Transcripts For MSNBCW All In With Chris Hayes 20170725

Good evening from new york. Im chris hayes. Today, multiple reports that people within the president s inner circle are considering firing the attorney general. That reporting comes amid increasingly strange barrage of strange utterances itself. President trump and his advisers are privately discussing the possibility of replacing attorney general Jeff Sessions and some floating prospects of who could take his place where he would resign or be fired according to people familiar with the talks. Members of trumps inner circle have increasingly raised the question as president continued to vent his truss frags with the attorney general the people said. Today the president s new press secretary was asked about sessions appearance today at the white house. There are some reports that at the white house today can you share any information about that . Sure. I can confirm he was at the white house. But he did not meet with the president while he was there today. Sanders confirming sessions with a was inseed at the white house today. That assertion after new white house communication director, Anthony Scaramucci, seen in the background. Trump and sessions need to speak and determine what the future of the relationship looks like. During the Campaign Sessions had indeed discussed campaignrelated matters with the Russian Ambassador kislyak according to u. S. Intelligent intercepts of kislyak. That contradicts quite squarely the same conversations. President trump weighed in again tweeting why arent committees and investigators and beleaguered ag looking into crooked hillary crimes and russian relations. No such Hillary Clinton and russia crimes exist. The president was again asked about his attorney general. Mr. President , Jeff Sessions resigned Washington Post also reported that one person close to trump said the president asked him about how firing sessions would play in the conservative media and the names considered his replacements are ted cruz and former new york mayor rudy giuliani. Earlier today, giuliani told cnn there is no truth to a similar report that he was under consideration and crucially he defended sessions saying sessions was right to recuse himself. Joined now by democratic congressman of california. Member of the house Intelligence Committee. Congressman, your reaction to the notion the president may indeed fire the attorney general. He should go, chris, for other reasons. Not fo because he hasnt been loyal to the president. Because he has had a problem, i think, being loyal to the amount of forthcoming information that you have to give to the senate. Twice when he was asked about contractes with russia, he didnt disclose them. He participated in the firing of james comey. For those reasons he should go. But also, chris, you know, some people say why would you want to get rid of him . He is recused. When isnt that better than who trump could put in. How is the time for senate, Republican Leaders to put a check on the presidency, a true Law Enforcement official in there. No relation top president s campaign and allow this investigation to proceed. This is interesting. You are in line with a call made by the Congressional Black Caucus that sessions is unfit to serve. Top law enforce. Of the nation should resign immediately. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Of course this would be the first set in dominos to get rid of mueller which many people believe is the president s ultimate goal and he has shown in relieving james comey of duty hes willing to do Something Like that to stop the investigations that he views as unfair witch hunts. Chris, i would see this as this should be the first set of dominos to have republicans in the senate show some courage, to show sha we are a coequal branch of the that congress is a coequal branch with the presidency and we are not helpless to what president wants to do to instruct the investigation. Thats the opportunity of Jeff Sessions was fired. Speaking of the investigation, today, jarrett kushner, soninlaw, chief adviser, i wouldnt call testimony, but answered questions to senate intel committee. We will have more later in the show. And you will speak with kushner tomorrow in closed session. Can you explain for me because im unclear about how this all inded up. The he is not under oath but will talk to you and he cant lie to congress and lying to congress is a crime nonetheless, right . Yes. I wish it was in public. I wish he today raise his right hand for everyone to see and there are fair questions out there. And there are contacts that he and Trump Campaign had with russia. And if you take a step back you run for president of the United States. You need votes in the United States. Why this campaign had so many meetings. I think it is fair to ask. One thing Jared Kushner said, i want your response too, no improper contacts. He said this on the record outside the white house. It seems to me that theres a case to be made. And the meeting itself with the russian lawyer and variety of russian nationals. Express purpose which to trade information from the russian government on Hillary Clinton would itself constitute an improper act. Do you believe and or trust what Jared Kushner says . We must corroborate what he has said or discredit what he has said but he like others have shown by their own failures to disclose that we cant take them at their word. What is your theory tomorrow of why it is that Jared Kushner left off those meetings . Why is it that Jeff Sessions apparently deceived about the nature of his interactions first the existence of interaction and then the nature . What is your internal working mental theory about this right now . Yeah. Well, my gut tells me if this is just one person who failed to disclose one contact that there are a lot of innocent explanations as to why that may be. But to have so many people who have so many contacts with russia that were not disclosed and have only been acknowledged once overwhelming knowledge is presented, we better keep probing. Again chris our job is to get through all this evidence and make a report. Again they may just be a thousand coincidences but until we can ask all of these witnesses questions about reviewing documents, i still have a lot of questions. Congressman within thanks for making time tonight. My pleasure. Former u. S. Attorney from eastern district, and matt miller and msnbc justice, former chief spokesman at the Justice Department, lets return now matt to the news that is crossing from the Washington Post in the last hour which bolsters other reports and utterances by the president himself that Jeff Sessions job may be on the line. What do you make of that p. I think it is clear that the president is trying to push the attorney general out. Ity there cant be any doubt. This seemed deliberate today. And Jeff Sessions should go. Compromising the sacred thing at the Justice Department when he signed off on firing jim comey. Last few days the way he responded these attacks have been very telling. These werent just takes on Jeff Sessions and rosen stein and mueller, these are attacks on the rule of law. Attacks on independent Justice Department. And Jeff Sessions response to that was to hold a press conference where he said he enjoys working for the president and looks forward to continuing. The attorney general needs to stand up for the independent rule of law for the country and tell the president he wont stand for that. If he wont, we should find a new attorney general who will. Barbara, one of the most remarkable things in the the Public Statement about Jeff Sessions was calling on his own attorney general to investigate his former campaign adversary Hillary Clinton his opponent in the president ial campaign. How does it pertain to how the fbi does their job . This reminds me of the outcry during one of the debates that candidate trump said if he became president he would order his attorney general to investigate Hillary Clinton. It is completely improper. Completely inappropriate. Attorney general and Justice Department must be completely independent of the political whims of the white house. Thats why there are such straight channels of communication set up, about what they can talk about or even be together. I find it entirely inappropriate. I want it play for you about what the president says about Jeff Sessions recusal, which is the source of much of his ire. Sessions cant oversea presumely manipulate, control, direct, his campaign. Here is him expressing his frustration last week. Take a listen. Well, sessions should have never recused himself. And if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me before he took the job and i would have picked someone else. Do you think sessions recusal was proper and that it lead to the investigation . The recusal is proper. If you look at ethics guidelines there are a number of reasons if you have a financial, personal or political relationship with someone you are supposed to recuse. So i believe that it was appropriate for him to recuse. I think what is really going on is that President Trump confuses personal loyalty to loyalty to the mission of the job. He sees the attorney general as his personal lawyer when in fact he is the attorney of the United States. It is interesting you say sessions should go. Sessions of all cabinet figures the one who draws most opposition arguably from democrats, from folks on the left. He was fought vigorously for confirmation. Dont you worry the political expediacy of getting rid of him in this moment, the continuing efforts of obstructing an Ongoing Investigation in plain sight by the president of the United States . I think the president of the United States will try to continue doing that whether jeff session says attorney general or someone else is. He doesnt need to fire Jeff Sessions to end the mueller investigation. We have talked about it shown the before. He can withdraw the regs and fire him himself. I think ultimately thats what he will do. Do we want the attorney general to stay and compromise himself for the president . I think the answer is no. If he leaves on his own accord the president will nominate someone else. The names floating in that story, cruz, giuliani, both people made similar comments to the ones that trump made. About investigating Hillary Clinton. We have a debate about who the next person would be and i hope republican senators would stand up as they did with chris ray and someone with personal integrity. Barbara, finally to you, theres conversation about pardons. Which is obviously a power invested in the United States constitution. All agree u. S. President has the complete power to pardon. Why think of that when only crime so far is leaks against us. Fake news. The first part of that, Anthony Scaramucci, discussing pardons, it seems that we have come off the access constitutionally and are spinning out into a vast Dark Universe of unchartered territory. Well i found it really interesting that President Trump is talking about the power of pardon during the very week when hes got Jared Kushner, paul man manafort. But he does have the power to pardon anyone. Except himself, i believe. But he pardon anyone. Except himself, i believe. The constitution does say except in matters of impeachment. I dont believe the president can pardon himself. All right, thank you both. Coming up, senator chris murphy talks about a vote on a Republican Health care bill that no one, no one, has seen. And Jared Kushner speaks. The president s soninlaw just confirmed about his dealings with russia. After the twominute break. President trumps soninlaw, Jared Kushner, made remarks in front of the white these days families want to be connected 24 7. Thats why at comcast were continuing to make our services more reliable than ever. Like technology that can update itself. An advanced fibernetwork infrustructure. New, more Reliable Equipment for your home. And a new culture built around customer service. It all adds up to our most Reliable Network ever. One that keeps you connected to what matters most. President trumps soninlaw, Jared Kushner, made remarks in front of the white house insisting he did nothing wrong after confirming media reports about numerous undisclosed contacts with russian nationals during the campaign. Let me be very clear. I did not collude with russia nor do i know of anyone else in the campaign who did so. I had no improper contacts. I have not relied on russian funds for my businesses. And i have been fully transparent in providing all requested information. Today kushner spent two hours answering questions posed by staffers on the Intelligence Committee about his contactes with russia. Ahead of that closeddoor session kushner released a lengthy statement in which he acknowledged attending the infamous meeting organized by Donald Trump Jr with someone saying they the dirt on Hillary Clinton. He admitted having four meetings despite not disclosing a single one of those meetings on his security clearance form under penalty of perjury for omission answers kushner detailed his effort to set up a secret Communications Line with the russian government during one of those meetings. Kushner had excuses for all of this which included blaming his assistant for submitting a security clearance form and claiming he didnt know the topic of the don junior meeting because he did not fully read his emails. Kushner stating in part it was typical for me to receive 200 more emails a day during the campaign. I did not have time to read every one. We should note the subject of that was Something Like russia clinton. It is illegal to lie to congress but cush mer was not under oath today. He will be under oath tomorrow when he appears before the house Intelligence Committee. Meanwhile Donald Trump Jr. And Paul Manafort are in negotiationes with the Senate Judiciary committee in a closed session and they will not be under oath. This is all as President Trump faces a big decision. Including sweeping russia sanctions package it punish moscow for interfearance in the president bl election. As well as sanctions in iran and north korea. Longs posing the effort to ex escalate punitive damages. The president wants it make sure we actually get the best deal for the United States and sew is very focused on that. But at same time wants it make sure that sanctions on those three countries remain and he will study that legislation and see what the final product looks like. The white house once again questioning underlying questionnaire and interfere unin the election with newly minted Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci to offer up the kremlin line on this issue. Somebody said to me yesterday, i wont tell you who, if the russians hacked the situation and spilled out the emails you would have never seen it or had any evidence of that. Meaning they are super confident in their deception skills and hacking. My point is, all of the information isnt on the table yet. But here is what i know about the president wait, wait, wait, anthony. Let me finish. All right, go ahead. I dont know who this anonymous person is who said if the russians have done it we wouldnt have been able to detect it. How about it was the president , jake. Joining me now, phil bruker, white house brewer yoe chief and paul butler former federal prosecutor and from the school of law. Kushner, context today was quite remarkable. You rarely see white house advisers or aides in front of the white house with the president ial seal giving an address like that. What did you make of that . Well, you know, he wanted to make a statement. What he said at the podium there was not all that different from the 11page statement i put out in writing earlier this morning but an interesting moment for the cameras there. Interesting that would he have the white house background which is sort of the white house getting behind him. Even though this is a personal matter for him. Something he is working on with his personal lawyers but i think speaks to his standing in the white house as part of the president s family. He also had this comment i want it play which seems very much directed as an audience for one, phillip, that russia any look into what happened in the elections, an insult to trump voters. Take a listen. Donald trump add better message and ran a smarter campaign, that is why he won. Suggesting otherwise ridicules those who voted for him. I would note that nixon whooped mcgovern in 72. Even with the watt irrigate stuff. The two were separate concept actually. But chris the issue is not whether russias hacking influenced the outcome of the election. They are investigating if this was coordinated in any way with the Trump Campaign or associates of donald trump. Paul, the statements from kushner today, the few raise my eyebrows. One he had no improper contact. The other he has been transparent which seems at some level just facially untrue in the sense that he omitted four meetings of the security clearance for months, the secretary of all this reporting. Thats right. He is doing a lot of blaming other people and excusemaking. For those Financial Disclosure forms, he says, it wasnt really my fault. My assistant filed them before she was supposed to. For the meeting with the russians, all donald junior didnt tell me what it was about. And i didnt read the whole email. So i think what hes toing is following the likely advice of his lawyer. He is saying, you are technically guilty after crime Like Campaign fraud for soliciting a foreign operative. I didnt have criminal intent. Im too naive to know what im doing. Which is a bizarre defense for someone with a high security clearance in the white house. An 11page statement, basically, were all new to this and i wasnt paying attention. My assistant messed this up. Fastpaced environment. Yes. Things were coming at me. And my resume i includes peace in the middle east. There is contention between those two. His campaign grew month to month. Someone who executed tasks for donald trump, then candidate, with a shoe string rag tag campaign operation. And kushner eventually became at liaison with the Foreign Government officials at behest of donald trump the government and now the president. So he functioned in this capacity as a secretary of state, if you will, for the candidate and for the president elect during the transition. Thats where all of the contacts have come in. There is one state in the commissioner offer a that i would like to you respond to. As some on who is former federal prosecutor. Take a listen. The fact that i was asking about ways to start a dialogue after election day should of course be viewed as strong evidence that i was not aware of one of existed before the election day. Do you buy that . He said i didnt know the name of the Russian Ambassador. This excuse of im not familiar with washington ways, i dont think it will be bought by special counsel mueller. Moreover there are other people in these meeting he including manafort and including michael flynn. Flynn indicated he wants to make a deal. So if mueller is able to flip him, we will have another side of whats going down in these meetings. Finally phillip, i have to note that Anthony Scaramuccis account of why it may not be the russians, they are so good at hacking. They are so good they would cover their tracks and we wouldnt know it was him. A remark that putin told trump. And moscows cyber operators soar good at covert and Computer Network operations if they had dipped into the dnc systems they would not have been caught. They are now laundering essentially the putin line about the culpability here. I guess thats what happened. Anthony made clear in that interview that his source who had been anonymous at the start of the interview was president of the United States and thats not unusual in dealing with these white house officials. They hear a lot of theories and explanations from the president and pass those along. Sfaz. A lot of theories going on. Thank four joining me. Next, why the details of the senate Health Care Bill are once again a complete mystery even to senators scheduled to vote on it in less than 24 hours from now. New bandaid® brand skinflex™ bandages. Our best bandage yet it dries almost instantly. Better . Yeah. Good thing because stopping never crosses your mind. Bandaid® brand. Stick with it™ forhas adapted to my weightic and shape. So i sleep deeply. And wake up ready to perform. Only exclusive retailers carry tempurpedic. Find yours at tempurpedic. Com. You dont hear this from the democrats. They like to tell you just the opposite and they didnt even know the bill. They run out, say death, death, death. Obamacare is death. Thats the one thats death. And besides that, its failing. So you wont have it anyway. President donald trump made his pitch for Health Care Reform today. We should note obamacare is not failing nor is it obviously quote death. But speaking at the white house among people he called obamacare victims, the president listed criticisms of the current American Health care system. After an excruciating series of events and kpli katecations, melissa and her husband found themselves just before christmas emotionally and financially devastated, crying in a Doctors Office faced with yet another seamingly unpayable bill. When insurance wouldnt cover the atkinsons care, they emptied out me list whys 401 k to pay their bills. The most recent senate house care proposal would make deductibles family and the precise family by that family worse. The Republican Health care proposals do not solve any of the Health Care Problems they bring up with obamacare. From the cost of premiums pb covering preexisting conditiones. Mitch mcconnell knows that plans for covering American Health care cant sustain public scrutiny. Sew has been keeping efforts as secret as possible. Even on a vote scheduled for tomorrow, no one has even seen will final bill. A tactic ato avoid public discussion, protest and halls that tried to undo the Affordable Care act. Mcconnell is keeping it secret from senators them self, leaving them not knowing what they are voting on tomorrow. Majority leader Mitch Mcconnell announced today the he is not yale the open on Health Care Bill tomorrow. As of this hour, nobody, outside of Mitch Mcconnell, knows what is in the bill or what group of bill the senate will be voting on. Mcconnell is scrambling to get anything on the floor. Chris murphy tweeted, waiting this long to get anything on the floor is bananas. Senator, do you know what is going to happen in the United States senate in 16 or so hours from now . I dont know whats going to happen. So far as i can tell this evening, my republican colleagues dont know. There are three different versions of the bill that could possibly be up for a vote tomorrow. Were going to be voting on the house version but mcconnell could immediately bring forward even Senate Version a or Senate Version b. They are all an absolute humanitarian catastrophe for the country ranging from 24 million to 33 Million People losing coverage. We also dont know who will be here for the vote. Rumors are they are working very hard to get john mccain back here to get them over the 50vote hurdle. With a promise that they will work everything out this weekend next. So whatever we vote on tomorrow, even if it is past the 50vote hurdle, it will be different from what becomes the end product. To your point of not knowing what is happening, the vote tomorrow motion to proceed, which ends debate on this sweet of bills pb rand paul reporter asking rand paul if we will vote on tomorrow and what are we proceeding to . Susan collins saying she still dont know and maybe there a third version. It is hard it understand how a week ago there was unanimity, sending well wishes to a man who recovering from brain cancer. Now lobbying his doctors to get him to fly to provide a crucial vote. Why cant they just wait a week . It is all a little unsavory and the brow peting happening publicly today of john mccain to bring him back, really does not put republicans in a very good light. But shows how desperate they are. Base is rising up a bit. So the pressure from the trump white house, from conservative talk radio, are scaring them. They are are putting a lot of faith in mcconnell that he will be able to get into a product they can all vote for but they are feeling a little bit desperate, not wanting to go home in august accomplishing absolutely nothing and having to listen to donald trump beat them over the head with that. Blaming them for that inaction, not himself, over the course of the august recess. Gamble here seems to be mcconnell promises everything to everyone to get past the hurdle. Then plays the kind of legislative theecard monty with a bunch of bills and you guys are supposed to keep your eye on the one so you know which one youre passing . And perhaps make up ideas as he goes along. This new idea was floated. Funds to help transition states from medicaid. Which just postpone the pain. It is unclear how think ultimately land this thing. Still doesnt seem to be a way that thread the needle bren mike lee and rand paul and Susan Collins and others who need medicaid preserved and also the pig problem of the parliamentary rulings. The biggest among them is the ruling by their version of the individual mandate cant stay in the bill. The entire bill falls apart from a standpoint, this threat is coming from everywhere. I think is important. Lets take a second. The mechanism in the bill currently is if you go without coverage you are locked out for six months. Reason for that is they dont want it to be possible. For some understandable reasons that you dont buy insurance ahead of time and you go in and diagnose and you come from the doctor that day and buy insurance that day which they have to sell you under the legislation. So to stop the death spiral, there is this lockout. They would very clearly destroy the entire Nongroup Health Insurance market in america in the next few days. Lets take that the next step further. Why is that . . Because if there is no pressure on individuals too bying insurance when they are healthy they they will wait until they are sick and because of that dynamic insurers will either exit markets at large or will drive rates after the nomically high because they will only be insurance sick people. Wont be insuring healthy people. So the entire market would collapse if they dont have some version of that provision in the bill. This is a major problem for them that they will also need to solve in addition to the Major Political problems they need to fix in order to get to 50 votes. Meanwhile the administration is acting to sabotage the existing Affordable Care act. You wrote a letter with cory booker and brian schatz, about money used t. O. For advertising and the aca. What is going on there. First of all, it is so perverse that agency is using money to get People Insurance that are underinsured. And they put up online these advertisements trying to convince legislators to vote against the Affordable Care act. From a moral standpoint thats pretty bankrupt. But from a legal standpoint there is a law that says any administration cannot use Public Resources to try to lobby for legislation. And they clearly violating this law. Senators, thank for joining me. Thank. Now lashing out and imply something of them owe them for their 2016 wins. Public heading again. And bringing back duelling, thing 1, thing 2, next. Oh, look. Another antiwrinkle cream in no hurry to make anything happen. Neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair works in just one week. With the fastest retinol formula to visibly reduce wrinkles. Neutrogena®. Thing 1 tonight, remember texas republican, blake, last time the congressman agreed to appear on this program is days after Donald Trumps access Hollywood Tape was released. I think this is locker room talk that happened ten years ago that he is apologized for, a private conversation congressman, if someone off the record in a locker room this is not the locker room, this is a workplace, said i like raping women. Is that locker room talk . You dont know the entire context but you are okay with that im not here to defend donald trump. I dont like what he said. He can defend himself. If a tape came out by donald trump saying i like to rape women, would you continue to endorse him . Again, that would be bad. And i would have to consider i would consider it. Congressmans answer generated a slew of headlines like this one and he apologize owned twitter shortly after the interview. He is no stranger to walkbacks. On a federal judges mexican heritage, he, trump may have crossed the line there but i dont agree with everything i say at times. Texas congressman blake chimed in on Senate Health care texas congressman blake chimed in on Senate Health care push. On friday he had an odd message for colleagues that disagree with him, specifically women who disagree with him, and alaska and West Virginia are part of the northeast. The fact that the senate does not have the courage to do some of the things that every republican in the senate promised to do is just absolutely repungent to me. Some of the people that are opposed to this, there are female senators from the northeast, if it was a guy from south texas, i might ask him to step outside and settle this aaron burr style. In a statement yesterday the so it has the bad breath germkilling power of this. With the lighter feel. Of this. Try listerine® zero alcohol™. Whuuuuuat . Rtgage offer from the bank today. You never just get one offer. Go to lendingtree. Com and shop multiple loan offers for free free . Yeah. Could save thousands. You should probably buy me dinner. No. Go to lendingtree. Com for a new home loan or refinance. Receive up to five free offers and choose the loan thats right for you. Our average customer could lower their monthly bills by over three hundred dollars. Go to lendingtree. Com right now. In a statement yesterday the president accused fellow republicans to do little to support him. Its very sad that republicans, even some that were carried over the line on my back do very little to support their president. The fact that donald trump has had a complicated relationship with the republican party, members in the house and senate have for most part been willing to defend him. Six months into the job and he has proven to be the least popular president ever, according to gallup. Average Approval Rating after president is 62 . There a paradox. Some n some states he has good stating. 50 some in sm sm states and fairs best in West Virginia at 60 . Thats where he was earlier today speaking at a scout jamboree. Shelly moore expressed reservations to the plan to medicaid. And capito said i did not come to washington to her people. But tonight in front after crowd of adolescent boys the president seemed to turn screws on backing the Health Care Bill. Better get senator capito to vote for it. Have to get other senators to vote for it. Its time. After time. After seven years of saying repeal and replace obamacare we have a chance to do it. They better do it. Hopefully theyll do it. Well tell you why republican senators owe this president a whole lot less than he thinks. Thats less. Frankly, i dont think we should leave town unless we have a Health Insurance plan, unless we can give our people great health care. Because were close. Were very close. The other night i was very surprised when i heard a couple of my friends, my friends, they really were and are, they might not be very much longer. But thats okay. I think. I have to get them back. Thats right. You didnt go out there. This is the one we were worried about. You werent there. But youre going to be. Youre going to be. Look he wants to remain a senator, doesnt he . Okay. That was the president last week apparently threatening virginia senator unless he backed the repeal of the health care act. Joining me now, jennifer rubin, conservative blogger for the Washington Post. I want to start with this boy scout speech what was remarkable and od and unnerving to a lot of people. The president assembled in front of a crowd of boy scouts to talk about passing the Health Care Bill and lobbying their senators. Long disposition on his election and then basically gets a lot of adolescent boys to reign down boos on Hillary Clinton. Take a listen. I went there because i kept hearing were 269. But then wisconsin came in, many many years, michigan came in. So and we worked hard there. You know, my opponent didnt work hard there. Because she was told she was told she was going to win michigan. Evan did you find that as strange as i did . Strange at least. Chilling in another way. I mean, look, this is the president of the United States. Hes speaking to americas youth. Hes very much off topic in that setting there. But this is what he does. I recall when he stood before the stars representing the fallen cia officers at cia headquarters and he spoke about his crowd size and his Electoral College victory. But in this case you see the power of leadership over young impressionable minds where they dont understand, dont know and probably dont care much about the details hes speaking of. But in the moment theyre standing before the president of the United States and that kind of dynamic can elicit a response that is sometimes, you know, is, i think in this case, frankly chilling and inappropriate. The reason it spoke me as important or the microcosm, hes down there to intimidate Shelly Moore Capito who he expresley threatens. He wants her to vote on the health care. With an intense, intense emotional connection to his supporters that he is attempting to weld to keep republicans in line who are scared of facing them in basically a primary contest. Right. You know, i think the president has a big thing obviously about loyalty. He thinks the fbi director owes him loyalty, the department of justice owes him loyalty and senators owe him loyalty. And to some extent there is party solidarity. But i think what he fails to appreciate is that some of these senators actually care about their constituents and have obligation to the voters who sent them there. That thought sunt seem to register anywhere with donald trump. So everything becomes about him, about replaying his election, which i do find pathetic at this point. And trying to instill fear or loyalty into republicans who, by the way, were not carried on his back. Virtually all of them exceeded his margins of victory in their states, sometimes by a considerable amount was as did rob portman in ohio. Pat toomy, john mccain, marco rubio all outperforming trump. Youve become an outspoken critic of the president and the way hes being facilitated by house republicans. But theres one way of looking at this, which is that the house and Senate Republicans are just using the president because hes a hand that will sign a bill. That the agenda theyre pushing through is no different than i would have been with a marco rubio or anyone else. This is an agenda they believe in. Essentially theyre willing to look the other way because they want to see the agenda passed. Theyre sort of using him to get what they want. Thats actually true. And thats a major grievance and concern that i have obviously, is that the agenda, which is important for conservatives in america, has caused them to overlook much deeper problems with this presidency, problems including selling out the sovereignty of the American People to choose their own leaders and hold them accountable through free and Fair Elections that are not manipulated by sophisticated foreign powers. And this is more important than the agenda. Its this kind of thing, the defense of our democratic ideals, norms and institutions that protect our most basic rights. The left and the vieth should fight for than agenda. But we can never subordinate those or democracy, the basic ideals, norms and institutions that protect our basic right to a partisan agenda. We can never do it. Thats whats happening here. Jennifer, quickly. Are republican senators making calculations on this vote tomorrow based on trump or not . I dont think so. I think they can read the polls. H not all that popular. They have to look after their own constituents. They can see the bill is incredibly unpopular. I dont think hes going to change many votes one way or the other and frankly his inability to talk to the merits of the bill make him particularly inept advocate for his own legislation. Thanks for joining us tonight. That is all in for this evening. Tonight President Trump, a man facing so many questions about russia. Cant stop talking about the election. Turning a boy scout jam boree speech with tens of thousands of young scouts into a political rally. Also tonight is the president plans to replace his own attorney general . New reporting as trump takes another swing at Jeff Sessions. You dont see this every day. The president s soninlaw using the white house as a back drop to clear himself of collusion with russia. The 11th hour begins now. As we start a new week good evening once again from our nbc news headquarters here in new york. Day 186 of the trump administration. And its a busy one on many fronts. Including the russia investigation trumps cabinet, his twitter feed, active again tonight. His soninlaw and the health care debate. Late tonight a recuperating senator john mccain announced he will be back in washington tomorrow for the tight vote on whether to bring the Republican Health care bill to the floor of the senate. More on that later in our broadcast tonight