The truth is not complicated

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff didn’t hold back during a wide-ranging interview with MSNBC this week. When I asked him if he thought Donald Trump was afraid to argue with his wife, he didn’t mince his words: “Yes, he should be.”

The truth is no more complicated than that. Even a Fox News anchor Bret Baier agrees that it is Trump, and not Kamala Harriswho refuses to explore the possibility of a second debate on Fox News.

At this point in a typical election cycle, candidates and voters are focused on analyzing and replaying the fall’s three big presidential debates. But Trump’s fear of being embarrassed again on the debate stage means he and Harris are increasingly unlikely to reunite for another pre-election showdown.

Emhoff spoke candidly about this debate debacle during our conversation. We also discussed how the rise of anti-Semitism has taken a personal toll, and the Republican Party’s cowardly response to it. Mark Robinson.

You can watch our full conversation on tomorrow’s show at noon ET.

A story you should follow: the vice presidential debate

On October 1, vice presidential candidates Gov. Tim Walz and sen. J.D. Vance will meet in New York City for their own debate. The showdown is one of the last major opportunities for both campaigns to publicly make their case to voters and directly contrast their policies and plans with those of their opponent.

Vice presidential debates rarely determine elections, but this could be different, especially for voters still trying to learn more about Harris’ vision for the country.

Vance has faced intense criticism in recent months, with critics decrying his comments about Democratic “childless cat ladies” and his refusal to apologize for spreading false stories to attack immigrants. On Instagram, he mocked Walz’s combat exploits while holding a toy gun — an odd position, considering Vance himself wrote in his book that he was “lucky to escape real fighting” in Iraq when he was a military journalist in the Marines .

Expect more attacks from Vance along these lines, including attempts to portray Walz as a San Francisco-style liberal. (Trump has previously called Walz a “West Coast wannabe” who aims to “unleash hell on earth.”) I would argue that Walz’s “radical agenda” to make school meals free for students isn’t exactly the hell that Vance here is trying to claim. .

Walz’s team organized a multi-day debate camp in rural Michigan in preparation. Secretary of Transport Pete Buttigieg plays Vance in practice sessions and the candidate is coached by Michael Tyler and other longtime Walz staffers. Vance has taken a more informal approach, saying he “doesn’t have to prepare as much” for the debate. But he has held online sessions with advisers, including his wife, Usha VanceAnd Jason Miller; Minnesota representative Tom Emmer replaces Walz.

Vance may have his work cut out for him. According to FiveThirtyEight, Vance’s unfavorable average is currently above 45% (with a favorable average of 34%).

A race to watch: Rep. Colin Allred vs. Sen. Ted Cruz

In Texas, recent polls show that Democratic Rep. Colin Allred seemingly within striking distance of GOP Sen. Ted Cruzwhere a Morning Consult poll even gave Allred a 1 point lead. This has prompted the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to launch a major ad buy in the state.

Allred, a former NFL linebacker turned civil rights attorney, was elected to Congress in 2018 after unseating an 11-term Republican incumbent. Before serving in Congress, Allred also served as a special assistant in the Office of General Counsel of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The two candidates will debate on October 15. No Texas Democrat has won statewide office since 1994. But as the Lone Star State becomes increasingly competitive, this battle is (suddenly) very interesting.