News, analysis and interviews with politicians and observers. But theres no doubt the white house is watching this unfold just across the river. He was the president s Campaign Chairman at a crucial time to help get those delegates on board and make sure there wasnt a revolt at the campaign. And now if Robert Mueller didnt have any success, i think it is going to be a big success for the president because look at what hes got on the table against manafort. 18 counts of tax evasion and bank fraud, 35 potential witnesses for their prosecution, 500 pieces of evidence. Yeah, i mean, Paul Manafort is lowhanging fruit as far as this probe goes. This should be a slam dunk for Robert Mueller. If he doesnt make the basket, to belabor the metaphor, that will be an enormous fluke. The other thing i think this really draws out is donald trump know this doesnt directly
implicate him, but it does draw out hes surrounded himself essentially with crooks or at the very least very seedy people who are believed to be crooks at key points throughout his life. Thats something the Manafort Trial is putting on display. Its something the Michael Cohen investigation is putting on display. While the president himself hasnt been implicates, certainly people around him are being implicated. I think trump has lowered expectations to the extent that nobody is surprised by this, but that doesnt necessarily speak well of the president. And if you add up all the charges here, cnn has reported that manafort could be facing 305 years in prison, if hes convicted on all of these things. Hes 69 right now. You do the math on that. This probably explains why hes been fighting this, why hes been doing things that have led to allegations of witness tampering. It is true that this is a little peripheral to the main case. Theyre not talking about Russia Meddling here. This seems to be about financial crimes he allegedly committed while he was lobbying for a ukrainian politician. So that gives the white house
some ability to pull back. I also dont think democrats who are running in tough races in the midterm elections, which is going to be very close to when this trial ends, are banking on russia in any shape or form to put them over the top. As long as trump is not directly implicated, dont believe the fall of people around him are necessarily going to hurt them. So the real deal is happening in alexandria, the first real trial. And the noise continues, of course, from the president , from his team, and from, in fairness, from his critics. And the thing that i think is one of the many things that is so interesting, Rudy Giuliani unveiling here on cnn the notion that, well, collusion isnt a crime. It looked like a stream of consciousness. But then the president this morning seized on that and repeated it. Look what he said in a tweet. Collusion is not a crime, but that doesnt matter because there was no collusion, except crooked hillary, blah, blah, blah. But Lets Focus On Collusion is not a crime. That is a window or a step way further than the president has ever taken beyond the mantra there was no collusion. Were always reading tea leaves. Should that be an indicator theyre seeing something that were not . Im not sure that it should be an indicator of anything, only because hes so frequently unclear and contradictory. He is, but this is something hes been the most clear on. No collusion, no collusion, no collusion. Its bizarre. I just never buy that theres some Grand Strategy from Rudy Giuliani and trump. Im not sure thats Whats Going On here. As usual, they shoot themselves in the foot. Its silliness to Assert Manafort was not central to the campaign. He was. These charges are different, and theyre separate from the campaign and thats important to note. But if they kept their mouths shut while this peripheral issue was going on, and for instance they did end up not getting a conviction, then they can talk about that. But thats not how trump does business. I think the other part thats
interesting with 35 witnesses and with all of this going on with the people surrounding trump is how nervous those people get about mueller and about what happens to them and that, of course, creates more opportunity for more information. It may also just be word games, if i could add briefly. There is no talk of collusion in the statute as it relates to this stuff, but conspiracy, you know, is a crime, conspiracy to violate laws, whether it relates to hacking. No question. We didnt even talk about the fact thats technically true but not true when it comes to the president. Really fast, what do you think is behind this slight shift . Forget about giuliani, but from the president saying that. I think it does seem intentional. Im not sure if its part of a Grand Strategy, but it seems to the president seems to have liked what he heard yesterday, i think, and wants to spend this out. Well see. I wish i had the answer. Well, im sure you will, jeff. I have absolutely no i have total faith. Right about everything else
up to this point. I have total faith. Before we go to break, i want you to take a ride with us on the Inside Politics way back time machine. One year ago, one of the most memorable departures from the trump white house. Anthony scaramucci. He wasnt the first or the last to leave. When sean spicer resigned, it was for a clean slate. Now that Anthony Scaramucci resigned, thats also for a clean slate. Has the slate been totally cleaned at this point . Should we expect any more staff shakeups . Everyone else in senior staff positions is planning to remain for this time . Yes, they are. Sometimes a day at the ballpark is more than just a day at the ballpark. Stadium pa all military members stand and be recognized. Sometimes fans cheer for those who wear a different uniform. No matter where or when you served, tmobile stands ready to serve you. Thats why were providing half off
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you know your family, we know senior living. Together well make the right choice. Just tap and go. For the best savings on flights, go to priceline. It is such a good time to dance it is such a good time to [ laughing ] scoobidoo Doobidoo Scoobidoo doobidoo [ Goose Honking ] [ laughing ] a bad day on the road still beats a good one off it. Progressive helps keep you out there. President trump heads to tampa this evening to hold a rally at a Campaign Event for ron desantis, running to be floridas governor. More broadly, this rally is also for the president. Sources tell me that the president is telling aides that
he wants them to schedule more political rallies for him. A lot more. Im also told that mr. Trump is increasingly expressing his concern to aides about losing the house in november, which he understands would put a damper on passing husbais agenda. So im told mr. Trump wants to tackle this the way he has many other challenges over his career, both in business and politics. He wants to take things into his own hands, get on the road more, hold his own megaphone, and control the message. Back with our panel. Look, im told hes really itching to do this because hes frustrated, and his own experience, never mind in business, but also politics is when he follows his gut and he kind of says what he wants and does what he wants, it tends to work for him. You know, he is not the first president to enjoy the Campaign Trail more than the act of governing, but he certainly does. And the president i think
strongly believes he won in 2016 because he is a great and gifted politician, and i do think thats why these the whole russian meddling thing really gets under his skin. Any idea russia helped him win or that Hillary Clinton was a bad candidate and he didnt make her so really cuts to the core of his view of himself and why he won this election. So he wants to get back out on the Campaign Trail. He believes, i think, that he can reap benefits for other candidates. He does, but lets just do a Reality Check that our friend david reminds us of many, many times a day. He is great on the stump. Hes great with the base. But he can do that in florida, which hes doing today for a republican primary. He can do it in places where he won by a bazillion points. But the house is largely going to be decided in Swing Districts where republican candidates might not think its so helpful
to have the president. He wants to control the message, and that has worked for him in the past, but there is no message control when hes controlling the message. Thats what the people in Swing Districts have to worry deeply about. I think with senate and governors races, he can have a better track record probably, but generally what works for trump and when hes good at transferring power is when the or transferring enthusiasm is when the candidate is very trumplike himself in his demeanor and the way he does business. Thats not going to fly as well in these Swing Districts even in a basepumping election. You know this better than anybody, jeff. You watched barack obama try to do this, try to transfer his magic to other candidates, and for the most part, it failed miserably. The question is whether donald trump could have the same perils. Its the big test. Im told several months ago that President Trump was surprised to learn that the history of midterm elections is so poor for the president s own party. History will show its very difficult in the first year. Now, he may be different. He can fire up his base unlike anyone. But as Mary Katherine was saying, for governors and senate races, absolutely. But in house races, it just doesnt work the same. Does want to defy history, does want to keep as many seats as he can. If republicans control the senate, thats no small thing. But thats more likely. Those house races. If hes going to campaign as much as he said he will, hell be hard pressed to find that many republicans who want him to come to their town. Exactly. As you jump in, i want the viewers to see exactly what the president s schedule is on the Campaign Trail this month alone. At the beginning of july, he started in montana, then missouri, illinois, iowa. Today in tampa. Thursday to pennsylvania. Its a momentous shift in his thinking, in President Trumps thinking that your reporting
reveals. Before he had indicated, you know, to people around him that he was not that worried about the midterm elections, that he was dismissive of the idea that republicans would lose the house given their advantages. And yes, he should be concerned. Ask president obama what happened to his agenda after the first midterm when the Opposition Party took control. Ask for where he campaigns, hes got to pick his spots well. If the candidates are running base turnout elections, he can do very well. He could be helpful to someone like kevin cramer in north dakota. He can be helpful in west virginia. But is he going to go to miami . Is he going to go just outside d. C. To the suburbs for Barbara Comstock . Is he going to go to modesto . If i were those people, id probably want him to stay out. Hes going to be greeted today by a republican candidate in a republican primary in florida whom the president has endorsed. Listen to the kind of message that he is going to be clearly welcoming with open arms. This is ron desantis. Well, obviously, you know, hes the 800pound gorilla in republican politics. I think a lot of our voters at the Grassroots Level are frustrated when they see some republicans not trying to support him. So thats something that they look for. You know, are you supporting the president . Well, in my case, people are seeing that the president is supporting me, but i think trumps support kind of separates the wheat from the chaff. I think its been a big booths f boost for me. And that is why President Trump is going to tampa to have a rally for that candidate. Republican candidate for governor. Up next, why on earth would President Trump tell the mega donor Koch Brothers that he doesnt want their money . Well give you the answer after the break. Billions of bacterias but life can throw them off balance. Realign yourself with align probiotic. And try new align gummies with prebiotics and probiotics to help support digestive health. I knew at that exact moment. Im beating this. My main focus was to find a team of doctors. Its not just picking a surgeon, its picking the care team and feeling secure in where you are. Visit cancercenter. Com breast can something so easy, and so beautifaffordable. Erings. Also be this much fun . Ohhhhh, yeaaaaah. Get smart shades, by Budget Blinds and lutron. The 1 provider of custom window coverings. And the top name in smart home technology. Call now for your Free Smart Home consultation. Get a free Smart Lighting Control Bundle with your smart shade purchase you may be learning about, medicare and supplemental insurance. Medicare is great, but it doesnt cover everything. Only about 80 of your part b medicare costs. A Medicare SupplementInsurance Plan may help cover some of the rest. Learn how an aarp Medicare SupplementInsurance Plan,
insured by Unitedhealthcare Insurance Company might be the right choice for you. A free Decision Guide is a great place to start. Call today to request yours. So what makes an aarp Medicare Supplement plan unique . These are the only Medicare Supplement plans endorsed by aarp because they meet aarps high standards of quality and service. Youre also getting the great features that any Medicare Supplement plan provides. You may choose any doctor that accepts medicare patients. You can even visit a specialist. With this type of plan there are no networks or referrals needed. Also, a Medicare Supplement plan. Goes with you when you travel anywhere in the u. S. Call today for a free guide. John kelly, who has really lost his power and his standing in the west wing since he came Into The West Wing as the Chief Of Staff last year, a year ago yesterday, to replace Reince Priebus. There has been much reporting and speculation about john kelly lately, even by people inside the white house and even by President Trump himself, who has been Polling Aides and allies in recent weeks on what they thought of kellys performance. At times he would fluctuate from complaining about kelly and going off about him and profanitylaced tirades to the next day praising kelly in front of other staffers and telling them what a good job hes doing. In the weeks leading up to President Trumps swing through europe where he caused chaos along the way, not only in the United Kingdom but also at the nato summit in brussels and during that infamous summit in helsinki with russian president vladimir putin. Before that trip, dana, aides thought that john kelly only had hours or days left in the white
house. But they said afterward that the chaos of that trip helped cement his standing in the west wing because it meant the president needed him a little bit more. Now it does seem as if the president is seeming to express some confidence in john kelly, even though there was rampant speculation about his departure. One moment that really shows this was yesterday in the oval office as the president was swearing in the new Veterans Affairs secretary robert wilkie. He gave john kelly a shoutout, something we havent seen him do in recent days, saying that it was his one year and kelly smiled and saluted the president in return. Now with this latest reporting that hes sitting here asking john kelly to remain on as Chief Of Staff, he seems to be expressing some confidence in h