Former american Three Star General mix of that and other Key Developments in the war. Plus, is it basil ready . The exodus is now on from the morning man doesnt, were Tens Of Thousands have been stranded by a plague of mud. Good evening, john berman here in for anderson, we begin this labor day evening with a picnic president ial politics and polling. They all came together today and New Hampshire. Some republican candidates all something at the same picnic, and new polling thats no picnic for all but donald trump. It matters, the experts say, because thats when voters really start paying attention. This is attention getting. Trump now has the race nearly two himself. 59 support, 59 suppt from republicans. His nearest rival, ron desantis, now 46 points behind. As for a potential trump, biden, matchup in the General Election, it is 40 39 with 3 for two third party candidates, and a large number 17 undecided. Head to head without third parties and voters forced to choose, the two are tied at 46. Cnns is in New Hampshire for us tonight. Jeff, how many of the republican candidates were there tonight and what are they saying . About half the republican field was in New Hampshire today, holding a variety of parades, and picnics as you said. Four or five candidates and we just finished in events here in New Hampshire with former Vice President mike pence. He gave a message that certainly many of his rivals could agree with. They hope the campaign is that the starting point, not the ending point, making the case that labor day is the traditional Launching Pad of a campaign. So, thats very much an open question. Of course, the former president has many supporters as you were just saying in those National Polls. But, states by state, theyre a little bit more competitive without question, and the burden is on many of the candidates to make its even more competitive. When you talk to voters, when you talk to Republican Voters and here in New Hampshire, the allimportant independent voters, there is a sense of many more open minds here, trying to see what the field is doing, trying to see who could perhaps confront the former president in a oneonone race. But, former Vice President , mike pence, just a few moments ago was answering a question from an independent voter here in New Hampshire. There is not a democratic contests early next year. Those independents all important here, could vote in the republican primary. Thats of course what Chris Christie is hoping for, mike pence was even trying to with the independent voters. So, that could be a wildcard. But, there is no doubt. Whether the campaign is the Beginning Stage or somewhere in the middle, donald trump has a overwhelming commanding gleed. Independents obviously do matter in New Hampshire. You are there. What else are you picking up on the ground, because as you do note, it is a state by State Campaign to the republican nomination. Iowa first, the New Hampshire, whats the pacific State Of Play in New Hampshire . The State Of Play in New Hampshire is similar to iowa. The former president certainly has a sizable lead at this point. But, there still is a sense that some republicans are window shopping, are eager to win the General Election, and they wonder of donald trump is the person for that. I was having a conversation earlier today with fred New Hampshire governor kristi new new, and he pointed out how donald trump fared here in the General Election in 2020. He lost to joe biden by 60,000 votes. Four years earlier, he only lost to Hillary Cricket fans why if he believes was a rematch between trump and biden, that this simply would not be good for the Republican Party. So, there is no doubt that donald trump has a lead in this race. But, even some trump voters with Trump Pass On and trump shirts on, still say there is sizing up the field of candidates, pink careful attention to the debate. The burden is on someone, or perhaps a couple people to certainly increase the standing here. So, yes, hes the leader, the frontrunner, but you get a sense of open minds here as well, john. Jeff and ryan New Hampshire, great to see you. Joining us now, former republican congressman joe walsh, host of the white flag podcast. Also political consultant stewart stevens, he is currently an adviser to the Lincoln Project and the partner at resolute square, his upcoming new book is the conspiracy to end america, five ways my old party is thriving art democracy to autocracy. Director of Syracuse University institute for democracy journalism and citizenship. Stuart, you have seen a lot of labor days heading into primaries and General Elections. At this point, do you see any evidence that any of the republican candidates are doing anything to puncture donald trump lead . John, you remember when we first meant in 2000, i was part of the brain trust. It took a 60 point lead in New Hampshire and we lost by 19. You really have to work at. I think anything is possible. There is going to be a race here. Trump isnt going to walk away with this. The Market Demands are raised. The question is, the person in second or third, are they going to be offering an alternative vision to trump . The top three candidates in the republican nomination of support putins position in the war, all of them say they will pardon trump and the insurrectionists. There really is no difference, it is trumpism whether trump is the messenger or desantiss messenger. So, that to me is the question. Can someone who offers a different, very different view should go in the country should go, do they have a Fighting Chance for this primary . I think the answer to that is no but we will see. Congressman waltz, i dont put words in your mouth but i heard you say that the idea that its a race at all is an illusion, that is trumps party, his nomination, full stop. That said, what advice would you give to someone along the lines of whats to it was just saying . What advice would you give to Chris Christie, what advice would you give to mike pence, what advice would you give to the people who are campaigning in New Hampshire tonight to have any chance of beating trump . Its always good to be on with you and its good to be on of my friends, there is no race here. I do not want a full stop, because id like to stay a little bit more. But, im going to repeat myself. Im a broken record, so many people in this country, so many people in your business, so many people in my Business Pint for and prayed for some kind of a race. They just cannot accept the fact that this was different, thats my former party is not a party, that it is a cult, and donald trump is a cult leader. There is no race here, nobody, as to set it, nobody in the field is trying to beat trump, nobody. If you are a critic of trump, you have no shot in the party. If i were given advice to anyone wanted to run for president , it would be to go after donald trump with everything that youve got. But, if you do that in this Republican Party, you are done as a republican. I do not wear any full soft in this conversation, let me just be clear about that. Let me try to go about this a different way, the latest republican poll, and you can see it right there in thWall Street Journal, this is obviousla National Poll in the president ial elections primary Athe State By state. Nonetheless, they do paint a tough hall, a long road for any republican not named donald trump. For indictment and skipping at the big 20 hurt him, is there anything that you think could . I think you summed it up correctly. What Republican Voters in this survey are saying is that they are really treating trump like he is still the incumbent, and that hes just running for reelection, rather than treating him like you would see an ex president s who lost last reelection and tried to overturn it. That is not with these surveys suggest. The Wall Street Journal showed Desantis Crashing since the time he announced his candidy, and very slight uptick for candidates like nikki haley, nowhere in proximity to but one unknowable, and i think this is whats was sort of alluding to is that we have not seen what would happen if every gop rival held hands and said, donald trump cannot be the guy anymore. Maybe it wouldnt make any difference, maybe the numbers would continue exactly as they are, but the reason they wont do it is because nobody wants to step out and have everybody else step back. Consultants are telling them its a death wish, dont do it. But, if you add of any other Rival Support plus desantiss support, trump is actually just a solid if not more saw than he was before the criminal indictments. And, those early numbers about their party or unaffiliated voters suggest that joe biden actually has a real race on his chance for the reelection if it ends up being a trump biden contest, which i think is what were trying to see biden really ramp up the criticism on the union stuff in the economy. Were gonna get to that in the second. Stuart brought up something i want to talk to you about. He met the idea of everybody else dropping out of the. Raise a number than dropping. Ouch you mention you work for george w. Bush in 2000, i also coverage on You Workedor Romney in 2012, he wrote something where he suggested that the other guys candidates running against trump need to get out. He said, get candidates the support to agree to a dr, if d en their Pastor Nomination effectively closed. That decision should be no longer than say, february 26th, the monday following the contest in iowa, New Hampshire, nevada, and south carolina. Based on what youre seeing, do you think these candidates should think about getting out if they are in the low single just digits, and if so, when . It depends on which candidates. I want someone who will oppose donald trump. I want someone whos going to go out there and say, donald trump is a huge danger to the country and trump is a huge danger. I have tried to organize these things before, and i can say i have had 100 percent failure rate. People run for president because they want attention, they want to be on the debate stage. Campaigns never and because somebody gets tired of running, b and because you run out of money or run out of time. A lot of these campaigns are going to live off the land, a lot of them are really running for four years from now, some are running for cabinet positions, some are running for vp. Most of the people in the race arent really running for president united states, but the thing that we have to accept is donald trump represents where the Republican Party is. He didnt hijack the party, he revealed the party. That is why hes doing so well. Joe, there had been conventional wisdom that donald trump was a primary but cant win a General Election. The Wall Street Journal poll has not connect with joe biden right there. And so, do you think that needs to go out the window . Do you think trump can win a General Election . John, if we havent learned anything the last 70 years its not every aspect of conventional wisdom on a go out the window. When you pull Republican Voters, they particularly believe that trump has the best chance of beating biden. I think romney is living in la la land. This is craziness. These people just cant except none of us, i have a hard time accepting it and i come from the base of the party. The base of the party is not where mitt romney is, its where trump is. Stuarts rates. A candidate should come out and said, donald trump is an existential threat to th e democracy, because he is. If you say that as a republican today, you are down as a republican. I think the country needs to understand that. Joe walsh, look more into speaking with you much more on the subject in the future. Next, on patrol Ukrainian Drone teams searching for targets, plus the impact the new Defense Minister could have, and with the possibility of north korea supplying arms to russia could mean on the battlefield. 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Huh, huh, so did their dog roger. Gain scent beads keep even the stinkiest Stuff Smelling fresh. New developments, today, ukraines president Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired his Defense Minister and nominated a replacement. Well talk about it in a moment, with the retired army general. Also, a rare trip out of the country for kim jongun. Hes headed for russia this month. The north korean dictatorship expected to meet expecting to use russians in ukraine. First of, all a rare look at the front line in ukraines growing drone war against russian invaders. Cnns melissa bell reports. [speaking in a nonenglish language] Ukraines Security Service preparing for a raid across enemy lines. In a war of artillery, drones and plenty of creativity. It looks almost like a toy. It is a chinese toy with some innovations and some magic. Hubert del enough magic that this especially may drone will travel far beyond the zaporizhzhia front line. In search of a Russian Air Defense system, it flies a deep into Enemy Territory towards a town that is one of the main objectives of the southern counteroffensive. [speaking in a nonenglish language] at the other end of the, phone and watching the same screen, a high mars unit is ready to launch. The call sign of this drones unit commander is this man. A reminder of this land when it was still ukrainian. Now, you could, see on their own it was russias weakest moment. This is the checkpoint for russians. But tonight they have been unlucky, the air Defense System that they wanted to hit is no longer there. [speaking in a nonenglish language] home for tonight, as a field 15 kilometers north of the frontline. Using only red lights to avoid detection, theyve got a Birds Eye View of the battle below and whats happening beyond. We are hunting for them, for some time and we have some results and we know where they are hiding. We know where they are moving and its about time just to find them. And each time it flies, the Drone Records precious information, the state of russian defenses, vehicles and systems being moved. Even if tonight, a Russian Air Defense system and its 4 to 5 officers were unbeknownst to them, spared. Are you disappointed . No, we are not disappointed, this is our service. It is our work. And we will continue to do it. Until, he says, every last inch of ukrainian territory has been freed. However long that takes. And melissa bell joins us now. Melissa, what kind of effect are these drones having on the counter Offensive Mark . Well, the play an extremely Important Role for the ukrainians, of course a surveillance role. But also an attack role. And this drone, tonight, that night ended up doing surveillance. Its plan had been to be at the head of the high marbling launched. Its used effectively, but theyve been used by both sides. And that makes t