Nbc news characterizing that race for governor as too early to call with the polls closed. Democrats are bracing themselves for a comforting victory, where, of course, another devastating defeat. Recent polling has shown northam with a slight edge but within the margin of error. Gillespie, an aid to george b. Push, is trying to help his establishment bonifides. If he wins, he can provide fellow republicans how to campaign in theably of trump. Lets get the very latest from the race from our own steve kornacki. Steve what do we know . Well, it was 7 00. The polls closed in new jersey. We were an hour away. As you just showed. We have no actual votes in just yet. What can we show you from the exit polls . Lets look at a few of the key questions, we can tackle there. First of all, see if we can call up the areas. Okay. That should call it up. Here we go, the trump factors,
starting in virginia, the president , his Approval Rating, clocks in at 43 , by comparison, last time they had a governors race in virginia, four years ago, barack obama was the president , his partys candidate did win, very close race. His number was 46 on election day, trumps today coming in at 43 in this exit poll. Also, new jersey, can you see a blue state, not surprisingly 32 is the trump Approval Rating. Keep your eye on this, more significant in this new jersey race, how about Chris Christie, throughout as time as to have, he peaked at 77 back during hurricane sandy, all way down in the exit poll, a 19 Approval Rating for Chris Christie as his lt. Gov. Tries to succeed him there, back to virginia, obviously the marquee race, Something Else we can tell you. The story last year in the election of donald trump was that social class split among White College white noncollege voters. What share of the elect terror
governor. Let me ask you about trump, hows he do . Is it that thing you get more trump, like the oliver north, we knew the further you got from d. C. The signs would be on the lawns. It was simple. Its not the same with trump. Twothirds of people in virginia live in cities and suburbs. Its in those cities and suburbs the enmity for the president is greatest. Maybe its an accident of geography, virginia is across the frifr you all in washington. There is not much that donald trump said or done hasnt had an immediate and measured effect on suburban virginia. Whether it was the perceived muslim ban, the freeze on federal employment. And the threatened shutdown of the federal government. The president s gambit to squeeze money for the democrats for the wall on the border with mexico. Lets talk about the House Of Delegates, the lower house down there in virginia. Do you think that will give us a reason for the democrats to pick
up the u. S. House next november . Its tricky, mr. Matthews. The legislature in virginia when controlled by the democrats and now controlled by the republicans has elevated to a high art, hyper partisan mandering, that goes a long way to protecting incumbents. That said, there is 54 of 66 republican seats contested and in Northern Virginia, where the turnouts are running higher, its possible, underscore that, possible, that there could be a wave effect and some of these republican incumbents in these fast growing increasingly diverse outer suburbs of d. C. Could be in trouble. Yeah. Lets get one thing straight, jeff, you are the sophisticated gentleman with the bow tie, im not mr. Matthews, im chris matthews. Thank you for your dignitary. I was impressed by your sophistication and nuance, thank you so much, jeff shapiro, you
choice and theyre sensitive about it. You have africanamericans voting in big numbers now. Is that still a state that you guys own . Well, virginia is a purple state. No doubt about it. Thats why this election will be close. Virginia is and 66 republicans in the House Of Delegates. Were changing that, that was a hyper jerry mannederer. One thing mr. Sha pier rocks i will call you mr. Matthews tonight. Please. One thing that is so important about this is i think those down ballot races, i spoke to so you buy this as a leading indicator of what your party can do next november few pick up ten seats or so in the assembly there and the House Of Delegates in thats a good sign . I think its a good sign. Well see what happens tonight. I met with most if not all of the challengers, in the last three or four cycles, chris, democrats only contested 45 or so seats. So we see the other 50, 55. We have 88 candidates this time. They are spectacular candidates. And theyre going to drive turnout in their districts. Theyre obviously not financial to win 88 seats, when you if et the people to vote. When Hillary Clinton won last year, you have a republican incumbent. They must be your happy hunting ground. You like them. We need 17 of them and 17 seats to flip the dell gather. Thats a tall order. Will you get 17 . I think thats a tall order tonight. I think the last time that democrats won both new jersey and Virginia Governors Races was 2005. We know what happened in 2006. And the reason were winning is because i spent a lot of time in both states, people are talking about health care. They see what donald trump is doing. That i have lfd ones with an opioid addiction issue. Theyre seeing this president take away their access. In virginia, they havent expanded medicare. Why . Because the republicandominated
house and senate have said no people understand that. And virginia looks a lot like america, the diversity of america. We have exit polling saying health care is the number one issue in america. I have a problem. You argue about the republican tax bill, which i think should get near passed. But you dont offer an alternative to rebuild this country. Why do democrats fear to talk about construction, jobs, good jobs, railways, fixing up the country and building a big Intercontinental Railroad system. Doing something that catches up to the rest of the world . Why do democrats support Public Enterprise . I do that all the time, its about bold opportunities for every community for everyone. Stop dithering what republicans are doing and outmatch them. Thank you. He does not claim the right to remove the nominee for president. President trump has cast a long shadow over the race, despite having just a 41 Approval Rating in virginia, not so high. I think it went up today to 43 in the exits. From seoul, south korea, the president urged his supporters, from south korea, tweeting afl northam will allow crime to be rampant and he is weak on our vets and antisecond amendment and horrible in the virginia economy. Vote ed dplespy from seoul, south korea, courtesy of the president. He kept him at arms length, however, on the issues, will it be enough to win the governors seat . For more i am joined by Michael Steele and msnbc political analyst. If donald trump is such a great president , why Wont Ed Dplespy mention him, michael . You chuck him. Look, it is a problem. If you loo tick buy the so much, you think he ought to get reelected. Renominated. That seems to be the impulse, why not show up with him . Thats not necessarily reflected among candidates rung around the country or running in various races, they will be
reflected in the people in their community. You got to be sensitive to where, you know, Popular National figure or unPopular National figure stand in your state as well. So the focus i went through this in 2006 wearing the brand of a party not very popular with the american people, certainly not within my own state. But you still forge ahead, you make your case to those folks about the issues that they care about, which i think ed gillespie did masterfully. To the point michael, dont talk leak you are on the side lines, you are in there, fishing in troubled waters. I know what you are up to. You are trying to fet africanamericans not to vote democrat, cutting from the ballot of a lt. Gov. That is not what im doing at all. I have not done that at all. Anywith thaun says that are dead wrong. The fact of the matter is myself and j. C. Wattts on this program last night made it clear the concerns that we raised was the way the Democratic Party and this democratic candidate
tweeted the africanamerican candidate for lt. Gov. And the type of leicester they put out that was twofaced. Where he was on the leicester when it went to certain neighborhoods in the northern parts of virginia and it was off the 11 in other parts of virginia. So. You think he wasnt in goods and straights with the National Labor unions . Oh, chris, please, spare me, stop it. Not in good straights with the unions, really . You tell me you think its okay. Chris. You say you arent bothering the issue, you are here arguing the issue. Which is snit. Im saying the fact that you want to side step it. Because you know daggone well if a republican put out two pamphlets one showing a plaque candidate, the other showing it off 2 pamphlet that you will be screaming to high heaven. Will you not get away with it, playing this game. Americans push back on it from i share such suspicions as those you just voiced. I just wanted to know whether you are in this fight or watching it. Which is it . Oh, im in the fight, absolutely. No doubt about it. Thats what i want to know. Are you making your points, thank you, Michael Steele as always, well done with some charm. Well be tracking right away the returns all night long, nbc news is characterizing the race. The polls are closed. Its too early to call. Well be back with the Russian Investigation. There is always some russian. There is a Trump Campaign foreign adviser. He says he coordinated with five Campaign Officials five of them before and after his trip to moscow after maintaining he made it as a private citizen and met with top citizens while there. The glue gets thicker and stronger. This is trumps longtime body guard as interviewed by the house intelligence committee. Trump doesnt like that guy being interviewed. I can tell you, this is hardball where the action is. President Trump Attempteden the p an attempt in the demilitarized zone, he was turned back not by military problems but bath bad weather. Nbc news Kelly Odonnell joins us from seoul with the story. It looks like sunshine over there right now . Reporter well, there is heavy fog here, chris. In advance of this trip the white house says President Trump would not go. Vice president mike pence visited earlier in the administration, so this was an important and Surprise Development that has now fallen apart. The pool traveling with the president had this information and it was held for a period of time as they made an attempt with marine one to get to the demilitarized zone. They were turned back due to fog, restaged, tried to go again and determined what we call a weather call that they would not be able to make this trip. It would have been important especially because the layout at
the roughly 150 smile strip between north korea and south korea is a place where, according to those other lawmakers who have visited and people like mike pence, you can look right into the eyes of north korean soldiers who are staged on the other side. There was an enormous uptick of security around President Trump for this attempt that did not succeed due to weather. Obviously the president had tried to make this a surprise, in part, because of the Security Threats that would be inher represent for this kind of a visit and leading up to this attempt, President Trump had notably turned the volume down on his own rhetoric, not repeating some of his more belligerent provocative language that we have seen from him back in the United States. Much more toned down while here in seoul. Of course, seoul, itself, is only roughly 35 miles from the north korean border. So this was an attempt to make a surprise visit, which would have been an opportunity for the president to look right into north korea, a show of strength,
perhaps, certainly an opportunity for him to get some perspective, but apparently, weather has foiled that attempt for President Trump to be right on the boarder with north korea. Chris . Great reporting from Kelly Odonnell in seoul, south korea the latest in the Russian Investigation and much more as we are starting to see very early results in the virginia governors race. Right now were calling it too early to call. Back after this. Including jeff sessions, The Future Ag and hopess to ing the white house Communication Director as well as then Campaign Manager cory lewandowski. While page said he traveled as a private citizen to give his speech at the university of moscow, an emeanwhile shows he tried to coordinate the details with the campaign. The transcript reveals after his event in moscow, page reported to Campaign Officials in an email ill send you guys a readout soon regarding some incredible insights and outreach ive received from a few russian legislators and Senior Administration here. Page told the committee he did not recall about adding new language to the rnc platform open ukraine before the convention, an email shows page congratulating his colleagues in the campaign after the change was made, kw0e9, as for the ukraine amendment, excellent work. Im joined by ken delaney, with nbc news, Shannon Pettypiece and
robert Costa National political politico reporter and analyst, ken, its great to have you on, can you give me a full picture now, take some time. What do we know of carter pages relationship with the Trump Campaign for months if not a year now, oh, he said i was a private citizen, a tourist, vis sarks acting like he had nothing to do with trump and his plan to become president and deal is with russia his way . Reporter thats right, chris, so i think his testimony moves the story forward in two important dimensions, one, weve confirmed once and for all he did meet with senior russian government and business officials after he suggested for a month, as you said, he did not. He met with a deputy prime minister. He met with the number two person at a major oil and gas company, this was a high level trip. While carter page may say he was taking it in a personal capacity, it seems fairly obvious the reason these important russians were meeting with carter page was because he
was trumps Foreign Policy adviser. The second thing this Testimony Shows is that he coordinated this trip with the campaign. He sought permission from the Senior Campaign official, one told nbc news today he tried to block the trip. He didnt think it was a good idea for carter image to go, page went around him to other officials who green lighted it. Lastly, we know he reported back about the success of the trip and the coordination and the conversations he had with these russian officials. He told the campaign about it. So if we believe and it seems fairly clear that carter panel was somebody that russians were trying to use to infiltrate the Trump Campaign, russians were trying to se dues, recruit, whaev verb you want to use, its very clear seniors in the Trump Campaign were on notice this was going on. They either didnt understand it or disregard it. Chris. Thank you so much, ken. Let me go to shannon right now about the implications, it seems to me, you are talking the question, i dont think its a question anymore. The idea of collusion between the russians and the trump
people, within they change the platform, dealing with ukraine to a pro russian position, good work, excellent work, it sounds to me like theyre doing the work of a collusion. That is certainly how some people are interpreting all this. Some dont interpret it that way. You are doing stuff and you are giving it credit to those who get it done for you. The story keeps changing, the meeting about adoption, that turned out to be a meeting about sanction, like carter page, who was supposed to be a list on a name and a name on a list of Foreign Policy advisers, then people forgot about him. Then these contacts, george papadopoulos, i couldnt remember who that was. Again all of these campaign contacts, we will find Additional Information about this Campaign Platform there robert, this whole problem is, this unpeeling of an onion, we keep unpeopleing it and unpeeling it. Trumps position from the beginning has been there has
been no russian attempt to intervene in our election. Thats fallen away a long time ago. You can see the flirtation with sessions an carter page and all these guys. How does trump look with a straight face to somebody like you and stick to that original position, there was no relationship . We have been waiting so long, watching the special counsel, its hard to speculate what bob mueller is up to. We are seeing action on capitol hill. You see in the congressional committees, publishing the transcripts with carter page. Few look at that lest up on the screen the five people he was ta