The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Republicans Desperately Spin Yemen Group Chat Fumble | Mayor Michelle Wu

Episode Date: March 26, 2025

Ronny Chieng tackles Republicans' desperate attempts to defend Trump administration officials accidentally adding a journalist to their Signal group chat for planning missile strikes on Yemen. Ronny Chieng and Jordan Klepper face off in a March Madness edition of Sports War, where the two debate the McNeese student manager's rise to fame, fans' upset over a lack of upsets, and the NCAA tournament's link to vasectomy season. Plus, a special Sports War halftime report from Grace Kuhlenschmidt. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu sits down with Ronny Chieng to discuss blazing a trail as Boston's first female and first Asian-American elected mayor. They talk about winning over Boston’s passionate and diverse constituency by focusing on solving their everyday challenges, valuing immigrants for a safer environment, investing in affordable housing, and why Boston remains the safest big city in America.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Comedy Central. From the most trusted journalists at Comedy Central, it's America's only source for news. This is The Daily Show. I'm Ronnie Shang. We got so much to talk about tonight. So let's get right into today's top story. I know you goddamn hippies like to blame Donald Trump for f***ing everything up in the country,

but hey, not everything that happens is his fault. He has a whole administration that can f*** up for him. So let's find out the latest in our new segment, The Worst Wing. What a bunch of losers. By now we all know the story about how Trump's team included a reporter in their wall planning group chat and we don't need to hear it again. But it is super funny so let's hear about it again. This morning, following from that stunning lapse in national security, Secretary of Defense Pete Hagstaff, along with other top members of President Trump's national security team,

sharing details about a planned large-scale attack on Yemen earlier this month on the commercial message app Signal Signal and inadvertently including journalist Jeffrey Goldberg on that chain. Hegseth shared operational details of forthcoming strikes, weapons deploying and attack sequencing. Goldberg also reported that when it comes to security Hegseth wrote at one point we are currently clean on OPSEC that's the acronym used for operational security. Oh, ha ha ha ha ha. You think that's funny, don't you?

That the stupid Secretary of Defense is so stupid and all drunk that he texted, we're clean on OPSEC when there's a reporter right in the group chat? Well, laugh it up, people. Because unlike you, I have human empathy for these people who are just trying their best to kill other humans, alright? And I guarantee that if anyone in this audience

had their group chats leaked, it would ruin every single one of your lives. I personally have chats that are actually more sensitive than a missile attack on the Houthis, okay? If you told me that my group chats leaked and then told me it was just my missile attack one, I'd be like, oh my God, thank God, thank God. And by the way, it wasn't even Pete Hegseth who added him.

It was some other incompetent guy at the highest levels of government, okay? Like, what, you think Hegseth has the editor of the Atlantic magazine saved in his phone? No way, all right? If Hegseth autof editor of the Atlantic magazine saved in his phone? No way, all right? If Hegseth autofilled a contact into a group chat, it would be like Tampa Bay blonde with Bugs Bunny tattoo. But still, you gotta ask, how did this happen?

I mean, don't you guys have tech support in the government? I mean, what? Oh. Oh. Okay. Let's see. Well, um, I don't know. I, adding a reporter wasn't even the most embarrassing thing to happen on this group chat.

According to Goldberg, the administration officials reacting after the strikes, excellent, a good start. Waltz even sending several emojis. Is anyone else kind of upset that we're conducting war by emoji? I mean, what does this even mean? What I'm gonna fist the flag and then light it on fire? Like there's a reason why you don't use emojis

for life and death situations. It's too open to interpretation, okay? Like imagine if your doctor texted you a crab emoji, right? And now you're going, oh my God, I have crabs? And your doctor has to be like, LOL, no, it's the astrology sign for cancer. Okay? You have cancer.

But now everyone is yelling at them about this breach of national security or whatever. And the Department of Defense is having trouble defending themselves. Luckily, all of MAGA is there to help them. Counterargument 1. Nobody's perfect. Well, it's a mistake. You know, we make mistakes. We all make mistakes. That's what it meant, a mistake. And it happens. Yeah, look, it's a mistake and we gotta move on.

Well, it was a mistake. Like I said before, it's a mistake and we gotta move on. Well, it was a mistake. Like I said before, it was a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. Is that sufficient accountability to you to recognize that someone made a mistake and moving on? Because I don't see that same standard being held when other people have made a mistake. Boris, I gave you the soundbite already.

I gave you the soundbite already. Boris, I gave you the soundbites stop asking follow-up questions if I wanted to talk to a journalist I'd be on a private group chat with Pete Hegseth like come on what we're just calling this a mistake now? Like, look, my door-dash of forgetting straws is a mistake that can be rectified with one star and no tip, okay? But this feels like a major f*** up, and they're acting like nobody will care about this.

And honestly, they're probably right. I mean, nothing seems to matter anymore anyway, and everyone will forget this in a few days when Trump sends the new Snow White to Gitmo. And even if they didn't accidentally add a journalist into this group chat, they weren't supposed to be talking about this stuff on Signal in the first place, okay? Signal might be a good app for you and me

and our local drug dealer, but it's not for the Pentagon to plan wars on. One former White House official told Politico, their personal phones are all hackable, and it's highly likely that foreign intelligence services are sitting on their phones watching them type the shit out. That's right, foreign adversaries could be watching whatever Pete Hegseth types into his

phone. Like, Bar Near Me, or How to Fool Brephalizer, or How to Uncrash Car. But if you're not satisfied with, it was just a mistake. They have another defense. It was just a mistake that was awesome. The bigger takeaway for me is it's an insight, a transparent insight into the thought process and dialogue of our national leaders. If you read the content of these messages, I think you'll come away proud that these are the leaders making these decisions in America.

What you did see though I think was top level officials doing their their job, doing it well and executing on a plan with precision. Wait, precision? I mean, even your techs want hitting the intended targets, right? Like forget the Houthis. I'm surprised they didn't accidentally blow up a hoodie and a blowfish. This is like if your sex tape leaked and you're like, hey, I'm glad you saw all of it.

Okay, this proves my dick works. By the way, Mike Johnson, if you're watching, a sex tape is when two people love each other very much, but they also want to masturbate later. very much, but they also want to masturbate later. Just to summarize, the Trump administration admitted this happened, but it was a small mistake and it was a good thing that happened, but also what if the reporter made the whole thing up? Not a good reporter.

Jeffrey Goldberg from the Atlantic, one of the biggest hoax artists around. I happen to know the guys in Total Sleeves bag. The Atlantic is a failed magazine. It does very, very poorly. You're talking about a deceitful and highly discredited so-called journalist who's made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again. This is the guy that peddles in garbage. Right, so this reporter who is dishonest and sucks is also correct.

And also we added him to our group chat because he's a fun hang. I mean, you can't use it was a mistake and it was fake news. You gotta pick one, okay? You gotta get together and figure it out, okay? But not in a group chat. No more group chats. But, you know...

But, you know... But, you know... you know what? All's well that ends well. The good news is that no one got hurt except for the people of Yemen. And I guess it'll be okay as long as everyone involved learned their lesson.

Peter, exit question and I don't know if you know the answer. Are they ever gonna use signal again for something like this? It seems like yes, they will. Okay, good enough. Okay, good enough, yep, good, good, good, good. We solved it, good. Of course, good, good, good, good. We solved it, good.

Of course, everyone is wondering what this scandal means for America's national security under Donald Trump, but there's another important question. What does it mean for journalism? And the answer is something that's going to make a great movie. Last time the president broke into Watergate, this time he's gonna steal the whole damn hotel. Oh my god, I can't believe it. It's not about what you believe, it's about the truth. Okay, little intense.

Reporting this story will take all the skills you have. Right, I'm gonna hit the streets, work the phones, meet sources at underground parking garages. Oh. Oh, wait. The president just added me to a group chat. I have the whole thing right here. What? No, that's too easy. I got you this whole disguise. Yeah, I don't need it. It's all here.

Break-in plans, cover-up payments. Whoa. What? It's a lot of dick pics. But we have a source and a trench coat. Follow the money. Yeah, we don't need to. They posted the checks. Wow.

A lot of dick pics. This doesn't make sense. Why would they just add you to... Oh. They added me too. After we steal the hotel, let's bomb emoji, Iran flag emoji, then we all rain spurt emoji bitches. Do we even have to write this story?

I think we can just put out the screenshots. That doesn't really sound like work. Maybe if you put on the disguise? Yeah, this is better. Drinks? Yeah. That's a lot of dicks. There's a lot of dips. There's a lot of dips. There's a lot of dips.

Did all the Oscars now! When we come back, Jordan and I get mad about Mosh Madness. It don't go away! It don't go away! It don't go away! It don't go away! It don't go away! It don't go away!

It don't go away! It don't go away! Welcome back to The Daily Show. I think I speak for everyone when I say politics, rules, and sports rules. For a full recap of the biggest stories in the world of jocks and straps, we turn to Sports War. Get ready for battle. It's time for Sports War. Brought to you by Gamblerz. Gamblerz, the edition of champions. What's up, numbnuts?

I'm Ryan Chan. And I'm Jordan Klepper. This is Sports War, the show where we are legally not allowed to agree with each other. For example, if I say that athletes should be allowed to take steroids to get bigger. Then I say, that athlete should be getting smaller like Ant-Man. I want teeny tiny little athletes.

That's nuts, Ronnie. Come on, how would they even pick up a basketball? Ants can lift 50 times their body weight. Try culturing yourself and watching a Marvel movie, you moron. I watched your Marvel movie. What was it called? Right, nobody remembers. Oh really? Well, how many Marvel movie, you moron. I watched your Marvel movie. What was it called? Right. Nobody remembers. Oh, really? Well, how many Marvel movies were you in?

I'm more of a theater guy, thank you very much, Hipsit or something like that. Anyway, let's start things off with March Madness, the time of year when people yell, Gondzaga, and not just during orgasm. But this year, the Ides of March didn't bring much of the madness. It's actually been an oddly tame start to March Madness.

We didn't get those typical upsets that we're used to. The top four seeds in each region, a combined 16-0 in the first round for the first time since 2017. Of the first 32 games in the first round, 20 were won by double digits. Wow, just like Jordan over here, this year's tournament suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.

Okay, we get it. We get it. We get it, Yali. Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu. Where's the drama? Where's the crazy upsets? The only reason I watch these games is to see Duke fans crying to their ass-cots.

Where are my Cinderella stories at? Usually, there's at least one fairy tale underdog with a starting lineup of guys that all have heart conditions and whose team just integrated for the first time. Ronnie, I can't tell which is more busted, your bracket or your face. Look, this has been an incredible tournament. I only want to watch major colleges,

not some team like Mount Sinai bum-f***ery getting shellacked by a top dog in the Sweet 16. Honestly, this is the most excited I've been for Sweet 16 since Ronnie's quinceañera. Okay, quinceañera is at 15, pendejo. Also, mi quinceañera muy excelante. Wow. That layover in Madrid did some wonders, Ronnie.

Which brings us to our Super Sweet 16, Bed of the Night. Which college mascot will be the first to do over-the-pants stuff at the Sweet 16? As always, brought to you by Gambling. It's the fun way to sell your house. Moving on, despite the lack of March Madness upsets, there was one Cinderella story that the entire world

could get behind. One of the biggest stars of March Madness in the men's side isn't even a player. 12th seed, McNeese, states Cinderella run is over, but people fell in love with their student manager, Amir Khan, aka Aura. He's like their hype man. Popularity reportedly landing Amir at least 10 NIL deals with major brands earning into

the six figures. Khan going viral this season for leading his team out to play carrying a boombox. Koooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo the best school in the state of, I wanna say McNeese? I don't know. Jordan, did your brain tear its ACL? Okay, we shouldn't be giving an equipment manager endorsement deals. It's against the natural order of things. The jocks get the endorsement deals and the glory and the girls and the nerds get to get beat up by the jocks,

then start social media companies that warp the brains of the jocks to eventually vote against their own interests. Which brings us to my bracket buster, Better Than Knife. Which random nerd will get an endorsement deal next? Brought to you by Gambling. Gambling, as Thomas Jefferson once said,

"'It ain't gay if it's a parlay.'" Now it's time for our Sports War Halftime Report with Grace Coolinsman. Thanks Ronnie. So far it's been a pretty underwhelming performance by both hosts. There is one major upset to report. I'm very upset I had to witness this. But now I'd like to give everyone an update on the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.

Thanks, Grace. Wow. That was close. Whoa. About to blow my right hand over there. Yikes. Oh. Ooh.

Ooh. Ooh. Yeah. I'll go right to the line. Good. Oh, anyway. Woo! Ha ha!

Moving on from the balls on the court to balls off the court. Away from the basketball arenas, a different kind of March madness is underway. Every year around this time, doctors see a surge in men scheduling vasectomies. Men figure if they're gonna be laid up on the couch for a couple of days,

it might as well be at a time when there's something to watch on TV, like 48 basketball games in four days. Urologists are catching on, even offering deals with slogans like, it's hip to get snipped. Others offer basketball-shaped ice packs. Bravo, bravo.

I love dudes. This is exactly what vasectomies are all about. Watching sports alone with a bag of frozen peas on your junk. I mean, me, I'm on my 11th vasectomy this year. Is that why you missed my wedding? No, I missed it because I don't like seeing you happy. Okay. Right. Look, much like your penis,

your argument is completely mangled. Look, these vasectomies are a disaster. If people are having vasectomies, they aren't having kids. If people aren't having kids, then those kids aren't playing sports. And if they're not playing sports, then I can't bet on their little league games. Now I look like a psycho betting on little league games

when there's no children on the field. I'm not a psycho, Ronnie. I just need little Arlo to bet over 500 so daddy can get back to even. Which brings me to my ball buster, better than night. Will the Bakersfield Junior Astros score more than 22 runs in the Pee-Wee quarterfinals? Brought to you by gambling.

It's like a vasectomy for your wallet. Okay, before we go, let's throw it back to Grace for our post-game report. Thanks, Ronnie. Looking at the numbers, we had three swear words, 17 dick jokes, and two men wasting what little life they have left. And now, a quick update on the women's bracket.

Thank you. That's it. That's all the time we have. We're here. Thanks, bro. Join us next week when we debate whether Vanessa Trump would look better with Tiger Woods or Tony the Tiger. OK, it's hard to say, Jordan. Tony the Tiger is a massive dog. All right, I've seen it when he's cereal.

That's something we look at when we look at Donald Trump. He's naked. He's naked. He's naked. Hey, welcome back to The Daily Show. My guest tonight is the first woman, first Asian, first Michelle to be elected mayor of Boston. Please welcome Mayor Michelle Wu. First woman, first Asian, first Michelle to be elected mayor of Boston. Please welcome Mayor Michelle Wu. Standing ovation. Standing ovation in New York for the mayor of Boston. That's very hard to get.

That's the first time. I said, yeah. I love you. I don't usually make demographics such a big deal, but like how did you become mayor? You know many days I asked it of Boston I asked myself that question too Well, what's the answer? so I grew up in an immigrant family and It was never ever in the list of things that you were supposed to think about or do.

I just did what my parents wanted, worked hard, played piano, played badminton, did all the things. Yeah, went to Harvard Law School. So I found my way to Boston for school. And in the midst of all that, my mom began to really struggle with mental health challenges. So I found myself in my early 20s, raising my two younger sisters, taking care of my mom,

and Boston has really given me everything that I cherish in my life. The health care that saved my mom's life, the schools that helped me and my family get to where we are, and now I get to raise my family with my husband, Connor. We have two boys in the schools, a two-month-old little girl, and it's the best city in the world.

Okay, okay. That's great. First of all... First of all, New York forever, and second of all... Second of all, so how did you become the mayor of Boston instead of Anson? I don't know if you've been to Boston, but this is not the demographic for mayor of Boston. Like, you came to my show when I was there.

I was doing stand-up there. You were great. You came. Stole out shows at Wilbur, not to brag. And you came. And my DJ was there. My DJ is like a Chicago Korean American guy. And I was like, oh, that's the mayor of Boston.

And he was like, what? You might be surprised by Boston. Next time you come, we'll have to take you around a little more. But how did you convince these guys? We're an incredibly diverse, welcoming, beautiful city. OK, that's not true. We are majority people of color. We're 28% people born from another country.

And Boston is a place where people have always come for almost 400 years to make good in the world. But also. OK, don't make me go against New York here. Better sports teams, better quality... No, no, no, no. They gave you a standing ovation! No, no, this isn't about New York versus... This is not about New York versus Boston

because New York is clearly better. I'm saying... I'm saying... No, no, no, it's not about that. It's not about who's a better city, which we clearly are. It's more that how did you get those guys to vote for you? Because this is not the demographic that, how did you convince them to put you in charge?

I've been through a lot with my family. And in those hardest moments, it often felt like government was the place we had to fight against instead of something to help us through, you know, in the middle of the emergency room or Trying to navigate the school system. Yes There are so many families out there who are working their hardest trying to do their best and in many ways

We just have to make sure that the supports that are needed are not only there funded but also connected to every community That's what I've been fighting for. I got to serve on the city council for eight years and that's why I ran for mayor. But right now it feels like everyone, you know, politicians, everyone hates politicians now more than ever. Like why did you get, like what made you want to put yourself out there to get into this? You know, it's a very thankless job. It's not a new thing, I would say. I remember all the time growing up, my parents would say to me and my siblings.

We hate the mayor. In Mandarin. When you become, when you grow up, get a job that pays well, is very stable, and won't get you in trouble. So I've now been dragged before Congress, threatened with criminal prosecution, working really hard, but at the end of the day,

this is where it matters. All of the programs that we put in place to keep the streets clean, to make our schools actually supportive for our students, to protect people in our communities in a really scary moment, that is what city government is for. Sure.

And so, again, like you, I think you won your last election at 64% of the vote. Is that right? Is that right? So you're incredibly popular in Boston and they trust you to run the city. How did you convince these Boston people? How? Why do I have to say it? I ran to make sure that families would have a place in our city. And they just believed you? They just believed you? What?

And you back it up with work. Every day that I served on the city council, I was out in neighborhood meetings. I was writing policies that we now have in place to protect our communities and give people opportunity. And it's about making sure that everyone feels part of the decisions that are being made. Okay, you see this optimism, I'm not, I can't. So you became mayor of Boston at like 36,

which is pretty insane. Like that's, it's like, you know how the- You're saying I did just turn 40, yes. Yeah, well I know, because we're born in the same year. So I'm like damn, this woman became a mayor already, I'm still here telling dick jokes. But like this, no but like something about Boston, you're like the youngest successful Boston person

running Boston since like Theo Epstein. The best of the Epsteins. He was like the youngest GM of, I don't know why they trusted you. I mean, obviously you're very good at your job. What's the toughest thing you face in Boston? Boston is a very passionate city. We cheer hard for our sports teams and people look at politics and government and being involved in the community the same way.

And it's pretty hard to make the greatest city on earth even better, but we are working every day to make sure that housing costs can be brought down. That schools are. So you're running the day to day of the city, right? What's the hottest thing day to day, like, mayoring in Boston? I think it's that people have a lot to say, and everyone's voice has a place in our community.

And when you have so many decisions that come after a long history also of being a place where for 400 years, people have stood up for the right thing, fought hard to make a difference, finding that consensus is complicated. It's beautiful. It's a hard job. You can't fake it. In Boston, people will call you out. So you have to show up everywhere and keep working. And it's a hard job, you can't fake it. In Boston, people will call you out. So you have to show up everywhere and keep working.

And it's a hard job, but it's the best job and I love it. Okay. So like. You. I just, all right. So right now, you know, you were as a Democrat as well. Democrats, I don't know if you've seen the news lately, incredibly unpopular in this country.

I could not be less popular. Everyone hates everything they're doing. So how do you, everyone hates that. Like, I don't know what they're, probably like 10% popular, whatever it is, it's horrible. How do you, as a Democratic mayor, like do outreach to what I assume is a large percentage of your constituency that probably voted Republican

and MAGA and Trump? Yeah, we have a lot of different views in Boston, like in every community. I think we tend to be a place that speaks our mind and remembers our history as the community that's always invested in the greater good. We're home to the first public school in the country, the first public park, the first library, free and open to all.

And so, you know, at the end of the day, we might not vote the same way or worship the same way or watch the same types of shows or follow the same influencers or whatever. But you still want your streets to have potholes filled, you want your kids to go to the best schools, and you can't get away at the local level with just talking the talk. You really have to be out there making a difference. So you're saying you outreach by focusing on...

Doing the work. Doing the work that everyone agrees that should be done. Is that your method for success, actually just... Yeah, and you just have to keep... It's a little thing. So that's actually what you found. is that your method for success, actually just doing the work. Yeah, and you just have to keep... It's a little thing. So that's actually what you found. I'm genuinely curious how...

I know you don't find this weird. I'm telling you, most people watching this are like, how the hell is this possible? Okay, let me tell you a little bit more about Boston. You didn't tell me Boston. Boston is my childhood Chinatown, okay? I know Boston. That's true. Yeah, I grew up, I used to live in Manchester, New Hampshire.

We would drive to Boston for, that was like our local Chinatown. We would go there for supplies to bring it back to New Hampshire. But I don't know if you know, there's not a lot of Malaysian grocery stores in Manchester, New Hampshire. So we would go to Boston to get it. So I know, I know Boston. That's why I'm even more surprised that you became here.

But Boston, even today, is probably different from, from those days. We are the safest major city in the country. And it's... Thank you. Thank you. But our historically low crime levels now were at the lowest levels in at least 70 years

when we first started reliably tracking. And that has come at the same time that we have invested the most in affordable housing, created more affordable housing than in 25 years, invested in the most ever young people in paid summer jobs, early college, child care. Do you think people are feeling this on the streets? In Boston?

There's a lot of work to do, everywhere. But I think generally, we want everyone to be involved in Boston. We talk about where we've been, where we need to go, and there's a neighborhood meeting every other day or multiple a day. So lots of ways to get involved. So sorry for hopping on about this

because obviously you're very popular in Boston. My thing right now is I'm wondering whether I can get a Democrat who's actually popular, which is very rare in this country. Every time I get to sit to someone who actually, it seems like both sides of both tribes seem to get behind, such as yourself. I kind of focus on the outreach to the other tribe more.

So for example, if someone was to tell you, like recently you got, I guess you got, you testified in Congress about sanctuary cities, which is one issue in many things. And you defended yourself well. What do you say to the people who, in your constituency, who might feel like, hey, why are we doing this, what's the big deal with this sanctuary city thing?

If people are illegally in the country, shouldn't we arrest them and get rid of them? What is the big deal? Yeah, we are, again, we're the safest city because we're safe for everyone. In a community where over a quarter of your residents come from, were born in another country, if people are afraid to drop their kids off at school

or call 911 when they need help or share information when they actually have information to report about a crime that happened, that makes everyone less safe, whether or not you are an immigrant, whether or not you're here in this country, six generations or just arrived. So we're really focused on being that home for everyone and it's worked. And so all of the buzz around, you know,

whether these kinds of cities that are more welcoming for immigrants are more dangerous, it's about a false narrative that immigrants are somehow more likely to commit crimes or cause harm and that is just simply not true. We know that in our city where our immigrant communities, our entrepreneurs are holding up our health, the best hospitals in the country, the universities and jobs that we all rely on. And in order to make sure that we can keep that progress going, everyone has to feel part of it. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

So, I guess... I guess, I mean, look at these... I don't know, are these people from Boston or something? I don't know what's happening here. These people came here from Boston. So what advice would you give to the Democrats running now about how to not be such losers? Or like connect to the people more.

It seems like that seems, I don't know, I truly don't understand what's happening because every day on this show, we talk about some bullshit that happened and then nothing seems to matter. And then I'm like, I truly don't understand what's happening because every day on this show, we talk about some bullshit that happened and then nothing seems to matter and then I guess nothing matters anymore. So there's clearly a disconnect between the Democratic Party or maybe politics in general, if you're being generous,

and the common people, right? There's some kind of, there's something weird happening. Like, is that, do you feel that way? Yeah, and I mean, in some ways, my entire life I've felt that way. In my family growing up with immigrant parents, government was scary. Government was the thing you were supposed to stay away from.

It was parking tickets and taxes and all sorts of things that, you know, just try to do your thing and stay out of trouble. And now you're the government. But I got into it because this is how to make a difference, and you can change people's lives every single day by just doing the work, by trying your hardest to focus on what is stressing out

the residents in your community, and day by day building on it to turn that around, involving people in the conversation and becoming a city where, again, we are home for everyone. And I think that's what it comes down to. If we do the work, if we listen to what people are saying about what's challenging in their lives, and we really focus on not just today,

but tomorrow and the generations to come after us, that is the legacy of Boston, and that's the legacy that I'm really proud to be able to carry on every day. Okay, so. So. Um. Um.

Um. Um. Um. Um. Um. Um. Um. Um.

Um. Um. Um. Um. Um. Um. Um. Um.

Um. Um. Um. Um. Um. Um. Um. one of arguably the most racist cities in America, then maybe there's hope for everyone yet. I mean, I don't know. What, I mean, I hear that there's a... Next time you come to Boston, you're gonna have to schedule an extra day and then I will take you around all the city and then you'll be... To get yelled at by racist white people.

We are an incredibly diverse and welcoming city. Yeah. And we're a city that really is the example We are an incredibly diverse and welcoming city. And we're a city that really is the example of how everyone in our community, again, majority people of color, quarter immigrants, and make friends. I don't know, I got a lot of love for Boston. They were nice to me when I was there. But there is a stereotype with the city, which you are totally, I don't know.

So I don't know how you, I still don't understand how you got elected. I mean, obviously you're good at your job and you're charming and all that. But that was enough for them to convince them? The Boston of today is a different city than a lot of people think. But even the Boston of today,

we have a lot of work to do, just like every city, just like every community. But... No, New York City is perfect. I'm not sure if you've been out there. This place is great. We got rats and feces. I hear that there's a secret WhatsApp group of Asian mayors.

I met the mayor of Cincinnati. A very small group yes. Abtab and me, Bruce and Todd. Can I join this group chat? For me, I hope you guys love. Okay look, Mayor Wu, you're the best. Thank you for representing all Asians. Thank you for making the city of Boston great. I appreciate all you do. I know it's a very thankless task. Boston mayor Michelle Wu, everybody. Thank you. We're gonna take a quick break, but we'll be right back after this.

We're gonna take a quick break, but we'll be right back after this. Hey, that's our show for tonight. Now here it is, your moment of zen. So like that's a fist, American flag, fire. So from now on when we do things where like we agree, I'll just hold this up rather than giving like a really big long speech. So job well done, guys. Would you explain where that comes from?

Yeah, so this is how we, when we're in like a chat with friends and we're just like, you know, you know, hamming about who we're gonna bomb and all of that. But we agree, we fist American flag fire. Explore more shows from The Daily Show Podcast Universe by searching The Daily Show, wherever you get your podcasts. Watch The Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus.