Hey, everybody. We've got a great one today, you know, for a change.

Dan Balls, Washington Post's chief correspondent, is my guest, one of my go-toes on national politics.

I first met Dan in Iowa in 1987.

We rode the press bus together. Dan is incredibly well respected by the political press corps for his depth of knowledge, his integrity, his insight, and it's just a joy

to read and to talk to. And I just always learn a lot when I read, Dan, and I know you'll really enjoy this conversation, you know, for a change.

We are not that far into the presidential cycle, and it's already promising to be one of the weirdest, most nerve-wracking,

highest-stake elections in our country's history.

This week, House Republicans pass a bill to cut the budget by $4.5 trillion over the next 10 years.

Otherwise, they say they will refuse to raise the debt ceiling,

which would be disastrous.

Of course, I was in the Senate in 2011 when they held the debt ceiling hostage,

and Obama negotiated, and we agreed to some pretty draconian cuts in the middle of the Great Recession.

So Biden now says he will not negotiate. He won't negotiate.

They have to raise the death ceiling, and then they can negotiate a budget. That's probably not going to happen.

McCarthy is such a weak speaker and controlled by some of the most irresponsible members of the

Republican caucus. As Dan points out, we've just never been this divided and we are in a very, very dangerous time. We've never had a candidate for

president who stands such a great chance of being indicted multiple times and yet still

appears to be the frontrunner for the party's nomination.

And 70% of Americans say they don't want President Biden to run for re-election.

But he is, and he has a strong record to point to.

And right now, right now, it's looking like a rematch of 2020. But as Dan points out, a lot can happen to change that. But the stakes are just so high

because this country has never been so divided. So why don't we just go right to my conversation

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