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Pivot

Iran Ceasefire Uncertainty, Democratic Wins, and Musk vs. Altman

10 Apr 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is the current status of the Iran ceasefire and its implications?

1.347 - 22.913 Kara Swisher

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23.353 - 32.407 Kara Swisher

Developers have a word for that kind of reliability. Actually, five words. It's a great fucking database. Start building at mongodb.com slash build.

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34.972 - 46.677 Rahm Emanuel

This is not the future we were promised. Like, how about that for a tagline for the show? From the BBC, this is The Interface, the show that explores how tech is rewiring your week and your world.

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48.007 - 50.912 Astead Herndon

This isn't about quarterly earnings or about tech reviews.

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51.413 - 60.467 Rahm Emanuel

It's about what technology is actually doing to your work and your politics, your everyday life. And all the bizarre ways people are using the internet.

Chapter 2: How are Democrats gaining momentum in recent elections?

61.189 - 89.956 Unknown

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. We've just launched the new-ish and way better Eater app. It has all the restaurants we love, gives you personalized picks wherever you are, and serves up smarter search results just for you. You can find my list of the best places for martinis and fries in New York City.

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90.597 - 108.135 Unknown

And save your favorite spots, share lists, follow editors, and book right in the app. Download the Eater app at eaterapp.com. It's free for iOS users. I would like to say you have dropped the F-bomb three times and I'm at zero, just for the record.

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110.562 - 123.543 Kara Swisher

Hi, everyone. This is Pivot from New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network. I'm Kara Swisher. Scott is off still. I don't know where Scott is. He's just off rambling around. Actually, I'm going to see him tonight at the premiere of my new series for CNN.

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Chapter 3: What challenges are emerging in the California governor's race?

124.404 - 135.041 Kara Swisher

But I brought on another incredible co-host. He's been ambassador to Japan and the mayor of Chicago. It seems like he's running for president. It's Rahm Emanuel. Hey, Rahm, how you doing?

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135.261 - 135.982 Unknown

I'm good. How are you?

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136.443 - 146.364 Kara Swisher

Good, good. You have been everywhere. Try to tell us what's happening besides lecturing the Democratic Party, which we'll get to in a minute. But what are you doing?

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146.644 - 165.499 Unknown

Well, first of all, I'm listening to the American people. I've been out and talking to them about things like how to make sure they get ahead, their families get ahead on the community college plan. But also, you know, like a young man I met in Spartanburg who's going to community college. He's got a job waiting at GE for 33 an hour, the benefits, and he was unemployed.

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Chapter 4: How is Elon Musk positioning himself against Sam Altman?

165.699 - 181.642 Unknown

And what they're doing at that community college is exactly what I want to see us do everywhere. Something similar we did in Chicago, something similar to lacrosse. But also, you know, listening to the nurse in Iowa who's talking about that she now spends close to 50% of her time arguing with insurance companies.

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182.262 - 189.369 Unknown

And about how to make sure that people get the health care that they're actually, her and the doctor, are prescribing. So that's what I'm out doing.

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189.389 - 202.79 Kara Swisher

You've always been a public figure, but often in the national way, you've been sort of behind this, and you've been a congressperson. But how is it different what you're doing here in terms of running for president or trying or thinking about running for president?

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202.81 - 223.989 Unknown

Yeah, I mean, that's fair. Well, I mean, I've been a congressman. I've been a mayor of a not insignificant city. Front-facing, yeah, front-facing. Yeah, also chairman of a leadership in Congress. But that said... I mean, you're evaluating, and one of the things I know about running for office is you got to make sure your head, your heart, and your gut are all aligned.

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225.252 - 226.775 Unknown

I'm going to just say it upfront.

Chapter 5: What are the implications of RFK Jr.'s new podcast launch?

226.875 - 250.35 Unknown

I don't need a title. I got more titles. I can auction them off. I'm about getting stuff done. Like take something I'm very proud about, you know this from our many conversations. We raised our graduation rate from 56 to 83%. 98% of our kids had a plan post high school, college, community college, branch of the armed forces, vocation school.

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250.57 - 272.204 Unknown

I'm about getting stuff done, not about getting another title. And do I think I actually understand what it takes to move this country and help the American people get ahead and their kids get ahead? And do I have the fortitude to do that? And so that's what I'm looking at. I don't need, as I said, titles is for other people. Getting crap done is what we did in Chicago.

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272.224 - 278.111 Unknown

20,000 kids went to community college for free. Every child had a plan post-high school on education.

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Chapter 6: How do recent electoral trends reflect voter sentiment?

278.491 - 288.043 Unknown

We started pre-K in kindergarten. So I'm into moving stuff. And as we like to say in Chicago, taking the garbage out, getting stuff done. You evaluate that.

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288.583 - 288.884 Kara Swisher

Right.

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289.084 - 302.759 Unknown

But you know, this also takes... I jokingly said when I was recruiting candidates for Congress, it takes a little level of, a little kind of irrational act because you're jumping over without any, nothing below and nothing above.

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303.862 - 314.639 Kara Swisher

So if you're like Rahm Emanuel evaluating you as a competitor, what would be your biggest asset and your biggest negative from your perspective. If you were like, I'm going to get this ROM guy.

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314.779 - 319.585 Unknown

Oh, wow. I'm getting on the couch and we get to make sure Blue Cross covers it.

319.745 - 322.629 Kara Swisher

Yeah, we are. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

322.649 - 338.007 Unknown

So at one level, on the positive side, and here's how I stand it, is putting out ideas from like we did on elementary school and learning and reading and addressing the 50% of our kids can't read, went to Mississippi.

Chapter 7: What does the future hold for the Democratic Party?

338.915 - 354.995 Unknown

how to reform our high schools so they're less about the diploma, more about college career planning and community college and vocational ed, to social media ban, basically a wealth of ideas. I am tired of having a debate about how to restore past and about how to build a future. And that is what I'm like.

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355.015 - 376.122 Unknown

So on that point, get an A. On the kind of strength and energy that is determined not only for the job, bring in there an A game as well. Yeah, I'd agree. And I also think more importantly, Telling people the truth. I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear. I'm going to tell you what I think you need to know. And we're in this together rather than trying to fight each other all the time.

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376.643 - 397.542 Unknown

And that's a rare moment for a middle child to say that. On the other side is you have a campaign which is slightly about, it's not slightly, there's a big debate about generational change. And I've been around. Now, the good news of that is I think I know the family room. I know what I call the classroom.

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Chapter 8: How is AI impacting the tech landscape and public perception?

398.095 - 403.727 Unknown

the break room, the board room, the situation room, and I want the Democratic Party to get out of the bathroom. I'm tired of being there.

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403.867 - 412.987 Kara Swisher

Sure, right. I'm just curious, do you ever worry about, like, you and I are both, I would say, difficult people in a good way, necessarily, and I'm saying that about myself, too.

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413.508 - 417.336 Unknown

Let's do it smoother. We're acquired tastes.

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418.261 - 427.917 Kara Swisher

Do you I mean, because, you know, there's there's a there's a likability kind of thing. And I like you. But do you think about that or is that changed?

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428.017 - 454.655 Unknown

No, you know, no, because first of all, I know how I am out with I'm out about people where I was in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. in Franklin, New Hampshire, or in what is referred to as South Carolina as the corridor of shame in Abbeville, et cetera, all the black counties that were ignored by Columbia, South Carolina. So I know that.

454.815 - 477.212 Unknown

On the other hand, I am, I mean, again, this gets back to, this is true for you, it's true for me, it's true for everyone, which is your strengths, your weakness. I'm direct, I'm forthright. Nobody walks away from me and go, boy, was he subtle. We didn't really know what he said. Charmer, he's a real charmer. Yeah, that guy, that one level, that works. At another level, it doesn't.

477.673 - 496.655 Unknown

But here's the thing, I'm at a point in my life This would be the last race. I'm going to tell you what I think has to happen. As I said, in 2024, you didn't have a choice. 2028, it's going to be Baskin and Robbins. And I plan on being Rocky Road. Right. Rocky Road. I'm going to say this is in this moment of where I'm with my therapist, Dr. Swisher.

496.935 - 497.856 Kara Swisher

Yeah, that's me.

498.197 - 522.878 Unknown

I am liberated. A different place than I've been as President Obama's chief of staff or as mayor or ambassador or whatever. I'm going to say this is it. Final race, I'm going to leave it on the field in the sense of we as a country literally have hunger games. This is about the future. We've had two presidents who've argued about restoring a past that's not coming back.

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