Gaslit Nation Transcript 16 December 2020 “Barr and Other Hacks” Chris Murphy: Right now, the most serious attempt to overthrow our democracy in the history of this country is underway. Those who are pushing to make Donald Trump president for a second term, no matter the outcome of the election, are engaged in a treachery against their nation. You cannot, at the same time, love America and hate democracy. But as we speak, a whole lot of flag waving Republicans are nakedly trying to invalidate millions of legal votes because that is the only way that they can make Donald Trump president again. It is the only way they can make Donald Trump president again because he didn't win. Sarah Kendzior: I'm Sarah Kendzior, the author of the best selling books: The View From Flyover Country and Hiding in Plain Sight. Andrea Chalupa: I'm Andrea Chalupa, a journalist and filmmaker and the writer and producer of the journalistic thriller, Mr. Jones. Our opening clip was Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut speaking on the floor of Congress. Sarah Kendzior: And this is Gaslit Nation, a podcast covering corruption in the Trump administration and rising autocracy around the world. Andrea Chalupa: Remember, if we can defeat those bizarre Trumpists in Georgia who should both be under investigation for insider trading, and elect these wholesome patriots—Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock—to the Senate, the Democrats officially control the US Senate and Kamala Harris, the soon to be Vice President of the United States, will be the tiebreaker vote. This needs to happen. Andrea Chalupa: A whole new chance for humanity lays before us if we can manage to do this together, and we're going to be pushing for much needed financial relief for the millions plunged into poverty, a much needed climate legislation, much needed vote protection and election security legislation that Mitch McConnell has been blocking because he is evil and rotting from the inside. So, do what you can. Give to Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock. Go to their official campaign websites, donate and sign up to volunteer there. Commit to tweeting and posting on other social media sites about their campaigns every day, every other day, do what you can to get the word out. Andrea Chalupa: Join me and my dad in The Save Humanity From Mitch McConnell Gaslit Nation Challenge, make 1000 calls or send 1000 texts or send 1000 postcards by the deadline (which I believe is December 23rd) to voters in Georgia to get out to vote for Ossoff and Warnock. You have until Election Day, January 5th, to get the vote out by phone calls and texts. Andrea Chalupa: We're going to select three winners who tweet at us @gaslitnation on Twitter. Tell us how you're getting out to vote in Georgia, and we'll have those three winners on the show in the new year and send them each a signed copy of Sarah's book, Hiding in Plain Sight and a signed movie poster for Mr. Jones. Understand that our democracy does not work unless we do. So, please roll up your sleeves and do what you can. Andrea Chalupa: Now we have exciting news for humanity. We have two vaccines finally approved in the US by the FDA; Moderna and Pfizer. This is huge news. I just want to point out, not to be nationalistic or anything, but the world really didn't rejoice until these two global efforts of the Pfizer vaccine and the Moderna vaccine finally getting approval. Keep in mind that Russia weeks ago came out with its vaccine, and the world was like, mm-hmm (affirmative). [laughs] No one paid attention. Andrea Chalupa: Something like 150,000 poor souls had to get this Russia vaccine. Russia is trying to shove its vaccine around the world to its allies out there. I believe India and Brazil are being asked to take some. Russia's vaccine is like the Jan Brady of the vaccines. I know Putin is a thug. I know Putin, one of his strengths is that he goes there. He dares to go there and do ridiculous things that most countries have the decency not to, even though they certainly have the means. But at the same time, true power lies in trust and people choosing to follow you. Andrea Chalupa: That goes to show that for all the effort Putin's Kremlin puts into destabilizing democracies around the world, how much are they just self-inflicting their own wound and isolating themselves by us not showing up for their vaccine? So credit to the US and the other countries involved, and that includes Germany, had a lab involved, and all the scientists around the world rallying to get the information out there for these two vaccines, real substantial, trustworthy vaccines to finally come out on the scene. This is major. Andrea Chalupa: One thing we want to point everyone's attention to (which we'll link to in the show notes) is an article from ABC News on how more pandemics are likely due to climate change and humans pressuring the natural world, increasing our exposure to exotic animals and animals generally, and just vulnerabilities created by how we raise the animals that we eat. Andrea Chalupa: Pandemics are going to increasingly become a way of life unless we elect good people—empathetic people—who trust and believe science to positions of power. Let's not forget, through this great test for humanity, we saw again and again how countries, led by women, had the strongest records of confronting the pandemic. So, elect more women to Office wherever you live. Andrea Chalupa: The great test of our age for all of us now is to ensure election cycle after election cycle, no matter where we live, in our communities, we elect good people that believe in science. When you go to the ballot box, vote for the people that you know will protect you and your family when the next pandemic hits again, because it is inevitable. We're entering now an age of pandemics because of the human population exploding and the pressure it's putting on the natural world. So, understand that. It's better to be prepared and know what's coming and live your life accordingly. Andrea Chalupa: So, stay engaged in your local civic actions, join a community, go to the Gaslit Nation Action Guide on gaslitnationpod.com, and be smart about who you elect clearly and who you recruit to run and who you primary and how, and please build your community to protect your community. Andrea Chalupa: But a happy story now: we are going to thank all of the men and women from around the world who contributed to this vaccine, countless heroes to thank. One of these heroes who worked tirelessly in the dark for many, many years. We're going to share her story now. Her name is Kate Karikó and she is a Hungarian immigrant. What's incredible is that the two vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, they're made possible thanks to new mRNA technology pioneered by a tenacious Hungarian immigrant. Andrea Chalupa: From the Telegraph: "How one scientist unwavering belief in mRNA gave the world a COVID-19 vaccine. For Katalin Karikó, this week's vaccine news is a validation of 40 years of hard work and opens a door to a new generation of medicines. For the Hungarian born scientist, a breakthrough goes beyond the hope that the new vaccine will help turn the tide of the pandemic. It is a validation of her career-long belief in the therapeutic potential of synthetic messenger RNA, a technology that could open the door to a new generation of medical treatments and cures. For more than four decades, Professor Karikó has relentlessly explored how the single stranded molecules of genetic code could be used to treat conditions from strokes and cancer to influenza. Despite demotions, countless grant rejections and at points deep skepticism from fellow scientists, she ploughed on." Andrea Chalupa: There's a quote from her. "’When I am knocked down, I know how to pick myself up,’ she said, speaking to the Telegraph from her home in Philadelphia on Thursday. Philly saves the day again. ‘But I always enjoyed working. I imagined all of the diseases I could treat.’ Professor Karikó first began work on the mRNA at a lab in Hungary in 1978 before moving to the US after her position at the biological research center was terminated in 1985. A decade later, when at the University of Pennsylvania, Professor Karikó was again demoted when her focus on mRNA failed to attract financial backing. But determination runs in the family. Professor Karikó's daughter, Susan Francia won a gold medal for the American rowing team during the 2012 London Olympics, and the scientist also persisted. Thanks to her work and her colleagues and all those who believed in her and her team, we have two of the fastest vaccines on record, both over 90% effective." Andrea Chalupa: I just want to remind everyone as dark as this winter is and it's, of course, going to get darker because there's nearly 40 days left of the Trump crime family being in power, and we'll be talking about that on the show, but let's remember to always have faith in the passionate people toiling away in the dark, whose names we may never know, who plant powerful seeds of hope. Let's be those people.