A pass from House Republicans, while congresswoman liz cheney had to fight back a challenge for her leadership post. Cheney more than survived, but the question is, whats next for Marjorie Taylor greene . Plus, new remarks from President Biden on his nearly 2 trillion Economic Relief proposal. He says he wants a bipartisan bill, but the question is, what is he willing to compromise . And democrats won control of the Senate Two Weeks ago, but they are just now taking control of the committees. The question is, how long before we finally see Confirmation Hearings for key Cabinet Posts like Attorney General . Its Way Too Early for this. Good morning and welcome to Way Too Early, the show that has yet to hear any cries of voter fraud after the house referendum on liz cheney. I am kasie hunt on this thursday, february 4th. Well start with the news. The third highest ranking house republican, liz cheney, will remain in leadership after beating back a Secret Ballot challenge to strip her of her title as conference chair. Sources say 145 House Republicans voted to keep cheney in her spot, while 61 republicans backed the resolution to remove her from leadership because she voted to impeach former president donald trump. That is just under 30 of the conference, which is far fewer than what had been anticipated ahead of time. One source affiliated with the Freedom Caucus said they couldnt believe that the whip count was so off. Here is congresswoman cheney after the conference meeting. We really did have a terrific vote tonight, a terrific time this evening, laying out what were going to do Going Forward as well as making clear that were not going to be divided and that were not going to be in a situation where people can pick off any member of leadership. It was a very resounding acknowledgment that we need to go Forward Together and that we need to go forward in a way that helps us beat back the really dangerous and negative democrat policies. So, i would just remind all of you, this was a secretballot vote. There were only ten republicans who were willing to go on the record to say that they were going to impeach donald trump, but over 140 of her colleagues voted to keep liz cheney after she did it. Just 60something said, no, she needs to get out. That tells you how they really feel about donald trump in private. Its a theme weve talked about a lot, and what theyre not willing to say in public, the depth of the defense for her. And that is going to be an important dynamic Going Forward. All right, during that roughly fivehourlong gop meeting last night, congresswoman Marjorie Taylor greene tried to explain her previous positions and comments. According to a source in the room, greene told her colleagues that she realizes what she said previously was wrong. Two other sources said she received applause, while a few even stood up to clap for her. Minority leader Kevin Mccarthy spoke to reporters after the meeting and defended greene. Watch. So, i think it would be helpful if you could hear exactly what she told all of us, denouncing qanon. I dont know if i say it right. I dont even know what it is. Any from the shootings. She said she knew nothing about lasers or all of the Different Things that have been brought up about her. And so, from that perspective, shes now a member of if we are now going to start judging what other members have said before theyre even members of congress, i think its going to be a hard time for the democrats to place anybody on committee. Okay. Meanwhile, House Democrats are moving forward with a vote later today to Strip Congresswoman Greene Of Her committee assignments. Majority leader steny hoyer says democrats were forced to act after mccarthy and other republicans declined to do so. Speaker nancy pelosi criticized the minority leader in a statement yesterday, referring to his political affiliation as qcalifornia. Normally, thats where the r for republican would go. She wrote in part, mccarthys failure to lead his party effectively hands the keys over to greene, an antisemite, Qanon Adherent and 9 11 truther. And to underscore what Kevin Mccarthy was doing right there, he was giving her a pass and claiming he has no idea what any of these things are, after people who support this Conspiracy Theory stormed the capitol, threatened his life and the lives of everyone else in the building, the idea that you dont know what it is at this point is just on its face completely ludicrous. All right, lets talk more about the people who are actually occupying the white house currently. In a People Magazine interview with the first couple yesterday it was their first since entering the white house President Biden addressed comments he made last week that he thought former President Trumps impeachment trial, quote, has to happen, despite it possibly interfering with his legislative agenda. Watch. They asked me whether or not they thought the trial should go forward. They didnt ask me whether or not he should have been impeached. He was impeached by the house. And it has to move forward. Otherwise, it would come off as farcical what this was all about. It is probably not likely that they get 17 republicans to change their view and convict on impeachment, but i think its important that there be certain basic standards that people at least are able to see what happened and make their own judgments. Im not looking for any retribution. Im not looking its just, my job is to try to heal the country and move us forward. So, there you go. On a call with House Democrats yesterday, President Biden said that what he is and is not willing to compromise, when it comes to the Economic Relief bill of course, hes trying to push that through as this Impeachment Process is going to unfold. According to a source on the call, the president said that he wont compromise on the amount of the 1,400 checks that he has proposed, but that he is willing to target the money to a Smaller Group of americans who need it the most. The president said hes open to negotiating on the overall price tag and on some of the programs that hes proposed, though its unclear at this point which ones. Democrats want the bill passed by march 14th, and the white house has said the president is not willing to allow negotiations to delay the process. All right, joining us now, nbc news correspondent mike memoli, who has, of course, covered the nowpresident for many, many years. Mike, good morning to you. Lets start good morning. I know we heard these comments about impeachment from joe biden, came, they were released yesterday, and weve talked a little bit about them, but i think its interesting, especially in the context of what happened with House Republicans last night, where they basically in private were willing to say, yeah, were cool with what liz cheney did when she voted to impeach donald trump, but we cant say that in public. How would you put into context what biden said, President Biden said about impeachment . What should we be hearing as we listen to those comments . Because he doesnt make them often. Yeah, thats absolutely right, kasie. Throughout this whole process, and the many, many attempts to get now President Biden to weigh in on this question of impeachment, the thing ive heard from Biden AdvisersBehind The Scenes is, this is somebody who throughout his career has always tried to understand the position of his negotiating partners. He would never say his, you know, opponents, but the republicans and the position theyre in. And he knows that the difference between, as you well point out, a public vote on impeachment and a private vote Behind The Scenes, a Secret Ballot, reflects really the reality that a lot of these republicans are in, and that the more joe biden is publicly weighing in on impeachment, saying he supports conviction, the harder its going to be for senators, especially like a rob portman, mitt romney, but maybe even more some of those republicans who we havent seen quite at the forefront of being critical of their own party from time to time, to actually cast a vote in support of anything that might have joe bidens signature on it at the end of the day. So, thats really been guiding him. You heard them speak about this process in terms of the need for it to be not farcical. There needs to be the process needs to be seen through to its conclusion, in some ways reflecting what weve heard Process Arguments from time to time from the republican side. He does not want, though, to be out there criticizing his opponent full of the knowledge that if he is going to try to bring this country together, heal this country, he needs some republican support to do that, and thats why hes been sort of deferring as much as he can on this question. So, speaking of republican support, mike, where do you think the president is on this question of how to do the relief bill . Its clear to me, democrats on the hill who i talked to, theyre ready to go alone. They are ready to push this bill through, if thats what they need to. Has President Biden is President Biden at the point where he feels like thats likely the inevitable result . Or is he still open, thinking that, yeah, actually, we can get somewhere with republicans . Well, as seen, kasie, since the beginning of this process, right, that theres somewhat of a tension between those two stated goals of President Biden. He wants to act in a bipartisan way as much as possible, but he also says there is a need to act urgently and without delay. And you cant necessarily, as joe manchin put it yesterday, from his conversation with President Biden over this, you cant wait eight months to try to negotiate with republicans just to see at the end of the day that very few are likely to cross the aisle and support this package. And thats what he says biden told him Behind The Scenes. Its what ive heard as well. The experience that biden has had as Vice President in 2009 with two similar crises obviously, the economic crisis at the time where they did spend in the case of the Affordable Care act nine months trying to negotiate, trying to get chuck grassley, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowes vote at the time, only to see republicans vote in lockstep against it, really informs how theyve been approaching this. And the very clear signal weve gotten this week. Yes, he met with ten republicans in the oval office on monday, but hes telling democrats now, perhaps bipartisanship means just 50, plus a vote or two, if they can get it, not necessarily the 90vote margin we saw for that last Recovery Package in december. A lot of lessons learned. And of course, even if he doesnt end up really making the hard sell for ten of those votes, he certainly seemed to enjoy that meeting he had with ten republicans who came back to the hill and said, yeah, he didnt really seem to want to wrap it up. All right, nbcs mike memoli, thank you, as always, my friend, for getting up early to be with us today. We really appreciate it. And coming up here, a preview of President Bidens first tv interview since taking office. Its going to air during the super bowl this weekend. Also ahead, a look at this years Golden Globe Nominations, all the contenders, plus some of the snubs. Well have those stories and a check on your weather when we come right back. When we come right back. Instantly clear every day congestion with vicks sinex saline nasal mist. For drug free relief that works fast. Vicks sinex. Instantly clear everday congestion. This is an athlete, twenty reps deep, sprinting past every leak in our softest, smoothest fabric. Shes confident, protected, her strength respected. Depend. The only thing stronger than us, is you. Age is just a number. Depend. And mines unlisted. Try boost® high protein. With 20 grams of protein for Muscle Health versus only 16 grams in ensure® high protein. 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Discover how to save up to 300 a year with shared data starting at 15 a month, or get the lowest price for one line of unlimited. Come into your local xfinity store to make the most of your mobile experience. You can shop the latest phones, bring your own device, or trade in for extra savings. Stop in or book an appointment to shop safely with Peace Of Mind at your local xfinity store. Welcome back time now for sports. All ten nba contests tipped off, as scheduled, last night after the league announced yesterday that no additional players had tested positive for coronavirus in the last week. It follows a week where just one player returned a positive test after 27 new infections had been revealed between january 6th and january 19th. The nba has called off 23 games so far this season. 22 of them since january 10th. But since january 26th, teams have been able to play all but two games, and there are just five players listed as being out because of health and safety protocols. All right, keep it up, guys. Meanwhile, the nhl appears to be struggling in its faceoff against the pandemic. The Minnesota Wild added another five players to the leagues covid protocolrelated absence list yesterday, prompting the postponement of at least their next four games, and the teams Training Facilities are now closed until further notice. The colorado avalanche, who most recently played minnesota, added one player to their list, and four more new jersey players also appeared on the list, Bumping The Devils total to 17, after positive tests on monday forced the team to postpone three games set for this week. The buffalo sabres, who played the devils on sunday, added another two. Theyre now up to four players on the list after the teams schedule was put on hold until at least next monday. There were a total of 40 nhl players on yesterdays list. Meanwhile, the National WomensHockey League announced new positive covid19 tests have led to the suspension of its season, just one day before the start of the playoff semifinals. And Senior Biden Administration officials reportedly spoke with Major League Baseball last week about a onemonth delay for the season, in order to vaccinate players ahead of opening day. According to the athletic, the Players Association opted not to participate in that call to avoid being pressured into delaying the season. And instead, they scheduled its own discussion with the same officials at a later date. The union on monday rejected a proposal from the league to push back the season by about a month and cut each teams regularseason schedule by eight games. All right, president joe bidens First Television interview as Commander In Chief will take place during the super bowl. Cbs, which is set to televise sundays big game, will air the interview in the 4 00 p. M. Hour of its pregame coverage. Biden is expected to discuss the game, his first two weeks in office, his administrations response to the pandemic, and other news of the day. Bidens interview marks a return to a Tradition Sheffield after former shelved after former President Trump turned down a request from nbc back in 2018. Another small way of returning to norma