And top Homeland Security senator gary peters is calling for a hearing immediately. Hes going to join me live. And coming up at 8 00, we count down to the conventions. Now less than 24 hours away. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer joins me in our second hour along with Steve Kornacki and so much more. We want to start with that breaking news. House speaker n eer nancy pelos announcing shes calling the full house to return to session later this week to vote on legislation to reverse changes put in place by new postmaster general and trump ally lewis dejoy earlier this year. The House Oversight committee is calling on dejoy to testify a week from tomorrow after the Postal Service warned all but a few states this week that it cant guarantee all mailin ballots will be received in time to be counted in the election. One example of just how urgent democrats feel it is to address this crisis, congressman jim cooper, a moderate from the red state of tennessee, says if dejoy fails to appear, the sergeant at arms should arrest him. Of course, this all comes after a week President Trump said flatly he opposing democre ins reque requests. Heres some analysis of those comments courtesy of republican senator mitt romney. Spoiler alert, its not all that complicated. Ive heard some people say they think that the reason the president doesnt want people to vote by mail is that polls show that people who want to vote by mail tend to vote for president , or Vice President biden, people who tend to want to vote in person tepnd to want to vote fo President Trump. So this is a political ca calculati calculation. The senator is right about those polls. A poll released this week from Monmouth University revealed that an overwhelming 72 of democrats are very or somewhat likely to vote by mail this november. While just 22 of republicans say the same. The president s own comments about mailin voting likely a big part of the reason for that disparity. With that, id like to welcome in my panel, National Political reporter for the Washington Post and msnbc political analyst robert costa. White house reporter for the Associated Press and msnbc political analyst Jonathan Lemire. Political reporter for axios, alexis mccammond. And former chief communications advise tor to house spueaker pa ryan, brandon buck. Its great to have you all tonight. Since were talking about Speaker Pelosi to start, let me start with you since you worked across the aisle from her for some years. This, of course, is in many ways a publicity move. This is not necessarily something we expect will eventually become law or pass the senate necessarily. Clearly, she was feeling a lot of pressure to bring them back. Going to be the saturday in between these two conventions. Theres not necessarily another day to do it. What does it tell you about how this crisis is unfolding . Well, one thing we should appreciate, its a big deal to bring members of congress back in the middle of august recess. That may sound silly, but is a big deal to do that. This is a total mess. I think there is really only anecdotal evidence that there was any kind of grand conspiracy behind whats going on with the Postal Service. At the same time, the president , though, basically raised his hand and said that he would be in favor of there being a big problem with the Postal Service. He created a political liability for himself and obviously energized his opponents. This was totally unnecessary but its a huge opportunity. You dont bring members of congress back the middle of august unless you thing its an opportunity. I am a little concerned this is now going to be super politicized. You know, democrats are on the attack here. You know, i think there had been some hope if both sides are able to come back together in september to eventually do a deal that Something Like this could be part of the solution. I worry now its probably less likely. Robert costa, you spent a lot of time talking to the Administration Officials behind the scenes as well as to republicans on capitol hill and brendans right, historically, members of both parties have been incentivized to protect the Postal Service for a host of reasons, not least because its only one of the services that americans in Rural Communities have reliable access to. Has this become so partisan that there wont be republican defenders of this . How do you see this playing out with republicans on hill next week . Keep an eye on Senate Republicans who are up for reelection this year. Theyre already facing headwinds. If leader mcconnell starts hearing from some of them that voters in rural areas, conservative areas of their state, older voters are concerned about the lack of access to mailin voting, about all the different complications raised by complications in the Postal Service, you could see some action. Its going to come down to leader mcconnell trying to bring something forward in the senate then giving the call to President Trump and Speaker Pelosi. Jonathan lemire, lets talk about a this a little more broadly because i was talking to Campaign Officials over the weekend with the biden team and while obviously there are great concerns about whats happened at the post office and there are reports across the country of peoples prescriptions being delayed and other issues, the Biden Campaign also underscores the fact that there is so much messaging coming out of the white house that is about undermining peoples faith in democracy, in our civic institutions, and raising questions about the outcome, potentially, of the election and that trying to encourage people to still believe in those civic institutions is important. Thats kind of the way that theyre looking at this. And i actually want to play some sound from mark meadows, the white house chief of staff, raising these questions without any evidence. He was on cnn earlier today. Watch. Do you realize how inaccurate the voter rolls are, with just people just moving around, let alone the people that die off, but sending ballots out just based on a voter roll, registration, any time you move, youll change your drivers license right. You dont call up theres no evidence of widespread voter fraud, though. Thats theres no evidence of widespread voter fraud. Theres no theres no evidence that theres not, either. Jonathan lemire, what is going on there . Yeah, thats a pretty remarkable statement, kasie. Its simply one not based in fa facts. A real what aboutism from the chief of staff of the white house. Its important to hit on two points here. First as you say, simply the mail service is so vital. Its an American Institution for so many people who live in this country particularly during a pandemic. Its one way youre able to hear from a loved one with a birthday card, perhaps, or, indeed, receive vital medication that they need. Larger than this, weve seen this pattern from the president sort of since day one where he has chipped away at the americans confidence in the institutions of federal government and the nation, itself. Hes alleged voter fraud before. Without evidence. Suggesting that in 2016 there were millions of votes cast illegally. Hi even formed a commission to explore it. That commission eventually was quietly disbanded because flofs there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud. The president thought there would be 3 million to 4 million illegal votes. The opposite. I think what the biden Campaign Officials but others are watching so nervously, this is a president who has already 2 1 2 months out from the election really casting doubt about the results, first of all, we all know its going to be a lengthy process this time. We may not have a winner that night simply because so many states are voting by mail because of the pandemic. It may stretch for days, even weeks. Hes suggesting, again, without evidence that there will be widespread voter fraud done by mail. He is planting the seeds here of sort of contesting and challenging the outcome of the election, perhaps opening up the doors for investigations into the election. Basically, trying to undermine americans belief in who will have won that day and whether that person, trump or biden, in this case, obviously, the president suggesting it be joe biden, would have been elected without merit illegally. Well, alexis mccam mondakaca seems important to underscore, there is no, as Jonathan Lemire says, jake taper pointed out in the spinterview, theres no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the mail. The most recent example we have is in the North Carolina race and it was perpetrated in that case by republicans. What does your reporting say about how the administration is grappling with this . The president raising questions about voting by mail seems to jush undermines his own potential vote and questions about the facts. Kasie, thank you for having me. The point about it undermining his own vote and that of his wife, melania trump, is a really important one because the sate time President Trump is saying on one hand, mailin voting is bad except in florida because they have a great republican governor, buts requesting these mailin ballots. It really contradicts itself. Thats because the big picture here is the facts rarely help the president. He knows that. He knows the facts in terms of mailin ballots shows it pretty equally helps republicans and democrats. I havent seen any evidence that shows its helping democrats more than republicans. But those things dont help President Trump. It also reflects this idea that hes incredibly stressed about the election that is happening in under 100 days. Hes looking at these national polls. The same polls were looking at showing biden not only leading, kasie, but increasing his standing on a consistent basis over the last few months especially because of the president s mishandling of the coronavirus. Americans are showing in polls and otherwise that theyre deeply unsatisfied. Dissatisfied with the president s handling of this virus. And hes getting nervous because, you know, at the same time that biden is looking at a pretty big map, the campaign is targeting Something Like 15 to 17 different states, battlegrounds, republican strongholds, democratic strongholds, and others, the president President Trumps Reelection Campaign is increasingly relying on a pretty small group of base voters and theyre really trying to rely on either depressing democratic voter turnout or firing up the Republican Trump base. Both of those things are turnout strategies. Neither of those are really about persuasion or convincing voters to convince trump this time around. Its really about either getting those folks who already like trump to come out and vote or getting democrats to stay home. I think thats a big part of why hes pushing this false narrative around mailin voting. Brendan buck, how bad do republicans, professional republicans, lets call them, whove been working on elections for the last couple decades, who are trying to get people reelected to the senate, reelected to the house, how bad do they think the landscape really is right now . For them . Quite bad, and the strange dynamic is that a lot of senators, republican senators, running, are actually running behind the president. And thats a really tough place for them to be. There are a lot of people who are out there voting for trump but not necessarily onboard with the republican senators that are there. Theyre running behind him. And thats an enthusiasm issue. But it also just shows you there are a lot of people who, you know, are trump voters but not necessarily republican voters. And so the dynamic out there is tough. One thing i want to raise on the mailin voting is this is an important issue and what mark meadows i think is trying to get to, not defending that comment, but this is an election where were relying nationally on mailin voting much larger way than we ever have and thats a serious thing, something we need to focus on. I think the solution, you think there are concerns about this, you should then fund the Postal Service more. Fix the problems that are there. But i dont think that we should just overlook the fact that we are going to have a largely untested system in a lot of states that have never done this before. I think this is an important thing to focus on and not just dismiss the idea that there could be challenges with it. Well, and robert costa, i mean, doesnt that very point kind of speak to the trouble that the administration has in kind of the mixed messaging and the reality that i think if everyone were as on board and a lot of republicans i talk to in congress are certainly on board with trying to give the Postal Service more money. Theyve been put in this box by President Trump. It would seem that the greater interest is to do exactly what brendan buck says. What do you think the dynamics are going to be as this plays out this week on the hill . Well, lets go a little bit deeper on that dynamic because when im talking to people on capitol hill, or longtime trump advisers, they say the servicelevel debate here is about the Postal Service and postal crisis that has been sparked by the president , but the deeper discussion in the president s orbit, what hes really doing is trying to erode confidence in the entire Voting System because he is worried about defeat in november and they say back in 2016 if he had been defeated, he would have went on for months saying the election was rigged, it was illegitimate. They were prepared for thencandidate trump to, perhaps, never even concede to secretary clinton should she have won that election. So that same pattern of behavior is rearing itself again in 2020. The consequence is hes weaponizing the postal system because hes trying to look toward that political end where he could win reelection but should he not win reelection, for his brand, personally and politically, he wants to be able so say that there was a reason for it and he sees the Postal Service as a foil and a target in that feffort. If he loses, it wasnt his fault that he lost, hes not an actual loser. It i want to say thank you to whoevers dog made a brief appearance on kasi d. C. Send us a picture afterwards. Im not sure who it was. Brendan buck, thank you for coming onto the program tonight. I dont know if we can hear alexis. Well look for a photo later on on twitter. Brendan buck, thanks for your time. Its great to have you. Were going to continue this conversation next with a top democrat on the Homeland Security committee. Senator gary peters who began investigating whats going on at the Postal Service weeks ago. At 8 00, an entire hour looking forward to the convention including Valerie Jarrett and senator doug jones. Kasie d. C. Back after this. Des allstate wont raise your rates just because of an accident, even if its your fault. Cut sonny. Was that good . Line the desert never lies. Isnt that what i said . No you were talking about allstate and insurance. I just. When i. Lets try again. Everybody back to one. Accident forgiveness from allstate. Click or call for a quote today. Whove got their eczema under control. With less eczema, you can show more skin. So roll up those sleeves. And help heal your skin from within with dupixent. Dupixent is the first treatment of its kind that continuously treats moderatetosevere eczema, or atopic dermatitis, even between flare ups. Dupixent is a biologic, and not a cream or steroid. Many people taking dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin, and, had significantly less itch. Dont use if youre allergic to dupixent. 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And this Morning White House chief of staff mark meadows said the administration might consider standalone funding for the Postal Service if democrats agree to separate funding for stimulus checks. Im all about piecemeal. If we can agree on postal, lets do it. If we can agree on stimulus checks, lets do it. Speaker pelosi is the one who says she wont do anything unless its a big deal. Ask her, is she willing to do a standalone bill for stimulus checks for American People that are hurting . Joining me now is democratic senator gary peters of gn begmi. Hes one of the lawmakers calling on the postmaster general to testify. Senator peters, thanks very much for being here. And i know t