Hello, everyone, welcome to the Don Lemon Show.

Former Washington Governor Jay Inslee has long been one of the country's most outspoken leaders on climate change, calling it the defining challenge of our lifetime. During his tenure, he helped make Washington a national model for clean energy investment and green jobs. But now, as the Trump administration moves to slash funding for renewable energy projects and punished blue states that have embraced them, the stakes

could not be higher. And Governor Inslee joins us now to talk about the government shutdown,

the dangerous rollback of climate progress, and how these cuts threaten not just the environment,

but America's economic future. There's a lot to discuss. Governor, welcome. How are you?

Well, I'm cheery even after that introduction. We've obviously got some work to do to maintain

our economy, cheap electricity and jobs. So we got some work to do here. Can we start with what's

just on the hot burner right now? Because it's it's all related can we when you are looking at

what is happening to the east wing of the white house what do you think it's very rendering

emotionally to me in part because you know i've been there quite a number times i was in congress

for 15 16 years and as governor i was there and it's a you know, I've been there quite a number of times. I was in Congress for 15, 16 years,

and as governor, I was there. And it's a, you know, it's a symbol of American democracy. And

so it's emotionally very cleaning to myself and my wife. We were just talking about that this morning

because it represents the fact that, you know, until just the last election cycle,

we've always had presidents that fundamentally believed in democracy.

And the metaphor of this as a threat to democracy itself is what is so glaring to people

and so hurtful to them that, you know, the building can be rebuilt.

It can be rebuilt and redone.

But we want what's really at risk is democracy itself.

The gerrymandering that the Republicans are doing, the threats to voting by mail, which has been so successful by the president. And his coup attempt,

let us not forget, he just didn't tear down the White House, he tear down the whole capital

on January 6th. So this is a symbol that has resonance, unfortunately. Now, the question is,

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