and just to basically pass the moment is something that we've seen him do before. obviously, this is such a serious issue that it would have dire sort of consequences. and that's what people around him are afraid of. >> and his clapback on that will be you guys will clean it up. we'll get back to washington. if i said something or did something that's not good, clean it up. but in the moment here's the headline, here's what's driving our coverage throughout the day, this bright, shiny object the president just pulled out of thin air and is now placed in the middle of the conversation. >> i want to ask you about a letter from adam schiff, open letter to republican colleagues. schiff writes, many of you acknowledged your deep miss givings about the president in quiet conversations in the last two years. you bemoaned his lack of decency, integrity, and deplored his fundamental inability to tell the truth but for reasons that are all too easy to comprehend, you choose to keep your misgivings and rising alarm private. this must end.