NBC was the bearer of bad news to Democrats on Sunday when Steve Kornacki shared that President Donald Trump has erased a 5-point deficit and pulled even with Kamala Harris in a new NBC poll.

Kristen Welker: For more on our brand new NBC News Poll, I am joined now by national political correspondent Steve Kornacki to take us through all of the numbers. Steve, boy, this is a big one.

Steve Kornacki: Yeah, Kristen, I mean, your numbers say it. It is a tie game here weeks before the election, and it’s that shift. Our last poll taken in the wake of that September debate, Harris had opened up that advantage over Trump.

Gone in our new poll.

What goes into that? What’s behind that? I think this one is revealing. This is the basic perception voters have of these candidates. Is it positive? Is it negative? Now, these are not great numbers for either one. Trump, 43 positive, 51 negative. He’s eight points underwater, you might say. But look at Harris, exact same positive score in that negative number, almost in the exact same place. And this is it.

The last time we polled this question after that debate, Harris had really made up ground in this area. Look, she had a positive rating, 48 to 45. So that advantage has all in the last few weeks in our poll washed away for her.

Then there’s some issues We use some characteristics here. These are advantages in red here that you see for Trump now versus September. On the immigration and the border, we ask voters who would be better on this.

In September, Trump had a big advantage. It’s gotten bigger.

On inflation and the cost of living, Trump His advantage now hits double digits.

On the question of who represents change, Harris had the advantage in September. She still does, but lower.

Kristen Welker: So significant because voters are telling us change is a critical issue for them, not the direction you want to be going in there, Steve.

Steve Kornacki: No, absolutely not. Maybe a reason for that, too, is remember, she’s the VP in an unpopular administration. Look, we ask Joe Biden’s policies as President, do you think they’re helping or hurting your family? Look at that. Almost two to one say hurting more than helping. His job approval rating is in the low 40s.

Then here’s the twist. When you ask folks, when Trump was President, were his policies helping or hurting? Look at that difference. 44% say helping, 31% say they hurt. So retrospectively, Trump is getting some numbers here. Maybe he didn’t even get when he was President.

Then this is in perspective, the challenge that Harris faces. These are the modern vice presidents like Harris, incumbent vice presidents running while their boss was still in office. Just look, 88, George Bush senior, his boss, Reagan, had nearly a 60% approval rating. Bush won in 2000. Clinton was at 60%. Gore didn’t win, but he won the popular vote. We could say that. Here’s Harrs, just look how different the atmosphere is. Biden’s approval rating in our poll, only 43 points. She’s running in a totally different atmosphere than previous incumbent vice presidents did.

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