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The president is completely checked out this morning. His own advisors say that he's retreated into denial as his approval rating has cratered to just 32% in the latest Quinnipiac poll, the lowest of his political career and worse after January 6, with 68% of voters saying he isn't focused enough on issues affecting most households, like the economy. An insider told Axios he's leaned into the hobbies that distract from his terrible poll numbers, calling it a legacy thing. And while the president doesn't seem even focused on the midterms anymore, saying that if they lose, if Republicans lose, it'll be because they didn't like Republicans. But everyone still loves him, and it comes as his agenda and his nominations hang in the balance. Todd Blanch just lost another Republican senator this morning. Lisa Murkowski says I'm voting no. Your pressure worked. And it all comes as the economy had another Horrible morning. Lost 23,000 jobs in the month of June, the third worst economic growth month since 2020. I have the latest make sure to hit that subscribe button like comment, share, get the word out. I will be at Mitch McConnell's home later today and I will provide you updates right there. If I see him, if I see anyone going in and out, you'll get to know it. And we have major EPC news coming up, so lots of news to cover. Make sure to subscribe to support independent journalism. And let's begin. Because right now, Donald Trump's distraction has cost Republicans their longtime advantage on economic trust. A new Reuters poll found voters now evenly split on which party handles fiscal responsibility better, erasing a nine year GOP lead. Party leaders are privately frustrated that roughly $400 million sits untouched in Trump's MAGA Inc. Super PAC, with insiders saying his refusal to spend on competitive races has sapped donor enthusiasm. Rather than shift his strategy, Trump has focused on the Save America Act, a citizenship documentation voting bill Republicans have repeatedly told him will never pass. And he's responded by blaming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, now even threatening to oust him from the job. Eight say Trump would rather show visitors renderings of his White House ballroom, his planned triumphal arch, the new Air Force One Dulles airport redesigns or the South Lawn helipad, then discuss policy senior congressional Republicans reportedly believe, based on their own numbers, that the party could lose the House and now even the Senate, urging Trump to pivot to an affordability message, though they privately doubt he's capable of that change, especially as numbers like this come out. The United States economy today lost 23,000 jobs in the month of July, a sharp miss from expectations of gaining 85,000 jobs and the third biggest monthly job loss since the pandemic hit. In 2020, the unemployment rate actually fell to 4.1%, coming in below the 4.2% forecast. June's already weak job figure was also revised, down by an additional 37,000 jobs. An economist by the name of Justin Wolfers called the new jobs data a, quote, big kick in the guts, noting payroll came in far weaker than expected as the US lost 23,000 jobs in March as well, badly missing forecasts of over 80,000. He flagged steep downward revisions to prior months, with May cut to 60,000 from 129,000 and June cut to 20,000 from 53,000, prompting him to urge people to, quote, revise down your views substantially. Wolfers explained that the scale of the miss is is enormous. The expected 80,000 job gain versus the actual 23,000 job loss combined with 103,000 in downward revisions the prior two months means the economy created roughly 200,000 fewer jobs over the past three months than previously believed. And even Fox News is saying this is pretty bad.
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Let's get to Lauren with the numbers. Go ahead, Lauren. Minus 23,000. No rebound for the July jobs report. Negative 23,000. Unemployment rate drops in July to 4.1% from 4.2% in June. And the same for the expectation. The number of unemployed drops from 7.1 million to 6.9 million. Where other jobs, Maria? Well, manufacturing bright spot, better than expected. Created 5,000 jobs in the month. But again, a disappointing jobs report,
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a
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disappointing jobs report overall. And a lot of folks within the Republican Party are urging the president to shift gears, to start focusing on the economy, to try to revive an economy that is substantially, substantially, substantially struggling. And, well, when asked if you guys lose, whose fault it is, he blames everyone but himself because a lot of
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them are very angry at Republicans, to be honest with you. I don't know. I mean, they're angry at Republicans, but they're not. Interesting being why they're not angry at me, but they are angry at Republicans.
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Everyone's Johnson says has said in the past, if Republicans lose the House, it'll be the end of the Trump presidency.
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In some, in some. Well, to some degree, yeah, to some degree. Still have tremendous, great blocking power. So they won't be able to do anything. In other words, they won't be able to beat us, right? No, no. I have great block. I'm a great blocker. And, you know, they'll be putting horrible communistic type things in front of me and I'll be just saying, no, no, no, but I'd rather do. I'd rather be a positive force than a negative force.
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You've.
- [05:52]
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If we lose, they like me, they don't like the Republicans. That's the agenda right now. And, well, it's actually getting worse. Senator Lisa Murkowski put the following statement out saying she is going to vote no on Todd Blanche's confirmation. Quote, I have had numerous constructive meetings with Mr. Blanche and he comes across as decent and capable. I appreciate the trip he made to learn more about Alaska, including our rural areas. And as acting Attorney General, he has made several noteworthy decisions that will benefit our state and, and our nation. Ultimately, however, I will oppose his nomination. The politicization, even weaponization of the department did not start with this administration, but has accelerated during it. I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files, the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, their businesses, and the statements that have been made to anti abortion groups, and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff all the way to sitting United States senators. I'm also keenly aware that the department's nearly $2 billion slush fund, which likely would have awarded January 6 protesters, is only off the table because this nomination is pending and the Senate has leverage. Once we vote, that will end and there is no telling what the future holds. This country needs an Attorney General who will just check the worst impulses of this administration. I hope Blanche is able to achieve that if confirmed, but I simply do not have the confidence that will be the case. Blanche has officially launched or lost both Republican votes. He can lose. Susan Collins out. Lisa Murkarski out. Now all eyes turn to Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican senator who Trump himself ousted, who previously voted to impeach the President of the United States if he votes against Todd Blanche's confirmation. With Mitch McConnell at home, it is over. It is over. We will see. We are on Bill Cassidy Watch today. I will have more updates for you, including from Mitch McConnell's home. Make sure to subscribe to support and I'll see you soon for more.