Tuesday on the RealClearPolitics radio show, Tom Bevan, Carl Cannon, and Andrew Walworth discussed the speech to military officers today by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and the politics of a government shutdown as another funding deadline expires. They also examine the surprisingly good sales numbers for Kamala Harris’ new book, and the consequences of a federal judge blocking the Trump administration from firing more than 500 employees of the U.S. Agency for Global Media Later, RCP contributor Maggie Miller talks with Ana Kasparian about her new piece for RealClearInvestigations on the state of the California economy: “All That Glitters: How Taxes and Regulation Are Tarnishing the Golden State” You can listen to the show weeknights at 6:00 p.m. on SiriusXM’s POTUS Channel 124 and then on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and here on our website. *** The show opened with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s speech this morning to generals and officers declaring the end of the “woke military” and a return to the performance standards of the 1990s — applied equally to men and women. “I thought Hegseth was superb today,” Bevan said. “He was calm, cool, concise, in total command. And on substance, it was appropriate. This is what the American public voted for.” Cannon agreed: “This idea that he’s ‘fat shaming’ these out-of-shape generals and officers waddling around the Pentagon has a certain appeal, I guess.” *** After that, starting at minute 16, the federal government is set to enter “shut down” mode at midnight because Democrats and Republicans in Congress failed to reach a budget agreement in time. The difference this time is that President Trump has directed the OMB to take advantage of the shutdown to permanently cut as much as he possibly can. How could this play out? “It’s not novel that each side thinks the politics are on their side-Republicans and Democrats talk themselves into it,” Cannon said. “Now you have a different dynamic: the executive branch isn’t closing agencies; the government’s been closed. and it’s the Democrats who did it.” “I don’t know if Trump can pull it off-he tends to blurt out the stage directions-but they can make cuts and then say these jobs weren’t needed, and we saw that during the shutdown that you orchestrated,” Cannon continued. “Politically and in policy terms, that’s tough for Democrats, and I think courts are more likely to uphold these kinds of firings than the ones heretofore.” *** And then, around minute 26, the gang wonders how the new campaign book, “107 Days,” by Kamala Harris, has sold 350,000 copies in just a couple of weeks, despite mixed reviews. Is it a great book? “It’s a publishing phenomenon! You never can tell-it’s alchemy. God bless Kamala Harris for an unlikely hit,” Cannon said. “But I guess this means she’s going to run for president again. If someone is out there buying in bulk, they may get more than they bargained for-she’ll take it as a mandate.” “To be clear, we have no evidence someone is buying in bulk-” Walworth added. “Politico says her memoir is on track to match Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Prince Harry- that’s big numbers.” Tom Bevan says either way, this makes it much more likely she’s running in 2028: “If you’re Kamala Harris and you see this, it cements in your mind that you have that star quality.” *** Next, starting at minute 30, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from firing more than 500 employees of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees things like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe. Are they back in business right in time for the government shutdown? “Their plan wasn’t to eliminate it entirely-keep about six employees to keep the shortwaves going. The judge didn’t like that,” Walworth explained. “But if the Defense Department becomes the Department of War-no nation-building-then you need Voice of America more than ever.” *** Finally, at minute 29, RCP contributor Maggie Miller talks with Ana Kasparian about her new piece for RealClearInvestigations on the state of the California economy: “All That Glitters: How Taxes and Regulation Are Tarnishing the Golden State” She discusses how rising crime, high taxes, strict regulations, and one of the nation’s highest minimum wages are driving businesses out and leaving workers with fewer opportunities. You can read more about the interview here. *** Don’t miss a single episode of the RealClearPolitics weeknight radio show – subscribe at Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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