Woke-shaming backfires badly, Trump lawyer lunges at host

The David Pakman Show - March 15, 2023

Mar 15, 2023

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Trump's lawyer lunges at host in live TV meltdown

In a recent MSNBC interview, things took a bizarre turn when Donald Trump's defense lawyer, Joe Tacopina, lunged at the host, Ari Melber, in an attempt to grab some papers out of his hands. The subject of the interview was the ongoing Stormy Daniels controversy, and Tacopina's argument was that Trump didn't really lie when he said he didn't know anything about the hush money payment to Daniels because telling the truth would have violated the terms of his settlement. When pressed on this, Tacopina became increasingly agitated and had an unhinged meltdown, eventually lunging for the papers in Melber's hand. The incident left viewers questioning the quality of legal representation being provided to the former president.

Republican short-circuits when asked to define "woke"

In a recent interview, right-wing author Bethany Mandel was asked a simple question: “what is woke?” And the result was nothing short of a spectacular short-circuit. Mandel, who recently published a book criticizing “wokeness,” stumbled over her words in humiliating fashion and was unable to provide a clear definition. While some are calling it a "gotcha" moment, the truth is that if you're going to criticize something, you should be able to define it, especially if you purport to be an expert on the subject. But the real issue here is that the term "woke" has been perverted by the right, who use it as a shorthand for any idea or policy they don't like. In reality, "woke" simply means being aware of causes related to social justice that can be supported through activism. However, Republicans make it out to be some kind of far-left, socialistic attempt to restructure society, and Mandel's struggle to define it reveals the disconnect between the right's perception of "woke" and what it actually means.

From yesterday’s show:

Ron DeSantis tests "woke-ocracy" at low energy event

Ron DeSantis, Florida's governor and potential presidential candidate, has been using the word "woke" in his speeches and recently used the term "woke-ocracy" during an event in Iowa. He argues that woke ideology has infected many institutions and needs to be fought against to protect freedom. However, DeSantis may be overplaying his hand with his obsession with wokeness. A new poll shows that 57% of Americans view wokeness as a positive thing, despite the right's campaign to pervert the term. His argument against woke ideology lacks substance and fails to recognize the importance of social justice and equity. It's concerning that a potential presidential candidate is using divisive language that only serves to further polarize the nation. We need leaders who can unite us, not further divide us with empty rhetoric.

They're pretending ultra-capitalist SVB bank was "woke"

In the aftermath of Silicon Valley Bank's collapse, some on the right have pointed fingers at "wokeness" as the culprit, claiming that the bank's emphasis on environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) policies and diversity initiatives were a distraction from sound financial practices. However, this argument falls apart under scrutiny, with many experts pointing to a lack of regulation and risky decision-making as the primary factors in the bank's failure. In fact, the Trump administration's rollback of Dodd-Frank regulations may have contributed to this lack of oversight. Ultimately, blaming "wokeness" is a distraction from the real issues at play and risks obscuring the need for more robust financial regulations.

More on the show:

-- On the Show:

-- Alastair Smith, Professor of Politics at New York University and co-author of the book "The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics," joins David to discuss dictators, authoritarians, democracy, and much more. Get the book: https://amzn.to/3Z4i11T

-- Fox News host Brian Kilmeade brings up Donald Trump's lunch with white supremacists during a recent segment on Fox

-- Tudor Dixon, a failed 2022 Trump-endorsed Republican candidate, says she is struggling to properly flush her toilet

-- Failed former President Donald Trump demands that prosecutors target Barack Obama and Joe Biden in a newly-released video

-- A visibly scared Donald Trump demands cognitive tests for other politicians in a wacky new vide

-- Voicemail caller is encouraging David to sue over his inaccurate portrayal in a recent documentary about Malaysian Airlines flight 370

-- On the Bonus Show: Electric car stores will be restricted in Mississippi, Oklahoma Republicans vote to let teacher hit disabled kids, South Carolina women who get abortions could face death penalty under proposed bill, much more...