State of the Union Aired November 05, 2023 - 09:00 ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. [09:00:42] [09:50:12] REP. JASMINE CROCKETT (D-TX): …at the data that was provided in this poll, it talks about how people feel. And when people decide whether they're going to the poll or whether they're not going to the poll, it's all about how you feel in that moment. And so while the facts may not align with their feelings, their feelings are dictating their reality. Their reality is that they said that they feel better or they felt better when Trump was in office. But we have been trying to push back. We have got some very popular African-American artists that are out here saying things like, oh, I got checks when Trump was in office, I want those checks again, not understanding that really came from Congress. So we have got a couple of things, the perception issue. And then we also have an issue as it relates to civics in this country and people not understanding exactly how any of this works. BASH: Congresswoman, former Congresswoman Comstock, I mean, I think it's fair to say you're not the biggest fan of Donald Trump as the head of your party. (LAUGHTER) BASH: What do these polls tell you? FMR. REP. BARBARA COMSTOCK (R-VA): Well, I think the polls are -- these are obviously a year ahead, as Karen said. And I think Republicans are ignoring the warnings of my friends Asa Hutchinson and Chris Christie and ignoring that very well the four- times-indicted Donald Trump could be a convicted Donald Trump by the time we get to next summer. We know right now that there's a deficit for Republicans in terms of money. Joe Biden is raising a lot more money than Trump is, and Trump is spending a lot of his money on his legal bills. So, basically, if you're a donor to Donald Trump, you're often really a donor to his defense fund. So, what they tell me is, when I look at those states, I see states that Donald Trump lost senators and governors for Republicans, in Georgia lost senators, and went after Governor Kemp, in Pennsylvania lost senators -- lost a senator last year and a governor, a very popular governor, Democrat Josh Shapiro, because Mastriano, who is a big Trumper, MAGA does not sell in general elections. BASH: Yes. COMSTOCK: A year out might -- this might be popular, but, going in, when people are faced with MAGA, it does not sell well when the reality of those ads that the Biden campaign is going to be spending on, MAGA has been losing for seven years. Normal Republicans can win, like Glenn Youngkin, but MAGA has been a big loser for Republicans. KRISTEN SOLTIS ANDERSON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: When I look at this poll, what I see are a lot of Americans who would say, look, I think Donald Trump is not a good guy, I think he's a crook, but you know what? He was better for my pocketbook. And that's where Democrats really have a problem. Joe Biden's been out going around the country talking about Bidenomics, which is, frankly, a phrase that I think the Republicans are more likely to deploy as we get closer to November if Americans continue to feel that fuel, food, housing, et cetera, are all getting more expensive, and that they just look back on the Trump presidency and go, yes, he's crazy. Yes, that was unpleasant in 500 different ways, but it was better at the bank. CROCKETT: Yes, I mean, I hear you, and I think that that's absolutely true, but people have to recognize that the world has changed. And that's the part that no one really is factoring in, is that we did not have a pandemic known as the coronavirus that existed when Trump first wore in. So, yes, absolutely, gas prices were in a better situation, but also people understanding that bad policy takes a little while to go into effect. And, honestly, that's what we're seeing. It wasn't better for the American people that the rich folk got the tax breaks. It would have been a lot better if those that are struggling every day got them, or the child tax credit that is going away, or the fact that people are upset with the president right now as it relates to Israel. But when you look at the package that was passed by MAGA Mike that was pushed out by the Republicans, what did that package do? It defunded American workers,saying, we're going to take money back from the IRS. And it also made sure that Israel got money and there was nothing for the Palestinians. COMSTOCK: But, next year, the argument is not going to be that so much. I mean, next year, if the election is about Donald Trump, then Republicans lose. So, I think, right now, everyone's focused on Biden and looking at Biden. FINNEY: Yes. COMSTOCK: But next year is going to be a very attack Trump election, I'm assuming. And that's... BASH: Sorry, 10 seconds. FINNEY: Just again, when it's a head-to-head, it's a very different conversation, and when voters are reminded of the trauma of Donald Trump every day, because I don't think they're hearing it and seeing it, the way we were... BASH: But they are head to head. [09:55:01] FINNEY: Not -- no, they're not. Democrats are not -- we have no primaries. So most Democrats are not really... (CROSSTALK) BASH: In this new poll. COMSTOCK: He's not on your screen every day. You aren't getting the negative ads. (CROSSTALK) BASH: Right. (CROSSTALK) BASH: When we're in the general election. FINNEY: Yes. BASH: Thank you. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. We will be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) BASH: Thank you so much for spending your Sunday morning with us. "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS" is next. [10:00:00]