The Armstrong and Getty show. Well, it's a great strategy for him not to talk to the press. The press, by the way, should be pressuring the former vice president to answer questions, because that's part of the responsibility of a presidential candidate. Well, I've got advice for Biden and Trump today. I want to run by. Lan Chen needs to shut up the responsibilities to get clicks. That's the only responsibility. I think Howard Kurtz and a lot of
political strategists start thinking about times going by. I don't think. I really don't think Joe Biden does need to answer questions, just like Trump didn't need to release his taxes, which used to be something you had to do. I don't think Biden has to answer questions. Lanie j Chen is the David and Diane Stephy Fellow in American Public Policy Studies at the Hoover Institution. Among the other worthy endeavors in lawn, he joins us, Now, how are you, sir?
I'm fine that morning. I know how you are. You're a gloating Dodgers fan. I love it. Great, great start. Are you pro the cardboard cutouts behind the batters or anti? Let's let me tell you something. I I actually think it's kind of endearing in a in a weird dystopian way, that that my son and I both have cutouts in Dodger Stadium. Oh you do, good man? Thou it whimsical? Yeah? No, I like it. I'm pro Yeah, the game was not whimsical. The game was sucky. I thought it was. I thought
it was definitely less weird than the empty seats. Yeah. Um when I was watching uh National's Yankees anyway. So um. I know. Traditionally you wouldn't have been able to get away with not answering questions, and eventually, eventually even the liberal media would have beat up on a Democrat for not answering questions. But I think times have changed. The media is so actively in support of one side or the other, and everybody's needles stuck. I don't think Joe
Biden actually does have to answer questions. What do you think? I don't think he has to either. I don't think he's going to be held to account for it. Uh you know. I think under standably people do have questions that they want to have answered, But what the Biden campaign has done well so far is essentially to put him in very controlled settings, to put Biden in very controlled settings where he can answer the questions he wants to ask. There aren't many spontaneous interactions. And I think
you're right. The media is not. They're not in a position to hold Biden to account for much of anything because they have a particular point of view about this election, and I think they've made that pretty clear. Yeah. Yeah, And they're not going to let anything get in the way of the prime directive, even antiquated notions of journalistic ethics. I mean, I where did go where I read somebody
who was given credit? Oh uh? Jonathan Swan was talking about how Trump did a press conference the same day Trump did a press conference, Pence did a press conference and then the press secretary took questions also, and how Biden had taken none. I don't think. I don't think you're going to get any credit for standing out there and answering questions. I wish you would, but yeah, although I will say this, I mean, I do think if Donald Trump were to to avoid questions would be a story,
no doubt, no doubt. It doesn't work both ways, and it would be interesting to see kind of how Biden's bunker strategy will go if and when, you know, Trump starts to get out there a little bit more, and he is, you know, Trump is doing a little bit more travel, Pence is doing a little bit more travel. I do think at some point they are going to have to take Biden and they're gonna have to put them out there. But look, for the last several weeks,
what they've been doing has been absolutely fine. In fact, it's probably been a benefit to them to have Biden the bunker. So a little change in direction here, Lonie. I'm not going to spend a lot of time setting this up as I did earlier in the show, but just very briefly, I believe that we are at a point in partisan politics right now where the party out of power has gone beyond trying to prevent the party
in power from getting a victory. Um, They've gone beyond in transigence and obstructionist lawmaking into actively trying to damage the American pe in this country, make sure we're miserable, continue the misery, enhance the misery if they can. Um, do you think it's gotten that brutal? Yeah, I do. I think it's it's become much worse than standard kind of partisan bickering. I do think that fundamentally each side
wants to so completely discredit the other. They want to so completely uh sully the reputation of the other side, that that they are willing to go to links they probably weren't willing to go to before. And I think the rhetoric, I think the way that people talk about things, the nature of the kind of subjects that are brought up, the personal nature. I think also that that struck me
as well. But I'm how personal it is. I'm talking less about rhetoric than policy, though I believe the Democrats are enthusiastic about keeping the schools closed and tighter clamp downs on business because it will make parents miserable and hurt the economy, therefore enhance the chances to elect Joe Biden. Yeah, I have noticed that there is a little bit of uh, a little bit of that edge that's come in. Particularly
you guys are right on school closings. I mean, this is an area where I am struck by the degree to which the media, a lot of the politicians in big urban areas UM and a lot of Democrats are coming together to express a particular point of view about
keeping schools closed. And what worries me is the way in which they essentially demagogue those who say we should open schools, and they say, hey, look, if you want to open schools, you know you're you're against humanity, you're basically anti human you're anti science, and all of these accusations. I do think that in the back of their minds Now, of course I'll never say this. Of course they'll they'll
deny it until the cows come home. But in the back of their mind, I do think that there are politics here absolutely well, you know, to to bottom line it for folks who haven't had their second cup of coffee yet or or whatever. If you are the candidate of change and everything's fine, you're never gonna get elected, so you want to make things as miserable as you can, and having control of the House of Representatives for instance,
that are in a position to do that. And I just think that that they are doing things that no party would have um for a very very long time. We're talking with lanh Chen. He's a guy who has worked on major political campaigns and been an advisor. I told you what my vice would be to Biden, I'd say, don't answer questions, um My, I'm thinking Trump needs a game changer, and my advice to Trump would be I don't know if he'd take this up, because it would
make it not about him. I think if Trump goes out there and says, look the way the polls are right now, not only do I lose, but the Democrats take the Senate. Here's what they will do if they have the presidency, the House, and the Senate. I think you could drive turn out like crazy if you focused on the fact. Look if I go, the Senate goes, and this is what's gonna happen. Yeah. I think the basic point that that I've come to is Trump has got to figure out a way to make this election
not about him. And I know that is very challenging for a guy who who tends to make a lot of things about himself, but this is not. If this election is about Donald Trump and whether Donald Trump, uh, you know, deserves four more years. I do think that he's in a challenging position if he makes it about two visions of the world, and his vision of the
world and the alternate vision of the world. Uh, and the alternate vision of the world has you know, the Green New Deal and medicure for all, and to fund the police. I mean, I think that's why you're seeing them take the strategy they're taking, which is this is not about Joe Biden either. This is about two different visions of the world and what's going to happen if the alternate vision wins. And I think for Trump that's probably the only thing he can do at this point
to change the dynamics. So you're suggesting that Donald Trump makes it not about him, Well, that could be a bit of a challenge. I got another idea. It's a little out of the box. Trump divorces Milania, Mary's Pence gets the gay volan go. Now, I this, but this isn't even like a stretch hare um scarem hyperbole? Is it?
If Donald Trump got up there and said, look, if I lose and they take the Senate and they change the filibuster rules, which they're they're Elizabeth Warren was talking about the other day, they're gonna pass all this stuff. They could change the country overnight. Isn't that actually true? Yeah?
And I think you know, Biden has tried to present himself as a moderate, and I actually thinking and of himself, he probably is but the problem is he's part of a progressive movement now that's gotten progressively and farther and far to the left if you look at the policies he's putting out there. Right, So let's take climate change for example. He gave a speech on climate change I don't know about a week ago, week and a half ago, and the policy suggested in there are are in my mind,
they are quite scary. You know, they're very progressive. They will completely change the nature of how we how we foster energy in this country. So yeah, it's not that far fetched to say. Look, the vision that he's talking about is a far left vision that if he had the Congress as well, that would enable the far left to essentially have these victories. Well, do you think they would change the filibuster rules graduation at all? Do you
think they would change the filibuster rules. I think there will be a lot of pressure on them to do it. I think there are a few who have said, you know, they don't want to do a few Democrats like Joe Mansinis, said they don't want to do it. But you know the way these things work, right, once the political pressure starts and the waves build, it's very hard to resist it if you're cowards. Definitely something. It is definitely something
that is out there. David and Diane Staffy, Fellow in American Public Policy Studies at the Hoover Institution lan he great stuff. Is always good to talk to you. Thank you, thank you, good weekend. Yeah you too. Trump wanted to be about him, That's that's the way he looks at the world, and he thinks he can win making it about him. But God, I would just say, look, this is this is what they're saying they want to do.
They're talking about changing the rules for all they All they need is a majority fifty votes in the Senate and they will have that. They can actually pass all this stuff, Like in the first month, we'll have green new Deal, We'll have to fund the police, will have you know, all the things you want to mention. Yeah,
and it's so frustrating. If Trump were just a little more self aware, he could win running away even in the midst of the COVID you know, he just he he can't quite strike the notes that he needs to strike. In my mind. Of course, he got elected once, which is only one more time that I've got an elected president. I'll point that out here within the margin exactly Well. The crazy part is this isn't just theoretical. There is
actually going to be an election in November. Yikes. I don't know if I can take it.