WELCOME BACK TO OUR LIVE SHOW.
ALL THESE TIMES ARE REAL.
LATER, I'M GOING TO TALK TO THE 2 DOPE QUEENS, AND WE'LL HAVE A
PERFORMANCE BY GRAMMY WINNER CHRIS STAPLETON.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) BUT MY FIRST GUESTS TONIGHT HOST
THE MOST POPULAR POLITICAL PODCAST IN THE COUNTRY.
FROM "POD SAVE AMERICA," PLEASE WELCOME JON FAVREAU, JON LOVETT,
AND TOMMY VIETOR!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: GOOD TO SEE YOU
AGAIN.
>> YOU, TOO.
>> Stephen: THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU-- WAS TRUMP PRESIDENT
THE LAST TIME WE SAW YOU GUYS?
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: HE WAS.
I WAS WONDERING WHY I CAN A CONTACT DEPRESSION.
NOW, YOU GUYS, JON JON, YOU WERE SPEECHWRITERS, WROTE FOR OBAMA
AND HILLARY CLINTON.
AS A SPEECHWRITER, HOW CHALLENGE SIGNATURE STATE OF THE UNION?
IS THIS, LIKE, YOUR SUPER BOWL.
>> IT SUCKS.
>> Stephen: WHAT SUCKS ABOUT IT?
>> BECAUSE IT'S SO LONG AND YOU HAVE TO GET EVERYTHING IN THERE.
LIKE, I THINK A PRESIDENT SHOULD GIVE, SOME DAY, A 20-MINUTE
SPEECH ON ONE SINGLE ISSUE, AND JUST SPARE US ALL THE WORDS.
>> Stephen: BUT IT'S THE STATE OF THE UNION.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, LIKE, AN UMBRELLA, COVER EVERYTHING.
>> IT COVERS EVERYTHING, AND BECOMES A LAWNRY LIST OF EVERY
POLICY IN THE GOVERNMENT.
>> YEAH, IT'S VERY BORING.
ONE OF THE FEATURE S.
>> Stephen: AND IT WAS THE THIRD LONG NEST HISTORY AT 90
MINUTES.
BILL CLINTON BEAT IT TWICE.
( LAUGHTER ) SO BILL CLINTON HAS THE ONE AND
THE TWO SPOT, OKAY, AND THEN-- YES?
>> NO, IT'S AMAZING.
IT WAS THE THIRD LONGEST, BUT IT WAS ALMOST HALF THE LENGTH OF
BILL CLINTON'S LONGEST SPEECHES.
HE MADE-- >> HIS DELIVERY WAS SLOW.
>> 55 HUNDRED WORDS.
HE MADE IT LAST 90 MINUTES.
>> Stephen: HE STARTED TO FADE TOWARD THE END.
IT ALMOST SEEMED SOMEBODY SHOULD PULL THE STRING IN HIS BACK ONE
MORE TIME.
>> JOHN KELLY WAS TRYING.
>> JOHN KELLY GAVE MAKE PENCE-- JOHN KELLY DID GIVE MIKE PENCE
THE OFFICIAL CATTLE PROD.
>> Stephen: TO KEEP HIM GOING.
>> PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS-- IT'S ONE THE ONE NIGHT OF THE YEAR
IT'S NOT IN HIS POSSESSION WITH TRUMP.
HE COULDN'T GET A MOMENT.
>> Stephen: THERE WAS AN EMPHASIS ON BIPARTISANSHIP GOING
IN AND A NOD TO IT HERE OR THERE WITHIN THE SPEECH, AS DEMOCRATS
AND DEMOCRATICS OPERATIVIZE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS.
IT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE HIT MEN.
DID YOU FEEL REACHED OUT TO IN ANY WAY?
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU ATTACK A SPEECH AND DIVORCE IT FROM AN
ENTIRE YEAR OF ACTIONS.
SO THEY SPENT 15 MINUTES--
THE BIG-- THE BIG DEBATE RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT WHETHER TO PREVENT
THE DEPORTATION OF 800,000 KIDS WHO ARE AMERICAN.
AND HE SPENT 15 MINUTES TALKING ABOUT IMMIGRANTS IN THE CONTEXT
OF GANGS KILLING PEOPLE.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S ANYTHING BUT DIVISIVE.
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: THAT DID SEEM LIKE
AN ODD-- THAT SEEMED LIKE AN ODD ENTREE TO THE QUESTION OF
IMMIGRATION IS TO FOCUS JUST ON-- ON GANGS.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT-- WELL, INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS.
TOMMY, YOU WORKED AS OBAMA'S NATIONAL SECURITY SPOKESMAN.
HOW DO YOU THINK THIS SPEECH WILL BE PERCEIVED OVERSEAS?
BECAUSE THERE ARE POLLS THAT SAY THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS TAKEN
A HIT IN TERMS OF ITS STATURE, AND CERTAINLY THE UNITED STATES
PRESIDENCY HAS TAKEN A HIT IN TERMS OF ITS STATURE AROUND THE
WORLD.
DO YOU THINK THIS THIS WILL DO ANYTHING TO HELP WITH THAT?
>> HE TALKED ABOUT, IN THE CONTEXT OF ARMS CONTROL, THIS
MAGIC MOMENT ONE DAY WHEN COUNTRIES MIGHT PUT DOWN THEIR
NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
BACK IN THE DAY WITH RONALD REAGAN IT WAS CALLED DIPLOAMAS,
AND YOU NEGOTIATED AND HAD ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENTS.
HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT NORTH KOREA, BUT IF YOU PICK UP "THE
WASHINGTON POST" TOMORROW, HIS DESIG ME, WITH WAS WITHDRAWN
BECAUSE HE OPPOSED A STRIKE ON NORTH KOREA BECAUSE HE FEARED IT
COULD START A NUCLEAR WAR.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WILL PICK UP THE PAPER AND FEEL GREAT ABOUT
THAT SPEECH BECAUSE OF THE CONTEXT OUT THERE.
>> Stephen: I HAVEN'T READ THIS STORY.
YOU'RE SAYING THE AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA, PROPOSED, HAS BEEN
PULLED, HIS NOMINATION HAS BEEN REMOVED BY THE WHITE HOUSE
BECAUSE HE THINKS THAT ATTACKING A NUCLEAR POWER MIGHT START A
NUCLEAR WAR.
>> IT'S THIS POLICY THEY CALL A "PUNCH IN THE NOSE STRATEGY"
SAYING IF WE POP NORTH KOREA IN THE NOSE, THEY'LL CHILL OUT AND
NOT FIGHT US.
>> SOUNDS GOOD, DOESN'T IT.
>> IT SOUNDS GOOD ON PAPER.
>> Stephen: THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO CALM DOWN A CRAZY PERSON--
BING!
WE'RE DONE.
WE'RE EVEN.
IS THERE ANYTHING-- IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE SPEECH THAT
YOU AGREED WITH?
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT, TO BE FAIR, YOU SAY THAT IS SOMETHING
TO BE SUPPORTABLE AND NONPARTISAN FOR A MOMENT, IF YOU
CAN, YOU PINKOS.
>> NO, I MEAN, HE TALKED ABOUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, BUT
HE'S NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HE'S TALKED
ABOUT IT BEFORE AND HE'S HAD A YEAR AND HASN'T DONE ANYTHING
ABOUT IT.
>> Stephen: HE MIGHT HAVE A REASON COMING UP TO MAKE PRISONS
A LOT NICER.
( LAUGHTER ) ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
AT LEAST FOR HIS FAMILY.
>> HE TALKED ABOUT PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, BUT HE TALKED ABOUT THAT
LAST YEAR AND, YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT
THAT, EITHER.
IT'S HARD TO DIVORCE THE SPEECH FROM, YOU KNOW, WHAT HE'S DONE
FOR A YEAR.
>> S.>> STATE OF THE UNIONS ONLY MATTER-- YOU COULDN'T TELL US
YOUR FAVORITE LINES FROM OBAMA'S STATE OF THE UNION AIR, COUPLE
OF JOKES.
WE DON'T REMEMBER.
BUT THEY MATTER BECAUSE THEY SIT BETWEEN WHAT CAME BEFORE AND
WHAT CAME AFTER.
DONALD TRUMP SAID HE WANTS TO TAKE ON THE ETHIOPIA ADDICTION
BUT FOR THE OF LAST YEAR, HE TRIED TO CUT MEDICAID BY $1
MILLION.
JEFF SESSIONS IS THE REASON WE DON'T HAVE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REFORM RIGHT NOW.
HE'S ONE OF THE KEY VOICES IN THE SENATE THAT PREVENTED A VOTE
ON THAT BEFORE HE BECAME ATTORNEY GENERAL.
HE TALKS ABOUT UNITY, AFTER HE IMPLIED THAT KNEELING DURING THE
ANTHEM IS UNPATRIOTIC, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A PROTEST, PEOPLE
DEMONSTRATING THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS.
AND, BY THE WAY, HE TALKS ABOUT REACHING OUT TO DEMOCRATS.
HE'S NEVER APOLOGIZED FOR ANY OF IT.
YOU DON'T GET TO STAND UP THERE AND PRETEND THAT THE LAST YEAR
DIDN'T HAPPEN.
YOU DON'T GET TO PRETEND IT'S ONLY PEOPLE THAT DON'T--
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT-- IN THAT
ROOM, THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THAT ROOM THAT DON'T CARE WHETHER OR
NOT DONALD TRUMP APOLOGIZES ARE PEOPLE LIKE TED CRUZ, WHO JUST
SUPPLICATED THEMSELVES FOR THIS GUY WHO CALLED HIS WIFE UGLY AND
SAID HIS DAD KILLED J.F.K., AND HE'S LIKE, "OH, THIS GUY, HE'S
THE MASTER."
SO GIVE ME A BREAK.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> WE'RE STILL ON THE FENCE.
>> Stephen: STILL ON THE FENCE.
>> WE'RE STILL ON THE FENCE.
>> Stephen: WELL, TED CRUZ IS OUR FIRST INVERTERATE SENATOR.
THAT'S DIVERSITY RIGHT THERE.
THERE ANYTHING ABOUT HIS COMMUNICATION STYLE, AS
PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATORS, ANYTHING ABOUT HIS COMMUNICATION
STYLE, "OKAY, YEAH, HE'S GOOD AT THAT?"
>> NOT THE WAY HE SPOKE TONIGHT.
TONIGHT HE DID THE "I'M READING A HOSTAGE STATEMENT" KIND OF
DELIVERY.
>> Stephen: HE WAS BLINKING OUT.
>> HE WASN'T ALLOWED TO USE HIS TWITTER VOICE, YOU KNOW.
SO HE JUST LOOKED LIKE HE WAS READING A SPEECH FOR THE FIRST
TIME.
>> TRUMP'S GENIUS IS HE DRIVES A NEWS CYCLE FOR WEEKS AT A TIME.
BUT A VERY SMART REPORTER WROTE A PIECE TODAY SAYING NOTHING IN
THE SPEECH WILL BE REMEMBERABLE BECAUSE OF A TRUMP TWEET.
>> AND VERY FEW REFERENCES TO HIS OPPONENTS' MENSTRUAL CYCLE,
WHICH IS A KEY PART OF HIS BRAND AND IDENTITY.
>> Stephen: I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND.
WHAT ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE?
WHAT ABOUT JOE KENNEDY III?
IS IT III AT THIS POINT?
I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO WATCH HIS.
>> I THINK HE DID REALLY WELL.
I THINK IT'S SUCH A TOUGH JOB TO HAVE, THE RESPONSE, THE STATE OF
THE UNION.
NO ONE WANTS THAT JOB.
>> Stephen: IT'S AN HONOR.
>> IT'S RUINED MORE POLITICIANS THAN PROSTITUTION.
BUT--
BUT HE DID FINE.
HE DID FINE.
( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: GOOD.
GOOD.
PLEASE DON'T SAY THE WORD "KENNEDY" AND "PROSTITUTION" IN
THE SAME SENTENCE.
HE'S GOT A CAREER TO LOOK OUT FOR.
>> Stephen: LISTEN, GUYS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH SEW FOR
BEING HERE.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.
THANKS SO MUCH.
WE'LL JUST WAVE FROM A DISTANCE.
THEIR PODCAST IS "POD SAVE AMERICA."
JON FAVREAU, JON LOVETT, AND TOMMY VIETOR, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK