October 15, 2025 • 33 mins
Praise for Hitler, gas chambers, and slavery. All that and a whole lot more in the group text of some leaders of the Young Republicans. The leaked exchanged give shocking insights into their cool, comfortable, and casual racist conversations. But only shocking to some.
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey there, folks, it is Wednesday, October the fifteenth. Black
people are actually watermelon people. That's just one of the
little gems we got from thousands and thousands of pages
of leaked text exchanges among young Republican leaders. And with that,
(00:25):
welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Rope.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
This story is everybody's just buzzing about like crazy because
some of these details, it's almost look these are private
messages that got out.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's hard to believe.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Still in a private message that you would say some
of this stuff in a group of four or five,
six plus people.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
It's jaw dropping, and it's interesting to have read through
most of what political reported. They are the ones who
got hold of these text messages. And again these are
seven months of messages, twenty nine thousand pages. And for
me it was jaw dropping, not just the tone and
the words and the language used, but how often they're used,
(01:04):
how cavalleterly they're used, how disgustingly they're referred to.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Joked about it. I was appalled.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
You and I had very different reactions, though it was
interesting if you look at it from the perspective of
each one of our lives. How I viewed all of this,
and how you viewed all of this that's coming to light.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah, and I'm sure a lot of people out there
are having some of those same conversations and experiences about this.
When what we're talking about, if you're not familiar, we're
seeing these are young Republicans. We're not just talking about
people who are Republicans who happen to be young. No, no, no,
this is official group. This is an official group, an
organization that is officially affiliated with the National Republican Party. Yes,
(01:46):
they're called the Young Republicans. They're focused on, yes, young conservatives.
But they have chapters in just about every state in
the country, hundreds of chapters, fifteen thousand members they say
they have. So what we're talking about here are young
Republicans part of this group, part of chapters in the US,
and these were leaders sin they had various leadership positions
(02:06):
within Young Republicans. Now this year Telegram, I don't use telegram,
but there's another messaging app they're all on and over
the course of all of these months, they're having conversations
in which, as Political put it in their exclusive reporting,
this was their headline, I Love Hitler leaked messages expose
(02:28):
young Republicans racist chat. The sub headline thousands of private
messages reveal young geopute leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery,
and rape. That's the headline everybody is buzzing about. Now
we start to break this thing down, Robes. Yes, there's
been condemnation on both sides, but then there's measured and
(02:51):
almost no condemnation coming from one particular part. We will
get into that. But the shock and the outrage of it,
I guess I'm not The language doesn't shock me.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
I'm a little.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Surprised that they would put it in a message in
a group chat. This big to be quite frank, But
the tone things they said, how they say them, how
casually they talk about racist things, no surprise, And to
be honest with you, is not even creative watermelon people.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
They go in the same.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Tired, stupid, lazy ass tropes that white folks like this
I often see.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Do nothing surprising about.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
This, and my experience was very different in that I
couldn't believe that not only people would be willing and
emboldened enough to put this yes in a text, but
just to even say it, think it, believe it, share it,
laugh about it. I just I've not seen or heard
people talk like this, and so I and I know
(03:51):
you're laughing because but I'm just saying I call me naive.
I just I actually feel sickened by the fact that
I look at it from the This is the younger generation, right,
We're supposed to be more aware of how important and
how how words matter, and how easily things get leaked,
(04:13):
and just being tech savvy and knowing not to go
there do that say that, especially in a forum that
could clearly be.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Screen grabbed and sent.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
And it's amazing the brazenness with which these folks say
what they've said.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
And look, when you click on Politico.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
They have a graphic that's really compelling that has some
of these text messages.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Popped up all in a row.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
But just I feel like we should read some of it,
just because this is how outrageous it is. I don't
want to give any weight to it, or even give
any I don't want to glamorize any of this because
it is just so appalling.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
But just to give you an idea of.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Some of the things that were said, great, I love Hitler.
I'd go to the zoo if I wanted to watch
monkey play ball. Everyone that votes know is going to
the gas chamber. I'm ready to watch people burn. Now,
it's just they use words that I won't even repeat
(05:12):
and you wouldn't repeat, that are just so inflammatory and
defammatory that I'm appalled that people would put this and
then to think that they're leading groups, that they're actually
organizing people to vote.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
It's disturbing on a million different levels.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Hey, we'll tell you some of the context in which
they say some of these text messages were said, because
we have heard from a couple of people who are
apart acknowledging they were a part of it, but they
give apologies but then not really apologies at the same time. Now,
in particular, we're just talking about these folks who were
from four particular states New York, Kansas, Arizona, and Vermont.
They were part of those Young Republicans organizations in particular. Now,
(05:54):
the folks we're talking about will get their names to
you here in just a second. You won't necessarily know
those names, but look to get on just to make
sure we're on the record with who these folks are.
The messages themselves political says. They have twenty eight thousand
pages right, robes of text messages, and in those pages
they have, they have two hundred and fifty one they
(06:16):
count it specific, two hundred and fifty one instances they
say mentioning the N word, the F word, and the
R word. Now, I think most of you know what
the R and the F word are that we are
talking about in particular, but they went through and count it.
Now in some of the messages you mentioned one about
(06:39):
monkey ball. Now, somebody on this particular chain was asked
if he was watching an NBA playoff game and the
response that's when he came up with that line you
mentioned Robes quote, I'd go to the zoo if I
wanted to watch monkey playball. Now that's in direct reference
to an NBA game. Now, that is awful. It's terrible,
(07:02):
it's disgusting. Can't believe you wrote it down. Not shocked
this dude would say it. I'm not shocked. That is
such a lazy, stupid ass joke. Like it's not even
it's not funny, it's not clever, it's not cute. It's
like a throwaway, like you're trying to be cool or
somebody that. And to also know that he was he
was in an audience in which he could say that.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
He felt like he was in a safe space.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
That is, that is as as terrible as throw the
in word in there for good measure, Like that's just
so stupid.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
It is.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
It's it's like lowest common denominator BS. And it's not
not that you want someone to be clever and racist,
but it's it's ignorance. And it's just again like it's
low hanging fruit. It's it's not smart, it's not thoughtful,
it's just childish.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
It just doesn't.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Rise to the level of me being outraged at something
like that, Given the number of times I've had to
be exposed to some foolishness like that, it just didn't
rise to the level. So as I'm we're in the
house here, one of us black, one of was white,
looking at this story in two totally different ways, me,
(08:15):
I can't even believe it's being talked about. Like I
understand why I'm not saying from a new standpoint, but
as far as any outrage or getting worked up or
being shocked or how could they or what needs to
happen to them, I'm just okay, fine. Some other people
are now exposed to and aware that this happens. But yeah,
(08:39):
this is this is not a this is not a
big day to hear this. Now, it's disappointing. These are
young Republicans. They're the future of the party. Aren't the
young one supposed to do better than we did?
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yeah, I mean that's the point.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
This is the Young Republican National Federation this day of
fifteen thousand members. It's for Republicans between the ages of
eighteen and forty. And again, we're not condemning the group
with the organization. These are a few people who have
been singled out who wrote and for months wrote just disgusting,
despicable things. It doesn't we don't mean to imply that
(09:12):
anyone else in the group feels or shares these thoughts.
These are specific people with disgusting language, and unfortunately they
were some of the few at the top that were
leading organizations. These weren't just members who were spouting off.
These are people who actually had positions of authority and
power within the group, and that is what makes it
(09:33):
extra disturbing.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Another example here, someone was making a reference he had
just landed after its flight and said, quote, if your
pilot is a sheet and she looks ten shades darker
than someone from sicily just end it there, scream the
no word whatever. Watermelon people was used as a reference
(09:57):
as well. Another reference again throwing in now talking about
it potential Indian. Somebody talking about dating an Indian woman,
and then someone chimed in that she's not Indian. And
then someone else responded and I quote she just didn't
bathe often, essentially saying she's not Indian, You're mistaken. She
(10:20):
just didn't bathe often. Those are just a few of
the examples. You talked about the gas chamber, They talked
about sending people and executing.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
There are references to slavery.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
And being There was one group that he was mentioning
another group of Republicans, and he was someone in the
chat said they were in favor of that group or
favor of that group because they wanted to bring back
slavery like things like that are throughout now. Is there
any defense for this robes in any way, shape or form,
any defense for this language that you could find a
(10:52):
way to give these dudes a break.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
The answer is no.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
And a lot of this was so grossly personally motivated.
When one of the members and we'll get into the names.
Was trying to become the chair of the Young Republican
National Federation like.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
The head of the head.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
He wrote, everyone that votes know is going to the
gas chamber. And then someone writes, when do we start bullying?
Then they can say, if they vote for us, why
would they be guessed? We only want true believers. Can
we fix the showers? Gas chambers don't fit the Hitler aesthetic.
I'm ready to watch people burn. Now we got to
(11:32):
pretend that we like them. Hey, come on in, take
a nice shower and relax. Boom, they're dead. I mean,
this is discuss There isn't even a word to describe
how disgusting that chat back and forth is about someone
wanting to rise to power within the organization.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Okay, is there I don't know. Both sides have condemned.
And again there's a couple of statements here. We're going
to read you from a couple of the people involved
in these chats. Apologies somewhat, but again, folks, if you've
seen Roges, you've probably seen this. A lot of Democrats
are running to find any photos of these guys with
(12:12):
prominent Republicans, and they're starting to post them already, So
that's what this is now becoming to. They're trying to
make some connection to Republicans in DC or some connection
to President Trump.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Where does that conversation go?
Speaker 1 (12:25):
You never be able to prove, right, But there has
been very public racist language that has come out from
pretty prominent people in this country to where it doesn't
necessarily Is it changing people's hearts or just making them
feel emboldened to say what's already in there?
Speaker 4 (12:41):
I think it's the latter of the two.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Sadly, I think that we are now at a place
politically where it's not just okay to say things that
were previously considered offensive but actually encouraged because you know,
we're so unwoke now we can say whatever we want
and say it however we'd like, because that's our right
and we're not going.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
To pretend anymore.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
And perhaps, you know, look, do we want to know
who people really are? Do we want to know what
they really think and say before we vote for them?
Speaker 4 (13:11):
I do so. On one hand, fine, I'll prefer an unvarnished, true.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Account of what somebody is and what they think before
I decide who I want to vote for or align
politically with so transparency is better as disgusting as it is.
My God, if this is what's in their hearts and
in their heads, I'd prefer to know.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
That's the thing that bothers me. And the debate, the
conversation about what should happen to these folks who are
in this chat, and there have been consequences, several of
them have lost positions that they had or expected to
be going to the national head of the groups, that
all of them need to immediately resign one hundred everybody
in this chat needs to resign from the organization. Not
(13:55):
sure at least of this recording where all of that lies.
But but really, Rose, I'm so much of the conversation
has gone towards how their privacy was violated, has gone
to immediately not even condemning what they're doing, but immediately saying, well,
(14:16):
something this democrat did was worse. So I don't know
if this day and time, if you see this and
we can't all agree that this is bad and the
first thing out of all of our mouths should be
no language like this should ever come out of somebody
who's mouth or in a text, And then the next
thing has got to be nothing like this should be
(14:36):
in your hearts. Where do I don't know where we
go with that, because I don't want people to keep
this stuff in. I want to hear about it, but
I don't want to be there in the first place.
And I don't know we.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Say stuff privately, all of us do.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Everybody's got one, right, one person you text that if
your text messages got out, you'd be in trouble. Everybody's
got one this. The lessons shouldn't be be careful what
you text.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
It should be examine why you feel the way you do.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Period.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
And so now, as always on race conversations, they're all
gone sideways and look what this person did, and look
what this democrat did, and this is worse than that.
And I know there's a violence element to this, but
this is pretty much racism all around these text messages.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
What we're talking about here, I just it's hatred.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
And if we're gonna do this, everybody gonna try to
get their political points and then we'll go back to
our respective corners.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
And we have had some official response from several people,
and yeah, a lot of.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Them trying to distance themselves, saying, well, you know I, yeah,
he's from that group. I ain't have anything that kind
of stuff to be expected. That's fine, But the one
that stands out is the one you need to hear from.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Vice President J. D.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Vance have to say, was a little surprised by this one.
Stay here, we'll share it in a moment. Also, we'll
tell you exactly who these folks are who are on
this text chain, and we want to let you hear
the apologies we've gotten from at least two people involved
in these text messages.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
We continue our conversation here on Amy and TJ about
these atrocious text messages. Seven months of messages, twenty nine
thousand pages of messages filled with racism, misogyny, calls for violence,
you name it, anything as disgusting as you could think of.
(16:35):
Pretty much was included in these text messages that have
all been released now Political wrote Politico wrote a story
on these text messages, and there has been quite a
bit of response, but some surprising and I think you
mentioned this before we went to break JD. Vansa Vice President.
Vance's response was, I would just say disappointing.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Yeah, and this is well.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Look and saying out loud, this is a guy, look
at this is a really sharp guy I think is
a really sharp politician. And look, a lot of people
they just look, you have your pilicolings an opinion about him.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
But I.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Generally think this dude gets it right, and this dude
presents himself really well, and I look at him with
a certain level of admiration for all that he has
done and how he handles the public.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
But his response on.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
X was to refer to something that's going on in
Virginia where a Democratic candidate for attorney general there had
a few years ago. It's just gotten exposed in the race.
But a few years ago he made a reference to
another politician possibly being shot. Right, he's apologized for it,
but it's in the middle of the race now. So
(17:47):
jd Vance in his response, made a reference to that
by putting up a screenshot essentially of some of those
threats and said that this quote this is far worse
than any thing said in a college group chat. And
the guy who said it could become the age of Virginia.
(18:07):
I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people
call for political violence.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Pearl clutching, Oh man, just you know what.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Instead of recognizing what happened acknowledging it and saying there's
no place for it. Instead, he deferred and deflected and compared.
And this isn't something This isn't a story where we
need to say, well, they did this, and let's just
deal with the facts on hand and the issue at
(18:43):
play now in the conversation we're having, and I just
it's just it's a classic thing that politicians do, and
it's just disappointing.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
I think that's how I feel.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
There was an opportunity for him to actually say something
powerful and something that could actually inspire the people who
look up to him, who do appreciate some of his
frankness and his political directness and straightforwardness. He always often
touts his Catholic upbringing, his Catholic faith, his moral stand.
(19:14):
So I just it was an opportunity that he not
only missed, but just I just feel like sadly destroyed and.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
To get I don't know why, or if this would
have come from a different politician, I might have seen
it differently.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
I don't know why. It's too bad.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
It's the vice print of the United States on this issue,
and this is yes to be expected maybe from politician
we've seen it with the back and forth on political violence.
When something happens to one side, the other side comes
back and says, well, yeah, but you all did this
to our person, and this was worse than what happened
to this person. I just hate we get into that.
The only thing that needs to be said, this is awful, this.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Is viile, this is disgusting.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Yeah, it's not up to us to say what should
happen to them, but we can say this shouldn't be said,
This shouldn't be he felt. What can we do to
move forward? We just have this mentality that we have
to absolutely go after these guys and go after anybody
affiliated and destroy and destroy and destroy. And that didn't Yeah,
he didn't make a reference at all. If I missed it,
(20:14):
I'm sorry, but I didn't see him making an affle
to criticize the comments in the.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Group chatter all.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
I didn't see it either. And in terms of who
was in that group chat, we can go over who
they were.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
We mentioned they were leaders, and then we can get
to the apologies from two of them.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
You won't nobody will know the names, but one, you know,
the one that really really stood out is somebody who
was a current member, where is it. I don't have
them listened there saying I'll look it up.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
You go through the names here we need to grab
and the names are less important versus their titles, the
roles they played. I think that to me is what
stood out more than anything that we had. William Hendrick's
vice chair of Kansas Young Republicans, Bobby Walker, who was
the vice chair of the New York State Young Republicans,
Peter Judah, then chair of New York's State Young Republicuplicans,
(21:00):
and he is we just saw him as recently as
a few weeks ago making the rounds on political talk
shows as a Republican strategist. Joe Maligno, General counsel of
New York State Young Republicans, Alex Dwyer, chair of Kansas
Young Republicans, Annie Kkatie, New York Committee member, and then
Michael Bartel's an advisor in the legal office of US
(21:22):
Small Business Association. He didn't say much, but he also
didn't push back, so that I just wanted to point
that out. Politico did make that distinction, But in terms
of the apologies, as you referenced earlier, Babe, they apologized,
but then they were upset that their private conversations. They
(21:42):
had to add that, and like, if you make an apology,
a genuine apology, don't make an excuse, don't defend, just
say you're sorry.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
That isn't what happened.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
And another name was actually at this It was important
to mention Sam Douglas, who is a current sitting member
of the Vermonts Legislature, my actual lallmaker there who has
been as to resign again as of this recording. No
worry that that's happened. But two of the folks say
the last name again, Peter Juntah Junta.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
He was the one.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
I think his name is popping up more than any
other as far as probably saying the most vile stuff.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
In these messages.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
Agreed, he had some really horrific and he was the
one who was running for the chairman's office, so he
was the one who was really inciting like or at
least jokingly inciting some sort of violence in order to
bully people to vote for him. I mean, this was
it was very egregious. But Peter Junta here was his apology.
I am so sorry to those offended by the insensitive
(22:42):
and inexcusable language found within the more than twenty eight
thousand messages of a private group chat that I created
during my campaign to lead the Young Republicans. Those logs
were sourced by way of extortion and provided to Politico
by the very same people conspiring against me in what
appeared there is to be a highly coordinated, year long
character assassination. He names and blames the New York Republican
(23:06):
Group led by Gavin Wax and the New York City
Young Republican Club. So again he's just pointing the finger,
saying kind of like, you made me do it, you
made me say it. I don't even understand what that
what that even does to what his He can't defend
what he said.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
The other line, which gives him an out in defending
himself Robes, is that he says, quote, I have had
no way of verifying their accuracy, and I'm deeply concerned
that the message logs in question may have been deceptively doctored. Okay,
step one always you have to first of all take responsibility,
(23:43):
and it's he didn't. But I know, folks, you lose
people on your apology when you start with I am
sorry to those who were offended. Stop sorry for those
if you were offended. I'm sorry, not sorry for what
I said. If I upset you, I'm sorry if I
upset That's that brings me very very very very hollow.
And he is set up by saying I can't verify.
(24:04):
He knows good in hell well if he said this
stuff to say I can't verify, which could be true,
which means I didn't get a chance to go to
Verizon and making sure that nobody doctored with the call
logs and nothing. But yeah, okay, fine, he can say that.
But by doing this, he's not taking responsibility for any word.
He's suggesting that any word attributed to him might not
(24:24):
be right because I can't verify the accuracy.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Of the logs.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
And obviously, if he had issue with anything specifically that
was released, he would have said I never wrote that.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
I never said that. He clearly never says that in
his statements.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
See that we understand.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Okay, yeah, fine, yes, to defend himself, that's all right.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
And this next one is the next apology. I guess.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
The only other apology that we could find was from
Bobby Walker. This is the vice chair of New York
State Young Republicans. Bobby Walker says this in his apology,
there is no excuse for the language and tone in
messages attributed to me. The language is wrong and hurtful,
and I sincerely apologize. It's troubling that private exchanges were
(25:06):
obtained and released in a way clearly intended to inflict harm,
and the circumstances raised real questions about accuracy and motive,
But none of that excuses the language. This has been
a painful lesson about judgment and trust.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Okay, fine, yeah, you do what you have to do,
Do what you need to do. Attribute messages attributed to me,
not apologizing for the things I said. Look, that might
be legal leaves that might be good pr help, but
it doesn't help and is not healing. I don't know
how ugly this will be for the Republican Party moving forward,
(25:41):
and frankly, I don't care that much what I'm I'll
always get concerned. And we have these conversations that aren't conversations.
They're just we come out to the middle of the ring,
we beat the shit out of each other, and then
we go back to our respective corners. Nobody learned anything,
nobody picked up anything, nobody's going to do better. I
just the lesson I'm sure somebody's having a meeting about
be careful what you text instead of hey, guys, we
(26:03):
need to talk and if any of you have these
same thoughts in your head, we need to understand why
and then work on getting it out. But this is
a young I always hope they will do better than us.
I always we should be doing better than our parents.
They should have been doing better than the ones. But
you have to get better things like this. This is
(26:24):
old school. This is sad.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
This is some old school racism here.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Emboldened racism with no apology and to exactly what you
were saying. The official White House response, let's read it,
but it is so disheartening. Oh this is what the
White House said in response to all of this. Only
an activist left wing reporter would desperately try to tie
(26:48):
President Trump into a story about a random group chat
he has no affiliation with, while failing to mention the
dangerous smears coming from the Democrat politicians who have fantasized
about murdering their opponents and called Republicans Nazis and fascists.
No one has been subjected to more vicious rhetoric and
violence than President Trump and his supporters.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
So shut up, y'all have done worse than some bad words.
Your side has done worse than the bad words that
some young'ins talked about in a group text. Okay, and
you know what, that's the end of this conversation. That
is actually the button on it. If you think we're
getting anywhere, read the White House response over and over.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
That is the button. That is it.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
We're not going to learn, we're not going to do better,
We're going to keep doing the same old thing.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
I think the only way that I mean this really
is such a despicable, disheartening story. And really, I guess
kind of to your point, it's not a story. This
is just who we are and who we live among
and the way people are thinking. We have some insight
into it, and it's appalling to some of us, it's
familiar to others, and it's a way of life for
(28:01):
some people, and that is so disturbing. I think the
only way out of this is through our own individual
acts and our own individual choices. And I see this,
and I just know that all we can do is
be our best selves and influence those around us who
we love to be kinder, to be more forgiving, to
be more open minded and to be less judgmental.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
And you know, all those things you mentioned are things
that I am willing to do with every single person
that's on this damn text change. I don't know these people.
I don't know how they came up. I don't know
why they would say the things they said. I know
what they said is despicable. I don't know if they're
despicable people. And I have to I have to always
draw that line before we completely condemn and throw people away.
(28:45):
I don't know it. I am not sitting here defending
some racists. But what I'm saying is I am also
not ready to dispatch dispose of human beings who could
possibly add something to this conversation, because we need those
people who have those things in their minds as a
part of this conversation as well to understand where did
you get this, Why did you think this, Why would
(29:06):
you say this?
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Why are you comfortable with that person? Does this happen
all the time?
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Possibly, But I'm just saying, I am sitting here the
black man still willing to give these folks some kind
of a break before I hear and I learned something,
because this there's no way, you were born in nineteen
These are young pie.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
I think in the nineteen eight eighties, like this is
people forty and under.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
Okay, eighties, but there's probably some twenty somethings.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Why people born in the nineties and the aughts.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Born in the nineties and aughts.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
You should not be saying, hyl frickin Hitler, where is
that coming from? How do you even know about watermelon?
Speaker 2 (29:42):
And bless so old? Why are you dropping the inward?
Speaker 3 (29:47):
What?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
And you were born in ninety four? What? It just
shouldn't be.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
So where are we failing these people? Where are we
failing these white folks? Where are we failing these folks?
So you got enough black kids in your school to
be exposed to something else out there?
Speaker 2 (30:03):
I just and it.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
It's been We've had this happened plenty of times over
the years now that we have been together, and even
before that, our reactions to these stories in this house,
with the in word being thrown around a hundred times
in these text messages.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
I was chilling and you were.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Outraged because it was shocking to you what people say this.
It didn't if this wasn't a political headline.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
I don't even know if we'd be doing this.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
It's just eh, doesn't even rise to the level.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
Well, I can only hope that more people can have
your big heart.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
No, it's just experience, yes.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
But that is part of it.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
And you know what, I think you just hit a
very good point about exposure. And you know, I just
know so many of us and not even necessarily consciously
choose to be segregated. But we are in communities oftentimes
where we're surrounded by people who look like us, think
like us, act like us. And the more we can
just take a moment to listen to someone else's way
(31:08):
of life, to be exposed to someone else's experiences in
a meaningful way, that is how we bridge the gap.
But until people are willing to do that, I don't
know that. It's just it's it's disheartening and it's sad,
but I just I feel more empowered to just to
keep living a certain way and to keep practicing certain
things to hope that eventually certain people will be willing
(31:30):
to recognize that their way isn't the only way. I
think that's where we have to That's that's the big issue.
Learn love, from religion, from race to whatever. When and
when people are in power. They don't want to give
it up.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Oh, but nobody wants to learn, learn and love.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
You have to learn first.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
You have to learn.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Quote of the day, learn and love well. The point
of life is to learn. That's why we're here to
learn to grow again.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
I don't know these people there not condemning Republicans, this
group or nothing. These are some knucklehets.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
There are plenty.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
Of knuckleheads with the power, unfortunately, or at least they
had them, and we're.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Working their way up the chain. But you don't know
black people at all. If you could make a statement
that some of the most successful prominent black men in
this country are nothing more than zoo animals playing monkey ball,
(32:25):
you don't know any black people like you just you
don't know anything. So true, you just don't. They could
never come out of your mouth. If there's a black
person in your life you care about and that cares
about you, you you just can't. So that's what I'm saying.
We got to do better there. But what a story.
This one's not going away. There probably be some updates
on this. Will continue to keep you all post. Also,
(32:47):
always a reminder top right corner of that screen the
Apple Podcast app where you see our show as a
button that says follow. Just click that you can get
the updates coming to you.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
As they come.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
H So, as always on behalf of my dear Amy
Robot and t J Holmes.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
We'll talk the outsoon.
Hey there, folks, it is Wednesday, October the fifteenth. Black
people are actually watermelon people. That's just one of the
little gems we got from thousands and thousands of pages
of leaked text exchanges among young Republican leaders. And with that,
(00:25):
welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Rope.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
This story is everybody's just buzzing about like crazy because
some of these details, it's almost look these are private
messages that got out.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
It's hard to believe.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
Still in a private message that you would say some
of this stuff in a group of four or five,
six plus people.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
It's jaw dropping, and it's interesting to have read through
most of what political reported. They are the ones who
got hold of these text messages. And again these are
seven months of messages, twenty nine thousand pages. And for
me it was jaw dropping, not just the tone and
the words and the language used, but how often they're used,
(01:04):
how cavalleterly they're used, how disgustingly they're referred to.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
Joked about it. I was appalled.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
You and I had very different reactions, though it was
interesting if you look at it from the perspective of
each one of our lives. How I viewed all of this,
and how you viewed all of this that's coming to light.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah, and I'm sure a lot of people out there
are having some of those same conversations and experiences about this.
When what we're talking about, if you're not familiar, we're
seeing these are young Republicans. We're not just talking about
people who are Republicans who happen to be young. No, no, no,
this is official group. This is an official group, an
organization that is officially affiliated with the National Republican Party. Yes,
(01:46):
they're called the Young Republicans. They're focused on, yes, young conservatives.
But they have chapters in just about every state in
the country, hundreds of chapters, fifteen thousand members they say
they have. So what we're talking about here are young
Republicans part of this group, part of chapters in the US,
and these were leaders sin they had various leadership positions
(02:06):
within Young Republicans. Now this year Telegram, I don't use telegram,
but there's another messaging app they're all on and over
the course of all of these months, they're having conversations
in which, as Political put it in their exclusive reporting,
this was their headline, I Love Hitler leaked messages expose
(02:28):
young Republicans racist chat. The sub headline thousands of private
messages reveal young geopute leaders joking about gas chambers, slavery,
and rape. That's the headline everybody is buzzing about. Now
we start to break this thing down, Robes. Yes, there's
been condemnation on both sides, but then there's measured and
(02:51):
almost no condemnation coming from one particular part. We will
get into that. But the shock and the outrage of it,
I guess I'm not The language doesn't shock me.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
I'm a little.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Surprised that they would put it in a message in
a group chat. This big to be quite frank, But
the tone things they said, how they say them, how
casually they talk about racist things, no surprise, And to
be honest with you, is not even creative watermelon people.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
They go in the same.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Tired, stupid, lazy ass tropes that white folks like this
I often see.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Do nothing surprising about.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
This, and my experience was very different in that I
couldn't believe that not only people would be willing and
emboldened enough to put this yes in a text, but
just to even say it, think it, believe it, share it,
laugh about it. I just I've not seen or heard
people talk like this, and so I and I know
(03:51):
you're laughing because but I'm just saying I call me naive.
I just I actually feel sickened by the fact that
I look at it from the This is the younger generation, right,
We're supposed to be more aware of how important and
how how words matter, and how easily things get leaked,
(04:13):
and just being tech savvy and knowing not to go
there do that say that, especially in a forum that
could clearly be.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
Screen grabbed and sent.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
And it's amazing the brazenness with which these folks say
what they've said.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
And look, when you click on Politico.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
They have a graphic that's really compelling that has some
of these text messages.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
Popped up all in a row.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
But just I feel like we should read some of it,
just because this is how outrageous it is. I don't
want to give any weight to it, or even give
any I don't want to glamorize any of this because
it is just so appalling.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
But just to give you an idea of.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Some of the things that were said, great, I love Hitler.
I'd go to the zoo if I wanted to watch
monkey play ball. Everyone that votes know is going to
the gas chamber. I'm ready to watch people burn. Now,
it's just they use words that I won't even repeat
(05:12):
and you wouldn't repeat, that are just so inflammatory and
defammatory that I'm appalled that people would put this and
then to think that they're leading groups, that they're actually
organizing people to vote.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
It's disturbing on a million different levels.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
Hey, we'll tell you some of the context in which
they say some of these text messages were said, because
we have heard from a couple of people who are
apart acknowledging they were a part of it, but they
give apologies but then not really apologies at the same time. Now,
in particular, we're just talking about these folks who were
from four particular states New York, Kansas, Arizona, and Vermont.
They were part of those Young Republicans organizations in particular. Now,
(05:54):
the folks we're talking about will get their names to
you here in just a second. You won't necessarily know
those names, but look to get on just to make
sure we're on the record with who these folks are.
The messages themselves political says. They have twenty eight thousand
pages right, robes of text messages, and in those pages
they have, they have two hundred and fifty one they
(06:16):
count it specific, two hundred and fifty one instances they
say mentioning the N word, the F word, and the
R word. Now, I think most of you know what
the R and the F word are that we are
talking about in particular, but they went through and count it.
Now in some of the messages you mentioned one about
(06:39):
monkey ball. Now, somebody on this particular chain was asked
if he was watching an NBA playoff game and the
response that's when he came up with that line you
mentioned Robes quote, I'd go to the zoo if I
wanted to watch monkey playball. Now that's in direct reference
to an NBA game. Now, that is awful. It's terrible,
(07:02):
it's disgusting. Can't believe you wrote it down. Not shocked
this dude would say it. I'm not shocked. That is
such a lazy, stupid ass joke. Like it's not even
it's not funny, it's not clever, it's not cute. It's
like a throwaway, like you're trying to be cool or
somebody that. And to also know that he was he
was in an audience in which he could say that.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
He felt like he was in a safe space.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
That is, that is as as terrible as throw the
in word in there for good measure, Like that's just
so stupid.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
It is.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
It's it's like lowest common denominator BS. And it's not
not that you want someone to be clever and racist,
but it's it's ignorance. And it's just again like it's
low hanging fruit. It's it's not smart, it's not thoughtful,
it's just childish.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
It just doesn't.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Rise to the level of me being outraged at something
like that, Given the number of times I've had to
be exposed to some foolishness like that, it just didn't
rise to the level. So as I'm we're in the
house here, one of us black, one of was white,
looking at this story in two totally different ways, me,
(08:15):
I can't even believe it's being talked about. Like I
understand why I'm not saying from a new standpoint, but
as far as any outrage or getting worked up or
being shocked or how could they or what needs to
happen to them, I'm just okay, fine. Some other people
are now exposed to and aware that this happens. But yeah,
(08:39):
this is this is not a this is not a
big day to hear this. Now, it's disappointing. These are
young Republicans. They're the future of the party. Aren't the
young one supposed to do better than we did?
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yeah, I mean that's the point.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
This is the Young Republican National Federation this day of
fifteen thousand members. It's for Republicans between the ages of
eighteen and forty. And again, we're not condemning the group
with the organization. These are a few people who have
been singled out who wrote and for months wrote just disgusting,
despicable things. It doesn't we don't mean to imply that
(09:12):
anyone else in the group feels or shares these thoughts.
These are specific people with disgusting language, and unfortunately they
were some of the few at the top that were
leading organizations. These weren't just members who were spouting off.
These are people who actually had positions of authority and
power within the group, and that is what makes it
(09:33):
extra disturbing.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Another example here, someone was making a reference he had
just landed after its flight and said, quote, if your
pilot is a sheet and she looks ten shades darker
than someone from sicily just end it there, scream the
no word whatever. Watermelon people was used as a reference
(09:57):
as well. Another reference again throwing in now talking about
it potential Indian. Somebody talking about dating an Indian woman,
and then someone chimed in that she's not Indian. And
then someone else responded and I quote she just didn't
bathe often, essentially saying she's not Indian, You're mistaken. She
(10:20):
just didn't bathe often. Those are just a few of
the examples. You talked about the gas chamber, They talked
about sending people and executing.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
There are references to slavery.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
And being There was one group that he was mentioning
another group of Republicans, and he was someone in the
chat said they were in favor of that group or
favor of that group because they wanted to bring back
slavery like things like that are throughout now. Is there
any defense for this robes in any way, shape or form,
any defense for this language that you could find a
(10:52):
way to give these dudes a break.
Speaker 4 (10:54):
The answer is no.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
And a lot of this was so grossly personally motivated.
When one of the members and we'll get into the names.
Was trying to become the chair of the Young Republican
National Federation like.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
The head of the head.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
He wrote, everyone that votes know is going to the
gas chamber. And then someone writes, when do we start bullying?
Then they can say, if they vote for us, why
would they be guessed? We only want true believers. Can
we fix the showers? Gas chambers don't fit the Hitler aesthetic.
I'm ready to watch people burn. Now we got to
(11:32):
pretend that we like them. Hey, come on in, take
a nice shower and relax. Boom, they're dead. I mean,
this is discuss There isn't even a word to describe
how disgusting that chat back and forth is about someone
wanting to rise to power within the organization.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Okay, is there I don't know. Both sides have condemned.
And again there's a couple of statements here. We're going
to read you from a couple of the people involved
in these chats. Apologies somewhat, but again, folks, if you've
seen Roges, you've probably seen this. A lot of Democrats
are running to find any photos of these guys with
(12:12):
prominent Republicans, and they're starting to post them already, So
that's what this is now becoming to. They're trying to
make some connection to Republicans in DC or some connection
to President Trump.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Where does that conversation go?
Speaker 1 (12:25):
You never be able to prove, right, But there has
been very public racist language that has come out from
pretty prominent people in this country to where it doesn't
necessarily Is it changing people's hearts or just making them
feel emboldened to say what's already in there?
Speaker 4 (12:41):
I think it's the latter of the two.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Sadly, I think that we are now at a place
politically where it's not just okay to say things that
were previously considered offensive but actually encouraged because you know,
we're so unwoke now we can say whatever we want
and say it however we'd like, because that's our right
and we're not going.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
To pretend anymore.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
And perhaps, you know, look, do we want to know
who people really are? Do we want to know what
they really think and say before we vote for them?
Speaker 4 (13:11):
I do so. On one hand, fine, I'll prefer an unvarnished, true.
Speaker 3 (13:19):
Account of what somebody is and what they think before
I decide who I want to vote for or align
politically with so transparency is better as disgusting as it is.
My God, if this is what's in their hearts and
in their heads, I'd prefer to know.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
That's the thing that bothers me. And the debate, the
conversation about what should happen to these folks who are
in this chat, and there have been consequences, several of
them have lost positions that they had or expected to
be going to the national head of the groups, that
all of them need to immediately resign one hundred everybody
in this chat needs to resign from the organization. Not
(13:55):
sure at least of this recording where all of that lies.
But but really, Rose, I'm so much of the conversation
has gone towards how their privacy was violated, has gone
to immediately not even condemning what they're doing, but immediately saying, well,
(14:16):
something this democrat did was worse. So I don't know
if this day and time, if you see this and
we can't all agree that this is bad and the
first thing out of all of our mouths should be
no language like this should ever come out of somebody
who's mouth or in a text, And then the next
thing has got to be nothing like this should be
(14:36):
in your hearts. Where do I don't know where we
go with that, because I don't want people to keep
this stuff in. I want to hear about it, but
I don't want to be there in the first place.
And I don't know we.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Say stuff privately, all of us do.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Everybody's got one, right, one person you text that if
your text messages got out, you'd be in trouble. Everybody's
got one this. The lessons shouldn't be be careful what
you text.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
It should be examine why you feel the way you do.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Period.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
And so now, as always on race conversations, they're all
gone sideways and look what this person did, and look
what this democrat did, and this is worse than that.
And I know there's a violence element to this, but
this is pretty much racism all around these text messages.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
What we're talking about here, I just it's hatred.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
And if we're gonna do this, everybody gonna try to
get their political points and then we'll go back to
our respective corners.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
And we have had some official response from several people,
and yeah, a lot of.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Them trying to distance themselves, saying, well, you know I, yeah,
he's from that group. I ain't have anything that kind
of stuff to be expected. That's fine, But the one
that stands out is the one you need to hear from.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
Vice President J. D.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
Vance have to say, was a little surprised by this one.
Stay here, we'll share it in a moment. Also, we'll
tell you exactly who these folks are who are on
this text chain, and we want to let you hear
the apologies we've gotten from at least two people involved
in these text messages.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
We continue our conversation here on Amy and TJ about
these atrocious text messages. Seven months of messages, twenty nine
thousand pages of messages filled with racism, misogyny, calls for violence,
you name it, anything as disgusting as you could think of.
(16:35):
Pretty much was included in these text messages that have
all been released now Political wrote Politico wrote a story
on these text messages, and there has been quite a
bit of response, but some surprising and I think you
mentioned this before we went to break JD. Vansa Vice President.
Vance's response was, I would just say disappointing.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Yeah, and this is well.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
Look and saying out loud, this is a guy, look
at this is a really sharp guy I think is
a really sharp politician. And look, a lot of people
they just look, you have your pilicolings an opinion about him.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
But I.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Generally think this dude gets it right, and this dude
presents himself really well, and I look at him with
a certain level of admiration for all that he has
done and how he handles the public.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
But his response on.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
X was to refer to something that's going on in
Virginia where a Democratic candidate for attorney general there had
a few years ago. It's just gotten exposed in the race.
But a few years ago he made a reference to
another politician possibly being shot. Right, he's apologized for it,
but it's in the middle of the race now. So
(17:47):
jd Vance in his response, made a reference to that
by putting up a screenshot essentially of some of those
threats and said that this quote this is far worse
than any thing said in a college group chat. And
the guy who said it could become the age of Virginia.
(18:07):
I refuse to join the pearl clutching when powerful people
call for political violence.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Pearl clutching, Oh man, just you know what.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Instead of recognizing what happened acknowledging it and saying there's
no place for it. Instead, he deferred and deflected and compared.
And this isn't something This isn't a story where we
need to say, well, they did this, and let's just
deal with the facts on hand and the issue at
(18:43):
play now in the conversation we're having, and I just
it's just it's a classic thing that politicians do, and
it's just disappointing.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
I think that's how I feel.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
There was an opportunity for him to actually say something
powerful and something that could actually inspire the people who
look up to him, who do appreciate some of his
frankness and his political directness and straightforwardness. He always often
touts his Catholic upbringing, his Catholic faith, his moral stand.
(19:14):
So I just it was an opportunity that he not
only missed, but just I just feel like sadly destroyed and.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
To get I don't know why, or if this would
have come from a different politician, I might have seen
it differently.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
I don't know why. It's too bad.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
It's the vice print of the United States on this issue,
and this is yes to be expected maybe from politician
we've seen it with the back and forth on political violence.
When something happens to one side, the other side comes
back and says, well, yeah, but you all did this
to our person, and this was worse than what happened
to this person. I just hate we get into that.
The only thing that needs to be said, this is awful, this.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Is viile, this is disgusting.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Yeah, it's not up to us to say what should
happen to them, but we can say this shouldn't be said,
This shouldn't be he felt. What can we do to
move forward? We just have this mentality that we have
to absolutely go after these guys and go after anybody
affiliated and destroy and destroy and destroy. And that didn't Yeah,
he didn't make a reference at all. If I missed it,
(20:14):
I'm sorry, but I didn't see him making an affle
to criticize the comments in the.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Group chatter all.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
I didn't see it either. And in terms of who
was in that group chat, we can go over who
they were.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
We mentioned they were leaders, and then we can get
to the apologies from two of them.
Speaker 1 (20:29):
You won't nobody will know the names, but one, you know,
the one that really really stood out is somebody who
was a current member, where is it. I don't have
them listened there saying I'll look it up.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
You go through the names here we need to grab
and the names are less important versus their titles, the
roles they played. I think that to me is what
stood out more than anything that we had. William Hendrick's
vice chair of Kansas Young Republicans, Bobby Walker, who was
the vice chair of the New York State Young Republicans,
Peter Judah, then chair of New York's State Young Republicuplicans,
(21:00):
and he is we just saw him as recently as
a few weeks ago making the rounds on political talk
shows as a Republican strategist. Joe Maligno, General counsel of
New York State Young Republicans, Alex Dwyer, chair of Kansas
Young Republicans, Annie Kkatie, New York Committee member, and then
Michael Bartel's an advisor in the legal office of US
(21:22):
Small Business Association. He didn't say much, but he also
didn't push back, so that I just wanted to point
that out. Politico did make that distinction, But in terms
of the apologies, as you referenced earlier, Babe, they apologized,
but then they were upset that their private conversations. They
(21:42):
had to add that, and like, if you make an apology,
a genuine apology, don't make an excuse, don't defend, just
say you're sorry.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
That isn't what happened.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
And another name was actually at this It was important
to mention Sam Douglas, who is a current sitting member
of the Vermonts Legislature, my actual lallmaker there who has
been as to resign again as of this recording. No
worry that that's happened. But two of the folks say
the last name again, Peter Juntah Junta.
Speaker 2 (22:13):
He was the one.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
I think his name is popping up more than any
other as far as probably saying the most vile stuff.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
In these messages.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
Agreed, he had some really horrific and he was the
one who was running for the chairman's office, so he
was the one who was really inciting like or at
least jokingly inciting some sort of violence in order to
bully people to vote for him. I mean, this was
it was very egregious. But Peter Junta here was his apology.
I am so sorry to those offended by the insensitive
(22:42):
and inexcusable language found within the more than twenty eight
thousand messages of a private group chat that I created
during my campaign to lead the Young Republicans. Those logs
were sourced by way of extortion and provided to Politico
by the very same people conspiring against me in what
appeared there is to be a highly coordinated, year long
character assassination. He names and blames the New York Republican
(23:06):
Group led by Gavin Wax and the New York City
Young Republican Club. So again he's just pointing the finger,
saying kind of like, you made me do it, you
made me say it. I don't even understand what that
what that even does to what his He can't defend
what he said.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
The other line, which gives him an out in defending
himself Robes, is that he says, quote, I have had
no way of verifying their accuracy, and I'm deeply concerned
that the message logs in question may have been deceptively doctored. Okay,
step one always you have to first of all take responsibility,
(23:43):
and it's he didn't. But I know, folks, you lose
people on your apology when you start with I am
sorry to those who were offended. Stop sorry for those
if you were offended. I'm sorry, not sorry for what
I said. If I upset you, I'm sorry if I
upset That's that brings me very very very very hollow.
And he is set up by saying I can't verify.
(24:04):
He knows good in hell well if he said this
stuff to say I can't verify, which could be true,
which means I didn't get a chance to go to
Verizon and making sure that nobody doctored with the call
logs and nothing. But yeah, okay, fine, he can say that.
But by doing this, he's not taking responsibility for any word.
He's suggesting that any word attributed to him might not
(24:24):
be right because I can't verify the accuracy.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Of the logs.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
And obviously, if he had issue with anything specifically that
was released, he would have said I never wrote that.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
I never said that. He clearly never says that in
his statements.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
See that we understand.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Okay, yeah, fine, yes, to defend himself, that's all right.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
And this next one is the next apology. I guess.
Speaker 3 (24:44):
The only other apology that we could find was from
Bobby Walker. This is the vice chair of New York
State Young Republicans. Bobby Walker says this in his apology,
there is no excuse for the language and tone in
messages attributed to me. The language is wrong and hurtful,
and I sincerely apologize. It's troubling that private exchanges were
(25:06):
obtained and released in a way clearly intended to inflict harm,
and the circumstances raised real questions about accuracy and motive,
But none of that excuses the language. This has been
a painful lesson about judgment and trust.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
Okay, fine, yeah, you do what you have to do,
Do what you need to do. Attribute messages attributed to me,
not apologizing for the things I said. Look, that might
be legal leaves that might be good pr help, but
it doesn't help and is not healing. I don't know
how ugly this will be for the Republican Party moving forward,
(25:41):
and frankly, I don't care that much what I'm I'll
always get concerned. And we have these conversations that aren't conversations.
They're just we come out to the middle of the ring,
we beat the shit out of each other, and then
we go back to our respective corners. Nobody learned anything,
nobody picked up anything, nobody's going to do better. I
just the lesson I'm sure somebody's having a meeting about
be careful what you text instead of hey, guys, we
(26:03):
need to talk and if any of you have these
same thoughts in your head, we need to understand why
and then work on getting it out. But this is
a young I always hope they will do better than us.
I always we should be doing better than our parents.
They should have been doing better than the ones. But
you have to get better things like this. This is
(26:24):
old school. This is sad.
Speaker 2 (26:25):
This is some old school racism here.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Emboldened racism with no apology and to exactly what you
were saying. The official White House response, let's read it,
but it is so disheartening. Oh this is what the
White House said in response to all of this. Only
an activist left wing reporter would desperately try to tie
(26:48):
President Trump into a story about a random group chat
he has no affiliation with, while failing to mention the
dangerous smears coming from the Democrat politicians who have fantasized
about murdering their opponents and called Republicans Nazis and fascists.
No one has been subjected to more vicious rhetoric and
violence than President Trump and his supporters.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
So shut up, y'all have done worse than some bad words.
Your side has done worse than the bad words that
some young'ins talked about in a group text. Okay, and
you know what, that's the end of this conversation. That
is actually the button on it. If you think we're
getting anywhere, read the White House response over and over.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
That is the button. That is it.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
We're not going to learn, we're not going to do better,
We're going to keep doing the same old thing.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
I think the only way that I mean this really
is such a despicable, disheartening story. And really, I guess
kind of to your point, it's not a story. This
is just who we are and who we live among
and the way people are thinking. We have some insight
into it, and it's appalling to some of us, it's
familiar to others, and it's a way of life for
(28:01):
some people, and that is so disturbing. I think the
only way out of this is through our own individual
acts and our own individual choices. And I see this,
and I just know that all we can do is
be our best selves and influence those around us who
we love to be kinder, to be more forgiving, to
be more open minded and to be less judgmental.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
And you know, all those things you mentioned are things
that I am willing to do with every single person
that's on this damn text change. I don't know these people.
I don't know how they came up. I don't know
why they would say the things they said. I know
what they said is despicable. I don't know if they're
despicable people. And I have to I have to always
draw that line before we completely condemn and throw people away.
(28:45):
I don't know it. I am not sitting here defending
some racists. But what I'm saying is I am also
not ready to dispatch dispose of human beings who could
possibly add something to this conversation, because we need those
people who have those things in their minds as a
part of this conversation as well to understand where did
you get this, Why did you think this, Why would
(29:06):
you say this?
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Why are you comfortable with that person? Does this happen
all the time?
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Possibly, But I'm just saying, I am sitting here the
black man still willing to give these folks some kind
of a break before I hear and I learned something,
because this there's no way, you were born in nineteen
These are young pie.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
I think in the nineteen eight eighties, like this is
people forty and under.
Speaker 2 (29:28):
Okay, eighties, but there's probably some twenty somethings.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Why people born in the nineties and the aughts.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Born in the nineties and aughts.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
You should not be saying, hyl frickin Hitler, where is
that coming from? How do you even know about watermelon?
Speaker 2 (29:42):
And bless so old? Why are you dropping the inward?
Speaker 3 (29:47):
What?
Speaker 2 (29:47):
And you were born in ninety four? What? It just
shouldn't be.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
So where are we failing these people? Where are we
failing these white folks? Where are we failing these folks?
So you got enough black kids in your school to
be exposed to something else out there?
Speaker 2 (30:03):
I just and it.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
It's been We've had this happened plenty of times over
the years now that we have been together, and even
before that, our reactions to these stories in this house,
with the in word being thrown around a hundred times
in these text messages.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
I was chilling and you were.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
Outraged because it was shocking to you what people say this.
It didn't if this wasn't a political headline.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
I don't even know if we'd be doing this.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
It's just eh, doesn't even rise to the level.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
Well, I can only hope that more people can have
your big heart.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
No, it's just experience, yes.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
But that is part of it.
Speaker 3 (30:44):
And you know what, I think you just hit a
very good point about exposure. And you know, I just
know so many of us and not even necessarily consciously
choose to be segregated. But we are in communities oftentimes
where we're surrounded by people who look like us, think
like us, act like us. And the more we can
just take a moment to listen to someone else's way
(31:08):
of life, to be exposed to someone else's experiences in
a meaningful way, that is how we bridge the gap.
But until people are willing to do that, I don't
know that. It's just it's it's disheartening and it's sad,
but I just I feel more empowered to just to
keep living a certain way and to keep practicing certain
things to hope that eventually certain people will be willing
(31:30):
to recognize that their way isn't the only way. I
think that's where we have to That's that's the big issue.
Learn love, from religion, from race to whatever. When and
when people are in power. They don't want to give
it up.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Oh, but nobody wants to learn, learn and love.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
You have to learn first.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
You have to learn.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Quote of the day, learn and love well. The point
of life is to learn. That's why we're here to
learn to grow again.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
I don't know these people there not condemning Republicans, this
group or nothing. These are some knucklehets.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
There are plenty.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
Of knuckleheads with the power, unfortunately, or at least they
had them, and we're.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
Working their way up the chain. But you don't know
black people at all. If you could make a statement
that some of the most successful prominent black men in
this country are nothing more than zoo animals playing monkey ball,
(32:25):
you don't know any black people like you just you
don't know anything. So true, you just don't. They could
never come out of your mouth. If there's a black
person in your life you care about and that cares
about you, you you just can't. So that's what I'm saying.
We got to do better there. But what a story.
This one's not going away. There probably be some updates
on this. Will continue to keep you all post. Also,
(32:47):
always a reminder top right corner of that screen the
Apple Podcast app where you see our show as a
button that says follow. Just click that you can get
the updates coming to you.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
As they come.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
H So, as always on behalf of my dear Amy
Robot and t J Holmes.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
We'll talk the outsoon.
Hosts And Creators
Lauren Zima
Chris Harrison
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