Why Trump’s Desperate Ploy to Be Serious Is a Sham | Inside Trump's Head

Trump hates Camp David hates it. So the fact that he is at Camp David now, what it means, among the other screwball things that are would only be associated with Trump. is that he's trying to be presidential, but the fact that he is doing it at Camp. David is a kind of sign of of some, some desperation. We got to change the script. We got to change the scene. The president goes to be by himself or with his intimates.

and and think. quiet time, all of which Trump does not have, does not want and not endure. Michael. Joanna. How again? Once again, you could sound a bit more excited. You could. Come on, we've got a smorgasbord today, a summer smorgasbord of subject matter.

We've got who was the most obsequious at Camp David? We've got Todd Blanch. Does it make any difference if he's. Well, you have to match these things, each of these things with a summer vegetable. Lose the corn. Who's the corn? Who's the tomatoes? Who's the peppers? And what about Sakina? Isn't zucchini zucchini too much zucchini? I feel like an endless zucchini, which always to me seems slightly tasteless. There's a chini there. I've.

I've put my vegetable preference on line out there, and it's not so Chini. We've also got Sammy the bull. Sammy the bull. There's no way Sammy the Bull is a vegetable. He's. He's a summer sausage, isn't he? Sammy the Bull Gravano, one of my favorite figures of all time. Such a smorgasbord. We have the people today just reminding you we are independent media. Please subscribe to The Daily Beast if you haven't done yet. We've had a remarkable uptick in subscriptions.

in the last week, possibly matching Trump's downward. tick with almost everything, including the kayaker, which will come to. to the Olympian kayaker who was boldly arrested. The accusations against him were that he seemed to have single. handedly ripped the new rubber bottom of the reflecting pool. And of course, it turns out he did no such thing anyway. Not to mention who new kayaking was an Olympic sport?

Exactly. Who knew? Although I did watch some videos of him. Actually, that lasted for a moment. He was in the Olympics, I think, in the 80s, and it was pretty impressive. I would never be able to do anything like that, and I suspect you wouldn't either. Well, of course we wouldn't, right? If we would, if we could do something like that, we would not be sitting here. But instead we are Olympians. Yeah, we're Olympians of the podcasting world, certainly for endurance anyway,

where we go three times a week spelunking into Trump's head. Okay, Michael, I thought we would start with a quiz. this morning, which I know you don't like quizzes, but have you. have you done what you're supposed to do and ask people to subscribe? Did we do this? Yes. I just asked people. That was a white noise. That was a white noise that I wasn't listening to. Okay, great. It was definitely. It's definitely a white noise subscription. Ask Camp David, Camp David where they went for their corporate offsite.

Trump sat in the middle. I'm going to be before you get there. Let me just set the stage because this is odd, because Trump hates camp. David hates it. Every time that he went there in the first administration, he he would come back in a rage, in a rage against the accommodations, in a rage against the past. presidents who had made this dragger that they had to go to Camp David.

So the fact that he is at Camp David now. actually means, probably means something. And what it means, among the other screwball things that are. would only be associated with Trump is that he's trying to be presidential. He is trying to evoke. in the middle of a. war that he can't get out of and that he can't solve. It's I am a serious president, a serious guy trying to solve this.

Now, of course, then he goes to Camp David and it doesn't appear to be serious. at all. It's just more of the Trump show, which he cannot not do. But the fact that he is doing it at Camp. David is a kind of sign of of some, some desperation. We got to change the script. We got to change the scene. If you're traveling anytime soon, here's. one thing that'll make your life a whole lot easier. Instead of scrambling to find airport WiFi or trying to buy.

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The details are in the podcast episode description box. Well, interestingly, he he didn't stay overnight as far as I know. He flew in. Natalie Harp obviously close at his side, probably handing him. printed pieces of affirmations, Instagram. affirmations about you ghost. But. And then he flew out. They flew to Bedminster at the end of the day, because I'm sure. that he didn't want to spend a night at Camp.

David where there might be mosquitoes, or although I'm sure it must. No, no, I mean, I mean, this is very it's. always top of mind with him where he spends the night. In whose sheets is he touching? I swear, this is this is a thing that aides. have to talk about the sheets as we bring in the sheets. What what what what kind of sheets do they have? This is a big issue for Donald Trump. Well, because presumably bedding.

Bedding. Well, because he wants some kind of possibly easy to wash bedding. because we know he smears his snacks all over, all over the sheets. And he he's also he's a hotel guy. I mean, these are these. Yes. These are the details that actually he'll spend time on. He won't spend time on the details of going to war, but on on bedding at a hotel, he's he's he comes alive. Okay. And probably the Cruet and all the other accompanying things at Camp David.

probably are not the same as the Trump details. of Bedminster and the Trump Doral and all his. Yeah, no, I can't think of anything that would be in greater. stylistic and esthetic contrast. than Camp David and the Trump esthetic. Well, and also it's very clear he doesn't like the woods. I mean, if you think of where he spends his time in nature, it's. all incredibly manicured and it's golf courses. Right. I realize we need to send you an Inside Trump's Head.

mug for Saturday podcast, because you've got a blank mug there. But he doesn't like the woods, right? He's probably probably doesn't have come. I haven't got one. We're on our about about 700th podcast. I know we'll send you one. I'm like, note to Ryan, Ryan, can we send Michael in inside? Trump said. Or I'll bring you one out there when I next come. But it's true. He doesn't like trees very much, I don't think, does he? He doesn't. I suspect the only greenery he likes is sort of manicured greenery.

He's a very, let's say, controlled environment kind of guy. Okay. Controlling about a well, very good point. That leads us neatly to our quiz, because he's surrounded by his cabinet. ministers, all apart from Howard Luck, Nick, who is missing for his daughter's graduation from Mount Sinai. Casey, congrats to Casey. We call them cabinet secretaries. Okay, what should I call them? Ministers. Ministers?

Okay. Cabinet secretaries. You're right. You can take the girl out of the United Kingdom, but not the United Kingdom. Out of the girl. I thought you were going to say you can take the girl. out of Downing Street, but not Downing Street. Out of the girl anyway. Okay, I've got a who said it? I'm going to read you four statements, each one more ingratiating than the last. And I would like you to tell me who you think. was the author of this particular sentence. Foreign leaders take him seriously.

because they know he'll actually do what he says. He actually not Pete. That was Marco Rubio, the secretary of state. What, one or the other? Yes. Okay. Future historians will rank this president. with America's greatest leaders. RFK interestingly not, but it could have been RFK. That was Pete.

That was Pete. Okay, this one is a bit easier. The economy is succeeding because of his leadership. and vision. Well, I don't know. It's well, it's not what I would have said it, but he's not there. Who's the other one? The gay one. Who is the gay? I don't even know. I'm. You're blanking. Scott. Scott?

Yes. He's so. Not memorable in so many ways. He's strangely. He strangely transparent, actually. Isn't it something to do with his hair? Okay, now you are going to get this one. I think I've known Camp David since childhood, but this president's accessibility is remarkable. You know, he always gets that in that I was I. was there I was I was. virtually he's virtually made himself.

a member of the Kennedy administration. or have Kate Junior, RFK, the anti-vaccine who was pressed by Trump. on what was happening to his autism and vaccines research. Because do you remember, he said last year, shortly after he was put into the Health and Human Services. job, that he was going to really poke at the link between vaccines and autism. And of course, yeah, no, no, he is he is the anti-vax. guy who was told to be less anti-vax.

And now Trump has said, be more anti-vax. He's that that old brain worm, that old brain went well last year. He said he was going to come out with a definitive research by last September. A year on or 11 months on, we still don't have. we still don't have an answer from him, despite the fact that the scientific. community has said there is no link between autism and vaccines.

Did you get any of that? I did, I heard it all. I was my my headphones are on backwards. and I wasn't hearing you up until that point. Now you're crystal clear. Maybe that's why you didn't hear me call for people to subscribe. So very good point about him trying to look presidential at Camp David. Did anything come out of the cabinet meeting other than them. just prostrating themselves first in in why would. and the the here's the other interesting thing.

Camp David is supposed to be the place where where it's a presidential retreat. A president goes to be by himself or with his intimates. and and think quiet time, all of which Trump does not have, does not want, cannot endure. So he goes to Camp David and he brings the television cameras with him. because he doesn't want any time on his own. And he doesn't have any intimates apart from Athalie Harp,

who's trotting around giving him positive affirmations. Extraordinary. I mean, and also let's go. This is this is theoretically about the the war, the war that he has stuck in, the war that he is losing. I mean, I think that this is we should we should go beyond the. that he's just stuck here to the fact that he is losing, that he's going to have to come to.

He is at the end. He has done all that he can possibly do short of invasion, which he is not going to do. And he has realized none, not one of the goals. this war started out with. If a chef came out and said, I've never actually cooked this before, but how hard can it be? You'd probably head to another restaurant because when something really matters, experience isn't a bonus. It's the whole point. That's why so many people turn to Morgan and Morgan,

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Not all law firms are the same. How the wrong one. And you may even be beat before you even start to see. if you have a case you can go to for the people. Trump. He's realized. ending the leadership I mean he's he's but he hasn't done that. That's actually a totally misunderstanding.

And don't let's not give him that credit. He has ended the lives of of some of the people. who ran the government, only for it to become even more. the same government with the same values and the same intentions, to become more entrenched and probably stronger than it was before. Okay. Fair distinction. Totally. Totally. But I have a question for you. What? What do you think. Marco Rubio and.

say when they get home and their, you know, their wives go Mrs. Rubio goes, hey, honey. How was it? How was it at Camp David? I know what they say. What what do they say? They say fucking Trump. I mean, there again. And I think that this is really important to understand. None of these people around Trump believe in Trump. None of these people, none of these people subscribe to Trump. Their loyalty is a pretense.

It's a show now. They understand they have to do this, that that's the nature of. the nature of the job. But they are all to. to greater and lesser. extent, clear eyed about what Trump is. Everybody around him. This is true. You, you you can't not be. What you see is is so. out side of of the.

of the normal. human experience that you have to at some point step back from that. And they step back. They go home at night. Yes. And and they acknowledge this. And then various of these people, the same people who call me. or they call other reporters or they call other confidants and say, as almost as countless discussions have begun with me,

when I pick up the phone and is you won't believe it. And then they go through and then they tell you the most. preposterous things that he has said or demanded or. or or staged. So when Pete goes home and says, I really need to drink, and his wife, number three, says, no, no, we've given up drinking. Don't forget, you promised those senators you were never going to drink on the job.

Let's go for a walk, darling. Or why don't you go and do 50 pull ups to work out your energy? Pete believes that Trump, he doesn't believe in him at all. He's just there because he's trying to figure out the next move for Pete. Exactly. Let's pause a moment, because I think people. people have trouble understanding that. And I think they probably have trouble understanding that, partly. because Pete takes it in public, is so associated with Trump.

that he must that he blends at some, at some point and, and, and again, I mean, I've tried to write four books about this very syndrome. It's not the case. Everybody knows you cannot but know who Donald Trump is. now in some level, you accept that, well, you know, he's the president. I mean, he won the election. That's that's democracy. And I work for him. And I hope to better myself by working for him.

But in private, everybody everybody knows, everybody knows. So, Michael, what's inside Todd Blanche's head, do you think this week a failure to get confirmed, Donald Trump saying that. he'd rather keep the options of the $1.8. billion slush fund open rather than. insisting on having Todd Blanche confirmed as attorney general?

It is Todd Blanche sitting there. with the specter of Jeff Sessions in the background, a man who gave up his political career as a senator. He'd been a senator for a long time in Alabama and had basically disappeared. after Trump, after I had a terrible time as attorney general, obviously thought it was going to be a stepping stone, and Trump turned on him. Well, I think Todd Blanche is rationalizing it. in a somewhat different way than than than Jeff Sessions.

I mean, remember, Todd Blanche, prior to Donald Trump was a, you know, inauspicious, white collar. criminal lawyer and worked in a firm that didn't really value. that all that much, a big white collar firm, I mean, a big corporate firm. And and so Donald Trump became his way out. You know, he would he would he would improve his position.

And arguably he probably has. I mean, I don't know, you could probably argue that both ways. And I'm sure he argues that it that it has improved his professional standing. The promise, though would was that he was going to be the attorney general. And throughout the when I covered and I covered Blanche closely. during the 2024 campaign in my book All or Nothing. I mean, he's one of the prominent characters, and he was very.

clearly told if he stayed with the. And Blanche was Trump's personal attorney in his four criminal indictments. and he had to put up with with Trump, that was not easy. You know, Trump, that was months and months and months of Trump. screaming at him, belittling him, mocking him. And everyone said, yes. But if you can, if you can get through this, you will be the attorney general.

now, in fact, Trump was elected and he didn't become the attorney general. He became the number two. But again was told, if you're if you show your loyalty, you will really eventually be the attorney general. Now showing his loyalty, among other things, involved looking away. when Trump wanted to wanted to dictate this, this settlement,

the the government that he controlled settled with Trump to create this $1.8. billion slush fund and also to give Trump. immunity on his taxes. So. he had to look away. And then he's held to account. So when he is nominated to be the attorney general, he goes before. Congress and, and, and key Republican senators say, hey, what about this?

Now, the interesting thing is, is they don't ask for much. Effectively, what they're asking for. is Todd Blanche to put in writing that. this immunity deal for Trump on his taxes. applies to only things in the past, not things in the future. So you would think that's a that's that's a small compromise. And from Trump's point of view, he gets his attorney general.

He's not going to be embarrassed by by. by not getting his his confirmation. And also that he owes this to Todd Blanche. But Trump says, no, I'm not going to agree to that. I'm going to I want my immunity in all, all shapes. and sizes now and forever. And if that means I don't. get my attorney general, if that means I'm going to be embarrassed. If that means Todd Blanche is funeral a funeral?

Todd Blanche's. Yes. Future is compromised, I don't care. So, you know, so Todd Blanche is screwed and he is screwed. Like, everybody is ultimately screwed. in the world of working for Donald Trump. So, Michael, is Todd Blanche sitting with Mrs. Blanche at home, and.

are they rocking back and forth, going, I hope this was worth it. Are they. are they anxious about potential recrimination. by Democrats of the Democrats win the House? Is this one of those. forks in the road. for Todd Blanche that looked like the road was going one way. But now, actually, thanks to John Cornyn and Thom Tillis, he may not get confirmed. It may get pushed back to January. Who knows what will happen in the Senate by then, especially with the missing Mitch.

McConnell, who will come on to in a moment is, I wonder for Todd Blanche how stressful this is. Well, it's incredibly stressful. I mean, first thing any appearance before Congress. is, is stressful. And and the fact that. whether you are confirmed or not confirmed is a is a major deal. I mean, I mean, Todd Blanche gets to gets to enter.

history as as an attorney general in the. in attorney general of the United States of America or not. So this is this is a key moment in his career. Now, what will happen, practically speaking, is that he will not be confirmed. And then he will continue as a. as the acting. attorney general, and I guess in his own mind.

and in his family's mind, that will be somewhat, somewhat rationalized. And they will try not to deal with. the fact that that he didn't he didn't get what he wanted. Now, many of us in our careers. All of us in our careers don't get what we necessarily. want or believe we should have. And we we deal with it. But, you know, this is one of those things of coming very, very close.

to the brass ring and then not getting it and not getting it. And this is the interesting thing. Does he get does he come to terms with the fact that Donald Trump screwed him, and does he want to carry on working for him. because hard to work for someone who, even though you know that in theory, until it's happened to you in practice it feels very different. I know that a lot of people are going to be thinking, well, what? What didn't Michael get that he wanted the way you said that. made what what job didn't you get that you would have liked.

to be the president of the United States? Of course. Did you ever dream of that when you were younger? Oh, of course, of course. No. But, you know, there, there there are things, you know, and when you're a writer, I mean, the nature of being a writer is. is kind of constant failure, not, not not achieving. what you wanted to achieve, not being able to not being able to write a good book.

as you wanted to write, not getting the New York Times to give you. as good a review as you might have hoped and believed you deserved. You never get that. Except. Except suddenly you do. And I was going to say, that's not true. Your last book got fantastic. No, no, sometimes. Sometimes it happens. Sometimes just by you. You feel just by the sheer persevering. And that is actually true. And that's going to be what Todd Blanche feels.

I just continue to go on. I power through just what what is ultimately. the thing that that that gets you what you want, just continuing to show up. if you're willing to tolerate all manner of humiliation, often, ultimately the world is yours, I suppose. But I do think about Jeff Sessions, who has played so brilliantly, I want to say, by Melissa McCarthy, and I'm probably wrong on SNL,

but of course, who had to recuse himself during the Russia investigation. because it turned out he'd had meetings with the Russian ambassador. during the campaign, the 2016 campaign, which he'd never bothered. to tell anybody about. And once he did that, Trump never let up. And he lasted, I think, what, two years as attorney general? Well, don't limit, limit, limit it to him. I think in almost every instance of anyone who has worked.

for Trump, certainly, certainly in the first administration, their, their, their time with Trump came a cropper. And it also was bad for almost all of their careers. Very few people I know from the first administration have prospered after that. Right. Well, I was only thinking of Jeff Sessions because he was the attorney general, and also because he wanted his Senate seat in Alabama back after he was AG,

and Trump campaigned against him and Tommy. Tuberville got got the job instead. And now, you know, aged 79, when. Jeff Sessions would have fitted right into the Senate, he'd. be the perfect age to to sit gracefully in that nursing home in Washington. He's basically disappeared from view. And, you know, someone I talked to who knew him said he had a lot of regrets.

that actually that was the decision he shouldn't have made. If he just stayed quietly in the Senate, he would have been much happier. Yeah, completely. But I'm sure Pam Bondi is in isn't happy at this at this point. What's his name? Names? Bill. Bill Barr is, you know, I mean has basically turned against Trump. I mean, in every everybody has an experience.

which is negative in some way, in. some way, and often extremely negative. There you they're publicly fired. You remember rants previous the first. the first chief of staff of staff gets a text on the tarmac. He's standing there waiting to get on the plane gets a text. You're you're it's not even from Trump himself. It's actually just a news report. Rants. Reince Priebus is finished. Over.

Do you remember? He's left standing there, probably unable to get on the plane. And do you remember Rex Tillerson, who apparently learned. he'd been fired while he was sitting on the toilet? I mean, former CEO of Exxon, who gave up the job. to go and do that and one one after the other. Nobody I mean, actually, in in my view of the first administration, it really was only Jared Kushner, who kind of came out. arguably ahead of the game.

Well, I wonder if he will put in, because another possible humiliation for Todd Blanch would be if Trump were. to just decide to give up on him and bring in another attorney general. Yeah, no. Always quite possible. Although I have a feeling that that. that from Trump's point of view, Blanche does what he wants. He's a loyal guy. So it doesn't matter to Trump. if he's the attorney general or the acting attorney general.

Okay, so another person that hadn't. been on my radar this week, but I suspect has been on your radar, but suddenly came under the spotlight of the Wall Street Journal. this week is a woman called Meghan O'Rourke, who turns out to be. another of Trump's work wives, who hustles money for Trump from companies. I know you read this story because we discussed it. Who is Meghan O'Rourke exactly? I mean, she's from the kind of Florida.

political mafia connected to Susie Wiles on. So she's a Susie Wiles person who was brought in. to do exactly what she's, she's, she's doing. And there have been a set of these people. throughout, throughout the Trump world, but she's particularly successful. And there's a particular focus now on her job, which is to bring in money. This is your campaign money, right? This is money for Trump's various promises, all kinds of things.

And it is it is essentially so we're we're at this moment. and it's a moment that works for both sides of this equation. Trump is looking at this and saying, this is this is the moment. Because of the leverage that I have. as president of the United States, in which I can bring in. as much money as I, you know, because I'm I'm all powerful. And essentially, if you don't give me money, that will cost you in other ways.

I mean, this is what is being said to rich people and to corporations. and in most pointedly, to corporations. So so it's now it's a it's a rush, hurry up and do this. But on the other side of this equation are the corporations, which are. and there was, there were competing articles, one in the. in the Wall Street Journal, which was, which was about, about about extorting these corporations to get money.

And then the one in the New York Times, which was basically saying, hey, this is the best time in the world to be a. To, to to be. for a corporation to pursue what it wants, the deals it's wants. Because basically the corporation is paying. Donald Trump to give to give them what he wants. Donald Trump wants the money the corporations want, you know, lesser regulatory pressures on themselves.

Well, especially for military. Yes, they want, they want. Well, I think all kinds, not just that whatever your corporation wants, you have a better chance now of getting it because you can pay for it. Just quid pro quo. Easy. So the the the grift is obviously astounding, preposterous, unbelievable. that this could happen, so glaringly happen.

But then there is a further thing about this which which. neither of these articles touched on, which is probably more important. One of the things that Trump is raising money for. is his post white House. It's not even. his life, I would say his post white House administration. He is going to in his mind, he's going to leave the white House.

at the end of end of his end of his term, having long since concluded that there's no way to extend it into a third term, and he's going to return to Mar-A-Lago, and he's going to. still want to be the pretend president. He is still going to want to be the the. the leader, the absolute leader. of the Republican Party, still want to have. the mechanism to command the attention that he needs to live by.

Now. He's done this before. When he went after 2020, he returned to Mar-A-Lago and then did become the president again. But one of the problems during that period was he didn't have enough money. I mean, the money thing was always a was always a pressure. And and by the way, it was Susie Wiles who came into the Moral. Largo white House, if you will, to.

to to get a hold on the money to figure out. how they could, how they could create a moral Largo. white House in exile and then run for president. That was her job. And it's still in some ways remains her job. Looking forward. They need a the the moral ago the next Mar-A-Lago. phase will be much easier to accomplish if they've got a lot of money. Now is the time to raise that money.

But he's already made $2 billion. I mean, we saw well, that's his money. He's not going to spend his money, or dip into his own pocket. No. And this is the this is actually the other thing. It's not just the money that he has. This is a separate money. You remember? There's never enough money. So. So this is. And you don't want to leave if you're Donald Trump. Of course. Money on the table. Corporations. Now, at this point in time when he has all of this leverage.

are willing to give almost, almost anything. And that's the that's the spirit in which this is being the money is being raised. You know, I think the headline in the journal was. was this this. Trump's people in this particular woman call up. and they say, the boss wants the money, the boss, the boss wants the money. And I think she's raised $800 million from, from companies.

I mean, and it's sort of astonishing checks here at 25 million, 10 million, 15 million, I mean amazing, but but. Right. And just and also remember this against his, it is likely that his leverage is going to decrease after November. Well, I was going to ask you about that though, because when he goes back to Mar-A-Lago, won't people by then. have have have sort of left him behind? They'll be sick of him. I mean, I know that Stephen Miller stayed with the wilderness.

Yeah. I mean, I've certainly heard that before. And it turns out not to be true, but but the obvious time. But last time he had the possibility of coming back. At the time, it seemed like an I'm I'm going to I'm going to challenge that. I don't think anybody, anybody, any sentient being thought he had a possibility of coming back. Right. And so most of the people left him. Right? I mean, most yes, most of the people left him.

There was nobody even, you know, even his son in law, Jared Kushner. You know, he expected Jared to remain as his kind of right hand. And Jared said, well, not me, I'm moving 90 miles away from you. So it's a it's a difficult commute. What I'm going to do is give you Susie. Wiles, this sort of mid-level. Republican political operative, to run your office, and I'm out of here. So, yeah, nobody, nobody expected this.

So when he moves back tomorrow, Largo, assuming he survives the presidency, do you think he will. still have serious people around him, or will he by then? Essentially. I mean, I get that he might be trying to run an alternative administration. from Mara Lago, but do you think he'll be trying. to run the Republican Party, or do you think there'll be other people? Of course. Yeah. Let me let me do this, because for there's two important points. He has never had serious people around him.

Actually, that's that's that's his M.O.. Yes. There will be people around him. All kinds of people around him. Why are they around? Because they're not serious people. But having enormous amount of money. means he can have all kinds of people around him. Plus enormous amount of money means that he becomes. a potential cash source for other Republicans. Right. But even that that does not.

I mean, his real power is that he has this power. with a Republican base. There was a I mean, a recent, recent poll, the most recent poll I've I've seen, which is devastating for Trump and put it puts his. puts his approvals at, you know, sinking at 34. some something like like. I mean just just we're we're below the threshold. We're below the low threshold.

Oh I think last night it said 75%. of Americans don't approve of the job that Donald Trump all kinds. There are all kinds. There is weakness everywhere. The one point, the one, the one point at which there isn't weakness, however, is in that, that that central evangelical Trump base. and that is still remarkably strong, unwavering.

And that's the that's the. that's where his power comes from. So people, the new leaders, whoever they turn out to be, will still have to come to Donald Trump to pay homage. and want his support. because he still will bring that base. Yeah, that's that will be his base on go. Yes. I mean I mean to that is that is certainly true. And then there's because Donald Trump overshadows everything.

I mean the only way you get attention, the only way you break. through is if Donald Trump lets you break through. At any rate, all of this money gives him the opportunity to create this. this parallel world or parallel administration, parallel power base. And any whoever the new president will be. And and I'll guarantee. it will be a Democratic president is going to have to deal with that.

Donald Trump I mean, Donald Trump is going to be around until. he exits. That was a very long exhale when you said until he exits. So one of the people that we know Trump absolutely hates, and actually he's also hated by a lot of Democrats is James Comey. This week, we saw attempts. to throw out the case against him for. posting pictures of seashells, which it wasn't clear.

if he'd done the picture himself or if he'd stumbled across the 8647. formation of seashells on the beach that someone else had done. But he posted it. And of course, someone, some bright eyed young person at the white House. immediately interpreted this as a serious threat on Donald Trump's life. Oh my God, I mean, oh my God. But it actually and it gets more preposterous because then.

in order to bolster this, this argument that that James Comey by saying. 8647, so 8647 and. as a threat on his. life into, into and to bolster that argument, they went to interview Sammy the Bull Gravano. Of course, they a former Mafia kingpin.

And essentially what they asked Sammy the Bull Gravano to confirm. Just say it one more time, I copy because I know you like to say something. The Bulger van. And they asked Sammy the Bull Gravano to confirm. that 86 was Mafia talk for killing somebody. Now, what that would have to do with James Comey, at any rate. But it doesn't make any difference. Oh, I think they connected to it because James Comey would have listened. to Mafia wiretaps.

And so his use. Right. Because because James Comey said he didn't know that 86 meant to kill somebody. Right. And once he found out, he immediately took the post down. Because normally. 86 refers to getting rid of something like bad chicken in the fridge. Right? So at any rate, Sammy the Bull Gravano. said, no, no, no respectable mafioso would ever say 86. So Sammy the Bull.

Gravano was not helpful to the Trump case at all. But everybody does get to talk about Sammy. the Bull bravado, which is which is a pleasure in itself. Well, did you ever come across Sammy the bulk of honor? You've lived in New York longer than I have, and the guy I remember from. the mob was Vinnie the Chin, who I think was from the Genovese family. and would wander round the West Village in a bathrobe, looking disheveled. Because when I can. Yes, yes, I can add to that because.

the chin had a townhouse. on East 77th Street. where he housed his girlfriend, and I lived just right around the corner from there. So did you see him? Was he wearing his bathrobe when he would visit him on the Upper. East Side on the Upper East Side? He was not wearing his bathrobe. That is what actually ultimately hoisted.

the chin. Well, I remember when we first moved to New York, we moved to the West Village, and I remember actually seeing Venevision walking down Bleecker Street. Of course, not knowing who he was. And then I think I came back and said, oh, I saw some strange old guy today. just in his bathrobe, because back then that was still quite unusual. Now it's slightly less unusual. There were a few more people in their bathrobes. wandering around downtown, but at the time it felt slightly unusual. And I remember coming back and saying, I saw this strange, unshaven guy and his kind of stripy bathrobe.

And then three weeks later, he was on the front page of the New York Post. And the whole question was, is he genuinely. does he genuinely have dementia, which is what he was claiming, which was why he was wandering around in a bathrobe? Or actually, is he just practicing at it? And in fact, when he's taken the bathrobe off his in the Sudanese, off up. to his girlfriend on the Upper East Side, which they then got pictures of him. on the Upper East Side on you constantly fine, looking.

fine and clean shaven and clearly in possession of all his faculties. It didn't stop him going to jail, but it was an interesting defense. And for those of us. who lived in the hood at the time, it was always interesting to spot him. Oh, those good old days. The good old days. when the Mafia walked free and Rudy Giuliani was trying to put them in jail. So I am very pleased that the Olympian kayaker,

Davey Hearn has been unattested, as it were. Of course, they released this information on a Friday afternoon, a summer Friday afternoon. But who can forget the vociferous, the excitement, the glee with which he was arrested and accused of. almost single handedly destroying the reflecting pool, when in fact, all he'd done was reach down and pick up. a piece of peeling paint. Yesterday, Jeanine Pirro, the U.S.

attorney in D.C., dropped all charges against him and immediately. through the Department of Interior under the bus, saying that it was. therefore they hadn't supplied her with the right information. And it turns out that she said Atlantic Industrial Coatings, the contractor who had done this work, and we remember it was a no bid contract. They're a friend of Donald Trump. They were blamed for the problems and it was entirely their fault. And this is the moment that I get to say that the that the.

that the person in my life rather long life at this at this point, who has who has been the drunk. I've ever seen anyone is Jeanine Pirro. And didn't. you, didn't you didn't you worry that you again panic? I thought I was going to get stuck with her. I mean, this was this was in the at the Hay Adams Hotel. And I remember this. I literally thought, what am I going to do?

What do you do with someone this this drunk? So, well, what did you do? Or someone else came along and relieved you of the problem? Yes, yes it was actually Steve Bannon's. PR person stepped in and and. and dealt with it as I ignominiously crept off. Well, I don't think Donald Trump is going to like the conclusion. that was given out by piers office. Almost immediately after the work on the pool.

was completed, peeling paint was observed along the pool perimeter. A report by a National Park Service engineer in early June concluded. the problem was due to contractor error via paint overspray. I'm just going to give Norm Eisen, Davey Hearn's lawyer, the last word here. The Trump administration's case against Davy Hearn should never have been brought. Its dismissal does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting. and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. I mean, how stupid of them to arrest an Olympian and think it was going to end.

well for them. Of course, he wasn't ripping up the bottom reflecting pool, of course. Is this any more preposterous than 8647? It's a whole series of these, of these kinds of things that strain. not only logic and credulity, but. Well, it's. such a way, intelligence at any level. Right. And also, I think.

this is the stuff that people look at and think, where are my tax dollars going? Why are they going to stupid cases like this. when we know that there are real problems going on? Yeah, I think it's further, I think it's that they, that they, that they understand that Donald Trump is is. You know, the words out of control. I mean, Donald Trump will do anything. Donald Trump lives in a world of his own. I think that's the point. I know, but the trouble is that it.

it there's a what do they call concentric circle with our world. One of the subjects we've also heard a lot on. from people is Mitch McConnell's absence. Where is he? How can he take all this time off the Senate. claim he's working, and yet we know he's using an auto pen. He hasn't released a video even just saying for 10s. Thanks so much for all your good wishes. I'm working hard at rehab. I'll be back soon.

People are just saying, if I did this at work, if I took two days off, if nobody heard from me, I would be out of a job. Why is it these senators are given so much benefit of the doubt? I'm trying to. I mean, have you seen much? Yeah. I feel some amount of sympathy here. The man is an old man. He's had this job for a very long time. He served the people of his state,

you know, in a way that they've obviously have approved of for a very long time. He is old. He is dying. He doesn't have very long. to go in his role in the Senate. This is not a question of years as and that has been in the past. There have been people who have been. Waylaid for for years in the Senate. But he doesn't. He has a months to go. He's essentially a lame duck in in his role.

And I suppose searching for some in the. in this family, searching for some level of, of dignity. And. you know, I feel. I feel some sympathy for an old man. who was trying to leave. Leave the say the stage with his head held up in some fashion. Now apparently his I would imagine his head doesn't hold up at all.

And so you didn't feel much sympathy then. And I know you know. And when you say sympathy, I'm always on alert. I'm like, wait for it, wait for it because something's coming. Yeah. And so, you know, and I don't at this at this point. he doesn't seem to be have much dignity left. And. so I don't know why they don't just just call it a day and get him out of there.

But, you know, being an old man is. probably hard. Well, it just goes to show that he should have term limits. I think, you know, a third of the Senate is but a term. limits wouldn't necessarily be a term limits. Don't fall in the middle of your term. And. I guess. the term limits could have could have come for his last term.

I don't think that they should have term limits. I think, you know, people get people get old and. and hell, that's, that's you know, who you know. And I know you've written about him recently in your Substack. and I'm not a fan, but actually, I saw him on CNN this week. being grilled by Caitlin Collins, and he was very impressive. Bernie Sanders, 84, didn't appear to have a fly on him. And I don't know if you remember, but Bernie had a heart attack in the 2020.

election when he was running. But on. on whenever it was this week. on on Caitlin's show, he seemed vigorous. He didn't seem like he'd missed a step. And I could see why there's so much. enthusiasm around him, and it's amazing that he's 84. He looks so much more vigorous than the president. I yeah, I mean, I don't know what to say about this. You know, some people at 84 are in in great, great shape.

I know many of them. It's some people in less good shape. That's what happens. Okay. So I have a question for you. Why isn't the president on a GLP one? We know that he's obese. We know that he's put on 15 pounds in the last year that came out of his most. recent health report. Why hasn't someone said to him, you know, given all the remarkable side effects.

it seems to have, people are calling it a miracle drug that it helps with longevity. Why hasn't someone put Trump on a GLP one do you think are. on this point in my book All or Nothing, which means. which would indicate that maybe you didn't get to the end of it. There was I report and I report, I report, I always skim book, so maybe I yes, I report that that there were that there was a coterie of,

of of denizens of the Mar-A-Lago. terrace who were certainly believed in were, were intensely. gossiping about Trump being on a, on a GLP one. So he may well have been. I mean, he has denied it, but of course that doesn't mean anything at all. He may well have been. Certainly these people who were quite close to Trump. believe this to be the case now.

And it also might be, you know, he he he is not on it now. because it was on the side effects were unpleasant for him or, or. or he actually, you know, likes the pleasure of consuming immense amount of junk food. I don't know, but I think there is a decent possibility. that he was on a GLP one. Okay, well, I just thought with his. with his 15 pounds that he might want to think about it.

So we have a new form of poem today. This is from Paul Hillman actually, if I remember the email correctly, it's. actually from Paul Hillman's wife, but it was sent on Paul Hillman's email. The once was a podcast so sleek, with a bright British lass and a geek. You're the geek. Joanna and Michael engaged in a cycle of sharing the news once. a week, their quick conversation so brash.

the hour flies by in a flash. Smart and well-bred, they go inside Trump's head. to deliver his cluster of trash. So the new category is here. Not not a not poems or limericks. involving. Donald Trump, but in adulation of us. Well, perhaps that's why I liked it. The category that might be the that might be the category, but I thought it was rather fun. I thought it was rather fun.

I liked it anyway, thank you very much for sending that in. I think we both have summer colds. Do you have a summer cold? I do not have a summer cold. Okay, well you're coughing perhaps. Perhaps you do. Maybe I have a summer cold. Who knows? Michael will be back on Tuesday. Back inside Trump's head on Tuesday. You're skipping out into the Hamptons sun, running up and down the beach collecting shells. Will you be posting any pictures of your shell collections?

Oh, my shell collections. It's interesting. Maybe we should all 8647. and called family the Bull Gravano. Maybe we should. What would they do if everybody? Why has nobody thought. Why don't we get. Why is is is Sammy the Bull Gravano making any podcast appearances? I think Sammy Gravano the bull is in jail because shortly. Because. And I know this because tomorrow we drop a podcast with Andrew Weissman,

the former general counsel of the FBI, who used to use Sammy. the Bull as an expert witness. And precisely because he was so useful as an expert witness, he actually got a very light sentence for his initial mob activities. But then when he came out of jail, I think he'd been in prison. for about five years. He moved to Arizona, promptly got involved in a drug ring, got caught, and is now serving 20 years.

Sammy the bull, Sammy the ball. Well, Sammy the Bull. If you happen to be watching, thank you for. Well, what do we say? Thank you to Sammy the Bull? That's not quite right, is it? Well, well, let's let's think. Yeah, well, thank you to Sammy the Bull for apparently telling the truth. about the use of the word 86. And, Sammy, if you can comment, do put a comment in the.

well in the comments. Although people won't won't like the fact we're encouraging a criminal to do that. I know I can already see that ahead of time. Yeah, we can't encourage a criminal to comment, I think. I think we can't because we will be glamorizing them in some way. Anyway. Sammy's made his impact on history. I love I'd love to hear from Sammy the Bull Gravano have many questions.

Okay, well, let's see if we can flush him out. Did you ask Andrew Weissman about Sammy the Bulgarian? I did, of course I did. And he he actually said what it was like, and he had an amazing description. of how he was incredibly straightforward about the methods that they would use. And in one particular description, he talked about how they killed someone. They took him down to a kiddy pool in the basement of the house,

and then chopped him up so that the blood wouldn't go everywhere. The point of the kiddy pool was to keep it all all tied. It was sort of gobsmacked, but it's a very interesting interview with him, which I recommend people, which drops at 2:00 tomorrow on on YouTube and wherever else you get your podcasts. At any rate, I will see you in the studio on Tuesday. I will see you in the studio on Tuesday. Have a wonderful rest of your weekend, everybody. Don't forget to leave your favorite part of the podcast in the comments.

and tell us what you think about the crazy. that's going on. This is where you thank you. Thank them. Okay. I'm going to thank Brian Murray, John Romero, Heather Passaro, Rachel Passa 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.