They havent told us about any potential motive for the alleged attack saturday, havent said if they believe anyone was working with the suspect, james fields, and we have not heard whether mr. Fields has actually cooperated with authorities. We do know from Justice Department sources they believe there may be enough evidence to be suspicious of him possibly wanting to send some kind of broader message rather than just harm the individuals who he allegedly hit saturday. Some details on motive, whether he is cooperating, whether others were working with him may be forthcoming in a few minutes from the chief of police. All right, brian todd in charlottesville. Well come back to you as soon as the press conference begins. We expect that any second. Lets go to cnns sara murray at the white house. Sara, the president today came out earlier and did finally condemn by name White Supremacists, the Klu Klux Klan, nazis. Why not do that on saturday . Why wait until today . Why does the president s first reaction when it comes to condemning White Supremacists often be to blink, to refrain from any direct criticism . Thats an excellent question, jake. In fak, shouted at the president by my colleague, jim acosta, why did it take you so long. Trump said theyve been condemned. It is clearly an issue he is not comfortable talking about. Theres a reason people look at what he said saturday, essentially condemning violence on both sides, suggesting both sides are culpable, then you have a lag period and they dont necessarily believe the words coming out of the president s mouth, theyre skeptical of it. Thats because theyve seen it happen time and time again with this president. Remember, it was on your show when you were asking then candidate trump about david duke, whether he would disavow support he was getting from david duke and he couldnt say it. That was again, it took him awhile to come out to disavow them. We were seeing one off attacks in the wake of trump being president , seeing attacks on muslims and latinos. He was called out in an interview. Thats part of the reason this may not go far enough for some americans, jake. Sara, one of the other things President Trump was doing today was holding an event in which he was giving powers, trade powers to some of his Top Administration officials so that they could be tougher on trade deals. One of the targets is china. Are they not concerned that that could end up doing the opposite of what the president is trying to do. He is obviously trying to use trade and getting tough on trade as a stick to encourage china to be tougher with north korea, but it could theres a risk of it having the opposite effect. Reporter absolutely. This is a war playing out with trump advisers in the west wing. Some wanted to go tougher on china early on and in fact they held off on some measures, they planned to do some sooner, some in the west wing were pressed, can you wait until the u. N. Vote to slap them with sanctions. It is an ongoing debate within the white house. Sara murray at the white house, thank you so much. It is a point of pride that President Trump calls them as he sees them the moment he wants to weigh in. He asked the president when he would hold the press conference he promised, he said this. Thank you, everybody. Thats how he rolls. Indeed a reel of his public statements and twitter archive are a gold mine of attacks against those whose behavior of which he disapproves. Lets go to the videotape. From the many tweets expressing disapproval of how actress Kristin Stewart broke up with Robert Pattinson to rant after rant against rosie odonnell, from suggesting john mccain and other pows arent heroes because they got captured to mocking a disabled reporter. I dont know what i said, oh, i dont remember. From attacking former Miss Universe to a gold star family. From the cast of hamilton to judges, including the ethnicity of one specific judge. Hes a mexican. In my opinion he is from indiana. Chastising his attorney general to the Senate Majority leader. I said mitch, get to work. Theres seemingly no one immune to the president s ire. A new tv ad calls those of us that covers him his enemies. The president s enemies bodot want him to succeed. There are two exceptions, Vladimir Putin and it would seem White Supremacists, the president seems to struggle when called on to specifically and unequivocally criticize those groups. Today, two days after the horrific hate filled rally by nazis, Klu Klux Klan, White Supremacists, and the alt right resulted in the death of counter protesters heather he kbrryer, two troopers whose helicopter crashed as they patrolled near the protests, finally two days later President Trump condemns some of these miss agree environments by name. Racism is evil, those that cause violence in its names are criminals and thugs, including the kkk, neonazis, White Supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as americans. The president had to attempt this do over of a condemnation because the first time he spoke on this issue on saturday, he embraced the notion that both the nazis and those protesting the nazis were equally at fault. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides, on many sides. Now, the moral equivalent, refusal to single out this particular vile crowd of bigots spewing hatred by name was received warmly on the websites of these hate groups. No condemnation at all, wrote one person on the neonazi site, really, really good. But it was all too much for republican officials who took to twitter and the air waves to essentially beg President Trump to do the right thing. Call this white sue prem sichl, White Nationalism evil, let the world hear it. It is something that needs to come from the oval office and this white house needs to do it today. It took another day, this afternoon the president did it. Were all left to wonder why did it take so long . This morning the president was on twitter attacking in full force as is his want among targets, the ceo of Pharmaceutical Company merck, he stepped down saying americas leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy. Now that he resigned from president S Manufacturing council, he will have more time to lower ripoff drug prices. Is it easier for President Trump to criticize ken frazier than it is to criticize the klan . Easier for him to attack u. S. Intelligence agencies after a story he didnt like, he tweeted intelligence agtencies shouldn have allowed this fake news to leak into the public. Are we living in nazi germany. Why is it easier to suggest u. S. Intelligence operatives are behaving like nazis than to call these actual nazis nazis. Lets go back to the white house, cnns sara murray has more on the president s struggle to find the language to condemn these hate groups. To anyone who acted criminally in this weekends racist violence, you will be held fully accountable. Justice will be delivered. Reporter amid mounting criticism, President Trump is finally denouncing the White Nationalist group that led a rally and left three dead. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence. It has no place in america. Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs. Including the kkk, neonazis, White Supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as americans. Reporter trumps comments monday mark the first time he denounced racist groups by name since the violence in charlottesville, virginia. On saturday, the president made no mention of the kkk or White Supremacists. He offered rebuke to those involved, suggesting both sides share culpability. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides. On many sides. Its been going on for a long time in our country. Not donald trump, not barack obama. Its been going on for a long, long time. Reporter the president s muted response drew criticism. Orrin hatch tweeted we should call evil by its name. My brother didnt give his life fighting hitler for nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home. And cory gardner told jake tapper in on cnn state of the union. This isnt a time for vague re, for innuendo or room to read between the lines, this is the time to lay blame on bigotry, on White Supremacists, on White Nationalism and on hatred. Reporter criticism took hold on partners on wall street, too. Monday, one of americas most prominent africanamerican ceos Kenneth Frazier of merck quit hiS Manufacturing council, saying americas leaders must honor our fundamental values rejecting hatred, and supremacy. Even before he condemned White Supremacists, he said now that he resigned from the president S Manufacturing council, he will have more time to lower ripoff drug prices. His gladelayed condemnation see too late. He had his opportunity and whift. That speaks for itself. Reporter as the president faces public political backlash, steve bannon is facing backlash of his own, Senior Adviser signals the knives are out for his chief strategist. Over the weekend, hr mcmaster, National Security adviser, was sktd repeatedly whether he could work with bannon and he kept dodging the question. Sara murray at the white house, thank you so much. While we wait for the press conference from the charlottesville, Virginia Police department, bring in bruce l lovell, and dr. Russell moore, president of ethics and religious commission of the Southern Baptist council. I apologize if i interrupt when the press conference starts. Bruce, i will start with you. You heard what the president said earlier today, the big question, why did it take two days for something the rest of us would find easy, specifically denounce White Supremacists, the klan and neonazis. Thanks for having me. On behalf of the largest multi Cultural Diversity culture, we send condolences to the troopers and young lady that lost their lives. Wanted to put that out there real quick. It is interesting when i heard this going down, i was on my way here, looking back at how many times the president has denounced this person. I will not even give him life on the show who this name is or give him any more play in this Mainstream Media, and you know, he has gone back as far as larry king, 1991, totally disavowing this person and group, this person that went to charlottesville and created this mockery of a mess. I think it is totally unfair. The other thing, jake, people dont realize, i know the president s heart, have been privileged to be around him, seen in his eyes, talked with him, been with pastor scott, michael cohen, in many meetings with pastors, i know his heart. In that press conference theres no doubt that President Trump was very upset to see troopers diane people die in what was supposed to be a peaceful protest. In all defense on the weekend, you know, i think he was very saddened. But he said i think i counted 13 times from georges show and your show and many in the past that he disavowed this heinous group. He didnt do it on my show. I think he did. Yes, he did. He didnt. But we can move on. Im sure he condemned the klan and david duke before, he definitely didnt do it on my show a year and a half ago. Dr. Moore, you wrote an oped and you wrote White Supremacy is satanism, even more, a devil worship that portends it is speaking for god. White supremacy angers jesus of n nazareth. Do you see a disconnect between President Trump and what we hear is his heart and for whatever reason is his ability to swiftly condemn White Supremacists . Well, i dont know about the reactions of the political leaders and i will leave that to the Political Class to sort that through. What im primarily concerned about is american culture, about the american church, are we speaking clearly. Especially when we look around the world and see this resurgence of antisemitism and racism, bigotry. We have to be the people who understand history doesnt just take care of this on its own, we have to be the people who guard what it means for everyone to be created in the image of god, to bear the dignity of human beings. Thats why churches are mobilizing, in charlottesville and everywhere else, to say we cant assume because we are in 2017 that somehow we have left the american legacy of bigotry and racism behind. Thats what concerns me very much. Bruce, you run the National Diversity coalition for trump. I get that you think that people are unfair to him. At times like this, will you grant me that he doesnt make your job any easier . No. I just want to elaborate on dr. Moore. I share a good friend of yours, dr. James mere in atlanta that i know well. One thing about this deal thats going to Mainstream Media as relates to this topic, were sitting here trying to debate policy on a man and womans heart. Since we are on the subject of churches, i belong to a ministry with over 118 nations. One thing about race reconciliation, we have to challenge ourselves as americans who our social crowds, who we are, our cultures around us. Are we one culture in our schools and community or are we challenging our children and ourselves to reach out beyond our, quote, comfort level, and get uncomfortable and reconcile with other diversity groups. For example, we cannot under no circumstance look to the government to reconcile a man and womans heart. It comes from within. I agree with dr. Moore. I follow christ. Christ is in the forefront for me, whos the best and known person to walk the earth as the reckon sill ate or of all time. I challenge you to look in the mirror, ask am i looking outside my comfort level, just around an all white church, all black church or all White Country Club or all Black Country club . Ask yourself, am i challenging my kids to go to school, sit with someone from a different culture, come back at the end of the day and say hey, what did you learn about them. This is a people thing, jake, not a policy for the government. We as americans need to reach out and reconcile our own hearts and get out of our segregated minds and hearts, ministries, as dr. King said, the most segregated time is sunday morning, white church, black church, this church. Multi cultural. Thats why i embrace, the president embraces the largest Diversity Coalition in the history of any gop candidate. Jake, over 2 million plus. Numbers prove, when he won with the africanamerican vote, highest since richard nixon. He proved it with hispanic votes. Bruce, let me ask you a question. When there are nazis and clakla men and alt right supremacists marching and people counter protesting, and violence breaks out, do you think that those two groups are equally responsible . Anyone that comes out, and this is Something Interesting thing on this, jake, i am very nervous about one day if the government says there will be no protests at all, peaceful protests at all, this is dangerous for all of us, all americans. Anyone that comes, it is interesting. I turn on the tv, i was on vacation with my son, goes back to college. I said why are guys in riot gear with makeshift shield and pepper spray. I said maybe this is the volunteer Police Department in this town, i dont know. I was amazed, who shows up to a protest with pepper spray and a makeshift shield and a helmet. It is crazy. Its also disrespectful to keep trying to paint this picture on the president and marry him i didnt ask you about the president , i just asked if you think that nazis and klans men and alt right and White Supremacists maran go into a Progressive College town, spewing racist, antisemitic chants, and then there are counter protesters, and im not going to vouch for the clean records and angelic intentions of every counter protester, but certainly looked from what i saw that most of them were there just to show solidarity and support, certainly the young woman that was killed was not there with a shield and pepper spray. When you have these two groups and the president comes out, now ill bring the president into it, the president comes out and says theres hatred on many sides, can you understand why people would be offended by that . Let me share this with the viewers and everyone. I know a little about this, my uncles marched here with reverend David Abernathy and ralph David Abernathy and Martin Luther king. The best way as my dad taught me when they tried to march in the 50s in georgia, best way is to ignore them, stop giving life to this group, stop showing up, trying to hope something go