♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ VOTERS WANTED TO SHAKE THINGS UP, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY GOT.

THE BREAKNECK PACE OF TRUMP'S FIRST HUNDRED DAYS.

THE UNITARY EXECUTIVE - PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS MOVED AGGRESSIVELY TO RESHAPE GOVERNMENT.

WHAT ARE THE LIMITS OF EXECUTIVE POWER?

LOSING THE FAITH - WHY HAS GEN Z LOST SO MUCH TRUST IN AMERICA'S GOVERNMENT AND INSTITUTIONS?

AND HAVE YOU HEARD THIS ONE BEFORE - A BLUNT, TOUGH-TALKING GUY FROM QUEENS MAKING A POLITICAL COMEBACK?

ANDREW CUOMO MAY BE THE NEXT MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY.

STAY TUNED FOR IVORY TOWER ON THE ROAD AT SUNY CORTLAND ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO ANOTHER HOUR-LONG EDITION OF IVORY TOWER ON THE ROAD.

THIS WEEK WE'RE COMING TO YOU FROM THE BROWN AUDITORIUM AT OLD MAIN AND SUNY CORTLAND.

OUR PANELISTS TONIGHT ARE MICHAEL TILLOTSON FROM SUNY CORTLAND, SARAH PRALLE FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, TY SEIDULE FROM HAMILTON COLLEGE, TARA ROSS FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AND A SPECIAL, GUEST PANELIST, ONE OF THE IVORY TOWER ORIGINALS, BOB SPITZER, A LONG-TIME PROFESSOR HERE AT CORTLAND.

SUNY CORTLAND.

WE WILL TAKE SOME STUDENT QUESTIONS LATER IN THE PROGRAM.

EVER SINCE FDR BACK IN 19-33, THE FIRST HUNDRED DAYS HAS BEEN SEEN AS A SIGNIFICANT MARKER FOR A NEW ADMINISTRATION.

THIS WEEK MAKES 100 DAYS IN OFFICE FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP.

DESPITE ALL THE CONTROVERSY AND HIS DECLINING POLL NUMBERS, HE HAS A DIEHARD BASE OF SUPPORT.

EVEN MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT FANS SAY HE SHAKES THINGS UP AND TAKES ON PROBLEMS OTHERS WON'T.

HE'S COME IN FOR A FAIR AMOUNT OF CRITICISM ON THIS PROGRAM, BUT WHAT HAS HE DONE THAT IS WORTH DOING?

>> WELL, DAVE, THAT'S A TOUGH ASSIGNMENT: I HAD TO DIG SORT OF DEEP TO COME UP WITH AN ANSWER, BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE THINGS.

I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND MAYBE EVEN ADMIRE THE ENERGY WITH WHICH THAT THEY'RE BRINGING TO THE JOB THESE FIRST 100 DAYS.

THIS WAS A CHANGE ELECTION.

A LOT OF TIMES IT IS A CHANGE ELECTION IN WHICH VOTERS ARE ASKING FOR BIG SHIFTS IN POLICY, AND THERE ARE SOMETIMES, OFTEN PERHAPS DISAPPOINTED WHEN THEY DON'T SEE THOSE CHANGES AND THEY DON'T SEE THEM VERY QUICKLY AND SO I HAVE TO GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR DOING A LOT, BEING ACTIVE.

AND THE OTHER HALF OF THAT IS THE VISIBILTY OF THE CHANGES AND OF THEIR ACTIONS.

A LOT OF TIMES POLITICIANS, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE PURSUING UNPOPULAR POLICIES, WILL KIND OF HIDE THEM IN LARGE BUDGET BILLS OR ANNOUNCE THINGS ON A FRIDAY NIGHT SO THEY DON'T GET MUCH MEDIA COVERAGE.

AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN DOING A LOT OF STUFF OUT IN THE OPEN.

I'M SURE OTHER STUFF NOT SO MUCH, BUT A LOT OF THIS IS OUT IN THE OPEN, EVEN SOME OF THEIR UNPOPULAR POLICIES.

THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION ABOUT THEM.

AND I THINK THAT ACTUALLY THAT'S GOOD FOR DEMOCRACY BECAUSE IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, AND REALLY MAKE THAT CONNECTION BETWEEN WHO IS DOING WHAT.

>> AND IF YOU COMPARE THAT WITH PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, PRESIDENT BIDEN HAD VERY INFREQUENT, VERY FEW PRESS AVAILABILITIES.

TRUMP IS OUT THERE ALL THE TIME.

BOB, YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE FIRST 100 DAYS?

>> WELL, WE THINK ABOUT THE 100 DAYS AS A KEY BENCHMARK FOR MODERN PRESIDENTS.

AND THAT SORT OF BEGAN WITH FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT IN THE DEPTHS OF THE DEPRESSION.

BUT THE IF FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT HAD A PRESIDENTIAL EVIL TWIN, IT WOULD BE DONALD TRUMP.

TRUMP HAS DONE A LOT.

THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

HE HAS ALL ABOUT ABANDONED WORKING THROUGH CONGRESS EXCEPT FOR WINNING PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS TO EXECUTIVE BRANCH POSITIONS AND HE HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL THERE.

GLOAT A LOT OF PEOPLE THROUGH THE SENATE VERY QUICKLY BUT HE HAS SPENT VIRTUALLY NO TIME WITH CONGRESS, UNLIKE JOE BIDEN, BY THE WAY.

BIDEN WORKED CONGRESS VERY EFFECTIVELY AND SOMETHING THAT I THINK PEOPLE HAVE NOT, YOU KNOW, REALIZED ABOUT THE BIDEN PRESIDENCY.

INSTEAD HE HAS LEANED VERY HEAVILY INTO EXECUTIVE ORDERS.

EXECUTIVE ORDERS ARE LEGAL.

THEY'RE LEGAL ISSUANCES OF THE PRESIDENT THAT GO BACK TO GEORGE WASHINGTON, BUT HIS FALL INTO FOUR CATEGORIES.

SOME OF THEM PURELY SYMBOLIC.

SOME OF THEM ARE CLEARLY LEGAL.

SOME OF THEM FALL INTO A GRAY AREA.

SOME OF THEM ARE CLEARLY ILLEGAL AND I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE.

HIS EFFORT TO MICROMANAGE INDEPENDENT AGENCIES LIKE THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION OR THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION.

THE REASON INDEPENDENT AGENCIES ARE CALLED INDEPENDENT BECAUSE BY LAW CONGRESS MAKES THEM INDEPENDENT OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.

PRESIDENT'S CHECK IS TO APPOINT PEOPLE TO HEAD THOSE AGENCIES.

HE HAS CROSSED THE LINE THERE.

>> WE WILL TOUCH ON THAT IN THE NEXT SEGMENT.

TARA, BOB MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, HE IS NOT WORKING WITH CONGRESS, BUT CONGRESS IS SAYING DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.

WHERE IS MIKE JOHNSON IN ALL OF THIS, RIGHT?

>> MIKE JOHNSON IS PRETTY MUCH DOING WHATEVER PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTS FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS, THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER, ACHIEVING THINGS THAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE LONG WANTED.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHY ROCK THE BOAT WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING FOR YOU?

AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS, OF COURSE, MIKE JOHNSON KNOWS IF THESE ISSUES ARE LEGISLATIVE AS THEY SHOULD BE IN MANY CASES, THEN THAT WOULD CERTAINLY SLOW THE PROCESS DOWN, REPUBLICANS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO EXPLAIN WHY THEY'RE DOING THEM, HAVE TO LOOK AT IMPACT, ET CETERA.

WITH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER, YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT.

ALL OF THE SORT OF FACT CHECKING AND IMPACT STUDIES, ET CETERA, COME AFTER THE EXECUTIVE ORDER.

>> AND THEY CAN BE EFFORTED-- OVERTURNED, OF COURSE, RIGHT, MICHAEL?

IT'S NOT LEGISLATION.

>> RIGHT.

IN MY THREE YEARS ON THIS SHOW, THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT QUESTION I'VE HAD TO POSSIBLY FACE.

THAT'S AN UNDERSTATEMENT RIGHT THERE.

WHAT REGULAR AMERICAN DOESN'T WANT CRIMINALS OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

WHAT REGULAR AMERICAN DOESN'T WANT WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE NOT IN THE GOVERNMENT.

IT'S NOT WHAT HE WANTS BUT HOW HE GOES ABOUT GETTING WHAT HE WANTS.

HE INHERITED A FULLY FUNCTIONING ROBUST ECONOMY THAT WAS THE ENEMY HAVE I OF MOST OF THE WORLD.

ESPECIALLY COMING OUT OF A PANDEMIC.

THE ADMINISTRATION IS VEERING OFF OF A CLIFF.

I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THE ADMINISTRATION'S GENERATING AND SOME WHO SUPPORT UNDERMINING AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS AND ATTACKING HIGHER EDUCATION AND JEOPARDIZING PUBLIC HEALTH.

SO IF ALIENATING GLOBAL ALLIES AND DESTROYING AMERICA'S TOKING POSITION IN THE WORLD AND GIVING TAX BREAKS TO BILLIONAIRE DONORS AND BILLIONAIRE PEOPLE, THEN THIS ADMINISTRATION'S THIS 100 DAYS IS A COLOSSAL SUCCESS IF YOU MEASURE SUCCESS FROM THAT METRIC.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, HE IS HAVING A RALLY IN MICHIGAN TONIGHT WITH PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT ALL THE THINGS I JUST MENTIONED.

THAT TAKES ME BACK TO SOMETHING HE SAID A FEW YEARS AGO.

HE SAID I LOVE UNEDUCATED PEOPLE.

AND I THINK HE THEY THOUGHT HE WAS FLATTERING THEM BUT HE COULD REACH THEM IN A PLACE THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE RATIONAL THOUGHT.

IT WOULD ALL BE EMOTIONAL.

HE APPEALS TO THEIR RESENTMENT AND ANGER AND I THINK HE HAS REALLY DONE A IMAGINESTER WAL JOB OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF VULNERABLE PEOPLE.

>> MICHAEL, AS YOU WENT THROUGH THAT THAT LIST, OR TY, AS MICHAEL WENT THROUGH THAT LIST, WE HAVE SEEN NOW THAT HIS POPULARITY OR HIS POLL NUMBERS ARE DECLINING PRETTY SUBSTANTIALLY.

SO IS THE BLITZ CREEK OVER-- BLITZKRIEG OVER?

>> HE HAS ACCUMULATED POWER IN THE PRESIDENCY AND FOUND HE HAS THE POWER TO BREAK THINGS.

AND HE HAS BROKEN THINGS REALLY, REALLY WELL.

SO IT'S CHAOS BUT I WOULD BEND IT IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.

THE FIRST IS LAWLESS AND GOING AFTER LAW FIRMS AND COLLEGES, TRYING TO DO AWAY WITH BIRTH RIGHT CITIZENS, THE 14th AMENDMENT.

I WOULD SAY MORALLY CORRUPT.

LEGAL PARDONING THE JANUARY 6 WOULD BE A PART OF THAT.

HUMILIATING UKRAINE AND OUR FOREIGN ALLIES WOULD BE ANOTHER.

AND THEN THERE IS THE MORONIC.

AND THE MORONIC IS THE TARIFFS.

AND SO I THINK, AS PAUL KRUGMAN SAID, HE HAS METASTASIZED THE ECONOMY.

I THINK WE ARE HEADED STRAIGHT FOR A RECESSION.

AS SOMEBODY SAID TODAY, JAMIE DIAMOND SAID THAT WOULD BE BEST THING THAT WOULD HAPPEN IS IF THERE IS A RECESSION.

SO I THINK IT IS CHAOS AND THAT CHAOS IS NOT GOING TO END WELL.

>> THAT'S PURELY A SELF-CREATED HARDSHIP JUST AS YOU WERE A SAYING, THE ECONOMY WAS DOING FINE.

LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO THE STOCK MARKET, THE BOND MARKET IS IS THE ONLY THING THAT SEEMED TO BRING TRUMP UP SHORT TO TRY TO NOT GO SO FAR WITH THE TARIFFS.

>> IS THERE ANY-- OTHER THAN THE TARIFF AND THE LIST THAT MICHAEL GAVE US, ANYTHING ELSE THAT REALLY HAS STOOD OUT?

I'M THINKING PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, NIH AND THE CUTS.

>> I'M STRUCK BY HOW FOCUSED THEY ARE IN UNDOING THINGS, YOU KNOW.

A LOT OF TIMES NEW PRESIDENTS COME AND THEY SORT OF ACCEPT THE PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT ARE THERE.

THEY TRY TO CHANGE THEM A LITTLE BIT.

THE DIRECTION, MAYBE DECREASE FUNDING, BUT THEY SORT OF ACCEPT THAT THAT IS WAS WE HAVE.

AND THEN THEY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.

AND SO MUCH OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS JUST TRYING TO UNDO A LOT OF STUFF.

I MEAN TO LIKE REALLY SMALL THINGS THAT SEEM REALLY UNOBJECTIONABLE, LIKE THEY WANT TO TAKE MONEY AWAY FROM BUILDING BIKE LANES.

I MEAN IT'S ODD HOW DETAILED AND GET, YOU KNOW, REVERSE PAPER-- A BAN ON PLASTIC STRAWS.

IT'S VERY DETAILED AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT UNDOING WHICH IS WHAT TRUMP WANTED TO DO IN HIS FIRST TERM, TOO, WITH REGARD TO OBAMA'S POLICIES.

IT'S REALLY LOOKING BACKWARDS.

>> AREAS HE HAS A PARTICULAR INTEREST OR DISLIKE IN LIKE PAPER STRAWS.

I MEAN THAT'S NOT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ISSUE.

>> IT'S TRIVIAL.

THE FACT THAT THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR TIME ON THESE LITTLE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, SEEM GENERALLY GOOD AND UNOBJECTIONABLE IS STRANGE TO ME.

>> IN HIS FIRST TERM, PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID ARTICLE 2 OF THE CONSTITUTION MEANS HE CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS.

NOW SECOND TERM TRUMP IS MOVING AGGRESSIVELY TO RESHAPE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TOWARD EXPANDED PRESIDENTIAL POWER.

HE HAS TAKEN ACTIONS THAT SEEMED DESIGN TO END UP AT THE SUPREME COURT TWHER HE WILL EXPECT THE SUPREME COURT TO VALIDATE HIS CLAIM OF UNITARY EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY.

MICHAEL, WHAT ARE THE LIMITS OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER?

>> I DON'T WANT THE PRESIDENT TO FAIL.

I HAVE NEVER WANTED AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO FAIL BUT IT SEEMS LIKE HE IS HELL BENT ON FAILING WITHOUT ANYBODY THINKING ABOUT IT.

THE ATLANTIC INTERVIEW THAT HAPPENED A DAY OR TWO AGO.

HE SAID HE RUNS THE COUNTRY AND HE RUNS THE WORLD.

HE SAID THIS LESS THAN A DAY AGO.

HE RUNS THE COUNTRY AND RUNS THE WORLD.

IF THAT DOESN'T SHAKE YOU UP NO MATTER WHAT SIDE OF THE POLITICAL AISLE YOU COME FROM, I'M NOT SURE IT WILL.

HE WANTS TO CONSOLIDATE THE THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT TO THE SOLELY EXECUTIVE BRANCH.

WHEN WE THINK OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, OBAMA ABOUT 33 BEFORE HIM AND BIDEN DID 19 AFTER HIM.

HE HAS DONE 142 IN 100 DAYS.

SO THE DISTINCTION IS THE TWO GENTLEMEN BEFORE HIM AND AFTER HIM WERE TRYING TO GOVERN THE COUNTRY.

AND NOW HE IS TRYING TO RUN THE WORLD, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT WAY OF GOVERNING, RIGHT?

SO IN TERMS OF THE PRESIDENT AND HIS CLAIMS OF UNITARY EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT HE ADMIRES; THE PEOPLE WHOSE WORLD VIEW AND PHILOSOPHIES OF PRACTICE HE WANTS TO INSTITUTIONALIZE IN AMERICA.

BY BREAKING WITH AMERICAN NORMS, BY UNDERMINING THE CONSTITUTION, ABANDONING THE RULE OF LAW, IGNORING THE JUDICIAL BRANCH PUNISHING ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE THAT DISAGREE WITH HIM, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHERE HE IS COMING FROM, OUT OF THE PLAYBOOK OF VLADAMIR PUTIN, KIM JONG-IL AND ERDOGAN RESPECTIVELY.

WE HAD A VISION OF THIS PSYCHOLOGY IN THE WHITE HOUSE BEFORE.

RICHARD NIXON, WHO IS NOT FAR FROM THIS.

BUT WE HAD RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC SERVANTS IN THROUGH COURT RULINGS BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE AN INTRUSION ON EXECUTIVE BRANCH POWERS.

NOW THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IDEA IS THAT IT RUNS SMACK UP AGAINST THE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE OF THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS SEPARATION OF POWERS, CHECKS AND BALANCES.

AND WHAT THE UNITARY THEORY DOES IS THAT IT COVERTLY ROLLS BACK CHECKS AND BALANCES.

POLITICAL SCIENTIST ONCE SAID THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM OF SEPARATE INSTITUTIONS SHARING POWERS.

AND IN FACT, CONGRESS HAS EVERY RIGHT, UNDER LAW, TO CONTROL SPECIFIC MATTERS WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.

AND THE COURTS HAVE RULED ON THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH MATTERS THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES.

SO IT IS A FRONTAL ASSAULT ON THE FUNDAMENTAL PREMISE THAT POWERS OVERLAP IN OUR SYSTEM.

>> HE SAYS HE HAS ARTICLE 2.

SARAH, WHAT ABOUT ARTICLE 1?

>> WELL, I MEAN, TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, IT'S THE TIMING OF THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A LONG STANDING CONSERVATIVE LEGAL MOVEMENT THAT HAS ADVOCATED FOR THE UNITARY EXECUTIVE, YOU KNOW, THEORY, FOR DECADES AND I THINK THEY FOUND THEIR MAN, YOU KNOW?

SOMEONE WHO NATURALLY WOULD LIKE TO BE THE KING, RIGHT?

WHO REALLY GRABS POWER AND SEES HIS POSITION AS REALLY MORE OF THE HEAD OF LIKE HE CAN COMMAND, YOU KNOW, THE ENTIRE GOVERNMENT.

AND SO I THINK THE MARRIAGE OF THESE TWO HAS REALLY WORKED BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY SET UP A, YOU KNOW, A LEGAL STRATEGY TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THESE CASES BEFORE THE COURTS.

AND SOME OF THESE HAVE TO DO WITH THE INDEPENDENT AGENCIES THAT CONGRESS HAS SET UP OVER THE DECADES, WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT IS BECOMING A LITTLE TOO KING-LIKE, CONGRESS INTERVENES AND DOES STUFF.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'VE DONE IS SET UP AGENCIES LIKE THE FEDERAL RESERVE AND OTHER INDEPENDENT BODIES THAT HAVE HEADS THAT HAVE SET TERMS, RIGHT?

SO THE IDEA IS TO PROTECT THEM FROM POLITICAL INFLUENCE.

AND WE SAW RECENTLY HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS WHEN HE WAS STARTING TO THREATEN JEROME POWELL OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE, PEOPLE GOT REALLY NERVOUS BY THAT, RIGHT?

BECAUSE YOU CAN IMAGINE IF SLID OUR MONETARY POLICY IS BEING INFLUENCED BY WHAT THE PRESIDENT WANTS FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES.

SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE INDEPENDENT AGENCIES TO STAY INDEPENDENT AND THAT'S SOME OF WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO CHALLENGE IN COURT, I THINK.

>> OKAY, NOW TY, WE HAVE HAD PERIODS IN OUR HISTORY WHERE THE PRESIDENT HAS HAD TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF AUTHORITY.

GEORGE W. BUSH AFTER 9/11, LINCOLN THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR WHEN CONGRESS HADN'T YET COME TO WASHINGTON.

WOODROW WILSON IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR.

ARE WE ALL GETTING ALL HOT AND BOTHERED ABOUT THIS WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST CHILL?

>> I'M NOT READY TO CHILL.

BUT I AM READY-- I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT INTO THINKING ABOUT THE AMERICAN, THAT WE HAVE 250 YEARS OF IMPERFECT DEMOCRACY.

AND THE IDEA THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO-- ARE GOING TO ACCEPT ALL OF THIS-- AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS DOWN TO, TO US AS CITIZENS IF WE ARE GOING TO ACCEPT THIS OR NOT AND I FRANKLY DON'T THINK WE WILL.

AND SO I REALLY THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT MICHAEL DID A GOOD JOB OF BRINGING UP NIXON BUT REMEMBER NIXON WENT TOO FAR AND THERE WAS A REACTION AGAINST THAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER AT THE END OF TRUMP PRESIDENCY WHETHER THE PRESIDENT WILL BE STRONGER OR WEAKER BECAUSE OF HIS ACTIONS.

I THINK HIS TORIANS-- HISTORIANS HAVE A PERFECT TRACK RECORD OF PREDICTING THE FUTURE.

WE ARE ALWAYS WRONG.

I DO THINK THE JURY IS OUT ON WHETHER THIS WILL MAKE THE PRESIDENCY STRONGER OR WEAKER.

>> WE WILL GO TO THE OTHER HISTORIAN ON THE PANEL.

IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAVE SEEN BEFORE IN YOUR VIEW?

>> I THINK IT IS IN THE SENSE THAT WHEN YOU MENTION WOODROW WILSON, WORLD WAR I, WHEN YOU MENTION F.D.R., THE GREAT DEPRESSION.

USUALLY WHEN WE SEE A PRESIDENT EXPAND HIS POWERS BEYOND WHAT IS CONSIDERED THE NORM, WE HAVE BEEN IN SOME SORT OF EMERGENCY SITUATION.

>> CRISIS.

>> THERE HAS BEEN A CRISIS.

AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT TRUMP KEEPS TRYING TO DESCRIBE ALMOST EVERYTHING AS AN EMERGENCY, AS A CRISIS, AS AN INVASION.

BECAUSE IF HE DOESN'T, THEN THE AMERICAN ARE GOING TO WONDER, WHY AREN'T YOU GOING TO CONGRESS?

BUT AS LONG AS HE CAN KEEP DESCRIBING THINGS AS AN EMERGENCY, PEOPLE HAVE A TENDENCY, ESPECIALLY IN UNCERTAIN TIMES, AND THESE ARE VERY UNCERTAIN TIMES, THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO BE MORE ACCEPTING OF THE PRESIDENT'S TAKING ON MORE EXECUTIVE POWER.

>> DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE BUYING THAT?

ONE OF THE CRISES WAS A CRISES IN THE TRADE IMBALANCE, RIGHT?

A CRISIS OF BEING INVADED BY VENEZUELA, BY A GANG, I MEAN-- >> IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLS, I MEAN THERE HAVE BEEN MAJOR POLLS HAVE COME OUT OVER THE LAST WEEK AND ALL OF THOSE MAJOR POLLS SHOW A REAL DECLINE IN HIS POPULARITY.

AND THAT MAY NOT AFFECT HIM SOON, BUT THIS IS AFTER 100 DAYS.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT IS GOING TO BE AFTER A YEAR, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE ALL KNOW A CRASH IS COMING WITH THE RECESSION, IF WE KEEP THESE TARIFFS AND EVEN IF WE DON'T, THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE.

THERE ARE PORTS THAT ARE EMPTY.

WE MAY NOT HAVE GOODS BY THE TIME CHRISTMAS COMES AROUND.

THEN THE AMERICAN, IF THE MALLS ARE NOT FALL, WE WILL REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM.

I THINK THAT HE IS OUT OVER HIS SKIS.

HE HAS GONE TOO FAR AND I DO HAVE FAITH THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL REACT TO THIS.

>> WOULD I JUST LIKE TO ADD ONE OTHER THING THAT IS GOING TO BRING THIS HOME IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO WITH THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS, RETIRED EARLY, TOOK BUYOUTS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN BECAUSE RIGHT NOW MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE STILL ABLE TO PAY BILLS, ET CETERA.

BUT THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE SIX MONTHS TO NINE MONTHS FROM NOW, WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER COMPENSATION, ET CETERA, HAS BEGUN TO WEAR OFF AND PEOPLE CAN'T PAY BILLS, ARE HAVING MORTGAGES FORECLOSED ON, THAT WILL GET THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GOING.

>> MICHAEL.

>> WHAT I FIND INTERESTING ARE THE PLACES THAT ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST HIM NOW.

YOU THINK ABOUT THE COAL MINING TOWNS OF WEST VIRGINIA, THE SWAMP LANDS OF LOUISIANA, APPALACHIAN, KENTUCKY, THOSE KINDS OF PLACES, WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE PUSHING BACK, THAT GIVES ME A SENSE OF HOPE THAT WE MAY RETURN TO AN EGALITARIAN CENTER AT SOME POINT.

>> CAN YOU COURSE CORRECT.

DOES HE HAVE IT IN HIM TO COURSE CORRECT?

HE IS PRETTY, THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE, THIS IS WHAT I WANT.

ONE OF YOU GUYS SAID HE IS OUT OVER HIS SKIS.

CAN HE COURSE CORRECT?

>> I WOULD ADD ONE POINT ABOUT THIS THAT HAS SITTING ON THE SUPREME COURT TODAY ARE SEVERAL JUSTICES WHO HELPED CREATE THE UNITARY THEORY AND SO THE NOTION WITHIN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS THAT SOME OF HIS VERY AGGRESSIVE MOVES, WHICH SEEM PLAINLY AGAINST LAW, MAY FIND FAVOR IN A SUPREME COURT THAT HAS JUSTICES THAT HELPED CREATE THIS VERY AGGRESSIVE THEORY OF UNITARY EXECUTIVE POWER.

>> OKAY.

AMERICANS IN GENERAL HAVE LOST TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS, BUT THE TREND IS ESPECIALLY NOTABLE WITH THE YOUNG.

GEN Z-PEOPLE BETWEEN 13 AND 28 YEARS OLD-HAVE LESS FAITH IN GOVERNMENT, MEDIA, THE MILITARY AND EVEN DEMOCRACY ITSELF.

THERE IS ALSO A PARTISAN SHIFT AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, EVEN WITHIN GEN Z, AS THE YOUNGER COHORT HAS BECOME MORE CONSERVATIVE.

WHY HAS GEN Z LOST FAITH IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, POLITICS AND INSTITUTIONS?

>> FIRST AND FOREMOST I THINK THEY HAVE BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.

IF YOU LOOK AT SORT OF EVERYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, PLAY AS CHILDREN, LET'S SAY YOU ARE ON, YOU KNOW, YOUR LOCAL SOCCER TEAM AND YOU ARE NOT THE GREATEST PLAYER, YOU STILL GET AN AWARD ANYWAY.

YOU ARE STILL TOLD HEY, YOU ARE REALLY GOOD.

WE ARE REAL PROUD OF YOU, ET CETERA.

AND SOME OF THAT IS A GOOD THING.

BUT WHAT IT DOES BUILD UP, WHEN IT BECOMES A PART OF EVERYTHING YOU DO, WHEN YOU GO TO SCHOOL AND, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TURN IN ASSIGNMENT IN ON TIME, YOU CAN DO IT DURING YOUR RECAPTURE CLASS, WHAT THAT DOES IS SETS UP THE EXPECTATION THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE GOOD.

THINGS ARE NOT GOING TO BE HARD AND SOMEONE HAS ALWAYS GOT A SOLUTION FOR YOU.

AND I THINK AS YOU ADD TO THAT, THE PROBLEMS THAT WERE CREATED BY COVID, YOU KNOW, THE SENSE OF ISOLATION, ET CETERA, SO I THINK YOUNG PEOPLE ARE-- ESPECIALLY IN THAT COHORT, THEY'RE REACHING 1, 19, 20 YEARS OLD, WITH AN EXPECTATION OF A WORLD THAT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE SUPPORTIVE, A WORLD THAT IS ALWAYS GOING HAVE ANSWERS FOR THEM.

A WORLD WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS IN THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE DONE BEFORE IN TERMS OF THEIR BEING ENOUGH MONEY AND THAT SORT OF THING.

AND THE REALITY IS THAT'S NOT THE REAL WORLD.

AND I THINK THEN THAT TRANSLATED INTO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LACK OF SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN IN THE ELECTION BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS SORT OF PROMISED ALL OF THESE THINGS AND THEN THEY DIDN'T COME THROUGH WITH THEM.

>> I WONDER, BOB, IF ONE REASON THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE LOST FAITH IN INSTITUTIONS IS THAT OLD PEOPLE SCREWED UP.

>> THAT IS CERTAINLY A PART OF IT AND IT IS FUNDAMENTAL, I THINK, IN THE GENERATIONS THAT THE YOUNGER GENERATION BLAMES THE OLDER GENERATION FOR WHATEVER CIRCUMSTANCES OR MALADIES FACE SOCIETY AND NOT THAT THAT IS NOT AN UNFAIR CRITICISM BUT I VIEW THIS IN A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT WAY.

FAITH IN GOVERNMENT GENERALLY BEGAN TO TAKE A NOSE DIVE IN THE 1960s AND 70s.

THE VIETNAM WAR, WATERGATE SCANDAL, ECONOMIC MALAISE, SO THERE WERE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT GOVERNMENT DID OR THAT IMPLICATED GOVERNMENT THAT ERODED PEOPLE'S TRUST IN GOVERNMENT.

TRUST IN GOVERNMENT HIT A NEW HIGH POINT AFTER 9/11, WHEN THE COUNTRY KIND OF CAME TOGETHER, THERE WAS A SENSE OF IT WAS FIGHTING TERRORISM AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS ACCOMPANIED 9/11.

BUT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST 10 TO 15 YEARS OF A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT NATURE.

OFFICE HOLDERS AND OFFICE SEEKERS INCREASINGLY DENIGRATING THE VERY GOVERNMENT THAT THEY WANT TO RUN AND RUNNING AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT HAS BECOME A-- ESPECIALLY I WOULD SAY ON THE RIGHT, TO SOME DEGREE ON THE LEFT, AND I THINK THAT ESCALATED MARKETEDDEDLY WITH DONALD TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN APPROACH WHICH WAS TO ESSENTIALLY DENIGRATE EVERY AMERICAN INSTITUTION.

THE MEDIA, THE COURTS, WHEN THEY DO THINGS HE DOESN'T LIKE.

CONGRESS, CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS, AND YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF RHETORIC THAT HE USES AND PEOPLE TAKE POLITICAL CUES FROM THEIR LEADERS.

AND I THINK THOSE CUES FILTER DOWN, EVEN WHETHER YOU LIKE TRUMP OR DON'T LIKE TRUMP.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE COUNTERCULTURE AND VIETNAM.

KIND OF WHERE THAT COUNTERCULTURE TERM STARTED TO BUBBLE UP, AND NOW WE'VE SORT OF HAD A FLIP WHERE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY SEEMS TO BE THE MORE ESTABLISHMENT PARTY IN SOME WAYS.

SO I'M WONDERING WHETHER TO BE-- IF YOU ARE YOUNG AND YOU WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, COUNTERCULTURE, YOU GO THE OTHER WAY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

IS THAT A CRAZY THEORY?

>> I CERTAINLY THING THAT THAT SINCE SOCK SOCRATES BLAMED PLATO, THE YOUNGER PEOPLE HAVE BLAMED THE OLDER PEOPLE FOR NOT BEING GOOD ENOUGH.

THE YOUNGER GENERATION DID THAT TO THE BOOMERS AND THE BOOMERS TURNED OUT.

SO I THINK WITH KECK-- IT IS ALSO A VERY SHORT PERIOD THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT.

I THINK COVID HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS.

WE ARE AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA REVOLUTION AND WE HAVE PUT NO GUARD RAILS ON THAT YET AND IT MAY BE THAT FOR JEN-ALPHA OR WHATEVER COMES AFTER THAT WE PUT NEW GUARD RAILS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

I'M WEARY OF SAYING THIS EARLY, THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM.

CERTAIN WILL I MY STUDENTS ARE IN THIS GENERATION AND I DON'T SEE THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THEM.

SO I THINK MAYBE OVERARCHINGLY IT IS BUT MY OWN EXPERIENCE IS THAT NO, THEY'RE DOING JUST FINE.

>> I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED SOCIAL MEDIA.

THERE HAS BEEN SOME SENSE THAT IT'S A PARTICULAR PLATFORM THAT HAS CAUSED SOME OF THIS ISSUE, LACK OF TRUST, WHICH IS TIKTOK.

DOES THAT HOLD ANY WATER FOR YOU?

>> THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE F.D.R.

MOMENT IN TERMS OF A COUPLE OF YOU GUYS MENTIONED F.D.R.

AND THIS PRESIDENT.

F.D.R.

CREATED POLICIES AND LEGISLATION TO GET US OUT OF A DEPRESSION.

THIS MAN IS CREATING POLICIES TO GET US INTO A DEPRESSION.

SO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.

SO ONE THING THAT HE HAS DONE THAT IS GOOD, TO SPEAK TO AN EARLIER QUESTION, HE GAVE $100 MILLION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS TO HBCU AND LAND GRANT INSTITUTIONS.

HOWEVER WHEN YOU THINK WITH SOME BLACK GEN-ZERS I SPEAK TO FROM TIME TO TIME.

THEY HAVE CONCERNS.

WHY DOES HE GIVE PENNIES TO HBCU AND AT THE SAME TIME PUTS POLICIES AND PRACTICES IN PLACE THAT ARE GOING TO HURT THEM AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS DOWN THE ROAD.

WHY IS HE DOING THINGS THAT AFFECT JOBS, INCOME, HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, LIFE EXPECTANCY, PRENATAL CARE AND THE WIDE DISPARITIES IN HEALTH EDUCATION AND WELFARE.

THEY WANT TO KNOW THESE THINGS.

A MONTH AGO I WAS AT THE COUNCIL OF BLACK STUDIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND I WENT TO A POLICY PANEL PRESENTATION PUT ON BY STUDENTS FROM HBCUS AND THEIR PROFESSORS WERE ADMONISHING THEM TO KEEP THEIR EYES NOT ON THE DISTRACTIONS OF THE CAPE BUT TO KEEP THEIR EYES ON THE SWORD AND THE MATADOR.

SO I THOUGH THAT DONALD TRUMP THINKS THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE LOW I.Q.

PEOPLE AS HE HAS REPEATEDLY SAID.

BUT YOU CAN'T FOOL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME.

YOU CAN'T GIVE PENNIES TO AN HBCU AND GO OUT AND DISMANTLE DEI.

YOU CAN'T GIVE PEN EASE TO APRIL HBCU AND UNDERMINE CRT.

YOU CAN'T KICK BLACK HISTORY OUT OF SCHOOLS AND DESTROY THE SIMPLES DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL JUSTICE.

>> LETS SWING THIS OVER TO SARAH ON THE GEN-Z ISSUE.

IS THERE A WAY TO RESTORE TRUST?

>> WELL, I WAS STRUCK BY SOME OF THE POLLING WHICH SHOWS THAT YOUNG PEOPLE, VERY FEW REALLY HAVE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, OF BELONGING.

AND ESPECIALLY POORER YOUNG PEOPLE AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T GONE TO COLLEGE, ACTUALLY THOSE WHO ARE LESS ENGAGED IN POLITICS.

SO ACTUALLY IDENTIFYING WITH A POLITICAL PARTY MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE BELONGING TO SOMETHING.

BUT THIS GOES BACK TO THE CLASSIC ROBERT PUTNUM'S BOWLING ALONE, THE HOLLOWING OUT OF CIVIL SOCIETY, OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT CONNECT US TO ONE ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, REAL PEOPLE, NOT ONLINE.

AND THAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS SORT OF INDIRECTLY CONNECT TO THE STATE.

SO THESE SORT OF MEDIATING ORGANIZATIONS.

AND HE NOTES THE DECLINE IN MEMBERSHIP AND THINGS LIKE THE ELKS CLUB AND BOWLING LEAGUES AND HIS THESE THESIS WHICH WAS PROBABLY 20 YEARS AGO NOW STILL HOLDS A LOT OF WATER.

THERE ARE DIFFICULT KLEINING NUMBERS OF PEOPLE WHO JOIN ORGANIZATIONS.

AND SO I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING TO THE FACT OF NOT FEELING PART OF A COMMUNITY, BELONGING.

IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU ENGAGED IN POLITICS, RIGHT?

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GO AND JOIN A PROTEST IF YOU DON'T HAVE AFRIENDS AND GROUP THAT ARE DOING THE SAME THING.

SO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, WITH EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON POLITICALLY, MAYBE YOUNG PEOPLE GET MORE ENGAGED AND FIND IN CIVIC LIFE SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE MISSING IN TERMS OF THE FEELINGS OF ISOLATION AND LACK OF CONNECTION.

>> WHEN YOU MENTION BOWLING ALONE, AND THE LACK OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, IN A WAY THAT SWINGS BACK TO SOCIAL MEDIA AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S SO EASY TO GET ABSORBED IN WHATEVER PLATFORM OF CHOICE YOU HAVE AND I'M WONDERING, TARA, IF YOU SEE SOCIAL MEDIA-- I MEAN I HATE TO BE-- I HATE I TELL MY KIDS ALL THE TIME, THE ROLE THAT SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MOST STUDENTS GET ALL OF THEIR INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.

IF YOU ASK THEM, YOU KNOW, WHAT NEWS SITE DID YOU GO TO, THEY'LL SAY TIKTOK OR INSTAGRAM OR I SAW IT ON FACEBOOK.

UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY GIVE THEM AN EXAMPLE OF NO, THIS IS WHAT I MEAN, GO TO POLITICO OR SOMETHING OF THAT SORT, MANY OF THEM DON'T THINK OF THAT AS A NEWS SOURCE.

THEY THINK OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS THEY GO TO AS THEIR NEWS SOURCE.

SO ABSOLUTELY THAT IS A PART OF IT.

AND MANIES THERE IS A-- ALSO THERE IS A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS IN AND THEIR PART IN IT.

THAT, I THINK, IS A BIG PART OF THIS AS WELL.

THEY DON'T REALLY SEE THEMSELVES AS PART OF OUR GOVERNING STRUCTURE.

>> MICHAEL.

>> MAYBE SOMEONE SHOULD CALL IT SCROLLING ALONE.

>> THAT'S A GOOD ONE.

YOUR NEXT BOOK.

>> GREAT TITLE.

>> I THINK A COUPLE WEEKS AGO I ASKED MY STUDENTS, ONE OF THEM SITTING OVER THERE, ALANA DWYER OVER THERE, I ASKED THE QUESTION, CAN YOU TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT AND A POLITICIAN?

NO ONE RAISED THEIR HAND BECAUSE THAT CONCEPTUALIZATION IS NOT PART OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE.

SO I LET THEM KNOW THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING POLITICIAN PUTS POLITICS BEFORE PUBLIC.

THEY COULD NOT TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE FOR THEM, THEIR LIFETIME, ALL THEY HAVE SEEN ARE SELF SERVING POLITICIANS.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT A PUBLIC SERVANT IS.

>> BACK TO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MEDIA AND LACK OF TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS, ONE OF WHICH IS MEDIA, OF COURSE, AND I READ AN INTERESTING ARTICLE RECENTLY THAT SAID THAT YOUNG PEOPLE OFTEN FACT CHECK, THE WAY THEY WILL FACT CHECK SOMETHING IS BY THE COMMENTS AND WHATEVER THE ARTICLE MAY BE OR WHAT SOMEONE POSTED.

SO THERE IS A SORT OF GROUP, A COLLECTIVE DECISION BEING MADE AS OKAY, THIS IS GOOD OR THIS ISN'T GOOD OR THIS IS TRUE OR THIS ISN'T TRUE.

AND OF COURSE THAT'S NOT THE WAY TRADITIONAL MEDIA WOULD WORK.

SO JUST A DIFFERENT APPROACH, LET'S SAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WHEN ANDREW CUOMO RESIGNED IN SCANDAL 4 YEARS AGO, IT WAS THOUGHT HIS POLITICAL CAREER WAS OVER.

NOT SO FAST.

CUOMO IS NOW A LEADING CANDIDATE, PERHAPS THE LEADING CANDIDATE, TO BECOME THE NEXT MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY.

DESPITE SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACCUSATIONS AND A COVID SCANDAL, CUOMO IS NOW SEEN BY SOME AS THE TOUGH, GET-THINGS-DONE MODERATE THE CITY NEEDS.

TWO OF THE CITY'S BIGGEST UNIONS ARE BEHIND HIM, AS IS MUCH OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

HOW CAN CUOMO BE A VIABLE CANDIDATE AFTER THE PAST SCANDALS?

>> WELL, THE SHORT ANSWER IS NAME RECOGNITION.

EVERYBODY KNOWS WHO ANDREW CUOMO IS.

AND THAT GIVES HIM AN AUTOMATIC ADVANTAGE TO DATE.

BUT TO ME, ANDREW CUOMO IS OR THE OF A DEMOCRATIC RICHARD NIXON.

NOBODY EVER REALLY LIKED RICHARD NIXON, BUT HE WAS ALWAYS AROUND.

HE WAS ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, WORKING THE CIRCUIT.

HE WAS PART OF THE ESTABLISHMENT.

HE KNEW HOW TO USE POWER, ALTHOUGH EVENTUALLY HIS OWN FAILINGS, THE WATERGATE SCANDAL BROUGHT DOWN HIS ADMINISTRATION AND ANDREW CUOMO, IN MANY WAYS, IS I THINK PRETTY SIMILAR.

I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALLY LIKE CUOMO.

I DON'T THINK THEY WARM TO HIM.

BUT FOR THE DEMOCRATS, OR SOME DEMOCRATS, HE IS THEIR PITBULL.

HE IS THE GUY WHO HAS THE CAPABILITY TO GET THINGS DONE AND THAT RAISES THE TWO QUESTIONS: ONE IS THE SEXUAL MISCONDUCT SCANDAL THAT PROMPTED HIM TO RESIGN AS GOVERNOR FIVE YEARS AGO AND THEN THE QUESTION ABOUT HIS RECORD AS GOVERNOR.

AND ONE PART OF THIS RECORD THAT YOU HEAR IS THAT HE WAS STRICTLY POSTURING.

HE WAS PLAYING TO THE CAMERAS, SLOGANEERING, RUNNING ALL AROUND THE STATE MAKING GREAT PROCLAMATIONS AND NOT REALLY DO REAL THINGS.

BUT THE FACT IS WHEN HE WAS GOVERNOR, HE DID A LOT.

MINIMUM WAGE, GRISTS, ABORTION RIGHTS, GAY RIGHTS, THE SAFE ACT.

HE HAD A LENGTHY LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS HE GOT THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATURE PRETTY EFFECTIVELY.

AND THAT'S KIND OF BEEN PUSH ADD SIDE TO SOME DEGREE BECAUSE OF PART OF HIS RECORD.

I MEAN I THINK IT'S A TWO-FACE COIN WITH ANDREW CUOMO.

AND THERE ARE CERTAINLY MANY DEMOCRATS WHO ARE LOOKING AT HIM NOW AS LOOK, THIS GUY HAS BEEN BRUISED AND TARRED BUT HE IS TOUGH AND WE NEED A TOUGH DEMOCRAT TO DEAL IN THIS POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT.

AND IT IS NEW YORK CITY.

NO WIMPS OR SISSIES ARE ALLOWED.

>> TY?

>> I THINK YOU WOULD SAY WHY IS HE BACK.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE POLLS, AT THE WORST POLL HE IS DOUBLING THE NEXT CANDIDATE AND AT THE BEST, HE IS 40 TO 10%.

SO THE UNION WHY HE IS BACK IS BECAUSE HE IS POLLING SO WELL AND ONCE HE POLLS SO WELL, OTHER DEMOCRATS ARE LIKE, I DO NOT WANT TO GET CROSS WISE WITH ANDREW CUOMO.

SO THEN THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO SUPPORT HIM OR AT LEAST SHUT UP BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT-- BECAUSE HE HAS A REPUTATION EARNED FOR VENGEANCE.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE SECOND THING.

AND THE THIRD THING IS THAT I THINK IT DOES SHOW IN THIS POLITICAL MOMENT, THAT THE ME TOO MOVEMENT IS IN TATTERS WHICH IS UNBELIEVABLE.

IT'S AWFUL THAT THESE THINGS DON'T SEEM TO MATTER AT THE MOMENT.

BUT LOOK AT THE PRESIDENT AND THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND OTHERS.

IT OBVIOUSLY IS NOT MATTERING TO VOTERS RIGHT NOW.

AND I THINK THAT'S TERRIBLY UNFORTUNATE.

>> TARA, AMERICANS LIKE COMEBACKS, RIGHT?

IS THIS JUST PART OF OUR HISTORY?

>> IT IS PART OF OUR HISTORY, BUT I THINK THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT USUALLY WE LIKE COMEBACKS, FIRST AND FOREMOST WHEN HAVE YOU DONE YOUR MEA CULPA WHICH HE HASN'T DONE.

THE SECOND THING ABOUT COMEBACKS IS OR AT LEAST YOU HAVE TAKEN A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME OFF AND BEEN DOING GOOD THINGS.

REMEMBER BEFORE YOU KNOW, NIXON SORT OF CAME BACK AND EVENTUALLY WON THE PRESIDENCY, NIXON HAD KIND OF BEEN THAT FAILED VICE PRESIDENT WHO DIDN'T WIN THE PRESIDENCY IN 1960 WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE.

AND NIXON WENT AWAY, YOU KNOW, LICKED HIS WOUNDS, KIND OF BUILT UP HIS SUPPORT AMONG THE REPUBLICANS, ET CETERA.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WAS BLESSED WITH, YOU KNOW, JOHNSON AND VIETNAM.

THAT MADE IT A LOT EASIER FOR HIM.

AND IN A SENSE, CUOMO HAS BEEN SORT OF WAITING FOR HIS MOMENT, BUT AGAIN, WITHOUT THE MEA CULPA AND WITHOUT REALLY DOING, AT LEAST AS FAR AS I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL, ANYTHING THAT HAS SORT OF REHABILITATED HIM.

SO THIS IS SORT OF THE YING AND YANG OF HIS CANDIDACY RIGHT NOW.

WILL THE FACT THAT WE NEED SOMEONE TOUGH OR AT LEAST NEW YORKERS FEEL THEY NEED SOMEONE TOUGH, YOU KNOW, ERIC ADAMS, MANY PEOPLE FEEL HAS BEEN A FAILURE, AND SO WILL THAT BE FLUFF TO GET OVER THE FACT THAT HE DIDN'T DO THE MEA CULPA AND REALLY HAS NOT IN ANY WAY ADDRESSED THOSE ALLEGATIONS?

AND CERTAINLY IT SHOULD BE A PAUSE TO ANY WOMAN WHO WOULD BE POTENTIALLY IN HIS ADMINISTRATION, THAT HE HAS NOT ADDRESSED THESE ISSUES.

>> HE HAS ADDRESSED THEM IN THE SENSE OF DENYING THINGS, RIGHT?

AND SO ALONG THOSE LINES, SARAH, DOES THAT MEAN-- IS THE ME TOO MOMENT OVER NOW?

>> WEM, LIKE TY SAID, IT'S NOT A GOOD SIGN, RIGHT, THAT THESE MEN, WHO HAVE BEEN CREDIBLY ACCUSED ARE ABLE TO REFURBISH THEMSELVES AND, YOU KNOW, SEEMINGLY WITH VERY LITTLE, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY MUCH FOR IT.

AND I JUST FIND THE WHOLE THING DEPRESSING HONESTLY.

NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THAT, BUT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE NEED NEW PEOPLE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

WE NEED NEW LEADERS.

WE NEED PEOPLE WITH NEW IDEAS.

PEE NEED TO START GETTING PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BECOME NATIONAL POLITICIANS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

AND, YES, NEW YORK CITY IS ITS OWN SPECIAL THING.

IT'S VERY BLUE, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHY CAN'T WE GET SOME NEW YOUNGER FOLKS.

I DON'T WANT TO BE AGEIST.

I'M ON THE OLDER SIDE, TOO.

BUT YOU KNOW, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS A PROBLEM, I THINK, AND PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME, I THINK, SOME NEW FACES OUT THERE.

>> MICHAEL.

>> I'LL BORROW A TERM FROM NEUROSCIENCE.

THEY TALK ABOUT HABITUATION.

WE HAVE BEEN HABITUATION TO HAVE LOWER STAND STANDS-- STANDARDS FOR POLITICIANS.

IN FACT WE ARE ADDRESSING THE POSSIBILITY IS A TESTAMENT TO THE DEPTHS THAT AMERICAN ELECTORAL POLICY HAS SUNK.

THE MERE IDEA THAT ANDREW CUOMO AND MAYOR ADAMS ARE VIABLE CANDIDATES FOR NEW YORK CITY MAYOR IS A ANOTHER GLARING INDICATION OF THAT REALITY.

ON ONE HAND YOU HAVE A GUY WHO FELL INTO A BARGAIN AND GOT OUT OF JAIL AND THE OTHER GUY RESIGNED IN DISGRACE A SHORT TIME AGO WHICH TELLS US THAT FOR THE NEXT NEW YORK CITY MAYOR, I BELIEVE ANYONE WITH A PULSE AND WHO CAN CONJUGATE A VERB WOULD BE BETTER THAN BOTH OF THOSE GUYS.

CUOMO WAS INDICTED.

ADAMS OWES $3 MILLION TO HIS BRIBERY ATTORNEY.

I THINK NEW YORK CITY RESIDENTS DESERVE BETTER AND I HOPE THEY VOTE WITH THEIR FEET AND CONSCIOUS BECAUSE BETWEEN THESE TWO CRKTS,-- CHARACTERS, IT SHOULD NOT BE A QUESTION OF EITHER OR.

IT SHOULD BE A QUESTION OF NEITHER NOR.

SO WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN NOVEMBER.

BUT THE QUESTION THAT IS ASKED, WHY IS CUOMO A LEADING CANDIDATE?

BECAUSE HE WILL GIVE HIS BIG DONOR SUPPORTERS THE KEYS TO THE CANDY STORE JUST LIKE THE GUY WHO SITS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

>> BOB.

>> I WOULD MAKE ONE OTHER POINT ABOUT THAT RACE.

THERE ARE 12 CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR MAYOR.

SO YOU KNOW, THE OTHER 11 CANDIDATES ARE PARSING THE VOTE IN VERY SMALL NUMBERS AND THEY'RE GOING TO CONDUCT VOTING BY RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

IF CUOMO, HE IS AT AROUND 40%.

BUT IF HE CAN'T GET TO 50%; THAT IS TO SAY IF HE DOESN'T GET TO 50% ON THE FIRST ROUND AND YOU DO THE MATHEMATICS OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING, AND ANOTHER CANDIDATE EMERGES AS A STRONG SECOND CHOICE, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ENOUGH ANTI-CUOMO SENTIMENT COULD PREVENT HIM FROM ULTIMATELY PREVAILING THROUGH RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

THAT WILL BE THE ONE INTERESTING TWEAK WHETHER HE CAN MARCH TO THE ELECTION OR NOT.

>> AND WE HAVE SEEN-- WE ARE STARTING TO SEE RANKED CHOICE VOTING IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS.

ONE THING IN THIS DISCUSSION WE TALKED ABOUT CUOMO AND THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HIM BUT WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON COVID VERY MUCH.

AND HE GETS A LOT OF-- FOR A WHILE, HE WAS THE BIG COVID STAR, RIGHT?

HE WAS HAVING THE PRESS CONFERENCES BUT THEN THE WHOLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, RELEASING PEOPLE FROM HOSPITALS BACK INTO NURSING HOMES AND MANY, MANY PEOPLE DID NOT SURVIVE THAT.

ISN'T THAT PART OF THE EQUATION HERE FOR HIM AS WELL.

>> THAT'S SORT OF A COMPLICATED STORY, I WILL SAY, PARTLY BECAUSE WE FORGET HOW DESPERATE THINGS WERE.

THE HOSPITALS THEMSELVES WERE OVERCROWDED.

AND HE MADE A DECISION, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN THE WRONG DECISION, BUT FOR MYSELF, I WOULDN'T BE PREPARED TO MAKE THAT CALL.

>> LET'S NOT FORGET FOR ALMOST FOUR MONTHS HE LIED FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK AND EVEN WROTE A BOOK ABOUT THOSE LIES.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN POSSIBLY CONSIDER HIM ANYTHING VIABLE.

>> I DON'T THINK PEOPLE-- PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT COVID.

THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT.

THEY WANT TO PUT IT-- THEY DID THE SAME THING IN 1918 AFTER THE INFLEW INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC AND WENT TO THE ROARING 20s.

PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT.

>> THE ROARING 20s AGAIN PERHAPS.

OKAY, AND I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY CHANCE, DO YOU THINK, THAT, AND BOB I'LL ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.

CAN A REPUBLICAN WIN IN NEW YORK CITY?

>> IF THERE IS A PERSON WHO HAS PERSONAL WEALTH, WHO HAS IDENTIFICATION, IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

REMEMBER MICHAEL BLOOMBERG WAS A REPUBLICAN BUT WOUND UP BEING A THREE TERMER.

GIULIANI WAS A REPUBLICAN AND SERVED THREE TERMS.

IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE BUT HINGES MUCH MORE ON A STRONG CANDIDATE WHO CAN WIN INDEPENDENT AND SOME DEMOCRATIC VOTES IN AN OVERWHELMINGLY DEMOCRATIC CITY.

>> I THINK THE ABUSE THAT NEW YORKERS HAVE SUFFERED THE LAST COUPLE OF MAYORS, I THINK THEY'RE READY FOR A CENTRIST REPUBLICAN PERHAPS.

>> CENTRIST REPUBLICAN.

LET'S GO TO OUR AS AND FS.

MICHAEL YOUR F. >> MY F GOES TO MARCO RUBIO, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SKIPPING OUT ON THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA TALKS.

>> AND SARAH, YOUR F. >> SERIOUS SWAYFUL WHICH EFFECTIVELY ENDED LAST-- SYRIA'S CIVIL WAR WHICH ENDED LAST DECEMBER HAS BEEN DEVASTATING.

22 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DISPLACED OF.

MORE THAN HALF A MILLION PEOPLE WERE KILLED.

IN ADDITION TO THIS WHO ARE RISK TOLL THE WAR HAS RAVAGED HISTORIC SITES ACROSS THE COUNTRY INCLUDING SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CULTURAL CENTERS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD.

A REMINDER THAT WAR AND CONFLUCT DESTROY NOT ONLY LIVES BUT OUR SHARED CULTURE AND OUR CONNECTION TO HISTORY.

>> TY, YOUR F. >> MY F GOES TO SECRETARY OF NAVY WHO SAID IN A RECENT TWEET THAT PEARL HARBOR HAWAII, THAT THE JAPANESE ATTACK HAPPENED ON JUNE 7, NOT DECEMBER 7.

BONE HEADED BUT NOT FATAL BUT WHAT HE IS DOING TO THE NAVAL ACADEMY IS.

HE STOPPED KEN BURNS FROM SPEAKING THERE BECAUSE BURNS FOR HIS NEW DOCUMENTARY ON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BECAUSE BURNS ONCE CRITICIZED TRUMP.

THEY GOT RID OF ALMOST 400 BOOKS BANNED FROM THE LIBRARY BECAUSE SNOWFLAKES IN THE ADMINISTRATION CANNOT HANDLE FREE SPEECH.

SO COME ON, Mr. SECRETARY, YOU ARE RUNNING THE SHIP AGROUND.

>> TARA.

>> MY F GOES TO CALIFORNIA MAYOR RF REX PARIS FROM LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA.

HE WANTS TO GIVE ANY HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO WANTED AS MUCH FLAIL AS THEY CAN STAND.

HE SAYS BECAUSE THIS IS HIS WAY, EVEN THOUGH THE OFFER IS HARSH, THIS IS HIS WAY OF PROTECTING THE PEOPLE OF LANCASTER.

>> BOB SPITZER.

>> THE JOB OF ATTORNEY GENERAL WAS CREATED IN 1789, ONE OF THE FIRST FOUR CABINET SECRETARIES UNDER PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON.

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DATES TO 1870.

AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN POLITICAL OVER THE DECADES.

MOST RECENTLY UNDER RICHARD NIXON.

BUT UNLIKE LEGAL FISHING EXPEDITION.

IF THE RULE OF LAW NO LONGER IS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, THEN THE VERY IDEA OF AMERICA IS IN JEOPARDY AND THAT'S AN F. >> THAT'S MORE THAN AN F. IF THAT'S THE CASE.

LET'S GO TO THE AS.

MICHAEL, YOUR A.

>> MY A GOES TO THE SUN CORTLAND 2025 GRADUATES, LOOK LUCK OUT THERE IN THE WORLD.

>> FINALS ARE ABOUT TO START, RIGHT.

SO PRESSURE IS ON NOW.

SARAH, YOUR A.

>> SO THERE IS A GLOBAL EFFORT UNDER WAY TO PROTECT 30% OF THE EARTH'S LAND LAND AND WATERS BY 2030.

THE STATE OF MARYLAND HAS ALREADY REACHED THAT GOAL SIX YEARS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

THEY PERMANENTLY PROTECTED CLOSE TO TWO MILLION ACRES OF LAND AND THEY'RE SETTING A NEW TARGET OF 40% BY 2040.

THESE PROTECTED SPACES HAVE GENERATED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ECONOMIC BENEFITS WHILE PROVIDING HABITAT TO CRITICAL SPECIES AND SEQUESTERING HEAT TRAPPING GREENHOUSE GASES.

IT'S A WIN-WIN SCENARIO.

FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE OR OUR VIEWERS WHO WOULD LIKE MORE GOOD ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS, I RECOMMEND A NEW YORK TIMES SERIES CALLED 50 STATES, 50 FIXES.

IT'S A REALLY GOOD REMINDER THAT THERE ARE STILL REALLY GOOD THINGS HAPPENING ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.

>> TY.

>> MY A GOES TO THE MARKETS, ESPECIALLY THE BOND MARKET, WHICH SEEMS LIKE THE BEST CHECK ON THE PRESIDENT'S COCKAMAMIE AND MORONIC TARIFFS.

AS A DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST JAMES CAR VEAL USED TO SAY I USED TO THINK IF THERE WAS REINCARNATION I WANTED TO COME BACK AS THE PRESIDENT OR POPE OR 400 BASEBALL HITTER BUT NOW I WAFNT TO COME BACK AS THE BOND MARKET.

YOU CAN INTIMIDATE EVERYBODY.

FOR GENERATION THE BOND MARKET WAS AS QUIET AS A CHURCH MOUSE BUT TRAMP'S TARIFFS HAVE MADE IT ROAR LIKE A TIGER AND MADE TRUMP BACK DOWN.

THE MARKETS REMAIN EVER VIGILANT.

YOU CAN'T FOOL ALL THE MARKETS FOR LONG.

>> BOB SPITZER.

>> EVERY YEAR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DIE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD MEDICAL CARE.

A WOMAN NAMED ALLISON HAS DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

SHE IS THE HEAD OF AN ORGANIZATION CALLED UNDUE MEDICAL DEBT THAT BUYS MEDICAL DEBT ON THE CHEAP, THEN FORGIVES THE DEBT.

SO FAR, MORE THAN $14 BILLION WORDS WORDS FOR OVER NINE MILLION PEOPLE.

ALLISON IS A 199 P SUNY CORTLAND GRADUATE.

SHE WAS A POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR.

SHE WAS A STUDENT OF MINE.

AND BY THE WAY, SHE IS NAMED ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE FOR 2025.

SUNY CORTLAND STUDENTS, THIS COULD BE YOU.

THINK ABOUT IT.

AND I WANT TO THANK PROFESSOR JERRY O'CALLAHAN FOR BRINGING THIS TO MY ATTENTION.

>> AND TARA ARE YOUR A.

>> MY A GOES TO MARSEILLE UNIVERSITY IN FRANCE.

THE UNIVERSITY RECEIVED NEARLY 300 APPLICATIONS FOR ITS QUOTE SAFE PLACE FOR EYENCE" PROGRAM.

WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PURPOSELY RECRUIT U.S.-BASED ACADEMICS HIT BY BUDGET CUTS OR POLITICAL PRESSURE ON THEIR WORK.

RESEARCHERS FROM MANY OF OUR ELITE UNIVERSITIES HAVE APPLIED.

>> OKAY.

THANK YOU.

AND AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE TO THROW THE CAMERA OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE, BARB FOUGHT WHO WILL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE PANEL.

>> THANK YOU.

WE HAVE-- FROM THE AUDIENCE.

WE ARE GOING TO ASK QUESTIONS TO THE PANEL.

BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL STUDENTS HERE AND SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS.

SO STAND UP IF YOU WILL.

YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE PANEL?

>> DO YOU THINK THAT GEN-Z HAVING LOST FAITH IN INSTITUTIONS IS LOCALIZED TO CERTAIN SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM?

>> SIDES OF THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM?

SARAH, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT GEN-Z.

IS IT-- ARE THERE CERTAIN POLITICAL SPECTRUMS HAT HAVE LOST FADES MORE THAN OTHERS.

REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THE ONLY DATA I SAW WAS LOOKING AT KIND OF SPLITS BETWEEN YOUNGER GEN-Z AND OLDER GEN-Z.

AND THERE IS DEFINITELY AN IDEOLOGICAL SPLIT BETWEEN THOSE.

SO YOUNGER GEN-Z ARE ACTUALLY MORE REPUBLICAN, LEAN MORE REPUBLICAN AND THE OLDER GEN-ZS ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARDS DEMOCRATICS.

NOW I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT TRANSLATES INTO, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU FEEL-- YOUR TRUST IN GOVERNMENT BUT GENERALLY DEMOCRATS TRUST GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS MUCH MORE, SO IF YOU LOOK UP POLLING DATA, DEMOCRATS HAVE HIGHER LEVEL OF TRUST FOR ALMOST EVERY INSTITUTION.

STILL NOT HIGH BUT DEFINITELY HIGHER THAN REPUBLICANS.

SO I WOULD SAY, YEAH, THERE IS A SPLIT BETWEEN IN YOUR GENERATION AROUND THAT.

>> DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF THAT YOURSELF FRO BEING IN THAT GENERATION?

>> A LITTLE BIT, YES.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, HOW DOES IT SPLIT IMPORTANT YOU?

>> WELL,... >> NOT SURE.

>> I WILL ADD IT MAKES SENSE THAT PEOPLE THAT LEAN DEMOCRATS HAVE MONTH ARE TRUST IN GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE MORE THAT GOVERNMENT CAN DO GOOD THINGS TYPICALLY.

WHEREAS REPUBLICANS GENERAL-- THESE ARE GENERAL STATEMENTS, TEND TO HAVE MORE SCEPTICISM SO IT MAKES SENSE.

>> OKAY.

LET'S DO ANOTHER QUESTION.

GO AHEAD.

>> HI, SO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS TAKEN VARIOUS HITS AT PUBLIC BROADCASTING STATIONS AND NEWS OUTLETS AND EVEN AT STUDENT JOURNALISTS.

MY QUESTION IS DO YOU THINK THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS UNDER ATTACK?

>> JOURNALISM PROFESSION IS UNDER APPRECIATED.

IT IS A PROFESSION AND THERE IS SO MUCH TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LIBERAL JOURNALISTS OR THEIR IDEOLOGICAL POINTS OF VIEW, BUT MOST IMPORTANT THING IS LOOK AT THE NEWS CONTENT OF WHAT JOURNALISTS REPORT.

THERE IS A CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE IN JOURNALISTS.

NEWSPAPERS HAVE BEEN CLOSING DOWN AT AN ALARMING RATE.

OTHER TRADITIONAL MEDIA OUTLETS HAVE A SMALLER VURP, PARTLY TO A GREAT DEGREE TO THE INTERNET.

THERE HAS BEEN AN INVERSION OF WHERE PEOPLE GET THEIR NEWS, ONE THING MENTION IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS IS THE PRESS.

THOMAS JEFFERSON FAMOUSLY SAID, THAT GIVEN A CHOICE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT WITHOUT PRESS OR PRESS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT, HE WOULD CHOOSE PRESS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT.

THE PRESS IS ESSENTIAL.

IT IS UNDER ATTACK AND THE INSTITUTIONS THEMSELVES ARE BEING CHALLENGED IN COURT, IN PART BY THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND IT IS A GREAT CONCERN.

>> MICHAEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT ONE?

>> WELL, THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, LEFT WING MEDIA IS UNDER ATTACK.

I DON'T KNOW IF RIT WING MEDIA IS UNDER ATTACK.

I THINK IT'S GROWING AT A COLOSSAL PACE.

I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE EARLIER QUESTION.

WHEN WE CONTROL FOR RACE, WE THINK ABOUT GEN-Z AND YOU READ THE DATA COMING OUT OF THE URBAN LEAGUE AND NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK AND THE NAACP, YOU SEE THAT THERE IS A RESURGENCE OF INTEREST AMONG YOUNG BLACK PEOPLE.

I THINK IT'S PARTICULARLY RELATED TO PRESIDENT TRUMP.

BUT I THINK THAT THEY ARE COMPLETELY REENERGIZED BECAUSE EVEN THE YOUNG BLACK KID WHO LIKES TO PLAY BASKETBALL ALL DAY AND DOESN'T PAY ATTENTION OR PLAY VIDEO GAMES, EVEN THEY CAN'T AVOID IT ANYMORE AND I THINK THEY'RE TIRED OF THE WAY HE IS GOVERNING.

THEY'RE TIRED OF EMOTION, FEELING OPINION, HYPOTHETICAL, SPECULATIVE CONJECTURE MASQUERADING AS GOVERNMENT.

THEY WANT TO SEE REAL CHANGES AND THEY WANT TO SEE IT NOW.

>> OKAY, LET'S TAKE ANOTHER QUESTION.

THIS ONE MIGHT BE A LITTLE LONG.

DO YOU THINK THAT DEMOCRATS PARTICULARLY MODERATE ONES, HAVE PLAYED A LITTLE BIT TOO SAFE?

I MEAN WE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THEM COMPLETELY DENOUNCE COMPLETELY DENOUNCE LIKE PROTECTING TRANS PEOPLE, IN PARTICULAR TOM SWOOZEY, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LONG ISLAND DISTRICT.

DO YOU THINK THAT MAYBE THE GEN-Z DISTRUST IN POLITICS IS PARTLY BECAUSE OF DEMOCRATS PLAYING IT A LITTLE BIT TOO SAFE?

>> TARA, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

DEMOCRATS PLAYING IT A LITTLE TOO SAFE?

>> I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I OFTEN TEACH ABOUT POLITICIANS BEING PRAGMATIC.

AND I WILL SAY I WAS LIKE THIS.

YOU TEND TO FORGET, YOU ARE LIKE WHY DON'T THEY SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

WHY DON'T THEY SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

MEANING POLITICIANS.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN A POLITICIAN AND ACHIEVE SUCCESS OR CERTAINLY ACHIEVE GOOD FOR YOUR CONSTITUENCY, YOU HAVE TO REMAIN A POLITICIAN AND IN ORDER TO REMAIN A POLITICIAN, HAVE YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO KEEP ME IN MY POSITION AND WHAT WILL GET ME TAKEN OUT OF MY POSITION?

WHO ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF YOUR COMMUNITY THAT YOU REPRESENT?

AND I DO THINK THAT SOMETIMES MAKES POLITICIANS, ESPECIALLY, MUCH MORE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT THEY SAY THAN PERHAPS THEY MIGHT BE; FOR EXAMPLE, AND WE'VE SEEN THIS OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.

THE NUMBER OF POLITICIANS WHO START REALLY CRITICIZING TRUMP AFTER THEY HAVE ANNOUNCED THEY RETIRED.

AND I THINK THAT'S TRUE FOR DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.

>> I DON'T THINK THEY'RE PLAYING IT TOO SAFE.

I THINK THEY'RE PLAYING IT TOO LAZY.

DEMOCRATS GOT TO COME OFF OF PODCASTS AND YOUTUBE AND COME OUT OF THE STUDIOS AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE, GO TO THE GYMNASIUMS AND ROTARY CLUBS, BRING THE INFORMATION TO THE PEOPLE.

WE ARE CELEBRATING HAKEEM JEFFRIES AND COREY BOOKER TALKING ON THE STEPS TO PEOPLE GO TO PLACES THAT MAY NOT BE WELCOME.

TIME TO STOP BEING LAYS AGREE I RECOMMEND WATCHING J.B. PRISTER'S TALK LAST NIGHT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE.

YOU WILL BE IMPRESSED BECAUSE HE HAS THAT CRITICISM OF THE DEMOCRATS, TOO.

HE DOESN'T HOLD-- HE IS THE GOVERNOR OF ILLINOIS AND HE IS NOT HOLDING BACK.

>> OKAY.

ANOTHER QUESTION HERE.

>> SO WITHIN TRUMP'S 100 DAYS, HOW DO YOU FEEL LIKE HE HAS CHANGED DISABILITY POLICY AND HOW WOULD THAT CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE NEXT FEW YEARS?

AS SOMEONE ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM, I'M AFRAID THAT OF HIS COMMENTS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS WELL AS RFK JUNIOR'S COMMENTS ON THE AUTISTIC COMMUNITY.

I WAS WONDERING LIKE BECAUSE I WILL BE GRADUATING NEXT YEAR AND I NEED TO FIND A JOB.

WOULD SOME OF THE STUFF THAT HELPED PROTECT ME WILL GO AWAY DUE TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION?

>> HERE IS THE OPERATIVE FACT ABOUT ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR.

HE IS A BLITHERING IDIOT, NOT TO PUT TOO FINE A POINT ON IT.

HE SAYS ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT SOUND VERY PRECISE.

HE SAID THAT-- WHAT WAS THE NUMBER THAT HALF OF THE CHINESE POPULATION IS DIABETIC.

I MEAN THAT'S LIKE 3% OR SOMETHING.

HE SAYS STUFF LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME.

AND HE SPEAKS WITH AUTHORITY AND IS NAME IS KENNEDY.

THE NOTION THAT HE IS HEADING YOU KNOW, AN IMPORTANT AGENCY IN THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ONLY BAD FOR POLICY.

IT'S BAD FOR THE OPTICS OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY DO HAVE MEDICAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES.

>> I THINK ONE OTHER THING IS THAT GOVERNMENT IS SERIOUS BUSINESS FOR SEAR SERIOUS PEEP AND WE HAVE SOME REALLY INCOMPETENT PEOPLE.

PETE HEGSETH, KENNEDY, CASH PATEL, GAB ADDER, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THOSE THAT ARE UNBELIEVABLY INCOMPETENT AND HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE THERE AND RFK IS LEADING THE LEAGUE RIGHT NOW.

>> OKAY.

AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO OUR AUDIENCE HERE.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING US AT HOME.

JOINING US THIS EVENING.

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

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH THE SHOW AGAIN, YOU CAN DO SO ONLINE AT WCNY.ORBING-- WCNY.ORG.

I'M DAVE PALMER FOR ALL OF US AT "THE IVORY TOWER."

THANK YOU TO SUNY CORTLAND FOR HOSTING US TONIGHT AND FOR EVERYONE, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

[ APPLAUSE ]