5 days to midterms: Trump CANCELS rallies, GOP PANICS over Senate races — MS NOW Highlights

[0:00] Good evening from New York. I'm Chris Hayes. We are just five days out for Election Day and the [0:04] latest polling day by day continues to point in a brutal direction for Donald Trump and the [0:08] Republican Party. Today, a fresh set of CNN polls have Democrats holding leads in the Senate races [0:14] in Texas, Michigan, Kansas and Maine. And of course, no one knows anything until the votes [0:24] are actually counted. I say this every time I mention the polls because it really is true. [0:28] We've learned that lesson over and over again. It's the data we have to work with. But I will [0:33] say this. Republicans, if you look at the way they're acting, are not acting like they have a [0:38] lot of confidence. They're not acting like they're in the driver's seat. Trump's closing message to [0:42] voters is a 1,300 word rant about Bill Maher, of all people, that he reportedly dictated directly [0:48] to his very close aide, Natalie Harp, who seems to never leave the man's side. And we also got this [0:54] bizarre, it's also a long one, this bizarre post about, of all things, the East Potomac Golf Course [1:00] which the president wants to redevelop and he's in a fight over and apparently is very concerned [1:05] with. And I'll quote a little bit here. I won't read the whole thing because we don't have all [1:07] night. Golf balls soar through the holes at high speed and hit unexpected golfers, including a White [1:13] House staffer who was, sadly, hit violently in the chest. The driving rage building itself is falling [1:18] apart. Its structural stability is terrible. It should be closed immediately for safety reasons. [1:22] The exposed nails and disintegrating wood also endanger young golfers. Not a good situation. [1:28] Are you, dear median voter, is at the top of your mind too, right now down the stretch? [1:34] How is the driving range of the East Potomac course? I guess he thinks that is what voters [1:39] should care about five days before the midterms. Again, as we say over and over, no one can predict [1:44] the future. That said, it does feel a bit like the wheels are starting to come off the second [1:49] Trump term. MSNOW reporter Alex Tabat recently spoke to some young men, former Trump voters, who were, [1:55] remember all the stuff that we read in 2024. They were going to make up the president's new [1:59] political coalition. They aren't very pleased. [2:04] I'm angry and betrayed. I feel betrayed. Everything that he said has been an empty promise [2:09] and everything has just gotten more expensive. [2:12] I was a new voter. I kept out of politics growing up. And so I didn't know too much. I was pretty [2:16] uninformed when I voted. [2:18] I just feel like it's with the Republicans. It was a lot of promises, a lot of buildup, and [2:23] then they just fell flat. Today, we also learned that the president canceled his second planned [2:28] rally in Kansas, opting to hold a tele-rally instead. And they're talking about his schedule [2:33] being the issue. But do you think there might be some growing frustration that every single [2:36] rally he holds lately is being constantly interrupted by hecklers? [2:41] It's the empty bottle. [2:46] Go home. Go home. [2:59] I can tell by the voice they get paid. They get paid. [3:06] They always hit me right in the middle of my damn punchline. [3:08] And, you know, if you blow a punchline, it doesn't work the second time. So let's go [3:13] on to the next subject. [3:15] It is annoying when people step in your punchline. [3:18] Every rally seems to be like that. Really. This is like a phenomenon. In the last few days, [3:22] it's gotten really fun. You might remember this guy, Robbie Roadsteamer, the guy who got detained [3:26] while dressed up like a giraffe at an ice protest. Well, he managed to make his way into Trump's [3:30] Ohio rally yesterday to perform his hit song, Trump was on the Epstein plane, to the tune [3:35] of YMCA. [3:39] They speak, and I'll stand usually over here. [3:42] Trump may be over here, or it may be over here. [3:45] Trump went on Jeffrey Epstein plane. [3:50] Trump went on Jeffrey Epstein plane. Trump went on the Jeffrey... [4:00] It is a little hard to get the melody, but just go with it. [4:07] Those are just a few incidents like this at Trump rallies we've seen in a long time. [4:11] Maybe they're just getting worse at telling the difference between the troublemakers and [4:14] the real Trump people. Fox News certainly wasn't much better with that today. [4:18] We got Tom right here, kind enough to answer a few questions. Tom, why are you here this [4:25] morning? [4:26] Well, in the late 70s, I was a little too young to get involved and go to South America for [4:33] the Jonestown Massacre, but this is as close as I'll ever get, so that's why I'm here. [4:36] Wait, the Jonestown Massacre? [4:38] That's right. [4:38] See, there's nothing like being a cult right up front, man. [4:41] All right. [4:42] Maybe this is not a Trump supporter right now. [4:46] Maybe he's not. [4:49] Well, you got to just, that's tip of the cap, send it back to the studio. [4:54] You think maybe that guy isn't a Trump supporter? [4:56] I got to say, it doesn't seem like things are trending in the right direction for Trump. [5:00] Polls are not votes, neither are vibes, but they are both going against Trump and the Republican [5:04] Party very hard in the final stretch of this election cycle. [5:07] Joining us now is Ali Velshi, chief data reporter at the Big Board. [5:10] Ali, just today, MSNOW shifted our rating for the South Carolina Senate race between Darlene [5:15] Graham and Annie Andrews from likely Republican, lean Republican. [5:18] Help us understand just what that means and what we're seeing to probably change. [5:21] I'm going to go out on a limb here. [5:23] All these states in yellow are the ones that we consider toss-ups. [5:27] They're ones that Democrats have got to at least keep the states that they hold and win [5:31] four of these. [5:32] But we've just moved two races, neither of which go into the toss-up category. [5:36] And I'm just going to put something out there. [5:37] For all the people who are focused on a particular state that they're interested in seeing the [5:40] results of, I want people to look at Mississippi, not because I think it's going to switch to [5:45] a Democratic Senate seat, but because it may be the most interesting story on Tuesday night [5:50] and I'll tell you why. [5:51] However, before I get there, let's go to South Carolina. [5:53] You already saw this, that the Siena New York Times poll has got Annie Andrews, Dr. [5:58] Annie Andrews, the Democratic challenger, running neck and neck with Darlene Graham. [6:02] Now, it's a 4.3% margin of error, so lots of room here. [6:07] But the idea that a Democratic candidate is running neck and neck with a Republican candidate [6:11] whose last name is Graham in South Carolina is kind of remarkable. [6:15] However, I will remind you that back before Lindsey Graham died and he ran his primary, [6:20] he got 57% of the vote, which is unusual for a United States senator, Republican supporter [6:26] of Donald Trump who's not crosswise with Donald Trump. [6:28] Annie Andrews has just been hammering away and hammering away and hammering away. [6:31] Darlene Graham hasn't really been helping herself in her debate performances. [6:35] So this is a really interesting story. [6:37] And I'm going to tell you something else about South Carolina. [6:40] In South Carolina in 2022, in the midterms, 561,000 people voted. [6:45] In this year, with five days left to go, 753,000 people have voted in South Carolina. [6:54] Now, again, Darlene Graham is not probably the reason a whole bunch of people have decided [6:58] to suddenly vote in South Carolina. [7:00] I can't extrapolate what this means. [7:02] But if I look at Louisiana, where we're seeing massive increases in early vote turnout [7:06] and massive increases in disproportionately massive increases in black voter turnout, [7:12] maybe there's something going on here at the same time. [7:14] Let's go back to Mississippi for a second. [7:16] This is a really interesting race in which Scott Colombe is challenging Cindy Hyde-Smith. [7:23] Now, a lot of interesting things here. [7:24] Like Annie Andrews in South Carolina, Scott Colombe's been hammering away. [7:28] He's a district attorney. [7:30] He's sort of not an easy guy to dismiss. [7:32] But nobody would have thought many months ago that this was going to be a real race. [7:36] And suddenly, it's looking a little more real. [7:38] We've moved this from being safe Republican into being likely Republican. [7:43] Again, that does not suggest a swing. [7:46] But what it does suggest is that Mississippi does not have early no-excuse voting. [7:50] So those numbers that I showed you from South Carolina, the numbers that I showed you from [7:54] that I talked about from Louisiana, you can't see that in Mississippi. [7:57] You won't see that. [7:58] There's no such thing. [7:59] Most people in Mississippi vote on Tuesday, which is why I am saying all eyes should be on [8:03] Mississippi on Tuesday. [8:04] Not because it's going to change hands, Chris, but because you're going to see what happens [8:08] to people who are fed up with you trying to keep them out of the vote. [8:12] There are people in general, and black people in particular in Mississippi, who are going to say, [8:17] OK, you want to keep on squeezing us out? [8:18] We're going to show you what that looks like. [8:20] And I'm going to pay close attention to that. [8:22] But given some incredible new reporting about what Donald Trump is up to right now, [8:28] you won't believe it. [8:29] Maybe you've read about it. [8:30] There's one John Ossoff ref about Trump from over the summer that has been [8:34] just ringing around in my head all afternoon. [8:36] See, he doesn't want to do the job. [8:43] He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless [8:47] flying palace gifted by the emir of Qatar. [8:52] That was John Ossoff back in August. [8:54] And of course, the Natalie the senator was referring to was Trump's still inseparable [9:00] White House assistant, Natalie Harp, who's best known for supplying Trump with hard copies [9:05] of flattering press to soothe his fragile ego. [9:09] That's why she's often been referred to as Trump's human binky. [9:11] What a name. [9:13] Now, here we are. [9:14] We're five days out from the midterms. [9:15] We're very close. [9:16] And late last night, we got reporting from The New York Times revealing that Natalie [9:21] Harp abandoned her usual desk outside of the Oval Office in recent weeks and has taken [9:26] up a spot inside Trump's private dining room, a room, I should note, connected to the Oval [9:32] Office by a private hallway. [9:34] You can see it on the map there, which I should say is usually reserved for, at least in my day, [9:39] things like the president's lunch with the vice president, private high-level briefings for the [9:45] president. It isn't usually turned into a propaganda printing office for White House [9:50] assistants. Not usually, but here we are. [9:53] Of course, Natalie Harp is among the inner circle of Trump loyalists who have been increasingly [9:58] cloistered with the president as this party faces what could be catastrophic losses come Tuesday. [10:04] As the Times reports, as the election approaches, as the elections approach, Trump is feasting on a [10:09] media diet of fawning press coverage that must be hard to find, honestly, right now, disparaging [10:14] clips about his perceived enemies and helpings of flattering photos and AI slop, as one official [10:20] put it. The inner circle also includes none other than Bill Pulte, the top federal housing [10:27] official and the chairman of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, who is now, this is so, this might be my favorite [10:33] part of the story. Spending his precious time making, wait for it, everyone, posters for the [10:39] president. Posters! Nothing, I guess, like a little sycophantic crafting five days before an election, [10:46] right? For somebody who wants a bigger job, clearly. And no surprise, one of the special posters by [10:52] one of Trump's special boys made by him features Republican Senator John Husted of Ohio, the guy whose [10:59] ass Trump has been obsessed with completely. We don't know, at this point, at this moment, [11:06] the angle of John Husted that Bill Pulte picked for that particular poster. Maybe there's more than [11:11] one, everyone, but I think we can guess. Now, additionally, Trump is reportedly talking up the [11:17] sizes of the crowds of his rallies, while also noting that Vice President J.D. Vance has not drawn [11:22] large numbers to his events. I'll let you all do psychoanalysis of that one, but ouch. But it's [11:29] not just the fact that he's in serious denial about his crowd sizes getting smaller. It's also about [11:34] some of the people at those rallies, like this guy in South Carolina, who through some sort of [11:40] divine act of news gods out there, Fox News just happened to interview in the crowd. [11:46] This morning. In the late 70s, I was a little too young to get involved and go to South America [11:56] for the Jonestown Massacre. But this is as close as I'll ever get. So that's why I'm here. [12:00] Wait, the Jonestown Massacre? That's right. See, it's nothing like seeing a cult right up front, [12:05] man. Thank you. I mean, I just, everything about that is just perfect. There's nothing like seeing a [12:13] cult right up front, right? I mean, what a line. But the thing is, the mega cult is getting smaller and [12:19] smaller. And it's not limited to Donald Trump. I mean, Trump's handpicked Republican nominee for [12:24] Senate in Texas, Ken Paxton, the guy that Trump and his buddy Elon Musk are trying to buy an election [12:31] for. Turned out this crowd I am showing you in San Angelo, Texas. I think there's, I don't know, [12:39] at least a dozen people there by my count, maybe. I'm not seeing a whole lot of energy in that room. [12:45] Some people seem even perplexed as to why they're there. Who knows? Random pacing? I don't know. [12:51] And in Odessa, Paxton's reception was so underwhelming that, well, this happened. [12:58] We sued him. We recovered billions of dollars, three billion, which are almost three billion [13:01] in the community. Thank you. Thank you for that one clap. That's my participation here. I appreciate [13:06] that. You're awake. You're awake. That's what he said at the end. Folks, the bar is apparently that [13:15] low. And things really can't be going well for Texas Republicans when the longtime Texas [13:21] controller, Joe Huffines, starts fear mongering like this. Doing good right now in the early vote. [13:31] We're getting beat by the leftists. We're getting beat bad. You need to know that. You need to be [13:40] scared. You need to be concerned because it's a fact. All right. We're getting beat bad. You need [13:49] to be scared because it's a fact. I mean, I guess it's one of the more truthful things I've heard a [13:54] Republican say on the trail this cycle. So there is that. And that's because, you know, they can't [13:59] really run from the data. Today, CNN released a new poll showing Democrats in the lead in four [14:04] key Senate races from Texas to Michigan, as well as Kansas and Maine. We have them all on the screen [14:09] up there. And none of that can feel good for the insecure man child who is currently sequestered in [14:14] his personal dining room with Natalie Harp and some of Bill Pulte's crafting projects, I guess. [14:20] Perhaps that's why Trump decided to cancel both of his rallies in Kansas and Iowa, opting to go to [14:26] Mar-a-Lago. It sounds like a heck of a lot better, doesn't it? And honestly, I'm sure some Republicans [14:31] in those states are breathing a sigh of relief. I guess it's entirely maybe possible he listened to some [14:36] of his advisers. I don't know. But have no fear. Trump plans on still making some half-assed [14:43] appearances doing tele-rallies in at least 20 states, everyone, because nothing says, [14:48] I'm fighting for you, America, like an unhinged man giving a speech over Zoom from the confines [14:53] of his country club. And that is what we are talking about here. So Donald Trump is canceling [14:58] rallies in key states. He's holed up with his human binky and some homemade posters. And all the while, [15:05] Democrats are going for broke. Here with Senator John Ossoff today at that rally I mentioned earlier [15:10] with Kamala Harris. If we do everything we need to do for these next five days, for these next [15:22] five days, we will change the course of American history. Not only will we be able to contain this [15:37] man's wickedness, we will be able to do the work of healing the brokenness that gave rise to him. [15:46] We will defend civil rights and voting rights in the state of Georgia and across the country. [15:53] We will take action to get secret money and corporate money out of politics. [16:01] We will restore American leadership for peace and human rights around the world. And we will act [16:10] to guarantee great health care for every single American. Are you all ready to do that? [16:21] Hope Ken Paxton didn't see that clip. It might make him feel kind of bad about himself. [16:26] Because that's that's the energy the Democrats are riding into this final weekend before election day. [16:31] A grim mood descending on the White House with Trump relying more and more on a tightening inner [16:37] circle. That, of course, includes devoted aide Natalie Hart. But, quote, amid the loyalists, [16:43] news clippings, poster boards and pieces of art made by his fans is an increasingly unpredictable [16:48] president staring down the possibility that the Republican Party could lose both chambers of [16:53] Congress in next week's elections. That's how new reporting from The New York Times describes what [16:58] is happening inside Trump's world right now, according to 16 current and former administration [17:03] officials and Trump allies. And while some allies tell Trump aides he was wrong to make the election [17:09] referendum on himself, he cannot stop complaining about just how hard he's working. [17:15] Please get out and vote. I tell you what, if we don't win the midterms, they're going to blame me. [17:23] You know that if we do win them, I will get no credit whatsoever. It's true. I won't get any. [17:30] But I'm working my ass off. You better get out there and vote. You think this is easy? [17:35] Jim Messina, Michael Waldman are back with me. Listen, Jim, Michael, you have both worked in [17:40] White Houses. You know how this goes when things are sunny and good. So, too, is the mood inside [17:46] the building when you have the possibility that both chambers are going to flip. There's a little [17:50] bit of people turning on each other. But I got to say, Jim, this seems especially grim. [17:55] It really does. And this is what happens when you surround yourself with a whole bunch of [17:59] incompetent hacks that don't know what they're doing. And, you know, when I worked in the White [18:03] House, Alicia, Barack Obama said to me, I don't pay you to tell me when I'm right. I pay you to [18:08] tell me when I'm wrong. And, you know, people around Donald Trump are not telling him that he's [18:13] hurting his efforts. Every day he goes out and makes these crazy statements. He's all over the [18:18] country in places he shouldn't be campaigning, where it's actually hurting the ticket. And he's [18:22] begging the election to be about himself. He keeps saying at every single rally, this I'm on the [18:28] ballot, vote for me. And these swing voters are voting exactly on this. They're saying we're [18:33] sick of what you're doing. We're sick of the tariffs. We're sick of the war. And yet no one [18:37] around him has the guts or the ability to stand up and say, you're the problem. And instead, [18:43] they're all just whining to reporters about it. Just to make it clear how this relates to the [18:49] American public, the Times reporting said that Trump is now relying more and more on Bill Pulte [18:55] and Natalie Harp. This is from their reporting. Pulte is Trump's purveyor of AI-generated images and [19:00] memes that make their way to the president's social media feed. Well, Harp has moved to Trump's [19:05] private dining room located just off the Oval Office when she is not seated behind the president [19:10] at his desk. There's always been this question about a president who is insulated from the truth [19:15] and only has his loyalists around him. What is the danger to the American people of a president who is [19:22] out of touch on everything from the economy to his war of choice in Iran? [19:26] Well, in this second term, especially, he has chosen to govern like a mad king, [19:31] trying to use executive actions and other things to do things that are frequently illegal and are [19:37] blocked already by the courts. Understandably, it will feel like a rebuke from the public if it [19:43] penetrates that general air of glory that surrounds a president and these people who are yes men and [19:51] women. You know, lots of presidents, even in their second term, have had a loss in a midterm, one or both [19:58] houses, and sometimes they adjust. Bill Clinton in 1994, when I was working there, really readjusted his [20:05] political position and made deals, actually, with the Republicans in Congress on a lot of things. George W. [20:11] Bush, after he lost in 2006, made changes in how he was dealing with things, including, if I remember [20:17] right, how the Iraq war was being conducted. Smart presidents with good people around them, [20:23] they don't love it, but they realize that they have to make a course correction. Here, it doesn't [20:27] seem like this truck is steering back on the road anytime soon. Well, and that has implications for [20:32] the country. That is the thing I am personally most concerned about, Jim. But it also has implications [20:37] for 2028 and beyond, specifically for Republicans. From this reporting, it looks as though the president, [20:43] should he have a wipeout on Tuesday, is in a position to blame his own vice president, J.D. [20:47] Vance. This is what they're writing. Trump has noted that vice president J.D. Vance, the presumptive [20:53] Republican frontrunner in 2028, has not drawn large numbers to events that he is headlining. [20:58] He manages both to talk up himself and knife the vice president. What does that say to you about any of [21:04] the chatter around Vance as his successor? That his biggest primary is with Donald Trump, [21:10] and then he continues to show fealty to Donald Trump in a way that Donald Trump doesn't show to [21:15] him. And, you know, there's been public reporting that every weekend at Mar-a-Lago, Trump is asking [21:20] people, you know, who are visiting him whether he should pick Rubio or Vance. And, you know, he's [21:27] deciding this. He's getting to pick. And it just shows you how the vice president job in the Trump [21:32] administration is such a terrible job. Just ask Mike Pence. And now, you know, he's starting to blame [21:38] his vice president. His vice president has been largely silent on his campaign trail, [21:42] except for defend Donald Trump on everything, including the war in Iran, which reporting says [21:49] he didn't support. And so, you know, all J.D. Vance is getting for his absolute fealty [21:55] is being a punching bag for Donald Trump. And it's really going to affect his 2028 campaign, [22:01] because right now are when a whole bunch of people are deciding whether or not they're going to run [22:05] and they're going to look and say, does J.D. Vance have Donald Trump wrapped up? And the answer is [22:11] clearly no. But for now, let's bring in Michael Schnell, MSNOW congressional reporter. She joins us [22:17] from South Carolina this morning. OK, Michael, you have been talking to Republicans about the state [22:23] of the Senate race. And I can tell you those I've spoken to down there honestly feel frustrated and [22:28] disrespected. This should be a very comfortably read state. There were many people that could have [22:33] been chosen for the seat. And the president handpicked Darlene Graham. And lots of voters [22:38] are saying this woman is unqualified and unqualified or not. She doesn't have any experience. [22:43] Steph, that's exactly what I'm hearing from voters. And it's exactly what I've been hearing [22:48] from South Carolina Republicans who are here on the ground. Plain and simple, they are nervous [22:52] about this race. I spoke to Congresswoman Nancy Mace last night. She's, of course, [22:56] the Republican representing parts of South Carolina in the House. She told me it's an effing [23:01] train wreck. And Steph, she actually used the word. She said it's a mess. She said things are [23:05] not good right now. I spoke to another South Carolina Republican official who told me that [23:09] this race is way tighter than it should be and said the fact that the president is coming to town [23:14] spending resources, time and money in a state like South Carolina is wild. This is a place that [23:19] went for President Trump by double digits in the previous presidential election. It has not [23:24] elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1998. But Republicans are very worried that this year [23:31] could be the one that breaks that trend because Darlene Graham has struggled to unite the Republican [23:35] Party and get voters excited about her candidacy. That being said, the president back in town today, [23:41] his second visit in two weeks and his third in three months trying to nudge her over the finish [23:45] line in this final stretch. But here's the thing. Let's talk about the look for Trump. [23:50] OK, the White House obviously thinks Graham needs help. That's why Trump is going there. [23:53] That's why they're spending all this money. But but doesn't this put him in danger [23:58] that reinforcing Darlene Graham, if it doesn't work out, all eyes are going to point to Donald [24:05] Trump. Yes, the president has a ton on the line here because he has carried Darlene Graham [24:11] along the way through every step of this. He's the one who encouraged the governor here [24:16] to appoint Darlene Graham to fill the seat of her brother, the late Senator Lindsey Graham. [24:20] He is the one who encouraged her to run for the full six year term. And he is the one who endorsed [24:24] her and has now been rallying for her. But what I'm hearing from these Republican officials, [24:28] Steph, is that it's a question of whether Trump being here today will help or hurt Darlene [24:33] Graham. They're telling me it's a double edged sword. On one hand, yes, the president has [24:36] this innate ability to turn out Republican voters. And by the way, Nancy Mace told me that Trump [24:41] is going to have to drag Darlene Graham over the finish line because of those MAGA voters [24:45] do not come out. She will lose. But on the other hand, I'm also hearing that folks feel like [24:49] Darlene Graham is being shoved down their throats. And that is not my word. That's what Congressman [24:54] Ralph Norman told me. He is, of course, the one who lost to Darlene Graham in the primary. [24:59] And Ralph Norman's take on this is important. Yes, he lost the primary. He is still supporting [25:04] Darlene Graham in this race. But he actually is from Rock Hill, South Carolina, where I am [25:08] right now. He represents this part of the state. In fact, this part of the state voted for Ralph [25:13] Norman by 26 percentage points over Darlene Graham in that runoff back in August. So Ralph [25:20] Norman tells me that while the president is able to turn out voters and excite them, voters are also [25:24] feeling like they're not being given a choice here and that they're being forced to support Darlene [25:28] Graham. So it could come around to haunt them in the end. There's also a question of you brought up [25:33] this idea of nepotism here, the fact that Darlene Graham does not have the qualifications a lot of [25:37] voters are saying, but yet she is in this position because of her last name. That is another thing that [25:42] I'm hearing from officials that is dogging her candidacy and her campaign in this final stretch. [25:47] So again, the president here doing what he can to try to push her over the finish line. But folks [25:52] are telling me that it actually may be counterproductive. Michael, thank you. Now let's get [25:56] smarter with the help of our lead off panel. It's going to be a great one. Susan Glasser is back, [26:00] staff writer for The New Yorker. Jacob Rubashkin, deputy editor at Inside Elections and former South [26:07] Carolina governor, a man who knows this state well, Mark Sanford. Governor, I'm so glad you're here. [26:11] What is the vibe in South Carolina, specifically with Republicans that you talk to? I've spent the [26:18] last day talking to Republicans in Texas who are frustrated that they feel that they have to back [26:24] Ken Paxson like they have no choice. Is that the case in South Carolina? [26:30] Very much so. I mean, what was just reported, I think, is accurate in that there is genuine [26:35] frustration with, you know, the choice that they're left with. They don't want to vote Democratic, [26:41] Democratic. But at the same time, they're concerned about competency and allegiance issues. [26:48] They don't like the idea of a puppet, somebody who, you know, do as told by the president just [26:53] because he helped drag he or her, as the case might be, across the finish line. So I think that [27:00] it's going to be a tight one. I think it's an absurd conversation that we're having [27:05] to have this conversation about South Carolina. I think it's crazy that you've seen [27:09] three presidential visits for a Republican nominee. Again, that should be an absolute [27:15] chew in. It says there are a lot of red flags going off in the White House. And I think those [27:19] same red flags are being reflected here on the ground in South Carolina. [27:23] You endorsed Ralph Norman over Darlene Graham. So are you having sort of, and I told you so moment, [27:30] I mean, even if Graham pulls it off, just think of, just think of the amount of money and effort [27:35] this White House has had to back, has had to put forward to back Graham. That would not have been [27:40] the case with Norman. Right. I mean, I don't think, this is not a South Carolina thing. I don't think [27:48] that people in our country like the idea of political nepotism. Does it occasionally happen? Yeah. [27:53] But I think in terms of the default setting in the way that Americans think about politics [27:59] and their representatives in Washington or in a state Capitol, it just doesn't feel right. And [28:06] there's something awkward about it. So yeah, I think Ralph would have been a shoe in, but here we are. [28:13] Indeed, here we are. Let's stay on this corruption and nepotism idea, Susan. We have heard voters say [28:20] that corruption and cronyism is a top issue for them. Like we've, we've, we're, we're off the [28:27] reservation. Like there are longtime political families. We know that in this country. And in fact, a lot [28:31] of voters have fatigue over it, but we're looking at a situation where this is a Senator who has zero [28:38] political experience one year ago. Is this another example of Trump being severely out of touch? [28:45] Just playing with the American people. Well, Steph, look, I think he takes things for granted. [28:51] And he certainly took the fact that South Carolina was such a deep red state for granted that he could [28:56] do essentially whatever he wanted. And I think that's the through line that you see Democrats [29:01] emphasizing in this election cycle. The idea that Donald Trump is governing like a king. I noticed [29:07] that that was really one of the big lines that got a huge response from the crowd when Barack Obama [29:12] used it last night at his rally in Atlanta. And I think the reason that connects the dots here, [29:19] right, is this idea of no constraints, no limits, no one who can tell Donald Trump what to do. So [29:25] that's the through line from the idea of the guy who, you know, is redecorating the people's house [29:30] with gold, but also using his power of the office to monetize the presidency for his personal gain and [29:36] the gain of his family. And just the idea that he's indifferent in many respects to the issues that [29:42] are driving Americans. Maybe this campaign theme wouldn't work as well, Steph, if it weren't for [29:48] the economic and geopolitical situation that Donald Trump himself has generated, right? Like corruption [29:55] has historically been a tough issue to get people really motivated to vote on. But at a moment when [30:00] people are concerned about the actual conditions in their lives, I think it's resonating in a very [30:05] different way in this election than I've seen in other American elections. [30:09] Jacob, what are the numbers look like? Well, in South Carolina, they're troubling for Republicans. [30:16] I've got three numbers for you, Stephanie. I'm glad you asked. The first one is 48. That's where [30:20] Annie Andrews and Darlene Graham were tied at in the latest New York Times survey that you put up on [30:26] the screen a couple minutes ago. The second number is 4 million. That's how many dollars Annie Andrews [30:32] raised in the first two weeks of October. The third is 90,000. That's how many dollars Darlene Graham raised [30:39] in the first two weeks of October. 4 million to 90,000. That money is important because if the [30:45] race is tied at 48, one of those candidates has to win. Which one has the resources, the infrastructure, [30:51] the ability to go out and get those final couple of voters? Increasingly, it's looking like Annie [30:56] Andrews has an edge on that front. Republicans have had to pour money into this state, millions of dollars [31:02] to rescue Darlene Graham. She really doesn't have much of a campaign apparatus. It's all being done [31:08] on the super PAC side. And that puts her in a difficult position, even though the partisan lean [31:12] of the state, you know, Trump won by 20 points here, essentially, still is in her favor. [31:19] Governor, let's just get practical when we talk about closing messages, right? The president, [31:23] what he is saying at rallies last night in Ohio, it took an hour before he talked about the economy, [31:29] which is the number one issue for voters. Before that, he was largely focused on attacking [31:34] immigrants, some on Democrats. The Democrats part should not be a surprise. [31:39] And then he turned to talk up the White House renovations again. How does this play with American [31:45] voters? Like, take me to South Carolina. I can't imagine there are voters that are excited [31:49] to hear about White House renovations. I think that's more than fair. I think that, [31:57] you know, it's the economy stupid. It always is. And I think it's particularly relevant given where [32:03] gas prices are and the affordability issues that people are struggling with in South Carolina. So [32:08] I think if you go off script on that, which they want to do, I think also if you go off script on [32:14] the notion of war, there's a guy who's promised some very different things on that front, promised [32:19] very different things on the economy front. And so I think that we're looking at one of these big [32:26] Democratic suites. I mean, like along the lines of 2006, where you saw, if I remember right, [32:33] it was like 30 House seats and six Senate seats. I think that this is going to be a major sweep [32:38] and a major repudiation, whether it happens or not in South Carolina. I think it's very tough for it [32:43] to happen in South Carolina, just based on the base numbers. But I think it's going to be a big [32:47] Democratic sweep. And I think a lot of Republicans are worried about the simple idea of this ain't [32:52] working for me and my family in terms of affordability and how we pursue the American [32:58] dream. Republicans continue to attack Michigan's Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed over [33:06] his Muslim faith while campaigning in Ohio yesterday. Republican Senator Bernie Moreno suggested El-Sayed [33:14] that is unfit to serve because of his religious beliefs. Here is some of what he said. [33:21] On Monday, I went up and campaigned with Mike Rogers because he's in a race with somebody that [33:27] just is an affront to me as an American. By the way, an affront to me as a naturalized citizen to [33:33] this country. This character, Abdul El-Sayed, can be nowhere near Washington, D.C. Do you think [33:41] he understands that concept that our rights come from God Almighty, that Jesus came here for our [33:48] salvation? He should be nowhere near Washington, D.C. And Mike Rogers is going to kick his ass [33:56] on Tuesday. I mean, it's it's I don't even know where to begin, Gene. Yeah, we it literally would [34:09] not have been hard for him to just literally open a little booklet with the Constitution. And all it [34:18] have to do is read the First Amendment. The First Amendment. It's not the 22nd Amendment. Just the [34:22] very first. It's not the 17th. It's not the 18th. Just read the First Amendment. Right. Congress, [34:30] just read the first phrase, Bernie. Bernie. Just read the first phrase of the First Amendment. [34:46] The Constitution of the United States First Amendment. Congress shall make no law respecting [34:57] an establishment of religion. Yeah. Gene. Right. As a Baptist, I am glad that we do not have state [35:09] religion. Absolutely. I am glad that we are not like Iran. I am glad we are not like other countries [35:19] that force their people when they're running to be a certain religion or a certain faith. Right. But [35:27] Bernie says he should not be in the United States Senate because he doesn't understand the concept of [35:36] Jesus. Right. I understand. My family understands my personal savior. That's me. Right. But our [35:44] founders set it up. Yeah. You can be a Christian. You can be a Jew. You can be a Muslim. You can be [35:51] agnostic. You can be an atheist. You can be a Hindu. That makes us Americans. That makes us Americans. [35:57] That makes us Americans. Thomas Jefferson famously. But the fact that this is happening in 2026. I know. [36:04] The ignorance. And by the way, the hatred, the pure hatred, the un-American hatred of the United [36:13] States Constitution. Yeah. Why would he? Why would he admit that he hates the Constitution? Why would [36:20] he admit that he hates the First Amendment to the Constitution? Why would he admit that publicly? [36:26] It makes like that makes no sense to me. No. Well, it makes no sense. I mean, the reason is desperation. [36:32] They're trying to win the seat. And so they're trying to. By being un-American? By being un-American. [36:37] How do you win? By shredding the Constitution. The most basic concept. The first phrase of the [36:44] First Amendment. The first phrase of the First Amendment. Yes. Of the U.S. Constitution. I know. [36:48] It makes absolutely no sense. And it is wrong. And it's happening not just in that race. It's [36:54] happening. You know, this is a big thing in Texas. It's essentially demonizing Muslims and portraying [37:02] the, you know, the observance of Muslim holidays as Sharia law. That's what's what is being interpreted [37:12] as Sharia law in Texas. If you follow your faith. It's disgraceful. It is un-American. [37:20] And it's, you know, I really hope for a variety of reasons that it doesn't, not only that it doesn't [37:28] work, but that it gets repudiated. We'll see. We'll see. Because it's just disgusting. [37:32] That's a strong current of how you got Paxton, actually, in Texas. He's being split in that [37:37] Republican Party, where his core campaign thing was stopping Sharia and forcing Cornyn into that. [37:43] It sounds like Senator Marino is not a Constitution guy. So I have a little more reading. That's the [37:47] First Amendment. Down, more specific to the issue he's talking about. Article 6, Clause 3, [37:51] no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust [37:57] under the United States. Could you read that again, please? And let's get a full screen for that for [38:01] the next time that we run this. Read it again. Article 6, Clause 3, United States Constitution, [38:06] no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust [38:12] under the United States. It's pretty simple. It's pretty explicit. It's a little reminder for [38:16] Bernie. One other reminder, too. Bernie Moreno was hardcore, like J.D. Vance, [38:21] never Trumper in 2016. Oh, my gosh. Did he call him Hitler, too? He did, Joe. He did. [38:26] Bernie Moreno, like J.D. Vance, compared him to Adolf Hitler? He called him a maniac, [38:31] a lunatic invading the GOP. He said once, there is no scenario in which I would support [38:38] Donald Trump. He wrote in Marco Rubio in 2016, and he wrote this tweet to his followers in 2016 [38:44] of Trump. He attacked immigrants, tries to silence the press, and appeals to the darkest part of human [38:50] nature, and then asked his followers whether he was describing Donald Trump or Adolf Hitler. [38:55] Well, that's a good question that Bernie had. That's the same guy who last night said that [39:02] there has to be a religious test to be in the United States Senate. That's him. I mean, [39:09] he was asking all the right questions. I like that full screen, too. Yeah, that one full screened. [39:14] That's absolutely stunning. Then there's this. Ben mentioned Texas at a campaign event in Michigan [39:21] yesterday. Republican Senator Ted Cruz also attacked El Sayed, playing on the unfounded [39:28] accusations that he has ties to the Muslim. Which he's denied repeatedly. So you deny it, [39:33] they lie. He denies it, they lie. He denies it, they lie. When someone gets elected to the Senate, [39:42] you don't have a security clearance. There's no process to get a security clearance. You are granted [39:49] the very highest level security clearance simply by virtue of being elected to a constitutional [39:55] office. If, God forbid, El Sayed were to win, nothing would prevent Chuck Schumer from putting [40:08] El Sayed on the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Intelligence Committee has access to the most [40:16] sensitive secrets in our government, and the odds are unacceptably high that Americans would die as a [40:23] result. Well, actually, Americans would die as a result because of the Republican war in Iran. [40:29] Americans are going to die as a result because of all the warmongering that's been going on for the [40:33] past year and a half. And Ted, you yourself said that Donald Trump was unfit when you were running [40:40] against him to be president of the United States, to have those same intel briefings. But he got him, [40:45] and not only did he get him, what he did after he got elected is he immediately called the Russians [40:50] into the White House, kicked out all of the reporters, and just had Russians in there. [40:57] And everything got worse from that point on. So you actually have the nerve to talk about while he [41:04] cozies up to Vladimir Putin, you actually have the nerve to talk about the dangers that El Sayed as a [41:12] senator may have if he has some intelligence when Donald Trump hoards illegally, hoards all of that [41:18] intel, all those classified documents down at Mar-a-Lago. I mean, our allies are not sharing [41:25] state secrets with America because they do not trust Donald Trump not to pass him along [41:33] to Vladimir Putin. And you can make that argument? That's rich. [41:39] Hey, it's Rachel. I am so glad to see you at the end of that clip because this is where I get to tell [41:44] you about a new way to watch all our clips and all of our shows and everything on MSNOW on your phone [41:51] or your tablet or your laptop. You can watch things live or recorded. Plus, you can ask me and all the [41:56] other hosts and reporters questions in our weekly live chats. 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