CSPAN2 — Washington Journal Kirk Bado
20261012 225700 UTC
460 transcript segments
Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced)
Data courtesy of The GDELT Project (https://www.gdeltproject.org/), from the Internet Archive TV News Archive.
Machine transcription. Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a verbatim quotation record.

[00:00:00] >> WELL, I MAY YOU KNOW, THE COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT IS A FRIEND
[00:00:02] OF MINE, EL TIGRE, AND HE WAS A BIG SUPPORTER OF MINE. THAT'S
[00:00:06] WHY HE WON. I ENDORSED HIM AND HE WON. AND HE CAME FROM 10th
[00:00:09] PLACE. AND HE WON IN A LANDSLIDE. AND HE'S DOING A
[00:00:11] GREAT JOB. EL TIGRE, HE'S MY
[00:00:16] FRIEND.
[00:00:34] >> WATCH EVERY MOMENT OF THE MIDTERM ELECTION LIVE. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd, STARTING AT 4 P.M.
[00:00:38] EASTERN, WITH LIVE COVERAGE OF
[00:00:40] REAL TIME RESULTS AND POLITICAL
[00:00:47] ANALYSIS. CAMPAIGN 2026 ONLY ON C-SPAN. >> ON TUESDAY MORNING, THE NEW
[00:00:49] WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY, KATIE ZACHARIA, LEADS HER FIRST
[00:00:53] BRIEFING. A CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND ADVISER TO THE COMPANY THAT RUNS
[00:00:57] TRUTH SOCIAL, MISS ZACHARIA, JOINS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
[00:01:00] AT A TIME OF HIGH TENSION BETWEEN THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE
[00:01:04] MEDIA. WATCH THE BRIEFING LIVE AT 9:30 A.M. EASTERN ON C-SPAN.
[00:01:07] C-SPAN NOW OUR FREE MOBILE APP
[00:01:10] OR ONLINE AT C-SPAN .ORG.
[00:01:13] >> ALL RIGHT. HERE TO DISCUSS KEY MIDTERM ELECTION RACES TO
[00:01:17] WATCH IS KIRK BAGHAEI DOE,
[00:01:20] EDITOR OF NATIONAL JOURNAL'S POLITICAL NEWSLETTER, HOTLINE. KIRK, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING.
[00:01:24] >> JASMINE, GREAT TO BE HERE WITH YOU. >> ALL RIGHT, GIVE US THE
[00:01:27] LOWDOWN. WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL
[00:01:30] ASSESSMENT OF THE RACE TO THE MIDTERMS? JUST 22 DAYS.
[00:01:33] >> 22, 22 DAYS AWAY. BUT WHO'S COUNTING? YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THAT?
[00:01:36] WHAT'S THAT BETWEEN FRIENDS HERE? THE ASSESSMENT RIGHT NOW
[00:01:39] IS NOT ESPECIALLY IN THE HOUSE. IT'S NOT WHETHER OR NOT DEMOCRATS FLIP THE HOUSE, BUT BY
[00:01:43] HOW MUCH IN THE SENATE IS INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE AS WELL, TO WHERE I WOULD SAY
[00:01:47] DEMOCRATS ARE PROBABLY THE SLIGHT FAVORITE NOW, GOING IN
[00:01:50] AFTER LABOR DAY HERE, WHEN THE GENERAL ELECTION SEASON STARTED,
[00:01:54] REPUBLICANS PLAYED ONE OF THEIR BIG TRUMP CARDS. THEY HAD A GREAT AD ADVANTAGE. THEY HAVE A
[00:01:57] LOT OF CASH ON HAND HERE. AND THEY LAUNCHED THIS GIANT AD
[00:02:00] BLITZ ACROSS ALL THESE STATES TO TRY TO SALVAGE SOME OF THESE
[00:02:03] RACES. AFTER SOME POOR POLLING OVER THE SUMMER. BUT NOW HERE WE
[00:02:06] ARE, ABOUT 22 DAYS AWAY HERE,
[00:02:09] ONE MONTH AWAY. AND REPUBLICANS ARE JUST TREADING WATER AT BEST
[00:02:13] HERE IN SOME OF THESE DEEP RED STATES. THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN SO
[00:02:16] REMARKABLE TO ME, IS THAT THE BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE HAS SHIFTED
[00:02:19] OUT OF THESE TRADITIONAL SWING STATES INTO DEEPER REPUBLICAN
[00:02:23] TERRITORY. YOU CAN SEE THAT REPUBLICAN CONCERN, BASED ON WHERE TRUMP IS GOING TO BE
[00:02:27] TRAVELING OVER THIS NEXT FEW WEEKS, HERE, TO TRY AND SHORE UP HIS CANDIDATES. PLACES LIKE
[00:02:31] OHIO, ALASKA, MONTANA, AREAS WHERE HE HAS NEVER STRUGGLED.
[00:02:35] BUT NOW REPUBLICANS FIND THEMSELVES ON THEIR BACK FOOT. >> I MEAN, I JUST WANT TO POINT
[00:02:38] TO SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST SAID, WHICH IS THAT IN THE SENATE,
[00:02:41] DEMOCRATS SEEM TO BE SLIGHTLY FAVORED. >> I WOULD SAY, AT THIS POINT,
[00:02:44] LIKE, AS WE SIT HERE, 22 DAYS OUT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLING
[00:02:47] RIGHT NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE AD ADVANTAGES, I THINK DEMOCRATS
[00:02:51] MIGHT BE HAVE MORE THAN A PUNCHER'S CHANCE HERE. I THINK REPUBLICANS ARE REALLY
[00:02:54] SCRAMBLING. AND THAT REALITY KIND OF CAME INTO FOCUS OVER THE
[00:02:57] PAST WEEK. YOU SAW THE BIG REPUBLICAN ALIGNED GROUPS, THE
[00:03:01] OUTSIDE GROUPS IN NORTH CAROLINA, START WAVING THE WHITE FLAG ON MICHAEL WHATLEY. JUST
[00:03:05] THIS MORNING. S AND P, THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE SUPER PAC,
[00:03:08] SAID THAT THEY ARE GOING TO STOP ADVERTISING IN NORTH CAROLINA
[00:03:11] AND ALLOCATE THOSE RESOURCES IN
[00:03:12] PLACES LIKE OHIO AND IN IOWA. IF
[00:03:16] YOU LOOK AT KANSAS INCREASINGLY ONLINE AS WELL, TO THE POINT WHERE ADAM HAMILTON, THE
[00:03:20] DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE THERE, IS LEADING MOST OF THE POLLING
[00:03:23] THERE IN KANSAS, DEEP RED KANSAS. THEY HAVEN'T HAD A
[00:03:26] DEMOCRATIC SENATOR THERE SINCE
[00:03:32] 1932, SINCE THE HOOVER
[00:03:32] ADMINISTRATION.
[00:03:43] AND A WISH FOR THE SENATE. AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY'RE FAVORING. I WANT TO GO TO SOMETHING THAT YOU WROTE EARLIER THIS WEEK, WHICH THE HEADLINE
[00:03:47] HERE IS, WHAT COULD GO WRONG FOR
[00:03:51] DEMOCRATS? DEMOCRATS ARE FAVORED TO WIN AT LEAST THE HOUSE BACK, PICK UP MUCH NEEDED SEATS IN THE
[00:03:55] SENATE. WHAT COULD GO WRONG FOR THEM? >> WELL, WHAT I WROTE ABOUT AT THE TIME THERE WAS THAT THEY
[00:03:59] WERE GOING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF MASSIVE POLLING MISS HERE. ONE
[00:04:02] OF TRUMP'S SUPERPOWERS, THE REASON WHY HE'S WON TWO OF THE LAST THREE PRESIDENTIAL
[00:04:06] ELECTIONS IS HE HAS THIS INCREDIBLE ABILITY TO ACTIVATE
[00:04:09] LOW PROPENSITY VOTERS. TRUMP HAS KIND OF RESHAPED THE ELECTORATE
[00:04:12] TO WHERE DEMOCRATS USED TO BE
[00:04:13] FAVORED IN THESE LOW TURNOUT, IN
[00:04:16] THESE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS. REPUBLICANS WERE FAVORED IN THESE LOWER TURNOUT, SPECIAL AND
[00:04:20] MIDTERM ELECTIONS. BUT THAT'S KIND OF NO LONGER THE CASE.
[00:04:23] TRUMP HAS THIS UNIQUE ABILITY TO TURN OUT VOTERS WHO AREN'T
[00:04:26] CAPTURED IN POLLS, WHO AREN'T, WHO DON'T TRUST THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA, WHO DON'T NORMALLY
[00:04:30] PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS. YOU SAW THAT REALLY APPARENT IN THE LAST
[00:04:33] PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. SO MY THEORY OF THE CASE WAS THAT THESE POLLSTERS, ESPECIALLY IN
[00:04:37] THESE MORE RURAL AREAS, BECAUSE, AS WE WERE SAYING EARLIER, THE
[00:04:40] BATTLE FOR THE SENATE, BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE HAS SHIFTED INTO
[00:04:43] MUCH MORE RURAL AREAS OF THE COUNTRY. IN IOWA AND KANSAS. AND
[00:04:47] A LOT OF THOSE PRO-TRUMP VOTERS MIGHT BE MORE RELUCTANT TO
[00:04:51] ANSWER A POLLSTER HERE. BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN POLL AFTER
[00:04:54] POLL HERE IS THAT DEMOCRATS ARE JUST REALLY FIRED UP RIGHT NOW. AND REPUBLICANS, EVEN WHEN THEY
[00:04:58] GET TO TALK TO THEM, ARE NOT REALLY MOTIVATED TO GO OUT TO
[00:05:01] VOTE. AND I THINK IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE ECONOMY. THIS IS
[00:05:05] THE FIRST ELECTION IN THE TRUMP ERA WHERE VOTERS CAN'T, YOU KNOW, LIKE, SHRUG THEIR
[00:05:09] SHOULDERS AND SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST HE'S GOOD ON THE ECONOMY BECAUSE TRUMP
[00:05:12] HASN'T BEEN GOOD ON THE ECONOMY, AT LEAST IN THE EYES OF THE VOTERS.
[00:05:16] >> SO LESS THAN A MONTH AGO, LET'S JUST ESTABLISH A PLAYING FIELD, WHICH ARE THE RACES THAT
[00:05:20] YOU ARE KEEPING A CLOSE, CLOSE EYE ON? >> WELL, IF YOU HAD ASKED ME A
[00:05:23] FEW MONTHS AGO, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THESE MORE TRADITIONAL SWING SEATS. BUT AT LEAST FOR
[00:05:27] THE SENATE, I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING AT PLACES LIKE MICHIGAN. WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT
[00:05:30] MAINE. WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IOWA. WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT KANSAS. AND, OF COURSE, EVERYONE AND THEIR
[00:05:34] MOTHER IS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT
[00:05:36] THE TEXAS RACE AS WELL.
[00:05:38] >> ARE THERE ANY PLACES IN THAT
[00:05:41] LIST OF EXPANDED MAP PLACES THAT DEMOCRATS DID NOT THINK THAT THEY WOULD BE PLAYING IN JUST
[00:05:45] THREE MONTHS AGO, THAT YOU THINK
[00:05:48] THE REPUBLICANS CAN STILL EKE OUT A WIN? >> I THINK KANSAS IS PROBABLY THE BEST EXAMPLE OF THAT.
[00:05:52] THAT'S ONE THAT'S COME ONLINE IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS OR SO
[00:05:55] HERE. ADAM HAMILTON IS A PASTOR
[00:05:56] IN THE JOHNSON COUNTY AREA. THE
[00:05:59] TRADITIONALLY THE BLUEST PART OF THE STATE IN EASTERN KANSAS,
[00:06:01] RIGHT OUTSIDE OF KANSAS CITY. AND ROGER MARSHALL IS SOMEONE
[00:06:05] WHO'S NEVER REALLY BEEN IN A REAL COMPETITIVE RACE. IN FACT, YOU KNOW, THINK OF JERRY MORAN
[00:06:08] WON THAT RACE BY 22 POINTS FOUR
[00:06:11] YEARS AGO WHEN HE WAS UP FOR
[00:06:13] REELECTION. BUT NOW IT'S GOTTEN MORE COMPETITIVE BECAUSE ROGER MARSHALL HAS BEEN REALLY CAUGHT
[00:06:17] SLEEPING HERE. AND THAT'S AN AREA OF THE COUNTRY. THOSE RURAL
[00:06:20] AREAS LIKE KANSAS, IOWA, WHERE
[00:06:23] THE TARIFFS ESPECIALLY, HAVE REALLY HIT VOTERS HARD. AND THE
[00:06:26] WAR IN IRAN, WHICH HAS RAISED FUEL PRICES NOT ONLY FOR
[00:06:30] TRADITIONAL GASOLINE, BUT ALSO DIESEL AS WELL, HAVE REALLY HIT THE FARMERS THERE. AND THAT'S AN
[00:06:33] AREA WHERE THE BACKLASH TO REPUBLICANS IS GROWING. BUT IT'S JUST IT'S AGAIN, IT'S
[00:06:37] HARD FOR ME TO KIND OF WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND KANSAS ELECTING A
[00:06:41] DEMOCRATIC SENATOR FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1932. >> WRIGHT SINCE IT IS SUCH A
[00:06:44] DEEP RED REPUBLICAN STRONGHOLD.
[00:06:46] NOW, I WANT TO INVITE OUR
[00:06:49] CALLERS TO JOIN IN ON THE CONVERSATION AND GET ON THE LINE
[00:06:52] AND PEPPER KIRK WITH ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS. HEADING INTO THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, I'LL REPEAT
[00:06:56] YOUR PHONE LINES. DEMOCRATS. EXCUSE ME. REPUBLICANS, YOUR
[00:06:59] LINE IS 202 7488001. DEMOCRATS
[00:07:05] YOUR LINE( 202) 748-8000. INDEPENDENTS YOUR LINE(
[00:07:08] 202) 748-8002. YOU CAN ALSO REACH US BY TEXT MESSAGE OR ON
[00:07:11] SOCIAL MEDIA. KIRK IS HERE TO
[00:07:14] ANSWER ALL OF YOUR MIDTERM QUANDARIES. SO START CALLING IN
[00:07:17] NOW. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO GO. OVER THE LAST
[00:07:21] WEEK. WE HEARD TODAY HE'LL BE IN
[00:07:24] OHIO FOR JON HUSTED. TOMORROW. HE'LL BE IN ALASKA FOR ONE OF
[00:07:28] THE DAN SULLIVAN'S THEN. >> ED SULLIVAN, SENATOR DAN
[00:07:31] SULLIVAN. YEAH WITH AN APOSTROPHE. >> ON IT. UM, WE'RE EXPECTED TO
[00:07:35] SEE HIM IN MONTANA. HE'S PERHAPS GOING. HE SAYS HE WANTS TO GO TO
[00:07:38] MICHIGAN. HE SAYS HE WANTS TO GO TO MAINE. OBVIOUSLY, REPUBLICANS
[00:07:41] FEEL THAT THE PRESIDENT, IN A LOT OF THESE PLACES IS THEIR
[00:07:44] BEST WEAPON TO ENERGIZE THE
[00:07:47] BASE. HOW DO YOU SEE THAT GOING? >> WELL, AGAIN, I THINK IT GOES
[00:07:50] BACK TO THE WHOLE PLAN FROM THE MIDTERM CONVENTION, THE MIDTERM
[00:07:53] CONVENTION THAT THEY HELD IN DALLAS IN AUGUST WAS NOT ABOUT
[00:07:56] PERSUASION. IT WAS ABOUT JUICE AND TURNOUT HERE, BECAUSE TRADITIONALLY, A PARTY IN POWER,
[00:08:00] THEIR BASE IS NOT MOTIVATED TO GO OUT TO THE POLLS. BUT TRUMP
[00:08:03] IS THE SINGLE BIGGEST MOTIVATOR FOR DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS,
[00:08:07] NO MATTER WHAT SIDE OF THE AISLE YOU'RE ON. BUT DEMOCRATS AND
[00:08:10] POLL AFTER POLL HAVE SHOWN THAT THEY ARE MUCH MORE WILLING TO GO
[00:08:13] OUT AND VOTE. I MEAN, THERE WAS A PEW RESEARCH SURVEY THIS PAST
[00:08:16] WEEK THAT SHOWED THAT DEMOCRATIC
[00:08:18] LEANING VOTERS HAVE A 24% GAP ON
[00:08:22] ENTHUSIASM OVER REPUBLICANS. THIS IS BIGGER THAN IT WAS IN
[00:08:25] 2018. SO IT'S REALLY EVIDENT FROM WHERE TRUMP IS CAMPAIGNING.
[00:08:29] YOU MENTIONED OHIO, MONTANA. HE WAS AT TENNESSEE THIS WEEKEND. HE'S BEEN TO TEXAS THREE TIMES
[00:08:33] SINCE THAT MIDTERM CONVENTION. >> LIKELY WILL BE. >> BACK. >> LIKELY WILL BE BACK. THESE
[00:08:36] ARE ALL DEEP RED AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS
[00:08:40] CONCERNED THAT HIS VOTERS AREN'T READY TO TURN OUT. AND
[00:08:42] THAT COULD REALLY CAUSE A REAL CATASTROPHE FOR THE REPUBLICANS
[00:08:46] IF THEY DON'T TURN OUT. >> ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT IS
[00:08:49] WEIGHING PROBABLY MOST HEAVILY
[00:08:51] OR TOP HEAVILY ISSUES IS THE IRAN WAR AND THE ECONOMIC
[00:08:55] CONSEQUENCES THAT HAVE COME FROM THAT. FOR THE PRESIDENT, HE
[00:08:59] TRUTH SOCIAL EARLIER THIS WEEK, KIND OF TRYING TO TAMP DOWN ON THE SPECULATION. AND HE SAYS
[00:09:03] THAT WE WILL NOT BE ATTACKING
[00:09:05] IRAN AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO THE
[00:09:08] MIDTERM ELECTIONS, TO BE HELD IN
[00:09:12] THE UNITED STATES ON NOVEMBER 3rd. WHAT'S YOUR ASSESSMENT HERE? WHY DID THE PRESIDENT FEEL
[00:09:15] THE NEED TO SAY THAT, AND DOES THAT SAVE THE GOP ON THIS ISSUE?
[00:09:18] >> WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF REPORTS THAT HE WAS PLANNING SOME SORT OF MAJOR ATTACK ON
[00:09:22] IRAN BEFORE THE MIDTERMS HERE. AND, YOU KNOW, WITH TRUMP, HE NEVER, NEVER DOES ANYTHING
[00:09:26] REALLY SUBTLE. YOU KNOW, HIS I'M NOT GOING TO ATTACK IRAN T-SHIRT IS ANSWERING A LOT OF
[00:09:30] QUESTIONS RAISED BY. I'M NOT ATTACKING IRAN T-SHIRT. I THINK
[00:09:33] IT'S TO TRY TO ASSUAGE, UH, OIL
[00:09:36] MARKETS HERE THAT AT LEAST FOR NOW, AS WE SIT HERE, 22 DAYS
[00:09:39] OUT, THAT THERE WILL AT LEAST BE SOME SORT OF STEADY SUPPLY CHAIN HERE, THAT THERE WON'T BE ANY
[00:09:43] MORE SURPRISE ATTACKS. BUT THIS IS KIND OF PART AND PARCEL WHERE
[00:09:47] TRUMP IS JUST THROWING HAIL MARY AFTER HAIL MARY RIGHT NOW. I
[00:09:49] THINK THIS PAST WEEK, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE REPUBLICAN
[00:09:52] STRATEGISTS, I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO, THE REALITY HAS REALLY SET
[00:09:56] IN THAT THEY'RE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE RIGHT NOW, AND THAT THE
[00:09:58] BEST THING THEY CAN DO IS STOP THE BLEEDING.
[00:10:01] >> TALKING ABOUT STOPPING THE BLEEDING, UH, THE REPUBLICANS EARLIER THIS WEEK ANNOUNCED THAT
[00:10:05] THEY WERE PUTTING $5 MILLION INTO SOUTH CAROLINA, A STATE
[00:10:09] THAT WE BASICALLY NEVER TALK ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE
[00:10:12] GENERAL ELECTION IN MIDTERMS, BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A STRONGHOLD FOR THE REPUBLICANS. THAT DEBATE
[00:10:16] TOOK PLACE LAST NIGHT PRETTY FIERY. WHAT WERE YOUR TAKEAWAYS?
[00:10:19] >> MY TAKEAWAY RIGHT NOW IS THAT REPUBLICANS REALLY HAVE A
[00:10:22] CANDIDATE ISSUE THERE, AND YOU
[00:10:23] SAW IT REALLY APPARENT IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR THAT
[00:10:27] SPECIAL ELECTION SEAT. DARLINE GRAHAM, THE SISTER OF THE LATE
[00:10:29] SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM. SHE IS SOMEONE WHO'S NOT NECESSARILY
[00:10:33] SOUGHT OUT PUBLIC OFFICE BEFORE SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO, I THINK, BE MORE OF A CARETAKER FOR THIS
[00:10:37] SEAT. TRUMP AND OTHER REPUBLICANS SAID YOU SHOULD BE THE PERMANENT SENATOR HERE. SHE
[00:10:41] DECIDED TO RUN FOR IT. AND, LOOK, IT'S A BIG ASK TO BE, UH,
[00:10:45] PUT OUT LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY IN A COMPETITIVE SENATE RACE THAT
[00:10:49] IS GETTING INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE ALL THE TIME. SHE'S
[00:10:52] SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T, ISN'T NECESSARILY AS POLISHED ON THE
[00:10:55] DEBATE STAGE, NOT NECESSARILY AS POLISHED IN HER, UH,
[00:10:58] INTERACTIONS. YOU KNOW, THE RETAIL POLITICS THAT ARE SO
[00:11:01] IMPORTANT IN A PLACE LIKE SOUTH CAROLINA. AND I THINK THAT
[00:11:05] CANDIDATE QUALITY ISSUE IS CAUSING REPUBLICANS TO REEVALUATE THEIR SPENDING AGAIN.
[00:11:09] AND THAT'S KIND OF BEEN THE STORY OF REPUBLICANS IN THE
[00:11:11] SENATE MAP, AT LEAST THROUGHOUT THE CYCLE. CANDIDATE QUALITY ISSUES, MAKING THEM WRITE A
[00:11:15] CHECK. LOOK NO FURTHER THAN TEXAS, WHERE KEN PAXTON'S
[00:11:19] NOMINATION HAS BASICALLY COST THE REPUBLICANS ABOUT $200
[00:11:22] MILLION TRYING TO BAIL HIM OUT. >> THAT WAS WHERE I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU NEXT. BEFORE WE TURN TO
[00:11:25] SOME PHONE CALLS, FOLKS. SO STAY WITH US. KEN PAXTON IS RUNNING
[00:11:29] AGAINST DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE
[00:11:33] JAMES TALARICO. HE WAS UP SIX PERCENTAGE POINTS LAST WEEK, AND ONE OF THE SURVEYS. WHERE DO
[00:11:36] THINGS STAND THIS MORNING? >> WELL, I THINK JAMES TALARICO IS STILL THE SLIGHT FAVORITE
[00:11:40] THERE. YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF FLASHBACKS FROM WHEN I WAS A
[00:11:42] HOUSE REPORTER IN 22, COVERING
[00:11:45] THE DEMOCRATIC PUSH RIGHT AFTER BETO O'ROURKE'S OVERPERFORMANCE IN 2018, DEMOCRATS WERE THINKING
[00:11:49] THEY WERE GOING TO FLIP FIVE, SIX, SEVEN HOUSE SEATS IN TEXAS,
[00:11:53] AND THEY WENT OVER THERE. I
[00:11:55] THINK THIS ONE, THAT'S A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF A FAVORABLE NATIONAL POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT
[00:11:59] WHERE THE WINDS ARE AT THEIR BACK, THE VIEWS OF THE ECONOMY, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, AND, MORE
[00:12:03] IMPORTANTLY, THE PRESIDENT, ARE
[00:12:04] REALLY LOW FOR VOTERS, COMBINED
[00:12:07] WITH A REALLY KIND OF TOXIC CANDIDATE IN KEN PAXTON, WHO HAS
[00:12:11] LADEN WITH THESE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES HERE. AND
[00:12:14] PLUS, HE'S NOT A GOOD CAMPAIGNER EITHER. HE DOESN'T RAISE MONEY. HE DOESN'T HIT THE
[00:12:18] STUMP VERY WELL. HE REFUSES. HE HASN'T DEBATED JAMES TALARICO AT
[00:12:22] ALL AND DIDN'T DEBATE JOHN CORNYN, EITHER. AND THIS IS A
[00:12:26] REPUBLICAN MESS, COMPLETELY, OF THE PRESIDENT'S MAKING HERE.
[00:12:28] THIS IS A $200 MILLION CHECK
[00:12:30] THAT THEY DID NOT THINK ABOUT
[00:12:33] HAVING TO WRITE WHEN THE CYCLE FIRST STARTED TWO YEARS AGO.
[00:12:36] >> RIGHT. AND I HEAR YOU ON KEN PAXTON. I THINK THAT REPUBLICANS
[00:12:39] WRIT LARGE ARE KIND OF GRIT THEIR TEETH. WHEN THE PRESIDENT
[00:12:41] MADE THE DECISION TO ENDORSE KEN
[00:12:44] PAXTON OVER JOHN CORNYN, THE INCUMBENT IN THAT STATE. AND
[00:12:46] JOHN CORNYN, WE KNOW, HASN'T BEEN PARTICULARLY HELPFUL TO THE
[00:12:51] REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE AT THIS MOMENT. BUT ALSO, TALARICO IS
[00:12:54] HAVING HIS OWN SORT OF SCANDAL RIGHT NOW AFTER HIS 12 DAY
[00:12:57] ABSENCE. I'M LOOKING AT A CNN ARTICLE HERE. IT SAYS TALARICO
[00:13:01] 12 DAY ABSENCE FROM THE TRAIL
[00:13:03] BECOMES FODDER FOR GOP IN TEXAS
[00:13:07] SENATE RACE. HE SAID THAT HE HAD THE FLU, BUT HOW DOES HIS
[00:13:11] ABSENCE IN THE RUMORS THAT HAVE NOW SURROUNDED IT ABOUT WHERE HE
[00:13:15] WAS? UM, EVEN THOUGH HIS CAMPAIGN HAS SAID THAT HE HAD
[00:13:17] THE FLU, HOW DOES HIS ABSENCE IMPACT HIS STANDING? HAVE YOU
[00:13:21] SEEN THAT? >> THERE'S A LOT OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT WHERE HE WAS
[00:13:24] SPENDING HIS TIME, ESPECIALLY IN THE THE MAGA SOCIAL MEDIA
[00:13:28] ECOSYSTEM RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK THIS IS A BIG MAKE OR BREAK WEEK
[00:13:30] FOR HIM RIGHT NOW. IN ORDER FOR DEMOCRAT TO WIN IN TEXAS, YOU
[00:13:34] REALLY DO NEED TO PITCH A PERFECT GAME. NOW, EVERYTHING'S BEEN BREAKING HIS WAY SO FAR.
[00:13:38] HE'S GOT THE FUNDRAISING ADVANTAGE. HE'S GOT THE OPPONENT THAT HE WANTS. HE'S GOT THE
[00:13:42] NATIONAL FAVORABLE NATIONAL POLITICAL WIND. BUT NOW I THINK HE REALLY NEEDS TO GO OUT AND
[00:13:44] DO. IF I WERE JAMES TALARICO, I WOULD GO OUT AND DO A
[00:13:48] BARNSTORMING EFFORT RIGHT NOW, ALL OVER TEXAS, BE AS PUBLIC AS
[00:13:51] POSSIBLE, BE OUT THERE, DEMAND DEBATES, DO EVERY TV INTERVIEW
[00:13:55] THAT'S ASKED ME, GO TO EVERY STATE FAIR, TAKE A PICTURE OF
[00:13:59] RIDING EVERY SINGLE RIDE AT THE TEXAS STATE FAIR OUTSIDE THE
[00:14:01] COTTON BOWL RIGHT NOW, AND GO BE AS PUBLIC AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE
[00:14:04] THIS IS A MAKE OR BREAK WEEK FOR HIM. >> I MEAN, I THINK.
[00:14:07] >> PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT PEOPLE FELT LIKE THE TALARICO
[00:14:10] CAMPAIGN WASN'T AS TRANSPARENT
[00:14:15] ON WHERE HE WAS IN HIS SICKNESS AS THEY HAD PERHAPS HOPED THEM
[00:14:19] TO BE, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE MITCH MCCONNELL OF IT ALL, AND THE TOM CURRAN OF IT ALL. HOW
[00:14:23] MUCH ARE YOU SEEING AGE OR HEALTH OF A CANDIDATE STILL BE AN ISSUE?
[00:14:27] >> WELL, I THINK IT'S NOW BECOME AN INCREASING CONVERSATION RIGHT
[00:14:30] NOW. YOU KNOW, WE GO BACK TO MAYBE EVEN LIKE PRESIDENTIAL
[00:14:33] ELECTIONS IN THE PAST ABOUT PRESIDENTS RELEASING THEIR HEALTH RECORDS OR, YOU KNOW,
[00:14:37] FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES BEING MORE OPEN ABOUT SOME OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH
[00:14:40] STRUGGLES. AND FOLKS STRUGGLING
[00:14:43] TO SQUARE THAT. YOU LOOK AT SOMEONE LIKE JOHN FETTERMAN, WHO
[00:14:47] A FEW YEARS AGO WAS FACING A LOT OF SCRUTINY FOR HOW HE WAS
[00:14:50] RECOVERING FROM THE STROKE DURING HIS SENATE RACE, TOO. AND I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF BAD
[00:14:54] TASTE IN DEMOCRATS MOUTH OVER A LITTLE BUYER'S REMORSE WITH THAT ELECTION, WITH HOW
[00:14:58] FETTERMAN HAS BEEN BEHAVING NOW. BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT THIS
[00:15:02] CYCLE IS AN INCREASED SCRUTINY ON CANDIDATES AGE. YOU KNOW, 14
[00:15:05] MEMBERS OF CONGRESS LOST RENOMINATION THIS CYCLE. I THINK
[00:15:08] WE CAN POINT TO AT LEAST 3 OR 4 OF THEM, ESPECIALLY ON THE
[00:15:11] DEMOCRATIC SIDE, WHERE AGE WAS THE ISSUE. THEY THINK ABOUT,
[00:15:14] LIKE UH, REPRESENTATIVE LARSON UP IN CONNECTICUT, WHO THE
[00:15:18] DEMOCRAT WHO BEAT HIM THERE WAS RUNNING BASICALLY ON A CHANGE
[00:15:21] PLATFORM UP THERE. SAME IN DENVER, COLORADO, AS WELL. THE
[00:15:24] POLICIES ARE THE SAME. IT'S JUST
[00:15:25] HOW EFFICIENT, HOW EFFECTIVE YOU CAN BE WHEN YOU'RE 70 YEARS
[00:15:29] OLD, 80 YEARS OLD. AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A DEBATE
[00:15:31] THAT'S GOING TO PLAY OUT IN
[00:15:33] 2028 AS WELL, ESPECIALLY IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY. >> ALL RIGHT. LISTEN TO SOME
[00:15:37] PHONE CALLS. PAUL, FROM MASSACHUSETTS, A REPUBLICAN.
[00:15:40] GOOD MORNING, PAUL. >> YEAH. GOOD MORNING, AND THANK
[00:15:43] YOU FOR HAVING ME. UH, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THIS
[00:15:47] ELECTION, THEY TALK ABOUT THE DEMOCRATS GOING TO IMPROVE THE
[00:15:50] ECONOMY. ANYBODY THAT THINKS THAT DEMOCRATS WILL IMPROVE THE
[00:15:54] ECONOMY HAVE ROCKS IN THE HEAD.
[00:15:58] IT'S THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT SUGGESTS
[00:16:00] THAT THEY CAN DO ANYTHING TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMY. AND THAT'S
[00:16:03] THE GREAT MYTH THAT'S FLOATING
[00:16:04] OUT THERE IN THE POLITICS RIGHT
[00:16:08] NOW. >> I THINK PAUL REALLY KIND OF HIT ON THE HEAD THERE IS WHAT
[00:16:12] HOW CRAZY THIS ELECTION CYCLE HAS BEEN, WHERE REPUBLICANS TRADITIONALLY HAVE PULLED MUCH
[00:16:16] STRONGER ON THE ECONOMY. WHEN VOTERS ARE ASKED, WHICH PARTY DO
[00:16:18] YOU TRUST? MORE ON THE ECONOMY. FOR MANY YEARS, IT'S BEEN
[00:16:22] REPUBLICANS. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF THE POLLS NOW, ESPECIALLY FROM PLACES LIKE THE
[00:16:25] NEW YORK TIMES, GALLUP, PEW, WHEN VOTERS ARE ASKED WHO THEY
[00:16:29] TRUST IN THE ECONOMY, DEMOCRATS, IF THEY DON'T HAVE A SLIGHT
[00:16:32] EDGE, THEY'RE AT LEAST A MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE THAN THEY WERE
[00:16:36] IN PREVIOUS ITERATIONS OF THE POLL. AND I THINK THAT HAS DIRECTLY TO DO WITH TRUMP'S
[00:16:40] INTERVENTION IN THE ECONOMY, WHETHER IT'S ON THE TARIFFS,
[00:16:42] WHETHER IT'S THE WAR IN IRAN, RAISING FUEL PRICES, REPUBLICAN
[00:16:46] VOTERS ARE LOSING A LOT OF TRUST THAT WAS BUILT IN WITH
[00:16:49] REPUBLICANS ON THE ECONOMY. NOW, THEY'RE NOT SAYING THEY NECESSARILY THINK THAT DEMOCRATS
[00:16:53] HAVE A PLAN TO, UH, GET US OUT
[00:16:55] OF THIS TOUGHER ECONOMIC OUTLOOK RIGHT NOW. BUT THEY KNOW THAT
[00:16:59] THE REPUBLICANS HAVE WHEN THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN THE KEYS TO
[00:17:01] THE CAR, THEY'RE SWERVING ALL OVER THE ROAD.
[00:17:04] >> EARL FROM TACOMA, WASHINGTON, A DEMOCRAT.
[00:17:08] >> THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO
[00:17:12] >> WHAT I'M WONDERING IS, WITH
[00:17:16] HATE, WITH ALL OF THE NEGATIVITY
[00:17:21] THAT'S GOING ON IN THE PUBLIC
[00:17:23] ARENA TODAY, WITH WHAT HE'S
[00:17:26] DOING WITH THE HOMELAND
[00:17:29] SECURITY, WITH THE INDICATORS
[00:17:32] THAT THE COUNTRY IS GOING OFF
[00:17:34] THE RAILS DO YOU, HOW DO
[00:17:39] REPUBLICANS JUSTIFY ANY EFFORT
[00:17:42] TO, TO HELP THIS GUY?
[00:17:45] >> I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S THE QUESTION REPUBLICANS ARE STRUGGLING WITH RIGHT NOW. I
[00:17:50] MEAN, HOW MUCH TO RUN WITH THE PRESIDENT VERSUS HOW MUCH TO PUT
[00:17:54] DAYLIGHT BETWEEN THEM? RIGHT NOW, THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER JUST HAD THEIR BIG NATIONAL
[00:17:58] SURVEY OUT THIS WEEK THAT SHOWED TRUMP AT THE LOWEST APPROVAL
[00:18:00] RATING OF HIS SECOND TERM AT
[00:18:02] 30%. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF WE START SEEING OTHER POLLSTERS
[00:18:06] GET THAT 30% MARK AS WELL. THE PRESIDENT IS INCREDIBLY UNPOPULAR, AND VOTERS WANT TO
[00:18:10] CHANGE. I MEAN, THE MIDTERM ELECTION YEARS, THEIR REFERENDUM
[00:18:14] ON THE PARTY IN POWER. BUT THIS MIDTERM ELECTION IN PARTICULAR,
[00:18:17] IS A REFERENDUM ON THE MAN IN POWER. AND VOTERS ARE VERY
[00:18:20] FRUSTRATED WITH TRUMP. >> FRANK FROM NEW YORK AND
[00:18:24] INDEPENDENT. GOOD MORNING, FRANK
[00:18:28] >> MORNING. UM, SO YOUR YOUR
[00:18:30] TONE, SIR, IS, UH, THINGS, IF
[00:18:33] I'M NOT MISTAKEN, TO BE SAYING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE
[00:18:36] DEMOCRATS ARE DOING PRETTY GOOD, YOU KNOW, IN THE POLLING, UM,
[00:18:40] UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I'M NOT
[00:18:41] SURE IF I, YOU KNOW, EVEN TRUST
[00:18:44] THE POLLING ANYMORE. UM, YOU
[00:18:46] KNOW, WE SAW BACK IN 2016,
[00:18:49] NOBODY THOUGHT TRUMP WOULD WIN.
[00:18:51] AND HE DID. UM, I AM OLD, I
[00:18:54] VOTED THE FIRST TIME IN THE
[00:18:57] PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN 1976. SO I'VE BEEN AROUND A WHILE,
[00:19:00] UH, AND, UH, I, I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLICATED
[00:19:04] TIMES WE'RE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, IF I
[00:19:07] MAY, UM, SO YOU'VE HAD, YOU
[00:19:09] KNOW, THIS, THIS TEN YEARS OF
[00:19:13] AUTHORITATIVE TRUMP TOUGH GUY, YOU KNOW, STUFF, RIGHT WING
[00:19:16] STUFF. UH, AND IT'S ALL OVER THE WORLD. REALLY. I JUST READ
[00:19:19] ARTICLE ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE IN
[00:19:22] GERMANY THAT ARE LIKE UH, ONE OF
[00:19:26] THE OTHER COMPONENTS I THINK THAT'S HAPPENING TODAY, THAT
[00:19:29] WAS NEVER THERE, IS AI. THAT'S
[00:19:31] HUGE. AND YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE LIKE ELON MUSK AND PETER THIEL,
[00:19:34] WHO ARE. I HAVE NO FAITH OR
[00:19:37] TRUST IN THEM WHATSOEVER. WHAT, WHAT THEY COULD DO IS BEYOND
[00:19:42] IMAGINATION. UM, UH, THEN YOU'VE
[00:19:44] GOT THE MIDDLE EAST SITUATION,
[00:19:46] WHICH IS VERY STRANGE BECAUSE
[00:19:48] TRADITIONALLY THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN VERY PRO-ISRAEL, AND NOW
[00:19:51] NOT SO MUCH. SO, IN FACT, I'VE
[00:19:54] BEEN READING SO MANY REPUBLICAN
[00:19:57] BASED, UH, FOX NEWS STUFF WHERE THE REPUBLICANS ARE NOW SEEM TO
[00:20:01] BE SO PRO JEWISH, PRO-ISRAEL,
[00:20:03] WHICH IS, TO ME, ALMOST LIKE A
[00:20:05] JOKE, IN A WAY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I, THEY WERE
[00:20:09] NEVER THAT PRO, YOU KNOW?
[00:20:11] >> ALL RIGHT, FRANK, I'M GONNA HOP. FRANK. I'M GONNA HOP IN
[00:20:14] HERE AND SEE IF YOU CAN GET TO YOUR QUESTIONS FOR KIRK.
[00:20:18] >> SO. WELL, MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE RESEARCH, ALL OF THE RESEARCH
[00:20:21] THAT THIS GENTLEMAN HAS DONE,
[00:20:22] AND HE'S SAYING THE POLLS ARE
[00:20:27] INDICATING DEMOCRAT. BUT BUT I DON'T KNOW. I THINK THE PUBLIC.
[00:20:29] MY QUESTION IS, I REALLY THINK THE PUBLIC IS SO CONFUSED, AND
[00:20:32] I'M WONDERING IF WE CAN WE, ANY
[00:20:37] FAITH IN ANY KIND OF POLLS ANYMORE. I GUESS THAT'S MY, MY QUESTION.
[00:20:41] >> WELL, I'M GLAD HE THINKS I'M A GENTLEMAN, FIRST OFF, BUT. >> SECOND OFF, FAITH.
[00:20:44] >> IN THE POLLS. YOU KNOW, THAT HAS BEEN A MAJOR QUESTION EVER
[00:20:47] SINCE I STARTED COVERING POLITICS OVER TEN YEARS AGO NOW.
[00:20:49] AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING
[00:20:52] HERE THIS TIME IS IT'S SO MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO MODEL A
[00:20:56] PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TURNOUT WITH TRUMP ON THE BALLOT,
[00:20:58] BECAUSE HE ACTIVATES THESE LOW PROPENSITY VOTERS THAT ARE NOT
[00:21:01] IN THE TRADITIONAL POLLING NET HERE. WHAT I LIKE TO SEE WHEN
[00:21:04] I'M LOOKING AT POLLS IS ONLY CERTAIN ONES THAT KIND OF ARE
[00:21:07] LIKE THE GOLD STANDARD POLLSTERS. I'M THINKING THE NEW YORK TIMES, SIENA, PEW RESEARCH,
[00:21:12] THE FOX NEWS POLL, THE
[00:21:14] BIPARTISAN FOX NEWS POLL, THE
[00:21:16] AARP POLL, THE NBC POLL, WHEN IT'S THE BIPARTISAN ONE. AND I
[00:21:19] THINK THOSE HAVE UPDATED THEIR METHODOLOGIES TO CAPTURE THIS
[00:21:23] ELECTORATE HERE A LOT BETTER. YOU HAVE A LOT OF JUNK POLLS OUT
[00:21:26] THERE THAT ARE KIND OF A DIME A DOZEN, WHICH WE DON'T REALLY
[00:21:29] PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO OVER AT HOTLINE. BUT ALL THESE GOLD
[00:21:32] STAR POLLSTERS ARE ALL POINTING IN THE SAME DIRECTION RIGHT NOW,
[00:21:35] AND THAT'S TOWARD DEMOCRATS. AM I SAYING THAT THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE SOME SORT OF POLLING
[00:21:39] ERROR? I THINK OF COURSE THERE IS. BUT I THINK THE MAGNITUDE OF IT ISN'T GOING TO BE ON THE
[00:21:42] SAME LEVEL AS A 2016 LEVEL THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE FOR A
[00:21:46] NUMBER OF FACTORS. >> I WANT TO POINT BACK, SINCE
[00:21:49] WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TEXAS, UM,
[00:21:52] THE GUS NUMBER 23 WRITES FOR A DEMOCRAT TO WIN IN TEXAS. TEXAS
[00:21:56] HAS TO BECOME NEW JERSEY. NOT
[00:21:59] HAPPENING ANY TIME SOON. BUT
[00:22:01] THIS RACE IS CAUSING ANXIETY FOR REPUBLICANS. HOW MUCH.
[00:22:05] >> ANXIETY? IT ABSOLUTELY IS. I MEAN, THEY'RE INVESTING OVER $200 MILLION IN THIS RACE. IT'S
[00:22:09] NOT BECAUSE THEY DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE. I MEAN, YOU DON'T PUT ALMOST A
[00:22:13] QUARTER BILLION DOLLARS INTO A RACE BECAUSE YOU'RE YOU THINK IT'S SAFE AND SOUND. YOU KNOW,
[00:22:17] IT'S INTERESTING THAT THEY'RE COMPARING THAT TO NEW JERSEY,
[00:22:20] BECAUSE NEW JERSEY, AT THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL IN 2024, SAW
[00:22:23] ONE OF THE BIGGEST SWINGS TOWARD TRUMP AT THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL.
[00:22:27] AND THAT WAS IN PART BECAUSE OF THE LARGE HISPANIC POPULATION IN
[00:22:30] NEW JERSEY. AND THAT WAS THE SWING VOTERS IN THAT ELECTION.
[00:22:33] YOU SAW THE SAME TYPE OF DRIFT
[00:22:36] OVER IN TEXAS AS WELL, ESPECIALLY IN SOUTHERN TEXAS AND
[00:22:39] THE LAREDO AREA. AND THE, IN THE, IN THE, THE, THE VALLEY,
[00:22:42] THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY OVER THERE. BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING
[00:22:44] RIGHT NOW, AND SURVEYS AND
[00:22:47] REPORTING ON THE GROUND IS THAT THOSE SAME HISPANIC VOTERS WHO
[00:22:50] CAUSED THAT BIG SWING IN NEW JERSEY CAUSED THAT BIG SWING IN TEXAS. THEY'RE REALLY SOURING
[00:22:54] ON THE PRESIDENT. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE HIT THE HARDEST BY
[00:22:57] HIS ECONOMIC POLICIES. THEY ARE EITHER NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR
[00:23:00] HIM, OR THEY'RE GOING TO CROSS THE AISLE AND VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS BECAUSE THEY WANT SOME SORT OF
[00:23:04] CHANGE. RIGHT NOW, HISPANIC VOTERS ARE THE SWING VOTERS.
[00:23:07] >> I MEAN. >> IT'S ACTUALLY INTERESTING
[00:23:10] BECAUSE ANDY, 63 ON TWITTER SAYS, I DON'T SEE ANY
[00:23:12] REPUBLICAN NOT VOTING FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE. THEY MAY SAY
[00:23:15] THEY'RE NOT. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTION DAY, THEY WILL PULL THE LEVER FOR THE PERSON WITH
[00:23:19] THE R BEHIND THEIR NAME. THEY
[00:23:21] DON'T CARE ABOUT FLAWS. IT'S
[00:23:23] ALL ABOUT THE R PERIOD. BUT
[00:23:26] HISPANIC VOTERS, AT LEAST IN THE
[00:23:29] 2024 ELECTION, SHOWED THEMSELVES TO BE SWING VOTERS. >> DIDN'T THEY? THOSE AREN'T.
[00:23:32] THOSE AREN'T OURS. THEY DID VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS. THEY DID
[00:23:36] PULL THE REPUBLICAN LEVER. BUT THESE ARE NOT DYED IN THE WOOL.
[00:23:39] REPUBLICANS WHO ARE YOU KNOW, YOUR YOUR BUSH, YOUR ROMNEY,
[00:23:43] MCCAIN, TRUMP VOTERS. HERE. THEY ARE THE SWING VOTERS RIGHT NOW.
[00:23:46] THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY TRUMP'S
[00:23:50] IMMIGRATION POLICIES. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY TRUMP'S ECONOMIC
[00:23:54] POLICIES. IF YOU GET SOMEWHERE, LIKE IN FLORIDA, FOR EXAMPLE,
[00:23:58] THERE'S A CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN AND AROUND MIAMI FOR MARIA
[00:24:01] SALAZAR, WHO SHE JUST CUT AN AD A FEW WEEKS AGO, DIRECT TO
[00:24:04] CAMERA, TALKING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP, SAYING THAT YOUR
[00:24:08] IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT METHODS ARE TOO HARSH. YOU'RE SWEEPING UP INNOCENT FAMILIES IN THIS
[00:24:12] DRAGNET OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT. AND MY CONSTITUENTS
[00:24:15] ARE CONCERNED. THIS IS A REPUBLICAN IN A SEAT THAT TRUMP
[00:24:19] CARRIED BY OVER 15 POINTS, GOING DIRECT TO CAMERA, SAYING TRUMP
[00:24:21] HAS GONE TOO FAR. THAT'S KIND OF
[00:24:25] THE BATTLEFIELD THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, WHERE HIS POLICIES HAVE AFFECTED THESE HISPANIC
[00:24:28] SWING VOTERS SO MUCH THAT A REPUBLICAN CONGRESSWOMAN HAS TO
[00:24:31] PLEAD WITH TRUMP ON CAMERA TO TONE IT DOWN.
[00:24:34] >> NOW, I WANT TO GET TO ONE OF THESE RACES WHERE I THINK THAT
[00:24:37] THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE. BUT FIRST, I WANT TO INVITE OUR
[00:24:40] CALLERS TO JOIN IN ON THE CONVERSATION. KIRK BARRETO FROM.
[00:24:44] EXCUSE ME. >> YOU CAN FINISH WATCHING THIS
[00:24:47] ONLINE AT C-SPAN .ORG. WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE IT TO TAKE YOU
[00:24:49] LIVE TO YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, WHERE PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL BE SPEAKING
[00:24:53] AT A GOP RALLY AHEAD OF NOVEMBER'S MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
[00:24:57] >> TO ME DEFEND HER STILL TODAY,
[00:25:04] CAUSE
[00:25:29] >> [MUSIC] >> TO THE HILLS OF TENNESSEE.
[00:25:32] ACROSS THE PLAINS OF GUERNSEY
[00:25:44] YORK TO L.A., WHERE THERE'S
[00:25:47] PRIDE IN EVERY AMERICAN
[00:25:55] I. THAT I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN.