Out of Your Element, Donnie: Ballrooms, Bureaucrats, and Bad Ideas

David (00:00) This week, we're asking a deceptively simple question. What kind of person accepts a job they're completely unqualified to do? From the acting director of national intelligence to billion dollar ballroom projects and even a detour into the bizarre world of PowerSlap, we're exploring what happens when loyalty becomes more important than competence, and confidence becomes a substitute for expertise. Support yourself a drink, lower your expectations for humanity. And join us as we examine the psychology behind people who look at impossible jobs and somehow say, Yeah, I can do that. Hold my beer. This is strengthenation. Let's go. David (01:17) All right, hey, welcome back to Shrink the Nation. I am David. I am a ward certified psychiatrist. I have served time in the military, and that is Rob (01:28) I thought you were gonna talk about your prison time there. David (01:30) Talk prison, military prison, time, time served, served, whatever. It's all the fucking same. Robbie, we were discussing before we started that today I am sipping gulping possibly this basilhayden toast. it is distilled by the James B. Beam Distilling Company. Rob (01:35) He's he's served time, folks. David (01:50) Which I think is a fancy way of saying gym beam. And yeah, it's tastes like bourbon. Rob (01:56) It it does. David (01:57) It tastes like I feel like we maybe at some point the we shouldn't just try to drink a bourbon, but rather bring a couple of different bourbons to sample as we go so that there is something different about them. 'Cause I feel like if you just go a week, which is about the amount of time that I do before I drink bourbon again, it all fucking tastes the same. Rob (02:18) you you forget. hey, everyone, thanks for for joining us. This is Rob. thirty years in psychiatry. No wait, twenty-six years in psychiatry, thirty years thirty years in the military. I have never served time in prison though, as opposed to my colleague here. Yeah, so you know, I've often jokingly said they they all taste the same. I mean they all y you taste a bourbon, you know you're drinking a bourbon, but boy, there is a difference between, say, an old crow and a knob creek or an Elijah Craig. there's a difference between, you know, a a a bottle and bond Evan Williams versus J straight Jim Beam. Like straight Jim Beam, regular Jim Beam is so sweet that It just tastes weird to me. So they all taste the different different. It's just you you you do probably need to have them setting next to one. David (03:08) Yeah, I think that's the that's that's where I'm going with that. It's not they they ta they taste like bourbon, but yeah, it's a little different. I mean there's there's restaurant spaghetti and there's mom spaghetti. I mean they are both spaghetti, but one is you know one is preferred. right. Rob (03:17) Yeah. Tactically spaghetti. Yeah. The restaurant. David (03:27) So we are gonna talk again. I this I feel like this theme keeps popping up over and over and over again. because it as it turns out, Robbie, when Your primary discussions are centered around the government or the politics and the center of attention, or at least the person who needs to be the center of attention, does things to make themselves the center of attention. You end up talking a lot about that. I'm kind of longing for the day. That we can talk about something else that isn't just based completely on the misadventures of our POTUS. But I also feel like if we weren't talking about this, it would be like we were ignoring some of the more relevant things that are going on. and if anything Ten years from now, when this show has been dead and gone for nine nine year there will be some record of this beyond what keeps happening. Like January sixth, twenty twenty one is often called a day of joy and love. And if anybody who Rob (04:20) nine years, nine months. David (04:35) calls watching the video of it as it was occurring. There wasn't a lot of joy or a lot of love happening. So at least we'll keep a record of this craziness that we're watching. but I would would actually appreciate it if the guy would just like take a fucking break for like a week. Rob (04:51) You know, before we jump into these topics, that's actually something that I was hitting at earlier is that I have this prevailing sense of boredom with it at this point. Like, I don't care what crazy thing, what nutty, over the top, my gosh, I can't believe that at any other time in history. my prevailing experience with it is like A deep sigh. you know, I get the vapors. I get the vapors now. David (05:17) You and Lindsey Graham. Rob (05:18) yeah, we clutch our pearls, we get the vapors. you know, it occurs to me that there there is some psychodynamic power to that, that when you're over the top twenty four seven, three sixty five, it wears people down. It's kind of the child that, you know, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I? And you finally like, Yes, you can, do it, whatever. Just shut up. Fine. and that that's the phenomenon that we're dealing with. And and I think that's partly how a lot of this gets passed through. Shamelessness and redundancy? David (05:54) Perseverance? insanity when you do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Rob (05:56) Ha ha ha. ⁓ I d I don't know. I don't know, but let's w with that in mind, let's jump right into this week's crazy. David (06:03) Repetition. could I can almost imagine that our our listeners are just like sitting on the edge of their seats wondering what version of this week's crazy we're gonna talk about because there's been a lot, yeah. But there's been a lot of crazy this the one that I guess we want to start off with is the announcement of our Rob (06:11) I'm sure they are. all ten of them. David (06:25) New acting director of national intelligence. Now, for anybody who's not paid much attention, the director of national intelligence is actually responsible for managing all of the intelligence agencies, right? in how many are there, Robbie? Rob (06:41) NSA, CIA, the Alphabet Soup. I and I I think they also end up filtering Army intelligence, naval intelligence, Air Force intelligence, if if that exists, all of them get filtered through the the DNI, which is the director of national intelligence. David (06:57) Yeah, so Yeah, so it's this is a job that we would assume is important that the person is competent to do it, right? Rob (07:07) The only argument I have against that is that Tulsi Gabbard apparently sat in the role for a while but this is where the problem lies. So David, tell me some jobs, just just off the top of your head, some jobs where on the job training is appropriate. David (07:25) Bus boy. Rob (07:26) Bus boy, that's that's a good one, you know. Hey, go out there and pick stuff up off tables. David (07:27) Yeah. Yeah. McDonald's drive-thru attendant. Rob (07:34) Okay, yes, that you know, low stakes, low stakes. Worst case scenario, someone's gonna get pickles on their special order a quarter pounder. And you know what? Do not go to McDonald's and special order anything. That's not what it was designed for. David (07:37) Yeah. You it Yeah. Like they might not dodge the incoming shake fast enough and get hit by that. I I would think like working at in retail, working in a liquor store during the late shift. You gotta Rob (07:59) Okay. Yep, yep, yep. David (08:02) you should ID everybody that comes in or, you know, give whatever if they have a twenty. Yeah, so Rob (08:07) Barista, lattes, yeah, that's on the job, man. You just make so what makes a good on the job training job? Well, that would be low stakes, simple set of tasks. and those are the two things that are required, I think. I think. David (08:10) I think you could learn how to do that. and well ⁓ Having low stakes, simple tasks, something that could be easily picked up relatively quickly, there's not a lot. Rob (08:28) you start the day not knowing anything about it, you end the day being good at it, kind of thing. Yeah, David (08:33) Yeah, like podcasting. Just like Rob (08:34) Well, implies we ever got good at it and ⁓ David (08:38) I don't know that we're good at it, but we do it. Two idiots with of microphones. I think that's all you really need. What I've learned is really all you need is a cellphone and some AirPods. you Rob (08:44) That's that that really does it. Yep, much. That that's the state of the art right now. So let's let's take that criteria, you know, a simple set of tasks, low stakes, and let's apply it to to Bill Poulti as the director of national intelligence. David (08:51) Yeah. as far as I'm aware, never worked in intelligence for the military, in counter terrorism, any kind of diplomatic roles, and he's has no national security background. So he he doesn't seem Rob (09:14) Nailed David (09:17) like the ideal candidate for a job like the director of national intelligence, That would be my guess. Rob (09:25) for our audience at this particular time, by the time you listen to this, basically he was proposed, there was a lot of pushback, it was bipartisan pushback, and the White House actually said, not the permanent one, he's just temporary for now. so they they sort of backed off of it. They've had kind of a tough week. They've taken a beating on a couple of things. And interestingly, rather than, you know, historically they double down, this past week they haven't. they've taken their lumps and they've withdrawn. David (09:56) if that's like should we be concerned about that piece because you kind of you kind of get to this point where you wonder for Donald Trump who classically doesn't seem to give a fuck what anybody thinks about the people that he's putting in the transportation secretary will talk about him why not Sean Duffy Road Rules guy, you know. I mean, he's been on a plane, I'm assuming he's probably ridden a bus before. We did, yeah. And so he doesn't tend to back down, which actually kind of makes me wonder, did he make the pick or did was this just put in front of him and he said sure, whatever, because he was busy worrying about his ballroom or Rob (10:22) Think we talked about him once actually. David (10:39) 'Cause he's been really engaged with the ballroom, with the reflecting pool, the the arc arc de tromp. guess I wonder is you know, especially in the midst of a war, why is our president so caught up in these other things rather than this? But then again it I wonder because he because they're backing down and now ch kind of changing things, I kinda wonder if he even had a role, like what role he even played in that selection beyond just green lighting it. And that worries me too, because it seems like he's he's out there playing mini golf without ball. Rob (11:14) You know, it's interesting that that's your take on it. I I I did detect the this past week when there was pushback on several things and we're gonna talk about many of them, but they actually immediately And that's a significant deviation from from their norm. I perceived it a little differently. David (11:13) Or a Right. Rob (11:34) it made me worry a little bit because I think what we might be seeing is the early phases of an aged emperor who goes back into the private garden and ends up t tweaking around with some some personal projects while, you know, basically David (11:36) Yeah. Rob (11:52) playing the violin while Rome burns. Nero was what came to mind for me when this happened. So it actually concerned me. Now let's go back to the D and I. So the D and I is supposed to integrate intelligence David (11:57) Yeah. Rob (12:07) They're supposed to be the ones that protect analytic integrity. they're supposed to be the ones to tell the hard truths to the leadership of our country, coordinate different agencies, reduce overall national risk. And they're supposed to really value expertise because as it turns intelligence gathering is not on the job training. There is no OJT. This is a group of highly skilled and extremely well trained professionals that do some pretty amazing work for the United States and they keep us safe. that's what it's supposed to. When you pick a man like Bill Poulti, and I'm not actually even picking on Bill Poult well, I'm gonna pick on Bill Poulti. I'm not gonna pick on him for being selected. so Bill Poulty's life has been in real estate, I believe. maybe even some philanthropy. David (12:54) Yeah. Rob (12:56) And It's not necessarily his fault he was selected. Someone picked him. All right. but when you pick a man like Bill Poulty, you're clearly not pursuing expertise or skills. And it makes me wonder, ⁓ how do you David (13:11) Well I well he probably has some expertise. I mean, as the grandson of William Poulti of the Poulti group or Poulti Homes, Yeah, I'm sure the guy knows how to build. Yeah, he I'm sure he's he knows how to build a house. or, you know, a subdivision and a suburb you know, suburbia. Rob (13:21) yeah, yeah, yeah. ⁓ that's how I knew that last name. David (13:33) So he's probably has some expertise. He certainly has some experience. I'm sure he's got a lot of leadership prob working in that world. I guess the difficult part when you run into that and you think about it is that all of those things are not in the realm of intelligence. you said supposed to a lot and so it's not Rob (13:55) so what's his claim to fame? How how how did how did he get here? David (13:58) He's wealthy. I don't know. He's wealthy, he likes Trump. He's loyal to Trump. Rob (14:00) ⁓ a and what else? He's he's very loyal to Trump. He has been very aggressive in supporting election denial. David (14:11) intri Interestingly, he runs his own private equity firm. we at some point if Donald Trump stops the insanity, maybe we could talk about private equity firms in the future. But he's had a lot of Rob (14:11) he's a loyal man. David (14:24) public and legal feuds with his family members within the Poulte family. So that's kind of I think the interesting thing is he's not very tied to the Poulti group. He's just the grandson of and shares his name is kind of a s interesting interesting character that does have a lot of loyalty towards Trump. Rob (14:42) He was selected for loyalty. David (14:44) Yeah. Well, so was Tulsi Gabb, but I mean I guess that's that's the thing though, Robbie is I wonder, I mean, is it so the Director of National Intelligence is a position that was created after nine eleven because there was a lot of disconnect between the intelligence agencies and their ability to share data, right? So they created this position specifically to prevent future issues like nine eleven. Rob (14:45) So it and Silo and yep. David (15:06) And the fear I think that we would all have in selecting somebody who is, ill prepared, I don't know the guy, but I would imagine he's not probably fully prepared for this job for you know myriad reasons. but the concern would be then that this makes us somewhat vulnerable to something like 9/11 because National Intelligence is not functioning at the level that one would expect. But pointing our finger at Bill Poulty and saying he can't do this job, he's gonna fuck it up, we're all screwed. Well, you know, it's been what it's now June of 2026. Tulsi Gabbard has been in that role since January, February of 2025, she doesn't have the experience or the capability to do that job either. And so it really starts to make you question Does anybody do need to know how to be the director of national intelligence? To be the director of national intelligence? I mean, it's Rob (16:02) Well, here here's here's my theory on that. No, no, I think it matters a great deal. ⁓ my but my th no, my my theory on this so he all right. He was selected for loyalty. and that was the only criteria that was utilized to select him. It was loyalty. This is a man who will be loyal to me. and you know, basically he's selected to protect a leader. David (16:04) Apparently it doesn't fucking matter. Yeah. Вот Rob (16:26) Interestingly, w one of his primary roles, and and this should not be, I mean, this is the director of national intelligence, but Trump said that Poulty would be investigating quote unquote rigged elections. And if you'll remember, he sent Tulsi Gabbard down to Georgia to oversee them taking control of you know the ballots from 2020. That is not a director of national intelligence job. you know, it national intelligence is about our enemies abroad, and I suppose maybe to some degree some counterintelligence shit, I don't know. but fundamentally that this was he this was a selection made based on on one criteria and that was to Trump. Now, what you're hitting on is that these are bureaucratic machines. we have a massive federal bureaucracy, and within that there are ecosystems. that are say intelligence ecosystems or the military ecosystem or social security ecosystem, whatever. Those are bureaucracies inside of a bureaucracy. And we have thousands, if not tens of thousands, hell, maybe even hundreds of thousands, of r diligent public servants who are holding shit together. So It doesn't surprise me that someone who as unqualified as Tulsi Gabbard could sit in the leader chair, be appeased, and the second and third level leadership make sure that the work continues. And then no, it doesn't surprise me at all. However, where my fear is is in the in the long term. So and there's a book actually, surprise, there's a book. it's David (18:05) What? Rob (18:06) It's called the Fifth Estate, but this book talks about all the important work that some of these departments engage in and how when you poison the well, when you put in someone who doesn't know what they're doing, it does have lasting effects because they come in and then they put in other leaders underneath them. They change things around, they mess with the status quo. David (18:31) Yeah. Rob (18:31) And it does have long-term effects. And I do think there's gonna be a tail to this. I think the fact that Tulsi Gabbard was sitting in that chair, and you know, to her credit, she at least was a she was a congressman. And she I think I think she made it maybe retired from the or got out of the army as a lieutenant colonel. she was a major for a long time, but so you know, good on her. she at least has some experience in some realm that's Remotely close. it it's not, you know, real estate. so I do think this this is gonna have David (19:01) What you say that like that's a bad thing. Like like being the the heir to a real estate fortune somehow isn't enough qualification. no Rob (19:12) No, it's a good gig if you can get it. I mean if someone's gonna hand you wealth, that's a good gig if you can get it. David (19:16) Would if anybody wants to hand us wealth, that's fine with me. No, I guess I guess the thing I was kind of getting at wasn't that the job will get done. I mean let's let's be honest. What pick that we're aware of has the qualifications that one would need or want for any of these? political appointments from this administration. I mean, am I am I really gonna look at RFK Jr. and say that's a guy who should be in charge of anybody's health? no. it's would I look at Pete Hegseth, Papa Heggseth Rob (19:49) I look at him and think that's a guy that needs to clear his throat. He could have been president if he just would've cleared his throat. David (19:53) Yes. I wouldn't let Pete Heggseth walk my dog, much less run the military, you know. I'm not sure, I would leave my kids at home alone for a couple of hours with Donald Trump. I I don't think he would do he would like he I don't think he would do anything to them. Like I don't think he would like molest them or something. Rob (20:05) God no wouldn't No David (20:11) I don't think he would watch you know, like I don't know what they would do, but I don't I doubt they would be, you know, clean and wearing the same clothing but I guess that's it. touching on loyalty and not experience, it's just man, how we we've seen this over and over. Over again, I think the more interesting thing now is that we're starting to see the administration, and I say the administration because I don't know that it's Trump. It seems like he's getting tired, he's getting bored everything that he does is so ridiculous, and he's not getting that that positive feedback anymore. You know, when everyone was really excited for all the change. and by everyone I mean MAGA, but when people were excited and he could see that, he was good. But now that there's starting to be pushback, you know, and why is there pushback? because he primaried the shit out of people in his own party, but he forgot that they're still gonna be there for like another seven months. So now they're pushing back. Now Had they had the balls to do that a year and a half ago when he was doing ridiculous stuff, maybe we'd be in a different, situation. I don't know if he's getting tired. I don't know if he's getting bored. know if he got a weekend at Bernie's situation going on here. Like is he is he actually doing anything at this point? Or like you said, he's just he's fucking meandering about the Oval Office. Rob (21:33) You know what he's doing? David (21:37) What's he doing? I don't know what he's doing. Rob (21:38) We'll come to it. What we're we're gonna get around to it. But David (21:42) Well, good, but we have a break here, so ⁓ there we go, read the copy. this episode is brought to you by Robbie's Executive Presence Master Class. have people ever told you that you have the confidence of a Fortune five hundred CEO, but the actual authority of a guy arguing with a cashier about expired coupons? Then this course is for you, my friend. Rob (21:45) okay. David (22:01) In just six short modules, Robbie will teach you how to, not thoughtfully while understanding only 60% of the conversation. Say, let's unpack that to buy yourself more thinking time. Turn a complete guess into a leadership framework. And most importantly, how to say, from a strategic perspective, but before absolutely any sentence, use promo code MUSTAHSH for 10% off. Robbie's Executive Presence Masterclass. Because confidence is free. Rob (22:29) It is. It is. there's a couple of other things that I do, second and third order effect. And at this particular juncture, there's a couple of phrases that I I tend to overuse significantly. And you know, when I listen to our podcasts, it's very clear to me that I do that. also folks, I don't have a mustache. I don't, I don't have a mustache. How how however, however David (22:50) Stop lying, Robbie. He stop lying about your mustache. That glorious that glorious mustache. Rob (22:54) We hit a we had a thousand listeners. I'll grow a mustache, folks. I'll do it. David (23:00) You have a beautiful mustache. Rob (23:01) I I would have a a a beautiful mane of hair if I just allowed it to grow. David (23:07) Just above the lip. All right. Okay, so next topic. Rob (23:09) Just above the lip. Yeah, let's talk about what Trump actually is doing right my sense. he's taking blow after blow after blow to his ego. he's failing at every turn. his immigration didn't work out like he wanted, his doge didn't work out like he wanted. David (23:15) Yeah, Rob (23:30) his Iran war didn't work out like he wanted. He is being made to look foolish. actually. Iran in an interview just this week, they said this is the first war we've ever won. This is the first war we've ever won. they are actually poking us now. They're saying, you know, you better you better settle with us or we're gonna make this a big deal. IAE is basically now saying that we're in trouble. the international shipping whatever insurance agency says we're not going to insure ships to go through the the Strait of Hormuz. we're looking at a long term problem, and I think he's aware of it. And I I think as the summer wears on, as gas prices increase, as food prices increase, as everything starts to increase, as the Fed has to increase rates to to prevent inflation and all the things that are gonna happen, think he's given up. I honestly think he's just given up, and he's going back to what he does, which is David (24:30) Yeah. Rob (24:34) Build things, paint things. Most importantly, he gilds things. He likes a lot of gold. And that's where we're at. So David (24:42) Yeah, it feels good. no, it's I guess what I I read an article recently about the reflecting pool. And what I thought was really yeah, that well that's what's interesting, right? Because Rob (24:52) My pool guy. David (24:55) You have this no bid contract that he hands out to, as he says, his pool guy. which would be a huge conflict, right? Just a complete crazy thing to to admit, right? Like the the scandal there would just be wait a minute, you gave you gave a no bid contract for millions of dollars to your pool guy? What's the kickback? but it wasn't his pool guy. Rob (25:03) Yeah. David (25:19) the contract was given to a a company that doesn't do pools. so there's a no-bid contract out there to repair the reflecting pool, which I'm sure you know a lot of visitors would be happy to see it repaired. and in because it was leaking a little bit and and that, but i i what it's not done by a pool guy. There was there was no bidding. there was no who can do the best job for the least amount of none of that. It was just handed over to somebody who doesn't even do pools. I mean, it would it would be like me just going to my father-in-law's house and being like, hey, here's thirteen million dollars. can you fix my pool? And him being like, Well, you know, I'm retired, I've never worked on pools before, but but thirteen million, why the hell not? it's playing the violin. It just like you said, I guess he's just bored of being president now. Rob (26:06) I think so. he did this his first administration. He got about halfway through and he basically said, This was a mistake. This cost me money. I'm not doing the things that I actually like to do. I don't like this. he got bored with it the first time around. COVID really put it over the edge. because he was he's out of his depth. He k he he's not a man that can make big decisions that make sense. You're you're like a child. David (26:29) You're out of your element, Tawny. You're out of your element. You're like a child who walked into a movie. You've got no context. Rob (26:35) And it's so ironic that it's this it's a Donnie that did that. so yeah, thank you, Big Lebowski. You're out of your element, Donnie. so I I think he's bored with this. He's he's done with it. He's over it. He's he's tired of the the blows to his ego over and over again and he's turning to something where he's comfortable. He's turning to building a ballroom, he's turning to, you know, he's already David (26:47) Yeah. Rob (27:02) altered the interior of the White House in such a way that you know, I I taste is subjective, but I can't help but think gaudy. I mean it's just David (27:12) I can't I just can't you have the manosphere who is just behind this guy, just balls deep up him, right? Like they love him. For his masculinity, it it it was supposed to be. I I I feel like it was important for us to bring out that it that it is, but they they his Rob (27:25) That was visceral. That was visceral. All right. I puckered. I puckered up a little bit there when you said that. David (27:37) They like it when he does. the Manosphere loves this guy so much for how masculine and manly he is. But the only thing, I mean he's not even good at it, but the only thing he really likes to do is interior design and the YMCA dance. How is this masculine? How is this macho? Yeah, I I don't I just don't Get it. I'm and what the fuck took him so long to get bored of doing a shitty job? How is it that it took it only took 18 months for him to get bored of being awful at what you do? Like you would imagine that if every day you worked at McDonald's, people were screaming at you about. not wanting pickles on their burger or you kept burning yourself on the hash browns, you would fucking quit a lot earlier than this. Right? Like what is that's what's impressive. That's what's impressive. That's some staying power. Yeah. Sticking around. Rob (28:34) You think. Yeah, so so he here's here's what we're we're looking at. I mean you know the the reflective pool, okay, they're gonna they're gonna do that. we've got this what four hundred million dollar ballroom that he yeah, that now became a billion. and ⁓ David (28:49) it's they want more than that. They want a billion now. it was it was a hundred million then it was like two hundred million and then it was four hundred million and now it's a billion. Rob (29:02) Well, it was a hundred million and me and my friends are gonna pay for it. and then it became two hundred, four hundred, wait, it's a billion now, and ⁓ no, the American people are gonna pay for it. And that's the scary thing, is that we're we're getting in the zone where he he's just writing checks left and frickin' right. really counter to every I mean, it's funny for me to even say promise. He made promises. David (29:06) Yeah. Rob (29:28) Am I surprised he broke he made promises to what, three different wives or four different wives. I don't know how many. I think I think he broke all of ⁓ David (29:34) Yeah. I think he made promises to corporations not to bankrupt the fuck out of but he did that too, so Rob (29:40) Yeah, he paid made promises to unions. He he hired people and then decided he wasn't gonna pay them. lies in this direction is just sort of his thing. So, David (29:51) Not surprised. Yeah. Rob (29:51) But here we are and now now we're gonna we're gonna build an Arc de triomphe. I mean it's insane. It's de tromp. The Arc de Trompe. It's insane. David (29:57) Arctotrump. Arct Arctotron. Well, I think what's more insane, we saw this coming. I mean, we don't have a show to talk about this stuff because we thought this is gonna work out well. Right? Like this wasn't we weren't we didn't we weren't having daily text conversations going, fuck, how bad is this gonna get? you know. Rob (30:13) Ha ha. David (30:21) Because we thought, this will work out. This is gonna be good. He's really he's he's definitely changed. Because everybody knows that old white men in their late 70s, the one thing they're good at, change. especially when there's no reason to. So obviously that was on our list, but no, it is crazy. I think we're we're in that I I wanna just say boredom, right? he's probably gonna frame it as bored, right? Like I'm bored of this now, I'm gonna put my attention over here, but really you've already said he's he's taken such a beating, and I think we said this months and months ago. How horrible it must be to be the person whose job it is to like cleanse the news before he sees it. So that he doesn't see how horrible of a job he's doing. Like the numbers are doctored. He was convinced and probably might might still be, although it's probably reality's probably setting a little bit harder that he was really doing a great job. and that the polls were just loving him. And they're not. they really haven't. They're about as bad now as they've probably ever been for anybody. I mean Rob (31:26) I I think they're the worst er I I think at least from the last time I checked, it they're the worst for any president at any time ever. David (31:31) Yeah. Yeah, colour me surprised. I'm Rob (31:36) Well and and how a man like this, how does he sit with that? how does that impact him? and I think it it what it does is it it makes him completely disinterested. he's withdrawing from the role of president and he's becoming a developer and he's trying to make DC look like a casino. David (31:41) Yeah. Rob (31:57) and I think it's important that we remember that Vegas was built by the mob and a no bid contract of thirteen million dollars to paint reflective pool, which I think's gonna look I think it's just gonna look awful in that bright blue, like Swimming pool, backyard. you know. David (32:16) Well, it's not a reflecting pool, right? The point of the reflecting pool was to reflect the Washington monument, right? Like we we needed to see that big the phallus of America reflected. Like we needed two of them. And we had to feel strong, and nothing says strong like a big white phallus just erect erected in the middle of Washington, DC. But Rob (32:20) Exactly. That's why it was dark. Yes. Right. It made us all feel larger. Big white ballast. David (32:42) No, I is it is it gonna reflect now? I just cause right. Because it's fucking blue. So are we gonna like swim laps? Yeah, I bet you RFK Jr. be out to swim in laps. In his jeans. In jeans. So I saw I sa I didn't I guess people have been comparing him to n Nevernuds from Rob (32:43) Straight to the sky. No, it will not reflect because it'll be blue. ⁓ no doubt in jeans. David (33:07) David Cross's from from Arrested Development, yeah. From Dr. Dr. Tobias Funke. I guess, yeah, I guess they've been comparing him to the Never Nude thing. which it's a non sequitur, but it's funny. I mean, that's a hilarious thing, 'cause I would I would love to see him swim laps in the reflecting pool that's not reflecting now, because it is Rob (33:09) F from Arrested Development. Yeah. You care. It's funny. David (33:29) American flag blue. Rob (33:31) Yeah. Well and and here's the other thing. It's not even close to the American flag collar. It's it is a light blue backyard swimming pool collar, is what it is. It's it's not the dark navy blue of the American flag. David (33:47) And you know. the question I guess would be, you know, not y you didn't get a pool guy to do it, you know? Rob (33:53) No, you you you went to the mafia apparently and just gave a no big contract, so David (33:59) if you look it does seem as though the color isn't really changing anything about it. Like it's not actually apparently as it gets more filled, there isn't really seem to be any damn difference. So whatever the thirteen million dollars went to. I don't know. God, I hope those people don't I I need to resurface my pool at some point. I'm gonna Rob (34:11) Okay. Okay. David (34:18) Maybe avoid them, but since they're not a pool company, I don't have to worry about it. Rob (34:20) And that that's a first world problem. Poor to to our tens of listeners, I I I need you to send David condolence emails that he has to resurface his pool. Aww for poor fucking David. Awwww David (34:31) Well asked Trump. Trump's but talk about Trump's guy. okay, so we've So we got a bored old man who's doing the things that he likes to do. He likes to decorate stuff on the inside of ⁓ he You know what he really likes to do? that I've noticed? He likes to spend other people's money on things they don't Rob (34:45) Does. Loves loves gold. Well that's what we're we're actually hitting at. It it's not so much his decorative styles and whatever, is that he is falling back because he has been revealed to be so incompetent in the role that he has taken on, which is ironic because it actually does end up mirroring all these people that he is a appointing to these positions. David (35:05) Yeah. Rob (35:14) They're not qualified. He was not qualified. And so there this mirror effect going on, but what what has happened is he's taken blow after blow after blow to his ego. So what he's done, and this is this is psychology, that he has fallen back to something that he actually feels confident about. He's a developer, and he's fallen back to being a developer. He he's also a promoter. his history has been he's been a promoter. So what's he now doing? he's throwing a UFC fight in his back frickin' yard. David (35:49) It's isn't it it's in the front yard, isn't it? It's right on the lawn. Yeah. Rob (35:52) Front, back it depends on how you Yeah, no, no, it's in the it's it's toward the back. I don't yeah, it's not in the it's not to toward the front. But he he's throwing a fight in his backyard and and you know, he's promoting it. you know, this whole America two fifty thing, that that's been hilarious to me. It's like David (35:56) is it? ⁓ I thought it was in the front. Freedom. No, no, no. America two fifty was created by Congress like ten years ago with bipartisan support to set up celebrations across the United States for the 250th birthday of the United States. Freedom two fifty is what you're talking about. That's what Trump set up. and I know why you it's I I get why you're confused. Rob (36:22) Okay. I yeah. Well David (36:30) Because they sound really similar, Rob (36:34) the tragedy is is that th this is this is a big deal. This is actually a really amazing thing. the first democracy of the world turns two hundred and fifty years old, and this could have been meaningful, this could have been elegant, and it's become gaudy vegasy And just kinda pathetic. I I mean it really is. David (36:57) No, come on. Hey, if are you are you suggesting that a UFC fight held on the lawn of the White House is anything but elegant? I mean, I can't think of anything that that symbolizes America as nicely as two scantily clad men. Rob (37:17) Trying to break each other's jaws. Sweaty. Uh-huh. David (37:17) Sweaty, sweaty, just sweaty, just sweaty, you know, just like gruff gleaming in and just just grabbing each other. Just just you know, just yeah, and just pummeling pummeling each other into submission. I mean, there's nothing as elegant. I don't know if you've ever Rob (37:27) Yep. O oiled up. That that sounds dirty. David (37:39) listen to the commentary for a UFC fight, but they are hilarious. I've I I don't watch him either but every once in a while you'll be at a restaurant or something and there'll be a UFC fight on and you can Joe Rogan, the great podcaster, we are not he calls those fights Rob (37:44) I don't watch him. Right. David (37:56) I like to play a game, Robbie, and I think everybody should try it. It's called UFC or gay porn commentary. And you have to guess what is it that's on the television just by listening to Joe Rogan. And I'll tell you, it's difficult sometimes. It's difficult sometimes. But there's a Rob (38:11) It's hard. Well, and if if anyone's watched enough Gay porn, it's David to tell you this. So David (38:17) I could tell you, I w I could tell you, yeah. I saw a commercial, we were at a restaurant several weeks ago and there was a UFC fight on and there was a commercial for a telephized slapping competition where it's just two guys standing there sla like slapping the utter shit. Rob (38:33) Slapping your child. David (38:37) out of each other. they're called slap battles and I I encourage you look it up. Rob (38:42) It's called Dumb. Dumb. Just go ahead and do a internet search for dumb. It'll come up. David (38:43) No, it's it's okay, it's called It's it's it's slap fighting and it's a combat sport where two participants take turns delivering barehanded open palm slaps to each other's faces while standing and facing each other without the ability to block or defend against the strikes. if you want to find it, it's called power slap. there's another one called Slap Fight, but look at these. There are I Rob (39:07) How do you win? David (39:08) You knock the shit out of the other person. Rob (39:10) I mean, did they have to like give up or they have to fall down or what? David (39:13) I think you can knock out. I mean, I I I I'm not gonna lie. I've never watched a power slap, but I think if you go to YouTube you can watch these on there. Dana White apparently who runs UFC is has something to do with Rob (39:27) folks out in the audience, as it turns out we get to edit these things. So David, I think right at this moment you need to pull up a slap fight on YouTube. We will take the time, we will edit it I need to know how someone wins a slap fight. David (39:32) Yeah, I probably w this probably won't be there. ⁓ stupid. Rob (39:42) Holy hell. my god. that's terrible. David (39:47) It is fucking terrible. It's the worst, but Rob (39:51) I love I love the slow mo so you just see the wave pass through their face. So David (39:53) Yes, the wave of somebody's my god. Just the brain damage that it takes to want to do this to then do it. I mean, you can watch somebody's skull get rearranged. Rob (40:07) Lap battles. I I just went to UFC here. All right. David (40:10) Go to Power Slap. And apparently women do this. Why would women do this? Why would anybody do this? Rob (40:12) Yeah. David (40:15) How does one win? Like they get knocked out, like they fall down. Rob (40:19) this David (40:19) So Robbie you're asking how does one win a power slap competition? the answer is hit harder than the other guy and remain standing. Rob (40:31) at the one I just sent you. maybe we can put it in the show notes or something, but this is two women and the one slaps the other and and she's like all tensed up ready to go, slaps her you know, initially you think, All right, she took that pretty well and then blood starts to trickle out of her nose and she begins to cry. David (40:42) Yeah. As one would and then the other girl gets like falls down. Holy shit. Robbie, this is I don't yeah, I don't I don't Rob (40:57) I don't know what to make of that. All right. We we we have ranged far afield. David (40:58) This is we're not part of the manosphere. So so the answer is slap the shit. Mm-hmm. So there yeah, so do you think that's next? I mean, maybe that'll be next. Maybe we'll get some power slaps at the White House. I would love to see Tulsi Gabbard and Bill Poulty in a power slap Rob (41:05) Yeah. I would like to see Heg slapped. and in fact I I would likely volunteer I would take a slap if I could deliver one on Heg. anyway, there's one other thing I I actually did want to hit on today David (41:27) Yeah. And we will hit on that, Robbie, but not before our next commercial break. So today's episode is also sponsored by Colonel Corps, which is a trademark. The first fitness program designed specifically for senior military officers who haven't done a sit-up once since the Obama administration. Each program includes tactical stretching, operational grunting, strategic lower back complaints. And our proprietary Pointed Things While Junior Personnel Carry Them Workout Series. Results may vary depending on rank and access to golf carts. Colonel Corps. Leadership weighs less when someone else carries it. Rob (42:06) you know, you've done a lot of these things and I've taken them with a reasonable grace. and this one actually frustrates me because you know, I put a lot of effort into my core, David. ⁓ David (42:18) Yeah, making other people carry shit is is effort. Effort. You You see that? Pick it up. The colonel says so. Rob (42:21) Negative. Neg negative. The The day I can't carry my own gear is the day I get out of the army. So all right. All right. I am I am looking forward to retirement and sitting on my porch and having people walk by and and just, you know, call me the colonel. It's the colonel. David (42:30) ⁓ The colonel says so. You go pick that up. Go pick that up, son. The colonel says so. I'm moving to Kentucky just for that. That's my plan. Rob (42:47) So it at any rate, all right, moving forward. I am following this seventy billion dollar immigration enforcement bill, which is to support ICE and border patrol operations, basically fully fund the Department of Homeland Defense. What has been fascinating to me is you know a couple weeks ago there was that one point eight billion well no let me be accurate it was one point seven seven six billion dollar anti-weaponization fund that was based on a ten billion dollar lawsuit that Trump had against the IRS for leaking his his tax returns which he by tradition was supposed to release personally. He didn't. They got leaked in another way. Not just his. Actually, a number of tax returns got leaked at that time. But he had a $10 billion lawsuit against the United States government. He basically was on both sides of this of this trial. He was the complainant And he was the defense. So he was the one saying, Give me ten billion dollars and he was the one saying, no, we won't give you ten billion dollars which is ⁓ David (43:58) Yeah. Well well actually to be fair the defense, in spite of having apparently quite a bit of legal precedent to not acquiesce to the ten billion dollars, made no effort to actually combat this lawsuit. So just to be fair, he was he was on both sides, but one of the sides Rob (44:17) Surprise. David (44:21) wasn't fighting. Rob (44:23) which has been called into question. The judge has halted this and they've said that there there wasn't an actual litigation It was fraudulent. At any rate. David (44:32) What's crazy to me is that the judiciary is now having to come up with legal arguments against these things that otherwise never would have happened in the past. Right? Like, hey, there's never been a time where the person accusing the government of doing something was also the government. And at the same time. The government wasn't even attempting to defend themselves from said thing. there's some weird precedent going on. Like you kind of wonder, I keep talking about these rat holes. it's I guess good that we're s finding them, that Donald Trump is very, very good at finding rat holes in the White House. Like little places that he can crawl into and shit and do whatever. one of the arguments that I think a lot of Democrats try to make and I disagree with, is like, well, we could just do these things later. I don't think you can. And I think that that what's happening now is these are like once in a lifetime loopholes that he's finding that are getting closed up, which is fantastic. I mean, close them up. I'm I'm Fine with that. The problem is they're not really getting closed right now. And so somebody's gonna have to close them later. but fucking weird, Robin. So Rob (45:43) Well, thank you for inserting into my brain the mental picture of Donald Trump's flabby ass finding crevices and cracks in the white hole in the White House in order to Whitehole. so thank you for that. ⁓ 'cause well a and you know like a naked Donald Trump my gosh. David (46:00) Yes, he clearly is. You know he would. If he could he would. Rob (46:09) So gross. So gross. ⁓ David (46:09) That's awful, yeah. That's just imagine it. Like like is all the hair blonde like that or is it just the hair that he dyes? And like how much is orange? Yeah. Rob (46:18) Well, what I'm always struck by how much is how how much does his eyes look like pig eyes? You ever spend any time with pigs? David (46:26) ⁓ You're not wrong. Just how committed is the person who has to, you know, paint his face orange? Like, do they have to get the rest of him too? I know they're getting the back of his hand and like the back of his neck because of all the bruising. But if you ever in your in your medical career, have you ever Rob (46:43) They're not doing a very good job covering up the bruising. David (46:50) Ever made the claim that the only reason a man in his late 70s who is on an astronomical amount of aspirin has bruising on his hand is because of handshaking. Is that in your entire medical career, has that ever been postulated as the reason for the Rob (47:04) Handshakes. David (47:13) losing. Rob (47:14) It has not. It has not. David (47:15) Yeah. Well now it has. Now it has. Because you know that's a l there's a lot of handshaking going on and that handshakes they're bruising. They're bruising. Rob (47:23) Right. Well, I'm I'm actually more chronically distressed by the the the pig eyes than I am anything else. but that's me growing up in Appalachia. There there's been plenty of times that we've raised pigs named bacon and sausage, knowing where their life's ending. And there's an incredible similarity between his eyes and your average pig. David (47:45) We had a pig in the backyard when I was growing up named Freddie Bacon, and she was delicious. Rob (47:49) Freddy Bacon. Delicious. She was delicious. All right. so it was proposed. There was kind of universal both sides of the aisle. Hey, this is nonsense. This is crazy, we're not gonna do it. and with this $70 billion immigration enforcement act, interestingly, they were unable to put in a ban on this. even though there's widespread belief that this this is bullshit we can't we sh shouldn't do this the other piece of this anti-weaponization thing and this is the piece that always catches my eye but doesn't seem to to actually get as much play the money gets play is that inside of this settlement is that Trump and Trump's family can never be investigated for anything they've done in the past. Now, sometimes it's reported like past or future. That's not true. The future is still the future. but anything they've done in the past, that all feels, I don't know, shady. Shady? Shady. That's what it feels. David (48:51) Well, I think the argument here is that I think it's a pretty good argument. Benghazi. I think that's what you have to think about, is that Benghazi and I need I say more. Need I say more. Rob (49:04) I I don't know where you're going with with it, but okay. David (49:06) I'm just saying, I'm just saying. Benghazi. I think that's I did watch an interview with Mike Johnson. and that was kind of I mean he didn't say Brigazia. That's that's that's rude. I'm sorry. He didn't say No, when they ask him specifically why he's okay with everything that Trump is Rob (49:15) Is there anyone more irrelevant than Mike Johnson Benghazi. David (49:24) His well, it's he actually says the Biden crime family is what he says. He's like, they were doing everything behind closed doors, but Trump is doing it out in the open, so it's fine. He literally said that right in front of our eyes. So it's totally fine. there was a time that Biden, it's his fault. So no, I honestly, Robbie, I think it all comes down. It's Obama's fault. It's his fault. He did this. Rob (49:31) Huh. Trump breaks the law right in front of you. I do recall way back when in my local area there was a fella that painted the back of his truck or put a big sign on it that's that just said the butcher of Benghazi. And that comes to me now. So maybe maybe it all is Benghazi. David (50:01) telling you it's Obama's fault. Rob (50:02) we sitting in an interesting time, my friend. This is an interesting time. we've been running our jaws for a long time. I don't know if there's any coherence to anything that we've said. There's not a theme here other than our shared confusion about the state of things. but the thing that I'm I'm holding on to actually is that I I kind of think we needed someone to come in and show us where all the cracks were. Because previously those cracks were kind of were papered over by shame our politicians actually had some shame. whether they behave shamelessly in private, they probably did. But they had some public shame. and there was an image to portray. they had to pretend. There was a lot of gentlemen's agreements that put constraints on them. We needed someone to come in and show us where all the cracks are, where all the little holes, the little rat holes where Donald Trump can drop trowel and shove his flabby ass against and feel full of shit. we needed that. And now we have it. and I do think, ironically, the man who probably has posed the biggest threat to American democracy may well in the the sweep of history be the man who actually saves it, that actually gives us the impetus mortar up those holes, you know, call in Orkin, kill the rats. Make it better. David (51:26) Yeah, no, I agree. And I think as we sit here and we think about God, what the fuck is happening? it does just highlight so many flaws in our system, especially when the ability to manipulate large swaths of people to believe things that just are very false, you know, and I think We look at the way that technology has changed. I think our founders did a pretty damn good job of setting up our system. But how could they have possibly foreseen all these changes that we're seeing? And so one of the most important parts of the Constitution in our government is that they're living things that change over time. the really important thing now is to not be complacent when we're watching this. and that's I think the big danger right now is we're even, you know, as we talk about it, is we we go, God, what the fuck is happening? you become numb to that as you start it off with. You get kind of numb to it. And I think this is a another reminder that you can't get numb to it. you gotta watch it, you gotta see it. You gotta experience this pain that we're all going through because that's the only motivation that we're gonna have to change it. And the thing I always want to highlight for everybody is that the real power in this country does not lie in the hands of the president. It does not lie in the hands of the Congress. The real power is in the people who elect These people, these are public servants. That is it. These aren't monarchs. This is not a king. This is a person whose job. being the president of the United States is a job. it's not some title given to somebody who has been born into it. It is a job. It's something that you are elected to become to do the job. And when that job's not being done and not being taken seriously. it's our duty as the people to ask for change, to demand change, to say we cannot stand for this anymore. and we don't get there by sitting back or by being ostriches with our heads in the sand. You can't just ignore everything that is going on. You gotta do something. You gotta write your congressman. You gotta make the phone calls. You gotta show up when there are protests. Quietly show up. You know, be respectful. don't create damage. Just say, I'm not gonna vote to be taken advantage of. you're my employee, right? We're paying you to do a job and you're doing a shitty job at it. so that's my That's my spiel. And my prescription, I guess. Rob (53:55) All right. So that's your prescription. I have one as well. So you know, and I I we got off track. one of the things with Bill Poulty that I I am struck by, just stunned by, and I think I've actually maybe even mentioned it about Pete Heggseth as well, is that what kind of narcissism leads one to accept a job? That they are utterly incompetent to hold, that they have no requirements to. So my prescription is along those lines. Like if someone came to me today, and you know, I've got 30 years in the military, but if they came to me and said, I want you to be the secretary of defense, first I'd laugh. and second I'd say David (54:18) Get out. Rob (54:37) I can't do that job. I don't have the skill set required to do that job. I don't know what you're thinking or smoking or snorting or injecting, but you go find somebody who can. however, these individuals are being offered jobs and then they're actually accepting them. So if you are offered a job wildly outside of your qualifications. You should pause before accepting. And you should ask yourself, Am I the best person for this role? Or am I being placed in this position purposes other than being good at it? And probably also say no. David (55:13) it reeks of Fall Guy, right? how many movies have you seen where somebody was put in the position that they should not be in solely to be able to be have the blame put on their head when they fail? Rob (55:25) Absolutely. David (55:26) Does it concern you that in the sphere, right? Because there are a lot of people who have failed to Donald Trump, but isn't it concerning that none of these people seem to be qualified to do any of the available jobs that need to be done in the government? are you telling me you can't find one economist? To be in a financial position. Like you can't find one intelligence person who likes you that could be the DNI. Like there's not one fucking person who knows anything about transportation to be the secretary of transportation. There was nobody qualified in this group of of sycophants to do any of these jobs, not like one? Who the fuck is cooking meals for this guy? Rob (56:10) I'm sure he's qualified. Well McDonald's, KFC is yeah, yeah, that's what I understand. So at any rate, let's put a bullet in this one, buddy. David (56:10) McDonalds, I think. McDonalds and like KFC, yeah. Yeah, all right, well thank you everybody for sticking around. All 10 of you share do whatever you need to do and yeah you do don't lie thanks so much share with whoever and that's it but before we go Rob (56:25) don't have a mustache. David (56:31) Are you tired of being mildly inconvenienced? Do you believe every disagreement is evidence of a coordinated conspiracy against you personally? Then Robbie's grievance management solutions can help. Their patented three-step process includes step one, assume malicious intent. Step two, ignore alternative explanations. And step three, launch a podcast. Thousands of satisfied customers have already transformed everyday annoyances into full scale constitutional crises. Robbie's grievance management solutions making mountains out of molehills since this morning. All right. Rob (57:03) hell. David just captured the arc of why we're doing a podcast right there. David (57:08) That's what I do. All right. Well that was it. Let's cue up this music and