Yeah.

Many, many years ago, when Rick Perry was running for president and he was under indictment, I asked someone, who should I talk to in Texas about what's happening? This is how we met.

This is how we met.

This is

ago.

More than a decade ago.

But I am so grateful.

Not only did I meet Scott Braddock, but I then started covering Texas every single week from that moment on, Scott.

And then we'll continue after that.

I'm going to start with an opening, but the opening is actually written by my first guest.

And I read it and I thought, you know what? I'm going to both honor you, Egberto, and I'm also going to read what you wrote because I want everyone to hear every word.

Why Dolly Parton's relationship with Whitney Houston explains her love in Black America.

Dolly Parton's death at 80 closes an extraordinary American life, but the reaction to her passing reveals something more interesting than celebrity nostalgia.

Parton belonged culturally to people who did not necessarily listen to country music, live in Appalachia, or share the politics often associated with rural Tennessee.

black america's affection for her offers a powerful example the whitney houston story helps explain why parton wrote i will always love you in 1973 nearly two decades later houston recorded the song for the bodyguard her performance turned an already successful country composition into one of the defining popular recordings of the modern era Because Parton retained her songwriting rights, Houston's success produced millions in royalties for her.

And Dolly did.

Why are we doing this on a Sunday, Arnie?

So I was sitting in my car and I had NPR on and David Remnick does worker.

And while I had heard this candidate bits and pieces before, I never heard this long-form interview, and I was out of my mind.

I was like, the first person I had to call was you, Egberto.

I'm like, Egberto, Egberto, go listen to this.

So everyone, this is how I posted it on Facebook as well as on Blue Sky, okay? I wrote, I just listened to the Senate candidate in Michigan on NPR.

I urge you, I beg you to listen and share it.

Your thoughts.

Congressman, Chris Pappas, right?

Well, that's true on paper.

But sometimes, once again, once you start, you know, kowtowing to Donald Trump, you have to start asking, where's your spine? And let me just give you a little bit of background.

So he lost his race for the Senate in 2008, John Sununu.

So what has he been doing for the last approximately 20 years? When he left in 2008, his net worth was $685,000.

You know what his net worth is today? Over $32 million.

Now, how did he accrue that? Well, guess what? He lobbied for corporate America, and he served on corporate boards.

In other words, I started out by suggesting that the Democrats may not pick up that Senate seat, but the more I talk with you, the more it seems that you think that Pappas could win.