DISAFFECTED ANGRY YOUNG MAN CAN TURN UNTIL THEN WE ARE WHAT OUR RECORD SAYS. WE ARE. MM HMM.
WELL I HAVE BEEN A LITTLE
DISMAYED THIS WEEK. THAT IS.
SOME HAVE CALLED FOR CHANGES IN
OUR LAWS. OTHERS HAVE CLAIMED
THAT THAT POLITICIZES THIS
TRAGEDY I DON’T REALLY GET THAT
WE ARE A NATION OF LAWS. THE
LAWS ARE ARRIVED AT THROUGH A
POLITICAL PROCESS BOTH THROUGH
ELECTIONS AND THEN THROUGH
DEBATE AND NEGOTIATIONS IN
STATEHOUSES AND ON CAPITOL HILL
. AND MY QUESTION TODAY IS, ARE
THESE EVENTS LIKELY TO CAUSE
CHANGES IN THE LAWS UNDER WHICH
WE LIVE. LET’S TALK ABOUT IT
WITH POLITICAL CONSULTANT
DENTIST ARE NOW I HEAR FROM
DENSER CONSULTING POLITICAL
CONSULTANT ADOLPH MONGO BACK
WITH US FROM MONGO AND
ASSOCIATES CO HOST OF IT’S JUST
POLITICS ON MICHIGAN RADIO ZOE
CLARK AND POLLSTER AND
STRATEGIST STEVE MITCHELL OF
MITCHELL RESEARCH GANG. THANK
YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE. IT’S BEEN A REALLY AWFUL
BRUTAL WEEK AND I GUESS I WONDER
AT WHAT WE CAN ADD TO ALL OF
THIS. BUT STEVE, MY CENTRAL
QUESTION IS AS WE’VE WATCHED
THIS BACK AND FORTH AND WE SEE
POLLS WHERE 90% OR MORE OF
AMERICANS DO WANT TO SEE MAYBE
MORE STRINGENT BACKGROUND
CHECKS. DOES ANY OF THAT MATTER
? IS ANYTHING GOING TO MOVE THE
NEEDLE? YOU CAN TELL YOU CAN DO
POLLING ON SPECIFIC ISSUES
RELATED TO IT, BUT I LOOKED AT A
SURVEY LAST NIGHT CONDUCTED
AFTER THE SHOOTING DOWN IN THE
VALLEY, TEXAS. AND ESSENTIALLY
52% OF THE COUNTRY WANTS TO HAVE
STRICTER GUN LAWS. 48% HOWEVER,
SAY THAT EITHER THE GUN LAWS ARE
STRICT ENOUGH NOW OR THEY SHOULD
BE MORE LENIENT. AND WHEN YOU’VE
GOT HALF THE COUNTRY SPLIT LIKE
THIS AND THERE’S NO WAY YOU’RE
GOING TO MOVE FORWARD ANY
LEGISLATION BECAUSE MOST OF
THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT GUN
CONTROL LEGISLATION ARE IN URBAN
AREAS IN MORE DEMOCRATIC STATES
AND THE ONES WHO DON’T ARE IN
REPUBLICAN STATES. THE SENATE
CONTROLS IT AND YOU’RE NOT GOING
TO SEE ANY CHANGES. WE’VE WE NOW
SEE, I CAN’T EVEN FATHOM IT.
GUNS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF
DEATH AMONG AMERICAN CHILDREN.
NOW A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE
HAD 10 PEOPLE SHOPPING. IN A
GROCERY STORE MOWED DOWN BY AN
18 YEAR OLD AND NOW JUST THE
OTHER DAY, ANOTHER 18 YEAR OLD
GOING TO A SCHOOL AND KILL OUR
BABIES. AND THESE FOLKS IN D C
OR LESS. YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS
WATCHING TV AND ONE OF FORM A.
IMPORTANTE AND OBAMA SAID THEY
NEED AN EMMETT TILL MOMENT WHEN
THEY NEEDED TO SEE THE CARNAGE
THAT THIS GUY LEFT AND I KNOW
YOU WON’T SEE IT. IT AIN’T THAT
THE DNA HAD THEY HAD TO GET DNA
TO IDENTIFY THESE. THESE THESE
BABIES. THESE ARE BABIES AND
PEOPLE USED TO MAKE FUN OF
DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOL, SAYING
OH, THEY GOT METAL DETECTORS.
OH, IT’S DANGEROUS TO GO IN
THERE. THEY WERE THE HEAD OF THE
GAME. AND A LOT OF THESE SCHOOLS
DO NOT WANT TO ACCEPT THE FACT
THAT THEY HAVE WALKING TIME
BOMBS WALKING THE HALLS AND
THEIR SCHOOLS, AND THEY’RE NOT
DEALING WITH AN IMPORTANT POINT
BECAUSE WE DEBATE THAT ABOUT
CRIME SCENE PHOTOS AND WHAT
EXACTLY WE SHOW WHAT WE DON’T
SHOW. DO YOU SENSE ANY REAL PUSH
TO CHANGE? OR IS IT JUST STILL A
BUNCH OF TALK IN THE HEARTS OF
AMERICANS TO STEVE’S POINT ABOUT
ASKING QUESTIONS RIGHT AND PULL
NUMBERS? IF YOU ASKED AMERICANS
DO YOU WANT THIS TO STOP? YOU’RE
GONNA GET 100. SO HOW DO YOU
THEN FIGURE OUT HOW YOU TAKE
THAT ANGER AND YOU TAKE THAT
SADNESS AND FIGURE SOMETHING
THAT THAT IS WHAT THESE ELECTED
OFFICIALS ARE ELECTED TO DO.
THAT IS WHY THEY GET UP AND RUN
AND THE SIX MONTH ANNIVERSARY OF
THE AXFORD SHOOTING HERE IN
MICHIGAN THAT IS ON TUESDAY. SIX
MONTHS. HERE WE ARE, DENNIS.
IT’S INTERESTING. YOU DO LOOK AT
SOME OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAVE
HAD THESE HORRIFIC EVENTS LIKE
IN NEW ZEALAND, AND THEY CHANGED
THE LAW THE NEXT MONTH AND DO A
GUN BUYBACK PROGRAM. GET RID OF
ASSAULT WEAPONS, AND WHEN WE
TALK, WE PUT YOU WHEN YOU POINT
THOSE KIND OF THINGS OUT. THE
GUN LOBBY IN THIS COUNTRY SAYS
YEAH, BUT THOSE ARE COUNTRIES
THAT DON’T HAVE IT WRITTEN INTO
THEIR CONSTITUTION AND THE
ARGUMENT THE DEBATE STOPS THERE
. CORRECT AND NOTHING HAPPENED
AFTER COLUMBINE. NOTHING
HAPPENED AFTER SANDY HOOK.
NOTHING HAPPENED AFTER OXFORD
AND I HATE TO SAY IT. I DON’T
THINK ANYTHING’S GOING TO CHANGE
OTHER THAN JUST CONSTANT DEBATE
ABOUT WHAT SHOULD WE DO? AND
WHAT SHOULDN’T WE DO? GUN SAFETY
IS A PREDOMINANT ISSUE ACROSS
CAMPAIGNS CYCLE AFTER CYCLE YET
NOTHING DOES GET DONE. WILL IT
PLAY INTO THIS INTO THIS COMING
WE’VE GOT WE’VE GOT HUGE
ELECTIONS WE’RE GOING TO INFECT.
WE’RE JUST ABOUT TO. I WANT TO
MOVE INTO OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT
THE GOVERNOR’S RACE HERE. WILL
IT PLAY IN? NO. I MEAN, I DON’T
THINK SO WILL BE AN ISSUE. BUT
HONESTLY, THE ECONOMY, INFLATION
AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THAT’S WHAT’S REALLY GOING TO
DRIVE THIS CAMPAIGN AND NUMBERS
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. WELL LET’S
LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
THIS PAST WEEK. WE’VE HAD HALF
OF THE GUBERNATORIAL SLATE OF
CANDIDATES ON THE GOP SIDE
SLICED AWAY. WE DID A NEWS STORY
WITH YOU THIS WEEK, DENNIS AND
YOU SAID SORRY, BUT THIS IS
ELECTIONS ONE. OH, ONE. SOMEBODY
IN THE CAMPAIGN HAS TO BE THERE
CHECKING THE SIGNATURES THAT YOU
HAVE PAID FOR. ABSOLUTELY. I
MEAN, THERE ARE TWO THINGS THAT
HAPPENED. A MASSIVE FRAUD
OCCURRED, BUT ALSO THESE
CAMPAIGNS WERE NEGLIGENT IN
FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THESE
SIGNATURES, THERE IS A EVERY
CAMPAIGN KNOWS THAT AT THE END
OF THE WEEK YOU MEET YOU ASK
WHERE ARE YOUR SIGNATURES? WHAT
IS OUR VALIDATION, RIGHT? THE
REASON YOU RAISE SO MUCH MONEY
FOR SIGNATURES. THIS STUDY IT,
YOU GET THEM CHECKED, SO I MEAN,
IT IS A SHAME THAT PEOPLE BACK
THESE CANDIDATES AND THESE
CANDIDATES WON’T BE ON THE
BALLOT. BUT THEY’RE THE ONES TO
BLAME. THEY’RE THE ONES WHO ARE
AT FAULT. AND IF YOU WANT TO RUN
THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, YOU FIRST
HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO RUN YOUR
CAMPAIGN. THAT’S WHAT IT SEEMS
TO ME, STEVE, AND THAT’S WHY I
WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT THE
TWO REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE
BOARD OF CANVASSERS SIDED WITH
THE WITH THESE AGGRIEVED
CANDIDATES. WELL OBVIOUSLY,
REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO SIDE
WITH THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES
ON THIS, BUT YOU NEED TO CHANGE
THREE AGAIN. THE OBLIGATION IS
ON THE CANDIDATE TO GET THE
RIGHT SIGNATURES. AND WHAT THE
PROCESS IS, IS DENNIS SO
CORRECTLY SAYS IS YOU BRING THE
SIGNATURES IN AND YOU BEGIN
VERIFYING IMMEDIATELY EVERY WEEK
. YOU’RE VERIFYING. YOU’RE GOING
TO THE CLERKS. YOU MAKING SURE
THAT THEY’RE NOT FRAUDULENT.
ANYONE WHO LOOKED AT THE
SIGNATURES KNEW THERE WAS
SOMETHING WRONG AND HE HAD.
APPARENTLY THERE WAS NO INTERNAL
QUALITY CHECK ON WHAT WAS GOING
ON. SO IT’S VERY UNFORTUNATE. I
DON’T BELIEVE THE COURTS WILL
ALLOW THEM ON. I THINK THAT
THEY’RE OFF. I THINK THAT THE
TWO MAJOR CANDIDATES, THE ONE
WITH THE MOST MONEY AND THE ONE
IN THE LEAD. ARE NOT GOING TO BE
VOTED ON IN AUGUST BECAUSE THEY
WERE UNABLE TO DO THAT KIND OF
EXPOSES A LITTLE DIRTY SECRET.
THE IDEA THAT THESE CANDIDATES
PAID UP TO $20 PER SIGNATURE. UM
NO, WE ALL KNOW HOW IT WORKS.
THE GREAT FRED SANFORD, YOU BIG
DUMMY. LISTEN A LOT OF THINGS.
LISTEN THERE, YOU LOOK AT IT IF
IT DOESN’T PASS THE EYE TEST,
AND I’M DONE SIGNATURES AND THE
SIGNATURE. IT’S A HATE IT. BUT
YOU CAN LOOK AT SOMEBODY
SIGNATURES AND YOU KNOW IT. YOU
THROW YOU THROW THEM OUT. CHIEF
CRAIG. LISTEN HE WAS THE CHIEF
FOR A LONG TIME HERE IN THE CITY
. HE BUILT UP A REPORT WILL
LADDER COMMUNITY PEOPLE GO INTO
THE COMMUNITY. HE WOULD HAVE GOT
SOME GOOD FOLKS THAT WOULD HAVE
GOT HIM TWO SIGNATURES. BUT HE
KNOWS BETTER THAN ANYBODY. HE
HE’S GONNA RUN HIS OWN CAMPAIGN
RUNS OUT ALL HIS CAMPAIGN
MANAGERS. HE DESERVED EVERY BIT
OF THIS. AND PERRY JOHNSON. THEY
BRAGGED ABOUT HOW GREAT THEY
WERE. AND THEY COULDN’T EVEN GET
15,000 GOOD SIGNATURES, AND THEY
HAD ALL THIS TIME TO GET THESE
SIGNATURES. SHAME ON THEM.
THEY’RE GONE. BYE BYE. YOU KNOW,
ZOE, I SYMPATHIZE WITH THEIR
PLIGHT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEY
WERE DEFRAUDED. THEY PAID FOR
SOMETHING THAT THEY DIDN’T DID
NOT END UP GETTING ASSUME DANA
NESSEL IS GOING TO GO AFTER AND
LOOK INTO WHAT’S HAPPENED HERE.
BUT THIS IS REALLY SLOPPY
PAPERWORK AND WE’VE SEEN
SIGNATURES. YOU KNOW, I CAN. WE
CAN NAME A COUPLE OF CANDIDATES
WHO ARE NO LONGER IN OFFICE
BECAUSE WE’VE HAD SIGNATURE
PROBLEMS. MCCOTTER AT THIS LEVEL
, MANY AT ONE TIME. IT’S
ASTONISHING BEYOND ASTONISHING.
I THINK I’VE HEARD GOAT RODEO
ACTUALLY UTTERED MORE IN THE
PAST FEW DAYS THAN I HAVE ABOUT
MICHIGAN POLITICS FOR BRINGING
THAT PHRASE TO MICHIGAN FROM
OKLAHOMA. THANK YOU. WE’RE
GRATEFUL FOR THAT. IT MAKES IT
SO MUCH EASIER TO DESCRIBE
WHAT’S HAPPENING. UM NO, I MEAN,
YOU KNOW WHAT? IT’S ABSOLUTELY
ASTONISHING AND YOU KNOW TO HAVE
IT YET AGAIN. BE ABOUT FRAUD AND
BE ABOUT SORT OF DEMOCRACY WITH
A SMALL D AND MY CONCERN IS THAT
IT GOES AGAIN INTO THIS SORT OF
NARRATIVE THAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER
THE PAST FEW YEARS ABOUT THAT.
THERE IS JUST THIS UNBEARABLE
WILLINGNESS OF SOME FOLKS TO
JUST BELIEVE IN OUR SYSTEM. AND
IF YOU DON’T GET ENOUGH
SIGNATURES WELL, IT SHOULDN’T
QUITE MATTER BECAUSE OF THIS,
THAT OR THAT WE ARE A NATION OF
LAWS AND RULES. AND ONE OF THE
WAYS TO BECOME GOVERNOR IS THIS
IS THE FIRST THING YOU DO. WHICH
IS WHY, DENNIS, I THOUGHT IT
WOULD BE KIND OF WHAT THEY WERE
ASKING WAS TO PUT ME ON THE
BALLOT ANYWAY. WELL, I GUESS I
COULD SHOW UP AND SAY PUT ME ON
THE BALLOT. I DIDN’T HAVE
SIGNATURES, EITHER FOR A PARTY
THAT’S AGAINST PARTICIPATION
TROPHIES. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE
ARE A NUMBER WHO WANT TO BE
GIVEN THIS BUT YOU KNOW, GOING
BACK TO THE CONVERSATION THAT WE
HAD ABOUT GUNS AND INACTION. THE
TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THIS
COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY
THAT IS THERE IS A BILL IN THE
SENATE, WHICH WAS INTRODUCED
STATE SENATE IN JULY OF LAST
YEAR, WHICH SAYS THAT YOU CANNOT
EMPLOY SIGNATURE GATHERERS WHO
HAVE ELECTION FRAUD CONVICTIONS
. THE PERSON WHO SUPPOSEDLY IS
AT THE HEAD OF THIS WAS
CONVICTED TWICE OR IF TWO
FELONIES IN VIRGINIA FOR THIS SO
AGAIN, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN
PREVENTED A LONG TIME AGO. YET
THERE WAS IN ACTION AT THE
LEGISLATIVE LEVEL. BUT LOOK,
YOU’VE GOT FIVE CANDIDATES WHO
MADE IT ON THE BALLOT TUTOR
DIXON. GOT 29,735, WHICH IS
ALMOST WHAT THE GOVERNOR GOT SO
IT CAN BE DONE. IT CAN BE DONE
LEGALLY, YOU’VE GOT TO BE DONE.
GURU SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE
RIGHT? IT SEEMS TO ON MOST
YEARS. SO WHERE DOES THE
ADVANTAGE TILT NOW? WHAT HAPPENS
WITH THE WE’RE LEFT WITH FIVE.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW? I THINK WITH
THE DEVICE BACK FAMILY BACKING
TUTOR DIXON, SHE BECOMES THE
ODDS ON FAVORITE FOR THE
NOMINATION, AND SHE’LL BE A VERY
STRONG CANDIDATE IN THE GENERAL
ELECTION. I MEAN, IT’S 10. SORRY
IT’S 10 WEEKS UNTIL WE GO INTO
THE PRIMARY, SO HAVING THAT TYPE
OF BACKING IS GOING TO KIND OF
BE LIKE A JET PACK ON HER
CANDIDACY. ABSOLUTELY YOU KNOW,
AND SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MIKE
SHIRKEY WAS SORT OF ONE OF THE
FIRST TO COME OUT AND ENDORSE
HER EVEN BEFORE THE NAME IDEA,
OR NECESSARILY THE MONEY WAS
THERE. AND SHE’S ALSO GOING TO
YOU KNOW, BE NOW THE ONLY WOMAN
WHO IS GOING TO BE RUNNING IN
THIS PRIMARY AGAINST A FEMALE
SITTING GOVERNOR, YOU KNOW IT’S
GOING TO BE REALLY INTERESTING,
THOUGH. I DO THINK YOU NEED TO
WATCH. STILL KEVIN RINKY, THE
BUSINESSMAN AT THE GOP DEBATE IN
LIVINGSTON COUNTY. HE WAS TRYING
TO THREAD SOME NEEDLES THEY’RE
ABOUT MAYBE TRYING TO PUSH A
LITTLE BIT TO THE MORE MODERATE
DIRECTION, WHICH DOESN’T YOU GET
YOU THROUGH THROUGH A PRIMARY,
RIGHT? BUT IT DOES HELP IN A
GENERAL AND YOU KNOW, WE’RE
STILL WE’VE TALKED MANY TIMES AT
THIS TABLE ABOUT THE INTRAPARTY
FIGHT WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY AND WHAT HAPPENS ON AUGUST
2ND. AND HOW DOES THIS SPLIT YET
AGAIN? AND SO I’M WATCHING HIM
AND JUST HOW HE’S TRYING TO
THREAD THAT NEEDLE WHICH IS
HAPPENING ALL OVER THE ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. WE DON’T HAVE AN
ENDORSEMENT FROM DONALD TRUMP
YET WHAT WILL THAT I DON’T KNOW
? UH YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON
WHAT PART OF THE COUNTRY AND IN
SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THEY
LOVE DONALD TRUMP. IN OTHER
WORDS, MICHIGAN THAT WELL, YOU
KNOW, I THINK IT’S A MIXED BAG.
I THINK 80% OF THE VOTE OF
REPUBLICAN PARTY PRIMARY VOTERS
WILL VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE THAT
DONALD TRUMP ENDORSED HUGE NORTH
BIG PROBLEM FOR THE DEMOCRATS.
THE BIG PROBLEM FOR THE
DEMOCRATS. THE GOVERNMENT GOT TO
STEP UP HER GAME AND IT’S AS NOT
GOING TO BE IN A IN AN EASY RIDE
. UH NOVEMBER. PLUS SHE GOT
FOLKS HERE IN DETROIT. FT SAYS
OKAY, I GOT THEM IN THE BAG.
SHE’S GONNA HAVE A HILLARY
MOMENT. BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU’RE