The Chris Cuomo Project - Charles Barkley Says Trump Has Made America More Dangerous

Episode Date: October 1, 2026

For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial ⁠[phone]⁠ to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to ⁠http://askchapter.org/cuomo⁠ Paid Partnership If your business generates $25,000 in monthly revenue and needs fast access to working capital, Delta Capital Group can get you funded in as little as 48 hours. Visit ⁠https://dub.sh/delta-business-capital-chris-cuomo⁠ to apply now to see how much you qualify for. Charles Barkley (former NBA star and “Inside The NBA” analyst) joins Chris Cuomo for a candid conversation about Donald Trump, political division, and why he believes wealthy and powerful people benefit when ordinary Americans fight over race, immigration, and party politics. Barkley weighs in on the midterms, ICE and immigration, the Democratic Party’s problems, rising costs and health care, and why he refuses to blindly defend either political side. Join The Chris Cuomo Project on YouTube for ad-free episodes, early releases, exclusive access to Chris, and more: https://www.youtube.com/@chriscuomo/join Follow and subscribe to The Chris Cuomo Project on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday: https://linktr.ee/cuomoproject Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who do we have who doesn't have to pick aside but can be righteous? Because it's not coming from a position of weakness. It's coming from a position of strength. Oh, I know. I know who it is. Or I know one person. And maybe he's the best known person who's able to do this. I'm Chris Cuomo.

Welcome to the Chris Cuomo Project. You know who that man is? Charles Barkley. Charles Barkley has cultural cachet almost unlike any other person. He's not just an athlete. I mean, he's been out of the game for, what, 30 years? But people listen to what he has to say. He had a show on CNN.

I didn't like the way they handled that, but I liked that he had that platform. I didn't think he needed Gail King. I like Gail. They're friends. I get it. I get why he wanted to do it. But I think he is one of the most honest brokers who knows how to connect. Because, look, he's a huge star.

He's had wild success. But he still thinks like a regular person. And he understands. And he doesn't just have empathy. He has compassion. And he has evolved and grown. I've watched it. I mean, he was a grown-ass man when I first met him,

but he has a care for constituency, not because he wants to run for office, because he doesn't want to run away from his responsibilities of being a citizen. He cares about people. He was clear-eyed about Trump, gave him a fair shake when he first won, and has been pounding on him

with righteous indignation ever since when warranted. And he sees concerns about where the Democrats are headed, and what happens next and what we really need to be about. And nobody says it the way Charles Barkley does. So here he is. Are you skinny or you just got big glasses? I'm skinny. Hey, you know, Chris, I had to make a change, to be honest with you up.

I gained like 100 pounds when I got my new hips. And my doctor's like, yo, man, ain't no fat old people. You got to get your crap together. So I started doing this drill called Zephbound, and I've lost 75 pounds. And I feel better than I have in a long time. Because, like I said, when you get these new body parts, you pretty much can't do anything.

And I got two summers in a row where I got the hips, which, number one, I tell anybody out there, if you got bad hips, man, get them hips. Because that's a game changer. But the main thing, I've been doing this drill called Zepbound. I'm losing money on the deal, though, Chris, because apparently I give all my friends free three months

and I got 22 of my friends on the drug. The girl told me, she said, you got a lot of fat friends, as I can tell because I see my paycheck shrinking. I like, damn, I got a lot of bad ass friends apparently. I got 22 people that I'm paying for three months apiece. So this is the first commercial I've actually lost money doing. Well, look,

It's to the right cause, though, because you look great. You got so much left in you. My only beef with you, why do you have to retire? I feel like you've never been better. You've never been more clear-eyed about your social issues and commentaries. You've never been better. Do you think you've ever been better since you left the game at communicating what matters to you on television? No, because, you know,

when you're young, you're dumb and young and dumb and stupid and you get older. And this political climate we live in, Chris, is just like, what are we doing here? What exactly are we doing? Like, and I feel like that doesn't mean I'm right, but I got like, I know what we're doing is not working. This is not the way the world should be working. Like, we're all of this thing together. We shouldn't be combative. Like, I want you to have good health care, Chris.

I want you to want me to have good health care. I want you to be able to pay your bills. Like, I want you to be in safe neighborhoods. It's not a contest. I got to have what I want, and you can't have what you want. I'm like, no, man, we're all of this thing together. But I think I'm very realistic. I'll be 64 years old.

And you're like, it's starting to get real for me right now, to be honest with you. I'm like, I'm closer to the end. Like I say, like I say, I always use golf analogies. Like, I'm on the back nine. I'm not even, I tell people like, I hope I'm on 12 or 13, but you never know. You could be on 18. So I think the main thing is I'm like, you know what? Enjoy the rest of your life, chilling out.

Don't be on TV. Don't have to travel all the time. Because I think the people are talking, this is my second job. This ain't my job. Like somebody like yourself, you are a journalist. Like, this is your job, your life. I was like, I've already had one life. So, and now.

I've been doing this almost 30 years. That is crazy to think about. I'm like, man, I'm coming up on like 27 years, almost 30 years. So that's the only thing I think about. Like, you know what, man, you're closer to the end. Do you want to travel all the time or do you just want to like, no, I don't want to travel? I mean, because I have to travel every week. Well, okay. I get you about the hoop show, even though I do love it. It really does transcend the game. The people, the perspective, the greatness, the bond with E.J., who I think is a very special guy in the limited contact I've had with him. So I get it. You don't want to run your ass all around. However, there's another part of the equation.

of your journey that you're describing, which is purpose. Yeah. And you know these are important times. So I'm not saying you got to run your ass around every basketball game they want you to go to. But you can't just step away for, well, you can do whatever you want, but you step away from public life. You may be doing that when you need to be making your witness most in the lifetime of Charles Barkley.

Yeah. You know, I still want to be relevant in that aspect. It's because, like, this is, you can't even make this stuff up. Like, you're like, what in the world is going on here? I tell people, I says, this is the greatest country in the world. And we're like, I don't understand why we, the people, like, it's we the people. And we've led people who are in position of power. And I said, you know, and what they do a really good job of saying, like,

let's make it about white or black, immigrants, Hispanics. I says, yo, man, it's really rich people making poor people fight with each other. I says, the best way to make people fight and argue, like, talk about race, I talk about immigrants because people need a reason I say this all the time people need a reason why they life suck

nobody ever wants to look in the mirror and says my life suck because of my choices and my work ethic it's like yeah it's somebody else's fault where I'm not successful politicians have figured out

like yeah let's just let them fight because we got all the money we live in great neighborhoods our kids go to good schools and the people who really need economic opportunity, who are in bad neighborhoods, like they don't live around us.

So they just make us fight with each other. If we could, we're smart enough to say, but we're all in the same boat. We're all in the same boat. But they do a really good job of making us fight with each other. And that's the thing that drives me crazy more than anything, Chris, to be honest with you. I'm like,

y'all ain't smart enough to know that we're all in the same boat. Because a lot of these people think they're on the team. I says, yeah, you're kind of on the team, but you're not really in the game. Like, they want, they're like, well, if you vote this way, I'm going to make your life better. Well, not quite. Like, yeah, you're on that team, but you're never really got to get in the game, So you need to figure out a wait. Right now, I mean, you know, growing up Alabama, understanding the history of race and place in this country through that lens,

do you think that this period is as dangerous or less dangerous or more dangerous than any period in your lifetime? That's a great question. I think it's gotten more dangerous because when you make people pick a team, they're going to pick their own team instead of worried about Damasus. We become more selfish like I don't care about other people.

I just want to take care of myself and my family. I'm not worried about my neighbors. I'm going to worry about my friends. I don't care about anybody over there. I'm like, I never want to live my life like that. Like, no, I want everybody to have good health care. Like, I want you to have economic opportunity. I'm not worried just about myself.

Like, no, no, no, no. I never want to live my life where I'm like, like, you know what, I'm good. I ain't worried about what other people think. Like, I'm good. No, like, no, man. And these Democrats suck and these Republicans suck because they're not living in the world that we're living in.

Like, they don't have any problem paying their bills. Like, some of this stuff is so silly, Chris. I'm like, wait a minute. You should not be able to profit. when you're a politician. Like, I don't care if you're a Republican or a Democrat. You should not be able to

profit when you're in politics. Like, I don't care. Like, that makes zero sense to me whatsoever. Like, are we really sitting here arguing about this? You should not be able to profit

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Do you believe the president who, you know, I've been along for the whole ride with you, Charles, and I thought you had a very mature approach early on to Trump, which was, you know, a little bit of this guy's a joke, but also, listen, once he won, you were surprised as anybody, but he got to give him a chance. But since then, you've been a pretty fair broker. Did you ever think, because I didn't, I'll be honest, even though I've known him my whole life, I did not think he was capable of what I'm seeing in the country right now. I didn't think he would just jump into a war. I didn't think that he'd do what they're doing with ICE. I didn't think that he'd be so reckless with his policies where the economy is involved. I didn't think he had this in him.

But obviously, I was wrong. You know, it's interesting you phrase that. I know Michael Strehend, and we've had some conversation. I'd always met Trump. We just happened to be in the same places in New York. And he was always cool and cordial. And straight-hand said, me too. Because, like, you know, I guess when you're in New York,

and he would always ask me about basketball. He said, oh, me and Melania, watch the show all the time. So that was probably 10 years before he became president. So I'm like, okay, maybe he's going to run the country like a business and it might be successful. Let's give him a chance. And then he didn't. And then it seemed like,

It seemed like he became this bitter guy. And the second term, I was like, okay, maybe because he lost, then, okay, maybe he'll, like, try to do some good stuff. And it seemed like to me he became more bitter and angry. And the thing that bothers me the most is like, yo, man, it's the United States of America. You're supposed to take care of everybody. Like, even if they didn't vote for you, like, hey, how can we lower health costs?

How can we get rid of crime and things like that? How can we lower gas prices? But, like, you're getting mad at Jimmy Kimmel? Come on, man. You're getting mad at Stephen Colbert. Like, the thin skin is like, you're, man, you're the president. He's getting them off TV. He's not just getting mad at him.

He's getting him off TV. I mean, I've never seen anybody have that effect before. Never. Like, you can't, like, are you really worried about Kimmel? Like, you're worried about that. You got to tweet every time he makes a joke about you. You're getting rid of him. You're trying to get, you got rid of Colbert.

Like, no, your job is to take care of the people. There's 70 million, whatever number, voted for you, if someone voted against you, okay, you won, but I want to help. One guy, so there's some guys I like. I like James Telerico. I like Josh Shapiro. I like Governor Westmore, and I like Governor Bashir of Kentucky. Who's your favorite of those?

Shapiro. But I worry about the anti-Semitism going on in this country right now. See, and I think that's one of the worst things about, Trump, he's made it popular to be racist. Like, there's no consequences for being a racist now. It's like a lot of people are wearing it with a badge of courage. Like, he never denounces it. Like, no, he should denounce it.

But he's made it more acceptable to be racist. But I love Shapiro and I love Westmore and Bashir. I love them all. Talarico, man, he is so good. He says something so powerful to me. And you kind of picket back some of the things we're talking about. He was asked a question about turning Texas red. He says, I'm not trying to turn Texas red.

I want everybody in Texas to do well. I'm like, see, he's so like, like I say, you want to take care of everybody. But this guy, the way he insults the press, the way he insults the press. Women. Women. Can you imagine if you said, hey, piggy, wait a second.

Imagine if you said that to a male reporter, let alone a female one, you'd be using 90% of the words in your vocabulary trying to find the right apology. Can you imagine President Obama said that to, a white woman called her. He couldn't even wear a beige suit.

Yeah, I know. If President Obama called a white woman Miss Piggy, America would be up in arm to be like, can you believe

this dude said that to that? So what is that? So why does he keep getting away with it? Why does he keep being able to do things we've never seen before

corruption, statements, behavior? Why? I think that people are learning now that rich people really don't care about America. They care about money, first and foremost. Like, he's got all the billionaires, like, they're good because they're making so much money.

Like, I think that's the main thing. But the one thing that makes me sad, Chris, I got to be honest with you, these people out here now, to figure, to answer to your question, question, you used to have to be quiet when you were racist. You don't have to be quiet anymore. I think that's why he can get, he's gotten away with more. Like, people who are racist, they feel confident and comfortable being racist. And there wasn't time you used to have to be able to hide it. They were always racist, but they used to be able to hide it. But he's made it comfortable, and that's why he's able to get away with a lot more.

A lot more. Because I had never seen a president whether I agree or disagree with them that's been more like, no, you shouldn't act like that. You're the president. Like, there's a decency and a dignity that you should have, like, the Bushes. I never met the younger Bush, but I met the older Bush. Like, they, even if I didn't agree with all their policies, they carried themselves in a way like, even with President Obama, he carried itself a way like, I'm the president. of the United States, I've got to carry myself like that.

I truly believe when you owe, because I have respect for the office. Like, I get mad at teens that don't visit the White House. You can't have that. Like, I've been critical of teams saying, no, you go to the White House because it's the president of the new United States. You don't go because he's a Democrat. or a Republican. I've been very critical

of sports teams in that aspect up. If he invited the show to come and be at the White House and have dinner with him, would you go? I can't go down. I can't go down

because people who, my base, my base won't accept that now. Since when do you give a shit what somebody else says about what you do? Because the people who made me who I am, I always, like, the number, like, when I look at my charity aspect of my life, Chris, because I tell people, teachers, firemen, policemen, nurses, and people in the armed services, those are the people I admire and respect the most. They got, like, real job, they're real important.

I dribbled a stupid basketball. I have those people will never get the respect that they deserve or the money they deserve. I've got more respect and more money than I've ever deserved in my life. I'm never, I always want to pay homage to the people who are honorable people. I do. I always talk about teachers and nurses and people who in the arms are because I admire them. I respect them. So you think if you went to dinner with Trump or you went and had a meeting with him, you think you'd be disrespecting the people you care about?

Yes, because he disrespect them. Because he disrespect them. Like some of this stuff where he's getting rid of, I'm not one of those black people who hangs on to slavery. Like, I don't blame white America for every ills of the black community. I don't do that. I'm not going to play the victim card. I think too many black people play the victim card. But because of slavery and racism.

No, sometimes your choices matter. Your choices do matter. But I always want people to know, like, no, I'm with you guys. I want allies, Chris. I don't want to alienate anybody. I want allies. I want to help poor people. Because that goes back to part of my earlier conversation.

I understand racism exists, always has, and unfortunately, unfortunately always will. But what America has become is rich people against poor people. I want to help as many poor people as I possibly can. And I want that to always be my base. Now, I want to make one thing clear. I've said this, because I've seen other people get in trouble for this. if I happen to be at a function with the president, I'm not going to disrespect him.

I want to make it clear I'm not a fan of his, but I'm never going to disrespect the president of the United States. If I went somewhere, if I was at a sporting event and he was there, I would shake his hand because he's the president of the United States. Whether I agree with him or disagree, I'm never going to respect. It's the same. I tell people, I would be so mad if somebody disrespected President Obama

just because they didn't like the fact that he's a Democrat. I'm never going to disrespect the President of the United States. I'm not a fan. I don't like the way he acts. He don't carry himself with dignity and respect of the office.

But I would never disrespect him if I bumped into him. Want to understand Medicare real quick? Ask one question. Who benefits? You know, most of those TV ads and the mailers that you see, that's all steering you towards a particular plan. That may not be the best plan for you. It's the plan somebody has an interest in choosing for you, right? This isn't paranoia. The Justice Department recently went after major brokers were claiming to be unbiased while steering seniors toward the plans that paid them the most. Chapter flips that. Okay? They are

independent. They compare every plan across the market against your doctors, your prescriptions, your budget, and they advocate for you, not big insurance. If you're already on the right plan, they'll tell you. If you're not, they'll help you switch if you want to. People who switched plans with chapters help saved an average of $1,100 a year on health care costs. It's a free call, about 20 minutes, no pressure to change anything if you don't want to. 628-28-0-979. 6-6-28-2-8-2-8-7-9. 6-8-2. 287-0-9-79. Just to ask who benefits. With chapter, the answer is you. What if the, well, so look, I don't, I don't disagree with what you're saying, by the way. But because of your, your connection to your base, which, by the way, is part of your evolution. I remember first time I met you, you were not worried about your base, but I think it's a good maturity. And I think it shows about how much you care about the people around you. It's just one of the reasons that I love you. But, They say, your friends say, your base says, Charles, the guy's a racist. You know he's racist.

You're going to go shake his hand because he's president when you know he's racist? If we happen to be, like, I'm not going out of my way to hang out with him. I make that clear. But if we happen to be, I've seen, if we bump each other at a sporting event, I'm not going to disrespect the office of the president. He's the president of the United States. He's the president of my country. I'm not a fan.

I make that clear. But he's the president of my country. So whether I agree, like I say, as he was interesting about your question and great about your question, let's just say hypothetically as a black person. If somebody disrespected President Obama, I'd probably blow a gasket. I'd probably blow a gas I'm like, you know man, he's the president of the United States. Whether you like him or not is irrelevant.

He's the president of the United States. Like I say, I'm not going to go out of my way. You know, but I'm just going to shake his hand and that's it. But I'm not going to start cursing at the guy and doing like, no, he's the president of the United States. If nobody else could hear, it's a private audience, and he says, Charles, how do you think I'm doing? What would you say to you?

I would say, Mr. President, you're the president of the United States. You have to be better than all of us. You represent the United States of America. You disrespect women. You're tweeting at game show, excuse me, late night TV shows. We got people who are dying all the time because they can't get. good health care. Prices are through the roof.

People can't afford to eat. We got a war going on where innocent people are going to get killed on both sides. Like, why are you worried about Jimmy Kimman

and Stephen Colbert? What? So CNN only has to say positive things about you or MSNBC now or political. Like,

I don't understand. You have to be better, Chris. He has to be better than the riff route. Like, you are, let's keep it real. You're the most powerful person in the world. You have to carry yourself a certain way. And like I say, we can disagree. I have no problem to disagree with people.

But I think that office, that's the most powerful person in the world. You think he has it in him? No. Because you can see now in his second time, he does not care. He can't run again at all. And the amount of money you see him and his family making,

that's crazy. Like, if people don't think that's wrong, like, wait a minute, they're making this and this and this. And then it's so funny, I've been critical of CNN because they have ruined late night television because all they do is bring on two Democrats and two Republicans and they order for an hour. And I'm like, what are we doing here? Like, they're going to. That's their highest rated show, though.

Now, the roundtable with Scott Jennings. I think that's their highest rated show. Yeah, but you can't have people. Certainly gets the most buzz. Yeah, but you can't have a political show where people automatically are going to agree with their party all the time. Chris, you, you, listen, you can't, listen, I'm an independent who's voted Democratic most of the time. You think that I'm going to get on TV and kill my credibility and say every Democratic. Like some of these people out here talking about no ice.

no prison. Use the words like socialism. Like, no, I don't believe in that. Wait, wait, no cops? I think that's some of the stupid shit I've ever heard. Well, what are we going to do without cops? What are we going to do without prisons? Like, I've seen some of these politicians,

I'm like, this is the stupidest shit ever. And a lot of, most of them, well, let me take part. All of them have been Democrats. I think that's some of the stupidest shit. shit I ever heard. Now, ICE has to do a much better job, much better job. We need a, we need a, like, we can't just let people come across the border. We can't do that. But ICE has to do a better job. We need immigrants in this country. There's some of the most amazing, hardworking people in the world, but we need to get rid of the crooked immigrants. I don't even understand,

we need, you need to have ID when you go vote. Like some of this stuff like, wait, Democrats say it like, no, when you go vote, you need ID. And ICE, I do not agree a lot with ICE. Some of these people who are hardworking immigrants, they are amazing people, and they need to be left the hell alone. Now, if they're crooks and everything, get rid of their ass. But I'm not going to disagree with my party on everything. Nobody should do that. And that's the problem I have with CNN.

They're going to have two Democrats and two Republicans on TV every night, and they're going to stick to their party. And to me, that makes zero sense whatsoever. That's what the audience wants right now. They're in an aggressive mode. You know, the change we've seen on the left is they're more like what beat them, which is no more Mr. Nice, no more what Michelle Obama said. They go low. We go high. No.

We, you know, you see. If nobody wins in that scenario, we all... But they're angry. They're angry, man. They're angry about what's going on. And they got reason to be angry. I mean, this stuff with ICE, I had an old timer say to me, I haven't seen this since the 50s with the riots in the South.

And I was like, what do you mean? And he's like, they told us the same thing then. These people aren't protesting. They're coming out. They have a right to protest. They're messing with the cops. And the cops are having to defend them. himself when they were turning the fire hose on all those people fighting for black suffrage.

And he says, they told us the same thing then. It really, it really chilled me, man. And I have had a heart on about the ice stuff from jump because there's something insulting about it to me as a second generation person. You know what I mean? It's not just a political hypocrisy. It's not just that you're not about law and order when you're shooting American citizens. You're not telling us what happened. But it's something like, these are the people who are bad to my father. These are the people who told my father he was less than. And so like I say, and that's the thing,

that's the thing we need to have honest conversation about. But that's how guys win elections. The reason your life sucks is because of the immigrants. Your life sucked because of Hispanics. Your life sucked because of blacks. That's right out of the playbook. You know, we heard. We heard more DEI during the election.

Like, wait a minute, your life don't suck because we hired a couple of black people. Please stop that. Come on, stop that. Well, your life sucked because of immigrants. Like, no, that's not true. But that's how you win elections now. Blaming somebody else because nobody want to look in the mirror and say, my life sucks because of my choices and my work ethic.

And listen, I think there is a place for ICE. I don't like half the stuff they're doing right now because we know who the crooks are. You know, we know who, like arresting innocent citizens and things like that, killing innocent people, nobody wants that. I'm pretty sure most Republicans don't want that. I mean, okay, if you're a crook, you got to go.

But we know if you're a crook or not. We shouldn't even be having this argument, to be honest with you, Chris. Like, come on, man. We know who the crooks are. We know who the great American hardworking immigrants are, lead them to hell alone. They're going to flood resources into the sanctuary cities right before the election. And I am very concerned about this because sanctuary cities tend to be big metropolitan areas,

which means they're going to have significant minority populations. And they are particularly sensitive to ice overreach. And it's like they're setting up for a fight. right before the midterms, I just don't understand why the president thinks this is going to be good for him. I guess he thinks it'll rally his base, but does he really believe

that there are a lot of MAGA people who will be okay with watching people in uniform, beat the shit out of citizens who are angry about them? I don't know what he's thinking. What's his other play, Chris? You can't go back on the economy. Because these people out here can't afford gas, They can't afford their meals.

Like, you can't say, hey, we got a war going on. I don't know what's going in. So that's their only playbook. Race and immigration subjects, that's their only playbook to win elections now. You know, they had this thing going last election. We're going to lower your prices. Biden's not going to lower your prices. Gas and groceries.

Gas and groceries. They beat me over the head. beat me over the head with it for months. And now, Gustav is twice as much as it used to be. That's their only other choice. Look at what this is, I tell you one of the finest things about their playbook. Every time there's a killing and it's an illegal immigrant, they make sure that they put the word illegal immigrant in the title.

But when it's a regular person, they don't like just gloss over it. But, like, I just sit back and I say, see, people are going to fall for the trick again. They, anytime an illegal immigrant commits a crime, they make sure they started illegal immigrant. But when a regular person commits a crime, it's like, yeah, let's just gloss over that. That lets you know what they're trying to do. But that's right out of the playbook. You can't say, man, I got the gas prices down. I got groceries down.

because they ain't never got him down. Well, it turned out, one, he doesn't understand the economy, okay? One of the things that I learned covering him was I forgot what it meant to Americans that they knew him as a TV celebrity. And they believed certain things about him, his wealth, and his acumen that I knew were not true. But he was on TV, and the character is compelling. and nobody ever accused him of being an economist. Nobody ever accused him of these things.

So the idea that he knows what to do with the economy, that was always smoking mirrors anyway. But he came in the second week. I remember Bill O'Reilly on my show, gas and groceries, gas and groceries, gas and groceries. So he wins, starts messing with the tariffs. Yeah. And prices start going a wrong way, inflation, all this stuff.

well, it's very hard to lower prices of gas and groceries. That's all of a sudden what they started saying. Oh, now it's hard. And there's an ability to get away with things that I understand your explanation, and I definitely think that there is an aspect of that within the base. But there seems to be such a desperation that people are just so desperate for the system to be forced to change. Yeah. That they're okay with anything and their change agent.

You know, like once they believe you're their boy, they don't really care what comes along with it. On the right, they used to. Now on the left, they still do. They'll cut you down if they don't like something about you, maybe too much, right? I mean, you know, but that's the interesting dynamic to me about the midterms is that what is going to matter to people. If it's about affordability, I don't know how the Democrats don't win. Well, but hold on for a second. You've got a couple of things working here.

The Democratic Party is just coming out of here. just saying stupid shit, though. When you use words like socialism, that's a red flag. When you talk about, I want to get rid of ice, I want to defund the police, when you say things like that, like, that asses feed into the right. Yeah, but I think they got that message because even AOC said in an interview recently, Woke One, she called it, Woke One, was good. crazy, she said. And they're trying to evolve, you know? I mean, fringe movements get the most

populist energy, but they usually have some extreme ideas attached to them. But how about just coming up with some good fucking ideas? Like, I can't but remember the last time, and first of all, we need to cut all the bullshit out. We need some grown folks in a Democratic Party, okay? Like, we got to find candidates that are like grown folks. Like, we got to. We got to find candidates. Like, we got Not enough show ponies. We've only had show ponies the last few elections. We need some people with some good ideas. I mean, like, come on, man.

Come up with some good ideas. That's all people. People want something to believe in. They really do. Like, okay, your police, we need police, okay. We just got to hold them accountable when they screw up. We need them. okay, ice.

We're going to hold ice accountable if they screw up. But their number one job is to get rid of the bad immigrants. We have enough resources and common sense to know who the bad ones are. Like in Arizona where I live, they raided

a sports bar. It really pissed me off, Chris. The sports bar is called Zips. Because I live in Arizona. We got a lot of amazing hardworking immigrants out there. I'm always support them. I said, well, let me ask you all a question. Y'all rated a sports bar.

I'm pretty sure. I'm going on a limb here. El Chapo is not flipping burgers in his spare time. Like, y'all rated, they're rating, seriously. And it pissed me off so bad. I'm pretty sure if an immigrant is working out of sports bar flipping burgers or a bar, or a bar attending and things like that. Why in the world

are y'all reading a sports bar? Now, if these people out here committing crimes, let's get them. But I'm pretty sure El Chapo, a world-renowned drug dealer, is not flipping burgers at Zip's Sport Bar. And like,

you're watching this on TV, like, this is ridiculous, ice. This is ridiculous. Look, I think that you have in a regular show where you're talking about these things, It may be rejuvenating for you and refreshing for you and give you a real sense of purpose. I liked the King Barkley show,

even though you rudely took my slot at CNN where that so much as a mention, you just walked right in and said, man, if Cuomo could do it here, let me show you how it's done. Call yourself the king, but I gotta tell you, I like the show. Well, the reason I liked the show,

we were different from anything on CNN, I try to support CNN because they're part of our family. But the reason, me and gal, like, whether we agree or disagree, I'm never going to do the hot take thing. If I think a Democrat's full of shit, I'm going to call him on it. If I think a Republican's full of shit, I'm going to call him on it. I get a story. So my old coach, this is when I realized all the guys on.

TV are full of shit, Chris. So we're playing the Phoenix signs. We're playing the Bulls for the championship back in the day. My coach brings Rush Limbaugh on the plane

for the playoffs. The brothers wasn't having it. So they called me to the back of the planes since, Chuck. We're not having that motherfucker. on the plane, you're the leader of us. Go talk to the coach now.

And I said, guys, the coach is a grown man. He can have anybody on the plane he wants to. I says, I'm not a big fan, but that's the coach's guy. I'm not going to get him thrown off the plane. I'm not if I could anyway. He says, well, go tell him what we feel in. I said, you know what? Deal.

So I go up there, I pull the coach aside, I pull a rush aside. I said, Rush, you're welcome to be on our plane, but I want you to know the brothers are not happening with some of the things you said on your TV show and the radio show. I told those guys, you were a friend of the coach, you're welcome to be on the plane because we don't get the police who's on the plane and who you coach hangs out with. He says, Charles, I appreciate you bringing this to me. And he said something, Chris, when I realized that most of the people are on full of television, he says,

Charles, we're all playing characters on radio and TV. I don't believe half the shit that I say, I make a great living, represent one of these parties. And he says, the thing that. you all are going to have to learn. Now it's a full raging inferno. It used to be bad. Now it's like every character on television is playing a character,

representing a party, and they're making a lot of money dividing and conquering the people. And it's just really sad. It is the most frustrating professional challenge for me is I've never been a teen guy when it comes to politics. I was raised in a Democrat family, but most of what my father was about isn't really what the party's focused on right now anyway. I still think the best parts of the Democratic Party are still in sync with where my father was. But you are telling the truth to people right now. Most of the people, I can't tell you how many people have come after me.

And it's not that when I see them in person, they don't say the same thing because they're afraid of what I'm going to do to them. That's not what it is. It's an act. They are playing it up. And, you know, whenever people meet me, they're always like, oh, you seem like the same guy as I am the same guy. I just don't curse as much on TV as I do off TV. but I got to tell you, it's not a good business plan. It's not a good business plan.

If you don't have a side right now in political media coverage, you're screwed. You're a dead man. And that's why I keep joking with Trump's guys and him. Don't go after Caitlin Collins on CNN. Go after me. I'm much worse. Say I'm the worst.

Say I should lose my job because it gives you a huge boost when he comes after you. It's like a proxy for me having a side. But that's the world we live. man. If you want to make money in political media, you've got to pick a team. You've got to pick a team. And that's what's really sad and unfortunate. One of the reason, you know how much love and respect I have for you. One reason I want to come on here. Like, I know you're going to be a straight shooter. Like, I ain't, like, if a Democrat's full of it,

like, I'm going to tell him. We got, listen, I ain't worried about it. Kamala Harris is a nice lady. She can't be president. We got to come up with a real candidate. or we're going to lose again. Like, I don't know who they're going to run, whether it's Marco Rubio, whether it's Jada or whoever. But, like, we, I told you, I love Tala Rico. I don't think he can be president. I think he's going to win in Texas.

But Shapiro, I love Shapiro. But anti-Semitism is on full effect right now. And then, Wes, who I love, black, he's on the attack Andy Bashir, I love Bashir, he just don't have a national father but at least I know

one of those four guys, those three guys, excuse me, it's a grown person and, you know, they talk about Gavin Newson. I'm like, Gavin Newsom is not going to be president of the United States. They talk about AOC. She's not going to be president of the United States. We need a grown person

in the room. Whether Shapiro, Westmore, or Andy Bashir, because, man, it's going to be a long two years. It's going to be a long two years here. And then you got to play catch up. And you know, Chris, the one thing you can never do is catch up. I tell people, I say, yo, man, some of this stuff that's happening now, it's going to be hard to catch up.

And if we don't come up with a serious candidate, I mean, a serious candidate. It's going to be like, because the one advantage the Republican Party has, the one advantage, people going to always protect their money. People go always protect their money. They don't care about social issues.

They're going to protect their money. That is the one advantage Republicans always have. They're like, yeah, I, that's a social issue. That's a social issue. How can I keep the most of my money? That's always an advantage they're going to have, plain and simple. Yeah, I think that's true. I think, and I think that there is an illusion that their policies are better for that on anything other than more of than a surface level, but that's politics and that's making the fight. So would you be open to doing more commentary? Not traveling around the country as much. I get it.

I get that, you know, you want to take care of yourself. I was joking with Charles when we started. I said, you lost so much weight. You got them big glasses on. I thought he was Don Lemon. I said, you know, it looked so good. You look like Don Lemon. You know, you went to CNN.

It was supposed to be a limited series. I didn't like the way they handled you there, but that's my personal opinion. But would you be open to doing a show like that? I would be open to it. If you could do it from home. Yeah, but see, my thing is I'm not going to go on television and be like, I stick for the Democratic side.

They're going to bring somebody on to disagree with me from the Republican side. Man, I tell people, I want everybody to do well. Like, okay, we got a Democrat in there. I don't want nothing bad. I want Republican people to have. health care and everything too. Like, and I do think that most people are in the middle. Go back to what you just said.

You can't, television won't let you be in the middle. You got to pick a dog in the fight and go with it all in. The problem is the dogs in the fight, they're getting paid by one of these parties, and they really like, do they really have a dog in the fight? If you're just going to fight for your dog and get paid, are you going to fight for the other dog and get paid? Are you really fighting?

I mean, look, look at this shift we've seen with people who hated Trump, literally said personal things about him, who now defend them all the time because they're getting paid. Like, you know, the guy over on CNN, Scott Jennings, he used to sit next to me and say the worst things about Donald Trump had nothing to do with his policies all about him as a person. Because everybody protects your money, Chris, at all cost. Ah, the noise.

But where is the signal? That's why I'm partnering with Polly Market. They are motivating one of the most powerful mottos in politics. Put your money where your mouth is. I think it's so much better an indicator of preference in a particular race or a particular dynamic, not just what people say in a poll and maybe they're playing with. with the truth. Maybe they're playing with identity. On Polymarket, they're playing with their own money. And I think it's just a much bigger and serious investment of opinion. So what Polymarket is doing

is giving us a better way to see where minds are in the moment based on the money. Okay. And they're worse things than not just being right, but getting some cash in your pocket as a result. And now for the midterms, Polymarket is putting everything in one place, which is very cool, meaning what, everything? They are putting in a hub all of the predictions, all of the analysis, all of the different races and all of the different referenda, and all of the different betting propositions, all in one place, okay? Specific states, candidates, policies, races. So you don't have to jump around anywhere for the midterms. It's all there, and it's all based on what matters a lot more than whimsy. Again, your wallet, all right? So, there's a lot on the line this election season. There always is,

but where are people willing to put their money and does it match where their mouth is? Download the Polymarket app, stay on top of the midterms. New customers can deposit 10 bucks and get 50 to trade instantly if you use the code Cuomo. I'm encouraging you to absolutely use Polymarket as a tool. And if you think you know, put your money where your mouth is. And if you use the code Cuomo, you'll get 50 bucks out of 10. Tough to beat. I got something fun for us to finish on here.

I love Polymarket, man. I love it better than polling. And I'll tell you why. People put their money where their mouth is. I believe them more. You know what I mean? If you say, hey, I think Trump's going to win. Okay, you want to bet me 50 bucks?

Oh, I don't know about that. Now, you know what I'm saying? So I like the polymarket stuff. You said the Texas thing. They have one here that is a little, it's not as simple as just Texas. The Senate combo, Texas, Michigan, Maine. Right now, it's close. But the betting money is two to one over the Republican sweep for the Democrat sweep.

It's only 36%. But do you agree with that? You think there's a chance that the Democrats get Texas? That's Tala Rico. You say yes. Michigan, that's El Cayed. And then you got Maine,

which is the X factor because they had to fill in that guy when they kicked out the other guy. You know, Chris, this is the point I'm talking about. So the worst thing you could do is do bad stuff to women. This guy, who they had in there, like domestic abuse and rape and things like that,

that's the worst thing. that's the worst human being ever. And he had to pull out. The next candidate, and I hate, I don't ever talk about peace of people personal life, but in this guy married to his cousin, that is a rumor. There is no proof that he is married to him.

They haven't denied the rumor. And I'm like, okay, so those are the candidates we came up with. Those are the candidates. That's just in Maine. That's just in Maine. I know. I know that.

So, all the people in Maine, those are the two candidates that they came up with? And Syed, he is a self-proclaimed socialist. I like, okay. He says he's not a member of the DSA. He just agrees with a lot of their ideas and ambitions. He says he's a Democrat. Okay He's against ICE

He's against prisons And I What What You said it About that guy Troy Jackson

Still has me laughing Now Just What if we don't do What people who do Do bad, Chris? What are we going to do With prisoners?

No No, no You got to put him in prison Look, what they're saying is, and you're right, that the messaging sucks. It's not about, you know, defund the police for the three stupidest words I've heard in modern politics on the left. But look, you want to reimagine it. You want to change how they're doing. You want different standards.

That's all fine. Obviously, for eyes. But you can't lead. But you can't lead with, I want to define the police. I don't want prisons. Right. But you already lost me. And it's true.

And it is not easy to stand up and say, well, look, I'm not married to my cousin. We've just been together for a long time, and she's my second cousin. That's not the easiest thing for people to get behind. And like, these are the best candidates main has. Yeah, I don't get you. But so you don't think they're going to win that race? I don't. I do not.

I really, I'm really, I told you, I'm a big Tala Rico fan. I like the way he talks. You think he's going to win for real? I do think he's going to win. Paxton's a pretty bad candidate, too. And it's close. Yeah. Because people, because people go always protect their money, Chris.

People are off the state. And that's what they see, uh, him representing on, on the right. But then, but do you think the Democrats take over the house? The, uh, polymarket has the Democratic. Democrats two out of three chance sweeping. I don't know how they win the Senate, but they have it, 6230 that the Democrats sweep both houses. Well, so what's interesting, I don't even care.

My question would be, let's say hypothetical they do, are they just going to fuck with Trump for the next two years? That's the kind of stuff that bothers me. Like, okay, even if the Republicans win, are y'all going to help people lower gas prices and lower food prices? I don't care who's in the House or the Senate. Are y'all going to help these people? Because, Chris, one of the things I like about you and I like about myself,

man, I ain't worried about me and you. We're going to pay our damn bills. I literally feel bad. Because when you see regular people on television, I'm not saying I'm better. I'm not saying you're better. I'm saying like, you know, man, I really feel bad.

These people can't afford food and gas. We live in the greatest country in the world, and we have people literally like gas is just going up, up, up, food price is just going up. It has zero effect on me and you. I literally, my heart, for these people, you're like, man, these people out here, I ain't missing no damn meals.

Any time I want gas, I go fill up my damn car. It ain't even no big deal. Most American families don't have enough money for medical emergency. And that's sad. They are overwhelmingly underwater with credit card debt. And whether you are Democrat or Republican, you should be like, Hey, how can we get people good health care? Like, I don't care if you're a Democrat.

Like, okay, okay, let's, they use this word, bipartisan. Let's lower these people health care costs. Because one thing we know, sure, people always going to get sick. How can we lower people health care costs? That's all I give a shit about. I don't care if you're a Republican or a Democrat. Yeah, but you know why they haven't done it. You said it.

People are always going to protect their money. And going after those health care companies is messing with their money. And that's why they don't do it. And that's a shame. That's a shame because it is. Let me ask you this. You think that if the Democrats win both houses, what do you think the chance is that Trump resigns before his term is up?

No chance. Zero. Zero. Yeah. I agree with you. People are betting on it, though. People are betting, you know, I mean, it's been like, you know, there's been like some activity on it,

but I don't think there's any chance he resigns. No, first of all, he loves being the president. Yeah, he loves the attention. He loves the attention. And he's just like two years, that's going to go slow and quick. Him resigning, he just be another guy out there. No, he likes the attention too much. Let me ask you this one.

I think this one is insulting. This is in the world. you know much better than me, which is the NBA. They have the thunder and the spurs as the two most likely teams to bet on for the championship. And it's 21% thunder, 21% spurs. That's the market that Polly Markets making right now on who's going to be the champion. You think it's going to be either of those teams? Oh, 100%.

100%. 100%. The Knicks just won, man. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Don't think I wasn't listening to you, backpedaling. I've never seen you backpedal so fast as you did on my Knicks, by the way.

Let me know. I had the Knicks won in the championship. I feel like you were a late comer. I feel like you were a late comermer. No, I had the Nick won. I picked them in six, but they won in five. Let me say this. I will take the Spurs in OKC right now, and I feel very good.

I give anybody the rest of the NBA. They, you know, the Spurs and OKC, they're going to be heavily favored to win the championship. Is Wembeiyana a different animal than you played against? Oh, we've never had a player like this kid before. And we've had big guys, Manute Bow, Mark Eden, George Muris. We've never had a guy two things, that athletic, or who shot threes like he does. He shoots three like regular jump shots. if he can stay healthy, he got a chance.

And you know what? That dude's only like 21 years old. Nobody picked his purse to go to the finals last year. He's 21 years old. Like, he's got a chance of being like, oh, we've never seen anything like this in our life. Yes, he's the real deal. It's amazing how many guys say that about him, and it's never about his size. It's about his capability.

and then I watched him stretching, and I saw him pulling his legs like a ballerina. And I was like, oh, wow, this guy's been built for this. Good for him. So, Charles, listen, I understand why you're given real consideration. First of all, everybody should know. You know why Charles did the two years in the transition because he didn't have to do that and he didn't want to do it.

He did it because he cared about Ernie Johnson and their friendship, and Ernie asked him to do it. And, man, my heart was so full when I'm... when I heard that announced, not just because selfishly I liked the show, but that you did that for your boy. I really respected. I just hope you remember you've got a lot of purpose left in you. And you're one of the few people who doesn't have to pick aside but will be listened to.

Yeah. Remember that. Number one, you know how much love and respect I have for you. I want to thank you for having me. Hey, man, you keep doing you because one of the things I like about you, man, And we don't have to pick no side. I won't both sides to win. And if my side got a good idea, I'm all running with it.

If the other side got a good idea, I'm going to run with it too. Like, I'm not going to do this like, no, my size. It's getting to the point now as embarrassing. It only works for the parties. The division only works for the parties and the people in power. It does not work for the people. Is MAGA uniquely poisonous? Yes.

We're going through a toxic period. This is bad, ugly shit. This isn't just about policy. It's about people. And I think there's going to be an adjustment. We'll just see what it is. And you and I will watch it together and we'll keep talking because I love you.

I love you, my brother. You be safe and take care of yourself. Charles, enjoy yourself. You look great. Keep at it. Thank you, brother. Tell you something else about Charles. You know how they say when you go through something,

you'll something bad. you'll know who your friends are. It's true. Now, I didn't need to go through what I went through with my brother to know who my friends are. I know. There were very, very, very, very few disappointments. Charles was right there. Not only known from the business, it's not like we grew up together or something like that or we're poker buddies or golf buddies, but I've always cared about him. I've always cared for him. I've always treated him with respect and he's always done the same. And he reached out and he said you're going to be fine let me know how i can help he didn't have to say that many didn't that's who he is i get why he wants to walk away from running all over the country talking

about basketball but i really hope he doesn't run away from us i hope he gets a platform and i hope he's wrong about the NBA i want my nicks to repeat but i think he's spot on about where we are as a people and where we're headed and what the concerns are and what the problems are and nobody says it the way Charles Barkley does. Thank you so much for letting me give you food for thought as a critical thinker. Thank you for buying the merch. It allows us to raise money that we can then give away as a crowdsourced contributions that we can all feel good about.

And I appreciate your subscribing and following here and a Cuomo crime time where I take these big crime stories and instead of just engaging in these bullshit narratives, I look at these cases that are part of a larger conversation about society. You know, like for me, Lindsay Clancy wasn't about, oh, what kind of monster kills their kids? A sick one. What does mental illness mean as a disease in our society? That's what that trial was about. So thank you for subscribing and following the Cuomo Crime Time.

It's free. Thank you for being part of the community. And thank you for giving me an opportunity. Let's get after it.