Atlantic’s Adam Serwer on his book about the Trump Admin: The Cruelty is the Point (Aug. 15, 2021)
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This week on The Al Franken Podcast: Separating kids from their parents at the border? Mocking a disabled journalist? Cutting food stamps? The Cruelty is the Point!
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Well, this is the exact reason that the electoral college needs to be abolished and the popular vote used to select the president.
That's a leap of logic.
The Founding Fathers ( Hamilton)) did not entirely s
Trust the common uneducated masses to vote intelligently or even in their own est interest. They created the Electorial College to over ride the popular vote in case the people voted come rabble rouser into power. These Cess designed so that the better folks could overturn the people's vote if need be.
It failed miserably.
Trump was elected inspire of losing the people's vote. The roble rouser became president of the United States and proved to.be a criminal.
The EC did not protect us and so it is a USELESS complication to the election process. Does no one any good.
@Jay Bee
Trump will be in court for the rest of his life when he is not behind bars.
Don't play what about ..but if you do just remember that Trump freed a Taliban leader and cut a deal with him to get us out of Afghanistan. Biden now has no to clean up Trump's horrible mess.
@Jay Bee Explain how California would gain political control over Minnesota were presidents elected by popular vote - especially considering that, as you state, in 90% of elections the popular vote agreed with the electoral college?
Or abolish the winner-take-all game, at an rate.
A cruel and nasty person who delights in the misfortune of others was your president and is still out there free.
30,520 lies told as President.
208,000 dead of Covid on the day he said:
"It is what it is".
50 missles dropped on Syria in his 2nd week of power. Consulting with no one.
"Fine people on both sides."
Bullying a 16 year old girl.
Many of his cabinet resigning amongst scandals.
Making it ok to show racism, sexism, rudeness and cruelty with no shame.
.....
And yet, 74 MILLION adults said "YEP! That's my guy! He deserves another 4 years!"
He's president now.
@@zappafan1176 come on if you're going to lie and use projection rather than talk about the evil president you worship, at least be pick something real that Biden can be accused of!
Cruel and nasty... Definitely not.
When you're lazy with your gaslighting, you might even say something super ridiculous like Joe Biden slept with prostitutes and pornstars and paid them off! Or you'll say Joe Biden wants to sleep with his own daughter.
Come on! Don't be a lazy deceiver!
Fantastic guest and show today. Thank you!
Mr. Serwer is right on about the evil we’re up against even with Trump out of office.
This is true. Trump has encouraged the evil behavior of some people and is as much of a hero to them as Ayn Rand. I won't say he legitimized it(that was Rupert the Pirate's Fox Noise network), but he damned sure proselytized for it all his life.
Just a quick thought. In many evangelical belief systems there is "the rapture", where the deserving are lifted to heaven to watch the "lessers" suffer great pain and torture on earth. THE CRUELTY IS THE POINT.
I would agree, but I sincerely doubt the Donald has a Christian cell in his body.
There are a lot of barbaric religious beliefs all over the world. Trump did appeal to many of these crazies.
@@soaringkite2673
But he looked so devout, holding up a black tome in front of a DC church...
@@g0679 😂😂😂😂😂
Cruelty is the link between evangelical christians and Trump. That's their common trait. But how that translates into a political coalition is beyond me.
Cruelty is an unwritten but obvious tenet of Fascism.
..and they normalize cruelty among the public.
Indeed!!
@@MM-wu2we beautiful cat
Cracking down on "those people" who are "undermining the country" is very much an open feature of fascism.
"Cruelty is the Point" - Duh..... The Cheese Burglar mastered that on the Apprentice. He realized that the nation wanted to see someone cry when they were fired. Meatloaf & Gary Busey were just practice for his immigration policy.
Actually, he learned that method partially from his father, Fred, mostly from his first mentor, Roy Cohn. He has ran his business/businesses the same way. He has always enjoyed making those under him, by making them fight for attention, the winner is always the best. His own form of cruelty this includes all family.
the weak and fearful love to see others brought down to their level. Makes them feel a little safer.
Al, if you can, I'd love to hear you talk to Mary Trump. Her new book and her candor are bound to make for one great conversation.
Hi 👋
I would like to hear Mary Trump as well.
@@eddenoy321 I think shes not telling ALL of what Donny did to her...no ONE with that lack of emotion in their face and HAS NOT BEEN SEXUALLY molested.....her next book? It HAS to come out...
I want you directly involved with our government! GET ON IT!
@Jay Bee Cuomo's offenses and Al's singular silly act are not even in the same universe. Try proportional response.
The title of the book is perfect...
Trump. We have been visited by the devil's best worker. Evil and wicked. Always. He had 45,000 chances to do the right thing. He never has. And he never will. And he is completely proud about that fact!
As chanted at Marilyn Manson concerts:
"We hate love!
We love hate!"
Actually Hillary said half the Trump voters were deplorable, the others were voting for other reasons. Obviously she was wrong, 98% were deplorable.
Tsk. Tsk. People with class trying to be 'polite'.
Hillary was raised right. No one under God's blue sky could say that about devil Donny.
Oh, I give this a thumbs up. Good job, Al.!
I really enjoy my Sunday mornings with Al !
@Jay Bee for some reason I get the idea you really don't give a fuck about what happens over there. As I certainly don't give a fuck about what you think.
@@bradleys4783 Don't feed the idiot trolls.
@Jay Bee BS. You blame Biden while admitting that he was obligated to follow through with Trump's stupid decision. "I know you don't care what I think because if you cared about other people you wouldn't be listening to Al Franken." Total BS.
@Jay Bee Actually it was distinctly due to Donald/Pompeo's pathetic "deal" with the Taliban, having facilitated President Biden finally getting US out of what had been an unequivocal quagmire, since around '06 no less.
Indeed, we'll ultimately thank Trump for this one someday too..
Of course, it'll be mild compared to thanks for such a thorough obliteration of the grand old party however..
@Jay Bee Appears merely a tiny fraction ahead of the rest of his sad, ignorant Trump-GQP- tribe
= Willingly admits Joe Biden won & is currently President. Though your political limitations certainly still abound ...bravo JB, brav the fuck o bro !!
So regrettable Al is no longer a senator!
(Can he run again ? Will Pelosi pass her
Speaker role to him ?)
Thanks Al. It’s sadly spot on that cruelty was the point with Trump.
@Jay Bee the blame game begins I just saw Liz Cheney say President Biden takes some blame but so does Trump and Pompeo for totally misleading or incorrect information
@Jay Bee thanks nasty spelling police, I changed it. Maybe we should blame Liz’s daddy for going in there in the first place.
And by the way, who is counting all these rapes? Since the talaban is so oppressive who is sitting there taking notes on this issue?
The US led invasion of Afghanistan began because George Bush let 9-11 happen and Dick Cheney lied us into a war for oil.
@Jay Bee so, did you explain WHO is tallying up all these rapes by the Taliban?
Is it all those rape crisis centers?
And this doesn’t happen in a multitude of other repressive countries around the world? Things are great for women in our ‘friend’ Saudi Arabia. Biden did mess up the timing of the withdrawal but we can’t stay there forever
@@marybell3013 👍🏻you didn’t even continue with Iraq which had nothing to do with 9/11 which we all know and what a disaster that was.
I approached someone who is a maggot and a ?Christian about the separation of children at the border and how is that even close to Christianity. The response was definitely non Christian.
Remind him that Jesus was a brown middle-eastern Jew
Not everyone who says they are a great dancer, is. Not everyone who says they are smart, are. Not everyone who says they love Christ, do.
Don't worry, Al if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane. This is crazy times.
@Jay Bee Reported to whom?
@Jay Bee Duh? Really? How old are you?
@Jay Bee oh. Do your what 40ish. I don't need a history lesson from you
I appreciate Al's pod each week but gotta say his excessive guffawing is off putting and annoying.
@@caljn1 I would disagree. Its Al being Al. It's why most people are here. There are other programs you could listen to that may better fit your sensitivities
The best part of Trump's post COVID rally was when he was asked if he was afraid that his rally might become a super spreader event. and he replied "No, I'm over 20 feet from the crowd" .......who were all standing 20 feet in front of him, but crammed together shoulder to shoulder. It sums up both Trump & the crowds who showed up to support him
Excellent interview! Don't know if I could read an entire book of cruelties ~
They were deplorable then and they are deplorable now.
@Jay Bee Dont be an idiot. She used the term to describe trump Republicans. A great many of whom seem to be fine using bathrooms with little girls
I would start with two changes: first, all voters would register with No Party Affiliation (this negates gerrymandering because it makes it harder for lines to be drawn to favor one party or another); and second I would require every state to hold three senate races - one for democrat senator, one for republican senator and one for an independent senator (with a total of 150 senate seats at this time).
I like it.
Thanks for a great conversation!
In the end did it profit anyone for Hilary to back down from the term deplorable?
In fact has ANY attempt to mollify the right produce the results desired ?
indeed. It is only an incremental process of putting their will upon others. Only that ever.
You've nailed it. The suppressed question is "What WOULDN'T they co-opt as an identity to fuel persecutorial mania?" If you don't say something about them that they can use, they'll claim you did and back you into denying it.
Al Franken--Please do a podcast illuminating the "structural changes" that will be required by progressive democrats to promote and expand their representation. I am referring to the grass-roots to party action that will be necessary. I was very glad to hear the subject expounded on here with Adam Serwer, but I still imagine most Democrats don't really understand how precarious our situation is. How we might really create positive change needs to be our daily conversation and activity. THANK YOU for all your great work!!
Problem is that all the grass roots organizing in the world can’t beat the rigged Census and the gerrymander. If we don’t pass voting rights legislation that eliminates partisan gerrymandering, we’ll be toast no matter how many people show up at the polls
We have a problem in that Senima and Manchin aren't. really democrats. Please explain to me why Republicans would hold a fund raiser for Joe Manchin. Or why he was on a boat with a bunch of Republicans having a good time for himself! We wouldn't have known about except 1 of them fell ill and had yo be taken off the boat. Joe has gotten very rich as a senator through the years. Did you also know his daughter was in charge with the drug company that raised the price of diabetes medication? That Pharma company has made her a very rich woman, so I'd say Manchins family is doing alot better than his constituents!
@@yolandaholly7059 Agree
@@sandralybrand9407 Indeed
If all could say is that, normally for psychopaths, but he is so evil at causing the racial divide is evil!!!
actually he is exploiting what already exist in our society.
As dt, himself, was exploited by his dad. Show biz IS the exploitation of people too.
thanks for the interview. such an extremely terrible awful reprehensible person to have as our president. hopefully he is locked deep in prison before the next election.
When you've actually experiencede narcissism, you just know that the only way is to know that there is no reasoning with them.
It's not that they don't experience emotions, it's just that their primary object is to appropriate what is yours (whomever you is at this particular point in time).
In the case of Donald (he's not the only one but he is now dangerous until stopped), cruelty is the only positive emotions he knows (a lot of narcs experience this at varying degrees: they don't understand either irony or sarcasm, laughing is cruelty in itself).
you are right.
Unless we understand Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Sociopathy & Psychopathy these creatures will claw themselves into power & those of their ilk will join forces. Rise of the Nazi's same thing: Himmler was a low level bureoucrat in a small town - joined forces with Hitler just like Steven Miller joined Trump. Over time they get more dangerous as they feed. Like a black hole grows bigger as it swallows other planets. They have no OFF switch so will keep going until stopped.
@@rw4754 you too, are correct...I dont trust the right!
@Jay Bee could you please avoid making such a sad spectacle of your ignorance?
In this particular day and age, it's rather annoying to be trapped on a planet with morons.
Reminding us of your existence is just a bad idea.
Obama was everything a President could be. Biden is too. Resident drumpf had nothing and only did his show there.
@Jay Bee it is clear you have no idea what a narcissist is but are using the word because you know it's not a good thing.
I remember seeing or listening to a video where an elderly man and his wife were at a dinner probably a fundraiser anyway the man had a heart attack or stroke and you could hear trump saying horrible things like get him outta here he is disgusting
There’s nothing like a cruel idiot! I’m so sick of hearing about him but still I want to know what he’s up to (like I can do anything about it).
@@evied.4475 It's normal to want to know. We feel a persistent need to keep tabs on those who can hurt us or others and what we CAN do is be informed so we can hopefully keep ourselves and our families safe 💜💜
WOW but doesn't surprise me.
Especially watch out for cruel old guys with moneyed, cruel, powerful pals. dt could never do this stuff without his henchmen & dingle berries.
@@lolodee3528 yes but there are cruel women also. Psychological and manipulative cruelty.
The Sum of Us is a great book! A great read for everyone.
How big a book please ? It sounds promising, but I've got several new ones to get through, including "# I alone can fix it". I've got to stay in bed for a wee while. Thanks in advance.
He is not just cruel. He's a Bully. He's Evil.
Great discussion, thank you 😊
Stupidity is the point, too
True.
LOL it is the Supidity stupid. Trump allowed his followers to feel proud of their stupidity & cruelty.
@@rw4754 not just allowed, but cheered it, exploited them.
Have the book and read it through once. Now going back through and marking passages. Great book.
Always interesting viewpoints
The former guy told us all how much he loved the poorly educated. Well, of course, his adherents couldn’t be smarter than him!
The Atlantic is at the top of its game!
Space force also sounds cartoonish
Well, it fits the last administration. Actually more like, "clownish," fits trump and his cast of clowns.
Very good interview Al
AL!!!!!!
Al - you need to include Phoenix in your speaking tour - the election audit might be done by then - you could discuss the results!,
Hello 👋, You're so beautiful I must confess 🥰🥰🥰
H. Ope you are doing good??
Great guest, great book. I don't know if enjoying the podcast is quite the right hope. 😞
Actually this one stands out among your greatest 😉, for a change
Al, please run again. Please. Please. Please.
He’s just a sociopath narcissistic personality he doesn’t know and doesn’t care it’s all about him. Desperate to cause an insurrection
Impressive once again Al;
I'm listening to the interview twice & request another interview with Adam (oh thks Adam).
I've never really had to pleasure of having jewish friends. But I'm going to look for a few & give it a try.
In general, you jewish folks seem miles ahead of the rest of us on this problem.
And there is no shortage of it . He is a sick man and his father did that to him. And he never got it fixed.
A mother handing her baby to a young man in a foreign uniform, not knowing where it was going, says why they come. True love for your child. Hope. A chance. 😢
I wonder what DJT thought, when eating his KFC in the White House dining room, of John Adams' blessing engraved on the mantlepiece, "May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof." Oh hell, I'm sure he never saw it. He wasn't fond of reading anyway. Good interview. I got a bit annoyed when Al cut Serwer off when he first mentioned Reconstruction but keep in mind that Serwer's mother is the chief curator at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. That history is important when considering DJT. Or in general for that matter.
I'm glad he didn't see it! He would have made Stephen Miller take out his pocket knife and gouge it out.
@@lastjob2011 The frightening thing is I can easily imagine that exact scene, Joyce 😱
@@BlueBaron3339 Give Trump the page out of the Bible, Exodus 20, The Ten Commandments. He would take a sharpie and cross out all those he does not agree with (I.e. the ones he is guilty of). It will come back looking like a redacted copy of the Mueller report!
@@lastjob2011 😂 🤣 Too true!
The author had me with ‘Cruelty’.
@Jay Bee Just to state the obvious, everyone here to hear this interview knows you are a troll, and ñot a particularly effective one.
He Is Evil Evil Evil
Has anyone thought to sue the Republican party under RICO violations; 'Racateer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act? It seems to fit like a glove.
I think Adam needs to listen to Heather Cox Richardson's history of the Republican party.
You know . . . For a change !
If he’s in charge atm, he will leave all the Afghan refugees…
So true! White immigrant ancestors were legal because it was almost impossible to be refused entry. America’s historical prosperity was fueled by those us, the descendants of those huddled masses who yearned to be free.
"Yearned to be free" to impose *their* Judeo-Christian religion and values on others such as the Native Americans. Yearned to be free as long as you were white, male and straight.
There is no freedom unless it is applied equally.
Is there still a Space Force?
I woke up and saw this thumbnail before I had put my glasses on. I thought Al was posting a comedy bit with a 20yo rudy giuliani impersonator. Al doing skit comedy videos again! That would make for a very entertaining show... You know... For a change.
Why don't the Democrats take the subjects that Republicans use to tell people why you shouldn't vote for a Democrat and vote for a Republican. I have many subjects that when you do your homework you'll see that they are actually using their weaknesses and "flipping" the subject to show that Republicans are who you should vote for.
Examples are in: Leadership, Taxes, National Debt vs balancing the budget, personal Freedom vs corporate freedom, corporate welfare vs social welfare. and many more topics. Every topic that they use is really their weaknesses but they put their "spin" on everything.
Steve miller should be made to leave...period!
The greatest sight in the world would Miller being frog marched into the Hague for his crimes against humanity.
@@sheilaghbrosky4150 But the USA is not a signatory to the Hague - or Kissinger & Cheney & Rumsfeld would be in the dock.
@@rw4754 but, should be!
@@halleluyah757 Yes if we were honest and fair. But only OTHERS are to be taken to account..
Ooooooh…..I love a very rare Equus allusion.
Hello beautiful lady, how are you doing?
Al my husband and I love your show but; why can't we actually see you interviewing your guests? I love to watch you do interviews; the "Podcast" is a good idea but to actually SEE the interview is more entertaining. I know; as a baby boomer the "radio" style should be normal. But hey as a Canadian the look is more entertaining. Just saying. Still "listen" to your show keep up the great work.
Hello 👋, I must confess you're so beautiful ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hope you are doing great??
Chanda for the goym -- I don't know Yiddish spelling, but having grown up/schooled in Fairfax district in L.A. in '50's/'60's -- I have some cultural exposure, to fact this phrase targets those who betray humanism of the Torah.
I listen to these podcasts religiously and they are uniformly great. However, in this one Al did too much of the talking and kind of ignored his guest's book. When someone has written a book I expect the interviewer to ask questions specifically related to portions of that book. That really didn't happen here. By contrast, when he had Heather McGee on, most of the focus was on her book.
Reconstruction of the post CW south was a terrible mistake.
@@dreykini407 the faux sense of entitlement for starters, and it carries on still, patently unabated.
Yeah. Winning two world wars was ... wait.
@@mojoman2001 the post CW south won two world wars? News to me, got citation?
No, ending Reconstruction was the mistake.
@@fizgizan -- really? Read an American History post-1865 book. Any of them. National mobilization effort. Not just Yankees. We are all in this together.
My dream headline:
Donald J. Trump dead after choking on a KFC chicken bone during late night junk food eating binge.
I would love to go to see Al Franken as a comic.. That is who he still is.. but, he is also a great power.. Thank you Al Franken,,, You are the best!!! and I wish I could see you when you go around the country talking about the Senate,, djt, and the rest of the assholes who were determined to get him out of the Senate... They are monsters..
Indeed it is the point with Trump and sadly world has these people in it
Heh heh. Speaking of cruelty, I like how in your introduction you dissed those other Atlantic writers you've had on, saying that unlike them, Serwer knows what he's talking about. Of course you were teasing. But I think it requires a stalwart soul to tease those individuals like that.
This is 😦
You guys really bounce off of each other well. Except for the Jewish part, straight over my yarmulke
yarmulke
I find this a depressing discussion ------ reiterating the true devastating negative facts about the republicans without any solutions.
Think you may be missing the point but I feel your frustration.
I read the Atlantic a lot at beg of Trump.
Here’s an idea..
Let’s put ficus on 👉🏻why
Ppl are seeking asylum?
Maybe we could help make their homeland livable and safer?
WTAF
Ty💙pretty good one
In a word, schadenfreude.
al, this month vacation seems way too long to me.
Hello 👋, you're so beautiful ❤️❤️❤️
How are you?
Great interview and wonderful writer. It's too bad it has to give Trump any credit for anything.
Ah, yes -- ending on a positive note. Positively dreadful.
Obama's karma collapsed when he started getting into the drone thing and seeming gleeful about it.
This looks like Rudy Giuliani's great, great grandson....
Al! We all know you like to talk but "Let the man speak",
Cruelty is the point. The thing is Trump is a TV personality. In order to satisfy his moron audience, he will have to be crueler. Look for increasing insanity.
Is Adam black? Just curious if anyone knows.
They are Predators. Predator
Omg, I thought this was a woman with cancer.
Man Al, you really speak slowly. Speed it up, we can handle it. It seems like you are talking to preschoolers.
Aaah. It's such a sad, sad commentary on this man's persecuted and paranoid mind. His type tends to fear the boogie man around every corner. What a pitiful fearmonger.
Al trying to explain how Democrats aren't racist is pretty cringe. Counter-examples are endless, but Nikole Hannah Jones' piece from a few years ago about how liberal white parents in New York react to the prospect that their kids might go to mixed-race schools is one of my favorites. Also check out the podcast Nice White Parents.
Racism is not either-or. By current sociological definitions, everyone is racist. It is a matter of degree. There are good racists and bad ones. Which kinda devalues the word, itself, and so I would prefer that racism refer to conscious and intentional attitudes, beliefs, and action. Unconscious bias or just racial bias for the good ones.
@@mojoman2001 "There are good racists" sounds like you're saying something I hope you don't intend. But I assume you mean that people can mean well and do good while still being affected by racial bias.
I agree with what you're saying. As Serwer says, racism would be a lot easier to deal with if limited to one party.
And yes, the word racism has many meanings. In my comment I meant it very broadly, as any kind of structures, actions, or beliefs that tend to promote or maintain white supremacy, or devalue the lives of people of color, especially Black people.
First. Hi Al.
Close second hey Al 😍
Love ya Al, except when you GUFFAW at yer own jokes
Why are you still talking about Trump?! Good god man!!!
Because he Won't Go Away. He's still causing damage, he's still a big part of the problem with repubs.
@@glowormrdr6183 because people keep feeding his narcissism... Stop it!
Because he's still a threat and we may lose the majority in the house and the Senate in 2022 and then he said he's going to run for president again in 2024. Yikes we have to do whatever we have to do to stop him and the Republicans from getting back any majority and doing even more damage than they did before. If the Republicans get the majority again will you can kiss our democracy goodbye. And if we don't get voting rights back everywhere and if we don't get rid of the Electoral College we can also kiss democracy goodbye that is why this is so very important for everybody to understand. keep talking about it Al.