The Daily Show: Ears Edition - An Anonymous White House Official Trashes Trump | April Ryan

Episode Date: September 6, 2018

An unnamed White House official pens an anti-Trump op-ed in the New York Times, Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court hearings continue, and April Ryan discusses "Under Fire." Learn more about your ad-choi...ces at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 You're listening to Comedy Central. The future of America is in your hands. This is not a movie trailer, and it's not a political ad, but it is a call to action. I'm Mila Atmos and I'm passionate about unlocking the power of everyday citizens. On our podcast, future hindsight, we take big ideas about civic life and democracy and turn them into action items for you and me. Every Thursday, we talk to bold activists and civic innovators to help you understand your power and your power to change the status quo. Find us at Future Hindsight.com or wherever you listen to podcasts. Welcome to Denish everybody. Thank you so much for tuning in. I'm Trevor Noah. Our guest
Starting point is 00:01:13 tonight is a White House correspondent and Sarah Huckabee Sanders' sparring partner. April Ryan is joining us everybody. April Ryan is joining us everybody. And she's here to talk about her new book Under Fire, reporting from the front lines of the Trump White House. But first, let's catch up on today's headlines. By now, you've probably seen the story about Jeffrey Owens, the former Cosby Show cast member who was spotted working at a trader Joe's.
Starting point is 00:01:43 Now some people online were trying to ridicule Jeffrey for going from being on a hit TV show to bagging groceries which is just ridiculous right working is not shameful and working at trade of Jows is not the worst thing a former Cosby show star could be caught doing. Nothing else comes to mind at this time but it's not that bad. Anyway since this story went viral, it looks like it's had a happy ending. Jeffrey Owens, who once acted on the Cosby show, could soon return to TV.
Starting point is 00:02:13 Last week, a photo of Owens, recently bagging groceries at a Trader Joe's in New Jersey, went viral. Some called it job shaming. But his work caught the attention of filmmaker Tyler Perry, and today Perry tweeted to Owens that he's shooting a new drama and to come join us. I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined this. Like what's a way that you can get a lot of publicity? Take a job of Trader Joe's.
Starting point is 00:02:36 That's right. This is so amazing. Jeffrey Owens is going to be in the new Tyler Perry project, which is really good news. The bad news is that project is Medea goes to Trader Joe's. Moving on, Catholic priests are in the news again. In Florida, two priests were arrested for committing lewd acts on each other. Yeah, which might get them into trouble with the church,
Starting point is 00:03:07 but that sounds like a good news story to me. Two adults having consensual sex, Hallelujah. That's pretty dope. And the Pope seemed pretty stoked about this news, judging by his comments. Venti to Warra. You want to talk a miracles?
Starting point is 00:03:26 They are both over 18. Two adults just a midday quickie and a PT cruiser. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Ah, it's a miracle. All right, moving on. It's back to school all over the world. And in China, one principal made sure that this year was extra memorable. When you drop your kid off at kindergarten this morning, you probably aren't expecting to be met with a pole dancing display.
Starting point is 00:03:49 But that's exactly what happened in China. And now a principal is, well, out of the job. Hundreds of children and parents watched as a pole dancer performed on a flagpole with the Chinese flag on top. Wow. Wow. The principal brought a pole dancer to a kindergarten. That is hilarious. It's also funny how they said hundreds of children and parents watched that pull dancer, right? Because you realize the parents could have stopped it immediately, but clearly they were like, this is
Starting point is 00:04:16 outrageous. Let's see where it goes. Let's see how it ends. I want to see how this goes. But I also feel bad for that woman though, because if you're a pole dancer, a kindergarten is not a good gig. Like, they don't even have a real DJ. They probably just have like one of the kids in the corner playing a recorder, right? And you just got to do your thing. That's not sexy at all in his hat and cold and man. That's not sexy.
Starting point is 00:04:48 That's not sexy at all. By the way, I only take singles. Okay, I, uh, I understand why people are upset, but if you think about it, this is actually a good idea. I think, if you think strip clubs are bad influences, then we should put them into schools, right? Because kids never want to do the things that they did in school. So when they grow up, someone will be like, you want to go to a strip club, and they'll be like, no, that's like a field trip. trip, thr, get, thu. thu. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to th. th. th. to. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thr. thr. thr. thr. th. th. thr. thr-a. thr-a. thr-a. thr-a. thr-a. thr-a. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. too. the. the. the. the. we think to ourselves, there's no way this presidency could get
Starting point is 00:05:25 any crazier? Well, today, once again, we were proven wrong. Breaking News. We're following major breaking news, a senior Trump administration officials admits to being part of a battle inside the White House to frustrate the president's agenda and his worst impulses until he leaves office. The New York Times, publishing the unprecedented's agenda and his worst impulses until he leaves office. The New York Times publishing the unprecedented op-ed anonymously. The author delivering a blistering assessment of the president.
Starting point is 00:05:53 Holy shit. There's a secret group of people within the White House actively working to curb President Trump. Which is wild because this means this whole time we've been dealing with the watered down version of Trump. You're telling me that this is the better version? Like I thought this was the peak of crazy. This is Diet Trump? That's what you're saying?
Starting point is 00:06:21 Yo, that's like finding out two girls one cup was the PG version of the clip. Yeah, like what was the R-rated version? There was no cup? What the hell are you telling me? And this anonymous official talks a lot about how bad things are. So bad in fact that Trump's cabinet even considered a drastic move that has never been done before. This official goes on to say this. Given the instability many witnessthat were early whispers within the cabinet of evoking the 25th Amendment, which would start a complex process for removing the President, but no one wanted to precipitate a constitutional crisis, so we will do what we can to steer the administration in the right direction until one way or another it is over. Okay, wait, what?
Starting point is 00:07:02 So Trump is such a danger to America that his cabinet thought about using the 25th Amendment to remove him from office, but then they decided not to use it because it would be too messy? The 25th Amendment is there so that you can use it. It's like there's a sign that says in case of emergency break glass, but then they're the glass, but then there'd be glass everywhere. I mean, maybe we can just try to steer the fire in a different direction. It's less dramatic. Yeah, let's talk to it.
Starting point is 00:07:30 And now, people are wondering why this anonymous official revealed all of this in the first place, but apparently it's to make us all feel better. The official writes, it may be cold comfort in this chaotic era, but Americans should know that there are adults in the room. We fully recognize what is happening, and we are trying to do what's right, even when Donald Trump won't. Okay, that doesn't make me feel any better.
Starting point is 00:07:56 Because before this, I knew there was turbulence. But now someone just came on the PA system and was like, uh, ladies and gentlemen, the pilot is actively trying to crash the plane. But don't be alarmed. We're doing everything we can to stop him. Mikey's got a pretty good chokehold and I've said some pretty harsh words. So please keep your seat bouts fastened and enjoy your peanuts and tax cuts. This is wild. And now, Trump is already calling the whole thing fake news. That was the the thia. the thiiiii. the th. th. th. th. thi. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to tooom. to to th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thr. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. thi. thi. thi. th. already calling the whole thing fake news. That was predictable.
Starting point is 00:08:27 But the crisis, the crisis atmosphere inside the White House was already being corroborated this week by legendary journalist Bob Woodward, right? He's written about presidents for the past 50 years. And he's one of the reporters who broke Watergate and forced Nixon to resign. So he's as legit as they get. Bob Woodward's bombshell book is rocking the White House this morning. Bob Woodward describes the Trump presidency in the midst of a nervous breakdown. The book also a remarkable portrait of AIDS taking extreme measures to block their boss.
Starting point is 00:08:58 Former economic advisor Gary Cone, reportedly preventing the president from withdrawing from a trade agreement with South Korea by swiping a letter off his desk. Yes, you heard that correctly. Donald Trump can be made to forget about a major policy decision, the same way a baby forgets about its parents when they play peekaboo. Just like, well, I can't see your face anymore, so I guess you're gone forever. I'm an orphan now very sad folks, very tragic. He's gone. And Woodward's book also gives us a glimpse into how
Starting point is 00:09:32 Trump's legal team is preparing him to be interviewed by Robert Mueller and unfortunately it's not as simple as stealing papers off of his desk. Woodward describing the president's one-time lead attorney John Dowd so convinced the president would commit pertime lead attorney John Dowd, so convinced the president would commit perjury, he staged a practice interview last January. That session so rocky, Woodward reports Mr. Dowd later told Mr. Trump, don't testify. It's either that or an orange jumpsuit. Don't testify or you'll end up in an orange jumpsuit. How badly did Trump have to lie in a fake interview for his lawyer to tell him that?
Starting point is 00:10:10 I was like, okay, Mr. President, let's practice. Please state your name. Michael Pence, damn it! And by the way, by the way, orange jumpsuit is also what Melania calls Trump's naked body. Yeah. And look, and look, I know it can be fun to hear all this dirt on Trump coming from his lawyers or his economic advisor, but what's not as much fun is when it's coming from the guy who's in charge of the bombs. And after the president told Defense Secretary James Mattis he wanted to assassinate Syrian
Starting point is 00:10:47 dictator Bashar al-Assad for a chemical attack on civilians, Mattis reportedly told the president on the phone he would do it. But then telling a senior aid, quote, we're not going to do any of that. This is incredible, man. The commander-in-chief ordered an assassination of a foreign leader, and his secretary-ss-intea-intea-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-s-s-a-a-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s, to-s, to-s, to-s, th-s, thi-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-s, thi-s, thi-a-a-a-a-s, told-s, told-s, told-s, told-s, tooomomomom The Commander-in-Chief ordered an assassination of a foreign leader, and his Secretary of Defense just ignored him like he was an amber alert. That was it. And apparently, under Trump, military operations now work like Bumble. Like, Trump can't initiate it. He has to wait for the military to swipe.
Starting point is 00:11:16 And then if they're both into it point I think we've got to stop saying that it's a bombshell, right? I mean Trump is just doing a lot more Trump than we thought he would, but it's not a bombshell. Like the day it comes out that Trump secretly works out and reads Shakespeare and teaches kids how to code, that's when we can call it a bombshowl. Right now, these moth-bushes these moth- the th- th-mops-mops-mops-mops-mops-moh-mits-mits-mits-mits-mits-is-is-is-is-is-is-is-is-is-is-is-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-ish-iii-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-iiiii-iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-n is is thi-nets thi-nets-nets-nets-nets-nets-noooooooooooooomomomomombsenenenenenenentombsenenentombsenentombsenenenenenenenenen thi-n't thi-n't thi-n't th moth-b-b-b-broad-just need to break the glass. We'll be right back. The future of America is in your hands. This is not a movie trailer, and it's not a political ad, but it is a call to action. I'm Mila Atmos and I'm passionate about unlocking the power of everyday citizens. On our podcast, Future Hindsight, we take big ideas about civic life and democracy and turn them into action items for
Starting point is 00:12:14 you and me. Every Thursday we talk to bold activists and civic innovators to help you understand your power and your power to change the status quo. Find us at Future Hindside.com or wherever you listen to podcasts. Welcome back to the Daily Show. So, it's day two of our continuing coverage of the Supreme Court confirmation hearings for Brett Kavanaugh, which means it's another time and another episode of So You Think You Can Judge. Today was day two of confirmation hearings for Brett Kavana and it had a lot to live up to because day one was to use a legal term, a shit show. Right? You had liberal protesters being kicked out. You had angry Democratic senators demanding to use a legal term, a shit show. Right? You had liberal protesters being kicked out.
Starting point is 00:13:06 You had angry Democratic senators demanding the hearings be canceled. And that's not even counting when Kavanaugh failed the cinnamon challenge. Yeah. He was like, oh, so you can judge me, but you can't even hold your spices. Get the fuck out of here, man. But for some reason, the moment from yesterday that got the most buzz was this Yesterday at the Kavanaugh hearings a lot of people online talking about the woman over his shoulder Her name is Zina Gelman Bass. She's a former Kavanaugh clerk. She was accused of making a white
Starting point is 00:13:36 supremacist hand gesture right there during yesterday's hearing Okay, this is a tough one. I mean it looks like that white power sign but it could just be how her hand is resting like like I don't know if we can look at this picture and definitively say that because of that woman Donald Trump prefers white people like I don't but I think if we zoom in on another part of the picture like I think we might oh there we go yeah we might be on to something yeah. part of the picture, like I think we might, oh there we go, yeah, we might be onto something, yeah. And by the way, white supremacists be original, right?
Starting point is 00:14:09 This is not the white power sign, this is okay, that's what the sign means. Like you can't just take a sign and say it means something new, right? This means okay. thateu-o'n't, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, just, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, the their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. the the too. too. too, too. too. too. too, too, too, too, too, too, too, too. too. too, the the the the the the too, the the stop trying to make people accidental races. If white supremacists want a hand sign, you just make one up for yourselves, like every other gang member does in the country. And it has to be new and very elaborate,
Starting point is 00:14:31 so there's no doubt. Like, here's one that you can try. What you can do is you can cross your middle finger and your ring on your agree, oh, that dude's in the master race. Yeah, that's the master race, I like that. Now, yesterday was devoted just to opening statements. Today, the senators asked Brett Kavanaugh questions about his positions on various legal issues, and Brett Kavana avoided answering them.
Starting point is 00:15:03 The president have the ability to pardon somebody in exchange for a promise from that person, they wouldn't testify against him. Senator, I'm not going to answer hypothetical questions of that sort. Can a sitting president be required to respond to a subpoena? So that's a hypothetical question. I can't give assurances on a specific hypothetical. I don't think it's my role to say one way or another. Yeah, who am I to judge? Who am I? I mean, come on. Honestly, I don't get the points of these hearings. I mean, if the nominees don't have to answer the questions, then why are we doing this? th. And thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho. I tho. I tho. I tho. I tho. I tho. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. th. th. tho. the. tho. the. the. to to to to to to to toooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. I to to the. I the. I mean, if the nominees don't have to answer the questions, then why are we doing this? And by the way, it isn't just Kavanaugh, right? Every Supreme Court nominee
Starting point is 00:15:47 avoids answering questions about how they'll do their job, which is strange for me, because you could never get away with this at any other job, right? You can't be at an interview, and they're like, so where do you see yourself in five years? You're like, that's a that's a that's a that's a that's a that's a that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's, that's, that's, that's that's that's that's that's that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, that's a hypothetical, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi, thi, thi, thi, they. they. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. they. they. they. the thi. thi. the the thi. thi. thi you going to provide the company? Yeah, that's really not my role to say. You're like, say no more, you've got the job. So bottom line, today was just senators asking questions and Kavanaugh ducking all day. A lot of words with nothing happening. A real Senate kind of day. Although there was one exchange that stood out. Let me ask you a personal question. What's the dirtiest, hardest job you've ever had in your life?
Starting point is 00:16:29 I worked construction when I was, summer after I was 16. My dirtiest job I ever had was four summers working in a slaughterhouse. It was unbearable. It was dirty. It was hot. The things I did run imaginable and I wouldn't even start to repeat them. I feel like that senator was just using the hearing to deal with his own personal shit. I was just like, let me let me ask you something, Judge. After you've ripped out a pig's tongue through its throats, the life draining from its
Starting point is 00:17:12 eyes, it's kids watching you each one knowing that they're going to be next. Will you think that life is worth living then? And be like, well, I don't want to get into hypotheticals. We'll be right back. Welcome back. Welcome back to the Daily Show. My guest tonight is a White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, a CNN political analyst and author of the new book, Under Fire, reporting from the front lines of the Trump White House.
Starting point is 00:17:45 Please welcome, April Ryan. Wow. Wow. Welcome to the show. It's lovely to be here. It's so amazing having you, especially on your birthday. Happy birthday. On my birthday.
Starting point is 00:17:56 Wow. Wow. It's so amazing having you especially on your birthday. Happy birthday. On my birthday. Happy birthday. Thank you. Thank you for the cake. Yeah, what did you want if you had like one wish, what would you have for your birthday? I can't tell you. You just got it out. I know I know exactly what it is. I feel like it's someone leaving office. That's probably what I'll get. No, let's let's, let, let, let's, let's, let's, let's, let's, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the their. On, on my. On, on my birthday. On, on my birthday. On, on my. On my. On my. On my. On my. On my. On my. On my birthday. On my. On my. On my. On my. On their. On. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the, the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. the. I feel like it's someone leaving office. That's probably what I'll get. No, let's let's talk about the book. Let's talk about your career.
Starting point is 00:18:31 So I first knew you from the White House briefings. I think many people in America started knowing April Ryan from those White House briefings that happened. Yes, before this administration. People go, oh, there's Epry and she asked the questions. You were, you know, part of the crew. You were asking questions of different leaders. Under Trump, though, it feels like you have a different role and you speak about that in the book, under fire.
Starting point is 00:18:55 Do you consider yourself under fire? Yes, I'm Ward upon. thu A-R-R-R-E-E-D-D-D-D-D-D-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I, th-I, th-I th-tum, th-thea-thea-thea-thea-thea-thea-thea-thea-thea, thu, thu, thu, th-t, th-t, th-t, th-t, th-t, th-t, th-t, th-t, th-t-t-t-t-t-T-S-T-S-T-T-T-S-S-T-T-S-T-S-T-S-S-S-Skkkkkkkkknea-s. throoer-s. tha-s. theeea-s. thr-s. It's the same role. It's just this administration looks at what I ask in a different way. Trevor, I have asked questions from Bill Clinton to now, and I think I'm an equal opportunity offender. I've had people tell me, remember when the NDACP didn't like you. Remember when the Congressional Black Caucus didn't like you. Remember when the Obama administration didn't like you. Remember when the Congressional Black Caucus didn't like you. Remember when the Obama administration didn't like you. Remember when the George W. Bush administration didn't like you. Remember when the Bill Clinton administration didn't like you. I asked questions
Starting point is 00:19:32 for answers and for truth. And this administration, for some strange reason, you know, they're lumped into the same boat as the others who said, oh, she might be asking questions that we don't like, but they've taken it to another degree. In what way? Trying to discredit me, trying to kill my career, trying to make me look if I'm someone that I'm not. Right. I am a journalist. I'm not an activist. I'm just a journalist who's an activist for truth, who is activating the freedom
Starting point is 00:20:05 of the press and walking in that. Because if we don't ask those questions, you're not going to find out what's happening. And it's about us being in that room able to freely and independently ask the President of the United States questions for the American public to get answers. And John McCain was absolutely right, Trevor Noah, and I gave you your whole government name. So John McCain was absolutely right. He said, you know, if the press is suppressed or oppressed, it begins dictatorship.
Starting point is 00:20:36 And I'm really questioning what's happening now. Are we democracy? Are we going down another path? Do you feel like you're getting answers, though? Because I watch those briefings, you spend all your time asking so many questions. I see how vexed you get as reporters and as journalists together. Do you feel like that room has a purpose now under Trump? The room always has a purpose. It's about transparency. And do we get answers? We get the answers that they want to give us. It may may necessarily be the truth, it could be spin.
Starting point is 00:21:05 They're insulting our intelligence a lot of times, particularly right now with Sarah Huckabee Sanders. I think of something just, I heard the crowd. My dear friend Sarah and her pie, yes. No, particularly with Sarah, sometimes I wonder, does she really know what's going on? And then is she spinning? You know, I think about, there's, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, there, thi, thi, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, th is th is th is th is th is there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's there's thi, thi, thi, thi's thi's thiiii, thii, thii, thiii, thi, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, thi, I wonder, does she really know what's going on? And then is she spinning? You know, I think about, there's one example that really sticks out to me, and it was recent,
Starting point is 00:21:31 where the president went to a rally. And he said, you know, when you go to the grocery store and you need your ID card, we were like, what? And then the next day, Sarah had to pre-splain, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, to, and, and, to, and, and, thu, and, and, thu, and, and, thu, and, and, th.. th. th. th. th. thee, th. thee, th. th. th. th. th. th, th, th, th, th, th, th. th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th.... I, th. I, th. I, th. I, th. I, th. I, th. I, th. I'm, th. tha. tha. tha. thin, tha. thin, tha. thin, tha. tha. tha. tha. tha but this is what he meant. I mean, seriously, that's what's happening. And she said, well, you know, when the president said that he was talking about beer wine, we were like, no, that's not what he said. He said when you go to a grocery store, you need your ID card. So it's a time for us to use critical thin. to to to thi, and really, and really, and really, and really, and really, and really, and really, and really, and really, and thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, that's that's, thi, thi, that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's, that's, that's, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, the the the the the the the the they, the they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they's they, political crisis, we're at a national security crisis. There's so much on the table but this president smiles and acts like it's okay and it's not. It's, it's, it's, there's no denying that America's press for a very long time, especially the mainstream press has had a particularly white,
Starting point is 00:22:19 male dominated skew, right? And so in that press room, you have a unique position, and you talk about this in the book. You're in a position where you are a journalist, but you cannot deny where you come from. You cannot deny who you are as a person. Do you think that maybe some of their retaliatory feeling towards you is that it feels like you're doing something that's oppositional because you are a black woman? It feels like, hmm, I would say if you can taste it, smell it, touch it, it is what it is. It's true, right.
Starting point is 00:22:50 Washington has been and still is a white male dominated town. Even when Barack Obama was president of the United States, it was still a white male dominated town. And for many, they don't want to relinquish what has been tradition or history. I just happened to be a black woman who is a journalist, who asked questions on everything. You know, I asked about Russia, and Sean Spicer told me to stop shaking my head. I ask about the NFL, and I'm called a name from the podium. I'm called rude. And I asked the President in the United States, you know, Mr. President, are you a racist? Now I'm on a blacklist. You know, but what's happened
Starting point is 00:23:34 to me has not happened to many of the other reporters in that room. And I'm going to give you another example. Charlottesville was a watershed moment for this president. That weekend that Charlottesville happened, I was in New Orleans receiving the Journalists of the Year award for 2017. And that weekend, that I got it, that Saturday, that Sunday morning, that next day, there was this campaign ad for President Trump talking about the reporters were trying to thwart his agenda. The only reporter in that video was me, a White House correspondent. I. I. I I. I. I. I. I the th. I the the. I was the the. I was the the thoe. thoe. thoe. tho to thwart his agenda. The only reporter in that video was me, a White House correspondent.
Starting point is 00:24:07 I was the only White House correspondent in that ad. The rest happened to be news anchors. Rachel Maddow, Don Lemon, Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer. I'm the only one. The weekend of Charlottesville. They put a target on my head. Not one other journalist until recently has had that happened to them them them I asked questions. So if you ask me, is it about race, that's a lot of it to stir up the pot for for his base. It's interesting that you tried, and
Starting point is 00:24:34 you talk about this in the book. You tried to reach out to Sarah Huckabee Sand. I said let's let's squash this beef. I did. Which I found I th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thus. thus th. thus, the thus, the th. th. th. th. th. the th. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. It's th. It's th. It's th. It's th. It's the. It's the. It's ta. ta. toge. toge. toge. toge. toda. toda. try. toda. try. toda. toda. tha. tha. did. I did. I found admirable and at the same time I want to say a little naive because I only have the image of her as Sarah. So I go like, why would you think that anything good would come of it? But you genuinely believe that if you could sit down with her and have dinner, that a human being would meet you on the other side. You know, some people may think she's an alien, but I don't. Even in the midst of all that's happened to me. You know, Sarah is a person like, I'm a person.
Starting point is 00:25:12 She's a mother. I'm a mother. And when we had dinner, we broke bread, it was, we tried to come together on the commonality. We talked about church, we talked about ourselves, we talked about our death threats, you know. She, with her death threats in mind, you know, were on the table. But what could not happen is a continuance of a friendly adversary relationship. And that's what I had been working with for years for two decades before she came in. Now mind you, I started the job at the White House when she was in high school. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. I I I I I I I th. I th. I th. I th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. threat. threat. threaten, I threaten, I'm threat. threat. threaten, I threaten, threat, threat, threat, threat, threat, threat, threat, the threat, threat, threat, threat, threat, threat, threat, th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. I, th. I, th. I, th. I, th. I, th. th. th. I, th. th. th. th. thin, the, the, the, the, the the, the, the, the, the the, threat, threat, threat, threat, threat, the before she came in. Now mind you, I started the job at the White House
Starting point is 00:25:45 when she was in high school in Arkansas, okay? So that's saying a lot. I'm older than she is and lack of respect for someone who understands Washington is evident in that briefing room. But anyway, so she said, one day after the pie gate thing, that I really started as a joke. thrown, and I didn't realize the influence influence influence influence influence influence influence influence influence influence influence influence influence influence the influence influence influence influence influence influence influence the influence influence influence influence influence influence the influence I had on social media and it just blew up. And she said, where did we go wrong? And I
Starting point is 00:26:08 said, let's do dinner. We said, let's do that. She's like, yes, great. And I thought that was a great moment. But the reason why we could never move past all of this animosity is because she's playing to her, the President of the United States of America, who clearly tells her he does not like me, who clearly says things, you know, treat her this way. But you know, this is not the traditional political game of politics, the whereas, thus thou art, you know, therefores. This is a street gutter game. Street peep Street. Damn. Damn. Thank you so much for being on the show. Happy Birthday. Thank you, Trevor.
Starting point is 00:26:50 Under Fire. Fascinating, blunt, April Wire. The Daily Show with Cover Noa, Ears Edition. Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central and the Comedy Central Act. Watch full episodes and videos at the Daily Show. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to the Daily Show on YouTube for exclusive content and more. This has been a Comedy Central podcast.
Starting point is 00:27:33 The future of America is in your hands. This is not a movie trailer, and it's not a political ad, but it is a call to action. I'm Mila Atmos, and I'm passionate about unlocking the power of everyday citizens. On our podcast, Future Hindsight, we take big ideas about civic life and democracy and turn them into action items for you and me. Every Thursday we talk to bold activists and civic innovators to help you understand your power and your power to change the status quo. Find us at Future Hindsight.com or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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