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JOINING US THIS HOUR.
BY THE ROCKETS’ RED GAR FORLARE
THE 4th OF JULY, WE SET OFF
FIREWORKS TO CELEBRATE THE
FOURTH OF JULY.
THESE ARE FIREWORKS THAT WERE
SET OFF FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY
CELEBRATION IN OUR NATION’S
CAPITAL.
CAPITAL. THIS PAST FOURTH OF JULY.
D.C. EVERY YEAR PUTS ON A GREAT,
HUGE FIREWORKS DISPLAY AND LOOKS
LIKE NOWHERE ELSE IN THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. THERE IS THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT
ON THE NATIONAL MALL.
AS THE NATION’S CAPITAL FOURTH
OF JULY IS A MET TO HOLIDAY,
RIGHT?
RIGHT? IT’S A BIGGER DEAL THERE THAN
EVERYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY
AND IT’S A PRETTY BIG DEAL
EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY BUT
IT’S THE NATION’S CAPITAL.
EVERY FOURTH OF JULY THERE IS A
FIREWORKS THING IN D.C. AND
PARADE FROM DOWNTOWN WITH, YOU
KNOW, BANDS AND UNCLE SAM GUY
AND THE DRUM AND ALL THE REST OF
IT.
IT. TODAY PRESIDENT TRUMP TOLD
REPORTERS AT THE WHITE HOUSE HE
IS CONSIDERING A NEW IDEA THAT
HAS JUST OCCURRED TO HIM, A NEW
IDEA FOR AMERICA WHICH IS THAT
HE IS THINKING OVER, HE IS
CONSIDERING THAT MAYBE FROM HERE
ON OUT THERE SHOULD BE A PARADE
AND FIREWORKS IN WASHINGTON D.C.
EVERY YEAR ON JULY 4th.
HOW ABOUT THAT?
HE MUSED ABOUT THIS IDEA TO
REPORTERS TODAY.
REPORTERS TODAY. HE SAID QUOTE, WE’RE THINKING
ABOUT DOING SOMETHING THAT WILL
PERHAPS BECOME A TRADITION.
PROPOSING FIREWORKS FOR THE
FOURTH OF JULY, EVEN IN D.C.
IT’S A BOLD IDEA FOR THE
PRESIDENT TODAY PRESUMABLY THIS
WILL BE FOLLOWED BY AN EXECUTIVE
ORDER PROCLAIMING FROM HERE ON
OUT WE’LL START A NEW CALENDAR
YEAR ON THE FIRST DAY OF
JANUARY.
JANUARY. WHAT?
WHAT? HE’LL DECLARE WE’LL START A NEW
AMERICAN PAST TIME OR ONE PERSON
HOLDS A STICK AND THAT PERSON
RUNS AROUND A SERIES OF BASES.
IT’S THE BALL WELL ENOUGH AND
HARD ENOUGH TO RUN THE BASES AND
GET HOME.
GET HOME. THE PRESIDENT WILL SOON COME UP
WITH A NAME FOR THAT AND
ANNOUNCE HE’S INVENTED THIS
GAME.
GAME. ALSO HE’S INVENTED RAP MUSIC AND
THE IDEA OF TAKING A VACATION IN
THE SUMMER IF YOU’RE A SCHOOL
KID.
KID. I MEAN, I KID YOU NOT, THE
PRESIDENT TODAY PROPOSED TO
REPORTERS IN ALL SERIOUSNESS
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE THAT HE’S
THINKING THERE SHOULD MAYBE BE
FIREWORKS AND A PARADE ON THE
FOURTH OF JULY IN WASHINGTON
D.C.
D.C. IT COULD CATCH ON, COULD BECOME
A TRADITION.
A TRADITION. THE BEST NEWS ABOUT THIS IS THAT
IT’S NOT ACTUALLY A TERRIBLE
IDEA TO HAVE A PARADE AND
FIREWORKS IN WASHINGTON D.C. ON
THE FOURTH OF JULY AS EVIDENCED
BY THE FACT WE DO ALWAYS DO IT
EVERY YEAR AND NOBODY MINDS.
PEOPLE SORT OF LIKE IT.
BUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE HEAD
OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES THAT HE THINKS THIS
ANNUAL CELEBRATION SHOULD
HENCEFORTH BE ATTRIBUTED TO HIM
AS IF HE DREAMED IT UP.
I MEAN, I TRY NOT TO GET CAUGHT
UP IN THIS STUFF AND GENERALLY
AND STUFF HE SAYS, BUT LIKE THE
WEIRD VAGARIES OF THE PRESIDENCY
ARE HONESTLY REALLY WEIRD.
ONE OF THE STORIES WE’RE
COVERING TONIGHT THAT WE’LL HAVE
AN UPDATE FOR YOU ON LATER ON
THIS HOUR IS THE QUESTION OF
WHETHER OR NOT WE’RE ABOUT TO
HAVE ANOTHER SHUTDOWN OF THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS OF THE END
OF THIS WEEK BECAUSE OF THE
PRESIDENT’S DEMAND THAT WE
SHOULD BUILD A WALL BETWEEN US
AND MEXICO.
AND MEXICO. IN THE LEAD UP TO THAT SHUTDOWN
DEADLINE AT THE END OF THE WEEK,
THE PRESIDENT LAST NIGHT JUST
STARTED DECLARING OH VERTVERTLY
DECLARED HE BUILT THIS WALL
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND
MEXICO.
MEXICO. HE’S ALREADY BUILT IT AND HE’S
JUST FINISHING IT UP NOW.
HE GOT WHAT HE WANTED.
HE WON.
HE WON. EVENTUALLY HE WILL GIVE TOURS ON
THE BOARDER SHOWING REPORTERS
AND SUPPORTERS WHAT LOOKS LIKE A
NORMAL SECTION OF THE BORDER
WALL AND INSIST IT’S ACTUALLY
THERE BECAUSE HE BUILT IT AND
THE REASON YOU THINK YOU CANNOT
SEE IT, HE MEANT THAT ON
PURPOSE.
PURPOSE. HE NOT ONLY BUILT THE WALL BUT
HE BUILT AN INVISIBLE WALL AND
HE SAID IT WOULD ALSO BE
INVISIBLE.
INVISIBLE. DON’T YOU REMEMBER THAT?
I MEAN, IT IS -- IT’S EASY
ENOUGH.
ENOUGH. I DO IT MOST OF THE TIME TO JUST
ILG NOR WHAT HE’S SAYING PARTIC
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT’S NOT TRUE
BUT IT IS BEWILDERING, RIGHT?
THIS ISN’T A DUMB MOVIE.
THIS ISN’T, YOU KNOW, AN OLD TV
SHOW.
SHOW. THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR PRESIDENT
NOW IN OUR LIFETIME.
THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR GOVERNMENT,
OUR COUNTRY AND THIS STUFF, IT
DOES PUT US IN A WEIRD POSITION
AS CITIZENS.
AS CITIZENS. ALSO FOR THE PRESIDENT’S
POLITICAL COMPETITORS AND HIS
OPPONENTS, IT PUTS THEM IN AN
ODD SITUATION, TOO.
JUST AROUND THIS LATEST SHUTDOWN
THREAT, DO YOU POINT OUT THAT HE
ACTUALLY HAS NOT BUILT ANY WALL
AT ALL SINCE HE HAS BEEN
PRESIDENT?
PRESIDENT? DO YOU LET HIM CLAIM HE HAS EVEN
THOUGH HE HASN’T BECAUSE MAYBE
THAT IS JUST EASIER.
IF HE SAYS IT ENOUGH THAT HE HAS
BUILT A WALL, MAYBE HE’LL
BELIEVE THAT HE HAS BUILT A WALL
OR BELIEVE IT ENOUGH THAT THAT
WILL BECOME ENOUGH TO STOP THE
NEXT SHUTDOWN OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, THAT THAT WILL ALLOW
THE GOVERNMENT TO STAY OPEN
BASED ON A WEIRD LIE THAT WE’VE
DECIDED TO NOT BOTHER CORRECTING
BECAUSE MAYBE IT’S EASIER.
IF WE CHOOSE TO APPLY THAT
STRATEGY EVEN TO HIM SAYING HE’S
ALREADY BUILT THE WALL THIS
WEEK, I MEAN, DO WE APPLY THAT
STRATEGY TO EVERYTHING?
DO WE SMILE AND NOD AND LET HIM
BELIEVE WHAT HE WANTS TO BELIEVE
AND SAY WHAT HE WANTS PEOPLE TO
BELIEVE IS TRUE?
YES, SIR, YOU WON THE POPULAR
VOTE BY A RECORD.
YOUR POLL NUMBERS ARE SKY HIGH
IN NORTH KOREA AND GAVE UP
NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND CAMPAIGN
FINANCE FELONIES, THEY AREN’T
REALLY CRIMES AND MICHAEL COHEN
PROBABLY DOESN’T KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT WHAT YOU DID OR PAUL
MANAFORT OR DAVID PECKER, YOUR
FRIEND AT THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER
OR ANYBODY ELSE GRANTED IMMUNITY
IN WHICH CHANGE FOR THEIR
TESTIMONY THAT DEFINITELY
ABSOLUTELY HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH YOU.
WITH YOU. EVERYTHING IS FINE.
DO YOU JUST SAY IT?
I MEAN, THE PRESIDENT FLATLY
PROCLAIMS ALTERNATE UNIVERSE
STUFF ALL THE TIME AND BECAUSE
OF THAT, YOU DO HAVE THE OPTION
TO IGNORE IT BUT THAT DOESN’T
CHANGE THE FACT THAT HE’S
PRESIDENT AND WHEN HE SAYS STUFF
THAT ISN’T TRUE REPEATEDLY AND
YOU HAVE TO RECKON WITH THAT
STRATEGICALLY WHETHER OR NOT IT
SHOULD BE CORRECTED, IT CAN BE
HARD TO GET YOUR BEARINGS AS TO
WHAT WE MUST INSIST TO BE TRUE
AND WHAT YOU MIGHT LET GO
BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS IT’S
FAKE BUT THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING
IT ANYWAY AND WHO WILL STOP HIM?
I MEAN, HERE IS ANOTHER ONE
ABOUT THE TRUMP INAUGURAL L
COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE. THE TRUMP INAUGURAL COMMITTEE,
THEY SEEKED WERE SEEKING DETAILS
SPENDING OF THE INAUGURAL.
IT HAS BEEN THIS PUZZLING THING
ABOUT THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY FROM
THE VERY, VERY BEGINNING.
PRESIDENT TRUMP OF COURSE
FOLLOWED INTO OFFICE AND
IMMEDIATELY PREVIOUS PRESIDENT
WHO HAD THE LARGEST SWEARING IN
FESTIVITIES EVER IN U.S. HISTORY
BY A MILE.
PRESIDENT OBAMA BROUGHT AN
ABSOLUTELY UNPRECEDENTED SEA OF
PEOPLE TO THE NATION’S CAPITOL.
IT WAS THE LARGEST ASSEMBLING OF
HUMAN BEINGS IN THE DISTRICT OF
COLOMBIA.
COLOMBIA. TO HANDLE THOSE FESTIVITIES,
THAT GIANT INAUGURAL EVENT, THE
OBAMA INAUGURAL COMMITTEE RAISED
AND SPENT A HUGE NEW RECORD
AMOUNT OF MONEY JUST OVER $50
MILLION AS INAUGURALTIONS GO,
THAT WAS MAMMOTH AND
UNPRECEDENTED BUT YOU SEE WHY
THEY NEEDED TO RAISE AND SPEND
THAT MUCH MONEY.
IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE WE NEVER
SEEN BEFORE AND THE NEXT
PRESIDENT WAS ELECTED, OUR
CURRENT PRESIDENT AND HIS
WEARING IN WAS SMALLER AND IT
WAS SMALL ACTUALLY NOT JUST
COMPARED WITH HIS IMMEDIATE
PREDECESSOR.
PREDECESSOR. TRUMP’S INAUGURATION WAS SMALL
COMPARED TO MOST OTHER RECENT
PRESIDENT’S INAUGURATIONS AS
WELL.
WELL. I’M NOT SAYING THAT TO BE MEAN
OR INSULTING.
OR INSULTING. I FULLY BELIEVE IF I WERE SWORN
INTO ANYTHING,LESS THAN HALF OF
MY FAMILY WOULD SHOW UP LET
ALONE THE PARADE.
I DON’T MEAN TO SAY THIS SAYS
SOMETHING BAD ABOUT HIM AS A
PRESIDENT OR AS A CANDIDATE SOON
TO BE PRESIDENT OR PRESIDENT
ELECT SOON TO BE PRESIDENT.
I DON’T MEAN THAT IN A MEAN WAY.
WHAT I MEAN IS THAT MATHTEHMATH,
NUMBERS WHETHER YOU HAVE
FEELINGS ABOUT THEM, THEY DIDN’T
MAKE SENSE.
MAKE SENSE. FOR THE GIANT INAUGURATION, FOR
OBAMA, THE BIGGEST EVER, THEY
RAISED AND SPENT ABOUT $50
MILLION.
MILLION. FOR THE COMPARATIVELY TINY ONE
THAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT, THEY
SPENT TWICE THAT AMOUNT.
THEY SPENT MORE THAN TWICE THAT
AMOUNT.
AMOUNT. I MEAN, GIVEN WHAT ACTUALLY
HAPPENED AT THE TRUMP INAUGURAL,
HOW ON EARTH DID THEY ACCOUNT
FOR RAISING AND SPENDING OVER
$100 MILLION ON THIS?
I MEAN, IF YOU TAKE PRESIDENT
OBAMA OUT OF IT BECAUSE THAT WAS
HISTORICAL FOR COMPARISON SAKE,
YOU CAN TAKE THE GEORGE W. BUSH
INAUGURALS
INAUGURALS INAUGURALS.
INAUGURALS. THE PERSON THAT RAN GEORGE W.
BUSH’S SECOND INAUGURAL, HE SAID
QUOTE THEY HAD A THIRD OF THE
STAFF WE DID AND A QUARTER OF
THE EVENTS WE DID.
AND THEY SPENT AT LEAST TWICE AS
MUCH AS WE DID?
SO THE QUESTION IS THE OBVIOUS
QUESTION IS WHERE DID IT GO?
OBVIOUS QUESTION, GOOD QUESTION
AND NOW THE TRUMP INAUGURAL
COMMITTEE HAS BEEN BROADLY
SUBPOENAED BY FEDERAL
PROSECUTORS WHO PRESUMABLY WILL
GET ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS AND
IF YOU REGULARLY WATCH THIS
SHOW, YOU’LL REMEMBER WE HAVE
REPORTED ON THIS TRUMP INAUGURAL
STORY FOR A LONG WHILE AND JUST
BECAUSE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING,
IT SEEMED LIKE SOMETHING WAS
MATHEMATICALLY WRONG AND FISHY
WITH THE TRUMP INAUGURATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE NOTICE IN
EARLY REPORTING IS THAT SOME OF
THE INEXPLICABLE AND ULTIMATELY
UNACCOUNTED FOR MONEY THAT
FLOWED INTO THE TRUMP
INAUGURATION CAME IN LATE.
CAME IN AFTER THE FACT.
AND THAT’S NOT NECESSARILY A SIN
LET ALONE A CRIME.
BUT IT IS A LITTLE FUNNY BECAUSE
BY THE TIME THE TRUMP
INAUGURATION WAS AN HOUR INTO
IT, LET ALONE OVER, ANYBODY WHO
DONATED MONEY TO THAT THING
CLEARLY WOULD HAVE REALIZED THEY
HAD JUST PAID $50 FOR A $2 JAW
BREAKER.
BREAKER. IT WAS CLEAR AS SOON AS THE
TRACTORS ROLLED DOWN THE PARADE
ROUTE AND D.J. DRUMS KICKED OFF
THE CONCERT OF RANDOM THEY
BROUGHT TO THE NATIONAL MALL, IT
WAS CLEAR THEY OVER RAISED.
RIGHT?
RIGHT? THEY RAISED WAY, WAY, WAY MORE
MONEY THAN THIS THING COULD HAVE
CONCEIVABLY COST TO PUT ON.
BY THAT POINT, THE TRUMP
INAUGURAL WAS PROMISING THEY
SHOULD BE GIVING THE LEFTOVER
MONEY.
MONEY. STILL, DESPITE THAT, SOME REALLY
BIG FAT DONATIONS TO THE TRUMP
INAUGURAL CAME IN WAY AFTER THE
INAUGURAL WAS OVER, WEEKS AND
MONTHS LATER LIKE FOR EXAMPLE
THIS DONATION OF HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM THE
C.E.O. OF THE LARGEST COLE
COMPANY IN AMERICA.
ROBERT MURRAY WHO RUNS MURRAY
ENERGY DIRECTED THIS DONATION IN
MID MARCH AFTER THE INAUGURAL
AND GAVE A MILLION DOLLARS TO
THE SUPER PAC AND PUBLIC SCANDAL
WITH MURRAY AND HIS COMPANY AND
WHAT HE RECEIVED SINCE MAKING
THOSE BIG DONATIONS.
"THE WASHINGTON POST" SAID
WITHIN WEEKS OF THE INAUGURATION
BUT INTERESTINGLY, EVEN BEFORE
HE CUT THAT $300,000 CHECK TO
THE INAUGURATION, BOB MURRAY HAD
DRAWN UP A DETAILED ACTION PLAN
FOR WHAT HE WANTED THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION TO DO, EVERYTHING
FROM SLASHING THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE AT EPA TO SCRAPPING ANTI
POLLUTION RULES.
POLLUTION RULES. BY THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY,
"THE NEW YORK TIMES" WAS
REPORTING THE WHITE HOUSE AND
FEDERAL AGENCIES HAVE COMPLETED
OR ARE ON TRACK TO FULFILL MOST
OF THE DETAILED REQUESTS IN MR.
MURRAY’S ACTION PLAN, THIS WISH
LIST OF LIKE 14 OR 16 DIFFERENT
DETAILED REQUESTS THAT HE WAS
DEMANDING THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION PERFORM.
ADMINISTRATION PERFORM. THEY JUST DID THEM ALL.
AND IF THAT STORY, THAT LITTLE
SCANDAL ABOUT MURRAY RINGS A
BELL OR DOESN’T COME AS A
SURPRISE, IT’S BECAUSE WE EXPECT
THAT TO BE THE WAY OF THE WORLD
A LITTLE BIT.
WE CERTAINLY EXPECT THAT TO BE
THE WAY OF THIS PRESIDENCY.
BUT IN A DEMOCRACY AND REPUBLIC
WHERE ELECTED LEADERS ARE
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE THAT
GIVE THEM THEIR JOBS AND A REAL
FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY OF COURSE,
INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING IS A
SACK RA
SACK RA CONSTITUTIONALLY FREE PRESS
DOESN’T MEAN YOU’RE FREE TO SAY
WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND BUT PROTECTS
THE FREEDOM OF US AND CITIZENS
TO FIGURE STUFF OUT AND DIG
STUFF UP IF IT’S UNFLATTERING OR
SKANLD LAOS
SKANLD LAOS SCANDALOUS ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN
CHARGE.
CHARGE. CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE TO
THE ENTERPRISING REPORTERS WHO
HAVE JUST DUG UP THIS NEW
JAW-DROPPING SCANDAL ABOUT THIS
WHITE HOUSE AND GOVERNMENT BEING
PUT UP FOR SALE.
THIS IS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY
AUTHORITY THAT DATES TO THE
1930s.
1930s. A FEDERAL AGENCY THAT OPERATES
AS A GIGANTIC MEGA UTILITY IN
TENNESSEE IN PARTS OF ALABAMA,
MISSISSIPPI, GEORGIA, KENTUCKY,
NORTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA.
WELL, NOW, ENTERPRISING
REPORTING TURNED UP THE FACT
THAT THE PRESIDENT PERSONALLY
HAS SECRETLY WEIGHED IN WITH
THAT AGENCY, WITH THE TENNESSEE
VALLEY AUTHORITY THAT FEDERAL
AGENCY TO TELL THEM THAT DESPITE
THE AGENCY’S EXISTING PLANS AND
OWN INTERNAL ASSESSMENT OF WHAT
IS RIGHT FOR THAT AGENCY AND
STATES THAT AGENCY SECONDRVES,
DESPITE THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS
TOLD THEM TO NOT DO AND
INTERVENED PERSONALLY AND
DIRECTED THEM, TOLD THAT AGENCY
THAT THEY GOT TO USE A COAL
PLANT, A COAL FIRED POWER PLANT
THAT THEY WERE OTHERWISE GOING
TO PHASEOUT BUT HE SAID KEEP
USING IT DESPITE WHAT HAPPENED
AT YOUR AGENCY THAT MADE YOU
DECIDE TO STOP USING IT, KEEP
USING IT NOW BECAUSE THAT PLANT
BUYS ITS COAL FROM BOB MURRAY.
FROM MURRAY ENERGY.
FROM THE PRESIDENT’S GIGANTIC
DONOR, THE SUPER PAC AND LATE
DONATION TO THE INAUGURAL.
THIS IS LIKE THE IDEA OF
CORRUPTION, MURRAY PAYS TRUMP
UNDER SCRUTINY BY FEDERAL
PROSECUTORS.
PROSECUTORS. MURRAY PAYS TRUMP AND TRUMP USES
THE PRESIDENCY TO DIRECT A
PUBLIC AGENCY TO PAY MURRAY.
TO PROPERTY UP MURRAY’S
BUSINESS.
BUSINESS. USE FEDERAL RESOURCE, USE THE
TAXPAYERS’ RESOURCES.
TAXPAYERS’ RESOURCES. USE THE COUNTRY’S ASSETS TO
REWARD THE GUY THAT GAVE HIM
MONEY.
MONEY. AND IF WHAT I JUST DESCRIBED IS
THE WAY THAT WE HAD LEARNED
ABOUT THAT SCANDAL, IF IT IN
FACT HAD BEEN SOME ENTERPRISING
DIGGING INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER
WHO TURNED THAT UP AS A SECRET
DEAL, THAT WOULD BE A
PRIZE-WINNING SCOOP FOR THAT
INVESTIGATING REPORTER THAT
UNCOVERED THAT SCANDAL BUT IN
OUR MORALLY BEWILDERING CURRENT
ENVIRONMENT, IN FACT, THE WAY WE
LEARNED ABOUT THAT SCANDAL IS
JUST FROM THE PRESIDENT’S PUBLIC
STATEMENTS ON TWITTER.
IT WAS THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF WHO
JUST BROKE THE NEWS OF THIS
SCANDAL BECAUSE HE’S JUST DOING
IT ALL OUT LOUD ON HIS TWITTER
FEED.
FEED. THIS IS HIS TWEET LAST NIGHT
DIRECTING THE TVA TO USE THIS
ONE PARTICULAR POWER PLANT,
PARADISE NUMBER THREE THAT GETS
HIS COAL FROM HIS CAMPAIGN
DONOR.
DONOR. THERE IS THE TWEET FROM LAST
NIGHT.
NIGHT. THERE IS THE HEADLINE RESPONSE
THAT THIS IS HAPPENING IN THE
OPEN.
OPEN. AND YES, THIS IS THE STORY OF
ANOTHER DESTRUCTIVE PRESIDENTIAL
CORRUPTION FLOWING THROUGH U.S.
POLICY OUT OF THIS WHITE HOUSE
BUT IT IS ALSO ANOTHER ELEMENT
IN THIS AGE OF SORT OF MORAL
BEWILDERMENT WE’RE IN AS
CITIZENS.
CITIZENS. RIGHT?
RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU CAN’T RUN THAT STORY
ABOUT WHAT TRUMP JUST DID WITH
THE TVA AND DONOR AND DEMANDING
THAT THEY USE HIS DONOR’S COAL
PLANT.
PLANT. YOU CAN’T RUN THAT AS AN EXPO.
IF THE PRESIDENT IS HAPPY TO
COMMIT THINGS LIKE THIS IN THE
PUBLIC, THERE IS NO WAY TO
EMBARRASS SOMEBODY.
EMBARRASS SOMEBODY. IF THEY ARE HAPPY TO BE SEEN
SELLING THE GOVERNMENT FOR CASH
AND IF YOU CAN’T EMBARRASS OR
SHAME ANYBODY ABOUT IT AND
INCREASINGLY CAN’T SHOCK ANYBODY
ABOUT IT, THEN WHAT DO YOU DO
WITH IT?
WITH IT? HOW DO YOU STOP SPECIFIC
GOVERNMENT ACTIONS LIKE THIS, IF
THERE IS NO SHAME FROM PUBLIC
OFFICIALS DOING IT BUT ALSO, HOW
DO WE ONCE AGAIN BECOME A
COUNTRY WHERE THAT KIND OF THING
WOULD AT LEAST BE A SCANDAL?
I MEAN, IF THIS DOESN’T GET
FIXED BY THE NEXT TRUMP
INAUGURAL, THEY WILL DISTRIBUTE
A MENU AND HAVE A U.S. TAXPAYER
DRAW UP A MENU WHAT YOU NEED TO
PAY FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL TWEET
OR POLICY YOU EXPECT IN RETURN
AND THEY SEND SOMEBODY OUT LIKE
WITH THE BEER TREY FROM THE
BALLPARK TO COLLECT YOUR FUNDS.
IF IT DOESN’T MATTER ANYMORE, IF
WE’RE NOT SURPRISED AND NOBODY
IS EMBARRASSED, HOW DO WE NOT