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cover of episode 12 Days to Go: French Fries and Fascism

12 Days to Go: French Fries and Fascism

2024/10/24
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Key Insights

Why did John Kelly agree to speak with Michael Schmidt after four years of refusal?

Kelly was compelled to speak out after Trump's recent comments about using the military domestically, which Kelly saw as a red line.

Why does John Kelly believe Donald Trump meets the definition of a fascist?

Kelly believes Trump is a far-right authoritarian who admires dictators and fits the general definition of fascism, characterized by dictatorial leadership and forcible suppression of opposition.

Why did Donald Trump's comments about soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery upset John Kelly?

Kelly was deeply troubled by Trump's question, 'What was in it for them?' regarding soldiers who died in combat, which Kelly saw as a cheapening of their sacrifice.

Why is Kamala Harris focusing on Trump's character and fitness in the final weeks of the campaign?

Harris is emphasizing Trump's character and fitness to appeal to moderate and conservative voters who are concerned about his stability and potential threat to democracy.

Why is Kamala Harris campaigning with Liz Cheney in key states?

Harris is trying to court 'shy Harris voters,' particularly conservative women who may be concerned about Trump's rhetoric and divisiveness but are hesitant to publicly support Harris.

Why did Donald Trump visit McDonald's during his campaign?

Trump's visit to McDonald's was a viral stunt to cast Kamala Harris as out of touch with working-class Americans and to highlight her alleged fabrication of her middle-class background.

Why is Trump using more vulgar and outrageous language in his campaign?

Trump is trying to motivate his base with deliberate crudeness, which he believes resonates with his supporters, though it risks alienating moderate voters.

Why are early voting patterns not providing clear insights into the election outcome?

Early voters are typically those who are highly motivated to vote regardless of when they cast their ballots, making it difficult to infer a clear advantage for either party.

Chapters

John Kelly, ex jefe de gabinete de Donald Trump, afirma que Trump cumple con la definición de fascista. Kelly cita las declaraciones de Trump sobre el uso del ejército estadounidense contra ciudadanos y sus comentarios sobre Hitler como ejemplos. También describe la falta de empatía de Trump por los soldados caídos.
  • John Kelly, ex jefe de gabinete de Trump, dice que Trump es un fascista.
  • Trump comentó que Hitler hizo algunas cosas buenas.
  • Trump preguntó '¿Qué ganaban ellos?' al referirse a los soldados caídos.

Shownotes Transcript

With less than two weeks to go in the race for the presidency, Donald Trump’s longest-serving White House chief of staff is warning that he met the definition of a fascist, Kamala Harris is seizing on the message of Mr. Trump as a threat to democracy and Mr. Trump himself is relying on viral stunts and vulgarity to break through to undecided voters.

The Times journalists Michael Barbaro, Michael S. Schmidt, Lisa Lerer, Reid J. Epstein and Nate Cohn try to make sense of it all.

Guests: 

  • Michael S. Schmidt), an investigative reporter for The New York Times, covering Washington
  • Lisa Lerer), a national political correspondent for The New York Times.
  • Reid J. Epstein), a New York Times reporter covering politics.
  • Nate Cohn), the chief political analyst for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily). Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

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