How Do We Fix Down-Ballot Elections?

The Gist

Peach Fish Productions

Daily News, News

4.5 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 19 September 2016

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 2012, Republicans won a solid majority in the House of Representatives, but only 48 percent of the vote. How did it happen? The Hill's national correspondent, Reid Wilson, talks about the unusual forces influencing down-ballot races this year. There's more money from outside forces, like the Koch brothers, but also hyperlocal issues that get lost in coverage of the presidential race. On the Spiel, Mike considers an appropriate response to the bombings in Manhattan and New Jersey. Today's sponsors: Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. Rocket Mortgage brings the mortgage process into the 21st century with an easy online process. Check out Rocket Mortgage today at QuickenLoans.com/gist. ABC's new series Designated Survivor. Kiefer Sutherland stars as a Cabinet member who is thrust into the presidency after a devastating attack on the government. Designated Survivor premieres on ABC Wednesday, Sept. 21. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at Slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The following podcast contains explicit language.
0:07.9	It's Monday, September 19th, 2016, from slated to the gist, I might pass.
0:12.4	A president Obama, good president, smart guy, poor political analyst,
0:18.2	blamed the closeness of the current presidential race on the media quote,
0:23.4	this should not be a close election, but it will be.
0:26.1	The reason it will be is not because of Hillary's flaws, but rather because structurally,
0:30.2	we've become a very polarized society.
0:32.7	He said at a fundraiser, ah, it was a fundraiser.
0:36.1	That explains things.
0:37.2	He was saying things that people in the audience wanted here, things like this.
0:40.9	If all you're doing is watching Fox News and listening to Rush Limbaugh and reading
0:45.0	some of the blogs that are turning out a lot of misinformation on a regular basis,
0:48.6	then it's very hard for you to think that you're going to vote for somebody
0:52.4	who you've been told is taking the country in the wrong direction.
0:55.4	Wrong.
0:56.4	44% of Americans do not listen to Rush Limbaugh or watch Fox News.
1:01.4	If the media is to blame, which is everyone's favorite sport,
1:05.4	I put the blame not on the misinformation of Rush.
1:08.9	That has already been priced into the fact that, you know, 20% of the electorate is rabid right wing.
1:14.9	I do not put the blame on the cable news industry that they train their cameras on Trump
1:20.5	during the primary.
1:21.5	In fact, I don't blame the media at all.
	...

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