Off to the Races - podcast episode cover

Off to the Races

Oct 05, 202351 min
--:--
--:--
Listen in podcast apps:

Episode description

Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz delivers insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy.On this edition, Joe and Kailey speak with:

  • Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) about a Speaker-less House of Representatives.
  • Bloomberg Politics Contributor Rick Davis and ROKK Solutions Vice President Alvin Jordan about the race for Speaker of the House and some new polling data from the presidential campaign trail.
  • Morning Consult US Politics Analyst Eli Yokley about the state of the race for the White House.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

Speaker 1

We bring you news and analysis every day on the Sound On podcasts, but now you can get the latest news on demand whenever you want it. Subscribe to Bloomberg News Now to get the latest headlines at the click of a button. Get informed on your schedule. You can listen and subscribe to Bloomberg News Now on the Bloomberg Business app, Bloomberg dot com plus Apple, Spotify, and anywhere else you get your podcasts. Search Bloomberg News Now and subscribe Today.

Speaker 2

You're listening to the Bloomberg Sound On podcast. Catch us live weekdays at one Eastern.

Speaker 3

On Bloomberg dot com, the iHeartRadio app, and the Bloomberg Business App, or listen on demand wherever you get your podcasts.

Speaker 1

Day three with no permanent Speaker of the House and forty three days to a possible government shutdown. Welcome to the fastest show in politics. As the race for speaker gets underway in earnest, but the debate over funding the government is on ice because of all of this. We're joined ahead by Congressman Brad Sherman, the Democrat from California serves on Financial Services as well as the Foreign Affairs committees, and join those voting to remove Kevin McCarthy this week.

He'll be with us in just a moment. New fundraising numbers out from the Republican campaign trail, Donald Trump out raising Ronda Santis by threefold, and some members of the RNC are now questioning whether to have any more debates at all. We'll talk about it all with our panel, Bloomberg Politics contributor Republican strategist Rick Davis, joined today by

Democratic analyst Alvin Jordan from Rock Solutions. Little Friday, as we call it around here, and not a lot has changed from this time yesterday as we consider the lack of motion on Capitol Hill when it comes to not only funding our government but finding another Speaker of the House. As we prepare to talk this out with Brad Sherman,

we actually heard some advice from the other chamber. Republican leader Mitch McConnell loath to give advice to Kevin McCarthy, at least publicly during his tenure as speaker, and he clearly does not want to see this again.

Speaker 4

I have no advice the House Republicans except one. I hope whoever the next speaker is, gets rid of the motion to vacate I think it makes the Speaker's job impossible, and the American people expect us to have a functioning government.

Speaker 1

Get rid of the motion to vacate. That's where we begin our conversation with Congressman Brad Sherman. He's with us, of course, the Democrat from California. Back on Bloomberg. It's good to see you, sir, and I appreciate your time. I'd like to ask you about this entire process. But I wonder if you agree with Mitch McConnell you wait in back in January and the Speaker's fight, saying at

some point here Republicans need to work with Democrats. Can they do that while there's still a motion to vacate?

Speaker 5

I they will try to perhaps change the rules to get rid of the motion to vacate. I doubt Democrats will help them do that. When we take the majority in twenty twenty four, I'm sure we will not have a motion to vacate. But if they're going to ask us to help them change the rules, we've got a lot of rules that we think we ought to change.

Speaker 1

Well, there we go. So let's get into this just a little bit here. I wonder your thoughts first, of all on Republicans blaming Democrats for firing Kevin McCarthy. That's the narrative that we've been hearing from a lot of GOP lawmakers. Congressman, you voted to oust Kevin McCarthy.

Speaker 5

Every Democrat voted to vacate the chair. We don't think that Kevin McCarthy's a good speaker. We think a King Jeffries would be an excellent speaker. If we can't get him installed this year, we've got next year.

Speaker 1

What do you think is going to happen next week? And I know that you're looking at this from the Democratic side of the aisle, and nobody's consulting you right now on Jim Jordan versus Steve Scalise, But you know these individuals.

Speaker 5

I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being Scalise in the number one position and Jordan in the number two position. I also wouldn't be surprised if we have continuing chaos. But I think their craziest members may have gotten their pound of flesh. They may have and may be willing to abide by the tradition, which is, if your caucus selects a leader, you vote for that leader. For Speaker of the House. But if even five of their members don't decide to go along with that tradition.

We voted for Hakim Jeffries fifteen times last roll call back in January, and we're ready to do it again fifteen times or one hundred and fifteen times.

Speaker 1

And you'll be voting for Hakim Jeffries under this scene, according to many has been very disruptive and will be to the process of funding the government. Congressman, are you bracing for a shutdown on November seventeenth?

Speaker 6

Absolutely?

Speaker 5

I mean even if McCarthy had gotten what he wanted, what he wanted was to pass the resolution as crazy as people wouldn't vote for that slashed food for pregnant women and infants, that slashed federal aid to education around the country. That was what he wanted. Now you can imagine the Democrats and the Senate aren't going to take

that up. So I would suspect that we're going to have some very tough negotiations and the question will be whether any compromise is one a that a new Republican Speaker is willing to accept and be Maybe they moved to vacate the chair at their extremes because I can be sure nothing that can pass the Senate is going to get Gates to vote for it. So you need the only way to keep the government open is to have a speaker who's willing to put on the floor or bill that Gates won't vote for it.

Speaker 1

Congressman, I want to ask you about the economy and the trajectory of interest rates from your perch out of the Financial Services Committee. This is something we've discussed before, of course, the battle against inflation. We're hearing higher for Longer, and we spoke today on Bloomberg with Mary Daily and San Francisco Fed President. Here's what she said.

Speaker 7

My job as I see it, our job, as I see it, is not to tighten. Just do our part to watch financial conditions. Because monetary policy works. We raise the funds rate and it moves through all the other interest rates. If financial conditions are sufficiently tight, our work is not necessary because we don't need to boost them more.

Speaker 1

Where do you think we're going with this, Congressman, Higher for longer is the narrative right now, but we've seen this change on a dime. Depending on the trajectory of the economy tomorrow, we're going to get jobs numbers. Will that be another inflection point?

Speaker 5

It'll be another one. If I knew where interest rates were going, I wouldn't be on this TV show with you. I'd be on the phone with my broker. But I would say that the recent decline and oil prices will certainly help control inflation. Oil is not only what we pay at the pump, but it's based into the transportation cost of everything you buy. So I'm hoping that we can get inflation controlled without going higher for longer. But we'll see.

Speaker 1

You think the FED should hike again or start preparing for rate cuts. I think you've been pretty consistent on this, but the data prices have been stubborn.

Speaker 5

I think they have to be a data driven I have argued for a two point three percent target rather than a two percent target, But whichever target you have, it's still above that number. And it's so hard to manage the economy using interest rates when their main effect is months after you make the decision. It would be like driving a car where when you turn the wheel, you go half a mile before the Effectively.

Speaker 1

I can't talk to you without bringing up your favorite topic, which of course is crypto and we're watching the trial of Sam bankman Fried unfold. Heary, you wrote on Twitter, crypto bros will say SBF was one snake in a crypto garden of Eden. In truth, though crypto you say is a garden of snakes. You go on to write, while his ghost still roams the halls of Congress today he faces justice. How is his ghost still alive in Congress? Are you referring to donations that have gone unreturned?

Speaker 5

More than his advocacy for bills that would get the SEC out of the crypto world and provide only a patina of regulation through the CFTC. His goal, his reason for being here in this very building, the Rayburn Building, was to try to get the SEC out of crypto, and that in itself tells you we got to get the SEC more into crypto. This is a currency that has no advantage over the dollar except in its name.

It is literally hidden money. And when you see a New Jersey senator with gold bars and huge amounts of cash, you realize just how more efficient that would be in a crypto world where you don't need cash, you don't meet gold bars, you just have secret accounts. And on Hosted Wallace.

Speaker 1

I understand there's an eviction underway in the Capital. Congressman, I wonder your thoughts on Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer are losing their hideaway space one of the first actions, if not the first, taken by the new acting Speaker.

Speaker 5

Patrick McHenry, I think this is an incredibly petty move. It has no political benefit except within the Republican caucus where they can say, look, oh we just we just back down to Democratic leaders, and maybe that would make them feel good enough to unite behind a new speaker. But it's it's a really bad face for the Republican Party.

Speaker 1

Thanks for being back with us, Brad Sherman, Congressman from California. Here on Bloomberg Sound On, I'm Joe, Matthew and Washington. As we assemble our panel. Rick Davis is back with us today, Bloomberg Politics contributor of course and Republican strategists, joined as well by Alvin Jordan, vice president Rock Solutions

Democratic Analysts. Good to see both of you here. I wonder if you agree, Alvin, this idea of kicking Nancy Pelosi out of her quarters here hideaway as they call in the Capitol building, typically an honor reserve for a former speaker? Is this just the way the game is played? Now?

Speaker 8

I agree we've reached the point of you know, petty politics in that way. But if the long term goal is to you know, kind of consolidate and bring you know, the Republicans closer together, the hope would have to be, you know, beyond the petty is that this is something that will at least you know, start to align and combine forces in a way. So petty for sure, but if the long term goal is constructive, I think given all that we've seen, this is this is par for the course.

Speaker 1

Rick Davis, what do you think about the latest here? Are you surprised no new names have emerged that Republicans are. In fact, it appears coalescing around a race between Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan for Speaker.

Speaker 9

Yeah, I'm not surprised that other names have not emerged. I think that the two of them moved quickly and decisively into the vacuum that was created by the former speaker McCarthy's ouster. So if they had waited for the end of the week, let's say, to make this announcement that you might have seen other people testing the water, but their teams got out quick started calling members and rounding up support. So I think most people look at this and say, the question isn't like can we accommodate

other candidates in the field. I think the real question is can either of these candidates actually get to to eighteen. Everybody I've talked to today is having a hard time seeing how either one of them get to that number, and so it may be that we're premature and that these guys have to sort of play out the political scenario in their caucus, and if they can't get to to eighteen before the vote is taken, then maybe somebody else gets elevated to a compromise candidate of some kind.

But we're going to see how these two battle it out and see whether or not they can get to the magic number.

Speaker 1

Aids to Kevin McCarthy are calling lawmakers on Jim Jordan's behalf Alvin set a help or a hindrance after which just happened.

Speaker 8

I think it's all a hindrance at this point, to be completely honest, and on some level I think fair. The House Republicans at this point have shown that they are in complete disarray and don't have a real vision or path forward, and so honestly, I think we're getting to the point of, you know, I would like to see a news speaker all together. I don't think it would be an issue if we saw to say, and King Jeffrey's takeover as the speaker role, just because I

don't know how much faith Americans can actually have. Any of this back and forth is productive in that way.

Speaker 1

Rick, you know how to spread the word on Capitol Hill, you know how to whip votes, you know how to get support for something that the lawmaker is pushing. What's going to happen behind the scenes. Then most lawmakers are out of town over the next several days because on Monday it's going to be go time where these candidates are actually started to pitch their colleagues with formal final arguments before an election day.

Speaker 9

Yeah, it's a combination of geographic outreach. We know that both Scales and Jeffries Jefferts made presentations to the Texas delegation twenty five Republican members strong doing the same thing with other delegations that have high concentration of Republican members. But then they're also cross pressuring the five families, you know, the Republican Study Commission, the Freedom Caucus, you know, the

problem solver. I mean like there's a there's a whole outreach campaign going on with these folks on an ideological basis, which is interesting because neither one of these candidates Scalise are known to be real you know, players in any of these organizations, right, and so a lot of it is deal making amongst the five families who can get consolidation of votes right. You can't do it one by one.

It's just too big a problem. But there are some influential members like Kevin McCarthy, who is the only one who could garner two hundred and ten votes. Couldn't get to two eighteen, but he could get to two hundred and ten, and so having him call actually is I think a big advantage because there are a lot of people who wish he was still speaker and frankly wish he would run again. And maybe that's one of the scenarios, is that neither one of these guys can get to

that magic number, maybe he re enters the race. Who knows. I don't think anybody knows how this is going to turn out.

Speaker 1

Yet, That's why it's remarkable and I'm holding out for that to happen. Alvin, I don't know about you. I know you're a Democrat looking across the aisle. But if neither Scalise or Jordan get to two eighteen, we go another fifteen rounds. Let's say it's next Friday. Kevin McCarthy's sitting there with his arms folded smirking. Then what.

Speaker 8

I mean. On the one hand, I have to say, uh, like, kudos for him to be in a position to where we could even look over at him to see the smirk, right, But I don't know that, given what we've seen, that that's the healthiest path forward, even if it's a viable one.

I think I think we're at a place truly where we got to, you know, figure out a path to get someone that can, you know, again taking a step back, someone that can give confidence that the government in the country is headed in the right direction.

Speaker 2

Right.

Speaker 1

Rick Davis and Alvin Jordan are great panel today as we come back to consider the rules, is Mitch McConnell wright does the motion to vacate need to go away to save the House?

Speaker 2

That's next On Bloomberg you're listening to the Bloomberg Sound On podcast. Catch the program live weekdays at one Eastern on Bloomberg Radio, the tune in app, Bloomberg dot Com, and the Bloomberg Business App. You can also listen live on Amazon Alexa from our flagship New York station Just Say Alexa played Bloomberg eleven thirty.

Speaker 1

Will Donald Trump save Republicans in the House. This is a real question, as The Messenger now reports that the former president may visit House Republicans as the speaker race heats up. They say he's intrigued about the idea of being temporary speaker. We told you that yesterday. He was asked about it in the courthouse in New York.

Speaker 2

Remember, a lot of people have played speaker.

Speaker 6

All I can say is, we'll do whatever's best world the Republic.

Speaker 8

Would you take the job?

Speaker 10

Would you take the job?

Speaker 6

We have some great, great people. Would you take the job? A lot of people have asked me about it. I'm focused.

Speaker 4

You know, we're leading.

Speaker 6

I don't know you though, inter we too much for the papers fifty points for president. My focus is totally of that. If I can help them during the process, I would do. We we have some great people in the republic guardy. They could do a great job a speaker.

Speaker 1

A lot of people are asking about it. Let's reassemble the panel. Rick, Davis and alf and Jordan are with us. Rick, what do you think Donald Trump swoops in? You can imagine his view on all this, right, temp speaker in the roster room, drop the gavel a couple times, then you move on to being president you own Washington. Is this actually gonna happen?

Speaker 4

Well?

Speaker 9

It certainly goes with the master brand magician that he is to constantly resurrect himself. And I gotta admit, I mean it would be one of the great moves of all time Politically, I doubt if the House Republicans need that level of I would say, to be within their ranks at this stage. I know many of the members I've talked to are hopeful that going through this process will actually help unite them as a caucus. I think that's a wish that it would likely not come true.

But having Donald Trump at the Helm during an election process, Wow, that would be highly entertaining. I'd love to see it go ahead. Guys, bring him in as if he hasn't enough to do, like run for president or stay out of jail, right, I mean, so yeah. I mean, if we're going to make a mockery in the democratic process, let's let's get started and go big.

Speaker 1

Well, as we learned, they'd have to be a rule change because at the moment you cannot be indicted and be speaker. But as I read of the messenger Alvin, he's deeply attracted the idea and his phone is blowing up with Republicans urging him to go to Washington. Is this a democratic dream come true?

Speaker 8

Can call me. I'll just say, like I mean to even here the leading of you know, all of this coming live from the courthouse, as as we await of litany in a in a long laundry list of indictments, it really is a joke. And if the goal truly is to again make a joke of American democracy, then absolutely I said, let's go forward it we can sell pay per view and get our you know, subscribers up as a country, because at that point it would be uh complete and in the utter comedy. To be honest, No,

we can't do it. We shouldn't, We shouldn't even entertain it. The fact that it is being entertained, I think it is just in this case, you know, just more ammunition for Democrats for sure.

Speaker 1

Well, they say C spans the original reality TV right. The source tells the messenger that Trump is entertaining becoming speaker on an interim basis for a few months. I don't know how he would work all of that into Rick's point. But I also wonder what Mitch McConnell would think about that. Not a big Donald Trump fan if you want to consider actual gridlock, but I wonder your both of your thoughts on Mitch McConnell's advice. A rare bit of advice from the Republican leader in the Senate

for whoever next holds the gavel. Here's what he said.

Speaker 4

I have no advice to give the House of Republicans except one. I hope whoever the next Speaker is gets rid of the motion to vacate. I think it makes the Speaker's job impossible and the American people expect us to have a functioning government.

Speaker 1

I suspect you agree with that, Rick, But would that be possible with the scenario we have here and how difficult it will be clearly for anyone to reach to eighteen.

Speaker 9

Yeah, Look, I can see the scenario where they make a change. Republicans realize, Joe, that this isn't helping them right, there are other than eight members. There are no other Republicans in the House of Representatis. I think this has been a good week and that they're actually getting the job done for the American people by actually not being able to do their job because they don't have a speaker.

So if you go with the presidents that they all see this as a wake up call, then in the process of anointing someone the next speaker in that caucus, which is where you're going to get those two hundred and eighteen votes, I can see an open conversation about the fact that we need to make a change so that the next speaker doesn't get put through the ringer the way Kevin McCarthy was put through it by a

very small minority of Republicans. And I would say they've lost a lot of credibility by taking down the speaker and throwing this House into disarray. So maybe they're on the defense enough to be willing to make that change.

Speaker 1

This goes back to twenty eighteen. Nancy Pelosi, Alvin, we're a Democrats on the motion to vacate and as Mitch McConnell said, getting rid of it.

Speaker 6

Again.

Speaker 8

Who knew that Mitch McConnell, being the voice of reason, was on the BINGO card for twenty twenty three. I surely did not, But I will say I have to agree with him. It's the same as if, you know, if I desire to watch the television in my house and I swab batteries from a different appliance, I can't be surprised when the old batteries fail and I'm no

longer able to use my functioning equipment. It's the same in this case, like no one can can truly like be looked to to do their job if they're you know, you know, hand is tied behind their back. And so I agree. I think at some point have to make a concession because otherwise we'll be right back where we are today, and I don't think anyone wants that.

Speaker 1

And of course, whatever happens with government funding, a lot of it is going to hinge on the debate over border security. That's what brought us to the brink of a shutdown just a week ago. And we're certainly not done with this yet. And there's news on this today, and it might not be when you would expect the headline of the terminal. Biden says he tried to stop plans to add to Trump's border wall. We just heard

from the President in the Oval Office on this. You guys may have seen the news here that the White House the administration has announced plans to add roughly seventeen miles along the Rio Grande in Texas, the Trump border wall that Joe Biden at one time said would not happen. In fact, here's what he said to NPR about this.

Speaker 11

There will not be another foot of wall constructed on my administration.

Speaker 1

Not another foot. Fast forward to today. In the Oval Office, he took one question after a brief photo opportunity.

Speaker 11

Answered one question on a border wall, the border wall. The money was appropriated for the border wall. I tried to get them to reappropriated to redorrect that money. They did, They wouldn't And in the meantime, there's nothing under the law and they have.

Speaker 6

To use money for will's appropriate. I can't stop that.

Speaker 1

No, doesn't believe it works. But we're adding seventeen miles. Rick, you're more familiar with the appropriations process than most Americans. There's not much he can do here. But it's not a good look, is it.

Speaker 9

No, But the entire mess on the border is not a good look. I'd say this is a component of that. It brings it up so that he had to deal with it today. But the reality is heeds comprehensive solution to immigration or he will get nitpicked to debt. And by the way, presidents before him had the same problem.

We need comprehensive immigration reform. We can't allow three million people in one year to walk across the border, you know, declare asylum and migrate the cities all across America, creating all kinds of pressure on the economies of those cities. This is a president who has a chance to do

something about it between now and election day. And the idea that you just shirk it back and say I don't agree with what Congress appropriated or I don't think you can do anything an election year is a cop out. Do something about immigration. It's hurting our country.

Speaker 1

Alvin Jordan. Does the president need to come up with a better answer than that?

Speaker 8

I think so what's happening right now is so reactionary that again, it is really you know, if you're you know the former President Trump, like, what else do you need by way of talking point as to say, oh, President Biden is completing my project. But I do think it shines a light on the larger problem that we're seeing, whether it be in places like Egle Pass, Texas or even in you know, New York City, which is there

is a larger problem that needs to be addressed. And while you know, I can understand a bit of the you know, kind of spot duty that the president is doing now as we roll into election season, I would I would hope that his team is is putting together a full proof plan to address what is becoming, you know, one of the larger, if not you know, the largest issues kind of you know, facing our country at this time.

Speaker 1

Yeah, you better believe there'll be a lot more to follow on this. Alvin Jordan and Rick Davis are panel today. As we turn next to the latest fundraising hall by Donald Trump, triple that of Ronda Santis, will take a look at the numbers on the GOP trailer.

Speaker 2

You're listening to the Bloomberg Sound On podcast. Catch us live weekdays at one Eastern.

Speaker 3

On Bloomberg dot com, the iHeartRadio app, and the Bloomberg Business app.

Speaker 2

Or listen on demand wherever you get your podcasts.

Speaker 1

Is there any point in calling Ronda Santis the second place candidate any longer? It's not just the polls, it's the money. As the Trump campaign and the DeSantis campaign report fundraising from the last quarter, and there's really no comparison Donald Trump. And this is according to the campaign, raise more than forty five and a half million dollars in the last quarter, triple what Ronda Santis is putting up here at fifteen million, and that's down from twenty

in the second quarter. So fundraising and polling numbers are declining for Ronda Santis. By the way, three million of that forty five was from the mug shot. We finally can put a number on this. Three million dollars from T shirts, coffee mugs, posters of the menacing mug shot from Georgia. Money in the bank. Also no comparison Donald Trump thirty seven and a half to Santis five. As we reassemble our panel for their take and new polling numbers out today that we'll touch on as well with

Rick Davis and Alvin Jordan. Rick Davis, Republican strategist of course, Bloomberg Politics contributor Alvin is a Democratic analyst with us from Rock Solutions. Great to have you both here. Your thought on the fundraising here, Rick, RNC members are apparently questioning whether it even continued debates. How would you describe the state of this race?

Speaker 9

Well, first of all, I mean, the ever shrinking Rond de Santis campaign shrinks a little bit more. Not only has his pulling been shrinking, but you know, last quarter he raised twenty million, This quarter he raised fifteen. Next quarter, what is it going to be ten? It's not a great trajectory to be on if you're trying to surmount a really what seems like today unsurmountable lead by Donald Trump and the fact that he spent ten million dollars

trying to, you know, get to where he is. Ron de Santis, you might want to rethink your spending strategy because every dollar you're putting in, you're going down. I mean, it's it's not a good place to be. I've been there. It's not a good place to be. And it'll be interesting to see how the rest of the field does the reality is that I'm kind of curious whether or not Nicky Haley has been able to convert a couple of good debate performances into more cash, which she desperately

needs to also wage a campaign against Donald Trump. So this this is a very important report and I think one it'll tell us a lot about the stay of the race, not just to polling data.

Speaker 1

Interesting you mentioned Nicki Haley. She comes in second in the most recent USA Today Suffolk poll in New Hampshire, Trump forty nine, Haley nineteen. It's down to ten for Ron DeSantis in that same pole. Marquette is out today as well. This a national poll, Trump fifty six to Santas twelve, Haley six. What do you make of this, Alvin, specifically when it comes to the money, is this conversation over or is New Hampshire going to bring a surprise to Nicki Haley?

Speaker 8

Well, I've used succession references here on Bloomberg Programming before, and I'll use another one from Logan Roight now, which is money wins and in America that is you know, double true. And so I think it is exactly what it shows is, which is this is a demoralizing report if you're Governor DeSantis or Nicky Haley in this way, because you truly are you know, facing what seems like an insurmountable kind of you know, climb up the mountain

in that way. And I think as as the money becomes clearer, you know, a mug shot, even our pace is what it seems like would be, you know, kind of record months and quarters for the others. Again, I think we talked about this when the last debate was looming, which was it truly you know, seemed like it was a race for a second, And now we're learning that a race per second truly means, you know, paces and

paces behind former President Trump in that way. And so I think you have to, truly, you know, at this point, not only we look at the spending that you've done up into now, but also just truly, you know, have those realistic conversations with your team to see if it's even possible to close the gap at all, which, in my opinion, I think is close to impossible at.

Speaker 1

This point, close to impossible. Rick, talk to us about the debates here. Next one is November eighth in Miami. They're begging Trump to show up. He won't. And now Politico is up with the story today saying that actual members of the RNC are questioning whether to continue in this format or at all, because it's starting to embarrass the candidates and the parties. Are we going to do all of these still?

Speaker 9

Yeah? I mean look, I mean part of it you got to put on the candidates. I mean, like the last debate was boring, a bunch of guys and galls snapping at each other, no real focus on the front runner. Nobody really answered a lot of inspirational you know, questions weren't answered in an inspirational fashion. I mean, it was just it was just kind of junk TV. And yeah, if that's what you're going to get, then you ought to quit doing it because it's not helping the Republican

brand and it's not helping any of these candidates. The reality is, I don't see the rn C putting any pressure on Donald Trump to join these debates when they put enormous pressure on everybody to qualify to be in these debates. So what what bargain are you getting for playing by the RNC rules? None? So look, I think the RNC has really botched this. They look like, you know, they were setting up this thing for like, oh, we're

going to win the field. Really quickly, and it turns out that the field is not even participating in the debate, and everybody else on the fringes are, like, you know, making it all look bad. So I think the RNC chairman needs to sit down and say what am I doing to the party here and change the whole format of these things, or or or just quit.

Speaker 1

Having What if this was the d n C. Alvin, I realize it's not, but I'm just curious your view on this as a matter of principle, a party in a situation like this, a bunch of scheduled debates, a field of candidates, what would you suggest?

Speaker 8

I think you gotta I mean, you have to find a way to get what seems you're very clear, uh, you know, front runner and former President Trump involved, whether that is you know, him doing uh separate interviews with Toker Carlson or just his kind of post trial interviews

or press conferences if you will. I think these are are definitely eclipsing the efforts that they're trying to do, and you know, in the conversation about money wasting it essentially, so I think they have to have that real conversation with themselves as a as a committee and a collective and and try to make sure that if the candidate is clear that that they're put in their their resources behind he or she, in this case the former president.

But I don't think that they can continue, regardless of whether it was the DNC or not, to move forward with a pace that is is not benefiting them in any.

Speaker 1

That is absolutely incredible. Does it even matter? Does Trump counterprogram these again, Rick, we only have thirty seconds, or does he just kind of ignore it like everybody else.

Speaker 9

No, he'll count a program it. I mean, he loves to like sort of poke fun at these guys. So yeah, I can't wait to see where he shows up next to Bate me too.

Speaker 1

November eighth. I can't imagine. I guess they'll be nearby. They'll all be in Florida. By God. I'm Joe Matthew and Washington with our panel today, Rick Davis and Alvin Jordan on the fastest show in Politics. We're live from Washington. This is Bloomberg. You're listening to The Bloomberg Sound on podcast. Catch the program live weekdays at one Eastern.

Speaker 2

On Bloomberg Radio, the tune in app, Bloomberg dot Com, and the Bloomberg Business app. You can also listen live on Amazon Alexa from our flagship New York station. Just say Alexa play Bloomberg eleven thirty.

Speaker 1

I'm Joe Matthew in Washington, where we have caught up with Kaylee Lions here in our studio. Join us on YouTube search Bloomberg Global News, and we'll be here waiting for you when you arrive. Nice to see you today. Not a lot has changed since we spoke this time yesterday. It's still on Capitol Hill the same situation. Steve Scalise Jim Jordan the only two to really raise their hands on a formal level to run for Speaker, and the funding debate is on ice until this is solved.

Speaker 12

Oh, complete paralysis at the moment, because what is Speaker pro temporary Patrick mcckenry able to do?

Speaker 3

We think not much.

Speaker 12

Do we know for sure that it's a little bit buzzy.

Speaker 1

We'll see if we need to see.

Speaker 12

But the popular thinking is that really all that he's going to be able to preside over is a speaker vote, and that's not going to happen until next Wednesday, and between now and then we could maybe see more hats tossed in the ring, But it does seem like it's these two candidates really leading right now.

Speaker 1

I just want to know I they're going to change the rules for Donald Trump. We talked about this last hour when it was the Messenger. Now we can tell you there's a terminal headline. NBC is also reporting that he's considering a visit to the Capitol amid the race for speaker. He said yesterday a lot of people are asking The Messenger said he's obsessed with this right now, and his phone is burning up with Republicans asking him to come to town.

Speaker 12

Well, we know he can't be a speaker, right Republican constants us at the moment they can do if you're under indictment, you cannot. The thing is that one of these individuals we're talking about who has already tossed their hat in formally, Jim Jordan is a very close ally of Donald Trump. So I wonder if he does make an appearance, if it really is going to be to support him over Steve Scaleze or what exactly he would say.

Speaker 1

Well, the Messenger reported that he's been having this fantasy of actually having the job for a couple of months. You come in here, you hold the gavel. I mean, maybe he could slam that gavel even harder than Patrick McHenry did and sort of run the thing, take the lap, and then you just go down the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue and become president.

Speaker 12

So be speaker until November twenty four, the secret until Iowa.

Speaker 1

He said, a few months until the campaign, till the first Yeah, maybe Iowa. We'll call it maybe the first trial of well, I don't know. As he put it yesterday, a lot of people are asking a lot of people.

Speaker 6

Speaker. All I can say is, will whatever's best world.

Speaker 12

Republic?

Speaker 6

Would you take the job? Would you take the joh we have some great, great people, would you take the job? A lot of people have asked me about it. I'm focused.

Speaker 1

A lot of people are asking me about it. The phone's burning up. I don't know what's going to happen, but they're asking. And we'll see, of course, if I find you're going to be down there with you. Imagine the media horde on that day when Donald Trump comes to the House sneakers. I don't think he can resist it. I'll say that right now, this has to happen. He's not going to be able to resist it, so uh elsewhere, Mitch McConnell says, if you want to do this right,

lose the motion to vacate. So we're talking about a complete do look at rules and everything. When this it'll be a brand new day.

Speaker 12

I guess next week well, and McConnell's not the only one. You have members of the House, Republican members of the House saying, whoever, we're not going to vote for anyone for speaker if they don't change the rules, because the idea is if you leave it where one individual can decide to move on the motion to vacate, we could very well be in a repeat scenario a few months from now. If there's one person who doesn't like what whoever the new speaker becomes is doing, we'll just be.

Speaker 1

On be a revolving door and then no one will really ever want the job. Not that they're taking Mitch McConnell's advice right now, but we have to talk about this with Eli. I'm glad to say Eli Oakley is back US politics analyst at Morning Consults. Eli, it's good to see you. You're gonna start running numbers here on this race like you would a presidential campaign.

Speaker 10

I think we are checked back in next week. I mean, all this situation needed was dal Trump to insert himself into it.

Speaker 12

Okay, well, when we're t talking about Donald Trump, obviously he is writing just a continued wave of support and it just his lead keeps on growing and growing and growing, and maybe someone feeling that invincible might think, yeah, I could be Speaker of the House. There's no real sign of that fading, right, Eli.

Speaker 6

Yeah.

Speaker 10

I mean, his level of support is incredible. It's like three and five potential Republican primary voter support has bid. There's not a lot of opposition to his assent to the Republican presidential nomination next year. We have not yet asked voters where they are on him being Speaker of the House. It's hard to see him doing it, honestly.

I mean, it's kind of an insular, real job that you have to get legislation done, you have to plan votes, you have to heard the cats of the House Republican conference. But it's gonna be a tough job for whoever gets it. I Mean, one of the things we noticed that really stuck out to us in the last few weeks is there wasn't just like a popular uprising in the Republic

can electure it against Kevin McCarthy. Since the beginning of September, his standing with Republican voters who have views about him hasn't really changed. He's kind of popular, about twice as popular that unpopular with your Republican electorate. Clearly, this was an insular personal attack on Kevin McCarthy among these eight House Republicans who just didn't like him. That motion of a Kate, You're right is a big, big gun over

the heads of anybody who takes this job. And this could be pretty consequential in the coming weeks.

Speaker 1

Well, that's true, and the idea of eliminating the motion to vacate is compelling. You see, Matt Gates tweeted about this. Kayley producer James just sent this along. He says, okay, let's negotiate, and he retweeted something from Rocanna. Actually was about Rocanna and an anti corruption plan that he put forth, a ban on congressional stock trading, twelve year limit for Congress,

and ban on political donations from lobbyists or packs. Matt Gates says, if we enact the reforms Rocanna lays out there, I'll basically give you whatever you want on the motion to vacate for this stuff. Maybe we run numbers on this too. ELI does this all get renegotiated after what we saw a couple of days ago.

Speaker 6

We'll see.

Speaker 10

I mean, it's a pretty good card to have if you're some of these conservative rabble rousers. I think looking forward, the challenge for the Republican Party is that it's made some gains since twenty sixteen and since twenty twenty. When you ask voters about its capability to govern, it has advantage on this question over the Democratic Party. We're going to see how much some of this stuff in Capitol

Hill breaks to the electorate. I mean, it's always important to remember some of these stories that we obsessed with here in Washington don't really break through. I assume the speaker being ousted probably will, and I think that plus this prospect of another government shutdown, this continued spending debate, could do something to put a drag on the Republican Party when voters think about its ability to do the job.

Speaker 12

Moving forward, Yeah, we're staring down that November seventeenth deadline. It's going to come up pretty quickly, especially if we potentially could be looking at a prolonged speaker fight. Eli. When we talk about though, the issues on Capitol Hill, a lot of the issues that are going to be relevant in this speaker's race, whoever ultimately is buying to get the majority votes that they need include Ukraine funding big one. This is something that Jim Jordan told reporters yesterday.

He is not in supportive of doing any further despite what the Senate and Administration may be seeing. Where are Americans on the issue of Ukraine funding.

Speaker 10

Eli, Yeah, I mean the electricates funding Ukraine is still pretty popular among voters. It's less popular than it used to be, but I mean part of that is just the American people aren't paying attention to the war like they did at the beginning of it. There's still a good chunk of voters who back supporting Ukraine, but you're right, it's divisive among Republican voters, and it's very divisive among Republicans on Capitol Hill. I mean, even Mitch McConnell's out

there supporting it. There's a chunk of the Republican elector who is still on board with sort of the old school of American strength abroad. And then there's these new dissenters, but they have all the cards right now.

Speaker 1

On Capitol Hill talk with the Yoakley at morning consult. I know you have new numbers on impeachment and this is important because you're showing a backing actually increase among Republican voters. But we have really no way to move this forward until there's a speaker either. It's just one of the big points of business that will have to wait until this is solved. What are you learning.

Speaker 10

Yeah, about seventy percent of Republican voters support the current impeachment inquiry. Top line support hasn't really shifted.

Speaker 8

About half of.

Speaker 10

The American elector it supports the impeachment inquiry and the President Biden. I think that what we've seen in recent weeks, as you know, House Republicans have their first hearing, is this is something that excites the Republican base. This is sort of a rallying cry on among the average Republican voter and probably among some on Capital Hill. I mean, it's a good thing to fall back on whenever you're

having these spending debates. You know, ask people to take a hard vote on something, then go after Joe Biden the next day. It's always pretty popular to go after your opponent. This is something that riles up the republic Republican electric and I think it probably does too with a number of Republicans.

Speaker 9

On Capitol Hill.

Speaker 12

Does it have a galvanizing force for Democrats?

Speaker 8

Though?

Speaker 12

On the other end, do you? I?

Speaker 10

I mean, what we're seeing is a bit of dissension among the Democratic electorate. About three and ten Democratic voters support the current impeachment inquiry. That lines up pretty well with the level of opposition to President Joe Biden in a Democratic primary. I think clearly he is in the driver's seat of this primary and the Democratic Party. He's the face of the Democratic Party. There's no chance of unseating him, but he does face some level of weakness

and support among the Democratic base. I think one of the big things we're going to be watching in twenty twenty four is you have two likely nominees for president who have very unique vulnerabilities via Joe Biden's age, via Donald Trump's criminal liability. That sets up the prospect of maybe a low energy election in terms of voters showing up to the poll's next Sovember.

Speaker 1

Just don't tell Donald Trump you said low energy he just bagged forty five and a half million dollars in the last quarter. Eli the fundraising numbers are starting to emerge. That's triple what Ron DeSantis pulled. His numbers went down as his polling also goes down. And I wonder what the view is now from your perch at morning consult as. Some members of the RNC question even continuing debates after next month.

Speaker 10

I mean, what's the point of them at this point. I mean, you have the front runner with three and five.

Speaker 1

That's what Donald Trump.

Speaker 10

Says among the electorate, that is what he says, and the Republican base is tuning this out too. I mean, there was less interest in the second debate than there was in the first. There was no increase in support for any I mean after the first Republican debate, we saw NICKI Haley's support double, but it was from three percent to seven percent. I mean, why does that even matter until the Republican candidates consolidate. If they are willing

to consolidate, this is Donald Trump's to lose. The support is just too divided. If there are forces in the Republican Party who want to unsee Donald Trump, this race is going after to narrow dramatically in.

Speaker 9

The coming weeks.

Speaker 12

Yeah, and Neela, I think it's interesting looking at Morning consolets pulling data because some of the candidates that were more well known, like Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina is pulling it, I believe right now one percent. So it seems like whatever gained someone like Nicki Haley may get is coming from kind of those lower tier candidates. It's not eating it all into Trump's lead, it's just kind of winnowing out the field at the bottom. Is that Is that a right assessment?

Speaker 10

Yeah, I mean we've seen a little bit of growth from Nicki Haley, from Vivic Ramaswami, maybe from Ron DeSantis. But yeah, I mean Tim Scott barely make the first debate stage at one percent right now, which is would probably be surprising to a lot of folks if you asked them six months ago. He was supposed to be sort of the star in the in line for the for the nomination that there's just no energy for him right now. We'll see what happens with Rod de Santas. He did

raise money, he has money to spend. Donald Trump obviously outraised him coming in the coming weeks and months as Rond De Santis pushes to narrow the debate stage, maybe to try to get some consolidation up there for voters to see.

Speaker 1

Eli I had a conversation last evening with a Democratic operative here in Washington, who was more concerned about no labels, was more concerned about RFK Junior, was more concerned about even Cornell West disrupting this election cycle, uh in Donald Trump or whomever's favored, than he was about any specific Republican candidate.

Speaker 10

What do you think, Yeah, I mean, look, Joe Biden does have these vulnerabilities. There is a chunk, a small chunk, but a chunk of the electorate who wants to see somebody else. It's the same on the Republican side. That seemed like the kind of scenario that could set up some of these defectors. And you don't need that many. Just ask Hillary Clinton what happened to her in Michigan in twenty sixteen. Clearly that is something that the Biden

campaign is concerned about. But he still has a modest advantage or tied with President Trump when you ask a head to head question for the generic ballot. But there is still good chunk of the electorate, a meaningful chunk of the elector that is undecided on this race, and lack enthusiasm for either Trump or Biden. The American people just many folks don't want these candidates to be the nominees next year.

Speaker 12

That's all at the presidential eli. But to circle back to where we started this conversation and just the sheer dysfunction we are seeing in the Republican side of the House of Representatives right now. When we think about the down ballot races, how do you think this impacts Republicans' chances to hang on to the House in twenty twenty four.

Speaker 10

I mean, right now, the race for the House lines up pretty closely with the race for the White House and pulling you do something called the generic congressional ballot, and those numbers mirror Biden and Trump's pretty closely among Democrats and Republicans, especially in an era of fewer tickets splitters, I think the twenty twenty four race for Congress is gonna oline pretty closely with what's happening at the presidential level.

I think this dysfunction on Capitol Hill it'll be interesting to see if that feeds into how voters even thinking about the White House next year.

Speaker 1

Yeah, another snapshot from Eli Yoakley. It's great to have you back. Eli. Politics analysts that morning consult with myself and Kaylee Lines. Don't be a stranger. Eli will do this again soon when you have some new research for us. This is Bloomberg. Thanks for listening to the sound On podcast.

Make sure to subscribe if you haven't already, at Apple, Spotify, and anywhere else you get your podcasts, and you can find us live every weekday from Washington, DC at one pm Eastern Time at Bloomberg dot com

Transcript source: Provided by creator in RSS feed: download file