What's up guys, I'm Zach Crownman. I was Andrew's campaign manager. Now the co-host of our weekly podcast Yang speaks and welcome back.

Every once in a while in between our Monday episodes, we're just going to throw in a bonus episode midweek. And this week we've got the one and only crystal ball.

Crystal ball is just a badass. She's the host of the show rising on YouTube, but you guys should check it out. She's also got a really fascinating background because she worked for MSNBC before this and has run for Congress in her own right.

So Crystal and Andrew talk about a whole bunch of fascinating topics. They talk about the future of the progressive movement now that Joe Biden's representative nominee. They also talk about what the heck it's like to run for Congress for the first time, but the most important thing they talk about is something I'm extremely passionate about.

The Yang media blackout. So if you're following the 2020 race at all, you saw that Andrew Yang get the least amount of speaking time on every single debate stage. And he had some of the least mentions and coverage in the entire race. So with Crystal, her and Andrew go inside what we call the belly of the beast. What it was like working at MSNBC and what incentives are there? Why does it can't it like Andrew Yang get no coverage.

So the fascinating conversation to learn how the world works learn how mainstream media works. I hope you guys enjoy. So tuning now and also tune in on Monday, but we're back at it. Thank you guys.

Hello everyone and just want to welcome the incredible crystal ball to Yang speed crystal. Yay. It's gave you a round of applause. Oh my gosh. I have I have known admired crystal.

From before the campaign really got going where she was an advocate for universal basic income. And one of the first things I did was try and track down. It was an advocate for universal basic income.

Before I read to be like, Hey, I want to run for president on you be I you know, let's do this thing. So crystal welcome.

Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. It's great to be on congrats. I'm very excited about this new venture in direction. And yet people don't realize even before that we had met when I was at MSNBC.

And you were a guest on the cycle when you're with venture for America and we kind of kept in touch. So so we are long time friends here.

Yeah, I remember that I remember really liking you even from our MSNBC interview. I'm just thinking like wow she really has her shit together. And then I saw your background too. You're like a trained CPA.

You ran for Congress and that alone must have been an incredible set of experiences because I feel like for you and at the time you you were I'm sure one of the younger candidates.

Yeah, when I first started running, I was actually 27. It was the 2010s is the year of the two party. Great time to be running as a progressive in a rural Virginia district.

But you know, it was one of these situations, which you probably relate to. I mean running for Congress is nothing like running for president. But in terms of sort of jumping in head first, I had never worked on a campaign. I had been political in the sense of like ordinary engaged citizen.

I think like a lot of people in this political moment, I had a kind of awakening then when I felt called to get more involved than I have ever conceived up before. And it was actually my husband who you've also met who was like, look at this guy who's representing your congressional district. This guy's lame. You'd be better than him.

I should just run for Congress. Like you care about these issues. And it's still a lot of the things that you know that animates you that animates me. The corruption that runs so much of our politics, the problem of money and politics the way that's infected both parties like those were the animating issues for me jumping off.

And so he kept at it and eventually was like, you know what the hell? What's the worst thing that can happen? I run and I lose. Life goes on. And in fact, I didn't run and I did lose and life did in fact.

All those three things happen.

As I'm sure you may be discovering as we speak.

The day two ran and lost and life has continued. There's some lessons here, Crystal, we can impart to everyone who's considering running.

You will still be alive the day after the race, even if you lose.

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