Tyler Pager

Thanks so much, Michael.

Good to see you, Michael.

How you doing?

the tiger.

Yeah, we have never seen a White House or an administration weaponize the federal government against the opposing party the way in which we're seeing it happen right now.

Yes, absolutely.

They are trying to use the closure of government to pursue their political goals and also inflict political pain on the Democratic Party.

If you were to log on to any federal government website, you will be greeted by a message from that department or agency.

If you look on the Treasury Department website, it says right now, quote, the radical left has chosen to shut down the United States government in the name of reckless spending and obstructionism.

You know, you can look at airport videos.

There are more than a dozen airports around the country refusing to display a video of Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security Secretary, who put together a new video blasting Democrats for the government shutdown and any travel disruptions that may result from it.

Yeah, look, the White House is taking a very hardline stance on this.

And they are saying that it's up to the Democrats to reopen the government and then they are willing to negotiate over health care subsidies, which is at the core of why Democrats are not reopening the government.

Right.

And I think the big picture is the polling on this is muddled and somewhat mixed with the latest poll showing that both Democrats and Republicans are receiving blame for keeping the government closed.

When some of this new polling came out, I was at the White House and showed it to a senior White House official who told me that that was good news for the White House.

Why?

Because historically, the president receives most of the blame for a government shutdown and the political blowback because Americans assume that it's in control of the president and his party to keep the government open.

Michael, it's a really good question.

And one of the other unique features about this shutdown is the lack of energy within Congress and in the White House to try to get a deal done.