Lemire. Professor at Princeton University and author of the book begin again, eddie glaude junior. And republican strategist susan delaware percio is with us. And were going to get to that answer or rather nonanswer from Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett on the question of a president s ability to delay the election and the transfer of power. It was kind of a concerning moment for democrats yesterday and a lot of conservatives. Well talk to Michael Steele and susan del percio about that and read actually what the constitution says. Texts were pretty sure that ag barr and judge barrett are both quite aware of, in fact im going to double down and say i know theyre aware of it. But first, willie, a defiant president holds another packed Campaign Rally despite concerns that we could be in the midst of a second wave of covid. We are in the midst of a global pandemic. Yeah, another night, another big crowded maskless rally as if this whole pandemic is not taking place. Covid19 cases continue to rise nationwide with infections spreading rapidly in the midwest. States like indiana, minnesota, north dakota setting new averages new average highs for cases each of the past eight days. Saturday, more than 20 states have reported new highs and their seven day average the case counts. And more than half of those states set records yesterday. Covid19 hospitalizations hit their highest level in nearly six weeks. Meanwhile, trish scalia, the wife of Eugene Scalia tested positive. The statement was she has mild symptoms but is doing well. Secretary scalia tested negative on friday night. He has experiences nod no sympt he will work from home. Why is this significant . Secretary skille and his wife attended that rose garden ceremony last month where President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to fill the vacancy. We have confirmed 27 members of the Campaign Officials and contacts of donald trump have recently tested positive for coronavirus. Of these, at least 14 were in attendance at the september 26th rose garden event for judge barrett, mika. Just to frame all that, the white house is in the middle of its own outbreak. And with all that as a backdrop, the president continues to hold packed Campaign Rallies with people squished together when they dont need to be. Last nights rally was in southwest pennsylvania. And once again there was no social distancing and few people were Wearing Masks. And all of these people are being put in danger by the Trump Campaign. Even as the virus surges, the president claimed begin that the u. S. Is, quote, rounding the turn. We have the vaccines are coming soon, the therapeutics, and frankly, the cure. All i know is i took something, whatever the hell it was i felt good very quickly. I dont know what it was. Antibodies antibodies i dont know. I took it, i said i felt like superman and i said, let me at em to everyone fighting to recover from the virus, i feel your pain because i felt your pain. And we will beat this virus together and for those who has had it . Who has it here . Whos had it . A lot of people. A lot of people. Well youre the people i want to say hello to because you are right now immune. Youre right now immune. Or they say that. They hate to admit it bas i hec had it. In the old days they say youre exmun for li immune for life. Now its four months. Thats not true. Scientists are looking at cases recurring on people who have already had it. But number two, more importantly, Jonathan Lemire, you see a message emerging out of the president s wife and even from this white house, herd immunity that thats maybe the way they want to go with this, which would potentially mean many more deaths. Mika, the defying moments from last night show again how this president its a striking disconnect from reality in terms of the coronavirus in two different ways. First of all, his on condition. Theres very little that he did to address his own situation last night, except for the bit you just played where he talked about receiving an antibodies treatment that at least for now is not available to most of the public. He of course received that because hes receiving the very best care at walter reed medical center. He talked about being immune which we know scientists are convinced thats not the case for him or anyone else who has had the coronavirus. He suggested that he was well enough, though, that he would plunge into the audience and kiss everyone there as proof that he wasnt contagious anymore. And i would strongly i think medical experts would back me up on this, not advise him to do that. Secondly, he, again, is framing it as the nation itself having turned the corner when thats simply not the case. We are seeing cases across the nation surge. We are seeing states have their highest daily totals in months, but none of that factors into their framing, which is remarkably unchanged since the president s own diagnosis ten or so days ago. This rally could have taken place a month ago or two months ago in terms of how the president is addressing the virus. Still not being honest about where the nation is in terms of handling it. In fact, in many places its getting worse. There were thousands of people there last night, mika, packed in closely together, not many in masks. Some, as you can see in the video clip behind him because those are handed out for the purposes of the tv footage. But very little elsewhere. But the president s campaign has made a decision to plunge forward, blinders on, and act again like the nation incorrectly is turning the corner on the virus because they dont vape choihave a choice. The president is running out of time. It should be noted as a final point, his first two days of resuming his time on the campaign trail he visited the two most important states on the map, florida and pennsylvania. Two states he probably cant win without as his shrinks. Today he has to go to iowa, a state he won in 2016 but hes forced to play defense there because the pressure joe biden is putting all across the maam. The president is in a real bind. Lets flush out the week even further, talk about states where hes playing defense. Iowa today, North Carolina tomorrow. These are the president s trip this week. And then on friday hell be in both florida and georgia before spending the weekend on saturday in michigan and wisconsin. So how is the Trump Campaign looking at the map right now . I think they dont want to be in a position where youre having go to georgia 2 1 2 weeks ahead of the election and fight for what is has now become a toss up. Theyre in an extraordinarily difficult spot. They dont have anywhere near the Financial Resources right now that the Biden Campaign does. The Biden Campaign is just swamping them on the airwaves in terms of advertisements and outside groups as well. The Trump Campaign has pulled down ads in a number of states. Theyre saying, like in ohio, because theyre confident they dont need them. Polls suggest otherwise and point to, perhaps, a lack of finances on their part. And they have this incredibly difficult balancing act. Theyre path to 270 seems to be shrinking by the day. There are some states they cant win without, florida, hes going to be there before election day. But as deficits go between michigan and wisconsin, theyre betting big on pennsylvania. But at the same time, this points to a campaign in trouble. Its one thing to put in a final push in these battleground states, thats where you want to be, thats what campaigns do in the final three weeks. But to also play defense in states where he won with ease in 2016, you said it, willie, georgia later this week. When was the last time a republican president or frankly any republican candidate had to go to georgia in the last couple weeks of an election . Iowa tonight. Theres talk of an ohio trip that hell have to do next couple of days. Theyre even worried about where the polls stand in texas. And that, again, even if he ends up hanging on to these states, the fact that hes got to spend time and money there in the final weeks, that shows a campaign in trouble and its every day he spends in, say, georgia, say day he cant spend in pennsylvania. And heres a poll that shows the point im making. In the state of North Carolina, why is the president going there tomorrow . Heres why. Hes in a dead heat. Thats within the margin of error. Thats a new monmouth poll, joe biden up four points, thats a tie if you consider the margin of error. Michael steele, lets talk about who joe biden is talking to right now in the state of florida and more broadly and how President Trump is addressing that same group. Im talking about seniors. Joe biden directly appealing to senior voters at an event in florida yesterday as the president s support among the 65 plus age group has continued to decline despite the president s recent efforts to win them over. While youre losing precious time with your loved ones, hes been stuck in a sand trap in one of his golf courses. And when he does decide to lift a finger, it isnt to help you. Youve worked hard your whole life contributing to society, building a family, building a country, serving america. You deserve security. You deserve respect and peace of mind. But youre not getting it. And, by the way, if this wasnt so bizarre, youd think if i tried to make a movie talking about Something Like this in america, youd think i was making it up. Because donald trump, its simple, not a joke, youre expendable, youre forgettable, youre virtually nobody. Thats how he sees seniors, this careless, reckless Covid Response has caused one of the worst tragedies in american history. The only senior that donald trump cares about, the only senior is the senior donald trump. So, compare that appeal, michael, to senior voters by biden to this tweet by President Trump yesterday. A photo shopped picture of joe biden inserted into a scene presumeedly from an assisted living facility for Senior Citizens with an edited Biden Campaign logo adjusted to read, biden for resident. A jab at bidens age comes as at least three different recent polls found the president at a wide disadvantage among voters age 65 and older. Its an age group that trump won by nine points in 2016. And Michael Steele, to build on willies point, President Trump is devying his own reality as if there is something wrong with being a Senior Citizen. And by the way, Senior Citizens vote avidly. They are interested in this election, they are also interested in their health. It is a core constituency and has been for over a generation now. Thats how we have put together the kinds of wins that have allowed us to take the house in 2010, for example. A lot of that was on the back of and help from seniors around the country. But particularly in places like florida. So you have, mika and willie, a contrast not just in style, but in the substance of the conversation. One in which you had joe biden actually connecting with seniors in a way that, you know, says to them, hey, i get where you are at this stage in your life, but i also understand how important you are to what we need to get done in order to turn the country around. Verse whats y versus what you saw from the president , not just that mocking tweet, but his own rhetoric on the stage when he talks about himself. They say im a senior but i dont feel like it, i dont act like it. So thats a putdown. Its not a recognition of what these men and women represent, not just to the base of the Republican Party, but to the country as a whole. And the role that they play in setting the direction and have played in setting the direction. So, you know, the president feels the one thing i think joe biden said indirectly which ill say directly is the president takes these voters for granted. Hes making assumptions about 2016 in 2020. And the fact of the matter is, this is a completely different race. Its not just what the numbers are showing, its just the dynamics from coindividual to civ covid to civil unrest and then his tenure to all that represented by his tweet photo shopped in a wheelchair is the ultimate insult to the men and women who have actually could help him get over the finish line. You know, after 2016 when the president eeked out his win in the Electoral College and became president there are was some thought that donald trump had some understanding of the electorate, that he was in some ways a political mastermind, he figured out how to become president of the United States by saying the right things to the right group of people. And you watch Something Like that yesterday and add it to a long list of puzzling recent moments hes had in terms of getting himself reelect and you wonder what hes thinking when he posts a picture mocking a Senior Citizens and mocking them broadly when he knows theyre a group who helped propel him to the white house in 2016 and with whom hes getting crushed with right now. Weve seen over and over again off these last 3 1 2 plus years that Donald Trumps political instincts are really bad. That he really doesnt know how to do politics. In some ways, what he did he was rolled a seven if we played dice, right . He rolled an 11 when it came to 2016. One of the things that we do know is that early voting suggests that there is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm among the democratic base. Willie, we know that not only in terms of the older vote, 65 and older, were seeing long lines in georgia. Were seeing extraordinarily long lines in texas. That has a lot do with the ineptitude of those of the secretary of states in those areas, but its also and i occasion of just how important this election is to many folk around the country. And so donald trump thinks hes going to repeat 2016, but when we look at the fundamentals on the ground, it is radically different. And so, again, evidence suggests that his political sense is really dull and dim, willie. Well, well see. Well see. But i will say i dont think in 2016 he was begging. President trump made this plea at his rally last night to suburban women. I ask you do me a favor. Suburban women, will you please like me . Please. Please. I saved your damn neighborhood, okay. The other thing i dont have that much time to be that nice. I can do it but i gotta go quickly. We dont have time. They want me to be politically correct. Yes, lets discuss it, lets talk about it over the next ten years. No, no, no. We saved your we saved suburbia in the u. S. So, susan del percio, theres still this misunderstanding on Donald Trumps part that we are at home like cleaning the floors and in suburbia and were afraid of what i mean, i dont know how you could list the ways in which, perhaps, women who happen to live in the sur beshs have be suburbs have been insulted by this man, but you might try. I want to know who donald trump thinks he saved the suburbs from . From who . Was who was going to hurt these suburban women that he thinks can he relate to . He cant. Those rallies show recklessness. They show that he does not care for other people. Just like when he spoke to the issue of law and order, he poured fuel on the fire. Thats not how a suburban or any other voter wants to see from the president. They want a president who tampers down the situation and who brings public safety. Again, these rallies show no regard for public safety. Of course its a turnout. And now with 20 days left to go, those numbers are pretty thin. When youre in the 30s, its hard to dig out of that with women. And i just dont see it happening, frankly. But he when he makes those kind of pleas, that even makes it worse. Theres no explaining it. Its desperation. Except, i will swha explaiay explains it is if you dont plan to win fairly and i think thats what a lot of people are watching even during the Supreme Court hearings. Lets look at other stories were following. Eddie mentioned the long voting flie lines in texas. They saw the longest lines. Voters in Harris County shattered the record on the first day of inperson voting with more than 128,000 ballots cast. Election Officials Say they were mine nor minor sporadic machine problems leading to longer lines. Meanwhile, they stepped the census count immediately. It blocks a u. S. Appeals order that would require the administration to continue gathering census information in the field until the end of october. And what it concluded would increase accuracy after Field Operations were suspended in march because of the pandemic. But the census burrow saeau wany stop the count so it could meade meet a mandated september 30th deadline to report to the president. They write this. The harms caused by rushing this years census count are irreparable and that those seeking to keep the count going, quote, will suffer their Lasting Impact for the next ten years until the next census is conducted. Mika. And President Trump has renewed his calls on the Supreme Court to block a subpoena for his texas retur his tax returns. Trumps lawyers asked yesterday to delay a ruling that would allow the Manhattan District Attorney to obtain trumps financial records. In a 38 page emergency action, they told the judge that it was wrong that the prosecutor had a legal right to subpoena the materials and that an Appeals Court panel in new york was wrong to uphold that ruling this month. The lawyer