Trump Cabinet Chaos, Sports Feuds, and Saving Democracy

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America has chosen a direction and now we are heading into it, barreling towards it. Some might say, so let's get right into it. In our new segments, Trump two point zero coming for the White House.

I'm gonna come.

Four more years of that.

Now we all know Trump has big plans for his second term, mass deportations, tariffs, and finally building that statue of Arnold Palmers. So that's the scale. The question is who's going to come to the White House and help Trump carry out his glorious agenda. And you know what, the man has won the popular vote. He's earned the right to pick his new team. We owe it to him to hear him out without you know, nitpicking.

South Dakota Governor Christy Nome is expected to be tapped as the Secretary of Homeland Security.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry if I ad nitpick with Christie Nome for Homeland Security.

Are you getting mat She's supposed to get the border under control. She couldn't even train her dog. Although I will say, I guess we know at least one Mexican who's not making it over the border. And very sad, very sad, this is our new reality. I mean, this woman has no national security experience. She's the governor of South Dakota. That isn't even the best Dakota. It goes north Fanning Johnson, then the building John Lennon was shot

The former president, also turning to a former House Member Lee Zelden of New York to lead the Environment Mental Protection Agency.

Okay, just a nitpick for a second.

Republican Congressman Lee Zelden of the last I remember he wasn't a big advocate for the environment.

You know what, you know what, maybe he has.

Some good ideas.

What are you planning to do at APA.

We have the ability to pursue energy dominance, to be able to make the United States the artificial intelligence capital of the world, to bring back American jobs to the auto industry.

We have the opportunity to roll.

Back regulations that are forcing businesses.

To be able to struggle.

So the head of the EPA's top priority is protecting the auto industry, boosting artificial intelligence, and boosting business in general.

Where's the environment in all this?

The E?

I mean, look at this, Look at this this, Because the E and EPA just stand for f It's pretty cool how our nation's climate policy is like a battle over a thermostat. Dad comes in and turns it down, then four years later Mom turns it back up, over and over until we drown. The truth is, when you look at Trump's cabinet picks so far, they're kind of

He is the toughest man that I have ever met. Nobody has endured more than what he has gone through.

Nothing, absolutely nothing will stop President Trump from standing and fighting for our great country.

Don't Trump's a style icon?

Yahoo Woo a style icon.

Stephen Miller wants to put kids in cages. But that is perhaps the most offensive thing he has said. But I guess that's the uniting factor. These people are kissing Trump's ass so hard They've got bronzer on their nose. And yes, he puts it on down there. He covers his whole body in it, you know, except for right here, for some reason, for the most important person on Trump's team right now doesn't have a cabinets.

Elon Musk, World's.

Richest man, and guy who looks like a wax statue of himself that you look at and say, man, that's a.

Bad whack statue.

Since the election, Trump's been getting something that Elon's eleven children will never receive. His full attention Elon Musks, who's been spotted at mar A Lago basically since election day.

He's been seeing golfing with Trump and hanging out there at dinner.

He's one of the few people sitting in this makeshift situation room that they've built in mar A Lago.

Elon Musk has been weighing in on some of Donald Trump's potential picks, making it clear to the president elect who he believes should have that role.

Oh good, good, the world's richest man is helping the president elect run the country. I'm sure by the time Elon's done, his businesses will be unregulated. He'll have billions and new government contracts, and it'll be illegal to point and laugh at a cyber truck.

Don't do it, don't do it.

Don't make fun of this, don't make fun of it. I want to know what else, what else is going on in the mar A Lago makeship situation room.

He's also been sitting in many times when he's been with Donald Trump on some of the calls from foreign leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodimir Zolensky.

It must happen to be at the club when Zelensky called and Trump put him on speaker.

Oh, poor, poor Zolensky.

Hasn't Ukraine been through enough?

He's he's in a bunker, Russian troops are a massing outside, and he's like, don't put Elon on, don't put Elot on, don't.

Don't heyln Yes, yes, I did see you jump very high.

Yes, very cool man, very cool.

Oh yeah, the hat looked radical man cool.

I guess because Elon provides Ukraine with Internet through his satellites. This was basically a customer service call, which means when they put Elon on the phones, Zelenski was probably like, uh, I hit it when these things make you talk to a robot, human operator, human operator. So now Elon is by the President Elect's side, with no oversight or security clearances or even a title.

Responding to speculation about his position in the new administration, Musk posted on x I'm happy to be first Buddy.

Oh you know what, let's go back to not having a title home.

First buddy.

Sounds like a sequel to Airbud where we elect a golden retriever to be president, which, frankly I'd take at this point.

Just looks nice, It looks nice. Just keep it away from Christy Nome.

You know, for more on the relationship between Trump and Musk, Let's go live tomorrow Lago with Michael Costam. Michael Michael, the world's richest man and the President of the United States are colluding out of the public eye. This is this is corruption waiting to happen.

Got your cynical Jordan.

You know, for you, the glass is half empty, But for me, the glass is a shiny.

Mirror covered in cocaine.

You may see Trump and Elon as two billionaires colluding to promote their own self interest. But I see a blossoming friendship between two men, and in a time when male friendship is in recession, I think that's something that we should be celebrating.

Well, I mean, what are you what are you talking about it?

No, these are two wealthy moguls taking advantage of the system.

Okay, so there's going to be some conflicts of interest. Yes, we're all going to have Elon's comput installed in our brains. But what's more important government mandated neurosurgery or two old bros viciously vibe o.

The brain surgery thing is more important.

You know what I think? You know what I think?

I think you're just jealous that you don't have a male friendship like they do. When was the last time you hung out with a male friend Jordan? And I mean I mean really hung out.

Okay, I mean I guess before the pandemic, A few years before the pandemic.

Does my dad.

Count No, definitely not. See you're lonely okay, but lucky for you, I'm right here.

How many times have I said that you should get me a drink after work, or that you should let me let you buy me dinner, or that we should do a trip for the boys to can Kun that you pay for.

I mean, male friendship is right there.

My guy.

You just have to reach out with your visa out but a one venture card.

I grasp it.

Very generous. My new best friend Michael Kassa.

Everybody wake, come back, look by out who won story?

Don't go away show?

Let's have dominated the news tec Let's take a break from politics to cover the one thing that really affects your life.

Sports.

For full recap of the biggest stories in the world of jocks and straps, we turned to sports war.

You're ready for fact, It's time for Brought to you by Gambling gambling. Don't worry, it's hard.

Little secret.

Look Georgie Glover and I'm Deadie Ldik. This is Sports War, the show where we are legally not allowed to agree.

With each other.

So if I say Travis Kelcey is the sexiest man in sports, I.

Say no, thanks, mister met can still get it.

I weep for your children.

This is a special post election episode of Sports War. It's a historic day for America. Desi has broken the Glass Sea lead and become the first female co.

Host of Sports War.

Thanks starting this completely makes up for Kamala not winning. Instead, I get the thrill of arguing about sports with an asexual balloon animal. Let's start with the biggest issue for women on the ballot Missouri, a woman's right to choose which team she bets on.

Just thin voters have approved a Missouri amendment to legalizing sports betting. The yes votes won by just zero point three percent. Missouri is the largest state to allow gambling on major sporting events. There will be a ten percent sports betting tax rate. That money will then go to Compulsive Gamblers Prevention Fund and also Missouri schools.

Wow.

It used to be that the only way women could gamble in Missouri was with a high risk pregnancy. But this is great news from Missouri's underfunded public schools. Congratulations to all the kids at fan Duel Elementary.

Your take is as lame as that blonde wig.

Look.

Missouri does not deserve the majesty of legalized sports gambling. As the owner of a river boat casino near Kansas City, this is really going to destroy my bottom line. Some very bad people are not going to be happy by by.

Thumbs that brings us to my ring iting sure thing bet of the week which one of Jordan Clipper's family members will receive his thumbs in the mail Brought to you by gambling gambling? Is your marriage too stable?

Try gambling?

By the way, if I could just be serious for moment, If you were a loved one has a gambling problem, use promo code DESI wins and I get ten bucks when you place your first bet.

He look, and if you're a newly minted gambling addict in Missouri, good news. Betting on the twenty twenty eight presidential election has already begun.

Jet's quarterback Aaron Rodgers is among the favorites to win the presidency in twenty twenty eight. According to betting sites, oddsmakers are giving Rogers a thirty to one or three percent chance of becoming the next president, meaning if you bet one hundred dollars, you could win three thousand if Rogers is elected.

Ooh, mark my words.

Aaron Rodgers will not be president head of the CDC, sure, but but president, get real, his name is Aaron. We can't have a president named Aaron. That's like having an army general named Skyler or a co host named Desi.

Jordan.

You anemic Twizzler. You're as tall as you are dumb as you are feminine. Aaron Rodgers would make a great president. America has to elect someone crazier than Donald Trump in twenty twenty eight, otherwise we'll lose our momentum. President Trump removes fluoride from our water, then President Rogers removes hydrogen from our water.

Wouldn't that just make it oxygen?

That's right, Oppenheimer. Last time I checked oxygen, was it making our kids gay? And yes, Aaron Rodgers has taken a lot of hits to the head. But some of our best presidents have had brain damage. Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy.

Now those guys. Those guys were.

Shot in the head, agreed to disagree.

Okay, which brings us to my money go boom boom better than night? Is America ready for its first CTE president? As always, that bet is brought to you by gambling. Gambling, You won't know if you have a problem until you try it.

Finally, let's move on from odd mental decisions to odd physical ones. Last weekend, a fitness in influencer was banned from the New York City Marathon for life his crime loving cinema.

A fitness social media influencer is banned for life from the New York City Marathon.

Twenty nine year old Matthew Troy ran the twenty six point two mile route followed by a camera crew on e bikes. It was all to film content, including video posted here on Instagram.

This guy is a pioneer. The whole point of exercising is to rub it in everyone's faces, Dosi.

Now, the whole point of exercise is to get in shape.

And what shape are you? A drinking straw? It's about content, which is why my Christmas card this year is just a picture of me bed pressing my family. Do you know how heavy mister.

Med is DESI, does you've done the impossible? You've made me?

Actually, Miss Ronnie Chang, a marathon is not about content. It's about running away from your personal demons. If you're running, there's no time to stop and think about how the kids in seventh grade said your body type was giraffe penis, and then everyone, including your teacher, started calling you GP. They put a giraffe penis on your diploma. Now you have to put it on your resume. It's your nickname at work. Your fiance puts it in her wedding bow.

What's going on? Theoretically right?

Settle down GP, which brings us to my big baller bet blitz bonanza. Which animal's penis? Does? Jordan most resembled as always that bet has brought to you by gambling gambling hit rock bottom. Maybe there's some money down there.

Well, that's all the time we have for sports wars during us.

Next time when we debate whether basketball should have more balls, I.

Mean you mean like multi ball like him. I mean that's a stuper to get Welcome back to the Daily Show.

I guess today is a Harvard professor and social scientist who wrote the seminal book Bowling Alone. He's featured in the new documentary Join or Die. Please welcome, Robert Putnam.

Professor, Welcome, Welcome to the show.

You wrote a very influential book, Bowling Alone, a few decades ago, which sort of chronicled the demise.

Of the American community.

To catch us up, what essentially is the thesis of that book and why is it still resonant today.

Well, the story basically is that over the this book was published now twenty five years ago. Over the preceding twenty five or thirty years before that, another was about a half century ago Americans who had historically been connected with PNADO. That's what this French philosopher Tookfield said. We were the most connected dation in the world. That began to change and we started knowing our neighbors less well,

Politics, but not just politics. We started going to fewer, we bold as much as ever before bulling.

But you maybe not know this. Bowling is big in America. You know that half of more Americans bold and vote in America, right and.

Boling that's the one where you throw the ball in there and you hit with the.

Racket, is.

Right.

Well, you noticed that people the people are still but the trend was starting that they weren't bullying in groups anymore.

That's right, they were bullying essential alone.

Right.

Yeah, anyway, that's the story of the book, declining all these all these measures.

Of the way degree to which we were.

Connected with one or even trusted one another, going down, down, down. And then the book went on to say why is that? And we had a we had I would change my views a little bit about what caused it?

Is it just because people got worse and they suck a little bit more? So we don't we don't want to hang out with people anymore.

You want to see the trying the pie chart in the book that shows percentages, I would.

I love me a good pie chart. Yeah, show me, I got a pie chart for you want to see this chart? Pretty?

So why is it?

Well, it was it's a lot of different things.

Partly, Uh, people spending more time commuting and less time for you know, hanging out with friends. Uh, I thought, then I'm I allowed to say this on this show.

Let's see, let's hear what it is.

The television. Television was most of the No, it turns out that's not true.

But I mean I did.

Think television was part of the problem.

Yeah, we were.

Oh no, it's done only wonderful things for our community. We liked it.

A person who became fake famous on television. No, it's warped everybody's mind. We're doing it right now. You're currently warping people's mind right now. There are people who, instead of spending time with their family, we're like, I'm going to watch Robert Putnam alone on television.

Well, we instead of having friends, we started watching friends.

That's the basic picture. You may not remember. There was a program, Oh I know, that was.

The one with George went They all hung out at a bar. I know everything about culture.

Yes, that was.

And the worst of it is I thought this might continue. Of course, I was writing the book because I wanted people to not going down this trend.

Yeah, and you know what happened.

We continued to bowl alone.

It's gotten worse every way.

Well, it does feel like we are disconnected from communities. I think you know, people are talking about this this election I want to get your take on what you saw.

People like.

Steve Bannon was talking about how influential this book was even AOC and just yesterday was talking about how we need to form these communities. People are still talking about your book and what resonates there. Do you see what happened in this last election. It's connected to the trends that you saw.

Yeah, so see Bannon is trump scuru and I'm.

I think too well. Definitely part of his I'm the.

Guru's guru is that the way this I hate that idea, but that's true. What I said then was that America was becoming steadily more fragmented, more isolated, more less connected with our less trusting people around us. And and that was true, and Bannon advised Trump that that's was their path the victory was to look for those people who were just completely isolated, fragmented and didn't have any connections, and they were going to give them some real connections.

So I know there's a famous quote that says like dictators pray on loneliness and essentially plays off of that idea. That's right, I mean, do you see I mean when I hear this the ideas behind building alone and by the documentary that is out right now, it doesn't it points to what is good about joining communities. I mean, I've always felt that when I am a part of groups. I don't know if the answer to save our democracy is me joining yet another improv team. I don't know

It's a little bit of all of that. Could I use some jargon on this show.

I love jargon. This show is so pro jargon. We love pie charts and the kids think people. Come on, professor, give me something.

Well.

The distinction is between bridging social capital and bonding social capital. So bridging social capital are my tip to other people just like me. So my ties other white, male, elderly Jewish professors, that's my bridging bonding social capital. But we're all bonding together because we're all similar. Yeah, And bridging social capital my ties to people who are different from me, like my ties to you know, I don't know, to people of a different race or a different gender, or

But I am saying that a society.

Like ours, which is very diverse, needs a lot of bridging social capital with me so far.

I mean, and so bridging good bonding bad.

You don't have to dumb it down that much.

But here wait a minute, is also the case that building bridging social capital is harder than bonding social capital. My grandmother actually knew that. She said, Bobby, birds of a feather flock together. She meant Bobby, bonding social capital is easier to build in bridging social capitals. She didn't think I'd understand what I meant, which is why she

You did it.

You use jargon, and you use a nice little anecdote about the birds. I understand, I understand the bridging capital is going to be more difficult. Where examples where that as successful? I think right now you have a lot of people here who feel perhaps lost, disconnected from culture and or society and or their neighbors. Like, what are examples that you're seeing of bridging this divide and finding that cat.

Well, first of all, can I say there is a documentary movie that is the occasion for our getting to other and talk. And they have a lot of in the movie.

Became by your movie, the movie you're in that follows you. Yeah, you don't have to be coy about it. This medium is all about being blunt, just saying, like, watch my movie kids.

What I met was that people have produced the movie Pete and Rebecca Davis highlight groups that any of us could form right now, new kinds of groups, not the old fashioned rotary clubs or whatever, new kinds of groups.

But they they're bridging and they're not about politics.

Can I emphasize that we don't want to begin this is what AOC said.

We don't want to begin.

Now by having a If we're trying to move the country back in a better direction, we shouldn't begin thinking we've got to start with the politics. We've got to start with just knowing our neighbors. She meant to say, bowlingly, she didn't. What she said was knitting leagues.

Okay, but so you managed you didn't reference your book, no, Loo, because all authors.

Don't care whether way we become famous. We just want to be sure we get the facts right.

Is that that's not been the case as far as I.

Okay, so back, what do we do now? We have to begin local. We have to begin with kids because that's the next generation. We have to begin not necessarily with politics. And you asked me about how do we bridge? I want to kind I just use a personal example. I live up in a little neighborhood in neighborhood on the Sticks in New Hampshire.

We have a little neighborhood association. That's my one group, and we have a lot of things in common.

We all have to worry about the snow, and I want to make sure that something's going to help me.

I'm getting a little old, so I can't.

I need to help somebody else shovel me out when it gets bad. And we were having a neighborhood association meeting a couple of weeks ago, and I discovered that one of these.

People was it Trump supporter.

Now, hold on, I'm making a I know you know that I'm making a subtle point here.

So here's the theoretical point.

When you want to bridge, look for something that bonds across that right, So what bonds me and this guy are who's going to shovel out?

You know?

And we're going to help one another shovel and can we get the snowplow to actually come. That's our bonding. But just for a moment, I was put in by Shew. I was enabled to put myself in his shoes and him in my shoes because we were bonded by all these other things.

But bridging the political divide.

Maybe that's a little too personal as a story, but what it's a story that illustrates that's how you do it. You don't try to force yourself to sort to make friends with people who you think are evil. You have make you make encounters with other people who you know are decent people. He actually would come over and and shove my sidewalks, but he turns out also to be a Trump supporter. Is that I don't know if that makes sense or not.

Probably not, Oh, I believe it.

I feel like as somebody, somebody who can do very little physical labor, I'm constantly looking for other people to do it for me too. And if I were to bet the people who own snowplows and that type of equipment, it doesn't necessarily happen on the blue side of the eye. So make some friends because you're going to need some help down the line.

And we've I just want to go back a little bit to the big picture, because I don't do like current events.

I want to give a historical framework.

And how far back are we going?

Well, before you were born, fifty years ago, Bob, this is I mean, TikTok, buddy, TikTok.

I'll take me there.

I'll be quick.

Over the last fifty years, we have become fifty years, not over the last five or ten years. We've become steadily more polarized, steadily more unequal, steadily more disconnected. That's the bowling alone part, steadily less more narcissistic.

Fifty years.

Trump did not cause that. Trump was the consequence of that. And if Trump goes away, we're still going to have that problem that we don't know our neighbors and don't trust our friends, don't have friends.

And moreover, it's class biased, by which.

I mean people were college educated, people like you and me and maybe the audience. We have a lot of friends still, but people the two thirds of Americans who are not college educated, they are very likely to have no friends at all. Now, that is a time bomb. We've and I talked about it already ten to fifteen, twenty years ago. I've not yet had success, but I'm hoping that tonight will be the beginning of my success.

America, get your friends, pull them together, sit in front of the television and watch the film and understand. We can We can do this together, Because dear Lord, who else is going to move the snow off? Join or Die is available now on Netflix. Robert Putnam, I'm gonna.

Take a quick rob.

I've that show for tonight now here. It is love an event.

People keep bringing up this loyalty garbage, and I don't you do need someone that's loyal to your agenda absolutely and who.

Doesn't want to you know, listen and unequivocally.

So if I want you're the managing editor of Fox Business right, what time is it now?

What you are suppose?

I hated you and I worked every day to undermine you.

I should be fired.

You don't want to hire somebody like that?

Why are you here?

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