Joe Rogan Experience #2222 - John Fetterman

Joe Rogan podcast check it out The Joe. Rogan Experience Train by day Joe Rogan. podcast by night all. day all right man we rollan what's. happening nice to meet you oh hey man. it's so it's awesome to be here man. really yeah like I got to say hi to my. my son is just so thrilled he's like you. know he's 15 and he literally freaked. out D like oh my God it all and all of. his friends are going to definitely be. watching too yeah what's his name Carl. with a K and I I met a I met a Carl in.

the lobby but uh it's a c but uh that's. a not a human a non-human Carl yeah well. what's up human Carl yeah um so first of. all are you the only guy that figured. out that you don't have to wear suits. when you're a. senator uh yeah no it's it's uh I'm. sorry what was that say I said are you. the only guy that figured out that you. don't have to wear suits as a senator oh. okay yeah no I well I I know it might it. seems strange but it's like uh I mean.

I'm a I'm a I'm a bigger guy and and I. don't really can't afford custom anyway. and I hate I'm claustrophobic and I hate. them being in that kind of and uh. I've always dressed like like and. you know and and I know and and then. that whole thing kind of got away uh of. hus um people assumed that there was a. dress code issue there yeah and I'm like. no I wasn't behind that behind that but. of course everybody pointed at the at. the dude that dresses like a slob and.

and and then the whole the whole nation. just had like a meltdown like oh my God. the Senate's on fire because uh I dress. like a slob uh but but my life is just. much better in DC that unless that I'm. going to be on the floor that I'm not. going to be you're never going to see me. in a suit and uh I think that's a more. authentic kind of way that I live and I. don't judge anybody on how they dress or. those things uh I I just dress this way. and there's also practical issues as. well too like I have I have Chopstick.

legs and I have no ass and I can't keep. pants. up and and hoodies and hoodies it's like. I don't have to iron that you know. so it it's just like easy it's comfort. and it's like I just feel like that's I. mean and if somebody judge me and people. have said that uh but it's like I'd. rather have somebody know and I I. promise you a lot of people and dudes. especially in Western Pennsylvania love. to wear suits all year I mean uh excuse. me shorts all year uh and dressed like.

that but to me it's about comfort and. practical well I mean it makes sense the. the. whole dress code thing of wearing suits. and you're you're more serious because. you have certain clothing on it seems. pretty. silly sorry what's that are you so let's. let's tell everybody what's going on. with your iPad so because you had a. stroke you have difficulty do you have. difficulty hearing or well no I can hear. just I can hear just perfectly right now.

uh and uh but uh there's just the one. kind of a lingering issue there's a. lingering issue um and sometimes I lose. just a couple steps on time and then now. after that that's the only thing and. thankfully the stroke never touched my. intellect things uh uh but the but the. stroke nearly killed me and again I. don't uh but I use captioning in. situations just like this uh in. interviews that's so that's why I can I. can really make sure exactly what's.

being said uh then I can able just. participate if somebody wears the. glasses it doesn't mean that they're. illiterate it just means they just. that's a tool that allows them to. participate or drive or those things and. it's that same thing and a lot of people. across America use captioning to watch. movies and TV and that's really no. different than that so it doesn't affect. your intellect but it does affect your. hearing is that what's going on uh no I. I can hear and I can listen to music the. difference with music for example is is.

that as long as there's muscle memory I. I can I can remember all those kinds of. music things but it seems unlikely at. this point that it's uh they not going. to be any kind of new new favorites. emerging like that because so you. essentially only can listen to the same. old music forever yeah no it's yeah it's. yeah I I mean uh all of the all the. classics like you know Metallica. Motorhead motohead uh the cult all those. kinds of things like I haven't lost any. of you know the deaf DEA LEP and those.

things well and I I saw the the uh the. record of whiter excuse me White Snake. um but all those things yeah I know I. mean I mean I I think we're both in the. 50s right and you know we grew up with. with the with the crew and and all those. kinds of things so um some some people. might Judge Me based on my my taste on. music but I mean uh that's that's kind. of where it's listen people are going to. judge you no matter what you're a big. giant guy wears hoodies and you're a. senator like so like no matter what. they're going to judge you who cares but.

I'm just trying to like understand like. what what is going on with the. captioning because you you can hear but. so there's some sort of a disconnect. between hearing. and understanding like what is it yeah I. wouldn't say it's necessarily disconnect. it's just it's it's just about being. precise on that just to make sure that. so if you know like for an interview. just to make make sure those things uh. so it's really just about captioning uh. just really it's just a tool difference.

I mean for this this is like my my eyes. uh in the sense for glasses that just. understand so it just gives you a little. bit more Precision in what you're saying. yeah and understanding what what was it. like running for Senator right after. recovering from a stroke that had to be. a nightmare yeah I I don't recommend. that I I I I don't recommend that cuz. you seem to have recovered quite a bit. since then oh yeah no during that time. you were really struggling and oh sure.

AB absolutely like uh it was uh it was a. it was a rough uh conversation after. that um uh they they brought me into the. hospital and then I I went under and. then I I woke up uh and they said they. uh they said hey we got it we got it we. got the clot the the clot that that. essentially just but killed me and I'm. like oh that's good.

uh and then just kind of went back under. and uh at that point I had no idea where. we were at on those things uh and then I. had um the next morning I woke up and. then they uh a doctor came on and he had. kind of a a grim kind of a look on his. face and things and my dad was there. sitting next to me at the bed and I was. like well hey Doc I mean what's uh what. things what do you think what do you. like uh and he's like well um you know.

your your your heart is functioning at. an incredibly low kinds of percentage um. and uh and I'm like well um uh well what. do you what do you think and and he was. like well uh you know I mean there's. some ISS issues and I'm like well are we. talking you know may a year a year kind. of thing and and. like uh and I'm like um and this is all. while you were running for Senate uh.

yeah yeah this was this was after this. was after this was after this was uh 3. days before the primary oh my God yeah I. was on my I was on my way to an event. and and my wife Jazelle she she's like. you're you're having a stroke because uh. they had that classic kinds of uh where. you know half of my face I didn't know. that but it kind of just you just. slumped yeah and and and then they. hotlin me over to the hospital and I. wouldn't I wouldn't have survived if we.

were in a different I mean there's parts. of Pennsylvania and that's a that's part. of the tragic that uh if I wasn't close. to the the kinds of hospital that I was. uh it's 100% that I wouldn't have. survived that wow and it got me there in. enough time and they were able to there. was an expert there and and I I actually. had I I met that doctor that's that. literally saved my life uh and I'm like. oh my God uh and he usually wasn't based. in that hospital he was usually out of.

Delaware but he happened to be there and. and that uh and he was here to to give. me an an award for you know you know. being that kind of a an advocate for. those things I'm like no the you you. deserve you deserve the award on that. and and uh that's incredibly lucky yeah. and and then um and then I I asked uh. really looking for like a countdown of. like well what's the prognosis and and I. really there wasn't much there on that. and I had to like uh was I going to sur.

survive for long or you know what's that. going to look and then of course um the. entire majority on the Senate really was. on the middle of that and that's a big. responsibility after that and then uh so. the the primary it happened and I. actually had a a very strong win and I. won all of 67 counties uh Pennsylvania. had 67 counties and we carried every. County pH Philadelphia Pittsburgh and.

all across Pennsylvania uh but at that. point I had a responsibility it's like. am I able to recover or where kind of. when I'm am I going to be okay and I. wouldn't recommend being in that in that. situation but I I made a commitment uh. more than anything I was more worried. about being being around to be a dad I. mean I have three I have three young. kids and my my wife you know she lived.

through all of this so at that at that. point. um it it started I was in the hospital. for about 10 days and yeah and I start. to get better and better that the. strength started to come back a little. bit but I it was still rough and it was. very very clear though that I had a. capacity to it's been impaired on on. hearing and those kinds of interaction. and those things uh so but but but. that's the thing but but I had to decide. de Side by August 15th and that's.

actually that's my birthday ironically. that uh if I I step down uh by then or. before then they're going to have to. find somebody to replace me on the. primary and that was going to be my drop. uh my Dropout day on that so what was. the operation how did they do it how did. they remove the. clot uh uh well it it's uh I it's I mean. I had to originally I had to go back to. I have to learn how to how to talk and.

speak you know I went to a speech. therapist and have interaction and those. kinds of things uh and my hearing and. those kinds of things were still. impacted by that and they had to monitor. my heart because it was it effectively. stopped I found out after the fact that. it actually stopped and then uh that my. heart had to recover so there was two. kinds of things working there you know. my my heart and then right before the.

primary they walked in and they said. Well here here's what I suggest here's. what I suggest now we are going to put a. pacemaker we're going to put in a. pacemaker and uh and we're like hey. that's that's the best thing so they. they put that device right here and for. anyone if you're not really with that is. a pacemaker but that that uh that. manages your heart you know because I. had a significant issue with aib and and. that's really what what did that to my. heart and uh they put that in and then.

uh that was that was um that was right. before the primary and they put me under. and I I uh so what year was. this uh uh uh uh this was uh 22 2022 and. before you had this stroke had you ever. had any issues before with clotting or. anything like was this like a not with. clotting not with clotting you know my I. have for good re for good things and for. for bad things my heart was just like my.

father's you know and he had an issue. with apib and he was in the hospital for. so it's a genetic yeah a genetic and uh. uh but I didn't I it was never an idea. it was never an idea that uh I was going. to even having a stroke that that wasn't. part of the at least my thinking I I. knew that I was in distress you know I. could tell that my heart was was was was. in problem and I was just going to get. through this primary I mean there's a. lot running on that uh and then that's.

that it didn't work out because the. stroke hit three days before and and. then that forced me uh and that put me. on an incredibly different kind of a of. a path after that and so where do they. go in when they're removing the clot did. they have to cut your skull open like. how did they get it out of there uh they. went up they went up uh uh in your vein. in your leg and they went up and it's. just it's a remarkable technology that. through your leg all the way to your. brain and they just sucked it out and. they they they actually had uh an x-y an.

x-ray or whatever and you could say hey. we got it out and I actually got to see. uh although I really was still kind of. out of it but that was the clot that. that Alba took took my life and uh so I. I mean there there were a lot things. there you know suddenly your you know. mortality was kind of like put right. there in front of it yeah on and through. that um do they have any idea what. caused the clot is there they understand. like what happened to you I'm always my.

grandmother uh had an aneurysm and uh it. was horrible situation they didn't find. her um for several hours uh afterwards. my grandfather came home and she wasn't. in the house and then he found her in. the backyard she had collapsed and they. gave her 72 hours to live and she lived. for 12 years like that it was horrible. my grandfather had to take care of her. it was it was really really rough so I'm. always like really concerned with that.

kind of stuff like I don't like what. causes. it do they. know yeah well. it's I I I mean I had for the first time. in my life and I hope it's the last time. that I'm uh confronted by this idea that. the the doctors weren't able to provide. any kinds of certainty or it's like oh. yeah man you're going to be okay or. things are going to be okay that that. wasn't uh so they don't know what caused. it well I mean it it was a fib and and.

and my heart weakened and the stress of. the of the primary and on the ongoing. kinds of issues uh it was already. weakened about that issue earlier and. everything kind of came together and my. I guess my heart deteriorated to the. point where that that caused uh the clot. and then that the clot that's what. nearly took my took my. life so then you have to go to work so. now you are an elected Senator and you.

have to go to work in the middle of. recovery yeah it's uh I I I think. uh I I mean it it's it's so diff it's uh. I had a significant. responsibility uh uh to to to stay in. that and and winning through all those. things uh and that's that was uh that. was difficult enough um. it was an important conversation and we.

had to run a campaign we had to run a. campaign uh when I was it was difficult. uh and I wasn't working at the kind of. capacity that was necessary uh and. that's uh we had to run up to the uh the. 15th of August to decide if we're going. to stay in that because there's a lot. writing on that and you were also. competing against Dr Oz which was weird. you know this guy who's a celebrity. Doctor Who's.

at least a little shady uh no it it's uh. it it necessarily was the the yeah I I. think uh I you know we were talking. about captioning earlier right now and I. uh I I think we're having an issue with. some of the the the captioning right now. here is it not showing up uh yeah there. I think there's a there's a little bit. of a delay well maybe it's the way I. said Shady yeah he's a little shady like. he he had been in trouble for talking. about miracle diet remedies that weren't.

Miracles at all and he I believe he got. brought in front of Congress so it was a. little odd that that guy was running for. Senate at all was he from. Pennsylvania yeah well Dr Dr o yeah I I. think I think from a technology I think. we have to address the the cap it. messing up right now yeah I I think the. captioning uh the captioning is running. a little bit behind on here so can we. make some technological stop and have. her fix it yeah okay we'll have her come. fix it yeah okay we'll pause here ladies.

and gentlemen we'll be right back yeah I. think we're I think we are I think we're. good to go we yeah we put this on the. Wi-Fi so and it's it's working great all. right we're back so what I was just. saying that it was odd that you were. running against Dr Oz and he was just. kind of Dr Oz yeah I mean Dr yeah and. and he's uh he used to be you know. people used to thought he was like. really brilliant I mean he was like he. was like an amazing kind of surgeon uh. celebrity and then he turned his career. into like on TV and then he started to.

pitch more kinds of questionable kinds. of things and kind of kind of. stuff uh and I I don't understand why. somebody would would change uh his. reputation I mean he was really revered. in in that uh and I was I wouldn't even. be I would have been comfortable to him. operate on me uh but uh but he kind of. lost that and what was also pretty funny. is that he clearly he lived in New. Jersey and so we were like hey we we. need to use that and point out that so.

uh we just we decided early on that. we're going to just like hey you know it. matters it's like I mean there's nothing. wrong with living on New Jersey but it. there probably is an issue if you're. running for for the Senate so and and I. really have like an ethos is that I'm uh. I'm not ever going to be mean and I'm. not going to be personal about that so. we tried to have a lot of fun with the. fact that he lives in New Jersey and we. just really uh just kept hitting him. hitting him and I we had snooky did like. a Cameo saying gee Mt good luck uh you.

know I know it's things are going rough. now but you're going to be able to come. back to New Jersey and and that got. viral and we did a lot of those viral. kinds of of moments um and you know they. have this thing where they have what's. really penetrated and you know they have. circles on things like what what's. really part of like people asking about. Dr Oz and one of the zeros the O's was. he's weird but the biggest one New. Jersey I mean literally New Jersey was. that was the biggest one yeah like. Pennsylvania new Jersey even though. they're neighbors they do have a bit of.

a rivalry uh yeah well of course and you. know people have to understand that it's. like it's like that funny thing and I. mean it it borders with with. Pennsylvania and and that that it really. matters it matters that and of course Dr. Oz was uh he was strange uh in some. sense and we always tried to have fun. with making fun of him are you a fan are. you fan of The Simpsons yeah yeah but we. we matched up perfectly with Dr Nick you. know Dr Nick Dr Oz and we found all the.

the weird that Dr Nick would say. and then they have a clip of Dr Oz. saying those kinds of thing and and then. and then that's that's where it was and. we had a lot of fun with that and things. we we all figured out well um we have we. essentially we chose to kind of empty. the clip uh metaphorically and really. start hitting him you know we went up on. TV throughout the summer and he was. really put on his back uh and he was. essentially thinking he could kind of. take take the the summer off and then.

our polling we got up about 10 11 points. and and things you know if anyone's. listening ever heard of the 538 you know. they they track on those those races and. the highest percentage we had to win was. I think about 84% and things kept wining. great really really uh great and then I. had to decide on my birthday on August. 15th and things were going so well and I. thought things I'm like okay uh then we. decided to stay on that race uh and. that's and that's what we did uh and.

then you know post Labor Day when and oh. my gosh uh we just got uh we got nuked. in in a way that uh it's never been uh. experienced that before and then how so. what do you mean oh uh a100. million of paid media to destroy you I. mean just tear you apart every aspect of. your life hundred million dollars they. spent uh $100 million for a job that.

pays how much oh yeah oh just oh it CES. from from pxs from Dr us Dr us put in 20. I think $28 million how crazy is that. because like what is Senate what does it. pay being a. senator uh you pay being a senator yeah. it's it's. $174,000. yeah can I talk about this I I don't. understand why you know some incredibly. wealthy dudes will spend tens and tens. of millions of dollars just to to to.

take that and I I try to uh tell people. there's no glamour here I just talked. about that in a an interview do you. think he wanted to become president and. this was like a step to being president. I guess everybody wants the Iron Throne. I I get but it's it's it's really uh and. but it also it's a different it's a. different kinds of uh skills uh and it. it really doesn't transfer over very. well on that but right now in in. Pennsylvania right now now uh David. McCormick a Connecticut man Connecticut.

man he's running in Pennsylvania and he. lives in Connecticut and he's incredibly. wealthy I think he's worth three or $400. million and he's spending the same race. in Wisconsin they're dropping crazy and. and really like that's an important. conversation that the real problem in. American politics for me is is uh. citizens uh United and unlimited. money uh when when they decided that. money is speech and now that turns the.

whole thing in an incredibly damaging uh. right now there's been at least more. than half a billion dollars half a. billion dollars on the table in. Pennsylvania just for president not not. not just not just uh the Senate races. and other house States and and I was the. most at least at that point was the most. expensive Senate race in history and. they it was over 300 uh $330 million uh. for for that one seat and all of those.

dollars they're spent to destroy and. tear you apart and then uh Fox News I. was their top top Target for four months. and social media and I I stayed out of. that I I I didn't enjoy but uh social. media all the conservative influencers. everything uh and it just tore me apart. and at that point at the end of. September um it it was uh I mean I I. couldn't get away from it and uh it.

really it's like until you've had aund. million to to destroy you it's it's a. it's a Next Level kind of thing and then. everyone was they were saying well he's. a vegetable you know he's a or. he's lost his his brain and all kinds of. things and then that wasn't true uh but. but the kinds of terrible things and. those kinds of very personal things and. it just got incredibly ugly uh in a way. yeah that has got to be a terrible.

experience to to realize that there's so. much money being spent just to attack. you and that you're you're a part of. this very very large and corrupt machine. that's going after you just because they. want to control the state and it's a. giant swing state of course and yeah the. Senate the whole Senate the whole Senate. was uh in fact uh we we actually we fli. that seat and that's the first time I. think in the 40s or 50s that we've had. two Democratic senators in Pennsylvania.

usually it's been a a Dem and a. Republican and now uh because we flip. that seat that's it's mathematically. it's possible to to retain the majority. in the Senate but it's going to be still. fairly diff difficult because we have. Montana very very red State obviously. and and that's really what the. Republicans have put a significant bet. to make sure that they can flip Montana. and then if Montana Falls then they're. going to keep the the major or they're. going to get the majority unless there's. like a really surprise one but uh that.

it may be more kind of difficult do you. think that money. is the the biggest problem in American. politics this ability to spend insane. amounts of money yeah I mean just. imagine if you were a movie studio and. you're putting out a you're you're going. to put out a movie and a rival Studio. has a hundred million to tell America. that movie sucks you know that's. and it's crazy and it's it's it's it's. just there's always going to be.

unlimited money because it's all about. the control of the senate or the house. or the the presidency and when when. money is is uh Speech it's going to be. unlimited and and where what what. happens it's like well that's TV and on. on social and it's going to be how can I. destroy and break this this individual. and that's where it is and it gets. incredibly personal. and it has it has an impact I mean that. certainly it has for me and until we.

have unlimited money it's going to get. you know more and more mean personal and. expensive and if you look at the billion. you know billions of dollars that's. spent how what we could have done for. our society the kinds of reals that we. could build and other things uh if we. didn't spend all those money to tear. each other apart yeah it's very strange. and it sets a terrible tone for the rest. of the country it because it the these. races even though when they're over.

people go back to a certain level of. Civility it's already of been. established that this is on the table. these personal attacks this evil vicious. propaganda taking things out of context. conflating people's words yeah no you. you you have you know you take any a. quote take it out of context clip that. put $10 million behind that and. that's in front of you know millions of. eyeballs right there spontaneously on.

that and it just it's directly right at. you and there's it's it's unlimited. money I mean you know when you look back. on this race it's like you are going to. be stunned just how much money is put in. that how crazy Those ads are and just. you can't get away from it like Montana. Montana has I think six or 700,000 votes. voters and they've dropped a quarter of. a billion dollars I I don't know how you. could even spend a quarter of a billion. dollarss in Montana it's like if you.

have $100,000 in cash you have to pay. that in going to a McDonald's I don't. know how they do that but I promise you. everybody in Pennsylvania or in any. other these kinds of contested States. they just can't get away from that. and at this point they just stop paying. attention to it it's it just it's like. it's it's noise it's toxic kinds of. noise and it does it sets a tone for the. whole country that we're willing to. engage in this way oh yeah no it's like.

that's the thing it it it turns. everything into a night fce or or or. worse and it it is about trying to. destroy that person and to to convince. other people that you are the worst. thing in the world you're you're a. Marxist you're a communist or you're. just all kinds of things and it's it's. the lowest lowest denominator and if you. really want to fix American politics I. mean there's there are issues but I. promise you if you removed that that.

would be a dramatic kinds of thing and. we all have to play that game some of us. like myself I I got a lot more of my. money from small dollar donations like. like Bernie Bernie I know he's been on. the show Bernie but then other ones it's. like everyone chases the bigger the. bigger checks it's undeniable there too. and it's so disingenuous and there's. packs and there's other kinds of. organizations one way or another it's. just it's just the way to funnel tens of. million dollars to just tear someone. apart what was your background before.

you got into. politics I was a social I was a social. worker uh and I I I came to a very u a. very deeply broken and fractioned uh. fractor uh community and I actually. started helping young men and women get. their uh geds and just kind of getting. their lives back on track in that sense. uh and then that's why I uh I did that. for several several years and then I. decided I wanted to run for mayor and. mayor of a of a small of a of a small.

town and uh we had problems with uh. inequality uh in a community that had. 90% uh of the population uh abandoned. the community and left and if anyone's. aware of the US steel I mean I live. right now across the street from that. iconic steel mill I mean that's really. that that used to be America's Silicon. Valley like about half of the world's. steel used to be manufactured there. uh but now so much has changed uh and.

then I ran for mayor and a small town. mayor and and then that turned into well. I decided like the kinds of issues that. were meaningful to me and the personal. kinds of experiences I I just thought. hey I want to project my kinds of. experiences and my values and I started. uh to I ran for I ran for the first time. in 2016 I ran for the Senate I mean it's. pretty kind of strange that you have a. small town mayor running for the United. States Senate and uh but I mean we had.

no money I mean zero zero money on that. but we just we' had a really like. Grassroots kind of a thing and we got. out across Pennsylvania and we know we. came up a little short but we we pulled. in 20% of the of the votes which that. was pretty pretty people thought that. was pretty remarkable and I carried my. home county which is alagan that's the. second largest and that really kind of. set the stage uh to run for lieutenant. governor a a couple years later after. 2016 but 2016 though that was where.

America met Donald Trump and and I was I. was early you know uh turning the alarm. off saying hey we have to be concerned. here like you know Trump has connected. with people uh in ways uh that it's like. we have to be concerned and I'll never. forget it was June in 2016 and I was a I. was a I was a surrogate for uh for. Clinton and and Trump announced I'm. showing up in a town called messen. messen which is a small uh steel town in.

the valley down from from ours and I'm. like why the why is he showing up in I. mean that's not that like so either he's. crazy or they've they've plugged into. something and like I have to see that so. I tried to get into that just to kind of. see what was going on but they they. recognized me and they said yeah get the. out you're hard to hide yeah and and so. but but there like they figured out that. they have to connect and to make that. kind of an argument to go to these kind.

of places and it it it it did it. resonated and you started to see a lot. of the signs and a lot of the energy and. it's like hey you know there's there's a. there's a problem uh and the the Clinton. campaign everybody assumed that she was. going to you know run away with it yeah. and and they made they made the the. mistake of just showing up in. Philadelphia Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh and assume that they were. going to be okay but but a lot had. slipped and now the margins Trump.

created uh margins that were unheard uh. like you know we refer to them as Romney. margins so in other words you have red. counties and Romney would they would. cover those by about 60 to. 65% and Trump did he created 80s 80s we. were losing 8020 8020 and like well yeah. that's a small County but yeah you. multiply that by 57 57 other counties. and that's how they scale up and that's.

how he won and he won by 45,000 votes. and that's why he captured the blue wall. and that made him president and here we. are right now that the the blue wall is. they're both fighting on the the blue. wall and the blue wall is Pennsylvania. Wisconsin and. Michigan when when you were. running during 2016 what were you trying. to accomplish like what what did you. want to do that you felt like you could.

uniquely provide a service for uh well. it wasn't I just think it was just. different I'm like hey I was running I. was running for about forgot forgotten. places people where Americas turned. their backs on them and talking about. those those kinds of important issues. like uh living wage um abandoning uh the. industrial parts of of America you know. some people watching uh what what things. have been left behind behind in places. like bradock it's like uh it's.

astonishing 90% of people left and 90%. of the buildings are gone and that whole. region has just been uh just uh thrown. thrown away uh so I just wanted I didn't. you know there was a path I mean there. were two other people uh in the. primary uh and I thought I could maybe. split I could split the other two and. just sneak by and get 33% plus one extra. vote but I I came up a little short. because I had no money because it's. always going to be about money uh and.

then uh Katie McGinty she won but she. lost and and then that that was that. same cycle and then uh and that the same. year that that Trump. won and so since you've been in since. you've gotten into the Senate what. meaningful change have you been able to. accomplish there well I again you're. you're a freshman and you know my. colleague and one that was was just here. Senator Vance I mean we were both in the.

same cycle we both ran in 22 so we' both. there for less than two years and you. it's really based on seniority and it's. just kind of like hey get on the end of. that line you know uh so you are a. freshman and it's you know your. influences you know at least uh in the. institution are are limited in some. sense but if you have a bigger platform. and I did and I try to have those kinds. of impacts and having those. conversations but my my first couple uh.

first half of that first year uh that. was a little took a different uh detour. because you know I I was dealing with uh. with depression I was with depression. and I realized that I was in a in a bad. place uh so so having that uh having to. make those kind of choices and I signed. myself in to Walter Reed to get help. because the depression and and U so I I. think uh it's an important conversation. and I knew I I thought at that time it.

could be politically could be difficult. uh but I thought it was important and. and now if that cost me something. politically I'm okay uh so that's why. I'm continuing so how the impact I've. had I never fully expected that that. voice would would break through and I'm. I'm in contact with people constantly. saying thank you for for talking about. this um I chose to get help um or I I. chose not to to uh follow that path on. self harm and uh so I've had active.

conversations with member of Congress or. fathers with with younger kids and. they're like hey can you please talk and. I and I do that I'm happy to talk to. anybody and and so that's a way I've had. an impact through through all of that. and also my voice through uh after what. happened on 107th uh you know October 7. uh and I've decided I was going to be a. very consistent voice uh for for Israel. through that so that's why kind of like. the platform but in terms of if anyone's. being honest whether it was Senator.

Vance or any kinds of freshman Senators. it's very limited because otherwise. there's people that have been there for. 25 30 years they're the ones that are be. the chairman and if you're a minority. party you have incredibly limited kinds. of ability to to to move an. agenda so the depression thing I think. it's very important that you talked. about that I think uh transparency is. something that people really appreciate. uh so many people suffer from depression.

it's such a normal part of being a human. being and for a guy like you who's a. senator who's already gone through being. attacked already gone through all these. horrible things that they said about you. are you recovering from a stroke it. takes a lot of courage to to come out. and discuss that I think it's really. important I'm I'm really glad you did it. well I don't well thank you but I don't. think it was really courage it's like I. only had a choice but it is courage. because you know you're going to be. publicly attacked and it's a vulnerable.

point but I think it's not because I. think so many people suffer from it I. think there's courage and coming out and. and talking about it openly and. realizing that people are going to use. as an attack vector and saying you know. what this is important to talk about. this is important to acknowledge and to. to show people that you can recover from. something like that well originally I. was just going to talk about. depression and and there's a paradox you. know you might be a place in your life.

that that you've actually kind of won. but the depression lies to you and it. convinces you that you've lost and my. depression got far more worse after I. won and and then it it was a it was a. downward spiral and then if you don't if. you don't check your depression then you. go down a dangerous slop about self harm. and I started to have I got to to to. occupy that kind of a dark place and um.

and that's when I realized that I have a. choice it's like if I don't address this. uh then um I I had I had an emergency. break you know I it's like I I have to. stop I have to stop I have to and that. was my kids I'm like I I I'm like I. cannot be I can't be the example and. when you're going to be get older in. life and you're going to have those. kinds of challenge well hey Dad decided. to to leave oh that must be the right. thing and I'm like I will I cannot allow. myself to be uh the example for that so.

I I stayed in the game and and I was. able to get help and and I got much. better so like for me it's like I. originally didn't want to talk about. self har because that's definitely. that's definitely not a great political. winner right but I I was like I have to. be answered uh excuse me I have to be. honor about that and and honest and uh. and people that really resonated with. people I was I think the first person I. was the first politician especially at. at that level talking about self harm. and you know if people are that are.

suffering people that I mean you have a. huge a huge audience I'm willing to bet. plenty of them are suffering from that. or looking through those kinds of is. doubt no doubt yeah and and uh I you. know I promise people whatever your path. whatever your path is for Recovery uh. and I'm not an expert but if you promise. yourself to stay in that game stay in. that game that you already you know. you're almost guaranteed to get better. because I promise you it will get better. and I was at the point where I was.

really you know in a very dark place and. uh I stayed in that game and I am. staying in front of front of you right. now and having this conversation and uh. so that's what I try to tell everybody. whether they're listening today or in. other times when I've had that uh it's. it's an honest conversation but it is a. red and blue conversation and it's a. rural and urban or Suburban conversation. it's men or women or even younger kids. I've had conversations with teenagers.

you know with their parents and they've. even tried to take their lives and I. can't think of anything much more tragic. than especially a young person taking. their lives over some of the things that. that um and and I never thought that. that voice would would penetrate but it. did and that's why I'm willing to have. that conversation well it's apparently. it's very common for people that undergo. major surgery to uh have depression. afterwards and there's a a bunch of.

physiological reasons for that they. believe my friend Dr Mark Gordon who's. done a lot of work on traumatic brain. injuries and uh depression amongst. athletes and soldiers he did a lot of. research on that and one of one of the. things that they found was that people. that undergo uh like a long period of. anesthesia and either heart surgery or. any kind of major surgery there's a. disruption of your endocrine system. after afterwards that leads people to be. just weary and broken down and I could.

imagine that along with the senate race. and all the other chaos and all the. stresses involved with that it plays a. significant factor well I'm sure it must. have been a a factor um I I discovered. that I had I had two friends um they're. roughly my age and they had young kids. and uh they took they took their lives. and they were both in the in the media. and both one was worked for an. incredibly Elite organization and.

another one had a really strong position. one had a a heart attack and the other. one had a stroke years earlier and I. found out and and I wish I could have. talked to them and I did talk to to to. them but uh it doesn't mean they were. weak or that they gave up it it's just I. got lucky and I I found my emergency. break and and and if you have any kinds. of study on people and and self harm. there was an individual he jumped off. the Golden Gate and he survived and.

immediately after he says uh as he. crossed over the rail and he I want to. live I want to live what have I done. it's like I've made a terrible mistake. and you hit you hit the water going 75. miles an hour and it's it's very against. chance of surviving but he did and now. he became obsessed with this idea and he. he looked out for everyone that survived. and about 45 people out of 00 people. that have jumped over they survived and.

it was unanimously people immediately. like oh my God I want to live I want to. live I want to live and not one single. person thought well I wish I was more. successful uh so like that's I I try to. put that forward and I can't imagine how. difficult because uh they had children. the same age mind and trying to explain. to a 10-year-old uh son like why did. daddy leave. and uh those are dark conversations and.

uh uh so uh it's not about weakness it's. about trying to get away from that. people that are suffering from. depression if to if anyone's been there. it's like your your mind is on fire and. you just want to get away from that I. just please I need relief from that kind. of a thing and every now and then you. have like kind of like the eye of the. hurricane or you finally thought maybe. things could get better but it it it. Roars back in and it's like you get to.

back to that very dark place and and I. just you know I just tell everybody I'm. beg I'm begging you stay in that game I. promise you it can get better and the. the depression is lying to you it is. absolutely lying to you and uh is but. don't make the kind of choice that you. can't come back from I have a friend who. uh jumped off the bridge died that way. yeah it's uh it's a terrible just a a. terrible thing to find out and you you. always feel like you could have talked.

to them you could have helped you always. feel like you I didn't know I didn't. know he was suffering and then I found. out that he died a few days later and it. was just. like it just leaves you feeling so. lost it's such a terrible way to go too. that bridge God how many people like. what you say how many people have jumped. off that bridge the Golden Gate I I. think that they they referenc about over. 1,800 people. uh and a small small tiny survived uh.

and and really being faced that idea. that you're not going to come back it's. it's like spontaneously Curative like oh. my God I want to live I want to live I. want to live like it's it's it was. unanimous about uh and and that's such. an important kinds of re research that. that that he did um and it it's like and. again like that's my message it has to. be very simple stay in that game it it's. like you you can't do this you can't do. this and you need support uh yeah yeah.

you need support whatever that is and. some people have different kinds of. resources I mean I would want that for. everybody the resources that I had and. that's not fair it's not fair um and it. it I got lucky it's not because I'm like. I'm so much stronger or or better it's. like no no I just got lucky on that and. I promise you you're not going to regret. staying in the game and you can get. better and that is probably I think in.

my uh my opinion that's about 75% of of. getting back better what have you done. to to help what has helped. you uh my my. family that that's that's really what. like every every person needs to have. like uh that eer I call that like an. emergency break it's like you know you. are you're out of control you know. you're having that the darkest. conversation you'll have with yourself. and you have to have some something to.

stop that otherwise it's you're going to. go over the edge and and everyone needs. to have that whatever that is whether. it's your family whether it's your wife. or your husband or whether it is uh uh. or this that there has to be some it has. to get better it's going to get better. you know that's why I say stay on the. game and I'm not an expert I'm not. trained in that but when people reach. out to me and say well I feel like this. and and I'm like hey it's like you know.

help works I promise you it will get. better and I can't guarantee what your. path will be but what I can say is that. stay in that game and you were going to. find your way on that path and you're. never going to regret it's like oh you. know be uh it's it. just the the finality the finality of. that uh and you're some things you can. make a bad choice and you know well that. might set you back in life but but.

that's the that's the one CH the one. choice you can't come back from and you. will leave people in your life that. they'll never understand or you wish you. could reach back and you could let them. know uh and it stay away from that kind. of Blackness because uh you're I promise. you you would regret uh and and if you. can't come back so what what has helped. you counsel. medication like what what did what are. the things that got you back on track.

other than just your family I. uh the election uh and everything I was. convinced that I've lost. everything uh I had you know it was. difficult to to fully speak and my my. kids they got pulled into the social. media kinds of uh invective and um. uh it's like I've I've destroyed my my.

health I've I've and now. I've against you know odds I I won and. now am I going to be able to do this job. and and you. know would I have been better off uh if. if I didn't survive uh and I got to that. that kind of a a dark place but um and. then I just had this like that. spontaneous where it's like. uh uh my kids it's like like no I love.

you like oh my gosh it's like like when. they were visiting uh I didn't want them. to visit me at Walter Reed like I was. like why would they want to be around. this you know right uh but they they did. and it it was like this kind of. spontaneous kinds of love and and it it. it just was like a shot and it's just. like I can come back I can come back I I. thought it's like why would they want. this me a mess back uh and and and then. you know just working through a lot of. those things and and other kinds of.

techniques and things it was like but. that was probably the single most. transformative event where it's like I. realize that I can come back to my life. otherwise it's like I thought I've lost. everything would I be able to even do my. job and it's like do I even have a. career I mean I'm talking about uh like. uh that was a significant national uh. story when after I signed myself in and. that pulled my kids in through that I. mean this idea and after we announced.

that we're signing in and there were. news trucks outside their house and and. they had they had the trauma of thinking. that Dad could have lost after the. stroke and now he is it's just it's they. it's put them through so much and that's. why I was convinced that they probably. don't want me around and then I made the. I made the stupid mistake of I I I went. on social media and things I'm like and. just I read some of that I mean.

it's just it's just oh my God millions. and millions of views in videos and it's. just like you know going after my family. and it's saying that you know uh you. know hey he's a vegetable he's you know. he's a and uh you know sling. sling blade all kinds of things and it. wasn't it wasn't the individual kinds of. insults it was the volume and just how. WID Sprint it was and I'm like who jumps. online to go after a a a stranger that's.

never really done anything to you. personally well I think it's not just. individuals I think it's targeted I. think there's a lot of that stuffff. especially when there's something that. is significant as a senate seat and I. think there's yeah well I mean it's like. if I have aund if I have a100 million to. convince you that you're a terrible. person and you're the worst thing ever. and that that that inspires a lot of. people and they hey that's the mission. it's like he clearly he must be those.

things and you know we're now there. there is no there's no tap out there is. no tap out it's like even after we won. after I won in some sense it actually. accelerated right it's not the the war. is not over it's just begun no oh no no. and the the second the second you step. into that kind of Arena on the federal. level for for like a a senate uh seat if. if it's like a purple State like. Pennsylvania you know I promise you. there will be tens and tens of millions. of dollars and their mission is to turn.

you into the worst thing in the world. and whoever survives that's the one. that's going to be in that seat and I. still will never understand why someone. uh you know independently wealthy kinds. of people will spend you know incredible. amounts of money and and I Tred people. I'm like there's no glamour here like I. like I'm in a 500 square foot apartment. and I'm like here with my phone I'm like. hey GrubHub what's said tonight mm and. then it's like I'm like I watch you know.

TV on Netflix and things and I I ask I. ask uh my colleagues I'm like hey is. there kind of secret society like you. know like you know crazy parties or you. know sitting around with cigars and you. know you know all this and they're like. well well no I I kind of have the same. version of of that that's the perception. though right the perception yeah the. perception is we invited into a club. yeah now you control the world yeah that. we all have kinds of dialogue on West. Wing you know like talking like you know.

kinds of turn you know uh and really. it's it's just like and and I describe. that as a lot of it's just bad it's just. bad performance art yeah yeah thanks. that's usually what it it is it's just. bad performance art and some people like. if you're if you're in a safe in a safe. state or a safe seat you and especially. if you have the resources and they're. incredibly wealthy people uh they buy a. a house and they move their life there. so you're able to kind of things but uh.

like I don't have those resources and. I'm in a very very the ultimate purple. and so I spend more than 50% of my time. away and I miss my kids it's it's it's. rough uh for for that I mean I signed up. for that uh but I I promise you there's. no glamour uh in that well there's. certainly no glamour if you're honest. but I think there's a lot of people that. look to uh certain members of the.

government that have jobs that pay 150. $170,000 a year but somehow or another. acquire hundreds of millions of dollars. over the course of their career usually. through some kind of insider. trading uh well yeah of course I mean uh. I I don't own any of those stocks or. anything and definitely like if if you. have any kinds of impact or you know. that there's something s is coming I. mean yeah like it's like you you need. how is that legal uh it's well no we we.

should have the kind of legislation to. make sure that you're not like if you. are on Congress you shouldn't have any. kinds of stocks because you are going to. be passing kinds of laws etc etc that. you you know you have to separate that. there they really shouldn't be a part of. that kinds of a thing and um I mean know. I'm all out I'm open um all of us we. have to have our our our wealth and our. you know all that there and I and if I'm. not the the the the the poorest uh I.

have probably the the bottom five and. you know other people there are worth. hundreds of millions of dollars uh so. you know we can't have that situation. where you know if you're going to be. involved on those kinds of legislation. that you can't be enriched by those. kinds of and and there has to be some. kind of influence that seems simple that. seems like Lo logical like most people. would agree to that yeah there's a lot. of there's a lot of iner. it's the same thing I I think if any one. of us we're being honest uh money is.

destroying our democracy and and that. that's that some people that might sound. trite or it's a cliche but it's it's. 100% though I most people who are. objective would agree with you it it it. I promise you it is it is absolute it is. a scourge of American democracy and. money is King and what's that money for. that money is for tearing you apart and. that creates more more and more kinds of. incivility and cruelty and then now when.

I went through when I was in graduate. school for that stuff I mean there was. no social media and there wasn't all you. know there wasn't podcasts there wasn't. all kinds of things uh so that made it. more difficult but but now there's all. of those things and and social media is. an accelerate uh and count you know just. unlimited money and that has what you. know like I'm sure you you know you're. you're an athlete and you if you've. heard that NFL players it's like wait. would you want your son to play and.

sometimes say well no I wouldn't want. that for my son uh and and it's like I'm. relieved that uh my oldest is like he. has no interest in being in politics and. that so uh it's I I can't imagine it's. going to get better until you know we. address this idea that unlimited money. is. unlimited uh attack and it's un an. unlimited cruelty and Hyperbole and just. all kinds of poisoning the the will that.

you know half of us are going to hate. your guts and the other half that's my. team yeah so well I I strongly feel that. the internet should remain the way it is. in terms of people being able to post on. social media anonymously if they so. choose but the problem with that is it. can be captured by money and it can be. captured by the these enormous groups. that have bot Farms whether it's uh.

State actors whether it's other. countries other nations that are doing. that to try to attack our our system and. to try to promote certain narratives or. whether it's our own country itself. doing it because I think we do it too. and I think that PS do it and it's just. people hook themselves up it's like you. you self- select your cocoon yes you. know and like uh I'm a big fan of Apple. news. and it's like 13 bucks a month and and. but I read everything across the.

Spectrum you know very very left and. very very right in between and and I. think it's really I think that's your. responsibility especially if you're an. elected leader uh to to be challenged to. challenge yourself on the ideas and it's. like clearly one side doesn't have all. the answers and the other side can't be. 100% wrong and and it's just like being. challenging and living or taking in. other kinds of perspectives uh I think. that's a responsibility cuz otherwise if.

you only just cocoon yourself into and. it's just it turns into one gigantic. circle jerk and and that's why it just. turns people to just kind of dig in and. it's like hey you know the the problem. is them and we have to well it's a. problem with human beings in general is. that we tend to be very tribal and we. tend to commit to an ideology whether. comfortable it's comfortable sure. especially when you're in an echo. chamber everyone's agreeing with you you. get social credit from saying the things.

that these people all agree with and you. you feed off that but it's when it's. being captured by it's not just these. people exchanging ideas it's also a. bunch of people that are manipulating. people's ideas you know I don't know if. you've ever paid attention to like uh. Renee desta's work with the uh internet. research agency what what what they what. they uncovered what what they were doing. was using this was like during the 2016. election using social media and it was a.

lot of Russian troll farms and troll. farms in other countries it's it's it's. possible but but but but to be honest I. I that that election wasn't turned on I. think Russian in interference I I'm not. I I what what happened in 2016 was Trump. you know he plugged into like kinds of a. of an energy or you know like it was. just like kind of looking uh to to make. that kind of a a connection there well. he's a legitimate Outsider this is the. appeal the appeal is that people think.

that this system is completely rigged. and it's captured by money and special. interests and enormous corporations and. that here's a guy who's outside of this. system completely and the evidence of. that is how the system turned against. him and how you got to see people on. television every night talking about. Russia gate talking about how he's a. puppet of Putin talking about the steel. dossier a talking about all these. different things that turned out to not. be true and it it further I never bought.

I never bought into some of that kind of. a stuff because if anyone that spent any. time on the ground in one of those. States it's like it's very clear that. wasn't because of some some small kinds. of tweets and things like whatever uh. it's it's it's it's undeniable and and. also. uh remember like he was uh you know the. Republican party was like hey this is a. joke and I remember Jeb Jeb Bush you.

know and he W he had like 100 or two2. 200 million and and he just went by he. ticked him off uh and and even then. people thought he was going to win but. uh he did but but remember though. overall though that was 75,000 votes. that's a mathematical like uh you know I. mean think of that 100 160 million votes. 75,000 spread across three large States. including my own. that transformed uh American politics.

and in the world as well and it just. came down to 75,000 voters in those. three states and that that's kind of. where that's where we're. at yeah it's um it's an extraordinary. time in that regard right I mean it's. well I mean if Uncharted Territory well. I I I referen a movie if you like a. bullworth I remember that movie. bullworth and you know it was Warren. Beauty and he was a a senator and he. kind of have like a breakdown and he. started saying provocative things he.

used to get up in front of his audience. and and kind of like uh like that Gaff. of of accidentally speak you know. telling the truth yeah and um it was. kind of like it was an absurd I mean. when I was in grad school that was like. put up as like well that I mean people. enjoyed that and now that became a term. in politics saying oh we uh in even uh. President Obama was like hey we all want. to secretly Go full bull full bull worth. mhm and but but that's what really he. channeled in where he would say uh you.

know it's kind of like he projects kind. of like well I don't give a and. just say all those kinds of a thing and. and people have responded to those kinds. of things and and there you know a lot. of people they that that's the that's. the bug but you have to understand that. that for enough people that's the. feature yeah and and that's kind of what. they want and and whatever that is it it. describes uh. uh a brand that you know it's it's not I. don't admire that but you still have to.

kind of uh Marvel at at at the level to. say crazy kinds of things that that it. you I'm well I guess maybe we're both. old enough to remember when uh George in. the George Bush uh Al Gore he is like. God this guy and that moved the poles. people were like he rolled his eyes at. Bush you know like things and like you. know like it used to be much more stayed. and now think of what's been said now. and all of the stuff and and I don't.

think people aren't paying attention. some of the uh whatever the latest. outrage. is yeah it's um I think one of your. appeals is that you speak like a normal. human being you speak like a person who. actually cares about these issues and. you seemingly speak from the heart you. don't seem polished which is a good. thing and I think people I wish I wish I. was more handsome you know I don't think.

I don't think that's good oh no no I I. know it's like I'm honest yeah I'm. honest I I think I'm in I'm in touch. with you know what I'm limited I wasn't. blessed with model looks and uh but it's. not looks it's the Polish of speaking. like a congressman like a senator like a. presidential candidate but it's this. kind of way of communicating. that's inauthentic that even though it's. effective even though it's polished and. smooth people never get a sense of who.

that person is as a human being Trump is. not polished he's not polished in that. sense but you get a sense of who he is. as a human being that doesn't seem to be. a veil there doesn't seem to be this. this disconnect between a human being. and the thoughts you might not agree. with him you might think he's crass or. rude but at least you know that he's the. guy that's talking these are his. thoughts and you people trust that way. more than they trust someone who's you.

know polished but full of yeah no. it's it's that Scarface it's like you. know word and balls you know I'm not. going you know and that's you you're. losing politically if you're telling. people to not believe what their eyes. are seeing right you know like these. kinds of issues and and it's like I'm. not going to lie or I'm not going to tow. a line if I don't if I don't believe if. I don't believe in that that uh so um. but in terms of of the the conversation.

um I I I think it's like it's it's all. I've got and uh and it's not because I. don't care it's actually I'm very. committed and I really do care but but I. think people are you know like I think. authenticity that's the that's the last. that's really that's one of the last uh. meaningful currency in this shitty. business uh so I was having a. conversation this morning with a friend. of mine and we were talking about voter. ID and and he was shocked that you don't. need voter ID in I believe it's 15.

states 15 states require no. ID uh 20 I think it's 24 or 25 states. require ID but only I think 11 of them. require you to have photo ID this is a. weird one in this election that I've. tried tried to look. at as objectively as possible and I. can't see any reason why you would not.

need ID to vote unless you wanted people. to vote that aren't qualified to vote. yeah well I mean uh like honest honestly. I would I would like to remind everybody. and it's it's not like a talking point. it's actually it's in a fact that voter. fraud is incredibly incredibly rare it's. really hard to to to um to to get away. with that successful. and in 2020 that's scale you mean uh. yeah it's not scalable yeah it's like I.

mean um it's like and usually it's it's. kind of local kinds of communities and. people they either know that person or. it's it's not it it it's never going to. be organized in a point where you can. pack you can pack uh a box or you can't. determine that that kind of a thing it's. it's just that you know after election. election election it it's just never. been you know in 2020 out of uh over. millions of votes in 2020 in. Pennsylvania there were five or six you.

know ones and what happened is that that. they they turned out to be uh the. Republicans and they used their deceased. their their dead moms you know to to. vote for Trump through that and and that. that was that was documented and they. were all they were all they they were uh. uh caught they were charged they were. convicted and all those votes that would. have been six votes out of all of it so. it think that that's the only voter. fraud that exists well people also we. need to remind that you know the the the.

voter database their cross checks. against deaths and you know who's moved. or what's their status are like oh like. you know all that's cross checked back. and forth back and forth back and forth. so it's it's it's a living kinds of. thing where it's continually updated and. all of those kinds of things and it it. self checks and remember also in 2020. you know Trump there was like way. there's there's cheating there's all. these things are happening and remember. there's probably 57 58 red counties and.

all of those Commissioners that are in. charge of that they were like hey no. there was none there was none and even. in Georgia even in Georgia uh Governor. Kemp Governor Kemp uh like hey you know. Georgia you know it was very close but. it was it was honest there was no there. was no kinds of fraud in that and that's. that's a republican but other. than making things a little bit easier. to cheat what would be the logic behind. not having voter ID like what I I've.

tried to look at this as objectively as. possible I can't find any reason why you. would not require someone to be able to. prove that they're the person they say. they are when they're putting in their. ballots it's it's not a hill that I'm. saying I we have to die on that too. again uh but but it's a vulnerability. clearly right well well it it's also. there some people may not believe that. uh in in a lot of these kinds of. communities you know ones that I that I. live in um for some people they they're.

not going to they don't they don't have. an IDE necessarily or they've lost it or. whatever and you know like but you need. one to get a driver's license you need. one to get a. c yeah they would have to get an ID or. it it costs x amount of dollars um or. those kinds of a thing it's it's a. barrier and it usually tends to skew. more towards people that are you know. coming from those kinds of communities. and the Republicans understand that. they're usually going to they're going. to skew towards Democratic voters.

through that uh and uh so that that's. kind of the argument uh on that and. there's never been any evidence that. there is widespread kinds of of uh voter. fraud uh and that's but we really didn't. have widespread mail-in ballots to the. extent that it was done in 2020 we. really didn't have that before all of. those were all of those were you know. those five or six you know dead moms. that were voting uh those were all those. were all U well actually one one guy one.

guy went in he voted you know and then. he went up to his car and he put on. sunglasses in a bob cap and he walked in. he's like hi hello I'm here to vote and. the guy's like you were just here what. are you. doing and then they called the police uh. and and then it's like yeah he was. trying to double vote and did you uh see. the story about the Chinese uh National. who was arrested because uh he voted and. then uh he tried to get his ballot back. and that's how they they caught him it's. possible yeah yeah this is thing that.

just happened and unfortunately once. he's voted even though he was not. eligible to vote his vote is going to. count um Texas removed some I mean. there's lawsuits about it but Texas. removed somewhere in the neighborhood of. a million people that uh were ineligible. to vote that could have been voting well. but everybody knows who's voting and. who's not voting on that and then that's. why you mean you mean by everybody knows. well and and and remember also too uh. Dominion you know people uh on on on the.

Trump side they all said that that. dominions was corrupt and and then they. and that cost Fox uh $800 million they. had to pay $800 million about defamation. for saying that there was it was rigged. or if it's not and there was no evidence. uh and they had to just acknowledge that. that this was the honest thing so but. Dominion is a it's a computer program. right it's a it's a computer like that's. what you doing you're doing electronic. voting yeah that that was that was a. system that that you know mostly and.

often it was red states that were using. those do you remember well that that is. true because do you remember the. documentary hacking democracy did you. ever see. that again there's always going to be. people that are going to try to to have. an influence on that right but did you. see that documentary it was about the. the Republicans doing it I I I haven't. seen that documentary it a documentary. during the Bush Administration and one. that they they showed that the diebold. machines um and diebold was a. significant contributor I believe to the. Republican party they showed in the.

documentary that you could use a third-. party input to change the results and. they they actually proved it in the. documentary and people were pointing to. this is oh my God the Republicans are. cheating and the Republicans have used. this to try to rig the election for. George Bush was an HBO documentary I'm. not accusing I I've never accused the. Republicans uh like well for in 2016. no I'm not I'm not saying you did what. I'm trying to say is that this is not a.

a thing that's only been leveled against. the the the Democrats using it this is. not like an accusation that only applies. to Democrats in the past the similar. accusation was applied to Republicans. yeah well I mean I I I think we can all. agree that we need to have a sec just. like our border we need a secure border. and we need an absolutely secure voting. voting system as well too I mean that. that should never be considered uh. controversial to that and in in 2016 u a.

lot of Democrats were were outrage that. that that we lost but but I never. claimed that there was you know the the. Republicans cheated or do all those. kinds of things uh and it's like you. know the problem the problem for. accusing that there was voter fraud is. is that if you don't like the the. outcome right you know so and I have. never witnessed a rep a u an ction if if. they've won that they claimed well there. might be you know we we might cheated.

yeah no we're not cheating so that so I. think that's that's kind of that's I. think that's kind of the underlying uh. TR truth about that and and of course uh. you know I I think I was first Democrats. saying hey though we need a secure. border we you know it's a significant. issue and if I thought there was any. kinds of issues and I've been very. Vigilant throughout I've been actively. involved in those kinds of things and. I've never witnessed those kinds of a. thing what do you mean by issues like. what kind of issues you're talking about. you're talking about people letting.

people in in order to get. votes uh well I I it's not there's not. that level kinds I don't think there's. that level kinds of organization but. there is an organization that's moving. these people to swing States there's a. significant number of these people that. are illegal immigrants that have made. their way to swing States and then. there's been calls for amnesty there's. been calls for allowing these people to. have a pathway to citizenship and allow.

them to vote the fear that a lot of. people have is that this is a. coordinated effort to take these people. that you're allowing to come into the. country then you're providing them with. all sorts of services like food stamps. and housing and setting them up and then. providing a pathway to amnesty and then. you would have voters that would be. significantly voting towards W the. Democrats because they're the people. that enabled them to come into the. country in the first place first place. and provided them with those services.

this is a big fear that people have and. that you're rigging this system and that. this will turn all these states into. essentially locked blue like California. is well I I you know it's what. immigration is always going to be a. tough issue in our nation you know I I. had as a professor uh in grad school uh. Alan Alan Simpson and he uh was uh he. was a United States Senator he was.

Wyoming uh and he was he was he was. actually a proo uh Choice Republican I. mean how rare that would be well it. doesn't exist now and he said you are. never going to have any meaningful. immigration kinds of legislation he's. like because both side that's useful for. them and it's going to be back and forth. back and forth and he said that 25 years. ago useful meaning the debate having it. always. some political useful for one side or. the other it's it's useful and he he he.

said I they were never going to be and. he said that in 1999 and I was I I voted. for for the Border deal and that and. that went down and and that's I mean he. said that 25 years ago and that was. absolutely true now that that that they. had an opportunity to do a comprehensive. border uh bipartisan and that went down. because Trump um he he declared that. that that's that's a bad deal after it. was negotiated with with the other side. but was didn't that deal also involve.

amnesty and didn't that deal also. involve a significant number of illegal. aliens being allowed into the country. every year I think it was 2 million. people so it was still the same sort of. situation and their fear is exactly what. I talked about that these people will be. moved to swing States and that that will. be used to essentially rig those States. and turn them blue. forever uh well I I'm not I'm not really. sure if that's that's what what's what's. in play I I think it's really like it's.

important that we have to have an an. honest conversation but doesn't that. seem logical though if you have a. significant number of people that are. being moved into swing states that have. come across the border illegally and. then you've provided them with all these. Services you provided them with food. stamps EBT youve provided them with. housing you could if you gave those. people amnesty and allowed those people. to vote and it was very organized you're. talking about 75,000 votes over a few. counties that switched everything over. to the Republicans you could see how you.

import 10 million people over the course. of four years illegally and then move a. significant number of them to swing. States and then provide them with all. these services and then give them a path. to citizenship you could essentially rig. those States undeniably immigration is. changing our nation I mean I haven't. spent a lot of time in Texas but it's. very clear that that immigration has has. remade Texas and I think it's generally. it's it's for for a good thing and like. my wife my wife's Brazilian and she was.

uh she was her family was undocumented. uh and she was 7 years old when she was. brought here and and I and I'm the big. pro pro immigration guy that there was. but it's also has to be true that we. need a secure border and we have to work. this out because we are pretending that. you have millions and millions of people. you know living in the shadow and they. are here and we have to work together. and figure out a way to get forward. because they're here and it seems.

incredibly a difficult kind of logistics. thing and I think it's it's also. unamerican to to to round everybody up. and who in the vast majority of them are. just living legal uh lives and doing a. lot of the jobs that other people here. would never do I think we can agree on. that well JD Vance actually talked about. that the other day when he was here he. was explaining how there are CEOs of. large corporations that want these. people to come across because they need. cheap labor and the way to get cheap.

labor is have people that are illegals. working for less than what would be our. minimum wage well I I'm not aware I mean. minimum wage really it's it's I think. it's it's most incredibly difficult and. and violent kind of jobs like you know. like and and that's like that's you know. meat jobs that a lot of people don't a. lot of those those are kind of really. rough processing Construction very you. know rough rough and this is the thing. that's been said about Springfield Ohio. that these Haitians that have moved to.

Springfield Ohio there people are. complaining about them but the people. that have employed these people of. saying listen these people are taking. jobs that other people that lived in. this community don't want they work very. hard and they're very happy that they. have this Pathway to be in America now I. think most people that come here come. here because they want a better life for. their families and America is. essentially a country that was founded. by immigration I'm I'm a grandchild of. immigrants my I'm here because of. immigration this we all were imigrant. this is an immigrant country essentially.

yeah and and it's like I it's again and. and like uh the the the Haitians the. Haitians you know that they're. referencing in Ohio in Springfield I. mean they're not eating dogs they're not. eating pets and those kinds of things. now it's reasonable I mean I've said the. same thing that we have to have a secure. border but it didn't even apply to to. that situation that was all a legal. situation that was amn amnes excuse me. um and that's because Haiti was was it. was uh it was terrible yeah a terrible. situation ter situation uh and and to me.

they were doing those jobs and and. Republicans you know even the the the. Republican governor was saying like. these are good workers and this is not. the problem they aren't eating. geese and and it's just like you can be. very pro pro border like I am or you can. be very you know strict on immigration. but you don't have to demonize or or try. to turn a group of of people in that. they're eating your dog well I think. they eating ducks and eating look I'm. sure some people have done that you know.

you know why I know that because some. people do that in places that are just. Americans ducks are edible and some. people want to eat a duck and it's just. like you're not going to stop it but. that's not the major problem that people. face so this is the pro side of it right. the pro side of it is you give a pathway. to people that are from very unfortunate. circumstances and I think we would both. agree that if we were living in those. countries and there was a pathway to. citizenship in the United States all you. had to do is make it across the border. we would both do it if it was better for.

our families it was better for our. future if we were living in a place that. had no hope and no future and all you. had to do is make it to America and and. you could work we would all do it I. would do it you would do it I bet. everybody listening to this would do it. if they found themselves in that. circumstance that's the best aspect of. it the best aspect of it is good people. that are ambitious that want a better. life which is how this country was. founded the worst aspect of it is. Venezuelan gangs that are taking over. apartment buildings in Aurora Colorado.

and San Antonio Texas that's the worst. aspect of it is that they're letting in. gang members Venezuela's emptied out. their prisons and essentially according. to the president marel Boat Lift you. know the whole right what happened in. Cuba yeah the same kind of deal emptying. out their prisons and instructing these. people to make it to America this is a. significant problem with the open border. yeah and that's why we need a secure. border and there's also and it that all. of this is about a truth is that America.

is a beacon for to the world millions of. people the the de demand to become a. citizen here or to participate in our. amazing Society the demand outstrips the. the space there and we're there we're. already the very pro-immigration uh we. we allow more kinds of a path more than. any other nations in the world on that. and people are willing to die and they. put themselves at risk just to kind of. get here to be a wor this about here so. America isn't the problem America is. America is is one of the Great Hopes in.

the world and that's why so many people. want to come be a part of that and and. that's why it have to have an effective. border and it's like if you know we had. a real issue here and we wanted to. address that and that's why you know my. my former Professor uh said that you're. never going to have the kind of a deal. because it is useful for both sides to. weaponize that and to demonize one side. or turn the other thing in there because. it's a serious important issue um it's a. political talking point that's they're.

always going to use that's what you're. saying yeah it's it's useful I mean it's. it's we it's it's Weapon It's weaponized. uh and that's why you have to have an an. honest conversation that's the thing. I've always you know I I I re I was. reaching out saying that was referred to. hr1 and that that was like kind of like. the dream kind of immigration law coming. out of the house and I was like hey if. that border deal goes down then it's. like hey we should continue to have that. conversation you know we you know it's. like they parts of they Parts but the. what's contradictory is that say if.

you're coming from Canada or Europe and. you're a highly skilled uh college. educated person who wants to live in. America and become a United States. citizen the path to citizenship is. incredibly difficult it's hard you have. to go up for review you have to show. that you're doing something that. Americans can't do you have to be a. person of significant Talent OR ability. there's something about you that we want. you in here yet if you just make it.

across the border and walk in people. want to give you amnesty and they want. to allow you a path to citizenship. quickly without any of those Hoops you. don't have to take tests you don't have. to go up for review not only that but. once you get here once you apply for. amnesty there's a significant weight. period where you're allowed to maintain. your residence in this country it's. between seven and sometimes longer years. yeah we we have to figure out what's. what's the way that's kind of crazy. though isn't it but the fact is we have.

we have an issue we have millions of. people here and you know the vast. majority of them are are living legal. kinds of lives and of course what would. you do if you were the president let's. imagine president Federman has to deal. with this issue you want to address the. American people what do you think should. be done again having that I would have. the same conversation to to the Congress. and to the American people like I'm. having right now as well too like I you. know I think it's two things can be true. at the same time you can be very. pro-immigration I wouldn't have the the.

beautiful family that I have if it. wasn't for you know challenges and. issues with immigration uh but then we. have to figure out a way that we can. marry a s a successful way that we can. we can combine you know I think I I. personally I do think immigration is is. really one of our our secret weapons I. think that's what makes America so so. strong I agree with you yeah I do that's. made ambitious people want a better life. I mean that's literally how we're. founded and that's what be do you see. people trying to to to to live illegally.

in India or Russia you don't see people. trying take Nations like that I mean. that's I mean it's it's in some sense. it's it's in a weird way it's like kind. of a kind of a it's a significant but a. good problem to have because we have. we're such an amazing Nation throughout. that agreed but if I'm if I'm president. Federman I'm like hey we got to figure. this out we got to figure this out I'm. not going I'm not going to demonize I'm. not going to demonize the Republicans. and say that you're phobic or I mean the. second you start calling somebody oh. you're zop phobic you're it's like well. then the conversation is going to shut.

down uh and I'm saying I I it's like for. a serious conversation requires serious. people and the second the second and. that's when you talk about unlimited. money and it's like suddenly you're like. I mean I had I had gigantic billboard. saying fetterman equals you know open. borders and fet you know like it's just. like you know I get turned into you know. like a Marxist yeah yeah just that's all. these kinds of things and it's just like. and of course that was never true and.

then when I had the opportunity because. you know as I'm a senator and we have. that kinds of legislation in front of me. I'm like yes we need to have a serious. ones and now people like were shocked. they're like oh wait a minute I thought. they told us that he was all like Border. in opening up and whatever and it's just. not true well that's the problem with. people building a fake narrative around. your actual opinions and I think people. have been shocked by you and we've. actually talked about on the podcast. over the last couple years you say very. reasonable things very reasonable honest. things.

yeah that's the thing and it's rare for. politicians I I'm I'm eager to talk to. to anyone and it's like I like I I mean. I was thrilled to be here and I've I've. been a longtime fan of yours and and. it's like these are the kinds of um you. know like we parts of times we've become. too fragile you like oh they're not. allowed to talk about those things. they're not allowed to have these kinds. of conversation I I never understood why. that uh that that's that's really a. problem but uh but it's like when people.

discover it's like well hey he seems to. be kind of reasonable or may I disagree. with some things but he's not what a. hundred million you know train me to. think that that's what true about right. the propaganda so like what do you think. could be done if you were president. Federman let's bring it back to that. what would you do about the Border like. how do you secure the Border but also. allow a pathway for people to pursue. their hopes and dreams in the United. States yeah I I would I would have you.

know for me I would have start with the. hr2 and there are elements that are are. they're just not palatable to uh there. are members of my colleagues that you. know that they come from you know more. more deep blue States and that becomes. it's un appell to some people uh. uh so how do you secure the Border how. would that be done uh well I I I mean it. it's it just uh it's got to have it h. you know the the best border deal is is.

the is the only one that can pass and. and if you you know to you know hr2 hr2. was described as like kind of like you. know I I joke I called that the the only. fans list of what Republicans went for. for immigration the only fans wish list. you know they're kind of like this is. what we all want you know but you know. it's like the only fans this is what. this is what we want um and that was. that was never going to you mean by that. uh that was never going to pass that was. never going to pass um and that that was. like what every Republicans on the house.

you know the hard the hardliners that. that that's what it was and they passed. it because in this cycle the Republicans. have the majority in the house and now. they they put that up and that's never. going to pass in the Senate because we. have control and then that kind of got. uh sidelined and then when everything. kind of came together and that was the. aid deal uh that was for Ukraine for. Israel and for. China and then uh and then the.

Republicans tied the border to to. passing that and and there were some. people that were frustrated saying hey. no no that's that's that's that's that's. one of the more frustrating things about. bills is that you can take a bill about. an issue say energy or whatever. immigration and attach a bunch of other. stuff like support for foreign aid. support for specific Wars or whatever it. is you could throw a bunch of stuff in. there that really shouldn't be in there.

and then you have these that are 2,000. pages long and no one's really reading. them I I thought well I thought it was. reasonable I thought it was reasonable. to have that conversation I'm like yeah. let's have that conversation I mean. because for me it was about security um. and for that Aid that Aid uh bill that. was uh for me and I think that was that. was our global war on Democracy right. you know whether it's Ukraine or whether. it's Israel and and China and clearly. what their intent for China is on Taiwan. and and all that's coming and and that's.

really what's under assault it's. undeniable that de democracy is under. under attack and that's why I'm like hey. we got to stand and we got to push back. against that and now now and like hey we. need to have a secure border so let's. put everything together and we reached. that we we actually reached that and and. it took months it literally took months. but give me your utopian version of it. like let's assume that you could just. get this p asked what would you do what. would you do to secure the Border but. also provide a pathway to people that.

want a better life it's only going to. have to be a negotiating way that's. palatable to both sides I understand. that but what would you do if you knew. you could just get something through. without this negotiation what do you. think could be done what's the best. version of it what's the utopian version. for John fedman well again I I think. eventually if you are living your best. lives and you're following the law and. you're you know and you really just. showed up because hey I have no path for.

uh for for a life that I would want for. my kids you know it's like and then. that's that to me that's very American. and remember what's in this in the. what's inside the the Statue of Liberty. it's like send us you know our our tired. huddled masses too they it wasn't just. hey send in the phds and the you know. and those kinds of things I mean that's. what really made our nation and you know. the steel industry the steel industry. you know in my part of the state that. came from it was European it was all. kinds of immigrants they all came in.

they couldn't build the houses fast. enough and that was all uh foreign labor. and they a lot of them were sacrificed. because it was an incredibly dangerous. business uh in the steel industry and. and that that built our nation and that. became part of our society and that's. really every every kinds of wave you. know and that and and to me America has. to be open and a path for anyone that's. are playing by the rules because the the. group that you're from or the part of.

you all started the same kind of a. process it's inevitable that that's. that's the the enduring truth and that's. what made America special and then made. us uh make us strong I agree with you so. but what could physically be done to. secure the Border I mean the wall was. sort of dismissed during the Trump. Administration but it was also discussed. during the Obama Administration even. Bill Clinton talked about the importance. of having secure borders what could be. done physically to secure the. Border yeah well again because that it's.

like uh that that becomes that becomes. like a third rail we can't talk about. this or but let's just I understand that. politically but let's just assume that. that's not an issue what would you want. to. do what it's like I would want to make. sure that we first we have to. acknowledge the truth it's like. immigration has been an issue because. America is amazing country and they're. coming from broken countries where. they've all recognized that there's not. a meaningful path for them to have a.

quality of life and they're willing to. risk their lives and sometimes they even. drown and it's like I can't imagine. turning turning like could you imagine. turning your children over to a coyote. and you know they're going to you know. go like like if you're trying to leave. imagine I like hey in in Pennsylvania. it's like walking to North Carolina with. your kids on your back I mean it's like. these are desperate kinds of situ. and it wasn't an invasion in that sense. it was just people wanting to have a. part of the American dream and.

acknowledging where that's at and it. needs to have a path otherwise you're. going to have to round up and that's not. realistic and there's not the resources. and and that's going to be incredibly. disruptive and it's going to be damaging. economically as as well too so how do. you provide a pathway while all Amic. with in my respect how do you provide a. pathway while also securing the Border. well we well to to me I think we can uh. you know chew gum and and walk at the.

same time on this and it's not going to. be perfect it's going to be messy and. it's not going to be uh uh right but. what would that look like uh whether. there's a where's actually a barrier or. you know hiring you know thousands and. thousands of more agents and whatever. that it takes on that and and it's like. the best border deal in that situation. is the best one that can that can be. that can pass because because otherwise. I I you know like boy if I could wake up. with a perfect head of hair or you know. I could you know it's like you know but.

it's it's like you know practicing the. possible and we were as close as we've. ever G in in in years and years and that. never came to into I understand what. you're saying that it has to pass but. what I'm saying is imagine that wasn't. the case what could be done like if we. could all agree we put politics aside. and say you know what everything John. fedman is saying makes total sense we. have to put that we do need a pathway.

for these people it is a beautiful part. of America the reason why people come. here in the first place is because it's. the land of opportunity but yet we also. have to keep Venezuelan gangs and. prisoners from coming across and. murderers and gang members and cartel. yeah and we have to we have to weed them. out and we have to we have to deport. them you know we absolutely it's like. this isn't so how do you find them and. how do you Deport them uh what's that. how do you find them and how do you. Deport them well again that's just like.

like taking taking some kind of an. inventory of like who's actually here on. this and we have to figure out who's. actually here on those kinds of a thing. and and and there are going to be you. know it's statistically that's a fact. that out of x million people for example. you know it's it's a fact that. statistically that some that things. terrible things are going to be. perpetrated by those things uh and you. know statistics. uh in some sense that that Native. Americans not you know like not not in. not.

the American citizens you know and the. criminality uh if if anything the. criminality is slightly higher you know. in in Immigration communities as well. and some of the most Pro pro-american. kinds of views uh that's that's that's. projected in those kinds of communities. I mean just like the community that that. brought my my wife and and their family. to this to this country uh and and. that's that's kind of where we're at and. I think what we're seeing now in in this. cycle there are more and more Latinos.

that are you know they're changing their. views on some of the they're like hey we. do need we do need a a secure border on. that it's not necessarily assume that. because you are a member of of a. demographic that that it's it has to. it's all it's not necessarily consistent. that it's going to be strong blue kinds. of but we all want safety right we all. want safety we all want to minimize. crime everyone of of course yeah so you. want a secure border to keep criminals.

from coming over here that's the major. the the major. impediment of course and and a secure. border with more and more resources put. on that and and that makes uh it's but. it's it's impossible to make sure that. of course you're going to have members. of the immigration Community they're. going to commit kinds of terrible kinds. of crimes and you're going to see and. those are going to be talked about in. the popular media as well it's un. undeniable and I mean they're incredibly. tragic and it's it's it's it's a fact.

and that's actually the truth of the. American story immigration made our. nation and there were hard truths and we. have a hard truth right now and we need. to have a secure border and we have to. find a way to celebrate our immigrations. and and the kinds of what immigrations. and the contributions that they made to. this nation uh and also to weed out or. to minimize the kinds of negative kinds. of things and those kinds of resources. because we can't possibly support an.

unchecked kinds of a situation that we. had and I described that if you had. 300,000 people showing up at the border. well that's the side of Pittsburgh you. know the month like where are they going. to go you know how are we going to give. them an American dream uh already. because they're all going to need to. these certain kinds of resources and and. that should never be controversial to. say it's like we can't that's not. sustainable and it's like we want for. every immigrant their American Dream. It's Impossible if it's if it's. unchecked like that and it shouldn't be.

controversial to to to to anyone. politically no it's just reasonable what. you're saying it's reasonable um what. could be done and who do you think is. going to do a better job to uh boost our. economy oh well I I I think it's. undeniable too and uh you know I'm. certainly not going to count some of the. the experience of some people that have. been hit by eggs or other things or you. know inflation but but right now uh the.

uh our economy right now it's it's. really it's the world's uh uh Envy. throughout all those things by any. metric it's our Unemployment uh the. stock market uh and you know the. hundreds of thousands of new jobs that. are being created through it all those. things and our our inflation now has. been kind of eased back into to to check. but it's undenied that there was an. incredible uh uh uh in inflation that. hit certain kinds of families hard. through those things and I think that.

the next kinds of wave whether it's AI. or those other kinds of Innovations. whether that it's it's green energy or. those kinds of a thing that's going to. continue to to juice uh our uh our our. economy well AI is a big fear right. because AI is going to come with. Automation and automation is going to. come with removing jobs a challenge I on. my walk here well I didn't walk here but. I saw I saw a wh a wh drove by me and. there was I'm like wait a minute there's. no one in there no one in there there.

was no one in that car did you see. that's the first time I've yeah that's. the first time I've ever seen a car uh. and had literally no human was in that. vehicle and I was like wow there's a. bunch of them around Austin and there. was a traffic jam in Austin where they. all got together in an intersection and. no one knew what to do cuz all the. robots were just like clogging up this. intersection yeah uh like we a lot of. that came from Pittsburgh too and you. would see those kinds of cars but it. always had a human in there but that was. the first time I saw like a robot car.

driving around in in Austin and yes that. creates there's a lot of dislocation. that's possible and that's just the. beginning it's going to be shipping it's. going to be truckers I mean that was a. big issue with the long shoremen and the. teamsters that were going to go on. strike yeah please have some more water. for. you thank you you're welcome I mean that. was that was a big part of one of their. demands was that you know they see. what's going on in China they see that. they're using automation to completely.

control shipping yards that it's all. done with machines and computers now and. this is going to displace a lot of. people this is something that Andrew. Yang talked about in depth when he was. running for president because he was. talking about the need for some kind of. universal basic income to provide people. with you know money and food and housing. because jobs are going to be. non-existent in a lot of different. sectors a lot of different markets a lot. of different things that have. traditionally been done by people.

specifically driving driving is going to. be a gigantic one it's all going to be. done by computers yeah well I I mean. universal guaranteed income I I'm I'm. not sure I I don't know because you're. going to have to have that's a lot of. resources to provide a lot of that and. and that creates all kinds of other. issues and dynamic but I'm not afraid of. I'm not afraid of Technology but it's. also acknowledging that there are going. to be kinds of changes in those things. and and and I'm a big believer in.

technology takes us into a more. productive kinds of economy and they're. going to help solve some of the. challenges that we have in our society. uh for those kinds of things but I think. we have to find the perfect balance that. we we don't stifle Innovation but we. also but we also have to remember that. there are going to be people that might. be left behind or they're not they're. going to struggle I mean hey I'm I was. mayor for 13 days and I live in a. community that was left behind by some. of those things and now the steel. workers the steel workers I live across.

the street from the steel mill and then. it was announced that nepon was buying. us steel and basically all those Steel. Workers were they were done you know. they used euphemism saying well we're. going to honor current label uh excuse. me Labor uh deals but that's a euphemism. saying as soon as that's up you're done. right and then that's going to be you. know uh thousands of of union jobs and. if you think it's going to be easy for. those men and women to to pull down six. figures or those kinds of an income it's.

like you know how un you know how. insensitive to say well hey learn coding. or whatever it's like well hey it's no. it's not uh coding is useless anyway. when AI learning to code is going to be. useless yeah exactly that's how quickly. things change basally kind of like it's. basically kind of like a you like. good luck kind of thing well it's such a. it's a dumb you too because even. when they said learn to code like that. was like you know they're saying could. learn toode I'm not going to learn how. to read but here's the thing even if you.

did that's how quickly things change. even if you did now they're telling kids. learning coding in universities is not. necessarily going to be a pathway to a. job because all coding is going to be. done by artificial intelligence yeah. well but but you know I they never even. told us that they were going to sell. that and then I was a staffer sent me a. picture on CNN saying that there're. they're selling us and I'm like. that and so I just went up on my roof. and I had a video saying Hey I promise. I'm going to do anything I can to to to.

jam that up and it's like that's what we. did and we work with the white house and. then suddenly all of that got jammed up. and suddenly I'm so surprised wink on. wink but nepon found extra billions of. dollars to make the kinds of upgrades to. to secure a future for those facilities. in the man Valley and and to me it's. about following the union way of life. you know to me steel is National. Security and to me if you turn your back. on the working uh Union families I mean.

that it's like this it's it's those are. really hard to replace those things um. and so for me two things are true at the. same time you know the our economy has. evolved but when we have an opportunity. to stand for the union way of life and. we can't ever just out out uh Outsource. you know our steel industry like that I. refuse to do that so and that's why. we're in that situation right now that. it's like hey it's like that that's. what's true about some of these.

industries one of the things that I was. reading that was really crazy and I'd. love you to find out how much of this is. accurate Jamie one of the things was. this guy was explaining how scrap metal. in the United States is shipped to China. where they make things with it instead. of making things here because and then. we buy what they make with our scrap. metal which seems to me kind of. insane the dep of American manufacturing. is a a significant problem that we faced.

and it was really highlighted during. covid right where there wasn't Ships. coming in because everything was kind of. locked down for a while and people. realize like hey so much of what we need. particularly computer chips and and. medicine so much of what we need is. being made overseas I I agree and then. that's and that's why you know Congress. came together and and uh President Biden. led the whole chips the whole chips you.

know legislation and it's like we got to. make our we got to make in America. and it's like of course the future is in. those kinds of Industries and those. things so we got to we have to protect. the American economy for that thing uh. and and that's why that's a bipartisan. kinds of of of a push for that and and. the uh and covid that relieved a lot of. vulner arities um uh it's like where a. lot of these things come from or uh so. but but going going forward on that it.

it's like we can never Just Surrender. that uh American manufacturing we can't. assume and we can't allow that to turn. uh completely outsourced no it's it. would be horrible and it would be nice. to bring things back and it's also you. know one of the things we've been. discussing a lot is that so many of the. things that we need today like. particularly phones are being made in uh. an unethical way like where we would. never allow the working conditions that.

exist in these factories overseas where. American corporations are having their. products made in a way that you would. never legally be able to do in America. and yet they're doing this just to make. more money and that yeah well I mean. let's also talk about rare R rare. rare stuff the Chinese have. strategically just you know snapped up. that that markets I mean that's really. that's a significant security issue we. have we're going to have to we're going. to have to address that and and thank. thankfully we have identified of some.

large deposits I think it was Nevada but. but rare earth kinds of minerals I mean. that's a serious security issue because. the new economy and a lot of the new. technology is going to depend on those. kinds of incredibly I think a lot of. kinds of minerals that some people have. never even heard in their life have no. idea what that even why that's important. right and then oil as well I mean we. have significant oil reserves in the. United States apparently we have more. oil than other countries do it's just a. matter of accessing it so are you in.

favor of drilling for oil and fracking. and all these different things to yeah. 100% And and that that that that's. that's what's also true is especially. what happened after uh after um Russia. in invaded and it was very clear that uh. Europe had have Russians kind of by the. short hairs that a lot of their Europe. Europe was they were dependent on some. of the uh Russian gas and that's a fact. too and uh you know it's also it's also.

what's true is that fossil fuels are. part of our energy stack you now our. energy has to evolve whether that's. hydrogen or nuclear now even nuclear. that conversation is reemerging you know. I grew up in South Pennsylvania maybe. you've heard of uh uh three Island sure. three m Island I had to evacuate when. that happen I was yeah I had to evacuate. wow because they they could they could. have turned you know we could have never. returned I mean that was really tense uh.

now they're reopening that because micro. Microsoft is going to buy the. electricity because now that's going to. be nuclear to to run the the the data. centers and those things it's an. important conversation so if you are. committed and I think it's you know I do. believe uh that you you really have to. make sure that nuclear is part of that. conversation too because you know Z Z. zero kinds of emissions and that's. dependable kinds of energy that doesn't. depend on the wind or the Sun but.

ironically some people pretend that uh. you have to have a conversation so but. you know for the foreseeable future that. fossil fuels are part of our stack and. for me uh energy security is in it's. very important um uh you know National. Security I mean like if we can't if we. can't power our economy uh then it's. going to it's a significant risk for our. economy in our American way and and you. know now we I think we're a net exporter.

of energy uh that so I think that's a. that's a good thing I think that's a. great way to be uh and it's being honest. about that and the path forward and and. I think we you know everything has to be. on the table because we have to have a. portfolio that produces the the kinds of. energy that we're going to need to power. our economy I another significant issue. that a lot of people are concerned about. is government interference in uh online. censorship and what what was exposed.

during the Twitter files that the FBI. had contacted the original owners of. Twitter and prevented them or instructed. them that the hunter Biden laptop was. Russian disinformation was trying to get. certain accounts banned that were. talking about covid vaccines and the. dangers of side effects and what the. actual research was showing and that. this was a significant interference in. the First Amendment and that these.

corporations that were running these. social media companies were being. directly influenced by the federal. government and they were using this. power to silence people from speaking. out against certain things this is this. is very concerning to a lot of people. this idea that the government would. infringe on our ability to be. whistleblowers to expose issues that. have been hidden from the American. people because of greed and money and. politics what are your thoughts on.

that well of course I mean I'm I'm a I'm. a a free speech kind of person uh and. and I I think social media is is it's. it's kind of difficult to control there. there's a difference between. misinformation or just outright lying um. or it's an agenda of a foreign Nation. that's trying to to sew all these kinds. of of sentiments and those kind of of of. of of things and and it's kind of. difficult to to police all those things. and it's a lot of it's an ongoing kind.

of of a of a situation so uh but I'm. always going to try to air on the side. of free speech uh and then there's. incredibly more and more kinds of. platforms just like when I'm on right. now talking about these kinds of things. and I I'm not you know clutching my. pearls if there's having conversations. that I may or may not agree or disagree. on what's being talked about those. things but I think people are also. there's also a level of responsibility. to be uh you to discern what you're. hearing it's like I think that's true or.

I think that's trash or it's like those. kinds of thing and just because always. asking myself in what I'm read is that. just true or is there a perspective. where is it coming from who's behind. those kinds of a thing uh so I mean it's. it's a difficult kinds of what's the the. appropriate kind of balance but it's. absolutely uh it's also a fact that. there are are Bad actors be behind some. of those kinds of conversations or some. of those kinds of uh misinformation as.

well too and absolutely incitement. incitement is not free speech you. encouraging people uh for for um. violence or those kinds of a thing I uh. I mean it's it's it's a kind of it's. dangerous yeah and but the what the fear. is that the government was interfering. when you had 51 Former Intelligence. agents that were testifying that the. hunter Biden laptop was Russian. disinformation when it seems pretty. clear that they knew that to not be true. and that Twitter actually listened to.

these people and they did block that and. it did probably have a significant. impact on the 2020. election yeah well but the other thing. that had a significant impact was uh in. 2020 uh uh I forget his his name but he. had to investigate you know Clinton's. about the email yeah like you know two. weeks out that was like the ultimate. October surprise as well and that. undeniable that had a significant impact. as well too that was the 2016 right yeah. it Absolut it absolutely did as well too.

so uh I mean that's why there's both. sides and they have many agendas to. suppress some kinds of a thing or to to. bring something to the front and it's. undeniable that it can have an impact on. that as well too I never went down. either of those you know rabbit holes. whether it was the Clinton emails or if. it was the hunter Biden's kind of of. laptop uh so but it hasn't really. changed overall the dynamic that in our. Cycles the last three Cycles it's really. it's about for me it's about a. referendum on what we want a vision for.

America is it a trump kinds of a of a. vision or do we have an alternative and. I've always been very clear it's going. to be Incredibly Close and it's going to. be incredibly at times very divisive and. and and here we are now and it's still. back to a coin toss and I've always. predicted that it would be you know even. back to 2016 because is you know we're. really going to have a lot settled out. before this election it's going to take. America in a very two Stark and. distinctive kinds of directions what do.

you think about Elon musk's idea of. creating a government efficiency. agency well I hey I I flagged um when. musk uh when musk got involved I I I. flagged that anyone can look online I. can say that it's like well you know uh. endorsements and and the and surr see uh. doesn't really mount for much it doesn't. count for much a lot in sometimes but. but um I mean that was a that was a.

significant and he's getting involved. and he's showing up at those kinds of uh. of events I mean you in some sense I've. said this publicly that he's even a. bigger kinds of star than than Trump can. be and for some people in Pennsylvania. like that's Tony Stark right he's. involved in undeniably kinds of of. important things like SpaceX or he was. one of the original uh uh Charter he was. invol in the charter of open uh he was. involved in that too uh so I mean that's.

that's significant and and I don't agree. with some of his some of his views on. politics but it's undeniable that he can. move the needle in some sense of of. convince some people that it's like hey. if if he says that he's the the right. choice for president that that's going. to that's going to that's going to. resonate in in some in some circles in. Pennsylvania and and I've I've warned. that uh and acknowledging it it's just. like that that's it's just like. hey I I know people and they admire him.

and you may not agree with his politics. but you you really it's it's impossible. to ignore that he is going to have a. level of of of an impact on that yeah. but what do you think about the idea of. trying to make the government more. efficient and that this hasn't been. audited before and of course I hey I'm. to any kinds of ideas and all those. kinds of thing on all of that uh uh one. side doesn't have a monopoly on good.

ideas or important kinds of issues that. that are ma that are matter to them so. uh and and it's like the choices and the. kinds of things and how he's chosing to. participate especially very personally. in in Pennsylvania I'm like hey here's. where we are that's part of the dynamic. here you know calling it out and. acknowledging that I'm not moving. against that I'm not criticizing. whatever it's just like hey it's. happening uh so uh and that I think. that's part of why things continue to.

get tighter and and that that's that's. kind of here we where we are well I. think what a lot of people are excited. about with Trump is this possibility of. change the the Elon Musk Edition is one. of them RFK Jr is another one this idea. of making America healthy again removing. additives from foods that have shown to. be toxic that are illegal in other. countries I mean this is I think a. significant issue that shouldn't be a. partisan issue this should be something. that we'd all should be concerned with. why do we have ingredients in our food.

that is illegal in a bunch of European. countries because they found out that. these things are dangerous I agree look. you know go to McDonald's in in like the. UK you know the the french fries has. three ingredients potato salt and I. think maybe oil and then look at look at. what's in America side on that it's much. different I hey I support that if. anything if if anything you know more of. uh and I know I know your city that. we're in now Austin has an amazing food. kinds of scene and and again you know if.

anything more of the crunchy more. liberal side were on part of the whole. organic kinds of a thing and more. impurity and things I I don't think. that's an issue and and honestly I don't. think that that's going to be the kind. of mantle that somebody like you know. RFK Jr that's not his uh so I I think. having a more pure and safe and abundant. kinds of food in in our country I. absolutely support that and you know I'm. I'm selective what I what I uh feed I. feed my children I mean when we were you.

know when I was a kid it was like Vita. you know like hey now we have real. cheese or did you ever have uh like Ecto. Cooler like that green like anifree kind. of color of highy and some of the kinds. of foods that that we had when I was a. kid um that would be Unthinkable kind of. now and I think I think the quality of. our food and and kinds of more impure um. I think that's that's been an ongoing. conversation uh and uh organic can't.

become elitist it can't be it can't be. too expensive and and I fully support. making it more and more um more more. pure and more safe on that Avail and I. would absolutely I would celebrate if if. I could buy the same french fries that. you get in the UK that it's like I think. there should if you don't need more than. three ingredients I have a buddy of mine. who lives in Australia and uh he came. over to America and he loves Quarter. Pounders in Australia cuz he said. Quarter Pounders in Australia it's.

grass-fed meat that's just fried with. cheese in a bun and he said he got a. quarter pounder over here he's like what. the is this he said it tastes like. it was just it was Bland and it. didn't tast was it a royal with cheese I. don't know what they call it in. Australia but he said it's grass-fed. beef you get like you know they're not. even feeding their cows grain well you. know a lot of the the the grass-fed beef. in in in our nation are coming from.

Australia I mean which is crazy yeah. that that's that's a fact and I'm very. Pro pro-american Rancher uh well not. only that it's it's really up. because you could make it a product of. America if you butcher it here so if you. import cattle from Australia say and. then you bring it to America and then. you cut it up and then package it. because you've cut it up and packaged it. is now a product of America so you could. write that on the label you know I had.

uh Will Harris who runs White Oak. pastures which is a regenerative farm. this guy spent 20 years and Untold. dollars changing an industrial farm that. his family had and turning it into a. regenerative farm and in doing so. provided people with a much more natural. and healthy choice. and he's also done a great job of. exposing these practices yeah I mean. grass grass fed beef I mean I think.

that's I think that's very in some sense. I mean that's that that absolutely. supports Better Health I mean yeah I was. I uh I followed before he even appeared. on your on your podcast uh uh Sean Baker. yeah yeah you know like uh carnivore and. and you know even those kinds of. insights helped me personally and. allowed me to kind of drop some of. dropped some weight through all those. things and you know it's like that's an. important conversation too it's like you. know and but but Democrats some people. think that we're declared a war on on.

hamburgers and and beef but we're. definitely going to lose that uh they're. going to lose that if if that really. becomes part of that and I uh I don't. think that's Democrats I think that's. very wealthy people that have a. financial interest in feeding people. fake meat that's what I think it is and. I think they've captured the system I uh. I said it it it pains me to agree with. with uh DeSantis you know because they. passed the you know ban in that in. Florida it it pains me to agree with him.

but it's like I mean I would never feed. I would never feed that slop to to my. kids when you can buy you know quality. American grass fed American beef like I. mean that's that's what I purchased that. I used that at Costco uh I buy the three. uh pack of it and uh and and I my my. oldest son he knows how to to prepare. like his own. ribey and and now he's you know makes. that a part of uh like a I think it's. like a healthy kinds of u a diet yeah.

for sure um what other issues do you. think we should discuss before we wrap. this up is there anything else that's on. your mind that do you think is. significant that needs to be. discussed oh before you wrap up uh I I I. well I I think we have a situation. whether it's the situation on on on. Israel or those uh there's there's a lot. happening about the the election right. now but but uh uh it's really a strange. place in our nation right now but I.

promise you it's going to be depending. on whenever people hear this. conversation our world's going to be. about to change or maybe has have. changed uh and so I just hope though I. just hope though that we're going to be. able to respond in a way for an oral. kinds of transfer of power and we are. going to be heading into a more peaceful. and a more productive and collaborative. kind of uh direction throughout that but. we're an incredibly divisible place.

right now um and uh I I just want to be. part of a conversation to make sure that. that we can be more constructive but. it's right now we're kind of uh it's. it's a difficult place right now and. we're coming down to a coin TOS election. yeah I agree I hope we uh can all relax. and work. together. cooperatively yeah well listen man thank. you for being here I really appreciate. it thank you for taking the time to come.

here and talk it's been great to get to. know you and have a conversation with. you oh hey well hey thank you for having. it's it's as a fan it's great to kind of. uh visit and uh so thanks for having me. so my pleasure all right best of luck to. you thank you all right bye everybody. [Music].