Harry Mayes joins for the Monday Cut Sheet, where Tony Romo’s split from CBS leads into Jack Smith’s appearance at Tom Morello’s political festival and a spirited discussion about whether public officials even bother pretending to be politically detached anymore. The Cut Sheet rolls forward with politics and polling. We talk about Republican difficulties heading toward the midterms, campaign money, competitive Senate races and whether candidates in traditionally Republican states are in more trouble than expected. Latino voters become a major part of the conversation as we look at cost-of-living concerns, jobs, immigration and why broad assumptions about any voting bloc can miss what actually motivates individual voters.
We also dig into polling errors from past election cycles, betting markets, fuel costs and the tension between positive economic statistics and what people feel when they pay for groceries, gasoline, diesel, housing and other everyday expenses. That carries into a wider argument over whether Republican candidates have an effective economic message and whether Trump’s heavy campaign schedule can overcome voter frustration.
Then the Cut Sheet gets weird. We react to reports of a death involving a worker at a Russian anti-plague institute, Curtis Sliwa and Zohran Mamdani holding hands while receiving flu shots and Mamdani’s appearance with Theo Von, where he describes socialism as government ensuring people have what they need for a dignified life. We finish with the case of former Kroger manager Michael Self, who says he is fired after stepping in while an elderly co-worker is confronted by suspected shoplifters.
