Thanks, Fred, and I am joined here, Scott Ross, Bill McCoshan.
It's been a great week, thank you for coming back one more time, a little shorter today.
That's all we have the energy for after the whole week.
Let's start first reactions to the speech last night.
Kamala Harris came out, Scott, did she hit her marks, did she do what she needed to do?
Well, Kamala Harris needed to give the remarks of her career, and instead she gave the inauguration
speech for the ages.
I mean, I don't think we've ever seen so much enthusiasm.
I actually talked to somebody who had been in convention since 1984.
They said they've never heard a reaction quite like that.
What we get with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz is the most experienced, most energetic, most
qualified ticket in American presidential history in our 248 years.
What's your reaction?
Well, surprise you, I saw it a little bit different.
I think we all agree that the vibe down there, the energy Monday through Wednesday was off
the charts, and I was starting to get worried about that as a Republican, and so the expectation
for Harris was extremely high.
I don't think she met the mark, and let me tell you why.
There were three segments of her speech.
The first part was about her childhood.
I thought that was very, very good.
The second part was really about all about Donald Trump.
I don't think that was in her best interest or very good.
And then the last part was high-level platitudes, but without any specifics.
So there was a lot of style this week.
There wasn't a lot of substance.
She spent more time talking about the John Lewis Voting Rights Act than she did about
inflation for gas prices or rent or groceries, and those are the things that voters care
about.
So I don't think she hit the mark.
One of the topics that stood up to me was about foreign policy, which she really went
into, and she got a big reaction from the crowd talking about support for Ukraine, talking
about support for Israel, and support for the Palestinians to have some level of self-determination.
Do you think that's a sea tide?
She needed to hit that mark.
We hadn't really addressed the Palestinian protests down in Chicago during the week,
but did she do enough for her own party there?
Oh, absolutely.
I think so.
And I think, again, and with the conversation about Donald Trump, this was about showing
the difference that you have, compassion, dignity, fairness.
Those words aren't even in Donald Trump's vocabulary.
He doesn't even know those words.
And again, on foreign policy, you're going to get what Donald Trump gave us, or you're
going to get what Kamala Harris laid out last night, which is a reasoned, responsible,
understanding, compassionate, compassionate foreign policy.
The part I like best about the speech is what she said about Israel.
I think that was very important to let our strongest ally in the region know that, regardless
of how this election turns out, the United States of America is going to stand with
Israel.
I think that was critical.
And I was glad she said that.
The part about Ukraine, I think she could have gone into a little bit more detail there.
But overall, they wanted this to be about freedom, about America, and flag-waving.
In some ways, it felt like a Republican convention, to be honest.
So I did enjoy that part.
And that is something that we've been talking about.
Because after the GOP convention, we talked about that didn't feel like your grandfather's
GOP convention.
No.
That felt different.
This didn't feel like your grandfather's Democratic convention.
Have the parties, I mean, we know realignment's real.
Are they, are we seeing it in policy and on the stage at the same time?
Yeah, I think we are.
You know, a lot more working people are with the Republican party, which I like, because
that's how I grew up.
That's what attracted my dad to Ronald Reagan back in 1980.
So I like that.
I hope we continue down that path.
I don't want to be the country club party.
I want to be the party of the people.
I think that the Republican party is regressed into a very small, very cynical, very bitter
divisive party.
And I think the Democrats, again, you saw from a stage, independent Oprah Winfrey, Republican
Adam Kinzinger, this is going to be the biggest coalition to deliver the biggest victory for
a Democratic candidate in American history.
Is this race closer to a blowout or closer to a nail-biter in your estimation?
I mean, I want to say it's going to be a nail-biter because everybody's got to do
every piece of work they need to do.
But I think that Kamala Harris will win Wisconsin by more than Obama, Barack Obama did.
A nail-biter?
It's a nail-biter.
No question about it.
And I think the debate on September 10th could be decisive.
Let's not forget.
The last debate ended Joe Biden's political career.
And I think the prosecutor versus the 34-year convict, 34-time convicted felon might end
that 78-year-old's career.
So we have seen some massive twists and turns in just the last few months with the
assassination attempt with Biden dropping out with this huge resurgence, enthusiasm among
Democrats.
Are there still more to come or do you think the race is kind of leveled off and this
is what we're going to get?
I think there's two potential surprises left.
Does Taylor Swift get involved in the race?
Number one, number two, does Joe Biden step aside and make her the president of the United
States during the race?
I don't think the second thing's going to happen.
I don't know if the first thing's going to happen.
But I do think this.
I think we have a better chance of seeing Beyonce and Taylor Swift teaming up for Duet
on the campaign trail for Kamala Harris than we see Melania Trump coming out to campaign
for Donald Trump.
I know some of you guys want little John.
He's already made his decision.
He's with Kamala.
Yeah.
So we will have some polling coming out.
Is Harris leading in the next market poll in Wisconsin and by how much?
I think if Kamala Harris isn't leading that poll, everybody should start ignoring that
poll once and for all because it's very clear every single indicator from inside
and outside of the state is that the momentum is on Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, the side
and Democrat side and freedom side.
And there's a reason for that.
It's the policies, abortion, you know, democracy and such.
The last one had Trump leading by one with registered voters.
It had Harris leading by one with likely voters.
If there is one next week, which is traditional for Marquette, I would imagine she'd be up
by a couple of points.
All right.
Bill Scott, thank you for a wonderful week.
We appreciate you coming back.
Absolutely.
And just want to say, I was at the Republican convention, you know, if I'd feel welcome
Bill, I think is the same with the Democratic convention, just want to say the reason that
we felt so so welcome was because of the PBS Wisconsin team, you know, you, Frederica,
Cynthia, Andrew, the other Zach, Ethan, Steven, and I'm a nurse of West Virginia's phenomenal
job.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
And thanks to your, you know, your viewers.
Thank you.
Viewers like you.
Exactly.
All right.
So I think we're back to Fred now.
So I think they're going to cut our mics and we can sit here and chat politely.
Okay.
All right.