Nikki Mccann Ramirez

Don't you worry.

But Nikki, does Trump seem chill?

No, no, not at all.

In the past week or so, he has developed a fixation on the human rear end on the derriere.

I mean, he got lucky in that in 2024, his opponent was initially Joe Biden, who, you know, fell apart on stage.

But he's always kind of just relied on humor to get around... his own shortcomings and he can't do that anymore.

Looking over the midterm campaign so far then, Nikki, winding back before we come to where we are now, what do you think have been the biggest moments? What are going to be key when we look back on all of this?

It's hard to pinpoint because obviously these races build and their processes and it's candidates taking the time to do retail politics and fundraise and yada, yada.

Welcome back.

You are listening to American Friction, and I am Chris Jones, and I am joined by the one and only Nikki McCann-Ramirez.

Hello, Nikki.

How are you?

Hello, Chris Jones.

But don't fear.

We're here to talk all about U.S. politics and just how unpopular Donald Trump is becoming.

I mean, Nikki, it is almost day by day that Donald Trump becomes unpopular.

Alex Wagner is an MSNBC senior political analyst, the host of Crooked Media's Runaway Country podcast, author of The Steal: Four Right-Wing Hardliners, One Republican Presidency, and the Raid on America's Courts.

Nikki McCann Ramirez is a politics reporter for Rolling Stone.

And they both join me now.

Where to start with that one? Holy Lord in Heaven.

So we'll see what happens.

Yep.

Alex Wagner, Nikki McCann Ramirez, thank you both.

You can catch Alex on Crooked on MSNBC Saturday at 10:00 PM Eastern.

Basil Smichel, Max Chapkin,

Adam Mockler and Nikki McCann Ramirez are standing by.

It's going to be a good one.

Keep it here.

And joining me now, I have Dave Weigel, politics reporter with Semaphore.

And at the table, Nikki McCann Ramirez, reporter for Rolling Stone.

And Andrea Flores, former DHS official and White House advisor and founder of Securing America's Promise.

It's good to have all of you with me this afternoon.

I'm Jacob Jarvis.

And joining me is, of course, Nikki McCann.

Ramirez.

Hi, Nikki.

Hi, Jacob Jarvis.

And Jacob Jarvis.

And I need some escapism.

Okay.

It was brutal- Mm-hmm ... with all the negative ads.

I wanna bring in Nikki McCann Ramirez, the Rolling Stone political reporter who got that new audio.

Also with me, Basil Smikle, MSNBC political analyst and Democratic strategist, and Charlie Sykes, author of the Substack newsletter To the Contrary.

Help me understand why there's so much leaked audio.

Rolling Stone, never, uh, a source of accurate information, headline read, "Trump told Meadows to call Roger Stone and Michael Flynn before the Capitol attack for some strange reason." Um, again, jumping to the conclusion.

That was written by someone named Nikki McCann Ramirez.

Um, she, uh, points out that Checki-- that Cheney speculated the purpose of these calls on the fifth was to find out what was going to happen on the sixth, his words.

Once again, USA Today reported this falsehood without ever checking with me.

[upbeat music] [whistle blowing] This is American Friction, and I am Jacob Jarvis.

And of course, I'm joined by Nikki McCann Ramirez.

Hi, Nikki.

Hello.

Good morning.

He's been ranting a lot this week.

So let's sort of build into it first up.

First, Nikki, he says that his rallies are saving the Republican Party.