amna: We are in the thick of
midterm season and with election
night just a few weeks away,
candidates are taking to the
debate stage.
But are these debates in this
political climate mobilizing
voters or changing minds?
To dive into how this is all
playing out, I'm joined by two
long time political consultants.
Republican strategist Brett
o'donell, he has worked on
debate preparation for five
presidential candidates,
including George W. Bush, John
McCain and Mitt Romney.
And democratic strategist
Stephanie cutter, she served as
advisor and deputy campaign
manager for Barack Obama.
Welcome to you both, thank you
for being with us.
A number of high-stakes debates
just last night, I want to go
through a few and get
urinalysis.
In Ohio, Tim Ryan and J.D. Vance
debated on economy.
Here is what they said.
>> I wish Tim Ryan had stood up
to his already on the vote,
because it might have made the
inflation crisis better if he
hadn't done what he always does,
which is that with Nancy Pelosi
and Joe Biden 100% of the time.
>> You keep talking about Nancy
Pelosi.
If you want to run against Nancy
Pelosi, move back to San
Francisco.
I put the national gas
provisions in their inflation
reduction act, I was the one who
made sure we had all of the
investments in electric
reviewable -- electric vehicles
in the inflation reduction xp
amna: Name checking Pelosi and
Biden, is that part of the
Republican strategy?
Brett: Absolutely, and there
isn't much Tim Ryan can make out
of it, the economy and inflation
is running against Democrats.
They have admitted the inflation
reduction act won't reduce
inflation anytime soon if at
all.
Barack Obama said his policies
were on the ballot and in that
midterm, Republicans won nine
senate seats from Democrats.
While we may not win that many,
I think because of the economy
and because of the presidents
and Nancy Pelosi's policies
being on the ballot, whether or
not Tim Ryan wants to separate
themselves, he is the
representative and unfortunately
he has to bear the brunt of the
blame for the bad economy.
Amna: Stephanie?
Stephanie: Democrats going into
this midterm that all of the
historical winds were against
them.
Add to that the economy.
What I do think that Democrats
have been trying to do, and in
some cases very successfully, is
make this a choice between two
different directions.
And with the insertion of the
Dobbs supreme court decision,
the ongoing insertion of Donald
Trump putting himself into the
race, the raid on mar-a-lago.
All of those things have taken
away the idea that this was a
referendum on Democrats.
It has been much more of a
choice.
Amna: You mentioned the Dobbs
decision I want to ask about
abortion rights because it has
become increasingly important
issue for voters.
A more central message for
voters last night in the
gubernatorial debate in Georgia.
Kemp was asked about a recording
when he was asked if he would go
further than a six-week man he
had previously signed and here
is what he said and what Abrams
had to say on the issue.
>> Can you tell us right now
whether you would push for these
measures or any other additional
restrictions on abortion now
that the 2019 law is in effect?
>> No I would not.
>> He has weakened our privacy
rights and women's rights, he
has denied access to
reproductive care.
The most dangerous thing facing
Georgia is four more years of
Brian Kemp.
Amna: It's fair to say
Republicans have been rolling
back abortion rights and women
on both sides of the aisle are
concerned.
Should Republicans be messaging
about this more proactively?
Brett: Not only should Brian
Kemp be answering his question
but Stacey Abrams should be
answering what abortion
restrictions does she believe
and?
-- Believe in?
Most of the country doesn't
leave in late term abortions yet
that is the Democrat position so
I think Republicans do well to
stay on offense but also make
sure they address this within
the boundaries of being
compassionate, understanding
that these are tough situations
and that they will handle them
compassionately.
Amna: Stephanie?
Stephanie: I would say that
Republicans will have a hard
time going on offense on this
decision.
I think women across the country
-- families across the country
know that this is not about
late-term abortion.
This is about whether women can
make their own decisions with
their doctors about what is
right for them and their
families.
If Kemp attacked Stacey
Abrams on what her restrictions
are, the civil answer is women
should make that decision.
Having a false choice over
late-term abortion -- we all
know that very, very few, far
less than 1% of abortions happen
after the 20 week mark, and that
is usually because the baby will
not survive or the mother's
health is at risk.
Who better to make that decision
about what to do in those
circumstances than a woman and
her doctor?
Amna: I need to ask about
another issue that came up last
night and the Utah debate, the
senate debate between Mike Lee
and Evan Mcmullen.
There is a backdrop to this,
obviously senator Lee had
encourage president trump to
challenge the 2020 election
results after later reversing
course, and all of this is
unfolding against a striking new
poll that came out recently with
registered voters from the new
York Times and Siena college
asking people is American
democracy under threat?
71% say yes.
21% say no.
Those numbers are virtually the
same for Republicans and
Democrats.
Stephanie, is that a message
Democrats should be leaning into
more?
Stephanie: I think you do hear
that on the campaign trail
across the country.
I think you hear it more in
races like likely'-- like Mike L
ee's, where he participated in
what ultimately became the
January 6 insurrection.
He did not participate in the
insurrection, but let's be clear
, alleging fraud where it does
not exist, encouraging a
president to not concede, to
continue to say that he won, all
of that contributes to a lack of
trust in our democratic
institutions, a lack of trust in
our democratic system.
And lots of opportunity to
overthrow it.
Amna: Brett?
Brett: First of all, a number in
the New York Times poll shows
there is an equal number of
Democrats and Republicans who
view democracy under threat.
It is not just because of what
happened in 2020, there are lots
of other reasons why people are
worried about their democracy.
They see the Democrats acting
unilaterally, abuses of
executive power.
I agree there are democracy
threats all around us.
One of them are hypocritical
Democrats who want to say
democracy is under threat but at
the same time won't participate
in what is the cornerstone of
any good democracy, that is
debate.
By the way, the threat to
democracy is not the foremost
issue on the minds of voters.
Right now, a lot of folks out
there are wondering how they put
gas in their car or groceries on
their table.
They are worried about safety in
their neighborhoods, worried
about open borders.
Those are the things at the
forefront of most voters this
cycle.
Amna: I think both of you for
setting the example, we had two
smart people show up and debate
and disagree on the issues but
still be civil about it.
Thanks to you both.
Stephanie: Thank you.
Brett: Thank you.