Full Episode - How Lindsey Graham Should Be Remembered + Can The Law Succeed Where Politics Fails?

Chuck Todd devotes much of this episode to a rich, personal reflection on the death of Senator Lindsey Graham at 71 — a figure who can only be understood if you separate the ideologues from the pure politicians, because Graham was unambiguously the latter. Graham always wanted to be in the middle of the Republican Party, treated his Senate seat as something as precious to him as a spouse, and was a genuine political creature who could nonetheless work with everyone, partnering with both Trump and Obama across his career. Chuck shares personal memories — interviewing Graham alongside John McCain, the two of them giving outsized attention to the Steele Dossier; Graham losing his parents in his 20s and raising his 13-year-old sister; even reassuring Chuck’s own wife about her worries over Trump — and argues that Graham, for all his capitulations, actually served as one of the few moderating forces on Trump. He  lays out the very real political fallout: Todd Blanche's confirmation as Attorney General is now in serious jeopardy, Graham leaves a massive vacuum in the GOP conference, and his South Carolina seat could actually be competitive for Democrat Annie Andrews if the Republican primary lurches far enough to the right. From there Chuck draws a series of parallels between American and British politics — Labour returning to power on a promise of competence and stability, Nigel Farage (like Trump) trying to convert political fame into personal wealth, and the satirical candidate "Count Binface" holding up a mirror to a political culture that has become pure theater — musing, only half-jokingly, that America could use its own Count Binface. Chuck closes on a sober note about the U.S.-Israel relationship, which he believes is heading for a real retreat: he recalls how close the region came to a two-state peace two decades ago, how the collapse of that moment allowed radicalism to escalate on both sides until each could argue the other doesn't want peace, and points to Rahm Emanuel's recent speech in Israel — warning that Israel must articulate a vision for what comes after the war or risk isolating itself from younger and moderate Americans — as the sound of someone trying to save a political center that vanishes the moment people conclude moderates don't have answers.  Then, John Morgan — founder of Morgan & Morgan, one of the largest personal injury firms in the country & author of "Life is Luck: Lessons From a Paperboy and How to Improve Your Luck"  joins the Chuck Toddcast for a wide-ranging conversation about civil litigation, the failures of government regulation, and his plan to launch a third party in Florida. Morgan makes the case that civil litigation has grown precisely because government has failed to regulate — social media is a genuine threat to human wellbeing (especially for children), monopolies are squeezing consumers, and processed foods, he argues, are the new tobacco: extremely harmful and ripe for legal reckoning. He offers a candid, colorful assessment of his former firm member RFK Jr. — "smart and crazy," a man who falls down some rabbit holes but also champions legitimate causes — and walks through the thorny reality that vaccine makers enjoy total indemnity while sovereign immunity exists in some form in all 50 states. Morgan is refreshingly honest about the ethics of his own industry, arguing that ads gloating about settlement numbers are a mistake because the real goal of a settlement is to give someone back something they lost, not to celebrate a payday. The heart of the conversation is Morgan's plan to launch a new third party in Florida called "Common Ground," rooted in his conviction that the two-party system itself is what's fundamentally broken in America. Morgan argues that moderates should function as the tiebreakers in a polarized system — that picking up just a few seats could turn an uncommitted moderate bloc into a genuine fulcrum of power in Congress — and explains why he'd rather build something new than partner with the existing Forward Party. He handicaps Florida's political landscape with an insider's candor: Byron Donalds likely wins the governorship but it'll be close, the Charlie Crist party-switch playbook never worked, and he's genuinely unsure whether voters can find David Jolly credible after his own party change.. Morgan laments that too many people now enter politics for the pension and salary rather than public service, criticizes DeSantis for appointing cronies as university presidents, and argues age limits are overdue because government should be about the future and very few politicians remain effective past 70. Along the way he explains why he thinks Texas Democrats fielded a more viable ticket than Florida's (James Talarico, he says, simply has "it"), why Andy Beshear won in Kentucky, why charter schools are about money rather than choice, and why DeSantis's property tax proposal could become a Brexit-style case study in voters making decisions that make no sense once the consequences arrive. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to break down the messy build up and coalitions involved in the Spanish civil war, and what lessons modern America can take from it. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and make a proposal for a change to the baseball Hall of Fame. Get John Morgan's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Life-is-Luck/dp/B0H2K52H4G/ref=sr_1_1?crid=LF7S7OGAT46F&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.CaRKVB4mHJGTS0bVFd7ONcU6YfsmpGl_tDncLiWRzCNecvHPOVtdrMbXsFl_LNyLxyW8nLRxXL3j5wdKGrHq7hSKazupgR14cC3u74xjkQpTUw2_xdJsVkC21K2kobaEZpdGZJsOkB5HdKgNBvyzjcb0eh8sdqhprrTbUo_1Fss.iLY1CiUpIpHB0Z1TbM0GJH2COy5EqaDcd3D_ItY0mfg&dib_tag=se&keywords=John+Morgan+life+is+luck&qid=1784135091&s=books&sprefix=john+morgan+life+is+luck%2Cstripbooks%2C177&sr=1-1 From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com    Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary.    Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.    Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order.   Timeline: 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:15 Senator Lindsey Graham dead at 71 04:45 Reactions to Graham are filtered through one’s personal politics 05:30 There are ideologues and there are politicians. Graham was the latter 06:45 Graham always wanted to be in the middle of the Republican party 09:00 Graham’s senate seat was as important to him as a spouse 11:15 Certain people are just political creatures, like Graham and Cruz 12:45 Graham was able to work with everyone on both sides of the aisle 13:30 Graham worked with both Trump and Obama 15:30 Conspiracy theories are swirling about Graham’s death 16:15 There needs to be a thorough autopsy to put conspiracies to rest 17:30 Chuck interviewed Graham & McCain, they mentioned the Steele Dossier 18:15 Graham and McCain gave the most attention to the Dossier 20:30 Graham’s parents died in his 20s, he raised his 13 year old sister 22:30 Chuck had Graham as a dark horse candidate for 2008 23:15 Graham was aware of the rumors and never addressed them directly 24:30 The real world impact on politics from Graham’s passing  25:00 Todd Blanche’s confirmation is now in serious jeopardy 25:30 Graham leaves a massive vacuum in the GOP conference 28:00 Graham kept Trump from fully going down the fascist road 29:15 Unlike Trump, Graham sees Putin as a threat & backed Ukraine 31:15 Impact on the South Carolina elections 32:00 There will be lots of Republicans looking to jump into the primary 33:15 If primary goes super right-wing, Democrat Annie Andrews has a shot 35:15 Graham reassured Chuck’s wife after expressing worries about Trump 37:45 Graham knew if he had gone hard on Trump, he’d lose his senate seat 38:45 There are parallels between U.S. and U.K politics 39:45 Labour came back into power promising competence and stability 40:45 Nigel Farage, like Trump… is trying to turn political fame into wealth 42:30 “Count Binface” has been challenging Farage as a satirical candidate 43:30 The man who made UK politics theatrical, now facing a theatrical challenge 44:00 The U.S. could really use a “Count Binface” to hold up a mirror 45:15 What if we accepted the premise of politics as entertainment? 46:00 Should we host a political reality show on an island 47:15 Governing experience has become a liability in American politics 48:00 Media rewards performance more than competency  50:15 There is going to be a retreat in the American-Israeli partnership 50:45  20 years ago we were very close to peace & two state solution 52:45 When moderation & compromise fail, radicalism takes its place 54:00 There was a serious chance for peace two decades ago 54:30 After both sides walked away, the radicalism escalated 56:15 The extremes can now argue the other side doesn’t want peace 57:00 Rahm Emmanuel travels to Israel to give speech 58:00 Rahm says Israel must provide vision for what comes after war 59:15 Rahm warns Israel risks isolating itself from younger & moderate Americans 1:00:45 Rahm sounds like someone trying to save the political center 1:02:00 Moderation disappears when it feels like moderates don’t have answers 01:12:30 John Morgan joins the Chuck ToddCast   01:13:15 What is most difficult about nationalizing a law firm?   01:14:15 When screening for good lawyers, it’s obvious who stands out   01:15:30 Lawsuits always seem frivolous until it happens to you   01:16:15 Ads that gloat about settlement numbers are a mistake   01:17:00 The goal of settlements is to give back something that was lost   01:18:15 Thoughts on private equity using civil litigation to hedge?   01:18:45 Involvement in cases against big tech companies   01:19:15 Social media is a threat to human wellbeing, especially children   01:21:00 Civil litigation has grown as government has failed to regulate   01:22:30 Monopolies are squeezing consumers   01:23:00 Processed foods are like tobacco, extremely harmful   01:23:30 RFK Jr. was a member of the firm, he’s smart and crazy   01:24:45 RFK falls down some BS rabbit holes but also has good causes   01:25:15 Vaccine makers have total indemnity   01:26:00 Sovereign immunity exists in some fashion in all 50 states   01:26:30 What’s your process for vetting science?   01:28:00 Will be launching a third party in Florida - The Common Ground   01:30:00 Other wealthy people have considered starting third parties   01:32:30 The two party system is what is broken in the country   01:33:00 Why not partner with the Forward Party?   01:34:30 Moderates should be the tiebreakers   01:36:00 A few uncommitted moderates could be a swing vote in congress   01:36:45 All you need to do is pick up a few seats to act as a fulcrum   01:38:15 It’s likely that Donalds wins in Florida, but it will be close   01:39:00 Why didn’t the Charlie Crist move work for Florida Democrats?   01:40:15 Can voters find David Jolly credible after changing parties?   01:42:00 More people are getting into politics for a pension & salary   01:43:00 People are going into politics for the wrong reasons   01:44:15 DeSantis appointed his cronies to be university presidents   01:45:00 Still deciding on whether to support Donalds or Jolly   01:46:30 Vindman doesn’t have a chance at winning   01:47:30 Texas Dem ticket is more liberal, why is it more viable than Florida’s?   01:48:15 James Talarico is very formidable, he has “it”   01:50:30 Andy Beshear won because Bevin turned on public school teachers   01:51:15 Charter schools aren’t about choice, they’re about money   01:52:00 Parental involvement is the best indicator of school performance   01:53:15 How would you message against DeSantis’s property tax proposal?   01:54:15 Americans are less interested in “us” and more interested in “me”   01:54:45 Implementing the property tax proposal will be like Brexit   01:57:00 Voters can make decisions that make no sense   01:57:45 Had the itch to run for office, but unlikely to do it   01:58:15 Government is for the future, should be age limits for elected officials   01:59:30 Very few elder politicians remain effective past 70 years old   02:02:30 Thoughts on the interview with John Morgan   02:03:00 ToddCast Time Machine - July 17th, 1936   02:03:30 Start of the Spanish civil war   02:04:15 Why does Spain’s civil war stand out in history?   02:05:30 The war wasn’t simply a fight between left and right   02:06:00 1930s Spain had every divide imaginable   02:07:00 Political violence became common, political center got smaller   02:07:45 The left wing coalition that won was barely united at all   02:08:45 Military units in Morocco revolted, then coup spread to Spain   02:09:30 Franco eventually united a fascist coalition with military command   02:10:15 The left’s internal divisions became one of Franco’s advantages   02:11:30 Civilians became part of the battlefield and were targeted   02:13:00 George Orwell’s writing came directly from his experiences in Spain   02:14:15 The fascist wing won the war and Franco ruled until 1975   02:15:00 Pluralism only emerged after decades of authoritarian rule   02:16:30 The transition out of authoritarianism came from exhaustion, not agreement   02:18:00 Sharing power with opponents is preferable to violence   02:19:15 Book recommendations for learning more about the Spanish civil war   02:20:15 Ask Chuck   02:20:30 How can we get back to lasting governance and progress?   02:26:00 Could Trump run as VP or speaker then ascend back to the presidency?   02:29:15 Why do prominent political interviews not have aggressive follow ups?   02:35:45 Who was the best pitcher of this generation that’s retiring? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.