Club Random with Bill Maher - Vivek Ramaswamy | Club Random with Bill Maher

Episode Date: August 20, 2023

Bill Maher and Vivek Ramaswamy on Bill’s debate advice for Vivek, whether or not Vivek wants to be V.P., what China and Iran have in common, how Vivek is like Kendall Roy, why Vivek wants to end the... F.B.I. and the I.R.S., Bill’s cautious take on Vivek’s candidacy, why Vivek builds businesses around young people, Big Tech’s role in elections, a big disagreement about Trump, and much, much more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Climb right now. Hey, Bill. I'm here. I knew you would be. How you doing, brother? How are you? You back in the morning. Look, I get to bro hug.
Starting point is 00:00:16 I brought you something from my garden. Oh, that's nice. Nice. It does look nice, yeah. Have you ever seen in zucchini that big? I think it's a little better than night. It's substantial. It's substantial. Yeah. Well, Jesus, I appreciate that. Yeah. You know, I was talking to such a stud
Starting point is 00:00:29 that you find this merely substantial. Oh, that's good. No, I mean, it looks like it was genetically modified with elephant cock. I mean, are you kidding? Have you just been at the Iowa State fair or something? I've been hanging out there a lot. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:00:43 Well, don't they have like, like biggest vegetable prizes with in this, I think you had to go there and compete. Have you been to Iowa? No, I don't go there. I just want you to admit that this is like, it's, it's, it's, it's very impressive. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:01:00 It's very, well, thank you. Well, thank you. I've heard you had me. The elephant cock size. So can you, I'm going to take it with me. No. You're going to take it with me. So can you, I'm gonna take it with me. You're gonna take it with me, well. Well, they said you're hungry. Yeah, well, you know, I'll, I'll,
Starting point is 00:01:09 cause you're like on the, you're on the go, go, go, go. Oh, time, man. Yeah. See, this is what's great. But this is what's so advantageous about running for president when you're 38. Cause I remember 38. And I still run around the country,
Starting point is 00:01:24 but I couldn't do it like that now. I mean, you really... Did you been through that phase? Absolutely. Yeah. You can just run your body, ragged 24-7, especially I'm sure you don't drink or, I mean, you're... Not a...
Starting point is 00:01:40 Try to not have too many vices, yeah. But do you think it should be legal nationally? I think that we should align the federal law with the state law. I think it undermines the rule of law that we have. So that means, yeah. Yeah, it means yes. Yeah, right.
Starting point is 00:01:53 Absolutely. Yeah, because it's so silly now. It's a joke. It's a farce. It's a joke that I have to look up where when I'm going to a state. And by the way, I don't even do it anymore because I figure if they're going to get me
Starting point is 00:02:06 in Oklahoma for having this with me, there'll be the ones who are embarrassed, not me. Well, also, here's the thing though, is when you have different standards of law, like when you have that look the other way and sweep it under the rug, that's when you actually get an unfair state that can target people for saying the wrong
Starting point is 00:02:25 thing, thinking the wrong thing. I don't like what you did here. I got to throw this statue book at you and then we're going to do something where we otherwise don't charge it. And historically racism. Yeah, historically. Head behind states rights. Oh, absolutely.
Starting point is 00:02:38 I mean, this was a, this was part of our past. Right. And today, I think it, you know, political discrimination, I think is the new equivalent of unfairness in the law that we've seen for racism in maybe decades and centuries past. Well, I will say this where I think we're fairly in agreement on. I keep saying my mantra is, let's live in the year we're living in. Yeah. Because so many people seem to, on the left, this is a left thing.
Starting point is 00:03:07 They seem to want to insist on having our deplorable past permanently stand in for our much improved present, which doesn't mean there isn't work to be done. There certainly are still racist in America and racism, but I feel like we are very often not treating it like, oh, this is 2023 now, and this is where we are. This is a work that has to be done, but let's not be chasing these phantoms of racism that aren't the parts that exist anymore. Yeah, and I think that we can celebrate that. Yeah, I think that we should celebrate that. Progressive, right? I think that we can celebrate that. Yeah, I think that we should celebrate that.
Starting point is 00:03:46 Progressive, right? I think that we all should. We're all, I mean, in some ways, I am pro progress. Right? Does that make me a progressive? A conservative? I don't know what those labels are, but I'm pro progress. And so, I think that the fact that we, what I tell some people, you know, often friends
Starting point is 00:04:01 on the left is, have we been hypocritical for most of our national history? Yes, we have. But our worst hypocrisies. Hypocrite, if you mean like all men are created equal. Yeah, that we don't live up to. We have, in the point I was getting to is those hypocrisies are our best evidence that we have ideals at all, right? Nobody calls Iran a hypocrite.
Starting point is 00:04:24 That's a great point. Nobody calls China hypocrite. You can't call them hypocrite, because to be a hypocrite, you had to have the ideals in the first place. So then there are no ideals. Now, are we a nation of gods or are we a nation of men? We're a nation of human beings, okay?
Starting point is 00:04:38 Human beings are by definition flawed. So if you have a nation built on ideals and it's comprised of human beings and not angels, then you will fall short of those ideals. It's just like definitionally what happens. At least we have ideals. That's what I'm talking about. And also that we do improve. That, you know, this is what so annoying about. I've done many editorials about this. Just like, again, just live in the year we're living in and stop like going after Columbus
Starting point is 00:05:05 and like, yes, people were atrocious back then. You committed a trust in these good things. I mean, there are elements of Columbus that we admire and still celebrate it. Well, we wouldn't be here. Well, I guess we would. Somebody would have found it eventually. It's so big.
Starting point is 00:05:18 But you can be spirit of exploration, the spirit of being the, the, the, unafraid. Try that we take on. To have the balls To get into three little wooden ships that are probably the size of this room and it just go When you didn't know what was on the other side or you thought India was on the other side's which you thought But it was a you had no idea. Yeah, you they everybody else had a fall off They said you will fall off the edge of the world.
Starting point is 00:05:45 That's right. But the reason they did it was because before the trade had to go through the Middle East, if you wanted a trade with China like Marco Polo, you had to go through the Middle East and it would call the middle because they were literally middlemen like every all the trade went through. Totally. And Columbus basically said, I would rather fall off the edge of the world and have to deal with those people. Getting the deserts and
Starting point is 00:06:12 the conditions through one more day. I mean, these guys were the, they were the pioneers, the explorers. And even the founding fathers had that spirit that spirit like take another guy who has that spirit Thomas Jefferson Right, you have this historical view of Columbus. He's bad. He had his evil yet slaves. Well, he was fucking one of them Yeah, I have more than one. I think is actually the really accurate truth, but the reality is He's also a guy so so people say I'm young running for president. I'm 38 You know, he was when I wrote the Declaration of Independence? 12. 33.
Starting point is 00:06:49 Oh, yeah, I spelled the difference. That was close. Yeah, but big game credit. Well, yeah, you're right. He's writing the Declaration of Independence and he decides that he needs a swivel chair. I don't know if I feel like I could use a swivel chair right now, but he decides he needs a swivel chair. So he invented it.
Starting point is 00:07:02 Who did? Thomas Jefferson. Invented the swivel chair? So he invented it. Who did? Thomas Jefferson. Invented the swivel chair? Yes. I thought Franklin was the inventor. Well, Franklin was also an inventor. He invented the Franklin stove.
Starting point is 00:07:11 He invented the Bifocal Spectacles. Franklin's case, he actually invented one of the earliest remedies for the common cold. So all of these guys, they weren't like the kinds who said, oh no, you're not an expert. What? You're not trained in that. They just said, we're gonna do it. We're gonna trained in that. They just said, we're going to do it. We're going to figure it out.
Starting point is 00:07:25 What remedy? What's the cold remedy? It was something that it was like a home brew, but it worked. And it still works. You know, I think there have been, I will say this. I will say this. There has not been a good, like for all the things the pharmaceutical industry has created, a cure for the common cold is not on the list.
Starting point is 00:07:43 Right. And so we haven't gotten further along than mentioned in Franklin. And the shit that the pharmaceutical companies sell to treat it, the night will... It's far worse for you than what Benjamin Franklin came up with. And probably in the long run, worse for the cold. Yeah, it's hack-not-it.
Starting point is 00:07:57 I mean, it might treat immediate symptoms a little bit or something, but I mean, some of that stuff. And look, I've... Designed nachos, so you forget about it. I hate to do anything like something, but I mean, some of that stuff. And look, I've designed knock you out, so you forget about it. I hate to do anything like that, but like the one symptom I had when I had COVID was, I had a stuffy nose for a couple of nights. That was really... Are you stuffy right now?
Starting point is 00:08:19 No. Okay. Why? Do I sound it? You sound a little bit, yeah. Well, I've got that 24 hour COVID. No, no problem. No. No. So, I did reach for the nasal spray because it was just easier to sleep if I cleared my
Starting point is 00:08:36 passages. But I didn't know that about Benjamin Franklin, huh? Franklin? And Thomas Jefferson. And well, Jefferson, I mean, Franklin, I kind of knew, but I didn't know about the cold remedy. Jefferson, I did. I guess they were all, huh? Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. And well, Jefferson, I mean, Franklin, I kind of knew, but I didn't know about the cold remedy. Jefferson, I guess they were all, so you know, the Franklin stove is named after Benjamin.
Starting point is 00:08:51 Yeah, back then there was something called the Renaissance man. Yes. And a Renaissance man, you did everything. And why that's not, of course, we were. I love, I'm into that. I'm into that. You're a Renaissance man. I wouldn't say I would call myself a
Starting point is 00:09:05 Renaissance man, but I respect the ideal. And yes, I do have diverse. Yeah, that's part of different things. Right. Well, not some box that you check in some sort of ordered society. On me and I will have multiple. Renaissance man, you know, could speak many languages. He knew archery. He could be the same guy. Plastillic music. Music sword fighting. I tried to do this in the campaign trail. It sort of gets my team, gets under my team's, uh, makes them nervous sometimes, but we'll play the piano. We saw, I play college kids in tennis when I travel across the country. We'll get the best college players in the local college tennis team. Hit with them. I wrapped to M&M at the Iowa State Fair.
Starting point is 00:09:43 Oh, I saw that. Don't do that again. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy.
Starting point is 00:09:52 I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy.
Starting point is 00:10:00 I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy. I was a good guy bill is I kind of do what I feel like doing at that moment. Yeah, that's the problem. It's kind of my, I know. But people. It has the spirit of our Renaissance.
Starting point is 00:10:10 Okay, but I don't want. Why do you think the swivel chair, I'll invent the swivel chair. That's kind of where I'm at. The idea of president, I do what I want at whatever moment is not like an appealing thing. I see why you're, I see why your team is trying to take you away. Just the wrapping. Tennis is great. But you know, Tennis is more fun anyway.
Starting point is 00:10:26 So that's where I've had it. Right. But my point is, I think we have lost that spirit, right? Our inner animal spirit as a country, the people who run it, it has been caged. It's been tamed. It's been domesticated by this culture that celebrates vulnerability,
Starting point is 00:10:47 victimhood, and penalizes their pursuit of excellence in being free. And my view is, I think it's a mentality that I, you know, now we're doing well in the polls. When I was at 0.0%, I said the same thing. I'd rather just tell people this country who I am and what I stand for. If they want to vote for me, five. Oh, yeah, you definitely. And if they don't, then don't.
Starting point is 00:11:09 I'm, I'm, I'll be very comfortable with that decision. Well, I mean, but I wish more politics, I would wish for more politicians to step up and embrace that. Right, but, you know, like you're, whatever you're getting, seven percent. It's no one's taking that seriously, like someone with seven percent. Now, could you be president? Yes. Things could change. But this is the time when you're at seven.
Starting point is 00:11:29 I've seen this before with politicians. When you can say anything. Because no one's paying that much of attention. And it's not like, well, he's not going to, this guy's not going to be president. I know he's a cook who thinks we should get rid of the FBI and the IRS, which is. As you studied, it's not cookie actually, I'll explain you why it's not good. It's the FBI.
Starting point is 00:11:47 Yeah, let me explain that to you. We're going to collect taxes and catch kidnappers. You. So let's talk FBI actually on talk FBI. Oh, geez. Yes, please. I'm impressed. No, I've been reading the platform.
Starting point is 00:11:57 I do this for a living. You allow you to be on my show, right? It's good. Yeah, yeah, but I know I am. Yeah, no, I'm up on political stuff. Yeah, yeah, you know, for the political stuff, but this but this is this is you know, getting into the details. So Shining at the FBI. Well, that's a pretty big detail. Get rid of the FBI. Yeah, I would shut it down and I'll tell you why. Oh, Jesus. Wait, you're ready to have an open. You're not
Starting point is 00:12:15 going to be listening. I'm listening. I know you. You'll listen. So, so, so I'm bothering with this, right? I better have a book recommendation for you before I get to it. G-man. Government mandates the history of the FBI. J. Edgar Hoover's history of the FBI. You read that book that will already open your heart and mind to the argument I'm about to make. I'm already reading a book about cross-dressers, so I can't. Okay.
Starting point is 00:12:38 Well, you know, this can come next, you know. Okay, go ahead. The stressors are important too. But just as this, the FBI is a failed institution. It is at once politicized corrupt and has been in many ways designed to be corrupt. J. Edgar Hoover designed it that way. The same FBI that threatened Martin Luther King with suicide, blackmailing him over incorrectly collected tapes, is now targeting its domestic terrorists for people who show up at concerned
Starting point is 00:13:04 parents of school board meetings. So in some ways it's coming from the FBI. Yeah, it's coming from the FBI. Now, here's an answer to this. Okay. At the local level, you've got local cops and you've got local prosecutors. You don't have a separate bureaucracy sitting in between. Well, now let's talk about the federal level.
Starting point is 00:13:23 You've got the US marshals and then you got the DOJ, the DOJ has its issues, but I think the president can reform that through good appointments. You don't need the separate bureaucracy sitting in between. So I'll walk you through the math because I know you like details for this to be credible. Well certainly for this issue. Yeah, but this issue, right? Because you brought it up. 35,000 employees at the FBI. this issue. Yeah, but this is you, right? Because you brought it up. 35,000 employees at the FBI. 20,000 of them report into work at the J Edgar Hoover building. Still they celebrate his legacy. The J Edgar Hoover building of the FBI they walk into. That's the bureaucratic rock. That's NDC. So you're saying 20,000 hours of 35,000 FBI men work in Washington in the same, they fit 20,000 FBI men work in Washington in the same they fit 20,000 people in one building. I mean, it's a giant building.
Starting point is 00:14:07 20,000 people. I don't know how many of them show up in the post-COVID era for Zoom or whatever. And they have field offices. But I think our back office functions. 15,000 of them are frontline agents. These are good people do an investigative work on drug crimes or sex trafficking or whatever they be. They're not specialized at the FBI. So I've offered, if I may say it myself, unprecedented
Starting point is 00:14:31 detail on how to get this done. Those 15,000 moves some of them to the US marshals, which have been far more effective at fighting child trafficking rings than the FBI. Move some of them to the DEA, which has been far more effective on the front lines of the fentanyl epidemic. If you're going to get rid of an agency, why don't you get rid of that one? The DEA? Well, actually, the investigative crime, I mean, just we have laws in this country. So you could debate with you like the laws or not. But I'm saying as long as you have the laws, we're talking about effectiveness here. And my point is the FBI is broken. Take financial crimes.
Starting point is 00:15:06 So you're saying the 20,000 people who work in Washington, they are all superfluous. They're, I can't tell you that every one of them to the last T is, but I've got four years to first term. I got to move quickly. I think you should say chop it off, shut down the FBI. Okay. So move them to the US marshals, the financial crimes enforcement network at the US Treasury to the Secret Service, which has some financial crime as well, and then to the DEA. That's the answer.
Starting point is 00:15:29 So here's something the FBI was involved with, I'm asking who would handle this. Yes. Say, an ally country like Australia has a tip, and we trust that they are an ally and the person is credible. And he has been talking to someone who got drunk in a tip and we trust that they are an ally and the person is credible. Yep. And he has been talking to someone who got drunk in a bar and said he had information about how a foreign country Russia was trying to infiltrate our election.
Starting point is 00:15:56 And he was placed in this candidate's operation. He was operative for the person running for precedent. So the Australian diplomat tells the FBI, do you think that's right? Well, I think we could have we could separately talk about the circumstances of that particular case. But you're saying somebody gets a tip. Well, that's how the Trump Russian investigation has. Which, you know, I mean, you could argue this in multiple ways, Bill. Well, I'm a drunk Russian. What I'm arguing is this. You could say that that actually is part of the corruption that led to this. Okay, but what I'm arguing is this, because this is what happened.
Starting point is 00:16:30 Yeah. And Australian diplomat, somebody we trusted said this guy, it was George Poppidopoulos, I think, with his name, was a little drunk one night. And he was telling him about how much the Trump campaign team was coordinating with the Russian government. Should now we can argue the rest of the night about what happened after that, of course they did, but should that not be investigated by the FBI? And if not the FBI, I don't see how the federal marshals or who the Texas Rangers are going
Starting point is 00:17:04 to handle that one. I actually think the US marshals would be a fine place if you move people to the division. As a side, I mean, I'm going to resist the temptation to go down the rabbit hole of debating something that's like a dead horse that we need to beat for what was, I believe, a deeply flawed Russia collusion. Okay. That went nowhere. But let's just talk about something like it is your question for the
Starting point is 00:17:27 ways of reorganizing the. We have facts that are well at least fact we have the reports of two Republicans right. We had the John Durham report. Right. We have a Durham report. Yep. And what was the one before that? The report report was about the FBI's. Yeah, yeah. They were both about the investigation of the investigation. Yes. Right? The FBI opened this investigation into whether Trump was too involved with Russia. Let's just put it that way, based on the Australian tip.
Starting point is 00:17:58 And of course, it turned out he was. His campaign manager was sharing polling data with a guy in the GRU. But you know, who else was involved to involved with Russia? Was Hillary Clinton campaign? Not exactly. That's ridiculous. He was via who's the British guy Christopher Steele with Russian disinformation operative,
Starting point is 00:18:15 getting the golden shower story on, planted down, all who uses opposition party research to get their rights. And you know it. I'm saying both parties politics apparently yes far dirtier than ever imagined Well, okay, both political parties and I just don't think it was good for the country bill Okay, but again query for the let's go back to what we can actually talk about for real Yeah, because it's like anxious. No, no, no because the two reports Okay, the Durham report and the heart they both said the same thing and these are Republicans
Starting point is 00:18:44 At least Durham is. I mean, to be honest, about the partisan distinction. Well, everybody else cares about it. So let's not pretend you don't care. Well, the reason I don't care, because there's a lot of, I think about it as whether or not
Starting point is 00:18:54 you're part of the managerial class, or whether you're actually being accountable. Well, that's important too, but also, And that exists in the Republican Party and the Democrat Party alike, that we are a crazy partisan right now. And people only stick with their team, even when they know better.
Starting point is 00:19:08 I tell grassroots conservative audiences across this country, you want to go to a place like Iowa, and this will surprise some people. I think it's unique to now. I tell hard conservative audiences that I could care less for the Republican Party. I really could. And I go to places like this outside of Chicago. That's not brave. That's how Trump got elected. Well, I mean, I think I'll, I hear something that's a little bit.
Starting point is 00:19:28 There are Republican parties. I'm not claiming to be brave. I'm just claiming to be where the country is right now. The country does not care as much for those partisan distinctions as the observers of politics would think. I went to the south side of Chicago. I went to Kensington in the inner city of Philadelphia. And those are places where Trump didn't go or where other Republicans don't go. Good for you. Well, the thing that I found is that I, here's what I will say. I've probably done hundreds of campaign events. I have not been in a room that was more hard line on two things,
Starting point is 00:20:01 closing the southern border and ending the war in Ukraine, then an audience of 200, mostly 99% of them black Democrats in supposedly hard-cored left. Doesn't mean they're right. In New Chicago, which is interesting. Doesn't mean they're right or it's not the right thing to do to keep funding their Ukraine more. We can come to that in a second, but my point was in the comment, which is that the partisan boundaries on two of the most important issues of our time, probably the most important foreign policy question
Starting point is 00:20:27 right now is what we do with the war in Ukraine. And a fundamental issue relating to our southern border because they're turning south shore high school into an encampment for migrants. It's a fascinating finding that no Republican has showed up there. Now they differed from me drastically and we had at it, one woman walked out and left when I'm against racial reparations. And so we have real disagreements, but the most, and I'm not exaggerating this, the most vehement agreement for militarizing the southern border and taking $200 billion to aided Ukraine for a community that says, wait a minute, a, this migrants getting $7,000 per person per month
Starting point is 00:21:02 in South Shore High School, be were sent in $200 billion to some other country halfway around the world. What about me? And there are deep echoes of that in the non-establishment wing of the Republican Party as well, which will I come back to the fact that agree or not with the individual policy positions. I just don't think that right now, the moment we live in, R versus D, capture, which is inspiring, actually, is the possibility. I wish you were right.
Starting point is 00:21:28 I don't think you are about that. Not that everything you said there was wrong. I mean, it's important stuff. I mean, it's funny, you're such a good talker and you're such a likable guy. I think you really could go for it. I mean, I must say, you're one of the few guys who I find both disarming and all-arming.
Starting point is 00:21:45 Thank you. Thank you, Bill. That's it. But complementing. But complementing. No, I mean, no. I mean, look, you're attractive looking, you're young. The country is, first of all, here's a big advantage you have. Biden and Trump, people hate this matchup. And they hate that there's two geriatrics. So you're like the most not that. They're both over twice my age, literally.
Starting point is 00:22:07 Yeah. Right. And you know, you've got color in your face. It's not either orange or, you know, ghostly. But these are all. There are older people who can be sharp and they're younger people who have lost their wits. But I think I would like to think, and I think so far we're having fun in this,
Starting point is 00:22:24 bringing a young spirit to running the country. Even when I think about would like to think, and I think so far we're having fun in this, bringing a young spirit to running the country. Even when I think about the cabinet, this is neither here or there, but when I was running my companies, one of my philosophies was, even in the industries that I was in, right? So the first industry was a biotech industry. The median age at our company for the biotech industry was young, in terms of people who work there. And for me at least, and this is this way I would run the federal government,
Starting point is 00:22:48 it might be different for other people in the way they built their companies. But for me, I tend to find that people whose peak in their career is still yet ahead of them, I'm not going to say a young or old because there could be people who are advanced in years, whose peak is still ahead of them. But somebody whoever it is is their peak is ahead of them versus somebody who actually has a great resume. But by definition, if you have a great resume, it means you've accomplished great things. By definition, if you've accomplished great things for many people, that means that chances
Starting point is 00:23:17 are your peak might be behind you and you're obsessed with talking about that. Boy, do we accomplish a lot more with people whose peak is still ahead of them. So my campaign, fully staffed by young people, my campaign manager is younger than me. Talk about the way I've built my companies. So for the federal government, when I think about my campaign, I'm going to have some older people. A few, a few, of course.
Starting point is 00:23:39 You know, every society, you're from a young. You're from an ancient culture that seemed to understand like most cultures in the world, the village elders, you know, Confucianism in China. Like most countries revere the elders for their wisdom. It's true. You have a great amount of energy at 38. You're super smart. But I do see a something that alarms me truly because you don't have the wisdom about certain issues.
Starting point is 00:24:10 I don't think you think Trump lost the election. Well, I think that big tech interfered. Well, you and I have talked about this like a year ago. What the fuck does that matter? I want to say. Who got the, of course, big tech interfered. They interfered for Trump. What was the largest, all about Fox News being, it's the largest. They interfered for Trump. What did, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, just answer this. No, no, you can't come back.
Starting point is 00:24:46 You can't play politician now. Well, I'd like to come back to the afterward on this, because the L by Jelvin win the correct the amount of electoral votes that they said he won and therefore is the illegitimate president. I think the reason he's not the reason the reason the election was rigged. No, big tech. That's really the answer Bill and I'm just a matter. It does matter. It does matter.
Starting point is 00:25:10 Yes, it does matter. Here's what matters. But we can't we can't at the moment. It's happened. I accept Biden's the president, Julie liked the president of the United States. Everybody does bad things during campaigns, including using big tech. What matters is then who got the most votes? We have to start with somewhere that's real. That's what's real. Who won those states that puts him in the White House?
Starting point is 00:25:30 And you cannot just say to me, yes, Biden won the election. Yes. Well, I've heard it. I said that at the time. I said it's time to say it's the election. Because I can't see. Biden has most votes in the election. Biden has most votes. You can't say those words. It's like you're a husband who can't say it. No, Biden. But the reason is Bill. I mean, there's good data on this. We was systematically suppressed.
Starting point is 00:25:52 The Hunter Biden bribery stroge is relevant today. That's what I mean. Even an election where most people who are independent said, many people who are independent, enough to change the outcome of the election, said they would have changed their vote, had they had access to that information. It's the greatest form of election interference in human history. No. That's actually the fact. That would be Russia if you're listening.
Starting point is 00:26:13 Please find Hillary's emails and then release them on WikiLeaks. That was the biggest breach. I mean, you can't really believe. You're taking about James Comey and his statements before the 2016 election. I've talked about Trump. Trump said that. I don't need James Comey. Trump said, Russia, if you're listening, you don't remember that moment.
Starting point is 00:26:32 I mean, you don't remember that. I don't, I don't predict you'll remember that moment. But I'm talking about large technology companies in this last election. Okay. I just think if we don't learn from that bill, we're destined to make the same mistakes again. But here's what I'll say. I don't believe that. That's an example.
Starting point is 00:26:46 You'll call lack of wisdom. Okay, but. And we can agree to disagree on that. Your running is like, I'm not the bullshitter guy, like the other guys. And then you just told me, you don't remember when Trump said, Road to the...
Starting point is 00:26:56 I actually don't, but... I've been trying at moment. It's been replayed as Zillion times. Back when I was here with this and... And you're, oh really, you were that tuned out from politics. I mean, whether what Trump was saying on a given day in 2016, that was that was replayed as a billion times because it was he was impeached over this. I mean, the impeachment though I can talk about.
Starting point is 00:27:16 I mean, the impeachment was on a flawed basis. I mean, that's a hard reason to now understand. But here's the problem right now. We're still spending and this is why I'm in this race, we have spent literally seven years now relitigating and rehashing that series of events that whatever they are is not going to change. Well, yes, because that's what's wrong with this election right now as well. Well, that's the nature of justice when people commit crimes.
Starting point is 00:27:42 If they're not punished for it, then they tend to commit the crimes again. So the fact that I'm still talking about it, yes, he's got for it. I think these indictments are deeply politicized. I think they're bad. I think the future is good. Let's just talk about the one that matters. The one where he tried to overthrow the United States government. You don't think that the...
Starting point is 00:28:00 You're talking about the third one from Jackson. I'm talking about the Jackson. The Jackson Smith indictment. Absolutely. So I believe that I would, of course, I would have made very different judgments than Trump made that day, but Trump expressing his view on the outcome of the election, even knowingly telling a lie is not unconstitutional. It's not like legal violations.
Starting point is 00:28:21 Alvereza case, which 2012, but he didn't do it. Famously said, politicians can have a first amendment right to line. Jackson Smith's indictment acknowledges that, which is the interesting part about this. Okay, but this is not what we're talking about. We're talking about things like putting up fake electors. That's not just words.
Starting point is 00:28:42 They did that. A slate of fake electors. We're talking about a guy on tape saying, this is the one that came down the other day about Georgia, a guy on tape saying, I need you to find me 11,780 more votes. Now, that alone, if I just had that, wouldn't that be a case? I need you to find me, he's saying to the-
Starting point is 00:29:05 And they didn't do it, right? But that, oh, yes, I tried to rob a bank the other day, and I did get the money. What law, I mean, here's where I'm at. What, not every bad judgment or every bad act is a crime. What law did that violate? He's the president. What law did that violate?
Starting point is 00:29:19 I probably the oath of office that he took when he would defend the United States. That's not a more recent, I mean, George Bush violated the oath of office. What is when he would defend the United States. That's not something more important. I mean, George Bush violated the oath of office. What is more important when he said troops to Iraq? This is why we vote people out. That's how elections are known. I know, but so I think that's the fundamental difference in how we do things in the United
Starting point is 00:29:36 States where you're taking deeply held judgments that you disagree with. Great. Go to the ballot box. No. So that's how we do things in the United States of America. Which is exactly what we use. Exactly what he's on trial for. One of the counts is I think it's a cheating people out of their vote. The question is what's best for the country at this point in time? Well, and I do not think that in the middle of an election, well, the first thing we, you know, we can decide. I agree with you.
Starting point is 00:30:03 Look at the timing of this indictment. I agree with you that it may prove that we may look back on this and say because the indictment's only make Trump stronger. He's like a rapper, you know, the more times he gets arrested, the more street crede has. And I think, you know, the idea that Republicans don't like him because he's, they love that he's a, they said the porn stars, they love that he was fucking porn, they love to be fucking porn stars, Republicans, gay porn stars, but still. I think Bill, to really understand what's going on in the country, we have, first of all, right now, on one hand, the son of a U.S. president collecting multi-million dollar bribes from foreign countries that that president is now arguably making good on in different ways.
Starting point is 00:30:46 Oh gosh. And on the other hand, we have, Yes, I mean, that's true. Sitting a former president of the United States that currently, by the way, it would be a lot easier for me if Trump were eliminated, by the way. And some of the reason polls this week, I'm in second, polling averages, I'm in third, it would be a lot easier for me if Trump were out of the way. I don't want to win this election by be seeing a political opponent
Starting point is 00:31:09 eliminated by the federal police state. I think that is a disastrous precedent. Unless he committed crime, Mr. that police should be apprehending him. So let's get if you want to get into the details on this, let's get to the. Let's talk about the espionage act, which is being charged under. That is the most un-American law in our history. Not in this act. Let's talk about the espionage act, which he's being charged under. That is the most un-American law in our history. Not in this act. He used to lock up anti-war activists.
Starting point is 00:31:31 I'm not sure that is what he's being tried under. For the second indictment, it is the espionage act that he's charged under. For the documents case. Take in the documents. The documents. Okay. You switch the cards there. So many indictments. There's four of them at the exact same time.
Starting point is 00:31:44 I'm not talking about the time. What's not? Well, I, if it was up to me, I wish they hadn't brought the stormy Daniels ones. I wish they hadn't even brought the, I mean, he's guilty of all these things. Of course. Yeah. I would stop. I would not go on the documents. He's not guilty of anything in the stormy Daniels.
Starting point is 00:31:58 You don't know why? I can, you're a smart guy. Let me just explain this. I don't care about that. I never care about that. I don't care about that one, but it relates to the ones that followed because it's evidence that there's something else going on here. So, so you will agree with me on this one, okay?
Starting point is 00:32:11 He says guilty of it. Well, let me just test you on this for a second. See how you feel. They said that the crime there was that he should have used campaign funds to pay hush money to the porn star. You know what? If he had used campaign funds to pay hush money, that actually would have been more of a crime than not doing it. I did a whole thing on it. I'm a free way. You're free with me on it. So I don't need to be so quiet on it. No, exactly. But the point is if there's four of these
Starting point is 00:32:41 separate things coming right at the same time, Smack dab in the middle of an election. Because it happened, it's like they made it up. But Bill, I just wanted to make this one up. They literally made this one up. They certainly did. They certainly did not make up, excuse me. They certainly did not make up the idea that he tried every single possible way
Starting point is 00:33:01 to steal that election. He tried it by- I was talking about the first time. He tried it by- That was literally made up the idea. three. He made that, that was really made up to that. Well, I'm talking about the one that's important and you know what's important. He tried it through pressuring Mike Pence, who was doing something in a very ceremonial role
Starting point is 00:33:13 to pretend that he could change the vote. The fake electors. He pressured the secretaries of state and these the legislatures. They think, talked about bringing out the military. They talked about seizing voting machines. This country has done one thing that was more amazing than any other. They've done many amazing things, but to me, the Jewel and our crown, the peaceful transference
Starting point is 00:33:36 of power, so many countries cannot get this right. We were one of the few who could get it right. And one guy, your boyfriend Donald Trump, broke broke this and fuck, don't give him the boyfriend stuff. Exactly. Come on. Come on. I'm running against him in this race.
Starting point is 00:33:53 I think you're running to be his vice president. Well, I'm glad you smoked that view out. I've already said, and I'll say it again, I'm not going to work for any minute. So you would say no to me. I would say no. You would say no to the vice presidency if Donald Trump offered it to you, I don't do well in a number two role. I just don't just start your thirty eight. I don't do well.
Starting point is 00:34:09 And I've been a number two role in a long time. I think there's a lot of ways to change this country. Wow. And each person has to look in the mirror and ask themselves, how do you have the maximal impact you can? I do it through the private sector. I do three books in the last two years. I start businesses.
Starting point is 00:34:23 That's what I want. You only go right to the top or... Well, to me, it's not a hierarchy. It's not about a top. Well, it is. You're saying you're going to have the most impact. You will literally not be the second most powerful person in the world. If power were, if power were my currency and the probability of adjusting my power calculus,
Starting point is 00:34:38 yeah, of course you would take it. But if the question is actually, how am I using my God-given talents to have a maximal positive impact on a country that has given me so much, being in that vice president role wouldn't be it. Ever take a look at the world and just want to see it through a slightly different lens? One that says, hey, it's going to be okay. Not, we're all going to die. This is where microdosing can help. It's getting recognized more by people looking to improve their health and performance.
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Starting point is 00:37:04 I mean that's the more I love about you. You know, it's like I agree, and I find it just heartening when I see somebody who like, I mean, your parents weren't even born in this country, right? No. I mean, this is, I mean, you need no money to this country.
Starting point is 00:37:18 Obama, I'll say something, you'll probably agree with this. Obama, when he ran, like, and when he was in office, sounded more like your rival from South Carolina, Tim Scott. Yeah, he did a little bit, actually. Well, I mean, it was more personal. It was more personal. It was more personal. It was more personal.
Starting point is 00:37:41 It was more personal. I mean, it was more personal. It was more personal. It was more personal. It was more personal. It was more personal. It was more personal. It was more personal. and like not discounting racism, but not making it the number one thing and like everything is about that. That was Obama and that seems like Tim Scott today. Yeah, I think that there's a lot of similarities in that sense between the two of them. Absolutely, aspirational for the country.
Starting point is 00:37:56 My view is the American dream is such a, here's where I'm a little different than to Scott. But his big line was, my story is not possible in any other country. Obama used to say that. That was not one. I do remember that. That one. It stuck with me.
Starting point is 00:38:10 All right. So, I mean, I think there's a deep truth to that. He doesn't say that anymore, interestingly. And I'm saying, that's what I'm saying. When people say, Bill, you've gotten more conservative, I'm saying, no, they changed. Not me. I love that. You're allowed to change, too, when you're human being. I loved that. You're allowed to change too, you're human being.
Starting point is 00:38:25 I am, and I do. I always change with new information. And sometimes I have to, but basically, I've just been working on a book of all I wrote a tutorial, so I read every one going back to 2003. And it was a great way to like discover, like archeology wise myself. And I'm like, do I say?
Starting point is 00:38:41 I love that. And yeah, I loved it too. And, you know, the first 10, 15 years of real time, it was much more one-sided making fun of the Republicans because the left gave me nothing. Obama was a disaster for comedians. He was perfect in every possible way. I mean, there was nothing you could, and that.
Starting point is 00:39:00 You're not basically, I did, but I see what you're coming up with. I see what you're coming up with. I see what you're coming up with. From the left wing perspective, I agree. His personal life, the fact that no corruption, and they were looking for it, the fact that Obamacare was like paid for, things Republicans used to care about,
Starting point is 00:39:15 paying for things, they're being prugled with, now it's just anybody right to check for anything, both sides. The Republicans are just the hypocrites because they pretend that they're the fiscally. Well, the way I look at it, that's why I don't talk about republicans and democrats. Like I said, I think they're far more on the same party than they are not. But if you, but if you got to use valid access to get on a ballot. And that's your team. You can't alienate
Starting point is 00:39:37 them. You're going to have to, I know you only want to be number one in everything. I want to unite the entire country. I want to unite the entire country. I think there's two years. Well, you can't. want to be number one. I want to unite the entire country. I want to unite the entire country. I think there's two years. Well, Bill, I'm hopeful that we can. I think this is, but I, but I'm sharing that one, bro. Yeah, but here's what I would say is like 20 years from now, I don't think we can. I think we're in a window where we have a shot at getting this done on actually not celebrating our diversity, but actually finding a common thread that all of us still share his Americans. I think it exists.
Starting point is 00:40:12 Can I give you some campaign advice? You're such a personable guy. You're so smart and the energy is amazing, but unless you soften on Trump, the at least half the country that knows that he's an obnoxious criminal, they're never gonna accept you as the guy who can unite us. I can't accept you as that. Take like a Christmas evening.
Starting point is 00:40:39 And I'm somebody who is in this, I'm somebody who is like, it's in a different place. I'm not motivated by vengeance and grievance. You know how much shit I get from the left? A lot. I know you do. Yes.
Starting point is 00:40:50 I know you do. That's why I'm here. I respect you. I thank you. Because you can actually speak to in some ways your own tribe. It's like my thing is, if you expect me to get on the crazy train with you. And if I don't, then I lose my liberal card. Fuck you. You're changing
Starting point is 00:41:06 what liberalism, not me. So, you know, I'm a guy who could be your like biggest supporter kind of guy, right? Because I understand your critiques to the left and a lot of them are valid, not all of them. But that is a albatross around your neck, the inability to call Trump and just the most fundamental thing about America, once again, not to beat a dead horse, but the peaceful transference of power. One guy said, finally, no, I'm just not going to say it. There is no possible scenario. You should read the transcript of what he was saying to the person, yeah, Raphsonberger, in Georgia,
Starting point is 00:41:51 the one he's just on trial for now. Now we know about the, I need you to find 11,000 votes line. The one that I found so chilling at the beginning, he says, right away, he said, you know, if you saw the lines, I just saw the lines of the people when he to see me, and there's no possible way I could have lost Georgia. This is a guy who thinks he couldn't lose the state
Starting point is 00:42:13 because the lines at his event, there's like me saying, you know, I'm gonna be at the MGM Grand September 16th and 17th. And that's true. And like, I could go outside after the show, and I saw the lines to see my show, and there's no way I'm not the biggest act in Las Vegas. Bill, can I just make it crazy?
Starting point is 00:42:31 Can I make it crazy? Stupid and crazy. I got to make it observation. You got to decouple from Donald Trump. That's the path. I am running as my own man in this race to lead us to something. And here's the thing, and this is not specific to Trump, but Trump, anywhere, everyone in this race running is included in this, when I say this.
Starting point is 00:42:49 The Republican Party for a long time has been a party that has been running from something. Okay. Here are all the evil things and we're running from them. I think I am the only person in this race who is actually trying to lead us to something, to an actual vision of what it means to be an American. You are a thoughtful man. Okay. I am here because you are not shackled by some parties orthodox.
Starting point is 00:43:17 Plainly. Plainly, and we can, and I'm glad that we've done it twice over the last few years and you've read some of my books and I've read a lot of your work. And there's so much that we could be delving into this question of, you know, is there a role for the village elder or not? Interesting. Is there a common thread that unites this country or not? I mean, I think that's the most important question of our time.
Starting point is 00:43:37 There's room for debate on it. You could just say we're a bunch of two-legged hire mammals with different shades of melon and walk in this geographic space and do it on our iPhones, tell us to do on a given day. Is that the country or is there some set of still remaining ideals that bind us together? That is the conversation that I think we need to have in this country. And I'm worried the same thing is going to happen next week on the Republican debate stage that's happening right here is we are suffering a form of derangement about the recent past that at some point,
Starting point is 00:44:10 we are all going to have to say we lay down arms and ask ourselves, do we actually want to move forward or do we actually just want national divorce? I do want the divorce just to be done with it. Go home and call it a ball game. That sounds more like Obama. That was Obama. Let's move be done with it. Go home and call it a ball game. That sounds more like Obama. That was Obama. Let's move forward. Yes.
Starting point is 00:44:28 I don't want to sort of take, you know, I deeply disagree with the Obama and anything, but I know you mean that in a good way, but let us move forward as one nation. And that's the challenge. We live in a more challenging time than we did even in 2008. And so let me just ask you, do you believe Bill, that there is, like, there are, because I have friends who will give me the answer to this question, the answer they would give us now, and that we need to get a national divorce and move on with it. I have friends both on the right and the left. Who say this? Which is, which is saddening.
Starting point is 00:44:58 This talk has to stop. It is saddening to me. Right. No, we agree on that. And so, and so then what is that common thread that unites us? What is it? We think it exists. Let's talk about it. Meriton. Meritocracy. The thing that my parents came here to pursue.
Starting point is 00:45:15 But that doesn't unite us anymore. Because that, see this is... I think it unites most people, but if you're viewing this country through the prism of a TV screen or social media algorithm, then it looks like we don't. The people who watch MSNBC, which aren't very many, which is a good thing. Okay, but they vote and they, and they, and they,
Starting point is 00:45:33 but this is an important point. That's my whole point is it's a small, it's a sliver of the population that creates the image of an artificial division that I think is mostly artificial. I really do. But those, there is a, that is, let's, we have to admit that that is a, this is what you're already reeling against. official division that I think is mostly artificial. I really do. But those, there is a, that is, we have to admit that that is a,
Starting point is 00:45:47 this is what you're always reeling against. That is a powerful faction in this country. I've done reeling against it. And you can, I'm in a different phase than when we first met. Okay. Because we had to see the problem and we did. Okay. Now what are we running to?
Starting point is 00:45:59 Okay. That's where I'm waiting. Okay. Those folks, they, you're, you're assuming, I'm making a point of this because I think it's important, you're assuming that this is going to unite us. Meritocracy. Yes, there was a time when everyone believed in meritocracy as the most important thing.
Starting point is 00:46:18 But now, the other side, those people watching that network believe in something called equity. I'm sure it's in your book. And there are definitions of equity, which of course you would understand, yes, absolutely we should strive for that. And then there is a form of equity that rubs right up against meritocracy.
Starting point is 00:46:38 I mean, this is colleges getting rid of... Affirmative action. Well, no, exams. Oh, exams, no, you say the other direction. Yes, I'm saying it's not about merits. We don't care what your score is. I think you're smoking at a good point. Group outcome equality, group outcome equity, and meritocracy are fundamentally incompatible. They are at odds. Yes. I would say if you take both of them seriously to their natural limit,
Starting point is 00:47:02 they're incompatible. Well, it doesn't mean you can't have a mixture of two things, maybe not 50-50, but I mean, there do needs to be redress. At the point I was gonna make for you, from my perspective, is most people share one vision of that in this country. Enough people share, I think it's 50-50. I think it's easily 80, 20 in the direction of people who believe in actual free speech, believe in meritocracy,
Starting point is 00:47:29 believe in self-governance, right? The idea that at least Congress should make the laws and not three-letter agencies in Washington, DC. I think most people believe that that's a good thing. That's what our founding fathers believed. I think, you know, we may disagree on what the laws of Congress should make, but we agree that Congress should be the one making it.
Starting point is 00:47:42 When you put it vaguely like that, a poll of people would say yes, we agree with that. Like an overwhelming majority. But then when you got to the specifics of threatening agencies, you're shutting down an FBI. Or something like that. And you know what, I'll give you that one. Not that I think we should necessarily do it. I'm keeping it 15,000 of the 35,000.
Starting point is 00:47:59 Your FBI idea is not as crazy as I thought. Okay, that's a good, that's a win. Can I give you the Department of Education for you too? And also the fact about 20,000 of them working that one building in DC, I didn't know that. See, when I get new information, I do. I process it and I might change my mind. I don't think I'm all the way to, let's get rid of the FBI. I would say, a streamlining is your, let me, let me just, like, if I said, let's reorganize the FBI to put generalist agents into specialized functions in other bureaus in the federal government. Right.
Starting point is 00:48:34 I think you would respond well, that's effectively what my proposal was. So do you talk about something like that in Iowa? I talk about New Hampshire. I was at St. Anzal College. First time this has ever happened. You know, you, you know, the prosecutor will ever happened. The prosecutor will unveil a giant poster board you've seen these things. So what we did is we took giant poster boards
Starting point is 00:48:50 explaining literally boxes moving them around for the FBI, the Department of Education, and then the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's one that I did as well. I mean, this is an agency whose culture is fundamentally hostile to the existence of nuclear energy in the United States of America. It used to be three to four years to build a new nuclear power plant in the United States.
Starting point is 00:49:13 You know what it is now? 25 to 40 years. I talked about this all the time. You do? Okay. Well, the fact that nothing gets done in this country because these just obscene levels of graft bureaucracy, bureaucracy, we can't build a home housing for the homeless. Totally right, though, because because bureaucracy stops new housing construction, it is the
Starting point is 00:49:37 chokehold in our country. So the premise of my, I've to get through that. You could get through that. Anti-bureaucracy candidates, 70, but you can't be scared when I say things like I want to fire 75% of the federal employee headcount. I just do most organizations I mean I don't know your organization. Oh, oh government is 90% of the people 25% of the people do 90% of the work No, no, my my operation is lean. Okay, fine. It's out of the federal government in the federal government 25% of the people, 90% of the people.
Starting point is 00:50:07 Because the federal government, of course, does not have to answer to anybody. And there's no meritocracy. Right. Because they have these social services. Well, I mean, there is at certain levels. And look, there is a lot. I don't know, this number seven.
Starting point is 00:50:18 Does your anti-bureaucracy with me, though, join me in not being scared when I say the things that we need to fix? No, what I'll say to is this. The figure you come up with 75% is what I would call rectum derived, in other words, you pulled it out of your ass. So I don't know where we're getting that number, but I will say this, the federal government, the deep state that you're also paranoid. Oh, the deep state exists.
Starting point is 00:50:41 It's the pure state. Of course it does. It is the pure state. Right, and most of it is people processing forms and issuing passports and doing things that make the lives of citizens and feel like they're living not in a third world country. And this is how a nation ends not with the bang but with the really this how a nation ends with having a passport process. So here's my here's my litmus. Yeah, that's how a nation is. I think so. But George Washington,
Starting point is 00:51:05 and we'd end her Hamilton walking the streets of this country today. Would they be proud or appalled of that bureaucracy? I think they would be appalled because they never imagined. I agree. But that existed, right? The Department of Homeland Security is a monster. A disaster, right. Total disaster.
Starting point is 00:51:19 No. But there is also a need for a disaster. The FDA is a disaster. Absolutely. Right. The FDA. The FDA. The FDA is a disaster. Absolutely. What went the FDA? The FDA. The FDA is a, the FDA is a, totally.
Starting point is 00:51:30 Is it colossal? Of course. I mean, I'm dealt with the FDA. I've gotten five medicines approved that I've worked on that are now approved. Right. You know that one's the inside, right? We could have developed those at a tiny fraction of the cost.
Starting point is 00:51:46 And you know what? Who likes the FD? And you didn't because of government? Yes, yes. 100% because of the fricking drug administration. And the answer is that Big Pharma wants to keep it that way because that stops new upstarts from bringing competition to market. And so this is the, you know, this is the private public sector. It's not a Republican, pro-democrat, pro-miss, crony capitalism in the guise of bureaucracy.
Starting point is 00:52:12 How the heck are you? Using it to stifle competition in the market. I couldn't agree more, but I mean, all the people with their snouts at the trough, the reason why nothing gets done, we tried to build high-speed rail here in California. I mean, it was seven times the cost of what it would cost to build it in France, which is not exactly unknown to labor, right? Issues. And so finally finally they just making us look bad even nuclear power plants. They just give up. You know what? nuclear power plants and plants five to eight years.
Starting point is 00:52:48 Because 20 years of the money went to consultants. Yeah. Consult everybody needs so many consultants like nobody could even fucking know how to do their own job. They have to have somebody consult. This is it. You're on the same side. No, we're definitely on that.
Starting point is 00:53:03 But this is the part of my... So when you say deep-sea, don't say it so, like, kind of sending-ly. Well, understand that this is actually the essence of the real threat to liberty as it plays itself. But let's say you're 70. Okay. So let's say you're 75%, which is a pie in this guy I wish that'll never come true anyway. Well, it's going to come true.
Starting point is 00:53:24 I'll tell you. Not to that number. Let's say it's maybe you're off, but maybe your numbers in your head are just off by a little bit. So let's say we get to 50%, like we don't need half the government. That could be true. That absolutely could be true. And I've said half by the first year.
Starting point is 00:53:41 And so if we discover that's good enough, then great. But, but it's where I'm at, is that the US president is elected to run the executive branch of the government. And what we have today is a system where the person who we elect to run the executive branch of the government doesn't actually run the executive branch of the government.
Starting point is 00:54:02 That's ridiculous. I mean, it's just the truth. How do you know? I mean, it's, look at what they try to do. I mean, it's just the truth. How do you know? I mean, look at what they try to do. I mean, Trump says I want to fire people. What do they tell them? You can't fire them because they're civil service protections. The law says you can't fire them.
Starting point is 00:54:14 I'm saying, in the last 50 years in this country, the people who we elect to run the government don't actually run the government. That's just a fact. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John J. so they walked around Washington DC today, they said these are public. Well, who was running the government? A bureaucratic machine. The laws aren't made even in the halls of Congress. The person executing the law is not the person sitting in the White House. It is a managerial machine. Okay. And these are good. I'm not
Starting point is 00:54:43 just about the evil intentions. These are good people as machine. Okay, but these are good. I'm not. I mean, it's just about the evil intentions. These are good people as level of individuals, but the machine, you have a good. Is what it was crushing the will of the people. This is where I think we need a few more years on you. You have a good point, but then you're just so overstated. I'm not overstating it, Bill. Say it again.
Starting point is 00:55:00 So the people who we elect to run the government, yeah, okay, not the ones actually run the government. Yeah. Okay. Not the ones actually run the government. That's such an overshadow. The laws are not made in Congress. They are made by the Congress. They're affected by the by the bureaucratics. That's what it's supposed to be. Oh, come on. So, so I'll tell you, so just get the details. You got to get the details. The ridiculous thing to say. The things that the FDA does have nothing to do with the law that Congress has passed. The things that EPA does to the coal industry have nothing to do or the fossil fuel industry have nothing to do with laws that Congress has passed.
Starting point is 00:55:32 The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the reason we don't have a new nuclear power plant in this country in 30 years has nothing to do with Congress stopping it. So if you tell the people of this country, we don't have a new nuclear energy for 30 years, you'd say, oh, well, the people we elect elect them out. It doesn't matter who you elect in or out. The fact has been the same for 30 years. Okay, but and I, because the real laws are made by the administrative state. Okay, but you must know and I'm a with you that we need more nuclear energy. Yeah. And the reason we don't is that kind of change because Congress passed the law.
Starting point is 00:56:04 The reason we don't is because people are, I think, look, I'm not going to say they're ignorant about this issue because, look, I've been on the fence about this one before. It's a complex issue, but I don't think they're paying too much attention to the idea that, yes, until we get to real green energy being the major part of our, where we get our energy from, you're going to need nuclear. It's better than the other alternatives. Yes, we're going to get the other alternatives.
Starting point is 00:56:34 I mean, the problem is when it goes bad, it goes very bad. It goes like in the world bad. Not so far, that bad, but it could. So you know the irony is- So don't fuck it up. Well, you know what the irony is? So the NRC, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that's stopping us from building new nuclear power plants, is in the name of safety.
Starting point is 00:56:51 So in the United States right now, we have Gen 1 and Gen 2 reactors. We don't really have many Gen 3 and we have no Gen 4. The only country with the Gen 4 reactor is China. Gen 4 and Gen 3 are way safer than Gen one and Gen two. And so the irony is in the name of looking after the people and protecting them. Yeah, no. We actually have neither helped on innovation,
Starting point is 00:57:13 nor have looked on safety. Right, I mean. And then the FDA, by the way, is the same story. And so Bill, all I would say is, if you agree with me on this, we got to be willing to actually got to. Yes, and I'm telling you, I am a great focus group for you, because I am a guy, because I am a guy who is sympathetic
Starting point is 00:57:33 to a lot of the things. I appreciate that. You're right, but then. So then, so then, so then, you know, even when you're on the two yard light, you're fucking it's like, let's roll this, let's roll this one forward, Bill. Maybe, maybe right now, because we have's go. You know, even when you're on the two yard light, you're fucking it's a place.
Starting point is 00:57:45 Let's roll this one forward, Bill. Maybe, maybe right now, because we have no points on the board, maybe we just kick a field goal. And what do I mean by that? What do I mean by that? It means you don't have to agree with 100% or close to 100%.
Starting point is 00:57:59 Totally. In order to just say, that's the job of a US president is character-o-ru. But it's got to be more than four. No, I'm kidding. No, I, again, I think more than four, but you knew an I. That's my point. I am a good focus group for you because I am a get a bold guy. In this country is by the way. But there are a few. You represent, you represent closer to and the majority of the Democrat base than the people who are elected in office. And a lot of it is down to the actual people.
Starting point is 00:58:25 A lot of this have to know that you're an actual patriot who believes in what America has always stood for, which is votes count. I do. We've transferred power peacefully. We don't let a sore loser pretending to be some macho man cry that he cannot believe he lost the election. I'm going to give you one that that we and I will agree with potentially. I know you can't say it because you want to be his vice president.
Starting point is 00:58:48 I don't want to be his vice president. Well, okay, but maybe you'll change. Honestly, the idea of working for somebody right now feels like a sharp poke in the eye. Right now, that's the sensation I'm experiencing. I have not reported to somebody in over a decade. I know. I just don't do well in that. But can I just say something on a personal level? I gotta tell you one thing.
Starting point is 00:59:08 To help, again, I like you. I want to help you. I like you back, brother. I know, I know, and I appreciate you making time to come in. I know, I appreciate it. And you are gonna go a lot further. You're not at the, you're not at your floor. I was just getting warmed up, yeah, I think.
Starting point is 00:59:22 No, because first of all, floor. I would just get warmed up. Yeah, I think. No, because first of all, you're going to appeal to young men and young men tend right, right? They, I think that's the hardest people to get in the voting booth. They see a guy who looks like you again, not rapping. But look, you dress sharp. You look like you could be in a club. They are. This is what do they call this club? And club random. We're at club. We were exactly ready. So we're going to be on a club. And club. And they're going to see this guy who's young and he's fresh. And of course, they don't know anything, the kids. So like if you say, get rid of the IRS, they're like, sure, I'm going to pay taxes one day. That's going to suck. Let's get rid of them.
Starting point is 01:00:06 And just stuff that like, it just, you're like a good version of Andrew Tate. They're just going to like you. And that, I think you could excite a group of people that we haven't seen. I want to bring young people along. Right. To care about this country.
Starting point is 01:00:22 I want to make patriotism cool again. For young people. I want to make patriotism a content. I think you can. Cool about this country. Well, yeah, I want to make patriotism cool again for young people. Yeah, I want to make patriotism a content cool in this country. You are the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the way. I'm the You just get rid of a little of the Trump stuff. And that you are a person of color is an advantage. I think it is the right moment. I think it's in happening in the right party. A party that is very sort of, you know, they know that in the past, in the recent past, including sometimes the present, they are racist.
Starting point is 01:01:03 And they have been. I mean Reagan started his campaign in Philadelphia in Mississippi, which was a, a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's that they like you, and I think they're gonna like you a lot more than they're just getting to know you. The people that know me like six months ago. Right. So here's the thing. I think they're better than they used to be, but there's still a lot of races. I think that's party.
Starting point is 01:01:35 I think there's a lot of, I mean, what do you call racism when you say you want? I'll give you a quote. The remedy to pass discrimination is present discrimination. The remedy to pass discrimination is present discrimination. The remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination. That's racism too. That's candy. It's candy, you know, you're all over it. So, my point is, look, if you're like a psychologist
Starting point is 01:01:56 and you got a patient that comes in with anxiety, you don't shout them down by saying, don't be anxious, don't be anxious, don't be anxious. They're gonna have have about things. I think where we are in this country with respect to racism, oh, using an analogy based on you, you know, lighting that and watching that, you know, taper out is, it's like the last burning embers of racism. That's where we are actually.
Starting point is 01:02:19 I'm serious. I'm just a visual person. All right. I'll vote for you. It's the last. You got me with that one. It really is. And so the last, what I don't want to do is, right, is that's burning out. I don't want to come in and throw kerosene on it. By 10, don't be racist. That's what we'd be doing. So we're almost at the promised land.
Starting point is 01:02:34 But we may not be that close, but we are way, let's trigger away from a national revival. We can be. It's not going to happen on a matinee. You like my slogan? Let's live in the year we're living in. Let's you. I write on that. Isn't that great to happen on a matter of life. You'd like my slogan. Let's live in the air. We're living in let's you right right Isn't that great? I'm with you on that. Let's live in the year. Let's just that's all I asked you know what else I'm going to do in this election is you know, I'll make I promise some people I'm going to Meet him as you know, so I got a right role pretty soon, but this is too fun for me But here's here's the thing I will say in this election if If I'm the nominee and whoever the Democrat nominee is, Joe Biden or anybody else, I'll make a deal.
Starting point is 01:03:10 The deal is shun super PAC money and I will do the same thing. And I'll make the same deal in the Republican primary, right now the Republican primary, big part of the problem is it's a super PAC primary. I mean, super PAC puppets, one after the other. I'm not playing that game, I'm putting my own money directly into the campaign. I can't wait to see the debate. But with you and Christy and Trump.
Starting point is 01:03:35 And we're gonna, oh, okay, well, that's not gonna be next week. No, no, it could be in a couple of months though. I know, but you're in for sure. Oh, I'm in for sure, yeah. Cause you're like number two or three. Yeah. So, and DeSantis. Oh, this is like must see TV.
Starting point is 01:03:47 It's gonna be kind of fun, right? No, because like these guys are gonna know they're in with a guy who can talk and think on his feet. I mean, you're, we're gonna have fun. You know, it's, we're gonna have fun. But the suit, what I would say is across the board, you know, laws are complicated on this and Citizens United, this and that. But if we do a handshake deal and say none of us
Starting point is 01:04:07 are gonna show up at fundraisers with super PACs or anything else, we're just done playing that game. That's another thing that will unite this country. This used to be a left wing slogan. I think the right is actually has a mood for this right now. So there's these, we're just, You know, we tried this a million times.
Starting point is 01:04:22 You know, let's get money out of the law. Let's get what I'm saying is let's actually do it through actually our norms in our practice because the laws are complicated because the First Amendment and the court, etc. But this election, that's something I will hold my promise to if the other candidates do in the GOP primary. Everybody just agrees as a handshake agreement. We're just going to shun super PACs. And then I do the same thing in the general.
Starting point is 01:04:46 And this is the stuff of uniting a country, man. So where are you off to? What is your next event? Now you came from Iowa. I mean, you flew right all over the... I've been in like six states in the last two hours. No, 72 hours. But we're...
Starting point is 01:04:59 We got the debate next week. And, you know, it's my first time... What debate? The Republican debate. That's next week. First one's next Wednesday. my first time the Republican debate. That's next week. First one's next Wednesday. Ah, a week from today. It's Trump in.
Starting point is 01:05:09 Trump is in, but he won't show up. Or he's supposedly not going to show up. But everybody else is a disanis myself. Pan's Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, all that. Christie. Christie. Yeah, he's into. So that'd be fun.
Starting point is 01:05:21 You and he that's's gonna be the debate because he's the one who talks like I do about Trump now. Yeah, you know him, I've never met him before. But Christie is a Trump attacker, and you're a Trump defend. That's gonna be the, it's gonna be, we'll have a healthy dialogue. No, no, I mean, you know you're up against the champ there.
Starting point is 01:05:42 As far as like a politician who can talk, he also can talk and think on his feet. So. I'm a first-timer, he's experienced. Take your take your 10-sing, that man. That's a good old man, yeah. All right, it is good seeing you as old as you. Yeah, too.
Starting point is 01:05:54 I'm glad that we can do this, not agree on everything, and we're still where we were. We love each other, and we love this country. I think, exactly. And that's what America's about, so I appreciate that, bro. Good luck out there. Good luck.
Starting point is 01:06:07 Good luck. And we're going to a fundraiser now. We're going to a dinner. It's not formally a fundraiser. Yeah, but you'll take their money if they offer it, huh? Yeah, I'm just not going to be a circus monkey. Jumping for it. But, yeah, they're money.
Starting point is 01:06:22 I'd throw mine away. Marcus Monkey, jumpin' for it. But, yeah, I did my day. My money, I broke mine away.

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