Speaker 1: Let's go next. Where are we going next, by the way? Let's go
to George from the UK. George, welcome. Speaker 2: Hey, David, can you hear me?
Speaker 1: I can hear you fine. Speaker 2: Hey. Yeah. So long time
listeners. Second time caller. Um, so, as you probably remember, Boris Johnson was removed a
few weeks ago in the Conservatives after months of months of political pressure. Yep. And a kind of
turning point was reach and a max mass exodus kind of occurred, a mass resignation that the
government could essentially no longer function. Um, the actual scandal that broke the camel's back
wasn't the worst Boris Johnson scandal, but it was kind of the cherry on the top after,
you know, months and months of just awful behavior and a kind of additional data point ahead. Before
I get to my question is that the conservatives are seen as very ruthless in removing political
leaders. I don't know if you're right of that, but it's kind of a reputation that they had. Yes. Um,
and it got me think about Trump and how things in politics can move so quickly. Um, things are
kind of looking more and more shaky for Trump than ever. As you've covered, fox news is laying
the groundwork to potentially support another nominee. Um, and the Republican establishment
as well is maybe looking for other leaders. So I was wondering if, if something happens like a
charge from the DOJ or something else like that, do you think something analogous could happen
to Trump as it did with Johnson? So, you know, the establishment suddenly turns and goes all in
on DeSantis or someone like that. Well, you know, will the Republican base follow the establishment
and, you know, and go all in, or is this actual situation just so different? And,
you know, Trump's personality, cult of personality is so strong that the you know, the establishment
and or the base could never abandon him. Speaker 1: I don't think we know the answer
to that yet. I don't I think it's going to be it's not going to be one or the other.
So let's let's just pick a number. Let's imagine that Trump's real base is 30 million people.
Okay. Just to pick something. So that means that that of his votes, what did he get? 70 million
votes, 60 something? I forget the numbers. Let's say he got 70 million votes in 20, 20.
30 million are probably all but guaranteed. And then the other 40 million votes that Trump got
are some combination of reluctant Republican supporters of Trump who just really don't like
Democrats, people who like Trump's tax policy but dislike other stuff, confused people. You know,
I don't know. Right. So you start to they kind of slice it up and then you have to say, okay,
so like if the RNC says Trump's out, DeSantis is in. What does that do to these different
groups? Well, he probably keeps most of the 30 million Trump does. But then how much of
the 40 million does he keep? And then it's just really kind of a math question and we just don't
know where that equation is going to land. Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so as well. And I
think it also depends if if Trump is eventually kind of pushed out by the establishment and it
comes to a general election in 24. Do those 30 million? Do they all go, okay, well, you know,
Trump isn't on the ticket, so I might as well vote for the it. Right. Do some
become disengaged again as they were pre 2016? Speaker 1: I think it's a combination. I think
there are people who when Trump is no longer a shiny object that's interesting to them on
a ballot, they they exit politics back to where they came. And I just don't know how many I mean,
we're talking about 30 million. It's an imaginary number. I don't know how many
of the 30 million that applies to. Speaker 2: Yeah. I guess we'll just
wait and see. We will. We will. Speaker 1: All right, George,
thank you for the call. I appreciate it. Speaker 2: Thanks, David.
Speaker 1: All right. We are going to take the quickest of breaks,
but we're going right back to the phones. So there are still plenty more opportunities to
chat with me. Just hold on if you're holding. And we will be right back.