Ep: 266 - Just Ask the Press - The Trump Trials: Michael Cohen's Testimony and the Battle of Narratives

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You're listening to Just Ask the Question. Adventures in Reporting with your host, Brian Karam PERSON.

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Hi, and welcome back to Just Ask the Question WORK_OF_ART.

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I am your host, Brian Karam, and with me for our weekly review of the news is former federal prosecutor Michael Zeldon

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and editor-at-large and senior White House correspondent for CQ Roe Call John Bennett PERSON. This week, we're going to unravel. Well, Michael Cohen's coming up on Monday to testify against his former boss. Meanwhile, Trump PERSON, in a curious case, well, it's always curious with Trump. Alfred, he's got a couple of billion from some oil companies. He's going to do their bidding if he's reelected.Biden took another misstep in the Middle East LOC. Biden also thumps Israel GPE, sort of, maybe. Donald Trump's PERSON trials delayed indefinitely, except for the one that he's currently in. There is the week in the sorted Trump PERSON trial, including speaking of condom, spankings, and other things that we don't care about, but we'll talk about as far as presidents go.And then finally, in Congress, Marjorie Taylor Green fails to oust. Speaker Mike Johnson PERSON is at the end of the business and can common sense come back into play. We're going to unpack all of that. So sit back and relax. We'll be right back.

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In this modern age of misinformation and deceit,

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Just Ask the Questions newsletter cuts through the BS and gets to the truth, with Brian's in-depth articles, columns, and exclusive content, not released, anywhere else. Get the scoop and stay in the no. Sign up for the Just Ask the Question newsletter. Now at substack.com slash JATQ ORG podcast. Hi, we are back.

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It is Just Ask the Question, and I am your host, Brian Kerman PERSON. And as always, joining us to take a look at our week in review of the news called Just Ask the Press. We have with us former federal prosecutor Michael Zeldon and editor-at-large and senior White House correspondent from CQ Rochall, John Bennett PERSON. And as we start off reviewing last week, Michael, you brought this one up. I was going to add it to the list anyway. But it is kind of unique.I've never seen a candidate for president be so out there about the fact that if you give me money, I'll do your bidding. Donald Trump PERSON has decided that he's going to back the play of the oil companies if they just give him some money. It's all yours, brother. Unpack it for us.

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Well, so this was a remarkable story. And it was in the Washington Post ORG of the... It was Friday or Saturday.

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What day? Yeah.

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Yeah, so I think it was Friday. Friday?

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Friday.

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Yeah.

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And the proposition is that Trump PERSON meets with the oil executives, the CEOs of oil executives,

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and he's tried to raise money to catch up.

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And he has this meeting with the top oil executives in Marlago GPE. And they were talking about the burdensome environmental regulations and blah, blah, blah. And Trump's response, according to several people in the room, was that if they would steer a billion dollars to his campaign, essentially a deal, he would essentially do everything they want, get rid of environmental regulations, rollback electronic vehicle propositions, rollback clean air standards, essentially saying if you get me the money in a quid pro quo, it seems, I will do everything I can to get rid of the environmental regulations and anything else that you don't like.

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Thank you very much for coming to Mar-a-Lago ORG.

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And leaving aside the proposition that he's essentially selling policy for money because some will say, well, that's what happens every time a politician meets with a lobbyist, the lobbyist tries to influence them, and they decide whether they're going to follow along or not. It's just not as overt as give you a billion dollars, and I'll write your laws, which, you know, to me is almost, if not criminal. laws, which to me is almost, almost, if not criminal.But the notion that where we are in our environment at the moment and where we need to be in terms of global competition for batteries and solar and electric and all that stuff,

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that he would sell out, you know, sort of the environment

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and the future of manufacturing in the United States GPE for this short-term, you know, payoff is studying. So it fits in with my narrative that we discussed last week is when you always ask the question, a good question, what is the press getting wrong? It's not covering these policy positions that Trump PERSON is taking, because the policies are way more dangerous to me than is the individual.

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John, were you surprised? I mean, it seems blatant overt and overt and quite, to quote Michael, almost illegal. But it's not surprising when it comes to Dear Donnie, is it?

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No, I wasn't surprised in the least. Sometimes with these things, I was surprised in the least.

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I'm still not.

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I said it, straight face, and I mean it with a straight face. Now I'm laughing, of course. But, you know, sometimes, you know, we do this for so long, you know, we're jaded and cynical. And Michael was in it for so long. You know, we're all jaded and cynical. And, you know, but every now and then something will kind of breathe for a couple days, you know, you put the marinade in the chicken. And when you go to put it in the oven, you know, it smells different, you know, two days later, or day later. And sometimes you're like, well, Dan PERSON, that's, that's pretty outrageous. I haven't had that feeling this time. This is what I expect his conversations are like. And the, the post was, you know, not lucky enough. They were, they were talented and skilled and sourced enough to nail this down. But it's exactly what I expect he's asking people and has always asked people.And we know, frankly, he needs the money not only for his campaign and he's way down compared to what Biden and the DNC ORG have raised. He and the RNC, Republican National Committee ORG. So he needs the money. He also needs it for his legal fees. He may not soon, we can talk about that later as I continue to push my theory about those legal cases.But no, I mean, he, Michael's right. He has talked about these policies individually or, you know, two of them together as part of his energy spiel or his anti-environmentalist spiel. But now the Post ORG has put it together very skillfully that he's doing it while begging for money. So, but it's not at all. It's very on brand. The fact that the Post ORG was able to nail the story down, that's what's new here.And I will say one thing about the press and and not covering it and you know i think fair enough michael PERSON we're having a hard time though covering and trying to figure out what the policies are of the sitting president because they change by the day and sometimes where the sun is in the sky and then his AIDS contradict him. So we're having a hard enough time trying to know. They say they're nuanced and we say it's kind of a muddle messaging and the actual policy. I don't think the Israelis NORP have a good field todayfor what is Biden's policy toward Gaza, for instance. Let's stay on Trump for a minute before we get there because you've got a good point.

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But my question about this, and to Michael's point, I don't think we do a very good job covering Trump PERSON's policies because the rest of it is so, I mean, it's off the wall odd. It's it, we can't get past the prurient nature of Donald Trump PERSON wanting to get spanked. And we'll talk about some of that stuff later. But the fact that he's so odd and offbeat and strangeis tough for us to grasp while we're trying to cover something as

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mundane as oil policy,

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which is really more perverse than him wanting to get spanked than dating a former stripper who looks like his who he thinks looks like his daughter. I mean, all of that stuff is weird. But this policy to me is indicative. And I'm glad that the Post ORG did it.I wish there were more of it done. But to your point, if we think the current president's policies are muddled, Donald Trump PERSON's policies are even more so because he is subservient to those who give him money. And he's subservient to those who had his ear last and it depends on what he had for lunch or breakfast. And he's, he's been known to change his policies. You were in that White House FAC.He was worse than Biden PERSON as far as I'm concerned in changing his mind or changing. Well, yeah.

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So, I mean, I

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don't think you can compare the two.

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There are apples and oranges.

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Well, I mean, you have to compare the two because they're running against each other,

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but. Yeah, I guess so. You're a fair point. But to

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Michael's point, Michael, I'll leave your last word on this before we move on to Biden PERSON, but the thing that I find most troublesome about this isn't that he did it. Isn't that what it says, it's that the, or people are going, yeah, that's fine with me. Yeah, well, I don't know how people

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are receiving it. I would hope they would receive it in horror because of the implications, as I said, for both the environment and our manufacturing base. So you could be an environmental denier or one who thinks that the environment will just take care of itself and these are cycles. But, you know, all you have to do is look at how we lost manufacturing throughout the middle of the United States and upstate New York GPE and all that stuff is outsourced. We have no manufacturing base whatsoever in America GPE. And now this guy is proposing essentially giving up competition in electronic vehicles, batteries, and all thestuff that is necessary for the next generation of transportation. That's the implications of what he says. He says, I'll roll back EV. I don't think his supporters care. I, I, I, we've out. Well, but I know, by the point is, Brian, I don't, I don't know whether they care or not. But what I'm saying is if you're, you could be a conservative, a traditional conservative Republican NORP. A traditional conservative Republican NORP should be horrified at this, I think, to give awaythe next, you know, sort of round of future. What if the automobile people or whomever came to him and says, look, we don't, we don't want, we don't want AI. And so stop investing in it. Let let, let the Chinese and the Russians and the French NORP and whomever invest in it. And we'll give you money for that. People who are conservative should be concerned about that, as well as liberal and well as as, as well as Robert Kennedy PERSON, evenwith a Warren PRODUCT Brave.

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Like, even with, but I would tell you, I think most of the conservative, traditional conservative Republicans NORP have already fled that party and are going to vote Democrat NORP or not vote at all.That I, what concerns me, what concerns me are the millions of supporters that will continue to support Donald Trump, no matter to what depth of L they'll drag them and us.

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Well, maybe, but maybe.

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But I guess that which alarms me is the prospect of people who are thinking of not

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voting. Yes.

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And the implications of these policies, not the individuals,

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you can think Biden PERSON is too old and senile or Trump PERSON is too bombastic and crazy.

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And we all do. And you never have to do ascribe to them.

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But as a pure policy matter, if you compare policies to policies, sitting this one out to me is inexcusable.

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Well, yeah, but a lot of what they've done is inexcusable.

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I'm sorry, can I jump in on that for a second?

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As long as you don't contradict me, it's fine, John PERSON.

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Maybe just a little, but only a little, because it's your birthday.

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By the way, happy it's your birthday.

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By the way, happy birthday.

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Go ahead.

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Go for it.

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Happy birthday, too, you?

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Go ahead. When the recording is recorded.

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That's for Michael.

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Go ahead, John PERSON.

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So what happens is Republicans NORP do support those things. A lot of Republicans NORP voted for, our listeners, might remember something called the Chipson Science Act LAW,

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which I can't help but chuckle in my head and call the Chips and Salsa Act LAW. But it had, you know, millions and billions of dollars for competitiveness with China GPE, and there was money for electric vehicles, and there was money for microchips and all sorts of things to try to start revving that up here domestically. A lot of Republicans NORP in the Congress ORG voted for that thing. A lot of Republicans in Congress helped negotiate that thing. But Donald Trump PERSON did eventually come out against it and some of them change their votes,you know, leading up to it. They were yeses. And then suddenly when they went, when Trump PERSON says, when Trump says the words electric vehicles at one of his rallies, they booed. Yeah. Yeah.

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That they're cheering for third world status. It is what it boils down to me is that this country and the MAGA ORG supporters are cheering and want us to be a third world nation. As long as Donnie gets to make his decisions, get spanked by his cosmopolitan, and not wear condoms, they're happy with it. And that's, but we're going to move on to the next one. And Donald, Joe Biden apparently thumped Israel this week by saying, you know, no weapons.And then, uh, Corrine on a gaggle, as you pointed out, before we started, John PERSON, kind of seemed to change your mind, saying, that Israel GPE's going to get it all. And then CQ had the wonderful story that you were talking about, the misstep in the Middle East LOC. I'd like you to unpack this particular issue.

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Is Joe Biden get, look, they tell us that Israel and the United States GPE have never been

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in worse straits, you know, as far as our relationship than now.

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Yeah, this one is complicated, you know, that as I said earlier, the Biden PERSON folks would argue

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that they are nuanced. And those of us who are trying to make sense of and explaining to

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our readers and our listeners, we see something else. We see kind of a muddle and kind of a series of contradictions policy-wise and especially messaging-wise. So Biden sat down with CNN's Aaron Burnett earlier this week for a rare one-on-one television interview. He's done fewer of these than any of his modern recent predecessors, including Trump and, of course, Obama PERSON. He seemed to be on TV every other day, and so did Trump PERSON, for that matter.And he said in the interview, when asked by Burnett PERSON about withholding weapons and what was going on with Gaza and Rana and Rafa. That if Israel went into Rafa, of course, there are 1.5 million refugees, including one estimate I saw this week, 600,000 children. That's staggering. If he went in too hard, or if he went in at anything more than like precision strikes is what it sounded like,that Biden PERSON would withhold heavy bombs. These 1,800, and 2,000-pound bombs, which have been, and he acknowledged that American-made bombs have been used to kill Palestinian NORP civilians. We knew that, but they certainly haven't said, and the president certainly hasn't said that. But he said it last week.But what my colleague, the great, the dean of defense reporters, John Donnelly PERSON, CQ's John Donnelly, had a great story. He talked to, went up to the hill and he was talking to members like Susan Collins, who's, you know, been in the Senate ORG for a very long time. She's the ranking member of the Senate Defense Apprope Subcommittee ORG. So she's writing the checks for these things. He talked to James Rich, who is the ranking member of Senate Foreign Relations ORG. They have oversight of foreign aid and foreign military aid.They don't know what is being withheld exactly. Rish says he's very confused because he was told that that Biden PERSON is just withholding guidance systems. So you take a dumb bomb that doesn't have a guidance system. You put this kit on the tail and you're able to steer it almost to tell it where to go. Collins PERSON hasn't even been, they didn't do notifications. Usually, you, you talk to congressional leadership and you notify the leaders of thenational security committees. They apparently did call the big four, the leaders of the House and Senate ORG, but they didn't call the Jim Rish's and the Ben Cardens and four, the leaders of the House and Senate ORG, but they didn't call the Jim Ritches and the Ben Cardins and the Susan Collins's PERSON of the world. And, you know, they're very frustrated and for good reason. And they don't even know what's being withheld. And then when you ask, you know, it depends on who you ask. If you ask John Kirby PERSON, he says onething. If the president gets asked, he says one thing. If the president gets asked, he says another thing in four or five words in these pool sprays where he doesn't give a lot of information even when he rarely does answer questions. So we're left with kind of shrugging. And then after the president says he will withhold the heavy bombs and artillery shells, After the president says he will withhold the heavy bombs and artillery shells, the next day or two days later, the press secretary is on Air Force One PRODUCT,promising to deliver every dollar in the recent National Security supplemental spending bill that's allocated for Israel GPE. We're going to deliver every penny of that to Israel GPE. That's not exactly what the boss said. So it just creates... No, it's's not exactly what the boss said. So it just creates...

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No, it's exactly contradicts what the boss said. I think it had... We're to the point, like you said, I'm sorry to interrupt, but you were talking about, here's what's confusing to me. Here's what is, and I think to Michael's point that he's made often about our lack of reporting, look, as we were saying, the travel pool got on the plane going to San Francisco and didn't know where they were going or why they were on the plane. I'm trying to get to San Francisco GPE and find out what's going to go onand can't get a straight answer out of the press office as to what. I just think, again, we do a horrible job of reporting what's going on, but they do an even worse job of reporting what's going on, but they do an even worse job of communicating what they're doing. And at the end of the day, one of the biggest reasons why I think Joe Biden trails Donald Trump PERSON in the polls is because we are doing our job very well, and they're doing their job communicating far worse. But that's, I'm sorry, that's,I hated it. I didn't get around, but go ahead. Yeah, I'm sorry. I hated it. I didn't make it around, but go ahead.

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Yeah. I'm reading. And people can find this at whitehouse.gov, backslash briefing room. This is a public document. This is a transcript from the Air Force One gaggle. Miss Jean-Pier PERSON is asked, she's asked, yeah, I'm sorry. Sorry about that. She is asked, she's asked, yeah, I'm sorry, sorry about that. She has asked, this is a reporter asking Corinjean-Jean-Pierre PERSON, can you talk to us a little bit about why we're on the airplane? Like, what's happening these next two days?

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Just get on the plane and trust us, guys.

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We're going to do some president.

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Well, I thought you got on the airplane to go someplace far away. You didn't know the answer to that question?

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I don't know the answer to many questions.

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Really?

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What's, what's so hard about that?

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You give them a ticket, you get on the plane.

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Where are you going on? What more do you need to know?

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You just, you guys are just complainers.

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Of course.

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That's what we do. Complaint, complain, complained. No, no, no, uh, I mean are just complainers. Of course. That's what we do. Complaint, complain, complained.

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No, no, uh, I mean, Michael's point.

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I mean, here you are, John PERSON.

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That's, that's in the readout.

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I mean, to, and Michael, you can speak to it from the side.

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I mean, you're taking a look at what we're doing.

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I think it just speaks to how horribly inept we are and they are, and them more than us.

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Yeah, you know, I have no expertise compared to you guys at all.

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All I can do is read the newspapers and look for through lines on policies of politicians.

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lines on policies of politicians. It's easiest for me when they're articulated coherently and linearly, because that's the way I read. And in both cases, I think you guys are right and wrong, in the sense that I think that Biden PERSON's policies are not as coherent and articulated as they should be, whereas I think Donald Trump's PERSON, though he may change his mind where he elected and he comes to signing the legislation, I think his point of view is pretty clear, which is what's the transactional benefit of it for me? And, and, you know, you can, you can pick, you can pick your policy, whether it's the story we just spokeabout with the environment or the way he reproaches the justice of the Supreme Court. I put you there, you owe me. I mean, everything is pretty transactional and Trump PERSON-centric. And so I think that that can be covered in a pretty straightforward way. But it's easier, as you said, Brian, it's easier to pick out the most salacious part of Stormy Daniels's testimony in the New York GPE criminal case and spend the next half hour talking about whether it was appropriate or inappropriate for her to saythat they were in a missionary position and he didn't wear a condom, then to say, wait a second, can we just back up a second and talk about selling U.S. GPE manufacturing and environmental regulation to oil company CEOs for a billion dollars? Can we just take a step back and, you know, let's say stormy individuals rest in peace for a minute? That just doesn't happen. And that, I think, is going to get

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on it before we go to break. It's hard to argue with that.

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You know, I guess it depends on, for me, I understand business-wise why CNN and MSNBC basically have live blogs on their screen. They have producers and reporters in the courtroom and the Trump PERSON trial, sending blurbs. And then the anchors are sitting on a set outside reading what's essentially a live blog. Business-wise, I understand it. Now, for print outlets like mine, and I'm sure that my colleagues, my CQ ORG colleagues will dive,and roll call colleagues will dive into some of this with Trump PERSON. Other outlets will too. I think that print is going to have to lead the way on diving into some of these policy and conflicts.

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Yeah. I don't think we can depend on TV to do that.

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So I think that's a distinction that I'll make there. And how much that gets to the voter, you know, we'll see. I mean, if that reporting happens, I guess what the Biden PERSON folks would have to hope, excuse me, is if that reporting happens and it gets out to people that, you know, of course it's independent voters, swings them to Biden. And to Michael, Michael's broader point here, and I understand what he's getting at about people not voting, some of thatkind of reporting might convince someone, well, I'm really upset with Biden over Gaza GPE, but I'm not comfortable with Trump PERSON's approach, his transactional approach, and maybe I'll, you know, hold my nose and vote for Biden PERSON. That's what they have to hope for, because they've got a math problem, the Biden PERSON folks. They don't want to talk about it, but they've got a math problem.

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Well, and this is the same, this is the same, I mean, I'm old enough to remember this exact conversation between voters in the Humphrey Nixon PERSON. That's where I was.

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And in Humphrey Nixon PERSON, liberals and independence, if there was such a thing then, couldn't get over voting for Humphrey

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because he didn't walk away from Johnson's policies in Vietnam GPE soon enough. He did. He did, ultimately, but it was to those voters too little, too late. They sat it out and Nixon PERSON squeaks by in a very close election. And as they say, the rest is history. That's not to say that Hubert Humphrey PERSON would have, you know, in some second coming and the world would be all, you know, Garden of Eden. But we know what Nixonwrought. And the notion that there wasn't a difference, we know the notion that there wasn't a difference between these two guys was, I think, a colossal error in judgment. And so those people who say, well, you know, as John PERSON just said, I'm not 100% with him on Gaza GPE, or I'm not 100% with him on student loan forgiveness, or I'm not 100% with him on pickup policy,if you cover the policies of Trump PERSON closely, those people who have a problem with the Biden PERSON policies are going to have a way bigger problem with the Trump closely. Those people who have a problem with the Biden policies are going to have a way bigger problem with the Trump PERSON policies on most of those issues that liberals slash independents care about. And sitting it out and sitting it out is irresponsible.You know, there's a guy who, there are two,

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Michael, it's irresponsible, but it's reality. Appearance versus reality. They will not vote reality. It's a, I just,I'm wondering, how do you get to those people that don't understand? I get, you're absolutely being logical and correct, but there are millions of people

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who don't see it that way.

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How do you change their life?

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Don't understand what, Brian. You said people who don't see it that way. How do you change their... Don't understand what, Brian?

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You said people who don't understand.

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I don't understand. To me, and we do have to do a break here, but to me, what I find is that Michael's being logical, correct, and facts.

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As always.

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John PERSON, logical, factual, and correct. And none of these voters that will vote for Trump PERSON give a shit about the fact that they're voting against their own self-interest. They are appearance-driven. The appearance is that Donald Trump PERSON is a savior. I mean, they draw pictures of him and you see cartoons of him sitting next to Jesus PERSON for God's sake. This is the people who are in are in.And what Biden PERSON doesn't do, to Michael's point, what Biden doesn't do is convince those people. And what risking are people not voting for him because they don't see the difference. They only see Donald Trump PERSON as a magnetic, charismatic guy, and Joe Biden PERSON is a boring old guy. That's it. And I think that's...

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No, no, no, even more than that, those people,

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they see Biden PERSON as some kind of demon or he's either,

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the same people say Biden PERSON is incompetent and frail,

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also say he's part of a liberal cabal to turn the country communist or something.

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I did see him at,

Speaker 71862.2s - 1864.28s

I did see him at Comet ORG ping pong.

Speaker 101864.92s - 1865.5s

Oh boy.

Speaker 61865.5s - 1867.46s

In the back, in the back room.

Speaker 101867.72s - 1870.4s

And those of you don't understand the reference, go Google.

Speaker 61871.78s - 1874s

And on that note, they have the list is ticker.

Speaker 101874.54s - 1876.56s

On that note, we'll take a short break.

Speaker 71876.94s - 1879.98s

And when we come back, let's talk about Donnie's Trump PERSON trials.

Speaker 61880.5s - 1881.12s

Stick around.

Speaker 101881.28s - 1883.54s

This podcast is sponsored by Monarch Money PRODUCT.

Speaker 71883.96s - 1886s

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Speaker 71979.14s - 1981.42s

Hey, just asked the question podcast listeners.

Speaker 41981.82s - 1987.28s

If you've got a second, head on over to Twitter and follow our official page, JATQ ORG podcast.

Speaker 71987.44s - 1989.96s

That's JATQ ORG podcast.

Speaker 41991.08s - 1996.14s

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Speaker 51996.14s - 2001.16s

through the BS and gets to the truth with Brian's in-depth articles, columns, and exclusive

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Speaker 52003.52s - 2005.34s

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Speaker 42005.62s - 2007.88s

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Speaker 52008.12s - 2020.5s

Now at Substack.com slash JATQ ORG podcast. Hi, we are back.

Speaker 72020.58s - 2110.98s

It is Just Ask the Question WORK_OF_ART. I am your host, Brian Kierman, with our weekly review of the news. Just Ask the Press. And as always with us, our former federal prosecutor, Michael Zeldon PERSON, and editor at large, a senior White House correspondent for CQ roll call John T. Bennett PERSON. And when we left, we were talking about, well, a lot. But let's start, let's unravel the Trump PERSON trials, some have been delayed indefinitely. And then there was a week of distorted testimony from Stormy Daniels, including talks about, you know, condomless sex and spankings and lasciviousness and all the kind of stuff that a W.W.E fan would love and a Smackdown on a Jeep Thursday night.But I will say that coming up this week to first, coming up this week, we're going to be a showdown of actually legendary, biblical. In some ways, I think Donald Trump PERSON, in that cheap suit of his and his cheap mentality and his grade B Hollywood GPE persona is loving the fact that this week will feature a showdown between him and Michael Cohen PERSON, his former fixer. The bombast between the two of them, I think somewhere Donnie thinks he's coming down on highnoon, baby, and he's going to be the gunslinger that's going to shoot down the bad guy. And he's more like, I think, Liberty Valance PERSON and the man who shot Liberty Valance, but I don't think Michael Cohen is the John Wayne PERSON character. Great reference. That's great.

Speaker 62111.4s - 2120.7s

But at the end of the day, the question is, can Michael Cohen PERSON hold it together to testify against his former boss will, his former boss go nuts?

Speaker 72121.2s - 2132s

And what will that look like? Michael, I'll let you. John PERSON, I know you're waiting, you're chomping at the bit on this and with Michael, what do you think? You think it's,

Speaker 62135.36s - 2136.82s

how's it going to go? Oh, yeah, I'm sitting dead red on this one. I'm ready.

Speaker 102148.24s - 2475.6s

Well, so this trial has been interesting in that the evidence has come in pretty much as the prosecution has wanted it to come in. There have been some points made on cross-examination, but they seem to be more peripheral than to the heart of the matter. And where we're up to in the trial is, if the government rested today, didn't call another witness, they probably have enough evidence to argue that they've proved their case beyond a reasonable doubt that Donald Trump paid Stormy Daniels PERSON to prevent her story from leaking out because it would have a negative impact on his campaign. He did so through the auspices of Michael Cohen PERSON, who he thenrepaid and misrepresented what the payment was for on his books. That's what this case is essentially about. And I think that their witnesses all say that. But the prosecutor has this one little issue, because it's not a legal impediment, really. You can prove a case circumstantially that the defense is going to argue no direct evidence that Trump PERSON knew or approved of this. So to close that gap, rather than risk the possibility of a hung jury, they're calling Michael Cohen PERSON. Michael Cohen is there for a few veryspecific reasons. He's there to say that Donald Trump told him to pay Stormy Daniels PERSON, that he lied about it in order to protect Donald Trump PERSON and went to jail for that. That the payment received by him, by the Trump organization, was not for legal fees, or rather was the payback, that Donald Trump, after Access Hollywood WORK_OF_ART, was very concerned about the impact of this on his campaign, and that everything else, whether he had a concern about Melania or the family, was clearly secondary to this, and that he knew that Alan Weisselberg PERSON, the CEO of the company, was, or theCFO of the company, was going to misrepresent what the payments were on their books and ledges. That's all they need from him. Everything else is irrelevant. The question is, and I just was speaking to Lanny Davis PERSON about it, he's advisor to Michael Cohen, and he says he thinks Michael will do just fine. And Lanny PERSON is a really good lawyer, PR person. So hopefully he's right. What we do not need is a schoolyard conversation between Donald Trump via his lawyer and Michael Cohen PERSON. What is interesting is if you look at the Stormy Daniels testimony, she testified for two days. Day one was, you know, had some salacious parts, but it was pretty straightforward,cross and direct examination. Then they break for a day and they come back and Trump PERSON's lawyer is, you know, essentially screaming at her. You're a liar, you're a liar, you're a liar, your pants are on fire. I mean, it was a, it was a cross-examination that I thought was terrible. You know, if it was a normal case, it would, I think, backfire by creating sympathy for the witness. And my expectation is that one of two things happens. Either she felt that she didn't make her case the first time around and wanted to improve it, or probably more realistically, her client said to her,you know, you've got to go after her more, you know, because he's always complaining about his lawyers who are not, you know, as aggressive as he would like them to be. And so the question is, what is the posture that the lawyers will take with Cohen PERSON? And if they really are on the attack and they make him look like some, you know, snook who, you know, was trying his best and was doing what the boss wanted, but was doing it at the direction of the boss,and that he's not the type of person who would dare do something on his own of this magnitude. If they tell him that he's a bad person, and he should be embarrassed that he took out a $130,000 loan without telling his wife and risking his, you know, they go that way. I think they have a real risk of making Michael Cohen seem way more sympathetic than they would want him to be. So it'll be a very interesting dynamic in that courtroom. How do you approach Cohen PERSON on direct examination? How do you keep him, you know, sort of ring fence to the, you know, the four or five facts that I said youneed from him? And how on cross-examination do you undermine him without making him a sympathetic witness to the jury. John PERSON? You were you were chomper. Well, I think

Speaker 72475.6s - 2487.06s

yeah, I think they need to bring in celebrity ring announcer Michael Buffer and let's get ready to

Speaker 102487.06s - 2494.56s

rumble at the beginning of the testimony we expect tomorrow a Monday Monday morning

Speaker 72494.56s - 2504.84s

from Michael Cohen. These two guys do not like each other. I wonder if they ever really did.

Speaker 62504.84s - 2595.92s

They worked together. It was mutually beneficial. It wonder if they ever really did. They worked together. It was mutually beneficial. It's classic Trump PERSON, this relationship that they've had. And, you know, Cohen has turned on him because he feels like Trump PERSON threw him under the bus and scapegoated him, among other things. And, you know, they've said just awful, nasty things about each other. And now they're going to be face to face.I have to wonder who explodes at the other one first. And how does the judge handle it? I don't know if either guy can resist the temptation of saying more than a few choice words to each other. And I don't know if both guys can resist saying some very colorful things to each other. And I don't know, Judge Mershon PERSON, I don't think he's going to throw a former president, excuse me, in the slammer overnight contemptof court or anything. So how does he handle Cohen if he, and we know Michael Cohen PERSON is a bit of a hot head. I can be a bit of a hot head. I'm not, you know, criticizing the guy. It's just what it is. If he blows up and Trump PERSON blows up back, but you can't put the former president in the slammer overnightto be fair to Cohen especially if Trump PERSON baits him and explodes first can you fairly throw Cohen PERSON in or do you just find them both and keep the trial moving?

Speaker 102596.36s - 2607.24s

I don't know so but remember John Trump explodes in the hallway and he's got called out by the judge in the courtroom. No I understand that if he starts cursing in the hallway. He's been called out by the judge in the courtroom.

Speaker 62607.6s - 2608.42s

No, I understand that.

Speaker 102608.48s - 2621.44s

He starts cursing in the courtroom again like he did when Stormy Daniels PERSON testified. But what you just said invites the question, will he testify?

Speaker 72621.9s - 2624.84s

Well, before we get there, and I want to discuss it.

Speaker 102624.92s - 2626.04s

But before we get there, look, I've discuss it. Before we get there, look,

Speaker 72626.44s - 2778.34s

I've been in close proximity to both these guys, you know, full disclosure, you know, John and I were close to Trump every day for four years. I researched and help write Cohen's book revenge.I think they are both hotheads, but I think, look, if it's a battle of wits, Donald Trump comes to this battle half arm.'s a half wit and and I think that that above all else knowing Cohen as I do I think he'll be I to what Lanny Davis PERSON said he thinks he'llbehave himself Norma Eisen is the guy I spoke to earlier this week who's worked extensively with with Cohen PERSON. He thinks he'll behave himself. At the back of his mind, I think, you know, revenge is a dish best serve cold, is the old Klingon NORP saying?And I think that Cohen PERSON will hold himself better than Donald Trump PERSON in court, because I think he sees the end game. And I think Donald PERSON sees the end game in the fact that he's scared of death. He's going to go to prison.My calculus and Michael, maybe you can speak to this, I wonder if Donald Trump risks a night or several hours in lockup for being found in contempt once again to try in court or in the hallway to unnerve Michael Cohen PERSON to the part where he looks like a lunatic that I don't think he'll act like in the courtroom. I mean, that's a calculated risk because if Donald Trump spends a night or several hours in a holding cell as what would probably be behind the courtroom, if he does that for contempt of court and he's found not guilty, then no harm, no foul, yet. But if he is found guilty of a felony in the sentencing phase, the fact that he couldn't control himself and was put behind bars foreven a brief amount of time during the trial could come back to audit him when he's sentenced. amount of time during the trial could come back to on him when he's sentenced. So to me, I think, look, we've never had this, this is historic, the confrontation between the president and his former, former president and his former fixer. And Michael Cohen is what Michael Cohen is, Donald Trump PERSON is what he is. Like I said, it's, you know, Trump sees himself in his mind as Gary Cooper PERSON in high noon, and I still think he's, you know, Lee Marvin PERSON and the man who shot Liberty Valance, and someone's going to then, but the guy that's going to take him out isn't JohnWayne, it's going to be Donald Trump's own words. Michael?

Speaker 102780.76s - 2820.26s

Well, we'll see. And the segue of Donald Trump's PERSON own words is where will he speak those words? Will he just, you know, yell and scream in the hallway and, you know, sort of make audibles in the courtroom that could get him held in contempt? Or will he probably in opposition to what his lawyers would suggest, will he testify? You know, he is a, you know, sort of a classic bully in the sense that he's all bluff and bluster, but when you get onto the, but he never goes on to the field of play.

Speaker 02820.9s - 2828.3s

You know, he is the, he's, you know, Thomas, not Thomas, Teddy Roosevelt PERSON had that

Speaker 22828.3s - 2833.9s

man in the ring speech where he talked about being in the game. And there's a big difference

Speaker 02833.9s - 2840.1s

between being in the game and on the sidelines. It's the yogi Berra PERSON. There's a big difference

Speaker 102840.1s - 2846.78s

between theory and practice in practice. And Donald Trump PERSON is, you know, it will see.

Speaker 02846.78s - 2849.78s

I'm too heavy over-under when he was going to go to a baseball thing.

Speaker 102850.68s - 2851.78s

Go ahead, Michael, I'm sorry.

Speaker 72851.78s - 2856.96s

But the question is Donald Trump PERSON has been, you know, I'd love to testify, you know, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Speaker 102856.96s - 2909.24s

And then in the hallways, I'm being gagged. I can't testify. The judge says, no, you can. You can testify. That wasn't true. You can testify. And so't true. You can testify.And so now Michael Collins is going to come and say, Donald Trump PERSON told me to do all these things. I did all these things that was for him at his behest to benefit his campaign. And will Trump PERSON say, under oath, it was not? And, you know, if he doesn't, good for his lawyers, but you have to understand that this is classic sort of BS bully behavior. When you're asked to step into, when you're asked to step into the ring, you know, to put up or shut up, and he says, well, I can't because, you know, I got a splinter. You know, you have to see it for what it is.

Speaker 72914.38s - 2919.72s

I wonder if they have Weisselberg PERSON in the wings waiting to, if Trump does come out, if they pull Weisselberg out of a hat and go, you know, let him speak to that.

Speaker 102919.86s - 2921.38s

I mean, that would be, I just wonder.

Speaker 72921.38s - 2922.06s

So could I say.

Speaker 92923.32s - 2923.94s

Go ahead.

Speaker 62924.28s - 2928.38s

Didn't they, they tried last week to add into the list, and I believe that judge turned down.

Speaker 102928.38s - 2946.58s

So this is the most complicated proposition, I think, for the prosecutors. You've got Alan Weisselberg PERSON, who is at the heart of the matter. He was the chief financial officer. He is the person who cut the checks, did their handwritten notes of his, you know, repay Cohen PERSON. All that stuff is

Speaker 82946.58s - 2955.52s

in evidence. Weisselberg sits in Rikers Island for having lied in Trump PERSON's civil fraud trial

Speaker 102955.52s - 2962.86s

and been convicted of perjury for that, and there he sits. And so here's the guy who really

Speaker 82962.86s - 2968.5s

has the kingdom's keys, but is willing to go to

Speaker 102968.5s - 3015.14s

jail for five months in Rikers Island at the age of whatever he is 78 to protect Donald Trump PERSON. So if you're a prosecutor, you can, you know, you can subpoena him. He could come to court and say, I'm taking the fifth. You can immunize him and force him to testify. Call him as a hostile witness. And then what?He is going to do what? He is going to lie again because when you get immunized, it's only for the substance of your testimony, not whether you're lying. So if he walks into that courtroom and he lies again like he did in the Leticia James case, he could blow out the whole prosecutor's case.

Speaker 83015.28s - 3023.18s

He asked him to get convicted and sent to Rakers Island for another five years, but you've just exploded your case because given the defense, the opportunity to say,

Speaker 103023.26s - 3102.72s

you see, here's the guy who's at the heart of the matter, and he said, didn't happen that way. You can't say to the jury, well, you know, ladies in the jury, that was a liar. We're going to prosecute him for it. You can't say that. So he can, he explodes your case. And so it's a complicated calculus about what to do with Weisselberg PERSON. What the prosecution wants to do, and this is what came up last week, what they want to do is when Weisselberg left the Trump PERSON organization, there was a severance agreement. And in that severance agreement, one of the paragraphs said, in exchange for theseverance package that we're giving you, you will not speak badly about the company or its officers. And so they are trying to argue that that severance agreement tells us that he is not going to testify, can't testify. We want to just enter the severance into severance agreements into evidence and call it a date. Defense ORG is obviously not happy about that as a possibility. And so this is going to play out still in court and how it is decided could have pretty significant impact on the case.

Speaker 73103.76s - 3138.88s

I'll want you to, while we got you talking about this case, the others have been, well, indefinitely delayed in Georgia. They are, the appeals court is looking into whether or not the prosecutor, Fannie Willis, can be removed from the case. They've delayed the case, the Mar-a-Lago ORG case indefinitely, and we're waiting on a Supreme Court decision on the D.C the case. They've delayed the case, the Mar-a-Lago case, indefinitely, and we're waiting on a Supreme Court decision on the D.C. GPE case. It doesn't look like any of those are going tobe heard before the November election. So this is the only game in town for holding Donald

Speaker 103138.88s - 3161.62s

Trump accountable, yeah? Well, maybe, yeah. It depends on when the Supreme Court rules and how they rule on the immunity case. If they rule sooner than later, or even in June, for that matter, this case in D.C., the January 6th case, could go to trial in September.

Speaker 23162.36s - 3163.66s

It is still theoretical.

Speaker 103163.9s - 3222.04s

So many of the Supreme Court says, you can proceed. And I'm afraid that they're going to remand this to send it back to the district court and say, hold a hearing or make factual findings about whether or not what Trump PERSON didwas within his official acts. And if so, they may be immune. If they're not in his official acts, that he can be prosecuted, but you have to sort them out. If she has to go through some sort of hearing process, which then can be appealed, then this case is not happening this year. But if they say, yeah, you can go forward, you don't need a hearing, and you can just yourself makethose determinations, then this case could still go forward. In Florida GPE, the judge seems dead set on keeping this case from going forward. And there are three explanations. All of them could be coextensive or alternative. She's incompetent. She's inexperienced or she's got a political

Speaker 03222.04s - 3237.48s

agenda. And it's almost impossible to figure out which of those three, and it could be all three, because she is delaying this case in ways that an experienced judge would never do,

Speaker 103237.48s - 3271.92s

holding hearings on motions that are borderline frivolous, frivolous, that could be handled on the papers themselves, not making decisions on the classified documents, saying it's quote-unquote complicated. I mean, there are people who have been tried for espionage whose cases have gone to trial more quickly as they've worked through the classified documents than she seems willing to do. So as I say, you pick among all of those incompetence,

Speaker 03272.32s - 3274.4s

experience, political motive.

Speaker 23275.02s - 3277.9s

But that case doesn't seem like it's going forward.

Speaker 03277.9s - 3281.22s

And if I were the chief judge in that district,

Speaker 103281.64s - 3286.52s

as unusual as that would be, I think I would remove her.

Speaker 93286.94s - 3290.92s

She's not, she cannot be recused, I don't think, officially.

Speaker 103291.04s - 3312.52s

I don't think there's legal grounds to recuse her yet. I mean, there may never be, but not yet. But I don't know how these things work, but I would think that district court chief judge could say, you know, Judge Catted PERSON, I'm going to, I'm changing, I'm changing you out of this case. It seems to be beyond your

Speaker 93312.52s - 3320.9s

expertise, at least your judicial career. But I think the chief judge should have taken this

Speaker 103320.9s - 3332.8s

case for herself to begin with. She's a moderate slash conservative Republican down in Miami GPE, very well-respected jurist.

Speaker 63332.98s - 3337.32s

She could have said, you know what, I'm just going to take this to make sure that there's no politics.

Speaker 103337.54s - 3339.98s

That's going to creep its way into it.

Speaker 63339.98s - 3353.3s

Because there's another judge up in that Palm Beach County who, if it went, you could hear arguments that this judge is liberally biased and has it in for Trump PERSON.

Speaker 103353.3s - 3372.88s

And so I think this case would have been much better off not in Eileen Cannon's office, not in that other judge's name of him forgetting's office, who has ruled in an earlier Trump PERSON case, but rather kept with the chief judge and have her handle it herself. But usually what I wish for doesn't come true.

Speaker 23374.22s - 3376.1s

Well, happy birthday, Michael.

Speaker 73376.96s - 3377.8s

Happy birthday.

Speaker 103377.92s - 3378.3s

Thank you.

Speaker 73378.54s - 3381.2s

Mr. President, happy birthday to you.

Speaker 103381.86s - 3384.3s

That was not one of the things I wished for.

Speaker 73384.9s - 3385.84s

You're singing,

Speaker 103386.4s - 3388.46s

your best Marilyn Monroe PERSON.

Speaker 73388.86s - 3390.52s

I was not wishing for that.

Speaker 103391.36s - 3391.8s

Okay.

Speaker 73392.2s - 3394.76s

Which is why, John PERSON, it came true.

Speaker 103395.02s - 3396.14s

That's why it came true.

Speaker 73396.84s - 3398.06s

To your point, right.

Speaker 103399.18s - 3403.16s

We're going to take a short break.

Speaker 73403.24s - 3405.94s

John, when we come back, let's talk a little bit about Marjorie, Taylor Green PERSON. Oh, go ahead. I'm sorry, you had a final point. I want to jump in on this. I've been waiting for this. We're going to take a short break, John, when we come back. Let's talk a little bit about Marjorie, Taylor Green.

Speaker 83406.04s - 3406.66s

Oh, go ahead.

Speaker 73406.72s - 3408s

I'm sorry, you had a final point.

Speaker 83408s - 3409.18s

I want to jump in on this.

Speaker 73409.52s - 3410.44s

I've been thinking about this.

Speaker 23410.48s - 3414.2s

So Michael's got at least two baseball references already.

Speaker 103414.32s - 3414.88s

It's his birthday.

Speaker 23415s - 3415.76s

You can do what he wants.

Speaker 103416.16s - 3417.04s

But it's my turn.

Speaker 63417.24s - 3422.92s

I've got a football analogy for what's happening with all of these Trump PERSON cases, all of them together.

Speaker 73423.92s - 3424.16s

Yeah.

Speaker 63424.34s - 3426.5s

And I will say this about the New York GPE case.

Speaker 73427.66s - 3430.54s

I'm not a lawyer, obviously, obviously.

Speaker 63430.9s - 3431.72s

I have questions.

Speaker 03432.26s - 3433.34s

I have questions.

Speaker 63433.88s - 3465.26s

I play one on a podcast. Sometimes. I have questions whether they have, whether the prosecution has tied this back to Trump PERSON, the criminality part, if they've clearly done that. And if Michael Cohen PERSON is my hook, if he's my closer, I'm concerned. So I'm not sure where this is headed. I'm not making any predictions. But imagine you're watching a football game from the end zone. So you're behind the play.

Speaker 03466.46s - 3467s

And you're taking these together.

Speaker 63471.96s - 3554.84s

Right now, the prosecutions are the defense. And the middle linebacker misread the play pre-snap. He's headed in the wrong direction. The defensive tackles got caught in a stunt. The wrong stunt at the wrong time against the wrong play one of the safeties fell down tripped over his own feet that's Georgia by the way and the other safetyright you're being oddly specific but go ahead yeah and the other safety lined up wrong and isn't even in the play so you can see this now opening from the coaches camera from the end zone viewwhere Trump has a clear path to the end zone on all of this just going away this is happening I said this a couple weeks ago and it just gets to me clearerand clear, especially with the Cannon case, the documents case in Florida GPE. I don't think George is going to ever get out of the starting gate. And this guy's still leading in the polls despite everything. And Biden PERSON has so many parts of his base pissed off at him, threatening to not vote, that right now you can see the play as the linebacker gets blocked. This thing is not going the way the prosecutions or the Democrats NORP thought it would.

Speaker 73555.56s - 3636.7s

Well, I think as a linebacker that they think they've blocked me and they haven't. I would look at it and think this case, you know, this case has always looked at as the weakest of the cases. But the more I hear about it, the stronger it appears. And I have been surprised at how strong, and to Michael's point earlier, how on target all the testimony has been to the narrativethat the prosecution has wanted to bring. I do still think it will boil down. The essence of it may boil down to what happens when Michael Cohen PERSON gets on the stand. And God knows anything could happen then. I mean, you could get caught in that stunt, get caught in that blocker, or you could just get leveled and have your knees taken out. So he's got to be on target for this to succeed. But so far, I think Michael made the point.This is what I've heard from Norm PERSON, who's been inside the trial, Lanny Davis PERSON, all of those people are saying so far, so good. Now, maybe that's wishful thinking. Maybe you see it, maybe we all see itdifferently from the end zone. But I think it boils down to what happens this week. With that, we're going to take a short break, come back.

Speaker 103636.9s - 3637.94s

Well, let me just say,

Speaker 93637.94s - 3638.82s

let me just say,

Speaker 103638.82s - 3640.6s

Brian, let me just say one thing. Okay.

Speaker 93641.6s - 3644.4s

I like to, you know, besides the baseball stuff,

Speaker 103644.98s - 3651s

Paul Simon, in the boxer sings, a man hears what

Speaker 83651s - 3653.5s

he wants to hear and disregards the rest.

Speaker 93654.46s - 3655.24s

La, la, lie, lie, lie.

Speaker 83655.24s - 3662.32s

And so a lot of, you know, a lot of the court watchers, you have to be careful about

Speaker 93662.32s - 3666.04s

because they hear what they want to hear and they disregard the rest.

Speaker 103666.04s - 3672.36s

So you just don't know, you really don't know how the jury is taking this.

Speaker 83673.28s - 3674.1s

There you go.

Speaker 03674.16s - 3674.66s

That's true.

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All right.

Speaker 103675.3s - 3676.42s

With that said, we'll take a break.

Speaker 73676.78s - 3677.84s

And we'll be right back.

Speaker 13677.94s - 3706.44s

Hey, parents, Greenlight is here to take one big thing off your to do list, teaching your kids about money. With a Greenlight ORG debit card and money app of their own, kids and teens learn to earn, save, and invest. You can send money instantly, set flexible controls, and get real-time notifications of your kids' money activity,set up chores, and put allowance on autopilot to reward them for their hard work. Then learn about the world of money together. Get one month free when you sign up at greenlight.com

Speaker 03706.44s - 3738.5s

slash podcast. Whether you're a morning person or a bedtime procrastinator, everyone deserves a mattress that works for their style, and you'll find the best mattress for you at Ashley ORG. The new Temper Adapt collection at Ashley brings you one-of-a-kind body conforming technology, making every sleep tailored to be your best. The collection also features cool-to-the-touch covers and motion absorption to help minimize sleep disruptions from partners, pets, or kids. Shop the all-new Temper Adapt collection at Ashley in-store online at Ashley.com ORG.Ashley ORG, for the love of home.

Speaker 23747.98s - 3748.32s

Hey, you. Yeah, you.

Speaker 53749.12s - 3749.34s

Yeah, you.

Speaker 23751.44s - 3751.8s

We're talking to you, and we need your help.

Speaker 53755.92s - 3756.3s

As you probably know, independent journalism is a vital pillar of our democracy.

Speaker 23758.1s - 3763.42s

Like everything else, it's not free. We're asking all longtime listeners of the show to help support us by becoming a member on Patreon ORG.

Speaker 53763.92s - 3785.6s

For the price of a latte, you can help guard democracy. Join us today at patreon.com slash JATQ ORG podcast to help us keep bringing you with the podcast you love and the facts you deserve. Hi, we're back.

Speaker 73785.8s - 3831.44s

It's Just Ask the Question with our weekly show Just Ask the Press WORK_OF_ART. We're going to end this maybe with a little bit of hope today, if we can, and we'll be as brief as possible. We've taken up a lot of time. But John, this week, Marjorie Taylor Green failed to oust Speaker Mike Johnson and he got help from the Democrats NORP, which really chafed her in places that we don't want to talk about or ever see being chafed. But nonetheless, is this a turnback from divisiveness? Is there some hope? Is Mike Johnson PERSON growing in the speaker? I already think he is better than McCarthy PERSON, but that's another story.Do you think there's any hope for Congress ending some divisiveness as we move forward?

Speaker 63831.84s - 3923.1s

I think they already have. We're going to get an extension of the FAA ORG authorization. That's very bipartisan. They just passedthe National Security Supplemental LAW. It was a little different how Johnson went about getting those three bills passed individually and then put together and sent over to the Senate ORG and then they passed it. They've done a lot. Biden PERSON and his team are not wrong that he promised to get things moving on the hill and they have. I mentioned the Chips and Science LAW they have i mentioned the chips andscience bill i mentioned the the infrastructure bill this security supplemental the f aa reauthorization there's been no government shutdown so they have done a lot and the 118th congress has done more than a lot of people think it as and a lot of it has been bipartisan but to answer your question yes mike johnson is growing in the speakership. He seems to have some experienced and pretty good staff advising him on some of these tactical moves on the floor.You know, he's passed a lot of bills, really upset his conservative group by suspending the rules because that the House ORG tradition is the majority has to pass the rule. I don't really understand the tradition. It is what it is. So he suspends the rules and he can pass legislation with Democrat and Republican NORP votes.And he's done that. So yes, he is growing into the speakership.

Speaker 73923.84s - 3946.64s

My question to you is, and to Michael, and this would be the last thing we consider, but this doesn't bode well for Donald Trump PERSON, does it? I mean, even if he were to get back into office. I think it doesn't bode well for his continued candidacy, but I think it really would be, it really speaks to where this country is going, is different from where Donald Trump

Speaker 63946.64s - 3985.4s

wants to take it. A couple thoughts about that. Yeah, I think the dynamic would change if Trump PERSON was president again. I think he would have a lot more control over what Johnson PERSON does and the bills that he puts on the floor and whether he uses the suspension tactic to get with Democrats NORP and pass legislation. So I think the dynamic is completely different if Trump PERSON's the president. And number two, we don't know, even if Mike Johnson is passing by some bipartisan bills, even working with the White House to do it and Democrats NORP.

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We don't know if Mike Johnson will be the Speaker next January, 4th or 5th, or I guess it'll be beyond that, whenever they come back, I guess he's usually January 3rd. We don't know who the Speaker will be.

Speaker 63998.48s - 4053.36s

It could be Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader, if Democrats NORP, and they keep telling us every day that they're going to win the House ORG. So I think it's just a different dynamic, and we don't know, we don't even know if Johnson PERSON has a credible challenge, if Republicans do hold on to the House. Johnson PERSON could have, you know, a very credible challenger for the speakership. Steve Scalise still wants the job. Jim Jordan PERSON ran, so he could have a challenger from within the party that could split the conference,and then they have to go find someone else. They might have to go find another compromise speaker who will have to try to grow into the speakership, and we'll have to, yeah, they might have to, they might, we could have a coalition speaker come January. So we just don't know. But if it's Speaker Johnson and President Trump PERSON, well, I think we know who's in charge.

Speaker 74053.72s - 4054.38s

There you go.

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Michael, final thoughts?

Speaker 74057.52s - 4061.9s

Is Johnson PERSON the guy who still doesn't believe in separation of church and state?

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I just lost it in his evolution.

Speaker 74065.78s - 4068.9s

How dare you bring up fact?

Speaker 104068.9s - 4073.4s

There's tactical evolution and then there's ideological evolution.

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I've never said that the guy's ideology is of all.

Speaker 104076.96s - 4083.7s

But when it comes to being, you know, that Pelosi-like tactician of the house,

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yeah, he's learned a thing or two.

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I got it.

Speaker 24087.24s - 4087.44s

Okay.

Speaker 64087.92s - 4091.5s

So then, yep, progress is abounds.

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Michael, Michael doesn't seem that, Michael doesn't seem as concerned as others about the FAA

Speaker 64099.7s - 4100.94s

reauthorization bill.

Speaker 104101.82s - 4117.74s

Oh, no, I'm not, I'm not, well, two things I've learned today. One is, before I get on an airplane, I want to know. I'm not, I'm not, well, two things I've learned today. One is, before I get out on an airplane, I want to know where I'm going. You guys have taught me that that's an important, important thing. And then second, don't sit near the emergency door or window because it could fly off.

Speaker 94119.86s - 4123.74s

And I did, I'm going to be, what was the guy's name?

Speaker 104125.36s - 4125.76s

Madden PERSON. I'm going to be like John Mad, what was the guy's name? Madden.

Speaker 64125.86s - 4127.04s

I'm going to be like John Madden PERSON.

Speaker 94127.1s - 4128.22s

I'm just going to take the bus.

Speaker 64128.92s - 4129.34s

Yeah.

Speaker 104129.34s - 4129.54s

Right?

Speaker 84129.64s - 4130.56s

He never flew.

Speaker 94130.68s - 4131.7s

He was afraid of flying.

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So we had that Madden PERSON bus.

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That's right.

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Yeah.

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Well, I don't think I might get the, the, the, Zeldon Cruiser PRODUCT.

Speaker 104139.62s - 4139.76s

Yeah.

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So Michael, plug what you want, brother.

Speaker 84144.96s - 4150.3s

So my podcast is that said with Michael Zeldon, as I've said week over week.

Speaker 104150.42s - 4156.74s

We talk to authors about books that I think are interesting and stories well worth knowing.

Speaker 74156.84s - 4166.78s

The one I released today or yesterday was with Jeanette, by an author named Jeanette Conant, about an author named Maggie Higgins PERSON,

Speaker 104166.84s - 4171.9s

was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for War Correspondents WORK_OF_ART.

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A great story.

Speaker 24175.14s - 4177.32s

People should know who she is.

Speaker 74177.32s - 4184.9s

And next week's release will be a book called Takeover, which is Hitler's final rise to power.

Speaker 104187.08s - 4195.9s

will be a book called Takeover, which is Hitler's final rise to power. How he used democratic processes in 1932 to achieve the chancellorship. Remember, he did it within the Democratic

Speaker 64195.9s - 4203.82s

Constitution of the Weimar Republic in Germany once he got it, July, January 30th, 1933.

Speaker 104204.82s - 4206.74s

Obviously, the rest is history.

Speaker 74207.36s - 4217.4s

But it's so interesting to see how he used the processes of democracy to rise to become who he turned out to be.

Speaker 104217.4s - 4221.44s

The sub-agless not Donald Trump's PERSON how-to manual.

Speaker 64223.54s - 4224.18s

John PERSON?

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Well, first of all, I want to give a hat tip to Michael Zeldon PERSON, who earlier used the word

Speaker 64231.92s - 4233.04s

coexistent.

Speaker 104233.8s - 4236.36s

And I admit I had to Google it.

Speaker 64237.58s - 4241.72s

So, well done, Michael, for the strong vocabulary.

Speaker 104242.4s - 4245.46s

It's one of the few multisyllable words that I know,

Speaker 74245.52s - 4246.5s

and I had to write it down.

Speaker 64248.18s - 4249.06s

I'm misspelled it.

Speaker 24249.52s - 4250.84s

I misspelled it the first time.

Speaker 64250.84s - 4252.12s

Did you write it down phonetically?

Speaker 104252.26s - 4253.08s

That's the question.

Speaker 64254.34s - 4254.78s

Right.

Speaker 104254.86s - 4256.3s

Oh, let's say we're plugging, right?

Speaker 74256.6s - 4258.74s

Another exciting week ahead,

Speaker 64258.94s - 4269.88s

especially with the Michael Cohen PERSON testimony, and we'll see if the Donald PERSON himself shows up in the witness stand. You can follow along at rollcall.com.

Speaker 104270.96s - 4302.2s

You know, I would just hope, Ryan, wait one second, I would just hope that reporters, if you want to do your job, if reporters who are covering the trial in the hallway, they should ask him every single time he comes out. So are you going to testify? So are you going to testify? Just force the question. Make him answer the question. I think he won't, but he's getting away with not being challenged on his promise to testify.

Speaker 24303.4s - 4305.64s

Just ask the question. That's my two seconds. If you guys go,

Speaker 64305.8s - 4307.2s

reporters are up there covering it.

Speaker 104308.12s - 4311.74s

If you guys know reporters are up there covering it, tell them to ask that question.

Speaker 64311.82s - 4312.32s

They've been asked.

Speaker 104312.32s - 4313.22s

Ask that question.

Speaker 64313.34s - 4317.44s

How's that? They've been asking. They have been asking. He's not answering, but they're asking.

Speaker 104317.92s - 4319.54s

Every day, ask that question.

Speaker 64321.06s - 4323.38s

And so we hate to wrap it up because this has been fun,

Speaker 104323.44s - 4325.52s

but the name of the show is called Just Ask the Question WORK_OF_ART.

Speaker 74325.88s - 4327.72s

We appreciate you tuning in.

Speaker 104327.82s - 4329.76s

We will catch you next time.

Speaker 74334.56s - 4337.66s

Hey, you.

Speaker 24338.02s - 4341.12s

We're talking to you and we need your help.

Speaker 54341.5s - 4397.68s

As you probably know, independent journalism is a vital pillar of our democracy. Like everything else, it's not free. We're asking all longtime listeners of the show to help support us by becoming a member on Patreon ORG. For the price of a latte, you can help guard democracy. Join us today at patreon.com slash JATQ ORG podcastto help us keep bringing you with a podcast you love and the facts you deserve. When it comes to teaching kids and teens about money, practice makes perfect.

Speaker 14398.22s - 4420.3s

That's where green light comes in. With a debit card and money app of their own, kids learn to earn, save, spend wisely, and invest. Parents send instant money transfers, create custom chores, and automate allowance, while kids track their spending, set savings goals, and practice money skills they can use today and for life. Get one month free when you sign up at greenlight.com slash podcast.

Speaker 04421.62s - 4451.7s

Whether you're a morning person or a bedtime procrastinator, everyone deserves a mattress that works for their style, and you'll find the best mattress for you at Ashley ORG. The new Temper Adapt collection at Ashley brings you one-of-a-kind body conforming technology, making every sleep tailored to be your best. The collection also features cool-to-the-touch covers and motion absorption to help minimize sleep disruptions from partners, pets, or kids. Shop the all-new Temper Adapt collection at Ashley in-store online at Ashley.com ORG.Ashley ORG, for the love of home.