Oct. 4 — Amb. Rahm Emanuel, Sen. John Kennedy

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1:00Kristen Welker: This Sunday, bottom line. With just 30 days until the midterms, a new NBC News Telemundo poll reveals President Trump's approval rating plunging among Latino voters. Steve Kornacki breaks down the numbers. And I'll talk to Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana. Plus, future fight. Former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel as he eyes a 2028 presidential run on his vision for the future of the Democratic Party.

1:31Rahm Emanuel: Prove to America you know how to fight for America, not just fight Donald Trump.

1:35Kristen Welker: And Trump stakes. With voters souring on the economy and feeling the squeeze from higher prices, President Trump hits the campaign trail. Just get out and vote. If you do that, we're going to win and we're going to win big. and we're going to shove it up their ass, okay? Joining me for insight and analysis are Telemundo news anchor Julio Vaquero, Jonathan Martin of Politico, Ashley Etienne, former communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris, and Republican strategist Matt Gorman. Welcome to Sunday, it's Meet the Press. From NBC News in Washington, the longest running show in television history, This is Meet the Press with Kristen Welker.

2:21Kristen Welker: Good Sunday morning. With just one month until Election Day, President Trump is hitting the campaign trail with control of Congress on the line. And Republicans are facing growing economic headwinds, rising prices and a new jobs report that fell short of expectations. The economy is the number one issue for voters, including Latino voters who were critical to President Trump's 2024 victory. But now, two years later, new numbers show a dramatic shift, one that could reshape the fight for Congress. NBC News chief data analyst Steve Kornacki is joining us this morning from the big board. Steve, wow, a lot of big findings in this poll.

3:05Yeah, Kristen, very important with these midterms looming. And just put this in perspective. Donald Trump got back to the White House in 2024 in big part because of look at the gains he made with Hispanic voters in 2016. He got blown out with them. 2020 lost by 25. He nearly battled Kamala Harris to a draw with Latinos in 2024. One of the best ever showings for a Republican with that group. We're talking about a group of voters. It's more than 10 percent of the electorate. But think of key congressional districts in Florida, in Texas. There's a whole bunch of places where Republicans are defending seats with very large Hispanic populations.

3:38So what do Hispanic voters make of the president overall? Look at this approval rating from our poll with Latino voters. Just barely one in four approve of the job. Nearly 70 percent disapprove of the president. What's driving it? Here it is on the issues, his approval, disapproval. Look at those scores in particular up here, Kristen.

3:56Kristen Welker: Just so striking. underwater on the cost of living, the economy, the issues that are driving voters in this midterm cycle. Nearly 50 points underwater on cost of living. And you ask Latinos in this poll, have his economic policies, have they helped or hurt? And it's basically two thirds who say they have hurt. So we do see this with all voters and we really see this with Latino voters, the economy inflation dragging the president down. But there's also this immigration, have his policies gone too far or is it the right approach here? And again, two thirds in the too far direction. This is so notable because part of why he was elected, a big part in 2016 and 2024, was immigration policies.

4:35Absolutely. And you see, again, we see with all voters low marks here, but digging deeper with Latino voters here, asking, first of all, what kind of approach to immigration would these voters like to see to deport the undocumented who've committed serious crimes? Overwhelming support for that pathway for citizenship for those who came as a child. overwhelming support. Where they have trouble here with the president is on this, deporting all of the undocumented, the more maximalist approach, immigration enforcement. His administration has taken 60 percent opposition there. Then we ask this sort of on the ground experience here with the policies here that have been among Latinos.

5:11Have you started carrying ID because because of ICE? Do you know somebody who did nearly one third, about a quarter saying they know someone who's been deported or detained by ICE, considered leaving the U.S. because of ICE concerns. Again, nearly one in five right there, Kristen. So some very fascinating on-the-ground experience. But don't lose sight of what we were just talking about. Asking Latino voters what the most important issue is to them. It is cost of living, jobs and economy down here. That's a combined 43 percent. In fact, if you compare that to all voters, look at this, among all voters, There's a cost of living.

5:45There's a kind of more focused Latino voters are on the economy and cost of living than the electorate as a whole here. So then take this to the midterms here. Which party would do a better job? Biggest Democratic advantage with Latinos. It's the economy. It's cost of living. There is an advantage there on immigration and their parties are actually still even on the border. So, again, it's the economy and its inflation driving it. View of the parties here. This has been a big change in the last couple of years in our polling. Republican Party, it was 46 negative with Latinos two years ago. Look at that jump.

6:1762 % negative among Democrats. Basically flat.

6:21Kristen Welker: Well, and that's so interesting because negatives for the Republican Party, but pretty even for Democrats. So you're not seeing a whole lot of enthusiasm for the Democratic brand. And it's striking, too, because if we went further back in time with Latino voters, the Democrats used to be popular as a party. Now it's very, as you say, it's very even there. So that has changed. So bottom line, what does this all mean heading into November here? The generic ballot with Latino voters. It is a 24 point advantage for Democrats. You see it right here. How did it look two years ago when Trump was making those big gains?

6:53It was a 12 point advantage for Democrats in our polling. And so it's doubled for Democrats from 12 to 24. So we talk about those districts that Republicans are trying to defend in places with large Hispanic populations. This is a major threat to that. But I do want to point out, Kristen, there might be that longer term story we're talking about. Go back to Trump's first midterm in 2018. This is what the generic ballot looked like with Latino voters. Then it was a 34 point Democratic lead. So Republicans made huge gains in 2024. They're giving a lot of them back, but they haven't gone all the way back and are pulling to where they were eight years ago.

7:29Kristen Welker: Well, just striking findings with one month to go. Steve Kornacki, thank you so much for being here to break it all down for us. We really appreciate it. On the campaign trail, President Trump is warning supporters about what could happen if Democrats win control of Congress, including the possibility of another impeachment. Pretend I'm running, please, just pretend, because I am in the ballot. And if we don't win, they'll end up impeaching me. These people, they have Trump derangement syndrome. But I've become very good at beating them on impeachment. Joining me now is the former Obama White House chief of staff, former mayor of Chicago and former U.S.

8:12Kristen Welker: ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel. Ambassador Emanuel, welcome back to Meet the Press. Thank you. Thank you so much for being here. Let's dive right in and start with that poll. Latino voters now view the Democratic Party slightly more negatively than positively by a single percentage point. But at the same time, in 2018, Latino voters viewed Democrats more positively by 26 points. Do Democrats have a brand problem, Ambassador?

8:44Rahm Emanuel: Well, yes, in short order, but it's more important than that. One, this election is a referendum election on President Trump, and the Republicans have given the president a get-out-of-jail card pretty clearly. And all the corruption and affordability issues are all come together. But we have to prove as a party, which is what happens, and I think after the election when we win, that we can bring the change that the voters have actually asked for. Not just a referendum, but setting up actually what happens in 2028 by bringing change. Take the issue of corruption. I've laid out a five-point plan, a ban on stock trading for all three branches of government.

9:23Rahm Emanuel: No prediction markets for anybody involved in the three branches of government. age retirement, 75. Fourth, a mandatory blind trust. And fifth, two years after you leave government, you cannot be involved with any foreign governments and do what I call the Jared Kushner rule, raising money over in the Middle East for a business, a two-year ban. Now, to me, that delivers change. I would also say a$20 minimum wage by 2030. So this is a referendum on Donald Trump and the Republicans. The next two years, if we win the majority, which I'm confident or strongly confident about. The question is, will we deliver the change?

10:01Rahm Emanuel: And that, to me, is the benchmark question. And so you can see the historic numbers. Do we have a brand problem? Yes, we have a brand problem. We have to prove that we cannot just fight Donald Trump, but we can fight for America. And that's something the Democrats have to prove, because for the last 12 years, we've allowed Donald Trump to occupy the frontal lobe of our brain. And that's just not good enough. American people and their future should be what occupies our focus and our attention.

10:29Kristen Welker: Well, let me ask you, because you've laid out how you see the agenda for Democrats, should they, in fact, take back the House? Let me ask you, though, Mr. Ambassador, what do you think the top priority should be if Democrats do, in fact, win back the House?

10:48Rahm Emanuel: Well, look, I mean, I think the issues fuse and you've got to look at the election. And let me step back here. If we win the Senate and if you win the House, it will be because one of the biggest stories happening in this election is what I call Mitt Romney, John McCain Republicans have broken from the Republican Party. They haven't moved to the Democrats, but they've clearly broken from the Republican Party. I'll be traveling today and tomorrow campaigning for Republican congressman, former Republican congressman, Jolly, who's now running as a Democrat for governor. In Arizona, you have the governor, a Democrat, picked a Republican mayor to be her running mate.

11:28Rahm Emanuel: In Ohio, Amy Acton, who worked for Republican Governor DeWine, is now running as a Democrat for governor. That's the biggest story. So how do you make this election not just a transactional election for this broad coalition, but actually a transformational election? That's the question Democrats are going to have to answer between 2026 and 2027. You have pieces like you saw in your poll on Hispanics as well as independents. So my view is, one, an ethics package that totally power washes all of Washington, all three branches of government. No party has a good housekeeping seal. Earn back the trust.

12:08Rahm Emanuel: Two, on the affordability. Raise the minimum wage$20 by 2030. The last time the minimum wage happened is when we won the House in 2006. It's been 20 years. Give the American people a raise. Third, ban all the social media for kids under the age of 16, like other countries are doing. The social media, Instagram, etc., has actually, we've allowed an algorithm to raise our adolescents, not adults, and literally ban it, as other countries are doing. So to me, those are the things that start to put and bring and pay down payment, not just more food fighting with the Republicans. We will do our normal politics.

12:49Rahm Emanuel: That's OK. But deliver on the change the public wants. If you do that, you set up 2028.

12:55Kristen Welker: All right. Well, let me ask you about one of the biggest debates within the Democratic Party right now. If Democrats do, in fact, win back the House, some, as you know, are calling to impeach President Trump for a third time. Do you think Democrats should impeach President Trump if they were to win back Congress? No.

13:15Rahm Emanuel: Short answer, no, because it's not going anywhere and it's going to be a food fight and it's just going to be we return to the politics of fighting. Look, I'm for the investigations. Hold this administration accountable, which is what the Republican Congress and Senate has refused to do, which is why rather than set up a wedding party and your registry at Williams-Sonoma, this administration allows Donald Trump Jr. to allow the Kremlin to be where you register. They paid$170 ,000 for a wedding party, and nobody thought it was wrong. That tells you the sense of impunity that's operating. So hold them accountable and then pass an ethics package.

13:52Rahm Emanuel: You're never going to get an impeachment. Then if you do that, you just basically prove all of Washington is what the American people think. It's Disneyland on the Potomac. Deliver the change. Deliver a comprehensive ethics package that uses the investigations to then deliver change.

14:08Kristen Welker: Since you were so definitive, we're going to go on to the next big debate inside the Democratic Party, which is about Medicare for all. In 2019, you wrote an op ed entitled, quote, someone needs to say it. Medicare for all is a pipe dream. But, Mr. Ambassador, a new Wall Street Journal poll shows that close to 60 percent of voters want Medicare for all and more than 40 percent say it's their top priority. So should Democrats put Medicare for all up for a vote if they win back Congress?

14:41Rahm Emanuel: Yeah, well, they can. And let me also say, since you quoted the piece, as I go on, I talk about early retirees buying into Medicare. And that's a healthy debate the party will have. You know, I was responsible for President Clinton passing health care for 10 million children who had no health care, and then for President Obama passing the ACA.

15:01Kristen Welker: But do you think it's a pipe dream still?

15:03Rahm Emanuel: And making sure people with pre-existing conditions.

15:04Kristen Welker: Do you think it's a pipe dream still?

15:05Rahm Emanuel: Look, I don't think you're going to have the votes, which is more important to me is not the legislative, whether it's a pipe dream. I do. But I also believe covering people since I have background in doing that and expanding coverage. And my own father is a pediatrician. My mother is a technician nurse in that area. I believe in making that coverage. And I also believe don't give people something that you can't deliver. But buying in early retirees at the age of 58, buying into Medicare, that's a proper down payment. Second, more importantly, as I've argued before, the best health care exchange, the best public option is what your congressman, your senator, your president, the cabinet are.

15:42Rahm Emanuel: The federal employees have everybody come out of the exchanges that exist state by state and buy into that exchange. And then you're expanding the true public option where, in fact, in rural America today, you have a health care desert. Insurance companies don't cover rural America. Get them the insurance companies, the 27 of them that are in the federal exchange that participate in covering federal employees from the president all the way down and members of Congress. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for you.

16:10Kristen Welker: Well, one branch of the Democratic Party that wants Medicare for all Democratic Socialists, they have won a string of primaries this year. As you know, you said just this week, quote, I don't believe that Democratic Socialists are Democrats. You've even said they should form their own party. But if Democratic voters are choosing Democratic socialists, why shouldn't they be a part of the Democratic Party?

16:34Rahm Emanuel: Well, first of all, they are their own party. I didn't say form their own, but they are their own party. They had a convention here in Chicago just six weeks ago. They believe in defunding the police. That's just not a Democratic position. They believe in open borders. That is not a Democratic Party position. They believe in letting prisoners out of prison. That is not a Democratic Party position. If you're confident that that's what people want, I'll see you in November. Now, we'll have a healthy debate between the pragmatic wing and the progressive wing of the party. That is a good debate we haven't had for 20 years as a party.

17:04Rahm Emanuel: And we'll debate, like you said, Medicare for all versus early retiree buying into Medicare. That's a healthy debate for the party.

17:10Kristen Welker: But you're saying see you in November. Doesn't that split the vote? Doesn't that run the risk of splitting the vote, that message see you in November?

17:17Rahm Emanuel: No. Well, let me, I'm being very clear. As I said just two questions ago, the biggest story of this election will be Democrats winning in red districts and flipping them or red states flipping them. And one of the pieces of that coalition will be Romney Republicans and independent voters who have walked away from the Republican Party. They haven't walked yet into the Democratic Party, building a broad based coalition that allows this election not to be transactional with those voters, but transformational. And I also go back, Kristen, three presidential elections, seven states, 500 ,000 voters across those seven states have decided the president 2016, 2020, 2024.

18:01Rahm Emanuel: We as Democrats have to decide. In all those states from North Carolina to Georgia to Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, the way we're going to win governors, senators, congressional seats, mayor seats, constitutional officers, flipping state capitals, is because we flipped red to blue. Now, we're going to have to be hard-headed about it. And I believe the future of the party is a broad coalition that tells the independent voters and Democrats, we're aligned, we're against corruption, we're for raising the minimum wage. We don't believe in taking a gift of$450 million plane from Qatar, the Qataris, and you paying$4.50 for gas.

18:43Rahm Emanuel: That is what Democrats are opposed, and we're going to change that.

18:46Kristen Welker: So let me press you on just how big you think the tent should be, because Senator John Fetterman, as you know, angered many Democrats by repeatedly breaking with his party. He evenly appeared at the Republican Midterm Convention, despite having skipped his own convention two years ago. If Democratic socialists, if you don't see them as a part of the Democratic Party, does John Fetterman belong in the Democratic Party? Is there a place for him in the Democratic Party?

19:12Rahm Emanuel: Well, in the primary, the Pennsylvania voters are going to make that decision if he seeks re-election. Look, Kristen, you know this. I'm a former ballet dancer. I'm pretty flexible. I believe in a broad coalition. But Democratic socialists are not like a separate caucus. They're a separate party. They had a convention here eight weeks ago. And they don't agree with the party. We don't believe in defunding the police. We believe in better policing. We don't, as a party, believe in letting prisoners out of prison or open borders. You change those positions, we can have a conversation. But until you change those policy positions, they're antithetical to what a Democrat is.

19:53Rahm Emanuel: Now, I also believe in the broad coalition and the Democratic primary voters, if Senator Fetterman decides to run as a Democrat, will make that decision. And they will vote that whether they want to retain him as the Democratic nominee into the general election. That's how primaries work.

20:08Kristen Welker: OK, Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, stay with us for a moment, please. We are going to continue this conversation after a quick break. When we come back, the divide in the Democratic Party over Israel. Plus, as we look to 2028, who should lead the Democratic Party? Stay with us.

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22:01Kristen Welker: Welcome back. We are back with Ambassador Emanuel. I want to start this part of the conversation talking about one of the biggest discussions inside the Democratic Party as it relates to Israel. It's a discussion that's being fueled by a number of candidates, including Michigan Senate candidate Abdul Al-Sayed, who says he believes the Israeli government is committing a genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Do you see what is happening in Gaza as a genocide? Yeah.

22:33Rahm Emanuel: So as you know, Kristen, back in 2009, when I was President Obama's chief of staff, I confronted the prime minister directly. I didn't need a war to realize that the policies by the Israeli government were going to lead to perpetual conflict and also perpetual isolation. And back in June, I went to Israel to deliver a full speech about how to do peace, 23-state solution, how to integrate the country economically into the region, and then to make sure that the United States taxpayers weren't funding the defense budget for the state of Israel. A comprehensive approach to that issue. And I believe both in the alliance, but the United States has fought two wars in that region.

23:11Rahm Emanuel: I don't want to fight a third war. And I believe that we have to have a fundamental change in policy. The status quo is not sustainable. Now, I have been, unlike others, going back 18 years ago. I didn't need a war to know this was going to be a policy that led to a perpetual conflict. This has to change for the alliance. And if you're going to keep the alliance, which I happen to think is important for our policies in the Middle East, it has to change the dynamics and the whole structure of it. Now, I happen to also know, to the core of your question, the question of genocide is a historic question going all the way back to Professor Lumpkin in 1942, all the way back to the Nuremberg Trials.

23:55Rahm Emanuel: If you're going to use that term, then we've got to have a conversation about Sudan. We've got to have a conversation about Ukraine. We've got to have a conversation about the Armenians. We've got to have a conversation about what happened to Cambodia. Having one conversation about one country means you are politicizing a term that has huge historic moral obligations. I have no problem having that conversation. But the fact that a questioner ignores Sudan that's happening today, ignores Ukraine that is happening today, tells me more about the question and the questioner than it does tell you the answer will reveal.

24:27Kristen Welker: Well, let me ask you this, because given al-Sayed's position, given how you're saying how complex this issue is, will you endorse Abdul al-Sayed? Yeah, it's a complex issue. Will you endorse Abdul al-Sayed? Do you support him, given that position? Yeah.

24:44Rahm Emanuel: We have massive disagreements. I support the Democratic Party. I support the Democratic candidate. I'll be going to Michigan again. I've been there repeatedly to help the gubernatorial candidate. I support the Democratic Party position because it happens to come up as a Supreme Court Justice Alito said. He's thinking about retiring and I'm not playing around anymore with what they did under President Obama on the Supreme Court or what this Supreme Court did, giving President Trump a get out of jail card as it relates to all the corruption, which is why you're seeing this.

25:14Kristen Welker: But just to be clear, I just said it.

25:16Rahm Emanuel: I will. Do you support Abdulaziz? My support's not important. I said yes. My support's not important. It's the Michigan voters' support that's important.

25:26Kristen Welker: OK, let me talk.

25:28Rahm Emanuel: And he has to work on that and earn their vote.

25:30Kristen Welker: Let me talk to you about another issue that has been a focus of your work. We saw that in play this week. You visited Louisiana, which has improved their math and reading scores significantly since the covid pandemic. Your visit actually earned praise from my next guest, Senator John Kennedy. Where do you see room for bipartisan agreement in working on improving the nation's educational system?

26:00Rahm Emanuel: Well, this was a big opening, and I want to praise both Democratic and Republican governors in Louisiana staying consistently over a generation. This is a persistence. If you want a quick gratification, education is not the place. But they focused on math and reading, and their scores went up. They retrained teachers and constantly trained them, not once and done, one and done. The curriculum has been consistent both on reading and math. But the thing that was most eye-opening, both in Louisiana and my trip in January to Mississippi, in Louisiana, they figured out how to put pre-K, Head Start, and daycare together as a single education policy.

26:42Rahm Emanuel: One application, parents, not five, three separate applications, rather. Parents get one application, and then they raise the standards on everybody. So it is an example to your first part of the question about bringing change. If the Democrats take control, I don't believe we should just snap back the Head Start that President Trump is trying to dismantle. I think it's a disaster what he's doing. But we shouldn't say that what was happening before was perfect. Louisiana's program, raising the standards on daycare as an education, not a very glorified babysitting, expensive one too. head start, which is totally focused on numbers, colors, shapes, and sizes and letters.

27:22Rahm Emanuel: And third, the pre-K into a single educational thing was revolutionary. Now it's not an accident. They started 15 years ago. And guess what? You now see the one state out of all 50 who are leading in math and reading. Our greatest resources as a country are the people of America. 50 % of our kids cannot read at grade level. And we as a country have thrown the towel in on them. Louisiana hasn't. Mississippi hasn't. And we should take note of that and actually use the political courage to bring change and make sure our kids are set up right. And Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Alabama, this is not a trick question.

28:00Rahm Emanuel: We actually know what works. The trick part is having the political courage and leadership to make the change possible.

28:06Kristen Welker: All right. Before I let you go, Mr. Ambassador. I do have to talk to you about your own future. You've been very clear you're considering a run in 2028. You've been White House chief of staff, a two-term mayor of Chicago, ambassador to Japan. You haven't faced voters, though, in more than a decade before President Trump came and overhauled the American political system. What do you think, why do you think now is the right time for you to run for president?

28:36Rahm Emanuel: Well, first of all, don't worry about my future. The focus, if I decide to do this, will be the future of America. We've had two presidents back to back who've actually tried to restore a past that's not coming back. Let's build a future that we actually, every American and every community in America is part of. And what's happened, we have to acknowledge that both parties are responsible for this. And both have failed the American people. The American dream, the moment it became unaffordable, is exactly when our democracy became unstable. Owning a home is no longer something you can achieve, but you have to defer.

29:09Rahm Emanuel: You're taking money out of your 401k to make your paycheck get to the 31st of the month. Your kids, when they go to college, which is what you save and struggle for, now live in your basement and don't leave. And your healthcare is no longer a peace of mind. It's a nightmare. The entire dream, the entire people are living paycheck to paycheck. It has become not something you achieve, but a struggle to maintain and you're one accident away So to me, if I have what it takes to answer that, I'll do it. If I don't, I won't. And it's that simple a question. Okay. And I'll make that decision. But the truth is, it's not my future you should worry about.

29:43Rahm Emanuel: I'm good. It's the American people's future I care about. And if I decide I think I have what it takes, what ails America, and take it back to Louisiana, everything that ails America can be answered by what's working right in America. So I'm not going to do this a traditional way. A Democrat doesn't usually go to Mississippi, Louisiana or Tel Aviv to tell the story of what the future is. I believe in laying out a case. I've proven both the candor, the authenticity and the trust and the strength not to talk about change, but to deliver it. OK, I decide to do it. I'll do it.

30:15Kristen Welker: Let me leave you with this question. Do you think, Mr. Ambassador, that America was the last question? This is the last follow up question. Do you think this is the last of the last question? Yes. Do you think America is ready for a Jewish president? Yes.

30:33Rahm Emanuel: And let me say one thing, Kristen. My faith is not your problem. The fact that Americans have lost faith in America, that's our problem. And we should work on that because I've seen a generation of people with an emptiness who've lost faith in America because they think America lost faith with them. That's our problem. It's not my faith. Now, to be frank, if my faith is a problem for you, don't vote for me. I'm not changing my faith. My faith led me to struggle and fight the insurance companies that were denying kids health care. My faith led me to take on a failed education system where we were known as the worst city, and I walked out and we were the best city on education.

31:16Rahm Emanuel: My faith guided me to make sure that the American people and their families had what it took as a government fighting powerful forces, whether it was pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, or in fact, educational failed bureaucracy. So I believe, as a member of Congress who got elected in a district with not many Jews or a city with not many Jews, I believe in the goodness and the grace of the American people. But I will not change my faith. I worry about the fact that we have a generation of people who have lost faith in America and they think America lost faith with them. And that, if I decide to run, that is our collective mission is to restore that faith.

31:55Kristen Welker: All right. Well, we will keep this conversation going. Please keep us posted on your decision making process. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, thank you so very much for being here.

32:06Rahm Emanuel: Thanks, Krista.

32:07Kristen Welker: When we come back, Republican Senator John Kennedy joins me next.

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33:48Kristen Welker: Welcome back. Joining me now is Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana. Senator Kennedy, welcome back to Meet the Press. Thank you, Christ. Thanks for being here. I want to start with you on the topic of education. You just heard me discuss that with Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, who recently visited schools in Louisiana. I know your teams have been talking as well. Where do you think you can find common ground on this issue of education? I appreciate the ambassador coming to Louisiana. I hope he spent a lot of money while he was here. Rahm has a big brain with big ideas. Because what I appreciate about him is that while many members of his own party want to sit around and debate whether a man can breastfeed, Rahm wants to talk about important things like education.

34:46I think he understands that it's important how much money you send to a school, but it's also important how that school spends the money. I think we both agree that we have to find out which of our teachers can teach and pay them. We have to find out which of our teachers can't teach and either teach them how or tell them to find a new line of work. The ambassador was very tough with the teachers unions in Chicago. We've had a lot of progress in Louisiana. We emphasize the basics, reading, math. We hold our kids accountable. We have standards. and we lift up our teachers and it's working.

35:30Kristen Welker: Okay. Well, we will continue to track that. I do want to turn to the economy and I want to play for you something that your colleague, Utah Republican Senator John Curtis had to say before y 'all broke for recess. Take a look. We're going home preparing for the midterms and we've not addressed what all of you care about so deeply. That's affordability. We just have not done a good job And I think the voters are going to be a lot of clear about how they feel about that. You've been out on the campaign trail as well, Senator. Do you think Republicans are going to pay a price for that lack of action on the economy and affordability?

36:10As I've said before, Kristen, here's my prediction about the elections. I will bet you a soda and a nice hat that the experts are wrong. I do think it will be close. I think the biggest issue is cost of living. I think we have to tell the American people the truth. Telling them not to believe their own lying checkbooks is not going to work. The inflation, this inflation did not originate in a bat. Started under President Biden. It's reared its ugly head under President Trump because of the war in Iran. Once we settle the war in Iran, those prices will come down. But it's more than just cost of living.

37:02The American people, both sides, feel anger. If they don't feel anger, they feel deep melancholy. they feel like the Washington political leaders have let them down. They don't listen. They don't care. They feel that way about Congress in particular. They think the United States Congress is the best evidence of why it took our ancestors thousands of years to learn how to stand upright. Some of that is our fault. We should have done more, but we've done a lot. And I've been out on the campaign trail talking about it. All right. Well, I'm going to tell the American people the truth. Yeah.

37:49Kristen Welker: Let me ask you about kind of broad messaging. On Saturday, President Trump posted Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton's cell phone number because he objected to the senator blocking a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent. How does that help the Republican Party a month out from the midterm, Senator? Well, I'll say first, Kristen, every now and then there are disputes in Congress that have existential significance for the future of Western civilization. Daylight savings time is not one of them. Tom Cotton feels strongly about it. Tom is a rock star senator. If you get between him and what's best for Arkansas, he'll devour you like a light snack.

38:43President Trump's also my friend. He feels strongly about it. The president, as we know, can be sometimes, he exists loudly. He can be tempestuous. He can go from zero to a-hole in about three seconds. I don't think he should have given out Tom's cell phone number. I don't think that's going to help convince Tom. And I have your cell phone number, but I promise not to give it out.

39:16Kristen Welker: OK, let me ask you about one of the most hotly contested races, Senator Texas. This race that's pitted Ken Paxton against James Tallarico. There's been tens of millions of dollars spent, frankly, on both sides trying to undermine the other's character. Do you think Ken Paxton has the character to serve as a U.S. senator? Well, that's a decision of the people of Texas. I don't know Ken Paxton. I don't know Mr. Tallarico. You're not confident, though? As best I can tell. You're not confident in his character, Senator Kennedy? Well, if I could just finish my thought. As best I can tell, the race is an unpopularity contest.

40:01Yes. I think ultimately Mr. Paxton will win because I think Texas is a Republican state. But I think it's going to be very, very close. OK. Are you going to campaign in Texas? I am going to Texas. I'm going next week. I'm going to Michigan and Ohio. I think I'm going to be in Texas. I'm going to probably be back in New Hampshire. I may go to Alaska again. Maybe I've been in North Carolina. I may go back. I may go to Georgia. I'm going to go wherever my political people tell me to go. I have my own political operation. I don't I don't take orders from my leadership. I do it my way.

40:42Kristen Welker: All right. Well, speaking of doing it your way, let me ask you, the list of potential 2028 candidates continues to grow, as you know. And as you've said, you've been out on the campaign trail. I know you've even spent time in New Hampshire. Senator, are you thinking about running for president?

41:02Yeah. And first, let me correct Rom. Rom's running for president. If you don't believe that, you'll never own your own home. My plans right now are to run for re-election. But as I've said before, if I don't think I can be effective in the Senate anymore, I would consider it. You know, what's the old judge song? Why not me on a rainy day? Why not me to love your blues away. But I haven't made a decision. If a bunch of on my side of the aisle, if a bunch of goobers run and I think they're goobers and one of the goobers might win and I think I could do a better job, I would consider running. But right now I'm running for reelection.

41:46Very quickly. You can take this one. Sure.

41:50Kristen Welker: You'd likely be running against Vice President J.D. Vance. Why should Republican voters pick you over J.D. Vance? Oh, I'm not going to talk about another potential candidate. I'm just not there yet. I assume J.D.'s going to run, just like I think Rahm's going to run. But I think it'll be good for both parties. All right. To have a full field. Senator, I think it's going to be a very fulfilled Senator Kennedy. Thank you so very much for joining us. We really appreciate your being here. When we come back, a president campaigning in red states as the midterms close in. Our Meet the Press Minute is next.

42:33Kristen Welker: Welcome back. This week, President Trump campaigned for Republican candidates in Texas, Oklahoma and Ohio. And some Republican candidates are keeping their distance from the president, a familiar dynamic for the party in power in a midterm election. Back in 2006, with the election two days away, Senator Elizabeth Dole joined Meet the Press and was asked why President George W. Bush was taking on a similar strategy. A Republican president normally would not need to come to a conservative bastion such as Montana this close to the election, nor to Nevada's 2nd District, which has never voted for a Democrat since he was created in 1982, but Bush is playing defense in red state territory.

43:19Why are Republican senatorial candidates running away from the president, and why is he only campaigning in traditional Republican states? Tim, once again, let me say that this is a year. Midterm, when a president has been reelected, and you look through history, tradition has it, that that's a tough, tough cycle. Now, obviously the campaigns are going to determine where it fits best to have the president come in, and where it's not the best idea. I mean, this is just politics. But why? It's just the timing? Is there an issue that's driving this? No. No issue? Well, actually, what Chuck Schumer is trying to do is to nationalize the race.

44:00He's trying to make it a referendum.

44:04Kristen Welker: When we come back, Republicans shift their midterm money to Kansas. What does that say about the map? The panel is next.

44:16Kristen Welker: Welcome back. The panel is here. Telemundo News anchor Julio Vaquero, Jonathan Martin of Politico, Ashley Etienne, former communications director for Vice President Harris and Speaker Pelosi, and Republican strategist Matt Gorman. Welcome to all of you. Thank you for being here. Julio, I want to start with you and this NBC News Telemundo poll of Latino voters who were key to President Trump's win in 2024. So basically his job approval, 27 percent, 69 percent disapprove. What do these numbers tell you as we're a month out from November? I really think this could be one of the biggest stories of the midterms.

44:54Latinos shifting to the left after having shifted to the right in 2024. Latinos could really determine who controls Congress in November. And that is because there are large Hispanic populations in key districts that are very competitive. And I mean, people talk about buyer's remorse in many Latino voters after having voted for President Trump. And you see that in some places. I just traveled to the Rio Grande Valley. And people say that the concern, number one concern is economy. And after that, you see immigration. At the end, both issues become one and the same. You see people really being afraid of ICE.

45:34Most people know somebody who has been arrested or even deported. People are afraid of finding an immigration officer around the corner. And that has a real impact in the economy. You see construction workers being arrested, workers being afraid of driving every morning. And the polls show it. And you see that in other communities. Really, in the meantime, gas prices are high. Groceries prices are high. So it's a bad deal for these voters.

46:03Kristen Welker: Yeah, and Jay Mart, all of this is coming. 78 % of Latinos disapprove of President Trump's handling of the cost of living to Julio's point. 70 % disapprove of his handling of immigration. It comes as we're seeing Republicans shift resources from states like North Carolina and Georgia to Kansas. Just real fast on immigration. Look, there's only so much you can do about the global economy if you're president. But you can control immigration policy. And Trump effectively gave away his best issue that he had in 2024 by pursuing the maximalist approach, which Americans do not want ICE agents in the streets yanking folks, shooting people.

46:41So Trump has frittered away, I think, in historic ways and is going to imperil GOP seats in Florida and in Texas because of this immigration politics. We're now a month from the election, Kristen. We're at the point in a midterm cycle where the party in power is facing dire polling, and they do what's called triage, okay? And they're just having to cut off, basically, folks who can't make it. And the fact is, is that Roy Cooper is probably the best recruit in the country this year of either party. He's almost certainly going to win that Senate seat. And if you're a Republican and your surveys are coming back, as Matt Gorman knows, and survey after survey shows that Cooper is up 8, 10 points, it's not worth pouring money in there for the final month of the election, especially when you're playing whack-a-mole and you've got to go to other states like Kansas, like Nebraska, more in Texas, more in Iowa, and you've got to firm up other races, Alaska as well.

47:32So they simply had no choice in Carolina. But it's a sign of the times. It's only the first step, and we're going to see more of that in the final month. Matt? No, I mean, look, Republicans have not felt good about North Carolina or Georgia for a while now. And people have been voting in North Carolina for about a month. So J-Mart's right. If the numbers aren't moving, you've got to move money around to where it can make the most difference. I've been a part of those conversations in the past. They're not fun. But around this time of year, a month out, that's when those hard decisions start being made.

47:59And I think expect to see some other maybe possibly. One other thing, too, on the polling, I think Democrats could have a very good night a month from now. But one thing I'm talking to Republicans that they're skeptical of is you're seeing a lot of polling come back from states that Trump won pretty comfortably with heavy Kamala voter samples on it. So let's say, for example, a state that Trump won by about eight or 10 points. The polls come back and the makeup of the poll is commonly winning by seven or nine. So two things can be true. Democrats could have a good night 30 days from now, but you could also see some big polling misses as well.

48:31Kristen Welker: Well, actually, we heard Rahm Emanuel say, yes, he thinks Democrats have a brand problem heading into this final sprint. He obviously laid out what he thinks the agenda should look like and says impeachment shouldn't be on the table if Democrats do win. Yeah, I mean, I wholeheartedly agree with him. We do have an identity crisis that we're dealing with as a party. But what I what I what I took away from Rahm's and don't disagree and I'll do respect to Rahm. You know, when he was running the strategy in 2006, you know, the motto was just when there's no ideological purity test for Democrats. The objective was just when I'm not sure why that's different for him today than it was then.

49:08The reality is that what we're missing is a vision. Latino voters, what the poll showed is that Latino voters swing on the economy, very much so like black voters do. Everyone is asking themselves this question right now. Who's going to do what's in the interest of my pocketbooks? And Democrats don't have a vision for that. We don't have an answer for that. Even Rahm said minimum wage. I'm not sure how many states in this country you can thrive on on a minimum wage level. I mean, I agree we need to increase it, but we have no vision, no innovation. And I think that's what's hurting this party.

49:39And if we want to win Latinos for the long term and many of these voters, we have to have a vision for the economy. The economy is only going to get worse. 2027, all the provisions in the beautiful bill is going to kick in. It's going to get worse. And so we've got to have a plan, not just for the immediacy, but for 2020. The Democrats don't want to come up with an agenda because they want to go to the old playbook, which is reliable, run against Big Orange. They want to run against Donald Trump as long as they can. They're going to do it in the midterm. It was funny seeing that Meet the Press minute where you've got Dole saying Chuck Schumer wants to nationalize the midterms.

50:14What year is this, folks? 20 years later, here we are. Rom's agenda would be very formidable against George H.W. Bush in 1992. But the other point is, what I took note is, right, he talks about reaching out to Romney Republicans. Try Trump Republicans, number one, if you want to start winning in red states. He talks about defending al-Sayed. However, wouldn't touch Fetterman with a 10-foot pole. I'll say that. And just a member of your own party in the Senate when he talked about how voting on judges was so crucial. That man's running for president. Because he assumes Fetterman's not going to be on the ballot in 28.

50:42But he's in what you preach then. He doesn't want to spend capital, say he's for Fetterman. Fetterman's not going to run in 28.

50:47Kristen Welker: Fortunately, we are out of time. But we're going to continue the conversation in our postgame. You four, folks. Tune in. Thank you for a great conversation. Be sure to join me, Steve Kornacki, and Hallie Jackson on Tuesday night for our NBC News special report on our one-month preview of the battle for control of Congress. That is all for today. Thank you so much for watching. will be back next week because if it's Sunday, it's Meet the Press.

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