Alex Bores, a New York State Assembly member and former Palantir tech engineer, who worked to pass AI safety legislation and lost his Democratic primary bid for Congress in a race with millions spent by AI backed PACs, is launching a political advocacy group called Who Decides. The effort by Bores and his former chief of staff Anna Myers – which hopes to raise $30 million – will focus on Democrats running in 2028 and their messaging surrounding AI safety.
Author and podcaster Bill O’Reilly joins “On Balance” to discuss how the Republican Party is struggling to get its messaging across with the midterms looming. O’Reilly pointed specifically to President Donald Trump’s trip to Ireland, where he again remarked on his $5,000 proposed dividend. “You don’t hear the numbers from the Republican Party or the White House,” he said. O’Reilly added that if Republicans lose Texas and Michigan, there could be a dramatic shift throughout the country. #republicans #midterms #messaging "On Balance with Leland Vittert" takes a critical look at some of the day's hottest subjects.
President Trump posted an AI-generated video depicting U.S. strikes on Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil refinery, despite no such attack actually taking place amid the countries' exchange of airstrikes over the weekend. MS NOW's David Rohde has the latest on this most recent escalation, and why the president's post is another example of Trump's problematic messaging around the war.
MS NOW congressional reporter Mychael Schnell reports Republicans are forgoing traditional in-person town halls for virtual forums. Lawmakers tell Schnell the political ramifications of an angry crowd and security concerns play a part in their decision to skip the in person gatherings. But Joe slams GOP lawmakers over the pattern, saying: “When things are bad, you need to go out there more.”
As voters head to the polls in another round of primary elections, Donald Trump’s approval numbers are hitting embarrassing lows. MS NOW Political Analyst Matthew Bartlett and fmr. DNC Communications Director Mo Elleithee join The Weeknight to break it down.
While Democrats continue to slam President Trump and his policies in their midterm messaging, strategist and pollster Terrance Woodbury tells “Clock It” hosts Symone and Eugene that strategy will not persuade some Americans to vote for Democratic candidates. Woodbury shares what one person told him during a focus group: “I was broke before Trump, I've been broke during Trump, [and] I'm going to be broke after Trump,” the person said. “They don't believe that Trump is the reason for their pain,” Woodbury adds.
AI:As midterm elections approach, Democratic strategists are facing significant hurdles because many voters refuse to attribute their economic hardships directly to President Trump. Despite heavy Democratic efforts to focus campaign messaging on the President's policies and character, pollster Terrance Woodbury notes that a segment of the electorate feels no connection between his administration and their personal financial struggles, viewing their poverty as a persistent reality regardless of who sits in the White House. This disconnect suggests that a purely anti-Trump strategy may fail to resonate with voters who are not swayed by partisan attacks on the President.Open
The battle for the soul and direction of the Democratic Party is still undecided. In some states progressives won big whereas in others moderates remained strong. Co-founder of FiftyPlusOne G. Elliott Morris joins Antonia Hylton to explain his outlook for the party and why he believes messaging is what helps candidates win.
Republicans are trying to defend President Trump's economy as Americans grapple with higher costs from tariffs and the Iran war. MS NOW Senior White House Reporter Vaughn Hillyard, former Sen. Claire McCaskill and Media Matters President Angelo Carusone join Alicia Menendez to discuss the GOP's messaging ahead of the midterms.
