How the Trump Campaign Lit a Billion Dollars on Fire

The Daily Beast Podcast

The Daily Beast

News

4.6 • 8.4K Ratings

🗓️ 18 September 2020

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Trump campaign raised more cash than just about any campaign in history—and it’s still broke, pulling TV ads in big states and slowing down key data operations. On the latest episode of The New Abnormal, Rick Wilson breaks down for Molly Jong-Fast—and the rest of us—how Team Trump managed to burn a billion bucks. First off, the Trump spent something like $400 million to raise that billi, an absolute ungodly sum, straight into the fundraisers’ pockets. So you’re down to $600 million. Then you take the Trumps’ skim off the top, call it 20%, and you’re at $480 million. Throw in some bonehead moves, like $11 million on Superbowl ads and another million on D.C. market ad buys. Layer in $20 million per month in staff costs and—well, it ain’t the first enterprise Trump has run into the ground. But that doesn’t mean you should count Team Trump out of the election. “There's nothing they won't do to hold power,” Rick says. “If Donald Trump was told tomorrow, 'you have to go personally kill Ruth Bader Ginsburg.' He would do it. If Donald Trump's told tomorrow that you have to feed Melania to dogs, he would do it. This guy has to hold power or he is in the deepest possible hole.” Then! Molly talks about taking part in a COVID vaccine trial—to show the skeptics on the left that it’s safe. Former Obama national security aide Ben Rhodes talks about how world leaders have “already moved on” from America. And progressive congressional candidate Jamaal Bowman dishes on the advice he got from AOC: “Jamal, don't be shocked when you get here. It's like an upside down world.” Plus! Fascist Huckleberry Hound! ‘Sexy’ Ben Shapiro! Gourmet food stores filled with Antifa! Teen trolls! And the Trump campaign kid who’s monitoring this pod for his slice of that billion-dollar pie. Want more? Become a Beast Inside member to enjoy a limited-run series of bonus interviews from The New Abnormal. Guests include Cory Booker, Jim Acosta, and more. Head to newabnormal.thedailybeast.com to join now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you're only investing for the big wins, it can be easy to get caught up in the hype.
0:06.0	But the thing about hype...
0:10.0	...is it's not always right.
0:12.0	Understand the facts beyond the hype.
0:15.0	Don't get played.
0:17.0	Invest smart with the financial conduct authority.
0:22.0	Hi folks, it's Rick Wilson.
0:24.0	And welcome to the Daily Beasts, the new abnormal.
0:27.0	Hi, I'm Molly Zhangfast, a left-wing pundit and editor at large at the Daily Beast.
0:32.0	I'm also an editor at the Daily Beast, a former Republican political strategist, best-selling author, and full-time troublemaker.
0:38.0	We're here to have fun, sharp conversations with some of the smartest people in media, politics, business, and science that help make what's happening in the country and the world clear.
0:48.0	I'll try to keep Rick to the minimum number of F-bombs and try to keep our kids, pets, and other wildlife sounds from invading our respective bunkers.
0:57.0	Rick Wilson. Yes.
0:59.0	Has your state of mind changed since you are now in your new special undisclosed location?
1:04.0	My state of mind is warlike, bloodthirsty, bordering on unconstrained violence. I just sound calm.
1:12.0	So you've been subjected to herd mentality?
1:16.0	If I were with a group of people who were all equally feeling the same way, some could say that that would be herd mentality.
1:23.0	Or if you were a president admitting that you never really had a fucking plan, and that all the whole thing was essentially based on getting to herd immunity.
1:32.0	So I was talking to Andy Slavitt last night about this. Between 60 to 70 million Americans, and even if you have a 1.9% fatality rate at that point, you're going to kill 3 million people.
1:41.0	So he based-
1:42.0	At best.
1:43.0	Admitted that his plan, that the Trump plan is to kill 3 million Americans.
	...

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