Dave Portnoy Interviews President Trump

It’s a wonderful Friday. Baseball is officially back today, the NBA exhibition season is up and running and Taylor Swift dropped a surprise new album. I haven’t clarified any to be bangers yet, but I am sure with time a few songs will eventually stand out.

For the first time in a long time, we can see a possible light at the end of the tunnel of what’s been a rough about five months.

The other story today however was the founder of Barstool, Dave Portnoy, a man known casually as ‘El Pres’ conducting an interview with the actual President of the United States, Donald Trump.

(PART 1) – I did not expect to interview @realDonaldTrump at the White House yesterday but here we are pic.twitter.com/ouWDXSS62u

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 24, 2020

(PART 2) – @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/O8G9JPwGR3

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 24, 2020

(PART 3) – @realDonaldTrump @WhiteHouse pic.twitter.com/Rx74t5OUyh

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) July 24, 2020

Now let me put this disclaimer out there before you keep reading expecting some hot juicy political take from me.

I don’t care about politics. I don’t know anything about politics. I do not care to learn anything about politics.

I care more about how Cam Newton and Bill Belichick will mesh together than what’s going on in DC.

I would be happy if this were my lone political blog on this site. In fact I just see this as sort of big news and a chance to get some clicks, and possibly you click on some of my other stuff, like what I write and choose to follow me, or Couch Guy or my podcast Verbally Committed.

Okay honesty hour over.

The Interview

If you can’t catch the vibe here, I am not going to break down President Trump’s answers or Portnoy’s questions. I’m not here to fight for one side or the other, I am just a casual, everyday Joe observer.

I thought Portnoy asked some good questions. He got to the point on some bigger issues like the protests and kneeling at sporting events. And for anyone really trying to break down Portnoy’s questions, what he asked, how he asked it, what he did or didn’t follow up on. Give the guy a break. He makes a living through a crude, frat house humor, media website and rates pizza. He’s not Anderson Cooper so take it easy.

On the other end, I know there are a lot of people who hate President Trump. But in my humble opinion, he came across somewhat likable in this interview. Do I want to be his friend because of this? Not really no. But he also did not come across as the egotistical, psychopath that sometimes he can be.

Why can’t he be like this all the time? Somewhat down to earth, willing to crack a smile, joke about his twitter account and how even he, has some tweets he wishes he could take back.

And some people maybe just exited my blog right there. And that’s fine but again I am here to remind you I don’t care about politics, it’s just my un-educated observation that President Trump, seemed like a normal person for those few minutes.

And I am sure that’s how he and his staff wanted it to come across. From what I understood, this interview was set up very quickly. The White House reached out to Barstool about doing an interview, and Barstool quickly decided to send Portnoy to do it. No time to really think over questions and rebuttal, or to practice said interview.

And in return, President Trump gets to act laid back, cool and like one of the bro’s for El Pres’ fans and the millions of ‘Stoolies’ out there hoping they can swing some young people into voting for him come November.

If you want to draw some party lines, and dissect what was asked, what was said, how it was said, then be my guest and write your own blog about it that I probably won’t read. You won’t find that here.

Reaction/Fall Out

.@KFCBarstool weighs in on Dave's Interview with The President pic.twitter.com/ihFCPYVAdn

— Barstool Radio (@BarstoolRadio) July 24, 2020

Obviously you’ll get some people who care about politics in an uproar one way or the other whenever you bring up the president. You also get the keyboard warriors who say “I enjoy you for entertainment, not politics, I’m done with your good/service” to which I always think, cool thanks, goodbye. Like if one thing like that can throw you into such a tizzy where you cut off something completely then either you have some anger issues you need to shore up, or you didn’t really care that deeply about said organization but you want to make it seem as though you were their biggest fan and they just messed up BIG TIME.

But this time it’s a little different. I find that usually with Barstool they are a tight knit group who all go along with Dave and with whatever shenanigans the company gets itself into, and they get into quite a few.

There are some prominent members of the company speaking about this. Now KFC is sort of staying neutral in that it’s whatever, if it’s what Dave and CEO Erika Nardini want to then fine go for it. And even though they don’t do politics at Barstool, when the White House itself calls you for an interview that changes the tone a bit.

But the biggest one today has been Big Cat.

.@BarstoolBigCat weighs in on Dave's sit down with President Trump pic.twitter.com/SBkCjOYDKh

— Barstool Radio (@BarstoolRadio) July 24, 2020

Anyone who follows along with Barstool even remotely, knows who Big Cat is. He might be the most influential person at the company. During this pandemic he has kept Barstool relevant with his NCAA Football 14 Dynasty coach, Gus Duggerton.

He has been an integral part of Barstool and has been a very key cog into launching the small newspaper into what it is today.

And I do feel bad for him, he is correct in that he is a huge part at Barstool, both now, and for the future. And that most people visit the website for entertainment; to smile and laugh. Not to be bludgeoned with politics. Especially in today’s day, where any statement you make seems to be spun as political.

This is like my third or fourth time saying it, I don’t care about politics, yet someone reading this I am sure will take this as a political statement. And that’s Big Cats point.

And for someone who is so influential at that company to not even get the chance to tell the boss, “hey I’m not sure that is a great idea” does hurt. It’s one thing to voice your opinion, but eventually get over ruled. That’s the corporate world, that’s life. But for people you respected to go behind your back because they know you’ll oppose them. I am sure that hurts.

Big Cat just wanted to be in the room where it happens.

Again, I will end this blog by repeating, I do not care about politics. None of this is a political statement at all. I care more about Whether or not Scott Frost will bring the Huskers back to national prominence than I do about left or right. So don’t tweet at me or anything about this, I won’t respond.

Connor Ryan (@connoryan68/@PodVerbalCommit)