LIVE: UPDATE on Trump's VINDICTIVE PROSECUTION

[applause]. All right. WOW. [applause]. >> Thank you all for being here. Appreciate. it. >> They like you. They really like you. This conversation started backstage. We. were talking. I was like, "Brian, they're calling your name right now.". [laughter]. We were talking about I said, "Are you a. surfer?" And whatever. Yeah, >> she's like. >> I figure if the Trump administration was. looking to uh to kill two birds with one.

stone, this would probably be a good. place to start. >> Don, why don't you why don't you let. >> get two birds with one stone? [laughter]. >> Yeah. Yeah. I don't want to give anybody. any ideas. I mean, yeah. Uh why don't. you let folks know about your history? Uh your run-ins with the administration. >> You guys know my runins, right? You all. know. Seriously, this is about you, my. friend. I'm very I'm so proud of this. I. was up late last night. Uh I did a uh. FaceTime call with him that I put on on.

the thing. I was like, "Brian, um I'm. I'm just finishing your book and I would. like to know, can I ask you anything. tomorrow when we do it?" And he said, "Yes." I said, "Are you sure?" And he. goes, "Yeah." And I said, "You know. what? All right. You're probably going. to regret that." And he goes, "I. probably will." [laughter]. >> And I mean, look, I've seen your. interviews. I saw one of your interviews. with Elon Musk uh in particular. [laughter]. I'm sure he regretted that. So, So, Brian, let's talk about what we do. This book really is sort of what I don't. know if it's a culmination, but is an. offshoot of what you and I do every.

single day, right? Which is work our. asses off to tell the American people. and beyond to give them the truth about. what's happening with this. administration. So, [applause]. so why don't we talk about some news of. the day because I think we're very. comfortable with doing that. I don't. like to have you notice I have no. questions. Yeah, >> I think the best conversations come when. we just have a conversation. Right. >> So, let's talk about what happened today. with the uh with Todd Blanch and uh.

>> Jay Clayton. >> Jay Clayton, the DNI nominee. Right. >> Yes. And and I for one think that the. makings of a great director of national. intelligence is first and foremost the. abject inability to answer the question, who won the 2020 election? That's what I. look for. >> Is that crazy? They always get hung up. on that one, right? They always get hung. up and they're like I almost feel for. them almost because on one hand, if. you're honest about it, you risk losing.

the affection of of Donald Trump and you. couldn't possibly have that. But on the. other hand, if you don't, then the whole. world thinks you look like a clown. >> Yeah. >> And Jay Clayton was like, "The second. one. I choose the second one.". [laughter]. >> But you know what? That's that's the. litmus test. You have to be willing to. tow the line and uh and refuse to to. acknowledge objective reality about. 2020. Did you guys see it today? Did. anyone see that? >> So, I I I got to see the clip, but I. because I was making content all day and. I'll tell you, but I had interviewed. some interesting people. We'll talk. about that later.

>> So, um uh when I saw it, it's it's crazy. because he kept saying, "I'm not going. to engage in. I'm not going to involve.". You're there to those are the questions. you're supposed to be answering. >> His exact response was, "I'm not going. to engage in theater.". >> That's what he said. He he thinks. >> while engaging in theater, >> having to answer objective reality, somebody putting you on the spot to say, "Are you capable of acknowledging. objective reality is the other person. doing theater and not you saying Joe. Biden won the 2020 election because he. got more votes." But here we are. >> Why do you think it's so hard for them?

>> Well, I mean, you have to you you have. to be willing to lie. And and I think on. that point in particular, and this. actually brings us to not just today, but to tomorrow, that point in. particular is really potent because if. you're willing to keep up the con, that. point is going to serve as a pretext for. Trump to be able to say, and this is. what I think is going to happen tomorrow. evening. I uh there's there's a. presidential address that's supposed to. happen at 9:00. There are some rumors. that Trump is going to use that. presidential address to, for example,

claim that there was foreign. interference in the 2020 election. But. the reason he's going to say that is. because that will serve as a pretext. then for him to be able to say, "Okay, there was foreign interference and so. now we have to take extenduating. circumstances uh to to make sure that. this never happens again." Um, you know, uh uh to make sure that uh that he can. maybe put forward an executive order, an. emergency executive order. Um, and we've. seen the extent to which he's he's. attempted to subvert our elections,

whether it's by passing the Save America. Act, which would basically federalize. state-run elections. He's tried to pass. executive orders banning mail and. voting, which by the way, he himself. uses, that was struck down in court. He. refuses to rule out the possibility of. ICE going to the polls. And so, he has. all of. >> Don't forget about the commissioners. that he got rid of. All of the election. commission, right? >> Right. That was just a few days ago, gutted the uh the election assistance. commission, I think it's called. So, so. he's he's trying to he you can tell he's. trying behind the scenes. He keeps. getting stymied because he's ham-handed.

and doesn't have the right to do any of. this. And the courts have been a pretty. effective bull work against him uh with. the exception of the Supreme Court. We'll talk about that. But but I. >> was going to say that Assaf and Waro are. not legitimate senators because they. there was interference in the election, right? >> But he has no there's no lever in the. constitution nor congressionally or any. to get rid of them as. >> No, of course not. But it's not really. to do that. I mean, this isn't there. there's no legitimacy on the merits. Remember, in the aftermath of the 2020.

election, we found uh we found that the. January 6th subcommittee told us that he. said, "Just say the election was stolen. Leave the rest to me and the Republican. congressman." So, he's not looking for a. real reason. He's not looking for like a. merit a well sourced reason to suggest. this. He just wants the talking point. out there, the flimsy pretext that he. can glom on to and then run with it. >> Yeah. Because if his folks will believe. whatever he says and even if they don't. believe it, they want to believe it. >> Or or they just pretend.

>> And they just protect. and they want to own the libs. Right. >> Right. which is. >> I actually I I interviewed Adam Schiff. today and I asked him if there was any. of his Republican colleagues who are. willing to to acknowledge objective. reality who are willing to to say what. the con is to expose the con and he was. like you know look you you nobody's ever. bet money uh one uh nobody's ever lost. money betting against the cowardice of. the GOP. >> so I mean would you presume that there's. going to be any Republicans do you think. Cornin or Cassidy the people who've been.

ousted by virtue of Trump's own uh ill. will toward them, would they have the. spine to step up? >> No. [laughter]. I mean, people don't have a they usually. don't have a spine to step up until it's. over. Yeah. >> And then they then they go, "Oh, well, this is awful. This is terrible." It's. like, what? If you had done that from. the very beginning, perhaps you would. still have a job. You wouldn't be prime. married. If you actually stood up to. this guy. So, you know, yeah, that's. where I am on it. Let's talk about this. >> Let's do it. >> All right. So, um, the day after to even.

I'm I'm getting so old I can't even The. day after I need glasses and that's in. bulletprint. >> Shameless. Oh, you said we were just. real quick. Shameless was like a year. and a half ago. >> A year and 11 months ago. >> Crazy. >> Yeah. >> Crazy. >> Masochistic. My my dear publishers in the audience. And I'm I'm telling you right now, it's. not we're not going to go for number. three, which is what I say today. And. then he'll ask me in about a month and a. half and I'll say yes.

>> Writing a book when you're in the in. process. >> Yeah. >> It's really painful. >> Yeah. It's like I I would presume it's. like pregnancy. >> I was going to say it's [laughter] like. I was saying it's like birthing a child. You wrote your book between like 10 and. 1 10 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. >> Yeah. most of most of the writing. because uh I'm not sure if y'all are uh. privy to the news cycle, but it doesn't. doesn't really slow down until and and. I'm on West Coast time, so things. finally quiet down at about 10:00 and I. have a few hours of of of solitude. >> I wrote a number one bestseller, Brian.

And uh No, I wrote it in the back of an. SUV. >> Yeah. >> At midnight. >> during co Yeah. during COVID. I would. >> How long was this car ride? >> Two hours. >> You wrote your whole. >> Yeah. I would say I would I drove in to. the city every single day. Usually. during the week I had an apartment where. just one day. >> and so I had to Yeah. So back and forth. every single day. My boss wanted us to. be in the studio, not everybody at once. So one anchor would come in and one. would leave. One would leave and one. would come in. And so I would go in, my. show was on from 10:00 to midnight. And.

so I would write it in the back of the. car and then I would call my editor and. I would say, "What do you think about. this? How about this?" And I wrote it I. think of my book in like four months. Wow. >> Right. It was pretty fast. But let's. talk about you. How to wield power in a. postTrump world. Because we're talking. about the degradation, the the just how. much of an effort it is to live every. single day and not to open an alert or. turn on the television and go, "Oh my. god.". >> Yeah. >> What is he talking about the reflecting. pool? So, is there.

>> First of all, okay, quick. Have you ever. tried to take an X-acto knife to a. swimming pool? You really can't do that. much damage to it, right? And so maybe. the damage came from driving your big. ass on uh what do you call it? A. motorcade into the reflecting pool. Perhaps that's where the damage came. from. >> Also, you got you got to imagine he. keeps saying that they they have these. elusive vandals who drove 350 uh feet. through the through the reflecting pool. That thing is under 247 surveillance.

You think Trump is going to be is going. to exercise discretion about about. releasing that video? The guy released. an AI AI slop of of him dumping on. protesters for the No Kings rally. You. think that but but when it comes to the. reflecting pool that would prove out his. point, that's when he's going to. exercise some discretion. >> Poor Harry Sison. I mean, right. I know. >> So, [laughter]. is there is do you think there's going. to be a postTrump world? I'm serious. about that. >> Yes. >> Considering what you said about the. election, >> there there will be. [applause].

>> There will be. I wouldn't dedicate my life to this if I. didn't think that there was hope, that. there is something better on the other. side of this thing. Um, so yes, there. will be a postTrump world. [applause]. What my goal was for this was, look, we. have uh a very disillusioned electorate. We had a disillusioned electorate on the. left, which in large part led to. Republicans winning in the way that they. did in the aftermath of 2024. And there.

there was a massive realignment uh which. is why Republicans run the House, the. Senate, the White House, and won the. popular vote. Now we have more. disillusioned voters because of Trump's. glaring inability, his unwillingness to. actually deliver on what he said he was. going to do. He said he was going to. lower prices. Prices are rising because. of his trade wars. They said they were. going to release the Epstein files. Now. they're suppressing the Epstein files. Said that inflation was going to go. down. Now inflation's 30% higher than. when Biden left office. So everything. they promised said there was going to be. no new foreign wars. Now, we're engaged. in a four-month war that's cost $125.

billion. So, you have a a disaffected. electorate on the left, now a. disaffected electorate on the right. And. so, I think that we're going to have, if. only owed to the fact that these people. on the right are so incompetent that. they basically snatch defeat from the. jaws of victory. I think we're going to. have one more bite at the apple to get. these people. But that requires us. making sure that we can actually deliver. when we get them back in this tent, when. we get them back in this coalition. And.

I think that Democrats unfortunately. have a tendency to be more differential. to norms and institutions and processes. and the filibuster and the. parliamentarian than just getting. done. And so I want to have this. conversation now. [applause]. I want to have this conversation now so. that we're not in a position where first. of all, let's say we're lucky enough to. to achieve the herculean feat of gaining. power and then the even more herculean.

feat of actually passing progressive. legislation that we don't get into. office and say, "Okay, we've got full. control of government. We have this rare. sliver of time where we can do amazing. things. Let's empanel a commission." And. that commission will have 18 months to. come up with their recommendations. And. then once they have the recommendations, we'll decide whether to implement them. between two and five years from now. And. it's going to be glorious. And nothing. happens in the meantime because we're so. differential to these institutions. >> And there's also the added problem of.

because Republicans are tearing these. institutions down. The knee-jerk. reaction from the left is well, we have. to be the defenders of these things. And. so every time the Republicans try and. tear down, you know, some facet of. government, we have to say, no, we we. want we want to protect it. We want to. make sure that it stays the same. And I. think in large part the the move in 2024. that we saw from left to right was. against the status quo, against these. institutions that aren't working for. people. >> But even even now, I think it's sort of. against the status quo. If you look at.

what's happening just just I I believe. you can correct me, maybe you have a. different thing. Correct me if you think. I'm wrong. I believe that the energy in. the Democratic party is on the. progressive side. Yeah. >> Which people would have called before, oh, the far left, whatever. I mean, if. you look at what's happening with. candidates around the country, if you. look at the mayor of this great city. >> Yeah. >> Uh and [applause]. who who by the way I'm interviewing. tomorrow afternoon and I'm very excited. to [applause] I'm very excited and I'll.

tell I'll tell you this and and those. who are watching online and but but uh. but nobody else will know. Um, I'm going. to ask about the the horsedrawn. carriages in Central Park. Yeah. >> Because I think that is so up and. I cannot believe it's the year 2026 and. that is still happening. [applause]. >> And you know, I I uh I I I don't know. The the animal stuff kills me. I'm. wearing I'm wearing socks with my dog's. face on them right now.

>> Yeah. So, I was telling you today, it. just was before we walked out. >> All All of my mental health is. predicated on the continued survival of. a 15-year-old dog. >> Oh my god. I have a 17-year-old with a. diaper. So, but I also have a. 10-year-old. And today, if you have if. you own a dog, you know, thunderstorms, not good. So, I was in the my studio is. in my which it used to be my dining. room. And so, I'm doing my. >> life of a content creator used to have a. dog and here comes a dog. and he's like my feet. I just picked him.

up. I was on. That's what I like about. doing independent journalism. But back. to what I was saying. Even if. >> Don asked me earlier, he goes, "Uh, does. your dog get afraid when there's. thunderstorms?" I'm like, "I live in Los. Angeles. There's there's no there's. [laughter] no thunderstorms out there.". >> You guys freak out when it's like misty. outside. Crazy. >> That's right. >> There's a downpour. No, it's just. >> once every other year when there's a. downpour, we get we get pretty nervous. >> Yeah. >> Um, so, and look at the support that. even I know that he's out, but that. Graham Platner had with these same. ideas, right? you know, no value.

judgment on what happened, but I'm just. saying the ideas that he espouses and. believes in or he says he does, um that. I think that's where the party is now, and I think that's where the country is. now. I don't think there's anything. far-left or uh liberal lefty about. people having a living wage, people. having healthcare. >> Absolutely. Yeah. Absolutely. >> So, Democrats need to play, as you write. about here, the the the right game. You. say the wrong game, the long game and. the than the right game. So, in large part, we have seen the.

extent to which Republicans are really. effective at drawing up plans and. executing them over a long period of. time. And I just don't think Democrats. have the investment in these kind of. long-term plans. I mean, redistricting. started in 2010 and in the aftermath of. Obama's election. Democrats had the. majority of even state legislative seats. in 2008 when Obama won election. Cut to in 2010 they they started to. carry out this plan and I wrote about. this in my previous book as well so that. they can jerrymander state legislative.

seats and by extension congressional. seats across the country. And here we. are in the year 2026, 16 years later, Republicans are still. gerrymandering states across the. country. They just got 12 more seats. this cycle. and Democrats managed to get. one state to redraw its maps 16 years. after the redistricting plan was drawn. up by Republicans. I mean, thank God. California did it. But the fact that all. we have to show for ourselves in this.

fight is that California managed to. redraw five seats while Republicans just. this cycle got 12 more is a testament to. the asymmetry of how these two sides. exercise power. But don't you think it's. uh that Democrats, one of the major. problems I believe, and I don't want to. beat up on Democrats, but they have a. tendency to let their enemies define. them, right? I never let my enemies. define that I am who I think I am and. who I want to be. And I think Democrats, thank you. I think Democrats should be,

you know, I'm generalizing here, but. they should be the same way. Why would. you let the Republican party or people. who are not trying to do the right thing. for this country, why would you let them. define you as woke and liberal and you. know and live and all of that? Why do. you care? I think in large part too and. this is something that I think you and I. will be able to speak to with with some. authority is we haven't had any. dominance in the media ecosystem for a. long time because you know we have.

right-wing media that is avowedly. right-wing and then for a long time all. we had on the left was what Republicans. had called liberal media but in effect. it was just legacy media and you worked. at CNN for a long time. I mean, there. are the the ways in which legacy media. will bend over backwards to prove that. it's not liberal. I mean, would it just. is mind-blowing. And so, you have one. side that is right-wing media that will. I mean, I remember there was a time. where Sean Hannity went on stage for. Donald Trump to to participate in a.

rally. So, that's that's right-wing. media showing up at rallies to rally for. Donald Trump. And then you have liberal. media which, you know, had ran God knows. how many cover stories about Hillary's. emails. I mean, so, so when you have. both sides effectively against the left, that creates kind of an ecosystem where. obviously the Republicans are able to. own the narrative. Now, we're finally in. a situation, I mean, it took losing the. House, the Senate, and the White House, but I think now we're finally in a. situation where the left recognizes the. importance of independent media. And,

you know, I'm grateful that they do. I'm. I'm I'm sad for the fact that it that it. took a catastrophe of of the 2024. election to recognize, hey, maybe. embrace independent media a little bit, but but hopefully now we'll see a world. in which there is, you know, if nothing. else, at least some parody between the. two sides. >> But you worked in in corporate media for. a while, right, with. >> So, I was a contributor for MSNBC for. about 18 months. >> But do you I'm sure you found in those. conversations, it was always frustrating.

me. I would not allow this and I I did. not like it, but there was always some. false equivalence or false equivalent. that you had to have. Well, if you say. something about a Democrat, then you got. to say something about a Republican and. we have to have make room for a MAGA. because they are, you know, the ones are. in power now. And I said, well, that's. not true because it is not a right to. appear on this network. It's a. privilege. And if you have the privilege. and the opportunity to speak speak. directly to the American people, then. you should respect them enough to come. on and tell the truth. And if you're not.

going to do that, we don't have to. invite you on it. I mean, it was like. talking about they did not get it. >> Well, I was going to ask uh how that. sentiment, you know, you espousing that. sentiment turned out. [laughter]. I well, as you know, I interviewed Vivec. Ramaswami and he said that black people. gained their rights during the civil. rights movement because the NRA fought. for their rights to have guns. And I was. like, >> and I was like, I know I'm on a morning. show. I'm kind of sleepy, but what the.

are you talking? [laughter]. >> And then four days later, I was gone. But, you know, the the the interesting. part of of independent media is now I'm. I I'm not sure if everybody knows, but I. typed in white house.gov a few weeks. back and found out that I was on Donald. Trump's enemies list, >> and [applause]. you are a real enemy of the people. You. know, he calls the press enemy of the. people. >> Yeah, that's right. >> So, you're officially enemy. You should. We should get a t-shirt for you.

>> You know what? I If if you think I. didn't make t-shirts, you did already. put them on my website, you would be. sorely mistaken on your merch. >> Well, here. No, I mean I I say that I. say that kind of like fac I mean I do. have the t-shirts. Um but I I but I make. the point facitiously but I actually. think that there is there is a. legitimate point to make on that and. that is that we have seen the extent to. which law firms and universities and. tech companies and these media. conglomerates and legacy media outlets. have all capitulated to Donald Trump.

when he's attacked them one by one which. blows my mind because you know these are. the most powerful people in the world. These are the wealthiest people in the. world. These are the people who have the. most resources in the world. And I would. just imagine that if you have you. money, wouldn't it be worth it to be. able to say you? >> Yeah. >> And yet, [applause]. >> yeah, >> but they don't. They don't. And and. Trump was so effective that when he went. after each one of these each one of. these different entities or people or. institutions, they immediately.

capitulated. And that that made me so. angry because it wasn't just them. capitulating. It also sent a message to. everybody else in the space that it was. going to be that much more difficult. because now you have basically blood in. the water. Now you've you've got an. emboldened Trump because he said, "Look. how easy it was to get Paul Weiss to. capitulate. Look how easy it was to get. these law firms to capitulate. Look how. easy it is to own Meta and YouTube who. settled and uh ABC News who settled and. CBS News who settled all of these. institutions. It's so easy to own these.

people." And so when he when he got to. the point where he started putting my. name and David Pacman's name on on this. media offenders list, you know, it would. have been easy and I think if you ask my. parents, probably smart, for me to just. quiet down for 5 minutes and not get. myself into any more trouble. But I. remembered how angry it made me that all. of these other institutions capitulated. and folded so quickly. And and the. reason was like, you know, these people. are leveraged by the federal government,

but independent media doesn't need. anything from the federal government. I. don't need their approval for anything. I don't need a I don't need approval for. a merger or an acquisition. I don't need. anything from Trump. And so when they. got to the point where they put my name. and and and some of my friends names on. this list, we could basically just. promote it and and wear it as a badge of. honor. And it got to the point where all. of these other content creators were. saying, "How do I get on this list? I. want to get on this list." Everybody. viewed it as a badge of honor. And the.

Trump administration, ironically enough, and I think this was the first time that. they had done something like this, didn't add anybody else to the list. because all it did was was was um uh. amplify our voices even more. And and. again, like we use it as a badge of. honor. So that list is just staying. still as it is. And I think that it's. it's interesting because independent. media is independent and that's the. beauty of it. We don't need anything. from this White House. >> I shouldn't be hanging out with you cuz. I'm already in enough trouble. >> Yeah. >> So why am I That's. >> what I'm saying.

>> Why am I with you? >> That's what I'm saying. This would be an. easy spot. [laughter]. >> No, but I. >> I do want to ask while while we have I. know I tried to ask you this once. Now. I'm going to ask I'm I'm going to try it. again. What how is how is everything. going on on that front? >> I thought you were going to ask me how. the food is in jail. Yeah, that'll be that'll be the next. one. >> How's it going? It's still going. They're not letting this go. >> Yeah. >> And and but the thing is too is that. they don't really have the manpower to. fight it because everyone is quitting. the Justice Department. People who have.

real experience and who really are um. you know, public servants, real public. servants, they don't want to have their. name attached to some BS for you know, signing a a warrant or an affidavit or. whatever to be part of an investigation. Well, the interesting. >> journalist the interesting part about. that is you even have uh Todd Blanch. himself who was just referred to bar. counsel in in New York for uh for that. effort to where Donald where he. negotiated the settlement where where. Trump tried to pay himself $10 billion.

And so I do hope I mean you know y'all. are from New York. I hope you put in a. good word at your uh at your bar council. here. Hopefully they [laughter] have uh. hopefully they have a stiff spine, but. but you know it'll be one more instance. of of you know if that happens of Donald. Trump's attorneys basically uh. sacrificing their livelihood for some. bogus uh you know retribution effort. I'm going to I'm going make a couple. phone calls and say look I know from. experiences the bad guy but but but if. you actually listen to the people who.

have worked with him who have known him. in past years he was they said he was. actually a very likable guy and then all. of a sudden he became you know he got. proximity to Donald Trump and he became. this the reason that the which which I. believe is similar to what you what you. were discussing with the media companies. number one they don't really have any. convictions they're convicted ictions. are, you know, green, their party is. green, meaning money, right? But others. who may be higher up who have enough. money, I think that their ideologies.

align. If you look at what's happening. with the Ellison's, they are very much. conservative MAGA people. My concern um. is the consolidation of media, but not. only that, the consolidation of. conservative media. So there is an. ideological aspect to it. There's a. money aspect to it. And some of them. just want, you know, their mergers and. their acquisitions to go through so that. they can make more money. Right. But. people who are, you know, these. multibillionaires. don't need any more money. They will not. be able to spend the money they have in.

a 100 life. >> Don, have you ever seen a. multi-billionaire who had enough money, who said he had enough money or she had. enough money? >> Has there ever been one that's like, I'm. good. >> No. >> There you go. >> No, but I think I would be one of those. billionaires. Oh, every every. millionaire says that before they become. a billionaire. >> No, but I look there there gets to a. point that I do know this. I do have, you know, lucky enough to have some very. wealthy friends. And there's a point. between like, you know, 50 million or.

hundred million dollars and where your. lifestyle just really doesn't change. that much. Like once you're at the point. where you own an airplane, you're that's. it. You can basically go wherever you. want, do whatever you want to do. So. having, you know, let's say you're close. to a billion dollars. Having a billion. dollars and $50 billion is not really. much more. Your life doesn't really. change. And so that's why I cannot. >> You don't have to convince us. [laughter]. >> That's why I cannot understand these. billionaires who don't want to pay more. taxes. They think that that their tax.

rates should be lower or the same as the. average American person. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It's I mean, you have the. privilege to live here. You drive on the. same roads that we do. We're paying. taxes for these roads that you're. driving on. you should pay as much or or. more as we do. And I'm talking about. percentage- wise. So, I I don't. understand it, but that's where we are. with that. Todd Blanch has no. convictions. >> and the folks who own these media. companies really have no convictions at. all except for money. >> No, I I think that the consolidation of. media is is absolutely a concern. I'm.

wondering if you have do you have folks. that you keep up with at CNN who have. spoken to you about the prospect of CN I. know that there is right now a lawsuit. that California Attorney General Rob. Bont just put forward to block the. merger of Warner Brothers and Paramount. Um and he's been a really effective. attorney general um from from from out. there in California. So we'll see what. happens on that front. Um but have you. spoken to anybody at CNN who's expressed. any uh concern? Or the flip side, is. there anybody at CNN who you presume.

will be like, I can see the writing on. the wall. Let's uh let's already start. my uh my my veering to the right to make. sure that I can uh keep my spot here. >> I cannot reveal my sources, Brian. But. but I will tell you, yeah, I do have. those conversations with people all the. time. And usually when I get the text. message like, "Hey, what are you doing? Can we meet for coffee?" I usually know. So, how does this independent? I. [laughter] know it's going to be how. does this independent thing work? What. should I do? And it's like you first of. all you need to get out of that thing. that you're in and you're going to have. to unlearn a whole lot of things. You.

have I had to basically retrain myself. >> Yeah. Why? What was the biggest what was. the biggest shock from Legacy Media to. independent. >> that I could say whatever I wanted to. that I didn't have to worry about. I. didn't have to second, third, fourth. guess any everything that came out of my. mouth because I represented obviously a. brand as they call it and I represented. 4500 or 4,800 employees around the. world. some of them in war zones which. respectfully. So I had to be I had to. sort of be measured in what I said but I. also you know in that you you say okay.

what how do I say this without it ending. up on the cover of the New York Post or. the New York Times and what's the boss. going to say and are they going to be. upset because Fox News and it's act now. you just I just say it. Yeah. >> And I also Brian which is weird because. we reverse each other. So I am usually. the guy that was dressed like that. you. the guy is dressed like this and now. we've completely switched roles. >> Well, just just for tonight. >> Just for tonight. No, but when I but. when I first started out, you were the. suit guy. >> That's right. >> I mean, you look good. You're dashing.

You cut a No, a nice silhouette. But. you're the suit guy. You Why did you. change? >> So, well, the reason I wore a suit. initially was I was shooting my videos. I mean early days like 2018 2019 I was. shooting my videos um in in basically at. the foot of my bed and nobody else was. on YouTube and I was just making these. videos for tens and eventually hundreds. and eventually um thousands of people. But you know to get people to take. YouTube seriously was was a bit of a.

challenge. At that point YouTube was. just prank videos. And when I got my. 100,000 subscriber plaque there's a. silver plaque that you get. It's when. you hit 100,000 subscribers, it's the. first plaque. I was so embarrassed that. I was on YouTube that I never even took. it out of the box. And now, I mean, now, you know, YouTube gets more views than. than legacy media. People get their news. from YouTube before they get their news. from from Legacy Media. So, it's a. different world, but I kind of had to. dress for the job that I wanted. Fake it. till you make it. So, you know, if I.

wanted people to watch YouTube and take. some punk 20some year old kid seriously, I was like, I gota at least at least, you know, put a suit on and make it feel. a little bit newsy, even though this is. definitely not a platform people took. seriously. >> And then, um, so it was it was necessary. at that point and I I think it did help. to confer a little bit of gravitas to a. kid, you're right, a kid who was. shooting videos at the foot of his bed. >> I had to unlearn formalities and not. speak like I was a news anchor. >> Yeah. So, and that that was really tough.

for me and that I could say or. or whatever. And. >> apparently it's not that easy. >> Well, no, I don't I don't like you know. some people My mom texts me all the. time. She goes, "You stop cursing on. that TV. My mom also. >> that's what [laughter] her text sounds. like. You stop cursing on that TV." But. that's what she'll call me. She goes, "Okay, now." Yeah. >> Hotty mouth. >> I think the hardest thing for me to get. used to was when I did my 18-month stint. with MSNBC. This was just as a. contributor and I did weekly videos on.

MSNBC's YouTube channel and first of all. I would write my script, send it to them. and their standards and practices or or. their legal department would go through. it and it would take a day. So already I. mean when I write my videos now I'm I'm. writing them, I shoot them and they're. out and so the video goes from concept. to to reality within maybe 3 hours, maybe two hours and so it's a pretty. short halflife. And then when I was with. MSNBC, they were like, "All right, we'll. get this back to you tomorrow.". >> Yeah. >> Then I could actually shoot it and then.

I would send the raw file to them and. they would edit it and that would come. back the next day. And also the other. hard part was allegedly saying the word. allegedly. >> Allegedly reportedly. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Sources. >> I had to say allegedly for everything. >> Yeah. Allegedly. That that's what you. know. I don't know if you guys know Jen. Welch, right? I taught her. I was like, "Jen, this whole I start our broad when. we do shows, I started by saying. everything that we talk about is. allegedly [laughter]. she goes off. You're right about that.". >> So, but then, you know, I I moved out of.

the suits because in the aftermath of. the 2024 election, I felt like Democrats. had a pretty obvious problem just. connecting with people and like people. don't walk around in suits most of the. time. and uh and so you know there was a. little bit of an authenticity problem. and and. >> we were thinking the same thing at the. same time. >> Yeah. >> Authenticity. Yes. That's really what I. I wish that Democrats and they're kind. of getting it. It's is authenticity. And. what I say is I I I sort of equate.

Democrats to legacy media because people. don't sit look at look at how you guys. are dressed now. People don't sit around. and engage in conversations. Sorry, Brian. in uh three-piece suits and. cocktail dresses, right? They talk about. it at their kitchen tables. They talk. about it at the bar. Maybe they're at. the gym or whatever. And it's usually. very casual. Everything, every bit of. what I had to unlearn was uh or learn is. that everything is a barrier and you. want to have as few barriers as.

possible. So, if you're the camera. swinging around the shiny desk, that's. one barrier that takes you away from. your audience, right? And then you've. got the suit on in the tie. That's. another formality that takes you that. separates puts another level of separate. a layer of separation between you and. your audience. Then you got the desk and. you got that and you got that and you. got the makeup on. Now I don't have a. makeup on. I wear a t-shirt that says. old people be knowing [laughter]. and people are like, "Yeah, Don Lemon, old people be knowing." And you have.

this the same thing with your audience. And people want. >> also old people be knowing. People want. authenticity and they want to feel like. they can relate to you in some way. And. I feel like Democrats for the most part, I'm generalizing, there are some very. good Democrats. I happen to be an. independent, but um I think Democrats. were missing that, but they're catching. on. I hope. >> they're catching on. Look, I think that. obviously Democrats have a brand issue, but in terms of fixing the brand issue, I [clears throat] know one of the one of.

the concerns was like, okay, we have to. take the existing slate of Democrats and. just teach them how to do things, teach. them how to talk like normal human. beings, teach them how to go on. podcasts, teach them how to dress like. regular people, teach them how to talk. about cultural issues. I I think the way. to fix the Democrats brand problems is. going to happen organically when. Democrats start a stepping aside so that. a younger generation of leaders can step. into their places. who already have those qualities who. already have those qualities and don't.

need to do it inauthentically or. inorganically. Um but but also um you. know and that's happening right now and. I think that it's going to happen again. it's going to happen organically. It's. not something that you could just teach. these existing people. So when they step. aside to make room for other people, those people are going to then represent. the brand. It's not something that you. can just fix by slapping a new logo on. the Democratic party. It's going to fix. itself when we start electing people who. can more more accurately uh reflect the. people that they're supposed to.

represent. And so I think as we see. these younger, more dynamic, more. charismatic, more tech-savvy candidates. across the country start to get elevated. into these positions and as some of. these um older Democrats who have been. there forever, who can't communicate in. this media environment either step aside. or get bullied into stepping aside, I. think it's going to help fix this brand. in a way that is actually organic. And. so we have great candidates coming up. We have people like James Telerico for. example. Um I [applause] mean to look at.

somebody like that it just you know it. inspires a lot of of hope at what a new. iteration of this party can be. You have. somebody like AOC who may or may not run. for president at some point. I would. love to take a poll of this room. Here. are the two options. Run for president. and run for Senate. And you have to. choose one. So, applause if you'd like. to see AOC run for the United States. Senate. [applause].

>> Applause if you'd like to see AOC run. for president. [applause]. >> Oh man, >> this is I I had I wrote something down. on the way here that I wanted to ask you. about because to me this, by the way, I. agree with you 100%. And when I say that. at like large gatherings, a lot of. people are like, "You're crazy." Which. one? Uh that AOC or Mom Donnie? I was. actually at a at a book party this past. weekend. Um and some, you know, I said,

"If this. >> Don's whole life is hawking books for. people, >> you're going to return the favor. Well, so don't [laughter]. um" And so they were saying, "And then. you get, you know, a Mamani and you get. an AOC." And then finally, no one was. saying anything. And I said, "Well, what's wrong with Mandani and AOC?" And. then I told him the thing that that I. said earlier about the energy in the. Democratic party being there and I've. been saying this for three years or two. years since I've been doing the show and. even when I was the last year when I was. on Legacy Media and that so I was like.

what they are winning. >> Yeah. >> And and. >> not only that they're popular Democrats. are not. Yeah. Right. Anybody who's when. people say that we want to be in that, you know, whatever that middle is, there's no energy, no excitement in the. middle. >> Yeah. Do you disagree with that? >> No, I don't disagree at all. I think. it's obvious that there's not energy in. the middle. But look, I I think like. even the you know, the the irony is that. the the difference in the the two sides. right now is that the fringe of the. right will engage in abject outright. election denialism. They don't think the.

Democrats have a right to be in power. The fringe of the left will advocate for. Medicare for all. And so I think uh I. think when when you talk about, you. know, the extremists on the left, it is. [applause] crazy. It is crazy to think. that that you can paint them with the. same brush as extremists on the right. when one side is advocating for people. to have healthcare. >> Yeah. >> Amen. >> And I mean, you look at, you know, they. they they loved they they drooled at the. prospect of vilifying Zoran Mdani who. within five minutes of taking office. filled 175,000 potholes. >> Yeah. Um, look, I cannot applaud for.

that. I can't find my question, but. basically what your book to me sounds. like policies. I was going to ask you if. you're running for president. It sounds. like you're lay you're laying out your. policies here when you're talking about, you know, which I agree with and you and. I discussed this a little bit. I agree. with the expansion of the Supreme Court. >> Yes. And I would love to talk about that. right now if you want. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's what that's what I. want to talk about. Why do you think I'm. bringing it up, Brian? So, but when you. talk about the expansion of the Supreme. Court, um getting rid of the electoral.

college, I agree with all of those. things. [applause] and. is that I I think that's real, but some. people will say, "Well, you're doing. what they're doing on the other side, but this one is just it's okay because. it's for us.". >> On this idea of not exercising power for. fear of Republicans taking what we've. done and abusing it for themselves in. the future, they're already abusing it. So, at this point, what do you have to. lose? You can either opt to just.

entrench the status quo or you can fight. to actually make something happen. So I. am so not not moved by this idea that oh. you couldn't do this because imagine the. slippery slope that you're creating. But. I actually think on the Supreme Court in. particular, it's important because it is. foundational. You can't get anything else done if. you're going to leave in place a 63. conservative court that not only can but. will strike down anything that you. actually manage to pass. And so I think. that there are a few arguments you can.

make. One is is the historical argument. Nine justices is not in the. constitution. And in fact that number. has changed throughout history. The. number of Supreme Court justices. historically has comported with the. number of federal court circuits. And so. in the 1800s there were six federal. court circuits. There were six Supreme. Court justices. Eventually that number. went up to eight and then nine and we. had nine Supreme Court justices, nine. federal court circuits. Now we have 13. federal court circuits but still only. nine Supreme Court justices. That number. is so not sacrianked that even in modern.

times it's changed. Mitch McConnell. moved that number from 9 to 8 for a year. when he was holding that seat open and. wouldn't let Merrick Garland get his. hearing. So even modern Republicans have. proven have broadcast have shown us that. the number of Supreme Court justices is. not sacrianked. >> Bless his heart. Bless also that that. that proof of life. Are you buying it? >> I'll tell you what, >> any Southerners in here, you guys know. what bless his heart means, right? Okay.

Uh, do I buy do I buy it? >> Do you buy it? >> No. >> I mean, I got to say, for a guy who just. spent a month in the hospital, who we. weren't sure was alive or dead, he. looked really good in that picture. >> Yes. And let. >> that picture was taken in like 1999. But. let me tell you. >> also what hospital gives you a nice. pressed flannel shirt, wife in full. makeup sitting sitting like a with a. newspaper. >> with a Yeah. And and you need the. requisite proof of life newspaper. [laughter]. >> You know, look, as you age your eyes,

>> just a standard picture of me right here. with today's paper. >> It's so much easier to read an iPad, a. newspaper. But let me just say, um, you. know, I spoke to him for about 17. minutes [laughter]. the other. >> [cheering]. >> the other day and he sounded completely. fine. My other friend talked to him for. 20 minutes. >> Yeah. >> And you I mean. >> my favorite was uh my buddy Aaron Rupar. who I think folks should probably know. in here if they have the misfortune of. spending time on Twitter um responded to.

this tweet about Scott Jennings saying. that he spoke to Mitch McConnell for 20. minutes and Aaron wrote, "Did he talk. back?". [cheering]. >> It's true. It's true. I wish we had a we. do had a monitor. I wish we had headed. here because when last we saw him, >> he fell down when a reporter asked him a. question and he turned around and just. went right. And so I look, I'm not. wishing any harm on Mitch McConnell. I. just think it's when they're. saying I spoke to him for 17 minutes. That's awfully specific. But you're. looking going how much how does that say.

how long did you and Brian talk? I don't. know. Our talk was about an hour, you. know, at at the 92nd Street. Why? Like. I'm not looking at the clock saying. Brian and I spoke for 28 minutes. Yeah. >> You know what I'm saying? It's a little. weird. Okay. Ready for some questions? Did you say all you wanted to say about. the Supreme Court and Electoral College. and. >> Yeah. I think look, I think we got the. historical precedent. We have modern. times and then there there is there is a. moral imperative to do that. And that's. what I was speaking about before. this. idea that if you again achieve the the.

the massive feat that would be taking. control of government, you can either. you can either leave the Supreme Court. as is the 63 majority that will strike. anything down and just be able to say, "Hey, well, you know what? We got it out. of the House. We got it out of the. Senate. We got it signed into law and it. was eventually struck down, but we got. caught trying. We etched a symbolic. victory. that that's not good enough. And and I think that we need to be in a. world where symbolic victories aren't.

enough. Getting caught trying isn't. enough. We need to have meaningful. lasting change. And if we actually are. serious about that, then the only way to. do that is to expand this court. [applause]. >> So, uh I remember our conversation the other. day where I talked about, you know, what. are you journalist or not a journalist? You said you don't call yourself a. journalist. I I think that look whatever. you're doing the work of a journalist,

right? Even though you may not call. yourself a journalist. So this is a. question from the audience. There's no. name on it. I don't think. Okay. It. says, "Why do journalists just accept. answers to questions that they know are. Why don't any of them from the. mainstream media ask for accountability. anymore?" I could probably answer that. one. You go. >> I think we have one word and we could. probably both say it at the same time. Do you have your word? >> What for? Why don't they? >> Why don't they? >> They're scared. >> It's access. >> Yeah. Well, it's it's it's access. It.

used to be just access. Now, it it is. they're afraid that they're going to get. fired. >> because, >> right, I mean, that that but that's a. more that's a more recent phenomenon. where where when you have consolidation. of the media and you have right-wing, you know, right-wing um basically. oligarchs that control large swasts of. the media, then yeah, you're going to. you're going to get in trouble. Look, I. I think that especially in a world where. we have such a bifrocated media. ecosystem, there isn't even a need for. right-wingers to go on anything other. than right-wing media. There isn't a.

need for, frankly, leftwingers to go on. anything other than left-wing media. There's enough options that people can. choose from, but what that does is. create two parallel um versions of. reality. There is a right-wing reality. where Joe Biden didn't win the 2020. election, where the COVID vaccine killed. more people than CO itself, you know, you name it. And then there's a. left-wing version which is just the. opposite on all of those things. And I. think that's the danger in having a. media ecosystem that that is so. separate. I mean, I I can tell you it is.

so difficult to get right-wingers on my. show. The most conservative person I've. ever had on is like Adam Kinzinger. [laughter]. >> And one time a real conser No, >> no, no, but one time I actually I and. and this isn't for lack of trying. I've. reached out to Marjorie Taylor Green's. office. One time I had reached out to. Matt Gates's office to try to get him on. and nobody even would ever write back. and Matt Gates's office wrote back an. email to me and I and I wrote a very. nice and civil email about the.

importance of uh of civil dialogue blah. blah blah which I'm sure it would have. been super civil with Matt Gates but um. wrote this email and they wrote back and. they wrote thank you so much for. reaching out we appreciate it quick. question before we proceed with this was. this you and proceeded to screenshot. about 25 tweets that I had written about. Matt Gates and his various scandals Matt. Gates getting accused of sex trafficking. of a minor. I mean, you there was even. some tweets about that bizarre situation. he had where where he had a like a like.

a foreign kid live with him. >> Oh, he was adop he adopted a. >> what was his name again? It was I. remember it. >> Anybody remember what that kid Matt. Gates? Uh. >> yeah, I like it's right. It's at the tip. of my tongue. I think. >> Say again. >> Poor boy. >> Oh, poor boy. I think yes. In any case, yeah, there were a lot of tweets. Uh, and I was like, "This is a this is good. on you. This is the most clever way I've. ever seen somebody deny my request for. an interview.". >> True story. He used to write my bookers.

all the time because he wanted to be on. the show. He wanted to debate me. >> Yeah. >> And even now, I mean, that this is when. I was at CNN, but and then by the time I. think I left, he had the crazy makeup. and whatever nose job or whatever. >> Oh, yeah. The the the eyebrow lift. >> Yeah. Is he still on there? Uh, I don't. I don't know. I haven't tuned in in a. while. >> I don't I don't I don't watch either. Okay, this is another very important. question. What's your What Wait, what's. your thoughts on Democratic Socialist of. America? And is there a chance of one.

for 2028, a 2028 candidate? >> You know, I I'm I'm pretty unmoved by. where people um where people kind of. position themselves in terms of the. labels within the party. I actually. think there's pretty good unonymity. among Democrats um of all stripes right. now in terms of what needs to get done. You know, there are folks from Zoran. Mamani to Abigail Spanberger who've run. pretty clearly on an affordability.

agenda. And I think that picking up that. mantle, that economically populist. mantle is going to be smart. Um I think. that the difference between the. different factions, the ideological. factions of the Democratic party have. long since been separated. a little bit less by ideology, but more. by kind of style. And that's actually a. problem that I sought to solve with the. book itself. Like my my goal for this. book was regardless of where you lie on. the ideological spectrum, to make sure. that people recognize that blind.

deference to institutions and and um and. adhering to kind of the status quo. wasn't going to cut it. And so now you. even have moderate Democrats who are. saying, "We need to fight. We need to. get something done. It's not enough. again to just get caught trying. We have. to deliver for people. And like I said, there is unonymity in terms of what the. left wants. The left more broadly wants. to deliver health care to people, wants. to combat climate change, wants to make. sure that we expand voting rights, largely wants to eliminate uh to to to. raise the minimum wage. I mean, even.

with um uh uh the previous Democratic. majority, there were only two people who. voted against raising the minimum wage. Actually, it might have even just been. one. It might have just been Kirsten. Cinema who did her little curtsy. uh to. make sure that that didn't pass. But but. I think that in large part what I sought. to do was make sure that fighting and. actually delivering for people, not not. relying on traditions, but making sure. that gets done was was an important. aspect of what a new Democratic party. would look like.

>> Graham Platner. [applause]. Graham Platner. This is the kind of. questions I ask. This this probably this. could be from me. What the hell. happened? [snorts]. And how do we stop the dims from. repeating a similar mistake? >> Well, uh, first thing is, uh, body. scans. [laughter]. >> You mean tattoos? >> Shirt off. Let's, uh, turn around. No, maybe that maybe that's not maybe that's. not a good idea. >> You're going to you're going to get.

cancelled, Brian. Um, >> especially with this story. >> Yeah. So, >> that is not what I meant by shirt off. If we did that, Pete Hexth would not be. in politics. >> What I meant was uh I'll try to say this. a little bit more artfully now that. those words have already escaped my. mouth. Famously, the internet is uh is. um uh you know um Oh, now I'm all. flustered. Uh is u apologetic. Anyway, >> there's so many places I could go. I'm I.

am holding my drunk. >> Yeah. >> Are you about Grant Platter? >> No. about me accidentally saying sure. that what we have to do [laughter] is. have candidates. >> Um, no, what we need to do is make sure. that folks are are properly vetted and. and I understand I understand the. attractiveness of somebody like Graham. Platner stylistically. And I think that. the problem we made was um compensating. too much because he exhibited a lot of. qualities that I think were missing. stylistically from from the Democratic. party of today. And so in our.

desperation, our sprint toward having. somebody like that, we were willing to. make sacrifices elsewhere that I think. that we can't make. I mean, you have to. make sure that that kind of baggage. doesn't exist. You can have both, right? You have to have both. You have to have. somebody who stylistically is able to. espouse progressive policies and be able. to communicate people uh in an effective. way. And I think regardless of of. whether you love him or you hate him, and I think most people hate him, um. it's hard to deny that he was an.

effective and charismatic communicator, but at the same time, you can't be. willing to sacrifice things that I think. are a bare minimum in terms of. character. And and as we work out these. kinks in terms of what the party's going. to look like moving forward, it it's. it's non-negotiable that that you do. both. We have to have people who are. going to be competent, who are going to. be charismatic, who are going to be. young and progressive, um but also who. who have have uh enough of a decent. character that that a we don't get.

caught in these scandals and b you want. people of good character anyway so that. you are represented by people who who. are decent enough to get get. >> I agree and [applause]. I mean look I think that the whole idea. of aging and all of that I think that's. individual because some people are you. know a good 70 and some people are not, you know, and some people are good 30. and they're not. But I I am of the. belief that if you have young. progressive. are um relevant ideas, then I'm cool.

with you. I don't care what you look. like. I don't care what your gender is. I don't care what your sexuality is. I. don't care as long as you are, you know, you're in the zone where you're doing. the right thing. Um what do you what did. you learn? Hang on a second. What did. you learn? No, if I'm in from the. audience questions, it's it's sort of a. wrote question, but I always think it's. a very good question because writing a. book is a very specific and kind of. difficult thing. The level of difficulty. I think is, you know, to write a good. book. What did you learn most from. writing this book?

>> Oh, that's a good question. Um, learn. that I need very little sleep to. function. Um, first and foremost, um, I. think the most important thing is. the, you know, especially focusing on. the history of this stuff. I think, and. we we had touched on this earlier, the the amount of time that Republicans. have spent um creating creating these. plans and and how long it would take to. carry them out and how patient they are. in terms of doing it and how slow.

Democrats are at responding and and I. think, you know, both in this book and. my previous book, Shameless, spoke about. the extent to which, you know, you have. the Powell memo, which eventually leads. to to Roger Als and creating Fox News. And Fox News came about with their fair. and balance slogan. And and Fox News's. fair and balance slogan was never meant. to mean that Fox News is fair and. balanced. It was a balance to what they. perceived as the liberal media. And so.

they were avowedly right-wing. Um I know. that people will look at that and say, "Well, no, this Fox News is not fair and. balanced." But they viewed the ecosystem. as being too tilted to the left. And so. they were balancing it out by being. avowedly right-wing. And I think just. the extent to which they have invested. in these projects that have lasted for. so long and and Democrats need to learn. from from the strengths of of the. Republican party and the right-wing. movement more broadly because they've. shown that when they want something,

they get it done. And I think that we. have to have that same mentality of not. allowing, you know, everything to stand. in our way of making sure that that we. get into government and we don't we. don't get there and start operating as. if we're there in government to defend. the institutions of government, but. rather that we're in government so that. the government itself can deliver for. people. And I think that's got to be the. difference. >> I we can't I can't even end this if I. wanted to because my foot has gone to. sleep and I can't stand up. So, but no,

we have a we have a little bit more. time. So, this one is from a great one. from where's Peter M? Hi, Peter M. Hi. How are you? Right in the middle there. How is it that people still believe the. blatant lies and what are your thoughts. or expectations for the midterms? Thanks, Peter M. >> Thanks, Peter. Um, people believe the. lies because again, we we live in an. ecosystem where I actually don't think. that there there is that much exposure. to the truth. And so in a there's. there's a world in which I don't even um.

I don't lean on those people who've been. subjected to right-wing media that much. because I think that they're the victims. of what right-wing media is seeking to. do, which is just to manipulate people. and and and shove down their throats in. alternate reality that only exists in. that bubble. And we saw thanks to Fox's. Dominion lawsuit, that $787 million. settlement that happened between Fox. News and Dominion Voting Systems, we. know that these that these Fox. officials, these right-wing media.

figures, they know better and they're. hiding the truth from their own viewers. because it's part of their political. project. But they know the truth. They. know that the 2020 election wasn't. stolen. We have it right there in black. and white. We know what their text. messages said, but they have to lie to. these people because they are trying to. convey uh uh a political ideology onto. onto their viewers that they're trying. to manipulate these people. So, I don't. hold it against them. And in fact, I. spend a lot of my time trying to. persuade people who by by, you know, the.

grace of God, thanks to the algorithm, end up on my on my page. I I'll I'll. lean in heavily on Republican officials, but I'm pretty cleareyed about the fact. that I think in large part the people. who are subjected to this miss and. disinformation are the victims of that. miss and disinformation. So my job, what. I view my job as is, is trying to reach. people and and offer um as much of an. olive olive uh branch as I can to people. who've who've been manipulated. Just a. quick.

>> uh a quick one quick answer because. >> Oh, and and real quick, my my thoughts. on on the midterms. I'm bullish on the. midterms. I think Democrats retake the. House and I think they win the Senate. [applause]. >> And look, I you know, I I I could be. wrong. I I also thought that Hillary. Clinton was going to win the election. And uh so maybe I'm not the best uh. maybe I'm not the best predictor of. things, but but look, I I think it's. going to be increasingly difficult for a. Republican party that swore up and down.

that they were going to lower costs, that they were going to avoid foreign. wars, that they were going to release. the Epstein files, that they were going. to get inflation under control, that. they were going to focus on grocery. prices and housing prices and rent. prices and the cost of an egg. They went. so granular on economic populism that. they were talking about the price of a. egg. now seeing all of those. problems not only not get fixed but. actually get exacerbated and there be no. Democrats in office in the House, the. Senate or the White House or the Supreme. Court to to to in majorities to gum up.

the works. It's just unbridled, unapologetic Republican governance. It's. going to be really difficult for these. people to claim that it's the Democrat's. fault. This is what Republican. governance looks like. And I think that. that is going to be uh this election. coming up is going to be a referendum on. exactly that. Um, [applause]. do you remember anyone remember. Schoolhouse Rock? >> So when you're saying that I'm going, how I hope and pray that they will, but. today I am still just a bill. I hope.

that it happens. I am cautiously. optimistic. But what I will tell you for. someone who's been on this planet a lot. longer than you, it could probably be. your father, is that um power doesn't. seed power that easily. And what from. what I see now, what this administration. is doing, that they will do anything. to remain in power. If that means firing. everybody around them, if that means uh. forcing um uh subpoenas and whatever it. is that that they can to get the voting.

roles and boxes from foresight county, if that means declaring saying even. though it means nothing that Waro and. Assaf are not senators, that they're. going to do it. There's one thing that. you didn't mention that I think is um. really important and that is very. strong. Well, two things. One is that. people do not give up being the. preeminent voice and around MAGA there's. a lot of racism. and so they're not going to give up.

because they don't want the blacks and. the Latinos and even the women to be in. charge. So they will fight tooth and. nail. That is one of the strongest. motivators in America is white supremacy. and also religious nationalism. >> Yeah. >> And so we are in a point right now where. people are being controlled and they're. saying, "Oh, God doesn't do this and. look at look at what Pete Hexath is. doing at the Defense Department." And so. I hope that it happens, but I've been. around for a I've been doing this for.

over 30 years and I'm just I'm just. nervous about what I'm seeing. >> Yeah. And and and look, I think it's I. think it's fair and healthy to be. nervous about what's happening right. now. There's a few things that give me. hope. I mean, we have, as I said before, the courts that have largely held up um. even Trump appointed justices um judges. uh in district courts and appellet. courts uh continuously rule against him. Uh we've seen, for example, that the DOJ. has sued 31 different states to get the. voter roles. And right now, the DOJ is 0.

and5 in those cases. And those cases, [applause]. those cases are in large part being. litigated by uh by my buddy Mark Elias. and his firm. And huge round of. applause. He wrote the forward for this. book and I'm I'm really proud to have. his name on the forward of this book. And uh and and he runs uh a he he also. runs a great 501c3. Um I know that folks. are often asking uh what's a good place. to donate to. Um there's obviously.

candidates across the country, but um I. I'm donating portion a portion of the. proceeds from every single book sold in. the pre-order period to a 501c3 that. Mark runs called the free election fund. And [applause] the free election fund. when there's all this litigation, there's 80 84 cases right now that Mark. Elias's law firm is litigating. And so. when we see these cases where, you know, a firm suit uh uh uh defends in a. lawsuit that the DOJ brought against a. certain state and another lawsuit,

another lawsuit, another lawsuit, um the. free election fund is what is what funds. those actual lawsuits. So, so I believe. deeply in in the work that they do. Something else that gives me hope, I. mean, we have seen an explosion of of. voices on on the left in the. pro-democracy ecosystem. I'm really. proud to be joined on the stage by by. Don tonight with [applause] the the. great work that he does. Um. um and you know, I I know that we we. kind of flippantly talked about the the. fact that that we've both kind of fallen.

in the crosshairs, you in in large part. much more than me, but of this. administration. And and I know that that. that's you know, look, that is not a an. easy thing to contend with and uh it's. not a cheap thing to contend with. And. uh and I'm sure not even from the legal. side, but also, you know, having Trump. sick his minions on you is not easy to. contend with either and the privacy that. it that it requires and the security. measures that it requires. So, um you. know, you are an inspiration in terms of.

how you've been able to to continue to. speak out even in light of of a a. federal government that is that is. wielding its tools against you as a. private citizen. I think that you. deserve a lot of credit for for the the. the cool the grace that you have. >> [applause]. >> that gives me hope. Um, but more broadly. in this ecosystem, I think that, you. know, as we see an explosion of voices, I started a a a 501c4 called Chorus. where we um basically create an. infrastructure for prodemocracy content. creators on the left. And so we have.

almost 170 content creators who I speak. to every single day who have a combined. audience of 200 million people. anything. that we can do to elevate to to build up. this ecosystem as fast as possible to. make sure that we achieve uh some degree. of of parody and I think in large part. we have for the first time and and this. is the last thing I'll say in terms of. of what gives me hope we we have started. to see um we have started to see that. the only narratives that are prevailing. are not just right-wing narratives where.

Democrats are swatting back some bogus. talking point and then we're. desperately saying oh actually We're. going to fact check this. We're going to. fact check this. And by the time we fact. check it, they've moved on to the next. thing, next pizzate conspiracy theory or. or vaccines or have microchips from Bill. Gates, whatever it is, we're just. constantly for for my entire career in. politics, it feels like we're just. swatting back disinformation that is. just uh emerging on the right and it. becomes the prevailing narrative. Now, for the first time, if something is. happening uh that that is critical of.

this administration, we're seeing that. become the prevailing narrative. We saw. uh we we see the extent to which Epstein. has broken through and and the cover up. that this administration is engaging in. We're seeing the fact that this war that. Trump promised would never happen is. happening anyway in opposition in stark. defiance to what he himself promised. We're seeing the extent to which prices. are rising. Even though Trump tries to. claim every single day that we're the. hottest economy in the world, it's. getting harder for people. They're not. able to own the narrative like they've. been able to own the narrative in the.

past. And I think that's owed in large. part to the fact that we have more. voices in this ecosystem and people are. getting smarter about how they get their. news. And so, you know, in this uh in. that's that's why I do what I do. I'm. sure that's why you do what you do, too. You know, people ask me, why don't you. run for office? Um I mean, I'm a I'm a. masochist, but not that much of a. massochist. Why don't you run for. office? And I think that the the most. important um the most important frontier. in politics today is the media. And we. can see the extent to which the media. can manipulate people. And I've and I.

know that everybody in this room has. people in their lives who've been. manipulated by what they've heard online. or who've spent too much time on. Facebook and their brains get broken. And and I think it's a huge problem. And. so, you know, I've I've dedicated my. career into into making sure that we can. counter some of that. And and ultimately. what I would like to see is to make sure. that we have dominance in this space. and and it does give me hope that for. the first time we're able to to win the. narrative like like I haven't seen. before. >> Thank you, Brian. Thank [applause] thank.

you very much for your kind words. And I. will say this is my this last question. is from Don L. I've never been jealous. of anyone before. Where did you get that. head of hair? [laughter]. [cheering]. >> [applause]. >> You know, it it it could have been I was. real nervous about this hair because uh. Jews are not known for uh for like uh. you know, it it's not easy. It's not. easy to control. It's not easy to. control hair when when when you're a. Jewish kid. So, uh I'll just I'll just.

leave it at that. Don. >> Brian Tyler Cohen, everybody, thank you. [cheering]. >> Thank you. [applause] And and let me. just say one more thing. Let me say one. more thing for everybody uh who's here. I know that there are a million reasons. to to to have to give up in an. environment like this because it's not. just that we are made that we that we. feel despair because of what's going on, but I think that despair is is. engineered. I think they want us to feel. despair. They want to to drop a. cavalcade, a a bomb of just bad news on.

a daily basis so that we ultimately just. get throw our hands up and and give up. And I think that that to see whether it. is millions of people taking to the. streets with these no kings protests on. on a monthly basis or whether we're able. to fill up a room of people in an off. year um of people who give a about. politics who are paying attention. against all odds. That is really the. thing that gives me the most hope in. this moment. So, thank you all for being. here. Um we appreciate. [applause and cheering] it. Thank you to.

the staff at uh at the 92nd Street Y and. uh and thank you all for coming out. >> [applause]. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you everybody.