IT’S OUR ROAD MAP TO WRAP UP AND STRATEGICALLY LENS THE WEEK’S
TOP STORIES.
TOP STORIES. JOINING ME TONIGHT, OLIVIA,
I AM SO THRILLED TO HAVE YOU
HERE.
HERE. POLITICO CALLED YOU ONE OF THE
BREAKOUT STARS OF 2016, AND I
LOVED YOU STARTING WRITING AS A
KID IN NEW JERSEY.
SO WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW.
>> THANK YOU.
>> AND THE LEGENDARY EUGENE
ROBINSON.
ROBINSON. WHEN YOU SHOW UP EVERYTHING IS
OKAY.
OKAY. >> EVERYTHING IS OKAY.
IT IS.
IT IS. EVERYTHING’S OKAY.
EVERYTHING’S OKAY. >> AND OBVIOUSLY AN MSNBC
POLITICAL ANALYST.
POLITICAL ANALYST. >> REMAIN CALM.
>> FOUR DECADES AT "THE
WASHINGTON POST," PULITZER
PRIZEWINNER AND LEGEND.
IT’S NOT MIKE BARNICLE, IT’S YOU
THAT’S THE LEGEND.
AND, SAM, I’M SO HAPPY TO HAVE
YOU HERE.
YOU HERE. WE LOVE GETTING PEOPLE FROM THE
OTHER SIDE.
OTHER SIDE. FORMER OF COURSE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
ADVISOR.
ADVISOR. YOU WERE HIRED, FIRED, HIRED
AGAIN AND THEN SUED BY TRUMP.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL THAT.
>> AND FIRED ALSO.
>> OH, THREE TIMES.
YOU WERE CALLED OBVIOUSLY IN
FRONT OF MUELLER, AND IS IT
STILL TRUE ROGER STONE WAS YOUR
HERO?
HERO? HAVE WE CHANGED ON THAT?
HAVE WE MOVED ON FROM THAT?
>> HE WAS.
>> HE WAS.
SO LOTS TO GET TO TONIGHT.
FIRST UP LET’S GO TO THE WALL.
INFRASTRUCTURE MELTDOWN.
INFRASTRUCTURE MELTDOWN. WILL THE PRESIDENT’S I DON’T
WANT TO PLAY AND I’M TAKING MY
BALL HOME HISSY FIT BE A
STRATEGIC 2020 WIN FOR
DEMOCRATS?
DEMOCRATS? IT SURE SHOULD BE.
>> I WISH THAT HIS FAMILY OR HIS
ADMINISTRATION OR HIS STAFF
WOULD HAVE AN INTERVENTION.
>> SHE’S NOT THE SAME PERSON.
SHE’S LOST IT.
CRYIN’ CHUCK, CRAZY NANCY.
>> I’M PRAYING FOR THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. >> I’M AN EXTREMELY STABLE
GENIUS.
GENIUS. >> THE OPPOSITE OF GENIUS.
HE’S AN UNSTABLE NONGENIUS.
>> THAT STUFF ACTUALLY HAPPENED
>> ISN’T IT AMAZING?
>> IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES AND THE SPEAKER OF THE
HOUSE.
HOUSE. >> WHAT A GIFT TO THE DEMOCRATS,
TWO GIFTS.
TWO GIFTS. NUMBER ONE, ANY TIME TRUMP AND
PELOSI GO AT IT, THAT IS A FIGHT
TRUMP CANNOT WIN.
HE’S OH FOR ONE, HE OWNED THE
SHUTDOWN AND NOW HE’S OH FOR
TWO.
TWO. HE OWNS GRIDLOCK.
>> HE TOOK OWNERSHIP OF
GRIDLOCK, SAYING I WILL NOT WORK
WITH
WITH THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AS
LONG AS THEY INVESTIGATE ME.
WELL, GUESS WHAT?
THEY HAVE THAT RIGHT, THEY HAVE
THAT DUTY.
THAT DUTY. THAT’S WHAT THE HOUSE DOES AND
SO HE HAS TAKEN OWNERSHIP OF
GRIDLOCK.
GRIDLOCK. IT’S AMAZING.
IT’S AMAZING. SOMETHING ABOUT PELOSI DRIVES
HIM CRAZY.
HIM CRAZY. LITERALLY CRAZY.
LITERALLY CRAZY. >> YEAH, I’VE SUGGESTED THAT SHE
HAS THE RIGHT NOTE AS A WOMAN IN
POWER GOING AFTER TRUMP.
SHE’S THIS IRON FIST IN A VELVET
GLOVE.
GLOVE. SHE GOES AFTER HIS MANHOOD, SHE
GOES AFTER HIS COMPETENCY AND
SHE DOES IT WITH ELEGANCE AND
GRACE.
GRACE. >> I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A
DIFFERENT VIEW ON THIS.
I DON’T THINK HE’S GENUINELY
IRRITATED OR UPSET BY HER.
I THINK HE THINKS IT’S POLITICAL
THEATER.
THEATER. THE JUXTAPOSITION OF THE TWO OF
THEM IS SO EXTREME.
AND HE KNOWS ITS DRAMA PEOPLE
ARE INTERESTED IN.
I THINK HE KNOWS SHE HAS HER
FANS AND HER SUPPORTERS, HE HAS
HIS AND IT’S EXCITING WHEN THE
TWO OF THEM ARE AT ODDS.
HE’S TRYING TO DO THAT.
LOOK, THE ROSE GARDEN THAT WAS
SET UP FOR AN EVENT BEFORE HE
ALLEGEDLY WALKED OUT OF THERE.
>> I AGREE WITH JUST ABOUT ALL
HIS OTHER FIGHTS.
I THINK THIS FIGHT HE
CONTINUALLY LOSES.
CONTINUALLY LOSES. SHE JUST SEEMS TO ONE UP HIM.
THERE’S A CALM AND HE DOESN’T
HAVE THE SAME PUNCH.
HE DOESN’T GIVE HER A NICKNAME.
I FEEL HE IS THREATENED BY THE
INTELLIGENCE, AND I FEEL THERE
IS A DIFFERENCE WHEN NANCY
FIGHTS.
FIGHTS. AND YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW TRUMP,
SAM.
SAM. SO DO I.
SO DO I. FIRST OF ALL, DO YOU SEE A MORE
UNHINGED GUY THAN YOU SAW THREE,
FOUR, YEARS AGO?
>> MORE UNHINGED, NO.
WHAT
WHAT I SEE IS SOMEBODY WHO REALLY
DOESN’T GET THE JOKE ANYMORE,
WHO PERSONALIZES EVERYTHING TO
THE POINT WHERE YOU HEAR HIM
THIS WEEK HE’S UNABLE TO SAY
THAT HE WANTS TO DO BETTER FOR
THE COUNTRY, HE WANTS TO WORK ON
INFRASTRUCTURE DESPITE WHAT THE
DEMOCRATS ARE DOING TO HIM.
HE’S FLAT OUT SAID IF YOU
INVESTIGATE ME I’M NOT GOING TO
PASS ANYTHING FOR THIS COUNTRY.
AND IT’S REALLY SOMETHING I’VE
NEVER HEARD A PRESIDENT SAY.
BILL CLINTON DID IT SO
BRILLIANTLY DURING HIS
IMPEACHMENT, AND THAT’S ONE OF
THE REASONS HE
ULTIMATELY WON AND WHY THIS
IMPEACHMENT WHICH I THINK IS AN
OUTCOME GOING TO HAPPEN IS GOING
TO DESTROY HIM.
>> I WANT TO GO BACK TO THE
DEBATE IS PELOSI A WINNER OR
LOSER FOR HIM.
THIS IS REPULSIVE.
FOX ACTUALLY PLAYED THE SOCIAL
MEDIA DISTORTION OF HER,
ACTUALLY PLAYED IT AS A REAL
TAPE.
TAPE. TRUMP RETWEETED IT, GIULIANI
RETWEETED IT.
RETWEETED IT. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIRAL
VIDEO.
VIDEO. >> WE WANT TO GIVE THIS
PRESIDENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO
SOMETHING HISTORIC FOR OUR
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. WE WANT TO GIVE THIS PRESIDENT
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING
HISTORIC FOR OUR COUNTRY.
>> TALK ABOUT WHAT FASCISTS DO.
IN YOUR
IN YOUR LIFETIME OF COVERING CANDIDATES.
>> I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE
IT.
IT. I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE
THIS AND THIS IS ONLY THE
BEGINNING.
BEGINNING. WE’RE JUST GETTING INTO THE
CAMPAIGN.
CAMPAIGN. YOU KNOW, THE THING ABOUT
PELOSI, I DON’T KNOW HOW WELL
YOU GUYS KNOW HER, BUT SHE IS --
PEOPLE THINK OF
HER AS A SAN FRANCISCO LIBERAL.
SHE IS TOMMY DALLESANDRO’S
DAUGHTER.
DAUGHTER. IN A SETTING LIKE THIS AROUND A
TABLE, SHE TELLS THE FUNNIEST
STORIES.
STORIES. SHE’S SHARP AS A TACK.
THEN WHEN THE CAMERAS GET ON HER
SHE DEVELOPS THIS SORT OF
RICTUS, SHE’S NOT A NATURAL
TELEVISION
TELEVISION PERFORMER BUT SHE IS A NATURAL
POLITICIAN WHO LEARNED FROM
MASTERS, AND SHE REALLY KNOWS
WHAT SHE’S DOING.
>> SHE’S VERY POLITICALLY
POLARIZING ON THE RIGHT AND
THEY’RE MAKING HER A SYMPATHETIC
CHARACTER.
CHARACTER. I THINK THE PRESIDENT GOT LUCKY
WITH SOMEONE LIKE HILLARY
CLINTON DURING THE ELECTION AND
HE CAN’T PLAY THIS GAME WITH
PELOSI.
PELOSI. >> ALL RIGHT, LET’S GO BACK TO
THE WALL.
THE WALL. DON’T REACH TO IMPEACH.
SPEAKING OF NANCY PELOSI I
BELIEVE HER STRATEGY OF STEPPING
AWAY FROM IMPEACHMENT FOR NOW IS
NOT ONLY THE SMART PLAY, IT’S
THE ONLY PLAY.
OLIVIA, I HAVE SAID ALL ALONG IF
IT’S A POKER ANALOGY, KEEP
STACKING YOUR CHIPS.
THERE’S NO REASON TO GO ALL IN
NOW.
NOW. KEEP THE CHORUS OF INVESTIGATION
AFTER INVESTIGATION PARTICULARLY
AS THE JUDGES ARE STARTING TO
SIDE WITH YOU, DON’T GIVE HIM
THE CLUB OF SAYING I’M A VICTIM.
DON’T GO AGAINST POPULARITY
WHERE IT’S ONLY 37%.
I’M NOT QUITE SURE THE CORTEZ’S
OF THE WORLD AND SOME OF THE
YOUNG UNS OF THE CONGRESS WHY
THEY FEEL THE NEED OR THINK IT’S
IN ANY WAY
STRATEGICALLY SOUND TO GO FOR
THE "I" WORD RIGHT NOW.
>> I THINK PELOSI IS IN A
DIFFICULT SPOT BECAUSE OF HOW
SPLIT HER PARTY IS ON THIS.
I ALSO THINK THERE’S CERTAIN
THINGS IMPEACHMENT WOULD ALLOW
THE DEMOCRATS TO DO.
DONALD TRUMP SAYS IT’S A FISHING
EXPEDITION,
EXPEDITION, THEY’RE TRYING TO GET THESE
DOCUMENTS AND HE DIDN’T HAVE A
JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT.
IF THEY WERE FORMALLY IN
IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS THEY’D
HAVING SOMETHING TO POINT TO.
IT WOULD BE A WAY OF ORGANIZING
EVERYTHING.
EVERYTHING. RIGHT NOW IT’S ALL VERY SPREAD
OUT,
OUT, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
INVESTIGATIONS, A LOT OF
DIFFERENT ENTITIES REQUESTING
DOCUMENTS.
DOCUMENTS. IF IT WAS ALL CONSOLIDATED I
THINK THAT WOULD MAYBE HELP
DEMOCRATS FIGHT BACK AGAINST
SOME OF THE ALLEGATIONS THAT
THEY’RE JUST COMPLETELY
UNFOCUSED, NOT GETTING ANYTHING
DONE BECAUSE THEIR FOCUSED ON
TRYING TO FIND SOME WRONGDOING
THERE.
THERE. BUT I DO AGREE I THINK RIGHT NOW
POLITICALLY IT SEEMS LIKE IT
PROBABLY WOULD HELP DONALD TRUMP
IF THEY WERE TO --
>> I ACTUALLY CAN TURN THE
THEORY THAT ALL OF THIS STUFF IS
TOO MUCH, THAT IT’S A CHORUS
INSTEAD OF A LEAD SINGER.
AND IT PLAYS IN THE BACKDROP.
IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE THEY’RE
OVERREACHING.
OVERREACHING. IT’S OUT THERE ON A DAILY BASIS
AND
AND PARTICULARLY WHEN SOME OF THE
EARLY RULINGS ARE GOING IN YOUR
FAVOR.
FAVOR. >> THAT’S THE THING.
I’VE BEEN ON THE FENCE ABOUT
THIS.
THIS. I COULD SEE BOTH SIDES ABOUT THE
IMPEACHMENT QUESTION.
IMPEACHMENT QUESTION. BUT, YOU KNOW, AS I WROTE THIS
PAST WEEK, AFTER WHAT WE SAW IN
THE WEEK, I THINK PELOSI HAS
EARNED HERSELF, YOU KNOW, A
WHOLE
WHOLE BUNCH OF TIME TO PURSUE THE
STRATEGY OF STOPPING SHORT OF
IMPEACHMENT.
IMPEACHMENT. FIRST OF ALL THE COURT RULINGS
ARE GOING DECIDEDLY IN THE
DEMOCRATS’ FAVOR AGAINST THE
ADMINISTRATION AND BASICALLY
THE JUSTICES SAY, GET THIS STUFF
OUT OF HERE, THIS IS RIDICULOUS,
WHAT YOU ARE ARGUING, TO THE
ADMINISTRATION.
ADMINISTRATION. AND THEN THAT THE DUST-UP WITH
TRUMP OVER INFRASTRUCTURE AND
THEN BEYOND WITH HER COMING OUT
THE WINNER, I THINK IT
STRENGTHENS HER HAND WITH HER
CAUCUS.
CAUCUS. YOU KNOW, I’M NOT SURPRISED --
THERE WERE PREDICTIONS THAT SHE
COULDN’T POSSIBLY BE THE
SPEAKER, THERE WAS GOING TO BE
THIS, YOU KNOW, HUMONGOUS
CHALLENGE AND THE YOUNG UNS WERE
GOING TO DEPOSE HER AND THE
YOUNG UNS ALL FELL.
DON’T UNDERESTIMATE HER.
>> I NEVER DO.
SAM,
SAM, TRUMP IS A MASTER AT SIMPLICITY
BRANDING.
BRANDING. WHEN YOU GIVE HIM IMPEACHMENT
YOU GIVE HIM THAT ONE CLUB.
THEY’RE TRYING TO GET ME,
THEY’RE TRYING TO IMPEACH ME.
HE DOES NOT HAVE THE BACKHAND
RESPONSE WHEN IT IS A
MULTIPLICITY OF THINGS
HAPPENING.
HAPPENING. AND THE MORE YOU CAN -- I DON’T
WANT TO SAY CONFUSE HIM, BUT NOT
LET HIM OVERLY DUMB DOWN AND
SIMPLIFY THE ISSUE, THE MORE YOU
WIN.
WIN. >> AND HE CAN’T GET AWAY WITH
SAYING EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE,
SAYING I GAVE EXECUTIVE
PRIVILEGE WITHIN MY AUTHORITY,
MY BRANCH, I DON’T WANT TO
NECESSARILY GIVE IT TO CONGRESS.
AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE LOOK AT
THIS WHERE OBSTRUCTION IS A
PROCESS CRIME BUT NOW THEY LOOK
AT THESE HEARINGS ARE BEING
OBSTRUCTED.
OBSTRUCTED. THAT’S WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO SEE,