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00:00home to their families.
00:01There is also hope that a ceasefire deal could keep Iran from attacking Israel in a retaliatory
00:09attack after the killing of the Hamas leader, Haniyeh, in Tehran, a very bold hit that took
00:16him out a couple of weeks ago.
00:18Hamas is avoiding these talks.
00:20They have frozen them out.
00:22They're not there.
00:23Let's go live to Tel Aviv and correspondent Alex Hogan for the very latest on these ongoing
00:28talks.
00:30Hi, Martha.
00:31So President Biden earlier today confirmed that Egypt and Qatar are providing representation
00:36for Hamas, even though, as you mentioned, they specifically are not formally taking
00:40part.
00:41But Hamas did just release a statement just minutes ago saying that in order for any deal,
00:45I'm going to read part of this, that they are saying that they would need a complete
00:50ceasefire, a complete withdrawal from Gaza.
00:52This would include the return of the hostages, the return of displaced people, and also a
00:57hostage exchange.
00:58So a lot to iron out, but this comes as the Israeli government tonight confirms that their
01:03delegates will remain in Doha tomorrow.
01:08The focus now is working on the details of the implementation and details of execution
01:14and specific implementing measures.
01:16There are, of course, still gaps and things that need to be bridged in that space.
01:20But when we're talking about the overall framework, that has been generally accepted, and that
01:24continues to be the case.
01:28So there is a tremendous amount of international pressure, Martha, and hope that today there
01:32would be some increase in diplomacy.
01:35Again, we are going to see that these conversations are going to go into tomorrow.
01:39It comes as today the U.S. announced that there are new sanctions against some Iranian
01:43proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis.
01:47So Martha, it really just does go to show the incredibly large tensions here on the
01:52ground.
01:53Yeah, absolutely.
01:54Thank you for your reporting from Tel Aviv, Alex.
01:56Good to see you.
01:57Good to see you, Alex Hogan, tonight.
01:58So that is the story of this Thursday, August the 15th.
02:02These are busy times as we get into the final days of summer and we head towards Labor Day
02:07where we're going to see a big turn, I think, in our coverage of all of this.
02:10It will intensify as we head towards Election Day.
02:13The story goes on.
02:14So I will be right here to share it with you tomorrow at 3 o'clock in Your World Starts.
02:23Right now, Martha, you're looking live at Bedminster, New Jersey, where Donald Trump
02:26is set to hold a news conference just moments from now, in case you're counting, that's
02:30the second.
02:31You heard us right.
02:32The second in less than a week.
02:33As his opponent, Kamala Harris, is facing pressure to do the same, not yet, though,
02:37they're locked in a dead heat as they try to win over key battleground states that are
02:40suddenly closer than they have ever been.
02:43Welcome, everybody.
02:44I'm Neil Cavito.
02:45Glad to have you.
02:46First to that news conference, again, the second in a week, Ayesha Hosni in Bedminster
02:51and what we might be able to expect.
02:54Hey, Ayesha.
02:55Hey, Neil.
02:56Good to see you.
02:57What we saw him earlier today, he sort of waved over at the press, seemed to be in good
03:02spirit, so he was happy to see us, which is a good sign for us, because that might mean
03:06we get a lot of questions today out of him.
03:09We are told by the campaign today that he's going to talk about inflation and the economy
03:14again, similar to what he was doing last night in Asheville, North Carolina.
03:18And if you can see right behind me, they've got some show-and-tell items out, got some
03:22milk, eggs, butter.
03:23I don't see bacon, but we've got some butter and some bread and a lot of different items.
03:28And they're going to talk about the food prices being sky high, and he's going to blame that
03:33squarely again on Vice President Kamala Harris and her inability to bring these food prices
03:39down in her four years, nearly four years in office, and how she's been unable to fix
03:45it.
03:46The very similar messaging, I'm told by campaign officials today, to what we heard last night
03:50in Asheville.
03:51Listen.
03:52Kamala Harris won't end the economic crisis.
03:56She will only make it worse.
03:59And why hasn't she done it?
04:00She talks about it.
04:01She's doing a plan.
04:02You know, she's going to announce it this week, maybe she's she's she's waiting for
04:07me to announce it so she can copy it.
04:11But today, again, is all about the visual as well of the president having a press conference,
04:17taking questions while Harris does not.
04:19One of the questions I imagine, Neal, that he'll get today is about the recent polling
04:24that shows that he and Harris are neck and neck.
04:26In fact, Fox News poll brand new from yesterday has him up by just one point, but Harris is
04:31leading him in some other polls out there by a few points.
04:34So what is it going to take for the former president to break away from that?
04:38Now, Trump is beefing up his campaign, bringing on his 2016 campaign manager, longtime adviser
04:43Corey Lewandowski, his 2020 communications director, Tim Murtaugh, and other veterans
04:49who've been working at the Super PAC MAGA, Inc.
04:51They're all joining the team now.
04:52The campaign says that it's bringing in more people for this final stretch to really beef
04:57up their team.
04:58Not really a shakeup, they're saying, though there have been plenty of reports out there
05:01about internal frustrations behind the scenes.
05:04Fox has also told that the Trump campaign, or Trump rather, is going to be picking up
05:08the pace on the trail.
05:09He and his surrogates are going to be all over the map next week during the Democratic
05:13National Convention, going to try to counter programs, steal some of the spotlight away
05:17from Kamala Harris.
05:19But for now, he's taking questions.
05:22That is the point he's making today.
05:24One hitting Harris on the economy, hitting the Biden-Harris team on the economy and also
05:28making the point that he's out here.
05:30He's talking to the press.
05:31He's taking questions while she is not.
05:34Starts at 4.30.
05:35Neil.
05:36All right, look, I do notice, I know you're very busy, but I don't notice any Italian
05:40sausage samples behind you, marinara sauce or pasta, all of which are up double digits
05:47in New Jersey.
05:48I thought about it for a second.
05:49I don't think it's a good idea.
05:51It's like it's like 100 degrees out here.
05:53So bacon and sausage is probably not a good idea to set out there.
05:56But we got a whole spread in case anybody gets hungry.
06:00You're in New Jersey.
06:01The Italian sausage is a staple.
06:04All right.
06:05Very glad you're so close.
06:06On that, we'll be hearing from the former president again at the bottom of the hour.
06:11His second press conference in as many weeks.
06:13Mike Emanuel, meanwhile, following the president and the vice president, making a rare joint
06:17appearance today.
06:18Mike.
06:19Hi, Neil.
06:20It looked like a campaign rally in Maryland, but it was considered an official White House
06:24event.
06:25President Biden and Vice President Harris appearing together side by side on stage.
06:30The event coming a day before Harris puts out her own economic platform ever since dropping
06:35out of the presidential campaign.
06:37Mr. Biden has kept a pretty low profile today.
06:40Harris gave him a warm embrace.
06:44And of course, I could speak all afternoon about the person that I am standing on this
06:49stage with.
06:50There's a lot of love in this room for our president.
06:58Some recent polling suggests swing state voters associate by dynamics with inflation.
07:04But the president tried to sell their record.
07:06Camelot here today to make a major announcement in an effort to lower, lower the extraordinary
07:13high prescription drug prices.
07:16There is also reporting from Axios that Harris is hoping to distance herself from the president's
07:21low approval numbers on the economy.
07:24My colleague, Peter Doocy, asked Mr. Biden about that possibility.
07:28How much does it bother you that Vice President Harris might soon, for political reasons,
07:33start to distance herself from your economic platform?
07:37She's not going to.
07:39Today was a very warm and respectful moment between Harris and the president.
07:44Tomorrow may be a different story when she pledges to tackle inflation on day one and
07:49is likely to acknowledge that costs are too high.
07:52Michael?
07:53Mike, thank you for that, Michael Emanuel in Washington.
07:56So the fallout from all of this, say what you will of Donald Trump, the fact of the
08:02matter is, and even some Democrats are feeling the pinch here, he is constantly before the
08:07press.
08:08Again, I said this is the second press conference in a week.
08:11She has as yet to do so.
08:13Bill McGurn, the Wall Street Journal editorial board member, former Bush 43, speechwriter.
08:17We've also got Carly Cooperman here, Democratic pollster, Sean Cooperman, research CEO.
08:22But Carly, ending with you, she's not doing that.
08:24Now, it's not hurting her in the polls.
08:25In fact, if anything, she's been gaining with this strategy, enjoying this honeymoon period
08:29that probably will extend into the Democratic convention next week.
08:33But do you think pressure is building that she should talk to reporters more, just get
08:39out of this campaign bubble more?
08:41Yeah, yeah, I do, absolutely.
08:44The pressure is certainly building for her to get out on the trail more and talk to reporters.
08:50And I think Trump is trying to raise the stakes by doing another press conference himself.
08:56And I also think Trump's calculation is that even though he has been off message and less
09:01disciplined about his campaign as she has really reset the election and made it tied
09:06between the two candidates, any attention that he can get and try to own that economic
09:11message, which has been a strong suit for him against Biden, and try to take control
09:16again of the narrative again is to his benefit.
09:18And so it's working for Kamala so far, but I think Trump is trying to do anything he
09:22can to take the spotlight back on him in a positive way.
09:27Well, I can see, Bill, and you've talked a good deal about it, that the president, the
09:32former president, is trying to retake the initiative on issues that by and large work
09:37to his favor if he keeps pounding the border, the economy, inflation, even though the trend
09:41of increases is ebbing down, overall prices, as you've reported very well, are up
09:46substantially during this administration.
09:50Republicans say he's got to stick to that and less to the personal attacks and all that.
09:53You've heard that a million times, but they now like to present numbers that show it
09:58could hurt him as she's surging and he's doing this.
10:01They're dead even now.
10:03So what do you think?
10:05Well, she's surging because she's in a bubble.
10:08She's not answered questions or held a press conference.
10:12I don't think that's going to change because it's working for her.
10:15I don't think Trump having a press conference is much going to affect that either.
10:21It's good that he does that.
10:22The contrast is there.
10:23But the fact is he should count on the press never calling her to account besides a few
10:30token questions on answering questions, holding press conferences.
10:35I think he has to concentrate on the debates.
10:38That's where he could show the American people who Kamala Harris is without the media
10:43getting in the way.
10:45That's his chance to reset just just as if as when the American people saw who Joe Biden
10:51really was in a state that ultimately forces withdrawal.
10:56I think that's a game changer.
10:57I don't think she's going to much change her strategy, and I don't think the press is
11:03really going to come down top.
11:06They might ask a question or two, but they're not going to incessantly demand a press
11:10conference.
11:12I don't want to monopolize it as you build a button on that thought here.
11:16The fact of the matter is you and I are at an age where we can remember, let's say it
11:19was Ronald Reagan campaigning in 1980.
11:22His his main form of communication with these speeches and these venues where he'd speak
11:27to large crowds, it wasn't as big a deal back then to appear on what were large.
11:33I know CNN was up and running by that time, but it was really the three major news
11:38networks on the three major networks.
11:40And that was it. And I know it's very different today.
11:44But do we place, I'm saying this about us as journalists, too much emphasis on
11:48ourselves that we're that important to this process?
11:53We do place too much emphasis on ourselves, the egotism.
11:57One thing I don't think people like the moderators, whoever it is, when they're
12:02moderating, they sometimes come across as pompous and condescending.
12:08But that's the only venue.
12:11The important point is to get Kamala to answer the questions about herself, the
12:16better positions, better flip flops and what she's actually running on.
12:22So let me pursue that with you.
12:25I mean, there was a time where where those exchanges with reporters were not as
12:30important, you know, and I and now I understand that's changed, but it's it's
12:36actually gone on steroids the other way with social media and other venues that
12:40now number into the hundreds of options for candidates.
12:43So best not to get overindulgent in it.
12:46What do you think of that?
12:49I think she's using all of the tools in her toolbox in a modern campaign where she
12:54can take these few weeks initially to really try to paint an image of who she is
13:00and what she stands for.
13:01I mean, she's taking the time to come out with a rollout.
13:03We know that she is planning to talk about the economy and inflation tomorrow.
13:09She's she's going to try to use these different ways to communicate the image that
13:16she wants to communicate, especially going into the convention and while she's
13:20enjoying this bump from the polling and the enthusiasm over her candidacy.
13:25But there still is a very critical role that the press places.
13:28And I do believe she's going to talk to the press.
13:33Or but she is trying to run out the clock.
13:35And while I'm not a great sports analyst, usually running out the clock is the
13:40purview of teams that have a good lead, that there's no good lead for her.
13:46It's a dead even race at best.
13:47Now, that's a comeback for her, if you think about it, where Joe Biden was.
13:52But she's not in a position to do that, is she?
13:55Well, also, whenever you try to.
13:58Carly first on that, and then I definitely want to go to you on that bill.
14:02But I can't finish that, though.
14:04Sorry, no, I was going to say that's why I do believe that she is going to go.
14:07You know, I know she said by the end of the month, I get that it's only mid
14:10August, but she knows that what she's doing right now is not enough to push her
14:14over the edge to actually win the election.
14:16But I think Trump would be doing the same thing in terms of, you know, how much
14:20press interaction he had if everything was working for him so far.
14:24Bill. Well, when you have a lead, when you try to run out the clock, the danger
14:30is you lose momentum and then you no longer have time to retake it.
14:35This strategy is working for mentioned every tool in the toolbox.
14:40The tool and the biggest tool in the Democrat toolbox today is hiding her from
14:45the American people.
14:47And the press goes along just, again, token questions, but not really forcing
14:52her to answer. And that's what's going to make the difference.
14:55And that's why I think Donald Trump's only chance, real chance to get her on
15:01the record is a debate where she would have to answer.
15:05Yeah, well, that that's what we decided, but I will say I've noticed as being a
15:10miniature golf aficionado, I've often gone into the 17th and 18th hole right
15:14before the clown's nose.
15:15I had a big lead. I was getting cocky.
15:17Then all of a sudden, you know, my brother would all of a sudden get a hole in
15:20one. I relate this story because it has exactly everything to do with what you
15:25both brilliantly laid out.
15:27Seriously, guys, thank you very, very much.
15:29Never take anything for granted is the message there.
15:32All right. In the meantime, while I leave you are saying what?
15:35We are following the latest developments in the Middle East.
15:38This is an interesting comment from a Hamas official now reiterating that any
15:42deal, whatever they come to to get a ceasefire going, keep in mind that Hamas
15:46isn't part of these talks, but working through subordinates that has to achieve
15:51a complete ceasefire, complete withdrawal from Gaza, return of all hostages,
15:55return of displaced and hostage inherent in an exchange deal.
16:00Check, check, check, check.
16:02Not a one of those focuses on ensuring that we can defend Israel if it is
16:07attacked and ensure that our forces have the firepower they need to be protected
16:11themselves.
16:13I mean, it seems very apparent from just looking at the naval presence we have,
16:17General, in that neck of the woods, that it's substantially bigger than it was
16:21the last time Iran attacked Israel.
16:24It seems like you are taking it as a given that Iran will act on a similar
16:29heft.
16:31Well, look, you know, I'm not going to, again, speculate on what they may do.
16:36We know what they've said publicly and we know that they've indicated that they
16:40will retaliate.
16:44Indeed, General Pat Ryder, the Pentagon spokesman, very right on that, that Iran
16:48has already made it clear by hook or crook one way or another, whether
16:51indirectly or directly through us and or our proxies, there is going to be
16:56a response.
16:58And that has been the weight and the worry near panic in
17:02Israel and across the Middle East since.
17:04Alex Hogan is more now from Tel Aviv.
17:07Alex.
17:10Hi, Neil. So Hamas just released this list of demands saying any deal needs to
17:14include a ceasefire, a return of the hostages, a return of displaced people
17:20as well as an exchange.
17:22So really a lot to comb through a lot of details that need to be worked through this
17:27as the ceasefire negotiations, we understand, will continue at least through
17:31tomorrow. U.S. officials did comment on these talks earlier, saying that some
17:35progress so far has been made.
17:38There, of course, is a lot of work that remains ahead.
17:41This is a complex situation and a complex agreement.
17:45But the work is so important and we're very pleased that these this process
17:50has has has taken place again.
17:55Now, all of this comes as today Gaza's health ministry, which is run by Hamas, says
17:59that 40,000 people have been killed since the start of the war, and 85 percent of
18:03the population in Gaza has been displaced.
18:06And tonight, the IDF says that it has killed 17,000 Hamas militants since
18:11the start of the war, October 7th.
18:13Now, there has been a tremendous amount of international pressure ahead of these
18:16talks this week that there would be some kind of result that would prevent Iran from
18:20attacking Israel and avoid a broader war.
18:23But this is a look at the latest map of U.S.
18:26assets now in the region.
18:27Despite talks today in Qatar, White House spokesperson John Kirby told CNN today that
18:32information still shows that Iran has not moved off of its threat to attack Israel.
18:37So, again, Neil, we know that the talks are expected to resume tomorrow, despite the
18:42fact that Hamas has laid out basically a list of demands and the fact that we are
18:47hearing that there is some progress.
18:49There's just a lot of speculation as to whether or not there really could be a
18:53breakthrough here and tonight in Tel Aviv.
18:56Neil, massive, massive protests breaking out.
18:58These are the families gathering and marching through the streets, demanding that the
19:02government strike a deal, saying that if it doesn't happen now, they really doubt that
19:05any of the hostages will still be alive.
19:08Neil. Alex, be safe.
19:10Thank you very much. Alex Hogan in Tel Aviv.
19:13I want to go to the former U.S.
19:15Central Command commander of the Middle East Institute, senior fellow on national
19:18security, General Joseph Hotel.
19:20General, good to have you back.
19:23Day by day, we get the sense that the pressure is building.
19:27The protests are widening.
19:29The fears are palpable in Israel and throughout the region.
19:33Should they be? Is there any sense or hope that you have?
19:38That Iran doesn't necessarily stand down or that its various proxies, Hezbollah,
19:43Hamas or even the Houthi rebels, will stand down.
19:47But their response might not be as big as we fear.
19:52Yeah, thanks. Thanks, Neil.
19:53It's great to be with you again.
19:55Well, I think one of the things that should give us hopefully or some hope is the fact
19:59that that there are discussions ongoing, that at least a number of the parties to the
20:05agreement are meeting. Hamas is not there, but they've agreed to be back briefed after
20:10this. And so they'll learn some of the details that were discussed and hopefully that
20:14will entice them to to get more involved.
20:16So I think if there is a little ray of hope, it is that there is there are some
20:21diplomatic discussions taking place.
20:23And that could, as long as those are ongoing, that could act as a way to mitigate a
20:29much, much more, much broader Iranian response.
20:35You know, there's a new, more moderate leader, not that I put in quotation marks when
20:40it comes to Iran, but what defines moderate.
20:42But he still has to answer to an Ayatollah, of course, who has a very, very different,
20:47harsher view of things.
20:48How does he balance that out?
20:51Who is the one balancing all of this out in Iran?
20:56Yeah, I think one of the things with the new new Iranian leader, I think one of the
20:59reasons he was selected was to kind of help focus on some of the economic challenges
21:04that that Iran has, which are considerable, frankly.
21:07And so, you know, perhaps one of the things that he could do if he if he chose to in
21:12terms of this is introduce those kinds of ideas into the discussion that's going on
21:16and appreciating the long term impacts to their economy, to an already struggling
21:22economy that Iran has in the event they get into a much larger exchange with with
21:28Israel and and perhaps, you know, perhaps the United States in this.
21:33So I think they have to address some of those fundamental challenges.
21:37And I think the the job for him will be convincing the Iranian leadership that those
21:41have to rise to the top of the pile of considerations.
21:46You know, we look at these economic considerations too generally, and you're very
21:50astute at combining that real business world with the political military world,
21:55because the currency for so much of Iran does and funding through which it reaches its
22:01proxies is oil and oil prices are down and they're down substantially from the
22:08initial October 7th Hamas led attacks on Israel.
22:12So the very kind of threatening activities that they that they led have now cost them
22:18dearly. Now, not as dearly as some had hoped, but but still considerable.
22:26How how do they weigh that?
22:28Because any volatile or provocative act will temporarily lift oil prices.
22:34But we've learned that they're very short lived events.
22:38Right. Yeah, no, I think you're highlighting some of the challenges that they have here.
22:42They they certainly have some some people that are buying their oil and they've got some
22:46relationships out there, whether it's Russia or China or others, North Korea, that may
22:51buy some of their buy some of their oil and provide some of this.
22:57But I think you're highlighting a fundamental challenge of the region, and that is the
23:01diversification of the economy over there.
23:04We've seen efforts in Saudi Arabia and certainly some of the other Gulf Arab countries
23:08to try to diversify their economies and get away from from an economy that is completely
23:13built on fossil fuels.
23:15We've seen that that whole that whole market change over the last several decades.
23:20And it isn't that we won't need that.
23:22We will. But there are other resources to get that to include our own country here.
23:27So, you know, the diversification of the economies in this area is extraordinarily
23:32important for I think for for long term stability, not just in Iran, but more broadly
23:38across the region. All right, General, thank you again.
23:41Always good catching up and learning from you.
23:44We are following that. We're waiting to hear from Donald Trump.
23:46His second big press conference, this in Bedminster, New Jersey.
23:51In about a week, he's got a lot of very interesting things set up for this.
23:54Some visuals, if you will, to show the impact of inflation, among other things he'll
23:58outline in about five, six minutes or so ahead of that.
24:02Looking at protests last night in New York, anti-Israeli protests that some fear could
24:08be a sign of things to come next week in Chicago.
24:21All right, anti-Israeli protesters in New York, they were trying to storm a Kamala
24:27Harris event. She was not there, but it was a Democratic event.
24:31And some people looked at this as maybe a preview of coming attractions in Chicago
24:35next week as Democrats gather for their convention.
24:37Nate Foy has more from New York.
24:39Hey, Nate.
24:43Hey, Neil, yeah, that's something that New York Governor Kathy Hochul talked about
24:46today, and you'll hear from her in a second.
24:47But first, the NYPD says they took 14 people into custody last night at a
24:52pro-Palestinian rally that really turned into a riot here in Harlem.
24:57And sources tell Fox News that one person is accused of assaulting a police officer.
25:01Take a look at this brand new video just into our newsroom showing a protester
25:05swinging a cardboard sign at police.
25:08You see they take her to the ground.
25:10And today, Kathy Hochul reacted to this protest.
25:13Listen to this.
25:15Protests are part of the experience.
25:19This is an opportunity for people to exercise their freedom of speech, whether
25:23it's a kickoff rally here or in Chicago.
25:29Look at this, Neil, at least one person set off a smoke bomb last night.
25:33Those arrested face charges including attempted assault, disorderly conduct and
25:37rioting.
25:44And before all that, Neil, protesters interrupted New York Democrats eating
25:52dinner after an unofficial campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris.
25:56Listen to this.
26:09Earlier in the night, Neil, protesters booed New York City Mayor Eric Adams and
26:14got kicked out of the pro-Harris rally.
26:16More than that, Columbia University's president resigned after, you remember,
26:21weeks of anti-Israel protest on campus this spring.
26:24Manoush Shafiq stepped down after leading the university for less than a year.
26:29It happened one week after three university deans resigned for anti-Semitic text
26:34messages. Now, Neil, today I spoke with the owner of this restaurant where that
26:38riot unfolded here in Harlem last night.
26:41He said that he is going to fix all of the damage caused by the rioters himself
26:46and that he expects it to cost him thousands of dollars.
26:49We'll send it back to you.
26:51Thank you, my friend, Nate Foy, in the middle of New York after all of that.
26:55I want to go to Chris Aduno, the governor of New Hampshire, what he makes of the
26:59backdrop for the president's second press conference.
27:02Obviously, these protests and the whole Israel thing and the tender hooks to war
27:07governor are going to be part of the questioning he'll get, as will the state
27:12of the economy. He's going to be showing that inflation is a real problem.
27:15But we got some numbers today and a soaring market response today, the sign
27:19that consumers are doing a lot better than thought.
27:21Strongest retail sales in a year and a half.
27:23Amazon bullish, Target bullish, Walmart saying its customers are robustly into
27:29buying stuff. What do you think of all that?
27:33Well, a couple of things. First, I mean, let's note that the former
27:36President Trump actually has a backdrop to a press conference because he holds
27:39press conferences and Kamala Harris has gotten away with not having to answer to
27:44the press in any way. So right there, you have a clear juxtaposition on when it
27:47comes to inflation, when it comes to the cost of living, folks are not going to
27:51make their decisions simply based on what's happened in the past couple of
27:53months. They're going to look at what's happened over the past four years.
27:56And that's where you're looking at 25, 30, 35 percent inflationary and cost
28:00increases on a lot of things.
28:02Now, if you look at their spending, but look at the debt, all of those
28:06individuals are getting their credit card bills in September and October as
28:09well. And America is still dealing with record credit card debt.
28:13And so these are the stresses, these are the strains that people are going to be
28:16feeling, the anxieties. Sure, people are buying, their kids are going back to
28:20school, they're coming off vacation, they're getting back into their daily
28:23lives. So that buying is just naturally going to happen.
28:25But in September and October, the cost of living is going to be a very real issue
28:29in this campaign, a very real issue for Americans, as long as the former
28:32president can keep his focus there and stay professional on the campaign and
28:36talk about the things that Americans want to talk about.
28:38As soon as he goes off tangent, that's where he's letting the Democrats
28:43take the election. That should be his by a landslide.
28:46It really should.
28:49So let me ask you this.
28:51You referred to something there to going up at a 35 percent clip or something
28:54like that.
28:56What? What's that? I mean, you're right.
28:59Yes, it's one. Look, since 2020.
29:03Go ahead.
29:05No, no. Look, since people look, we'll look at the cost of living over the
29:09over the life of the administration, so that's 10 percent inflation in 2020 or
29:132021, another 12 percent, another seven percent, another four percent.
29:18It's cumulative. It keeps adding up.
29:19Try to get a contractor to come over and it doesn't.
29:24It doesn't. I know it looks that way, but it doesn't.
29:26It's the rate of increase is going. I don't mean that you're right.
29:30The inflation is weird, but at the rate of increase is slowing down.
29:33In other words, you don't take these increases.
29:35Yes. People don't care about the rate of increase.
29:37So I look at what they paid yesterday and what they're paying today.
29:40You're right. You're right to say inflation is an issue.
29:43And the former president is going to outline certain items that have gone up
29:45markedly during that time.
29:48But are you worried just economically that given the market come back from the
29:53fall of and you and I discussed this before, do not judge a market after a
29:56couple of days or even a few days, but that the sense you're getting from the
30:01retailers and the big names is that the consumer is far from tapped out.
30:06So what do you make of that?
30:08Yeah, look, the economy is still going to stay a bit overinflated because there's
30:11still so much government money out there.
30:13That's why Biden tried to tell everyone that Bidenomics was working, because on a
30:17macroeconomic scale, it's still being pumped up by a lot of federal money that
30:21has yet to be spent. Remember that ARPA dollars, all that federal money was
30:24designed to be spent through 2025, 2026.
30:27I mean, they very strategically did that.
30:29But at the end of the day, it's what the individuals are feeling.
30:32And look, these retail numbers are good.
30:34Yeah, that's great. They got they got a one really good month.
30:36That's terrific. But there's still record credit card debt.
30:39People can't find homes.
30:40The immigration issue is very real.
30:42The migrant crisis in these cities is very real.
30:45And as long as we get back to those issues.
30:46I want to allow you to focus on this because the president for president is going to
30:49come out soon. But you mentioned something interesting about what he's got to do to
30:53stick to those issues. This one is a good one.
30:55Inflation, the economy, the border, all this other stuff that you've urged him to
31:00focus on. Are you pleased that lately he has been doing just that or trying to?
31:07He's he's getting back to it.
31:08And I've always said the best poll number you're going to see is the first real one
31:12is just after Labor Day after the Americans kind of digest all this after the the
31:16Democrat convention. But at the end of the day, if he can focus on those those issues
31:21for the last 60 days, he should win this.
31:23I mean, any other candidate would be winning and winning huge.
31:26So this is on Trump's shoulders to close the deal.
31:29Right. I've always said you can't tell you can't, you know, not focus on issues
31:34effectively, give the election away and then tell people it was stolen from you on
31:37November 5th. He should be winning big.
31:39And if he stays professional, if he focuses on campaign, focus on those undecided
31:44voters, not just his base.
31:46That's what what matters. And that's how he could kind of get that that fire back that
31:49he had a month and a half ago.
31:52Now, I know New Hampshire governor is not considered a battleground state, but when I
31:56look at some of the polls across the country, I mean, I'm surprised it's as tight as
32:00it is, but I don't follow this nearly as well as you do.
32:04What do you make of New Hampshire and what New Hampshire voters are saying right now?
32:08Because it's almost a 50 50 split.
32:11Kamala is always going to someone with Kamala's background is always going to do well
32:15in New Hampshire. There's no doubt Trump could win here and he can at least keep it
32:18close, if not win. He almost did in 2016.
32:21We have a lot of folks that don't really we don't poll very accurately.
32:24We have a lot of folks that will kind of come out of the woodwork, if you will, and
32:27likely support the former president on November 5th.
32:29So I don't look at those polls too, too carefully.
32:31I infamously was told I was going to lose by 11 points on Election Day here in New
32:35Hampshire. And we won by two.
32:36So a lot can happen in New Hampshire.
32:38But I think everyone knows Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin.
32:44You know, if Trump does well in those states and he will, then this is this is his race
32:49to lose.