The Adam Friedland Show (Cumtown) - RO KHANNA | Elon Musk, Bernie Sanders, Can We Fix This?

Episode Date: June 4, 2025

The Adam Friedland Show - Season 2 Episode 2 | RO KHANNAX: https://x.com/friedland_show Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theadamfriedlandshow/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adamfriedlandshowclips YouTube: Subscribe to @TheAdamFriedlandShow here: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheAdamFriedlandShowSubscribe to @TAFSClips here: https://www.youtube.com/@tafsclips --Checkout Draftkings Casino: https://casino.draftkings.com Checkout Cornbread Hemp: https://www.cornbreadhemp.com/products/full-spectrum-cbd-gummies?selling_plan=1525481652Use Code "TAFS" for 30% off your First OrderCBD Products: Full Spectrum CBD Gummies (Watermelon, Berry, and Peach

You know a lot of being in Congress actually is just having a voice and speaking out and so... That sounds like a bullshit. No I mean it doesn't mean like you have to you're surrounded by some of these people are the dread the dregs of humanity. You see a guy walking down the hall you're like oh that guy's been accused of like potentially sleeping with a minor. How do you like function in like a world of scoundrel?

I mean the nation is a nation. No, no, no, come on. Hello and welcome back to the Adam Friedland Show. I'm Adam Friedland. And guys let me start off by saying thank you to you, the fans, for the outpouring of enthusiasm and acclaim that we've received since the beginning of our second season. But let me remind all of you, we're just getting started. And for this week's guest, I was joined by none other than California congressman Ro Khanna. Now, as the Democratic Party has struggled to redefine their message in the wake of the last election,

Ro has emerged as a prominent voice from the progressive wing of the party. Now as many of you know, this show is the new kid on the block. We don't have corporate overlords or the funding of a nation-state. This is a grassroots organization. So in the promotional run-up to the show, we had to get a little crafty. And in order to do so, we figured out a way for me to have my first ever television appearance as the host of the Adam Friedland show. So first, this. New York City Hall. For some, a hallowed ground of civic engagement, but to me, another stage for one of my hilarious

jokes. I had a pretty good idea of what to expect, hordes of elderly citizens lining up to complain about ethnic restaurants and me, the sardonic jokester, lampooning the whole process. For the council members, a moment of biting satire. For the concerned citizens, a comedy show from a celebrity free of charge. And for me, a perfect opportunity to craft a viral moment in promotion of my new show. Sure, yes, I am remembering the victims. More than you. No, that's not- I have been to more funerals than you. I guarantee. Don't do that.

I- Do not do that! As it turned out, this was the worst possible day to come to City Hall for my comedy show. Do not talk to- But, uh, I will. No, you won't. Don't talk to me like that.

And I'll talk to you like that. I don't take lightly to NYPD, continuously lying about their advocacy or what they say. I sat and watched as tearful testimony was given about an incredibly sensitive topic and I was terrified. To suggest that we should be sharing.

No, I want to be clear. Wait, wait, hold on, hold on. I didn't suggest it. No, no, no. Maybe someone can make this funny, but it wasn't me. I had already submitted my written speech and comedically doctored photo evidence of my claim, and if I stuck to this plan, there was a good chance that I would go to prison for the rest of my life.

Adam Friedland? So as my name was called, I took my seat in front of New York City's highest body and made a life or death audible. Hello? Hi. My name's Adam. I prepared a statement. If you'll excuse me, I've never been to a committee session before. I've never been to the city council. And in light of what we've heard today, the gravity of the subject matter, I just, I don't feel like it's, it feels trivial. It was about something totally different. I just want to let you guys know, I've, a lot of

people, myself included, people have like kind of lost faith in our institutions and seeing people standing up for children today. And I'm inspired by the work of the chairman and Mr. Jumani and council person Cabin and Stevens. You guys are awesome. I mean, this is awesome. So I support, I didn't even know about this, but I Support it. I've just been watching and give it up for yourselves. You guys are awesome

This is really cool. This actually matters Most most everything is bullshit. This actually matters and I won't waste any more of your time I'm just inspired by all of you great people here today. And if by any chance the person that did the graffiti by my house, if by any chance he's washing it, you know, I don't know if he likes the city council, but hopefully he's washing it and we could hang out or something something we could talk about it and It hurt it. You know it hurt my feelings But you're probably but who am I to call out a fellow citizen especially in light of everything we've heard today

So keep kicking ass everyone give it up for yourselves. This is oh It's okay. Thank you a lot everyone all right Thank you a lot everyone. All right. Thank you. Hello my name is Sharon Brown and before I start remember the hostages released the hostages let Yahweh's people go defend Israel. Well lesson learned. Nowadays it might seem like everything's gone dark but if you look close enough, the candle of democracy first lit by our forefathers still flickers. It's up to us to feed that flame.

This is Adam Friedland, signing off. Democratic congressman from California, Ro Khanna! Everyone! Normally I do the introduction, but okay. That's a new thing. That's our Andy Richter over there. That's our Jimmy Parda congressman. Thanks for coming. Great to be on. We talked briefly on Zoom. We talked and I followed you during like the whole Bernie thing. I mean you were a... The whole? What do you mean the whole?

Since 2016. The Bernie campaign. The Bernie 2020 campaign. That's when I was a co-chair. 2020. I know. And you were... And you followed me? I mean I followed that you were a very a big advocate for him. There weren't a lot of people in the media. I mean, you were independent media who were supporting him. That's how I came to know who you were. Is that right? That's really true. Politicians are such good liars.

I was on a podcast called Come Town at the time. You were active. I mean, yeah. It was a big supporter. I was at the Queens rally. were active. I mean, yeah. I was a big supporter. I was at the Queens Rally. Why do you think I'm here? Just because you're a comedian?

No, because you're a progressive. You saw me in the VIP section of the Queens Rally. Yeah? Yeah, which I had to lie my way into. I wasn't at the Queens Rally. That was the one with AOC, right? I stood right next to her. I didn't say anything, but I think she probably knew

who I was too. I met Michael Moore though, on the other hand. He's very good. He's the man. I mean, he's kind of like, was Trump before Trump in terms of understanding what was going on. I agree, he was the only guy that was like, Trump's gonna win.

And he was the only guy who understood the two basic things which was people's jobs were being snatched from them Shipped offshore by greedy corporations. Yeah, and we're going in all these dumb wars and those were the two I mean Trump had a lot of other BS, but there those are the two central things that Trump ran on. Yeah, 16 Well, and also throwing Hillary in a dungeon. Oh, there was that part too. Yeah, yeah. That was a big winner for him, I think. And he didn't follow through. And that's the thing about Trump.

He doesn't follow through on his promises to throw the former first lady Hillary Clinton in a dungeon. Yeah, that's probably a good thing. Actually, for me, it was Michael Moore and then every single one of my black comedian friends were like We're like, yeah There's no way Hillary Clinton's winning it like I know Jim L if you look at the 538th poll of polls There's absolutely no chance. This is gonna happen. He's like, no, I'm to tell you

They're not gonna give it to a lady after a black guy and I was like wow But the Nate Silva if you either he's doing he's crunching the numbers the numbers. And he still gets us all to do it every cycle, even though he's always wrong. How? I mean, he does it every time. And I fall for it too. And we're all watching the 538 thing. And there's nothing to be spectacularly wrong,

and we all forget two years later, four years later. It's crazy how some people, campaigns and elections people, I used to live in DC. And campaigns and elections people I used to live in DC yeah and campaigns and elections people you're not gonna I'm gonna say some things that you're not gonna be able to agree with but you can just wink at me or pull in your love yeah but like they were perhaps the worst people I met in DC I think to some extent I had more respect for lobbyists because at least they were

having a nice time yeah but campaigns and election people, you could literally lose every single time and somehow get a promotion every new election cycle. Well, you get these consultants that they're like, I just love your vision, Ro. I love that you're for Medicare for all, for free college. We're going to change the world together. And then three days later, how about doing a $25,000 video on this and I commissioned you know it's sort of it's a very very like how do we make like make money how okay I didn't want to get into this till later but it how the fuck can I curse in

Congress you could curse can you cuss in Congress I could curse yeah of course it cusses that who's the number one cusser in Congress who's can curse. Can you cuss in Congress? I can curse, yeah, of course I can curse. Who cusses though? Who's the number one cusser in Congress? Who's it? Marjorie Till? On our side? Who's it? Who's it?

Jimmy Gomez curses a lot. Name names. Bowman, Jamal Bowman used to curse. Jamal Bowman. Bowman, yeah. Rashida. Rashida Tlaib. Oh really?

She's a big cusser. Rashida, Rashida Tlaib. Oh really? She's a big cusser. Yeah, look at her. I mean, I can't. Name names. Anyway, how in 100 days did they manage to spend two billion dollars? That's crazy.

And then end up in debt. What? They had concerts, they entertained America. Well no, but they didn't have enough money for Beyonce to sing. No, that was, she came and she gave the statement to you know that was just like you know it's like if you have a, if you go to the Super Bowl and the players don't play they just like make some statement. I mean it's a you know I think we we don't realize that the...

Oprah got paid and she's a billionaire. Yeah she claims it was for the production. Do you have a million dollar production here? I don't know how much does the production here cost. You're certainly not getting paid for this. I have a lot of money around town okay? Yeah. No. We'd have to pay you. It's the other way around. What are we talking about? I think we kind of just watched an election cycle where you had one guy with his weird family around him as an inner circle, and then kind of Bannon, and then kind of Elon Musk,

which you can't really discredit because he owns a massive social media platform. But you had 12 guys on one side, and then you had to have had like thousands and thousands of algorithm experts, PR consultants, like the amount of people that were just grifting. Algorithm experts, I didn't even know that was a thing. Maybe there is.

I thought you were a tech. I thought you were a tech. I have it, but I'm sure there are. Two billion dollars is an insane amount of money. It is. It wasn't granny's writing checks, right? Like. No, I mean look there were some of the grassroots folks, there were a lot of billionaires. There were more billionaires who funded our side than billionaires that funded their side. Right. I mean that's the reality. What we talk about, you know, I get super packed money out, get money out lobbyist money out I mean we relied on a lot of these billionaires. That's why it's not fully credible and what what like what interests like

Primarily did they align with it was a status quo, right? I mean the reality is that a lot Wall Street Wall Street tech pharmaceutical, but it's not as clear. It's just a sense that you know We're not going to be for transformative economic change. What does that mean? Well, we're not going to be talking about raising a living wage. We're not going to be talking about raising taxes on wealthy. We're not going to be talking about Medicare for all. We're not going to be talking about free public college. We're not going to be talking about child care at $10 a day. We'll talk about let's have more startup businesses and let's have more entrepreneurship, let's have more startup businesses and let's have more entrepreneurship

and let's have more opportunity. In terms of electoral politics, every single plan just seems so, like, just, I don't know, overly complicated. I agree. And the central thing, Trump said you've been shafted. Your life, it's not working out that well right now.

And we were like, you've got joy. We're doing great. We're gonna continue. People like, no, I've been shafted. I don't have enough money. I've got, groceries cost too much. Child care costs too much. Health care costs too much.

I keep getting denied, denied, denied from health insurance. And all those good jobs left because we allowed for corporate offshoring. And Trump then comes in with no real actual proposal. Like his proposal literally is like, okay, we're gonna give these tax breaks to corporations, and we're gonna get Musk and Doge to stop these benefit payments because we've got a deficit.

But people don't pay attention as much to what he's gonna do. They just say, change this system. I think in a simpler sense, like I'm a comedian, right? And like during lockdown, I mean Trump, he was working the road. I mean he was doing stadiums, baby. He killed Herman Cain at one of them.

But my boy was having fun, you know? He was crushing. It was kind of like I was a comedian. I was like, he's still allowed to work the road and he's just crushing the stadiums. Yeah, the rallies. Yeah, the rallies. And it's like, to some extent,

what you see is that he makes people feel good. He's entertaining. I mean, he makes his guys feel great. Well, he's got a simple thing. He says, it's not your fault, you've been screwed. There are all these things that have made your life not work out as you want it to work out. And it's the Mexicans. And it's and he claims the Indians, the Mexicans, the Chinese, you know it's all the immigration and

it's all these companies and they screwed you and you built America. Rose family didn't fight in the Revolutionary War, didn't fight in World War II, didn't build the steel, didn't build the coal. They just got here. Rose was just born in 76. But what about your grandparents? They're the ones who fought the wars. You're the ones who built the coal, built the steel. So what did your family do World War II? You were a regular Jay in fondas? Well, my grandfather was in jail with Gandhi, with Gandhi. Everyone alongside Gandhi fighting for India's independence.

Yeah. That's what moved my politics. But my point is that he is appealing to this sense of people who have really been shafted. Now Bernie, and the reason why I was a co-chair of his campaign, Bernie got that. He got that there is fundamental income inequality in this country. There are a lot of people who don't have good paying jobs and it's ridiculous. They can't get healthcare.

It's ridiculous they can't get childcare. It's ridiculous that we're not taxing these billionaires and millionaires. And he said, okay, we're gonna fix it in a hopeful way, in an aspirational way. And Trump wants to fix it in a very dark, destructive way. You grew up in Philadelphia? Right outside of Bucks County.

Bucks County? Go Birds? I gotta admit, I've become a 49ers fan, but my family's all... You're a fucking politician. If I was a politician, I'd say go Birds, yay Birds, but I'm not really still rooting for them as much. But my brother and family do, so I'm not really still rooting for them as much, but my brother and family do, so I'm gonna go see them. And how much respect do they have?

Oh, but the 49 is, because my district. Come on, what are you talking about? Remember who you are. Well, my wife says never trust a guy who changes his sports allegiance. I do not, I will not. Yeah, wait, I thought, Ro, I thought you said after the last championship with Nick Foles that you were the guy that licked the poo poo off the horse.

Nick Foles, that was a good quarterback. You don't seem like a Philly guy though. I'm not, no, like the guy on the 700, I went for one. Would you boo Santa Claus? Would you throw batteries at Santa Claus? No, but I was in the 700 levels, you know the vet, right? The 700 club, Pat Robertson. Would you throw batteries at Santa Claus? No, but I was in the 700 levels of, you know the vet, right? The old stadium. The 700 club?

Pat Robertson. Well, the vet used to be the old stadium before the new stadium. And I've gone to... Nothing but respect for the vets. And I've gone to the 700 level where basically, you know, they throw the beer cans and they boo and then I was like, how did I turn out like this? I mean, maybe I should have gotten some more Philly spirit. What do you mean, how did you turn out like this? I mean, maybe I should have gotten some more Philly spirit. But that's why I said-

How did you turn out like, oh, like a nerd politician? Like, you know, proper and, you know, but that's why I said I grew up in Bucks County. Because if you tell a Philly person that you grew up in Philly, you actually grew up in Bucks County, like that is very insulting. Yeah, yeah.

You're trying to be something you're not. Like it's a different thing. Go home. You know, like Philly, Bucks County Max County is, it's a, it's a middle class suburban Philly is. What, what, what, what are we, what's in that mug right now? Water, isn't it? Sparkling water. Water? But I will, you know, my favorite. Water. Water. Wait, say it for real. Water. Water. You're not from Philly at all. Where are you from?

I don't know. Are you AI or something? I mean, you know, Jamie Vance probably says, I'm from India, right? That's like half the, you know. I saw that last night on Twitter. You know, they're like, the comments are like, what is Rokana?

Deport him. Who is he? What is a Rokana? That's, you know, like Twitter. You don't follow Twitter much. I saw it last night. Yeah. It's kind of good for us, you know that. What is a Rokana? You know, like Twitter. You don't follow Twitter much. I saw it last night. It's kind of good for us, you know that. What is?

Because it's been Jew, Jew, Jew this last year. Vivek ran a little interference for us. For you. For the Jews. Well, he had to realize that. Do you feel like, is Vivek's embarrassing for you like Netanyahu is for me? He was, look, I debated. Take shots, bro. I'm going to tell you, Is Vivek's embarrassing for you like Netanyahu is for me? He was, look I debated Vivek.

Take shots, bro. I'm gonna tell you, when you're an Indian American politician who's an immigrant, you probably don't want to insult people who've been born in America, white Americans. Like it's just dumb what he did. Like I just, I don't understand what he was thinking. Well the tweet was funny, bro.

It was dumb. No, no, was funny, bro. It was dumb. No, no, no. Come on, bro. He was basically like... He shouted out Steve Urkel. Did he shout out Steve Urkel? I forgot that part. The tweet was like, we used to have Bob Hope, Johnny Cash, Steve Jobs, Steve Urkel. You know what the funny thing is? Now we have no Hope, no Jobs, no Cash, and no... and Stefanoano Kelle, the sexy one.

I think I would ask if it was like, you know, you're upholding this Indian immigrant experience. Have you been to India? Because in India they're obsessed with Bollywood and cricket. It's not like they're all studying math. They've got movies and cricket. So it's this idea that- They're obsessed with Pakistan, too.

They are obsessed with Pakistan, unfortunately. Are you Hindu? I am Hindu. Yeah, yeah. I'm Hindu. What do you make of old Modi over there? Does it meet the press or something? Listen, I'm a guy who once pooped my pants on a podcast, okay?

I know who Modi is. I don't like his politics. I don't like it. I am, you know, I talked about Modi is. I don't like his politics. I don't like it. You know, I am, you know, I talk about my grandfather. I mean, he was part of India when it was founded with Gandhi and Nero. It was much more pluralistic. You know, you were Hindu, you were Jewish. Well, I'm South African, so old Gandhi spent a lot of time down in South Africa.

He did, he was urban. And that inspired Randela, some of his efforts there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so, but the point is now Modi, I I mean Modi's done some things fine for the country, but he's too aligned with a Hindu nationalism in India that I just don't think is the right approach. Guys, I want to talk to you about Draft King's casinos. Spring is in full bloom.

What does that make you think of? Casinos on your phone, right, Thomas? Guys, I want to talk to you about DraftKings Casino. Spring is in full bloom. What does that make you think of? Casinos on your phone, right Thomas? New offers and promos are sprouting up daily at DraftKings Casino. Right now, new players can play five bucks on anything and get 350 casino spins instantly on a featured slot game.

Guys, as you know, I'm from Las Vegas. People call me Mr. Las Vegas, and sometimes I miss home. And the way I revisit home is I look at pictures of my family and I play DraftKings simultaneously. Download the app and sign up with Code TAFS, take the featured slot for a spin, and explore thousands of others in the DraftKings game library.

Check back daily to claim the hottest offers and promos the DraftKings game library. Check back daily to claim the hottest offers and promos on DraftKings casino. The crown is yours. Now for the fine print. The gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777

or visit ccpg.org. Please play responsibly, 21 plus, physically present in Michigan, New Jersey. I'm illiterate, okay, let me try this again. Gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER in Connecticut, okay? Help is available for problem gambling. Call 887-898, fucking shit. Guys, here's the important part.

Gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccp.org. Please play responsibly. 21 plus physically present in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia only. Voiding Connecticut and Ontario. Eligibility restrictions apply. New customers only. Non-withdrawable casino spins valid for featured game only and ex... Non-withdrawable casino spins valid for featured game only and expired in 168 hours.

See terms at casino.draftkings.com slash promos. Ends June 22nd, June 22nd, 2025 at 11.59 p.m. Eastern Time. DraftK Kings, guys. Now back to the show. So you're an attorney, Chicago. And then you campaigned for Obama. And then you were appointed in 09 by Barack Obama.

I mean, I wasn't excited about campaign, well, he was running for the state senate and I knocked on a few doors for him back there. He was running against Allen Keyes, right? That was the Senate when I was a student. I was 96 He was running for the state senate and I knocked on a little boy of itches For a seat or something. Well, the Senate seat was This is what I worked on. He was running for the state Senate state legislature in 1996 How much interaction did you have with the former President Obama?

As an appointee and from Chicago? As an appointee, almost none, because I was like a deputy assistant secretary of commerce, which is like, you know, fine, but not like up there. Come on, don't shit on me. You're deputy assistant assistant of commerce. The longer your title in D.C., the less important you are. Were your parents like, I can't believe you're the only deputy assistant, what is it? Deputy assistant secretary of Commerce.

Sounds nice to me. Yeah, but then after I got to Congress, probably now a couple times a year. Couple times a year. Yeah. And what's his vibe? He's very cerebral. He's calm. Yeah.

He's got a sarcastic sense of humor. Really? And he's calm. Yeah. He's got a sarcastic sense of humor. Really? And he's relaxed. You know, he's not, you know, he's no longer in the whole zone. Okay, and I want to mention this. You were co-chair of Bernie's campaign in 2020, right? Yeah.

It seems like our former president, if you think about everything that's happened since he was president, it's been now the third presidential election since he's left office, that his influence on that primary was pretty much, it was that and now he's making Netflix. Well, I mean... Come on. Come on, come on bro. I didn't agree, I didn't, look I didn't agree, I don't know what his role was but certainly I didn't agree with people coordinating to drop out of the primary of a Buttigieg and Doris. So who was it?

I mean I don't know, it was Pelosi or who, I don't know who, there were there were certainly powers that be in the Democratic primary, DNC. You can't take the shot. Well, I... You're still with the boys. With Bernie? You're still in the world. To me... You blame him, you don't blame all the other things that happened, the DNC.

They basically cut deals, Biden's team, with these other candidates to get them out of the race. And they all dropped, they all endorsed. And how did that feel? Terrible. I mean, it felt like it was taken from us. They fucked us. They did. I mean, look, it never has happened that someone

in modern times wins these early states, New Hampshire, Iowa, Nevada, and loses. I mean, it's just usually it's like you're off to the races and I think Bernie would have won in 2020. I'm not sure to be honest whether he would have won as decisively as Biden but he would have won. Yeah he would have won Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan. Whether he would have won Georgia and Arizona it's an open question but he would have won and had he won we would have fought for a living wage, $15 wage. You know, Bernie and I called for firing the parliamentarian to get that wage increased.

We didn't get the wage increase. As you said, that felt terrible in 2020. You were the co-chair of this campaign. Yeah. It felt like collusion. You stayed in the government, right? I stayed in the party. I supported Biden.

You stayed in the party? Like, this feels like the most beaten down Americans have ever been. And most people feel like they don't... Most people don't like the fucking government. Sorry. That's right. Right? And like, so in a simple sense, why do you want to be in the government?

This is our real problem. No, but you as a guy, Ro. Well, I'm telling you, because the only solution to it is to get the government. No, this is our real problem. No, but you as a guy, bro. I'm telling you, because the only solution to it is to get the government to work. Because you've got massive, massive inequality in income. The countries that I grew up in, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, I grew up in the 80s, that my parents came through.

The sense that everyone is gonna have a real shot, that there's a dynamism. You know, I grew up on a street where you had HVAC technicians, electricians, nurses. How do we build that? And the only way to build that for everyone in every place is to have a government that works, that's good. And yet we've got this problem that you basically

have an economic aristocracy. You've got a bunch of people, many in my district, they think that they're entitled to rule. They think that they know better. They're the smartest. They're going to figure things out. All the wealth is piling up there. 12 trillion dollars in my district, Apple, Google, Nvidia, Tesla. And the only protection, the only way that we actually don't just let them dictate the rules and make all the wealth is to have an effective government. And yet you've got 70, 80 percent of Americans saying, we don't want government. And so how, this is the central problem. It's not like, what's our message or how do we transform the economic opportunity in place for an American when we can't convince Americans about government?

And there are a couple things I think, this is why I was so much for Bernie. Bernie was basically saying he was making the case for government in the best way that someone has since FDR. And he was saying that given this economic aristocracy where you have this wealth and power coming together in campaign finance, the only shot we have is a people-centered movement. But if you go to the 2020 campaign, they did kind of try to incorporate more of the, what's it called? Multiracial aspect, or yeah? Not that, what's it called?

What's the word? Intersectional. Intersectionality into his campaign. I think Bernie kind of got confused and lost inside of that. He was like, my name is Bernie Sanders. They, them, my pronoun, like, I'm a pansexual, of course. Jane and I are getting into pansexuality. I don't know what this means, but I've never listened to one song, but I, yeah.

You know, pretty good Bernie. What? You know, pretty good Bernie impression. Can you tell him that? I will tell him that, I will tell him that. I wanna know, I think this is an interesting question that you're never asked, but like, like you're in Congress, right?

Right. You have a cafeteria on Congress? We do, it's like the Longworth Cafe. What's your go-to in the cafeteria? I would get tacos. They got a good taco? They have decent tacos. You know where they have a good taco bowl?

Trump Tower, apparently. You go in there? Is there a poker night? I don't do poker night. I'm sure there are. You play basketball? I do, but not with people in Congress, no. Really?

No. With my family, when like, but I'll go out for, no. Really? No, I'm like with my family when like, or, but I'll go after a drink. You only play against Indians. I only play against Jews. Seriously, as a matter, the tenacity on display when it's an all Jewish basketball game, the skill level could not be lower, but the passion, I can't explain to you. Like Thanksgiving, it's a family tradition. They'll all go to like play basketball You've never hoop with Bernie. I have not hoped for money. I imagine it's just the sharpest elbows

I've heard he's pretty good the sharpest. He's pretty good. Actually, who are your boys? Jonathan Jackson you go you you go like the bar with him. Yeah, I mean we'll have a drink here Yeah, um, you have movie night ever Congress. These are stupid questions I don't know why these are in the car that they you know the movies they have is like Ronald Reagan You know Ronald ray. Oh, they made a movie right movie of Reagan. So though the movies they show that they showed that Oh, because the Republicans are in charge they get to pick the movies I mean, I I mean you could you could have any movie. So the Democratic, wait, so when Pelosi was speaker she got to choose like the bird cage and stuff.

And they pick what? Any memory if you could get the actor, director, I mean or sometimes they'll have these things where they'll bring them in for a movie showing. But the last one they did was Reagan. What's it like being in Congress? We do do stuff. What's your day? We go vote, you know, that's the basic first thing.

Yeah, but no one shows up. We watch C-SPAN, it's empty. Well, they don't show up when you're making speeches onto the... It's very rude. They don't show up, but they show up, the bells go off, it's kind of like school. You know, a lot of being in Congress

actually is just having a voice and speaking out. And so... That sounds like a bullshit. No, I mean, it doesn't mean... Like, you have to... You're surrounded by... Some of these people are the dregs of humanity, right? You know? In these marble halls.

You see a guy walking down the hall, you're like, Oh, that guy's been accused of, like, potentially sleeping with a minor. Like, how do you, like, function in you function in a world of scoundrels? You know what I mean? How do you like? I mean, the nation is a nation. No, no, no, come on. I mean, how do you function in that world and not like,

you're also a politician. You have to play a game, right? You have to make deals. You have to co-sponsor legislation. You have to find Republican partners. Well, there are two ways you can do it about it. You go out of being, okay, I'm not going to work with anyone who doesn't meet a certain moral threshold.

Yeah. That hasn't been my approach. My approach has been I want to go there and get stuff done for people of what and yes my bills and so I'll they were elected and I I will work to see how I can get them to support it I mean that's you know that's the the the reality is you don't get people who are pure or coming into these positions well yeah you yeah I'm not pure you're not pure come on how can you be pure? I mean, you got demons? You know, Bernie, Bernie may be the closest to being pure, but even Bernie's got, you know, but Bernie, but Bernie, you know, Bernie really has a very, very high standard that

he set. Guys, life's been getting pretty crazy lately. And one thing that helps me unwind is cornbread hemp CBD gummies. Have you been looking for a natural way to relieve aches and discomfort? The CBD gummies from cornbread hemp are formulated to work with your body, not against it. I'm not as young as I once was. I'm 38 actually.

It's pathetic to say out loud. I'm 38. I should... Anyway, I'm 38. Anyway, I'm not as young. So I care a lot about maintaining my physical and mental wellness. Cornbread Hemp CBD gummies are a huge piece of my wellness plan.

Have you ever tried everything under the sun for peace of mind? I have. It sounds like it's time for you to try Cornbread Hemp CBD gummies. So here's what I like about it. I like the taste, I like the flavor, but guys, mostly I like the feeling.

So, I recommend it to my friends. Thomas, I would recommend this to you. I'll just take them. Thanks. Thomas, I recommended it to Thomas, and now he takes it. Cornbread hems CBD gummies are made to make you feel better, whether it's stress, discomfort,

or just needing a little relaxation, you know? Formulated to help prevent discomfort, stress, and sleeplessness. All products are a third-party lab test in USDA Organic to ensure safety and purity right now. The Adam Friedland Show listeners can save 30% off their first order and enjoy free shipping on orders over $75.

Head to cornbreadhemp.com slash tafs and use tafs at checkout. That's cornbreadhemp.com slash tafs. Cornbread Hemp, this is the good life. Now back to the show. You're Democrat and you guys are just fucking getting your asses kicked right now. We did this election. It doesn't seem like there's a cohesive message

that's being employed against Trump right now. Well, I think the message, I agree with you, for two months or so there wasn't, but I think the message now is you can't just be Elon Musk and stop all payments to people who need it for Social Security and Medicare and childcare care, and that the Democrats are going to make sure that they don't cut all these benefits. How is it possible that someone that hasn't been vetted by Congress, someone that—I

mean, it's a new department of the executive branch. How is it possible that—it seems kind of like the executive power has just mushroomed at this point, right? Like how can Congress provide a check on that? Well, Congress can provide a check on it by insisting that they can't make any cuts unless they come to Congress and we can do that by not giving Trump a increase in the debt ceiling or not helping fund what he wants to fund but we've got to assert our power we've got to be willing to say that look we're not

going to vote for the funding you want or the debt ceiling increase. But what power do you guys have now that you're kind of out of power? Well they still need our votes for the debt ceiling because the Republicans never vote for increasing the debt ceiling. Yeah, yeah. And let's say he's cutting all these programs so that you know, saving money by like, I don't know, now we're gonna get screws in our cans of tuna and planes are gonna collide into each other. Is it just gonna take like a slapstick level like catastrophe,

like nuclear waste like pouring into streets into streets in order to stop this? Well, I hope not. I feel like they're going to fuck up so badly at some point. I certainly hope that it doesn't come to that. But I think what's going to trigger people also is if their benefits start to get cut. If they don't get a social security check, don't get a Medicaid check, don't get a check for their kids' education. Correct me if I'm wrong, but half the federal budget is military, right?

Has he indicated that they're willing to go in and actually... He has. In a tangible sense? No, not in a tangible sense. They got into all the Treasury stuff, they haven't gotten into the Pentagon stuff, but the point is that I told Elon that I would be willing to work with him on Pentagon Cutsch. You know, Bernie even said that, but that wasn't where he focused. He's focused on USAID, which is less than 0.1% of the entire

federal budget. The defense is 56%. What's your relationship like with with Mr. Musk? Not good these days, but it used to be cordial. Is it Mr. Musk or is he now the Grand Poobah of what is it? I don't know. I don't know his title. He's become the Tsar of...

When did you first meet this gentleman? 2010 or 2011 around that time. And you were at Burning Man with him? No. I was not at Burning Man with him? No, I was not at Burning Man with him. Yeah, yeah. I just sent him a copy of my first book. And what was the response? Whether he read it or not, nobody gave me a good blurb. He said, ah, this is good. We need more American manufacturing in America. You think he didn't read it? I mean, I don't know. He's a smart

guy. I mean, so he may have read it. Is he a smart guy? Who the fuck is this guy? He's a read it. I mean, I don't know. He's a smart guy. I mean, so he may have read it. He's a smart guy Guy he's a smart guy. I mean I I easy smart guy Yeah, like when once I had asked him. Hey, Elon, what do you think of nuclear energy? He said yeah, it's a great idea It's called the Sun. We should capture it. I mean, he's you know, he's quick on his feet That's smart you would have thought of it Yeah, what do you mean? Like solar? What do you mean? The connection with nuclear energy. Maybe. The sun has a lot of fire in it.

That's like a what? Neal deGrasse Tyson level. No, I mean, you're in an interesting position right now. That's one way of saying it. Because your district is Silicon Valley, right? You're in an interesting position right now. That's one way of saying it. Because your district is Silicon Valley, right? And there's been a realignment attack to the right. We saw that move. A move.

I mean there's still 70% Democrats, but it used to be 95% Democrats. So people feel they're hearing the 25%. The thing that drives me nuts about these people, and you're really not going to agree with me on this because about these people, and you're really not gonna agree with me on this because you can't, and you shouldn't agree with me, but these are some of the biggest dildos in American society. I mean like-

How do you define dildo? Hmm. They're people that understand, they're capable of understanding the flaws and inefficiencies and the ills of society. But they have the ego that says that only I, a genius philosopher king, am the one that's You love my speech. Make my speech go viral.

Everyone needs to listen to my FTO speech. I call it the aristocracy of talent, which is what they believe. I have a line in there saying that they even believe that they want to separate the distinction between man and God. They want to get rid of immortality, which is true. They're trying to make us immortal. I mean they really have this complex that they are entitled to rule. Let me Steve Bannon you, Ro. Let me see. I'll write jokes for you. That would be good. You can give your like, this is going to be your city on the hill speech. Silicon Valley are some of the biggest dildos in society.

OK. It seems to me as if most of those companies don't ever make any freaking money, right? It seems like there's all these VC like old guys. They get hoodwinked into giving like an app that makes no, like Theranos is a perfect example I don't know. So obviously was a fraud but but oh it was a I thought it was a great idea You know, I mean like do you does uber actually make money? I don't know if uber does they don't I think it's money

Is it money laundry for the Saudis? It'll pay the workers but in fairness. I mean, do you have an iPhone or a Samsung? Don't do this crap. Do you use Google? Oh, are you a socialist? So why do you have a cell phone? No, no, I'm not saying that. What are you, freaking Marjorie Taylor Greene?

I'm saying those things are actually used. You don't get Amazon packages. So it's not like they aren't. No, no, that's the one guy that makes sense. Bezos makes sense. People have phones. You know, they use the sense. Bezos makes sense. People have phones. They use the phones. Bezos makes sense.

People do Google searches. Apple makes money. Bezos, what? OK, any time I want any crap, I get it to my house tomorrow. He reinvented the supply chain. And what about Google searches? And he's also still a Miami guy. He got the muscles and stuff.

That makes it's a Bezos is like in a simple sense, it's like if you're in the Old West and there's a general store and then the Sears catalog comes, they're like it's going to destroy the general stores. I mean, that's what Amazon's technically done. Plus, your whole thing is on YouTube. You're a Google guy. Google makes money.

There's three companies that make money. No, we're talking about Apple, Google, Amazon, and now NVIDIA, because you need all the chips, right? Yeah, I know exactly what NVIDIA is. I know what that is. I love NVIDIAs. I watch them all the time. And then Microsoft, you need the stuff

to be somewhere in the servers. Windows 98, for it all to work. Incredible. No, no, but this is like what this freaking musk Is it just that he posts the lamest memes for the for reddit guys right and? basically pumped a stock price of a company that made four cars that explode constantly and the new one is just I'm not gonna get obviously he's your best friend. You don't have to talk shit about him. Well, he called me a, don't be a dick, so. He called you a dick?

Yes. You say, so say what he is. Use my line. Which is? Look at the camera. A dildo? Just say it. Say he's a dildo.

No, okay. He calls me a dick, I call him a dildo. I don't know if that's, you know, fully symmetrical or. You're not, you're a real human penis. This guy is a plastic. Okay, we're getting off. Do you think that the Democratic Party lost faith in the electorate by their constant assurance

that Joseph Robinette Biden's intellectual faculties, there was nothing wrong. Yeah, I think we, I think, yes. I mean, not that I think he was capable of still being president, but I think we had to acknowledge that there was a decline. When that debate happened, it was, I just felt so sad for America, right?

It was like the rest of the world was watching. It was, we were being so embarrassing. Getting to that point, right? It was like the rest of the world was watching and we were being so embarrassing. Getting to that point, right? Like as a party, like just indicates that there is what is the DNC and there's no one actually at the wheel right now. But like, if you think about it this way, in 2016, Ryan's Priebus lost control of the GOP, but there was still a power structure, right? The question is, what the hell is the DNC at this point? Well, it's a new guy now, Ken Martin. He was a Minnesota state party chair,

but he's not gonna define the party. The party's gonna be defined based on where the fight is for are we going to be a progressive party or not? Are we going to stand up for Medicare for all of you? We just saw Jamal Bowman like get executed for... Well that was terrible. But look I think that for your listeners and stuff because we are very very close to having like a progressive takeover of the Democratic Party. I mean Bernie was fighting uphill. He was fighting all of the establishment forces, and he still almost won.

And now we're, you know, five years later. What's the game plan there? The game plan is to make sure that we have, just like you had Bill Clinton, you have 20 years of these centrist, corporate Democrats to make sure you have 20 years of progressive Democrats. They have money.

Who? The centrists. The centrists have the money. The centrists have name ID. So how do you beat money? You need a progressive base energized and mobilized and just like they were with Bernie, but they're more off us now. But the next presidential election will be 2028.

That's eight years from when Bernie ran. That means there are a lot more people who can be part of the progressive base and Bernie is only gonna be 90s eight years old. I'm gonna say Bernie was ten years younger He'd be president in the United States in 2028. I've no doubt about it Yeah, because I think what about me you could and you've got the comedian thing going for you because people kind of want an outsider Maybe okay. I'll do VP Stephen A Smith president See we got to give me a student you gotta get him to be progressive.

The slogan is, that is preposterous. I like Stephen. There was a moment in 2016 where I knew Trump was for real, right? Where, I think, lying Ted or little Marco, do you remember how funny that show was? I mean, it was the best show, the Republican primary. Unreal, these people. And he was being so mean to all of them

Yeah, it was like she was just being like like look at this news or over here He told Jed that his dad killed killed Kennedy and did 9-eleven Okay He said lying Ted said Or little Mark. I love the nicknames. Do you have a nickname? Has he given you one? No, slow row or something. I love the nicknames do you have a nickname has he given you one no slow row or something I don't know I whatever whatever he said they said how can we how can we trust Donald when he gave money to Hillary Clinton and he and Trump goes yeah of course I did yeah I'm rich I give money to everyone. Yeah

Moment is like everyone here's how it works. It was a lot of where yeah, everyone knows that's true Yeah, but but no one's willing to say it. Yeah, right and he was that and even though he's a liar, right? It was a moment where we were like, oh this guy's actually saying the thing we know is all true Yeah, so I'm gonna give you an opportunity. OK. OK. This is like. How the fuck do you really think you can fix this? Legitimately, it seems so broken. I'll tell you why I do. For two reasons.

One, because Trump is going to break this thing so much, he's going to fuck up so bad. And it's going to be such a moment of crisis that something new can emerge. Honestly, if Harris had won, I think, you know, obviously I worked really hard to see that happen, but to have big progressive change would have probably been harder because it would just kind of have more status quo. Here we're really going, Trump's really breaking everything down and people are going to be desperate for something new. Now maybe that new will be like JD Vance's you know the we own the Libs politics I don't or it could be something progressive

and bold. I mean so it's gonna be a moment. The second reason is that Bernie Sanders did 90% of the work, you know, the movement he built in 2020 got to like the top of the mountaintop and then they cut his legs from him after South Carolina. So everyone's like forgotten how close he came and we're gonna be four to six, you know, six years later now in 2026. And so the movement is there to bring real change and they want, what the establishment wants is people listening to your show to think, ah, it's not possible, it's not, change can't happen. But if that movement exists, we're going to have for the next 20 years

progressives actually winning in the Democratic primary parties and change is possible. I just, in a very cold calculated way, it's different. And this is where we may disagree, I admire Obama, but Obama was running in 2008, it was before any of the progressive movement. He couldn't do a lot of the change. No politician can bring the change

if the movement and the people aren't there. The movement and people there are there. So now what we need is just a politician that's gonna be like, I'm not gonna fight the movement, I'm gonna try to do what the movement wants. But does the movement exist? Yeah, yeah, I mean it needs to be sparked. You know, the standard, the sense we're gonna have

as a party, I don't know what we're gonna go. The one way, and I don't wanna mention names, the one thing will be like, well, let's figure out how do we have like the younger, more charismatic Joe Biden lead us. You know, safe, someone who's gonna get not rattled, fend, rattle too many people, and maybe we'll go that way. And then we'll have the more of the same status quo,

but we won't be firing FBI agents, and we won't be stopping the Department of Education for funding things. It'll be better than Donald Trump, but people are still gonna be upset. And what I'm gonna say, remind people, is the establishment is one for four in the last national elections.

Hillary Clinton lost, Joe Biden won, then Joe Biden lost and Kamala Harris lost in 2024. Both had, it's one for four. That's not a great track record. And I wish, I honestly wish Bernie Sanders was 10 to 15 years younger, because I think it would be a no-brainer he'd be president. But given that that that's not the case we're

gonna have to build a build that movement again but it exists and you're gonna get Bernie on the show I'm gonna try I'm gonna try Good luck. Good luck. Okay, so the public safety, we can always keep Israel's safety in the forefront. I believe that the databases should also include Palestinians. They wear the scarves and they target Israel. So if they're going to have a gang database, I think that that should be included in the gang database. I think that...