Abigail Spanberger on Fighting for Virginians and Americans

Summary

The MeidasTouch Podcast: Episode Summary Title: Abigail Spanberger on Fighting for Virginians and Americans
Release Date: February 26, 2025
Host: MeidasTouch Network (Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas)

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, the Meiselas brothers engage in a spirited discussion with Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger. The conversation centers on the current political climate in Virginia, the challenges facing federal employees, and Spanberger's campaign for governor. Through a blend of brotherly banter and in-depth analysis, the episode delves into critical issues impacting Virginians and, by extension, Americans nationwide.

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Federal Workforce Downsizing in Virginia

Host's Opening Remarks:
Ben kicks off the discussion by highlighting recent actions by Virginia's Republican Governor, Glenn Youngkin, regarding federal workforce cuts. He questions whether Republican governors are undermining their own constituents by supporting job losses influenced by figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

Governor Youngkin's Stance:
A clip is played featuring Governor Youngkin addressing federal workforce downsizing:

• Timestamp [01:32]: Youngkin states, “I do expect that some Virginians will lose their job,” emphasizing the need for government efficiency despite the personal costs to state employees.

Host's Critique:
Ben criticizes Youngkin's approach, likening it to a sports coach hoping the opposing team wins, thereby questioning the governor's commitment to the state's welfare. He mocks the governor's job support website, which redirects users to platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed, suggesting it offers little actual assistance.

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Interview with Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger

Economic and Employment Concerns:
Jordy moderates a critical and detailed conversation with Spanberger, probing into the real-life impacts of federal downsizing on Virginians.

• Spanberger's Perspective [02:46]:
  "I think the governor of Virginia has a primary job, and that is to stand up for Virginians and to stand up for Virginia."

Spanberger elaborates on the widespread fear and reality of job losses across Virginia, particularly among federal employees in regions like Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.

Economic Impact Analysis:
Spanberger cites a University of Virginia study:

• Timestamp [04:18]: A 10% reduction in the federal workforce could lead to approximately 39,000 job losses and a potential revenue decline of $6 billion, significantly impacting both individuals and the state economy.

Quality of Life and Economic Strain:
She discusses how job insecurity affects consumer behavior, leading to decreased spending on essentials and non-essentials alike, thereby exacerbating economic challenges in Virginia.

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Critique of Federal Government Policies

Host's Provocative Question:
Ben brings up President Trump's administration policies, particularly the controversial United Nations vote to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, suggesting it distracts from more pressing issues like Medicaid cuts and Social Security threats.

Spanberger's Counterpoints [06:41]:

• Ignoring the Gulf of America:
  "I have yet to have a single person bring up the Gulf of America to me."

Instead, she emphasizes that Virginians are more concerned with immediate issues such as high grocery prices, housing affordability, education quality, and behavioral health services.

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National Security and International Relations

Host's Transition:
Brett shifts the conversation to Spanberger’s background as an intelligence officer, focusing on her insights into recent shifts in U.S. foreign policy under the Trump administration.

Spanberger's Response to Kayleigh McEnany [09:21]:

• Strong Critique:
  "There's no such thing as method to the madness in the national security realm. The reality is that that vote was a shameful vote."

Spanberger condemns the U.S. alignment with authoritarian regimes against allies like Ukraine, stressing that such actions undermine national security and long-standing international partnerships.

• Historical Context [10:05]:
  "The strength of the United States has always been in our ability to lead... it is just madness."

She underscores the importance of the U.S. maintaining its role as a beacon of freedom and leadership, drawing parallels to historical defeats of oppressive regimes.

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Spanberger’s Campaign for Governor

Campaign Platform and Vision:
In the final segment, Spanberger outlines her strategy and vision for Virginia as she campaigns for governor.

• Focus on Local Issues [12:28]:
  "Strengthening our public schools, endeavoring to actually lower costs for Virginians, ensuring that our housing supply is sufficient..."

She highlights critical areas such as education, housing, public safety, and reproductive rights, asserting that these are the immediate concerns of Virginians, rather than symbolic issues like the Gulf of America renaming.

Call to Action and National Implications [14:10]:
Spanberger emphasizes Virginia's role as a bellwether state:

• Timestamp [14:45]:
  "Virginia and New Jersey are the only two states that in 2025, this November, we have statewide races... When we win here, it is the first domino to fall in ensuring that we win across the country in 2026 in those midterms."

She calls on listeners to support her campaign through volunteering, donations, and active participation, asserting that victories in Virginia will have a ripple effect on national politics.

Conclusion of Interview [15:50]:
Spanberger expresses gratitude for the opportunity to discuss these critical issues, reinforcing her commitment to Virginia and national leadership.

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Conclusion

This episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast offers a thorough examination of the political and economic challenges facing Virginia, as articulated by Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger. Through incisive questioning and informed responses, the podcast highlights the tangible impacts of federal policies on everyday Virginians and underscores the importance of local leadership in shaping both state and national futures. Spanberger’s insights provide valuable perspectives for listeners seeking to understand and engage with the pressing issues of the day.

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Notable Quotes:

1. Glenn Youngkin on Federal Downsizing [01:32]:
   “I do expect that some Virginians will lose their job.”

2. Abigail Spanberger on Governor's Responsibility [02:46]:
   “I think the governor of Virginia has a primary job, and that is to stand up for Virginians and to stand up for Virginia.”

3. Spanberger on Economic Impact [04:18]:
   “A 10% reduction to the federal workforce equates to about 39,000 jobs lost across Virginia and a potential cut of $6 billion in revenue.”

4. Spanberger on National Security [09:21]:
   “There's no such thing as method to the madness in the national security realm.”

5. Spanberger on U.S. Leadership [10:05]:
   “The strength of the United States has always been in our ability to lead... it is just madness.”

6. Spanberger’s Call to Action [14:45]:
   “When we win here, it is the first domino to fall in ensuring that we win across the country in 2026 in those midterms.”

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This detailed summary encapsulates the core discussions and insights from the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who have not listened to the podcast.

Transcript

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[Host]

So are Republican governors just attacking like their own constituents now who are losing their jobs because of Donald Trump and Elon Musk? Let me show you what's going on in Virginia where their Republican governor Glenn Youngkin is like celebrating the fact that thousands of Virginians are losing their job as a result of Trump and Musk and Doge action. This is what Glenn Youngkin said in his own words. He's cheering on these cuts. Play this clip. Kevin, talk about this federal workforce downsizing.

[Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger]

What are you doing to prevent these jobs from losing Virginians from losing jobs in the first place?

[Glenn Youngkin]

Well, let me just begin with the fact is that I don't believe that the federal government downsizing is wrong. And in fact we need to press forward and drive efficiencies in our federal government and as a result in driving those efficiencies. I do expect that some Virginians will lose their job.

[Host]

I don't know, is it the whole role of like the, the governor supposed to be to fight for like your state? I don't know. It's like in a sports team, could you imagine like the coach rooting against the team? You know, I'm the Lakers coach, but I'm really hoping that the New York Knicks win this game. I think I'd like to see that it'll be more efficient for us. What is going on? Oh, and then Young can set up this website which adds insult to injury. Virginia has jobs. And when you go through this, by the way, I'm not even sure if that's an AI image or people in Europe or what this, what this image even is. But then you look at it and it sends you to LinkedIn and indeed and basically says good luck. All right, I gotta bring in Congresswoman Abigail Spamberger, Democrat, who's running for governor in Virginia. I look at that as like the craziest, like disappointing crazy. You're running for governor of Virginia. What do you make of it?

[Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger]

I think the governor of Virginia has a primary job, and that is to stand up for Virginians and to stand up for Virginia. And what is just unbelievable at this moment is that our governor and our lieutenant governor, who's my opponent in our November 2025 race, are doing neither, excusing the fact that Virginians who work hard, Virginians who serve our country, that they are losing their jobs, have already lost them and are fearful that tomorrow might be the day they get that fateful email. It's just outrageous.

[Host]

Now, you visited the entire state. You visited Democratic areas, Republican areas, purple areas. What are you hearing? Let's start with in the one is it, is it similar all around? What are you hearing in the, in the red areas when you're traveling there? What's going on in the state?

[Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger]

Well, every, every part, every corner of our commonwealth is impacted by these potential layoffs and by the ones that have already occurred. We have federal employees across the Virginia, certainly very, very centralized in Northern Virginia and in the Hampton Roads region. But across the commonwealth, everywhere I go, I am hearing either horror stories of people who just got an email one day and the job that they have worked in for years is gone, or they are living in fear that they might get that email. And in the story, it is the same Everywhere I go, it's I had a spouse of an active duty service member approach me at an event in Norfolk, Virginia last weekend talking about how everyone in his office received this fork in the road email. And while he's active duty and a uniformed officer, the worry is that they might cut the entirety of the civilian force. And frankly, was her worry, what's to prevent them from axing her husband as well? And the impact of certainly it is on the individuals. It is on people who have devoted their lives to serving our country through all of these various federal roles. It's also an impact on Virginia. The University of Virginia just came out with a study and they said a 10% reduction to the federal workforce equates to about 39,000 jobs lost across Virginia and a potential cut of 6 billion with a B $6 billion in revenue or $6 billion in economic output within our state. Right. This is enormous. It's consequential for the individuals, but it's consequential to our economy. Right. If you've just lost your job or you're fearful you might lose your job, you're not taking your family out to the movies. You're not, you know, taking your spouse out for Valentine's Day dinner. You're not replacing the microwave that might be on the fritz. You're not stopping and buying the snacks at the 7:11 on your way home. The impact is significant and it is felt across the entirety of Virginia.

[Host]

Congresswoman, I'm confused because the White House posted this image. Victory. They are declaring a massive victory because they've asked Google, which Google did, to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America. Which I'm just going to bet that when you go to all the areas in Virginia right now, when they hear about Medicaid being cut, when they hear that their Social Security may be raided, when they hear about these important agencies and services that they rely on going away, I'm going to bet is the main issue that they're focused on the Gulf of America? Are they, Is this a big celebratory time in the Commonwealth?

[Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger]

I gotta tell you, you guessed this one correctly. Anywhere I travel across Virginia, I have yet to have a single person bring up the Gulf of America to me. In addition to the attacks on Virginia and Virginians, I have people bringing to me the fact that the cost at the grocery store is still, still too high. The cost of cereal. If you got, I've got three kids at home, elementary schooler, middle schooler and high schooler. Right. The cost of cereal is expensive. If you've got kids at home who love cereal or adults like me, grocery store prices, high prices at the pharmacy counter, still a huge portion of people's monthly take home. The housing crisis, whether it's an issue of affordability or just overall lack of supply, education, the desire to have our kids be safe in school, the issue of recruiting and retaining quality teachers, ensuring that our kids continue to do well in school as we continue kind of come out of this post. Pandemic timeframe, the challenges of behavioral health, all of these things, these are the issues that people bring to me. I have yet, yet to hear anything about the Gulf of America.

[Host]

Before becoming a congresswoman and then running for governor, you were an intelligence officer and you focused on very serious issues at the CIA. All issues are serious at the CIA. But you also focused on nuclear proliferation. You focused terrorism. So in the past 48 hours or so, the Trump administration sided with the axis of evil. Russia, North Korea, Belarus and A few other nations against our allies in refusing to, well, actually just opposing the United nations resolution condemning Russia's unlawful invasion of Ukraine. Donald Trump's continued to praise Putin over and over again. Cut out Europe from negotiations and cut out Ukraine from negotiations with Putin and Saudi Arabia. But this is what they're saying. Kayleigh McEnady, Trump's former press secretary, who's now a host on Fox, that's kind of a common theme here. And they become defense secretaries, apparently. Here's what she had to say. She said this is the art of the deal. We're missing the point here. Play this clip.

[Kayleigh McEnany]

Might be some strategy to that. I do think there's a, quote, method to the madness of, you know, buttering up a dictator who very much enjoys that to then find some sort of deal that is friendlier on your terms than maybe it would have been.

[Host]

Yes.

[Kayleigh McEnany]

I think.

[Host]

What's your response to that?

[Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger]

There's no such thing as method to the madness in the national security realm. The reality is that that vote was a shameful vote. We are the United States of America. We have been that shining city on a hill. We are the beacon of freedom. We are the oldest democracy in the world. The fact that we, through our vote at the United nations would side with Russia and North Korea against our ally Ukraine as they fight against and they just hit the third anniversary of their fight for their freedom, it is just shameful and it is astounding because for anyone who has come up, not just in the national security space, but anybody who lived through the 80s, right, the Russians, the Soviets before them, they are not the side we want to be taking. And for all of our democratic allies across Europe and across Asia to join together in rebels rebuking Russia and standing up for Ukraine, and we back away from that like we are denying our own strength. The strength of the United States has always been in our ability to lead. And whatever she was talking about in that interview, it wasn't there's no method. It's just madness. And it is hurting our own national security. It is hurting our long term partnerships with our friends and allies. And it's just unthinkable, frankly. But it is the reality of where we are in this moment. And my hope is that every American who remembers what it means that we are the country that defeated the Nazis, right? We are the people who helped lead to the end the fall of the Soviet Union. And we watch the demise of communism like that is us. And yet here we have in the United nations, we've aligned ourselves with those authoritarian dictatorships, it's terrible.

[Host]

Now, final question. You're campaigning for governor. You were a member of Congress, and you had to give up that seat as part of running for governor. So you can campaign. You can tell people what your platform is, what you're going to do. And I'm sure people are asking you on the campaign trail, what can we do? And I think people are looking for just like, what can we do as people right now? So when they ask you, what can we do? What's your message to the people of the Commonwealth and to just Americans in general who feel a little bit powerless right now but want to take action?

[Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger]

Yeah. Well, for Virginians, my message is we have the ability right here on the ground to focus on the issues that matter to community members across the Commonwealth, strengthening our public schools, endeavoring to actually lower costs for Virginians, ensuring that our housing supply is sufficient to meet the demand of all of the people who want to move to our beautiful, wonderful state, keeping our communities safe and protecting our rights. Virginia is the only state in the south that hasn't further restricted reproductive rights since the Dobbs decision. And we get to go to the polls in November of 2025. And all of those things, it matters to Virginians, certainly, because we're the ones who live here, are impacted by the work that I will do as governor. But to everybody across the country, I would say our race matters to you as well, because Virginia and New Jersey are the only two states that in 2025, this November, we have statewide races. In Virginia, we have the opportunity to flip our governorship. We currently have a Republican governor. We can flip our governorship. We can flip our lieutenant governorship, we can flip our attorney general, and we can expand upon the majority of 51 out of 100 Democrats that we have right now and make that number larger. And when we do that, we will send a message to the rest of the country. We will send a message to candidates running across the country in our 2026 midterms that we did it in Virginia. And you can do it anywhere across the country. We are the bellwether state. And when we win here, it is the first domino to fall in ensuring that we win across the country in 2026 in those midterms. And so for anybody who wants to be engaged, for anyone who is feeling depleted or just so, so many feelings at this moment, like, turn your attention to Virginia, Support our candidates, whether it's me as the governor candidate or our House of Delegates candidates, sign up to volunteer from afar you can come to Virginia, knock doors for us in the fall, but we need all the help that we can get because we know that all eyes will be on Virginia because we know we're the bellwether and on the ground, I can tell you Virginians across the Commonwealth are committed to making sure that as the bellwether, we do our job and we signal what is to come. And that is success. That is electing strong Democrats and making a real change, not just here in the commonwealth, but being the precursor to all of that in 26 and 27 and ultimately 28. So you can go to my website, which is abigail spanberger.com you can sign up to volunteer, you can donate to the campaign. You can get engaged. And we are just so happy and grateful for any and all support that we can have from anywhere across the country. It matters to us in Virginia. Certainly it matters, you know, to the future of our commonwealth. But we recognize the role that we play on the greater stage. So, you know, please, please come join us. We're going to win, but we're going to need every bit of help that we can to flip these seats.

[Host]

Congresswoman Abigail Spamberger, thank you so much for joining. We appreciate it.

[Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger]

Thank you so much, everybody.

[Host]

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