Polls, Pocketbooks & Putin: A Holiday Reality Check

This week on Practically Political, the gang reunites with a familiar voice—Carrie Sheffield returns for a lively holiday debate that doesn't pull any punches.With Trump's approval numbers hitting historic lows and 75% of Americans feeling the economy is on the wrong track, Dave, Kurt, Ashley, and Carrie dig into whether the administration can course-correct before the 2026 midterms. Is "blame Biden" messaging running out of runway? And why does it feel like we're watching a political rerun of 2022—just with different jerseys?The conversation heats up over tariff chaos (Liberation Day, anyone?), the summer deadline Republicans face to turn kitchen-table concerns around, and why credit cards are doing the heavy lifting this holiday season.Then the panel pivots to Ukraine, where Trump's "bromance diplomacy" has hit a wall. With Russia publicly dunking on peace talk progress, the hosts debate whether Tomahawk missiles could force Putin's hand—or open Pandora's box.Topics covered:Trump's cratering poll numbers and the "don't gaslight the voters" problemTariff whiplash: courage or chaos?The summer 2026 deadline for economic vibes to shiftUkraine stalemate: can anyone move the needle?Why China is quietly winning the global perception gameGuest: Carrie Sheffield (Independent Women's Forum)Starting January 9th, 2026—Practically Political goes weekly!