In this episode, we dive into the controversies surrounding recent media narratives and the strategic transparency in the political arena. By analyzing moments of perceived media misconduct and political interviews, we reflect on how these stories shape public perception. With insights from political figures, we explore the potential calculations behind such transparency and its implications for the current administration.
Everybody’s kind of saying, well, what did you think was going to happen? But I’ve been giving this a lot of thought. I think it’s the wrong take. I think Scott Jennings has the right take. Do you think any of this was by accident? Do you think Susie Wiles went rogue? Of course she didn’t. Trump is standing by her. Everybody’s standing by her. There is a narrative that the mainstream media stinks. And once again, Vanity Fair, you know, acted in bad faith. which is a message that I think the White House wants to advance. But as Scott Jennings said, you know what this is about? You know what this is? This is what transparency looks like. I mean, so what? She’s got nicknames for everybody. So what?
SPEAKER 02 :
Let’s cover the quick things that everybody’s going, ugh. She talked about Trump’s personality as being like the personality of an alcoholic, which, of course, he doesn’t drink at all. But it means kind of obsessive, kind of… Nobody can stop him.
SPEAKER 01 :
There’s nothing I can’t do.
SPEAKER 02 :
And by the way, he agreed with that. He said yesterday, she’s right. Okay, next. What’s next? J.D. J.D. Vance. He said he’s a conspiracy theorist. J.D. Vance is now they’re saying, you know what? I do believe in some conspiracy theories. The ones that are the ones that are true. And Susie and I joke about this. Okay. Your point is doing very, very well here. I mean, my point is… Russ Vaught, O-M-B, Russ Vaught is a right-wing zealot. Russ Vaught would tell you he’s a right-wing zealot. I’m a right-wing zealot, meaning passionate about right-wing things.
SPEAKER 01 :
So what’s the harm? You know, here’s what happened. Susie Wiles invited the Vanity Fair guy in for 11, you know, what was it, 11 days or 11 interviews or whatever. I know the 11 is around the time. And Scott Jennings’ take last night on CNN was, this is the transparency of the Trump presidency. You want to see it all? Come on in. Come on in and see the infighting a little bit. See the colorful personalities we have. But you know what we all are? We’re loyal to President Trump and we’re loyal to the agenda. Thank you.
SPEAKER 02 :
And this makes your point. And it’s funny because I was… This is why I need you. And we joke about this a lot where Mike and I will be texting back and forth. It’s like, boy, dude, you need me at 735 tomorrow. Well, tomorrow you need me. No, I need you. No, you need me. Because it’s not like I was sitting there going, oh, you’re a huge bleeding disaster. But I did find myself banging my head against the wall a little bit going, God, what are you doing giving interviews to publications that hate you? But, A, no harm, no foul. B, your transparency point is superb. And I’ll take this all day, every day, instead of what we had in Trump 1.0, which was genuine scoundrels looking to torpedo his agenda from behind his back, John Bolton, John Kelly, every single day.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you. And the Vanity Fair article highlights the loyalty of all of the Trump figures. And by the way, I’ll also take this… over a presidency where Grandpa Joe waddles out of his cocoon once every nine months to look and see if there’s going to be six more weeks of winter.
SPEAKER 02 :
Punxsutawney Joe.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah. I mean, he never held any – Look how transparent Trump is. Everything he’s doing, he wears on his sleeve. And guess what? That’s a great thing. Now, let’s get into something that’s going to probably not – let’s end the kumbaya moment. Harry Enten last night on CNN got in front of the big board and talked about the possibility that Donald Trump is going to declassify marijuana. And – And that’s probably coming. In fact, I’ve got a source at the White House who says, guys, get ready because he’s going to do it.
SPEAKER 02 :
And this is not – declassification is not the same. It’s not, hey, let’s legalize it everywhere. And honestly, in fact, if you boil this down, I’m totally against weed legalization. I think it’s stupid. It’s terrible everywhere it’s happened. But I think that what we have right now is we have pot classified as like the same thing as what some other far worse things. Correct. So there may be some rationale to this.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, you want to know the rationale? Harry Enten warned about the rationale. He’s warning Democrats that Trump will quickly win back a ton of young voters with this particular policy change. Now, you know, I had a caller yesterday who alluded to this and said, gosh, I wish he wouldn’t do this. Marijuana is a gateway drug. Look, Mark, you and me and the caller have to accept it’s not the world we want to be in, but it is the world we’re in. The vast majority of people don’t want people going to jail forever for marijuana. They just don’t. Not forever. Well, and it’s just not. But again, I’m with you. I feel the same way you feel about it on every level.
SPEAKER 02 :
It’s been stupid everywhere it’s happened. People are lazy. They’ve got more accidents, more health problems. It’s terrible for kids. Weed legalization is a horrible idea. But it should be left to the states.
SPEAKER 01 :
But the dumb five words are, it is what it is. We’re not where the American people are. And guess what? This could be a big boon to the midterm elections because we’ve got to win back young people. We’ve got to win over independents.
SPEAKER 02 :
If he can change the classification and make it – because everybody reminds me of reefer madness in 1939 where somebody smokes a joint and jumps off a building. You know, I’m fine with a realistic assessment of what weed does and does not do. And I don’t think Trump is pro-legalization.
SPEAKER 01 :
And I saw an article in the Wall Street Journal the other day that speaks exactly to your point. It’s not like a blanket, oh, now marijuana’s fine. It just changes the penalty phases and it kind of takes it down a level. Hey, did you see the story of the older woman that got harassed? In a Target for wearing a Charlie Kirk shirt.
SPEAKER 02 :
Oh, no.
SPEAKER 01 :
Oh, it’s a great story. Oh, you’re going to love this story.
SPEAKER 02 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 01 :
So there’s an older woman. She looks like she might be 65, 70 years old. And she’s wearing a red T-shirt. And she’s a Target employee. And all the Target employees wear red. Well, her red T-shirt happens to be a Charlie Kirk freedom T-shirt.
SPEAKER 02 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 01 :
A young, woke snowflake, some leftist, runs up to her with cell phone rolling.
SPEAKER 02 :
She’s an employee?
SPEAKER 01 :
She’s an employee. The young woman confronts her, attacks her, calls her filthy names. The lady, the older lady, keeps her composure and said, she said, you’re an effing racist and he’s an effing racist. And the older lady said… No, I’m not. No, he wasn’t.
SPEAKER 02 :
And the older lady is an employee.
SPEAKER 01 :
Oh, don’t get hung up on this, Mark. Would you stop being a schoolmarm?
SPEAKER 02 :
Why you do this to me, Demi? Are you okay?
SPEAKER 01 :
Let me finish this story, please. Schoolmarm Mark is going to be, oh, she’s not wearing the Target-issued uniform.
SPEAKER 02 :
Oh, no, not so much. If Target has rules, how would you feel? Oh, would you stop it? What’s wrong with you? Now, how would you feel if you’re walking to Target and the red shirt is Obama?
SPEAKER 01 :
It’s 2012. Grandma Mark doesn’t like that she’s not wearing her company uniform. Is that okay? Oh, would you knock it off? Well, let me give you the moral. Let me give you the happy ending to the story.
SPEAKER 02 :
You’ve got to save me 60 seconds.
SPEAKER 01 :
No, Grandma. No, I’m not, because that’s stupid. It’s not in the story. It’s on something else. And it says freedom. Big deal. I love it. I love it. That’s right. Oh, yeah, but what about if it was somebody else we wouldn’t like? Would you be okay with that? You play this contrarian crap. Can you answer the question? It makes me crazy when you play this contrarian crap. Can you answer the question? So here’s the happy ending to the story. I’ll give you the answer to the question. The young woman has been shamed. She’s now being criminally investigated for harassing the Target employee. No problem. Then there’s a GoFundMe for the older lady wearing the red T-shirt that they said to give her a vacation. Now it’s gone. It’s blossomed into giving her a retirement. That’s great. And it’s up to about $200,000 because most normal people support the lady. How did Target feel?
SPEAKER 02 :
As do I. How did Target feel about her shirt? Oh! who cares how target feels about her shirt school mom if can i get can i get can you give me a christmas gift can you give me a christmas gift of an actual answer to my question are you okay with somebody at target wearing an obama shirt i’m happy that this older lady who got you refuse to answer the question you’re missing the whole point of the story i got the exact point now answer my question nobody point my only point is that if target had a rule that said we’re going to keep politics off our shirts i think that’s an okay your point is idiotic your point is trying to be a contrarian because you’re 60 seconds and you refuse to answer the question you know you know you would be on fire if somebody had an obama shirt at target
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, I’ll give you 60 seconds. If an Obama shirt was worn, you don’t go up and curse them out. And if you do, you ought to get all the wrath that this dumb progressive is getting. So good for her. Don’t get hung up on whether she’s got the company-issued Target shirt on. What the hell’s wrong with you?
SPEAKER 02 :
What I wanted to know, I wanted to know, did Target give her money?
SPEAKER 01 :
I want to know how you get the curlers in your hair in the fuzzy bathroom. You don’t have enough hair to put.
SPEAKER 02 :
Hey, Gladys Travis, where’s your curler? Did Target have anything to say about that? Where’s your bathroom?
SPEAKER 01 :
Did Target have anything to say about that? Is there a wiffle ball in your yard?
SPEAKER 02 :
Does this microphone even work where you can’t hear the things I’m asking you?
SPEAKER 01 :
Is there a wiffle ball in your backyard that you’ve got to… Come on, y’all have some kid in the neighborhood, Grandma.
SPEAKER 02 :
I will tell you this. For full shows, live and on demand, it’s the Salem News Channel.
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