DID DEMOCRACY WIN THE MIDTERMS?

TWO MORE YEARS •AT LEAST •OF THE TRUMP ERA.

AND HAS ELON MUSK MET HIS WATERLOO?

STAY TUNED, IVORY TOWER IS NEXT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO IVORY TOWER.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY, FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.

I'M JOINED ON THE PANEL TONIGHT BY NINA MOORE FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY, TY SEIDULE FROM HAMILTON COLLEGE, LUKE PERRY FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY AND CHAD SPARBER FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY.

THE MID-TERM ELECTIONS ARE IN THE BOOKS, AND MAYBE DEMOCRACY WAS ON THE BALLOT, AS PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID.

YOU COULD ALMOST FEEL THE SIGN OF RELIEF IN MUCH OF THE COUNTRY AFTER PROMINENT ELECTION DENIERS LOST THEIR RACES.

REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES WHO SAID THEY WOULD NOT HAVE CERTIFIED THE 2020 ELECTION WENT 0 FOR SEVEN.

AND YET, OF THE 330 SKEPTICS ON BALLOTS NATIONWIDE, 220 WON.

SOME ARE IN NOW THE HOUSE, OTHERS THE SENATE.

ARE YOU HOPEFUL ABOUT THE STATE OF DEMOCRACY?

>> I AM.

I'M REMINDED OF THE CHURCHILL AFORISM THAT YOU CAN DEPEND ON AMERICANS TO DO THE RIGHT THING AFTER THEY HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING ELSE.

WE STILL HAVE STRUCTURAL ISSUES.

THE SUPREME COURT, ELECTORAL COLLEGE, GERRYMANDERING BUT THE EXISTENTIAL CRISIS THAT POLITICIANS WOULD ACCEPT THE ELECTORAL COUNT SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED SO THIS THANKSGIVING I'M THANKFUL FOR A RENEWAL OF DEMOCRACY.

>> BUT THERE ARE STILL 220 DENIERS NATIONWIDE WHO ARE TAKING OFFICE IN VARIOUS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT, LUKE?

>> I THINK THE LAST ELECTION COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE IN TERMS OF HOW THINGS WORKED OUT SO I AGREE WITH YOU THERE BUT I'M STILL PRETTY JADED AND CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY.

UNTIL IT'S NO LONGER STRATEGICALLY VIABLE TO DENY FACTS AND PROMOTE CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT OUR ELECTORAL SYSTEM, WE SHOULD ALL BE CONCERNED ABOUT DEMOCRACY.

>> I'M SORT OF WHERE BOTH OF YOU AND TY ARE IN THE SENSE THAT I HAVE SORT OF THIS GENERAL FAITH AKIN TO WHAT Dr. KING SAID, WHICH IS THAT THE ARC OF MORAL JUSTICE IS LONG, BUT IT BEND TOWARDS JUSTICE.

SO I THINK IN THE END, WHAT'S RIGHT WILL EVENTUALLY PREVAIL, BUT LIKE YOU, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS.

MOST OF ALL THAT WE ARE DEEPLY AND PERVASIVELY DIVIDED AS A COUNTRY.

BUT MORE THAN JUST THAT, THAT DIVISION IS ANCHORED IN ANGER, EMOTION AND SORT OF THIS SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS SO THAT IN THE END, MY SENSE-- AND I'M SORT OF SOUNDING SELF-RIGHTEOUS HERE MYSELF, RIGHT?

MY SENSE IS THAT YOU KNOW, VERY FEW PEOPLE CARE ABOUT CAPITAL T TRUTH THAT YOU HAVE ON THE RIGHT STILL A GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT DENY THE 2020 ELECTION OUTCOMES EVEN THOUGH 60 COURTS EXAMINED AND LOOKED AT THAT AND THEN ON THE LEFT, YOU HAVE THIS TENDENCY TO MAJOR IN THE MINOR AND TO MINOR IN THE MAJOR AND EVERY TIME YOU TURN AROUND, ONE OF THE ISM CARDS IS PULLED OUT FOR THINGS THAT REALLY DON'T MATTER TO THE TRULY DISADVANTAGED.

AND SO THOSE ARE MY WORRIES.

BUT AS I SAID, I THINK, IN THE END, THE TRUTH PREVAILED AND THAT SOUNDS SORT OF WEIRD BUT THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS, WITH THIS DIVISION, THERE IS ALMOST A MORAL CERTAIN TUD THAT THEY'RE RIGHT.

>> DIVISIVENESS EXISTS AND WE ARE NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET BUT I DO HAVE HOPE AND I TURN TO GEORGIA WHERE FOUR YEARS AGO WE HAD ABRAHAMS VERSUS KEMP.

KEMP WON BY A SLIVER OF 50% AND FOUR YEARS LATER, WE NOW JUST HAVE ROUND 2 AND HE GOT UP TO 53.4%.

NOW THAT'S SIGNIFICANT TO ME BECAUSE HERE IS A GUY WHOSE NOTORIETY COMES FROM STANDING UP TO TRUMP IN 2020 AND SAYING THAT NO, I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO OVERTURN THIS ELECTION.

BIDEN ACTUALLY WON.

SO FOR HIM TO BE REWARDED WITH 130,000 EXTRA VOTES, THAT, TO ME, IS A SIGN OF POSITIVE PROGRESS AND HOPE MOVING FORWARD.

>> BUT I ACTUALLY LOOK TO GEORGIA AS ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE I'M WORRIED, RIGHT IN BECAUSE HE ENDED UP WHERE HE IS BECAUSE HE OVERSAW THE CHALLENGES TO HIS ELECTION BUT ALSO GEORGIA, AND THIS IS A SMALL THING, BUT EXPWRORNLG AHAS MADE-- GEORGIA HAS MADE IT A CRIME TO SERVE WATER IN THE SORT OF VOTING LINE AND THEN YOU HAVE SEEN OTHER STATES, FOR EXAMPLE, IOWA, THAT HAS ELIMINATED THE NUMBER OF EARLY VOTING PLACES SO I THINK THE RIGHT TO VOTE ITSELF IS UNDER ATTACK.

BUT NOT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE ENAT THING HAS SHOWN THAT HALF OF THE STATES HAVE EXPANDED VOTING RIGHTS AND QUITE A FEW OTHERS HAVE CONTRACTED IT.

>> I'M JUST THINKING THAT SOME OF THE BIGGEST ELECTION DENIERS ACTUALLY ACCEPTED THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION.

SO MASTRIANO IN PENNSYLVANIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS NOT SO FAR IS KERRY LAKE, MOST OF THE ONES HAVE ACCEPTED THE RESULTS AND EVEN DONALD TRUMP HAS ACCEPTED THE RESULTS IN A WAY BECAUSE HE IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT AGAIN.

>> DOESN'T THE FACT THAT THEY ACCEPTED IT INDICATE THAT THEY KNEW ALL ALONG THAT IT WAS A NONSENSICAL CLAIM?

>> ALMOST LIKE A FEVER THAT HAS BROKEN, THAT THIS IDEA OF ELECTION DENIALISM IS STARTING TO BREAK.

AND IT WAS A FEVER AND IT'S NOT HOLDING THE BODY POLITIC ANYMORE.

>> THE STRONGEST RESPONSE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN IN THE UPPER MIDWEST.

ARE WE SEEING THE BLUE WALL BEING REBUILT?

>> POSSIBLY.

I MEAN I THINK ABOUT OUR OWN BACKYARD.

ELISE STEFANIK, CLAUDIA TENNEY, THESE PEOPLE HAVE LAW BACKGROUNDS.

THEY ARE SMART.

THEY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED SOME 2020.

2020 WAS THE MOST OBSERVED AUDITED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN U.S. HISTORY BUT STRATEGICALLY THEY'RE CASTING DOUBT ON IT BECAUSE THEY THINK IT BENEFITS THEM AND MILLIONS OF REPUBLICANS FOLLOW SUIT AND I FEEL BAD FOR THEM BECAUSE SOME OF THEM DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER.

SO UNTIL PEOPLE IN POWER, WHO ARE SMART, BEHAVE MORE ETHICALLY AND STOP TOYING WITH DEMOCRACY, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS.

>> AND UNTIL THEN, WE LO HAVE TO LOOK TO THE INDEPENDENTS TO DO WHAT THEY DID IN THE LAST ELECTION, WHICH IS TO REJECT THE SEVEN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES WHO WERE ELECTION DENIERS AND TO REJECT THE EIGHT SECRETARIES OF STATE CANDIDATES WHO ALSO WERE.

>> ONE LAST QUESTION ON THIS.

HOW MUCH DAMAGE IN THIS AREA DO YOU THINK KERRY LAKE CAN DO OVER IN ARIZONA?

SHE IS NOT ACCEPTED DEFEAT AND IT'S CLOSE.

IT WAS A VERY CLOSE RACE IS THIS A PROBLEM THAT SHE IS RAISING THIS FLAG?

>> IT IS A PROBLEM BUT SHE IS ISOLATED AND ANYBODY WHO SAYS ANYTHING BAD ABOUT JOHN McCAIN RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION, SHE SHOT HERSELF IN THE FOOT AND I THINK THE LONGER SHE GOES IN THIS VAIN, THE MORE LIKELY SHE IS TO STAY OUT OF POLITICS.

>> SHE WENT TO MAR LAGO YESTERDAY WHEN SHE SAW FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.

HE ANNOUNCED HE IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

PERHAPS THE EARLIEST ANNOUNCEMENT EARLIER BUT IT WASN'T AT ALL LIKE HIS FAMOUS TRUMP TOWER RIDE DOWN THE ELEVATOR IN 2015.

A LOT OF FINGERS ARE POINTING AT HIM FOR THE POOR RESULTS IN THE MID TERMS AND POINTING TO RON DeSANTIS AS THE MAN TO LEAD THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FORWARD.

SO, LUKE, HAS TRUMP'S IRON GRIP ON THE G.O.P.

NOW LOOSENED?

>> DONALD TRUMP IS AT HIS POLITICAL LOW POINT RIGHT NOW.

THIS CAMPAIGN IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR HIM IN TERMS OF HOW HE IS COVERED, IN TERMS OF HOW HE IS TREATED.

PARTICULARLY FROM FELLOW REPUBLICANS.

YOU LOOK AT THE DATA.

NAME RECOGNITION IN THE 30S AND 40S AT THIS POINT, WIDESPREAD NAME RECOGNITION AND THAT LEVEL OF NATIONAL SUPPORT TENDS TO CORRELATE WITH SECURING THE NOMINATION, ABOUT 75% OF THE TIME BUT TRUMP IS NO TYPICAL CANDIDATE.

I THINK HE IS GOING TO FACE COMPETITORS LIKE YOU SAID.

AND I'M VERY CURIOUS HOW THAT UNFOLDS STATE BY STATE.

I THINK MIKE PENCE COULD BE COMPETITIVE IN IOWA.

REPUBLICAN NEW HAMPSHIRE PARTY REJECTED HIM.

IF TIM SCOTT RUNS, TRUMP COULD LOSE IN NORTH CAROLINA.

I'M CURIOUS WHO IS GOING TO BE IN THE FIELD AND HOW THAT IS GOING TO SHAKE OUT.

>> I DON'T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO GET 15 CANDIDATES THIS TIME AROUND AS BEFORE BECAUSE I THINK REPUBLICANS HAVE LEARNED THEIR LESSON.

BUT STRIKING TO ME WAS WHEN HE ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS GOING TO RUN, WHO WAS ABSENT.

HIS OWN FAMILY, RIGHT?

BUT I WAS LISTENING TO MIKE PENCE'S COMMENTS RECENTLY.

AND HE WAS PRESSED TO SAY WHETHER OR NOT TRUMP SHOULD RUN AND WHAT HE KEPT SAYING WAS, I THINK THERE WILL BE BETTER CANDIDATES.

AND AS YOU HAVE SUGGESTED, LUKE, ALREADY IN GENERAL RICK BALLOTS IN IOWA AND NEW NACH, DeSANTIS IS OUTPERFORMING TRUMP SO FAR.

>> I THINK IT IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT FOX AND THE MURDOCH EMPIRE ARE DOING.

THEY CALL HIM FLORIDA MAN NOW WHICH IS HILARIOUS AND THEY HAVE DISMISSED HIM.

THE PARTY LEADS ARE TRYING TO DISMISS HIM BUT IS IT TRUE THAT THE MAGA GROUP OR REPUBLICAN BASE WILL, NOT YET?

SOMEBODY HAS TO COME UP AND DETHRONE HIM BEFORE THAT HAPPENS.

AND UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, HE IS THE FRONT RUNNER.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE.

CENTRIST AND INDEPENDENTS WHO WANT TO VOTE REPUBLICAN BUT CAN'T VOTE FOR TRUMP VERSUS TRUMPISTS WHO WON'T SHOW UP TO THE POLLS TO VOTE FOR ANYBODY EXCEPT TRUMP.

A LOT ABOUT DETAN ADVERTISE IS A NAME-- SEA TAN ADVERTISE IS COMING UP A LOT.

RESULTS OF HISPANICS IN THE LAST ELECTION.

DeSANTIS GOT 58% OF HIS HISPANIC VOTE IN FLORIDA, TRUMP PEAKED AT 48%.

SO DeSANTIS DOES SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER AMONG HISPANICS.

AND IN TERMS OF LIKE A TAX STRATEGY THAT I THINK SOMEBODY LIKE DeSANTIS HAS TO GO FOR, I THINK IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING WHERE YOU DON'T GO AFTER TRUMP THE PLAN AND HIS IDEAS, BUT YOU GO AFTER HIS LEGAL PROBLEMS.

YOU SORT OF CONCEDE THAT OH NO, TRUMP IS WONDERFUL AND HE REALLY IS BEING MITION TREATED BY THE MEADE-- MISTREATED BY THE MEDIA AND THE LEAKS BUT THE LEGAL PROBLEMS ARE A DISTRACTION AND WON'T BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH HIS POLICY DISTRACTIONS BECAUSE OF THOSE-- HE WON'T BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH HIS POLICY GOALS BECAUSE OF DISTRACTIONS.

>> YOU GUYS DID A POLL AND IT SHOWED BEFORE THE JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE HEARINGS, SOMETHING LIKE TWO-THIRDS OF THE REPUBLICAN BASE WERE ELECTION DENIERS BUT AFTERWARDS THAT NUMBER DIPPED TO AROUND 60%.

STILL, AS YOU SAID, A MAJORITY.

BUT I THINK SOME CHANGE IS POSSIBLE THERE ALONG THE LINES YOU MENTIONED.

>> IF DeSANTIS STARTS TO BEAT TRUMP OR DOES BEAT HIM IN A PRIMARY, I MEAN I CAN'T IMAGINE TRUMP BEING GRACIOUS IN DEFEAT.

THAT'S GOING TO CERTAINLY HURT IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

>> IT IS GOING TO HURT BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN WHETHER DeSANTIS CAN RUN ON A NATIONAL PLATFORM YET.

REMEMBER THAT THE PARTY ELITE HAVE SAID MANY PEOPLE SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY JEB BUSH.

>> SLEPY JEB.

>> THE IDEA THAT SOMEBODY IS GOING HAVE TO BEAT TRUMP AND THEY'RE IN THE GOING TO BEAT HIM BY PAIRING HIM.

THEY HAVE TO BEAT HIM ON THE STUMP.

I'LL WAIT TO SEE WHO THAT IS GOING TO BE.

BUT I'M NOT GOING TO BET ON IT.

>> I WANT TO ASK LUKE BECAUSE I THINK HAVE YOU SOME INSIGHT INTO THIS, HOW CAN THE REPUBLICAN ELITE KIND OF CHANGE SOME OF THE ELECTION RULES AGAINST HIS FAVOR?

I'M THINKING LIKE RNC CHAIR RHONDA McDANIELS.

SHE LIVES SOME MICHIGAN WHERE VERY IMPORTANTLY THEY FOOT BOTH HOUSES OF THE CHAMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.

SHE CAN'T POSSIBLY WANT TRUMP TO WIN.

CAN SHE DO ANYTHING TO SORT OF-- >> SHE IS A TRUMP ALLY SO I THINK THE REPUBLICANS... >> SHE IS IN MICHIGAN.

>> THAT'S HOW SHE CAME TO THAT POSITION AND THAT'S THE PLATFORM ON WHICH I THINK SHE IS GOING TO RUN AGAIN.

STOW YOUR QUESTION, I THINK IF REPUBLICANS WERE TO REPLACE THEIR NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIR AND IN THE DIRECTION OF SOMEONE MORE SUPPORTIVE OF PENCE OR DeSANTIS WOULD HELP AND WHERE THE PRIMARY CALENDAR IS SCHEDULED AND THAT ORDER IS KEY, TOO.

2016, THE NATIONAL REPUBLICANS TRIED TO HAVE A LOT OF SOUTHERN STATES GO FIRST, THINKING TRUMP WOULDN'T DO WELL THERE.

THAT DIDN'T WORK.

BUT IF YOU WERE TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR BUT BETTER, AND TRY TO HAVE TRUMP MATCHED UP IN PLACES WHERE, IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF RACES IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HE WOULD DO WELL, THAT WOULD HELP LIMIT HIS OVERALL DELEGATE SHARE BECAUSE IN THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, WHETHER YOU WIN THE STATE, YOU GET ALL THE DELEGATES SO THOSE EARLY PRIMARIES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.

>> IT'S STILL TRUMP'S PARTY UNTIL IT'S NOT AND I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY EVIDENCE YET.

>> IN HIS ANNOUNCEMENT SPEECH, HE SPOKE OF A POLICY FOR DEALING WITH DRUG DEALERS BY IMMEDIATE TRIAL, SUMMARY TRIAL AND EXECUTION, BASICALLY.

WHICH HE SAID HE GOT FROM PRESIDENT XI.

AND I MEAN THAT'S HOW THEY DO IT IN CHINA.

ONCE IDEAS LIKE THAT START GETTING FLOATED NATIONALLY, IS THAT GOING TO SINK IN?

>> PSYCHOLOGICAL BASE.

THAT TOUCHES ON CRIME, ON THE OPIOID CRISIS IN A WAY THAT DEEP IDEOLOGICAL CONSERVATIVES MIGHT GRAB ON TO EVEN THOUGH NATIONALLY CERTAINLY IT WOULDN'T WORK.

>> FOR HIS BASE, RIGHT, HE COULD STAND IN THE MIDDLE OF FIFTH AVENUE AND SHOOT SOMEONE AND NO ONE IS REALLY GOING TO CARE.

I THINK THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS, BESIDE THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP IS THAT THE MEDIA HAVE TO BE CAREFUL TO NOT GIVE HIM FREE EXPOSURE AND TO LEGITIMIZE HIM IN THE WAY THAT HE WAS IN 2015, 2016, THE REASON I BELIEVE HE ANNOUNCED SO EARLY IS BECAUSE HE WANTS THAT KIND OF CONSTANT EXPOSURE TO OVERRIDE SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF.

>> DeSANTIS CAN'T RESPOND RIGHT AWAY, EITHER.

HE JUST WINS AND NOW HE IS GOING TO ANNOUNCE ELECTION?

HE CAN'T DO IT >> N MUSK HAS OWNED TWITTER FOR LESS THAN A MONTH AND IT'S BEEN A BUMPY RIDE TO SAY THE LEAST.

HE'S ALREADY FIRED HALF THE COMPANY, AND GAVE OTHERS A DAY TO AGREE TO "HARD CORE" WORK OR LEAVE.

HE ROLLED OUT AND RETRACTED A NEW POLICY ABOUT VERIFIED USERS.

HE NEEDS REVENUE, BUT ADVERTISERS ARE FLEEING.

SO IT'S A MESS, BUT THIS MESS HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE WAY PEOPLE COMMUNICATE IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

WHAT DOES THIS MESS MEAN FOR THE MODERN PUBLIC SQUARE?

>> SO YOU THINK OF TWITTER AS PART OF THE MODERN PUBLIC SQUARE.

I THINK OF IT AS NICHE AND I THINK THAT PART OF WHAT MUSK IS TRYING TO DO IS BROADEN ITS APPEAL.

THE NUMBERS FOR YOU, IT ONLY HAS 436 MILLION USERS EVERY MONTH, WHICH IS ABOUT HALF OF WHAT TIKTOK HAS 20% OF INSTAGRAM AND 15% OF FACEBOOK.

SECOND, IF YOU LOOK AT LIKE 2019 RESEARCH BY DEAN FRELON AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, HE FOUND THAT TWO-THIRDS OF TWITTER USERS ARE LEFT OF CENTER.

THAT IMBALANCE IS STILL PERSISTING TODAY BUT WITHIN THE FIRST FOUR DAYS AFTER MUSK TOOK OVER, THE REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS GAINED AN AVERAGE OF 1800 FOLLOWERS.

DEMOCRATS LOST AN AVERAGE OF 1600.

BUT AT LEAST HALF OF THAT, I THINK THAT'S WHAT MUSK IS GOING FOR, RIGHT?

HE IS WANTING TO BROADEN THAT BASE AND TRY TO GET MORE PEOPLE IN.

SOME OF THE STEPS, CLUMSY.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT THROUGHOUT THIS DISCUSSION BUT I THINK THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT HE IS AIMING FOR.

>> HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE HIS TIME AS C.E.O.?

DUMPSTER FIRE, SOUP SANDWICH?

MUSK IS LIKE THE MAYHEM GUY ON ALL STATE.

HE IS JUST TOTALLY TAKING WHAT HE OVERPAID FOR, $44 BILLION.

IT'S WORTH A FRACTION OF THAT NOW.

THE IDEA OF THE BRILLIANT BILLIONAIRE, I THINK, IS WAY OVER BLOWN AND I THINK WHAT TWITTER IS WORSE NOW THAN IT EVER WAS AND I THINK WE NEED TO THINK MORE ABOUT HOW WE ARE GOING TO REGULATE TECH AND LOOK MORE TO THE EUROPEAN MODEL TO HAVE MORE REGULATION ON THESE HUGE TECH COMPANIES.

>> I COULDN'T AGREE WITH YOU MORE.

MUSK HIMSELF IS A MESS.

RIGHT?

BUT TWITTER HAS A LIFE OF ITS OWN.

AND SO IT WILL CHANGE, RIGHT?

THE PUBLIC SQUARE WILL INCLUDE MORE CONSERVATIVE VOICES.

I WAS JUST SORT OF SCROLLING THROUGH THIS MORNING AND SEEING THE NUMBER OF LIBERAL LEANING USERS WHO ARE SAYING THAT THEIR FEED WAS SOMEHOW BEING INUNDATED BY CONSERVATIVE VOICES.

BUT I THINK THAT AS LONG AS YOU HAVE NATIONAL AND WORLD LEADERS LIKE PRESIDENT OBAMA WHO HAS LIKE WHAT, FIVE BILLION FOLLOWERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

AND AS LONG AS TWITTER CAN LAY CLAIM TO BEING IMPORTANT IN THE NATIONAL DISCUSSION, GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE SPRING OF 2010, I THINK THAT REPORTS OF TWITTER'S DEATH ON TWITTER ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED.

>> YOU MENTION THE ARAB SPRING AND I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE SQUARE, WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN EGYPT ON TWITTER.

THE PEOPLE THERE ARE TALKING BACK AND FORTH AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE DOING THAT IN IRAN AND UKRAINE.

AND IF TWITTER GOES BELLY UP, WHICH IT COULD GO BANKRUPTCY, WE THINK ABOUT IT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, IT COULD HAVE A HUGE IMPACT AROUND THE WORLD.

>> THINK ABOUT IT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AS MIDDLE AGE OR OLDER PEOPLE.

OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT ON TWITTER.

THAT IS NOT THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OF THEIR CHOICE BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS THE LATEST NEWEST THING THAT PEOPLE GRAVITATE TOWARDS.

SO TWITTER HAS LOST MONEY OUT OF THE LAST 10 YEARS.

IT WAS NOT A GOOD BUSINESS PROPOSITION.

MUSK IS A SMART GUY AND GOOD BUSINESS PROPOSITION BUT HE TOOK ON A SHIP THAT IS ON FIRE AND SINKING.

HE DIDN'T MAKE ANYTHING BETTER SO FAR.

IF YOU BUY SOMETHING TO MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT AND LAUNCH A POLITICAL CRUSADE, IT'S HARD TO MAKE MONEY.

>> SUCH A CULT OF PERSONALITY AROUND MUSK.

LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM.

I THINK WE NEED TO DIVORCE THAT FROM ALL THE OTHER STUFF THAT'S GOING ON.

LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S CLUMSY WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE BUT YOU MENTION THE MASS LAYOFFS.

TWITTER EMPLOYED 1.5 EMPLOYEES FOR EVERY MILLION DOLLAR IN REVENUE.

THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN FACEBOOK PARENT COMPANY META.

SO IT WAS A COMPANY THAT PROBABLY NEEDED TO DOWNSIZE.

YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW IT DECLINED IN VALUE, SO DID A LOT OF TECH STOCKS AT THE END OF OCTOBER.

A LOT OF THEM SAW DOUBLE DIGIT LOSSES IN THEIR VALUES.

MAYBE IT'S EXAGGERATED BECAUSE OF WHAT MUSK DID AT TWITTER BUT THERE IS A LOT OF ECONOMIC FORCES GOING ON HERE THAT I THINK THAT WERE UNFAIRLY SAYING THIS IS ALL MUSK BECAUSE HE IS AN IDIOT BECAUSE OF THAT CULT OF PERSONALITY.

>> WHAT WOULD DO YOU?

>> I WOULDN'T BUY TWITTER.

I DON'T USE TWITTER.

>> THE FACT THAT HE BOUGHT IT IS CRAZY.

HE IS BURNING MONEY AND HE HAS GOT TO PAY A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IN FINANCING COSTS WITH A COMPANY THAT HAS NEVER MADE MONEY AND HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 15 OR 16 YEARS.

THE IDEA THAT HE COULD GET THAT MUCH MONEY OUT OF A COMPANY SEEMS CRAZY.

AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE A C.E.O.

FOR... >> WHY DID HE BUY IT?

THAT'S THE QUESTION.

MAYBE-- HE CLAIMS HE WANTS FREE SPEECH.

HE WANTS A PLATFORM FOR FREE SPEECH, BROADEN ITS APPEAL, GET OUT JUST THE LEFT OF CENTER PUBLIC SPHERE.

SO MAYBE HE IS HONEST ABOUT THAT.

I DON'T KNOW.

>> WELL, THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS MONEY TO BURN.

LITERALLY HAS MONEY TO BURN.

>> HE TWEETED, HOW DO YOU MAKE A SMALL FORTUNE?

YOU START WITH A LARGE FORTUNE.

>> EXACTLY, SCOTT, HE HAS GOT A LOT OF MONEY, BUT ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CONGRESS MEN, HE TOLD HIM, MUSK TOLD HIM THAT HE PLANS TO BE LESS HANDS ON.

HE IS NOT GOING TO BE AS INVOLVED.

LET'S SEE IF THAT HAPPENS.

>> OKAY.

NOW I GUESS WE WILL SEE WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN PRETTY QUICKLY WITH TWITTER.

I KNOW THAT LAST NIGHT PEOPLE WERE-- THAT WAS THE DEADLINE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T WANT WORK HARD CORE AND THEY WERE LEAVING IN DROVES.

I HEARD AS MANY AS A THOUSAND PEOPLE MAY HAVE LEFT.

>> BUT I JOINED.

I HAVE THREE WHOLE FOLLOWERS NOW.

>> I'LL FOLLOW YOU.

NOW TIME FOR THE As AND Fs AND NINA WE'LL BEGIN WITH YOUR F. >> ALMOST 4,000 BEAGLES WERE RESCUED FROM A BREEDING FACILITY IN VIRGINIA WHERE THEY WERE BREAD FOR LABORATORY TESTING.

ON TOP OF OVER 100 EXPIRED PUPPIES, THE USDA INSPECTORS FOUND MANY OF THE ANIMALS IN ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE CONDITIONS.

MANY HAD TO BE EUTHANIZED.

IT'S GREAT THAT THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTIONS FINALLY CAME, IT'S GREAT THAT PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARK WILL HAVE GOTTEN IN ON ADOPTING THE ANIMALS BUT IT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE AND IF IT HASN'T, THAT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER.

>> TY, YOUR F. >> TO THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

THEY JUST ANNOUNCED THEIR NEW STANDARD OBJECTIVES OF LEARNING.

NOTHING ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

IT'S A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO AN EDUCATIONAL ISSUE AND I FEAR THEY'RE HEADED BACK TO THE VIRGINIA TEXTBOOKS I HAD AS A KID THAT TRIED TO MAKE SLAVERY LOOK GOOD.

AND IT'S A TERRIBLE CHOICE FOR A STATE THAT ONCE LED THE NATION IN MASSIVE RESISTANCE.

>> LUKE.

>> MY F GOES TO THE 38 SENATORS WHO VOTED AGAINST SAME-SEX MARRIAGE THIS WEEK.

70% OF AMERICANS BELIEVE IN MARRIAGE EQUALITY INCLUDING MARKETS IN BOTH PARTIES.

SENATORS, CONGRESSMEN, PLEASE HEED THE CALL.

>> AND CHAD, TOP THAT.

>> MY F GOES TO DELAYS IN COUNTING BALLOTS.

PEGGY NOONAN IN THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL" CALLED THESE DELAYS SLOPPY ABUSIVE AND RECIPE FOR CONSPIRACY THEY'RE E. AS OF THURSDAY AFTERNOON, NINE DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION, ONLY TWO-THIRDS OF THE BALLOTS IN CALIFORNIA'S 22nd DISTRICT HAVE BEEN COUNTED.

THAT'S AN IMPORTANT RACE BECAUSE THE INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN IS SOMEBODY WHO VOTED TO IMPEACH TRUMP.

I THINK THIS IS JUST UNCONSCIONABLE.

>> NOW LET'S GO TO THE As.

AND MEAN THEY ARC.

-- AND NINA.

>> THIS SHOULD NOT DESERVE AN A BUT I WILL GIVE IT ANYWAY.

DOUG MASTRIANO WHO LOST HIS RACE FOR GOVERNOR IN PENNSYLVANIA BY 14 POINTS.

HE HAD PREVIOUSLY CAMPAIGNED AGAINST COVID PRECAUTIONS AND HE WAS AN ELECTION DENIER, BUT AFTER HE LOST LAST WEEK, HE TWEETED A STATEMENT THAT READ, IN PART, "JOSH SHAPIRO WILL BE OUR NEXT GOVERNOR AND I ASK EVERYONE TO GIVE HIP THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD AND PRAY THAT HE LEADS WELL."

>> TY, YOUR A.

>> TO NANCY PELOSI WHO GAVE UP THE GAVEL AS SPEAKER.

SHE IS THE MOST CONS GWEN USUALLY SPEAKER OF THIS CENTURY AND THE LAST.

THERE IS NO AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN OR JOBS INFRASTRUCTURE ACT.

SHE IS THE MOST 368 ITALIAN AMERICAN IN OUR HISTORY AND EVEN NEWT GINGRICH CALLED HER THE STRONGEST SPEAKER IN OUR HISTORY.

SHE GETS MY A +.

>> LUKE, YOUR A.

>> MY A GOES TO MICHAEL GERSON PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH WRITER AND COLUMNISTIST WHO DIED THIS WEEK.

HE WAS A GOOD WRITER WHOSE PERSPECTIVE I VALUED.

>> AND CHAD.

>> MY A GOES TO COLGATE ATHLETICS NOT JUST THE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM FOR BEATING SYRACUSE AGAIN BUT ALSO TO WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL FOR WINNING THE PATRIOT LEAGUE REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP.

THEY NOW HOST THE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT STARTING SATURDAY AT 3 P.M.

IF THEY WIN, THEY WILL PLAY ARMY OR NAVY IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP ON SUNDAY AT 2 CLOCK.

THE TEAM IS FUN TO WATCH.

PLEASE COME ON DOWN TO HAMILTON.

IT'S FREE.

THE CORE FAN BASE IS A GROUP OF RETIREES CALLED THE ROWDY RAIDERS.

YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD TIME.

TALK POLITICS BETWEEN SETS IF YOU WANT.

COME ON DOWN.

IT WILL BE GREAT.

>> AND NINA, YOU MENTIONED MASTRIANO'S CONCESSION SPEECH AND TIM RYAN IN OHIO, A GRACIOUS CONCESSION SPEECH BECAUSE HE WAS NOT A DENIER.

IT WAS NICE TO SEE.

MICHAEL GERSON, I'M GLAD YOU GAVE HIM AN A. I ALWAYS ENJOYED READING HIS COLUMNS AND THE WASHINGTON POST REPRINTED ONE WHEN HE SEPTEMBER HIS FIRST BORN SON OFF TO COLLEGE AND I HAD TEARS IN MY EYES THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

FOR COMMENTS, YOU CAN WRITE TO THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH THE SHOW AGAIN ONLINE, YOU CAN VIEW IT ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY, FOR ALL OF US AT IVORY TOWER, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.