The Daily Show: Ears Edition - The Importance of Voting Access and Creative Expression | Guest Spotlight

Episode Date: August 4, 2024

Former GOP Congressman Adam Kinzinger joins Ronny Chieng to discuss Power the Polls, the non-partisan initiative to ensure safe and fair elections. Plus, singer, songwriter, and producer Eric Burton shares how he developed his Grammy-nominated band, Black Pumas, in the Austin, TX music scene.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Survivor 47 is here, which means we're bringing you a brand new season of the only official survivor podcast on fire. And this season we are joined by fan favorite and Survivor 46 runner-up, Charlie, Charlie, I'm excited to do this together. Thanks, Jeff. So excited to be here, and I can't wait to bring you inside the mind of a survivor player for season 47. Listen to On Fire the official Survivor podcast starting September 18th wherever you get your podcast. You're listening to Comedy Central. Welcome back to a daily show. My guest tonight is a former GOP lawmaker who is the advisory council co-chair of

Power the Poles, a national nonpartisan effort to recruit the next generation of poll workers to ensure safe and fair elections for all voters. Please welcome Representative Adam Kinsinger. Now, Congressman, thanks for me on the show. Great to be here. Now, Congressman, thanks for being on the show. Great to be here. Thank you. You stuck your neck out politically and personally to put politics over personal benefit over party, some would say country over party, to speak out against Trump despite

being a congressman for the Republicans. Why the fuck did you do that? I ask myself that every day. No, look, I really had no other option. I mean, so I wear on my wrist the name of a guy, Andreas O'Keefe, who I knew who was killed in Iraq, and I'm an Iraq veteran. And I just remember thinking when I ran for Congress the first time, if we're going to ask young people to be willing to die

for a country, like to be willing to fight and die the ultimate sacrifice, if I go into politics, I have have have have have have have have have have have have to be willing to give my career for the same cause. It's such a minor sacrifice in comparison to what we asked people to do every day. Yeah, but what was your problem with Trump? Well, I don't know, you know, the fascism, the overthrowing the government, you know, those kinds of things. I mean, you would think that's a pretty big issue, but I guess not big enough. I mean, you have have you you you you you have you have you have you have you have you have you have you have you have the to have to have to have to have to have to have insight to have insight to have insight to have insight to have insight the to have insight the to have insight to have I mean you have insight because you were in Congress from 2011 until 2023 I think and so you have kind of

behind-the-scenes access you talk to these people all the time and I think it's very popular to say America's never been more divisive than it is now. You have perspective on it you know you've been that you were there for a long time and you were working there is that true? Was it was the device? Was it? Was it? Was it? Was it? Was it? Was it? Was it? the the the the the the the the the they? they? they? they. they. they. It's they. It's their? their their their their to be. to be. I I was? I was. to be. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. 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 was. I was. I was. I'm. I'm. I'm. It's. It's. It's, t. It's t. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And. And been there, you were there for a long time and you were working there. Is that true? Was it devices when you first went in? Yeah, I mean, look, it's, you know, behind the scenes, it's kind of like any job. So people will fight on the air, you know, within Congress and the behind the scenes of what was happening, they'd be like man I can't believe they're manipulating us to fight each other as deeply as we are out here when they back there are just kind of playing the game and it's it's really a sad state of

affairs. Okay so your experienced opinion is that it is getting more divisive in Congress. I think the country certainly and in Congress yes, I think they're just starting to, I mean you got Marjorie Taylor Green there for goodness sakes. I mean like who would get along with her in real life? Well, I mean, would the party people get along with her? Yeah, they love her now because she goes out there and gets attention and so yeah, but when I, when she was their, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, when, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, is they is they is they is they is they is the, is the, is the, is the, is the, is the, is the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the, they, the, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, the, the, the, the, they, they, the, they, they, thr, throwne, is, thrown, thrown, is, they, is, they, is, is, they, is, is, they. is, they. is, yeah but when I when she was there when I was there initially she was a pariah until she started getting on TV and tweeting and every and then she became pretty popular in the party somehow. But like genuine like professionally popular or would they actually be now friends?

Yeah, I think there's probably some that would be a friend with her because access access to power but yeah mostly it's just professional. And in your, again, expert opinion, how much of this is, I like to believe that it's just internet bullshit that gets taken to real life. And in real life, we don't behave like this. But for some reason, these people have managed to take the comment section and bring it, you know, so how much of that is just is real animosity? And how much of is this internet mentality? Yeah, I mean, look, I think a significant amount of it is, it's, this is kind of the untold secret.

Politicians watch Twitter. And so when you see things happening on Twitter, this way, I mean, Donald Trump was the master at this. You'd see some conspiracy pop up and he to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the the the to the to the, you know, trying to direct opinion, right, trying to lead us to a better place to now following insanity. And it's basically like a dog now chasing its tail out in the middle of traffic. And I think that's what you're seeing. On that note, like, what is the solution?

What is the solution? In your opinion, how can Americans come to get and bridge this kind of political? The solution is in all of us. And I'm not trying to sound like esoteric and like big word. Like, really, we control government. It's truly government for them by the people. We've got to quit voting for these clowns that decide they want to go there and be more famous than they want to do good care about something more than their own ego and more than their own narcissism, they care about the country. And I mean that.

I really, I'm so passionate. I know. I know. I just, I truly believe that America can take our political system back. We have to believe we can. And we have to say enough of you abusing us for money, for followers, for likes, to likes, to likes, to likes, to likes, to, to, to, to, to, to, and to, and to, and to, and to, and to, and to, and to, and to, and to, and to, and to, and to, and to, and to, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, toe, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, and, and, their, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, their, and, their, and, and, their, their, their, their, their, toe.e.s, toe.s, toe.s, toe.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.s.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a.a. And, to believe we can't and we have to say enough of you abusing us for money, for followers, for likes, we demand mature grown-up government. So, yeah. So, yeah, so, yeah, so look, one of the most important things in an election is just the

ability to actually do that election and you think about poll workers, especially on a thein. Yeah, can you think about poll workers, especially on election day., the their. We, the. We, the. We, the, the, the, the, that, the, that, the, the, the, the, the, we the, we the, we that, we the, we that, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the, we the same the same the, we the, we the, we the, we the, the, theanananan, theanananananananananananananananananananananan, tomomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, we tomorrow, we theanananan, we thean, we th. Yeah, so look, one of the most important things in an election is just the ability to actually do that election. And you think about poll workers, especially on election day, they're out there, you know, grinding down every day, they're starting at whatever, six, seven in the morning, going till night to make sure that you can vote, to make sure the lines are moving and they're and accurate. And so Power of the Poles is about recruiting a million poll workers to work and defendants of the next generation of poll workers. In some states, you can be as young as 16 or 17 to go work in the polls. It's a great way to serve your community, to connect to the community.

And so Power the Poles. Go there and it's a great time to sign up to do this. Yeah, and it's kind of a civic duty. It is. And you get paid? Oh, you get paid? You can, yeah. Okay, I was, but then forget my length question. I was going to say, I was going to say, it feels a bit like a thankless task at the moment. They try to power American democracy is like, oh, you know, why go why thask and that's the sad thing is especially the next generation which is what power the polls is focused on they have been they've been so beaten down on democracy democracy democracy is just like well it's just what

people say to go after each other we have to inspire that generation because look I really believe this next generation is going to be the ones to take the keys out of the hands of the people that have been the keys keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys the keys to the to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the people 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 to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the people the people the people the people the people the people the people 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 the the the the the the the the the the the the the the people that have been holding the keys to power too long, and there's no better way to get started than to be a young person and see how democracy works in the nuts and bolts. Right, and if you're feeling frustrated by the system and you don't know where to start, this sounds like a way to kind of, look, I just want to get involved in the today.

Yeah. I just want to help my country. And look, and you're going to be working with people that have different political views in you, all committed to democracy. If we can all agree on that basic thing, I think there's seriously there's no limits to the future of this country. We just have to convince ourselves, you know. So, what? And, you know, as someone coming from a conservative background, like, why is it that whenever we talk about like voting access, election access, why does that always feel like a left issue

more than the right? It's crazy. It's because for whatever reason, they feel threatened in the GOP, that the more people vote, the more in danger they are. And I think we know why, because what they're talking about today, what you see them out there discussing is not what the vast majority of Americans wants. The thing they can hope is to turn their base out. Look, I think it should be a nonpartisan or bipartisan or whatever issue to say, if you

have a right to vote in this country, we should make it as accessible and easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy easy as easy as easy as easy as easy as easy asthen go out and get better ideas to get people to vote for you. That's the way through the election. And what I love about having you on the show is, you know, we get to talk to people outside our own echo chamber, I think a little bit. I mean, what is your conservative argument for voting for a Democratic president? Oh, it's really easy. I believe in democracy. I mean, democracy was, I was there on January 6th.

I had to live through that. Standing for the Constitution, standing for democracy, there is nothing more conservative than that, and Donald Trump is the exact opposite of that. So for me, Kamila Harris is going to defend that democracy. And I think every Republican that that that that that that that that that that that that that thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi is thi is thi is thi is thi is thi is thi is thi is thi is thi is their their thi, their their thioeateateateate. Oh, it's their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their is really their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their is their their their their their their thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thea. theateateatea. theatea. theatea. theatea. theatea. thea. theatea. thea. thea. It's is th exact opposite of that. So for me, Kamala Harris is going to defend that democracy. And I think every Republican that takes their views, viewpoint seriously, old school Republican, not whatever this new thing is, should be voting the same way. Well, you know,

Thank you. Thank you. Congressman, I really wish you want former congressman. I wish you could run again. Thank you so much for coming and speak to us. And thank you for trying to do something for a country, power, the polls. John Stewart here. Unbelievably exciting news.

My new podcast, the weekly show, we're going to be talking about the election, economics, ingredient to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. My guest tonight is the singer-songwriter and produce of the Grammy-nominator band Black Pumas, whose latest album is called Chronicles of a Diamond. Please welcome Eric Burton. Berton. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks so much for being on the show. Thank you. You're making me cooler just by joining me at the desk. Thank you.

You're making me cooler just by joining me at the desk. Thanks so much. I feel like your band right now is in such a great place culturally. You're like, you're like in such a great place culturally. You're like, cooler just by joining me at the desk. Thanks so much. I feel so cool. I feel like your band right now is in such a great place culturally. You're liking that. I think, Krummy if you feel differently, but you're in that sweet spot of, you're still, you're big enough to sell out Radio City and people love your music, but you're still that kind of underground vibe where you're not, you know, you're thua th to like a mainstream, you know, sensibility or do anything you don't want to do.

I mean, do you feel that way or? Which is a great place to be because we feel in charge of our self-expression, which is amazing as artists and human beings. And you know, selling out Radio City here in New York is still like really cool for us, so we don't tak granted. It's been amazing and just being in here in this smaller TV audience situation is super dope. Yeah. No, you can. And I mean, the authenticity is coming through in the second album I feel I can still feel it. I mean that was like do you feel that transition from making your first album, where you're,

just pure self-expression and doing what you want to do to the second album where there's this expectations for it now kind of you know did you feel that kind of pressure they changed your creative approach to it? Most definitely so for the last album I was really lucky because of my other half, Adrian Casada, he came to the table with such a knowledge and such a sensitivity towards the culture, towards the style of music that I just... You can say black people.

Yeah, black people. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But it was really easy for me to kind of adopt the character that that was being presented by way of the canvas that is soul music. And so as we accomplished that and he likes some of my songs and those songs kind of helped kind of catapult black pumas like colors you know it was it's been really amazing but for this the second album there was way much more you know pressure but you know I was I was raised in an artist's household and I was always taught to kind of genuinely be okay with expressing myself and thankfully the people have kind

of allowed it you know so it feels nice to be here you haven't changed yet is it not yet not never right and I guess I know you're still with an indie music label. Oh yeah, it's right. ATO records. But do you feel like this second album with the more anticipation and the undoubted success of the first one? Do you feel like do you have more resources now? How is it actually affecting how you make music for the second album? Well when we did so well the first time around, I kind of immediately learned that our team, which is a great team, they were kind of relying on us to, for direction. And so that was like,

that came as a really big surprise. While it doesn't sound super like a big deal, it came as a surprise because I don't know that we were for sure as to what direction we wanted to go in. So we just continue to be genuine, continue to be honest and it's led us in some you know into some places that have been really new and very cool and we're still like observing people's reaction to it so that's been like really nice. Right and you came up kind of playing smaller gigs coming up and now we radio city and

this, you know, everything is really happening for you. Like do you, do you feel like you, do you still go back to play smaller gigs, just get the energy of that? Most definitely. So I'm lucky because I was busking before. Everybody hated me. So, so, but, what city were you busking? I was busking in Santa Monica, in Los Angeles.

And so I went from Los Angeles to Austin, Texas, where there's a live show for anybody and everybody every single day. So to be interjected in such a culture where the artist is just embraced in this uncanny way. That really opened my eyes to be able to play. I'm, I'm, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I was. I was. I'm to, I'm to to to to be. I'm to be. I'm to be, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what, what to to the the city, 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 to to to to to the the the the the the the city. What the the city. What the to the city. What the city. What the city, what the city, what the city, what the city, what the city, what the city, what the city, what the city, what the city, what to to to to in such a culture where the artist is just embraced in this uncanny way That really opened my eyes to being able to play and not having to pay to play you know too But being able to play and really just integrate in the culture, so you know we played sea boys which is a smaller Venue shotgun club and so you feed off the energy obviously smaller everyone's there You're playing original music and you're killing it and there's yes but there's that sense that you know you you really have to work hard because we have friends who come in there and we you know just in the back like doing that

thing but you know it's like you're playing you're like trying to prove yourself versus where your city where everyone's there to most definitely and I want to say the the the to to to to to to the to to the to the to the to the to the the the to to the to to the the the to the to the the to the to the to the to the the the to the the the the 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 their their their their they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. I I's. they. I's. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm. I'm's there to... Most definitely, and I want to say like briefly that we were just very lucky just from the very get-go. Like as soon as I met Adrian Casada, we had such a chemistry, obviously, you know, I'm a creative and an artist first, and it helped to be with a partner who was just knowledgeable enough to kind of help me find a container for that musically, and to then see the stage in such a real way. I used to be to be to be to be to be the to and to then see the stage in like in such a real way. I used to be in theater, I grew up acting and so you know it's not that much different there's you know so right so to be in that situation at Austin, Texas it was like the perfect place to

cultivate the the live performative element. Right and I heard you recently went into a silent meditation retreat. Yeah, most definitely. I discovered Vapasna through a girlfriend of mine and changed my world. I have done the retreat twice. It's free. They fed me for free. They put me up for free. But what's the condition? You just have to shut the fuck up for seven days? Exactly. Sorry I should say it's a silent retreat. It's a a silent retreat. So it's a silent retreat. You get there, it's maybe 100 students, five instructors and you learn the technique, which is really easy to learn. It's to shut up. to the technique. Just to be quiet. You know, you just be quiet. The technique, the technique for that is a quiet skill I guess. 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 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 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. It is maybe. It's is maybe. It's is maybe. It's is maybe. It's is. It's is. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. It's. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. te. It's Yeah, you can get kicked out. Yeah, for sure. So you can get kicked out but I think I think that the technique is to get you on a vehicle to the the source of how and or where our subconscious mind is reacting to you know our thoughts and things that might have happened in the past. So to get to the bottom of it it it it it it it it it it it it's it's it's it's it's it's the the the the the the the the the the the you the you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you can't you can't you you you you can't you can't you can't you can't you can't you can't you can't you can't you can't you can't you can't you can't you can't you can't you you you you you you you you you you you you to be to be to be to be to be to be to be their their their their their their their their their their their their their to be to be to be to be to be to be to be te to be to get to get to be to get. to to to to to to to to to to to to to their our thoughts and things that might have

happened in the past. So to get to the bottom of it, it's a really technique to do so. Yeah, that sounds horrible. Um, I'll never do that. But, uh, Chronicles of all the diamonds available now. Eric Button and the Black Coolers, everybody. Explore more shows from the Daily Show Podcast Universe by searching the Daily Show, wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central, and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus. Paramount Podcasts.

Survivor 47 is here, which means we're bringing you a brand new season of the only official Survivor podcast, On Fire, and this season we are joined by fan favorite and Survivor 46 runner-up, Charlie Davis to bring you even further inside the action. Charlie, I'm excited to do this together. Thanks, Jeff. So excited to be here and I can't wait to bring you inside the mind of a survivor player for season 47. Listen to On Fire, the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official the official you inside the mind of a survivor player for season 47. Listen to On Fire, the official Survivor podcast starting September 18th, wherever you get your podcasts.