Sound On: Governor Ratings, Trump McConnell Threats

fair election again. I'll keep your lights on. I'll make sure that they keep your kids safe, to cut your property taxes, to secure the border, to keep dangerous criminals behind bars. Bloomberg Sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. Now, it's a sprint to election day. Welcome to the fourth quarter,

in the fastest hour in politics. With Congress in recess, it's full time campaigning and debating from not in November, and we'll look at the shifting landscape on the trail, including some important governor's races to watch ahead with Jessica Taylor of the Cook Politics Report. The new Supreme Court term begins today with Justice Catangi Brown Jackson's voice added to the High Court. And there's already news as the Court decides to hear a challenge to Section two thirty

protections for social media. We'll get into it with Bloomberg Supreme Court expert reg store, and our signature panel is with us Bloomberg Politics contributors Rick Davis and Jeanie Schanzano. Five weeks to go to the mid terms, and things ought to be pretty quiet here inside the bubble. Congress is gone. You can park almost anywhere. No real traffic this morning in d C. Real clear politics. By the way, that will change tomorrow. Right people work Tuesday to Thursday, now,

Real clear politics. Polar Polls shows Republicans up by only one percentage point on the generic congressional ballot. Five thirty gives Republicans are roughly two and three chances of flipping the House, same odds for Democrats holding the Senate. That's where we start here. Prepare for a lot of town halls and at least some debates. As we've been discussing, there aren't that many depending on the race. Maybe one, maybe two if you're lucky for a big race. To

closely watch governor's race in Texas. Saw it's one and only debate last weekend. Hold your breath now, and they're only debate before election day, we go after answers on the issues you care about most. Listen to this ship k X A N in Austin the traumas and how far we'll go to protect trying to scare people as people watch around the state. He is in South Texas. Line from the universe. It's the next level of Rio Grand Valley. I mean, it's like music from the movie Psycho.

I know we all want ratings, but my god, if we can calm down a little bit, we might survive this election cycle. So the debate ran an hour. It covered a lot of ground, including several rounds on gun laws. While you would expect that in Texas, betto Abbott and as well on reproductive rights. Listen to Republican Governor Greg Abbott and Democrat Betto or crystallize the national debate in

this back. For as as it concerns abortion, let's have Bessel's position is the most extreme because he not only supports an abortion of a fully developed child to the very last second before birth, He's even against providing medical care for a baby who survives an abortion. He is for unlimited abortion at taxpayer expense. That's not true. It's completely alive. Um. I never said that, and no one

thinks that in the state of Texas. He's saying this because he signed the most extreme abortion ban in America, no exception for rape, no exception for incest. It begins at conception, and it's taking place in the state that is at the epicenter of a maternal mortality crisis thanks to Greg Abbott, three times as deadly for black women. I will fight to make sure that every woman makes her own decisions about her own body, her own future,

and her own health care. That's what most of US Republicans and Democrats in one point of clarification seconds, is there a limit that you support on women getting an abortion? That limit was decided in nineteen seventy three through a victory that Jane Rowe and Linda Coffee and Sarah Weddington one before an all male United States Supreme Court. Important exchange,

important follow up there by the moderator. Democrats think this is a game changer nationally, of course, and that's where we start with Jessica Taylor, Senate and governor's editor at the Cook Political Report. This is busy season for Jessica and she's back with us on Bloomberg Radio, Jessica, welcome back. Democrats want to make abortion a major issue nationally. Do the nuances change though from state to state as you listen to this debate in Texas? Or is that the

blueprint for both parties that we just heard. It's somewhat the blueprint that we've heard along messaging, but I still think it is different state by state. I think it matters more in governor's racist um. But you know, this law even a better word to win, which he is not favored to do. We have this race rated likely Republican UM. You know he would still face pass to try to overturn this. And you know where I think it has Democrats narrowed the gap overall we but we

still see the economy is still number one. I mean abortion is not far back there. But I still think the economy and all of these issues are ones that are favorable to Republicans and what should historically be a favorable Republican year. Now has abortion narrowed that some and sort of maybe muted the historical aspects? I think it has, But you know, in very very close races, we could

see this matter. But I never consider Texas a very very close race from the beginning, even though Better certainly is a national name and certainly rose to rose to prominent um in his Senate race and subsequent presidential race. That didn't help his any future career he had in Texas by by any much. But I think ultimately this was he'll rate, he'll he'll raise a lot of money, but I just don't see this being competitive. The real clear average, by the way, has uh the incomic Greg

Bit up by eight points over Beddo Rourke. And I want to mention that Cook moved and this was your your column, Jessica moved a couple of important governors races, including Michigan and Pennsylvania. Specifically, these two from lean democratic too likely Democratic, and I'd like to ask you about each of them. Will start with Pennsylvania here, although maybe you've got a theme between the two. What was the issue, what was the movement in the two races that had

you moved the dial here? Well, I think there's more of a theme between Pennsylvania and Michigan, which really at the start of disciple, these were key um Republican pickup opportunities, you know, swing states very narrowly decided in the past few presidential elections went from voting for Trump in to vote in Probiden very narrowly. But it shows us that

candidates matter. So in Pennsylvania you have duf Mastriano that won that primary and up until starting tomorrow, he's never run a television at and the Democratic incumbent or not Demo Democratic nominee rather Josh stein Uh Josh Shapiro, who is currently the Attorney general, did not have a primary, has completely far out raised him, has been able to set the narrative there, and they're all He's He's attracting

a lot of Republican voters too. So this is just not one that we could see as competitive any longer when you know you're six months out or not six five weeks out, where just five weeks starting tomorrow, um, when the nominee hasn't even run a television at It's in the same case in Michigan where Tudor Dixon won the primary. Now she was probably the best nominee that Republicans could have hoped for, but that was because the top two, like dr ballot, weren't even on the primary ballot.

So I'll ask you more about that. When Donald Trump held a rally for Republicans in Michigan over the weekend. He was in Warren, Michigan. Uh, you may have seen this yourself in in in stumping for Tutor Dixon, specifically, who is trailing Governor Gretchen Whitner. Whitner by quite a bit here. Listened to Tutor Dixon and listen to the crowd respond as she spoke at the Trump route. Are you excited to see President Donald J. Trump? Would you be excited to see Gretchen Whitmer? That's what I hear.

I hear she's not doing any public events because she's afraid of what was that sound again? Yeah, and this rolls right into you know it, the lock her up chance. Uh and boy, this one on for quite a while. But my goodness, the sort of snarky campaign message against Governor Whitmer is not working. Jessica, how come Pixon also has no money? Now, she does have a group backing or that helped her when the primary, led by the

family of former Trump Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. But I mean, Whipmer is just outspending her and running a far better ground game. And again, in a state like Michigan that's typically this close do you think matter? Now? I'm not saying that either Pennsylvania or Michigan is going to be, you know, a double digit blowout. I don't think that's the case. But four or five points in these states state just how closely divided they are. That's the landslide.

And you see you to your point with with Dixon not running as did you see this local Republican Party ad that was posted to Facebook. Things gone viral today on Twitter. It's I mean, it's talk about homegrown. By the way, how do you pronounce the county? Is it? Is it Gratiot County in UM? But that the county Republican Party came up with its own ad. I feel irresponsible almost playing this, but it's it's just it's so stark, Jessica. Give it a listen. Schools were close for almost two years.

Poor kids. Speaking of kids, Whimer says she's gonna work like how to keep killing babies, and she put COVID patients in Graham's nursing home. Graham died alone. Gram died alone. Jessica, these are like five bikers or people dressed like bikers, I guess volunteers. Are they real people? I'm not sure, but the ad people saying I'm voting for chick. What her name? So they don't even until someone tells them the other chick. You're line went out of there for

a second. Yes, they refer to Tutor Dixon as the other chick. And I'm assuming that she's good with us. What do you think, Jessica, You're you cut out of me there? Yeah, we got ourselves a bad line. But Jessica, thank you Senator, Governor's editor for the Cook Political Report. I appreciate your being with us here in Bloomberg sound On. If you haven't seen this, I mean, it's it's a riot. I could keep playing it. And yes, they do refer

to Tutor Dixon as the other chick. Donald Trump at that same rally with a message that oughto resonate with voters on both side of the aisle, well maybe just Republicans. But I'm afraid we have never had we and I don't believe I don't believe we'll ever have a fair election again. I don't believe it. I'm not sure how anyone will react to that when you're trying to get voter turnout here five weeks away. Donald Trump in Warren a lot more where that came from. That. We're going

to assemble the panel and walk through here at the beginning. Really, I mean, my goodness, this is it. There's no turning back here in the general campaign to midterm election night. Rick Davis and Jeannie Schanzano are coming in next Bloomberg Politics contributors are signature panel, of course, and a bit later on this hour, we're gonna turn to what's happening in the Supreme Court. A very important day with a new term at hand and a new justice on the

High Court helping to argue all of this out. We're gonna talk with Greg Store about that later on here on Bloomberg's ound On, I'm Joe Matthew and Washington. Hope you had a great weekend. Thanks for being with us, and make sure you subscribe to the sound on podcast. This is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg you sound on with Joe Matthew on Bloombird Radio. Apologies to the people of Grasshitt County in Michigan. That's actually how you say

a grassh it. I knew Rick was going to correct me on that, not that he has yet, but I suspect he has spent political ad dollars there. That's where Tutor Dixon is not spending ad dollars. So the County Republican Party came up with its own ad. They put it on Facebook. As I mentioned, you get five people dressed like bikers. Maybe they are bikers, talking about in real people speak, Tutor Dixon campaign. Okay, okay, I'm voting for the other chick. What's your name? It's the other chick.

As we assemble the pall now, Geanie Schanzano is here and Rick Davis, aforementioned Bloomberg Politics contributors. Rick, you've probably been there. Does an ad like this work? Uh No, not at all. I mean, if anything, we're probably giving it more airtime than it really deserves. And I've been guilty of that before. No, no telling what the you know, example is at the home State. But I wouldn't be surprised to find that. Uh, you're gonna start seeing bumper

stickers that say the other chick rid um. What do you make of the lack of spending and and the lack of fundraising. Obviously that money, Rick is not coming from Donald Trump. How does someone like Tutor Dixon put up a real campaign against the incumbent. Yeah, this is not unusual. I mean, she was, you know, one of these Trump candidates, and she's going full Trump right, Unlike some of them, she's not pivoting to one mainstream point of view. Uh And and she's dead broke um, you know.

And that wasn't too different than the Senate Canate in North Carolina Ted budd or or even the Senate Canada mastro our Masters in Arizona. I mean, if not for the Senate Leadership Fund Mitch McConnell's group, most of these campaigns in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, they wouldn't have any money at all. And and so I just find it really entertaining and and bizarre that that McConnell is the one that Trump is attacking since Trump's candidates can't

seem to raise any money. Isn't that the truth? Genie. We're gonna talk a little bit more about this later, this latest attack on McConnell. But it's about a long time since Donald Trump has had anything good to say about the minority leader in the Senate, the Republican leader, since about maybe twenty eighteen. Might be the last time he said something nice about Mitch McConnell. But that leaves

candidates like this one, Tudor Dixon. There are other examples that Rick pointed out that were elected as MAGA candidates, but they don't have any MAGA money, Genie, they don't. And you know, I have to confess Joe and Rick. I did not watch the rally my self, but I have read about it. And one of the things we know about Donald Trump not only doesn't he fund these candidates, but when he goes to rally, they said she came up on the stage for just a couple of minutes.

Otherwise he was free forming on his own. And you know, the reality is is that they're the Democrats are outspending her as of Wednesday, sixteen point five million to nine thousand. That's pretty astonishing when you look at that, and you know, we have to remember how she got the nomination. The two other candidates who were leading were disqualified, so you know she would came up from behind. She's a political newcomer. She doesn't have any real, you know, any real background

in this um. She got this nomination sort of by default, and she has this one main backer in addition to Donald Trump is the family of Betsy Divas. But you know, they have not been willing, you know, just like Donald Trump. They've funded her, but he has not been willing to fund her to the extent she needs. And she's in you know, a double digit loss here and we don't see a lot of Republicans coming to her support. It's a very different scenario in the governor's race in Texas,

which we talked about a bit earlier this hour. Rick greg Abbott, of course, the incumbent Bettle or Rourke, the insurgent Democrat, although I don't know if we can call him that if he if he has another campaign at some point here. But interesting in their only debate, as they drew lines on a number of issues that were pretty predictable from you know, from from gun control to reproductive rights. But this is a Republican incumbent here that's in a very good standing. Rick, Does Bettle or Rourke

have a chance? Yeah? I don't think so. I mean, I think he's been probably the most grossly overrated candidate in America for the last decade. Um, you know, I mean, he's really good at losing election statewide and uh, I can't wait for, you know, moments after the November election, Way loses again by you know, close to double digits, that they start talking about him running for president. So, um, I don't really get it. I like candidates who win

kind of a Donald Trump type price. But then again, I like, you know, I like some who lose too, I guess. But but the bottom line is what I can't understand about that debate is Bett O'Rourke didn't talk about Donald Trump at all. He's the only Democrat in America who can't say the word Donald Trump. And I get it from a demographic point of view, but I

don't know. It's just like malpractice to go through an entire debate and not tie Abbott to Trump and and the rest of the statewide delegation he went after him for for just about everything else, Genie, and it's certainly spent a lot of time on Vivaldi and spent a lot of time on the issue of abortion. But Texas is its own state. The poll of polls, as I mentioned it, real clear has battled down by eight. Yeah, and you know, I to agree with Rick on that.

The two things I think he should have talked about our abortion, although Texas has its own history with abortion, but more importantly would have been Donald Trump. And what was stunning to me is the governor he took multiple swipes at President Biden, which or Rourke then got in a position of at the end sort of defending. But he never came back and talked about the leading candidate on the Republican side, who is not Greg Gabbott for

the presidency at this point, but Donald Trump. He never talked about it, which was, you know, I think a big miss on his part. Otherwise, I think this was a miss on, you know, for somebody behind. Rourke really had to come out strong and take several swipes. He didn't make much of a mark here, and he doesn't have another chance. Great analysis from Rick and Jennie. We're gonna cut this and look at specific races each day as we work our way to November. I'm Joe Matthew.

This is Bloomberg. She jumped in less than ten minutes into the argument today. You see, the question is which wetlands are covered, which I agree with, But I guess my question is why would Congress draw the coverage line between a budding wetlands and neighboring wetlands, Brown Jackson in her first day of arguments there on a case involving wetlands protected by the e p A. This is just the beginning of, as we've discussed, what could be another historic term and joining us men is at a very

busy day. Bloomberg Supreme Court reporter Greg Store. It's great to see Greg. This generates the headline here and in really fascinating Jackson dives into the courts ideological split in first case. What does it tell you about the way she composed herself today, Well, she certainly acts like she belongs there. She she uh, you know, uh, she was the fourth justice to say something. She asked a lot of questions, She asked follow up questions. She was really

relentless in her questions. At one point just as Neil Gorsuch, one of the Conservatives, asked something and she kind of jumped into push back at what he what he asked. So, uh, she's certainly, you know, up for the tussle, at least based on the first day. You wrote that the topic is a comfortable one for her. First argument is a long time judge in the Districts of Columbia where the federal courts, uh, fielded disproportionate number of cases involving agency authority.

Is that going to change a little bit tomorrow when voting rights comes up. We'll see. My guess is she'll be fairly active in that too. Um. She of course is the first black female male justice. Uh, this may be an issue that she has particularly strong feelings about. We'll see. Um. And of course it's one of the Court's biggest cases, so one would expect that she is especially a tune to it. Yeah, what to tell us, Uh, what are the contours of the debate that we're gonna

hear tomorrow? Yes, So this is a case out of Alabama, and a Alabama has seven congressional districts, it's black population, and a lower court said that the Republican drawn map that created basically one majority black district was insufficient and that, uh, they needed to create a second one. And so the question is whether for the Supreme Court is whether that

was actually required under the Voting Rights Act. And the state of Alabama's making a pretty far reaching argument that basically says, look, you're not even supposed to look at race. What you do is you look at neutral criteria UM, and if you follow those neutral criteria, then you're okay. Really important. Uh case here maybe the most important this term, according to some, along with the affirmative action case at Harvard. Would you agree it's certainly up there there there's a big,

big point in ranking issues. Yeah, there are some really big ones. There's another voting case. It's a little more complicated, having to do with the power of state supreme courts to um strike down jerrymandered maps as being violative of their state constitutions. This is certainly a very big one. We're already no matter how this case comes out, we're going to see a reduction in the number of black members of Congress, and potentially this case will spur that

reduction to be even greater. Fascinating spending time with Bregg Store on day one of the new term. I I don't know if you saw this coming. Maybe it was widely expected, but the Supreme Court will are a challenge through Section to thirty protections that I bring it up because we hear people lawmakers specifically refer to them all the time that Republicans believe leads to censorship, not that that's even an applicable term necessarily, but that their voices

are edited out of social media. Essentially that that the liability these companies carry needs to change. Uh. Did you see first of all this coming? That wasn't expected they would they would tackle this. I wouldn't say it was expected, it was certainly a possibility. Um. This is a case that has to do with targeted content recommendations made by YouTube.

It's a terrorism related case and the the argument is that by recommending, using their algorithms recommending other ices videos, they sort of help helped, you know, spur ice this on and even though it wasn't directly tied to this particular terrorist incident, it was the attacks in Paris. Uh. They say that the social media companies should be you know,

open to suit. That's what the family says. And this would, however, have wide ranging consequences for I hate to say big tech, it's really the social media companies we're talking about, as you mentioned Google, Facebook, Twitter and so on. Yeah. So Section to thirty does have pretty robust protections for being The word in the in the statute is publisher. So if all they're doing is publishing a third party's content,

but the losses, you know that they're they're immune. And but the question is, you know, in this case, maybe they did something more than that. If they're not just kind of this neutral you know, go ahead and published what you want, just use our our our code to do that, whether they can be held responsible for that. And then there's also a second case it's very terrorism specific that the Court also agreed to hear that alleges they didn't do enough to identify and take down social

media posts by by terrorist groups. I have to ask you, just because you're with us, Greg, about the leak, uh, the investigation that's been going on for months and months now. When when the when the draft of the Row ruling was leaked, it was said to really affect the culture in the court, that this was really a very difficult time. Yet we've still really heard nothing, have we now, We've

heard nothing about that, no updates. And and remember when the Chief Justice said there was going to be an investigation, he didn't promise he would actually tell us the results of it. So, um, you know, publicly we do not know anything about So they could be done for all you know, they could they could be done. They could be at a standstill, they could be at the point where they they you know, are going to be able

to figure out who it is. We really do not know as the culture for lack of a better word, of the court progressed or is it is it still just a different place because of this, Well, there are certainly signs. It's hard to say exactly what caused it. But over the summer, and of course we had this

huge ruling in the abortion case. But over the summer, there was a good deal of back and forth among the justices, starting with Elena Kagan, one of the liberals who you know based Pala said that when you have justices who uh come in, new justices come along and say, I disagree with that that previous decisions, so I'm gonna

vote to overturn it. That harms the Court's legitimacy. And a couple of the conservative justices have pushed back against that, and and it's really a kind of a remarkable exchange that was going on, and and you know, we'll we'll see how that plays out this term. Boy, I guess we will. Uh that do you have a cut check on whether the Chief Justice would want this to be out there publicly? Would that help to keep it from happening again. You know, it's hard to say without really

knowing who it was. And I guess, you know, if you could imagine, and I'm purely speculating here, but if it were connected to a justice, if we knew that some justice on either side bore some responsibility, that would really change how it would be perceived. If it's one renegade law clerk um perhaps not. Uh, you know, it's just awfully hard to say. Fascinating as always, Greg Store, good luck tomorrow. Great to have you back on with us on Bloomberg. Sound On, the best Supreme Court reporter

in the business. You've heard me say that before. Of course he's at Bloomberg, and our panel comes up next to weigh in on what we just heard. Rick and Genie. Next on Sound On, I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg. Sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. Section to thirty. We hear about it. A lot goes back to the Communications Decency Act of six And while a lot has changed since then, when you were going to ask Jeeves, Google wasn't even around yet, right,

And as Greg story just explained, to us. The Supreme Court will decide whether those protections go too far, protecting in this case, Google YouTube, Google same company over recommendations of terrorist videos. You know how you get the list on the side, next video we picked for you. The court could rule that platforms are banned from using algorithms to recommend content like that. And this is where we

get back to things with our panel. Genie Schanzano and Rick Davis Bloomberg Politics contributors are signature panel back here on a Monday. Genie, what do you make of this decision by the Supreme Court? Would Would that put this issue to rest once and for all. I'm assuming because it is the Supreme Court, it would, But there could be many different ways to interpret these rulings. It could. You know, I suspect that Clarence Thomas had a role here in granting CIRT. He's been sort of outspoken in

terms of his views on this um. We don't know who the other three were, obviously, but you know, these two cases are critically important because they raise a lot of questions about how free our speech online will be going forward. But I'm not sure this is going to be the end of the line here. Because if you just think about one of these cases, this Gonzales case versus Google, they're asking whether this uh, you know, limited or shield of liability should apply in cases when the

companies make these targeted recommendations. And so I think it's possible that the court will you know, say that that it should not apply in those targeted recommendation cases, but it still may apply in other cases. So I suspect we may see a continuation of you know, cases going up to the court of this kind. And you know, you mentioned Congress really needs to step up here. These are not decisions that should be made, in my view,

with court. They should be made by the people's representatives in Congress, who have not stepped up to regulate in this space. Despite what appears to be some bipartisan support in this area, Rick Republicans have largely have been the ones calling for a repeal or reform of somehow of Sections to three, equating it to uh to censorship of political views and specific conservative views. How about everybody just reveal their algorithms. I mean, isn't that a place to start.

That's what the whistleblowers tend to ask for on Capitol Hill. Yeah, I think that that's part of the debate. That's what we heard from the Facebook whistle blower earlier last year. And and look, I mean, you know the company say, oh, that's what's the difference between that and you know the Magic's recipe for Coca Cola r It's uh, it's it's a debate that's going on. But look at the Section

two thirties been changed over time. I mean, just a couple of years ago, the Congress unanimously almost I mean both bipartisan Republicans and Democrats joined together to go after sex trafficking that it occurs on the web and and and close this loophole there in Section two thirty for that. So there's going to be regardless of what happens in the Supreme Court, there's gonna be continued activity on Capitol Hill and in the Biden administration around looking to how

to reform Section to thirty. And so now we just have the pot is right every are you know, uh, government entity, Supreme Court, Congress, and the Presidency is all looking at the same thing, which indicates to me that change is coming. Change is coming. Indeed, Donald Trump is asking for change in the midterm elections and as we look ahead to twenty four, he's not happy with Mitch McConnell. And this is something that Rick brought up earlier. I

want to ask you both about this. Uh, it's not a tweet, it's I guess the truth whatever this social media post, Donald Trump writes, is McConnell approving all of these trillions of dollars worth of Democrats sponsored bills? Of course, I'm guessing he's he means the cr to keep the government open here without even the slightest bit of negotiation because he hates Donald Trump and knows opposed to them,

so he makes it about himself there. But as you go down here, he says, in any event, he has a death wish in capital letters, death wish must immediately seek help and advise from his China loving wife, followed by a I guess racial epithet here referring to Elaine Chow. You know Trump doesn't like Mitch McConney. A guy like Mitch McConnell, who allowed this stuff to happen should be scorn.

He shouldn't be scored. A couple of weeks ago, at a rally, Rick, what does Mitch McConnell do about this considering the point you made earlier, he's actually funding several of Donald Trump's most prominent endorsed candidates. Yeah, he's been a rock and a hard place, right. He's like to be he'd like to be a majority leader. So in order to be the majority leader, he's got to make sure that, you know, Trump candidate in North Carolina, in Ohio, and in Pennsylvania all win. And so it's in his

own self interest. Look, he's always taking a hands off approach to Trump, right during the entire presidency when people thought it was time for him to speak out and set the record straight and you know, or to to knock down some of the untruths that are coming out of the administration, and he kept his own counsel. He he let Trump be Trump. And I'm pretty confident that that was probably a strategy based on if Trump just acts like Trump, he'll go away pretty soon. And and

he kind of had his way. He's not president anymore, but he certainly hasn't gone away. So what what I find amazing is there aren't every Republican in the United States Senate attacking Donald Trump and saying that he needs to issue a retraction to this because this is dangerous, right. This is the same thing he did to his own vice president through under the bus after January six, and and and and and basically put him put his vice president risk. He's putting these people at risk. We see

crime against politicians going up. And this is the wrong time and the wrong way to make your dislike for Mitch McConnell's legislative strategy known. And and when the Wall Street Journal comes out, I'm I'm shocked other Republicans aren't following suit Wall Street Journal review and outlook Trump's death wish rhetoric. Not very happy with what he said about the GOP Senate leader. On Friday, Genie Rick Scott was asked about it. Senator Rick Scott, who's, of course, runs

the committee tasked with getting Republicans elected. He was on CNN's Face the Nation and asked if if he would condemn what Donald Trump said, listen to how careful. His answer was, as you know, you know, the president likes to get people nicknames, so you can ask him how he came up with the nickname. I'm sure he has a nickname from me. Um. But you know, here's what I know. We we got to watch how we spend our money. We got to stop this inflation. Um. And

you know, and I don't. I don't condone violence, and I hope any no one else can done violence. Nicknames are one thing, but this, this is this appears racist. Is that okay? It's never ever okay to be a racist? Um. Um, it's in the you know, but I think you always have to be careful. You know, if you're in the public, you know how you how you say things. Did he not mean Genie? You have to be careful what you say about Donald Trump. Oh he did. I wasn't sure

if those are seagulls or crickets behind it. You could hear after Dana Bash asked him that question. Um, you know, I have to say. Um, the piece you quoted from the Wall Street Journal after that where they said the death wish rhetoric. They talked about this as ugly even by Trump standards. We've all gotten used to what Donald Trump has done. But you know, for Mitch McConnell and particularly the Republicans to stay silent on this because they're

worried about alienating their base is deplorable. He should be called out on this. When you've got to the Wall Street Journals point Susan Collins saying she wouldn't be surprised if members of Congress are shot. I mean, this is you know, following January six. He should be called out on this. The rhetoric is unacceptable, and you know, no leader should condone this, and they should say it outright.

And you know, we're waiting for somebody beyond Liz Chain to come forward and to say that this is not acceptable, and we haven't heard that yet. And Rick's got just another example of that. And it doesn't matter what his feelings about Mitch McConnell are personally, he should come out and say it because the reality is this is unexpected, unacceptable, and it's not just Mitch McConnell. It's also it's also you know, Elaine Chow, who was a respected cabinet member

of many administrations. The op ed in Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal rights quote. Mr Trump's apologists claim he merely meant Mr McConnell has a political death wish, but that isn't what he wrote. It's all too easy to imagine some fanatic taking Mr Trump seriously and literally and attempting to kill Mr McConnell. I don't know that we need to spell it out quite that directly, but maybe we do, Actually, Rick, maybe we do. Maybe that's the point. Yeah, I think

that is the point. I think we've gotten to the point where we can't assume that people are right minded on their approach towards politics or politicians and uh. And it was really disappointing to see Rick Scott uh in the video well wearing a navy hat, right mean, like, okay, you know you're wearing the colors of the Navy. That's great. I'm glad you served. But you know, the next time you have to squirm out of a simple question like this, take the hat off, because it's an insult to anybody

who served in the navy. Uh. You know, if he wants to wear the hat, then he's got to act like someone who can defend the country. And part of defending the country is pushing back on these kinds of curious uh claims by Donald Trump. It's just outrageous. So you clearly think he should have condemned it. How about Eugenie, what should Rick Scott have said? He should unequivocally have condemned it and said there is no place in American government, in politics for any of our leaders to be using

this rhetoric. And it's unacceptable and Donald Trump should apologize. That's what he should have said. He didn't say it, in shame on him. One thing that Donald Trump did say that he was happy about at the rallies, he's got one. Well, it's got at least one real big fan out there. This week, I would like to thank a great woman named Jenny Thomas. You know Jenny Thomas. She's a great woman, the wife of a great man, Justice Clarence Thomas, for her courage and strike. This was

the same day that she testified before the January six committee. Uh. Is that the last we see her here? Jenny Thomas? Rick, Yeah, I hope so. Um. Walking out of the the hearing with the committee and continuing to tell the big lie that the election was stolen is just outrageous. Is she gonna get a talk show, Jennie jeez, I hope not, but she might maybe a podcast. That's the spirit, Jennie Chanzano when Rick Davis our signature panel, great to talk to you guys. Hey, we have a podcast sound on.

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