[00:07] Hey, good morning, John. You're watching Drogram with Ted R and John Kuryaku. It's Wednesday, December 10th, 2025. Thanks for joining us. Good to see you, John. >> Good to see you, Ted. I like your shirt. >> Oh, thank you. I decided to dress up for today's program. Um, so no no casual Wednesday, only casual Friday. Um, but I can't promise this will be an ongoing trend. Um so uh we are we have uh some business some housekeeping to keep to take care of and then we'll get to the show. Um as always please chime in with
[00:38] your questions and comments u on YouTube and Rumble if you're watching live if you're streaming us later. Thank you nevertheless for joining us. We're here Monday through Friday 9:00 am Eastern time if that suits for a live and then you can interact with us speaking with about interaction. So, next two days, uh, let me explain what's going on. So, John, you're out tomorrow, Thursday. Um, uh, Friday, uh, so tomorrow we we have a live show. Robbie will be f sorry, Scott Stantis of the Chicago Tribune will be f
[01:10] will be filling in. Not to say that Robbie might not chime in as well as usual. Um, and then on Friday, we're going to try something brand new here for the show. And, um, I'm looking forward to this as a former talk radio guy. We're going to be doing talk radio. We're gonna So, um, we're going to have a Discord link. We're going to do the show. Um, Robbie's going to explain how all this works in about 10 or 15 minutes. So, stay tuned for that. But basically, you'll be able to call in like we're old-fashioned like Rush Limba, Dr. Loris Schlesinger type call.
[01:42] And we'll have a little back and forth and uh, you know, but we're going to, I'm sure have more than one or two people who want to do this. So, we're going to keep the calls short and quick and and moving. There could be tech glitches. We tried this a little bit on TMI yesterday and it was kind of like iffy, but we think we have it wrinkled uh worked out and ironed out the wrinkles. So, uh Friday is an all call-in show. Um we will obviously chime in on the news of the day, but that's basically it. Robbie will explain the
[02:12] logistics. Um today we're talking about Trump's big interview with Politico where he was dissing the Europeans. uh not for the first time, but uh this was a more interesting interview than usual. Also, Ukraine looks like they're finally this democracy is finally going to have some elections. Um, interestingly enough, that's due to pressure from the president. Um Russia, uh we'll talk about this. Uh Russia has apparently um has a lot of spies in Mexico. Um and the
[02:42] US has complained about it, but the Mexicans basically aren't doing anything about it. that according to the New York Times. Anyway, um the Afghan guy who is accused of shooting two National Guardsmen in Washington, one of whom died, um was a veteran of a CIA trained zero unit under the Afghan occupation government from uh and uh it turns out he is just one of many people who suffered mental health breakdowns because of the way they were mistreated and ignored after they arrived in the
[03:13] United States. Um, and so I have thoughts. I'm sure you'll have thoughts, John. Um, you, John, you brought up this important point. Uh, big election in Miami, a runoff election saw a giant sweep. 60% of the vote went to the Democrat. Um, and so basically, urban America is going blue. And finally, last but not least, the New York Times has an exclusive report that says uh that talked about the internal workings of the White House and how they're trying to deal with the survivors of the
[03:43] alleged boat uh drug boat attacks. Um they they're kind of a major sticky wiki that kind of hearkens back to the way that uh enemy combatants were treated and when during the war on terror, it's kind of like what do you do with these people? And there was thoughts of sending them to that gulag prison in El Salvador. um they decided not to go with that. So, John, what's your what what what what's your what's your flavor for the first topic? >> Let's talk about Miami just to get it out of the way. So, the Democrat won
[04:14] yesterday in the Miami mayoral race. Uh that initially sounds like no big deal. It's a big city. Big cities always elect Democrats. Not Miami. Miami is a solidly Republican city. It's always been Republican. And this is the first Democrat to be elected mayor of Miami in 30 years. That's right. And the And the race wasn't close. And not only was it not close, Trump campaigned for the Republican. >> Senator uh what's his face? Scott
[04:44] campaigned for the Republican. >> And Rick Scott, thanks. And uh Ronda Santis campaigned for the Republican and he still lost. So, man, if if the Virginia and and New Jersey gubernatorial races didn't constitute a a a blaring flashing red light for the Republicans, this ought to because nationally they're in trouble right now. And with these redistrict with the the redistricting plans that they're pushing across the country, they're diluting
[05:15] Republican congressional districts and risking a real wave come next November. >> Yeah. Republicans are spinning this as Miami Dade has always leaned blue. That's just as you say. So, >> that's simply not true. >> That's not true because especially all the anti-Castro Cubans. And >> that's right. >> That was the ma major tipping point. And as you say, um I I felt I thought of you because the uh rep, by the way, the Republican candidate was not some wanker. He was he was a very respectable, solid candidate. And Donald Trump doesn't like to endorse even
[05:47] Republicans uh if he doesn't think they're going to win. So, this came as a surprise to the GOP. Um, you know, just for the record here, Eileen Higgins is not like a progressive Democrat in the Mamani form. But to me, the real takeaway here is it's two takeaways. First of all, urban America >> is pretty much done with the Republicans for the for the time being. Um, and then the other thing was, okay, this is a harbinger. I mean, you know, we're always trying to read tea leaves and I think it tends to be overstated a lot of
[06:18] times, but you can't ignore a solid 100% trend in favor of one party and that's what we have right now. I mean, I think [clears throat] the Republicans are >> going into disaster zone next year. Um, and uh, I saw the president's speech. I believe he was in Pennsylvania, your home state, >> and he and he was saying basically arguing that the economy had recovered and that Pennians and I guess in uh, Americans by extension are doing great
[06:48] now. You know, you and I talked about this. We will talk about it again. That's political malpractice. You never tell even let's just say you and I were the president and vice president and we were you know we thought the economy was rocking and that every but you don't tell the people if they if they're grouchy and they think they're broke then they're broke and you have to come to where the people are. >> Ted, yesterday and I know we're going to get to this in a second. Yesterday uh Trump gave an interview to Politico
[07:18] magazine in which he said that this was the strongest economy in American history which is so ridiculous it doesn't even it doesn't even warrant a response. And he also said that um when he uh took office the second time the country was struggling with his his words the worst inflation in American history. >> What? >> That's Jimmy Carter. >> Yeah. >> Or at least in the in the modern era. >> In the modern era. That's right. >> I mean the 19th Let's not get started on
[07:49] the 19th century. depression after depression in the uh in the 19th century. >> Yeah. The but like no I mean he always talks about that. I mean you know look you always the truth is it's very smart to talk about the something something in American history to a country that doesn't know anything about history. So it's >> exactly >> it it works. People are like oh okay well you know he's he is the president. He said it it must I've told you in the past I I watch uh Tik Tok videos when I'm laying in bed at
[08:19] night that my attention span by the end of the day is short and I go to sleep with these and there's this young guy who just stands in Time Square or uh at Hollywood in Highland and just asks people questions. So he'll say who won the Civil War and they'll answer like we did. Oh my god. >> Or Russia, you know, stuff like that. That's America. Americans don't know.
[08:51] >> They just >> Yeah, there's a you know, I mean, you the thing is that never gets old, that shtick. Um uh you know, I think was it Letterman or or Leno who used to do the same thing? >> Used to go out on the street. I think it was Letterman. >> It might have been Letterman. Um and and like the there's also um This Ain't No Heartland was this uh Bush era uh documentary where these Dutch filmmakers did the same thing and they they they went all over the country and talked to Bush voters. Um at one point they go to like a shopping mall and an outdoor
[09:21] shopping mall and you can tell these are well-off people. Okay? And so this is to say these are not like homeless derelict crackheads. Uh these are people driving like really nice cars that like I couldn't afford, right? Um [clears throat] >> and like Benz and stuff and they show them a map of the world and uh and they're like, "Oh, what country should we attack next?" And and no one says, "By the way, why would we want to attack a country? That just doesn't" and and they're like they look at the map, but the names of the countries aren't written on the countries. And so they're
[09:53] like, "Oh, uh I think that one." The guy points to Africa. It's like, "Oh, what country is that?" "Oh, that's Iran." And it's like, "Oh, so of course he says Iran. Iran. >> Iran." So it's like, "Uh, okay. Oh, so why should we attack them?" And he goes, "Their attitude." And it's it's it's stuff like that. I mean, you know, >> it's America. >> It's America. I mean, >> it is. >> I don't think we really deserve democracy really. >> No. >> Um, >> we're we're illquipped to manage it.
[10:24] >> Toqueville would agree for sure. Yeah, I think so. >> Um, so, okay. So, like, yeah. So, yeah, we so basically, um, I thought of you because Ailio Gonzalez, who's the former city manager who lost and had been endorsed by top Republicans like Dantis and Trump, um, he had his victory. I mean, he, by the way, he he conceded extremely graciously and, uh, and and promised to help the the new mayor elect, uh, and and stand behind her, you know, in a in a better way than, say, Andrew Cuomo did in New York. um or or
[10:55] Eric Adams, but uh I I thought of you because his party was at a his victory party was at a Greek restaurant and they broke plates as a as as catharsis. [laughter] >> You know, that's actually illegal now in Greece. It has been since the '9s, but you can do it in all the Greek uh nightclubs in uh in Atoria. >> Why is it illegal? Because if there's lead in the plates or something? >> No. as as my dad and your dad undoubtedly used to say, you're going to
[11:25] put an eye out. [laughter] >> That's true. >> Pass out safety glasses to all the patrons. Um, that's pretty funny. All right, let's do some questions, shall we? Um, sure you $1 contribution. Thank you so much. Just want to remind you guys, you can always contribute through YouTube and Rumble. And frankly, yeah, we're begging because we're broke as [ __ ] So, seriously, whatever you guys can do. Um, all right. Favorite Christmas movies. Mine is Charlie Brown Christmas
[11:55] and The Year Without Santa because of heat and and snowmisers. So, I just watched my favorite uh Christmas movie for the eenth time. It's Bad Santa. >> Bad Santa is a terrific movie. That's a terrific movie. Although nothing touches Home Alone. >> Home Alone is a timeless classic. No question. I the first time I ever saw Home Alone was on a flight from London to Washington. I had been overseas doing something. I don't even remember what.
[12:26] And I was laughing so much that the flight attendant came up and asked if I was okay. [laughter] >> Like you're suffering from this. The funniest movie I've ever seen. [laughter] >> Hypoxia. Hysteria. Hypoxia induced hysteria. >> Oh my god. >> No. No. That mean you know by the way in French the name for Home Alone I I know because I was in France when the movie was out was mira I missed the plane [laughter] like really
[12:57] home alone just seems by the way YOU COULD DO IT IN French alame it would be fine I don't understand anyway >> oh my god >> Nicholas Franco's question for you John is it true that the CIA along with Turkish intelligence tried to kill a Greek intelligence officer in 1999 outside the Greek embassy in Nairobi. I believe you know his name. >> Um uh in fact he's a good friend of mine Sescalenderis. Uh no they did not
[13:28] >> you to say >> no he's he is an absolutely lovely man. He is a national hero in Greece. I thoroughly enjoy his friendship. He's he's just a great guy and he has an awesome YouTube podcast. sometimes as many as four times a day. Any anytime something hits the news that's even slightly interesting to him, he'll jump on YouTube and do a video. Um, so if you're interested and you speak Greek because he doesn't speak a word of English. Savas Galanderis. Um, no, they
[14:00] didn't try to kill him. Savas was involved in an operation to um to help save protect uh Abdullah Ochelan, the founder of the PKK. >> And um the Greeks became aware, I'm sorry, the Turks became aware that he was in the Greek embassy in Nairobi and they worked with Kenyan intelligence to divert part of his motorcade and they grabbed him and turned him over to the Turks. John, let's get back to the Miami
[14:32] thing before we answer a few more questions. I mean, what do you think happened there? I mean, do you think this was a matter of uh low my theory is always these days that your biggest challenge is um is motivating your base and that maybe the Republican base isn't that excited about Trump/Dantis the GOP as they used to be? Um or is it just the particularities of these two candidates? Is it a Miami thing? I mean, what do you think? Do you know? I think that it's at least in part
[15:03] that people are not liking this second Trump administration, probably for economic reasons. But I'll tell you where I think the Democrats are going to blow it because the Democrats always blow it. >> They do. >> And Trump knows it and he talked about it in this political politico interview. The Democrats are going to blow it by focusing on social issues. And people don't like this trans stuff forced down their throats. >> No, they don't. >> They just don't like it. And it shouldn't be. >> The thing is, even people who are very
[15:34] pro LGBTQIA plus Lmento are are they they're not it's not a top issue for them, right? There's like sort of like caring about like we're going to talk about the boat strikes. >> Most Americans disapprove of the of of killing uh of the boat strikes, but they don't really care, right? And that's something we don't talk about much is like what's the top issues that are motivating people. Even people who are like I love trans people. I want I don't want any I only want the best for them. But they don't want it to be a top
[16:04] priority over say the economy. >> No. That's right. And you know a lot of my gay friends and maybe it's more a factor of of the fact that they're baby boomers. Um but a lot of my gay friends say that most trans people do not necessarily identify as gay. And so why are they LGBTQIA plus whatever in the first place when they're actually turning public opinion against the LGBT community? >> Yeah, there's some major rifts there, right, between like for example the
[16:36] radical feminists and the and the trans women, the transexclusionary feminists, the turfs, radical feminists, um, and all that. And I mean I think in the early days of when it was just LGBT I remember when it was just LGBT. >> Yeah. Um >> I do too. >> And when it was just LGBT you could sort even then there were rifts right. I knew lots of gay people who hated by people and they were like you have to choose your team. You're not allowed to be omnivorous. Um and then so the te's you know I mean I understand the whole urge
[17:07] to to build these alliances but the truth is that's a very uncomfortable Big 10. You know, Philip Blair 9511 just posted in the chat, "Cuba is great at supporting queer families." That's true. I was shocked when I was in Cuba, what was it, two years ago, I guess, >> at how strong the gay community is there. Yeah. >> And how many um how many government programs are available to them? It was really something. >> Yeah. As Lisa Moika says in YouTube,
[17:38] it's the hierarchy of needs. And I think we don't talk about that in in American the coverage of American news politics very much. Non-American question as uh Freud 6624 says, "Is the DNC the GOP counterpart in the other side?" Um, >> repeat that. >> This is a hard one to read. Is the DNC the GOP counterpart in the other side? Uh, no. The D GOP is just a nickname for uh the Republican
[18:09] Party. The DNC is the Democratic National Committee, which is the governing body of the Democratic Party. Just the same. And the Republican Party, equivalent of the DNC is the RNC, the Republican National Committee. Um yeah, foreign question indeed. Cooper Duper 23. I think the regular American voter is sick of the status quo. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of sticks seats flip. I don't think it has anything to do with party anymore. We're figuring out who's bought. Um, I don't think you're figuring. They're all bought. So, I think what's happening is that people are frustrated. They have two shitty
[18:40] choices. And when they're pissed, they vote against the incumbent. >> Yeah, that's it. You know, it really is about the economy. It's always about the economy. It's about people's well-being and their family's well-being. >> These other issues are extraneous. They only distract. >> And I don't know why neither the Republicans nor the Democrats get it. The Republicans got it last time. >> To your point, John, um you know, the exception is when the economy is humming. Um you know, remember the mid
[19:10] 90s when that was the biggest economic uh expansion in US history, at least until that point. >> That's right. >> And uh those wedge issues that um uh the toe sucking guy uh you know, you know who I'm talking about. >> Yeah, I do. Um >> uh the genius. I I met him at his at his house. Um >> he's a good he's a good political Morris. Dick Morris, great political writer. Yeah. >> Um anyway, Dick Morris, they came up with all those wedge issues in the mid '90s like flag burning and uh you know,
[19:42] gays in the military and all that stuff. Um the gays in the military kind of ran against Clinton, but flag burning and god like oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh um sister sister sister sister sister sister soldier and all that symbolic crap that works if the economy is moving in the right direction but if it's not >> y doesn't >> that is right. >> Um okay so >> hey I'm dying to talk even if if it's just for a minute I'm dying to talk about about Trump's comments on Ilhan Omar.
[20:13] >> Okay let's do it. Listen to this quote. I love this Ilhan Omar, whatever the hell her name is, with her little turban. I love her. [laughter] She comes in, she does nothing but [ __ ] She's always complaining. She comes from her country where, I mean, it's considered about the worst country in the world. We got to get her the hell out of here. She married her brother in order to get in, right? She married her brother to get in, therefore, she's here illegally. Send her back. Like, that's the best quote I've ever seen. It's it's so it's free
[20:46] association. Do you remember, John, after the Watergate tape transcripts were were released, some famous poet like set a lot of the transcripts of the of Nixon talking to poetry and and released them. It's like and it was called like the poetry of Richard Milhouse Nixon. >> Oh my god. I I did not I did not. >> This is like but this sounds like that. It could totally stuff could totally be set to poetry. >> Yeah, I agree. I agree. It could.
[21:16] >> You know, this this idea that she married her brother has been running around Republican circles since she was first elected. She didn't marry her brother. Um she she married a guy or she married a guy in a in a Muslim ceremony. His name was Ahmed Abdi Salan Kersi. They had two kids. They separated in 2009. She married a Brit named Ahmed Norris Sahed Elme. They separated in
[21:46] 2011. She reunited with the first guy in 2012. She divorced Elme and remarried the first guy. >> Wow. There's no >> That's a little bit Liz Taylor and Richard Burton. >> Yeah, very much. But she's not married to her brother. She's never been married to her brother. >> She never understood how these theor how these things get out. And by the way, the Republicans are not unique in having these strange conspiracy theories either. Democrats do it too. >> They do it too. >> Um, USX A-Rod 21. Thanks for the two
[22:18] bucks. Do we think that this makes means Democrats will lean into the economy or go back to social issues that the majority of the country doesn't care about? Not holding out hope for them. >> That's the question. Are they smart enough to be able to read the writing on the wall that it's about the economy? >> No. Or are they going to try and force all these stupid social issues down our throats? >> If we're Look, honestly, John, if they did social issues, at least they'd be doing issues. Yeah. I mean, you know, I hear them talking. The Democrats
[22:48] recognize they have a problem. They can't just be against Trump. But they don't they still can't articulate or won't articulate what they're for. And I think it's because they can't agree on anything. Um and um but basically, they have terrible messaging. They have no leadership. Mama Bear Pelosi's gone. There's no one knocking heads and saying like, "Listen all you [ __ ] This is what we're going to say. Here's our talking points." So, I mean, there, you know, Hakeim Jeff is like more useless than useless. So, there's I I think there's just no um I think they're going
[23:19] to they're going to [ __ ] it up. I mean, no, I I think right now they're counting on a sense of betrayal on the part of the GOP who will sit enough Republican voters will sit on their hands and not >> That's the key. That's the key right there. It's all about turnout. Yeah, >> it's not >> Democrats are mo are more motivated. >> Yeah. >> So they will turn out next year. I don't know how federalized the election will be like the way N. Gingri successfully did in '94 with the Republican revolution. >> Yeah, that was brilliant. >> Absolutely. And I'm surprised nobody
[23:49] tries to replicate it. Um it's kind of like dude, you it's it's like Howard Dean and his 50 state strategy. No one tried to replicate again. Brilliant. That was the fallout between Hillary Clinton and um what's his name from New Orleans? Uh who said it's the economy stupid? >> Oh um >> Carville James Carville. James Carville was the one who came up with the 50-st state strategy in the '9s because it had worked so well for the Democrats in the
[24:20] 60s. The Democrats won Senate seats in North Dakota, South Dakota. In in both of those cases, all four Senate seats, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oklahoma. I mean, there were viable Democratic Party structures in those states. And then the Democrats just said, "Nah, we're not going to do that anymore. >> We'll just focus on the electoral college." >> Yeah, we just focus on the electoral college. We're not going to try to build local and state uh party structures to support candidates for state legislature
[24:52] or for gutted that farm system. >> Gutted it. And the Democrats have been paying the price ever since. >> They have. And the other thing is even if you're only looking at national races, which is dumb, but let's just say because where did Barack Obama come from, right? He was a wet behind the ears local Illinois dude. But the um the thing is that the Republican I mean the the the Democratic party even if like the reason you campaign in all 50 states is even in the states that you're going to lose. Let's say you can't, let's just say, for example, you campaign as a
[25:23] Democrat in North Dakota, a state you're probably not going to get as a presidential candidate, but people turn out and see you and they and other people who are watching back in, say, New Jersey are watching on television and they're seeing your appearances on the internet and they like that you went to North Dakota and maybe your brother lives in North Dakota and says, "Oh, I went to see that guy and he was great." And then you vote for him. He doesn't. But you get that vote in New Jersey that you wouldn't have gotten. That's the point of the 50 state.
[25:54] >> You're exactly right. You are exactly right. >> I mean, Donald Trump understand that's why Donald Trump like I remember like when I I knew that Trump was going to win in 2016 when Hillary Clinton spent $5 million for her campaign announcement and she built a stage in the shape of the United States uh right out right on the in Long Island City so that she could use Manhattan as the backdrop. By the way, Manhattan as a backdrop, not a good image for the entire country. No, but $5 million for the stage. And Donald Trump went and gave a speech in some
[26:25] shitty elementary school in like east in Scranton. And it's like, you know what? You're both on television. It's all the same. And and Donald paid nothing except for the flight the airfare at Scranton, right? That's the difference. And that's why he won, you know, with a, you know, paying a couple million dollars to win the presidency as opposed to 7 billion dollars for Hillary Clinton. >> Although she still complains about the Russian about the about the Facebook ads, >> but whatever. >> Yeah. Yeah. It was the Facebook ads that
[26:56] did her in. Right. [laughter] >> For sure. All right. We'll do we have more questions coming in, but let's in the meantime, let's talk a little bit. I, you know, this is your obviously your bailwick. Um, so according to uh this report uh in the New York Times, um Mex Mexico is harboring all sorts of GRU spies. Uh apparently this is a tradition that goes all the way back to the Cold War. >> Oh, it goes way like back to the 50s. >> And they claimed that it that like Mexico City was like the Vienna of Latin America. Absolutely true. And um the US
[27:28] apparently under Biden handed the Mexicans a big dossier with uh you know, hey here's all the people we know who are spies in Mexico. Uh you know, can you like kick them out? The Mexicans basically are ignoring the whole thing. There's no word on whether Trump administration policy has changed or that they're leaning on the Mexicans to try to do anything. They might be, they might not be. It don't just didn't say. Um, but basically the I [laughter] like the fact that the Mexican officials said, "Well, we never got the the dossier or it was too vague. Um, we
[28:00] didn't really understand what you were talking about or that it was lost to people like we someone recycled it. You know, we were recycling. I don't know." So, what do you think about all this? Well, it would be a normal liaison event uh for the for the CIA to pass the names of um of KGB or GRU or SVR or whatever they're calling themselves these days uh to to a friendly liaison service. They do that all the time. Um, Mexico City is
[28:31] particularly important because it is a it is a hub of international espionage. Like you said, Vienna, London, Paris, Washington, >> Mexico City >> because um they spy on the United States there. Our embassy is so gargantuan in uh in Mexico City and so much happens there that they're targeting the American embassy for the most part. And what they what they probably are doing what >> I thought it was vacationing Americans,
[29:02] >> right? No, >> no, >> no. It's trying to recruit Mexicans who work inside the American embassy. It's probably 75% Mexicans that work in the American embassy, right? Because you're not going to The head of the motorpool is not going to be American. The head of uh logistics is not going to be American. But they have access to information that if you put it together like a puzzle, you can come up with an entire picture. For example, um I was working overseas. I won't say where. And
[29:35] the logistics guy had been in place for 30 years. He was a local hireer. 30 years. He had been working for the American embassy. And he's the guy that makes sure that your shipment of personal household effects, you know, makes it onto the ship in Baltimore. doesn't get washed overboard in the Atlantic and finally makes its way to to its end destination. Well, once you once your stuff arrives, he's the guy that arranges to have it
[30:06] brought to your house and then when he calls you in the embassy from the second floor where he was based and you answer the phone, you know, regional affairs or training division or whatever that he knows is a [ __ ] assignment. There is no such office. He reports back to his people, his handler. Hey, this guy John, this new guy, he's a CIA. I'm sure of it
[30:36] >> because he's not in the political section. It says in the diplomatic list, political officer, he's not a political officer. He didn't answer the phone in the political section, you know. So, they're able to they're able to put little pieces of the puzzle together. And when you have two, three, five, ten people inside the American embassy recruited because remember they're making Mexican wages. They're not being paid like Americans would be paid, >> right? >> And the Russians are supplementing their incomes to the tune of a few thousand
[31:06] five 10,000 a month. It's meaningful. >> Sure. >> John, we have an ad. Let me and then we're going to bring in Robbie. um before but just very quickly uh do you think um it's true that the rep that as being reported that the this really ramped up after the uh Russian Ukrainian war started? >> Absolutely. Because basically we're using Ukraine as a proxy to spy against Russia right on its border and so the Russians are kind of like let's turn about is fair play. >> I I believe that's that's the case. Yes.
[31:38] >> All right let's uh get to the ad. Uh, looking for smarter ways to browse and enjoy your favorite content without ads. Get the Perplexity Pl Pro Pro Bundle with Rumble Premium for just $19.99 a month when you stand when you sign up before December 31st. Normally a $29.99 value. With Rumble Premium, you'll get an ad-ree viewing experience across all your devices and access to exclusive premium content. No interruptions, just the videos and streams you love anytime, anywhere. Plus, Perplexity Pro. Perplexity Pro boosts your productivity
[37:15] told us, "Take care of your own problems. >> We have other things to worry about." Yeah. We're and and not to mention uh you know when does the does even a Democratic president ever go on TV and talk about >> the great cooperation that the Mexican government provides us with nobody. I mean it's thankless right it's a oneway you know they're very cooperative but we treat them like we treat we talk about them like dogs. >> Yeah we do we do we we treat them not just like secondass citizens we we treat
[37:46] them as as coolies. >> Yeah. you know, and and they don't appreciate it. >> So, they just drag their feet. They're like, "We're a real country." >> Yeah. >> We have national pride. [ __ ] you. >> Quite an important one. >> Yeah. A very important one. And actually a great country, too. I mean, if you said, "Oh, I have to live in Mexico the rest of my life." I'd be like, "Oh, well, okay." Um, not a bad thing at all. No. Um, >> should we talk a little bit about the um Trump's [clears throat] interview? >> Yeah. >> Europe. Let's >> so Trump basically this is a repeat of
[38:17] something he has said before um he said that uh basically this is a quote I think their leaders are weak but I also think that they want to be so politically correct I don't I think they don't know what to do um he basic this all seems to be like centered around the debate over Ukraine the Europeans are leaning on you know Trump wants the the war to end um the the Europeans clearly want it to go on um they they uh and we can talk about why that might be, but um
[38:48] Trump's really signaled that he's almost done with Ukraine. Um and he also said, you know, Ukraine's not much of a democracy if it doesn't have elections. Finally, you know, Zilinski, who has claimed now for years that there's no way to hold elections during a war, suddenly miraculous miraculously says that within the next three to six months there will be elections. um both presidential and legislative. Bunch of questions. John, is Li going to keep his
[39:18] promise about that? And uh if he does, what will the results look like? And will he win re-election? >> I think he's done. I really do. Um I think that yeah, he he's going to keep his promise because he has to keep his promise. He can't continue to push back against the pressure from the United States. It's just too much. So, I I think that there will be elections and I wouldn't be surprised at all if, you know, he goes and casts his vote and then drives to the airport and gets on a
[39:50] plane and flies away. >> What if he pulls in Eric Adams and decides just not to run for reelection? >> And I think that's also a a definite possibility. >> I served my country during war. I'm exhausted. It's time to pass the torch. And Ted, you know, there's a lot of reporting about cabinet members driving Bugattis and Lamborghinis around Kev. It's not cool. The corruption is is now in your face and uh somebody's going to have to
[40:21] answer to it. >> Yeah. And of course, Zinsky and his buddies are big beneficiaries of that corruption. Yeah. >> Um so, I mean, here's the thing. I I got to say, not for the last time, I agree with President Trump about this. I mean, I kind of don't know if the word weak is the word I would say, but but like sort of like um feckless um would be the word I would say for presidents Macron and so on. Like what are they on about? I mean, like it's kind of like they they they're clearly uh anyone with a brain can see
[40:53] that, you know, the outcome of this war has fallen in favor of Russia. It's not like the outcome's not likely to change anytime soon. Um and and they want, you know, Macron and these guys, they want Zilinsky to keep fighting. But towards what end? I mean, they're just going to lose even more territory at this point. I mean, I'd say the sooner the if I'm the Ukrainians, the sooner I negotiate, the least bad deal I'm going to get. >> Exactly. And if the if the sticking point really is just curs now,
[41:25] >> figure it out. >> Right. >> Right. It's a negotiation. Yeah, [clears throat] >> maybe maybe Kersan can become like a Danzig style like demilitarized nuclear uh neutral city, that kind of thing. >> Fine with me. Sure, why not? >> I mean I I mean I could I I think, you know, looking for things that the the Russians feel that they could agree to. >> Mhm. >> Um Okay. >> Yeah. And I'm I'm like so many Americans. I I just I'm tired of this. I'm tired of spending all this money for
[41:56] a for a neverending war. We're gonna get nothing out of it. It's time to move on. >> Totally. All right, let's Should we do some questions? >> Yeah, >> we're a little bit behind. All right. Um All right. Thanks for your patience, guys. Juno Junade Ju Javeed, thanks so much for the $20 donation on Rumble. >> Please keep Imran Khan in your thoughts. Imran is still in illegal custody and the field marshal in Pakistan has gone full fascist.
[42:27] Yeah, that's my understanding too. >> Yeah, that's I mean, you know, the thing is a lot of prime ministers and former prime ministers end up in prison in Pakistan. You know, what's never clear, John, is what kind of conditions they're held under, >> right? >> Um, you know, it's like it it seems like I mean, Pakistani prison can't be that pleasant. I >> I wouldn't want to be in I listen, I've I've gone to many Pakistani prisons because we were locking people up there. I would never want to be incarcerated in
[42:58] a single one of them. >> So, you don't think there's any like uh VIP uh lounge treatment, first class? >> No, you'd have to get on your hands and knees and beg for home confinement. >> Oh, man. Uh okay, so let's see. We answered that. Democrats uh anal ape says Democrats Republicans want us to care about social issues because it doesn't affect their donors. True. Uh Cooper Duper, what about um Jasmine Crockett's Senate ad? How does that speak to anyone? >> And Alred dropped out.
[43:28] >> Yeah, >> just yesterday I said, "Oh, it's going to be a big fight. Alred's the stronger candidate." He dropped out and he's he announced he's going to run for the House of Representatives again. >> My fellow Daytonian Sammy Land, the problem with Democrat platform is that it's not honest. For example, transhumanism. Most don't even understand what that is. Yeah, I don't know what the [ __ ] that is. That's like intersectionality. Who [ __ ] knows what that means? Nobody. It's like uh you know go go into your Jack Derry do collection and look that up. Um Kevin
[43:58] Cronin PBS and NPR do not represent the Democratic voters. Fair question for both of us from Ali. Uh does this lacking does the Democrats lacking a message and distrust in Republicans not leave enough of a gap for a third party to come in? >> Ah you would think you would think that it would. I was talking to a a group of people last night about this exact uh issue and and Ted, I repeated what you and I had said that as recently as a hundred years ago, we had a half a dozen
[44:28] viable national parties in this country. >> Mhm. >> And with so many people with actually a plurality of Americans now describing themselves as independent, in my view, that opens the door for two political parties, one on the right, one on the left. >> Yeah. There's a place for um left-wing progressive Democrats and there's a place for America first Republicans. >> That's right. Because the even with under Donald Trump, the Republican party is is controlled by the corporatists. >> Sure it is. >> We have two corporist parties. >> Um you know like Lindsey Graham.
[44:59] >> My theory here is that the problem that with third parties in recent decades has been that they've all had a national strategy, right? They've all their theory has always been let's just run someone for president and then it'll trickle down and we'll run people for governor later. >> It's the opposite, >> right? Because that because that can't work because of the electoral college. Because the electoral college is set up, you have to have 270 votes to win the presidency. Even if you a third party candidate had 70% of the popular vote,
[45:30] he or she would still lose because of the electoral college and it would go to the House of Representatives and either the D's or the Rs would vote for their own team. That's right. >> It has to be from the grassroots and those parties that you mentioned, John, from a hundred years ago, including but not limited to the Prohibition Party, the Socialist Party, uh Socialist Labor Party, and so on. They all the populist party they all they were all grassroots parties. They ran people for Congress as alderman and so on.
[46:01] >> That's exactly right. Yeah. I I used to joke that when I was doing my little dance with the Libertarians. I would get these hair on fire emails like, "Oh my god, we just elected somebody to the Water Commission of Anchorage, Alaska." Ah, it's like, okay, well, that's a start. But you need to run people in like every congressional race, every state legislative race. You got to start at the bottom. The water commission of Anchorage is not going to do it for you.
[46:33] >> No, but on the other hand, it's not a terrible thing to just if you have, you know, if you have a national strategy and you have I mean, the Libertarian Party has been around a long time. Um, you know, I mean, they're one of the better organized third parties. >> Yeah, they are. Well, listen, I I always make this joke, but it's it's funny because it's true. I was invited to the Libertarian Christmas party a few years ago, and of course, being libertarians, they held it at the end of January because they just could not get their act together. [laughter]
[47:04] And I think I've mentioned this to you, one of these. >> I thought you were going to say because they're cheap and didn't want to pay top dollar for the for the space. >> It was in this townhouse in Alexandria. overn. >> Oh yeah, a townhouse in Alexandria, Virginia, old town. And we're all wearing hello, my name is name tags, >> of course. >> And this guy looks at my name tag and he says, "Oh, John, I've been hoping I'd run into you. Uh he he's wearing his tag. He's the head of the Libertarian Party for Virginia." So I said, "Oh, nice to meet you." And I shook his hand.
[47:35] He said, "Listen, um do you want to run for governor?" And I said, "Absolutely not." [laughter] And he said, "Really? why? And I said, "Look, I like you guys. You're all nice guys, but I know how this is going to play out." I said, "I'm going to be completely out of pocket. Nobody's going to raise any money for me, and in the end, I'm going to get 2% and I'm going to humiliate myself." So, >> and everyone will make fun of you. >> Yeah. I said, "No." >> And And the worst part is I'll tell you the worst part of it. If you did that in the middle of the night, you'd have
[48:06] these weird thoughts like, "What if I could win?" >> Right. Exactly. >> And you can't. Oh, listen listen listen listen listen. When I was traveling with Gary Johnson, Gary Gary was the governor of uh New Mexico and he was the Libertarian nominee for president in 2016 and 2012, but this was in 2016 and we were in the upper peninsula of Michigan and his sister joined us at dinner one night. He had given a speech. I I was traveling with him to introduce him at all of his speeches. And so his sister
[48:37] came to dinner with us that night and she was running for Congress from that that upper peninsula uh district. And so I said to her just cuz I was trying to make conversation. I said, "Did you see the latest polls? The incumbent Republican is only polling at like 40% up here. That's how how unpopular he is." And she goes like this. She goes, "I might actually win this thing." And I thought to myself, "No, that's not my point. You're not going to win
[49:08] [laughter] this thing. It's just that he's [snorts] unpopular." >> She ended up getting 2%. But it's not uncommon to delude yourself into thinking that, you know, lightning might strike and you might actually win this thing. Although, yeah, I mean, I think about Donald Trump, that great picture from The New Yorker in 2016 when they it they capture the entire family in the hotel suite and they just announced that Trump is going to win and
[49:39] to a man, they all have this the [ __ ] >> Yeah. kind of expression. I think I mentioned to you that my next door, my old next door neighbor when I was still married, he was the White House uh pastry chef and he told us that he was at the White House when when Trump went to meet Obama for the first time. It was 4 days after the election and he said Trump looked sick and he looked scared like he never thought he was going to win. He was only running to his brand.
[50:12] Exactly. [laughter] He's a dog who caught a car thing. >> Yeah. >> Oh boy. >> I mean, honestly though, I think you should be scared if you win the presidency, no matter who you are. >> Great job. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. You really should be. Uh, thanks Glass and Candy. Trans for the definition. Transhumanism is when humans start replacing parts of their bodies with mechanical replacements. Seeing as things as simple as a pacemaker can be called transhumanist. It has nothing to do with social justice. I don't know. I've heard I've heard liberals talk about transhumanism, too.
[50:44] >> Um I don't know. >> See, I I I just learned something. I never heard that before. >> Me neither. Uh Caddyy catastrophe 2. Any thoughts of on ICE in Minnesota? >> I I don't know what that is. >> Well, you know, the you know, the immigration enforcement. >> Oh, ICE. I'm sorry. I was thinking because it's winter and it's Minnesota. [laughter] >> Sorry. >> Oh my god. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, >> right? Thank you. [laughter] >> Yeah. Sorry. >> I'm not completely as stupid as I sound.
[51:14] Okay. Um, >> in Minnesota specifically, yeah, my brother and sister both lived in Minnesota. My brother was there for nine years. My sister was there for like 15 years. There are large communities of Somali and Hang from Cambodia. >> That's right. And Laos. >> And Laos. Large Lao uh community. Uh, I was unaware that a lack of documentation was a problem up
[51:44] there. >> I'm unaware of that, too, because it seems to me like these people were brought in, especially the >> refugees. They were former CIA. Um, >> Exactly. Exactly. They were working for the CIA or working for the military and we brought them as refugees. And correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that basically in these refugee situations, basically everyone packs into a C130, they they land at whatever US Air Force base they happen to land at, and then that's kind of like where you live. That's how Dayton ended up
[52:15] with a ton of Vietnamese >> and and Bismar, North Dakota, and St. Louis with a ton of Kurds, Iraqi Kurds. >> So rare. >> Exactly. Right. >> Um I kind of I mean, there's a certain beauty to that. It's but it's it's also very strange. Um, thanks for the uh for the $10 uh from Unsung Pat. You we'll sing your praises. George Washington warned against the dangers of political factions in his farewell address. Political parties could could become potent engines of faction that could lead to the erosion of national unity. It's true that [clears throat]
[52:46] >> the founding fathers did not anticipate a republic with political parties, but they quickly formed. >> That is true. by the 1800 election, they were basically what we see today. >> Um, they even had their own media outlets and everything. I just like this quote and then we have to do another story. HV to ADK, I will live in Montana and I will marry a round American woman and raise rabbits and she will cook them for me and I will have a pickup truck, maybe even a recreational vehicle. [laughter] I I've always thought about having a
[53:17] recreational vehicle and just like the commitment and the gas mileage are like the reason I wouldn't do it, but it looks fun as [ __ ] >> Um, >> it does. >> Okay, so let's talk about this report out of the New York Times. Um, well, there's two reports out of the New York Times. Let's talk about the Afghan zero units. This is more your perview. So, the United States recruited, maybe you can explain what a zero unit is. these this under the old Karzai Ghani administration that ruled Afghanistan from under US occupation from 01 to 2021
[53:50] um the local Afghans who were kind of you know collaborators let's just say were reported were served in these zero units um some of them were brought to the United States kind of like those those Laos and the uh and the Mong and all those people um and they but they a lot of them were really mistreated and neglected upon on arrival. At least four of them have committed suicide. And now Rakmanula uh Lakanal stands accused of shooting uh two National Guardsmen in
[54:21] DC. Basically, by all accounts, he was mentally ill. Um and I mean, for that reason alone, he should walk and and be institutionalized. But the thing is, um apparently these guys, uh they were when they call in for help, they're told, "Oh, we can't find you in in our computer." They don't get work permits because their names are a little bit misspelled. Um, basically we're not taking good care of them and they're and they're really in a bad state. And I got to just say personally, uh, when I was in Afghanistan in ' 01,
[54:52] >> I remember talking to people and they thought the US was as the preeminent superpower in the world would work miracles. They would tell people would say like, "Oh, now that the Americans are here, they're going to rebuild all our highways. We're going to have skyscrapers all over the place. we're gonna have everything is going to be beautiful. Within months, the Afghans just because their state was so bleak. They radically overestimated our degree of competence and our ability to do things efficiently. And I was like, "No, no, no, no. You don't understand. I'm from a city that can't build one mile of
[55:23] subway tunnel at all." Okay? Like, we can't do anything. It's not going to be like that. I was trying to just explain how slow and dysfunctional the US government can be. Anyway, I just wonder if that feeds into the psychology here. these Afghans like I've made it to the promised land and the the gap between that level of expectation and the reality, you know, basically made them crack. >> I think that it's darker than that. >> Tell me. >> I think that you get recruited into not just the CIA,
[55:56] but this very specific CIA unit. and they start taking you out in the middle of the night to do raids and to kill your fellow tribesmen, right? People who are members of your extended family just because the CIA disagrees with them politically. You're given no training. You're given no treatment, no therapy, no nothing. Just come with us and shoot that guy. And it's enough to make people crazy. You know, most people can't take the pressure of of committing serial
[56:29] murder, which is really what it comes down to, or mass murder. And uh then we say, "Oh, don't worry. We're going to bring you to the United States, and it's going to be the land of milk and honey, and you're going to be fine. If you need it, you can get therapy." And then they move into what you just described. There's nothing efficient about the United States. There's no therapy that's being given. There's no work permit. There's no nothing. We throw them into this country where they barely speak the language, if they speak it at all. >> They can't work. They don't know anybody. They're completely out of their
[57:01] element. >> Can you imagine leaving the the Afghan desert and then ending up in let's say Denver? What the heck are you going to do? >> It's It's got to be It's just got to make your mind explode. >> Yeah. And and then at the same time, the US government has just turned its back on you and they tell you, "Well, you're on your own." >> Yeah. That's and I guess many of them also are losing certainly members of their extended family, right? >> Yeah. >> We basically turn a as long extended families which is common to Afghans into a nuclear family and that's also a
[57:33] culture shock. Very quickly the New York Times says that the Trump administration >> uh is having trouble figuring out what to do with these survivors of these drugboat drone attacks uh in the southern Caribbean. Yeah, >> there was thought of sending them to El Salvador to that prison, the Secott prison, but um that was ruled out. Uh and basically the problem is here's the thing that gets me, John. Uh the administr administration officials are admitting that they don't want to try these people through the courts because
[58:03] if they do, the legality of the attacks is going to come into question. The rationale is going to come into question. But I'm like, if we're going after drug traffickers, isn't the main point to arrest them and then threaten them with charges and find out who their bosses are? >> And speaking of which, the Washington Post is reporting right now that the House Armed Services Committee is ending its probe into the boat strike. Uh, so we will never get answers to those questions. Ted, >> so that Yeah, I was trying to read
[58:34] between the tea leaves. Does that mean like the it's over, go home, nothing to see here. Or does it mean we've finished our inquiry and you can expect a report from us later on? >> No report. They've only been inquiring for three or four days. >> You would need, you know, six months for your investigation to do the to do the investigation. No, the White House put pressure on Republicans in Congress, specifically on that weak jellyfish, uh, Mike Johnson, and so there will be no investigation into the boat strikes.
[59:05] >> Ridiculous. Um, John, thanks for joining me as always. Always look forward to these mornings with you. Um, we are back here with the program. Scott Stantis from the Chicago Tribune will be filling in for John tomorrow, Thursday, 9:00 a.m. Eastern time. Friday, John will be back 9:00 am Eastern time. It's all call-in time. So, uh, be articulate, be pity, be short, as Robbie suggests. Please stay tuned to the TMI show with me and Melo Chan. That's coming up at 10 o'clock Eastern time. In other words,
[59:35] just in a minute or two, if uh, bear in mind, Friday's show, just to remind you, is a Rumble exclusive. Only Rumble, not YouTube. No YouTube, only Rumble. Thanks everyone. Bye, John. Bye bye. >> [music] [music]