Can California Ever Be Saved? ft. Steve Hilton 48:09

Hey, everybody, it's Andy Charlie Kirk show Steve Hilton. You've probably heard of him and you know him joins the program. We talk about Joe Biden, his biography, a lot on California, which I think you're going to love. Will Joe Biden stay in the race and more? Email us as always freedom at Charlie Kirk dot com and subscribe to our podcast.

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Okay, everybody, real special guest, someone who's always been so good to me, and I'm happy now to have him on my show. I think I went on your show probably 50 times. It was so amazing to get to know you and to see what you've built by coming here. It's just such a thrill. And now I can just sit back and relax while you ask the questions. Well, you were always so generous to me. And boy, during that season, that show was one of the most powerful, influential shows ever.

And I just want to say, Steve, you deserve such credit. I remember being on the phone with you during the beginning of the lockdowns. Yes. And you're like, this is completely wild. Yes. And you said it and Trump repeated it. We had a whole show. That was that night. You were exactly right. March 12th. We talked about it. I'm so glad you reminded me because so much madness has happened.

And it just got worse and worse. Yes. It's important we remember. You were early and you were clear. I remember it was March. It was March of 2020. Yes. And you said we cannot allow the cure to be worse than the disease. That's right. And you're exactly right, Charlie. We talked about it that week. We said, what is going on? How is this even possible? We looked at all of the data. We said, wait a second. You have the Princess cruise ship. This thing isn't nearly as fatal as they're telling us.

It has about a 50 percent infectious rate. You know, we need to try to why are we locking down the entire civilization? I mean, what we were arguing together then was what became led by Jay Bhattacharya and others, the Great Barrington Declaration. And everything we said was right. I mean, there's a simple way of remembering it, which is that everything that they said was misinformation.

turned out to be true and everything that they said turned out to be misinformation. That's basically the story of those years. And such, such,

unjust human suffering. Yes, that occurred for no reason. That's why I think it's I'm so happy you brought us back to this because they just want to forget about it. I mean, this is their tactic on everything, of course. Right now, they want us to forget that, you know, five minutes ago they were telling us Biden was fit and well. But this is what they do. They literally just move on and we've got to hold them accountable for these things that they said and did. You've been in media for some time.

And again, what I loved about your program and working with you is that you would take the tough arguments on and be bipartisan in talking about how the swamp needs to be cleansed and purged. Yes.

And I have a list of people that were morally clear on the lockdown issue. And it's a short list. Dennis Prager was great on it. You were great on it. What was it about looking back that drew you to that opinion and that worldview? Because so many people were afraid to resist this government tyranny. I mean, I have to say it was the facts. It was actually just being clear about the facts. I read...

People like Jay Bhattacharya, John Yiannidis, do you remember? Yes. He was looking at the numbers from Italy, do you remember? And analyzing what happened. I mean, it feels like ancient history. Someone needs to write a book about the anti-lockdown movement. And it was really interesting. And I found myself thinking, none of this makes sense. What are we even doing here? And the thing that I really...

think is so important to remember is that even when you have some people now that say, well, yes, you know, in with hindsight and after the event, you know, now we realize that drives me. We knew it at the time. Yes, we knew all of it at the time. We knew that the mask. I mean, I'm back in March reading a study that they did. I think it was. I can't remember the exact location, but they tested the the the way the particle, the virus particles travel. Yes. And

I remember so clearly that they measured it in a room 30 feet through the air because that's how they were transmitted. The whole...

The concept of six feet social distancing was based on droplets that fall within that kind of range. And like back in March, we knew that they travel in through the air way further. In other words, all of the basis for the lockdowns, the six feet social distancing was rubbish. It was ridiculous. It was complete nonsense. And now years later, finally, Fauci. I mean, it just enrages me. And he says he's asked, where did it come from? I don't know. It just sort of appeared.

Like, what are you talking about? And we knew at the time and we said it at the time. And it was nothing more than just reading and speaking to people who actually knew what they were talking about.

And saying this doesn't make sense. And you've just got to be clear in your convictions. And the same people that have told us the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation, that told us the lockdowns were necessary, that told us that the border is completely secure, that there is no inflation, and Joe Biden is of great mental acuity. Yes.

I believe, Stephen, you're on the ground traveling a lot, speaking to people. I do believe that one of the great positives of the last four years is the credibility of the mainstream press apparatus is the lowest it's ever been. It's completely shot to pieces. There's no credibility. I mean, you could add to the list. I mean, even within the within the pandemic and how that was handled, the vaccine mandate. Yes. That total lie that actually you I mean, Gavin Newsom outspokenly.

outrageously telling people if you don't get vaccinated you're like a drunk driver because you're killing people just an outrageous lie which just means you're a criminal it's just unbelievable that's like that's like calling the unvaccinated a criminal i mean it's a crime of the most egregious things and so there's so many examples i i put it out on a tweet the other day like if just list the things where they told the exact opposite of the truth and then they just want to move on yes so

So now looking at the situation with Biden, by the way, I want to plug your books to positive populism. We'll talk about that. Yeah. The situation with Biden. What is your take on this? What do you think that we are missing in talking about this? Right. So the first thing that comes to mind when you ask that question, there's a lot of things to say. But the first thing that comes to my mind is do not feel sorry for Joe Biden. Do not have any sympathy for him.

like as sort of a lot of people are saying well it's so sad it's you know making kelly was saying this the other day oh it's just sorry for him they should just put him out of his misery no and don't blame anyone else he is totally responsible for this and should be held accountable and deserve zero sympathy why because as i again i've said all along i mean i said on my show before he was running before he became president in the campaign when you read about

him. And here's a story about Joe Biden that not enough people know. But it's in a book that was written about the 1988 presidential primary, an amazing book called What It Takes by Ben Kramer. It's a big, thick book about the 1988 primary. And in effect, it's like a mini biography of six candidates, two Republicans, Bob Dole and George H.W. Bush. And on the Democrat side,

Michael Dukakis, Gary Hart, Richard Gephardt, and Joe Biden. And it's an amazing book for me as a new American. I learned so much about the country. It's a beautifully written book. The stories of their lives interwoven and so on. There's incredible information there about Joe Biden. In his 20, I think he's even 20 years old, he was dating his first wife who died tragically in that car accident. They go back to see the parents. She takes him to see the parents for the first time.

It's like in the early 60s. And they say, oh, Joe, what are you thinking of doing? I'm going to be president. They say, oh, president of what? He says, president of the United States. This man has been plotting and scheming to get this job since he was like 20 years old. 61 years ago. So the idea that this is about anything other than his personal ambition and the idea that he's just going to give it up is a joke.

And if you look at his entire career, it's been about nothing but advancing himself and climbing the ladder. He is someone – he's a total mediocrity. He's the worst kind of machine politician, believes in nothing except his own advancement. He's been on every side of every issue. He is a total disgrace. I mean I try and see the good in people, and I even with –

Politicians I disagree with, and I can see some things that people like Hillary Clinton, at least she's consistent on some issues, Barack Obama, whatever. Biden is the absolute worst example of a machine politician with zero convictions or principles. He deserves everything he's getting now because it's all in pursuit of his own narcissism, vanity, and ambition. I'm so glad you said that because it drives me nuts when people say,

well, I feel really sorry for him and he's a good man. I mean, how many times do I have to hear this? He has sold out his country repeatedly and he has no core beliefs, which honestly is the most dangerous type of politician. Exactly. Bernie Sanders has core beliefs.

I can deal with that because I know what he believes and we can see where we fit and where we can oppose. Someone who has no core beliefs can be bought and paid for easily manipulated. He has been all his career. Yes. I mean, and by the way, he kind of won in a fluke Senate race in Delaware and the mob was probably involved. I mean, his entire life has been cheating death, literally from the brain aneurysm to the car accident with his wife.

He's 81. When he was 20 years old, he said, I'm going to be president. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. 20, maybe 20. Oh, fine. Before they were married, the first time he met her parents, it's in this book. He's not going to give up power. Here's the other part of it, the Jill Biden part in that book. Same book. Amazing. What it takes. Treasure trove of what it takes. Ben Cramer. Yeah.

Now let's go to the 1988 presidential primary, the first time Joe Biden ran for president. And, of course, it all unraveled with a plagiarism. But actually, what I learned from this book is obviously I wasn't here at the time. It wasn't just the plagiarism. The plagiarism was the first thing. It was actually Maureen Dowd from The New York Times who broke that story.

And now he still reads. She's a political reporter. She broke the story of the that the famous speech that we still see. The video is actually of a British politician, Neil Kinnock. He plagiarized that speech. But then what you saw was a succession of stories not as well known today about him. There's other examples of plagiarism, but there were also examples that kept coming out of him making things up.

embellishing his resume, exaggerating his qualifications and what he did at college and all these things. So it was this drip, drip, drip of stories about Biden. And over the weeks, his team...

told him, look, you got to, it's over. You got to pull out, get out of the race, save yourself for another time. This is not going to work. You have to go out with dignity. Sounds familiar. And all through that period, there was one person saying, no, don't listen to them, Joe. Stay in the race. Don't get out. Guess who? Jill Biden. So that's, she played that role. But he did get out of the race. Eventually. Eventually.

But in 1988, and it was she. So this is a guy who feels as if he's been slighted by the Obamas and the Clintons in one way or the other. Now, remember that in 2016, he was the active vice president of Obama. Yes. And Obama said, nope, it's Hillary's turn, not you.

And when he ran in 20, remember in 2018, he had a very difficult year. His son died. There was a lot of family. Obviously Hunter was, you know, selling out America. And yes, I mean, we saw, we know this because of the Hunter Biden laptop. It's not speculation. We see the message is very dysfunctional in 2020. He finished fifth in Iowa and six in New Hampshire.

They reset the whole race in South Carolina with Jim Clyburn, with all the lockdowns, and they just got behind him and said, I guess we can get behind Joe. And they ran a manufactured, synthetic-type campaign. Yes, and remember, just these things that, you know, when people say, oh, it's all suddenly becoming apparent how absolutely useless he is and how his brain is shot to pieces and he's not qualified. Even in that moment, that crucial moment, remember this story that came out in one of the books? So it was the South Carolina primary. There was a debate. I think it was CNN. I can't remember.

And specifically, Clyburn, who was the person that brought him back from the dead, said to him, the way you do this is to promise that you'll appoint a black – was it a black Supreme Court justice? Both. I think it was a black VP or black female Supreme Court. No, I think it was black female Supreme Court justice. I think that was it. I'll be correct if I'm wrong.

He forgot to say it. Biden forgot to say it. Clyburn literally had to run onto the stage in one of the breaks to tell. It was like the show was running out. I can't believe it was Clyburn of his age. Like someone had to run and tell him. I did never hear that story. That's in one of these books that was written about the campaign. All right. I need to tell you guys about Strong Cell. It's amazing. With nearly a million units bought by you.

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StrongSell.com forward slash Charlie. And don't forget to use special discount code Charlie at checkout to get a special 20% off just for Kirk listeners. StrongSell.com forward slash Charlie. Check it out right now. I'm going to stay on this Biden stuff and we have tons of time. So we'll get to the golden together stuff, which I love, by the way. I love it because I have a heart for California. I really do. So help me understand based on Joe Biden's biographical background.

I don't see him giving up this almost under any circumstances. No, I think it's incredibly hard. I've always had this view that he's going to be – a lot of people have said they're going to switch him out. Tommy Larris has always been saying it's going to be Gavin Newsom and so on. I've always felt that the most likely outcome is that he remains the candidate. I've always felt that. I think I still even think that today.

despite everything. He's incredibly unreasonable. Because he's just, I mean, again, these stories that come out, drip, drip, drip, and we've seen it increasingly. He's very angry. He's a bitter individual. He's very bitter. He feels slighted all his life.

As you said, by the Obama crowd. And that's happening all over again. So when you have the Pod Save America guys and the Obama people. Who are their lieutenants. Of course. They're the core Obama team telling him to get out. That's going to make him even more stubborn. Not again. I'm not having Obama again. He's looking down his nose at me. So this is who he is. He's a very small person.

I mean, I've said before, you know, politically, he's a nothing. He's a non-entity. He's got nothing. There's nothing there other than his own ego. And bitter is a great word to describe it. And that's why, I mean, in the end, they can't make him. I mean, the scenario that I was thinking about, like, what would really force him out? For example, if you had Obama himself personally and Bill Clinton together,

For example, go on television. Yeah, I think that's right. I think something of that magnitude. Or I think step one would be find a White House aide. Right. Get them a book deal. Get them a network primetime interview. And they say Joe Biden doesn't know where he is half the time. Yes. And this is a threat to national security.

That's another that works as well. So that would be the easier way than Obama. That would be Obama could configure that. Yes, they could go through the roster. There's like 10 aides that are around Biden say, OK, which one wants a million bucks in a book deal?

But what's also hilarious about what's going on right now is that the other massive lie is being exposed, which is the endless repetition of Trump is a threat to democracy. Now they're openly saying they don't really mean it or believe it. They've never believed. I know. And they just say. But now that's reclined that out in his podcast. Right. That's right. And one of the other members of Congress said, well, I don't really mind if Trump wins.

One of the guys from Maine. That's right. He said, I don't like Jared Golden or something. Yeah. So that's another lie. That's just OK. We'll just abandon that. But this is the thing is that they don't care. And so what they're all about is saving their own skins. And so that's in the end what's going to really drive this. And I think as another wrinkle here, which I think is critical.

They constantly go through every election cycle, a new apocalypse rallying. Right. Democracy's at stake with Mitt Romney. It was that like the country's going to collapse or that we're going to go to war against Russia or something. Well, we are at war against Russia unnecessarily now. And.

So I'm with you, Steve. Unless they have a Clinton-Obama joint thing or a White House aide, but they're running out of time. There's 10 days left. And also, what's interesting to me, and I don't know enough about it, so I'm just reading what everyone reads. It's just coming out all the time. But these very practical points, for example, they've organized this

roll call to do the nomination. So it's not even the convention. In 10 days. Right. So it's because Ohio's the forcing function. So Ohio has this law that if you are not on the ballot, I think by either July 25th or August 1st, if you are not the nominee, you're not on the ballot. Yes. So this is the forcing function. And Joe Biden is going to be nominated as the nominee via Zoom on July 21st. I mean, that's right. And this is what I've been saying all along. He just...

He really just has to tough it out a few more days. So all these days of dithering where they're sending these coded messages and whatever, he just needs to cling on a few days and he's got it. He could go to Camp David and say, I'm not leaving. And also, and the other brilliant thing I love is that I put this out on Facebook.

on X the other day is like, just watch once he's nominated, the media go back. I think that's right. Describing all this stuff about his age as always cheap. We'll be back to cheap fakes. And how dare you question his capacity? I think the media has no credibility, but this couple week news cycle, it's,

It's very, very damaging to Biden long term with independent. I mean, the cake is baked of people's view of him. It's not as if he has a great press conference. So, you know what? I think he's got it. Because all the and all the material from the Democrats. Yes, I agree. You know, it's just unbelievable. It's actually a very.

I mean, you know, these words we throw out, it feels like a really historic kind of period we're in watching this. This is a really unbelievable. Steve, no one's lived through anything like this. I mean, I believe I was five years old at the time, so I don't remember it. The press has not been this sustained against a Democrat president since Clinton's impeachment.

lying about Monica Lewinsky. Right. Have you seen in the modern era? No, nothing like this. The press going after a sitting incumbent Democrat president. By the way, Clinton wasn't even running for re-election, so they justified it with that. They really see, I think they really believe that, like most stories like this, it's like nine or ten days

And then it'll... We're plus two weeks now. And I think that's what... And that's why they were so poorly organized in the defense that they mounted. Oh, we'll do an interview with Stefano and then in the July 4th weekend... Because they're used to things fading. And it'll be okay in the holiday weekend and we'll be back to normal. And I just think they truly can't comprehend...

the magnitude of the rejection from within the party. And every time they think that they've locked it down, I think on Monday this week, they thought they'd done it. They had the letter and it looked strong. And then NATO will come in and clean it all up. And no, it's not going away. It's really interesting. But

As we said earlier, like he doesn't have to cling on that long for it to become a fait accompli. And then they're going to have to rally around him, which is so hilarious, given what they're all going to be given convention speeches. And I know I said what I said, but he's the best I've ever seen him.

He's great. He went 30 minutes without a nap this afternoon. I mean, it's amazing, isn't it? And like, you know, today he was out at 630 p.m. Again, I don't want to get too ahead of myself because I still think this election is a 50-50 chance because there's anything can happen in presidential politics. But the American people who have now seen a multiple week barrage of Joe Biden a month from now are going to see them in Chicago, say really good things about him. They say, wait a second. Of course. And that's what so. But, you know, again, I think it's it's.

This is real accountability because they've been lying for so long on so many things. It is absolutely appropriate that they are humiliated. They have humiliated themselves, the media, in the way that they've handled this. There's a there's a new tweet here from Ezra Klein, who I think is pretty smart with this stuff. So here's what I'm hearing from congressional Democrats about Biden. He has done nothing to ally ally their fears, but his defiance and fury.

has been enough to stay their hand. This is arguably the worst of all worlds. Democrats realize they're drifting towards a grim march to defeat led to defeat led by a candidate they've lost faith in, but don't have a plan to do anything about it. Congressional Democrats aren't yet at the point where they're going to abandon Biden en masse, nor are they at the point where their confidence in him is restored.

They need some process that'll get them to one side or the other and fast. Here's one suggestion. Building up something Bernie Sanders said. I don't know what Bernie Sanders said in some op-ed here, but they're in a tough... It just makes me... I've got to say. I am enjoying this. The word schadenfreude was made for this moment. I was going to use it, but I... It's like... You know, it just couldn't happen to a nicer party. I feel no guilt in... No, because they're so viciously, like, cruel and...

for years and years and years towards their political opponents. Yes. And anyone that dares challenge them. With maximum ferocity. And so I just think, no, you deserve absolutely everything. Here's the other point that needs to be made. Like five minutes ago, practically, they were telling us

that the reason that they have to stick with Biden is because Kamala would be so bad. They were saying that. Like, that's the reason. Oh, yeah, he was supposed to hand over. He did mean it when it was going to be a bridge. But then it turned out how terrible she is, so he's got to stay. They were saying that. That was their briefing. And now it's like, oh, Kamala's the answer. I mean, that's, again, a total dishonesty. And she's deeply unpopular. And they can't jump over her.

They can't. Well, that's why this is also hilarious, because they're always on their DEI nonsense and their identity politics, which is they know she's terrible, but they can't have. But then it's just like with Biden. Like, well, who else have they got? And they can't do anything about her because of the identity politics. I want to play this piece of tape here. The Daily Show asked a random group of black New Yorkers if they'd vote for Trump. They didn't get an answer that they would have planned. Let's play cut 120. OK, so who will you be voting for in 2024? Daryl.

Do I have to say his name? I don't want to, but more than likely, it's gonna be Trump. Yeah. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Who are you gonna be voting for? Biden. And then, Victor? I'm with her. Oh, Biden, okay. Trump. Eric Trump? Biden. Biden? Trump. Okay, we're an even split. Oh. Which, yeah, I didn't see that coming.

So, do you think there's going to be a big shift, any sort of change? I think it's going to be a big shift. Me too. Big shift? Yes. Really? Okay. For me, I've always been a Democrat. And it's like, for the most part with the Democratic Party, they always make a bunch of promises that they can't deliver. You know, they use the issues of the African-American community as a soapbox to stand on. Mm-hmm.

and make promises, you know, just to get us to come out and vote. And then once we vote and everyone's in place, it's like, well, what happened? That's powerful, isn't it? She absolutely nailed it. And that is true for black voters. It's also true, you know, I'm very focused on California. And that's what we're going to do next. Latino voters, it's exactly the same. I love it. Something's changing. And as the media collapses, people's eyes are open.

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I have a heart for California. I visit it frequently. Some of my closest friends are in California. It is, without a doubt, the most beautiful state in the Union. Maybe Alaska is more beautiful, but beautiful in the contiguous 48 states. And it has been damaged and ruined by one-party rule. Tell us about your passion for California. Well, you're right. I mean, look, it's my home. We've been there since 2012 when we moved.

I should say just soon after July the 4th, I made a little video about this just so everyone's clear. 248 years ago,

America declared independence from the Brits. And three years ago, so did I. So I'm an American now. Welcome. We need more Americans like you. So I'm very proud to be an American, but I'm also very proud to be a Californian because to me, California, it's not just the beauty. It also represents something. It's an idea. The idea of optimism and energy and innovation. Yes, I totally agree. And freedom. Go west. And rebelliousness, actually. And like doing your own thing and the pioneering spirit. That's what it really captures for me.

And, of course, that's been totally crushed. And now you see the results of what I describe as this hard left experiment. So we've seen it in action because, as you say, it's been one party rule. The Republicans have not controlled any either of the chambers in the state legislature for like over 20 years.

The last time there was a Republican elected statewide, 2006, Arnold Schwarzenegger's re-election. A lot of people would even dispute whether his second term was that Republican anyway. No, it wasn't. And so you had one party rule. All the levers of power. I mean, they talk about the Supreme Court and that Trump can far right Supreme Court. The Supreme Court in California, which, by the way, just took a ballot initiative off the ballot that was qualified by over a million signatures to stop the legislature raising taxes.

because there are six Democrats out of seven on the Supreme Court. So they control everything. The party democracy. So we've seen the results of this far-left experiment, and it is a total failure on every front. There's a simple way. I say this all the time. I'm up and down California now fighting for the change I think we need. And I just say there's a simple way to remember what they've done, which is that basically you take any issue,

And California is now, out of all 50 states, top of every list that you want to be the bottom of and bottom of every list that you want to be the top of. It's not even like we're the middle of the pack. We have right now in California the highest unemployment, the lowest income growth, the highest taxes, the highest rate of poverty, the highest housing costs, the lowest home ownership, the highest gas prices, the highest energy costs.

The worst business climate, 50th out of 50, 10 years in a row. So it's a total failure on every front. So we've seen the results. And so it's very clear to so many people that it's time for change in California. And so what we need is a positive, common sense alternative, which has been lacking for people.

And so that's really what I'm focused on. I love it. Is to say, look, we know we need change. That is obvious. We don't need to persuade people of that. I mean, you I mean, you can the list could get even longer. I mean, the most visible examples, which the whole country sees, of course, homelessness and the crime. I mean, the crime is out of control. Totally. So it's it's obvious that we need to change.

And it's laughable when you see Gavin Newsom say, as he continues to do, we're a model for the nation. It's the exact opposite. It's also so insulting. What is he talking about? It's ridiculous. And actually, it's a model of what not to do. Because the other reason everyone should be interested in this

whether or not you live in California, is that all of this far-left extremism that is now infecting the rest of the country, either where other states copy it or more often where the federal Democrats take from California and then try to apply it top-down, it comes from California. The climate extremism, all those, you know, banning gas cars and gas stoves and all this stuff, all started in California. The gender extremism.

The race extreme. All of these things on economics. The insane overregulation of business. The minimum wage. The caving into the unions. What's going on in schools. All of this stuff. California is the incubator for this. If you like, the Wuhan lab of far left extremism.

And it's infecting the rest of the country. So we all need to fight back. I totally agree. And I'm 100 percent behind it. I want to just do a little bit of history, though. How did it become this? The land of Nixon, the land of Reagan, the place where they would say Orange County would never go anything but red. How did California go from one of the reddest states, one of the most patriotic states ever?

to now what it is? What changed and who made it happen? It's a really interesting question because I don't think there's a... One of the things that people say, but I don't know if it's...

the data actually backs it up, but one thing you hear the whole time is that there was a ballot initiative in the late 90s promoted by Governor Pete Wilson about removing public benefits for illegal immigrants. I remember this. And so that 187. So a lot of people, well, that was the moment the Republican Party in California collapsed because it lost the trust of the Latino community, which is the

growing community. You look at the Latino community today in California. I mean, I don't know about, I wasn't there then. They are most incensed about what's going on. Here's just one example, which is so offensive. You think about the California dream. That's how I frame what we're doing. So my organization, Golden Together, we say our mission is to develop ideas to help restore the California dream. Latinos are

Now the largest group in California, 40%. The demographics of California, 40% Latino, 35% white, 15% Asian, 5% black, 5% native. That's remarkable. So it's the largest group. In public schools, 56% of the kids are Latino. Latinos...

They want the California dream. It's not complicated what they want. It's a good job that earns enough to raise your family, to buy your own home, to send your kids to a good school where they get a decent education, not indoctrination, so they can have a better life than you. The California dream. That has been ripped away. And so now you see that change.

in Latinos in California who are saying, sorry, just like we saw in that video just now, for years the Democrats have been preaching to us about how they're for us. Actually, they're not delivering. And particularly when you look at this question of illegal immigration, some of the strongest voices against what's going on are Latinos. Give

Give you one example that is so outrageous. When you think about the fact that we now have the highest housing costs in America, only 15 percent of Californians can afford the median house price in California. It is out of control, driven, by the way, by Democrat policy. You need to earn one hundred thirty thousand a year to be able to own a home. It's just insane. And it's all driven by Democrat policy.

extremism on environmental regulation and the unions who use lawsuits to sue housing projects in order to get higher wages and guaranteed union labor. It's all driven by Democrat policy.

But guess what? In that circumstance, how offensive is it to a hardworking Latino family who are trying to get there to buy a home for the first time for their family and climb that ladder of opportunity? Guess what they just pushed through? They're trying to get through the state legislature. Unbelievably offensive. Taxpayer funded down payment assistance for illegal immigrants. Oh, you're kidding me. For illegal immigrants.

So I mean, this is barely anyone. You're no longer a state or a country if foreign nationals get subsidized benefits. Barely anyone in California can afford a home. So what are they doing? They're taking the taxes of hardworking Latino families and

To give down payment assistance. I mean, and this is... I mean, I should say, that's a proposal. So I want to... It's not yet made its way through the legislature. But it gives you an idea of their mindset. So you don't think, though, that Prop 187 was the reason? Well, I don't. I'm certainly... I don't know. I think Hollywood has a lot to do with it. And you've got this very big... And also you could add to that the tech community. I agree. I think those two things simultaneously. And...

a very weak Republican Party. And I also think that the emphasis, California became an emphasis of some of the culture war social issues.

that a lot of people migrated to the state that shared those values. Can I give you another kind of practical thing that most people outside the state wouldn't be aware of? A change in the electoral system moved to what they call a top two system. So it got rid of the Democrat primary and the Republican primary. Oh, no, I totally agree. That's recent, though. I think it was 2010. Is it? Okay, I didn't know. And so what you saw there... It effectively eliminates the Republican Party. And...

What that means is that the business organizations who traditionally would you would have imagined supported Republican candidates in the party end up saying, well, Republicans can't win. So we've got to support the moderate Democrat. That's right. But the moderate. And how's that? I always say, how's that worked out for you since you've been supporting the so-called moderate Democrats? The state's gone left, left, left to the far left.

and the disastrous consequences have followed. So I think that's a big part of it, where the kind of support for the Republican Party in California has been really kind of taken away by some of these structural changes in how we do elections. I want to make sure people understand that there are some people that say California is lost. I completely disagree. It's a long-term project. I could name five other states that are far more lost than California. Massachusetts? Yes.

I think Colorado is actually harder than California. The most excited, the most rebellious citizens are the freedom lovers of California. That's right. That's the spirit of California. It's like not being told what to do the whole time by the government. That's not what California is about. The whole vibe of this kind of far left, big government, top down. Is the lockdowns to tie it all together. It's the opposite of California. It's anti-California. And I think if we capture that positive,

spirit of energy and optimism and opportunity. I think it's going to be, you know, possible to turn this around. I don't say it's easy. Well, no, but it's possible. And I'm going to go through the numbers here because the movement is dramatic between the 2020 election results and 2022. Again, it's promising trends. And California is just such a beautiful place with wonderful, wonderful people that, like Jack Gibbs we were talking about, who's I think listening on radio right now, who's decided, I'm not leaving.

Well, this is what I say the whole time. Jack's amazing, and he's built an amazing community there. Oh, it's a great church, isn't it? It's just a privilege to be there this week. And we say the same thing the whole time, which is like, why should we leave, right? We didn't do this. The people that need to leave are the people who did this to our state. They need to leave office. They come to my home, Arizona. I'm from Chicago, but I have a heart for Arizona like you have a heart for California. Yeah.

And it's like, okay, you can come live in our 118 degree heat. By the way, that's how I know how bad Gavin Newsom is. People are willing to endure our summers here. Hey everybody, Charlie Kirk here. Is the bird flu the next pandemic? Why do globalists keep talking about disease X? Everyone knows the next medical crisis is just around the corner. I refuse to lock down again or take another experimental vaccine. What can I do?

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So the thing I feel everyone needs to understand is that there is energy in California for change.

People want the change. There's a big majority now who say the state's going in the wrong direction. Gavin Newsom's approval is underwater. The numbers are there. Even if you look at elections, statewide elections in California in the last few years, the average Republican share of the vote, 41.7 percent. So I know that's not a majority, but it's a lot closer than people think. And if you look at how badly, especially, you know,

When you think about who's been really hurt by these far-left policies, there's a real parallel with what you see happening nationally and the Trump movement. It's the working class who's been hit the hardest and working class Latinos. And so I feel like if we just...

Put out there a positive and practical common sense alternative. It's not ideological. It's not complicated. It's really basic stuff that will let you send your kids to a decent school where they're educated, not indoctrinated. Own your own home.

Earn enough in a good, decent job that you can raise your family with. And if you run a business, do it without this endless barrage of regulations and permits and fees and ridiculous nonsense. These are basic things, not complicated. And we just need to get out there and say that change is possible. I think you're going to get people flocking to that.

So, for example, in 2020 in California, Joe Biden won with 63% of the vote. In 2022, Gavin Newsom with 59% of the vote, and Republicans did seven points better. Yes, that's a great example. It's moving in the right direction. It's moving in the right direction, and Orange County is getting its...

It's placed back, right? Well, Katie Porter's out. Scott Ball, hopefully, in... Orange County, I think, is one of the most beautiful places on the planet, by the way. If California was not Marxist... I'm there a lot these days. If California was not completely Marxist, I would live in Orange County. It's beautiful. I particularly love the drive down the coast. I often do the drive down to San Diego. It's beautiful.

right on the five, right by the military base. It is one of the most beautiful drives in the country. Yeah. Amazing. I've, uh, I've, I've done it many, many times and that whole drive up the five through LA, you go to Oxnard, eventually up to Santa Barbara. It's one of the most beautiful corridors on the planet. I'm going to get, you know, rhapsodic now because I'm on the road the whole time. And all the time I'm finding parts of California. It's just amazing that you didn't know about. So like San Luis Obispo, I went and what a

Beautiful. Exactly. Morro Bay is beautiful. The natural beauty of California. There's an amazing drive, actually, that I did. I think it was in January from San Diego inland. The freeway is the 8th. You go to Imperial County over these incredible mountains. It's actually where a lot of Bill Mellujan's reporting on the border is from. Tragically. But it's so incredible.

And then you go everywhere you go in California, you meet amazing people who created incredible businesses. Everyone thinks about Hollywood and tech, but the engineering and the and the and the agriculture industry. So, Steve, your passion is to to really energize the California grassroots and traditional Democrats are open to this message.

Because they see the results. I mean, all the time you'll see people. And actually, by the way, it's not just applying to California. I've been seeing it even before the kind of insanity of the last few weeks about Biden and Trump. You know, people where I live in the Bay Area.

Very, very Democratic part of the state. And people all the time are coming up to me. People who I know have not only been Democrat voters but supporters and donors and hosted events for Democrat candidates saying, yeah, I don't know, we need a change. And they don't just mean that in California. Some of them saying, yeah, I think, I don't know, I'm not going to say it publicly. I think I might vote for Trump this time.

That was happening even before the last few weeks. It's really interesting. It's that thing where the left have just pushed people so far, and it's so obviously failed that people are just saying, yeah, we can't go on like this. And Gavin Newsom's termed out. Is that right? Yes, he's termed out. And so there's going to be this question of what does the future of California look like? Exactly. And it's going to be a big one, I think, with a lot of national implications, as I say, because so much of this far-left extremism has changed.

has come from California, if we can turn it back there. Here's a phrase I use so often when I'm on the road, and I think it really captures why this matters to everyone. I read it last year when I was reading about California's history.

What California means to America, what America means to the world. I think it's such a beautiful phrase. It captures why that spirit of California, in a way, it should be the best of America, the best of the values that we want to see for the whole country. At the moment, it's the opposite. But if we can just get back to that spirit, I think it'll just be transformative, not just for California, but for the whole country.

I totally agree. And so people can check it out at Golden Together. You have events and things that are coming up. Is that right? I wrote the whole time. It's fantastic. I'm sure many of the people listening and watching I've met over the past months and there'll be a lot more to come. So let's also talk about your book, More Human. You have a cell phone now?

Okay, so I didn't have a phone. When we moved here from England, I had to give back my government-issued phone. I was working for the government for David Cameron, who's prime minister in 10 Downing Street. Gave back my phone. The old flip phone that I had, the Nokia flip phone, didn't work here. In the end, I just got so fed up with it, I didn't have a phone. So for 12 years, I existed without a phone of any kind. And it got more and more intriguing to people. I didn't have a smartphone. And in my book, More Human, I argued, this is 2015, right?

that kids should not have smartphones. I totally agree. I remember when I said that first, people thought it was crazy and how are you going to do it? Now you see school districts all over the country banning smartphones in schools, which I totally support. But finally, I had to relent and enter the modern world because, as I said, I'm on the road a lot these days. So to keep in touch with my team and my family, I thought, okay, I'm going to get a phone, but I'm not going to get a smartphone. So I'm going to show you what I did get.

which is this beautiful flip phone. Oh, I love it. Look at that. Old school. Can you text that or no? I can text. I can call. Do you feel like you're violating the more human mandate? I think it's OK. I mean, sometimes I think I'm starting to sort of pull it out. Yes. Right. But then now it's not as bad. Famously unreachable at times. Exactly. But now now it's here. Now, you know, it's my small concession.

to the modern world. But I think that the message of more human, that the world's become, everything's become too big and bureaucratic and centralized and distant from the human scale. I think that's really, really important and something we should all take seriously.

So you also have positive populism. Yes. So if you were to say one advice to Donald Trump of an agenda item, a tone, what would it be from now till November? I think be positive and inspirational about America. He loves America so much. He does. It's in him. And I think that vision of –

The greatness that America could achieve. I think you got everyone knows he can do the job. Everyone knows he can deliver results. We saw that before. And that's the big contrast with the Biden years. I think now is the time for something really inspirational to kind of unite the country and get everyone excited about the future.

Steve Hilton, you are a great man. GoldenTogether.com, more human. And do you think Trump's going to win? I do. I did before. I think so even more now. And I think he will regardless of who is the candidate that ends up on the ballot. There is this populist movement that is not going away. Exactly. It's not. And I think it's really exciting. Thanks so much for listening, everybody. Email us as always, freedom at charliekirk.com. Thanks so much for listening and God bless. For more on many of these stories and news you can trust, go to charliekirk.com.