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CNN Live Event/Special
Michigan Senate Race Turns Tense As Trump And Candidates Trade Attacks; Trump Continues Red-State Blitz, Insists Rallies Are Helping GOP; Trump Hits Record Law Approval As GOP Faces Midterm Woes; GOP Backlash Grows As Trump Waives Sanctions On Russia; Some Latino Voters Who Supported Trump Move Away from GOP. Aired 8-9p ET
Aired October 18, 2026 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[20:00:38]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Pretend I'm on the ballot. Go out and vote. You got to do it.
SEN. JON OSSOFF (D-GA): It's the most corrupt administration of all time, and everybody knows it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will you comply and honor subpoenas?
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Of course. Of course I will.
TRUMP: Every time they want to try and get me, they say affordability, sir, this or that. They said they caused the problem.
ABDUL EL-SAYED (D), MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE: You assume that somehow I wouldn't disavow. Why would you actually think that about me?
MIKE ROGERS (R), MICHIGAN SENATE CANDIDATE: He didn't disavow it. He didn't say no. He didn't say any of that.
TRUMP: These rallies have changed the whole ballgame.
REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): It feels like 2024 to me. Polling is not reflecting this.
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): We're going to win the day. Win the month. Win the year. Win back control of the House of Representatives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAURA COATES, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening, everyone, and welcome to this special two-hour Sunday edition of LAURA COATES LIVE as we countdown to the midterms now just 16 days away.
We have our team of analysts and reporters tracking the must watch races and the biggest issues that are going to decide this very election. And of course, who will ultimately control Congress. And tonight there are fresh signs that Trump's red state rallies are doing little to move the needle back his party's way. A brand new "Washington Post"-ABC News poll has him deep underwater. His approval rating 33 percent. And that's a record low for this particular poll. Seventy-two percent say the country is headed in the wrong direction. That's, by the way, up five points since April.
And that is the political reality the president is facing as he continues on his midterm blitz, which really kicks into high gear this coming week. I mean, just look where he's going. A lot of red states where Republicans are getting increasingly nervous about their Senate nominees' chances. Tomorrow Trump is in Kansas, which some polls suggest may now be a tossup. He's also got North Carolina, South Carolina, Iowa, Florida, and Georgia all on the list.
And a week from today he will be in Michigan. That very close Senate race there between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-sayed is getting increasingly tense. El-Sayed, who has denied having family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, was nonetheless pressed on the issue at a town hall this weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EL-SAYED: Sure. Yes, absolutely. But I want to -- I want to ask to the question that you're asking. Why are you asking the question?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, because they're a terrorist group.
EL-SAYED: OK. No, no, but what are you implying? Do you assume that I wouldn't?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
EL-SAYED: Why not?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because I have not heard you disavow them yet.
EL-SAYED: Have you disavowed them? I haven't heard you disavowed them yet.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I disavowed them.
EL-SAYED: Do you? Great. But here's the thing about it. You're asking the question because implicitly you assume that I'll have dual loyalties, right? You assume that somehow I wouldn't disavow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Now, Mike Rogers is not satisfied with his answer. He's on CNN today to say just as much.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROGERS: You listen to his comments. This guy is as vile as they come. He has said he -- was excited about his answer because he did not disavow the Muslim Brother. He didn't disavow it. He goes on this word salad, trying to get around the fact --
DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: He said -- he did say --
ROGERS: -- that he can't do it.
BASH: He said sure, yes.
ROGERS: No, that's not true. Dana, listen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Now, just to be clear, he began talking about that he felt that Piker did not -- was happy that he did not disavow Brotherhood. Not a comment directly related to of course El-Sayed.
Now, our own Jeff Zeleny has been watching this race very closely. He's live in Detroit tonight.
Jeff, a lot of time, a lot of money, a lot of oxygen are being spent on this fight between Rogers and El-Sayed. What can you tell us?
JEFF ZELENY, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Laura, there is so much money being spent on this because Michigan is at the center of the fight for control of the Senate, particularly for Democrats. I mean, Democrats to win must hold on to these blue seats. Of course, this is an open seat to replace the retiring senator, Gary Peters. But the economy is on the top of voters' minds, but not necessarily on the top of these candidates' minds as they were going back and forth at one another.
But I was in Flint, Michigan, earlier this afternoon, and we asked El- Sayed again what he thought of Mike Rogers' comments about not disavowing the Muslim Brotherhood. Let's listen.
[20:05:05]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EL-SAYED: I'm sure everybody has heard about Tommy at this point. You saw that clip?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
EL-SAYED: So clearly condemned. That's not a difficult thing to do. But I do want to talk about why they want to make this their closing argument. This has a long history in our politics. That notion that people who might pray a little bit differently have a dual loyalty. This is what they do when they have no actual message about the real issues in people's lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZELENY: So, again, El-Sayed said he clearly condemns the Muslim Brotherhood, but then he pivots to talking about why. And Laura, that's why this is risky ground for Republicans like Mike Rogers. Talking to a variety of Republicans here and others, they believe that El-Sayed's message about talking about this dual loyalty is very potentially problematic because he went on to a fairly long explanation about the same questions that JFK faced when he was running for president.
Would he be loyal to the U.S. or the Vatican? So clearly making that argument here as Abdul El-Sayed is running, if he's elected, he would be the first Muslim in the U.S. Senate. But he is talking about affordability. He is talking about so much more. But there's been this extraordinary back and forth and the undercurrent of all of this is clear. This race in Michigan, even though the economy is top of mind for voters, the campaign and the underbelly of it is becoming much, much more than that.
So the bottom line to this is, is this is likely to continue. And El- Sayed also see some political upsides here for being in this fight with the president because it's a chance for him to raise the president's policies. And he believes those are weighing down Republicans and will lead to his victory -- Laura.
COATES: Jeff Zeleny, thank you so much.
As a part of our midterm special coverage, I'll actually talk with Abdul El-Sayed live at 9:00 p.m. Eastern at the top of our next hour. So definitely stay tuned for that. We'll pick his brain and understand what's going on in the Michigan race.
I want to meet my panel for the next two hours. You got contributors and political analysts, Ashley Allison, Scott Jennings, David Axelrod, Brad Todd and Lulu Garcia-Navarro.
And hey, I've also got you all. Be a part of the coverage. Send us your questions and comments at CNN.com/EngagePolitics. The panel will answer them here on air.
We also have Jeff Zeleny sticking around to answer some in the chat for us as well. So definitely be engaged. I want you with us.
I want to begin with you, Scott, because there is back and forth between Abdul El-Sayed and Rogers and the president, but who's actually benefit? Are the voters getting information? Is it moving any needles?
SCOTT JENNINGS, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, I think it benefits the Republicans because here at the end of the race, we're having a discussion finally about Abdul El-Sayed's past. His family, things he's written, things he said, the people he takes money from, and the fact that twice in his life, on a professional resume and in a speech, he said he was a dual citizen of Egypt. We don't really have clear answers about that either.
These things need to be explored. He seeks to be a member of the United States Senate, so I think these are vital questions to answer. He's finally being pressed on it. And when he gets pressed on it, he's obviously a little defensive and has thin skin. So I'd say this conversation advantage Republicans.
COATES: You think he has thin skin? Ashley, after he's being asked repeatedly about things he has this about? ASHLEY ALLISON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: He said, you want to know
about his past? His past? He's a Rhodes scholar. His past, he's been to medical school. His past, he spent most of his career --
JENNINGS: Is he a doctor?
ALLISON: He's MD. He's MD.
JENNINGS: Is he --
ALLISON: Do you have an MD?
JENNINGS: Can he write --
ALLISON: Do you have an MD, JD, PhD?
JENNINGS: Neither of us can write a prescription, can we?
COATES: Well, I have a juris doctor, I also can't. But go ahead.
(CROSSTALK)
ALLISON: Exactly. I have a JD, too, but I can't.
JENNINGS: I would make it a point --
ALLISON: Let me tell you something. I would not have your party being the one out here questioning qualifications. You just had to fire a press secretary, that she was lying on her --
JENNINGS: I wouldn't make it a point with Abdul.
ALLISON: But let me just say this. He should be defensive. I'm actually defensive for him. I don't vote in Michigan. I would check his policies against Mike Rogers' policies. What is happening right now is nothing surprising for this Republican Party that is being led by Donald Trump. It is the party where Donald Trump attacked the first black president because he tried to associate him with being Muslim and questioned his citizenship.
It is pathetic. It is a -- you should be above this. You can question his past, but to associate it, he said, no, I am not a part of the Brotherhood. I want -- I love this country. I sat down in an interview with him. I asked him about those things. It's disrespectful. It is un-American actually. It should not be a part of our democratic process. But you're doing it to otherize him. You're doing it to make people afraid. And I believe the voters of Michigan, black, white and everything in between, will see through it.
BRAD TODD, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: This is what -- this is a question about his policy, though, actually. He in 2011, when Egypt was in revolt and the Muslim Brotherhood was trying to take over twice, Abdul El-Sayed wrote papers that said the United States should support a Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt. Now he also says he will be the number one opponent of this government in Egypt. That's a policy difference. He also won't say if Israel has a right to
exist. He won't say if he would defend the right to have a Jewish state in the Levant right now. These are policies. Now, one other thing. This is Michigan. This is a Democratic state. Republicans haven't elected a senator from Michigan since 1994.
[20:10:03]
And here we are in what Democrats think is a blue wave in a close race in Michigan. Sounds to me like Abdul El-Sayed is a weak candidate.
LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Can I ask you a question? And just because we're all going back to 2011 now, and it's all wonderful because I was actually in the Middle East at the time. Do you remember what the policy of the United States government was with Egypt in 2011 when the Muslim Brotherhood was elected into office after the uprising? Just out of curiosity.
TODD: Well, we --
GARCIA-NAVARRO: No, no, no, I mean, I mean, just since we're all going back now to what the --
COATES: Enlighten us. I want to hear from you.
GARCIA-NAVARRO Well, you know, the fact of the matter is, is that the United States' policy on that was not to support the Muslim Brotherhood, but certainly to see where this was going, because it had been the will of the Egyptian people at that time. And so at the end of the day, we can all go back in a time capsule and wonder about what people should be doing or shouldn't be doing.
But what I think Abdul El-Sayed is trying to do is essentially say, we're in 2026 in Michigan, and what matters now is what I'm going to do for the people of Michigan, and to continue to ask about my relationship with what was -- what is now a defunct essentially organization in Egypt seems a little bit problematic.
DAVID AXELROD, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Can I just translate this for people who may have tuned in and wondered, what's going on here? What's going on here is the president is in some political trouble here. He's in political trouble because of the war. He's in political trouble because of inflation. He's in political trouble because of concerns about corruption.
All of these things are weighing Republican candidates down all over the country. And Mike Rogers, in their debate in the advertising he's running and so on, he wants this discussion. So getting back to your first question --
COATES: Because?
AXELROD: He wants this discussion because it's a better discussion for him than the state of the economy and the president's policies and the war, all of which he's tried to run away from in the last few weeks. So this is a standard tactic. You know, when Barack Obama started doing well, I have some recollection of this, when he started doing well, you know, it was -- well, he was educated in a madrassa. Well, he wasn't educated in madrassas, you know, among radical Islamists and so on.
And, you know, this was a theme that was carried throughout the campaign. And I remember how valiantly John McCain stood up to someone in an audience in October of 2008 who said, he's not an American, he's a Muslim. And John McCain said, no, no, ma'am. He's a good family man. He's a good American. We just have disagreements. And it was one of the best moments in that campaign.
But this is what happens at the end of campaigns when candidates are in trouble. They try to change the subject. So --
(CROSSTALK)
COATES: So let's talk about that.
TODD: Wait a minute --
COATES: Let's talk about -- hold on. Let's talk about that, because the president's approval is underwater. We've got two weeks to go until the election. And for the first time in over a decade, voters trust Democrats more than Republicans on the economy. So if that is the -- that is the deflection point, describe why this scenario would be helpful as Scott said.
TODD: Here in Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed got less than a majority of the Democratic primary. He barely beat Haley Stevens. Haley Stevens has essentially the Middle East policy that Joe Biden had.
COATES: But I'm broadening this more. You know that.
TODD: I know, but this is the center ring of American politics this year is Michigan, though, and it tells us a lot of other stories. If Abdul El-Sayed had Joe Biden and Haley Stevens' policy on the Middle East, this race wouldn't be close. Democrats would be winning it and run away. It is because he's so radical. Democrats have the same problem in places like Maine, where they have -- their party has gotten off the rails. And yes, the president's approval rating is certainly a problem for Republicans.
COATES: What about Kansas?
TODD: I think --
ALLISON: But, Brad, Brad --
TODD: I think Kansas is a real trouble spot for Republicans.
ALLISON: Here's why I actually think you're incorrect on that. Because guess who had Joe Biden's policies and lost Michigan? Kamala Harris. You all are making the -- I understand what you're saying, Axe, and I agree with you, but I just have to say like, there is a why this is bigger than policy that is happening right now in this country. And every cycle, when one party wins, they said they're going to bring folks back together.
Well, the way you bring folks back together is how you act 16 days out. And when you start to try and demonize a population of -- that are Americans, whether they pray to the same god you do or not, that's wrong. Have an argument. But that's not what -- that's not what Donald Trump is doing right now, saying he's a part of the Muslim Brotherhood, because Abdul El-Sayed said he was not. And he -- and he -- done.
You don't need to bring that back up again, but you will, because the why is, is you want to other him. You want to make people to be afraid of him. And we should not pretend like that does not happen in this country.
TODD: You should be afraid of him. I'm working on this race and Abdul El-Sayed makes excuses for terrorists. He is literally the most dangerous and radical Democrat in the Senate -- as a Senate nominee in our lifetimes.
COATES: Wow. Wait. Hold on.
ALLISON: That's not right, Brad.
COATES: Can we have a list of hyperbolic statements that might be one of the highest ones that -- you're saying --
TODD: He's the most -- he is.
ALLISON: Really?
[20:15:05]
TODD: He's the most dangerous --
(CROSSTALK)
AXELROD: At least now he's getting paid for.
TODD: Yes, he's -- no, he's one of the most dangerous. His policy on the Middle East, which is arguably one of the most important things a United States senator does is engage in foreign policy. It is well out of the mainstream of the Democratic Party for the last 30 years.
COATES: How about the commander-in-chief. Talk to me about that, Scott.
JENNINGS: Well, can I follow up one thing? Because you raised an interesting point. You said that people who are Americans, who, I guess, want to participate in politics are being demonized because of their religion. Would you make the same admonition to Abdul El-Sayed and virtually every other Democrat this cycle who has said this about AIPAC? Because AIPAC is made up of Americans who want to participate in --
ALLISON: Well, AIPAC is an organization, not a human. And I had --
JENNINGS: You said a group of people -- you said a group of people being demonized for their religion.
ALLISON: No.
JENNINGS: They are being demonized for participating in politics.
ALLISON: But guess what?
JENNINGS: And Abdul El-Sayed has been the number one person.
ALLISON: But guess what?
JENNINGS: Would you apply both ways?
ALLISON: Every Jewish person is not a part of AIPAC.
JENNINGS: But they are -- but the organization is made up of Jewish Americans who would like to participate --
COATES: David Axelrod.
(CROSSTALK)
ALLISON: It is a false equivalency.
AXELROD: We've had this discussion many times before.
ALLISON: It's a false --
AXELROD: And I'll say what I've said.
JENNINGS: So you won't --
COATES: Wait. Hold on, hold on. I want to hear what you said.
ALLISON: I'll admonish antisemitism.
AXELROD: I'll say what I've said.
ALLISON: I'm just going to --
(CROSSTALK)
COATES: Wait. Hold on.
ALLISON: I just want to say --
COATES: Wait. Hold on. Wait.
ALLISON: There was --
AXELROD: Go ahead, go ahead. You speak for me.
COATES: There's time for everyone. I want you to -- I want to hear your point but --
ALLISON: No, not for me. I'm speaking for anyone. COATES: I want to hear your point. I think it got lost because
everyone was talking over it. So start again and I'll get back to you.
ALLISON: The only reason I want to go, Axe, is because there was a strong accusation that was just leveled at me.
AXELROD: OK.
ALLISON: I admonish people who are antisemitic. I don't have to stand up for AIPAC because AIPAC is an organization that has beliefs, just like I admonish people who are Islamophobic. I think, and I think there are some things that happen in the Democratic Party that do make -- that are antisemitic. And when they happen, I stand up for them. But what I don't see you doing right now is standing up against Islamophobic. And that is the -- that is the difference between you, Scott, and me. Go ahead.
JENNINGS: Well, I don't -- I don't agree that the attacks on Abdul El- Sayed's records --
ALLISON: I know you don't, which is part of the problem.
JENNINGS: -- are Islamophobic.
ALLISON: That's the problem.
JENNINGS: But I can tell you for certain that everything that's been said about AIPAC and Jewish American engagement in this election is absolutely antisemitic.
ALLISON: That is incorrect.
AXELROD: OK. So --
ALLISON: Go ahead, Axe. Sorry.
AXELROD: First of all, you should look at the ads that are being run in Michigan against El-Sayed and then come back and explain why they're not Islamophobic because they certainly are. But secondly, I've said this before, I'm the son of a refugee from Eastern Europe. He had to flee with his family when he was a child because his home was blown up because he was Jewish. I don't take a back seat even to you, Scott, on antisemitism.
I know -- I know what it's about. It's defined my life. I wouldn't be here but for it. And -- but I also can separate out my faith from -- from the politics of AIPAC. AIPAC describes itself on its own Web site as Israel's America -- Israel's lobby in America. That's what they do. But I don't believe -- I don't believe in America right or wrong. And I don't believe in Israel right or wrong.
And when Israel does something wrong, I don't feel constrained because I'm Jewish to say, oh, no, that's OK. And I think a lot of American Jews feel the same way. They also know what happens when hate is -- when hate is on the march. And people are defined by their faith or any other element of their ethnicity. Usually Jews don't do well in that environment. So we're all very sensitive to hate.
But, you know, I don't really think this is what it's about. I think this is just pure raw politics and we should discuss that.
COATES: We will and a lot more. And it's a very nuanced conversation. And all of you, I want you to participate as well. Everyone, stand by. You're going to be here with me all night.
Still ahead, is the president already starting to play the blame game if his party loses? Well, Maggie Haberman of "The New York Times" wrote the book on Trump in his second term, and she joins us live on that and more next.
And remember, send me your questions. You can do it by heading to CNN.com/EngagePolitics. The panel will be with me to answer them tonight. I bet I know what some of them are going to be already.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:23:44]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: These poor people, they're going like something strange is happening here. Because, you know, two weeks ago, they had a lot. Then I started the rallies and all of a sudden the Republican Party is starting to look very good. Starting to look very good. We're winning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: President Trump is urging his supporters to keep the faith with two weeks to go before the midterms. But the president may be losing faith in his own staff. Reuters reports that Trump is putting some of the blame for the GOP's struggles at the feet of James Blair. He runs Trump's super PAC, MAGA Inc. But other White House staffers are reportedly blaming chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Let's bring in what I call the expert on the Trump administration, White House correspondent for "The New York Times," Maggie Haberman.
Maggie, it's so good to see you tonight. I mean, look, I'm hearing it's not just his aides, we're also seeing the president preemptively blame Senator Cornyn and Karl Rove for a potential Paxton loss in Texas. Why is he playing this game before all the votes are even cast?
MAGGIE HABERMAN, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, NEW YORK TIMES: I can't remember a time when President Trump did not start looking for who he was blaming for an uncertain outcome beforehand in any scenario, and I certainly can't remember the last time, if ever, that he said that, you know, the buck stops here with himself.
[20:20:01]
You know, I -- we've heard the same things that you have, and we've seen the same reporting that you have. And I do think that when you look at how the Republican Party is doing heading into this midterms, you know, it keeps reminding me a little bit of that, that, you know, guy in the hot dog costume meme of we're all trying to find the guy who did this. You know, I'm sure that there are specific tactical pieces that you will see folks point to specific staffers for.
There is no question about that. And that happens in every midterms. But the reality is that this is such a personalist administration, Laura. There is so much top down decision making. And the president, until recently anyway, and I will say that he is giving people a little bit more room right now. But in general, he has not really let these candidates have any distance from him. And so people should not be surprised. Also, one thing just to very quickly point out, it's been really notable how these stories about self-enrichment and corruption allegations have broken through to the public.
And it's because there are so many of them, and because there is really no way to spin making $2 billion in a crypto venture, which is an industry you regulate. That didn't really happen the same way in term one. And now, you know, especially as people are facing their own affordability crises, it's, you know, hard for them to ignore.
COATES: There was a poll, I think, what, on Friday, FOX News, with corruption being higher than even the economy on people's list of the most important things that you can argue these are not mutually exclusive. They believe that corruption might lead to a number of other issues impacting their everyday lives. But you're also seeing just, I mean, chaos this week. Chaos.
You've got Trump's ambassador to Greece resigning. Kimberly Guilfoyle. He fired his press secretary Katie Zacharia after just five days. He's facing criticism from his own party for waiving sanctions on Russia. You know, you're talking about a top down personalist administration. There's a midterm that's happening right now, and elections where he's asking people to pretend he's on the actual ballot.
How are the staffers in the White House feeling about these as a distraction or the albatross some speak of?
HABERMAN: Look, you know, the Russia piece is very much in keeping with what we have seen the president talking about in terms of Russia and suggesting for a very long time and suggesting that Russia, you know, essentially should not be -- he has not said this, but he has done about Russia specifically, he has faulted Zelenskyy, who we know he does not like, and he does not have a good relationship with.
And he has faulted Ukraine. I mean, he is looking at it, at least in his public comments, through the prism of the gas crisis and the energy crisis, you know, which primarily stem from the Iran war. But he has been looking to try to get prices down. So that's its own thing.
Katie Zacharia, that was -- that was also its own thing. That was his thing. And yes, there were some staffers who recommended her, but that was him acting, as you know, the host of his own personnel office, which we have seen him do repeatedly. And it did not come as a surprise to most people around the Trump administration and in the White House that she did not do well. It was pretty clear that that was what was coming.
And it was exactly what happened. It lasted even less time than I could have imagined, and many others. But the rest of it, the aggregate that you're talking about, it does start to add up. And one other that I would add that wasn't on your list, Laura, is the DOJ raid of Congresswoman Omar's house. You're not going to hear many Republicans defend Ilhan Omar for a number of reasons, even on this particular issue, though, this has been investigated before.
But I have had several people in the president's orbit say to me, we're three weeks from an election. Like, why are we doing this now? And so, you know, yes, it does add up.
COATES: Well, that might explain why there are some candidates who are not going to Trump's rallies, even though he is saying that these rallies are absolutely helping. I mean, Politico crunched the numbers, found Democrats are spending more money on ads that mention Trump than Republicans. So do you think Trump is OK with Republican candidates distancing himself from him? Because I remember from past election cycles, he is a memory driven elephant of a Republican.
HABERMAN: Doesn't mean that he'll be OK after election day. But I think at the moment he is giving certain people -- he could have been much harsher on Collins than he has been more recently, for instance. I mean, there have been specific discrete one-offs that I expected he was going to go in a little harder. That doesn't mean that he's not going to later in terms of his public comments.
You know, what you will hear Republicans say, Laura, is, and I think there is an understandable argument about this. Democrats already are likely about as high in terms of enthusiasm as they can get. So, yes, Trump does energize Democrats when he goes to these states. But if there is an opportunity to energize Republicans in off-cycle elections where he's not on the ballot, his presence is going to be what does it.
Now, that doesn't mean it will do it. You know, you have to assume that all of these independents who are still on the fence are then just going to suddenly turn out because he's in these states. And that's not quite compelling. But we'll see.
[20:30:08]
COATES: We will see in about 15, 16 days.
Maggie Haberman, thank you so much.
HABERMAN: Right.
COATES: And hey, still ahead, Republicans on the trail now facing questions about Russia after Trump makes a decision that even has Darline Graham breaking with the president. Plus, Trump keeps playing Harry Enten's hits at his rallies. So how will he like what Harry has to show us tonight? Find out when Harry joins us next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) [20:35:10]
COATES: With 16 days to go, Trump keeps suggesting inflation is under control and what we're entering is the golden age. Problem is, the numbers have just been quite a bit different.
CNN's chief data analyst Harry Enten looked into this for us.
Harry, what did you see?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: Each election has a name of the game, right? Has a name of the game. What this election will be determined by. And you know what it is? In this one it is cost, cost, cost. It is inflation. And inflation is what is so debilitating to this president of the United States, Donald John Trump, and could be debilitating to Republicans' hopes this midterm election.
What am I talking about? Well, just take a look at these numbers here. Remember, Donald Trump got reelected to a second term because of inflation. And back in October of 2024, he was trusted more on inflation than Kamala Harris by a seven-point margin. Well, I'm able to fit on two hands. I can't fit this on two hands unless I have a lot of hands going on right here. Because look at Donald Trump's net approval rating now in a ABC News-"Washington Post" poll that came out earlier today.
Look at this, 52 points underwater. That is deeper than the East River, Hudson River, Harlem River, all combined. My goodness gracious. We are talking about a 59-point swing in the wrong direction for the president of the United States on the most important issue of the day. And you know what? This is history-making. This is history-making. How bad Trump's net approval rating is on inflation. Because I want you to go back to all the history books, go back to all the history books.
Has any president ever been this bad? The answer is no, not at all. And this is not just one poll we're talking about in terms of the ABC News-"Washington Post" poll. We are talking about the 25 worst net approval ratings ever on inflation. They all belong to Donald John Trump and all of them, all of them, my dear friend, Laura, has been since the beginning of the Iran war. We are talking negative 50 points or worse. And in some polls we're talking about negative 60 points or worse.
My goodness gracious. And in this case, the voters, the Americans, well, they are following what their pocketbooks are telling them when they go and try and get groceries, or when they try and go fill up their tanks at the gas station because just take a look at the inflation under Donald John Trump. Take a look at this. OK. Year over year inflation growth, CPI, you know, at the beginning of the Trump presidency according to USA Facts, look at this. It was 3.0 percent.
Just before the Iran war started, February 2026, look at this. It was 2.4 percent. Ergo, we were going in the right direction. Inflation was falling, inflation was falling. But look at where we are now. In the most recent report, September of 2026, inflation is now up to 3.7 percent year over year. In other words, wrong direction right now versus right direction where we were before the Iran war started.
And it's more than that, Laura. It's more than that, because it'd be one thing if inflation was rising, but wage growth was keeping up with inflation. That is not the case. In fact, again, it's going in the wrong direction. According to USA Facts, look at this, year over year wage and inflation growth, back at the beginning of the Trump presidency, what do we see? We see green. Wages were rising faster than inflation, 3.7 percent is greater than 3.0 percent. But look at where we are now. Inflation, 3.7 percent, greater than wage growth at 3.6 percent. And it is no wonder that Trump is making history in the polls because that, the data, is driving the voters.
And Laura, you know what the data is driving me? It's driving me right back to you.
COATES: Harry Enten, thank you so much.
And still to come, everyone, Trump defends his move to waive sanctions on Russia, as even Republicans suggest he's making a mistake. The panel is back with me to debate it all next. And we'll answer some of your questions live. Just go to CNN.com/EngagePolitics, and we'll bring you the answers in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:43:11]
COATES: President Trump tonight is defending his decision to waive sanctions related to Russian energy exports, saying he doesn't want to drive Russia away from the negotiating table and, quote, "Zelenskyy doesn't care. He doesn't want to end this war and probably never did," unquote.
The president is facing fierce blowback from members of both parties, including the sister of the man the sanctions bill was named after, Senator Lindsey Graham.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. DARLINE GRAHAM (R-SC): Look, the president and I share the same goal, which is to end the war, to get gas and diesel prices down. And the sanctions bill is one of the tools he can use to do that. Personally, I would choose to keep the pressure on Russia to end the war and get the gas prices down, because I don't trust Putin and I don't trust Russia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was asked about the decision on "Meet the Press" this morning and said the president was making a historic mistake.
My panel is back with me.
All right. Well, is Trump making a mistake here? GARCIA-NAVARRO: Yes. Yes. I mean, there's no question. I think any
sane person knows that he is. It is absolutely unfathomable as to why he is choosing to do this. Most -- like, let's just leave aside the moral issue here. The political issue is that most Americans are not on the side of Russia. Most Americans understand that Russia is our enemy, strategic, and also it doesn't have a democracy. It runs in a completely different system.
You can have a debate as to what we owe or do not owe the Ukrainians, but that is very separate from saying, you know what? We're now going to go all in. I'm going to step away from what Congress has authorized and say, I'm going to go this alone, and we're just going to give Russia whatever it wants. Putin is not a good guy.
[20:45:03]
COATES: The energy secretary, Chris Wright, defended what the president is doing and recent action in Russia, including the deal to allow diesel exports. Listen to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS WRIGHT, ENERGY SECRETARY: This is not a going soft on Russia. This is an incentive to end the war. The war has gone on for four and a half years. And so what President Trump is trying to do is find what different way will lead to peace. Clearly rational conversation, dialogues have not worked. He's always looking for innovations. This is quite innovative actually. What does the world need most of all for energy right now? Diesel. What is Russia not able to supply right now? Diesel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COATES: Is it innovative?
AXELROD: Listen, Darline Graham said, I don't trust Putin, but Trump does. I mean, he's made that clear time and time and time again, going way back to Helsinki when he took the word of Putin over his own intelligence community. He -- somehow he is blaming Ukraine for a war that Russia started. They invaded Ukraine.
And they are -- they have done everything they can to prolong the war right now because they were losing the war. And the president has now put his finger on the scale, and he's funding their wrecked economy with more revenues and lifting those sanctions. If Lindsey Graham were here, as loyal as he was to the president, he would be hard put to defend what the president is doing.
COATES: You know, I want to go to the viewer questions for a second here, because there's a lot of them coming in. I'm glad that you're all weighing in. We've got a panel full of people ready to answer. And here's one question.
Does the -- does the panel think it's appropriate for Trump to have endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu and to say anyone else would be the wrong leader? Speaking of foreign policy. JENNINGS: That's a good question because I do think it's a legitimate
debate about, you know, whether and how much we should be involved in other countries' domestic politics. Now, obviously, they have a very close relationship. They're engaged in this endeavor together right now against Iran, and they have a long history. And so I understand why the president did it. But that's a fair debating point about the level of involvement any United States political leader should have in the, you know, in the domestic politics of another country.
I don't know what's going to happen in Israel. I assume President Trump engaged in this because it's his friend and he thinks his endorsement will make a positive impact on the electorate there. But it's an interesting debate.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Didn't work for Viktor Orban.
ALLISON: Right, right.
AXELROD: Right, right.
COATES: I was about to say.
AXELROD: I mean, the vice president of the United States --
JENNINGS: He went there.
AXELROD: -- went there to campaign for Viktor Orban. The president has intervened in many elections. Here's what I hope. I hope that if Bibi Netanyahu loses, that the next Israeli leader will focus on repairing the relationship, not just with whomever is president of the United States, but with the American people, with the American Jewish community.
I think Bibi Netanyahu has done terrible damage to that relationship and, frankly, to Jews around the world by isolating Israel the way he has. So I hope that, the president's endorsement notwithstanding, that there's a chance for a restart.
JENNINGS: Why is it Netanyahu's fault that his country was attacked and he had to defend his own nation and eradicate these terrorists on his border? I mean, I feel like you're falling into this propaganda trap. It's not Netanyahu's fault that Israel was attacked on October the 7th.
AXELROD: Actually, it may be. We don't know.
JENNINGS: It's not his fault.
AXELROD: We don't know actually.
JENNINGS; Unless you can lay the blame --
AXELROD: Wait. Wait, Scott.
COATES: Hold on.
(CROSSTALK)
AXELROD: And I've heard all of this before. We actually don't know if --
(CROSSTALK)
AXELROD: We don't know if he can be blamed because he won't allow the -- what would be customary in Israel for an official review of the events leading up to this. That's one of the issues in the campaign.
TODD: That's one of the issues in the election.
AXELROD: So, yes, I don't know that he can't be blamed.
JENNINGS: Fine. But who attacked who?
AXELROD: It's not fine if he was negligent and that led to a massacre of Jewish people.
TODD: No. Negligence didn't lead to a massacre.
AXELROD: The defenses weren't there.
JENNINGS: Who did the massacring, Axe?
TODD: That's right.
AXELROD: No.
JENNINGS: Can you not just say --
AXELROD: I -- listen.
COATES: I think he's talking about --
TODD: Let's go back to American politics on this question.
COATES: Well, this well -- well, this is why it's important to a discussion in American politics. This has been a very big discussion throughout candidates and throughout elections all across this country. And voters are looking to have these answers. But I also -- go ahead.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: And also it's a central issue in Israel itself.
AXELROD: It is.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: I mean, this is -- this is not just a debate here. It's a debate among the electorate in Israel. How far should they blame the government that was in power when this horrific attack happened for this catastrophe? And so -- and so no one is saying, yay, Hamas. What they're saying is, we have a --
JENNINGS: Some people are.
(CROSSTALK) GARCIA-NAVARRO: No, I'm sorry, not inside Israel.
ALLISON: Who? Who, Scott?
GARCIA-NAVARRO: And let me --
ALLISON: Who?
GARCIA-NAVARRO: You're being disingenuous. And the other thing is, they are about to have an election where they're going to decide that very issue.
[20:50:00]
And may I also say the person that is running against Bibi Netanyahu is not some sort of left-wing Hamas supporter.
(CROSSTALK)
TODD: He says he's right on the war.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: And also as a former general, so --
(CROSSTALK)
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Lost his own son --
COATES: I want -- I want to -- wait.
AXELROD: Let's bring this back to American politics.
COATES: And I do right now. I'm going to right now. Thank you. This is the question. I mean, a lot of you have been weighing in. And I want to get to them. This is a very important discussion as well. but we're going to get to our viewer questions. And they are on different page. And the page they're on is, why do Republicans assume money will make some of their horrible candidates better?
Well, a loaded question, but money in politics has been a big thing.
ALLISON: Politics. Yes.
TODD: You can't make -- I answered this question online already. You cannot take money and make a bad candidate good. Democrats are finding that right now in Maine with Troy Jackson. Republicans are finding it with Ken Paxton in Texas. Good candidates win elections, and money helps them get there. But you can't take a bad candidate and make them suddenly really good.
ALLISON: I agree.
AXELROD: No, but that's not what happens with the money. What happens with the money is you take the money and try and make a good opponent less good by running hundreds of millions of dollars of negative media against them. That's what's going on in Texas, and it's still not moving the needle there. TODD: James Talarico is the wrong nominee in Texas. If they had
nominated a Hispanic who was devoutly Catholic and pro-life instead of an Austin unitarian, Texas would be -- Ken Paxton would probably be history right now.
COATES: Well, we'll see in 15 days.
AXELROD: You think that's he's -- you're thinking that he's losing because he's --
TODD: No, I think James Talarico is too far left for Texas.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: A unitarian?
COATES: That's the first I've heard of it.
AXELROD: Oh, I see.
ALLISON: He's Presbyterian.
TODD: Unitarianism is a generic bonfire.
ALLISON: I know what a unitarian is.
TODD: You know what -- yes.
AXELROD: Yes. But that's what -- listen, when I spoke to some of the folks around the Trump campaign at the beginning of the year, one of the things they noted was that Democrats had outspent Republicans dramatically in the last two midterms, and they weren't going to let that happen again. They did say they were going to try and make left- wing candidates the face of the Democratic Party. They've done that.
The third thing they thought was that their tax cuts would turn people's minds around on the economy, and they didn't account for the president going to war and getting into a trade war with Canada. And that has made the difference for Republicans across the country.
COATES: Guess what, everyone? Your question we're going to answer online as well. Just go to CNN.com/EngagePolitics. We're weighing in there as well. And please stand by because up next, Latino voters who once backed Trump in Florida now starting to have second thoughts.
CNN's Arlette Saenz spoke to them, and she joins us live from Miami with what she heard. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:57:04]
COATES: You know, President Trump has long touted the gains he made with Hispanic voters in 2024, but this year, all that progress is threatened by the economy and inflation and his immigration crackdown.
CNN's Arlette Saenz shows us how those fears are actually materializing in a south Florida district that Trump actually won by 15 points.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAYUMI CASTRO FERNANDEZ, VOTER: We had to make a difference.
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mayumi Castro Fernandez is knocking doors in Miami for this election, but this time she's walking a different path after regretting her vote for President Trump in 2024.
CASTRO FERNANDEZ: The gas, the food, everything go up. He not make it one promise that he did in last time.
SAENZ (voice-over): She's among the Latino voters who could decide the midterm elections as an NBC News-Telemundo poll showed only 27 percent of Latino voters approve of Trump's performance.
President Trump flipped Miami-Dade County in the last election, the first Republican to win here since 1988, and that victory was fueled in large part by Hispanic voters.
(Through text translation): Are you happy with President Trump or not?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through text translation): Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through text translation): I am extremely happy.
SAENZ: With President Trump?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through text translation): Number one in the world.
SAENZ (voice-over): Domino Park in Little Havana sits in the 27th Congressional District, where two former TV anchors are facing off, GOP Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar and Democrat Eliot Rodriguez.
ELIOTT RODRIGUEZ (D), CANDIDATE FOR FLORIDA REPRESENTATIVE: We did not vote for this economy.
SAENZ (voice-over): Salazar won by more than 20 points in 2024, but is now facing deep voter anxiety over the cost of living and Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement. As south Florida feels the sting of Trump's immigration crackdown, Salazar pushed back with this ad.
REP. MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR (R-FL): Mister President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far.
ELIOTT: I think voters in this district are smart enough to see through this and see this as crocodile tears. She voted for these policies.
SAENZ (voice-over): Karina Castillo, a Venezuelan American in a neighboring district, voted for Trump in 2024 but now regrets it, in part because of his immigration actions.
KARINA CASTILLO, VOTER: I saw all the executive orders that he signed, and I start comparing to the Constitution of the United States. I saw all the violations of the law. At the time I got scared.
SAENZ (voice-over): Kevin Cooper, chair of the Miami-Dade GOP, argues the Democratic alternative doesn't sit well with many voters who have fled socialist countries and may see similarities.
KEVIN COOPER, CHAIR, MIAMI-DADE GOP: Are we going to be free, or are we going to continue to embrace socialism from the left? And the left cannot win. That's not an ideology that people here are willing to accept.
SAENZ (voice-over): Castro Fernandez is turning her frustration into action, canvasing with her local union.
CASTRO FERNANDEZ: We need to change. I changed my mind. They can change, too.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SAENZ (on camera): Now, Latino voters could be key in races across the country, including in Texas.
