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Tara Palmieri
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Julie Grace Brufke
Quite beautiful.
Tara Palmieri
I decided to go there so I could get a, a real finger on the pulse of what they're saying behind closed doors, how they're really feeling coming into the midterms. They feel about the fact that the president has just entered into a war in which he doesn't know when it will end. All he can say is that it will end soon. Is not giving any exact dates or timeline. You know, I was there for President Trump's first press conference since he announced that there would be a war. Since he announced the war. And he took a few questions, but he, he pretty much shut it down when he was asked about the fact that seven servicemen had died as of the time of that press conference and how many lives will be lost in this. And, you know, it was a really historic day. And yet he didn't have a lot of answers. He really didn't. He was asked about whether the Tomahawk missiles that struck a school full of 7 year old girls, if that wasn't those were American missile, if that was an American missile. And he said he doesn't know, could have been Iranian. The President of the United States, you can bet that he knows. And you know, I wanted to talk to members and staffers at the bar and find out what are they really thinking when they hear President Trump say, I will not sign another bill unless you pass this Save America law. And that is the one that requires voter identification because he believes in massive voter fraud and drastically pulls back mail in voting. So, you know, it's unlikely to pass in the Senate. But I felt, you know, I had to ask them how does that work for them when they so desperately need to show their constituents that they've done something in this, do nothing Congress, they are addressing the affordability crisis in some way. And how do they feel when they hear something like that where he's basically saying that this bill is in passed, he won't give them anything, not even a shred, not even a breadcrumb to come home with. So I've got Julie Grace Brufy on the show. And as you'll hear from our conversation, we were both there at the press conference at the president's speech and then we talked to members and staffers afterwards to hear what's the inside scoop. I think you will find it interesting. It's a matter of what they say, what they meant and how nervous they are as they walk off the plank into the minority. Take a listen here. Welcome to the Tara Palmieri show in the Red Letter meets Julie Grace Bruske, our favorite congressional correspondent. Julie Grace and I, hey, thanks for joining. We're kind of doing a debrief right now from last night. We were both at the Congressional Republican retreat in Doral, Trump's luxury golf course in Florida, where all the House Republicans, not all of them actually, the showing was okay, but many of them were there to listen to him talk for like an hour, big long winding speech which obviously overshadowed all of their priorities. But we want to give you a feel for the real conversation in the room and what everybody was talking about. Julie Grace, what do you think?
Julie Grace Brufke
So, I mean, last night we heard from Trump. I mean, we're probably missing a good chunk. Almost a good chunk of the members aren't here. So it's but from the ones I've talked to, they thought the speech was, I mean, it was A general speech. So far, most of the members, like, this is kind of our general conference meeting, but in Florida, I think things might get a little spicier later. But it's kind of been some bickering over there whether to do another reconciliation bill ahead of the midterms, which I just talked to Jason Smith, and he weighs a mean share, who told me he was kind of getting a lot of pressure from some more conservative members on it, and they don't want something divisive ahead of. Ahead of the election. But he was like, I'd like to see it, but I'd also look like. Like to look like Brad Pitt. So that I think those are similar ops. So about that. Even though Mike Johnson's really been kind of pushing for another giant, sweeping bill to kind of push their priorities through. So we'll see.
Tara Palmieri
Yeah, I mean, they haven't really accomplished much at all in the past two years. So I could see how some of these frontliners would love to actually have something to show or at least to show that they're doing something to fix the economy. But, like, this is what I felt. I felt there was, like, a dread and an impending doom from everyone I was talking to at the bar. Like, they know they're walking up to a cliff. They know they're going to lose. And it's just now they're sort of. I guess they're in that stage of grief where you've, like, reconciled with everything. Like, they're in acceptance and that they are. That men will fall off the cliff. They will lose the House. But they say, you know, like, listen, it's not going to be the shellacking that we've seen in the past. It's not going to be 87 members lose their seats because of redistricting. Like, they stitched it up so that it will not be a bloodbath come November of 2026. And so I think they're all sort of resigned to the fact that, like, large majorities just, like, don't exist anymore because of how they have redrawn our ma. Our maps.
Julie Grace Brufke
Oh, for sure. And I mean, publicly, when they go on tv, they have to say they're going to win majority. But I mean, I feel like leadership jockeying for minority leaders already kind of started to kick off, and that'll heat up more as the elections go on. And I mean, I think right now they're kind of. I mean, with redistricting, I think big majorities for either side are gone for a long time. So it's Kind of just trying to cling to what they have. And I know with like gas prices right now, that's a concern, the state of the economy, that's a concern. So a lot of these front runner or frontliners are just kind of in a spot where they're definitely a little worried about what's going to, going to happen for them in November with not a ton of confidence in some of these deeds.
Tara Palmieri
Yeah, I thought it was funny when you were telling me that like, because they have such like a mar. A razor thin majority. I mean, they are literally checking on the health of a member in Florida who's like an older man that may die. You're like checking on his health stats every day. And then there's Gonzalez, who obviously was in a. Had an affair with a staffer who killed herself sadly. And they're like, well, what do we do with him? You know what I mean? Like, that's a guy you would normally toss overboard right away. But you lose those two seats and
Julie Grace Brufke
like we see that and you've got Corey Mills who's embattled, and then Wesley Hunt who just lost his primary. Dan Crenshaw just lost his primary. I mean, you figure by July everybody's just in full campaign mode and what are they really going to get done but getting attendance And I mean, I feel like for Mike Johnson right now it's definitely like a huge issue. I feel like I'm just trying to kind of get these people who are already blame ducks to, to show up for work. So it's getting any. I feel like it's going to be with attendance in and of itself, let alone like major policy fights in uphill.
Tara Palmieri
Yeah. And I think it was like funny you said something like how they joke that like give the Dems the House back before the midterms and maybe they can start impeaching Trump and then actually they'll have a chance at winning the House.
Julie Grace Brufke
I, I do have an operative that was joking about that. He's like, may, maybe it's the move, but I mean, doubt they're going to do that. But it did kind of crack me up that that was a floated strategy of maybe their best chance of playing
Tara Palmieri
on there is if the Democrats actually become the majority and impeach Trump before the midterms. Yeah.
Julie Grace Brufke
Might be our best messaging. Yeah.
Tara Palmieri
That would be the best thing to ever happen to them. Ironically, Trump, you know, I found it to be. I. Why you get to this point sometimes where you become so blunt, like dull, I guess to him, and he's dulled by his, what he's saying. But, you know, he did say, I will not pass any of your bills unless you pass the Save America Act. You know, we should vote our ID Act.
Julie Grace Brufke
You definitely hear him say that. And I, I mean, he's going to have to, they're going to need some things to run on in the midterm. So it's, I mean, we'll see if that actually happens. I have doubtful, but I mean, they're definitely trying to str strong arm that through the Senate. And we've heard Ken Paxton say that he'd drop out of the race if they, if they remove the filibuster for that over there and pass it through. So, I mean, I. Doubtful that happens. I think there's enough Republicans on the Senate side that don't want to get rid of the filibuster for something of that nature because, I mean, majorities flip and they know that that could come back to bite them down the line. So, I mean, we'll see how, I mean, we've seen some bills get passed shows since they've had the majority in both chambers that I was doubtful to get through both sides. So they're good and strong arming people. But I, I feel like the odds of that happening are zero to none.
Tara Palmieri
And let's just remind everyone who's listening what that act calls for. It's the voter ID law and it also severely restricts mail in ballot voting. So, you know, that's, that's a huge way to overshadow what the Democrats, I'm sorry, the Republicans right now need, which is to pass some legislation that acknowledges the affordability crisis in this country.
Julie Grace Brufke
Yeah, I mean, it's, I mean, definitely a huge Trump priority. And it already passed the House. They did get some mods on on the House side to, to back that, which was kind of a uphill climb for them initially. But, I mean, I think the odds of that getting from the Senate are low as of right now.
Tara Palmieri
Right. Okay. So we were both there at Trump's presser, the first time he has spoken to the press, like, well, not spoken. He's taken questions a long way. But the first presser, the first time where he's taken questions about the war in Iran since he declared war in Iran. And, you know, he seemed to be trying to wiggle his way out of the war. You know, he said it was going to wrap up really quickly but wouldn't give us a time frame. I, I thought it was amusing that he said that. Not amusing but interesting maybe is a better word that he said that there was distance between him, he acknowledged distance between himself and J.D. vance on this. He said that J.D. vance was less enthusiastic, but then he was like, well no, he's actually very enthusiastic about the war. And I was, I was also surprised too when like Trump said, you know, we're gonna, we're gonna get, we're gonna work to get, make sure that oil can flow through the Strait of Vermuz. It's gonna help the Chinese. Like why do you care about helping the Chinese?
Julie Grace Brufke
Yeah, I mean they're definitely an adversary. So that was a little, that was kind of. But I do think the JD Part of the, of the presser was kind of struck me as the most interesting thing out of that, that whole lineup. And I mean, I feel like he was kind of saying there wasn't going to be nation building while there would be nation building, which I think was also kind of the big thing that kind of stuck out to me, which I feel like the whole Republican conference is kind of divided over what to do over there. So it's, yeah, it's also kind of been completely conflicting with what the Pentagon had put out of this has all just begun where in that speech he, he was like, we're almost done with this war in Iran. So it's, yeah, we don't know when,
Tara Palmieri
but we're almost done. Which conflicts also with what Pete Hegseth said.
Julie Grace Brufke
So a little touch and go with where things stand.
Tara Palmieri
But we wouldn't say whether he is like targeting the new Khomeini leader, the new supreme leader. So Mojtaba Khomeini, he has not said whether he's going to try to take him out. What was the most disturbing thing to me was that he said that he does not know if it was our Tomahawk missile that hit the school of over a hundred thousand seven year old girls in Iran. And I mean, how, as President of the United States do you not know if it's our Tomahawk muscles? He's saying, oh, others, other countries have Tomahawk missiles. Iran has their own Tomahawk missile. Why would Iran send a Tomahawk missile into its own school?
Julie Grace Brufke
It's, I mean, I'm sure that all of his intel, they've got to have that information, but it's, I mean it's so tragic that it happened. And I feel like it's unclear whether that's going to be seen as a war crime by other nations there or whether given that they were trying to Target something else, how that all kind of shakes out. But, yeah, I mean, clearly the imagery there of what happened is so sad and tragic.
Tara Palmieri
It's the first day of the war, and that is what you do.
Julie Grace Brufke
It's.
Tara Palmieri
If that's not a sign of, of their preparedness, what they. And just the way they're handling this, it just, it feels like they were pushed into it. And he kept saying they were going to bomb us first, and it's like they were. They. They were so close. And, you know, I'm sorry, but Republicans have been saying this forever, that Iran is this close, weeks away from a nuclear weapon. For how many years have they been saying this?
Julie Grace Brufke
Yeah. And I mean, I feel like it's been interesting to kind of just see how social media with the Republican base kind of played out on this if we didn't vote for something, a Bush 2.0. And it's. I feel like it's not particularly popular with voters. So it's. I mean, if this drags on, I. From a political standpoint, I don't see how this is really going to be helping them moving forward.
Tara Palmieri
Yeah. I mean, like, how are frontliners talking about this to you, about the Iran, the war in Iran?
Julie Grace Brufke
Well, it's like, I feel like you've got some of the more neo. Connie. Ideological members that are. That are okay with it. And I mean, and you see, he's been. I mean, he's definitely targeting Thomas Massie, definitely not a moderate, but I mean, he's targeting him. And he's probably been one of the most outspoken members against all of this and kind of accusing him of using this to overshadow all the Epstein stuff, which was kind of Massey's take on all of that.
Tara Palmieri
But I was going to ask him about that if I got a question. Unfortunately, there was a very tall woman in front of me. But if I did get a question, I would have asked Trump. You know, Mr. Massey has said that no airstrike will overshadow the Epstein files. Are you trying to change the conversation, Mr. President? And that no one's asked him that yet. Why hasn't the White House press corps asked him that yet?
Julie Grace Brufke
It's. I mean, you got to come up to Washington and come, come do a day in the briefing room busting through.
Tara Palmieri
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Julie Grace Brufke
Definitely a different world. I mean, kind of seen, I mean with the Pentagon doesn't really let most people into the briefing room these days. So it's, it's definitely different vibe than other admins of the past.
Tara Palmieri
I mean look what they did to the Associated Press. They wouldn't call it the Gulf of America. And then they, you know, are. Their entire company suffers because of it. They're not allowed in the press room, I mean into the Oval Office anymore. They're not in the, in the pool. It's, it's absurd. I mean the stakes are so much higher which is why it's so great to be independent journalists. And having worked in corporate media for a very long time, like I don't think you can really cover this administration without a level of independence. It's just the weight of the corporations hanging over your head. The fact that they're merging, merging right now, cbs, cnn, Time Warner, like it's just too much.
Julie Grace Brufke
I mean the landscape's so different than when we were first got, when we were first getting into this and coming up in this business for sure, it's, yeah, you get a little more leeway, but it's, I feel like covering the admins its own beast, which has definitely shifted a lot.
Tara Palmieri
I know you were talking about that there's like already some leadership plays going on right now. I mean Mike Johnson's obviously not going to be speaker, but like do you think he'll be minority leader? Are people happy with him? I feel like he was the most limp wristed minority leader ever.
Julie Grace Brufke
I mean I talked to some people that I feel like they feel like Jim Jordan starting to make moves. They're speculating whether everyone else in leadership or whether, I mean if it does turn out to be some type of bloodbath, it's just like a clean slate. We need a whole new fresh team. So I think those talks are kind of starting like starting early. But it's, I mean it's still early. There's, there's a lot of knife fights that I mean we saw last time around with both Kevin McCarthy, Kevin McCarthy ouster and speakers race 1.0. How many people have just kind of, we're kind of lining things up there. So I mean I wouldn't be surprised to see something similar this time around. But you really need 50% plus one for minority leader. So it's like people kind of trying to mend, mend past feuds starting to happen now. Earlier, grabbing lunch with some sources that were telling me that some of the bad blood where they're starting to see some of these members that are kind of ambitious on moving up the ladder, trying to smooth things over. So I think we'll see a lot more of that and it's going to be interesting to kind of watch who's campaigning for who and out on the trail as things kind of start to heat up, which I feel like is always a big indicator on who's going to run.
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Tara Palmieri
What do you mean bad blood? Like what's, what's the story there?
Julie Grace Brufke
Looks like, I mean we saw last time around when Steve Scalise was there and then Jim Jordan was kind of knifing him out and then we saw with Jim Jordan all the people, all of the police allies weren't willing to vote for him. And then I mean we went through Tom Emmer where there was some of the hyper conservatives who didn't want to vote for him over his gay marriage vote. And so I mean I feel like there's trying to bridge some of those divisions and find somebody they can all unify around. Watching it last time, I mean we'll see. I mean if they miraculously keep the majority, I feel like it'd be hard for. I feel like Mike Johnson probably stays on if that's the case. But it's. I haven't talked to anybody that's been super confident about them holding on to the majority thus far.
Tara Palmieri
Yeah, the. The thing I think about, though, is Hakeem Jeffries. I mean, I don't hear a lot of Democrats being like, he's doing a great job. I watch him on tv. You watch him. You know how he operates. I don't particularly think he has, like, the strongest team around him. I don't feel like he's done a really great job as just even a communicator, because, like, that is all you really are in the. In the minority you're supposed to be punching the whole time. And I don't know. I mean, is there any. Is anyone trying to usurp him before he has the opportunity to step up into speakership?
Julie Grace Brufke
So I've talked to a lot of Dems on this who have been like, I would feel like he needs to be leading more on messaging, that they don't feel like they really have a message right now. I feel like divisions in the way that we've kind of seen Republicans pick over things are starting to break up out into public on the Dem side on issues like Israel and different economic things and ice, and I feel like they're in. Like their infighting is kind of starting to become more public. But I know there have been some frustrations. These much more introverted than some of the other leaders in the past were. Like, he's not huge on going to fundraisers and that sort of thing where it's not what he's super passionate about, where I feel like there's a lot of people who feel like he's a really good orator, but they don't know. I mean, Nancy Pelosi shoes are going to be tough to fill for anybody. But I know there's. There have been some concerns on that, but nobody. I haven't heard any names floated yet of anybody that's, like, outwardly going to try and challenge him. So we'll see as things kind of get closer, if he was going to be trying to climb on that end. But it's. I know there have definitely been some frustrations.
Tara Palmieri
Yeah. I mean, I. I'm sure there's a little bit of frustration with Nancy Pelosi because it felt like she was the one who picked him. And it's like, well, he was never a good fundraiser. He was never a good communicator. Was she just choosing someone she thought could be a puppet while she was there, um, and now she sort of left them with a leadership vacuum that like arguably could have been filled by Adam Schiff, who I would say was also her pet, but probably a stronger leader.
Julie Grace Brufke
I mean, I haven't talked to her about that personally, so I'd have to do some more reporting on, on how she's feeling about things. But I've seen her. I mean, she's made some public comments on frustrations with messaging. So I mean, we'll kind of see how she kind of ushers him in as they are. Look pretty confident they're going to take the majority on. But it seems like she's kind of served as a little bit of a Sherpa, trying to show him the ropes of. I mean, she was such a prolific fundraiser. And I mean, I don't know if we'll ever see from like a political standpoint watching her covering her of an adept politician. I feel like watching her and Mitch McConnell back when he was in power were just people who just had a grasp on their, on their caucuses. I'm not sure we'll ever see that again in my time with the way things now and rule changes. But she's a. I mean, she's a
Tara Palmieri
tough act to follow.
Julie Grace Brufke
Love or hate her politics. So it's. I feel like anyone kind of coming behind her is going to be difficult. But definitely some, some early frustrations with Jeffries.
Tara Palmieri
Yeah, I guess you're right. And, and Democrats aren't really like Republicans. They don't sharpen their knives every time there's a leadership fight and like kill their, Kill their leaders. I mean, they get eaten up for breakfast. They just cycle through them so quickly. And that, that Kevin McCarthy. Oh, that. That bloodletting was, was pretty epic. And it was all brought on by Matt Gates. I mean, it's insanity, right? When you think about it now, it
Julie Grace Brufke
was a wild ride. I mean, I feel like we saw Dem Kuz with Pelosi like Seth Moulton back in the day. But I feel like it was a lot of people who managed kind gavels and stuff, and she was able to strike deals where it seemed less. Their crews have seemed less messy.
Tara Palmieri
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. I, I'd have to think that, like I know you were saying a lot of neocons, Republicans are fine with the war in Iran, but gas prices rising, troops on the ground, like even Trump, you saw that the last question he got was seven men have died. When are too many troops killed enough to end this war? And he basically shut down the Qu. The press conference after that. I don't he very rarely shuts down press conferences. It's obviously, yeah, this is a problem.
Julie Grace Brufke
I mean, I feel like Republicans, I feel like they're messaging for a long time has been strong defense and strong economy. So I feel like definitely gas prices, rising inflation, that's, that's a huge problem. And I mean, we're over a year into the presidency. It's hard to blame Democrats for that at this point. So it's.
Tara Palmieri
They'll try and they do. But yeah, it's pretty much possible.
Julie Grace Brufke
So. Yeah, well, we'll see kind of how they. Which is something. When I'm doing interviews later chatting about messaging on how they're planning to fix that, I feel like it's definitely high my priority list on trying to see how they're going to navigate that because I mean, the tariffs aren't super popular with a lot of people. And I mean, it's another thing I've heard a lot of members publicly kind of praise and then privately have a lot of grievances with. So I feel like prices at the grocery store. Yeah. I mean with gas prices that'll probably go up even higher. So it's, I mean, I feel like people vote with their wallet. So that's, it's going to be an issue if things don't drastically change.
Tara Palmieri
Right. Yeah, I think this is going to be bad. And I think, you know, if more men die, he's saying they're talking about, you know, sending boots on the ground. He's talking about the fact that like, we could face a terror attack here. I don't see how the whole party as a whole takes a beating for that. It's, it's terrifying. And he doesn't have a lot of answers. I didn't get any. There were no answers for anything at that press conference.
Julie Grace Brufke
Yeah. And I feel like it was a relatively short press conference for him. I think he's supposed to do another briefing today back in Washington. But it's. Yeah, I mean, I feel like there's definitely a lot more, a lot more questions on how things are going to pan out, given some of the mixed signals on what's ultimately the long term plan there.
Tara Palmieri
So if you could tell all of our listeners what if they could take away one, one or two sentences from this congressional retreat? How are the members really feeling? What are they leaving with?
Julie Grace Brufke
I mean, right now I feel like everyone's kind of enjoying the weather right now. And it's, I mean, kind of essentially like they're a Giant weekly conference meeting down here. But I feel like right now just, I feel like figuring out whether we're going to be able to like push another Giant bill through their priorities, with all their priorities, the reconciliation without needing den boats in the Senate, which, I mean, moderates don't want it. And I feel like the big messaging from leadership is we're going to need this. But giant fights ahead of the midterms aren't something that I feel like a lot of them privately, they're trying to avoid that. So we'll see like a giant push from the Freedom Caucus to definitely try and push something through. But yeah, I feel like that's kind of been the main focus on trying to figure out some policy stuff ahead of November.
Tara Palmieri
And they're totally happy with the leader.
Julie Grace Brufke
It's
Tara Palmieri
like they like, they won't even like admit that like, oh yeah, Trump is long winded or anything like that. They're pretty, they're so afraid of him.
Julie Grace Brufke
I mean, I feel like talking to them, I feel like a lot of them are would like speeches to be a little shorter. But I feel like last night it was a lot of it was typical Trump speech. They were like, we enjoyed it. It was kind of the overarching messaging away from everybody coming out of there.
Tara Palmieri
Blunted, desensitized, traumatized ptsd.
Julie Grace Brufke
Ah.
Tara Palmieri
Okay. Julie Grace, enjoy the rest of the retreat. I may see you, I may head over there again and see you tonight.
Julie Grace Brufke
Happy hour. So yeah, I'll come back for happy
Tara Palmieri
hour, get the scoop, bring some back for all of you who are listening. As always, you can support us both in our independent journalism and by hitting the subscribe button and supporting our independent journalism, the Red Letter. Julie Grace Brufke, Meet after hours to discuss, I mean after, after hours to discuss, you know, everything that's going on on the Hill, the real conversation and appreciate you guys tuning in and yeah, subscribe like thanks to my producer, Dan Schiffmacher, Abby Baker, my intern who, who showed up ready to meet sources, break
Julie Grace Brufke
news
Tara Palmieri
and everyone else. So bye. Thanks so much for tuning in to the Tara Palmari show. You can help me by just hitting that subscribe button, sharing this with your friends following, liking sending some comments. It means the world to me. I have just hit my one year anniversary at the Red Letter. Started on I guess this time last year on Monday, March 9. It was a really big moment for me when I hit send and you guys have been with me all along. Some of you have been with me all along. Some of you are new and welcome. Thank you to all of you. Really means the world to me. And of course, you can support this independent journalism by going to tarapalmieri.com that's T A R A P A L M E R-I dot com. You can sign up for my newsletter, the Red Letter. It's where you can get my Excel exclusive reporting straight to your inbox. And it's it's a great way to support independent journalists like me by becoming a paid subscriber. I want to thank my awesome team, Dan Schiffmacher, my producer Abby Baker, who's also producing booking. She does research, social media, everything we've got. Dan Rosen, my manager and Adam Stewart does graphics. See you again soon.
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The Tara Palmeri Show – March 11, 2026
Host: Tara Palmeri
Guest: Julie Grace Brufke
In this episode, Tara Palmeri delivers a deeply reported, behind-the-scenes look at the House Republican retreat at Trump’s Doral golf course amidst rising political tensions. With the GOP confronting war in Iran, surging gas prices, and thin legislative achievements, Palmeri and congressional correspondent Julie Grace Brufke dissect the mood within the party. They discuss the GOP’s internal worries about the upcoming midterms, how Trump’s war strategy is playing with the party and the electorate, and leadership maneuverings on both sides of the aisle. The episode is marked by candid observations, dark political humor, and the kind of nuanced reporting that goes far beyond headlines.
“They know they're walking up to a cliff. They know they're going to lose. And it's just now they're sort of... in acceptance.” (Tara, 05:37)
"He did say, I will not pass any of your bills unless you pass the Save America Act... the voter ID Act." (Tara, 08:50)
“He was kind of saying there wasn't going to be nation building while there would be nation building...” (Julie Grace, 11:46)
"He does not know if it was our Tomahawk missile that hit the school of over a hundred thousand seven year old girls in Iran. And I mean, how, as President of the United States do you not know...?" (Tara, 13:01)
“Gas prices, rising inflation, that's, that's a huge problem. And I mean, we're over a year into the presidency. It's hard to blame Democrats for that at this point.” (Julie Grace, 24:11)
“I don't particularly think [Jeffries] has, like, the strongest team around him. I don't feel like he's done a really great job as just even a communicator...” (Tara, 20:04)
Morale at an All-Time Low:
“I felt there was, like, a dread and an impending doom... They're in acceptance and that they are. That men will fall off the cliff. They will lose the House.” (Tara, 05:37)
On the Core Problem:
"They haven't really accomplished much at all in the past two years. So I could see how some of these frontliners would love to actually have something to show..." (Tara, 05:37)
War, Gas, and Political Peril:
“I feel like people vote with their wallet. So that's, it's going to be an issue if things don't drastically change.” (Julie Grace, 24:30)
Trump’s Evasive War Answers:
“We don't know when [the war will end], but we're almost done.” (Tara, 12:24)
Dark Political Humor:
"Give the Dems the House back before the midterms and maybe they can start impeaching Trump and then actually they'll have a chance at winning the House." (Tara, 08:19)
"Might be our best messaging!" (Julie Grace, 08:48)
GOP leaders feel cornered by both Trump’s war and legislative stasis; there’s open resignation about losing the House, but with an expectation of avoiding massive casualties.
“Blunted, desensitized, traumatized, PTSD.” (Tara, 27:09)
Trump’s demands (on election law and unwavering support) have left rank-and-file members with little to sell to voters on the economy, while the war in Iran is a risky and unpopular distraction.
Both parties face leadership questions in the shadow of larger-than-life predecessors and structural dynamics (redistricting, partisanship) that make reinvention difficult.
The episode pulls back the curtain on performative optimism vs. real anxiety, showing how insiders talk when no cameras are rolling.
This episode delivers what Tara Palmeri promises—sharp, insider chatter, darkly funny at times, and always clear-eyed about what’s really happening at the highest levels of political power. For listeners wanting to understand the GOP’s mood and muddle in March 2026, it's a bracing, revealing portrait.
(End of summary)