America Votes: A Cross Border Conversation (Part One)

Published Oct 21, 2024, 9:00 AM

On this episode of The Middle we're co-partnering with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Cross Country Checkup to broadcast live from WDET in Detroit, Michigan for a cross-border conversation about what's at stake for Americans and Canadians ahead of the U.S. Presidential Election. Jeremy is joined by Cross Country Checkup host Ian Hanomansing, CBC Washington Correspondent Alexander Panetta, Democratic Strategist Yvette Simpson, Republican Strategist T.W. Arrighi and Michigan Public Political Director Zoe Clark. #Trump #Harris #2024 #Canada #trade #voting #climatechange #economy

High mental podcast listeners, It's Jeremy Hobson, but I have a special guest with me for this episode of the podcast, Ian Hannah Mansing.

The host of Cross Country check Up on CBC Radio in Canada.

You can just barely hear the Canadian accent there, but Ian and I are in Detroit, and the next two podcast episodes that you are going to hear over the next couple of days are our live special that we did on Sunday, October twentieth, and we were live across the whole US and Canada taking calls from around the countries to hear what people in the US are thinking ahead of the election and what Canadians think about that, because you actually do care about our elections.

It's a boot time.

Okay, take a listen. Hope you enjoy the show, and we'll be back with another hour of this tomorrow.

Hello to Michigan. We win Michigan, We win the whole ball again.

It is so good to be back in Michigan.

And we are live in Detroit, Michigan.

While Trump intends to take America backward to the failed policies of the past, Hi am you.

And Hannaman seeing the host of cross country checkup in Canada. If we lose this election, this country has finished.

I really believe it. This country is fish and I'm Jeremy Hobson, host of the Middle in the US.

Donald Trump left us the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War.

This is America. Votes across border conversation.

The whole country is going to be like you want to know the truth, It'll be like Detroit. Our whole country will end up being like Detroit or CESI President, we.

Are live in Detroit, taking your calls right now from across Canada and the United States.

Hey, I am Michael Scio and I'm in Chicago, Illinois.

My name is Larry Michael.

I'm calling Trump Massachusetts. Our question today, what's at stake for you in the US election? You can call us right now at one eight eight eight for to one, say eight three three three one eight eight eight four one six eight three three three To.

Me, the two most important issues right now are abortion and gun control.

Number one issues for me in this election is definitely the economy and the horrible housing.

As you heard there, there's a lot at stake for Americans in this election.

And that's true as well for Canadians, America's closest ally and the largest trading partner.

No matter what happens in Canada, we'll be better off with Kamala Harrison the White House.

Well, I'm a pro life Christian and I'll be paying a lot of attention to the discussion over abortion right. I'm very thankful to President Trump.

I'm hoping some of that will rub off into Canadian politics.

Today we're taking calls from both sides of the border, across Canada and the United States, from Minnesota to Nevada, Phoenix to Philadelphia.

Our question what's at stake for you in the US election? Again? You can call us at one eight eight eight four one six eight three three three, or you can go to CBC dot com slash aircheck.

I mean Hannaman seeing and.

I'm Jeremy Hobson.

We're live on CBC Radio, CBCDUS Network and CBC USED dot CA.

And on NPR stations across the United States. This is America Votes Across Border Conversation, a co production between CBC The Middle and WDET in Detroit. And for anyone who wants to watch us live on TikTok or YouTube. We are at CBC News. We're coming to you just a few miles from the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit, where ian Just this morning, literally thousands of Canadians and Americans ran the Detroit Marathon, running together across the bridge from the US into Canada and then they come back into America. And that bridge, of course, is where hundreds of millions of dollars worth of trade flow across the Detroit River each day. So we're going to try to end the next you little bit here as we get going with this live program here from both Canadians and Americans really have a conversation on both size about this very crucial election. And I wonder if, first of all, you've been here in Detroit covering the story in Michigan for The National, which is CBC's nightly TV newscast, what are you hearing about from Americans, especially since you're going to them as a Canadian asking them what's going on.

Well, first of all, when you're a Canadian talking to Americans, everyone is willing to talk to you.

Because you're so polite.

That's what I'll tell you. When you're a TV reporter on the Canadian side, sometimes it's hard to coax people to speak I had no problem coaxing anybody to speak over the last couple of days here. The other thing is, you know, we arrived here on Thursday night. On Friday, both of the presidential candidates were here as well. Detroit and Michigan more broadly, so important to this US election. This is one of those swing states, you know. From some people, I did sense a little bit of fatigue. There's so many political ads here, there's so much attention being heaped on this state. Also got a sense that a lot of people are looking at micro issues that no matter how big the issues are in this election for the United States and Canada, I would say there were a lot of people who were just saying, I'm concerned about you know, blank, abortion rights, the economy, right, just very you know, very specific issues that affect their life. I'm really curious, and my friends have been asking me this question too. Why are you interested? And by you I mean not just Jeremy, but the NPR stations that are carrying this live right now.

Well, look, I think we always want to hear what our fellow Americans think about about this election, why they're voting, whether it is as you say, sort of micro issues or Is it about the economy, is it about immigration? Is it about abortion? But also I think it's important for Americans to remember that whoever we elect is, as we always say, the leader of the free world. It goes well beyond our borders. And to be able to actually have a conversation today and hear from people in Canada are closest allied, the largest trading partner of the United States, about why this election matters to them, I think is going to be really interesting for our listeners across the United States. So let's find out. Actually, as we get started from CBC's Washington correspondent Alex Panetta, who is with us from Washington, what's at stake here? Alex? We mentioned trade there is that the main thing for Canada as you look at whether it's going to be Conala Harris or Donald Trump as the next president.

It's obviously huge. I mean three quarters of everything Canada sells into the world comes to the United States. You know, the United States sells a lot to Canada, about a fifth of it's exports. We are your largest customer, but the United States is on a different level when it comes to Canada's exports. You are our economic lifeline to the world, and so this election is really important, and every US election frankly carries implications for Canada, and the Marque economic promise of this campaign, the one in bright blinking lights is Donald Trump's pledge threat to impose a ten percent tariff on every single import from around the world. Ten percent tax. Now, obviously this would be hugely damaging for Canada if he through with it, and we'll get to that in a second, that word if. But I've also seen analysis that would be damaging in the United States, so that the Peterson Institute did an interesting paper on this a few weeks ago that Americans would end up suffering even more than other countries. Now, the reason I say if is I do believe that the United States has a series of things it wants from Canada, and there are reasons to believe that Trump would not impose a blanket across the pord tariff, in part because of the things his team has said. They've kind of winked and said, look, he's going to use this as a negotiating employ Now, what does the United States want from Canada? Well, I think Kamala Harris can ask for some of these same things if she's If she's elected in twenty twenty six, the USMCA Canada calls it cosma. The exactly exactly comes up for renewal. It's a long process that could last up to ten years starting in twenty twenty six. So we know that the current Biden administration would like to see Canada do a few things differently on dairy and the way it imports American dairy. On digital taxes, you know, Canada always get got fed up with the slow pace at which the international community was coming to terms on a digital services tax, things like Google, Facebook, those kinds of companies. Well, Canada went and imposed its own. The A Biden administration is not happy about it. Auto parks, there's some differences on how you calculate what counts as an Asian part versus a North American park. So these are things that Canada and a Harris administration would have to work out. But Trump would show up sooner, maybe in twenty twenty five with brass knuckles saying if you don't do what I want right, you're getting this ten percent tariff.

Well, and by the way, he said ten percent, and then he said on some things twenty on some things one hundred on some things one thousand percent tariff. I don't know if any of those were Canadian goods. But beyond trade, what are the other things that come up in terms of the relationship and the stakes for Canada in this election.

We have a huge security relationship, and I'll just mention three things. Number one the Arctic all right, on September eleventh. I don't know if many Americans know this, but on September eleventh, the order to shut down North America's airspace was given by a Canadian general who was in charge of the at that moment. Of the Norah had a partnership in Colorado, right this joint airspace collaboration. The border Canada and the United States share a border. There is a lot of irregular migration through that border as well, not nearly as much as through Mexico. But you know, there's Canada's face pressure to slow down irregular migration, and that's the reason the Trudeau government Canada has put in visa requirements on Mexican travel. And then there's obviously a spending on defense in general. So the Biden administration would love to see Canada spend a whole bunch more, to modernize our Arctic infrastructure more quickly, to spend more on our military. The Trump administration would ask for the same things, but once again with a much more brush brusque aggressive style. Like I spoke with someone who's rumored to potentially be the next National Security advisor if Trump wins, and he said, if Canada doesn't up its military spending beyond what it's committed to, we might start threatening tariffs. So basically to link the trade and economic issues to start trade and military issues. So Canada could face a lot of pressure to spend more on its military, spend more in the Arctic, but to do so under threats if Trump is elected.

That's Alex Panetta, Washington correspondent for the CBC. Alex, thank you. And we've got two strategists, one Republican, one Democrat who are going to be joining us for the entire special. We're going to meet them in just a few minutes. But in the meantime, we want to hear from you, the listeners in Canada in the United States. Give us a call one eight eight eight four one six eight three three three. We're asking you what's at stake for you in this election? We want to hear from you if you're a Trump supporter, a Harris supporter, an independent eight eight eight four one six eight three three three, or you can text us at two two six seven five eight eight nine two four.

And our first caller is in Washington, d C. Jason Zeidenberg, and Jason, welcome to the program. What's at stake for you in this election?

What's at stake for me is whether or not we're going to have an effectively run country, whether or not it'll be run by people with competence, with people that know the systems that they need to work on and have the right policies. When I called in and spoke to when I spoke to your staff, I did want to let the people know that I heard something different on the doorstep yesterday in Pennsylvania where I was with about fifty other people canvassing on behalf of the Harris Waalfs campaign.

And what's that? What different did you hear?

You hear often in the media, and you'll hear in progressive media things like Project twenty twenty five. You'll hear a lot about January sixth and the election denial that did not come up once on the doorstep in York, Pennsylvania. At best, we had some good conversations about grocery prices and the cost of living. But I think the things that are motivating Democrats to be involved in selection are not necessarily the things that are going to motivate motivate people to vote. And this was a democratic leaning constituency. This was not in the pans. It is not Republicans. These were people that were ide'd who were Democrats. So what resonated for them grocery prices, cost of living Project twenty twenty five, January sixth. You know, the fraid of American democracy didn't come up once.

Hey Jason, I hear a Canadian accent? There? Are you able to vote in this election? Are you just canvassing for Harris?

I am a dual citizen of Canada and United States. I've canvassed in every provincial and federal election.

Good held. By the way, Derem.

I listen to people talk all day. I can hear an accent. You know who it is?

There?

If I have one pitch to anybody that can hear my voice is despite what I just said, If you're motivated by what the outcome of this election could be get on a bus, get on a train, write postcards, call people, and just keep bringing it back to core messages that we all care about, like grocery prices, like the cost of living, and keep it very focused on what people, what we all are experiencing right now in this climate.

Jason, we only have seconds left before we have to take a break. But are you worried given the fact that you are a Harris supporter.

I'm a little more worried after the first canvas yesterday, but I want to preface that by saying I will still be going to Pennsylvania every Saturday and through election Day. Have weakened my motivation?

Okay, Jason, thank you very much, And if you'd like to take part in the program, you can give us a call right now one eight eight eight four one six eight three three three. You're listening to America Votes a Cross Border Conversation. More of your calls coming up.

This is America Votes Across Border Conversation. I'm Jeremy Hobson along with Ian Annahmancing from the CBC. We're live across Canada and the United States, coming to you from WDET in Detroit. We're taking your calls from across both countries. Our question what's at stake for you in the US election? You can text us at two two six, seven, five eight eight nine two four, or you can call us at eight eight eight four to one six eight three three three.

Let's bring in two strategists who will be with us throughout today's show as we take your calls. Tw Ariggy is a Republican strategist and former communications aid to Mike Bompeo and Senator Lindsay Graham. He joins US from Washington, d C. I Vet Simpson is a Democratic strategist. She also served as the CEO of Democracy for America, which organized to try to defeat Republican candidates, and she is in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tw let me start with you the election just over two weeks away. As I know you're well aware, what does Trump and the campaign need to focus on in these final few days.

He needs to hit the battleground states hard as he's doing I saw him today at a McDonald's. But it's to keep the pressure on in the battleground states that are going to decide the selection. We know the seven well, but stay to the core. Two messages that are defining the selection, which are the economy, as your previous caller talked about, and immigration. He can really drill down on those two topics and hit where Vice President Harris has been weak in her responses to that, He'll be good. The thing is is we have We're now four years into a Bide administration, three and a half years into a Bide administration with Kamala Harris as vice president. People are largely dissatisfied with the direction of this country, largely dissatisfied with the performance of this administration, and the Vice president has had a tough time thus far trying to differentiate herself from the president. So Donald Trump can say we need to turn the page from this past era and go to his bread and butterations of the economy and immigration and stay out of the hateful rhetoric. He'll be all right.

I know you'd love to debate tw on what you just said, but let me just ask you this, what do you feel the Harris campaign needs to be making its priority at this point?

I think doing exactly what the caller said, Organize, organized, organize, and most of these battleground states people are already voting. So that's the challenge, right she's got to persuade people while she's encouraging people to go out to vote. And it's really tempting at this stage to try to convince new people, especially people who you think you might be able to have a conversation with and change their mind. But strategy says, you really don't.

Have the time to do that.

Use your energy and your resources to fire up your base and get people out. And I would be tracking turn out in every single state with early voting. And what we know about Democrats is we tend to vote early, we tend to win early, and Republicans tend to catch up on election day. So if they can really ramp up the early vote number, it'll help us hopefully come out with a win on election day.

Well, Eve, what are you seeing in terms of that early vote at this point? And also in a place like we are here in Michigan with a huge Arab American population, in fact, Dearborn, I think the first city in the country to be majority Arab American, a lot of anger about the situation in Gaza. What are you seeing at this point? How much of a problem is that going to be for Kamala Harris.

You know, I was at the convention, and I think one of the things I heard her say that has calmed down some of the very Muslim constituencies that we brought together to win in twenty twenty is that she actually was the first president to acknowledge that Palestinian light lives matter. She even said she supports a two state solution, So I think that kind of calmed things down. I also think she kind of pulled away from the US's role in that conflict. Joe Biden was in it. We're going to fix this thing, We're going to make this thing, We're got to.

Bring this thing to an end.

And I don't think she's made such promises. I think she's acknowledged that Benjaminett and Yahoo is the leader of Israel and that he's making decisions that the United States does to have direct control over.

And I think if she continues.

To do that, she'll be in great shade. It is tough, though, because we did rely a lot on that constituency in twenty twenty, and we did lose some very important organizations, and also, you know, Biden, we have to win Pennsylvania and we have a similar challenge with Jewish voters in Pennsylvania, So it'll be interesting to see how those two states turn out when we think about the Gaza conflict being in the middle of this.

Tw You mentioned the McDonald's appearance by Donald Trump. You he acted as a fry cook today at a McDonald's, I believe in Pennsylvania. But aside from that, he's pulled out of some big interviews. He didn't do the interview with sixty minutes. He won't debate Kamala Harris again. Is the strategy right now to just lay low, stick to the rallies and little photo ops like the McDonald's thing, and not do any hard hitting interviews between now and the election.

Well, I would quarrel with that notion. Pamla Harrison didn't go to the Al Smith dinner, she didn't go to the Chicago Economic Club which Trump went to. I think he's been everywhere. He just did like fifteen podcasts last week that did all very well, as Harris has as well. I think it's a smart idea, So I don't believe that's the strategy. I think, look, you got two weeks left, you better put the pedal to the medal. And I think he's he's doing a pretty good job. Obviously, he's not a spring chicken, so it's it would be tiring for anybody. But no, I think he's he's doing the right things. I would like to see him debate again, but I understand why he wouldn't. I think the strategy is held of the medal two weeks. Let's rock and roll.

That is tw Arighi Republican Strategist and Ivette Simpson is also with US Democratic Strategist stand by. We're going to be bringing you back throughout the program, but of course we are taking your calls live right now or question what's at stake for you in the US election? You can call us at eight eight eight four one six eight three three three or text two two six seven five, eight eight nine two four.

We have a lot of people who are calling in. We're eager to hear voices from across Canada and the United States, people who's support either of the presidential candidates, or perhaps don't support either one and may not be voting this time around. We'd love to hear your reasoning behind it. And as we say in our question, what's at stake for you in this election? Walter Reagan is calling us from Vancouver, British Columbia. Hi Walter, Hello, what's at stake for you and your family?

Well, actually not all that much game, because we returned to Canada two years ago. We had lived in the United States for twenty five years, but it was just getting too crazy. I guess my wife and I realized that even if Trump has gone, trump Ism is going to live on, and we just didn't want to continue to live in America. Or that was the case.

That's a pretty big decision to move out of a country because you are concerned about the politics. What specifically worried you, Well, there were.

A couple of things that, you know. I lived in Loudon County, just outside DC, and it was the rhetoric was getting pretty overheated around LGBTQ and other issues, books and schools. It was just getting crazy. I mean, you couldn't listen to a news broadcast without you know, some maga Republican making some incredibly stupid statement. And finally it was also I have a transgender child and I did not want them at all to live in the United States. It would just be too dangerous for them. Under you know, I lived through one Trump administration. I have no interest in living through a second if it would happen. In God, I hope it doesn't.

All right, Walter, thank you very much for your call. Our number here on Cross Country Checkup and the Middle in Canada and the United States. One eight eight eight four one six eight three three three.

Just before we go to another call, let me just we heard from that caller about the transgender issue. T w I RIGHI let me just ask you. I've seen that the Trump campaign has been putting out a lot of ads right now in the final days about transgender issues. Is that is that a big part of the strategy right now?

Look, I think all people should be treated with dignity, love and respect. But there is a absolute issue surrounding some elements of the transgender issue. For example, uh, trans men playing or trans women playing with biological females and sports. That is a huge issue. I've seen polling in which it is deeply unpopular among all segments of the population, and there is very very little wiggle room on that. So yes, you will see him stamp his foot on that issue because it cuts across so many segments of people. I don't believe it's a cornerstone of his campaign. But I do believe that that sports issue especially is part and parcel to things that are driving people crazy about the modern left and this sort of new fangled ideology that isn't just love and respect everyone, it's let's do something that is so by common sense nature.

Bad and do it anyway.

So he will talk about it. I don't believe it's of course.

I will say there are there are good people that would say, by common sense nature, it's not bad. But it's definitely an issue that that is energizing a lot of people. So let's get to another call an American, Jeff Bone who's in Pembroke, North Carolina. Jeff, what's its sake for you this election?

Him? I'm actually a dual citizen, but I've been in the United States for five years when I accepted a job at a university, and so I wanted to focus on the impact on students of undergraduate age, specifically issues. And I'll just pick up on the last caller. I receive literature being in a state that's that play for both the Democrats and the Republicans, and that was definitely highlighted as Jeremy you mentioned that Trump has issues with students participating in sports, with not being associated with their gender at birth. I just find that bizarre that the awesome powers of the presidency would be assigned to an issue like that. And I as a teacher, I see that it impacts my students.

In what way.

It's an exclusion issue. They're not They're not being I think there it's not just being ignored. But I think there's an outright hostility to young people and the fact that these aren't issues that impacts them, and they're actually very welcoming and caring to each other, and I just don't see why there would be policies that target.

Them that way.

Thank you for that. I want to go to a Vet Simpson just briefly on that, the Democratic Strategist. What do you think of this issue? And you hear Jeff talk about how young people react to it. Is this something that energizes young people in a different way that it might energize parents in the country.

I think so. I mean, I think one of the themes that Kamala and Tim Wallas have been hammering on. I think what's really important is get government out of my personal life. I don't want you in my bedroom. I don't want you in my doctor's office. I don't want you telling me how to raise my kids. I don't want you talking. I don't want you discriminating against different types of people based on who they are. And I think the young people are really galvanized by that. It's interesting because the Republican Party used to be the small government party, and now they want to be in everybody's business. And so I think Kamala is doing a great job of saying, these are decisions that need to be made by the people who are affected by it. Donald Trump shouldn't be telling you how to raise your kids or telling your kids what they can and can't do. This is not an issue that the president should be talking about.

But I know that it's it is.

Galvanizing a lot of people on the right because this is one of those red herrings, right, just like when they talk about late term abortions, which are so rare and are almost always to protect the life of the mother, but they keep hammering and saying, oh, I think at one time Trump said you can abort a baby after is born, which.

Was completely ridiculous.

So I think Kamala continuing to say these are not decisions that your government should be making. These are decisions that the people in power at the place at the time should be making. But they know that this issue is very divisive and they're working in the beer and division. As always, young people are definitely going to protect those freedoms for sure.

You're listening to America votes across Border Conversation. We're live on CBC Radio and CBC News Network and on NPR stations across the United States. What's at stake for you in the US election? Our number is one eight eight eight four one six eight three three three. We are broadcasting from WDET in Detroit, and our next caller, Michael Johnson, is also in Detroit.

Hi, Michael, Hey, how you doing.

I'm doing well, And an issue that is really important to you is an issue that's important to a lot of people, particularly in Michigan.

Tell us about that, well, it's the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people in the occupied territories of so called Israel, specifically in the city of Gaza and Kamala Harris and the Biden administration, any kind of future Trump administration, it supports it wholesale. And you have a strategist on here for the Dems, who's saying, well, it's not in Yahu, and I wish we could control him. We control him with money, our money, all of our tax dollars go to these weapons of death that are used to blow up pregnant women, that are used. The bullets are used to have a systematic pattern of headshots for children, and we contribute to this. So any talk of well, it's out of our control is a lie, and it's condescending to Michigan voters specifically, are our Arab neighbors, our Muslim and anyone who has a shred of humanity here because we see through it. And Kamala Harris is condescending and she deserves to lose the state.

So, Michael, how will this translate into how you vote or whether you vote in this election.

Voting in this federal election, and frankly, voting in any federal election, it's a crime against the general humanity of this world. We support death in destruction around this planet. And so do not vote in this election. Do not listen to the Dems, don't listen to the Republicans. You don't have to vote. We should to be doing everything not to vote, not to participate in these genocidal politics. It's a simple moral issue, all right, Drike, All.

Right, Michael, thank you very much for calling in. I'm sure there's some of you who are listening on either side of the border that might want to take issue either with the issue that he is going to decide we'll keep him away from the ballot box this time around, or even that notion that you shouldn't vote at all. Ad eight four one six eight three three three. If you'd like to take part in that conversation.

Yeah, probably a lot of listeners even yelling at their radio when he said that, Yeah, we want to hear from you, by the way. Eight aight, eight four one six eight three three. So you let's stick in another call before we have to take a quick break. Andy Miller is from Houston. Andy, what's the big issue for you.

Hi, Well, it's dialogue. I'm concerned that there will hardly be dialogue anymore, almost an end to conversation. The truth has become subjective, and it shouldn't.

Be because politics have just become so difficult over the last many years. Are you speaking from experience? You can't talk to your neighbors about what's going on.

Neighbors friends, family. You know, everything has become very divisive where the truth, yeah, is subjective, and you know it's what confirmation bias, what people want to believe, instead of actually having dialogue being humbled by diale I remember, you know, I was on a totally opposite side of the politics that I am. Now, I don't necessarily pick and choose. I'm an independent, but it wasn't until you know, I was humbled and had to critically think that I was able to change my mind. But it does take the ability to have that, you know, elasticity, so to decide go ahead.

Yeah, I was just going to ask, So you're you're in the state of Texas, which is you know, kind of a not quite a swing state, but it's sort of close at this point, it's getting there. How is this going to translate into how you vote? And you've got a big Senate race in Texas too, between Ted Cruz and the Democrat Colin al Red.

Yeah.

Absolutely, So I'll be transparent. I was a long time Republican and even a libertarian. I was a delegate for Ron Paul a long time ago. Still a libertarian, but you know, I'm more of a centrist. But I do you know pick and choose left and right? In this case, you know I won't be choosing Ted Cruz. But I do see a landscape where you know, people are looking at who invests in them the most. They're becoming somewhat disillusioned with certain politicians. But it is at a very granular level. It's not at a wire level, and it depends on what they consume and who they're around. It's again confirmation bias.

What about in the presidential right? What about in the presidential race? Andy, you what are you going to do there? As a former Libertarian, I'll be voting for Harris. Okay, Andy Miller in Houston, thank you very much for that call. Such interesting calls in from all over the country, a lot of people very passionate about the issues at play here in this election.

Well, I think one of the things I loved about Andy's call is it's a reminder of how thoughtful and disciplined so many voters are. Right, you will hear the range as we have to an extent so far in the program, from one person defiantly saying we don't vote, voting as immoral, to other people who have made their decision to Andy's you know, it truly sounds like she assesses the issues and moves from candidate to candidate, you know, so that's fantastic.

Well, one of the things she brought up there was sort of the issue of civility, which after the debate between the vice presidential candidates Vance and Walls, that's one thing a lot of Americans on both sides were very happy about was that it was actually much more civil than the politics we've seen so far.

And we're curious about how you feel on these issues, both in Canada and the United States. Eight eight eight four one six eight three three three, or go to CBC dot CA a slash aircheck.

You're listening. If you're just tuning in, you're listening to America votes across border conversation. We're across the United States and Canada. We're asking you what's at stake for you in the US election. You can text us at two two six seven five eight eight nine two four or you can call eight eight eight four one six eight three three three. And we've got two guests here with us, tw Ariggi, who is a Republican strategist, and Evett Simpson, who is a Democratic strategist, and I guess let's get back to the phone. Absolutely, and lourieu Bravender is with us from Saint Mary's County, Maryland. Loriie tell us, what's its sake for you in the election?

Hi?

Yes, Well, for me, the primary issue of most importance is women's rights, primarily right now reproductive freedom, but not just reproductive freedoms. If you look back in history, you know, even nineteen seventies, not that long ago, women in Iran were college professors. They were out in public wearing miniskirts. It changed that quickly. And the Heritage Foundation has been working behind the scenes for the last fifty years in congruence with the evangelical community to write this diabolical new set of a new set of new societ. They want to change society. They want to take back rights from women, from people of color, from the gay and lesbian community, LGBTQ community. And I have a twenty two year old daughter, and so for me, there is nothing more important than making sure that the basic freedoms that we have as Americans are not going to be eroded. And my other concern is, I think we've all seen that Trump is obviously in cognitive decline at this point in time, So I don't see him. If he did happen win the election, he's not going to be president for four years. He might be president for one and then they're going to pull him out and it's going to be President jd.

Vance.

And anyone who's worried about the price of groceries instead of being worried about the prospect of JD. Vance as President of the United States is due for a serious wake up call if that were to happen.

Laurie, thank you very much for that call. I want to let tw Riggi, a Republican strategists respond. I guess you could start with the with the idea that Trump is, you know, nearing eighty years old. And what do you say to Laurie who says that he would only be president for a short period of time if he wins, and then JD Vance will become the president.

I disagree with the short hits. I don't see it in those terms. I actually think bigger scandal is why they've let Joe Biden sit in the presidency for three years. Why hasn't Vice President Harris stepped in when he is absolutely been and cognitive designed me still is that's a bigger scandal to me than Donald Trump has seventy eight, who seems to have a lot of energy and is out and about all the time. That seems bigger to me. But I digress. In terms of jd Vance, look, jd Vance is definitely the air apparent to the America First agenda. The Republican Party is going through a little bit of an identity crisis similar to the one we had in the nineteen twenties in terms of trade, in terms of some economic policies. But Jadie Vance is an incredibly bright man. He has a very good vision for the future of America. I think he'd make a great presidence.

What about the fact though, GW that's he now is saying publicly that he thought he thinks that Trump won the twenty twenty election.

Yeah, and Donald Trump lost the Dorothy Dorothy election. Jade Vance is wrong about that. But people who are surprised he is saying it are crazy because he would never go against Donald Trump, who obviously thinks that. And again, I want to just say this for the record. It is a distraction from the core issues facing American and I believe this is why Vice President. Harris has had trouble breaking through and sustaining a lead because she is keeps hammering home the fact that Donald Trump won't acknowledge he lost in twenty twenty. Everyone in America knows that he thinks he won. Everyone in America knows he thinks he one needed. But the issues that matter to them, like the economyan immigration, Trump keeps talking about and Harris is bogged down with this other thing. It might motivate some voters, but a lot of people, like your first caller, are concerned about the prices.

But tw to have a presidential candidate and a vice presidential candidate say that Trump won the last election is not just a technicality. I mean as a Canadian when I watched that, I think to myself, you're speaking about a core value in a country that considers itself the democratic leader in the world, and that is free and fair elections, Like, how can it be that you are so and other people ought to be You would feel should so casually accept that the presidential and vice presidential candidates would say that.

I don't so casually think that I think he lost. I wish he would acknowledge it, but he isn't and he'll never he never will. And Chris Wallace has a book out right now that says that the nineteen sixty election was stolen in a ran So there are examples where things go awry. I don't think that I wish the president would say that there isn't concernable. The political reality of the fact is is Donald Trump has the momentum in this race because of the issues that are facing America's day to day life, not because of the twenty twenty elections.

I want to give Yvetta a chance to weigh in here.

Evet oh so much to say, so little time.

Everyone is not acknowledging that Donald Trump did not win that election.

Jd Vance is one of them.

Donald Trump and a lot of people who support him not to mention the links that he went to to try to make that happen. Don't forget about January sixth, and the fact that he continues to contend that if this election doesn't go the way he wants it to go, he will do it again. So I agree that that is a fundamental principle in democracy. Right, we vote, we win, the person gets installed. No violence, don't try to accoup to take over Congress don't do that technically or otherwise. And so I do think it's a fundamental flaw and the fact that you just acknowledge that jd. Vance either lied, which he did, about what he thinks, or he actually believes it, which is not becoming a vice president or a president. And I think that's the distinction that Kamala is making in this election. You can have a liar in chief or you can have someone who has integrity and honest about the most fundamental thing that America is, which is a democracy.

Let me just ask you one more thing about what the caller brought up the last caller about abortion. This is the first election that will happen since the Dobbs decision. Presidential election, since the Dobb's decision, which has had a big impact on all the other elections that have happened since Dobbs. This is not an issue that's being talked about day after day right now. But do you think that this is that abortion is going to be an issue that ends up swinging this election?

I believe so.

I believe women.

We needed a reason for women and people who love women to come out and support the Democratic Party on this issue. And I think the Republicans know they went too far on that issue, which is why very few of them are talking about it. I think that we should be talking about it more. If you think about some of the ballot initiatives that have happened in the last couple of years in states like my state, Ohio, or in states like Kansas where they tend to be red states. But on this issue, we got a lot of cue overwhelming support on this particular issue. I think we should be talking about it more. And I do think it's going to be fundamental to this election.

If at Simpson Democratic Strategist, and we are interested in hearing from you in Canada and the United States, are number one eight eight eight four one six eight three three three. We have a break coming up. But let me squeeze in a call right now from Rob Osward, who's in Barry, Ontario. Hi, Rob, Hi, how are you good? What's at stake for you in the US election?

Well?

As a Canadian just watching this whole election thing unfold, Canada as a whole was way better off when Trump was in. Our economy was booming. When the American economy booms, the Canadian economy booms. Okay, so for business wise and just overall general economy, Trump was great and he was great that our economy here was great because Canada feeds up American economy so strongly. So without a doubt, you know, Trump in is a win for Canada. As for if I had to pick pick, Kamala Harris is a complete disaster. I should have started off my comment with you know, I grew up in a middle class family. You know she is a complete empty suit.

That's pretty strong. A complete empty suit.

Yes, complete empty suit. She can't why why cannot she even go on?

And do.

Have we lost your Rob? Sounds like we have. For the record, it's nothing we did on this end. So I'm not sure if Rob is maybe going into the tour not censoring, you know we're not, but we have lost you know what, you can contact us again. If I'm looking, I can actually look through the glass to the control and Rob you may be back. No he's not. Okay, Well we'll keep working to that. I don't understand the hand signals I'm seeing through the window. It's so much easier when I'm in Vancouver and the producers are in Toronto and I can just pretend they're not there. But you know what, Jeremy, let's go back to the phone.

Well, and Ian, let me just ask you that view from Rob in Canadian politics right now, Justin Trudeau, who's on the left, is not very popular at the moment, and he's got an election coming up potentially in the next year.

Yeah, so that's true. And then the question is has US politics affected Canadian politics? You've got to keep in mind Canadians obviously will know this, but your American listeners, our American listeners may be surprised. Pretty well, everybody who has cable television in Canada has access to CNN, and so what's on CNN has a big impact on kind of the political culture in Canada. Some people subscribe to Fox, and of course online a lot of people get information from the United States. So what gets said in the United States is heard in Canada. When your politics become more polarized, when the tone becomes a little coarser, my sense is that we're seeing that happen in Canada as well. But of course people can call up and let us know they what they feel about that. And our number here is one eight eight eight four one six eight three three three.

Let's go to Natalie, who is in Houston, Texas. Natalie, welcome and let us know what is at stake for you in the selection.

Thank you for this soccortunity. What is at stake for me as civility? I am disappointed in the Republican Party. I feel like we don't have two candidates to even consider when the entire platform has just been about sensational wising and name calling and making up ridiculous stories like people are eating dogs and cats. It hasn't allowed room to consider policies and ideas. I'd like to get back to having at least two parties that are discussing policies and ideas. I'd like to return to civility. We may not agree with each other, but you know, things like saying someone's an empty suit, that you don't like the suit they're wearing, but tell me what it is about their policy that you don't agree with.

Well, and Natalie, what what's the top what's just real quick? What's the top policy for you right now?

Top?

ISSI?

The top policy probably for me is the economy, and I think a close second one is getting out of people's social issues. Will you marry? What you do with your body is up to you. That should not be something that government is getting involved in and leaving things legal allows people to be adults and make their own decisions and not control them. Telling people which books should be published, how they should be praying, who they should be praying to is just it's the antithesis of everything our country is supposed to be about. So it's disappointing and I'd like to see a get back to, like I said, at least two parties where we can have real candidates and that not the name calling.

And Natalie, yeah, we've got it. Thank you so much for your call. Tw RIGHI a plea to go back to policies and not not talk about think, not do the name calling. Do you think that you know, if Trump wins, it's probably not going to be what happens.

No, but there'll be plenty of policies too. You will not find an argument for me for in favor of name calling. I'm not a fan of it. But there will be policies that go along with it. There will be a new tax bill, there is going to be deregulation. There's going to be a cleaning up of the federal government, which is badly needed. Uh, And so you're going to see policies come in with Trump that are that mimic what he's been saying on the campaign trail. So yes, I am all for sign me up for an era of kinder feelings. But I would also stress that it is Donald Trump who has been shot at twice now, who had been deemed a fascist in all these names. He has violence against him, and there's not a whole lot of ownership on the Democratic side that they should tone down their rhetoric to let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me, not let it begin with that other guy.

Let's go back to the phones now one eight eight eighty four one six eight three three three. We're hearing voices from across Canada and the United States. Jules Hadley is in Vancouver. Hi, Jewles, Oh there, how are you. I'm doing well? What's at stake for you in the US election?

Well?

I have a business and I think seventy percent of my clients are in the US, but I also have many friends and clients and surviors who are over there, and many of many of them are trends.

Now.

One of the problems which I see is that so many of them are worried about their healthcare being denied or stopped. When someone goes into transition, it's not just a decision which has made quickly and the doctor says yes, okay, here's a prescription and off you go. It takes years to even get there. There's a lot of psychological prep. There are many, many talks with doctors, and ultimately what happens is really a sort of a group decision between the patient, the doctor, and their family and their general social group before any king moves forward. It's being talked about as though it's an issue where you just click a switch and we're going to stop it or something like that. But most of all, it's been talked about by people who have absolutely zero experience of even meeting a trans person. Now, this is obviously problematic. It's been turned into this dog whortle, and even this morning, i think on one of the CBC board because it had come on to the A gendera a lot more around sport, the entire number of transports people in the US might add up to twenty five or thirty as a sort of a serious level, and yet it's being put up as this kind of this issue that people supposedly unifying behind, it's really just a sort of a populist dog little.

And go ahead, finish your thought.

One of the big problems here is that the way arguments are being put is they're being very, very simplified. And there's a huge problem with the lives which are being pushed out from the Trump side. And I would say the Republicans, but it's really not Republicans, it's Trump's people.

So when you say lies on this issue, give me an example.

Okay, Well, for example, he's talked about the whole dog eating issue down in Springfield and created an enormous problem there. But as far as transgender people are concerned, as there's often this trope that, oh, you're going to go to a school, the teachers are going to say it's okay to be trans, and the next thing, you're going to be trans.

Jules, let me ask far from the truth. Let me ask you about the first thing you talked about, which is your business. Where you do business. I think you said with a lot of people in the United States on that very different plane of issues, how do you feel about the election? What's at stake for you as a business person?

Well, I think anybody who understands how tariffs work understands right away. Just the moment tariffs are applied, the average American consumer will have a massively lower amount of spendable income. And by massively, I'm talking about twenty percent. If there are tariffs in the order of twenty twenty five thirty percent on Chinese products, well, that comes straight out of the consumer's pocket. It's nonsense to talk about it being paid for by China, Absolute nonsense. This is passed on to the consumer. Now, if people have less money, they're going to spend less on consumer goods. As a business person, this absolutely affects me because I have to pete for every one of those dollars a lot more actively.

Jules, one quick question before we have to go. As a Canadian living in Vancouver, A, do you pay a lot of attention to the US election? And B where do you get your information from?

I I'm enjoying our wonderful rainy weather in Vancouver. I have basically if America sneezes, we capture cold. I get my information from Reuters, Associated Press, DBC and CBC. All right, Jules, I look for the most independent information I can get intentionally because I realized it is so weighted now in the US.

All Right, Jules, thank you very much for your call, you know, thank you for a great program.

Thank you. You know. It's it's maybe raining in Vancouver, it's sunny and beautiful in Detroit. Sure where we are just the I think the third most exciting thing going on in Detroit today. There's a Vikings Lions game, there's the marathon happening, and of course this live cross border conversation. I just want to read an email that came in to our inbox from Laney in Somerville, Massachusetts, who says, what's most at take for me in this election is much more encompassing that just me. It's about democracy in our lives. We want to hear from you. You can go to CBC dot Ca slash Aircheck, or you can call us at eight eight eight four one six eight three three three. We're coming up on five pm here in Detroit and along the East coast two pm on the West coast. I'm Jeremy Hobson, host of the Middle in the United States, along with Ian Hannah Maansing of CBC's Cross Country Checkup.

Well.

Our US stations are taking a break now for the news. Thank you for joining us. If you're tuning in across Canada, we will continue today's show live our question what's at stake for you in the US election? Again our number eight eight eight four one six eight three three three or go to CBC dot CA a slash aircheck. And here in Detroit we are joined by one of the best political journalists, and that would be Zoe Clark, who's political director from Michigan Public and host of co hosts It's Just Politics. She's here with us in the studio.

Hi, Zoe here me Hello, Hi, Ian Hi.

It's great to have you here. And I got to say Zoe. On the way in from the airport in Detroit, I was talking to an Uber driver who was saying that there's been it was so difficult to loop around the airport because of the Secret Service over the last couple of days. Because the candidates are here now.

They have taken up semi permanent residents. We're going to start taxing them exactly.

So where are they going and who are they going after right now?

Yeah, we decided to actually start mapping it just so we could keep track, and it's just fascinating to watch right now, you know it is both enthusiasm building, right, you need to go where the fish are, fish where the fish are. So you're seeing a lot of visits to Detroit. I mean to your point this weekend alone. Kamala Harris was in Detroit on Saturday, Donald Trump on Friday. They will be back. Barack Obama is coming here, Michelle Obama is coming here.

We should know.

Part of this is because early voting has actual started in the city of Detroit for the first time in a presidential election on Saturday, which is just fascinating to watch into itself.

The second though.

Aside from that just turnout, is this idea of talking to folks who feel like the system has sort of left them. I was talking to a very smart political analyst who has run analysts now used to be consultant, who has run Republican campaigns, And if you actually look where jd. Vance and Donald Trump are going, its area is actually outside of larger cities, right to communities that really feel like they've been lost.

Subly heard of. The suburbs.

Beyond the suburbs actually more rural, which is just fascinating to watch the suburbs really has been a Harris campaign in the last week, particularly trying to get suburban women out.

I just wanted to mention to people who are listening right now on CBC Radio and watching on CBC News Network. This is a special live edition of Cross Country Checkup and The Middle on our network in Canada and on NPR stations across the United States. Jeremy Hobson is my co host and the host of The Middle.

Yes and by the way, The Middle is also available as a podcast in partnership with iHeart Podcasts on the iHeart Apple wherever you listen to podcasts. If you want to sign up, we'd love to have you. But Zoe Clark, what are the polls telling you about the race?

Here?

We've seen it get very tight, even tighter now in Michigan than it was before, at least according to the poles, which who knows how accurate that well, And.

We've talked about this before, Like what we do when we're talking about poles is we do not look at one pole. One pole does not a campaign make. What we look at, though, is trends, and what we know is months ago, when Donald Trump was in the race, it was not looking good. For the Democrats, particularly in Michigan. And sorry, sorry did I just see Trump?

God?

Sorry, Biden was in the race. Trump is still in the race. When Biden was right, it was not looking good. He drops out.

Harris is in, and enthusiasm spikes, right, and we start to see a competitive race, not even a competitive race, but a few weeks ago, really Harris starting to take Now the polls are showing Wait a second, this again is a really really close race, and we are seeing that.

I mean, it could be a toss.

Ive had a turn of a screw at this point, and this is going to be a campaign that is decided in inches, not yards. And the blue wall states, right, So this is Wisconsin, this is Michigan, this is Pennsylvania. This is why you are seeing the candidates just continue to come here.

And on the issue of the blue wall. In the last two presidential elections, you win one, you win the other two. Just that's the way it's worked out. Is that a coincidence or do you think that the three states you mentioned, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania are likely to all go the same way? Whichever way that is.

It's a fascinating question.

And Jeremy I have stopped making predictions since twenty sixteen, but what I will say is I wouldn't be shocked if yet again. Right these are states that have been hard hit by factory closing, and these are manufacturing areas that workers just feel like they are not getting their fair share.

The economy is a big.

Deal to But as we've also seen in American politics over the past eight ten years, anything can happen. You know, things are looking actually a little better for Harris right now in Pennsylvania than in Michigan. That was the opposite than I would have said even ten days ago.

I ask you this question to answer not as a political analyst, but as a Michigander, partially because I want to say the word Michigan. I love it.

Well, just let you know Ian though very quickly you are you're your controversy right now because some people are Michiganian. Oh okay, So you have to team Michigand or a Michiganian.

Okay. Well, I'll ponder that while I ask you this question. I've never been in a swing stage just before an election. I am shocked at the number of ads that the TV shows that have been watching political ad after but are people kind of happy with the attention they're getting or is there fatigue?

We exhausted ian, We're so tired, both me as a citizen and me as even a political journalist. No, And it's not just exhaustion. I mean, I think folks are anxious. I think folks are ready for this to be over and it's not. And it's millions and millions and millions of dollars. And it's not just in the presidential race. Right we have an open US Senate seat that will help to determine the makeup of the US Senate open as well, one of the most expensive, if not expensive races that we're seeing in the country as well.

So people are overwhelmed.

And that one looks very close as well. That's Alyssa Slotken versus the Republican Mike Rogers.

Indeed, indeed, you know.

I was gonna say. One of the things about those ads too, is not only are there a lot of them, but some of them are so negative. I saw one candidate, doesn't even matter who it was, but it said, you know, so and so is a pedophile. And I remember thinking to myself, I don't know the details, but I'm guessing there's more nuance to this story than the slogan, But you kind of feel battered when you see those kinds of ads over and over again.

It's incredibly overwhelming.

And again, you know, Michigan has been a swing state since two sixteen. But the folks that I have talked to, both in terms of the advertisement buying as well as folks who have run campaigns, have said they have never actually seen it like this. And that's because oftentimes Michigan sort of right up till the end, and then the polls sort of start to change a little bit, and campaigns start to go, look, we have to put our money elsewhere, right, it's not happening right now.

That is Zoe Clark, who is the political director for Michigan Public and the co host of It's Just Politics. Zoe, thank you so much for joining us. Actually, wait, real quick, where's the best what's the best food in Detroit? Is it the pizza else?

Oh?

No, I mean I'm going to say like falafel.

Okay, yeah, yeah, all right, I mean I only have a little bit of time to get it, but we'll try it.

Also, Team Michiganian

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