The First In Person Episode

In the aftermath of the 2024 election, America is even more divided than before. Half the country fears the end of democracy and the other half welcomes it. As America inches toward the brink of authoritarian rule. Now more than ever, we must force ourselves to have the necessary conversation. >> Welcome to the necessary conversation. I'm Chad Culchin. We are here in person for the first episode that we've ever done like this. >> I don't know if it's going to go well. Technically, I don't know if it's going to go well and uh content, but we're going to do this. >> Mom, do you want to start the show with diddies? >> I was not prepared. >> Okay. >> I have no diddies. >> All right. I guess we're going [laughter] straight to the viewer question. Are you ready? >> I'm ready. >> All right. I have it here. You can see it if you like. >> Oh. Interesting. >> Hi, Cultured family. My name is Sarah. I'm 20 I'm a 23-year-old leftist in the red state of Indiana. I am a licensed social worker and I just started listening to your guys' show about two months ago and since then I've been listening to your beginning episodes from the Biden era and catching up on episodes from this year. And my question is for everybody. Um, my question is, what is the craziest thing that has happened um since you started the show? Um, to you personally, politically, um, all of the above. What is the craziest thing that's happened since you guys started your podcast? Thanks. >> Craziest thing that's happened to you as a result of this? >> I'm stuck doing this one hour a day. >> A day? >> A week? One [laughter] hour a day. >> Okay. >> Once a week. >> Crazy. >> One hour a week. >> Uh-huh. >> Cra What is crazy? The craziest thing. >> Okay. Although um I get recognized in >> multiple states certainly every time I go out in public uh in Flower Mound. >> Um and it used to just be for Hive, but now it's the pod. So people are stopping me and like you know I listen to the pod or I watch the pod and I am getting recognized almost anywhere I go. >> That's good. You're famous. >> Haven't you been recognized? >> Yes, I have too. A couple times and I say they say, "Are you the woman on that necessary conversation?" I go, "I don't know. I've never heard of that. Thank you. Bye." [laughter] >> What? >> There's no way I'm going to say yes. >> Girl boss. >> Bye-bye. >> Okay. And dad, nothing has happened to you. >> Crazy >> as a result of this. >> No, >> I don't go out in public. [laughter] >> It's probably for the best. >> Uh, I would say for me they're Yes. getting recognized every once in a while out in the public is a little strange. Uh, but something good that has happened is one of my favorite podcasters personalities on the internet ever >> replayed one of our clips, Van Lean on Higher Learning. also that like um celebrities and are like following my personal account, my hive account. >> That's right. >> So, I mean that's been pretty cool. >> So, you're getting more coverage on that. >> Mhm. >> I want to say this right now. This is very odd. I don't like this. I don't like having to see you right there. I'd rather see you behind a screen. That's why people can say that stuff to other people behind a screen. Right. Uh-huh. >> This is very bizarre. >> How is it bizarre to you? In what way? >> I don't know. I think when I see you when the way we not like this. >> Yeah. >> I don't know. I don't like it. I don't like >> Because you feel like this makes it. It's harder to talk openly or what? Because you have to look us in the eyes. >> Yes. Yes. No. Way too intimate. Way too. >> And because when the show wraps, we're still here. We're still here, >> I guess. >> Yeah. I'm not just waiting for your StreamYard to upload. Now I'm going to be taking down these cameras, editing this >> And I did forget I did have a diddy, but see, caught me off guard just looking at you guys. [laughter] I wasn't ready. >> Let's hear it. What' you do? >> Um uh home is where Deart is. That's the theme of the White House decorations. And they're beautiful. They are beautiful. Um >> wait, didn't she recently like a new clip came about during the first presidency where she said, "Fuck Christmas. That was a long time ago. We're now in 2025. >> Home is where the heart is is her theme. Each room is decorated different. The red room fostering the future. And that one was, I think, the initiative of the be best. No, no, no. Or one of those rooms had the blue butterflies on the Christmas tree. That was the foster uh initiative that each little blue butterfly was for the children that didn't have homes. That just got to me. I loved it. So, each room was themed. Uh, Gold Star Families had one theme. The East Room had the patriotic of America. That's what I said on the Halloween. I should go get my wig, deh Halloween. Uh, the green room had family fun and togetherness. It was beautiful. It was beautiful. I loved it. I loved every part of it. I wish I could go see it, but we can't. We did not get the invite this year. Maybe next year. [laughter] >> Okay. Uh, well that's our diddies. That is our listener question. If anybody out there wants to send us a question, just record it in a one minute or shorter video. Send it to the necessary conversation [email protected]. Now, are you ready to dive into this episode? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Here we go. Topic number one, war crimes. >> It is strange to be like this. >> Okay. Reports came out this week revealing gruesome details of one of the many military strikes carried out on supposed Venezuelan drug runners in the Caribbean. The strike that took place on September 2nd is raising concerns because it was a double tap, meaning [clears throat] that after the first strike, two survivors were witnessed clinging to the boat's wreckage and an order was given for a second strike which killed the survivors. Anonymous sources have claimed Hegsth gave verbal orders to kill everybody in quotes. >> Good job. Killing survivors of a strike on a vessel who pose no threat violates international law. And this scenario is literally used as an example in the US Law of War manual as something never to be done. Many legal scholars believe this is a war crime. Congressman Jim Heim saw a video of the incident and reported that it was one of the most troubling things he's seen in his all of his years of public service. Some legislators are pushing for a public release of the video and there are even some Republicans who support the idea of a full investigation into the matter. Dad. >> Yeah. >> Is it okay to use the military to kill people who pose no threat? >> 100%. And those those two people posed a threat. >> What were the What was the threat there? >> Hanging on the side of the boat. >> Nope. They were bringing in lethal drugs to the United States of America >> that could kill people. And so they are the enemy >> and they are not civilian. >> No proof of that. >> They're dead. >> Beyond no proof of it. The boat was destroyed. The drugs are gone. That's all right. But they need to go, too. They'll be driving another boat next week. >> But in >> We're at war with Venezuela, if you haven't figured that out. No, we're not. >> Oh, yes, we are. >> Hasn't been declared drugs. >> We are at war. >> Coming into our country on those boats. >> We are at war with Venezuela. >> If you don't believe that, >> you need to go get another job. >> Get another job. Those boats did not have fishing people on them. They were not having a party. >> Yes, they did. >> No. >> There has been a report that one of the men that was murdered CNN, >> his wife came forward and said, "My husband was a fisherman." >> Oh, sure he was. >> Then he shouldn't have been on the drug boat. >> And and that woman >> You don't know that it's a drug boat. >> That woman probably had a Venezuelan gun pointed at her. >> You don't know it was a drug boat. >> Yeah, they're drugs. No, you don't. >> Let's say that it is. >> I don't care if it is. >> Let's say Huh? >> We're at war with Venezuela. >> You don't care if it's a drug boat? >> No. >> So, it could have been fishermen that were killing and you're finding it. >> No, it was a drug boat and that's why they were >> They're from Venezuela they aren't fishermen. >> What? >> So, every Venezuelan citizen you believe is a drug dealer >> that's out in that ocean? You bet your ass I do. >> Okay. So, my next question then is this. Let's assume they are drug boats. These people are trafficking drugs in the United States. Mhm. >> People who sell drugs in the US do not get the death penalty. They go to court. If they're found guilty, they get some kind of sentence in prison. >> These people are being killed with no due process. >> You know the difference. >> You don't know the difference, do you? >> No, I don't know the difference. >> People taking drugs in the United States of America are doing it on their own accord. These people are dragging that in here. And there's a whole lot of stuff that gets through the cracks that people don't intend to take, but they get stuck with it and they die. >> They could have easily just detain those people hanging on the side. >> How are you going to stop a speedy drug boat with how many motors are on those boats? They blew the boat up. There were two people clinging to the the burning wreckage in the middle. >> They should have shot them. Okay, here's No, here's what um the Admiral Admiral Bradley >> uh he just told he was like the head guy in charge of all this or whatever behind closed door briefings to lawmakers on December 4th about the strike. He defended the second strike at sea. The one that reported targeted survivors from a first strike stated there was no explicit kill all order from any civilian leadership at all and that is not true. He said that behind closed doors to our lawmakers. So, he's upholding it. It's >> Yeah, of course. He wants to keep his job probably. >> That doesn't mean it's right. >> Like, do you do you believe in prisoners of war? Do you believe that you should just murder whoever during you can stop a speeding boat with eight motors on it bringing drugs in? >> The boat was stopped. They blew the boat up. There were two guys hanging on to it for their lives and they shot a missile. >> Hanging on to >> the burning wreckage. >> And we blew up the boat. What the hell are they hanging on to? >> What do you think happens when you blow up a boat? Do you think it dematerializes into subatomic particles? >> Yeah. If somebody hits it with a bomb on pretty damn sure it it just goes boom. >> I would love for you to go back in statistics since that last blow up. How many more boats have tried to come in? Probably none. They are doing this once a week. >> Probably none. >> They should be doing it every damn day till they run out of boats. >> We disagree. >> Does the idea that in the um what is this? The US law war manual, this is what all US military service members have to abide by the rules in this book. >> In that book, one of the examples given of a line you never cross is literally this. After you attack a boat and it's burning wreckage, you cannot then kill the people who are survivors of that. >> Well, that makes sense. >> Okay. Well, they just did that. >> Well, there are drug dealers. >> What? >> There's a difference. If you're at war with military equipment, >> okay, >> that makes sense, >> right? >> This is not military equipment. >> So, okay. So, you're basically saying because these are drug dealers, not a military force, yet we are at war with Venezuela. >> So, who are we at war with then? We're at war with the >> theel >> drug dealers, the cartel. >> So if we are at war, do we not have to abide by the laws of war? >> We're not really at war. We're just stopping the drug >> declared. What we're doing is stopping fentanyl >> and cocaine and whatever drugs they had. >> Okay. Um let me ask you this. Do you think he gave the order to kill them all? >> Yes. That that admiral said no. There was no second kill. >> I believe he did. Okay. >> He did. Well, you don't know for sure. >> And you're okay with that? >> Yes. >> Okay. He's now claiming that he didn't say that, >> right? >> Somebody's going to have to go down for this. Investigations are being launched. I do think this is going to be found to be outside of the scope of what US military forces can do. Someone's going down for it. Who do you think that's going to be? >> I have no idea. Our president has the right to defend our country any way he can, and he is stopping those drugs from coming into our country. But would there have been any harm in just capturing these guys, questioning them, putting them in prison? >> They might have had a gun and blew our guys away. >> They're hanging off the side of a plank of >> They might have had a gun and blew us away. >> If you bring ing legal drugs across, >> so this is like Rambo You just see movies when you see this. You're like, "Nope, they've got grenades." I see a president that we finally have that's stopping this coming in America and I love him >> and then letting a drug kingpin out of prison >> that we still don't understand. I've talked about that. >> Well, we're starting to understand it more. There is a a community in Honduras that is essentially owned and operated by all the tech billionaires. >> And it's looking very much like letting this guy out of the prison is somehow involved with that. >> Wasn't Dad didn't know about it. He wasn't on the last episode. Okay. You do know about though that, right? Trump guy brought in more drugs than anybody in any of these. >> They did already. Okay. >> He's free now. >> Okay. >> What is your take on that? >> He's not Venezuelan. >> Oh my god. >> Okay. [laughter] >> But you can't >> But this is the war on drugs. >> I'm at war with Venezuela. Venezuela is 99% of every damn problem we got. >> I thought it was China. >> No, >> China. >> So, China's okay now. >> No. China. China gives it to them, >> but the drug cartels distribute it. >> That is true. >> You're saying China is making the drugs that giving them to Venezuela and Venezuela is then >> you finally got it. >> Venezuela is using the most efficient way possible to get the drugs into the United States, which is a time. >> You finally get it. >> You get it. That is true. >> Fantastic. Well, speaking of >> Donald Trump, let's move on to our second topic here. Dozy Dawn. >> Of course. Of course you have to say it that way [clears throat] instead of uh the president that works >> well there's a big difference between >> 20 hours a day for us and sleeps >> I'm sorry >> the other only sleeps a few >> hours been playing golf >> let me just read this this week Trump fell asleep in another televised cabinet meeting leading many to continue speculation that just like Biden he's too old for the physical rigors of the presidency making matters worse Caroline Levit released a memo >> could it just be boredom [snorts] >> Caroline Levit released a memo from Trump's physician physician about the MRI he had in October, stating the MRI results were perfectly normal, but did not actually release the MRI image itself, just the physician's summary. When asked by reporters what part of his body had been scanned, Trump said, "I have no idea. It wasn't the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it." The complete lack of transparency around the issue, coupled with his frequent inability to stay awake during televised meetings, pictures of him asleep at a table during lunch at Mara Lago, his swollen ankles, his bruised hands, and his general decline in physical appearance have many people questioning if he's still fit for office. Um, Dad, is Donald Trump physically fit? >> Yes. >> Jesus Christ. >> To do that job 100%. >> I'm sorry. >> To do the job he's been >> But Joe, what about Joe Biden? Was he >> He wasn't physically fit. >> Why not? >> He was falling down, >> fell off a bicycle, >> couldn't talk, didn't know where in the he was. >> Had to be taken. >> Had to be taken by the hand everywhere he went. All of this is how many Trump while he's walking on the red carpet. Can't stay in a straight line. >> There's multiple videos. There was one when he went to Japan uh where he didn't know where the hell he was going and literally had to be led by the hand. >> Correct. There are multiple videos of him falling asleep just like your buddy. >> At least it wasn't by the Easter Bunny >> saying that doesn't make sense. >> I I don't care what you're saying. He's He's physically fit to do >> to do this job. He can do it. He can handle it. >> Here's what I'm saying. >> Joe Biden couldn't handle it. >> Do I worry? >> He couldn't wipe his own ass. >> Okay. >> Do I worry like some of the things I'm seeing about his health now? I do worry. But he is older. He only sleeps, they said, four hours a night. >> Hello. >> That's bad. >> Yeah. >> Yes. But but he because the rest of the day has dinner. >> The rest of the day >> I only sleep four hours a day. >> He's working his ass off to save our America. >> The rest of the day. Two days ago, uh, from the hours of like 1:30 a.m. to the hours of 5:30 a.m., he fired off 300 tweets or some right? >> That's right. He's working to save America. He's retweeting AI He's retweeting stuff from all of those accounts that now Elon Musk's uh that feature that he had where you can see where the accounts are on Twitter, he's retweeting propaganda accounts from other countries. He doesn't know. >> And all the countries he goes to uh to help save us and save our America, all of the travel that he does, that will take a toll on his body. We do know he has the leg problem. He probably has to lift those legs every day >> and the hand problem. And he's asleep constantly. Not constantly. I saw I saw him not off one time. >> This week twice it happened. >> I haven't seen it twice. >> I saw the nurse on TikTok, the guy who uh talks about what he thinks is happening to Donald Trump and why he's got the bruises and in his hands. Like he's getting some kind of a treatment once a week to stunt whatever is happening to him. And he's saying it's either Alzheimer's, dementia, something like that. >> I bet it's infusions maybe. >> You guys want to compare him to Joe Biden? Yeah, I would never. >> That's all I can say about that. President should not be this old. >> I laugh. >> There should be some kind of test that they have to take. >> He's mentally fine. He's tired. >> I took a very hard cognitive test. 99% of you couldn't pass it in this room. >> Yeah, it's >> that test is to basically see if his brain is melting. >> We have others in place if he goes down. We know this. >> Okay. >> Let me ask you this. Why do you think he won't tell us what part of the body the MRI was scanning? >> He probably maybe doesn't know. >> Okay. Do you believe that, Dad? He doesn't know. >> No, I think he knows. >> I do, too. How many MRIs have you guys had? We've all had MRIs. Everybody had MRIs. >> I know. >> I never have. >> Have you really not? >> Never had one. Never broke a bone. No MRIs. >> Lucky. Well, we three have had many. >> Yes. I every time I'm going in there, I know exactly what it's for, exactly what body part they're looking for or what they're scanning for. If it was all those MRIs for cancer and >> Um, you think he does know what they were looking at? >> Why won't he tell us? >> I don't know. >> Because it was his brain. >> It's none of your business. >> Because it was [laughter] his brain. There's supposed to be transparency. If your president is in in failing business >> and and Biden was transparent with his health, right? >> No. >> Yeah, >> he was. I agree with that. But you should. >> But you guys were quiet during that time. >> No, we weren't. Go back and watch those episodes of our podcast, especially around the time that he had uh the debate with Trump where it was very clear that he was not able to do this anymore, right? We did not defend him. We said this guy can't be the president. >> Well, Trump wouldn't stand up there and look like a stoge. >> He already has in every debate he's ever done. >> That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about >> Well, that's what you brought up. >> No, I'm talking about this MRI. >> Jesus. I don't think anyone in declining health should be leading the country. No matter who it is, Democrat, Republican, I don't give a If you're old and you're scenile, get the out. Shouldn't even be able to run. >> That's true. >> Correct. You have to take some kind of cognitive test, some kind of physical test. If you cannot pass these things, you should not even be able to run. >> So, change the law. We got to change the laws. >> What I'm getting at is he's lying. >> Change the law as long as the Democrats have >> Oh my gosh. >> the filibuster. >> Oh my gosh. Trump, Caroline Levit, that whole White House, they are lying to you about the state of his health. Correct. >> Do you acknowledge that? >> No, >> I don't think so. >> Dad, you literally said he knows what the MRI was for, but he said he doesn't. That's a lie. >> Well, >> well, what? He's lying to you. Why would he be lying? >> I don't know. >> Because he's hiding. >> I doubt if >> maybe he does have Maybe he has cancer. >> Sure. He's got something that he doesn't want America to know about. That means he's lying to you. >> You think, >> Dad, you just said you think he knows what the MRI was for. That's right. He said he doesn't know. That's a lie. >> That's fine. He's lying about that, but I doubt if he's lying about anything else. >> Oh [laughter] my god. >> Okay. >> He lying about dying, but nothing else. Didn't Putin have something cancer something wrong with him once and he had to come out and tell people and did treatments. >> No, they thought he had cancer too. There they he Putin went through the same from the media that these two are trying to put on Trump. >> Trump. Yeah. >> Okay. [laughter] You're you're now sympathizing with Putin because of some >> Well, I'm on I've been I've been a >> a backer of Russia the whole damn time. >> Oh my gosh. >> Why is that? >> Zalinski is a jackass stealing our money left and right and there's no way he's going to win that war. >> Okay. So, so why should we spend one ounce of time and billions of dollars propping this pile of up when what we ought to be doing is given everything that the Russians have taken so far, just give it to them. >> Okay. >> And the war be over. >> Well, that's what he's trying to do. >> Yes. >> But it's not really working. Uh let's move. >> Well, it's going to work. >> Okay. Move on. >> All right. We're moving on to >> soon as Zalinski gets his uh Taj Mahal built on the borderline and the border, >> we can all go in. >> But like, do you think Putin is an ally of the United States? >> No. >> No. >> Okay. Then why would you want him to win that war? >> He Well, because Zalinski eventually is going to take the whole goddamn world down with him. If if he gets his way and [clears throat] they take Russians >> what they've already confiscated back, >> then the real war is going to start. >> I think we need to use both countries to get >> between Russia and Europe. >> We need to use both those countries to get their mineral rights for us for the United States. >> Just steal their minerals. Yeah. >> Get them in some way, some shape, form, make deals >> because that's where all the oil is, the minerals, all the a bunch of grain. I mean, we get all kinds of stuff. We need it >> for >> No, they they've already given up the ground. All those people that used to live in in the parts that Russia has confiscated, they're either under Russian domination or they're gone. >> Well, don't worry. Donald Trump is opening up all of the national parks to drill for oil. So, yes, we'll get ours, I guess. Okay. >> Okay. >> Good move. >> Okay. >> Number three. This is so wild in person. It's like somehow get you this close. >> I really don't. It's very bizarre. Don't ever ask me to do in live again. >> Well, this is also like a shitty setup just in the middle of your of your living room. We could have potentially had like a podcast studio or something, which would have been fun, but I was told dad would not be able to make it to one. >> Well, we would have had to pay for that, too, and we have no funds in our podcast right now for that. >> I I would have sprung for that. It It is helpful. At any rate, >> I would love a stylist myself. >> Okay. Next year, maybe, you know, for our Christmas episode, we'll get you a stylist. Dad, we'll see if we can get you in a podcast studio. Let's move on to uh topic number three. >> You're never going to get me to come to California. >> No, here. >> Here. [laughter] >> I thought they were just requires getting in the car. >> Okay, moving on. >> Why won't you come to California? >> Because I don't like that state. >> Oh, god. >> You've been there, though. >> Yeah. >> And you had a bad time the last time you were there? >> For the last time. >> What if Chad like buys a new house or something? Would you go see it? Probably not. [clears throat] >> Cool. Thank you. >> We have to I don't know. >> The last time I was The last time you were there was for I believe >> when you made it a premiere of a movie or something that I wrote. >> It was the family. >> The children the children when men, women, and children DGA premiere, right? >> You guys came out. I had written a book that got turned into a movie. You guys came out for the premiere of that. You got to meet some of the actors who were in the movie. Then we be prior to that you made him read the nasty book. >> That was many years ago. I didn't make him do it. He he offered him. >> Men, women, and children though. I mean, that was >> 15 years. >> You begged me to read that. >> I didn't offer to read it. >> All right. My apologies. The last time you were in Los Angeles was 15 years ago, roughly for a premiere of a movie that was based on one of my books. Right. >> If something like that happened in the next year or two, you wouldn't come out for it. If Haley put us on the airplane and take us. >> I know. I'd get you. >> I wouldn't. Why? >> Why not? >> I'm not coming to Los Angeles. >> So, it's like uh some kind of personal ideological boundary you have. >> Yes. Against California. Okay. Even if one of your children has like a big cool fun thing and you're just not not going to show up to it. >> You should have put should have did it somewhere else. >> I would come on a private plane >> on a private jet. >> Yes, I would come. [laughter] >> I'm not sure. I'm not sure we can facilitate that, but I'll do my best. All right, topic number three, pardons. This week, news emerged about one of the January 6th insurrectionist pardoned by Trump earlier this year. 44year-old Andrew Paul Johnson has been arrested on multiple charges of child sexual abuse in Florida. The charges include lewd and lascivious child molestation of a child under 12, molestation of a child between the ages of 12 and 16, lewd and lascivious exhibition, and transmission of material harmful to a minor. Investigators say Johnson tried to use the fact that he was pardoned, telling the child he'd been quote awarded $10 million as a result of being a January 6th and claimed he'd put the child in his will as a tactic to discourage the child from telling the truth. Johnson is not the only pardoned insurrectionist to have been arrested for crimes after their pardons. At least a dozen individuals pardoned for their January 6th involvement have since been rearrested on serious and unrelated crimes including child exploitation, violent assault, weapons offenses, fraud, and more. Mom, you have called the January 6th insurrectionists heroes and patriots. You believe they should all have been pardoned. Do you think this guy's pardon was correct? Is he a hero? >> He should have been pardoned for January 6th, but if he's doing the child um what did you call it? The >> he's a child molester. >> It's not what I called it. It's what the law called it. >> They should have pardoned him for January 6th and he goes straight back into jail for life. But if he would have been in jail, none of this would have happened. >> But did all of the child trafficking stuff and all that happened with illegal aliens? >> No. >> Where if they'd have been in jail, this wouldn't have happened. >> They go in and out. No. This guy though, if he did anything, >> I'm making an analogy. >> Okay. >> And you're ignoring it. >> What's the analogy? that you've got a bunch of illegal aliens running around the country turned loose after they had committed crimes. They committed more crimes and it's just a revolving door. So the guy that got sent up for January 6 and pardoned is fine. He got out and he went through the revolving door. Now he needs to go to jail. >> Yeah. >> So you're saying you're equating him to an illegal alien. You believe he's just as bad as an illegal alien. >> I'm not. What I'm telling you >> is there's a difference for why you're in prison. >> Yeah. >> He should not be in prison for January 6th. But for the child stuff, yes, that's what we say, >> right? So if he was still in jail for January 6th, this child would not have been raped. >> He'd have been illegal. >> That's what I was asking you. Was that after or before? after he's pardoned out of prison. He then tells the kid after molesting the kid >> and there'd be probably, I don't know, 1,500 people still alive in America if they hadn't done it with illegal aliens. >> But this isn't the first Jan Sixer that it's come out that people have had records, >> then they need to go back into jail. Put them in jail for a lot of these Jan Sixers are criminals. >> Put them back in. >> They didn't even look at their backgrounds. They didn't look at >> they're they're the biggest criminals in January. >> But you guys are doing this thing. You specifically are doing this thing where I'm saying this guy did this. >> Yes, you specifically. >> I'm saying this guy did this and then you immediately say, "Well, what about illegal aliens?" Well, what about Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi? We're talking about this guy. >> Can you just say it was a mistake? They shouldn't have let them all out. Just say it was a mistake. >> It wasn't. >> No. January 6 people should not have been >> Those guys are all heroes. Some of those people have priors. They have a record. >> Listen to me. That guy >> and Donald Trump and his administration didn't even look at that. >> Some of those people were the 244 FBI agents. They stuck in a crowd. >> It's okay to just say it's a mistake. >> The government Donald Trump was the government then. Yes. Yes. He was the president during January 6th. >> Nancy Pelosi had all that too. >> She He didn't >> That would not give him the guards. Nancy Pelosi would not >> He's not talking about the guards. He said there's 244 FBI agents infiltrating or put into the January 6th crowd. Trump was the president on that day. >> No, he wasn't. >> What in the Yes, he was. >> Yes, he was. >> He didn't get the presidency controlled until about the 20th. >> What? 20th of June. >> I'm pretty sure he was, Bob. >> He was literally posting about this on Twitter, like inciting the violence. >> Why? Why? Yeah. Why do you think they stormed the capital on that day? >> It's because of Trump. >> It was not because of Trump. >> No, no, no. Hang on. You're saying he didn't get presidential power until January 20th? January 6th is when is roughly when presidential power take a vote. >> They were supposed to >> vote, >> right? They were supposed to confirm the presidential vote that Biden was now going to be the president. Trump was still president then. He basically went on Twitter and and was there at that rally and was like, "We got to fight for this. They're stealing it from us." >> Now you're spinning. >> Okay, here it goes. >> I'm not spinning anything. Listen, Donald Trump was the sitting president of the United States on January 6, 2021, the day of the capital attack >> and was president until January 2021 when Joe Biden was then inaugurated. >> Okay. >> So, you said Donald Trump didn't have the power until January 20th. That's right. >> That's the day he was not the president. >> He also took it. I mean, he lost all his control. He was a lame duck. >> Okay. I don't know how this got to this point, but >> here's what I'm saying. anything with child abuse, child all that, those people should be in prison. >> Okay. Well, this guy was pardoned by Trump >> and then use the fact that he was pardoned to try and keep the kid quiet after sexually assaulting the kid. >> Then he goes back to prison. >> Also, he probably had some kind of prior record >> revolving around this >> Anybody with with doing stuff to children? >> How many guys did he show up for January 6th? >> I don't know. He pardoned like 1500 roughly. >> Huh? And one of them did what? >> No, there's there's multiple. This is happening on a monthly basis. >> Anybody with stuff against children should be in prison. There you go. >> Okay, I guess moving on. Let's simmer down. I thought because that we're in person and uh you know, this is kind of our Christmas celebration as a family. I thought we could all sing Jingle Bells together. >> No, >> you're going to do it. [laughter] Do it. Come on. >> I'm not singing. I got the lyrics right here. >> No, here. Look. I got it. I got the lyrics right here. We can all look at it. Okay. Ready? >> Jingle bells, jing. Come on. 1 2 3. Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. [singing] Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sle. Hey, jingle bells, jingle bells, [singing] jingle all the way. Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleing through the snow. horse open sleigh over the fields we go all the way all the way [laughter] that's the ending song tonight all the way fun to ride in a one sleigh. >> Yeah. Yeah. Move on. >> Wow. Why couldn't you sing that with us, Dad? >> I don't like to sing. [laughter] >> I'm tired of singing. >> We got a little out of it. >> I don't really like to sing either, but Oh, All right. >> And you don't like to dance, but go to Tik Tok. Look at Haley and Chad dancing. >> All right. Let's move on to [laughter] uh That is true. We did do the dance. Yes. >> What was that? Did you hear something? Did one of the cameras stop? No, we're good. >> Um, >> layoffs is topic number four. This week, a report came out that revealed there have been 1.17 million layoffs so far in 2025. Layoffs this year are up 54% compared to the first 11 months of 2024, making this the worst year for job loss since the pandemic year of 2020. There has been no direct reason given by the White House as to why Trump has ushered in the worst era of layoffs since the pandemic, but many economists believe it's a direct result of Trump's tariffs, creating higher costs for companies who are forced to make cuts in their workforce or face closure. Dad, do you think it's good to have 1.17 million layoffs? >> Yeah, because most of them are federal government employees. We need to thin that by a mile. >> I didn't think of that. >> Okay, >> I want to ask this. Haley, you're a you're a business owner. How many people have you laid off this year? >> None. I haven't had to lay off anyone. >> See, >> but I am This is kind of niche. >> What? >> No, it is like we are special. >> I have carved out like this kind of special little pocket of people that support us. Um like we live in a we live in a conservative area. We have found all of the liberal people within our vicinity who support us. I feel like this is kind of niche because all of my counterparts >> like I'm in this group on Facebook and it's nothing but small business owners and I would say every other month of them is closing. >> Oh, okay. >> One of our cameras overheated. We're just going to keep powering through and hope this works. Um, >> which one overheated? That one. >> The restaurant industry is getting hit like really hard because of tariffs. Like all the food prices are >> When I first saw the question though, I did think of you. You haven't laid anyone off. No. >> So, this is not all businesses. >> I'm I'm trying to explain. This is a very kind of special. >> Okay. Majority of that 1.7 million are government federal employees. >> Camera down. [laughter] >> Are we in trouble? >> We're I mean, we're going to have to just talk into that camera. It's going to be the big wide shot. Talk a little louder. >> Okay. What if that goes boom boom? >> Well, then that's the end of the show. >> Okay, we'll say it right now. I love you, Chad. I love you. I love [laughter] you, Bob. Just in case. >> We should be able to >> just in case wind it up. >> Our cameras are going down. >> Yeah. >> Someone shoot me. >> Maybe you should end it before >> or the Vince. I think Donald Trump is aiding effectively in the end of small business. Small businesses are dying. >> Oh, that's not true at all. >> Yes, it is. >> No. >> Okay. >> I can literally rattle off 10 restaurants in my town that have just gone down. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Why? Well, let me ask you this. We This is the most layoffs we've seen since the pandemic. >> Why isn't Trump fixing this? >> Fixing what? >> The layoffs. >> Because he wants them. >> Okay. >> They're federal government employees. Do you not understand? >> No, it's not that. Some of that is for sure, but not.17 million people. >> More than half of it federal employees. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> And you've got to get rid of them. He shut down the whole department of education, which is a whole bunch. He's going to get that thing that runs the teachers union. >> No, we live we live in a country where big business is canning half of their staff, underpaying the rest, and overworking them. People are having to work two, three jobs just to pay rent. >> Yeah. >> Instead of alleviating the problem by hiring more people. >> Yeah. >> They're canning half of those people and then putting the burden [clears throat] on the remaining >> the government once we get the government. >> It could be the federal layoffs. It could be. >> It is. >> Okay. >> That's some of it, but it's not a million people. >> It's more than half of what you're talking about. >> Okay. Let's move on to top. >> Okay. They shut down the whole department. >> He's trying to move on and you won't >> I agree. Correct. >> I go. Come on. [clears throat] >> He's trying to move on. >> Next topic. My own private FBI. This week, a new report claims that Cash Patel ordered the FBI security detail assigned to protect his girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins, to escort one of her allegedly intoxicated friends home after a night out in Nashville. The report says agents initially objected, pointing out that the task was outside of their official duties, but Patel allegedly insisted and yelled at the team leader on the phone to force compliance. The same reporting notes that Patel has used government jets to visit his girlfriend to see her performances and concerts. Uh, this use of elite agents in federal aviation for personal reasons is a clear misuse of taxpayer funded resources. Mom, should Patel be able to use FBI agents to escort his girlfriend's drunk friends home >> if that's what he needs? Yes. I remember when the Bush daughters when they were young at they go to&M somewhere down in Texas. I remember stories where they were drunk and the FBI took them home. >> Well, that's the president's children. First of all, this is just the director of the FBI's girlfriend's drunk friends. >> It's always good to get drunk people off the road. >> Okay. So, you think that's what the FBI should be doing? >> It's one of their functions. >> Maybe. [laughter] >> No. You know, it's not one of their functions. You know that, right? >> It is. Now, [laughter] >> oh my god. >> Um, >> get him off the road. >> Do you think Cash Patel is doing a good job as the director of the FBI? >> I do. >> I do. >> No. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. [laughter] Uh, next question. Never. >> Okay. Next topic is James um and Comey. Not James Comey, but James and Comey. >> Leticia James. >> After the politically motivated case against James Comey was dropped last week due to Lindseay Heligan's ineptitude. Now the politically motivated case against Leticia James has also been dropped, bringing Trump's score in his petty war against his perceived political enemies to zero. >> A federal grand jury in North Virginia rejected the Justice Department's renewed attempt to indict James on mortgage fraud charges. A rejection by the grand jury is rare. Grand juries almost always approve ind you're not going to listen to what I'm saying. >> Yeah, I am. >> Yes. A potty. >> Go for it. >> Oh my god. >> What about our burning up machine? >> What about >> Okay, >> I'll hold it. >> Yeah, we can cut this a little early, I suppose. >> Oh, I love you. Our cameras are going off. >> That's that one. You're fine. We're good. We're still on the live show. [laughter] Um, >> can you hold it? Damn, that's open burn out. >> So, rejection by the grand jury is rare. Grand juries almost always approve indictments when prosecutors present them, but overwhelming lack of evidence in this case made it easy for them to reject. Despite these embarrassing setbacks, the DOJ has not ruled out trying again. So, why do you think, Mom, the grand jury refused to indict Leticia James? >> They're going to come back at her a third time. I'm sure of it. >> It's fine. It's just this other case. >> They're going to come back at her. Uh the Comey thing that was >> Oh, fine. They shut completely. >> The Comey thing that was because um that attorney they said wasn't >> correct, right? >> All right. >> Oh my gosh. You going to be able to get out? >> Yes. He needs help. >> Oh gosh. >> All right. Can you get there? >> Yeah. >> Don't trip over Chad's camera stuff. Oh my god. >> All right. So, why don't you think they're they indicted her? >> Well, they will. They're going to come after her a third time. It's already written. It's already said they're going to come after her again. >> Do you think Trump and Pam Bondi look weak when they come out publicly and they're like, "We're going to put Comey in jail. We're going to put Leticia James in jail." No. >> And now they can't even get an indictment. >> I think they're very strong and they will get one. They're going to come after her a third time. >> All right. Haley, >> do you checked out? What's going on? >> I don't know. I mean, I don't think anything's going to happen to either of them. I think uh that whooping is over. But where are the Epste files? >> They are going to be released. >> Well, two weeks. >> Two weeks. Yeah, they won't. >> Why are they taking so long? >> I don't know. Because the Democrats high up are running and hiding in caves and things. >> Well, they leaked some photos. >> I saw photos and there were things, you know, black bars over certain names. Like things have been redacted. There was some writing on a chalkboard and there's like just black covering names of things. They are literally scrolling through all of these files to scrub them of anything that says Donald Trump because he's the one that took Epstein down. I don't know how many times I have to tell this to you guys. >> You cannot believe that. I totally >> Why wouldn't he say that then? >> What? >> Trump, why wouldn't he come out and say, "I was working with the FBI to take him down." Instead, he's saying, "I don't know who he was. I don't know why he was at Mara Lago. Our friendship ended a long time ago." >> Because he doesn't want to say, you know, that he was the one. >> Why? >> To take him down. >> Why? >> I don't know. >> Why not take credit for that? He takes credit for everything else. >> Why? I don't understand. Why wouldn't he say that? >> Because he has Democratic people higher up that What? >> What? >> Why is he protecting Democrats? because they're higher up and I don't know. >> No, you >> you're making up and [laughter] as you start to go down the path of it, it like none of it makes sense. Even you see that. >> Okay. When he split the sheets with him and said, "Get out of Marago. You're taking, you know, people away from me that are working here. You're taking my employees." >> Mhm. >> Get out of here. I no longer want to see you. >> And then they had like dinner for Thanksgiving like 5 years later. From that point forward, I think he helped the FBI take Epstein down >> and yet will not claim that that is what happened. >> It is going to come out in two weeks. >> Okay. But why isn't he saying it now? And why hasn't he been saying it this whole time if that's all he has to say to completely clear his name in the Epstein files? [laughter] >> I hope that was capturing the watch. I think it was my dad just did a hurried up maneuver and then farted. Was that a fart? >> Okay. [laughter] >> Um, if Trump could clear all this up and just say, "I I was working with the FBI to take him down. That's why I was faking being his friend." Why wouldn't he say that? >> Because it's going to come out in two weeks. >> It's not just like the Epstein files aren't. >> Okay. They are all just like blacked out. >> There's so many people going to be taken down when these come out. I think Trump >> Will you find it suspicious if the only people in these files are Democrats? Is that suspicious to you? >> No. Okay. >> They're all evil. >> Okay. >> All child molesters. >> Let me ask you one final thing. Um Donald Trump was awarded a peace prize this week from FIFA, the soccer organization. That is [laughter] >> we saw. >> So FIFA is one of the most corrupt organizations on the planet. >> It is >> according to >> who? >> Well, in 2015, multiple highlevel FIFA executives, including the president of FIFA, I believe, >> were arrested, charges of corruption, money laundering, name it. Like a laundry list. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> yet it goes on. >> Of course it goes on because it makes a fuckload of money. >> But they give him this award. He accepts it, of course. It's a FIFA Peace Prize Award. >> Like not real. >> Do And he stood up there very proudly and accepted this uh fake award. >> Little medal. >> It was their They don't give this award out. They made this up. It's the first time they've ever done this. >> They love him >> to try and curry favor with Trump. You see that, right? >> I didn't know he got the FIFA award. >> He threw a fit. He threw a [laughter] fit about like not getting the Nobel Peace Prize. So people was like, "We'll give you a prize." They're important worldwide, but in the United States, they're nothing. >> I was busy looking at the World Cup here. >> Disagree. >> You can disagree all you want. Soccer's nothing in the US. >> I was busy. >> They're having the World Cup here. >> Oh, yeah. Just cuz they won the bid or whatever it was. >> Uhhuh. >> Doesn't mean soccer's very popular here. >> It is wildly popular here. >> No, it's not. >> I didn't know he got the >> little kids play it, but adults don't. And FIFA is adult. There's a professional team here. >> Yeah. So what? >> Hey, >> go to a go to a game and look how empty the stands are. >> What? >> I don't even know about pizza. >> Yeah, >> I was busy watching Christmas decorations at the White House. >> All right. Well, um this is a little bit of a shorter episode. Our cameras melted down. [laughter] >> Thank you for joining us everybody uh in person. I don't know. This is a little bit of a disaster, but >> Sabrina Sabrina Carpenter came out and denounced Donald Trump using her music. How about that? >> Boohoo. >> How about that? >> Boohoo. He should be crowned. >> Yeah. Um, well, thank you guys for doing this. Thank you for allowing us in your house after the you [clears throat] were boycotting the show last week and everything. >> Yeah, we're okay [laughter] now. >> Are you okay now? >> I'm not see. [laughter] >> All right. Well, uh, Mom, I love you. Merry Christmas. >> You, too. Thank you for coming home. >> My pleasure. Dad, I love you. Merry Christmas. >> Merry Christmas. I love you back. >> Haley, I love you. Merry Christmas. >> Thank you. >> I love you, H. >> I love you. >> I love you, Mary Lou. >> I love you, Paul. >> Mom D, I love you. >> You have to do this when you're looking in the eyes. Tough >> This is pretty tough. >> Okay, there's some real football on TV. >> Not Not Fe. Not >> Fifi. That wraps it up. Thank you everybody for joining us for this bizarre episode. Next week we will be back, well even on Monday or on Wednesday, sorry, we'll be back with a um >> a standard kind of episode done remotely. We hope you'll join us for that. And >> what about the lib sibs? >> What about >> are you doing lib sips? >> Yeah, when lib sibs is whenever my sister and I do a Wednesday episode. I'm also gonna try and do a live every Sunday night at 6 PM PST on our YouTube channel if you want to check that out. I'm not sure if there's going to be one for this episode cuz I'm going to be on an airplane, but um next week I will probably pick back up with the lives. Thank you for joining us and we will see you soon. >> Bye.