I'm very very reluctant to categorize just about anyone as genuinely evil because in my experience, there are very very few evil people. You know that Amir Putin, that's evil, but you know just about anyone else is having an honest disagreement. I don't put in that category at all. And one of the symptoms of polarization that we have is that people are willing to cast their ideological enemies or just someone who disagrees with them on something.
And as as evil, and I think that's a disaster. Like I you know, I'm just myself, very much not, not on that page and I think that we should try and get as many people away from that page as we can. Do you think that
makes you a better or worse
politician? Probably worth politician because political figures like to cast things as conflicts between good and evil and it's like hey, you gotta
Us the resources. We need to defeat evil this one more time. And if we do this, then all will be. Well, I mean, I think that's one reason why the dissatisfaction among Democrats right now is pronounced as because it was framed as defeat Trump, and then all of the available on and then all these incredible things will happen. Like, one of the things that boggles my mind. When I hear it, I hear it all the time is when a political figure talks about, it's like, hey, if you elect me, we will defeat racism.
A feat sexism defeat. And I was like, okay, let me get all Straub that. By the
way, we stand up, get excited about
that. Let me get this straight. If you're in office, then no one. Then we won't be racist Society or sexist society more. It's like. Wow, that's incredible. I mean, it's kind of the thing that that, you know, we were kind of excited about Obama, but I mean, we're not racist anymore. So so when we continue to make those appeals and then the reality does not change then.
We'll get kind of, you know, fatigued.
This week on board, the Batman, the greatest movie of all time, Zach, grauman joins the ranks of published author Hood, his new book. Long shot is available for sale now and what Russia's invasion of Ukraine tells us about America as a Force for good in the world this week on forward.
Welcome back this week on forward. We have a bunch of new developments that have come down the pike. But first, I want to come clean and say that Zach has seen Batman. And I have
not, and I'm rubbing in man, this movie stop at you're doing. Stop listening. His podcast and go see Batman. I'm just kidding. Do it after you listen as pot, is it technically the Batman?
Probably right? Yeah, you're probably right, but it's awesome.
I can't wait to see it. So I kind of wanted to see it but then it didn't work out. So I'm seeing it at the end of this week and I have to say it's given me something to look forward to because I'm like, oh, I'm gonna go.
So I agree the band felt that type of energy, like I'm excited about this. Sadly like in a while because when you feel it, you know, when you're excited about something, did you see
Spider-Man? No way home.
Yes. I was less excited about that, but I was a little bit weird
excited. So we're you excited coming out of that.
Yeah, I left really happy.
Yeah. All right, right, right. That's true. Yeah, I left. Happy this one do though. Is that movie over achieved? They certainly no way home. I was like, oh my gosh, I almost can't believe I'm seeing this. It was agree.
This was so. Here we go, Batman. Y'all, the context, I'll give you is my fate. I'm not a movie buff per se by like me. Like to look a little deeper than, like, the surface level of movies. Christopher Nolan, if I had to pick is my favorite director. I thought going back to momento and Inception and some his earlier stuff.
The Prestige, like his stuff is awesome. And then what he did with the Batman series change superhero movies forever. And that's not just my opinion, many many
folks will say something kind of tough. Sure. I feel like Chris Nolan's been on something of a downward slope.
He's yes, I agree. It is hard to. Keep that Excellence up, you know,
because 10, it was not good confusing.
I thought was acted, and Shotwell just, I didn't make.
And I also thought the final Batman movie was the weakest of them with the one with beIN Dark Knight Rises. The thing that Spectrum
That the thing that made me dislike that movie was all of the police officers, going into the tunnels all, which
we may gain some, doesn't make any sense hearts, a logic to make
sense their underground for approximately a week and then they come up and they don't have beards. Like, I never liked that, like, has anyone been showering down there? Apparently not. But like, they're all just like, it looks like they've been down there for a few hours. I mean, like, what the hell do you do down there for
five days of calm to be a hot mess. They have guns and shit. Yeah, that would be awesome.
For
or just like at a minimum, you'd be kind of, you know, and then they run down, I guess I was like, I guess it's a metaphor but it's like, you know, they like running toward the other anyway, so that, that was one of the things that lost
me. I thought that coming off the Dark Knight, which is one of which was great by the best news about your movie. Well tie, one of my favorite movies. All time, ignoring, the genre tuft and Heath Ledger passed away. Yeah, totally. Like, which also added hype to his amazing performance. I go down a list, so I thought he delivered like
The expectations were so high. You can't beat it. Like I thought it was a pretty good job. All things considered and I did enjoy the movie a lot, but I will say this Batman. So it's like knowing that how much I love the last ones. I was like, all right there. Are they going to kill it like ruin it, kill it. And then I thought that the Ben Affleck Batman's are pretty awful, exact Schneider. I like ya know, I mean, he's done some good stuff. I love I love 300. I loved actually like the Snyder cut of the Justice League. I didn't like what they came up with in the studio. Got their hands on it anyway.
That was awful. I was like, we're going to do this and they got Edward Cullen situation going on with our boy, Robert Pattinson, as Batman. And it was got he might be my favorite Batman. Honestly. First of all, he's got the jawline for it man. Like what a jawline on that dude. Like I don't know. He's I worked on doesn't matter freaking like you just you looking at his job, half the movie and it's a good job, but he was Batman's always like supposed to be a damaged character, right?
Died grows up super-rich lost in the world, right? Tries to use money for good, been around dark way. Right? But the Christian Bale Batman, that was damaged was like my parents generation boomer generation damage or it's like, I got pent-up shit and have to break stuff to like get it out. And then unhealthy ways. This was very like brooding, 21st century damaged, where Bruce Wayne is not this cocky, philanthropist entrepreneur badass business guy.
Figurehead and the community. He's a damaged rich prince, if you will and he's got the like he kind of looks like Edward Cullen from Twilight with like the hair swoop. He's pale he's brooding and then it made Batman so much more interesting to me because it really felt no more relatable. And then the last thing I'll say it's shot to Ave Maria. Essentially like it's shot to classical and that it opens with Ava Maria. I'm not going to do spoiler, but that's the only like it opens with classical music.
And then every other fight scenes like, theme to that Ave Maria throughout the whole movie. It's dynamite, Matt Reeves. The director kicked ass. Well done. Go see it, man. Totally worth it. Totally worth it. They're a couple moments. I would, you know, we can nitpick and we don't want to spoil and some of that but it was wonderful. Yeah, I can't wait. Yeah, I
will say having it to look forward to as been a delight next week. I can share my own experience which I'm sure will be positive.
This is right up. My alley. Charlie just a random campaign story before we move on. Sure. Remember seeing Joker when we were running for president. I walk you Phoenix. Yeah, because yeah, we were in New Hampshire. So here's what happens. You campaigning for president. Let's say your last event ends at 9 p.m. And then you're like, what are we going to do with you? There's no writing painting at like, you know, 10 p.m.
By your Saturday events aren't always early, like sometimes they are, but they're not.
You know, it's usually that's a weekend early. It's like 10:30 or so. So you can stay up kind of late. That's super.
So we'd be done in nine. And then I would. And the funny thing about being the candidate to is if I suggested that everyone's like cool. Can't wait. But like if I don't suggest it and everyone's like, I guess we should pretend to work or like, did I was like, what do
you do
between 9 p.m. And midnight?
And some good ones.
Yeah. So so Joker was a good one Yoko was. And now I feel like the Batman is kind of a, you know, complement to that to the extent. You can take any deep societal lessons from the fact that this is the new version of the Batman. Any
thoughts you definitely can. I think I don't want to spoil it, but they The Riddler the the villain is very much a version of this. It's honestly guys like the damaged men on all sides of the coin here. You have it.
A lot of what we're talking about, some say for you to see it. We can break it down. But the the villains themselves are have their own issues with their own masculinity, the heroes for sure. The, the people that pick a side, right? It's really well done. It sets it up for Success. The one thing I last thing I'll say is Colin Farrell is in this movie, which I did not. I think I knew that like go is apparently unrecognizable unrecognizable because I forgot he was in it and deny. I was like one of that actor was and I was like, that's Colin.
All wonderful. I will listen to sound track all day. It's a little creepy to work, too. So don't really recommend that anyway, I'm curious like, DMS, if you hated it or like, I'm curious like most people, I've talked to every liked it daily, mail said it was too like it. That's not
true. If you don't like it
you have poor taste. You suck. Yeah. Actually curious because I'm curious of our producers also love it. So I sat next to him
very very much expecting to love
it. I lastly, I keep saying last thing I'll say this is fine, but I sat next to a guy.
I went to the movie by myself. I want my sister because Carly can't wait. Wait, wait, wait, quick.
Digressions. Do you see movies by yourself?
I try not to, but I have, I'm trying to think of what last one. I had. I usually if no one wants to go now. You just wait.
I will say that. I have 100% seen movies by myself. What was the last time you saw myself, you know, it's been a little while, but it. So this is one situation that I've been in. I very much vividly. Remember this, where Ellen? And I have one young child, or baby or toddler.
The baby goes to sleep. And, you know, let's call it like 9:30 p.m. And goes to sleep with him. And then I'm like, what am I going to do? And then, I think I could probably catch a late movie. Do that. Like I do father of the year. So I've definitely done that. So there was a guy who's not
alone. So there was a guys, so I went my sister because Carly can't see his movies, they give her nightmares and she just she cries during she cried at the end of Avengers and game. I think or Infinity.
Or one of them would like half the people. You shouldn't meet ya. It shouldn't be suppose. That's pretty yeah, most people are crying at the end and I won't write any way but there's a guy who went by himself and he's clearly like a hue clearly like a huge fan and just like giggling or like he's almost like clapping the whole time and I like normally I'd find that kind of annoying just like noise, but I found it really endearing that he like really loved. It was clearly therefore. He was super excited about it, and he seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. So that gives me hope that the, the truth
Fans, really love it, too.
To the extent that I have seen movies alone. I think virtually all of them were comic book. Movies or superhero movies. Hmm. I would just be like, what? I just want to show up and see the movie. Yeah, that's kind of movie. I would go see alone.
Yeah, criteria for that has to be either. Like, you got nothing else to do just but now with like, all the streaming platforms less. So the case or the movie, you got to see in theaters, you know,
which is, which has gotten weaker and weaker for me. I even see it saw Dune at home, which I know I was not supposed to do, but I was like, I saw Tom, too.
Umm, yeah, dude was definitely one of those probably was the
way better in theaters. O like two shots in that movie, a pretty
wild. Okay, so see the Batman and I can't wait to discuss this 2022 version.
The second thing is I'm holding in my hot little hand. What am I holding? Zach's? New book. Zach is said to be a published author. The name of the book is Longshot. How political nobody's took Andrew Yang. That's me National and the new playbook that. Let us build a movement. It's real, man.
I'm holding my hand. He Advanced copy. It's, it's
hard ones. It is now on sale pre sale on Amazon so you can look for it. It's called long shot
again. Put I'm gonna put it in my bio, you've now for
Me to do a book launch, which I have not. Let's
figure out when is it pre-loss? Yeah, you look like the thing that is now available and I want to say to everyone, this is the book that you hoped. I would write, but did not. And by that, what I mean was when you bet forward, if you bought Ford, there were stories from the presidential but that was not the backbone of the book If you will, it was in some ways a narrative.
From the candidates perspective, but it didn't go into the nuts and bolts the stages, the decisions, the drama. Like it didn't read like a movie and Zach's book has all of that shit in it. It has all of like the the what are we going to do moments and like the
debate room strategy and
yeah stuff that you hoped that I would write about and did not Zach wrote about, but it was also a sign of the
Different experiences. We each had where Zack thought strategically and tactically and in the framework of a giant political campaign, and I did not because my jam was wake up. Be like, what am I doing? Local radio talk show here in New Hampshire by the end to okay, and then where we going next to a diner? Okay, and so, you know, like I was
Consumed with just trying to knock out was whatever in was in front of me. Course and so then when I retraced my steps and wrote the book like I frankly do not pretend that I was Zack but Zach does not need to pretend because Zach is Zach and so this book is excellent. Evelyn is on the record as saying she liked this book more than my
book. So like that. I mean, it's funnier like, not that I'm funny. I'm not.
The stories funny though. Like it's a
the story is funny. The book is funny. I guess that means by definition. You're funny.
I guess like I'm a funny right? I'm a funny a writer than I am. Like you hang out with me. You're not gonna be not funny.
Ulysse. All this is
broadcast like, you know, once in a while, you know about like 100 when it comes to jokes, almost 90% of my jokes are not funny, but the book is funny. The book is funny. I'll get to edit it. Right? We got to cut out and I had hers idly. People paid to edit out. My bad jokes.
So let's good ones. So this is show is
good. So look the point of this like we'll do a kind of a deeper dive on some of the tactics in there because I think, like, I get to interview Zach. It'll be fun. Yeah, we're doing it. Like, whether you agree, whether no matter where people come down on, you or me, or your politics, are our policies are what we did. There's no doubt that we were onto something. And like I wanted to back up like it was
actively overperformed, correct. And like,
what did we do that? I thought other campaigns should have been doing.
And what does this say for the rest of politics and branding in general? Because we frankly played a different game and so the book is like, what was that Playbook that? Let us play the different
game and I really would give you full credit Zack because you always had that different game in mind and you can see what other people were doing in the conventional wisdom and you were like that. That's dumb. And then you would charm your own path in part because you are new. But in part because you are confident, had your own vision. And my quote on this book jacket is
my campaign would never have reached Millions without Zacks leadership and strategies anyone who wants to make change in the world or who simply loves an incredible story should read this book, bandra Yang. And I copped to that it is excellent. It truly is the book that you hoped. I would write, but did not because Zack wrote it. So it's gonna be fun. Pre-order your copy right now long shot. We're looking to you to talk about. It will actually. Heck Zack will go through some of the big lessons from it. Maybe I'll even do a reading on one of the podcast
will do an episode on probably closer to Launch.
Comes out in May but you can pre-order it now. I recommend if you're gonna buy it, buy it early. So because it's definitely going to like the world on fire and definitely getting the New York Times bestseller list. And I've heard a lot of celebrities have said it's the best book I've ever read. But that's just I've heard I'm not sure many people say on many people. Many people numerous people have reported. It's awesome. But
yeah, pre-order now and mother and be among the first to read it and talk about it in Earnest. So it's gonna be
great. It's fun. I will say it is really weird as we were talking about myself.
You know, saying one thing I don't know how you do. It will
relate. Yeah, is that promoting a book? You wrote is difficult. So, I'm what I'm going to talk about the different orders of difficulty of promoting shit. Okay, cool. So you're actually an expert in this. Yeah, because I
don't use why I will shit.
I've done each of these. I'm going to separate it into two into five categories. And I, and it's going to be from easiest to hardest, okay?
Okay, so the hardest things to promote our, just you yourself. And the main example of that is political candidacy. It's very hard to be, like I'm running for mayor because, or president, or city councilor school. I'm awesome, or whatever it is, because it's like, oh, like, then what's your jam? And then you have to immediately followed up with like, and here's why. I'm so awesome. Impressive, moral driven. Here's my
cause. And so better than other people write, like, you're asking, people make a judgment there, and they have to make
An objective judgment on just
how you are as a performer. Yeah, because people will do it. Oh, yeah, you know what? I mean? This is like what you're running for congress. All right. Let me hear your Spiel and then they're like, oh, this was, you know, good or not good. I will say
this, we churned through consultants and staffers on the campaign. Not like we end up firing them, but they'd come in the car, and you'd after a performance, like, you'd get in the car and they be in there, maybe start beating into you and like nitpicking, like, don't smile like that. Don't breathe like that, say it this way. And I'm like, you know, we do seven of these a day. So imagine like you got the guys just been two hours a day in aggregate.
Shit on by you what? An awful experience. Stop like that. Like and people can help themselves. It's politics. Anyway,
well it's because that's because that's the way they think they're going to add value. Yeah, you know and it's
that's why they become puppets. It's a
little bit like lawyer ring because like lawyers you have to come in the way you add value is by pointing out like the you know, the thing that could blow up in your face. So you get intrinsically - it's one reason. Why I left the law as quickly as I did and interesting.
It's like the compulsively -
All right. So number one is your the candidate. That is the hardest thing.
To promote because if you have to just be like me, I'm awesome all the time. Yeah, but a not so distant. Second is, I am promoting a book that I wrote Because the book is very much identified with, you'd reflection of you. It's a reflection of you, there is no way that you can say. Like, hey, I wrote this book, but I really don't care and it's not a big deal, you know, because you clearly spent hundreds of hours writing the book and a
refined version of you to like you had to take time to not as a one-off thing. You said it's like
sorry. I was an author before I was a political candidate and it was deeply uncomfortable.
Promoting that first book that I wrote smart people should build things published in 2014 and going around being like, read this book. It's like really important or profound or
impactful excruciating. It's awful. So, I'm not thrilled about this book tour if you will. Yeah. Like this promotion period. It's uncomfortable. Yeah,
so and you can lump into
by the way boohoo. We wrote books. It's hard. That's not what I'm saying, which is no. This is generally difficult. And
so
Right. Right next to book. You could fill in any creative project. It would be the same art, would be similar, right? Yeah, like, hey, I wrote this these poems. I guess it's close to a book. Hey, I made this indie film.
Hey, wrote a song. Hey, this is my one-man Broadway show. Yes. Hey, this is my my music. Yes,
all of these very painful to promote because, you know, they're going to be making a judgment and it is like, you know, reflection of you a reflection of you and there's a moment.
It seems like a little bit self-indulgent for you to be trying to get them to listen, to your music or whatever is pay attention to me. You feel uncomfortable. Yeah. So this is category. Number two. Very, very hard. Yep. Category number three is. When you're doing something on behalf of someone else, it gets easier. Yes, you know what I mean? Because it's like, oh, my friend is doing this and
sell, someone else. It's easier in selling your
so I am being a good friend by promoting them. And so, you know, please do check it out. And I like this is me showing.
That I'm connected and, you know, like have friends or whatever. And I'm a good
friend. Yeah, I used to work with financial advisors and they all they could sell and manage money for people and have to sell themselves and their best to manage skills. Every one of them would better if they had someone else selling their message managers. Yes.
So having a high person with a sighted person. Yep, very very important number for hey, here's my company. My brilliant
company idea project. Yeah.
So this is doable because sorry, this isn't, this is an order of difficulty.
As order of difficulty. Number one. The hardest is, I'm the candidate number 2 is, here's my deep artistic offering from my soul. Yeah, that's Judge. Me song movie book.
Yeah, play show, whatever it is. Yeah. Okay, number
three, is I have this company idea. I want to pitch you on. Okay, that's number three. Number four is I have a non-profit. I want you to donate to that one's easy, because you have a sense of
morality good per clause and then,
And the number
five is when you're promoting someone else on someone else's behalf. Okay, that's the easiest because then you're like, hey, I'm a good person. My friend is running for office. Doing this thing. I'm trying to help them
out and they say no, if they say no, because I don't like your friend, right? It's not
pretty much. It's further from you. The thing is you're promoting the easier. It is and also
what the people get back, because you see more selfless, but also what they get back, you're promoting a company, right? Yes. It's about you. But theoretically, the company maybe offers a service or something to try or some
A value prop, right? They'll be like a value exchange. Yes,
but the nonprofit and the, in your friend, those make you seem self less. Yes. And so there's something selfish about I'm running for office or this is my artistic offering.
Yes. Now, I'd argue you, if you want to leave a mark on the world or make the world, a little different than it was like doing. One of these five activities is in that will possibly par for the course rights in the doing is in the category of
Of what you need to do to accomplish something, right? Well, at a minimum number
five, yes, or four.
So I made a list of my life skills, my 20s, which
I recommend highly, if you make a list of your clients was have you done. Did they shift a bit? But I have have you accomplished most of them? No, I had a couple. Well, what are they? I wanted to all my life's goal is to make a billion dollars in by the Buffalo Bills and keep them in Buffalo forever. And I've thought about that as like facetiously, but I'm like, no, I actually want to do this and like I want a has to be a legitimate offer chance.
By the Buffalo Bills because I imagine the pegula those who own them. They may want my whole life to be on a whim like he's like, no, I don't want to sell them to you, right? But like legitimately get at the table, make a real offer. Is there a chance the bills? Leave Buffalo? Always a chance. Small-market. Team always a chance? Okay. Any Bill's family? Yeah. So what these other life skills are one. I mean that was what I wanted to do. Some of them. I've hit right. I wanted to get involved in politics. Donned a pretty well book proof book. I was like, yeah. I was like I was like maybe right about. I was like in there like maybe category.
Other ones are like family and personal and things like that. Yeah, my little
about, you get married. Have two kids. Yeah, minimum though, I do too is fine. I'm happy to say I'm knocked out like 80% of my life skills or any
and I plan house money.
Yeah, you know, they do more to your point. So we're
like sometimes you think?
If you want to one of my goals is to start something right as I did. So I started sit-ups, I did that, and it was great. And it's like, okay, then my other one big goals. I want to take a ridiculous risks. I look back and like it's also did that with you, but then it was like, you know, one goes like, I wanted to run for office and like I still feel that sometimes but, you know, that's it out with the book to her, bro. Different calculation, different calculus now. So sorry. Oh, right. So some of my goals
were things like improved millions of people's lives for the better. Have I done that?
Jubal arguably
not. Yeah, some good right on your Tombstone. So
some of them were very, very big. But the reason I raise this is that one of my goals at the time when I wrote this list was Elevate National political figure. That's right.
It was right, was not be one. It was just like help one hand up, being your some. And so this was
your argument is that hey, in order to accomplish something you need to tackle some of these promotional elements. And I would argue that it's okay to be a number 5, which is look. I'm just going to help other people who are doing great.
It's tough. Yeah, you don't need to be the doer yourself. You can just be like, hey, I see someone as long as helping, right? Let me help them. And so that's where I was when I drafted this list in my 20s. Like I don't need to be the guy. The, the problem that is occurred now is that if you want to build certain types of things like let's say a political movement like you kind of need a person to hang it on now. And in this case, I was the person and
Now I still am an eight-person.
Haha. Yeah.
Yeah. So the thing I would suggest is number one right here life's goals down. They can be small or big. So one I had was, you know, own a dog which we had an unfortunate to give away because our older son was allergic, stay in. Good physical condition, which you know is kind of come and gone. I got work of God. Come again running for office. It turns out ran very much August physical health and
So some things are like that. There are other girls who were very ambitious, but writing down these goals been incredibly
beneficial
because when you have a choice, then you actually make the choice that is in alignment with your goals. And if you haven't even your goals down, then you're not really going in a direction. Yep,
dream. And then
choosing to elevate other people, I think, is a fine way to go. I do not think you need to be the person if you find yourself as the person then, you know, fantastic, too.
But like I wouldn't put that on people. So
let me tell you this add-on. So I used to when I was at UBS, think about it. It's like corporate machine of a full profit bank. Right? And so and I'm in the philanthropy side of things. So there's all these Millennials coming to me, my peers younger, a little older than me. Come to me. Like I'd love to do something that made me feel good about what I'm doing something. And what advice do you have or how do I get into what you're doing? They weren't like wanting my job, but they want to know how to get like the impact space or feel better about their. I would want to work in that space. Yeah.
Yeah, it's a it's at least it's a base. That sounds good on paper for sure. But the best advice I could give people who I got it. Myself. I'll say to you is it someone said to me, stop asking yourself where you want to be in five years? Where do you see yourself? I hate that question. Where do you see yourself in 5 years or what are your life goals exercise? And those are fine. But the real question is if you died today. Right now, I just pulled out. Gunshot, you're dead. I got the other consequences, but doesn't matter you you're dead, right?
What would you be mad about not accomplishing? What would make you angry? And what's cool about the answer to that question is that it's essentially you may hopefully you'll know instantly, but if not, you'll know, within 24-48 hours. You'll know because you'll think about it eat at you and you'll know and that
Answer doesn't. You'll be surprised a lot of folks is not always career-driven actually, most times. It's not, it might be. I wish I'd spent more time my parents. I wish I traveled to Tuscany. Generally, it's going to be person. I wish I became an expert in something, right? And then what you do? So for me it was and it changes to over your course your life. So I said one was like, oh I never started anything. Maybe I should start something, right? And then now I was like, frankly, like my big one now, is like, now, I want to frankly have more influence and frankly, like, raise money like you raise money for a good, like use the money for good or build something.
Makes money for goods. I've learned that in the power of that. It's kind of where I'm at. I'm still kind of crystallizing it, but you'll learn that. And what you'll find is not always career-driven but it can drive your career because May learn. I love wine. And now you need a job that lets you maybe want to be in San Francisco, where you can go up to Napa every once in a while and learn or live in Italy. Are you want to spend more time with your parents? You wish you a better father, husband XYZ. Now, you set up the career to make sure you're not living with regret, which is what we're kind of all trying.
To avoid. We all want to maximize the time we have. So, anyway, best advice I ever got. I didn't make it up friend, Sarah. Wehmeyer, made it up, or on up. She made it up and she told me about it. I'll give her credit. She's a former colleague of mine. She probably doesn't listen this, but I gotta give credit Tommy.
So, a couple of very small things happened. I mean, I'm not that small, but I I got a couple of affirmations over the last week that I want to share with people. So the first was that I wrote an op-ed,
For the Washington post about struggle, boys and men. I think most people here have read that read it. At
least heard about us, you talking about. Yeah, you should read, it's good. I don't know what the OG virgin out there. By the way, it was better. No offense, The Washington Post, but I do like that. They publish a lot of op-eds. They did they added this bad boy up. They added it up. Yeah. I mean, they have to, it's like their job. Nothing.
So an English textbook company, not a name that British, but
Like a textbook, you know, it's like English composition
like English to subject. Yeah. Okay. Subject
contacted me and wants to use that op-ed in their textbook. That would be taught in high school, English classes around the country, as an example of English composition and I guess sound argumentation. What's up, man? We're pumped about it because it want it's, you know, kind of a nice feeling, but to the substance of that article is actually going to be taught.
In classrooms because if you read it, then you'll be like, oh snap, you know, apparently like, you know, boys struggle, you know, like it makes me very happy. Yes, sometimes you produce things and you've no idea of its going to reach an audience. Make an impact. Is it just going to be like a, you know, like a pebble in a pond where they're ripples in those ripples disappear. But on this one, I'm feeling pretty good because he'll if it's getting taught in thousands of classrooms, you know, like it will probably influence.
Some people's thinking too
good Legacy, theoretically. Yeah, like it's kind of high on my list of
things, or normal people's being used as a textbook. In some, a lot of college classrooms, which made me very happy. Give me a similar feeling, but this feels even wider in terms of scope because it's like a lot of high school kids be reading
that. Yeah. It's massively important. Look. Let me ask you this. I think is good advice won't talk about starting things. You said this to me. I wanted you to share with everybody and elaborate on it. You said every time you start.
Something you're going to gain a bunch of friends and you're going to lose a bunch of friends, if you do significant for sure. Yeah. I mean, if it's nothing then you won't care. But yeah, and you said that to me and I was like, absolutely, because you have a bunch of people that say your, that your friend. But then when push comes to shove you like. Hey, will you donate to this cause or you come to my launch event? Or will you send this to your friend like introduce me to your friend that works at XYZ cut? Like little things, you'll ask your good friends to help you with something. You'll be surprised who doesn't, who doesn't? You'll be extremely
Surprised. Yep. It's happened to me over and over mind-blowing surprised actually. And what's even more surprising though the folks that actually do help because it's usually now you do you
expect. Well, you form relationships out of it. Yes. I will drop everything to help you and then all of a sudden, you're like, I love
you. You are great. Thank you. Yeah, I
meet great people through the forward party every single day and I appreciate the heck out of it. It's true of the Yang Yang to, in the presidential
always Lobby three. Learn to let me, I'm still being you. People actually meeting talking to people. A lot of the three people are really, that's going great. Awesome. By the way, it's going fun. We're excited.
Make that happen.
So that was one really positive piece of news. It was small, but it felt great. The other thing that I guess objectively would be considered significant is, I was asked to speak at the commencement of Columbia Law School, which I'm a graduate of. Yeah, and so you can imagine being asked to speak at the commencement of your alma mater. It's like the big
deal man. How you feeling? I haven't congratulated you. Personally congrats.
Yeah. I got that. And I was like, wow, really? Well,
what happened? Like you just said dear.
Drew.
Yeah, of Columbia. So hear ye hear ye a friend. Who's a professor there texted me being like, hey great news is they want you to speak. You'll get an official thing. But let me know whether you'd be positively inclined before they send it the drama. But yeah, so at her and lie, and they want to be, they don't want to be turned down I guess. And so I checked out. So I looked at the date it was like I can do that. And then so then they sent me a nice letter. Are you
assuming? You got to write a speech and not weighing it?
Yeah. I'm going to write. I've actually started to think a bit about what?
When to say, I wanted to be relevant to people who are at that agent stage, which I do remember I but yeah, you know, I mean a commencement speech is its own form. You know what I mean? I don't know what my ambitions are. My ambitions are just to do a good job for the people who are right there, but I will probably write something and share it because yeah, you know, I mean, well, I'm ready to do the work does for a few hundred people. If you can
very rarely, do you get to, I mean, you're different running for president, but very rarely in life. Do you give
Get to give a speech where hundreds, or thousands, people like are actively listening and you can even argue parts of politics not everybody's actively listening but I would say it a couple moments weddings and graduations beaches. People are listening. They're like hoping someone gives a good speech. Ha ha ha, you know, if you're a bender college graduation, I hope this doesn't suck. Like it's hot, maybe look for some distract you. I will say that was on my one of my goals, like, give a commencement speech. And when I was a senior graduating from college, they had a student commencement speaker option. And I was like,
Fuck. Yes, I'm gonna do this one because I didn't want it was for my Majors or public policy issues. Like, we probably had
someone who got chosen. I got
well, no one a few people apply, but it wasn't like, as competitive as I thought it was. So I got chosen. I gave the speech. I didn't tell my parents and surprise him, which was hilarious, because they're proud moment, I think for them, but, but honestly, like, no one wanted it, because I was hungover. Graduation day. Whatever. Did you
move mountains? I moved
mountains. I thought was a good speech.
Yeah, that's good. I thought of you. I probably probably somewhere on YouTube, but I will say that's pressure fueled by the way, similar to not. Yeah, it's up there with the best man speech in the sense that everybody knows you're giving the
speech. The most the most nervous I've ever been was for my Best Buy bras terrifying. That's me as terrifying because you know, you only got one shot at
it. One shot. Everybody's remembering it.
And if it goes poorly you never get it
back. Feel like we don't we set targets for sets the tone for the whole wedding.
There have been so few speeches. I've had to give where it's like
I'm not going to get this would pack went. Well. No. Yeah, you don't get married again, president. It's like well, I give a speech
can do it better tomorrow. Yeah,
I'll just do it better tomorrow. But then for that one, it was like, well my brother hopefully just gets married
once more nervous before the best man speech or the democratic debate stage first time, maybe the second time because the first time you were really
sick. Yeah. To
talk about the book actually best man. Speech. Really? Yeah.
I was really I was like hi. I was so nervous that I you know was
Quarreling with Evelyn because, you know, we're running late or whatever. Was like, I really cannot be late
like rest of it.
So yeah, I was very, very nervous. I was a little bit nervous. I also married my cousin to her husband. Yeah. This was when I was running for president during and I was totally unprepared. I was like, and I was like, it'll be fine and then I got up there and then I actually dig into himself. So
he told me did a good job though. You said it went? Well.
Yeah. Okay, Lana.
To this day. I did it. That's crazy. Your morning. I was very nervous because the other thing about if you ever best man
Everybody knows your best man. So they ask you about your speech the whole time before it happened. So if you're, if you're just 10x your nerves, just because of that fact alone. I'll give your kind of nervous. The fact that was like you're ready for speech. You ready? Free Speech or never Strays. You
feel like you're carrying the weight of the wedding on your
shoulder, which is really weird because you shouldn't be not your wedding. Anyway, I did feel that I felt at it again. Don't fuck
up and they're still married. So, you know, I'm like doing great. I'm still married. Yep. Probably still married. My cousin, still married. So, so those are some of the
Of things that have been coming around where it feels like, there's some energy lifting, the message and ideas were putting out there.
So the big subject we want to talk about this week was born of of course Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which is horrendous and tragic.
There were some comments that we were too glib about it because we have casual conversations. I will be very clear. The Situation's, fucked up. It's dark. It breaks my heart. I'm not. Okay. With this is not casual to talk about World War 3. You and I have a tendency to try to see the positive things in life and laughs. It's how we cope. I'm sorry people.
And by that, I mean that's the type of thing. I'm like to apologize too often for internet comments. But that's a real one to me. Sorry.
I mean, I agree. Yeah, like every day you wake up and you zoom in and you see the, the death and the strife, and the refugees, the rest heartbreaking. It's awful. So to that point, so as someone whose family emigrated this country, the sense of America as being good place mean there's this idea of American exceptionalism where Evans like America
Has a special place in the world and I think you knows shining City on a Hill
doing on a hill. Yeah, it was
that Reagan. That was Reagan. Yeah, so so shining city on a hill and then enduring Reagan. You had the Berlin Wall come down. You had the USSR lose a cold war. And so there was this Arc of America's this Force for good and developing democracy. There was this idea. Wow, was this incredibly positive, but they called
You'd like to end of History because they said at this point democracy and globalized economy. We're going to win. And then that was that what a, what a happy positive moment. That was. Now things have kind of rebounded, because you've had authoritarian countries, come up and demonstrate that there are different models of competitiveness. And success, most prominently China. There was like a long period of time when
America thought hey, if we can just get Commerce in there, then they're going to liberalize, they're going to wind up democratizing because you can't have this thriving. Chinese middle class, buying washing machines and watching western movies who are going to accept a repressive regime, of course, that was all wrong like that. It turns out that there were perfectly happy with not perfectly happy. I mean, I don't mean to say that, but that let you know, there has been like a real contest of ideas within China, in terms of democracy versus
Authoritarianism. So the the there was an arc throughout the 80s, certainly under Reagan and Bush. And then I would argue it persisted through the 90s that America was this exceptional democracy. And then there's been this increased questioning of that. There's been like an increased questioning of conventional histories saying that you know, like and again America does have massive moral stains.
On its on itself throughout its history, but I still feel like this should be a time for a re-inspection of both America's place in the world and whether one would accept that America, despite its failings is a force for improving, people's lives, everywhere around the world, hopefully, and also that there are massive opportunities for us to improve people's lives.
Here and now and you know, within our borders that there's like a positivity, you know, it's like that this sense. If you lose the faith, that America will do the right thing. Then you lose something very, very enormous. And one of the things that I try to do and people, you know, sometimes, you know, said like, oh, that this approach won't work or what not. But I think you'll appreciate this. Having started a non-profit, is you you believe that someone's going to help and then you kind of present that belief to
Them, and then sometimes they help.
Yeah, you know what? I mean? Yep,
like, I feel that about America, where it's like, you believe America will help whether it's help the Ukrainian people and this war and and convince Putin that this war was deeply profane and unjust or whether it's helping Americans live a better life where you say, look, you know, there is no reason why we need to have
Level of scarcity, and deprivation and poverty in the richest country in the history of the world. Like we can actually make those changes. So that this is something that I believe in my heart first that this is a good country and that the people are good, but I also think it's a better way to go because it's more likely to lead to what you want. It's more likely to lead to good
places, right? Let me see if I click on, I'm going to do what you've done to me. A number of times. I'm going to quote myself.
And this is actually real mad at because I'm going to quote.
Look at this. He's quoting a book that is not yet. Been published by that. You can buy, you can
buy right now. I'm going to quote myself, quoting someone else, when you're young. You think the Cavalry is coming to save us. When you grow up, you realize that you are the Cavalry quote, Andrew Yang. I don't know where you got that quote from but you're my source on this and it's kind of what you're saying is like,
America by or is the Bill Clinton quote. He said there's nothing wrong with America that can't be fixed about with what's right about America. Yeah. There's nothing wrong with America. That can't be fixed with what's right about America and theoretically, America, set up to bring the Cavalry. That is what it's set up to do the computer to my clothes, massive democracy.
The question I have for you is if America doesn't exist right now in the uniform, it's in and it's super power form
who stops Putin, maybe the EU. And
that's a big maybe like maybe NATO, right? That's not the you but
well I name you got to know that the u.s. Is the muscle of NATO. Yeah. So NATO less are u.s.
NATO.
He probably does what he wants. And that's the point. Like, if we don't exist
the other major Domino that everyone's talking about is China. Invading Taiwan. Yeah, it's because are a lot of parallels, of course and I have C have deep ties to the region as a debate moderators would say because they always ask me China questions, but if
deep ties chance, she's lots of the
region. I mean, yeah, I mean, yeah, I want a family in China to so but everyone knows that.
What's happening in Ukraine will end the US. Response will be something of an indicator of the response to an act of aggression on the part of China against Taiwan to reintegrate because historically so Russia is making the case. Hey, Ukraine is part of Russia USSR. Like we go back a long way. Turns out ukrainians do not want to be part of some reconstituted USSR. Now the parallels with China and Taiwan they
They were one country until the late 1940s and then the Nationalist came over and so they've been distinct from each other for you know, it's called 73 years, whatever it is, but it China is a very long, you know, frame of reference. So there'd be like, hey, we're one country and so that's been their attitude from, you know, day one. So for them, too.
Try and take back. Taiwan is just reclaiming. Something that is always been part of you. There's yeah, which is, I believe kind of the Russian thinking which obviously, that's completely off base. So your question about an American Vacuum of power and what happens mean? It's it's something people are asking around the world. Yeah. He's like it or not. There really is. No heavy weight
and no one likes to think. This is the problem. Why? No one likes to think like this. We're talking about necessary evil.
No one likes to think that, you know, like if we're if you don't think America is good, but where necessary evil? Because that evils worse, right? Maybe that's what it is, you know, like America's done a bunch of terrible things to get to where it is. Write down a bunch of amazing things to write. Capitalism causes a whole bunch helped us build the greatest military in the world, right? And most powerful put resources to work very, very quickly. It's also had a bunch of your pilot, but the bottom it's been unjust in many ways, right?
Right. This is these are the these are questions. No one knows the answer to, right? But I think your point which is a good one. Is that
As we look at this war, it's a powerful and good reminder of what actually will looks like. Yes, you know,
and and that framing troubled institutions like a country with problems like America as evil in the same way
is not varieties. Not the same. No, and it should things like this should unite us. I don't know if the media is set up anymore to, to get to us to get us to a national consensus cash relief.
Rbi's is actually the closest thing. I've seen you in National consensus on anything else
and that we all want to help Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Yeah, you know, I feel like this is closed. Yeah, that's as close to rallying cry as we've seen.
So we're going to unpack this in a future episode in ways. And in terms of this, let's call it relative evil, which is sound strange but it's red. Its relative Morality In A Way applied morality.
Oh, you know what? It is Zach. It's
like its framing something troubled as evil when when troubled might be a better descriptor, you know, I mean, yeah,
it's a
Yeah, it's like I told a lie, but I'm not a liar. Right? Like it's white. Like if you do it all the time, then you're an actual liar, but you make a mistake. I don't think you're a liar, right? You're in perfect. There's certain things. I don't, you know, you got somebody like I
shot is one of the things that people sense about like the Ford party and me and the rest of it is like, I'm very very reluctant to categorize just about anyone as genuinely evil because in my experience, there are very very few evil people. You know that Amir Putin that
Evil, but you know, just about anyone else who's having an honest disagreement. I don't put in that category at all. And one of the symptoms of polarization that we have is that people are willing to cast their ideological enemies or just someone who disagrees with them on something as as evil. And I think that's a disaster. Like I you know, I'm just myself, very much not not on that page.
Paige. And I think that we should try and get as many people away from that page as we can. Do you think that makes you a better or worse politician? Probably worth politician because political figures like to cast things as conflicts between good and evil and it's like hey, you gotta get us the resources. We need to defeat evil this one more time. And if we do this, then all will be. Well, I mean, I think that's one reason why the dissatisfaction among Democrats right now is pronounced as because it was
As defeat Trump, and then all of these available on, and then all these incredible things will happen. Like, one of the things that boggles my mind. When I hear it, I hear it all the time is when a political figure talks about, it's like, hey, if you elect me, we will defeat racism, defeat sexism defeat. And I was like, okay, let me get all
Straub that. By the way, we stand up, get excited about
that. Let me, let me get this straight, if you're in office, then no one. Then we won't be racist Society or sexist society more. It's like, wow, that's incredible.
I mean, it's kind of the thing that that, you know, we were kind of excited about Obama about ago doesn't mean we're not racist name anymore. So so when we continue to make those appeals and then the reality does not change, then people get kind of, you know, fatigued that disheartened. Like you can't motivate people with fear and hatred all of the time and then not
Of it either exhaust people or distort
them. That's that is the difference between a good politician and a good operator. So I love this. So Medicare for, all right, if you're a good politician, you're gonna have a stance on Medicare for all like keep it as is or we're going to Medicare for all. And that's it's free healthcare for evidence. Right? If you're good operator, and you want to get something done. You're like, okay, right. Now we have Medicare for nobody in this hypothetical and you know situation, what I take Medicare for 80%
Over what I'ma current situation, yes, what a good. Operator takes 60 70 %. Yes, but we don't because it's good versus evil. Right? If you're not medicare-for-all, if you're Medicare for 99%, you're evil you're out and we've lost our billion. Negotiate actually talk about the books. Like that's your brand is so identified with a strong issue. You can't compromise. It's bad politics to compromise. You've all the incentives, go the other way.
So to sum up America.
Problems, but it's no fucking Russia.
We shouldn't laugh about that, but I am because
It's like the rat is, you know, I sometimes think we should call this podcast, the rational Progressive like I consider myself extremely Progressive in the sense that I want to make the country better. You want to help people and, you know, do what I want to do in a way it's going to work and like, I'd rather get called out for being an asshole. I'd rather be everyone think I'm an asshole, but solve the problem.
Yeah. We this is the, the increasing problem. Yeah. My friend is that we're arguing arguing. Meanwhile, our institutional
Performance keeps getting worse and worse and like, people's lives getting worse and worse. And like, the arguments is getting more and more heated. And you know, you and I just want to actually make things work better and solve the problems. You can call that rational and Progressive, you could call that pragmatic, you call that a lot of weirdness. You got a lot. Yeah. I call it forward as but
there are more people who think like us like this. Then there are that you see in the news that are extremists. It's about I think that, you know, this because you live this with the four,
D, but I do, we have to bring together the rational middle, if we can
and the rational middle, I'm going to go on a limb thinks that America is a good place. A good people, a good country. And for my money. They are right.
Amen. Amen. Preach on brother. All right, we'll be back next week. We got John Wood on Monday from braver Angels. Yes, and you and I back Thursday books out. Check it out. Long shot, long shot, you can
Google long shot by Zach or you can will be on my Twitter bio. Check it out
yet. This book, we're going to do a reading next week. You can be no. No, we're not going to read it. So we're going to do spoken word. That's actually one of my constant jokes. Is that like I would just bust out and work and be like and now I'm going to
round and now schachter to. I did read the audio book. That's an adventure to we'll talk about that. And yeah, it's
coming up. So, yeah, you guys definitely need to get a
copy Reading. Rainbow was my favorite show growing up, man. That's
you know, I'm with you picking up put down.
