David Marchese

Yeah, I'd never seen anything like it covering five presidents. And I would have to say that two things really jumped out at me. The first was that I think one of the reasons that Trump let this go on was that he thought that having the world's richest man talk about this cost-cutting move gave him some credibility. Huh. Musk or Trump? Who got the credibility?

That Trump got credibility from having Musk saying, basically, I'm bringing the cost-cutting strategies of X and Tesla and SpaceX and those efficiencies to your government and doing this on a scale that has never been done before. The second part that was fascinating to me was what was missing from it. What was what was missing from it was what is the purpose of having these government agencies?

That Trump got credibility from having Musk saying, basically, I'm bringing the cost-cutting strategies of X and Tesla and SpaceX and those efficiencies to your government and doing this on a scale that has never been done before. The second part that was fascinating to me was what was missing from it. What was what was missing from it was what is the purpose of having these government agencies?

What is the purpose of government? So in describing USAID. Right. Right.

What is the purpose of government? So in describing USAID. Right. Right.

You're right, Michael. There is a sort of Damocles that is hanging over Eric Adams with every decision that he has to make. Every decision about whether to let an ICE raid proceed in his city. every decision about whether or not he is going to oppose the president of the United States on a policy that might affect New York City residents.

You're right, Michael. There is a sort of Damocles that is hanging over Eric Adams with every decision that he has to make. Every decision about whether to let an ICE raid proceed in his city. every decision about whether or not he is going to oppose the president of the United States on a policy that might affect New York City residents.

And with each one of those, he's going to have to say, is it worth it to stand up to this man if he can bring the Justice Department back on me on these cases at any given moment?

And with each one of those, he's going to have to say, is it worth it to stand up to this man if he can bring the Justice Department back on me on these cases at any given moment?

it not only end his career, but if you look at some of these charges, you know, there's the possibility of jail time out here. So, um, I have never seen a roarer exercise of presidential power. He could have just given him a pardon, in which case Adams would be free to go do whatever he wants to go do.

it not only end his career, but if you look at some of these charges, you know, there's the possibility of jail time out here. So, um, I have never seen a roarer exercise of presidential power. He could have just given him a pardon, in which case Adams would be free to go do whatever he wants to go do.

Now, instead, he has simply, or the Justice Department, we don't know if the president was directly involved, has simply suspended the case.

Now, instead, he has simply, or the Justice Department, we don't know if the president was directly involved, has simply suspended the case.

It certainly looks that way. In fact, that sort of underrates Machiavelli, I think, in some degree.

It certainly looks that way. In fact, that sort of underrates Machiavelli, I think, in some degree.

Well, let's start with what the old policy was. The old policy was the United States will do everything it can, short of sending troops, to help support the Ukrainians against an invasion that they neither prompted nor saw. That was the Biden position.

Well, let's start with what the old policy was. The old policy was the United States will do everything it can, short of sending troops, to help support the Ukrainians against an invasion that they neither prompted nor saw. That was the Biden position.

I was going to ask you if you really wanted to hear these, but now you know I'm really immune. No, you're not faking it.

I was going to ask you if you really wanted to hear these, but now you know I'm really immune. No, you're not faking it.

You were saying? So the old strategy also was whenever we are ready to go into a negotiation to end the war, It will be nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. And that means that the Ukrainians will be at the center of the negotiation. And no one's going to give away their country the way one did in colonial times. This is going to be the Ukrainians working it out with the Russians.