Robert mueller. But first, peter baker writes in the new york times, quote, president bushs longtime friend and former secretary of state james baker arrived at his houston home on friday morning to check on him. Mr. Bush suddenly alert, his eyes wide open. Where we are going . Were going to heaven, mr. Baker answered. Thats where i want to go, mr. Bush said. Heres the president , 30 years ago, almost to the week. And this is an unbelieving age and few know gods grace. And yet, why do the churches seem so full these days . Why does the giving seem so generous . To know these things is to have respect for your age, for this vast, imperfect place and to know that all the dramas arent written, nor all the parts assigned, and there are battles to fight. And meek, clad or hungry, were all soldier in arms walking sideways toward heaven and awkwardly toward grace. George Herbert Walker bush found his grace at the age of 94. His near century of service and his vision for his country span the globe. He was shot down over the pacific in world war ii. He was u. N. Ambassador and envoy to china. Served in congress and led the Republican Party amid the heat of watergate. He worked to restore the image of the cia as its director. Served as Vice President enduring just one term as president helped lower the iron curtain while famously raising taxes. It is an open question in this sharply divided moment in american history. Will we see a leader like him again . We are the United States of america. The leader of the west that has become the leader of the world. And as long as i am president , i will continue to lead in support of freedom everywhere. Not out of arrogance, not out of altruism, but for the safety and security of our children. This is a fact. Strength in the pursuit of peace is no vice. Isolationism in the pursuit of security is no virtue. With that, id like to welcome in my panel. With me, msnbc contributor jon meacham, the author of destiny and power, the american odyssey of george Herbert Walker bush. Also with me Washington Bureau chief for the usa today, susan page. The author of the matriarch, barbara bush and the making of an american dynasty. And the former Senate Majority leader during george h. W. Bushs presidency, george mitchell. Jon meacham, id like to start with you since you spent so much time with the former president. What was he like as a person, as a leader, and to that question that we raised at the end, are we going to see somebody like that again . There was an innate grace to george h. W. Bush. He was nicknamed papi as a child. He and his father had the same name. More interestingly, he was called half half bush because when he had a candy bar hed cut it in half and give it to the other kid. Better than i was. Better than most of us. He knew that to whom much is given, much is expected. And he came out of that ethos of the roosevelts. He very much believed that he had been given an enormous amount in life and, therefore, owed everything he could to the country. It started when he was 18 years old. On his 18th birthday, he turned 18, graduated from high school and joined the United States navy. On that saturday. And he enlisted in the navy instead of going to college right away . Exactly. And tried to go to canada for a different reason than later generations. The Royal Canadian air force would let you sign up if you were 17. He looked into joining the fight against hitler even before he was legally able to do so. Wow. Susan page, what did family mean to george h. W. Bush . I think family meant everything to george h. W. Bush. And that he was he was building a career, first, in the oil business and then in politics so he was gone allot but he adored his children and his children adored him. And one reason he was such a Good Partnership between george and barbara bush is she kept those home fires burning. She raised those kids at a time when he was spending a lot of time with his career but also a family man. He was bitter bitter after losing reelection in 1992. And the thing that wiped away any last vestige of bitterness was when his children started to succeed in politics. And especially when george w. Bush was elected to the oval office. Can i say one thing at the risk of dorking out already. I dont think embittered is the right way. I think he was crushed and disappointed. I dont think he actually ever had a bitter bone in his body. I think thats generational. Not to take this over, but i embitter may be the wrong word. But he was mad at ross perot and also pretty mad at the press. He thought his press coverage wasnt fair and that that hurt him. Certainly many politicians do, of course, have that. No, really . George mitchell, thank you for being here. I want to ask you about some of the major legislative accomplishments that, you know, quite frankly are still defining the world we live in every day. The Clean Air Act. The americans with disabilities act. You and president george h. W. Bush worked to pass those two landmark pieces of legislation, among other things. What was it like to work with him in that capacity, and do you think that our country is still capable of doing big things like those bills . I hope so. To the latter question, we had in common a close bond and a love for maine. I was born and raised there. President bushs family had, of course, for many years, still does, a home there. And theyre prominent and beloved members of our community in maine in the summer. Id like if i could to take a moment to talk about the Clean Air Act because thats a major accomplishment of president bush. For ten years, i and a group of bipartisan senators tried to make progress on major clean air legislation to meet the needs of a growing country and increasing quantity and types of pollution. We made no progress. President reagan was adamantly opposed to it as were many major industries. And then in the election in which bush acted sh office. Made a major speech saying that he favored c and instantly and dram the question chang there ever act or c the new bill. And we difficult tough ye parallel w budget, also very d complex but in the end we enacted both. A major Clean Air Act that 20 years later the National ResourcesDefense Council said saved about 2 million american from premature death. Id like if i could to take a moment to talk about the Clean Air Act because thats a major accomplishment of president bush. For ten years, i and a group of bipartisan senators tried to make progress on major clean air legislation to meet the needs of a growing country and increasing quantity and types of pollution. We made no progress. President reagan was adamantly opposed to it as were many major industries. And then in the election in which he was elected, president bush acted shortly after taking office. Made a major speech saying that he favored clean air legislation and instantly and dramatically, the question changed from will there ever be another Clean Air Act or change to what will be in the new bill. And we negotiated two long, very difficult tough years in parallel with negotiating on the budget, also very difficult and complex but in the end we enacted both. A major Clean Air Act that 20 years later the National ResourcesDefense Council said saved about 2 million american from premature death. Do you think Something Like that could happen today . Well, obviously, the circumstances are much different in many respects. I think its possible if people take the right approach that is we have a common objective. We disagree on how to get there, but lets Work Together to try to do it. And the clean air negotiations were very complex but both sides gave something. Both sides gained something. In the end we had a very strong bill that has been a remarkable success in protecting the health of the American People. Lets talk about the politics here. In 1973 when george bush was the chairman of the rnc, there was another crisis of confidence in the presidency as the watergate investigation expanded. I had a discussion with the president about it before i took this job, and i told him i was concerned about watergate and nothing he told me made me feel concerned that he wanted me to go easy on watergate. He feels the same way i do about it. Im sure of it. His public statements have said so. And i believe it. And im going to continue to believe it until somebody gives some evidence. Whats wrong with watergate, mr. Bush . Ill tell you whats wrong with it. Its against everything i believe in in our system. As head of this party, its we republicans. Its me who got out of private life into public life to serve. And to believe in the system. And i dont like to say its sullied by people breaking the law. I dont like to see it sullied by dirty tricks. And i hurt the worst about it, and so do the Republican Leaders across this country, and we want to see it cleaned up. Its bad for our system. Whats your reaction to that clip . Hes absolutely honest. Lawbreaking would be bad. That offended him and his sense of the system. He wrote a letter to his kids late in the drama in which he said this worried him more than anything else that it would erode trust in the government which in tandem with vietnam had a Significant Impact on trust in our institutions. He was a loyal party guy for about 20 minutes in 1970, 71. Things almost got a lot worse because george h. W. Bush was going to work for bob haldman who went to prison before he got the u. N. Ambassador job. President bush understood that. He was not perfect. He did at the very end on the 6th of august, 1974, in a Cabinet Meeting told president nixon he should resign. And that was something Henry Kissinger was trying to stop him from saying because he was afraid it would drive nixon into a corner. In the context at the time, bush is fine on watergate and i think did everything he could in the fullness of his political career to try to restore trust in the presidency itself. There was never an accusation against him of the watergate sort. And under jobs you dont want to have, chairing the rnc during watergate and after the church hearings. Those were two jobs no politician who wanted a future would have ever taken. And its remarkable that he was able to become president after taking each of them. It does speak to his character in that regard. John, or susan as well, did george h. W. Bush have any regrets . He faces criticism for not doing enough on the aids crisis, for example. I ask him that a lot and what he came back to was, i shouldnt have said read my lips. And he believed that that is what cost him the presidency in 1992. He didnt regret the deal he made with senator mitchell, which was a good deal, and modern american history, when he had an early breakfast with george h. W. Bush in the dining room. Bob dole walked in and it was so early he said, my dog wasnt up yet. It was about 7 00 in the morning, and bush he had been talked into doing not even a marginal rate increase. Some federal excise taxes to try to get the democrats to go along with some spending controls and it was after Newt Gingrich revolted that taxes went up in general. Gingrich is also one of the people, like ross perot, like don rumsfeld who was not particularly enveloped with grace. George mitchell, please weigh in. Do you think the deal you cut is what led ultimately to him breaking that notaxes pledge that many credit with him losing the 1992 election . Well, the statement you made at the Republican Convention, read my lips, no new taxes, was great politics with bad policy. He later regretted and changed his mind and agreed to a program, reluckantly. But it was a good budget agreement. It went through some changes from the time we began negotiations at that breakfast that john just referred to, but its it set the country on a path toward a balanced budget that was later realized after adoption of president clintons economic program. And in these days of trilliondollar budgets, its shocking to think that we were really worried because the budget deficit was going to reach 150 billion, and we all resolved democrats and republicans we cant let that happen. Weve got to do something about it. And that led to the budget agreement which was painful for everyone was it included something each party disagreed with. I admire president bush for having changed his position after making the dramatic policy statement at the Republican Convention about no new taxes. There were taxes. They were not that major. There were some spending cuts. There were some significant ones but they set us on the right path and we ended up with having, a few years later, under president clinton, several federal balanced budgets. Something were not anywhere near to at this time. Senator mitchell, i appreciate you being here. We have a lot more to come. Were warning you now. Its probably going to be a crazy week in mueller news. Joyce vance joins us. And later my conversation with Bernie Sanders and mike lee trying to get the United States back on the right side of standing up to saudi arabia. Kasie dc back after this. Neutrogena® today is the day youre going to get motivated. Get stronger. Get closer. Start listening today to the Worlds Largest selection of audiobooks on audible. And now, get more. For just 14. 95 a month, youll get a credit a month good for any audiobook, plus two Audible Originals exclusive titles you cant find anywhere else. If you dont like a book, you can exchange it any time, no questions asked. Automatically roll your credits over to the next month if you dont use them. With the free audible app, you can listen anytime, and anywhere. Plus for the first time ever, youll get access to exclusive fitness programs a 95 value free with membership. Start a 30day trial today and your first audiobook is free. Cancel anytime and your books are yours to keep forever. Audible. The most inspiring minds. The most compelling stories. Text listen27 to 500500 to start your free trial today. The most compelling stories. Unstopand its strengthenedting place, the by xfi pods,gateway. Which plug in to extend the wifi even farther, past anything that stands in its way. Well almost anything. Leave no room behind with xfi pods. Simple. Easy. Awesome. Click or visit a retail store today. Welcome back. Deadlines in the cases of both Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen are rapidly approaching. Prosecutors are refusing to rule out new charges against manafort after he allegedly broke his plea deal with the special counsels office. A federal judge has also ordered muellers team to explain next week what they believe manafort lied about that caused a breach of that deal. Meanwhile, we now know a lawyer for manafort briefed the Trump Legal Team on manaforts discussions with the special counsels office. An arrangement confirmed by the president s lawyer, rudy giuliani. And that all comes as the president s longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, has pleaded guilty to lying to congress about trumps efforts to build a trump tower in moscow. Heres the president reacting to that news on thursday. Michael cohen is lying. Hes a weak person. And not a very smart person. And by being weak, unlike other people that you watch, he is a weak person and what hes trying to do is get a reduced sentence. We should point out that cohen has said he was in, quote, close and regular contact with president Trumps White House staff and legal team when he prepared his statements for congress. Joining us now, we have joyce vance, as well as staff writer for the atlantic and msnbc contributor natasha bertrand. Joyce say former u. S. Attorney, professor at the university of Alabama Law School and an msnbc contributor. Joyce, i would like to start with you just to kind of get your as we head into what could be a monumental week in this investigation. What you are looking for and also what happened with cohen that tells you about how this is going to unfold. Clearly we do not know a fraction of what bob mueller knows right now about Michael Cohen. I think thats maybe the most important thing for us to keep in mind. Its obvious at this point that mueller has a lot of evidence that hes just sitting on. Hes connected a lot of dots in ways that we cant because he has a grand jury and subpoena power. And we dont in the public. So well just have to wait for that. But the week did start with Paul Manafort who appeared to have gone south on special counsel. Im not really certain that anyone was particularly surprised by that or that that damaged the special counsel investigation in any significant way. And even if it did, it was more than balanced out by this revelation that Michael Cohen was really cooperating in ways that i think no one had fully appreciated that he could. Not just with the Southern District of new york. Not just with the special counsel, but also with the new York State Attorney general who has a number of investigations into the Trump Organization and apparently at least one we dont otherwise know about in progress. So cohen is what im really looking for in the future. It will be interesting to see the many ways he can cooperate and whether this will lead to additional indictments. I think its unlikely that the level of detail that we saw in the cohen submissions this week, pa