Tom Nichols

This isn't actually governing the country. This is the thing that always amazes me when I watch these cabinet meetings. And I, you know, watch them all do the, the member of the old Saturday night live. Oh, sir. You know, the court, you know, you're very powerful. So very, very handy. I thought you were going to say Ditka.

This isn't actually governing the country. This is the thing that always amazes me when I watch these cabinet meetings. And I, you know, watch them all do the, the member of the old Saturday night live. Oh, sir. You know, the court, you know, you're very powerful. So very, very handy. I thought you were going to say Ditka.

then I wonder, okay, who's actually running anything? And what, at least at State, some of the rumors that I've heard are that It's the same people that have been there forever. It's the deep state. Why? Because no one else knows what they're doing and because they fired so many people. And so you have second and third tier appointees and career folks.

then I wonder, okay, who's actually running anything? And what, at least at State, some of the rumors that I've heard are that It's the same people that have been there forever. It's the deep state. Why? Because no one else knows what they're doing and because they fired so many people. And so you have second and third tier appointees and career folks.

then I wonder, okay, who's actually running anything? And what, at least at State, some of the rumors that I've heard are that It's the same people that have been there forever. It's the deep state. Why? Because no one else knows what they're doing and because they fired so many people. And so you have second and third tier appointees and career folks.

And I suppose, again, that's a reason for optimism is that the lights stay on and things still keep happening in government, basically because nobody got to them fast enough and fired them and emptied out these offices and made it impossible for the government to function.

And I suppose, again, that's a reason for optimism is that the lights stay on and things still keep happening in government, basically because nobody got to them fast enough and fired them and emptied out these offices and made it impossible for the government to function.

And I suppose, again, that's a reason for optimism is that the lights stay on and things still keep happening in government, basically because nobody got to them fast enough and fired them and emptied out these offices and made it impossible for the government to function.

Right. That's the scary part is that, I mean, the immediate issue of, well, we're going to kick off global entry. It's juvenile. You can't be in our club anymore. Like you say, you have to go stand in the longer line. But mobilizing the machinery of government against one person because he pissed you off by telling the truth years ago. He's not even in government.

Right. That's the scary part is that, I mean, the immediate issue of, well, we're going to kick off global entry. It's juvenile. You can't be in our club anymore. Like you say, you have to go stand in the longer line. But mobilizing the machinery of government against one person because he pissed you off by telling the truth years ago. He's not even in government.

Right. That's the scary part is that, I mean, the immediate issue of, well, we're going to kick off global entry. It's juvenile. You can't be in our club anymore. Like you say, you have to go stand in the longer line. But mobilizing the machinery of government against one person because he pissed you off by telling the truth years ago. He's not even in government.

It's one thing to say, look, I don't want people around me, and this is a completely legitimate thing to do in government, to say, I don't want appointees who have criticized me remaining in this administration. Okay, all presidents do that, right? I come in, you're either a previous appointee of mine or you're appointed by my successor. You obviously don't like me.

It's one thing to say, look, I don't want people around me, and this is a completely legitimate thing to do in government, to say, I don't want appointees who have criticized me remaining in this administration. Okay, all presidents do that, right? I come in, you're either a previous appointee of mine or you're appointed by my successor. You obviously don't like me.

It's one thing to say, look, I don't want people around me, and this is a completely legitimate thing to do in government, to say, I don't want appointees who have criticized me remaining in this administration. Okay, all presidents do that, right? I come in, you're either a previous appointee of mine or you're appointed by my successor. You obviously don't like me.

We're not going to work well together. You're fired. To go from that to, you know, we're going to pull your security clearances. We're going to kick you out of global entry. We're going to look at your taxes. We're going to, you know, just harass you. This is what I meant at the beginning, Tim, about why aren't people kind of more astonished by this?

We're not going to work well together. You're fired. To go from that to, you know, we're going to pull your security clearances. We're going to kick you out of global entry. We're going to look at your taxes. We're going to, you know, just harass you. This is what I meant at the beginning, Tim, about why aren't people kind of more astonished by this?

We're not going to work well together. You're fired. To go from that to, you know, we're going to pull your security clearances. We're going to kick you out of global entry. We're going to look at your taxes. We're going to, you know, just harass you. This is what I meant at the beginning, Tim, about why aren't people kind of more astonished by this?

And I think that fire hosing means that we just accept these stories because there are so many of them every day. Trump is going after so many people. in this kind of petty, inane, but in the end, extremely dangerous way that we just sort of shrug and say, well, just another day of Trump seeking revenge. Well, I'm sorry, we're talking about the president of the United States.

And I think that fire hosing means that we just accept these stories because there are so many of them every day. Trump is going after so many people. in this kind of petty, inane, but in the end, extremely dangerous way that we just sort of shrug and say, well, just another day of Trump seeking revenge. Well, I'm sorry, we're talking about the president of the United States.

And I think that fire hosing means that we just accept these stories because there are so many of them every day. Trump is going after so many people. in this kind of petty, inane, but in the end, extremely dangerous way that we just sort of shrug and say, well, just another day of Trump seeking revenge. Well, I'm sorry, we're talking about the president of the United States.