RADIOMay 23, 2024

How Tulsi Gabbard Went from Bernie Sanders Supporter to Possible Trump VP Pick

How did former Democratic congresswoman and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard go from endorsing Bernie Sanders to allegedly being on Donald Trump’s vice-presidential shortlist? Tulsi, who recently released her newest book, "For Love of Country," joins Glenn to explain what all changed. She addresses the rumors about whether she’s talked to Trump about being VP and whether she’d join his administration as Secretary of Defense. Plus, she lays out the 2 most critical questions that voters should be asking when choosing between Trump and Biden in the election.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: Tulsi Gabbard, welcome to the program, how are you?

TULSI: Very good, my friend. How are you?

GLENN: I am good. I am good.

Are you in Hawaii? Right now.

TULSI: I'm in Virginia, today.

GLENN: Okay.

TULSI: And tomorrow. And Texas the day after. I'm on the road, living out of a suitcase.

GLENN: Oh, boy.

Okay. First of all, you're on a short list.

And I'm not going to ask you anything other than, have you had a conversation with him, about being vice president?

TULSI: I've spoken to him. I will talk about what we've spoken about. I have met and spoken to him.

GLENN: That's fine. Would you serve in any capacity in a Trump administration?

TULSI: I would serve in a capacity where I felt that I could actually be effective in helping to get our country back on track, both in domestic policy, and foreign policy.

GLENN: So, Tulsi, you know I respect you. I really like you.

We disagree on things. You were a former Bernie Sanders supporter.

You know, but I also know, you love the Constitution.

And America.

And the country.

And just finding somebody who loves America, is very hard to find right now.

Can you help me out on understanding the Bernie Sanders to, you know, I would be willing to serve in a Trump administration.

TULSI: Of course. I'm glad you asked. Because it is on its face, kind of a -- a big mental -- a mental leap. But when you actually look at the reason, when I made that announcement, back in 2016, to resign as vice chair of the DNC, so that I could get involved in that democratic presidential primary, I focused on one thing.

I announced my endorsement of Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton, around foreign policy.

Bernie Sanders of today is even the different now, than he was back then. On this -- on some of these foreign policy issues.

But there was a very clear contract between Hillary Clinton, the queen of warmongers. And Bernie Sanders, who has for a long time, largely been more of a noninterventionist.

And I was frustrated because as an officer of the DNC, I couldn't, you know, according to the rules, get involved or speak out publicly.

But as you remember, Glenn, people were saying Hillary Clinton was the most qualified person to ever run for president in the history of our country.

But, of course -- I know. I still laugh when I think about that.

GLENN: Yeah.

TULSI: And it wasn't just her campaign people who were saying this. It was supposedly serious people on, you know, the different cable shows. And the broadcast news shows.

And the Meet the Press type shows.

But they never went behind. Okay. She held this title and that title and that title.

It would never go into what her record actually was. The kinds of decisions that she made.

The things that she influenced and urged President Obama to do as Secretary of State.

And for me, as an American citizen, as a soldier and a veteran of various wars and conflicts, I felt strongly about the fact that Hillary Clinton would be the most dangerous president and commander-in-chief for our country. Our freedom, our security, and our liberty.

And so I took the opportunity to make that endorsement of Bernie Sanders, around that issue, so that I could have a platform to call her out directly to the American people. So that at a minimum, they could make a more informed decision, about who they wanted, to be the democratic presidential nominee for that time.

GLENN: So the -- that explains an awful lot.

The State Department, you know, has been off the rails for a hundred years. They're very warmongering. What's happening in Ukraine is obscene.

And strangely, I think since Ronald Reagan and I think even more so than Ronald Reagan. But it was a different time.

Donald Trump is the least -- he understands peace through strength, but he is the least likely to go to war.

And yet, the left keeps saying, he's a warmonger.

TULSI: It's their tried and true tactic. And you see them doing this, not only with an issue with seriousness as war and peace.

But you also see how they're doing it around democracy. You know, they're claiming, he will be the dictator in chief, or this will be the last election that's held if he wins. And so on and so forth.

And yet, we look at how they're weaponizing the Department of Justice. All they're doing to both target and prosecute, throwing everything and the kitchen sink at Donald Trump.

But also going after everyday Americans, whose names will never be in the headlines. Because they are the, quote, unquote, political opposition.

The undermining of free speech. The undermining of the rule of law.

And yet, they cloak all of this. And try to distract and deflect attention from the American people, and the reality of how they are destroying their democracy, right before their very eyes. And they do so, by saying, Donald Trump is the biggest enemy of democracy.

They are the doing same thing around foreign policy. The thing that I'm urging Americans to do across the country. Both through my book, love of country, but also in every platform or speech, where people will have me. Is to look at the facts. This is the first time in our lifetimes, we've had a presidential election, where we actually have two people who served in the White House, with a very real record, for us to examine.

GLENN: Compare.

TULSI: And take the emotions aside. People have strong feelings, one way or another.

And there's -- and that's what a lot of the Democrats and Biden people focus on. Because they're afraid that we will actually compare and contrast their record on border security, on education, on fairness for women and girls in sports and education, on the economy and inflation.

You know, they'll -- on criminal justice reform.

Something the Democrats claim to be for.

And also, of course, first and foremost. Foreign policy.

Ask how secure is our country today. And where are our taxpayer dollars being dedicated?

In each of these areas and more, there's a very clear contrast, between President Biden and President Trump. And to me, what it all comes down to. Are the two most core critical questions.

As you pointed out, are rooted in the Constitution. Is number one, who -- who actually has served the interests of the American people, and our country.

And our ability to live in a safe, free, peaceful, and prosperous society?

And number two, who has -- who has either defended or assaulted our fundamental rights and freedoms that are enshrined in the Constitution?

Freedom of speech. Freedom of expression. Freedom of religion.

Our civil liberties are guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment. And, again, when you look at these metrics, there is -- there is no question, about the difference between President Biden and President Trump.

GLENN: Let me ask you, why should somebody, and I don't mean this just to you. I mean, this for anybody.

Even Joe Biden, Donald Trump.

Why should we believe, when we have not seen one for a very long time?

And when they do believe this, they're called extremists.

Why should we believe anybody, or you, that you actually -- your oath of office would mean what it says? That you will protect the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?

TULSI: I think with anybody and everyone, it is -- it is -- you know, going back to the old adage, trust but verify. We have to hold people accountable, and that is true of me and of anyone asking for the trust and confidence of the American people. I think part of that is recognizing that as the world changes. As the country changes, there has to be room for people to learn and grow from these changing circumstances.

I think a lot of the problems that we're seeing in a lot of the political divides. And I get it. Trust is earned.

But -- but they're -- in order for there to be progress, we have to allow people to grow and change. Based on the circumstances. You know, we -- we have seen, I think over these last five or six years.

Or especially during the Obama -- I'm sorry. During the Biden administration, we have seen what an increasingly tyrannical government looks like. And we are seeing how our Founding Fathers were so wise in recognizing that our democracy, this form of governance that we have, in this constitutional republic. Through this representative democracy. It's very fragile. And how people in positions of power, are often tempted. And may fall to that temptation. Of abuse of power.

And so we have this system of checks and balances, through three coequal branches of government. We have this system of checks and balances through the Constitution. Our First Amendment and our Second Amendment.

For the power to always favor the voices and the power of the free people and a free society.

I would never have imagined, Glenn, in my lifetime, that we would see such brazen abuse of power.

GLENN: No.

TULSI: And it's not only just a failure to uphold the Constitution. The Democrat elite are actively destroying the Constitution, in broad daylight.

GLENN: Yes.

TULSI: And telling us, no. We don't think the First Amendment is relevant today. Because of misinformation. Disinformation. Hate speech. All of the excuses that they give.

Which are very dangerous. They tell us that, no. The Second Amendment shouldn't apply. And they cite all these different statistics of tragedies that occur in our country.

But ultimately, taking guns away from law-abiding Americans, would not actually prevent those types of tragedies from occurring.

GLENN: Make it more dangerous.

TULSI: It would make it more dangerous. And it's denied the reality that we have faced I think throughout the history of humanity.

If you have a person who seeks to do harm to others, they will find a way to do so.

Unfortunately.

GLENN: Tulsi.

TULSI: Go ahead.

GLENN: No. You finish your thought please. I don't want to interrupt you.

TULSI: They will find a way to do so. It's incumbent upon us, again, to understand and recognize the seriousness of this moment. And the fact that they are doing all these things because they're afraid of the power of the free people. But we're only powerful if we hold on to that power.

GLENN: I want to ask you one more question. I know we're out of time, for your schedule.

Can I -- sixty seconds more, and then I'll ask you just one more question, if you have time.

Okay. Good. Back with Tulsi Gabbard here just a second.

Tulsi, when you're in town, I would love to do another podcast with you. I find you fascinating. And I actually think you could be a huge help to bringing our country back together. But time is so short here.

I wanted to ask you, you know, one of the things that if I were President Trump, I would actually consider you as a vice presidential candidate to unite the country, you know, after much discussion. But the one thing I would feel comfortable appointing you to, is Secretary of Defense.

Our military is a mess. And it's because we have all of these woke generals and all of these political appointments. They've all risen to the top. The problem is, it doesn't appear to me, below the -- the general and all of their, you know, apparatus around them.

If you were Secretary of Defense, could you clean this up?

Is it fixable?

TULSI: Yes. Yes. Unequivocally, yes.

GLENN: How?

TULSI: And your diagnosis is correct.
You know, it's not by accident that the kinds of general officers that are rising through the ranks are those who are advocating for these so-called woke CIAs, whatever -- whatever policies. The reason why they've gotten there is because of their civilian leadership. Picking and choosing people, who -- who will not -- I mean, obviously, we have a civilian-led military. Those in uniform will follow the policies that are set by civilian leaders. But these civilian leaders, Secretary Austin, and the different secretaries of each branch of the military.

They are promoting careerists, who have played it safe. Who have done whatever they needed to do, to go along and get along. To rise through the ranks. And have not been in those positions. And have intentionally so. Not been in those combat hardened positions. Where they have to make really tough choices. That may come with some backlash. But that is the definition of leadership.

And I can tell you, I know personally, a number of officers, in different branches of the military, who have been shoved out. And forced to retire, because they happen to be white males. And these are people who over the last 25 years, have deployed every single year in the most harsh combat environments. And made those tough calls between life and death.

There have been investigations because of it. But these are the people that have the kind of experience that will never be replaced. And they are getting shoved out. And they're not getting promoted. Because of this civilian leadership. At the very top of the Department of Defense.

So, yes. As a Secretary of Defense, I would 100 percent, be able to right the course. Fix what has become so broken, within our Department of Defense. And it starts with putting the right leaders, in the right places. To put our country first.

And to really care more about our troops. Than they care about how many stars they wear on their shoulders. I obviously have very strong feelings about this. Because I still serve.

And I know the mentality impact that this is having on our military. Our morale and their readiness to be able to do their job.

GLENN: Tulsi, next time you're in Dallas, please let me know. I would love to talk more about especially the military and where we're at. Thank you so much. God bless.

TULSI: I look forward to it, Glenn.

GLENN: You bet. Buh-bye.

Could passengers have SAVED Iryna Zarutska?

Surveillance footage of the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, NC, reveals that the other passengers on the train took a long time to help her. Glenn, Stu, and Jason debate whether they were right or wrong to do so.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: You know, I'm -- I'm torn on how I feel about the people on the train.

Because my first instinct is, they did nothing! They did nothing! Then my -- well, sit down and, you know -- you know, you're going to be judged. So be careful on judging others.

What would I have done? What would I want my wife to do in that situation?

STU: Yeah. Are those two different questions, by the way.

GLENN: Yeah, they are.

STU: I think they go far apart from each other. What would I want myself to do. I mean, it's tough to put yourself in a situation. It's very easy to watch a video on the internet and talk about your heroism. Everybody can do that very easily on Twitter. And everybody is.

You know, when you're in a vehicle that doesn't have an exit with a guy who just murdered somebody in front of you, and has a dripping blood off of a knife that's standing 10 feet away from you, 15 feet away from you.

There's probably a different standard there, that we should all kind of consider. And maybe give a little grace to what I saw at least was a woman, sitting across the -- the -- the aisle.

I think there is a difference there. But when you talk about that question. Those two questions are definitive.

You know, I know what I would want myself to do. I would hope I would act in a way that didn't completely embarrass myself afterward.

But I also think, when I'm thinking of my wife. My advice to my wife would not be to jump into the middle of that situation at all costs. She might do that anyway. She actually is a heck of a lot stronger than I am.

But she might do it anyway.

GLENN: How pathetic, but how true.

STU: Yes. But that would not be my advice to her.

GLENN: Uh-huh.

STU: Now, maybe once the guy has certainly -- is out of the area. And you don't think the moment you step into that situation. He will turn around and kill you too. Then, of course, obviously. Anything you can do to step in.

Not that there was much anyone on the train could do.

I mean, I don't think there was an outcome change, no matter what anyone on that train did.

Unfortunately.

But would I want her to step in?

Of course. If she felt she was safe, yes.

Think about, you said, your wife. Think about your daughter. Your daughter is on that train, just watching someone else getting murdered like that. Would you advise your daughter to jump into a situation like that?

That girl sitting across the aisle was somebody's daughter. I don't know, man.

JASON: I would. You know, as a dad, would I advise.

Hmm. No.

As a human being, would I hope that my daughter or my wife or that I would get up and at least comfort that woman while she's dying on the floor of a train?

Yeah.

I would hope that my daughter, my son, that I would -- and, you know, I have more confidence in my son or daughter or my wife doing something courageous more than I would.

But, you know, I think I have a more realistic picture of myself than anybody else.

And I'm not sure that -- I'm not sure what I would do in that situation. I know what I would hope I would do. But I also know what I fear I would do. But I would have hoped that I would have gotten up and at least tried to help her. You know, help her up off the floor. At least be there with her, as she's seeing her life, you know, spill out in under a minute.

And that's it other thing we have to keep in mind. This all happened so rapidly.

A minute is -- will seem like a very long period of time in that situation. But it's a very short period of time in real life.

STU: Yeah. You watch the video, Glenn. You know, I don't need the video to -- to change my -- my position on this.

But at his seem like there was a -- someone who did get there, eventually, to help, right? I saw someone seemingly trying to put pressure on her neck.

GLENN: Yeah. And tried to give her CPR.

STU: You know, no hope at that point. How long of a time period would you say that was?

Do you know off the top of your head?

GLENN: I don't know. I don't know. I know that we watched the video that I saw. I haven't seen past 30 seconds after she --

STU: Yeah.

GLENN: -- is down. And, you know, for 30 seconds nothing is happening. You know, that is -- that is not a very long period of time.

STU: Right.

GLENN: In reality.

STU: And especially, I saw the pace he was walking. He certainly can't be -- you know, he may have left the actual train car by 30 seconds to a minute. But he wasn't that far away. Like he was still in visual.

He could still turn around and look and see what's going on at that point. So certainly still a threat is my point. He has not, like, left the area. This is not that type of situation.

You know, I -- look, as you point out, I think if I could be super duper sexist for a moment here, sort of my dividing line might just be men and women.

You know, I don't know if it's that a -- you're not supposed to say that, I suppose these days. But, like, there is a difference there. If I'm a man, you know, I would be -- I would want my son to jump in on that, I suppose. I don't know if he could do anything about it. But you would expect at least a grown man to be able to go in there and do something about it. A woman, you know, I don't know.

Maybe I'm -- I hope --

GLENN: Here's the thing I -- here's the thing that I -- that causes me to say, no. You should have jumped in.

And that is, you know, you've already killed one person on the train. So you've proven that you're a killer. And anybody who would have screamed and got up and was with her, she's dying. She's dying. Get him. Get him.

Then the whole train is responsible for stopping that guy. You know. And if you don't stop him, after he's killed one person, if you're not all as members of that train, if you're not stopping him, you know, the person at the side of that girl would be the least likely to be killed. It would be the ones that are standing you up and trying to stop him from getting back to your daughter or your wife or you.

JASON: There was a -- speaking of men and women and their roles in this. There was a video circling social media yesterday. In Sweden. There was a group of officials up on a stage. And one of the main. I think it was health official woman collapses on stage. Completely passes out.

All the men kind of look away. Or I don't know if they're looking away. Or pretending that they didn't know what was going on. There was another woman standing directly behind the woman passed out.

Immediately springs into action. Jumps on top. Grabs her pant leg. Grabs her shoulder. Spins her over and starts providing care.

What did she have that the other guys did not? Or women?

She was a sheepdog. There is a -- this is my issue. And I completely agree with Stu. I completely agree with you. There's some people that do not respond this way. My issue is the proportion of sheepdogs versus people that don't really know how to act. That is diminishing in western society. And American society.

We see it all the time in these critical actions. I mean, circumstances.

There are men and women, and it's actually a meme. That fantasize about hoards of people coming to attack their home and family. And they sit there and say, I've got it. You guys go. I'm staying behind, while I smoke my cigarette and wait for the hoards to come, because I will sacrifice myself. There are men and women that fantasize of block my highway. Go ahead. Block my highway. I'm going to do something about it. They fantasize about someone holding up -- not a liquor store. A convenience store or something. Because they will step in and do something. My issue now is that proportion of sheepdogs in society is disappearing. Just on statistical fact, there should be one within that train car, and there were none.

STU: Yeah. I mean --

JASON: They did not respond.

STU: We see what happens when they do, with Daniel Penny. Our society tries to vilify them and crush their existence. Now, there weren't that many people on that train. Right?

At least on that car. At least it's limited. I only saw three or four people there, there may have been more. I agree with you, though. Like, you see what happens when we actually do have a really recent example of someone doing exactly what Jason wants and what I would want a guy to do. Especially a marine to step up and stop this from happening. And the man was dragged by our legal system to a position where he nearly had to spend the rest of his life in prison.

I mean, I -- it's insanity. Thankfully, they came to their senses on that one.

GLENN: Well, the difference between that one and this one though is that the guy was threatening. This one, he killed somebody.

STU: Yeah. Right. Well, but -- I think -- but it's the opposite way. The debate with Penny, was should he have recognize that had this person might have just been crazy and not done anything?

Maybe. He hadn't actually acted yet. He was just saying things.

GLENN: Yeah. Well --

STU: He didn't wind up stabbing someone. This is a situation where these people have already seen what this man will do to you, even when you don't do anything to try to stop him. So if this woman, who is, again, looks to be an average American woman.

Across the aisle. Steps in and tries to do something. This guy could easily turn around and just make another pile of dead bodies next to the one that already exists.

And, you know, whether that is an optimal solution for our society, I don't know that that's helpful.

In that situation.

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Max Lucado on Overcoming Grief in Dark Times | The Glenn Beck Podcast | Ep 266

Disclaimer: This episode was filmed prior to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. But Glenn believes Max's message is needed now more than ever.
The political world is divided, constantly at war with itself. In many ways, our own lives are not much different. Why do we constantly focus on the negative? Why are we in pain? Where is God amid our anxiety and fear? Why can’t we ever seem to change? Pastor Max Lucado has found the solution: Stop thinking like that! It may seem easier said than done, but Max joins Glenn Beck to unpack the three tools he describes in his new book, “Tame Your Thoughts,” that make it easy for us to reset the way we think back to God’s factory settings. In this much-needed conversation, Max and Glenn tackle everything from feeling doubt as a parent to facing unfair hardships to ... UFOs?! Plus, Max shares what he recently got tattooed on his arm.

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Are Demonic Forces to Blame for Charlie Kirk, Minnesota & Charlotte Killings?

This week has seen some of the most heinous actions in recent memory. Glenn has been discussing the growth of evil in our society, and with the assassination of civil rights leader Charlie Kirk, the recent transgender shooter who took the lives of two children at a Catholic school, and the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, how can we make sense of all this evil? On today's Friday Exclusive, Glenn speaks with BlazeTV host of "Strange Encounters" Rick Burgess to discuss the demon-possessed transgender shooter and the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk. Rick breaks down the reality of demon possession and how individuals wind up possessed. Rick and Glenn also discuss the dangers of the grotesque things we see online and in movies, TV shows, and video games on a daily basis. Rick warns that when we allow our minds to be altered by substances like drugs or alcohol, it opens a door for the enemy to take control. A supernatural war is waging in our society, and it’s a Christian’s job to fight this war. Glenn and Rick remind Christians of what their first citizenship is.