16 days and counting. A brandnew nbc news poll just released this morning gives us new insight into the midterms as President Biden tells me whats at stake in our exclusive interview. When you are an undergraduate school, they talk about every generation has to protect democracy. It really does and i think were at one of those Inflection Points in history. And House Speaker nancy pelosi joins me live to talk about how democrats can keep control of the house and what could happen if they dont. Im Jonathan Kaye part. And this is The Sunday Show. This sunday, the midterms are just 16 days away in a new nbc news poll shows that the economy, threats to democracy and immigration are among the top issues for voters. It also showed intense polarization. Around 80 of both republicans and democrats think the opposing parties agenda poses a threat that will quote destroy america as we know it. And while republicans are still favored to take the house, the race for the senate is still a tossup. Setting up a fierce Battle Fork Erases in the states of georgia. Nevada, arizona and pennsylvania. We have an Allstar Group to break this all down. Fernando monte, msnbc political analyst and democratic pollster. Matthew dowd, msnbc political contributor and analyst and author of revelations on the river. And ali velshi, host of velshi here on msnbc. He joins me from detroit, michigan. Where hes been talking to voters. Good morning, ali. Good morning, jonathan. Ive had a great conversation with a six detroit residents. Kind of how i do it. I go crosscountry and certify the group of evil from across the political spectrum. As you would expect, they are divided on what they think the most important issue is motivating them for this election in 16 days. There are a lot of people generally speaking those influenced by Republican Campaign ads who believe, validly, that the economy is the most important issue to them because theyre watching these prices go up. But in michigan in particular. There is a valid question about abortion. It is the question that would make abortion legal in the state of michigan. Notwithstanding federal law or jurisprudence. I put it to my panel about what the most important issues are. Whether it comes to the economy or abortion. Here is a little of what they told me. The Biggest Issue in michigan is abortion. Im hearing that from, like i said, other parents. From the women that i work with. Through my profession and families in general just people want to know that they have reproductive rights. And they have access to health care when they need it. Its not just abortion. Its lots of other services that are related. Im dealing with a lot of Different Community groups and folks. Thats whats most important right now. Can i get a job . Can i pay for my home . Can i pay my rent . Im not taking on anybody on this abortion issue. That is a luxury for some people to be that to be the number one concern. I think that again, for suburban moms in for folks outside the inner city, that might be the Biggest Issue. But for the inner cities, its about jobs. I see reproductive freedom which abortion is one part of that. As both an economic issue and a rights issue. So its both. If you are being forced to have a baby that you didnt expect to have because you were raped, thats an economic issue for you. Its going to change the rest of your life. And of course, jonathan, the issue looming over all of this, which we saw on our brandnew nbc pulling this morning. Is for a whole lot of voters, democracy itself. Is the issue. They are worried, particularly here in the state of michigan where there were a farright extremist plot to kidnap the governor, particularly where malicious tend to be active. Particularly where three people on the ballot for the most Important Office in the state. Most Important Offices in the state. Including the governor, the attorney general and the Secretary Of State our 2020 election deniers. Democracy itself is leading some people to the polls. The bottom line is were expecting high turnout in michigan like in many other states. But there are issues in this Midterm Election that are unlike any that we face in recent times, jonathan. Ali, thank you very much for showing us that clip. That was an incredible back and forth between those two folks. I want to bring in Vernon Mondean matthew dowd to jump off that and talk about that. Thank you both very much for being here. Im changing up all the questions i was just but asked because that sound start with you, that we just heard between those two voters in michigan that la talked to was incredible. Where you have one saying abortion is the top issue. You have the other guy saying no, abortions a luxury, its the economy that we should be talking about. She comes back and says abortion is an economic issue. Is abortion really going to be the issue, not just in michigan but in the races across the country . I think the answer is both. Abortion is the animating issue that has created in the sense a jump ball new election for the democrats. Democrats and women especially are supercharged by this issue. But by the same token you cannot ignore the economy. There are concerns poll after poll say it. I dont think you can choose one over the other. I think what the democrats are doing here in the endgame, in these days and weeks before the election. Its a try to make at the abortion message front and center. But at the same, time talk about how they have taken an economy from the american carnage inherited by President Biden. And turn it into something that was about a path to recovery. All the numbers and says xray that while inflation is bad, worldwide, its better here in the United States. Matthew, your reaction to what fernando said but also what you heard in that back and forth between those two michigan voters. Abortion and economy. First is were in two separate worlds as this poll shows where both sides believe the other one is a threat to america stands for overwhelmingly so were in a completely cross current place where republicans believe one thing, hundred percent democrats believe another. Hunted percent. Its the world were in today. I would argue that what the democrats should be doing is making threats to democracy the dominant issue. And relating every single other issue including the abortion, including the economy. Where if we dont have a democracy, there will be no equity, zero equity in the economy. Broaden that issue, conversation. So its about threats to democracy. Specifically about the issue. This poll points out, and if you look at the cross tabs of this poll. Which they did just now before we came on the air. The dominant issue among democratss threats to the economy. Its threats to democracy. The third or second top of the issue among persuadable voterss threats to democracy. I think democrats by and large have missed a beat. Theyve spent Three Billion dollars already on ads. In this cycle. And theyve done very little, very little threats to democracy. Thats interesting. Do you agree. Because i seem to remember awhile back, democrats were hammering away at that. And the question was, shouldnt to be focusing on abortion . Shouldnt be focusing on the economy instead . I think they have to make a fullthroated case. If you fundamentally look at whats happening here. This concerns about the economy, they speak to the National Headache and the National Concern around order legitimate issues. The problem, jonathan, the democrats are trying to offer confidence. Here is an aspirant, well get you through the situation. The republican metric is the guillotine. The pulse of your headache. When its in more extreme chaotic version. I think thats the case that the democrats have to make now. We saw the chaos in the carnage under the republican policies. Your interview with President Biden. I was struck by what he said. I think its resonating. What is the republican plan . Whether its an inflation, the economy. We know they want to do an abortion. They won a national ban. So in the absence of anything real, i think the democrats have to make that case. Its a good case to make, jonathan. To the point that he was just making about the president. Warning about a national ban. Coming as we all know. Senator Lindsey Graham has made it clear that theyll try to he will try to institute a national restriction on Abortion Rights. If they take control of congress. I asked the president about that in my interview with him on friday. Listen. What happens if republicans take control of congress . How are you going to protect women . Veto anything they do. They have to for them to make dobbs for them to outlaw roe, outlaw the right of a woman to make a choice with her doctor. To not make exceptions for rape and incest. Et cetera. And pass it out of the congress to make at the law of the land. President has to sign it. All veto it. And so matthew, for democrats, abortion is a big motivating issue. But im wondering, is it a big motivating issue for republicans who hear what senator graham says and say yeah, actually, i am for that, im going to come out and vote so that we can make that happen. I dont think theres any downside to democrats stop by freeman choice. In abortion in this election. Its way down the list for republican. They believe theyve already got what they wanted. Which in many of us believe is a nightmare for the country. But they believe they got it. Their focus, their primary dominant focus seems to be inflation an immigration and crime. That seems to be the dominant focus. I think its a motivator for democrats. But ill go back to what i said. I think democrats need to have a broader message on the threat to democracy. Where abortion and Freedom Of Choice is at stake in that. And if we lose our democracy or we lose these races, if i were democrats saying this. If i lose the democrat then all of these things, Freedom Of Choice, everything goes out the window. So thats what i would do. Brought in the argument. And make abortion part of the argument. Lets bring attention to here in florida. We are in florida. Youve got two big races here. Youve got the governors race. You have the senate race. One, can congresswoman val demings of trying to unseat senator marco rubio. Senator rubio maintains a lead. Can she close that gap in the 16 days weve got left . Anything is possible, jonathan. Weve seen race around the country where democrats look like they have a disadvantage and then overperformed on election day. And pulled out some of victory select impossible. But i gotta be honest with you. Here in florida, its a different dynamic. If florida is a harbinger for these midterms, its good news for republicans, bad knees for the democrats. Consistently, val demings, despite being a credible candidate for democrats and having a very strong debate performance earlier this week against marco rubio. Still trail significantly by four or five points. Can she close that gap . Shes going to need a lot to help especially from the National Party that right now is looking whether or not they want to invest here in these final weeks before the election. The governors race. Former governor charlie chris. Now a member of congress. Running to unseat ron desantis who is the governor. Whats that look like . That once a lot tougher. If youre a democrat. Part of the reason there is just the gargantuan financial advantage that Rhonda Sanchez has over charlie chris. Its Something Like 140 million to 5 million. When you look at it. And also the Opinion Polls or make it very clear. Hes looking at anywhere between 6 to 11 point disadvantage. Charlie chris is gonna to work very hard in these last few days to close that gap. Matthew, last question to you. Early voting and started all over the country. But folks are focused in on georgia and the huge early voting numbers in that state. My question to you is how worried should democrats be about tickets folks voting for say senator warnock for senate. But skipping the democratic candidate for governor and voting for brian kemp. The democratic candidate stacey abrams. John, this is a really important point i think youre bringing up. It five or 6 of voters in many states. And this could happen in arizona to. As well as georgia and a couple of other states. One an opportunity to demonstrate their own mind if they are bipartisan. If they can vote for a democrat for u. S. Senate, lets say for warnock and then vote for a republican gives them a sense like okay, im not a straight good voter. But might the same thing could happen in arizona where they could vote for mark kelly for the United States senate. And the crazy woman, kari lake, for governor in that race. And so those five or 6 are looking for an opportunity to split their ticket. So they can say themselves, im a bipartisan voter. I just looked over my Twitter Machine and just got a cut up on the news that congresswoman val demings received the endorsement of the miami herald. Every little bit helps. Here and so with me. Matthew dowd, thank you both very much for coming back to The Sunday Show. Thank you. In the next hour The Sunday Show, House Speaker nancy pelosi will join me live to talk about democrats chances in the Midterm Elections. In the latest in the january six investigation. So you want to see that. But first, more of my exclusive interview with the president of the United States. Joe biden. Where we discuss student debt relief. The state of our democracy and the upcoming Midterm Elections. 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I sat down with the president in an exclusive interview on friday in his home state of delaware. At the hbcu delaware state university. Mister president , thank you very much for being here. Happy to with you. Ill be honest. Im scared. Millions of americans are scared. Theyre concerned about the concerted attacks on a democracy, on voting, and how thats going to impact the Midterm Elections. Were seeing everything from governor desantiss Election Police force arresting people for alleged violations of voter fraud. Were seeing Election Workers quitting because of threats. And then on top of it, youve got election deniers. Up and down the ballot. Running for election. Chunk of them could win. So why shouldnt we be scared . I think we should be concerned. Look, theres nothing automatic democracy. When you are an undergraduate school. They talk about every generation has to protect democracy. It really does and i think were at one of those Inflection Points in history. Where weve reached a point where there has been such a division that you have what i call the mega Maga Republicans who are think that its all right to threaten violence. Think its not an appropriate to talk about how the