Why Does The 2024 Election Feel So Fake? - Krystal Ball - #856

**Chris Williamson** (0:00)
Hello friends, welcome back to the show. My guest today is Krystal Ball. She's a co-host of Breaking Points, a political commentator and a podcaster. Politics has changed a lot over the last four years, and even more compared to a decade ago. And yet, everything feels unreal, kind of a bit like a pantomime. So why do we keep going? Do elections even matter anymore? Expect to learn if breaking stories have any real impact, whether Elon Musk is even influential, this election cycle, if Kamala Harris is a change candidate or has incumbent legitimacy, the role of podcasts in deciding the future of America, if the polls are underestimating Trump, how the left has a complicated relationship with God, and much more. I've been loving my cold plunge and sauna from the team over at Plunge. I literally use them every single week because the benefits of hot and cold contrast therapy make me feel fantastic. I have more energy during the day, sleep better at night and recover faster after hard workouts. Plunge's Evolve collection includes four brand new offerings made to fit your lifestyle, space and goals. The new Plunge Pure Pro Chiller uses state-of-the-art technology to filter water and chill it at the same time. The all new Plunge Air is amazing if you're looking for a lightweight, space-efficient option. You can connect it to the Plunge pop-up for maximum portability and affordability, or go with the XL Plunge Pro for their signature style. They are quick to set up and always ready to go. It only takes three minutes to feel amazing. That's how long I spend in it. And they offer a 30-day return policy. Head to plunge.com/modernwisdom, and use the code MW150 for $150 off any purchase. That's plunge.com/modernwisdom and MW150. A checkout. This episode is brought to you by Element. I have started my morning every single day for the last three years the same way, which is with Element in water. It tastes fantastic. It reduces muscle cramps and fatigue. It optimizes your brain health. It regulates appetite and it helps to curb cravings. It's got a science backed electrolyte ratio of sodium, potassium and magnesium. Super simple. There is nothing fancy going on here, but it really does work. Also, they have a no BS, no questions asked refund policy so you can buy it 100% risk free. And if you do not like it, they will give you your money back and you don't even need to return the box. That's how confident they are that you love it. They are the exclusive hydration partner to Team USA weightlifting and rely on by tons of Olympic athletes and high performers in the NFL, NBA, NHL and FBI sniper teams plus tech leaders and everyday athletes around the world. Head to www.drinklmnt.com modern wisdom to get a free sample pack of all eight flavors with any purchase. That's www.drinklmnt.com modern wisdom. If you've got an idea for a business, you probably want to get into the business of selling, not the business of building and designing a website and understanding how to manage inventory. That is where Shopify comes in. Shopify is the platform that's quietly powering 10% of all e-commerce in the United States. That includes Gymshark, Allbirds and my little creation, Neutonic. You handle the creativity and they handle the grunt work. And trust me, they don't care about whatever you're selling. You could be selling left-handed spoons for all they care. And they would still help you crush it. They've got the best converting checkout, 36% better on average compared with other leading e-commerce platforms that helps you turn browsers into buyers. It's like having a business partner who is always available and unbelievably reliable. Plus, they've got award-winning support that's always ready to help every step of the way. Right now, you can sign up for a $1 per month trial period at the link in the description below or by heading to shopify.com/modernwisdom or lowercase. That's shopify.com/modernwisdom now to grow your business no matter what stage you're in. But now, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Krystal Ball.
Do you think that stories have any real impact on voter opinion anymore, or are we just memeing our way through a pantomime campaign now?

**Krystal Ball** (4:25)
I mean, of course, of course they do. But I think we have a sort of meta story that has set in where the central divide in politics in this meta story is how you feel about the person of Donald Trump. It's part of what I think is one of the worst things about the Trump era, frankly, is that all of the interesting policy and important policy discussion sort of gets subsumed into how do you feel about this one individual? If you don't like him, which I don't like him, then you end up on the side of Liz Cheney, who I find basically abhorrent in all ways in terms of her political views. If you do like him, then you end up on the other side of that equation.