Page 1076 - Leverage News Today

Not a question that i should answer, but i will just tell you that the presidents folks, if they get called in the senate trial, theyre really in a tight spot because they will have to come under oath and testify or come up with a reason not to appear and that will bring into sharper relief that the people closer to the president are refusing to come forward and testify about what they know here. you know you can understand why pelosi wants to push to be able to call witnesses here, and why the ...

That should never again happen to another president. and i think you will see some very interesting things happen over the coming nfew days and weeks. >> the president tweeted this last night, quote, after the democrats gave me no new process in the house, no lawyers, no witnesses, no nothing, they now want to tell the senate how to run their trial. actually, they have zero proof of everything. they never even showed up. they want out. i want an immediate trial. joining us on the set is msnbc ...

But some kind of public vindication for him. he wants republicans defending him. he wants to make a mockery out of some of the democrats, especially adam schiff who has been the subject of his ire for some time, and i think the question over the next two weeks before the congress returns in the new year is going to be what external factors do we see happening. how does trump deal with this on twitter over the next few days when hes down at mar-a-lago and trying to enjoy the holidays. >> when he ...

Did help donald trump in the last election. if you can essentially take russia off the hook and put it on ukraine, then donald trump thinks that gives more validity and more affirmation to his election. its always, always, always about donald trump. it just happens to be that vladimir putin is one of his biggest supporters. >> donna, i want to get you in on this conversation. the idea that the leverage that the democrats have is being used for something that 71% of the public wants. seems like, ...

File the paper that make these points and others including the witnesses they want. >> let me get margaret in but i think those are interesting points. >> yeah. >> ari, mcconnell says that pelosi has no leverage. mcconnell handed pelosi leverage by being so outspoken, brazen, about how he was going to treat the trial. he proudly said he was coordinating with the defendant and his lawyers. and thats against the oath hes going to take which is to be an impartial juror. and then lindsey graham chim...

Want it anyway. that wouldnt be a surprising position from a republican. but the president clearly wants a trial that would acquit him and he could go to the country and say, see, i was exonerated. >> you know nancy pelosi so well, how is she managing this? >> first of all, shes fearless. shelter is n she really is not intimidated by anyone, certainly not mitch mcconnell, certainly not this president. shes going to stand her ground. shes going to use all the tools in her quiver to really move th...

Always guilty. a small point. youve been tracking with regard to the instruments of u.s. power, foreign policy, something that is supposed to be stopping at the waters edge, non-partisan ideally, and this president stands accused. in all seriousness of extorting a foreign power with the pentagon, javelin missile level commander in chief power to get reelected. where does this fit into this in your view as americans watch the trial. whether or not thats going to happen, that is the case. >> i thi...

Leverage, and its also reasonable. >> congressman swalwell, thank you for spending some time with us at the end of a long and historic week. after the break the investigation into the origins of the russia investigation has its sights set now on former cia director john brennan. there is brand-new reporting in the "new york times" today about it. we will show it to you, next. i wish i could shake your hand. granted. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪

I think its absolutely legitimate for the speaker to engage in this strategy. i think it can be effective for a couple of reasons. one, you have donald trump having a very different and i think frankly misguided from his own interest view in wanting to see more of a public show. thats always been i think through all of this, thats been his achilles heel. at the same time, you have a small handful of republicans who i think are quietly behind the scenes interested in a more fair trial than trump ...

>> well, yeah, were going on a two-week break now. so nothing was going to happen over these two weeks anyway. theres nothing scheduled as of this point between schumer and mcconnell to meet over the next two weeks. and if past is precedent, then i wouldnt expect there to be meetings or anything to be worked out over the christmas, new year holiday anyway. look. these guys are pros. they have been here before in these stalemates. they are fine waiting. mcconnell has indicated that hes not in any...