Trump's New Blunder Proves He's A Loser: Carville | The Daily Beast Podcast

He's selling photographs for $88,600. It's a giant scam. A seat cost quarter of $1 million. You could go to ten US open for what? You to go to. Just a stupid mini convention. It's all a grip. It's all a scam. It's a giant moneymaking operation. For God sakes, cover this convention. Wall to wall. It's the most beneficial thing we got going. You're not going to come up with any better news. That's because it's going to excite and irritate.

and turn out more Democrats than going on that stupid. mini convention on. Welcome to the Daily Beast podcast. I'm Sarah Weiss in for Joanna Coles. Our guest today is James Carville, the Democratic strategist, and he is sharing his thoughts on all things Trump. We get into the president's abysmal polling numbers heading into the midterms. and how he's attempting to right the ship with that.

massive convention taking place in Dallas. Carville will also share his thoughts on the president's Natalie Harp problem, and then he'll give us his predictions. for the 2020 midterms, with some that might surprise you. But before we do, please take a moment. to subscribe on YouTube. Make sure you like us, share us with your friends. Let everybody know that they should listen to the Daily Beast podcast. and please subscribe to our YouTube channel. We're also on Substack, so check us out there and The Daily Beast.

Here's my conversation with James Carville. After what we've seen in recent weeks. The US is striking Iran again. We've seen soaring gas prices. The president is posting about data centers. and those who don't want them being poor and backwards. He's intensified this trade war with Canada, and he's posting all this AI slop. Do you think the president actually wants Republicans to win the midterms?

It's a great question. And the answer is he doesn't give a shit. It's the last thing. And they are going to realize that. they're going to wake up, say that guy we get we voted for him. We walk the plank. We wouldn't say anything. We stood mute. We let him do what he wanted to, and we thought he cared about us. and their pack of gigantic fools. That they ever thought that Trump would care about his reelection.

He doesn't know more, give a shit about them. than anything in the world, and they're going to find that out. A and you can't tell Mike. John's too stupid to see that. So he'll he'll learn. He'll learn. I mean, do you think there's anything Republicans at this point. can do to separate themselves from this train that Trump's on? Look, the Republicans are three voters away from winning. This will actually in November. And they are in order the father, son and the Holy Ghost. Okay. How can you vote for everything that you voted for?

And in some of those, separate yourself from Labor Day to Election Day. Try it. Hey, they they know they need they're caught in a trap. because he's got a 75% approval among Republicans. Of course, there's a 95% disapproval among Democrats. if they try to break their consultants and say, if you do that, we can't win it without the Trump voters. You can't win it with them. And you you just got yourself in a hell of a pickle. I mean, just think about that.

You always look. and you look at a poll and this is polling season. So you've had UMass. and you had another one come out and they're going to keep coming out. Everything has a season right. There's a fall season. There's a baseball season. There's an earnings season. There's a rating season. We're in the middle of the biggest polling season of every two years. And that's Labor Day, you know, up nine days up to it, including Labor Day.

So we're going to see four more polls. And they're not going to be much different than what we see before. And then what are they. What are you going to do if you're. You're kind of caught betwixt in between. if you're sick or then he's massively unpopular. You could. But if you leave him he's got 75% of the Republicans. So they're they're just. they're in a straitjacket and they richly deserve it.

By the way. I don't feel sort of at all. It is interesting. It seems like they're in a lose lose situation. I mean, something we have seen is Republicans start to scrub. Donald Trump specifically from their websites and changed it. to being independent leadership versus. of America First Trump endorsed candidate. I mean, voters see through this, right? Well, okay.

What voter goes to a Republican Congress website? Not very many. And most of them that go there are fellow Republicans. And I think it would be smart. And some of these instances for the Democrats to say, you know what? You know, they said three months, three weeks ago, and look what he's got now. He's trying to run away from everything that she's trying to run away. from everything they did. I mean, there's all kinds of activities, you know, when they're going to get Ashton debates.

And look, I'm with President Trump when he's right, but I'm getting him when he's wrong. But you didn't say anything about the stupid war. Well, you thought my job to question the president. would have come up with some shit cycle work. I wanted to ask you, Senator Jon Ossoff. ignited a firestorm, which is the mere mention of Trump's. aide, Natalie Harp, who is basically his shadow everywhere he goes. Also mentioned her with just three words on the campaign trail. Why do you think that was so effective in blowing up the conversation.

in recent weeks about Donald Trump? Well, the press is very. trepidatious about talking about somebody kind of insinuation. It is, is there anything which I have I have no evidence. There is. I don't think there's anything sexual there. But it's always to kind of think. And he just pierced the boil. And once he said something and that gave everybody,

everybody was talking about it among themselves. And then that just gave people permission to go public with it. In three words. I'm read them and reread them. Nothing wrong with it at all. And then a lot of people on the right. What crazy. What do you go praise your back. It is a I don't think. there's anything like, immoral about it, but it was a little weird that you have. this 35 year old female who's.

obviously obsessed with an 80 year old male. There's a good story people find interesting, and I don't think I don't think the guy's got a lot of friends. His wife actually could talk to him. I mean, he I, I don't know, he needs some companionship as much as I hate him, I don't. Guy's got to have some socialist social contact. or some kind of a feedback of somebody that thinks he's a good guy. You know, like I say, he gets none of that at home.

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is there anything in your mind between now and the election in November. that will allow him to turn things around at this stage? Well, I can tell you what's gonna happen. They're going to try every entity woke, defund the police, black. next birthing person shit that they can come up with. I think this night it doesn't work anymore. It did work at one time. Could be very honest about it.

I guess they hope is. Is that the economics company? I don't think people could feel it. I don't think wages are going anywhere. All right. They need a Democratic scandal. It's awful. You get, you know, to kind of exploit that. I mean, all I can do is cut their losses short, but. And they're going to try. And the difference between 200 and 36 House seats. and 220 one half seats is all the difference in the world.

I mean, Hakeem needs some measure where he can't be held hostage. by the wing of the party in terms of the convention next week. The president is. he the president is hosting a convention. It's been dubbed trumpet palooza. I just want to get your thoughts on on what you think of that move. gathering all these Republicans, some of whom are saying.

they're skipping it all together in Dallas for this two day extravaganza, to. to promote the president, to promote Republicans heading into the midterms. What we need to do is take road, okay? Who shows up and who doesn't? Okay, we know Ken Paxton's go show up. We? Darlene Graham is Susan Collins is not going to show up. Well, John Huston show up. Well Ashley Hinton, that's a Iowa.

Well she show up who's who's going to come and show up there? Well, Cindy Hyde-Smith show up. We'll who's up. moody or whatever name is in Florida and came think of it. Is she going to show up? Yeah. That's going to be. And what you got to do is tell them we're taking the road. because they don't want to show up in one sense, but they. they know they can't disrespect the king in another jam. I've never I've been doing paid speeches since 1993.

I've never been. I've got I can't be there. I got to be getting paid to blabbed my stupid mouth and veil. As long as I got damn, I wish I could be in Dallas. I would have loved to have been there. Is there anyone in this scenario that this convention, in terms of Republicans specifically that benefits? It have to be, I don't know, primaries left? No, not. No, no no, not not really.

There you may be some really right wing. I, you know, a really hard core Trump place. I never somebody from, like, North Louisiana might help them or somebody from, you know, central Alabama, maybe. middle Tennessee, maybe doubt it. But that's about that's where you would like to buy. Not not so essentially, I mean, sounds like it's. a massive waste of money going into the final stretch.

Of course it is. You know, he's selling photographs for $88,600 a photo. How did he come up with $88,600? I don't know, but I'm sure there's a brief, but it's a giant scam. It costs a seat. Cost quarter of $1 million. You could go to ten US open. So what you to go to? Just a stupid mini convention? I mean, think about it. It's a it's all a gift. It's all a scam.

It's a giant moneymaking operation. And it's been covered somewhat in the media, but not near enough, not near enough. And, you know, the whole press needs to be there in full regalia. The stupidest shit I hear is we shouldn't give them platforms. Well, I have a platform. The stupidest thing is you have Democrats say, well, you know, I'm not giving, you know, go,

go everywhere. If, for God sakes, cover this convention wall to wall, it's the most beneficial thing we got going. I mean, the beast ought to have five reporters there. Wall to wall. Let people know about it. Y'all got to come up with any better news that's going to excite and irritate. and turn out more Democrats than bullying that stupid mini convention.

I actually will be on the ground in Dallas next week to see everything. that is happening, so the Daily Beast will be there to cover it in full. Have a role to have, have a special graphic. Who's here? Who's not? We have not. All right. We yeah. We've been asking folks whether they are or are not going. I will note that a lot of folks are trying not to answer whether they are not going. folks in some of those, but what I can tell you before.

But if neither they are, if they are you. Not exactly. We're going to count it. And in battleground states, it's noticeable. Some of them are not going and are voicing that they're frustrated. Well, they have scheduling conflicts. You know, their daughter has, you know, dance lessons, a ballet lessons and all. My son's got a peewee football games. No way I can. They have a thousand things they need to do. All right. My wife wants me to go to buy in-laws.

Go ahead, pick an excuse. You're either there or you're not there. And just keep the roll. In terms of Republicans. and then being frustrated with what's being said, how. they're being able to convey their own messaging, what they have to. to run on something else that has really thrown a wrench in it. for some of them, is the president's obsessive focus on making over.

Washington, D.C., and specifically the white House. And one of those things was the Supreme Court. handing Trump, what is a court win, if you will, in terms of allowing him to move forward with the ballroom. in terms of the politics, though, is is anything that he is doing in D.C. or at the white House a victory politically? No. Both people have never been to Washington.

And what they're saying is pictures and sort of thing to watch a monument is far. I made it like whoever ran. for president said, I'm going to change the architecture of Austria. Actually, the architecture of Washington is really fit. It's what is known as republican architecture. So we don't do you know, if you go to London and you see Buckingham Palace. or you see leftovers from imperialism, that was never who we were.

We were a Republican country, that Republican being small or Republican. And and it he doesn't even understand the history of the country. Washington was intensely desired by law, foreign. And those that came after him, the white House, everybody. First time I saw the white House on top of Washington. And I was surprised. I thought it would be something more granddad and everything.

And it's intentionally that way. It's nice enough, but it's not anything, you know, over the top. I don't think it's perfectly nice looking traditional building. Do you think that the president will. just be emboldened to move forward after the Supreme Court allowed him. to go forward with this ballroom, to do other things in Washington? And what does that mean for Congress here. and what they've been able to accomplish or in this case, not accomplish? I don't know if it has anything to do that vote on one thing,

the big, beautiful bill. They haven't done anything else. There's nothing left for them to do. All right. This Congress is not going to do anything, you know, investigate it. Voted for maybe catastrophic piece of legislation. since Smoot-Hawley. Oh, I don't know, something like that. What can they do? And what can they pass another bathroom bill? Okay. Go ahead. How do you see a lame duck Donald Trump functioning for.

then the next two years, two years as a lame duck? What does he do now? Let me repeat what I've said on numerous occasions. He's going to quit. He's going to walk away. Unlike most people don't like most people. I know what it's like to be on the wrong side of what he's getting ready to be on. And we we went through that 94. We were all younger.

Clinton was like, I think 48 years old. And he had an idiot. Newt Gingrich is is in opposition. So we were able to come back rather nicely. Thank you. He doesn't have that. He's a soft man then. Not going to return his calls. They're going to blame him to hold culture is going to change. The whole conversation is going to change. The German foreign minister is not going to give a crap what he says. The no one is.

He is not prepared. It's one thing to. imagine what it would be like to get hit in the mouth by Mike Tyson. It's quite another thing to actually get hit in the mouth by Mike Tyson, and he's going to get hit in the mouth hard. It what he's going to do. He's going to throw a white flag. He doesn't go to Vance. And the lawyers are going to say look you can pardon yourself. And to 5050 deal. If the if, if Vance is president he projects 100%. That's what he's going to do.

I if people think what I'm saying is. it's not controversial, I think it's going to happen. because I just don't think he could. I don't think he can take what's coming his way. And it's going to be so painful. You can't believe it. I'm curious because he he obviously has a team of yes men around. him, cabinet officials, some of them have actually been. getting out on the campaign trail, trying to make a name for themselves, stumping for members of Congress and candidates on the road.

Do any of them have a political future in your mind? The whole. deck is going to be reshuffled come November. So right now, whoever Trump. wants to be, your vote in 2028 as well. Does he like JD? Does he like Marco or is he looking somewhere else? He is going. You gotta realize you're going to be living in a different world, the world that you're going to be living in two months from now,

I guess maybe a little bit more. Two months in a week from now doesn't resemble. the world that you're living in now, and they are going to be ready to move out. Let me tell you. Political parties, and I've learned to learn this in 2024. I kind of knew it going. They don't like losing. As long as you winning, they'll give you great leeway if you're losing.

Thank you. And that was our problem. Democrats wanted to be cared more about being superior and moral. and being able to look down on people and their about winning elections. And you know what happened? They lost because they're fools. There's all sitting there and heard around some idiotic NPR receiver. talking about what wonderful moral people are. Who gives a shit? What a wonderful moral person. If you don't win election, you haven't done anything. Is there any cabinet member that is actually helpful.

to fellow Republicans on the road? Well, you know, if I took if I were a Republican. and I took somebody to. Jefferson Parish or. Lincoln Parish and all those. they would like, but bottom five. I don't know if there's any kind of cabinet member that stands out. I don't think Trump would put him into after anybody had any kind of cash. they own. But, you know, the 75%.

of the Republican Boyd, 75% of the 40%. You know, pretty intense. And we need them to stay where they are, to stay right there. Be strongly approve of Trump and penalize. any Republican running that doesn't agree with you. That's very important. So keep them in the box if all what I'm saying. I don't want his Republican approval to go much, much lower because I just encourage him to break with him. And we don't want that.

We want you to stay on the ship. I do want to ask specifically about why the folks have been out on the road, who's also gained his own attention. and criticism recently, and that is Defense Secretary Pete Hedges. Seth, he is denying talk that he's running in 2028. I want your take is is there a universe where Hedge. Seth excels as a 2028 candidate? So. Defense Department, the United States military, it takes years and years.

People have no idea what the kind of training, the expertise, what it takes to float an aircraft carrier and have it work. And he is system A, what it takes to be an army general, what it takes. to supply people, what it takes for anything you can imagine. He is systematically destroying it. And if all of the people in the cabinet Bobby Kennedy. of Rubio, I,

you name it, the Todd Blanch, the most destructive person, and the entire United States government, maybe as much as all the rest of them put together as PTSD. because he is destroying something. You know, you can bring the Justice Department back pretty quick. You can go hire a bunch of lawyers and you go to poach law firms, or you can go to these elite law schools and you could hire. That's not going to take long. The damage he's done to. the institutional military is profound,

and it's not going to be cured overnight. It's going to take some time. And that by the way, how would you like if all of the secrets that a nation. can have, of all the things that you would not want people. who do not wish you well to know is your munition supply? Well, they read the. papers and everybody is there, and all these generals are leaking. in the admirals and saying, we're running, we running out of ammo.

Well, good. Now everybody knows we ought to ammo. Well, we're just pounding sand with it I would. Greatest secrets you can. You a country can have it strength level. and particularly in some level in terms of Pete Hedges. time at the Defense Department. He's politicized the military. He's brought in MAGA influencers. We've we've recently learned from reports.

How do you undo the politicization of our military? You cannot do it. But you have a new secretary of defense. It's very clear that the way that you get ahead. is to not be political is to be confident, which is not the way that you get ahead. right now, but the people you lose. Aranda, George. Decades of knowing what is going to you. You can you can change the culture, but you can't train a four star in.

The only way to train is by experience. But you got to be a one side and a two side and a three star. It. This is not institutional knowledge of competence. that can be replicated or can stop and then start again. Oh, you know, I don't know what's happening at the service academies. I'm sure to still educate people pretty well. But if you look at what they've done to the top ranks. It's going to take a long time to to is the Marine Corps and the formation, sir.

And the formation, sir, I, I, sir, the formation is fucked up. Let's just be clear. We talk about the top military brass, but then there's this reality. that was also pushing back. on the members of service members, specifically those on the USS Lincoln, when they were sounding the alarm on the conditions of the ship. That ship has finally made port. after being deployed to the Middle East in Thailand. And the reports coming out are that it's covered in rust.

It needs a paint job. At the very least. There were horrific conditions reported on board and and. pushed back on family members sounding the alarm. He denied all of it. What does that say about. how the military is being treated. and how how it was handled in this situation? And does that make you concerned moving forward for the next few years? Okay. So that that ship was deployed, I think 250 days.

and I think you're sailed. First thing is you got two watches. So in a 24 hour day. Yeah. And I think the Navy has a four hours and four hours. So people go and say, man, I had to work six days this week. I worked ten hours, six days for six days a week. I put in 60 hours. They work 12 hours, actually. I think they have other duties by being 14 hours.

a day, every day for 250 days. Suppose you were a night watchman and you spent 12 hours a day. It's sitting in a chair. or it is opposed to it. By the way, where do you have an aircraft carrier? You got tens of thousands of gallons of fuel. You got a fight deck. that has to be executed with precision, like you couldn't believe. You don't have time to be lax. You blow the whole thing up. So you're sitting there working like like an animal.

84 hours a week. But 12 times seven, I think. I think I'm right. No, you got no. So if you got to go to the dentist, oh, you got to have any kind of time off. or you want time to write home that that goes into your 12 hours. that you in. If you've done that for 250 straight days. It's not just that it's exhausting and tiring.

Intense. It wears on the human condition. And on top of that, you don't know even why you're doing it. I mean, it's one thing if. you're trying to get out after Pearl Harbor, all right. Or you're trying to get out to midway. I mean, you're going on. We're going to go on. I'm tired of the Japanese. They don't know what that why they're they're doing soling it. You gotta remember, just put yourself in a position.

of a sailor being on an aircraft carrier for. 250 straight days, working over 12 hours a day. And by way, the longer you are the kind of less appealing. to food gifts, they try to supply you and they try to get it from here now. But you're not getting San Diego rations. You're getting whatever they can come up with. The Arabian Sea probably not as good.

And you're not. You don't see your family, you don't see your girlfriend, and, you know, not in Thailand. And I hope, I hope the sailors of, you know, those women and men are having a good time in dollar. And I've been to Thailand. You can have a good time in Thailand, I promise you that. They deserve it. It's a good place for them to be. when it comes to the midterms and the Senate or also the House. We've been focusing a lot on battlegrounds Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia. Are there other races that you encourage Democrats not to sleep on right now?

Based on the landscape we're seeing politically going into November, Mississippi. people die hard to state. Okay. Go on. Brandon lost by 2.5% in 2023. Biden was president. Trump is not popular in Mississippi. It's 38.5% black. So black has stayed in the union. All right. There's a it's a kind of a port state in Gulfport is a is a reasonably sized port.

They have a large agrarian section. The national media has never heard of Mississippi Delta. Okay. So fucking idiots. That's huge. Kansas, South Carolina. I mean, not even I mean, everybody kind of caught. in to. Iowa, okay? And everybody's catching on to Ohio. But this map is going to be I'll say it right now. Y'all can read it after the third. The devil crabs are going to control the United States headache come January.

I just don't see any way to know. And I don't think it's. going to be 5149 either. These waves hit. Haley Barbour, who's a very savvy political guy, actually. Like Haley said, when you go into a wave election, the side. that is going to do good never realizes how good it's going to do. and the side that it's going to do bad never realize how bad it's going to do. And I think that's a I think the Barber rule is applicable here.

The president right now is sitting on $400 million. with his Maga Inc PAC superPAC. Is there anything that he can do with that. that should have Democrats deeply concerned? Yeah. Give it to the Little Sisters rapper and ask him to pray for it. That's an most effective use of that. That money I could come up with. But what he's going to do, he's going to use it to promote himself. And he's now saying, I'm not unpopular.

The Republicans are unpopular. And so if I'm a Democrat, I don't have to remind people. that this is Trump, because Trump's going to remind them. For me, I it does it. And if I'm, you know, in a tough if I'm John. I'm like, what is this guy doing. He's 15 points underwater in Ohio. and he's coming in. here spinning, you know, $40 million telling us how good he is.

It just stop and think about it for a second. Sounds like it's going to be a rough next two months in your in your mind. for any Republican running I do. All right. James Carville, it's been a pleasure chatting with you. Thank you so much for taking the time. That was my conversation with James Carville. I found it particularly interesting what he had to say specifically. about the president's convention and how that will not help Republicans,

nor will the $400 million war chest the president has to spend. Should he decide to do so ahead of the November elections. It was a pleasure having you. Thank you so much for listening and watching. Please remember to subscribe to the Daily Beast podcast. Follow us on social media and check us out on Substack. I'm Sarah Weiss in for Joanna Coles. Thank you. Big thanks to our production team Ryan Murray, John Romero,

Rachel Pasa, Heather Passaro, and Neil Rosenhaus. So the good news is we have so many beast tier members now. There are too many names to read out and we really appreciate your support.