a very nasty, like really absolutely foul mouthed Trump critic. And that's really her only qualification because I think she used to do some show on like gardening or something stupid. And gardening's nice. It's not dumb. But she, she, she seems like not a good time. Let's just say that, okay, she went on that podcast and, and Saki had some thoughts on you. Sean Spicer. She tried to pay you a compliment and then no, watch.
- [98:57]
C
Oh, I thought we were going somewhere else.
- [98:58]
A
I'm enraged every time I see Caroline Levitt who prays before she goes out there and lies her fat ass off. So she goes out there and lies and it's propaganda after propaganda. Is there no check on that? I guess there's no law that the press secretary has to be honest.
- [99:14]
C
But does that break your heart to.
- [99:16]
A
See what it's been turned into? Breaks her heart? It does. And I say this as obviously, I worked in democratic politics for 20 something years. I, I'm not shy about my views. But even for people who like Dana Perino, or dare I say even Sean Spicer, I don't know if I should use them as an example. It's a very different briefing room now than it was then. Dana Perino is probably a better example of this. Right? I disagree with Bush on a bazillion things. Right. But you had to go in there and answer questions from the same type of reporters and often the same reporters. I had to answer questions from what it feels like it is diminishing the job. It is diminishing the role of the press secretary, the honor of the being in that diminishing, which is speaking on behalf of the United States of America. All right, Spicer, he almost paid you a compliment. And then no. Your thoughts on how, how the goat Caroline Levitt is, is bringing dishonor to this position in her view.
- [100:13]
C
Yeah. So let's start with this. First of all, Caroline is, I don't mean to inject this, but to make fun of her body size, which is not true, actually, I thought was for a bunch of folks on the left that take pride in this kind of stuff. That was actually rather uncalled for. She's a very beautiful woman. I don't think that's ever this Angie.
- [100:31]
A
Sullivan, who said it in her wildest dreams. But I also looked like Caroline Levitt.
- [100:36]
D
That's where I was.
- [100:37]
C
I don't know what TV she's looking at, but that's just simply not true. So that was really uncalled for and false. Number two. Look, I think that. But for Jen Psaki, who had the phrase circle back, I mean, to get up there and talk about integrity at the podium is a bit rich. Right. And so I just don't. I find the full fascination that these guys covered up one of the biggest issues in modern history in terms of the physical and mental decline of the President of the United States and has the gall to come on and talk about how other people do the job. I think she should sit this one out and talk about something else.
- [101:14]
A
Yeah, I agree.
- [101:15]
C
I also qualified Corinne Jean Pierre to connect the segments. She said that she was the most qualified person to do the job, which by every account was a lie. So I don't really need to get lectured by Jen on. On truth and integrity and all that. She has a track record. Speaks for itself.
- [101:32]
A
No. And then she continued her lying when she went to msnbc, which is what you have to do to get hired there. So she's. Yeah. In no position. I want to move on. I saved a little time for this. We've been seeing such vile conduct out of the no Kings stuff, and a lot of it has been focused on wanting Trump dead or celebrating Charlie's murder. And there's another one of those ladders in this clip that we have here of somebody celebrating Charlie's death. Hold on. It was just in front of me. Okay, here it is. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's okay. This is actually from the University of Arizona. And there's a turning point. USA reps. They're. They're there and they're setting up and this woman walks by and listen to what she says. 33A here. Hey, Nazis, can you set up somewhere.
- [102:20]
C
Where I can avoid you easily?
- [102:22]
D
Yeah.
- [102:22]
B
Thank you.
- [102:22]
A
Have a great day.
- [102:23]
C
Nah, fuck you, Nazi. Watch your neck. Thanks.
- [102:28]
A
Watch your neck. And he heard. The guy was so polite. Yeah. Thank you. Have a nice day. That's all he said. Watch your neck, you Nazi. Watch your neck. We've seen so much of this, and I really do, I genuinely do not on this show just bring up one instance of bad behavior and try to tar an entire side of it because it's not fair. But somebody said something and I, to me privately, and I was like, that's a very interesting point. You've got these young people like that gal who have been clearly radicalized, you know, into saying something like, watch your neck. And then you've got these older people at these no Kings rallies who are wearing the 8647 sweatshirts and calling for ICE agents to get shot. And I don't, they don't consume the same media. Like, the older people are watching MSNBC and the younger people, I think, are getting all their news from social media. So what, what's happening? Why, how can, like, if one group was going that way, I could kind of understand it and I would know who to blame and if and the other same. But like, it's both. It seems to have crossed a wide swath of the Democrat Party. And I just have to say, like, it's deeply concerning to me because, like, crazy left I can understand and I can deal with and I can argue against, but, like, wanting to see Republicans dead and celebrating Charlie's murder is a totally different kettle of fish. So sorry, Dan, but I'll ask you that one first. Yeah, I know that's not you.
- [103:50]
D
I mean, I think one of the things that the no Kings rally, you know, kind of sadly showed is just this, Continue. Focus on Donald Trump. The hatred of Donald Trump. It's like a group therapy session. The way people were kind of all together, like, yeah, we all still hate him, but the party is not moving forward. There's no, I mean, like, if the rally was on health care, right? Like, this is why we're shutting the government down, because we really want to fight for you. But instead it's just this continued animation of like, the fever will break. Like, at some point you will realize your mistake, you will realize that we are right, you were wrong, and you're going to come back to us. And, you know, whether it's celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk or just this, like, oops, if Trump happens to get shot, that's too bad. It's just they cannot move on from their obsession with him. It's holding the party back.
- [104:45]
A
What do you think, Mark?
- [104:47]
B
Well, lately I get a lot of complaints when I talk about Trump derangement syndrome. But I think it's, you know, it is the explanation of our time. And as I said before the party, whether they're MSNBC watchers or TikTok watchers or college students, they're addicted to hatred of Trump. That's their, that's their, that's their animation, that's their North Star. That's what gets them engaged in the national town square. And I think it's personally very self destructive. But it's also not, as Dan said, it's not leading to a rebuilding of the party as a party focused on the future. I understand a lot of the issues that upset them. I don't understand why they're so upset about construction on the White House grounds, but I understand a lot of the issues that upset them. But they're channeling it into just a level of vitriol and an addiction to being obsessed with Trump and hating Trump and Charlie, that I've never seen anything like it. And I don't. As much as I think about it and talk to people and study it, I don't really understand it.
- [105:46]
C
I don't want to understand it. I mean, here's the difference. One thing to hate Trump, it's another thing. Megan, as you said, this isn't one clip. I see him over and over again the last few days after the no Kings rally. They want people dead. They want them killed. That's a whole new level of wrong. And I think that this is, you know, again, I go back, it's a through line. J. Jones, Mondami, Grant Platner. There is becoming an acceptance on the left that it's okay to root for death.
- [106:11]
A
Mm. I'll just leave you with one piece of good news. This hit in the Wall Street Journal a couple days ago. In the month of September, compared with a year earlier, sales of The Bible jumped 36%. That's clearly a post. Charlie Surgeon. People do feel deeply moved by his message of faith, and I don't think they're all Republicans. I do believe that there are Democrats in there, and those are the people who are. Who are going to bring us forward. Those are going to have to be the leaders. I do believe that people of faith, no matter whether young, old, red, blue, doesn't matter. But that's. Those are the people who are going to resonate because their message is infused with a special power, a special magic, a special allure, and something that's not so much about ourselves. So if you're not one of them and you need one, go out and get one now for Charlie, Mark, Shawn, Dan. Love you all. Thanks so much for being here. And tomorrow we'll have Winsome Earl Sears. See you guys then. Thanks for listening to the Megyn Kelly Show. No bs, no agenda and no fear.