A Break Down about the VP Debate, Melania Trump's New Comments on Abortion, Becky's Review of Ryan Seacrest on 'Wheel of Fortune'

[00:00:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Welcome to The Break Down with Brodkorb and Becky, a weekly podcast that breaks down politics, policy, and current affairs. I'm Becky Scherr and Michael Brodkorb.

[00:00:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Today you are stuck with just the two of us. We are keeping it in-house today to break down some thrilling topics, starting with the breakdown of Tuesday's vice presidential debate between Senator J.D. Vance and Governor Tim Walz.

[00:00:33] [SPEAKER_01]: We will discuss a somewhat surprising statement from Melania Trump on abortion, and we will hit on everyone's burning questions regarding performance of Wheel of Fortune's new host, Brian Seacrest.

[00:00:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Thanks for joining us and enjoy the show.

[00:00:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, go ahead.

[00:00:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Go ahead.

[00:00:48] [SPEAKER_02]: I just want to say thank you for doing this.

[00:00:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:00:51] [SPEAKER_02]: Sorry it wasn't in the script for me to say thank you.

[00:00:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I appreciate you jumping in with a minute. Thank you. I'll speak at any time.

[00:00:57] [SPEAKER_01]: We are just a day and a half, two days removed from the vice presidential debate on Tuesday evening.

[00:01:03] [SPEAKER_01]: We last spoke, did our preview, very excited for it.

[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_01]: I will start by saying it lacked the fireworks, and I'm very okay with it.

[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_02]: Were you expecting defined Becky fireworks?

[00:01:19] [SPEAKER_01]: I was expecting a little bit more poking and prodding and provoking.

[00:01:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I was expecting a little bit more of J.D. Vance going off on some distractions, Walls getting a little fired up about being provoked a little bit.

[00:01:32] [SPEAKER_01]: I thought that there was going to be – it was really civil.

[00:01:36] [SPEAKER_01]: It was, for the most part, yes, they poked each other a little bit.

[00:01:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, they called each other out a little bit.

[00:01:41] [SPEAKER_01]: But I feel like it was a vast departure from what we've seen over the last couple of years when it comes to these sort of debates.

[00:01:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I thought it was focused on the issues.

[00:01:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I thought we heard a lot from both candidates and actually got some substantial policy discussion.

[00:01:59] [SPEAKER_01]: And it was nice.

[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I enjoyed it.

[00:02:02] [SPEAKER_02]: I thought it was, in terms of what we've seen in the last few cycles, the last few debates, it was pretty tame.

[00:02:09] [SPEAKER_02]: And it's interesting, Becky, if you go back and you look at what previous debates were like, like the Romney-Obama debate.

[00:02:17] [SPEAKER_02]: I know you worked on – you were active in that campaign.

[00:02:20] [SPEAKER_02]: That was a very civil debate.

[00:02:22] [SPEAKER_02]: You look at Speaker Ryan against Joe Biden at the time, incredibly civil.

[00:02:27] [SPEAKER_02]: And I think – and it's something I've talked about with my kids.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_02]: My wife and I have talked with our kids about this political climate since the arrival, in some ways, of Donald Trump.

[00:02:36] [SPEAKER_02]: It's gotten so hyperbolic that you're literally expecting them to potentially come to blows on stage.

[00:02:42] [SPEAKER_01]: A hundred percent.

[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_02]: And that didn't happen.

[00:02:44] [SPEAKER_02]: And when it doesn't happen and it's more civil in its discussion, it's boring.

[00:02:50] [SPEAKER_02]: And politics should be, in some ways, many ways, pretty boring.

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm curious, who do you think – so I'll frame up my expectation coming – I know we talked about it earlier.

[00:03:00] [SPEAKER_02]: But I view the race as – I view the race as a flip of a coin.

[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_02]: I've been consistently saying to people it's a flip of a coin between now and Election Day.

[00:03:08] [SPEAKER_02]: But I think on polling, depending on who you look at it, I would give a minor edge to Harris.

[00:03:14] [SPEAKER_02]: Just a minor edge.

[00:03:15] [SPEAKER_02]: And please disagree if you're wrong.

[00:03:16] [SPEAKER_02]: So in my mind, that means that Vance has to do – he has to not just come even, break even.

[00:03:24] [SPEAKER_02]: He has to advance the ball.

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER_02]: And so my expectation – that would have been my objective is to don't make matters worse, which is generally what they say about in any debate.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_02]: But particularly for the VP debate, don't make matters worse and try to advance the ball.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_02]: And I don't know necessarily that he did that.

[00:03:43] [SPEAKER_02]: I'd like to get your take.

[00:03:44] [SPEAKER_01]: I would disagree.

[00:03:45] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that J.D. Vance went into this trying to prove people a little wrong that he was not a mistake for a pick for vice president.

[00:03:53] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think he was successful in that.

[00:03:55] [SPEAKER_01]: I think – we'll come down to one question.

[00:03:58] [SPEAKER_01]: I think we both have some issues with his answer or lack thereof.

[00:04:03] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think for the most part, he came out as an intellect, as a steward of the law, as somebody who understands the policy issues and wants to move this country forward.

[00:04:13] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that he showed that he has a vision for the country.

[00:04:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Now, do I necessarily agree with all of it?

[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_01]: No.

[00:04:21] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think for J.D. Vance, for the person that over the last few months has stepped into these really odd kind of conversations and caused more trouble for himself and for the Trump campaign,

[00:04:35] [SPEAKER_01]: I think he came out of this looking like an intellectual vice presidential nominee.

[00:04:42] [SPEAKER_02]: And you think that's good?

[00:04:45] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.

[00:04:45] [SPEAKER_01]: I think he needed to do that.

[00:04:48] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think he went off on any crazy tangent.

[00:04:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think he got sucked into or baited into the things that Donald Trump did in the last debate.

[00:04:56] [SPEAKER_01]: I think he performed like we would hope a vice presidential nominee a month out from the election would perform.

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_02]: Here's my question for you.

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_02]: Again, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm supporting Harrison Walls.

[00:05:09] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm a Republican that's supporting him.

[00:05:11] [SPEAKER_02]: My question for you is this.

[00:05:12] [SPEAKER_02]: Is does J.D. Vance coming out – and I really am interested in your answer on this because –

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_02]: and you've really – for lack of a better phrase, I was saying this is a spoiled – spoiled me because I have this access now to someone who's so incredibly smart as you are on this podcast to offer some analysis.

[00:05:30] [SPEAKER_02]: And I had so many questions during the event I wish I could have pinged you with but I need to save it for some on-air stuff.

[00:05:35] [SPEAKER_02]: Is it good that Vance comes across as the way you described?

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_02]: And what I mean by that is is it good for him politically to come across as an intellect, as that – in that kind of role?

[00:05:48] [SPEAKER_02]: Because I have a follow-up on that but I wanted to get your take.

[00:05:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I think I understand where you're going with that.

[00:05:54] [SPEAKER_01]: I think in this situation where – and again, in full disclosure, I am still up in the air of where I'm casting my ballot.

[00:06:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I think in this situation when people look at the Republican ticket, it has been lacking a little bit of substance when it comes to intellectual abilities.

[00:06:11] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that this brings a little bit maybe confidence to folks that this ticket has somebody that understands the policies.

[00:06:21] [SPEAKER_01]: It might not be the presidential nominee.

[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think that he brings a little bit of a reminder that he comes from a Yale law school.

[00:06:32] [SPEAKER_01]: He has a really great education.

[00:06:34] [SPEAKER_01]: But I also think he did a great job of relying – or relaying his story of his tough upbringing and how he can also relate to the person – to the average person.

[00:06:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Now, I think that's something that Tim Walls succeeds more at because of the coach, dad, teacher mantra.

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think in this place, I took it as a little boat of confidence towards the Republican ticket when it comes to substantial policy discussions.

[00:07:02] [SPEAKER_02]: So you think – so just to understand, so you think it's good.

[00:07:06] [SPEAKER_02]: You think he needed to shore up kind of the intellectual base that there was someone – that there's some intellect there.

[00:07:12] [SPEAKER_02]: That's fair.

[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_02]: That's fair.

[00:07:13] [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm curious of why – do you think that makes it unrelatable?

[00:07:17] [SPEAKER_02]: I think that if you – and I know technically speaking, you're an undecided voter.

[00:07:23] [SPEAKER_02]: But you're – I would consider you to be – you're an informed undecided voter.

[00:07:28] [SPEAKER_02]: It's not like you're someone who's like waiting for an answer on something.

[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_02]: And again, I don't want to – I don't want to – I know that's a little difference.

[00:07:35] [SPEAKER_02]: But I'm curious just from watching it because a part of me thinks that Walls does a better job of connecting with people more in the debate with his persona of just being that kind of coach and dad.

[00:07:51] [SPEAKER_02]: I know that people don't necessarily like politicians to begin with.

[00:07:55] [SPEAKER_02]: But if you're looking for someone – if there is a connection that you want voters to have with a candidate, I just think that Walls, even with – even going out there as a quirky dad and the coach, I think he's more relatable.

[00:08:10] [SPEAKER_02]: I understand – I think you make a really good point about the intellectual benefits of having someone like J.D. Vance on the ticket.

[00:08:18] [SPEAKER_02]: And I see your point on that different than how I would have before this conversation started.

[00:08:23] [SPEAKER_02]: I agree with your take on it.

[00:08:25] [SPEAKER_02]: I understand why you're making that point.

[00:08:26] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm just wondering if you were to get people watching it, who is – who are people more inclined to connect with?

[00:08:33] [SPEAKER_02]: And I wonder if that intellect is something that is – is something that is a benefit.

[00:08:39] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not saying we don't want smart politicians.

[00:08:42] [SPEAKER_02]: Please don't turn this into me saying – I go back to our business saying we don't want smart politicians.

[00:08:46] [SPEAKER_02]: I want everyone to be smart.

[00:08:47] [SPEAKER_02]: But it's just about the connectability to people.

[00:08:50] [SPEAKER_02]: And with so much more information and with social media and so much information coming out about these voters and these candidates and we're learning more,

[00:08:57] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm wondering if connecting with them on a personal level or on an intellectual level at their level is something that is beneficial.

[00:09:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I will say I think I've seen some polls from focus groups and different things that the Wall's likability was increased on this.

[00:09:12] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that largely comes down from that relatability.

[00:09:16] [SPEAKER_01]: However, when I – and I think it's tough.

[00:09:18] [SPEAKER_01]: We look at Walls far differently than the rest of the country being that we've watched him for how many years now.

[00:09:25] [SPEAKER_01]: I think Walls on the campaign trail is that relatable, likable person.

[00:09:30] [SPEAKER_01]: And I don't think – I think he got there partway through the debate, probably 45 minutes or so in.

[00:09:36] [SPEAKER_01]: But he really came off struggling.

[00:09:38] [SPEAKER_01]: He was very nervous, which I cannot even fathom the amount of stress and anxiety that goes into these sort of things for these candidates.

[00:09:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Here he is, just a former governor, and he's on this huge massive national scale.

[00:09:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Vance even said he didn't even really realize how nervous Walls was because he was equally as nervous.

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think the way he came across was so nervous.

[00:09:59] [SPEAKER_01]: He stepped on his own feet.

[00:10:00] [SPEAKER_01]: He stumbled a little bit.

[00:10:01] [SPEAKER_01]: So I think it took a little bit to get him into that relatable, likable guy.

[00:10:07] [SPEAKER_01]: And so I think it just – with some of the missteps and like the Israel and Iran and some of the different things that he was stumbling over,

[00:10:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I had a hard time getting to that likable Walls that I do think we see on the campaign trail that is so likable and that warm guy that you want to go have a beer with or play a game of beanbags with.

[00:10:28] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that exists.

[00:10:30] [SPEAKER_01]: But people obviously saw it.

[00:10:31] [SPEAKER_01]: A lot of focus groups came out thinking that Walls won this debate.

[00:10:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Focus groups came out saying that he – his likability was increased.

[00:10:38] [SPEAKER_01]: So I think it's just – I obviously look at it with a tainted view versus the rest of the country of voters.

[00:10:46] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, I think it's one of those things familiarity breeds contempt is what I learned from people before.

[00:10:52] [SPEAKER_02]: And so I think there's – for – I was really surprised.

[00:10:57] [SPEAKER_02]: I think both of them came out nervous.

[00:11:00] [SPEAKER_02]: And I think both of them commented on that.

[00:11:02] [SPEAKER_02]: And that's I think a real – it's really interesting to see because you think you're running for vice president.

[00:11:07] [SPEAKER_02]: It is an incredibly challenging moment to be on a national stage like that.

[00:11:12] [SPEAKER_02]: No audience.

[00:11:13] [SPEAKER_02]: And by the way, I think no audience makes it worse.

[00:11:16] [SPEAKER_02]: I think no audience makes –

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Because you don't get that little bit of hype behind it.

[00:11:21] [SPEAKER_02]: So I had not – we've done a bunch of episodes where we've talked about debate prep.

[00:11:26] [SPEAKER_02]: And it was that debate while we were watching the VP debate that I came to the conclusion like, you know what?

[00:11:30] [SPEAKER_02]: Having an audience I think would be – would help because you get a little bit more of that connection.

[00:11:36] [SPEAKER_02]: It's so sterile.

[00:11:38] [SPEAKER_02]: It's like you're being questioned by law enforcement for a crime.

[00:11:41] [SPEAKER_02]: Lights are on you.

[00:11:42] [SPEAKER_02]: It's on national TV.

[00:11:44] [SPEAKER_02]: There's no – really no human element of it.

[00:11:48] [SPEAKER_02]: And it's as dry as it can be.

[00:11:50] [SPEAKER_02]: And I think it's got to be challenging for both candidates or any candidate to do that.

[00:11:54] [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm really curious how not having – if I was a candidate – let me just say this.

[00:11:59] [SPEAKER_02]: When I run for president or vice president, I'm going to make sure that my team has a crowd in the audience.

[00:12:04] [SPEAKER_02]: A crowd there because I think I need to feed out that audience.

[00:12:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I completely agree.

[00:12:09] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's really tough, especially for these two who are so green versus Kamala Harris and Donald Trump who have done this now a half dozen to a dozen times at some national scale, right?

[00:12:20] [SPEAKER_01]: I both ran for president before.

[00:12:22] [SPEAKER_01]: They've gone through the inter-party debates and the – these sort.

[00:12:26] [SPEAKER_01]: And Kamala obviously vice presidential debates before.

[00:12:29] [SPEAKER_01]: It was very different.

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_01]: It was very – yeah, it was cool.

[00:12:33] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think also it does keep things – in this capacity, I think it really kept things on the issues.

[00:12:40] [SPEAKER_01]: We actually got to hear responses.

[00:12:42] [SPEAKER_01]: It wasn't 30 seconds distractions of applause.

[00:12:46] [SPEAKER_01]: So there is something to that.

[00:12:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe a little more warmth sometimes from – a little smile from a moderator.

[00:12:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.

[00:12:53] [SPEAKER_01]: There would be –

[00:12:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know the answer.

[00:12:54] [SPEAKER_02]: If there was an audience when I was there, there would be a lot of applause.

[00:12:58] [SPEAKER_02]: And so that would be a distraction.

[00:12:59] [SPEAKER_02]: So when you're working against –

[00:13:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, you're the best.

[00:13:01] [SPEAKER_02]: And you're working against – when you're working against my campaign, just make sure that your side doesn't ask for the audience.

[00:13:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, are you telling us you're going to run under the Democratic?

[00:13:10] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not.

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_02]: No.

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm a Republican.

[00:13:12] [SPEAKER_02]: Come on now.

[00:13:13] [SPEAKER_01]: No one would be against you.

[00:13:15] [SPEAKER_02]: Don't spread rumors.

[00:13:15] [SPEAKER_02]: This is a live podcast.

[00:13:16] [SPEAKER_02]: Don't spread rumors live.

[00:13:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I do want to chat about the moderators real quick.

[00:13:20] [SPEAKER_01]: What was your thought?

[00:13:21] [SPEAKER_01]: We – I think that there was a little bit – they went into it saying no fact checks.

[00:13:26] [SPEAKER_01]: There was one fact check.

[00:13:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Vance called them out on it, tried to go back on it.

[00:13:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Walls tried to jump in, and they both got cut off.

[00:13:35] [SPEAKER_01]: They're both – both are mics.

[00:13:36] [SPEAKER_01]: CBS said we reserve the right to cut mics, and they did it.

[00:13:41] [SPEAKER_02]: I have said – I've said to you before.

[00:13:43] [SPEAKER_02]: I think that there should be fact checks.

[00:13:46] [SPEAKER_02]: I think that's the point of a debate.

[00:13:47] [SPEAKER_02]: I think, first of all, a couple things.

[00:13:48] [SPEAKER_02]: I think moderators – I think the candidates should fact check each other.

[00:13:53] [SPEAKER_02]: I think that's important, number one.

[00:13:55] [SPEAKER_02]: Number two, I think the moderators can have – come in and do some reasonable fact check.

[00:14:00] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm challenged a bit by this, is that if the rules say no fact checking, then don't fact check.

[00:14:07] [SPEAKER_02]: Because I want the Republicans and the Democrats on these sides, either of these campaigns,

[00:14:12] [SPEAKER_02]: to know that the media acted in good faith.

[00:14:14] [SPEAKER_02]: And if the rules said no fact checking, there shouldn't be any fact checking.

[00:14:18] [SPEAKER_02]: Now, it doesn't mean you get to come out and say things like,

[00:14:21] [SPEAKER_02]: the moon is made of cheese, without there being a reasonable fact check to that.

[00:14:24] [SPEAKER_02]: You don't believe the moon is made of cheese, do you?

[00:14:26] [SPEAKER_00]: No, I do not.

[00:14:27] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay.

[00:14:27] [SPEAKER_02]: By the way, if someone believes that the earth isn't round and if the moon is made of cheese,

[00:14:31] [SPEAKER_02]: I think that should be the gatekeeper on coming on our podcast.

[00:14:35] [SPEAKER_02]: And so I'm glad you passed that test.

[00:14:36] [SPEAKER_02]: I think there should be – but there was some consternation in the debate.

[00:14:40] [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's a distraction.

[00:14:41] [SPEAKER_02]: There shouldn't be a surprise at a debate.

[00:14:43] [SPEAKER_02]: Aside from the volley back and forth between the candidates,

[00:14:46] [SPEAKER_02]: there should be no surprises that distract the candidates on the stage.

[00:14:51] [SPEAKER_02]: And my understanding was there was not going to be fact checking,

[00:14:55] [SPEAKER_02]: which was there going to be that ridiculous QR code.

[00:14:57] [SPEAKER_02]: By the way, I'm not going to disclose the name of the person,

[00:15:00] [SPEAKER_02]: but I was with someone that night at my home who literally scanned the QR code in.

[00:15:05] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, babe.

[00:15:06] [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm not going to say their name, but I'm surprised that they did.

[00:15:09] [SPEAKER_02]: And so I thought that was ridiculous.

[00:15:10] [SPEAKER_02]: If I could do a debate, I think the debate I would do is –

[00:15:14] [SPEAKER_02]: I think I would acquiesce.

[00:15:17] [SPEAKER_02]: I would give on the audience if I was hosting it from a media standpoint.

[00:15:20] [SPEAKER_02]: But I do think there needs to be fact-based discussions.

[00:15:24] [SPEAKER_02]: And I do think fact checking during the debate is important.

[00:15:27] [SPEAKER_02]: I do not believe that anyone has a responsibility.

[00:15:30] [SPEAKER_02]: Any media outlet has a responsibility to platform people who are going to give misinformation.

[00:15:35] [SPEAKER_02]: Thankfully, Becky, we're not regulated by the FCC or a license will be taken away

[00:15:39] [SPEAKER_02]: because of some of your terrible food takes.

[00:15:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously.

[00:15:42] [SPEAKER_02]: But no, but I do believe in that type of fact checking.

[00:15:45] [SPEAKER_02]: Do you agree with – do you understand my point?

[00:15:46] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[00:15:46] [SPEAKER_02]: I think that – I don't think candidates should come out and be surprised by the rules.

[00:15:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Right.

[00:15:51] [SPEAKER_01]: And I agree.

[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I will also say I was – I always like to follow along with Frank Lentz's tweets on these

[00:15:56] [SPEAKER_01]: to see the focus group.

[00:15:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Because I'm a nerd.

[00:15:59] [SPEAKER_01]: But he did say at one point that the focus group is now starting to turn on the moderators,

[00:16:03] [SPEAKER_01]: that they need to read the room, not their script, and let the candidates debate without

[00:16:07] [SPEAKER_01]: interruption.

[00:16:08] [SPEAKER_01]: So this was relatively early in the night that they were jumping in a little bit rather

[00:16:11] [SPEAKER_01]: than letting the two go back and forth.

[00:16:13] [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't feel that a ton.

[00:16:15] [SPEAKER_01]: And there were a couple times that I felt like they stepped on some of the statements.

[00:16:18] [SPEAKER_01]: But all in all, I do think that I would say probably better – the better moderators

[00:16:23] [SPEAKER_01]: that we've seen in mad props for two ladies up there.

[00:16:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Got to love that.

[00:16:27] [SPEAKER_02]: I will tell you, having done this podcast with you for almost two years, you could – you

[00:16:31] [SPEAKER_02]: would be a great moderator.

[00:16:33] [SPEAKER_00]: Oh.

[00:16:33] [SPEAKER_02]: You'd absolutely be a great moderator.

[00:16:35] [SPEAKER_02]: I could not moderate.

[00:16:36] [SPEAKER_02]: I couldn't – because I get too antsy, I move around.

[00:16:39] [SPEAKER_02]: But you could – you're very good at the cadence and the timing and the fairness.

[00:16:43] [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, you're processing – that's why you're running these episodes because I'm a dummy.

[00:16:47] [SPEAKER_02]: But you can do all that stuff.

[00:16:48] [SPEAKER_02]: You'd be a great moderator.

[00:16:49] [SPEAKER_01]: I appreciate that.

[00:16:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think I'd be able to hold the face with some of the responses.

[00:16:54] [SPEAKER_01]: And I give anybody props for being able to be on camera and hear something atrocious

[00:17:00] [SPEAKER_01]: and not respond.

[00:17:02] [SPEAKER_02]: If I run, I wouldn't let you moderate the debate with me.

[00:17:05] [SPEAKER_02]: But that's fine.

[00:17:07] [SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[00:17:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Challenge accepted.

[00:17:08] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to make that happen.

[00:17:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Topics that were covered with the most length.

[00:17:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Character and fitness got almost by double.

[00:17:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Got 13 minutes were spent on the character and fitness of the presidential nominees.

[00:17:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Immigration got just over seven minutes, as did abortion and economy.

[00:17:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Healthcare was right up there.

[00:17:27] [SPEAKER_01]: And democracy at six and a half minutes.

[00:17:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Guns, housing, childcare all got five minutes.

[00:17:32] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think anything too wild and crazy there.

[00:17:36] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that this is substantially more minutes per topic spent than we've seen in the presidential debates.

[00:17:44] [SPEAKER_02]: So your breakdown of that, is that a pretty fair allotment?

[00:17:50] [SPEAKER_02]: Would you have liked to have seen more time on other things?

[00:17:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think so.

[00:17:54] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that from what we see of polls of the top issues that matter to Americans, this falls right in line there.

[00:18:02] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think it's any surprise.

[00:18:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, Wall spent more time on character and fitness.

[00:18:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Vance spent more time on immigration.

[00:18:08] [SPEAKER_01]: But it was pretty 50-50 down the board.

[00:18:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Anything that stands out to you there?

[00:18:14] [SPEAKER_02]: No.

[00:18:14] [SPEAKER_02]: I am surprised a little bit on...

[00:18:17] [SPEAKER_02]: There's been some interesting discussions.

[00:18:20] [SPEAKER_02]: We've seen some somewhat viral clips about answers on childcare.

[00:18:23] [SPEAKER_02]: And I was surprised that there wasn't more of a discussion on that.

[00:18:27] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.

[00:18:28] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm very curious.

[00:18:30] [SPEAKER_02]: I've done debate prep years and years, now decades almost ago, decades ago of debate prep.

[00:18:35] [SPEAKER_02]: But I'm curious how the media outlets break down the topics.

[00:18:39] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm wondering, I'd really like to know, and if we ever learned that,

[00:18:42] [SPEAKER_02]: is there a discussion on what topic areas are going to be discussed?

[00:18:47] [SPEAKER_02]: Because I think it's this debate, again, going to your point about the substance of the debate,

[00:18:52] [SPEAKER_02]: I think that this is a pretty...

[00:18:54] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm a little surprised on the childcare.

[00:18:56] [SPEAKER_02]: But again, it's a debate.

[00:18:57] [SPEAKER_02]: You can only do so much planning.

[00:18:59] [SPEAKER_02]: I think they covered a wide range of topics.

[00:19:01] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm just curious.

[00:19:02] [SPEAKER_02]: It'd be interesting to maybe we can talk about that offline.

[00:19:05] [SPEAKER_02]: If there's limits on what can be asked.

[00:19:07] [SPEAKER_02]: And because I think they covered a lot of the topics.

[00:19:09] [SPEAKER_02]: And it was a, I would say, as we both said, pretty dry, pretty bland.

[00:19:15] [SPEAKER_02]: And that's the way politics should be.

[00:19:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Let's bring some civility back.

[00:19:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Let's bring the boring back.

[00:19:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Damn it.

[00:19:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Bring the intellectual back.

[00:19:22] [SPEAKER_01]: I like it.

[00:19:23] [SPEAKER_01]: So some key moments.

[00:19:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I think one that obviously stands out, I'll start on the Walls side.

[00:19:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Walls and his discrepancies of Hong Kong and his timeline of being there during the protests back

[00:19:38] [SPEAKER_01]: while he was a teacher and while he spent time there.

[00:19:40] [SPEAKER_01]: I will say, while I don't think that this is necessarily a huge issue on its own, I thought his answer was crap.

[00:19:49] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that he went back just to, I'm a teacher.

[00:19:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I've been doing this.

[00:19:54] [SPEAKER_01]: This is what I do.

[00:19:55] [SPEAKER_01]: And didn't really answer it.

[00:19:56] [SPEAKER_01]: My biggest issue here is stems a little less from the debate.

[00:20:02] [SPEAKER_01]: But again, he says, I talk a lot, so I make mistakes.

[00:20:05] [SPEAKER_01]: And it just seems like this is like the fourth, fifth, sixth misstep, poor grammar, miscommunications.

[00:20:11] [SPEAKER_01]: And it just gets a little old.

[00:20:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Now, are any of them super substantial that I think are disqualifying of him as a vice presidential nominee?

[00:20:19] [SPEAKER_01]: No.

[00:20:20] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think it gets to a point and it just leaves a little question in my mind of you don't get that luxury as a sitting vice president.

[00:20:29] [SPEAKER_01]: You don't get to go out to reporters and say something that is blatantly untrue and then just come back and be like, I misspoke.

[00:20:37] [SPEAKER_01]: So it just has a little bit of interpretation in my mind from this being such a substantial thing in the past and something that wasn't just said once but multiple times.

[00:20:47] [SPEAKER_01]: And also, I just am blown away that he wasn't prepared with a better answer, a better way to just address it and move on.

[00:20:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I think he tried to move on and then address it, and I don't think it worked for him.

[00:20:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Your thoughts?

[00:20:57] [SPEAKER_02]: I think that the American public expects their politicians to be human.

[00:21:02] [SPEAKER_02]: But I do think that politicians just need to, when they make a mistake, say it and move on.

[00:21:08] [SPEAKER_02]: And I think that, I think it's a lesson for all politicians to just, if you, and find a way to cauterize it and move on.

[00:21:16] [SPEAKER_02]: I know that he did some cleanup on it yesterday, but I think there was, I think you raised good points.

[00:21:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Another key moment was when it comes to January 6th.

[00:21:26] [SPEAKER_01]: And Walls asked Vance if he believed that Trump won the election.

[00:21:30] [SPEAKER_01]: He spun out and talked about, we're not talking about the past, we're talking about the future.

[00:21:34] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think Walls has said something to the effect of, it was a damning non-answer.

[00:21:39] [SPEAKER_01]: And I agree.

[00:21:40] [SPEAKER_01]: And the focus groups agree.

[00:21:42] [SPEAKER_01]: And a lot of voters agree.

[00:21:43] [SPEAKER_01]: And again, this is something that I'm surprised that Vance didn't have a better answer for.

[00:21:49] [SPEAKER_01]: And I will say that this is a really, when it comes to my personal views and one of the places that I really struggle is this.

[00:21:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Because if it were not, you and I have talked substantially about this.

[00:22:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.

[00:22:04] [SPEAKER_01]: January 6th was an insurrection.

[00:22:07] [SPEAKER_01]: If it was not for Mike Pence, who knows where things would be.

[00:22:12] [SPEAKER_01]: And so I really struggle with that fear.

[00:22:15] [SPEAKER_01]: And that answer, or lack thereof, from J.D. Vance hit hard for me.

[00:22:21] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think a lot of people, and I think is going to be really troublesome for the Trump Vance ticket.

[00:22:29] [SPEAKER_02]: I would agree.

[00:22:29] [SPEAKER_02]: And one of the things I would ask you is, one of the things in the do no harm bucket.

[00:22:34] [SPEAKER_02]: So if you're prepping candidates, if you're prepping the candidates prior to the debate, I think what you're looking for is, you're looking, first of all, to do no harm.

[00:22:41] [SPEAKER_02]: You don't want them to go out.

[00:22:43] [SPEAKER_02]: And when you have the VPs going out there, it's like they're borrowing the car that someone else built.

[00:22:48] [SPEAKER_02]: And so they don't want to, you want to come back in the same shape.

[00:22:51] [SPEAKER_02]: So you want the campaign to come back in the same kind of shape.

[00:22:54] [SPEAKER_02]: I think the challenge is that I think if you watch that debate, I think a number of people would have thought that J.D. Vance had the edge in the debate until that moment.

[00:23:02] [SPEAKER_02]: And then what happened was, with that answer, he gave, I think, the Harris-Walls campaign a moment by which they can cut an ad and move it.

[00:23:12] [SPEAKER_00]: They're already doing it.

[00:23:13] [SPEAKER_02]: And I haven't seen that.

[00:23:14] [SPEAKER_02]: And so if I look at, if I try to be as fair as I can, and I want to be, but I want to be honest about, again, I'm supporting Harris and Walls.

[00:23:23] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm trying to look for, if the debate was so bad for Walls, where's that moment from the debate that you're messaging, not just to social media, but you're messaging broadly in these swing states.

[00:23:35] [SPEAKER_02]: And I would say to you, as someone who had Republicans at his house that are supporting Harris and looking, that was the moment.

[00:23:43] [SPEAKER_02]: And that was, to me, the exact reason why I'm in the position that I'm in, is because I believe that Harris and Walls are going to support the Constitution, the rule of law and democracy.

[00:23:52] [SPEAKER_02]: And if they lose the election, it's not going to lead to an insurrection.

[00:23:55] [SPEAKER_02]: And for Vance not to have, for J.D. Vance not to have an answer to that in a clear, crisp way, I think shows a lack of attention to that issue and how seriously it is.

[00:24:07] [SPEAKER_02]: There is a reason why I think the number of Republicans have been public to support Harris and Walls.

[00:24:13] [SPEAKER_02]: It's because of that issue.

[00:24:14] [SPEAKER_02]: And they can pretend it doesn't exist, but they may pretend it doesn't exist to their own peril.

[00:24:19] [SPEAKER_02]: And I do think that was an opportunity where the dials, I think, very much moved in support of who thought won the debate.

[00:24:27] [SPEAKER_02]: And if you're a strategist on both sides and you're saying, okay, we had this debate, what's usable from it?

[00:24:34] [SPEAKER_02]: What can we do from a comms research perspective from this debate?

[00:24:38] [SPEAKER_02]: That answer from J.D. Vance gave the Harris-Walls campaign a clear opportunity to message on an issue that has led to them getting the endorsement of a number of Republicans.

[00:24:49] [SPEAKER_02]: Including Republicans who worked for Donald Trump.

[00:24:52] [SPEAKER_02]: And it's starting to happen again today.

[00:24:54] [SPEAKER_02]: Today in Wisconsin, former Congresswoman Liz Cheney is happening at an event in Ripon, Wisconsin.

[00:25:01] [SPEAKER_02]: For Becky and I know what happened in Ripon, Wisconsin.

[00:25:03] [SPEAKER_02]: That's where the Republican Party was founded.

[00:25:05] [SPEAKER_02]: And so Liz Cheney and Kamala Harris are having an event in Ripon, Wisconsin today.

[00:25:10] [SPEAKER_02]: And that's right in the heart and soul of where the Republican Party started.

[00:25:13] [SPEAKER_02]: And so Vance's inability to answer that question in a clean, crisp way, I think, continues to build the message, which is attracting Republicans to Harris-Walls.

[00:25:22] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that I shared this when we were doing our recap of the presidential debate between Harris and Trump.

[00:25:30] [SPEAKER_01]: And said that I was disappointed that Trump was not prepared for the democracy type questions in that topic.

[00:25:38] [SPEAKER_01]: And being able to come out with giving people a little bit of faith.

[00:25:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Because it's just like we talked about the issues of economy and immigration being top of people's minds.

[00:25:49] [SPEAKER_01]: And the most important for voters right now, democracy and who is going to protect our democracy is right up there in the top three.

[00:25:57] [SPEAKER_01]: And so the fact that Trump and Vance were either ignored that fact or just fumbled that fact or were just woefully unprepared is just malfeasance, right?

[00:26:08] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't have the exact answer of what I would hand over to them to say.

[00:26:12] [SPEAKER_01]: But you bet your butt that if I was paid to have that answer, we would have it down and we would practice and practice.

[00:26:20] [SPEAKER_01]: And it would be the most easily regurgitated answer for both of these candidates to say in the debate stage and to say any single time they're on a campaign trail, anytime they're in an interview.

[00:26:31] [SPEAKER_01]: It should be something that is so easily coming out of their mouth that it becomes believable whether they believe it or not.

[00:26:38] [SPEAKER_01]: But it is very much a concern for voters, for Republicans, for independents.

[00:26:43] [SPEAKER_01]: And it to me is going to be what loses them the campaign.

[00:26:47] [SPEAKER_01]: And so I was really surprised.

[00:26:50] [SPEAKER_01]: I get where he was trying to go.

[00:26:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that Walls' response to it was also perfect.

[00:26:55] [SPEAKER_01]: The damning non-answer.

[00:26:57] [SPEAKER_01]: And it was truly a key moment for that.

[00:27:00] [SPEAKER_02]: Why do you think that they can't answer the question?

[00:27:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Because I think they truly believe that Donald Trump won the election.

[00:27:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't.

[00:27:08] [SPEAKER_01]: That's the only reason that I can say that they cannot come out and defend it is because that's where they have to be.

[00:27:16] [SPEAKER_02]: That's a scarier answer than what I thought you were going to say.

[00:27:18] [SPEAKER_02]: What I thought you were going to say is because they need it to be true, but you went a step further.

[00:27:23] [SPEAKER_02]: And if that's the case, that's, and I believe you, I think you're, that's really scary.

[00:27:26] [SPEAKER_02]: Because I think it's, it's just a challenge to me because it's so, it's just a challenge.

[00:27:31] [SPEAKER_02]: And it's an issue that really, I think is resonating with people.

[00:27:36] [SPEAKER_02]: And do I think it's resonating with 50% of Americans?

[00:27:39] [SPEAKER_02]: No.

[00:27:39] [SPEAKER_02]: But if you look at what it takes in this type of election, every little bit counts.

[00:27:44] [SPEAKER_02]: And that answer to that question by J.D. Vance, at least in the, where I was with the Republicans that I've been talking to that were at my house and the conversation that is part of the problem.

[00:27:55] [SPEAKER_02]: And I don't think that is something that they can repair because the problem is if they come out and say, yes, I lost the 2020 election.

[00:28:03] [SPEAKER_02]: You know what happens?

[00:28:03] [SPEAKER_02]: It demobile, it takes the oxygen and fuel away from the people that they have all amped up right now who believe that BS lie from the 2020 election.

[00:28:14] [SPEAKER_02]: And it's just sad.

[00:28:15] [SPEAKER_02]: It's sad that's where we're at.

[00:28:17] [SPEAKER_01]: It is.

[00:28:18] [SPEAKER_01]: The other key moment I have is Trump's abortion tweet that during the answering, the question answering portion of the debate about abortion,

[00:28:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Trump posted on True Social in all caps that he would not support a federal abortion ban.

[00:28:33] [SPEAKER_01]: He believes it's up to the states to decide.

[00:28:35] [SPEAKER_01]: He fully supports the three exceptions of rape, incest, and the life of the mother.

[00:28:38] [SPEAKER_01]: And some rapid response that I think answers the question.

[00:28:41] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know why he didn't do that on the debate stage when he was on the debate stage, but I guess we'll take it.

[00:28:47] [SPEAKER_02]: Can I also say what else he tweeted out, what he posted on True Social during the debate?

[00:28:51] [SPEAKER_02]: Come on for it.

[00:28:52] [SPEAKER_02]: About Pete Rose.

[00:28:53] [SPEAKER_02]: He posted on True Social about Pete Rose.

[00:28:55] [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't see that one.

[00:28:57] [SPEAKER_02]: He talked about, so during the debate when his vice president is on the state, vice presidential nomination, he's posting about Pete Rose being in the Hall of Fame.

[00:29:06] [SPEAKER_02]: Now, by the way, it is a subject I would love to talk about on the podcast at some point, maybe after the election, or whether Pete Rose deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

[00:29:14] [SPEAKER_02]: It's a subject I follow through.

[00:29:15] [SPEAKER_01]: We can bring my husband back for it.

[00:29:16] [SPEAKER_01]: He's got lots of thoughts.

[00:29:17] [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, does he?

[00:29:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, he plays fantasy baseball.

[00:29:20] [SPEAKER_01]: He's all in baseball.

[00:29:25] [SPEAKER_02]: They're going to be out of the playoffs.

[00:29:27] [SPEAKER_02]: So the Brewers.

[00:29:28] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[00:29:29] [SPEAKER_02]: And I'm talking football.

[00:29:30] [SPEAKER_02]: I know that the Brewers.

[00:29:32] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay.

[00:29:32] [SPEAKER_02]: I know the Brewers are the Milwaukee baseball team.

[00:29:35] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm bringing it back to Packer football because your husband is.

[00:29:39] [SPEAKER_02]: No, because your husband is a Packers fan.

[00:29:41] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't want the.

[00:29:41] [SPEAKER_02]: This is a live show.

[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_02]: Damn it.

[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_02]: People are going to think I don't know baseball now.

[00:29:45] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm trying to look.

[00:29:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Did the Brewers get kicked out last night, though?

[00:29:48] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.

[00:29:48] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know that answer.

[00:29:49] [SPEAKER_02]: But he was tweeting about.

[00:29:50] [SPEAKER_02]: He was tweeting about posting.

[00:29:52] [SPEAKER_02]: What are they called on true social?

[00:29:54] [SPEAKER_02]: They're called truce.

[00:29:55] [SPEAKER_02]: I think they're called truce.

[00:29:56] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[00:29:56] [SPEAKER_02]: He was about Pete Rose, which I think is interesting that.

[00:29:59] [SPEAKER_02]: What is he paying attention to do?

[00:30:01] [SPEAKER_02]: But again, let's go back to the abortion message.

[00:30:03] [SPEAKER_02]: How many times has he had to clarify this and answer this?

[00:30:07] [SPEAKER_02]: This is an issue that is still not resonating, which we'll talk about in another subject before

[00:30:12] [SPEAKER_02]: we close this one out.

[00:30:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it's I don't know the answer here.

[00:30:17] [SPEAKER_01]: I have one.

[00:30:17] [SPEAKER_02]: I have one more on Vance.

[00:30:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:30:20] [SPEAKER_02]: You know what's coming?

[00:30:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, yeah.

[00:30:24] [SPEAKER_02]: What's with the eyes?

[00:30:26] [SPEAKER_01]: They're lovely.

[00:30:28] [SPEAKER_01]: They're striking.

[00:30:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[00:30:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Can we do it for first of all, before we get into your comment, because I know where you're

[00:30:33] [SPEAKER_01]: going on this.

[00:30:34] [SPEAKER_01]: We can't talk about Vance's eyes without talking about walls is debate eyes, which were

[00:30:38] [SPEAKER_01]: total deer in a headlight.

[00:30:39] [SPEAKER_01]: That was a little shocking to me.

[00:30:41] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, he was.

[00:30:42] [SPEAKER_02]: It was.

[00:30:42] [SPEAKER_02]: There's it's a big event.

[00:30:44] [SPEAKER_02]: You're on the national stage.

[00:30:45] [SPEAKER_01]: But I will let you.

[00:30:46] [SPEAKER_01]: I'll let you go in Vance.

[00:30:47] [SPEAKER_01]: You sent me a meme that included a photo of the Nightman from a wonderful Always Sunny

[00:30:55] [SPEAKER_01]: in Philadelphia episode.

[00:30:56] [SPEAKER_01]: It's called Guy Liner.

[00:30:57] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know for a fact that J.D. Vance wears Guy Liner.

[00:31:02] [SPEAKER_01]: It appears it's possible.

[00:31:04] [SPEAKER_02]: What is so first of all, explain.

[00:31:07] [SPEAKER_02]: I've done a little research, but I'd like to hear like our listeners that don't know what

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_02]: is mascara?

[00:31:11] [SPEAKER_02]: Why is it used?

[00:31:13] [SPEAKER_02]: What is it used for?

[00:31:14] [SPEAKER_02]: And why would some why would it let's in this instance, we're not making any assumptions

[00:31:19] [SPEAKER_02]: that he's wearing it.

[00:31:19] [SPEAKER_02]: But why would a man or woman wear it?

[00:31:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes.

[00:31:22] [SPEAKER_01]: So I wear mascara that you put on the lashes, the eyelashes to define them, make them darker.

[00:31:29] [SPEAKER_01]: I think I've seen a little bit more about him wearing the eyeliner, which is like a pencil

[00:31:33] [SPEAKER_01]: that you draw along the lines of your eyes to make them stand out a little bit more.

[00:31:39] [SPEAKER_01]: He has lovely piercing eyes, but they did look a little extra defined.

[00:31:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Now, it's not uncommon for I've worked for candidates and had my male candidates and had a little

[00:31:51] [SPEAKER_01]: powder to put on their face to make sure that they're not shiny on stage.

[00:31:55] [SPEAKER_01]: I've never had a candidate that I know of or have helped apply mascara or eyeliner.

[00:32:03] [SPEAKER_01]: It is interesting.

[00:32:04] [SPEAKER_01]: There are some men that do it.

[00:32:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I would say largely there's some metrosexual, some more.

[00:32:09] [SPEAKER_01]: There's some men do it.

[00:32:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Hey, more props if you want to do it.

[00:32:12] [SPEAKER_01]: It'd be an interesting choice at a scale of this level to do something and not expect

[00:32:19] [SPEAKER_01]: to get me called out for it.

[00:32:21] [SPEAKER_01]: But it's very possible he just has very dark eyelashes and very stunning.

[00:32:27] [SPEAKER_02]: Piercing, stunning eyes.

[00:32:28] [SPEAKER_02]: A couple of things.

[00:32:28] [SPEAKER_02]: And want to be fair and interest to full disclosure, I've worn makeup on TV before.

[00:32:32] [SPEAKER_02]: I've been on Almanac and other TV stations.

[00:32:35] [SPEAKER_02]: They'll give you like some, I think it's pancake number nine.

[00:32:37] [SPEAKER_02]: So they'll, because I have a lot of real estate up top that can get a little shiny.

[00:32:43] [SPEAKER_02]: And it's one of the issues I've had in this podcast space where I'm recording.

[00:32:46] [SPEAKER_02]: This is a little bit of shiny light.

[00:32:47] [SPEAKER_02]: I get the dome.

[00:32:49] [SPEAKER_02]: I get the shininess off the dome.

[00:32:51] [SPEAKER_02]: I got to tell you his eyes.

[00:32:53] [SPEAKER_02]: I was almost hypnotized a few times looking at him and he was really, those were some piercing

[00:32:57] [SPEAKER_02]: eyes.

[00:32:58] [SPEAKER_02]: And, and I good for him.

[00:33:00] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm not one.

[00:33:00] [SPEAKER_02]: Look, it's a free country.

[00:33:02] [SPEAKER_02]: Live like you want to live.

[00:33:03] [SPEAKER_02]: If you want to wear mascara at a debate, I don't know that he did, but I got to tell

[00:33:07] [SPEAKER_02]: you, he's got some stunning eyes.

[00:33:10] [SPEAKER_02]: He does.

[00:33:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe we'll have a, an interview where we get an answer to that at some point in the

[00:33:16] [SPEAKER_01]: future.

[00:33:16] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes.

[00:33:17] [SPEAKER_02]: Next topic.

[00:33:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Next topic.

[00:33:19] [SPEAKER_01]: We are coming back to when we just hit on abortion.

[00:33:22] [SPEAKER_01]: This time we are turning to the former first lady, Melania Trump on abortion.

[00:33:28] [SPEAKER_01]: Not uncommon for candidates to have a book come out at some point during their campaign

[00:33:34] [SPEAKER_01]: for president.

[00:33:35] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think we see a lot of their spouses, the first ladies or first gentlemen doing

[00:33:41] [SPEAKER_01]: that.

[00:33:41] [SPEAKER_01]: But Melania Trump has a book that's coming out next week.

[00:33:44] [SPEAKER_01]: It's a memoir.

[00:33:44] [SPEAKER_01]: So it focuses largely on her story, her upbringing, but there are some policy positions in there

[00:33:51] [SPEAKER_01]: and we got a little snippet and I'm just going to read it.

[00:33:55] [SPEAKER_01]: It starts out with, it is imperative to guarantee that women have autonomy in deciding their

[00:33:59] [SPEAKER_01]: preference of having children based on their own convictions, free from any intervention

[00:34:04] [SPEAKER_01]: or pressure from the government.

[00:34:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Why should anyone other than a woman herself have the power to determine what she does with

[00:34:11] [SPEAKER_01]: her own body?

[00:34:12] [SPEAKER_01]: A woman's fundamental right of individual liberty to her own life grants her the authority

[00:34:17] [SPEAKER_01]: to terminate her pregnancy if she wishes.

[00:34:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Restricting a woman's right to choose whether to terminate an unwanted pregnancy is the same

[00:34:25] [SPEAKER_01]: as denying her control over her own body.

[00:34:28] [SPEAKER_01]: I have carried this belief with me throughout my entire adult life.

[00:34:32] [SPEAKER_01]: That is strongly worded.

[00:34:36] [SPEAKER_01]: And I will just say surprising when we're 30, what, five days, 30 some two days out from

[00:34:44] [SPEAKER_01]: the election here.

[00:34:45] [SPEAKER_01]: And this is, I'm not going to say completely a 180 from her husband's stance, but it is

[00:34:52] [SPEAKER_01]: a, where we've seen it muddled on the Trump side a lot.

[00:34:56] [SPEAKER_01]: This is not muddled.

[00:34:57] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think it is bravo, Melania.

[00:35:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's great.

[00:35:02] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's impressive.

[00:35:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously her husband was aware that this was coming out.

[00:35:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Your thoughts?

[00:35:07] [SPEAKER_02]: It is.

[00:35:08] [SPEAKER_02]: It is.

[00:35:08] [SPEAKER_02]: First of all, you have articulated very well.

[00:35:10] [SPEAKER_02]: It is the most precise statement on abortion from the Trump household.

[00:35:17] [SPEAKER_02]: And kudos to her for piecing that together and articulating.

[00:35:22] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm quite stunned.

[00:35:23] [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, I saw it.

[00:35:24] [SPEAKER_02]: I quite stunned because first of all, she's a former first lady, maybe first lady again.

[00:35:30] [SPEAKER_02]: She has every right to stake out any policy position that she wants.

[00:35:34] [SPEAKER_02]: This is a free country and she can do it.

[00:35:37] [SPEAKER_02]: I'm really surprised and I'm really surprised.

[00:35:39] [SPEAKER_02]: And I do, first of all, I always, I applaud her for her willingness to speak up and to speak

[00:35:46] [SPEAKER_02]: out on the issue.

[00:35:47] [SPEAKER_02]: The timing of it, my goodness, is surprising to me.

[00:35:50] [SPEAKER_02]: A couple of reasons.

[00:35:51] [SPEAKER_02]: She obviously hasn't, this is obviously a position that she's held as I believe in one

[00:35:56] [SPEAKER_02]: of the quotes that you read.

[00:35:58] [SPEAKER_02]: This is a belief that she's carried throughout my entire adult life.

[00:36:01] [SPEAKER_02]: Let me tell you something.

[00:36:03] [SPEAKER_02]: Had this position been known, there may have, this would have come up in the political arena

[00:36:08] [SPEAKER_02]: much more.

[00:36:09] [SPEAKER_02]: And rightfully, and it's fair.

[00:36:10] [SPEAKER_02]: I understand that spouses get to have their positions in races.

[00:36:16] [SPEAKER_02]: The spouse's names are not on the ballot, but guess what?

[00:36:20] [SPEAKER_02]: Spouse's names can be included in stuff.

[00:36:22] [SPEAKER_02]: And that analysis is fair.

[00:36:23] [SPEAKER_02]: And I believe that had Melania Trump had this issue come up before, there would have been,

[00:36:30] [SPEAKER_02]: this would have been more of the discussion during the election cycle, meaning on the

[00:36:36] [SPEAKER_02]: debate stage and other stuff.

[00:36:37] [SPEAKER_02]: It's not, it's not surprising to me.

[00:36:39] [SPEAKER_02]: The timing is not lost on me that this is coming out after the vice president debate, after

[00:36:44] [SPEAKER_02]: there's not another debate on stage and really not another opportunity aside from media interview

[00:36:49] [SPEAKER_02]: for president Trump or JD Vance to be questioned in any substantive way on this particular issue.

[00:36:55] [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's completely and utterly fair for a spouse, a family member of a candidate to

[00:37:01] [SPEAKER_02]: have a public position on something to think that's not fair game to be discussed as a factor

[00:37:08] [SPEAKER_02]: in whether someone should vote for the candidate independent of that view is ridiculous.

[00:37:13] [SPEAKER_02]: It's going to be factored in.

[00:37:15] [SPEAKER_02]: And I think the timing of this is incredibly, I think the timing of this is not a, is the

[00:37:22] [SPEAKER_02]: timing of this was clearly orchestrated.

[00:37:24] [SPEAKER_02]: It's too much of a coincidence for it to not to be orchestrated.

[00:37:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Do you think this has the potential to harm or help Trump more when it comes to abortion?

[00:37:36] [SPEAKER_02]: I think it has both.

[00:37:37] [SPEAKER_02]: I think it could do both.

[00:37:39] [SPEAKER_02]: It could do both.

[00:37:39] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know.

[00:37:40] [SPEAKER_02]: I don't know which way it will.

[00:37:42] [SPEAKER_02]: I could see some people saying that it humanizes Trump a bit because on this particular issue.

[00:37:47] [SPEAKER_02]: And again, it is the most profound, precise, clear, crisp messaging issue produced from Trump

[00:37:56] [SPEAKER_02]: world.

[00:37:57] [SPEAKER_02]: I want to be fair.

[00:37:57] [SPEAKER_02]: Trump world.

[00:37:58] [SPEAKER_02]: It's not a part of the campaign, but you and I are both politicals and we want to be

[00:38:02] [SPEAKER_02]: fair.

[00:38:02] [SPEAKER_02]: I mean, it's from the, that it will be assigned.

[00:38:05] [SPEAKER_02]: And we're discussing this because it's in that universe, but it's not an official policy

[00:38:09] [SPEAKER_02]: statement of the campaign, but she's articulated in very clear language, a position that she has,

[00:38:15] [SPEAKER_02]: how she feels about the policy of abortion, which is much clearer than anything on that

[00:38:22] [SPEAKER_02]: Trump or Vance have articulated.

[00:38:24] [SPEAKER_02]: And I do think that it is fair to look at it in the context of what they're doing.

[00:38:29] [SPEAKER_02]: So I think there's a possibility that it humanizes Trump a bit and helps him out.

[00:38:34] [SPEAKER_02]: I also think that this is another reason to question his advocacy and belief in this issue.

[00:38:39] [SPEAKER_01]: I want to read another portion that I think goes a little bit further.

[00:38:43] [SPEAKER_01]: And I also applaud.

[00:38:45] [SPEAKER_01]: She talked about how timing matters when it comes to abortion.

[00:38:49] [SPEAKER_01]: She says, it is important to note that historically most abortions conducted during the later stages

[00:38:53] [SPEAKER_01]: of pregnancy were the result of severe fatal, fetal abnormalities that probably would have

[00:39:00] [SPEAKER_01]: led to the death of or stillborn of the child, perhaps even the death of the mother.

[00:39:04] [SPEAKER_01]: These cases were extremely rare and typically occurred after several consultations between

[00:39:09] [SPEAKER_01]: the woman and her doctor.

[00:39:10] [SPEAKER_01]: As a community, we should embrace these common sense standards.

[00:39:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Again, timing matters.

[00:39:15] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think this really, to me, is one that's a little, it's a pretty direct knife into the

[00:39:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Republican argument when it comes to abortion, in particular late-term abortions, which are

[00:39:30] [SPEAKER_01]: a very small percentage of abortions in general.

[00:39:34] [SPEAKER_01]: And I have someone in my life who had to go through this.

[00:39:40] [SPEAKER_01]: And it was because of the lack of likelihood of the fetus being able to live.

[00:39:49] [SPEAKER_01]: It was just not going to move forward.

[00:39:51] [SPEAKER_01]: And it is just a very heart-wrenching, heartbreaking decision that a mother or a couple has to make.

[00:39:59] [SPEAKER_01]: And it just is exactly that.

[00:40:01] [SPEAKER_01]: It's because of the end results and the death or stillborn of the child or the impact it's

[00:40:08] [SPEAKER_01]: going to have on the mother.

[00:40:09] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's not done lightly.

[00:40:10] [SPEAKER_01]: It is done with the consultation of the doctor and prayers and talks with your loved ones.

[00:40:16] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think this is so compassionate.

[00:40:19] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think it's so important.

[00:40:20] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think that she didn't need to go this far.

[00:40:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that she could have left it at the level she did.

[00:40:28] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think this was really important for her.

[00:40:30] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if it's because of somebody in her life.

[00:40:33] [SPEAKER_01]: But I really appreciated this part of it because I do think that a lot of times Republicans

[00:40:38] [SPEAKER_01]: get into this part of thinking that some woman is going in at 22 weeks and just saying,

[00:40:43] [SPEAKER_01]: let's just pop her out of there just willy-nilly.

[00:40:47] [SPEAKER_01]: And because of some inconvenience factor rather than the health and the lack of viability of

[00:40:54] [SPEAKER_01]: their fetus, of their unborn child.

[00:40:56] [SPEAKER_01]: And I applaud her.

[00:40:57] [SPEAKER_01]: I think this is probably so incredibly tough.

[00:41:00] [SPEAKER_01]: I can't imagine the conversation she had.

[00:41:02] [SPEAKER_01]: She did say that occasional political disagreements between me and my husband are part of our

[00:41:06] [SPEAKER_01]: relationship.

[00:41:06] [SPEAKER_01]: But I agree or I believe in addressing them privately versus publicly challenging him.

[00:41:10] [SPEAKER_01]: I also applaud this.

[00:41:12] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that it is extremely strong.

[00:41:15] [SPEAKER_01]: We know what we see of Donald Trump.

[00:41:16] [SPEAKER_01]: I obviously don't know what Donald Trump is like behind closed doors.

[00:41:19] [SPEAKER_01]: But I have to imagine that this was a little bit of a battle for her to be able to say,

[00:41:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I am writing this and I am publishing this and it's going to come out.

[00:41:28] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think it takes a lot of strength.

[00:41:30] [SPEAKER_01]: And I am grateful and appreciative that she had that strength to do it.

[00:41:36] [SPEAKER_02]: Bravo.

[00:41:37] [SPEAKER_02]: So my question to you is, what role does it play in the campaign?

[00:41:47] [SPEAKER_02]: Because my take is, and I articulated it, which is her name's not on the ballot.

[00:41:52] [SPEAKER_02]: The candidate's name's on the ballot.

[00:41:54] [SPEAKER_02]: Her husband's name is on the ballot.

[00:41:55] [SPEAKER_02]: So she's not on the ballot.

[00:41:56] [SPEAKER_02]: But this is, as you articulated, a very profound policy statement that differs greatly with a

[00:42:04] [SPEAKER_02]: large element of her husband's presidential campaign, position of the vice president and

[00:42:10] [SPEAKER_02]: of the party.

[00:42:11] [SPEAKER_02]: What factor, how do you balance her speaking out with what role it should have in the campaign?

[00:42:17] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it is night and day difference, it coming out now than it coming out in 2020.

[00:42:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Donald Trump has said publicly that if he loses this election, he's not going to run again in

[00:42:29] [SPEAKER_01]: 2028.

[00:42:30] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that Republican voters who vote for Trump will be able to look away, look aside,

[00:42:36] [SPEAKER_01]: push this aside, and it's not going to change their support for Donald Trump.

[00:42:40] [SPEAKER_01]: Had it happened before we had our nominee and Donald Trump was, it was the one, was the chosen

[00:42:46] [SPEAKER_01]: one for this cycle, or Donald Trump was going to be going up against a primary battle again

[00:42:51] [SPEAKER_01]: in four years.

[00:42:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I think there are some Republican voters who would say, this is disqualifying.

[00:42:57] [SPEAKER_01]: This is not, I cannot no longer support Donald Trump because of this.

[00:43:01] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think that's going to be an election or an issue in the general election.

[00:43:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I could be wrong.

[00:43:06] [SPEAKER_01]: But I think that is what is so different of this, that if we were still in the primary

[00:43:11] [SPEAKER_01]: battle or Trump, we were still up for discussion.

[00:43:14] [SPEAKER_01]: If Trump was going to be our nominee, I absolutely believe that this would be in conversations

[00:43:19] [SPEAKER_01]: that were coming from voters and delegates in different states of whether Donald Trump

[00:43:23] [SPEAKER_01]: should be the nominee.

[00:43:24] [SPEAKER_01]: But because that's not the case, I think that I don't know what's disqualifying for Donald

[00:43:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Trump at this point.

[00:43:31] [SPEAKER_02]: Is it fair?

[00:43:32] [SPEAKER_02]: Would it be fair for someone to hold, what would be your position if someone said, okay,

[00:43:38] [SPEAKER_02]: because the former first lady said this, I'm no longer supporting Trump.

[00:43:43] [SPEAKER_02]: Would that, is that fair?

[00:43:44] [SPEAKER_02]: How do you think it should factor in to a voter's decision?

[00:43:49] [SPEAKER_02]: I think we both accept the premise that it's fair game to factor in.

[00:43:53] [SPEAKER_01]: I would say if I was defending Trump in this matter, I would say, look at Trump's record.

[00:43:57] [SPEAKER_01]: He has stood on his own on this issue aside from what she has done or said.

[00:44:02] [SPEAKER_01]: And obviously, if she has believed this her entire adult life, they've had many conversations

[00:44:06] [SPEAKER_01]: over the last 10, 20 years about the topic, her belief and his disagreement on it.

[00:44:11] [SPEAKER_01]: That Trump's an individual, unique, independent man and is going to do whatever he wants regardless

[00:44:17] [SPEAKER_01]: of what his wife says in the matter.

[00:44:19] [SPEAKER_02]: I would agree.

[00:44:20] [SPEAKER_02]: And yeah, I was literally stunned.

[00:44:23] [SPEAKER_02]: And it's tough for me.

[00:44:24] [SPEAKER_02]: And I said to Jim, like, holy moly.

[00:44:28] [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I had to read it a couple of times to make sure I was like getting what she was saying.

[00:44:32] [SPEAKER_02]: And I really appreciate your perspective on it because I agree with you.

[00:44:34] [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's I think that we I think her thought I think you can disagree with the timing.

[00:44:41] [SPEAKER_02]: People can look at the two partisan lenses.

[00:44:43] [SPEAKER_02]: But she staked out a pretty profound position that I think is going to shape where this

[00:44:49] [SPEAKER_02]: discussion goes.

[00:44:51] [SPEAKER_01]: And it was clearly I'm sorry.

[00:44:53] [SPEAKER_02]: Don't go ahead.

[00:44:54] [SPEAKER_01]: I shouldn't say it was clearly very important to her because this is not a political book

[00:44:59] [SPEAKER_01]: from the snippets I've seen and heard and the general theme of the book.

[00:45:03] [SPEAKER_01]: It's more about her and her life.

[00:45:05] [SPEAKER_01]: It's not going through abortion and economy and foreign affairs and taxes and democracy.

[00:45:11] [SPEAKER_01]: It hits on a couple.

[00:45:12] [SPEAKER_01]: But that's not what this book is.

[00:45:13] [SPEAKER_01]: So it is clearly very important for her to articulate where she stands on this.

[00:45:19] [SPEAKER_01]: And I believe immigration is another big one that she talks about in the book.

[00:45:23] [SPEAKER_01]: I didn't I wouldn't have said yesterday I'm going to go buy Melania Trump's book, but

[00:45:27] [SPEAKER_01]: I might be going and buying Melania Trump's book.

[00:45:30] [SPEAKER_02]: Oh, I would absolutely agree with you.

[00:45:32] [SPEAKER_02]: I would have said the exact same thing.

[00:45:33] [SPEAKER_02]: And now your take on timing.

[00:45:35] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I think I'm a skeptic in lots of aspects of life.

[00:45:43] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that it wouldn't surprise me if the Trump campaign, just as I articulated, see this

[00:45:48] [SPEAKER_01]: as more of a benefit than a detriment.

[00:45:51] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that they see that there could be some people that say maybe he's a little bit more

[00:45:56] [SPEAKER_01]: reasonable.

[00:45:56] [SPEAKER_01]: He had the tweet yesterday, the day after his wife comes out with this.

[00:46:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe he is going to be a little bit more reasonable on that.

[00:46:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Now, do I think that's going to be droves of voters?

[00:46:07] [SPEAKER_01]: No.

[00:46:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Are there maybe a couple thousand?

[00:46:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe.

[00:46:11] [SPEAKER_01]: And that could make impact.

[00:46:14] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[00:46:15] [SPEAKER_02]: So my take was.

[00:46:17] [SPEAKER_02]: And I agree with you.

[00:46:18] [SPEAKER_02]: My take was, I think it's going to have an impact, but I don't know which way, because

[00:46:21] [SPEAKER_02]: some people, my initial reaction was to say, my initial reaction to say, this is going

[00:46:26] [SPEAKER_02]: to make, this may humanize him a bit more.

[00:46:29] [SPEAKER_02]: This may humanize him a bit more.

[00:46:30] [SPEAKER_02]: And based on some of his social media activity, this, but it's a, it, she went farther than

[00:46:36] [SPEAKER_02]: I initially thought when I first read the story.

[00:46:38] [SPEAKER_02]: And then again, your show prep is fantastic.

[00:46:41] [SPEAKER_02]: The quotes that you read, there's really no ambiguity there, Becky.

[00:46:44] [SPEAKER_02]: No.

[00:46:44] [SPEAKER_01]: And I would just also say, if Trump and the Trump campaign didn't want this to come out

[00:46:51] [SPEAKER_01]: before the elections, let me tell you the millions and millions of dollars they could probably

[00:46:56] [SPEAKER_01]: spin up in some legal work to, against publishers to delay it 30 days.

[00:47:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Right.

[00:47:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Like I just am not, I don't believe that there was not someone that gave some little nod saying,

[00:47:13] [SPEAKER_01]: okay.

[00:47:14] [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.

[00:47:15] [SPEAKER_02]: I think the timing, I want to set aside the message for a second, but I think the timing

[00:47:19] [SPEAKER_02]: of it, the arrival of it right after the first leaks come out, right after the vice presidential

[00:47:23] [SPEAKER_02]: debate, there's no more debates planned.

[00:47:25] [SPEAKER_02]: And there's really not a format in which to battle this out and it's coming in at the timing

[00:47:32] [SPEAKER_02]: of it.

[00:47:32] [SPEAKER_02]: I just think is interesting and it should be part of the discussion, but I also don't

[00:47:36] [SPEAKER_02]: want it to take away from the broader message because I agree with you.

[00:47:39] [SPEAKER_02]: I think it's incredibly important what she said.

[00:47:41] [SPEAKER_02]: And I also agree with you, which I'm so glad we had this discussion.

[00:47:45] [SPEAKER_02]: I am also now more likely to buy her book and I would not have thought about that.

[00:47:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Next Tuesday, I believe.

[00:47:51] [SPEAKER_02]: Okay.

[00:47:51] [SPEAKER_02]: By the way, I saw just something really puzzling about this subject right before we came on

[00:47:56] [SPEAKER_02]: the air.

[00:47:57] [SPEAKER_02]: CNN is reporting that, did you see this?

[00:47:59] [SPEAKER_02]: CNN is reporting that there was a request to do a sit down interview with Melania and the

[00:48:04] [SPEAKER_02]: request was CNN be paid $250,000 to do the interview.

[00:48:08] [SPEAKER_01]: That CNN pays Melania?

[00:48:10] [SPEAKER_02]: CNN was, the request was that CNN pay Melania $250,000 to the interview.

[00:48:17] [SPEAKER_02]: Now, Becky, on that note, what is our current rate we're charging for interviews?

[00:48:21] [SPEAKER_00]: Five dollars.

[00:48:22] [SPEAKER_02]: We're charging for interviews?

[00:48:24] [SPEAKER_00]: No, not at all.

[00:48:25] [SPEAKER_02]: No, that's great.

[00:48:27] [SPEAKER_00]: If you are interested in being interviewed by the breakdown with Rod Corp and Becky, please

[00:48:30] [SPEAKER_00]: go to BBBreakPod.com.

[00:48:33] [SPEAKER_02]: I really appreciate it.

[00:48:33] [SPEAKER_02]: By the way, I really appreciate the way your thoughtfulness on that subject.

[00:48:36] [SPEAKER_02]: I was really interested to discuss with you.

[00:48:38] [SPEAKER_02]: It's one of the reasons, and I was, it came out the timing and I really appreciated.

[00:48:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Glad you sent it along.

[00:48:43] [SPEAKER_01]: It was perfect timing.

[00:48:44] [SPEAKER_02]: I really appreciate how you've really centered our show on this topic and I really appreciate

[00:48:49] [SPEAKER_02]: your insight.

[00:48:49] [SPEAKER_02]: Speaking of something I really want your insight on.

[00:48:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Yes.

[00:48:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Take it away.

[00:48:54] [SPEAKER_01]: We are going to chat non-pologics for a second.

[00:48:57] [SPEAKER_01]: Wheel of Fortune.

[00:48:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Wheel of Fortune, new season is in its, I believe, maybe third week here.

[00:49:03] [SPEAKER_01]: As most people know, we had a conversation at the end of last season when Pat Sajak was

[00:49:08] [SPEAKER_01]: doing his sign-off.

[00:49:09] [SPEAKER_01]: A very heartfelt goodbye from Vanna White.

[00:49:12] [SPEAKER_01]: So we're going to chat about the new host, Ryan Seacrest.

[00:49:14] [SPEAKER_01]: But before we do, I'm going to make two notes.

[00:49:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Vanna White's contract was prolonged or extended.

[00:49:19] [SPEAKER_01]: She is going to be on at least through 2026.

[00:49:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Pat Sajak is going to be continuing to host Celebrity Wheel of Fortune through 2025, which

[00:49:30] [SPEAKER_01]: is also a great watch if you haven't tuned into that.

[00:49:33] [SPEAKER_01]: My husband and I, we tape Wheel of Fortune record.

[00:49:35] [SPEAKER_01]: I don't know.

[00:49:36] [SPEAKER_01]: On YouTube TV, we record it.

[00:49:38] [SPEAKER_01]: We watch it every single night.

[00:49:40] [SPEAKER_01]: It is a great thing in our household.

[00:49:43] [SPEAKER_01]: My son even likes it.

[00:49:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Lots of colors and spins and excitement.

[00:49:46] [SPEAKER_01]: We have Ryan Seacrest.

[00:49:48] [SPEAKER_01]: I was a little skeptical.

[00:49:49] [SPEAKER_01]: I was a little skeptical going in.

[00:49:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Ryan Seacrest is very popular.

[00:49:54] [SPEAKER_01]: He's very famous.

[00:49:55] [SPEAKER_01]: He does all the things.

[00:49:57] [SPEAKER_01]: He can be a little energetic at times, which there's a place for that.

[00:50:03] [SPEAKER_01]: I just was skeptical of what Wheel of Fortune would turn into with somebody like Ryan Seacrest

[00:50:09] [SPEAKER_01]: on it.

[00:50:10] [SPEAKER_01]: I got to say, I've been impressed.

[00:50:13] [SPEAKER_01]: He has come in and he's been very pretty calm.

[00:50:18] [SPEAKER_01]: He has made not done.

[00:50:20] [SPEAKER_01]: He's not done too much.

[00:50:22] [SPEAKER_01]: He has not been a Jimmy Fallon-esque, which love me some Jimmy Fallon, but he's not too raw

[00:50:27] [SPEAKER_01]: and jumping up and down.

[00:50:28] [SPEAKER_01]: He's keeping with the tone of the show.

[00:50:31] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's been good.

[00:50:33] [SPEAKER_01]: Now, do I miss Pat Sajak?

[00:50:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously.

[00:50:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Do I miss his quick wits and the little remarks and some little like funny snide comments

[00:50:41] [SPEAKER_01]: that he would make after an answer or a poor guest?

[00:50:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.

[00:50:44] [SPEAKER_01]: The ability of that man after 40 years of doing it to have these little quick wits was

[00:50:50] [SPEAKER_01]: just incredible.

[00:50:52] [SPEAKER_01]: And Seacrest isn't quite there yet, but he's doing a decent job.

[00:50:56] [SPEAKER_01]: And viewers agree the season premiere drew in 9.63 million views.

[00:51:01] [SPEAKER_01]: Biggest audience on a premiere since the season opener in 2015.

[00:51:06] [SPEAKER_01]: We'll say 11 million watched Pat Sajak's last show.

[00:51:09] [SPEAKER_01]: But the first week of Seacrest averaged over 8 million views, 21% gain over the 2023 season.

[00:51:16] [SPEAKER_01]: So people clearly were curious and clearly are sticking around thinking he's doing a decent

[00:51:21] [SPEAKER_01]: job.

[00:51:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Have you watched any?

[00:51:24] [SPEAKER_02]: I've watched a little bit.

[00:51:25] [SPEAKER_02]: I want to just note how this subject came up.

[00:51:27] [SPEAKER_02]: I was at dinner and there was a discussion about Seacrest.

[00:51:31] [SPEAKER_02]: And I said, I got to ask Becky about this.

[00:51:33] [SPEAKER_02]: And the whole, we started talking about it like this.

[00:51:35] [SPEAKER_02]: So the show idea came from dinner table.

[00:51:38] [SPEAKER_02]: So it's great.

[00:51:39] [SPEAKER_02]: What's the, is the game, is the dynamic changed?

[00:51:42] [SPEAKER_02]: Do you and your husband is, did you go in as skeptics?

[00:51:45] [SPEAKER_02]: You're sitting down to watch this.

[00:51:46] [SPEAKER_02]: The little one's watching too.

[00:51:48] [SPEAKER_02]: Is the little one a skeptic too?

[00:51:49] [SPEAKER_02]: Have you queried him on it?

[00:51:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Is he asking the, no, he's not skeptical yet.

[00:51:53] [SPEAKER_01]: We got years to get him a little bit more skeptical, but yeah, I definitely, it's just

[00:51:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Nancy Chris has done everything right.

[00:52:00] [SPEAKER_01]: He took over for Dick Clark.

[00:52:02] [SPEAKER_01]: He took over for the top 40.

[00:52:04] [SPEAKER_01]: He's just stepped into this role after role and he's obviously done a really great job,

[00:52:09] [SPEAKER_01]: but he just, when we think of Pat Sajak, he is not like rimming with energy, right?

[00:52:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Like he's pretty even keeled and just has those snappy remarks and just knows the game

[00:52:22] [SPEAKER_01]: and just gets it.

[00:52:24] [SPEAKER_01]: And it has been, obviously it's because of years and decades of doing it.

[00:52:27] [SPEAKER_01]: So I was, that was just truly my first, like biggest criticism or like thought of what

[00:52:32] [SPEAKER_01]: my criticism would be is that Seacrest would come in and be like, woohoo!

[00:52:36] [SPEAKER_01]: And just jumping up and down and being a little too over the top.

[00:52:40] [SPEAKER_02]: And that would be too much for you on Wheel of Fortune.

[00:52:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Wheel of Fortune is, I sat down and watched it with my grandparents.

[00:52:46] [SPEAKER_01]: It is a very even keel.

[00:52:48] [SPEAKER_01]: You can look away and you're not really, it's up for the guests to be the woohooers.

[00:52:53] [SPEAKER_01]: They're the ones that bring the excitement.

[00:52:55] [SPEAKER_01]: That's not what Vanna does.

[00:52:56] [SPEAKER_01]: That's not what Pat does.

[00:52:57] [SPEAKER_01]: They're facilitating the game.

[00:52:59] [SPEAKER_01]: And let me tell you, I watch pretty much every game show.

[00:53:02] [SPEAKER_01]: And so there is a place for that.

[00:53:03] [SPEAKER_01]: And there's some really great hosts that do bring the woohoos,

[00:53:07] [SPEAKER_01]: like Kiki Palmer on Passwords, all about that woohoo.

[00:53:10] [SPEAKER_01]: She gets into it and excited and jazzed.

[00:53:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Not what I want when I'm watching Wheel of Fortune.

[00:53:15] [SPEAKER_01]: And I applaud Brian Seacrest for fitting the tone of the show.

[00:53:19] [SPEAKER_02]: Becky, this is...

[00:53:20] [SPEAKER_01]: I have very little thoughts on the matter, as you can tell.

[00:53:23] [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, this is fantastic.

[00:53:24] [SPEAKER_02]: No, I'm so glad we covered this.

[00:53:26] [SPEAKER_02]: And I think we need to cut out more segments.

[00:53:29] [SPEAKER_02]: I think we need to take some breaks from doing a lot of politics stuff.

[00:53:33] [SPEAKER_02]: And I think we're missing...

[00:53:35] [SPEAKER_02]: This is just...

[00:53:35] [SPEAKER_02]: You just nailed this.

[00:53:36] [SPEAKER_02]: This is great.

[00:53:37] [SPEAKER_01]: I can give you my top list of 10 game shows that I watch all the time.

[00:53:41] [SPEAKER_02]: Really?

[00:53:41] [SPEAKER_02]: What's number two?

[00:53:43] [SPEAKER_01]: I would say probably right now Whammy or Press Your Left.

[00:53:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Elizabeth Banks brought it back.

[00:53:49] [SPEAKER_01]: We're in season three or four.

[00:53:51] [SPEAKER_01]: It is great.

[00:53:52] [SPEAKER_01]: It is lovely.

[00:53:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Wyatt thinks the Whammies are hilarious.

[00:53:55] [SPEAKER_01]: They still come out on screen and take your money and do funny things.

[00:53:58] [SPEAKER_01]: That, again, the whole principle of the show is the exact same as it was from the 70s.

[00:54:03] [SPEAKER_01]: But Elizabeth Banks is so freaking pumped with them.

[00:54:06] [SPEAKER_01]: And it's lovely.

[00:54:07] [SPEAKER_01]: She's adorable.

[00:54:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Fantastic.

[00:54:08] [SPEAKER_02]: She's great.

[00:54:09] [SPEAKER_02]: We're a big Wheel of Fortune.

[00:54:11] [SPEAKER_02]: Jeopardy is probably number one.

[00:54:12] [SPEAKER_02]: Then Wheel of Fortune number two.

[00:54:13] [SPEAKER_02]: But with your big recommendation, I think there'll be a little bit more enthusiasm in the Broadcorp household than maybe other households to give Ryan Seacrest a second look.

[00:54:21] [SPEAKER_02]: But we'll monitor the situation and we'll report back.

[00:54:25] [SPEAKER_02]: Is that fair to say?

[00:54:26] [SPEAKER_00]: I love it.

[00:54:26] [SPEAKER_02]: Becky, thank you so much for doing this bonus episode and appreciate the discussion as always.

[00:54:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Absolutely.

[00:54:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Anytime.

[00:54:32] [SPEAKER_01]: It was a good one.

[00:54:35] [SPEAKER_02]: We want to thank you for listening to this bonus episode of The Breakdown with Broadcorp and Becky.

[00:54:39] [SPEAKER_02]: Before we go, show some love for your favorite podcast by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts or on the platform where you listen.

[00:54:46] [SPEAKER_02]: Please visit our website for additional episodes and follow us across all social media platforms at at BBBreakPod.

[00:54:54] [SPEAKER_02]: The Breakdown with Brock or Becky will return with Fenty.

[00:54:57] [SPEAKER_02]: Have a great weekend.