What he texted. In stark contrast from each other . Yeah. Anderson, nick valencia, thanks. The news continues right here on cnn its thursday, february 20. Happy week here right now on cnn this morning the Supreme Court agree agrees to hear Donald Trumps absolute immunity arguments, throwing his 2024 trial schedule into turmoil, plus yet another legal challenge for trump for an illinois judge booting the former president off that states ballot will look at that and a deal to keep the federal government open is going to have a vote in a matter of hours or still the threat of a shutdown looms all right 05 00 a. M. Here in washington, a live look at the United StatesSupreme Court, the center of it all this morning morning. Good morning. Im kasie hunt. Its wonderful to have you with us. Were going to start there. The Supreme Court agreeing to decide whether or not former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for the actions he took on and leading up to january 6, its a move that the court made that plays right into Donald Trumps deflect and delay strategy. And it really is a big win for the former president whos doing everything legally possible to push his trial dates past the november election. The justices are going to hear arguments in late april on this a ruling not expected until late june. Meanwhile, in illinois judge has removed trump from that states ballot based on the 14th amendments insurrectionist ban. The former president s legal team has a narrow window to appeal the decision. The Supreme Courts already considering whether states have the right to remove a candidate from the ballot. Joining us now to discuss all of this is White House Reporter catherine lucey. Catherine, good morning to you. Its great to be here in studio with you inperson for sure. So this decision by the Supreme Court is in many ways a gift to donald trump because it really does delay the start date for this this trial really late in the summer. We expect how is the trump team viewing this . How is the biden team viewing this . What are you hearing from your sources . This certainly, as you said, it plays right into trumps strategy, which always has been trying to lay all of this as much as possible. It means that the earliest probably if this were to go forward, we late summer at that point, the Republican Convention has already happened. Early voting starts in some states in september, right . So it really pushes this right into the general election season. So this is what trumps team is looking for. They want to keep pushing these things off as much as possible. The biden folks, they want to draw contrast between themselves and trump. You see them doing this very aggressively now, trying to show his what they argue is his leadership compared to trumps chaos. Theyre going to continue doing that. These trials remain in the news whether or not theyre moving forward the legal chaos surrounding him is there. Theyre going to continue doing that regardless. Right . So the Justice Department has a policy generally not to interfere in president ial elections. I mean, thats its usually considered in the context of deciding to indict someone or not. Right. And there is obviously a lot of criticism of james comey around this back in hey 16. If were looking at a Labor Day Trial in the jack smith case, what do they do . I dont i think we re such uncharted territory on it free thing here. I mean, look a point, like the number of trials stacked up, the number of different proceedings, state courts, federal, et cetera. So i think well have to see how that plays out, but youre right. Hey, its just weve never seen anything like this before and how it impacts i mean, to pull it back, how it impacts voters how voters see this. We do see in polling that there is a difference for some voters depending on whether this is a trial versus a conviction. So thats why they are trying to keep pushing all of this stuff off, right . I mean, innocent until proven guilty, right so the president , the former president , put this on social media last night, he says without president ial immunity, a president will not, president will not be able to properly function or make the decisions in the best interest of the United States. President s will always be concerned and paralyzed by the prospect of wrongful prosecution and retaliation. After they leave office to just talk about the arguments here for a second. I mean, again, were in unprecedented territory. The Supreme Court is now going to have to decide, okay. Our president s immune and potentially under what Circumstances The Dc Circuit was pretty clear in how they decided this. We should underscore this is trump appealing that decision mean they called him citizen trump, right . In those arguments, the prospect was raised that a president could try to use American Military resources to try to assassinate a political rival, right . I mean, the potential examples here are pretty stark how do they thread the needle here . I mean, it does seem like theyre going to have to make if theyre going to give him any immunity from prosecution, theyre going to have to make a Distinction Somewhere im sure thats where i i mean, i do think weve seen lower courts ruling this theyve been pretty clear we have to see how the Supreme Court fuses. We havent really seen them in a space like this before, so we have to, were going to have to see how this plays out. Oh, i hate to keep saying territory so outside the realm of anything weve seen, but it does. I think also it puts them between this and the other colorado the other cases in kyiv mentioned yeah. But the colorado case about whether or not he can start from the ballot. It just puts the court in the center of the election in a way we havent really seen what since 2000, right . It puts, it puts them in the middle of this campaign. Yeah. I mean, i think to certain extent, i was a little bit surprised, honestly, because when we were covering the arguments around this live, there seemed to be this or i should say, when we were covering the live arguments around the ballot cases, right. Because the court is also involved in deciding is it started in colorado. Were now seeing kind of expand illinois did this yesterday. The court heard arguments about okay. Should donald trump be kicked off the ballot under the insurrectionist ban, they seem very inclined to decide to keep him on the ballot to tell states you cant do this. Hes not necessarily been convicted of anything yet, et cetera and then the flip side of that was going to be well, they could have just denied hearing this Immunity Thing altogether. They could have led The Dc Circuit Courts Stand and that would sort of kind of split the difference because youre right, like the court itself is honestly facing a crisis of confidence. If you look at the numbers of people who trust it do you think how do you think that is going to play into our politics overall, if it starts to feel to americans as those Supreme Court has decided the election and americans dont want to see that, right . And youre right, polling shows less confidence in the court than in past eras in america and just less confidence in systems. I think broadly. And so you do potentially have a situation where people dont feel competent in results and we know that can have real consequences. Yeah, for sure. All right. Catherine lucey. Catherine. Thank you very much frankly, being with us this morning, i really appreciate it. All right. Coming up here on cnn this morning, replacing Mitch Mcconnell, Top Republicans in line to be the partys next Senate Leader plot plus wildfires in texas out of control, burning over 100 miles of power lines. And Vladimir Putin speaks to russias parliament what hes saying about the war in ukraine next one, our change. How you see the world when data to the bottom of the world every sunday night, cnns best journalists tell the whole story. The whole story with anderson cooper, sunday at eight on cnn works hard at our one is twice as hard when you take it again the next day. So betty could be the barcode beat conduct lets be more than our allergies. And for fast allergy relief with a powerful decongestant tries their Tech D Fashion moves fast. 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But his nation and gulf in a war of his own making, putin kicking off his address by telling the russian people that the west is trying to bring trouble to our homes and make us weaker joining me now, Cnn International anchor max foster. Max. Good morning. Always wonderful to see you. So what do we heard so far from putin . What i think its interesting just seeing him. He doesnt always hold these addresses. He tends to get up there and speak to the nation as it were when he has something to say and hes got a lot to say. It has got a lot of momentum behind him, of course, in ukraine, these pushing frontlines forward. So just seeing that sort of confidence i think is quite symbolic general themes coming out there. One of them essentially, his usual one, that america basically needs to get over itself. It doesnt rule the world anymore. I did pick out a couple of things which i thought were interesting. He saying that russia needs to strengthen its western border referring to how sweden and finland joined nato. So he sees that as a defensive move thats how hes spinning it anyway, he says concerns about russia attacking europe all the thoughts of total ravings of lunatics. The other one, casey, i know youve been talking about this recently. This idea that russia thinking about putting nukes into space i saying these are planted stories by the us. He actually criticized the us for blocking russian proposals, which included a draft treaty on preventing weapons in outer space that they prepared as early as 2008. So hes essentially suggesting that the us actually isnt saying no to Knutson Space and projecting onto russia is false, but usually these are just obviously putins words, right . I mean, we do and i will say like the headline in the ft is about leaked files that russia set a low bar for the use of Tactical Nuclear weapon i just want to note this is what im looking at here at cnn reporting, you might, you might have better idea than i do about where we actually stand on this, but i mean, i do think from often from our perspective and from the perspective of republicans, democrats, i talked to here in washington. I mean, i dont think theres a view that what putin says is credible, right . But like the point is that hes trying to send a certain message. But im interested, max. We understand a lot of how he talks and he does he can speak in english. This is obviously for a russian audience. How is he balancing the optics of this in terms of the audience that hes talking to for Something Like this. It doesnt have to balance all that much because most of the Russian Media just tell his story that lay a lot of the independent media has gone away, so theyre not sitting there with critical analysis of it and youve got all of his people listening to him. There, including religious leaders the conversation in washington, i think it doesnt change, does it . Because as long as hes repeating the same lines is he would say that i didnt think it really does change the conversation march, but in terms of russia is just about over the long term building his momentum as a tough guy, a winning tough guy, the one taking on the west. He talks a lot actually about the brics countries which were traditionally the developing nations who worked together as a group, saying that theyve got this massive cart, the World Economy now. And thats all speaking to the same thing is compare its more powerful than the g8 therefore, the west is becoming weaker. Hes on the winning side. Thats the entire narrative right . Weak versus strong. I mean, it sounds like someone else that i all right here in the United States, max foster live for us in london. Max, thank you. As always, i really appreciate it more than 30,000 people have been killed in gaza since october 7, according to the hamascontrolled Palestinian Health ministry, that number underscores a horrific monthslong ordeal for the palestinian people. Israels airstrikes have displaced nearly the entire population and created a devastating humanitarian crisis. Israel estimates about 10,000 hamas fighters have been killed since october 7, more than 1,200 people in israel were killed during hamass attacks on that day. And more than 250 were kidnapped and taken hostage in gaza. All right, up next here, wildfires in texas turning deadly, destroying homes and almost every direction. Plus hunter biden on capitol hill Scolding Republicans for trying to impeach his father bragg room deals, cia sequence of fairs bribery, corruption, prostitution theres so much more to the store in knighted states of scandal with jake tapper sunday at nine on cnn, not flossing. Well, then add the wo of listerine to your routine. New science shows. Listerine is five times more effective than floss at reducing plaque above the gum line for a cleaner, healthier mouth this three feel the world hey, as liz got you going through it, grad new column for q or asthma attacks. Nikola is a once monthly addon injection for severe eosinophilic asthma, not for sudden Breathing Problems plus allergic reactions can occur, get help right away for swelling of face, mouth, tongue, or trouble breathing, infections that can cause shingles have occurred. Dont stop steroids and less told by your dr. Tell your dr. 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Thats walltowall wifi on the xfinity 10g network. 79594061 call now eva Mckend In Washington is cnn all right. 20 minutes past the hour live look at New York City as we start your morning roundup there. Because yesterday, a judge in new york ruled donald trump must pay the full 454 million in his Civil Fraud Trial or secure a bond while he appeals fuels the verdict. The judge also lifted a ban on loans trump can get in new york. Texas, executed convicted Killer Ivan Cantu by Lethal Injection on wednesday despite his claims of innocence in the murder of his cousin and his cousins fiance and hunter biden insisting again that his father was never involved in his Business Dealings he testified wednesday before two republican led House Committees involved in the president s Impeachment Inquiry all right. Wildfires have now burned more than 1 million acres in texas and oklahoma at least one person was killed. An elderly woman. The fire scorched homes, forced evacuations and triggered reactions like this one its kind of helpless. So difficult the Smokehouse Creek fire has charged at least 850,000 acres in texas. Its the second largest fire in the states history, and its still only 3 contained up in Northwest Oklahoma more than 31,000 acres burned with dry air heat and winds fanning the flames more than 100 miles of power lines are going to have to be rebuilt in the Texas Panhandle alone. Our Weatherman Van Dam joins us now to talk more about this, derek, what are we looking at here . Yeah, kasie, unfortunately, time is running out for firefighters and cruise on the ground to actually take advantage of the relatively calm and more ideal Weather Conditions compared to whats coming this weekend. We do think that fire weather behavior will become a little more challenging as we head into the weekend. And ill show you why first and foremost, this is mindboggling, at least as a meteorologist to watch how quickly this fire erupted and spread. This as a spit sped up, timelapse Satellite Imagery of the hotspots within this fire. As it stands over 850,000 acres charged so far just from that one fire, the Smokehouse Creek fire in the panhandle, Hutchinson County in east word. That is roughly the size of the state of rhode island. Can you imagine having that burn through your community, your neighborhood very, very impacted so what does the weather having to store Will Conditions get better . Will they get worse while i alluded to the potential of fire behavior this weekend, we do have some Precipitation Heading towards the texas panel and handled right now a rainsnow mix, depending on where youre located. But most of our Computer Models only put a trace if nothing at all, for the Greater Amarillo region and points to the north and east, whats more concerning for me is the fact that the temperatures are going to warm. Were going to see the relative humidity drop and were going to notice the winds pick up those, that is really the accommodation. We do not want to see as we head into the weekend with a 3 contained fire and over 850,000 acres of the landscape already burned. Heres the relative humidity map. Notice the Shades Of Brown starting to enter into the western portions of texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle so that is dry air and it has all being fueled by a large storm thats moving into the west coast by the way, were going to be measuring feet of snow across the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges this weekend . Yeah, thats incredible. Well, could bury homes, could bury cars. This is a very impactful storm for the lake tahoe region all right. Be careful out there. Our Weatherman Van Dam, derek, thank you very much. All right. Our next hear donald trump gets a big boost from the Supreme Court in the special counsel possible we put him on trial before the november election, plus a judge in Illinois Booting Trump off the ballot. And former president s next move. Thats ahead stay tuned the takeover 39 off our original price on the complete set of Stack Master Cookware, its our best deal ever. Dont ms it has your old set of pans lost their slick his everything good, vague, done burden, and stick, you know, you need to do but the prices are so high, its obscene, real good, ready to stack up as savings with stack mastered by Granite Stone. Its a kitchen full of the most durable ultra nonstick cookware at the most affordable price anywhere. Plus it stacks to fit all in one place. It takes up a fraction of this space. 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Im Kasie Hunt FormerPresident Trumps immunity claims, heading to the nations highest court on wednesday, the Supreme Court agreed to decide whether trump can claim immunity in special counsel jack smiths Election Subversion case claims that trump has been more than happy to speak about the president doesnt have immunity. He really doesnt have a presidency president ial immunity is imperative. Its gonna be very, very important. There is nothing more important to residency that immunity because they have to be free to make decisions without saying, oh, if i do this or if i do that, as soon as i get out of office, were going to be indicted. Do you have they have a guaranteed immunity for president. Otherwise, the president is not going to be able to function all right. The court is going to hear arguments the week of april 22. Put that down on your calendar, joining me now to discuss is former january 6 investigative counsel, Marcus Childress markus. Thats great to have you here this morning to help us understand this. Now, there are legal well, there are legal questions. Theres Many Political ramifications. And then theres the historic, unprecedented, unprecedented nature of the charge itself, because were not just talking about and i know you really know this cold because you helped craft it inside the january 6 report. Theyre not just deciding if a president is immune for it. He shoplifted, right . While he was president the United States. This, the question here is much weightier than that. I mean, help us understand what exactly it is that the trump is claiming he can have immunity. He should have immunity from thats exactly right. So it really comes down to official acts. And so the question thats Supreme Court actually grant cert for as to whether and to what extent former president enjoys immunity for official acts in office. And if you look at the special counsels indictment, if you look at The Dc Circuit Opinion or january 6 report, were really talking about acts outside of the presidency. So from my campaign, whether it be to call georgia and look for 11,000 votes or to do a fake elector scheme, things of that nature, which dont really fall under the purview or arguably under the purview of the presidency. And so former President Trump is saying that he enjoys immunity for all conduct as a president. And i think thats a real distinguishing factor is going to be what isnt official conduct of the president and what is not. Were you surprised at all that the Supreme Court decided to hear this case . I mean, there was a line of thinking that they would just deny cert is the phrase that youd use. But basically they would say, look, were going to let The Dc Circuit Opinion that he is not immune stand and they decided not to do that. Well, there was precedent for the Supreme Court did not take the case, right. So trump v. Thompson, our case, they didnt grant cert to review. Our subpoena of former President Trumps records. I wasnt surprised like this its a fundamental question that deserves to be answered. We need to know to what extent does a president or former president s actions enjoy immunity . I think this is a question thats never been answered by the Supreme Court. And so the clarity from the court will be much needed. I think the fact that special counsel asked for this in december and it was a grant that now and end of february, beginning of march. Thats where the questions start to come in and were there might be some analysis of like, could we have gotten here sooner rather than where we are now . Because the reality is this likely delays any trial in this case until around labor day, which is the height of the november election. Whats your view of i mean, should the Justice Department have accelerated this indictment . I mean, they did it took them several years. I mean, obviously the Committee Investigation also extended over the course of that period of time, but i mean, can you help us understand why the timing was the way it was in terms of when jack smith decided to indict. Whenever youre going to bring charges of this nature, you have to be tight in your investigation and it takes a long time. And so im not going to protect the timing from the Department Address this at all. These are pretty the complicated charges, especially from a former president. I think the timing part, its going to be entering see how it plays out. I think the department is going to push forward with the case, even if they get a ruling at the end of june, beginning of july, and judge chutkans already said that shes not going to allow the Political Campaign side to impact her Decision Making in this trial at like she i think she analogized it is by defendants have jobs, right. And so we could possibly be seeing trial start at the end of august or beginning of september timeframe and going through the election. And therell be entrusted see how that plays out with evidence coming out as we get to the election. Very intense and very briefly, the Justice Departments sort of policy to not interfere in elections, which basically means they dont want to indict very close to an election that you think that applies to a trial so thats what were in a matter of first impression. Right. So well see, but i think theres one thing that you can notice that its defendant who has been delaying here, right . Its not like the department of justice delayed and then decided to indict right before the election is the defendant who has been delaying. So i think were in a different posture where if you do go to trial in august you can say it was the defendants own doing in pursuing these appeals and delaying so on very, very interesting. Marcus childress, thanks very much for joining us. I really appreciate your perspective all right. Lets go now to capitol hill because it does look like a partial Government Shutdown has been averted. Told me youve heard this before for now, Republican HouseSpeaker Mike Johnson confirmed to reporters that a vote on a continuing resolution to avert the shutdown is going to take place today. He also downplayed the fact that he is again putting a shortterm resolution on the house floor this is just the process here to allow us to our city are 72. And thats why we came to this point. This is for the process to allow us gone and not jam people with large piece of legislation to having a chance to review. So i think all right. Todays vote extends funding for six agencies to friday, march 8. So were literally punting this a week. Okay. It would extend the deadline for other agencies that were up against march 8 deadline to march 22. Okay. So theyve got a couple more weeks joining me. Ill discuss republican strategist rina shah and congressional reporter for the hill mychael schnell. Ladies. Thank you so much for joining us this morning. Michael. I was talking to one of your compatriots and the hill press corps yesterday morning about Speaker Mike Johnson and how this was Android Estereo from punchbowl. He basically argued that people are criticizing mike johnson behind the scenes for not being able to make a decision and when i read this and think, okay, were going to kick the can at least previously when i would cover these things and still be standing in the scrums like you are now like the kamble get kicked six months down the road, right now, were kicking it like one week at a time. I assume this is going to go forward today, but like, how do we solve the bigger problem here . Yes. So johnson this entire time has been under pressure by his right flank to move these single subject appropriations bills. Thats what weve been hearing for the past few months as hes under the gun right now to finish that job. Thats why were seeing this shortterm Spending Bill because he wants to just buy them a little more time to get the job done on those bills and then they can launch into fy 2025 negotiations. Lawmakers have been very eager to note that we are still trying to figure out fiscal 24 legislation five months in to the year, right . This is something thats unnatural. You dont typically see it come this far ahead. But again, mike johnson is under pressure from his right flank to push for these conservative policy wins and the single subject appropriations bills, he experienced the ouster of his predecessor for because of republicans were not happy with how we see dealt with government spending. So now hes really trying to see if he can appease them as far as a cat. Yeah. But i have to say rein it like this has become normal, right . The cr to crispr, this governing by crisis. I mean, do you think that they can and actually do what michael is talking about considering . I mean, johnson has like the most narrow majority ive covered in the years that ive been doing this. I mean, his job is hard for many reasons. Right. And so the etic t has get it done with ramming things through. And thats just not how we operate. So i think buying time like this, though its a very limited window of time. Hes got i think go back to these the chaos caucus. There are still thats what they are. Gaetz and company. They ousted his predecessor for the very same reasons. And theyre not gonna be happy with anything. So the idea right now is hes got to hold steady until november and thats just common knowledge. But going bigger and larger about what these bills mean, talking so that the heaviness, the things that are on the line, if something fails tonight, theres four bills that really make todays Potential Shutdown very dangerous. But again, this has been normalized and thats what im most worried about. You got a lot of people on the hill right now and the republican side, they dont want to pull the levers of government because they want to shame democrats, right . Thats just obvious. But the speaker has got to make sure that we get these agencies funded and we dont put again, the federal government in peril, which is now part and parcel with how politics that also continual. I mean, how many times have we had this company this is the fourth time, just in the past six. This is a fourth time were starting down dunk level. Okay. Thats where we are. All right. Im going to talk to both of them to about weve got this other massive headline on capitol hill. It really is the end of an era in washington. Mitch Mcconnell Senate minority leader, announcing wednesday, hes going to step down as the republican Senate Leader. Just gonna do it in november father time remains undefeated no longer their young man sitting in the back hoping colleagues would remember my name its time for the next generation of leadership wow, many senate republicans, even especially those whove been critical of mcconnell, they see this announcement is a chance for fresh start watch i dont think there is a great deal of respect shown to him inside the lunch to intervene arrow. But youve been youve been sharply critical i appreciate the fact that hes announcement now to give our conference the time to really sit down and decide what our Mission Needs to be. What are our goals . Im looking for somebody whos going to bring fresh vision and who wants to put working people at this party wants to be a majority party, but they dont want to do anything that actually helps majority that. Of course, the Indy Fatigable manu raju, speaking there to senator ron johnson, i mean, michael, it is seismic. This change. But i also think thank it had gotten to the point where it was it was feeling inevitable not only was mcconnell acknowledged that his quote was basically you know, and father time you cant that never changes. He knows that hes kinda at the end of where he is in his career, he achieved the goal of being the longest serving Senate Leader in history. And honestly his party has leaving him. I mean, he after january 6, had this heartbreak with donald trump and he has watched colleague after colleague after colleague go kind of honestly crawling back and he has yet to do it. What did you see unfold yesterday . Two things my colleague explain this. I think a really succinct way, it was shocking, but unsurprising, shocking because Mitch Mcconnell is a fixture of the senate. Hes been there since the 1980s. Hes been in leadership for 16 years, passing mansfield as the longest serving Senate Leader in february. So to not to think about Mitch Mcconnell not in leadership is really shocking idea, but on surprising for two reasons, at his age, which she acknowledged she just turned 82. Hes had some Public Health struggles, including those two freeze ups last year, that concussion after he suffered a fall. But the second thing is that the Republican Party is moving away from his ideology of conservatism and of republicanism. Youve seen more of the Maga Movement and america first, weve seen that particularly with the debate on capitol hill over ukraine aid, something that he recognized in his speech saying, i have flaws, but it has in politics is not one of them. And i recognize that, right . And i recognize the politics of my parties moving away from me. He is openly recognizing that last year we saw the first ever challenge to his speakership, rick scott mounting that unsuccessful challenge, only ten votes, but still the fact that it was there sort of had those rumblings of, hey, there theres a new perspective here and it may not be one that mcconnell holds. So ultimately hes going to step down from leadership will see who succeeds him if its sort of one of the maga inspired lawmakers or one of the three johns who is more likely to do it. Two of them who are closely aligned with mcconnell, but at the end of the day, shocking, but really unsurprising. Rina, i mean the reality too is that the senate and i know you worked in the house and you youve been with mcconnell and in private settings, but weve also seen the house have a much quicker sort of slide towards donald trump than the senate. But it is happening in the senate. And i think it really helps explain the timing of this. I mean, november does it actually kind of an odd time to step down because while yes, the elections in november, the Congress Goes until the end of the year, right . So it seems very clear to me that this is very much about the president ial election. Well, i think its mixed here, and i think we shouldnt be so quick to jump to conclusions about this being entirely about trump. I think hes realized his own mortality audie. He recently lost his sisterinlaw very tragically. And i think again, the Health Scares have also factored in, but also every time he goes back to kentucky, it gets a little tougher for him. Im from next door, west virginia, and i have seen him in settings in kentucky, which have been really contentious. Thats not something hes used to. Thats not easy for an octogenarian to deal with. People come let me get you angrily and really raging against you, you being that icon of everything thats failing for them. And thats what hes had to contend with. So he leaves with a solid legacy, but i i wouldnt be so sure that things will change as much. Hes really i hate to use this word, but hes groomed the nextgeneration john thune has been around him like mine my goodness, as if they were brothers or a son, if you will. I was hoping he would choose somebody like joni erns to have a little bit more visible. Shes been around, but again, i think a likely successor is john thune. But again, dune came out endorsing trump, which is a good thing, but hes also got problems like cornyn where he was backing that 95 billion billion dollars foreign aid package. And thats not popular with trump world as we know, these are the three johns on the screen that we think are likely successors here. But i have to say not none of them. Barrasso probably as the one with this sort of profile that fits trump while also being part of the outgoing administration. The other two a potentially i could see them facing some issues will see. All right. Mychael schnell, rina shah. Thank you both very much. All right. The Supreme Court is going to hear Donald Trumps claim of absolute immunity. How big a win is this for the former president . Pretty big. I got to say, plus the new alltime leading scorer in Womens College watch basketball history. I love her job. We Dietary Supplements from volterra for healthy joints. Stay tuned to get this nut set for you from Granite Stone because cooking with your old pens feel like a kitchen battle ron food, their food on debris everywhere, ut to bring in Battle Tested pens with armor, you need granted stone harbor max, the revolutionary cookware set with four durable layers of ultra nonstatus. So slick, virtually nothing sticks, no oil or butter needed grant. Its still an armorer. 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Good bunnies. Ahh manu raju on capitol hill. And this is cnn close captioning brought to you by in Vet Help Call 180071 to o. Do you have an invention idea, but dont know what to do next call in vienna today, they can help you get started with your idea called now 8007100 hero to zero ill come back the Supreme Court agreeing to hear the former president s claim of absolute immunity from criminal prosecution, further delaying the federal Election Subversion case. One source tells trumps team views the courts decision as a win for now, the Supreme Court will hear the arguments the week of april 20 seconds. Cnns Alayna Treene joins me now, she covers trump for us. Alayna, thanks so much for being here. Of course so help us. I mean, clearly, it sounds like the trump team thinks that this is a win for them. Why and what have you heard from your sources . They do. And of course, a win for now. I think is the important thing to note because who knows how this will ultimately play out, but its a win because it helps them in their ultimate goal of trying to delay this trial. Thats really their biggest push here with all of the cases that hes facing, they want to delay them as long as possible and ultimately, i mean, if they have their way well, after the 2024 election in this helps at least punt it to the summer, if not beyond and from my conversations with them, they really look at this as they genuinely believed that this is a sign of interfering in the election if they have this trial right before the november election, and part of it too is if this is pushed even and closer to election day, they do believe itll help at least in their arguments with voters that they view this as election interference. They think that that will play up Donald Trumps argument and help him at least on the political side of it, even if its not helping on the legal side. So lets play this out. I mean, basically we got arguments in april. The Supreme Court term. They take a summer break. Right . Right. So typically we get the toughest cases at the end of june, right kim, imagine how intense those days are going to be weighing. Often the most contentious one is the very last one that they decide that potentially puts a Trial Heading into august, late summer labor day that is really when the electorate is actually engaged. I definitely by the political argument in terms of the primary, hes been able to very successfully make it right. Is there any thinking that like putting these legal problems on display, right. As independent voters have to decide what theyre going to do is potentially bad for him because it seems like it could be oh, absolutely. Mean, obviously they dont say that publicly, but of course theres that concern behind the scenes. I mean, theres a couple of things that theyre concerned about. One is juggling all of the Different Cases at the same time while hes trying to launch or potentially launch a general election campaign. Its they very much expect him to be the republican nominee. The other part of it is the financial the last back. This is going to cost a lot of money and we know that Donald Trumps team is already feeling the financial strain of all of his legal bills. Thats only going to get worse with a trial. So theyre gonna have a money issue then the other thing is the substance of this case. I mean, they still do not know how this is going to play out with general election voters. There hope and their belief is that it will continue helping, particularly obviously among republicans to boost him. But theyre not sure if that will actually be the case with general election voters and they still havent solved for that problem, right . Fascinating. All right, so lets change gears a little bit because the other big story we have unfolding today is these dueling visits to the border, President Biden and President Trump, both going there on the same day right . Like how reality television, but its actually real, right . Or what screen, right . I mean, it does yes. Well, Reality Tv President and flashing back to donald trump planning in New Hampshire and a helicopter. Either way. Now this is going to be in fact, i was with trump on the border when he went back in. I must have been 2015 and it was a similar kind of like mass, mass media event what do they make up . The fact that biden is going to go on the same day. I mean, what was their reaction when you call them and said like, hey, did you see that the president is going the same day as trump is . They were definitely surprised. They had been planning this for some time. Obviously, you dont just have a former president go to the border and not have the Security Preparations and Everything Else that goes with it. And they are arguing, of course, you know, how much should we put stock in this that the former president or excuse me, that President Joe Biden is chasing him to the border. Weve heard donald trump use that rhetoric in interviews at the only reason hes going is because he knows donald trump is going. Of course, the white house argues thats just not true. It is very, if it is just a coincidence, a very weird coincidence that its the same day. But look, i mean, very rare that those kinds of coincidence that current politics, but i let it i will argue, i mean you were talking about being there in 2015. This is the same exact rhetoric that donald trump, you use the fearmongering, the playing on the fears of people about the border, the type of people who come over the border youre going to hear him today in his remarks, donald trump talk about crimes that immigrants crossing the border are committing really playing on those fears the exact same type of things we heard that helped propel tell him into the white house in 2016. Thats where youre going to hear from and it will be interesting. I mean, hes going to be meeting with Texas National guard. Hes going to toward parts of the border including shelby park, which is something theyve closed down. Actually, its right by the rio grande hell do an interview with fox news. Im sure you can expect some of the things ill be telling sean him kennedy later today. But this is their key argument as well. I mean, donald trump really believes that immigration is one of joe biden and democrats biggest oldies, as much spotlight they can put on the issue by some of the showmanship i go into the border. It serves his camp thats why its interesting to me the white house is decided its almost like the more theyre talking about this, the bigger of a losing issue. But on the other hand, he cant ignore it. Only in a train. Alayna, thanks very much for being with us. I hope we come back soon. All right. Time now for sports, iowa star Caitlin Clark adds another Career Record to your the most points by any Womens College basketball player ever. Andy scholes has this mornings bleacher report. Andy, good morning. Morning. Kasie, you know, the season a milestone is just continuing last night for Caitlin Clark hes now got one regular season game left this sunday, just 18 points away from becoming College Basketballs alltime leading scorer, mens or womens. But clark was in minnesota last night . And she added all going. She hit a logo three early on and then moments later, she would do it again. Ive been to the Fourth Quarter, clark hitting her eighth three of the game and with it right here, she passed it says Linette Woodard for the most points and major Womens College basketball history. What are played for the jayhawks from 77 to 81 and womens sports was governed by the ai aw, the end cwa to go over womens sports in 1981, but didnt carry over a players staff, but many still recognize watered as the true record holder, but now its car. She finished with 33 points, 12 assists, and ten rebounds, and i was 48 point win over minnesota. And afterwards, clark said shes able to do what she does because of the foundation played by waters i wouldnt have the opportunity to be able to do what im doing every single night if it wasnt for people like her and obviously theres so many great players across the board so im just really thankful and grateful to have those people that have come before me. But i think it just shows title nine is not that long ago. 50 years is not that long ago. And i think it just still shows the room that we have to improve and where womens sports is going is a really great place. All right, so up next for clark is pete maravichs all time square boring record and college basketball, clark is going to need 18 points at Home Sunday On Senior Day Against second ranked ohio states gonna be a great game. A pistol petes record at lsu has always been very highly regarded, especially we considering he did it in only three seasons with no threepoint line, either brown jayson, meanwhile, orchestrating the largest fourthquarter comeback of his 21 year career last night to the lakers were down 21 points early in the border to the clippers before just storming back lebrons going 19 of his 34 points in the final period, including making five threes. He singlehandedly outscored the clippers in the Fourth Quarter and lebron came up with the Big Defensive Player in the final seconds, forcing quiet, entered into a really tough shot. Lakers win 116 onetwelfth and lebron channeling yogi berra afterwards saying it aint over till its over the main thing in america and keep executing the game is not over, ever over until its double zeros, which we see up there. So we just have fighting kept in different of stops, make some shots kasie, amazing. Lebron, 39 years old, year, 21 and still compute what hes doing out there on the gourd. Always make makes me feel like ive done nothing with my life at 38, andy. Thank you very much for that. Ill see you tomorrow. And coming up next hour here. The big surprise from an illinois judge, Donald Trumps next move after getting booted off the states ballot sports this morning, brought to you by safelite, your vehicle glass, and recalibration experts whats my safelite story im a photographer and when im driving, i see inspiration right through my glass. So when my windshield kraft it had to be fixed, right . I scheduled with safelite auto glass. Their experts replaced by windshield and recalibrated my cards fans, Safety System safelite is the one i trust. They focused on safety. So i can focus on this view we pay your sleep like place. 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