Republican race who just might have the best shot at winning the nomination. Im chuck todd. Joining me to provide insight and analysis this sunday morning are, Arthur Brooks of the American Enterprise institute. Pulitzer prize winning historian, doris kernsgood within. Welcome to sunday. Its meet the press. Good sunday morning. Anyone who thought donald trump might tone down his rhetoric was disabused of that notion yesterday. Yesterday trump made clear his goal is to promote what is the new silent majority. Yes, he used the phrase and he took aim at the other candidates for president. Hard. I hear like donald trump doesnt deserve to be on the same stage with some failed senator, or failed governor or something. It is sort of amazing, isnt it . The scene at phoenix turned rowdy at one point when protesters tried to disrupt trumps speech and wound up clashing with his supporters. Well get to a lot of the trump stuff in a few moments, including the donald trump you may not recognize. The one who was prochoice, prohillary and proobama. But first, trumps rally presents a stark contrast to what could have been a weekend when the Republican Party celebrated making inroads with another Minority Group africanamericans. My first guest, governor nicky haylie nikki haley was instrumental in removing the flag. Governor haley, welcome to meet the press. Good morning, chuck. Thank you for having me. Governor, what did friday mean . Is it a symbolic end of this what we described as sort of the symbolic end of using the battle flag to protest the civil rights era, or is it Something Else . You know i think it meant a lot of things to a lot of different people. What i can tell you is that it felt like a massive weight had been lifted off South Carolina. We can truly say it is a new day in South Carolina. What did it mean to you . It was emotional. I think that it was hard for me to look at that flag coming down and not think about the emanuel nine, not think about those nine people who took in someone that didnt look like them didnt sound like them and accepted him and prayed with him for an hour. It is hard for us to not think about those nine people. It reminded me of how much South Carolina has moved forward. The way that we didnt have any protests. We had vigils. We didnt have people getting out of harndfof hand. We had hugs. It was just a real proud moment for South Carolina. This was a fascinating moment to watch for someone like me whos covered president ial politics for a couple of decades. Thought this was intractable. To watch you and senator scott and Lindsey Graham sort of linked arms and you sort of dared the legislature to not do this. And when you challenged them to do it. What do you take away from this in pushing an agenda Going Forward that is perhaps dealing with educational standards that are different for whites and blacks in South Carolina . We actually started doing this a couple of years ago because i so wanted to make sure we were lifting up everyone. So we changed the way we funded education. We now give more money for areas of poverty. We now have reading coaches. We now have technology for those areas of School Districts that cant afford it. We were the first state in the country that had a body camera built. Weve already been moving in this direction so this was like a nice move forward to say were not that state that everybody thinks we are. We actually are a state where we love our god, we love our country, we love our state, but we love each other. You know, one of the issues of Clementa Pinckney was the Voting Rights laws. Thats been a big controversy with a lot of africanamericans particularly and with a lot of republican governors. Do you see theish issue differently now . Do you understand the what some africanamericans believe these voting voter i. D. Laws end up being a way to single them out or disenfranchise them . You know the flag coming down was a moment that i felt like needed to happen. That doesnt mean that i philosophically change the way i think about other things. Ive never seen the voter i. D. As a racial issue. For whites, for blacks, for asians, for anyone. What i see is it is an issue you where people prove who you are. I think thats important to our democracy and important to america. Having to show a picture i. D. When you get on a plane or show a picture i. D. When you buy sudafed, you should absolutely provide a photo i. D. For anyone to vote. We think thats an important part to the process. Want to go a little bit to the investigation of the shooter. We found out that the fbi background check essentially didnt work because some the arrest records of dylann roof didnt get into the system in time. When they gotten in may he wouldnt have been able to purchase the gun that he did purchase. When you look at background check laws i know this is as much about a federal issue as it is a state issue and you see this disparity that perhaps more time was going to be needed for Law Enforcement to get the record into the system. Do you think the background check system should be expanded instead of a threeday period . Maybe longer . Well first of all, whether we got the call from the fbi telling us what had happened i was literally sick to my stomach. You know we expect when the feds say theyre going to do something, we take them at their word that it is going to get done. The fact that it didnt get done is terrible and its one more thing that these families are going to have to go through that they dont deserve to have to go through. I think we need to look at the fact that its not about time. Its about technology. This is something when someone has a charge filed against them, it should go into a database and it should be shown immediately to anyone thats looking at it. So i would be more interested in what went wrong, what sort of why are they dealing with paperwork and not dealing with technology that they wouldnt have had this to start with. You think it is the feds and not necessarily local . Not necessarily lexington county or anybody else . We were told when the fbi called us that it was an fbi issue, that it was not a state issue. I got to ask you, youre the daughter of two immigrants. What do you make of Donald Trumps a rethetoric . I understand the frustration that he has about illegal immigration a lot of people have. The difference is we need to be very conscious of our tone we need to be very conscious of how we communicate. There are a lot of legal immigrants that have made this country the place it is today. We need to make sure that were always communicating in a way thats got respect and dignity and thats what so much was about with South Carolina, was when you saw all of this happen, people respected each other, they may have disagreed but they respected each other. That tone is important for the country. So its okay to be frustrated. Its not okay to have a harsh tone in the way that you communicate that because it hurts people and its just not necessary. You think donald trump is fit to be president . I think thats going to remain to be seen. I think weve got 16 candidates. Im looking forward to debates. Im looking forward to a lot of things but i will tell you tone and communication is one of the things that everybodys looking for. We want someone that brings people together. We want someone that understands that what unites us is a lot more than what divides us. Thats going to be something that i think the entire country is going to be looking at, is how someone communicates the tone and are you bringing more people in as opposed to excluding people out. Lot of people are speculating that your National Star is rising, that we may see your name on a National Ticket either next year or down the road. What do you make of the extra political attention youve been getting . Its painful. Because nine people died. Nine people died in charleston. And what we have been dealing with is nine funerals and people like cynthia hurd who said her life motto was to be kinder than necessary. Tywanza sanders, 26 years old, our youngest victim, as he stood in front of the murderer he stood in front ever his aunt and said we want no harm. Thats what im talking about the emanuel nine changed this country. What a wonderful way to end. Governor haley thanks for answering the question that way. I appreciate it. Thanks for coming on. Let me bring in the panel. Arthur brooks, one of the most influential conservative think tank leaders in washington. Pulitzer prize winning historian, doris kernsgood win. Maria hinojosa. Doris youre americas historian on this one. I still friday i still cant get over it. I did not think wed see this day in mypy lifetime. You were mentioning that youve been covering these be issues for a couple decades. For me it is half a century since lbj signed the Civil Rights Act the Voting Rights act, the flag goes up in part to the opposition of the Civil Rights Movement and desegregation. Now that the south itself has taken the leadership role lbj predicted, republicans will be there for a generation. Democrats have lost. The country hasnt lost if republicans in the south start taking a leadership in this role. I found it an extraordinary emotional moment. I think that if they can say to themselves we want to heal this country they lost the war. It is good they lost the war. If they hadnt lost the war we have had a split country. We wouldnt have been able to fight hitler. We might not have been able to fight the cold war. It is a great thing for the country that theyve taken the leadership. Arthur brooks, you have a new book conservative at heart. Youre a guy whos been trying to soften the image of the Republican Party. You believe it is a huge issue and i just see the contrast. Governor haley just now. Donald trump, what i just i mean could you get more stark contrast than those two when it comes to talking about america . Look. Nikki haley is the future of the Republican Party. It is a new day in american politics politics. A new right is moving. Nikki haley, the daughter of immigrants bans together with a republican conservative senator . They both take down the confederate battle flag tocchet, to the cheers of South Carolina citizens . This is the trend. Republican candidates not paying attention to donald trump need to stay the course toward a humanistic kind of movement thats based on compassion based on inclusiveness and this is the future. Maria, it is a symbol. I guess the question is whats next . Well im kind of stuck in the fact that Governor Haley in this amazing moment didnt actually say i abhor what donald trump has said. She didnt actually say this is unacceptable. Shes not alone in Republican Leaders. Correct. So when i see this amazing moment in South Carolina, its kind of like well which party is it . And, frankly, is it the party that says were choosing the future, we get it, we get we accept change were good or donald trump. And for people out there, it is very confusing. I also want to tell you my driver today, who brought me here, pakistaniamerican citizen. He said when i hear donald trump, hes talking about me. And hes pakistaniamerican. Nikki haley could have gone one step further, like the Republican Party, like the democratic party. People talk about a Republican Party in decline. I dont necessarily see it that way. I think it is a Republican Party in transition as arthur was saying. I think donald trump in a sense does them a favor. Right . I think you can look at it as doing republicans a favor, hes stavg staking out an older phasing divisive position and giving the new generation of republicans a chance to step forward and say, no we want a different party. Im priced more republicans arent taking that stance in a more public way. I think thats going to change in the next week or two. Would anybody here be surprised if nikki haley is on the ticket in 16 . Without question. Shes a woman. She handled this gracefully. She can speak so well as you can see. When the meet a moment, the moment hits you it is how you handle the moment you dont expect. Few people are given that chance. When they handle a moment like that dramatically and well they plop into the spotlight. Thats a very gracious way of saying it. She struggled the first couple years as governor. Then sort of and came to power, remember it would have been impossible for a woman of south asian decent to come to power in South Carolina with this very powerful, conservative movement. Her transition her journey not that shes changed so dramatically but her journey is the journey of this party thats experiencing a transformational change. Sort of get rid of the tea party label. But the question is, it is one thing to take down the visible scar of the flag or coloredonly signs, but Voting Rights, as you brought up real discrimination thats still going on against blacks in the south. Those are the substantive issues. Can we also not forget the south is no ng lolonger white and black. The most intense demographic change and multicultural change is actually happening in the american south. So it isnt just what is happening with africanamericans and whites. Its whats happening with the new immigrants, whats happening with latinos, how are they going to be brought in. As a latina, i care about the lowering of the confederate flag. We all do. So that is the new south. It is no longer a dynamic of black and white. Thats all. I mean, look. Her instinct is the important thing to keep in mind. When her instinct is, when something bad like this happens you mentioned this before to take down the confederate battle flag and talk about how south carolinians can come together in love for each other, notwithstanding what their background is thats a new movement. Well pause there. I promise we have more to say about donald trump. When we come back, donald trump in his own words. That was then. Hillary clinton i think is a terrific many would. This is now. I think hillary would be a terrible president. The changing views of donald trump and why he makes republ [ male announcer ] ours was the first modern airliner, revolutionary by every standard. And that became our passion. To always build Something Better airplanes that fly cleaner and farther on less fuel. That redefine comfort and connect the world like never before. After all, you cant turn dreams into airplanes unless your passion for innovation is nonstop. When you dont get enough sleep. And your body aches. Youre not yourself. Tylenol® pm relieves pain and helps you fall fast asleep and stay asleep. We give you a better night. Youre a better you all day. Tylenol®. We are back. To say the field for the gop president ial nomination is a little crowded would be quite the understatement. But one candidate whos having no problem making himself heard is donald trump. Hes focusing on one major issue immigration. His hardline views on illegal immigrants, particularly those from mexico, is creating a problem for the rest of the gop field with a party that needs to secure more of the latino vote than mitt romney did if they want to win the white house. Party chairman Reince Priebus called on trump yesterday calling on trump to tone down the rhetoric. Didnt seem to work. It seems clear when it comes to immigration and the others in the race, trump has no intention of pulling any punches. In a 70minute monologue last night, trump took on macys, nas nascar, nba jeb bush caroline kennedy. Yes, caroline kennedy. So i had an idea. I think its good. Every time mexico really intelligently sends people over we charge mexico 100,000 for every person they send over. Boo usa usa i wonder if the Mexican Government sent them over here. I think so. Im tied with jeb bush. I said thats too bad. How can i be tied with this guy . Hes terrible. Hes terrible. I hire lobbyists. I have lobbyists all over the place. Theyre great. I want this go do that. I know the system better than anybody. Im a donor. Someone said you gave to the democrats. Of course. I give to everybody i want to go everything done Everybody Loves me. Oshgkay. One of the reasons trump is breaking through this year is because people feel they know where he stands but do they . Weve looked at his positions through the years and it would be fair to say hes evolved quite a few times, on some key issues, interest. Health care to abortion to his feelings about the top democrat in the 2016 field. I think hillary would be a terrible president. She was the secretary of state in the history of our nation. Why would she be a good president . Hillary clinton i think is a terrific woman. Im a little biased becausive a he known her for years. You support her . I dont want to get into this because ill get myself into trouble. Thats why i asked you. I know. I just like her. I like her around i like her husband. Some people would say hes incompetent. I would not say that. Yeah yes, i would. I think Tim Geithners done a good job. I think that the whole group has really done a good job. When you look at whats happening. At least we have an economy. You wouldnt have had an economy had they not come up with some very drastic steps two years ago. Im almost more disappointed with the republicans. They have to toughen up on obamacare which is a total lie and which is a total and complete disaster. Health care. Liberal on health care. We have to take care of people that are sick. Universal Health Coverage . I like universal. We have to take care. Theres nothing else. Whats the country all about if were not going to take care of our sick . Let me tell you everybody wants to pay as little as possible includin