♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO IVORY TOWER.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY, FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.

I'M JOINED THIS WEEK BY AARON STRONG, FROM HAMILTON COLLEGE, TARA ROSS FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BEN BAUGHMAN FROM GANNON UNIVERSITY, AND JOSH DARR FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

SECRETARY OF WAR PETE HEGSETH CALLED 800 GENERALS AND ADMIRALS TOGETHER THIS WEEK TO TALK ABOUT MILITARY STANDARDS, BUT THE REAL MESSAGE WAS DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP.

IN THE TELEVISED MEETING, HE TOLD THE OFFICERS THERE IS A "WAR FROM WITHIN" IN AMERICAN CITIES, AND QUELLING CIVIL DISTURBANCES IS "GOING TO BE A BIG THING" FOR THE MILITARY.

THIS WAS UNUSUAL, TO SAY THE LEAST.

BEN, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF IT ALL•IS THERE A ROLE FOR THE MILITARY TO PLAY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AS THE PRESIDENT APPARENTLY WANTS IT TO?

YOU ARE A FORMER POLICE OFFICER.

>> WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

IN A VERY SHORT-TERM APPLICATION AND SPECIFIC.

SO WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, LIKE AN ICE FACILITY.

SOME PHYSICAL STRUCTURE, WHERE THEY HAVE SOME SIMILAR TRAINING EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF PROTECTING THAT VERSUS THE ROLE THAT THE POLICE TAKE, WHICH ARE VERY DYNAMIC.

IT'S A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS THEY HAVE TO DO AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RELEVANT TRAINING, EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE TO DO IT PROPERLY.

IN PARTICULAR WITH HIGH RISK, LOW FREQUENCY EVENTS WITH NO TIME TO THINK IT THROUGH.

SO PULLING A CAR OVER WHEN SOMEONE JUMPS OUT AND RUNS TOWARD YOU WITH A WEAPON.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T TYPICALLY HAPPEN.

BUT WE TRAIN FOR IT AND PREPARE FOR IT AS POLICE OFFICERS SO WE REACT IN A PROPER WAY.

>> SO THE IDEA OF LARGE NUMBERS OF SOLDIERS GOING IN TO DO SIMILAR THINGS IS PROBLEMATIC?

IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING?

>> IT IS BECAUSE MOST OF THEM DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, TRAINING OR TRAINING OR KNOWLEDGE APPLYING THESE CONCEPTS OF POLICING IN A CIVILIAN UNITED STATES WAY, WHERE YOU'VE GOT THE U.S.

CONSTITUTION AND RIGHT TO PRIVACY, BE LEFT ALONE AND SO FORTH.

>> AND SO AARON, THE MILITARY BEING USED IN THIS WAY, IT SEEMS LIKE THE MILITARY HAS ALWAYS BEEN-- IT'S WELL KNOWN TO BE NON-PARTISAN.

AND IS THAT GETTING TWISTED.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN WE SAW THAT TWISTED IN THE SPEECHES BY THE NEWLY DUBBED SECRETARY OF WAR PETE HEGSETH AND PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THE GENERALS.

THE GENERALS LOOKED UNCOMFORTABLE.

THERE WAS POLITICAL RHETORIC THROUGHOUT IT.

IT SOUNDED EXACTLY LIKE A TRUMP CAMPAIGN SPEECH.

AND LOOK, MAKING THE MILITARY PARTISAN IN AN ARM OF THE POLITICAL PARTY IN POWER IS A CLASSIC MOVE FROM AUTOCRATIC TEXTBOOKS THAT WE SEE THAT'S THE PLAY.

AND WE SEE IT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT'S NOT TO DISPARAGE OUR MILITARY.

THERE IS A ROLE FOR OUR MILITARY IN THIS COUNTRY FACING THE REAL THREATS THAT OUR COUNTRY IS FACING.

THE STORY OF SCOTT RUSKIN, THE COAST GUARD SWIMMER WHO RESCUED 169 CAMPERS AT CAMP MYSTIC.

HIS FIRST EVER MISSION.

HE LANDED IN TEXAS ON JULY 4 AND HELPED GET ALL OF THESE CAMPERS AND COUNSELORS TO SAFETY.

THAT'S THE KIND OF MILITARY HERO FACING THE ACTUAL KIND OF THREATS THAT OUR COUNTRY IS FACING FROM CLIMATE CHANGE THAT WE NEED.

YOU KNOW, NOT SOME KIDS GRAFFITIING AN ICE VAN IN PORTLAND THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN OUT.

WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW IS THE RHETORIC RAMPING UP AND WE ARE SEEING THREATS BEING INVENTED, RIGHT?

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIVE IN CITIES AND THEY HEAR WHAT IS GOING ON IN CITIES LIKE PORTLAND AND SAY OH MY GOSH.

BUT WHEN YOU GO TO PORTLAND, IT'S NOTHING LIKE WHAT TRUMP IS TALKING ABOUT.

SO THE COMBINATION OF MISINFORMATION AND POLITICALIZATION IS REALLY DANGEROUS FOR OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THE MILITARY REMAINS NON-PARTISAN.

>> HEGSETH HAS A NEW DEFENSE STRATEGY WHICH IS DEFEND THE HOMELAND.

>> RIGHT.

WHILE DROPPING THE WORD DEFENSE FROM HIS TITLE, OF COURSE.

I THINK THIS NOTION OF DEFENDING KIND OF REQUIRES AN EXTRAORDINARY THREAT, THIS NOTION THAT WE NEED THE NATIONAL GUARD IN CITIES DEPENDS IN PART ON BELIEVING THERE IS SOMETHING HAPPENING THERE THAT REQUIRES THEM TO BE THERE.

AND YOU KNOW, THE LAST COUPLE OF TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN THE PRESIDENT WASN'T DONALD TRUMP WAS THE 1992 L.A.

RIOTS AND THE 1970 KENT STATE OCCUPATION OF THAT CAMPUS.

AND THOSE ARE FAMOUSLY, YOU KNOW, DIFFICULT MOMENTS FOR THE COUNTRY.

AND KNOW, THE THINGS THEY MAKE MOVIES ABOUT AND WRITE SONGS ABOUT.

AND SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN NORMAL CRIME RATES IN THESE CITIES, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT QUALIFIES.

AS THIS CONTINUES AND THE LIMITS CONTINUE TO BE TESTED WITH FIRST IT WAS D.C., THEN PORTLAND AND NOW WHO KNOWS.

PART OF IT IS GOING TO BE HOW-- WHAT IS THE PUSH BACK FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT THESE PEOPLE THERE?

IS IT SAYING ACTUALLY CRIME IS NOT THAT BAD?

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO PUSH BACK ON IT OR SOME OTHER WAY OF MAKING THE CASE THAT THE NATIONAL GUARD SHOULDN'T BE HERE.

IT'S NOT ONLY UNFAIR TO US.

IT'S UNFAIR TO THEM.

>> PICKING UP ON WHAT AARON SAID.

TARA THIS IDEA OF WELL, MAYBE THE WAY WE SPEAK ABOUT IT, CRIME IS NOT THAT BAD.

THAT DOESN'T REALLY SEEM TO RESONATE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.

>> IT DOESN'T BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T JUST SUDDENLY, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, START HAVING THIS IMAGE OF CERTAIN CITIES, CERTAIN AREAS BEING CRIME RIDDEN.

SOME OF IT IS BASED ON FACT, NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THIS IMAGE FOR YEARS THAT CERTAIN CITIES ARE CRIME RIDDEN, EVEN WHEN CRIME HAS GONE DOWN.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE STATISTICAL LISTINGS THAT COME OUT EVERY YEAR OF WHAT CITY IS MORE CRIME RIDDEN THAN OTHER CITIES.

THEY DON'T LOOK AT WHAT TYPES OF CRIMES.

AND YOU CERTAINLY THERE HASN'T EVER BEEN A REAL LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THOSE CITIES WHO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS A REAL PROBLEM VERSUS WHAT IS THE IMAGE OF THE CITY.

IT'S VERY HARD TO LOSE THAT IMAGE.

I GREW UP IN GARY, INDIANA.

IT IS VERY HARD TO LOSE THAT IMAGE.

AND SO THAT IS PART OF THE PROBLEM.

AND THIS IS WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP AND THOSE WHO AGREE WITH HIM HAVE BUILT ON.

THEY BUILT ON STEREOTYPES THAT ALREADY EXISTED.

AND SO JUST SIMPLY SAYING CRIME IS DOWN.

THINGS ARE BETTER DOES NOT PLAY OUT VERY WELL.

THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT YOU HAVE THIS HAPPENING AT THE VERY SAME TIME THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS REDUCED FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHERE IT WAS TO INCREASE THE POLICE, WHERE IT WAS FOR BETTER TRAINING FOR THE POLICE, WHERE IT WAS TO HAVE THE POLICE WORK WITH HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN DEALING WITH THE HOMELESS, MENTALLY ILL VETERANS, ET CETERA.

THEY CUT THOSE FUNDS BUT SAY WE ARE GOING TO USE OUR MILITARY TO POLICE THE CITIES.

IT'S AS IF THERE IS A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE REALITY OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE CITIES AND WHAT WE WANT TO MAKE APPEAR TO BE HAPPENING IN THE CITIES BECAUSE IT BENEFITS US POLITICALLY.

>> CAN I BUILD ON WHAT TARA JUST SAID BECAUSE I THINK SHE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB POINTING OUT EMOTIONS ATTACHED TO A SITUATION.

YOU RECALL THOSE.

IT STICKS WITH YOU AND THIS WHOLE BLEED IT LEADS CULTURE THAT WE HAVE HAD SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MODERN MEDIA HAS REALLY EXPLODED BECAUSE ALGORITHMS LOVE IT, PEOPLE CLICK ON IT.

PEOPLE WATCH IT 24 HOURS A DAY SO IT'S REALLY IN YOUR FACE 24 HOURS A DAY.

AND IT EVOKES EMOTIONS WHICH THEN STICK WITH YOU ON TOP OF THE FACT THAT IT IS IN YOUR FACE 24 HOURS A DAY.

SO WHETHER IT'S THERE OR NOT-- AND I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK DOWN THE WHOLE HOW WE MEASURE CRIME AGAIN SPEECH-- THE EMOTIONS MAKE IT REAL.

PERCEPTION IS A PERSON'S REALITY AND THAT'S WHAT IS GOING ON.

>> AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ALGORITHM.

CERTAINLY IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD, THAT'S TRUE.

BUT EVEN BEFORE SOCIAL MEDIA CAME ALONG, IF IT BLEEDS IT LEADS.

AS A FORMER NEWS PRODUCER, I MEAN CRIME IS EASY TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE TO FILL A PROGRAM.

>> PEOPLE ARE TUNING IN.

>> ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE SAW IT SO MUCH.

NOW SPEAKING OF SOCIAL MEDIA.

THE LAST CONGRESS PASSED AND THE SUPREME COURT UPHELD A LAW BANNING TIK-TOK UNLESS IT WAS SOLD BY THE CHINESE COMPANY THAT OWNS IT.

NOW PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS A CONSORTIUM OF INVESTORS WILL TAKE OVER TIK-TOK'S U.S.

OPERATIONS.

THE JOINT VENTURE WILL LICENSE A COPY OF THE CRITICAL ALGORITHM THAT MAKES THE APP SO APPEALING.

LIKELY INVESTORS INCLUDE BILLIONAIRE TRUMP SUPPORTERS LARRY ELLISON, RUPERT AND LACHLAN MURDOCH, AND JEFF YASS, LARGEST INVESTOR IN TRUMP MEDIA.

JOSH, DOES THIS DEAL DO WHAT CONGRESS INTENDED?

IS IT GOOD FOR AMERICA?

>> I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEARLY BEEN OUT OF CONGRESS' HANDS FOR SOMETIME, STARTING ROUGHLY JANUARY 20.

I THINK THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION EASES HANDLING OF THIS RAISES REALLY ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY, WHICH IS IS IT GOOD FOR AMERICA IF TRUMP'S FRIENDS OWN LOTS OF BIG POWERFUL COMPANIES?

AND YOUR ANSWER TO THAT MAY DEPEND ON YOUR POLITICAL PERSUASION, BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS POWERFUL, POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY, AND THE ALGORITHM SORT OF CAPTURES YOUR ATTENTION WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.

I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH HEAVY TIKTOK USERS REALLY LIKE THIS THING BUT IT KEEPS THEIR ATTENTION.

MY STUDENTS DON'T SPEAK PARTICULARLY POSITIVE OF IT.

BUT IT IS A MASSIVE SOURCE OF ATTENTIONAL ECONOMY.

AND SO THAT, WITH ATTENTION COMES THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY OFF OF IT.

SO WHETHER THOSE ARE THE BEST STEWARDS FOR IT, WHETHER THAT'S WHAT CONGRESS INTENDED, AGAIN, THE PRESIDENT AND THE PRESIDENT'S FRIENDS ARE GOING TO BE IN CHARGE OF THIS THING AND I DON'T QUITE KNOW WHERE THEY'LL TAKE IT, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE ATTENTIONAL -- IT GRABS YOUR STUDENTS ATTENTION, EVEN IF THEY SAY THEY DON'T LIKE IT, THEY ARE ON IT.

>> THEIR ACTIONS AND THEIR WORDS.

>> BUT IT'S NOT JUST SILLY DANCE VIDEOS, IT'S A BIG PART OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY RIGHT NOW, THE WORLD ECONOMY.

>> LOOK, I AM A MILLENNIAL.

I DON'T OWN A TV.

I STREAM "IVORY TOWER."

I DON'T WATCH IT ON FRIDAY NIGHTS.

I STREAM IT.

AND A LOT OF GEN-Z AND MILLENNIALS GET THEIR NEWS PRIMARILY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS.

SO THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT'S GONE FROM BEING A SOMEWHAT BIPARTISAN CONCERN ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY, YOU KNOW, TO AN ISSUE THAT IS NOT FUNDAMENTALLY ABOUT MEDIA CONSOLIDATION AND MEDIA OWNERSHIP.

WE HAVE HAD MEDIA CONSOLIDATION GOING ON FOR YEARS.

SMALL TOWN NEWSPAPERS HAVE BEEN CLOSING, SOCIAL MEDIA HAS LED TO POLARIZATION AND MISINFORMATION AND I THINK WE ARE SEEING WE ARE GOING TO GET MORE OF THE SAME HERE.

NOW I WILL SAY THAT THE JIMMY KIMMEL EPISODE A FEW WEEKS AGO HAS REVEALED THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS STILL PRETTY STRONG , RIGHT?

AND SO I THINK IF YOU ARE TRYING TO CONTROL THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE, IT'S NOT SO MUCH WE ARE GOING TO SHUT YOU DOWN AS WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO CONTROL AS MANY SOURCES OF INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THE MESSAGING AND THE GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD IS GOING TO BE FILTERED THROUGH THAT AND I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THAT NOW WITH TIKTOK.

>> SO AARON MENTIONED NATIONAL SECURITY IMPLICATION.

THAT'S WHAT WE ALL SHARE-- WHAT IS THE NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE REGARDING THE CHINESE OWNERSHIP OF TIKTOK?

>> GREAT QUESTION.

THERE ARE TWO MAIN THINGS.

ONE OF THEM IS OUR PRIVATE INFORMATION.

I THINK THERE IS 170 MILLION USERS OF TIKTOK JUST IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO BITE DANCE, IN CHINA PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT IN A COMMUNIST COUNTRY, THERE IS A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERY CHINESE COMPANY THAT IS BASED IN CHINA.

THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE GOVERNMENT.

SO THE THREAT IS USING THAT-- GIVING THAT DATA TO THE GOVERNMENT.

IT'S NOT A THREAT.

IT'S A GUARANTEE.

THE OTHER COMPONENT IS THAT THE PROPAGANDA CAN BE PUSHED TO THOSE 170 MILLION USERS TO PERSUADE AN ELECTION OR PUSH AN ELECTION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

SO IT'S THOSE TWO MAIN THINGS IN NATIONAL SECURITY.

>> OR ANY ISSUE.

NOT EVEN JUST AN ELECTION.

TAIWAN WOULD BE A PRIME ONE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> TARA.

>> WELL, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

AND ONE OF THE OTHER CONCERNS ABOUT THIS DEAL, IF IT IS REALLY A DEAL-- AND THAT'S THE OTHER THING I FIND VERY INTERESTING.

THE CHINESE HAVEN'T SAID IT'S A DEAL YET.

THEY IN FACT HAVEN'T SAID VERY MUCH ABOUT THIS AT ALL.

SO I'M SORT OF WAITING TO SEE IF THE DEAL IS GOING TO PAN OUT THE WAY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS SAYING.

THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT FOR THE CHINESE, THIS HAS BEEN A BARGAINING TOOL.

FOR AMERICA WE SEEM TO BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT IT, IF THIS REALLY IS A DEAL, THAN THE CHINESE DO.

SO THEN MY NEXT QUESTION AND CONCERN IS, IS THAT OKAY LET'S SAY IT IS A REAL DEAL AND THE CHINESE, YOU KNOW,BITE DANCE GIVES UP THIS ALGORITHM, THE CHINESE MAY NOT CONTROL THAT INFORMATION BUT EQUALLY AS DANGEROUS, YOU HAVE A VERY PARTISAN GROUP OF INVESTORS INFLUENCING BYTEDANCE AND CONTROLLING THAT INFORMATION AND THEY CAN UTILIZE THAT INFORMATION BOTH TO FURTHER THEIR POLITICAL AGENDA, BUT ALSO TO PUNISH THOSE WHO DON'T SUPPORT THEIR POLITICAL AGENDA.

SO, IN A SENSE, ARE WE SIMPLY EXCHANGING ONE DEVIL FOR ANOTHER?

>> AND LARRY ELLISON, THE ORACLE GUY WHO IS ONE OF THE PRIME PEOPLE INVOLVED HERE ALSO HIS SON NOW CONTROLS CBS.

>> THROUGH A COMPANY CALLED SKYDANCE.

SO WE ARE GOING FROM BYTEDANCE TO SKYDANCE AND DANCING AROUND THE ISSUE OF STATE OWNERSHIP OF MEDIA AND WHO IS IN CHARGE AND WHO IS FEEDING WHAT TO THE GOVERNMENT RIGHT?

THE DISTANCE CONTINUES.

>> OKAY, THE ALGORITHM, YOU MENTIONED IF THE CHINESE GIVE UP THE ALGORITHM BUT MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE DEAL-- WHICH YOU POINT OUT THE CHINESE HAVE NOT YET AGREED TO-- IT'S THEY ARE NOT DIVESTING THE ALGORITHM.

THEY WILL LICENSE THE ALGORITHM, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

AND I THINK ULTIMATELY HERE, THIS IS GOING TO BE-- CONTINUE TO BE A STORY ABOUT MEDIA OWNERSHIP AND INFORMATION.

I THINK THE ONLY SOLUTION OUT OF THIS MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE SCHOOL BELL TO BELL BAN IN NEW YORK.

MAYBE WE NEED A 9 TO 5 SCREEN TIME BAN FOR EVERYBODY.

THERE IS ACTUALLY A JAPANESE CITY THAT IS TRYING THIS, LIMITING SCREEN TIME TO TWO HOURS A DAY FOR EVERYONE.

NOW I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD ENFORCE THAT, BUT AT THIS POINT, GIVEN THE WAY WE ARE GETTING INFORMATION, THAT MIGHT BE THE ONLY PATH OUT OF THIS.

>> THAT'S QUITE AN IDEA THERE.

ONE OTHER POINT ABOUT THIS IS THIS HAS BEEN SOLD AS AN ALL AMERICAN DEAL, RIGHT?

BUT THE UAE IS INVOLVED AS WELL.

THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT HOLDINGS?

>> IT IS A GLOBAL APP RIGHT NOW.

SO WHAT THEY'RE CALLING IT IS TIKTOK AMERICA.

AND 80% AMERICAN-OWNED, 20% OWNED BY CHINA.

HOUSED IN-- I MEAN IT'S ALL FRAMEWORK STILL.

BUT HOUSED IN ORACLE'S DATABASE AS FAR AS THE PERSONAL INFORMATION IN AMERICA AND THE ALGORITHM ALSO HOUSED THERE AND LEASED FROM BYTEDANCE SO SHADOWDANCE, THAT'S ALL I CAN... >> BUT I DO THINK THAT THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES HAS THEIR GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED INVESTMENT FIRM HAS A 15% STAKE IN THIS AS WELL.

SO... NOT QUITE ALL AMERICAN.

ERIC ADAMS HAS DROPPED HIS CAMPAIGN TO BE RE-ELECTED NEXT MONTH AS MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY.

THAT MIGHT IMPROVE THE CHANCES OF FORMER GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO, BUT THE OVERWHELMING FAVORITE IS STILL THE YOUNG, DEMOCRATIC-SOCIALIST ZOHRAN MAMDANI.

WHILE MANY MAINSTREAM DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO BACK HIM, YOUNG, ONLINE NEW YORKERS HAVE FLOCKED TO HIS CAMPAIGN.

POLLS SHOW THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO BE UNPOPULAR•.

ARE MAMDANI AND HIS BRAND OF LEFT-WING POPULISM THE FUTURE FOR THE PARTY?

IS THIS THE WAY OUT OF THE WILDERNESS?

>> I WOULD LOVE TO SAY YES, BUT I DON'T THINK SO SIMPLY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK, IN THE BROAD SPECTRUM OF ISSUESES THAT MAMDANI, YOU KNOW, SORT OF STANDS FOR.

SOME OF THEM ARE ABSOLUTELY THINGS THAT PEOPLE IN NEW YORK CITY, PEOPLE IN GENERAL WILL SUPPORT THE NOTION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THE NOTION OF MAKING SURE THAT, IN THE CASE OF NEW YORK CITY, CITY SERVICES ARE RUNNING, RUNNING PROPERLY AND THAT ON TIME, ET CETERA.

THOSE ARE ABSOLUTELY THINGS THAT PEOPLE CAN SUPPORT.

IN GENERAL PEOPLE SUPPORT D.C.

STATEHOOD.

BUT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS, FIRST OF ALL THAT MAMDANI REFERS TO HIMSELF AS A DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST AND MANY PEOPLE FOCUS ON THE SOCIALIST PART OF THIS, NOT ON THE DEMOCRATIC PART OF THIS.

SO THAT'S ONE PROBLEM.

SECOND THING IS WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT WHAT DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL-- ON THE LOCAL LEVEL IT MIGHT BE.

BUT ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT FOR DEFUNDING THE POLICE, FOR EXAMPLE.

ABOLISHING ICE.

WITH DRAWING FROM NATO.

THOSE ARE NOT ISSUES NATIONALLY THAT I THINK ARE GOING TO #-B WINNERS FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

SO IF YOU JUST KEEP IT IN NEW YORK CITY, IT MIGHT ACTUALLY WORK VERY WELL FOR HIM.

BUT NATIONWIDE, IN THE MIDWEST, NO.

>> BUT ECONOMIC POPULISM, JOSH, THAT SEEMS TO BE A BIG PART OF HIS APPEAL, RIGHT?

>> IT IS.

AND IT'S SOMETHING TO RUN ON AND DEMOCRATS HAVE FIGURED-- HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT WHERE THEY'RE GOING IN THIS TRUMP ERA IN TERMS OF WHAT THE MESSAGE IS GOING TO BE.

AND PART OF MAMDANI'S APPEAL IS THAT HE WENT OUT AND ASKED PEOPLE WHAT THEY CARED ABOUT AND DID SO ON CAMERA IN A REALLY COMPELLING WAY.

WHETHER HE WAS GOING TO RUN ON THIS FROM THE BEGINNING OR NOT HAVE FRAMED HIS CAMPAIGN ABOUT I ASKED NEW YORKERS WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT AND THEY CARE ABOUT COST OF LIVING AND HAVE THE VIDEOS TO PROVE IT.

SO WHETHER HIS EXACT POLICY PRECIPITATION FOR A CITY OF EIGHT MILLION PEOPLE WHETHER FIT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PROBABLY NOT.

THAT'S NOT HOW NATIONAL PARTIES WORK.

BUT IS THIS APPROACH OF GOING AND TALKING TO PEOPLE ON CAMERA, MAKING COMPELLING VIDEO AND VERTICAL VIDEO FOR THE TIKTOK PEOPLE, A SENATE CANDIDATE IN TEXAS, VERY DIFFERENT FROM MAMDANI IN A LOT OF WAYS, CAME OUT WITH HIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIDEO, A THREE-MINUTE SERMON STANDING IN FRONT OF A CHURCH STANDING ON A CAR BUT A VERTICAL VIDEO AND THIS IS THE THING THAT MAMDANI HAS PIONEERED SO THERE ARE THINGS TO LEARN FOR NATIONAL DEMOCRATS FROM HIS CAMPAIGN; EVEN IF IT IS NOT HOW TO SOLVE EVERY SINGLE POLICY.

IT MIGHT BE HOW TO TALK TO VOTERS.

>> AND LEFT WING POPULISM IS NOT ANYTHING NEW, RIGHT?

WE'VE HAD STAGNANT WAGES FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.

THERE HAS BEEN AIL COST OF LIVING CRISIS FOR QUITE A WHILE INCOME INEQUALITY HAS GROWN IN THIS COUNTRY.

BERNIE SANDERS AS A VERMONT SENATOR RAN ON LEFT WING POPULISM AND NEARLY WON THE NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT IN 2016.

NOT EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT MAMDANI IS RUNNING ON BUT THERE IS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT AFFORDABILITY AND YOU CAN HAVE A MESSAGE THAT TAPS INTO THAT AND SAY WE NEED SERVICES, WE FEED FREE TRANSPORTATION.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR BROKEN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THAT MAMDANI IS TAPPING INTO.

ON THE FLIP SIDE YOU HAVE TALARICO IN TEXAS 36 RUNNING FOR SENATE TRYING TO CARVE A PATH THROUGH THE CULTURE WARS, RIGHT?

HE IS RELIGIOUS, PRESBYTERIAN SEMINARIAN TRYING TO SAY LOOK, THE RIGHT AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY DON'T OWN BEING CHRISTIAN AND IT'S ACTUALLY ANTI-CHRIS CHUB TO-- ANTI-WHICH IS TRUN TO-- WHICH IS CHRISTIAN TO FIGHT THIS WAY.

>> IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT STATE.

>> AND JUST REAL QUICK, HIS MESSAGE IS ARE VERY COGENT WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIALISM.

AND THE WAY HE DESCRIBES IT IS MLK'S SHARED HUMANITY VISION OF EQUALITY FOR EVERYONE, NOT THE HAVES AND NOT THE HAVE NOTS.

AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL COME ACROSS IN A QUICK SOUNDBITE AND I THINK IT HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE OF LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE EVERYTHING AND JUST GIVE IT TO EVERYBODY, GIVE THE SAME AMOUNT.

IT'S NOT THAT.

NOW I HAVE CONCERNS, AND I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR THEM.

BUT I THINK HIS MESSAGING IS SPEAKING TO THE YOUNGER GROUPS BECAUSE IT'S VERY COGENT, TO THE POINT AND IT WORKS FOR SOUND BITES.

>> SO HE DOES HAVE THIS SORT OF ANTIELITISM POINT OF VIEW.

>> WELL, HE COMES FROM AN AFFLUENT FAMILY.

HIS DAD IS A PROFESSOR MAKING DECENT MONEY SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE SITTING IN A BAD PLACE.

SO IT'S NOT THAT HE IS TRYING TO TAKE FROM ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE, BUT THERE IS THAT CONCERN OF, OKAY, SHORT-TERM IT'S GOING TO BRING IN $5 BILLION, HIS PLAN, WHAT IS PROJECTED TO, BUT LONG-TERM, BUSINESSES MAY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE IT IS NOT AS EXPENSIVE TO RUN THEIR BUSINESSES.

>> THE LAST WORD ON THIS, JOSH.

>> WE HAVE BEEN REFERRING TO HIM AS A DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST.

HE IS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NOMINEE.

AND YOU KNOW, AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR COURAGE FROM DEMOCRATIC LEADERS NOT BEING ABLE TO ENDORSE SOMEONE WHO HAS WON THE NOMINATION OF YOUR OWN PARTY STANDS OUT TO PEOPLE AND THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE.

>> LET'S GO OUR AS AND FS AND BEGIN WITH FS AARON.

YOU ARE UP FIRST.

>> MY F GOES TO THE PRESIDENT OF MADAGASCAR.

GEN-Z PROTESTS HAVE ERUPTED ON THIS ISLAND NATION AGAINST A LACK OF ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER AND ELECTRICITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE WHICH IS INFLUENCING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN THE COUNTRY.

DESPITE ONE ESPOUSING A NEW DEMOCRATIC RULE OF LAW, THE FORMER BUSINESSMAN TURNED PRESIDENT HAS CRACKED DOWN ON THIS.

AUTOCRATIC LEADERS DESERVE FS.

DO BETTER, WE ARE SEEING GEN-Z PROTESTS POP UP ALL OVER THE WORLD, NEPAL, MADAGASCAR.

>> MY F GOES TO OKLAHOMA SENATOR SHANE JET WHO PROPOSED ALL OKLAHOMA PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES CREATE A CHARLIE KIRK PLAZA.

IN THAT PLAZA WOULD BE A STATUE OF KIRK STANDING WITH HIS FAMILY OR SEATED WITH AN EMPTY CHAIR ACOUGHS FROM HIM.

THE PLAZA WOULD HAVE TO BE PLACED IN A HIGHLY VISIBLE SPACE ON CAMPUS TO "MAXIMIZE PUBLIC AWARENESS."

I DON'T NEED TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE.

>> JOSH.

>> MY F GOES TO THE FANS AT THE RYDER CUP HELD IN THE UNFORTUNATELY NEW YORK STATE PARK DOWN ON LONG ISLAND.

REALLY JUST LOUDLY HECKLING, INSULTING OUR EUROPEAN GUESTS HERE.

YOU KNOW, THIS BEAUTIFUL EXCLUSIVE SPOT, A CHANCE TO SHOW OFF AMERICAN MANNERS AND AMERICAN SKILLS, THE INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES OF THE AMERICAN GOLFERS WERE OVERSHADOWED AND THERE IS PROBABLY A POLITICAL METAPHOR IN THERE SOMEWHERE.

>> BEN.

>> MY F IS GOING TO OUR GOVERNMENT'S CURRENT BUDGET PROCESS.

IN LESS THAN 50 YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 20 FUNDING GAPS LEADING TO 10 SHOWDOWNS.

AND OCCURRED IN AT LEAST EVERY SINGLE ADMINISTRATION EXCEPT FOR GEORGE W. BUSH AND JOE BIDEN.

PLUS, IT'S OCCURRED IN BOTH THE DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESSES.

SO YOU HAVE HAD DEMOCRAT CONTROLLED AND-- IT'S BROKEN.

FIX IT.

>> AS.

AARON.

>> THANKS BEN FOR REMINDING US THAT WE ARE IN FACT IN A GOVERNMENT SHOWDOWN.

MY A GOES TO DAME JANE GOODALL WHO PASSED AWAY EARLIER THIS WEEK.

A RENOWNED PRIMETOLOGIST, CONSERVATIONIST AND ACTIVIST.

SHOWING WHAT SCIENCE COULD DO ON THE WORLD STAGE, SHE INSPIRED.

SHE HAD A MORE GROUNDED HUMAN CENTERED APPROACH TO PURSUING CLIMAX.

SHE WILL BE MISSED.

>> MY A GOES TO THE NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION IN TIME FOR THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT RELEASED THE FIRST UPDATED TEXTBOOK ON THE FIVE NATIVE NATIONS WHICH SHARE LAND WITH THE PEOPLE AND STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA.

ENTITLED JOURNEY OF UNDERSTANDING.

THIS TEXTBOOK WAS AND IS THE FIRST UPDATE IN OVER 20 YEARS AND IS VITALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS USED NOT ONLY IN K-12 CLASSED BUT USED BY MANY POLITICIANS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE NATIVE PEOPLES IN THE STATE.

>> JOSH.

>> I WENT TO A GRAD SCHOOL IN PHILADELPHIA AND I STUDIED LOCAL NEWS SO I'M GOING SAY JOSH AMADON, THE OWNER OF A CHEESE STEAK SHOP IN FAYETTEVILLE NEW YORK RECENTLY CLOSED HAS BEEN GOING ON A LOCAL TOUR TO TRY TO FIND WHERE HE WILL OPEN HIS NEXT RESTAURANT AND IT HAS BEEN FOLLOWED VERY CLOSELY BY PEOPLE ADVOCATING FOR HIS SHOP TO COME TO THEIR TOWNS.

IT'S BEEN FUNNY, ENGAGING.

HE HAS GOTTEN NATIONAL ATTENTION.

MY POINT IS LOCAL NEWS CAN BE FOUND IN LOTS OF PLACES.

I HAVE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT LOCAL POLITICS FROM THIS AND WE HOPE YOU FIND A NEW SPOT SOON.

>> AND BEN.

>> GREAT.

MY A IS GOING TO THE PODCAST CALLED THE PRESIDENT'S DAILY BRIEF.

IT IS FOR PROVIDING A RELIABLE AND BALANCED ACCOUNT OF CURRENT GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES ALONG WITH NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES.

HE IS A FORMER CIA OPERATIVE, HIS NAME IS MIKE BAKER AND USE ADD PLIED INTELLIGENCE METHODS AND TECHNIQUES TO GIVE US FACTS IN A BALANCED WAY.

>> WE HAVE PODCASTS AND LOCAL AS.

GOOD AS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

FOR COMMENTS YOU CAN WRITE TO THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THE SHOW AGAIN YOU CAN VIEW IT ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG., I'M DAVID CHANATRY, FOR ALL OF US AT IVORY TOWER, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

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