>>> SHOULD DEMOCRATS IMPEACH? LET’S PLAY "HARDBALL."
>> GOOD EVENING.
I’M CHRIS MATTHEWS IN
WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, NANCY
PELOSI DREW A CLEAR LINE MANY
THE SAND FOR HER PARTY AND THE
COUNTRY WHEN ASKED ABOUT
IMPEACHING PRESIDENT TRUMP.
IN A WIDE RANGERING INTERVIEW, S
SAID I’M NOT FOR IMPEACHMENT.
THIS IS NEWS.
I’LL GIVE YOU SOME NEWS RIGHT
NOW BECAUSE I HAVEN’T SAID THIS
TO ANY PRESS PERSON BEFORE.
IMPEACHMENT IS SO DIVISIVE TO
THE COUNTRY UNLESS THERE’S
SOMETHING SO COMPELLING AND
OVERWHELMING AND BIPARTISAN, I
DON’T THINK WE SHOULD GO DOWN
THAT PATH BECAUSE IT DIVIDES THE
COUNTRY AND SHE’S JUST NOT WORTH
IT.
IT. TRUMP’S NOT WORTH IT.
THIS DREW IMMEDIATE ACTION FROM
TOM STEYER.
TOM STEYER. SPEAKER PELOSI THINKS HE’S NOT
WORTH IT, IS DEFENDING OUR LEGAL
SYSTEM WORTH IT.
IS HOLDING THE PRESIDENT
ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS CRIMES WORTH
IT?
IT? IS DOING WHAT IS RIGHT WORTH IT
OR SHALL AMERICA STOP FIGHTING
FOR OUR PRINCIPLES AND DO WHAT
IS CONVENIENT.
IS CONVENIENT. A MOMENT AGO SHE WAS ASKED ABOUT
IT.
IT. LET’S LISTEN.
LET’S LISTEN. >> SPEAKER PELOSI, WHY YOU’RE
POSED TO IMPEACHMENT?
WHY YOU’RE IMPOSED TO IM
IMPEACHMENT RIGHT NOW?
>> I’VE ALWAYS BEEN OPPOSED.
>> SOME HAVE BEEN DEMANDING HIS
IMPEACHMENT SINCE THE BEGINNING
OF THE MUELLER PROBE.
>> AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED, HE
HAS ENOUGH VIOLATIONS.
HE’S BEEN INVOLVED IN A LOT OF
ACTIVITY THAT WE BELIEVE NEEDS
TO BE MADE APPARENT.
I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE
EVERYTHING THAT IT NEEDS TO
BASICALLY IMPEACHMENTECHACH HIM.
>> I’M HERE.
THERE’S A SENSE OF URGENCY ON MY
PART AND MANY OF US.
THIS IS NOT TO SAY WE DISAGREE.
I THINK EVERY SINGLE COLLEAGUE
OF MINE AGREES THERE’S
IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES.
IMPEACHABLE OFFENSES. THAT’S ONE THING WE ALL AGREE
ON.
ON. >> IF YOU’RE CREATING HARM TO
SOCIETY, IF YOU’RE CAUSING
THINGS TO HAPPEN IN SOCIETY THAT
ARE UNACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
AN UP FIT PRESIDENT CAN BE
IMPEACHED FOR THOSE MISDEEDS
THAT HARM AND CORRUPT SOCIETY.
>> SARAH SANDERS TOLD NBC NEWS
QUOTE, IMPEACHMENT SHOULD NEVER
BE ON THE TABLE BECAUSE THE
PRESIDENT IS DOING A GREAT JOB.
THAT’S HIS SPOKESPERSON.
SPEAKER PELOSI DID TELL THE
WASHINGTON THAT TRUMP IS NOT FIT
TO BE PRESIDENT.
WHAT’S POWERFUL HERE IS PELOSI’S
STATEMENT ABOUT IMPEACHMENT.
IT HAD HAD THES THE SOUNDS OF BR
SHE’S NOT JUST PUMPING THEM,
SHE’S SLAMMING THEM.
I’M JOINED NOW BY DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSWOMAN OF ILLINOIS.
WHITE HOUSE REPORTER FOR THE LOO
ANGELES TIMES.
ANGELES TIMES. THANK YOU FOR COMING ON TONIGHT.
I WAS SHOCKED BY PELOSI’S
STATEMENT BECAUSE IT SEEMED TO
ME IT WASN’T -- WELL WE’RE NOT
GOING TO DO IT RIGHT AWAY.
WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH STUFF NOW.
IT WAS A STATEMENT OF DIRECTION.
WE SHOULDN’T BE GOING TOWARD
LOOKING TO IMPEACH THIS GUY EVEN
THOUGH HE HAVE A LOT OF EVIDENCE
ALREADY.
ALREADY. YOUR THOUGHTS.
YOUR THOUGHTS. >> WELL, I THINK THAT WHAT SHE’S
SAYING IS REGARDLESS OF THE
INFORMATION, REGARDLESS OF HOW
UNFIT HE IS, WE’RE WAITING FOR
REPUBLICAN PERMISSION TO GO
FORWARD AND HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE
FOR HIS CRIMES.
I THINK IF WE LET THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE SEE THROUGH HEARINGS
EXACTLY HOW LAWLESS HE IS, THEY
WILL INSIST HE BE REMOVED FROM
OFFICE IMMEDIATELY.
OFFICE IMMEDIATELY. >> WHAT ARTICLE OF IMPEACHMENT
ARE YOU CONFIDENCE OF RIGHT NOW
HE DESERVES TO HAVE BROUGHT
AGAINST HIM?
AGAINST HIM? WHAT ARTICLE?
WHAT ARTICLE? >> I THINK THE TWO MOST OBVIOUS
ARTICLES, CHRIS, ARE OBSTRUCTION
OF JUSTICE AND STRAIGHT UP
CORRUPTION.
CORRUPTION. HE’S BEEN TAKING MONEY FROM
FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
FOREIGN COUNTRIES. >> EXPLAIN OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE IN A MOMENT, IF YOU CAN.
WHAT HAS HE DONE?
I CAN SEE THINGS.
WHAT DO YOU SEE THAT HE’S DONE?
MISUSING HIS POWER OF OFFICE TO
PROTECT HIMSELF.
PROTECT HIMSELF. >> I THINK HE’S DONE A NUMBER OF
THINGS STARTING WITH FIRING MR.
COMEY BECAUSE HE WAS
INVESTIGATING HIS RUSHSIAN
CONNECTIONS.
CONNECTIONS. USING ANY MENANS TO FRUSTRATE
INVAES GAGSIN
INVAES GAGSIN INVESTIGATIONS
INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS.
INVESTIGATIONS. I THINK WE NEED PUBLIC HEARINGS
TO LAY OUT THE EVIDENCE FOR THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE SO THEY CAN SEE
EXACTLY HOW LAWLESS THIS
PRESIDENT IS, CHRIS.
>> LET ME GO TO CONGRESSWOMAN.
YOU KNOW THE SPEAKER QUITE WELL.
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK MOTIVATED
HER DECISION TO MAKE A BOLD
STATEMENT TODAY?
STATEMENT TODAY? >> SHE ADDED ON BY SAYING UNLESS
THERE WERE SUCH COMPELLING
EVIDENCE THAT THE MAJORITY OF
AMERICANS WOULD AGREE, IT WOULD
BE VERY DIDIVISIVE.
IT’S HARD TO DISAGREE WITH THAT.
WHEN MIXNIXON WAS ITCHMPEACHED B
WHEN THE TAPES CAME OUT, THEY
SAID IT’S TIME FOR HIM TO GO.
WE’RE NOT AT THAT POINT.
IF WE GO INTO IMPEACHMENT
HEARINGS, THAT WILL SUCK UP THE
NEWS, ALL THE ENERGY IN OUR
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. WE NEED TO DO THINGS LIKE LOWER
PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES, TO
CONTINUE ON WITH THE AGENDA OF
THE PEOPLE.
THE PEOPLE. MAKING HEALTH CARE MORE
AFFORDABLE
AFFORDABLE AFFORDABLE.
AFFORDABLE. INCREASING WAGES.
INCREASING WAGES. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE
COME HOME AND TALK ABOUT.
I FEAR THAT AGENDA WOULD BE OFF
THE TABLE.
THE TABLE. >> EVERYBODY THAT COMES UP TO ME
AND EVERY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES,
YOU’RE THE EXPERT, THE
POLITICIAN, THEY COME UP TO US
AND YOU KNOW THEY ASK THIS, WHEN
WILL THEY IMPEACHMENT THIS GUY
THAT’S THE QUESTION.
YOU HIT OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND
REGULAR PEOPLE THAT AREN’T
PROGRESSIVE.
PROGRESSIVE. THEY THINK HE’S ON THE VERGE OF
FACING.
FACING. DO YOU THINK THE REPUBLICANS
WILL BACK HIM OR WON’T BACK HIM
IF HE FIRES MUELLER?
IF HE GOES AFTER THE KIDS,
EVERYBODY FIGURES HE WILL FIRE
THEM.
THEM. DO YOU THINK THE REPUBLICANS
WILL TURN ON HIM?
>> I THINK THERE MAY BE A
TIPPING POINT.
TIPPING POINT. >> WHAT WILL IT BE?
SHOOTING SOMEONE ON FIFTH
AVENUE.
AVENUE. DOES HE HAVE TO PULL THE
TRIGGER.
TRIGGER. >> IF HE FIRES MUELLER, THAT
COULD BE THE TRIGGERING THING
THAT PEOPLE SAID, OKAY.
THAT IS A STEP TOO FAR.
IN THE MEANTIME, CHRIS, WE
AREN’T JUST SITTING AROUND
WATCHING HIM DO WHAT HE DOES.
THERE ARE SERIOUS INVESTIGATIONS
AND WE’RE PREPARING, PERHAPS,
FOR A TIME WHEN IMPEACHMENT IS
ON THE TABLE.
RIGHT NOW IT WOULD SUCK UP ALL
THE AIR, ALL THE ENERGY AND WE
COULDN’T DO.
COULDN’T DO. I DON’T HEAR THAT SO MUCH FROM
MY CONSTITUENTS.