Countdown to the 2024 election: Day 57 | MSNBC Highlights

ELECTION IN NOVEMBER AND IN JUST TWO DAYS, HARRIS AND TRUMP WILL TAKE THE STAGE AND WHAT COULD BE THEIR FIRST AND ONLY DEBATE. TUESDAY'S FACE OFF IS A CHANCE FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT TO CONTRAST HER ECONOMIC VISION WITH TRUMP'S PLANS. AND SHE HOPES TO CUT INTO TRUMP'S EDGE ON THE ECONOMY IN THE EYES OF MANY VOTERS. HARRIS HAS ROLLED OUT NEW PLANS TO TACKLE THE RISING COST OF LIVING AND INVESTMENTS IN SMALL BUSINESSES. AS FOR TRUMP, HE BOTCHED AN ANSWER ON HOW HE WOULD ADDRESS THE COST OF CHILDCARE IN AMERICA BY RAMBLING ABOUT TARIFFS AND INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THE MAJOR CONCERNS OF PARENTS BECAUSE AFTER ALL CHILDCARE IS CHILDCARE JOINING US. NOW, JEFFREY SONNENFELD, SENIOR ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR LEADERSHIP STUDIES AT YALE UNIVERSITY, YALE DAY FOR US. ALL THE YALE IN THE HOUSE SAY, HEY, CAN WE PLAY THE DONALD TRUMP CLIP AGAIN? AND JUST BECAUSE YOU KNOW A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT THE ECONOMY, JEFFREY MAYBE YOU CAN MAKE SENSE OF WHAT WE HEARD. NO, THAT'S JUST TO MAKE ME SOUND SMART. LET'S HEAR, LET'S HEAR ABOUT CHILDCARE, CHILDCARE FROM UH THE FORMER PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP AT THE ECONOMIC CLUB OF NEW YORK. CHILD CARE IS CHILD CARE. COULDN'T, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT IN THIS COUNTRY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT. BUT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE NUMBERS, COMPARED TO THE KIND OF NUMBERS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT BY TAXING FOREIGN NATIONS AT LEVELS THAT THEY'RE NOT USED TO, BUT THEY'LL GET USED TO IT VERY QUICKLY AND IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP THEM FROM DOING BUSINESS WITH US, BUT THEY'LL HAVE A VERY SUBSTANTIAL TAX WHEN THEY SEND PRODUCT INTO OUR COUNTRY. THOSE NUMBERS ARE SO MUCH BIGGER THAN ANY NUMBERS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, INCLUDING CHILD CARE. YOU KNOW, UH THAT REMINDS ME WHEN I WAS TEACHING BACK AT YOUR ALMA MATER, A STUDENT UH ON AN EXAM ON EUGENE V. DEBBS, A GREAT, A GREAT LABOR UNION LEADER, A TRADITIONAL PROGRESSIVE AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHO THE GUY WAS. SO HE TALKED ABOUT THIS GREAT LAWSUIT. EUGENE VERSUS DEVS WROTE AND ALL ABOUT SOME SUPREME COURT LAWSUIT. HE JUST COMPLETELY MADE IT UP, HAD TO GIVE HIM SOME CREDIT FOR FAKING IT. THIS GUY GETS NO CREDIT FOR FAKING IT BUT GIVEN ALL THE SCARY THINGS YOU LOOKED AT UH WITH MELISSA MURRAY ON THE THREATS TO DEMOCRACY THIS MORNING. AND QUENTIN FOLKS, OF COURSE, ON ANTICIPATING THE DANGERS OF THE TRUMP ADA COMING UP. AND OF COURSE, MY COLLEAGUE JASON STANLEY JUST BEFORE THE BREAK. I WAS JUST SAYING AS I SAT DOWN, WHAT VALUE DO I BRING TO THIS SERIOUS DISCUSSION AND I HOPE I HAVE THE GOOD NEWS HERE ON THE ECONOMY. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE WITHOUT DOUBT COMING UP ON TUESDAY NIGHT IS MORE PROPAGANDA, BUT BLUDGEONING HER, NOT JUST WHAT YOU GUYS TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY IN TERMS OF DIMINISHING HER ON RACE AND GENDER, WHICH THEY'LL TRY TO DO. AND YOU GUYS SAID YESTERDAY, WELL, THAT DIDN'T REALLY STICK. WHAT IS STICKING IS THE PROPAGANDA ON THE ECONOMY, RIGHT? EVEN EVEN DEMOCRATS, EVEN LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, CENTRIST MEDIA ARE BELIEVING NONSENSE. THERE WAS SOMETHING CREATED WRITTEN ABOUT IN THE EARLY FIFTIES, EVEN BEFORE I WAS BORN CALLED THE SLEEPER EFFECT. AND WHAT THAT IS ABOUT IS YOU KEEP REPEATING NONSENSE EVEN UNFOUNDED AND THROUGH THE REPETITION, PEOPLE START TO BELIEVE IT. AND IT'S, IT WAS ACTUALLY RESEARCHERS AT YALE OF ALL THINGS FOR OUR YALE DAY AND IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS PHENOMENON. AND WHAT KAMALA HARRIS HAS TO DO. VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS HAS TO DO IS TO AWAKEN THE NATION TO THIS SLEEPER EFFECT. IT'S BEEN A PERNICIOUS EFFECT. IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO DO BECAUSE EVERYWHERE WE LOOK ON THE ECONOMY, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE BELLOWS OUT ARE WE, ARE WE BETTER OFF THAN 444 YEARS AGO? THE ANSWER IS SCREAMING BACK. YES, WE WERE IN A PANDEMIC. AND TO THAT POINT, REUTERS GOLDMAN SACHS REPORT ON WEDNESDAY, UH QUOTE US ECONOMIC GROWTH WOULD LIKELY GET THE BIGGEST BOOST IN THE COMING TWO YEARS FROM THE DEMOCRATS HEADED BY KAMALA HARRIS WINNING THE WHITE HOUSE AND CONGRESS IN THIS NOVEMBER'S ELECTIONS ACCORDING TO GOLDMAN SACHS UNDER REPUBLICAN SWEEP OR EVEN WITH A DIVIDED GOVERNMENT LED BY DONALD TRUMP. ECONOMIC OUTPUT WOULD TAKE A HIT NEXT YEAR, MOSTLY FROM INCREASED TARIFFS ON IMPORTS AND TIGHTER IMMIGRATION POLICIES. GO SACHS SAID IN A NOTE ON TUESDAYS ON TUESDAY. SO YOU SEE THE FOLKS WHO ACTUALLY KNOW THE NUMBERS AND SEE THE FLOW OF THE ECONOMY STARTING TO SAY TIME OUT. LET'S GET, UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. THIS, THIS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTS TO IMPOSE A BROAD SWEEPING 10% TARIFF ON PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING AND, AND LYING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND SAYING YOU WANT FEEL THAT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING OTHER GOVERNMENTS ARE GOING TO PAY. HOW DOES, HOW DOES THE VICE PRESIDENT ON TUESDAY BREAKS THROUGH ON THE POINT? YOU'RE MAKING THIS NARRATIVE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT SOMEHOW TARIFFS DON'T AFFECT THEM. THAT'S SOMETHING SOMEONE ELSE IS GOING TO PAY AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR CHILD CARE. ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, MICHAEL. AND I KNOW THE THREE OF YOU KNOW THAT THAT TARIFFS ARE A TAX, THE TAX ON THE AVERAGE WORKING FAMILY. IT'S AROUND ALMOST $4000 A YEAR OF TAX. HE DOES NOT TAXING THE PROVIDERS, THE SUPPLIERS. IT'S GOING TO BE PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMER AND THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM. 16 NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS, THE VICE PRESIDENT CAN MENTION THIS. WE SAID IT FIRST BUT THE NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS BLESSED IT AND EXTENDED IT THAT IT, THAT IT'S GOING TO RAISE INFLATION AT AT LEAST 10 TO MAYBE EVEN 16 15%. UH JUST ON THAT ALONE BECAUSE OF THE COST OF IMPORTING GOODS, PHARMACEUTICALS, CLOTHING, WHATEVER IT IS, UH SEMICONDUCTORS. BUT THEN ON TOP OF THAT, UH YOU HAVE THE RECIPROCAL TRADE BARRIERS WHEN THEY PUNISH US. JUST BETWEEN US, WE FRIENDS HERE, THE CEO OF HARLEY DAVIDSON HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS. IN THE LAST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THE TRUMP RECIPROCAL TRADE BARRIERS HAD DEAL FROM EUROPE WAS SO HARD THAT EVEN THOUGH 100% OF HARLEY DAVIS MADE IN THE COUNTRY TO GET ANYTHING INTO EUROPE, HE HAD TO SHUT DOWN A PLANT IN KANSAS CITY AND OPEN ONE IN THAILAND TO GET IT INTO EUROPE BECAUSE OF THE RECIPROCAL TRADE BARRIERS. YOU KNOW, WE SAW THIS IN 1930 WITH THE SMOOTH HAULING TARIFFS THAT WERE TERRIBLE. SO CE THOSE ARE NOT PROTECTIONISTS. THAT'S ONE OF MANY REASONS WHY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF KAMALA HARRIS. THEY'RE NOT PROTECTIONISTS, THEY'RE NOT ISOLATIONIST, THEY'RE NOT XENOPHOBIC, THEY'RE BIG BELIEVERS IN IMMIGRATION AND BIG BELIEVERS IN THE RULE OF LAW, WHICH IS WHY WE SEE SO MANY CEOS LINING UP AND NONE, NONE LINING UP OF MAJOR CEOS BEHIND, BEHIND DONALD TRUMP AND THAT YOU GO THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE LAST CENTURY, YOUR OLD PARTY, IT USED TO HAVE ROUGHLY HALF OF THE BUSINESS, MAJOR BUSINESS COMMUNITY WOULD SUPPORT THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE. IT CAME TO A STEAD STOP IN 2016. I HEAR YOU ON THE SLEEPER EFFECT. I ALSO THINK THOUGH THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE TARIFFS, I THINK PART OF THE REASON DONALD TRUMP LOVES TO TALK ABOUT TARIFFS IS IT SOUNDS VERY THEORETICAL TO YOUR POINT. PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THAT ACTUALLY IS GOING TO COME BACK TO THEM AS CONSUMERS. WHAT DO PEOPLE KNOW? THEY KNOW THAT THE COST OF HOUSING IS WAY TOO HIGH. THEY CAN BARELY AFFORD THEIR RENT FOR MOST PEOPLE. SIMONE IN MY AGE. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE EVER TO BE ABLE TO OWN A HOUSE IN THIS COUNTRY. THEY KNOW THAT THE COST OF CHILD CARE IS INSURMOUNTABLE. THEY KNOW THAT THEIR WAGES HAVE NOT INCREASED AT A RATE TO KEEP UP WITH THE RISING COST OF LIVING. THEY KNOW THAT THE GROCERY STORE WHEN WE ALL TALKED ABOUT THIS, YOU GO IN, YOU GET A HANDFUL OF THINGS AND YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A WEEK'S WORTH OF GROCERIES. THAT'S WHAT IS SALIENT TO PEOPLE. SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT PART OF WHAT THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN HAS DONE IS TALKED ABOUT ADDRESSING THOSE CHALLENGES THROUGH CORPORATE PRICE GOUGING THROUGH INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. LIKE HOW DO YOU MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE ON THOSE SPECIFIC ECONOMIC CONCERNS? SHE'S GOT TO TALK ABOUT INFLATION AND WRAP IT AROUND OTHER THINGS. THIS IS THE STRONGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD. THE WORLD BANK HAS JUST SAID THAT 80% OF THEIR GROWTH OUTLOOK FOR THE NEXT YEAR IS BASED ON THE STRENGTH OF THE US ECONOMY. AND THE GOLDMAN SACHS STUDY THOSE FAMOUS SOCIALISTS AT GOLDMAN SACHS, YOU KNOW, ENDORSE THIS AS THE GROWTH ECONOMY. YEAH, EXACTLY. AND, AND WITH THAT, WE SEE THAT UNEMPLOYMENT, WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT SINCE THIS LOW, SINCE, YOU KNOW, BONANZA WAS ON TV, WHICH NONE OF THE THREE OF YOU KNEW. BUT I USED TO WATCH THAT SHOW. I THINK MICHAEL IS FAMILIAR WITH THE FAMILY AND WE'RE GOOD, VERY GOOD EXTRA CREDIT, YOU KNOW, BUT BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION, THEY ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, CREATED 16 MILLION JOBS. TRUMP ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, LOST ABOUT ALMOST 2 MILLION JOBS. SO IT'S LIKE THE UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS ARE GREAT WAGE RATES ARE INCREASING FASTER THAN INFLATION. BUT WITH INFLATION, IT DID SOAR. SHE HAS TO ADMIT THAT. BUT WHY DID IT SOAR? IT SOARED ABOUT 9% WHEN THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION STARTED. WELL, GUESS WHAT? WE JUST HAD THE WORST RECESSION IN THE POST WORLD WAR I I ERA. THANKS TO THE FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT THE WAY HE HANDLED CRISIS, THE ECONOMY WENT OFF, THE CLIFF. PRICES WERE SO LOW. SO YOU COMPARE IT TO WHERE IT WAS OIL WAS ZERO. NEVER IN THE HISTORY OF HUMANITY HAS OIL BECAUSE IT WAS SO NOW THEY'RE GOING UP, BUT THEY'RE DOWN TO NOW 2.9%. AND THAT'S WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS ON INFLATION AND HE PUT $8 TRILLION ON THE BACK OF THE NEXT GENERATION. AN ADDITIONAL AND PEOPLE GLOSS PAST THAT NIKKI HALEY TRIED TO WARN AND REMIND EVERYBODY OF THAT, BUT THAT'S A BIG PART OF THE TAX CUTS THAT KAMALA HARRIS HAS IN MIND. I THINK IT'S A SMALL BUSINESSES AND FOR THE FAMILY THAT FAMILY SUPPORT ARE IN THERE FOR PEOPLE UNDER $400,000 WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, AND NOT TO HELP THE BILLIONAIRES BUT LESS. YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. AND I'M SO GLAD YOU BRING UP THE OPPORTUNITY, ECONOMY, SIMONE, THAT, THAT'S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT SHE STANDS FOR. IT'S NOT JUST THE POSITIVE SPIRIT BUT PUTTING THE NUMBERS BEHIND IT. IT WAS $5000 TO HELP START A BUSINESS. WHAT DOES THAT GET YOU NOW? $50,000? YEAH, EXACTLY. 50,000. THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY, THAT'S THE REAL DEAL THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. AND IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT MOVE AND EVERY ECONOMIST IS ENDORSING THAT IS A TERRIFIC PART OF, OF THE HARRIS WALSH AGENDA. SMALL BUSINESSES ARE TRULY, I THINK THE DRIVER OF OUR ECONOMY, LIKE WHEN PEOPLE THINK SMALL BUSINESSES, I THINK THEY THINK SMALL MOM AND POP SHOPS, BUT THERE ARE MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES THAT ARE STILL STILL QUALIFY AS SMALL BUSINESSES AND THAT IS RESTAURANTS. BUT THOSE ARE ALSO MEDIA COMPANIES, TECH COMPANIES, I MEAN, YOU NAME IT. SO THEY'RE JUST MICHAEL, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. YES. AND THEY'RE HIRING EVERYDAY INDIVIDUALS. THEY COULD BE A, ONE PERSON SHOP WITH AN ASSISTANT OR THEY COULD BE A 5060 PERSON SHOP WITH A PLANT. YOU KNOW, FLOOR. SO THAT'S SO IMPORTANT THOUGH. TOO BIG BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESS. I DON'T KNOW. YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY AT THE DNC. I WAS THERE TOO. WE SAW A BIG BUSINESS, SMALL BUSINESS. DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, OLD, YOUNG, EVERY GENDER AND ETHNICITY THAT COULD FIT IN THE ROOM. WAS THERE UP ON STAGE? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT KAMALA HARRIS DOES THAT SHE'S NOT GETTING CREDIT FOR, IS UNLIKE ANYBODY IN EITHER PARTY, SHE DOESN'T ENGAGE IN CLASS WARFARE. SHE'S NOT OUT VILIFYING BUSINESS LEADERS, LARGE OR SMALL, EITHER THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS. SHE WANTS TO WORK IT OUT, BRING THEM AROUND THE TABLE, WORK IT OUT. THAT'S SOMETHING WHICH IS UNUSUAL AND BUSINESS DIFFERENT. THAT PART OF IT IS NOBODY HAS TO COACH HER ON HOW TO REACH POPULATIONS THAT HAVE LACKED VOICE BEFORE, UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES AND SHE DOESN'T NEED EXPENSIVE POLITICAL. GOT IT. JOINING US NOW, DON CALLOWAY, HOST OF THE CAUCUS ROOM PODCAST AND CEO OF PINE STREET STRATEGIES REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST, SUSAN DEL PERCIO AND FORMER REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN DAVID JOLLY. BOTH ARE MS NBC POLITICAL ANALYSTS. THIS TEAM OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MY SUNDAY FAMILY. LET'S GET INTO THIS KIDS. WE HAVE UH WITH YOU JOHN FIRST. THIS BEING AN EXTREMELY TIGHT RACE HEADING INTO THE DEBATE. THE DEBATE. CAN YOU GIVE ME A SENSE OF THE STAKES FOR EACH CANDIDATE? OH, THEY'RE EXTREMELY HIGH FOR KAMALA HARRIS. KAMALA HARRIS HAS TO PRESENT A SUBSTANTIVE AGENDA AND SHE HAS TO SHOW CAPABILITY AND COMPETENCE. WE KNOW THAT SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. BUT WHAT SHE'S DEALING WITH ON THE OTHER SIDE IS A COMPLETELY UNHINGED OPPONENT WHO NOBODY KNOWS HOW HE WILL BEHAVE DURING THIS THING. AND IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT FOR HER TO PREPARE AS THOUGH HE WILL NOT BEHAVE AS THOUGH HE IS A CONVENTIONAL DEBATE CANDIDATE. YOU WON'T SAY, CAN I ASK YOU, HOW DOES SHE DO THAT? HOW DO YOU DO THAT, YOU KNOW, COME OFF IN A WAY THAT MAKES YOU LOOK SANE AND YOUR OPPONENT. NOT. UH AS MAYOR PETE SAID, EXCUSE ME, SECRETARY PETE SAID, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A SUPERHUMAN AMOUNT OF FOCUS. IT'S ALMOST LIKE GOING INTO, YOU KNOW, UH SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS GONNA BE A HORRIBLE ARGUMENT WITH YOUR WIFE. I'M NOT GONNA BE DISRESPECTFUL. I'M NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING OUT OF LINE. I CAN'T LOSE GROUND HERE, BUT I JUST HAVE TO STAY SANE AND STAY FOCUSED. KAMALA HARRIS'S JOB IS TO BE THE ADULT IN THE ROOM. AND ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ASKED LEADING UP TO PREPPING FOR THIS IS CAN SHE OVER PREPARE? THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS OVER PREPARING AGAINST THIS COMPLETELY WILD BEING THAT WE'LL SEE ON THE OTHER SIDE THERE, BUT SHE KNOWS HER RULES, SHE KNOWS HER AGENDA AND SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE PLANS TO DO IN HER ADMINISTRATION. IT'S BEST TO JUST COMMUNICATE THAT AND NOT CONTINUE TO PIVOT OR HAVE TO REACT TO HIM. SO IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF DISCIPLINE. THEY FOCUS ON COMMUNICATING HER AGENDA. SO IN THAT SAME NEW YORK TIMES POLL, SUSAN LIKELIHOOD TO SAY THEY TRUST HARRIS TO DO A BETTER JOB ON THE ISSUES LIKE ABORTION, DEMOCRACY AND THEY TRUST TRUMP MORE ON THE ECONOMY AND IMMIGRATION. WHAT ARE THE KEY ISSUES? YOU THINK THE CANDIDATES WILL HAVE TO HIT TO WIN OR LOSE? AND DOES EACH ONE HAVE TO DISCUSS TOPICS WHERE THE OTHER ONE HOLDS THE EDGE? WELL, THE MODERATORS WILL DEFINITELY BRING UP THESE TOPICS. I DON'T THINK THAT EITHER CANDIDATE WILL FOCUS IN SPECIFIC ANSWERS. ALTHOUGH HARRIS MORE WILL MORE LIKELY DO IT. WHAT THE CANDIDATES NEED TO DO IS TRUMP TO ACTUALLY GIVE INFORMATION, WHICH WILL BE IN STARK CONTRAST TO, TO HARRIS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'VE GOT TO HARRIS ESPECIALLY, HAS JUST GOT TO BE ABLE TO REACH OUT THROUGH THIS LENS TO THE VIEWERS TO THOSE FOLKS WHO DON'T REALLY KNOW HER, LET THEM KNOW WHO SHE IS. SHE HAD A GREAT LINE. UM, WHEN IT CAME UP ON, UH I BELIEVE THE CNN INTERVIEW, WHEN THEY TALKED ABOUT HER POSITION ON FRACKING, FRACKING CHANGING AND SHE SAID, BUT MY VALUES HAVEN'T VALUES IS A GREAT WORD FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT TO USE. AND I THINK SHE COULD ALSO REALLY GET UNDER TRUMP'S SKIN BY SAYING THINGS LIKE, WELL, THAT WASN'T A REAL ANSWER. NOW, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I WOULD DO SO TO REALLY KIND OF DUMB DOWN TRUMP'S RESPONSES WILL DO HER MORE GOOD, I THINK, THAN TO, AS SHE ADDRESSES IT AND I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT OVER REHEARSING. I THINK I AGREE WITH DON. SHE'S GOING TO COME OFF AS PREPARED AND READY TO GO AND HE'S TRUMP IS GOING TO MOST LIKELY LOOK LIKE HE'S FLANNELING ABOUT. YOU KNOW, WHAT DAVID REACT TO THAT, THE PROSPECT OF DUMBING DOWN DONALD TRUMP'S RESPONSES AND ALSO WHAT YOU THINK THE KEYS ARE TO VICTORY. TUESDAY NIGHT. I THINK THE WAY TO TREAT DONALD TRUMP IS TO BE DISMISSIVE. LOOK. I'M FASCINATED TO SEE WHAT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS DOES THAT THE DAYS PRECEDING IT, WE ALL GET TO OFFER OPINIONS AND THEN WE FIND OUT WHAT SHE DOES. I WOULD SUGGEST THIS. I THINK THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY FOR VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DONALD TRUMP. FOCUS THE NIGHT ON AN EXCHANGE WITH THE MODERATORS BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WITH THE MODERATORS TO PRESENT POLICY TO PRESENT YOUR RECORD. THEY'RE GOING TO PUSH BACK AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE THE MEASURE OF VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS WHEN MODERATORS PUSH BACK, ASK HER HARD QUESTIONS. IS THERE DAYLIGHT BETWEEN HARRIS AND BIDEN ON ANY ISSUES? WOULD SHE HAVE DONE SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY? BE PREPARED FOR A CONVERSATION WITH THE MODERATORS AND ALMOST IGNORE DONALD TRUMP. HE'S A CONVICTED CRIMINAL, WHO'S A LIAR, WHO'S BOORISH, RACIST AND XENOPHOBIC AND WHO'S YOU CAN'T TRUST OR TAKE SERIOUSLY. SO DON'T TRY TO WRESTLE THAT ALLIGATOR IF YOU WILL BECAUSE ONE ON ONE REALLY, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GET NOTHING OUT OF A CONTEST BETWEEN TRUMP AND PARIS ON THE DEBATE STAGE. BUT I THINK YOU COULD HAVE A VERY THOUGHTFUL FORWARD LOOKING EXCHANGE WITH MODERATORS AND IF SHE PULLS SOMETHING LIKE THAT OFF, TRUMP WILL LOOK LIKE THE EXTRA ON THE SET IRRELEVANT TO THE NIGHT'S CONVERSATION. WHAT ABOUT SUSAN? WHAT WE'VE HEARD THAT THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTED IN THE RULES SPECIFICALLY THAT THE MUTED MICS ARE THERE AND THERE'S GOING TO BE NO AUDIENCE AND THAT THAT'S GOING TO BENEFIT TRUMP. IS THERE A WAY THAT SHE CAN TURN THAT INTO A WIN FOR HER? I MEAN, IS IT A DISADVANTAGE FOR HER? I DON'T THINK IT'S A DISADVANTAGE JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT SOMETHING AND YOU DON'T GET, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GOING IN DOWN, SHE KNEW WHAT THE RULES WERE OR THAT, THAT JOE BIDEN HAD ACCEPTED. MY GUESS IS DONALD TRUMP JUST DIDN'T WANT HER GIVE HER ANYTHING LIKE THE OPEN MICS MOSTLY BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO SHOW WEAKNESS IN HIS, YOU KNOW, DERANGED MIND, BUT NONE OF THIS WILL, WILL STAND IN HER WAY. SHE'S MUCH MORE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH A CHANGE IN TRADITIONAL DEBATE THAN DONALD TRUMP IS CERTAINLY. SO I THINK SHE GOES IN, WHEN THEY MADE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT, SHE SAID, OK, THIS NEXT, WHAT DO WE DO? AND THEY, THEY WORKED AROUND IT. DAVID, THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS REPORTED THAT IN PRIVATE, TRUMP HAS TOYED REPEATEDLY WITH DROPPING OUT OF THE DEBATE WHICH IS BEING HOSTED BY ABC NEWS IT'S ONE OF HIS LEAST FAVORITE NETWORKS AND THAT'S THEIR QUOTE. IS THERE STILL A RISK THAT HE DOESN'T SHOW UP? WHAT DO YOU THINK? AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK YOU, DON THE SAME THING, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES THAT HAPPENS? I THINK HIS NARCISSISM WILL REQUIRE THAT HE'S THERE. BUT I THINK THE FACT THAT HE'S TOYING WITH, THE IDEA SUGGESTS THAT HE KNOWS HE HAS NOTHING TO GAIN. DONALD TRUMP IS GOING TO FINISH THIS RACE AT 46 OR 47%. THERE'S NOTHING LEFT FOR DONALD TRUMP TO DO IN THE LAST 60 DAYS EXCEPT TRY TO ATTACK VICE PRESIDENT HARRISON VERY VILE WAYS. AND DONALD TRUMP'S MIND, ODDLY, AS A CANDIDATE, HE THINKS IF HE'S THE ONE IN THE NEWS CYCLE, HE'S GAINING GROUND, THAT'S NOT TRUE. HE HAS NO GROUND TO GAIN. BUT I THINK THAT NARCISSISTIC PULL OF HIM THINKS IF I SKIP THE DEBATE, I'LL BE THE NEWS STORY THE NEXT DAY, BUT HE WON'T GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT. ZERO, NOTHING. AND HE ALSO PROBABLY REALIZES AS DON SAID THAT THE UPSIDE FOR VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS ON TUESDAY NIGHT IS JUST ENORMOUS TO INTRODUCE HERSELF ONCE AGAIN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. OK. WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK, DON IN TERMS OF HIM SKIPPING IT? I MEAN, THE NARCISSISM ASIDE, IF DAVID'S RIGHT AND HE'S GONNA GET 46 47% NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES. WHY SHOULD HE DEBATE? WELL, WE'VE HEARD THAT NOT ONLY DOES HE NOT WANT TO PUT, DOES HE WANT TO POTENTIALLY DROP OUT OF THE DEBATE? BUT HE PROBABLY DOESN'T EVEN REALLY WANT TO RUN IN THIS ELECTION. HIS EGO WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO BE BEATEN BY A WOMAN TO BE BEATEN BY A BLACK WOMAN OR FRANKLY, TO JUST LOOK MUCH WORSE ON THE STAGE THAN HE WILL IF HE GOES BY THE RULES AND IF HE BEHAVES LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN BEING, AND I THINK THAT DAVID JUST SPOKE TO A LARGER POINT THAT HE AND SUSAN HAVE BEEN MAKING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS SINCE KAMALA HARRIS HAS BEEN NAMED THE NOMINEE. DONALD TRUMP IS CAPPED OUT. DONALD TRUMP HAS HIT HIS CEILING AND KAMALA HARRIS HAS NOT HIT HER CEILING IN A WAY THAT BODES WELL FOR HER VERY WELL OVER THE NEXT 60 DAYS AND REALLY BADLY FOR HIM, HE HAS NOTHING TO GAIN FROM THE DEBATE BECAUSE HE REALLY HAS NOTHING TO GAIN THROUGH THE REST OF THE ELECTION. THERE IS 45% OF AMERICANS WHO ARE STEADFASTLY GONNA VOTE FOR DONALD TRUMP. KAMALA HARRIS' JOB IS TO ORGANIZE DEMOCRATS GROW THE SIZE OF DEMOCRATS BEFORE INDIVIDUAL STATES REGISTRATION DEADLINES AND TO WORK ON THOSE PERSUADABLES IN THE MIDDLE WITH EVERYDAY KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES THAT SHE CAN LARGELY RELY ON HER SUCCESSES FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, BUT ALSO LAY, LAY OUT A SUBSTANTIVE PLAN WHICH WE KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S NOT GONNA DO. BUT THE BIG TAKEAWAY IS THAT HE PROBABLY DOESN'T WANT TO DEBATE BECAUSE YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. HE'S MAXED OUT ON HIS COALITION. HM. OK. UH, I'M GONNA ASK EACH OF YOU FINAL THOUGHTS ON A WEDNESDAY MORNING HEADLINE. LADIES FIRST, SUSAN. UH, TRUMP FLOWS HARRIS WINS. OH, THAT'S A GOOD ONE. OK, DAVID. YOUR THOUGHTS, DONALD TRUMP LARGELY IRRELEVANT FOR THE NIGHT. WOOF. OK. WRAP IT UP. DON HARRIS WINS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY NOT REFLECTED IN POLLING. OH, OK. I THINK ALL VERY LIKELY. AS A MATTER OF FACT, GUYS, GOOD TO SEE YOU AS ALWAYS. I LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT WEEK AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. THANK YOU. SO THEY'RE BELOVED IN RIGHT WING CIRCLES. THEY HAVE AMASSED MILLIONS OF FOLLOWERS AND THEY'RE AMONG DONALD TRUMP'S MOST VOCAL SUPPORTERS. BUT AS IT TURNS OUT, THEY WERE ALSO BEING PAID BY RUSSIA. SIX CONSERVATIVE INFLUENCERS ARE MAKING HEADLINES AFTER IT WAS REVEALED THAT THEY WERE PART OF A COVERT KREMLIN SPONSORED CAMPAIGN TO INFLUENCE POLITICS INSIDE THE UNITED STATES. THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INDICTMENT THIS WEEK OF TWO OPERATIVES WITH RUSSIAN STATE TV, WHO ALLEGEDLY FUNNELED NEARLY $10 MILLION OF LAUNDERED MONEY INTO A TENNESSEE BASED MEDIA OUTLET, WHICH IS BASICALLY USED AS A FRONT COMPANY TO SPREAD KREMLIN PROPAGANDA INSIDE THE UNITED STATES. NOW AS NBC NEWS REPORTS, THAT COMPANY FITS THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RIGHT WING START UP TENET MEDIA. AND WHILE IT MAY NOT SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU, THE NAME OF THAT MEDIA COMPANY, THE ROSTER OF COMMENTATORS THEY HIRED FOR THIS ALLEGED RUSSIA SCHEME WERE ALREADY BRAND NAMES IN CONSERVATIVE MEDIA, INCLUDING RIGHT WING RAGE POSTERS, LIKE TIM POOLE AND BENNY JOHNSON. YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THEIR NAMES ON TWITTER. ONE COMMENTATOR'S CONTRACT REQUIRED THEM TO PRODUCE FOUR WEEKLY VIDEOS IN EXCHANGE FOR $400,000 A MONTH PLUS BONUSES. THAT'S ABOUT $5 MILLION A YEAR FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T HAVE A CALCULATOR. NOW, TO BE CLEAR, THE INDICTMENT DOESN'T SAY THAT THEY KNEW THEY WERE ON RUSSIA'S PAYROLL. IN FACT, IT DOES SAY THAT TWO OF THE SIX COMMENTATORS WERE DECEIVED NOR HAVE THEY BEEN ACCUSED OF CRIMINAL WRONGDOING AT THIS POINT TO BORROW A PHRASE FROM RUSSIAN SPYCRAFT. THOUGH THESE FOLKS WERE MOST LIKELY JUST USEFUL IDIOTS, UNWITTING ACCOMPLICES WHO CASHED FAT PAYCHECKS AND DIDN'T ASK ENOUGH QUESTIONS SINCE THE INDICTMENT. FIVE OF THOSE SIX COMMENTATORS HAVE RELEASED STATEMENTS, SOME HAVE DEFENDED THE CONTENT THEY CREATED AS THEIR OWN IDEAS, SOME HAVE CLAIMED TO BE VICTIMS AND MOST HAVE DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCHEME PRETTY CATEGORICALLY, BUT ALL OF THAT DOESN'T MATTER THAT MUCH NOW. I MEAN, A LOT OF THE DAMAGE HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT THEIR POLITICAL VIEWS ARE SO WARPED. THEY WERE WILLING, APPARENTLY WILLING TO DELIVER WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY PRO RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA ON THEIR OWN ACCORD. THIS IS PSYCHOTIC. UKRAINE IS THE ENEMY OF THIS COUNTRY. UKRAINE IS OUR ENEMY. THE UKRAINE OPERATION IS LIKE CLEARLY SOMETHING THAT IS BEING RUN TO ENRICH OUR ELITES AND ALSO OF COURSE, TO GIVE UNACCOUNTABLE MOUNTAINS OF CASH TO SOME OF THE MOST EVIL PEOPLE ON EARTH. AWESOME DUDES. WE'RE SUBSIDIZING SMALL BUSINESSES IN UKRAINE. SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO RUN UKRAINE ARE DRIVING AROUND IN BENTLEYS AND SOME OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE CARS IN EUROPE. UKRAINE IS THE GREATEST THREAT TO THIS NATION AND TO THE WORLD. WE SHOULD RESCIND ALL FUNDING AND FINANCING, PULL OUT ALL MILITARY SUPPORT AND WE SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO RUSSIA. I MEAN, GIVEN ALL THOSE IDEAS, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WHY RUSSIA WOULD THINK OF THEM AS ASSETS. OF COURSE, ALL OF THIS RAISES THE VERY PLAUSIBLE QUESTION OF WHETHER OTHER RIGHT WING PUNDITS ARE SECRETLY ON RUSSIA'S PAYROLL, WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT. BUT WE'RE ALSO LEARNING THAT WHEN IT COMES TO RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE, THIS IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. JOINING ME NOW IS DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN, DAN GOLDMAN OF NEW YORK. SO I WANT TO GET TO ALL OF THE EVENTS HAPPENING. BUT FIRST YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTISE IN THIS AND AS PART OF UNDERSTANDS, I WANT TO START THERE. I MEAN, IT'S SIGNIFICANT. I THINK THAT DOJ IS CRACKING DOWN ON THIS IN ADVANCE OF THE ELECTION. IT DOES FEEL LIKE AND YOU'VE STUDIED THIS CLOSELY THEIR TACTICS. THE KREMLIN'S TACTICS ARE ALSO THE MORE SOPHISTICATED THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST IN TERMS OF HOW THEY'RE TRYING TO SPREAD DISINFORMATION. A LOT OF IT IS ALREADY OUT THERE EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A CRACKDOWN, HOW CONCERNED AND KIND OF EYES WIDE OPEN SHOULD PEOPLE BE OUT THERE WHO ARE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN INACCURATE, ACCURATE INFORMATION AND WHAT'S BEING PUSHED OUT THERE THROUGH THESE SOURCES. IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE NOT ONLY WHAT THE DOJ RELEASED THIS WEEK, WHICH WAS INCREDIBLY BRAZEN AND WAS FULSOME AND SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO RELEASE SUCH DETAILED INFORMATION. BUT IT IS PART OF THIS TRANSPARENT EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT RUSSIA IS TRYING TO ONCE AGAIN INFILTRATE OUR ELECTION FOR THE BENEFIT OF ONE CANDIDATE. IN THIS CASE, DONALD TRUMP, THEY DID IT IN 2016 IN A WAY THAT NO ONE REALLY EXPECTED. BUT THE WAY THAT THEY DID IT WAS TO USE THEIR OWN FAKE BOTS AND THEIR OWN FAKE NEWS SITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS OR INDIVIDUALS. NOW, WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS THEY RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE IF THEY CAN FUNNEL THEIR PROPAGANDA, THEIR DISINFORMATION THROUGH TRUSTED INFLUENCERS IN THIS COUNTRY. AND THAT'S WHAT IS SO STARTLING ABOUT THIS CASE IS YOU HAVE THESE TWO FAR RIGHT, NOVICES WHO STARTED A MEDIA COMPANY, THEY GOT PAID $10 MILLION BY RUSSIA TO PARROT RUSSIA PROPAGANDA. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE TWO HEADS OF THIS TENET MEDIA AND IT STILL REMAINS TO BE SEEN. WHAT KIND OF EVIDENCE THERE IS AS TO WHETHER THESE SOCIAL INFLUENCERS KNEW THAT THEIR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER EPISODE THAT THEY WERE BEING PAID BY THIS NASCENT COMPANY CAME FROM RUSSIA OR NOT. BUT AS YOU POINTED OUT, WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS EXPLICIT RUSSIA PROPAGANDA. THE IDEA THAT UKRAINE A DEMOCRACY IN EUROPE THAT WAS INVADED BY A DICTATOR, VLADIMIR PUTIN IS THE ENEMY OF THIS COUNTRY IS SO PREPOSTEROUS. AND I FEEL BAD FOR RONALD REAGAN WHO MUST BE ROLLING IN HIS GRAVE TO SEE THIS REPUBLICAN PARTY RALLY AROUND VLADIMIR PUTIN. YES, IT'S CRAZY. THE, THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE. LET ME QUICKLY JUST ASK YOU. I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU TOUCHED ON WE RIGHT NOW, DON'T KNOW THAT THEY KNEW. WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY KNEW OR NOT. DO YOU FEEL LIKE IS YOUR GUT THAT THEY WERE USEFUL IDIOTS AS THEY SAY IN RUSSIAN STATE CRAFT OR THAT IT'S POSSIBLE, COULD THERE BE ANOTHER SHOE THAT DROPS HERE? THERE ABSOLUTELY COULD BE ANOTHER SHOE THAT DROPS. I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE HEADS OF THIS MEDIA COMPANY KNEW BECAUSE THEIR ENTIRE FUNDING WAS FROM RUSSIA AND THAT'S HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO PAY THESE PEOPLE. AND SO THERE'S A LOT MORE TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT THAT RELATIONSHIP. IT IS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THESE INFLUENCERS DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE SOURCE OF THE MONEY, THEY WERE JUST GETTING PAID BY TENANT MEDIA AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW. BUT IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THERE WERE COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT WHAT MESSAGES THEY SHOULD BE PROMOTING. AND THAT IS WHAT'S SCARY AND IT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG OF THE REPUBLICANS' EFFORTS TO UNDERMINE OUR DEMOCRACY TO ALLOW FOREIGN INTERFERENCE FOR THEIR OWN POLITICAL GAIN. AND SO THAT THEY CAN THEN TAKE DOWN THE RULE OF LAW, TAKE DOWN OUR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS IMPLEMENT PROJECT 2025 WHICH WOULD BE ALLOW DONALD TRUMP TO BE A TRULY AUTHORITARIAN DICTATOR WITHOUT ANY KIND OF CHECKS AND BALANCES. THIS IS ALL PART OF THE PLAN, THE SUBCOMITTEE, THE WEAPONIZATION SUBCOMITTEE. I SIT ON IN CONGRESS, THE ENTIRE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO CHILL ANY GOVERNMENT EFFORTS. LIKE WHAT WE SAW WITH THE DOJ DO FROM GETTING INVOLVED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM WITH SOCIAL MEDIA SITES SO THAT RUSSIA CAN DO THIS. WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT 45 SECONDS LEFT BUT THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON. I WANT TO ASK YOU JUST, THERE'S A DEBATE COMING UP IN TWO DAYS. WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTATION AND HOPE FOR WHAT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS DOES IN THAT DEBATE? WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE NEED TO SEE FROM HER IN THAT DEBATE? LOOK AS A FORMER PROSECUTOR. SHE CAN MAKE THE CASE, SHE CAN MAKE THE CASE ABOUT HER. SHE CAN MAKE THE CASE ABOUT THE DANGER OF DONALD TRUMP. AND SHE'S A VERY STRONG, POWERFUL WOMAN WHO HAS A KNACK FOR GETTING UNDER DONALD TRUMP'S SKIN AND I EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO WANT TO KNOW IS HER POLICIES AND SHE'S GOING TO HAVE TO LAY THAT OUT. BUT LET'S REMEMBER, WE NEED TO HAVE A DEMOCRACY IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT POLICIES AND WHAT YOU SEE FROM DICK CHENEY AND LIZ CHENEY, TWO VERY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS WHO DISAGREE ALMOST ON EVERY POLICY MATTER WITH KAMALA HARRIS COMING OUT AND SUPPORTING HER BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT A LOT MORE THAN POLICY. IT IS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY AND OUR DEMOCRACY. AND I HOPE SHE WILL EMPHASIZE THAT ON TUESDAY, WE NEED A DEMOCRACY TO IMPLEMENT POLICY VERY WELL STATED. CONGRESSMAN DAN GOLDMAN, ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU JOINING ME NOW, JAMIE HARRISON, CHAIR OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE, MR CHAIRMAN. UH WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. FIRST OF ALL TONIGHT, LE LET'S START WITH TUESDAY'S PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IN PHILADELPHIA. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT IN HER FACE TO FACE, MEETING WITH TRUMP? AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE SHE AVOIDS WELL, R REV IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO BE WITH YOU. YOU KNOW, I HOPE SHE REALLY PAINTS THE CONTRAST FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BECAUSE ELECTIONS ARE ABOUT A CHOICE. AND IN THIS ELECTION, WE HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN THE FUTURE AND THE PAST, HOPE VERSUS FEAR, UH JOY VERSUS HATE, PROGRESS VERSUS CHAOS. UH KAMALA HARRIS REPRESENTS THE WHOLE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SHE KNOWS THAT AMERICA'S BETTER DAYS AREN'T IN AMERICA'S PAST BUT ARE IN HER FUTURE AND, AND, AND IT'S THAT PAST THAT DONALD TRUMP WANTS TO HARKEN BACK TO WHAT HE WANTS TO GET BACK TO AND WE KNOW THAT THE PAST HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN GOOD FOR ALL OF US IN AMERICA. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN THIS COUNTRY SO THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, ALL OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF YOUR BACKGROUND, GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM. THAT'S THAT OPPORTUNITY ECONOMY THAT KAMALA HARRIS IS FOCUSING ON. THAT'S WHAT SHE'S BUILDING RIGHT NOW. AND SO WHAT I HOPE SHE DOES IS PAINT THAT CONTRACT. LET'S FOCUS ON TALKING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. LEAVE ALL OF THE DONALD TRUMP NONSENSE ALONE BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T MATTER. BUT ALSO LISTEN IN THESE DEBATES. AND THE THING THAT I LEARNED IN MY DEBATES WITH LINDSEY GRAHAM IS THAT YOU ALWAYS WANT TO LISTEN BECAUSE THE OTHER SIDE'S GONNA GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY AND IT'S THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AS YOU KNOW. WELL, UH R THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE IT BREAK OR WIN OR LOSE AND, AND UH A DEBATE AND THEREFORE AN ELECTION. NO, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. LET ME GO TO THIS, THE, THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN AND THE DNC ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK THAT THEY WILL DONATE NEARLY $25 MILLION TO DOWN BALLOT DEMOCRATS, 10 MILLION APIECE FOR HOUSE RACES AND SENATE RACES, NEARLY 3 MILLION FOR STATE LEGISLATIVE RACES AND 1 MILLION IN A PIECE TO ELECT DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS AND STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL. OBVIOUSLY, THIS SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN'S ABILITY TO SHARE RESOURCES AFTER WEEKS OF FRANKLY RECORD FUNDRAISING. BUT WHAT DOES THE TIMING AND THE SHEER AMOUNT OF THIS DONATION SAY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE DOWN BALLOT RACES. WELL, REV THIS IS REALLY A CONTINUATION OF WHAT JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS DID IN THE MIDTERMS. WORKING WITH THE DNC. WE GAVE OVER. IT TRANSFERRED OVER 20 SOME ODD MILLION DOLLARS TO THE D TRIPP AND THE DS IN THE MIDTERMS. IT IS PART OF HOW WE BEAT BACK THAT RED WAVE AND WE KNEW THAT IT WORKED. WE SAW THAT IT WORKED. AND SO WE'RE CONTINUING THAT RIGHT NOW TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE TOP OF THE TICKET. IF YOU WANT TO GOVERN AND GOVERN IN A WAY TO REALLY GET THINGS DONE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. IT CAN'T JUST BE ABOUT WINNING THE WHITE HOUSE. YOU ALSO HAVE TO HAVE CONGRESS, THE, THE HOUSE, THE SENATE, YOU GOT TO HAVE GOVERNORS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE UH STATE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS, YOU GOT TO HAVE ATTORNEY GENERALS. AND SO OUR FOCUS IS THAT WE WENT UP AND DOWN THAT TICKET, NOT JUST ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE, BUT UP AND DOWN THAT TICKET. THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO DO THIS EARLY SO THAT THE MONEY COULD BE UTILIZED TO BUILD OUT THE GRASSROOTS OPERATIONS THAT ARE NECESSARY. UM BUT IT'S ALSO TO GIVE CONFIDENCE TO OUR FOLKS THAT WE ARE STANDING WITH THEM UH IN THESE VERY, VERY CRUCIAL ELECTIONS. AND I'M HEARING A LOT OF THAT HERE, I'M IN HOUSTON, TEXAS TODAY, BUT LET'S STAY WITH THAT. THE LATEST FEC FILINGS FROM THE END OF JULY SHOWED THAT THE DNC HAD RAISED NEARLY $317 MILLION THIS ELECTION CYCLE. WHILE THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE HAS RAISED NEARLY 291 MILLION WITH DEMOCRATS ENJOYING A CASH ADVANTAGE GOING INTO LAST MONTH. THIS WEEKEND, THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN REPORTED THAT IT PULLED IN MORE THAN $360 MILLION IN AUGUST NEARLY THREE TIMES WITH THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN REPORTED FOR THE MONTH AND COMING FROM A DIVERSE GRASSROOTS COALITION OF NEARLY 3 MILLION DONORS. ABOUT A THIRD OF THEM GIVING TO HARRIS FOR THE FIRST TIME. 60% WOMEN AND 20% REPUBLICANS ARE INDEPENDENTS. WHAT DO THESE NUMBERS TELL YOU ABOUT DEMOCRATS? FINANCIAL STRENGTH GOING INTO THIS CAMPAIGN HOME STRETCH. WELL, REV WHAT IT SAYS IS THAT THE ENTHUSIASM AND THE MOTIVATION IS ON OUR SIDE. A LOT OF THIS MONEY IS GRASSROOTS DONATIONS COMING FROM UH GRANDMAS AND GRANDPAS, AUNTS AND UNCLES GIVING THE 5 $10 HERE AND THERE. AND THE OTHER ADVANTAGES THAT WE HAVE OVER THE REPUBLICANS. YES, WE'RE RAISING MORE MONEY THAN THEM. YES, WE HAVE MORE CASH ON HAND THAN THEM. BUT ALSO WE HAVE A BETTER INTEREST STRUCTURE ON THE GROUND, GRASSROOTS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE LAST 3.5 YEARS. THE DNC HAS BEEN WORKING WITH JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS AND NOW THAT KAMALA HARRIS AHEAD OF OUR, OUR, THE, OUR NOMINEE ON BUILDING A GRASSROOTS OPERATIONS IN THESE BATTLEGROUND STATES AND REV THESE ARE THE SAME BATTLEGROUND STATES IN THE MIDTERM AND WE KNEW THAT WE COULDN'T TEAR ALL THIS DOWN. WE HAD TO BUILD IT UP AND TO HAVE IT LONG TERM. NOW, THE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO OPEN UP OFFICES. BUT THE ONE THING WE KNOW IN POLITICS, YOU DON'T GET TIME BACK, YOU CAN RAISE MORE MONEY, YOU CAN HIRE MORE PEOPLE, BUT YOU NEVER GET TIME BACK. WE HAVE USED THIS TIME EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY TO BUILD A TOPNOTCH OPERATION THAT I BELIEVE IN THIS VERY CLOSE ELECTION IS GOING TO BE THE DIFFERENCE MAKER. AND SO I'M REALLY, REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. NOW, DESPITE PREVIOUSLY WORKING FOR HIS ADMINISTRATION, FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA, GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY SPENT MOST OF HER ABORTED CAMPAIGN FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION DEFINING HERSELF IN OPPOSITION TO DONALD TRUMP. THEN SHE ENDORSED HIM AFTER DROPPING OUT. BUT WITH LESS THAN TWO MONTHS TO GO, SHE STILL WON'T SAY WHETHER OR NOT SHE THINKS HE'S A GOOD CANDIDATE ONLY CONCEDING THAT HE IS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE. TAKE A LISTEN TO THIS. A IS IT THE BEST USE OF HIS TIME? AND WHAT IS THE MESSAGE TO FEMALE VOTERS TO BE GOING THROUGH THIS AGAIN? WELL, I THINK THE FOCUS FOR ME IS ON POLICY, YOU KNOW, I THINK HE'S A CANDIDATE. NO, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID, LOOK, IF I THOUGHT BIDEN OR TRUMP WERE GREAT CANDIDATES, I WOULDN'T HAVE RUN FOR PRESIDENT. I RAN BECAUSE I THOUGHT I COULD DO A BETTER JOB. I THINK HE'S A GOOD CANDIDATE. I THINK HE IS THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE AND I THINK PUT HIM AGAINST KAMALA HARRIS WHO'S A DEMOCRAT NOMINEE FOR ME? IT'S NOT A QUESTION. NOW, DO I AGREE WITH HIS STYLE? DO I AGREE WITH HIS APPROACH? DO I AGREE WITH HIS COMMUNICATIONS? NO, NO, MR CHAIRMAN WW, WHAT DO YOU TAKE FROM HALEY'S UNENTHUSIASTIC ASSESSMENT OF HER PARTY'S NOMINEE? WELL, REV, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF HYPOCRITES UH IN POLITICS AND I, I CAN TELL YOU THAT NIKKI HALEY IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PERSON WHO ALLOWED DONALD TRUMP TO DEMONIZE HER HUSBAND SERVING OVERSEAS. I MEAN, HE CALLED THEM ALL KINDS OF THINGS. AND THIS IS THE SAME PERSON WHO BELIEVED THAT DONALD TRUMP WOULD NOT FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES IF HE GOT ELECTED PRESIDENT AND NOW SHE'S GOING TO VOTE FOR HIM AND ENDORSE HIM. LISTEN, I, I UNDERSTAND PARTY POLITICS BUT IN THE END OF THE DAY, NOTHING TRUMPS AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND STANDING UP TO DO THE RIGHT THING, NIKKI HALEY HAS NEVER UNDERSTOOD THAT. HE'S NEVER, SHE'S NEVER HAD CORE VALUES TO JUST DO THE RIGHT THING. SHE'S LIKE A, A WEATHER VEIN OR SOMETHING. SHE BLOWS IN THE WIND AND SHE GOES WHEREVER THE WIND BLOWS HER. BUT IN THE END OF THE DAY, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SEE THROUGH ALL OF US AND SHE HAS DISAPPOINTED SO MANY PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR HER IN THE PRIMARY WHO THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS A PERSON OF CONVICTION AND SHE HAS SHOWN THAT SHE'S JUST UH SOMEBODY WHO IS TRYING TO BE IMPORTANT IN POLITICS. AND THAT'S THE SAD STATEMENT. UH IN THE CLOSING CHAPTER, I THINK TO NIKKI HALEY'S POLITICAL CAREER, THE BROADWAY FOR HARRIS COALITION IS ROLLING OUT WEEKLY PHONE BANKS AND CANVASSING TRIPS IN SUPPORT OF THE HARRIS WALTS PRESIDENTIAL TICKET. THE COALITION CONSISTS OF OVER 50 BROADWAY STARS WORKING TO INCREASE VOTER PARTICIPATION IN SWING DISTRICTS HOLD FUNDRAISERS FEATURING BROADWAY TALENT ALL TO ELECT KAMALA HARRIS AND TIM WALLS, DRAMA DESK, TONY GRAMMY AND EMMY AWARD WINNING ACTOR, BILLY PORTER. I SAID IT, BILLY PORTER IS A PART OF THE BROADWAY FOR HARRIS COALITION AND JOINS US RIGHT HERE AT THE TABLE ON THE WEEKEND. WELCOME. THANK YOU. IS THE OSCAR, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON IT. YOU KNOW, THE WORK WILL COME WHEN IT'S TIME, BUT WE GOT SOME WORK TO DO RIGHT NOW. TELL US ABOUT THE YEAH, BROADWAY FAIR IS A COALITION OF UM ALL OF US BROADWAY FOLKS COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AND WALLS ARE ELECTED SO THAT DEMOCRACY CAN SURVIVE, NOT JUST DEMOCRACY. YOU SAID SOMETHING I THOUGHT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL. YOU SAID HUMANITY IS ON THE BALLOT. YES, HUMANITY IS ON THE BALLOT. AND AS A PERSON, YOU KNOW, AS A GAY BLACK CHRISTIAN MAN IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN THIS WORLD, UM YOU KNOW, MY RIGHTS HAVE BEEN UP FOR LEGISLATION SINCE THE MOMENT I COULD COMPREHEND THOUGHT. UM MY HUMANITY HAS AND, AND YOURS AND OURS HAS BEEN UP FOR LEGISLATION AND I'M TIRED OF IT. UM, IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE ANY SENSE AND IT'S NOT. OK. UM, AND THIS IS THE LAST HURRAH Y'ALL, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS ON THE BALLOT? IS DEMOCRACY OR NOT, PERIOD. IT'S IMPORTANT. WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION. RIGHT. IT'S LIKE THE STAKES ARE VERY, THE STAKES ARE HIGH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, UH, UH, UH, ANCIENT DEM DEMOCRATIC CIVILIZATIONS HAVE FALLEN AROUND 250 YEARS. ROME FELL Y'ALL. WE HAVE 248. WHAT IS IT GONNA BE PEOPLE? WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE? PAY ATTENTION AND GET OUT AND VOTE? I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT'S A CONVERSATION TO BEGIN WITH. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S LIKE THE FELON AGAINST THE PRO YOU KNOW, LIKE LET ME JUST SAY ONE THING THAT I DON'T THINK WE SAY ENOUGH. IF IT WAS A BLACK PERSON, IF IT WAS A BLACK PERSON, WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. IF IT WAS A WOMAN, WE WOULD NEVER BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. IF IT WAS A GAY PERSON, WE WOULD NEVER BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. IT IS DISGUSTING. YOU'VE COME TO THE RIGHT TABLE, SIR. I, I'M LOOKING FOR MY, I PACKED UP MY ITEM. I NEED TO GO GET MY, I NEED TO GO GET MY COLLECTION. IT SHIFTED AND WHAT YOU SAY BILL IS VERY IMPORTANT. UM AND PARTICULARLY THE CONNECT TO HUMANITY BECAUSE YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW A LOT OF FOLKS UM IN, IN THIS, IN THIS MAGA SPACE THAT WANT TO DECONSTRUCT OUR HUMANITY AND WE WANT TO RECREATE IT IN THE IMAGE OF ONE PERSON. AND WE WANT TO CREATE EVERYTHING WE DO AROUND ONE PERSON. WE HAVE MY PARTY. I'M STILL A MEMBER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MUCH TO THEIR CHAGRIN. BUT I SEE YOU, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT TAKING AWAY RIGHTS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHEN WE KNOW FUNDAMENTALLY THAT'S WHAT CONNECTS US TOGETHER. SO WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT, IT, IT DOES IN A VERY STARK RELIEF REMIND US OF WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE. IT IS ABOUT OUR HUMANITY. IT IS ABOUT OUR RIGHTS AND THIS, THIS COALITION OF, OF AMERICANS. YES, YOU'RE ALL ON BROADWAY. YES, YOU'RE, YOU'RE VERY POPULAR INDIVIDUALS. YOU'VE WON AWARDS AND EVERYTHING. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT AWARD DOES NOT DEFINE YOUR HUMANITY. THAT AWARD DOES NOT DEFINE YOUR RIGHTS, WHAT YOUR VOTE DOES. THAT'S WHERE, THAT'S WHERE THE STRENGTH OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE OUT THERE TALKING ABOUT AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE RECONNECTED TO. YES. AND IT'S ABOUT ADDRESSING THE CHAOS. IT'S ABOUT ADDRESSING THE DOUBLESPEAK. IT'S ABOUT UNDERSTANDING AND TRYING TO TEACH PEOPLE WHERE WE ARE FOR REAL. YOU KNOW, SO OFTEN WE WANT TO TURN A BLIND EYE OR OH, I'M NOT INTO POLITICS OR THAT'S, WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. YOU KNOW, NOT IN THIS MOMENT. IT'S NOT THE SAME AS IT'S BEEN EITHER IT'S NOT LIKE TWO SIDES HAVING A REAL DIALOGUE AND A CONVERSATION AND A COMPROMISE. YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS THIS TIME AROUND ONE OR THE OTHER, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT MESSAGE IS CLEAR, YOUR VOTE MEANS DEMOCRACY SURVIVES OR NOT. YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE HITLER OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AND THE REASON WHY THOSE, THOSE KINDS OF ENERGIES CAN FLOURISH IS DUE TO THE CHAOS IS DUE TO THE EXHAUSTION, YOU KNOW, YOU EXHAUST THE ELECTORATE, PEOPLE STOP PAYING ATTENTION. THEY, THEY FEEL OVERWHELMED. IT'S LIKE, OK, YOU CAN FEEL OVERWHELMED AND MAKE SURE YOUR LOW HIGHS GET TO THE POLLS ON NOVEMBER 5TH AND VOTE BLEW DOWN THE TICKET. I KNOW I'M PROBABLY NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SAYING THAT BECAUSE Y'ALL SUPPOSED TO BE IMPARTIAL IN FIVE. I DON'T WORK HERE. I CAN SAY THAT I AM NOT PERSONALLY A 501 C THREE. I CAN SAY IT. Y'ALL AIN'T GONNA GET IN TROUBLE BECAUSE I SAY IT. MAYBE YOU MAY HAVE HAD TO PLEAD THAT WHOLE THING. I DON'T KNOW YOU ON TV. YOU KNOW, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, BUT LIKE EVERYBODY'S ACTING LIKE THIS IS A REAL CYCLE LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING NORMAL, YOU KNOW, AND THIS BIPARTISAN, NO, IT NEEDS TO BE PARTISAN TODAY. WELL, I SEE WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE PARTISAN TODAY TODAY. ALICIA IS THIS THE THING SIMONE SAYS THAT YOU SAID. SO LITERALLY, YOU, YOU CELEBRATE, YOU TALKED TO THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER ON AUGUST 21ST, I BELIEVE AND, AND THE HEADLINE WAS BILLY PORTER CELEBRATES HARRIS WALLS BUT WARNS DEMOCRATS NOT TO FALL INTO THE TRAP OF COMPLACENCY. YOU TOLD THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER WHEN THEY GO LOW, OF COURSE, WE GO HIGH AND IT'S TIME FOR US TO RE EVALUATE WHAT GOING HIGH LOOKS LIKE IN THIS NEW WORLD ORDER. I LIKE TO SAY WHEN THEY GO, WHEN, WHEN THEY GO LOW, SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO GO TOE TO TOE, WELL, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO TOE TO TOE FOR REAL. AND I FEEL THERE'S JUST SO MUCH AND I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL THE TIME AND I'M EXHAUSTED, YOU KNOW, BUT THE ONE THING THAT I HOPE THAT WE HAVE LEARNED OVER THIS LAST ALMOST NINE YEARS IS THAT WE HAVE TO STAY ENGAGED ALWAYS. I THINK THIS CHANGE IS GONNA COME, IDEA HAS MADE. WELL, I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN, OH, THE CHANGES, THE CHANGES HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE HERE. WE GOT, WE GOT WOMEN'S RIGHTS, WE GOT, YOU KNOW, MARRIAGE EQUALITY, WE GOT CIVIL RIGHTS, WE GOT ROE V WADE. WE GOT, AND THEN WE GOT A BLACK PRESIDENT AND WE SAT ON THE SOFA AND BON BON FOR EIGHT YEARS AND DID NOT SHOW UP FOR THE WORK FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA. WE DID NOT, WE LEFT HIM OUT THERE WITH HIS PANTS DOWN, RIGHT. I HOPE WE HAVE LEARNED WHEN VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS AND WALLS WIN BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO, WE HAVE TO START SPEAKING THAT INTO EXISTENCE, WE HAVE TO START MANIFESTING THAT WHEN THEY WIN, WE HAVE TO SURROUND THEM AND LIFT THEM UP WITH ACTION. THE MIDTERMS CANNOT COME AROUND AND WE NOT SHOW UP TO THE POLLS AGAIN. I HOPE WE'VE LEARNED. IT'S, AND IF WE, AND IF WE, IT'S ALL CONNECTED AND IF WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S FOREVER, THEN WE, WE CAN TAKE BREAKS, YOU KNOW, THEN WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES. IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WERE ARRIVED SOMEWHERE AND IT'S OVER, THE CHANGE CAME AND THE CHANGE WENT Y'ALL. I'M ON BILLY PORTER. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY BISHOP BILLY, ER, THAT'S LIKE TO AMEND THE SERMON IF I COULD AND JUST SAY WHEN THEY GO LOW, YES, YOU CAN GO HIGH SO YOU CAN KNOCK THEM UPSIDE THE HEAD IN SOME COMMON SENSE. AND THE DOORS OF THE CHURCH AT THE WEEKEND ARE OPEN.