That Trippi Show

First, Joe and Alex recap the weird Trump Town Hall and the delightfully normal Biden Town Hall, but then explore more troubling realization of how divided our country is. Plus, a heads up to our listeners to tune into Pod Save America today, Oct. 16, for some breaking news. Please check it out and leave in the reviews that we sent you! Along with that, a look at several key Senate races. What does Mitch McConnell's PAC spending reveal about the state of Senate races in North Carolina, Maine, Texas, and others? Finally, what do we make of this idea the Republicans will show up in droves on Election Day to offset the lead the Democrats are building in early and absentee voting? Our listener question this week is about what happens if Fox calls the presidential race for Trump in a misleading fashion. Link to Pod Save America: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-america/ Thomas Edsall's column in the NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/14/opinion/biden-trump-presidential-election.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Good news: From now till Election Day, you'll get two episodes a week! Today, Joe and Alex quickly touch on: The Biden campaign has sent surrogates to Texas and Biden himself is in Ohio. What does this mean? What do we make of the dueling messages out of the SCOTUS hearings that started Monday? Should Democrats be nervous that the Republicans may be on the verge of a surprise Senate pickup in Michigan? Subscribe, rate and review -- and don't forget to leave a question on the iTunes store or via email at thattrippishow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, the VP debate was almost quaint in how civil it was. What do we make of Kamala's performance, plus what happens next with Trump's mixed messages on whether he'll show up for future debates, virtual or otherwise? Second, Trump's positive test for COVID-19 upended the entire country, and of course the wild presidential race. What happens now? And what does McConnell pushing forward on the SCOTUS nomination say about the prospects of the race? Next, polls continue to predict a Biden landslide. Joe has been predicting something to that effect for months. But now, Democrats are worried that perhaps the Biden campaign's eyes are bigger than their stomach as they make a play for places like Texas. Are they playing their alleged lead wisely? And how do you reconcile the GOP in registering new voters in swing states? Our listener question is about the wild turns in the North Carolina Senate race in the last week and how they could affect -- or not affect -- the battle for the Senate. Please leave us a question in the reviews on Apple Podcasts -- give us five stars if you're there! -- or submit one via email to ThatTrippiShow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(Note: this episode was taped prior to the President announced he had tested positive for COVID.) Joe and Alex agree: the debates were a mess, but the result is ultimately good for Biden. The Trump team seems to be aware they're losing, so how bad could this get? Then, a reminder that the election has already started (gulp). Over 2 million votes have already been cast, some in pivotal states like Florida, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. What are the numbers suggesting about who is voting and why? Lastly, Joe has been predicting a 1980-esque result -- the trouncing of an unpopular incumbent -- for months. What if that happens? Where do Republicans (and Democrats) go from there? Our listener question this week asks why none of us saw the country going in the direction it has. But some did. Please leave us a question in the reviews on Apple Podcasts -- give us five stars if you're there! -- or submit one via email to ThatTrippiShow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First: We mourn the passing of American giant Ruth Bader Ginsburg. But in our 2020 world, her death led to an explosive political conversation immediately. So, what do we do now? What should Biden do to respond to the obvious Republican hypocrisy? How could this impact turnout? Then, concerned progressives donated in record numbers to Senate campaigns last week. What do candidates like Al Gross (I-AK) and Mike Espy (D-MS) do with a sudden influx of cash? Is it too late to make a difference? And then: is it time to get pissed off? Are we supposed to just let Mitch McConnell get away with this? What are Democrats supposed to do now? Joe's take here is critical for all of us to hear. Submit a question by leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, then type your question in the reviews. Please leave us 5 stars while you're there! To send us a video or audio from what you're seeing in your state or your campaign - email thattrippishow@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, big news out of South Carolina where Jamie Harrison and incumbent Lindsey Graham (R) are tied in a tight Senate race. Meanwhile, challenger Sara Gideon is up big against longtime Senator Susan Collins (R) in Maine. What does this tell us about these races and the race for president? Next, Mayor Bloomberg is firing $100 million into Florida, and his public announcement is a signal. What does Joe make of the move and what happens from here? Meanwhile, why are Pence and Trump talking about Minnesota when the Democrats are pulling ahead in Arizona? Then, Joe answers a question we're all too scared to ask... what if Biden is actually winning this thing? Do we need to be as anxious as we all undoubtedly are? Is there a historical precedent for this crazy election? Finally, a listener question about door-knocking in a pandemic. Listen to Joe on Hacks on Tap: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hacks-on-tap-with-david-axelrod-and-mike-murphy/id1467297559 Read Al Hunt on The Hill re: Democratic Handwringing: https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/516647-the-polls-the-electoral-college-and-democratic-hand-wringing New Republic article by Walter Shapiro read by Alex: https://newrepublic.com/article/159355/democrats-fear-biden-upset-trump-repeat-2020 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex start with -- what else? -- the damning quotes from the President to Bob Woodward proving he knew how dangerous COVID-19 was. How should the Biden campaign use it? How can it impact the undecided voters across the country? Is Trump's support slipping -- and does Woodward's reporting accelerate that slide, or does it not move the needle? Next, a poll this week showing demographic weakness with Latino support in Florida had Democrats panicking. Is this as alarming as it liberal Twitter thought it was? Does Joe see a silver lining in this very poll? Then, the Trump campaign is reportedly running out of money, despite raising $1 billion. And, worst of all, they're still losing by 10 points and Biden raised $365 million last month. Joe breaks down what's next for the Trump campaign, and why another $2 billion may not matter unless something changes. Plus, Donald Trump has reportedly skipped debate prep - how could that factor into the closing stretches of the race? Finally, Alex asks a question about Facebook's odd new political ad policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Joe and Alex are joined by Stuart Stevens, author of It Was All A Lie: How The Republican Party Became Donald Trump. He was the lead strategist for Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign for President, and is currently a member of the Lincoln Project. Joe and Stuart met during simpler times (summer '16), and they start by trying to figure out how we got here from there. First, they talk about the state of the GOP, which Stevens calls a collapse unparalleled in American history. He has some very strong words for those in the party who continue to enable Donald Trump, and some insight into what Republicans close to the President say behind the scenes, including those at The Lincoln Project. Next, Stevens wrote a Washington Post op-ed this week arguing Biden will win Wisconsin despite the President pushing for it in recent weeks. Are we buying Republican enthusiasm about the Midwest? Then, we all saw the speculation of a "Red Mirage" where Trump claims victory on Election Night before all of the mail-in ballots are counted. Stuart thinks that scenario is, well, quaint. How the hell do we stop it? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gov. Jerry Brown, the three-term former Governor of California, knows we have a lot to fix. In this conversation with Joe and Alex, Gov. Brown discusses the threat the current president poses to democracy, what problems keep him up at night, and even under a President Biden, if things can truly return to "normal." Plus, what to do next time a pandemic comes along, how to craft a winning message around climate change, impressions up close of Kamala Harris, if he considered running for president in 2020, and his stance on the athletes standing up for social justice around the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe and Alex start by teasing another big guest Monday, walking through the messaging on display at the GOP convention (1:00), and discussing which party is doing a better job courting the independents and moderate Republicans that traditionally swing elections. Plus, should Democrats be panicking when we see polls showing Biden trailing Hillary in swing states at the same time in 2016? Then, we take a look at some of the biggest Senate races this fall (10:00), mainly Arizona, North Carolina and Maine. In general, is it possible Democrats could win states that still vote Trump? How do you thread that needle? A listener asks, is there a chance to push for a split-ticket voter (14:10)? Plus specific analysis on Susan Collins' race in Maine (19:10). Finally, what's next? Democrats reportedly have a large lead in mail-in ballot requests and Biden is outspending Trump massively on TV ads. Are these good signs, or in the world of Donald Trump, does nothing matter? (20:00) Lastly, a quick discussion about the protests around the Jacob Blake tragedy, and how the RNC didn't address it at all. (27:00) Please check out #Unfit, the film sponsoring this episode, at unfitfilm.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our first guest: Sen. Doug Jones, who defeated Roy Moore in a memorable special election in Alabama in 2017. Trippi and Jones share the story of how they first started working together and how the echoes of their '17 campaign popped up throughout last week's DNC. Sen. Jones is running for re-election this fall, and Joe (and Alex) are doing all they can to get him back to the Senate. First, Joe and Doug discuss the Democratic convention and Doug's personal relationships with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Then, Doug talks about his re-election campaign, the role Mitch McConnell and Super PACs are playing in Alabama, and what their actions mean about how close the race truly is. Finally, some war stories from the campaign trail in '17, and why the Trippi/Jones relationship works. If you read this far: Joe and Doug need all the help they can get. Please visit DougJones.com/help to make a difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, a special announcement about next week, and review of Biden's acceptance speech, which Trippi calls "the speech of Joe's life." (1:00) Then, the moment in Barack Obama's speech that may have been the most important -- that most of us didn't even notice. (9:00) Then, many Democrats were confused why John Kasich got more time than, say, AOC or Andrew Yang at the DNC. Was Gov. Kasich successful in converting any undecided voters? (19:00) What will the RNC look like in response? (23:00) Lastly, our listener question is about the Senate Intelligence Committee reporting even more information about Russian disinformation in the election -- and how Democrats use it, or don't. (24:00) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices