The MeidasTouch Podcast
The MeidasTouch Podcast

Trump's Florida Problem Gets Worse as David Jolly Speaks Out

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MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump collapsing in Florida as his polling hits new lows and his endorsed candidates like Byron Donalds are suffering badly also and Meiselas interviews...

Transcript

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Donald Trump is in full collapse in Florida and his bootlickers, like Byron D...

the mega Republican candidate for governor struggling as well. Hey, Byron, maybe not a good platform to run on data centers in everyone's backyard and shutting down small business opportunities. Yeah, you may want to recalibrate there. But after all, this is what Donald Trump is talking about at his Mara Logo parties,

where Byron Donald's and others attend while they talk about the golden ballrooms and gilding, bronze statues, gold and whatever the hell Donald Trump wants to be doing with Cotari Air Force once, while Trump gives himself and his family tax immunity while the American people struggle and Trump leaves a trail of broken promises would be putting it generously. It is a trail of fraud and punsy scheming which has defined Donald Trump's entire bankrupted life.

When you zoom in on Florida Trump's approval, net negative 15 right there, and you could see why

I mean, the interview Trump gave on Friday, did you see it?

On punchball where Trump said, "Look, if I were to rank myself 0 to 100 on the economy right now,

I would give myself a 150 because things have never been better where in a golden age.

Just ask the people in Florida right. There are electricity prices are down. That's not true. They're rent, they're cost of living is down. That's not true.

They love the data centers. That's not true. They're property. You may just want to shut the hell up their Donald. Listen to what he said, play this clip.

But our country right now is doing better than it's ever done. When I see polls on the economy, I should have 150 percent, not 100 percent because we have

the greatest, this is the golden age of America which being built now in this country has never

ever been built and we're really, we are literally in the golden age of America and I think people are starting, I actually think people are starting. See 89 days, we'll see if they're going to be very exciting. And then Donald throws buyron Donalds under the bus and he said, you know, people like me, the issue is they don't like other Republicans.

And so nothing I can do if they don't like these other Republicans. But they want me.

That's what Donald Trump's campaign messages here play this clip.

Do you mega ink the super PAC that you, that your allies control has a lot of money and a lot of you know, my allies, I control you and your allies are you going to spend money? Nobody ever, of course, I'm going to do. You're going to spend it in the midterms. I could spend it on, I think, or what, I'm going to spend it for, I'm going to help Republicans.

This midterms. So when you say I don't care, no, I didn't say that I said some people say that. Yeah, look, I mean, I could do a lot easier. I don't have to be away in Nevada yesterday. I didn't have to be in Los Angeles yesterday making speeches.

I didn't have to be supporting all the people. I have a lot of, you know, I have a busy schedule. I sent to somebody, Whitman, you know what I'm saying? I won't. I'm not campaigning.

Now, that's the other thing. I get a tremendous vote. I have records in many of the states.

The most votes ever in Texas and Florida and many, many states.

Alabama, you can go through a many, many states. The most votes ever. The question is, and they're asking this question. And I've had some great polls recently, real polls, but they're great polls. If I don't run, will those people go out and vote?

And that's the one thing I can't, I'm going to ask them to. But I'm just watching guys like you and you're very talented people, the questions will they vote because a lot of them are very angry. Every Republicans to be honest with you, they're very, I don't know. I mean, they're angry.

Republicans, but they're not angry. They're not angry at me, but they are angry Republicans. As I noted at the outset, by Redunnell says he doesn't see a future for small business grants in Florida.

He sees supporting small business as a, quote, never ending cycle that creates a moral

hazard. Where do these sick people come from? What the hell are you talking about? A moral hazard back in the real world. Let's take a look at how Florida voters are, feel it, including some people who may

feel otherwise, previously sympathetic to Trump here, play this clip right here. I don't know who's gaspating us, our delusional, I don't know what it is. People are struggling financially, and it's affecting people mentally, people are more aggressive, and I don't blame them, like the pressures of paying their bills, and so I got it.

Now, you zoom in on some of the polling data out in the last 60 days or so.

What's the governor's race look like, David Jolly, the Democratic candidate, ...

byron Donalds, byron Trump, bootlicking Donalds, 43 percent right there, I don't know about

that. Byron, you see Byron Donalds, panicking, I was like, oh, I'm not really sure, maybe we do

do we like Donald, what should we do about data centers?

What am I supposed to say? Donald, like, data centers everywhere, Byron, data centers everywhere, put the liquid gold liquid. It's so freaking embarrassing. These magas, right?

They had their opportunity, they control all government and Florida. They screwed it all up, they destroyed people's lives, and they continued to make things worse. Let's talk about change. Let's bring in David Jolly, the Democratic candidate for governor and Florida, bring in

my interview that I just did with Mr. David Jolly. Now I want to bring in David Jolly, candidate for governor of the great state of Florida, David, great to see you. It looks like you're going to be going, we'll have to see what happens in that Republican primary because I'm not sure it's a foregone conclusion necessarily.

It's going to be Byron, he's flailing over there, but you know, people are looking at Florida

David as a real chance to finally flip Florida blue, but I don't even think people are

using these constructs anymore, just away from all of these forces that have caused such a great deal of harm to Florida and this country, and I'm looking at your polling, and I'm

seeing this as a real chance to flip Florida, what do you see in when you're there?

What are you hearing from the people? Yeah, if the election were tonight, we'd win the governor ship, the state of Florida. And I mean that, I've been involved in politics for about 30 years. I would not have gotten involved in this race if I did not know there was a pathway. But I think we're living through what might be a 1974 post-watergate moment where enough

voters are saying burn the ships were going in a new direction. And the reason I say that's based on data, not just aspiration and hope in Florida, we've seen our special elections, this cycle, swing like others have across the country, 15, 20, 25 points. We've elected a Democratic mayor of Miami for the first time in 30 years, and it was

by 19 points. And so if the election were tonight, we'd win. What I say to my Democratic friends is, let's be careful not to presume we've won hearts and minds, because we're not registering a lot more Democrats. But voters are giving Democrats an opportunity to lead.

And so I also say for this reason, look, I'm a proud Florida Democrat, not a reluctant one, and I want Democrats to win across the country in November.

But sometimes I think maybe calling this a blue wave might be mislabeling it.

I think it's a change election cycle. And in some places, it is an ideological change that is moving blue. But in states like Florida, understand, you know, Florida Democrats represent just under 30% of the state. Now, it's roughly a third, a third, a third between Democratic Republicans and independence.

But we're kind of three out of three in that stack. And so what we are building may be less of a blue wave and more of a change coalition. But Democrats are being asked to lead that change coalition. And this is the historic opportunity. And so I talk about three values.

The economy should work. Government can do a little bit to improve our lives, and everyone's right should be protected. If we're focused on those values rooted in Democratic tradition, they're big enough to build a new coalition in American politics. You know, it certainly seemed that even for some time there was this desire to kind of burn

it down, but build up something better. And people like Donald Trump and Byron Donald, they kind of identified the problem because they were the ones causing it. That's right. That's right.

So they said, where were the ones who are going to fix it?

And here's what will make it better on day one and what's been exposed is as to your

point. And necessarily, this team, that team, this or whatever, it's that the people who are behind the problems, they convince people that they were going to fix it. They've now exposed themselves as the problem creators. And they've made the situation worse.

So that same desire by the people for that change is still there. They're just going to wait a minute. You just con me. You defrauded me. And I need someone who's really going to fight for me right now.

It's exactly right. Let me share with you the wisdom of a taxi driver about eight years ago. I got in a cab and DC. This taxi driver says, hey, jolly, I know you from TV and I want to tell you something. I voted for Donald Trump.

And I said, oh, really, tell me why. And he said, well, listen, I voted for Trump because I wanted somebody to break everything. And then he said, but I don't think he can fix it. I just need to somebody to break it. The wisdom of a taxi driver.

This is exactly what we're talking about. Look, every election voters tell us what they want, right? We can analyze it all we want. But sometimes voters express an ideological direction of they want the country.

Sometimes it's stay the course.

Sometimes it's a disruptive populist moment. Sometimes it's a change election cycle. Voters right now know that there is an economic crisis that's gripping too many people. Half of our, the people in our country have lost upward mobility and we're losing hope. More people in Florida are going without health care than ever before.

Half the state doesn't have enough savings to last two weeks in a universal school choice state, Florida's families don't know where to educate their kids without having to pay tuition on top of voucher. So the economy isn't working. We see the outright corruption from those in power.

That's true in Washington and Tallahassee.

And honestly, we're exhausted by the culture wars.

Even some Republicans are just exhausted by the culture wars. We're not fixing insurance by attacking the LGBTQ+ community. We're not lowering the cost of housing by telling teachers. They're not allowed to teach black history in our schools. And so enough voters are saying, look, I've had it.

All I see is corruption. The economy stinks for too many people. And I want to see some new leaders try some new things. Right. Take a look at what happened on Friday.

A terrible, terrible jobs report comes out talking about 24, 25,000 jobs lost when the expectation was supposed to be close to 90,000 jobs gained, which by the way, would still be light in comparison to some pre-Trump metrics. But then this was being celebrated on Fox and they are kind of far-right wing maga business people as, well, this is great for the corporations because this may help them not have to

deal with higher interest rates. And then the market started doing well and people are like, what about me? Like, that's not a good report. And I heard, you know, all these maga people, you know, Trump said this and others you saying, on a scale from 1 to 100, this is what he said on Friday.

We should get a 150 because this is the golden age and we did it. And Byron Donald says to the people of Florida, this is the golden age. This is it right now.

We're all rich, Mike, what are you, what are you talking about?

Hey, Captain. Yeah, look, you gave President Trump an A on the economy. Like, I take it as somewhat newer approach, I think, in democratic politics, maybe. I don't, I don't really like class warfare. I don't think we need to beat up on success.

What we need to beat up on is special interest in the influence of the super wealthy. And so I say, let's encourage success. Look, I want Florida to beat a financial capital of the world. I want our economy to grow. And I don't have to fight the halves to fight for the have nots.

But where it turns into that intersection with raw power, that's where you see the real anger emerge. And I feel that anger alongside so many people across the state. Right? I'll give you an example.

Byron Donald says raised over a hundred million dollars.

And I point out, that's not charity. That's not charity. They're buying Byron, right? Where's that money coming from? It's coming from the private equity real estate plays that want to turn every neighborhood

into an Airbnb. It's coming from big tech and big utilities that want to use in Byron's words, pristine Florida lands to build hyperscale data centers. It's coming from the for profit education industry and the financial backers that are the defunding public education and creating a choice program with no rules but a whole lot

of profit. It's coming from our utilities companies from the seminal tribe that runs our gambling compact. Everyone who has controlled Tallahassee for the last 30 years and created these economic conditions have now bought their candidates so they can control Tallahassee for four more.

That is where the power gets displaced. And so, yes, if you're a voter right now and you're saying, look, I am working harder than ever before. I'm falling behind. I don't know where to get health care.

I worry about whether I should raise my kids here because the economy's gotten away from us. I don't know if I can stay in my home because the insurance market is collapsing. But every time I look at Tallahassee, the people in charge keep getting richer and richer and making policy decisions that are helping themselves, the status center things a great

example. Who are the only people cheering it on? Big tech and big utilities and the politicians paid by those interests. Every voter across the state of Florida and the country is saying, don't do this.

Why are you doing this and the answer is obvious because the special interest on the

candidates who make the decisions.

And Byron Donald's at first was like, that's why we need data centers in every community

in every city, in every town. We need a list of liquid gold. He said, you want to get rich. This is the new one. You want to get rich.

Well, we understand your property taxes are super high. We understand. We screwed you every. But now the data centers will help you if you're utilities, I feel like no, it's the opposite. And now he's like, what do I do?

What do I do? What do you make of that moment? Byron Donald's real plan to bring down property taxes is to devalue your house by building the high per scale data center next door to you. That's exactly what his tax plan is.

But no, here's what I'll tell you.

And Byron Donald's is doing something that Donald Trump is doing and every other conflicted

Politician is doing, who's on all sides of this issue now.

So big tech wants to come in and bring in the high per scale data centers, politicians

like Byron Donald's have said, yeah, come on in, build on our pristine lands, give me the

money in my campaign account and I'll let you do it. Voter said, whoa, whoa, whoa, we don't want high per scale data centers. And so now the position of the White House and Byron Donald's has pivoted to the following. Big payer protection, rate payer protection is what they're saying to make it look like they're pushing back.

Now understand what that means. That means that big tech and utilities have to pay their own way. They're allowed to plunder as long as they pay for the plundering. Well, voters are saying, we don't want you to plunder and by the way, pay in your own way should have been the baseline.

That's not a big reform, that's just because they got caught subsidizing the development of these high per scale data centers.

Now their position is, we're going to make them pay their own way and they're taking a

victory lap as though it's some important consumer protection. No, it's not. There's look who's cheering on the Trump Donald's plan for high per scale data centers. Who is cheering it on?

Big tech and big utilities, who's against it, voters?

And so it is a bold face lie when you hear Byron Donald say, I'm protecting the people of Florida. No, he's not. He's allowing big tech and high per scale data centers to come into your backyard, plunder our environment, devalue your property, destabilize your community, and then pat himself

on the back all the way on his road to what he thinks is going to be in November victory. He'll be proven wrong, but he thinks he's going to be insulated by the big money that's funded his campaign. Look, he's on the wrong side of the issue and he's now trying to clean it up, but he's cleaning it up through the lens of rate payer protection.

That's not what voters are asking for. They presume they're going to be protected with rates. What they want is that a center to get out of this state of Florida. We've been seeing a lot of data showing just how dramatically independent voters are moving away from Trump and MAGA, and even people who used to refer to themselves as MAGA, you

know, it's some of the Trump base, non college white people. We see a lot of this data, Trump's underwater, net negative eight amongst cohorts like that. He's lost a lot of support amongst Latino groups. We see that in the polling data.

You see the state, you know, the state better than just about anybody, and I don't want to try to sell my audience, hope them, that things are changing, and regardless of even what you're seeing, we don't want no one wants to help. It's a hard, it's going to be a hard race and everybody knows it, but I want to know what you're seeing there that may be different or similar or something else when you travel

the state at this moment, August 26. Look, they're still a MAGA element, but most people understand that MAGA is now a trail of broken promises. And Byron Donald is trying to sell the state on something that is just not believable anymore. Right?

Prices have not come down. Your health insurance has not gotten easier. Gas prices are up, you're worried about your home, you're watching the Ukraine War continue, and wars break out in new places. We're now in Iran through a war of choice.

The thing that has been promised by MAGA is now a broken promise, and Byron Donald's is left to defend that, and so then voters turn and say, "Okay, what now?" And this is where the problem for people like Byron Donald comes in. You can't sell us on something that we know not to be true because we've caught up with the truth now.

Donald Trump lied to us, and it's a trail of broken promises that Donald keeps trying to sell. So then the opportunity for us comes in, can we build a coalition around Democrats who are excited for the historic opportunity for change, but independence and Republicans who are saying, "Look, if you just promise me the basics, do the basics better, get the economy

working for more people, try to stabilize the cost of housing and health care and prove our education system, sure, invest in the environment and keep our community safe. If you just focus on the basics and, by the way, along the way, ensure everybody's rights are protected and their dignity celebrated, regardless of the color of your skin, where you're born, who you love, or who you worship, there's enough there to build a coalition.

I don't think this is a huge ideological swing election. It would be wrong to read it that way. It is an election littered with the trail of broken promises from Donald Trump and Byron Donald. Yeah, I think a return to values and principles and humanity and empathy and the real

qualities of this country and that's why the other side wants the culture wars.

They want division. They want to figure out ways to pit us against each other to cover it all up before we go. Where can people learn more about the campaign, David, and anything you want to say to

our 7 million subscribers before we head out?

Yeah, look, we need your help, David jolly.com and listen, it's not just about the future of Florida. Yes, we're going to create a new future in Florida, but understand for people looking

To reset our national politics, winning the Florida governorship, restructure...

politics.

It means we built a coalition that doesn't exist, leading with democratic values, but big enough

to include independence and republicans. It reshapes the map for the White House in 2028. It reshapes democratic fortunes, if you will.

And so it is important to have your help.

We would win the race tonight, but the next 90 days are very choppy.

Fire and Donald's in the White House wake up every day calling me a radical socialist communist. I say, folks, I'm not radical, I'm not even cool, but what we're building is a coalition of normalcy and decency where everybody knows the economy needs to do a little better. Government can help and everyone's right should be protected.

I think we're on the dawn of something new in American politics, and that's happening

right here in the Florida governor's race. David Jolly, thanks for joining us. Good to be with you. Thank you. Everybody hit subscribe.

Let's get to seven million subscribers.

Before you go, our book WTF America is available for pre-order now.

It's the story of how we got here and how we fight our way back. To pre-order, scan the QR code, or click the link in the description. Let's do this. [MUSIC]

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