Sound On: Migrants Bused North, Election Denier Flip-Flop

the grain based products. They will be there. There will be enough. Don't ask Schloomberg Sound On with Joe Matthew on Bloomberg Radio. Immigration moves to the front page, has two Republican governors continue bussing undocumented migrants north. Welcome to the fastest hour in politics, as Martha's vineyard becomes the latest destination for immigrants along with Kamala Harris's front yard.

This morning, the legal implications are looming large, and we'll explore them with Leon Fresco, formerly with the Office of Immigration Litigation at the Justice Department Civil Division. Later, President she meets Vladimir Putin. Will they hug each other into isolation? We'll talk with former Ambassador to the U N and Russia Thomas Pickering, and analysis from the panel. Bloomberg Politics contributor Republican strategist Rick Davis is with us along with

Jim Kessler, co founder of Third Way. The White House calling out Republican governors Rhonda Santis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas for bussing undocumented immigrants to democratic cities. This has been going on for weeks, cities like New York, Chicago, Washington,

d C. Calling their actions cruel and shameful stunts. Today it's not the first time this has come up at the White House in the briefing, but well, today it was a whole new level of concern and urgency as bus loads of immigrants were sent from Texas to Vice President Kamala Harris's home that would be the U. S. Naval Observatory right up there on Massachusetts Avenue, and also two planeloads from Florida to, of all places, Martha's vineyard. We're you know, at church in some community groups were

luckily there to give them shelter and food. Many of them seem overwhelmed. We just started feeding people outside while they were standing around because everybody was just really hungry, and then moved them inside us as we got people on cops in the parish fall. We've got people on cops here, We've got families on air mattresses down in homeless shelter in the library. Barbara Rush from St. Andrew's

Parish on the vineyard, talking today with ABC News. White House Press Secretary Korean John Pierre asked about this, condemned the actions of the two Republican governors. There's a process in place, we have had a process in place. There's a legal way of doing this um and for managing migrants. Republican governors interfering in that process and using migrants as political ponds is is shameful, is reckless, and just plan wrong.

So as usual, there's a political side to this, and there's also illegal when it sounds like based on her answer by the way she says people sent to the vineyard in this case were promised housing and jobs. Let's bring on Leon Fresco, partner at Holland and Knight, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Immigration Litigation at the Justice Department's Civil Division. Leon, it's great to

have you with us here? Do I hear Karine Jean Pierre correctly that the White House might be suggesting this is illegal. Well, I think they're gonna have to look because there's a couple of laws that don't necessarily fit perfectly.

There's an unlawful transport foreign national law that might apply, but that would only apply if they could only be prosecuted under that if they had sort of done the travel in further into uh, the unlawful entry that was initially effectuated into the United States, And so Texas would say that that's not going to really apply because they were already at it by ice and allowed to be

released after that travel. So that one would work. But there also could be a trafficking law that would be put into place that you could actually sue on there, which would occur if you misled people into being transported across the line, And so that one, you know, depending on if they want to get serious, they could start they could start charging people for human trafficking there. Okay,

So that I guess that, you know. The question so many people have is I realized that these are undocumented immigrants, They are from another country. They don't have the rights of an American citizen. But is it legal for a governor of any state to send them wherever they want for whatever reason? Well, it is certainly legal if you're

doing it voluntarily. So if you're saying, look, they're the entry point for four nationals from the southern borders in Texas, that once they arrived in Texas, you sort people out and you ask them where is your final and the destination, and then you send them to Chicago. If that destination is closest to Chicago or New York and is closest to New York, none of that's going to be illegal.

But if you mislead people and you tell them, oh, this boss is going to Boston and you send them to markets vineyard or something, where you start to potentially have legal problems. How about if you promise jobs and housing that's not there, correct, That's the whole point. Now it's gonna matter is who's doing the promising under what authority are they doing it? Is it sort of a rhetorical promise or in the an actual promise, And those are the kinds of things that are gonna have to

be investigated. Boy, these are really great questions here that I know at least in the case of Florida, there's a state program that funds twelve million dollars for relocating undocumented immigrants. Is it legal to use taxpayer money to fly them again? It would be. But here's what's a little bit strange about Florida. Almost none of the undocumented population that the United States of dealing with comes into Florida. Only a very small group of migrants who would be

coming from Cuba through the water. So the people who are actually being sent from Texas to Florida intend for Florida to be their final destination because they have relatives there. And so for Florida I actually send people out, if it's going to be doing it against their will, then that would be illegal. I would actually be on a lawful imprisonment, which you're not allowed to do in that situation,

and you could actually be civilly or criminally prosecuted. What happened in the case where they pull people to our divine here is they stopped in Florida. But that's white originated in Texas, and so that's the point here is this money is really not going to be used to take people from Florida proper to anywhere else, because Florida is not an entry point, it's actually a final destination

for a lot of men. Well, there's nothing complicated about this, Leon, And you know, I just wonder, based on your experience, if the Department of Justice has a case to pursue here because the White House is referring questions to them, I think they are going to need to make tract intensive analysis about what people are being told when they're being answering all these buses that all these trades and

I'll be played. And if people are being misled, then there is an unlawful imprisonment and there's a trafficking component that the Department of Justice can potentially prosecute people for. And the question is isn't going to want to do that in this situation? Yeah? Right? Leon Fresco is with US Holland and Knight and spend time as Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Immigration Litigation at the d j's Civil Division, So we have an expert on

this story here. How about the other way around? Just to look at this, if if if the United States releases an undocumented immigrant, is there any obligation to provide food or shelter at that point. No, what happens at that point once the once the once somebody the pained by the Department of Homeland Security upon their initial unlawful entry and they've been cleared to basically they're called released

on their own recognizance of their cordiering. At that point, Unfortunately, it's up to that human being to basically say alive but cordering. So let's say your sent to Martha's Vineyard in that case, like that means they still have a court date. I'm assuming that's not going to be on the vineyard or how's that going to work? Correct? Correct? Now they can file a change the venue to have

their coord date in Boston. But the point is they're not going to really end up at Martha's Vineyard because like, these people have some sort of plan. They don't just come to the US with no plan. They have a general idea. They're trying to get the family or to someone else. I got you, yes, correct? Wow, Leon, we're learning a lot here. How How long can this go on before the d o J says something? Because it's

it's this has been you know all summer. New York is at the point where the homeless shelters are to the maxed out there people from other countries there well. I think there are a lot of cities that are now starting to grapple with contingency planning for what will happen if people are being brought to their cities. I

do think you're going to continue to see this. I don't think this is going to end any time soon, because I do think we're in a little bit of a what I would call an attrition factor here where Texas really is trying to get trying to force some action here, and they I think they actually would welcome some sort of litigation or something on this run because

they're they're basically trying to force that next step. That's where this is going to go locality, right, And the question is for these localities, can they basically come up with a logistical turnaround that's quick click enough because they don't have to use shelters, that they could basically re round people to the locations they're actually trying to intend to go to. And that's what's going to be the

real issue here. Okay, I got you. And so in the meantime, you wait for the activist group to file the lawsuit and at the ball rolling Yeah, I mean, I think whoever it is, I think there's the potential, I mean, the potential lawsuit that the actual undocumented people who have been transported can say is that they were transported against their will using trickery or false pretense. And if you do that, that kind of interstate trafficking of

a person can get some person in trouble. But you're gonna have to prove a causation of who likes you and where they ordered to like to you, etcetera. Got it fascinating? Leon Fresco, thanks for your time and coming back to talk to us. He's at Holland and Night now former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Immigration Litigation at d j's Civil Division, with us on the fastest hour in politics. This is Bloomberg. Sound on. I'm Joe Matthew in Washington.

We're going to connect in a moment on the line with a state senator from Massachusetts who's obviously is uh. Area includes Martha's Vineyard, which is you know what, uh, forty five minute ferry ride from Hyannis, and I do wonder from Falmouth at least a little longer from Hyannis. I wonder what he's got to tell us, because they're still trying to figure out, as as Leon said, what were they told, who actually sent them, who put them on the buses and the airplanes, and what were they promised.

We'll have the panel weigh in on this coming up as well. Have you ever heard of the reverse freedom rides? You ever heard that story in nineteen six two. This this is really something because this was not in my history book in school. Segregation is from the South came up with a plan to shame northern liberals by sending African Americans from the South up to northern cities. It's

pretty remarkable here, uh, when you think about history. They went to northern cities, including of all places, Cape Cod. Half of them went to Hyenas, the home of the Kennedy's. They were promised jobs and housing. This actually happened. Some were told, in fact, that Kennedy's would be waiting for

them when they got off the bus in Hyenas. None of that was true, of course, But north they went and fascinating to hear the language the rhetoric from these two guys, George Singleman and Amos Guthridge were the so called architects of the reverse freedom rides. They were interviewed in nineteen sixty two. This is from a story on NPR.

Listen to the language they use. The ultimate accomplishment, of course, has already been obtained, and that is to focus attention on the hypocrisy of the Northern Leberals and the n double A CP have been league and people like that especially.

We intend to continue it until those people in the majority tell those politicians we are through with this foolishness about a civil rights George Singleman and Amos Guthridge speaking in nineteen sixty two, it's uh, it's kind of interesting to watch history as you try to understand the current shape of things. Although those were Americans, they were busting. Let's bring in the panel for their take on this.

Bloomberg Politics contributor Rick Davis is with us along with Jim Kessler today, co founder It's Third Way, democratic strategist and former legislative policy director for Senator Chuck Schumer. Thanks for being back with us, Jim and Rick. I wonder your thoughts on the political nature of this today. As Rhonda Santis and Greg Abbott make a name for themselves here for better or worse. Yeah, I think it's for better or for worse, as you say, I mean a lot of people are gonna react to this in a

very emotional way. I mean there's a sense of fairness Amongst American people who say, you know, you don't throw people on a bus and ship them to a state, don't alert their authorities and dump them out on a curb. Their children involved in this, Uh, I can see that becoming a campaign commercial pretty easily. Uh. I think this is all about what you were just describing, which is getting attention. But I think they run the risk of

looking pretty callous in the process. Listen to Rhonde's antis today. He was at an unrelated event and answered the criticism he was getting from Democrats a minute, even a small fraction of what those border towns deal with every day is brought to their front door. They all of a sudden go berserk and they're so upset that this is happening. And it just shows you, you know, their virtue signaling is a fraud. Jim Kessler, is this virtue signaling from Democrats?

I think Rhond the sens has made it's I think it's a kind of a waterloo for him. Politically on this immigration. If you are promising people something, you put them on a bus, you can tell them a lie. You tell them you're going to see them, you tell them they're going to have jobs, and it's all a lie. You trupt into someplace that is different than when you told them. It's because you think those people are so human and you know who had in the previous segment.

You know what happened in nineteen two with African Americans, and you know for other this is the thing that they pulled through and pulled lindon other places too, when they got them on the train. Well, I think one of the places where you know, the Santists and others, a really missingness is how if you're a certain ethnicity or certain race in America, it is a reminder of what happened to you. And the other thing I was going to this is what happens when you were in

a canopic funt match. Jim, we're having a hard time hearing you. I'm hoping that we can reconnect if if if we can do that in the studio, that would be great because I want to hear you and what you're actually saying here, Ricord is comparisons fair, Yeah, I think so. I mean we we we talk a lot about the coyotes, you know in Mexico, who round these people up, promise some jobs, stick them on a bus,

horrific conditions. They break the law by bringing them across the border, and then they dump them out, and and and there are all kinds of challenges in Texas. I get it, um. Um. You know they're they have border towns that are overrun. Uh, we don't have a border policy with this administration that that that makes any sense whatsoever. So it does create a lot of problems. But like, you know, do you really want to be coyote ron? Right? I mean, like, what's the difference between him and a

coyote at this stage? By putting people on bus, promising them something else, and dumping them off in another location with no help the differences? We're using taxpayer money to do it, right, I mean, like that seems really stupid. So, um, I think this is gonna play out in a way that, uh sure it will bring attention to immigration. Maybe they feel bad that all the discussion on abortion and inflation hasn't included an immigration discussion. But I think this has

the potential to backfire in a pretty big way. Uh. Listen to Karine Jehan Pierre again today at the White House. It's not just the fact that these people were busted, it's the way that they did it by not letting anyone know they were coming. Well with with one exception, listen to the Press Secretary, there's a process in place. We have had a process in place. There's a legal

way of doing this um and for managing migrants. Republican governors interfering in that process and using migrants as political ponds is is shameful, is reckless, and just plain wrong. Give us that she gives us a sense here more

about the lack of notice. The fact that the that Fox News and not the Department of Homeland Security, the city, or local NGOs were alerted about a plan to leave migrants, including children, on the side of a busy d C Street makes clear that this is just a cool, premeditated political stunt. So Rick, they alerted Fox News and there was a camera there on mass av when the buses pulled up, but no one else. What does that tell you? I think in this case, She's right, this was a

political stunt. It was made to get headlines. It's not meant to alleviate the suffering on a border town in Texas. It's just meant to get news. And of course the news it's most favorable to. Uh. Abbott and de Santis are going to be Fox, and so call Fox. Make sure the cameras are there, and and and and let's what what are they doing making fun of the people who are standing on the street corner, um, you know, and then and then uh, you know, demagoguing the fact

that people are shocked. I actually think the authorities in both places act pretty cool. They make sure these people have places to stay and food and and um you know, maybe they wind up staying and getting a job. I mean, we have a shortage of personalness country. I'm not suggesting illegal immigration is a way to solve it, but the reality is, um uh, this is the land of opportunity and we're certainly not acting like it. Rick Davis standby with us, and Rick will be here for the hour,

of course, as part of our political panel. Uh as we we have a state senator from Massachusetts on the line who's been dealing with this all day, Julian Sear Uh is uh gotta obviously Cape cod In in his in his state here and specifically Martha's Vineyards. A Senator welcome. I'm I'm glad you could take some time. I know it's been very busy. I just er what you have learned about who actually put these people on airplanes and

what they were told. So, Uh, you know, we we first and for almost have been working, um, you know, around the clock since these planes arrived just after three pm yesterday. Uh, you know, to to welcome these migrant families, to treat them with data in respect, to get them food and shelter, and and to take care of them. And the people in Martha's Vineyard has done I've done a tremendous job and doing that what we've learned, you know, as these are migrants who are mostly from Venezuela. UM.

They had crossed the border recently into Texas. They were staying in the shelter in San Antonio. UM. A woman who went by the name of her La approached them outside the shelter. UM and and essentially this woman lured them into taking the plane. She must led them about where they would be going. Uh. And she primised promised these migrants UM that they would be sent to a place where they can get expacited work papers. Uh, and and and and so on. Uh. Some were told they

were going to Boston. Um, but they really didn't exactly know certainly where they were when they landed, had never sort of heard of Marcus Vineyard. And when they arrived, Um, you know, there was no notification to any official in Marthus Vineyard or anyone in Massachusetts for that matter, that I'm aware of about their arrival. They landed at at the airport Marthus Vineyard. You know, we're a pretty small rural place, especially a year round, right about twenty thousand

people lived here. Landed at the airport. Um, they had a range for actually white vans uh to to take the micro families from the airport to Martus Waniord Community Services, a human service agency about three miles from the airport. And they had ranged actually to have a camera crew to film the planing. But but but really no concern for the health and safety and well being of these migrant families. Really this was a shameless political stunt. So nobody gave anyone a heads up. How did you find

out about it on the news? Uh? No that this our shareff we have a terrific shareff and Margaret's vineyard and and he called me, you know, maybe within within an hour or so. Uh, and we started marshalling resources and on the ground here in Martha's vineyard and of course you know in Massachusetts. Um, you know, but this, this truly is a pretty uh it's a cruel route ruse that that you know, manipulated vulnerable families who are seeking about her life. And I'm really glad that you know,

you raised the reverse freedom rites. That's something we've been talking about. Um. Of course considering that uh a ninety six families you know, came to hiaen Us in the ninet sixties. And um, you know, these these are fundamentally racist and xenophobic tactics. They've been used before, and it's

sad to see been being used again. Well, what do you say to Republicans who's who like Greg Abbott today who said, you know what, this is just a taste or I guess it was Rhonda Santis, this is just a taste of what border towns are experiencing every day. And I believe the line from Rhonda Santis was your virtue to signaling is fraudulent. How would you reply. So, so let's be clear, this isn't about um, you know, helping border towns who are struggling with with with with

so many migrants coming over the border. This isn't about helping the migrants families. This is about a political stun and getting attention. If you wanted to help people, you actually coordinate, you reach out. Government works best right when when we're pulling together. Massachusetts, actually we've had a history of helping helping migrants. Um. You know, a number of years ago under Governor of all Patrick, Massachusetts welcome hundreds

of unaccompanied minors to Massachusetts. They were brought to Massachusetts and partnership with the the federal government. That's how states like Massachusetts an other states that are not border states, you know, can help border states can address you know, address this crisis. But they don't care, they don't actually care about the people. Well, in our remaining moment here, Senator, what what can you tell our listeners will become of these people? What what's

your plan for them? So first and foremost, just making sure that they have shelter, um, you know, are are are well fed, you know for the night. The current shelter we have here in Martha's vineyard. Uh, it's a church parish. It's it's it's quite it's quite small, use one bathroom, it's sort of insufficient. So we're going to be meaning a sort of larger, larger space for them. There's been an outflouring of resources, support, coordination at all

levels of government Massachusetts. UM. So we're gonna be doing everything we can to help them. UM. But we're very clear eyed about about what this is, that this is capitalizing on people who are in different difficult circumstances for our gotcha moment a Sun, it's to stoping. Thank you for being with us. Julian sere on the line from Massachusetts as we try to figure out where they came from and where they might be going. Stay with us, Sun, sound on. I'm Joe Matthew. This is Bloomberg. They met

on the sidelines of the Shanghai Corporation Organization. This is a Beijing led group sort of a counter to other Western alliances. And there he was face to face with Vladimir Putin. It was President. She this after getting off the airplane with a mask and was masked almost the

whole time, walking around indoors. They finally sat down for talks, and as I read on the terminal, remarkable Putin told his counterpart from Beijing he understands China's questions and concerns about his invasion of Ukraine, as the Chinese leader said that two countries could inject stability and positive energy to a world in chaos. So, as I asked earlier, this embrace between she and Putin, will they hug each other

into isolation? And we're joined to talk about it? By Thomas Pickering, former Ambassador to the United Nations, former Ambassador to Russia, India, Israel, Nigeria, Jordan, and Al Salvador. Is quite a career in business card ambassador, welcome back. What's your take of having seen the readouts from both sides of this meeting? The early read outs, Joe, are very interesting.

They first indicate that China continues not only to sit on the fence very carefully on Russian invasion of Ukraine, but has now in diplomatic channels, begun to express concerns about what Russia and Putin are doing there. The first time we've had this kind of a break in their policy.

Uh and Mr Putin took the chance to announce it himself, I think in large measure, because he wanted to do everything he could to characterize those differences as minor or semi minor and the subject that he would correct in his conversations with Presidency, and at the same time, I think try to minish their importance across the board for a relationship that began last February before the invasion, with a kind of unlimited friendship and now has clearly begun

to show its limits. Well, okay, but when you hear President she speaking as he did, what does that do to the US China relationship? Obviously Vladimir Putin has been written off here, but could could President Biden still meet with him in the near term after this today? I don't know, because both sides have had reservations about that.

But if someone were to ask me for my advice, I would encourage, as I have with friends, that the US work harder with China to eliminate some of those obstacles that are now in the way in which both countries could cooperate in reducing I do it quietly and carefully. Economic obstacles or what do you mean, ambassador, Oh, the trade problems that have come out of US trade sanctions and so on. They're they're there, and they're they're not fictional,

and I have made them up. And at the same time, I think it's important for the US to carry out a relationship so that it doesn't take actions, particularly UH stretches of actions that in one way or another, bring China and Russia excuse me, Joe together against the United States.

It's important for US to take advantage of Mr. She's doubts now about what Putin is doing and the isolation he's put himself into, and indeed the failures that over the last week and a half have emerged from his military retreat from a significant part of the Ukraine as a result of Ukrainian military action. Well, I'm going to add another log on the fire here, Ambassador. As the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and I'm sure you're read in

on this, has approved a bill. It's happening, Yes, data boost ties with Taiwan and give more military hardware, more weapons to deter a potential Chinese invasion. The final legislation UH would need to overcome objections from the White House. Nobody knows of it as the votes, but to see this kind of deliberation happening on Capitol Hill following the series of delegations, including Speaker Pelosi's to Taiwan. Our relationship is certainly not improving by the day. What does this do.

I think it's time, if I can call it that, to take a deep breath and think through these relationships. There's no reason at all why we should not support Taiwan under the conditions of the existing Taiwan Relations Act, and we have over a period of time been a

provider of military equipment to Taiwan. It's not my view right now that it's the time to load up or increase those particular efforts, but it is time to make it clear as we have that we're the People's Republic of China to use force against Taiwan uh in conditions which clearly were designed to use force to reincorporate Taiwan back into China. Then we ought to be firm. We also ought to be quietly firm that we do not and can, on the basis of our One China policy

support independence for Taiwan. That's been a thirty in a year US policy, and there's no reason to change it, and there's no reason to shift the ground now in my view in this development in Uzbekistan with the Putinshi meeting is not going to totally change anybody's relationship. It's too early to look for those kinds of shifts, but it is something we need to keep our eye on, and it is something we need to deal with in my humble view, on the basis of strategic thinking and

careful wisdom. Always a fascinating conversation. Ambassador, thank you for joining us. Thomas Pickering, former ambassador to the United Nations and to Russia, among several other countries. I'm Joe Matthew and Washington. This is Bloomberg sound On. As I read on the terminal, she called Putin old friend and said China is willing to work with Russia, display the responsibilities of the major powers, and play a leading role to injectability and positive energy to a world in chaos unquote.

I can't wait to hear from the panel on this. Rick Davis and Jim Kessler are coming up next on the Fastest Hour in Politics. This is Bloomberg. This is Bloomberg sound On on Bloomberg Radio. So how does the White House respond to this meeting today between Vladimir Putin

and President, she Putin hailed the balanced position. This is a quote, the balanced position of our Chinese friends on the Ukraine crisis, as he offered to explain in detail their position on Ukraine, which, by the way, you've heard before they say they're going to denazify the country. Let's reassemble the panel. Rick Davis has a take on this, I can assure you. Republican strategist Bloomberg Politics contributor, joined

today by Democratic strategist Jim Kessler, co founder of Third Way. Rick, what's your thought here, because when I see stories like this, I start thinking, whatever happened to the conversation about secondary sanctions? Yeah, well, I think that's a continuing discussion, may wind up coming up, you know, in the next session in November. You know, in the middle of November they have the G twenty UM and UH and so that that would certainly be

ger Main there. In this case, I think that the US was probably listening as intently as anyone to how uh Premier she was going to react to Vladimir Putin. And I think you had the perfect person today to analyze this in an Ambassador Pickering. I mean, he is

so well experienced and strategic in his thinking. Uh. And the point he made that I think was worth pointing out again is that Vladimir Putin actually went first and said, oh, I know, my friends in China have some questions about what's going on in the Ukraine, right, And so he was able to inoculate the discussion. Now, you know, if he's done that, then there were probably some pretty serious discussions about concerns China has regarding their operation in the Ukraine.

So the fact that Vladimir Putin got to go first was probably a daily cut and let me handle it. I'll answer all the questions regarding that, and then you can talk about what good friends we are. Is that how you see it here, Jim? And does the White

House just stay silent on this? Well? I think this was a really interesting meeting, and in some ways it was a watershed meeting because this was the first time that you saw really unequivocally that China is the big brother in this relationship and Russia's the little brother in

this relationship. And even though if you look at sort of economically and militarily, China has surpassed Russia and has surpassed Russia, you know, have did a long time ago, You've never really seen it act out that way among the leaders in person. And that's that is really significant to me. And that's you know, if I was the White House, I would be looking at that as the queue that now rush then. Now China is in the driver's seat in this relationship. The walls are closing in

on flat a mere Putin. Rick. Yeah, I think that when he has this kind of an outing, you know, which was supposed to boost his prospects on the international stage and you know, sort of reinforce his position as the superpower, and the best he's got is you know, hey, we're good buddies. Um, that really isn't very sufficient for him, especially considering he's starting to get some heat at home.

And you know, we've talked about this a lot since the initial invasion, and like we've discussed the fact that the one thing that could sort of halt progress for Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine, regardless of when he whether he thought he was winning and losing, is political instability at home. It's not all this international sanctions he can bear that. He'll figure out a way around it. He's got print friends like China who can backdoor his needs, but the reality is when the politics at home turn

against him, kind of hard to retreat from that. And that smells like where we're headed next. Rick Davis and Jim Kessler with us on Bloomberg Sound On. As we turn and back to what was happening today at the White House in the Rose Garden, Joe Biden with some news he was really hoping to share. So I thank the unions in the row companies for negotiating good faith they have up for twenty straight hours through that negotiation and uh, and for sticking with it, especially over the

last few days. In fact, the negotiator shoot today. I don't think they've been to bed yet. So twenty hours of talks. They got a deal here. It's not been ratified yet, but we're going to avoid this massive rail shutdown. UH that could have happened tomorrow. Jim Kessler, the administration was directly involved. They clearly see this as a win. As any anyone can remember this in November, well you remember it if it was a loss, Well, that's right, So you know it's the absence of a bad thing.

And it continues a Biden winning streak that's really started since July UM legislatively and international affairs, and with some is like gas prices in particular. Look, I think Joe Biden has written and trap M truk for fifty years, so you would expect him to be able to solve a problem with the with the rail unions. But you know, and also that this is a big moment for Marty war Walsh, the Labor Secretary, to who I think is

a rising star in this administration. What's he gonna do next? Jim, Well, you know there's rumors. You know, look, Ron Clean is the chief of Staff and he's probably if he wants to be chief of staff ll state chief of staff. But most people don't stay after two years. And people are talking, you know, perhaps it's Marty Walsh. Well you heard it here on Sound on UH, producer Matt asks

the question Rick, should they have rescheduled James Taylor to today? Yes, we were hard on them the other day for this very much. So well, look, I mean, this is how you get rid of a hangover, right, you have a good day. So we talked about what a disaster the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act was because of the day that flash and actually went up and uh and so um uh it was a competency issue, right, I mean,

here we go again. One year ago they were pulling out of Afghanistan in the most hamhanded way ever imaginable, and here they do back flip. They have something positive and they wreck it on the shore. So today was a great way to sort of shrug that off and say, you know what, we don't screw up every time. And uh and so you know this is and this is big. I mean we had a big run up to this.

Everybody was looking a lot of concerns about the impact on the economy, and the team and the president came through and and this is what you wanted to have happened, and they deserve a right to celebrate. I want to ask you both about if we can go back to primary night this week, the last primary in New Hampshire was the one we were watching closely. The headlines on Wednesday morning were an election. Denier wins the primary, just like Democrats hoped to run against Maggie Hassan for Senator.

His name is Don Baldock. We talked about him the other day. Uh Rick Davis, Jim, I'll have you weigh in on this in exchange today on Fox News. That was noteworthy. This is someone who just a couple of weeks ago, in the fourteenth of August, said this at a primary debate that was televised. I signed a letter with a hundred and twenty other generals and admirals saying that Trump won the election, and dammit, I stand by

my Okay, pretty cut and dry. Don Baldock today on Fox News was played that cut and asked if he still stands by this. He made it a central theme of his campaign that election was stolen and that Joe Biden was an illegitimate president. Here's Don Baldock just weeks later. So you know, we uh we we uh, you know,

live and learn, right, um. And I've done a lot of research on this, and I've spent the past couple of weeks talking to grantited status all over the state from uh, you know, every party, and I have come to the conclusion, and I want to be definitive on this. The election was not stolen. Was there fraud? Yes? Is that a concern of granted status all over the state? Yes,

there is. Is there a responsibility for public servants and elected positions to ensure that our citizens have faith in their voting system, yes, but elections have consequences, and unfortunately President Biden is the legitimate president of this country. Wow, now that is an evolution, Rick Davis. Are we going to hear more so called election deniers do this between now in November? Boying? That was a bounce, wasn't it.

I gotta tell you it kind of sound effects. It kind of makes my heart feel feel good to complete flip flop. Right. If that's not an ad I wouldn't. There's no ad maker in the world who could do something better than what he's just done to himself. Well, but somebody told him to say that, right, Or did

he call religion after being elected himself or something? Look there, it's all a fraud, right, All these guys who campaign out there to get a Republican nomination from Donald Trump, his his Emperor mater, and then literally flipped the day after and and and it's not just him, you know, it's it's it's in Arizona, it's in Pennsylvania. It's I mean,

it's just startling. And so either they're complete frauds when it comes to their desire to have Trump endorse them so they can win the nomination or they're equally completely complete frauds to think that they can actually get people to forget all that stuff in a general election. We used to we used to go right, ideologically right on the issues of things like that and and what not to uh to get a nomination, and then tacked to the center on issues that are more you know, appealing

to independent voters. And that was a pretty acceptable strategy. This, I don't even know what to call this. This is not tacking to the center. This is bouncing right off the face of the earth. So, Jim, is it up to Democrats to remind voters of evolutions like these for the next several weeks. Joe, I don't think you have to worry about that going on that that's gonna happen. I mean, look what happened here, and this has happened in Arizona too. Is like, the good news is you

just won the primary. The bad news is, if you hold this position on elections, or you hold this positions on abortion, you're gonna lose by fifteen points. So we're gonna need an evolution, and we're gonna need one real fast. And let's rip the band aid off and let's do it on favorable media to see if we can get away with it. And you know it usually doesn't work. It just usually doesn't work. And yes, Democrats will spend eight figures per state reminding voters of where they were

and where they went. Insights from two great political professionals, Jim Kessler, Third Way, Rick Davis, Bloomberg Politics contributor. You won't hear conversations like this anywhere else. Incredible. We'll do this again tomorrow. We do it every day on Bloomber m