As will be several other events. Of course, our primary thoughts are with mr. And mrs. Trumps as well as hope hicks who also tested positive, and we wish them all a speedy recovery. As you know, over 200,000 americans have died. But its also important to note that the vast majority of those who are infected make a full and swift recovery. Theres no reason, particular reason to think anybody at the white house now will be any different. Now, predictably, there were those who sought to make immediate Political Capital out of the first couples suckness. You might want to avoid looking at the comments on the president s twitter feed this weekend. But clearly, this latest Unsettling Development will have important political ramifications for the rest of the campaign, and ill take a look at those with a renowned pollster in a few minutes. Later in the show, well look forward to the confirmation hearings and ask whether Amy Coney Barrett could be the model of a new conservative feminism. But first, a few thoughts on another remarkable and exhausting week and especially on that first strange president ial debate. Now, ill be the first to say that round one of the trump biden smackdown was not americas finest hour. There have been more civilized discussions that take place between members of rival drug gangs. But, of course, it wasnt all angry shouting. In between the interruptions and the namecalling, some important messages did get through. Now, for most of the media, of course, it was just yet another opportunity to slam President Trump and what they call the basic threat that he represents to the American Values of liberty, equality and decency. They spent much of the week condemning mr. Trump in particular for his supposed refusal to condemn white supremacists. The president is not always Crystal Clear on this, but it just isnt fair to say he hasnt condemned this bigotry. He did it again this week. The same media who does this gives the democrats a pass on the challenge that they pose to many of the countrys institutions and values. It was, after all, mr. Biden with who once again in the debate refused to say whether he supported plans that would upend americas longstanding Constitutional Order and conventions, packing the Supreme Court, ending the senate filibuster. And he was the one who actually declined to condemn the hardleft revolutionaries who brought terror to so Many American cities this year. Somebodys got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a his own fbi director this is a leftwing antifas an idea, not an organization. Oh, youve got to be kidding. His fbi director gentlemen . Gerry antifas just an idea, like those peaceful protests are just peaceful protests. Tell that to the people who have watched their buildings burn down, the Small Business owners who have been looted and, of course, the police who have been under siege. It was all just an idea, nothing to worry about. So the president gets slammed for his lack of zeal in condemning rightwing hate groups while Vice President biden denies leftwing hate groups even exist. Nothing to see here. So there are four weeks left in this campaign, what else can we expect in this uniquely depressing Election Year . With me to discuss this is pollster frank luntz. Thank you very much, indeed, for joining us. Its a pleasure. Thank you for having me. Gerry so, frank, lets start with this, i suppose, shocking news overnight, thursday night, friday night, that the president , the first lady, hope hicks and now others have tested positive for covid. Of course, everybodys concerned immediately and primarily with the health and speedy recovery, but give us a sense what you think how the changes, if it does change, the campaign in the course of the next few weeks. Well, donald trump is at his best in these rallies. Hes at his best when hes interacting with the public and now, obviously, he wont be able to do so for 14 days. So that a takes away his best weapon. Second, its now questionable whether he can participate in the town hall debate because that would be day number 14, maybe day number 13. And so its going to be a tremendous challenge. And we dont even know what his health is going to be like. It makes it very hard for him to say that were over covid when he himself is now aproduct inned by it. But by the same token, itd be a mistake by joe biden to try to take advantage of the situation. Number one, people have sympathy for the president. Number two, nobody, nobody wishes this kind of ill health on anyone. And number three, the polls are still too close to say that joe biden is definitely the next president. So its just another element of uncertainty. Gerry you are already hearing some democrats say, you know, as well as expressing sympathy for the president , yes, or this is a president whos downplayed covid, said it was going to go away, didnt take it seriously, particularly reluctant to wear a mask although he said he does wear a mask and that in some way, you know, this is going to reflect badly on the president now that hes got covid because it shows how careless and how uncaring hes been about it. Do you think that will play . I think it reflects badly on democrats who are trying to score political points off of someones infirmity. And this is a very dangerous thing. They already have seen a lot of meanness on both sides, but the idea that they would seek to take political gain from the hardship thats facing the first family right now is a big mistake on the part of the democrats. Gerry the other issue, i suppose, is that we will now be again, we dont know exactly, as you said, how much the president will be able to campaign, but were going to be talking about covid at least for a time rather than economic recovery or law and order or some of the issues that i think the president would rather be talking about. That probably doesnt help the president , rah right . The more the president is focused on covid, all the polling suggests the worse for him. Youre correct. The president has a 3point lead on the economy, a 1point lead on china. If theyre talking about covid, joe biden has a 10point lead over donald trump on handling covid. If the election is about the handling of this virus, then joe biden wins. If its about the economic recovery, then donald trump still has a very strong chance. You cant define the election if you are quarantined for 14 days. Gerry how do you see this race, frank . Youve been following president ial campaigns for many, many years. This is an unusual one. The president is an unusual one. The polling seemed to be pretty steady for a long time, the National Polling at least giving joe biden a 6, 7point lead. State polls, a little closer. Where do we stand . Were a month away. Where do we stand in this campaign . So i want to give you three key statistics. Number one is only 11 states could swing from one candidate to another. The other 39 states are already decided. Second, only 2. 4 of americans sorry, only 6 of americans are truly undecided. The other 94 have made up their minds. So when you combine those two together, its 2. 4 of americans that are going to decide who the next president is. We did a focus group with them on tuesday night, and they were turned off by both candidates, both efforts, both debate performances because they thought they were issueless and too heavy on attacking the other candidate. Gerry frank, weve got to take a quick break, but when we come back, i want to talk more about the implications of that very raucous first debate and the other issues that are going to determine the election in four weeks time. Stay with us. Smooth driving pays off with allstate the safer you drive the more you save youve never been in better hands allstate click or call for a quote today latonight, silence it with newd byzzzquil night pain. Allstate because pain should never get in the way of a restful nights sleep. New zzzquil night pain. Silence pain, sleep soundly. Tech every customer has their own safelite story. This couple was on a camping trip. When their windshield got a chip. They drove to safelite for a sameday repair. And with their insurance, it was no cost to them. Woman really . Tech thats service you can trust. Singers safelite repair, safelite replace. Gerry im back with pollster frank luntz. Frank, very briefly on the debate earlier this week, the media, of course, perhaps rightly said the president S Performance didnt help him. Do we have any polling evidence yet . Ive seen some of the postdebate polls, all of them, other than telemundo, gave joe biden the lead. But joe biden didnt perform well and donald trump, honestly, did not perform well. The public thought it was a hit show with an s, and they expect more if these candidates. Im not going to get you fined, gerry, i promise you that. [laughter] they want to know, if youre an undecided voter, you want details, you want substance, and they got one of it. All they got was two candidates yelling at each other, and if thats what happens in the next two debates, its actually going to depress turnout as these people decide to hell with all of them. Gerry the president may be off the scene for a couple weeks now. Assuming he comes after that, what has he got to do in these final few weeks when he can campaign to turn this around . Hes got to make joe biden tell the truth. Hes got to make joe biden explain exactly what hes going to do on the first day, first 100 days, first year. Hes going to show biden may be talking as a moderate but that many of the policies that his team advocates is out of the far left. The key for donald trump is to make joe biden extreme rather than mainstream. Gerry whats the risk that you think the election becoming bogged down in this discussion about mailin ballots and the unreliability of the results . What effect does that, do you think, have on voters as they are going to the polls already . Well, whats happening is actually depressing republicans and challenging democrats to come out. I think its having the opposite effect of what the president wants because its the republicans who are saying dont allow voter fraud, dont allow people to vote twice, dont allow people who arent qualified to vote to participate. And by raising these points, its not adding to accountability, its actually adding to chaos. And im afraid of how people are going to react on election day. Gerry frank, i know youre a president ial historian, and i see fdr looming there behind you. As you look at american history, president ial elections, elections more generally, you know, what do you learn from that history to give us some uplifting thoughts as we enter the final stretch of this campaign . Welshes its very hard well, its very hard, but i want to show this one right here. This is jfk running as a congressman. This is his very first election. Im in the process of putting together a couple of private collections, and you know that its not democrat or republican, its everybody. I want americans to vote. I want americans to participate, i want americans to realize that we have the great est electoral system in the world. Dont allow anyone to destroy it in your silence. Gerry amen to that, frank. Thank you very much, indeed, for joining us. Great to talk to you. Up next, Amy Coney Barrett is on the liberal hot seat for her conservative feminism, but my next guest says barrett is, in fact, a new feminist icon. Shell make her case coming up. Ok, just keep coloring there. And sweetie can you just be. Gentle with the pens. Okey. Okey. I know. Gentle. Gentle new projects means new project managers. You need to hire. I need indeed. Indeed you do. The moment you sponsor a job on indeed you get a short list of quality candidates from our resume database so you can start hiring right away. Claim your seventy five dollar credit, when you post your first job at indeed. Com home. Gerry Amy Coney Barrett, President Trumps pick for the latest Supreme Court vacancy, was on capitol hill this week meeting mostly republican senators. Democrats wouldnt actually give her the courtesy ahead of her confirmation hearing later this month. Judge barrett has been attacked for her supposedly extreme conservative views on religion and the role to of the family. One oncerespectable News Organization actually suggested she subscribes to a kind of handmaids tale philosophy about the role of women, this despite the fact shes already one of the most accomplished and distinguished professionals in american history. This attempt to smear judge barrett raises interesting questions about feminism. Liberals seem to think that women cant really be conservatives just as black americans cant support the republicans, intelligent feminists can only support democrats, they say. But judge barrett is perhaps the most important representative yet of a cache of women who believe theres no inconsistency between the idea that they should have access to the same opportunities men have while also believing they have a unique role as women within their family, community and country. Here to discuss all of this is the fellow at the ethics and Public Policy center and a senior fellow at the Abigail Adams institute. Her latest book, the rights of women reclaiming a lost vision, is hitting shelfings in 2021. Erica, thank you very much for joining us. Thanks for having me. Its a pleasure. Gerry weve got this media picture of judge barrett who apparently wants to put women back in the kitchen while at the same time being one of the most successful professionals in the field. What do we make of that . Yeah, its truly extraordinary. From all accounts, she is i say in my piece, generationally brilliant. Of ive heard for one that shes the smartest, would be the smartest on the bench right now. Really, really brilliant woman and also i think from what i understand incredibly humble. And you dont see those two coexist in many people. And, obviously, very generous. You know, having many children herself and then inviting two adopted children into her home, caring for a special needs child. Shes obviously beloved by her husband and children, and so i dont know if theres a bit of jealousy. Im not sure what it is. But, you know, she clearly, you know, is making many of us who are out there who have, or you know, been kind of arguing for this kind of new feminism really sort of happy. [laughter] gerry what is i should say i have five daughters myself, so i have to tread extremely carefully whenever i talk about these topics, very sensitive to the issues. Tell me what this new feminism is that youre talking about. Yeah, i think its equal civil and political right of men and women which really have been won over the last several decades, but also on our common responsibilities especially when it comes to the nurturing and education of our children. Much like the first wave of the Womens Movement in our country, the new feminism is not interested in imitating or aping mens kind of irresponsible capacity to walk away from unexpected pregnancy through abortion, but rather in asking men as those first feminists did, you know, in the 18th sent ily and vindication of the rights of women, to meet women with the High Standard of reciprocity and care. I think its an exciting new look for feminism, and i think its interesting to see a woman of such prominence in her profession really reaching the pinnacle of her profession kind of embodies that. So its an exciting time. Gerry and you talk about how abortion and roe v. Wade, you know, which was seen by many people as, you know, the kind of signature achievement, if you like, of feminism, actually just as you just said, hasnt necessarily resulted in the kind of liberation that some of its proponents, abortion choice advocates have argued. Explain that for us. Yeah. You know, i dont think that constitutionalizing the right to abortion has really rendered women freer or more equal, and thats really what the claim is. I think this is especially true for poor women, actually. I think its distorted the shared responsibilities that should be in male female sexual relationships. I think its promoted childbearing as one Consumer Choice among many, and its contributed to this dim view of care giving ever since. You know, its interesting, in 992, in planned parenthood v. Casey, the case that re affirmed roe while tightening it a bit, theres language about how we as a country have relied on abortion for womens equality. And i think this reliance on abortion has really distorted or, you know, changed kind of institutional and individual behavior. I list some of the ways in which its done that in my piece, but we still rampant pregnancy discrimination in many companies, with we see women feeling like they need to hide their pregnancies, fathers feel fathers and mothers both feeling like they need to hide being parents at work. People being penalized when they come back to, you know, wanting to come back into the workplace after caring for children as though theyd never been doing anything, as though theyd been, like, playing video games, not doing the really important work of caring for children. And so i think, you know, we shouldnt sort of expect anything different when we belittle the moral status of the unborn child for nearly 50 years of Supreme Court case law or you know, referring it, referring to human life as nearly potential life when we know scientifically it isnt true. And a popular argument or gerry right, right. Not surprised when our workplaces and other cultural institutions kind of across our country treat human beings this way too. I mean yeah. I just, the thing that i would like to say is this view is more coherent. Gerry right. Being, or you know, all kinds of labor as equal and potentially the labor caregiving parents do as even more important than other work. Gerry the last article i think you were referring to was in politico. Good luck with the book. My thanks to erika. Coming up, covid strikes again. Germanys world famous of octobr fest had to be canceled. But those funloving germans arent letting that get in the way of a good party. Thats next. [ engines revving ] its amazing to see them in the wild like th shhh. For those who were born to ride, theres progressive. First responders are people who stand for a greater purpose. They will be there for you when nobody else is. To help you, your family, your community, make it through. Whatever the day may bring. This is their selfless promise. This is their sworn duty. To protect, to serve, to help. They put themselves in harms way for us. They come to the rescue at times when we need them most. First responders are making enormous personal sacrifices to keep showing up for us and fighting the good fight. Nearly 70 of all firefighters are volunteers. That means when they get injured or quarantined, they may not have a way to pay their rent or keep their families safe and fed. No matter who you are or where you live, when you call 911 and ask for help, First Responders show up. Now, lets show up for the people who show up for us, every day and every night. Muck if. Gerry well, after a week of a whats been some pretty dispiriting news, its good to know some people still know how to have fun. While were all still struggling with restrictions on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, spare a thought for the germans. The traditional octoberfest orgy has been yet another casualty of covid this year, canceled for the first time in memory. The germans got this bit of very helpful advice from the Health Minister of the countrys large arest state. Translator i think a certain merriment at parties is absolutely necessary, but a bit of discipline is also wise. I wouldnt object so much to beer, but maybe you could take it easy on the hard stuff. Gerry well, who better than the entire mans to remind us how to germans to remind us how to Party Responsibly . As we con policemen tate a world of lockdowns, early closings in restaurants and bars, maybe its not so much discipline with our merriment but a little more merriment with all that discipline. Thats it for us. Be sure to follow me on twitter, facebook and instagram, and ill be back next week with more indepth interviews right here on the wall street journal at large. Thanks very much for joining us. Jack welcome to barrons roundtable where we get behind the headlines and prepare you for the week ahead. Im jack otter. The merger with amazon is helping whole foods cut costs. Whole foods ceo john mackey will join us. But what we think are the three most important things investors ought to be thinking about right now. The markets dipped on news of President Trump testing positive for covid19 but leveled off and ended the week with gains. Why wasnt it a bigger deal . Oil stock