Trump: US Won’t Attack Iran Before Midterm Elections

>> THIS IS "BALANCE OF POWER," LIVE FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. KAILEY: TONIGHT, ROOM FOR DIPLOMACY. PRESIDENT TRUMP MAKES CLEAR ON TRUTH SOCIAL THE U.S. WILL NOT ATTACK IRAN BEFORE THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, CITING PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS. TRUMP'S COMMENTS FOLLOW REPORTING THAT SUGGESTED TO MOVE AGAINST IRAN WAS IMMINENT. WE WILL GET A REACTION FROM A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN IS AT WORK. THE DEBATE STAGE -- THREE OF THE COUNTRY'S CLOSEST SENATE RACES TAKE CENTER STAGE TONIGHT WITH DEBATES IN MAINE, MICHIGAN, AND GEORGIA. REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES NAVIGATE WHEN AND HOW FAR TO BREAK WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP. WE WILL DIG INTO THE STAKES IN THE DEBRIEF WASN'T SUSPENDED -- THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FREEZES MICROSOFT AND SEVERAL MAJOR TECH FIRMS FROM A FEDERAL PROGRAM USED TO SPONSOR FOREIGN WORKERS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCY, ACCUSING THE COMPANIES OF WIDESPREAD ABUSE. MICROSOFT IS PUSHING BACK, SAYING ITS APPLICATIONS MEET THE PROGRAM'S REQUIREMENTS. FROM BLOOMBERG'S WASHINGTON, D.C., STUDIOS TO OUR TV AND RADIO AUDIENCES WORLDWIDE, WELCOME TO "BALANCE OF POWER." I'M KAILEY LEINZ, ALONGSIDE JOE MATHIEU. JOE: WE BEGIN WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DEFINITIVE STAND AGAINST IRAN, A ANNOUNCING ON TRUT SOCIAL "WE WILL NOT BE ATTACKING IRAN PRIOR TO THE MISSION ELECTIONS." LET'S GET MORE FROM OUR BLOOMBERG WHITE HOUSE REPORTER LIVE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE LAWN. WHY BE SO DEFINITIVE IN A TIME OF SUCH UNCERTAINTY? >> WELL THIS IS A NOTABLE CONCESSION BEFORE THE ELECTION, AND ONE THAT COMES FROM A PRESIDENT WHO HAS REPEATEDLY SAID HE DOESN'T THINK ABOUT THE ELECTION WHEN HE IS MAKING HIS IRAN STRATEGY. IT IS UNDENIABLE THAT ATTACKS BEFORE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION WOULD -- ANY KIND OF ESCALATION WOULD LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN OIL AND FUEL PRICES, AND WE KNOW THAT THOSE ISSUES ARE TOP OF MIND FOR VOTERS AS THEY HEADED TOWARD THE BALLOT BOX IN NOVEMBER. THAT IS THE UNDENIABLE BACKDROP FOR WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID TODAY. THIS DECLARATION WEEKS OUT FROM ELECTION DAY IS NOTABLE BECAUSE IT COMES AMID AN ESCALATION BY TEHRAN. YOU HAVE AN INCREASE IN ATTACKS ON THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ, YOU HAVE ATTACKS BY TEHRAN-BACKED REBELS AND MILITANTS ON ENERGY FACILITIES IN SAUDI ARABIA, AND YOU HAVE THE U.S. PULLING THOSE FARMERS OUT OF THE U.K. MILITARY BASE OVER CONCERNS OVER POSSIBLE IRAN-RELATED ATTACK. THERE IS A DISTANCE BETWEEN WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID AND WHAT WE ARE SEEING ON THE GROUND IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE U.K. THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID BEFORE THAT HE IS SEEING PROGRESS IN A STOCK AND USE THAT AS A WAY TO WAIVE OFF FUTURE ATTACKS. HE HAS DONE FEINTS BEFORE WHERE HE'D SAID SOMETHING ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN AND IT IS TO CATCH OPPONENTS BY SURPRISE, ALL OF WHICH COULD BE IN PLAY HERE, TOO. KAILEY: JEN, AS WE HEARD THIS FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP, HE HAD AN EVENT AT THE INSTITUTE OF PEACE, WHERE HE WAS PARTICIPATING IN THE NEW GOLDEN AGE SUMMIT, BESTOWING MEDALS ON THE LIKES OF NVIDIA'S JENSEN HUANG AND MICROSOFT'S SATYA NADELLA, STRIKING AFTER WE GOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM JD VANCE THAT MICROSOFT IS SUSPENDED FROM A KEY VISA PROGRAM THAT RELIES ON FOREIGN WORKERS. THIS WAS JD VANCE AT A PROTECTING AMERICAN WORKERS OF AN EARLIER. VICE PRES. VANCE: THERE HAS BEEN NO COMPANY IN THE UNITED STATES UNFORTUNATELY WHO HAS ABUSED THE SYSTEM MORE THAN MICROSOFT. WE HAVE DECIDED TO SUSPEND THE PROGRAM FOR MICROSOFT, WHICH MEANS THEY WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO APPLY -- THEY WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO TAKE THOSE H-1B'S AND APPLY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. KAILEY: WELL, AND IT WASN'T JUST MICROSOFT. IT APPLIES TO A NUMBER OF TECH COMPANIES. WHY IS THE ADMINISTRATION PURSUING THIS? JENNIFER: THE VICE PRESIDENT TODAY WAS TAPPING INTO LONG-STANDING CONCERNS ABOUT SILICON VALLEY'S RELIANCE ON FOREIGN WORKERS. THIS IS AN EFFORT BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO TAP INTO THOSE CONCERNS AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY TO REALLY DEAL WITH ANOTHER ASPECT OF THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE. NOTABLY, VICE PRESIDENT VANCE, HE USED VERY STRONG LANGUAGE IN CHARACTERIZING HOW COMPANIES ARE USING THIS PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS THEM TO SPONSOR FOREIGN WORKERS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCY. HE ACCUSED THEM OF HIRING FOREIGN WORKERS AS INDENTURED SERVANTS. THOSE WERE HIS WORDS. AND PAYING THEM LESS THAN THEIR AMERICAN COUNTERPARTS, THEREBY UNDERCUTTING U.S. WAGES. REALLY STRONG LANGUAGE FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT. THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS ALREADY LOOKED TO CUT BACK THE USE OF THE H-1B PROGRAM FOR HIGHLY SKILLED WORKERS. THEY HAVE INCREASED THE COST TO USE THE PROGRAM AND LIMITED IT IN OTHER WAYS. REALLY THIS IS AN ESCALATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS TO LIMIT BOTH LEGAL AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IN SOME WAYS INTO THE UNITED STATES. AGAIN, PLAYING AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF MIDTERM ELECTION -- OF THE ELECTION, WHERE CONCERNS ABOUT WORKFORCE, ABOUT FINDING JOBS, JUST PAYING FOR DAILY GOODS IS LOOMING LARGE OVER THE ELECTORATE. KAILEY: INDEED. JEN, THANK YOU. FOR MORE CAN WE BRING IN DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES BEEN RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI --CONGRESSMAN RAJA KRISHNAMOORTHI OF ILLINOIS. WELCOME BACK TO "BALANCE OF POWER." I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN WITH THE PRESIDENT'S POST AND THE SUGGESTION THAT THE U.S. WILL NOT BE STRIKING THE COUNTRY BEFORE THE MIDTERMS ON NOVEMBER 3. WHAT COULD THAT GIVE IRAN THE SPACE TO DO BETWEEN NOW AND THEN? IS THIS SOMETHING THE REGIME COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: OH, SURE. THEY COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT MILITARILY, AND ECONOMICALLY IN DIFFERENT WAYS. IN GENERAL, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THE LEADER OF THE UNITED STATES TO BE TELEGRAPHING TO THE WORLD WHAT OUR INTENTIONS ARE. ALL THAT BEING SAID, THIS WAR IS A DISASTER. IT IS ILLEGAL, IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, IT IS HURTING US ECONOMICALLY, IT IS COSTING MY CONSTITUENTS SIX DOLLARS AND SEVEN DOLLARS GAS AND DIESEL, RESPECTIVELY. AND PEOPLE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF IT. HAVE GOT TO BRING IT TO A CLOSE ASAP. THAT WOULD'VE BEEN A BETTER ANNOUNCEMENT THAN SAYING WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY MILITARY STRIKES UNTIL RIGHT AFTER THE ELECTION. JOE: CONGRESSMAN, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK. I'M READING THE PRESIDENT'S CLOSED ON GUEST HOST ON TRUTH -- READING THE PRESIDENT'S POST ON TRUTH SOCIAL, SAYING THAT WE ARE HAVING PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH IRAN. AS A MEMBER OF THE INTEL COMMITTEE, ARE YOU HEARING THAT AS WELL? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: NO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS TALKING ABOUT. AT THIS POINT I DON'T PUT A LOT OF STOCK IN WHAT HE SAYS FOR THE ANYTIME HE SAYS WE ARE DOING SOMETHING, IT IS NOT CLEAR WE ARE DOING IT. I WON'T BE SURPRISED IF TOMORROW IRAN SAYS NO, WE ARE NOT HAVING ANY TALKS WHATSOEVER. HIS CREDIBILITY IS SHOT AT THIS POINT. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT MAKES US LESS SAFE BECAUSE IT LOWERS OUR DETERRENCE, IT INVITES AGGRESSION, IT IS DRAWING FORCES FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD TO THE REGION, THE MIDDLE EAST REGION, THEREBY ENCOURAGING FOLKS LIKE THE CHINESE, AND HIS THE RUSSIANS TO VIEW US AS MORE VULNERABLE. AND THAT IS BAD FOR US IN THE LONG RUN. KAILEY: CONGRESSMAN, IF HE DOES INTEND TO RESTART THE FIGHTING AFTER THE MIDTERMS, WHEN CONGRESS WILL BE RESUMING THE LAME-DUCK SESSION, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE LAME DUCK TO PUT A STOP TO IT, OR WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEW CONGRESS THAT POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE ONE OR TWO DEMOCRATIC MAJORITIES? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: WELL, LOOK, THE WAR POWERS RESOLUTION -- DRAWING INCREASING MAJORITIES EVERY TIME IT COMES UP FOR A VOTE. I EXPECT IT WILL HAVE INCREASING MAJORITIES AGAIN. I THINK THE QUESTION IS GOING TO BE IN THE SENATE, WHETHER A FILIBUSTER-PROOF MAJORITY COULD EMERGE. OF COURSE, THE PRESIDENT -- HE HAS USED HIS CONTROL OVER THE BASE TO SCARE A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE FROM VOTING THEIR CONSCIENCE ON THIS ISSUE. BUT AFTER THE ELECTIONS, I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE LOST IN THE ELECTIONS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE RETIRING ARE GOING TO DO. THAT IS AN OPEN QUESTION. I THINK THEY MAY VOTE WITH US FOR BASICALLY ENDING THIS CATASTROPHIC CONFLICT. JOE: YOU ARE ON THE CHINA SELECT COMMITTEE AS WELL. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN YOU WERE A RANKING NUMBER ON THAT COMMITTEE. I'M WONDERING WHAT YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT CHINA AND RUSSIA, FOR THAT MATTER, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY ARE HELPING IRAN IN THIS CONFLICT. REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: BOTH OF THEM ARE HELPING IRAN. WE KNOW THAT THE CHINESE HAVE PROVIDED INTELLIGENT DATA SO THAT THE IRANIANS CAN ACTUALLY TARGET OUR TROOPS. WE KNOW THE RUSSIANS ARE ALSO ASSISTING THE IRANIANS. OF COURSE, THE CHINESE ARE BUYING 80 TO 90% OF ALL IRANIAN OIL EXPORTS. BOTH COUNTRIES ARE GLAD, ARE HAPPY, ARE CHEERING THAT WE ARE STUCK IN THIS QUAGMIRE, THIS CATASTROPHIC IRAN WAR. THEY WANT IT TO GO ON FOR AS LONG AS IT POSSIBLY CAN. THEY SEE US AS BECOMING KIND OF MORE VULNERABLE BY THE DAY. THEY LOOK AT OUR MUNITIONS GOING DOWN. THEY LOOK AT OUR WITHDRAWING FORCES F FROM THE INDO-PACIFIC THEATER TO THE MIDDLE EAST IS A BIG PLUS FOR THEM, IN THE CASE OF CHINA. IN THE CASE OF RUSSIA, THE UKRAINIANS DON'T HAVE THE INTERCEPTOR MISSILES THAT THEY NEED, THE PAC-3 INTERCEPTOR MISSILES TO TAKE DOWN THE BALLISTIC MISSILES FROM RUSSIA, MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE IRAN WAR. THEY ARE BEING EXPENDED AND WASTED IN THE IRAN WAR. THIS IS JUST A BOON FOR OUR ADVERSARIES RIGHT NOW. KAILEY: ON THE NOTE OF RUSSIA, CONGRESSMAN, THE PRESIDENT HAS SUGGESTED HE WILL BE SPEAKING AT SOME POINT WITH RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN ABOUT THE SUSPECTED OR FEARED PLATE INCIDENT IN SIBERIA. DO YOU TRUST THE RUSSIANS TO PROVIDE ANYONE WITH ACCURATE INFORMATION? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: NO. IT TOOK THEM THREE DAYS TO RESPOND TO THE WHO ABOUT ONE CASE OF A WOMAN WHO DIED IN SIBERIA, AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT EXPLAINED WHY SHE DIED OR HOW SHE DIED. IN RUSSIA, THE PUBLIC IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY SKEPTICAL ABOUT HOW SHE DIED. BUT TO EXPECT VLADIMIR PUTIN TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THIS OR ANYTHING IS LAUGHABLE. AND I THINK AT THIS POINT, OUR FRIENDS, PARTNERS, AND ALLIES, WHOEVER IS LEFT IN THE ALLIANCE, WE WANT TO USE THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE TO SUSS OUT EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING COME AND WE SHOULD PROBABLY DRAW THE CHINESE AND OTHERS INTO THIS DISCUSSION AS WELL. JOE: IS THIS SOMETHING THAT INTEL IS GETTING INFORMATION ON, CONGRESSMAN? I KNOW YOU ARE OUT OF SESSION. I CAN ONLY PRESUME THERE IS GOING TO BE HEARING WHEN YOU GET BACK. REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: I HOPE SO. I THINK THAT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOT FORTHCOMING TO US ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON SOME OF THESE GLOBAL OUTBREAKS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE RUSSIANS AND OTHERS AREN'T FORTHCOMING TO THE WORLD ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING. BUT AS WE KNOW FROM COVID AND OTHER PANDEMICS, THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. IT'S BEST FOR US TO ACT TOGETHER RATHER THAN TO FIND OUT WHEN IT'S TOO LATE. KAILEY: FINALLY, CONGRESSMAN, IF WE COULD RETURN TO DOMESTIC POLITICS, WE ARE WITHIN FOUR WEEKS OF THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS. YOU YOURSELF WON'T BE IN THE HOUSE FOR THE NEW CONGRESS. BUT WE HAVE HEARD SOME NEW RUN THINGS ABOUT THE NOTION THAT THE SPEAKER COULD IN THEORY DECIDED NOT TO SEAT THE NEW CONGRESS COME THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY IN THE EVENT THE DEMOCRATS TAKE THE HOUSE MAJORITY. IS THAT A CONCERN YOU HAVE? IS THERE REQUEST TO PREVENT THAT?-- RECOURSE TO PREVENT THAT? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: LOOK, I'M HOPEFUL THAT THE MAJORITY WE EARN IN THE ELECTIONS IS GOING TO BE SO GREAT THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE -- WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT SITUATION THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. HOWEVER, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR IT ACCORDINGLY. WHETHER THAT IS THROUGH LEGAL ACTION OR OTHERWISE. JOE: COURSE, CONGRESSMAN, YOU WILL NOT BE TAKING PART IN THE NEXT CONGRESS, BUT I WONDER IF YOU HAVE ADVICE FOR DEMOCRATS WHO WILL AND ARE SPEAKING OPENLY ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF IMPEACHING DONALD TRUMP. IS THAT THE RIGHT PATH? REP. KRISHNAMOORTHI: I HAVE YET TO MEET A SINGLE PERSON, SINGLE CONSTITUENT, WHO HAS COME TO ME AND SAID "I WOULD LIKE YOU IS YOUR FIRST PRIORITY TO TAKE UP THE IMPEACHMENT OF DONALD TRUMP." OBVIOUSLY HE NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND THERE NEEDS TO BE OVERSIGHT WITH REGARD TO, FOR INSTANCE, THE EPSTEIN SEX TRAFFICKING RING, OR THE CORRUPTION THAT PERVADES THIS ADMINISTRATION, OR THE IRAN WAR, OR THE BLANKET TARIFFS. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE I HEAR ABOUT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS HELP ME TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN MY RESPECTIVE JURISDICTION. HELP ME TO PAY FOR MY GAS, EDUCATE MY KIDS, MY HEALTH CARE. I'M WORRIED ABOUT MY JOB. CAN YOU REGULATE AI? BECAUSE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT UNFORTUNATELY THIS ADMINISTRATION IS NOT DOING, AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL JOB LOSSES, AS WELL AS THIS TECHNOLOGY OUT STRIPPING OR OUTRUNNING OUR ABILITY TO REGULATE IT. SO MY ADVICE TO ANYBODY WHO TAKES CONTROL IN AT THE NEXT CONGRESS IS FOCUS ON THOSE ISSUES, TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW. KAILEY: CONGRESSMAN, THANKS FOR JOINING US. WE APPRECIATE IT. TURNING TO THE MARKETS IN TONIGHT'S "POWER MOVES," IT WAS A DOWN DAY FOR MOST OF THE MAJOR AVERAGES, THE EXCEPTION BEING THE DOW, UP 50 POINTS OR SO. THE UNDERPERFORMANCE CAME FROM TECHNOLOGY STOCKS, WITH THE NASDAQ 100 DOWN 1.4%, AND SEMICONDUCTOR CHIP STOCKS FALLING MORE THAN 3%. THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE REPORT THAT OPENAI'S ANNUALIZED REVENUE WAS TRACKING TOWARDS $50 BILLION. AN AXIOS REPORT HAD SAID THAT WAS TRACKING TOWARDS $70 BILLION. THAT DRAG YOU DOWN CHIP NAMES LIKE NVIDIA AND BROADCOMM, TWO OF THE POINT DRAGS ON THE DAY. TWO OTHER MOVERS ARE STARBUCKS AND CHIPOTLE. AN INTERESTING REPORT ABOUT STARBUCKS HAVING EXPLORED A TAKEOVER OFFER FOR CHIPOTLE DROVE TRIPOLI SHARES--CHIPOTLE SHARES UP. THE CEO OF STARBUCKS USED TO BE THE CEO OF CHIPOTLE. EVEN THOUGH PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS THE U.S. WILL NOT BE STRIKING IRAN BEFORE THE MIDTERMS, OIL ROSE 4% ON BRENT AND WTI. INTERESTINGLY, OIL WAS GOING UP. BOND YIELDS DID NOT TRACK THAT CAN WE SAW YIELDS COMING IN ON THE 10- AND 30-YEAR. 30-YEAR YIELD 5.6% AFTER A SEVEN-BASIS POINT DECLINED TODAY. WE ARE STILL SEEING MORTGAGE RATES CLIMB, CLIMB FOR A SEVENTH WEEK IN A ROW, ACCORDING TO FREDDIE MAC, NOW AVERAGING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AT 7.4%. JOE: KAILEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. COMING UP ON "BALANCE OF POWER," WE WILL EXPLORE THE PRESIDENT'S DECISION TO RULE OUT ATTACKS ON IRAN BEFORE THE MIDTERMS. THIS IS "BALANCE OF POWER" ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO. JOE: IT'S "BALANCE OF POWER" ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO. ALONGSIDE KAILEY LEINZ, I'M JOE MATHIEU. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US THIS THURSDAY EVENING. PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS WITH IRAN IS WHETHER PRESIDENTS HAS CONVINCED HIM NOT TO ATTACK BEFORE THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, TELLING THE WORLD VIA TRUTH SOCIAL, "WHILE IRAN IS IN BAD CONDITION ECONOMICALLY AND MILITARILY AND WHILE THE BLOCKADE WILL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT, WE WILL NOT BE ATTACKING." TRUMP'S DECISION COMES AS OIL SEARCHES BY THE MOST IN A MONTH OF TANKER ATTACKS BY IRAN JOINING US IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE GLOBAL SITUATION ROOM, NOW INTERNATIONAL, AS HE JOINS US FROM MADRID, A FORMER U.S. DIPLOMAT UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA. GREAT TO SEE YOU. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT? WE ARE JUST SAYING EVERYTHING OUT LOUD? >> I THINK THIS IS A PLEA FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP TO KEEP THINGS ON THE DOWN LOW AS HE AND REPUBLICANS TRY TO SALVAGE WHAT THEY CAN OF THEIR PROSPECTS FOR NOVEMBER. I'M NOT SURE THAT TEHRAN IS GOING TO PLAY ALONG, JOE. WE HAVE SEEN ALREADY AN OBJECT IN THE NUMBER OF STRIKES -- UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF STRIKES BY THE IRANIANS ON THOSE MUSCLES. WHAT WAS ENCOURAGING WAS THE NUMBERS THAT WERE HITTING PREWAR LEVELS ARE COMING BACK DOWN AGAIN. IRAN IS GOING TO WANT TO REMIND VOTERS AND REPUBLICANS THAT THEY DO HAVE CARDS. TRUMP LIKES TO SAY THAT OTHER NATIONS DON'T HAVE ANY CARDS. THEY ARE PUTTING A LOT OF THEM ON THE TABLE AT THIS POINT. KAILEY: BRETT, JOE ASKED A SMART QUESTION EARLIER TODAY TAKING NOTE OF THE TRUTH SOCIAL STATEMENT'S USE OF THE WORD "WE WILL NOT BE ATTACKING IRAN," AND WE SHOULD ASSUME THIS TO BE INCLUSIVE OF ISRAEL. SHOULD WE EXPECT THAT? BRETT: THIS IS WHAT TRUMP HAS TRIED SEVERAL TIMES, TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER NATION, WHICH IS NOT JUST UNDIPLOMATIC, BUT FRANKLY, IT IS IMPRACTICAL, IT IS IMPROBABLE, KAILEY. WHILE TRUMP MAY TRY TO IMPOSE ON NETANYAHU, NETANYAHU HAS HIS OWN ELECTION ON HIS HANDS AND IS ON POLITICAL PROSPECTS TO WORRY ABOUT. HE IS GOING TO MAKE HIS OWN CALCULATIONS, AND QUITE FRANKLY, TRUMP ALSO HAS PULLED OUT THE PROVERBIAL RUG FROM UNDER NETANYAHU, OR THROWN HIM UNDER THE PROVERBIAL BUS SEVERAL TIMES. HE MAY HAVE CARDS TUCKED INTO HIS POCKET OR UP HIS SLEEVE THAT HE WILL PULL OUT HERE. TRUMP IS IN A VERY AWKWARD POSITION BECAUSE HE IS TRYING TO IMPOSE DOES NOT JUST ON ISRAEL, BUT ON SOME OF THESE OTHER GROUPS, INCLUDING THE HOUTHIS, WHO HAVE PROVEN PROBLEMATIC IN THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS AS WELL. JOE: I WILL BE CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT ISRAEL'S NEXT STEP IS. WE SPOKE LAST EVENING WITH SENATOR CHRIS COONS, WHO IS SPEAKING OPENLY ABOUT SANCTIONING BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AND THE GOVERNMENT OVER THE TRAJECTORY OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GAZA. MORE DEMOCRATS WERE GOING TO BE SPEAKING UP ABOUT THIS, I SUSPECT. WE ARE A COUPLE HOURS AWAY FROM AN IMPORTANT SENATE DEBATE IN MICHIGAN, WHERE THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE. TO WHAT EXTENT WILL CONGRESS COMPLICATE THESE PLANS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION? BRETT: I THINK WHAT CONGRESS IS GOING TO DO, ASSUMING THAT DEMOCRATS ARE ABLE TO PULL OUT A VICTORY IN ONE, IF NOT BOTH HOUSES, IN NOVEMBER, WE WILL SEE A LOT OF INVESTIGATIONS. THERE IS GOING TO BE BOTH FOR TRUMP, BUT ALSO FOR NETANYAHU AND ISRAELIS, A LOT OF UNSAVORY DETAILS COMING OUT. THIS HAS BEEN A MESSY AFFAIR, AND WHILE TRUMP ALWAYS TRIES TO PAINT IS VERY POSITIVE, THIS VERY GOLDEN PICTURE OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING, THE REALITY ON THE GROUND CONTINUES TO THIS DAY, MORE ATTACKS TODAY IN GAZA, IS QUITE FRANKLY ONE OF HUMAN SUFFERING, ONE THAT REQUIRES A MORAL AND ETHICAL QUESTIONING OF SOME OF THESE THINGS. JOE, WHAT I THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE, WHETHER IT IS ON GAZA, IRAN, UKRAINE, VENEZUELA, IS A WHOLE LOT MORE OVERSIGHT, AND IT IS GOING TO BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR TRUMP TO HAVE THE FREE HAND HE HAS ENJOYED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS. KAILEY: BRETT, AS YOU JOIN US FROM MADRID, VERY LATE NIGHT BY THE WAY, AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, AS YOU EXPAND THE GLOBAL SITUATION ROOM INTERNATIONALLY, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM EUROPEANS COME FROM OTHERS YOU SPEAK WITH ABOUT THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ, THAT THE MIDDLE EAST HAS BEEN MIRED IN THIS CONFLICT? ARE THEY GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE THEY FEEL THEY DO HAVE A MULTIPLY, OR DO THEY STILL WANT TO STAY OUT OF IT? BRETT: WE OPENED THIS WEEK IN OFFICE IN MADRID IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND FROM EUROPEAN COMPANIES AS WELL AS AMERICAN COMPANIES AS A RESULT OF THIS TRANSATLANTIC TENSION, THESE GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND THE INCREASING RISK. AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM EUROPEAN BUSINESS LEADERS AS WELL AS EUROPEAN POLITICIANS IS WHILE THEY HAVE ADAPTED IN A LOT OF RESPECTS TO TRUMP, WHAT THEY ARE STILL WORRIED ABOUT IS SOME OF THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES ON ISSUES, FOR INSTANCE, LIKE AI. TRUMP WOULD LIKE IT TO BE LAISSEZ-FAIRE, THE WILD WEST, EVERY AI CHATBOT FOR HIS OR HERSELF. HERE IN EUROPE, IT IS A VERY DIFFERENT TUNE. THEY ARE STARTING TO TRY THEIR OWN COURSE. FOR U.S. BUSINESSES AND VIEWERS OF BLOOMBERG, IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS IN THIS POST-AMERICAN ERA A DIFFUSION OF SOME OF THE POLITICAL POWER. A LOT OF THE LEADERS IN EUROPE AS WELL AS IN PLACES LIKE CANADA, JAPAN, AS WELL AS THE MIDDLE EAST ARE STARTING TO ERECT THEIR OWN STRUCTURES, AND THAT WILL CREATE A NEW ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DYNAMIC. KAILEY: BRETT BRUEN OF THE GLOBAL SITUATION ROOM, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE WILL TURN BACK TO DOMESTIC POLITICS AHEAD ENTITIES AND DEBATE IN MICHIGAN ON BLOOMBERG. JOE: IT'S "BALANCE OF POWER" ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO. I AM JOE MATHIEU IN WASHINGTON. AS PRESIDENT TRUMP STEPS UP HIS CASE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, SOME REPUBLICANS IN KEY RACES ARE CREATING DISTANCE ON IMPORTANT ISSUES. IN MICHIGAN, FOR SENATE NOMINEE MIKE ROGERS IS-REPUBLICAN SENATE NOMINEE MIKE ROGERS- IS USING A NEW AD TO TAKE AIM. >> IT DOESN'T GET ANY MORE MICHIGAN THAN THAT, AND IN MICHIGAN, WE KNOW THAT CANADA IS NOT OUR ENEMY. WE NEED TO END THIS TARIFF WAR NOW COULDAS MICHIGAN SENATOR, I WILL BRING BOTH PARTIES TOGETHER TO LOWER YOUR PRICES. JOE: ROGERS IS NOT ALONE. IN MAINE, SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS IS STRESSING INDEPENDENCE FROM TRUMP. TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT WAS ABSENT FROM TRUMP'S RALLY IN SAN ANTONIO. NEW YORK CONGRESSMAN MIKE LAWLER SAYS HE WILL SKIP THE RALLY IN SYRACUSE TOMORROW. IS IT TOO LATE FOR REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES TO CHANGE MINDS BY DISTANCING THEMSELVES IN THIS WAY? LET'S BRING IN MARIO PARKER FOR THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF THE DEBRIEF YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING TO REPUBLICAN INSIDERS. WHAT DO YOU HEAR? MARIO: I ASK THEM HOW BAD IS IT GIVEN THE POLITICAL CLIMATE WE SEE, IN THE SOURCES AT THE WHITE HOUSE AND/OR THE TRAIL TO RESPOND DIFFERENTLY. ONE SOURCE TODAY SAID THIS IS A CATEGORY FIVE STORM RIGHT NOW. YOU PLAY TO CLIPS OF SUSAN COLLINS, MIKE ROGERS, GREG ABBOTT, MICHAEL LAWLER ALL DISTANCING THEMSELVES FROM BEING THE LATEST TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE PRESIDENT. WHEN I ASKED SOME OF THE STRATEGISTS WHAT THE UNDERLYING ISSUE IS RIGHT NOW IN THIS ELECTION, WHAT HAS MADE THIS A CATEGORY FIVE TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT, THE ANSWER HAS BEEN SIMPLY PRESIDENT TRUMP, HIS APPROVAL RATING. SIMPLE MATH FROM WHAT THESE SOURCES TELL ME. THE PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL RATING IS SOMEWHERE IN THE MID 30'S TO HIGH 30'S. YOU NEED 50% TO WIN. THAT IS A 10- TO-15-POINT PERCENTAGE. JOE: SOME OF THE CANDIDATES ARE CLEARLY NOT GOING TO DO IT HERE, SO WE ASK YESTERDAY RETIRING SENATOR THOM TILLIS, PART OF THE YOLO CAUCUS, AS WE SAY, AND HE HAD A MESSAGE TO VOTERS. SEN. TILLIS: GET OUT THERE AND CAMPAIGN, DON'T BE AFRAID, AND DON'T BE AFRAID TO SEPARATE FROM THE PRESIDENT. IF YOU GENUINELY BELIEVE IT, SAY WE ARE NOT HITTING ON ALL CYLINDERS IN IRAN, WE HAVE AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS. JOE: HOW MANY ARE DOING IT ASIDE OF THE FRONT LINERS? MIKE ROGERS IS IN A HEAD-TO-HEAD RUN OFF WITH EL-SAYED THAT COULD BE WITHIN THE MARGIN OF ERROR. IF YOU ARE MIKE LAWLER, IN A DISTRICT THAT KAMALA HARRIS WON, JOE BIDEN WON, WHAT DO YOU DO? MARIO: HIS CAMPAIGN EFFECTIVELY PRINTED OUT THE GOOGLE MAPS TO CHART THE DISTANCE BETWEEN HIS DISTRICT AND SYRACUSE. SUSAN COLLINS, I'VE NEVER SEEN A REPUBLICAN SO PROUDLY, PARTICULARLY OVER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SECOND TERM, SO PROUDLY SAID THEY WERE NOT HIS FAVORITE REPUBLICAN. YOU START TO HAVE THE IMAGES OF GREG ABBOTT BEING ABSENT ON THE TRAIL WITH THAT PRESIDENT AS WELL. WHETHER OR NOT IT IS TOO LATE, THAT IS UNCLEAR AT THIS POINT. THERE IS ANOTHER CALCULATION. I MENTIONED THE WORD "CALCULATION." SOME REPUBLICANS MAY BET THAT IF THIS IS A TURNOUT ELECTION, THE PRESIDENT'S PRESENCE, HIS MAG EIA BASE, ARE NOT AS DISENCHANTED AS INDEPENDENTS ARE THAT, GETS THEM ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. JOE: IS DAY DRINKING IN A DIMLY LIT BAR THE BEST IMAGE? MARIO: THAT AD WAS PRETTY EFFECTIVE -- JOE: NOW I WANT A DUMB BE A I HAVE TO ASK---NOW I WANT A BEER. I HAVE TO ASK THE DUMB QUESTIONS. KAILEY: DEMOCRATS ARE LOOKING TO CHALLENGE REPUBLICANS AND STATE THAT WERE ONCE VIEWED AS COMPETITIVE --ONCE NOT VIEWED AS COMPETITIVE, LIKE THE DEEP RED STATE OF FLORIDA. BYRON DONALDS IS LEADING DAVID JOLLEY BUT ONLY TWO POINTS, INSIDE THE MARGIN OF ERROR. WE SPOKE WITH DAVID JOLLY ABOUT HIS CAMPAIGN TODAY AND ASKED ABOUT HIS DECISION NOT TO DEBATE DONALDS BEFORE ELECTION DAY. MR. JOLLY: WE HAD ACCEPTED SEVERAL DEBATES AND BYRON WOULDN'T RESPOND, TRYING TO BODY CHECK US WITH A PRESS RELEASE AND SAYING HERE ARE THE ONES WE WILL DO. I DON'T SUPPORT HER CONTACTS, -- HURRICANE TAX OR SOCIALISM. HE SUGGESTING I'M CARRYING WATER FOR THE DSA. CHALK IT UP TO BAD FAITH AND DISHONESTY. WHEN I WRESTLED WITH IT, CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT I'M TRYING TO ELEVATE OUR POLITICS INTO A BETTER SPACE. I'M A FORMER REPUBLICAN AND SPENT SIX OR SEVEN YEARS AS AN INDEPENDENT. I'M A PROUD FLORIDA DEMOCRAT, NOT EVER ELECTED ONE. WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD -- NOT A RELUCTANT ONE. WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD SOMETHING BETTER. MY WIFE AND I HAVE A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD AND FIVE-YEAR-OLD. THE DEBATES RIGHT NOW WITH THE DISHONESTY WOULD PLOT FROM THE RANK OR DIVISION AND VITRIOL AND BECOME A PLATFORM FOR WHO CAN LAY THE HARDEST INSULT ON EACH OTHER AND MAKE IT STICK ON SOCIAL MEDIA. IT DOES NOT IMPROVE THE STATE OR CLIMATE. I SAY IN A WORLD OF DONALD TRUMP, I'M TRYING TO BE TED LASSO. I MIGHT BE NAÏVE, BUT I MEAN IT. I DON'T WANT MY KIDS TO LOOK BACK AND SAY DAD DID WHAT EVERY OTHER POLITICIAN DID. VOTERS NEED TO SEE WHERE POLITICIANS ARE ONLY 6% OF OUR STATE IS UNDECIDED. I DON'T THINK DEBATES DO ANYTHING TO FURTHER INFORM THE PUBLIC. OUR JOB IS TO STAY ON THE STREETS AND MAKE SURE WE ARE MEETING VOTERS WHERE THEY ARE. THAT IS MY COMMITMENT FOR 18 MONTHS AND IT IS FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS. KAILEY: YOU SAID A LOT, SO LET'S PICK UP ON SOME OF THE DIFFERENT POINTS. HE MENTIONED HOW BYRON DONALDS HAS BEEN HITTING ON THIS NOTION OF A HURRICANE TAX. IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT HURRICANE TAX, ARE THERE WAYS YOU ARE LOOKING AT FUNDING TO PAY FOR THINGS LIKE CLEANUP AND RECOVERY? I ASK YOU THIS KNOWING THAT ISAIAS COULD HIT FLORIDA IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS OR SO. MR. JOLLY: IT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN JUST RESPONSE. HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE HAS COLLAPSED IN A NATURAL DISASTER STATES. GO THROUGH THE LIST. WHEN I WAS IN CONGRESS, INTRODUCED A NATIONAL CATASTROPHIC FUND, AND AS GOVERNOR, I PROPOSE ESTATE CATASTROPHIC FUND YOU PREDEFINED AGAINST THE LARGEST DISASTERS FROM THE ONLY ACTUARIALLY SOUND WAY TO HANDLE NATURAL DISASTERS. WE CURRENTLY SUBSIDIZE OUR UNDERCAPITALIZED CARRIERS IN FLORIDA WITH A HURRICANE FUND THAT LETS THEM SHIP PROFITS OUT-OF-STATE AND KEEP LOSSES HERE AND WE ARE PAYING THREE TIMES WHAT WE USED TO PAY. I WISH THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAD A SOLUTION FOR NATURAL DISASTERS, AND IT DOESN'T. WE NEED A STATE SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND TO PRE-FUND AGAINST THESE RISKS AND STABILIZE THE MARKET IN FLORIDA, AND IF YOU CAN REMOVE HURRICANE FROM THE PRIVATE POLICYHOLDER AND PUT IT IN THE STATE CAP FUND, IT CUTS HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE BY 60 TO 70%. I DON'T LITIGATE IDEOLOGY ABOUT THIS. I LITIGATE SOLUTIONS. JOE: WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT DATA CENTERS WHEN BYRON DONALDS WAS HERE LAST. DAVID JOLLY, YOU WERE HERE FOR A TOUR OF DATA CENTER ALLEY LAST MONTH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR POSITIONS HERE. BYRON DONALDS WAS PROMOTING HIS LEGISLATION THAT WOULD PUT CONTROLS ON OR CURBS ON USE OF ELECTRICITY OR WATER SO IT WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH UTILITY BILLS OR ACCESS TO RESOURCES. YOU HAVE VOWED TO DO IS AN EXECUTIVE ORDER ON DAY ONE TO ISSUE A YEAR-LONG STATEWIDE CONSTRUCTION MORATORIUM. YOU KNOW WHAT REPUBLICANS SAY ABOUT THE POSITION, THAT YOU ARE PUTTING US IN A POSITION TO LOSE THE RACE WITH CHINA. WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE? MR. JOLLY: THAT IS A NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY ARGUMENT, AND AS A NATION, WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO BEAT CHINA IN THIS RACE. I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR FLORIDA'S VOTERS, 75% OF WHOM SAY DON'T BUILD DATA CENTERS HERE. BYRON DONALDS IS TRYING TO CONVINCE VOTERS THEY ARE WRONG, AND I'M SAYING, HEY, VOTERS, I'M LISTENING TO YOU. WE KNOW THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT. WE KNOW NOISE POLLUTION. THERE ARE LEGITIMATE PUBLIC HEALTH QUESTIONS THAT WHEN I VISITED THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA DATA CENTER ALLEY, FOUR CHILDREN TREATED FOR RESPIRATORY CONDITIONS, HOSPITALIZED, PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT NOISE POLLUTION. WE KNOW THE DEVALUATION OF REAL ESTATE AND THE FIRE SALES OF PROPERTY. GIVEN ALL OF THAT, WHAT YOU ARE ALSO SEEING IS THESE DATA CENTERS ARE BECOMING A PHYSICAL METAPHOR FOR THE LOSS OF ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL POWER THAT VOTERS FEEL THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW IN A MOMENT OF ECONOMIC INEQUALITY, CAMPAIGN-FINANCE ENVIRONMENT WHERE BIG TECH AND BIG DATA ARE BUYING POLITICIANS AND THE POLITICIANS ARE TELLING YOU YOU ARE WRONG. I HAVE SAID A ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM, LET'S STUDY PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND LET'S DO A DEEP ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY TO SEE IF THEY BENEFIT THE STATE OF FLORIDA. KAILEY: ON CAMPAIGN-FINANCE, DAVID, WHERE ARE YOU FOCUSING YOUR RESOURCES RIGHT NOW IN THIS FINAL STRETCH? COULD YOU STAND TO BENEFIT FROM MORE MONEY FROM THE PARTY AT A NATIONAL LEVEL? DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ARE DEVOTING MORE RESOURCES TWISTED LIKE IOWA --TO A STATE LIKE IOWA OR OHIO, WHERE PICKUPS LOOK ACCORDING TO POLLING THAT THEY MIGHT BE EASIER TO DO THAN FLORIDA? MR. JOLLY: IF THE ELECTION WERE TONIGHT CAN WE WOULD WIN THE GOVERNORSHIP OF FLORIDA. MAR-A-LAGO ELECTED A DEMOCRATIC STATE REPRESENTATIVE RECENTLY, CITY OF MIAMI ELECTED DEMOCRATIC MAYOR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN YEARS. THE NUMBERS AND DATA ARE THERE AMIDST ALL THIS, WE HAVE BEEN OUTSPENT BY OVER $100 MILLION. FORTUNATELY FOR US, YOU ARE NOT ALWAYS GIVEN THIS GIFT, THE MORE BYRON DONALDS SPENDS, THE WORSE HE DOES. THERE ARE SOME CANDIDATES THAT THE MORE YOU HEAR THEIR MESSAGE IN A CYCLE WHERE PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR CHANGE, IT DOESN'T RESONATE. THE ELECTION IS A TOSSUP. I BELIEVE WE WOULD WIN THE RACE TONIGHT. BUT WE ALWAYS NEED MORE HELP. WE ARE TAKING ON ATTACKS, LIES ABOUT A HURRICANE TAX OR SOCIAL SECURITY TAX OR SOCIALISM, AND THE INABILITY TO RESPOND HERDS IN POLITICS ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT IS WELCOME AND I WOULD ASK FOR THOSE IN A POSITION TO HELP, WHETHER IT IS NATIONAL PARTY OR NATIONAL VOTERS, AND HERE IS WHY -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO CARE ABOUT FLORIDA IN 2026, BUT FLORIDA ELECTING A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR IN 2026 RESETS THE ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2028. FOR VOTERS WHO NEED A NEW COALITION IN AMERICAN POLITICS, THAT IS HAPPENING IN FLORIDA. THE STATE IS ON THE CUSP OF BUILDING 50% OR MORE. THAT IS SHOWING WE CAN REIMAGINE OUR POLITICS. IT AMPLIFIES DEMOCRATIC VALUES BECAUSE IT DOES IT WITH INDEPENDENTS AND REPUBLICANS AND USHERS IN A NEW ERA IN AMERICAN POLITICS. JOE: YOU MENTION YOUR POSITION ON DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS. I'M CURIOUS YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE SENATE RACE IN FLORIDA AND WHETHER ANGIE NIXON IS IN FACT A THREAT TO YOUR CAMPAIGN. CONFUSING MESSAGES WHEN IT COMES TO DEMOCRATS VOTING IN FLORIDA. IS SHE MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO CUT THROUGH THE NOISE WHEN YOU ARE DELIVERING YOUR MESSAGE? MR. JOLLY: NO. NOT AT ALL. DSA IS NOT BEING LITIGATED IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. IF I'M DOING 100 CHANNELS, ANGIE IS DOING 200 CHANNELS. --TOWN HALLS. I THINK SHE MOBILIZES A CONSTITUENCY, WHETHER IT IS MORE PROGRESSIVE VOTERS OR TRADITIONAL BLACK COMMUNITIES. SHE ENERGIZES AND MOBILIZES COMMUNITIES. WHERE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, WE HAVE SAID WE ARE GOING TO. WHEN WE DISAGREE, WE ARE BEING HONEST WITH VOTERS ABOUT IT. I THINK VOTERS APPRECIATE THAT. I'M NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISE OF SOCIALISM IN AMERICA. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISE OF RIGHT-WING AUTHORITARIANISM. THAT IS THE TYPE OF DANGER THAT BYRON DONALDS EMBRACES THAT I'VE BEEN FIGHTING AGAINST THE PAST 10 YEARS WHEN I WAS A REPUBLICAN, INDEPENDENT, AND YES, TODAY IS A DEMOCRAT. JOE: WE WENT AROUND THE HORN WITH DAVID JOLLY, AND YOU CAN WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW ONLINE OR ON THE TERMINAL. COMING UP ON "BALANCE OF POWER," THE MEETING IN MICHIGAN. SENATE CANDIDATE ABDUL EL-SAYED AND MIKE ROGERS TAKE THE DEBATE STAGE AT LAST NIGHT IN ONE OF THE MOST CLOSELY WATCHED RACES IN THE NATION. OUR POLITICAL PANEL BREAKS IT DOWN AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THIS EVENING. NEXT ON "BALANCE OF POWER" ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO. >> I HAVE VOTED NINE TIMES TWO END THE WAR IN IRAN. >> SHE VOTED FOR IT FIVE TIMES BEFORE SHE STARTED VOTING AGAINST IT. >> HERE WE ARE AGAIN IN ANOTHER FOREVER WAR WITH NO STRATEGY. >> I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE A FOREVER WAR, SO I WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO BRING THIS TO A CLOSE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING SQUEEZED. JOE: IT'S "BALANCE OF POWER" ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO. ARE WE HAVING FUN YET? DEBATES ARE IN FULL SWING, WITH LESS THAN FOUR WEEKS TILL ELECTION DAY. SENATE CANDIDATES FROM BOTH PARTIES IN MAINE AND IOWA FUNNY COMMON GROUND WHEN IT COMES TO THE WAR IN IRAN, AND AS FAR AS REPUBLICANS ARE CONCERNED, CREATING DISTANCE FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP THE PRESIDENT APPEARING TO READ THE WRITING ON THE WALL, DELAYING FURTHER ACTIONS AGAINST TEHRAN UNTIL AFTER THE MIDTERMS. TONIGHT ALL EYES TURNED TO MICHIGAN WITH SENATE NOMINEE ABDUL EL-SAYED, THE DEMOCRAT, AND REPUBLICAN MIKE ROGERS SQUARE OFF IN THEIR FIRST DEBATE IN ONE OF THE MOST CLOSELY WATCHED RACES IN THE COUNTRY. THEY SAY MICHIGAN IS A MUST WIN, AND IT IS HARD TO ARGUE WITH THAT. WE WILL TURN THIS OVER TO OUR POLITICAL PANEL. DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST MEGAN HAYES, FORMER ASSISTANT TO PRESIDENT BIDEN, ALONG WITH REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST SARAH CHAMBERLAIN. IT IS GOOD TO HAVE BOTH OF YOU WITH US. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE FUN ONE, THAT SHOULD BE DEBATE-- CHIPPY DEBATE. OR WILL IT BE? WHAT WILL BE ABDUL EL-SAYED'S POSTURE? >> HE NEEDS TO PROVE TO THEM HE WILL BE A SENATOR FOR ALL MICHIGANDERS. HE HAS A COALITION PROBLEM. THAT IS WHY YOU ARE SEEING BARACK OBAMA CAMPAIGN WITH HIM IN A COUPLE WEEKS. HE NEEDS TO PROVE TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND BLACK COMMUNITY IN MICHIGAN THAT HE WILL BE A SENATOR FOR THEM AND FIGHT FOR THEM. KAILEY: THAT IS WHO ABDUL EL-SAYED IS TRYING TO REACH. FOR MIKE ROGERS, IF YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN THE PRESIDENT SPACE BUT CREATE A BIT OF DISTANCE FROM DONALD TRUMP TO APPEAL TO MORE MODERATES, SARAH, HOW DO YOU THREAD THE NEEDLE? SARAH: JUST FOR FULL DISCLOSURE HE WAS A MEMBER OF MAIN STREET WHEN HE WAS IN THE HOUSE. I KNOW HIM WELL. HE IS A MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD REPUBLICAN. I THINK HIS ARGUMENT WITH THE MAGA'S THEY HAVE NO OTHER ROUTES TO GO. KAILEY: THEY MAY NOT SHOW UP. SARAH: THEY MAY NOT SHOW UP, BUT HE IS WORKING ON GETTING OUT THE TYPICAL REPUBLICAN, THE BUSH-TYPE REPUBLICAN. WE GOT VERY LUCKY WITH DEMOCRATS. THEY MADE A MESS IN THEIR PRIMARY AND WE GOT THE BEST CANDIDATE AND MIKE ROGERS IS THE REPUBLICANS BEST CANDIDATE TO BE SITTING THERE. JOE: ALTHOUGH IT'S INTERESTING, AS POTENTIALLY MORE PATHS OPEN UP, BUT HE HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN HAMMERING THE PRESIDENT ON TARIFFS, JUST AS THE SUSAN COLLINS DID. IS THAT THE ONE SAFE SPACE, DONALD TRUMP LETS YOU BEAT HIM UP ON TARIFFS? IT WAS REVOLUTIONARY WHEN HE SAID CANADIANS ARE NOT OUR ENEMIES. SARAH: IT IS A SAFE SPOT AND AMERICANS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE TARIFFS. SUSAN COLLINS IS A MEMBER OF MAIN STREET, I HAVE TO DISCLOSE THAT. THAT IS WHAT THEY ARGUE, CANADA IS NOT OUR ENEMY, THEY ARE OUR FRIENDS, THEY HAVE BEEN FOR YEARS AND YEARS. THE PRESIDENT HAS NOT HIT THEM BACK ON THAT. KAILEY: OF COURSE, SUSAN COLLINS AND TROY JACKSON WILL DEBATE AGAIN TONIGHT AFTER DEBATING TWO DAYS AGO. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU THINK MINES CAN CHANGE FROM TUESDAY TO THURSDAY. WHAT ABOUT THE THIRD DEBATE BETWEEN MIKE COLLINS AND JON OSSOFF? GEORGIA SEEMS LIKE IT IS BEING WRITTEN OFF AS DEMOCRATS WILL RETAIN THE SEAT. DOES OSSOFF HAVE A CHANCE AT LOSING SOMETHING THIS EVENING? MARICK: MEG-- MEGHAN: I THINK PEOPLE HAVE NOT MADE THEIR MINDS UP. PEOPLE WILL NOT TUNE INTO THE DEBATE IN GEORGIA. UNLESS OSSOFF HAS A HUGE GAP REPUBLICANS CAN CAPITALIZE ON, I DON'T THINK THIS MATTERS. JOE: DO DEBATES MATTER AT ALL? THIS IS A CAMPAIGN SEASON THAT HAS SEEN FEWER THAN EVER. WE TALKED WITH DAVID JOLLY. HE IS NOT GOING TO BE DEBATING BYRON DONALDS. I COULD CONTINUE RUNNING DOWN THE LIST. FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CUT VIRAL MOMENTS AND PUT THEM ON TWITTER, BUT DO THEY CHANGE VOTERS' MINDS? MEGHAN: I'M NOT SURE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TURNING INTO THEM. IN THE CASE OF KEN PAXTON AND JAMES TALARICO, IT WOULD BENEFIT PAXTON -- JOE: IT WOULD BENEFIT PAXTON? MEGHAN: I JUST THINK HE WOULD GET SOME CONTRACT HE IS NOT GETTING NOW. JAMES TALARICO IS RUNNING THE NARRATIVE. IT IS ALL HIS NARRATIVE. PAXTON HAS TURNED ON TRUMP. IT IS LIKE HIGH-SCHOOL GIRLS ARE FIGHTING OVER HERE WHILE JAMES TALARICO IS GOING TO THE FINISH LINE. [LAUGHTER] IF KEN PAXTON IS NOT A GOOD DEBATER, YOU ARE SCARED TO DEBATE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT THOSE ADS CUT. KAILEY: WE WERE TOLD BY MICK MULVANEY, FORMER ACTING WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF IN THE FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THAT HE DOESN'T THINK MONEY CAN FIX KEN PAXTON AT THIS POINT. IT APPEARS ACCORDING TO THE MOVES THAT THE SENATE LEADERSHIP FUND IS MAKING THAT THEY DON'T THINK IT CAN FIX MICHAEL WHATLEY IN NORTH CAROLINA WE SPOKE TO OUTGOING NORTH CAROLINA SENATOR THOM TILLIS YESTERDAY AND THIS IS WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE RACE. SEN. TILLIS: THE CHALLENGE I SEE THERE -- I THINK THE SENATE LEADERSHIP FUND MADE THE RIGHT CALL TO MOVE RESOURCES WHERE THEY NEED TO FOR SOME OF THE SEEATS. THE MOST TROUBLING THING IS THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE PULLING MONEY THERE. THEY ARE FEELING CONFIDENT, AND COOPER HAS A LOT OF HEART OF DOLLARS THEY CAN SPEND ELSEWHERE. THAT WORRIES ME. KAILEY: SARAH, YOU ARE FROM NORTH CAROLINA. IS WIDELY COOKED?-- WHATLEY COOKED? SARAH: ABSOLUTELY. THE MONEY NEEDS TO GO TO KANSAS AND MAINE. JOE: THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE DAYDREAMING ABOUT STARTING A LAWN BUSINESS IN SHREVEPORT? WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE CYCLE? SARAH: HE'S TIRED. IT HAS BEEN A GRUELING JOB FOR HIM. I THINK IT IS THE HARDEST JOB IN WASHINGTON TO DO. MAYBE HE IS TIRED. MAYBE IT IS A GREAT FANTASY. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE REALITY, BUT IT'S A NICE FANTASY. JOE: HE IS TALKING TO FOX NEWS RADIO. IT DOES SOUND KIND OF NICE, A LAWN BUSINESS IN SHREVEPORT, GETTING AWAY FROM ALL THIS STUFF. MEGHAN: IF THAT'S WHAT HE WANTS TO DO. HE HAS GOT HIS TEETH KICKED IN. JOE: IS HE MINORITY LEADER IF THE HOUSE?--IF HE LOSES THE HOUSE? MEGHAN: I WOULD NOT WANT TO, I WOULD CRUISE TOWARDS RETIREMENT AND MAKE MONEY INTO YEARS. JOE: CUT THE GRASS. KAILEY: HE SAID HE WOULD DO IT WITH EQUAL FERVOR. [LAUGHTER] WE WILL SEE IF THAT MATERIALIZES QUICKLY. YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE WEEKEND AHEAD FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP. HE WILL BE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK TOMORROW, TENNESSEE AND ALABAMA ON SATURDAY, TRIPS TO OHIO AND ALASKA NEXT WEEK. ON A NEW YORK, MIKE LAWLER, VULNERABLE REPUBLICAN, WILL NOT BE AT THE RALLY IN SYRACUSE, BUT I IMAGINE OTHERS WILL. IS THAT THE RIGHT MOVE FOR LAWLER? SARAH: IT IS. FROM NEW YORK AS WELL. IT IS A LONG DRIVE TO SYRACUSE. [LAUGHTER] PROBABLY CLAUDIA TENNEY, WHO IS UP THERE, WILL ATTEND. I DON'T SEE THE DOWNSTATE MEMBERS ATTENDING. IT IS LIKE A FIVE-, SIX-HOUR DRIVE. JOE: GAS IS VERY EXPENSIVE, I HEARD. [LAUGHTER] YOU REFLECTED ON TIMES IN THE BIDEN WHITE HAS WHERE YOU KNEW BETTER THAN TO SHOW UP AT CERTAIN BACKYARDS. MEGHAN RI-- MEGHAN: YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR CUES FROM THE MEMBERS WHO KNOW THEIR DISTRICTS BEST AND NOT GO IF YOU ARE NOT WELCOME. IT IS THE HARD TRUTH THAT HURTS YOUR EGO A LITTLE BIT, BUT YOU ARE NOT WELCOME EVERYWHERE AND YOU WILL NOT HELP THEM, AND IN THESE REALLY TOUGH AREAS, THAT IS WHY YOU ARE SEEING THE PRESIDENT GO TO TENNESSEE AND ALABAMA BECAUSE HE WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD A CROWDED THERE, AND THERE IS NO COMPETITIVE RACES WHERE HE SAYS THINGS THAT CAN GET CUT INTO ADS AND THE CANDIDATE IS BEHIND HIM. THERE ARE PLUSES AND MINUSES WHEN YOU GET INTO THESE COMPETITIVE RACES. JOE: CROWD SIZE -- KAILEY: THAT IS A BIT OF A PATTERN WE CAN LOOK BACK ON IN THE HISTORY OF THIS PARTICULAR PRESIDENT. WE HAVE ALMOST ON IT, WE ARE ALMOST TO THE WEEKEND. IT IS GOING TO BE A BUSY ONE FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP. AS WE CONSIDER THE ENTIRE MIDTERM LANDSCAPE, GET MORE COVERAGE IN THE "WASHINGTON EDITION" NEWSLETTER. JOE: THANKS FOR BEING WITH US ON THIS LITTLE FRIDAY. SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW FOR THE REAL ONE ON BLOOMBERG TV AND RADIO.