Hasan Piker Debates Michael Knowles for the First Time on "The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson"

They're almost the exact same age, both are web savvy, both live near each other physically, but live on different planets ideologically.

On the left, Hasan Piker, a progressive, formerly ofThe Young Turks, who now broadcasts via Twitch.

On the right, Michael Knowles, the conservative who hosts The Michael Knowles Show on The Daily Wire and who co-hosts The Verdict podcast with Senator Ted Cruz.

This is the first time they've ever debated each other. Here's the unedited feed from "The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson"

We begin by talking about the role of government itself in response to the coronavirus.

“I think that the government has fallen short in nearly every capacity, of course we need to be doing more, I don’t even understand what we could potentially do less than what we’ve done thus far,” Piker said, stressing the need for a moratorium on rents and mortgages, as well the beefing up of unemployment benefits.

Knowles agreed that the government had responded abysmally, but for a different reason.

“It’s true, people can’t pay their rent, they can’t pay their rent because they’ve been mandated not to go into work,” Knowles said. “The only way we can possibly get out of this, is to reopen the country, but unfortunately it has become a political issue, frankly I think it’s been a political issue since the beginning.”

Piker responded that he agrees the country should be reopened, but that there are a lot of issues making that increasingly unsafe, namely people who won’t wear masks or social distance, instead, turning those recommendations into the rallying cry of a social war.

On that point, Michaelson pressed Knowles, who has called wearing masks a political issue.

Michaelson, pointing to a May 2020 analysis from the CDC, said masks do not have a significant impact on transmission, and that the science does not support the current political argument being made in their favor.

“What I’m failing to recognized here, is that Anthony Fauci has corrected himself and said that the reason why he had originally said that masks are a social placebo for the most part is because they were worried about the lack of PPE in this country,” Piker responded, citing the fragile supply of US protective equipment and an over-reliance on Chinese manufacturing.

“You make a very apt point here… you’re saying the reason that Fauci and other people said what they said about the masks was basically they were lying to preserve the masks for the health care workers,” Knowles shot back. “The issue is the credibility, if he lied to us then, how can we possibly trust him now?”

From the role of government in regards to the coronavirus, the conversation then shifted to the role of the government in dealing with the ongoing protests.

This, as President Trump has sent federal agents into Portland, which has experienced nearly two full months of nightly protests and rioting. As crime rates rise in other major cities across the US, the President has indicated he may consider sending more law enforcement into Chicago, Detroit, and Oakland, among others.

“To put down an insurrection, absolutely, we do need to get federal officials here,” Knowles said.

“I think this is horrific,” Piker responded. “The idea that we have unmarked paramilitary troops at the federal level, violating the Constitution, and also violating our rule of law that is supposed to protect citizens, especially in a circumstance where they are exercising their First Amendment rights, is disgusting, but also expected from the Trump Administration.”


The conversation wrapped up with some speculation, specifically regarding who Joe Biden will pick in the coming weeks to serve as his running mate.

“I don’t care… it really doesn’t matter” Piker said. “Most of these officials are going to do exactly what is best for whichever industry is backing them.”

Knowles had another suggestion for Biden: Hasan Piker.

“Age requirements not withstanding, Hasan would be a great pick,” Knowles responded. “You, Hasan, are speaking much more to young, left-wing voters than the Democratic party is, I think it would be much more honest than the Democrats who are trying to hide what they believe.”

The Issue Is: with Elex Michaelson is California's only statewide political show. For showtimes and more information, go to TheIssueIsShow.com.