This is an adapted excerpt from the Oct. 10 episode of “Morning Joe.”

With less than 30 days to go until the election, someone recently asked me: “What’s the state of the race? And please, don’t tell me it’s close.”

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, butit is close.Even as we watch Donald Trump self-combust — with long, rambling, angry speeches — the layer below him is running a far more disciplined campaign.

Team Trump isn’t running a campaign with the intention of pulling more voters under the MAGA umbrella.

Does that mean it’s going to be successful? I’m not suggesting that. All I’m suggesting is it shouldn’t be underestimated. Many of the things Team Trump are doing are gross, disgusting, false and misleading, but they are doing these things purposefully with the intention of causing division.

From my vantage point, the Trump campaign’s strategy seems to be this: They know that he has a low ceiling. He doesn’t have a massive group of voters he could pick up between now and Election Day. They’re not running a campaign with the intention of pulling more voters under the MAGA umbrella.

Instead, they’re running a brutal, negative campaign to take down Vice President Kamala Harris. And, unfortunately in the world we’re living in and the level of misinformation and confusion out there, that kind of campaign can be effective.

But, frankly, it’s not the worst thing for people out there to be a little freaked out that this election is going to be close. There are some troubling spots for Harris; Rep. Debbie Dingell has made it very clear how tight things feel in Michigan. Since entering the race, the vice president has made up a lot of ground but people should know and understand that there’s still a long way to go.

So, for anyone who might be freaked out right now, you need to get off your couch and get involved. Now is the time. It could make all the difference.