Sam Harris & Ben Shapiro Debate: Trump, Election Interference, & Foreign Policy

[@MatthewMortensen1]

Ben Shapiro knows that if he goes against Trump, his fan base is gone.

[@alisoninchausti1080]

So, in essence, he’s being a yellow-livered hypocrite like all the other Trump sycophants.

[@ds2103-c4j]

Exactly. And that's why he and most other podcasters are frauds. Sam just says the truth.

[@David-f8p3z]

There it is.

[@johndavison2760]

Bingo

[@September2004]

Facts don’t care about his ratings.

[@ZachGood]

04:25 is one of the most disingenuous arguments I’ve ever heard. Saying Trump left peacefully is like saying a squatter left peacefully after he trashed your house.

[@epzilon3836]

Really good analogy

[@Fnord1984]

The lineage of Presidents at least up until Obama was complicit in the murder of JFK and all Presidents since including Obama has full knowledge of the american coup d'etat and CIA assassination of JFK. The United States is not a democracy in any sense of the word.

[@miguelzavaleta1911]

Like a guy pulling a gun on a bank teller but never actually saying the words "this is a robbery." The cops get to him before he's able to walk out with any money. Now a third of the country goes on to claim he never actually tried to rob the bank, since he never got any money and never said the words. Insane.

[@andrewthomas695]

Trump is merely the manifestation of modern America. Ipso facto, you can't fix America by voting out Trump.

[@doc2590]

@@miguelzavaleta1911 agreed

[@issa.israel]

Never seen Shapiro win a debate against someone over 22 years of age.

[@McMurchie]

Shapiro was totally owning Sam, Sam wouldn't let him get a word in and denied that election interference was a thing with Trump in 2016, dude you're in a bubble.

[@durielcaine7762]

I mean, unless Sam Harris is under 22 then he did in this video 😂

[@RosieRoserules]

He didn't

[@Kadenld]

Shapiro absolutely did not win this argument. Sam Harris made valid points across the board.

[@felipemedina1048]

You never going to see it. He is atotal moron.

[@goodmorningsteve]

Cant help but get the impression Ben is working backwards from his conclusions

[@CarlFredrik-uo1cu]

He absolutely does. He is "my feelings don't care about the facts!" most of the time

[@Not_Vladimir_Putin]

Shapiro will always come back to justifying anything Trump does because he knows his audience and knows it's required to sustain his living.

[@Anniducati]

I’ve come to recognize Shapiro (who I used to respect), is someone who has completely flipped-out on the woke phenomenon, and has never recovered. So trump really speaks for him.

[@SmilusMusic]

Yes he is. He has to defend the indefensible. Pitiful

[@deankruse2891]

Always. Regardless of what trump does, short of supporting Palestinian independence, Ben has to support him. Ben’s viewership numbers and business depend on him covering and supporting movements in specific ways.

[@ryanalexander8212]

Yet again, Sam is making sense.

[@CP-nl2zb]

Sam is a World Champion Pseudo intellectual. Sammy The Pseudo Harris.

[@Thisisahandle701]

@@CP-nl2zbYou're using "pseudo" wrong

[@Fenristripplex]

Lmao

[@hermitonthelake]

It helps that Ben is an insufferable cult manager.

[@brockobama4408]

Wtf? Sams a major Tard 😆

[@tenjisaga]

Ben is not an idiot... And that's what makes him infinitely more disgraceful than the rest of his MAGA brethren.

[@gadiantonrobber5692]

They are all garbage too, huh?

[@nacarreira777]

Absolutely agree. He knows better.

[@elmoblatch9787]

That's what makes is so disappointing. Ben is a smart man who says Trump left peacefully. Shapiro says he does not like tariff policy, but supports Trump because...he does not believe what Trump is saying on tariffs.

[@jongrandboy4294]

Everyone thinks the other team is full of idiots. Lower your blinders, they are our brothers and sisters just with different outlooks. They are still people like you and me.

[@tenjisaga]

@jongrandboy4294 this isn't right vs left, it's truth vs lies.

[@melange78]

Remember when Mitt Romney was the most controversial candidate?

[@mattclayer6541]

Don't tell me that anyone called that man a fascist😣

[@DanielDennett-l9n]

@@mattclayer6541 Right. They called him a vulture capitalist, but never fascist cos he wasn’t

[@acatwood11]

​@DanielDennett-l9n Joe Biden said Romney was going to "put yall back in chains" if he got elected Every feminist screamed that Romney was going to institute a "war on women," whatever the hell that means Obama called Romney a 'felon' for something that happened at Romney's business years after Romney left the business Harry Reid said that Romney hadn't paid his taxes for a number of years, when actually he had overpaid during those years SO The Democrats four years later didn't have the credibility to call Trump a racist, sexist, sleazy business owner, and tax dodger. Hence, Trump got elected.

[@michaelm4597]

Miss those days..lol

[@BUDDYCB4]

God, I miss those days! I would take Mitt Romney over Donald Trump any day the week! At least he wouldn’t stoke hatred between American citizens

[@thep751]

When you tried to rob a bank and it was not successful but you get caught, can you argue that nothing has happened? No money was lost and bank went back to operating the way it did before, so no harm done?

[@KarmaKahn]

Indeed, the amount of mental gymnastics that conservatives perform at the moment is astonishing.

[@Fnord1984]

The bank teller would disagree

[@tbirdboy]

​@@Fnord1984So would a Superior Court judge.

[@September2004]

You can if the bank robber is Trump and Ben Shapiro is your lawyer.

[@Think-dont-believe]

Rob a bank? They were protesting a decision . Zero comparable..

[@yungbobross6418]

Lmao well Ben was wrong, conceded instantly.

[@RSP965]

Literally can't even listen to Ben Shapiro - he's totally full of shit. Lives on a different planet. Bad faith actor. Thank theUniverse for Sam to come in here and shut this fast talker down, like only Sam can.

[@stephenschaffenberger6765]

He doesn't ENTIRELY live on a different planet. At least he can admit that Trump lost the election. That's more than most right wing pundits. However, I agree that he's full of shit. He's openly admitted to grading Trump on a curve, which pretty much disqualifies him from being taken seriously as a political analyst.

[@kinetic-cybernetic]

Key word is "actor"

[@GARL0CK]

The worst part about Ben is that he KNOWS the truth. He's even said as much, but once it was shown that Trump had power after his defeat, he changed his tune to: "There was a peaceful transition of power... That violence part doesn't matter because it didn't happen on the actual inauguration day."

[@santacruzman]

@@kinetic-cybernetic Key word: "bad faith."

[@tobygarth1262]

Agreed - Ben Shapiro is gaslighting and trying to explain that Trump does not mean what he says. Total BS.

[@jamadon2780]

Utterly amazing how calm Sam stays amidst the utter bullshit from Shapiro like that we actually did have a peaceful transfer of power.

[@miguelzavaleta1911]

I had to actually laugh at that. Especially at the semantic game he tried to play afterwards saying that the actual transfer happened later.

[@AltumNovo]

We did, Trump tried to exercise his legal rights, all elections should be questioned rigorously. Then his supporters rioted, which was much milder and less violent than countless others throughout his 4 years egged on by democrats

[@herpyderpy4291]

Sam should have jumped on that like a Sumo wrestler. It's so fucking dishonest that I can't see how anyone can hear it and not see Ben as having lost the debate right there. Honestly if I was Sam I'd just spend the rest of the debate making fun of Ben for saying something so ridiculous.

[@Woodsaras]

Oh? Whos the president for the last 4 years? Yall so fkng brain washed it's seriously ridiculous. Are you really that well off and rich that you really have to pretend that somehing of note is happening or happenee in your stpd country? What a bunch of cnn clowns you are.

[@ogmius2001]

That is Sam's superpower. he is always calm and rational

[@ScienceBoy70]

Shapiro saying Trump left peacefully on Jan 20th, thus there was a peaceful transfer of power, is utter nonsense. The transfer of power in the US is a process, and the certification on Jan 6th was an important part of that process. If someone trying to rob a bank goes in, shoots some guards and bank tellers, then flees the bank without taking any money because he can't crack the safe, you don't say, "He left without taking any money, so he didn't rob the bank. No harm, no foul." The fact that he tried is the crime, not whether he succeeded or not. People died on Jan 6th because of Trump's actions. The fact that his plans didn't work and he left with his tail between his legs on Jan 20th doesn't absolve him. Shapiro is smart enough to know this, but has no problem doing his part to whitewash what happened.

[@MichaelDamianPHD]

Jan 6 was not an attempted coup or insurrection, so your take is just absurd.

[@jimquinn2431]

@@MichaelDamianPHD Those idiots were encouraged by Trump to take over the Capitol and prevent the transfer of power. If those people had their choice many Congresspeople would be dead. Fake electors were being sent... Just because morons conducted the coup and had no idea what they were doing doesn't mean it wasn't a coup. Trumps people were cheering it on from a hotel in DC FFS. Just stop..

[@tropinnka]

@@MichaelDamianPHDwhat was the right thing that Mike Pence was supposed to do? Why did Trump say that? Why are 7 groups of fake electors charged for forging elector slates? What are the Eastman Memos? Why did John Eastman talk right before Giuliani on January 6? What was the plan there? Please reply 🙏

[@paulelledge8977]

​@@MichaelDamianPHDof course it was. They tried to delay certification of the votes so they could put fake electors in their place. They used violence as a tactic to attempt to change governments. It's 100% a coup.

[@johnsinglet575]

It wasn’t a smooth or timely transfer of power, it was peaceful though. Jan 6th was not an insurrection other than the sensationalism of the media apparatus.

[@flyingartgirls1]

There was a successful transition of power. That is not the same thing as PEACEFUL transition of power.

[@johnnyripple8972]

Well, the Feds certainly tried to prevent it. To believe otherwise is total ignorance.

[@RealYRM]

My issue is the way this stuff is presented and covered. When leftists or Democrats protested in 2020, for months, they did $2,000,000,000 in damages, (more to be honest), there were thousands injured, dozens killed (many black, like the teens in CHAZ/CHOP or David Dorn or Secoria Turner, and nobody had parades for them). When my own child was at the hospital dying, left wing protesters were smashing a Ronald McDonald Charity House for dying kids in Chicago in August of 2020. This barely got media coverage because it doesn't help the Democrats. No life matters, unless a Democrat can shamelessly exploit the corpse. That's what I hate.

[@johnnyripple8972]

@ These leftists are useful idiots. These are vile people who want the Republic destroyed. I was a democrat. I will NEVER vote for a democrat again.

[@novacancy7253]

@@RealYRMoh but that’s doesn’t count because “Trump” bad.

[@eddybedder2865]

@@RealYRM Your wrong!

[@ezOqekuRitusohI]

Ben just said we had a peaceful transfer of power? No, Ben. We had a transfer of power. It was not peaceful. Words matter.

[@pk21734]

Do you disagree though? There were things in that election that hadn't happened before so it was natural to cast the doubt, but Trump never blocked the power transfer

[@megahemphead]

@@pk21734 he tried to block it though? just because you failed to rob a bank, doesn't mean you are innocent

[@pk21734]

@megahemphead block isn't the right word, delay is the right word because he wanted to know wth happened regarding irregularities that took place. And yk given lack of evidence, even if I can give you that election doesn't seems to be rigged (though I still have some doubts), but at the very moment, some things were seriously off. So he just wanted to ensure everything was done properly and fairly, I don't think that's a bad idea.

[@Woodsaras]

How wasnt it peaceful? You dont really know what NOT peacuful is dummy

[@September2004]

@@pk21734He wanted to know what happened with respect to irregularities? And his version of doing this is to claim the election was rigged, spread conspiracy theories, not actually claim fraud when in the courtroom and then launched an insurrection. Do you think there could’ve been a better way to do this?

[@mlo3784]

"A horrible day for the country. Violent rioting inside the Capitol must be met with the full brunt of the law." Ben Shapiro, 6. jan. 2021 "Jan 6th an Insurrection, and "the worst thing to happen in America since 9/11" Ben Shapiro, 7. jan. 2021 kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2m9l6CvrdKaiqMsi=19uEtNhQqc6IY0I3 ...and still, he's voting for Trump and cary water for MAGA! Go' figure.

[@robertkennedy5374]

Now he understands that j6 was staged...it's just that simple

[@mlo3784]

@@robertkennedy5374 😂😂😂

[@mlo3784]

@@robertkennedy5374 MAGA = ALWAYS the victim....and send more money!

[@arnaldoleon1]

Every time Ben debates Sam you can clearly see the 40 point IQ gap in Sam’s favour. Ben is just flailing here

[@jpa_fasty3997]

They're very similar in IQ and Ben actually wins the debate on foreign policy. You can't argue with the facts. The world was far more stable with Trump in charge. You have Biden/Harris for 4 years and everything goes to total shit.... how anyone can have the gall to then sit there claiming Trump is an existential threat to foreign policy, and Kamala is the antidote....? Pure cognitive dissonance.

[@davisjones5489]

it's not an IQ gap, it's an honesty gap

[@atom-9th]

😂😉😂

[@shannonroberts5080]

​@@davisjones5489I think it's both.

[@alysiaduemler2221]

Ben is smart and that’s why Sam is friends with him, but he knows he will lose his base if he goes against Trump

[@TheLongestTake]

Ben Shapiro 2024 : Trump left peacefully. Ben Shapiro 2021: one of the worst things since 9/11.

[@shock_n_Aweful]

this is the problem what is left of the Republicans, they have zero integrity

[@sandiegocity]

That is because no matter how much he hated Trump he did his work and investigated the truth. Some of you cant do that.

[@TheLongestTake]

@sandiegocity did you respond to the wrong comment? Wtf are you on about?

[@TerMitesMatter]

9/11: People falling off of the twin towers. Afghanistan pullout: People falling off of planes.

[@TheWhisperingPenis]

Yeah exactly. Even listening to Ben in 2023 he was against Trump. I listened to his Podcast only 4 times last year and everytime he was criticizing Trump. He just went 180 near the election. Its obvious shilling, and isn't how Ben actually feels, which is morally very disappointing.

[@Noteworthy2024]

Sam Harris is so on point

[@d4024]

False.

[@linleytate9000]

@Noteworthy2024 Sam is so delusional. He said in 2020 he didn't care if Biden had dead babies in his basement he would still vote for them. He said it on the Triggeronometry" show. It truly reveals he will just fall in line with a hive mentality.

[@Pat315]

​@@d4024Sam is so much smarter than any Republican.

[@ddgilad]

Trump may not be Hitler. But if there's one thing Hitler taught me is that when populist leaders with a personality cult are in business things might get really weird really fast.

[@DanielDennett-l9n]

So far more Mussolini than Hitler, but there’s still time. All three are fascist by any reasonable definition

[@andibpunkt-o8c]

Exactly. It is a cult. Trump once said he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue, and people would still vote for him. I think that’s true. Calling it ‘weird’ is an understatement-it’s scary.

[@tartantulakid666]

I swear that all the people that talk about Hitler never read anything about WW2. They just talk about the hearsay they hear from TV.

[@xxcrysad3000xx]

they already did in 2016. this is a rerun.

[@JH-ji6cj]

​@xxcrysad3000xx can yall sincerely not see yourselves equating your own litmus tests of what's considered 'weird' and THAT=Literal Hitler?

[@billybobthornton9668]

Go back and watch Ben's video immediately after J6 and then watch the mental gymnastics he does now. That's audience capture my friends, and it's a horrific destructive thing.

[@chrisburke4039]

It isn't audience capture, there is a linear relationship to Ben's positions and his bank balance. He's one of the least principled, hacky brainlets this side of Steven Crowder & Tim Poole.

[@daaaaaave]

If you’re fighting with cops and then give up after they call for backup, that doesn’t make it a peaceful arrest. I can’t believe they can take themselves seriously calling it a peaceful transfer of power.

[@billybobthornton9668]

@@chrisburke4039 That's what I mean mate, his audience would leave him if he'd maintained that position post J6, so he's had to tow the line to protect his business 🤷 Frustrating to see it happen in real-time!

[@SirVarnish]

Ben basically ignores anything out of trumps mouth and behavior and inserts his own imagined future of what trump 2.0 would be. When untethered from reality, all is fine - just like this ridiculous argument that such and such wouldn’t have happened if Trump were President the past 4yrs, it’s silly as we can all imagine any fake reality we want

[@chrisburke4039]

@billybobthornton9668 Yeah I agree. My point is he has no loyalty to his audience or any moral compass. He would drop his audience like a hot rock the second there was someone else offering him more money.

[@JG-ld4rs]

Ben knows trump is a piece of shit but his audience is captured and so therefore is he.

[@leonasloan7618]

Ben's integrity is questionable. I no longer believe he is a moral or even thoughtful man.

[@Richard-sy1ej]

The idea that Ben ever had integrity is questionable.

[@ethanstump]

Someone can be intelligent without being thoughtful, and someone can be principled without being compassionate. I do believe he's an intelligent and principled man, but an unthoughtful and cruel one.

[@Richard-sy1ej]

@@ethanstump A principled man would not attempt to falsely claim that Trump allowed a peaceful transfer of power. An intelligent man would not spend most of his time debating college students under circumstances where he always knows the topic ahead of time and always grants himself the benefit of setting the bounds of the debate. Also, to remind people of one of the best encapsulations of Shapiro's supposed intelligence - an intelligent man would not say global warming isn't an issue for people who have beach-side property because "as if they wouldn't just sell those houses". Who are they going to sell their houses to, Ben? AQUAMAN? So no, Ben is not only unthoughtful and cruel, he's also dishonest, unprincipled and unintelligent. He's a devious grifter, just like the orange leader of the cult he's trying to financially benefit from.

[@komlat253]

Well yea , it depends where your intelligence lies. Intelligence assumes a certain level of comprehensive pattern of thinking in a certain area . You can be thoughtful in some areas and not in others. Ben does have a certain understanding and intelligence in the abstract. But interpersonally and introspectively he see dumb . Not shocking though, many guys tend to lack on that side of intelligence many traditionally high IQ people back before we added this to over all intelligence lacked in this as well .​@@ethanstump

[@davidbresett2098]

Credibility is the only thing certain commentators have, Shapiro is not credible.

[@corylohanlon]

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I'm not saying Sam should have said that, but it actually is the proper response to asserting we had a peaceful transfer of power in 2020.

[@Malt454]

And, had it been up to Trump, it would have been a significantly less peaceful transfer of power - if, indeed, power was transferred at all, if not for Pence.

[@Dementia.Pugilistica]

"WW2 was a peaceful event because Germany eventually conceded that they lost the war" It's literally as insane as saying this. Constantly we see those "both sides" rhetoric and it'll be people like Ben comparing elected officials at the highest form of office like Trump saying 'the election was stolen', compared to a 16 year old purple haired fox lesbian on Twitter saying mean things like 'Trump stole the first election' as if these two things are equivalent. How many election deniers in republican office? How many democrats? I don't care about the 18 year old college kids' stupid opinion - they are not in office!! I'm so fucking tired of trumpism

[@stephenschaffenberger6765]

@@Malt454 It just wouldn't have been a transfer.

[@chrisburke4039]

I honestly wish there was more of this in our discourse. The way people tip-toe around other content creators absolute BS is half of what's wrong with the world right now.

[@politicalchatter372]

there was a peaceful transfer. You people seriously live in a fantasy land. When Trump is back in office and Harris refuses to leave, what are you going to say?

[@benzos5704]

Debate is a strong term. More like “Reasonable man talks to a beholden political microphone”

[@enriquehernandez650]

Ben is not making sense. 😅

[@hotrodandrube9119]

I see what you did there!

[@chrism6315]

He never has

[@wasdwasdedsf]

so what do you call democrats who claims they will do the exact same thing IN ADVANCE of seeing any blatant frau?? time to arrest them, right? or what about podesta who wanted the D in 2020 to "under NO circumstances" concede after electio day? things are awfully conveniently ignored and forgotten about, time and time again, with you people...

[@TheOicyu812]

Ben's only talent is talking at a playback speed of x2.

[@MrMondayy]

and making $30m+ a year

[@artk8445]

Yes, & all of it is shit!

[@jenniek8391]

@@MrMondayy a lot of bad people make eye-watering sums of money. That's not a good metric to judge someone's character.

[@PaulFComedy]

"Voting against is the right remedy for that" That is a message for all Republicans who want their party back. You can publicly say you are voting for him and then vote Kamala to get rid of him/MAGA and get your party back

[@DanielDennett-l9n]

“I have no idea who Putin wants to win the election”. Right, Ben. Riiiiiiggggght

[@RealYRM]

According to Al Jazeera, Sep 6, 2024 - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Moscow would back US Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party's nominee. Take that for what it's worth. If you're the type of person who takes everything Trump says 100% literally, with no context, I think you should do the same for Putin. Don't use any discretion and take it 100% literally, just like you take everything audio clip from Trump on the media 100% literally. Even when they cut and paste audio together and claim Trump was talking about something else than he was actually discussing, you still take that 100% literally right?

[@mookiewilson4166]

Putin’s efforts have been to advance the Democrats

[@vijayakrishnan3131]

Ben is a fraud.

[@Oneness100]

Yeah, Trump has had at least 7 conversations with Putin after he left office and it's already a known fact that Trump wants to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, so he has to be nice to Putin. For all we know, it was most likely TRUMP that gave Putin the green light to go after Ukraine for several reasons. 1. so he could blame it on Biden. 2. He could take revenge on Zelinskyy for not complying with Quid Pro Quo. 3. So Putin owes him a favor to let him build a Trump Tower in Moscow.. Trump may need to flee the Country to another Country that doesn't have extradition, like RUSSIA.

[@jenniek8391]

Maybe someone can ask Ben this: "Which presidential candidate is more willing to hand over Ukraine's sovereignty to Putin: Harris or Trump?"

[@user-gi8og3or4s]

Thank you Sam

[@CP-nl2zb]

Sam is a World Champion Pseudo intellectual. Sammy The Pseudo Harris.

[@kbone8137]

@@CP-nl2zb Hi Ben.

[@iuvalclejan]

@@kbone8137 It's not Ben, it's a bot. It just pastes the same nonsense over and over

[@kbone8137]

@@iuvalclejan Agreed, and since you brought up "the same nonsense over and over", I'll assume it's a Ben Bot, hehe. 😁

[@iuvalclejan]

@@kbone8137 No, I doubt Ben would spend any energy on youtube bots. Or are you jokingly saying HE'S a bot?

[@eleanormasotti4371]

Ben Shapiro is a problem.

[@stephenholmgren405]

The atheist is making sense again, what a surprise.

[@vykintasmorkvenas6839]

Poor Americans. I can't imagine the feeling of living in a country the half of which is so desperate in their delusion to be ready to vote for someone as hopeless as Trump.

[@xczechr]

A third of the electorate, no more. Another third votes for not-Trump, and the final third doesn't vote.

[@damienolympia3702]

Half of them were ready to vote for an obviously demented man. Only when it became impossible to stop lying about it did they install Harris.

[@vykintasmorkvenas6839]

@xczechr still, it's one third too much 😁

[@damienolympia3702]

@@vykintasmorkvenas6839 Half were ready to vote for Biden until the lies about his health became too incredulous even for diehards.

[@vykintasmorkvenas6839]

@@damienolympia3702 so pity that in a country of 350 million people you had only two old farts for candidates into presidency. Now you also have a half-baked lady but it seems old farts are more in demand.

[@mrtambourineman6107]

Ben is really reaching here. That is sooooooo telling of what is going on here.

[@abcdefzhij]

So what is going on? What's your conclusion?

[@mrtambourineman6107]

@abcdefzhij Ben knows he's wrong here, but is scared to lose his Trump audience. All the right-wing grifters do it, they are as bloody bad as the MSM they all (rightly so) criticise

[@fgm1696]

Sam makes tons of sense.

[@CP-nl2zb]

Sam is a World Champion Pseudo intellectual. Sammy The Pseudo Harris.

[@kcolg321]

@@CP-nl2zb Good one

[@atom-9th]

hes far beyond, ben's intellectual prowess

[@kbone8137]

@@CP-nl2zb Your repetition is telling, Ben.

[@durden91tyler]

@@CP-nl2zb keep exposing yourselves.

[@glenrotchin5523]

BS what aboutism from Shapiro.

[@jpa_fasty3997]

He's dead right though. You had every major institution in the country claiming that Russia colluded with Trump to win the election, and this wasn't a threat to democracy. But when Trump denies the election results, that is a threat to democracy. Sometimes whataboutism is valid. Here is one of those times.

[@o0usf0o]

Exactly

[@101Osprey101]

Trying to disconnect Jan. 6th from the transfer of power is incredibly disingenuous of Ben.

[@darkwoodmanor1873]

I love watching little Ben performing illogical gymnastics in his attempt to defend his support for Trump. Him saying that the democrats suggesting that there was foreign election interference in 2016 is equal to or greater than Trump actively trying to over turn a fair election in 2020 is ludicrous.

[@komlat253]

Yea like they are at all equal but nevertheless we literally do have the evidence of it and the government has already acknowledged Russian interference so whatever but yean not even the same level

[@Tavat]

Sam, I’m so so glad you are on the right side on Trump. Even though I disagree with your takes on some other issues, I have no doubt that you are honest in your interpretation and good-faith in your analysis. Ben Shapiro is the exact opposite. It’s shameful.

[@user-pe3fk1fb1o]

It really is. Ben, in my opinion, has always been a political hack though, and this debate here makes it as clear as day to anyone watching.

[@jamiejp4007]

Election denialism is not the same as questioning foreign interference Ben.

[@dennishopper1410]

Ben is deeply, profoundly unimpressive. How he's established such a foothold in public discourse I will never know.

[@MrMondayy]

Because he breaks down a lot of the world’s events very nicely. You must just be judging him based on a small handful of his takes. He’s strives to be logical, but is wrong sometimes, as is Sam.

[@acraze2287]

because he sounds smart to not smart people

[@dinaf1409]

Ignorant love him. It's a cult.

[@ladistar]

@@acraze2287 Clown. Ben is probably the greatest conservative intellectual of the last 20 years.

[@stuff3219]

Whackjobs are easily impressed.

[@jaarneal]

I actually agree with Shapiro that Trump doesn't know his own policy with respect to Russia. But this supports the opposite end of the argument: This is *why* Putin likes the idea of a Trump presidency! Putin knows that Trump is a blank slate that is susceptible to whatever Putin wants to say about the conflict, because Trump admires him. This is in plain sight, now.

[@Dr_JSH]

Not being faithful to policy is also a trait of fascism.

[@chrisburke4039]

Trump doesn't admire Putin. He's afraid of him. There is a huge difference there. Remember Helsinki? Trump looked like a whipped dog sitting next to Putin.

[@dinaf1409]

Putin will eat Trumputin as a sandwitch.

[@HannahAdelstein-bf5tw]

Putin endorsed Biden and Harris. Look it up.

[@diannasgardenmenagerie967]

The issue is Christian nationalism!! The issue is religion in government!!!

[@Tavat]

It’s crazy how right you are and how obvious it is to those of us who are paying attention. And yet the Trump Show is always front and center. Project 2025/Agenda47 is THE existential threat to our secular democracy here.

[@mattclayer6541]

Why not call it theocratic fascism?

[@LordBallSac]

Minority relgions in the overwhelming face of Muslims perhaps ? Ai is probaly next on the persecution hitlist 😂

[@Kolobochok95]

This.

[@tartantulakid666]

You criticise christianity but not the religion that poisons your mind in mainstream media, academia, movies/tv series, food and medicine? It's a little odd that there is one religious group that is demonstrably worse for your sanity and physical health but the Christian is the boogie man.

[@JamesSmith-sw3nk]

Trump isn't Hitler. Trump is much closer to Mussolini.

[@TheHighlanderprime]

Different caliber fascists. Trump shares both Hitler and Mussolini’s sociopathic personality disorders.

[@usr123yt]

What a nonsensical thing to say.

[@JamesSmith-sw3nk]

@@usr123yt Only if you have no idea about history.

[@usr123yt]

@@JamesSmith-sw3nk There's no case. Trump hasn't tried to act like a dictator. The Jan 6th was the peak of anything. Trying to uncover election flaws by suing in courts? Asking people to search for more uncounted votes? Telling a group of upset and ultimately violent citizens to protest peacefully? The first thing dictators do in power is trying to weaken and cheange laws to strengthen power. Trump hasn't even tried. The Democrats on the other hand...

[@dinaf1409]

EXACTLY!

[@marcelocojr]

Can someone help me understand how anyone who thought what Trump instigated (and failed to take any action to help stop the violence taking place at the capital while his own vice president’s life was at risk) on Jan 6 was “despicable” and “unpatriotic” can justify supporting Trump for President again?

[@muskegobrown]

I try REALLY hard to like Ben. But then I watch him become completely disingenuous. Way too often. He's just too ideological to see facts when they're working against his ideologies.

[@philohlemutz6496]

He can’t afford to lose his fan base.. pathetic. Too far beyond to change course.

[@Hektop1]

@@philohlemutz6496yap, audience capture is very real

[@shannonroberts5080]

Ideological? He's just full of shit.

[@Sergio-yj6pc]

He dismantled Sam's fear mongering bullshit.

[@stevej.7926]

@@Sergio-yj6pcdid he?

[@FullFathomV]

Scholars and historians, like Anne Applebaum, make a distinction between modern autocrats and early 20th century fascists, which Sam hasn't keyed into yet, apparently. Modern autocrats don't need to wield brute force power in the same way. Instead, they use traditional democratic levers to systematically erode those norms and consolidate power among a select oligarchy (Musk, Thiel, et al). In this way modern autocracy is a form of kleptocracy. In order to erode those norms, the autocrat first has to cleave off a loyal portion of the electorate to gain support. They do this by lying. And they get others to lie for them (Republican Party loyalists). That's what the 'Big Lie' (that the 2020 election was stolen) and all his other crazy lies are about. The primary goal isn't to get people to believe him. The primary goal is to identify who's with him and who's against him. If you believe the lie, you’re with me. If you don’t, you’re my enemy. That's what modern fascists do. They pit citizens against each other in order to seize control. Hence language like "the enemy within" and "vermin". They then purge key positions within the government (i.e., DOJ and DOD) and party apparatus and insert their loyalists, particularly family members (e.g., Lara Trump at the RNC). This isn't done in secret. It's all done out in the open. You just have to pay attention. The problem with being that bold is it makes it politically difficult for the opposition as well as gives it an air of legitimacy. But January 6th was not, nor will it ever be, legitimate. It was criminal. Always remember, Jack Smith has about 80 witnesses. Not one is a Democrat. Not one.

[@wasdwasdedsf]

uhm.... nobody takes her seriously...

[@amadarobinson9917]

@FullFathomV perfectly stated…so many in our country are completely ignorant to this, or willfully ignorant, in most cases.

[@billaydam9618]

Fullfathom well said. One minor disagreement: I think Sam does understand however here he is having to talk down at Shapiro’s 8th grade level.

[@grenin1010]

Ben Shapiro saying "voting isn't enough," Is the straw that broke the camels back. I'm done with the republican party.

[@eja9539]

A lot of trump supports and Ben Shapiro acknowledged the following things about Trump: 1. They don’t think Trump is intelligent enough to understand complex situations 2. He doesn’t have the temperament to listen to people who are more intelligent than him 3. He values loyalty over logic 4. He has severe flaws in his character such as lying, cheating and hubris 5. He says “silly” and “nonsensical” things often as if words don’t matter. 6. He has several people who have worked closely with him including his VP, Chief of staff etc that have disparaged his leadership skills 7. He is unpredictable to the point that you cannot be sure what words, actions or policies he’ll actually push for in the end. And yet he is still the person they carry water for. Make it make sense.

[@sandib7185]

Take a breath, and stop bloviating yourself Ben. Your constant crapping on, in a self righteous tone is exhausting. Take a note of Sam’s considered replies.

[@ultimatist]

Ben is too smart to be saying dumb shit, like "Trump left peacefully". That said, Sam should accede the solid point that the Democrats play the same type of sinister game, with more subtlety. We need more parties, more options, in the USA.

[@stellehonig1541]

Before the past few months, I disagreed with Ben on a lot, but had great respect for him. I have lost every single ounce of that respect as I watch him flounder to defend the antithesis of this country's values. What a grifting asshole. Thanks for this conversation to seal the deal.

[@ricardocima]

Exactly

[@alexmacdonald9182]

you should listen to "the majority report," they break down ben's stupid, bad arguments all the time

[@stellehonig1541]

@@alexmacdonald9182 Don't get me wrong, I know he has a lot of stupid bad arguments. But he's not an idiot and is able to substantiate his positions in much clearer terms than the people he associates with which is where my respect originally came from. His conversation with Alex O'Connor is a great example.

[@jshyoungblood]

He's always been a fake intellectual. Nothing new no deep thought on anything, just good at appearing like he is winning an argument. Ben's problem is that he isn't honest/has an agenda.

[@ladistar]

@@alexmacdonald9182 Ben is probably the greatest conservative intellectual of the last 20 years.

[@JeoJetsonmusic]

There absolutely was Russian interference in the 2016 election. That’s not interesting or surprising that a country would try to impact the politics of another country towards their best interests. The question is how successful and impactful was their interference.

[@dinaf1409]

Every little drop matters.

[@MrWackozacko]

There is American election interference in the current election by google and cia/fbi/doj etc

[@pop-4567]

TDS combined with a devious conniving Mind will show symptoms such as Paranoia, Fantasising, Megalomania, Belligerents, Russia phobia and Chronic Bed Wetting. Flogging a dead horse year in year out. Seek Professional Help.

[@thisisobviouslynotmyrealname]

really? show me a specific incident that exemplifies that interference

[@MrWackozacko]

There is media interference in this years election, plain as day...

[@natbarmore]

15:26 that’s not how facts work, Ben. Russia first made inroads into Ukraine in 2014. The first shots fired-and they were by Russia-were in 2018. What happened in 2022 was an escalation of an existing conflict. So saying that Putin would never invade Ukraine while Trump is in office is a lie. Putin _did_ invade Ukraine while Trump was in office. Depending whether you require military violence for it to qualify, either the invasion started while Trump was POTUS and Trump did nothing, or it started before Trump was POTUS and was going on the entire time Trump was in office and he did nothing. I don’t know why you’re bothering to lie about this. Why not use a hypothetical that matches reality? You could say something like “if Trump had been still in office, Putin would’ve kept to a low-scale covert invasion, and we could’ve continued to ignore it.” Or “if Putin had escalated to an open invasion while Trump was in office, Trump wouldn’t have done anything to support Ukraine, and the war would’ve quickly ended with a Russian victory.”

[@mrblackbird1254]

Thanks for doing this conversation, Sam. I was undecided going into this week and was looking for a civil debate like this.

[@FelizTheLifeguardMinion3]

@@mrblackbird1254 how are you undecided 🤷 orange turd vs KAMALA HARRIS… easy decision…

[@lakingpaul]

I'm glad to hear this was helpful for you, but it does feel a little wild that someone could be undecided when the options are so far apart from one another.

[@mrblackbird1254]

@@lakingpaul I’m not voting for either. I was either going to vote for Trump or not vote for president before watching this.

[@FelizTheLifeguardMinion3]

@ I suppose that’s a ok way to go. I just think trump is so appalling that I’ll do whatever to stop him. He’s a threat to our way of living. Disgusting human being…

[@dinaf1409]

He really said nothing new for those who paid attention to the last 9 year madness. Good for you!

[@frankwebster9110]

Ben paints himself into a corner and tries to distract his way out of answering honestly

[@Liseschiffer]

Ben Shapiro's arguments are specious. Sam Harris is SO much smarter and manages to keep his cool while listenting to Shapiro's blather.

[@gking407]

Make sure you listen closely to Ben’s deflections and false comparisons, this is how we sleepwalk into fascism.

[@asandiegoguy]

So nice to see Sam so clear eyed speaking sense. I don’t know a lot about Ben Shapiro, but it’s clear from watching this that he has definitely drunk the Trump Kool-Aid at least half a glass of it. Fortunately, Sam has common sense and facts on his side

[@Tavat]

He knows Trump is terrible in every way. It’s just money and audience capture.

[@uhohDavinci]

Don't be mistaken. Ben Shaprio absolutely HATES Donald Trump.. His problem is his ideology trumps "Trump", the only thing he hates more than Donald Trump, is the idea of democrats in power. So he's willing to open the congnitive dissonance box(intentionally), and defend Trumps actions as if they were normal.

[@MrAjfish]

I think Shapiro is a perfect example of audience capture.

[@redefiningmyself8598]

Ben is a MAGA carpetbagger

[@NotBatman101]

I think it’s worse. I don’t think Ben Shapiro likes Trump, he just likes money. He will lie in order to further his far right agenda

[@SpaceBoomerBill]

What’s the point of talking with Shapiro if he is going to just pretend to play dumb the whole time? It’s a disingenuous conversation.

[@J.R.Y.]

"Voting against him is the right remedy for that." YES!

[@mandraqe]

Speaking of deeply unserious people who portray themselves as serious when not word-salading: Ben Shapiro, everyone!!

[@dinaf1409]

Did you even wath the video or just a cult member?

[@Drelam]

Ben Shapiro knows that there is no excuse for following Trump, but literally his whole business and identity is wrapped up in pleasing Republicans.

[@noutarnoldi4540]

Sam is totally right in his analyses. Ben Shapiro is a hollow talking head.

[@FiveFigsDigital]

Who stole Ben Shapiro's lunch money every day in grammar school?

[@plusev7257]

"Ben youre missing the relevant details here" 🤣

[@carlosurrutia477]

Sam Harris (W) - Shapiro (L)

[@TheOldHippiebilly]

You nailed it, Sam.

[@Jorge-rw6nz]

Someone give Ben Shapiro the most prestigious award in dodging and deflecting

[@diannasgardenmenagerie967]

Sam!!!!! Thank you!!!!

[@CP-nl2zb]

Sam is a World Champion Pseudo intellectual. Sammy The Pseudo Harris.

[@lauretteg7071]

Sam is so obviously right, it’s ridiculous that Ben defends trump

[@leperpens]

Trump's greatest gift to politics: now we don't have to put up with Republicans when they say they're outraged about decorum or decency.

[@Graymeechtrius]

I really don’t understand how anyone who consider themselves a conservative can support Donald Trump in good faith.

[@user-sw8py5ep6g]

Thanks again my Mentor. We need more of Sam in the political space to dilute the toxic spread of Trumpism to replace the normal political discourse.

[@cherylhughes2988]

When it comes to critical thinking, Ben Shapiro is not even in the same galaxy as Sam Harris.

[@playcloudpluspc]

The problem is the people around Trump do have a detailed plan and a coherent ideology even if Trump doesn't. Trump is easily manipulated.

[@mistercrispy]

BINGO He's a tool for the Theocrats & Heritage Foundation at tHis point. Vance will 25th amendment him asap and everytHing will get privatized. Schools will be fucked. People have no idea How fucked these people are. They'll tank the economy and tell us its fine wHile stealing our food and water.

[@Desi365]

Quite ironic to hear that after 4 years of Biden. Plus it's largely wrong.

[@josephclark5414]

Unlike Harris whose “values haven’t changed!”

[@rockrecordreport7136]

And now that their (P 2025) plans have been unveiled it's even more frightening. They found the perfect puppet with 33% sure fire R voters. And if they lose this election, they lose that 33%, the lose the old dying evangelicals, the MAGA cult followers as well. They might never get a chance to try this again in the US. The Supreme Court will get some additional liberals on board in the coming years. Time is running out for Theil, Heritage, Musk, Bannon especially, and many others. This is their race against time in a most desperate way. And they are going to lose today. Which means we all need to be careful and stay safe. and dodge violence in the coming days. Bannon btw has been rather restrained since being sprung from the clink. Stone has been laying low as well. Only Johnson has been sticking his neck out on the chopping block for DJT surprisingly. I think they know Trump's chances have been going south the last three weeks or more. The jog is up. Thank god we all know about it. "Can you believe they put this in writing" Harris said.

[@bsting601]

I cant believe people keep making excuses for Trump .

[@samuelstephens6904]

I can. It’s very easy once you take it for granted that Trump is the greatest person ever. His supporters have become so bought into his brand and his cult. I frequently see people wearing MAGA hats and other Trump paraphernalia. It shows that Trump is a part of their self-identity now. Any criticism of him is a criticism of them.

[@solivagant1170]

@@samuelstephens6904Social media echo chambers and algorithms are making it so much worse too. It’s how my mom got caught up in all types of crazy conspiracy theories…

[@HannahAdelstein-bf5tw]

It absolutely disgusts me the level of hate some people give Ben just for disagreeing. Please be nice as Sam is. They are friends

[@Pat315]

They hate him because he's fake unlike Sam.

[@ProvocativePixels]

So he trusts the intelligence community about Kamala, but not about Trump...what an honest guy that Shapiro is...

[@jenniek8391]

he's a spineless grifter who spreads hateful rhetoric. There's nothing good about him.

[@davisjones5489]

"Foreign policy is not all that complex and not all that nuanced" -Ben Shapiro

[@jenniek8391]

Shapiro has a knack for oversimplifying complicated issues.

[@CarlFredrik-uo1cu]

"We just nominated the stupidest, most unstable man in America for president of the United States. WHAT THE HELL DID YOU PEOPLE DO" - Ben Shapior's Twitter july 22nd 2016

[@danielpoirier6333]

I appreciate the fact that they let each other speak and unpack their ideas with minimal interruption. I wish more debates were this respectful.

[@leehamilton4459]

Seriously? Ben is like a hyper puppy, wriggling and panting, talking too fast. This was like watching a debate between a college professor and a kindergartner.

[@butregenyo_yavrusu]

Kinda painful to watch Shapiro slither and twist to defend Trump

[@coffeebot7016]

Sam Harris fan but i think Ben exposed some of Sam's hypocrisy and double standards here

[@michaeljiggs2053]

Ben...it wasn't peaceful. What is wrong with you?

[@marsolinantonio8966]

So painful in my ears to listen to Sam Harris discuss lies about Trump.

[@zgjfinance2796]

How do people like Ben sleep at night..?

[@JJTMStudio]

Counting Dollahs n' Sheep

[@zgjfinance2796]

@ touché

[@brettwill92]

Ben Shapiro isn't even in the same intellectual universe as Sam Harris.

[@Tt-nt1iu]

I listened to all of this. It largely didn’t go well for Ben.

[@hermitonthelake]

"Iran is helping Kamala Harris" is the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

[@adequatequality]

The pivot from being untrusting of Donald Trump to being a supporter is quite astonishing to see from Ben Shapiro considering there isn't an ounce of improvement

[@ninjafruitchilled]

It's the same as almost all Republicans, they are just compete cowards with no moral backbone who can't even stand by their own past statements. Cowards to the core.

[@kadourimdou43]

I love the utter inconsistency, mental gymnastics and double standards of Trump supporters. They accuse KH or JB of things, that Trump has done far worse, or something totally different but very seriously wrong. Then come up with a lame excuse or denial. Looking across the pond for a KH win.

[@mkweae44]

Ben Shapiro, please be honest. Oh, you can't. You are incapable of telling the truth!

[@kidcaprice6510]

Oho, hats off to Shapiro for debating Harris but he is a fish on the dry… facts are not on his side and unlike 90 % of his other debates he cannot simply corner his opponent with talking points and farfetched BS

[@atticusfarticus5075]

Nov 7th. Where are the liberal election deniers, Ben?

[@SkyGlitchGalaxy]

It wasn't close.

[@MissJen-78]

Mr. Hitchens, we’ve never needed you more than now. Sam thanks for being here for us.❤😢

[@QT-173]

Does anyone give Ukraine , Russia , Israel and Hamas resp for their wars? You think they waiting for Trump to be gone because they were afraid of him? There was COVID and countries were broke .

[@BiffTannenBTTF]

Sam is 10 billion times smarter than Shapiro on his best day.

[@kenspear4297]

Lmao

[@olaf3140]

Good lord... The effort with which Ben tries to defend Trump makes me so uncomfortable. As someone said with regard to another video, he's twisting himself into a pretzel to justify his support for what he knows to be an absolute buffoon with zero moral integrity. I can't actually tell whether he believes in the shit he's saying or if he's just towing the party line, but I also don't know which is more unsettling. As someone who's allegedly about facts and logic and ostensibly has strong moral convictions... How the heck does he live with himself.

[@KenSung-bk8xc]

Shapiro is all about the Benjamins.

[@misslucyfurr13]

"Donald trump doesn't know his own policy" -Ben

[@patrickbergeron332]

I love this guy. Sam Harris is logical and pragmatic not driven by emotions ....Ben Shapiro is moving on his char like a 5 year old kid who won't get ice cream.