Here in washington. Guess what . The next crisis is likely going to be bigger, longer, and im possible to control. The president s long time lawyer and fixer has agreed to temperature publicly. Democrats are going to have to draez kashlly with this one. While he admitted to lying about some matters, were going to talk to a top democrat in just a few minutes to find out the scope, what can they talk to him about and what cant that. But speaking of muellers report, cullins testimony will be a amtizer to the anvil that is about to drop on this. They say that the president is in the bottom of the ninth inning and that report could land on his desk in late february or early march. An Emergency Declaration is not are really an option. The president may want the shut down crisis to stick around for awhile. Not to say it is a distraction to have this government shut down. Today he was a the border for what he said was a photoop. One that his Communications Team he says pushed him to do. Lets not lose tigsight of what happening right now. Joining me now from the white house, nbc chief correspondent, jason johnson, and matthew, editor and chief at the Washington Free boeacon. Let me start quickly with cohen. Is this the chaotic nature of the west wing. Any time you have him coming out to speak publicly, that is a mark of what we could hear. This will be a televised hearing. This is, were tolding with on camera, live, like you have seen them before. It will not be new to Robert Mueller or federal prosecutors, right . It is about what he might be prepared to say. The president was asked about this today, he was at the border and doing that trip, Phillip Rucker and he said are you worried about what michael ko pen is going to say . Mr. President , Michael Cohen has just agreed to testify before the House Democrats next month, what do you think about that are you worried . No, im not worried about it at all, no. A typical response there, very quickly before i let you go, Lindsey Graham just tweeted, time for the president to use the emergency powers, he just tweeted that he has given up, is that what the white house is working on right now . Is this a question of when they attempt to issue this emergency order, not if . I dont know if i would go quite that far, chuck, but i had a conversation today talking about how there is preparation happying in the White House Councils office to play the ground work. It seems like one of the very few ways out of this for President Trump. As we are talking about this were learning many from our colleges about how he plans to do this. California and puerto rico, and it will not sit well with people. Go ahead and finish your thought. It is not something that the president is an opportunity where he could have done this today. He didnt do it, but that was a realm of possibility. I would not even bring it up normally, but he is preparing for the shutdown to last two more weeks. I know you have some nightly to prepare for there, thanks very much, susan page, you have the president sitting here with this crisis, a shut down that will bump into it is one of those things where they would have to vote again. And then the muller report, why do i think in ten minutes he will miss this crisis . These are all tied together. Democrats take over the house. That is part of the failure to get a deal to reopen the government. There is a long standing failure. It is part of the reason that cohen is coming to testify in public in front of tv cameras about some of the most perilous accusations. I think it is one they did not understand until it started. I dont think they understand where when dcs won the midterms and took the house back, how much difference it would make. It is also the same world of crisis. Sure we have him coming to testify before the house. We have comeys testimony as well. It started when they continued to control the senate, so there is some change, but overall it is a very tumultous message. You would think they would know how to set up the messages better. We knew the speech from, we knew that muellers final report would be coming faster rather than slower. Theyre constantly caught flat footed. He cant talk himself out of this one. Let me go quickly to capitol hill, garrett, you have been talking to a bunch of senators today. They have stuck by him for now. I think theyre praying he does this emergency thing even though theyre not sure it is legal or works, but they want to just desperately reopen the government. Does the Michael Cohen news create more urgency to end the crisis . I think it might, i tweeted it is a high fast ball. It shakes things up and while the shut down has been the dominant story in the last couple weeks, it wont always be that way, and it wont stop the work of these committees particularly on the house side from plowing ahead. There is no flashi isplashier w. And to have him live talking to people all across the country, it unsettles the game if it doesnt change it. To your point about the National Emergency, that is definitely the take away that i have gotten today. So many Lawmakers Said i dont know if he should, i dont know if it is the best course of action, or if it is league, but it looks like the last remaining action. It seemed to die a very inglorious death today. It is hard to see how anything else will move the ball. Even if he calls is, the amount of time that it will be caught up legally, that all of the corruption and stuff has to be implemented, i dont think this president or his administration realized you opened up two years of law and order. Maybe that is exactly what they want . Dont they want the issue . Theyre saying im trying, the courts are fighting me. He can do that, but how does that expang your base. Are you trying to use lodge snick when has he ever tried to expand his base. When youre trying to run for president and you have the weak fundamentals you have to think more strategically. The president is playing base mobilization politics. I think he is also betting that the democrats will as well. So in a way, i think he sees this as a political advantage for him. I do think that people are leaping to the conclusion that this Emergency Declaration is eminei immine imminent. I think the president believes that the longer it lasts the longer his power lasts over the democrats. We had a few democrats today, it was from about gail, from other places, but boy, do you think where are there more cracks on the republican side or the democratic side . I heard this before, the white house was saying that things would change when they locked up the speaker position is. She has been speaker for a week and that has not changed the dynamics at all. In each bill, democrats added to the number of republicans crossing over there vote with them, so for far the democrats have held together better so far. Susan, it does feel like if the political presumption is on the right if you cave youre with pelosi, and on the left you cave youre with trump, we may never be ending this. And declaring a state of emergency does not reopen the government. Talking about republican gaps that we have talked about for two years, in this fight the only republican that matters is Mitch Mcconnell. What matters is will Mitch Mcconnell do anything that pressures donald trump to do something he doesnt want to do, so far that answer has been no. Im looking closer at senator joanie ernst, she is in leadership and in cycle. When you look at the senators who voiced their desire for the government to reopen, they tend to come from bluish or swing states. And as we get closer to the people at risk, she is right there. Guess what, though, Mitch Mcconnell is saying that, unless mitch can find a way to sell this, were not going to seize the see these changes. A lot of these states the federal government is your biggest employer. In montana the department of deterior office, texas as the second largest number of federal employees. Youre going to see people privately say or way to to get it through look, you have to save us here, and he will be responsible for explaining it to trump. Susan, is the government open by the time Michael Cohen testifies . I would say yes, because how could it not be . Famous last words, garrett, see if you can find more senators to talk to you. Panel, you guys are sticking around, what is the scope of what they can ask or cant ask them. Ly talk to someone who gets to ask them questions, right after this. Gets to ask them questions, right after this hings can be a big deal. Thats why theres otezla. Otezla is not an injection or a cream. Its a pill that treats differently. For psoriasis, 75 clearer skin is achievable, with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. For psoriatic arthritis, otezla is proven to reduce joint swelling, tenderness, and pain. And the otezla prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. Dont use if youre allergic to otezla. It may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. Tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts, or if these feelings develop. Some people taking otezla reported weight loss. Your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. Upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur. Tell your doctor about your medicines and if youre pregnant or planning to be. Otezla. Show more of you. I am a techie dad. N. I believe the best technology should feel effortless. Like magic. At comcast, its my job to develop, apps and tools that simplify your experience. My name is mike, im in Product Development at comcast. Were working to make things simple, easy and awesome. But prevagen helps your brain with an ingredient originally discovered. In jellyfish. In clinical trials, prevagen has been shown to improve shortterm memory. Prevagen. Healthier brain. Better life. Every day, visionaries are creating the future. So, every day, we put our latest technology and vast expertise to work. the United StatesPostal Service makes more ecommerce deliveries to homes than anyone else in the country. Tailored recommendations, taxefficient investing strategies, and a dedicated advisor to help you grow and protect your wealth. Fidelity wealth management. Welcome back, as we said earlier, President Trumps former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, is set to testify on february 7th. The first big sign that it is the democrats taking over the house. Joining me now is jerry connolly. And i have a lot to talk to you about, lets start with mr. Cohen. Explain to me the scope of this testimony, you invited him, why . I think nobody heard mr. Cohens story in full, under oath, in public, and i think for the public to get context, they should hear him personally. I think the time has come to hear that narrative. Did you work in coordination with the special Councils Office about scope . It is my understanding that the committee is and was working with the special council to make sure that were not falling into a trap and we will respect those rules of the road, and we are working with the committee to make sure their jurisdiction is respected, and perhaps closed briefings they may want to have with mr. Cohen are not also compromised by the public testimony, or public questioning of mr. Cohen. Is it possible that this is a long week for mr. Cohen, so he might do you guys in public and then go to intell, and then judiciary, or is this just your ask for now. We dont really know the answer to that right now, chuck. Right now it is just our ask, but i think she on notice that those academies have an interest as well. Obviously there are things that mueller is not going to be able to answer. There may still be investigations. How many u how much do you think that will limit the publics ability to understand what happened. I dont know the answer to that in advance, but i think there is plenty on the public record, explicit and implied in this sentencing documents before federal court with mr. Cohen that he can fill in a lot of bran blanks and i think the public will get a full story. I know i have a few questions in my head, what are the first thing youre going to get them, get this time, and youre thinking can you fill on the gab on x, where is your head . I think one of the first things i would want to do is tell us your role. He was the intimate fixer for the head of the enterprise who is now the president of the United States. He is now the keeper of secrets. The good, bad, and ubly. So we want to make sure the false narrative that occurred when he flipped from being willing to take a built for this president , to being a scooptive witness, we want to make sure the discredidation is that wul all understand how credible he is in terms of the knowledge he was privy too. Tell me about your ten year working with donald trump, is there a time limit, could this go on four, five, or six hours, or is it a smaller time frame . Im unaware of a time frame, chuck. We want to give mr. Cohen ample time to tell his story and respond to queries and i think that will take some time. How quickly are you guys to going to calling other related witnesses to the things that cohen testifies to . Is this just a one off or is this r part of a larger probe that oversight will lead here and what does that look like . I think it is be part of what he says. There may be thinks that have to be referred to other committees, it may be other things that we want to follow up with. And we have to coordinate all of that with the special prosecutors so were not compromising his ongoing criminal investigation. So i think that is yet to be determined. A lot of it determined by the testimony itself that we hear on the 2nd of february. You represent fairfax county. Im not going to say you have the most government workers, but youre one of the top five. At this point would federal workers be relieved if the president just declared that National Emergency and just this fight was punted and the government was reopened. I think so, let me say i want to stipulate they, the feed back that we get they deeply resent the fact that he is using them as pawns for his political promise to build a wall. They deeply resent that. They understand that they probably could go back to work if someone simply caved and sid build a wall. They will welcome that solution because it allows us to that would probably be a last resort. One of your new colleagues in the virginia caucus, who represents a district that President Trump carried, and you know she seemed to express limits of patience here. At what point do you feel as if that no matter what you believe the president s taking hostages, he is throwing a temper tantrum, he doesnt deserve meeting you guys anywhere, at what point do you feel you a responsibility to help the federal workers. Listen, i have been representing federal workers for ten years i have been here in congress, that is a responsibility i take very seriously and certainly during this kind of shut down, i get up in the morning and go to bed late thinking about their plight, and i have been a strong advocate for them, but i think federal employees also understand that were dealing with a president who, to call him volatile and unpredictable is a chartable thing, and they understand the handicap theyre dealing with. It has been going on for the last eight years with the republican rule. In terms of the disparagement. I understand that, but there is a point that they can be frustrat frustrated. There is pretty strong assura e assurances that there will be ret retroactive pay. And it is the indignity, the stress, the cash flow at the moment. It is the issue for federal workers. Terry connolly, busy day, thank you for coming out and sharing your views. Up ahead, the probing questions of the Mueller Report, when will it be over . Maybe sooner than you think, when will we see the results . That might take awhile. Results that might take awhile [beep] 3 plan, insured by Unitedhealthcare Insurance Company. Heres why. Medicare part b doesnt pay for everything. Only about 80 of your medical costs. This part is up to you. Yeah, everyones a little surprised to learn that one. A Medicare Supplement plan helps pay for some of what medicare doesnt. That could help cut down on those outofyourpocket medical costs. Call Unitedhealthcare Insurance Company now or visit aarpmedicaresupplement. Com for your free decision guide about the only Medicare Supplement plans endorsed by aarp. Selected for meeting their high standards of quality and service. This type of plan lets you say yes to any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. There are no networks or referrals to worry about. Do you accept medicare patients . I sure do see . Youre able to stick with him. Like to travel . This kind of plan goes with you anywhere you travel in the country. So go ahead, spend winter somewhere warm. If youre turning 65 soon or over 65 and planning to retire, find out more about the plans that live up to their name. Thumbs up to that remember, the time to prepare is before you go on medicare dont wait. Get started today. To learn more about the range of aarp Medicare Supplement plans and their rates, call or go online today to request your free decision guide. Oh, and happy birthday. Or retirement. In advance. Welcome back, tonight im on ste obsessed with what some people believe about what other people believe. Meet this doctor who is a trama surgeon in texas. He is the vice chair of the Tarrant CountyRepublican Party. He is also muslim. It is not something i would normally report, but i have to in this case because it matters. A group of republicans are trying to get him removed as vice chair because of his religion. Because he is muslim. They claim that he supports sharian law. We do