Adam Kinzinger’s Military Sources Sound the Alarm | Bulwark Daily

0:00 I introduced Taller Rico and unless it was a presidential race, I don't think I've ever been to an event where I felt more energy. Hello and welcome to the Bowwork Daily. I'm your host Tim Miller. Uh boy, do we have a lengthy lineup today. It is going to be a big show and I couldn't be happier to have the exact right guest for the program. in the subject matter. He's a former Congress member from Illinois. He served in the Air Force in the Air National Guard. He's a host of the Kinzinger Report. He's on Substack. He's on CNN. It's Adam Kinzinger. What's up, baby, >> brother? Good to be with Thanks for the nice intro and YouTube. So, if you if you're not a big Substacker, just it's on YouTube. So, either way,

0:45 >> it's right there on YouTube. Right here on YouTube. Subscribe to both of us on YouTube. We're on over here. We're on the way to 2 million. >> Yeah, that's awesome. >> We're trying to trickle down economics. you. >> I'm at 300, so I could use a little of that >> bull. Just a little trickle down. Yeah, it's a little like a waterfall. You know, Ronald Reagan subscriptions. >> We're going to start here with a metaphor. This is a metaphor. It's a news story. It's not the most important news story of the day, but I think I think it tells us something about >> about the world. Um, and that is this from the Washington Post. Um, there are two floor globes used by General Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II that are housed in the Pentagon. Subsequent generations of army leaders became custodians of these artifacts. Um and um and there were accompanying plaques kind of marked that these were the globes that DD was

1:31 looking at when we were beating the [ __ ] Nazis. Pete Hgsth, weekend talk show co-host comes in to the Pentagon and says, "I want those globes in my office." Uh, ordinarily moving historical items like this within the building is a deliberate process overseen by trained curators and professionals and experts. Those people have been furoughed though. So Hex have had some of his buddies had some of the bros, not no beardos, no weirdos, just tough test high men come in, pick up the globe, drop it immediately. We'll put the pictures on screen here. The the the globe has broken apart. There it is. The world is on fire and Pete Hgsith has broken Dwight D. Eisenhower's globes because he

2:17 did not rely on any experts. >> It's a perfect metaphor. It really is. And you know, I don't think anybody, this would be like page eight, nobody cares news. Like kind of sad, but whatever. Except that it's PX. And the thing is is like everybody >> understands exactly how that went down where he's like, I want that globe. his people are like freaking out or they're too cool to like ask anybody else for help. Can I just also say how how do you drop a globe? I mean like for God's sakes. I mean is there some secret mechanism that it needs? I mean really you pick it up. You have a handful of people pick it up. Somebody it's just it's ridiculous. And this is like just another of a long list of reasons that Pete Hexth needs to be the first person

3:03 that they impeach. Hopefully January, you know, in January. I was really excited. Every time I think about a new person I want to testify, I get excited about that person. Like I was thinking I was also there with you. I was like, I want the Pete Hegth impeachment first. And then I had Robert Garcia on last week and I was like, I really want slimy lizard boy Jared Kushner up there first with his sweaty lip. And then I read a Politico story earlier this week where the oversight committee is divvying up who gets to investigate which part of the Elon corruption. And now I'm like, "Wait a minute. I We want Elon first." So, I don't It's hard to pick who we want. >> I know. We should start doing this. You know, you do your worst cabinet secretary rankings or whatever. We should do that. Like, who do we want

3:48 first to be called in? And I got to tell you, I I I feel like it would be amazing just to have them all in one day. But you got to start I think start with Hegathth because Hegsth obviously there's a war going on. He's insane. There's already impeachment resolution out there. But I you know the other thing I I I I don't know man I would love to see Elon in front of the committee cuz his arrogance his arrogance is astounding and even what the last day or two threatening people basically threatened him with jail like there Swisser better watch out she's going to go to jail for doing too many podcast >> Swisser Cara Swisser >> hopefully that hopefully doing too many podcasts isn't a crime or else I'm in trouble. >> I know otherwise we're screwed man but yeah like look they're going to have a rude awakening. I think this part of why

4:34 you're seeing Trump melt down is like there's this understanding that the last two years I've told MAGA I've tweeted this before. I've said like enjoy like deeply and I mean this enjoy the next two months as well as you can cuz that's the end. Like your life is going to be hell from here out. >> Yeah. I Elon might as well just buy a brownstone over there on Capitol Hill because he's going to be testifying so much between Doge, USAD, um, you know, corrupt like campaign um, interference violations. I mean, allegedly you're not supposed to be able to coordinate in campaigns and yet somehow the leading donor to the Trump campaign and now to the midterm campaigns is also coordinating directly with the candidates themselves. Um, so much to much to investigate there. the

5:19 most recent um case obviously um what's happening in Ukraine with Starlink and Star Shield. So let's turn to that. Marco about a week ago was up there being you know like well look Star Link is is a business thing and Star Shield is the defense product and you know what I don't know what Elon's doing but over here you know us in Ukraine are having discussions about how they can use it and then and then yesterday his tune changes and all of a sudden it's like well I don't know what's happening with Starlink and Star Shield are not two different products anymore they're together and and he calls Elon Mr. Musk. He's like, I'm not sure what Mr. Musk did with that. So So Marco is trying to point the finger um at Musk on this. And and it seems like that it just was Elon.

6:06 I mean, I do think that Elon did call Trump. And I think that the administration knew it was happening, but I think that Elon is throttling Ukraine's ability to use um you know, this this internet uh satellite internet, and that is resulting in the deaths of innocent Ukrainian kids. >> Yeah, I clearly think that's true. And let me just first off say that I that uh Marco Rubio to me >> is among the worst cabinet members cuz because he gives this veneer >> to people that he's like a normie Republican. How many I mean I I hear people all the time I'm sure you do too that are like yeah you know I'm going to vote Democratic this time but you know if Marco runs if Marco runs he's going to come in and save us. like Marco, even if he did run as a normie Republican

6:53 again, he has shown his true colors, which is he he's he's enthusiastically throwing Ukraine under the bus. So this look, if if let's say this Star Shield issue was really some glitch or some accident, what would you do? You would be all over television if you were in government saying, "This is we're sad this happened. We're going to do everything we can to make it right today." >> Yes. Also, can I just add on that? The person that did it is again the biggest donor to your campaign and was the kind shadow president last year. So, it's not like it's some random guy, you know, at Verizon and you don't know what happened with the 5G. You don't know who to call. It's like it's your biggest donor, Elon Musk. If you genuinely cared about this and wanted to protect your Ukrainian people and make sure they had

7:39 everything, you'd be out there saying, "Guys, we're on this right now. We're talking to Elon. We're making sure we're we're [ __ ] you know, um uh we're troubleshooting. Like we're figuring out anything that we can do to help. That's not what they're doing. >> I have directed Pete Hexath to sign the paper to allow Europe their own Patriot missiles to be transferred to Ukraine. I mean, that's being held up right now, which is nuts. I I think even the bigger concern beyond, and I really, you have talked about this a 100 times. I think Ukraine is the most important foreign policy issue of our generation. and I think since World War II. But the fact that a man, one man with no government position, no government role, can legitimately make foreign policy

8:24 decisions that affect the future of a war on behalf of the United States is insane. And I don't care cuz you have some haters that listen to this show. So, if you're out there and you're a big Elon lover or you're a big Trump lover and you just love sitting around and getting angry by hearing me, well, listen to this. Someday the Democrats can do the same thing that you guys are doing. Who's the who's Soros? Okay, they all hate Soros. And Soros is this evil guy. Well, imagine if Soros could now make foreign policy decisions on behalf of the United States. This is wrong in a hundred different levels. But like I I you know what else do you say except he needs called in front of the committee and he needs to understand that he will be held accountable. This is beyond the Hatch Act. This is this is legitimately

9:11 doing foreign policy without a position to do this. >> Preserve the documents. He also is not a phone guy. You know he's texting. We got it. You know, baby, we're getting whatever whatever you order people to do like we're going to find it out. The the investigators are and I just just to put a pit button on the Marco thing. I I your point like the revealed behavior is all you need to know, right? Like he like by not spring into action, you can tell that what he's doing is just trying to spin something a policy that he knows that Trump wants. >> Like this is what it comes down to. A policy he knows that Trump wants. Trump wants to leave Zilinsky out to draw. He wants to pressure him. He doesn't care about the Ukrainian deaths. And Marco knows that. And and it's Elon and Trump that are executing it. And Marco is

9:56 basically just like their spinmeister. Like that's what he's doing. >> I yesterday I had a a kid that hurt himself in front of my house and I, you know, picked him up. He hurt his knee really bad and and basically sprung into I did. I did. I sprung in. But basically I held him till his mom came to get him. I could see the kid's bone in a hole. Oh. Anyway, um the point is that affected me. Even just that little thing, kids going to be fine. Probably three or four stitches. But the day basically the Star Shield thing is announced, you've seen the picture out there of the kid in his stroller that's dead and they blur the face of the kid out, but just dead in his stroller. I mean, every day, whether it's Gaza or what I'm focused on today, Ukraine,

10:42 there are kids dying and we shake our heads and act like, "Yeah, that's just casualty of war." >> Yeah. I mean, you could have looked out the window and said, "You know what? Technically, it looked like he tripped like on the sidewalk in front of my neighbor's house and you know, I don't know. We were we were looking Yeah, we were we were looking around at whose fault it was and and I guess we just have to look at Mr. Flanders next door and I I'm sorry. I didn't want to >> I don't know what else to do. Okay. The other uh big Russia Ukraine news of the last 24 hours is that um um there are uh there's been a deal or there's a release of um some American prisoners in Russia. Um Wickoff was over there um doing this. Now that's great. We want prisoners

11:28 released of course. Um the way in which it was done though uh well I've got some issues with it. Let's let's listen. And here's Steve Wickoff talking to Vladimir Putin directly before this prisoner release. >> He's a 75year-old man and you talk so much about my president, President Trump being a humanitarian. You are you are are a humanitarian also, sir. And I salute that. I commend you and I thank you again. >> I salute you. I commend you. You're a humanitarian. That is what our envoy is saying to Vladimir Putin while he's killing Ukrainian children. >> The person that I think I truly most people that I don't like in politics, it's not personal. Most people, you

12:14 know, it's like I don't like their politics. I probably could have a beer with them if I if they invited me, you know whatever. >> Steuff is not that guy. Steve Wickoff is purely he sits around giddy that he's in these rooms, right? He's like feels like a powerful man. He's enriching himself on the presidency. He knows the truth that it's Russia that invaded Ukraine. I mean, let's let's be clear about something. If Ukraine quit fighting, Ukraine would cease to exist. Period. If Russia quit fighting, there would cease to be a war. We clearly know who's on the bad here. And Steve Wickoff and Jared Kushner, who have been to Russia how many times now? a baker's dozen just this year. They are

13:01 >> insanely destroying our foreign policy, taking the side of Putin and giving him to the extent opposition exists in Russia, which it underground, I'm sure it does. They are deflating that opposition. They are giving strength to Putin. Look at Bellarus and Lucenko. This is a guy that, you know, we're trying to normalize relationships with, who's a puppet state. Look at the country of Georgia who has a government that is extremely pro-Russian. We've basically started taking their side. I mean, there can be no doubt. And to the Elbridge Kes and the, you know, let's say Dan Crrenshaws and the people of the world who who think like somehow we're

13:47 going to be a tough country that pivots to China. Not only are we on our knees in front of Vladimir Putin now, but we're doing the same thing with China. Do you remember that cartoon where there was that little mouse, I think, that bossed around the big elephant? He was like his sidekick. That's what's happening right now. We're the big elephant saying, "Yes, sir. Anything else, sir?" to the little mouse that's telling >> I was I had a different uh movie, a children's movie I was thinking of. I was like, "Which reminds me of the parrot in Aladdin, Iago." And and Putin is Jafar. And he's the parrot. HE'S LIKE, "YES, JAFAR, WHATEVER YOU SAY. YOU'RE SO GREAT, JAFAR." And it's just like it's so pathetic. I mean, like it is humiliating. He's like a little worm on the ground like just just lavishing

14:33 praise off this murderous [ __ ] dictator. >> Yeah. And I guess I don't understand. And it's the same question I have for any of the Republicans that were fine with January 6. But let let's ask this. History will write books about this moment. Do they does Steve Wickoff really believe this is any version of strength? I mean, look, it's it's one thing to be diplomatic with somebody. If you meet Vladimir Putin, shake his hand, smile, it's nice to see you. There's diplomacy. >> Yeah. Not for me. I was never meant to be a diplomat, but I understand there are certain things you have to do. >> Yeah. and calling him a humanitarian though. At the same time that he is an indicted war criminal, he's kidnapping Ukrainian children. This is disgusting. And while people don't particularly vote on foreign policy, I do think things

15:20 like this, on top of, of course, the failed Iran war, I think things like this do affect uh Trump and and I think people just feel like we are in a position of weakness that we've never been in. >> Yeah. I mean, his kids are stupid and and corrupt, so they probably don't care. But like, at least you got to figure >> Yeah. You got to figure at least one of the grandkids will read a book and will watch the video of his of of their granddad just, you know, kind of like licking the feet of of Putin who has committed all these atrocities. And the other thing, these guys are bragging about how we again about the prisoner release, but they're like, "We didn't we didn't give anything up. This is this whole like Trump, oh, we did an art of the deal. Usually there's this exchange where we got to give them a bad guy and they give us good guys. That's like look at what they've done over the last week. They they lifted they struck the diesel

16:07 deal with Russia. They restricted Sterling in in Ukraine as we've been talking about. They cut the intel warnings. They canceled the Lindsey Graham sanctions. You know, they're demanding Zalinski like go up for election. They're absolving Russia for the fight in Iran. They're pushing Europe to bet again. I mean, like, they're giving them more than you they could ever possibly imagine. All of that for one dude. And yeah, again, we'll just say from here out, blanket statement. We're happy the guy's home. That's great. But, you know, we used to believe you don't negotiate with terrorists. We clearly have here. And look, I the foreign minister or somebody that's close to Putin uh just recently said that our fund, our exchange fund is getting low, talking about prisoners

16:52 because it's clear you my buddy Trevor Reid, the marine that was in custody. You know, he uh was clearly taken so he could be negotiated away. Same with this guy. Now they I mean, you've just encouraged the arrest of more people. And then Trump has the audacity to pretend like something he did was strong when clearly, I mean, Putin does not give anything up for nothing. This episode of the Bull Work Daily is brought to you by our friends at Wild Grain. Cozy season is here, which means cooler temperatures, warm ovens, and the perfect time to enjoy fresh fresh baked breads and seasonal treats at home. Wow Green delivers sourdough bread, seasonal pastries, and French butter made with simple, recognizable ingredients by small independent bakeries. All delivered to your door and ready to bake

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19:10 uh the United States ordered non-essential US embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia yesterday. um as the kingdom comes under sustained deadly attacks by Yemen's Houthies. Uh Saudi Arabia had to cancel, you know, some economic summit that was going to be there. I was talking to a dad at school yesterday who's got to do work in the Middle East and he's like, you know, you don't know where you can even fly into now that it's safe. I talked with Hurtling on Tuesday just about the shameful way that we treated the soldiers families in Bahrain when that when they were attacked there and it is just the Iran war of choice has led to just a total retreat from the region basically at this point and I guess it stands now like total Iranian

19:56 strategic victory and who knows what they'll end up doing whether Trump will decide to try to save face on that or just whatever completely pull out which he's done before. Uh and uh you know I mean even his moronic son is like this dad what are you doing it's like even Don Junior is like dad this is this is embarrassing. It's like if Don Jr. is looking at you and saying you're making some bad choices. That should be a wakeup call. >> Don Jr. needs to do some shoulder lifts at the gym. He looks like >> little tiny. You know if your head's wide as >> you don't like kind of a proportionizing of his body. >> Yeah. I'm not trying to like look smack here, but you know, it's pretty easy to do. Um, look. Okay, so first off, I want to tell a quick There you go.

20:44 >> You're looking good. You're getting You're doing your own exercises. >> Yeah, with my ladies weights. I'm doing my ladies weights class. You know, little six purple. >> Yeah, I like it. I'm purple. I like it. >> Okay, so I'm still close with a lot of people in the military and particularly guard and reservists, right? So, think of which I was a Air National Guard pilot. Now, an Air National Guard pilot for the most part. There's a lot of them that are on active duty in the Air Guard, but they are, let's say, airline pilots usually. So, they work for United. They still do five or six days a month as a military pilot. It's a busy life. They were activated within with a 72-hour notice, which is unheard of. Even during the height of with the exception of the day after 9/11, most of us when we were deployed, we knew a month in advance, 2 weeks in advance,

21:30 whatever. They were deployed with 72 hours notice. I heard a story of a girl that came from, she lived in Hawaii and she came to California to do guard duty and was told, "Uh, you're deploying now." So, she couldn't even get home to to set that forward. Okay. So, they've been activated. They are there still to this day without a plan for rotation. One of my sources I will say just told me that they got extended now till April. So they are going to be in the Middle East as pilots for 15 months. Now I can tell you during the Iraq war the only people that would deploy for 15 months was the army and marriages were destroyed. Um you know there was a lot of damage that's done. You think about it if you're away from your spouse for 15 months. You come home, you both have

22:18 lived a life separate from each other. So you have to reintegrate integrate >> especially in this case where it's like you're not these are not people that were planning for this at all. >> Right. Right. And so the damage that is being done to retention in the military is massive particularly the garden reserve because who is going to sign you as a pilot you owe 10 years after you get your wings. Who is going to sign for that second 10 years when this has just happened to them? They can go to United, work for $350,000 a year or the US military as a pilot, make 180 as a major and be gone from your family. I mean, that's a no-brainer. So, the damage is being done to the military. On top of that, we have the Houthis, the Iranians,

23:04 and the Russians. Let's call it the axis of evil just for now. one of those enemies is going to have to be defeated. So either we can decide to work with the Saudis to push back uh the Houthis, we can decide to finish the job in Iran, if that is even possible, or I would argue if you actually help the Ukrainians finish the job against Russia, that is the domino that the other two hinge on. And I would honestly argue that defeating Russia right now is easier than defeating the Houthis or Iran. >> Let's challenge that premise. Why do we have to do one of those three? Why? >> Because I think we're fighting. So from an energy perspective, you have the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf that are now being basically obstructed. You have in

23:51 essence a threefront war if you want to call it that. Except I guess we're not really postured against Russia. Um or we >> on the Russian side. Yeah, that's complicate that a little bit. >> So, if I was president, I'd be sitting here saying, "Look, we're going to have to bring down one of these so that we can actually catch our breath." And honestly, the easiest is Russia. We can do it without any US troops. Give Ukraine what they need. That's it. >> Yeah. I don't know. You're in a one of these like they are in a real pickle. Like when you just lay it out like that. I mean, you know, other options, I guess, is like retreat and try to cut deals and cut deals with the Houthis and Iran and and Iranians and give them a cut of the oil going through, you know, the Persian Gulf, which is which obviously is a worse outcome than the status quo before we started our war of

24:36 choice. Um, yep. >> And so, I mean, like that's another possibility, but it was, you know, I've mentioned this a couple times, but it's just so gling. I can't I can't stop talking about it. JD with Tony D on CBS on Sunday, you know, talking about pushing back on the criticism of the Iran war and being like, "Anybody can criticize what happened, seven months ago. Why don't you come to us with an idea for what to do now?" It's just like, "Guys, you made this totally total mess for yourself. >> You made this total mess for yourself and now you're in this situation where like, yeah, energy prices are going to stay high. Our troops are going to be at threat. the ones that are in the Middle East, the free free democracies in Europe are going to be in threat unless you deal with one of them or tuck tail and and cut a and cut a deal. Like that's it. Those are the options. You

25:22 didn't >> It's literally like me cheating on my wife and then you come to me and and you're like, you cheated on your wife and I'm like that was 7 months ago and Tim you give me an idea then how to fix it. If you're so wise tell me how to fix. you'd sit there and go, >> "Why don't you come up with a plan for how we can move forward in this marriage?" You know, >> you did this, so it's on you. That's what we have. And I mean, I think JD, and you've talked about this, I think this week is JD is obviously trying to walk this line. He's not a terrible politician from a tactical perspective. He's just people hate him. And uh but you know, you're stuck in this, guys. And uh you have a decision. I think it's almost too late to do the old the war is over. We're just packing up and leaving. So, I think you're going to have to figure out Iran, Houthis, or Russians.

26:08 And again, I would argue the best way to do it while keeping the the American military the safest is Russia. We already have some >> Well, sure, but they actually are making a potentially I mean, it seems like they might be making a choice, which is that which is not to deal with any of those three, but to deal with Ukraine, >> right? like they're I mean they I if you just look at their actions with diesel and all that they're like okay well let's let's get oil prices down by dealing with >> Russia buying their oil figuring out the problem in the Red Sea and um and and pressuring Zalinski to stand down and giving away part of his country to Russia. I mean like that I that's their preferred solution right now actually. >> I agree. I agree. And they think it's the easiest solution. I don't think they truly understand that Ukraine is not

26:54 going to stop fighting. And I mean to the people that always say, you know, here's a couple things to keep in mind and I I think I've told you this before, but imagine, you know, there are people that say Russia is winning or Russian victory is inevitable. All the defense, all a country defending itself has to do to win is defend itself. Keep defending. You're winning. If you're still defending, you're winning. And if you think about it, what if when we invaded Iraq, we would have 4 and a half years after we launched the war in ' 03, we would occupy 18% of the country at the cost of a million and a half men. Would anybody say that we're winning that war? Of course not. >> We lost that war and did a lot better than that. >> Way better. And that is exactly what's

27:40 happening with Russia. And but yes, they believe turn your back against the Ukrainians and it's the easiest thing to do because look, Donald Trump, you know, we've all been in the situation before where you're really mad at at something you did and you kind of lash out and take it out on other people. That's where Trump is right now. He he knows the war in Iran was wrong. And so he has convinced himself that all this pain in the US that comes from the Iran war is actually because Zalinsky in Ukraine. Go figure. But he's nuts and he believes it. >> He's nuts. Okay, back to JD for a little bit and and let's turn to the domestic stuff in the midterms. Um he was in Ohio yesterday, shows up at the Cincinnati Bengals practice and totally ignored. >> Yeah, they totally totally ignored him and he just kind of has that look like

28:27 and then he walks with his kid away and >> just kind of does nod. >> One guy gives him a handshake. Looks like maybe the punter or something. >> And uh everybody else just kind of walks by. My guy Joe Burrow gets asked about him afterwards. He's like, you know, I just I like that what we do brings people together and I appreciate that uh anybody that wants to come and see greatness. >> Yeah. Okay. >> They all just tight lip knot him though. Just kind of the old >> Yeah. you know, >> JD gets gucked at the Bengals practice and then um he gives at two different events at a at a rally for Vive and then at a press conference it was supposed to be about fraud that features Todd Blanch. You see Todd

29:13 Blanch in the background. Generally speaking, if you're doing serious press conferences about, you know, government investigations into fraud, you like don't also pop off about campaign ads. Like that was traditionally how things were done in the past, but not anymore. Um, these guys just tie politics into everything. Let's watch. >> And now the media and the Democrats in the state of Ohio are obsessed because guess what? The Vake Rama Swami had the audacity to run a TV commercial which calls it out like it is. But I have to admit that I'm a little bit disgusted when I see Republicans across the country who are whining more about that advertisement than they are about what the congressional Democrats and other Democrats want to do to the United States of America. Viv Vake runs an ad

29:58 featuring a woman that was complicit in the child rape of his opponent, who abused his opponent, who put who left this woman, this [ __ ] monstrous woman, left Amy Actton in a basement, locked her in there with her brother, had to have the children taken away from her cuz she was such an abusive, horrible person. JD looks at that ad and says, "You know what disgusts me about this ad? that any Republicans would criticize another Republican over it. >> Let's keep in mind, Tim, I bears, this is the vice president of the United States of America. The vice president of the United States of America is mad at people in his party because they got squeamish that a, you know, her mom was

30:44 called her a liar. Now, here's what I heard. Amy Actton has not had any contact with her mom since she was 12 years old. Correct. >> So her mom inevitably, you know, anything she testifies to would have happened between the age of 1 and 12. Okay. >> When she was being raped by the mom's boyfriend. >> So she is saying that she's a liar. Okay. The mom is um why? Because Amy Actton clearly told the truth about sexual abuse that was happening. And based on Amy Actton defending herself as a child and talking about this rape, her mother is calling her a liar. And the vice president of the United States is like, "You guys need to grow up and grow some." Look, I I, you know, the school of hard knocks

31:31 and politics, it exists. You did it well. I did it well. Understand it. Sometimes you can kind of, you know, blur the line a little bit, you know. So, but this is insane. This is disgusting. And this is something that if I was a Republican in good standing in Ohio, I would almost literally throw up and I would make a public statement about how disgusting this is. And what do you hear from other Republicans? Some have spoken out. >> Yeah. John Hustad just said, "I wouldn't run the ad." Midass John Hustad said, "I wouldn't have run the ad." Okay, >> nice. How about you condemn something for once? Again, this is the this is what Trump has done to our politics, though, and it's what he's done to the Republican party. You understand this cuz you lived it. There used to be this

32:17 feeling, true or not, that Democrats could play hard ball and Republicans, we were too focused on telling the truth. And that clearly has switched now. And Republicans believe because of Donald Trump that you don't have to tell the truth. Nothing has to be truth. You simply double down on something. And that's what you see here just doubling down. It's like JD Vance also said this week he has seen no indication of paytoplay in the White House. Like if somebody is paying to get access to the White House, that is disgusting. You're faking kidding me, dude. Like shameless shameless lies. To go up on that stage and be like, "Oh, the media and and Democrats are criticizing Vive for telling the truth." Like that that ad is

33:04 the truth. that this [ __ ] woman from the pit of hell who is like who stayed with by the way the man that raped her child. >> Yeah. >> Like that she is the truth teller and that JD wants to side with her. I mean to me like there's some deep psychological stuff here and nobody wants to put JD on the couch cuz you know what he does there. But like like there is some there is something worth exploring here. And he writes this book. Did you ever did you ever suffer through that book? >> I did and well it was before he was who he was. So you know so then you know having for you and the other listeners who suffered through that book know that like the the more like JD's never been one to be humble like the book the hero

33:50 arc is him basically. I mean there are also other people that he talks about his grandma etc. like it's about how there's this broken culture with you know in Appalachia where there's a lot of drugs, there's a lot of abuse, there's a lot of neglect and you know people need to take accountability and they need to recognize that and and you know there's a way to improve it and like he is an embodiment of that. Okay, so that's the arc of the book and and the, you know, they've made up since, but like the bad character in the book that represented the neglect and abuse of of Appalachin white culture was his mother. >> And and so now here we are and like Amy Actton is the JD character. Like Amy Actton overcame the neglect and abuse of

34:35 her mother and you know became a doctor and a public servant running for governor and and JD is defending the abusive mother. >> Yeah. >> Like it's like JD is has has switched sides on his own book. like JD is now like on the side of the of the abusers in the book and and he is going, you know, targeting the person that overcame it. Something that he talks about all the trauma that he went through to overcome it. I mean, like there's some deep psychological rot in a man that would do that. Like this is so on the nose, it's hard to even believe like that. Like it makes you think we're in a simulation kind of. And I don't understand like you know ultimately

35:21 inevitably you try to get power so that you can affect some version of change in the country right you know obviously it's ego all of us have an ego if we run for office but there's that >> what when you start doing stuff like this what is the long-term goal what are you hoping to achieve for the country when you're willing to destroy a woman who was sexually abused by her stepfather or boyfriend or whatever. Um what are you fighting for? I I don't even know anymore what it is the Republicans want to achieve with this. And let's talk Vake for a second. >> This is the biggest uh uh >> crown. Alyssa Farah tweeted the other day or Alyssa Farah Griffith tweeted how remembering how she he was destroyed in the debate by Chris Christie. If you go

36:07 back and watch Chris Christie where he says to him, you know, you are you would be most voted, you know, voted like the biggest loser, all this stuff. Boom, boom. Anyway, whatever it was, Christie crushes Vav. Everything he says is absolutely true and then some. This is a guy that can put on a smile, pretend to be some good dude with a family, and he is a disgusting evil man. And and what do they say again? this thing comes out, this ad comes out and instead of saying, "Okay, yeah, we're reassessing. We didn't know whatever." It's now we're doubling down and putting $4 million behind it. I hope they name and shame every donor to VA since this ad has come out. >> We might have somebody working on that. I want to move on to some of the other midterm stuff. Um, just staying in Ohio

36:53 really quick. Um, story out today. Um, in the Senate race, the crypto super PAC has spent 55 million against shared Brown. They're supporting midass John Hustad in that race. Um, making them the like second I think behind kind of Elon like basically crypto is the next biggest interest group um, putting money into these races. But in this race particular in Ohio, 55 million. It's like man, I don't know. This just another example of like where things have changed and it was the guy that we worked for um or at you sport that I worked for in 2008, John McCain that was like the pusher that that pushed this McCain fine gold campaign finance bill which I had some issues with but like in

37:39 general like there was a notion within you know the reformed parts of the Republican party that like this is crazy like this is crazy like the way we're funding these campaigns now and like what we're doing right now like makes the stuff that McCain and Fineold are trying to fix in the 2000s look like [ __ ] child's play. I mean 55 million from an industry that is propped up by criminality and scams >> and then they get they're taking that money and washing it and taking it from their fake, you know, shitcoin money and turning into real money and then they're trying to buy a senator with it. >> Like that's a that's a that's a broken system. >> And and crypto, let's be clear what crypto is. It's an invented asset, right? you I mean you can argue it's

38:24 tracked and whatever. And by the way, I I I wonder if AI someday is actually going to be able to break into this chain, the blockchain. If it does it, that destroys the credibility of crypto. Um but it's literally an invented asset. Nothing actually exists and it has this value. So they had found somebody. Remember Donald Trump used to be against crypto until he realized how much he could make on it. And he's quad he's multiplied his wealth by like six times because of it. and they are now investing fully in the Republican party and making it clear that that's their that's their cats. And I got to tell you, I hope Democrats instead of just coming in and just being knee-jerk anti-crypto, do it with some thought. Do it. But I be clear about what this is. This is the equivalent of the uh what

39:11 was it called? The uh default credit default swaps or whatever in 2008 when the economy fell. It was an invented thing. >> Yeah. There used to be regulation and oversight. there needs to be a general like I mean there's it's just like while it's also crazy it's it's kind of like the the crypto people and the tech you know libertarian fascists like try to to move the overden window of the debate and make it seem like oh anybody that wants to do regulation is some like socialist European leftist and it's like casinos are regul like what is regulated more than a casino like if you're Steve Win and you own the win resorts in Vegas I mean like think about all of the different like city, state, federal like regulations you're dealing with for good reason.

39:57 >> Yeah. For like right and it's just Yeah. And so yeah, you know, the idea that this should just gets to be that that a this gets to be the wild west with no regulation at all that the president's family can enrich themselves on it and then you can use the money from your rug poles and your scams and the [ __ ] arms dealers that are, you know, you uh using your your currency to trade weapons and from the UAE bribing the families, you can then use that money to to try to influence a Senate race to try to buy a senator. Like it's a crazy system. like it has to be reformed. >> It's disgusting. And by the way, I just want to quickly say I I this is what finally I I said I'm done with him with uh Hunter Biden is out of nowhere, you know, Hunter's out. He started his own

40:43 coin, crashed 99%. Anyway, like >> stop doing that people. Um >> but a a bigger thing here is just the whole campaign finance system. I mean, I would not be surprised if in 2028 and think about this. I it used to be I think maybe last election or presidential election before the total spent for one candidate was like a billion dollars between what they raised in super PAC. Elon Musk could decide and this is totally legal right now could decide in 2028 he is going to invest a billion dollars per state in the union. Every state gets a billion dollars of ad. That is completely legal. That is also not Tim what our founding fathers

41:30 intended with this country. >> Yeah. Well, John Roberts, you know, and those guys disagree with that, but obviously it's not. And it's great. No, no, just to give you an example of the of how much this has been supercharged, >> Elon is going to spend more money in this year helping Ken Paxton lose than W spent in the primary and general election in 2000 against Delore. Yeah, >> like the whole campaign of the primary in general, Elon's spending more just on Ken Paxton than that whole campaign. Like this isn't this is nuts. >> And now that you're seeing where clearly paytoplay in the government is not only okay, it's encouraged. You're going to see more money come in because look, if I'm a business owner, I have, let's say, I'm worth $200 million and there's something in front of the federal government and I know that if I give $5

42:17 million that'll go my way, I'm going to do it. It's not illegal. Evidently, it's not going to be enforced. I would actually be bad fiduciary manager to not do it. That's what you're going to have. And then, by the way, my competitor who isn't worth $200, $300 million is not going to be able to do that. So, they're going to lose. That's called crony capitalism, if you want to call it capitalism. >> Yeah, we're seeing this in Georgia right now. Rick Jackson is doing this basically. Um, all right. Uh, let's go back to Texas. Some interesting data. I I you know, friends don't let friends overanalyze the early vote numbers, but just it's just it's just it is intriguing that you we're seeing a lot of signs of Democratic energy in Texas. The first day of early vote was like a 19 point swing and people that had voted in the Democratic primary versus Republican primary and who voted on

43:03 early vote. Now, maybe that ends up just people are so excited on the Democratic side, they vote early and then Republicans ends up voting later. So, you know, you can't over interpret that, but it's interesting. Voter registration numbers up. Um, you were campaigning for Terico this week. Give us a little sense of the state of play from >> Yeah, I mean I I've I've unless it was a presidential race, I don't think I've ever been to an event where I felt more energy. I I went to >> Where was the event? uh University of Houston and I I I introduced Taller Rico and I it was a lot of college kids, mostly college kids obviously at the university, but I I've seen events at universities where maybe a handful of the college Democrats or whatever show up and and then it's all community

43:48 members. There were a ton a ton of college kids that were beyond excited, screaming and yelling and excited. And let's keep in mind, Taler Rico is not the like he's a great candidate. He's not the guy that's like spins him up at a rally, right? He's very mildmannered. He speaks like a centrist. I think he legitimately is one. And for him to fire up the base this much is worth that's worth noting. I I've I still am in the Texas is always the one that got away. And yesterday, Fox News came out with a poll showing it tied, but I think Gallup had one showing Taler Rico up five. So, you know, I I I I'm not going to let it get away from me, but I'm feeling pretty

44:34 good. If you compare that to Paxton's rallies, uh the one I went to had a whole lot more energy. >> Yeah. Did you and James hang out at all? >> No. Uhuh. I didn't get to talk to him. So, yeah, we've we've chatted before actually when he had the flu. Um, but no. >> Oh, you were chatting when he was in >> Yeah. >> undisclosed location. >> Yep. Yep. I didn't hear any, you know, people in white medical coats, so I assume he was telling the truth. >> Here's another interesting thing that's been happening um that I just want to flag um in that race is, you know, how obsessed Ken Paxton and them are trying to make it about trans and and you know, all JD does is talk about trans kids. But there there a couple stories of the last few days. Um Edgar wrote about one of these in morning shots. there these mailers going out where they're pretending like it's it's like a transgender advocacy group. Um, and

45:21 they're like addressed to the student of the home and asking questions like what do you do if you want to be emancipated and what are the guy guide on bathrooms for trans kids at school? You know, it's kind of like a pretend, you know, mail are trying to get the parents to be scared that these are going through. And then there's this viral post on the R conservative on Reddit from a guy in Texas. And I went and I went and like went through this guy's whole background to make sure this was like legit, not a troll. And this seems legit. He posts, "I'm in Texas. It seems like every commercial break has four to six political ads. Most of them attacking James Terrier on trans. I understand the angle they're going for, but dang, my kids didn't even know what transgender meant until these ads started. Now they're hearing about it constantly because they went looking for it." And

46:06 you know, the guy kind of goes on to basically say the person who's talking about this all the time is Ken Paxton, not anybody else. And and so there's even some backfire within kind of conservative world over this, which is interesting. >> I sensed him, and you tell me if you agree, I sensed that like it was a powerful issue in 2024. And I think the reason it was powerful is those on the right felt like this was an issue they had no control over. This was an issue that was Yeah. was out of their hands. They would hear the horror stories. I mean, everybody, this is the best thing, everybody has had a local high school that had to put in litter boxes because some kid identified as a cat. >> Um, fake. >> Obviously fake. >> Yeah. Always fake. >> But I have friends in my life asking me about this. >> Yeah. And they think it's their local

46:52 town, too. I'm seeing the same ads. So, I think in 2024, people felt like this was out of hand. Now, they have control of the government. I think they recognize look what is it half a percent of people that identify as trans. I don't know what the number is and so I don't think it has had that power again and it feels like it's an overused thing. So I've seen them you know uh Paxton has the ads of like he he totally stole the old thing of like you know Paxton's for you, Tyler Rico's for they them. It just doesn't sizzle as much. I think it was a one cycle advantage for them and uh >> and they got other problems. people got other problems in their life and they're just like what? Like now you guys are making this the issue. Anyway, >> it's another migrant caravan. It's like

47:37 going back to all the golden oldies to see if you can win. >> It's so weird that the migrants only start caravanning October 22nd of even years. Um speaking of ads, uh there's a good one I wanted to shout out because uh um you know me and Bill every Monday are kind of focusing on some of these stretch races um because I think this is where people's money can go a long way. Um, there's a race in Maryland. Um, I should have looked at this before. I'm pretty sure he's the only Republican left in Maryland. Um, in the Maryland delegation, Andy Harris, Dr. Andy Harris. Um, and Dan Schwarz's opponent ran a really, um, I think clever and cheeky ad exposing uh, the Andy Harris that you know, Adam. Let's watch that. >> I'm Dan Schwarz and this is our

48:22 congressman. >> You are rude. You're rude, too. Then he threatened a student journalist. >> If you record, we will refer you. >> Everyone in here is recording. >> Get an officer in here. >> Andy Harris voted 20 times for the tariffs and the Iran war that are driving up costs, then talks down to us cuz it is still my turn to talk. It's okay. We have short-term memory doctors for that. >> I approve this message because we deserve better. Maybe we can start calling Karen's Andes now. I'm calling in the I'm calling the supervisor if you ask me a mean question. Anyway, you got to know Andy a little bit. Was that a pretty good uh representation? >> Yeah, look, he's such a He's always been just like a little kind of [ __ ] to be honest with you. Just like annoying. He's always holier than now. But what I

49:10 see in there, so I never liked Andy, never got along with him. Probably had two conversations with him and we served together the whole time I was in Congress. But I will say what you're seeing there, what you see in Trump, remember the other day Trump did his quiet quiet, >> you know that thing. >> Um, what you're seeing in the is are people that feel very cornered and they are getting exhausted of defending positions they don't want to defend. And I think that's what you see in Andy right there. And by the way, when you get to that point in your life, it is time to leave Congress. Like can I just say Arthur Brooks good friend of mine used to run AEI he told me he told a group of us once he goes you can do

49:55 anything good for 10 years and then after that 10 years you have to rediscover your purpose or change jobs like he was just saying it's human psychology Harris has been there obviously a very long time he's at the point now where it's time to change jobs when you start to feel like how dare you question me when you start to feel like you're owed to And when you start to feel like you can't be asked questions on serious issues, it's time to leave. There's 700,000 other people in Andy Harris's district. Uh this guy Dan would be great, but at any time any of them can come in with different passion than he has. >> Speaking of people who should be not back in Congress and who should have stay stayed retired, um I want to do a little Mike Rogers talk. Is that okay? Can we do some Mike Rogers talk? >> Yeah, I got some stuff on him. Stuff to

50:42 say, not stuff. >> Okay, great. I didn't warn you about this. So, we're coming in, you're coming in blind, but um there was a drop site news cover story about u Mike's wife and the you know defense contracting she was doing and the Rogers campaign speaking of being cornered and and acting crazy like sent them a cease and desist letter like acting like they're the Trump White House that they can bully them into into you know shutting them up. And so that made me think, you know, I think maybe there might be something to this. It's worth at least presenting what was in the story and presenting what I've heard from several friends who were in Michigan Republican politics and don't like Mike Rogers very much and and aren't clear why this hasn't come up. So I'm just going to give you some data points, a little timeline of what's going on with Mike and his wife Christy

51:28 Clemens. Christy then now Rogers Christy Clemens, she was the finance director for his congressional campaign in 2000. Um she'd been a sta lifelong staffer in Lancing, you know, working for the state legislatorure, that kind of person. Um she's married to her child, her college sweetheart at the time, Chad. Mike is married to his first wife. This is 2000. Then Mike gets elected to Congress. She gets a job in DC, not working for Mike, though. And then she gets a job in Iraq working for Paul Bremer. It's a pretty good job to get >> for somebody who had been a lifelong staffer in Lancing. I think a lot of national security people probably wanted that job working for Paul Bremer. Then Mike goes on seven Kodells to Iraq in only a few years. That's kind of a lot. I don't know. You were doing a lot of Kodell. Seven in a couple years. >> That many. >> Feels like a lot. Yeah. Then in 2006,

52:14 she comes back to DC and starts doing defense contracting lobbying. It's going to surprise people her at her level of success in that. 2007, Mike divorces his wife. Okay. Then they get married. During that time, he rises to the head of the House Intel committee. She stays as a defense contract and contract lobbyist. Um, she keeps getting more contracts. She ends a massive $10 billion deal a few months after he takes over the committee. That's just something that just happened. Seems like maybe on one of the contracts she worked on, there's some dispute about this in the story, but but people can read it for themselves. Um, was uh doing security in Benghazi. Don't know how that turned out. Um, Drop Site News has all the specifics. Um, you can see then also on his financial reports, you know, the chart going up. Um, and a

53:00 lot of that money was his new wife who's doing the contracting. Anyway, I don't know exactly what was happening between the year 2000 and um, 2007 when he divorces his wife. I don't know exactly if anything about whether he had roles in her just shockingly successful career getting money for defense contracting. So, no accusations here, just offering a few data points. People can read the drop site news story if they want. I should also mention I was watching John Stewart scream about Mike Rogers and how he holds a special place in disdain for his heart because because he was a huge pain in the ass and getting the funding for the 9/11 victims the Zroga act that John Stewart had worked on and how Mike always talked about how he's a patriot but then he didn't he would he was standing in the way of getting money for those heroes and 911. So those are just

53:47 a couple things about Mike Rogers I thought I'd share. I don't know if you have any thoughts on that. Well, I do, which is this is a guy that I used to have a lot of respect for. Uh, he and I were very similar in how we viewed life and politics. Uh, this is a guy that hated Donald Trump and and the last time I talked to him talked about how how disgusting Donald Trump was and clearly he has now made a deal with the devil so he could become a senator. I have zero respect for him. People like him I dislike worse than even somebody, you know, that's a true bleed bled manga because the true magas are actually turning on Trump, right? It's like Mike Rogers is turning into Trump when some of the true magas are like, "Wait a minute. This is not we're not getting what we signed up for." >> And and by the way, just on the

54:32 payforplay thing, clearly something that maybe we'll never be able to prove, but worth looking at. Just like Elena Hobbit, Hoba Hoba, it just came out. It was funny though. >> Yeah, it was good. Yeah. She got a $50 million consulting contract with an LLC that didn't exist until and she was still US attorney or supposedly US attorney. She gets a $50 million consulting contract and then uh magically the person close to the person that paid the $50 million got a pardon one week later. Don't look here. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing here. It's it's just business is normal. This is normal. I also just, you know, the uh the attorney um for for Rogers, just to be clear, did deny the fact that she was

55:18 involved in the Benghazi contract. >> Okay, there it is. WHO KNOWS? WE CAN LOOK AT IT. You guys can look up for yourselves. And Wikileaks did find that they had been that the company that she's working for had been active in Libya. So maybe it was one of the other uh embassy uh spots there. But I I think that the broader arc of the story I don't seems It seems interesting. >> It's special. It's unique. >> It is unique. Okay. Final story about screwing over veterans that you promised things about. Tommy Tubberville, our friend Tommy Tubville. We'll end with this. In 2020, Tommy Tville promised to donate every dime of his $174,000 Senate salary to Alabama veterans, which makes sense. He made a lot of money as a football coach getting beat by LSU. Um, and uh June investigation found no evidence. He followed through. given how

56:05 many years he's been in in the Senate, that pledge is now worth about $1 million. Pretty significant amount of money. Uh he was asked by a reporter about it Tuesday night. Tubberville told staff to remove the reporter and then he uh said the reporter uh and the rest of the media are socialists and communists. >> Ah, good one. Good one. Yeah. I mean, look, clearly he has not given his salary away. And uh you know there's it's like the old trick also whenever there's a government shutdown I'll let people in on the story cuz people say I'm going to not get paid during the government shutdown. All we would do is like sign a letter that said hold my paycheck and then we'd release it like we're heroes. But we only get paid once a month in Congress anyway. So the government shutdown was over before the check comes and then you still get paid for the time. So, that was a little

56:51 trick. And I think sounds like old Tommy is doing the old I'm going to donate all my salary. Please vote for me. But now you can't prove I did or didn't. So, if you ask me a question, I'm just going to kick you out. But this is why things like the bull work like adamkensinger.com as well. >> All right. Our stuff >> is so important because you will hear it here unfiltered whether on our YouTubes Adam Kin singinger or whether on our substacks you will hear the truth and uh that's why I appreciate what you guys do so much. >> Good pivot to independent media. All right, we appreciate you Adam. Final we're not going to see you before the midterms. Do do you want are you in the prediction business? Do you want you want to make any predictions? No, I I I can't say I'm super into the prediction

57:36 business, but I I I think it's going to be pretty clear obviously Democrats win. I think they're going to have I'm going to say have a 10 or 15 seat margin, which is good. The Senate, man, I am, you know, obviously there could be under polling, but I feel like this is going to be a day where if I was on your show the day after the election, we're just going to be like, "Holy balls, that was a blowout." I think it's going to be a massive blowout. That's just and I'm never overly optimistic. I just feel that way right now. >> Your lips to God's ears. That's Adam Kinzinger. Um he is never checking out John Husted's ass cuz he's working on his glutes of his own. >> I got to work on my own. >> We appreciate him very much. We'll see you couple months. All right, brother. >> Yeah, sounds good, buddy. Good seeing

58:22 you. >> All right, everybody else. We'll be back here tomorrow with another edition of the show. See you all then. Peace. Whatever.