.
CONNELL: ALL RIGHT, BACK TO
POLITICS NOW WITH FIVE STATES
HEADING TO THE POLLS TODAY,
YEARS, ESPECIALLY IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURES.
THEY LOST 958 STATE LEGISLATIVE
SEATS, 12 GOVERNORSHIPS, 62
HOUSE SEATS AND 11 SENATE SEATS
DURING THE EIGHT YEARS
PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS IN OFFICE.
LET'S TALK TO CAITLYN OWENS,
"NATIONAL REVIEW" EDITOR JOHN
FUND AND FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF
TO SENATOR MIKE LEE, BOYD
MATHIESON AS WELL.
CAITLYN, THAT WAS A REAL CLEAR
POLITICS ARTICLE THAT I CITED,
NORMALLY CITING AN AXIOS
REPORT, THAT WAS A REAL CLEAR
POLITICS ARTICLE THAT HAD THE
NUMBERS.
THAT'S REMARKABLE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ALMOST TO
BE EXPECTED, RIGHT?
THAT WHEN YOU'RE OUT OF POWER,
SEATS BACK.
IS TODAY THE START OF THAT?
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE HEARING
TODAY IS THE START OF THAT.
THIS IS A SEAT THAT REPUBLICANS
HAVE HELD FOR DECADES AND NOW
THERE'S A REAL CHALLENGE FROM
THE DEMOCRAT, AND THE QUESTION
IS WHETHER OR NOT THIS DEMOCRAT
CAN BEAT THE REPUBLICAN
EACH OTHER IN THREE MONTHS OR
BOTH SIDES.
HOW EXCITED IS ONE SIDE VERSUS
THE OTHER, AND IF DEMOCRATS ARE
EXCITED, IS THAT ENOUGH TO FLIP
A SEAT THAT HAS BEEN IN
REPUBLICAN HANDS FOR DECADES.
CONNELL: LET ME ASK BOYD ABOUT
THAT.
HOW WORRIED ARE REPUBLICANS
GOING INTO TONIGHT IN THE
SPECIAL ELECTION IN OHIO?
>> I THINK THIS IS A BIG ONE
FOR REPUBLICANS.
INTERESTING, YOU HAVE TO
THAT WAS GOING TO SAVE HILLARY
CLINTON AND GIVE HER THE WHITE
HOUSE.
THIS DISTRICT, THE TWELFTH
DISTRICT HAS BEEN THE RED WALL
I THINK THE BIGGEST CONCERN
COMES FROM THOSE IN THE
SUBURBS, THOSE THAT ARE
EDUCATED, LITTLE HIGHER INCOME,
ARE THOSE FOLKS WHO LOT OF
COMING OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
WILL THEY SHOW UP TODAY ON THE
WEEK BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS.
WILL THEY BE READY TO ENGAGE
HERE?
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.
THE OTHER THING IN TERMS OF
THIS IS A GENERIC BALLOT,
NEITHER ONE OF THE CANDIDATES
TEST THAT COULD FORECAST A LOT
TO THE OTHER RACES, THIS COULD
TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT THE
MIDTERMS, AND JOHN, WE WERE
OUT IN OHIO, AND WE KNOW HE CAN
FIRE UP THE BASE.
CONTINUING TO BE EFFECTIVE IN
DOING THAT.
IS THE CASE IN THE PITTSBURGH
SUBURBS, IN THIS CASE THE
SUBURBS IN THE COLUMBUS
SUBURBS.
IS THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
GOING TO BE RECEIVED IN THE
SWING AREAS IN THE FALL?
>> THE PRESIDENT IS VERY
POPULAR WITH THE REPUBLICAN
PRIMARY VOTERS.
HE DOES SWAY PRIMARIES.
THE PROBLEM HERE IS THERE'S
ENOUGH PERSONAL DISTASTE ABOUT
DONALD TRUMP'S METHODS, NOT HIS
POLICIES, AMONG REPUBLICANS
THAT THEY MAY NOT TURN OUT, AND
I WOULD WATCH THE TURNOUT
NUMBERS IN THE SPECIAL ELECTION
VERY CAREFULLY.
ARE THEY BELOW THE TYPICAL
SPECIAL ELECTION TURNOUT?
DEMOCRATIC TURNOUT IF IT'S UP
LIKELY TO STAY UP IN NOVEMBER
BECAUSE THE ANGER AGAINST TRUMP
IS SO PALPABLE?
SO THE KEY IS WILL REPUBLICANS
STAY HOME IN NOVEMBER OR
WHETHER THEY WILL BE LOYAL TO
THE PARTY AND WANT TO STOP
NANCY PELOSI FROM BECOMING
SPEAKER.
IF THE DEMOCRATS LOSE, BY THE
IF THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE
LOSES, IT IS A REFERENDUM OF
DONALD TRUMP.
CONNELL: IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN
THE DISTRICT, THINK ABOUT IT
7th OF AUGUST, MAYBE YOU ARE ON
VACATION OR JUST GOT BACK OR A
LOT GOING ON.
WOULD YOU GO OUT AND VOTE TODAY
IN YOUR OWN DISTRICT AT HOME,
NO OTHER RACE ON THE BALLOTS, A
SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION.
IT'S TOUGH FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE,
SO SEE HOW FIRED UP THEY ARE.
JOHN, LAST TIME YOU AND I
SPOKE, WE WERE SPEAKING ABOUT
THE PRESIDENT AND THE MEDIA.
EVERY TIME WE SPEAK WE'RE
SPEAKING ABOUT THE PRESIDENT
IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE HE
WAS SUGGESTING THAT MAYBE THE
PRESIDENT SHOULD COOL IT WITH
THE ATTACKS ON THE MEDIA.
HERE'S WHAT KARL SAID, TAKE A
LISTEN.
>> THE PRESIDENT'S GOT TO BE
DOING MORE TO GET AT 18% OF THE
ELECTORATE WHO SOMEWHAT APPROVE
AND THE 10% WHO SOMEWHAT
DISAPPROVE, AND I DON'T THINK
H.W. BUSH IN 1992 WHEN HE HAD A
MUCH MILDER VERSION OF IT WHICH
WAS ANNOY THE MEDIA, VOTE FOR
BUSH, I DON'T THINK THEY DO IT
WHEN HE CALLS THE MEDIA --
PRESIDENT TRUMP CALLS THE MEDIA
THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE TODAY.
CONNELL: JOHN, I'LL START AND
TERMS OF THE SAME TYPES OF
VOTERS AND WHO YOU'RE APPEALING
TO WITH THE ATTACKS.
YOU AGREE WITH KARL, JOHN?
>> AGAIN, IF THE PRESIDENT
WANTS TO MAKE THIS A BASE
ELECTION AND TURN OUT HIS
VOTERS, I CAN SEE SOME SENSE IN
HIS STRATEGY.
BUT ULTIMATELY IN EVERY
ELECTION BECAUSE THIS IS GOING
TO BE CLOSE FOR CONTROL OF THE
HOUSE, THERE ARE SWING VOTERS
IN THE MIDDLE.
BASICALLY DO IT BEST WITH
POLICY AND RESULTS NOT WITH
NAME CALLING.
AND BY THE WAY, THE MEDIA ISN'T
DOING ITSELF FAVORS BY
CONSTANTLY YELLING LIAR, LIAR,
CAITLYN, YOU CAN PICK UP ON
THAT.
IS THE REPORTING OR MEDIA
ENTERPRISE ESSENTIALLY A FACT
CHECKING AGENCY WHERE THEY SAY
THAT'S NOT RIGHT AND YOU SPEND
SO MUCH TIME COVERING THAT YOU
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THAT,
CAITLYN?
>> I WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK TO
SOMEONE WHO HAS IT FIGURED OUT.
REFLECTING ON IT TIME AND
AGAIN, THERE IS SO MUCH NEWS
RIGHT NOW.
WE CAN ALL SAY, THE PRESIDENT
KNOWS HOW TO CREATE MEDIA
HELSINKI MEETING WITH PUTIN.
IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE'RE
ALL COVERING HIM, THEN THERE'S
REAL ISSUES GOING ON TOO WITH
HEALTH CARE AND TAXES AND TRADE
AND THE ECONOMY, AND I THINK
THAT SOMETIMES THIS DEBATE GETS
FRAMED, DO YOU COVER ONE OR THE
CONNELL: I AGREE, NEIL TALKS
LEAVE TIME FOR EVERYTHING.
ON CABLE BECAUSE YOU HAVE 24
HOURS, YOU SHOULD HAVE TIME,
BOYD, TO COVER EVERYTHING.
BUT THE PRESIDENT DOMINATES
THIS DISCUSSION WITH THE MEDIA
ATTACKS.
IF IT WORKS, YOU CAN SEE HIM
AFTERWARDS SAYING, THEY'RE THE
FAKE NEWS, AND THIS BOTHERS OR
SHOULD BOTHER ANYBODY IN
JOURNALISM AND THE ENEMY OF THE
PEOPLE.
IT'S A PERSONAL OPINION BUT I
DON'T THINK IT'S A
CONTROVERSIAL ONE.
THAT IS OVER THE TOP AND
TALKING ABOUT REPORTERS IN THAT
SORT OF WAY.
IF IT WORKS, YOU CAN SEE THE
PRESIDENT AFTER NOVEMBER SAYING
TOLD YOU SO, RIGHT, BOYD?
>> YEAH, YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE
THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE
THE BEGINNING OF THE COUNTRY.
JOHN ADAMS SIGNED INTO LAW THE
SEDITION ACT WHICH MADE
CRITICIZING THE GOVERNMENT
ILLEGAL, FORTUNATELY JEFFERSON
CORRECTED THAT.
REPUBLICANS HAVE GOING RIGHT
NOW IS THE FACT THAT THE
DEMOCRATS DON'T HAVE THAT
POSITIVE MESSAGE THAT YOU
DESCRIBED FOR THOSE SWING
VOTERS.
OHIO.
NEITHER CANDIDATE IS SHOWING
WHAT THEY'RE FOR, THIS ALLOWS
THE PRESIDENT TO HUNKER DOWN ON
THE NEGATIVE PIECE AND THE
DEMOCRATS ARE BITING ON THAT
AND RUNNING A VERY ANTI-TRUMP
CAMPAIGN WHICH IS TO HIS
ADVANTAGE.
IN THE END AMERICANS WANT TO
KNOW NOT WHAT YOU'RE AGAINST,
BUT WHAT YOU'RE FOR, THAT WILL
DRIVE IT IN THE FALL.
ULTIMATELY WHEN IT COMES TO THE
PRESS ITSELF, THE PRESIDENT
CALLING ON THE ENEMY OF THE
PEOPLE, THAT IS AN ATTACK ON
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THAT'S A
PROBLEM BECAUSE IT REALLY IS
IS EXHAUSTED AND EXASPERATED.
WE HAVE TO GET TO WHAT'S MOVING
FORWARD.
OUTSIDE GROUPS TO RAISE MONEY