>>> I’M GOING OUT A LIMB HERE. I’VE WORKED ON THREE
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS AND BEEN
PART OF THE MESSAGE OPERATION OF
EACH ONE OF THEM FOR BETTER OR
WORSE.
WORSE. I’VE NEVER SEEN A POLITICAL
ADVERTISEMENT WITH A MESSAGE AS
SEARING AS THIS ONE.
>> I WAS SWORN INTO THE UNITED
STATES SENATE NEXT TO A HOSPITAL
BED.
BED. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WERE KILLED
IN A CAR CRASH.
LYING IN THAT BEDROOM, MY TWO
SURVIVING LITTLE BOYS.
I COULDN’T IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN LIKE IF WE DIDN’T HAVE
THE HEALTHCARE THEY NEEDED
IMMEDIATELY.
IMMEDIATELY. 40 YEARS LATER, ONE OF THOSE
LITTLE BOYS, MY SON, BO, WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL CANCER
AND GIVEN ONLY MONTHS TO LIVE.
I CAN’T FATHOM WHAT WOULD HAVE
HAPPENED IF THE INSURANCE
COMPANY HAD SAID FOR THE LAST
SIX MONTHS OF HIS LIFE, YOU’RE
ON YOUR OWN.
THE FACTS OF THE MATTER IS
HEALTHCARE IS PERSONAL TO ME.
OBAMACARE IS PERSONAL TO ME.
WHEN I SEE THE PRESIDENT TRY TO
TEAR DOWN AND START OVER, THAT’S
PERSONAL TO ME, TOO.
WE HAVE TO BUILD ON WHAT WE DID
BECAUSE EVERY AMERICAN DESERVES
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE.
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE. >> JOINING THIS CONVERSATION,
REPUBLICAN POLITICAL CONSULTANT
AND FOX CONTRIBUTOR, MICHAEL
SINGLETON AND CORRESPONDENT.
I HAVE TO START WITH YOU.
I WORKED ON THREE PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGNS AND INVOLVED IN EVERY
AD THAT WENT OUT.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN AN AD LAKE
THIS.
THIS. I DON’T KNOW WHO MADE IT.
I’M SURE YOU CAN GET TO THE
BOTTOM OF THAT BY THIS TIME
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW. THIS IS WHY JOE BIDEN IS ATOP
CERTAINLY THE POLLS WE SAW
TODAY.
TODAY. WHY JOE BIDEN MISSPEAKING.
I SAY THIS AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED
FOR GEORGE W. BUSH, ISN’T SEEING
ANYTHING OUT OF HIS POLL NUMBERS
FROM MISSPEAKING BECAUSE VOTERS
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE WHOLE MAN,
THE WHOLE STORY.
VOTERS DON CARE ABOUT THAT, FYI.
THIS AD SHOWS TO ME, IF JOE
BIDEN IS GOING TO LOSE HE’S
GOING TO LOSE HAVING LEFT EVERY
SCRAP OF HIMSELF ON THE FIELD.
HE WILL RIP HIS HEART OPEN AND
HE’S GOING TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHY
I WAS FRIENDS WITH JOHN McCAIN
UNTIL THE DAY HE DIED, I’M A
REAL BLEEPING PERSON WHEN THERE
IS SOMEONE ELSE, DONALD TRUMP,
WHO SEEMS TO PUT ON A DIFFERENT
PERSONALITY EVERYDAY AND
EVERYWHERE, AND AT A TIME WHEN A
LOT OF DEMOCRATS SEEM TO BE
PLAYING A LITTLE BIT OF SMALL
BALL AT THIS POINT.
WHAT WAS THE STRATEGY BEHIND
THIS AD?
THIS AD? >> WELL, LOOK, I THINK PART OF
THE REASON WHY AN AD LIKE THIS
COULD OR SHOULD WORK BECAUSE IT
IS SO CONSISTENT WITH THE
PERSON, RIGHT?
PERSON, RIGHT? >> JOE BIDEN, WE TALKED ABOUT
THIS BEFORE LEADS EVERYDAY WITH
HIS HEART FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
HE’S A VERY EMOTIONAL CANDIDATE,
PERFECTLY WILLING TO ADMIT THAT,
PART OF THE REASON HE MAKES THE
MISTAKES HE MAKES ON THE TRAIL.
HE WILL BE WHO HE IS COME BETTER
OR WORSE.
OR WORSE. YOU SEE SOME OF THIS IN THE AD.
SECONDARILY SETTING ASIDE THE
NATURE OF IT IT SPEAKS TO THIS
SINGLE ISSUE TO VOTERS OTHER
THAN BEATING TRUMP OVER AND OVER
AGAIN IS HEALTHCARE.
BIDEN HAS BET THE FARM
DEMOCRATIC VOTERS WOULD RATHER
PROTECT OBAMACARE AND BUILD ON
IT THAN TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, TO
DOVETAIL THAT WITH A PERSONAL
CONNECTION ONE HE HAS BEEN
RETICENT TO MAKE IN THE PAST,
TALK SO MUCH ABOUT HIS OWN
PERSONAL STRATEGY IN SUCH AN
OPEN WAY, PARTICULARLY ON
TELEVISION OPPOSED TO DOING IT
WHEN HE HAS HIS HAND ON THE
SHOULDER OF A VOTER SOMETHING I
THINK HE IS MUCH MORE
COMFORTABLE WITH, IT LINES UP
WITH THE KIND OF THING THAT
SHOULD BE EFFECTIVE.
WE WILL SEE IN THE MODERN ERA,
HOW MUCH A TELEVISION AD MOVES
ANYBODY ANYMORE.
ANYBODY ANYMORE. THIS IS AS AUTHENTIC AN AD IN
THE POLITICAL NEWS CYCLE.
>> HAVING BEEN INVOLVED IN IT,
YOU CANNOT MAKE AN AD OF
SOMETHING THAT DOESN’T EXIST.
HERE’S THE NON-ADD VERSION
SPEAKING WITH THE GENTLEMAN IN
NEW HAMPSHIRE WITH A STUTTER.
NEW HAMPSHIRE WITH A STUTTER.W H
BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW, I USED TO BE A VERY BAD STUTTERER.
>> I KNOW.
>> I’VE SPOKEN A LOT ABOUT IT.
I’M INVOLVED WITH IT AS WELL.
IT DOES NOT DEFINE YOU, CANNOT
DEFINE YOU.
DEFINE YOU. BY THE WAY, I WISH YOU COULD
TALK MORE.
TALK MORE. GIVE ME YOUR NUMBER, I’LL CALL
YOU.
YOU. I KNOW IT’S HARD TO TALK ON THE
PHONE, I KNOW THAT.
>> I GUESS, GARRETT, THESE
MOMENTS -- AND I AIRED THE
ENTIRETY OF THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN
BETO O’ROURKE AND THE COMMITTEE
MEMBER THERE IN EL PASO, WHEN HE
WAS IN PAIN, I GUESS I’M SO
STARVED FOR HUMANITY IN OUR
POLITICS THESE MOMENTS REALLY
STAND OUT TO ME.
IT IS A DIFFERENT SKILL FROM
BEING ABLE TO SOAR AT A DEBATE,
FROM BEING ABLE TO SOAR BEHIND A
PODIUM AND TELL PROMPTER, TO BE
ABLE TO TALK TO SOMEONE ON A
ROPE LINE.
ROPE LINE. I’M LOOKING FOR THESE MOMENTS.
AS WE SEE THEM, WE WILL ROLL ON
THEM, WE WILL AIR THEM HERE WITH
ANY DEMOCRAT.
ANY DEMOCRAT. WHAT YOU HAVE FROM DONALD TRUMP,
TO MAKE A POINT, I WILL SHOW YOU
SOME OF THAT CONTRAST.
>> THE POOR GUY, YOU OUGHT TO
SEE THIS GUY, AH, I DON’T KNOW
WHAT I SAID, I DON’T REMEMBER.
BELIEVE ME, SHE WOULD NOT BE MY
FIRST CHOICE, THAT, I CAN TELL
YOU.
YOU. MAN.
MAN. YOU DON’T KNOW, THAT WOULD NOT
BE MY FIRST CHOICE.
>> YES, SHE IS A LOW IQ
INDIVIDUAL, MAXINE WATERS,
HONESTLY IN THE MID-60s.
>> THAT GUY HAS A SERIOUS WEIGHT
PROBLEM.
PROBLEM. GO HOME, START EXERCISING.
GET HIM OUT OF HERE, PLEASE.
GOT A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN I DO.
>> I DON’T THINK YOU WILL JUMP
ON ANY OF THOSE COMMENTS.
THE CONTRAST BETWEEN EVERY
PERSON, THE ENTIRE DEMOCRATIC
FIELD AND SOMEONE, MOCKING A
DISABLED JOURNALIST,
DISABLED JOURNALIST, AFRICAN-AMERICAN LAWMAKER AND
RESPONDING TO A SEXUAL
ALLEGATION OF RAPE RESPONDING
THAT A WOMAN WASN’T HIS TYPE AND
SOMEONE FAT.
SOMEONE FAT. >> I’VE COME FROM DECIDING
TALKING TO VOTERS AROUND THE
COUNTRY, THE ONLY UNFORGIVABLE
THING IS INAUTHENTIC.
AMERICANS WEREN’T SURPRISED HE
WAS A JERK.
THEY THOUGHT HE WAS CONSISTENT
AND WANTED SOMEONE TO BREAK THE
SYSTEM AND THAT’S WHAT THEY GOT.
LIKEWISE WITH THE DEMOCRATIC
CANDIDATES WE ARE SEEING A
DIFFERENT KIND OF
AUTOENTITIESTY, A WHOLE SWATH OF
VOTERS TURNED OFF BY DONALD
TRUMP.
TRUMP. I’VE SEEN BIDEN IN A BUNCH OF
EVENTS.
EVENTS. HE’S A THOUSAND TIMES MORE
EFFECTIVE AT TALKING TO PEOPLE
ONE-ON-ONE WHEN HE STEPS OFF THE
STAGE THAN ANY TIME HE IS ON THE
STAGE.
STAGE. HE’S NOT ALONE IN THAT CAPACITY.
A NUMBER OF THESE CANDIDATES,
THE BIGGER SKILL IN POLITICS
PERHAPS THAN THE ONE THAT TAKES
YOU FURTHER IS THE ABILITY TO
TAKE THE ONE-ON-ONE CONNECTION
AND GIVE THE SOARS SPEECH.
THOSE CANDIDATES WILL HAVE
LONGEVITY.
LONGEVITY. YOU SEE THAT SO MUCH BETTER FROM
BIDEN WHEN HE’S OFFSTAGE THAN
ON.
ON. >> I AGREE.
THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN SEES MORE AND
MORE PEOPLE WATCHING THIS
PROCESS AND START TALKING ABOUT
SPECIFIC ISSUES.
SPECIFIC ISSUES. WHAT BETTER ISSUE TO TALK ABOUT
THAN HEALTHCARE.
THAN HEALTHCARE. YOU LOOK AT PLACE LIKE TEXAS
WHERE THEY FILED A LAWSUIT TO
DISMANTLE PARTS OF OBAMACARE AND
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID AND EVEN
POLLING INDICATES, A SIGNIFICANT
PERCENTAGE OF EVEN REPUBLICANS
LIKE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF
OBAMACARE.
OBAMACARE. BIDEN TALKED ABOUT LET’S BUILD
ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
SOUTH CAROLINA AFRICAN-AMERICANS
LOVE OBAMA.
LOVE OBAMA. THE IDEA OF STARTING OVER AGAIN,
START SOMETHING ANEW NOT
GUARANTEED TO PASS VERSUS
BUILDING ON SOMETHING THAT
CURRENTLY EXISTS MAKES A LOT OF
SENSE.
SENSE. I THINK JOE BIDEN, IF YOU WERE
TO ASK ME, MAKES A HOME RUN.
>> JOHN BOEHNER MADE THIS POINT
DURING THE DEBATE.
ONCE YOU GIVE AMERICANS
SOMETHING, REPUBLICANS ARE
FOOLISH TO THINK YOU CAN TAKE IT
AWAY.
AWAY. >> I LIVE IN HARLEM AND WORK OUT
IN HARLEM AND TALK POLITICS WITH
THE GUYS I WORK OUT IN HARLEM.
I’M ALWAYS ASKING THEM, WHAT ARE
YOU THINKING?
YOU THINKING? A LOT OF PEOPLE SUPER ENGAGED
AND SOME WHO ARE NOT.
I’M WITH YOU, NICOLLE.
THERE IS THIS THING ABOUT BIDEN.
I’M HIGHLY CRITICAL.
ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO SAYS
WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO TO ACTUALLY
WIN IS COME TO JESUS, COME
CLEAN, SAY, LOOK, I’VE LEARNED A
LOT ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS,
TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
IMMIGRATION, DETENTION,
IMMIGRATION, DETENTION, DEPORTATION, IT CAN BE A LOT OF
THINGS, CIVIL RIGHTS, WOMEN.
BUT TO OWN THAT MOMENT, I THINK
THAT COUPLED WITH WHAT HE HAS,
THIS KIND OF, WE JUST WANT
SOMEBODY IN, WE KNOW HE MAKES
MISTAKES BECAUSE HE’S OLD AND
PROBABLY REPEATS HIMSELF.
YOU KNOW WHAT, HE’S A NICE GUY.
HE’S A NICE GUY.
I AGREE, YOU CAN’T FAKE THAT.
>> THE AMAZING THINGS DESCRIBED,
COMPELLING TO YOU.
HE’S EMPATHETIC WITH PEOPLE
STRUGGLING.
STRUGGLING. THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE HE SAYS,
GIVE ME YOUR NUMBER, HE CALLS
THESE PEOPLE FROM THE MOST
FAMOUS TO THE LEAST HAVE GOTTEN
CALLS FROM JOE BIDEN.
>> WE DON’T SEE THAT.
NOT LIKE WE’RE SEEING THE PHONE
CALL BEHIND THE SCENES.
>> THIS IS THE STORY OF JOE
BIDEN BECAUSE GRIEF, PEOPLE WHO
LOVE HIM SAY HE’S A SUPER POWER.
ANYONE, STRUGGLING WITH CANCER,
THIS IS A MAN WHO HAD BRAIN
SURGERY.
SURGERY. THAT ENTIRE AD LEAVES HIMSELF
OUT.
OUT. HE’S TRYING TO SHOW PEOPLE HE’S
AT THE MERCY OF INSURANCE
COMPANIES FOR HIS LOVED ONES.
HE DIDN’T MENTION HIS OWN BRAIN
CANCER WHEN HE WAS ALSO AT THE
MERCY OF THE COMPANIES.
I’VE BEEN THERE WHEN YOU FEEL SO
HELPLESS AND POWERLESS AND
YOU’RE SO DEPENDENT.
IT’S ALL COMPELLING ABOUT OTHER
PEOPLE AND NOT HIS OWN PAIN.
>> EMPATHY IS VERY CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT.
IMPORTANT. PEOPLE DON’T CARE ABOUT THE GAS.
YOU HAVE JOE BIDEN, SOMEONE
SELFLESS, COMPASSIONATE, NOT A
PERFECT PERSON, SOMEONE
RELATABLE.
RELATABLE. YOU THINK ABOUT DONALD TRUMP,
THINK ABOUT THE CURRENT SET OF
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY,
COMPASSION, OUT OF THE WINDOW,
CUSTOMS OF BEHAVIOR, MORALS,
DON’T MATTER, ETHICS, NONE OF
THOSE THINGS MATTER.
YOU HAVE JOE BIDEN THE
FRONT-RUNNER, SAYS, I’M NOT
PERFECT.
PERFECT. I MADE A SHARE OF MISTAKES WE
ALL HAVE AND THERE ARE THINGS WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER
ON.
ON. YOUR POINT ON JOHN McCAIN, WE
WILL HAVE IDEOLOGICAL
DIFFERENCES.
DIFFERENCES. HOW DO WE AGREE ON THINGS THAT
IMPACT US ALL.
I THINK IT SEPARATES HIM FROM