Hey with pod listeners, before we get into today's episode, just want to note we recorded

this episode a few weeks ago, so you might hear some references like for instance the debate

which was much fresher in our memory at that time.

I think if we win that Trump is done.

And I know there are a bunch of people in fact, you know, some of the pod save bros were talking

about, you know, Trumpism is going to outlast Trump. I am not so damn sure.

Hello and welcome to why is this happening with me your host Chris Hayes.

I am talking to you after what appears it will be the only debate, the first and only debate between

Vice President Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

Kamala Harris cleaned his clock, knocked him out, 11 out of 10, hit it out of the

park, pitch to shut out, slam dunk, choose your sports metaphor.

That I think was clear to anyone with eyes in the same way that Joe Biden's poor performance

in the first debate was clear to anyone with eyes and ears to listen and it was I think one of the

most impressive performances I've ever seen politically under incredibly

high-stakes situation and we're we are in and now I mean we're in the last days of this incredibly high stakes election.

And Kamala Harris, it's not just the top of the ticket. It's obviously the House and the Senate and the Senate battlefield is really difficult for

Democrats and we'll talk a little bit about why that is and what the United States

Senate has come to mean in terms of its representational gravity and how it sort of has a kind of partisan

balance to it. But I've just been trying to talk to everyone I can basically in

politics as we're down the stretch and one of my favorite people to

interview in the United States Senate is today's guest. He was a colleague of

Kamala Harris when she was a US senator. He's got a really interesting perspective because he represents the most unique state in the union, if I can say that.

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