She's Running for Congress: Annette Taddeo

ANNETTE TADDEO is leading in the polls to win the Democratic nomination for the Congressional seat covering Miami and Key Biscayne, House District 27.  She was a late entrant into the race -- dropping a bid for governor.

We ask her about her priorities -- and why Democrats should choose her.

The primary is Aug. 23 - Register to vote here https://registertovoteflorida.gov/home

Transcript

Copy Transcript Copied

Tony Winton: 0:40

live from Key Biscayne, Florida. This is antisocial. The show that is like a colander, we drained the boiling water of social media, discard it and focus on the pasta, preferably al dente.. I'm Tony Winton.

Thom Mozloom: 0:55

I'm Thom Mozloom from theTennessee studios, Tony and I am the al Dente. In this show, I'm it.

Tony Winton: 1:01

I met that means you're tough to chew. Is that what it means?

Thom Mozloom: 1:04

I'm actually I'm actually cooking pasta tonight. That is the family dinner.

Tony Winton: 1:08

Well, that was very prescient to me. I guess

Thom Mozloom: 1:10

I've got a I got a nice Ragu one. So yeah, you must have been reading my mind. Big Show though. Today we've we're continuing our series of candidate interviews. I love this series. By the way, Tony, I really do I really,

Tony Winton: 1:23

it's, well, it happens every couple of years. It's cyclical.

Thom Mozloom: 1:29

But where else? I mean, where else do candidates get to just go ahead and express their views, like in depth without, you know, without a screaming match or something like that.

Tony Winton: 1:39

That's why we do the format. This way. We do ask some serious questions. Some of them will be tough at times. And our previous guests would probably agree with that. But we also make sure that the guest gets to explain their position and why

Thom Mozloom: 1:52

Hard questions, but we could do it with a smile on her face, although I am going to disclaim. I have a disclaimer today.

Tony Winton: 1:58

Another one?

Thom Mozloom: 1:59

Yes. It's like every other week, because you know, I run a company and we deal in politics. Our guest today is Senator Taddeo from District 40, with whom I have worked on a number of projects. So I really like her and appreciate her. So if I come across as biased that's on my fault. And I'll, I'll try to clean it up later.

Tony Winton: 2:20

Well, with that out of the way, we should welcome our guest and state senator Annette Taddeo, who is running for US Congress in the first vote would be the primary ballot, which is August 23. And I should tell our listeners, that the mail ballots will be going out tomorrow, they're being mailed out from the Dade County Elections Office at tomorrow, actually, that would be the 21st. So it's Election Day is kind of almost here for a lot of people. Welcome.

Annette Taddeo: 2:48

Thank you. My pleasure. Thank you so much for having me. And it's a pleasure to have your listeners here our conversation, which is really important.

Thom Mozloom: 2:59

It is last numbers I saw you were internal polling numbers you were up by like 30 in the primary. Are you feeling pretty confident on this one?

Annette Taddeo: 3:09

Yep, the primary is not where our big fight is for sure. I take every election very seriously nonetheless. So we are doing all the work that's needed to make sure people know that there's an election August 23. Having said that, the real battle is going to be in the general election where this this seat that we know we can get back into good hands with an actual representative that can, no matter which side of the aisle you're on, that can historically keep up with what we have had in this seat, which is someone that that we can say okay, we may not agree with them on everything but whether it was Dante Fascell, Claude Pepper Ileana Ros Lehtinen, we knew they were representing us well, and they were speaking for our community, and and truly someone that that, that we could proudly call our representative. That's not what we have right now.

Tony Winton: 4:06

Right. But this you're kind of late to this race. You know, there was some turmoil, and I think that's a fair word about how you came to be running along with the other candidates in the race, Eileen Higgins announced that she was running and then unannounced, that she was running, and there was all this intrigue with the D,-TripleC, and tell us tell us what happened.

Annette Taddeo: 4:29

Frankly, I had nothing to do with any of that. And I was not looking at this race when all that happened, so it was very interesting to to see that and, and, and to see the comments in the end the quotes and the getting in and getting out that that had nothing to do with any of my decision. My decision actually came much later than that. And of course, what did have have been is that when people were hearing my name, the phone calls that were already coming were much stronger. And then more people were calling and then more organizations and unions and just regular activists and heck, even Republicans were calling and saying, Please do this. So it really was in that, in a way very heartwarming to hear that many people encouraging me to get in. But ultimately, I want you to know that, that as I was having all these conversations and getting all these phone calls, you've already happened. And my own daughter sat me down and had a conversation with me. And I wanted to know what she thought about all these calls and, and this race and the seat. And she's the one that said, Mom, I want you to run and you should run we need you and you can win this seat. But more importantly, after what just happened in Uvalde. And the fact that my my service in Tallahassee as a state senator after a special election, a very hot fought hard fought one. During that first session in 2018, I got elected in 2017 was when Parkland happens. So my you know that that really hit home when that happened, and I have a child in public schools, my daughter that I'm talking to you about is is 16 year old now. But I just can't believe that I, you know, I came to this country at 17, having been raised around and with terrorism, surrounding my my native country of Colombia, and to see that our own kids are growing up in the midst of domestic terrorism, in essence, and all of these experiences, which are completely unacceptable. So, so yes, it was that conversation with my daughter and her saying, we need you, we need you to fight and we need we need your voice in Washington.

Thom Mozloom: 7:07

So why did you dump the governor's race? It seems like you you would have been much better poised to make the types of changes you want at that level. Why did you get out of the governor's?

Annette Taddeo: 7:19

It's a very good question and a fair question

Thom Mozloom: 7:22

I know I ask a lot of good questions.

Annette Taddeo: 7:24

No, actually, I will tell you it was all this was happening in the process of, of me, seeing that I got in the governor's race, very late. But also, I was the only candidate running for governor that was not allowed to raise money while we were in session. From January through March, and then

Thom Mozloom: 7:50

I forgot about that

Annette Taddeo: 7:50

And then we had, yes. And then we had special sessions, two of them, right after that, where I was the only candidate not allowed to raise money during that time. So even though I raised over a million dollars, and we were doing well and a lot of encouraging support from across the state. Once people heard my story, the reality is that if you don't have the resources to tell your story so that people know there's another option, then we were not going to be successful in the primary. And the difference in the name recognition was definitely enough to where it was going to take some major resources to catch up. So that's the reality. But

Tony Winton: 8:32

Let's talk about already mailing with. You mentioned name recognition, and your polling is pretty strong here. But in Key Biscayne, one of your opponents has pretty high name recognition that would be Commissioner Russell, he was on our show last week. And you're you know, kind of from a different Senate District don't don't haven't really been involved in some of the local fights at Key Biscayne. Most of the residents, listeners to our show are from that area. Big issues like the Rickenbacker causeway dominating local politics here. What do you bring to Key Biscayners? What what is your what's your pitch?

Annette Taddeo: 9:10

Well, first of all, a candidate in the primary a candidate that can win in the general. But frankly, I just bring somebody that is a true public servant, someone that has great respect from all the community across the aisle, something that is really difficult to do when you are in the minority as I have had to do in Tallahassee, highly respected and that is so important for you to bring back the bacon for you to truly be that representative to be able to kill bad bills pass good bills, and and just being genuine and real. A true public servant which again There's something that we don't have much of in Washington, and that our community really, really needs as a representative. But also just the track record of all of the issues that are very important to our community. And that that is that is something that we are going to definitely highlight as our differences with the incumbent, Congresswoman.

Thom Mozloom: 10:27

So what are your key issues? What are the things that you could talk to Key Biscayners about? That would sync up with their key interests? What are you campaigning on?

Annette Taddeo: 10:38

Well, Key Biscayne is a little different than some of the other parts of the district I think this is a very diverse district. Key Biscayne is very diverse, though as well. And and in the in all of Miami, we have we we have a lot of people that come from other areas, specifically other countries, so. So there's a lot of talk in Florida from politicians about freedom, and freedom in other countries, and our current Congresswoman loves to talk about that. But you really can't talk about freedom and other countries, but you're not willing to defend our democracy in this country. And we are fighting not just for a representation, or for a seat, or for a title, what truly fighting for our democracy. It is it is outrageous to me that we had a January 6, and to many of our constituents, that was a really a point where we were all in shock, watching. And yet to have a representative who, who has been part of The Big Lie, who has said that dogs voted, and dead people voted and, and, and, and who refuses to say we should get to the bottom of it to make sure this never happens again. So that is, that is a major issue. This is not just about a race. This is about everything we hold so dear, which is our democracy. Look, we are also living through some very difficult times I spoke already about Uvalde and the safety of our kids. I don't care which neighborhood you live in which area you're in. I think we all agree that we should not be raising our kids in terror, and afraid they should be afraid about their grades, they should not be afraid about somebody coming in and shooting up their school, or whether it is you're going to church or a synagogue or to the movies. These things should not happen in this country. And I've been a fighter for us to not have weapons of war. In our streets. I am the daughter of a fighter pilot. And I learned how to shoot a gun at a pretty young age from my dad. But I also learned how to respect them. And I learned the importance of of, of making sure that weapons of war should not be in our streets. And the other issue is obviously now we have a very big issue which is a woman's right to choose. And can't believe that we're even at a moment in time, where we have a representative who talks about freedom, but yet votes against someone being able to travel across the state lines. To have a procedure that is a medical procedure, and a decision that should not be made by the government it should be made in the privacy with your family. And your your home and your doctor.

Thom Mozloom: 13:45

She seems to be attempting at least to pivot to the center with some of her votes. She voted for the gun legislation. She voted for what was the last sheet yesterday she voted for Tony, what was that

Tony Winton: 13:58

this is the marriage legislation,

Thom Mozloom: 14:00

Oh yes, the same sex marriage act. She as she came out and called her her her Republican colleagues to tell the truth that January 6 Camp commission, what do you make of all of that? Is that campaign rhetoric? Or are we seeing an honest pivot to the center? Because no, the district seems to be a

Tony Winton: 14:21

it's kind of purple

Thom Mozloom: 14:22

you these days? It's a purple district, I think.

Annette Taddeo: 14:27

Look, it's amazing what a strong candidate getting in the race does to some of these people. And it is very obvious by the change in the votes. But I also think, you know, we have a representative that's wanting to have it both ways. She votes against many of the gun legislation but then votes for some of the others. She has voted consistently against the LGBTQ community. But yet, yesterday changed her vote. Vote. It's Sounds to me like there's a there's a real challenge in the horizon, and she's aware of it and they've done some polling.

Tony Winton: 15:07

Well, speaking of I was gonna say, speaking of polling, right, the your party nationally right looking like a very tough election in the House. And the there has been some effective messaging, I guess some pollsters would say, painting, particularly in South Florida painting the Democratic Party as quote unquote, socialist, whatever that means. And I'm sure you're expecting it, it's already probably started. What is what is how is that going to unfold in your, in your view? And how will you be addressing that in the campaign?

Annette Taddeo: 15:42

The same day, the same way that I addressed it and successfully beat it? In my special election, when, when they didn't just call me a socialist, they called me a communist and a terrorist sympathizer and we fought back, we fall back with my personal story of my own father being kidnapped by the FARC, a Marxist terrorist group and having to flee to Alabama alone at the age of 17. And, and these, my story is the story of so many of us in our community, and, and to use that pain to use that those experiences as a way to hold on to power is, frankly, unacceptable. And again, we are at a pivotal moment in our country where we are truly fighting for democracy, and you have to be willing to have someone who will put, I am a proud Democrat, I've been party chair. But clearly, I will speak up if things are being done that are not correct for our community, and are not representative of our community wants and needs. So I think that those are, those are issues that they are definitely gonna try, although I will say I don't know that they are. They're doing it. I think the quote, when I got in the race from from the current Congresswoman was, she will have to defend the extremes of her party knowing very well that, that I am not part of that. Having said that, I am happy to have that argument, because we currently have the Proud Boys as members of the Republican executive committee of Miami Dade County. And I have yet to see the Congresswoman who is a member of the Republican executive committee of Miami Dade County, by the mere fact that she's elected, and yet these people, some under indictment for January 6, and yet they're still members of the executive committee of the Republican Party. So if we're going to talk about the extreme, because

Thom Mozloom: 18:04

She's not going to say anything about that stuff, she's gonna run away from that stuff.

Annette Taddeo: 18:08

But that's my point. If you're going to tell me, I'm going to have to stand up for the extremes of parties, then you're going to have to talk about your party where you currently sit, and you haven't done or said anything. And you actually voted against the January 6, committee hearings. And yet I have spoken even against President Biden, when I disagree, for example, on removing the FARC from the terrorist list. You know, it's these are not easy things to do. But that's what being a representative of your district means being that voice, being that leader, and speaking out when you need to speak out

Tony Winton: 18:53

Annette Taddeo, we're almost out of time. And I know you we were probably borrowed more time than then we should. But I wanted to make sure that you get the chance along with everybody else -- the tradition on the show. We give you a 90 second closing argument. So I've something this is something I know you've rehearsed. So you have 90 seconds closing argument, why should primary voters and that's the next election coming up on August 23? Why should they vote

Annette Taddeo: 19:18

Well, thank you very much, first of all for for you? having me, but I say to all the listeners, my name is Annette Taddeo. And I am a fighter. I was a fighter from the minute I was born, and I have been a fighter since I got elected. I was born with a cleft lip and had 19 surgeries growing up, couldn't really drink for my mother's milk or learn to speak. And that fighting spirit that my dad always taught me as a fighter pilot, when the cost is just don't stand at the sidelines, get in there and fight and that's what I've done my entire life, in my personal life of perseverance, success and small business, but also as Representative, as your senator in Tallahassee, and now as your future representative for this district, we must preserve our democracy and have a true representative of all people that can win. And August 23, we have a primary, not full of lies and attacks to fellow Democrats, but actual what we are here to do, which is, number one, win this race get the best shot for us to have a true representative in Washington. Thank you.

Thom Mozloom: 20:32

Well, thank you, Senator, we really appreciate you coming on. If you get through the if you get through the primaries, which I suspect I will, I will, I will have to have you back on to talk further about your views in the run up to November.

Annette Taddeo: 20:44

Absolutely. And I could have stayed on talking to you guys for a lot longer.

Tony Winton: 20:49

We appreciate that. But we do. We do try to respect everyone's time commitments. And we thank you for being our guest on Anti-Socia, Annette Taddeo. We'll be back right after this.[MUSIC] And we are back on anti-social. I'm Tony Winton.

Thom Mozloom: 21:37

I'm Thom Mozloom. I really do like Senator today. Oh, I've worked with her punch. And I know that I'm biased. So I apologize. I didn't ask her a single hard question. Because I suck as a journalist.

Tony Winton: 21:49

Well, you know, she kind of deflected some of the questions to be candid, though, you know,

Thom Mozloom: 21:53

Yeah

Tony Winton: 21:53

she, she does does not have much of a track record. Naturally, because she didn't represent Key Biscayne, she represented senate district to our west, south southwest Florida of southwest to the state corner of Kendall and out to homestead and

Thom Mozloom: 22:10

A district with no causeway no beach, no water.

Tony Winton: 22:13

Right. So these are these are issues that are new to her. But she's bringing what she's you know, she answered that. But by saying I'm strong on these national issues, and I can bring a better fight to the November ballot, then her opponents can, and she's opposed by as you mentioned, Ken Russell and a progressive activist, Mr. Montalvo?

Thom Mozloom: 22:33

Yeah, she probably is going to have the name recognition. And she's pulling way ahead. I imagine she'll take that pretty handily. But we'll see when it comes into, into the general if she gets through the primaries, how she's it's not really how she's going to attack the right. It's how she's gonna get to the center, because your district, District 27 is a purple district, it is really, really quite evenly split. And going back to Ileana, I mean, you know, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and is, you know, a Republican who held that seat for a very, very long time.

Tony Winton: 23:02

It will be interesting to see how that unfolds. I know that depending on their different rating, agency rating services, a cook ppolitical Bob Cook Political Report and other ones that are really rated as a toss up kind of a district. So it will be one of the spots nationally that folks will be watching to see what's happening in terms of messaging, who's gaining traction, who's losing traction, you're going to be seeing a lot about our congressional district district 27 After the primary,

Thom Mozloom: 23:31

there's gonna be a ton of outside money pouring into this race as well, because it is one of the few seats Democrats believe they can pick up. And, you know, in what, in what looks to be a bruising contest or certainly an uphill battle for Democrats. They need to capitalize on every place that they think they could pick up a seat.

Tony Winton: 23:52

But we are going to pivot now to some local news. And we actually had some Yes, we did. We had some we had some

Thom Mozloom: 23:59

breaking news sounder

Tony Winton: 24:00

We did. [music]

Thom Mozloom: 24:02

Oh no! It's back$100 million.

Tony Winton: 24:08

That's right. Thom, I saved that just for you. Because I know how much you like it

Thom Mozloom: 24:14

I still got my chops

Tony Winton: 24:17

Yes, we had a ruling today. Today's Wednesday the 20th. When we're when we're doing the show, we'll put it up. We're not actually streaming live, but we're getting that technology in place. We had a ruling today Wednesday from the Third District Court of Appeal. And the appellate court upheld the Key Biscayne $100 million bond referendum.

Thom Mozloom: 24:39

Now, wait, wait, wait. Wasn't this done already?

Tony Winton: 24:44

Well, there was a lower court ruling. There was an there was a lower court ruling in circuit court. And there was an appeal.

Thom Mozloom: 24:50

Oh, they they appealed it.

Tony Winton: 24:51

That's correct. Although that itself is a little bit interesting about how the appeal came to be and we cover that in detail in the Key Biscayne independent, you can Check online to see how that worked. But the ruling was what's known as a PCA or per curiam affirmed. And that means the case is over. a legal expert told me that when a court does that in Florida, there is no appeal to the Florida Supreme Court, the case is over. So what does that mean? It means that the council is now legally empowered to go ahead and get go out for a GO bond, they can talk to lenders, the mayor told me, Mike Davey that actually they've been precluded from really doing that, because while the litigation was pending, no, no bond thing was gonna move very far, just too much risk there. Any kind of lender that works in the municipal bond area is going to wait until the litigation is over. So now that's over.

Thom Mozloom: 25:50

Can I ask you a couple of questions, Tony? Oh, you

Tony Winton: 25:52

may sure. Should I play the music again? While you're asking them? No, no, no, you're good the way it is? Okay.

Thom Mozloom: 25:58

Yeah, no, no, I'm gonna now I'm just gonna, I'm gonna ask some questions. Because I know this is, I think what some of our listeners are thinking when the lawsuit hit. The council was prohibited from going out to get a GO bond, it simply wouldn't have moved anywhere right. That what I just heard you say?

Tony Winton: 26:18

Well, the fact that there was a lawsuit challenging the validity of the bond would have prevented any actual borrowing from going forward. Because a lender is not going to cooperate while there's litigation over whether the municipal action is legal or not.

Thom Mozloom: 26:39

And what was the lending rate back then?

Tony Winton: 26:41

Well, it was lower than it is now. I don't have it off the top of my head.

Thom Mozloom: 26:45

So these people who brought this and delayed and delayed and delayed Actually, could we put together a calculation of just how much they cost us?

Tony Winton: 27:00

Well, I don't know if that'd be entirely fair. Because the even if the the lawsuit had not been filed, the village wasn't ready to actually initiate any borrowing. There wasn't any any projects ready for Yeah,

Thom Mozloom: 27:16

I'm not fair.

Tony Winton: 27:17

Okay. Okay.

Thom Mozloom: 27:18

I'm, I'm caustic. Don't you remember? I'm caustic

Tony Winton: 27:21

I understand. Yes. That's Yes. Well, Tom, you know, that's what a little bit of caustic is good. I mean, if you're making a spicy sauce, it works. Okay? That you have the Ragu, right? I don't know. Is it gonna be what's the what's the, what's the one that's very step peppery? begins with an A.

Thom Mozloom: 27:42

Oh, I use it. I call it a Diablo, but I'll be, I'll be

Tony Winton: 27:48

Arrabiata or something like that. Yeah, yeah. Anyway, no, I don't think the village wasn't ready to identify any projects. However, this fiscal year, the manager has said, for the upcoming budget to the 2324 I should say 22-23. Budget, the there is some spending that would be tied to the first tranche of borrowing. But it's unlikely that it'll even happen. The manager saying even next year, so So perhaps interest rates will will be lower again, when the borrowing is ready to take place.

Thom Mozloom: 28:22

Happy days are here again

Tony Winton: 28:24

Perhaps Alright, perhaps not you got,

Thom Mozloom: 28:26

what else you're working on? Well,

Tony Winton: 28:29

we should maybe go into a little bit of detail on the mayor's budget. We talked about it a little bit on our show. Last week, It's about $64 million that we were able to identify in that

Thom Mozloom: 28:39

The County budget

Tony Winton: 28:39

county but yeah, the county mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, we were able to actually comb through it and put some numbers together. And that's also in the Independent about how much spending kind of fits the Key Biscayne zip code budget ranging $12 million for some of the initial work on the and not just Key Biscayne. But interest. People are interested in the causeway and that whole area because it's obviously more than just Key Biscayne. Everyone uses the beaches here. Rickenbacker causeway including studies that would be needed to replace the Bear Cut Bridge. Some work on Hobi holy beach area Hobie island, so a 12 part part of that 12 million demolishing what's left of the toll plaza and other improvements to the causeway. So about $64 million in total, and that includes the first spending on the Key Biscayne new Key Biscayne library. That will actually continue for several additional fiscal years. So we get into the weeds on that and also a kind of the reaction from our district. Seven Commissioner Raquel Regalado has been on our program many times she she thinks that the budget was too big, that the tax increase is too much and she in fact voted against the I guess it's called the trim notice vote. That's an initial vote that's taken. I think it happened yesterday. That doesn't actually set the budget, but it sets a ceiling. She and other members of the county commission try to lower the tax increase ceiling, they failed. I'm sure there will be another attempt as you get to the final budget vote at the end of the fall. But that is there'll be some additional politicking playing out about taxing versus spending , at very familiar debate to everyone everywhere. And we'll see that the county level and the Key Biscayne level as well.

Thom Mozloom: 30:37

Yeah, no doubt. We should probably pitch the the candidate forum on August 9,

Tony Winton: 30:44

right. August 9, is our going to be a candidate forum at crossbridge. Church 6pm. The candidates have agreed to come on. We are inviting other journalists to come on the program to ask questions of the candidates. And please make that an event on your calendar. It'll be August 9 at 6pm crossbridge. Church 160 Harbor Drive.

Thom Mozloom: 31:08

That'll be a fun event. I think I think we'll learn a lot. I hope nobody's out there boycotting it because we treated Fastow badly. Although I've gotten my fear of text messages that I'm a terrible human being and you're worse.

Tony Winton: 31:22

Okay. Well, I mean, we ask tough questions. And I expect that the journalists will be at the debate will also ask tough questions. So I'm boycotting the truth, Tony. Yes. Well, I don't know Tom. Boycott. Boycott.

Thom Mozloom: 31:37

I'm boycotting gravity.

Tony Winton: 31:38

Yes.

Thom Mozloom: 31:40

All right. Well, you want to take a break or you want to go right ahead.

Tony Winton: 31:44

Let's let's, let's take a break. And we will be back right after this. Oh, that was that's where you

Thom Mozloom: 31:54

Thank you, Tony.

Tony Winton: 32:27

And we are back on anti social, the podcasts taking a look at things that are weird on our social media feeds, trying to make some sense of them covering some important issues and we're back. Thom is still in Tennessee. When are you coming back to Florida bud?

Thom Mozloom: 32:44

I am making the drive back on Friday. Okay, that is my goal. So next week,

Tony Winton: 32:49

I will see you face to face again. Good, or at least I think I will unless you pick up the latest COVID The latest COVID variant?

Thom Mozloom: 32:59

Which no but there's I mean, listen, I'm pretty excited. My not the default my medical history but my rheumatologist has has indicated that I might be able to finally get vaccinated, which means hopefully I'll stop getting COVID

Tony Winton: 33:13

Yeah, because I think you're trying to when you're trying to win an award for most COVID cases you could single person can get is that what you're doing?

Thom Mozloom: 33:20

Yeah, well, you know, I like to test it. Like it's like my kids food. I say let me try it to make sure it's good. I just want to make sure the new strain is all it's cracked up to be before anybody else gets it. That's my whole mantra.

Tony Winton: 33:33

Right? Well, this segment we kind of talked about his happy hour. I don't I don't really have anything to pour a little my dog can bark. Maybe she could maybe give her some I don't know. But we have a couple of things. I guess the first thing is I want to pick a fight with you. About our why why? Because every getting lucky because because this is about like time allocation for Theo.

Thom Mozloom: 33:59

Ah, you're just mad that I'm paying him. Well, I'm

Tony Winton: 34:04

paying him Do I mean you know, I'm like, yeah, like I need you to cover an event tomorrow. I gotta check with Tom. What?

Thom Mozloom: 34:10

Yeah, yeah, he's my he's my intern for the summer. I love that kid. He's gonna go on to I told him he's got to graduate with with great grades come back to Miami. So he could take over the company because you know, it's still an M Miller. It still could still be called the M network.

Tony Winton: 34:28

Okay, well, you know, as long as we can work out a like some kind of sharing the Oh, sharing agreement.

Thom Mozloom: 34:34

No Rock Paper, Scissors all the way rock every assignment. Rock paper

Tony Winton: 34:41

scissors, baby. Yes, that was that was by the way. If you saw the new Thor movie, there was a little gag in there. You have to look carefully, but it happened fast. No, I have not seen that. Oh, that's a lot. A lot of easter eggs.

Thom Mozloom: 34:52

I mean that that one has scared me a little bit. Okay. It seemed like it was going to be a hot stinking mess but I'm hearing other people They said they enjoyed it. So did you like it?

Tony Winton: 35:01

I liked it. Not the best one, the whole superhero thing. I have read some commentary on social media that some people thought it was very sexist. Because the strong female character dies at the end to further the career of the protagonist, which is, I guess, a way of looking at it. You know, but it's that it's a it's it, some people found that unsettling. But I mean, again, it's everybody gets

Thom Mozloom: 35:38

along with it. That's the line that is the story arc in the comic books. It's sort of true to the story book. Books.

Tony Winton: 35:47

I guess I've given a big spoiler now, but but the point is, is that the the debate, it's an example of social media, getting will take any issue no matter what it is, and a work of fiction and then tear it to shreds. i Yes. Yeah. And I can, you know, I didn't know how to react to that I actually had to research it because I saw someone posting how much they thought the movie was unfair. And I'm going what? And I had to go back into ground and Oh, yes. So someone wrote a story about this. And someone wrote a column about it and everything else. I don't think it's a widely held opinion. And the movie, but but it was a kind of kind of shocked me a little bit. But that isn't the one that really got me ticked off, though.

Thom Mozloom: 36:33

Oh, got you ticked off? No.

Tony Winton: 36:35

Not so much ticked off because I just think it's inappropriate. There have been a number of these stories, I've seen a few of them, where for the first time, at least in my recollection, as a journalist, people are applying the term"Good Samaritan" to people who take a personally owned weapon to dispatch a bad guy, shopping mall, whatever it is. And it's not that I'm not grateful that someone has averted a tragedy by by doing that, or that not recognizing that it's courageous to do so. It's just the use of the term "Good Samaritan." Maybe I'm a stickler about it, but that's not what I thought the road to Jericho was, what that story was about.

Thom Mozloom: 37:20

So the Samaritan didn't whack the Pharisee ?

Tony Winton: 37:25

wasn't packing. So so far as I know.

Thom Mozloom: 37:29

Well, I think so. So you're not upset calling the dude. Heroic?

Tony Winton: 37:34

No, absolutely not. No, just it's like a

Thom Mozloom: 37:37

biblical reference. It's yeah, I mean, its relationship to killing other people is that's that that's not really what that story is.

Tony Winton: 37:43

Exactly. It's it's kind of just in in, what's the word? Inapposite? Inapt? It's just it's not it's not, it's not an appropriate term.

Thom Mozloom: 37:53

It's wanting

Tony Winton: 37:54

Yeah, it's, there are lots of other words, you can use the kind of would acknowledge what that person did was selfless or heroic, or courageous, or, or something else. But the Good Samaritan story, especially, you know, probably you and I could have a talk show about this , is connected to taking, having a different viewpoint, our posture towards outsiders and the despised. And the way that we should interact with them, as much as it is about

Thom Mozloom: 38:24

murdering them is, is generally, yeah, murdering them is generally something we try to avoid

Tony Winton: 38:29

As opposed to doing simply doing a good deed, right? It's a little bit more than that. is the fact that it was a Samaritan helping being the one and in the context of a lawyer who was trying to trick Jesus with an answer, right. That's the whole context of the story. So I just it just struck me as being and major news organizations using it in headlines. As a journalist, I just wish I would have spiked that one. As I as an editor, I just would have would have said that's not appropriate. Yep. Well, I

Thom Mozloom: 39:02

don't think it's I don't think it's mean spirited. I think it's a lack of Bible literacy, which I can't really blame secularists for, you know, pulling quotes out of the Bible and using them incorrectly. Right? Well, they were rubbed me the wrong way.

Tony Winton: 39:15

In the case, I'm thinking of they're quoting a police chief who used that term. So it's not like it's in, in the sense not strictly inaccurate, because that was the term that the that one of the subjects in the story used. It's just like, Okay, is it really correct to use that term? It's, as I said, it's kind of a personal beef. I'm sorry.

Thom Mozloom: 39:37

Mine, my mind my feed has been and this sort of tells about, I guess, this is why my Twitter feed is so dark. Everybody seems to be having an opinion on the AOC arrest. handcuffed, not handcuffed. Is she faking it? She de escalating what's really going When gone, is it political theater? And of course the answer is, yes, of course. It's political theater. It's all political theater, every bit of it is political theater, and it's fine. It doesn't matter whether you like her or if you don't like her did political theater. That's what it is.

Tony Winton: 40:16

Yeah, I mean, it was I don't know why people get worked up about. Yeah. I mean, people getting arrested in protests intentionally is well, we're just talking about you know, it's a it's been done for decades. That

Thom Mozloom: 40:31

wasn't that wasn't the, the controversy isn't her getting arrested? It's the picture of her standing with her hands behind her back. Oh, I missed that part. And the officer has her his hand on her shoulder. The only thing missing is she's not handcuffed. She was pretending she was handcuffed for the photo

Tony Winton: 40:52

op. Okay, so she wasn't it wasn't a photo, like in the moments before. So they put the handcuffs on?. We don't know. He was never cuffed. She was not okay. That's the story. Okay. I didn't see. I didn't even know that. She was preparing. She was preparing herself for cuffing and it never happened. No, no. Or she or you're saying she was posing for a fake handcuffed picture. Okay. She

Thom Mozloom: 41:11

was posing for the picture as if she had handcuffs on. I say she did not have handcuffs on. Right. But But I never I never got cuffed

Tony Winton: 41:18

Okay, I guess I'd have to know more. From the context, I guess. I mean, okay. You don't have to know I don't know if I should avoid it. Okay. All right. I'm going to avoid it.

Thom Mozloom: 41:29

Every everybody involved in the story at every level is angry. Yeah. AOC haters and the AOC defenders. There's nobody like I'm the only one apathetic in the middle of going. So what? Yeah, I She faked getting cuffed. Okay, who cares? It's political theater. Yes, political theory I got for you, man. I have no happy hour. I have no alcohol here. hadn't come out of the still yet. Right.

Tony Winton: 42:00

I wish you a safe drive. Back to a 305

Thom Mozloom: 42:05

Yep, I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to getting home I'm looking forward to while being up here has been peaceful. And the mountains are always awesome. And there's horses and streams and all of that. There's nothing quite like being in the 305

Tony Winton: 42:21

Well, in that spirit, then I will wish the same for our listeners and ask them to to be safe. Or perhaps you'd like to do that.

Thom Mozloom: 42:32

That's alright. I'm just

Tony Winton: 42:34

I'm Tony Winton. Take care everyone.

Thom Mozloom: 42:36

See you next week Teddy. Always be my friend. There