Sound On: McCarthy Midterm Blame, Who Turned Out to Vote?

our position than representable boards position. But again, we're winning, but that doesn't mean we want I don't ask people for money because I've won all the races that I've been in over my life except one um the Big Life. Bloomberg Sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. Control of the US Senate becomes a best of three. Welcome to the fastest hour in politics is the volk Counting continues in some key races that will decide majorities on

Capitol Hill. We're not there yet, still no call on the House, and the Senate is indeed coming down to just three states that are still undecided. All the It is from Jessica Taylor, The Cook Political Report and Analysis from our signature panel with Bloomberg Politics contributors Rick Davis and Jeanie Chanzy No later, Independence and young people challenge voting models around the country. We talked turnout, coming up with Mindy Romero, director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy

at USC. Here we are two days later, and we still don't hunt know which party controls the House or the Senate. Though if you seem at this point to doubt that Republicans will eventually take the House, kind of a matter of time. Here the GOP is only about a dozen seats away, maybe a bit less with the number of seats out west that have yet to be called. They include the Bobert seat, Colorado's third districts. Lauren Bobert

is now leading her challenger. I don't know if you've been following this, of course, she just tweeted winning has been leading by what we're both just not even four hundred points. Adam Frisch is the Democrat in this case. He was up by about sixty points when I woke

up this morning. Now Lauren Bobert is in the lead, and she was out speaking today at a round table in which she was assailing health officials responsible for the nation's response to COVID and while she was at it with the idea of being accused or I guess tired of being accused an election denier. She had deniers of any member of Congress, from the upcoming freshman class to those in leadership who won't fight with me to end

medical tyranny, secure the southern border, expel Anthony Fauci. They will not have my support, not in their reelection, and certainly not for speaker that was that sepack back in August, invoking a whole other story that we're going to talk about a bit later on with our panel, because we keep hearing the knives around for Kevin McCarthy, but they haven't even called the house yet. On the Senate side, it's down to three as we keep talking here. You

know Georgia, we know is going to a runoff. That one's gonna take a month, as Senator Raphael Warnock reminded supporters today, So I'm going to need you to stick with me for four more weeks? Can we do that? Four more weeks? The sixth of December will of course be tracking that for you, But we don't know if it's going to be the race that decides control. We're waiting on Arizona and Nevada as well. Mark Kelly is holding ahead in Arizona. We're not sure exactly where things

are going in Nevada. Even with Adam Laxalt leading. It appears that the incumbent Democratic Senator Catherine Cortes Masto may have the votes in waiting with malins that have yet to be counted from Reno from Las Vegas that could lean democratic. So that's where we start the conversation with Jessica Taylor, Senate and governor's editor of the Cook Political Report. Jessica, welcome. I hope you have had a chance to get some sleep here over the last couple of days, because it's

not done yet. Do we know when these races could be called Arizona, Nevada. Are we waiting into the weekend or what I think we're waiting into the weekend, perhaps even early next week. UM, we should get some more ballots tonight in both of those states. But again, UM, as of the last time I checked this afternoon, it was still unclear exactly how many full count of how

many ballots um in both of those states. But I think that things are moving either are in the right direction or moving in the right direction for Democrats in both of those states. UM. You mentioned In Nevada Catherine Cortis Master who was long thought to be the most vulnerable Democratic income but excuse me, UM been talking a lot these fast few days, as he is narrowly behind

her Republican challenger at this point, Adam black Salt. However, again, where those outstanding ballots are in the fact that they are mail in ballots that typically lean more Democratic. UM, that is good news for her. She's currently winning those at a clip of about six She's winning about the five percent of those. UM. Nevada politics guru John Rawlstons who we all follow there, UM, and he said he's calculated that she only actually needs to win fifty five.

So even if her margins go down, if some of the more rural counties that are going to be more lax all friendly come in, UH, that means that she's still in good shape. UM. In Arizona, Mark Kelly is

up by about five points. But actually it sort seems to be a mix of votes and there's some in person some day of and particularly some that people delivered hand delivered to polling places, UM, which can often trend more Republicans so we expect that lead to drop, but I think he's ahead far enough where Democrats are still favorite in both and that's important because that means that the runoffs in Georgia would not be for control of

the Senate. And you know, again, Democrats might actually pick up one season the Senate, which would be something when we look at history. So we'll learn in the next few days. You'd like to think maybe through this weekend, as we said in the outset, whether Georgie is really gonna matter. If it's not the decisive votes, then it becomes gravy potentially for Democrats that they can add another seat here. But my goodness, I I just that race

could get into looney Tunes over the next month. Uh. And it's just a question of how much pressure there's going to be on these candidates to get this done as far as the House is concerned. Uh. You know, we're watching Lauren Bolbert's seat because she's she's famous or infamous depending on who you're asking. But what are the seats to watch at this point? Where is this going to be decided in California? I think a lot of it's coming in California, Some in the West weast Washington, Oregon.

My colleague Dave Wasserman covers those, and I think in California we don't particularly know exactly what is outstanding still, and that can take weeks to count truly a lot of mail there as well. And remember a lot of these ballots, as long as their postmarks by election day, they can still be counted. I could come in days after him. That includes a lot of military ballots as well,

of course from overseas. So while the whole argument takes place around you know, the leadership of the big battle of who's going to hold the gavel, it's going to be quite a while before we actually it can can call this, uh, most likely for Republicans. I mean, Kevin McCarthy was out there on election night taking credit here. At what point does you know, does this start to

age poorly? Well, um, I think that's just where it is. Again, Republicans only needed five House seats to flip this, and it looked like that well the game would be higher than that, but only barely. And the fact, you know, McCarthy was talking last year that the Republicans could flip as many a sixty House seats well, with a number of competitive ones that have been shrunk um. That's not

necessarily the truth wasn't accurate then. But also where that margin may end up coming into play is in redistressing a couple of seats that Republican Republicans were able to draw in their favor and pick off either and newly drawn seats or and seats that were you know, the party um, party power changed, who did best in which to a certain things too, so they had an edge in there. Didn't look like, of course they were going to need that necessarily, could just pa their totals, But

right now it could be decisive. Again, I think this is going to be close and far below what Republicans were aiming for. Jessica. Looking at the governor's race as you are, the governor's editor for Cook in Arizona, Katie Hobbs is still ahead by just about a point or one percentage point, if if we can call it that. I'm rounding a little bit here, But carry Lake is talking a big game still, uh, calling out the voting

infrastructure in Arizona, voting officials and so forth. That's a race, you know, we talk about the Senate race for the balance of power in Washington but that's a race we've gotta be watching closely as well. Will those be called around the same time. I expect so, since we're looking at the same ballots. But yeah, you're right, I mean for her though she is running ahead of lake Masters, which is not that surprising. So I think this is a state where we can see a split decision um So.

And again remember people come playing about the time it takes a count ballast I is nothing new, especially in Arizona. And I think you can kind of if you want to count them fast and you could have more errors. So it's like do you want to fast or do you want them kind of accurately. And it really could be interesting to watch her because I think of any of the people, UM, she is certainly going to claim fraud if she wins. She's still going to claim that if she wins and a Slate Masters loses is a

question I'm currently pondering. However, I will say that some of these you know, election deniers that Trump had backed UM, particularly in Michigan, Wisconsin, UM different places. I was pleased on a lesson. I did see some of those after those races became clear. They didn't see it and conceived gracefully. UM, so we're seeing less of that. But um, you know, just again, it is a sad thing that we have to actually remind us that should not be out of

the ordinary. UM. But I think certainly Arizona is a place where she is making noise and it's a very loud voice there. It's great to have you back with us, Jessica, rest up reast the voice, if anything. Jessica Taylor from Cook Political Report getting us started off here on Bloomberg's sound on IM. Joe, Matthew and Washington want to talk to the panel quickly on this because they've been watching this as closely and I've been as deep into this as anyone over the past couple of days. Rick Davis

and Jennie Chanzano Bloomberg Politics contributors. Rick, you've of course had an eye on Arizona and and you're the expert on Arizona politics. Could we get a call tonight after the next dump of votes? Probably not. Um, you'll get another couple of hundred times hundred, fifty thousand, hundred seventy five thousand tonight. You've still got like four hundred thousand outstanding. It's still gonna be close. But the more goes out,

we're learning a lot. And one of the things we're learning is that these uh same day absentee ballot um drop offs uh as of last night, and that's pretty good sample over a hundred fifty thousand. I mean, they they were much less Republican than they were in I mean, you know, we have a lot to compare to because they do this every year and uh, and everyone was surprised that both Kitty Hobbs and Mark Kelly actually picked up votes. They they should have been losing votes along

the way. So, um, this's got a lot of head scratching going on in Arizona. But tonight we'll tell us even more. Jennie is Lauren Bloeberg gonna keep her job? You know she thinks she is. I think it is still a big question. But but let's not you know, under let's underscore rather the fact that fort to knock off an incumbent in the House is a big f and deal, as Biden would say, So if Adam Frish does this, it is a huge, huge upset on his part, and he is well within striking distance. And we're just

getting started on the fastest hour in politics. Rick and Jennie will stay right where they are as we continue the conversation about the battle for leadership here in Washington. I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg. You sound on with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. The back room drama in the US House is fun to watch, but you wonder how it ends as they report knives out for Kevin McCarthy, although maybe he's whistling past the graveyard.

But Steve Scalise, of course, this is the man who would be either majority leader or maybe even speaker. He'd be the man to challenge Kevin McCarthy if he's coming off of the mid term showing weakness, he told Fox News Today, Now he's on board. Look, we're gonna have our elections next week. I'm supporting Kevin McCarthy for speaker and he'll win that race. And ultimately, you've seen us pull together these last few months and focus on the

attack against big government socialism. Reassemble the panel with the talking points in place. Rick Davis and Jeannie Chanzy, No, we're here, Rick, At what point you have to say that publicly? Right at what point does this get ugly. It's probably getting ugly already. Um. I think that you know, these members are a club. It's a very exclusive club. They talked to each other more than they talk to

anybody else. Uh. And my guess is the various factions within the House Republican Caucus, you know, whether they're the far right or the moderates. Uh. And Kevin McCarthy kind of smack dab in between and his leadership team are all scrambling to try and figure out how to make heads or tails of this. And and of course some of these people who have yet to be even determined are they going to be members of Congress in the Republican her Democratic caucus are going to make a big difference.

And uh And and so the fact that they still don't know really does limited a bit. But there is already a lot of haggling going on is to how to peel together enough votes to win the speakership. It's pretty fascinating stuff here, Genie. And you know this is really inside politics, but it's gonna it's gonna really matter obviously what it comes down to who is holding the gavel.

This would not be the first time if if he doesn't make it, that Kevin McCarthy fails in his quest to be leader, should we be talking about other names here? Is at least Stafonic on board or is she allied with him? Who's who should we be looking at other than Steve Skalie, You know, I think at least Stafonic would be a fascinating choice, and not just because I'm from New York and she has proven that she will do what it takes to move ahead if she can.

I think that Kevin McCarthy is still in the running. I think he should go take lessons from Nancy Pelosi if she would be willing to help him, because he's going to find himself in a if he is speaker again, he's going to find himself in a very similar situation. He's going to be trapped between a far right as opposed to far left, you know, sort of small group of say twenty thirty members plus or minus, and then much larger group of moderates, and he's going to be

squeezed between those. And one person in the modern era who's shown that she can actually maneuver through that is Nancy Pelosi. And this seems to be where we are headed, whether it's the Democrats or the Republicans, with the speakers and the leadership having to try to work through a far right or left of their caucus and the moderates. And she was able to do that with people like AOC in the squad. She did it successfully. He should

take lessons from her. Yeah, if this became a Scalise a speakership, Rick would would at least deponic be the shoe in for majority leader. Uh yeah, not necessarily. I mean, if Scalise winds up getting the capperd seat, you know, for what, And and you'll have to assume that there's been a decapitation move on on, you know, Kevin McCarthy to do that. He's probably gonna look at this and say, Okay, I want to be surrounded by my people, not Kevin's people.

And and usually if you have that kind of tumult in the leadership, that's full on regime change in that that's that's regime change. Wow, what do you mean decapitate? Tell her this is what you mean by that? I mean what I mean is, you know, take him out from the expected position of speakership. I don't mean to actually take his hand. No, of course, although maybe we do need to be more specific in least day in

this day and age, uh, Genie. Nancy Pelosi is watching this, of course, and maybe she does have advice, but she needs to figure out her own life right now. Is she going to resign? Yeah, I mean, I think we'll be waiting to hear. What we're hearing is they'll have their leadership elections late in November. She's obviously at cope and we're just I think we the Democrats, they are waiting to see will she, you know, step down? Um?

Or is she just going to try to maintain And I think we know who's in waiting, primarily another New Yorker on the other side is a Kim Jefferies, who many people feel that if she does step down, he is the person next in line for that that leadership post. But again in deference to Nancy Pelosi, people are waiting, and I think, you know, on Kevin McCarthy another person to watch if it isn't and and Rick's decapitation if

it occurs. Somebody to watch is Jim Jordan's. Um. You know, there's not a lot of love lost there, and I'm serious about that, though Rick does Jim Jordan have a chance at that level of leadership, not a snowball's chance in HeLa Ben Arizona. Look, I mean there is a Jim Jordan's all of whom you know, would have probably a broader base of support. And I would say, you know, remember one thing. You don't have to be a member of Congress to be the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

And so if there's a grand bargain, how about Donald Trump as Speaker of the House. I mean, like Kevin McCarthy works for him already, so why not make it an and Rick Davidson not a snowball's chance to Jim Jordan, but he's going with Donald Trump for a speaker. I I love, I'm just causing trouble. This is good. This is the kind of trouble that we love. It did make me think of yesterday. I was talking to a friend who worked with in Washington, d CNE and we

both remember this day. It was December nine, and I'm sure you both remember it. And Rick, you probably have a story. But sometimes you come awfully close to being speaker. Sometimes you have become speaker and it still doesn't work out. Remember a guy named Bob Livingstone, anybody come with me back again? December was a different time in Washington thanks to Larry Flint, who put a story out there about

his extra marital affair. I was prepared to lead our narrow majority of Speaker, and I believe I had it in me to do a fine job. But I cannot do that job or be the kind of leader that I would like to be under current circum stances. So I must set the example that I hope President Clinton will follow. I will not stand for Speaker of the House on January six. Couldn't believe it when it happened,

and Bill Clinton did not resign. By the way, we'll continue the conversation coming up of the fastest hour in politics as we turned a voter turnout in a conversation with Mindy Romero from the Center for Inclusive Democracy at USC,

this is Bloomberg. Voter turnout is something we want to focus on and and go a little bit deeper to find out who turned out here, because well, obviously some expectations were challenged in these mid term elections, and while overall turnout was not as high as it was in eighteen, it was actually quite a bit higher in certain battleground states, those that are keeping our attention. Heard earlier today from Professor Darren Shaw of the University of Texas. He's with

David Weston on balance of power. Looks like the high water mark is Pennsylvania. They went from fifty one point seven, so about a three point three point increase. Other states that were gainers, uh Nevada. And they haven't even counted all the ballots. It looks like New Hampshire went up about two points, Arizona went up about two points, and they're not done counting votes. New York had a tick up with a competitive election, not much, but a you know,

an appreciable increase in terms of raw voters. All told, I'm counting about ten states that look like they're going to have a turnout increase from again. Mindy Romero is founder and director of the Center for Inclusive Democracy at USC and joins us now on Bloomberg sound On. Thanks for being with us, Mindy, when you kind of pull out here just for starters, Were your expectations blown out of the water for this campaign? Did polsters tell us the wrong story going into it, or do we have

so many tight races? There were so many races within the margin of error that you really can't blame them, you know, great question, right, So I think we need to first differentiate between turnout expectations like actual percent of those that are turning out and what turned out and why, And you know, the whole battles were control of Congress

are an individual races. So I think certainly everyone's expectations, at least for the last month or two, were that, you know, the Republicans were going to win big, there was going to be a red ways, uh, and they would have a pretty large margin, you know, maybe winning by fifteen or gaining fifteen members in the House. Um, that clearly is not going to be a red you know, not gonna happen. We're not going to see a red way.

We will see Republicans likely gained control of the House, but it will be a much slimmer margin, which will make a big difference from McCarthy and how he governs and holds his caucus together. Um. There was this wrap though going into the election that young people, well, my god, they never get out of bed that you know they're

in the turnout just never happens. We talked about it every two years but we heard stories about four hour long lines on campus in campus towns in Wisconsin and Michigan. How do you how do you rationalize that? Yeah, and I was just gonna say, I think, you know, I I'm one of those researchers that I get, you know, call after call prior to any election. Uh and um, you know, hearing lots of really high expectations around the youth vote, and what typically happens is, uh, those expectations

are unrealistic. People will assume all kinds of numbers, even maybe maybe youth are going to do better than older voters in terms of turnout, and then after the election, we see this big let down and all the story after story that really kind of blames young people for not participating, calling them apathetic, you know, in evens, all stories blaming young people for the election of Donald Trump, and it's really just a blame game. We've kind of

set young people up to fail. I think the one thing that I've seen that's really standing out is media coverage has been pretty positive, and I think certainly aided by the President of the United States yesterday right calling out jendears and thanking them for their participation at the same, and though I think that we need to also, you know, part out what we're talking about when we talk about

the strengths as the youth vote. So the President is really talking about, for the most part, the fact that exit polls are showing that young people, those who voted, lean heavily Democratic, and that we would expect now that that that those exact margins can change from election to

election a little bit. But we knew young people were gonna swing democratic um in close races young people did it looks like turned they turned out maybe higher than we would have expected or what would typically be their turnout numbers, But overall, if you look at the youth vote, it's still much lower. And we have numbers coming out of circle right now at of Tuxs University, they regularly

put out their own estimates of youth turnout. They're very respected in this field, and they're saying, and the headline mareage if that's the highest of you know, eligible voters, youth of votent voters, and they're saying, that's the highest that we've seen in a very long time, which is true, so we should celebrate that, but it's still you know, the difference between a lower turnout year again comparable elections, so you know, we're talking to turms here, a lower

turn out year and a higher tram out year for young people typically just a few percentage points. So we can celebrate, and I think Democrats when they talk about individual races, can celebrate young people right voting for them, But at the same time, we still need to keep our eye on the price here and understand that overall

youth turnout is low. It's entrenched in our electoral system that is much lower twenty percentage points lower than older age groups depending on the election, and young people need a lot more support, and overall our election system really

disadvantages down people. So it's kind of like it's higher in these really competitive areas because that's where the candidates are actually reaching out to young people, fighting for their vote to some degree, and young people feel like they're voted, you know, salient in matters and they're kind of part of that kind of whole fight for those races. But even then they're not really getting as much contact as older voters and certainly the rest of the country. So

is this really a story then? This week, Mindy and I'm just trying to get this in because we're short on time. Is this more about young people not being counted in polling or did Independence who showed up break enough to the Democratic side that it made a difference in these numbers with you know, a similar sample of people simply voting democratic. Yeah, let me be clear. I think young people were part of the democratic win here

certainly as well as Independence period. But they would have been a larger story of the election if they had higher turnout and they were actually engaged by all, uh, you know, all parties and candidates on all issues period.

Fascinating work that you do, Mindian, and I appreciate you coming to see as Mindy Romero's founder and director of the USC Center for Inclusive Democracy, and a conversation that we're going to turn over to the panel next because there's talk of this reckoning for posters coming up here? Is it deserved? You don't answer that question without knowing who actually showed up here. Did they undercount young people or did Independence simply break in a different direction than

they expected in some very close races. As we sit here two days later without a real clue, at least not technically of who's going to control either Chamber here Republicans are inching closer to getting this done in the House. The Senate up in the air with three races that have yet to be called. Rick and Jeanie will be back next our signature panel on the Fastest Hour in Politics. I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg

you sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. It seems like the Polsters are going to get a bad rap again. I'm just wondering if they deserve it. Hence the conversation that we just had with with Mindy here on sound On. I want to hear from the panel on this though. We we heard predictions of a red wave. We got what everyone's calling a red ripple or something. But there were so many close races within the margin that it's almost unfair. Maybe not Rick Davis and Genie

Schanzana or the experts Bloomberg Politics contributors. Genie, when you look inside the polls that we were talking about, and we tend to go with the averages here right last many weeks, we've been hitting real clear and five thirty eight. Some of them were dead on others were not, but there were so many races within the margin. Can you blame polsters? You know, I don't think you can blame polsters in this case, and you know, and I'm gonna a few reasons why. And I'm so glad you connected

it to turn out. Number one, polls are really notoriously bad about predicting future behavior, and that's what you're doing with pre election polling. As your conversation just showed, turnout is what matters. That's the only real true poll. The second thing is is that, as you mentioned in tight races were like almost evenly divided in this country, fifty fifty,

so you get it, You get a pole result. It sounds very decisive, and you know, fifty two forty six percent, the reality is going to be a plus or minus four or five and most polls, so you're swinging from forty to fifty or fifty five to sixty five, and that's really where many of these races ended up. So I think that's part of it. But I would say Nate Cohen from the New York Times made a really

important point. Traditional polling that we are, you know, usually familiar with those posters didn't pull as much this time around, we had a lot of partisan polling going on, and they don't adhere to industry standards, and so Republican posters were leaning right, and that is what I think swayed some of the thinking that in the last few weeks in particular, Republicans may do better than expected. Rick Davis, you have run poles, you have been at the mercy

of polls. I wonder when you look across the country and what we've learned here in the last couple of days, knowing that young people who don't have land lines, don't always have consistent addresses, and also don't like talking to polsters are difficult to measure, and and the MAGA crowd, as we've heard any number of rallies take pride and hanging up on posters. How in the world do you get a good sample. It's really hard to get a

good sample. Used to be you call one people and you get one to do your entire thirty minute poll. Now it's like one in a hundred uh And that even you know, degrades the sample even more. That's why you see air rates uh increasing sometimes eight percent in a poll. Why take the poll if you got an eight percent a rate. So um, I do think one of the things though, the point you just made about young voters, they're all predicated on a model, and the

models are historic. So when young people do something or any other voter group that's different than what they've done in the past, it messes everybody's pulling them. And in this case, you know, other than two thousand eighteen, there was a higher turnout for young people than ever before, and so you know, blame it on the voter behavior.

They're always screwing up the best posters. Uh. But this point Genie makes about politicizing polling, you know, you can't even look at these real clear politics averages anymore because half the polls in them are sponsored by parties and you can't rely on those. So I think there's going to be a real come up and at some point in the industry because legitimate polsters are being overwhelmed by

you know, these sort of fake uh party polling. Wow. Well, so then then Genie, there is a reckoning coming, whether it's deserved or not, there is, and there should be, and that's where people like you know, in the media

and others have to be very very careful. I too, look at real queer politics averages, we all do, but it's very hard when you're looking at those big averages of pulling to tease out which we're conducted in a way that meets industry standards for transparency and data collection, and some of them do and some of them don't. And the ones that don't, with close races, can really

sway what we're thinking. And so that coupled with the fact that again a lot of are you know, tried and true polsters have decided they're not going to engage in public election polling because it's just not beneficial to them, and so they have stepped back, especially in the last few weeks, and that has made the you know, sort of goal of predicting really really difficult. And you know, on this issue of youth turn out, I want to underscore what your previous guests just said, what Mindy said

is up. But it is still less than three out of ten eighteen to nine year olds voting, if that is you know, we I too was cheering it today in class. Way to go, guys, and it's still less than than three out of ten. We should do much much better we make voting in our country to what is it Gin. You spend every day with a classroom full are they is it the cliche they're just lazy? Or they are they smoking weed and sleeping on mom's couch? Or do they not think it matters? No, it's not.

I don't believe it's it's any of the above, you know, not to be you know, speak for the entire group, But I think just in the case of college students, they are in school today. This is not a time when they can get out. They are institutionalized populations. They have to work and go to school, and so it's hard on a Tuesday and voting hours, especially if you go to school as many students do away from home. Many of them don't have hours or transportation to get home.

So if you didn't think in my state, in my state of New York, if you didn't think to get an early ballot before October, I think it was fourteenth, you are out of luck. And when you're nineteen twenty, sometimes you're not thinking a month or two in advance to get a ballot. So we can make it much easier for the entire population to get out and vote. Well,

you do wonder what the heck is gonna happen. Rick, with two potentially two men over eighty running for the White House at the top of the ticket in two years. That going to bring young people out, that'll drive them away. I mean, there's a reason why only three and ten vote because it's so detached from anything in their lives, and and it should be a little bit detached. I mean, you know, it's it's it's once you know, people start paying taxes and get in the workforce and that's becoming

part of the system, they get more politically excited. So good night, you talking about firedness. Yeah, yeah, that's right. Genie. Keep inspiring. As as we spend time with Rick and Genie, who inspire us every day, I have to ask you about this new assault on the and or president. Apparently the conservative news media has decided to turn the guns at Donald Trump. Listen to the lieutenant governor of Virginia. I don't know if you've heard this today. You start

looking around for examples here. You know, It's one thing for the former president to be uh framed as Humpty Dumpy on the cover of the New York Post, but in this case, on Fox News Business Today, the lieutenant governor of Virginia, who was the National chair of Black Americans to reelect the president in winsome sears. You know, the voters have spoken, and they have said that they want a different leader, and a true leader understands when

they have become a liability. A true leader understands that it's time to step off the stage. And the voters have given us that very clear message. On this same day, a Wall Street Journal editorial dubbs Trump the Republican Party's biggest loser, which must be driving him wild at Mara a Lago. He's one of his favorite insults, of course, And then again that New York Post cover Don who

couldn't build a wall had a great fall. Rick, is this advantage, Rhonda Santis, Well, my favorite new nickname is Trumpty dumpty um. That's pretty funny cover. Yeah, it's pretty funny, all of Uh yeah, I mean, look, I mean this is the reaction, right, I mean, like there are people now looking to scramble. I think this is the most vulnerable Donald Trump's been since January sixth. Uh yeah. The reality is that he does not have the kind of grip on the party today that that he had going

into this election. And and for good reason, right. I mean, he's sitting on a hundred million dollars that didn't spend on people he was endorsing. Uh. He gave the party people that couldn't win in a general through his endorsement. Uh. And and and he's basically threatened the entire party that if you don't become an election denier, you're not a Republican. So he's creating all these false uh expectations that can't be delivered on and then complains when it's not delivered.

So I think there is a reckoning happening and and and and maybe he is able to pull it back like he did before. But right now there's a scramble for leadership. And and you know, you don't have to look very far to find a lot of people. Governor Young, can you know, Governor DeSantis, you know Governor Abbott. All these guys had great nights and they're all looking for a national role. Boy, this is uh, this is interesting something.

He's typically empowered by this type of thing. But to see the entire uh Murdoch News empire, media empire turn on Donald Trump, you wonder if this is an indicator Gene either talking about or at least he's alluding to jumping into the race for president next week, and some are suggesting in the Republican Party that he take advantage. I don't mean to use this that term the wrong way, but use the storm, used the hurricane as an excuse to not do it next week. What do you think happens.

I don't know what everybody's talking about. Sure, de Santist won Florida, but Trump got more votes than to santis Right, that's yeah, that's what he was saying. I don't know what everybody's talking about. My favorite New York post, by the way, was the Future as opposed to santis Um. And you know John pud Hoards saying he's like a can of raid, the most profound voter repellent in American history.

So he's getting hit very hard. Everybody is suggesting, subtly or not so subtly, that he doesn't announce before December six if he's going to and use, as you said, the hurricane is an excuse. But it's Donald Trump, and what hit would it be to his ego? He didn't just subtly say he might consider doing this. On Tuesday, he said he was going to do it, and now he would have to not do it. So you can imagine that it's going to be a great beginning of the week. The tweet the truth I guess called this

is Donald Trump. Now that the election in Florida is over and everything went quite well, shouldn't it be said that in twenty I got one million more votes in Florida than Ronde got this year, asking Rick Davis, grievance, grievance, grievance, I mean, please, is he reading the writing on the wall though, I mean he knows that this is for real? Should he postpone that announcement? Rick? Uh, look, I don't

think he should ever make that announcement. Forget to postpone it. Please, Just that there's a tee time waiting for you, Donald Trump. If you were looking out for Donald Trump, though, is that the right call for him? If I were looking out for Donald Trump, I would cancel the meeting or have some reason to postpone it. But my guess is he feels vulnerable, and that's usually when he does the craziest things right, and the horses out of the barn,

that's the fifteenth. We'll deal with that when the time comes Jennie. Thank you, Rick Davis. Of course our signature panel. I'm Joe Matthew in Washington. Is this week over yet? We'll meet you tomorrow. This is Bloomberg