1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: I'm Kevin CURRELLI Chief Washington correspondent for Bloomberg Television and 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: for Bloomberg Radio. We begin tonight with the Georgia special 3 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:09,600 Speaker 1: runoff elections, and we've got sound on this topic, in 4 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:13,600 Speaker 1: particular coming from President Trump, who spoke in Dalton, Georgia, 5 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 1: on Monday evening to stump for the state's two current 6 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: Republican Senators, Senators Kelly Leffler and David Purdue. Here he is, 7 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: if you don't show up the radical Democrats. Well, when 8 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: a lot of people say, oh, well Trump, maybe he 9 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: wants it that way, No, you know what I want. 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: I want a great country. I want these two very 11 00:00:33,479 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 1: special people to be elected. Meanwhile, President elect Joe Biden 12 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: was in Atlanta on Monday and he was stumping for 13 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: Raphael Warnock and John osof the two Democratic Senate candidates. 14 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,199 Speaker 1: The state's runoff election now very much underway, with more 15 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: than three million Georgians already having voted. Here's President electro Biden. 16 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: Two senators who think they're Laury is the Trump not 17 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: to Georgia. You have two senators who think Dave sworn 18 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: enough to Donald Trump, not to the United States Constitution. 19 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 1: Jennie's A. Know is an Iona College professor and a 20 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Politics contributor, and she joins us from our New 21 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: York radio studio. And A. B. Stoddard is an associate 22 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: editor at Real Clear Politics, and she joined us. Joins 23 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,040 Speaker 1: us from the d m V region. Abe, I'll start 24 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 1: with you. Is President Trump a political asset or a 25 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: liability to the Republicans running for re election. I think 26 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: it's been a very tough campaign for Senators Leffler and 27 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 1: Perdue in Georgia, as the President continues to give them 28 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: perfunctory support in tweets and these two rallies, but really 29 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: mostly talk about how the whole you know, election there 30 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: on November three that he didn't win was rigged and 31 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 1: corrupted and bashing you know, the Secretary of State and 32 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: the governor repeatedly and promising to primary the governor and 33 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: campaign against him. It's very difficult because the people who 34 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: are kind of regular Republican voters in Georgia who maybe 35 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: they didn't want to vote for Trump, they voted for Biden. 36 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: We're certainly gonna, i think, turnout to try to keep 37 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: the Senate majority for the Republicans and vote for these 38 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 1: two incumbent senators. But it is the Trump supporting um, 39 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 1: non traditional Republicans who were getting very mixed signals from 40 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 1: him all along, and we could really see a drop 41 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 1: and turn out from them between November three and now, 42 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: Jeanie's any know, I think that's what Abe you just 43 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:38,320 Speaker 1: mentioned about the mixed political signals coming from the Republican 44 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: Party right now. It's spot on because Senate Majority Leader 45 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 1: Mitch McConnell and his political apparatus have poured millions of 46 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,640 Speaker 1: dollars into the peach State. But at the same time, 47 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: there does seem, based upon the conversations that I have 48 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: with Republican sources who work in the Senate, who work 49 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: at the White House, to be an uneasiness amongst the 50 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: whole and higher party right now. And my question to 51 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: Eugenie is does that uneasiness benefit Democrats? You know, I 52 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: think that's the big question. I don't think we know yet, 53 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,079 Speaker 1: and I would agree with the A B and your assessment. 54 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 1: And I think part of this is that what the 55 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: President has done is he has robbed Senators Leffler and 56 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: Senator Perdue of their strongest argument, which is that we 57 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,679 Speaker 1: need to stay in the Senate to ensure that Democrats 58 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: don't control Washington. That's a very very strong argument for 59 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 1: many moderate Republicans and certainly conservative Republicans, but they've been 60 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: stripped of the ability to, you know, really make that 61 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: robustly because they're also trying to walk this line where 62 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 1: they say, well, President Trump was robbed of the election, 63 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: so it's not actually President elect Joe Biden but potentially 64 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: President Trump continuing. So in some ways, he's put them 65 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: in a very very awkward position to be able to 66 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: make this really important claim, and I think we're going 67 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: to have to wait to see how this pans out. 68 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: One thing I would also add to this is that 69 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: when we talked to voters and we talked to people 70 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: on the ground in Georgia, they say the national media's 71 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: focus on Donald Trump is overblown in terms of its 72 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:21,600 Speaker 1: impact on voters decisions. That most people obviously voted early, 73 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: over three million, and most people made up their minds 74 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: well before anything that's happened in terms of a call 75 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: or anything else in the last several days. So I 76 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,599 Speaker 1: think there's also that component of it which raises this question, again, 77 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: how do people take in all of this information and 78 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: do supporters respond to the election by going out and 79 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: voting or staying home. It's so incredibly important, so incredibly important, 80 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:48,919 Speaker 1: and the assessment of how voters changing ways to consume 81 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 1: information and that trend really over the past five years, 82 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 1: I would argue, has been riveting to watch so much 83 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 1: at stake in the state of Georgia and what we 84 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 1: can glean for m clarity perspective as to what's coming. 85 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: We should be able to get some type of of 86 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: a result. According to Georgia election officials, it could take 87 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: up to three days in order to get uh any 88 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: type of of finalized result. We could also get it 89 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: before then. But I would note the importance of the 90 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: gavel ship and who has the power of the gavel 91 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: A B. Stoddard as you know, Uh, in terms of 92 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: all of the committee structure. Should Democrats win the seats, 93 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: because Vice President elect Kamala Harris is a Democrat, the 94 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 1: Democrats will have the power of the gavel. They will 95 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 1: be able to set the agenda from the Senate Banking Committee, 96 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: for example. And a chairman Shared Brown is very different 97 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: than a chairman Pat to me, what's its stake from 98 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: a policy standpoint? In the Senate tonight. A. B. Well, 99 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: I don't see a big stake um uh in in 100 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 1: a policy agenda for the for the Democrats by by 101 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: winning a fifty Senate Um there are there. It is 102 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,719 Speaker 1: a it's very important to them to hold the Senate 103 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: that I understand that. And they want to be in 104 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,280 Speaker 1: the majority, and they want to get they want to 105 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,719 Speaker 1: put Mr McConnell back into minority status as a leader, 106 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: and they want to control the committees, and they want 107 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: to approve justices and I understand that. But they're not 108 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: going to get rid of the legislative filibuster. And so 109 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: they're not going to get a bold climate bill pass, 110 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:32,039 Speaker 1: no free college, no public option, a huge voting rights bill. 111 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: These are not going to happen even if they win 112 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 1: both seats tonight. And so the idea that it's going 113 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: to produce some kind of um breakthrough for them on 114 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: anything beyond sort of COVID relief uh and um, you know, 115 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: maybe some stabilization of the Affordable Care Act is really 116 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 1: a fantasy given the margins in the House and what 117 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: they'll be dealing with in the Senate. Their own members 118 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 1: do not approve of radical changes like the legislative Philip 119 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: getting rid of the legenity filibuster. So it's it's really 120 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:05,799 Speaker 1: you've got Mark Kelly in the McCain seat that Martha 121 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: McSally lost. He's up again in two years. He's not 122 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 1: going to be doing anything radical. And Joe Biden is 123 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: an institutionalist, he's opposed to that anyway. So how do 124 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: you get big bills through? You don't um. We're looking 125 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: at the possibility of a narrow docta fix, like I said, 126 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: some um maybe some prescription drug bipartisan legislation that Senator 127 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 1: Grassley and Senator Widen have worked on but shared Bill 128 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: shared Brown's Banking Committee agenda. No way, right, No, I mean, 129 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 1: and and that's so incredibly important. And so I think 130 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: what we just got there from a b stoter Genie 131 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:46,600 Speaker 1: is that in terms of concrete policy advancements, no, no way, 132 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: no how, not going to happen. But in terms of 133 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: the cable news cycle and the fodder that comes with 134 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: being able to control a committee and to get uh 135 00:07:56,520 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 1: committee committee meetings and hearings up in unning, that's where 136 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: the power of the cameras comes in. Genie's an't know, 137 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: and that really is what's at stake tonight. Yeah, I 138 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: agree with that, And you know, it's certainly important to 139 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,960 Speaker 1: you know, even narrowly, be in the majority, have the 140 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,679 Speaker 1: control of the rules, be able to have your chair 141 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: persons in place. That's all critically important. But in a 142 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: very very sort of odd way, if the Democrats take 143 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: this narrowly, and that's a big if, of course, that 144 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 1: they take both of these Senate seats today or in 145 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 1: the next three days, as you mentioned, um, it also 146 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 1: puts Joe Biden in a difficult position that very few 147 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 1: people are talking about, which is that they raise democratic 148 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: expectations on all of those bills and all of those 149 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 1: policies that A. B was just talking about that are 150 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: gonna be really really almost impossible for Democrats to pass. 151 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: They just don't have the support. So, in an odd way, 152 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 1: winning these two seats, while certainly all Democrats want, that 153 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: puts the administration in a position of then having to 154 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 1: deal with its own call becus. That's going to be 155 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: incredibly demanding whether they win or lose, but certainly raising 156 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: expectations if they win these two seats. Certainly, I'm not 157 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 1: saying Democrats don't want to win, but it is in 158 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: an odd way a position that many executives, and you ask, 159 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: you ask Andrew Cuomo that the governor from New York, 160 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: he almost had a better chance of getting what he 161 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 1: wanted done with an opponents in the Senate than he 162 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: did with Democrats pushing him to the left, or he 163 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: does with Democrats pushing him to the left now. So 164 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 1: it is a precarious position either way for a Biden 165 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: administration coming in, because it's going to be very, very 166 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: narrow if they take it. Fascinating, fascinating, and Jeanie's knows 167 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 1: with me. I own a college professor and Bloomberg Politics contributor, 168 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: as is A. B. Stoddard, an associate editor at Real 169 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 1: Clear Politics, diving into my Bloomberg terminal, reading Ryan Teagues 170 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:53,680 Speaker 1: backwidths reporting on the Bloomberg terminal to Republican Senate candidates 171 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: called for more GOP voters to turn out Tuesday. A 172 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: Georgia elections official says voting is going quote smoothly end quote, 173 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: and and Wall Street is keeping a close eye on 174 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: the Senate runoff races in Georgia. In an unusual joint statement, 175 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:13,079 Speaker 1: this is interesting. In an unusual joint statement, Republican Senate 176 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 1: candidates Kelly Lefler and David Purdue called on Republican voters 177 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: in Georgia to turn out Tuesday, just hours before the 178 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 1: polls closed, after noting that they were quote encouraged by 179 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: reports of high voter turnout across the state end quote. 180 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: The two candidates then pivoted to urge more Republicans to 181 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: show up at the polling places. It's unusual. It stands 182 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: out the fact that you now have the party's running 183 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,439 Speaker 1: with each other and as a joint ticket, in which 184 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 1: the Republicans have tried to nationalize this Georgia race, while 185 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 1: the Democrats have taken, albeit a slightly different strategy and 186 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: tried to localize this Georgia race. Riveting political junkie fodder that, 187 00:10:58,120 --> 00:10:59,960 Speaker 1: of course, two of the best in the vezginis Aino 188 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 1: Navy starter are just like me and fascinated by every 189 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 1: single twist and turn coming up a full complete preview 190 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 1: of the election certification. What's the process, What do you 191 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,480 Speaker 1: have to look out for tomorrow? That's what we'll hit next. 192 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 1: I'm Kevin Serelli, Chief Washington correspondent for Bloomberg TV and Radio. 193 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:27,360 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg Sound On with 194 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: Kevin Surrele on Bloomberg Radio. My name is Kevin CURRELLI 195 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: I'm the chief Washington correspondent for Bloomberg Television and for 196 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Radio. We've got special radio and television continuing coverage 197 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: of the Georgia runoff election Letter Chorus by our very 198 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 1: own David Weston, and that is set to begin seven 199 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 1: pm New York time, and you can listen to that 200 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 1: right here on Bloomberg Radio. But we've got to give 201 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,559 Speaker 1: a preview of what's coming tomorrow, which is the certification 202 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 1: of the electoral College, and it's shaping up to be 203 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: as A By Stoddard wrote about it in her column 204 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: out today on Real Clear Politics as quote, the final 205 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 1: episode of the Trump Show a made for television day 206 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:17,319 Speaker 1: in which the President will light in watching his defender's 207 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: attempt to subvert millions of votes cast legally in a 208 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 1: free and fair election. End quote. We're gonna ask a 209 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 1: By Stoddard, an associate editor at Real Clear Politics, too, 210 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: for more on this. But first I want to play 211 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: what President Trump had to say last evening in Dalton, 212 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 1: Georgia about the electoral college challenge. Here he is I 213 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: want to thank Senator Josh Halley and Ted Cruz and 214 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: all of the incredible senators that have stepped up to 215 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: fight because they've seen what happens. They know it's a fraud. 216 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: Jennie Zanos with me as well. I own, a college 217 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 1: professor and Bloomberg Politics contributor a by I'll start with 218 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: you as we go specifically into the the historic element 219 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: of what tomorrow will be and what it will represent. 220 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 1: And from an analytical perspective, how significant is tomorrow's event 221 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 1: at one pm Eastern when it kicks off in a 222 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: joint session of Congress for America's democracy. Well, that's a 223 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 1: really important question, Kevin. I think that this, this entire 224 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:31,359 Speaker 1: Trump presidency has been quite a civics lesson for Americans 225 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:35,320 Speaker 1: of all ages in every region. Uh, to to watch 226 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 1: a man really tests the boundaries of the constitutional order. Um. 227 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: From the way he treated the judiciary to the way 228 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 1: he treated the Congress, and the way that the people 229 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: in his party responded, UM, voters who are fervent supporters 230 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: of the president. Um, there's a poll out this afternoon. 231 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,120 Speaker 1: Think his call with the Secretary of State of Georgia 232 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: over the weekend was just great, I'm sorry to laugh, 233 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: but but in in which he asked him to locate 234 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 1: to just come up with, you know, eleven thousand un 235 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 1: whatever votes for him, UM to push him over the 236 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: top and change the results of an election. So the 237 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: idea that the Congress would take away the power of 238 00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: the states to run their own elections by objecting to 239 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: what we're undisputed counts. So it's important for people to 240 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: know that what happens tomorrow would normally just be perfunctory 241 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:34,560 Speaker 1: and ceremonial, and should be because there's not one state 242 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 1: where there has been a dispute. And so these undisputed 243 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 1: results just come through the Congress and get read and 244 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: tallied and and that's it. It's over the states. What 245 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 1: happened on December four was that was the act. That 246 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: was ball game, and it's over. And so unless there 247 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 1: was a dispute for which people to make hay over UM, 248 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: it's it's just it's supposed to be a nothing day. 249 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: The idea that UM that people are pretending that constant, 250 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: that that Congress has a role UM over this mysterious 251 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: voter fraud that no judge has a seen evidence of 252 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: or be ruled UM was you know, was real and 253 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 1: and tip the outcome of the of any of the 254 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: elections in the swing states, UM is not. I mean, 255 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: the fact that we're here is just nuts. That this 256 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 1: has become a political litmus test vote and a loyalty vote, 257 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: UM for for Trump Republicans. UM it is. It is 258 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: is very much a legacy vote for every single member UM, 259 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: but most you know, for the Republicans who will have 260 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: to know that if they do this and they and 261 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 1: they defy their oath to the Constitution, UM, it will 262 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: follow them the rest of their careers. I've got a 263 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: copy online, of course, of the twelfth Amendment from the 264 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: United States Constitution. Genies they know, and in which it states, quote, 265 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: the President of the Senate shall, in the presence of 266 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 1: the Senate and the House of Representatives, open all the certificates, 267 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: and the votes shall then be counted emphasis mind on 268 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: counted geniees A know. But the President of the Senate, 269 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: of course, is Vice President Mike Pence. And there's been 270 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: much fodder being pushed amongst Republican strategists typically that we 271 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 1: in the media only talked to in the lead up 272 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: to the Iowa Caucus right now about the pressure that 273 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: they are arguing Vice President Pence is under but the 274 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: constitution is quite clear. The only role for Vice President 275 00:16:32,520 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: Mike Pence, Genie's a know, tomorrow evening most likely, or 276 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: in the early morning hours of Thursday, is to count 277 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:45,360 Speaker 1: the votes. Not to interpret the votes, but to count 278 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 1: geniees a know the votes. Yeah, I mean, I think 279 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: we could probably all agree Mike Pence is in a horrible, 280 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 1: horrible position at this point, given what the President had 281 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,440 Speaker 1: to say about him in Dalton, Georgia yesterday and then 282 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: tweeting today, UM, really overstating and making me scratch my 283 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: head and wonder what the president expects the vice president 284 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: to do. Um. But as you mentioned, the twelfth Amendment. Um, 285 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: nothing in the Constitution is clear, but the twelfth Amendment, 286 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: the wording says that the vice president is going to 287 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,919 Speaker 1: play a ceremonial role. He has no real power. And 288 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:25,439 Speaker 1: I think the New York Times, um, you know, making 289 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: the case that this is similar to somebody opening the 290 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 1: envelope at the Oscars. They don't determine who won best Film. 291 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:35,359 Speaker 1: They simply report who won Best Film. And that's what 292 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,160 Speaker 1: Mike Pence is supposed to be doing tomorrow night. And 293 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 1: you know, we think he will be doing that, um, 294 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 1: but he is getting a lot of pressure publicly from 295 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: the President in the last forty eight hours. And I've 296 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 1: got the transcript right in front of me. He said 297 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: last night. Quote the vice president has the power to 298 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,680 Speaker 1: reject fraudently chosen electors. End quote. Coming up, We're gonna 299 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: talk much more about this, but even got some sound 300 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: on from what some of the Republican senators are saying. 301 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: Genie stays with me, A b stays with me. We 302 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: head on down to Georgia with Congressman Hank Johnson. I'm 303 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 1: Kevin surreally, this is Bloomberg. We are all awaiting what 304 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 1: happens in Georgia. So let's head there right now and 305 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 1: check in with Congressman Hank Johnson, who is a Democrat 306 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:31,879 Speaker 1: representing Georgia and representing Georgia's fourth congressional district, as he 307 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 1: has done since two thousand and seven. Congressman Johnson, thank 308 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: you for joining us. What have you noticed on the 309 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 1: ground in your district, which is suburban Atlanta. What have 310 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:45,840 Speaker 1: you noticed about turnout today? Well, turnout seems to be steady, 311 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 1: and it seems to be uh, not very many lines 312 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: around the state, although in some places there are lines. UM, 313 00:18:56,280 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: I believe that there has been a significant early vote 314 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 1: turnout that should vapor Democrats and UH, all of the 315 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:11,399 Speaker 1: pundits believe that the last day voting, which has taken 316 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: place today, we'll probably tilt towards the Republicans. But I 317 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:21,120 Speaker 1: think all agree that we're heading for a very close race. Uh. 318 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:25,399 Speaker 1: It's it's a race that will be decided on the 319 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: razor's edge. It's it's almost a toss up at this point. 320 00:19:30,240 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: What are you hearing? What are what are state officials, 321 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 1: Congressman Johnson telling you about when we would have a 322 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: final result. Well, I heard a very optimistic statement about 323 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: perhaps tomorrow morning we will know the results. But I 324 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: think it's uh, in an abundance of caution, I'm prepared, 325 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: and I think we should have people to expect that 326 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: it may take a little longer than that. Maybe Thursday 327 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 1: or Friday, we may learned the victor. This race is 328 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:07,199 Speaker 1: going to be rais or close and and all of 329 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 1: the votes will have to be talied, and I don't 330 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: think that will happen before Thursday. Meanwhile, Congressman Hank Johnson 331 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: is with us UH at the question that I keep 332 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 1: hearing here in Washington, d C. Is whether or not 333 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 1: this is a national election or a state election. And 334 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: I say this because President Trump and Republicans have arguably 335 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 1: tried to run this as a more national referendum type 336 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 1: of an election to keep control of the Senate. Are 337 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:42,720 Speaker 1: Georgians voting as a repudiation or support of the current 338 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: status quo executive branch or are they voting on issues 339 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 1: that we and the national media are not talking about. Well, 340 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 1: Georgia turned blue on November. Voters made that decision as 341 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 1: a referendum on the Trump presidency. Now they're looking at 342 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 1: issues of healthcare, jobs, justice. We've had a season of 343 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:17,080 Speaker 1: politics and and the pandemic has overwhelmed along with protests, 344 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:20,360 Speaker 1: and so people want to see some results in Georgia 345 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:25,120 Speaker 1: that affect their bottom line. This economic torm turmoil caused 346 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 1: by the mishandling of the pandemic has to end. The 347 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 1: two candidates, the two Democratic candidates will be partners for 348 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,679 Speaker 1: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as they bring in a 349 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: new agenda that will build this economy back. Betta put 350 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 1: our people back to work and good paying jobs, but 351 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 1: even send our children back to school. Those are the 352 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: issues that since children back the school safely, that's the issues. 353 00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:57,719 Speaker 1: Those are the issues that people are concerned about with 354 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: this election today. Let's return to the House of Representatives 355 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 1: for the second of course, where you obviously served, Democrats 356 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 1: majority has decreased in the in this new Congress. What 357 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:11,919 Speaker 1: do you think that how will that influence the Democratic 358 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:15,399 Speaker 1: Party moving forward? Well, when you look at Georgia, the 359 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:20,640 Speaker 1: number of Democrats sent back to the House of Representatives increased. 360 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 1: We picked up one Republican seat in Georgia, and so 361 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:30,720 Speaker 1: Georgia is clearly UH on the vanguard of the New South. 362 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: It's a coalition of black voters, Asian and Latino voters, 363 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:42,120 Speaker 1: young voters, along with forward thinking white people who are 364 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:47,920 Speaker 1: moving our state forward. And it's a new day for Georgia. Um, 365 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,399 Speaker 1: no longer are we dealing with with the racist past 366 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: that suppressed votes. People that they're right, But outside of Georgia, 367 00:22:58,600 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 1: and I have to interject here outs e to Georgia, 368 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: Democrats have last seats overall in the House of Representatives. 369 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 1: Is that going to make Speaker Pelosi's UH policy initiatives 370 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:11,840 Speaker 1: less effective? In order to for her to achieve her 371 00:23:11,880 --> 00:23:16,600 Speaker 1: political objective objectives. Well, when voters go to the post 372 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 1: today and elect these two UH Democratic senators to replace 373 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: the Republican ones, will have an opportunity to really usher 374 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:29,919 Speaker 1: in a new agenda for America. And I think the 375 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 1: people are yearning for change. They're tired of the grid 376 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: luck that Mitch McConnell represents in the Senate. They want 377 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:39,760 Speaker 1: the House and the Senate to work together, and they 378 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,719 Speaker 1: want to move this country forward. Congressman got Joe Biden 379 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 1: and Kamala Harris elected on November three. Congressman Hank Johnson's 380 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 1: with us. He's a Democrat from Georgia. I want to 381 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: ask you about UH the subcommittee in which you are 382 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: a chairman. You are the chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee 383 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:00,640 Speaker 1: on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet speci pythically as 384 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 1: it relates to guarding US intellectual property against China. What 385 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: is first and foremost on your agenda for that topic. Well, 386 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: we're going to make sure that our patent system is 387 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: working as efficiently and effectively as it needs to be. 388 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 1: We'll be making sure that our trademark laws and our 389 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:30,320 Speaker 1: copyright laws are protective of the property interests of the creators. 390 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:35,119 Speaker 1: And we must have a strong patent and copyright system 391 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:42,120 Speaker 1: in this country to protect innovation and to incentivize innovation 392 00:24:42,280 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 1: and new development and keep us on the cutting edge 393 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 1: of of of the world in terms of new products 394 00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 1: and new services. And I believe that our country has 395 00:24:54,960 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: held that position based on our system of U protections 396 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: of intellectual property. And we'll continue the safeguard UH. We'll 397 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: continue to have policies and laws in place which safeguard 398 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: UH the property rights of creators. All right, We're gonna 399 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 1: have to leave it their Congressman Hank Johnson, a Democrat 400 00:25:17,560 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: from Georgia's fourth congressional district, suburban Atlanta, thank you so 401 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 1: much for making time for us on what I know 402 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 1: is a very busy day for all Georgia lawmakers. Coming up, 403 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 1: we check back in with the panel for reaction and 404 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 1: again what will happen tomorrow and the Joint session of 405 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 1: Congress A complete preview. I'm Kevin Silly, Chief Washington correspondent 406 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: for Bloomberg Television and for Bloomberg Radio. And this is Bloomberg. 407 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg. Sound On with Kevin on Bloomberg Radio. 408 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: My name is Kevin Curreli, I'm the chief Washington correspondent 409 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 1: for Bloomberg Television and for Bloomberg Radio. Keep it right 410 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:13,440 Speaker 1: here for continued coverage of the Georgia runoff elections at 411 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 1: seven pm Wall Street time here on Bloomberg Radio. Jeanie 412 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: Zano i own, a college professor and Bloomberg Politics contributor, 413 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,880 Speaker 1: is going to be with us all evening as we 414 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 1: all try to glean information from the results of the 415 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 1: Georgia runoff elections, which we might get tonight. The Congressman 416 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:34,879 Speaker 1: Hank Johnson just told us Democrat from Georgia's fourth congressional 417 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:38,359 Speaker 1: district that we might have to wait up until three days. 418 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 1: Abe Staters also with me, associate editor at Real Clear Politics. 419 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 1: President Trump just tweeting out a b quote. I will 420 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:49,560 Speaker 1: be speaking at the Save America rally tomorrow on the 421 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:53,359 Speaker 1: Ellipse at eleven am Eastern. Arrived early doors open at 422 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: seven Eastern. Big crowds. So, as you put it in 423 00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 1: your column, a b uh the grand finale tomorrow tomorrow. 424 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: But I want to ask you a question because you 425 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: know the dynamics of the Republican Party. Uh, I would 426 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:13,600 Speaker 1: argue better than than anyone in Washington, d C. A. B. Stoddard, 427 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 1: And I still think when I have conversations with sent 428 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:23,119 Speaker 1: A Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's political orbit that the Election 429 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 1: Assistance Commission to study election integrity, which is what the 430 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 1: leader has put out juxtaposed the other week with the 431 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,720 Speaker 1: two thousand dollar stimulus checks. But the Election Assistance Commission 432 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:42,440 Speaker 1: is something that millions of American voters would like studied. 433 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:46,359 Speaker 1: And so is it a mistake to write off a 434 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:52,200 Speaker 1: study of election integrity? A. B. Stoddard, No, it's not. 435 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,479 Speaker 1: I mean, I really am for any any effort to 436 00:27:55,520 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: clarify what happened and to really educate the ball on 437 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:03,879 Speaker 1: the basic facts that there are There is fraud in 438 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 1: every election, and it is not risen to the level 439 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 1: of any kind of definition of substantial where it would 440 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:14,679 Speaker 1: affect the outcome of any of the counts. In the 441 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 1: swing states, felons and dead people vote in elections just 442 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: like they did in for President Trump. And not one 443 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:28,400 Speaker 1: of the cases that went before many many judges, several 444 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:33,400 Speaker 1: of whom were appointed by President Trump. UM, not one 445 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:38,040 Speaker 1: case was made that any of these um. Sometimes the 446 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 1: judges would say, you haven't not only not presented evidence. 447 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 1: You haven't presented allegations. So a study that would actually 448 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 1: explain this to the American people would be enormously helpful 449 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: in my view. The problem is that um, whatever new 450 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 1: references before, whatever UH news source they are consulting, whatever 451 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 1: pollution they're inhaling on Facebook has really and obviously aided 452 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 1: and embedded by President Trump flat out lying has made 453 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: people believe something entirely different that this is not that 454 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 1: there is a deep state, that it involves Bill Barr 455 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:17,200 Speaker 1: that has shut President Trump out of this election, and 456 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: so they don't want to hear about anything short of 457 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: this all um of a miracle happening tomorrow. The more 458 00:29:24,200 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 1: scary recent President Trump tweet from five twelve PM is 459 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 1: that he hopes the Democrats and more importantly, the weekend 460 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 1: effective Rhino section of the Republican Party are looking at 461 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: the thousands of people pouring into d C and they 462 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 1: won't stand for a quote landslide election victory to be stolen. 463 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 1: And he tags Senate Majority Leader Senator John Cornyn and 464 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 1: Senator John Thune a direct threat to them and really 465 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:53,520 Speaker 1: raising specter of violence tomorrow. It's it's incredibly frightening. Um. 466 00:29:53,680 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: He is not telling people that a study will um 467 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 1: make this all clear in the month to com well, 468 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: we've got sounding that something happened tomorrow. We've got sound 469 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 1: on this topic from Senator Ron Johnson who spoke He's 470 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: a Republican from Wisconsin, and he spoke earlier about well, i'll, i'll, 471 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 1: let's just play it. Here's what he had to say. 472 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: Here's Senator Ron Johnson. There are many irregularities, so we've 473 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:22,040 Speaker 1: been looking into some. You know, some have been explained, 474 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:26,920 Speaker 1: but some haven't. State legislatures are empowered by the Constitution 475 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,720 Speaker 1: to set the time manner in place of elections, and 476 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 1: yet many state legislatures abdicated to unelected judges, unelected election officials. 477 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 1: Jennie's you know, you hear that from a prominent member 478 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 1: of the Republican Party, a chairman of a committee. And 479 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: you contrast it with a former House Speaker Paul Ryan's 480 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: statement in which he said, quote reading from his statement 481 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 1: to The New York Times quote, efforts to reject the 482 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: votes of the Electoral College, and so doubt about Joe 483 00:30:56,680 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 1: Biden's victory strike at the foundation of our republic. It 484 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 1: is difficult to conceive of a more anti democratic and 485 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:08,120 Speaker 1: anti conservative act than a federal intervention to overturn the 486 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 1: results of state certified elections and disenfranchise millions of Americans. 487 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 1: The fact that this effort will fail does not mean 488 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:21,200 Speaker 1: it will not do significant damage to American democracy. As 489 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:25,040 Speaker 1: a reporter, geniez A know, there is soul searching that 490 00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:29,480 Speaker 1: we are chronicling happening within the Republican Party, as just 491 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:34,560 Speaker 1: illustrated by Chairman Johnson and the former Speaker. Yeah. Absolutely, 492 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:37,200 Speaker 1: and you know, to build on what Paul Ryan had 493 00:31:37,240 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 1: to say, Let's keep in mind what's happening here we 494 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:44,240 Speaker 1: are hearing now, um, and this is not substantiated yet, 495 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: but we heard today Ted Cruz may object to the 496 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:52,800 Speaker 1: Arizona results. Josh Holly Pennsylvania, and Kelly Loffler Georgia. Those 497 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:58,720 Speaker 1: three states. Arizona totally a Republican state, Republican governor, Senate 498 00:31:58,760 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 1: and House. So milarly Georgia Republican governor, Senate and House. 499 00:32:03,520 --> 00:32:07,200 Speaker 1: And Pennsylvania Democratic governor, but a Republican Senate and House. 500 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:11,760 Speaker 1: So what these three senators are doing, and joined by 501 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:15,960 Speaker 1: their colleagues, is they are objecting to a state's entire 502 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 1: slate of electors that has seldom happened. I think only 503 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 1: one time since the Election Control Act of eight has 504 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: that happened. And they are objecting to the results of 505 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 1: state certified votes by their own party. And so this 506 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:34,840 Speaker 1: is a mind boggling turn of events. And what's so 507 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:38,120 Speaker 1: frustrating to me as a political scientist is that they 508 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:40,960 Speaker 1: haven't spent an iota of time on something much more 509 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: important when it comes to election integrity, and that is 510 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:47,960 Speaker 1: Congress doing its job and reinstating the Voting Rights Act 511 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: that was overturned in the Shelby decision and by the 512 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: Supreme Court, and I think properly so, because Congress had 513 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 1: abdicated its responsibility there. So it's you know, frustrating to 514 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:00,720 Speaker 1: me to hear them so focused on its now for 515 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 1: political gain when we've had years without a Voting Rights 516 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 1: Act reinstated when it should have been by many of 517 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:11,160 Speaker 1: the very same people who are now objecting. Jennie's inners 518 00:33:11,200 --> 00:33:13,680 Speaker 1: with us UH political scientists at I own a college 519 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: and a Bloomberg contributor ab Starddard also with us. We 520 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:19,480 Speaker 1: are carefully monitoring, of course, the Georgia runoff election, where 521 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:22,720 Speaker 1: polls are sets a close in sixty six minutes UH 522 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 1: team minus sixty six minutes for the final polls to close. 523 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 1: You mentioned Senator Kelly Lefler going to be speaking likely tomorrow, 524 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:33,520 Speaker 1: objecting to Georgia and the process, folks. For how this 525 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 1: plays out, just from a purely procedural standpoint, one pm 526 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:41,600 Speaker 1: Eastern time is when all of this will begin, and 527 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 1: then you will have senators as well as House members 528 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:49,560 Speaker 1: raise concerns about a specific state. The states are gone 529 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 1: through one by one in alphabetical order. In order for 530 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:56,920 Speaker 1: there to be a two hour debate on a specific 531 00:33:57,040 --> 00:34:02,800 Speaker 1: state and then a vote on those specific electoral College votes, 532 00:34:03,640 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 1: it has to be brought forward by both a Senator 533 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:11,480 Speaker 1: and a House member. If that happens, then it goes 534 00:34:11,640 --> 00:34:15,080 Speaker 1: to two hours of debate and then the final vote. 535 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 1: That is why political economy or political scientists and reporters 536 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:23,840 Speaker 1: are are saying there is virtually no chance of the 537 00:34:23,880 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 1: results being overturned because Democrats control the House of Representatives 538 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:33,160 Speaker 1: and Republicans control the Senate. I say this to bring 539 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:36,400 Speaker 1: it back to something that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell 540 00:34:36,520 --> 00:34:40,480 Speaker 1: UH brought forward, Genie, and that is this issue of 541 00:34:40,520 --> 00:34:45,200 Speaker 1: the election commissions. UH investigation and for there to be 542 00:34:45,320 --> 00:34:48,560 Speaker 1: some type of procedure. All three of us have have 543 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:52,239 Speaker 1: covered Leader McConnell in different capacities over the years, but 544 00:34:52,360 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 1: he is a process oriented lawmaker. He prefers there to 545 00:34:57,040 --> 00:35:02,800 Speaker 1: be a process, and so whether it's Senate Homeland Security Committee, 546 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:07,279 Speaker 1: Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations chaired by Ron Johnson, but for 547 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 1: Leader McConnell to come out and say there should be 548 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:14,360 Speaker 1: an Elections Assistance Commission, he is hearing the millions of 549 00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:20,320 Speaker 1: Republicans who are tasked with having to read both hard 550 00:35:20,360 --> 00:35:22,960 Speaker 1: news and fake news for lack of a better term, 551 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:27,120 Speaker 1: and interpret it. And the mistrust that exists in the 552 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:31,719 Speaker 1: electorate on both sides of the aisle right now is palpable. 553 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:34,399 Speaker 1: So the same question to Eugenie in the less than 554 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 1: thirty than thirty seconds I have left, is it a 555 00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:40,319 Speaker 1: mistake to write off those millions of Americans who are 556 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 1: wanting there to be a concrete answer so that they 557 00:35:43,760 --> 00:35:48,040 Speaker 1: feel confident when they cast their ballot that it counts absolutely. 558 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 1: It isn't very important to listen to them and to 559 00:35:51,239 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 1: do it in a way. I think Mitch McConnell is right. 560 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:57,400 Speaker 1: You should set up the Commission. You should fully investigate 561 00:35:57,719 --> 00:36:00,879 Speaker 1: whatever claims there are. I think we have to be clear. 562 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:03,960 Speaker 1: Mitch McConnell is also trying to give his own members 563 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: and out. One thing that makes him a good leader 564 00:36:07,520 --> 00:36:09,840 Speaker 1: as well as Nancy Pelosi, you know, on both the 565 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:12,520 Speaker 1: left and the right, is that they don't put their 566 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:15,440 Speaker 1: members up for votes that have no chance of passing 567 00:36:15,719 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 1: and simply put them in political hot water. That's what 568 00:36:18,840 --> 00:36:21,719 Speaker 1: is going to happen at tomorrow as a result of 569 00:36:21,719 --> 00:36:25,600 Speaker 1: what Holly, Cruz and Leffler are doing. And he would 570 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:29,440 Speaker 1: like to have avoided that because he understands that in 571 00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:32,960 Speaker 1: too many of these same members will be up for 572 00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:35,680 Speaker 1: re election or election and he doesn't want them to 573 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:38,120 Speaker 1: have to take make it, you know, a vote that 574 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:40,400 Speaker 1: puts them either on the opposite side of Trump or 575 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:43,279 Speaker 1: with him. And so he'd like to say that the commission, 576 00:36:43,320 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 1: the committee is fine, it makes sense, but you don't 577 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 1: tie it together with a vote that makes no sense 578 00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:51,440 Speaker 1: and has no chance of going forward. All Right, we're 579 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:53,279 Speaker 1: gonna have to leave it there. Thank you to Jeanne's no, 580 00:36:53,360 --> 00:36:55,160 Speaker 1: thank you to a Bee Stoddard. Coming up this week, 581 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:59,120 Speaker 1: we've got uh Governor h We've got Michael Steele and 582 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:02,759 Speaker 1: Governor Chris Christie, so a jam packed lineup. Remember you 583 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:05,759 Speaker 1: can continue to listen to our special coverage of the 584 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:08,960 Speaker 1: Georgia runoff election right here at seven pm New York time. 585 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:10,880 Speaker 1: This was a great show. Thank you to Jeannie and 586 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:13,040 Speaker 1: to A. B. Stoddard. I feel like it's America's town 587 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:14,759 Speaker 1: Meeting of the Air. I said it yesterday. I think 588 00:37:14,760 --> 00:37:17,520 Speaker 1: it bears repeating America's town meeting of the air. We 589 00:37:17,560 --> 00:37:20,239 Speaker 1: need to return to that. I'm Kevin Surreally, this is 590 00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:20,799 Speaker 1: Bloomberg