Political journalist reveals the Republicans' biggest threat at the midterms

[00:00:00]Now, Trump has imposed a 50% tariff on a range of goods imported from Canada in what the president has labeled retaliation for unequal treatment of US cars, dairy, and alcohol. Everyday consumer products including wine and hockey sticks as well as industrial items are on the tariff the tariff rather list. Let's just take a listen to Donald Trump.

[00:00:20]>> Canada's been very very tough on us over the years, for many years, and no other president's done anything about it. I I love Canada. I love the people of Canada, many friends that live in Canada, but their leadership from Trudeau to the current leadership. Um I mean, in all fairness to them, they need us to survive.

[00:00:43]>> What's the reaction been to this?

[00:00:46]>> Oh, not much. Um I do think though that look, Canada is our longest friend and it's been our most significant trading partner for many years. Uh I'm not a big tariff fan. I don't think bullying Canada necessarily is the best approach.

[00:01:02]On the other hand, uh Trump does a point there are some discriminatory practices Canada has long had dairy products, uh forest products, and uh that has been beyond the NAFTA and other trade agreements that we've had with them. So if this forces Canada to have more free trade with the United States, I may not like the tactics, but if there is this to happen, then I think both countries will benefit and maybe we can go back to a normal relationship where we're not hurling names at each other.

[00:01:33]>> Let's talk about the midterms.

[00:01:34]Republicans are gaining on Democrats lead heading into the midterm elections.

[00:01:38]According to the latest polling, Democrats have a 48% to 45% edge for registered voters on the question of which party should take control of the House of Representatives. This is according to a Washington Post Ipsos poll. But that is a a slip from May when 49% of registered voters backed Democrats. So compared to to 44% who backed Republicans in an ABC News Washington Post Ipsos poll. What's your read on this?

[00:02:09]Well, I think there is some tightening, but u the Republicans have had a bad year and certainly the gasoline prices and the other turmoil in the Middle East have not helped it. The biggest problem the Republicans have is enthusiasm gap.

[00:02:23]Uh Democrats are really fired up as partly because of Trump derangement syndrome and they really want to vote.

[00:02:29]Republicans are a little bit uncertain.

[00:02:31]uh they're you know Donald Trump has shall we say gone in several different directions at once at the same time in the last few months. So the clear ma message I think has been a little muddled. If Republicans can do things that convince people that Donald Trump is focused on the issues that they really care about the kitchen table issues I think the Republicans can survive and perhaps even keep the house.

[00:02:54]Uh the problem is that we're running out of time. And I think what Donald Trump should do, for example, is issue an executive order saying that any any capital gains tax that that you pay if it has an inflation component because you've held the asset, your house, your car, uh your stock portfolio, if you've had it for so long, you don't pay tax on the inflationary gain because that's an illusionary gain. And I think if he did that, that might convince people Trump is actually doing something that benefits people in their daily lives and makes it easier for them to sell their house, move, and have more portable assets.

[00:03:29]>> And does he desperately need to do something like that, especially as this conflict in the Middle East is is continuing to play out?

[00:03:37]>> Well, no. I think as you point out, he hasn't done that, and yet he's, you know, the Republicans are within striking distance. But if you want to have some enthusiasm, if you want to have some people believe that the Republicans are doing something that is affecting people here and now, not something that they did last year or the year before, then I think that this would be a perfect reason to do something. And it would also help the economy and frankly would make sense. I mean, in Australia and the United States, most things are indexed, tax brackets and other things. It makes sense that if you sell a house, you shouldn't pay tax on the part of the house that is went up in value only because of inflation.

[00:04:16]>> Yeah, we have a few problems here in Australia. Finally, I want to get your thoughts on Sunonny Host because she's in the spotlight for this interaction with a police officer. So, this is of course The View co-host Sunonny Host repeatedly telling police that she was a former federal prosecutor after her son was was caught trespassing on a railroad property and she had to remind officers that he was Harvard educated. Let's look at the body cam uh footage.

[00:04:43]>> Put your hands behind your back for a second. Hey, what's going on?

[00:04:46]>> Tell them your mother is a federal prosecutor. Are you Are you Are you arresting my son?

[00:04:51]>> Wait a minute.

[00:04:51]>> What happens to this? Well, [music] you know, uh, >> we have cameras everywhere. Normally, it's a misdemeanor charge. We're dumbing it down to a violation. Okay. I know [music] you're upset.

[00:05:02]>> I'm a former federal prosecutor. He knows he's a Harvard grad who teaches fourth grade geometry to kids. God bless.

[00:05:09]>> This is not a kid who's ever in trouble. I >> mean, reminding officers that he's a Harvard grad. What did you make of that?

[00:05:18]Well, first of all, she started out by saying that she was a federal prosecutor before she changed her mind. Um, that's misrepresenting yourself. Look, Sunonny Host sits on that show and talks about white privilege all the time. She is marinated in privilege. She talks about it all of the time. I went there. I did this. You know, and of course, at the same time, she wears the most expensive jewelry. for her to talk about privilege and then to claim just because her kid got into Harvard, I'm not going to say how he got into Harvard. I'm not going to say if there was any thumb on the scale, but let's just say and and therefore because he went to Harvard, he can't get into any trouble. Come on now.

[00:05:58]There are fraudsters all over America who went to Harvard who are sitting in jail right now. So this is pure cish celebrity privilege that she's exercising. And at the same time, she claims that, you know, white people are just inherently born with privilege.

[00:06:15]Give me a break. Hypocrisy is thick.

[00:06:18]This is so thick, you can't even touch it with a knife.

[00:06:21]>> That is absolutely fair enough. I think it's been pretty humiliating seeing that body cam footage go viral. John Fund, US political journalist and commentator, thank you so much for your time and joining us on Power Hour.