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>> Stephen: HEY, WELCOME BACK, EVERYBODY.
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MY GUESTS TONIGHT ARE THE FOUNDERS OF "CROOKED MEDIA" AND
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CO-HOSTS OF "POD SAVE AMERICA."
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PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW," JON FAVREAU, JON LOVETT,
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AND TOMMY VIETOR!
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FELLAS!
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GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN!
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>> YOU, TOO.
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>> YEAH, IT'S A GOOD DAY.
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>> Stephen: IT IS, WELL, "POD SAVE AMERICA," IS AMERICA SAVED?
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HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
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>> I THINK AMERICA IS RELIEVED.
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BEATING... TOOK A LITTLE LONGER THAN WE HOPED.
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DONALD TRUMP IS GONE.
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JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS ARE RUNNING THE SHOW.
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MITCH McCONNELL IS NO LONGER THE HEAD OF THE SENATE.
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IT'S A PRETTY GOOD DAY.
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>> Stephen: IT TRICKLED IN.
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>> I FEEL LIKE AMERICA SURVIVED A NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE, AND WE
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HAVE, LIKE, GIVEN OURSELVES MAYBE ONE MORE CHANCE.
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HOPEFULLY MORE, BUT MAYBE ONE MORE CHANCE.
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AND IT IS ACTUALLY-- IT'S-- IT'S INSPIRING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I
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WAS WORRIED WHEN TRUMP WON.
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MY BIGGEST FEAR WAS THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SO CYNICAL AND SO DOWN
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THA THEY WOULDN'T WANT TOPARTICIPAT
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AWAY FROM POLITICS, THAT THEY WOULDN'T GET INVOLVED.
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AND THE FACT THAT SO MANY PEOPLE DID IS THE REASON THAT WE'RE
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HERE TODAY, IS THE REASON THAT JOE BIDEN IS PRESIDENT RIGHT
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NOW.
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>> Stephen: WELL, JON, AS OBAMA'S FORMER HEAD
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SPEECHWRITER, YOU'RE AN EXPERT AT INAUGURAL ADDRESSES.
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WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU TODAY?
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>> A LOT OF INAUGURALS ARE PRESIDENTS LIKE TRYING TO DO AN■
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IMPRESSION OF J.F.K.'S ADDRESS, SO THEY END UP BEING, LIKE, A
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LOT OF FLOWERY RHETORIC, AND THEY DON'T ACTUALLY SAY MUCH.
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I LOVE JOE BIDEN'S BECAUSE I THINK HE MADE A REAL ARGUMENT
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ABOUT UNITY.
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AND, YOU KNOW, HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DIFFICULT
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TO OVERCOME RACISM AND DIVISION AND NATIVISM.
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BUT HE SAID AT EVERY BIG MOMENT, ENOUGH OF US-- AND HE REPEATED
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"ENOUGH OF US--" CAME TOGETHER TO CARRY ALL OF US FORWARD.
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AND THEN HE OFFERED A REALLY MOVING LESSON FROM HIS OWN
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EXPERIENCE, I THOUGHT.
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HE SAID, "HERE'S THE THING ABOUT LIFE.
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THERE'S NO ACCOUNTING FOR WHAT FATE WILL DEAL YOU.
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THERE ARE SOME DAYS WHEN WE NEED A HAND.
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THERE ARE OTHERS WE'RE CALLED TO LEND A HAND.
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THAT IS HOW WE MUST BE WITH ONE ANOTHER."
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AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST A REALLY BEAUTIFUL SENTIMENT FROM
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HIM.
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>> Stephen: UNITY, OF COURSE, HAS BEEN A THEME LEADING UP TO
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THE INAUGURATION, AND IT WAS ALL THROUGH THE DAY.
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LOVETT, WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THOSE CALLS FOR UNITY?
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DO YOU THINK WE HAVE A CHANCE?
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HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE DIVISIVENESS IN THE COUNTRY, BUT DO YOU THINK
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WE HAVE A CHANCE TO BOUNCE BACK FROM THAT NADER THAT WE SAW ON
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THE CAPITOL STEPS TWO WEEKS AGO?
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>> I THOUGHT WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE INAUGURAL IS IT WASN'T-- IT
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WAS HOPEFUL WITHOUT BEING NAIVE.
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AND IT TALKED ABOUT UNITY IN A WAY THAT I HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD
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JOE BIDEN TALK ABOUT IT IN THE PAST, WHICH IS THAT IT WASN'T--
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HE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT IT AS SOMETHING YOU BEG FOR.
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HE TALKED ABOUT IT AS SOMETHING YO FIGHT FOR.
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IF WE WANT TO HAVE SHARED FACTS, IF WE WANT SOTEE SHARED
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HUMANITY, IF WE WANT A NICE THING, PEOPLE DON'T TRY TO BURN
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THE CAPITOL DOWN WHEN THEY LOSE AN ELECTION, THEN WE DON'T JUST,
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LIKE, BEG OUR OPPONENTS TO BE NICE.
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WE POINT OUT THE FORCES AND MAKE PEOPLE PAY A POLITICAL PRICE FOR
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EMBOLDENING THE FORCES OF PROPAGANDA, RACISM, BIGOTRY AND
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LIES WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR FOUR YEARS.
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AND HE WAS VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
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AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF SOMETHING COMES OUT
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OF THE LAST FOUR YEARS, FOUR YEARS OF SOMEBODY LYING TO US,
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IT CAN BE THAT WE ARE FINALLY, COMPLETELY HONEST ABOUT HOW
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BROKEN THINGS HAVE GOTTEN, HOW DANGEROUS SOME OF THESE FORCES
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ARE, AND WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO FIX IT.
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AND THAT, TO ME, WAS VERY HOPEFUL AND EXCITING.
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THAT WAS WHEN I FELT THE EMOTION OF THE DAY THE MOST, I THINK.
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>> Stephen: TO ME, IT SEEMED LIKE THE ARGUMENT, ON A CERTAIN
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LEVEL WAS, LET'S FIND UNITY, IF ONLY ON A UNITY THAT FACTS
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MATTER, A UNITY THAT HUMAN BEINGS ARE AFFORDED DIGNITY.
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A UNITY THAT OUR INSTITUTIONS THAT SUSTAIN OUR DEMOCRACY ARE
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WORTH FIGHTING FOR.
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ANOTHER THING THAT BIDEN HAS A UNIQUE ABILITY TO ADDRESS IS
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LOSS AND GRIEF.
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AND, TOMMY, HOW-- WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT--
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FOR INSTANCE, THAT LAST NIGHT HE WENT TO THE REFLECTING POOL AND
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TOOK THAT MOMENT OF SILENCE AND REMINDED US THE NECESSITY FOR
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THAT RECOGNITION?
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>> YEAH, LOOK, EVERYONE THAT IS-- THAT HAS WORKED FOR JOE
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BIDEN OR WORKED AROUND HIM HAS A STORY ABOUT A TIME WHEN HE
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REACHED OUT TO YOU WHEN YOU WERE STRUGGLING OR, LIKE, YOU SAW HIM
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GIVE HIS CELL PHONE OUT TO A STRANGER HE MET AT AN EVENT WHO
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EXPERIENCED LOSS AND HE ACTUALLY STAYED IN TOUCH WITH THEM.
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IT'S THE CORE OF WHO HE IS IS.
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THE MAN EXPERIENCED THIS UNIMAGINABLE LOSS AND TRAGEDY IN
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HIS LIFE AND HE CAME AWAY WITH IT WITH THIS BOTTOMLESS WELL OF
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EMPATHY FOR OTHERS.
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WHAT I THINK THAT MEANS FOR US AS PRESIDENT NOW IS HE IS GOING
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TO VIEW COVID AS A HUMAN PROBLEM AND NOT A POLITICAL PROBLEM.
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TRUMP GAVE UP ON MANAGING COVID.
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HE DIDN'T WANT NATIONAL TESTING BECAUSE HE THOUGHT MORE CASES
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MADE HIM LOOK BAD.
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HE DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE STATES MONEY TO DISTRIBUTE THE
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VACCINES, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS
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LOOK GOOD.
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IT'S TRULY SHOCKING THAT WE HAVE HAD 400,000 DEATHS.
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THERE HAS BEEN NO MEMORIAL SERVICE UNTIL TODAY.
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BUT WHAT I THINK BIDEN SAID THROUGH THE EVENT AND THE COVID
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PLANT HE ANNOUNCEDDED IS, "I WILL GRIEVE WITH YOU.
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I WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND I WILL OWN IT,
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BECAUSE WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER."
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THAT IS A VERY DIFFERENT VISION OF LEADERSHIP.
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>> Stephen: YOU GUYS WORKED ON CAMPAIGNS.
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DO YOU THINK IF THE LAST PRESIDENT HAD JUST TAKEN ONE
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MOMENT TO ADDRESS THE GRIEF OF THE NATION, OR TO ACKNOWLEDGE
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THE LOSS, HE MIGHT STILL BE PRESIDENT TODAY?
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>> YES.
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I MEAN, UNFORTUNATELY.
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( LAUGHS ) BECAUSE I THINK HE SHOULDN'T BE
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PRESIDENT FOR A NUMBER OF OTHER REASONS.
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>> Stephen: SURE.
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>> BUT I THINK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, THERE WAS
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ABSOLUTELY A MOMENT WHERE THE COUNTRY WAS YEARNING FOR ALEADER
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NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THAT PERSON, EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T VOTE
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FOR THAT PERSON.
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AND HE COULDN'T SHOW EVEN A MODICUM OF EMPATHY FOR OTHERS,
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BECAUSE HE IS A NARCISSIST, OBSESSED WITH HIMSELF.
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AND THAT WAS BASICALLY THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC OF THE
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ENTIRE PRESIDENCY, WAS SELFISHNESS.
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>> Stephen: LET'S GET TO AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT, GAGA, J-LO,■ç
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GARTH BROOKS.
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LOVETT, DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE PERFORMANCE TODAY?
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WHAT LEFT OUT?
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>> OBVIOUSLY, AS A GAY AMERICAN, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT I CHOOSE
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GAGA.
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( LAUGHTER ) I MIGHT --
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>> Stephen: SURE, LEGALLY.
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>> LEGAL ME SPEAKING.
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AMAAMANDA GORMAN'S POEM WAS, OBVIOUSLY, BEAUTIFUL.
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BUT I WOULD-- I WOULD SAY THAT TED CRUZ PRETENDING HE DIDN'T
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SUBORN A CUE TWO WEEKS AGO WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
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>> Stephen: OSCARS.
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OSCARS.
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>> KEVIN McCARTHY, LIKE GEORGE CASTANZA WANDERING AROUND LIKE
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HE DIDN'T JUST DECLARE WAR ON THE WHOLE PLACE.
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HE VOTED AGAINST DEMOCRACY TWO WEEKS AGO!
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WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
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( LAUGHTER ) WE WERE THERE.
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WE ALL SAW IT HAPPEN.
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IT WAS ON TELEVISION.
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>> Stephen: YES.
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BUT YOU NOTICE-- >> HE CAME BACK IN AFTER THE CUE
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ATTEMPT.
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>> Stephen: THE TELEVISION CAMERAS, THERE'S RIGHT AND
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THERE'S WRONG-- THE CAMERA CUTS TO TED CRUZ.
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OR WHEN THEY TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN VISITED BY
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EVIL, IT CUTS TO KEVIN McCARTHY.
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IT WAS INCREDIBLE, WHOEVER WAS PRODUCING IT, KNEW WHERE PEOPLE
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WERE SITTING.
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>> REMEMBER HOW YOU VOTED AGAINST DEMOCRACY, AND THEN YOU
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HAD TO LEAVE YOUR OFFICE?
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AND THEN WHEN YOU CAME BACK A BUNCH OF STRANGERS HAD PEED IN
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VARIOUS STRANGE PLACES?
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>> Stephen: WE'RE LIVE.
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WE'RE LIVE.
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STOP THERE.
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TOP IS THERE.
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WE WERE LIVE.
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YOU GUYS ALL WORKED FOR OBAMA.
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WHAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOUR OLD BOSS AND THE NEW
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PRESIDENT?
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THAT CLUTCH AT THE END, YOU KNOW, THE FIST BUMP, AND THE
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CLUTCH AT THE END.
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WHAT DO YOU THINK IT MEANS TO OBAMA TO SEE HIS OLD FRIEND UP
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THERE?
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AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IT MEANS TO THE NEW PRESIDENT TO HAVE
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BEEN THERE WITH HIM THAT WHOLE TIME?
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>> I THINK THEY'RE, LIKE, GENUINELY VERY CLOSE.
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I MEAN, THERE WAS A POINT IN TIME WHEN VICE PRESIDENT--
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THEN-VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN'S SON, BEAU, HAD JUST PASSED AWAY, TO
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PAY FOR HIS HEALTH CARE, JOE BIDEN WAS THINKING ABOUT
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MORTGAGING HIS HOUSE.
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AND, LIKE, BARACK OBAMA BSICALLY SAID, "DON'T DO THAT.
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I WILL LOAN YOU THE MONEY."
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THAT WAS THE CLOSENESS OF THAT RELATIONSHIP, RIGHT.
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THEY WENT THROUGH FIRE TOGETHER FOR EIGHT YEARS.
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JOE BIDEN KNOWS HE CAN CALL ON BARACK OBAMA FOR ANYTHING AT ANY
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TIME.
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I THINK IT'S-- IT'S LIKE-- IT'S HEARTWARMING TO SEE TWO HUMAN
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BEINGS LIKE THAT INTERACTING.
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>> Stephen: WELL, I-- IS HE-- DO YOU THINK HE'S GOING TO USE
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THE OLD PRESIDENT OBAMA-- THE OLD PRESIDENT-- PRESIDENT OBAMA
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AS A RESOURCE?
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IS THAT A-- I DON'T KNOW HOW COMMON THAT IS FOR ANY
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PRESIDENT.
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BUT DO YOU THINK THE RELATIONSHIP IS CLOSE ENOUGH HE
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MIGHT TURN TO HIM FOR ADVICE AT TIMES?
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>> OH, I THINK SO.
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BECAUSE I THINK THEY TALK ALL THE TIME.
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AND I KNOW THEY TALKED DURING THIS CAMPAIGN A LOT.
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AND I THINK BECAUSE THEY HAD SUCH A GOOD-- NOT JUST A GOOD
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WORKING RELATIONSHIP BUT SUCH A GOOD PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP THAT
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BIDEN WILL BE CALLING HIM A LOT.
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WE HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
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BUT WHEN WE COME BACK, I'LL ASK THE FELLAS ABOUT WHAT THE NEW
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ADMINISTRATION MEANS FOR THE COUNTRY GOING FORWARD.
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STICK AROUND.
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