Scott Galloway · 50:25
We purposely have a difficult time believing that we're ever gonna die. We know it, but we don't believe it. And that is we think, oh, I'll figure it out, and I'm still adding value. And, also, to be blunt, for a lot of these people who have devoted their lives to work, them leaving is them acknowledging they're about to die. And so they don't wanna leave, and they keep coming up with reasons why they should stay. The political system rewards incumbency.
Kara Swisher · 50:49
I I know.
Scott Galloway · 50:51
And so we need mandatory retirement ages and term limits.
Kara Swisher · 50:56
Well, can I? One of the things that's been interesting about... Besides the social media stuff, which some of it is very funny, some of the fake things, it's it's been a very it's been a very amusing people doing things around McConnell. And, actually, I was at Joanna Coles and Ben Sherwood last night at dinner, and they were saying the McConnell stuff really is popular. Like, I was surprised. I thought it would be all Trump or whatever, but McConnell stuff is really popular on this... On the Daily Beast. But what's interesting is some things that I think are more serious where people are going, okay. I had a cesarean, and I had to get back to work in five seconds. Like, you know, I had... I was out for a medical thing, and my work didn't let me. And I think even if it's, like, kind of... Like, that to me is actually very resonant. It's like, he gets to be quiet. He has one of the most important jobs in the country, and he gets as much time off as he wants, and he doesn't have to explain himself. I have, like, a minor... A thing that requires a lot of medical attention, and I've gotta get back to work. There is something brewing. It's like the data centers. I feel like there's sort of this anger. Like, why does this guy get to be... Have privacy when I have to get back to work immediately? I've seen a ton of that lately, and I I think it's people. It's a very good
Scott Galloway · 52:11
It's another vessel. Mitch McConnell is is another empty vessel for for rage. And it's... People look... I think the most accretive thing in the world right now would be if if all of a sudden, everyone over the age of 70 had had to announce their retirement, would the world be a better place? Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump are too old to be serving. They're too old. And, yeah, you you you need wisdom, but more than that, you need rigorous critical thinking and energy, and also you need a fresh creative dynamism. The best thing in my opinion that this... The far left that we talk a lot about, they are bringing the creativity and the dynamism. You need that. You need turnover. And it's the same... This is is why I think we're gonna win the seat in Maine. Oh, when I say we Democrats, I think people see... Are gonna see... At some point, Susan Mac... Susan MacConnell seems to be, like, hiding in Mitch McConnell's hospital bathroom.
Kara Swisher · 53:14
It's not Susan MacConnell.
Scott Galloway · 53:16
I'm sorry. Susan Collins.
Kara Swisher · 53:17
You can call
Scott Galloway · 53:18
Susan Might as well be Susan MacConnell. I get the sense she's in the room next door. I mean, she's not... She's an old lady, and she presents as even older.
Kara Swisher · 53:27
Yeah.
Scott Galloway · 53:28
And aging comes for all of us. It comes for all of us. That's not... It's not an indictment. It's a reality. And I think that's why we're gonna win the seat. We found a guy with chest hair who doesn't appear to be a rapist, and he's not a 105. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. But
Kara Swisher · 53:46
it is a proxy. It is a proxy of, like, why don't we know about the president's health? All of them. Like, why don't we get... Why do they get off? Why why do they get to build data centers, and we have to put up with it? Why do we have... Why do they get all the money? Why do they get all the deals? There is a... It's part of the same, like, you're getting... These people are fucking you. And I I I do think it's I think it could take very ugly turns as as it... I agree. Mamdani should not have done that. It takes ugly turns instead of, yeah. Why not? Why can't we get our fair share? And I think it's a very good I think it's a very good... Fair share is a very good way to talk about it. And why does Mitch McConnell get to be quiet? Why does he precisely? I don't care about his privacy. He he shouldn't have been the majority leader or whatever.
Scott Galloway · 54:34
Yeah. That's like saying a 65 year old pilot. Yeah. Can't have... Can't be tested for cognitive ability or reflexes because of his privacy.
Kara Swisher · 54:42
Yeah. Exactly. Same thing. Like, I feel like... I said this to a public official. They were giving me our time. I go, you know what? You work for me. Like, sorry. Like, I I know you've forgotten that, but the fact of the matter is you work for the public, and you don't get to... You don't get... Like, we don't have to be nice about it. I just... I... There's just a brewing thing, and it could go in a really ugly direction. I wish it wouldn't if these people would just. He should resign. He's clearly not able to do his job. He should resign. That's
Scott Galloway · 55:09
Well, this is all... Isn't this like they're trying to hold out such that such that the governor doesn't get to appoint it? It's the Republican
Kara Swisher · 55:17
I don't think there's... I don't... I think he's not there, so he doesn't vote. So great. Let him sit there, like... And stew. He doesn't get to vote. He doesn't... It... There's... The vote is gone in the senate right now is what it is. The vote is gone. If he tries to vote, that's... He better walk in. That's all, you know, if he tries to vote or anything.
Scott Galloway · 55:36
No. I meant in terms of who's his replacement. Who gets decided when he dies?
Kara Swisher · 55:40
Doesn't matter at this point. Doesn't it? Doesn't. No. I think it's just a it's just a point that... And I think Bashir's presidential election is gonna hinge a little bit on this. I'm sure he doesn't love it. But if I if I were him, I'd show up at the hospital. I would. For the people of of of the state, I'm here as for the... Representing as the governor of the state. I wanna see how you are and assess your ability to do your job for the people of the state. That's what I would do. He he won't do it, but that's what I would do. And then just get turned away and get turned away even if he did it. I think it's a pretty good stunt. Anyway, one more quick break. We'll be back for predictions.
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Kara Swisher · 57:32
no
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— Predictions segment begins —
Kara Swisher · 58:36
Okay, Scott. Let's hear a prediction and try not to take an insult to Mark Zuckerberg if you can.
Scott Galloway · 58:42
It's really... Yeah. No. This... It's totally inappropriate, what I've been saying. My prediction is that this ridiculous notion that one of the most corrupt organizations is gonna get financing from a crime family, the Trump family, to take FIFA private and or turn it into a public company. This won't happen, or it's gonna get watered down beyond recognition, and here's why.
Kara Swisher · 59:06
It's a $20,000,000,000. It's a it's a $20,000,000,000 company.
Scott Galloway · 59:10
UEFA's already fired an opening shot, and they have... And they effectively have veto power. I'm not I'm not just saying this because of what I wanna see happening. I think just if you look at the industrial logic here or the mechanics, this isn't gonna happen. The bottom line is the World Cup is not FIFA's to sell. And and UEFA, the governing body, has already said none of us are are the owners of football. That's not a press release. That's the body that controls the Champions League, FIFA's most credible commercial threat declaring war on day one. And there's also a president in 2018. Infantino tried the exact move with SoftBank Saudi money at 25,000,000,000, and UEFA killed it because they saw it as a threat to their own prize assets. So this is the same playbook, same opponent, and same likely outcome. He's already tried this, and he's zero for one in the exact same context. And two eleven members have to say yes, and FIFA is already trying to buy their votes with cash, not consensus. You know? The the... And also the Kushner connection makes this whole thing radioactive, just not, you know, not just controversial. Kushner is even less popular. Have you seen what's happened at this Albanian island that Ivanka decided, which is magical?
Kara Swisher · 1:00:19
Yep. Yeah. The Albanians are not having it.
Scott Galloway · 1:00:22
Trump's son-in-law running the money side of the World Cup right after Trump and Infantino stood together at the final, after Infantino gave him a peace prize, it's a conflict of interest story that writes itself for every journalist and every rival federation looking for a reason to vote no. Anyways, this isn't... FIFA doesn't need the money.
Kara Swisher · 1:00:44
By the way, it's Josh Kushner's investment vehicle.
Scott Galloway · 1:00:47
Right. It's someone who's gonna finance it. Look. Yeah. They're trying to monetize what is this global asset of goodwill They
Kara Swisher · 1:00:52
are separate, just so you're aware. They're separate. But go
Scott Galloway · 1:00:54
ahead. So anyways, my prediction, this thing gets rebranded or negotiated or shrunk to a much smaller Kushner Optics scrub version before September 19 because Infantino keeps proposing commercialization deals that die the moment a rival confederation smells a threat to its own assets. There are competing assets here. So he'll probably get some increased member payouts, but he won't get FIFA. He won't get kind of a privatized World Cup. The soccer... You wanna talk about an asset that the world believes they have a vested ownership in?
Kara Swisher · 1:01:29
Everybody does. Yeah.
Scott Galloway · 1:01:30
So I just It's
Kara Swisher · 1:01:31
the same themes we've been talking about.
Scott Galloway · 1:01:33
This is gonna be more... You want you want us to see the emotion of data centers times eight. By the way, speaking of which, I'm going on Bill Maher today or whenever this thing's released. Yeah. And you know who the upfront interview is?
Kara Swisher · 1:01:47
Who?
Scott Galloway · 1:01:48
Erin Brockovich.
Kara Swisher · 1:01:49
Oh, yes. She'll... She's coming on my podcast in a couple... In two weeks. Yeah. Yeah. She's doing the data center stuff.
Scott Galloway · 1:01:55
So that'll be... Make for an interesting that'll make for an interesting conversation.
Kara Swisher · 1:01:59
She's actually galvanized a lot of people, which is interesting. Let me just read something from Australian Politico that that Infantino's political future may be on The US midterm ballot. There's a lot of Democrats waiting to pounce here because it's such a popular thing. He's... Of course, this says, if control of Congress flips in the fall, those same ties could become a political liability for Infantino as he seeks reelection atop the Swiss based nonprofit he has led for a decade. Listen to this quote. The perfect storm scenario in the FIFA world said one person involved in the highest levels of global soccer granted anonymity to discuss sensitive internal politics. I think they will find a candidate to run against him, especially if midterms slip control and if things were to start pouring out. But a lot needs to happen in the next three or four months. I think he's reached too far in fifteen.
Scott Galloway · 1:02:46
Actually, you know what? That would have been a better prediction because his rival competing for the top spot will just attach him to Trump who's even less popular overseas than he is domestically. Yeah. That Yeah. Would have been a better prediction. That would have been more elegant.
— Predictions segment ends —
Kara Swisher · 1:02:58
Anyway, I... I'm excited to listen to you on Bill Maher, by the way.
Scott Galloway · 1:03:01
Oh, thanks.
Kara Swisher · 1:03:02
Anyway, we wanna hear from you. Send us your questions about business tech or whatever's on your mind. Go to nymag.com/pivot to submit a question for the show, or call 85551 Okay. That's the show. Thanks for listening to pivot, and make sure to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel. We'll be back next week.
Scott Galloway · 1:03:19
Today's show was produced by Lara Nayman, Zoe Marcus, Taylor Griffin, and Todd Wiseman. Ernie and her engineered this episode. Thanks also to Drew Burrows, Mia Severio, and Dan Chelan. Dushak Kurwa is Fox Media's executive producer podcast. Make sure to follow Pivot on your favorite podcast platform. Thanks for listening to Pivot from Fox Media. We'll be back next week for another breakdown of all things tech and business care. Have a great weekend.
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