Bye Bye, Biden

Summary

Podcast Summary: What A Day – Episode: "Bye Bye, Biden"

Release Date: January 17, 2025
Host: Erin Ryan (filling in for Jane Coaston)

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1. Introduction: The End of an Era

Erin Ryan opens the episode by reflecting on significant closures and transitions occurring in various spheres:

• Political Shifts: The imminent end of Joe Biden's presidency and the upcoming inauguration of Donald Trump.
• Cultural Changes: The passing of Director David Lynch and the potential shutdown of TikTok in the U.S.
• Personal Reflections: Erin humorously mentions her reliance on a weighted blanket amidst these changes, highlighting the pervasive sense of uncertainty.

Notable Quote:
"It's a time of deletion, of indelible change. It's not just the end of one era. It feels like the end of several eras all at once."
— Erin Ryan [00:02]

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2. Biden's Legacy: Wins and Shortcomings

Erin Ryan delves into Joe Biden's presidency, assessing both achievements and areas of contention. To provide an expert perspective, she interviews Alexis Koh, a presidential historian and bestselling author.

Key Discussion Points:

• Biden’s Achievements:

  • Passage of significant legislation despite narrow majorities, including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, CHIPS Act, Historic Climate Bill, and the Inflation Reduction Act.
  • Restoration of Democratic norms and effective administration management.

• Biden’s Shortcomings:

  • Struggles with inflation and the war in Gaza.
  • Controversial decision to run for re-election in 2024, causing division within the Democratic Party and contributing to the rise of oligarchic influences in America.

• Historical Context:

  • Alexis points out the difficulty in evaluating a presidency too close to its conclusion, emphasizing the need to observe long-term policy impacts.
  • Comparison of Biden’s farewell address to historical addresses, noting its standard nature but lack of impactful legacy due to unresolved issues post-presidency.

Notable Quotes:
"Every day I've kept my commitment to be president for all Americans through one of the toughest periods in our nation's history."
— Joe Biden (referenced by Alexis Koh) [03:29]

"Biden will never be just a footnote to Trump’s legacy. It will always be there."
— Alexis Koh [10:43]

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3. The Rise of Oligarchy and Democratic Threats

The conversation shifts to the increasing influence of oligarchs in America, a concern highlighted in Biden's farewell address.

Key Points:

• Definition and Impact: Oligarchs as entities of extreme wealth and power that threaten democracy and equal opportunity.
• Biden’s Concerns: Despite his warnings, the administration struggled to counteract this trend effectively.
• Historical Comparisons: Alexis draws parallels to past presidencies facing similar threats, emphasizing the unique challenges of the current political landscape.

Notable Quote:
"An oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy."
— Erin Ryan [02:53]

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4. Confirmation Hearings and EPA Leadership

Erin discusses the Senate confirmation hearings for Lee Zeldin, Trump's nominee for head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Key Points:

• Zeldin’s Stance on Climate Change: Affirmed belief in climate change but criticized for previous votes against significant environmental legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Political Dynamics: Highlighted the influence of big oil and campaign donations on Zeldin’s positions.
• Future Implications: Zeldin's potential rollback of Biden-era climate laws and policies focusing on energy dominance and AI leadership.

Notable Quote:
"As I told you, I believe that climate change is real."
— Lee Zeldin [15:10]

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5. The TikTok Ban: Implications and Uncertainty

A significant portion of the episode addresses the potential shutdown of TikTok in the United States, a decision pending as Trump's inauguration approaches.

Key Points:

• Deadline Pressure: ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, faces a deadline to sell the app or face a ban by Sunday.
• Government Stance: The Biden administration leaves enforcement to the incoming Trump administration, leading to uncertainty.
• Supreme Court Involvement: The court is set to rule on the ban’s constitutionality concerning First Amendment rights.
• Public Reaction: Concerns among parents and users about losing access to the app, compounded by Trump's consideration of an executive order to keep TikTok operational during negotiations.

Notable Quote:
"Americans shouldn't expect to see TikTok suddenly banned, but ByteDance has shown zero interest in selling and it's reportedly planning to shut down TikTok in the US on Sunday."
— Erin Ryan [15:26]

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6. Inauguration Preparations and Tech Leaders’ Involvement

Erin outlines the various events and parties planned in anticipation of Trump’s inauguration, highlighting the involvement of prominent tech figures.

Key Points:

• Major Events: Parties hosted by tech billionaire Peter Thiel, Tech podcast All In Uber, and appearances by personalities like Mark Zuckerberg.
• Fundraising Efforts: Tech leaders have significantly contributed to Trump’s inauguration fund, raising nearly $200 million, surpassing previous records.
• Cultural Climate: The blending of tech industry influences with traditional political festivities, underscoring the intertwining of technology and politics.

Notable Quote:
"Tech Bros and Red State Karens are donning their black ties, Oscar de la Renta knockoffs, and of course, their MAGA hats to celebrate Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday."
— Erin Ryan [16:53]

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7. Wildfires in Los Angeles: Personal Accounts and Broader Implications

The episode shifts focus to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, featuring an interview with Amanda McPhillips, a single mother affected by the fires.

Interview Highlights:

• Personal Impact: Amanda shares her experience evacuating Pasadena due to the Eaton fire, detailing the rapid escalation and the fear experienced during the evacuation.
• Community and Recovery: Discusses the challenges of rebuilding, the uncertainty surrounding the future of local schools, and the emotional toll on families.
• Climate Change Realities: Emphasizes how climate-related disasters are becoming a daily threat, shaping the lives of children growing up in affected areas.

Notable Quotes:
"We were basically hour by hour at this point and where we're going to be and what we're going to do."
— Amanda McPhillips [22:14]

"For him, he's upset. I think it's harder for them to process that the physical school is gone, but for the kids, being near their friends has been the most important thing."
— Amanda McPhillips [26:09]

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8. Conclusion: Reflecting on Transition and Resilience

Erin wraps up the episode by highlighting the collective efforts to support wildfire victims through donations and community support, underscoring the theme of resilience amidst significant societal changes.

Key Points:

• Disaster Relief Efforts: Promotion of a disaster relief fund benefiting those impacted by the LA wildfires, with contributions already nearing $200,000.
• Community Solidarity: Emphasis on the importance of supporting affected families and first responders during times of crisis.

Notable Quote:
"In an era of climate change, something as random as a cigarette butt being tossed on a pile of leaves could determine whether or not your home remains standing."
— Erin Ryan [21:30]

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Conclusion

Episode "Bye Bye, Biden" of What A Day provides an in-depth analysis of the closing chapter of Joe Biden’s presidency, the political and cultural shifts accompanying Trump’s imminent return to office, and the pressing environmental crises exemplified by the LA wildfires. Through expert interviews and personal narratives, the episode captures the multifaceted nature of American society in a period of profound transition and uncertainty.

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Note:
This summary excludes advertisements, intros, outros, and non-content segments to focus solely on the substantive discussions and insights presented in the episode.

Transcript

[Erin Ryan]

It's Friday, January 17th. I'm Erin Ryan in for Jane Coston, and this is what a day. The show pouring one out for right wing strongman and former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, whose request to leave the country to attend Trump's inauguration was denied by his country's Supreme Court. So sad when aspiring dictators can't be there to support one another. On today's show, all the political hot air coming out of those confirmation hearings won't spare D.C. from a cold snap on Trump's Inauguration Day. And TikTok users brace for their beloved app to shut down operations in the U.S. also, Director David lynch has passed away, which means I will be watching Lost highway tonight, which also means I will be having bonkers dreams tonight. Whether you're a social media user, political junkie, or film weirdo, right now a lot is coming to an end, and it's not clear if what we're headed toward is ultimately good or bad. It's it's a time of deletion, of indelible change. It's not just the end of one era. It feels like the end of several eras all at once. Not knowing what comes next is, frankly unnerving, and it's why my most prized possession is currently my weighted blanket. But let's start by talking about the end of a political era. Joe Biden's presidency officially ends at noon on Monday, when Donald Trump is sworn in again. And along with the end of Biden's presidency comes reflection on whether he was any good at being leader of the free world. Biden made his case for the history books during his farewell address Wednesday night from the Oval Office. In the past four years, our democracy is held strong, and every day I've kept my commitment to be president for all Americans through one of the toughest periods in our nation's history. Joe Biden says that Joe Biden will remember himself as a pretty good president. Guess it's settled. But despite some notable wins, he also tallied some painful failures on inflation, the war in Gaza, and maybe chief of all, his decision to run again in 2024. That decision is still dividing Democrats, and it played a role in ushering in the very cabal of oligarchs Biden warned the nation about in his speech today. An oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead. Oligarchy is such a cute word for something so scary, kind of like Kremlin it's too cute. Anyway, to explore Biden's legacy, his victories and shortcomings, I reached out to presidential historian and bestselling author Alexis Koh. Alexis Koh, welcome to what a day.

[Alexis Koh]

Thank you for having me.

[Erin Ryan]

All right, Alexis. Even within the Democratic Party, there's a debate about Biden's legacy and whether history will view his presidency as a success or a failure. And I guess, to start big picture, where do you fall within that debate?

[Alexis Koh]

It's difficult to judge. First of all, as the presidential historian, I do not like to comment on a presidency if we haven't had at least a decade, because we have to wait for certain policies, as Biden has promised us to unfold, to take form and to see the effects. The problem here, and this is true for every president, is they inherit something. But Biden is sandwiched between Trump's first presidency and his second. So everything about his presidency, with a few exceptions, is going to be connected to that and his refusal to leave office.

[Erin Ryan]

Right. Like an. Like an Oreo cookie with, like, the cookie part being made of something really gross, and then the inside being made of something where you're like, oh, is this okay? As a historian, how do you think Biden's farewell address compares to other presidential farewell addresses?

[Alexis Koh]

In some ways, it was standard. It was also, though, a real visual reminder that spoke against what he's still talking about, which is a little bit like Trump still talking about the big Lie. Biden is still talking about winning the election and how he could have done it. And so it was difficult. I kept thinking about that as I was watching him. And that is the problem with refusing to leave office is what would have been a legacy that rivals fdr. And it would, you know, that would have been the book on Biden. Now that legacy is a chapter two. And everything else is about what happened after.

[Erin Ryan]

In 2020, Biden ran on the idea of returning American government back to normal, both in the eyes of Americans and in our allies abroad. Do you think he succeeded?

[Alexis Koh]

I do think he succeeded there. I think he definitely re established Democratic norms. He should get credit for being an excellent manager. And I think we see that throughout his administration. The retention level has been impressive. It might be the best of any presidential administration in American history. He has executed some amazing deals as a result. The people he puts on the ground and entrusts and empowers are quite good. But we do at the same time have difficulties when you talk about normalcy, because for normal Americans, democratic norms don't matter as Much as say, inflation.

[Erin Ryan]

Well, before we get to his failures, I want to talk about his successes, which you kind of alluded to in earlier answers. He managed to pass a lot of legislation with narrow majorities in the House and Senate. Bipartisan Infrastructure act, the CHIPS Act, Historic Climate Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act. What do you think the long term impact of that legislation will be? Is there a historical analog to legislation that big? Is he going to be like an FDR light in that regard?

[Alexis Koh]

I think so. I mean, there's this funny line in Hamilton that people often quote. I couldn't undo your work if I tried. And I did try. And so there are certain things that do exist that people put into policies. But again, we just can't tell yet the problems that Biden faces as far as his legacy because by the time we see some of these things come into effect, he will likely not be with us anymore, is that he can't really speak to it. He was never a great communicator about his accomplishments. And I'm sort of these things have gone unnoticed already, which makes me worry. The Office for Gun Violence Prevention and Control, I would argue that that was an incredibly innovative office. I wish we had heard more from it. But critics would say it didn't do anything and they would be right to say so. I think what was interesting last year is I went on a 13 stop tour, a discussion tour for New America where I'm a senior fellow and I asked a simple question, how should a president be? And of course I went to all these different places that I tried to not go to the same schools and the same bookstores and the same think tanks that I always go to. I tried to sort of branch out. And I would talk to people when they picked me up at the airport and I would tell them what I'm doing. And what was really shocking to me is how few people knew Kamala Harris. They didn't really know who she was. They had a vague idea and that was something that was really surprising to me but but not as time went on. And so I think one of the biggest failures obviously was not having a primary, but also not putting her at the forefront during this time. The Office of Gun Violence Prevention. She ran that office. It was through the vice president's office. There were so many opportunities to put her at the forefront and he really didn't because he didn't believe his time had come to an end.

[Erin Ryan]

Another failure, the Biden administration kind of didn't ever figure out how to address Americans fears about inflation yeah, it was something happening globally. And there were a lot of reasons why the 2024 election didn't go Democrats way. But inflation is the one that a lot of people who didn't vote for Kamala Harris cite. What other presidents in the past have struggled with inflation and how have they been remembered?

[Alexis Koh]

I mean, we have Hoover, of course, and we have the Great Depression and we have people. We have Grover Cleveland who didn't respond adequately to the pan that occurred. We have Grover Cleveland again, of course. He's the only other president aside from Donald Trump who was reelected and had non consecutive terms. He refused to sort of, you know, respond to this. There can be debates over whether those were unforeseen consequences. But I think this comes back to this issue of communication. When we rank presidents, when historians rank presidents, and I'm expecting this any day in my mailbox, we don't just sort of like make a list and put numbers next to them. There's a set of criteria and each one is weighted. And one of the most important things is a president's ability to communicate with the public. And there were lots of ways that I thought Biden could have done it going on TikTok an account he opened, I think six months to a year before he left office was not the way to do it. It was not the way to do it. And so I think that in general, and it was hard because this is this politician who has a wonderful history of empathy and of really connecting with Americans, and he just seemed unwilling or unable to do so.

[Erin Ryan]

After the election in 2024, you wrote a piece in Rolling Stone about how by choosing to run again, he squandered his legacy. Why does it all boil down to that decision for you?

[Alexis Koh]

It was astonishing to watch. I think it doesn't all boil down to that. It is the process and what it will to our collective memories. We look back at his legacy and we also wonder what we didn't know, how it got to that point. We'll sort of question everything. And his legacy is not his own anymore. It now belongs to Donald Trump and whatever he does. And it depends who you talk to. But many historians, I know, many political scientists think that this is the end of democracy as we know it. And these are not, you know, doomsayers. I think that Biden again, you called an Oreo cookie and I think that's a, that's more appealing than a sandwich. But it really, you cannot look. He will. It will always be there. He will never be just flopping Trump sandwich no more filling, although I guess.

[Erin Ryan]

You don't call it a bread sandwich. So it would be the Biden sandwich surrounded by Trump flavored bread, but neither here nor there. So ultimately does Biden's presidency become just a footnote to Trump's legacy? It seems kind of like that's what you're saying. Or maybe is it worse? Like, is his legacy the end of American exceptionalism?

[Alexis Koh]

That does seem very likely. I think that we can't say because we don't know what's going to happen. The first Trump presidency was such a wild ride and we're waiting for an inaugural address. We don't really know what it will say. I was shocked by the last one. American Carnage is a catchphrase that will now live next to other inaugural addresses such as ask not what your country can do for you. And so I think that we really can't underestimate the importance of Trump's presidency when it comes to Biden's legacy.

[Erin Ryan]

Alexis Koh, thank you so much for joining us. Always great to hang out with you and I always wish our hangs were longer. Thank you so much.

[Alexis Koh]

Much thank you.

[Erin Ryan]

That was my conversation with presidential historian and author Alexis Ko. We'll get to more of the news in a moment, but if you like the show, make sure you subscribe, leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads. What a day is brought to you by Rocket Money Folks, this does not make me feel good to admit this, but when I signed up for Rocket Money, I discovered that I was signed up for a New York Times subscription to a Kindle that I forgot on an airplane in the year of our Lord 2017. Yeah, somewhere in the ether there is a New York Times subscription from 2017 to like 2022 that I never ever use. Haven't seen that Kindle in a very long time. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps you find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so you can grow your savings. See all your subscriptions in one place and know exactly where your money is going. For ones you don't want anymore, Rocket Money can help you cancel them. Rocket Money's dashboard gives you a clear view of your expenses across all of your accounts. Easily create a personalized budget with custom categories to help keep your spending on track. See your monthly spending trends in each category to know exactly where your money's going. Get alerts if bills increase in price, there's unusual spending activity, or if you're close to going over budget. The new Goals feature automatically saves money for you so you don't have to think about it. Pay off credit card debt, put away money for a house, or just build your savings. Rocket Money makes it easy. Rocket Money has over 5 million users and has saved a total of $500 million in canceled subscriptions, saving members up to $740 a year when using all of the app's premium features. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions and reach your financial goals faster with Rocket Money. Go to RocketMoney.com whataday today that's RocketMoney.com whataday RocketMoney.com whataday now is your time.

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[Erin Ryan]

Here's what else we're following today.

[Alexis Koh]

Head of Lines.

[Erin Ryan]

I want to work with people to ensure they do their part to protect our environment. Senate confirmation hearings continued on Thursday with Lee Zeldin, Trump's pick for head of the Environmental Protection Agency. The former Republican congressman and New York gubernatorial loser fielded questions from lawmakers about his qualifications for the job. Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders asked Zeldin directly if he believed in climate change, to which Zeldin said yes.

[Amanda McPhillips]

Do you agree with President Elect Trump.

[Alexis Koh]

That climate change is a hoax?

[Erin Ryan]

Well first off Senator, it was great to meet with you as well. I believe that climate change is real. As I told you. There was also this pretty funny moment mid hearing when Sanders phone rang and solar power.

[Dr. Horton]

Sorry, that's okay, almost saved by the bell.

[Amanda McPhillips]

That was the fossil fuel industry.

[Erin Ryan]

There is nothing less surprising to me than the fact that Bernie Sanders does not have his phone on silent at all times. That is incredibly old guy coded. But even though Zeldin pledged to protect the environment, he's expected to roll back many Biden era climate laws. He voted against the Inflation Reduction act when he was a member of the house in 2022. And a telltale sign that he's in the pocket of big oil. Well, they've been lining his pockets with donations to his campaigns over the years. When Trump announced Zeldin's nomination last year, he said that if confirmed, his main focus was energy dominance and making us the, quote, artificial intelligence capital of the world. I will give a crisp $100 bill to the first reporter or manosphere podcaster to ask Lee Zeldin to explain, in his own words how artificial intelligence works. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has chosen his replacement for Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who's expected to become Trump's wee little Secretary of state. On Thursday, DeSantis announced that state Attorney General Ashley Moody will fill in Rubio's seat on the Hill. She joined him for a press conference.

[Amanda McPhillips]

I have one message right now to.

[Alexis Koh]

President Trump and to my new colleagues.

[Amanda McPhillips]

On the United States Senate.

[Alexis Koh]

America first, let's get it done.

[Erin Ryan]

America first and let's get it done happen to be the two most commonly used phrases in maga Mad Libs, which I do not recommend purchasing. Moody is a classic MAGA Republican, apart from the fact that unlike many classic MAGA Republicans, she has not dyed her hair Hulk Hogan blonde. She once sued Trump for fraud back when she was a prosecutor, but has since become, quote, one of Trump's biggest surrogates. She denies the results of the 2020 election. She's joined several lawsuits against the Biden administration over its support of gender affirming care, gun control, and environmental protections. Well, like I always say, the only thing that can stop climate change is a good guy with a gun. And DeSantis said on Thursday that all of these stellar qualities make her the perfect fit for the U.S. senate. I wanted somebody with a demonstrated record of delivering results. I know I should be triggered by this, but the fact that she's not Lara Trump has made me kind of like her. For the next 30 seconds, maybe Moody will serve out the rest of Rubio's term once he resigns. She'll have to run in a special election in 2026 to keep the seat. How many days do we have left with TikTok in the United States. As of now, the app is on track to potentially, maybe possibly go dark on Sunday. That's the deadline TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance faces to either sell the app to a non Chinese entity or be banned from US App stores. The Biden administration says because the deadline is happening so close to Trump's inauguration, it's going to leave enforcement of the TikTok ban up to the incoming administration. Reminds me of how sometimes when I stay at an Airbnb, I don't strip the sheets. You can handle that next, people, a White House official told NBC News, quote, americans shouldn't expect to see TikTok suddenly banned, but ByteDance has shown zero interest in selling and it's reportedly planning to shut down TikTok in the US on Sunday. National security concerns aside, I believe I speak for every parent of a very small child when I say what am I supposed to do when I'm up at 3am trying to calm the baby down? Now fix it, Emperor Trump. Well, apparently he kind of wants to, which has left me with really conflicted feelings because I will not be starting his second term approving of his actions. The Washington Post on Thursday reported that Trump is considering an executive order to keep TikTok operating in the US while a potential sale is negotiated. The Supreme Court is also weighing the constitutionality of this whole thing on First Amendment grounds. The court has scheduled decision day today, signaling it could rule on the law. Either that or feature more confused ramblings from Justice Alito, who earlier this week during a different First Amendment case, asked lawyers for the adult content industry whether online porn websites featured thoughtful essays by the modern equivalent of Gore Vidal. Like Playboy. I'm so serious. That really happened. You can look it up. You're welcome. Tech Bros and Red State Karens are donning their black ties, Oscar de la Renta knockoffs, and of course, their MAGA hats to celebrate Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday. Snoop Dogg Double thumbs down has disappointed all of us with an expected performance at DC's first ever crypto Ball that's scheduled for tonight. Feel like I can smell it. And leading up to the inauguration, several parties are on the calendar in and around the Capitol. They include a party at tech billionaire Peter Thiel's mansion and another at a members only club hosted by the Tech podcast All in Uber. And Elon Musk's ex I'll never call it by that. I will always call Twitter by its dead name are also hosting an event. And Spotify is Hosting a brunch with guest list that includes Joe Rogan, Megyn Kelly and Ben Shapiro. Nightmare Blunt Rotation. And on Monday night after the inauguration, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is throwing a black tie reception with co hosts and Republican donors Miriam Adelson and Todd Ricketts, thus creating the most impossible game of FMK of all time. Many of these same tech leaders also made big donations to Trump's inauguration fund. The nearly $200 million his team raised far surpasses the $107 million he raised in 2017, which was also a record at the time. And that's one more thing. There are myriad ways to discuss the fires in Los Angeles. We can talk about whether local and state officials could have done more to stave off some of the destruction. We could talk about how cynical political actors will use disaster victims as a political football. We can talk about how, in times of devastation, community can fill in gaps left by bureaucracy. Hell, we can talk about how most of the stuff in our houses turns into poison when it's set on fire. And how that might not be great, but today we're going to talk about how uncomfortably close every one of us is to being a climate refugee. In an era of climate change, something as random as a cigarette butt being tossed on a pile of leaves could determine whether or not your home remains standing, whether your community remains intact. I wanted to talk to somebody familiar with the razor's edge we all walk now. Amanda McPhillips, a single mother of two from Pasadena, California, who evacuated because of the fires. Amanda, welcome to what a day.

[Amanda McPhillips]

Thank you.

[Erin Ryan]

First of all, how are you doing? I know that there's a. That's a loaded question. But overall, how are you doing?

[Amanda McPhillips]

We are okay. We are grateful that we have our house. I think, like everybody, we're basically hour by hour at this point and where we're going to be and what we're going to do. My son's school is one of the schools that was burned down. So we're trying to figure out what happens with the kids at this point.

[Erin Ryan]

Oh, my gosh. Wow. And walk me through the day that you evacuated from Pasadena. What did things look like in your neighborhood? What was going through your head as news of the Eaton fire broke, especially as a parent?

[Amanda McPhillips]

Well, the day was really normal. I know the Palisades fire was going on, and I was aware of it. And all of a sudden everyone started saying, there's a fire in Eaton Canyon. I downloaded watch duty like everybody in LA did, and started just really tracking it as the fire started getting bigger, and it was clear. It was much more dangero. I started to get a little bit nervous. The winds were really, really bad. I mean, it was literally like having a hurricane that just never stopped, that was just going. You'd look out the front window, and you can see the flames coming down. You would see flashes in the sky because it was clear. Power lines were coming down, and it looked scary outside. And it's that horrible, like, orangey glow, and there's, like, stuff, like, swirling. It's true what they say. You just know. And I was like, we have to go. We have to go right now. And so I had packed the car. We. At that point, we weren't even under watch. We drove to a friend's house that lives, like, on the south, like, a different part of Pasadena that seemed safer just to, like, figure out what to do next. And in the time it took us to get in the car and get there, which was maybe 20 minutes, it went from nothing to a watch to a go. Like, that's how fast it moved, like, to the evacuation order. When we started seeing what was getting. Getting burned, it was. I mean, it was wild. I mean, it's wild. Like, we're so, so lucky. There's houses, you know, 0.5 miles from us that. That burned.

[Erin Ryan]

Wow. And so are you in the South Bay now?

[Amanda McPhillips]

Now we're back in the house, but we're looking at possibly relocating for a couple months because there's no school for my kindergartener to go to. I mean, look, we're grateful that we have this house, and if it can be of service to a family that doesn't have the option to leave the area for work or other reasons, there's, I think, at least 45, if not more families in our school alone.

[Erin Ryan]

Right. Well, I'm in the Eagle Rock, Highland park area, so we're not far apart from each other. And it's absolutely crazy how quickly things turned for people, friends and neighbors in Altadena and Pasadena. I'd imagine you and your neighbors have been in touch since all of this happened, and everything's scattered. How have you talked about recovering? Like, do you know what direction you're moving in? What is everybody gonna do now?

[Amanda McPhillips]

I think the idea is to rebuild, but even when it comes to our school, I don't know. Do you rebuild in the same place? There's this terrible thing that happens after a fire like this where the burn scar is gonna be so big that theoretically, this area would be safe for a matter of years. But that's not forever. I think everyone's having trouble wrapping their head around it because it doesn't feel like there's a For what recovery looks like because there's no part of your life that's normal. Like, I went to go take money out of the ATM and I'm like, oh, our bank burned down. Like, everything stops.

[Erin Ryan]

Yeah, yeah. And you. So I've got little kids, too, but mine are three and, like seven months old. How are you talking to your kids about what happened? Because it happened right in front of them. It seems like there's no sheltering.

[Amanda McPhillips]

Yeah, you have to. And I think My oldest is 6 in kindergarten and my youngest is 3. And I mean, part of the reason I live in LA is because I was displaced during Sandy in New York.

[Erin Ryan]

I was in New York for Sandy, too. I feel like we're like ships in the night, Amanda.

[Amanda McPhillips]

I know we didn't have water damage, but all the infrastructure had been underground, so it flooded out. And it's funny because when I think about my oldest in kindergarten, so much of his whole life is shaped already by climate change. We might end up moving out of this area for good because of the fire risk and some issues like this, but I think it's gonna just be ingrained in them as, like, a way of life. Like, for him, he's upset. I think it's harder for them to process that the physical school is gone, but for the kids, being near their friends has been the most important thing. Like, well, when can I see my friends again? And we've explained it as, you know, the school might not be there, but the community is there, our friends are there, the teacher, everyone is safe, and that's what matters. And we're gonna be helpers now and help everybody.

[Erin Ryan]

I am so sorry, Amanda, that you were so directly impacted by the fires and that your family was so directly impacted. And thank you so much for joining us. I wish you the best and take care of yourself.

[Amanda McPhillips]

Yeah.

[Erin Ryan]

Thank you. That was my conversation with Amanda McPhillips of Pasadena. Before we go, Crooked's Friends at Vote Save America Action and Crooked Ideas have set up a disaster relief fund to benefit those impacted by the horrific wildfires here in la. It's super easy for you to make one donation that's split among incredible charities doing critical work for our neighbors and first responders like the Latino Community Foundation, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, United Way of Greater Los Angeles, California Community Foundation, Wildfire Relief Fund, and Inclusive Action. Thanks to you, we have raised nearly $200,000 for these great groups so far. Great job, everybody. Learn more and make a tax deductible [e-mail] Relief. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe. Leave a review, Do a creepy dance in the Black Lodge to honor David lynch and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just synopses of David Lynch's filmography like me, what a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and [e-mail] subscribe I'm Erin Ryan Jane coast and we'll be back on Monday. And in the words of David lynch, let's try that again. But this time good. Or in the words of David lynch, fix your hearts or die.

[Amanda McPhillips]

What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producers are Raven Yamamoto and Emily Foer. Our producer is Michelle Eloy. We had production help today from Johanna Cage, Joseph Dutra, Greg Walters and Julia Claire. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our executive producer is Adrienne Hill. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.

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