Full Episode: Sunday, September 6, 2026

0:00I want to hire a private investigator some folks in the best ABC September 15 TV's hottest PI is back You sure you ready to take on a serial killer? It's like a dozen more likely explanations other than serial killer All right, maybe none it does in Florida crime has no offseason. I just heard you were shot at today with a rocket launcher Well missed RJ Decker from East Tuesday September 15th and 9th Central next day on Hulu The US and Iran trade attacks in the straight as Americans face record high gas prices for labor day this week starts right now What war into the war's seventh month president Trump downplays it I call it a military conflict because it's it's small potatoes for us It's not a big thing all as Americans feel the pain as gas and diesel prices soar It's scary honestly I pulled up and I didn't expect to see for 57 for regular gas right now this morning

1:02We speak with energy secretary Chris Ryan Term oil at the Pentagon It was just weakening our military and really putting our country at risk after the army secretary resigns Growing concerns over defense secretary Pete Hegsatz leadership. He would not be a mighty former Air Force secretary Frank Kendall with his warnings over the state of the military A plea for civility 70% of this country doesn't like where we are right now They're tired of the hyper partisanship one year after Charlie Kirk's assassination We speak with Utah governor Spencer Cox about his new book off-ramp and his push to turn down the temperature Plus 25 years later. I was not alive for 9.11. What do you know? The college class trying to preserve the memory of 9.11 for a new generation From ABC News it's this week here now Martha Raditz

2:05Good morning and welcome to this week on this Labor Day weekend a weekend where gas prices are rising and Soared tensions in the Middle East we are now into the war's seventh month despite president Trump calling it small Potatoes and the vice president refusing to even call it a war it has flared up once again on Saturday a Ron launching ballistic missiles at a U.S. Navy destroyer and an aircraft carrier the U.S. firing back Disabling or destroying three Iranian oil tankers that of course in addition to the fact We have had 18 Americans killed and nearly 800 wounded and with just 58 days until the midterms Voters are watching this all play out the Iran war the rising pranks of gas and the state of the Trump presidency in general Our Rachel Scott was watching it all from the White House this week and leads us off Into the Iran war's seventh month with no end inside president Trump declaring this week the conflict is quote small potatoes

3:10Can you explain to the American people if this is not a war what exactly is it? Well, I'll tell you what a lot of people don't call it a war I call it a military conflict because it's it's small potatoes for us. It's not a big thing But 18 U.S. service members have died nearly 800 have been wounded and a conflict the president said would only last four to six weeks The certainly doesn't feel like small potatoes 18 service members have died. We're seeing record long deployments. You initially said this last Why is it record long? How long have we been now? How long have we been now? We're seeing record how long the U.S. Abraham Lincoln was out from where the 50 days at sea the president making those comments as he defended vice president JD Vance Earlier in the week claimed it was not a war. I wouldn't call it a war Right now there is no active shooting our this week commerce secretary Howard butnic issued an apology After he says he misspoke when he forgot those 18 Americans who have died. I think the way the president is playing Iran Right, there's not there haven't been American deaths. It's really just an economic choke out

4:13Which the administration is now executing more broadly Letnic later saying he was thinking about the operation in Venezuela But by Saturday morning the two sides training attacks again U.S. forces striking three Iranian crude oil carriers responding to a wrong launching ballistic missiles toward two U.S. Navy warships Sent com commander Brad Cooper saying in a statement if you shoot at two of our ships We will impose an even higher economic cost taking out three of yours Meanwhile president Trump's special envoy Steve Whitcoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner in Moscow yesterday Pushing for an end to the war in Ukraine a White House official tells ABC News the two discussed substantive plans for the next steps And a plan for peace the pair arriving in Ukraine this morning to meet with president Vladimir Zelinsky It comes as Vladimir Putin has increased his assault on key striking the Ukrainian capital to level not seen since the earliest days of the war Ukraine ramping up their own attacks Hammering Russian energy infrastructure and striking deeper into Russian territory

5:18We are going through an energy shock right now due to both the war And Ukraine Because you know you crane has decided that they want to blow up Russian energy assets and refine products So that is creating upward price pressure on global basis So Martha back to the war with the Ron clearly the larger problem for the Trump administration is the backup and the straight of her moves This war has no end inside and the conflicts is driving up gas prices Martha Thanks Rachel. I'm joined now by the secretary of energy Chris Wright good morning, Mr Secretary as you know, we have renewed fighting with Iran in fact Iran is claiming they hit some ships overnight President Trump has called this small potatoes, but it seems like we are still at war Look it's a challenge Iran is doing everything they can to cling on to something They know their nuclear programs coming to an end their navies come to an end their air forces come to an end

6:22They're clinging on to power as the United States continues to escalate the volume of oil that transits through the straight of her moves And we can add it together with the bypass pipelines We're at two thirds or so of total pre-conflict transits and the world's had some buffers to not completely but mostly offset that So things aren't looking so good for Iran But would you say we're still at war they did hit they didn't launch ballistic missiles Oh, we're still in a conflict for sure the United States Navy is there To reduce a ranz bill ability to cause trouble, but they're doing everything they can to cause trouble And the United States is capabilities to deflect that have continued to grow But we're at a conflict zone you said that Monday We broke a wartime record with 17 million barrels a day passing through the average before the war was 20 Million barrels a day Have we sustained that this week? What was our seven-day average?

7:25The seven-day average right now is a little over nine million barrels a day Which is the highest the seven-day average has ever been So it continues to migrate up and then there's also the bypass pipelines through Saudi Arabia through the United Arab Emirates And when you add those together Of the flow through the out of that region is more like 13 14 million barrels a day You also said and just now again that Iran is losing its ability to hold the world economic hostage um You talk about our troops being there. We have 50,000 troops being there They are certainly escorting helping to escort these ships. How long can we sustain that? Do we have to have that to maintain this? Well, we'd love to see help from from allies in the region and I suspect we'll see some of that But the critical mission that our Navy is doing is not just to escort the ships out

8:27But it's to prevent any Iranian oil or any other export products from coming out That's very important for the economic pressure at in Iran that'll either change their regime or it'll change their regime's policies So this is a conflict make make no mistake about that But a nuclear armed Iran is an existential threat not just for the region but for the world economy A very proud of President Trump not just kicking this can down the road like previous presidents have done But saying we've got to end that capability We've got to reset the Middle East so it can have generations of peace and prosperity Well, let's talk about gas prices right now the average is four dollars and ten cents a gallon a year ago The Labor Day average was three dollars and sixteen cents a gallon diesel prices are also soaring just a few weeks ago You mentioned President Trump he dismissed the increase in gas prices as just a tiny bit. Let's play this for you

9:28For you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline Just remember you're doing it so that a very evil country cannot have a country really it's the number one State sponsor of terror in the world We don't want to have them have a nuclear weapon. So remember that when you have to pay a little bit more you're at four dollars It's okay. I mean, it's I'm not I'm not I'll never apologize. I did the right thing Okay, it's been more than six months of paying higher prices and there is also no sign of a nuclear agreement You talk about that president talk Trump talks about that but where's the sign that they're going to have a nuclear agreement There may not be a nuclear agreement It may be simply destroying their capabilities to do it An agreement may await a next administration in Iran. We simply don't know that But I think what the president was communicating there is how critically important this is if Iran has nuclear weapons The Middle East the world is a wildly different place than it is today

10:31Um, and the Trump administration as you as you heard last year at Labor Day incredibly low gas prices at the end of peak driving season Yes, they're higher today, but we're doing everything we can to push them down We changed refinery refineries specs recently so that American refineries can produce more gasoline and diesel New York Connecticut, California and other democratic run states decided not to adopt those Their goal is to raise energy prices Mr California's had that goal for quite some time mr Secretary, I got to stop you there. You said we may not get a nuclear agreement So how do we keep them from having a nuclear weapon just keep bombing when they build things up Yet to destroy their capabilities to do it they built a massive missile infrastructure to manufacture missiles Which you see them firing today, but they don't have the capability to build more missiles We are degrading their capacity to develop nuclear weapons and ultimately to deliver them if they develop them

11:37It's it's a it is 47-year-long effort. This is not trivial But the United States Will get the job done and we will work in cooperation with our allies in the region And I think you'll see countries from around the world joining this effort as well and realistically Let's again talk about gas prices how soon should Americans see these go down We know you have this deal with Venezuela that could take years before we see any effect of that Will we see a change before the midterms when will we see those gas prices go down Well, if you look at the futures prices you wanted to buy today in bulk gasoline for two months out in in November It's about 35 cents cheaper than it is today So the marketplace thinks gasoline prices are going to move meaningfully lower So trust the market certainly don't trust my predictions But we're doing everything we can to grow the production of gasoline as we pass Labor day tomorrow. You start to see demand decline as we move out of summer driving season

12:41So the Trump administration is leaning in heavily in that area and Venezuela. I wouldn't discount it Things there are going well ahead of plan Venezuela oil exports are up 50 percent their total national productions up 25 percent and billions of dollars of new investment has been announced The United the Trump administration is working in all fronts from the Gulf of America to Alaska to onshore in the U.S To our allies in the hemisphere to grow energy production in long term To reset energy prices lower and more stable supply chain and mr Secretary just finally you negotiated this Venezuelan deal with Delci Rodriguez who was vice president Under the Maduro regime the regime that the Trump administration attacked as a socialist dictatorship Why do you trust her? Well, I wasn't the negotiator on the deal But she we have a lot of leverage over Venezuela We control the sale of oil outside of their country

13:41So right now they are forced to work in partnership with us and they are working in partnership with us It's drawing billions of dollars in investment and it's transforming that region from a region of conflict to a region of commerce I think the momentum going that direction whoever is ruling Venezuela is quite strong very very positive outlook for the hemisphere Thanks very much for joining us this morning mr secretary Thank you Martha And as the Iran war drags on this week defense secretary Pete Hankseth has faced mounting questions about his leadership His army secretary resigned Monday And that's just the latest in a series of resignations and firings in Hankseth's tumultuous tenure at the Pentagon For defense secretary Pete Hankseth it was a week of unwelcome headlines and renewed calls for his ouster Republican Tom Tillis posting on ex I have never witnessed more inept

14:42Management of the brave men and women who serve our country I urge the president to find a new leader at the Pentagon who will retain and empower our military talent Rather than diminish it that followed the resignation of army secretary Dan Driscoll after repeated disagreements with Hankseth Over the firing of multiple senior military officers including the highly respected army chief of staff Randy George and a slew of others He has not been a very good leader in many in many ways get its critical Frankly that Pete Hankseth come forth and talk about exactly why these changes have been made Before resigning Driscoll war in president Trump about the impact of Hankseth firing senior military leaders and blocking promotions as well According to sources familiar with the matter one near into that position. I was removed by Pete Hankseth I was not given a reason one navy vice admiral Hankseth fired Nancy Lakor there is no notice other than you know

15:45Being called down to a senior Navy four stars office on Friday afternoon and in given the message and And that was it an hour later. I was out of the Pentagon Lakor now running as a Democrat for the congressional seat currently held by representative Nancy Mace the abrupt end To my service really just wasn't sitting well with me and I you know service has been my entire life and I just wanted to continue serving Running for congress was another way of serving our country and it is not just those who have been Outstood from the Pentagon who have concerns the Washington Post reported that top military leaders have advised Hankseth that prolonging large scale operations against Iran was unsustainable and risked Weakening our ability to confront threats elsewhere and at home leaks have infuriated Hankseth But they keep coming reportedly prompting him to polygraph Pentagon staff the New York Times reporting late Friday that some

16:47Fifty members of the US military's joint staff have been polygraphed because of leaks about critical munitions shortages Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell telling ABC News the department does not comment on internal Personnel or investigative matters but takes all leaks of classified national security information Extremely seriously and investigates accordingly Hankseth has repeatedly claimed the US has won the war and depleted irons missiles while denying the US has a problem We had plenty when we needed it and we have plenty now and we have plenty when we'll meet them in the future Since the beginning of the war Hankseth has rarely held press conferences Which are often combative Excuse me that why are you so rude just wait and call it on people and none since May 5th more than four months ago And never any explanation why he has taken the axe to so many senior officers And to talk about all of that. I'm joined now by former secretary of the Air Force under Joe Biden Frank Kendall

17:50Who caused quite a stir this week with the New York Times op-ed title military officers can't look away from this any longer It's good to see you sir and what you are talking about is Pete Tegseth's Pentagon You spent years at the Pentagon on 20 years at the Pentagon. It's a million jobs about 11 years active duty in the army You know politics has no place in the military yet you say military officers should take action What do you mean by that? I've always been incredibly impressed with the apolitical professionalism of our military and I've served Total of 20 years as you said in the Pentagon Been through a number of transitions different parties come in people just continue to do their jobs They support whatever the policies are of the current party in power I've never seen an attempt to politicize our military like the one being conducted by Pete Hankseth He's fired 25 roughly senior officers. He's pulling people off of promotion list And that effect is rippling all the way down through the ranks. It's causing people to be afraid and

18:51Refuse and in many cases I think he's not getting good advice because people are afraid to tell him things that he doesn't want to hear Long-term serious damage is being done to our military, but what the op-ed addressed was Attempts he to try to partition the military off from responsibility for some of the decisions that the administration is making that the military's acts to carry out There's an obligation on our our officers particularly our senior officers who interact directly with the senior Political leadership to tell them the truth and to stand up to them when they want to do something which is morely long Unethical or illegal and they're not I'm afraid they're not doing that the chairman of the joint chiefs Dan Kane you you address that in your piece He has said in front of congress We don't make policy and the military doesn't make policy But do you think he's filling filling his obligation to give the president his best military advice? I think he's trying to keep the military a political, but he's drawing the line in the wrong place

19:53He made a comment on it in a speech about how his role was about telling the administration What they can do not what they should do That's not accurate. He can be accurate in one sense technically But it's not accurate when you're asked to do something that's illegal or moral wrong or even unconstitutional The most egregious example is strikes on drug boats Just because the president's lawyer told you they're illegal you have to look at this on your own to make your own decision And as we approach the midterms I'm worried that all of our guardrails are gone We already saw once what president Trump's capable of doing when he doesn't like the results of an election I think we're going to get an opportunity to see that again And with the Justice Department in the hands of sin with the state department I'm sorry with the national security Homeless security department in the hands of sin With a passive congress and of course with pthexeth in the Pentagon The professionalism and the apbilical nature of our military. I think it's going to be tested very Let me go back to you're talking about the military not saying what they want to say not saying what should happen The Washington Post reported this week that top military leaders have warned hegseth that prolonged operations against Iran are unsustainable

21:00Isn't that exactly what you're saying should happen and that has happened? It is Martha, but that's on the narrow or purely military advice side of the equation Uh, that's the sort of thing I would routinely expect as a matter of course our military people are talking about What I don't understand frankly about the Iran war is what advice was given to the president that led him to start this conflict Aside from the fact that he never got approval from Congress to do it The results of the initial strike have been about as one would have predicted Uh, the uh illusion that the Iranian regime would suddenly fall and this would be a very short conflict was Not one that's been held by anybody else until now what Look officers are and enlisted or understandably if they go forward and say something about the Pentagon or about pique set Pete Hegseth they're fearful you saw Driscoll and Driscoll resign this week you have seen other senior military officers who have been fired or Resigned not say anything publicly after that because they're

22:04They say there is a real fear there. I'm in touch with a lot of people who are currently serving and have served recently And that climate of fear which I wrote about over a year ago is very real and it's very debilitating Now very good people that I know are leaving because of the climate of fear and because of the things the military is being asked to do Um, uh, I talked to someone who's involved in teaching ethics at the Air Force Academy the other day Uh, they're in a very difficult time explaining how the decisions being made by this administration Conformed to ethics. It has been taught to our officers. We have about 20 seconds What would you do if you were Air Force Secretary right now? I couldn't serve this administration Okay, thanks for joining us this morning. We appreciate your time. Thank you Up next one year after Charlie Kirk's assassination I traveled to the side of the murder to speak with the state's governor about his proposed off-ramp from polarization Is it possible in these divided times we're back in two minutes You know

23:04There is so much NFL on ESPN right now Monday night football plus pregame and postgame NFL live NFL prime time Everything you need to stay on top of every game every week And now NFL network is on the ESPN app more football more coverage more ways to watch footballs on all season long on ESPN and streaming on the ESPN app In a sunny California in suburb one family's home is unusually quiet When detectives walked into that house they said that it was like time just stood still It's 2010 and the McStay family is nowhere to be found Inside the home no clear answer where the family could have gone husband, wife and two children Gone like both disappeared the search for the McStays quickly captures the nation but for years the search for answers Only brings more questions who's ever heard of an entire family going missing the family of four doesn't just drop off the face of the earth

24:10Is this a family on the run or is the truth far more sinister? For maybe see audio in 2020 this is what happened to the McStays Follow what happened to the McStays for weekly episodes wherever you get your podcasts Or if you can't wait the entire series is streaming now add free for subscribers to 2022 crime plus by in 2022 crime plus on Apple podcast to start your free trial today Utah governor Spencer Cox was thrust into the spotlight one year ago after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed at Utah Valley University After the shooting governor Cox desperately urged both sides to turn the temperature down We travel to Utah this week to talk with governor Cox about his new book off-ramp which issues a dire warning that our democracy Is at risk of failing if Americans do not come together Amazing it's been a year. Yeah, it's uh, it's so tragic It feels like yesterday and yet it feels like it's 10 years ago. It's all of the emotions and uh and you know

25:17This the school still healing governor Cox was having lunch with staff that day when the fatal shot hit Charlie Kirk Someone just handed me their phone and the video was on there and that's A moment I I can't get out of my mind. I wish I could but it just kind of overwhelmed everything We're getting several calls. We're trying to get one for me. The updates were constant the fear in the country palpable as governor Cox pleaded for calm. We can return violence with violence We can return hate with hate. We can always point the finger at the other side And at some point we have to find an off-ramp or it's going to get much much worse And the governor is now sharing his idea of an off-ramp his new book with that title A plea to Americans to find common ground and our leaders to set an example 70% of this country doesn't like where we are right now

26:20They're tired of the hyper partisanship. They're tired of the contempt and they're desperate for something better Something different one thing you have said is we desperately need leaders in our country Who take the courageous off-ramp from contempt You said at the press conference history will dictate if this is a turning point for our country But every single one of us gets to choose right now if this is a turning point for us Nine days later, the Charlie Kirk's Memorial Service after a very forgiving and unifying speech by Erica Kirk Charlie Kirk's widow Donald Trump said this He did not hate his opponents. He wanted The best for them. That's where I disagreed with Charlie I hate my opponent And I don't want the best for them. I'm sorry. I am sorry Erica But now Erica can talk to me and the whole group and maybe they can convince me that that's not right, but I can't stand my opponent

27:29What was your reaction to that? Well, so I was there at that and you know there was this moment that you mentioned where Erica forgives one of the most powerful Christian moments I've ever experienced in my life. I talk about this And and yet then the president comes up and says you know that the Charlie wanted me to love my enemies and and I can't do that One I thought he was very Transparent he was being very honest and I appreciate that sometimes politicians aren't honest Cox did not vote for President Trump in 2016 or 2020 But had a change of heart after the attempt on Trump's life in 2024. I think a couple things really impacted me at that that point Just I've been talking about political violence is there a way to help do this. I'd spent eight years Not having a relationship and thought maybe there was an opportunity to have a relationship and could that be helpful in in some way

28:31And Cox remains a strong supporter today despite the book's message Well, look, I think this is this is kind of a cop out that we take as Americans Where we can just blame a person or our political leaders for this now I make the case that political leaders should do this But also make the case that no president no governor No book is going to transform this or changes for our country You do say in the book you describe the very high stakes you say I am becoming more convinced that we are on a path to complete failure of our democratic republican its institutions You write freedom is a fragile thing those are really extraordinary statements for a republican to stay say in the middle of a republican presidency Not to mention congress Yeah The look but I would have written those words Five years earlier as well. In fact, I did write similar words five years earlier in a democratic administration

29:34This is this is not something that anyone party owns It's not something that that is the responsibility of any one person This is this is America and our drift Cox says one way to cure that drift is to face each other instead of our screens Get off of the algorithms to get off of the screens I was Twitter addict in December of last year. I deleted Twitter off my phone Everything got better and as Republicans look towards the 2028 election Cox insists he has no plans to run for president You start the book by saying I am not running for president really I'm going to just believe you right now But would you make a good president? Uh, I don't know. I don't know if I would it's a it's a it's a very hard job I look I I'm not running for president. I don't want the job um

30:35If if if I wrote a book because I was running for president you shouldn't read that book uh, because it wouldn't be sincere and I do think though that someone I think there's a market failure in both parties right now I think that uh that the party that figures out that that Americans are tired of the the toxicity will uh Will do very very well in the election. I hope it's my party in uh in 28 But that remains to be seen Our thanks to governor Cox his book off ramp comes out Tuesday Coming up the first ballots are already in the mail with now just two months to the midterms the top Senate Republican is sounding the alarm saying Republicans could lose the majority which is the roundtable think we're back in two minutes I Do sometimes feel with younger women though that they have really no understanding of what it took Uh, but that's okay. I mean, I don't think

31:36You know, we there's no point in I wouldn't demand gratitude I would like a little but the Well, I think it's really helpful. I mean I to know what happened in the past it helps you But there's another element of that though. I think and that is that Women's pattern of activism Not everybody but it's kind of general way is the reverse of men's that is men tend to get Again, not everybody but more conservative as they get older because they gain power as they get older Women get more radical as we get older because we lose power as we get older and those young women Haven't experienced that yet and maybe they haven't even been in the labor force yet to discover what discrimination is Women's icon glorious Steinem with our own ABC news icon the late Koki Roberts in 2015 Steinem died this week at the age of 92 the roundtable win ways in on Steinem's legacy and all the weeks politics we're back at a moment

32:41There's a headlight every 30 minutes for our show. I'm pretty sure welcome to get real I'm your host Amanda Hirsch. This is the show for the reality TV obsessed You thought the show is crazy living it was crazy. I was dripping sweat for even stars For the stars and stands of the hula reality verse do you think she's stirring the pot to secure a place on the show Find and listen to get real wherever you get your podcasts and stream new episodes Thursdays on hulu and hulu on Disney plus terms apply This is the way hi. I'm John Favreau. We are launching the all-new Star Wars the Manelur and Grogu official podcast I'm sorry I can't focus at the moment. We're going behind the scenes with the cast and crew sharing stories from the set Creative insights and a few surprises from across the galaxy. I think he's earned a little snack Watch and listen to Star Wars the Mandalorian and Grogu official podcast now streaming on Disney plus or wherever you get your podcasts and catch Star Wars the Mandalorian and Grogu now streaming on Disney plus terms apply

33:41and The roundtable joins me now former DNC chair Donna Brazil free press calmness Charles Lane New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser and former RNC communications director Doug high welcome to all of you and Doug I want to start with you you heard energy secretary Chris Wright put the best face on gas prices But realistically they're going to be high on the midterms They're going to be high for a long time and the problem with it isn't just gas prices It's everything else. It's more expensive that gets delivered on a truck Which is sort of everything in this studio and diesel fuel right that's what that's all you But also anything that that people go people go to the storm by and so we're going to see prices higher for a long time And it's why I think the the president could have an opportunity here this week with his convention If he stays on message talk about what you've done and what you're trying to do to make being at the lake More affordable for Labor Day instead of what the name of the lake should be How Trump messages this week is going to be very important not just for him

34:43But for every single Republican on the ballot Donna They did get good news this week about the job numbers I mean if president Trump stays on that those job numbers people getting jobs three times higher than expected right And majority of the people who look like they were able to get employment again were women women in education women in health care That's good news But once again What's eaten at the American people is that they're gathered around the kitchen table at the lake Back at home under the tree and they can't afford to to get a hamburger They can't afford to to make potato salad and with the new tariffs that are going to be a nat With Canada Pretty soon American won't be able to just go out and get some regal toilet people and all of this comes back to the Iran war Despite whatever they say this is about the Iran war with those gas prices you also heard Chris right say We may not get a nuclear deal which was the point of this right Well, there've been so many different points Martha. I think You know, that's what we're hearing this week

35:45What we heard from president Trump was pay no attention to that war over there behind the corner If we don't call it a war if we don't even call it a conflict if we say it's small potatoes Maybe people won't pay attention I think that's the strategy if somebody doesn't really have a strategy But you know, I was really struck by that comment in your interview with the secretary as well They have changed the goals of this conflict whatever you call it initially There was talk of regime change the only researchers that exactly right you don't hear about the Iranian people Very much anymore in fact you heard president Trump demonizing the entire country, right? You know, these are an evil people rather than a country that is in the grip of a dictatorship That just a few months ago he said he was going to help those people I think the prospects we have to be real at this point of any kind of negotiated long-term settlement Are extremely realistic there was a nuclear deal with Iran of course that president Obama negotiated and it was blown up by Donald Trump in his first term I think we're looking at the prospect potentially of a long-term on again off again conflict as you suggested in that conversation

36:52Exactly Charles and that would take and I and ask him about keeping those 50,000 troops there But this comes as the Washington posters reporting like we can't This unsustainable to go forward apparently military advisers gave them that word We already have had the spectacle of The crew of the Lincoln the aircraft carrier Um in great distress Some stories this week were out they finally got some shore leave in Thailand that you could see the relief on their faces. That's just one aspect of the sustainability issue here As you say it's a very open-ended conflict. I think the one thing The administration can say in its favor is that the blockade on Iran's exports seems to be working And there is this kind of uh, you know question of whose blockade is leakier right now? And I think Iran's blockade of war moves is slightly leakier than the US blockade of Iran But that just then begs the question how long are we going to maintain this blockade at what expense with what endgame and they have

37:56bombing if they have to and there was more fighting again this week as well. Yeah Doug I want to turn back to you you mentioned this this midterm R&C which is quite unusual and more unusual is the list of speakers. I think we have pressimum Trump We have J.D. Vance we have House speaker Johnson But we also have the Attorney General of the United States Todd Blanche going as well Yeah, I'm disappointed by it but not surprised look the Republicans had a convention You know former R&C chair. I've been to a lot or or comes director I've been to a lot of them But we had one at the White House Which certainly was was also unprecedented and it shows that this is going to be a celebration of all things Donald Trump Which will make Donald Trump very happy But for Republicans who are on the ballot who see where his approval ratings are this doesn't help them unless they can somehow Beyond message about what's going on in the country and how that what they've done and what they're going to do Going to do in another Congress to keep that going and voters aren't aren't feeling that so if you're telling them

38:56Much like the president did in the state of the union that you've never been hotter or richer voters are going to turn away from that pretty quickly and we're going to hear a lot about how this is produced And we talk a lot about Donald Trump as an executive producer It's going to be a slick well put together event Again, not all Republicans who are in tight races are going to go because they don't want that That's not unusual But I think Trump should realize as the executive producer in chief That shows often sort of run out of steam by the time you get to season six and that's where Trump is right now They don't they don't remind the American people that this is a rougher run them on Donald Trump and the affordability crisis Democrats will have a counter convention and that is they're going to be Helping to rebuild the food bank supply In and around Texas their bringing farmers and ranches who've been devastated by this administration tariffs and fuel prices and Democrats We'll also how came Jeffries is sending four strong democratic leaders down the Texas to make sure that the affordability crisis is front and center They will put that front and center done but I also want to say that there are Democrats running in red states who don't want

40:02Connolly Harris around well a few many in common has said the vice president former vice president said look I understand politics if you if you want my support I'm here to lend it if you don't need my help I don't want to hurt you but the good news is that Democrats have a great bench of leaders who are willing to help from mr Tala Rico to mr All self to miss Miss Mary out in Alaska It's going to be a good election cycle for Democrats. Susan said a majority leader John Thune this week acknowledged He's concerned about losing the Republican majority. Yeah, I mean history and math You know both suggest he's right to be concerned You know the thing that's so striking to me though Martha is that we don't the playing field has shrunk You know the the way that our politics has developed With Jerry mandering with the extreme polarization. There are very few toss-up races right now only I think 18 genuine toss-ups in the House of Representatives when I was a young reporter on Capitol Hill It was something like a hundred races every year. We're really competitive

41:02And so when Donald Trump gets up and says I'm going to have a midterm convention to make it all about myself That makes very little sense for those 18 competitive races, but the problem is this is all about always speaking only to your own core supporters Now Trump where I think that's the warning indicator is that his polls have slipped among Republicans and Republican leaning independence Of course, he's still heavily favored by them, but those numbers have gone down by I think you know 15 points or so That's a warning indicator for a party that relies upon its own turn-end and to Susan's point when I was at the RNC in 2010 Our magic number for Obama was 46 We felt if he was at or below that we take back the House. He was at that number. We won 63 seats Trump's numbers are well below Obama's, but that map to your point just doesn't exist like it did in 2010 Check well There's two ways to win an election right persuasion or mobilization and in this season of extreme polarization It's about mobilizing and that's I think the goal of this

42:04Dallas convention to turn out the Republican base What strikes me about the lead up to it is the president is talking about things Anything but what voters are really concerned about he's pursuing this Trade war with Canada. He's renaming Lake Ontario. He's focused on the erection of this arch You know near the entrance to Arlington Cemetery pursuing all kinds of vendettas I think I saw him on TV the other day saying that the interest rate should be cut to half a percent and and throwing shade at Kevin War shoes his own choice for Fed Chairman so you know It's a long standing hope of the Republicans that the president will finally get back on message But you know, he never seems to actually do that Donna, let me read what political analyst Charlie Cook said Republicans should brace themselves the three most plausible outcomes are that it will be bad really bad or truly horrible Conversely a Democrat should at least briefly consider that the good fortune they may have in November will come compliments of the president

43:11Not as a result of much that they have done Well, I agree with that the Democrats want to first of all anybody from Louisiana. I'm agree with him We may not make gumbo the same, but we love it And Charlie Cook is one of the best look the good news is that Democrats don't have to run on their quote unquote record because it's the Republican record the Trifecta Democrats want to break the trifecta so that they can govern on behalf of the American people the lower cost and to focus on what really is The biggest concern in this country and that is America is losing ground across the globe because we have a president that keep picking fights and don't know how to stop them And if Democrats take back the house get ready for the House Democratic Freedom Caucus There's this caches of candidates that we've seen they want to fight before they want to legislate I've seen those troubles firsthand in the House representatives Donna good luck And I want to end here with some reflection on glorious dynamo We saw that wonderful Interview with our koki robber. It's just your thoughts

44:12You know Martha, I mean it we're talking about politics 10 years into the age of Donald Trump It's you know the juxtaposition that really gets you I think you know It's this sort of golden age of toxic Masculinity in our politics and of course in election season even more so You know a lot of people don't appreciate that it took a lot of fights by a lot of people like glorious Dynamics for women to get where they are today Donna. She was your mentor Your icon so many people look Through my friend Christina Kiel my long-term friend. I had an opportunity to intern for Gloria 44 years ago I'm still a young cat But glory was somebody who brought in the table. She didn't want women just to have seats She wanted women to have a voice. She wanted women to be seen in the future I had the opportunities because Gloria said you got to put it in right and you got to talk You got to write and I wrote from Miss magazine for over a decade Gloria was someone who I think From now on history will remember the feisty wage and what she did for all Americans including young women as well

45:14Got about 20 seconds Chuck. I interested in a male view there. Well, I'm Really admiring of the Overcoming of very difficult circumstances early in her life. Yeah, I think that's another aspect of her career People aren't really all that aware of because she projected such a glamorous and successful image But she came up in a very difficult home and never lost her positive attitude and her desire to achieve something She did not and we appreciate all your comments I'm sure you feel the same way Doug appreciate all you being here up next 25 years after 9-11 the college course teaching the history of that tragic day to those who weren't alive yet to experience it A new podcast series from ABC audio in 2020 goes inside a case that has captivated the nation So many people Luigi Mangione is a modern-day Robin Hood people were cheering the demise of this person

46:14They'd never met who was a father of two and a husband and had a life and was just doing a job from the man hunt Ending in a McDonald's in Altona, Pennsylvania to what authorities are saying about a possible motive I'm ABC News legal analyst Brian Buckmeyer listen to burn in a proof Luigi Mangione wherever you get your podcasts We shop for everything at home now. Why can't we shop for blinds at home too That's why I love three-day blinds Instead of wandering around a store three-day blinds sends a professional design consultant straight to you They bring all the samples help you see what actually works in your space take expert measurements and even handle the installation We've all bought something that looked great in a store and looked terrible once we got home With three-day blinds you see everything in your actual light with your actual furniture before you commit Plus whether you're home or away you can control your window treatments with the three-day blinds app So for a free no charge no obligation consultation head to three-day blinds.com slash save 50 for our buy one get one 50% off deal

47:23That's the number three d.a.y blinds.com slash save 50 This Friday marks 25 years since the horrific attacks on September 11th Today, just a 30-minute drive from the Pentagon at George Mason University a professor has created a course called 9-11 in history and memory to reach a generation of students who weren't even born yet on that tragic day jail Brian has the story You guys are a full 60 years apart Yeah, and I'm glad to know her Barbara Kierriakakis is 83 years young her new pal Michaela Kranford is 23 so you both have very different relationships with 9-11 Barbara you remember of course Barbara was at work on September 11th 2001 and later learned one of her neighbors was on flight 93 brought down in a Pennsylvania field by brave passengers

48:26But it hit you right in your community. Yes Absolutely and for a long time we watched that little girl grow up without a father To Barbara and so many others that day is personal For Michaela, it's just another moment in history. I was not alive for 9-11. What do you know about it? I all I know is like what I know what I learned in school These two had never spoken to each other before today Although they've been sitting steps away for a few weeks now in a class here at Virginia's George Mason University dedicated to helping students honor and understand 9-11 one of the questions that we have to consider is Why professor Meredith Blair teaches this course every five years around major anniversary? Because she told us she found many of her young students felt no connection to 9-11 100 million Americans according to the 9-11 Memorial and Museum have no lived memory of that day

49:29It seemed like there was a kind of intensifying forgetting and also a Calibness around the conversation around 9-11 Over the semester this course will cover the lead up to the attacks that fateful day and its aftermath Including two decades of the war on terror and the age of misinformation after 9-11 When I first learned about it like years ago It felt like something I kind of like happened like before I was born like something just then when you actually like see Like picture pictures photo videos. It feels Like something that was just like it just hits you all at once Alongside the college age students who signed up for these lectures are several older pupils including Barbara She's auditing the course in her retirement We asked Michaela if she knew anything about the unity the country felt in the wake of the attacks. She had no clue Oh my gosh That was amazing The whole United States came together

50:29We did you know that? I know I did Barbara, can you explain to her what it was like in the months and after 9-11? Well think of what it's like right now It's just the opposite In the smoldering aftermath of 9-11 our country vowed to never forget But how can we truly keep that promise when history marches on and successive generations have no memory to keep alive In the first place the solution professor layer believes starts with conversations like these I want them to ask hard questions and I guess I'm okay if they're a little bit traumatized as a as a consequence Because that is Part of being human. It's part of feeling. It's part of thinking about others and ultimately they'll understand the American experience That's that is my hope and that they will remember 9-11 is something that happened not to a nation But to regular people just like them it shows that like

51:30even during a terrorist attack Real humans fire fighters even people on the ground Still wanted to help the people that were in a literally a burning building in our darkest hour in our darkest hour People still wanted to help a day that young people like Michaela didn't live But one that forever shaped their future. What do you think people your age should take away about that day? Ask your parents about that day Ask how they it made them feel and get a deeper knowledge of it because it's a day that will truly live on in history that will Forever be talked about And it will indeed are thanks to Jay and be sure to tune into full coverage on ABC news this Friday September 11th throughout the day as 25 years later America remembers and at 8 p.m. Eastern Friday a special tribute in light live from lower Manhattan in partnership with the 9-11 Memorial and Museum

52:31We'll be right back That's all for today. Thanks for sharing part of your Sunday with us check out world news tonight and have a great labor day Two-pucks-a-core now 30 years after he was gunned down in Vegas a one-time reputed gang leader stands trial for his murder Follow every detail streaming live daily on ABC News live wherever you stream and for a burden of proof daily wherever you get your podcasts