Legal AF by MeidasTouch - Trump GUT PUNCHED as his OWN Top Officials ABANDON HIM

Episode Date: September 24, 2024

More than 700 former national security officials and military brass, many of them Republicans and former Trump administration officials, calling themselves “National Security Leaders for America” have called out the threat to democracy and its ideals and our national security that Trump poses, and have endorsed VP Harris and bring the receipts as to why on their new letter. Michael Popok puts it all in context in his latest hot take. Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made! Go to https://TryMiracle.com/LEGALAF and use the code LEGALAF to claim your FREE 3 PIECE TOWEL SET and SAVE over 40% OFF. Visit https://meidastouch.com for more! Join the Legal AF Patreon: https://Patreon.com/LegalAF Remember to subscribe to ALL the MeidasTouch Network Podcasts: MeidasTouch: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/meidastouch-podcast Legal AF: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/legal-af MissTrial: https://meidasnews.com/tag/miss-trial The PoliticsGirl Podcast: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-politicsgirl-podcast The Influence Continuum: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-influence-continuum-with-dr-steven-hassan Mea Culpa with Michael Cohen: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/mea-culpa-with-michael-cohen The Weekend Show: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/the-weekend-show Burn the Boats: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/burn-the-boats Majority 54: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/majority-54 Political Beatdown: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/political-beatdown Lights On with Jessica Denson: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/lights-on-with-jessica-denson On Democracy with FP Wellman: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/on-democracy-with-fpwellman Uncovered: https://www.meidastouch.com/tag/maga-uncovered Coalition of the Sane: https://meidasnews.com/tag/coalition-of-the-sane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a new day. How can you make the most of it with your membership rewards points? Earn points on everyday purchases. Use them for that long awaited vacation. Points never expire, so use them how you want. That's the powerful backing of American Express. On eligible cards, terms apply. Learn more at mx.ca. This is Michael Popak, Legal AF. The list of Republican leadership supporting Kamala Harris just got a lot bigger. The dam just broke. We have 700 former national security, military officers, secretaries of state,

many who served in a Republican administration, a few that served in the Trump administration, all launching into an endorsement, full-throated endorsement of Kamala Harris and giving their reasons why, as Donald Trump is seen as a threat to democracy, a threat to our foreign policy, a threat to our security interests, and that the choice is clear, it has to be Kamala Harris. Now listen, let's just talk about what's happened since this group of Republicans for Harris

has come together. And I would offer, and I would posit, that Judge Michael Ludig, who's appeared with me on the show on our Legal AF on a regular basis, started it, broke the glass ceiling, gave permission because he was one of the first just two months ago to come out with political courage as a Federalist, as a conservative, as a Republican lifelong, having never voted or supported anyone who was a Democrat before and gave permission in a five-page letter

as to why the choice was clear and binary, that there was only one party in a two-party system that could be the guardian of our Constitution and Constitutional Republic, and her name was Kamala Harris. Then from there, we had over 200 members of the Republican Party that have all come out in favor of Kamala Harris, leaders, well-known names, people that will be up the Mount Rushmore of the Republican Party in any other year. We had 100 national security and intelligence officers and people that swore an oath to America also endorsed. We had 12 White House counsel,

people that worked for presidents, including Republican presidents dating back to Reagan, all coming out in favor of Kamala Harris. And now we've got 741. I mean, the list is so long that if I were to read you from their letter on single spacing, double columns, all of the people that have signed this letter. It would just, you know, you'd miss a day of work. Let me read to you from the letter. The letter is relatively short. The power of the letter and the new website that they've established,

the National Security Leaders for America, we'll put it up on the board. Let me read you what they wrote and get ready, sit down, get a cup of coffee, wait till you hear what they had to say. And this includes, just so you know, the scorecard, 15 retired four-star generals, 12 cabinet members, eight service secretaries, meaning for the armed services, 120 ambassadors, and three people, at least that were in the Trump administration, including

the US Army general and the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other four-star generals. And of course, you had the secretaries of state that have come out against them, including two that are Republicans, Chuck Hagel and William Cohen. Sure, they served in Democratic administrations, but they are lifelong Republicans, along with Hillary Clinton and John Kerry. So, let me read you a letter now to the American people. We are former public servants who swore an oath to the Constitution.

Many of us risked our lives for it. That stands in contrast to Donald Trump, who no one in his family, no one in his family, dating back to when they first came to this country from wherever, Germany or wherever, ever served in the American Armed Forces. We are retired generals, admirals, senior non-commissioned officers, ambassadors, and senior civilian national security leaders. We are Republicans, Democrats, and independents.

We are loyal to the ideals of our nation, like freedom, democracy, and the rule of law, not to any one individual or party. We do not agree on everything, but we all adhere to two fundamental principles. This is at least two fundamental principles. They got 741 people at this level, this echelon to agree to.

First, we believe America's national security requires a serious and capable commander in chief. Second, we believe American democracy is invaluable. Each generation has a responsibility to defend it. That is why we, the undersigned, proudly endorse Kamala Harris to be the next president of the United States. Again, the courage of this, not just doing it behind closed doors, not just going behind the curtain or whatever version of the curtain there is today and pulling the lever for your your intended choice, but telling the American people and making the case for Kamala Harris

in the final moments of this campaign. This election is a choice between serious leadership, the letter continues, and vengeful impulsiveness. It is a choice between democracy and authoritarianism. Vice President Harris defends America's democratic ideals while former President Trump endangers them. Vice President Harris has proven she is an effective leader, able to advance American national security interests. Her relentless diplomacy with allies around the globe preserved the united front in support of Ukraine's fight

against Russian aggression, giving Kamala Harris due props, due shout out for the work she's done as vice president, as co-president if you will, on the Ukraine issue. She grasps the reality of American military deterrence, promising to preserve the American military status as the most lethal force in the world. The contrast with Mr. Trump, the letter continues, is clear. Where Vice President Harris is prepared and strategic, he is impulsive and ill-informed. He preys on adversarial dictators like in China, North Korea, and Russia's Vladimir Putin, as well as the terrorist leaders of Hezbollah.

You heard him during the debate stage, by the way, a little commentary here, where he praised Viktor Orban, the strongman dictator of Hungary, as a role model and his fanboy fascination and bromance with Vladimir Putin and the leader of North Korea is always on full display. Conversely, the letter continues, he has publicly and privately excoriated the leaders of our most steadfast allies, attacking our allies, including the United Kingdom, Israel, Australia, Canada, and Germany. He abandoned our Kurdish allies while ceding influence in the Middle East to Russia, Iran, and China. Further, Mr. Trump denigrates our great country, listen to this, and does not believe in the

American ideal that our leaders should reflect the will of the people. A chilling criticism of somebody who was once president and is trying to return to office. To say that about a presidential candidate? This sounds like somebody who should be indicted for treason, not somebody that should be given the job of the leader of the free world. The letter continues, while Vice President Harris follows the democratic norms we expect of any political leader, including promising to abide by the outcome of the pending election and respecting the rule of law. Mr. Trump is the first president in American history to actively undermine the peaceful

transfer of power, the bedrock of American democracy. The letter continues on the top of page two. Mr. Trump threatens our democratic system. He has said so himself. He has called for the termination of parts of the Constitution. He said he wants to be a dictator and his clarification that he would only be a dictator for a day is not reassuring. He has undermined faith in our elections by repeating lies without evidence of millions of fraudulent votes. He has shown no remorse for trying to overturn the 2020 election on January 6th. Remorse, he said he was kidding.

He said he was being sarcastic when he said he only lost by a whisker. Promises to pardon the convicted perpetrators, that's the Jan 6th defendants, and has made clear he will not respect the results of the 2024 election should he lose again, which is likely. That alone proves Mr. Trump is unfit to be commander in chief. We believe, as President Reagan said, that America is a shining That alone proves Mr. Trump is unfit to be commander-in-chief. We believe,

as President Reagan said, that America is a shining city on a hill. Yet in this election, one of President Reagan's more ominous warnings is equally relevant. Freedom, he said, is never more than one generation, a generation away from extinction. Think about that. Our endorsement of Vice President Harris is an endorsement of freedom and an act of patriotism. It is an endorsement of democratic ideals of competence and of relentless optimism in America's future. We hope you will join us in voting for her sincerely. And then I'm telling you, the list goes on

for seven single-spaced pages, double-columned with all the people that are signing this. I gave you the rundown of who they are. Traditional bedsheets, they can harbor more bacteria than a toilet seat. It can lead to acne, allergies, and stuffy noses, and it's just gross. Miracle Maid offers a whole line of self-cleaning,

antibacterial bedding, such as sheets, pillowcases, and comforters that prevent up to 99.7% of bacteria growth and require up to three times less laundry. Using silver infused fabrics inspired by NASA, Miracle-Made Sheets are thermo-regulating and designed to keep you at the perfect temperature all night long, no matter the weather.

So you get better sleep every night. Miracle Sheets are luxuriously comfortable without the high price tag of other luxury brands and feel as nice if not nicer than sheets used by some five-star hotels. Stop sleeping on bacteria. Bacteria can clog your pores causing breakouts and acne. Sleep clean with Miracle. These sheets are infused with silver that prevent up to 99.7% of bacterial growth, leaving them to stay cleaner and fresh three times longer than other sheets.

No more gross odors. Go to trymiracle.com slash LegalAF to try Miracle Made Sheets today. And whether you're buying them for yourself or as a gift for a loved one, if you order today, you can save over 40%. And if you use our promo LegalAF at checkout, you'll get three free towels and save an extra 20%.

Miracle is so confident in their product, it's back with a 30-day money-back guarantee. So if you aren't 100% satisfied, you'll get a full refund. Upgrade your sleep with Miracle Made. Go to trymiracle.com slash Legal AF and use the code Legal AF to claim your free three-piece towel set and save over 40% off. Again, that's trymiracle.com slash Legal AF to treat yourself. Thank you Miracle Made for sponsoring this episode.

This is not just, let me give you my commentary now. This is not just political theater, like wearing a t-shirt, you know, a white guy wearing a blacks for Trump t-shirt or a white MAGA wearing a women, white male MAGA wearing a women for Trump t-shirt or trying to use AI to make people think that Taylor Swift and the Swifties support

Donald Trump. I have never, and I've been following politics since I was a boy, since I was in short pants, and now 58. I started voting at 18. I was on the Democratic, I was a Democratic representative for our local Democratic Party at 18. And I was a student of the American presidency in college and in law school. I have never seen, to put this in perspective, so many of the opposite party not only come out and endorse the candidate on the other side, but to do so in such scathing terms and chilling terms about our future. To quote Ronald Reagan, that our democracy and freedom is only one generation away from extinction,

extinction means that we have a duty. And we have to pick up this clarion call of these now over a thousand Republicans who have come out, people in the national security, in intelligence industry, right, community, former Republican presidential cabinet members, ambassadors, White House counsel, scholars, presidents, all many, almost all Republicans. I mean, in this letter is Republicans, Democrats and independents, but there's so many Republicans listed there. And if you want to bury your head,

I'm talking to the 5% that haven't made up their mind yet. If you want to bury your head in the sand and act like this is normal and normalize so many of our leaders whose job it is under a sworn oath of the constitution to protect us, to ensure, and you want to substitute your judgment over theirs on this critical issue, I implore you to do more research, to do more analysis, independent, and come up with your own conclusion, but factor in all of these data points of these ambassadors, leaders of our national intelligence and security community, leaders of our military,

Joint Chiefs of Staff on down, our Secretaries of Defense, of state, secretaries of defense, and people that worked for Republicans that they could be proud of, not this, and heed the call as you're making your decision. We'll continue to follow it all. This won't be the last hot take we're going to do on this network about another large group of Republican leaders who would rather just be in retirement, to be honest with you, and not be involved in the day-to-day of politics and retail politics, but felt their patriotic duty to get off the sidelines and get into this participatory democracy, which has become a contact sport. You can't do it from the comfort of your living room or your couch. You got to do it in the streets, if you will. You gotta do it at the polling places.

You gotta go and help register voters. You gotta go knock on doors. You gotta go on phone banks. You gotta go bring five to 10 of your friends to the polls and make sure they're registered in advance so when they wake up on November 5th, they can vote. And make sure the people in your life, the seniors in your life that may be housebound

or in nursing homes or assisted living facilities that want to participate in our democracy can do that. Make sure they're enfranchised and not disenfranchised. Make sure that we don't allow voter suppression because the lines are too long or the hours are too short or the registration has been made too difficult by Republicans. Don't let voter integrity and voter integrity laws, which are really voter suppression laws and an Orwellian use of the term, don't let that stop the exercise of the vote. There's a reason why that people, when they get democracy around the world,

or they get to vote for the first time, are so happy and so proud. We've seen those photos, people with their purple thumbs because they registered to vote or they were able to vote that day. Wear proudly the button that says or the sticker that says, I voted today because there are people, hundreds of millions of people around the world that don't have that luxury. But think about what it means, your vote protecting the bedrock of our democracy

and making sure the guardrails to protect our democracy from being accidentally toppled by a wannabe would be petty dictator or somebody that doesn't understand, never understood the constitution or the president's role in it, doesn't get anywhere near the White House. We'll continue to follow it all on the Midas Touch Network

and on Legal AF. Good news everybody, we've got a new pro-democracy channel running parallel, if you will, to the Midas Touch YouTube channel called Legal AF. I'll be curating the top stories of the intersection of law and politics and bringing it to you the way that you expect. It's still doing my work on the Midas Touch Network.

The Midas Touch, the Legal AF podcast stays on the Midas Touch Network, but we're opening up a new channel that you can help support and help us get to 100,000 free subscribers before Halloween. That's my goal. We're almost halfway there. And you can go over to that channel.

Find it on YouTube, at Legal AFM it on YouTube at LegalAFMTN, at LegalAFMTN for Midas Touch Network. And until my next hot take, until my next podcast, Wednesdays and Saturdays, 8 p.m. Eastern time, right here on the Midas Touch Network, and then my next original content only on the LegalAFMTN YouTube channel, this is Michael Popak reporting.

In collaboration with the Midas Touch Network, we just launched the LegalN YouTube channel. This is Michael Popak reporting. In collaboration with the Midas Touch Network, we just launched the Legal AF YouTube channel. Help us build this pro-democracy channel where I'll be curating the top stories, the intersection of law and politics. Go to YouTube now and free subscribe at Legal AF MTN. That's at Legal AF MTN.