Msnbc political analysts nick confessore. Republican strategist and msnbc political analysts susan del percio. Reverend al sharpton and president of the council on Foreign Relations and author of the book a world in disarray richard haass. And katty kay is with us along with represent communication strategist and msnbc political contributor rick tyler. So it may be a holiday week, but the news does not stop. Just consider all these new developments, newly released emails show that a request to withhold funds to the country of ukraine came less than two hours after President Trumps july perfect phone call with the ukrainian leader. That adds a new layer to Nancy Pelosis decision to withhold the articles of impeachment from the senate, perhaps new information could pour out. It seems to by the day. Plus, Pete Buttigieg has been taking plenty of heat from Elizabeth Warren, and now Bernie Sanders is piling on. What it says about the state of the race and just how far democrats are willing to go against each other or maybe against buttigieg before facing off with President Trump. The president , meanwhile, is focused on his democratic rivals, but also on a christian publication which urged its readers to take a hard look in the mirror when it comes to supporting the president. It was staggering news and it continues this morning. Well talk about that just ahead. But we begin with more on what Jonathan Swan was just reporting for axios in an exclusive interview. President trumps former National Security adviser john bolton is sounding the alarm on the administrations north korea policy. Bolton criticized his former employer telling axios, quote, the idea that were somehow exerting maximum pressure on north korea is just unfortunately not true and that the white house should take the, quote, unusual step of admitting that its policy failed. Boltons candid remarks come as north korea is threatening a, quote, Christmas Gift which could be the countrys first test of a longrange nuclear missile. According to the u. S. Air forces top general in the aisapacific region. President trump and north Korean Leader kim jongun have met three times since 2018 but have so far failed to reach a deal on the reclusive countrys nuclear program. Richard haass, it feels like the presss bluster is much like the big bad wolf. It hasnt worked and it sounds like john bolton is compelling him to say so. Why . Well krir, i cant speak for bolton. Its not that the u. S. Policy hasnt worked, mika, things have gotten progressively worse over the last three years. They have enough material for between 30 and 40 Nuclear Weapons. Theyve been regularly testing their shorter range missiles. The president says he doesnt care about it. Obviously japan and vae dsouth do. They have learned things that they can apply to their longer range systems which can reach us . Meanwhile, what are we doing . Were pick angie noing an enorm saying unless you five times pay the amount for what you pay for u. S. Force theres, were going to rethink the entire relationship. Plus weve canceled all sorts of exercises. Its not that this policy hasnt worked, we need a lot more than an apology. What we need say new policy. We need a new policy towards south korea and japan, a more supportive one, and also russia and china who are increasingly breaking the sanctions that be meant to pressure north korea. And katty kay, these meetings the president has had have been these Public Relations disasters with the, you know, american and north korean flags behind them and all this pomp and circumstance, and ultimately nothing. Perhaps a setback. In a way why not talk . But you have to get something if youre going to give north korea that kind of legitimacy. Kim jongun liked those photo ops he got with President Trump, the question is what did President Trump get in return . Weve had leaders in the past, i think kim jonguns father aulds alwa always wanting attention. Im wondering if this is what skun doing at the moment, ive got a Christmas Gift for you, everybodys preoccupied about impeachment, theyalk about me. Do you think it could be serious this time . Is this real bite behind this threat . If he follows through with it it could be an incremental increase in his missile capability. I dont think hell take the big step of resuming tests of Nuclear Weapons themselves. I think there would be an awful lot of bite and not just bark and that would put him much more on the defense because the chinese would not want that as well. My hunch is hes looking for something int mete mediaermedia well, perhaps bolton is trying to have him get in front of the narrative. Certainly kim jongun would take any opportunity to humiliate an american president. And trump has given him that platform. Well return to this, but weve got much more to get to. The christian magazine that called for President Trumps removal is defending its decision decisito speak out eve the president s evangelical supporters speak back if the was from crihristianity todd who called the president immoral. Im not really speaking politically, im making a political judgment about him because thats not our expertise at christianity today. Im making a morally jungment that judgement that hes morally unfit or its his public morality thats unfit. Anybody in leadership has none of us are perfect, were not looking for saints. We do have private sins, ongoing patterns of behavior that reveal themselves in our private life that were all trying to work upon. But a president has certain responsibilities as a public figure to display a certain level of public character and public morality. Well, now the president s the magazines president and ceo is speaking out in an editorial published yesterday, he writes this let me protect against two misunderstandings. The problem is not that we, as evangelicals are associated with trump, the Trump Administrations judicial appointments o its add video casesive life, family, and religious liberty. We are happy to celebrate the positive things the administration has accomplished. The problem is that we as evangelicals are also associated with President Trumps rampant immorality, greed, and corruption. His divisiveness and race baiting, his cruelty and hostility to immigrants and refugees and more. In other words, the problem is, the whole heartness of the embrace. It is one thing to praise his aco accomplishments. Its another to deny and excuse his misbehavior. They signed on to a letter to the magazines president that said your editorial questioned the spiritual integrity and christian witness of tens of millions of believers who take seriously their civic and moral obligations. It is up to us and those evangelicals like us to decide if we should subscribe to, advertise in and read your publication online and in print. But historically we have been your readers. The president attacked the magazine in a series of tweets on friday, one calling it a far left publication and vowing never to read it again. Another tweet reads, quote, i guess the magazine christianity today is looking for Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders or those of socialist communist bent to guard their position. How about sleepy joe . The fact is that no president has ever done what i have done for evangelicals or religion itself. Rick tyler and then reverend al, id love to hear your take on this. It seems, though, that supporters of christianity today and those who are writing in against it are deciding to take a very blind eye to what christianity today and the editor and chief is trying to say. They can support some things, but any cant, like, wholeheartedly embrace everything this president has done. Some of it which has been highly immoral. Why is that so hard to see . Well, good morning, mika. Thank trump for god. God wouldnt be able to get all these things done if it werent for trump and that seems to be the position he has fantaken. They have overturned the table on the money changers in the temple courts and theyve disrupted their business models. I know that hurts to hear for a lot of people, but a lot of this is about money because they raised money off of off the judge issue, off the life issue, and all those things could be great causes. But, you know, they want to have this issue and trump has given them judges. But what theyre saying is that the ends dont just fight means. And this president has demonstrated beyond doubt now, according to many people in chrissian knit christianity today that his character and moral behavior is not suited to be president. And the most important thing, i think, is that for christians when you uphold trump as some sort of pair goragon or virtue, know theyre not saying that, but theyre saying this is the person we want to uphold and keep as president because were getting the things that we want, it zrdestroys your witness. It tells people who are nonchristians, and nonchristians can be equally as moral as christians, that christianity is a farce, its not real, its not true and if they uphold trump and essentially endorse his behavior, because theres very little thats said about the things that trump says and does, take for instance the latest attack on the widow from michigan whose name escapes me at this very second. Debbie dingell. Ive heard very little outrage about that. And so christianity today is saying this person is morally unfit to serve and its not a political statement at all. Its a moral statement. And, reverend al, whats your take in this personality is youve got this one magazine thats really calling out evangelicals in a way that nobody else can. Which whiis saying who are you what is it you support . Why is it that they cant support the two things that the president has done for them and then wholeheartedly push away Everything Else that he stands for because it goes against what their core beliefs and core values are . We had the editor of christianity today on politics nation last night and he made it very clear, this is not a political position, its a moral one. And by raising it to that level and putting it in that perspective, he not only exposes the president , but he exposes a lot of the evangelical leaders saying i support the president on his judicial nominees. I support the president on a lot of things, which i dont, but he does. He says, but you cant get away from his immorality, you cant get away from his divisiveness, his lying, his race baiting. He laid it out. I think theres a scripture that said what profits a man to gain the world and lose his own soul, hes actually challenging them that are you bargaining and selling your soul for some judicial appointments and some other things that the right wants but youve given up the soul of the church . What do we stand for snand th . K i think its a devastating blow. This is a magazine that was founded by billy graham. They also supported the impeachment of Richard Nixon and bill clinton. So why all of a sudden is it so controversial with these leaders that they would come for the impeachment of donald trump when they did it to bill clinton, evangelical werent insulted. When they did it to Richard Nixon they werent. The reason theyre so offended is its exposing all of them that they would take the shameless con man over the principles that theyre preaching in the holy season as we celebrate jesus, they would sell jesus out if they felt they could get something from it is the inference hes saying from his editorial. And thats sad on many levels. But what is he giving them that is what am i missing, susan del percio . What is he giving them that would be worth even an attempt at selling their souls and selling everything they stand for . What . Is it money . Is it access . I mean, i do remember looking at some christian broadcasts where they keep talking about going to the white house and different anchors having access. Is it access . What is it that is so consuming . What is it that is so desiring to them that they would throw away everything they stand for . Throw away their morals . Because they had someone in the white house that they believe Will Champion their cause. The problem, of course, is that donald trump has no core values so he just listens to what other people has to say, hes not going on what he believes is right because he doesnt know whats right or wrong, he just goes to where he thinks the votes are. And its always been that way with donald trump. If hes on the fly, he has a 50 50 shot of trying to make someone happy and say the right thing. And its very important when you look at that editorial, these were not personal failures of the president that they were judging morality on. These were his failures as president on immigration, on children in cages, on race baiting. These are the Core Principles and when the impeachment specifically, not supporting the constitution, in fact, going against it. So its also important to recognize this was not on his personal side, but rather on what he has done as president. Nick confessore, ill just take the president s comment and turn it into a question. Is there a is there a viable option on the democratic side for an evangelical whos becoming sick of trump and is looking for alternative . Certainly. You know, think theres a bunch of candidates on the left who could some of these voters. Its obvious this was a core constituency for the president. Its people who are going to be strongly with him in 2020, you know. But there are some voters there who might take heart from this piece of writing and say, look, perhaps this guy is right and i should reconsider support of the president and consider if he is truly in accordance with the values that i profess as a christian. So its possible. Its possible. Still ahead on morning joe, President Trump has a lot happening on capitol hill. He is set to deliver the state of the union early next year, just as senators could be weighing impeachment. Well talk about that dynamic just ahead. Youre watching morning joe. Well be right back. Youre watching morning joe. Well be right back. 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Happy veterans day. Happy veterans day. Happy veterans day. Student veterans of america champions those who have served and also prepares them for their next chapter in life. Please take a moment this this veterans day to remember service members, who put their education and careers onhold to give back to all of us. We thank you. Feliz dia de servicio. Happy veterans day. Happy veterans day. Please visit studentveterans. Org were going to get to the part of the story where President Trump retweeted Vladimir Putin supporting himself and just think about that for a second. Frightening on many levels, but lets give you some context. Democrats are using newly released emails about the halt of military aid to ukraine into calling witnesses at the senate trial. The emails show that on july 25th, 90 minutes after the president s controversial phone call with the president of ukraine, the white house fired off an email to the pentagon to hold off on releasing the aid. The white house also wanted to keep it quiet with budget official mike duffy writing, quote, given the sensitive nature of the request, i appreciate your keeping that information closely held to those who need to know to execute the direction. Duffy is one of the white house officials who refused to comply with house subpoenas to testify in the impeachment inquiry. Now democrats are hoping the emails will help bolster their case in the standoff with Mitch Mcconnell. This email is explosive. A Top Administration official, one that we requested, is saying stop the aid night 1 minutes after trump called zelensky and said keep it hush hush. What more do you need to request a witness . As for the email about the ukraine aid, the White House Budget Office released a statement claiming, quote, it is reckless to tie the hold of funds to the phone call. As has been established and publicly reported, the hold was announced in an interagency meeting on july 18th to pull a line out of one email and failed to address the context is misleding and inaccurate. But nick confessore, what the democrats want to do is provide context. What theyre hoping is that Mitch Mcconnell will help them to do that by allowing witnesses at a senate trial and while this might be explosive and another key piece of information that really lead up to laying out the clear steps toward a crime being ch committed, what would it take . Is this the kind of thing, piece of information that would compel Mitch Mcconnell to change his position . Its fascinating. The argument from the white house and the president s defenders are the democrats and the media are miscontextualizing and misleading and dont have the full story and yet at the same time theyve run a blockade against having witnesses and emails. And i believe this email was gotten in a lawsuit