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actually not being all that unpopular. there is a reason that senator joe donnelly in indiana is running his entire campaign on build the wall. there is a reason that claire mchaskell, democrat senator from missouri is running her campaign now partly praising president trump for bringing up these issues around border security. the reason they're doing it is because they know voters in their states actually prefer some of the border security policy that is the president talks about. now, that's not to excuse extreme rhetoric. on a policy basis, democrats know in middle america where a lot of these senate races are taking place that if they don't, you know, try to acknowledge the problems with border security, they're going to lose a lot of conservative democrats and a lot of independent voters. it's not just the president talking about these things. it's democrats talking about them as well. >> all right, thank you all. really appreciate the conversation. immigrants around the only boogie man, so to speak, the president is warning voters about. nancy pelosi is also on that
last few days. both of us agree that the president has the ability to make certain strikes. president obama carried on for months activities against libya that i disagreed with on a policy basis, but he had that authority to do so. at least, he claimed he did. so look, i think this is a subject of debate, and i think it's creative of our wrns to not try to an loois the very details of this. i thank you for your conversation. thank you for your service to the nation. thanks for coming by and visiting with me, taking the time to discuss the critical issues of national security. >> we're going to take another very, very two-minute break. we'll be right back with our
american people. ma from the mailroom, to the sernt floor and all points in between. and all of our missions abroad. our locally appointed staff and our efms, eligible family members, to our investors in our chief mission. everyone is important in the state department. in terms of the transition, i conducted all the policy decks that were developed by you and your colleagues. they were first the basis of discussion at the national security counsel, and ultimately with the president. these decks of which i counted 13 since february 1st of 2017 provide not only the policy basis but the strategies and tactics which guide the department's execution against
president obama should have done it a long time ago and president trump should do it similarly very quickly. let them know we'll either retaliate in kind or levy economic sanctions or do more of the sort of individual sanctions that the president announced last week. but this is absolutely critical, in addition to spending a lot of money, and time and effort hardening our own system so we can't be held at risk. >> and just a few seconds left but the administration has acted. we can say that. the president though is still perceived as slow to act against russia. what message do you think that sends? >> well there is two things here. on a policy basis, i think he's been tough on russia. did he okay the sale of anti--tank to the ukraine administration but the posture and the phone, i think he needs
and he's right. this is his job. he's been elected united states senator and it is his job to go and talk to his constituents, all of whom those people were. having said that, he also was in a position where the whole room was against him. i mean, let's be honest. most of the room was against him. they want to see changes that go far beyond what he wants to do, what he is willing to do, what he believes he should do. >> that's 100% true. i've heard the school -- these were his constituents who have been been there no matter what. they also could have held town halls in more favorable parts of the state. while he definitely shifted on two things, he stood his ground on other things. i think it's important to understand -- like mike was talking about, if you want a realistic conversation about how things could actually move forward on a policy basis, then you need to understand where people actually stand on things, not just pander because of the
you know, he faced a lot of tough issues. in my view, he woke up every morning focused on what was best for the country. >> do you understand bannon's beef? >> well, you know, i suppose on a policy basis he thought he should have been tougher on immigration, as an example. instead george bush tried to figure out how do you come up with a consensus on immigration and so he did propose immigration reform. i think that's needed in this country. i think most americans do too. >> i want to move to tax reform here a little bit. this is going to be a big part of it. one of the initial votes you made and republicans made in general was essentially allowing for more deficit spending, if necessary, to grow the debt. you were concerned about the debt when barack obama was president. let me play some clips. >> the american people are rightly frustrated by the fact that we have the biggest deficit in the history of our country and the biggest debt ever. >> debt and deficit will end up in a fiscal crisis and an economic crisis. >> it's a question as to whether we're going to just sort of turn our heads and allow this to
unprecedented ways. and that's why, bottom line, lawrence, this is the reason why this week we'll celebrate the nine-month mark of trump's presidency. handy is the first president ever to go nine months without a single major bill passing the congress. nine months, 0 for nine months. that's because of how donald trump is handling all these relations with congress. >> let's listen to bob corker today in his way trying to explain to the president that these senators are all elected. they're elected in their own right. and bob corker didn't get there with any help from donald trump. and donald trump can expect bob corker to continue to speak his mind. let's listen to this. >> last week was obviously provide a lot of entertainment for all of you. but i'm back up here this week. i've got issues to deal with iran and issues to deal with north korea. and then we have the budget issue, which prepares us for tax reform. so i'm up here on a policy basis. you know, i'm not here leading
mind. let's listen to this. >> last week was obviously provide a lot of entertainment for all of you. but i'm back up here this week. i've got issues to deal with iran and issues to deal with north korea. and then we have the budget issue, which prepares us for tax reform. so i'm up here on a policy basis. you know, i'm not here leading some group to do certain things. i'm one senator. each of us has an election certificate, and i speak my mind, and i'll continue to. >> norm, i've never heard an answer like that because it's kind of like explaining how -- a senator explaining how i got here to an elementary school student. >> you know, when it comes to understanding anything about government, i would say that even elementary school students do better than donald trump does. but, you know, it's just bizarre, lawrence, to be talking
about where it should go. with me to discuss cnn political commentator scott jennings, also a former special assistant to president george w. bush. also with us, washington bureau chief for chicago sun-times lynn sweet and patrick healy who is also an editor at "the new york times." ladies first. do you see this as shots fired at the trump white house and the direction bannon may be taking to take breitbart? >> absolutely. he's going to take breitbart up into another level of intense commentary on president trump, but the reason the white house is divided is because the president doesn't give the direction and doesn't have an ideological, theoretical, substantive policy basis right now on where and how he wants to steer our great ship of america. that's the issue, but breitbart, especially with the -- especially with bannon now back ahead breitbart can exploit this indecision and it will have an
significantly. based on what he said if he is doing this now? >> as one of the panelists brought up, i think he can personally believe that i personally agree with him. i do not mind in caitlyn jenner uses the same rest room as me. as a policy basis, deference to the states is a core key component to conservative ideology, and having states decide this, paul, i would pointed out to you that the discrimination laws that protect transgender individuals are still in place. donald trump wants to protect these individuals. however, the reason conservatives -- i do think there's a viable argument. not that transgender -- this can be utilized by some men, for instance, to go into female bathrooms. it's happened at target that has the same from policy in place. men taking advantage of the policy. not transgender individuals. straight men coming in and really, you know, being a predator against women.