Karen Finney

Thank you very much, Ty Cobb.

I appreciate you, and I want to go straight to Gretchen Carlson and Kerry- Karen Finney out front now.

So Karen, uh, when it comes to Katie Zacharia, right? Trump did this on his own, uh, right? So there was no vetting, which actually in a sense shows how things operate.

Something like this would ordinarily just by, by virtue of there being a system and a process that was respected, somebody would get vetted for a job as crucial as press secretary.

He's a con man.

My political sources are veteran Democratic strategist Karen Finney, Republican strategist Malik Abdul, and CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten.

Thank you all for being with us.

Harry, you are the data guy, so let's start with you.

And then eventually agreed to do this, like, virtual fundraiser thing, but I know a lot of colleagues down there.

Uh, you know, uh, the comedian Zainab is doing stuff for Elizabeth Booker, Houston, Karen Finney.

There's lots of people down there helping Angie Nixon, and I think she is a very, very good candidate, but what are you gonna do when structurally the Florida Democratic Party is almost nonexistent?

Mm.

Hey everyone, I'm Maria Cardona.

And I'm Karen Finney.

Welcome to the Prep Session.

This is our space to talk through what's happening before it turns into the headlines.

that

conversation as well.

Welcome back to the prep session with Karen Finney and Maria Cardona.

I'm Karen Finney and I am joined by my co-host Maria Cardona and we are back for another session.

You think this is easy?

And my sources tonight are CNN political commentator and veteran Democratic strategist Karen Finney, former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, Mark Short, and our CNN global affairs analyst, Brent McGurk, whose new book, Brink, Inside the Race to Free the October 7th Hostages, is out now.

Also here tonight is CNN political commentator and the former Trump White House communications director, alissa farrah griffin and you know as we just look at what the president's argument is tonight mark i do think there is a question of where diesel prices are hitting this high price this high benchmark in ohio are voters going to buy that ukraine is to blame for that

no okay well and i think the reality though is that it's it's far worse than that in my mind it's like you're giving a win to vladimir putin who has been obviously a murderous dictator who started this in this fight with ukraine who's killed innocents tens of thousands who's stolen children across the border um vladimir putin is losing this war he's lost tens of thousands of soldiers there's a lot of pressure at home why we're trying to give him a lifeline I don't understand.

And that's Hegseth's default.

I don't expect anything different at this point.

Liz Farah Griffin, Brett McGurk, Mark Short, Karen Finney, great to have all of you here tonight.

Thank you for joining us to start the show.

Uh, Diane, thank you very, very much.

And joining us now, CNN political commentators Karen Finney and S.E. Cupp.

And good morning to both of you.

S.E., let me start with you.

They're not keeping my healthcare costs low." You know, again, so I think it just adds to this feeling and frustration, uh, against like as, uh, S.E.

so beautifully said, the oligarchy, uh, that people now associate with people like Elon Musk.

Karen Finney and S.E. Cupp, to both of you, thank you very, very much.

On this note, uh, make sure to tune in to a new CNN Jubilee Town Hall.

They want us as well.

My political sources are here tonight, including Karen Finney, a former senior advisor to Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, and Scott Jennings, former senior advisor to Senator Mitch McConnell.

Scott, do you think that Mike Collins' arguments were convincing to people in Georgia who are paying more for gas seven months into this war?

Well, I, I didn't see, uh, everything that was said about it, but I think there are certainly arguments like that one that can be made in favor of the decision to do it.

This is not gonna solve their problem.

Your uber machismo, let's give them, you know, gender affirming care in the form of testosterone shots, that is not addressing the real problems, nor is it addressing the concerns that people have about what is happening in Iran and how it's going to come to an end.

Karen Finney, Scott Jennings, thank you both for being here tonight.

Up next, what the vice president said when I asked him on what grade he believes their administration deserves when it comes to the economy.

I don't have the ability to change anything, so I have to live with whatever I've got.

Here to discuss the stakes with nearly four weeks left until election day, former senior advisor to the Trump-Vance campaign, Bryan Lanza; former Democratic Congressman, Tom Malinowski; CNN political commentators, Michael Singleton and also Karen Finney.

Glad to have all of you here.

I wanna start with you, Bryan, on the, the, the fact that the president has said-

I want to start tonight with my political sources.

Harry Enten is here with me, and we are also joined by Karen Finney and Doug High.

I

don't know how you're keeping it together.

You always have to pay attention to what's happening behind the curtain.

Right.

Doug High, Karen Finney, Harry Enten, great to have all of you here tonight.

Thank you for joining us.