In this podcast, Krystal and Saagar cover a variety of intriguing topics, including the housing market trends, Puerto Rico power grid failures, Biden's potential re-election, political affiliations' impact on election outcomes, US government's covert information warfare, lab leak theory, influencing factors for the upcoming midterm elections, and announcements and advertisements for future events.
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Quick takeaways
Mismanagement, corruption, and delays in funding have left Puerto Rico's electric grid in a dire state after Hurricane Maria.
President Biden's ambiguous answer on whether he will run for re-election in 2024 leaves speculation but his status as the incumbent makes it likely.
Vice President Kamala Harris plans to target young voters in the midterms, but her low popularity and approval ratings raise questions about her impact.
The Democratic Party's controversial strategy of spending on Republican primaries to influence nominees is facing criticism and its effectiveness is uncertain.
Deep dives
The failure of Puerto Rico's electric grid and mismanaged funds
The Puerto Rico electric grid continues to suffer from mismanagement, bureaucratic incompetence, and corruption even years after Hurricane Maria. Despite billions of dollars in funding from FEMA and Congress, the grid remains unreliable, with frequent blackouts and high electricity prices. Only a fraction of the funding has been spent, and there have been delays in releasing the money. The privatization of the grid has also led to high market prices and a lack of accountability. The situation in Puerto Rico is a humanitarian catastrophe, with millions of American citizens without access to reliable power and clean water.
Biden's ambiguous answer on running for re-election
During a 60 Minutes interview, President Biden gave an ambiguous answer when asked if he will run for re-election in 2024. While he mentioned possible requirements related to election laws, he stated it's too early to make a decision and that he will focus on doing his job and making a judgment after the next election cycle. Speculation continues about whether Biden will ultimately run, but his status as the incumbent president and the challenges other potential Democratic candidates may face make it likely that he will seek re-election.
Kamala Harris's upcoming travel to focus on young voters
Vice President Kamala Harris is set to ramp up her midterm travel to focus on young voters. However, it is noted that she currently does not have any scheduled appearances with key Democratic nominees. Harris's popularity among young voters is not strong, and it is unclear how effective she will be at turning out this demographic. Additionally, her approval ratings are lower than President Biden's, raising questions about her appeal and impact on the campaign trail. It remains to be seen how her efforts will translate into electoral success for the Democratic Party.
Democrats' controversial strategy of spending on Republican primaries
The Democratic Party's strategy of spending millions of dollars on Republican primaries to influence the nominee selection has drawn criticism. This tactic, aimed at supporting candidates seen as more extreme or vulnerable in general elections, has been defended by Vice President Kamala Harris. However, the effectiveness of this strategy is questionable, as Democrats have faced difficulties in achieving favorable outcomes in some races. It remains to be seen how this controversial approach will impact the overall electoral landscape for Democrats in upcoming elections.
Primary Turnout Favors Republicans
Republican primary voter turnout has been higher than Democratic turnout, which historically indicates a good performance for Republicans in the midterms.
Importance of Polls
While polls have had some past misses, looking at specific factors like candidate trustworthiness, issue importance, and state-specific dynamics can provide insight into the midterm races.
Key Senate Races
Important Senate races to watch include Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. While some are leaning toward Democrats, others remain toss-ups or tilt Republican.