>> NOW THE UNITED STATES IS LESS THAN 100 DAYS AWAY FROM THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

AND SO FAR THE PRIMARIES HAVE LAID BARE THE DEEP FAULT LINES RUNNING THROUGH AMERICAN POLITICS.

JONATHAN MARTIN JOINS WALTER ISAAC FROM WASHINGTON TO SHARE HIS ANALYSIS OF THE UPCOMING VOTE AND THE ISSUES ON THE BALLOT.

>> THANK YOU, BIANNA AND JONATHAN MARTIN, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOW.

>> THANKS, WALTER.

>> HEY, SO FAR THIS SEASON, THIS ELECTORAL SEASON, DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE IN REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES IT SEEMED.

WILL THAT CARRY THROUGH OR WILL HE BE AN ALBATROSS WHEN IT COMES TO THE GENERAL ELECTIONS FOR CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES?

>> WELL, IT'S TWO AMERICAS.

HE CONTROLS HIS PARTY'S PRIMARY, DOES SO WITH AN IRON FIST, CONSOLIDATES POWER WITHIN HIS COALITION.

BUT THAT DOES NOT TRANSLATE INTO BEING ABLE TO WIN GENERAL ELECTIONS, ESPECIALLY IN BLUE OR PURPLE AMERICA, WALTER.

SO IT'S THE DUALITY OF THIS ERA FOR REPUBLICANS.

THEY NEED TRUMP FOR THE PRIMARY, BUT HE IS A BURDEN ON THEM IN THE GENERAL IN A BIG CHUNK OF THE COUNTRY.

THE OLD SAYING IS YOU WIN THE PRIMARY TO LOSE THE GENERAL.

AND THAT'S PART OF THEIR CHALLENGE WITH TRUMP IS THEY SO DESPERATELY CRAVE HIS LAYING OF HANDS IN THE PRIMARY TO WIN, BUT THEN IT CAN BECOME A BURDEN IN THE FALL.

>> GOING TO THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, THE BIG ISSUE IT SEEMS TO ME THE RISE OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST CANDIDATES, NOT ONLY IN NEW YORK, BUT IN COLORADO AND SOME OTHER PLACES.

AND THEN THE MAINSTREAM PARTY, OR THE CENTRIST PART OF THE PARTY TRYING TO PULL BACK.

>> YEAH.

>> TELL ME HOW THAT'S PLAYING OUT.

>> WELL, IT'S A REPLAY OF 2018.

AND FOR GOOD REASON.

2018 VERY SIMILAR TO THIS YEAR, TOOK PLACE IMMEDIATELY AFTER DONALD TRUMP WON THE PRESIDENCY, WHICH HORRIFIED DEMOCRATS, AND ESPECIALLY DEMOCRATIC ACTIVISTS, WHO WERE FURIOUS AT THEIR OWN PARTY FOR NOT STOPPING TRUMP AND BLAMED THE OLD GUARD OF THEIR PARTY.

AND ONCE AGAIN, TRUMP WINS, AND DEMOCRATS ARE TICKED AT THEIR OWN PARTY FOR NOT STOPPING HIM.

AND THAT CREATES THIS INTERNAL INSURGENCY.

ON THE ONE HAND, THEY HAD ENORMOUS ENERGY WHICH POWERS FUNDRAISING, ACTIVISM AND TURNOUT AND THEY'RE POISED TO HAVE A GOOD FALL.

BUT AS YOU KNOW THAT KIND OF INTERNAL ENERGY CAN CREATE CHURN WITHIN THE WATER IN GENERATIONAL AND IDEOLOGICAL CONFLICTS BETWEEN FACTIONS.

YES SAW IT IN 2018 WITH THE RISE OF AOC AND THE SQUAD WHO DEFEATED A HANDFUL OF INCUMBENT HOUSE DEMOCRATS.

AND WE'RE SEEING IT NOW.

THERE IS ONE OTHER SIMILARITY.

IT'S LARGELY TAKING PLACE IN BIG CITY, HIGHLY GENTRIFIED PRECINCTS.

THAT WAS THE CASE IN '18.

IT'S THE CASE NOW.

AND THE BIG QUESTION GOING TO '28 IS CAN THE LEFT REPLICATE THEIR SUCCESS OUTSIDE A KIND OF BARISTA CLASS IF YOU WILL IN THE GENTRIFIED PRECINCTS OF AMERICA'S BIG CITIES, IN SUBURBS, SMALL TOWNS, AND MEDIUM- SIZED CITIES.

WE HAVEN'T SEEN EVIDENCE YET.

>> WELL, IF THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT IN SUBURBS AND SMALL TOWNS, CAN THEY DO IT WITH A DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST TYPE APPROACH?

>> WELL, THAT'S THE QUESTION.

IS THERE ANY APPEAL FOR THAT KIND OF A CANDIDATE, THAT KIND OF A PHILOSOPHY IN THOSE DISTRICTS.

AND SO FAR WE HAVEN'T SEEN EVIDENCE.

I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

IN PHOENIX, GREG STANTON, WHO IS A HOUSE MEMBER, A FORMER MAYOR OF PHOENIX, EASILY FEND OFF A CHALLENGER WHO IS A DSA ALIGNED CANDIDATE LAST WEEK.

WHY?

WELL, BECAUSE PHOENIX IS NOT QUEENS, RIGHT.

IT DOESN'T IS A THE KIND OF CRITICAL MASS OF POSTGRADUATE, YOU KNOW, INTENSELY LEFTIST TYPE VOTERS THERE TO SUPPORT THAT KIND OF A CANDIDACY.

SO, LOOK, THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THERE IS A REAL INSURGENCY TAKING PLACE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

BUT SO FAR THEIR SUCCESS HAS BEEN CONFINED.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT INSURGE IT IS.

WHAT'S DRIVING IT?

THERE ARE MANY FACTORS.

ONE IS AFFORDABILITY.

ANOTHER IS ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE.

SOME IS SORT OF A RESENTMENT IN ESTABLISHMENT THAT'S A POPULISM WE SEE BOTH IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

>> I THINK IT'S ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS, WALTER.

AND TOGETHER THEY FORM WHAT I WOULD CALL A KIND OF POLITICAL MOOD MUSIC IN WHICH A LOT OF VOTERS ARE JUST FURIOUS THAT THEIR LEADERS HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THE CHALLENGE OF OUR TIMES, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO AFFORD LIFE.

AND THERE IS THIS SENSE THAT THE TWO MAJOR PARTIES IN THE CASE OF DEMOCRATS, THEIR LEADERS WERE NOT AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH IN TRYING TO TAKE STEPS TO, A, STOP TRUMP, BUT MORE BROADLY, TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEM.

AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S DRIVING THIS IS PEOPLE WHO CANNOT GET AHEAD WHO ARE STRUGGLING ECONOMICALLY WANT, YOU KNOW, MORE RADICAL SOLUTIONS, WALTER.

THE OVERTON WINDOW IS BROADENING BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE TIMES.

BECAUSE OF THE INEQUALITY OF OUR TIMES.

>> THAT SEEMS TO BE A VERY UNDERSTANDABLE RESENTMENT.

>> SURE.

>> WHICH IS INDEED AFFORDABILITY HAS BECOME A CRISIS, THE DISPARITIES OF GREAT WEALTH, ALL OF THESE THINGS.

WHAT IS THAT --HOW IS THAT PLAYING OUT ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, IF AT ALL?

>> WELL, IT IS SOMEWHAT BEEN TAMED BY THE DENT OF TRUMP'S PERSONALITY.

TRUMP AND TRUMPISM IS SO DRIVEN BY WHATEVER TRUMP WANTS ON A GIVEN DAY OR A GIVEN HOUR.

BUT I THINK YOU HAVE PREVIEWED JUST NOW THE COMING DEBATE IN THE POST TRUMP REPUBLICAN PARTY.

I THINK 2028 WILL PLAY OUT WITH PEOPLE WHO WILL TRY TO CLAIM TRUMP'S LEGACY, BECAUSE HE IS STILL POPULAR WITH THE HARD-CORE PRIMARY VOTERS.

BUT THERE WILL BE A DEBATE AS TO WHAT OUR PARTY SHOULD BE.

AND WALTER, I THINK THAT RECKONING IS COMING.

WHETHER IT'S '28 OR '32 ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, ARE WE STILL A REAGANITE BUSH PARTY IN OUR DNA, FREE PEOPLE, FREE TRADE, FREE MARKETS TO BORROW "THE WALL STREET JOURNAL" PHRASEOLOGY, OR NO, THE TIMES DEMAND SOMETHING ELSE AND MORE RADICAL.

WE ARE A LOOKING INWARD PARTY, RESTRICTIONIST, EVEN BLOOD AND SOIL TYPE EUROPEAN PARTY THAT'S NOR NATIONALIST ON IMMIGRATION, ON TRADE AND IDENTITY.

I THINK THAT DEBATE IS COMING ON THEIR SIDE.

AND I REALLY THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE CERTAINLY IN '28, MAYBE BEYOND, WHETHER IT'S VANCE OR RUBIO IS GOING TO BE SOMEBODY ON THE FAR RIGHT, A KIND OF MODERN- DAY PAT BUCHANAN.

>> GETTING BACK TO AFFORDABILITY, ONE THING THAT COULD AFFECT IT IS RANDOM TARIFFS.

I MEAN, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT LET'S HAVE A 5 OR 10% THUMB ON THE SCALE, BUT SUDDENLY DECIDING YOU CAN HIT CANADA AGAIN WITH 50%.

>> YEAH.

>> HOW IS THAT ESPECIALLY AMONG THE REPUBLICAN ESTABLISHMENT BASE, HOW WILL THESE RANDOM TARIFFS PLAYING AND HOW ARE THEY GOING TO AFFECT THE AFFORDABILITY QUESTION?

>> OF ALL OF THE IMPULSIVE THING TRUMP DOES, NOTHING DRIVES THE TRADITIONAL REPUBLICANS ESPECIALLY IN THE SENATE CRAZIER THAN TARIFFS.

IT'S ANTITHETICAL TO THEIR PHILOSOPHY.

IT'S BAD FOR THEIR POLITICS.

THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT IT DOES ECONOMICALLY.

AND HE -- I MEAN, THE SUPREME COURT OBVIOUSLY RULED ON THIS.

HE'S NOT GOING TO STOP TRYING TO DO IT.

SO IF YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN THIS SUMMER, YOU'RE LOOKING AT RISING GAS PRICES AGAIN, BECAUSE THE IRAN CONFLICT HAS RESTARTED.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT A PRESIDENT WHO IS INTENT ON A TARIFF REGIME THAT IS OFTEN WILLY- NILLY IN NATURE.

AND WALTER, THE BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT LEGISLATIVELY OF THE YEAR THAT YOU SENT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DESK, A HOUSING BILL, PASSED WITHOUT HIS SIGNATURE OR BECAME LAW WITHOUT HIS SIGNATURE BECAUSE HE IS SO TICKED AT CONGRESS FOR NOT PASSING THIS VOTER ID BILL.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT TO GO HOME WITH, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M SAYING THIS FALL IF YOU'RE A REPUBLICAN ON THE BALLOT.

YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE TAX CUT BILL FROM LAST YEAR.

AND OF COURSE THEY'LL TALK ABOUT DEMOCRATS AND THEIR DRIFT LEFT, BUT THERE IS JUST NOT A LOT OF AGENDA ITEMS THEY CAN POINT TO BECAUSE PRESIDENT TRUMP ISN'T GIVING THEM A WHOLE LOT TO POINT TO.

ANDPERTINENTLY, THERE IS NOT A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD.

TO IF YOU WERE TO ASK 10 REPUBLICANS ON CAPITOL HILL WHAT IS PRESIDENT TRUMP'S AGENDA FOR FINAL TWO YEARS, YOU GET TEN DIFFERENT ANSWERS BECAUSE IT'S WHAT TRUMP WANTS ON A GIVEN DAY.

SO THAT'S THE WORLD THEY'RE IN.

THAT'S THE BED THEY'VE MADE FOR THEMSELVES.

IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH SLEDDING BECAUSE OF IT.

>> ONE OF THE ISSUES IN THIS ANTI- ESTABLISHMENT SURGE IS AGE.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THE DEMOCRATS SEEM TO HAVE A PARTICULAR PROBLEM, AND THEY'RE RUNNING 80-YEAR-OLDS FOR THE SENATE OR SOMETHING.

IS THAT A PROBLEM?

AND IS THAT GOING TO BE --ARE WE GOING TO BE SURPRISED AT SOME OF THESE OLDER PEOPLE GET KNOCKED OUT?

>> WELL, IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING.

YOU'VE SEEN THAT HAPPENING ALREADY IN A HANDFUL OF HOUSE PRIMARIES.

AND I THINK THIS IS THE HANGOVER FROM JOE BIDEN'S PRESIDENCY.

IT'S THE LONG --IT'S THE LONG SHADOW OF THE BIDEN PRESIDENCY.

THE FACT THAT HE REFUSED TO WITHDRAW.

HE INSISTED ON RUNNING FOR REELECTION, HAD A DISASTROUS DEBATE, AS WE ALL KNOW AND GOT FORCED OUT EFFECTIVELY BY HIS OWN PARTY.

IT WAS A PALACE COUP.

AND THAT HAS I THINK SHAPED THE '26 RACE BECAUSE DEMOCRATS ARE FURIOUS AT BIDEN FOR DOING THAT.

THEY BLAME HIM FOR TRUMP.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT HURT THE CANDIDACY OF JANET MILLS IN MAINE.

SHE IS SOMEBODY WHO IS IN HER LATE 70s, WAS RUNNING FOR SENATE.

KEN PLATTNER CAME ALONG AND SAID NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A REPEAT OF BIDEN.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE ORDERS FROM THE SAME FOLKS THAT GAVE US TRUMP AGAIN.

AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY COMPELLING ARGUMENT THAT'S NOT IDEOLOGICAL.

THE DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM WANT YOUNGER BLOOD, WANT A NEWER GENERATION, AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT CONTINUE TO PLAY OUT THIS PRIMARY SEASON, AND CERTAINLY IN 2028 IN THE PRIMARY, AND WITH THIS, WALTER.

THE FIRST PRIMARY THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD A BIDEN, A CLINTON OR AN OBAMA RUNNING OR LOOMING OVER THE CAMPAIGN SINCE 1984.

>> ONE OF THE PERSISTENT ISSUES ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE HAS BEEN THE EPSTEIN FILES.

>> YEAH.

>> THAT'S SORT OF THIS PUSH PRETTY HARD.

AND IT'S REALLY IN SOME WAYS I THINK DIVIDED HIS COALITION.

HOW DOES THAT PLAY OUT?

>> WELL, I THINK THE TWIN SCOURGES OF THE MODERN ERA ARE, A, THE QUESTION OF AFFORDABILITY AND EQUALITY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, BUT THE SECOND ONE IS A LACK OF FAITH IN INSTITUTIONS AND THIS SORT OF GREAT CYNICISM ABOUT EVERY INSTITUTION IN AMERICAN LIFE OUTSIDE THE MILITARY.

AND, WALTER, I THINK THAT'S WHY THE EPSTEIN CASE IS SO FERTILE AND WHY IT DOESN'T GO AWAY.

IT PLAYS INTO A DEEPER SENSE OF CONSPIRACY MONGERING THAT SOMEHOW THERE ARE LARGER FORCES THAT ARE CONTROLLING THE SYSTEM AND HURTING THE LITTLE GUY.

AND IT'S A VIVID ILLUSTRATION OF THAT PRETTY.

I THINK THAT'S WHY IT DOESN'T GO AWAY.

ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, IT UNDERSCORES THE DRIFT OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FROM A KIND OF COUNTRY CLUB BUSINESS-FRIENDLY PARTY TO ONE THAT IS MORE SHAPED BY WORKING CLASS VOTERS, VOTERS WHO ARE MORE CONSPIRACY-MINDED, WHO ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THESE LARGE FORCES CONTROLLING SOCIETY THAT ACTUALLY TRY TO GIVE TAX BREAKS TO THE LARGE FORCE CONTROLLING SOCIETY.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT IS SO HOT.

AND THAT'S WHY VANCE HIMSELF IS SO SENSITIVE ON THIS ISSUE, WALTER, BECAUSE NOBODY IS MORE ONLINE THAN VANCE.

NOBODY IS MORE CONSTANTLY CONSCIOUS OF WHAT THE KIND OF FAR-RIGHT INTERNET FRINGE OF HIS PARTY IS CONCERNED ABOUT.

AND WHETHER IT'S ISRAEL OR WHETHER IT'S EPSTEIN OR ANYTHING ELSE, HE IS CONSTANTLY MINDFUL OF THAT CROWD BECAUSE HE VIEWS THAT CROWD AS THE DECIDING FACTOR IN HIS PARTY NOW.

>> LET ME DO A QUICK LIGHTNING ROUND ON RACES.

LET'S START WITH MAINE SENATE.

>> THE BEST DAY FOR DEMOCRATS COULD WIND UP BEING THE DAY THAT GRAHAM PLATTNER GOT OUT BECAUSE TROY JACKSON GIVES THEM A FRESH START AGAINST SUSAN COLLINS AND THE ABILITY TO MAKE THE RACE AGAINST TRUMP AND COLLINS RATHER THAN GRAHAM PLATNER.

>> WISCONSIN?

>> THE GOVERNOR'S RACE THERE IS THE CLASSIC MIDTERM ELECTION, POISED TO BE A GOOD YEAR FOR THE PARTY OUT OF POWER, BUT BECAUSE OF THE INTERNAL CHURN WITH THE OPPOSITION, IT COULD PRODUCE A CANDIDATE WHO REFLECTS THE PASSIONS OF THE GRASSROOTS, BUT PERHAPS IS A BRIDGE TOO FAR FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION IN WISCONSIN.

SAW IT IN 2010 ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE.

THEY LOST WINNABLE RACES.

YOU COULD SEE IT AGAIN THIS YEAR WITH DEMOCRATS.

>> AND IN MICHIGAN, YOU GOT A PRIMARY FOR THE SENATE.

>> YES.

>> THAT REALLY SHOWS THE FRACTURE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY?

>> TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BOTH THE WISCONSIN GOVERNOR'S RACE PREVIOUSLY.

IN MICHIGAN NEXT DOOR, THE SENATE RACE, ONE OF THE MORE KEY RACES OF THIS ELECTION.

GARY PETERS DEMOCRAT, RETIRING.

AND YOU GOT A REAL SORT OF CONTINUATION, WALTER, OF THE BERNIE VERSUS HILLARY DYNAMIC THAT HAS SHAPED DEMOCRATIC INTERNAL FRACTIONAL FIGHTS NOW FOR OVER A DECADE BETWEEN SAID AND STEVENS.

STEVENS A MORE MODERATE BACKED CANDIDATE, AIPAC BACKED CANDIDATE AND BERNIE AND AOC-SUPPORTED, MUCH MORE LEFT-WING.

AND THE QUESTION AGAIN LIKE WISCONSIN THERE IS DOES THE PRIMARY SHAPE OF THE GENERAL ELECTION AND COULD DEMOCRATS BLOW A WINNABLE RACE BY NOMINATING SOMEBODY WHO IS TOO FAR LEFT, NOR THE CASE OF STEVENS, SOMEBODY WHO WOULDN'T ENERGIZE THE LEFT WING GRASSROOTS AND GIVE THE REPUBLICANS A WINNABLE SENATE SEAT.

THAT MATTERS BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS NEED TO NET FOUR SENATE SEATS TO TAKE BACK THE MAJORITY NEXT YEAR.

THEY GOT TO HOLD EVERYTHING THEY ALREADY HAVE.

SO IF THEY LOSE THE MICHIGAN RACE, WALTER, THAT JUST MAKES THEM HAVE TO WIN FIVE SEATS TO NET FOUR.

>> IMMIGRATION WAS A HUGE HEADWIND AGAINST THE DEMOCRATS OVER THE PAST EIGHT, TEN YEARS, WHICH I DON'T THINK THAT DEMOCRATIC PARTY QUITE REALIZED.

>> I AGREE.

>> THE STRENGTH OF IT.

ABOUT IMMIGRATION.

NOW YOU'RE SEEING ON THE OTHER SIDE A BACKLASH REVULSION AGAINST SOME OF WHAT I. C. E. IS DOING AND THE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS.

WHAT IS GOING TO BE STRONGER IN THESE RACE, THE CONTROVERSIAL OVER I. C. E. OR THE CONTROVERSY OVER HAVING TOO MANY IMMIGRANTS?

>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

IT WAS THE BEST ISSUE THAT TRUMP HAD IN 2024.

BEST ISSUE HE HAD I THINK LAST YEAR AS WELL.

HE LOST HIS ADVANTAGE AND HIS PARTY LOST THEIR ADVANTAGE ON THE ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSES OF I. C. E. , BEGINNING IN JANUARY IN MINNEAPOLIS, BUT OBVIOUSLY NOW WITH MORE RECENT INCIDENTS IN MAINE AND TEXAS.

THIS HAS BEEN A BLOW FOR REPUBLICANS BECAUSE THEY'VE REALLY DINED OUT ON PORTRAYING DEMOCRATS AS TOO WEAK ON IMMIGRATION.

BUT THE POLLING NOW SHOWS THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BASICALLY BROKEN EVEN OR EVEN HAVE A SLIGHT ADVANTAGE ON THE ISSUE BECAUSE OF HOW I. C. E. HAS ACTED.

FOX NEWS POLL CAME OUT LAST WEEK SHOWING JUST THAT FACT.

DEMOCRATS ARE NOW MORE TRUSTED, BARELY, ON IMMIGRATION THAN REPUBLICANS.

SO IT'S A HUGE TURNAROUND FROM '24.

AND IT JUST SHOWS, WALTER, AMERICANS HAVE A SPLIT MIND ON THIS ISSUE.

THEY WANT STRONG BORDERS.

THEY HATE IMAGES OF CHAOS AT THE BORDER.

BUT THEY ALSO RECOGNIZE WE'RE A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS, AND THEY CANNOT STAND THE EXCESSES OF I. C. E. IN THE STREETS OF AMERICA.

>> LET ME READ YOU A QUOTE THAT WAS IN ONE OF YOUR RECENT COLUMNS ESPECIALLY, IT WAS LEADING UP TO THE ANNIVERSARY.

YOU CALLED UPON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO, QUOTE, SHOULDER THE BURDEN FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY SO IT CAN PROSPER FOR ANOTHER 250 YEARS.

>> YEAH.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?

>> AMERICANS SHOULD DEMAND BETTER FROM THEIR POLITICIANS.

WE CAN'T BE A COUNTRY THAT HAS THE BEST TECHNOLOGY, NECKS OF, SCIENCE, MILITARY, YOU NAME IT.

WE LEAD THE WORLD ON NEARLY EVERY SOCCER.

MAYBE NOT SOCCER, SPAIN, CONGRATULATIONS.

BUT WE LEAD THE WORLD IN EVERY FACET, BUT YET OUR POLITICS DOES NOT REFLECT THE GREATNESS, THE DOMINANCE OF EVERY OTHER ELEMENT OF AMERICAN SOCIETY.

THAT CONTRADICTION CANNOT LAST FOREVER.

AT SOME POINT, AMERICANS WOULDN'T TOLERATE AN AIRLINE PILOT OR A HEART SURGEON THAT WAS A BUFFOON.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO DEMAND BETTER FROM THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

AND THEY NEED TO.

THEY SHOULD.

AND I THINK PART OF THAT'S ON US.

WE HAVE TO DEMAND BETTER FROM OUR POLITICIANS.

BUT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK SO THE GOOD PEOPLE WANT TO GET IN POLITICS AND STAY IN POLITICS.

WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE INCENTIVE STRUCTURE TO GET PEOPLE.

IT'S GREAT TO WORK FOR McKENZIE OR JPMORGAN OR WHOEVER YOU WANT TO WORK FOR, MAKE SOME MONEY.

BUT WE ALSO NEED PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SERVE.

AND WE HAVE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO GET IN, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THE CULTURE MORE ENTICING.

SO I THINK IT'S A MIXTURE OF AMERICANS DOING OUR PART.

THE LATE SENATOR JOHN WARNER FROM VIRGINIA SAID DEMOCRACY IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT.

SO PEOPLE HAVE TO SHOULDER THE BURDEN THEMSELVES.

YOU WANT BETTER?

DEMAND BETTER.

YOU'RE IN CHARGE.

POLITICS DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE MARKETPLACE.

YOU THE VOTER ARE THE MARKETPLACE.

WE HAVE TO MAKE IT EASIER AND GET BETTER FOLKS INVOLVED BY MAKING IT MORE ATTRACTIVE.

>> JONATHAN MARTIN, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, WALTER.