June 21, 2024 • 14 mins
Buck Sexton is joined by David Harsanyi, senior editor at The Federalist, to delve into the contentious debate of democracy versus republic. They explore the implications of majoritarian views, the push to eliminate the Electoral College, and the importance of federalism and state rights. The discussion also touches on the Biden administration's performance, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it has affected public perception and political discourse. With the upcoming debates and elections, they analyze recent polling data and consider whether Trump can win in traditionally Democratic states.
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Speaker 1 (00:11):
You're listening to the Buck Sexton Show podcast. Make sure
you subscribe to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app or
wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the Buck Brief.
David Harsanyi in the mix. Our friend who is a
senior editor at The Federalist got great pieces up at
the Federalist dot com. David, I want to jump right
into it, the democracy versus republic debate. Libs are upset
(00:38):
about this that we keep saying it's a republic not
a democracy. But then why do they care and keep
saying it's a democracy not a republic. I feel like
they want to have it both ways. But what's really
at the heart of this argument that is breaking out
in the media, at least in this election year.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Well, CNN sent this reporter down to some Trump ave
at to try embarrass you know, Trump supporters who can't
explain the difference with like you know, political science, you
know specit, you know specifically what the difference and distinction is.
So I found it interesting because the guy who was
doing it said that, oh, there's a debate. You know,
(01:15):
some people say we're a direct democracy, you know so,
But well.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
I think which we definitely are not. That is definitely
not the case.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah, no debate. So, yes, democracies use the shorthand right.
People have used it for a long time to explain
what I think at least are like constitutional idea, self determination,
individual rights, things like that. But I've noticed in the
last few years they get mad when you use republic
because they are actually quite majoritarian now that they think
(01:47):
they have the upper hand. So they want to get
rid of the electoral college, they want to get rid
of the filibuster. They don't like the idea of to
see Senate to sences for each state, they want, you know,
and stuff like that. So they want a direct democracy
that's very centralized and very powerful. So I think it's
about time that people start calling it a republic, which
(02:07):
we are, and not a democracy, which means a lot
of things. So I don't know why they get mad.
I mean, I do know why they get mad because
you're being more specific about what you believe. And we
have a lot of non democratic, anti majority or counter
majoritarian institutions as well, and people don't respect them anymore,
like the Supreme Court, for instance. So anyway, that's what
I think.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Is well, I think we have well, also, whenever they
bring up the electoral college, if they lose, the electoral
college is a vestige of a bygone era of exploitation,
and there's no reason for the continuation of this. You know.
They basically want to eliminate the notion of federalism and
the power of states, and they're pretty open about that.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, states created the United States, not the reverse. You know, Listen,
they don't care. Honestly, they don't care what the Constitution
says or why we're here. But you know, so I
wrote this piece about it, and I just explained why
I think there is a distinction, and it's okay to
say republic and but you know, and the blowback on
it is immense. You know why it's I think it's
(03:12):
because they are entire case for this election because they
everything is about Trump, right, you can't mention anything that
isn't about Trump. To them. Whole elections about saving democracy,
which can mean whatever they want it to mean. So
they don't like the idea that you might be more
specific about what we're talking about. You know, when Biden
just does the student loan thing, for instance, he's undermining
(03:33):
actually what democracy is about here. But they want to
include that sort of thing in democracy. So that's I
think at least what makes them so mad about this debate.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
It is also I don't know, maybe we could say
it's ironic or it's just they're just something bizarre about
They're upset that they think Trump is a threat to democracy,
and particularly right now because all the polls have him
leading against Joe Biden in the upcoming Democratic election. You
(04:04):
know what I'm saying, Like, the threat to democracy is
the guy who's going to win democratically. I know that
that's theoretically possible, but you know, really.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Well, that's the thing it's to be. It's just Calvin Ball,
you know. I mean when Dobbs came out and they
overturned Roe v. Wade, they literally overturned the undemocratic, you know,
unilateral abortion law that the Court made and allowed people
to vote on it, and that too was against democracy.
So in essence, you can't really win with them. But
(04:35):
I do think there is, you know, an underlying problem
where they think that just because fifty one percent of
people want to tell you what to do, that's fine.
I think that a lot of people who don't pay
close attention believe that now that's why they hate the
electoral college and stuff. And it's very dangerous because I
don't care if fifty one percent of people make me
do something or one percent of people make me do something.
(04:55):
It's if it's authoritarian. And I think a lot of
progressive ideas are authoritarian, you know. So I think it's
an important debate to have, and I don't think we
should give in, you know, because they bock us for
saying republic Well.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
This is also why I thought the experience of COVID
was so both illuminating and terrifying, because they buy whatever
it was. I don't know if it was even a majority,
but enough Americans went nuts that they made people do
manifestly insane things as a matter of policy with the
backing of the state. And that is what happened.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Now that that was the most eye opening and dangerous
moment in American history so far in the sense of
our liberty is the way we just gave in and
let them shut down a church or let them, you know,
keep us in our homes or destroy our businesses because
they told us most people wanted that or helped, you know,
for the common good. That is everything. I think someone
you know, and they were demagogues, you know, and scaremongerers.
(05:53):
I think that's everything Madison was worried about in like
Federalist ten. You know, and.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Have you seen Fauci by the way, go on, he
actually said in response to there are people who want
to lock you up, he said, what am I guilty
of saving millions of lives? He actually said, that's true.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, he's something else. He wants to have it both
ways where I have no power, but also I'm saving
all these lives. Well, either you had the power and
everyone listened to you and did what you said, or
you didn't save any lives. Right, it can't be both ways,
you know, And he didn't save any lives anyway.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Yeah, I'm to me, that's it's such a it's such
a test of of of of wisdom, whether you have
any or not. Somebody who still thinks that Fauci is
worth listening to at all they have they are completely
lacking in introspection, judgment, and wisdom.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Like it's it's.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Gone beyond the like, oh, I kind of understand how
some people can get fooled by this guy. Like now
you're just you're willfully in the cult you know he's
the cult leader. You know, he's got like thirty you know,
thirty uh, you know may Box or whatever parked out
back with his cult members money. But you still, you know,
you're still praying to the guy. Like that's kind of
where Fauci is for me. So I find him loathsome
(07:06):
loathsome beyond words. I'm gonna come and ask you in
a second, David, about what you think is gonna Let's
talk about the debate that's coming up, because by the
time people see this over the weekend, we'll just be
a few days out from it, and just what you
see happening with the race so far. But first up,
I'm a gun guy. David actually wrote a very good
book about guns, by the way, Goad recommend everybody go
(07:27):
check it out. But I like firearms. I got a
whole bunch of them here at home, including my three
most recent firearms from Bear Creek Arsenal. Bear Creek Arsenal
is a phenomenal firearms maker. They make high quality, incredibly
well priced guns, handguns, rifles, upper receivers, you name it.
They're all American based here in Sanford, North Carolina. And
(07:49):
the more people find out about them and buy their guns.
I'm telling you, the more they love this firearms manufacturer.
They offer a wide range of premium calibers a fraction
of what the competition has, and Bear Creek Arsenal has
no middleman fee, so they're passing the best possible prices
onto you. I love my bar Creek Arsenal Grizzly. It's
a phenomenal side arm that I carry when I'm out
(08:09):
at the range. Great for home defense, great for use
of the range, feels really good in your hands. And
the BC fifteen is a really top tier AR that
can go toe to toe with the most expensive AR
fifteens in the market. So learn more about Barack Creek
Arsenal at Barcreek Arsenal dot com. Slash buck use promo
code buck for ten percent off your first order. That's
(08:29):
Bearcreek Arsenal dot com. Slash buck promo code buck for
ten percent off your first order. I think this debate
could matter a lot or could matter very little, And
I know that kind of gives me a tremendous amount
of wiggle room, But to me, it's all dependent on
how it goes down, right, I mean, how do you
see it as We're now just days away from Biden
(08:51):
having to stand and speak without handlers for ninety minutes.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I'm with you, actually, I think could go either way,
dramatically almost or very non dramatic.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
I guess yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
But I think there's a danger there for Republicans actually,
in the sense that Biden's been so so incoherent lately,
and there's all this video of him acting in a
way that an eighty year old one will will act
sometimes that expectations are so low that all he has
to do is be basically coherent to be impressive, right,
(09:25):
So I think that's dangerous. But also, I mean it
could be that he does he does have a bad day.
As we know, sometimes you know, people that age were
in decline of a good day, and sometimes they don't.
If he has a bad day, that could just reinforce
when people see with their own eyes, and that could
be terrible for him. So, I mean, it could go
(09:46):
either way. I don't think it's going to be a
really like heavy policy debate or anything, because I'm not
really sure what they can do. They can talk about
their accomplishments, and I think for the most part, obviously
people remember the Trump years pretty you know, other than
the COVID part is pretty successful.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
I think, yeah, certainly on the economic on the economic front,
and it's very hard for buy in to come up
with much to say. I mean, I've noticed that now
they've started to push more heavily, you know, the different
mouthpieces that they have, whether the media or out of
the White House. On the you think prices are high,
but prices actually aren't high. Or you know, you think
(10:26):
that wages and buying powers down because of inflation, but
like it's actually not doubt, you know what I mean.
They're having to resort to the things that you think
are bad in the economy aren't as bad as they
or rather they're less bad than you think they are.
That seems to be some of what I'm seeing as
the messaging, which to me does not strike as a
(10:46):
winning message.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
OHI they're column after column telling people how crazy to
believe that prices are. You know, there's inflation, and then
they talk of it. They do this year to year
comparison and pretend things are growing great. Well, there's compounding inflation.
It's not like, oh, inflation is not growing as much,
and all of a sudden, prices are where they worth
five years ago. You know, people aren't stupid. I don't
(11:08):
even know what's going on with prices, just like hand
over my credit card and even I noticed when I
go to the supermarket, I'm like, that's insane, you know.
And I think that that is the biggest issue. So,
and here's the thing I think Trump needs to bring
up I'm not sure he will, is that it could
have been avoided if they hadn't passed you know, they
hadn't done all that spending coming out of the COVID,
you know thing. So it's a self inflicted economic problem,
(11:33):
and I think Trump needs, you know, if he needs
to hammer hammer hammer that. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
What do you make of the of the polling, the
most recent polling that shows that Trump is within eight
points in New York, that he's in striking distance in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Is this you know? Is this just like a moment
of uh a bullion's perhaps over competence firm Republicans? Or
do you feel like there's just no way that Joe
Biden can actually win in a free and fair election
against this guy at this.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Point, I should preface this by like, I'm not a
polling expert, kind of ignore them. Most of the time.
But I have to say this, I think that they don't.
They don't seem real to me, you know, like I
don't buy that he's within aid in New York. I'm sorry,
I don't buy that the African American votes like shifted
that much. I'm not saying it's not true. I just
(12:24):
I have a hard time buying all that stuff. I
know that Trump voters have been undercounted in many elections,
but I have to say the last mid from Republican
votes were way overcounted, so you know, we thought there
was going to you know, they were going to run
the table in twenty twenty two, and it was pretty
much a disaster for Republicans really, So I don't know.
(12:45):
I would be very cautious in the end. Votes are
all the matter, not polls, and I you know, as
each election goes on, I'm more and more dubious. I
feel more and more dubious about what they're telling me.
So I don't know is the answer to that, but
I would be i was a Republican, I would be
a bit nervous now. Also, national polls, to me, you know,
people repeat they don't mean anything, but when you look
(13:06):
at state polling. Obviously, Trump's competitive because Biden's going to
complete failure, you know, So that's the upside.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Have you ever met it? I mean, I mean this honestly, Like,
I know you live in the roughly the DC area, right,
so you know you come across people all over the place.
I really I can say this. And maybe it's just
because I live increasingly in this like very extreme right
wing bubble. I don't know where everyone that I deal with,
like my dentist is right wing. My account is right,
like you know, like I go to the butcher where
(13:35):
I know the guy's a veteran who's right wing. Like
I mean, maybe I'm self effacic about this. I have
not met, though, a single Democrat who will look me
in the eyes and be like, I'm really a Joe
Biden person, and I think he's done a great job.
Every Democrat I know will say that Trump is awful
and I hate him and you know all that stuff. Sure, right,
have you met a Democrat who has been willing to
(13:56):
make the case to you, the real case to you,
that Joe Biden is an exceptionally strong president.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
No, No, I mean I've written about this, and not
just that you know, like there's an excitement around Obahama,
Like I don't. I thought he was the one of
the worst presence ever, but there was this excitement about him.
This because personality it appeal to people. There's an excitement
around Trump. People who like Trump really loved the guy,
and you saw that with Clinton, Reagan, even with the
w you know, in a way, I don't feel that
(14:24):
at all with the fight, and I don't like, I know,
I just don't think people are excited about him for
obvious reasons. You know, you don't see the bumper stickers,
you don't see the signs. I've never met anyone who said, like, man,
I'm a big Joe Biden guy, you know, because they
don't really stand for anything. He just stands for not
being Trump. And that's I don't know, election come down.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
It feels like that's just not there's no way that
could be enough this time. Although I i I after
twenty twenty and twenty twenty two, I feel like I
need to be prepared for the absolute disappointment that can
that can come with these things. So we'll see mister Arson.
You always a pleasure, sir, Thank you for your insights,
and we will go check out David's latest at the
(15:03):
federalist dot com and we'll see you all again soon.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Thanks, thanks for having me, Thank you.
You're listening to the Buck Sexton Show podcast. Make sure
you subscribe to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app or
wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome back to the Buck Brief.
David Harsanyi in the mix. Our friend who is a
senior editor at The Federalist got great pieces up at
the Federalist dot com. David, I want to jump right
into it, the democracy versus republic debate. Libs are upset
(00:38):
about this that we keep saying it's a republic not
a democracy. But then why do they care and keep
saying it's a democracy not a republic. I feel like
they want to have it both ways. But what's really
at the heart of this argument that is breaking out
in the media, at least in this election year.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Well, CNN sent this reporter down to some Trump ave
at to try embarrass you know, Trump supporters who can't
explain the difference with like you know, political science, you
know specit, you know specifically what the difference and distinction is.
So I found it interesting because the guy who was
doing it said that, oh, there's a debate. You know,
(01:15):
some people say we're a direct democracy, you know so,
But well.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
I think which we definitely are not. That is definitely
not the case.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Yeah, no debate. So, yes, democracies use the shorthand right.
People have used it for a long time to explain
what I think at least are like constitutional idea, self determination,
individual rights, things like that. But I've noticed in the
last few years they get mad when you use republic
because they are actually quite majoritarian now that they think
(01:47):
they have the upper hand. So they want to get
rid of the electoral college, they want to get rid
of the filibuster. They don't like the idea of to
see Senate to sences for each state, they want, you know,
and stuff like that. So they want a direct democracy
that's very centralized and very powerful. So I think it's
about time that people start calling it a republic, which
(02:07):
we are, and not a democracy, which means a lot
of things. So I don't know why they get mad.
I mean, I do know why they get mad because
you're being more specific about what you believe. And we
have a lot of non democratic, anti majority or counter
majoritarian institutions as well, and people don't respect them anymore,
like the Supreme Court, for instance. So anyway, that's what
I think.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Is well, I think we have well, also, whenever they
bring up the electoral college, if they lose, the electoral
college is a vestige of a bygone era of exploitation,
and there's no reason for the continuation of this. You know.
They basically want to eliminate the notion of federalism and
the power of states, and they're pretty open about that.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, states created the United States, not the reverse. You know, Listen,
they don't care. Honestly, they don't care what the Constitution
says or why we're here. But you know, so I
wrote this piece about it, and I just explained why
I think there is a distinction, and it's okay to
say republic and but you know, and the blowback on
it is immense. You know why it's I think it's
(03:12):
because they are entire case for this election because they
everything is about Trump, right, you can't mention anything that
isn't about Trump. To them. Whole elections about saving democracy,
which can mean whatever they want it to mean. So
they don't like the idea that you might be more
specific about what we're talking about. You know, when Biden
just does the student loan thing, for instance, he's undermining
(03:33):
actually what democracy is about here. But they want to
include that sort of thing in democracy. So that's I
think at least what makes them so mad about this debate.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
It is also I don't know, maybe we could say
it's ironic or it's just they're just something bizarre about
They're upset that they think Trump is a threat to democracy,
and particularly right now because all the polls have him
leading against Joe Biden in the upcoming Democratic election. You
(04:04):
know what I'm saying, Like, the threat to democracy is
the guy who's going to win democratically. I know that
that's theoretically possible, but you know, really.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Well, that's the thing it's to be. It's just Calvin Ball,
you know. I mean when Dobbs came out and they
overturned Roe v. Wade, they literally overturned the undemocratic, you know,
unilateral abortion law that the Court made and allowed people
to vote on it, and that too was against democracy.
So in essence, you can't really win with them. But
(04:35):
I do think there is, you know, an underlying problem
where they think that just because fifty one percent of
people want to tell you what to do, that's fine.
I think that a lot of people who don't pay
close attention believe that now that's why they hate the
electoral college and stuff. And it's very dangerous because I
don't care if fifty one percent of people make me
do something or one percent of people make me do something.
(04:55):
It's if it's authoritarian. And I think a lot of
progressive ideas are authoritarian, you know. So I think it's
an important debate to have, and I don't think we
should give in, you know, because they bock us for
saying republic Well.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
This is also why I thought the experience of COVID
was so both illuminating and terrifying, because they buy whatever
it was. I don't know if it was even a majority,
but enough Americans went nuts that they made people do
manifestly insane things as a matter of policy with the
backing of the state. And that is what happened.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Now that that was the most eye opening and dangerous
moment in American history so far in the sense of
our liberty is the way we just gave in and
let them shut down a church or let them, you know,
keep us in our homes or destroy our businesses because
they told us most people wanted that or helped, you know,
for the common good. That is everything. I think someone
you know, and they were demagogues, you know, and scaremongerers.
(05:53):
I think that's everything Madison was worried about in like
Federalist ten. You know, and.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
Have you seen Fauci by the way, go on, he
actually said in response to there are people who want
to lock you up, he said, what am I guilty
of saving millions of lives? He actually said, that's true.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Yeah, he's something else. He wants to have it both
ways where I have no power, but also I'm saving
all these lives. Well, either you had the power and
everyone listened to you and did what you said, or
you didn't save any lives. Right, it can't be both ways,
you know, And he didn't save any lives anyway.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Yeah, I'm to me, that's it's such a it's such
a test of of of of wisdom, whether you have
any or not. Somebody who still thinks that Fauci is
worth listening to at all they have they are completely
lacking in introspection, judgment, and wisdom.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Like it's it's.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Gone beyond the like, oh, I kind of understand how
some people can get fooled by this guy. Like now
you're just you're willfully in the cult you know he's
the cult leader. You know, he's got like thirty you know,
thirty uh, you know may Box or whatever parked out
back with his cult members money. But you still, you know,
you're still praying to the guy. Like that's kind of
where Fauci is for me. So I find him loathsome
(07:06):
loathsome beyond words. I'm gonna come and ask you in
a second, David, about what you think is gonna Let's
talk about the debate that's coming up, because by the
time people see this over the weekend, we'll just be
a few days out from it, and just what you
see happening with the race so far. But first up,
I'm a gun guy. David actually wrote a very good
book about guns, by the way, Goad recommend everybody go
(07:27):
check it out. But I like firearms. I got a
whole bunch of them here at home, including my three
most recent firearms from Bear Creek Arsenal. Bear Creek Arsenal
is a phenomenal firearms maker. They make high quality, incredibly
well priced guns, handguns, rifles, upper receivers, you name it.
They're all American based here in Sanford, North Carolina. And
(07:49):
the more people find out about them and buy their guns.
I'm telling you, the more they love this firearms manufacturer.
They offer a wide range of premium calibers a fraction
of what the competition has, and Bear Creek Arsenal has
no middleman fee, so they're passing the best possible prices
onto you. I love my bar Creek Arsenal Grizzly. It's
a phenomenal side arm that I carry when I'm out
(08:09):
at the range. Great for home defense, great for use
of the range, feels really good in your hands. And
the BC fifteen is a really top tier AR that
can go toe to toe with the most expensive AR
fifteens in the market. So learn more about Barack Creek
Arsenal at Barcreek Arsenal dot com. Slash buck use promo
code buck for ten percent off your first order. That's
(08:29):
Bearcreek Arsenal dot com. Slash buck promo code buck for
ten percent off your first order. I think this debate
could matter a lot or could matter very little, And
I know that kind of gives me a tremendous amount
of wiggle room, But to me, it's all dependent on
how it goes down, right, I mean, how do you
see it as We're now just days away from Biden
(08:51):
having to stand and speak without handlers for ninety minutes.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
I'm with you, actually, I think could go either way,
dramatically almost or very non dramatic.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
I guess yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
But I think there's a danger there for Republicans actually,
in the sense that Biden's been so so incoherent lately,
and there's all this video of him acting in a
way that an eighty year old one will will act
sometimes that expectations are so low that all he has
to do is be basically coherent to be impressive, right,
(09:25):
So I think that's dangerous. But also, I mean it
could be that he does he does have a bad day.
As we know, sometimes you know, people that age were
in decline of a good day, and sometimes they don't.
If he has a bad day, that could just reinforce
when people see with their own eyes, and that could
be terrible for him. So, I mean, it could go
(09:46):
either way. I don't think it's going to be a
really like heavy policy debate or anything, because I'm not
really sure what they can do. They can talk about
their accomplishments, and I think for the most part, obviously
people remember the Trump years pretty you know, other than
the COVID part is pretty successful.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
I think, yeah, certainly on the economic on the economic front,
and it's very hard for buy in to come up
with much to say. I mean, I've noticed that now
they've started to push more heavily, you know, the different
mouthpieces that they have, whether the media or out of
the White House. On the you think prices are high,
but prices actually aren't high. Or you know, you think
(10:26):
that wages and buying powers down because of inflation, but
like it's actually not doubt, you know what I mean.
They're having to resort to the things that you think
are bad in the economy aren't as bad as they
or rather they're less bad than you think they are.
That seems to be some of what I'm seeing as
the messaging, which to me does not strike as a
(10:46):
winning message.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
OHI they're column after column telling people how crazy to
believe that prices are. You know, there's inflation, and then
they talk of it. They do this year to year
comparison and pretend things are growing great. Well, there's compounding inflation.
It's not like, oh, inflation is not growing as much,
and all of a sudden, prices are where they worth
five years ago. You know, people aren't stupid. I don't
(11:08):
even know what's going on with prices, just like hand
over my credit card and even I noticed when I
go to the supermarket, I'm like, that's insane, you know.
And I think that that is the biggest issue. So,
and here's the thing I think Trump needs to bring
up I'm not sure he will, is that it could
have been avoided if they hadn't passed you know, they
hadn't done all that spending coming out of the COVID,
you know thing. So it's a self inflicted economic problem,
(11:33):
and I think Trump needs, you know, if he needs
to hammer hammer hammer that. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
What do you make of the of the polling, the
most recent polling that shows that Trump is within eight
points in New York, that he's in striking distance in Minnesota.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Is this you know? Is this just like a moment
of uh a bullion's perhaps over competence firm Republicans? Or
do you feel like there's just no way that Joe
Biden can actually win in a free and fair election
against this guy at this.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Point, I should preface this by like, I'm not a
polling expert, kind of ignore them. Most of the time.
But I have to say this, I think that they don't.
They don't seem real to me, you know, like I
don't buy that he's within aid in New York. I'm sorry,
I don't buy that the African American votes like shifted
that much. I'm not saying it's not true. I just
(12:24):
I have a hard time buying all that stuff. I
know that Trump voters have been undercounted in many elections,
but I have to say the last mid from Republican
votes were way overcounted, so you know, we thought there
was going to you know, they were going to run
the table in twenty twenty two, and it was pretty
much a disaster for Republicans really, So I don't know.
(12:45):
I would be very cautious in the end. Votes are
all the matter, not polls, and I you know, as
each election goes on, I'm more and more dubious. I
feel more and more dubious about what they're telling me.
So I don't know is the answer to that, but
I would be i was a Republican, I would be
a bit nervous now. Also, national polls, to me, you know,
people repeat they don't mean anything, but when you look
(13:06):
at state polling. Obviously, Trump's competitive because Biden's going to
complete failure, you know, So that's the upside.
Speaker 1 (13:13):
Have you ever met it? I mean, I mean this honestly, Like,
I know you live in the roughly the DC area, right,
so you know you come across people all over the place.
I really I can say this. And maybe it's just
because I live increasingly in this like very extreme right
wing bubble. I don't know where everyone that I deal with,
like my dentist is right wing. My account is right,
like you know, like I go to the butcher where
(13:35):
I know the guy's a veteran who's right wing. Like
I mean, maybe I'm self effacic about this. I have
not met, though, a single Democrat who will look me
in the eyes and be like, I'm really a Joe
Biden person, and I think he's done a great job.
Every Democrat I know will say that Trump is awful
and I hate him and you know all that stuff. Sure, right,
have you met a Democrat who has been willing to
(13:56):
make the case to you, the real case to you,
that Joe Biden is an exceptionally strong president.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
No, No, I mean I've written about this, and not
just that you know, like there's an excitement around Obahama,
Like I don't. I thought he was the one of
the worst presence ever, but there was this excitement about him.
This because personality it appeal to people. There's an excitement
around Trump. People who like Trump really loved the guy,
and you saw that with Clinton, Reagan, even with the
w you know, in a way, I don't feel that
(14:24):
at all with the fight, and I don't like, I know,
I just don't think people are excited about him for
obvious reasons. You know, you don't see the bumper stickers,
you don't see the signs. I've never met anyone who said, like, man,
I'm a big Joe Biden guy, you know, because they
don't really stand for anything. He just stands for not
being Trump. And that's I don't know, election come down.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
It feels like that's just not there's no way that
could be enough this time. Although I i I after
twenty twenty and twenty twenty two, I feel like I
need to be prepared for the absolute disappointment that can
that can come with these things. So we'll see mister Arson.
You always a pleasure, sir, Thank you for your insights,
and we will go check out David's latest at the
(15:03):
federalist dot com and we'll see you all again soon.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Thanks, thanks for having me, Thank you.
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Buck Sexton
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