David E. Sanger

That's a totally depressing thought. I really hope it's not true. But I don't really know what the way to counter that is but through more transparency and more objective looks at the information. More analysis that brings in the full context that pushes back against conspiratorial thinking. But conspiratorial thinking has been very sticky in America.

That's a totally depressing thought. I really hope it's not true. But I don't really know what the way to counter that is but through more transparency and more objective looks at the information. More analysis that brings in the full context that pushes back against conspiratorial thinking. But conspiratorial thinking has been very sticky in America.

I mean, go back to just the short time after the Kennedy assassination, only 30% of the people believed Oswald acted alone. Almost 50% believed there was a conspiracy. Now, those numbers have fluctuated some, but... After that JFK movie, only 10% of people believed Oswald acted alone. But today, years later, after all these revelations... Decades later, yeah. Decades later. 60 years later.

I mean, go back to just the short time after the Kennedy assassination, only 30% of the people believed Oswald acted alone. Almost 50% believed there was a conspiracy. Now, those numbers have fluctuated some, but... After that JFK movie, only 10% of people believed Oswald acted alone. But today, years later, after all these revelations... Decades later, yeah. Decades later. 60 years later.

We're back where we started, right? It's like 30% of people believed Oswald acted alone. 65% of people believed there was a conspiracy to kill Kennedy.

We're back where we started, right? It's like 30% of people believed Oswald acted alone. 65% of people believed there was a conspiracy to kill Kennedy.

Yeah, this is not a case against transparency. This is not an argument that we shouldn't be releasing this information. But it's just a reminder about how powerful the idea of conspiracy is, how much of a hold that has on the American mindset. And we can't think that another person

Yeah, this is not a case against transparency. This is not an argument that we shouldn't be releasing this information. But it's just a reminder about how powerful the idea of conspiracy is, how much of a hold that has on the American mindset. And we can't think that another person

release of documents, another revelation, is going to dismiss those conspiracy theories, it's just as likely that they'll give them new life.

release of documents, another revelation, is going to dismiss those conspiracy theories, it's just as likely that they'll give them new life.

Somebody made the point to me that if you worked in the federal government, there were two things in the past that you were asked to call in and snitch about, right? One of which is if you had a suspected spy who might be leaking classified information to the Russians or the Chinese or the Iranians. And the second was corruption.

Somebody made the point to me that if you worked in the federal government, there were two things in the past that you were asked to call in and snitch about, right? One of which is if you had a suspected spy who might be leaking classified information to the Russians or the Chinese or the Iranians. And the second was corruption.

And now we've created a third category, which is you might secretly be working on a DEI program.

And now we've created a third category, which is you might secretly be working on a DEI program.

And there was a place where you've seen it the most, Michael, which has been the Pentagon, right? So one of the first things they did was fire the admiral who was the commandant of the Coast Guard. And the argument was that she was placing DEI principles above all others for defending the country.

And there was a place where you've seen it the most, Michael, which has been the Pentagon, right? So one of the first things they did was fire the admiral who was the commandant of the Coast Guard. And the argument was that she was placing DEI principles above all others for defending the country.

But you've heard it also in confirmation hearings, including for Pete Hegseth, who basically made the argument that he is going to focus on the warfighter first. And this is at the core of his argument that women shouldn't be in combat.

But you've heard it also in confirmation hearings, including for Pete Hegseth, who basically made the argument that he is going to focus on the warfighter first. And this is at the core of his argument that women shouldn't be in combat.

Here's the oddity that I find here. I can understand this for political appointees. Everybody wants political appointees who are aligned with your vision. of how to conduct the government. But the loyalty tests are also being applied to younger career officials. So what we saw happen at the National Security Council on Wednesday... Where a bunch of folks were let go.

Here's the oddity that I find here. I can understand this for political appointees. Everybody wants political appointees who are aligned with your vision. of how to conduct the government. But the loyalty tests are also being applied to younger career officials. So what we saw happen at the National Security Council on Wednesday... Where a bunch of folks were let go.