Good day, im Andrea Mitchell in washington. The violence in ukraine is intensifying. Today ukrainian officers, four officers have been killed, 30 more wounded. According to Ukraines Interior Ministry this is a mob on sunday stormed a Police Station in odessa freeing militants. Riot police stood by as the crowd gathered and chanted. Hours of bloody street clashes followed in what mike mcfaul calls a major escalation in this conflict. Keir take it away. Tell me what the latest is from the ground. Andrea, in slo vafrpgz, heavy gunfire has been heard today and the news confirmed by the Ukrainian Ministry that a helicopter was shot down. That will be the third helicopter down we assume by prorussia militia and hear it landed in water and people on board were not killed. They did survive. The ukrainians also claiming that prorussia militia were using civilians as human shields and weve heard reports on the outskirts of vehicles coming out with tires shout out of people terrified but remember as well, at the same time, the Ukrainian Military surrounding that town and threatening to try to take it from the military forces that are inside. We were at what is essentially the town hall a little while earlier today. It is barricaded. There are russian flags flying. They declarled it the republic of donetsk and inside we saw armed men in military fatigues Walking Around the corridors, effectively running the city from behind the barricades and that is the story across Eastern Ukraine despite the attempts by Ukrainian Military to take back control, much of Eastern Ukraine is clearly in the hands of people who are prorussia and opposed to kiev. People are talking whether or not putin would move forces into ukraine. For kiev surely, the real issue is if they push harder in Eastern Ukraine, do they trip a civil war . At the same time if they dont push hard enough to regain control, do they leave this part of Eastern Ukraine to break away from the rest of the country and the problems in odessa, farther south. On sunday a mob broke into a Police Station and released around 60 prorussian campaigners who have been there at the fire, that terrible tragedy on friday when around 40 people were killed in that fire, 40 prorussians were killed there. Then last night in that same city, we saw people who are proukraine marching in the streets. This is a country divided. There are many, many people here who are clearly, if you like, up for the fight. With all of the talks going on with Angela Merkel and president putin, its extremely difficult to see how they get back from the brink while the west watches frankly helpless. Bear with us, everyone, with the satellite delay, i wanted to take the advantage of having you there to ask whether you think this new trip wire that merkel and the president were discussing, which is whether or not russia doesnt help to withdraw support from the militants in time for an election to be held as scheduled on may 25th, whether that is now irrelevant and already too out of control with american observers from the National Democratic institute as well, these two congressionally mandated observer groups poised to go to ukraine and monitor these elections. Exactly, thats the question as you know. They are asking in washington, how do you hold elections here amid all of this when youve got the former u. S. Ambassador to moscow, who just left moscow, saying, this is very close to war. You have president putin saying this is on the brink of civil war. How on earth do you hold an election during that kind of state of civil unrest, if you like, if ukraine . And anyway, by the way, people here in Eastern Ukraine arent talking about that election. They are talking about another election they want to hold a referendum in a weeks time they want to ask whether they want to break away or be more separate from the rest of ukraine. Its difficult to see how you can hold elections with all of this going on unless there is a significant turn. From russias point of view its difficult to say why they would want to intervene and ask those prorussians who have taken control of this area to back down if you like. In a sense things are going the way that russia might want them to, whole sways of ukraine are saying, we support russia. Kiev looks like its on the back. Keir simmons, thank you so much from reporting from the ground there in donetsk. Im joined by senator dan coates, former u. S. Ambassador to germany and met with Angela Merkel and others and has real understanding of the European Unions posture on this and vladimir putin. I want to ask you about what many of us are perceiving as merkel not personally reluctant but being pressured so heavily as are other leaders by business interest from moving to these next sanctions, sanctions on the Energy Sector and finance and the other banking interests as well as arms dealers. Whether you think that sanctions have been too little, too late, too incremental too late to really have a big effect on vladimir putin. Well, clearly theyve been too little too late. They should have been imposed earlier and should go right to the russia pocketbook, damage their economy, that is ultimately going to tell the tale. I think holding off until the 25th before you impose new sanctions or any new effective sanctions is a mistake. We see whats happening there, chaos is putins friend. Clearly disrupting the may 25th election and referendum is exactly what he wants to do. Were playing right into his hands by not imposing sanctions that really hit him where it hurts and thats in the economy. And what about the argument from treasury and from the administration . Its already hurting russia in its stock market and ruble and the its Credit Rating . Obviously its not hurting them enough. I joined bob corker and kelly ayotte and others to put forward a much tougher package of sanctions as well as isolation and report for nato and support for ukraine that i think had that been imposed earlier or could be imposed now would make a difference. Che clearly it hasnt deterred putin at all. Going after the russian economy is what ultimately is going to be a game changer in this case and we havent done that yet. Did you say this to Angela Merkel . It is the europeans who have pretty much held the president back. I did say that to her. We had a very substantive discussion, two hours worth regarding all of this. They have to get the consent of all 28 states in the country countries in the european union. Nevertheless she was very clear when asked the question about the business interest, she would not allow this to influence her decision. She is a tough lady. She can talk directly to putin but clearly just talking on the phone isnt going to do it this time. I think we need to impose sanctions and impose it now. Republicans have come up with a major package and think it will have bipartisan support. I would like to see us move forward now and not wait to see what happens. This whole narrative, we have to postpone because theres too much chaos. Thats allowed by russia. If putin wanted to stop the chaos, he could. You dont have any doubt on the intelligence committee, you cant talk specific information, that putin is behind what is happening on the ground, do you . Look, the osce people that they sent over there that were kidnapp kidnapped, you need to let them go. It was putin who made that call. She would not have been able to convince the prorussian separatists if this was something they were doing on their own. Clearly putin has the upper hand here and holding all the cards and sees weakness from the west and leadership here in the United States, inability to speak with united voice with europe and taking advantage of it. Dan coats, thanks for being with us. Good talking with you. We have big news out of the Supreme Court. Theres a ruling upholding right to prayer at public meetings. Pete williams has all of the details. You followed this, at the arguments. Explain the importance of this ruling today . The question of prayer at government meetings wasnt really at stake, it was how they are done. The town of greece, new york, suburb of rochester has a monthly Board Meeting and since about 1999 its opened meetings with a prayer inviting local clergy and as a result the town prayers have been predominantly christian. Two women sued saying that amounted to a government endorsement of the christian faith. In a 54 ruling, they rejected that analysis, no problem with opening a government meeting with a prayer, the same Founding Fathers who wrote the First Amendment hired the first chaplain to lead prayers in congress. As to whether you can sensor or regulate a prayer, the Supreme Court said the government should never be in the business of saying what the religious message is. As long as a prayer falls short of den greating minority religions or expressing damnation or coercion, the prayers are acceptable and kennedy said its virtually impossible to write a prayer thats not going to offend somebody given how sensitive and deeply felt these views are. So as long as as prayer is acceptable and doesnt cross a line into coercion, its acceptable to open a government meeting with a prayer sfwl the 54 split was the predictable 54 split or different . Indeed it was, justices ginsburg, briar and soto may overdissented and kagan said it tends to divide americans instead of uniting them all as americans. When you come to a government meeting, religion should have nothing to do with it. She understands the history of opening government meetings with a prayer but when you start to encourage this sort of sectarianism, it become s divisive. Government prayer is so deeply established in our history that its acceptable unless it crosses a line. Pete williams, thank you so much. A deadly wildfire continuing to rage in oklahoma engulfing homes and killing at least one person near guthrie, oklahoma. The fire started as a controlled burn on sunday afternoon and rapidly spread out of control fueled by temperatures nearing 100 degrees. Strong winds and severe Drought Conditions as well contributing 1,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. Authorities said the blaze is only 75 contained. 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Now that its 2014, washington is obsessed on the midterms, folks are saying that with my sagging poll numbers my fellow democrats dont really want me campaigning with them. And i dont think thats true, although i did notice the other day that sasha needed a speaker at career day and she invited bill clinton. Ouch, that gets personal. President obama poking fun at himself at the white house correspondents dinner. As if on cue, a new Pugh Research poll spells out more trouble for the president. Joining me now, susan page, Washington Bureau chief of usa today and julie. Welcome, susan and the significance of the poll and record breaking bad numbers in terms of party identification. We asked who would you vote for today. By four Percentage Points they said they would vote for the republican. That doesnt sound like much but it is the biggest margin theyve held in a Midterm Election year in at least 20 years, its bigger than election years where they won big in 1994 and 2010. Six months to go to election, a long time to go in politics but the landscape is tilted to help the republicans. Theres also, julie, a real trend away from the president in the same pugh poll asking among voters what kind of policies they want in 2016 and by 65 30, americans say they want a president elected in 2016 to pursue different policies than this president. Thats a really troubling number for the white house. It leaves them in a position where they have two and a half years to go and they are already seeing the country wants to move in a different direction. How do you move forward there . There had been some thinking with the president s personal poll numbers after he got through last year and Health Care Law had a recovery and signed more people up that maybe he would start to see his numbers move in a more positive direction. That hasnt happened and the question will be whether where he is now is where he stays through the presidency or whether he can get a bump at any point. At the same time, there was a lot of focus on 2016 and on candidates Going Forward. The president really seemed to put his finger on the scale in favor of Hillary Clinton over joe biden according to what any fair interpretation of his speech, first of all heres the president talking about Hillary Clinton and the recent incident in vegas where someone threw a shoe at her. Its a long time between now and 2016 and anything can happen. You may have heard the other day hillary had to dodge a flying shoe at the press conference. [ laughter ] i love that picture. Julie pace, that was only one of the instances where the president seemed to be referring to Hillary Clinton as this presumptive nominee. What are the biden folks saying about this. Any time hillary was mentioned it was presumptive nominee and biden was the person chasing after clinton. He participated in this in the great photo you showed and pretty funny video with julia louise dry fuss. Vongs his name is in the mix, thats the best he can hope for until Hillary Clinton makes a decision. He wants to be a name mentioned in the same breath, even in its as sort of the second choice. Also, another mchale joke, not the president joking about Hillary Clinton. Take a look at this. Hillary clinton has a lot going for her as a candidate, experience, a natural leader and as our first female president , we could pay her 30 less. So, susan page, that would be a great savings. Great selling point perhaps for the first lady. Another big headline political headline looking towards 2016 on the republican side is rand paul, look who he took to the Kentucky Derby and New York Times today, Rupert Murdoch is weighing in. A lot of people said murdoch owning wall street journal and fox news and other conservative Media Outlets will have a lot to say about the republican primaries Going Forward and rand paul is picking up a big at least a big date for the Kentucky Derby. Sure, and whats interesting about this is that rand paul has taken some hits from Media Outlets that Rupert Murdoch oversees, this is an attempt to court some of murdochs support. Weve seen paul out there trying to go after people who maybe are less of a typical republican primary voting base and now hes kind of going straight to the core of that voting base. And it also is a lot of speculation at this point still, but again, makes you realize that behind the scenes and sometimes out in public, the maneuveri