U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) went nuclear on her colleague, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), for his “conflict of interest” involving Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against former President Donald Trump.

On Tuesday, Goldman bragged that he had met with disgraced lawyer Michael Cohen — a convicted perjurer and fraudster who is serving as Bragg’s “star witness” — in order to prepare him for his testimony. “I have deposed Michael Cohen. I have met with him a number of times to prepare him,” the New York Democrat said during an appearance on MSNBC.

Investigative reporter Laura Loomer later revealed that Goldman is a client of Democrat political consulting company Authentic Campaigns. Loren Merchan — the daughter of Trump trial Judge Juan Merchan — works for Authentic Campaigns and has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for Democrat candidates off of the Trump prosecutions.

On Wednesday, tempers flared when Rep. Hageman zeroed in on Rep. Goldman’s connections with the Trump case during a hearing held by the House Judiciary Committee’s Special Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.

“What you need to understand is that Mr. Goldman, the novice representative from New York, actually does have a personal stake in this case,” Hageman said. “He has stated that he has been involved with the Bragg case, helping to prepare Mr. Cohen for his testimony. So he is firstly aligned with an admitted and convicted liar and perjurer.”

“He’s also paid the judge, Merchan’s daughter’s firm over a hundred and fifty thousand dollars for her services. So, I think we’ve got quite a conflict of interest from Mr. Dan Goldman, the novice representative from New York,” the Wyoming congresswoman continued.

Rep. Stacey Plaskett of the Virgin Islands — the ranking Democrat on the committee — then interrupted Hageman to demand that her comments be stricken from the committee record. “I would ask that the statements regarding the conflict of interest related to Mr. Goldman be stricken down,” Plaskett said, accusing Hageman of violating a House of Representatives rule against personal attacks against other members.

Hageman replied by referring to Plaskett as “Jeffrey Epstein’s fixer,” in reference to the fact thatthe notorious sexual predator’s infamous island was located within the territory.

Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) overruled Plaskett’s request after a brief deliberation, citing numerous comments from her own testimony where she railed against former President Trump and other Republicans.

Rep. Goldman’s campaign paid Authentic Campaigns a total of  $157,000 for digital advertising, Breitbart News reported.

CNN will take center stage as it gears up to host the inaugural presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle. The highly anticipated showdown between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump is set to light up television screens across America in late June. Both candidates have verbally sparred from afar, but now, they are preparing to go head-to-head in a direct confrontation, setting the stage for what promises to be a pivotal moment for 2024.

The debate is planned to unfold in CNN’s Atlanta studios, an in-studio format that excludes a live audience, a setting that promises an intimate and intense exchange between the two political heavyweights on June 27.

On Wednesday, CNN announced Jake Tapper and Dana Bash as the moderators according to Deadline. The arrangement comes after Joe Biden’s bold challenge to his rival, declaring his readiness to debate “anywhere, any time, any place,” a challenge that Trump accepted with characteristic confidence, asserting that Biden “can’t put two sentences together.”

While CNN holds the reins for the first debate, the other coverage implications remain under wraps, with no confirmation yet on whether other networks will be offered a feed to simulcast the event. However, ABC News, the host of the subsequent September 10 debate, has already pledged to share its coverage.

“Donald Trump lost two debates to me in 2020. Since then, he hasn’t shown up for a debate. Now he’s acting like he wants to debate me again. Well, make my day, pal,” Biden said in a video message shared earlier Wednesday morning. “I’ll even do it twice. So let’s pick the dates, Donald. I hear you’re free on Wednesdays,” Biden said alluding to Trump’s New York trial.

Tapper’s first major role as a debate moderator was during the 2015 Republican primary debate. Tapper also moderated a pivotal Republican debate in March 2016, which was one of the last debates of the primary season. Dana Bash, CNN’s chief political correspondent, has experience covering Congress and presidential campaigns. Bash has co-moderated several key debates, including the 2020 Democratic primary debates. During the Democratic primary, Bash was known for her pointed questions particularly on issues like healthcare and economic policy. Both Tapper and Bash have sometimes moderated debates together as well.

Four years ago, the 2020 presidential debates were hosted by different moderators for each of the three scheduled debates. Chris Wallace, anchor of Fox News Sunday, moderated the first presidential debate on September 29, 2020, at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Originally scheduled to be moderated by Steve Scully of C-SPAN, the second debate was intended to take place on October 15, 2020, at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida. However, it was canceled after President Trump tested positive for COVID-19 and subsequent disagreements over making the debate virtual. Instead, both candidates held separate town hall events on the same night.

Kristen Welker, co-anchor of Weekend Today and NBC News White House correspondent, moderated the final presidential debate on October 22, 2020, at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

2024’s first debate is set to coincide with the likely end of Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial and will take place shortly after Biden returns from an overseas junket to the G7 Summit. The second debate in September would occur shortly before the start of early voting in most states. The Biden-Harris campaign also proposed a vice-presidential debate for July after both parties had officially nominated their ticket partners.

If MSNBC was hoping to display cracks in the MAGA coalition stemming from former President Donald Trump’s criminal trials, its hosts will have to track down a more pro-Biden focus group than they did this week.

Correspondent Blayne Alexander was in Gwinnett County, Georgia this week where she interviewed three Trump-supporting residents who said the former president’s various legal troubles appear politically motivated and conveniently timed to hurt his campaign.

Asked whether the trials have caused his support to waver, Antonio Jones said the opposite. “It’s actually caused me to support him more. I just don’t believe there’s a coincidence that we have a trial happening in Atlanta, we have one happening in New York. So the question people are beginning to ask themselves, like I did, ‘Why now?’”

A young man who will be voting for the first time praised Trump’s ability to “keep fighting” despite the onslaught from Democratic prosecutors and the Biden Justice Department. “He still hasn’t given up. He keeps fighting to do what’s right,” he said.

Lisa Babbage, who is Black, said she has spoken with many former Democrats who now side with Trump. “They have changed their political persuasion to independent, and they are looking forward to voting for Trump,” she told Alexander, “because now they find something in common with a political candidate at that level.”

Asked to expand on her remarks on commonality, Babbage said her friends “have felt persecuted by the system of American injustice, and it’s not a stretch for them to think that Trump may be a victim as well.”

“People see that there’s some kind of commonality between himself and maybe all the Black men that have been incarcerated and the families that have been impacted.”

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Similar alarms have been raised by Biden allies based on recent polling. President Trump has garnered as much as 20% of support among Black voters, a record high for any Republican presidential candidate since the Civil Rights Era. Similar sentiments among Black voters were present during interviews last year as well.

“[Biden is] letting all the immigrants in. He’s just a terrible guy. He doesn’t do anything. Kamala ain’t nowhere to be found. This whole presidency was a failure this year,” said one man interviewed on the street.

In response, the president has made attempts to shore up support from Black Americans. During remarks at a historically Black university commencement in 2023, Biden claimed white supremacy is the greatest threat facing Americans today. Another area the president may want to cite is his appeal to the U.S. Census Bureau to ask Black Americans about knowledge of slavery among family ancestors. The appeal comes amid a renewed push for reparations, especially in California where Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom convened a task force that suggested that the state’s more than two million Black residents should receive up to three trillion dollars as settlement for the state’s acquiescence to 19th-century runaway slave laws.

Asked about the perceived strategy, a Biden aide told the outlet that too much was being made of the president’s upcoming visits and that Black voters are not getting any outsize attention as a result of falling poll numbers. “We are treating our core constituencies, including black voters, like persuadable AND turnout voters — not expecting their support at the end but earning it now.”

The trial of former President Donald Trump continued on Tuesday at the Manhattan criminal courthouse, attracting significant media and political attention. Outside the courthouse, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) delivered remarks that echoed the sentiments of Trump’s supporters, labeling the trial as a “sham” and “political theater.”

This was a notable moment, as it is uncommon for someone in Johnson’s high-ranking position to make such emphatic critiques of judicial processes. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former attorney, provided pivotal testimony yesterday regarding payments made to quell allegations of past sexual encounters with Trump. The testimony is central to the hush money trial that has ensnared the former president.

“This is a man who is clearly on a mission for personal revenge,” Johnson said of Cohen. “He is someone who has a history of perjury. No one should believe a word he says in there.” Later in the day, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre inadvertently stirred up controversy after her press briefing.

“Was it appropriate for Speaker Johnson to show up at the trial of the former president today?,” Jean-Pierre was asked.

“I can’t speak to… I don’t want to comment obviously as this is related to 2024 elections,” she admitted. “I can’t speak to the Speaker’s schedule. That is something for him to decide on.” KJP’s comments were later pointed out by Trump allies as evidence that the trial is politically motivated, aimed at undermining Trump’s potential run in the upcoming election.

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The clip surged discussions among conservatives about the fairness of the trial and the integrity of the judicial process when intersected with political rivalries. Charlie Hurt, a conservative commentator, criticized Jean-Pierre’s performance as press secretary while talking to Fox News.

“The Press Secretary declined to comment on the current kangaroo case going on in New York, claiming the Hatch Act,” Hurt pointed out. “Saying that she could not talk about it because it was all politics. It was the truest… it’s the only true thing that strange lady has said since she has been at that podium. And she is, by the way, the worst press secretary in the history of the country, but she did that; that was one true.”

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As for 2024, Trump and Biden will debate on June 27th after both candidates accepted an offer from CNN to host the face-to-face. Two sources with Biden’s campaign told CNN the debate will occur in-studio without a live audience. Trump agreed, telling reporter Brooke Singman, “I’ll be there.”

The debate is set to coincide with the likely end of Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial and will take place shortly after Joe Biden returns from an overseas junket to the G7 Summit. The second debate in September would occur shortly before the start of early voting in most states. The Biden-Harris campaign also proposed a vice-presidential debate for July after both parties had officially nominated their ticket partners.

Trump wrote on Truth Social: “I would strongly recommend more than two debates and, for excitement purposes, a very large venue, although Biden is supposedly afraid of crowds – That’s only because he doesn’t get them. Just tell me when, I’ll be there. ‘Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!’”

Joining a growing chorus of dissent, key figures Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, Cathy Latham, and Michael Roman have now launched appeals in the Georgia election interference case. Their actions come over a month after the controversial ruling by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, which allowed District Attorney Fani Willis to continue overseeing the case contingent upon the resignation of former special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

These new appellants align with former President Donald Trump and former Georgia GOP leader David Shafer, who had earlier voiced their objections to Willis’ involvement. Together, they assert that the integrity of the case is compromised, urging for Willis’ removal to ensure fairness in the proceedings.

Acknowledging their past relationship but denying any conflict, Fani Willis and Nathan Wade have contended that their previous romantic involvement, which concluded last summer, does not compromise the integrity of the Georgia election interference case. Despite the claims, Wade resigned on the day Judge Scott McAfee’s decision permitted Willis to remain on the case.

In response to the ruling, Trump and his legal team appealed, arguing that the indictment should have been dismissed and Willis’ team disqualified. This sentiment was echoed by several co-defendants who have filed similar appeals. Adding to the discussion, former DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James expressed to Atlanta’s WSB-TV the necessity of appellate review, citing the scarcity of legal precedent for such a case.

“It’s uncharted territory,” District Attorney James said about the ongoing legal proceedings in the Georgia election interference case. He then expressed his doubts about the possibility of a trial against Trump and others proceeding before the November election. “I don’t see how that’s possible. Now, stranger things have happened, right? But just don’t see how that’s possible,” he added.

The indictment against Trump and 18 others in Georgia represented a pivotal moment in the ongoing examination of the 2020 presidential election’s aftermath. The charges stem from Democrat claims of a collective attempt to contest and potentially overturn the election results in Georgia, a key battleground state. Those charged alongside Trump include a variety of political operatives and legal advisors, suggesting that the investigation has been comprehensive, targeting not just the higher echelons of political leadership but also those who might have worked behind the scenes.

Last week state appeals court in Georgia agreed to take up the appeal of a judge’s ruling that initially allowed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to continue prosecuting Trump. A timeline for the appeals court to issue a ruling is uncertain, though Willis’ office is bound to push for an expeditious one.

Willis is being boxed in by multiple investigations into her office’s handling of federal and state funds. Whistleblowers who spoke with the U.S. House Oversight Committee have claimed that she redirected funds intended for an anti-gang unit to continue supporting her Trump investigation, which paid Wade at last $700,000 for two years’ work. At the state level, a special committee has been convened to question other county officials about the hiring of Wade.

In the heart of New York’s Manhattan borough, Michael Cohen, the prosecution’s star witness and President Donald Trump’s former attorney, resumed his testimony for the second day. Cohen has been pivotal in outlining the alleged hush money transactions involving adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Cohen testified that just before the 2016 election, he orchestrated a $130,000 payment to Daniels, supposedly under Trump’s directive. The payment, Cohen claimed, was meticulously reimbursed and woven into the fabric of business expenses to obscure its true purpose. Trump, maintaining his innocence, has denied any affair with Daniels and pleaded not guilty to charges of falsifying business records.

Trump’s defense attorney, Todd Blanche, wasted no time on Tuesday confronting Cohen during the initial moments of his cross-examination. Blanche immediately challenged the credibility of the prosecution’s key witness. Blanche asked Cohen whether he had created a TikTok calling Blanche a “crying little sh*t” shortly before the trial commenced. This question, among others, was dismissed by Judge Juan Merchan, including one regarding remarks Cohen allegedly made about himself and Trump attorney Susan Necheles.

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In April, Cohen labeled Trump a “dictator doche bag” and said that Trump “belongs in a cage like a fuking animal.” Blanche also asked whether the District Attorney’s office had requested that Cohen refrain from making public comments about the case.

Cohen confirmed with a simple, “yes.” He then elaborated that the DA’s office’s suggestions to avoid discussing the case were effectively requests for silence. He noted that they had advised him not to engage with the media on fewer than five occasions.

CNN reported:

“Do you remember in February 2021, you were going on TV talking about the investigation?” Blanche asks.

“I go on TV often, so I’m not sure what the topic was,” Cohen says.

Trump is leaning back with his eyes closed and his mouth hanging open briefly before he readjusts in his chair.

Blanche follows up, and Cohen says it would “not surprise me” that he was discussing the investigation.

The Trump attorney asks if the district attorney’s office was frustrated because Cohen was talking to the press in February 2021.

“Yes sir,” Cohen says.

It took Blanche several times to get this question past objections.

Blanche asks if he continued to talk to the press.

“Yes indeed, I talked to the press,” Cohen says.

Including about this case, Blanche asks?

“It sounds correct,” Cohen says.

“We went right to this issue of you having this sort of all-consuming personal hatred and a vested interest in this case,” noted CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig. CNN senior political analyst Gloria Borger elaborated that the defense is attempting to reveal “the real Michael Cohen. The Michael Cohen who has been on the stand before, full of remorse, a good guy, that’s not Michael Cohen.”

By highlighting the social media posts, the defense aims to persuade the jury of Cohen’s bias against Trump, asserting, “That’s the guy you should understand did all these things and lied all these times and don’t feel sorry for him.”

Throughout the ongoing case, Cohen has appeared on television more than 20 times. Additionally, he has been actively involved in podcasting, recording four episodes every week since the start of the investigation for this trial.

On Tuesday, Michael Cohen, former lawyer to former President Donald Trump, made admissions that might just change the course of the New York trial. Returning to the witness stand for a second day, Cohen’s statements during a cross-examination on Tuesday raised eyebrows and might potentially undermine his credibility in the high-profile case.

Cohen, who worked closely with Trump prior to the 2016 election, and famously negotiated on his behalf with pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, faced intense questioning about his podcast comments. Todd Blanche, Trump’s attorney questioning Cohen, highlighted a particularly provocative episode from October 23, 2020, where Cohen expressed a vehement desire to see Trump imprisoned.

Responding to Blanche’s inquiry about whether he said, “I truly f**king hope Donald Trump ends up in prison,” Cohen acknowledged, “Sounds more like my language on Mea Culpa,” referring to the name of his podcast. The statement, among others, could significantly impact the jury’s perception of Cohen, painting him as possibly unhinged and vengeful, which would jeopardize the case against Trump.

During the session, Cohen was also questioned about his location during the recording of the podcast in 2020. When Blanche mistakenly referred to it as a prison, Cohen quickly corrected him, stating it was a “condo.” The correction happened while all parties involved, including Judge Juan Merchan and Donald Trump—who was seen handling a pair of vintage-style black headphones—listened intently to the recorded audio according to CNN.

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The courtroom, equipped with technology reminiscent of the 1990s, turned silent as the audio played, concluding with Cohen’s admission, “I heard that, yes.” Further, when asked if he had stated on the podcast that Trump “needs to wear handcuffs and to do the perp walk. People will not be satisfied until he’s sitting inside a cell,” Cohen ambiguously replied, “I don’t recall saying that but I don’t put it past me.”

The interrogation took a more personal turn as Blanche delved into other insults Cohen had hurled at Trump in the past, showcasing the frequent animosity that marks Cohen’s commentary on his old boss. Blanche inquired whether Cohen referred to Trump as a “boorish cartoon misogynist” on his show, to which Cohen responded, “Sounds like something I would say.” The examination continued with Blanche revealing another remark from Cohen who reportedly called Trump a “Cheeto-dusted cartoon villain,” an assertion that Cohen did not deny.

Cohen also revealed his late-night battles with insomnia and how he turns to TikTok as his escape. Under the probing of Blanche, Cohen admitted to hosting over an hour of live sessions nightly on TikTok to foster a community and express his frustrations due to sleeplessness. Cohen also discussed his opinions about Trump on X. When pressed by Blanche, Cohen acknowledged that on his podcast, he has expressed a desire to see Trump held accountable and, yes, convicted in this very case.

The conversation took a turn as Blanche highlighted merchandise from Cohen’s website—a $32 T-shirt featuring Trump in a prison jumpsuit and other items boldly stating, “convict 45” and a coffee mug declaring, “send him to the big house, not the White House.” Cohen confirmed these were indeed digs at Trump, even confessing to wearing the contentious T-shirt in a recent TikTok video according to Fox News.

The exchanges paint a significant challenge for the court: discerning the motivations behind Cohen’s statements and their impact on the integrity of his testimony. The colorful descriptors used by Cohen paint a picture of deep-seated disdain towards Trump, which may influence how the jury views his accusations and testimony. With each admission, Cohen’s reliability as a witness is tested, possibly affecting the trajectory of the trial.

Just hours after U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) bragged about coaching disgraced attorney Michael Cohen for his testimony in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against former President Donald Trump, an investigative reporter revealed a compromising connection involving Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case.

During an appearance on MSNBC Tuesday, Rep. Goldman explained how he helped prepare Michael Cohen, the prosecution’s “star witness,” for his testimony against former President Trump. “I have deposed Michael Cohen. I have met with him a number of times to prepare him,” the New York Democrat said.

The plot thickened on Tuesday evening when investigative journalist Laura Loomer noted that Goldman is a client of Democrat political consulting company Authentic Campaigns. Loren Merchan — the daughter of Judge Juan Merchan — works for Authentic Campaigns and has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for Democrat candidates off of the Trump prosecutions.

Notable clients for the firm include the Biden-Harris campaign, as well as several prominent Democrat senators, U.S. representatives, governors and state Democratic Parties.

Rep. Goldman is also listed as a client for Authentic. “Nobody is fighting harder to save our democracy and our planet than @DanielSGoldman,” the group wrote in a Twitter post after the 2022 midterm elections. “He’ll be an amazing addition to Congress next year.”

After Loomer’s report, the group set its X page to private.

Judge Juan Merchan has consistently faced accusations of political bias throughout the duration of the Trump case. The judge donated to Joe Biden’s campaign in July 2020. He also made a number of small donations to additional left-wing and Democrat groups in 2020.

Judge Merchan has also slapped Trump with an extensive gag order that prohibits him from discussing key aspects of the case, including the political activities of his daughter, after he drew attention to Loren’s political activities in April.

“So, let me get this straight,” Trump wrote, “the Judge’s daughter is allowed to post pictures of her ‘dream’ of putting me in jail, the Manhattan DA is able to say whatever lies about me he wants, the Judge can violate our Laws and Constitution at every turn, but I am not allowed to talk about the attacks against me, and the Lunatics trying to destroy my life, and prevent me from winning the 2024 Presidential Election, which I am dominating?”

“Maybe,” he suggested, “the Judge is such a hater because his daughter makes money by working to ‘Get Trump,’ and when he rules against me over and over again, he is making her company, and her, richer and richer. How can this be allowed?”

Despite the compromising connections, Judge Merchan has not only refused to recuse himself from the case, but has fined Trump on multiple occasions for discussing the facts.

Merchan is far from the only key figure in the case with extensive connections to Democrats. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg currently employs Matthew Colangelo, a former senior Department of Justice official. Colangelo served as Acting Associate Attorney General before, the third most senior position in the Biden DOJ, before joining Bragg’s office.

He is now working as a lead prosecutor in the “hush money” case.

Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger, who led the questioning of former adult film star Stormy Daniels, also donated to the Biden-Harris campaign in 2020. In addition, the prosecutor donated more than $900 to ActBlue, a fundraising organization that goes towards Democratic candidates and progressive causes, during the 2020 election cycle.

Hoffinger also donated to a number of additional Democrat candidates and causes in 2018 and 2020. She was hired by Bragg after the contributions had been made in 2022.

Fareed Zakaria, one of CNN’s most prominent on-air talents and a reliable Trump critic in the past, issued President Joe Biden an ominous warning after declaring that recent major events have not played out “as I thought it would.”

Zakaria, host of Sunday’s Global Public Square program, begged Democrats to be “honest about the reality” they face in the wake of consistent polls showing former President Donald Trump leading in almost every swing state. Though he has more than five months to make up ground, President Biden is showing very real vulnerabilities with key demographics that should have been shored up by now, said the host.

“As someone worried about the prospects of a second Trump term, I think it’s best to be honest about reality,” Zakaria told viewers, adding that polls have “tended to underestimate” the well of support Trump draws among registered and likely voters. “I doubt that there are many shy Biden voters in the country,” he quipped.

Spinning a “robust recovery” of the economy over the past two years and unemployment at a 54-year low, Zakaria lamented the lack of credit the Democratic incumbent is receiving for his leadership. “The shift here is stark,” he said. “On the issue of who voters trust to deal with the economy, Trump has a 22-point lead over Biden… This marks a 15-point bump for Trump compared to the same poll in 2020.”

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Critics of the Biden administration have rightly pointed out that persistent inflation and high interest rates are negating the positive news of higher corporate earnings and increased hiring. In recent polls, Americans have expressed dissatisfaction with their ability to afford everyday expenses from gas to groceries — 41% of Gallup respondents named inflation as the most important issue facing the economy, overshadowing any accomplishments Biden could claim credit for on other fronts.

Zakaria predicted that Biden and Democrats would “benefit” from recent debates over abortion access at the state level but remains “35 points behind Trump” on the issue of immigration. “I do wonder whether abortion will be as large an issue in a presidential race given that reversing Roe v. Wade threw the issue to state governments and not the federal government,” he said.

But “perhaps the most worrying sign for Democrats is that, far from being the more unified party they are not bitterly divided over the war in Gaza,” Zakaria continued, highlighting recent remarks by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) predicting the issue could become “Biden’s Vietnam.” Just 33% of poll respondents approved of Biden’s handling of the conflict.

President Trump, meanwhile, has largely united the GOP base while remaining in the spotlight during his criminal trial, stoking sympathy from supporters who “see him as a martyr” and undecided voters who may come to believe that his trials as “politically motivated,” Zakaria said. “I doubt the New York indictment would have been brought against a defendant whose name was not Donald Trump.”

“Trump could always embroil himself in some kind of scandal, but trendlines are not working in Biden’s favor,” he added. “I have to admit, none of this is playing out as I thought it would.”

CNN’s latest coverage of the presidential election has become the news equivalent of a five-alarm fire.

Hours after longtime host Fareed Zakaria begged President Joe Biden on his Sunday show to “turn things around,” analyst Harry Enten broke down the latest poll numbers from NYT/Sienna showing the Democratic incumbent badly training former President Donald Trump in key swing states that are expected to decide the election. Among them: Trump leads Biden by 9% in Georgia, ground zero to the disputed 2020 presidential results and two stunning U.S. Senate wins by Democrats that year. Arizona, another close loss for Trump four years ago, now favors him by 6% among likely voters.

“These numbers are an absolute disaster… 13 in Nevada? My goodness God!” said Enten. “No Democrat has lost that state since John Kerry lost it back in 2004. Results for Biden were no much better among the Great Lakes states where Trump leads Biden by 3% in Pennsylvania, 1% in Wisconsin, and remains just 1% behind in Michigan. However, “this they can work with,” he added before pointing back to the Sun Belt results. “This the Donald Trump campaign absolutely loves, and it looks like a lot of other polling.”

Demographic changes in the Trump coalition may explain the difference. Sun Belt states, home to a more working class and diverse swath of non-white voters, especially with Hispanic heritage, now give Trump 19% support compared to 13% four years ago. At the same time, the Republican’s support among white voters has dipped to 78% from 84%. “Those Sun Belt battleground states are more diverse than the Great Lake battleground states,” explained the analyst.

Looking at the Electoral College math, the advantage goes to Trump, “but he’s not over the 270 mark just yet.” With Great Lakes battleground states and several congressional districts in Maine and Nebraska all within the margin of error, Biden has a narrow path to victory, but all the chips must fall in his favor.

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The clip, highlighted by President Trump’s war room account on X, signals his team is acutely aware of the ground he has made up since 2024. As Zakaria noted Sunday, Trump is now seen as the more competent leader by a majority of voters, a 25-point swing from where he stood four years ago. The results indicate just how fed up Americans are with stagflation and overseas wars with no end in sight. Additionally, Biden’s age has become a big factor among poll respondents, “and there’s very little Biden can do now to change that perception.”

Furthermore, every day the former president remains above the fold in the nation’s papers during his ongoing criminal trial is another win he’s notched, Zakaria noted. Supporters are given a fresh opportunity to feel aggrieved on his behalf while undecided voters may come to believe that the prosecution is “politically motivated,” a sentiment Zakaria admitted he feels as well. President Trump is back in court on Monday as prosecutors present testimony by his former attorney and “fixer” Michael Cohen.