Musk's influence on Trump: A national security mess at best, a global power realignment at worst

Summary

The Rachel Maddow Show: "Musk's Influence on Trump: A National Security Mess at Best, a Global Power Realignment at Worst"
Host: Rachel Maddow, MSNBC
Release Date: November 5, 2024

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Introduction

In this pivotal episode of The Rachel Maddow Show, Rachel delves into the intertwining realms of national security and the impending U.S. presidential election. The episode, titled "Musk's Influence on Trump: A National Security Mess at Best, a Global Power Realignment at Worst," explores the potential ramifications of Elon Musk's involvement in Trump's campaign and its broader implications on global power dynamics. Additionally, Rachel addresses the fierce campaigning efforts of Vice President Kamala Harris, the resurgence of pro-Trump groups attempting to disrupt the election, and insightful interviews with key political figures.

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Kamala Harris's Strategic Campaigning

Discussion with Jen Psaki ([01:01] - [04:02])

Rachel Maddow begins the episode with a conversation featuring former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. They discuss the intensity and strategy behind Kamala Harris’s campaign efforts leading up to Election Day.

• Key Points:
  • Harris has conducted numerous rallies across the seven critical swing states, demonstrating exceptional discipline and focus.
  • The Vice President is set to make a significant final push in Philadelphia, signaling an "epic finale" to her campaign efforts.
  • Jen Psaki highlights Harris's ability to connect with voters through grassroots efforts, emphasizing her commitment to reaching diverse demographics.

Kamala Harris’s Pittsburgh Rally ([04:29] - [14:29])

Rachel provides a detailed account of Kamala Harris's recent rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, showcasing her final campaign events.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Kamala Harris ([04:43]): "We will win. We will win. We will win. We will win. And we will win."
  • Rachel Maddow ([14:29]): "High energy, clearly confident, clearly still enjoying herself. A huge crowd there in Pittsburgh tonight."

• Analysis:

  • Harris's messages focus on unity, community building, and ending a decade of "politics driven by fear and division."
  • Her disciplined approach, covering major swing states with precision, underscores her campaign's strategic depth.

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National Security Concerns: The Elon Musk-Trump Nexus

Elon Musk’s Role and National Security Implications ([16:09] - [37:32])

Rachel shifts the focus to a pressing national security issue: Elon Musk's influence on Trump's campaign and the broader geopolitical landscape.

• Key Points:

  • Russia's Involvement in Ukraine: Reports indicate that Russia has deployed North Korean troops to support its military efforts in Ukraine, marking the largest land war in Europe since World War II.
  • Starlink Controversy: Vladimir Putin reportedly requested that Elon Musk's Starlink satellite system not be activated over Taiwan, a move perceived as favoring China.
  • Elon Musk’s Dual Roles: Musk, owner of Twitter and Starlink, is deeply involved in Trump's campaign, funding it with over $100 million and managing its ground operations.
  • Potential Alliance Shift: Should Trump win, there are fears of strengthening an alliance between Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China against U.S. interests.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Rachel Maddow ([25:15]): "Putin is leading that axis against the United States with the assistance of one particular American who holds multibillion-dollar sensitive defense and space contracts with the US Government."
  • Rachel Maddow ([36:50]): "If Trump wins the election, we clearly are going to be joining the axis, right? These countries that most want America destroyed..."

• Analysis:

  • The episode underscores the precarious position of the U.S. on the global stage, emphasizing the risks of Musk's entanglement with Trump potentially enabling adversarial alliances.
  • Maddow warns of the destabilizing effects on national security, highlighting the intricate connections between corporate influence and geopolitical maneuvers.

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Crime and Election Security: The Resurgence of Pro-Trump Groups

Election Integrity and Law Enforcement Response ([33:37] - [37:32])

Rachel addresses the alarming resurgence of pro-Trump groups attempting to disrupt the electoral process, drawing parallels to the events of January 6th, 2021.

• Key Points:

  • Pro-Trump Groups: Reports indicate that far-right factions are organizing to intimidate voters and interfere with vote counting, mirroring tactics from the previous election cycle.
  • Legal Consequences: Maddow details the stringent repercussions faced by Trump-affiliated lawyers involved in election subversion attempts, including disbarment and criminal indictments.
  • Law Enforcement Vigilance: Authorities are proactively addressing threats, with Philadelphia District Attorney emphasizing zero tolerance for election-related crimes.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Rachel Maddow ([34:39]): "Violence of any kind, for any reason, is a crime. Intimidating election workers or public officials or voters is a crime."
  • Philadelphia District Attorney ([33:37]): "Anybody who thinks it's time to play militia around and find out... we do have the cuffs, we do have the jail cells."

• Analysis:

  • The discussion highlights the critical need for robust law enforcement measures to safeguard the integrity of the election.
  • Maddow emphasizes that attempts to undermine the democratic process will face unwavering legal challenges, reinforcing the rule of law.

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Interview with Congressman Colin Allred: Fighting for Texas

Colin Allred’s Senate Campaign in Texas ([40:08] - [45:21])

Rachel features an interview with Congressman Colin Allred, the Democratic nominee challenging Republican Senator Ted Cruz in Texas.

• Key Points:

  • Abortion Ban in Texas: Allred passionately discusses the devastating impact of Texas's restrictive abortion laws, sharing personal anecdotes and testimonies of affected women.
  • Campaign Strategy: Despite Texas being a traditionally red state, Allred remains optimistic about unseating Cruz, citing shifting public opinions and grassroots mobilization.
  • Voter Mobilization: Emphasis on door-to-door campaigns, phone banking, and volunteer efforts to boost voter turnout.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Colin Allred ([42:16]): "When Ted Cruz is responsible for Texas women who have died because they were denied miscarriage care... we're going to beat Ted Cruz tomorrow."
  • Rachel Maddow ([44:27]): "It's going to be a big election day... make sure that we get across that line when we do."

• Analysis:

  • Allred's deep connection with constituents and his focus on pressing social issues resonate strongly, positioning him as a formidable challenger in a competitive race.
  • The interview underscores the significance of pivotal state elections in shaping national policies and the broader electoral landscape.

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The 65 Project: Deterring Election Subversion

Interview with Michael Tudor, Managing Director of the 65 Project ([47:05] - [52:12])

Rachel engages with Michael Tudor from the 65 Project, an initiative dedicated to preventing lawyers from participating in Trump's alleged election fraud claims.

• Key Points:

  • Deterrence Achievements: The 65 Project has successfully led to disciplinary actions against lawyers involved in the 2020 election lawsuits, including disbarments and legal penalties.
  • Ongoing Efforts: Continued efforts aim to prevent similar legal challenges in the upcoming election by discouraging lawyers from pursuing baseless claims.
  • Propaganda Concerns: Tudor warns against the misuse of the legal system as a propaganda tool to undermine election legitimacy.

• Notable Quotes:

  • Michael Tudor ([50:07]): "They're using the court system to create that sheen, that gloss of credibility. That's the concern I have is that they're going to continue to use the legal system as a propaganda tool."
  • Rachel Maddow ([51:03]): "Project 65 is an exemplar of that in the legal profession... how to stand up to this stuff."

• Analysis:

  • The conversation highlights the crucial role of professional oversight in maintaining the integrity of democratic institutions.
  • Tudor’s insights reinforce the importance of accountability within the legal community to prevent the erosion of trust in the electoral process.

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Conclusion: Preparing for Election Day

As Election Day approaches, Rachel Maddow emphasizes the unprecedented nature of this electoral cycle. She calls for calm, vigilance, and active participation from viewers to ensure the democratic process remains untainted.

• Key Messages:

  • Stay Informed and Engaged: Viewers are urged to monitor developments, report any irregularities, and participate fully in the voting process.
  • National Security and Democracy: The episode underscores the intertwined challenges of safeguarding national security and upholding democratic values amidst potential internal and external threats.
  • Looking Ahead: Regardless of the election outcome, there is an imperative to address the emerging national security issues and reinforce the resilience of American democratic institutions.

• Final Notable Quotes:

  • Rachel Maddow ([52:12]): "Hydrate. Get a good night's sleep tonight. Your country needs you."

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Key Takeaways

• Elon Musk's Influence: Musk's significant financial and operational support for Trump's campaign raises serious national security concerns, potentially realigning global power structures in unfavorable ways.

• Kamala Harris's Campaign Strategy: Harris's disciplined and expansive campaigning across swing states showcases her strategic prowess, positioning her as a strong contender in the election.

• Election Security: The resurgence of pro-Trump groups attempting to disrupt the election process highlights ongoing threats to electoral integrity, necessitating robust law enforcement measures.

• Legal Accountability: Initiatives like the 65 Project play a vital role in deterring legal professionals from undermining democratic processes through baseless lawsuits.

• Voter Mobilization: Efforts by candidates like Colin Allred demonstrate the critical importance of grassroots campaigning and voter engagement in competitive races.

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Notable Moments with Timestamps

• [04:43] Kamala Harris declares confidence in her campaign: "We will win. We will win. We will win. We will win. And we will win."

• [25:15] Maddow discusses Putin's leadership of a new global axis: "Putin is leading that axis against the United States with the assistance of one particular American..."

• [34:39] Emphasis on the criminality of election interference: "Violence of any kind, for any reason, is a crime."

• [42:16] Allred on defeating Ted Cruz: "We're going to beat Ted Cruz tomorrow."

• [50:07] Tudor on the misuse of the legal system: "They're using the court system to create that sheen, that gloss of credibility."

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This episode of The Rachel Maddow Show provides a comprehensive analysis of the complex interplay between political campaigning, national security, and the integrity of the electoral process. Rachel Maddow's incisive commentary and in-depth interviews offer viewers a nuanced understanding of the challenges facing American democracy as Election Day looms.

Transcript

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[Rachel Maddow]

Like the first kind of the first time you've been on one of these particular roller coasters with us, Jen.

[Jen Psaki]

Yes, I'm.

[Rachel Maddow]

You have been through campaigns in a lot of different ways, in a lot of different capacities. You've never been through one with the crazy town clown car of work that is doing it at msnbc.

[Jen Psaki]

I have not watching you eat jerky and Nicole Wallace eat pellets and Steve Carnack. This is my first presidential journey of that sort. What should I know?

[Rachel Maddow]

You know, you're better at all, you're better at this than all the rest of us just arriving, just getting here this year. I mean, every election is different. I'm going to hold you here while we wait for this because I think we're expecting Kamala Harris to speak momentarily any moment.

[Jen Psaki]

Yeah.

[Rachel Maddow]

In Pittsburgh. This is the. Forgive me, Jen, but this is the rally. We've got Katy Perry, who's going to be performing as well. Senator Fetterman spoke earlier at this rally. Looks like Kamala Harris is due here any second. I'm watching monitors trying to figure out what we're looking at here and then. But this. Am I right that this isn't the last rally of the night? That even after this one, which she's she hasn't yet started speaking at 9:00?

[Jen Psaki]

Yeah.

[Rachel Maddow]

We're still expecting a second yet another rally from her later on tonight.

[Jen Psaki]

This is the night before the election. As Tim Wall says, you'll all sleep when you're dead. And she certainly hasn't been sleeping a they're also doing seven other kind of remote rallies across the country which I haven't actually seen done before. As many of these as I've, I've done to really reach people in all sorts of states outside of Pennsylvania too.

[Rachel Maddow]

Yeah, I mean, it's been, I will say, the discipline of the Harris campaign in terms of the way they have just absolutely run to every single corner of every one of the seven swing states. We've got Colin Allred on the show this hour tonight. And in prepping to talk to him tonight about his senate race against Ted Cruz in Texas, I real. Oh, right. Kamala Harris went to Texas to do a call red event recently, but that's kind of the only time other than Saturday Night Live that anybody was able to pry her out of the seven states. They've been so disciplined on this stuff. And so today she was in, she was in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was in Reading, Pennsylvania, at a Puerto Rican restaurant. She's in Pittsburgh right now. We're seeing Cedric the Entertainer who's about to introduce her. Then she's going to be in Philly tonight on the art museum steps, the ROC steps, which is going to be a blowout rally. I've got friends who are actually at the Philly rally right now. It seems like that's just going to be sort of an epic finale for this campaign.

[Jen Psaki]

As the story. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. We'll be sitting on the set together talking about it. But a part of this is, as you said, her discipline in going back again and again and again and again to these states. That's what you have to do. You have to shake voters hands. You have to make them feel like they know you. They're meeting you. And she did it in 107 days. So we'll see what happens. But that is a big story of her, how she ran the campaign.

[Rachel Maddow]

Yeah, a very, very, very disciplined campaign. Certainly if she doesn't win, it's not going to be for lack of trying. Right. This has been an incredible amount of shoe leather and heart and effort that we've been watching. All right, Jen, I will see you tomorrow. Cedric the Entertainer wrapping up his introduction of Vice President Kamala Harris at her penultimate campaign rally in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Let's go right to it. I break chains upon myself Won't let.

[Kamala Harris]

My freedom ride yeah. Hey, I'mma keep running Cause and when.

[Rachel Maddow]

I don't quit on themselves.

[Kamala Harris]

Hello, Fitzburg. Hey, everybody, can we hear from Cedric the Entertainer? Hey, everyone. All right, we're Doing it. Pittsburgh, are we ready to do this? Are we ready to vote? Are we ready to win? Oh, it is good to be here tonight with all these leaders. I thank you all so very much. I want to thank Representatives Lee D'Aluzzio. Let's send them back to the US House of Representatives. Please send Bob Casey back to the United States Senate. And I thank everyone for being here, taking the time out of your busy lives to be here this evening. I love you back. I love you back. I love you back. All right, so, Pittsburgh, this is it. Tomorrow is election day. Tomorrow is election Day, and the momentum is on our side. Our campaign has tapped into the ambitions, the aspirations and the dreams of the American people. And we know it is time for a new generation of leadership in America. And I am ready to offer that leadership as the next President of the United States. But we still got some work to do because, look, the race is not over, and we must finish strong. So, listen, here's the thing about the hard work. We like hard work. Hard work is good work. Hard work is joyful work. And make no mistake, we will win. We will win. We will win. We will win. And we will win. Because when you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for. And we have an opportunity in this election to finally turn the page on a decade of politics driven by fear and division. We are done with that. We're done. We're done. We're exhausted with it. And Pittsburgh, we are not going back. We're not going back. We're not going back. We're not going back. And we are not going back because America is ready for a fresh start. And we are ready for a president who knows the true measure of a leader is not based on who you beat down. It is based on who you lift up. And instead of stewing over an enemies list, I will spend every day working on my to do list, full of priorities to improve your life. Because ours is not a fight against something. It is a fight for something. It is a fight for the future, and it is a fight for freedom. Like the fundamental freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body and not have her government tell her what to do. And when Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom nationwide, as President of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law. Proudly. Proudly. So, America, I am asking for your vote. I am asking for your vote. And here. And here is my pledge to you. As President. I pledge to seek common ground and common sense solutions to the challenges you face. I am not looking to score political points. I am looking to make progress. I pledge to listen to those who will be impacted by the decisions I make. And we are not going back. And here's the thing, guys. We are fighting for a democracy. We are fighting for a democracy. And in a democracy, true leadership understands that the leader listens to the experts and listens to people who disagree with them. I will listen to people who disagree with me because I do not believe that people who disagree with me are the enemy. In fact, I will give them a seat at the table. That is what real leaders do. That is what strong leaders do. And I pledge to always put country above party and self and to be a president for all Americans. So, Pittsburgh, that is my pledge to you. And to you. I ask, then, who here has a plan to vote? Fantastic. Okay, so help spread the word then. Polls are open here in Pennsylvania tomorrow from 7am to 8pm you know that. Go to iwillvote.com for all the information you need, including where and when to vote and where to drop off your mail ballot, because we need everyone to vote Pennsylvania. You will make the difference in this election. You will make the difference. And friends, listen. We are all here together because we love our country. We love our country. And when you love something, you fight for it. And I do believe it is one of the highest forms of patriotism. I love you. Love you back. And one of the highest forms of our love of our country is to then fight for the ideals of our country and to fight to realize the promise of America. So, Pittsburgh, listen, we got one day left to get this done. So now we work to get out the vote. Let's reach out in these next 24 hours to family and friends and classmates and neighbors and co workers. And as we do that, let us really be true to what our campaign has been about from the very start. And on that, I say, please, let us be intentional about building community. Let us be intentional about building coalitions. Because here's the thing. So much about these last several years has been about trying to make people point their fingers at each other, to have Americans point their fingers at each other, to try and make people feel alone or feel small. But let us do the work as we work toward this win of building up community and coalition and reminding everyone that we have so much more in common than what separates us. Let that be our goal. And let us remind everyone, your vote is your vote voice and your voice is your power. So one last time, Pittsburgh, I ask you, are you ready to make Your voices heard. Do we believe in freedom? Do we believe in opportunity? Do we believe in the promise of America? And are we ready to fight for it? And when we fight, we win. God bless you and God bless the United States of America. God bless you. Freedom. Freedom I can't move.

[Rachel Maddow]

Freedom. Copy lose Freedom.

[Kamala Harris]

Freedom, where are you?

[Rachel Maddow]

Cause I need freedom, too I break chains up on myself. Vice President Kamala Harris, this is the second to last campaign event she is going to do. This is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She's at the Cary Blast Furnaces, which is a massive former steel mill site in Pittsburgh that is now a national historic landmark, giving remarks here. You can hear that she is deep into a long day of campaigning that has come at the end of a long, long week of campaigning that has come at the end of 107 long days of campaigning. You can hear the hoarseness in her voice, but still a very high energy performance from this candidate tonight. High energy, clearly confident, clearly still enjoying herself. A huge crowd there in Pittsburgh tonight. You can see the glee on people's faces to be catching a glimpse of her as we head toward midnight, as we head toward the start formally of election day. Later on tonight, she's got one more stop. She's going to be in Philly on what they call the Rocky Steps, the steps of the art museum in Philly that everybody knows from the Rocky movie. She's going to be there in a massive rally in Philadelphia at the very, very end of the night, heading there right now as she wraps up this event in Pittsburgh. All right, we're going to take a quick break. When we come back, we got a whole show for you. It's our last full show before the election. I think it's fair to say it's going to be pretty different than every last show you've seen before the election, either on this network or any others. That's just because I'm a weirdo. Big show for you.

[Kamala Harris]

Call it.

[Rachel Maddow]

Allred is here with us tonight live. We've got a lot to get to. I'll be right back with us after this break. Stay with us. Happy election Eve, you guys. How are you marking election eve? May I suggest deep breaths? May I suggest hydrating? May I suggest putting the beer back in the fridge and the wine back on the shelf? There will be plenty of time for that some other time, but maybe not right now. Now, I don't think that's the right way to handle stress right now. You can do it later if you want to, but this is an unusual time that we are in, in our country and therefore in all of our individual lives. We're not used to the Secret Service having to put up fencing around the US Capitol and the White House and the Vice President's residence before an election. We're not used to stores in Washington, D.C. boarding up their windows. Right? We're not used to governors putting the National Guard on standby because an election is getting underway. This is not how national elections have ever been before in the modern history of our country. But in the Trump era of the Republican Party, that is what it means now to have a national election. And so for us Americans, this is our time in American history. This is part of the legacy we will leave to future generations. But right now, on the eve of this election, like no other, forgive me for just advising, forgive me for just saying, like a psa, we all need to be at our best and we all need to be ready for anything. So that's why I say, deep breaths, hydrate. Get a good night's sleep. Don't stress out. Also, don't check out. Because our country needs us all right now, and not just through this time tomorrow night. Our country is going to need us all in the days ahead and for an uncertain period of time. And so now really isn't the time to fall apart or to wallow in stress or succumb to it and check out. Now really is the time to try to get your head on straight, to try to get yourself ready for what we know will be some uncertainty and also fast moving news. Now's the time just to keep your wits about you. And you know, I know you're saturated in polling data at this point. I know you can recite the candidates closing itineraries. Trump closing tonight in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We just saw Kamala Harris doing her penultimate event tonight in Pittsburgh. She'll be closing out the campaign on the famous steps from the movie Rocky at a huge rally in Philly that should go through midnight tonight. You all know that, right? The final polls in the race, both nationally and in the swing states, bottom line, candidates are tied or at least within the margin of error. In just a few cases, they've got one of the candidates a point or two outside the margin of error. But honestly, it's a tie. And we could spend this last night, we could spend Election Eve tonight going through all of that in detail. But you know what? We're going to get real vote counts starting less than 24 hours from now. So at this point, I think why bother? So let's let's talk instead tonight about something that is in this election but that I don't think is getting that much attention. And I think on election eve, it may be the time to think about it. It's a national security story about this election. We're also going to talk about a crime story that relates to this election. And I'll show you what I mean about needing to take care of yourself right now, not just through tomorrow, not just through election day, but beyond that as well. And I want to show you what I mean about that by talking about a national security story and a crime story. And we'll start with national security. All right. So today, the day before our US Presidential election today, a whole new country just got involved in the combat in the war in Ukraine. Ukraine announced today that for the first time, its soldiers launched an attack against troops from a foreign country that Russia has just brought in to support its own army on the border between Russia and Ukraine. Russia has brought in another country now. They've brought in troops from North Korea to fight their war in Ukraine. Now. And the initial reports about this were that maybe a couple of thousand North Korean soldiers were in Russia. Maybe they were there to observe the performance of North Korean weapons that Russia was using in its war. Maybe they were just observers. Then it became quickly that clearly they weren't just observers. There were too many of them for that. It was like 2,000 maybe. No, it was maybe 10,000 maybe. Reports of 12,000 North Korean troops. They're not observers. They're combat troops. And Russia has put them on the front line at the border between Russia and Ukraine. And today, Ukrainian forces said for the first time that they fired on those North Korean troops. So now the biggest land war in Europe Since World War II, 80 years ago, it now also involves significant combat forces from another country, from North Korea. And they are in the fight. They are in combat. Russia, of course, has been using weapons already from North Korea. They've been using weapons already from Iran as well. Russia has the biggest nuclear arsenal in the world. They keep threatening to use it. They've now formed an alliance with the world's other two most notorious rogue states who have either gone nuclear or have tried to North Korea and Iran. And it's not just them. Of all the October surprises for this year, for our election, I mean, and there's been a bunch from Trump's longest serving chief of staff and his chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff going on the record to confirm that they both believe Trump is literally a fascist and that he wants to rule the United States as a fascist dictator. To the shock Iowa poll showing Kamala Harris, the Democrat, winning in what's supposed to be a solid red state. To the release of a tape recording of disgraced con man and child rapist Jeffrey Epstein saying he and Donald Trump were best friends for a decade. To the collapse of Trump's ability to fill a room, his closing string of empty rally venues. I mean, there's been so many strange turns and twists and surprises and shocks at the end of this election campaign. But of all the October surprises this year, this is the one that stuck to me like somebody pinned it to me with a dart. The Wall Street Journal reporting that, quote, late last year, the Kremlin made a request to the owner of the Starlink satellite system to, quote, not activate Starlink, that satellite system over Taiwan. The request was made by Vladimir Putin personally to the owner of the Starlink satellite system. And that request was made to him, quote, as a favorite to the Chinese leader Xi Jinping. So here's Vladimir Putin waging war against one of our allies, biggest war in Europe since World War II. He's threatening to nuke anyone who tries to stop him. He's got Iran on his side supplying him with weapons for that war. He's got North Korea on his side supplying him with weapons and now sending him more than 10,000 combat soldiers to fight alongside his army. And he's apparently passed along a friend request, a favor request from the Communist dictator of China. Hey, Starlink, don't turn on Starlink satellites over Taiwan. Taiwan, of course, which is also an ally of the United States. And per the Wall Street Journal, the owner of Starlink appears to have agreed to do this favor for the Chinese dictator, the request passed on to him by his friend, the Russian dictator, against this American ally. Or at least per the Wall Street Journal, we can at least say the Starlink service is, in fact, not activ. After Putin expressly requested that it not be activated over Taiwan as a favor to him and as a favor to the leader of China. Now, why is this an election story? Why are you telling me this story on election eve? Rachel Maddow, this is an election story because the owner of Starlink, the guy who's on the phone with the Russian dictator in this story, he is currently what appears to be the de facto CEO of the Donald Trump for President campaign. Not just funding his campaign personally to the tune of over $100 million. Not just personally managing Donald Trump's ground game for voter turnout, but also turning his own social media company Twitter into an all Trump all the time conspiracy theory and propaganda machine that eagerly amplifies even the most obviously foreign disinformation, boosting Trump and targeting his Democratic opponents. Walter Isaacson reported in his recent book on Elon Musk that Musk was asked by the Kremlin to not let Ukraine use the Starlink satellite system over the Black Sea where Ukraine was targeting Russian Navy ships to sink them. The Wall Street Journal reports that Musk is now infrequent and seeped frequent and secret communication with Putin and the Russian government. And also that it is Putin's Russian troops who are now using Elon Musk's Starlink service on the battlefield in their war against our ally Ukraine, even as he cuts Ukraine off from that service at key strategic moments. So you see where this is going. Happy election eve, right? I mean, Trump himself says he, quote, doesn't talk about his secret communications with Putin. Bob Woodward's latest book reporting that Trump himself has been in frequent secret communication with Putin since Trump left office. And now while he is trying to get back into office, while Putin is leading a new world axis, not just leading a war against our ally Ukraine, but leading a new world axis of Russia, North Korea, Iran and China against the United States. Putin leading that axis against the United States with the assistance of one particular American who holds multibillion dollar sensitive defense and space contracts with the US Government and who has mostly taken over the ground game operations and the funding of Trump's presidential campaign. So like I said, pace yourself. I mean, if Trump wins the election, we pretty clearly are going to be joining the axis, right? These countries that most want America destroyed, that most want to remove the United States from the world stage, that want to destroy us as a country and diminish us as much as they can, this axis led by Russia will be joining it if Trump is elected. Trump says our so called allies he doesn't like. While he's full of unreserved, totally unqualified praise for the dictators in this axis, right? He has telegraphed that we will switch sides in the Ukraine war, meaning we'll switch to Putin's side where he's now using North Korean troops in battle. Trump is full of praise for the North Korean dictator. He has telegraphed that we will leave NATO, that will collapse NATO. The countries in the world who are most violently opposed to the United States and most determined to seek the diminishment of America and the end of American influence on the world stage, they, if Trump wins, will have their president installed with Elon Musk's help while Musk is in direct and secret communication with Vladimir Putin, who heads up that axis. Right? So pace yourself, right? If that happens, if Trump wins, that's what's going to happen to America on the world stage. And Americans who think that's a bad idea are going to have a lot of work to do. Right? Your country will need you. But also think about if he loses, if Trump loses. Given that, given what I just described, America's got a lot of work to do along these lines as well. Because just as a presidential campaign, this is a national security disaster and one that President Harris is going to have to clean up and quickly. I mean, you really can't have the head of a company that is the primary rocket launcher for the Defense Department and NASA. You can't have the head of that company in secret communications with America's worst enemy while America's enemy is actively waging a war against one of our allies. Especially once you learn that he's using his businesses to help the other side, to help Russia in that war, and apparently to do secret favors for China against our other allies like Taiwan. I mean, that can't be. I mean, also, just for what it's worth, presumably a guy who's reported to have regularly used ketamine plus lsd, cocaine, Ecstasy and shrooms, and who smokes weed on a national podcast, presumably he can't even have a security clearance, a personal security clearance. But you definitely can't have a security clearance, let alone that much leverage over American national security if you are doing anti American diplomatic favors for dictators with whom you are in secret communication. So buckle up. Even if Trump doesn't win, the Defense Department and NASA are going to need a new arrangement for all their rockets and for all the multibillion dollar contracts Elon Musk's companies have with the US Government. The US Government is going to have to either, I mean, unwind from all of those contracts, or Elon Musk's companies are going to have to unwind from him. This is an untenable reality in national security terms. Now that we know what we know about Elon Musk, this election, regardless of who wins, has produced a national security problem that is going to be a huge new thing for our country to deal with, likely with tons of drama, and it will start as soon as we've got an election result either way. So pace yourself, if for no other reason than to be ready for that. Let's also talk about crime in this election, right? Everybody's Talking about the polls. I know. Let's talk about national security and about crime. You've seen all these headlines in the lead up to Election Day tomorrow, particularly today, there's a ton of of these headlines about right wing pro Trump groups planning to sow chaos around polling sites in the election. Right wing pro Trump groups forming an army to try to stop the counting of votes. Paramilitary pro Trump groups planning to menace people. Pro Trump groups planning violence around the election, bringing back all the things they tried to do in 2020 to overthrow that election, up to and including the violence they tried on January 6th in Washington to stop the certification of the vote. Seen all these headlines about how it's all coming back. They're going to try it all again. You know what all of that is? All of that is crime. Violence of any kind, for any reason is a crime. Intimidating election workers or public officials or voters is a crime. Paramilitary militias are themselves a crime. The leader of the Proud boys is serving 22 years in federal prison right now. I mean, even the fake electors thing, impersonating electors, that whole fake elector scheme was a crime. It was a crime in 2020. And just because you're thinking about trying it a second time doesn't make it any more legal than it was back then. Law enforcement didn't know what these pro Trump groups were going to try to do in 2020. Right. Law enforcement didn't know what these guys were gonna do in 2020 any more than the pro Trump groups did. They sort of felt their way through it and just crimed along the way as they made stuff up. But now law enforcement knows what these pro Trump groups and the Trump campaign are going to do. And if these guys are planning the exact same set of crimes in 2024, they're just planning on doing more of them in more places. This stuff doesn't get any less illegal. It just means there's going to be more arrests. Tonight in Philadelphia, the district Attorney there just gave a news conference reminding anybody who's excited about committing crimes tomorrow to try to mess with the election. He gave a press conference reminding that those crimes will be treated as crimes. Just because you're thinking about doing your crimes for Donald Trump doesn't mean they're not crimes. And that you won't be going to prison for committing. Watch this from the Philly da. I mean, inject this straight into my veins, honestly. But also, please, just watch this.

[Philadelphia District Attorney]

I want people to be reassured that when they get up tomorrow to go vote, if they have not voted already, that everybody in this city is working and has been working for months to make sure that there will be nothing tough about that experience and nothing too fear fear in that experience. But I also want to be clear. Anybody who thinks it's time to play militia f around and find out anybody who thinks it's time to insult, to deride, to mistreat, to threaten people f around and find out we do have the cuffs, we do have the jail cells, we do have the Philly juries and we have the state prison. So if you're going to try to turn an election into some form of coercion, if you're going to try to bully people, bully votes or voters, you're going to try to erase votes, you're going to try any of that nonsense. We're not playing f around and find out.

[Rachel Maddow]

Pennsylvania officials also circulating the hotline you can call to report voter intimidation in that state f around and find out we're not. That applies to anybody who wants to commit crimes targeting voters or polling sites or anything else about our election. And you know what? It doesn't just hold in Philly, it holds everywhere. I would just say one last point here. It also applies to anybody thinking about trying to paper over those crimes to try to give them an air of legality. I mean, there's a reason why Rudy Giuliani is not only under indictment right now, he also no longer owns any of his worldly possessions. Sessions Because Rudy Giuliani used his position as Donald Trump's lawyer to come after innocent poll workers in Georgia who have now literally sued him out of his house and home. Just a few days ago, Thursday, Halloween, the lawyer who quarterbacked the fake elector scheme for Donald Trump was indefinitely barred from ever practicing law in New York State again. I mean, while they are taking away the law license of the guy who organized the fake electors last time, which got all the fake electors arrested. Here's politico.com reporting today that Republicans are nevertheless bringing all the fake electors back again to try it one more time. Whereupon let me let you know it is still illegal and you're all going to get arrested again. As the Philly DA said, f around and find out nobody's playing Trump fake electors guy Kenneth Chesbrough was indicted and pled guilty to a felony and has now had his law license suspended. Trump lawyer Jenna Ellis was indicted and pled guilty and had her law license suspended. Trump lawyer John Eastman has been indicted and had his law license suspended. Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani has been indicted, has been permanently disbarred and has been irrevocably and profoundly bankrupted for life. And that is just what happened to the lawyers. Messing with an election in the United States of America is a crime. This election there is a lot to pay attention to, so pace yourself. People are going to try to rerun 2020 and interfere in the election, try to use violence to get their way. They are going to get arrested and they are going to go to prison and we are going to have that crime story to deal with if they try it. We are also going to have a big national security mess to clean up just from the Trump campaign. Even if Harris wins, there's so much we're going to need to stand up for and be ready for. And it does not stop tomorrow, no matter what happens tomorrow. So my friends, deep breaths, hydrate beer back in the fridge, wine back on the shelf. We have lots of work to do. Tomorrow is just the start.

[UNHCR Representative]

Unhcr, the UN Refugee agency, responds to emergencies and provides long term solutions for refugees in more than 130 countries, including Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan. UNHCR supports people forced to flee from war, violence and persecution at their greatest moment of need. During the winter, people forced to flee are faced with increased hardships and costs. As temperatures drop, families struggle to meet basic needs like heating their shelters, buying warm clothes and cooking hot meals. Refugees and displaced people are struggling to survive like never before. Funding shortfalls and rising food prices forced UNHCR to dial back its life saving aid to vulnerable families around the world. Donor support is crucial to address the need for essentials for millions of families. Without sufficient funding, life saving assistance will be threatened, cutting off a vital lifeline for refugees and displaced people. This is a tremendous challenge for people forced to Flee. Donate to USA for UNHCR by visiting unrefugees.org winter all gifts before December 31st are automatically matched.

[Planned Parenthood Representative]

This podcast is supported by Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Planned Parenthood Federation of America exists so all people can get access to the sexual and reproductive care and education they need. Planned Parenthood organization advocate for health equity and policies that allow people the freedom to control their own bodies, lives and futures. More than 2 million patients a year rely on Planned Parenthood Health center services like STI testing and treatment, birth control, gender affirming care, abortion, cancer screenings and more. Reproductive health care and rights are under attack from public officials who are out of step with the will of the vast majority of Americans. The constitutional right to abortion has been stolen and politicians in 47 states have introduced bills that would block people from getting their sexual and reproductive care they need. Planned Parenthood knows that equitable access to healthcare, including safe, legal abortion, is a human right. Right now, Planned Parenthood needs your help to protect access to healthcare. Donate today by visiting plannedparenthood.org protect the.

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[Rachel Maddow]

Check out this map of where Kamala Harris has campaigned since September. The bigger the circle, the more events she has done. And you can see that the Harris campaign has been incredibly disciplined about where they're sending the vice president. Eleven events in Wisconsin, 18 in Michigan, 20 in Pennsylvania. Just the vast, vast majority of her events have been in the big seven swing states. Except, wait, what's that one little circle, that tiny little circle in Texas? The Harris campaign, I imagine, doesn't have high hopes that they will win the presidential race in Texas. I mean, maybe, who knows, but that would be a really big deal. Still, though, on this most disciplined of presidential campaigns, Vice President Harris went herself to Texas anyway, late last month, late in October, where she held a huge rally in Texas and she campaigned with this guy with Democratic Congressman Colin Allred, who is running a tight race to try to unseat Republican Senator Ted Cruz. Kamala Harris going to Texas to campaign for Colin Elliot Red. It's a very big veer off of what has otherwise been a very, very tight slalom through the swing states. And it shows you that this incredibly disciplined, incredibly focused campaign thought it was worth it to spend time and resources in Texas because they think this could be a winnable Senate seat for a Democrat in Texas. Joining us now is the man himself, Congressman Colin Allred. He is the Democratic nominee for Texas Senate. Congressman, it's great to see you. Thank you so much.

[Colin Allred]

Yeah, thanks for having me on, Rachel. I appreciate it.

[Rachel Maddow]

Is there faith in you? Well placed. Are you going to win this seat?

[Colin Allred]

Well, listen, Rachel, something special is happening in Texas. You know, from campaigning with Liz Cheney to your George Bush expressing, I guess his admiration for me, my constituent, to what's been happening with these Texas women coming forward, telling their stories about this horrific abortion ban that we're dealing with here, that Ted Cruz is responsible for. We're going to beat Ted Cruz tomorrow. And when we do, it's going to be a win for 30 million Texans.

[Rachel Maddow]

Wow. Let me ask you about that abortion ban. Obviously, Texas has one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country, one of the most aggressive and mean spirited paths to that ban. And some of the legislation and the prosecution decisions by Texas Republican law enforcement officials have captured the nation's imagination. Not just Texans, but everybody's eyes are on Texas with how, how cruel it's been and what the consequences have been for Texas families, Texas women. A lot of people have said it's hard to pull on the impact of that, that it's a little bit of a black box. We may be missing not just the impact among women, but the impact among men and other people who are just women and men who are concerned about what these bans mean. Are you seeing that register in a legible way in your internal polling or do you know what to expect?

[Colin Allred]

Listen, I think that every Texan is having this conversation because it's dangerous to be pregnant in Texas now when we have over 100 OBGYNs writing open letters to the leaders of the state saying this is not sustainable, when we have stories of Texas women who have died, who should not have died because they were denied miscarriage care, when there's 26,000 Texas women have been forced to give birth to their rapist child. This is now a daily conversation. And we had a great event the other night here in Dallas where I was talking to the men in the crowd because, you know, I'm a father. My wife and I have had two boys here in Dallas in the last five years. And I can't imagine how we would have felt if the doctor would come in and said there's a problem with the baby, there's nothing I can do because Ted Cruz thinks he knows better. This is just not who we are as Texans. And Rachel, I think you know enough about Texans to know that we believe in freedom. That's one of the kind of core tenets for us. And this is not. And that's why we're going to be Ted Cruz.

[Rachel Maddow]

Congressman, let me just ask you one sort of process question. We have seen that fewer Texans voted early this year compared to 2020. There's no apples to apples comparison. That's possible with 2020 because it was such a strange year because of COVID But do you expect that the overall voter turnout is going to be a little lower in Texas this year, or do you think it's just that so many people are going to turn up on election day. And, and therefore, people should be prepared for big lines.

[Colin Allred]

Listen, I think it's going to be a big election day. And as you said, you know, 2020 is a totally different year. We had an extra week of early voting. That's a big deal in Texas. But we also can shape who comes out to vote tomorrow. And so I want folks to sign up to volunteer with us to go to colinallred.com there's still time to knock on doors, to make phone calls, to get folks out to vote, to make sure that we get across that line when we do. As I said, it's not going to be win for a part party or for me individually. It's going to be a win for 30 million Texans who deserve a senator who doesn't abandon them when they need them most, one who doesn't just care about himself, one who care about all of us.

[Rachel Maddow]

Congressman Colin Allred, the next senator from the great state of Texas. At least he says he will be right here tonight on election eve. Sir, good luck to you. Let us know how tomorrow goes over the course of the day as you watch those long lines at Texas polling places. We'll be checking in with you tomorrow as the results come in. Thank you, sir.

[Colin Allred]

Thanks, Rachel.

[Rachel Maddow]

All right, we'll be right back. Stay with us.

[Kia Commercial Voice]

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[Colin Allred]

Hey, this is Jeff Lewis from Radio Andy live and uncensored. Catch me talking with my friends about my latest obsessions, relationship issues and bodily ailments with that kind of drama that seems to Follow me. You never know what's going to happen.

[Kamala Harris]

You can listen to Jeff Lewis live.

[UNHCR Representative]

At home or anywhere you are.

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[Rachel Maddow]

So the last time Donald Trump ran for president, he lost. He spent the weeks between that election and moving day trying to overturn the results. Along with the private machinations and the arm twisting, Trump and his allies filed 65 separate lawsuits in search of a court that would somehow help them throw out the election result and keep him in power. And we all know how that came out. Well, in this election, a group called the 65 Project, which is named for that failed effort, the 65 Project in this election. Their mission is to dissuade lawyers from pursuing Trump's bogus, frivolous claims about the election. To forcibly forcefully dissuade lawyers from playing a part in that kind of thing for a second time around. The managing director of the 65 Project joins us now here on election Eve. Michael Tudor, thank you very much for being here. Appreciate your time.

[Michael Tudor]

Good to be here. Thanks, Rachel.

[Rachel Maddow]

So I'm struck that as we head to Election Day tomorrow, even just in recent days, we have had yet another of Trump's lawyers had his law license suspended, Kenneth Chesbrough in New York City. In Rudy Giuliani's case, he has essentially lost all of his worldly goods in addition to being disbarred. Do you think that a deterrent has been established heading into this next election cycle for lawyers to not do this stuff anymore when Trump tells them to?

[Michael Tudor]

I do think so, Rachel. I think that we can see that in a few ways. One is in the list of lawyers who you named who have already faced discipline. Jenna Ellis, Rudy Giuliani, Ken Hillsborough just last week, Jeffrey Clark, the list can continue. And including names that you wouldn't recognize from Arizona, Maryland, across the board. In addition to that, we've seen it in perhaps less measurable ways. We've seen just a few weeks ago, Cleta Mitchell, one of the most strident election denying attorneys, say that she could not find an attorney in Pennsylvania who is willing to go on with a lawsuit with her. And she had to recruit somebody out of Minnesota. The 65 Project had filed 10 bar complaints in Pennsylvania. And we think that that part of the reason why she struggled was because of our efforts. We saw Carrie Lake saying the same thing in 2022. She said she had to practically beg lawyers to represent her because they were worried about basing discipline if they represented her. So we've seen some success. We think there's been a strong deterrent effect and we're eager to continue.

[Rachel Maddow]

Trump is expected to falsely claim victory, to baselessly claim victory before the results of the election are known. His allies, in many ways have set the stage to claim the election is stolen or that an outcome is unknowable because they've created the illusion of chaos or tried to create real chaos themselves. As you've followed with such detail what they tried in 2020, you've created some of the consequences for those lawyers who participated in some of those 2020 schemes. What concerns you the most about ways they may try to muck with the election this time around, starting tomorrow?

[Michael Tudor]

Well, the concern is, as you kind of named, they are not trying to win the lawsuits that they file. If their objective was to win them, the deterrent effect would have been created long ago because they lost after case after case after case. Their effort there is a propaganda. They are using the lawsuits as a sheen to create this gloss over baseless, fraudulent, predetermined claims of a rigged election. And then they're hoping that that credibility, which would be lacking if it were coming from somebody with hair dye coming down his forehead speaking in front of a landscaping parking lot or somebody in an orange vest in a garbage truck. They're using the court system to create that sheen, that gloss of credibility. That's the concern I have, is that they're going to continue to use the legal system as a propaganda tool, which is why we have to create that, that accountability, because otherwise they won't be deterred.

[Rachel Maddow]

You know, one of the lessons in fighting tyranny that Tim Snyder tells in his book on tyranny is that professional institutions, professional associations, need to police themselves to avoid becoming tools of the Tyrant. Project 65 is an exemplar of that in the legal profession, and it means a lot. And it's I think it's been an exemplar not only for lawyers, but to other professionals, associations and institutions in our civil society in terms of how to stand up to this stuff. Michael Teeter, managing Director of the 65 Project, thank you so much for joining us tonight. Stay in touch with us over the next couple days. Thank you. Later tonight, Kamala Harris will hold the final rally of her campaign in Philly. Look at this. It's not started yet. The crowd is already huge. We're going to bring you this event in Philadelphia live tonight right here on msnbc. Of course. Tomorrow I'll be back here with all my comments colleagues starting at 6pm Eastern. We'll be going till whenever 30. I'm bringing extra snacks for the occasion. It's going to be the most exciting night of the year, and maybe the longest. We can't wait. We were made for this. Hydrate. Get a good night's sleep tonight. Your country needs you.

[Kia Commercial Voice]

The first ever Kia K4 seamlessly combines bold style and advanced tech. With striking star map, LED headlights and an available panoramic display, the Kia K4 delivers design and function. The available Surround View and Blind Spot View monitors can help provide added confidence. Plus, Sirius XM comes standard, bringing you closer to what you love. The Kia K4 balances aesthetics and innovation. Learn more at kia.com K4 surround view and Blind Spot View monitors may not detect all objects around or behind the vehicle.