Pelosi on how democrats will deal with the republican congress. Good day, everyone im Andrea Mitchell coming to you live from capitol hill. Tonight president obama will deliver his sixth state of the Union Address but will this be the first time hes doing so in front of a republicanled house and senate . For more on the president s message, im joined by Valerie Jarrett, Senior Adviser to president Obama Joining us from the white house. Valerie, thank you very much for being with us. My pleasure andrea. Good to see you. This is a very big day. The president said he wanted to work with republicans in 2015 at the end of the year but his tax reproposals that have been released in the last couple of days are never going to fly with this republican congress. So is he they certainly fly with the American People, andrea. What youll hear from the president tonight the state of our union is strong but hes determined to make it even stronger. That means applying middle class economics thats going to grow the middle class and provide ladders of opportunity to families who want to move into the middle class. Thats what the American People are asking for. Hes not going to give up working with congress to try to get that done. So far you have better economic numbers, 45 of americans say they are satisfied with the economy in our latest nbc news wall street journal poll. The president doesnt seem to get the credit for that but it does seem to lift peoples outlook. Still a majority are not satisfied and theres a growing wage disparity. We had 58 straight months of private sector job growth. 11. 2 million jobs. Were moving in the right direction and its clear that the president s economic policies that hes embraced since day one are working. But there are still people who have been who have not benefited. What hes determined to do is make sure that wages go further, make sure that all of our workers have the opportunity for the skills they need to compete for the jobs in the 21st century and create moer jobs right here at home and create incentives for that. That is approach is one that resonates broadly with the American People. Hes going to work with congress and as he has said in the couple of weeks leading up to the state of union, will work with governors and mayors and legislators around the country to try to move those policies forward as well just as he did with a call to raise minimum wage. Also as you heard last week a call for paid sick leave. These are policies that the American People support. Just take massachusetts, for example. There a republican governor was elected but under a referendum the people of massachusetts voted for paid sick leave. These are issues that should not be considered partisan at all. These are issues that affect families all across america and thats who the president is going to be fighting for for the balance of his two years in office. It doesnt strike doesnt escape our notice that these are also very poll driven. And it seems to be laying out an agenda for democrats in 2016. Is this the real impact here whether or not he wins votes in congress . Hes laying out a democratic playbook really for the candidate, presumably Hillary Clinton. And therefore his legacy down the road. The approach of the president is going to layout tonight, andrea, is consistent with what he laid out in his First Campaign back in 2007 and 2008 and every year in office. He has been very very consistent. As he says hes run his last race. What he wants to do is wake up every morning figuring out what can he do to grow our economy and further keep america safe and thats whats motivating him. This is, again, these are issues that traditionally have not been polarizing ones where we have seen republicans and democrats Work Together. Infrastructure. Early childhood education, these are issues that people sit around their dining room table talking about every single day. How can we be competitive . How can a Small Business export not just here but sell their goods and Services Overseas thats who hes responding to. Well hes trying to focus clearly on the domestic economy. At the same time yemen, a very important ally in the region the government there is under threat. We see protests around the muslim world against Charlie Hebdo and what happened in paris. There was criticism among the allies that no one from the white house attended the solidarity march. How do you respond to things that you cant control that are happening around the world . Its a good question. I would say to you theres nothing more important to president obama than keeping america safe. As to your specific question on yemen, hes in touch with folks on the ground our embassy and getting regular updates from the National Security team. He condemns violence and very interested in pursuing a peaceful solution. But these are issues that were being confronted around the world. It is his top priority. What can we do working together here in the United States involving the American People and certainly with our colleagues around the world to keep america safe. And is there a plan in place to evacuate u. S. Citizens and the embassy if necessary . Im sorry, i couldnt hear your question. Im sorry. Is there a plan in place if necessary to evacuate that embassy and u. S. Citizens from yemen . Well, i dont want to get ahead of ourselves. I can tell you we are in close touch with the embassy keeping our folks safe who are representing the United States around the world is a top priority. And i have no more news to announce on that right now. Okay, Valerie Jarrett, thanks for the preview. Good luck to all of you tonight. Thank you. And the president will deliver tonights speech as we say as yemens government a key ally against al qaeda is under siege. Isis has released a new hostage video threat appears ready to concede that syrias dictator will not end be up will end up as part of the solution to the raging civil war. Im joined by john mccain, just back this morning from the middle east and persian gulf. Just to be clear about all of that, the ally yemen, against al qaeda plus an isis threat new video with japanese hostages. First of all, lets remember that the president trumpeted yemen as the Success Story. Yemen and somalia of his Foreign Policy and National Security policies of course which is just ludicrous. And the interesting thing about yemen right now, the people who are basically taking over the capital sanaa are iraniansponsored group caught houthi. We have the country in chaos and this is a Success Story of the administration . It would be amusing if it wasnt so tragic. Its another example of the failure of our policy or lack of policy. Right now, i wish you would have asked Valerie Jarrett or perhaps a chairman of the joint chiefs of staff or susan rice what is the strategy to degrade and defeat isis which the president articulated . I would love to hear that tonight. Youre not going to hear it. There is no strategy. There is no path forward to defeating isis. And now abandoning the Free Syrian Army at least if the New York Times story is accurate today, is i promise you this. Youre not going to get young syrians to go and fight against isis and be barrel bombed by bashar assad, its assad that killed nearly 300,000 people and driven 3. 5 Million People into refugee status. By the way, theres a humanitarian crisis looming because both jordan and lebanon are closing their borders to refugees which will be a huge humanitarian crisis. Our strategy has been a complete failure. The president comes tonight. Hes already in the past declared victory if you will over some of these terror groups. You have now the rising threat of isis a new video today. What would you do if you were in the white house . Well first of all, i would recognize the threat. The president keeps talking about the end of war in the last i believe it was his last state of the union speech been laden is dead and weve eliminated a core al qaeda. Thats all ridiculous. Isis is on the march. Isis has been expanding and winning while weve been using american air power. First of all, we need a strategy. Second of all, you have to treat syria and iraq the same, its the same enemy. Third of all, you have to have more american boots on ground in form of air controllers and special operations advisers and trainers. And youre going to have to have that and of course an overall strategy of training and equipping iraqis as well as Free Syrian Army. Were about well they have already abandoned the Free Syrian Army to fate that is just absolutely terrible. What is striking politically, just politically, is that usually when a white house loses both houses and has such a midterm defeat they drop in the polls and the republicans rise in the polls. In this case he seems to have mitigated the defeat rolled out the state of the Union Proposals in an unusual fashion, and hes rising in the polls. The economy is lifting him up. Lower gas prices are helping him. Politically, republicans are not well positioned going into 2016. Oh, i think, look, the head of mi5, the British Intelligence gave a speech last week where in an unusual act of giving a speech saying that these people are a direct threat to the United States of america talking about isis and this radical islam, which the president refuses to call it what it is and they will be attacking. The threat is growing all the time as thousands of young men from europe and asia and the middle east are drawn into this isis conflict. And it is a growing threat. So to ignore that as the president seems to and by the way, finally, if any republican running for office had said im going to support raising taxes and increasing spending if you elect me then of course that just wasnt the case he said hes paying for it. Raising taxes on the rich to come up with infrastructure in middle class. Then we get into definition of the rich and all of that. This has been the longest recovery in history and were glad but the reason why Americans Still are very ambivalent about it we know that the middle income and lower income americans have not really benefited by this recovery. And i understand the president s message tonight, but why wouldnt he sit down with us and say, lets work out tax reform. Lets sit down together. Republicans and democrats, americans overall want tax reform. Thats one of the best ways to keep the economy going. But we dont have to increase taxes and increase spending to do it. Lightning round, mitt romney for a third run . I would think that he feels justified in running for a third term. I respect his desire. Hes a very fine man. Im proud to know him. My candidate is a dark horse, Lindsey Graham ill do everything i can for Lindsey Graham. And what about jeb bush . I think hes a very viable candidate also. Very successful who is the strongest candidate . Its too early to tell. I was written off as you might remember a year before i won the nomination. Its too early. I think debates matter. Well have nine debates. More and more americans opinion is swayed by what they see in the debates amongst the candidates, whether thats good or bad, im not qualified to judge. But i think see how these debates go. You are uniquely qualified to judge, senator. Well i guarantee Lindsey Graham will do very well in a debate. You and i know him well enough. We do, indeed. John mccain, pleasure. The senator who helped free alan gross from cuba. Pat leahy just back from cuba today. And nancy pelosi. And what matters to you about the state of the union . We want your answer economy, National Security, immigration. Go online and well show you the results coming up. Youre watching Andrea Mitchell reports live from capitol hill only on msnbc. Why do i take metamucil everyday . Because it helps me skip the bad stuff. Im good. Thats what i like to call the meta effect. 4in1 multihealth metamucil now clinically proven to help you feel less hungry between meals. Experience the meta effect with our new multihealth wellness line. I love my Meta Health Bars. Because when nutritious tastes this delicious i dont miss the other stuff. New Meta Health Bars help promote heart health. Experience the meta effect with our new multihealth wellness line. Okay, listen up im reworkin the menu. Mayo . Corn dogs . You are so outta here aah [ female announcer ] the complete balanced nutrition of greattasting ensure. 24 vitamins and Minerals Antioxidants and 9 grams of protein. [ bottle ] ensure®. Nutrition in charge™. [ female announcer ] we help make secure financial tomorrows a reality for over 19 Million People. [ mom ] with life insurance, were not just insuring our lives. Were helping protect his. [ female announcer ] everyone has a moment when tomorrow becomes real. Transamerica. Transform tomorrow. Stamps. Com is the best. Welcome back tonight alan gross, free after five years in a cuban prison will be sitting in the first lady box at the state of the union. A big test tonight for the president s controversial opening to havana. Pat leahy has been working for years towards this policy change and just got back from cuba late last night and here today. Welcome. Thank you. What are you hearing from your meetings with the more than minister . You have almost two levels. One, everybody is excited. Ive never seen youve been to cuba before and know around the shops and cabs and all, have american flags on them. We never saw that before. And its like okay weve done this and now everything wants everything to be normal and i keep reminding them its been one month. One month since we said lets change 52 years of policy that didnt work. And so we talked a number of people more realistic, you have to take this step this step this step. The question i kept asking where do you want to be one year from now, two years from now . To this he want to have an Airline Banker banking and the airline yes, they do among other things getting mail back and forth. People are talking about a year to do it. I say couldnt you compress that to far less. Banking is going to become more difficult because some of our laws require them to pay in advance on everything. And that cuts off things that we could export to them talk about powdered milk they have to go to new zealand to get it wont the opening of credit and change of treasury regulations make it possible without paying cash up front . Yes, thats going to be extremely important. The internet everybody says they are in favor of it but you know yourself if you have a toe tal tear yan country and they say oh, that internet. They can criticize us on there . They can have outside voices . They are still opposing freedom of expression. Oh, yeah. I think thileyll try to control the internet at first. But if we have really open internet, we have companies coming in there, theres only so much they can control. It will become enormous. And they do try to control dissent. Its crazy. I point out to them i have people in the press all the time criticize me thats the way america goes. Theyve got to start accepting that. Thats very very hard for them to understand. And i think the internet if you get anywhere near an open internet, that will probably do more to change cuba than anything else. At the same time you have the leader in the house, House Speaker boehner, of course, and marco rubio in the senate bringing cuban dissidents to the chamber tonight. Are they trying to send a message of congressional opposition to the president s opening. They may be. I have to see what they say. Were going to alan gross told me the other day how excited he is. Hes going to be there. I know how excited i was to pick him up. Just a month ago in cuba and bring him back. But we have as i said before we have senator rubio has his position and understand that. Frankly i like pope francis position, a lot more realistic and a lot better. If we have a policy that hasnt worked for 52 years, lets try something different. In your trip this time what did you sense is different . You described the public excitement. But are cuban leaders having second thoughts, are they nervous about this opening . I think they are nervous. During the alan gross think i had a lot of private secret meetings. You always sense that we want change, what is that change going to be . You had private meetings with raul castro . I had a couple of them and sent a private letter to me and my wife which was interesting, they know theres going to be change. I think their concern is how much of that change will they have control over. I told him, frankly, real change, nothing of us will predict where it goes. That is a concern. But also realization they have a declining population and, an aging population. Theyve got to do things that hold out more hope for the young people. I would like to see exchange of students between the United States and cuba. Thats going to help us both. Can Congress Block this . Ultimately no because the American Public knows that its time for change. Weve had everybody say to the president president eisenhower, president kennedy, every single president has been no change. The American Public is