From losing the popular vote. And as the plot to dismantle obamacare unfolds, a certain doctor returns with his prescription. His Laboratory Tests are astonishingly excellent. When all in starts right now. Good evening from new york. Im chris hayes. We are now 30 days from donald trump becoming president of the United States and 146 days from the day he last held a press conference. Back on july 27th when trump opened his remarks attacking Hillary Clinton for you guessed it not holding press conferences. For you as the reporters who give her the glowing reports should ask yourselves why. And ill tell you why. Because despite the nice platitudes, shes been a mess. Trump did speak briefly twice to reporters today, though it certainly wasnt a press conference. It was closure of the conversation you would have as a Hotel Manager if youre checking in and you quickly wanted to get his views on the issue of the day. He was at maralago where he met with michael flynn. Earlier this afternoon trump emerged to speak to reporters for all of 74 seconds. Even though we didnt learn much it was in its own way illuminating. Everything good . Yes. Mr. President elect okay. So lets break that down. Trump kicks things off by asking reporters if theyre enjoying his fancy club as they tried to ask him substantive questions. So the news there, trump appears to be suggesting the attacks in europe prove that his call for Muslim Registry and or a fullout ban on all muslim immigration are 100 correct which presumably means his administration plans to ban muslim immigration but yesterday on this network a trump adviser said that we walked back from the muslim ban. Your comments about the truck attack in berlin being against christians, do you think that this might say it again. What . Your the attack in berlin being against being an attack against christians. When was that said . I believe you said it in a press release. The reporter is right. Trump did in fact say that. Heres his press release on the in the United States and require them to sign up, but if he does that, well know about it. But this sort of black box. Which presumably means his administration plans to ban muslim immigration but yesterday on this network a trump adviser said that we walked back from the muslim ban. I guess the question of whether the incoming president plans to ban members of a religion remains open. We have to find out. The man looking over trumps shoulder, michael flynn, has repeatedly attacked muslims and tweeted that fear of muslims is rational. Recently met with a leader of a far right Austrian Party founded by exnazis. Trump seems to not be familiar with his own statement from monday on the berlin attack. Have you talked to president obama, sir . I have not. Two days ago but not recently. Not since. Your comments about the truck attack in berlin being against christians, do you think that this might say it again. What . Your the attack in berlin being against being an attack against christians. When was that said . I believe you said it in a press release. The reporter is right. Trump did in fact say that. Heres his press release on the berlin attack. Attributed to president elect donald trump innocent civilians were murdered in the streets as they prepared to celebrate christmas holiday. Isis and other islamist terrorists continually Slaughter Christians in their communities and places of worship. Heres trumps response. So im wondering how this might affect relations with thats an attack on humanity. Thats what it is. An attack on humanity. And its got to be stopped. Thank you. Appreciate it. And that nonanswer was it. He was done. Trump did emerge a couple hours later for a minute and a half photo op where he did answer a few questions about todays meeting and then asked if everyone was comfortable. Yet in just one month hell be the most powerful person in the world. Joining me now, msnbc political analyst joan walsh, and contributor josh barro. First of all, aside from the fact that i think a press conference would be good and it has been a break with tradition not to have one and theres a lot of questions and ambiguity. This summed up that this remains a black box i think its a black box to him. You heard in that 74 seconds. We know nothing. And he doesnt know anything either. He doesnt know that a press release was sent out saying this was an attack on christians. He doesnt know what his muslim policy is. He cant restate it. Theyve walked it back, walked it forward. There was a softening during the campaign, then there was a hardening. I mean, we dont know. This guy should be leaving mints on peoples pillows not leading the world. This is whats so maddening about the transition period is this stuff cant remain a black box forever. Hell soon be president. And hell do things. Hell do things and well know in most cases about the things that hes doing. Although in many cases. Aside from the lack of press conferences is learning about all these things from the foreign press. Well, his National Security adviser met with a party of neonazis. So theres some things we wont even know. There will be some stuff. But if theres a Muslim Registry, well find out about it. The u. S. Sort of did have a Muslim Registry during the presidency. It was for male immigrants of a certain age, mostly for muslim majority countries. Visa holders. Yes. I think its likely theyll bring that policy back. We know kris kobach who is handling the transition will do that. We can surmise what it means. Hell unlikely round up muslims in the United States and require them to sign up, but if he does that, well know about it. But this sort of black box. This is someone who i dont think this is being uncharitable. Clear by both what he says himself and the people around him, hes not that interested in the details of policy. This is not what he does. Were putting the campaign in the past, right . So heres Newt Gingrich talking about the drain the swamp mantra. Which i respect the fact theyre being so transparent about the fact that they view the campaign as a con. They just want everyone to know that. Take a look. You say youve been working on these issues, others might say youve been working in the swamp, to use Donald Trumps language. Im told he now disclaims that. He said it was cute but he doesnt want to use it anymore. That really was a moment in the campaign where there was a little bit of coherence, there was a slogan. He was starting to read from the teleprompter. He was calming down. This was a unified, you know, applause line. What does it mean to say it doesnt matter anymore . We just said it because it was cute. But obviously were filling the swamp. All of my cabinet picks are swamp creatures. That was then, this is now. This is the hallmark of his career for four decades. Ill build the biggest, tallest, most fabulous building and he wouldnt do it and no consequence. He writes that in the art of the deal the power of truthful exaggeration is the word he uses. Will he then get away with this as president . It depends on whether members of the public are satisfied overall that donald trump is making them better off. I dont think that just the fact that he put all these people from Goldman Sachs in the cabinet, that wont hurt him on day one. But 18 months from now, unemployments up, wages arent going well yes. Again this is a maddening thing were watching him get away with these things. Only some circumstances under which hell get away with them as president. Theres a question about this very important piece of policy. You called for this thing that was really quite abhorrent, to editorialize for a moment, banning an entire religion. I say that as someone who shared a view of a person across a a view of a person across a spectrum, you cant do that. You say that with someone looking over your shoulder michael flynn. If it doesnt matter to you, there will be someone somewhere down the chain to whom it does matter. They have a stake in it ideologically or institutionally. So today we have pete navarro named to head the National Trade council, which is the hardest of china hawks. It will matter to that guy. Thats why theyre taking these jobs. Exactly. Because they know theyll have plebt of latitude. Hes not interested, someone is making these picks. Theyre based on past performance. I think it also can matter maybe im too much of an optimist, but democrats do and republicans do have a chance in the confirmation hearings to grill these people and get out what they intend to do and hold up conflicts with what he said and what hes now promising. Goldman sachs people can be made to look like the members of the elite that he was railing against. I think there are going to be opportunities to hold that up. Whether it ultimately matters to people, we dont know. I guess what i worry about from a holdover from the campaign is that, well, none of this mattered to his voters, so why care . I know youre not saying that but i hear that in the media. This is really going to matter. No, i promise you it will matter and they should start now. People from my perspective people should make a difference between substantive objections and political ones. I dont think calling to ban muslims wasnt del he ter yus to him. That was quite popular. Its still wrong. You have to be clear about that distinction. Yeah. And i think, you know, in terms of they spoke about the confirmation hearings except for mike flynn who wont have to have a confirmation hearing which is why he ended up with that job because hes clearly unconfirmable. Hes considered wacky. Like steve bannon. In a lot of these and part of the team of rivals is Donald Trump Holding a casting call. Hes seeking the look. Hes sizing people up. Again, this is not like being uncharitable. There are people on the record saying this. This is him sizing up john bolton, who is you know, is an iraq war hawk, from a school of Foreign Policy that would seem at odds donald was not going to like that mustache said one associate who spoke on the condition of anonymity. I cant think of anyone who is close to donald that has a beard that he likes. Jason miller, his press person has a goatee, i dont know what that says about that relationship. But weird what does this Administration Believe in. Maybe this is whats been guiding the choices. Im sure it is one thing thats been guiding the choices, but it made me wonder why he didnt hire mitt romney. Thats why he interviewed him. People said at the time he likes the look. If bolden shows up at trump tower with a mustache joan walsh and josh barro. The lengths president obama is going to to protect the planet from his successor. But the impressive contortions from those seeking to spin the minority victory by claiming he did win the popular vote if you ignore the results from two of the most populous states in the union. Ive invested a lot in this game. And the returns i get out, are measured in reps. Competition. Sometimes its audibles. Bright lights. Celebrations. Its huddles. Camaraderie. And games played. At Td Ameritrade we believe the best investments are the ones that matter most to you. Generosity is its oyou can handle being a mom for half an hour. Im in all the way. Is that understood . I dont know what shes up to, but its not good. Cant the world be my noodles and butter . Get your mind out of the gutter. Mornings are for coffee and contemplation. That was a really profound observation. You got a mean case of the detox blues. Dont start a war you know youre going to lose. Finally you can now find all of netflix in the same place as all your other entertainment. On xfinity x1. Its official the Election Results were formally certified yesterday. Donald trump won the Electoral College and Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by a healthy margin of 2. 1 finishing with a vote total only 70,000 shy of president obamas 2012 total. We have held 56 president ial leeksz and this marks only the fourth time of those 56 that the winner of the Electoral College lost the popular vote. The deficit hasnt been this big in 140 years, since 1876. Now, these are all true facts about the outcome of the 2016 election, but it seems to make conservatives just crazy whenever you bring them up. Cutting california and new york out of the United States altogether. Trumps margin would indeed be huge if you threw out all the votes in our two most populist states. The mismatch has gotten under the skin of the man who lost the popular vote. Campaigning to win the Electoral College is much more difficult and sophisticated than the popular vote. Hillary focused on the wrong states. I would have done even better if the win was based on popular vote but would campaign differently. I have in the heard any of the pundits discussing the fact that i spent far less money on the win than hillary on the loss. Descriptively hes not wrong. But what this shows on a deeper level is his core characteristics during the campaign that keeping the score, the petty vendettas, the inability to let stuff go, those arent going anywhere. You have seen it in his consideration of mitt romney which was only meant to torture and toy with romney who had blasted him during the campaign. There were trumps tweets to his 17 million followers slamming chuck jones, the president of the local Steel Workers union in indiana. He had criticized the president elect for inflating the number of jobs saved by the carrier deal. Then there was paul ryan at a rally in wisconsin, the first stage the two of them shared after being repeatedly at odds during the campaign. Speaker paul ryan, ive really come to oh, no, ive come to appreciate him. Hes like a fine wine. Every day goes by i get to appreciate his genius more and more. Now, if he ever goes against me, im not going to say that, okay . As far as trump is concerned, this is it. It will be his defining characteristic for the four years of his presidency. Now were seeing the first signs of how that can affect politics and policy making in washington. Texas congressman bill flores made innocuous comments about trumps relationship with House Republicans. I think wed all agree that some of President Trumps proposed policies wont line up very well with our conservative policies. What i would do is i would try to say what are those areas that we have good alignment with where President Trump wants to go and where we want to go and tell him, hey, well take the lead on this. That prompted an onslaught of harassment on twitter, misleading headlines. Indignant name check by trumps staufrmgest ally, sean hannity. I was a little surprised at comments by congressman flores. Ill get to that in a minute. He recently gave a speech, lets go for the issues that the House Republicans agree with and donald trump agree with and then well deal with the other issues later. Im joined by republican charlie dent from pennsylvania. Can you hear me . I can hear you loud and clear, chris. How are you . Excellent. Im good. Good to have you on. Are you going to allow donald trump to dominate you . Oh, my goodness, well work with the president when hes on the right track, support him when hes on the right track. But if he goes in a direction where we disagree, we might have to check him from time to time. I think thats pretty basic. We have a separation of powers system. Congress, you know, were not a bunch of potted plants. We will work in partnership with the administration when theyre on the right track and there might be times where we disagree and there might be times that we can help fashion policy and make it better. Heres an interesting place where this comes to a head. Theres been discussion about a possible infrastructure stimulus bill. Trillion dollars over ten years. A lot of money. Your colleagues in the house sort of famously threaten both default on the u. S. Governments debt and also a shutdown over the National Debt and its size. That was the put attive reason. Were hearing that several members are saying if there was such a big, it would only be 50 paid for. It would expand the deficit quite sizably. Is that something you would go along with or would you object out of principle and consistency . I do paurt the need for an infrastructure bill. I think its important. But i think we should pay for it substantially. The president elect donald trump has talked about tax credits which i think are valuable. But i dont think that would be the entire bill. I think well have to pay for a substantial part of this bill, yes. Substantial part but not all of it . Well, well see. Were talking about a tax reform as well. Talking about using some repatriated funds, perhaps revenues from drilling offshore and perhaps, you know, i think even the user fee can be on the table. So there are a lot of things that can be on the table. Youre talking about different revenue streams, repatriated taxes, user fees. How central do you for yourself is making sure this debt doesnt grow going to be . Because i think its fair to say the central, defining feature of the how about republican congress, the fight over the budget control act. It was the central ideological plank. Theres too much debt, we cant let there be more debt. Will that continue with donald trump as president and republicans in the congress . I think thats a fair question, chris, because if you lookt at president elect trumps agenda hes talking about obviously the infrastructure bill. Hes talking about a defense buildup, a tax reform that could bring in less revenue. Thats all true. And so this could obviously add to the deficit. I think well have a serious conversation between the administration and congress i know. Let me give you my prediction and you tell me whether im wrong or not. When you and i have a conversation like this a year from now and were getting ready to celebrate the holidays in 2017, the debt will be significantly larger and there will be several pieces of legislation passed by you and your colleagues that will have expanded the deficit. Is that a fair prediction . I think its quite possible. But before we