Full Transcript for Richard Fowler & Michael Bland: ‘He Was a Boy’ — Who Gets to Name Us

it's not money. They say that they were, quotes, 35 00:02:35.629 --> 00:02:41.389 offended by a May FBI advisory describing them as cyber criminals, 36 00:02:42.030 --> 00:02:44.569 and they gave the Bureau one week to correct or 37 00:02:44.650 --> 00:02:47.759 remove it. So let me get this right. The group 38 00:02:47.800 --> 00:02:53.740 accused of stealing data is upset about its characterization? Jeez. 39 00:02:54.349 --> 00:02:56.849 That's a lot of nerve for somebody who's holding the 40 00:02:56.889 --> 00:03:01.969 keys to somebody else's house. But here's the serious point, 41 00:03:03.129 --> 00:03:07.009 and it's why this lands in our community. If these 42 00:03:07.069 --> 00:03:11.539 claims are true, this isn't just about agents. It's about 43 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:15.740 anybody who's ever applied for a job with the FBI, 44 00:03:16.020 --> 00:03:20.139 young people who dreamed of public service. And it's another 45 00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:24.430 reminder that the institution's we're told to trust with our 46 00:03:24.469 --> 00:03:29.759 data are only as strong as their weakest vendor. 47 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:31.319 How about that? 48 00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:36.759 Moving along, are y'all keeping track of these gas prices? 49 00:03:38.780 --> 00:03:42.139 If you are, then you already know that a diesel 50 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:49.050 export ban could actually raise prices. Diesel prices are have 51 00:03:49.069 --> 00:03:53.199 hit a record around $ 6. 51 a gallon nationally. That's according 52 00:03:53.219 --> 00:03:57.819 to the AAA. Driven by the war with Iran and 53 00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:01.060 months of disruption through the Strait of Hormuz. And President Trump, 54 00:04:01.979 --> 00:04:05.620 he said at the UN this week, quotes, let's not 55 00:04:05.740 --> 00:04:09.909 send out the diesel. And Politico reports that the White 56 00:04:09.930 --> 00:04:14.050 House is preparing a plan for a 90-day export ban. 57 00:04:14.150 --> 00:04:17.930 So it sounds like common sense, right? But keep it 58 00:04:17.970 --> 00:04:25.500 at home. Prices come down. Grandma's logic. But this is 59 00:04:25.579 --> 00:04:27.899 one of those times that grandma would also tell you, 60 00:04:28.540 --> 00:04:31.779 don't cut off your nose to spite your face. You see, 61 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:37.060 energy analysts, including some of the administration's own officials, agree with. 62 00:04:37.189 --> 00:04:42.230 They warn that a ban could bring brief relief in 63 00:04:42.269 --> 00:04:46.810 places like the Gulf Coast. Then push prices higher as 64 00:04:46.850 --> 00:04:51.709 refiners cut production. The Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, he said 65 00:04:51.750 --> 00:04:55.680 last week that an export ban is unlikely to lower prices. 66 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:59.000 And Energy Secretary Chris Wright told the Wall Street Journal 67 00:04:59.019 --> 00:05:03.740 that the administration is considering restrictions rather than an outright ban. Now, 68 00:05:04.180 --> 00:05:10.279 here's why L.A. should lean in. California and the Northeast 69 00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:14.399 depend heavily on fuel shipped in by water. Analysts warn 70 00:05:14.439 --> 00:05:17.759 those regions are may see little to no relief at all. 71 00:05:17.819 --> 00:05:21.850 And diesel moves, it moves trucks that stock our grocery stores. 72 00:05:21.910 --> 00:05:25.370 So when diesel goes up, guess what happens? So do 73 00:05:25.389 --> 00:05:32.990 your collard greens. So does your baby's formula. So does 74 00:05:33.189 --> 00:05:35.980 everything that rides on that truck. It gets more expensive. 75 00:05:36.060 --> 00:05:38.139 And so we need to pay attention to the timing. 76 00:05:38.540 --> 00:05:43.000 Some analysts say that any short-term price dip would land 77 00:05:43.079 --> 00:05:47.500 right around the midterms, And so file that under things 78 00:05:47.540 --> 00:05:54.220 that make you go, hmm. All right. Next up, speaking 79 00:05:54.259 --> 00:05:56.779 of things that make you go, hmm, lots of things 80 00:05:56.819 --> 00:06:00.009 made me go, hmm, as I was watching the live 81 00:06:00.050 --> 00:06:06.490 feed of speeches at the United Nations today. Diplomacy got 82 00:06:06.589 --> 00:06:11.420 loud at the UN. French President Emmanuel Macron speaking at 83 00:06:11.500 --> 00:06:18.089 the General Assembly just said, yesterday criticized Israel's conduct in 84 00:06:18.129 --> 00:06:21.589 the occupied West Bank, according to the UN interpreter Macron, 85 00:06:22.129 --> 00:06:26.230 said that Hamas, quote, was never very active in the 86 00:06:26.269 --> 00:06:30.589 West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office fired back, 87 00:06:30.629 --> 00:06:36.000 calling the remarks, quote, grotesque absurdity and saying that Hamas 88 00:06:36.060 --> 00:06:42.750 members carry out attacks against Israelis there almost daily. Netanyahu's 89 00:06:43.009 --> 00:06:49.850 main political rival, former military chief Gadi Esenkat, I think 90 00:06:49.889 --> 00:06:53.629 I got that right, he also criticized Macron, and U.S. 91 00:06:53.670 --> 00:06:57.029 Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called the remarks out of 92 00:06:57.110 --> 00:07:01.750 touch with reality. But, and this matters for our theme today, 93 00:07:01.769 --> 00:07:08.060 a French diplomatic source says it was a mistranslation. The 94 00:07:08.120 --> 00:07:10.860 source told the Jerusalem Post that the French phrase meant 95 00:07:11.189 --> 00:07:15.350 Hamas has never governed the West Bank, a very different statement. 96 00:07:16.110 --> 00:07:19.449 Macron also rejected President Trump's claim that he ended the 97 00:07:19.490 --> 00:07:23.790 war in Gaza, saying humanitarian access still hasn't reopened. So 98 00:07:23.930 --> 00:07:31.480 once again, words, translations, and who controls the definition? One phrase, 99 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:35.519 two meanings, and an international

instant in between. Netanyahu is 100 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:40.199 expected to address the General Assembly on Thursday. When we 101 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:44.519 come forward, we're switching gears. We'll be joined by Richard Fowler, 102 00:07:44.740 --> 00:07:47.939 Fox News contributor, and Michael Bland, the executive director of 103 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:50.250 Black Men Vote. They're going to join me for a 104 00:07:50.290 --> 00:07:54.110 conversation about a mother, a word, and what it costs 105 00:07:54.149 --> 00:07:57.930 our children when America refuses to see them as children. 106 00:07:58.529 --> 00:08:00.509 You're listening to and streaming A More Perfect Union on 107 00:08:00.569 --> 00:08:04.610 KBLA Talk 1580. More when we come forward. are listening 108 00:08:04.689 --> 00:08:09.540 to and streaming A More Perfect Union on KBLA Talk 1580. 109 00:08:09.540 --> 00:08:13.439 I'm Dr. Nkordelai Korte. I'm really delighted to welcome my 110 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:19.569 next guest, Richard Fowler, who is the Fox News contributor 111 00:08:19.610 --> 00:08:23.569 and contributing writer to Forbes, will be with us momentarily. 112 00:08:24.329 --> 00:08:29.379 But right now, I want to welcome a Mike Bland, 113 00:08:29.420 --> 00:08:32.539 he's no stranger. He's no stranger to a more perfect union. 114 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:36.159 He has been here before. And you all know how 115 00:08:36.200 --> 00:08:39.360 much I really love lifting up the voices of leaders 116 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:41.159 that are on the front lines. We'll have a chance 117 00:08:41.179 --> 00:08:45.210 to talk a little bit later about Broad Coalition that 118 00:08:45.269 --> 00:08:49.549 he is a part of and leading around getting Black 119 00:08:49.570 --> 00:08:52.409 men to the polls. But you also know he's executive 120 00:08:52.429 --> 00:08:56.200 director of Black Men Vote, whose organization really just helped 121 00:08:56.240 --> 00:09:01.590 launch a national campaign to get 100,000 black men to 122 00:09:01.610 --> 00:09:04.950 the polls. Welcome to the show, Michael Blaine. Dr. 123 00:09:04.990 --> 00:09:07.210 Nicola, such a pleasure to be with you, my brother. 124 00:09:07.230 --> 00:09:07.929 Good to see you again. 125 00:09:08.389 --> 00:09:12.470 Well, it's always a pleasure to be with you. Look, 126 00:09:12.870 --> 00:09:21.370 let's start with Nolan Wells, Nolan Wells' mother. It's a 127 00:09:21.429 --> 00:09:24.730 moment that really stopped a lot of us cold. During 128 00:09:24.750 --> 00:09:30.379 an interview with NBC News, Christine Wells Wansley, the mother 129 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:35.879 of 18-year-old Nolan Wells, corrected the anchor when she referred 130 00:09:35.899 --> 00:09:40.480 to her son as a man. And here's what she said, 131 00:09:40.679 --> 00:09:43.419 as reported by our friends over at The Griot, quotes, 132 00:09:43.740 --> 00:09:46.399 let's not call him a man because at 18, you're 133 00:09:46.419 --> 00:09:47.299 still a teenager. 134 00:09:47.820 --> 00:09:48.039 Sure. 135 00:09:48.139 --> 00:09:50.419 He was a boy. He was a child. He was 136 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:55.559 our child, end quote. So- Some will call that semantics. 137 00:09:56.220 --> 00:10:01.799 Our community calls it survival. Researchers have documented what's called 138 00:10:02.139 --> 00:10:07.220 adultification bias, the tendency to see Black children as older, 139 00:10:07.840 --> 00:10:12.200 as less innocent, and more threatening than white children the 140 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:15.490 same age. We saw it with Tamir Rice at 12 141 00:10:15.490 --> 00:10:18.289 years old. We saw it with Trayvon Martin at 17 142 00:10:18.289 --> 00:10:22.129 years old. And so As a reminder of where the 143 00:10:22.409 --> 00:10:25.899 case stands, Nolan disappeared July 4th during this boat trip 144 00:10:25.940 --> 00:10:29.480 to Horn Island off the Mississippi coast and was found 145 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:32.039 dead two days later. And so this week, the Jackson 146 00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:37.830 County District Attorney, they announced a grand jury unanimously declined 147 00:10:37.929 --> 00:10:41.289 to issue any indictment. What's your reaction, Michael? 148 00:10:41.789 --> 00:10:44.570 I have a ton of reactions. And so I got 149 00:10:44.590 --> 00:10:46.970 to tell you, I just happened to be in Atlanta today. 150 00:10:47.809 --> 00:10:51.710 And so we're visiting Some brothers in Atlanta also have 151 00:10:52.039 --> 00:10:54.250 a chance to sit with one of our national board 152 00:10:54.259 --> 00:10:54.730 members today. 153 00:10:55.500 --> 00:10:58.009 And part of the conversation was two things. It's two prong. 154 00:10:59.250 --> 00:11:01.690 When I think about this, the first thing is why 155 00:11:01.730 --> 00:11:04.730 black men vote is so important. Why black men need 156 00:11:04.789 --> 00:11:07.830 to vote. Do you know that the judge that oversaw 157 00:11:07.850 --> 00:11:11.710 the grand jury indictment, that she had to get elected? 158 00:11:13.970 --> 00:11:14.730 Let's hold that for you. 159 00:11:14.970 --> 00:11:15.769 She had to get elected. 160 00:11:16.629 --> 00:11:20.490 So when we talk about eradicating this disparity in the 161 00:11:20.549 --> 00:11:24.690 judicial system, a lot of times in our judicial system, 162 00:11:24.730 --> 00:11:27.429 we don't understand that judges have to get elected. And 163 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:30.159 so when folks say voting doesn't matter, we hear about 164 00:11:30.259 --> 00:11:33.779 flipping the house. We talk about flipping the Congress. We 165 00:11:33.820 --> 00:11:36.360 don't talk enough about the local issues that this judge 166 00:11:36.919 --> 00:11:40.480 had to get elected. And could you imagine, could you 167 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:43.379 just imagine, and this is why I'm bullish. 168 00:11:43.100 --> 00:11:45.480 On Scott Cologne. Okay. And what he's doing in Mississippi. 169 00:11:45.830

--> 00:11:49.169 But could you imagine that somebody that maybe looked like 170 00:11:49.309 --> 00:11:53.309 us ran for judge and lost by 100 votes or 171 00:11:53.309 --> 00:11:56.960 50 votes? And so this is, in its purest sense, 172 00:11:57.549 --> 00:12:01.100 the reason why voting matters. In its purest sense, this 173 00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:05.159 is why Black men voting, particularly Mississippi, matters. 174 00:12:05.860 --> 00:12:07.440 I'll do you a better note. 175 00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:10.600 I was sitting and I said, I thought about, I'm 176 00:12:10.679 --> 00:12:15.200 tired of Black mothers meeting each other in death. One 177 00:12:15.220 --> 00:12:18.600 of the pictures that we saw were Nolan Wells' mom 178 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:21.419 meeting Trayvon Martin's mother. And it just gave me a 179 00:12:21.460 --> 00:12:24.639 stark reminder because I'm a 80s baby, but a 90s 180 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:29.600 fill light. But could you imagine the first time Biggie 181 00:12:29.620 --> 00:12:33.259 and Pac's mom met each other? Our Black mothers keep 182 00:12:33.299 --> 00:12:36.750 meeting each other at the throne of death. 183 00:12:37.850 --> 00:12:41.570 That's not fair. That's not fair. And so. 184 00:12:42.419 --> 00:12:45.059 Whether it be the hip hop culture, whether it be 185 00:12:45.539 --> 00:12:50.090 the current American culture, this thing that currently is clashing us, 186 00:12:51.909 --> 00:12:54.809 where mothers from different sides of the country, they're meeting 187 00:12:54.850 --> 00:12:55.269 each other. 188 00:12:55.649 --> 00:12:58.840 They're meeting each other at the altar of death. And 189 00:12:58.860 --> 00:12:59.549 that's not fair. 190 00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:03.299 And one of the ways we could eradicate that is 191 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:05.200 ensuring that we are voting. 192 00:13:05.460 --> 00:13:07.279 And this is why voting matters. I'm sick of this 193 00:13:07.340 --> 00:13:09.919 shit that voting doesn't matter or my vote doesn't count. 194 00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:10.419 I really am. 195 00:13:11.419 --> 00:13:14.360 Because this is in its purest example why voting matters. 196 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:19.399 You know, the majority of our judges are elected, not appointed. 197 00:13:19.740 --> 00:13:20.440 They're elected. 198 00:13:21.419 --> 00:13:27.379 And to sit here and somehow believe that there is 199 00:13:27.620 --> 00:13:31.950 nothing to see here is a farce in this great 200 00:13:32.070 --> 00:13:33.649 experiment we call democracy. 201 00:13:34.409 --> 00:13:37.429 That's how I feel right now in this moment. Yeah, yeah. 202 00:13:37.529 --> 00:13:43.169 No, I appreciate that. And a reminder, we're on live 203 00:13:43.190 --> 00:13:48.450 radio and so FCC. But point, your point is taken, 204 00:13:48.509 --> 00:13:55.269 point is taken there. You mentioned Scott Colon, who for 205 00:13:55.309 --> 00:13:59.389 folks who don't know, he's the sitting district attorney for 206 00:13:59.429 --> 00:14:04.360 Mississippi's 16th Judicial District. And he's also the Democratic nominee 207 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:09.620 that's challenging Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith this November. And if 208 00:14:09.659 --> 00:14:15.500 he wins, He'd be Mississippi's first Black U.S. senator since Reconstruction. 209 00:14:16.940 --> 00:14:19.759 And Scott Colom actually told our friends over at the 210 00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:23.549 Griot that there was, quote, a breakdown in trust between 211 00:14:23.570 --> 00:14:26.590 the family and law enforcement. And the only way, the 212 00:14:26.830 --> 00:14:30.769 only way to combat that is transparency, end quote. In 213 00:14:30.809 --> 00:14:34.529 a separate statement, he called on the state to release 214 00:14:34.570 --> 00:14:38.580 the full medical examiner's report and the sheriff's investigative file. 215 00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:41.120 within the limits of the law so that people can 216 00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:45.379 judge for themselves. And he noted that he's done that 217 00:14:45.419 --> 00:14:49.299 before in his own district. He also said that he 218 00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:53.059 hasn't personally read the grand jury report and wants to 219 00:14:53.100 --> 00:14:57.360 before drawing any conclusions. But imagine that a prosecutor saying, 220 00:14:57.379 --> 00:15:01.830 show your work. That's a message that should cross party lines, no? 221 00:15:02.590 --> 00:15:03.090 Absolutely. 222 00:15:03.330 --> 00:15:06.019 And you know what? It is It doesn't matter. I 223 00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:07.919 don't want to say it doesn't matter, but this rings 224 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:10.679 loud in New Jersey. It rings loud in Mississippi. It 225 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:15.039 rings loud in California. It rings loud across this country. 226 00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:20.700 And the litmus test, I'm sorry, the litmus test of 227 00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:24.000 success of our civil servants, I don't even want to 228 00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:26.820 say politicians anymore, because I think we have to remind people, 229 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:29.889 the people who represent us are civil servants. We've gotten 230 00:15:29.929 --> 00:15:32.870 to this place of comfortability and normality that we worship 231 00:15:32.889 --> 00:15:35.419 the ground that they walk on. But in fact, We 232 00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:38.799 send these people to serve us. And it should be 233 00:15:38.820 --> 00:15:42.519 the other way around. And so the normality of representation 234 00:15:42.580 --> 00:15:47.279 and importance of representation and what they represent, I think Scott. 235 00:15:47.059 --> 00:15:49.139 Colon is on the money. And that's why, again, I 236 00:15:49.340 --> 00:15:50.480 am bullish on Scott Colon. 237 00:15:50.940 --> 00:15:53.490 I've talked to key stakeholders all across the country, leaders 238 00:15:53.539 --> 00:15:56.889 of this party, leaders of state parties. And they asked me, 239

00:15:56.909 --> 00:15:58.940 what is the one Senate race you are bullish on? 240 00:15:58.970 --> 00:16:01.289 What is the one race you are excited about, Dr. 241 00:16:01.309 --> 00:16:02.490 Nicola? You know what I say? 242 00:16:03.110 --> 00:16:03.669 Mississippi. 243 00:16:04.409 --> 00:16:09.909 Mississippi. Scott Colon can win. Scott Colon can win. 40% 244 00:16:09.909 --> 00:16:12.509 of Mississippi is African-American. 245 00:16:13.110 --> 00:16:15.710 Beyond that, they have the biggest, they have the biggest 246 00:16:16.149 --> 00:16:17.769 African-American population in this country. 247 00:16:18.090 --> 00:16:21.340 Scott Colon can win. And he's a trusted messenger. He's 248 00:16:21.379 --> 00:16:22.240 a truthful messenger. 249 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:24.419 And so, you know, I think when we think about 250 00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:26.659 the diversity of the Senate, when we think about the 251 00:16:26.700 --> 00:16:29.059 diversity of our elected officials, one of the things that, 252 00:16:29.100 --> 00:16:31.820 you know, I think of Raphael Warnock, who was a pastor. 253 00:16:31.879 --> 00:16:35.159 I think of my home state senator, Cory Booker, who 254 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:37.259 was a mayor and a public servant. I think it's 255 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:39.639 somebody like Scott Colon, somebody who's been a judge, somebody 256 00:16:39.659 --> 00:16:44.070 who knows law enforcement firsthand. He's a trusted messenger. He's 257 00:16:44.090 --> 00:16:46.009 done the work, continues to do the work, and he's 258 00:16:46.049 --> 00:16:46.990 somebody that we can trust. 259 00:16:47.409 --> 00:16:49.409 Well, it seems to me there's an opportunity for the 260 00:16:49.470 --> 00:16:55.049 folks who are really just beside themselves about the state 261 00:16:55.230 --> 00:17:01.750 of this case, the state of This effort to seek 262 00:17:01.809 --> 00:17:04.230 justice for Nolan Wells, for people who are beside themselves 263 00:17:04.299 --> 00:17:06.640 about it, don't despair. 264 00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:07.299 Vote. 265 00:17:08.019 --> 00:17:12.359 Right. You have an opportunity to put somebody in power that, 266 00:17:12.500 --> 00:17:19.420 you know, is is that knows how to use their office. 267 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:20.759 Sure. 268 00:17:21.369 --> 00:17:25.349 And will be dogged about seeking justice, pulling every lever 269 00:17:25.390 --> 00:17:28.190 they can from that seat of power. I want to 270 00:17:28.210 --> 00:17:32.029 bring Richard Fowler into the conversation. Richard Fowler, Fox News contributor, 271 00:17:32.069 --> 00:17:37.950 he's now joining us. We started talking about the mother 272 00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:40.819 of Nolan Wells. Now I want to talk about the 273 00:17:40.859 --> 00:17:45.640 mother of Renee Good, a mother whose words landed like 274 00:17:45.779 --> 00:17:49.799 thunder on Capitol Hill, Donna Ganger. She's the mother of 275 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:53.660 Renee Good, the 37-year-old U.S.

citizen who was shot and 276 00:17:53.740 --> 00:17:57.269 killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis in January during 277 00:17:57.289 --> 00:18:01.869 a Operation Metro Surge. Now, at a Tuesday forum hosted 278 00:18:01.910 --> 00:18:07.650 by Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Robert Garcia on shootings 279 00:18:08.170 --> 00:18:12.289 involving federal immigration agents, Ms. Ganger said this. She said, quote, 280 00:18:12.690 --> 00:18:16.730 I'm a registered Republican. I voted for President Trump under 281 00:18:16.769 --> 00:18:20.430 the impression that these agents were here to protect the 282 00:18:20.470 --> 00:18:23.559 citizens of the United States, certainly not to accuse those 283 00:18:23.599 --> 00:18:27.680 of us here of being terrorists. and take precious lives. 284 00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:31.230 This is madness. Back in January, I want to remind 285 00:18:31.250 --> 00:18:35.990 folks that administration officials, including then Homeland Security Secretary Chrissy Noem, 286 00:18:36.349 --> 00:18:40.809 she called the shooting an act of domestic terrorism, alleging 287 00:18:40.849 --> 00:18:45.930 that Renee Good drove her car toward the officer. But 288 00:18:46.049 --> 00:18:49.329 the video taken on the officer's own phone, according to 289 00:18:49.349 --> 00:18:52.990 The Hill, it appears to show her turning her car 290 00:18:53.210 --> 00:18:57.569 away before the shots were fired. The Hennepin County medical 291 00:18:57.589 --> 00:19:01.970 examiner ruled her death a homicide. You know, this is 292 00:19:02.049 --> 00:19:06.140 talk about the tale of two mothers. Talk about a 293 00:19:06.200 --> 00:19:13.859 sign of the time. Richard, what's your reaction to this? Richard, 294 00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:14.400 we can't hear you. 295 00:19:20.730 --> 00:19:22.609 My heart goes out to the good family. You can 296 00:19:22.630 --> 00:19:25.720 hear me now. And two, I think this sort of 297 00:19:25.740 --> 00:19:31.720 speaks to one of the reasons why Mike is bullish 298 00:19:33.180 --> 00:19:36.269 on Scott Colon, because I think there are voters out 299 00:19:36.329 --> 00:19:39.609 here who are saying, we want something different. 300 00:19:39.690 --> 00:19:40.569 We need help. 301 00:19:40.769 --> 00:19:42.930 We think our country's in peril. And whether it's a 302 00:19:42.970 --> 00:19:45.789 Black hand or it's a Latino hand, if it's a 303 00:19:45.809 --> 00:19:48.660 helping hand, we aren't gonna slap that hand away. And 304 00:19:48.680 --> 00:19:51.940 I think that's why, and I'm not sure who's drawing 305 00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:54.460 these battleground maps here in Washington, but I think they're 306 00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:57.410 drawing these battleground maps so wrong. Because I think if 307 00:19:57.420 --> 00:20:00.329 you're drawing a battleground map and Kentucky is not in 308 00:20:00.369 --> 00:20:04.250 that map and Florida isn't in that map and Mississippi 309 00:20:04.789 --> 00:20:07.049

isn't in that Senate map, then you are drawing that 310 00:20:07.109 --> 00:20:10.150 map wrong. Uh, I'm working on a story for Forbes. 311 00:20:10.170 --> 00:20:12.690 I've been working on all day that says just that, 312 00:20:12.710 --> 00:20:15.029 because these are, there's some of these races that were 313 00:20:15.069 --> 00:20:18.289 just a little bit of help from the national party. 314 00:20:18.309 --> 00:20:19.490 And let me be very clear when I say that, 315 00:20:19.549 --> 00:20:22.930 or the national infrastructure, let me rephrase that better. When 316 00:20:22.970 --> 00:20:26.430 I say national infrastructure, I do not mean, um, the 317 00:20:26.450 --> 00:20:29.230 teachers and the nurses, because everybody's like, let's call the teacher, 318 00:20:29.250 --> 00:20:31.470 the nurses, they don't have, they, they scratching their pennies together. 319 00:20:31.490 --> 00:20:32.190 They're trying to help here. 320 00:20:32.230 --> 00:20:35.619 I'm talking about the national infrastructure, about $ 42 million in 321 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:35.900 a race. 322 00:20:38.539 --> 00:20:40.339 Richard, hold that thought. When we come forward, I want 323 00:20:40.359 --> 00:20:42.980 you to finish that thought. You're listening to and streaming 324 00:20:43.019 --> 00:20:46.349 A More Perfect Union on KBLA Talk 1580. More when 325 00:20:46.390 --> 00:20:49.750 we come forward with Fox News contributor Richard Fowler and 326 00:20:50.170 --> 00:20:54.019 Michael Bland, the executive director of Black Men Vote. You 327 00:20:54.210 --> 00:20:56.660 are listening to and streaming A More Perfect Union on 328 00:20:56.720 --> 00:21:02.809 KBLA Talk 1580. I'm Dr. Nkordelai Korte, joined by... Richard A. Fowler, 329 00:21:02.950 --> 00:21:08.819 Fox News contributor and contributing writer to Forbes.com. Also, Michael Bland, 330 00:21:08.859 --> 00:21:12.079 who is the executive director of Black Men Vote. We've 331 00:21:12.099 --> 00:21:20.420 been talking about this election map. And right before the break, Richard, 332 00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:26.109 you were giving us a sneak preview as to your 333 00:21:26.190 --> 00:21:29.650 very next Forbes article that will be published very soon. 334 00:21:29.690 --> 00:21:30.690 What else do you want to tell the people? 335 00:21:31.450 --> 00:21:35.390 Yes, it's a long one. I've been working on it 336 00:21:35.410 --> 00:21:39.049 all day. But I think it really does question how 337 00:21:39.109 --> 00:21:41.730 some of these battleground maps are made. And I think 338 00:21:41.930 --> 00:21:44.670 there's two places that we zero in, Kentucky being one 339 00:21:44.710 --> 00:21:49.809 of them. There's some polling out of there that sort 340 00:21:49.849 --> 00:21:53.940 of says that Charles Booker, who's a brother who's running 341 00:21:53.960 --> 00:21:57.299 in this race, is only down eight points. He has 342 00:21:57.420 --> 00:22:01.779 just cleared roughly the three million fundraising mark there. It's 343 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:03.759 worth pointing out. And the reason why that 3 million 344 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:07.599 fundraising mark number is worth talking about is because in 345 00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:11.200 the first race that Charles ran in 2020, he ran 346 00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:16.579 against Amy McGrath. Amy McGrath, in her entirety of her race, 347 00:22:16.619 --> 00:22:20.740 she raised the most money. She raised $ 93 million and 348 00:22:20.759 --> 00:22:23.069 she lost to Mitch McConnell. And most of that money 349 00:22:23.109 --> 00:22:26.769 came from the national democratic infrastructure. So just think about that, folks, 350 00:22:26.789 --> 00:22:31.150 for just a second. Amy McGrath, Former Army vet, white women, 351 00:22:31.230 --> 00:22:36.869 raised $ 93 million, loses bigly to Mitch McConnell. This is 352 00:22:36.890 --> 00:22:41.299 an open race. This race is within eight points, and 353 00:22:41.339 --> 00:22:46.059 this brother can't raise, he's just raised $ 3 million. Right now, 354 00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:48.759 there is an announcement from the DSCC that they're going 355 00:22:48.779 --> 00:22:52.099 to give in a big way. We could also have 356 00:22:52.119 --> 00:22:54.970 a conversation about what's happening in Florida. Angie Nixon, if 357 00:22:55.670 --> 00:22:59.910 this was any other year, if she had a little 358 00:22:59.950 --> 00:23:03.190 less melanin, they would be talking about this race wall 359 00:23:03.230 --> 00:23:07.349 to wall about this phenomenal candidate who did the unexpected, 360 00:23:07.710 --> 00:23:10.390 turned out low propensity voters and ruled parts of the state. 361 00:23:10.430 --> 00:23:12.619 Yet every interview she does, they ask her, does she 362 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:15.559 know Hassan Piker? And not how did you manage to 363 00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:18.000 pull off the wind that you pulled off in Florida? 364 00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:21.299 And how are you managed to galvanize the voters you've galvanized? 365 00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:24.839 She's also struggling with fundraising. And given all of that, 366 00:23:25.400 --> 00:23:28.640 there's polls that have her tied. most polls have it 367 00:23:28.660 --> 00:23:32.319 within five or six points in Florida. She could win 368 00:23:32.380 --> 00:23:34.799 this thing. If she, if there were, she could win 369 00:23:34.839 --> 00:23:38.240 this thing, period. She could really win this thing. If 370 00:23:38.299 --> 00:23:41.140 she had some help from the national party infrastructure, we're 371 00:23:41.180 --> 00:23:43.819 still waiting. We can say the same thing about Scott Cologne. 372 00:23:44.059 --> 00:23:45.500 There's so many of these races. We can say the 373 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:45.940 same thing. 374 00:23:46.220 --> 00:23:48.289 Yeah. I mean, and, and, and, you know, this is, 375 00:23:48.420 --> 00:23:53.150 this is consistent, uh, feedback that I've been hearing from 376 00:23:53.210 -->

00:23:55.710 coast to coast. I remember being on Martha's vineyard and hearing, 377 00:23:56.089 --> 00:23:59.710 you know, a number of, uh, of civil rights leaders 378 00:24:01.170 --> 00:24:05.430 talk squarely about this, about the need for not just 379 00:24:06.009 --> 00:24:10.509 permanent infrastructure, not the infrastructure just goes up to get 380 00:24:10.529 --> 00:24:13.410 people elected, but what happens after they're elected. There's that 381 00:24:13.450 --> 00:24:18.140 piece of it, but it's funding these folks properly and 382 00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:21.819 not within four to six weeks of election day. And 383 00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:26.420 so here we are again, you have competent, capable, competitive 384 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:30.430 candidates that are not getting the support that they should 385 00:24:30.470 --> 00:24:32.710 be getting from these institutions that we're told that we 386 00:24:32.750 --> 00:24:35.150 need to trust. But we got to keep the show moving. 387 00:24:35.750 --> 00:24:37.950 So much of that money that they raise, it is 388 00:24:38.049 --> 00:24:43.160 spent on media. It's going on TV. It's going on radio. 389 00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:47.460 It's going everywhere they can go to get their message out, 390 00:24:47.500 --> 00:24:49.819 to mail. And with that, I want to pivot to 391 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:53.799 the next story because 49 media outlets are backing this 392 00:24:53.859 --> 00:24:57.200 lawsuit over this White House press ban. As you all know, 393 00:24:58.609 --> 00:25:01.430 My White House press credentials, they still work. And I'm 394 00:25:01.470 --> 00:25:03.089 going to keep using them as long as they continue 395 00:25:03.109 --> 00:25:07.009 to work. But let me just say this plainly and personally. 396 00:25:07.069 --> 00:25:11.109 Last Friday, President Trump announced that he was banning CNN, MSNOW, 397 00:25:11.150 --> 00:25:14.740 and Politico from the White House grounds, calling their reporting, 398 00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:19.420 quote unquote, fake news. Their journalists were shut out that weekend. 399 00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:22.079 And since then, the three outlets they sued, they sued 400 00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:27.920 on Monday, arguing that the ban is viewpoint discrimination. punishment 401 00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:30.880 for coverage of the president, coverage that he doesn't like, 402 00:25:31.339 --> 00:25:34.900 and it's a blatant violation of the First Amendment. Today, 403 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:37.759 this Wednesday, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 404 00:25:38.109 --> 00:25:42.569 the White House Correspondents Association, and 49 media organizations, including 405 00:25:42.589 --> 00:25:46.009 the AP, New York Times, Reuters, and yes, Fox News, 406 00:25:46.390 --> 00:25:51.250 filed an amicus brief backing them. In the administration's own words, 407 00:25:51.289 --> 00:25:53.250 they say access to the White House is a privilege. 408 00:25:53.289

--> 00:25:56.289 It's not a right. The Justice Department's lawyers argue that 409 00:25:56.309 --> 00:26:02.069 the outlets reporting posed a national security concern, including allegations 410 00:26:02.569 --> 00:26:08.819 of publishing sensitive or classified information. Richard Fowler, where is 411 00:26:08.839 --> 00:26:09.259 this going? 412 00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:12.559 I think this story is a distraction by the Trump 413 00:26:12.579 --> 00:26:15.339 team because they have nothing else to talk about. I 414 00:26:15.380 --> 00:26:17.259 do think that these journalists are ultimately going to get 415 00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:22.480 their credentials reinstated. I think this gives him a three-day distraction, 416 00:26:22.500 --> 00:26:24.720 so he's not talking about the war in Iran or 417 00:26:24.740 --> 00:26:29.049 the fact that the price of diesel is almost over $ 7, 418 00:26:28.309 --> 00:26:33.410 that the bond market's upside down, or that this tariff 419 00:26:33.430 --> 00:26:36.170 thing is destroying parts of Michigan and Wisconsin, places where 420 00:26:36.190 --> 00:26:37.809 he can't afford to win, or the fact that Byron 421 00:26:37.829 --> 00:26:40.089 Donald has taken his name off his website. I think 422 00:26:40.109 --> 00:26:43.650 this is an utter and total distraction, and it's a 423 00:26:43.690 --> 00:26:46.210 good one because we're talking about it and not all 424 00:26:46.259 --> 00:26:47.119 the things I just mentioned. 425 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:50.990 Yeah, and we know that next year... marks the 200th 426 00:26:51.089 --> 00:26:56.450 anniversary of the Black press. Michael, talk to us about 427 00:26:58.490 --> 00:27:02.819 what we as the Black press and Black podcasters and 428 00:27:02.930 --> 00:27:10.019 Black influencers, what more could we be doing to not 429 00:27:10.059 --> 00:27:14.779 just lift up the far-reaching consequences if the president is 430 00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:19.509 allowed to do this, but what impact this has in 431 00:27:19.569 --> 00:27:23.779 terms of some really competitive candidates, many of which we 432 00:27:23.819 --> 00:27:28.160 have talked about today, their ability to be able to 433 00:27:28.200 --> 00:27:31.480 get their message out on these platforms? 434 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:34.079 You know, I think, you know, I'm reminded of these 435 00:27:34.099 --> 00:27:36.680 simple words that our country was founded on, we the people. 436 00:27:37.380 --> 00:27:40.619 And currently, we the people are, you know, we're our 437 00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:42.680 own government, let's be real. When the. 438 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:49.819 Breaks down that barrier and kind of burns it in 439 00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:52.920 our face, it should be concerning. When I think about 440 00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:55.200 Black media, when I think about podcasters, when I think 441 00:27:55.269 --> 00:27:56.680 about Black influencers. 442 00:27:57.029 --> 00:27:57.849 What a better moment. 443 00:27:57.990 --> 00:28:01.029 You know, Doctor, you've heard me say this over and 444 00:28:01.089 --> 00:28:03.410 over again in moments in privacy between you and I, 445 00:28:03.430 --> 00:28:04.569 moments on the high level. 446 00:28:05.710 --> 00:28:07.809 You know, at a crisis, there comes opportunity. 447 00:28:08.190 --> 00:28:10.349 And so out of this opportunity, we've got to be 448 00:28:10.369 --> 00:28:13.329 in people's faces because people are still looking for trusted messengers. 449 00:28:13.849 --> 00:28:16.529 Our Black influencers, particularly our younger ones, the ones that 450 00:28:16.589 --> 00:28:20.369 range 18 to about 35, they are really cornering what 451 00:28:20.390 --> 00:28:24.890 I call the herd market. They are courting our voters 452 00:28:24.930 --> 00:28:27.569 who are going to determine when the midterm elections are 453 00:28:27.589 --> 00:28:30.690 going to determine the 2028 presidential election. So we've got 454 00:28:30.710 --> 00:28:32.380 to be in their faces and we've got to support them. 455 00:28:33.000 --> 00:28:34.819 We can't stay off of media. We can't stay off 456 00:28:34.839 --> 00:28:37.339 of YouTube. We can't stay off of outlets where we 457 00:28:37.400 --> 00:28:40.880 know our young Black and brown voters are, male and female, right? 458 00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:42.680 I mean, I know I'm the executive director of Black 459 00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:45.140 Men Vote. but I am also a girl dad, right? 460 00:28:45.180 --> 00:28:47.519 So I understand. I also ask my girls, where are 461 00:28:47.539 --> 00:28:49.680 you getting your news? Where are you getting the rumors? 462 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:52.259 And as we say in the car, when we're driving, 463 00:28:52.299 --> 00:28:55.700 listen to Olivia Dean, what is the tea? I still 464 00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:56.819 ask him, what is the tea? 465 00:28:57.460 --> 00:29:00.190 And so, you know, they tell me, they send me 466 00:29:00.210 --> 00:29:03.390 stuff all the time. And so I think in this moment, 467 00:29:03.690 --> 00:29:06.109 it's a great moment for you all. I think, be 468 00:29:06.130 --> 00:29:08.210 it all, we can't meet in person, but to have 469 00:29:08.390 --> 00:29:10.670 our Niagara meeting, right? And so it's not just about 470 00:29:10.690 --> 00:29:13.609 how you all can support each other. It's how organizations 471 00:29:13.630 --> 00:29:15.650 like Black Man Vote and others can support you as well. 472 00:29:16.089 --> 00:29:19.420 How we are, you know, how we're coalescing around different 473 00:29:19.460 --> 00:29:21.000 initiatives and how we can reach out to you all 474 00:29:21.019 --> 00:29:23.000 to say, hey, we need help uplifting this. 475 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:26.660 Because the reality is, look, when we did our research, Doc, we. 476 00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:30.869 Found out that you all and the more synthesized personal 477 00:29:31.069 --> 00:29:33.990 media and influencer outlet, you have a deeper impact

than 478 00:29:34.009 --> 00:29:37.690 the folks at MSNBC, Fox, CNN, or whoever, you know, 479 00:29:37.730 --> 00:29:39.849 keep naming it, the N's, N's, N's, and N's, right? 480 00:29:40.250 --> 00:29:42.890 Folks aren't listening to that, particularly 18 to 35. They're 481 00:29:43.099 --> 00:29:46.279 listening to you all. And so you matter, your voice matters. 482 00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:48.779 And so, you know, I was happy, not happy, but 483 00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:50.940 it was so funny when I saw Raphael Warnock, Senator 484 00:29:50.980 --> 00:29:53.779 Raphael Warnock, excuse me, tweet that we can't hear you. 485 00:29:53.819 --> 00:29:57.160 This was the best silence we ever heard from President 486 00:29:57.180 --> 00:30:00.170 Donald Trump because there was no press poll. So I 487 00:30:00.210 --> 00:30:03.000 think the reality is this. Look, we have a unique 488 00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:07.119 moment to uplift our voice. And I thought in 2000, 489 00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:10.140 or excuse me, four years ago, right? 2000, would that 490 00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:14.210 be 2000? We were thinking about this one moment, Reconstruction 2.0. 491 00:30:14.210 --> 00:30:17.390 We've arrived at that moment. And I'm happy to, if 492 00:30:17.470 --> 00:30:20.670 I can, I guess, pass the baton or pass the 493 00:30:20.690 --> 00:30:22.789 relay to you, Doctor, this is your moment. 494 00:30:22.829 --> 00:30:24.230 This is your Reconstruction 2.0 moment. 495 00:30:25.250 --> 00:30:30.250 Well, let me just say, I'm just so glad that 496 00:30:31.329 --> 00:30:35.809 the White House Correspondents Association and so many folks that 497 00:30:35.869 --> 00:30:39.029 represent outlets that cover the president are finally pushing back. 498 00:30:39.089 --> 00:30:41.650 It's like, what are y'all been waiting for, right? It 499 00:30:41.690 --> 00:30:45.839 took a whole administration and almost two years for folks 500 00:30:45.859 --> 00:30:47.180 to do the thing that they should have did in 501 00:30:47.220 --> 00:30:50.039 the first place, right? And so, you know, why it 502 00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:55.230 took CNN, MS, and Politico this long And I think 503 00:30:55.329 --> 00:30:59.170 also it's a bit of a sign of the times. 504 00:30:59.309 --> 00:31:02.799 And Richard, you can speak to this. It seems to me, 505 00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:06.660 whether we're talking about these media outlets or even talking 506 00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:11.460 about the mother of Renee Good based upon her statement 507 00:31:11.680 --> 00:31:15.180 on Capitol Hill today, it seems that folks are fine 508 00:31:15.220 --> 00:31:18.289 with Trump and his antics until it impacts them. 509 00:31:18.869 --> 00:31:19.630 That's right. 510 00:31:19.869 --> 00:31:22.970 And once it impacts them, then all of a sudden it's, oh, 511 00:31:22.990 --> 00:31:26.329 wait a minute, this is not a game. I think 512 00:31:26.369 --> 00:31:26.869 that's right. 513 00:31:27.130 --> 00:31:29.289 And

I think what I would add to Mike's point here, 514 00:31:29.329 --> 00:31:30.710 and I don't know if folks know this, but there 515 00:31:30.730 --> 00:31:33.690 was a call that Mike and some other civil rights 516 00:31:33.730 --> 00:31:36.569 organizations did earlier this week where they sort of outlined 517 00:31:36.589 --> 00:31:38.589 the work they're going to do on October 24th on 518 00:31:38.650 --> 00:31:42.390 getting Black brothers to go vote. And one thing that 519 00:31:42.450 --> 00:31:45.390 we've got to do is, I straddle the fence, I 520 00:31:45.430 --> 00:31:48.759 live in the traditional media and the non-traditional media. I'm 521 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:52.069 putting on my non-traditional media hat tonight. Or the new 522 00:31:52.130 --> 00:31:54.089 media world is what we've got to do is do 523 00:31:54.109 --> 00:31:57.099 everything in our power to bolster their efforts. And, you know, 524 00:31:57.119 --> 00:31:59.960 I talked to my co-host of the Brothers Briefing, Charles 525 00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:03.380 Coleman Jr. yesterday and talking about what we can do 526 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:07.940 as members of the non of the new media to say, 527 00:32:08.309 --> 00:32:08.869 what can we do? 528 00:32:08.930 --> 00:32:10.869 Do we go live on that day? Do we say 529 00:32:10.890 --> 00:32:12.950 we're going to go live for the whole day? Right. 530 00:32:13.630 --> 00:32:15.710 To uplift brothers who are going to vote because we 531 00:32:15.769 --> 00:32:19.029 know that. that it's going to be hell to fight 532 00:32:19.130 --> 00:32:22.529 to get the traditional media to cover Black men voting 533 00:32:22.569 --> 00:32:25.329 because the trend is that we don't vote. So if 534 00:32:25.410 --> 00:32:27.940 we dispel the trend, why would they cover a trend 535 00:32:27.960 --> 00:32:30.400 that they're used to covering, right? And so we've got 536 00:32:30.420 --> 00:32:33.440 to be part of breaking the narrative in our media 537 00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:36.140 cycle because to the point you made, whether we like 538 00:32:36.180 --> 00:32:38.519 it or not, the media does a really good job 539 00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:41.630 of disparaging us. And so we've got to tell our 540 00:32:41.690 --> 00:32:46.529 own story in a new way. and in a more 541 00:32:46.569 --> 00:32:49.829 diverse way and in a richer way. So, you know, 542 00:32:50.349 --> 00:32:51.730 this is something, this is a moment for us too, 543 00:32:51.769 --> 00:32:53.509 to just say, listen, we've got to do, we got 544 00:32:53.529 --> 00:32:55.990 to do things differently. Cause not like these news outlets 545 00:32:56.029 --> 00:32:59.519 were good to Barack Obama, the black man that was 546 00:32:59.559 --> 00:33:00.279 in the office. 547 00:33:00.599 --> 00:33:03.259 I think that's fair. I think that's fair. I want 548 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:09.619 to very quickly talk about this California settlement. Certainly folks 549 00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:12.339 around

these parts, LA, where our home station is located, uh, 550 00:33:12.990 --> 00:33:15.930 have been talking a lot about this. There are far-reaching 551 00:33:16.009 --> 00:33:20.210 implications of what's going on. And let's connect the dots 552 00:33:20.230 --> 00:33:23.440 a little bit because CNN shows up in this story too. 553 00:33:23.500 --> 00:33:27.240 We know the California Attorney General Rob Bonta, he is 554 00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:30.539 leading a coalition of attorney generals. They settled their antitrust 555 00:33:30.599 --> 00:33:35.990 challenge to paramount $ 111 billion takeover of Warner Brothers Discovery, 556 00:33:36.009 --> 00:33:40.549 which owns CNN. According to reporting, the settlement includes a 557 00:33:40.619 --> 00:33:46.589 nominally independent editorial board overseeing CNN and CBS News, plus 558 00:33:46.970 --> 00:33:52.170 promises on movie output. AG Bonta says that the deal has, quotes, 559 00:33:52.250 --> 00:33:54.750 real teeth, but the LA Times, they report that the 560 00:33:54.789 --> 00:33:59.029 agreement came amid heavy political pressure, including from Governor Gavin Newsom, 561 00:33:59.650 --> 00:34:03.210 and after Paramount owner David Ellison floated moving the studio 562 00:34:03.269 --> 00:34:07.819 out of California to places like Nashville. And so You know, 563 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:10.480 I've got to ask you quickly in about 30 seconds each, 564 00:34:10.860 --> 00:34:13.280 you know, how much of a political liability might this 565 00:34:13.380 --> 00:34:17.730 be for Governor Gavin Newsom, who is considering a run 566 00:34:17.769 --> 00:34:18.530 for the presidency? 567 00:34:21.210 --> 00:34:23.769 I yield to Brother Fowler here. He's the expert. 568 00:34:25.050 --> 00:34:27.369 Oh, you yield to me on this one? Yes, sir. 569 00:34:27.369 --> 00:34:33.050 30 seconds. Go ahead. And I have 30 seconds. I 570 00:34:33.110 --> 00:34:33.400 love it. 571 00:34:33.829 --> 00:34:37.130 Look, I understand why California settled this deal. I think 572 00:34:37.170 --> 00:34:40.929 the questions, the devil will be in the details and 573 00:34:40.949 --> 00:34:47.809 the implementation. Will there actually be an independent CBS? Will 574 00:34:47.829 --> 00:34:51.519 there actually be an independent CNN? And how will that 575 00:34:51.739 --> 00:34:54.840 actually look? And to all the points you made, how 576 00:34:54.860 --> 00:34:58.119 will this impact the upcoming elections? And we're going to 577 00:34:58.139 --> 00:34:59.769 have to wait to see on all those pieces. 578 00:34:59.929 --> 00:35:02.329 But my question was specifically about Gavin Newsom. 579 00:35:02.989 --> 00:35:06.949 Oh, I, you know, I'm not, I can't, I have 580 00:35:06.969 --> 00:35:08.570 to be, I have to be impartial on that, but 581 00:35:08.590 --> 00:35:10.869 I'm not, I'm not, I'm not the biggest Gavin Newsom fan. 582 00:35:10.889 --> 00:35:13.260 So I'm just gonna leave it at that. I won't 583 00:35:13.300 --> 00:35:16.380 be impartial here. I will say, listen, everybody, you know, 584 00:35:17.940 --> 00:35:19.880 and I'm, I'm, I'm paraphrasing this. Dr. 585 00:35:19.900 --> 00:35:25.400 Nicola is Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King said silence is 586 00:35:25.460 --> 00:35:26.260 also deafening. 587 00:35:26.739 --> 00:35:26.969 Okay. 588 00:35:27.610 --> 00:35:30.030 And so, you know, if this is something that he 589 00:35:30.070 --> 00:35:32.150 needs to bring up through the state court, Supreme Court, 590 00:35:32.429 --> 00:35:35.110 he needs to do that because he also stands in 591 00:35:35.150 --> 00:35:38.050 a space where democracy is on the ballot. He also 592 00:35:38.230 --> 00:35:41.829 stands as a defender of democracy, of one being one of, 593 00:35:42.010 --> 00:35:42.469 you know, one. 594 00:35:42.409 --> 00:35:44.889 Of 50 governors in this country. So could he could 595 00:35:44.929 --> 00:35:47.849 it be a political liability? Absolutely not. I mean, absolutely 596 00:35:47.869 --> 00:35:50.150 he can. And should it be? Absolutely. 597 00:35:50.789 --> 00:35:51.269 Absolutely. 598 00:35:51.309 --> 00:35:53.309 Let's not sit here and mistake activity for achievement. 599 00:35:54.340 --> 00:35:56.599 We need to stop measuring our litmus test on people 600 00:35:56.619 --> 00:35:59.599 who could be president or not president should not be 601 00:35:59.639 --> 00:36:04.710 devoured in a tweet or Facebook post. Let's be valued 602 00:36:04.789 --> 00:36:06.789 or let's measure you on your work. 603 00:36:07.349 --> 00:36:09.309 You're listening to and streaming A More Perfect Union on 604 00:36:09.369 --> 00:36:13.730 KBLA Talk 1580. More with Richard A. Fowler and Michael 605 00:36:13.750 --> 00:36:14.610 Bland when we come forward.