LEMIRE. AND FROM "THE WASHINGTON POST"
ASHLEY PARKER.
ASHLEY PARKER. ASHLEY PARKER, I’M GOING TO
START WITHAR YOU.
THE PRESIDENT’S ALLIES SEEM TO
FOCUS ON THINGS THAT YOU WOULD
THINK THE PRESIDENT WANTED HIM
TO FOCUS ON.
BUT YOU’VEOC REPORTED, AND WE AL
SAWD, WITH OUR OWN EYES THAT IT
HIS IMPEACHMENT THAT IS KEEPING
DONALD TRUMP UP AT NIGHT, NOT
ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE FISA COURT
SYSTEME AT THIS JUNCTURE.
>> THAT’S EXACTLY RIGHT.
AT WAS CLEAR IN HIS RALLY LAST
NIGHT.
NIGHT. I THINK IT CAME THROUGH ON TV,
AND CERTAINLY IF YOU WERE THERE
IN HERSHEY, PENNSYLVANIA, IN
PERSON, AS I WAS, THE CROWD WAS
ELECTRIC.
ELECTRIC. THE PRESIDENT WAS FIRED UP AND
ANGRY FOR A LOT OF IT.
AND HEOF TOUCHED ON OTHER THEMES
THE LOW UNEMPLOYMENT RATE.
BUT HE KEPT COMING BACK TO FOR
EXTENDED RISK IMPEACHMENT.
YOU CAN TELL THAT THE PRESIDENT
IS OBSESSED WITH IT, AND
UNDERSTANDBLY SO TO BE FAIR.
AND INFURIATED BY IT.
HE CALLED IT RIDICULOUS.
HE CALLED IT FLIMSY.
HE CALLED IT UGLY.
THE FLIPSIDE OF THAT, OF COURSE,
IS HE IS SORT OF VERY UPSET THAT
THIS WILL BRING AN ASTERISK, AT
THE VERY LEAST, TO HIS
PRESIDENCY.
PRESIDENCY. BUT IT’S SOMETHING HE CAN’T STOP
TALKING ABOUT, IN PART BECAUSE
HE THINKS THERE IS SOMEPA
POLITICAL ADVANTAGE.
POLITICAL ADVANTAGE. YOU ALSO SAW HIM LAST NIGHT
MENTION THE SILVER LINING, THE
IDEA THAT THAT’S THE ONLY REASON
THE USMCA TRADE DEAL GOT PASSED
AND ALSO SAYING THAT THIS IS
IMPEACHMENT LIGHT.
IMPEACHMENT LIGHT. IT’S NOT EVEN REAL IMPEACHMENT.
AND FRANKLY TRYING TO FIRE UP
HIS BASE BY SAYING THIS IS
DEMOCRATS BASICALLY TRYING TO
SUBVERT YOUR WILL.
THEY COULDN’T WIN IN 2016, THEY
CAN’T WIN IN 2020 AND THIS IS
HOW THEY ARE TRYING TO DO IT.
>> JONATHAN LEMIRE, IT DOES PUT
THE PRESIDENT ON FOUR TO FIVE
SIDES OF EVERY TWO-SIDED
QUESTION IN WASHINGTON WHETHER
THIS IS GOOD OR BAD POLITICALLY
FOR DEMOCRATS.
FOR DEMOCRATS. HE’S TAKEN THREE OR FOUR
POSITIONS THERE.
POSITIONS THERE. AND IT IS, ACCORDING TO PEOPLE
CLOSE TO THIS PRESIDENT, IT IS
THE KIND OF HISTORY THAT HE
ABHORES, ONE THAT SHRINKS HIM,
ONE THAT MAKES HIM IN HIS OWN
VIEW, LESS OF A LEGITIMATE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. >>MA RIGHT.
>>MA RIGHT. WE’VE SEEN A REAL DWICHLTD
REMEMBER FOR MONTHS EVEN DURING
THE MUELLER PROBE WE WOULD HEAR
THAT THE PEOPLE AROUND THE
PRESIDENT WHITE HOUSE
STRATEGIST, MEMBERS OF THE
CAMPAIGN, SORT OF HIS INNER
CIRCLE, ALL THOUGHT IMPEACHMENT
WOULD BE GOOD POLITICALLY FOR
HIM.
HIM. AND EVEN NOW WE ARE SEEING BRAD
PARSCAL, TWEETING OUT JUST TODAY
POLLS THAT THEY HAVE SUGGESTING
THAT THERE ARE SOME HOUSE
DEMOCRATS WHO ARE SUPPORTING
IMPEACHMENT IN SOME OF THESE
BATTLEGROUND STATES WHO ARE
STRUGGLING, WHO ARE UNDERWATER,
THAT THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN IS
FOCUSING ON HOW IMPEACHMENT IS
PLAYING ON THE TRIO EIN MIDWEST
STATES AND OTHER STATES THAT
INCLUDES PENNSYLVANIA OF COURSE
THAT COULD DETERMINE THE
ELECTION IN 2020.
BUT THE PRESIDENT HAS ALWAYS
TAKEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
HE IS SOMEONE WHO IS DEEPLY
MINDFUL OF HIS LEGACY, OF THE
BRAND.
BRAND. AND HE KNOWS THAT THIS WILL BE,
EVEN IF HE IS IMPEACHED AND EVEN
IN HE’S NOT REMOVED THAT IT’S IN
THE THIRD SENTENCE THAT HE’S
IMPEACHED.
IMPEACHED. HE DOESN’T WANT THAT’S ASTERISK.
HE DOESN’T WANT THAT BLACK MARK
ON HIS RECORD.
AND, TO YOUR POINT, BECAUSE IT
FEELS LIKE IT WOULD DIMINISH
HIM.
HIM. AND THAT’S PART OF THE REASON
WHY HE WAS SO RELUCTANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THE IDEA OF RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE LAST TIME IN 2016
BECAUSE HE FELT THAT DIMINISHED
HIS ABILITY AS PRESIDENT.
THAT MADE HIM ILLEGITIMATE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. AND HEHI FEARS THAT IF HE’S
IMPEACHED, EVEN IF HE SURVIVES A
TRIAL IN THE SENATE THAT THAT
WILL DO SO AGAIN NOW.
>> JAKE SHERMAN, NANCY PELOSI, A
VERY HOUSE SPEAKER BY ANY
MEASURE, ESPECIALLY OVERER THE
LAST THREE MONTHS, BUT I THINK
FRANK FIGLIUZZI HERE WOULD AGREE
SHE COULD DOUBLE AS SOMEONE WITH
A DEGREE IN PSY-OPS.
SHE HAS MADE HIM LOOK AND FEEL
SMALLER AND REALLY CHECK-MATING
HIM ON THE POLITICS BY NARROWING
THE ARTICLES TO TWO UNDENIABLE
FACTS THAT EABUSED HIS POWER AND
THAT HE PROUDLY THUMPS HIS CHEST
AT OVER TAKING UP THIS
INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION. AND HOWR SHE LANDED ON SORT OF
KEEPING THIS SQUARELY IN THE
UNDENIABLE, INDISPUTABLE RANGE
IN TERMS OF THE FACTS THAT HAVE
EMERGED.
EMERGED. >> WELL, THE PRESIDENT IS USED
TO DEALING WITH CONGRESSIONAL
LEADERS WHO BEND TO HIS WITH ILL
AND CATER TO HIS WHIMS.
AND NANCY PELOSI DOESN’T DO
THAT.
THAT. SHE IS STEELY.
SHE LOOKS STRAIGHT AHEAD AND
KIND OF BARRELS THROUGH ANY
PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS THAT OTHER
PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE.
SHE’S VERY GOOD AT THAT AND HAS
BEEN FOR THE BETTER PART OF A
DECADE.
DECADE. THIS ISN’T NEW.
HER BEHAVIOR, HER STRATEGY, HER
TACTICS ARE NOTHING NEW IF
YOU’VE BEEN WATCHING POLITICS
FOR THE LASTWA DECADE.
THE PRESIDENT MAYBE HASN’T BEEN
OBSERVING THE HOUSE OR DIDN’T
WHEN NANCY PELOSI WAS SPEAKER.
BUT EVEN HE IN 2006 THROUGH 2007
SAID THAT SHE WAS THE GREATEST
IN A LETTER TO HER.
BUT, LISTEN, NARROWING THESE
IMPEACHMENT ARTICLES IS A SAVVY
MOVE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT
DOESN’T BRING IN MUELLER.
MUELLER WAS A, NOT DISPUTED BUT
DEFINITELY HOTLY CONTESTED
PROCESS.
PROCESS. AND NANCY PELOSI LEFT THAT ON
THE SIDE AND THIS IS THE LOWEST
COMMON DENOMINATOR FOR HOUSE
DEMOCRATS.
DEMOCRATS. THESE TWO ARTICLES WHICH AREOR
GOING TO BE DEBATED TONIGHT AND
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW. I JUSTTO WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER
POINT HERE ON THE SENATE TRIAL
BECAUSE IT’S STUNNING TO ME THAT
THE WHITE HOUSE KEEPS SAYING
TIME ANDEP TIME AGAIN THAT THEY
WANT HUNTER BIDEN AND JOE BIDEN,
THEY EXPECT THIS SPECTACLE.
IT’S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
NOT ONLY IS IT NOT REALITY.
IT’S NOT APPROACHING REALITY.
AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A LONG
TRIAL VERSUS A SHORT TRIAL.
THIS IS ALLL GOING TO BE
DETERMINED BY MITCH McCONNELL
AND CHUCK SHUBER WHO HAVE TO
COBBLE TOGETHER THE RULES AND DO
IT WITHOUT THE INPUT FROM THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. ANY RULES THAT ARE PASSED, ANY
GUIDELINES FOR THIS TRIAL HAVE
TO GET VOTES IN THE SENATE.
THIS IS NOT A UNITARY BODY.
THIS IS A MAJORITIARIAN
INSTITUTION.
INSTITUTION. AND THE FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT
IS SETTING THE BAR FOR HIS BASE
THAT JOE BIDEN AND HUNTER BIDEN
ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THIS
TRIAL SHOULD BE DEEPLY
CONCERNING FOR REPUBLICANS.
BECAUSE IT ONLY SETS UP A
CONSTRUCT IN WHICH SENATE
REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO BE
LETTING DOWN THEIR BASE.
SO I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE
WHITE HOUSE STRATEGY IS.
AND, FRANKLY, I’M NOT ALONE
BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE IN THE WHITE
HOUSE WHO ARE NOT IN THE
COMMUNICATIONS OPERATION ARE
SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS AND
WONDERING WHAT’S GOING ON HERE.
AND IT’S EASY TO WONDER THAT
BECAUSE IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY
SENSE WHATSOEVER TO PROMISE
SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN
IN A POLITICALLY TENUOUS
SITUATION.
SITUATION. SO AGAIN WE ARE ENTERING A
PERIOD IN WHICH THE WHITE HOUSE
ISRI GOING TO HAVE TO BE
COORDINATING WITH REPUBLICANS ON
STRATEGY, NOT LEAVING THEM AND
HANGING THEM OUT TO DRY.
AND, AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT’S
GOING TO BE PLAYED ON EVERY
NETWORK AND EVERY CABLE NETWORK
FOR THE NEXT MONTH.
>> YOU KNOW, MATT MILLER, JAKE
IS HITTING ON A POINT THAT I
THINK ABOUT ALL THE TIME.
THE MESSAGE THAT’S BEEN
MAINLINED TO THE TRUMP BASE IS
WE’VE GOT THIS.
BUT ALL OF THEIR CONDUCT
SUGGESTS OTHERWISE.
SUGGESTS OTHERWISE. AND I’VE WORKED ON REPUBLICAN
CAMPAIGNS.
CAMPAIGNS. AND IF YOU’RE REPUBLICAN, YOU’VE
NEVER GOT THIS.
YOU ARE HUGELY HANGING BY A
THREAD.
THREAD. AND THAT IS THE CASE WITH THIS
WHITE HOUSE.
WHITE HOUSE. TO SUGGEST THAT EVERYTHING’S
FINE, NOTHING TO SEE HERE, WE
HAVE NO POLITICAL WORRIES AND
BUT WE PROMISE YOU HUNTER AND
JOE BIDEN, ADAM SCHIFF, AND
EVERY THIRD DAY THE
WHISTLE-BLOWER, SUGGESTS THAT
THERE’S A LOT MORE CONCERN UNDER
THE SURFACE.
THE SURFACE. >> I’M SURE THEY ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. THE REASON THEY MAKE
THESE RIDICULOUS PROMISES IS THE
SAME REASON THE PRESIDENT ALWAYS
DOES.
DOES. HE DOESN’T HAVE A LONG-TERM
POLITICAL STRATEGY THOUGHT OUT.
HE DOES WHAT FEELS GOOD AT THE
TIME.
TIME. HE SEEKS OUT THE KIND OF CHEAP
SUGAR HIGH OF A SEGMENT ON FOX
AND FRIENDS TALKING ABOUT
GETTING HUNTER BIDENIN AND GETTI
JOE BIDEN.
JOE BIDEN. BUT I THINK WHAT THEY OUGHT TO
BE WORRIED ABOUT IS WHERE
REPUBLICAN SENATORS ARE.
THEY SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT
HOW REPUBLICAN SENATORS ARE
UNDER PRESSURE.
UNDER PRESSURE. BECAUSE IT’S NOT JUST THE
PRESIDENT’S POLITICAL FUTURE
THAT’S ON THE LINE HERE BUT THE
POLITICAL FUTURE OF PEOPLE LIKE
SUSAN COLLINS IN MAINE AND CORY
GARDNER IN COLORADO.
I DON’T THINK THERE IS ANY WORLD
IN WHICH YOU ARE GOING TO FIND
20 VOTES TO CONVICT THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. BUT A WORLD WHEN, SAY, 51 VOTES
TO CONVICT HIM, A MAJORITY THAT
DECIDES HE ABUSED HIS POWER AND
OBSTRUCTED CONGRESS.
OBSTRUCTED CONGRESS. THAT’S A VERY POLITICAL OUTCOME
FOR THE PRESIDENT THAN ONE WHERE
THERE IS JUST A PARTY LINE VOTE.
SO I WOULD BE VERY WORRIED ABOUT
IT BECAUSE I THINK -- I DON’T
THINK THEY STARTED THIS
IMPEACHMENT PROCESS BECAUSE THEY
THOUGHT IT WAS NECESSARILY THE
POLITICALLYEC RIGHT THING TO DO.
THEY STARTED BECAUSE THEY
THOUGHT THE EVIDENCE DEMANDED
IT.
IT. GOING TO GO
DOWN THIS ROAD YOU HAVE TO WIN
THE POLITICAL FIGHT.
THEY SEEMED COMMITTED TO WINNING
THE POLITICAL FIGHT AND MAKING
SURE THAT THIS VOTE DOESN’T JUST
ACCRUE TO THE PRESIDENT BUT ANY