Don’t freak out about the election (yet)
Right now, whether in the train station or on a text chain, the election anxiety is palpable. And it’s understandable. This race is incredibly close. The latest New York Times/Sienna poll shows a dead heat, and more importantly, seven key swing states all show Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump polling within the margin of error.
This election comes just eight years after a man who made misogyny and racism a key part of his campaign defeated our first truly viable female nominee, and just four years after Trump helped incite an insurrection on the steps of our Capitol.
But I’m not freaking out (yet). And here’s why.
First of all, I think late deciders are breaking for Harris. According to that same New York Times/Sienna poll, “15 percent of voters described themselves as not fully decided, and Ms. Harris is leading with that group, 42 percent to 32 percent. Two weeks ago, Mr. Trump had a minute edge with undecided or persuadable voters, 36 percent to 35 percent.” This is consistent with a recent Emerson College poll that showed Harris leading this group by double digits.
Second, people are already voting, and while GOP turnout is up in some states like Nevada, Democratic voters, especially women, are reportedly casting ballots at higher rates. This is always a good sign, given Harris’s gender gap advantage with women. Even among young men — a group that Trump has spent a great deal of money and effort courting — Harris has a lead in at least one poll among likely young male voters.
Finally, Harris has a far better ground operation for the final push, impacting both enthusiasm and turnout. Does that mean she will win the election? I don’t know yet. No one does. It ultimately depends on who turns out more of their supporters in the final days.
So, yes it’s OK to be anxious. But as someone who’s been through many stressful elections, rather than simply watching the polls shift, the only tried-and-true way to channel that energy is to do something to benefit the democratic process. Go knock on doors in Pennsylvania, or volunteer in a nearby swing state. And of course, vote.
Harris’ closing argument
With less than two weeks until Election Day, the Harris campaign has locked in on its closing message: Kamala Harris will defend our democracy, while Donald Trump is its greatest threat.
Seizing on a bombshell series of interviews with John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff and a retired Marine Corps general, Harris has drawn the contrast forcefully. In this week’s CNN town hall, she entered new rhetorical territory by unequivocally stating Trump “is a fascist.”
In Kelly’s on-the-record interviews with The New York Times, he didn’t hold back, warning that Trump meets the definition of a fascist and even claiming that Trump praised Adolf Hitler during his presidency as a leader who “did some good things.” While other former White House officials have raised similar concerns about their former boss’s leadership, Kelly’s comments carry significant weight given his close working relationship with Trump. His warnings underscore the Harris campaign’s argument that in a second term there would be no one left to restrain Trump from his most dangerous impulses.
This message is also a sign that the Harris campaign is not just focused on energizing the Democratic base. It is targeting moderate Republicans and swing voters, particularly those who had been leaning toward former Gov. Nikki Haley. In the most recent poll of Haley voters, Harris held a 14-point lead on the question of who has “the character it takes to be President.” Additionally, 57% of those voters described Trump as “too erratic” to serve another term.
As the campaign enters its final stretch, Harris is betting that her message — rooted in defending democracy — will resonate in key swing states.
Q&A with Jordan Klepper
This Sunday, we’re excited to welcome Jordan Klepper to the show to discuss his new special: “The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers The Pulse: Rally Together,” which will premiere right after “The Daily Show” on Monday, Oct. 28 at 11:30 p.m. ET.
Klepper has gained recognition over the past eight years for his interviews at Trump rallies and other political events. In this special, he’ll be joined by friends and experts across swing states for a deep dive into the MAGA faithful’s devotion.
What do you hear most frequently from Trump supporters on why he is their guy?
The boilerplate answer is the economy, tough on crime, and immigration, but the real answer is that he is Donald Trump. They love him as a symbol. They have flags of his head juxtaposed on top of Rambo. They have more stickers of his face on their bumper than they do portraits of their kids on the mantle. For the diehards I talk to, this isn’t a new crush or a political calculation. This is an identity. And that’s tough to change. If you’ve spent the last eight years wearing MAGA hats to grocery stores to piss off neighbors, and blocked family members on Facebook chats, it’s hard to undo that at this year’s Thanksgiving. You’re the Trump guy or gal. That’s who you are now.
Do you ever come across rallygoers who are shocked by what they hear from Trump at his rallies?
Nope! Good luck America!
A race we’re watching: North Carolina state Senate District 37
Kate Barr isn’t your typical Democratic candidate. She’s running for North Carolina’s District 37 state Senate seat with the slogan “Kate Barr can’t win.” On paper, she’s running against Republican incumbent Sen. Vickie Sawyer. Her real goal? To raise awareness about gerrymandering.
“District 37 is so gerrymandered that I don’t stand a chance,” Barr writes on her website. “I’ve been training to lose this Senate race for all of my life. I voted for Al Gore in 2000, cheered for Carolina basketball during the Matt Doherty era, and watch the Carolina Panthers on Sundays (shudder).”
Her humor highlights a serious issue. North Carolina has become the “poster child” for partisan gerrymandering, according to Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause NC. District 37, recently redrawn by the GOP-controlled legislature, is now heavily slanted in favor of Republicans. But Barr sees her candidacy as a way to make this undemocratic practice impossible to ignore.
“Outside” with Jen Psaki: Jen takes Michigan
With Election Day just around the corner, I will be hitting the ground in Michigan to follow the get out the vote effort for critical races. I will be knocking on doors and doing early vote turnout in Detroit and the mid-Michigan region for the presidential race, Michigan Senate contest, Michigan’s 8th congressional district, and the Michigan Supreme Court.
Stay tuned for updates as we hit the campaign trail.
Jen Psaki is the host of "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" airing Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m. EST. She is the former White House press secretary for President Joe Biden.