LIVE: Obama official drops BAD NEWS for Trump

[cheering]. [applause]. [applause]. [cheering]. >> Well, this is the weirdest thing he's. ever seen. Thank you all for coming. Appreciate it. >> Hi everybody. >> [applause]. >> Thanks for being here. Brian, it's good. to see you. Must be nice to be in front of people as. opposed to kind of making content in.

your content cube for the world. You. hear in the world. >> in in this isolation black blacked out. room. >> Yeah, it can get it can get, you know. Well, we'll talk about it. [laughter]. So, let's start with the book. Let's start with the book. I'm not in. Oh, they want to know the dog's name. >> Oh, the dog is Aston. Yes. This is my 15-year-old dog and all of my.

all of my mental health is riding on the. continued survival of this dog. So, >> What could go wrong? Well, speaking of. the inevitable, one day Donald Trump. [laughter]. will no longer be here. >> [cheering and applause]. >> I don't. >> [laughter]. >> And there will be a day after and. What do you What is the goal of of of. the book and what would you like.

Democrats or the people that yell at. Democrats to take away from it? >> So, I started writing this because. right now I think that we have already. in the immediate aftermath of 2024, we. have a very. disillusioned left and that's why so. many people started moving to the right. We obviously saw a massive realignment. among every demographic group, every. age, every gender, every race toward. Republicans. Now, we have a. disillusioned electorate on the right.

because Donald Trump and Republicans. absolutely refuse to deliver on any of. their promises. They promised that costs. would go down, they're going up. They. promised inflation would would sink. That's rising. They promised no new wars. in the Middle East. We have a new war in. the Middle East. They promised to. release the Epstein files. That's not. happening. So, you've got disillusioned. folks on the left and then disillusioned. folks on the right. I think that first. of all, I think the Democrats are going. to win in midterms. >> [applause and cheering].

>> But, I think that we're going to have a. rare second bite of the apple here that. frankly we have no business having if. not for the abject incompetence of these. MAGA Republicans. But, when we get that. moment, we have to prove that it's. actually worth it for people to give. Democrats their votes. It can't just be. enough to have symbolic victories or get. caught trying. You actually have to. deliver for people. And the Democrats. have for so long been the party of. strongly worded letters. And that's not. good enough.

So, I think here what what my goal with. the book was was to push forward right. now while we have this opportunity, the. idea of not deferring to norms or. institutions or traditions or processes. or the filibuster or the parliamentarian. and just have it in our minds that if. and when we gain power again, that we. use that time not to impanel commissions. or think about what the best path. forward is but to just get done. >> [applause].

>> So, I I feel like you can think about. what getting done looks like in. three buckets. I don't want to take each. one at a time. Uh but I'm going to tell you what the. buckets are in advance. Bucket one is delivering on people's. fundamental material concerns, whether. it's cost of housing, health care, college, etc. Uh, the second is reforms, democratic. reforms, uh, that, uh, uh, protect the right to vote, fight.

gerrymandering, uh, defend against a right-wing court, and. then the third would be ways of holding. uh, the Trump administration and people. who, uh, decided that, uh, all their. friends were jumping off the laws don't. matter bridge and they would do it, too. And how we look back and address and. hold accountable people for the crimes. that took place in this era. Uh, let's take you sure. So, let's start at the end. So, what do you.

what do you think it looks like? Because. I know there's going to be a bunch of. polls that come out that say, if you ask. voters, do you want people to look. backwards and go after Donald Trump for. mistakes and crimes, or do you want to. look forward? The polls are going to say. people want to look forward. So, I. I'm I'm of the belief that we have a. both an obligation and, uh, uh, like a. moral obligation and also practical. obligation to make sure we get to the. bottom of what happened. How do you make. the best case for that? >> So, this was something that I wrestled. with while I was writing the book.

itself, because on one hand, you have to. have a forward-looking agenda. You know, there are people for whom the political. the minutia of politics just. doesn't matter. They don't care. who hates who. They just want to go. home, be able to afford their rent, be. able to afford their groceries, be able. to afford uh, healthcare and move on. They don't want to turn on CNN or MSNBC. or Fox News and see who landed the. latest gotcha or or who's clapping back. to who. And so, I think for those.

people, um, who don't have partisan affiliations, who aren't driven by team loyalty, you. just have to have a forward-looking. agenda, and that's going to be on. healthcare, that's going to be on on. doing the things that Trump said that he. was going to do when he was doing his. populist stick about housing and rent. and all of those things. But at the same. time, I think for those of us who are so. unfortunate to be in this world where we. are steeped in the toxic cesspool that. is politics, we understand that.

government can only work if people. actually have faith that we're going to. uphold the laws on both sides, for. Republicans and Democrats. And the the. rule of law matters. And frankly, it's not even just a. platitude. I mean, you're seeing right. now the consequences of. Joe Biden's. uh. Attorney General, Merrick Garland, refusing to wield the law against Donald. Trump in a timely manner. They got this. sense that they can basically act with. impunity because where's the deterrent.

effect? There was so much criminality in. Trump 1.0 that that Trump never faced. any accountability for because for. Merrick Garland, it was more important. to put the optics of politicization. aside and which in effect politicizes. the DOJ even more because now you know. you can get away with it as long as you. have an R next to your name. But right now we're in that moment where. there is corruption and look at how. that's taking precedence over our own. interests in this country. I mean, Donald Trump is trading tariff favors.

for foreign real estate deals. We're. seeing. a war in the Middle East that we don't. know why he's doing it other than to. maybe look at the fact that his kids are. invested in drone companies. And so so. much of what's going on right now is a. direct response to the corruption that. this government is engaged in. Um and and frankly, so that we don't end. up in an even more corrupt government. moving forward, we have to hold those. people accountable right now. So I think. you have to walk in shoe gum at the same.

time. There is no reason not to do both, to both embrace a proactive agenda where. you can actually deliver things for. people that that they have been begging. for delivery on, but at the same time. recognize that you need a DOJ that's. going to actually restore some faith uh. in Americans' idea that the government. can actually operate without being. steeped in just abject corruption. >> [applause]. >> So then.

continuing walking back towards my first. bucket. Uh. let's talk about like what kinds of. electoral reforms, democratic reforms. you think Democrats need to be talking. about? Uh a lot of what Democrats would. want to do on a proactive economic. agenda may go into a buzzsaw of a 6-3. Supreme Court that I guarantee will. rediscover the need to restrict. executive power in about you know 30. months or so. Uh so so what what are you. talking about? What what do you think. Democrats need to be calling for whether.

it's the courts or in other kind of. pro-democracy changes? >> So I think the biggest thing that I call. for um the biggest structural change. that I need that we need to see is we. need to expand the court. So right now. >> [applause]. >> there is a historical imperative and a. moral imperative. So first of all, the. number of Supreme Court justices being. being nine Supreme Court justices is not. sacrosanct. It's not in the. Constitution.

Uh we have seen throughout history that. the number of Supreme Court justices has. comported with the number of federal. court circuits. In the 1800s, there were. six federal court circuits, six Supreme. Court justices. Eventually, that number. went up to eight and then nine. Now we. have nine Supreme Court justices. Since. then, we have 13 federal court circuits. and we still have nine Supreme Court. justices. It does not make historical. sense to have nine Supreme Court. justices. There's also been a change in. the number of Supreme Court justices in. modern times. Mitch McConnell changed. that number from nine to eight when he.

was holding that seat open for a year to. prevent Merrick Garland from being. seated on the Supreme Court. So to. pretend that that number, nine, is. sacrosanct is to ignore what Mitch. McConnell just did a few years ago. But, there's also a moral imperative to do. so. And that is that if we do all of the. work that it takes to be in a position. where we can actually change something, which is to say. elect Democrats to a majority in the. House, the Senate, and the White House, a pretty Herculean feat onto itself, and. then actually pass progressive.

legislation, another Herculean feat onto. itself, if we decide to make the conscious. decision to leave in place a Supreme. Court, a 6-3 conservative court, that. can and will strike down any and all. progressive legislation, then we're. basically just telling ourselves it's. good enough to notch that symbolic. victory. For as short a time as it. lasted. It's good enough to just get. caught trying. And the American people. are going to be fine with that because, hey, that's that's the institution of. government. That's just how it works. For me,

it's not good enough to get caught. trying. We actually have to have some. changes here that make it so that we can. have meaningful, lasting change. And the. only way to do that, knowing that we're. not going to leave in place voluntarily. a veto on anything that happens in the. federal government, is to expand the. Supreme Court from nine to 13 justices. >> [applause]. [applause]. >> But, what happens when they win and they. want 17 justices? What do we say then,

Brian Tyler Cohen? >> [laughter]. >> Look, I am of the mind that you don't. prevent yourself from taking steps right. now. for fear of the Republicans at some. untold point in the future abusing their. power when they are abusing their power. right now. >> [applause]. >> Yeah. I see what I see what works here. >> [laughter]. >> It's uh sort of like our blessed court. expansion, their depraved court. [laughter] packing.

Like we Yeah. Uh. >> And look, it would be one thing if if. the court itself was actually acting in. good faith. If these were neutral. arbiters of the law, but it's not. I. mean, we know what the how this Supreme. Court operates. We know that they will. create out of whole cloth provisions of. the Constitution if it helps them. Like. for example, this idea that Trump can. commit crimes with impunity and nothing. happens. That's not in the Constitution. That's made up. But on the other side, they ignore provisions of the. Constitution when it doesn't serve their. political party. Section 3 of the 14th.

Amendment prevents you from running for. federal office again if you've engaged. in or given aid or comfort to those. who've engaged in insurrection. Donald Trump did that and he was allowed. to run for office again. This was even. after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled. that he engaged in insurrection. So, these are not neutral arbiters arbiters. of the law. They're not um they're not. acting in the best interest or or uh in. adherence to the Constitution. They're. just acting in blind deference to their. political party. And so, that's the. difference between just expanding the. court because you're salty and expanding.

the Supreme Court because you know that. these are not fair arbiters of the law. >> [applause]. >> Maybe we just maybe just it can be. looming and then that causes. Roberts and or and some combination of. Kavanaugh and Barrett to kind of be. afraid to overturn some of the stuff uh. that the uh. uh the Newsom Buddha Judge. administration is doing. >> [laughter].

>> All right, calm down everybody. Do the I Yeah, okay. Uh. Uh all right, well, 2028. Boy, how do we fight back after Trump? A. champagne problem for sure. We're about. to have a midterm. We're fighting like. hell to try to at the very least win the. House. We have a shot at taking the. Senate. Uh either way, there will be a. presidential veto for the next 2 years. uh for anything Democrats want to do if. we win both houses. Uh what would what.

does. uh what does the lessons that you're. trying to apply to the day after? How do. you apply them from 2026 through before. we get to that election? >> So, like I said, I think that we are. going to be in control in certainly the. House, but hopefully the Senate, too. I'm bullish on the Senate. I think that. in this moment where we will have the. ability to show people that it's worth. it to vote for Democrats, but as you. mentioned, we're still going to have a. presidential veto, and so we won't be. able to pass any proactive legislation. I mean, hell, Trump wouldn't even sign. his own housing bill, which he.

campaigned on and his party passed. So, the notion that he's going to, you know, be a champion for whatever other. populist issues the Democrats are going. to be able to pass, I think is uh is. probably not going to happen. But, I. think in that moment, um there's one. thing that we can do, and that is. investigate the abject corruption that. we're contending with right now. >> [applause]. >> And. I mentioned before the extent to which. this corruption isn't just It's not just. investigating corruption because, you.

know, in a theoretical sense, corruption. is bad. It's investigate this corruption. because it's impeding on the. government's ability to be able to act. in the best interests of its own people. We don't know why we're at war, but it's. definitely worth noting that the. president's family has uh interests in. companies that sell war stuff to the. military. So, um you know, there is so. much to dive into, whether it is uh the. absolute um. glut of crypto.

uh uh uh funding that is going to Donald. Trump. You know, there are foreign. countries like UAE and Qatar that are. investing via World Liberty Financial. with Trump and his kids are involved in. that go right into his pocket and have. resulted in him tripling his net worth. in a year and a half. We have seen um. we have seen. >> Okay. Here we go. >> Uh, we have seen. um, uh, yeah, anyway, uh, all of the instances. Sorry, that that's. >> Who's seen a dog?

>> Yeah, we've seen a dog crawling onto. laps. Um, so we have seen all of the the. instances Oh, uh, short sales that are. happening 5 minutes before some big. announcement where all of a sudden a. stock pops or plummets and now we find. out that somebody had some insider. information and bought something or sold. something just before the announcement. happened. Donald Trump's uh, teleprompter operator is now under. investigation for for uh, you know, >> Can I just say something about I as a. former speechwriter, I find it so offensive that this. teleprompter operator was selling uh,

was like making money on bets on what. words Trump was going to say in the. speeches because he only made $100,000. and he should be embarrassed. I mean, I'm I'm sorry, but like, you know where. the ball is going to go in the roulette. wheel and you only get 100 grand? That's I like shame on you. >> [laughter]. >> What was it? >> Donald Trump is stealing billions of. dollars. You're going to get for 100k? >> What was it? Uh, there was one Somebody.

kept making money thinking or betting on. the fact that Trump would say praise. Allah in his in his Truth Social posts. Oddly specific and then it happened. twice. >> [laughter]. >> Unbelievable. >> [snorts]. >> Hopefully these betting markets are. good. But that's for a different talk. Okay. >> Going back to Going back to all of the. corruption that we're seeing right now. Look, it would be one thing if we just. investigated the corruption because it's. the right thing to do and it's illegal, but consider too the fact that this is a. Republican party that has groomed the. country into recognizing that corruption.

at the hands of a president's family is. bad and disqualifying. It was bad when. Hunter Biden was doing it for like. $50,000 paintings, uh, but then when the. Trump kids are making billions of. dollars in military defense contracts. and cryptocurrency, somehow that's not. okay. This is a country that has been. groomed to recognize that this stuff is. disqualifying. If this is investigated by Congress, that also lays the foundation for a. future DOJ to use that information, this.

fact-finding information, uh to begin. prosecutions in the future. So, let's. not waste time. Let's actually do. something because there's a moral. imperative to do it and a legal. imperative to do it. >> [applause]. >> I uh. I went to a Hunter Biden art show once. >> [laughter]. >> Surprising amount of pathos. Uh. uh. But, moving on from that, uh. you know, I think sometimes. one thing that I've just been thinking. about, especially in the second Trump.

administration, and I think it's. something that is. driving a certain subset of. liberals and progressives batty, and I. think with good reason, which is. a lot of this is about strategizing, theorizing, plotting for how to use power. in a society that doesn't seem to care. enough or as much about corruption, basic democratic values, treating people.

with empathy and respect, not taking a. on Nancy Pelosi's desk. I'm not. saying these things are popular. I'm not. saying there's a majority that cares. about them, but I think they're part of. the reason we're in this mess. We like. to talk about the media, we talk about. Republicans, is this nation didn't care. enough about those crimes in order to. make a clear final decision on Donald. Trump. And so, how do you just think about like. stepping back from what we're going to. put on the Democrats or on the media? Like, as someone who is in the content. mines every single day, uh like how do.

you think about that fundamental. disconnect? >> That's in large part like the impetus. for the book. I think I think that there. is a continued insistence on thinking. that. you need to compromise with those. people. And these are people who don't. want to be compromised with and would. not reciprocate when they have power and. when we ask them to compromise. And so. for the people who have no empathy, who. don't care what happens to immigrants in. this country, who want to vilify people.

in the LGBT community, the people who. are so depraved and and as such get so. much of a spotlight in this country, in. our media ecosystem online, I think that. the goal then is to get into office and. not say, "How do we give everybody on. that side who's doing those things a. seat at the table?" It's to say, look. for for lack of a better term, like it's. to say, "Fuck that. Let's just do what. we're going to do and not water down our. morals and our values and what we want. to see done in deference to a political.

party and a movement that wants to see. you killed." And so I think in that. sense. >> [applause]. >> in that sense. you go in and you don't say, "Let's get. 50%." You say, "Let's wield power like. we're actually going to get something. done." And you know, the the difference. between Republican governance and. Democratic governance is is like. Republicans' platonic ideal of of. governance is is, you know, you have. Trump that decides that elections are. only valid if Republicans win, it's.

cutting all the health care that they. can, it's privatizing social security, it is heaping money onto fossil fuel. companies, it's denying the existence of. climate change, it's refusing to raise. any wages for any workers forever. And. and they do it. And when Democrats get in office, it's. okay, how can we change laws so that we. can get buy-in from Republicans? If I'm. not mistaken, and you can speak on this. better, there there was there was a lot. of deference when Obama got elected to. how to make the ACA, for example, more. palatable for Republicans.

And he made changes to it and then none. of them voted for it. And so I think. that's instructive in saying instead of. seeking compromise and being the only. party seeking compromise, go in and. start wielding power in very much the. same way that Republicans do, but do it. for virtuous reasons. Not for. self-enrichment, not for vanity. projects, but to help people. >> Yeah. >> [applause]. >> Yeah, on the Obama what's on the. Obamacare front, there was a long. process between uh the Democratic and.

Republican chair of. one of the Senate committees that did. come to nothing. Uh but in the end the. challenge with that that process slowed. it down, but in the end Obamacare was. weakened by Democrats. It was weakened. by. uh Joe Lieberman who and actually Joe. Lieberman is often blamed for the. removal of the public option. Um and he. is but that was more of like a murder on. the Orient Express situation where. uh like he like like sort of nine people.

did it. Nine people killed it and. everyone they were pretty thrilled that. Joe Joe Lieberman became the face of it. But what Joe Lieberman really personally. killed, which is a bugaboo of mine that. I bring up too frequently given it is. he's dead. >> [laughter]. >> And we're alive is uh he killed the. Medicare buy-in for people uh below. retirement age, which would have allowed. would allowed the most expense the. people that have to buy the most. expensive insurance. I'm sure how many. people here are approaching Medicare age. and would have loved to buy into. Medicare a few years early.

See? See these hands? Um. Uh. like that that hurt everybody because. that would have made insurance for. everybody cheaper. It would have made. life better for uh retirees or people. that are approaching Medicare age and it. would have made insurance cheaper for. everybody else. Democrats killed that, which goes to a broader point that. you're making. But like when I. So I'm taking what you're saying and I I. hear you. I have a I have a theory you know you. know whatever about what it looks like. for a Republican party that rationalizes. in some way. And what it looks like is.

you have to beat them. You beat them, you know, when when Mitt Romney loses, it's Marco Rubio leading an effort to. create a more cosmopolitan, diverse, pro-immigration GOP. It's one of the. reasons he didn't make it very far in. that primary cuz he didn't understand. the kind of. simmering. rage going on in the Republican base. But regardless, their take on losing to. Obama twice. was and failing to win the popular vote. so many times was we need to figure out. a new way to broaden our coalition. Then. Trump wins and says, "You don't have to.

do that." You know, he's sort of like, "Forget everything you thought. We can. be the worst version of ourselves. We. don't have to do that.". Uh So, you have to beat the Republicans. that are so cynical. They're They're true believers in Trump. But what is his coalition? It's a mix of. true believers and people that have. forgotten what it is to be a moral and. righteous person, not listening closely. enough in church. Uh. Whatever it is. There's a the whole. collection of reasons why people make. deals with the devil. There's a lot of. great books about it. You should see the. Odyssey. Uh. It's been going on for a long time.

Uh you know, you don't treat your. neighbor like you would want to be. treated. Oh, no, there's a cyclops. That. kind of thing. >> [laughter]. >> I just came from the Odyssey. Uh. >> [laughter]. >> But. I have less of a So, I I you beat those. people enough, the craven ones will. moderate because they want power and the. less craven ones will be a bit more. sheepish for a while. Fascism is a demon. in every heart. You fight it every 60. years. I understand that. Uh What I understand less is not the. diehards on either side, but this big.

group of people that determine the. outcome of every single election who. just are cynical. They are not paying. close attention to the news. The news is. not as accessible to them because it. used to come to you passively. Now, you. must actively seek it. Uh. the the degradations that we are. watching are quieter and less less. salient in their lives. How How do we. begin building what is, I think, at root. what led us here, which is a culture.

that just doesn't think enough, care. enough, talk enough about. basic democratic and moral virtues. >> I think in large part that will come. from a government that seeks to deliver. on the things that it promised to do. You know, I I think. you know. I think that that is the difficult part. I mean, that that is why we see the the. the disillusionment that we see right. now. I mean, you people people told. people told Democrats that they wanted. it in the lead up to 2024.

Um I think for example, the. the Biden plan to lower drug prices is a. good example of this because it's a. great idea. Obviously, it the whole world the whole. industrialized world does it, we don't. We were finally going to be able to do. it. We find out that it is 10 drugs. uh and if I'm not mistaken, it was going. to be implemented uh 100 years into the. future. >> Yeah, I know. It was It was going to be. a. Keep drugs are going to be so affordable. after Halley's Comet goes by. >> [laughter].

>> And well well-meaning, well-intentioned, absolutely. And and I do think, you. know, it it is sad that in large part a. lot of the um accomplishments of the. Biden era uh which which were great are. going to be forgotten because they've. been rolled back. But but there was. disillusionment as a result of that. because this is what Democrats do. It is. like the plotting bureaucratic um you. know, implementation where. it's done It always seems to be done. scheduled for a time when the president. or the party in power will be out of.

office, setting up the opposition party. to take all of the credit for what the. previous party has done, but also done on such a small scale that. it's almost impossible to feel it. Meanwhile, if Trump is like able to take. a on the toilet in the morning, he'll send you out like a $17 check and. he'll put his face and his signature on. it. So, I think the disparity there is. so great between how one party takes. credit for its accomplishments and how. the other party takes credit for really. not accomplishing much at all. So, I. think that that can be can be.

instructive, but but as I was saying. there is great disillusionment as a. result of a failure to deliver. meaningful change. And now there's. disillusionment again with the right. because of their refusal to deliver on. meaningful change because the Trump. administration just wants to heap money, power, influence, and resources onto. themselves and their donors and their. families. And so, I think if we are in a. position where again we get that second. bite of the apple, we use it to show. people that if you implement these. reforms in a real meaningful way, then.

that's half of the battle. That does the. work for you in terms of making sure. that people vote for you again and. recognize the importance of government. I actually think that it is it is the. inability the even the Trump. administration's failure to deliver kind. of uh inures to their benefit because. people become disaffected in politics, disaffected in in in outcomes, and lose. their faith that government can work. And there's only one party that. advocates for government to be shrunk,

and that's the Republicans. So, in a. weird kind of perverse way, the. Republicans failing people kind of. benefits redounds to the benefit of the. Republican party because people lose. full faith in government that it could. ever work. And that's in Democrats and. Republicans. So, I think we have a. vested interest in this rare moment that. we will have, and I think it will. happen, um to make sure that we actually. deliver so that we don't have this. vacuum of civic participation, um a. vacuum in which autocracy thrives.

because there's only one party that. wants to embrace autocracy, and it's not. the left. >> Yeah, the uh. I think about when I was a speechwriter. uh and the level of attention. that went into the words that the. president uses. And, you know, we would. work on a speech with a policy team and. you had a lot of confidence that those. policy makers were not betting on the. outcome. >> [laughter]. >> Among other Among other strengths uh.

>> Not the policy makers, but have you. checked the teleprompter technicians? >> there were I also I'm also curious I I. didn't dig into it because when I was in. the White House, uh the teleprompter. operators were White House military. officers. They were It was through that. I wonder if that has changed. changed under Trump that he has his sort. of his guy do it. Uh one of his. >> I think it's the guy who did the pool. >> Oh, it's the guy that. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, green water so. green water and teleprompter solutions. >> [laughter]. >> Yeah. The problem with the teleprompter.

is there was a 350-ft gash. >> Right, that's right. That's right. Or. or 351-ft gashes. But uh. you would work on these speeches with. the smartest and best policy people. Then it would go through research. process and they would check every word. and the lawyers would look at it and the. the the political people would look at. it and legislative affairs would look at. it and go through round and round and. round and it was annoying. Uh. >> Can I Can I butt in and ask you a. question here? >> Mhm. >> What was the best joke that you ever. wrote for for the president?

>> Oh, you know, it's funny. I don't. It doesn't seem fit my personality, but. I don't really remember. to take credit. Uh. But I do remember one that we cut I. don't that. There was There was a lot of jokes we. cut. >> We used to when we did Other Other than. Pokémon Go to the Polls. >> Pokémon Go to the Polls was for Hillary. and again I did not write that, but. believe it was a great line. Uh but uh. So, I'll tell So, I remember. I was traveling with President Obama and.

he had to go to a fundraiser with Whoopi. Goldberg that was going to take place at. after Sister Act the Musical. So, they. were all all these big donors were going. to watch Sister Act the Musical and they. were going to hear from President Obama, and I was on the trip doing uh uh uh. some. It was a bunch of economic speeches. It. was sort of a trip that was somewhat. political and then also had official. parts to it. But he saw me. He said, "Oh, do you have. a joke for me?" And I, forgetting. myself, I just like, "Well, let's. pitch.". I'm a comedy writer. I'll pitch. Should. have just said, "Let me think about. that, sir." Nope, I just opened my big.

stupid mouth. >> [laughter]. >> You know, I've gone far, but man, a lot. of. A lot of things I. flinch about walking down the street. You know, you have those things that you. flinch about walking down the street. That's the price of being me. I have a. lot of them. But so. I said, "Now that you've seen Sister. Act, again, just going to address the. elephant in the room. I'm a. a Jewish guy. The President of the. United States, first African-American. president in American history. And I.

said, "Now that you've seen Sister Act, I have my brother act. It sucks.". Brutal, right? Brutal thing to say out. loud. >> [laughter]. Bad. Stupid. I confess, I say it. I. reveal this to you. I know. I He looks at me like. Oh, I And you. You haven't disappeared. You still seem. to think you belong here.

>> [laughter]. >> And he said, "No. Uh. Think of something else." And so then I. I full body sweat Sweat through my suit. completely. Just wet. Just a wet Jew. wandering around. >> [laughter]. >> Everyone's eating, chilling, cuz the. And I'm freaking out. And so finally, I. was like, "I need something that's going. to kill, that's going to like It's got. to work. It's got to work." And so. I was like, "Well, convent You know, what what Dad of teenagers convent All.

right, I got it." And so the joke I gave. him was, I have it, Sarah. I have it. here. I And he looked at me like, "This. You better. A lot of people want to sit in the chair. you're on, and uh I'll forget you.". I said, uh. "I'm so glad I could be here with all of. you uh to see Sister Act the Musical. It's a a wonderful opportunity for all. of us to be together to raise money. Also, I'm doing research on the convent. I want to send Sasha and Malia after. high school.".

I would say the politics of that joke. are iffy at best, but it's at right in. the strike zone for a dad of. teenage women, you know? And so he like. gave me a fist bump, he went out there, he did the joke, and I redeemed myself. And so that. >> [applause and cheering]. >> That's that story, but. to the serious point, those processes are annoying, they are. invisible, but they're important. And. they're important because they they are. from an institutional, they respect that.

the president's words have meaning, and. that it may be slow and stodgy, a bit. technical, a little bit lawyerly, but a. society in which people respect that is. a is a society that maybe moves slowly, but it moves well. And I struggle with. the balance, cuz I know, Brian, you're. not advocating that we do what Donald. Trump does, but at the same time, it is. easy to say, "We have to learn the. lesson of Trump and not be so bogged. down by the rules" when part of what. we're trying to do is not just beat them. in a game, but prove that the game is.

great, right? Like we're trying to win a. game They They're not They're cheating, you know, they're They're double. dribbling, I don't know. Uh. but we're trying to say, "No, like. basketball's not just We're not just. going to win this game. We're going to. make you remember how much you love. basketball." And so how do you think. about that? >> I think about that in terms of, look, we have we have those institutions in. place, and look at the position that. we're in. And so clearly something isn't. working. And and I think it's okay to to.

have respect for the the institution. that is government while also reworking. the processes that prevent government. from actually delivering. And so I think. that that's what we need to look for. I. mean, it's okay to not have blind. adherence to the filibuster if it means. that we can actually deliver on climate, on healthcare, on the minimum wage, on. all of the things that are actually. preventing us from doing those things. right now. There There feels like there. was a moment You know, I I know that. everybody remembers the the Kyrsten.

Sinema uh. uh. you know, uh. um her and I think it was one other. person who mentioned yes, refusal to. eliminate the filibuster and like we. would have the Freedom to Vote Act right. now, which first of all bans partisan. gerrymandering nationwide, so we. wouldn't be in this race to the bottom. uh to redraw the maps. It makes Election. Day a national holiday. Uh it would it. would um. deliver on so many of the reforms that. we need to make sure the foundations of.

government actually work and we don't. have that. And now we're watching the. Voting Rights Act get gutted. We're. watching every black representative in. the South get drawn out of their seats. Uh we're watching voter suppression. bills take path. We're watching the. administration officials refuse to rule. out the prospect of ICE uh appearing at. the polls. We're watching Donald Trump. try to ban mail-in voting. Try and usher. through the Freedom to Vote Act, which. would basically amount to a federal uh. uh takeover of state-run elections. And.

so that's with the system in place. And. so obviously, I I understand how, you. know, in theory it makes sense to say we. need we need these institutions in place. as they are, but the institutions are in. place in practice and look at the. position that we find ourselves in. >> Yeah, I think that's right. Also, there's something else that I think is. underlies a lot of this, which is. yes, it's about these specific places. where we can make changes, but it's also. I think.

uh and I think that's part of the the. reason people are so receptive to this. is you kind of want Democrats that just. have a fire in their belly. Like there's. a decade there's a there has been a. decadence in how Democrats approach. using power in part I think because of. success, right? I think one reason we've. seen a this rising. forget the like the mega base but kind. of intellectual. right-wing authoritarianism take hold is. because they were sick of losing, right? They they. they view it as a Look, I I don't think. it does a lot when American Airlines.

makes their symbol a rainbow over pride, right? But they were they they felt as. though they lost for a very long time. and we won elections, we lost elections. They they took the Supreme Court, but. gay marriage is legal, the social. welfare state Obamacare is in place. They felt that they were losing for a. long time and so when they took power. there was a fire in their belly. And I. think some there's something with. Democrats where it's like whether it's. wanting to hold hearings on crypto scams.

in the next Congress or taking power and. being like we have 100 days to get a. bunch of stuff done that people will. feel. Yes, it's about changing rules, but it's like a. it's a under it's a kind of like a a a. mode of being that we look for ways to. to to describe in policy, but in reality. we know it when we see it. And then when. you have people like Janet Mills or or. Chuck Schumer or Hakeem Jeffries or some. of these more establishment figures and.

they're trying to figure out how to. connect with the base and they're. looking for specific ways to do it at. root I think there's some feeling of. like like why aren't you guys. forget the strategy, why aren't you so. angry you can't stop yourself? Like why. aren't you so upset and enthusiastic and. engaged in this that like that you would. is it the the hearing on on what the. Trump crimes doesn't pull well? I don't. give a We got to get to the bottom. of this, right? Like that's the thing I. think is sometimes missing in a deeper. way. >> [applause]. >> And by the way,

on that point, I know that people talk. about like the brand of the Democratic. Party. I I I I don't think that the that. the solution to that is taking the. existing slate of people who, I don't. know, maybe it's because they have DC. brain rot, that that and you know, they. their kids go to school with the. Republicans' kids and they work out at. the same Senate gym, that they don't. really feel that urgency. They're. certainly, you know, wealthy enough that. that they're going to be um. protected from from the impacts of all. of this stuff. But I I I don't think.

that the solution here is just to kind. of teach an old dog new tricks. I think. the solution is for those people, in. large part, to make way for a new. generation of politicians who are. younger, who are more dynamic, more tech-savvy, uh who are more progressive, and and can. actually communicate with people in a. way that people appreciate and can. relate to, and finally, you know, who. who who consume information in a way. that those people grew up consuming.

information, and not trying to stick a. tiny microphone in Chuck Schumer's hand, hoping that like that will fix all of. our problems. >> Chuck Schumer here, fam. Uh. >> [laughter]. >> Uh Did you see that Chuck Schumer. farted? Can I tell you something? I mean this sincerely. First of all, did. you. >> See that he farted while giving a speech. about Iran? >> Uh and this is seen as embarrassing. I. actually fundamentally don't understand. that. Everybody farts. And it's a funny. part of our culture that if you fart in.

the wrong place at the wrong time, humiliation, as if like what? Everybody. poops. >> I You guys don't know, but Lovett has. just been I mean. ribbing it up here. >> No, I I understand where the. embarrassment and shame comes from, I. guess, on some level, but I I feel like. Schumer used to be the guy that was like. at the gas station every Sunday to do a. press conference. That was his thing. He. was like relentless when he was first in. the Senate in the house. And I feel like. I want to send a majority leader that. calls a press conference based around. the fart and saying we need to talk.

about the real gas crisis. >> [laughter]. >> Like. And I know that sounds like a joke, but I'm not joking. And I know I'm wrong. because I don't I know what I just said. is stupid, but is it? >> [laughter]. >> Brian, did you see Zohran Mamdani was. giving was giving an interview to the. New York Times and he had like a. coughing fit in the middle of his. interview. And he took a drink of water. and said, "Sorry, I have a I have a bad. cold and this is why we need Medicare.

for all.". >> And so like that is how you stay. relentlessly on message. >> Good for him. What's so funny is you. know that if like if Schumer Schumer. farts, the whole world's like, "That. goober.". Mamdani farts, it's like, "Is farting. the new cool thing?". >> [laughter]. >> Everybody's farting these days. >> If farting is cool, consider me Miles. Davis. >> Guys, get your heads out of the gutter. This is a book event. Brian, you brought up the way people are. consuming information.

I often lovingly refer to you as. YouTube's best boy. You're in the. content trenches. You you are trying to. figure out how to get good information. to more people mediated by algorithms. that are based around engagement, uh. endorphins. How, first of all, are you okay? And then second of all, what are some of. the lessons you take away from. what you've been doing by building this. huge audience on YouTube? >> So, I think in terms of like the mental.

health implications, what I do to keep. myself okay is. 5 mg of Lexapro, 25 mg of Xanax, and. then a relentless stream of weed every. day. >> Wow. >> [applause]. >> Okay. >> And that's just breakfast. >> [laughter]. >> And then he clocks in. >> Yeah, then then I clock in. Um no, I mean I I. I appreciate you asking that and. and you know, that is the I used to be.

really good at compartmentalizing and I. remember when I first started doing this. work in 2017, I started doing video. content full-time at the end of 2018, beginning of 2019 and it it used to be. easier and and I think slowly as this. stuff got. more and more kind of entrenched and and. and real and started impacting people's. lives and and it's you know, it's. impossible to look at you know, everything from the the immigrant.

detention centers that were happening in. Trump 1.0 to the ice killings that are. happening now in Trump 2.0. It's impossible to look at that stuff. and not have it slowly chip away at you. and and your mental health and so you. know, that that part is difficult but. but in a way. you know, the. I think it underscores the need for for. human connection. in a big way. You know, the the reason. that. my my podcast is.

is hosted with with you guys at at. Crooked Media. and. and the reason that I did that it. actually wasn't it wasn't like the the. the most it wasn't the the best business. deal for me but but for me to be able to. have community with with Jon Jon and. Tommy and the whole team at Crooked. Media, that meant a lot to me and so I. wanted that community and that was far. more important than finding the best. deal for my podcast and so signed with. Crooked Media and made and and and now I.

get to spend time at their studio and. spend time with these guys who in large. part informed inform how I do my. politics and and who I listen to before. I even had a show. I mean, the you know, you and you and the guys were a huge. inspiration in terms of in terms of my. own politics. So So, first off, thank. you for for for doing that. >> [applause]. >> But, it does underscore the need for for. community, and that's why I'm so. grateful that everybody, you know, left.

their house and in the middle of the. summer in the middle of the day at the. same time as the World Cup to be here. and and, you know, partake in this. conversation. Um I think especially as people go. online more and more, it feels like it it almost. feels like that's a replacement for real. community, but it's not. And and I think. that a lot of the extremism that we're. seeing right now is because, you know, that's what obviously proliferates. online, but if there was more in-person.

community, people wouldn't feel the need. to supplement. supplement this stuff by by engaging in, you know, online hate speech or whatever. it may be. So, I think, you know, that's. I think what even for somebody who works. online 12 to 14 hours a day, um my goal. is to try and make sure that I can, you. know, if not seek out that in-person. community, at least force myself to get. it and plan stuff so that I'm forced to. be pulled away from my computer. And I. have, you know, a group of my my friends.

here that are that are at this show and. and, you know, tell them to come over. even though I'm working and it forces me. out of my room and I think that kind of. stuff is important. But, what what do. you think? Like, how have you contended. with being immersed in a space that is. not only, you know, toxic, but almost. engineered to be toxic. I mean, the. algorithms are not there to amplify. moderation or measured responses. They're there to amplify or even give an. instructive.

uh, uh, an incentive for you to be as, as extreme as you can. >> Absolutely. I So, my, what I do is I step outside of it and. I I have like a, sort of, not an ironclad rule, but a, a rule of. thumb, which is like I am always reading. something that is out of the present in. one way or another. It can be a novel, it could be science fiction, it can be a. history book, but I am always consuming. in my time outside of Crooked.

something where I'm really invested in a. story that's from another era and I find. that very, very helpful and I think more. people should be doing that. Uh, now. >> Yay, books. >> Yeah, books. Books. >> [applause]. >> Uh, and so, you know, reading a lot of. history and it's just helpful to be in. history. Uh, the other part of it, too, is I I think. about it in terms of what we do at. Crooked. When we started, I went I. we've almost been around 10 years now, which is wild, but uh,

you didn't get me a thing. Uh, but when we Sure. When we started, when. we started, I we worked on a mission. statement for what we were trying to do. and and we really defined ourselves. against the mainstream media in the. sense that we felt like there's a lot of. great journalism, but also a lot of. pretty empty analysis that treated. politics like a game and there were a. lot of people that were hungry for uh, people that talked about politics more. honestly, more open about their point of.

view and that was, yes, serious and. understood the stakes, but didn't take. itself as seriously. And we defined. ourselves against what we saw the. punditry on television to a large. degree. And now all of these years. later, uh, I feel much more like. because the stakes have become about the. future of democracy, it is much more. about figuring out ways to build a. coalition. and get everybody to understand their. role in it and that does actually. include a lot of mainstream journalism. that part of is is is and and I do think. a lot of mainstream uh, outlets have.

come to see their role as they are not. refs in a war between Democrats and. Republicans, but in fact are combat are. are players on the side of democracy. And I think reminding people of that is. very important. >> What what happens to a free press if you. have if you slide into autocracy where. there is no difference to a free press? >> Right, like you you're not a ref. You're or if you are a ref, did you. notice that you were just punched in the. face by one of the other players? But. then also modeling what it looks like to. talk about politics and think about.

politics when what the internet wants. you to do is become the worst version of. yourself. Like that is what the internet. wants. It wants you to become the. absolute worst version of you. Not a. different person, and I think that's. part of what makes it so um tantalizing. to hate people on the internet because. it's not not them. It's just the worst. version of them. And I don't think it is. a coincidence that Donald Trump's great. skill is making the worst thing about. people more true about them. And the. internet's great skill is making you uh.

uh the worst version of yourself. That. those things happened at the same time. And so. like my way of thinking about it is. remembering is trying my best and I do. not succeed to keep that in mind and. understand that yes, we're covering. politics and we're trying to give people. good information and we're trying to. find the to help people get a spotlight. on the most important races, but also I. think part of it is like trying. especially for a younger generation of. pundits or or thinkers or influencers or. creators, whatever, like showing them. that there's a way to that like.

long-term like there's a. I'm sorry a siren song. uh that you need to fight against. Um. and that is something that I can gives. me a little bit of a sense of purpose. And also like the Hulk, I'm angry all. the time. The whole time. I'm angry right now. I [laughter] was. the uh. all the time. And the weed helps. >> The weed does help, yes. No, I I I I. think that's right and I think um you. know, I I think in large part um.

you know, it's helpful to it's uh yeah, no, that that's all I got on that. That's all I got on the mental on the. mental health stuff. I I uh I I'm. looking forward to a point um where uh. where. I think I view my role as like not. taking. not taking time off, which is not great. Not taking time off until we've achieved. some semblance of uh solution to what. we're doing. >> Cuz we need you on that wall. You're.

>> [laughter]. >> Right. >> You that this wall you you sleep soundly. in your beds protected by Brian on the. content wall. >> [applause]. >> He uses words like honor. These words. are a joke to you. >> Yeah, that's what I got on the on the. mental health stuff. So, but that but onto [snorts] the actual. like what. like. how do you think about trying to. sustainably give people good information. when one aspect of what it means to get.

information to more people, like if you. go to some of the more kind of like I. don't know, the the the the clout. chasing kind of algorithm chasing. outlets. If you go to their website. right now, it's like Trump on the verge. of total collapse. The end is near for. Trump. Can you believe it? It's over. over and over and over again. And that, you know, you know, hitting people with. that cattle prod juices the numbers, but. over time you're trying to build. something that people can trust. >> So, in large part, I mean, I think. there's also a separation between the. packaging that gets people in the door.

and the content that they actually. consume. There's no doubt that with the. way that the internet is constructed. right now, you need to have a certain. degree of um. saucy packaging uh that the thumbnail or. the title has to be enough to lure. people in because you're going up. against other content that does it. And. so you can be as measured as you want, but you do it to your own detriment. because somebody else who has better. packaging, more. inflammatory packaging, is going to win.

And so I think you have to you have to. both be savvy in this digital media. environment to know how to get people to. tune into your content, but then I think. that the onus is on the content creator. The onus is on you and me to make sure. that once people are in the door that. you give them stuff worth staying for. And and and and that's the hard part. You know, I think that that. in large part for some people it's. enough to just do one or the other, but. it's but it's not. I mean, that's that's. how to really I think succeed in this.

media environment, which is a little bit. like behind the curtains, behind the. scenes for like what you have to do to. make sure that people tune in. >> The other part of this, too, is you said. you're working 12 to 14 hours a day and. you're not taking vacation, which is. roughly the schedule. the routine of a clothing maker in. early 20th century Lower Manhattan. Uh. Uh.

How do you like long-term? You know, we. we go through these cycles, right? First, things were being kind of rolled. up into these giant media conglomerates. Now we have Substack. We have people. like you working independently. Do you see like is. Is that a good outcome? Would you like. to see some of the like is is it a. better style of gathering news and media. if a lot of these Substackers all work. together for one outlet and then it was. they had editors that worked on it. together and publish it pretty.

frequently, but it had oversight and a. kind of a collective view kind of a. thing? >> Yeah, so like we it's it's funny because. like I mean, you just advocate for a. return to like a newsroom and then we. can do that. Everybody works together. It'd be brilliant. I think we should do. it. Um look, I I will it go in cycles? I. don't know. I I learned to stop trying. to predict what the future would look. like. Interestingly enough, when I first. started political content online, my. goal was to be on TV. I wanted my own.

show, uh probably on MSNBC, because I. don't know where else I would be able to. go. And uh and that that was the goal. And you know, I did my YouTube videos. um. at the foot of my bed, and uh and you. know, to an audience of tens and and you. know, 20s of people, and uh and just. kept my head down, kept kept doing the. work, and eventually it reached critical. mass, but um that was my goal initially. And then the media landscape changed so. much, and we started seeing all of these.

MS hosts and CNN hosts or CNN expats and. MS expats and and legacy media expats. desperately trying to get onto YouTube. I mean, hell, we see existing MSNBC or. MS now shows and and hosts and what and. anchors try to get onto YouTube and into. the digital media space. And so, it felt. kind of weird, because you know those. pictures where there's a hurricane and. everybody's trying to drive out of. Florida, and then there's like one. lunatic who's driving in? I I felt like the lunatic. And and so, I.

I had a a contributor contract with MS. for 18 months. And uh and when it came. time to re-up, I was just like, it just. doesn't feel like it's the right thing. to do. Um I also don't like having. having a boss or anybody to tell me what. to say, specifically the word allegedly. 100 times in per [laughter] script. I would get like I would submit my. scripts for I I would do uh some digital. content for them, and you have to submit. your scripts to make sure they pass. legal muster, cuz now it's not just. you're not just some punk kid on your. YouTube, you're representing MSNBC. And.

it would come back with like the word. allegedly put into put into these. scripts 150 times. >> Good good lawyering. That's good. lowering. >> So, so um you know, eventually I I I. bailed on that and and I have nothing. but but love and respect for for the. folks who I think do great work at at. MS. But, you know, I don't know what the. media landscape is going to look like a. few years from now. I don't know if. there's going to if we're going to have, you know, a. um. a consortium of independent media. creators who get together and basically.

do what you do, which is reconstitute. legacy media, but it's independent. legacy media. So, you know, I I I've. learned that the that this whole. landscape moves so quickly that it's. impossible to predict what anything is. going to look like. I've already seen. the the transition from short from. long-form content to primarily. short-form content. And uh and and you. know, people people are watching more on. TikTok and Instagram and YouTube shorts. than even the 8-minute videos that I was. doing on average on on YouTube, much.

less the hour and a half videos that. that were, you know, um that were big a. few years ago when podcasting and RSS. feeds were all the rage. So, things are. moving so quickly. I I'm not sure what. things are going to look like. I'm. curious what your thoughts are on that. >> I just think eventually we'll get to the. point where it's like, you know, people do not have the attention span. for these YouTube shorts. So, we've. introduced a new format. It's just you. have one syllable. It's just a guttural. It's a guttural scream and you just. scroll through and like, you know, you. in the same way like right now on.

TikTok, you'll watch like a recipe and. then a joke and then a murder. >> [laughter]. >> You'll get like happy scream, sad. scream. >> there's one video. It's a happy scream, sad scream. Oh, a lot of angry screams. today. Must something must have. happened. >> [laughter]. >> Yeah, I don't know what's going to. happen. And I think sometimes again, like I I. I struggle with it. because it's. How do we get like underneath all of. this, right? It's like it is obviously. not good for us that that have are.

addling our attention spans. It's so. seductive. It's so enjoyable. Tik Tok is. a It's a dream. It's a pleasure to. watch. You can eat a whole, you know, an. hour without blinking. Uh. but it's it's yeah. >> On that point of like of like I actually. I mean there is there is absolutely like. a biological component to consuming this. content. And the time that I realize it. is um. if I if I do smoke weed and I start to. go through Instagram Reels or YouTube.

Shorts or Tik Tok, I find myself. incapable of of putting my phone down. And so I realize like a lot of the. reason I'm able to put my phone down. during the day is I have some. discipline. But when you when you have. when you have these um you know, if if. you have something that's going to. inhibit uh your discipline, like, you. know, uh just smoking, then you realize. like at a biological level this stuff. makes you tune in. And it's hard to put. it away. >> It's a It's. It's a little bit like when you've had. an edible.

and you're in a really gluttonous. mindset. You'll Let's say you'll have like a bag. of chips and Oreos in front of you. And you'll have an Oreo and then you'll. have a potato chip. And you'll be like, "Wait, I have an idea.". >> [laughter]. >> And then you'll put two together and. you'll be like, "That is excellent.". You've done it again. What about two chips, two Oreos, or two. chips, one Oreo with more frosting, whatever. And you're trying to build. some imaginary perfect bite that's going.

to be the ultimate satiating bite of. food. But you're only hungrier once. you've had the next one. And I sometimes. feel with those like When are you When. are you going to stop scrolling? It's. like after you've gotten to that perfect. thing, that perfect feeling. But of. course, there's no such thing. And so. you just sort of eventually kind of like. put the phone down and like squeeze your. eyes shut. and then wonder why your dreams are. weird. >> [laughter]. >> Uh Does anybody else have the have the. child uh the child timers on their apps. that they just click ignore for today.

over and over on a on a daily basis. Just me? I have. Well. >> Well, that must explain all of the. Lexapro. So. >> Yeah. And yeah, no, great shout out. shout out Lexapro. >> Shout out big pharma. >> So before we go before we wrap up this. wonderful conversation, obviously it's a dark time. I joke about. being angry all the time. I guess. Uh. But like I think a lot of people do feel.

anxiety and and a kind of sense of. uncertainty about whether any of this. effort is worth it. How do you keep. yourself motivated? Like how do you keep yourself believing. that there's value to what we're doing? >> I think in large part in this moment. there are a million reasons to check. out. And you know, it's not just. despair. It's it's it's engineered. despair. I mean Steve Bannon says that. his strategy is to flood the zone with. and and that is to make us feel.

like we are completely helpless. Like. the only option here is to throw up our. hands and there's no way that we would. be able to contend with the behemoth. that is not only the federal government. but a federal government unmoored by by. any again norms, traditions, laws, the. Constitution, you name it. But I think. even in spite of that whether we have. moments like the no king protest or. moments like this right here where in. the middle of the summer you can get a a.

group of people together who are still. willing to fight for the future of this. country, I think that is in large part that even. in front of the worst of conditions. in what I think might be one of the. darkest moments in our history, the fact. that we can have so many people still. willing to fight for what's right. I. think that is in large part what gives. me hope in in this moment. >> [applause]. >> So.

You want to take it? >> [applause]. >> Yeah, the. it's. I often feel too like the. how do we get people to. like kind of. uh like clock back in and like re-engage. even like I think because of a lot of. our audience they've been knocking on. doors, they've been doing this for a. very long time. And part of it to me, you know, uh. often we'll go on the road and we'll be. doing a show and you know, Madison, Wisconsin or we'll be in whatever, Minneapolis and somebody will have a.

question and I'll say, "Oh, where are. you from?" And they'll be like, "Oh, I'm. from Ohio." And the audience will boo. the ever-loving out of that person. No, there's nothing wrong with Ohio. There's nothing wrong with Ohio. Because. what I'm getting at is there's a nice. agent in every heart. Uh. And. Oh, you don't like to hear it. You don't. like to hear it. But that. we are like we're we're as a culture.

we've like removed a lot of the moral. language and a lot of the values. language and maybe it is because I'm I I. try to step out of this a lot to try to. kind of get my head into something a. little bit more longer lasting. Like. part of I think what makes this moment. hard is we all what is I think compels. people to be involved is a it's a moral. it's a moral compulsion. It's a it's a. values thing. That's that's the reason. you're here. And. I've come to appreciate the value that. came from inspiration in politics. When. I I was never motivated by that. As I've.

said, I'm motivated by rage. Uh. but that if Trump appeals to the worst. in people, like inspiration. calls on people to make the better parts. of themselves more true. And those. aspects have won out just as many times. as they have lost. And when things feel. dark, I remember that that at root we. are in a battle against people that are. appealing to their worst instincts, but. people have good instincts too, even. people who feel we may feel have been. lost. And as long as we don't forget.

that and put that in the context of a. long history in which we have made a lot. of progress, I think uh in the end we'll. be okay. >> Yeah. Brian Tyler Cohen, everybody. >> [applause]. >> You should buy the book because. honestly, one way in which we beat. right-wing media is by proving that that. there is an audience for progressive. news, progressive coverage, that putting. this book up on the bestseller list. against the right-wing books and all the. uh people that bought Joe Biden's book,

uh I think would be a helpful thing to. do. Sorry to bring it down at the end. Brian Tyler Cohen. >> Thank you. I want to thank a big thank you to the. team at Writers Block, including Andrea. A big thank you to Jon Lovett and his. whole team at Crooked Media, and a huge. thank you to everybody here again who. took time out of your busy busy. schedules to be here and to be part of. the fight. We are going to win midterms. We're going to get the House and the. Senate, and it's in large part owed to. this kind of participation. So, thank. you.