While 30 say it has given them a less favorable one. 61 said it had no impact. And finally, this is the most troubling number 46 said they feel that President Trump fired comey to slow down the russia investigation. And 38 buy the original explanation from the white house, that it was done over legitimate concerns over how comey handled the Hillary Clinton email issue. And theres a report that a frustrated President Trump is considering firing many of his Top White House aides. It adds up to a week, at best, the administration has a communications problem. Or at worst, it is facing accusations of obstruction of justice. I was going to fire comey. Donald trump contradicted his white house aides and his Vice President , adding to questions as to why the president chose to fire fbi director james comey when he did. No one from the white house. That was a d. O. J. Decision. He took the recommendation
but the president needs to back off and let the investigation go forward. We need to call comey and get to the bottom of all of this. I think its time for an fbi agent to lead the fbi. When you talk about a new person to lead the fbi, how about an fbi agent who is above reproach. Why does it have to be an fbi agent at this point . It doesnt why not a u. S. Attorney . A prosecutor, somebody like that . It could be. It could be a lot of people. How about the idea of an fbi agent leading the fbi, promoting within the ranks. Theres so many good agents, men and women out there, capable of leading the agency. This is up to the president. He has an duty and obligation to pick somebody beyond reproach outside of the political lane. I think he will do that. I hope he will do that. Im ready to move on and pick a new fbi agent. Im ready to get to the bottom of what russia did. No evidence that the president colluded with the russians at all. Nobody on the campaign that i know of has colluded with the russians. We dont know all of the evidence yet. We need to continue forward and protect these investigations. While were staying on the
fbi director, eight people interviewed yesterday at the Justice Department. One of them is a colleague of yours, senator john cornyn. Two were women, could be the first woman to head the fbi. Former fbi agent and a former member of congress. Let me ask you this in this political environment, do you think its the right time to have the firstever fbi director who had a political elected political background, which is what it would be, if mike rogers or john cornyn were named . No. I think its now time to pick somebody that comes from within the ranks or such a reputation that has no political background at all, that can go into the job on day one. Who does the fbi director work for . To me, its like appointing a judge. The president actually appoints a judge. But the judge is loyal to the law. The president appoints the fbi
director, but the fbi director has to be loyal to the law. John cornyn is a wonderful man under normal circumstances. Would be superb choice to be fbi director. We have a chance to reset as a nation. The president has a chance to clean up the mess that he mostly created. He really think did his staff a disservice by changing the explanation. I would encourage the president to pick somebody we can all rally around, including those who work in the fbi. Let me ask you something about the russian interference. Later in the show, i have an interview with Rex Tillerson. I conducted it yesterday. And he would not give an explanation as to why russian interference wasnt brought up during his meeting with Foreign Minister lavrov. We go back and forth and not once was it thought of as a top priority. Can we move on in a relationship with russia if we dont confront them on this . Absolutely not. I dont know if they privately talked about it. But secretary tillerson did a masterful job in the u. N. Security council talking about
the threat of north korea. I understand wanting to engage the russians in syria because theyre part of the solution, if we ever find one. But heres what i believe. Im 1,000 certain that the russians interfered in our election. It was the Russian Intelligence Service that hacked into podestas email, the dnc, to create chaos. They did try to undercut clinton. I dont think they changed the outcome. I dont believe we can go forward as a nation until we punish russia. Have bipartisan sanctions against russia for interfering in our election. And my goal is to put it on the president s desk. I hope he would embrace it. Russia didnt change the outcome of the election but they tried. And i want to punish the russians. And i hope the president will see their interference as a threat to our democracy. I want to talk about the investigation. Word just out of the field, nbc news Wall Street Journal poll. I have to put the up the number. Ill read it to you. I know you dont have a screen. Who should investigate russian interference . Only 15 think it should be you folks in congress. 78 that means its a Bipartisan Group of people, would like to see an independent commission or a Special Prosecutor. Do you understand why the public doesnt trust, now, the politicians to do this . Yeah. But heres what i think about the investigation right now, it is a counterintelligence investigation, not a criminal investigation. You dont need a Special Prosecutor. I trust Deputy Attorney general rothenstein to do this. If he cant do it, well have a Special Prosecutor. An independent Commission Takes it outside of congress. The Intel Committee, the judiciary committee, were doing a good job. I want to keep it inside the congress. Id like a select committee where we all work together. But right now, i see no need for a Special Prosecutor. Its not a criminal investigation. I see no need for an independent commission yet. You called for a Special Counsel a number of times during the obama years, for the clinton
emails, for the department of justice, targeting leaks, White House Leaks of investigation, the idea that joe sestak may have gotten a job offer in exchange. My point is, why did all those meet the test for a Special Counsel but this one doesnt . This is a counterintelligence investigation. Were not investigating a crime yet. If it becomes a criminal investigation of the Trump Campaign colluding with the russians during the election and mr. Rothenstein doesnt believe he can do the job, well have a Special Counsel. Theres a process in place. Im not worried about polling, not worrying about anything other than trying to get the right answer. The russians did it, they need to be punished. Trump is not a target of the investigation yet. Leave the investigation alone. Congress is doing a good job in my view. If it gets to the point we cant, we will take it outside of congress. You are looking at the president s finances. The president has made a big deal that he sent you a certified letter from his accountant, which all that means is you signed for it. And thats fine. But why does it in this case, shouldnt you want to see the tax returns from one of these llcs that run a golf course, for instance. Theres a report out there in North Carolina that the Trump National golf course may have been financed by russian money. Thats not going to be in the president s tax return. Thats going to be in the llc of Trump National in charlotte has that. Are you going to be able to get your hands on those records . I have yet to find any evidence of improper Business Dealings between the Trump Organization and russia or anything else. If you can show me theres reason theres a suspicion of that, we need to get financial documents. Have you seen those records . I cant ask for documents without a reason. The president should turn over the tax returns. I dont have a reason to subpoena them. If i get that reason, i will do it. He should turn over the tax returns. He should do that now. All tax returns, not just the personal but the llcs. Its not going to be in his tax return if theres anything there. If you can show me we need to do that, i will do it. I cant say on television, based on your question, thats a good idea. But im openminded to all things russia. The bottom line is, i think russia tried to affect our election, undermine our democracy. I want them to pay a price. I have yet to find collusion between the Trump Campaign and russia. Theres a Washington Post story that comey went to burr to get more agents and more money. Thats not true. Theres a lot of things that are said that are true or halftruths. Let the process work. I promised the people of sking and the people of the United States, i do care about this. I have nobody to punish. I hope you dont regret coming on now. Happy mothers day. It was fun. Thats the most Important Message to say. There you go. Let me go to the other side of the aisle. Senate Democratic LeaderChuck Schumer of new york. Senator, welcome to Meet The Press. I hope youre more enthusiastic to be on than senator graham. Yeah, i didnt see senator graham. I want to join him in wishing all of the moms happy mothers day. In particularly to my mom, who will turn 89 in three weeks. Well done. Let me start with the issue of a Special Prosecutor. Why do you believe it needs to be done. Senator ben sass indicated that if you do that, it is sending a message you dont trust the Intel Committee to do their work. And its a vote of no confidence there. Shouldnt you let them do their job to see if they can do it without a Special Prosecutor . Well, there are two separate lines of activity here. One is the Oversight Function of the Intelligence Committee. Theyre doing their job. Mark warner has done a very good job. Ive had some differences with senator burr. But in the last week, people tell me, he was upset with comeys firing and hes been good. I hope it continues. But they cant prosecute. A Special Prosecutor appointed by the Justice Department has the ability to actually prosecute people for violations of law. And they go on in tandem. One shouldnt step on the other. Theyre talking to each other right now. The fbi was with the Intelligence Committee to make sure no one is granted immunity. But its two separate issues. And we need a Special Prosecutor, chuck. We need somebody who is independent of the Justice Department to get to the bottom of this. And i just say one more thing. The silence of my republican colleagues on this issue is sort of deafening. This is not an issue of party. This is an issue of country. Foreign interference in the elections is a very, very serious, serious thing. And we should get to the bottom of it. Where is the howard baker of 2017 . We need one. One of your democratic colleagues, senator sheldon whitehouse, said why he is skeptical of a Special Counsel. Take a listen. If you look at the Special Counsel rule, you have to bring in somebody new, bring him in from outside the department. And they have the choice to make their own decision they want to start from fresh, perhaps. His concern is that everything starts over. Youre hitting a reset button and it sets the investigation back. Look, i have a i love sheldon whitehouse. I have a great deal of respect for him. Hes one of the great lawyers around. Theres many instances where a Special Prosecutor comes in. Theyre in charge, theyre the shield, so theres no outside interference or direction. But the same investigators who worked on this will continue to work on this. And thats how i imagine it will work. Lets remember, the Special Prosecutor has four abilities
that an internal person doesnt. He or she makes the decision. Daytoday, on who to subpoena. Who to examine, what questions to asked. Who outside interference. Second, can only be fired for cause. Third, has the ability, if theres interference, someones trying to thwart the investigation from up above, they can make sure that doesnt happen. And investigate that and, fourth, they have to report to congress. Theres a lot of advantages over a Special Prosecutor. And if you look at the department of justice guidelines, theres never a more important time, a more appropriate time for a Special Prosecutor than in this situation. Senator warner, who is the vice chair of the Intel Committee, conducting the investigation. He said, unless the Deputy Attorney general rosenstein appoints a Special Prosecutor, he thinks it will very difficult to get support for an fbi director. Do you plan on linking those two issues . Not trying to tell the democratic senators, withhold support until theres a Special Prosecutor named . Well, each democratic senator is going to make up his or her
own mind. But i think the two are very much related. If you have an independent Special Prosecutor, you really have the ability to get to the bottom of this. So, it matters in terms of who the fbi director is. You need both of them, really, to have a lot of courage, to resist any pushback, not to do the investigation. You need both to be very experienced. Thats important, as well. And i think both should be nonpartisan. Not from either political party. Those would be my criteria. But i think theyre linked because theyre involved in one of the most serious investigations weve seen in a very long time. There were eight candidates interviewed yesterday. Two have an electoral background. A Sitting Senator in john cornyn, a sitting member of congress. Some have a bipartisan background, like townsend, that served in the clinton and the bush administration. Anybody jump out as a favorite of yours . Someone you could see supporting . Ive made it a practice, chuck, of not commenting on nominees publicly. Lets see who they nominate. But as i said, certainly somebody not of a partisan background. Certainly somebody of great experience. And certainly somebody of courage. What did you make of the Merrick Garland suggestion . Im not going to comment on any of them. I like him as a justice, though. Hes very good on that d. C. Circuit. I dont know if he would want to leave. You think that was too cute at that point . No comment. No comment. All right. Im smiling. Senator Chuck Schumer, i will leave it there. Senate Democratic Leader. Thanks for coming on Meet The Press and sharing your views. When we come back, signs of a big white house shakeup. Yet more reporting this morning that President Trump may be prepared to do House Cleaning in one part of the west wing. As we go to break, heres a moment from President Trumps Commencement Address yesterday at Liberty University in lynchburg, virginia. Being an outsider is fine. Embrace the label because its
the outsiders who Change The World and who make a real and lasting difference. Welcome back, panelists another, eugene washington, our newly appointed white house contemporary, hallie jackson. Bbc world news anchor, katty kay and from the Washington Free beacon and late Breaking News, from founder of asios, he joins me. You will throw some more wood here on the fire. A whole shakeup you say is coming soon. Walk us through it. I think we will put up the four positions that could be on the firing line including the chief of staff. You talk to the same people we do. You have a president so frustrated hes getting nothing done, it has the coverage feels illserved by his staff. Hes been on the phone talking about getting rid of everyone from steve bannon to rinse priebus to his white house lawyer, don mcgann. Hes even frustrated with his cabinet officials talked about getting upstaged with top officials including his friend, wilbur ross. But the thing is hes just frustrated. The thing for the white house, hes the product and pitchman. Hes the producer, Firing The Stage hands denies a fundamental we know this happens a lot. Is this a timeline here . Something hes moving quickly or like comey, could happen in a day or month . We never know. We had this three weeks ago, we know he wants