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Katie Zacharia Reveals What Happened Behind Her Five-Day White House Stint

By
Madeleine Jackson
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White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia holds first press briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Tuesday, October 13, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)

Katie Zacharia’s time as White House press secretary ended after just five days. Now, she is offering a look at the rushed preparations and exhausting schedule behind her brief turn at the podium—and explaining why she still stands by accepting President Donald Trump’s offer.

In an interview with New York Post columnist Joel Pollak, reported by Mediaite, Zacharia said she wanted her children to see the importance of stepping forward despite criticism. Back in California, she remained supportive of Trump while acknowledging the experience had been difficult.

Her takeaway included a determination to “refuse to be defined by the critics,” she told Pollak, according to Mediaite.

A Scramble Before the Cameras

Zacharia’s October 13 debut lasted approximately 14 minutes and included questions from only three outlets. Critics focused on her nervous delivery and reliance on prepared remarks. She later described waking at 3 a.m. to prepare, with finalized materials arriving only hours before the briefing, according to Mediaite’s account of her Post interview.

The White House initially celebrated the appearance. An official release highlighted her remarks about Trump’s agenda, continued access for new media outlets and balancing the position with raising four children.

Behind the scenes, however, Zacharia described struggling to keep pace.

During a separate interview with The Wall Street Journal, she said she had received less than a day to prepare for her first briefing and used notes to navigate the limited preparation time, Mediaite reported.

“I’m just running on no sleep and high adrenaline and probably too much caffeine and no food,” she told the Journal, according to Mediaite.

Tough Questions From Familiar Territory

The pressure intensified during appearances on Fox News.

Sean Hannity questioned Zacharia about her briefing performance and legal credentials. Although she holds a law degree from Pepperdine, she acknowledged she had never passed a state bar examination. She maintained that she had consulted legal professionals before publicly describing herself as a lawyer. A subsequent appearance on “Fox & Friends” also drew scrutiny.

By Friday, October 16, her assignment was ending.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Zacharia was discussing her plans for the job with its reporters when senior Trump adviser Jason Miller interrupted and summoned her to speak with Vice President JD Vance. She did not return to the interview.

Trump publicly revealed that he had encouraged her to reconsider the position.

“Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” the president recalled telling her, according to the Journal.

Still Standing by Her Decision

Zacharia’s public response remained supportive of the president. In a social media message after her departure, she praised Trump’s character and work ethic and expressed gratitude for the opportunity, the New York Post reported.

“It was an honor to work for him,” she wrote.

Vance Reveals The Conversation He Hasn’t Had With Trump About 2028

By
Madeleine Jackson
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White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

JD Vance believes Donald Trump would back him for president. But there’s one problem with treating that endorsement as a done deal: They haven’t discussed it.

The vice president acknowledged that uncertainty during a Monday interview with journalist Mark Halperin on 2WAY, leaving open the possibility that Trump could let a Republican primary unfold before picking a favorite.

“I think if I run, the president will endorse me,” Vance said, according to Mediaite’s account of the interview.

But when Halperin asked whether that endorsement would come immediately, the answer became less certain.

“I would think so, but I don’t know, man,” Vance replied. “I haven’t talked to him about it.”

An Endorsement Worth Waiting For

The admission followed Vance’s argument that Trump’s backing carries extraordinary weight with Republican voters, who trust the president’s judgment after watching him battle the party establishment.

“Obviously, the voters are gonna decide,” Vance told Halperin. “Donald Trump is only one vote of many, but I think his endorsement is still the most powerful.”

That makes the timing consequential. Vance said Trump could reasonably decide to watch candidates compete before intervening.

“Again, I think I would get his endorsement, but I also think there’s something to be said for people actually running their own race,” he said.

When Halperin suggested Vance might struggle as a presidential candidate, the vice president acknowledged the possibility.

“I might be terrible at it,” he said.

Trump Keeps His Options Open

Asked Tuesday about backing Vance, Trump praised his vice president but confirmed they had not discussed the matter. He said the immediate priority was getting through the midterm elections.

Trump’s support has helped Vance before. ABC News reported that his endorsement helped propel Vance to victory in Ohio’s 2022 Republican Senate primary.

For now, Vance says he remains undecided about running in 2028. His expectation of Trump’s support comes with a qualification: The conversation has yet to happen.

Trump Says Defendants Won’t Get A ‘Fair Shake’ From Letitia James. She’s Pushing Back.

By
Madeleine Jackson
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President Donald Trump has a blunt warning about Letitia James’ role in a closely watched Cornell University sexual assault investigation: He doesn’t trust her to give the accused a fair hearing.

The New York attorney general is pushing back, promising a fair investigation while defending the public comments that helped ignite the controversy.

“Letitia James is a corrupt person,” Trump said when Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asked about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s decision to appoint her as special prosecutor.

“And I feel badly for whoever she’s looking at because they won’t get a fair shake,” Trump added, according to Fox News.

James’ response: Her office will follow the evidence.

Speaking to a reporter Friday, October 16, she pledged a fair investigation. During a campaign debate, she also rejected claims that she had already made up her mind, saying “politics stops at the door” of her office, Fox News reported.

The Post Behind The Fight

Trump isn’t the only person questioning James’ impartiality.

Lawyers for two men named in the underlying civil lawsuit — Gillio Lopes and Winston Lee — have sought her removal. Their objections focus on a social media message James published before receiving the special prosecutor assignment.

“What this young woman has been forced to endure is horrific and unacceptable,” James wrote September 28.

“To her, and to all survivors: you’re not alone. We stand with you.”

Defense attorneys argue that those words signal she accepted the allegations before conducting the investigation. James has characterized the message as an expression of “empathy,” according to Fox News.

ABC News reported that Lopes’ attorney formally asked a court to overturn her appointment. Doe’s attorney, Thomas Giuffra, has rejected defense arguments challenging her account as self-serving. The accused men deny wrongdoing.

Hochul Stands By Her Pick

The case stems from allegations that a woman identified as Jane Doe was sexually assaulted by seven men at Cornell’s Chi Phi fraternity house in October 2024.

Local prosecutors initially declined to pursue charges. Cornell’s separate disciplinary investigation resulted in two expulsions and two suspensions, Fox News reported.

Hochul appointed James on October 1 after raising concerns about the original investigation. Her executive order gives James authority to investigate and, if warranted, pursue criminal charges, superseding the local district attorney’s jurisdiction over the matter.

The governor has stood by that decision, saying she has “every confidence” James will “look at the facts, examine the record and draw the proper conclusions,” according to Fox News.

The dispute now reaches beyond Trump’s familiar feud with James: Defense attorneys are asking courts to determine whether her comments should disqualify her from overseeing the investigation.

Trump Announces American’s Release From Russia After Personal Appeal To Putin

By
Madeleine Jackson
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An American teacher held by Russia for more than four years is finally heading home — and President Donald Trump says Washington did not have to trade a prisoner to bring him back.

Trump announced Wednesday morning that Stephen Hubbard, 74, had been released after the president personally raised his case with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a telephone conversation last week. Hubbard’s freedom coincided with special envoy Steve Witkoff’s visit to St. Petersburg for talks with the Russian leader.

“There was no ‘swap’ necessary for this release,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, saying Hubbard was returning to the United States and would soon reunite with his family.

“Welcome home Stephen, it’s great to have you back,” the president added.

The announcement marks another breakthrough in the administration’s efforts to bring detained Americans home. But other families are still waiting, and reporting before Hubbard’s release suggested Washington was pursuing a broader agreement.

A Personal Appeal — And A Long-Awaited Breakthrough

According to ABC News, Putin told Witkoff that Hubbard had been taken to St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport. Witkoff thanked the Russian president and conveyed Trump’s appreciation, according to a Kremlin account of their meeting.

Trump had publicly signaled progress Tuesday, telling reporters in the Oval Office that he had pressed Putin to release Hubbard.

“I’d love to get him back. It’s time. It’s time to have Mr. Hubbard back,” Trump said, according to ABC News.

Hubbard, a retired teacher from Michigan, was living in eastern Ukraine when Russian forces detained him in 2022. A Russian court sentenced him in 2024 to six years and 10 months in prison on accusations that he had fought as a mercenary for Ukraine. His family disputed that account, describing him as a pacifist.

The United States formally designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained in January 2025, according to an August statement from U.S. senators.

Other Americans Are Still Waiting

Hubbard’s release follows negotiations that extended beyond his case.

ABC News reported Tuesday, citing two U.S. officials and another source familiar with the discussions, that Witkoff and Jared Kushner had been leading talks aimed at freeing multiple Americans. Those sources cautioned that the arrangement’s scope could change before anything was finalized. Wednesday’s announcement confirmed Hubbard’s release; it did not establish that the other detainees covered by those discussions were also coming home.

Americans identified in ABC’s Tuesday reporting as still detained included Gordon Black, Michael Leake, Robert Woodland, David Barnes and Eugene Spector. Families have urged the State Department to grant additional wrongful-detention designations and make their relatives’ cases a priority.

For those families, every release brings renewed hope.

After former Marine Robert Gilman was freed in August, Barnes’ sister, Carol Barnes, told ABC News: “I’m happy for them, but I want to be happy for all the Americans to come home.”

Advocates have also raised concerns about serious health problems among Americans remaining in Russian custody.

A Growing Record Of Releases

Hubbard joins several Americans freed from Russian detention during Trump’s second administration.

Teacher Marc Fogel returned home in February 2025 after more than three years in Russian custody. His release was secured through an exchange involving Russian cryptocurrency figure Alexander Vinnik, ABC News reported.

Russian-American ballet dancer Ksenia Karelina followed in April 2025. She had received a 12-year treason sentence over a donation to a charity helping Ukraine. Her release came through a prisoner exchange involving German-Russian national Arthur Petrov, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Gilman was released on humanitarian grounds on Aug. 11, 2026, amid severe concerns about his health. The State Department said his release involved neither a prisoner exchange nor other concessions — an earlier example of an American returning from Russia without a swap.

Hubbard’s freedom gives another family the homecoming it has waited years to celebrate. For the Americans still behind bars, the administration’s next challenge is turning ongoing negotiations into more flights home.

Trump Hints At Russia Breakthrough As Secretive Talks Near Finish Line

By
Madeleine Jackson
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The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump offered a brief hint Monday: His administration was trying to secure the release of someone held overseas whom the United States had sought to bring home for years.

Now, a new report suggests the negotiations could bring back several Americans from Russia.

The administration is nearing a deal with Moscow to release multiple detained U.S. citizens, ABC News reported, citing two U.S. officials and another source familiar with the matter.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are leading the negotiations, which the sources described as being in their final stages.

But a crucial question remains unanswered: What would Russia get in return?

A Retired Teacher At The Center

The discussions have focused on Stephen Hubbard, a 72-year-old retired teacher, as well as several other Americans imprisoned on charges the administration considers dubious, according to ABC News.

Hubbard is the only American held in Russia officially designated as wrongfully detained by the State Department, the outlet reported. His sister has previously pleaded for his return.

Trump did not name Hubbard when discussing the effort Monday.

He said he was “trying to get a hostage that the country has been after for a long time,” apparently referring to the retired teacher, according to ABC News.

“Let’s see what happens,” Trump added. “That’ll be soon.”

Moscow Acknowledges Talks

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov confirmed Tuesday that discussions were continuing, while offering little about their substance.

“Dialogue on all these issues is ongoing through intelligence service channels,” he said.

Ryabkov called Hubbard’s name “certainly familiar,” but said he had “nothing to report.”

The negotiations come as Trump faces scrutiny over recent Russia policy decisions, including his waiver of newly imposed sanctions targeting Russian officials and oligarchs.

ABC News did not establish that those decisions were part of a prisoner-release agreement. The terms of any potential exchange remain unknown.

Officials also warned that the deal is unfinished: It could collapse, or its scope could change before an announcement.

Trump And Vance Just Put A Price On Exposing Government Fraud

By
Madeleine Jackson
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2
The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump has a new pitch for Americans who know where taxpayer money is being stolen: Turn in the fraudsters — and collect a cut.

Trump and Vice President JD Vance announced a $25 million whistleblower incentive program Tuesday, adding a financial reward to the administration’s campaign against fraud in federal programs.

The idea is straightforward: Give people with inside information a reason to come forward before more taxpayer dollars disappear.

“If anybody turns anybody in… you get a 1 percent commission, and I think that will be amazing, because the kind of money that’s been stolen is trillions from this country,” Trump said in the Oval Office, according to The Hill.

The Fraud Whistleblower Incentive Program will offer eligible tipsters up to $30,000 for information leading to a successful fraud conviction or a significant federal enforcement action. The Justice Department will administer the initiative, WFXB reported.

Trump said Americans can submit tips through fraud.gov. He also said he would personally resolve competing claims to rewards through binding arbitration.

“In other words, I’ll determine whether or not the person is deserving…and I will be very generous,” he said, according to The Hill.

A Reward For Speaking Up

Conservative YouTuber Nick Shirley joined Trump and Vance for the announcement after drawing national attention with videos investigating suspected childcare fraud in Minnesota.

Fox News reported that Shirley would receive $10,000.

The program expands the work of Vance’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which Trump established in March. Its responsibilities include improving eligibility checks, disrupting fraud networks and preventing improper payments before federal money goes out the door.

“The president has said it must stop,” Vance said of fraud, according to The Hill. “It is stopping, and if you want to help us stop it, you get to share in the rewards now, thanks to what the president of the United States has done.”

Billions At Stake — And Concrete Results

The scale of the problem makes a stronger response overdue.

A Government Accountability Office study estimated annual federal fraud losses of $233 billion to $521 billion, using fiscal 2018–2022 data. That estimate predates the new program and underscores how much taxpayer money is at risk.

The administration’s enforcement record already includes substantial seizures and blocked payments.

In June 2025, the Justice Department announced its largest healthcare fraud takedown: charges against 324 defendants tied to schemes involving more than $14.6 billion in alleged intended losses.

Authorities seized more than $245 million in cash and other assets. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also reported preventing more than $4 billion in false and fraudulent claims from being paid and suspending or revoking 205 providers’ billing privileges.

Those figures represent different results: alleged attempted fraud, assets seized and payments blocked — rather than $14.6 billion recovered.

Federal prosecutors have also secured serious punishment in Minnesota’s long-running Feeding Our Future case.

In May, the Justice Department announced a 500-month prison sentence for nonprofit founder Aimee Bock over her leading role in a $250 million scheme exploiting a federally funded child nutrition program. Prosecutors proved that participants used fabricated meal counts and attendance records to obtain money intended to feed children.

The new whistleblower program gives that enforcement effort another potential source of evidence: people who see the cheating firsthand.

Rewarding credible information that produces results is a welcome step toward protecting taxpayers — and the Americans who actually depend on those programs.

Kansas Man Allegedly Claimed He Mapped Rooftops Before Trump Rally

By
Madeleine Jackson
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0

A Kansas man allegedly threatened to shoot President Donald Trump — and claimed he had already mapped nearby rooftops — before authorities arrested him ahead of Monday evening’s campaign rally outside Wichita.

Jaden J. Read, 24, of Clearwater, was arrested Saturday, Oct. 17, and charged by federal criminal complaint with making threats against the president, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.

The arrest came just two days before Trump’s planned appearance at Heartland Credit Union Arena in Park City to campaign for Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. The stop was part of the president’s push to rally Republican voters ahead of November’s midterm elections, KMUW reported.

A Tip Exposes Alleged Threats

Investigators received a Crime Stoppers tip Oct. 15 directing them to threatening Facebook comments beneath a KAKE News article about Trump’s upcoming visit.

According to prosecutors, Read called for someone to shoot Trump, then posted another comment claiming he had ammunition and intended to kill the president.

Authorities subsequently identified two more alleged threats beneath a separate report from KWCH 12 News. In those comments, prosecutors said, Read volunteered to carry out a shooting and claimed to know where Trump would speak.

“Already mapped out roofs around,” he allegedly wrote.

KWCH reported that Read was taken into federal custody pending a detention hearing.

“Political violence and threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser said in the Justice Department announcement.

Threats Surge As Campaigns Intensify

The Kansas case comes as the Secret Service confronts a sharp increase in threats against the people it protects.

In an Oct. 11 interview with CBS’ 60 Minutes, covered by Mediaite, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said threats involving full-time protectees had increased by more than 40% compared with last year. He reported roughly 10,000 threat cases since January.

That increase covers the agency’s full-time protectees, rather than Trump alone.

“The world is different than what it was 20 years ago,” Curran told CBS. “You know, social media changes people.”

The warning extends beyond presidential security. U.S. Capitol Police reported investigating 14,938 concerning statements, behaviors and communications involving members of Congress, their families, staff and the Capitol complex in 2025 — the third consecutive annual increase. Those assessments encompass a broader category than prosecutable threats.

With candidates making their final appeals to voters, the Kansas arrest puts another alleged threat against the president at the center of an already tense campaign season.

Former Trump Chief Of Staff Predicts When Susie Wiles Will Leave White House

By
Madeleine Jackson
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White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles delivers remarks during the Memorial Service for Charlie Kirk at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, Sunday, September 21, 2025.(Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

President Donald Trump is publicly standing behind Susie Wiles. One of her predecessors thinks she’ll leave the White House after the midterms anyway.

Former acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney predicted Sunday that Wiles will depart after November’s elections — while pushing back on suggestions that she has lost her grip on the president’s inner circle.

“If she leaves, and I think she probably will, it’s not necessarily because she’s fallen out of favor with Trump,” Mulvaney told NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday,” according to The Hill.

“It’s just a natural sort of time to make that change,” he added.

The prediction lands amid mounting reports about potential replacements and a POLITICO story that reportedly sent Trump into a fury. But Mulvaney’s assessment came with a distinction: Wiles could leave on her own terms while still wielding considerable influence.

The Report That Reportedly Set Trump Off

The latest round of speculation escalated after POLITICO reported that Trump had privately sounded out allies about possible replacements for his chief of staff.

According to Mediaite’s account of POLITICO’s reporting, aide Natalie Harp printed Thursday’s Playbook newsletter and handed it to Trump.

The president reportedly “blew up” over the negative headlines about Wiles. Three people familiar with the episode described a “freakout,” while Wiles and her allies worked the phones to contain the fallout.

POLITICO also reported that Trump made additional calls about Wiles after reading the story, according to a person with direct knowledge.

Trump has forcefully rejected suggestions that his chief of staff is on the chopping block.

“TOTAL FAKE NEWS Politico doesn’t care about facts, integrity, or honest journalism — it’s why I kicked them out of the White House!” he said in a statement quoted by The Hill.

“Susie Wiles is my loyal and longest serving Chief of Staff — there is a reason for that. She has been with me since the beginning, is my trusted advisor, and has my COMPLETE confidence.”

A Press Secretary’s Exit Fuels The Chatter

The hiring and rapid departure of press secretary Katie Zacharia added fuel to questions about Wiles’s standing.

According to The Hill, reports suggested Wiles had distanced herself from Zacharia’s appointment. Mulvaney offered his own theory about how that became public.

“I think she probably leaked it out that she was not involved in the hiring of Katie Zacharia,” he said.

That was Mulvaney’s speculation, rather than an established account of a leak.

POLITICO subsequently reported that Wiles helped arrange Zacharia’s appearance with Sean Hannity, whose questioning put the new press secretary’s credentials and troubled debut under a brighter spotlight.

Fox News disputed that account, telling The Hill that Hannity controls his interviews and that Wiles and White House spokesperson Danielle Alvarez had nothing to do with the booking.

Mulvaney viewed the reports of Wiles’s possible involvement in Zacharia’s downfall as a sign that the chief of staff still carries weight inside the administration.

Potential Successors Begin Circling

Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported Friday that Stephen Miller, Lee Zeldin and Bill Pulte had begun positioning themselves for the job should Wiles depart.

The same report included a crucial caveat: Wiles had given aides and allies no indication that she planned to leave.

Musk Makes Sweeping SpaceX Pledge As His Alliance With Trump Warms Again

By
Madeleine Jackson
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1

Elon Musk wants to give every child in America a piece of SpaceX — a sweeping pledge that could intersect with President Donald Trump’s signature investment accounts for children as the two men rebuild their once-fractured alliance.

The billionaire announced Monday that he plans to distribute one of his own SpaceX shares to each child in the United States next year.

“This will be the first of many,” Musk wrote on X, according to The Hill.

He has not explained how the giveaway would work or confirmed that Trump Accounts would handle the transfers. But the possibility has a history: administration officials were discussing SpaceX stock donations months before Monday’s announcement.

Talks Began Before The Public Pledge

Semafor reported June 29 that the Trump administration had spoken with SpaceX about contributing shares to the children’s accounts, citing a person familiar with the matter.

At the time, the outlet emphasized that it was unclear whether Musk had personally agreed to donate stock or how a contribution would be structured. SpaceX, the White House and Treasury declined to comment for that report.

A separate commitment followed from SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell. In July, she and her husband announced plans to give company stock to Trump Accounts for more than 2 million children, according to The Hill.

The administration subsequently established a route for qualifying stock gifts through temporary regulations published Sept. 30. Those rules allow certain publicly traded shares to be donated directly into the accounts.

Together, those developments provide context for Musk’s pledge. They do not establish that his proposed nationwide giveaway is a finalized agreement with the administration.

From Political Partners To Public Combat

The announcement also arrives after a turbulent stretch in Trump and Musk’s relationship.

Musk helped finance Trump’s 2024 election effort and became a prominent administration adviser through the Department of Government Efficiency. Their alliance unraveled in 2025 amid Musk’s attacks on Trump’s spending legislation. Trump threatened Musk’s government contracts, while Musk explored launching a third political party.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Vice President JD Vance and other intermediaries helped rebuild the relationship, with Musk subsequently abandoning his party plans and renewing support for Republicans.

Earlier this month, their reconciliation produced a particularly public moment: Trump presented Musk with the National Medal of Science on Oct. 8.

The White House’s announcement cited Musk’s engineering achievements in space exploration, communications and other technologies.

A Big Promise With Details Still Missing

Trump Accounts could give the administration and Musk another point of cooperation. The program already combines federal seed money for eligible newborns with private contributions, including a separate $6.25 billion commitment from Michael and Susan Dell, The Hill reported.

But Monday’s announcement remains a pledge for 2027. Musk has not detailed the eligibility standards, announced a distribution schedule or confirmed the delivery mechanism.

After a public breakup and a highly visible reunion, Musk has now put another major promise on the table. Whether it becomes a new joint initiative with Trump will depend on the details still to come.

James Carville Reveals The Democrat Victory He’d Rather See Republicans Win

By
Madeleine Jackson
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1

Democratic strategist James Carville wants his party to win big in November — because a narrow victory could hand democratic socialists the keys.

The veteran operative told Bill Kristol on Bulwark on Sunday that he would actually prefer Republicans holding the House by five seats over Democrats winning by the same margin.

His concern: A small socialist faction could dictate terms to Democratic leaders.

“I would rather the Republicans keep the House by five than the Democrats to win by five because if that happens, they’re hostage to the DSA,” Carville said, according to Mediaite.

For House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Carville warned, that would mean paralysis.

“Like Hakeem cannot move. There’s no place for him to go.”

A Majority With Strings Attached

Carville’s warning comes as the Democratic Socialists of America works to turn primary victories into leverage on Capitol Hill.

The Wall Street Journal reported that DSA-backed candidates are coordinating to press Jeffries for policy concessions. Four of seven candidates interviewed either declined to commit to supporting him for speaker or said they wanted assurances first.

In a closely divided chamber, that could give a small bloc considerable bargaining power over Democratic leadership.

That is the scenario Carville fears: Democrats winning enough seats to take responsibility for governing, while leaving their leaders dependent on a faction pushing them further left.

“So, I think this is one of these races where margin matters a lot,” he told Kristol. “Margin is winning big, it’s almost as big as winning, which is weird, but yeah, it’s a nightmare, 225 [seats].”

Maher Sounds His Own Alarm

Carville is hardly the only prominent liberal raising concerns.

Bill Maher, the comedian and host of HBO’s Real Time, has warned that the Democratic Party’s direction could cost it his support.

In his July 31 monologue, Maher said his vote was “in play” if Democrats continued moving toward the DSA. He described the party as being “colonized” and argued that voters should take radical candidates’ stated positions seriously.

Maher’s objections went beyond campaign branding. He criticized proposals to eliminate police and prisons and overhaul the constitutional separation of powers, arguing that such ideas threaten institutions Americans depend on.

He also acknowledged that most Democratic politicians do not share those positions, while faulting the party for failing to confront the faction promoting them.

“I would vote for Sarah Palin before this shit,” Maher said.

Carville’s latest remarks bring that internal fight directly into the battle for Congress.

For Democrats, his warning is blunt: Winning the House could come with a price if the deciding votes belong to socialists determined to collect.

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