-With five weeks to go until the midterms,
Republicans are trying to pretend
they have a serious governing philosophy.
But the leader of their party, Donald Trump,
is making that difficult for them
by claiming all elections are now rigged
and launching a deranged attack on Mitch McConnell and his wife,
Trump's former Transportation secretary, Elaine Chao.
For more on this, it's time for A Closer Look.
♪♪
Even if you're someone who follows politics very closely,
you'd be hard pressed to name a single Republican policy idea,
aside from cutting rich people's taxes or banning abortions,
or passing a law that says it's illegal
to win an election if your name is not Donald Trump Senior.
Don't try to sneak in on a technicality,
which is why Republicans are now trying
to at least create the appearance
that they have a plan to tackle the issues people care about
by debuting what they're calling a "Commitment to America."
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy
debuted the plan at an event last month.
Although if you ask me, it looks like it might be light
on specifics just from the size alone.
-What we're going to roll out today
is a Commitment to America,
and we want to roll it out to you,
to the entire country, to know exactly what we will do.
If you would trust us and give us the ability
to take a new direction for this country,
what the commitment is, is a plan.
A plan for a new direction.
So you know what?
We've created a Commitment to America.
-I think it's a bad sign when your plan
for the future of the nation can be pulled out of your pocket
like it's an acceptance speech at the Emmys.
"You want us to lead the nation? Oh, my God,
This is such a surprise.
First off, I have to thank my agent
and all the good people at A24 and, um..."
[ Fanfare plays ] No! No!
They're playing me off. Uh, thank you, uh, Fox News,
my kids, Zachary and Tallulah. Go to bed! [Kissing]"
[ Laughter ]
Seriously? That's your plan?
The user manual for my dishwasher is thicker than that.
But I guess we can't be shocked the GOP's plan to fix America
is the size of a poster stapled to a telephone pole
that says "free guitar lessons"
when the guy who came up with it is the same guy who once said
this at a Trump rally in 2020.
-I want you to watch Nancy Pelosi hand me that gavel.
[ Cheers and applause ]
And I promise you this --
I won't bang her with it,
but I'll bang the end to the socialism, and yes to America.
-"I'll bang the end to the socialism, and yes to America."
That sounds like a mad lib filled out after a concussion.
Did somebody bang you with a gavel?
Seriously, what does that mean?
That's like something you'd see on a bootleg MAGA hat
you bought online from a foreign country.
Also, it's funny that whenever these guys screw up,
they think they can save it just by saying
"yes to America" at the end, like it's the equivalent
of saying "San Dimas High School football rules."
[ Siren wails ]
Oh!
It's an '80s reference for old people.
You know what that siren means?
If you got that joke, it's time to schedule your prostate exam,
because putting your health first is always excellent
and waiting until too late is...
-Both: Bogus.
-Anyway...
[ Laughter ]
The GOP's Commitment to America has been so underwhelming
that even Fox News has been questioning why it's so thin.
The number three House Republican, Elise Stefanik,
was asked that question on Fox recently,
and unsurprisingly, she did not have a very good answer.
-Let's start with this description
by New York magazine. It says,
"The document has lots of bells and whistles and factoids
about the hellish reign of Joe Biden and his 'Democrat' Party.
What it doesn't have is a whole lot of specificity."
You heard that from the president,
from other Democrats, too,
who say there are a lot of slogans.
Yes, everybody wants a safe country.
They want good education. They want crime to go down.
But it's the details of how you do that that matter.
So why not more details in this plan?
-Shannon, there are ample details.
So, number one, an economy that's strong.
-Son of a gun, that is a good idea.
Do they honestly expect voters sitting at home
watching to hear that and think, "Hmm, strong economy?
I like the sound of that."
It's like one of those commercials where someone
at the kitchen table responds to a bodiless voice
asking questions about making your life better
without ever giving any answers as to how.
"Would you like to make more money?"
Yes.
"Would you like to do it from the comfort of your own home?"
Sure.
"Do you want a bigger house? A nicer car?"
I do.
"Would you like to improve your marriage
and spice up your sex life?"
Definitely.
"Would you like to learn more?"
Uh, yes, please.
"Then call 1-800-155-UHHHHHHHHHHHH."
They won't give up on this dumb pamphlet.
They keep trying to make it a thing.
Even though Republicans themselves are unenthused by it,
McCarthy and Stefanik in particular
keep showing it off and even trying to give it
to people as a gift.
-Join us in supporting the Commitment to America.
A new direction. Democrats have no plan.
House Republicans have a plan, and it's our commitment to you.
-Let's bring in House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy,
who joins us here on the couch. Sir, thanks for being here.
-Thanks for having me. -Great to have you.
-This is exactly what we're talking about.
I got a present for all of you --
your own Commitment to America.
And in here, we talk about a government
that's held accountable.
-You know, we've accused Republicans of being
in a cult of personality around Donald Trump,
and they're not helping when they literally walk around
handing out pamphlets.
But at least the Fox News hosts looked super psyched about it.
That's the way your kid looks when they're expecting
a PS5 for Christmas
and instead, you give him a New York City T-shirt
you definitely bought at the airport.
In fact, I'm pretty sure at the same time
Joe Biden was on "Morning Joe," giving each of the hosts
their their own PS5, which makes sense.
He's so desperate to win back young voters.
I wouldn't be surprised if he made a cameo
in season three of "Euphoria." [As Biden] "Come on, guys.
Let's stop with all this sex and drugs and take the Amtrak
down to the swimming hole for some good old-fashioned fun."
[ Siren wails ]
[Normally] Oh, you know what that siren means?
A modern reference for young people.
We did one for the olds, and now one for you guys.
We are shamelessly pandering to win over Gen Z.
And hey youngs, psst, over here.
I know I reference old movies, but I like cool stuff.
Fezco and Rue? That's my "Bill and Ted."
And if you love young stuff, you'll love
"Late Night with Seth Meyers'" hot new segment, A Closer Lewk.
[ Laughter ]
[ Dance music plays ]
That music is way too loud.
♪♪
[ Laughter ]
Also, I take it back. That's not music.
Anyway, there's a reason this dumb new pamphlet is so flimsy
and why even GOP cheerleaders on Fox News
are so unenthusiastic about it, and that's because
the GOP doesn't actually have a discernible policy agenda
or a serious governing philosophy.
It's just a coalition held together
by resentment and paranoia and conspiracy theories
and culture war issues, and above all else,
a hostility to democracy that is still best embodied
by their leader and "People" magazine's
Sweatiest Man Alive for six years running,
Donald Trump. There's no ideological core to the GOP
that's distinct from Trumpism, as Trump himself
demonstrated over the weekend when he held a rally in Michigan
and once again whined about the various investigations
into his criminal behavior while also denouncing
the legitimacy of all future elections unless he wins.
And as usual, he also did it in the weirdest way possible.
-But I'm afraid we have never had -- and I don't believe --
I don't believe we'll ever have a fair election again.
The way they win is to cheat in elections.
They cheat like dogs.
Now...
Trump hates dogs. That's indisputable.
But he really doesn't seem to know what dogs do.
I mean, they can pee on rugs, they can chew up your shoes.
But in what way do dogs cheat?
I mean, if you've ever been cheated by a dog,
that's the definition of a "shame on you" situation.
Did a dog once pretend to throw a tennis ball to Trump?
[As Trump] "I once met this dog -- big dog, strong dog.
And he said to me, 'Do you want the ball?'
And I did. I did want the ball.
And he knew I wanted the ball
because I was doing a little dance.
And so -- and so he threw it,
but little -- little did I know, it was only a pretend throw.
It was a fake-out throw
and he kept it in his paw, hidden behind his back.
But I was looking everywhere.
I was...looking for the ball under the couch,
behind the -- getting more agitated
with every passing second, so badly did I want that ball.
I wanted it, so I was spinning myself in circles.
The whole thing was very, very unfair.
No one's been treated worse by a dog than I have.
In the history of America,
no one's ever been treated worse than I have --
you know, and the worst people, the worst people are dogs."
[Normally] So now, instead of just claiming
the 2020 presidential election was rigged against him,
Trump is going a step further and claiming in advance
that all elections are rigged.
We can't have a functioning democracy where one side
just insists that every time they lose, it's illegitimate
and that they're the only ones entitled to hold power.
I mean, you don't see Mets fans insisting
they actually won the division
after getting swept by the Braves this week.
And they're accepting defeat the way they always have --
by being absolutely [bleep] miserable, you know?
[ Laughter ]
That's how democracy is supposed to work.
The winners celebrate and the losers
sit at home crying into their Jacob deGrom jersey.
And by the way, lest you think I'm picking on the Mets,
I'm a Steelers fan and we lost to the Jets this weekend.
Yeah, the Jet-- those Jets.
I went to the game, and you know what the worst part
about flying from New York to Pittsburgh
to watch your beloved Steelers lose is?
Flying home on a plane full of [bleep] Jets fans all drinking
and partying like they just won the Super Bowl.
And hey, again, if you're a Jets fan,
being 2-2 in October, that's your Super Bowl.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Traffic was so bad today with the [bleep] parade
on Fifth Avenue.
[ Laughter ]
Tickertape.
[ Laughter ]
The point is, the GOP does not have a discernible ideology
that's separate from Trumpism.
In fact, they've had ample opportunity
to separate themselves from Trump over the years.
And even now, after he's been rejected
over and over by voters and remains under multiple
serious criminal investigations,
they refuse to denounce him. Over the weekend,
Trump even attacked their own Senate leader,
Mitch McConnell, and McConnell's wife,
former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
And even then, Florida Senator Rick Scott
still could not find it within him
to stand up for his Senate colleague and denounce Trump.
-I have to ask you about what appears to be a threat
by former President Trump against your colleague,
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
Trump said, quote, "He has a death wish"
for supporting Democratic sponsored bills.
He also mocked McConnell's wife
and his own former Transportation Secretary,
Elaine Chao, as, quote, "China-loving."
And "Coco Chow."
You're a member of the Senate GOP leadership.
Are you okay with this?
-Well, look, I can never talk about --
respond to why anybody else says what they said,
but here's what -- is the way I looked at it,
is I think, you know, what the president is saying is,
you know, we've -- there's been a lot of money
spent over the last two years.
We've got to make sure we don't keep caving to Democrats.
It's causing unbelievable inflation
and causing more and more debt. As you know, you know,
the president likes to give people nicknames
so you can ask him how he came up with the nickname.
I'm sure he has a nickname for me.
-First of all, he definitely has a nickname for you.
Trump wouldn't ever even try to rhyme or be alliterative.
[As Trump] We all know Penis Rick.
He tries to wear a hat to confuse us,
but we know what he looks like.
If only there was a word that rhymed with Rick
that also meant penis.
[ Laughter ]
[Normally] I think the most insulting part
of these interviews is always when they try
to explain away something that was very clearly
a deranged outburst from Trump as if it was something
that was a sophisticated take on politics.
"Dana, what I think the president was saying
is that we have to encourage people to consume more,
which will in turn drive up supply,
thus boosting the economy."
"Senator, he tweeted, 'Eat my nuts.'"
"Yes.
You see, Dana, he wants us to consume
more almonds and cashews to promote American agriculture."
"Well, Senator, his next Tweet was, 'And when I say nuts,
I don't mean almonds and cashews.'"
"Again, Dana, maybe he meant peanuts or macadamia nuts.
We could go back and forth all day
trying to put ourselves in his head, and I don't know."
"His next Tweet was, 'I mean testicles.'"
"I think -- I think I'm going to go, Dana."
"Thank you for joining us, Senator Penis Rick."
With midterms approaching and the polls tight,
Republicans want to pretend they have a serious
governing platform, but Trump makes that impossible
because he constantly rips the mask off,
revealing that they are, in fact,
not a serious governing party.
They're entirely devoted to the cult of Trumpism
and the threat he poses to democracy.
They're all his friends, his loyal servants,
his closest allies, or as Trump himself may put it,
they're all his... -Dogs.
[ Laughter ]
-[Mocking] "Dogs."
[Normally] This has been A Closer Look.
♪♪
The midterm elections are coming up,
so to make sure that you're good to vote in this election,
visit our good friends at HeadCount.org
to check your voter registration status
or to register to vote.