[0:02]This is Power Hour with Gabriella Power. >> Hello and welcome to Power Hour. I'm Gabriella Power. Thank you for joining
[0:12]us. Coming up on the show today, we'll speak to the man behind the young MAGA movement who made the Republican party cool again. The leftist media meltdowns over Steven Cobear's axing is getting
[0:23]even crazier. and the future of the Democrats. Well, Tim Waltz insists that he won't run in 2028, but there are calls to make Hunter Biden the face of
[0:34]the party. I'm not even kidding. Let's get straight into it. Joining us now is CJ Pearson, RNC Youth Advisory Council co-chair. CJ Pearson,
[0:45]it is great to speak with you. You've been involved with the Republican party for some time now, and during the election, you advised the Trump campaign on its social media strategy, which was
[0:56]incredible. Earlier this month, you landed in Times list of most influential online creators, and I'm interested to hear your thoughts because in the election, we saw this significant shift
[1:06]to the right among Gen Z voters. What do you put it down to? Why did this happen? Well, thank you so much for having me first and foremost, but I got to tell you, I think we just had an incredible
[1:17]product to sell. You know, President Trump ran on an incredible platform of America First policies that connected with America's young people in a way in which we've never seen before. This past election, we saw a 20point swing among
[1:28]voters from 18 to 29. And it was a direct result of the president's campaign strategy of reaching young people where they are. While Kla Harris baseman and shied away from long form interviews, President Trump went on Joe
[1:39]Rogan. He went on Theo Vaughn. He talked to everyone and anyone who would listen to him. And that is exactly why we won and why young people left the Democrat party in droves and continue to do so. >> Yeah, I absolutely agree. An incredible
[1:51]product to sell. Are we going to see that happen again in the midterms though? Because there is polling that suggests that we won't see it. A recent poll found that 35% of voters aged
[2:01]between 18 to 29 said they'd vote for the Republican candidate, which is down from 39% in their poll in May. What do you make of that? Because we've also
[2:11]seen polling and just how wrong the pollsters get it because throughout 2024, we were told that Kamla Harris was ahead and then it was neck andneck and then of course Donald Trump won all
[2:20]swing states and the popular vote. >> You know, you're exactly right. you know, November 5th, 2024, Tommy, the only poll to believe is the one on election day. And so, I think that's the strategy we're going to be taking here,
[2:31]but we're not going to rest on our laurels. You know, we're not just going to rest on the fact that we were able to achieve that monumental feat with young voters in 2024 and just think it's going to automatically happen in 2026. The strategy remains the same. We're going
[2:43]to go to where America's young people are. We're going to take our message of absolutely of of hope, opportunity, and all those things that excited young people and brought them to our side to begin with because we realize that
[2:53]unlike Democrats, we don't take these votes for granted. We don't believe that young people should just vote for us because of so-called vibes. They should vote for us because of policy. >> CJ Pearson, it's funny. Six months on,
[3:04]leftist media still cannot cope that Donald Trump won. And if you watch outlets like MSNBC, this is their suggestion to the Democrat party over
[3:12]how to win win over rather young voters. You're advising a Democratic politician on how to how to speak to young people and how to get them more engaged in Democratic politics. Do you say they've
[3:23]got to run on tax hikes? Is it a Bernie Sanders style campaign where you say, "I'm going to tax the billionaires. There shouldn't be a billionaire class. It should there should be more um
[3:34]equity." Uh, is it a democratic socialist campaign? Is it what Zoron Mdani is doing? >> I think those messages are on the on the right track.
[3:45]>> I mean, when someone as radical as Zan Mandani is the new face of the Democrats, I think they are in trouble. But before I get your thoughts on what the Democrats should do, what's your assessment of the mainstream media over
[3:57]in the US and the role it played in the election? We saw CNN describe Donald Trump's assassination attempt as a fool. MSNBC kept calling Donald Trump Hitler
[4:07]on repeat. I mean, what's going on with the media in the US? >> These people just don't get it, you know, and I think they just seem so committed to acting like clowns. It almost makes you want to go to every
[4:18]newsroom in America and just hand them a bunch of balloons. It's getting absolutely ludicrous. But, you know, I'm okay with the media not getting it because every single time they show that they don't get it, the American people were in the same way in which they did
[4:29]in November. They resoundingly come out and support President Trump when they spread all these ridiculous, baseless conspiracy theories about the president. The American people rejected it. Why? Because no one trusts people anymore
[4:40]because all they know how to do is lie. >> Well, someone else who still doesn't get it is axed MSNBC host Joy Reed. She's now launched a YouTube channel where she
[4:50]invites guests on to discuss the dangers of the MAGA movement. Look at this. >> Some of the other but other like pundits or podcast people starting to shift and
[5:01]say this is good about MAGA or not. And I'm like you you're being so shortsighted. This is not a good movement to be attached to. >> Yeah. >> This is not I can tell and I'm saying that because I'm a Democrat and a
[5:10]liberal. No, I'm saying it is a toxic, dangerous, anti-American, anti-democratic move. >> Yeah. I don't think they're convincing anyone. But Joy Reid also went on Piers
[5:21]Morgan uncensored recently where she of course had to claim that Donald Trump ran a racial identity campaign and the ICE deportations that are being carried out are not about removing people who
[5:32]are in the country illegally, but it is all about race. masked federal agents sweeping up cooks,
[5:41]>> abuelas, people who work on farms, picking up dishwashers, any brown person. And Tom Holman said based on one criteria being their
[5:52]appearance. It's overwhelmingly brown and some black people. We're not seeing them sweeping up white folks on the street. Donald Trump ran a racial identity campaign and yeah, this is
[6:03]America that is appealing to unfortunately a lot of Americans. >> Well, actually, it would turned out to be very appealing to Latino Americans who voted for him in record numbers.
[6:14]More Latinos voted for him than voted for Kla Harris, the non-white candidate. More black Americans, African-Americans voted for Trump this time round than first time round. So, that's true.
[6:26]Statistically, it was the same the same number of black voted for him. >> More black Americans voted for Trump this time of last year. >> Piers Morgan is correct there. More black Americans voted for Trump last
[6:37]year than in 2020. So Joy Reed just doesn't want to accept the truth. Why are we still hearing this fake narrative from people like her? >> You know, Joy Reed is in absolute denial
[6:48]and it's probably why she's unemployed to be quite frank with you. But I'll tell you what I actually saw here in the States. I saw black and brown Americans lead the Democrat party in a way in which we've never seen before. When I went to black barber shops, when I went
[6:59]to black churches, I would often ask the question, "What has the Democrats done for you lately?" And every time I asked that question, they would scratch their head and say, "You may have a point there." And so, I think that these
[7:10]people are in denial because they're just so scared of what the reality of this actually means. If they lose their grip on the black community, their grip on power absolutely fades away. But another thing that actually drives me
[7:20]crazy is that Donald Trump is doing exactly what he said he would do. I know it's kind of a crazy thing for a politician to actually deliver on their promises. But Donald Trump said he was going to secure the southern border, southern border, and deport illegal
[7:32]aliens. Black people support it. Latinos support it. Why? Because we're American citizens. Period. >> Yeah. And he has a mandate to do it. He's delivering on his promises. This
[7:43]week, we heard from Joe Biden's son, Hunter. He sat down with YouTube personality Andrew Callahan, where he unleashed on the Democrats. Take Let's just take a look. David Axelrod who had
[7:55]one success in his political life and that was Barack Obama and that was because of Barack Obama not because of David Axelrod and David Pluff and all of these guys in the pod save America guys
[8:04]who were junior speech writers in um uh you know on Barack Obama's Senate staff who have been dining out on on the relationship with him for years making millions of dollars the Anita Duns of
[8:16]the world who's made 4050 million dollars off the Democratic party they're all going to insert their judgment over a man who has figured out, unlike anybody else, how to get elected to the
[8:27]United States Senate over seven times, how to pass more legislation than any president in history. >> Oh, he is unbearable. But he has seemed to uh have offended the Pod Save America
[8:38]guys. They've responded to Hunter Biden, reminding him that he's a liability and should be ashamed. Listen to this. >> You know what I mean? And it's just this sense of entitlement that like from
[8:48]Biden, from his family, from the inner circle that he was like owed the presidency, owed a second term. It is just veryating the But one thing we know is that Hunter
[8:59]Biden throughout Joe Biden's presidency was a terrible liability for him. And put the addiction aside, it is because he was on Berisma, because he became an artist, uh
[9:10]because he was part of a kind of like sleazy Washington that, as Tommy said, people hated. you were a liability. You should be ashamed of the ways in which you made your father's political life
[9:21]worse. And like the idea that we're going to listen to you now, like give me a grace. Ridiculous. >> But in a sign of just how desperate the Democrats are, The Atlantic has put out a piece claiming that Hunter Biden's
[9:33]recent interview unveiled a straightforward pummeling aggression that the Democrat party has been missing. So, are the Democrats actually considering making Hunter Biden the face
[9:43]of the party? These people need help. These people need help. I don't even know where to start with unpacking this. Right. You have Hunter Biden going off, you know, on the Pod Save America Bros who now are
[9:54]starting to sound like they're auditioning for a prime time slot on Fox News. Where was that energy being critical of Hunter Biden during the election? When we were saying that he was a liability, when we were saying
[10:04]that engage in a payfor-play scheme and use his last name to unduly benefit from the role and office of his father, where was that energy then? But now when Hunter Biden comes for them, they have,
[10:16]you know, all the bad things in the world to say about him. But also too, I welcome that Atlantic piece. Thank God for it, actually. Because if the Democrats are this dumb that they think that making Hunter Biden the face of
[10:27]their party is going to lead to electoral success, then they still haven't learned their lesson. And if the best that they have on their bench is Jasmine Crockett and Hunter Biden, then Republicans are going to probably run
[10:39]this country for the next several decades. And thank God. Yeah. Well, look, either Hunter Biden or Zaran Mandani, which was suggested on MSNBC. Do you have some free advice for the
[10:50]Democrats? Because it seems as though their party and its brand is just going from bad from bad to worse. >> I think so. Absolutely. My advice with them would be would be simple is
[11:01]actually go out into real America. You know, leave your uh your cozy apartment in New York City. uh you know, leave LA and actually go to Alabama, go to Georgia, go to Ohio, go to all these
[11:11]swing states that President Trump won resoundingly and go talk to real people and ask them what they think of Jasmine Crockett and Hunter Biden and I think they'll tell you exactly what they think and it might just be a little different
[11:23]than what they actually believe. >> CJ Pearson, RNC Youth Advisory Council co-chair, thank you so much for joining us on Power Hour. Brilliant to speak with you.
[11:32]>> Thanks for having me. It's time for media meltdowns. And right now, the leftist media is not coping with the cancellation of Steven Cobear's
[11:44]show, a program which, as we discussed earlier this week, was tanking in the ratings and losing tens of millions of dollars a year. But the hosts of The View believe that this really means the
[11:55]Constitution is being dismantled. But my concern is if it is political um then everyone should be concerned. People on the right should be concerned. People on
[12:06]the left should be concerned because it's very clear that if if it is political this is the dismantling of our democracy. This is the dismantling of our constitution. Right? And so the
[12:18]first amendment is the first amendment for a reason. Uh and that is freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom to to to speak truth to power. If that is taken away, if the comedians are are are
[12:29]are being attacked, then that means our constitution is being dismantled. That means the very rubric of our democracy is being dismantled. And I think every single person should be really, really
[12:40]concerned about it. >> And according to MSNBC, it's very scary. >> Approval from the Trump administration. So you wrote about this and you say cancellation simply not funny.
[12:51]>> Yes. simply not funny, but also um really scary, right? And and even if it's not quit proquo, the idea of self-censorship, and I talk about my
[13:02]grandfather, Howard Fast, who was um uh who was jailed by McCarthy during the House on unamerican activities, that that our government has done this
[13:13]before, that history is very much filled with moments like this. >> But how is Steven Coar taking the news? Donald Trump posted, "I absolutely love
[13:24]that Co Bear got fired. His talent was even less than his ratings." [Applause]
[13:35]How How dare you, sir? Would an untalented man be able to compose the following satirical witism? Go yourself. He sounds a bit like Hunter Biden. Well,
[13:53]luckily there are other comedians in America that could come up with some original material to make their point that they don't want to see the show go. >> But if
[14:04]you're afraid and you protect your bottom line, >> I've got but one thing to say, >> just one little phrase. Go yourself.
[14:20][Applause] >> Well, let's get a take from a much more talented comedian, the host of Blaze TV's Prime Time with Alex Stein. Alex,
[14:30]it's great to see you. Are you sad to see Steven Cob Bear's show go? And what do you make of this over-the-top insane reaction we've been seeing from the leftist media?
[14:40]I mean, it's like John Stewart and Co Bear for the last few years. It was just so lazy. I mean, to use a four-letter word that you just, you know, connected the dots to Hunter Biden. I mean, where
[14:51]are these guys getting their vocabulary from? I mean, like the New York subway, it's it's pathetic. So, I I thought that he would be a little more poignant with his message to Donald Trump, but this isn't Donald Trump's fault. Yes, Donald Trump doesn't like you, but your
[15:02]audience is 68 years old on average, and you know, that's my father's age, and I'm sure that audience is good, but he's just not hip anymore. I mean, he's just that's not what sells, you know, advertising and his advertising numbers
[15:14]are horrible and his show's losing, you know, reportedly $40 million. So, at this point, it's just more costefficient for them to say goodbye to Steven Coar. And, you know, it's just it's just the
[15:25]sad reality is that he's not as good as David Letterman. He's not as good as Jay Leno. And he became some sort of political political propaganda machine and did not try to be a comedian anymore. And that's where he lost his
[15:37]fastball because the Col Bear Report, Steven Cob Bear at one point was a great comedian. The Daily Show, even with John Stewart, both were great. But now that they're just such political phonies when it comes to just not even giving Donald
[15:49]Trump a chance, you know, it just shows you their true character. I'm happy to see Steven Colbear go because once again, I don't need to see any more vaccine needles dancing on my screen encouraging people to get, you know, a
[16:01]vaccine. Give me a break. Give us some comedy, not a lecture. Such a weird dance performance as well. Let's talk about Russia Gate. Donald Trump has called for criminal charges against
[16:11]Barack Obama for allegedly ordering an assessment that Russia meddled to help Trump win the 2016 election. This is what the president said.
[16:21]>> Obama's been caught directly. So people say, "Oh, you know, a group." It's not a group. It's Obama. His orders are on the paper. The papers are signed. The papers came right out of their office. They
[16:32]sent everything to be highly classified. Well, the highly classified has been released and what they did in 2016 and in 2020 uh is uh very criminal. It's
[16:43]criminal at the highest level. So, that's really the things you should be talking about. Barack Obama's office said that this was outrageous, but director of national
[16:53]intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has doubled down at a White House press briefing today, alleging that the Obama administration promoted a contrived narrative that Russia interfered in the
[17:03]2016 election. This is what she said. >> Any of this new information implicates former President Obama in criminal behavior. We have referred and will
[17:14]continue to refer all of these documents uh to the Department of Justice and the FBI uh to investigate the criminal implications of this >> even correct the evidence that we have uh
[17:26]found and that we have released uh directly point to President Obama leading the manufacturing of this intelligence assessment. There are multiple pieces of evidence and
[17:37]intelligence that confirm that fact. Alex, just how significant is this? >> Well, it's very significant, but at the same time, it's not going to be significant at all unless we actually
[17:48]see some arrests. And I do believe that President Obama, if he committed these crimes, he does have some sort of presidential immunity. So, I mean, I'm really not going to hold my breath for the per walk of Barack Obama, but I
[17:58]think there's no doubt that they obviously meddled in this election. I mean, Russia gate was propagated by CNN and every, you know, mainstream media outlet. So when you know that they're in coord coordination like that, it was
[18:10]done on the media scale. It was done internally. So I think it's obvious that they tried to sabotage Donald Trump. They basically tried to do a coup. But unless I see arrest, I'm not going to be satisfied because there's so much
[18:21]government corruption. For them to say, "Oh, look, there's more officials being corrupt, but they don't do anything about it." Then once again, for me, it's just going to be another incident where I, you know, start to lose faith in our government. So I want to see Donald
[18:32]Trump actually go after these people. And I don't even think, you know, this is what he campaigned on. So if people are going to blame him and say, "Oh, this is all about revenge." I don't even think that's the case. I do think that
[18:43]the American people voted for him to expose Barack Obama and the, you know, the leftwing that is just so corrupt. So we need to see a rest though. No satisfactory, no satisfaction till we
[18:52]see some people go to jail. Alex, there are also claims today that Russia had huge amounts of potential anti-Clinton dirt that it sat on in the final days of the 2016 campaign, including that
[19:04]Hillary Clinton was taking heavy tranquilizers that Obama and others found alarming. Some are concluding that if Russia was, of course, all in on supporting Donald Trump and hurting uh
[19:14]Clinton, it would have leaked this information. >> Well, yeah, you're exactly right. I mean, Russia obviously knew what everybody else knew. I mean, there was videos leaked of Hillary basically being
[19:24]thrown into a van like a ragd doll. I think it was obvious that she did have health issues and and let's be honest, it is a very difficult thing to go on a campaign trail and live out of a bus, even if you're staying in fivestar
[19:34]hotels, constantly going and doing these speeches. It's not easy. And I don't think that she had the um wherewithal to do it. They lied about that. And it was even James Comey that brought up her emails. And James Comey is a deep state
[19:46]agent in my personal opinion. So the fact that he was kind of one of the main catalysts that exposed Hillary Clinton, maybe he did that on accident, or maybe he did it because he didn't think Donald Trump had a chance in hell to win. So
[19:57]really, at the end of the day, it's not a surprise that Hillary Clinton was incapable of actually being the president because she had health issues and was on all kinds of prescription medication. And it's not a surprise that
[20:08]Barack Obama would do anything to stop Donald Trump from becoming president and potentially exposing some of the criminal acts that he might have done during his presidency. Donald Trump today has signed a trio of executive
[20:19]orders, one of which directly targets ideological bias in government's use of AI. So, according to White House staff, one of the measures will prohibit
[20:29]federal agencies from purchasing or promoting AI systems that embrace wokeism. Trump says the American people do not want woke Marxist lunacy in the
[20:39]AI models. And he's absolutely right about that, Alex. >> Well, he is right. But if you saw Grock recently, obviously on X went viral because it started to, you know, say
[20:50]some anti-Semitic stuff. So now that they've kind of had to, you know, reel in Grock a little bit. So listen, I agree. I don't want any woke nonsense with this AI, but I think that this a AI
[21:01]can, you know, spiral out of control very quickly. And I don't know how much the government can really control it. I mean, they're obviously going to put in guard rails, but at the end of the day, it's like, is AI a threat to you and me?
[21:10]I don't I I hope not. I do think it's a possibility that a lot of people are going to lose their jobs and people are going to be dumber because they're going to rely on AI instead of back to doing the work. You know, they even No, that's true though. They actually have they've
[21:21]done studies. They say the more you rely on AI, the less it works your amigdula, the part of the brain that you need for memory. And that the more likely you're going to forget stuff and have dementia and older age. And I'm not a doctor. I'm just saying once you rely on this so
[21:32]much, there's Uber drivers, and they've actually done a study on this. There's Uber drivers that have driven for over 10 years in the same city, but because they've relied on their GPS so much, they can't even tell you what street is
[21:41]which. So that's an example of something I'm not an Uber driver, but I'm guilty of driving around areas, which I should know by now, but I'm so reliant on my GPS.
[21:52]>> Exactly. Right. And that's the same for every other application when it comes to using AI. >> Okay, let's talk about the Epstein files. Look, we've previously discussed how Pam Bondi just absolutely botched
[22:02]the handling of it. Now, there's been a few developments. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blancher says that he intends to meet with Glain Maxwell in the coming days. He released a statement and part of it says, "This Department of
[22:13]Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead. If Galain Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims,
[22:25]the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say. Until now, no administration on behalf of the department had inquired about her willingness to meet with the
[22:35]government. That changes now. And today, House Republicans subpoenaed Maxwell for a deposition to address Congress next month. Alex, are you feeling more confident that we are going to learn
[22:46]more, potentially see more evidence? What are your thoughts? >> I must say my confidence level is very low. You know, they didn't even get to vote on this before they went on a fiveweek vacation, you know, through the
[22:58]month of August. And hey, listen, it's a summer. I'm not going to fault them for want to take a vacation, but they could have voted on this. We could have This is something that is a priority. It's all anything has ever talked about in the media or in everybody's personal
[23:09]lives basically for the past two weeks whether you like politics or not. So this Jeffrey Epstein information for me, what I truly think and why my confidence is so low is that I believe that he was connected to people within the CIA and
[23:20]probably you know intelligence agencies for other countries and that if we actually know the truth that it will just unravel the fabric of society and it'll just you know everybody will lose faith in our government and multi other
[23:32]governments you know not just our government will be affected and these are people that are high powerful people that we don't even know about. you know, people that are in the banking industry, people that are in all sorts of industries that we don't even understand, the military industry. You
[23:42]know, we do not know how deep the rabbit hole goes. And that is why I don't believe that they're ever going to give us actual transparency. They're just going to blame it on Jeffrey Epstein and not, you know, the other people that
[23:54]probably should get some sort of scrutiny for actually being associated with him. But at the same time, I do not believe that it's Donald Trump stopping it because he's on that list. That's a narrative that a lot of people have been saying. And maybe he was. He was friends
[24:05]with Jeffrey Epste, took pictures of Jeffrey Epste, but at the same time, he did kick him out of Mara Lago. So, >> what it what it all it all boils down to is are we allowed to see it? There's levels of classified information that
[24:16]you and I will never be privy to. And at the end of the day, if they can have federal judges like the one uh Judge Rosenberg that just denied it, they're going to continue to do whatever they can to stop the American people and the
[24:27]world from seeing the truth. Alex, just finally before I let you go, we know that uh Donald Trump vowed to make sports safe for women again. And now the US Olympic and Parolympic Committee has
[24:38]updated its policies to suggest that it will comply with Donald Trump's keeping men out of women's sports executive order. I mean, this is obviously such good news for for girls, for women, uh
[24:49]at the highest levels. What's the reaction to this being over in the US? Well, a lot of people are happy, but I am not happy because this is why I'm frustrated. I actually like transgender
[25:00]athletes in women's sports because I'm a gambler and I like to gamble on them because they have an advantage. So, I I I want a bunch of money on a man Khalif, you know, the gender neutral boxer. So,
[25:10]personally, I like the transgenders and women's sports because it gives me a gambling edge, but everybody else and all the women that are affected by this, I'm sure they're all happy. But sadly, it doesn't look like I'll be going to
[25:20]Las Vegas much uh in 2025 and 2026. Alex Stein, thank you so much for joining us on Power Hour. Great to talk to you. >> Thank you. Talk to you again soon. >> Joining us now is former Victorian
[25:34]Liberal Party President and Sky News contributor Michael Kroger. Michael, thank you for joining us. >> The Japanese government has lifted the biocurity restrictions on US beef which
[25:44]could see the full resumption of exports into Australia. The government of course is dismissing speculation that the timing is politically motivated amid ongoing efforts to secure a tariff
[25:54]exemption from Trump and there are right now concerns around how this could impact Australian farmers and our beef industry. Why have we seen the backflip?
[26:05]>> Well, because we're a free trading nation and uh you'd have to think that the two are linked despite what the government says. >> I don't think there's actually been a ban. What there's been concern about
[26:15]here in Australia is clarity on where the beef comes from. So the Australian governments successfully since 219 have wanted clarification
[26:25]that the beef was born in America. The cattle were born in America, not born in Canada or Mexico. And that's been very gray. Now it appears that uh the Australian government has agreed to
[26:36]allow beef imports including from Mexico and Canada. There was always biocurity concerns because of mad cow disease etc. Mhm. >> So been a change of policy here, but is it going to affect the market in Australia that greatly? I don't think
[26:47]so. We've got the best beef in the world here. We're very happy to have beef from America or wherever, but uh it won't compete, Gav, with the quality of Australian beef, which we export a lot
[26:57]and export a lot to America, of course. >> It's interesting though, we're seeing this move by the Labor government, but Anthony Albanzy is still yet to secure a face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump.
[27:07]When's that going to happen? Well, it'd be very wise to avoid a White House meeting with Trump because Albanesei has been a personal critic of Trump as has a number of his ministers
[27:18]and as has our ambassador in Washington, Kevin Rudd, who's sort of an embarrassment to our country. And so Albanese can't risk going into the White House into the Oval Office sitting there at a meeting with Donald Trump with
[27:29]Jetty Vance sitting there and our ambassador there who called basically called um Trump a threat to democracy, a crazy man in a village idiot and etc.
[27:39]All those things. So Albert Ezy can't risk a meeting in the Oval Office. So what'll happen is he'll he'll meet Trump on the sidelines of some of these
[27:48]international fora the G8 etc. and he'll say, "I've had a meeting." And there'll be a picture opportunity, but he'll avoid a meeting with JD Vance sitting there because Vance is likely to to
[27:58]launch into him and uh no one will ever forget the Zalinski White House um meeting and Albanese can't afford a repeat of that. >> Now, it's been revealed that more than
[28:08]50% of voters rely on the government for their main income. The AFR is reporting that the federal and state government spending splurge has hit the highest level since the end of World War II. And
[28:19]the NDIS is a chief culprit, accounting for $52 billion in costs. So more than half of voters rely on governments for most of their income through public
[28:29]sector wages, welfare benefits, or subsidies, according to a new report by the Center for Independent Studies. I mean, Michael, that is an alarming
[28:38]statistic and not sustainable. >> Well, it's a Mitt Romney moment, isn't it? Uh Romney warned about how his chances of winning were difficult because too many people were relying on
[28:49]government. Look, the problem in Australia is the problem in Western offerages around the world, which is unsustainable government spending and unsustainable debt. >> Um and the American debt's going from 36
[28:59]to 39 trillion. Here in Australia, we've got a we've got a much smaller economy obviously, but our our national debt is going to 1.2 trillion in gross terms in about 3 years time. Most of the growth
[29:10]in employment in this country has come from public sector jobs, wage increases um coming from the government sector. I mean it's it's just unsustainable. And
[29:21]you you you you get to a point where sooner or later someone in Australia, someone some governments in the western world will say we have enough debt. We can't keep going on the cost of servicing debt is you know beyond normal
[29:33]limits. These are record debts and deficits and uh you know in in in Australia it is completely unsustainable and the government here got reelected basically because it you know offered to
[29:44]spend a lot more money than the opposition that was central to its re-election campaign which is very popular with the electorate but it's not possible to keep going this way and sooner or later there's going to have to
[29:55]be an opposition or a government that says we have to draw the line under this because in a rich country like Australia a first world country one of the richest healthiest est nations in the world, half the country on government benefits.
[30:07]That's not sustainable. >> No, not at all. Let's talk about net zero. Susan Lee is facing pressure over the coalition's growing concern for the net zero policy. According to the
[30:17]Australian, the Western Australia Liberal State Council is reportedly joining forces with the Northern Territory and South Australia to abandon net zero. We know that shadow home
[30:28]affairs minister Andrew Hasty is initiated a motion to the Liberal State Executive for the Federal Party to ditch the policy. Michael, where's this going to go? >> Well, there's going to be increased
[30:39]pressure in Australia to drop the net zero commitment. >> It does look as if it's fantasy land. Um, you know, we'd all like to get to net zero. Everyone agrees with that. at
[30:49]the cost of it, the possibility of it. It relies on huge amounts of um renewable energy, uh which is great in theory, but country people have to put up with the with the, you know, the wind
[31:00]towers, um all over rural Australia, uh thousands of them, which they don't want uh obviously impinging upon their land. We've seen a lot of projects in
[31:11]Australia for offshore wind collapse because it's just not economically sustainable. And Australia is now starting to understand, well, look at China, India, two of the biggest emitters in the world are not committed
[31:20]to net zero. Why are we one of the, you know, few countries in this region committed to net zero? It's doing great economic harm to the country. Uh, and so the debate in Australia is going to get
[31:32]louder and louder to drop net zero. You'd like to keep the, but the government's got to show how we're going to get there. And I just don't think it looks >> No, I I agree with you. Look, a couple of global stories. Uh let's turn to the
[31:42]UK where more protests are expected to follow those in Eping after protests broke out in the Essex town after a migrant was charged with sexual assault and there are of course growing concerns
[31:53]that mass migration is threatening community cohesion. Can I get your reaction to what's been happening over there? >> So this is a problem a lot of western countries around the world are facing.
[32:03]um uh you know why wouldn't you if you were an impoverished person from a third world country want to get to Britain want to get to America want to get to France of course you would you'd want to take your family for a better life but
[32:15]it's just not possible there are tens of millions of economic migrants who would like to you know live in western countries it's just not sustainable and so the problem in Britain is a bit like
[32:26]in America a weakness of government a failure of government to put in place ways of stopping illegal immigration um you know, you have sympathy for people, but it's just not possible for countries
[32:37]like Britain to have thousands and thousands of people arriving every week, undocumented economic migrants. Now, in Australia, as we know, we stopped the boat people coming. We turned around
[32:48]boats. Controversial policy, but we turned around boats basically from Indonesia where it was safe to do so. And of course, the British government, Conservative and Labor, have been hopeless. They have no idea what they're
[33:00]doing. And and no wonder Nigel Farage is ahead of the ahead in the polls because successive conservative Labor governments have just been hopeless. The French have been hopeless. The British have been hopeless. The answer in
[33:11]Britain is to do what we did here to turn around boats back to France where it is safe and leg safe and legal to do so. And if you have to transfer them to other boats to make sure they get back
[33:22]safely, um you know, that's what needs to be done. I mean these poor people and and and also you have to smash the people smuggling model which was one of the reasons the illegal trade stopped in
[33:33]Australia was because we let everyone know we let the potential migrants know that you if you come to Australia you won't be able to stay here. We we engineered offshore processing for
[33:43]people. So to break the people smuggler mold that is critical to the whole resolution of this problem and the star government and the previous conservative
[33:54]governments appear to be hopeless at dealing with this issue and no wonder Farage is living in the polls. >> Finally to the US I want to get your thoughts on the Democrats because Tim Waltz has announced that he's not
[34:05]running in 2028. Let's look at this >> last two quick quick questions. First question that people would kill me if I didn't ask. Are you thinking about running in 2028? >> I am not. I am not. And my job, and I
[34:16]say that uh I am doing all I can to help build the party and make sure whoever that person is wins. >> Well, we appreciate I think we need to flood the zone with people. >> Oh no, Michael. What are the Democrats going to do now?
[34:27]>> Well, there'll be an outbreak of me depression in America today knowing Jim Waltz is not going to run for the nomination in 28. I don't know how people will be able to get in America
[34:36]today. Um I I thought his performance was the performance of a clown quite frankly as as the running mate of Kla Harris. He he's not a serious person this bloke. I mean he got up at that at
[34:47]that rally one day and said his major objection to the Republicans was that they' taken the joy out of politics. Not world poverty, not crime, not illegal border crossings, uh not wars in the
[34:58]Middle East and and and in the Ukraine. Joy was his main complaint. This bloke um thank goodness he's not running. He wasn't going to win anyway. He had as much chance of winning the presidency as
[35:08]I have and I'm not an American citizen. So I think the likely candidate will be Camela Harris. Why wouldn't she run again? What's she got to lose? She can lose again, but win. So to me, she looks
[35:20]like the candidate for the Democratic party. As bizarre as that sounds, she's only got Gavin Newsome to beat. >> She's got a shocking record in California. And uh I think you know
[35:31]people are going to say to her, why why don't you run again? should probably get the nomination because the left control the Democratic convention. So Col Camil will have to find a new running maid and
[35:41]sadly it ain't going to be Tim Wells. >> Michael Kroger, thank you so much for joining us on Power Hour. Great to talk to you. >> Pleasure. >> New details have emerged about rocker
[35:55]Oussie Osborne's final days following his death at age 76. Riley Sullivan is a lifestyle reporter here at skynews.com.au and he's always across the latest celebrity headlines. Riley, great to see you.
[36:06]>> Great to be back. >> So, Oussie Osborne's wife Sharon and their family have opened up about Oussie Osborne's passing. What's been said? >> Yeah, you know, such sad news. Uh, the
[36:17]death of Aussie Osborne, legendary rocker, Black Sabbath frontman. >> As you said, you know, he just performed for the final time weeks ago. He had a farewell concert that was supported by
[36:27]Metallica and Guns and Roses and all these other sort of legends. And I think it was really a sendoff that that he wanted. I think I kind of think about, you know, what Frank Sinatra used to
[36:37]say, my way. I think Oussie Osborne lived his life his way. >> You know, it was it was a hard life at times. You know, he came from very humble beginnings, very hard rock and roll lifestyle, you know, problems with
[36:48]drugs. And then later in his life, I think he really found um happiness, you know, for his wife Sharon and their three children. Absolute tragedy. The families said in a statement that he was
[36:59]surrounded by love and that he died >> uh definitely, you know, surrounded with their support. And I think it's it's sad, you know, especially I think of >> his wife Sharon, you know, their showbiz's marriage, I think in Hollywood
[37:10]and in entertainment, one of the longest running marriages. They were married in the early 80s, married until his death. uh very very sad news but you know I think it was um a very touching sort of
[37:21]symbol to know that he was able to have a farewell and he was able to perform one final time perhaps knowing uh it's interesting to point out that the family hasn't disclosed a cause of death I
[37:32]think it is a public knowledge that he was suffering with Parkinson's and he had other health problems but in terms of a cause of death nothing has been revealed but definitely seems like there was a sign or there was
[37:43]>> perhaps um final months months and weeks and and definitely um he did it on his terms. >> Okay. Well, an insider at streaming giant Netflix has claimed that the Sussex's $100 million contract
[37:55]partnership or content partnership I should say is on the chopping block. Do you think this could be a sign or the end of Harry and Megan's relationship with Netflix? >> Right. I think we can quite confidently
[38:05]say at this point the deal's over. So that initial 5-year contract, the $100 million legendary partnership is all but done. that is expiring within the next few months. And it's understood that
[38:17]Netflix will not be renewing that. They will be transitioning the Sussex's onto a new type of partnership called a first look deal. A first look deal is essentially it's very popular in the entertainment industry. It basically
[38:29]says, "All right, if you've got a project in the works or a TV show or something you want to make into a movie, we get first we get first sort of run at it." And that means that Netflix can pass on it. they if they're interested
[38:41]in it, they could say, "All right, you you have to sort of take it to us first." I think that this is a sign that they don't really see too much value in the Sussex's, you know, the numbers have been dismal. Of course, with Love Megan
[38:52]is coming back, but there was some streaming data that came out recently that revealed that that show was barely in the top 400 shows on Netflix. And actually, this was quite a sort of um
[39:02]poetic sign. Megan's sort of former show Suits, reruns of Suits are actually more popular on Netflix than her own show as a >> Oh, that does not surprise me.
[39:13]>> Right. So, there's a sort of um there's a lot of um I don't want to say Short and Freud, but definitely I think the ego would be a bit bruised. The other one, of course, was Polo. Remember that
[39:23]flop Harry put out Polo? I mean, that show just disappeared without a trace, >> didn't it? >> Right. You know, so I think from Netflix's point of view, look, they got they got the big thing. and they got the the doy series that came out a couple
[39:35]years ago that had a lot of revelations, did a lot of damage, and was very popular. So, I think that from their point of view, they can say, "Look, we got the big scoop." But, I mean, in 2025, I think we're done with the Sussexes.
[39:46]>> Yeah, I think I think we are. Look, and a Sussex insider has claimed that Prince Harry is prepared to reconcile with King Charles even without the support of
[39:56]Meghan Markle. So, what's the latest on this proposed peace summit? >> Right. I think this is a really crucial detail that's come out this week. An insider has said that Harry is sort of
[40:07]continuing negotiations and discussions and that they don't necessarily include his wife. That's not to sort of um spark any speculation about their marriage. I think their marriage is strong, but I
[40:17]think that Harry has understood that his family may never accept Meghan Markle. I think that you know just the um the timeline of events has just been so
[40:28]catastrophic in terms of the institution but also on a personal level um things that have been said especially by Megan but also by Harry have done great personal and reputational damage to
[40:38]Charles also to William and Kate and I think from from their point of view they're always going to be on guard. I think any type of peace summit if it ever does happen I don't think it would be um they could never really let him
[40:49]back in. How could you? You know, this is the person, you know, just as a reminder in these interviews, you know, there were allegations of racism by an unnamed royal. It was later alleged that the unnamed royals were Kate and excuse
[41:01]me, Kate and Charles. You know, that was never confirmed. The Sussex's denied that, but it was in that Scobby book. You know, th those are um absolutely, you know, very very defamatory
[41:12]reputation sort of decimating kind of allegations. And of course, after something like that, you know, how could you trust them again? And I don't think they'll ever trust Harry and Megan again. But I do think that Harry could,
[41:22]you know, sort of have at heartto-he heart with his father. I I do I do believe that that is a possibility. But in terms of um you know, Megan coming back in, I I I think she's happy where
[41:33]she is. I think that she from her point of view, I don't think she's interested in reconciling with them either. So it sounds like everything's sort of moving along as it should. Harry is open to it. From a family point of view, it is his
[41:44]father, but Megan is happy to just sort of let him go off and do that. Yeah, she's fine. She's got her Instagram back up and running and she's doing her own thing. >> Doing wines now. >> Oh goodness. Now, there's speculation
[41:54]that Princess Beatrice could become a working royal that has gone into overdrive after the royal took on a new role once filled by her grandfather, Prince Phillip. What do we know about
[42:05]this about Beatress's new gig? And is this a sign that she'll be taking on more duties? >> Well, I I reckon I think that this is another sort of significant sign. You know, this was a patronage she's taken
[42:16]on that was once Prince Phillips. Of course, Prince Philip was working royal as the wife of the late great Queen Elizabeth. And this is I do think it's a sign. I think that they are slowly
[42:26]giving Beatric more responsibilities. She does have uh limited responsibilities. She is a counselor of state for Charles. She's never actually been forced to step in for that role, but in theory, on paper, if there was
[42:37]ever an emergency and the the monarch was incapacitated or everyone down the line, um she would be called upon. So, I think she's always been on standby. Another detail that's come out recently,
[42:48]which I found really telling was her husband, Eduardo, he did an interview and revealed that they are largely living at St. James's Palace. So, we know that Beatrice does have a Grace and
[42:59]Favor home that King Charles, her uncle, pays for inside St. James's Palace in central London. And it's now been revealed that they they do live there. You know, there was sort of reports that they were living more in the Cotsworlds
[43:10]and that they weren't that much in the sort of um the the center of royal life in the palace. But I think the revelation that she's taking on more duties and that she's also living back
[43:21]at St. James nearly fulltime. I do think it's a sign that she could become a working royal. >> Riley Sullivan, thank you so much for joining us on Power Hour. >> Thank you. >> And that is Power Hour. Thank you for
[43:34]your company. Make sure you subscribe to Sky News Australia on YouTube.