Radio host Charlie James talks political gridlock and midterms with callers.

What this episode covers

Transcript Charlie James: All right, let's go to the phones, going to talk to Larry in Hartwell over there in Georgia. What's going on, Larry? Larry: How you doing, everybody? Uh, I remember hearing back, probably 2019, where Fauci, uh—I know it's a different topic and stuff—but Fauci said Trump will be dealing with a big epidemic... Charlie James: With a pandemic, yeah. Larry: ...during his office. Did y'all remember that, or...? Charlie James: Oh, absolutely, yeah. Larry: Yeah, I ain't never heard nobody say nothing on the radio or TV about it since, you know, since then. Charlie James: Oh no, we—we covered that plenty back when it was during COVID. Let's go to Anne in Pauline. Anne, welcome. Anne: Hey Charlie, Anne again. Charlie James: Yes, ma'am. Anne: Um, I have a question. Charlie James: Okay. Anne: Uh, I'm having blood pressure problems over John Thune. And I'm wondering, how do we get him to release his chokehold on America? What can a regular person do? Because I'm getting so of that. Charlie James: Well, you got to—we can't do anything. We've got to depend on the people that we send to Washington to do something. There were over—there were 20—20 members of Congress that wanted to stay through the recess and vote on the SAVE America Act. It only takes 27 to remove John Thune as the Senate Majority Leader. I want, as soon as they get back in, I want somebody to put up that motion to remove John Thune. But they got to remember— Anne: Should I write—should I write to somebody? What, what— Charlie James: Sure. Right? Call, email, send up smoke signals, whatever. Well, the number—it'd be, right now, Tim Scott and Darlene Graham. Anne: Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no. Charlie James: I know. I know. Anne: No, those are people I don't want to talk to on a good day. Charlie James: I understand, but those are—I mean, nobody in any other states are really going to listen to you. Anne: What about the Speaker? I know he's in the House, not the Senate. Charlie James: Yeah. He's not—he's not going to do—he's not going to do anything to burn those bridges. Anne: So write to others? Charlie James: Yeah. I mean, write to—write to Congress in general. I mean, it's—I mean, that's amazing, Anne, and—but that's literally what's—what's got to be done. But we can't—Tim Scott's not going to do that. Tim Scott is so enmeshed in the Senate machine that, hell, he left town. When the—when they decided they were going on—going on recess, phew, he high-tailed it. He went down to the beach, posted pictures of himself at the beach, by the way. "Look at me! I'm not in Washington fighting for the SAVE America Act". Now, giving her credit, Darlene Graham, you know, at least said she stayed in Washington, at least offered to stay in Washington to do it. But 20 senators wanted to stay in Washington; seven more, John Thune's gone. But like I said, when you—when you come for the king, you better not miss. Because they risk losing a lot of serious political capital if they were to go against John Thune. That's pretty amazing. But I'm going to tell you what: I don't think they care. And—and I've said this before, and I'll say it again: the Republicans—and if you don't agree with me, pick up the phone and give me a call and tell me why I'm wrong. Send me a text message and tell me why I'm wrong. The Republicans do not want to lead. They don't want to be in the majority in the Senate. Ooh, that's the last thing they want. "Oh, we're going to have to govern? Oh man, can't we just sit in the back of the room and complain? We're real good at that. Let's do that." I think John Thune and other members of the Senate want to lose in the midterms. That way, again, all they got to do is be the obstructionists to the Democrats. That's all they—they don't have to—they're going to keep their committee assignments, everything's going to be glorious, still get to go to all the galas, all the parties, still get to meet all the dignitaries, be a little ...

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