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CNN's The Arena with Kasie Hunt

Trump Again doesn't Rule Out Attempt At Third Term; Monster Cat 5 Hurricane Melissa Approaching Jamaica; Mamdani Rallies Thousands With AOC & Sanders In NYC; Millions At Risk Of Losing Food Stamps Amid Government Shutdown. Aired 4-5p ET

Aired October 27, 2025 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[16:00:00]

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Roben Farzad, thank you so much for putting all of that into perspective. We do appreciate it.

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN HOST: And setting the stakes for what is clearly a major, major trip for the president. And we will see what comes out of it.

KEILAR: Yeah, it is a big one.

Omar, great to have you here.

JIMENEZ: Nice. Good to see you.

KEILAR: And THE ARENA WITH KASIE HUNT starts right now.

(MUSIC)

KASIE HUNT, CNN HOST: Hi, everyone. I'm Kasie Hunt. Welcome to THE ARENA.

It's wonderful to have you with us on this Monday. As we come on the air, we are tracking a massive category five hurricane barreling toward Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa is now the most powerful storm on earth this year, 2025. It's expected to bring 40 inches of rain. We're monitoring this massive storm. We'll bring you more throughout the hour and into the evening.

But first, we are going to start with politics. Is he serious or is he seriously trolling, as Donald Trump once again suggests he might run for an unconstitutional third term? Democrats and Republicans alike left wondering, does he mean it?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I haven't really thought about it. We have some very good people, as you know. But, I've had I have the best poll numbers I've ever had. I would -- I would love to do it. I have my best numbers ever. It's very terrible. I have my best numbers.

If you read it -- REPORTER: You're not ruling it out, sir?

TRUMP: Am I not ruling it out? You'll have to tell me. All I can tell you is that we have a great -- a great group of people, which they don't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: "Am I not ruling it out?" he asks. You'll have to tell me.

President Trump this morning, not ruling out another run for the White House.

For months, the president and those around him have talked about this with a little bit of a wink and a nod. Sometimes it's under the breath. Maybe we're just treating the triggering the libs, but maybe we're serious.

So, if they are serious, a question, how might that work? There are some things going on right now that might be relevant. States across the country are redrawing their congressional maps. California Governor Gavin Newsom is leading the Democrats' response to the Republican effort to do this.

Over the weekend, Newsom said that he will think about a 2028 presidential run. Appreciate the honesty. We did -- we did kind of know that. But still, nice to hear somebody say it out loud.

But he's only going to talk about it after the midterms. He says the midterms could help give Donald Trump a third term.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CBS/SUNDAY)

HOST: Do you really believe, Governor, if the Democrats take back power in the House, his presidency is over?

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D), CALIFORNIA: De facto as we know it today. Fire and fury signifying maybe something, but finally, you have rebalanced this system, co-equal branch of government begins to assert itself it appears again. If you have a Speaker Johnson, we may have a third term of President Trump. I really believe that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: All right. Let's get off the sidelines, head into THE ARENA. My panel is here.

Former Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger; the host of "The Chuck Toddcast", Chuck Todd; former Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh; and former RNC communications director, Republican strategist Brad Todd.

Welcome to all of you.

And on the left side of the screen, we are joined by THE ARENA text chain. If the table is not enough for you, we do have additional analysis from some of our top reporters and contributors.

Chuck Todd, look, is Donald Trump trolling or is he serious?

CHUCK TODD, HOST OF "CHUCK TODDCAST": I don't mean to be a to go off on a technicality here, but he is actually violating his oath of office to preserve and --

HUNT: That seems like more than a technicality.

TODD: Right, you're preserving and protecting the Constitution. What does the Constitution say? Right?

If he were serious about his oath of office, he would say, of course, I'm not running because the Constitution says so.

Now how do I look at this? I don't take this threat seriously for a variety of reasons. One is his own age and health. Two is his own fallibility and unpopularity.

But the other part is, is really what he's doing is he's trying to prolong lame duck-ism as long as he possibly can. Donald Trump's whole life has been about relevancy. The second he says this is it, he's -- becomes the beginning of becoming irrelevant. This is what he fears more than death itself.

And so, I think that's what this is about, because the minute he doesn't, then people don't feel like they have to worry about him. This is more about controlling his own party, because the minute he's -- he acquiesces --

HUNT: Yeah.

TODD: Then the floodgates get open and you start to see a whole bunch of people more worried about a post-Trump world than the current Trump world.

So, I do think it's about him trying to keep relevancy and power as long as he can. I do think actuary tables and father time are his biggest obstacles.

ADAM KINZINGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: I think it's a big troll, I mean, honestly. I think, you know, Steve Bannon, what, a few days ago said, we're serious about this. That is Steve Bannon trying to be in the media cycle again.

There is no way. There's no flexibility. They act like there's flexibility in the Constitution. I read through the amendment again and it's like it even goes into saying, if you served as vice president, basically that counts as one term. So, it basically covers everything. There is no way around that two terms, unless we just decide that we're going to throw the Constitution out, which I think would be hard to do.

HUNT: Yeah. We're going to talk to Larry Tribe in a couple of minutes, and he seems to disagree with you, so we'll bring that back up with him in a minute. But, Doug Heye, let's watch a little bit more of what Donald Trump

said earlier today, because he did bring up the, you know, universe that Chuck was talking about. Those people that are going to be waiting in the wings to pounce as soon as they, you know, because there is -- let's be real, there are going to be people who want to take over in a post-Trump era.

Here was Trump on Vance and Rubio.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Well, we have great people. I don't have to get into that. But we have one of them standing right here. We have J.D., obviously, the vice president is great. I think Marco is great. I think -- I'm not sure if anybody would run against us. I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable, I really do. I believe that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: So now he's floating Vance-Rubio 2028, too, in the same breath.

DOUG HEYE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Absolutely, everything that Donald Trump does has one common theme in it. Tune in tomorrow. So, he hasn't endorsed anybody. He's talked about himself so that this conversation will continue.

And what is the conversation about, even if he includes other people, it always goes back to that one core theme Donald Trump. Tune in tomorrow we will have this conversation again.

HUNT: Sabrina, what did you make of what Gavin Newsom said there, that he thought that the midterms were going to try to set Donald Trump up for a third term?

SABRINA SINGH, CNN COMMENTATOR: I think -- I mean, I think he has a point to make of that if Democrats win back the House, there's an additional check on power.

But, you know, if. Johnson is, you know, if Republicans are successful at holding the House and Johnson remains speaker, I think to what everyone has said on this panel, it's going to be very, very tough for Donald Trump as much as he says it to be elected for a third term. I mean, there's Democratic governors in states that are not going to put him on the ballot. So, logistically and by the numbers game, he wouldn't win.

So why would you even jeopardize that and put your name on the ballot when, you know, you don't -- you're not going to have the numbers or in his words, you're not going to have the cards.

So, I think to Chuck's point, you know, relevancy is a -- is a hell of a drug. I think he likes to stay relevant.

HUNT: It seems to power this entire time.

SINGH: Yeah, yeah. And, you know, why -- he doesn't want to become a lame duck president so early. So why stay -- stay relevant in the conversation.

HUNT: So, Chuck, you mentioned father time.

TODD: Uh-huh.

HUNT: One of the other things that we learned today, because for some reason, the president decided to talk about it, was that at his recent visit to Walter Reed Medical Center, about two and a half weeks ago, this happened. He had an MRI. Let's watch what the president said about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I did. I got an MRI. It was perfect. Yeah. I mean, I gave you -- I gave you the full results. We had an MRI and in the machine, you know, the whole thing. And it was perfect.

REPORTER: Can you say what in particular?

TRUMP: You could ask the doctors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: You can ask the doctors.

Congressman, what does it say to you that the president is deciding to talk about this MRI that he supposedly had? Because, you know, I mean, I had a very public battle with a brain tumor. I've had an MRI. They don't, you know, I guess the president may not have regular health insurance. They certainly wouldn't give me an MRI for no reason.

KINZINGER: Yeah. I mean, the whole thing is odd. And why did he bring it up? I don't know if it was specifically asked if he kind of brought it out of nowhere, but my guess is probably there's information that's going to come out or some somebody probably called the White House and said, here's what we heard.

But for him to say, like, you got to ask the doctors, basically, I don't know why I was sitting there in an MRI machine is a little odd, right? But I think Americans have a right to know the president's health. I -- and I wouldn't be as dogged on this one specifically, except that Donald Trump and the Republicans made every president's health a huge issue all the time.

You remember, Hillary had a stumble once, and all of a sudden, now all this rumors about Hillary Clinton and what they're hiding. Same with Joe Biden --

TODD: "The National Enquirer", buddy, to create a whole narrative.

KINZINGER: Yeah, yeah. And so, look, you know, we saw that with Joe Biden. We deserve to know what's going on with the president. And, you know, hopefully we figure out.

TODD: I grew up with watching pictures of the colon of Ronald Reagan. Okay? I mean, you know, the Reagan administration, it was -- they actually -- they knew they had an elderly president. They knew people were always worried about this. They used to overwhelm us with information.

And it was, like I said, the president's colon is on the television.

HUNT: Well --

HEYE: I just hope that we don't get an image of Donald Trump's stomach, like LBJ showed us his surgical scars. We don't want that. But that's the worst tune in tomorrow we could ever have.

TODD: But the point is, is that the Reagan administration was actually being responsible, right? You owe the voters this. You got an MRI. Look, you were, you were -- I have a neighbor who died waiting in line to get the MRI. Not in time. Okay?

Because most normal people, this is a very expensive thing to do, very difficult.

[16:10:03]

And you don't get them willy nilly. Yes. You're the president. If you probably requested one, he could get one. This is going to be quite -- they're concerned about something. Something or they wouldn't -- they -- something they want to rule out for sure. You probably owe the American people some explanation.

SINGH: Well, it was odd that he threw it out there. And I don't know how the context --

TODD: Of the beauty of Trump. He'll always tell you.

SINGH: Yeah, and I don't know if he was asked or how it came up, but the fact that he just put it out there --

HUNT: Yeah. So, let me -- let me pause you there because essentially, if he brought this up when he was talking about after he was asked about this third term and he said he wouldn't run if he wasn't healthy, and then he brought up the MRI.

SINGH: Well, you know, I think I think to the point that both of you are making, I mean, and having lived through the Biden administration, of course, President Biden's health was always a narrative that the Republicans and Donald Trump were always pushing. So, I think not only owing it to the American public, but like an MRI is not part of the standard testing. When you go to Walter Reed and certainly, you know, for the President to just put that out there, I think does signal something.

And so, are they going to release more. And I think the fact that he threw it out there just invites so many more questions on this huge trip that he's on that is clearly high stakes in Asia. And just to throw that out there and just kind of be nonchalant about it, you're just raising more questions.

HUNT: Yeah. To start it off that way. All right. So, I want to bring into this conversation the

aforementioned Larry Tribe. He is Harvard's longtime professor of constitutional law.

Sir, very grateful to have you on the program.

And I want to turn our conversation back to this question about a third term. Congressman Kinzinger was talking about how he recently went back and read the 22nd Amendment, and that it seems very clear. Is it clear to you that this 22nd Amendment clearly prohibits a third term for a president?

LAURENCE TRIBE, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW PROFESSOR, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL: It does clearly prohibit a third term for this president, for any president. What is unclear is what sorts of arguments can be made around the edges of the text, because although the meaning of the amendment is clear and the purpose was absolutely clear, it does say specifically that no person can run for president more than twice.

And so, if Donald Trump were to run for vice president on the theory that -- well, the vice presidency is not the president, that I can have a stooge as vice president who promises to step down and let me take his place, then it would be all right.

Well, you know, if you are in legal acrobat, you might follow all of that detail. But the American people are never going to buy it. Governors won't buy it as a means of putting them on the ballot. It's obviously his way of avoiding being a lame duck.

He likes playing with all of us. He likes dangling shiny objects in front of us. He wants people to focus on a possible third term. So, they don't spend enough time thinking about what he is doing wrong in his second term.

He wants to take attention away from the military on the streets, from the way in which he is interrupting and overriding the rule of law. The many violations of the Constitution that are going on. He wants to distract attention.

HUNT: Sir, how -- if he were to proceed with this distraction and continue it? I mean, we have seen, you know, I covered him from Capitol Hill in his first term and many a Republican said, you know, don't worry, this is overblown. You know, it's too much. And then of course, that ended in January 6th, right?

So, if we get -- if this continues on and for whatever reason, the Supreme Court is asked to weigh in, how do you think they will look at this?

HUNT: Well, I don't know that it will get to the Supreme Court. If it does, all bets are off because the Supreme Court is not going to prevent someone from running for president. If enough states put him on the ballot.

It's not the Supreme Court that will avoid this disastrous and plainly unconstitutional move. It is the common sense of the American people. But I wouldn't count him out.

I think you're right, Kasie, that when he says he plans to do something, you've got to take him seriously. He plans to keep dangling this until he can no longer do so.

[16:15:02]

So, I don't doubt that even though there is no meaningful constitutional path to the presidency this way, that he will continue to shine a flashlight on an imaginary path, and it may serve him well. I mean, I would not at all pit myself against this president when it comes to political smarts. He is politically as savvy as they come, and if he thinks it helps him to keep talking about a third term and to keep pursuing that possibility, even into the next set of primaries for the Republican nomination you can bet on the fact that he means to do it.

HUNT: All right, on that cheerful note, Larry Tribe, thank you very much for your time today, sir. I do hope you'll come back. I really appreciate it.

TRIBE: Thank you.

HUNT: Our thanks to our text chain as well. They will be back later on in the hour.

Coming up next here in THE ARENA, we're going to get a live report from Jamaica where that monster category five hurricane is barreling down on the island nation, forecast to be one of the most devastating storms ever. Our Derek Van Dam is live there with the country's prime minister.

Plus, who Zohran Mamdani is bringing on the campaign trail in the final days of the New York mayoral race, as early voting shatters records in the first two days.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE: We can make city hall a place where New Yorkers come to expect the future, not just failure. But we are not there yet. Just as Andrew Cuomo's victory in the primary was thought to be inevitable, the same narrative has started to form around us today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:20:01]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is very slow. It is very, very, very intense. And that means the outcome may potentially be extreme devastation and danger. I want to tell everyone who's listening, who's watching the evacuation order is not a suggestion. It is a directive and a directive to save your life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: That was a government official in Jamaica urgently warning residents to brace for Hurricane Melissa. It is currently a category five storm closing in on the island. The storm has already been pounding parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. At least four people died on that island over the weekend.

Live pictures out of Kingston, Jamaica, show quiet streets ahead of the storms expected landfall in just a few hours. Melissa could be the strongest hurricane to ever hit Jamaica. The National Hurricane Center is already calling it the strongest storm to roam Earth. Yes, the planet, the whole planet this year.

Joining us now in THE ARENA, CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam. He is live in Kingston.

And, Derek, you're actually with Jamaica's prime minister right now.

DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yeah. That's right, Kasie. We have a very unique perspective to tell our viewers were in the prime -- of the prime minister's offices at the moment, and I'm going to bring him in to ask him some questions about how his government is approaching this storm.

This is doctor, the Most Honorable Andrew Holness.

Thank you so much for your time.

How is your government preparing Jamaica for a monster category five and who's most vulnerable?

ANDREW HOLNESS, PRIME MINISTER OF JAMAICA: Well, the preparations first start with ensuring that our people are safe, particularly our most vulnerable. So we have a system of disaster management, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management that coordinates all stakeholder efforts, which would include our emergency services, our national defense force, our police the ministry of health, social security. And so, that apparatus has been stood up and is working quite effectively.

Then there is the information side of things to ensure that the public has enough knowledge about what is happening and what is likely to occur. And I think most Jamaicans now know that we have a storm, a hurricane, which is quite unusual. It's been sitting on the south coast of Jamaica for a few days now.

VAN DAM: The strongest storm on the planet.

HOLNESS: Strongest storm now. And it is likely to turn north. So that means it could have an impact on our shores more to the western end of Jamaica.

And if that were to happen, and I've said it before, I don't believe there is any infrastructure within this region that could withstand a category five storm. So, there could be significant dislocation.

So every Jamaican I believe, understands, oh, the threat is severe. So, evacuations, are taking higher ground. Protecting your property, keeping your family safe. I believe the personal responsibility that each Jamaican would have to take that -- that is understood.

VAN DAM: Hurricane Gilbert was a benchmark storm for so many people here nearly 40 years ago. But it was also an economic disaster. So, what are you doing to prevent, economic implications from this hurricane?

HOLNESS: Well, since Hurricane Gilbert, improvements in the building code improvement in our infrastructure would certainly have put us in a better position to respond to natural disasters. But we have also improved our fiscal management, our financial management of our affairs to put us in a better position to be able to mount an effective response.

Look, the key to this is to ensure that you are properly prepared and during the disaster, you manage how people respond.

[16:25:11]

And if those two things are done correctly, then at the end of the disaster, you're in a much better position to recover more quickly. And so that's what we're trying to do.

The preparations are in place. We believe the citizens are in a much better position. How to treat with the disaster. And then as soon as the hurricane has passed, then the relief effort, the recovery effort, the rebuilding effort, all of those have been lined up.

VAN DAM: Okay, so the people of Jamaica, one big family. Do you have any final words to tell them before the storm sets in?

HOLNESS: You know, Jamaica is a largely religious Christian country, and we have been praying. And I urge all Jamaicans and people who are, you know, friendly well-wishers of Jamaica to continue to pray that this hurricane does not hit us directly.

VAN DAM: Prepare for the worst.

HOLNESS: Prepare for the worst.

VAN DAM: And pray for the best. There we go. I like it.

Thank you very much for your time, Jamaican prime minister, Doctor, the Most Honorable Andrew Holness.

A unique perspective for our viewers, Kasie, here on the ground and what Jamaica's government is doing to prepare for this monster.

HUNT: Indeed. And we will be thinking about and praying for all the residents of Jamaica as they face this down.

Let's go -- let's bring in CNN meteorologist Chris Warren with more on the forecast here.

Chris, this is a slow-moving storm. It's basically tracking at what I understand is a slow walking pace. What makes this storm unique?

CHRIS WARREN, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, that's the number one thing. Well, first, the fact that it is so strong, the strongest on earth this year and then it is a slow mover, has multiple implications with this. So here it is. And keep in mind, the strongest of the winds, the catastrophic winds that we're talking about that are 175 mile per hour winds. That's going to be in a relatively small area right in the eyewall.

So, the edges of that eye, and that is going to be the most dangerous in terms of wind, in terms of rain that spreads out pretty much anywhere. Theres tropical moisture. And then there's the mountains as well that get that much more water out of the atmosphere. Slow moving, possibly category five hurricane making landfall early tomorrow morning, possibly on the west end of Jamaica, and then eventually working across Cuba and across the Turks and Caicos and Bahamas.

But, Kasie, yes, the slow nature of this overnight hurricane force winds, rain after rain, it's going to be the flooding, that will be deadly with landslides and mudslides as well.

HUNT: All right. Chris Warren, for us with that update -- Chris, thank you very much.

All right. Coming up next here in THE ARENA, we're going to talk live with Congressman Jason Crow about a key deadline for critical food assistance for millions of Americans. But first, the new hints about who's running, who's definitely, probably running, and who's maybe running for president in 2028. Hmm?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

INTERVIEWER: When are they going to see a woman in charge in the White House?

KAMALA HARRIS, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: In their lifetime, for sure.

INTERVIEWER: Could it be you?

HARRIS: Possibly.

INTERVIEWER: Have you made a decision yet?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[16:32:35]

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAMDANI: While Donald Trump's billionaire donors think that they have the money to buy this election, we have a movement of the masses. No longer will we have to open a history book to read about Democrats leading with big ideas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: A week from tomorrow, Zohran Mamdani could be on his way to becoming the new mayor elect of New York City. Over the weekend, thousands of his supporters turned out to see him stand with some of the biggest names on the left Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez. Taken together, they represent a progressive, Democratic socialist vision for the future of their party.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-VT): Ordinary people, working class people, black and white and Latino, Asian, gay and straight, coming together to take on the oligarchy that is Trump's worst nightmare.

REP. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ (D-NY): Don't let them tell you that we are the exception. We are the rule. We are the standard. We are the acceptance. And we set the bar for America.

I'm talking to you, Donald Trump.

(CHEERING)

OCASIO-CORTEZ: There has been a day before his presidency, and there will be a day after.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: So, early voting started on Saturday, and the new numbers show that has already shattered the previous records. Pretty, pretty stark view right there.

My panel and our text chain are both back to talk more about this.

Chuck Todd, Zohran Mamdani either, depending on who you talk to -- young, up and coming, great communicator, focus on economic issues that represents the future of the party. To others, a total death knell that is going to sink, you know, Democrats trying to win national elections. Which is it?

TODD: Well, it's -- let's see how he does in office. Right? He's going to win. I think, you know, the question I have is initially, can he get over 50? He's going to win this race. You know it looks like he could win it with 45, 46, 47. Or he could end up and well see what happens. And he gets over 50.

But I think 50 matters. You have a New York City Council that's not easy to deal with.

HUNT: Max Rose says Cuomo's gaining steam and it isn't over yet.

TODD: Well --

HUNT: Former congressman from Staten Island.

TODD: We're going to find out. We're going to find out.

I don't -- I don't think it's been the greatest close for Cuomo.

[16:35:03]

But I also don't -- I don't know --

HUNT: Hashtag understatement.

TODD: Yeah. I don't know. I mean, the -- you know, I don't know whether I'd be closing the way Mamdani closing either. So, he did sort of it's -- it's a -- in a weird way, Cuomo ended up baiting Mamdani to close in a way that maybe if I were Mamdani, I wouldn't be closing.

I'd be trying to pivot more to, hey, it's going to be a new day in New York and trying to actually reach out. You already have your base. I have not seen this effort by Mamdani publicly to reach out to the center as much. And in some ways, this fight with Cuomo may be setting him, setting him there.

But ultimately, if Mamdani has a successful mayoralship, then Democratic socialism has an opportunity in the national party. But if it can't get 50 percent in New York, where is it going to get 50 percent anywhere in the country? Number one. And number two, if it's a failure, it could take all of progressive policies down with it.

So, there's a high risk here for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party.

KINZINGER: Yeah, I agree actually that there's a high risk here. And I think, you know, look, government owned grocery stores, is that really going to make much of a difference in New York? Yes or no? Who knows?

But it will be hung around Democrats' neck like everything that Mamdani tries. And either it fails or succeeds, Republicans will. I mean, I understand how they do it. They will try to hang this on every Democrat.

And, you know, maybe he's successful, in which case they kind of go a little quiet. But you can definitely assume that whatever he does, that's kind of out of the mainstream, whether it succeeds or not, they're definitely going to use that to paint it on Democrats.

HUNT: So speaking of Democrats who may be tagged by Republicans with whatever Mamdani does, one of those could be Governor Gavin Newsom of California, who spoke with CBS over the weekend and was, I would say, refreshingly straightforward, actually, about his plans for 2028. He is, in fact, mulling it over.

Let's watch that moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM (D), CALIFORNIA: I'm looking forward to who presents themselves in 2028 and who meets that moment. And that's the question for the American people.

INTERVIEWER: Is it fair to say after the 2020 midterms, you're going to give it serious thought?

NEWSOM: Yeah, I'd be lying, otherwise. I'd just be lying. And I can't do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: You can't do that. Okay.

Sabrina, what do you think Mamdani means for people like Gavin Newsom? Because, I mean, look, we remember back to some of those moments in the Democratic primary from you know, earlier recent cycles, and them all standing on a stage trying to out left each other with various policies, you know, having to raise their hands. I mean, those moments ended up causing problems for them in the national conversation.

SINGH: Well, let's hope the Democratic Party has learned from the litmus test. Debate. And we don't do that again, because I actually don't think that serves our party. And I think voters and Americans need to understand that. And they do that issues are much more nuanced. So just raising your hand to move our party more left, I actually think is a disservice to Americans and our party.

I think Zohran Mamdani has shown that he's going to be a figure within the party. But I do think cities are the outliers and not where the party actually is. And I think if you look at the candidates, like in new jersey and Virginia and some of the special elections that we have flipped around the country, they are moderate Democrats that are running on issues that people care about, like affordability, that Mamdani has been talking about, but they're also consensus builders, and they're willing to work with Republicans and stake out their reputations on that.

So, I think that's important. I think that's where the Democratic Party, I think will go. And at the end of the day, I think voters from, you know, in four years will want to see some semblance of normalcy returned and some leadership and someone that can work across the aisle. I think Democrats will meet that moment.

HUNT: Doug Heye, there was a report out today from a group called the welcome pack. It was done by a bunch of seasoned Democratic operatives, including, the man who ran Joe Bidens primary campaign in 2020. And they had some lessons for Democrats who want to win elections. I'm interested to know, as someone who's worked for Republicans, what your sense is of this.

So, they write this. Quote, voters have increasingly come to see our party as too liberal, insufficiently focused on the economy, border security and crime, and overly focused on climate change, democracy, abortion and identity and cultural issues.

However, they also write that Democrats, quote, have much to learn from the relentless focus of Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Zohran Mamdani on lowering the cost of living and expanding opportunity for the middle class. What say you?

HEYE: Politics is about people, and it's always about people. We sort of forget that sometimes because it should be so glaringly obvious, and where people on the left talk about those issues of affordability, housing costs, for instance, they can have a connect.

But mayors are supposed to be consensus builders to you to use your words. And what we don't see very often is mayors really injecting ideology. So Mamdani is going to have a real challenge here as he tries to govern a very difficult city. And there's a lot of money in New York City. We all know that -- construction money, real estate money. How does that impact Mamdani as he actually functions in the role as mayor?

[16:40:04]

And if he is seen as being successful with those industries, he could have good fortune. If it's the rhetoric of smash the oligarchy, and that's what he's remembered for, it's going to be very different case.

HUNT: Yeah, actually, governing is where the rubber meets the road. As you point out. And in a city, it is -- it is not easy.

All right. Thanks very much to our ARENA text chain. And the rest of our panel is going to stand by.

Ahead here in THE ARENA, could divine intervention be the only thing that ends the stalemate on Capitol Hill?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARRY BLACK, SENATE CHAPLAIN: When our children and grandchildren want to know what we were doing in the 119th Congress during the famous shutdown, may we not have to give these answers: I helped set a new record for keeping the government closed.

[16:45:23]

I failed to appeal to the better angels of my nature.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: That was the chaplain of the United States Senate, opening the chamber with his daily prayer as the government shutdown approaches the four-week mark.

Republicans and Democrats all signaling that neither side plans to change their strategy, even as lawmakers prepare for what could be one of the biggest moments of the shutdown. Yet more than 40 million Americans are at risk of losing critical food assistance at some point in the next two weeks, with the agriculture secretary saying that the food stamp program will soon run out of money.

Our chief congressional correspondent, Manu Raju, is live for us on Capitol Hill.

Manu, what's the reality check here? Is there a fix for food stamps? And what did the speaker tell you about his decision to keep the House out of Washington?

MANU RAJU, CNN CHIEF CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, on the food stamp issue, there is growing fear on both sides of the aisle about the impact that this could have for so many Americans who do rely on those so-called SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps. And what will happen if congress doesn't act?

There's a bipartisan bill that is being pushed right now simply to deal with those issues of those expiring SNAP benefits.

And then there's also a debate here about whether or not the administration can move money around and fund this program without an act of Congress. That's something the White House does not seem keen to do, but it's something that some members on both sides of the aisle says that it can do. That debate will continue to play out as the positions on both sides of the aisle are only hardening.

Amid all of this, then the Senate side, the Senate majority leader, John Thune, plans to bring again that straight extension of government funding to the floor of the senate as early as tomorrow for a more than for the 13th time to try to force a vote on this issue. Democrats are expected to block that. And on the House side, that chamber has not been in session since September 19th. As the speaker of the house has been demanding Senate Democrats pass the Republican plan to reopen the government.

I asked the speaker about why not bring the House back, given that there are a whole host of other issues that the House could be dealing with right now, and despite the shutdown going on, and he defended his approach.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: I can tell you the house Republicans are doing some of the most meaningful work of their careers there in their districts, working around the clock with their constituents, helping them not only to negotiate the crisis that's been created by this Democrat shutdown, but all the other matters that they need to attend to. And I'm hearing from them individually. They are having some of the most meaningful interactions at a time of great crisis with their constituents that they've ever had. And that's really, really important. So I don't want to pull them away from that work right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAJU: But there are really no signs that either side is budging. Democrats to have been demanding an extension of those expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, they say, must be dealt with immediately to avoid people's health care premiums increasing.

But in a key moment today, Kasie, the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest public sector union, called for an extension of government funding, aligning themselves with the Republican position on that. I asked the number two Senate Democrat, Dick Durbin, if that will change his approach. He told me at the moment, it does not -- Kasie.

HUNT: All right. Manu Raju for us, Manu, thanks very much for that reporting.

And now joining us live in THE ARENA, Democratic congressman from Colorado, Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger. He's on the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees.

Congressman, the hallway behind you, awfully empty for a Monday afternoon when oftentimes the House is coming back for votes. The president reportedly joked recently, according to "The New York Times", that, quote, "I'm the speaker and the president," implying that House Speaker Johnson was relatively marginalized.

What are the implications of that dynamic and of the absence of the House?

REP. JASON CROW (D-CO): Well, you don't have to be looking too hard at this place to understand that Mike Johnson and House Republicans have decided to prostrate themselves to the altar of Donald Trump.

I mean, look, the hall behind me is empty. I'm sitting 20 feet from the chamber of the House of Representatives. The doors are shut. It's locked. I've been in shutdowns before, but never before have I been in a shutdown where the speaker sends everybody home, right, to not even negotiate, not even talk, not even do the job.

The fundamental job that we were sent here to do, and that is to fund and to keep the government running effectively for the people.

[16:50:02]

Republicans aren't even trying.

HUNT: Is there a point, sir, where Democrats will have to cry uncle, these food SNAP benefits run out. In the past, Democrats have argued policy change is not something you should shut down the government over. That should be a different place where it is negotiated. In what world would Democrats decide to come to the table?

CROW: Listen, Democrats have already decided to come to the table that that was on day one. We've always been at the table. They have literally, ineffectively shut the doors and shut us out.

Donald Trump himself said, don't deal with the Democrats. Don't even talk to them. He went on "Fox & Friends" and said that specifically, that was his order to Mike Johnson.

So, I have been here for seven years now. Every single year, we've passed a bipartisan funding bill, when we've passed it. And that is the only way out, right? It has to be bipartisan, and it also has to have guardrails in place because of what this president has shown himself to be and to do in the last ten months, which is disregard Congress, disregard the law, spend money however he wants to spend it, right?

I have an obligation to my constituents and to this country and Constitution, not to give a blank check to a president who is willing to spend money however he wants. That's not how the Constitution works.

So, we are here, where our door is open. We're ready to negotiate. That is the only way out of this. But Donald Trump has to come home from his overseas trip. He has to stop focusing on the plans and the blueprints for his $200 million ballroom. He has to stop buying $170 million of jets for Kristi Noem.

He has to stop wasting all the money that he's wasting, you know, buying cattle from Argentina to bail out one of his strongman friends and undermine the U.S. cattle market. He has to stop all of that. And he has to tell Mike Johnson to come to the table so he can fix this.

HUNT: So, speaking of the House speaker, he would like to keep his job, right, in the midterm elections. But the majority is incredibly narrow. And we are seeing Republicans really battle on the redistricting front, in many cases pushing to redistrict in states mid cycle in the middle of a decade.

CROW: You mean cheat?

HUNT: Right.

CROW: You mean cheat, Kasie? This isn't about them battling and fighting and digging in to represent people. They're just trying to cheat.

HUNT: That's actually exactly what I wanted to ask you about. I want to play something that Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader, said over the weekend when he was pressed about the way Republicans are going about this.

Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARGARET BRENNAN, CBS NEWS HOST: Recently, you've been using the term "rigged elections" in reference to the upcoming midterms. Democrats were appalled when President Trump used language like that. How do you justify using that now?

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: I've been using that term in the context of Donald Trump's unprecedented effort to gerrymander congressional maps in a partisan fashion all across the country in order to rig the midterm elections and deny the ability of the American people to actually decide who should be in the majority.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HUNT: Does the use of the term "rig" in this context, rigging the election, give you any pause at all?

CROW: No, because that's what they're trying to do. Listen, I'm going to call a spade a spade. They are trying to cheat. Never before has a party in power in the United States Congress done mid-district, mid- cycle redistricting that try to cheat during an election for the midterms. Never before, at the request of a president.

What has happened before is that Democrats time and time again have unanimously attempted to pass laws to prevent this from happening and to end gerrymandering across the country, right? When this came up for a vote, when Democrats were in control, every single Democrat voted for this prohibition to stop it across the board. Nobody can do it, right?

And every single Republican voted against that, to allow it to happen. So, there is a huge difference here. There is one party who is against cheating, who wants to favor the voice of the American people that wants free and fair elections. And there's another party that's perfectly willing to try to cheat at the behest of their president, to win at all costs.

HUNT: So, speaking of that president, he didn't rule out potentially seeking or figuring out a way to end up with a third term in office. What was your reaction to that? Do you think that's a real thing?

CROW: Well, you know what I've known about Donald Trump over the last nine years that I've seen him, as you can never count anything out. The man tries to joke about things. He floats, trial balloons. He does something that people think is absurd until it's not absurd, until he actually tries to do it.

So I've learned to take the man very seriously. This is not a laughing matter. This is unconstitutional. This is against the law.

America does not have kings. We have elections to choose our leadership. According to the Constitution, he's not eligible to run in 2028. And him joking about it is not funny. And I'm not going to laugh about it either.

So, yeah, people should take it seriously.

HUNT: All right. Congressman Jason Crow, I really appreciate your time today, sir. Thank you. I hope you come back soon.

[16:55:01]

CROW: Thanks, Kasie.

HUNT: All right. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HUNT: All right. Thanks to my panel for joining me. Great to see all of you on this Monday. Really appreciate it.

And if you at home missed any of todays show, don't forget, you can always catch up by listening to THE ARENA's podcast, the QR code right there. Just scan it, follow along wherever you get your podcasts.

You can also follow the show on X and Instagram. We are @TheArenaCNN.

Jake Tapper is standing by for "THE LEAD".

And, Jake, we have 15 seconds to talk about the Eagles on Sunday. You go first.